The potential of environmental regulation to change managerial perception,environmental management,competitiveness and financial performance

This research presents an overview of where the gaps in the literature exist in relation to the link between environmental regulation and proactive environmental management and competitiveness, and incorporates them in a whole model. Different papers have highlighted only partial aspects of these relationships. Specifically, this research evaluates the relationship between managerial perception and the different styles of environmental regulations – command-and-control versus voluntary norms – the mediator role of environmental management in the link between environmental regulations and competitiveness, the effect of competitiveness on financial performance, and the two-way relationship between proactive environmental management and financial performance. Finally, this paper uses statistical evidence to test and estimate causal relationships through a structural equation modelling of 208 firms affected by IPPC law in Spain. There is a lack of systematic statistical evidence on this topic in the literature, which mainly focuses on case studies. The results show that when environmental regulation stems from command-and-control legislation its influence on managerial perception and proactive environmental management is not significant. However, when environmental regulation stems from voluntary norms, its effects are positive. Moreover, investment in proactive environmental management contributes to increasing the competitiveness of the firm. Cost and differentiation competitive advantage have a positive impact on financial performance. Finally, the link between proactive environmental management and financial performance may follow different paths: (1) neither direct nor single, because it can depend on competitive advantage, and (2) direct, because there is a significant two-way relationship between these variables (proactive environmental management influences financial performance and financial performance influences proactive environmental management).     

企业环境行为信息公开化研究初探

在传统环境管理体系下，政府主要依靠行政管理和经济手段调控企业的环境行为，而信息手段的引入，不仅为政府的环境政策的制定提供了支持同时公众参与屯给企业施有力的刺激作用。以世界银行在印度尼西亚试行的信息公开化制度为例，探讨了企业环境行为信息公开化的内容及春对污染控制的调控作用。     

绿色贸易壁垒的成因

环境问题的全球化、政治化、社会化、累加化和用经济手段解决环境问题，使形成绿色贸易壁垒成为可能，关贸总协定中达成一些与生态环境保护有关的协定为绿色贸易壁垒的设置提供了法律依据，而“环境标志”制度则是实施绿色贸易壁垒的重要的通常的手段。     

Why do firms engage in environmental management? An empirical study in China

There are increasing pressures being put on firms, from a number of different sources, such as governmental regulation, community participation and market demand, to engage firms in environmental initiatives. These factors play different roles at various development periods. Government regulation was the major pressure, initially. However, community participation and market demand have become more and more important. Thus a better understanding of the determinant factors that play a role in engaging firms to take environmental management initiatives may help policy makers develop more effective environmental policies. Using data collected from 89 firms in Wujin county of Jiangsu Province, China, this paper developed an index system to evaluate the corporate environmental management performance. Furthermore, we used econometric methodology to identify the main factors that probably shape corporate environmental management performance, including both external pressures and firm characteristics. The results showed that pressures from supply chain, customers, and communities played positive roles in engaging firms to improve environmental management performance. However, the pressure from the regulatory system did not implicate positive effect on environmental management performance when basic compliance is not an issue in the region anymore. The results also showed that firms with larger scale will be more active in engaging in environmental management initiatives. Finally, our results suggest that: (a) regulation's stimulation may be reduced as long as firms have complied with requirements of local environmental standards and other environmental laws; (b) policy makers should pay more attention to market and information instruments; (c) more financial and technical support should be provided to encourage small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to improve environmental performance.     

The measurement of corporate environmental performance and its application to the analysis of efficiency in oil industry

This paper addresses a measurement of corporate environmental performance, and its application to the analysis of efficiency in the petroleum firms. In order to measure firms' environmental performance, we suggest a framework called “Gscore” that consists of five categories, namely general environmental management (GEM), input, process, output, and outcome. Gscore is a proxy measure of corporate environmental performance based on voluntary environment, health, and safety (EHS) report and is calculated by aggregating the points of the above five-categories. We apply our measurement framework to the data of 39 firms' voluntary EHS reports which are available on the internet. Ten of them, on which efficiency analysis was conducted with Gscore, assets, employee, and profits, are in petroleum and refining industry. According to our results: (1) a gap is found between rhetoric and practical environmental management stemming from calculating the relation between GEM and data part in 39 EHS reports. (2) On the whole, EHS reports of petroleum firms have something in common, but there are significant differences in the type and amounts of disclosed data among the EHS reports. (3) From the results of efficiency analysis, it is found that the number of employee exerts a considerable influence on determining the relative efficiency of petroleum firms, then Gscore, profits, and assets in sequence. Furthermore, Exxon, Ashland, Phillips Petroleum, and ARCO are shown to be efficient among 10 petroleum firms.     

Environmental supply chain dynamics

This paper investigates the circumstances under which “environmental supply chain dynamics” (ESCD) emerge. ESCD are a phenomenon where environmental innovations diffuse from a customer firm to a supplier firm. Its relevance is based on the argument that systemic approaches are needed to understand the environmental implications of industrial systems, of which supply chains are a key component. Furthermore, buyer–supplier relationships play a critical role in the decision-making processes of most suppliers, which in turn has the potential to stimulate environmental change within the supply chain. Based on case studies in the British and Japanese food retail sector and the British aerospace industry, it will be shown that ESCD emerge if there is a channel leader with sufficient channel power over their suppliers, technical competencies, and are themselves under specific environmental pressure.     

The benefits associated with ISO 14001 certification for construction firms: Turkish case

Construction firms all over the world are increasingly seeking to obtain ISO 14001. The rapid growth in the number of ISO 14001 applications in Turkey and the share from the construction sector in this number, as a leading sector, is rather striking. This paper, using a structured questionnaire survey, investigates whether there is any dependence or relation between construction firms characteristics and having ISO 14001 certification and any difference in the perceptions related to ISO 14001 by considering both firm characteristics and two different groups as certified and non-certified firms. Additionally, it examines the perceived benefits of having ISO 14001 for certified construction firms. According to the results of analysis, although there is not any difference in perceptions on ISO 14001 certification in terms of firm characteristics and being as certified and non-certified and their both positive opinions about ISO 14001 certification. There is a relation between firms characteristics and having ISO 14001 certification. ISO 14001 certification contributes to construction firms not only in terms of environmental benefits but also with corporate management and marketing effects, thus verifying that the ISO 14001 has a positive impact on the Turkish construction sector.     

环境(非关税)贸易壁垒判析及其对策探讨

ＷＴＯ中有关环境的，国际环境公约、ＩＳＯ１４０００、等有关条款，本身并非绿色贸易壁垒，基于此，分析了绿色贸易壁垒的起因特征，对其相模糊的条款与规定，有可能成为绿色贸易壁垒的误区作了判析，提出了绿色贸易壁垒的５种形式：环境税、市场准入、环境技术标准、环境标志和贸易制裁，以及我国的对策思路。     

Protection of Antarctic soil environments: A review of the current issues and future challenges for the Environmental Protocol

2016 marked the 25th anniversary of the Protocol on Environmental Protection to the Antarctic Treaty. Terrestrial ice-free areas constitute approximately 0.18% of Antarctica, but represent the most biologically active, historically rich, and environmentally sensitive sites. Antarctic soils are easily disturbed and environmental legacies of human activities are scattered across the continent; many are remnants of the 1950s-1980s when environmental protection was less comprehensive than today. Adoption of the Environmental Protocol in 1991 represented an important and proactive shift in Antarctic governance, securing environmental protection as a fundamental tenet of the Treaty System. Twenty five years on standards of environmental management have greatly improved, yet environmental pressures are compounding. Shortcomings in the implementation of the Environmental Protocol exist due to disparities in cultural values, operational realities, and inconsistent environmental impact assessments among governments and National Antarctic Programs. Non-native species management remains underdeveloped; and there is inadequate representation of all biogeographic regions within the Protected Area system; therefore jeopardizing conservation of Antarctic biodiversity and the integrity of the soil environment. Fundamental improvements are required to address the current shortcomings and ensure effective environmental protection for the next 25 years, including: (1) increased multinational and multidisciplinary collaboration to answer targeted research questions addressing contemporary management challenges, (2) effective communication of science to policy makers and environmental managers to inform decision- making, and (3) making the mandate of long-term monitoring of the terrestrial environment a high priority for all governments signatory to the Antarctic Treaty.     

Pollution prevention in China’s electroplating industry

Pollution prevention holds great promise for China as a strategy for curbing environmental degradation in the face of rapid industrial growth. This potential is demonstrated in the electroplating sector in China, where some firms are pursuing pollution prevention aggressively with results that include increased profits and significant cutbacks in pollution. We conducted research in four Chinese cities to investigate pollution prevention in the electroplating industry. Our study finds that firms with successful pollution prevention programs shared three main characteristics. First, they took a proactive approach towards cutting pollution. Proactive firms in our research employed pollution prevention as an overall environmental management strategy for their companies, and they possessed leaders and managers who demonstrated a strong commitment to pollution reduction goals and activities. Firms with successful pollution prevention programs also employed comprehensive environmental management systems. These systems assigned managers and workers responsibilities for pollution prevention through the use of rules, training, monitoring, and penalties and rewards. Finally, firms that undertook extensive pollution prevention measures employed staff with relatively high levels of technical knowledge and ability. Our results suggest that the aggressive adoption of pollution prevention by Chinese firms can help China address the widespread problems of inefficiency and poor management in Chinese firms, and the rapid spread of industrial pollution in rural areas.     

A model for supply chains environmental performance analysis and decision making

The need to include environmental criteria in the analysis of supply chains is increasingly recognized as a result both of limitations that are posed by legislation and regulations as well as of various motivations that a company may have. A decision model is proposed in this paper based on environmental performance indicators, which may support decision making in the case of supply chains in the presence of environmental considerations. The model uses a set of principles applicable to supply chains design and operation available from previous research work.     

Which is more cost-effective? A comparison of two wastewater treatment models in China–Singapore Suzhou Industrial Park,China

The study examines the cost-effectiveness of two wastewater treatment models in China so as to provide a choice for policymaking. We choose the wastewater treatment system in China–Singapore Suzhou Industrial Park as case study because: 1) its sharing wastewater treatment plant (WTP); 2) its WTP was invested and operated by a private company; 3) its firms did not discharge illegal; 4) accessibility of data. The actual costs are determined by an extensive survey of 493 firms registered with the park. These data are also used to create a benchmark model assuming that each firm complies with environmental regulations by constructing its own WTP. The results show that sharing the WTPs greatly reduces the overall treatment cost. Furthermore, it reduces illegal discharges and improves the overall environmental performance of the park. Finally, it enforces cooperation among companies located in the park and creates a good image attracting more enterprises to join in.     

推进企业清洁生产的总体途径

分析比较了企业开展清洁生产的行为与现阶段在推行清洁生产时企业存在的主要问题和障碍后，强调实施良好的环境管理对企业清洁生产行为的重要性。根据上海目前应加速推进清洁生产的进程，尽快建立清洁生产示范项目的目标和要求，提出了要应用ＩＳＯ１４００１环境管理体系的基本原理和要求，从组织上获得企业对清洁生产的承诺和支持，从制度上保证企业对清洁生产的实施和持续，以及资源的投入，以从根本上解决面临的问题和障碍，实现     

“空地一体化”环境应急监测与管理系统设计

在总结我国环境应急管理体系建设现状的基础上,提出了"空地一体化"的环境应急监测与管理体系的框架和功能设计,介绍了引入无人机监测系统对环境应急体系的功能改进。最后从无人机机载传感器、"空地一体化"数据分析处理和通讯保障3个维度对关键技术的选择问题进行了探讨,分析了其现状、技术难点与发展趋势,以期为现代化的环境应急体系建设提供有益的参考。     

Climate change,adaptive capacity and policy direction in the Canadian North: Can we learn anything from the collapse of the east coast cod fishery?

Scientific evidence gathered over the past five years suggests that northern Canada and the Arctic have undergone, and are undergoing, formidable environmental changes linked to global climate change. Environmental change in the north is expected to persist and intensify over the course of the next century. When large-scale environmental changes take place, they inevitably affect people, especially when the cultures and livelihoods of those people depend on their relationship with the environment. Managing the local impacts of these changes is a matter of adaptation. This paper discusses some of the policy implications of adaptation––government interventions aiming to build communities’ and regions’ capacities to adapt to environmental changes. Three arguments for adaptive capacity building interventions in the north are discussed, and these arguments are augmented by a comparative review of government reactions to the collapse of the cod fishery in Atlantic Canada. Reactive and proactive policy approaches are discussed, and it is suggested from the comparison that proactive approaches to intervention are desirable for building adaptive capacity.

CALFED and the quest for optimal institutional fragmentation

Environmental problems are typically addressed by fragmented governance institutions. Fragmentation can present serious barriers to resolving environmental conflicts, but can also offer benefits. The CALFED experience should not be seen as demonstrating that unified governance is necessarily superior. Rather, it is a reminder that a fragmented governance strategy is not likely to succeed without strong leadership and tools for resolving inter-agency conflicts.     

基于微观模拟的企业排污强度差异及区域特征

同一工业行业内的企业存在排污强度个体差异,从数量有限的企业环境统计数据得出行业平均排污强度,并用其代表该行业在区域层面的经济-环境水平,会带来一定偏差.因此以嵌入环境消耗投入的生产函数为基础,建立了企业运营决策的微观模拟模型,从机制上描述企业排污强度的差异.以2005年德阳市机械制造行业为案例,对模型的相关参数进行了率定,使其较好地描述了2005年环境统计口径内各企业的COD排放强度.模型的计算结果表明,由环境统计口径内企业计算的区域平均COD排放强度(万元固定资产排放0.002 6 t,万元工业产值排放0.001 5 t)小于由区域内全部企业计算的区域平均COD排放强度(万元固定资产排放0.003 0 t,万元工业产值排放0.002 3 t),市域内6个县级行政区的排污强度也体现出了明显差异.以上的排污强度区域特征主要源自行业内部结构(企业的规模分布,技术分布),及其空间差异.     

Improving enterprise competitive advantage with industrial symbiosis: case study of a smeltery in China

Industrial symbiosis, a subfield of industrial ecology, focuses on transforming the waste of one firm into the valuable input of another, which improves the competitive advantages of supply chain by reducing production cost and improving environmental performance. Considering the specific situation where there are so many state-owned big company groups in China, this paper utilizes the ideas of constructing an industrial symbiosis among different firms, and does a case study on applying the concept into the inner relationships' reconstruction among different production systems in a big state-owned smeltery in South-west China. Three kinds of approaches are explored: 1) recycling and reusing the release; 2) concentrating and abstracting metals from the residues; 3) extending the product chain for value-added products. The results show that it can effectively improve the competitive advantage of the enterprise in terms of decreasing production cost and improving environmental performance.     

ISO 14001 certification in Brazil: motivations and benefits

Why do firms seek the ISO 14001 certification? This study presents a survey with 63 Brazilian companies from the chemical, mechanical and electronic industries. A Structural Equations Model (SEM) analyzed the relations between motivations and benefits related to the certification. An exploratory factor analysis identified four sources of motivation: reaction to pressures from the external stakeholders; proaction in expectation of future business concerns; legal concerns; and internal influences. Four dimensions characterized the benefits of an ISO 14001 certification: operational changes; financial impacts; relationship with business stakeholders (customers, competitors, suppliers); and relationship with societal stakeholders (government, society and NGOs). The motivations appear in two levels. Internal and legal motivations are the first level (antecedents), while reactive and proactive motivations are second level (consequents). Internal motivations explain reactive and proactive motivations and production benefits. Legal motivations explain proactive motivations, financial benefits, and benefits in relationships with societal stakeholders.     

关于建立工业企业环境行为信息公开化制度的几个问题

阐述了工业企业地为信息公开化制度在中国环境管理和政策创新中的重要意义和作用，对工业企业环境行为信息公开化内容、指标体系和标准等进行了分析，并结合镇江市的经济、社会和环境状况作实例分析，提出了进一步完善该制度的建议。