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Purpose: This paper aims to analyze the relationships between discourse leading indicators and citations from perspectives of integrating altmetrics indicators and tries to provide references for comprehending the quantitative indicators of scientific communication in the era of open science, constructing the evaluation indicator system of the discourse leading for academic journals and then improving the discourse leading of academic journals. Design/methodology/approach: Based on the theory of communication and the new pattern of scientific communication, this paper explores the formation process of academic journals' discourse leading. This paper obtains 874,119 citations and 6,378,843 altmetrics indicators data from 65 international multidisciplinary academic journals. The relationships between indicators of discourse leading (altmetrics) and citations are studied by using descriptive statistical analysis, correlation analysis, principal component analysis, negative binomial regression analysis and marginal effects analysis. Meanwhile, the connotation and essential characteristics of the indicators, the strength and influence of the relationships are further analyzed and explored. It is proposed that academic journals' discourse leading is composed of news discourse leading, social media discourse leading, peer review discourse leading, encyclopedic discourse leading, video discourse leading and policy discourse leading. Findings: It is discovered that the 15 altmetrics indicators data have a low degree of centralization to the center and a high degree of polarization dispersion overall; their distribution patterns do not follow the normal distributions, and their distributions have the characteristics of long-tailed right-peaked curves. Overall, 15 indicators show positive correlations and wide gaps exist in the number of mentions and coverage. The academic journals' discourse leading significantly affects total cites. When altmetrics indicators of international mainstream academic and social media platforms are used to explore the connotation and characteristics of academic journals' discourse leading, the influence or contribution of social media discourse, news discourse, video discourse, policy discourse, peer review discourse and encyclopedia discourse on the citations decreases in turn. Originality/value: This study is innovative from the academic journal level to analyze the deep relationships between altmetrics indicators and citations from the perspective of correlation. First, this paper explores the formation process of academic journals' discourse leading. Second, this paper integrates altmetrics indicators to study the correlation between discourse leading indicators and citations. This study will help to enrich and improve basic theoretical issues and indicators' composition, provide theoretical support for the construction of the discourse leading evaluation system for academic journals and provide ideas for the evaluation practice activities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Global Journal of Economics & Business is the property of Refaad for Studies, Research & Development and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The circular economy represents an effective way to address limited resources and mitigate the impact of human activity on the planet. To summarize the possible effect of circular economy implementation on business performance and its possible measurement, a systematic literature review on a final sample of 28 papers was conducted. The main findings reveal that the circular economy can help to improve business performance and that numerous indicators could be used to measure it, especially the balanced scorecard approach, which seems suitable for such classification (however, more research on this topic is needed). Additionally, it was revealed that the circular economy concept itself has no clear and generally used definition, which complicates the summarizing of the revealed indicators. To simplify future research, we proposed a research framework based on this systematic literature review and emphasized the research gaps. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Urban areas generate more than 70% of the world's climate change emissions, mainly CO2, produced by the combustion of fossil fuels. Climate change is increasing cities' exposure to climate hazards, such as heat waves or floods. Therefore, there is a need to improve risk management with the inclusion of climate resilience in urban policy design. Despite improved urban climate monitoring, there are still relatively few scientific publications on climate change adaptation in urban areas. Adaptation to climate change is not achieved through specific action, but rather through the adoption and continuous implementation of adaptation actions such as housing rehabilitation, green space management and protection measures for vulnerable groups. This variety of actions makes it difficult not only to identify different indicators, but also to use common benchmarks. Considering the role of municipalities in adapting to climate change, it is crucial to identify adaptation indicators that serve as a basis for decision making, as well as evaluation methods that allow the effectiveness of planned and implemented measures in municipalities. It can be used to determine which measures increase the level of adaptation or lead to poor adaptation. Therefore, monitoring indicators makes it possible to evaluate the effectiveness of the measures, in addition to formulating new ones. This paper includes a literature review of existing index designed to address climate hazards and mitigate their impacts in urban areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mine closure is a growing concern in mining countries around the world due to the associated environmental and social impacts. This is particularly true in developing countries like South Africa where poverty, social deprivation and unemployment are widespread and environmental governance is not strong. South Africa has 230 operating mines located in diverse natural and social settings. Over 6 million people live in urban and rural mining host communities who will be significantly affected by mine closure. The national, provincial and local governments need guidance in identifying high-risk areas and relevant policy and programmatic interventions. This paper describes the development of a quantitative mine closure risk rating system that assesses the likelihood of mine closure, the risk of social impact and the risk of environmental impact of mine closure for every operating mine in the country. The paper visualises the high likelihood of closure and environmental impacts for numerous coal and gold mines, and the significant social risks in the deprived rural platinum and chrome mining areas. The rating system was tested with 10 mines and 19 experts, and the resulting maps are communicated in an online South African Mine Closure Risk and Opportunity Atlas. The risk ratings could be used in mine closure planning and management by mining companies, consultancies, governments and affected communities. While this risk rating system has been designed for South Africa, the methodology and framework could be applied to any mining country in the world. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This document is an editorial published in Frontiers in Veterinary Science titled "Farm animal welfare and climate change: methods of assessment and mitigation." The editorial highlights the intersection of farm animal welfare and climate change as a critical area of concern in veterinary sciences. It emphasizes the need for innovative solutions to protect animal well-being and the environment. The editorial introduces a research topic that explores the relationship between farm animal welfare and climate change, focusing on assessment methods and mitigation strategies. The research papers included in the topic cover various aspects such as genetic merit in dairy heifers, thermal well-being of dairy calves, physiological response of pigs to heat stress, effects of transportation stress on piglets, and the unique adaptations of yaks in harsh environments. The interdisciplinary nature of the research presented underscores the importance of comprehensive strategies to address the challenges arising from the intersection of farm animal welfare and climate change. The editorial concludes by emphasizing the role of the veterinary community in promoting sustainable and humane livestock farming practices. [Extracted from the article]

Vertical farming has gained increased attention in recent years due to its capacity to reduce the environmental impact of agricultural production in terms of water consumption and soil and fertilizer usage. In the literature, many works describe and evaluate applications of vertical farming. However, no work addresses the issue of classifying the KPIs for vertical farming and highlights both the most assessed aspects and the lack of evaluations. The main contribution of this study is to conduct a literature review to identify and classify the KPIs used in vertical farming. To this aim, we first proposed a methodology to define the KPI categories. Then, we identified the KPIs used in the literature, and we classified them according to the defined categories. Finally, we analyzed the obtained results. As a result, a collection of 78 KPIs were compiled and organized into the proposed categories. The analyses on the frequency of the KPIs allow us to conclude that the KPIs related to productivity are the most used as compared to those related to sustainability and quality. Furthermore, very few papers perform a cross-category evaluation. This study underscores the necessity for a more balanced consideration of productivity, quality, and sustainability in the context of vertical farming. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper aims to analyse the functioning of territorial agri-food chains through an institutional lens. The approach tries to explore the influence of endogenous and exogenous factors on the capacity to respond to complex transition challenges. Our working hypothesis is that agri-food supply chains are embedded in the territory they belong to, economic performances and market competitiveness are strongly influenced by a combination of organisational capabilities and good governance solutions. These topics are developed by examining the innovative socioeconomic features of two of the largest world and European supply chains: the processing tomato supply chains of Northern Italy and Extremadura (Spain), both representing most of the processed tomato national production, governed by an overarching organisation gathering producers and processing firms on a parity basis, characterised by an innovative path developed to face the changing conditions of policies and markets. The paper shows how governance capabilities and their implications on the competitiveness and chain’s performance need to be explored by combining qualitative and quantitative analysis and indicators. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Climate change mitigation in the tourism sector is expanding research areas due to the importance of this sector and its rapid expansion. Aviation's contribution was found to be the most important source of GHG emissions from tourism. Also, the hospitality sector contributes a lot to GHG emissions in tourism destinations. Hospitality, constituting an essential component of the tourism industry, is a sector that has a high potential to reduce GHG and use of energy and water resources. Therefore, it is important to monitor the climate change mitigation performance of tourism destinations to achieve decarbonization of the tourism sector. The main objectives of this paper are to develop indicators of climate change mitigation performance of tourism destinations based on GHG indicators for the transport and hospitality sectors and apply this framework to assessment and ranking based on climate change mitigation performance of 4 main EU geographical regions as tourism destinations: Central, Northern, Southern, and Western Europe. This paper's main methodological approach is comparing and ranking different geographical regions in the European Union by assessing their climate change mitigation performance as tourist destinations. The study's main results showed that Finland, representing North Europe, is the best-performing country in climate change mitigation in tourism destinations. The second-best-performing geographical region is Western Europe. The worst-performing EU region based on climate change mitigation in tourism destinations was Central Europe. The South Europe region was found to be in a slightly better position than Central Europe but worse in comparison with Western Europe and especially in comparison to Northern Europe. The study's main implications provide policy recommendations for Central Europe as a tourism destination to increase energy and water use efficiency and the carbon footprint of the tourism sector. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Diets, but also overall food environments, comprise a variety of significant factors with direct and indirect impacts on human health. Eco-Regions are geographical areas with a territorial approach to rural development, utilizing organic food and farming practices, and principles and promoting sustainable communities and food systems. However, so far, little attention has been given to quantifying aspects of the health of citizens living in these sustainable transition territories. The project "Indicators for Assessment of Health Effects of Consumption of Sustainable, Organic School Meals in Eco-Regions" (INSUM) aims to identify and discuss research approaches and indicators that could be applied to effectively measure the somatic, mental, and social health dimensions of citizens in Eco-Regions, linked to the intake of organic foods in their diets. In this paper, we focus on the somatic (physical) health dimension. A two-day workshop was held to discuss suitable methodology with an interdisciplinary, international group of experts. The results showed the limitations of commonly used tools for measuring dietary intake (e.g., relying on the memory of participants), and nutritional biomarkers (e.g., variations in correlations with specific intakes) for research understanding dietary intake and the health effects of diets. To investigate the complexity of this issue, the most suitable approach seems to be the combination of traditional markers of physical and mental health alongside emerging indicators such as the microbiome, nutrigenomics, metabolomics, or inflammatory biomarkers. Using new, digital, non-invasive, and wearable technologies to monitor indicators could complement future research. We conclude that future studies should adopt systemic, multidisciplinary approaches by combining not only indicators of somatic and mental health and social wellbeing (MHSW) but also considering the potential benefits of organic diets for health as well as aspects of sustainability connected to food environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper arises from an ONRR project on "New technologies and methodologies for traceability, quality, safety, measurements and certifications to enhance the value and protect the typical traits in agrifood chains". It has a first aim of performing an exhaustive review pertaining to the construction of indicators of the quality and safety of agrifood products, creating information systems dashboards of unidimensional and multidimensional indicators and applying such indicators, in the context of consumer choices and decisions of policy-makers and firms. Since it has been found that the literature offers no single proposal linking all such aspects, a second central and innovative aim is to propose an original step-by-step procedure for integrating information systems of statistical indicators for citizens, institutions and policy-makers with a specific focus on new technologies and methods for traceability, quality and safety of agrifood systems. The final output is a smart and user-friendly online database that is an absolute innovation on the topic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This paper aims to explore the best practices to institutionalize the internal quality of student assessment (SA) when a gap emerges between quality conceptualization and practice work, using Imam Abdul Rahman bin Faisal University (IAU) as a case study. Design/methodology/approach: A single-embedded case study research design chronologically presents key events of assuring and improving SA at IAU. It integrates quantitative and qualitative data to provide empirical evidence of changes in SA practices. Findings: Over three years, evident improvements in SA practices resulted in more effective internal quality assurance strategies (e.g., faculty involvement) and the achievement of performance indicators. Research limitations/implications: This study used data from informal observation and self-reports. Thus, it is suggested that future research should use in-depth (e.g. focus group) and diverse data sources from stakeholders (e.g. students) and use emerging global trends to assess SA quality. Practical implications: Involving faculty as changing agents via accountability and training in assuring and improving SA quality leads to measurable improvements. Social implications: A top-down approach alone is insufficient to assure and improve the quality of SA practices, so empowering faculty via involvement and training is inevitable. Originality/value: The quality assurance of SA described in this practice-oriented case places IAU as a leading university in the region, contributes to the external quality assurance of SA, empowers Saudi graduates to compete in the labor market as aspired in Vision 2030 and adds to the literature on quality assurance of SA in a higher education context. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the context of the continuous degradation of the global environment, ecological restoration has become a primary task in global environmental governance. In this process, remote sensing technology, as an advanced monitoring and analysis tool, plays a key role in monitoring ecological restoration. This article reviews the application of remote sensing technology in ecological restoration monitoring. Based on a comprehensive analysis of the literature in the field of ecological remote sensing, it systematically summarizes the major in-orbit spaceborne and airborne sensors and their related products. This article further proposes a series of evaluation indicators for ecological restoration from four aspects: forests, soil, water, and the atmosphere, and elaborates on the calculation methods for these indicators. In addition, this paper also summarizes the methods for evaluating the effectiveness of ecological restoration, including subjective evaluation, objective evaluation, and comprehensive evaluation methods. Finally, we analyze the challenges faced by remote sensing technology in evaluating ecological restoration effectiveness, such as issues with the precision of indicators extraction, the limitations of spatial resolution, and the diversity of evaluation methods. This review also looks forward to future ecological restoration technologies, such as the potential applications of integrated aerospace and terrestrial remote sensing, multi-data fusion, and machine learning technologies. This study reveals the effectiveness of remote sensing technology in ecological restoration monitoring, aiming to provide efficient tools and innovative strategies for future remote sensing monitoring and assessment of ecological restoration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

At a rhetorical level, the SDGs provide a unified global agenda, and their targets and indicators are believed to drive action for social and environmental transformation. However, what if the SDGs (and their specific goals and indicators) are more of a problem than a solution? What if they create the illusion of action through a depoliticised and technical approach that fails to address fundamental dilemmas of politics and power? What if this illusion continues to reproduce poverty, inequality, and environmental degradation? This paper addresses these questions through a focus on SDG 6.5.1 – the implementation of integrated water resources management (IWRM), measured on a 0-100 scale through a composite indicator. The paper presents an empirical analysis of SDG 6.5.1 reporting in Colombia, Ethiopia, India, Malaysia, and the UK, drawing on research from the Water Security and Sustainable Development Hub. An evidence review and series of expert interviews are used to interrogate the local politics of IWRM measurement, specifically three dilemmas of global composite indicator construction: (1) reductive quantification of normative and contested processes; (2) weak analysis of actually existing institutional capability, politics, and power; and (3) distracting performativity dynamics in reporting. The paper concludes that SDG 6.5.1 is an example of a 'fantasy artefact', and that in all countries in this study, IWRM institutions are failing to address fundamental and 'wicked' problems in water resources management. We find little evidence that these numbers, or the survey that gives rise to them, drive meaningful reflection on the aims or outcomes of IWRM. Instead, they tend to hide the actually-existing political and institutional dynamics that sit behind the complexity of the global water crisis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines the development of indicators measuring attacks on education through a case study of the Global Coalition to Protect Education from Attack (GCPEA). As GCPEA and its partners have brought the problem of attacks on education to the attention of global civil society, they have engaged in contestation to define attacks on education and construct indicators to track the relevant violations. These debates are significant in that indicators are a tool of global governance that shape policymaking and resource allocation. The discussion draws on the author's decade of experience working among groups focused on the protection of education, including direct involvement developing indicators on attacks on education, and on three sets of qualitative interviews. It analyses how resource limitations, organisational agendas, challenges of measurement and verification, and global power dynamics exert pressure towards a more narrow understanding of attacks on education. This limits the transformative potential of the protecting education agenda. The discussion illustrates that EiE actors must consider the ways that they measure their work in ongoing conversations about creating a decolonial and more equitable field of practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Gross domestic expenditure on R&D (GERD) is one of the most important indicators of the Research and Development area, part of Science and Technology and Digital Society branch on the data navigation tree of the EUROSTAT Database. In this paper we analyzed the evolution of GERD in Romania and EU countries on the last ten years with the available data (2013-2022). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One of the greatest challenges of our time is monitoring the rapid environmental changes taking place worldwide at both local and global scales. This requires easy-to-use and ready-to-implement tools and services to monitor and quantify aspects of bio- and geodiversity change and the impact of land use intensification using freely available and global remotely sensed data, and to derive remotely sensed indicators. Currently, there are no services for quantifying both raster- and vector-based indicators in a "compact tool". Therefore, the main innovation of ESIS/Imalys is having a remote sensing (RS) tool that allows for RS data processing, data management, and continuous and discrete quantification and derivation of RS indicators in one tool. With the ESIS/Imalys project (Ecosystem Integrity Remote Sensing—Modelling and Service Tool), we try to present environmental indicators on a clearly defined and reproducible basis. The Imalys software library generates the RS indicators and remote sensing products defined for ESIS. This paper provides an overview of the functionality of the Imalys software library. An overview of the technical background of the implementation of the Imalys library, data formats and the user interfaces is given. Examples of RS-based indicators derived using the Imalys tool at pixel level and at zone level (vector level) are presented. Furthermore, the advantages and disadvantages of the Imalys tool are discussed in detail in order to better assess the value of Imalys for users and developers. The applicability of the indicators will be demonstrated through three ecological applications, namely: (1) monitoring landscape diversity, (2) monitoring landscape structure and landscape fragmentation, and (3) monitoring land use intensity and its impact on ecosystem functions. Despite the integration of large amounts of data, Imalys can run on any PC, as the processing and derivation of indicators has been greatly optimised. The Imalys source code is freely available and is hosted and maintained under an open source license. Complete documentation of all methods, functions and derived indicators can be found in the freely available Imalys manual. The user-friendliness of Imalys, despite the integration of a large amount of RS data, makes it another important tool for ecological research, modelling and application for the monitoring and derivation of ecosystem indicators from local to global scale. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Agriculture intensification has driven the loss of biodiversity at a global level. The implementation of strategies to conserve and promote biodiversity in agricultural areas can be favoured by adequate assessment methods that foster the awareness of decision makers about the impact of management practices. This paper presents a state-of-the-art review of assessment methods of the overall biodiversity in agricultural systems, focusing on the quantitative methods applied, indicators of biodiversity, and functionalities. It was concluded that compensation effects and difficulties in interpretation are associated with currently common methodologies of composite indicator calculation to assess biodiversity performance. This review allowed for the identification and critical analysis of current methodologies for biodiversity assessments in the agricultural sector, and it highlighted the need for more implementation-oriented approaches. By providing recommendations on what should be considered when formulating biodiversity assessment methods, this study can contribute to the formulation of appropriate assessment frameworks for agricultural management policies and strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Urban worn-out textures, due to their ancient and historically valuable physical structures, exhibit low adaptability to urban developments and advancements. Tehran, as a city with a rich historical background, also boasts considerable worn-out textures. Due to economic, geographical, and political conditions, a large population resides in these textures. In this regard, the present research aims to investigate the livability status of residents, identify key indicators, and design scenarios in the worn-out textures of Tehran city. This paper proposes a new approach to MicMac that promotes driving forces to scenarios. The results indicate that the livability of residents in worn-out textures of Tehran city, particularly in central regions, is in undesirable conditions. Furthermore, the analysis of the MicMac matrix showed that housing prices, residents' income, investment, and an increase in economic activities, as well as the role of urban management, are driving forces that have a vital impact on the livability of residents in worn-out textures. These driving forces have depicted three scenarios for the livability of worn-out textures in Tehran city until the year 2032. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

EU Green Deal and US Green New Deal strategies indicate that green growth is at the center of the policy agendas of many developed countries and regions. The green growth is a key element in achieving sustainable development. Green growth is an economic growth strategy that prioritizes human development while guaranteeing that natural resources continue to provide environmental services to the current and future generations to achieve their sustainable development. There are many definitions of green growth, and many indicators and measures have been developed to assess green growth results for countries. The paper aims to analyze green growth indicators and measures and develop a case for a comparative assessment of green growth achievements in the Baltic States. The Baltic States were ranked based on their achievements according to specific dimensions of green growth, and policy recommendations to promote green growth were developed based on conducted research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Smart Specialization policy, Europe's place-based innovation policy, is transitioning into an innovation policy for sustainability inspired by academic debate and the urgency of societal challenges. The implications in terms of policy design remain underexplored. This paper studies the policy implications of this transition on the design of monitoring indicators. First, a theoretical framework based on the literature is created. Then, monitoring indicators used in the first policy phase are summarized into categories and themes through inductive and deductive document analysis. The indicators' strengths and limitations are discussed. By highlighting how monitoring indicators need to adjust to the policy transition, this paper contributes to the literature on innovation policy and Smart Specialization. It also provides guidance to policymakers by developing a framework on indicator design and providing practical recommendations on aspects that need to be considered, captured, and analysed through the indicators. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the dairy sector, the economic efficiency issues have a complex causality and are essential for the future and continuity of these activities. The objective of this paper is to evaluate the average level of technical-economic indicators in dairy cow, sheep and goat farms, at the country level, based on the estimates regarding different categories of expenses and the average prices on the free market, at the level of the year 2023 and using formulas in economic specialty literature. Thus, depending on the efficiency level of the farm, possible scenarios for varying technical-economic indicators were simulated, obtaining different results regarding the profitability of the farms, with positive or negative values. Thus, for an average level of 6000 l of milk/cow and a price of 2 RON/l, the rate of net income with subsidies was -4.26%. In sheep milk, for a production of 60 liters/head and 5 RON/liter, the above indicator was -2.77%, and in goat milk, at 270 liters/head and 4,5 RON/liter, the rate of net income with subsidies was 13.05%. Indicators that may vary refer to the level of milk production, the price of milk at the producer, the value of secondary production (calf/lamb/kid/manure capitalized on the market), or the allocation of different levels of fixed or variable expenses. The application by farmers of some scenarios of increase or decrease in the level of different technical-economic indicators constitutes an important managerial tool for the planning process of production activities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The livestock sectors, including goats breeding, face currently economic difficulties and a low level of specialization and integration of productions, in a challenging world. The objective of the paper is to evaluate the degree of economic vulnerability of different goat farms, based on the calculation of technical-economic indicators. The material studied is a sample of 33 goat farms of different sizes, from different regions of Romania, between 15.0 and 476.7 heads/farm (average size for the years 2017-2019), falling into the following categories: 3% subsistence farms, 27.3% semisubsistence farms, 12.1% small farms, 57.6% medium farms. The goat breeds from the farms under study are Carpatina, Alba de Banat, as well as highly productive breeds, such as French Alpine and Saanen and their crossbreeds with Romanian breeds. The research results indicated that the mountain area would be the most vulnerable from an economic point of view in raising dairy goats. Also, the farms that are part of the smallest size segments, under 100 heads, have the highest degree of economic vulnerability and fail to adapt quickly to changes in the economic environment. In this context, the analysis of technical-economic indicators highlights the characteristics of the processes and becomes an important tool in their assessment, in adopting decisions and transforming the economic reality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Building-integrated greenery (BIG) systems, which include green roofs and green facades, are well-established nature-based solutions (NBS) with proven scientific benefits. However, initial costs and economic apprehensions stemming from potential negative outcomes act as adoption barriers. Furthermore, the lack of standardized indicators and assessment methodologies for evaluating the city-level impacts of BIG systems presents challenges for investors and policy makers. This paper addresses these issues by presenting a comprehensive set of indicators derived from widely accepted frameworks, such as the Common International Classification of Ecosystem Services (CICES) and the NBS impact evaluation handbook. These indicators contribute to the creation of a 'sustainability factor', which facilitates cost–benefit analyses for BIG projects using locally sourced data. The practical application of this factor to a 3500 m2 green roof in Lleida, Catalonia (Spain) demonstrates that allocating space for urban horticultural production (i.e., food production), CO2 capture, and creating new recreational areas produces benefits that outweigh the costs by a factor value of nine during the operational phase of the green roof. This cost–benefit analysis provides critical insights for investment decisions and public policies, especially considering the significant benefits at the city level associated with the implementation of BIG systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sustainability rating systems for the built environment involve a multitude of indicators that are based on different types of data. This work capitalizes on an existing multicriteria assessment method and supporting decision-making tool at building and neighbourhood scale, to develop an enhanced method and tool at city scale. The main sustainability issues at building and city scales include site and infrastructure, energy and resources consumption, environmental loadings, climate change, environmental quality, water, waste, transportation, services, social aspects, economy and governance. Approximately 300 indicators distributed among the different scales are used to describe and quantify the various facets of sustainability. Specifically, the building scale includes a pool of 80 indicators of which 17 are key performance indicators (KPIs), the neighbourhood scale has 133 indicators of which 14 are KPIs and the city scale has a total of 99 indicators of which 10 are KPIs that were new additions to the existing method. The emphasis in this paper is given on elaborating the key performance indicators for cities and demonstrating their applicability through a case study. The common method and tools provide a flexible assessment system for local authorities and stakeholders to develop and assess sustainability plans. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Can Well-being Be Measured? Reflections on the Spatial Dimension of the OECD Better Life Index Indices developed by international research organizations assume value in the adoption of new policies. This paper aims to present the role that these indices have taken on in order to investigate the methodology adopted and understand the role that the space between the indicators used takes on. Specifically, the Better Life Index that the OECD develops is examined, analyzing and mapping the indicators used. Some critical issues emerge, and in particular the absence of the spatial dimension among the parameters considered. The paper reflects on the relevance of this gap and highlights the importance of the relationship with space in assessing well-being.

Profit is a measure of the success of enterprises, it is quantified from the difference between revenues and costs. It fulfils several functions, whether distributive, accumulative, motivational. Many factors influence its formation and development. Profit represents an internal source of financing for business activity. The main objective of the paper is to evaluate the formation and development of profit or loss and its forms in selected wineries in Slovakia. In Slovakia, the wine industry has a long tradition. The paper was focused on the evaluation of costs, revenues as two important factors affecting the formation of the profit or loss. Profit/loss was reflected in the quantification and analysis of profitability indicators, which are referred to as profitability, return indicators. Based on the results of calculations of individual indicators, it can be stated that the set of 120 wineries showed a profit, which positively affected the values of profitability indicators. Wineries showed a loss only from financial area

At a rhetorical level, the SDGs provide a unified global agenda, and their targets and indicators are believed to drive action for social and environmental transformation. However, what if the SDGs (and their specific goals and indicators) are more of a problem than a solution? What if they create the illusion of action through a depoliticised and technical approach that fails to address fundamental dilemmas of politics and power? What if this illusion continues to reproduce poverty, inequality, and environmental degradation? This paper addresses these questions through a focus on SDG 6.5.1 – the implementation of integrated water resources management (IWRM), measured on a 0-100 scale through a composite indicator. The paper presents an empirical analysis of SDG 6.5.1 reporting in Colombia, Ethiopia, India, Malaysia, and the UK, drawing on research from the Water Security and Sustainable Development Hub.1 An evidence review and series of expert interviews are used to interrogate the local politics of IWRM measurement, specifically three dilemmas of global composite indicator construction: (1) reductive quantification of normative and contested processes; (2) weak analysis of actually existing institutional capability, politics, and power; and (3) distracting performativity dynamics in reporting. The paper concludes that SDG 6.5.1 is an example of a 'fantasy artefact', and that in all countries in this study, IWRM institutions are failing to address fundamental and 'wicked' problems in water resources management. We find little evidence that these numbers, or the survey that gives rise to them, drive meaningful reflection on the aims or outcomes of IWRM. Instead, they tend to hide the actually-existing political and institutional dynamics that sit behind the complexity of the global water crisis.

Purpose: How to evaluate the social impact of social innovation has emerged as an important question posed by academics, organizations, and policymakers in recent years. One reason for this is the increasing concern with the social impact of different types of organizations and social practices, particularly in response to a recognition of the urgency of developing more inclusive economies and societies. To find an answer to this question, this research seeks to investigate the state-of-the-art in terms of social innovation impact measurement, drawing on both scientific literature and practitioner literature. Originality/value: This research discusses the challenges posed by measuring the impact of social innovation initiatives and how these measurements may change the assessment process. The analysis finds that methodologies for measuring social innovation have mainly been undertaken in Europe, where these initiatives are largely addressed. Design/methodology/approach: This paper adopted a qualitative research approach based on the scoping review method. This method is widely used to identify emergent topics in scientific literature, aiming to identify implications for research and decision-making. The research was developed based on different steps to obtain information about the social impact measurement indicators and their overall contribution to the advancement of social innovation. Findings: The results also confirmed the lack of social innovation frameworks, methodologies, and tools capable of measuring the social impact of social innovations. Furthermore, a set of barriers in this field was identified, which can be used to channel better upcoming academic research on developing social impact indicators for social innovation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Adaptation tracking is crucial for understanding progress in responding to climate change impacts across space and time. However, adaptation tracking is constrained by the lack of agreement on how to measure adaptation. While there has been significant focus on government plans and other documented adaptation as the basis for adaptation tracking, emerging literature also advocates for inclusive approaches that consider multiple experiences and priorities when designing and using adaptation tracking indicators. However, little literature empirically investigates the specifics of what this integrated approach is or what it could achieve. We address this gap using a thematic analysis of 48 focus group discussions and of government policies to compare the perspectives of livestock keepers and governments in Eastern Africa on climate risks and adaptation in livestock systems. The results show considerable similarities in how they perceive climatic hazards, impacts, adaptation strategies, goals, and adaptive capacities, highlighting elements that could be recognized as relevant by both sets of stakeholders. However, the differences underscore the value of an integrated approach as it supports the recognition of variations in climate risks and adaptation options across contexts as well as capturing diverse effects of adaptation across scales. Insights from this paper contribute to discussions on developing integrated adaptation tracking frameworks that take into account the contextual nature of climate hazards, impacts, adaptation strategies, adaptive capacities, and adaptation goals. Governments and livestock keepers perceive climate hazards, impacts, adaptation strategies, adaptive capacity, and adaptation goals in largely similar ways. Differences in governmental and livestock keeper perspectives provide the basis for integrating them in the development of adaptation tracking indicators. Drawing on multiple experiences, priorities, and knowledges could support more effective tracking of adaptation progress by considering the various scales and contexts within which adaptation occurs. Integration requires an adaptation tracking framework that utilizes core indicators that have broader relevance and additional ones that address the context-specificity of climate hazards, impacts, adaptive capacities, adaptation strategies, and adaptation goals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Global energy demand, water demand, and raw materials extraction are major challenges for society as population grows. While a traditional linear economy approach leads to depletion of finite resources, damage to the Earth's ecosystems, and adverse impacts on human health, a paradigm shift toward implementation of circular economy principles is paramount to the reversal of world resources' exhaustion. The wastewater, or "used water," sector can contribute to offsetting resource scarcity challenges by adopting circular economy principles to recover and reintroduce recovered resources into the economy. Transitioning to a circular economy model requires monitoring and tracking progress via metrics in the form of indicators. In this paper, a bibliometric analysis followed by a systematic literature review was conducted on available circular economy indicators in the used water treatment sector. Over 200 indicators were categorized into three impact categories: environmental, social, and economic to identify gaps in the existing literature. Results showed that less than 50% of the available circularity indicators are applied in the used water sector and environmental indicators represent the highest percentage among the potential applicable indicators. Research gaps in the circular economy literature in relation to used water treatment systems were identified and future research directions discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A critical shift is required to meet the challenges reflected in the sustainable development goals. Policymakers in the EU are betting on a transition from a linear to a circular economy to make this happen. Public procurement is vital in this context, e.g., accounting for 20% of Swedish GDP, with circular public procurement being critical to the transition. Until now, the research focus in this area has been narrower, concentrating on, e.g., IT equipment or furniture. However, plastic medical products have not been addressed despite generating substantial environmental impact and offering a tremendous upside. To enable the application of circular economy strategies in this context, changes are required on two ends: the design of the products and the criteria under which the products are procured. Indicators are the central basis of decision-making in any purchasing decision and are considered powerful enablers and drivers of the transition to a circular economy. This paper reviews circular indicators as a starting point toward guidelines for the circular design and procurement of plastic products in the healthcare sector. Based on this, critical factors for developing a comprehensive indicator for the design and procurement of circular plastic medical products are identified. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Modern agriculture poses new challenges related to the increase of the need of sustainable development of the agrarian sector, and rural territories, respectively. The use of large amounts of chemical preparations in agriculture inevitably hides a number of possibilities for dangers, both for all mankind and for the natural environment. The main goal of this article is to analyze and evaluate the current state of use of pesticides and fertilizers in Bulgaria, as part of the agro-ecological indicators affecting the climate and natural ecosystems. As a result from the research carried out we found that the levels of pesticide use in Bulgaria are below the average, but the last years are marked by a tendency for gradual increase of the areas of the used quantities of nitrogen fertilizers, manure and organic fertilizer, and a deficit in the Phosphorous balance in soil was noted. We need lowering of the degree of ecological risks related to use of pesticides and fertilizers in Bulgaria. This way the results will be multiplied for achieving higher level of economic, social and ecological sustainability in the development of individual rural territories. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aims to compare the soil quality indexing model by adding and weighting the soil under different land uses and slope positions on the southwest slope of Mount Merapi, Indonesia. Soil sampling was carried out based on a landscape analysis divided into four geomorphological units (slopes): upper, middle, lower and foot slopes. The research design was nested where the soil sample was located (surface soil 0-30 cm). Based on the research results, soil quality indices (SQI) of forest on the upper slopes is very high. SQI of dry fields on the middle, lower and foot slopes is low to medium. SQI of mixed gardens on the middle and lower slopes is low to medium. SQI of snake fruit land on the middle, lower and foot slopes is medium to high. SQI of grassland on the lower slopes is medium to high, and SQI of paddy fields on the foot slopes is medium to high. Weighted soil quality index (SQIw) has a higher correlation (R2 = 0.90) and can predict soil quality better than the adding soil quality index (SQIa) model (R2 = 0.76). Indicators that most influence soil quality are the percentage of sand, total N, C-POM, C-Min, pH, and aggregate stability, that indicators are entirely influenced by organic matter, site-specific management to maintain SQI by maintaining organic matter. The selected indicators in this study can be used to determine the SQI in similar areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rapid urbanisation and water resource depletion have compelled regions worldwide to consider reverse osmosis desalination as a solution for securing a sustainable water supply. However, the sustainability of reverse osmosis desalination plants, especially in the Gaza Strip, remains a critical concern. So, a comprehensive evaluation of the sustainability of these facilities is essential. This paper presents a framework for assessing the sustainability of reverse osmosis desalination plants in the Gaza Strip, aiming to promote informed decision-making and address the multifaceted challenges associated with water resource management in this area. As a case study, the generated framework was applied to the southern desalination plant in Gaza. The framework integrates technical, environmental, economic, social, and institutional setup categories utilising various multi-criteria decision analysis methods such as the analytical hierarchy process, weighted summation, and swing methods. The framework was built depending on a list of sustainability indicators that were carefully selected and attributed to each sustainability category. Then, a group of local specialists in the desalination field were involved to determine the relative weight of the sustainability categories and their indicators. Finally, multi-criteria analysis was applied to find the global sustainability index that reflects the desalination plant's sustainability status. The southern desalination plant was found to be partially sustainable, with a global sustainability index value of 65%. Finally, this research promotes sustainable water management in regions like the Gaza Strip by guiding informed decisions on reverse osmosis desalination plants, emphasising the need for ongoing sustainability efforts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mine closure is a growing concern in mining countries around the world due to the associated environmental and social impacts. This is particularly true in developing countries like South Africa where poverty, social deprivation and unemployment are widespread and environmental governance is not strong. South Africa has 230 operating mines located in diverse natural and social settings. Over 6 million people live in urban and rural mining host communities who will be significantly affected by mine closure. The national, provincial and local governments need guidance in identifying high-risk areas and relevant policy and programmatic interventions. This paper describes the development of a quantitative mine closure risk rating system that assesses the likelihood of mine closure, the risk of social impact and the risk of environmental impact of mine closure for every operating mine in the country. The paper visualises the high likelihood of closure and environmental impacts for numerous coal and gold mines, and the significant social risks in the deprived rural platinum and chrome mining areas. The rating system was tested with 10 mines and 19 experts, and the resulting maps are communicated in an online South African Mine Closure Risk and Opportunity Atlas. The risk ratings could be used in mine closure planning and management by mining companies, consultancies, governments and affected communities. While this risk rating system has been designed for South Africa, the methodology and framework could be applied to any mining country in the world.