Enhancing our understanding of the role of environmental policy in environmental innovation: adoption explained by the accumulation of policy instruments and agent-based factors

The empirical literature reports conflicting findings on the relation between environmental policy and environmental innovation: environmental policy both encourages and impedes environmental innovation, resulting in competing theoretical explanations. To find a way out of this counterproductive debate requires new and complementary insights into the effects of different policy instruments. This research therefore advances an approach in which a set of specific policy instruments as well as firms’ behavior regarding CHP (cogeneration of heat and power) adoption are considered as two distinct factors explaining environmental innovation in the Dutch paper and board industry. Using a longitudinal research design, the focus was not on any single policy instrument but on the accumulation of policy instruments. In addition, we studied intra-organizational factors influencing the adoption decision.Overall, we can conclude that paper and board factories perceive governmental environmental policies to be relevant, but that this constitutes just one of the factors influencing adoption processes, next to intra-organizational factors. The relative importance of such policies varies over time and per adoption process. The role of top-down regulation appears to be limited, whereas interactive regulation turned out to be important for several factories in the latest period of adoption. Positive economic instruments were important in almost all adoption processes, but were not and will never be the most important reason for adoption. The most important reason for CHP adoption appears to be high energy prices in combination with cost price reduction or the threat of additional regulation. For future policies, we recommend the implementation of a specific mixture of policy instruments, attuned to the specific industry and reinforcing each other. Moreover, goals should be consistent over time to avoid risk-averse behavior.     

The roles of computer models in the environmental policy life cycle

In this article, we identify four typical roles played by computer models in environmental policy-making, and explore the relationship of these roles to different stages of policy development over time. The four different roles are: models as eye-openers, models as arguments in dissent, models as vehicles in creating consensus and models for management. A general environmental policy life cycle is used to assess the different roles models play in the policy process. The relationship between the roles of models and the different stages of the policy life cycle is explored with a selection of published accounts of computer models and their use in environmental policy-making.     

环境规制视角下制造业绿色转型对能源强度的影响

基于Super-SBM及动态面板门槛模型,系统分析中国制造业行业绿色转型异质性结构,并从环境规制视角探析制造业绿色转型对于其行业能源强度的影响效应.研究发现：中国制造业绿色转型并没有实现（平均值为-0.1637）,且行业间差异显著,其转型过程呈现明显波动特征.有趣的是,中国制造业绿色转型对于能源强度的作用存在显著的环境规制异质门槛效应：较低程度的环境规制并不利于促使制造业绿色转型降低能源强度.而随着环境规制强度的提高并突破“临界点”,在一定程度上有效增强了制造业绿色转型的影响作用,进而推动能源强度的降低.     

Industrial symbiosis and the policy instruments of sustainable consumption and production

Industrial symbioses (ISs) and eco-industrial parks (EIPs) are key concepts of industrial ecology (IE). The aim of ISs and EIPs is to minimise inefficient material and energy use by utilising local by-product and energy flows. Industrial symbioses tend to develop through spontaneous action of economic actors, for gaining of economic benefit, but these systems can be designed and promoted via policy instruments as well. A literature review showed that national programmes for eco-industrial parks can be found in different parts of the world. In the action programmes and other sustainable consumption and production (SCP) policy documents of the EU, on the other hand, industrial symbioses gain less recognition as a path to enhanced sustainable production. In this article, we consider this and also analyse how the evolution and environmental performance of an industrial symbiosis system centred on a Finnish pulp and paper mill have been affected by SCP policy instruments. With regard to the system forming the subject of the case study, and Finnish industrial systems in general, policy instruments have succeeded in reducing emissions but not in systematically encouraging operators toward symbiosis-like activities. All in all, few studies exist on the overall impact of policy instruments promoting design of eco-industrial parks. It is not self-evident that symbiosis-like production systems would be sustainable in every case, as the background assumptions for political promotion of EIPs suggest. We concluded that industrial symbioses should be analysed and developed on a life cycle basis, with documentation of the real environmental benefits due to efficient resource use and decreased emissions in comparison to standalone production. ISs can then bring eco-competitiveness to companies in relation to SCP tools, such as environmental permits, ecolabels, and future product regulation based on the Ecodesign Directive in Europe. Indirect encouragement of symbiosis through land-use regulation and planning, in such a way that material fluxes between companies are possible both in operations and in financial terms, may prove effective. The same holds for waste policies that encourage increased reuse of a company’s waste by other enterprises.     

Evidence,politics and power in public policy for the environment

Despite a recent emphasis on ‘evidence based policy’ accompanied by an abundance of ‘green’ policy instruments, experience from the European Union and OECD countries shows that decisions which truly aim to balance environmental considerations with social and economic ones remain thin on the ground. Moreover, many policies seem to fall short of, or directly contradict what the available ‘evidence’ suggests is required. This is a synthesis paper bringing together literature from the fields of political science, geography, sociology and science and technology studies to outline some of the obscurities relating to the use of scientific evidence in environmental decision-making. In this paper, we suggest that an exploration of three key inter-related issues is necessary to develop a richer understanding of why evidence and policy interact as they do. These are the nature of evidence itself; the normative, moral or ethical ‘politics’ of policy-making; and the operation of power in the policy process. Our primary goal is to bring various literatures together to better conceptualise the evidence–policy relationship. In so doing, we outline specific challenges for knowledge producers who set research priorities, and design and direct research projects. We also highlight significant implications for policy decision-making processes.     

Eco-efficiency evaluation of iron rod industry in Nepal

This paper presents the eco-efficiency of energy intensity, material consumption, water use, waste generation, and CO₂ emission in terms of production value in net sales (US$) per environmental influence using empirical evaluation. Evaluation has been considered only within production process boundary of iron rod industry. Evaluation of eco-efficiency tried to couple the economic and environmental influences of industry to know economic and environmental excellence. Eco-efficiency of iron rod industry was quantitatively analyzed and determined that energy, material consumption, water use, waste generation, and CO₂ emission eco-efficiency have been increased gradually along with increased production during analysis period of five years (2001–2005). It was possible due to installing heat recovery unit along with innovative processes modification. While comparing each year's eco-efficiency of all above-mentioned parameters, eco-efficiencies were increased that indicates less resource use and less waste released. As a general statement of overall comparison and characterization of eco-efficiencies of five years duration, iron rod industry was eco-efficient in all aspects. Eco-efficiency being an emerging trend has not yet been implemented in Nepal. It is further recommended to adopt the eco-efficiency evaluation in other industries. In addition, it is high time to augment the provision of eco-efficiency concepts in industrial policy and legislation concerned.     

‘Dynamic behavioral fingerprinting’: what drives the deployment of environmental information and communication capabilities?

This article investigates the impact of organizational drivers for the implementation of business process and network information and communication capabilities (ICCs) supporting cleaner production in the Dutch food and beverage industry. We do so with the intention to promote ‘dynamic behavioral fingerprinting’.Survey results show, that sub-sectors of this industry are driven to adopt environmental ICCs to a different level. Responses range from compliance-oriented (Slaughterhouses & meat sub-sector) to market-oriented (Bakery and biscuits sub-sector). Knowledge of key drivers and their impact offers opportunities to adjust the environmental policy and instruments to sub-sector specifics so that its effectiveness is improved. We therefore propose ‘dynamic behavioral fingerprinting’: mapping “typical” patterns of managerial response towards environmental issues, in order to improve the effectiveness of public–private interaction and cooperation.     

Implementing stricter environmental regulation to enhance eco-efficiency and sustainability: a case study of Shandong Province’s pulp and paper industry, China

There has been much debate on the topic of whether stricter environmental regulations can promote environmental performance and economic performance at the same time. Different researchers have used different indicators to measure environmental performance and economic performance in their empirical studies. However, it is a surprise that few studies have checked the relationship between environmental regulation and eco-efficiency, as the latter is widely regarded as a quite powerful tool of considering ecology and economy together.In this study the background is the implementation in 2003 of the Stricter Discharge Standard (SDS) in Shandong Province’s Pulp and Paper Industry (SPPI), compared to the national standards of China. The stricter regulations were intended to promote corporate change from passive management to active control and from end-of-pipe treatment to cleaner production. This study investigated the eco-efficiency trends of SPPI from 2001 to 2008 in three fields: water efficiency, energy efficiency and environment efficiency. A “de-linking” and “re-linking” tool was used to attain a further evaluation. The study showed that with the implementation of stricter regulation most of the efficiency indicators (except CO₂ emission and energy consumption) had achieved significant improvements, and the overall environmental performance trends of SPPI showed it to be more sustainable. However, the study also found that it was not enough to address a single indicator in the environmental regulation of the pulp and paper industry. More holistic eco-efficiency indicators need to be further considered and introduced to the industry as the next step to create true sustainable development.     

Technology-based industrial environmental management: a case study of electroplating in Shenzhen,China

Severe industrial pollution has largely hindered the sustainable development of China. Taking Shenzhen’s electroplating industry as a case, this article investigates the current status of the industry and proposes a specialized policy framework to push its environmental innovation. There is a relatively complete environmental management system in Shenzhen’s government, but it does not work well when dealing with the electroplating industry, mainly because it lacks regulation aiming at production technology, which is the underlying decisive factor of the environmental performance of the industry. So, we first develop an evaluation criterion, which incorporates a technological index about whether enterprises engage identified obsolete technologies. With this evaluation criterion, enterprises are classified into “advanced” and “obsolete”. Then, we propose specific policy suggestions for different types of enterprises, including command and control mixed with economic tools, voluntary agreements, establishing electroplating parks, and improving current management system. Finally, we assess the impact of the policy proposal and prove it to be conducive to the sustainable development of the industry and conclude it from a more general perspective.     

Life cycle assessment of DRAM in Taiwan's semiconductor industry

The semiconductor industry plays a leading role in supporting economic stabilization and social progress in Taiwan. In this paper, Eco-indicator 95 and Impact 2002+ are utilized to evaluate the potential environmental impacts from five production processes of the double data rate synchronous dynamic random access memory (DDR SDRAM). The comparisons between these two impact methods and their scopes are also discussed.From our results, global warming potential and non-renewable energy consumption were identified as the major environmental impacts. Applications of Eco-indicator 95 and IMPACT 2002+ also suggest that summer smog and respiratory inorganics are significant impact categories. The comparison of the scopes of these two methods identifies that low GWP potential PFCs substitution and electricity saving are effective ways to decrease environmental impacts of DRAM manufacturing. In addition, IMPACT 2002+ is a more applicable LCA method for the semiconductor industry in Taiwan due to the structure and reference area of this method and the characteristics of the semiconductor industry in Taiwan.     

Barriers to the implementation of cleaner production in Chinese SMEs: government,industry and expert stakeholders' perspectives

This paper applies an analytic hierarchy process (AHP) to examine and prioritize underlying barriers to adoption of cleaner production (CP) by small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in China from the perspectives of government, industry and expert stakeholder groups. First, on the basis of the findings of previous research and literature review, 20 barriers are identified and grouped into four categories: (1) policy and market barriers; (2) financial and economic barriers; (3) technical and information barriers; and (4) managerial and organizational barriers. Second, an AHP model is developed and a survey questionnaire was designed, tested, and refined. Third, the questionnaire was distributed to the representatives of three stakeholders of CP, i.e. enterprise managers, government officials, and experts. The returned questionnaires were validated in terms of consistency and in some cases followed up for verification. Fourth, the 20 barriers were rated by analyzing the valid questionnaires through the AHP model. The top three barriers to CP adoption by Chinese SMEs were found to be: (a) lack of economic incentive policies; (b) lax environmental enforcement, and (c) high initial capital cost. The researches conclude that current governmental policy should give higher priority to lessening those external policy and financial barriers rather than internal technical and managerial barriers. The findings shed some new light on readjusting public policy in order to help to facilitate widespread CP implementation in SMEs in China.     

Noisy and definitely not normal: responding to wicked issues in the environment,energy and health

Attempts by researchers and policy-makers to address the ‘wicked’ issues which pervade environmental policy usually revolve around attempting – or recommending – both more participatory and transparent, and more systematic and evidence-based, policy-making. Post-normal science (PNS), with its ‘extended peer community’, has emerged as one approach, whilst others focus on procedural reforms of the policy process, particularly on enhancing democratic decision-making. This paper applies a novel analytical framework to a primarily documentary analysis of three cases we argue are wicked—Canadian regulatory review of health products and food, European union (EU) environmental thematic strategies, and United Kingdom (UK) energy and climate change policy. It explores how various responses to wicked issues are implemented, through the ‘lenses’ of PNS and, more generally, ‘democratic and effective decision-making’. It finds such responses are often limited by practical and fundamental barriers relating to handling of uncertainty, issue framing, participation, power, politics, and attitude to evidence. We draw conclusions about future research on PNS, particularly the need to more clearly relate theory to different strands of literature on the evidence–policy-making relationship, and to continue empirical testing.     

以晶体硅太阳能电池产业为例的产业生命周期评价初探

面对日益复杂的环境问题和精细化环境管理需求,为了将生命周期评价在产业结构调整、发展方式转变中更好地发挥作用,对在产业层面开展生命周期评价的方法进行了探索研究.产业生命周期评价是在产品生命周期评价的基础上增加了:①基于“可拆解可组合”生态设计理念的功能单位和系统边界确定;②质量评估和数据整合的数据收集过程;③以不确定性分析来验证数据的合理性.选择晶体硅太阳能电池产业进行了产业生命周期评价的案例应用.结果表明:晶体硅太阳能电池产业可分为4个产品单元和11个工艺单元.基于上述产品单元和工艺单元的资源能源投入和污染物排放数据进行收集,在数据质量评估之后通过数据整合形成了产业生命周期数据清单.产业生命周期环境影响主要集中在呼吸系统影响（41.94%）、化石燃料（25.20%）、致癌（14.89%）和气候变化（8.80%）4个环境影响类别;减少环境影响的精准化途径是减少高纯多晶硅、硅片、电池片产品的电耗,组件产品中焊带消耗,硅片产品中的砂浆消耗和组件产品的铝合金边框消耗.蒙特卡洛分析结果显示,高纯多晶硅生命周期评价结果不确定性较高,与数据质量评估的结果较为一致.案例应用结果说明,产品生命周期评价可将生命周期评价从产品层面提升到产业层面,可为国家产业发展提供科学支撑.      

Sustainable development policies in Canada's mining sector: an overview of government and industry efforts

This paper provides an overview of mining sustainable development policy-making in Canada. In addition to documenting the important efforts made by the Canadian government, some of the more recent initiatives undertaken by the Canadian mining industry are highlighted. Following years of sustainable development research and careful planning, the Canadian government finally drafted the national Minerals and Metals Policy of the Government of Canada: Partnerships for Sustainable Development (1996), which sets out the Canadian government's role, objectives, and strategies in areas of jurisdiction for making the concept of sustainable development operational in its mining industry, and seeks to create a legacy that Canadians can pass to future generations. Since its implementation, the primary response of both national mining organizations and selected Canadian mining companies to the challenge of sustainable development has been improved planning, and the development of policies that address key environmental and socioeconomic issues and which build upon the principles addressed in the Minerals and Metals Policy of the Government of Canada. It is concluded that most of the attempts made thus far by both the government and the mining industry to address mining sustainable development through policy-making have been major successes, but further improvements can be achieved if additional industry-government partnerships are formed, more community workshops are held, and selected environmental management practices are researched and developed.     

环境规制对碳排放的门槛效应及其区域差异

为了深入探究我国环境规制的政策效应及其区域差异,采用我国30个省区2004—2014年的面板数据（不含港澳台及西藏自治区数据,下同）,分别以能源强度、产业结构和FDI（外商直接投资）作为门槛变量,以环境规制为核心解释变量,利用面板门槛模型分析我国环境规制对碳排放的门槛效应及其在东部、中部和西部存在的区域差异.结果表明:由于能源强度、产业结构、FDI这3个门槛变量的作用,环境规制对碳排放的影响体现出非线性特征,且环境规制的政策效应在东部、中部和西部3个区域内存在较为明显的差异.东部地区的环境规制在3个门槛变量的中低门槛区间均不能促进碳减排,处于高门槛区间时,能源强度会促进碳排放,而产业结构和FDI这两个门槛变量则对碳排放有抑制作用,其中能源强度跨过第2个门槛值（1.111 8）后仍表现出对碳排放的促进作用,产业结构（0.566 1）和FDI（1 159.40×108元）分别跨过第2个门槛值后,对碳排放表现出抑制作用;中部地区在能源强度的影响下,环境规制对碳排放一直为抑制作用,在产业结构和FDI的影响下则一直是促进作用;西部地区的能源强度与碳排放呈倒“U”型关系,两个门槛值分别为1.200 8与2.153 3,以产业结构和FDI为门槛变量时,环境规制均未能发挥碳减排作用,一直体现为促进作用.因此,政府在实施环境规制政策时不能采取一刀切的措施,要根据东部、中部和西部的不同情况针对性地实施相应的环境规制政策.      

碳交易政策如何影响工业碳生产率:来自中国省级数据的准自然实验

当前,在中国奋力实现"碳达峰"碳中和"目标的背景下,不仅给碳排放量相对较高的工业企业带来较大环境治理压力,同时也给其在经济增长方面带来较大冲击.对其随着碳交易政策的提出,是否能够产生"减碳促经"效果展开深入研究.基于2005~2019年30个省市数据,通过双重差分等方法和多重中介效应模型对碳交易政策与工业碳生产率的影响效果和作用路径展开深入分析.结果表明,碳交易政策能够明显提升工业碳生产率水平;同时该种作用效果会随着试点区域的不同存在明显差异;该政策能够产生显著的环境规制、结构优化、技术和能源结构优化效应.建议通过加速完善环境规制层面法律制度、加快构建环保产业发展新体系、加强绿色技术创新研发力度和加速优化能源结构方面促进中国工业经济向低碳化发展转型.     

Enhancing the use of science in environmental policy-making and regulation

Over the last 10 years the UK Government has strongly promoted the more effective use of science to inform policy-making and regulation. In response, the Environment Research Funders’ Forum (which brings together the main UK Governmental funders of environmental research) has carried out studies, reported in this paper, to establish what is working, what is not, and why in respect of the linkage between science and environmental policy-making and regulation.The findings indicated that there was potential to improve effectiveness in: establishment of research questions and agendas, accessing information and expertise, the role of interpreters, and transparency and evaluation. These findings are re-enforced by those of previous studies conducted in the UK and EU. The studies found that current practice in using science to inform policy-making has not yet caught up with guidance, and they identified potential actions that could be taken by the Forum and its members to narrow the gap.     

空间溢出视角下中国污染密集型产业集聚的环境效应

本研究在着力改善生态环境和调整产业空间布局的背景下,着眼于国民经济行业中高能耗、高污染的污染密集型产业,基于2000—2015年中国30个省区的面板数据,在污染密集型产业识别的基础上,考察了污染密集型产业集聚和环境污染的空间特征,构建了空间面板杜宾模型,并从空间溢出视角,探讨了污染密集型产业集聚的环境效应.研究发现:①污染密集型产业集聚和环境污染均具有显著的空间正相关性;②污染密集型产业集聚和环境污染之间存在显著的倒"U"型曲线关系,对于产业集聚水平较高的山西、宁夏和内蒙古,有望通过空间溢出效应和政策干预发挥减排效应,其他省区集聚水平的提高将会加剧环境污染;③经济发展水平和外商直接投资与环境污染之间均具有显著的正相关关系,而技术创新能力的提高能显著降低污染水平.     

Environmental response indicators for the industrial and energy sector in Flanders

Environmental reporting with quantitative indicators is becoming popular worldwide. However, environmental response indicators, which describe the reaction of societal actors to environmental problems and to government policy, still remain under investigation. This paper describes the collection of potential response indicators for the industry and energy sectors in Flanders, the quality assessment, and the identification of a core set of suitable response indicators. The selected core set consists of four indicators: eco-efficiency (a mainstream indicator for decades), the presence of an environmental management system, the amount of environmental expenditures and the use of sustainable energy. This core set is applied to the Flemish situation in order to assess the environmental performance of the industry and energy sectors. The core set allows identification of areas where the industry and energy sectors are performing better than other sectors, as well as areas where additional efforts are needed.     

A framework on interactions of climate and energy policy instruments

In this paper we analyze the concept of interactions between policy instruments addressing environmental, energy and climate change issues. Although discussion on such policies has been taking place for almost two decades, their interactions are not so sufficiently explored. Initially, we refer to literature on various types of interactions and we classify them. Furthermore, we construct a qualitative method that can assist policymakers in selecting an optimal policy mix. This method breaks down into numerous components, the areas where different policies interact, and facilitates the unveiling of potential overlaps and complementarities. These areas consist of categories as measure identification, objectives, scope, market arrangements, market flexibility, financing, technological parameters, timing, compliance parameters and institutional setup. In addition, it renders the possibility of combining different options and design elements of policies. Furthermore, a list of various criteria serves as an assessment tool for interactions, where a weighing factor and uncertainty parameters have been added, in order to produce an aggregate indicator of the ex-ante analysis of the policy mix selected. Through this method, we present a complete framework of discernment of diverse forms of environmental policy instruments.