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We believe that this should be a systemic issue, taking into account the contexts of social ecology and the environment (Cynical, 2014; Eiglad, 2015). New urban and industrial infrastructure and innovation in this area should take into account new urban plans for the creation of human-friendly spaces and smart cities (Azkuna, 2012). We take into account the impact of the development of tourism on the changes of this space and great sporting and cultural events (Sieber and Cynarski 2010; Edizel and Ward 2016). Facilities for people with disabilities are included in the infrastructure that is being built. Innovations are being made regarding the materials used and savings including waste management, energy savings (preference for green energy) and other resources used in economies and industries (Wolniak et al., 2020; Piątkowski, Gajdzik and Mesjasz, 2020). In the past, sustainability was the doctrine of economics, which assumes a quality of life at the level allowed by the current development of civilization. The idea of sustainable development is summarized in the first sentence of the WCED—Our Common Future report:'At the current level of civilization, sustainable development is possible, that is, a development in which the needs of the present generation can be met without diminishing the chances of future generations meeting them'(Brundtland, 1987). A sustainable economy (including industry) should balance economic growth, environmental protection and quality of life and human health. It is not only about natural the environment, but also the artificial—i.e., man-made (as in Chicago School's work on human ecology). The doctrine of sustainable development strives for social justice by using environmental projects for higher efficiency. It is important to work and life now but needs to factor in future generations and their heritage, both cultural and natural (cf. Kozlowski 2000, 2007; Caradonna 2014; Alhaddi 2015). The priority is to set ecological standards for preserving the homeostasis of the ecosystem. Modern business is becoming more and more digital and intelligent. Enterprises implement new technologies of the fourth industrial revolution in the sustainable environment. Sustainable Industry 4.0 is a new concept for discussion by scientists and business (Gajdzik, B. et al., 2020). This concept has been gaining more and more interest among scientists and practitioners in recent years because there is more and more information about Industry 4.0 (Kagermann et al., 2011). Factories are becoming smarter, more efficient, safer and more environmentally friendly by linking and integrating production technologies and devices, information and communication systems, data and services in network infrastructures (Saniuk et al., 2020). New business models with cyber-physical systems (CPSs) are being built (Lee, et al., 2015; Gajdzik, Chapter 3 in: Scalability and Sustainability, 2020) but sustainability must not be forgotten in these models.

Sustainable Life on Land, the fifteenth UN Sustainable Development Goal (SDG 15), calls for the protection, restoration and promotion of the sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems. Among others, it requires societies to sustainably manage forests, halt and reverse land degradation, combat desertification, and halt biodiversity loss. Despite the fact that protection of terrestrial ecosystems is on the rise worldwide and forest loss has slowed, the recent IPBES report concluded that “nature is declining globally at rates unprecedented in human history”. Consequently, the United Nations General Assembly recently declared 2021–2030 the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration. There is no doubt that the current global responses are far from sufficient and significant transformative changes of societies are needed to restore and protect nature and ecosystems. Transitioning to Sustainable Life on Land presents reviews, original research, and practical experiences from different disciplines with a focus on: theoretical and empirical reflection about the necessary transformation of values, institutions, markets, firms and policies, reviews and research on protection, restoration and sustainable use of diverse terrestrial ecosystems, analyses and reporting of encouraging local, regional, national, and global initiatives. Transitioning to Sustainable Life on Land is part of MDPI's new Open Access book series Transitioning to Sustainability. With this series, MDPI pursues environmentally and socially relevant research which contributes to efforts toward a sustainable world. Transitioning to Sustainability aims to add to the conversation about regional and global sustainable development according to the 17 SDGs. The book series is intended to reach beyond disciplinary, even academic boundaries.

Responsible Consumption and Production, the twelfth UN Sustainable Development Goal (SDG 12), calls for significant change in how we view both production and consumption norms. It is predicted that, at the current rate of population growth and consumption, the natural resources needed to sustain current lifestyles would require the equivalent of almost three planets by 2050. It is clear that change is required, involving action from everyone from the producer to the final consumer. Since sustainable consumption aims for world citizens to ‘do better with less', all aspects of this change must be carefully considered with regard to critical ecological and social models that transform all production and consumption practices that are recognised as negative. Transitioning to Responsible Consumption and Production focuses on the transition to responsible production and consumption, and models that aid that transition. It offers a multi-disciplinary, multi-stakeholder conversation on this issue, with a focus on the intersection between encouraging and enhancing sustainable production processes, and enacting behaviour change and socially oriented decision-making by consumers. Transitioning to Responsible Consumption and Production is part of MDPI's new Open Access book series Transitioning to Sustainability. With this series, MDPI pursues environmentally and socially relevant research which contributes to efforts toward a sustainable world. Transitioning to Sustainability aims to add to the conversation about regional and global sustainable development according to the 17 SDGs. The book series is intended to reach beyond disciplinary, even academic boundaries.

Transitioning to Strong Partnerships for the Sustainable Development Goals is an edited volume dedicated to current developments regarding SDG 17 “Partnerships for the Goals”. This goal contains preconditions and systemic issues that will facilitate the success of the SDGs in general. Thus, the volume covers conditions, structures, and means to strengthen the SDGs from both the theoretical and practical perspective. Transitioning to Strong Partnerships for the Sustainable Development Goals has three main focal points: Theoretical approaches to sustainable partnerships, including public–private partnerships. Different structural aspects for sustainable partnerships, including financial deals with philanthropic initiatives and new financing models as well as new technologies to meet the logistical challenges of development aid. Systemic issues, especially institutional coherence, multi-stakeholder approaches, and challenges of statistics for development. The invited academic and practical contributions cover a variety of different fields of research and expertise. Transitioning to Strong Partnerships for the Sustainable Development Goals is part of MDPI's new Open Access book series Transitioning to Sustainability. With this series, MDPI pursues environmentally and socially relevant research that contributes to efforts toward a sustainable world. Transitioning to Sustainability aims to add to the conversation about regional and global sustainable development according to the 17 SDGs. The book series is intended to reach beyond disciplinary, even academic boundaries.