The effects of the environmental protection tax law on heavily polluting firms in China.

In 2016, China implemented an environmental protection tax (EPTL2016) to promote the transformation and upgrading of heavily polluting industries through tax leverage. Using panel data of China's listed companies, this study assesses the treatment effects of the EPTL2016 on the transformation and upgrading of heavily polluting firms by incorporating the intermediary role of the financial market. The empirical findings show that the EPTL2016 significantly reduced the innovation investment and productivity of heavily polluting firms but had no significant effect on fixed-asset investment. Additionally, EPTL2016 reduced the supply of bank loans to heavily polluting firms and increased the value of growth options for private enterprises and the efficiency of the supply of long-term loans to heavily polluting firms. Although the environmental policy of EPTL2016 benefits the transformation and upgrading of heavily polluting industries in many aspects, it generally hinders the industrial upgrading because of the reduction of bank loans.

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.

[What is the future for the galvanic industry in Italy and Europe]. / Quale futuro per la galvanica in Italia ed Europa.

A number of European directives and burocratic constraints give difficulties to the galvanic Italian industries: The situation of the Galvanic industry in Italy is examined, with special care about the innovation perspectives needed to maintain an important role for the Italian surface treatment processes in Italy. Alternatives are already present for zinc cyanic alkaline plating and for the passivation with chromates of zinc. Difficult instead is the substitution of bright nickel and of electroless autocatalytic nickel An important process is Plating On Plastics POP and on other non conducting materials with electroless nickel The substitution of colloidal Palladium for surface activation is proposed. New innovative processes are proposed, regarding composite depositions with powders of micron or nano size, pulsed current deposition and deposition of layers with structure controlled at nanometric level. A strict cooperation among Research centres, Universities and Industries can start the renewal of a production of fundamental importance for the Italian future.