The role of women on boards in corporate environmental strategy and financial performance: A global outlook

This study examines the impact of board gender diversity on corporate environmental strategy and financial performance. Based on 12 corporate environmental policies in 3389 firms worldwide, we identified four types of corporate environmental strategies by using the latent class regression model: an inactive strategy, a reactive strategy, a pollution prevention strategy and a sustainable development strategy. The empirical evidence shows that women on boards contribute to the promotion of proactive environmental strategies, including the pollution prevention strategy, which is found to bring about sustained competitive advantage in both short-term and long-term financial performance, and the sustainable development strategy, which is positively associated with long-term financial performance. Following the natural-resource-based view of the firm, these findings indicate that women on boards can be seen as a key resource in the organizational process, which provides a shared vision of the future and strong moral leadership to the top management team

Evaluation of the ocean ecosystem: climate change modelling with backstop technology

This paper discusses the economic impacts of climate change, including those on ecosystems, and whether a new backstop technology should be used under conditions of strict temperature targets. Using the dynamic integrated climate-economy (DICE) model, we developed a new model to calculate the optimal path by considering new backstop technologies, such as CO2 capture and storage (CCS). We identify the effects of parameter changes based on the resulting differences in CO2 leakage and sites, and we analyse the feasibility of CCS. In addition, we focus on ocean acidification and consider the impact on economic activity. As a result, when CCS is assumed to carry a risk of CO2 leakage and acidification is considered to result in a decrease in utility, we find that CCS can only delay the effects of climate change, but its use is necessary to achieve strict targets, such as a 1.5C limit. This observation suggests that if the target temperature is too tight, we might end up employing a technology that sacrifices the ecosystem too greatly

Evaluation of the ocean ecosystem: climate change modelling with backstop technology

This paper discusses the economic impacts of climate change, including those on ecosystems, and whether a new backstop technology should be used under conditions of strict temperature targets. Using the dynamic integrated climate-economy (DICE) model, we developed a new model to calculate the optimal path by considering new backstop technologies, such as CO2 capture and storage (CCS). We identify the effects of parameter changes based on the resulting differences in CO2 leakage and sites, and we analyse the feasibility of CCS. In addition, we focus on ocean acidification and consider the impact on economic activity. As a result, when CCS is assumed to carry a risk of CO2 leakage and acidification is considered to result in a decrease in utility, we find that CCS can only delay the effects of climate change, but its use is necessary to achieve strict targets, such as a 1.5C limit. This observation suggests that if the target temperature is too tight, we might end up employing a technology that sacrifices the ecosystem too greatly

Surface Modification with Metal Hexacyanoferrates for Expanding the Choice of H₂-Evolving Photocatalysts for Both Fe³⁺/Fe²⁺ Redox-Mediated and Interparticle Z-Scheme Water-Splitting Systems

The construction of Z-scheme water splitting systems is an effective approach toward harvesting a wide portion of the solar light spectrum; however, the success has often depended on the property of photocatalyst surfaces. This drawback is typified by the limited choice of efficient H₂ evolution photocatalysts (HEPs) (e.g., Rh-doped SrTiO₃) for Z-scheme water splitting using Fe³⁺/Fe²⁺ redox couple. The majority of visible light-responsive materials shows low activity for H2 production with Fe²⁺ electron donors despite having suitable band levels, probably due to the absence of an effective surface site for oxidizing Fe²⁺. The choice of HEPs for interparticle Z-scheme systems has also been limited. Herein, an effective strategy for overcoming these limitations is reported: activation of originally inactive materials via surface modification with metal hexacyanoferrate nanoparticles. Photocatalytic H2 evolution over TaON in aqueous Fe²⁺ solution is drastically enhanced by comodification with indium hexacyanoferrate (InHCF) and Rh–Cr mixed oxide. InHCF promotes Fe²⁺ oxidation to Fe³⁺ utilizing the holes photogenerated in TaON via FeIII/FeII redox cycles, enabling Z-scheme water splitting with the Fe³⁺/Fe²⁺ redox mediator coupled with an O2 evolution photocatalyst under visible light. It is also disclosed that InHCF nanoparticles function as effective solid electron mediators for achieving interparticle Z-scheme water splitting

Do environmental, social, and governance activities improve corporate financial performance?

This study investigated the relationship between corporate efficiency and corporate sustainability to determine whether firms concerned about environmental, social and governance (ESG) issues can also be efficient and profitable. We applied data envelopment analysis to estimate corporate efficiency and investigated the nonlinear relationship between corporate efficiency and ESG disclosure. Evidence shows that corporate transparency regarding ESG information has a positive association with corporate efficiency at the moderate disclosure level, rather than at the high or low disclosure level. Governance information disclosure has the strongest positive linkage with corporate efficiency, followed by social and environmental information disclosure. Moreover, we explored the relationship between particular ESG activities and corporate financial performance (CFP), including corporate efficiency, return on assets and market value. We found that most of the ESG activities reveal a non-negative relationship with CFP. These findings may provide evidence about voluntary corporate social responsibility (CSR) strategy choices for enhancing corporate sustainability

A Sillén Oxyhalide SrBi₃O₄Cl₃ as a Promising Photocatalyst for Water Splitting: Impact of the Asymmetric Structure on Light Absorption and Charge Carrier Dynamics

Bismuth-based oxyhalides with layered Sillén(–Aurivillius) structures have attracted significant attention as photocatalysts. Recent studies have unveiled a part of the structure–property relationship of the materials; however, it has not been fully understood. In the present study, we investigated a Sillén-type oxyhalide SrBi₃O₄Cl₃ with single and double halogen layers. Interestingly, SrBi₃O₄Cl₃ showed a visible light response up to ∼460 nm, whereas SrBiO₂Cl and BiOCl with single and double halogen layers, respectively, did not. Rietveld refinement and STEM-EDX mapping determined the asymmetric Bi occupation in the fluorite [Sr₀.₅Bi₁.₅O₂] layer of SrBi₃O₄Cl₃, which was derived from the coexistence of the halogen layers. DFT calculations and Madelung potential calculations showed that the asymmetric Bi occupation affords both the Bi–Bi interaction across the single halogen layer and the electrostatic destabilization of Cl in the double halogen layer, probably leading to the narrow bandgap of SrBi₃O₄Cl₃. Another merit of possessing the two different halogen layers was revealed by time-resolved microwave conductivity measurements as well as DFT calculations; the spatial separation of the conduction band minimum and valence band maximum based on the coexistence of the halogen layers would promote charge carrier separation. Visible-light-driven Z-scheme water splitting was accomplished using a RuO₂-loaded SrBi₃O₄Cl₃ sample as an O₂-evolving photocatalyst. This study provides another option for engineering band structures and promoting the charge carrier separation of layered oxyhalides for efficient water splitting under visible light

Capturing molecular structural dynamics by 100 ps time-resolved X-ray absorption spectroscopy

An experimental set-up for time-resolved X-ray absorption spectroscopy with 100 ps time resolution at beamline NW14A at the Photon Factory Advanced Ring is presented

Reversible phase transition in laser-shocked 3Y-TZP ceramics observed via nanosecond time-resolved X-ray diffraction

The high-pressure phase stability of the metastable tetragonal zirconia is still under debate. The transition dynamics of shocked Y2O3 (3 mol%) stabilized tetragonal zirconia ceramics under laser-shock compression has been directly studied using nanosecond time-resolved X-ray diffraction. The martensitic phase transformation to the monoclinic phase, which is the stable phase for pure zirconia at ambient pressure and room temperature, has been observed during compression at 5 GPa within 20 ns without any intermediates. This monoclinic phase reverts back to the tetragonal phase during pressure release. The results imply that the stabilization effect due to addition of Y2O3 is negated by the shear stress under compression.Comment: 11 pages, 4 figures, draf