Environmental Management最新文献

In recent years, there has been a growing recognition of the essential role women play in shaping environmental initiatives. Therefore, this study investigates the nexus between female participation and environmental stewardship, shedding light on the unique perspectives, contributions, and challenges that women bring to the forefront of sustainable efforts. To support our narrative, we use empirical data collected from the 2023 World Bank Enterprise Survey conducted in seven (7) developing countries. We quantify environmental initiatives using four (4) proxies, i.e., energy consumption, CO₂ monitoring, CO₂ control, and ISO 14000 certification. Moreover, we measure female corporate representation using proxies for ownership and top managerial positions. We use regression estimation techniques with country-fixed effect models and robust standard errors. The findings from the cross-sectional dataset suggest that female representation in both ownership and top managerial positions minimizes corporate environmental initiatives. These results verify that women are underrepresented in the corporate sector and face financial challenges, lesser institutional support, and discrimination in developing economies. These hurdles further reduce their active engagement in environmental efforts. A reduction in gender inequality, better job and business opportunities, and financial support could all help to support environmental initiatives in developing countries.

Climate change alignment across national climate change adaptation planning frameworks, sector policies and national development plans is a crucial component of climate change governance and supports synergy that contributes greater effectiveness and efficiency in addressing the impacts of climate change. However, studies that assess climate change coherence between national climate change adaptation planning frameworks and policy frameworks have been inadequate. This study intended to understand the extent of climate change coherence across national climate change adaptation planning frameworks, sector policies and national development plans in Tanzania. A mixed research design employing sequential methods was adopted. Both primary and secondary data was used. Primary data were collected through interviews with key policy experts from government ministries and climate change focal point authorities. Secondary data was collected through a content review of sector policies, national development plans and climate change adaptation planning documents. Purposive sampling was used to select key informants and policy documents. Qualitative content analysis was used to assess text data using a scoring matrix to generate descriptive information. The descriptive information was further standardised using percentages for each sector as well as the percentage score for the overall plans. The findings revealed a weak alignment between national development plans and national climate change response strategies that were attributed to weak alignment between sector policies. However, the study found a moderate extent of climate change consideration in national development plans. Consequently, the study recommended strategies to strengthen the alignment between national climate change response strategies, sector policies and national development plans.

Globally, illegal bushmeat hunting has contributed to the decline of over 300 species listed as threatened on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List and accounts for an estimated 5 million tons of wildlife harvested annually, particularly in tropical regions, placing immense pressure on biodiversity. Despite its recognized conservation threat, limited information exists on the bushmeat trade dynamics in sub-Saharan African savannas. This study conducted interviews with 133 illegal hunters and 40 anti-poaching field rangers in Southeastern Zimbabwe, using semi-structured questionnaires. We explored the characteristics, motivations, methods, species targeted, and perceptions of wildlife law enforcement in Save Valley Conservancy (SVC). Overall, illegal bushmeat hunting in SVC is mainly done by less educated and unemployed young to middle aged men (15-40 years old). The motives behind illegal bushmeat hunting mainly included household consumption (96%), the desire to raise income (96%), unemployment (78%), retaliation for wildlife induced losses (62%), culture (29%) and poor benefit sharing (8%). The common hunting methods reported were hunting with dogs (87%), and snaring (65%). Targeted animal species included impala (96%), wildebeest (53%), eland (53%), African buffalo (51%) among other 12 animal species. Illegal bushmeat hunting was generally conducted all year round. The law enforcement penalties were considered less deterrent, and most of the hunters intended to continue with illegal hunting. Measures suggested to minimize illegal bushmeat hunting in the SVC included investing and strengthening wildlife law enforcement, provision of community conservation-based incentives and enhancing environmental education and awareness.

The study presents a comprehensive literature review focused on the impacts of plastic pollution within the Hawaiian ocean ecosystem. The analysis is organized into three primary sections to facilitate a structured understanding of the issue. First, the research identifies and categorizes the various types of plastics that contribute to pollution in the marine environment. This includes an exploration of single-use plastics, microplastics, and abandoned fishing gear, among others, each presenting unique challenges to marine ecosystems. Second, the review investigates the multifaceted effects of these plastics on the ocean ecosystem. It examines how plastics, particularly fishing nets and microplastics, have become prevalent elements of marine debris. The literature highlights the intricate ways plastics interact with marine life, including ingestion by various species, entanglement of wildlife, and the introduction of hazardous chemicals that can leach into the ocean. These interactions can lead to significant adverse effects on biodiversity, disrupt food chains, and pose health risks to human populations reliant on marine resources. Third, the paper advocates for the adoption of a circular economy approach as a strategic framework to mitigate the widespread impacts of plastic pollution. It outlines innovative recycling methods, the reduction of plastic production, and the promotion of sustainable alternatives as potential solutions. The findings from the literature review indicate that marine debris, particularly fishing nets, are the most frequently reported items, emphasizing the need for targeted interventions in these areas. Moreover, the study reveals that marine debris often interacts with hazardous chemicals, exacerbating the detrimental effects on both marine biodiversity and human health. Interestingly, it notes that while the presence of plastics can create slicks that might have certain benefits, such as providing microhabitats for some species, these benefits are overshadowed by the overall negative impacts on ecosystems. Additionally, the study discusses the role of wind energy factors in dispersing debris patches identified throughout the Pacific Ocean, illustrating the complex dynamics at play in oceanic pollution. While the paper proposes various sustainable innovations aimed at addressing the plastic crisis, it emphasizes the necessity for further research to thoroughly evaluate the feasibility and resilience of these proposed solutions. This call for more in-depth studies aims to ensure that the strategies developed are both practical and effective in restoring and preserving the Hawaiian ocean ecosystem amidst ongoing challenges posed by plastic pollution.

Structured decision making (SDM) is defined by having a variety of characteristics, including a focus on clarifying the context, defining all relevant objectives, developing alternatives, predicting consequences, evaluating tradeoffs, and monitoring and learning from decisions. Some of the most compelling aspects for public decision making are the inclusion of diverse values in the selection of objectives and the opportunity to create a shared understanding of the system, both the context and potential tradeoffs of different strategies. While the technological requirements of the most rigid SDM processes are out of reach of most public agencies and interested publics, governance structures may enable the use of different stages of SDM to improve decisions, without relying on complete datasets and extensive statistical knowledge. Building upon a 4-year participatory research project, we analyze the use of SDM with four different watershed groups to understand the governance factors that facilitated the use of SDM as a decision support tool. All groups aimed to add human wellbeing objectives to existing natural resource health objectives when making decisions. We found that who defines the objectives and required outputs of planning as well as how decisions were made influenced the extent to which groups completed SDM steps. We also demonstrate that decisions can be improved by engaging in each step of the SDM process, and the perfect decision may not depend on completing all steps.

Environmental challenges are increasingly often interconnected. Yet, they are commonly addressed separately, which might result in inefficiencies and missed opportunities. While it is widely acknowledged that integrative solutions can bring co-benefits and synergetic outcomes for different sectors, empirical studies that systematically explore cross-sector integration at the operational level are rare. Drawing from two case studies with a high potential for reducing the environmental impacts of energy production and agriculture while restoring nature in the Dutch rural context, this exploratory study aims to provide an improved understanding of the institutional factors that influence the fulfillment of integrative potential in rural areas. To understand how institutional factors influence integrative outcomes, we use the operational level rules that guide actions and interactions among the actors of the Institutional Analysis and Development (IAD) framework. Our analysis shows that the potential of integrative solutions is not fully recognized and realized in Dutch rural areas. Key institutional factors that hamper integration are diverging perceptions of desired outcomes (scope rule), exclusion of important actors from decision-making (position rule), and imbalances in the sharing of costs and benefits (payoff rule). We conclude that agreement on the rules of actions and interactions between the actors is necessary for fulfillment of integrative potential.

Governance is a key element for effective conservation, sustainable management and restoration of ecosystems. Improving governance is essential for upscaling restoration actions around the world. Governance systems were studied in eleven on-going European wetland restoration sites using a two-step process. First, an in-depth examination of seven sites from six countries was made using key informant interviews. This information provided the basis for developing four governance models (Monocentric, Polycentric, Community-based and Networking). Most of the sites presented a dominant governance model, but also incorporated some dimensions of the other models to a lesser degree. The models were tested and evaluated in an additional seven sites in five countries. The analysis revealed that the governance models were highly subject to the geographical features, land ownership structures and different histories of the sites. Strengths, weaknesses, and supporting and limiting factors were associated with each model. This research shows how governance models are adapted to site specific conditions and how these adaptations can be used to enhance governance processes in existing sites, upscale restoration efforts or set the groundwork in new restoration sites.

Forest landscape restoration (FLR) is a promising tool for restoring ecological functionality and improving human well-being in degraded landscapes. The success of FLR efforts depends on the interests, perceptions, and actions of local communities, extension services, Non-Governmental Organizations, and policymakers. While much research focuses on the direct ecological and economic impacts of FLR, limited attention has been given to how stakeholder perceptions influence the design and implementation of restoration efforts. Understanding these perspectives is crucial for shaping effective policy interventions and ensuring long-term FLR success. This study uses Q methodology to examine stakeholder viewpoints on key considerations and priorities for designing and implementing FLR in Tchamba Prefecture, Togo. The analysis reveals three distinct perspectives: (1) Incentive-Driven Restoration, emphasizing financial incentives and private-sector partnerships as essential for FLR success; (2) Comprehensive and Collaborative Restoration, advocating for an inclusive, multidisciplinary approach that integrates community participation and long-term monitoring; and (3) Incentive-Driven Community Restoration, highlighting the importance of economic incentives in fostering local engagement. Across all perspectives, stakeholders strongly agreed on the importance of biodiversity conservation, stakeholder involvement, and conflict resolution in land use. The findings underscore the need to tailor FLR policies to local contexts and stakeholder preferences, suggesting that flexible, participatory approaches can enhance sustainability and effectiveness. This study contributes to developing inclusive, adaptive restoration policies and highlights the need to integrate behavioural insights into policy-making to foster long-term stakeholder engagement.

Climate information is important for agricultural decision-makings. On the supply-side, provision of climate information is crucial as it enhances information availability. However, decisions from the demand-side are equally important. If farmers do not make use of available climate information, its benefits may be limited. In the extant literature, level of use of climate information has been largely overlooked. In this paper, we examine the impact of not only access but also level of use of climate information on adoption intensity of sustainable practices. Based on a large sample data, we used double-hurdle model to account for not only the hurdle farmers need to grapple with to access climate information but also decisions on the actual use (level) of information to probe into the determinants of adoption. Using dose-response function moreover, we consider both access and intensity of use of climate information to estimate the impact on adoption intensity of adaptation and CSA practices. We found the presence of significant differences in the determinants of adoption intensity when accounting for not only access but also actual use of climate information. Specifically, labor endowments such as education and physical labor and sources of information and learning (extension and community groups) were positively correlated with higher adoption. Dose-response function results indicate that intensity of use of climate information increased adoption of CSA practices. Results imply that while interventions to improve access are useful, those that enhance farmers' level of use of climate information are vital for increasing adoption of sustainable practices.

Customary ownership over trees on forested public lands is a traditional practice that grants individuals or groups rights and duties to access, use, and manage trees. This unique ownership model, where the Indian Government owns the forested land, but trees on that land are customarily owned by the households or community, plays a critical role in community participation in Participatory Forest Management (PFM). No study has yet quantitatively analyzed the relationship between customary ownership over trees and participation in PFM activities. Therefore, this study fills this gap by analyzing the relationship between households' participation in PFM, the number of trees under customary ownership on forested public lands, and socioeconomic variables in Jharkhand, India. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews and participatory rural appraisal. Factor analysis and multivariate linear regression were employed to analyze this relationship. We found that households' customary ownership over a higher number of trees enabled them to earn a higher income and motivated them to relocate for better education and healthcare access, resulting in reduced PFM participation. Households with larger forest landholdings participated more regularly in PFM activities, motivated to legalize ownership of their long-used forestlands. Displaced households experienced reduced PFM participation. Higher caste and wealth groups were associated with greater PFM participation due to better resource access and stronger decision-making power. The study findings inform policymakers to improve inclusive participation in PFM activities and provide a pathway for achieving India's environmental commitments by reducing socioeconomic disparities, improving tribal livelihoods, and promoting sustainable management of forestry resources.