Exploring sustainability and green banking disclosures: a study of banking sector

Environment, Development and Sustainability - This study examines the sustainability and green banking performance of Indonesian banking sectors from their disclosures in sustainability reports...     

Sustainable banking: a systematic review of concepts and measurements

Environment, Development and Sustainability - The banking sector has a fundamental role in promoting sustainable development. Due to its performance as an intermediary, it can influence the pace...     

The potentials of internalising social banking among the Malaysian Islamic banks

Islamic banking has established for the last 40 years, yet only recently researchers acknowledge social failures of Islamic banking and finance. This has led to a proposition of forming new forms of banking and non-banking institutions that include social banking. It is argued that in considering the developmentalist needs of the Muslim societies in Malaysia, there is a need to go back to fundamentals of Islamic finance in realising the aspirational Islamic moral economy that emphasises on the social good, capacity development at the individual and social levels. This paper aims to explore the concept of social banking and search for the possibilities for internalisation in Malaysian Islamic banking. To gain understanding on this pertinent issue, an empirical investigation was conducted at 17 Islamic banks in Malaysia. A mixed method was employed. For the primary data collection, 477 respondents of Islamic banks clients and employees participated in a self-administrated survey, and 11 respondents from the executive and managerial level of eight Islamic banks involved in a semi-structured interview survey. The integrated analysis implies that Islamic banking significantly contributes to socio-economic development. On the contrary, financial and economic practices in everyday life do not reflect the social economic justice. The result further illustrates that the Islamic banks lack social contributions as they prone to practice efficiency-oriented institutions. Hence, a social banking model is needed to solve the lack of socio-economic development issue in the current practice of Islamic bank.     

Adoption of green banking practices and environmental performance in Pakistan: a demonstration of structural equation modelling

Environment, Development and Sustainability - Banking industries are blamed to be among the major factors that affect global climate change both directly and indirectly. The green banking concept...     

论资源宏观预警的八组关系

本文论述了资源宏观预警中要进一步处理好的宏观与微观、长期与短期、长线与短线、单项与综合、实物与价值、资源与资产、速度与效益、绝对与相对等几组关系。     

生态系统服务市场化工具:概念、类型与适用

生态系统服务市场化工具作为一种与命令控制型进路相对的环境政策工具,最初与污染问题相联系而出现,之后扩展至生物多样性和生态系统服务的保护,被认为能够更有效地应对市场失灵,为自然资源管理提供正向激励,有助于优化资源配置以及填补生态保护资金缺口。通过对生态系统服务市场化工具概念、类型和适用的考察,可以发现生态系统服务市场化工具的概念虽频繁出现,但界定过于宽泛模糊,几乎泛指所有带有价格成分的工具;生态系统服务市场化工具的类型划分并不一致,基于归纳的类型划分将现行市场化工具归纳为基于价格的机制、基于数量的机制和市场摩擦机制三类,而基于演绎的类型划分,则将市场化工具分为直接市场交易、许可证交易、反向拍卖、科斯类型协议、调控价格变化和自愿性价格信号六类;生态系统服务市场化工具的适用需要以生态系统服务的货币化为前提,受制于制度背景,并且应当针对市场的弊端予以法律规制,确保交易能够真正提供环境效益;市场化工具的选择不仅有赖于数字运算,还应当考虑多种因素并予以权衡,同时综合运用各种市场化或非市场化工具。中国在建立健全生态保护市场体系的过程中,应当把握生态系统服务市场化工具通过生态系统服务货币化和商品化解决环境外部性问题这一实质,理解缓解银行、生态系统服务付费、反向拍卖、生态标签和生态认证等典型市场化工具的运行机理,明确生态系统服务市场化工具适用的前提和规则,更好地发挥市场化工具的积极功效,从而实现特定的环境政策目标。     

科技促进宁夏可持续发展的现状分析

科技是推动宁夏进一步深化改革与发展、实施西部大开发战略、促进经济持续增长、优化产业结构、提升产业竞争实力、缓解发展过程中的资源环境约束力、实现可持续发展的核心力量.科技在促进宁夏实现可持续发展方面取得显著的成就与经验,但是在支Ё撑全区社会经济发展、改善环境以及区域科技创新能力建设方面仍存在急需解决的问题:①科技资源布局不合理;②产业工艺落后,能耗偏高:③特色优势产业发展后劲严重不足,成果转化率低;④区域科技创新能力弱.文章最后结合宁夏自然环境条件、社会经济发展状况、文化特点提出了其未来科技发展的战略思路及重点.     

基于熵权TOPSIS模型的土地利用多功能性诊断

从经济、社会和生态3个方面出发构建土地利用多功能性评价指标体系,应用熵权TOPSIS模型对江苏省近年来土地利用多功能性进行诊断分析可以优化区域土地的合理开发,提高土地利用效率,为促进区域的可持续发展提供有效依据。研究结果表明：2006~2016年江苏省土地利用综合功能经历了一般—良好的发展阶段,综合功能在不断优化;经济功能经历了较差—一般—良好—优秀—良好的发展阶段,虽然有所波动,但其依旧呈增长态势;社会功能经历了较差—一般—良好—优秀的发展阶段,呈现出持续稳步提高趋势;生态功能经历了一般—良好—一般的发展趋势,整体呈下降趋势。另外土地利用的经济功能和社会功能子目标的障碍度在逐年下降,对目前江苏省土地利用有效性起制约作用的主要是生态功能,应减少废水排放和工业固体废弃物等污染造成的生态破坏,加强水资源的保护,同时缩小城乡差距,推进城乡融合,促进土地利用过程中经济、社会和生态功能的协调发展。     

南京城市基础设施现代化建设进程与对策

提出南京城市基础设施现代化的六大指标体系,即道路交通快捷化、公用设施优质化、邮电通讯信息化、住宅设施舒适化、排水防洪标准化、城市环境生态化并提出相应的临界值。选择其中十项具有典型意义的指标,建立灰色系统预测模型,预测南京城市基础设现代化建设进程可分三个阶段：1999－2013年为基本实现城市基础设施现代化阶段;2014－2020年为城市基础设施现代化建设中级阶段;2021－2030年为城市基础设施现代化建设高级阶段。实现现代化建设目标应从增强城市经济实力、提升中心城市功能、优化城市基础设施结构、调整城市空间形态结构、拓宽融资渠道、构建市场主导型的融资结构、加强城市生态环境建设、实现城市可持续发展等方面采取对策。     

Rural Poverty Reduction through Business Partnerships? Examples of Experience from the Forestry Sector

At the Earth Summit in Johannesburg in 2002, partnerships were touted as one of the key routes to sustainable development. But can partnerships really deliver improvements to rural livelihoods? This paper reviews one set of claimed partnerships, those between forestry companies and local individuals or communities, to assess the benefits, and the costs, to local livelihoods. Most arrangements between forestry companies and local communities are not equitable enough to be called partnerships, so the term “deal” is preferred. Positive local impacts of company–community deals include sharing of risks, better returns to land than otherwise possible, opportunities for income diversification, access to paid employment, development of new skills, upgrading of local infrastructure and environmental improvement. However, company–community deals have not yet proved sufficient to lift people out of poverty. They remain supplementary rather than central to income generation. Furthermore, while some deals have resulted in greater cohesion and organisation among community groups, there is as yet little evidence of substantial increases in community bargaining power. Ways forward to increase returns to communities (and to their counterpart companies) centre on moving towards more equal partnerships, by raising community bargaining power, fostering the roles of brokers and other third parties, and developing equitable, efficient and accountable governance frameworks.     

江苏省可持续发展分析、评价与战略对策

江苏正处在经济快速增长的过程中，协调经济、社会、资源、环境保护之间的关系，保证区域可持续发展，是该地区需迫切解决的根本问题之一。对江苏省可持续发展态势进行了分析，建立了可持续发展评价指标体系和长江沿江、东南沿海各省市的数据库，对江苏省可持续发展状况进行了定量评价，并与沿江、沿海省市进行了横向比较，对江苏省可持续发展类型进行了分析和判断。通过分析，认为江苏省可持续发展主要存在经济发展动力和效益低、就业和人口老龄化压力大、资源制约、环境污染等问题。针对这些问题，提出了加快科技成果转化，加强人力资源管理，完善社会保障体系，确保资源安全，实施减灾、防灾与治污工程和建立多元环境监管体系等可持续发展战略对策。     

Recent climate change in the Prince Edward County winegrowing region,Ontario, Canada: implications for adaptation in a fledgling wine industry

There is mounting evidence that climate change is already having an impact on the wine industry, with effects being region specific. In order to understand the capacity of regional wine sectors to adapt to changing climate, it is useful to document the conditions that are important to producers and to identify adaptation and management strategies that are employed in the industry. This paper analyzes climatic conditions and adaptation strategies in the wine region of Prince Edward County Ontario, Canada. Wine producers identified the climate variables most important to their operations and described strategies they use to manage climate-related conditions. The identified variables were analyzed for trends over the study period 1987–2011, and interview data were analyzed in order to categorize adaptive strategies. Results indicate that the wine sector is very sensitive to climate, and the region is already experiencing the effects of climate change, especially with regard to increasing growing season mean minimum daily temperatures, increasing total summer rainfall, and later onset of fall frosts. Adaptive strategies employed by producers are largely learned though collaborative efforts and trial and error. The adaptations are mostly tactical and reactive in the short term, but with continued climate change, these strategies may develop into strategic, anticipatory measures. Climate change has the potential to present both challenges and opportunities to Prince Edward County wine producers, and adaptations will continue to require strong networking and collaborative efforts.     

后巴黎时代气候变化公约资金机制的构建

气候变化公约资金机制是串联全球开展应对气候变化行动的纽带,也是通过国际合作实现"2℃"乃至"1.5℃"温控目标的关键支撑。多年来,由于发达国家和发展中国家在是否依据历史责任划分履约义务上存在根本分歧,公约资金机制面临多渠道并行、运行规则多样化、资金使用分散、运行效率偏低、绩效评估欠缺等问题。本文对气候变化公约缔结20余年来各资金机制的产生和运行进行了系统梳理;对其存在的不足以及在全球气候融资体系中面临的挑战进行了剖析;并基于《巴黎协定》资金案文描述和履约要求,围绕气候资金从筹集到最终绩效产出全过程,就如何构建未来气候变化公约资金机制进行了统筹规划和设计。在机制建设层面,通过出资分摊机制以及公约下集中式管理平台的构建,确保气候资金的充足性、可预见性以及对公约的责任性;在运行操作层面,通过各渠道重点业务领域及国别资金分配体系的优化,推动气候资金的公平性和有效性;在资金使用层面,通过受援国气候资金统一管理实体和监督评估体系的建立,提高气候资金的国家主导性和环境效益。未来,公约资金机制仍将是全球开展应对气候变化国际合作的主要渠道,在《巴黎协定》达成、绿色气候基金正式运行、国际气候制度重新构建的背景下,利用资金机制推动发达国家履行公约义务,切实向发展中国家提供资金、技术和能力建设支持,对确保公约各要素的全面性和平衡性,推动全球应对气候变化行动开展,强化发展中国家集团统一立场都有着重要的现实意义。     

Determination of the sources of toxic elements in environmental particles using microscopic and statistical analysis techniques

Samples of urban dust were physically fractionated into subsamples having unique size, density, ferromagnetism, and elemental compositional characteristics. The high density fractions containing the majority of each of the potentially toxic metals (Pb, Cd, Zn, Cr, Co, Mn) were subjected to X-ray microanalysis and to bulk analysis using instrumental neutron activation. Microanalysis was used to classify individual particles with respect to primary sources. The bulk analytical results were subjected to factor analysis to delineate the underlying factors (particle sources) responsible for the compositional variation in the subsamples. The advantages of the combined use of microanalytical and statistical techniques for source definition are described. X-ray microanalysis is used to substantiate the attribution of a given factor to a suspected particle source, to aid in the determination of the number of factors (sources) present, and to assess the extent to which a given factor represents a unique source of particles. Bulk analysis/factor analysis promotes the most effective use of X-ray microanalysis to characterize major particle types, and provides data on some toxic trace metals (e.g., Cd) that are not detectable using X-ray microanalysis. Target transformation factor analysis also is more useful in the quantitative determination of the relative mass contributions of major sources to the total dust sample.     

Shifting from apple to peach farming in Kazuno, northern Japan: perceptions of and responses to climatic and non-climatic impacts

Apple farmers in Kazuno, northern Japan, have started to grow peaches in the northernmost climatic region suitable for peach farming. Here, we investigate the process from the initial introduction of peach cultivation to its diffusion focusing on the farmers’ perceptions of climatic and non-climatic stimuli and their actions to respond to these stressors. Interviews with the farmers identified three distinct groups. Four farmers (Group 1) initiated the transition to peach production, which then spread to other farmers (Group 2) via personal connections. Later, after the provision of various means of support from the local government and the producers’ cooperative, many more apple farmers (Group 3) decided to begin peach production. Most farmers recognized the risk of damages to apple production as a result of typhoons and drought. However, only Group 1 farmers, who depend on direct sales to customers, mentioned these climate-related damages as a reason to shift toward peach cultivation in order to maintain their customers. The peach fruit was specifically chosen as a replacement for apple because it is less vulnerable to these climatic stressors. For Group 3 farmers, the financial losses associated with these climate-related events could be compensated for by insurance. Their decision to grow peach is largely due to its higher price and immunity against a specific disease which affects apples but they only shifted once institutional support was available, thereby reducing the risk in cultivating a new species. Our findings suggest that the role of institutions was not to drive the process of the adaptation itself but rather to provide relevant support to farmers to enable them to shift to new crop varieties more easily. We argue that such process-based understanding is crucial in formulating strategies to increase adaptive capacity in agriculture.     

Actively Dealing with Climate Change and Striving to Strengthen the Capability of Sustainable Development

Either from the perspective of the finite supply capacity of global resources and energy,or from the perspective of global environment restrictive conditions,developing countries can not repeat the old development road of developed countries,either in view of the international pressure China is currently facing,or in view of China’s own resources endowment and stages of development,we must actively face such a challenge of climate change.We must recognize that the issue of climate change may be a great restraint to the present and future eco-social development,and may also be an important driving force and new opportunity to push forward the transformation of development pattern,to take a new road of industrialization and to realize sustainable development.This demands us,on the one hand,to take the Scientific Outlook of Development as the guide to make efforts to control the emission of greenhouse gases and continuously increase the capability of adapting to climatic change,and set up the overall plan to respond to climate change of our country,and on the other hand,we should unswervingly take the road of sustainable development,save energy,optimize energy structure and strengthen biological protection in slowing and adapting to climate change.     

“十三五”时期中国环境监管体制改革的形势、目标与若干建议

本文构建了包括监管的立法、组织体系、监管权力配置、监管工具与程序、问责机制、监管能力等要素在内的环境监管体制分析框架,从污染物排放趋势、国家制度建设等角度分析了"十三五"时期中国环境监管体制改革面临的挑战、目标和思路。"十三五"时期是中国生态文明建设的重要时期,完善环境监管制度是推进生态文明制度体系建设的重要内容。面对严重环境污染所带来的挑战,在此期间加快环境监管体制改革、提高环境监管有效性是切实实现治污减排的根本保证。完善环境监管体系、改进监管方式、创新监管手段是建立治污减排长效机制的基础和前提,也是完善环境治理体系的重要内容。按照市场经济条件下政府依法行政的要求,中国环境监管体制改革的目标,就是要按照合法性、独立性、透明性、可问责性、专业性和执法能力、可信性等原则建立和完善现代环境监管体制,为此必须从专门立法、组织结构、权力分配、问责机制、监管程序与工具、监管能力建设等各方面推进改革。本文提出了"十三五"时期环境监管体制改革的思路及若干建议,主要包括:加快修订环保法律法规,提高法律的可操作性,推进环境司法常态化、规范化和专门化,进一步提升环境监管法治化水平;从纵向、横向上优化环境监管组织结构,强化区域层级的监管与督查功能,强化中央层级环境监管机构对环境信息的获取能力;优化环境保护主管部门机构设置以及相关职能,建立并完善内部机构的协调机制;完善环境监管的内外部问责机制,把做实对监管者的监管机制作为优化环境监管体制的抓手;强化对监管工具的顶层设计,做实监管程序中关键环节,建立环境监管影响评估制度;加强环境监管能力建设,推进环境监管制度队伍职业化发展,保障各级环境监管机构具有充分履职的能力。环境监管体制的改革和完善,是国家治理体系和治理能力现代化的重要内容。     

世博会期间上海交通环境承载力调控策略

世博会参观客流规模庞大,且世博园区周边道路设施和自然环境的容量有限,游客自由选择交通模式的结果必然导致自然环境严重超标,人工交通环境不堪重负,因此,必须对世博会期间环境承载力进行调控。而世博会客流属于长期高强度客流,传统的以强制性手段为主的调控策略主要用于短期高强度客流的调控,并不适于世博会。基于局部向全局转换、“强制”向“引导”转换、单因素向双因素转换的调控原则,提出了基于“引导控制”模式的交通环境承载力调控策略：以“引导”手段为主,通过提高公交运行效率、补偿转换交通等措施吸引世博客流向公交方式转移;以“控制”手段为辅,在世博园区周围一定范围内限制社会车辆出入、使用清洁能源车辆,以保证世博客流集散,并降低世博客流对自然环境的影响。     

Exploring relationships of environmental attitudes,behaviors, and sociodemographic indicators to aspects of discourses: analyses of International Social Survey Programme data in the Philippines

Data from the International Social Survey Programme 2000 and 2010 environment modules were analyzed to explore the relationships between attitudes, behavior, and sociodemographic variables to citizens’ preferences to aspects of environmental discourse in the Philippines. Overall, significantly more people agree to multilateralism, equity, and the link between the environment and economic progress in 2010 as compared to 2000. A series of multinomial logistic regressions were conducted to determine significant predictors to peoples’ disposition to variables related to three overarching environmental discourses. After controlling for other covariates, the study found that the more the Filipinos adhere to statements toward science and nature that are negatively connoted: the more likely they are to agree to international multilateral commitments and ascribe to equity for poorer countries in environmental efforts; and less likely to disagree to the aspects of multilateralism, equity, and the link between the environment and economic progress. Furthermore, the results showed that demographics and civic participations generally did not have a statistically significant impact on Filipino’s agreement or disagreement to environmental discourses. The paper then discusses the implications of the findings and conclusions of the study.     

Risk to water security for small islands: an assessment framework and application

The freshwater resources of small islands are particularly vulnerable to the impacts of climate change and human stressors due to their limited extent and adaptive capacity. A water security approach is useful for effective management of the water resources; however, understanding risk to water security is critical in order to effectively plan and adapt to future changes. Currently available assessment tools generally do not incorporate risk and are not suitable for application on small islands, where the hydrogeological setting has unique vulnerabilities. The aim of this work is to provide a framework to characterize risk to water security for small islands. The risk assessment was developed using Andros Island, the Bahamas, as a case study area. Numerical modelling characterizes the response of the water system to potential future stressors related to climate change and human development, the results of which are integrated into the assessment framework. Based on risk assessment principles, indicators are determined for susceptibility, hazard threat, vulnerability and loss, in order to define the risk to water security. The resulting indicators are presented in geospatial maps that rank areas of risk to water security. These maps were provided to local water managers and policy-makers in the Bahamas as a tool to identify high-risk areas for near-term action and to inform long-term planning. The maps have also been used as a platform to engage local residents and raise awareness about the impact climate change and land-use activities may have on water security.