Now showing 1 - 7 of 7
  • Publication
    Controlling the biodiversity impacts of agriculture
    (Routledge, 2020) ;
    Cavalcanti de Albuquerque, Marcia Fajardo
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    Rossiter, Davi
    This chapter considers the relationship between biodiversity and modern commodity agriculture in Brazil and Australia. It provides an overview of the financial constraints on biodiversity protection and the development of public programmes to encourage more sustainable ways of farming, including by small-scale, family farmers. The chapter then focuses on the threats to biodiversity posed by agriculture, including from land clearing, contamination from agro-chemicals and invasive species. The chapter concludes with a discussion of socio-ecological issues and governance of agriculture.
  • Publication
    The Sufficiency of Malaysia's Environmental Laws for the Protection of the Tasik Chini UNESCO Biosphere Reserve
    (Federation Press Pty Ltd, 2020-12-15) ;
    Zakariah, Asril Amirul
    Protection against environmental crime is of particularly high importance in protected areas such as UNESCO Biosphere Reserves, which are focused on the synergistic relationship between man and environment. This paper explores environmental protection of the Tasik Chini Biosphere Reserve, located in a rural part of the State of Pahang in Malaysia. Tasik Chini was granted the status of the first Malaysian Biosphere Reserve in 2009 and was up for review by UNESCO in 2019. The alarming state of the lake's ecosystem, due to unabated anthropogenic interferences, exposes it to the risk of losing international recognition. This paper aims to examine the condition of Tasik Chini in the legal context, focusing on how the area can be better policed and managed to prevent environmental crime. The paper will firstly describe environmental harm caused (which continues) from logging and mining activities, as well as from agriculture in the reserve, followed by a review of relevant legislation in Malaysia. The study finds that there is no specific Malaysian legislation dedicated to the protection of Biosphere Reserves. However, there are relevant applicable laws, sufficient for conservation of the area and criminalisation of environmental harm.
  • Publication
    ASEAN NGO Participation in UN Decision-Making Forums: Potential Hurdles
    (University of New England, 2022-07-05)
    Fraser, Nicole Joy
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    ; ;

    By contributing knowledge and expertise in the monitoring of states’ compliance with their international human rights obligations, domestic NGOs may be able to increase the representation of minority groups and increase the democratic legitimacy of decision-making processes. However, existing research suggests that hurdles are likely to limit the effective participation of some domestic NGOs, which in turn limits their ability to represent minority groups.

    To illustrate the impact of hurdles, this paper seeks to identify what hurdles are likely to limit the ability of domestic NGOs’ representation of migrant worker issues, in the ASEAN region, in UN decision-making forums. By contributing knowledge and expertise in the monitoring of states’ compliance with their international human rights obligations, domestic NGOs may be able to increase the representation of minority groups and increase the democratic legitimacy of decision-making processes. However, existing research suggests that hurdles are likely to limit the effective participation of some domestic NGOs, which in turn limits their ability to represent minority groups.

    To illustrate the impact of hurdles, this paper seeks to identify what hurdles are likely to limit the ability of domestic NGOs’ representation of migrant worker issues, in the ASEAN region, in UN decision-making forums. It is through the experience of domestic NGOs providing direct services to migrant workers that equips them with the knowledge and expertise for identifying issues which require legal reform or greater legal protection. However, as some domestic NGOs in the ASEAN region face limitations for their activities at the national level and some migrant worker issues are cross-border in nature, domestic NGOs may need to rely on avenues at the supranational level to advocate for migrant worker rights.

    This research aims to identify what hurdles in the UN’s participatory frameworks and practices are likely to limit NGOs’ ability to participate effectively, and to propose possible reforms to ensure the effective participation of domestic NGOs. This will be achieved through the methodological approach of doctrinal analysis.

  • Publication
    Corporate governance and shareholders' confidence in cooperativess a systematic literature review
    (Faculty of 1000 Ltd, 2022-03-10)
    Thangaveloo, Arasu
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    Dorasamy, Magiswary
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    Bin Ahmad, Abdul Aziz
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    Jayabalan, Jayamalathi

    Background: The confidence of Bottom 40 (B40) shareholders is crucial for cooperative's sustenance within wider corporate governance. An in-depth study on cooperatives is needed, as they play a crucial role in the Malaysian economic system and contribute greatly to the country's social development. However, in the current landscape, confidence among shareholders is at stake. This study aims to identify the research gap into corporate governance for cooperatives in relation to B40 shareholder confidence, as well as identify current study challenges and develop a conceptual framework for future research.
    Methods: We conducted a systematic literature review, with the use of agency theory to assess shareholders' confidence. Emerald, ProQuest, InderScience, Scopus and Science Direct were the online databases used in this study to search five keyword phrases: corporate governance, confidence, cooperative, agency theory and Bottom 40% (B40) household. Tranfield's five stages were used to conduct the systematic review.
    Results: Only 5 of the 324 studies assess shareholders' confidence in cooperatives, as well as one paper on B40 and two papers on agency theory. Our review presents three major findings. First, research in the context of B40 shareholder's confidence in cooperatives is scarce. Second, the challenges related to shareholders' confidence in B40 are major issues in the context. Third, research on agency theory in the context of shareholders' confidence within cooperatives and corporate governance is still scant.
    Conclusions: This review urges the research community to conduct more studies based on the highlighted research gaps.

  • Publication
    Rights of the child as imperatives for transforming food systems
    (Resilience Alliance Publications, 2024-09)
    Lähteenmäki-Uutela, Anu
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    Sormunen, Milka
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    Grmelová, Nicole
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    Ituarte-Lima, Claudia
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    Lonkila, Annika

    Ensuring access to nutritious food, maintaining a healthy planet, and eradicating child labor remain as critical priorities for protecting children’s rights. In this article, we explore issues and problems within the global food systems that impact children’s rights. We explore this through the lens of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. We examine the intricacies of the food systems and their effect on children’s rights through five case studies from various regions around the world, looking at the lives of children in Australia, Spain, Mexico, Costa Rica, Mali, and elsewhere. The analysis encompasses topics such as school food programs, unhealthy junk food, climate impacts of farming, health impacts of pesticides, and child labor, all within the global food system. Our aim is to clearly demonstrate that adopting a child rights-based approach to food system governance can promote fairness and justice to children. Our argument is that it is cardinal for states to develop strategies and measures to curtail activities that hinder the realization of children’s rights and promote activities that enhance their realization. States bear a responsibility to restructure the institutional framework and to reinterpret the obligations of businesses to facilitate this objective.

  • Publication
    Regulations on insects as food and feed: a global comparison
    (Wageningen Academic Publishers, 2021)
    Lähteenmäki-Uutela, A
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    Meijer, N
    Insects, as a food and or feed source, represent an emerging protein source relevant to farmers, feed companies, food companies and food marketers globally. The growth of this industry is somewhat restricted due to outdated food and feed regulations covering insect use. The regulations also do not allow the use of all potential insects as food and feed. Governments aim to ensure food and feed safety, and each country has its own substantive and procedural rules for this purpose. However, the regulatory demands and differences between countries complicate the international marketing strategies for insect products. Food and feed regulation are separate; feed regulation may allow insect usage even when they are not allowed as food. Some countries have specific rules for novel foods, while others do not. This paper compares insect food and feed regulation of the primary production and marketing areas: the European Union, the United States, Canada, and Australia. In addition, the situation in selected countries in Central and South America, Asia and Africa is also discussed.