Impact mitigation or ecological restoration? Examining the environmental sustainability practices of multinational mining companies

This paper examines the environmental sustainability practices of multinational mining companies in addressing their impacts and promoting the sustainable development of local communities in Ghana. Although large-scale mining companies have embraced environmental sustainability, the drivers and the mechanisms for addressing their impacts throughout the mine life cycle is not fully understood because of the limited research in this area. The focus in this study involves an examination of the drivers for environmental sustainability in a weak and non-enabling institutional context and the mechanisms for addressing impacts on biodiversity, water quality and quantity, and ambient climate. The findings show that the environmental sustainability practices of multinational mining companies are determined by regulatory compliance and corporate environmental responsibility based on perceived ethical obligation. Additionally, we find gaps in mine closure planning and rehabilitation because of the limited requirement for biodiversity restoration in the domains of flora repopulation and active fauna reintroduction. This paper provides empirical and theoretical insights for academics and practitioners in industry and policymaking.     

天津市美丽乡村建设模式及效益评价体系构建

［目的］“美丽乡村”建设是全面推进现代化农业发展，加强生态文明建设的重要举措。归纳天津市“美丽乡村”建设模式，构建效益评价体系，并对乡村建设效益进行评价，以期为实现该市乡村建设奋斗目标提供理论参考。［方法］通过调研天津市乡村发展现状，在归纳总结该市乡村建设模式的基础上，采用层次分析法和综合加权法，从社会、经济和生态效益3个层面构建了美丽乡村建设效益评价体系，并对“美丽乡村”建设项目实施前和2016年的建设效益进行评价。［结果］（1）天津市乡村建设模式可分为4种类型，分别为休闲旅游、文化传承、高效农业和环境整治型，涌现出了一批各具特色的典型村落，发展较为迅速。（2）从启动美丽乡村建设项目止2016年，该市乡村建设取得了明显的生态、社会和经济效益，评价分值相比项目实施前分别提高了6513%、4167%和3621%，综合效益评分提高了50%。［结论］天津市美丽乡村建设取得了较好的成效，其他村庄在建设过程中，可参考已建设成型的典范，因地制宜，选择适合规划的发展模式。已建设成型的村庄发展空间还很大，仍需不断缩短城乡差距，推动美丽乡村的可持续健康发展。     

基于熵权Topsis的淮河生态经济带水资源承载力评价

[目的]评价发展规划驱动下的水资源承载力特征,为区域发展提供科学依据。[方法]以淮河生态经济带为对象,采用熵权重的Topsis评价方法,分析淮河生态经济带水资源承载力的区域差异及其影响因素。[结果] 2015年不同市县水资源承载力综合得分介于0. 305 8～0. 698 8之间,其中盐城市最高,桐柏县最低;境内江苏、安徽、河南3省的水资源承载力分别为0. 585 2、0. 478 2、0. 524 9。[结论](1)淮河生态经济带水资源承载力具有在淮河干流上、下游承载力高,但中游偏低的空间分布特征。(2)水资源系统层面,水资源总量是承载力高低的供给侧决定性因素,是水资源承载力高低的重要基础。(3)社会系统中,用水量与用水结构是提升和优化水资源承载力的调控性因素。(4)城镇化发展与人口增加是水资源承载力高低的胁迫性因素,而经济发展水平是水资源承载力调控的重要保证。     

基于供给侧的贵州省生态农业绩效评价

［目的］随着供给侧改革的推进，贵州省生态农业发展迅速，为了实现生态农业的可持续发展，对生态农业发展效益进行客观地评价具有重要意义。［方法］文章以贵州省9个市（州）的生态农业数据为研究对象，构建贵州省生态农业绩效指标评价体系，利用因子分析法对贵州省9个市（州）的生态农业数据进行主成分分析，计算每个地区的综合得分情况。［结果］通过对贵州省生态农业绩效构建评价指标体系，从社会投入与产出、耕地投入与产出两个方面来进行评价。各市（州）综合得分结果表明遵义市和毕节市的得分最高，分别为4456 595万和4388 418万； 六盘水市和贵阳市的得分比较低，分别为1572 071万和1621 515万。［结论］贵州省各市（州）生态农业发展存在较大的地区差异性，遵义市和毕节市的生态农业效益最好，安顺市、六盘水市、贵阳市的生态农业建设相对较弱。因此，贵州省应该加强政策引导、利用先进技术、加大生态农业的投入，从各方面促进生态农业的可持续发展。     

基于供给侧结构性改革的我国农产品供需及收益现状分析

［目的］在我国实施农业供给侧结构改革的大背景下，分析我国主要农产品玉米、大豆、水稻供需及成本收益现状，以把握农业供给侧结构性改革的成效及存在问题，为推进农业供给侧结构性改革及实现农业供需平衡、保证农民受益具有重要意义。［方法］将影响农业经济增长的因素分为市场需求与市场供给两部分，而市场需求包括国内需求和国外需求，市场供给则只指国内供给。分别采集我国玉米、大豆、水稻这3种典型农产品的国内市场需求、国外市场需求和国内市场供给3部分数据，并将市场需求与市场供给数据进行对比，由此分析我国农业供给侧农产品供需现状及存在的问题，指出我国农业供给侧结构性改革发展方向。［结果］（1）我国农产品仍面临着供需不平衡、农民成本收益率低、农产品价格高导致国际市场竞争力低等问题，农业供给侧结构性改革是国家的重大战略，我国通过降低农作物播种面积来降低产能最终实现农产品供需平衡效果微乎其微； （2）我国的农产品产能是相对过剩，并非绝对过剩； （3）我国农产品市场供给一端的要素没有得到有效调节，使农产品生产成本过高，是导致农产品缺少市场竞争力的主要因素。［结论］积极拓宽农产品国外销售市场来增加农产品需求渠道，调节农产品国内市场供给要素，降低农产品生产成本，提高农产品生产质量，增加我国农产品竞争力，是我国通过农业供给侧结构性改革实现农产品供需平衡的必然之路。     

Turning green subsidies into sustainability: How green process innovation improves firms' green image

Green process innovation has been seen as a key strategy for manufacturing firms to pursue sustainable development. Yet, how to help manufacturing firms eliminate bottlenecks when implementing green process innovation remains poorly understood. To address this issue, the current study, which is anchored in the government incentive perspective, examines the drivers, contingent conditions, and consequences of green process innovation by using the panel data of manufacturing‐listed firms in China from 2013 to 2017. The results present valuable findings: (a) green subsidies are positively related to two dimensions of green process innovation, namely, cleaner production technology and end‐of‐pipe technology; (b) both cleaner production technology and end‐of‐pipe technology are positively related to firms' green image; (c) a firm's cleaner production technology mediates the relationship between green subsidies and its green image; and (d) higher absorptive capacity strengthens the indirect effect of green subsidies on a firm's green image via cleaner production technology. Our results provide meaningful theoretical and practical implications by revealing the benefits of green subsidies through green process innovation by leveraging levels of absorptive capacity.     

Synergizing independent and cooperative R&D activities: the effects of organisational slack and absorptive capacity

Firms undertaking independent and cooperative research and development (R&D) activities simultaneously often have difficulties to realise their synergistic effects. This study contends that such difficulties are caused by tensions between two types of R&D activities in terms of resource competition and knowledge leakage. Moreover, organisational slack and absorptive capacity may affect these tensions and thereby play important role in synergizing independent and cooperative R&D activities. Based on a survey data of 286 firms, this study finds that such two types of R&D activities jointly have a negative impact on firm performance. Furthermore, organisational slack aids in synergizing them, while absorptive capacity has an adverse impact. These findings enrich our knowledge on the interrelation of independent and cooperative R&D activities and shed light on how firms can synergize them.     

基于生态足迹模型的湖北省农业资源开发评估

[目的]农业资源是人类生存发展的重要物质基础,对维持社会经济的可持续发展具有主导作用。评估湖北省农业资源的开发利用状况,为今后统筹资源利用和社会经济协调提供理论依据,以期提出可行性建议。[方法]采用生态足迹模型,计算了2009—2015年湖北省的人均生态足迹和人均生态容量及生态赤字,分析了该省各土地利用类型的人均生态足迹组分变化和各项农业生物资源和能源资源的开发状况,对资源开发总体形势展开了评价。[结果] 2009—2013年湖北省人均生态足迹逐年递增,2014和2015年明显降低,但人均生态足迹远高于人均生态容量。能源用地、建筑用地和草地构成了湖北省人均生态足迹的主体,且开发强度呈上升趋势。其中,玉米、小麦、稻谷、蔬菜以及各类畜产品和水产品,部分能源资源的开发强度增强。[结论]湖北省对农业资源的开发已超过生态系统的供给能力,严重威胁到生态系统的稳态,土地资源的承载力面临较大压力。全省需要从改变消费和生产方式,调整产业结构,优化土地利用类型,合理布局土地利用规划,发展高效农业资源利用模式等方面入手,提高农业资源的开发效率,降低人均生态足迹,维持生态容量。保证全省休闲农业与乡村生态旅游事业健康发展。     

How collaborative routines improve dynamic innovation capability and performance in tourism industry? A path-dependent learning model

Current results of direct relationships between collaboration and innovation capability on performance in tourism contexts are inconsistent. This research is to uncover roles of collaborative routines on promoting relationships between internal and service innovation capabilities as two distinct mechanisms, and performance. The study also examines the contingent effect of knowledge search on performance. Survey data from 181 samples from the Thai tourism industry are gathered for analyses. Findings demonstrate that knowledge search and internal innovation capability have a direct impact on performance, whereas the effect of service innovation capability on performance is significant only in the presence of collaborative routines.     

基于主成分分析的关中—天水经济区水资源承载力评价

[目的]通过探讨关中—天水经济区水资源状况,可为经济区水资源的合理配置与经济社会的协调、可持续发展提供决策参考。[方法]根据关中—天水经济区2007~2016年相关统计资料,采用主成分分析法和构建指标体系对经济区水资源承载力从时间和空间两个角度进行综合评价。[结果](1)经济区水资源承载力得分由2007年的-0.067增加至2016年的1.877,水资源承载力与开发利用潜力呈现由大到小的变化,而水资源开发利用强度则呈逐渐增大趋势。(2)经济区各地市间水资源承载力存在显著差异,西安、咸阳两地的水资源承载力得分最高,均超过1.300,但水资源承载力和开发利用潜力最小;而杨凌、铜川两地的水资源承载力得分最低,均小于-2.250,但水资源承载力和开发利用潜力则最大。(3)经济发展水平、人口数量、水资源供需量、工农业生产用水是影响经济区水资源承载力大小的主要因素;其中,经济发展水平的贡献最大。[结论]经济区水资源承载力与开发利用潜力变小,开发利用强度增大;各地市间水资源承载力差异显著,将在一定程度上对经济区人口、经济、环境可持续发展起着明显的制约作用。为了促进经济区经济社会的健康可持续发展,应加强对水资源的管理与废水处理,合理控制经济区人口容量,提高社会节水意识,转变经济发展模式,大力推行节水型与节约型经济发展道路。