Eco-label Adoption in an Interdependent World

The growing popularity of national efforts to promote eco-labeling raises important questions. In particular, developing countries fear that the eco-label can deliberately impose the environmental concern of (high income) importing countries on their production methods. Yet, empirical studies of the adoption of eco-labelling schemes at the cross-country level are scarce due to the lack of data availability. In this paper, the decision to introduce an eco-label is analyzed through a heteroskedastic Bayesian spatial probit, which allows the government’s decision to introduce an eco-label to be influenced by the behaviour of the neighbouring countries. The estimation is performed by extending the joint updating approach proposed by Holmes & Held (2006) to a spatial framework. Empirical evidence highlights the importance of a high stage of development, innovation experience and potential scale effects in the implementation of an eco-label scheme. In addition, results confirm the existence of a strategic interdependence in the eco-label decision.Bayesian Spatial Probit, International Trade, Environmental Policy, Eco-labelling

Does Lax Environmental Regulation Attract FDI when accounting for "third-country" effects?

This paper investigates if differences in environmental regulations can influence FDI flows in a multi-country setting taking into account the so-called "third-country" effects. We examine bilateral FDI flows using a new extended OECD investment database which covers great number of host countries and a long sample period (1981-2005). The findings based on a spatial gravity-like model are largely plausible across specifications and confirm the existence of a negative relationship between FDI and environmental stringency, once we correct for endogeneity and spatial dependence. The evidence of a positive "third-country" effect for FDI suggests the prevalence of complex FDI from developed to developing countries. The spatial structure of the model allows also to underline the possible existence of competition in environmental standards between countries to attract FDI.Complex FDI; Pollution Haven; Spatial Econometrics

Advancing the Smart Region Digital Twin: The Case of UNESCO GEOfood

Organic food waste recycling is one of the final frontiers for a sustainable food lifecycle. Digital twins may be helpful to close the loop in more advanced food supply chains, but there is a lack of guidelines on how to adopt this emerging technology in community composting. This paper presents a digital twin-driven design to address this need in a UNESCO-protected region with geological relevance (Geopark). The design science research project offers the foundations for creating intelligent composting networks supported by digital technologies. Six initial design principles are suggested for developing digital twins at a regional level. This study contributes to the deployment of layered digital twins in sustainable regional development. Moreover, our proposal assists the integration of local food producers in regional food supply chains and increases the impact of sustainability brands like GEOfood

Simple answers to usual questions about unusual forms of the Evans' root locus plot

After a first contact with Evans' root locus plots, in an introductory course about classical control theory, students usually pose questions for which the answers are not trivially found in the usual textbooks. Examples of such questions are: Can a branch intersect itself? Can two or more branches be coincident? Can a branch intersect its asymptote? In this paper devoted to helping teaching, numerical examples and an incremental property are used for answering some questions about unusual forms of root loci related to closed-loop control systems. In some cases, answering to these questions can be fundamental for making a correct sketch of a root locus.Após um primeiro contato com gráficos de Evans de lugar das raízes, num curso introdutório sobre teoria de controle clássico, os estudantes normalmente fazem perguntas para as quais as respostas não são encontradas trivialmente nos livros-textos usuais. Exemplos de tais questões são: Um ramo pode se auto-interseccionar? Dois ou mais ramos podem ser coincidentes? Um ramo pode interseccionar sua assíntota? Neste artigo com fins didáticos, usam-se exemplos numéricos e uma propriedade incremental para responder algumas questões sobre formas incomuns de lugar das raízes relacionadas a sistemas de controle em malha fechada. Em alguns casos, responder a essas questões pode ser fundamental para fazer um esboç o correto de um lugar das raízes

Configuring a machining operation as a Constraint Satisfaction Problem

International audienceThe problem of configuring a machining operation is complex (many parameters and many interactions between parameters) and is generally achieved thanks to expert heuristic knowledge. Indeed, the configuration of a machining operation is often carried out according to a specific procedure: choice of a kind of operation and of a kind of machine, then choice of a set of tools and at the end selection of cutting conditions. We propose in this paper a general framework for the configuration of a machining operation based on a constraint representation and manipulation. We first present a model of the decision variables (such as the machine, the tool, the insert or the feed rate), the non-decision variable and the constraints between variables. An overview of the 32 identified constraints is given in the paper. Even though it is not exhaustive, the basic constraints of the domain are represented. A typology of the constraints to be manipulated is then given leading order to a specification of algorithms for search and consistency checking that may allow to manage these kinds of constraints

Cognitions and types of communication of mathematics teachers: Illustration of an analytical model in a divided episode

In this article we focus our attention on the classroom and, more specifically, on the actions of the teacher during the teaching process, since we consider that said actions are conditioned or strengthened by their cognitions (beliefs, mathematical knowledge for teaching and objectives). For this reason, we explain and discuss an analytic model in relation to the practice of the teacher, which focuses on their actions, cognitions and type of mathematical communication that promotes (as an exteriorization of cognitions), as well as in their relations. In order to illustrate the modeling process, we use a situation (episode) in which a teacher presents the concept (concept of millesimal) during two different moments. First of all, we tackle what we understand in relation to each of the components of the model and, secondly, we present the modeling process and the relationships between components. Finally, we discuss some of the implications of this type of analysis in the training of teachers

The experience of Mozambique's community land initiative (iTC) in securing land rights and improving community land use: Practice, policy and governance implications

iTC is an innovative programme to secure rural communities’ land rights and enable more productive, sustainable and inclusive land use. Mozambique’s 1997 Land Law enables registration of community tenure rights through simple land delimitation processes, as well as private leasehold titling for investors large and small. In a context of rapid growth and weak land governance and administration, private land allocation has dominated, sometimes leading to conflict. Nevertheless iTC has achieved significant results in assisting communities to secure land rights and establish land and natural resource based businesses and partnerships, overcoming misunderstanding amongst state and market actors, and resolving conflicts. Lessons include the needs for more systematic investment in community social preparation, land delimitations in contiguous village clusters, and development of community based land management institutions and legal instruments and practical guidelines to regulate community partnerships with investors and value chain actors. Integrated, incremental approaches to securing rights of communities, producer associations and where necessary individuals, are also required. Institutional issues to be addressed include more decentralised land administration capacity and land governance arrangements engaging customary leaders, farmer organisations, state and private actors, the legal personality of community based organisations, improved territorial planning, and establishment of iTC as an independent national institution working with government to facilitate inclusive land use development