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This paper aims to assess the effectiveness of the so-called ‘Eco-Management and Audit Scheme (EMAS) cluster approach’ when applied to environmental policies, by focusing on the case history of the industrial paper production cluster located in the Province of Lucca (Italy). The Lucca cluster represents approximately 20% of Italian paper production, and Italy is the fourth leading paper producer in Europe. In the last 10 years, environmental policies have been developed under the common ‘umbrella’ of a strong public and private partnership based on stakeholder networking within the application of the EU EMAS Regulation. This article evaluates the outcome of such an approach, by comparing the environmental performance indicators for the Lucca’s paper industry using data collected from more than 40 plants before and after the adoption of this voluntary tool. The results show considerable improvements for many environmental performance indicators, consistently with the implementation of the cluster approach. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Artificial intelligence (AI) can significantly contribute to the implementation of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by offering innovative solutions and enhancing the efficiency of processes aimed at achieving these goals. There is a perceived need for studies which may look at these connections. Against this background, this paper reports on a study that investigated the connections between artificial intelligence and the implementation of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) at higher education institutions. The paper deployed a multi-methods approach. The first one was a bibliometric analysis of publications in the topic. The second method used was an assessment of a set of case studies, that illustrate how artificial intelligence is being deployed among a sample of universities in support of efforts to implement the SDGs and a survey aimed at identifying current and future trends. The data gathered allow some trends to be identified. For instance, that there is a wide range of applications of AI to sustainability in High Education Institutions (HEI), to be chosen in terms of campus operations and greening, outreach and community engagement, research, teaching and learning, and university management. Also, the paper has identified successful examples of the deployment of AI in various sustainability contexts, illustrating what are the success factors for them. Moreover, the survey identified the fact that the use of AI is quite widely spread, and is likely to increase in coming years, due to a greater demand. Finally, AI also poses several challenges, such as authenticity and ethics in assessment (case studies), 'lack of access to software/materials', and 'lack of information technology training for myself/my colleagues' (survey). Overall, AI offers a powerful toolset to accelerate and enhance the implementation of the UN SDGs. By analysing vast datasets, predicting outcomes, optimising processes, and providing new insights, AI has the potential to address complex sustainability challenges across various sectors. HIGHLIGHTS: Artificial intelligence (AI) is fast becoming a component of modern life, being used in many areas. AI has a growing impact on achieving the Sustainable Development Goals. It can catalyse innovations in areas as varied as circular economy and smart cities. AI offers a vital nexus between sustainable development and effective climate change adaptation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The term 'wicked problems' is today widely used in the sustainability literature, but there is no consensus on its theoretical underpinnings or its utility for research. This paper reports on a mapping review of the wicked problems literature for which we analyzed a sample of 55 papers regarding 1. whether and how the term 'wicked problems' is used as a theoretical concept, 2. what meanings are associated with the concept, 3. what epistemological assumptions are stated, and 4. what rhetorical functions the concept performs. The results indicate that the concept is not always consistently applied as a theoretical concept; that authors ascribe many different meanings to the concept; that authors use diverse epistemological assumptions that are not always made explicit; and that the concept performs a wide range of rhetorical functions. The results provide a vocabulary that enables sustainability researchers to more clearly position their work in the dispersed wicked problems literature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As a novel financial instrument, green bonds require further research to understand their causal effects and theoretical mechanisms on sustainable development fully. This paper constructs a theoretical model that characterizes the issuance of green bonds as the extent to which social planners prioritize environmental benefits in bond markets. In this model, we define sustainable development as the geometric mean of environmental factor inputs and final production output. By maximizing consumer utility, this model elucidates the direct and non-linear relationship between green bonds and sustainable development. The paper empirically investigates this proposition using data from 19 European countries between 2018 and 2022. The results indicate that: (1) Green bonds significantly promote sustainable development. This financial instrument, designed to raise funds for environmental projects, can indeed promote sustainable development through clean and green resource allocation. (2) The promotional effect of green bonds on sustainable development increases significantly with improvements in innovation efficiency, industrialization rates, and savings rates. This finding elaborates on the conditions under which the positive impact of green bonds on sustainable development is enhanced. (3) Green bonds only promote sustainable development when a country's factor endowment structure reaches a specific threshold. Beyond this threshold, as the factor endowment structure becomes very high, the country's sustainable development gains sufficient momentum, diminishing the role of green bonds. This finding suggests that the positive impact of green bonds on sustainable development is contingent upon certain properties reflecting the economic basis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The goal of this paper is to detect the determinants of ecological footprint (EF) in Turkey within the scope of the environmental Kuznets curve (EKC) hypothesis over the period 1970–2016. For this purpose, the paper sets up an empirical model including GDP, the square of GDP, foreign direct investments, renewable energy consumption, and industrialization. Hence, the paper also searches for the validity of the pollution haven hypothesis (PHH) for Turkey. The findings of the paper indicate that the EKC hypothesis prevails, whereas the PHH does not dominate in Turkey. The findings also imply EF is negatively related to renewable energy consumption while industrialization does not affect EF. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Digital technologies are now part of our daily lives, and the speed of their implementation and use has been accelerated as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Digital transformation, seen in the past as a problem, is now perceived as an important component in the future of sustainable development (SD), especially at higher education institutions whose operations have been adversely affected by the pandemic in many ways. The purpose of this paper is to analyse the subject matter of digital transformation and how it relates to a SD context. It reports on the results of a worldwide survey at higher education institutions, which identified some areas where the pandemic impacted and/or influenced their activities. The survey received 158 responses and a principal component analysis was performed to model the items associated with digital tools boosting SD, innovative business opportunities and ideas, and needs for improvement at HEIs. The results indicate that most part of the respondents developed digital skills and increased their involvement with e-learning and distance learning; however, more digital training is needed. Findings also support the role played by digital technologies in boosting SD at HEIs, and the role of institutions in promoting innovation through digital tools. Apart from an analysis of the extent to which the COVID-19 pandemic has contributed to digital transformation in an SD context in higher education institutions, the paper provides an assessment of trends and recommendations that may guide future developments in a post-pandemic work. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Today, petroleum companies cannot be competitive and efficient without considering potential solutions provided by sustainable supply chain management (SSCM) optimization models. SSCM can solve different challenges faced by this sector. Academics and practitioners consider the opportunities offered by decision-making tools for planning sustainable petroleum supply chains. Moreover, the ever-increasing number of publications applying decision-making models to the petroleum industry also attests to this fact. Therefore, the primary objective of this study is to understand the evolution of sustainable supply chain planning in the petroleum industry and highlight the specificities of the body of knowledge in this area. A comprehensive analysis is performed using 23 papers published from 2010 to 2019. This paper proposes a classification framework to analyze different factors in developing mathematical models, including the triple bottom line pillars of sustainability (economic, environmental, and social). The main observation is that planning models that focus on all three sustainability dimensions in the petroleum sector are scarce. Regarding the environmental dimension, the analysis demonstrates that consideration of greenhouse gas emissions, especially CO2 impacts, is dominating planning models. Furthermore, there is an absence of quantitative models that include social dimensions, and this gap must be addressed in the future. Finally, we propose future extensions to develop research in SSCM in the petroleum sector, keeping in mind recent developments from both technological and economic drivers in this specific sector. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Governments, companies and citizens around the world consider necessary to adopt a new circular economy (CE) model that allows solving the planet's environmental challenges and guaranteeing sustainable economic growth. Europe advocates this philosophy, but there is no widely accepted index to measure CE implementation at a macro level. This paper proposes a new index based on principal component analysis for European Union countries that use all information available without losing any information by the dimensionality reduction and consider objective weights based on the percentage of variance that each one retains. Moreover, we develop a disaggregated analysis considering the CE dimensions set out in the 'CE monitoring framework', allowing a more comprehensive analysis than when using a single indicator of CE implementation. This method is also used to build an index of the degree of achievement of the sustainable development goals (SDGs) to see how they relate to the CE; the relationships between CE dimensions; and between SDGs. The results by geographical areas reveal a higher level of CE implementation in western European and EU-15 countries, with Luxembourg, Austria, Denmark, the Netherlands and Belgium alternately holding the top positions depending on the CE dimension considered. Therefore, the new European countries and the countries in the east must encourage measures to improve the implementation of the economy. In addition, there is a positive, strong and significant relationship with SDGs 8, 9 and 11, with both the overall CE implementation index and the disaggregated indices, and a negative one with 7 and 15. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Policies throughout the world are presently focused on achieving a better quality of life and a longer life span through increased financial feasibility, ecological harmony, and economic stability. This effort seeks to empirically assess the impact of economic, health, environmental, and demographic factors on life expectancy in 36 high-income and 65 middle-income nations from 2000 to 2019. Using panels corrected standard errors (PCSEs) regression, this paper assures that high-income nations have significantly longer lifespans. The factors that lead most to this strengthening include GDP per capita, population growth, financial development, food production, and fertility rates. However, high-income countries tend to have shorter life expectancy due to rising mortality rates and carbon dioxide emissions. In middle-income nations, life expectancy falls significantly as a result of rising food production, health expenses, fertility rates, and economic hardship. Still, improving lifespan in middle-income nations is a result of multiple factors, including rising rates of GDP per capita, financial development, inequality in earnings between rural and urban places, and growing populations. The accuracy and credibility of the results are confirmed by using Driscoll-Kraay standard error estimates, feasible generalized least squares, random effect, and fixed effect approaches. The study's results point to the notion that these countries should put more emphasis on demographic and economic factors that lengthen life expectancy. Further, as health and environmental issues contribute to a shorter life expectancy, governments should place a greater priority on these fields. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Social media greatly facilitates people's access to information; however, it can also lead to information overload and exposure to uncomfortable content that may cause individuals to avoid it. As a result, two types of influencing mechanisms emerge: information exposure and information avoidance, which may impact users' behaviors. Currently, there is limited understanding of the simultaneous effects of social media information exposure and avoidance on individuals' behavioral intentions towards climate change mitigation. Using survey data for 1056 Chinese Gen-Z undergraduates and based on the extended theory of planned behavior, this paper utilizes a partial least squares structural equation model to examine the effects of social media information exposure and information avoidance on individual low-carbon behavioral intention. The results show that information exposure on social media has a positive relationship with behavioral attitude, subjective norm, and perceived behavioral control, and then increasing the low-carbon behavioral intention. Information avoidance has a negative association with three factors, respectively, and decreases the low-carbon behavioral intention. Additionally, exposure to social media information has the greatest impact on the subjective norm and the least impact on behavioral attitude; information avoidance has the greatest impact on behavioral attitude, whereas perceived behavioral control is the least affected. Drawing from the results, we propose policy recommendations that facilitate information exposure while addressing avoidance in shaping low-carbon behavioral intentions. Those implications would help reconcile the two opposing effects while promoting public engagement in climate activities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite the relevance of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the fact that universities may make valuable contributions towards their implementation, there is a paucity of international studies which may allow an assessment of their degree of engagement or their performance against the SDGs. This paper reports on an international study among a sample of 128 members of higher education institutions (HEIs) located in 28 countries, which aimed at ascertaining the extent to which the SDGs are being integrated into the strategy of HEIs. The focus of this paper is on the means which have been deployed by various universities in order to embed or include the SDGs in their activities. More specifically, this paper explores 1) the scope of integration, 2) the organisational influences, and 3) strategic influencing factors. The research identified the fact that, whereas many organisations are aware of the need for and the relevance of sustainable development and consider it as part of their institutional settings, the same cannot be said for the SDGs, whose level of emphasis is that many HEIs are comparatively somewhat limited. In addition, there seems to be a shortage of training opportunities focusing on the SDGs, which could equip university staff to handle this topic. Against this background, the paper describes some measures that may be implemented to make the SDGs more present in HEI programmes, hence maximising their contribution to addressing the global sustainability challenges. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Enhancing allocation efficiency is vital for maintaining China’s position as a leading textile producer. The adoption of information and communication technology (ICT) can improve the efficiency of farmers’ input allocation. Nonetheless, limited evidence exists regarding the impact and extent of farmers’ access to digital agricultural extension through subscribing to agricultural WeChat public accounts (WPAs) on allocation inefficiency costs. Using a 2019 farm household survey of cotton farmers in Xinjiang, this paper employs a primal system model to calculate farmers’ allocation inefficiency costs and a two-stage residual inclusion approach model (2SRI) to estimate the effects of agricultural WPAs subscription on allocation inefficiency costs and allocation inefficiency. The empirical findings indicate that the average allocation inefficiency cost is 3.264 Yuan per kilogram, constituting 45.8% of cotton production cost. Our results demonstrate that subscribing to agricultural WPAs can significantly reduce farmers’ allocation inefficiency costs by 19.5% and decrease allocation inefficiency by 0.079. Consequently, promoting smallholder farmers’ access to digital agricultural extension serves as an effective strategy to enhance allocation efficiency and lower costs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The economy, society, and environment of the world are undergoing profound changes. Achieving sustainable development has become the common aspiration of the international communities. In recent years, sustainability issues are gaining increasing prominence for cities to formulate long-term development strategies. The Yangtze River Delta (YRD) urban agglomeration, one of China's most developed and densely populated industrial areas, has encountered environmental problems. Assessment of city sustainability of the YRD is a prominent issue in the process of urban construction. The paper used multi-criteria decision making (MCDM) framework to evaluate the sustainability level of 26 cities in the YRD by selecting 24 indicators from the economic, social, and environmental dimensions. In the weighting process, the paper proposed a new subjective and objective integrated weighting method based on stochastic simulation techniques. Relative results including pairwise priority matrix (PPM), comprehensive priority index (CPI), and the most likely ranking were obtained to reflect the superiority degree between two cities by adequate comparisons. The assessment results indicate that all the cities showed an upward trend from 2015 to 2019. Shanghai had overwhelming advantages over the other cities. The CPIs of Suzhou, Nanjing, Wuxi, Changzhou in Jiangsu province, and Hangzhou, Ningbo, Zhoushan in Zhejiang province were above 50 in 2015 and increased to over 85 in 2019. Additionally, most cities had unbalanced development on the three dimensions. Each city should firstly pay more attention to their own weak points, and then achieve balanced development and long-term sustainability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In 2017 the paper 'The Sustainable Development Oxymoron: Quantifying and Modelling the Incompatibility of Sustainable Development Goals' was published, showing that there is a conflict between socio-economic development goals and ecological sustainability goals using cross-country time-series data. The authors looked at production-based CO2 emissions to measure and model the 13th SDG goal addressing climate change. Their models showed that production-based CO2 emissions were stalling or even decreasing in rich countries, which suggests that other countries are also likely to see stalling and decrease in their CO2 emissions once they become rich. However, this conclusion can be challenged when accounting for consumption-based CO2 emissions rather than production-based CO2 emissions. In this follow-up paper, we re-run some of the analyses performed in the original paper making use of consumption-based CO2 emissions. The analysis confirms the inherent SDG conflict between socio-economic and ecological SDGs. But, this new analysis demonstrates that from a consumption perspective the trend of stalling or decreasing CO2 emissions is reversed, with natural depletion costs being exported to poorer countries. Despite this new perspective on CO2 emissions, the conflict between SDG goals can still be avoided by making investments in public health, education and renewable energy, as suggested in the original paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines the sustainability characteristics of 12 tourist destinations from around the world to determine whether these destinations have made concrete efforts in balancing the four pillars of sustainability: environmental, economic, social-cultural, and institutional. The paper identifies areas of improvement to abet these destinations facilitate their progress towards achieving sustainability. A three-step approach to destination sustainability assessment was employed: i) development of a sustainability assessment matrix; ii) selecting case studies to illustrate current on the ground sustainability practices; and iii) sustainability performance assessment of the selected destinations. Based on secondary information, the assessment developed and applied a six-scale sustainability performance rating, ranging between −1 to + 1 with − 0.75 to −1 indicating an unsatisfactory, and +0.75 to + 1 indicating a satisfactory performance. Results indicate to the presence of a broad range of sustainability characteristics across geographically diverse locations. Based on the results, six main implications are discussed: i) necessary trade-offs on sustainability considerations; ii) conditionality of sustainability; iii) importance of grassroots engagement and community-led tourism activities; iv) significance of participatory and effective policy preparation and implementation; v) insights on opportunities of active learning and sharing for meeting sustainability objectives; and vi) lessons for mass tourism experiences. We emphasize the need for strategic efforts in balancing sustainability approaches in tourism practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The continued use of synthetic herbicides to control weeds leads to environmental pollution and health issues. Consequently, chemical formulations have been increasingly banned. However, sustainable solutions are lacking in the market. Alternatively, valorisation of phytotoxic waste to reduce the herbicides use promotes sustainability, meeting circular economy. We aimed at assessing the herbicidal potential of aqueous extracts of waste from the management of invasive plants (Acacia dealbata bark, Oxalis pes-caprae biomass) and agri-food (spent coffee grounds) on common urban weeds (Achillea ageratum, Conyza canadensis and Dittrichia viscosa) in Portugal. In vitro (paper and soil) and pot assays (soil) were conducted to test the pre-emergence (germination and seedlings) and post-emergence (well-stablished plants) effect of waste extracts on these weeds. Extracts reduced pre-emergence performance of weeds, but marginally affected post-emergence parameters. Germination was inhibited up to 83% by O. pes-caprae in A. ageratum, up to 88% and 87% by A. dealbata and O. pes-caprae in C. canadensis, and up to 70% by concentration in D. viscosa. A. dealbata and O. pes-caprae extracts also drastically reduced radicle length (30% and 55% in A. ageratum, 77% and 81% in C. canadensis, 90% and 92% in D. viscosa, respectively). However, soil neutralized the inhibitory pre-emergence effect. The main findings highlight that the use of A. dealbata and O. pes-caprae extracts as bioherbicides may require an additional synthetic herbicides application, as extracts alone cannot fully control urban weeds in areas without soil. Combining bioherbicides and commercial formulations still reduces the application of toxic chemicals, promoting sustainability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Compensatory growth represents the ability of plants to counteract the negative consequences of herbivore damage, contributing to the sustainable development of agriculture. Minor changes in compensatory growth due to environmental changes may significantly impact the structure and functionality of ecosystems, especially for agriculture in a semiarid region. However, there is a lack of systematic quantitative summaries and reviews on compensatory growth mechanisms, especially regarding how they might respond to global environmental changes (e.g. climate warming, drought, nutrient variation, and elevated CO2). This paper summarizes the types of physio-ecological responses of plant compensatory growth to defoliation and their characteristics through a systematic review of existing literature. The review shows that damaged plants that undergo variations in morphological and physiological traits, such as enhanced photosynthesis, increased branching, and altered biomass allocation, may mitigate injury or produce overcompensatory growth. Moderate disturbance and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungus infection rates are beneficial for overcompensation. I further discuss how plant compensatory growth is affected by global change factors, concluding that adequate nutrients and water supply are crucial factors influencing overcompensation. This summary can advance our understanding of the response patterns and mechanisms underlying plant compensatory growth, which is vital for gaining insight into the regenerative capacity of plants and promoting sustainable agricultural development under global environmental changes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper aims to present the relevant results of a Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) study conducted on printed matter under a sheet-fed offset printing process by a company located in northwestern Mexico. Different scenarios were simulated in order to support decisions related to the improvement of environmental performance along the production processes. The study design was based on the European Platform on Life Cycle Assessment (EPLCA), which is in line with the ISO 14040 and 14044:2006 standards on LCA. The scope of the study was cradle-to-gate, with emphasis on the production of printed matter. The method chosen for the impact assessment was Impact 2002+ with a combined midpoint–damage approach. The results of the study showed that the major contributors to adverse effects were, primarily electricity consumption followed by paper consumption during the printing operation, as well as consumption of ink to a small degree. As for the plate-making operation along with the generation of secondary products, the result was negative. This is essentially due to involvement of recyclable materials, thus contributing to the prevention of raw material extraction. The smallest impact was observed from processes involving cleaning products and LP gas. The main issues of concern stemming from the results are electricity consumption and printing – both activities dominate almost all the midpoint categories. Generation of secondary products also had a relative environmental impact along the supply chain. Cleaning agents and LP gas did not have a significant impact on the final results of the process. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The most cited definition of sustainable development was created more than three decades ago, by the Brundtland Commission. The problem that was defined then is equally present today. There are various definitions of 'sustainable development', and thus, in the past, different countries have made different frameworks. However, the current framework has been presented by the 2030 Agenda and specifically divided into 17 goals, defined by the United Nations. It is not the same starting point for countries with developed and underdeveloped economies. This paper highlights the economic and educational structure of the population as a potential for economic and social development, but also for the Gross Value Added. These are the main parameters that were analysed to extract the most sensitive areas. The analysed data refer to the 25 administrative areas (NSTJ 3) in Serbia. The most endangered areas that should be emphasized in further research and action plans are distinguished. The results of the paper should serve as a starting point for further and more in-depth research, as well as for creating projects for the more balanced regional development of Serbia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The crop nitrogen (N) use efficiency has been recognized as a useful indicator to measure the overall progress of the country towards achieving the sustainable development goal. Moreover, national level N use efficiency indicators are essential for improved estimate of global N budget and environmental impact assessment. We made an attempt to calculate the indicators of N use efficiency for rice at national and regional level in India. We utilized the data from research papers (23 no) published in reputed scientific journals and theses (83 no) submitted to different state agricultural universities over a period of 46 years (between 1972 and 2018). The partial factor productivity of N for rice in India ranged from 39.8 to 68.0 kg kg−1 with a national average value of 52.8 kg kg−1. The national average agronomic N use efficiency and nitrogen recovery efficiency (REN) were 18 kg kg−1 and 42.6%, respectively. Conducive agro-climatic condition coupled with improved crop management resulted in higher REN (>50%) in northern zone states of India. Whereas, rain-fed eastern and central zone states have REN<40%. The partial N balance (PNB) in rice ranged from 0.72–1.42 in India. The states with lower PNB need to reconcile their N addition with crop N uptake by adopting N responsive varieties and advanced fertilizer management to prevent environment degradation and economic loss. The findings of this study have significant implications for N budget estimation and policy decisions on hunger, food security and environment at national and global level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The long-term stability of a developing country hinges on the imperative to increase farmers' incomes. Based on county-level data from China from 2009 to 2019, we use the implementation of a pilot policy that subsidizes plant protection unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) as a quasinatural experiment to examine the impact of popularizing plant protection UAVs on farmers' incomes. The results show that the popularization of plant protection UAVs may significantly increase farmers' incomes via mechanisms that include not only labor transfer and agricultural productivity improvements but also unique mechanisms related to green agricultural development. The marginal income-increasing effect of the popularization of plant protection UAVs is higher in counties with farmers with high incomes, in major grain-producing areas and in areas with plains. In addition, the popularization of plant protection UAVs has a significant positive spatial spillover effect on farmers' incomes in neighboring counties. We provide not only an empirical reference for the popularization of plant protection UAVs in China but also new ideas for compensating for the shortcomings of China's agricultural mechanization and realizing the strategy of increasing farmers' incomes and rural revitalization. More importantly, we provide Chinese wisdom for promoting agricultural development and farmers' incomes in other developing countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper analyses the environmental impact of three forms of waste PET bottle management, i.e. through recycling, energy recovery and as a result of its disposal. The analysis was carried out using the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) technique enabling comprehensive assessment covering both direct and indirect environmental impacts. The research carried out included changes resulting from technological progress and the development of environmental protection technologies, which may have a significant impact on the obtained results. An attempt has been made to take into account these changes and assess the environmental benefits of various forms of PET bottle management. The study confirmed the results of research carried out by Chinese and British scientists indicating that the most environmentally friendly form of waste PET bottle management is recycling (1.38 mPt). Energy recovery (2.73 mPt) shows a higher environmental burden, while disposal is the most unfavourable form of waste PET bottles management (7.31 mPt). As a result, despite differences in environmental technologies used a decade ago and today, as well as legal differences in force in the compared regions of the world, the main conclusions of the study remain valid. For this reason, it is important adopt environmentally friendly waste PET bottles management and to include them in the global material balance for the implementation of circular economy solutions that correspond directly with the Sustainable Development Goals of the 2030 Agenda of Sustainable Development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To objectively identify the research hot topics, development trends, and frontiers of landsenses ecology, the current paper uses CiteSpace software to carry out keyword co-occurrence and cluster analysis on relevant literature collected from the Web of Science database. The paper then summarizes characteristics and trends in the development of this discipline and briefly introduces linguistic landsense ecology, a branch of landsenses ecology concerned with the study of the relationship between language and environment. This survey shows that landsenses ecology draws on the Chinese philosophy of integrating 'heaven, earth and man', and emphasizes the comprehensive analysis of various elements both natural, economic, and humanistic, as well as incorporating multidimensional sensitivity to people's physical senses and psychological perceptions. Its goal is to realize a dynamic balance between human well-being and ecosystem services and to achieve their sustainable development. In general, landsenses ecology provides the advantages of an analytical framework for sustainable development oriented towards human well-being, and great progress has been made in obtaining in-situ information on ecosystem services via the quantification of human perceptions. This integrated approach promotes an organic combination of natural environmental factors with human physical senses and psychological perceptions, so as to provide comprehensive and dynamic information for the sustainability of ecosystems in relation to human well-being. Landsenses ecology also has unique cross-cultural and interdisciplinary features, providing a theoretical framework for researchers from different cultural and disciplinary backgrounds in dealing with complex socio-environmental problems, and thus ensuring the orderly implementation of sustainable development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nature-based tourism, which includes visits to protected areas, is a growing trend. This may include consumptive and non-consumptive activities, with nature-based tourists being motivated to experience local culture and nature. Thus, tourism can contribute economically and socially to communities associated with protected areas, with the outcomes being both benefits and costs to local people. We carried out a systematic literature review to document and characterise the outcomes of nature-based tourism for people living in and around protected areas (terrestrial and inland waters). We evaluated 89 papers published from 1996 to 2020, most of which were conducted in low- and middle-income countries. The main benefits were employment, business opportunities and income, and the main costs were acculturation and abandonment of traditional lifestyle/practices, price inflation and conflict/crime. While most benefits were economic, most costs were socio-cultural. We found that benefits were most frequently experienced individually and costs experienced mostly at the collective or community levels. Inconsistencies in reporting of impacts suggests that future research should take a more consistent and systematic approach to evaluating benefits and costs of nature-based tourism from both the demographic and geographic perspectives, be more inclusive, and pay equal attention to objective and subjective measures of costs and benefits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Currently available evidence indicates that energy demand in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) is generally increasing and solar energy constitutes a promising new source of energy. Thus, this paper aims to identify and assess the most critical barriers and drivers of the implementation of solar energy in KSA. This study develops and employs a systematic decision-making framework based on the judgment of experts. The interactions between the barriers and drivers are evaluated using rough DEMATEL (integrated crisp DEMATEL and rough set theory) and interpretive structure modelling (ISM). Rough set theory serves to address the involvement of vagueness. Furthermore, this paper conducts MICMAC analyses to evaluate the driving and dependence power of the drivers and barriers. This paper finds that the most significant barrier to solar energy in KSA is the expensive electricity generated by solar energy while the most significant driver of solar energy in KSA is the availability of solar irradiation. This study will assist industrial managers who are working on the implementation of solar energy projects in KSA, enabling them to properly assess and evaluate the solar energy sector in the country. This study is amongst the first of its kind to address the barriers to and drivers of the implementation of solar energy in KSA by using the rough DEMATEL method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ecological infrastructure (EI) is an essential urban infrastructure that is not only related to ecological resilience but the human needed ecosystem services. However, most studies overlook EI's multi-functional benefits, especially the importance of residents' satisfaction. As a typical nature-based solutions (NbS) through ecological engineering, EI construction should abide by the laws of nature and consider the requirements of human well-being. Based on the theory of landsenses ecology (LE), this study proposes a framework, including construction ideas, approaches, principles, and construction flow, to guide the whole process of EI construction, meeting natural and human needs. Moreover, a practice including EI facilities and an Internet of Things (IoT) monitoring system construction has been taken in Sangdong, Huizhou, Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA), China. The practice study indicates that the proposed framework of EI construction can successfully restore the regional ecological environment quality and play a significant role in restoring the black-odorous waterbodies to their original ecological vitality. Secondly, using social surveys to thoroughly analyze residents' physical, psychological, and cultural perceptions and integrating their visions into the EI design scheme can improve residents' satisfaction and support human well-being. Besides, IoT technology is helpful for digital EI supervision, dealing with real-time, online, and quantitative benefit evaluation and management. This paper focuses on practical exploration and experience sharing of how EI construction meets natural and human needs, aiming at providing experience and ideas for adequate urban ecological infrastructure (UEI) construction to support human and nature development hand in hand. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Realizing a circular economy (CE) has been widely recognized by practitioners and researchers as the key to the transition toward sustainability. Thus far the academic emphasis has been predominantly on economic and environmental aspects. However, the development and implementation of CE initiatives actually rely on extensive collaboration at the societal level. Hence, an understanding of how a more inclusive society can strengthen the transition is warranted. By systematically and critically reviewing the related academic literature, the results of this paper show that sensitivity to inclusion aspects is crucial to alleviate the transitional burdens on society. Seven main aspects were discerned on inclusion: (1) informal waste pickers, (2) e-waste and health risks, (3) accessibility of services/materials/facilities, (4) consumer behavior, (5) corporate and institutional involvement, (6) technology application, and (7) governance measures. Following these insights, a strong sustainability perspective and agenda on the CE transition are proposed by identifying key actors and structuring their interrelationships as an inclusive system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study quantitatively reviewed the literature related to SDG 11 (Sustainable Development Goal 11) between 2015 and 2022 using bibliometric and spatial autocorrelation methods. The results showed that the amount of SDG 11-related literature increased annually since 2015, with an accelerated growth after 2018. The collaborations among countries, institutions, and authors of SDG 11-related literature were identified, with some major authors and institutions acting as links Keyword cluster and timeline analysis indicated that 'Agenda 2030', 'appropriate technologies', and 'country' were the main clusters of research, while 'management,' 'climate change,' and 'impact' were the most popular keywords, and 'urban plan nexus,' 'social cooperation,' and 'renewable energy' were the emerging keywords since 2021. Spatial autocorrelation analysis revealed that countries with more SDG 11-related literature were dispersed geographically. In the Getis-Ord G* analysis, China, the United States, and the United Kingdom were identified as hotspots; whereas Africa and Central Asia were identified as cold spots. To ensure timely implementation of the SDG 11, this study recommends helping less developed countries, resolving sustainable urbanization issues through innovative technology, and promoting more effective planning. It not only attempts a novel approach of using spatial statistics to analyze the bibliometric results but also provides valuable information for policymakers and scholars. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The BRICS region has considered achieving environmental sustainability a top priority in terms of policy. Environmental distress is mostly brought on by the region's continued reliance on fossil fuels to supply local energy needs. Besides, the region has historically been a significant importer of fossil fuels, making it difficult to substantially reduce the region's reliance on them. As a result, the BRICS nations' greenhouse gas (GHG) emission rates have steadily increased over time. Moreover, the region offers vast untapped amounts of renewable energy sources that may be used to generate power without adversely harming the environment. In light of this, this paper examines the combined effects of green finance (GFN) and financial technology (fintech) in achieving the region's carbon neutrality goals from 1990 to 2020, while controlling for energy innovation, economic growth and natural resources rent. The results for the BRICS economies, which are supported by the EKC hypothesis, suggest that GFN, fintech and energy innovation (ENI) promote environmental sustainability. However, natural resources rent (NRR) and economic growth (GDP) degrade environmental quality. Additionally, it has been shown that the bidirectional causality exists between CO2 emissions and GFN, fintech, and NRR. However, GDP and ENI have been shown to exhibit unidirectional causality with CO2 emissions. Based on the empirical findings, it is suggested that the BRICS countries should speed up the development of green financial products and expand the ability of banks and financial institutions to provide green credit facilities, and put into the research on the usage of GFN solutions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Innovation is believed to be a key driver of societal and economic well-being. In many cases, it has also led to more sustainable lifestyles and a more efficient use of natural resources. But despite the relevance of innovation as a tool to support sustainable development, there is a need for research that analyses current trends in order to guide future efforts. The present paper addresses this research need. It examines existing methods and tools for fostering social innovation in matters related to sustainable development, within the framework of the SDGs. By means of an online survey undertaken among sustainability and innovation experts in a sample of industrialised and developing nations, this study has identified some of the means via which social innovation is being pursued, along with its applications and limitations. A number of case studies showing examples of sustainable innovation have been mapped to demonstrate its usefulness. A causal loop diagram, which links the factors associated with social innovation within the context of the UN Sustainable Development Goals, is also presented, offering a greater understanding of their interconnections. The paper concludes by outlining some measures that may help to take better advantage of the many opportunities offered by social innovation that put the principles of sustainable development into practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a concept of sustainable development from the perspective of ecosystem services and analyzes some existing problems in ecosystem service assessment. It also proposes the concepts of landsense, landsense creation (LC) and general landsenses ecology in order to expand the research and application of landsenses ecology, and discusses the relationships among landsense creation, ecosystem services and sustainable development. In view of these definitions, this paper puts forward three approaches for landsense creation, i.e. using an existing carrier, transforming an existing carrier or building a new carrier by integrating visions into the carrier to make it a landsense. This paper outlines eight main principles of landsense creation, including the bidirection principle of vision manifestation, the vein-compliance principle of orientation and bearing, the multiscale principle of spatiotemporal combination, the systematicness principle of physical senses, the integrity principle of psychological perceptions, the interactivity principle of physical senses and psychological perceptions, the dissimilarity principle of different cultures and the progressivity principle of process. Finally, this paper illustrates a general framework for the study of landsenseology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Drawing from research evaluation of the Fisheries Program of the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Centre (ACIAR) in Southeast Asia and the Pacific Island Countries, this paper explores the link between Research for Development (R4D) and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Specifically, it seeks to understand how Research Capacity Development (RCD) in fisheries, in the specific contexts of international development partnerships, may contribute to SDG 1 (no poverty), 2 (zero hunger), and 3 (good health and wellbeing). A high-level multi-path, RCD-to-impact approach is employed to assess the outcomes of the R4D program of the ACIAR Fisheries Program at the individual, organisational and systems levels. Both primary and secondary data were collected through document analysis, interviews, surveys, and case studies. The case studies illustrate that RCD in fisheries in partner countries can contributes to the SDGs in participating communities. The paper advances research on the link between R4D and the SDGs and proposes a high-level framework to assist researchers and international development practitioners in assessing the impacts of investing in RCD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper attempts to investigate the firm characteristics that could possibly influence the use of green practices in a sample of small firms. Using a probit model and a firm-level dataset containing information on the use of green measures by the firms, the paper investigates the link between firm characteristics and several 'green' practices. These green practices include the use of an electricity system equipped with residual current device, the use of energy-efficient devices, the use of measures to save water and finally measures taken to reduce/reuse/recycle waste. The paper finds that there is some evidence indicating that characteristics such as size and financial performance of firms affect the use of green practices in small firms in Mauritius. This is an area that is largely understudied, especially in the case of emerging economies such as Mauritius, given data limitations. Hence, this paper is an important empirical contribution to the literature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper interprets aspects of the implementation of environmental education in a Higher Education Institution, situated in a developing country, to promote Education for Sustainable Development (ESD). The paper will allow educators to categorise the multiplicity of ESD programmes and projects in higher education institutions, determine their limitations and acceptability, and benefit from the theoretical framework of affective learning in designing new ESD interventions. The paper will also provide an overview of the processes required to establish ESD in developing and developed countries. This paper will further help universities to develop a better understanding of how integration of the three components of sustainable development – economic development, social development and environmental protection – can be incorporated in higher education. The paper explores the challenges for planning the implementation of ESD in an education faculty, outlining the potential lessons learned that could assist in improving ESD efforts in Faculties of Education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper proposes an analytical toolkit to measure the sustainability of industrialization across countries. Drawing from a methodology developed to analyze economic development as a process of modernization, it ranks countries on the basis of the emissions they produce and their stage of development. The proposed index penalizes environmental pressures taking into account the modernization level of a country. The paper also proposes an assessment of the environmental performance of countries at the same level of modernization. It introduces the notion of policy space as the difference between the best and worst environmental performer at a given level of modernization. An important finding of the paper is that the magnitude of the policy space is not homogenous across different levels of income and environmental targets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As rapid urbanization becomes a key topic within urban studies and planning particularly in the Global South, it needs to be considered what radical implications to urban environment mean. Reviewing literature on urbanization and its implications on urban environment from within the Global South and on sustainable development research and environmental studies, this article discusses eight implications of urbanization-environmental conundrum: pollution, water resource degradation, urban heat island effect, sea level rise and urban flooding, urban sprawl and slum growth, urban agriculture decline, public health deterioration, and urban wetland destruction that question the ontology of urbanization in Global South cities. Drawing on cases from Saudi Arabian cities, findings indicate that sustainable development agenda is skewed towards socio-economic development with limited focus on environmental issues. This situation is threatening the sustainability of rapidly urbanizing cities. The paper proposes a rhizomatic understanding of environmental importance as a roadmap for sustainable and transformative urbanization in Global South. This ontology changes understandings of what sustainable urbanization should be in rapidly growing Global South cities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rapid urbanisation presents multiple opportunities, but also poses challenges for equitable distribution of gains from socio-economic developments. This systematic review explored the role of social inclusion within the urban sustainability agenda. Sustainable urban developments were conceptualised as comprising environmental, spatial, social and economic perspectives; and social inclusion as entailing access to core services (healthcare) and resources (food). A search of five databases and grey literature returned 1,015 articles; 26 papers were included following screening using pre-determined criteria. Data was analysed thematically. The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) recommendations were followed. Most included studies were from North America and few were from Africa and Asia. More empirical than conceptual studies were found, and more focused on food than healthcare. Social inclusion was generally included within the urban sustainability but was often an autonomous component, rather than mainstreamed, within urban sustainability. Social inclusion was mostly related to multiple elements of sustainability, with the greatest focus on combinations of environmental, social and economic opportunities for under privileged groups. However, less consideration was given to gender, ethnicity and other aspects of intersectionality. Multiple theories contributed to transferability of lessons. Key policy implications include prioritising the most vulnerable socially excluded populations, ensuring equal representation in urban planning, designing people-centred systems, building partnerships with communities, considering socio-cultural-political-economic contexts, and recognising both intended and unintended effects. More research is needed in low and middle-income countries (LMICs) on the role of social inclusion in achieving sustainable development, using cross-disciplinary approaches. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper set out to show the impacts of COVID-19 and climate change on smallholders through the lens of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and ways to keep smallholders on the 2030 agenda. Descriptive statistical analysis of quantitative secondary data is applied to investigate the issues in question across world regions. Increasing energy and food demand have triggered greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions with effects on the environment, socio-economic and related sectors. If unchecked, climate change will jeopardize progress towards SDGs' agenda of ending hunger and poverty by 2030. COVID-19 exacerbates the underlying climate change impacts compromising food and water security. The widespread famines of Biblical proportions caused by COVID-19 effects are likely to cause more deaths than the virus. Improvement of water availability and food production is crucial to ending hunger and poverty. There is a need to strengthen smallholders' adaptation and mitigation capacity through cooperatives' platforms thereby reach out to smallholders who are the furthest first. International cooperation is urgent to support smallholders' adaptation of climate-smart agriculture to reduce GHG emissions thereby subdue climate impacts resulting in higher productivity, food security, poverty reduction and sustainable development. Cooperatives need support to facilitate adaptation and mitigation by applying site-specific technology to local needs and possibilities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on the theory of landsenses ecology, this paper makes a detailed analysis of the architecture pattern of 'The House of Hundred Rooms'(HHR) in the East Dragon Village, a traditional ancient Chinese village, so as to provide a reference for the research on reasonable land use and sustainable development in modern times. By the principle of the vein-compliance in orientation and bearing in landsense creation, the paper analyses the causes of the north-facing feature and the 'counter-tradition' room setting feature lie in the architectural pattern of HHR, revealing that people's psychological perceptions of orientation and bearing is distinct from the physical one. It points out these features of this building complex are the results of man's active adaptation to nature on the basis of respecting nature, which together manages to form a process of constructing the harmonious relationship between man and nature during land use. By the principle of the multiscale (trans-scale or cross-scale) spatiotemporal combination in landsense creation, the paper continues to analyze on the pattern of HHR and finds that it has both the function of cultural inheritance and the innovation of adaptation to new environment, which can promote the protection of historical and cultural elements during the course of development, and bring reference for the realization of sustainable development from the perspective of contemporary historical and cultural heritage protection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the rapid social-economic and science development, and the improvement of people's cognitive level and demand, it is urgent to further study the relationship between human and ecosystem. Landsenses ecology is a comprehensive discipline, a bridge which links ecosystem services and sustainable development. Based on the analysis of the relationship between the principle of landsenses creation and the ecological aesthetics experience, as well as the practice of Chinese traditional culture, this paper preliminarily presents a framework of applying landsenses ecology to explore ecological aesthetics. The principles of landsenses creation have many manifestation forms similar to Chinese traditional culture. Chinese classical landscape poems is a kind of carriers for ancient Chinese people to present their cultural manifestations with their simple ecological view, which shows their simple ecological thoughts, sustainable development consciousness and corresponding vision at that time. The paper discusses the manifestation forms of Chinese traditional culture, and systematically analyzes the landsense creation ways and the spatiotemporal scales in the two poems, Out of the Great Wall (凉州词in Chinese) and On the Stork Tower (登鹳雀楼in Chinese). These two poems combine the ecosystem elements organically, integrate visual landscape with psychological perceptions, and reflect the ecological aesthetics through the combination of landscape spatiotemporal scales, as well as the interactivity of physical senses and psychological cognitions. The approaches of landsenses ecology can expand the cultural ecosystem service in a spatiotemporal way, and contribute to deeply integrate traditional culture with ecological civilization to promote sustainable development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The field of sustainability has evolved considerably since the report "Our Common Future" was published in 1987. Whereas matters related to sustainable development used to be of marginal interest in the 1980s, it has substantially evolved since, and have become mainstream. As a result, there is a plethora of research on different aspects, whose focus has also been influenced by societal developments. This line of thinking also applies to sustainability research in higher education, a special and central field. Unfortunately, the variety of research on matters of sustainable development in universities makes it difficult to obtain an insight into its current status, and to ascertain how it has evolved since 1987. Based on the perceived need to fill this gap, a study focusing on the evolution of university-based sustainability research literature has been undertaken. The study entailed approximately 1700 papers published between 1987 and 2019, being one of the most comprehensive studies on this field ever undertaken. Apart from performing a bibliometric analysis using science mapping software tools, the research clustered the research into some key areas. The results suggest that, whereas impressive, the evolution of university-based sustainability research has been uneven, and calls for a more balanced emphasis to as to cover some research areas which have so far been neglected. The implications of this work are twofold: it will support the further development of the university-based sustainability research literature, and will help to address some thematic gaps, which are seen today, and to which greater attention is needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bangladesh is one of the countries that is most likely to be affected by natural disasters and climate change. However, much less is known about the integrated livelihood and climate vulnerabilities of coastal communities to natural disasters in southwestern Bangladesh. Therefore, this paper proposes a holistic approach to measuring livelihood vulnerability in the southwestern coast of Bangladesh based on primary data from 300 respondents through face-to-face interviews, focus group discussion (FGD), and key informant interviews (KII), and secondary data on rainfall and temperature for the years 2010–2017. This study developed the livelihood vulnerability index (LVI), the climate vulnerability index (CVI), and the LVI-IPCC to estimate climate vulnerability by incorporating 36 indicators of 9 major components under three dimensions. The pragmatic results show that the three coastal unions have different LVI, CVI, and LVI-IPCC values. Still, the households of the Gabura union showed more vulnerability than the rest of the two, with the highest LVI, CVI, and LVI-IPCC values due to their inadequate access to fresh water, limited physical resources, fewest livelihood strategies, the least variety of crops, and worst health conditions. This logical approach may be applied in data-scarce regions to assess vulnerability and evaluate potential policy efficiency for baseline comparison. The study demonstrates that the requirement for focused interventions and context-specific sustainable policies and development approaches should be implemented to lessen the vulnerability of coastal dwellers. These findings have implications for developing and implementing household resilience and climate change adaptation projects by the government, donor organizations, and other pertinent groups in three susceptible unions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Private universities also play a key role in the sustainability debate. But despite their importance, there a shortage of research on how sustainability is being implemented at private universities. Based on the need to address this gap, this paper investigates the nature and diversity of sustainability-based practices undertaken at private universities. It outlines the ways private universities see and perceive sustainability, and examines by means of a survey involving 10 universities from across all geographical regions which educate over 150.000 students, how these universities incorporate sustainability-related practices, as part of their operations. The results suggest that, unlike their public counterparts, about half of the respondents stated that they do not have projects undertaken to promote sustainability in local communities or in their respective regions. Also, some private universities perceive themselves as leaders in sustainability in higher education, while some are still developing a more robust sustainability profile. The conclusions of the paper are that the special features related to sustainable development teaching and research at private universities need to be better identified, in order to involve them more on sustainability efforts. Also, whereas many of them are highly engaged on improving energy efficiency, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, promote sustainable water usage and promote sustainable landscaping, there is a need for them to also engage in other areas. Finally, private universities should engage on further efforts to increase their sustainability activities, which are beneficial to them in financial terms, as well as in respect of their image and their operations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines the impact of plot size on maize yields and farm profits, using plot-level data collected from Chinese maize farmers in 2013 and 2015. Unlike previous studies that have used either a parametric or non-parametric model, this study estimates a semi-parametric model. This model simultaneously estimates the impact of plot size on maize yields and farm profits non-parametrically and the impact of other control variables on the two outcome variables parametrically, which provides more insights. The findings reveal that plot size affects maize yields and farm profits differently. There is a 'pan-shaped' relationship between plot size and maize yields. Specifically, we show that when increasing plot size from 0.1 to 1.5 mu and then to 65 mu, the maize yields decrease first and then become stable. When plot size is above 65 mu, maize yields increase as plot size increases. In comparison, our results indicate that as plot size increases, the farm profits of maize production monotonically increase. Our findings have important implications for sustainable land use and food security. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper aims to assess the sustainability of tourism destinations. To this end, various methodologies have been considered, among which composite indicators constitutes a valuable tool. A non-compensatory methodology has been applied in order to address the problem caused by the compensation of low values in certain indicators of a particular destination with high scores in other aspects. The proposed methodology provides a clear ranking of units and permits a post-optimization analysis for the design of strategies with a view to the improvement of the relative position regarding the sustainability of a destination. It is applied in an island context, for which tourism represents its main economic activity and, therefore, its dependence on natural, social, economic, and cultural resources, among others, for its development. The analysis demonstrates the possibility associated with each destination to improve its position, acting in just a single indicator while maintaining major values in the remaining indicators, this being a more restrictive methodology in sustainability assessment. The originality is the methodology being supported by the combination of the non-compensatory approach with participative methods to include the considerations of the stakeholders throughout the weights in a regional initiative in the Caribbean Zone of Sustainable Tourism. The findings reveal that the economic aspects receive more importance than those in the Cuban context that are social and patrimonial. The method can be applied to other destinations and regions, allowing the inclusion of external and reducing the absence of incomparability issues in ranking destinations supporting managerial decisions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Green buildings have gained increasing relevance and market share in recent decades. Also, higher education institutions are progressively incorporating the conceptualisation of sustainable development by greening campuses. Thus, given the construction sector relevance in climate change mitigation and the role universities have to play as models for society, the purpose of the present paper is twofold. First, the authors develop a baseline study to determine the extent to which green buildings' features and certifications are being incorporated in public Chilean higher education institutions, as a first of its kind effort in the higher education sector in Chile. Second, the authors explore the opportunities that can support the advancement of campus greening through green buildings deployment on university campuses in Chile. This study follows a qualitative strategy approach in the form of a survey design based on the UI GreenMetric World University Ranking that was administered through an online questionnaire to representatives who hold the position of Sustainability or Infrastructure Heads in public universities, which are united in the Chilean State Universities Consortium. The main findings suggest a general maturation process of green building features´ incorporation on campuses at Chilean public higher education institutions in early or transitional stages. The leading indicators relate to open space, pedestrian paths, and efficient appliances, whereas the reported performance is lower with respect to sustainability budget, zero emission vehicles, and greenhouse gas emission reduction programmes. The opportunities identified for promoting the implementation of green buildings relate to three entrenched dimensions: research, promotion, and public policy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent literature on social innovation highlights its conceptual ambiguity and fragmentation. According to this context, this paper explores how social innovation can contribute to the achievement of sustainable development goals (SDGs). Using a case study approach, we apply a mixed research methodology comprising a content analysis followed by multiple correspondence analysis. We examine 209 social innovation projects financed by the Portugal Social Innovation program in three dimensions: empowerment, content, and process. The social innovation projects addressed showed that social innovation projects can have varied objectives, be developed in different intervention areas, and empower different vulnerable groups of beneficiaries. The findings put in evidence the interaction between social innovation and SDGs, therefore social innovation supports the three sustainability dimensions: economy, society, and environment. In this sense, it is possible to conclude that SDGs constitute a framework that positions social innovation, bringing clarity and structure to the field. This identification and classification can promote the creation of a market of supply and demand of social innovations, strengthening the social innovation ecosystem. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The success of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) depends on solving the 'nexus' challenge: how can positive interactions between SDGs be optimised, and negative interactions minimised, in order to create co-benefits and reduce trade-offs? Due to their varying impacts on the SDGs, the economic activities undertaken by organisations present a key lever for operationalising this SDG-nexus. Yet the interactions between individual economic activities and the economic, social, and environmental dimensions of sustainable development have not been systematically assessed, thus creating a vital operational bottleneck to achieving the SDGs. This paper conducts a systematic review of 876 articles published between 2005 and 2019 to study the nexus between individual economic activities, sustainable development in general, and the SDGs in specific. It finds that studies on agricultural, industrial, and manufacturing activities predominantly report negative impacts on environmental development, while literature on services activities highlight economic and social contributions. Overall, most economic activities are expected to positively impact industrialization, infrastructure, and innovation [SDG 9] and economic productivity [SDG 8], while many help meet basic needs [SDGs 2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 11]. However, negative impacts are widespread, afflicting ecosystems [SDGs 14 and 15], climate change [SDG 13] and human health [SDG 3]. We synthesise positive and negative interactions between individual economic activities and SDG targets and discuss implications for: integrated (nexus) governance approaches to the SDGs; the role of the private sector in promoting sustainable development; and for improving statistical classifications to monitor economic activities' SDG impacts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Internationally cities are increasingly applying Sustainable Stormwater Management (SSM) to mitigate urban stormwater problems caused by rapid urban sprawl and climate change. However, a gap exists in specific guidance and supporting case studies for SSM (termed Water Sensitive Design or WSD in New Zealand) at industrial sites. This paper uses a two-step New Zealand case study to identify priority issues to address when formulating guidelines for industrial SSM. The first step, in this paper, reports on semi-structured, in-depth interviews with Auckland's stormwater professionals to gain insight into the practice, motivation, and the benefits and barriers, of applying Industrial WSD (IWSD). The analysis showed that although IWSD could mimic and retain nature to mitigate impacts of changes to stormwater contaminants, flows and volume, as well as enhance aesthetic amenity, comfort level, and human health. The key challenges revealed reasons for these low levels of application were space shortage, lack of cognition and knowledge, lack of official regulations and compliance structure, and maintenance uncertainty. In conclusion, the successful application of IWSD is likely to be a slow process, that requires knowledge and awareness transformation, establishment of a sound regulation and governance structure, and the valuing of WSD in planning and design stages with specific consideration of industrial environments. These findings will inform a second step of this research, formulating guidelines on the application of WSD (and so SSM) to industrial sites and precincts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the era of the Anthropocene, understanding the dynamic interactions between humans and water is crucial for supporting both human well-being and the sustainable management of resources. The current water management challenges are inherently unpredictable and difficult to control. Social-ecological systems (SESs) approaches explicitly recognize the connections and feedbacks between human and natural systems. For addressing the complex challenges of the Anthropocene, consideration of SES attributes such as causality (or interdependence), feedback, non-linearity, heterogeneity, and cross-scale dynamics is important. In addition, innovative qualitative and quantitative methods such as Bayesian networks, agent-based modelling, system dynamics, network analysis, multicriteria analysis, integrated assessment and role-play games have recently been used in SES research. The overall goal of this review is to gauge the extent to which SES attributes and methods are considered within the current interdisciplinary water paradigm. The paper therefore develops the normative theoretical characteristics of SES in terms of its key attributes (i.e. causality, feedback, heterogeneity, nonlinearity, and cross-scale dynamics) incorporated in the water paradigm approaches. The paper then compares the methods applied in the interdisciplinary water paradigm and examines how they can complement each other. Finally, the paper reflects back on the usefulness of SES attributes and methods for assessing the interdisciplinary water paradigm and makes recommendations for future research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]