Search Results (97)

This study examines how the newly established United States pursued economic development through diplomatic and commercial initiatives with the Ottoman Empire, navigating regional powers and the era’s political-economic conditions. It analyzes using American archival sources how America endeavored to establish commercial and diplomatic relations with the Ottoman Empire in the Mediterranean and Black Sea regions, which it viewed as critical markets in the late 18th and early 19th centuries, before signing any formal agreement. The research tracks how these early efforts laid foundations for what would become one of the world’s largest economies. The study analyzes America’s diplomatic efforts to secure an agreement with the Ottoman Empire prior to the 7 May 1830 trade agreement—which laid the foundation for bilateral relations—alongside the reactions of regional powers, the prevailing conditions of the period, and the Ottoman administration’s reluctance due to various factors, based on U.S. archival sources that, to the best of our knowledge, have not previously been utilized in existing studies. Full article

Nowadays, food traceability represents an important issue in the current context of trade agreements, which influence global food prices. Many consumers prefer to pay a higher price for a traditional cultivation regime of a certain food product that comes from a certain region, appreciating the taste of the respective foodstuff. The potato is now the world’s fourth most important food crop in terms of human consumption, after wheat, maize, and rice. In this context, 100 potato samples from the Romanian market were collected. While 68 samples came from Romania, the rest of the 32 were from abroad (Hungary, France, Greece, Italy, Germany, Egypt, and Poland). The countries selected for potato sample analysis are among the main exporters of potatoes to the Romanian market. The samples were investigated by their multi-elemental and isotopic (²H, ¹⁸O and ¹³C) fingerprints, using Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS) and Isotope Ratio Mass Spectrometry (IRMS). Then, to distinguish the geographical origin, the experimental results were statistically processed using linear discriminant analysis (LDA). The best markers that emphasize Romanian potatoes were identified to be δ¹³C_bulk, δ²H_water, and Sr. Full article

The Pacific Alliance (PA), established in 2011, aims to foster economic integration among its member states—Peru, Chile, Colombia, and Mexico—by promoting trade liberalization and economic cooperation. However, recent political shifts within these countries have influenced trade policies, affecting intra-bloc commerce and relations with external markets, particularly China and the United States. This study explores how the political environment within the PA has shaped sustainable trade, considering economic policies, trade agreements, and shifts in regional priorities. Using a qualitative and descriptive approach, this research is based on a documentary review of academic literature, official reports, and international trade data. Content analysis was applied to assess the impact of political decisions on PA trade sustainability, including the examination of tariff structures, trade flows, and capital movements. The findings indicate that intra-regional trade within the PA remains limited, with an intraregional trade index below 4%. Mexico continues to prioritize exports to the U.S., while Peru and Chile strengthen ties with China. Although PA member states have maintained liberal economic policies, disparities in trade liberalization levels hinder integration. Furthermore, despite the reduction of tariffs and the implementation of digital trade facilitation measures, political instability and differences in economic strategies among member states challenge the PA’s long-term sustainability. Strengthening institutional frameworks and increasing investments in research and development are crucial for enhancing economic integration and ensuring trade resilience within the bloc. Full article

The growing frequency and severity of climate-induced disasters—such as floods, heatwaves, droughts, and wildfires—pose significant threats to sustainable development worldwide. Integrating Climate Change Adaptation (CCA) and Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) has emerged as a strategy imperative for enhancing societal resilience and protecting developmental gains. This review synthesizes the current knowledge and practice at the intersection of CCA and DRR, drawing on international frameworks, national policies, and local implementation strategies. We assess the role of the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction (2015–2030), the Paris Agreement, and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development in promoting policy coherence and multi-level governance. Particular attention is given to the effectiveness of Nature-Based Solutions (NBS), Ecosystem-Based Adaptation (EbA), and community-based approaches that address both climate vulnerabilities and disaster risks while delivering co-benefits for ecosystems and livelihoods. Case studies from regions highly exposed to climate-related hazards, including the Global South and Europe, illustrate how integrated approaches are operationalized and what barriers persist, including institutional silos, limited financing, and data gaps. For example, Bangladesh has achieved over a 70% reduction in flood-related mortality, while Kenya’s drought-resilient agriculture has increased food security by 35% in affected regions. The review highlights best practices in risk-informed planning, participatory decision-making, and knowledge co-production, emphasizing the need for inclusive governance and cross-sector collaboration. By critically examining the synergies and trade-offs between adaptation and risk reduction, this paper offers a pathway to more resilient, equitable, and sustainable development. It concludes with recommendations for enhancing integration at the policy and practice levels, supporting both immediate risk management and long-term transformation in a changing climate. Full article

In 2025, the U.S. reciprocal tariff policy destabilized global multilateral trade and accelerated the advance of regional trade cooperation. As the world’s most populous regional trade agreement, the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) plays an important role in regional economic and trade integration. In this paper, the RCEP’s signing is considered a quasi-natural experiment, and a double machine learning (DML) model is used to analyze the impact of the RCEP’s implementation on the export of forest products among member countries. The sample used for the empirical analysis is product dimension panel data of RCEP member countries from 2012 to 2023. We found that the implementation of the RCEP agreement has facilitated the growth of forest product exports among member countries, as evidenced by the synchronized growth in the quantity, type, and price of forest product exports. Heterogeneity analysis reveals that the positive effects of RCEP implementation vary significantly across product categories and across countries. Our study provides evidentiary support for scholars to more fully understand the policy effects of the RCEP and may also serve as a policy reference for RCEP member countries to expand intra-regional forest product exports. Full article

This study examines the impact of inward foreign direct investment (FDI) on economic growth in South and Southeast Asia from 2006 to 2022, using a comprehensive panel dataset and multiple econometric techniques. The baseline estimation employs Feasible Generalized Least Squares (FGLS), with robustness checks using Fixed Effects with Driscoll–Kraay standard errors, the Common Correlated Effects Mean Group (CCEMG) estimator, and Two-Stage Least Squares (2SLS). The results consistently show that FDI and Gross Capital Formation (GCF) significantly promote growth, while the Human Capital Index (HCI), Trade Openness (TO), and Inflation (I) have limited or adverse effects. Government spending (GS) is negatively associated with growth, suggesting inefficiencies in public resource allocation. The findings underscore the importance of enhancing absorptive capacity through investments in education, institutional quality, and trade facilitation. Policy recommendations include adopting performance-based budgeting and independent audits, drawing on Malaysia’s anti-corruption and audit reforms. To address the weak impact of human capital, this study advocates for expanding public–private partnerships in technical and vocational education, modelled on Singapore’s SkillsFuture initiative. Additionally, digital investment platforms like Indonesia’s Online Single Submission (OSS) system and infrastructure upgrades are recommended to reduce trade costs and improve the investment climate. Finally, the study calls for deeper regional integration through harmonized investment regulations under the ASEAN Comprehensive Investment Agreement (ACIA) and the development of cross-border special economic zones (SEZs). These recommendations are grounded in empirical evidence and tailored to the region’s structural characteristics, offering actionable insights for policy-makers. Full article

The Free Trade Area (FTA) strategy and the participation of enterprises in global value chains (GVCs) are important aspects of China’s high-quality economic development stage. This study matches trade data from the China Customs Import and Export database with information from listed firms in the CSMAR database, calculating the firms’ GVC embeddedness and the depth of trade agreements at the firm level. On this basis, this research employs a gravity model with fixed effects to empirically analyze the impact and mechanism of the FTA strategy on the embedding of Chinese listed firms in GVCs, utilizing data from 2000 to 2006. The results demonstrate that the FTA strategy substantially enhances the embeddedness of Chinese listed enterprises in GVCs. The heterogeneity analysis indicates that state-owned enterprises, those located in the central and western regions, manufacturing firms, and high-tech industry enterprises derive greater advantages from the FTA strategy in terms of their embeddedness in GVCs. Moreover, the mechanism analysis indicates that the FTA strategy enhances the embeddedness of enterprises in GVCs by increasing their technological innovation levels. Additionally, the internal control costs of enterprises negatively moderate the impact of the FTA strategy on their embedding in GVCs, and a “substitution effect” exists between asset operating efficiency and the FTA strategy in promoting the GVC embedding of listed firms. These findings provide empirical evidence and policy recommendations for the Chinese government to enhance the FTA strategy and sustainably improve the embeddedness of Chinese listed enterprises in GVCs. Full article

South American coffee producers face growing challenges due to external trade dependencies and climate-induced disruptions. This study investigates the role of export market diversification as a sustainability strategy for four major regional exporters of roasted non-decaffeinated coffee: Brazil, Colombia, Peru, and Ecuador. A quantitative and comparative methodology was applied over a ten-year period using the Herfindahl–Hirschman Index (HHI) to evaluate export market concentration and the Revealed Comparative Advantage (RCA) Index—including its normalized variant—to assess international competitiveness by destination. The results reveal substantial disparities: Brazil and Colombia exhibit moderate to high diversification and relative competitiveness in select markets, while Peru and Ecuador remain dependent on a few strategic buyers, with limited or declining comparative advantages. The findings emphasize that sustained export performance in the coffee sector requires not only a broader destination portfolio but also improved positioning through trade agreements, infrastructure development, and climate-resilient innovation. This study concludes with a strategic proposal based on three pillars—commercial, logistical, and technological—to support structural transformation and enhance the long-term sustainability of the coffee trade in South America. Full article

While tariff liberalization under regional trade agreements has progressed, non-tariff measures (NTMs) have emerged as a significant impediment to the realization of full trade potential, particularly in the agriculture sector where NTMs are especially prevalent and in the Southern African Development Community (SADC) where intra-regional trade is low. Despite the extensive available literature on this subject, the impact of NTMs on trade efficiency in the SADC has hardly been explored. Against this background, this study estimates the impact of NTMs on the efficiency of South Africa’s bilateral agricultural trade with 11 SADC member states using data from 2011 to 2022 and a stochastic frontier gravity model. The average efficiency is found to be 45.6 percent, implying that more than half of South Africa’s agricultural trade potential remains unrealized in the region due to inefficiencies. NTMs are found to be a source of inefficiency, the effect of which is larger than that of tariffs by a factor of 6. This result emphasizes an urgent need for harmonizing NTMs across SADC member states to reduce compliance costs which are associated with trade inefficiency. The study contributes to the literature by treating NTMs as man-made trade resistances that affect trade efficiency rather than trade volumes. Full article

Reducing the carbon intensity of well-being (CIWB) is essential for advancing environmental sustainability and socio-economic development. The expansion of digital service trade has emerged as a novel engine of global economic growth and a promising pathway for pollution reduction and carbon mitigation. This study investigates the nonlinear impact of digital service trade on CIWB, identifying an inverted U-shaped relationship—initially increasing CIWB, then reducing it beyond a certain threshold. In the financial digital service trade sector, this effect is mediated by energy structure transition, whereas in the technology-intensive sector, it is driven by green technological innovation. In contrast, digital service trade in the insurance, pension, and audiovisual sectors directly suppresses CIWB. Moreover, rising public environmental awareness helps leverage and strengthen the inhibitory effect of digital service trade on CIWB. Regionally, except for North America (which displays a consistently inhibitory effect), Asia, Africa, Europe, and Oceania reflect patterns similar to the overall sample. In regions with higher economic and internet development levels, the inverted U-shaped curve is steeper, and its turning point is located further to the left. Temporally, the relationship mirrors the full-sample patterns prior to the enforcement of the Paris Agreement, while an inhibitory effect emerges afterward. These findings offer policy implications for achieving the United Nations’ 2030 Sustainable Development Goals. Full article

Paquimé is a remarkable pre-Hispanic settlement that flourished between the 13th and 15th centuries in northwest Chihuahua, Mexico. This site is recognized for its distinctive fusion of Mesoamerican and Southwestern American cultural traits. Although much of the explanatory models about this settlement’s development and regional role have focused on trade, pottery from the Salado tradition, particularly Polychrome Gila and Polychrome Tonto, has generally been presumed to have originated in the American Southwest. To confirm the interaction between both cultures and contribute to the clarification of the absolute chronology of Paquimé, the geochemical characterization and rock-magnetic characterization of sherds of local and presumably foreign manufacture were carried out, including sherds with manufacture that seems to be the result of the abovementioned relationship. SiO₂ and Al₂O₃ contribute more than 75% to the observed variation. The Casas Grandes pottery shares the geochemical signatures of both local and foreign types. High-coercivity magnetic grains dominate in the foreign-type pottery samples. In contrast, relatively low-coercivity ferrimagnetic grains are the main features of local-type sherds. Essentially similar absolute intensity values were obtained for both potsherd wares. The most probable age intervals obtained for all ceramic samples studied range from 990 AD to 1310 AD, in agreement with previous surveys and local archaeological frameworks. Full article

The global corn trade is an important pillar of the agricultural economy, but its supply chain is vulnerable to geopolitical conflicts, climate change, and market volatility. As one of the major importers of corn in the world, China has long relied on the United States and Ukraine, and the risk of import concentration is prominent. The complicated international situation intensifies the external uncertainty of China’s import supply chain. This study utilized bilateral trade data from 2010 to 2023 and employed advanced methodologies including complex network modeling, network index quantification, and simulation analysis to assess the impacts of external risks from major trading partners on China’s corn import system and trace risk transmission pathways. The research objectives focused on examining the structural evolution of China’s corn import trade network over the past decade, evaluating its resilience against external shocks, and identifying the critical roles played by key node countries in risk propagation mechanisms. The results showed that the resilience of China’s corn import trade network had been enhanced in recent years and that the complementarity of planting cycles in the Northern and Southern Hemispheres and the adjustment of trade structure caused by the Russia–Ukraine conflict had improved its risk resistance. The United States, France, Romania, and Turkey were key intermediate nodes in risk transmission due to their geographical advantages and trade hub statuses. The risk transmission path presented regional heterogeneity. China should strengthen trade with countries in the Southern Hemisphere and built a more stable import system by taking advantage of complementary resource endowments and growth periods. Bilateral agreements with transit countries could ensure security of supply. Reserve centers and modern logistics infrastructure should be built in key areas. In addition, platforms such as the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership could promote harmonized standards and digital support for corn trade, and regional financial instruments and supply chain optimization could have balanced risks. Full article

Monitoring grassland biomass accurately and frequently is critical for ecological management, climate change assessment, and sustainable resource use. However, the use of single-satellite data faces challenges due to trade-offs between spatial resolution and temporal frequency, especially for large areas. High-resolution imagery, such as PlanetScope, provides detailed spatial data but presents significant challenges in data management and processing over large regions. Conversely, low-resolution sensors such as JPSS-VIIRS offer daily global coverage with low memory data but lack the spatial detail required for precise biomass estimation, making it difficult to retrieve or validate model parameters due to the mismatch with small ground reference data polygons. To overcome these limitations, this study introduces a robust methodology for accurate frequent biomass estimation based on JPSS-VIIRS data through spectral harmonization, adapting a high-resolution biomass estimation model originally developed from PlanetScope imagery. The core innovation is an optimized Spectral Band Adjustment Factor (SBAF) approach tailored specifically to grassland spectral characteristics. This method significantly enhances spectral alignment, reducing red-band reflectance discrepancies from 6.2% to 4.8% in grassy areas and from 6.9% to 4.0% in bare areas. NDVI discrepancies also improved substantially. Applied across Mongolia, the harmonized VIIRS data estimated a five-year average biomass of 71.4 g/m², clearly reflecting environmental variability. Specifically, the P375 dataset showed average biomass estimates of 54.8 g/m² for desert grasslands (10.5% higher than PlanetScope), 122.6 g/m² for dry grasslands (9.6% higher), and 134 g/m² for mountain grasslands (1.9% lower). The uncertainty analysis showed strong overall agreement with PlanetScope-derived biomass, with an RMSE of 11.6 g/m², a mean percentage difference of 10.74%, and an R² of 0.92. While mountain grasslands exhibited the lowest RMSE, a relatively lower R² indicated limited variability. Higher uncertainty in desert and dry grasslands highlighted the impact of ecological heterogeneity on biomass estimation accuracy. These detailed comparisons demonstrate the effectiveness and accuracy of the proposed methodology in bridging spatial and temporal gaps, providing a valuable tool for large-scale weekly grassland biomass monitoring with applicability beyond the Mongolian context. Full article

While the core objective of the Paris Agreement is to limit the increase in global average temperature (GAT) to 2 °C in the 21st century and to work towards limiting it to 1.5 °C, globalization and the configuration of production processes around global value chains (GVCs) have emerged as key factors explaining the recent evolution of environmental and economic indicators. In this context, this paper takes trade-implied carbon emissions as the entry point of the problem, uses MRIO to calculate the production-side and consumption-side carbon emissions, measures the forward and backward production lengths of GVCs according to the WWYZ method, and then constructs an econometric regression model to empirically analyze the environmental effects of GVC embeddedness. The results of the study show that, firstly, the forward and backward production length of GVCs is positively correlated with the production-side and consumption-side carbon emissions. Forward production length has a greater impact on carbon emissions on the production side, and backward production length has a greater impact on carbon emissions on the consumption side. Secondly, compared with developed countries, the length of forward and backward production has a more pronounced positive impact on carbon emissions in developing countries. Thirdly, as the global production chain continues to extend, the scale effect, structural effect, technological effect, and environmental regulation effect will all contribute to carbon emissions. Accordingly, countries or regions should continuously optimize production layout and processes to reduce the length of the production chain, realize lean manufacturing through automation and intelligence, and then move up the global value chain to play a role in carbon emission reduction through structural upgrading, technological progress, and environmental regulation. Full article

Tomato, a vital subtropical vegetable crop, is in demand globally but is produced in limited regions. Recently, its supply has become increasingly influenced by internal and external production factors. This study analyzed the impact of price fluctuations and evolving agricultural support schemes on tomato production in three key producers: Mexico, Türkiye, and the United States, which play significant roles in the global market with specialized production and trade. Using time-series price response data from 1991 to 2022, the research examined market prices, government support policies, and international trade agreements. Long-term price effects were similar in Türkiye and the USA but negligible in Mexico. Short-term price differences were positive across all countries, with the strongest impact in the USA. Financial support programs increased supplies in alignment with time-based effects. Deviations from long-term equilibrium were corrected in all countries, with Türkiye showing the fastest recovery. The results suggest that decoupled supports positively influence supply and merit further promotion. Full article