Family influence in Maltese listed companies : the implications on corporate governance

The Maltese market is and has always been, dominated by Family Businesses (FB) to the extent that such entities are vital to the resilience of our economy. There tends to be the presupposition that as soon as FBs convert to a public listing, they start implementing rational governance mechanisms, contrasting with the "non-rational behaviour" which is normally associated with the dynamics of running an FB. With this study the authors focus on equity-listed Maltese companies on the Malta Stock Exchange (MSE) and aim to build an understanding on the current situation of such entities’ GC structures to possibly conclude on whether Maltese LFBs are taking the initiative to apply appropriate governance measures which meet their strategic needs, even though there are no obligatory regulations or recommendations on the matter. Moreover, they will shed light on (i) the characteristics of LFBs; (ii) the family governance structures (‘FGS’) in such companies including the role of family institutions as well as the family influence on executive appointments and top positions; and (iii) recommend regulatory and other improvements. Authors carried out semi-structured with 18 participants in charge of corporate governance in Maltese listed companies (MLCs) and conclude that Maltese LFBs do not as yet acknowledge the significance of their distinctive features and the implications of such features on their CG structures. As a result, the application of specific structures related to FBs, in particular, the family constitution and the family institutions are as yet not to be found.peer-reviewe

Final report on project SP1210: Lowland peatland systems in England and Wales – evaluating greenhouse gas fluxes and carbon balances

Lowland peatlands represent one of the most carbon-rich ecosystems in the UK. As a result of widespread habitat modification and drainage to support agriculture and peat extraction, they have been converted from natural carbon sinks into major carbon sources, and are now amongst the largest sources of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from the UK land-use sector. Despite this, they have previously received relatively little policy attention, and measures to reduce GHG emissions either through re-wetting and restoration or improved management of agricultural land remain at a relatively early stage. In part, this has stemmed from a lack of reliable measurements on the carbon and GHG balance of UK lowland peatlands. This project aimed to address this evidence gap via an unprecedented programme of consistent, multi year field measurements at a total of 15 lowland peatland sites in England and Wales, ranging from conservation managed ‘near-natural’ ecosystems to intensively managed agricultural and extraction sites. The use of standardised measurement and data analysis protocols allowed the magnitude of GHG emissions and removals by peatlands to be quantified across this heterogeneous data set, and for controlling factors to be identified. The network of seven flux towers established during the project is believed to be unique on peatlands globally, and has provided new insights into the processes the control GHG fluxes in lowland peatlands. The work undertaken is intended to support the future development and implementation of agricultural management and restoration measures aimed at reducing the contribution of these important ecosystems to UK GHG emissions

Lowland peatland systems in England and Wales – evaluating greenhouse gas fluxes and carbon balances

Lowland peatlands represent one of the most carbon-rich ecosystems in the UK. As a result of widespread habitat modification and drainage to support agriculture and peat extraction, they have been converted from natural carbon sinks into major carbon sources, and are now amongst the largest sources of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from the UK land-use sector. Despite this, they have previously received relatively little policy attention, and measures to reduce GHG emissions either through re-wetting and restoration or improved management of agricultural land remain at a relatively early stage. In part, this has stemmed from a lack of reliable measurements on the carbon and GHG balance of UK lowland peatlands. This project aimed to address this evidence gap via an unprecedented programme of consistent, multi-year field measurements at a total of 15 lowland peatland sites in England and Wales, ranging from conservation-managed ‘near-natural’ ecosystems to intensively managed agricultural and extraction sites. The use of standardised measurement and data analysis protocols allowed the magnitude of GHG emissions and removals by peatlands to be quantified across this heterogeneous dataset, and for controlling factors to be identified. The network of seven flux towers established during the project is believed to be unique on peatlands globally, and has provided new insights into the processes the control GHG fluxes in lowland peatlands. The work undertaken is intended to support the future development and implementation of agricultural management and restoration measures aimed at reducing the contribution of these important ecosystems to UK GHG emissions