Contemplating Maritime Autonomous Surface Ships (MASS) under the international law on ship-source pollution.

Autonomous ships are seen as the next generation of ships to meet sustainability challenges. While abundant studies have noted the potential of autonomous ships to be emission-free and reduce air pollution, research has paid scant attention to the significant uncertainties of the autonomous shipping that may lead to new environmental risks such as traffic incidents and oil spills. It is therefore necessary to assess the compatibility of the autonomous ships with international environmental laws and regulations. An analytical framework of international law on ship-source pollution has been proposed to contemplate such a legal assessment. Autonomous ships would challenge the relevant treaty provisions on preventing, combating and compensating for ship-source pollution and raise a number of new legal issues, resulting in a current lack of legal predictability and certainty. Only as autonomous ships become more widely tested, recognised and trusted will a robust roadmap for legalising MASS become clearer.

Microplastic pollution in aquatic ecosystem: A review of existing policies and regulations.

Environmental pollution due to plastic waste is a global challenge causing adverse impacts on the ecosystem and public health. Microplastic (MP) originates at the upstream processes such as industrial and household activities; however, their existence is affecting the downstream environment. Even though many governments and non-government organizations have taken technological and regulatory steps, these current efforts and strategies are insufficient to prevent the MP release in the environment. Thus, a multidisciplinary global approach is required, which must prioritize the reducing of plastic inputs to the environment. To regulate MP levels in the environment, worldwide reformative and preventive strategies are required because the issue is not limited to a single nation or region. In relation to marine plastic waste, a number of multilateral agreements and measures exist at global level. Several regulatory measures have been examined by regulatory bodies with the intention of safeguarding the environment from excessive MP contamination. However, neither of the frameworks in place is specifically made to stop the increased MP pollution in the environment. Therefore, this review focused on the preventive measures taken by the government and non-government organizations for MP control through legislations. The study also critically discussed MP-related policies aiming to increase the viability and efficiency of implementing future plastic management. This review is expected to provide the basic guidelines for formulating MP standards in the environment.

[On the June 25, 2024 Judgment of the Court of Justice of the European Union regarding Ilva Taranto (Southern Italy)]. / Sulla sentenza della Corte di Giustizia dell'Unione europea del 25 giugno 2024 in merito all'Ilva di Taranto.

The June 25, 2024 Judgment of the Court of Justice of the European Union is based on the Industrial Emissions (Integrated Pollution Prevention and Control) Directive 2010/75/EU and confirms its applicability to the Taranto steel plant, reiterating that the concept of pollution includes damage to the environment and human health; the health impact assessment of polluting industrial activities, such as the Ilva steelworks in Southern Italy, must constitute an internal act in the procedures for granting and reviewing the operating permission; all pollutants attributable to the plant that are scientifically recognized as harmful to health must be considered in the assessment procedures. In the case of serious and significant danger to the integrity of the environment and human health, the operation of the installation must be suspended. The Judgment highlights important elements on the level of principle and application, which are extraordinarily useful for environment and health personnel, for open-minded and aware local, regional, and national administrators, and above all for the citizens and communities most exposed to pollutants recognized as harmful to health. Preventive environmental health impact assessments gain renewed strength as tools for evaluative and authorized decision-making on production activities, in a sense of full integration between environment and health. The right to environmental and health protection and prevention is an integral part of the defence of human rights, especially in sacrifice zones such as Taranto and many other sites to be reclaimed, considered by the UN as "places where residents suffer devastating physical and mental health consequences and human rights violations".

Research on the path of green technology innovation driven by the Environmental Protection Tax Law: Based on data of heavy polluting enterprises.

Environmental Protection Tax Law (EPTL) is a compulsory environmental regulation measure adopted by China to deal with environmental problems. However, with the advancement of implementation, the EPTL produces a dissimilation effect and damages the realization of the Porter hypothesis effect. The study examines the dissimilation effect of green technology innovation regulated by the EPTL using sample data from heavy pollution firms in China. According to the empirical test results: (1) the coordination between levies and administrations, differential tax rate setting, tax information sharing, definition of the scope of levy and administration, tax declaration counseling, and tax rate level verification produce the dissimilation effect; (2) the Porter hypothesis effect of the EPTL is the most significant in medium-sized enterprises and foreign-funded enterprises. By constructing the research model group of dissimilation effect, this study analyzes the application of environmental regulation in China's social and economic background, thus providing a reference for developing of the green economy.

The impact of environmental regulations on the green development of the mariculture industry: empirical analysis based on provincial panel data in coastal areas of China.

With the continuous increase in global mariculture production and aquaculture areas, the environmental pollution caused by the mariculture industry is becoming increasingly serious. Faced with environmental issues, countries worldwide have formulated environmental regulations to scientifically intervene in marine environmental pollution issues and promote the green development of the mariculture industry. However, we must determine if strict environmental regulations can effectively promote the green development of the mariculture industry. This article uses the inter-provincial panel data of China's coastal areas from 2003 to 2019 as a sample. We use the entropy-technique for order of preference by similarity to ideal solution method to measure the intensity of environmental regulation in China's coastal areas and the level of green development of the mariculture industry. On this basis, an economic geography nested matrix was selected to construct a spatial panel econometric model to empirically explore the impact of environmental regulations on the green development of the mariculture industry. This approach also allows us to examine the heterogeneity of the impact of different types of environmental regulations on the green development of the mariculture industry. The research results indicate that environmental regulations have a "U-shaped" impact on the green development of the local mariculture industry, while they have an inverted "U-shaped" impact on the green development of the nearby mariculture industry. Furthermore, heterogeneity exists in the impact of different types of environmental regulations on the green development of the mariculture industry. Based on the research results, this article proposes policy recommendations from the perspectives of flexibly adjusting the intensity of environmental regulations, accelerating the development of voluntary-based environmental regulations, and regulating competition among local governments, which can provide decision-making references for the government to adjust environmental regulation policies and improve the level of green development in the mariculture industry.

Collaborative effect of the energy conservation and emission reduction fiscal policy in China.

Government-led national comprehensive demonstration cities for Energy Conservation and Emission Reduction Fiscal Policy (ECERFP) are pivotal for China in addressing environmental governance. Using a panel dataset covering 278 Chinese cities from 2003 to 2019, this study adopts the staggered difference-in-differences (DID) approach to investigate the synergistic impacts of ECERFP on pollution and carbon reduction. The findings indicate that ECERFP contributes to a 3% improvement in pollution reduction performance, a 1.5% enhancement in carbon reduction performance, and a 4% overall increase in combined pollution and carbon reduction efforts. Furthermore, the study examines the heterogeneous effects of ECERFP on environmental performance. ECERFP significantly influences the synergistic efforts in pollution and carbon reduction by fostering green innovation, enhancing energy allocation, and optimizing industrial structures. This study both theoretically and empirically outlines the specific pathways and mechanisms through which "incentive-based" green fiscal policy promotes synergistic pollution and carbon reduction, thus providing a pragmatic foundation for enhancing the role of fiscal policy in environmental governance.

A new approach for environmental damage assessment pursuant to the European Union Environmental Liability Directive.

The European Union and Member States national laws require competent authorities to promptly and effectively address environmental incidents, noncompliances, and criminal offenses, necessitating thorough planning of investigation and assessment activities. To enhance environmental damage assessments in line with the European Environmental Liability Directive (ELD, 2004/35/EC), the European Union Network for the Implementation and Enforcement of Environmental Law (IMPEL Network) has introduced the Criteria for the Assessment of the Environmental Damage (CAED) framework. This framework, outlined in a Practical Guide, offers a methodological approach to environmental damage assessment (EDA) focusing on three key objectives: case screening, identification of "clues" of damage, and determination of "evidence" of damage. Given the critical importance of structured data collection and evaluation, the CAED project has adopted a Driver, Pressure, State, Impact, and Response (DPSIR) model adapted to environmental damage and developed the Practical Tables. These tables serve as a comprehensive tool for systematically identifying investigative priorities and collecting standardized data and information using a predefined list of qualitative or quantitative indicators. This article provides an overview of the Practical Guide and Practical Tables, collectively referred to as the CAED Toolkit, aiming to establish a common framework for environmental damage assessments among various competent authorities and stakeholders across Europe. Integr Environ Assess Manag 2024;20:2050-2059. © 2024 SETAC.

Impacts of pilot carbon emission trading policies on urban environmental pollution: Evidence from China.

The trading of carbon emissions is a crucial regulatory method to address environmental pollution issues. This study takes China's carbon emission trading pilot policy established in 2013 as a quasi-natural experiment and uses the DID model to empirically test the urban panel data from 2006 to 2019. The results show that the carbon emission trading pilot policy can effectively reduce urban environmental pollution, and this effect is more noticeable in mid-western cities, northern cities, cities with fewer resources, and large-scale cities. In addition, to address the urban environmental pollution problem through this policy, the government is encouraged to raise its environmental protection awareness and put more effort into the innovation of technology. In general, this study uses carbon emission trading policies from China to confirm that market-based incentive environmental regulation tools can effectively reduce environmental pollution in urban areas. These findings can provide more theoretical support and empirical evidence for the government to use mechanisms of the market to effectively solve pollution problems, improve ecological environment quality, and accelerate the realization of green economy.

A study on the "Porter Hypothesis" effect of the regulatory measures of the environmental protection tax law in the post-pandemic era.

The implementation of the Environmental Protection Tax Law was a significant milestone in China's environmental tax reform. The implementation of this law was influenced throughout the three-year period of epidemic prevention and control (from early 2020 to the end of 2022). Heavily polluting enterprises are the primary focus of regulations under the Environmental Protection Tax Law. This study conducts an empirical analysis using a structural equation model, leveraging sample data obtained from heavily polluting enterprises in China. The findings indicate that during the three-year period of epidemic prevention and control, the Porter Hypothesis effect was realized in terms of tax fairness but not in terms of tax rationality. Therefore, environmental tax law reforms should be pursued and tax authorities in China should make vigorous efforts to enhance the rationality of environmental taxation. This would improve the comprehensiveness of the "Porter Hypothesis" effect, fully harnessing the dual functions of environmental protection and the economic driving force embodied by the Environmental Protection Tax Law.

How informal environmental regulations constrain carbon dioxide emissions under pollution control and carbon reduction: Evidence from China.

Exploring whether informal environmental regulations (INER) can achieve carbon reduction in the context of pollution reduction and carbon reduction, as well as how to achieve carbon reduction, can help solve the dual failures of the market and government in environmental protection. Based on the polycentric governance theory and considering the characteristics of social subject environmental participation, the Stackelberg game is used to demonstrate the impact mechanism of INER on CO2. In addition, using the panel data of China's 30 provinces from 2003 to 2018, this paper validates the effectiveness of INER by Pooled Ordinary Least Square (POLS) and threshold panel model. Then, the mediating effect model is used to test the mechanism of INER's effect on carbon reduction. The results show that corruption is not conducive to CO2 reduction. The reduction effect of INER on CO2 exhibits heterogeneity with changes in other non-greenhouse gas pollutants. While INER effectively reduces local corruption, its more substantial indirect impact on CO2 reduction is prominent when levels of other pollutants are lower. Comparative analysis reveals that there are still biased governance behaviors to cope with INER's pressure in some regions nowadays. The findings show that for countries facing the dual task of pollution control and carbon reduction, the key to leveraging the supervisory role of INER should be focused on mitigating information asymmetry caused by the characteristics of CO2. Therefore, in the process of environmental protection, the public environmental participation system should be improved, and the process of disclosing polluters' carbon information should be accelerated.

The role of China in protecting the Arctic against pollutions from vessels: a legal perspective.

In the past decade, global climate change and the rapid melting of polar ice have dramatically transformed the Arctic landscape from a vast ice-covered area to a seasonally navigable sea. This accessibility has sparked increased commercial activity, posing a threat from various pollutants, particularly from vessel sources. Given China's profound interests in Arctic shipping, its involvement may face resistance from Arctic states, and therefore, it is important for China to ensure that its presence benefits local communities and states. This study explores China's role in shaping the international legal landscape to protect the Arctic from vessel-source pollutions. The intricate interplay between China's economic interests, maritime security concerns, and environmental commitments in the Arctic underscores China's potential role. By aligning with existing international legal structures, such as UNCLOS and MARPOL, China has already started to demonstrate its commitment to preserving the Arctic environment. This study assesses and discusses the potentially strategic importance of China's involvement in influencing legal regimes, offering a crucial contribution to global efforts to preserve this vital region.

Designing a circular carbon and plastics economy for a sustainable future.

The linear production and consumption of plastics today is unsustainable. It creates large amounts of unnecessary and mismanaged waste, pollution and carbon dioxide emissions, undermining global climate targets and the Sustainable Development Goals. This Perspective provides an integrated technological, economic and legal view on how to deliver a circular carbon and plastics economy that minimizes carbon dioxide emissions. Different pathways that maximize recirculation of carbon (dioxide) between plastics waste and feedstocks are outlined, including mechanical, chemical and biological recycling, and those involving the use of biomass and carbon dioxide. Four future scenarios are described, only one of which achieves sufficient greenhouse gas savings in line with global climate targets. Such a bold system change requires 50% reduction in future plastic demand, complete phase-out of fossil-derived plastics, 95% recycling rates of retrievable plastics and use of renewable energy. It is hard to overstate the challenge of achieving this goal. We therefore present a roadmap outlining the scale and timing of the economic and legal interventions that could possibly support this. Assessing the service lifespan and recoverability of plastic products, along with considerations of sufficiency and smart design, can moreover provide design principles to guide future manufacturing, use and disposal of plastics.

Investigation of spatial association network features of construction waste in major Chinese urban agglomeration.

The illegal dumping of construction waste (CW) poses an increasingly serious environmental pollution problem with the accelerated rate of urbanization. As CW disposal capacity struggles to match municipal needs, some CW is being diverted to higher resource endowment cities rather than recycled. To address this situation, it is necessary to obtain reliable information on the characteristics and evolution of CW generation networks in China. This study combines a modified gravity model with Social Network Analysis (SNA) to analyze the spatial association networks of CW generation in four Chinese urban agglomerations between 2000 and 2020. Results reveal the evolution characteristics of the CW generation network, including increasing density and correlation and decreasing network efficiency. Furthermore, the Quality Assurance Procedure (QAP) indicates that urbanization level and population size are positively correlated with CW generations, whereas distance plays a negative role, but resources are insignificant for network formation. The findings provide insight into current patterns of waste distribution and a theoretical basis for government policy formulation in the future.

Innovate beyond PFAS.

New proposed legislation on "forever" chemicals is under consideration in Europe and the United States, where per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a hot topic for regulators and lawmakers. On both sides of the Atlantic, regulation of widely used PFAS has been complex and evolving. Their presence in hundreds of different products-from nonstick cookware to food packaging to firefighting foam-and their persistence in food, drinking water, and the environment have resulted in a pollution problem of unprecedented scale. Recently, for example, it was reported that 45% of the tap water in the United States contains at least one type of PFAS. Because these compounds are so chemically stable that they do not degrade in the environment (including in the human body), PFAS seriously challenge long-established ideas of how chemicals can be used, assessed, and regulated, and it remains to be seen whether the new regulations will solve this problem.

How to optimize dust pollution control in opencast coal mines: Analysis of a joint social regulation model based on evolutionary game theory.

The carbon peaking and carbon neutrality goals drive innovation in pollution governance systems, unleashing the potential of social supervisory forces to achieve coordinated governance by multiple stakeholders. In order to improve dust pollution control in opencast coal mines, this study combines prospect theory with evolutionary game theory, analyzing the evolutionary game process of coordinated governance activities of coal mining enterprises, local regulators, and social camps in the management of dust pollution against the backdrop of national supervisions. The research indicates that the perceived value of dust pollution has a significant impact on the strategic choices of the three agents involved in the game. Coal mining enterprises tend to be risk averse, and by reducing the cost of dust pollution control and increasing the additional benefits of pollution control, it can promote pollution control behavior by coal mining enterprises. Local regulators are also risk averse, but not sensitive to risk benefits. Strengthening pollution subsidy incentives and environmental fines can help promote dust pollution control behavior by coal mining enterprises. However, increasing the strength of the rewards strategy is not conducive to local regulators' own regulatory responsibilities, and environmental fines have limited binding effects. The strategic choices of social camps' supervision have a restrictive effect on the strategic choices of coal mining enterprises and local regulators, promoting the evolution of equilibrium results in the direction of maximizing social benefits. When coal mining enterprises actively governance pollution, local regulators strictly regulated, and social camps do not monitor, the system reaches its optimal equilibrium state. The research results clarify the mechanism and specific effects of social supervision of opencast coal mine dust pollution control, guide the participation of the public in dust pollution control, and regulate the behavior strategies of coal mining enterprises and local regulators, providing the scientific basis for management.