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The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the sustainable efficiency of container terminals (CTs). By the definition of United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), business sustainable development includes three domains: Economics, Environment, and Society. Accordingly, based on the definition and the practical features of CT operations, this paper assesses sustainable efficiency for CTs from three perspectives: container throughput, CO2 emissions, and occupational safety. In this paper, a modality movement and a fuzzy grey relational analysis (GRA) approach are first proposed to estimate CO2 emissions and occupational safety index for CT operators, respectively. A hybrid slacks‐based measure (SBM)‐DEA model is then developed to assess the sustainable efficiency of CT operators. Finally, the CT operators in the Port of Kaohsiung are empirically investigated to validate the research model. Based on the results, theoretical and practical implications for the management of CT operators and port authorities are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents a request for the submission of reports on sustainable development and identity. The increasing rate of consumption negatively affected the ecological system. Sustainability needs to be contextualized in terms of identities. Identities are influenced by social reality. The papers should examine the aesthetic, emotional. communicative and social aspects of consumption and organizing in different social and cultural contexts. The papers could either be based on empirical findings or be conceptual.

Fair trade has never been more popular, with worldwide sales soaring. This editorial to the special issue of Sustainable Development on ‘Fair trade, business and sustainable development’ introduces the topic and papers within the special issue. It discusses the success of the ‘fairtrade’ brand and the impacts of fair trade schemes as well as the future of the brand. The paper concludes that this alternative trading system does work in practical terms and in helping marginalized producers in developing countries. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and ERP Environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sustainability is an important topic in the development process of urban agglomerations. Sustainability assessment is an effective way to monitor the sustainable development of urban agglomerations. Based on the three‐pillars model, the paper assessed the sustainability of the three major urban agglomerations in China by selecting 18 indicators from economic, social, and environmental dimensions. A new sustainability‐differentiation‐combined weighting method was proposed, which considers the sustainability at indicator level as well as highlights the difference at urban agglomeration level. The assessment results show that the Pearl River Delta (PRD) urban agglomeration performed best, followed by the Yangtze River Delta (YRD) urban agglomeration and the Beijing‐Tianjin‐Hebei (BTH) urban agglomeration. However, the sustainability level of the three urban agglomerations was not high. It primarily caused by the downward development trend of economic sustainability of the three urban agglomerations. And the YRD and PRD urban agglomerations had lower performances on social sustainability. The spatial sustainability of the urban agglomerations was also analyzed, and the results show the spatial linkage development within the urban agglomerations was poor. Based on these findings, some valuable suggestions were provided as reference for the sustainability construction of the urban agglomerations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The main aim of this paper is to examine the threshold impact of financial development and trade liberalization on income inequality as a measure of sustainable development in a sample of developed and developing countries using panel threshold analysis. Two major dimensions of financial development are considered: liquid liabilities and stock market capitalization. The empirical results revealed that financial development reduces income inequality only in countries where their GDP per capita is above ~US$11,000. It has no significant impact in reducing inequality in developing countries. This implies that institutional reforms in less developed and developing countries are necessary in order to reap the gains from financial development. Trade liberalization is found to have a positive impact on income inequality for both country groups—that is, trade benefits have worsened the income distribution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Efficient allocation of resources and transition towards cleaner sources of energy are among the key factors in minimizing the negative externalities arising from the growing dependency on fossil fuels. Moreover, environmentally benign trade policies are crucial due to the rapid expansion in global trade and comparative advantage. To explore the relationship between global trade and Consumption‐Based Carbon Emissions (CBCE) in China in the context of renewable energy consumption and energy efficiency from 1990 Q1 to 2020 Q4, this paper employs the dynamic Autoregressive Distributed Lags (Dynamic ARDL) model to evaluate the connection between international trade, renewable energy usage, energy efficiency, and CBCE, with the Kernel‐Based Regularized Least Squares analysis being used to determine the causal association. The findings reveal that GDP and imports are directly linked with CBCE in the long run, while exports, energy efficiency, and renewable energy consumption have a negative significant long‐run and short‐run influence on CBCE. In addition, exports help in the reduction of CBCE by sharing and adapting environmentally friendly technologies adopted in, for example, renewable energy and ecological advancements. Renewable energy promotes the quality of the environment, which is attributable to the performance of renewable energy and environmentally friendly technologies that directly stimulate the reduction of CBCE emissions. By cutting CBCE, energy efficiency tends to boost environmental quality. The research findings have noteworthy policy implications; trade enhances the quality of environment by introducing lower energy intensive production methods and technology that support sustainable development. As a result, this study advocated quite stringent policies in terms of aligning international trade orientation with environmental quality policy in China. Furthermore, energy efficiency policies are required to lower CBCE by focusing on high‐energy‐using industries and providing alternative clean energy sources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The contemporary economic growth models have directed the economies on an unsustainable trajectory where the present generation seems disenchanted with the heap of waste, debt, and insufficiency inherited from their forefathers. The present paper is an attempt to analyze the cause of consumerism and recommend an eco‐spiritual policy perspective for ensuring sustainable development. The paper analyzes that the United Nations recently announced Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) cannot lead the economies towards sustainable development. Ensuring sustainable development will require curbing consumerism consciously through exploring the unexplored spiritual dimension, which can inspire humanity to lead a life of simplicity, moderation, and minimum desires for sustainable and all‐inclusive development. It has been stressed that aspiration of breakthrough result requires moving away from the external to the inward synthesis of the spiritual aspects, which believes in co‐existence, acknowledging care, and concern for both human beings and the nature. The paper argues for an eco‐spiritual perspective for furthering the goal of sustainability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A high‐quality green transition is essential to achieving sustainable and coordinated global development. In this paper, a new method of two‐step geometric average is proposed to measure green transition, and a comprehensive framework on the relationship between sustainability and coordination via the propelling force of green transition is constructed at both the national and provincial levels. In addition, the mediating effect model and the threshold model are employed to empirically verify the mechanisms and influences. According to the results, green transition can contribute to regional economic growth at national level and to the coordinated development of regional economies at provincial level in China. Meanwhile, the non‐linear 'U‐shaped' relationships between green transition and regional economy are demonstrated in Asia and the eastern region of China, and spillover effect of technological innovation can indirectly promote regional development. In addition, the heterogeneity effect of green transition fully releases the dividend of economic quality and environmental governance capacity, promoting the coordinated development of regional economies. In the meantime, the driving force of green transition on regional economy is dependent on the external environment, particularly before and after the outbreak of COVID‐19, when its impact has altered substantially. Therefore, it is necessary to promote green transition via greater technological innovation efficiency, and then to restore the vitality of regional economic development; which could provide policy makers and professionals in the regional economy with information for enhancing sustainable and coordinated development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The role of financial inclusion along with environment related technological innovation has been ignored by previous studies, especially, in terms of tradeadjusted carbon emissions. Unlike previous studies, this study aims to test the role of financial inclusion and eco-innovation on trade-adjusted carbon emissions or consumption-based carbon emissions for a group of seven economies over the period 2004-2019. Further, this study also tests the role of exports, imports and gross domestic product. We develop an index using principal component analysis to measure financial inclusion. The study utilizes the novel method of moment quantile regression to obtain the results. The results indicate that eco-innovation reduces consumption-based carbon emissions at 25th, 50th, 75th, and 90th quantiles, respectively. Moreover, financial inclusion and exports also reduce emissions at 25th, 50th, 75th, and 90th quantiles. In contrast, gross domestic product and imports cause trade-adjusted emissions to increase. Moreover, a bidirectional link is established between all variables except for financial inclusion. Finally, this study provides relevant policy implications for trade, eco-innovation, and financial inclusion in the group of seven economies for sustainable trade development. This paper further provide relevant environmental policy implications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is a large and growing literature on the relation between economic growth and poverty reduction. The evidence points to a negative correlation between growth and poverty. However, many studies also find that growth does not mechanically reduce poverty, arguing that in many cases rapid economic growth has not necessarily been pro-poor. This paper uses the concept of 'exit time from poverty' to assess the potential of economic growth to reduce poverty in Benin; thus accelerating the progress of the country toward the achievement of the sustainable development goal of eliminating poverty by 2030. It uses nationally representative household data covering the period 2009-2011 and analyses the impacts of various growth scenarios on poverty. The results show that, with a growth rate in income per capita of 4.2% per year, it will take between 7 and 10 years for the average poor household to escape from poverty. The paper also finds that stronger economic growth leads to shorter average time to exit from poverty. However, there is a lot of heterogeneity in the exit time from poverty, with various households' characteristics such as households' size and human capital being important determinants. Taken together, the results suggest that policies to accelerate poverty reduction should emphasize the development of human capital and ensure that growth is inclusive and pro-poor. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and ERP Environment [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT The nexus between hydropower dams, social policy and corporate social responsibility (CSR) is a currently understudied topic. This paper aims to fill parts of this gap by discussing these issues in relation to the world's largest builder of hydropower dams, Chinese state-owned enterprise Sinohydro. This paper draws on the analysis of firm strategy documents and CSR documents and gains additional insights from key informant interviews. The research finds that in 2011 Sinohydro developed its first comprehensive policy framework for social and environmental safeguards that was in line with international standards set by the World Bank/International Finance Corporation. These policies were however later replaced by weaker, vaguer policy. The paper suggests there is a need for Sinohydro and other dam-builders to re-engage with social innovation to mitigate some of the negative social and environmental implications of hydropower dams. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and ERP Environment [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The G7 and Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa (BRICS) nations have committed to greenhouse gas emission reduction according to targets set out in the Paris Agreement and Copenhagen Accord. The objective of this paper is to develop an index decomposition framework and apply it for comparison of the drivers behind carbon dioxide emission. The impact of economic and technological development on greenhouse gas emissions is assessed by applying the Kaya identity. The index decomposition analysis is carried out by applying the Shapley value. In this paper, we seek to compare the two groups of countries—G7 and BRICS—in regard to the underlying trends in the energy‐related carbon dioxide emission during 1990–2015. The comparison of these two groups for countries draws some light on the pathways of decarbonization of the economies in developing and developed countries. The time period covered spans over the sub‐periods of economic growth and decline. Energy intensity appeared as the major factor pushing the carbon dioxide emissions down in the developed countries (i.e., G7 group). The latter effect was much lower for the developing countries (i.e., BRICS group) and was offset by the affluence effect. Further development of the renewable energy is important for the developing countries in order to start exploiting the carbon factor effect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, social responsibility (SR) in public–private partnership (PPP) projects has become crucial due to the need for governments and policy‐makers to develop public infrastructures that are sustainable and offer additional social benefits. However, a systematic review of the extant literature on PPP‐SR is lacking. This study therefore addresses this gap by conducting a comprehensive review through a three‐stage systematic process. From the review, 38 SR factors are identified from 26 selected papers on PPP‐SR published in peer‐reviewed journals from 1990 to 2016. The most reported SR factors in PPPs include "establishing an environmental management system," "innovation" and "ensuring accountability, legitimacy and transparency." The 38 SR factors are classified into three interrelated categories, namely economic, environmental and community development. The findings inform researchers and practitioners of the SR factors that need to be considered to enhance sustainable development in PPPs. Also, the checklist of PPP‐SR is useful for further empirical investigations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper focuses on the practical approach to sustainable development in Bhutan and specifically on public views on and experiences with the implementation of this strategy. Bhutan's development goal is ‘gross national happiness’. The strategy it has adopted to achieve this goal is known as the ‘middle path strategy’, which essentially addresses four sources (‘pillars’) of gross national happiness: economic development, ecological preservation, cultural preservation and good governance, without giving greater emphasis to any one pillar over the others. The paper is based on a survey conducted in 10 districts of Bhutan. Standard pre-designed questionnaires were used for interviews with representatives of three main groups in society: the state, civil society and the market. The results of this survey, the first of its kind to be carried out in the country, revealed that there is general agreement with the substance of the development strategy, although not everyone is fully aware of its scope and implications. A remarkable outcome of the survey, and one that contrasts with happiness studies conducted elsewhere in the world, was the high score for happiness in a country whose gross domestic product is so small. However, people do feel uncertain and the chosen development path is still fragile. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and ERP Environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper introduces an island tourism multi-dimensional model. Its aim is to develop an approach for integrating quantitative models and qualitative techniques into a coherent and useful methodology. The island tourism multi-dimensional model is divided into several modules as presented in the paper. They include geographic information system applications, economic impact assessment, forecasting modeling, accessibility modeling, seasonality modeling and alternative modeling. Forecasting models, economic impact assessments and geographic information systems can be used to project forecasts and demonstrate sustainable and economic development issues. The paper demonstrates that the outcomes of the accessibility and seasonality modules can be used to generate strategic plans of marketing segments, service engagement and community involvement. It suggests that by using alternative modeling the output of quantitative analyses and the input of private, voluntary and public sectors at community, business and governmental levels can be integrated with each other. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and ERP Environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Eighty per cent of the world's population professes religious belief. Such beliefs provide precepts on how individuals should conduct their private lives and (often) how society should be organized. Given there are 2.1 billion Christians worldwide and 1.3 billion Muslims, understanding the religious approach to social life based on sacred texts and social teachings of Christianity and Islam has a strong relevance to those interested in implementing international economic development policies. This paper argues that religion can thus play a positive role in development and specifically support development economic policies at the international level. The purpose of this paper is not to present a fully formed development economic policy, but rather to identify teachings of the world's two largest religions - such as preferencing the poor, minimizing inequality and having the economy serve wider realms of society - that directly speak to how sustainable economic development is understood within these faith traditions and how these teachings could scaffold and support and international policy frameworks aimed to achieve sustainable economic development. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and ERP Environment [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The least developed countries (LDCs) have been declared a battleground where the success or failure of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) will be decided. Being the main instrument of support of LDCs and one of the main means of the implementation of the SDGs, international trade plays a crucial role in this case. Following the importance of trade for the sustainable development of LDCs, the study evaluates the success of selected LDCs in increasing their participation in international trade since the beginning of the new millennium. The participation of LDCs in international trade and the progress they have individually made is explored using 10 criteria, which were processed by the Technique for Order of Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution (TOPSIS) method. The low participation of LDCs in international trade and the almost negligible progress they have made brings legitimate doubts about whether international trade can fulfill its function as a means of implementation of the SDGs in these countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT This paper explores environmental innovation in the largest emerging economy - China - and its potential for contributing to global transitions to low-carbon, more sustainable patterns of development. It builds on earlier studies bringing alternative forms of low(er)-technology, 'below-the-radar', 'disruptive' and/or social innovation into its analysis. In addition, however, the paper develops our understanding of low-carbon innovation by paying particular attention to issues of changing power relations and social practices: theoretical issues that need attention in the literature generally but are notably absent when studying transitions in China. This shift in perspective allows four neglected questions to be introduced and, in each case, points to both opportunities and challenges to low-carbon system transition that are overlooked by an orthodox focus on technological innovations alone. These are briefly illustrated by drawing on examples from three key domains of low-carbon innovation: solar-generated energy, electric urban mobility, and food and agriculture. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and ERP Environment [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT Large dams have been controversially debated for decades due to their large-scale and often irreversible social and environmental impacts. In the pursuit of low-carbon energy and climate change mitigation, hydropower is experiencing a new renaissance. At the forefront of this renaissance are Chinese actors as the world's largest hydropower dam-builders. This paper aims to discuss the role of South-South technology transfer of low-carbon energy innovation and its opportunities and barriers by using a case study of the first large Chinese-funded and Chinese-built dam in Cambodia. Using the Kamchay Dam as an example, the paper finds that technology transfer can only be fully successful when host governments and organizations have the capacity to absorb new technologies. The paper also finds that technology transfer in the dam sector needs to go beyond hardware and focus more on the transfer of expertise, skills and knowledge to enable long-term sustainable development. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and ERP Environment [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT Public demonstration projects are used to promote the upscaling of green-manufacturing technologies in China, in order to expedite innovation 'catch-up' and transitions to sustainable development. However, these projects are facing implementation challenges, because the relevant barriers are different from traditional demonstrations in new technological niches, when involving complex economic concerns and prolific small and medium enterprises (SMEs) as adopters. This paper, therefore, adopts a case-based approach to investigate a specific example of a demonstration project in China to support the large-scale diffusion of green technology and its pilot implementations. Through the case study, this paper reveals that these demonstrations face a different set of diffusion barriers in testing technologies and promoting learning. In addition, this case also shows that a new policy model may be needed in order to cope with these barriers, when emphasizing market-oriented policies and non-legislative actors as well as combining them with traditional mandatory measures. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and ERP Environment [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Green growth has been identified as an effective way to foster economic growth and address environmental problems, and is practised in various countries globally. However, there remain several obstacles and difficulties to evaluating green growth practices in theory, as there is no proper evaluation framework. To bridge this gap, a universal and comprehensive evaluation indicator system for green growth is built based on improving the plan–do–check–action (PDCA) cycle method, and then is applied to study China's green growth practices by using a hybrid method combining fuzzy set theory and the Decision‐Making Trial and Evaluation Laboratory (DEMATEL) method. The influences and interrelationships of sub‐practices are determined, and a visual analysis is conducted to evaluate their relationships. The findings reveal that five sub‐practices were grouped into a set of causes. Of these, high‐level leadership (G1) is the largest influencing factor, and its support and consideration should be prioritized. The other 10 sub‐practices are classified as a set of effects. Of this set, a well‐governed and effective institutional arrangement (G5) is the most influential practice restricting China's green growth. Additionally, this paper also finds that communicating benefits with stakeholders (G7) is strongly related to other sub‐practices, and is the top factor contributing to the success of China's green growth strategy. This study contributes not only to the literature on green growth practices in an emerging economy but also to giving decision‐makers and researchers inside and outside China valuable inspiration and references for improving the performance of green growth practices. Copyright © 2018 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and ERP Environment [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: This study addresses how the sustainability crisis may be overcome by using alternatives to the conventional economic growth paradigm. Based on a literature review, the paper identifies and discusses three alternatives, namely negative, zero and positive economic growth. These alternatives are compared from a feasibility and policy perspective in relation to the transition toward sustainable development. The three alternatives are associated with very far‐reaching sets of policies that have different focal points with regard to how the paradigm shift from the conventional growth paradigm can be realized. All these alternatives, however, challenge the effectiveness of market forces. The shortcomings of the alternatives (resistance to voluntary transition with negative or zero growth, no proper consideration of the rebound effect for positive growth) hinder the transition and must be further addressed by policy‐makers in public and private sectors, as well as by civil society. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Universal design (UD) is a rising global trend and can be related to social sustainable development (SSD), which has gained increasing recognition in the political arena and in the corporate world. UD targets needs, social participation and access to goods and services by the widest possible range of users. For this reason, it is vital to consider the inclusion and advancement of persons who have been excluded from interacting in society for different reasons. Design is often associated with making good looking, expensive products. However, as the Rio Declaration stated in 2005, designers can also contribute to better life-quality in society and UD can work as a catalyst for this advancement. The goal of this paper is to show how UD can be related to SSD and discuss how far it presents a fruitful methodological approach for SSD. Knowledge generation in these areas means here not analyzing new approaches in one of the fields but exploring the so far uncharted cooperation possibilities of both. For that reason, the paper discusses common goals of UD and SSD by considering relevant theories in both fields. Further, methods in the UD process are examined directed at these goals. Finally, some examples and conclusions are presented as to how designers contribute with inclusive and socially sustainable solutions and how insights from UD can be used for interplay with SSD in research and practice. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and ERP Environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sustainable development has become an arena where people bring already existing political and philosophical outlooks to a debate characterized by fundamental dichotomies. This paper presents an analysis of ten Australian Aboriginal law stories to derive a range of principles for how the Nhunggabarra people of Australia sustained their society against three such dichotomies: holism versus fragmentation, ‘strong’ versus ‘weak’ SD and growth versus no-growth economy. The Aboriginal sustainability model is possibly the oldest we have some evidence of, with a successful track record of several tens of thousands of years. It is a surprisingly ‘realistic’ model: neither representative of strong SD, nor giving arguments to no-growth proponents. The paper argues against a common perception that modern industrialized societies cannot learn from indigenous societies: it is a matter of perspective. Although many practices and solutions are not viable for our time, we can learn from the principles and the governance models as a whole. The Nhunggabarra society model provides a set of such principles, with a sustainability track record. Australia, therefore, has two models, the Aboriginal and the industrial, both implemented on a continent, which can be seen as a bellwether for the planet as a whole – a unique learning opportunity for the discourse on sustainable development. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and ERP Environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we examine the two‐way relationship between economic growth and human development in Zambia over the period 1970 to 2015. By applying the cointegration and vector error correction model techniques, our estimates demonstrate, in the first instance, that economic growth and human development are cointegrated. Second, there is no evidence of two‐way causal effect observable between economic growth and human development in the short run. In marked contrast, we find that economic growth has long‐run effect on human development, with no evidence of reverse causality. This shows that the endless fixation on economic growth has manifestly and consistently proven that GDP growth has had sluggish multiplier effect on inclusive development in Zambia. Finally, we draw country‐specific policy recommendations from our empirical findings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since the 1970s there has been a significant interest in small island developing states (SIDS). Since the 1990s the vast majority of this focus has been on economic and environmental ‘vulnerabilities’. This paper reaffirms the importance of ‘the social’ when analysing the ‘vulnerabilities’ of SIDS through a country case study of Seychelles in the context of its SIDS status. It outlines Seychelles' demographic processes and macroeconomic volatilities and discusses its post-independence social development achievements. This paper provides critical analysis of how these achievements have been attained and considers the extent to which the present levels are sustainable. It argues that significant social gains are under threat from a range of domestic and international forces, potentially destabilizing the main pillar of the economy, tourism. The paper concludes that while the economic and environmental vulnerabilities of SIDS are of conceptual importance, reaffirming the centrality of the social is vital to understanding the potential causes and consequences of these vulnerabilities. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and ERP Environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sustainable development has achieved widespread acceptance throughout the world as an appropriate goal for humankind. Applying the concept at both government and corporate levels has proved difficult due in part to an inherent conflict between the ecological, social and economic dimensions contained within contemporary interpretations of sustainable development. This paper describes a version of sustainability that provides clear and unambiguous direction for decision makers. Replacing the typically Western neoclassical economic perspective contained within most interpretations of sustainable development with a Buddhist perspective of economics leads to an internally consistent version of sustainability referred to as sustainable sufficiency. A study of a decision process within an organization operating within a sustainable development framework is used to provide contrast with decision making within a sustainable sufficiency framework. A conclusion of this paper is that the sustainable sufficiency concept reinforces the view that neoclassical economic principles provide a barrier to achieving the social and ecological objectives contained within contemporary interpretations of sustainable development. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and ERP Environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent UK Government strategies and planning policies have embraced the principle of sustainable development, presenting this as a framework for future planning and land-use decisions. This paper will review those policies that emphasize the need to re-use previously developed land. Resulting from these policies is a need for local authorities, in particular, to adopt a sequential testing approach in terms of land-use decisions. We evaluated the sequential testing approaches advocated, examining how they equate with the assessment of indicators of sustainable development. Current sequential testing approaches tend to evaluate over-arching considerations within the planning framework and do not necessarily assess site-specific characteristics. This paper argues that if optimum adherence to the principle of sustainable development in land-use decisions is desired, the pre-determination of end-use should be ended or at least minimized since it does not facilitate sustainable development. It is suggested that in order to achieve sustainable development in land-use decisions, a sequential approach to determine end-use, based on those characteristics exhibited by the site is necessary. Therefore, there is also a need for a mechanism that can assess whether the development decision has reached an optimum choice concerning sustainable development. The paper concludes by proposing that a framework for expressing site characteristics as elements of sustainable development is needed to enable best possible sustainable land-use decisions. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and ERP Environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study looks into the effects of voluntary sustainability reporting in analysts' earnings forecasts as a driver for sustainable development. The methodology used is based on a regression model to test whether the issuance of a CSR stand-alone report affects analysts' forecast errors and forecast dispersion. Forecast error refers to the difference between the forecasted earnings per share (EPS) and the actual EPS. Dispersion refers to the standard deviation in EPS forecasts between analysts following the same firm. Our study in the Spanish context includes 527 observations from listed firms and covers the period 2005-2010. We provide evidence that there is a negative statistically significant association between the absolute forecast earnings error and the publication of a sustainability report. However, we find that the CSR reports have lost power in reducing the earnings forecast error if we compare analysts' activity before the financial crisis and during the crisis itself, so we open up a question for future research to check whether this is a consistent trend or whether in times of economic recovery this phenomenon regains power. The main conclusion of this paper points to the importance of sustainable development and stakeholder engagement through the issuance of CSR reports, which can help the smooth running of capital markets in a context of increasing sensitiveness to social responsible investment. Our study in this field is pioneering in the Spanish setting, which is especially interesting given the growing trend to publish CSR reports in this country. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and ERP Environment [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sustainable development in the context of international policy is influenced by western values, with few critical evaluations of its application in Asian contexts. This paper presents the interpretation of sustainable development by businesses, civil society, government at various levels and a selection of graduate students in Phuket, Thailand. In all, 78 hours of observations in public meetings, 70 hours of interviews and 10 hours of sectorally arranged workshops were conducted over a period of two years. Data were transcribed and analysed using established qualitative methods. The paper reports how Thai value systems relate to sustainable development concepts and proposes that a culturally appropriate model is needed for understanding the path to a sustainable future in Phuket. Understanding cultural and social values is the key to sustainability. This will require appropriate network-building that creates change towards a culturally sustainable society. We propose that similar cultural adjustment will be necessary for sustainable development to become effective as an organizing concept in Asia. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and ERP Environment [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper concerns the interpretation of pictures that stakeholders draw in order to help them structure and understand complex situations. The pictures in question are called Rich Pictures (RPs) and the matter at the heart of interpretation is insight drawn from eduction (drawing forth). Insights relate to stakeholders of all kinds, be they the individual, the group, the context in which the individual and the group find themselves, or the means whereby the context can be made more sustainable or improved. RP drawing, often as a collaborative, stakeholder exercise, is a powerful activity that has the capacity to break down barriers of language, education and culture. Drawing upon research with RPs from around the world and spanning 50 years of our combined practice, this paper demonstrates RPs' utility, universality and resilience. We maintain that RP drawing enriches problem solving and, in the long term, saves time and resources being expended on erroneous and/or superficial tasks. However, the interpretation of RPs is still in its infancy. By use of processes derived from various forms of content analysis (CA) we argue that RPs can be applied as a powerful tool in a variety of policy fields. Conclusions for application are drawn and suggestions are made for further research relating to the clearer interpretation of RPs. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and ERP Environment [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper is based on a qualitative study that explored the views of a group of staff from Brazilian organizations that profess to be 'sustainable', on barriers to sustainability. The main barriers identified in the study were lack of clarity in the concept, resistance to change, lack of systems thinking, political factors, inability to ensure sustainable behaviours among suppliers, and the consumer culture of global capitalism. In investigating perceptions of barriers to sustainability by managers of business companies, this paper contributes to a better understanding of how the tensions between the growth imperatives of an emerging economy and calls for sustainable practices are played out at organizational level. The paper also identifies a number of relevant themes for future research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The interest regarding sustainable consumption has increased around the world, and several international institutions and organizations have highlighted the emergency that society needs to face from this century onwards. Sustainable consumption involves many factors other than individual behaviour, which usually leads to a cross-national focus to explain differences and similarities among countries. Cross-cultural investigations have emerged under the widespread context of sustainability, but how they can contribute to clarify sustainable consumption behaviour is as yet an incipient discussion. On this basis, and considering previous literature about value dimensions, the theory of planned behaviour (TPB), and the value-belief-norm theory (VBN), this paper undertakes a theoretical discussion drawing upon previous empirical research and proposes a new, alternative and complementary point of view. We address how cultural elements can influence values and, in turn, sustainable behaviour. Moreover, we argue that beliefs could be a key driver of sustainable intention, as the intention formed by attitude, perceived behavioural control and subjective norms does not explicate sustainable consumption by itself. Ultimately, this study combines various concepts in a wider discussion about cross-cultural sustainable consumption, a holistic perspective to investigate sustainable consumption across countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The nature of the relationship between economic development and the environment has been discussed since the 1960s, yet opinion remains divided. This paper provides a comprehensive analysis of the relationship between economic growth and environmental degradation and begins by reviewing the largely theoretical discussions from the limits to growth debate of the 1970s to the advent of sustainable development inthe 1980s. The paper then examines the recent studies that have subjected the growth - environment relationship to a statistical analysisthrough the estimation of environmental Kuznets curves (EKCs). The extent to which these studies indicate a decoupling of environmental damage from growth is considered and reasons are suggested why some environmental indicators appear to improve with growth whilst others deteriorate. In order to illustrate the need to interpret EKCs carefully, forecasts of global emissions are made, for the period 1990-2020, for two pollutants that EKCs suggest are being decoupled from economic growth. Policy implications are then discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current need for policy programmes for Macedonian cities to reach the standard of sustainable and prosperous economic development, and to enable their promotion on the European cultural map, initiated the Architecture as a Cultural Sustainability Factor of the Macedonian Cities project. The project aims to inspect the spatial and physical potential of the Macedonian architectural and bio‐regional heritage in order to create unique and competitive brands, and to develop the overall economic and tourist potential of the Republic of Macedonia. The project encompasses cooperative agreement‐based projects with the Association of the Units of Local Self‐Government of the Republic of Macedonia (ZELS), consisting of 84 municipalities and the capital of Skopje as a particular self‐governed unit. The National Strategy of Sustainable Development, ZELS' strategic plan for 2011–2015 and successive municipality action plans are the basic sources of information for the investigation regarding political, architectural and social aspects, providing legal instruments and collaborative forms between the residents and municipal governments in building up creative class resources for long‐term sustainable development. During the investigation a wide range of methods were employed, including collection of data and examination of archive documents, onsite surveys, mapping and evaluation of the cultural and architectural heritage of Macedonian cities and regions, and interviews and collaborative meetings with municipal and civic representatives. The findings outline the general branding strategy for the Macedonian cities, adjoined with a spectrum of interventions for site‐specific adaptive design concepts aimed to employ their unique physical and cultural identities in order to brand themselves successfully. In this paper, we present our first case study, the Remediation Project for the Quay of the River Dragor, which was completed in 2014 in cooperation with the Municipality of Bitola, and was produced to set the standards and the formula for the success of the city branding. Following the objectives of the Strategic Plan for Local Development of the Bitola Municipality 2009–2014, this project highlights the primacy of environmental protection for sustainable development as the basis of the integrated design strategy that relies on ecological principles. On a political level, it pioneers the grounds on which architecture expands its disciplinary assumptions, goals, institutional, legal and financial tools in the municipal policies of sustainable development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the light of challenges to sustainable development in the post‐2015 development agenda, this paper assesses how increasing carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions affect inclusive human development in 44 countries in sub‐Saharan Africa for the period 2000–2012. The following findings are established from Fixed Effects and Tobit regressions: first, unconditional effects and conditional impacts are respectively positive and negative from CO2 emissions per capita, CO2 emissions from liquid fuel consumption, and CO2 intensity. This implies a Kuznets‐shaped curve because of consistent decreasing returns; and second, the corresponding net effects are consistently positive. The following findings are apparent from Generalized Method of Moments regressions: first, unconditional effects and conditional impacts are respectively negative and positive from CO2 emissions per capita, CO2 emissions from liquid fuel consumption, and CO2 intensity. This implies a U‐shaped curve because of consistent increasing returns; and second, the corresponding net effects are overwhelmingly negative. Based on the robust findings and choice of best estimator, the net effect of increasing CO2 emissions on inclusive human development is negative. Policy implications are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the rise of neoliberalism, a corporate-dominated state-assisted deregulated growth strategy, which has caught most countries in the throes of what can be termed a 'growth trap', has indeed yielded significant economic gains for many but has also entailed inexorable social, moral and environmental adversities. This paper argues that the reason we experience the incongruities between economic growth and social nourishing is the fact that we treat economy over society as our end goal. We regard economic growth as the end-all sum. Given the social and other costs this obsession with growth has inflicted upon societies, it is important that we escape the neoliberal growth trap and recalibrate our focus from the economy to society, to ensure that neither growth nor 'development', but rather formation of what this paper terms 'good societies', those that nurture and thrive on values of equity, empathy, social justice and environmental sustainability, should be the end goal. By drawing lessons from several philosophical and practical ideas, the paper offers policy options relevant to the implementation of the 'good society' concept both within and across nations. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and ERP Environment [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the rise of neoliberalism, a corporate-dominated state assisted deregulated growth strategy, which has caught most countries in the throes of what can be termed a 'growth trap', has indeed yielded significant economic gains for many, but at the same time has also entailed inexorable social, moral and environmental adversities. This paper argues that the reason we experience the incongruities between neoliberalism induced economic growth and social nourishing is because we give economy primacy over society, sometimes to its cost. Given the colossal social, environmental and moral damage that the pursuit of neoliberal economic growth has caused to society, it is important that we recalibrate our focus from the economy to society and ensure that neither growth nor 'development', but rather formation of what this paper terms 'good societies'-- entities that nurture and thrive on values of equity, empathy, social justice and environmental sustainability -- constitutes the end goal of all public actions. By drawing lessons from several philosophical and practical ideas, the paper offers several policy options relevant to implementation of the 'good society' concept both within and across nations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The term 'green tourism' is often used in conjunction with the desire for a balanced approach to tourism planning. 'Green tourism' is defined as tourism that enhances the local cultural elements, operating under the control of local communities, providing employment and maintaining the economic benefits within the local communities. In fact, the above definition is often poorly attested, since there are times when the economic benefits escape from local communities. For its part the tourist industry uses the term 'green tourism' as a message to tourists on energy saving, avoiding coastal pollution etc. Sometimes the same tourist businesses are accused of using the label 'green' primarily for marketing purposes. This paper shows that governments have a crucial role regarding encouragement to use cleaner technologies in the tourism sector and presenting different approaches for sustainability to be achieved in developing countries. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and ERP Environment [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Building sustainability knowledge on the web is a vital path towards surpassing the barriers that could hinder sustainable development in any country in general. This paper presents the results of examining digital sustainability knowledge in the Arab world. A thorough examination and statistical analysis were performed on sustainable development websites that exist in all Arab countries during a specific period of time. The Global System for Sustainable Development (GSSD) is the knowledge management system used to store the sustainability knowledge in the region. The system is designed to be used by decision makers, scientists, educators and knowledge seekers. The main strength of the system is that it points users to needed knowledge on sustainable development that exists on the web. The search engine is the main driver and speakers of different languages can use it. Results indicate that most of the Arab countries have the same sustainable knowledge profile by showing existing problems and not solutions. Most of the information deals with issues related to wars and conflicts, migration and dislocation, and unmet basic needs, which reflect the political and social situation in many Arab countries. The paper concludes with some recommendations on how to improve sustainability knowledge on the web in the region. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and ERP Environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The idea of this editorial research article is to start making sense out of the seemingly limitless debate on the environmental dimension of sustainable development. We have evaluated a collection of international peer-reviewed papers. These contributions have been debated at the conferences of the International Sustainable Development Research Society (ISDRS). Our main research objective here is to consider the often posed question of why the progress made in sustainable development has been so slow and the work implemented so unsuccessful. We argue that one of the main explanations is that the approaches used in sustainable development are reductionist and often lead into problem shifting and problem displacement. To address the problem of reductionism, we propose what we call ‘strategic thinking’ and its incorporation into sustainable development work in general. To open up this argument, we arrive at the discussion of three central dimensions of strategic thinking and the relevance of these dimensions when addressing reductionism. These dimensions are the strategy content, strategy process and strategy context. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and ERP Environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rural areas in Europe have increasingly become cast as places of nature, and so consideration of sustainable rural development is preoccupied with the management and protection of environmental and natural resources. Yet rural areas are also places of business, commerce and living. This paper examines the character and treatment of rural economies in England over the past decade. It sets out some of the challenges for the socio-economic development of rural areas, and explains how concerns about sustainable rural economies have come to be eclipsed within central government by those of ‘greening farming’ on the one hand and urban policy on the other. The paper concludes by discussing how the role of rural areas and rural economies might be creatively rethought in the context of regional and sub-regional territorial development strategies. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and ERP Environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The increasing resource and environmental pressures have impeded China's efforts to quickly promote its people's quality of life, while protecting its natural environment. Due to lack of resources, technologies and capital, China needs to seek a more integrated development strategy. Industrial ecology (IE) may be one solution as it aims at optimizing the use of materials and energy in products, processes, industrial sectors and economies by systemically mimicking natural systems in an industrial setting. The relevant practices and experiences in the developed world have proved that there is a degree of effectiveness and efficiency to development through the application of IE. It is even more critical to apply the principles of IE in China, where resources are scarce. However, compared with developed nations, China faces different environmental, economic and social constraints. Therefore, China has to adopt different approaches to implement the concept of IE. In this paper, we first review the current practices in eco-industrial development in China. Then the advantages and barriers to applying IE in China are analyzed and recommendations are provided. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and ERP Environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper analyses the themes of rationality and legitimation in the discourse of sustainable development. We start by constructing ideal types of interpretation of sustainable development (weak and strong) and rationality (value rationality and instrumental rationality) as conceptual and theoretical ‘tools’ for our further analysis. We then discuss the role of and analyze the construction of rationality and legitimation in the sustainable development discourse. We explore the ways in which rationality and legitimation are constructed to support one's own interpretation, and, on the other hand, how the rationality and legitimacy of the opposing interpretations are nullified. We then discuss the basis of prudent decision-making, and the possibilities and problems that are bound up in the concept of sustainable development. The paper concludes by stating that when it comes to sustainable development neither societal decision-making nor the actions based on it is currently prudent. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and ERP Environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A dominant objective within the public policies of all SE Asian countries has been the achievement of economic growth. The issue of sustainability has serious implications for this policy objective. Pursuit of economic growth is concerned solely with the present, whilst sustainability is concerned with ensuring the current generation meets its present needs without threatening future generations' ability to do likewise. National accounts, such as gross domestic product, can measure healthy economies, but they can not measure sustainability. This paper, however, sets out a conceptual approach that describes the misalignment of national accounting measures with sustainability objectives and provides empirical evidence of how this misalignment can be partially overcome. An empirical approach is developed whereby certain adjustments to national accounts, based on normative social choice theory, are introduced to indicate how a partial measure of sustainability can be determined using national accounting aggregates as a base. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and ERP Environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Between 1980 and 1997, municipal waste in OECD countries increased by around 40%. This paper outlines the very real negative effects of this increase and then introduces the two main European Union policies that have been established to address this problem: a landfill directive and legislation on extended producer responsibility (EPR). The paper then describes and compares the four alternative strategies to reducing end-of-life waste within the context of extended producer responsibility: namely repairing, reconditioning, remanufacturing or recycling. It also introduces a more robust definition of remanufacturing, validated by earlier research, which differentiates it from repair and reconditioning. From a consideration of the different factors involved, it concludes that remanufacturing may well be the best strategy. This is because it enables the embodied energy of virgin production to be maintained, preserves the intrinsic ‘added value’ of the product for the manufacturer and enables the resultant products to be sold ‘as new’ with updated features if necessary. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and ERP Environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper seeks to establish a practical definition of the term sustainable development, and relate it to a company's performance. Simulation and modelling tools are applied to gain a holistic view of the activities associated with a metal casting company, which includes production, transportation and recycling. In the simulation model, four case scenarios are investigated, including the comparison of original and re-designed cast products of 20% runner weight reduction, and the recycling of scrap metal at two different remelters. The focus of the case study is to monitor the amount of scrap, dross, carbon dioxide emissions from both energy consumption and transportation, productivity and costs during the metal material cycle. From the case study, various ‘sustainability indicators’ are highlighted. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and ERP Environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The political objective calling for environmentally sustainable development has provided the canvas for lively dialogue amongst scientists and analysts. Be that as it may, what have been found wanting are operational conditions for the achievement of environmental sustainability within specific anthropogenic systems, with cities being cited as a prime example of such systems. Indeed, from a historical perspective, cities have always been based on the concentration of humans and man-made elements, resulting in respective confinement of natural assets. As cities possess particular properties for their environmental basis, the general conditions governing sustainability require suitable modifications when applied to cities. In this context, the present paper examines the conditions for environmentally sustainable development in urban systems. The specific natural and socioeconomic characteristics of urban systems are systematically taken into account for defining environmentally sustainable development in cities. The paper proposes an operational framework for evaluating urban systems for their environmental performance. Urban systems, presenting specific characteristics necessary for creating welfare with high density, ask for particular conditions for their environmentally sustainable development. These conditions differ substantially from those defining sustainability in broader geographical systems. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and ERP Environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The number of sustainable development evaluation methods has proliferated during the last few years. However, they are often time consuming and expensive to conduct, making reiteration, a crucial part of assessing progress, an unappealing and difficult task. Making the results comprehensible and meaningful to the public is also challenging but essential if evaluations are to be translated into policy and action. Moreover, although such evaluations are important in assessing progress towards sustainable development, it may be hard to make them responsive to change, which is synonymous with the concept of development. Change includes both the conditions being assessed and the techniques that are used. This paper explores the crucial elements for making sustainable development evaluations work using the Bellagio principles as a framework to identify tools that can be used to implement them. These principles are interrelated and taken together can help ensure the effectiveness of sustainable development evaluations. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and ERP Environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the Nordic countries, housing is one of society's greatest users of resources. Making housing more sustainable will call for changes in buildings, management routines and residents' habits, each having its possibilities as well as a built in resistance against change. Households might play a key role in this change, directly as consumers, but also indirectly and jointly as pressure groups towards real estate owners, managers and local society. Making housing more sustainable can be seen as society's ‘sustainability challenge’ to the housing consumers. In this paper, the extent of this challenge is discussed for the households of the Nordic countries, for different types of ownership and building etc. Its realization is seen in a ten-year perspective and in relation to the acquisition, maintenance, operation and use of the dwellings. Preliminary results indicate that a move to a new dwelling will give the household an opportunity to influence many aspects of its environmental impacts, but that moving will have little direct effect on the environmental performance of the built environment as a whole. Furthermore, that the activities of daily living have a potential for improvement without the inertia of reconstructing the building stock. In the end, however, co-operation between households and other stakeholders of the building sector is often a prerequisite for change. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. and ERP Environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]