National Environmental Policy Act of the United States and Its Application in Climate Litigation——Evaluating Litigation Case by Friends of the Earth on Export-Import Bank of the United States and Overseas Private Investment Corporation

Because that American government and congress hold a negative attitude on responding to climate change issue, people transfer the battle stage of climate change to the court,and hope to promote government and large energy companies actively responding to climate change issue via litigation form. A large amount of related litigation appears,and a kind of special litigation type is gradually formed, namely climate change litigation. National Environmental Policy Act of the United States is one of important legal weapons used by prosecutor in climate change litigation. In National Environmental Policy Act, it stipulates environmental impact evaluation system which has close relationship with climate change litigation. The system requires that federal agency ＂ should compile detailed environmental impact report （EIS） on major federal action which significantly affects human survival environment quality＂. Litigation case of Export - Import Bank of the United States and Overseas Private Investment Corporation by Fdends of the Earth, Green Peace, Boulder City, etc. is typical one related to the act. We try to evaluate and analyze text and case of the act.

Analysis of the current situation of environmental policy of China and establishment of distributed environmental policy framework

In this study, China＇s current macro-environ- mental policies as well as their implementation and management tools are analyzed. By using the basic economic methodology, detailed studies are conducted focusing on the implementation effect of contemporary China＇s typical environmental policy of the total pollutant discharge quantity control type, and also the two types of environmental management tools are compared from the perspective of implementation costs and policy uncertainty. By introduction of distributed management tools into the implementation of environmental policies, marketoriented means and the methods of economic analysis are introduced into environmental policy decision-making mechanisms, which could afford a new method for changing the current relatively low efficiency of environ- mental policy, solving the problem of＂government failure＂ in environmental policy implementation, and providing a new way to make environmental policy system more flexible and more efficient. It is of great practical significance to solve China＇s current structural, complex and accumulative environmental problems.

Analysis of Green Technology Upgrading Strategy Based on Collaborative Incentive of Environmental Policy and Green Finance

With the continuous development of economy, the bottleneck problem of environmental resources has become increasingly prominent. Enterprise environmental governance technology innovation incentive has become an important issue for the development of government, society and enterprises. Under the control of enterprise's expected economic target, this paper discusses the synergistic incentive effect of environmental policy and green finance on enterprise's environmental governance technology innovation decision by using nonlinear programming model. The results show that when the funds for environmental governance technological innovation are insufficient, there is an optimal decision space to use green financial loans to implement technological innovation and upgrade, and then achieve the expected economic goals;Under a given level of environmental governance technology, environmental policies affect whether enterprises can make decisions on technological innovation and upgrading of environmental governance;Green financial mechanism will not. However, when the enterprise makes the decision of environmental governance technology upgrading, it will affect the enterprise's decision on green financial loan amount. The results of the study have guiding significance for the formulation of environmental policy and green financial policy, as well as the decision-making of enterprise environmental governance technology innovation and upgrading.

Analysis of the relationship between environmental policies and air quality during major social events

Based on an analysis of major recent social events in China,such as the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games,2010 Shanghai World Expo,2014 Nanjing Youth Olympic Games,and 2014 Beijing Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation Conference,mandatory,temporary,and indemnificatory quantitative policies aimed at protecting air quality,which were carried out by both central and local governments,made substantial contributions to changes and improvements in air quality.To some extent,the findings show that command and control measures play a significant role in protecting air quality,while the law and economic and voluntary environmental safeguard measures do not during major social events.Therefore,it reminds us the air quality could and will improve not only during major social events but also in the regular days if we implement appropriate environmental policies and safeguard measures.

The Effects of Greenhouse Gases Regulation on Wages and Rents: Policy Issues and General Equilibrium Analysis

The stringency of environmental policy is likely to change the gains of economic agents. Using a general equilibrium model and an assumption that capital-intensive industries tend to be intensive emitters of greenhouse gases (GHG), we find that a stricter GHG emission scheme will reduce the rent for capital owners but increase the wage for workers. This effect could motivate capital owners or workers to oppose or support a stricter GHG policy. The paper also empirically assesses the model’s key assumption by using production input (capital stock and labor), output, and GHG emission data from U.S industrial sectors. The regression result supports a strong positive relationship between the capital-labor ratio and the pollution-output ratio. Therefore, the theoretical analysis is relevant to the actual economy.

Strategic Environmental Assessment to Improve Infrastructure Impact Assessments in Brazil

The wider consideration of environmental effects and alternatives in early stages of decision-making has been pointed as one of the major benefits of Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA). Adopted by virtually all of developed countries and sprawling around emergent and developing ones, it is recognized that SEA effectiveness is attached to its systematic application in development plans and programmes. Brazil and many developing countries have different experiences with this instrument and lacks of definition of a procedural framework to promote the use of SEA in strategic levels of decision. As a consequence development projects are frequently “threatened” by impact assessment outcomes, especially when a mandatory project-EIA has to inform decisions. In order to contribute to the implementation of SEA in developing countries, the present paper discusses the potential benefits of using SEA in transport infrastructure plans and programmes, through a case study applied to transport plans in the state of Sao Paulo (south-eastern Brazil). The outcomes indicate that SEA could contribute to improve infrastructure impact assessments, minimizing social and environmental conflicts, augmenting the acceptability of projects and decisions, reinforcing the need for SEA to be systematically implemented in Brazil.

THE INTERNATIONAL ENVIRONMENT AND OUR FOREIGN POLICY

After the bombing of our embassy in Belgrade, Chinese students of internationalrelations tensely discussed about China’s international environment. The manyopinions fell into two basic groups. One expressed the belief that the war in Kosovobrought about a fundamental change of the international environment; the othergroup thought that the Kosovo War merely reflected the post-Cold War interna-tional reality rather than changing the international environment. In order to cor-

Does Environmental Laws and Policies Work?A Review Of Ghana’s Case

Enforcing environmental laws and policies has been one of the pressing agenda globally.Despite the mandate given to the Environmental Protection Agency(EPA)by the Act 490,there are still numerous environmental issues unaddressed in Ghana.This paper is geared towards unravelling and identifying the current additions that have been made to existing literature on environmental laws and policies in Ghana.This paper made a wide-ranging general literature review to outline significant contributions concerning environmental laws and policies.Numerous environmental laws and policies were identified but have been fragmented and are not codified in a particular document.It is evident from the review of literature existing that there are still areas for advanced research on the topic of environmental laws and policies placing more emphasis on institution concerned with environmental issues at global level.The study recommended the need for capacity building for environmental personnel and data due to the numerous technological advancement to better assist the implementation and enforcement of environmental laws in Ghana.

Environmental improvement or industry enhancement?A case study on the impact of environmental regulations on Chinese automobile industry

Developing countries are encouraged to pursue environmental protection and industrial development simultaneously,although it is a big challenge to reach win-win situation.This study explored the relationshipbetween environmental regulations and the industry enhancement in developing countries through conducting an empirical analysis of the impact of environmental regulationson Chinese automobile industry.In the empirical analysis,a total of64Chinese automobile enterprises were investigated,the Malmquist index of total factor productivity was adopted to determine the productivity of Chinese automobiles,and the two-step system Generalised Method of Moments(GMM)estimation was used for the regressionanalysis.The resultsshowedthat environmental regulations negatively affected the productivity and technology of Chinese automobile industry during 2004-2018.The production costof automobile industry in China was rising sharply,and the productivity and technological progress of Chinese automobile industry were impeded significantly.The case of Chinese automobile industry illustrated that strict environmental requirements can negatively impact industry productivity by increasing production costs and squeezing industry profits.

Health Impacts and Mechanisms of Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) from Epidemiological to Toxicological

This research provides a comprehensive analysis of the health impacts of Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) through an integration of epidemiological and toxicological studies. The study identifies significant correlations between PFAS exposure and adverse health outcomes, including thyroid dysfunction, elevated cholesterol levels, and increased risk of specific cancers. Utilizing a mixed-methods approach, the research combines a systematic review and meta-analysis of recent literature with in vitro and in vivo toxicological experiments. The epidemiological analysis reveals increased risks of thyroid dysfunction, cholesterol elevation, and certain cancers among PFAS-exposed individuals. Toxicological findings further corroborate these results, showing dose-dependent cytotoxic effects in human cell lines and endocrine disruption in rodent models. The study emphasizes the importance of regulatory measures to mitigate PFAS exposure and the urgent need for more comprehensive research into their long-term effects. The integration of epidemiological and toxicological data underscores the significant health risks posed by PFAS, highlighting the necessity of immediate action to limit exposure and develop safer alternatives.

Marginal cost pricing for coal fired electricity in coastal cities of China:The case of Mawan Electricity Plant in Shenzhen City, China

By developing a GDMOD model to estimate the environmental externalities associated with electricity generation, this project provides a detailed analysis of the damages and costs caused by different pollutants at varying distances from the Mawan Electricity Plant in Shenzhen, China. The major findings of this study can be summarized that (1) environmental damages caused by electricity production are large and are mainly imposed on regions far away from the electricity plant; (2) air pollution is the most significant contributor to the total damages, and SO_2, NOx, and particulate matter are the three major pollutants with highest damages; (3) the damages caused per unit of particulate, NOx, and SO_2 emissions are much higher than pollution treatment and prevention costs. The research results of this project showed that China needs to have a more effective levy system on SO_2, and a more manageable electricity tariff mechanism to internalize the environmental externalities. The results have also implications for pollution control strategies, compensation schemes as well as emission trading arrangements.

Transaction costs for collaboration in the watershed management of the Cuyahoga River Area of Concern

This study examines the transaction costs of collaborative watershed management in the Cuyahoga River Area of Concern(AOC)—one of the 43 geographic areas designated by the U.S.and Canada Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement(GLWQA),where significant impairment of beneficial uses has occurred as a result of human activities.The Cuyahoga River is located in Northeast Ohio,the U.S.and flows through the City of Cleveland before draining into Lake Erie—one of the five Great Lakes of North America.The watershed is degraded due to municipal and agricultural discharges,streambank erosion,and contamination from urban and industrial sources.This research explores how a diverse group of stakeholders convened under the Cuyahoga River AOC Advisory Committee to share information,coordinate activities,agree on activities that restore beneficial uses,and support strategic management actions.In this study,23 semi-structured interviews with members of the advisory committee were conducted between January 28,2020 and April 20,2020,with follow-up emails and phone calls as needed to corroborate information.A review of research articles and government documents supported the interviews,including United States Environmental Protection Agency(U.S.EPA)and Ohio Environment Production Agency(OEPA)reports on the GLWQA and Cuyahoga River Remedial Action Plans.A third source of data is from direct participant observation at quarterly meetings of the advisory committee during 2017–2020,binational AOC conferences in 2017 and 2019,and other professional events geared towards restoring the Cuyahoga River AOC in 2016–2020.Results of this study include a set of recommendations to help guide group structure and decision-making processes,including(1)employing best available technology to organize AOC events and disseminate information;(2)supporting new members with an orientation and/or mentor to clearly define formal and informal committee rules;(3)assuring equal access to detailed information on management action plans with a real time dashboard;(4)updating voting procedures and the prioritization of management actions;and(5)better incorporating underrepresented local communities and highlevel decision makers from municipalities,government agencies,and nongovernmental organizations located within the Cuyahoga River AOC.Results help to explain the collaborative process within the advisory committee and measure the institutional performance of the advisory committee in terms of efficiency,equitability,accountability,and adaptability.

Current status and future trends for material flow analysis applications at CSC

Material Flow Analysis(MFA) is a crucial instrument for sustainable development and creating industrial ecology system.MFA studies could balance and analyze the sources,flows,and consumes of specific materials or substances.The results of MFA studies could support the strategies or decisions making for energy, resource,and waste management,especially achieving sustainable resource management.At CSC,the dynamic simulating software,STELLA,is used to develop a MFA model for scenario analysis.CSC also uses the freeware STAN 2.0 as a tool for visualizing and simulating material flows and stocks.Case studies of greenhouse gases MFA for integrated steel works are conducted.The results showed that the carbon content of hot-metal is an important hidden flow for balance analysis,and the different GHG emission scenarios and mitigation action scenarios are assessed.In addition,the Iron-making GHG I/O MFA Model,based on worldsteel Global Steel Sector Approach(GSSA),is developed for calculating the CO_2 and energy intensity of coke making,sintering,and BF processes.This MFA model was used to analyze the CO_2 reduction potential for iron-making process.The cases conducted for MFA applications at CSC were such as greenhouse gas,zinc,etc.In the future,CSC is going to develop a 'CSC Environment Management and Decision Supporting System' which combine MFA,LCA(life cycle assessment),and environment risk assessment.This supporting system expects to promoting energy efficiency and best resource use,supporting environment policymaking,creating environmental information value,etc.

Hierarchical methodological framework to improve Policy Environmental Assessment:Based on policy layer research

This study explores the current implementation challenges of the Policy Environmental Assessment(PEA),including the implementation of a far richer,more diverse(at macro level),and better understanding of PEA and integration with decision making.The results contribute to the analysis of PEA through different hierarchies of assessment.Stemming from the theory and practice of policy,a concept of PEA hierarchies is proposed including the uppermost PEA,upper-lower PEA,and lowermost PEA.Afterward,the differences of the three hierarchies are interpreted,in terms of aims,principles,processes,and methods.The evaluation of the policy environmental impacts from different lens helps solve the complexities of policies and identify opportunities for improvement of PEA.

An Analysis of the Operation Mechanism of Chemical Industry Park Ecosystem Based on Theory of Ecological Organization

Based on the theory of ecological organization,this paper analyzes the operation mechanism of chemical industry park(CIP)ecosystem by means of dynamic simulation.The research shows that the CIP ecosystem is a complex ecological system whose operation mechanism includes two levels,namely individual enterprises and ecosystem.At the level of individual enterprise,there are competition,symbiosis,invasion and other interactions between enterprises in the CIP ecosystem.Through the pre-determined judgment of the competition effect coefficient and the symbiosis effect coefficient,we calculate how the enterprises influence each other,and then generate their respective operation paths,andfinally realize the long-term balance of the system.At the level of ecosystem,the CIP ecosystem makes self-organizing and self-adaptive adjustments and changes due to the changes of the exter-nal environment in policy,manpower,technology,capital,market,etc.,thus reaching the equilibrium state of coordinated operation and stable symbiosis with the external environment.

The energy efficiency and environmental protection campaign demands policy incentives

The hottest topic now among Europe's automotive industry is CO2. The European Union has set the goal. By 2012, all Europe-based car makers would have to reduce the per car CO2 level to as low as 120-130g/km from the current 160g/km.

Does environmental labeling exacerbate heavily polluting firms’ financial constraints? Evidence from China

The Chinese Ministry of Environmental Protection has enacted an environmental policy that restricts the investment activities of heavily polluting firms by increasing their financial constraints.In this paper,we examine the impact of environmental labeling on firms’financial constraints.We document that the financial constraints of heavily polluting firms increase more than those of other firms after the issuance of environmental labeling.The debt and equity financing channels of heavily polluting firms are restricted,with smaller bank loans and less equity issuance in the future.The effect is stronger in firms that make a smaller contribution to the local government’s gross domestic product,receive greater media coverage,and are located in heavily polluted provinces.The environmental regulation is effective in increasing the environmentally friendly practices and decreasing the performance growth of heavily polluting firms.Our findings not only contribute to the growing literature on the factors influencing financial constraints,identifying the effects of non-monetary factors on financial constraints,but also provide more evidence for the underlying mechanism of efficient environmental policy.Our results also provide practical suggestions for investors and institutions on evaluating firms and for regulatory authorities on further implementing environmental policy.

An overview of the environmental finance policies in China： retrofitting an integrated mechanism for environmental management

Considering the significant roles of the policies in developing environmental finance, an overview is conducted on the environmental finance policies （EFPs） in China. This paper analyzed the definition, scope, evolution and main instruments of EFPs. The implementation progress of financial activities on each instrument are investigated respectively. Then the experiences learned from and failures discovered in the development of the EFPs are discussed well recommendations for further improvement of the EFPs and their implementation are provided. Our study found that the EFPs have been established in China after a four-phase evolution since the early 1980s. The policies have played a critical role in leading to a rapid development in environmental finance by involving more financial instruments to accomplish the objective-led environmental plans. Driven by the policies, the new green credit （GC）, green security （GS）, and green insurance （GI） instruments have been phased in as supplements to the conventional command and control approaches to improve the environmental governance of financial activities and pollution sources. However, the market mechanism of financial institution is limited due to their defensive and incapable performance on implementation some of EFP instruments. To further strengthen the effectiveness of EFPs in facilitating environmental man- agement, recommendations are made mainly on the aspects including developing more specific policy guidelines, enhancing information sharing and disclosure, providing sufficient economic incentives, establishing environmental liabilities with financial activities, and involving issues related to climate change, and biodiversity and ecosystem service.

Public Policy Environment and Entrepreneurial Activities： Evidence from China

What determines the effectiveness of government entrepreneurship policies on the regional development of entrepreneurial activities in China？ Using panel data analysis, this study develops a comprehensive framework that examines the effects of various factors, including government efficiency and government support for business, finance and technology, on facilitating the creation of new ventures. Based on provincial data collected between 2009 and 2014, we find that the level of infrastructure development, government incubators and venture capital-guided funds have positive and significant effects on entrepreneurial activities. The findings of our study suggest that local government efficiency is a fundamental precondition for entrepreneurship policies to effectively boost the regional economy.