Worldwide, ISO 14001 certification for organizations has become the norm, but the Arab world accounts for an insignificant portion of all the certified organizations. There is a dearth of research on environmental management systems (EMS) in Arab and emerging countries and in public organizations. The objectives of this research are to: (1) examine the key drivers and challenges related to implementation of ISO 14001 certified EMS in the United Arab Emirates, an emerging Arab country and (2) compare and contrast these drivers and challenges between private and public organizations. We adopt an explorative, qualitative methodology, using semi-structured interviews with environmental managers in 11 organizations (6 private and 5 public) from different industrial sectors. Drivers of EMS certification were mostly similar between private and public organizations, with some differences. Compliance with regulations and standards, and increasing environmental performance were the main drivers for ISO 14001 certification in both private and public organizations. Commitment to sustainability was more important for public organizations. Cost reduction, competitors, leadership commitment and customers' demands were shared drivers, but more stressed by private organizations. Local community and employees' pressures were reported by private organizations only. The challenges to ISO 14001 implementation were similar for private and public organizations. They were: a lack of qualified human resources, practical challenges associated with implementation, a lack of regulations, a lack of support from management, and high costs. Our findings have implications for managers, academics, consultants, and policy makers in the UAE and other emerging markets.

Improper pesticide management can lead to environmental problems such as water quality degradation and ecological stress. Recent research in our laboratory has focused on development of constructed wetlands to assimilate pesticide-contaminated water. For improved aesthetics, these wetlands have been established with ornamental plant species. The effectiveness of a plant species for phytoremediation depends in part on its tolerance for the contaminant. Plant tolerance for pesticides may vary depending on plant age and size. This study examined the influence of plant age and size on the uptake, distribution, and toxicity of the herbicide simazine [2-chloro-4,6-bis(ethylamino)-1,3,5-triazine] in two ornamental wetland plants: parrot feather [Myriophyllum aquaticum (Vell.) Verdc.] and canna (Canna x hybrida L. 'Yellow King Humbert'). Plants of different ages and sizes were exposed to simazine in 10% Hoagland's nutrient solution. Toxicity was characterized using plant growth, water uptake, and photosynthetic yield during exposure and postexposure periods. In addition, other plants were exposed to [14C] simazine in nutrient medium to characterize pesticide uptake and translocation. Four-week-old parrot feather and canna were more tolerant of simazine than two-week-old plants. The two-week-old plant tissues of both species had higher tissue burdens of simazine than four-week-old plants. Simazine was primarily accumulated in the leaves of both parrot feather and canna. These results suggest that plants in a constructed wetland designed for simazine assimilation would be more vulnerable to simazine toxicity shortly after emergence.

This editorial introduces the issue of selected papers that were presented at the third International Conference on Environmental Pollution, Restoration, and Management in Quy Nhon, Vietnam on 6-10 March 2017. While environmental problems caused by diverse municipal, industrial, and other economic development activities continue to increase in many Asian countries, public awareness about environmental management for public health and the environment remain at levels that favor accepting environmental degradation and impacts for tradeoffs with economic values. This special issue resulted from a conference that was organized to bringing scientists from developed and developing countries to Vietnam to share experiences, discuss environmental problems, and enhance future collaborations for research and training in support of better management plans for the environment and health. Papers published in this issue present original results from diverse research on current environmental management challenges in Vietnam and other Asian countries. The research areas include environmental contamination in groundwater and diet that affect human health, waste composting, and effects of wastewater effluent, which is one of the greatest challenges in most Asian countries. In addition, impacts of hazardous chemical emissions and related environmental management efforts, and sustainable development approaches are included.

The objectives of this research were: (1) To examine the outcomes and key factors of success (KFS) related to ISO 14001 certification, (2) to compare and contrast these in private organizations (PRIVOs) and public organizations (PUBOs), and (3) in the under-explored context of an Arab Gulf country with an emerging economy: The United Arab Emirates. We used an exploratory, qualitative research approach, based on semi-structured interviews with the environmental managers of 14 UAE organizations from the private and public sector. The five major outcomes of ISO 14001 certification were improved: (1) Environmental performance, (2) organizational reputation and relationships with stakeholders, (3) organizational efficiency, (4) environmental management (EM) practices, and (5) environmental awareness. These outcomes were shared by PRIVOs and PUBOs, although improved resource management, improved relations with stakeholders, and improved EM practices were more common in PUBOs, and improved organizational efficiency was more common in PRIVOs. The six KFS for implementation were: (1) Senior management's support, (2) employees' awareness, involvement and competence, (3) government initiatives and commitment, (4) sufficient organizational resources, (5) adoption of a continuous, integrative, and collaborative approach, and (6) the use of external consultants. These KFS were shared by PRIVOs and PUBOs, although government initiatives and commitment were more common in PUBOs, and sufficient resources were more common in PRIVOs. Our study contributes to a better understanding of environmental management system implementation in emerging countries in general, and in Arab Gulf countries particularly. Our study has implications for business leaders, policy makers, EMS professionals, and educators in the UAE and other emerging countries.

No abstract