Indonesia is experiencing various environmental challenges related to its fast economic growth. Therefore, it is necessary to have measurable and applicable indicators to obtain accurate data and... Show moreIndonesia is experiencing various environmental challenges related to its fast economic growth. Therefore, it is necessary to have measurable and applicable indicators to obtain accurate data and information regarding the costs of adverse environmental impacts arising from economic activities to support more effective and targeted decision-making. Therefore, this thesis aims to answer how we can set up environmental-economic accounts in developing countries such as Indonesia and how such accounts can support both development as environmental policies. So, the overall objective of this PhD thesis can be formulated as follows: how can we set up environmental-economic accounts in developing countries such as Indonesia, and how can such accounts support both development as environmental policies? Show less
In-use stocks of products can be considered as intermediaries between human needs and the physical world. During use, they fulfil important functions, but they can also be seen as a source of... Show moreIn-use stocks of products can be considered as intermediaries between human needs and the physical world. During use, they fulfil important functions, but they can also be seen as a source of materials for the future: the production of secondary materials. This idea of an urban mine is applied to copper in China in this dissertation. Taking into account that most modern technologies rely on copper, consumption of diverse copper-containing products in China is increasing rapidly. The in-use copper stocks have become a large reservoir for urban mining. It is of crucial importance to secure future supply by closing copper cycles, thereby also reducing environmental pressure. Therefore, the aim of this research is to explore how the stocks and flows related to the Chinese copper cycle can be transformed into a sustainable and circular economy. The material flow analysis and life cycle assessment approaches are used to quantify the in-use stocks, demand and waste generation for copper under the Chinese policies related to general economic development, the energy transition and ambitions with regard to circular economy, and assess associated environmental impacts as well as identify potential options to realize the dematerialization and environmental sustainability of the copper cycle in China. Show less
The main question addressed in this book chapter is: Are the OECD transparency and BEPS Framework the right framework for a global and sustainable tax governance that benefits not only OECD and... Show moreThe main question addressed in this book chapter is: Are the OECD transparency and BEPS Framework the right framework for a global and sustainable tax governance that benefits not only OECD and G20countries but also non-OECD and non-G20 countries, including developing countries? In order to answer this question, this chapter will provide an analysis of sustainable tax governance taking into account the sustainable development goals (SDGs) that the global tax initiatives aim to address and the mechanisms to achieve these goals. Show less
There is an increasing amount of attention on EU and its Member States contributions to implementation of two landmark agreements: the Paris Climate Agreement and the UN Agenda 2030 with... Show moreThere is an increasing amount of attention on EU and its Member States contributions to implementation of two landmark agreements: the Paris Climate Agreement and the UN Agenda 2030 with Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Absent from the current literature is an analysis of the political effect of legal competences on coordination between EU and Member State actors. Legal competences will become increasingly important for transformative sustainability policies. By using different case studies focusing on alternative fuel policies, ‘Team EU’ in climate negotiations and SDG implementation, this dissertation attempts to explore the potential of including legal competences as independent variables explaining coordination of EU and Member State actors. The findings nuance some of the theories in which the role of EU Treaties is often neglected. The dissertation also shows, however, that the legal competences are sometimes not used habitually unless clear examples of behaviours ‘contrary to the Treaty-logic’ or ‘contrary to sustainable development objectives’. The dissertation not only serves academic integrative purposes. There is increased societal attention for legal avenues to influence political decision-making. As an example, the Dutch ‘Urgenda’ case demonstrate that Courts can be responsive to the argument that Member States’ policies are ‘unlawful’ to avoid dangerous climate change. Show less
The book The United Nations, the Evolution of Global Values and International Law by Otto Spijkers describes how moral values have determined the founding of the United Nations Organization in 1945... Show moreThe book The United Nations, the Evolution of Global Values and International Law by Otto Spijkers describes how moral values have determined the founding of the United Nations Organization in 1945 and the evolution of its purposes, principles and policies since then. A detailed examination of the proceedings of the United Nations Conference on International Organization in San Francisco demonstrates that the drafting of the United Nations Charter was significantly influenced by global moral values, i.e. globally shared beliefs distinguishing right from wrong, good from bad, and the current from a preferable state-of-the-world. A common desire to eradicate war, poverty, inhuman treatment, and to halt the exploitation of peoples, has led to an affirmation of the values of peace and security, social progress and development, human dignity and the self-determination of all peoples. All these values ended up in the UN Charter. The book further analyzes how the United Nations, and especially its General Assembly, has continued to influence the maturing of global morality through contributions to the values-debate, and to the translation of these values into the language of international law, including the law on the use of force, sustainable development, human rights and the right to self-determination. Show less
Competition policy is often viewed as an area where maximising economic efficiency is the exclusive aim. Dealing with broader policy concerns, such as redistribution or environmental protection, is... Show moreCompetition policy is often viewed as an area where maximising economic efficiency is the exclusive aim. Dealing with broader policy concerns, such as redistribution or environmental protection, is the job of the legislator, not the competition enforcer. In this thesis, it is argued that, in the case of EC competition policy, this approach is wrong. In reaching this conclusion, legal, governance and economic arguments are relied upon. It is argued that environmental factors have not, in general, been given sufficient weight in the application of EC competition law to date. This is true for the competition rules applicable to private undertakings (particularly Articles 81 and 82 of the EC Treaty) as well as those applicable to the state (particularly Article 87 of the EC Treaty) Show less
The thesis is based on a decade of research in Cameroon, with several rounds of interviews at all stages of the rattan production chain, from the forest to the consumer. One of the findings was... Show moreThe thesis is based on a decade of research in Cameroon, with several rounds of interviews at all stages of the rattan production chain, from the forest to the consumer. One of the findings was that this chain is relatively short: few middlemen on the product flow producer-workshop-customer. Rattan is not produced on plantations but cut in relatively intact forests close to villages and then transported to town. It is transformed into furniture, utilities or artwork in very small workshops, with very simple tools. There is little innovation in design, hardly any marketing effort and virtually no export. Income from rattan and number of jobs created is modest, though the impact on some individuals is distinctly positive. This contrasts with the situation in The Philippines, where the rattan sector is well d eveloped and creates much employment and foreign exchange. In the Philippines, however, exploitation has been unsustainable, and the sector has to face serious shortages and problems related to import of unprocessed rattan. The ecological impact of rattan cutting in Cameroon is currently not alarming, due to the weaknesses of the sector, but care should be taken to prevent resource scarcity. Little evidence was found of the hypothesized contribution of this non-timber forest product to halt deforestation, both in Cameroon and in The Philippines. The thesis ends with recommendations on the sustainable development of the rattan sector. Show less
