This work investigates the dynamic heterogeneous causal links among financial development, construction industry, energy use, and environmental quality across the development levels, for 30 Chinese provinces during the period 2001–2016. For this purpose, a model of environmental quality has been constructed introducing the financial development and construction industry as endogenous factors. A Pedroni’s cointegration is employed and found the long-run cointegrating mechanism among the variables of interest. The dynamic common correlated effects mean group approach (DCCEMGA) is adopted to estimate the impact elasticities. Moreover, for robustness check, a sensitivity analysis is conducted employing common correlated effects mean group approach (CCEMGA). The main results are first, a two-way positive causal bridge is existent between gross domestic product (GDP) and energy use, construction industry and GDP, and financial development and GDP. In terms of the contribution of the construction industry to economic performance, construction industry-driven growth acceleration impact is observed. Second, a one-way positive causal link is identified running from financial development (both the banking sector and stock market) to the construction industry and is termed as finance-driven construction promotion effect. Also, a one-sided positive causal connection is operating from financial development and construction industry to energy use and carbon dioxide emissions. Finally, a standard environmental Kuznets curve (EKC), financial development-augmented EKC, and construction industry-augmented EKC hypotheses are found valid in the whole country and eastern region of China. Based on empirics, a regional heterogeneity has been observed in terms of the degree of impact and statistical significance while comparing the regional panels. The sensitivity analysis proved the empirical results to be robust and reliable. Moreover, based on the findings, policy recommendations are documented. Graphical abstract

Environmental specimen banks (ESBs) are facilities that archive samples from the environment for future research and monitoring purposes. In addition, the long-term preservation of representative specimens is an important complement to environmental research and monitoring. Today, environmental specimen banking is experiencing a renaissance due to an increase in regulatory interest in ESB biota standards and trend data. The International Environmental Specimen Bank Group (IESB) promotes the worldwide development of techniques and strategies of environmental specimen banking and the international cooperation and collaboration among national ESBs. In order to provide a current and comprehensive overview on international environmental specimen banking activities, a questionnaire was sent to the national ESBs and asked for detailed information on the respective ESBs. The results show the rich diversity of national sampling programs, including more detailed information on archived samples, sampling strategies, and studies that have already been performed in the respective countries. All ESBs completing the survey expressed a strong interest in cooperating with other ESBs on a collaborative project. The collected information of national ESBs is intended to be made publicly available.

The purpose of this study is to explore the effect of financial development on CO₂ emission in 129 countries classified by the income level. A panel CO₂ emission model using urbanisation, GDP growth, trade openness, petroleum consumption and financial development variables that are major determinants of CO₂ emission was constructed for the 1980–2011 period. The results revealed that the variables are cointegrated based on the Pedroni cointegration test. The dynamic ordinary least squares (OLS) and the Granger causality test results also show that financial development can improve environmental quality in the short run and long run due to its negative effect on CO₂ emission. The rest of the determinants, especially petroleum consumption, are determined to be the major source of environmental damage in most of the income group countries. Based on the results obtained, the investigated countries should provide banking loans to projects and investments that can promote energy savings, energy efficiency and renewable energy to help these countries reduce environmental damage in both the short and long run.

Environmental specimen banks (ESBs) are not a new phenomenon, but in the last decades, the steep rate in the establishment of new ESBs is a sign to address new research approaches for scientists. In this way, environmental biobanking is becoming a well-organized and effective vehicle to collect samples of high quality making them available for future researchers. The endpoints promoted in the ESBs are mainly based on chemical approaches, but the necessity to add biological endpoint is fundamental (e.g., assessment of the environmental health status). Moreover, advances and development of high sensitive, high-throughput techniques along with ecotoxicological approaches based on biomarkers are stimulating a new demand for stored specimens and associated data. Like in chemically targeted environmental specimen banking, the banked samples for the assessment of biological effects also require guidance informed by knowledge of their practices and challenges, along with policies for the correct advancement of research goals and appropriate and effective biobank governance.

After two decades operation of the initial environmental specimen banking, a new program, Environmental Time Capsule Program, started in 2002 as a government-supported long-term program to construct a firm scientific basis for various environmental research studies. The program consists of long-term environmental specimen banking activity and specimen collection of endangered wildlife and is based on cryogenic sample preservation facility called Environmental Time Capsule building, which completed construction in 2004. After 9 years of extensive research, research focuses have been selected and the program was reorganized to the environmental sample collection part and endangered wildlife collection part in 2011. Due to huge environmental disaster caused by the Great East Japan earthquake and the tsunami as well as subsequent nuclear power plant accident at Fukushima, a new sampling and monitoring program started at affected areas in collaboration with the reorganized environmental sample collection and archiving program. Outlines of the quality assurance and quality control (QA/QC) activities in the program and future perspective under related international activities, particularly Stockholm Convention, are reported.