Investigating social development inequality among steel industry workers in Pakistan: A contribution to social development policies.

Social development of workers has always been a major concern in history. This study, therefore focuses on social development inequalities among steel industry workers in one development zone (Badami Bagh area and along Sheikhupura road of Lahore) of Pakistan. A total of 225 workers were interviewed randomly following the stratified random sampling technique. Principal Component Analysis (PCA) technique was used to construct the socioeconomic score (SES) index. Five categories of socioeconomic index were measured using multinomial logistic regression model. A correlation matrix was calculated for PCA. Results revealed that type/size of industry has negative relation while skill level has positive relation with SES. Job status and transport facility did not reflect a significant impact to SES of workers. Correlation matrix depicted that age, experience and medical treatment have positive relation while formal education, number of dependents and distance to job showed a negative trend in relation with SES.

[Occupational chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases. Legal aspects and practical management]. / Bronchopneumopathies chroniques obstructives professionnelles. Aspects médicolégaux, conduite à tenir en pratique.

The existence of occupational chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases (COPD) is now well established. Since 1989, several regulations have been progressively introduced, allowing compensation for some cases of occupational COPD. Following a brief review of the main occupational causes of COPD, the authors describe the present context for compensation in France and the procedures to be followed to ensure that patient's interests are supported.

Low-carbon transition of iron and steel industry in China: carbon intensity, economic growth and policy intervention.

As the biggest iron and steel producer in the world and one of the highest CO2 emission sectors, China's iron and steel industry is undergoing a low-carbon transition accompanied by remarkable technological progress and investment adjustment, in response to the macroeconomic climate and policy intervention. Many drivers of the CO2 emissions of the iron and steel industry have been explored, but the relationships between CO2 abatement, investment and technological expenditure, and their connections with the economic growth and governmental policies in China, have not been conjointly and empirically examined. We proposed a concise conceptual model and an econometric model to investigate this crucial question. The results of regression, Granger causality test and impulse response analysis indicated that technological expenditure can significantly reduce CO2 emissions, and that investment expansion showed a negative impact on CO2 emission reduction. It was also argued with empirical evidence that a good economic situation favored CO2 abatement in China's iron and steel industry, while achieving CO2 emission reduction in this industrial sector did not necessarily threaten economic growth. This shed light on the dispute over balancing emission cutting and economic growth. Regarding the policy aspects, the year 2000 was found to be an important turning point for policy evolution and the development of the iron and steel industry in China. The subsequent command and control policies had a significant, positive effect on CO2 abatement.