Barriers and Enablers of Long-term Land Leasing: a Case Study of Northern Ireland

Long-term land leasing offers a viable alternative to land ownership in relation to increasing efficiency of agricultural production, economies of scale, and delivering environmental improvements in terms of land management. However, with no significant tenanted sector in Northern Ireland, access to land via long-term land leasing is limited. This study analysed the barriers and enablers of long-term land leasing. To achieve our objective, we employed a mixed methods approach. The results show that the main barriers to long-term land leasing were environmental concern (around how the land will be managed), inheritance tax implications and the potential effect of long-term land leasing on future succession plans of the farm business. We also found that as much as 70 per cent of the farmers surveyed believe the inclusion of a ‘break clause’ and the introduction of income tax incentives will encourage the adoption of long-term land leasing, while 61 per cent of the farmers stated that the environmental management of the land will encourage long-term land leasing. The study concluded that any model designed to encourage long-term land leasing in Northern Ireland should include clauses which cover the environmental management of the land and break clauses. Income tax incentives for landowners could also be considered.     

Analysing corporate forest disclosure: How does business value biodiversity?

Corporations are failing to account for their impact on biodiversity despite accelerating extinctions. The value of biodiversity to business can be explained by an environmental philosophy spectrum, where perspectives range from anthropocentric (humans are prioritised) to ecocentric (all life is equal), made up of paradigms and values linked to biodiversity protection. We explore the biodiversity values conveyed by the 40 largest corporations responding to the CDP Forest Questionnaire using 28 specific yes/no criteria aligned with the environmental philosophy spectrum. Strong anthropocentric perspectives focused on economic contribution dominated, conveying a desire to protect company reputation, thereby legitimising operations. Corporations seemingly only protect biodiversity that hold material benefits for humans. Some biocentric/ecocentric perspectives were conveyed in terms of extinction risk and sometimes intrinsic value. This could be a response to the accelerating global biodiversity crisis, offering hope corporations can protect all forms of biodiversity and could evidence ecocentric leadership informing business strategy.     

Pluriempleo informal en plataformas de transporte urbano durante la pandemia en África. ¿Perspectivas de futuro?

El presente estudio tiene por objeto el impacto de la pandemia de COVID-19 en los trabajadores de plataformas de transporte urbano en vehículos de turismo con conductor (VTC) en África. Debido a su naturaleza mercantilizada e informalizada, el sector ofrece oportunidades de empleo en condiciones de mala calidad, que se agravaron durante la pandemia. Mediante un enfoque metodológico ecléctico que comprende entrevistas en profundidad con conductores de VTC en Nairobi y análisis de etnografía digital, se observan estrategias de resiliencia, adaptación y resistencia de los trabajadores que recurren al pluriempleo informal en plataformas. El estudio subraya la necesidad de establecer marcos reguladores y redes locales de solidaridad que garanticen unas condiciones de trabajo decentes y contrarresten la precariedad en la economía de plataformas.