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The SIR Iber highlights the geographical location of Ibero-American universities by positioning them according to the indicators grouped into three main factors: research, innovation and social impact. The 2020 edition highlights the formation of three groups of countries according to the production capacity of higher education institutions. In group 1 we have: Brazil, Mexico, Chile, Argentina, and Colombia as Latin American countries that managed to publish more than 60,000 papers in the period 2014-2018. This paper analyzes and compares the indicators from the five (05) Latin American countries in group 1 of the SIR Iber 2020 referring to investment in I+S as a percentage of its Gross Domestic Product (PIB), the number of full-time equivalent researchers (Inv JCE), the production (%) of scientific works in the university education sector, to name a few. A conglomerate formed with the Normalized Impact (NI) of public and private IESs is presented, regarding the global average of citation, with the data published in the SIR IBER 2020 Report, and highlights that Chile has a normalized impact above the World average for both public and private IES publications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The main aim of this study was to define a procedure useful to evaluate the potential environmental, social and economic benefits contained in paper and cardboard (or other recyclables), which are wasted in the unsorted fraction of municipal solid waste (MSW). To give a practical example, the procedure was applied to the 550 municipalities of the Campania region, in Southern Italy, but the developed procedure is applicable in any context in an 'urban mining' perspective. The procedure consists of five phases and uses two methodologies: one for the estimation of the composition analysis of the unsorted residual waste and another for the calculation of sustainability indicators able to measure the benefits wasted in the unsorted residual MSW. Six indicators were defined: two for the environment (carbon footprint and ecological footprint), two for the society (health footprint and occupational benefits) and two for the economy (economic profit and economic saving). The first methodology was developed by the regional environmental protection agency to update the MSW regional management plan. The second methodology is based on the use of the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) through which it was possible to calculate the reference parameters useful for the calculation of the impacts (i.e., loss of benefits) for recycling, mechanical and biological treatment (MBT), incineration and landfilling of paper and cardboard contained in the unsorted residual waste. The obtained results confirmed the presence of such an enormous deposit of recyclable materials contained in the unsorted residual waste, which is a potential source, but not exploited, of environmental, social and economic benefits. For instance, the paper and cardboard 'urban mine' of Naples was greater than 16 million of euro (economic profit + economic saving), with a potential saving of around 11.4 million of kgCO 2 eq. (carbon footprint), 207 million of m2 (ecological footprint), 44 Disability Adjusted Life Years (health footprint), with a creation of 30 job positions in the waste management sector (occupational benefits). [Display omitted] • A procedure consisting of five phases was developed using two methodologies. • One methodology estimates the composition analysis of the unsorted residual waste. • Another methodology used a Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) approach. • Two indicators for the environment, two for the society and two for the economy. • The paper and cardboard 'urban mine' of Naples was greater than 16 million of euro. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this review was to explore the relationship between lactational performance and health. We focused on lactational incidence rates (LIR) of the production diseases that are of economic importance to the dairy industry. Based on a review of 11 epidemiological and 14 genetic studies we found little evidence that high yielding cows have increased risk of dystocia, retained placenta, metritis and left-displaced abomasum. Results for periparturient paresis were inconsistent. Whilst we found no phenotypical relationship between milk yield and the risk of ketosis and lameness, selection for higher milk yields will probably increase LIR for these diseases. Mastitis was the only disease where there was a clear relationship between milk yield and risk of infection. Continued selection for higher milk yields will worsen this situation. However, our overall conclusion is that reviewing existing literature, even with a structured literature selection, is inadequate to the task of elucidating the relationship between lactational performance and risk of production diseases. There are substantial problems with confounding effects and unaccounted for biological correlations. In the second part of the review we argue towards a common basis for addressing production diseases. We propose abnormal body mobilisation and immune competence as common currencies for metabolic and immune status and argue for the development of indicators of metabolic imbalance and the early development of diseases. Furthermore, we suggest the use of indicators of ‘imbalance’ to guide feeding according to the needs of individual cows with their specific genotype and management history. We believe that this approach has the potential to provide new diagnostic and decision support tools to improve animal health and reproduction, whilst simultaneously maintaining optimal production and efficiency. Further research is needed to identify and validate new indicators and individual feeding strategies. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

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]

District heating and cooling systems have been present on the European market for more than a century, constantly evolving into more efficient energy infrastructures important for decarbonization of the heating and cooling sectors. With roughly 17,000 operational district heating systems, serving over 70 million citizens, currently, the final energy consumption attributed to district heating in Europe is estimated at over 450 TWh. As the European district heating and cooling sector varies extensively in every analyzed aspect, there are vast differences between European countries regarding technical preferences, technological development, market structure and regulatory frameworks of these systems. The main purpose of this paper is to provide a comprehensive overview of the present status of the district heating and cooling systems in Europe with insight(s) and suggestions into future trends. In addition, the provided data serves as a valuable baseline for future research. Finally, this paper draws attention to the new socio-demographic approach, observed when analyzing the district heating and cooling systems, that has been recently introduced into the scientific community. This new approach also reveals the opportunity for creating new indicators that will influence the modeling of existing and future district heating and cooling systems. • Provides a review on ongoing trends in European district heating and cooling sector. • Analyses European DHC systems from technological, market, and regulatory aspect. • Provides an overview on commonly used performance indicators and energy models. • Discusses the possibility of creating new DHC indicators. • Discusses the trends in future DHC development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: In this paper an integrated methodological approach is presented for the evaluation of the implementation of the Best Available Techniques (BAT) in facilities operated under Integrated Prevention Pollution and Control (IPPC) Directive, based on the development and application of a set of sub-indices. An aggregated form of sub-indices that could be used as a composite IPPC facility index is proposed. A sector specific index can be derived from facilities composite indices. This approach uses environmental performance data from European Polluting Emissions Register (EPER) reports, environmental permits and BAT Reference Documents, and gives a coherent and interesting picture of the degree of BAT implementation and an indication of IPPC obligations fulfilment. A specific application is demonstrated concerning the paper manufacturing sector in Greece. It is concluded for this sector that there is a measurable discrepancy from the BAT fulfilment obligations and that the most problematic sub-indices are the “Releases to Water” and “Releases to Air”. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The role of cost, time and labor intensity in the construction process is very important, but there is a problem of poor optimization effect. The standard genetic algorithm cannot solve the problem of index optimization in the construction process, and the optimization rationality is low. Therefore, this paper proposes an improved genetic algorithm to study the objectives of construction projects. Firstly, the k-value clustering theory is used to analyze the characteristic values of the index and divide them according to the changing trend to reduce the disturbance factors in optimization. Then, the k-value clustering theory is used to search for the child-parent node of the indicator to form the final optimization result and complete the multi-objective optimization. MATLAB simulation shows that under certain optimization criteria, improving the genetic algorithm can improve the rationality of multi-objective optimization, and the optimization time is shorter than that standard improves genetic algorithms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A new decision-support model for sustainability assessment of urban regeneration. • The indicator-based model integrates social, economic, environmental and governance aspects. • Social aspects contributed the most to the overall sustainability weighting across the four dimensions. • Building and land use were found to be the most important of the 17 evaluation categories. This paper presents a comprehensive evaluation model comprising indicators spanning four dimensions: social, economic, environmental, and governance. Extensive indicators were gathered from the literature and subsequently subjected to a rigorous screening, validation, and finalization process by a panel of 25 international experts through a Delphi survey. The relative weights assigned to each indicator were determined utilizing the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP). The findings reveal that the social dimension carries the greatest significance in achieving sustainable urban renewal (SUR), closely followed by the environmental dimension. In terms of assessment categories, the highest priority and weight (0.1186) were attributed to "building and land use," while "economic viability" (weight=0.1049), "policymaking" (weight=0.0982), "community involvement" (weight=0.0882), and "housing provision" (weight=0.850) were also identified as significant areas. The paper emphasizes that these proposed indicators can serve as valuable tools to inform the review and enhancement of urban planning guidelines and policies at the local, state, and national levels, fostering sustainable urban regeneration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In spite of the decreasing differences between rural and urban areas (e.g. in their economic structures) there are still several limitations that the rural world has to deal with. In a constantly changing world, rural development policies are a crucial issue to respond to current and potential future challenges of rural areas. They must therefore be flexible to reinforce or discard objectives as new challenges arise, enabling the necessary adaptations in the territories. All this justifies the call for a set of indicators that allow an accurate evaluation of these policies and programmes. This paper presents a set of demographic, economic, environmental and social welfare indicators that must be taken into account to assess rural development and related policies. Using the qualitative Delphi methodology, a group of experts analysed 88 proposed indicators, after which a set of 25 was selected based on their importance and on the consensus of the panel. The panel also estimated the weight of each of the four dimensions considered (population, social welfare, economy and environment) within an index to measure rural development. It has therefore been found that, in addition to the economy, social welfare is one of the areas that contributes most to the development of rural areas, thus contradicting "traditional" indices based solely on economic and demographic indicators. All this points to the need to evolve towards an index based on the results of this paper. • Rural areas still face problems that need diverse, adapted and adaptable RD policies. • RD policies must be measurable to determine whether objectives are being achieved. • Delphi method was used to design a set of indicators representing the different RD dimensions. • Indicators were selected by a panel of experts with diverse roles on RD and based on consensus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dynamic models can help adapt to climate change since they inform on the impacts of decisions and future events on sustainability. They make it possible to follow the evolution of variables over time, to model exogenous events and adaptive policies and to compute sustainability indicators. Various model types based on different worldviews exist, and they give rise to different indicators. Modellers generally choose only one type of model, limiting the variety of indicators. However, decision-makers, who have to be creative to face global change, need a wider diversity of indicators. The objective of this paper is to show the diversity of insights one can get by using alternative system indicators and their decision implications. We test our "very diverse indicators" approach and illustrate its results for a population at risk of flooding and a water-basin manager who can help the population implement protection measures. We test many variations, including e.g. viability theory and agent-based modelling, and different indicators of viability, resilience, efficiency and equity, based on comparable data sets. We show possible synergies of the obtained diversity of insights: for example, one indicator says that it is urgent to act and another which is the best policy to use. We discuss the difficulties of implementation and the benefits of our approach for the decision-maker. • Different and multidisciplinary modelling choices to address the challenge of climate change. • Various indicators produced by different modelling choices to provide a more complete and a less biased view of the problem. • Building indicators to inform decision-makers in terms of viability, resilience, efficiency and equity. • Indicators dealing differently with uncertain future events and dynamics to provide more robust information and decision. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper is focused on sustainability assessment for some of the most prominent global megacities: London, New York, Hong Kong, Los Angeles, Sao Paolo, Rio de Janeiro, Paris, Berlin, Moscow, Beijing, Singapore, Shanghai, Sydney and Tokyo. The alternative city rankings are compared and linkages between different sustainability and smart city dimensions are explored. The paper applied ELECTRE III multi-criteria decision aid tool to a panel of twenty indicators. The proposed approach allowed considering performance under four different policy priorities: environmental, economic, social and smart, changing the focus of the sustainability assessment. The results have shown that Singapore dominates the sustainability rankings under environmental policy priorities. Tokyo leads under economic and social priorities, and London and Tokyo – under smart city priorities. The worst performing cities were Shanghai, Los Angeles and Rio de Janeiro. The paper examines the innovative sustainability strategy and new governance structures that led Singapore to become the most sustainable city under environmental priorities and offers recommendations for the lower-ranking cities of Shanghai, Los Angeles and Rio de Janeiro. The assessment could be a valuable tool for policy makers and investors, and could help identify linkages between different sustainability dimensions, highlighting best practices as well as strategic opportunities in cities with sustainability potential. • The article reviews analytical methods for urban sustainability assessment; • The interdisciplinary linkages among various sustainability dimensions are traced among 140+ cities with a special emphasis on megacities; • The multicriteria sustainability assessment is conducted for 14 global megacities under environmental, economic, social and smart priorities [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accelerating the rate of genetic gain has in recent years become a key objective in plant breeding for the Global South, building on the availability of new data technologies and bridging biological interest in crop improvement with economic interest in enhancing the cost efficiency of breeding programs. This paper explains the concept of genetic gain, the conditions for its emerging status as an indicator of agricultural development and the broader implications of this move, with particular emphasis on the changing knowledge-control regimes of plant breeding, the social and political consequences for smallholder farmers and climate-adaptive agriculture. We analyse how prioritising the variables used to derive the indicator when deciding on agricultural policies affects the relationship between development goals and practice. We conclude that genetic gain should not be considered as a primary indicator of agricultural development in the absence of information on other key areas (including agrobiodiversity, seed systems and the differential impact of climate change on soil, crops and communities), as well as tools to evaluate the pros and cons of the acceleration in seed selection, management and evaluation fostered by the adoption of genetic gain as a key indicator. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper proposes the development of an index to assess rural development based on a set of 25 demographic, economic, environmental, and social welfare indicators previously selected through a Delphi approach. Three widely accepted aggregation methods were then tested: a mixed arithmetic/geometric mean without weightings for each indicator; a weighted arithmetic mean using the weights previously generated by the Delphi panel and an aggregation through Principal Component Analysis. These three methodologies were later applied to 9 Portuguese NUTS III regions using the most recent data available (2009–2020) and the results were presented to a group of experts in rural development who indicated which of the aggregation methods best measured the levels of rural development of the different territories. Finally, it was concluded that the unweighted arithmetic/geometric mean was the most accurate methodology for aggregating indicators to create a Rural Development Index. • Development of a rural development index using indicators selected by an expert panel. • Create rural development indexes by applying different aggregation methods. • Testing the most accurate method to aggregate indicators in a rural development index. • An effective tool for both policymakers and managers of rural development programs. • A useful tool to measure the impact of cohesion policy and structural programmes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper proposes a set of digitalisation indicators focused on measuring the different digital capabilities and infrastructure of electricity distribution systems, as opposed to previous indicators which have mainly focused on performance and quality of service aspects. The indicators are classified according to the pillars of digitalisation: sensor and actuator, connectivity, data processing, and digital culture. They are use-case-agnostic and do not require a huge amount of information. In addition to this, three possible new applications of these indicators for distribution system operators and regulatory authorities are identified and discussed. The extensive use of these indicators in Europe could allow the development of fruitful collaborations between distribution system operators, allow the identification of cause–effect relations between grid performance and digital infrastructure, and improve the replicability of innovative smart grid solutions. However, this will only be possible if regulators promote the adoption of the proposed indicators and the dissemination of their results. • Smart grid indicators are required by European Directive 2019/944. • Indicators on sensors/actuators, connectivity, data processing, and digital culture. • Indicators to provide an overview of the distribution grid. • Indicators to study relation between performance and digital infrastructure. • Indicators to generate information for the replicability of solutions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents the methodology developed to calculate the Self-Rescuing Index for communities downstream of mining tailings dams. An initial calculation formula was developed based on consultations with specialists in engineering, safety, geotechnology, geotechnics, geography, social work, and social sciences. This formula consisted of twenty-two indicators and five indices that make up the final index. The initial results were revised after a new round of consultation using the Delphi method, as well as considering the data available from official sources, Dam Break studies, and primary data collection from communities located in risk areas. The results were georeferenced, enabling a detailed analysis of people's location, their vulnerabilities, as well as of the territory, making a consistent geostatistical tool available for decision-making in managing disaster risks related to mining dams. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • Farmland loss is a critical issue, especially in the Global North and Europe. • Integrated planning solutions to reduce this phenomenon are lacking. • An index to identify the urbanisation risk areas in farmland is proposed. • Zoning, physical features and financial aid are considered as risk factors. • The index could be used for spatial planning and rural development. Abstract Identifying and protecting vulnerable agricultural areas is a major priority, especially in Europe, in the context of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) and zero net land degradation target. Although it has generated serious public attention for its implications for rural development, bio-economy and land use development and change, the vulnerability of farmland in the face of competing land uses has been an issue that few studies have considered in a holistic way. On the one hand, effective planning tools are lacking, especially in terms of tools to identify urbanisation risk areas. On the other hand, in some cases, there are not even comprehensive government procedures to support the protection of vulnerable farmland and encourage sustainable development of farm activities. In this paper, the author shows how integrated planning tools and methods are probably the most promising solutions to protect farmland and strengthen its cultural and socio-ecological values. The paper focuses on an index to identify risk areas (particularly by using an Italian case study), in order to respond to the current operational gap, as well as to support the difficult decision process oriented to overcome land related conflicts. The index could be used at several decision-making levels and in many sectoral plans, especially in the frame of European spatial planning and rural policies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract This paper evaluates the crucial role of unmanned aerial vehicles –UAV's- (or Drones) in the case of natural disasters response and humanitarian relief aid. The primary objective of this paper is to evaluate how unmanned aerial vehicles –UAV's- (or Drones) in the present or near future can help survivors in the case of a tsunami, earthquake, flooding, and any natural disaster. Initially, we assume that in any natural disaster always exist the high possibility of damage to the infrastructure, transportation systems, telecommunications systems access, and basic services immediately. This research proposes three areas the uses of unmanned aerial vehicles –UAV's- (or Drones) in the case of natural disasters response and humanitarian relief aid. These are (i) the aerial monitoring post-natural disaster damage evaluation, (ii) the natural disaster logistic and cargo delivery, (iii) the post-natural disaster aerial assessment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • There is a need for a systematic approach for compact and green cities. • Concepts from smart growth and green infrastructure are found to be compatible. • We developed a hierarchical target system for smart-compact-green cities. • The targets cover smart environment, multifunctionality, government, governance. • The systemic framework can be used for spatial monitoring and planning analysis. Abstract In contrast to the ongoing worldwide uncontrolled expansion of urban development resulting in sprawled cities, compact cities have been argued by planners and researchers to be the more sustainable urban form. However, in compact cities, it has been shown that a low proportion of green spaces jeopardizes the sufficient supply of urban ecosystem services. This suggests that there remains a deficiency in clear visions for operationalizing compact and green cities. To remediate this, this paper introduces a systemic conceptual framework for compact and green cities by combining the concepts of smart growth and green infrastructure. The indicator-based, smart-compact-green city framework includes two aspects: 1) smart compact cities (considering the need to limit urban sprawl through smart growth) and 2) smart green cities (reflecting the preservation and (re-)development of urban green infrastructure). The paper suggests that there is the need to balance these two aspects to develop a systemic approach towards smart-compact-green cities. A hierarchical target system grounded on four characters for smart compact and smart green cities is developed. Smart-compact-green cities can be characterized through a 1) smart environment of compact and green cities, 2) smart multifunctionality of compact and green cities (economic, social, environmental), 3) smart government for compact and green cities and 4) smart governance for compact and green cities. The characters comprise twelve factors defined by 39 indicators for smart compact cities and 44 indicators for smart green cities, respectively. The systemic framework can support researchers and practitioners to develop visions of how existing or future cities can approach smart-compact-green cities in mainstreaming the ecology of and for cities by better understanding the complexity of urban systems and providing a basis for a systematic spatial monitoring. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Targets and indicators set at the global level are powerful tools that govern health systems in low-income countries. Skilled birth attendance at a health facility is an important indicator for monitoring maternal mortality reduction worldwide. This paper examines how health workers negotiate policy implementation through the translation of clinical care into registries and reports. It does so by analysing the links between the global policy of institutional births and the role of documentation in the provision of birth care in primary health centres in Burkina Faso. Observations of health workers' practices in four primary maternity units (one urban, one semi-urban and two rural) conducted over a 12-week period in 2011–2012 are analysed alongside 14 in-depth interviews with midwives and other health workers. The findings uncover the magnitude of reporting demands that health workers experience and the pressure placed on them to provide the 'right' results, in line with global policy objectives. The paper describes the way in which they document inaccurate accounts, for example by completing the labour surveillance tool partograph after birth, thus transforming it into a 'postograph', to adhere to the expectations of health district officers. We argue that the drive for the 'right' numbers might encourage inaccurate reporting practices and it can feed into policies that are incapable of addressing the realities experienced by frontline health workers and patients. The focus on producing indicators of good care can divert attention from actual care, with profound implications for accountability at the health centre level. Highlights • Documentation is time consuming and diverts attention away from clinical care. • The drive for the 'right' numbers may encourage inaccurate reporting practices. • Inaccurate documentation practices misinform policymakers. • The focus on numbers and indicators stimulates top-down accountability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Urban metabolism concerns the evaluation of how much urban ecosystems produce and consume resources. Such an assessment is now a critical perspective in understanding the manner in which city development affects local and regional environment. Research in urban metabolism is a relatively new and ever-evolving area that encompasses a multidisciplinary field and moves toward a combined natural and social science. This paper offers a verifiable and reproducible systematic literature review of sustainable urban metabolism, analyzing and scrutinizing 813 papers for co-occurrence of keywords. This review aims to answer two research questions: (i) what are the prevailing themes in urban metabolism and (ii) how have these themes measured the support of cities toward sustainability? Through clustering analysis based on bibliometric method, four different focuses and their main keywords were outlined. The four clusters are general concept, methodology, policy issue, and specific element clusters, and their core keywords are city, energy, relationship, network, sustainability, China, indicator, economy, country, recycling, disposal, and recovery. Urban metabolism themes have evolved from nutrient flows and individual element treatment concerning industrial ecology in the course of the past century to ecological views of complex urban networks. The taxonomy of themes and the analysis of their evolution lead to further research agenda on the general framework of urban metabolism toward sustainability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Overheating regulations and calculation methods in 26 European countries were compared. • Most of the existing calculation methods are outdated and do not fit climate-proof buildings. • France requires a mixed-mode operation of naturally ventilated households. • The UK developed a heatwave-based calculation approach. • Comfort-based, multi-zonal, and time-integrated calculation approaches are needed. With the ongoing significance of overheating calculations in the residential building sector, building codes such as the European Energy Performance of Building Directive (EPBD) are essential for harmonizing the indicators and performance thresholds. This paper investigates Europe's overheating calculation methods, indicators, and thresholds and evaluates their ability to address climate change and heat events. e study aims to identify the suitability of existing overheating calculation methods and propose recommendations for the EPBD. The study results provide a cross-sectional overview of twenty-six European countries. The most influential overheating calculation criteria are listed the best approaches are ranked. The paper provides a thorough comparative assessment and recommendations to align current calculations with climate-sensitive metrics. The results suggest a framework and key performance indicators that are comfort-based, multi-zonal, and time-integrated to calculate overheating and modify the EU's next building energy efficiency regulations. The results can help policymakers and building professionals to develop the next overheating calculation framework and approach for the future development of climate-proof and resilient residential buildings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper contributes to the literature with a methodology that helps identify the functions that constrain the overall performance of an innovation system, hence providing clear guidelines to policymakers on the direction of their interventions. This methodology relies on the notion of penalty for bottleneck, which is defined as the weakest link or the binding constraint that holds back system performance. These penalty bottlenecks are applied to all the indicators that characterize innovation systems, and consider its input-output mix when assessing their performance through a Productivity Innovation Index. The data provided by the 2021 edition of the European Innovation Scoreboard are used to illustrate the utility of the method introduced in the paper. We first identify the input and output bottlenecks for every country. Second, we report the productivity loss due to the existence of these bottlenecks. Third, we evidence the responsiveness of the Productivity Innovation Index to bottleneck alleviation, from three different perspectives: (i) application of a 10 % alleviation to the input bottleneck; (ii) application of a 10 % alleviation to the output bottleneck; and (iii) application of a 5 % alleviation to both the input and output bottlenecks, respectively. • We extend the penalty for bottleneck methodology of Acs et al. (2014) to innovation input and output indicators. • We identify the bottlenecks that constrain the overall performance of innovation systems from input and output perspectives. • We compute the cost of bottlenecks in terms of the Productivity Innovation Index. • We assess the policy needs for the innovation systems of all European countries. • We offer guidelines to policymakers on the direction of their interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Several holistic approaches are based on the description of socio-ecological systems to address the sustainability challenge. Essential Variables (EVs) have the potential to support these approaches by describing the status of the Earth system through monitoring and modeling. The different classes of EVs can be organized along the environmental policy framework of Drivers, Pressures, States, Impacts and Responses. The EV concept represents an opportunity to strengthen monitoring systems by providing observations to seize the fundamental dimensions of the Earth system The Group on Earth Observation (GEO) is a partnership of 113 nations and 134 participating organizations in 2021 that are dedicated to making Earth Observation (EO) data available globally to inform about the state of the environment and enable data-driven decision processes. GEO is building the Global Earth Observation System of Systems, a set of coordinated and independent EO, information and processing systems that interoperate to provide access to EO for users in the public and private sectors. The progresses made in the development of various classes of EVs are described with their main policy targets, Internet links and key references The paper reviews the literature on EVs and describes the main contributions of the EU GEOEssential project to integrate EVs within the work plan of GEO in order to better address selected environmental policies and the SDGs. A new GEO-EVs community has been set to discuss about the current status of the EVs, exchange knowledge, experiences and assess the gaps to be solved in their communities of providers and users. A set of four traits characterizing an EV was put forward to describe the entire socio-ecological system of planet Earth: Essentiality, Evolvability, Unambiguity, and Feasibility. A workflow from the identification of EO data sources to the final visualization of SDG 15.3.1 indicators on land degradation is demonstrated, spanning through the use of different EVs, the definition of the knowledge base on this indicator, the implementation of the workflow in the VLab (a cloud-based processing infrastructure), the presentation of the outputs on a dedicated dashboard and the corresponding narrative through a story map. The concept of EV started in the climate sphere and spread to other domains of the earth system but less so in socio-economic activities. More work is therefore needed to converge on a common definition and criteria in order to complete the implementation of EVs in all GEO focus areas. EVs should screen the entire Earth's social-ecological system, providing a trusted and long-term foundation for interdisciplinary approaches such as ecological footprinting, planetary boundaries, disaster risk reduction, and nexus frameworks, as well as many other policy frameworks such as the SDGs • Defining Essential Variables (EVs) to describe the global socio-ecological system. • Setting the objectives of a new Group on Earth Observation (GEO) community activity on EVs. • Defining criteria for selecting EVs. • Demonstrating a fully functional workflow on land degradation. • Presenting a new vision for the mainstreaming of EVs in science-policy interfaces. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Biopolymers act as a sustainable and green alternative in the food industry. • Active biopolymers help in the preservation and extends the shelf life of food. • Smart packaging conveys the real-time data of the food to the consumers. • Consumer awareness fuels the development of active and smart biopolymers. The improper disposal of petroleum-based plastics has been associated with detrimental environmental consequences, such as the proliferation of microplastic pollution and increased emissions of greenhouse gases (GHGs). Consequently, biopolymers have emerged as a highly regarded alternative due to their environmental-friendly attributes and versatile range of applications. In response to consumer demands for safer food options, sustainable packaging, and escalating environmental concerns, the food sector is increasingly adopting biopolymers. Further, in the recent decade, the usage of active or functional biopolymers has evolved into smart biopolymers that can transmit real-time data to consumers. This review covers key topics such as antimicrobial and biodegradable packaging, edible coatings and films, incorporation of scavengers and bioactive substances that prolong the shelf life and guard against moisture and microbial contamination. The paper also discusses the development of edible cutlery as a sustainable substitute for plastic, the encapsulation of bioactive substances within biopolymers, 3-D food printing for regulated nutrition delivery and thickening and gelling agents that improve food texture and stability. It also discusses the integration of smart polymer functions, demonstrating their importance in guaranteeing food safety and quality, such as biosensing, pH and gas detection, antibacterial characteristics, and time–temperature monitoring. By shedding light on market trends, future scope, and potentialities, this review aims to elucidate the prospects of utilizing biopolymers to address sustainability and quality concerns within the food industry effectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The notion of ‘fuel poverty’, referring to affordable warmth, underpins established research and policy agendas in the UK and has been extremely influential worldwide. In this context, British researchers, official policymaking bodies and NGOs have put forward the notion of ‘transport poverty’, building on an implicit analogy between (recognised) fuel poverty and (neglected) transport affordability issues. However, the conceptual similarities and differences between ’fuel’ and ’transport’ poverty remain largely unaddressed in the UK. This paper systematically compares and contrasts the two concepts, examining critically the assumption of a simple equivalence between them. We illustrate similarities and differences under four headings: (i) negative consequences of lack of warmth and lack of access; (ii) drivers of fuel and transport poverty; (iii) definition and measurement; (iv) policy interventions. Our review suggests that there are important conceptual and practical differences between transport and domestic energy consumption, with crucial consequences for how affordability problems amongst households are to be conceptualised and addressed. In a context where transport and energy exhibit two parallel policy worlds, the analysis in the paper and these conclusions reinforce how and why these differences matter. As we embark on an ever closer union between our domestic energy and transport energy systems the importance of these contradictions will become increasingly evident and problematic. This work contributes to the long-term debate about how best to manage these issues in a radical energy transition that properly pays attention to issues of equity and affordability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Water security is widely recognised as an important and increasingly urgent policy challenge. To address this challenge, appropriate indicators are needed to stimulate policy action and measure the effectiveness of interventions. Indicators are more likely to have an impact on policy formulation when they are valid, credible and salient. This paper applies a co-production approach to develop a set of Urban Water Security Indicators which aim to meet these criteria. The approach was piloted in two cities, Singapore and Hong Kong. Data for a 15-year period were collected and stakeholder consultation and validation conducted. The paper reports on the indicator development process and findings, and reflects on the value of the Urban Water Security Indicators as a tool in policy formulation. The approach is being replicated in a larger group of cities as part of an ongoing research programme. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper interrogates four case studies against a resilience framework developed in the course of a research programme. A resilience framework provided the necessary structure to generalise across the case studies and begin to extract lessons from the research. By utilising the framework it is possible to benchmark resilience traits, measure progress or decline, articulate the need for diversity and the balancing of priorities, and provide a more holistic guide for policy-makers. The four case study projects are presented before a discussion links the main findings from the cases to the resilience framework. By applying a theoretical framework to diverse pieces of work, the paper demonstrates an approach to learning systematically from complex and multi-disciplinary research. In particular, the framework captures how the scope of projects expanded over time to incorporate additional dimensions of resilience. This finding highlights the need for flexibility in multi-disciplinary research projects to allow for the inclusion of dimensions that emerge as important in the course of the research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ratings are an increasingly popular part of urban sustainability governance and are widely understood as tools to guide policy and ensure transparency. This understanding is part of a more general shift in governance towards “New Public Management” that emphasizes public accountability and the accuracy of quantitative metrics and technical knowledge in policy evaluation. But critics have assessed ratings as broader mechanisms of governmentality, through which authorities shape, instrumentalize, and control conduct, and promote particular urban trajectories, in politicized ways. This paper examines STAR Communities, a recently developed urban sustainability rating system in the USA, to understand how such ratings behave at the interface of knowledge and policy, and how seeking transparency through ratings can produce unexpected outcomes that evade sustainability. This paper is not a critique of a specific rating system or set of indicators, but does yield a critique of the kinds of unexpected outcomes that are possible when we privilege quantitative measures of achievement. The study finds: 1) ratings are often used as labels rather than as policy inputs; 2) ratings can exacerbate existing inequalities and create new inequalities within and between municipalities because, while ratings can bring financial benefits, certification demands significant financial and political resources; and, 3) ratings can incentivize the realignment of governance priorities, as cities ‘grab’ points by pursuing quickly implemented, uncontroversial, and politically ‘safe’ policies and programs. The study also finds that sustainability managers continue to pursue quantitative sustainability measurement because of dominant assumptions that ‘counting is what counts’. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Methodological factors are often acknowledged for their impact on the urban sustainability assessment outcomes. The significance of this impact, however, divides those who assign it great importance; to the point of compromising any attempt at sustainability benchmarking using indicators, from those who regard it as having a relatively limited role. In this paper, we aim to contribute to this debate by assessing how methodological choices could influence the variation in the outcomes of indicator-based urban sustainability benchmarking. The paper starts with a literature review outlining the evolution of the approaches adopted since the pioneering experiences in the ‘90s to show a convergence in indicators and data over time. Subsequently, by using the data of the 25 most populous cities in Quebec, we empirically analyse the sensitivity of the cities’ sustainability scores to 18 combinations of estimation techniques, and observe consistency within the outcomes while maintaining general patterns regardless of the approach used. The results suggest that methodological choices play a limited role in the urban sustainability assessment outcomes. Thus, other determinants beyond the evaluation methods are most likely involved and therefore should be a major focus in future research agendas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although there have been a number of recent reviews on the use of traffic conflict techniques (TCTs), none have focused on the use of proximal surrogate indicators. This paper comprehensively reviews the development and application of proximal surrogate safety indicators to address this gap. There is a particular focus on more recent advancements in the application of such indicators. For each of the main indicators reviewed, the paper provides a synthesis of the main guiding principles, as well as the most prominent features, including critical or threshold values used in the past. In addition, the main advantages and disadvantages of the reviewed indicators are highlighted. Finally, a number of research gaps are identified together with recommendations for potentially useful avenues of future research [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sustainability concerns have increasingly gained importance among organizations and their stakeholders around the world. In this context, eco-efficiency has become a consistent tool towards the transition to sustainable development and the efforts of eco-efficiency indicators have been used for comparative studies and decision-making tasks, providing better financial, environmental, and social performance. The aim of this paper is to provide a systematic literature review on the theme of sustainable development from the perspective of eco-efficiency, with the adaptation of the Knowledge Development Process intervention instrument - constructivist (ProKnow-C). The paper identifies and structures the state-of-the-art between Eco-Efficiency and Sustainable Development with a view to: (i) selecting a Bibliographic Portfolio (BP) that is aligned with the perception of the researchers on the theme; (ii) performing a bibliometric analysis of the selected BP; (iii) performing a thematic synthesis; (iv) finding the integration of eco-efficiency and sustainable development with other approaches; (v) proposing an innovative framework to achieve sustainable development through eco-efficiency indicators; and (vi) finding paths for further research. This research makes multiple new contributions, providing both academics and practitioners a better panorama to achieve sustainable development through eco-efficiency by expanding the literature review, highlighting the synergies and barriers between eco-efficiency and sustainable development and by comparing and analysing them, showing its relevant features. In addition, we synthesized the contributions of the BP according to the BASF indicators, sustainable dimensions and four measurement levels: industry, organization, project and process to better describe the current academic scenario on the subject. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The notion of ‘fuel poverty’, referring to affordable warmth, underpins established research and policy agendas in the UK and has been extremely influential worldwide. In this context, British researchers, official policymaking bodies and NGOs have put forward the notion of ‘transport poverty’, building on an implicit analogy between (recognised) fuel poverty and (neglected) transport affordability issues. However, the conceptual similarities and differences between 'fuel' and 'transport' poverty remain largely unaddressed in the UK. This paper systematically compares and contrasts the two concepts, examining critically the assumption of a simple equivalence between them. We illustrate similarities and differences under four headings: (i) negative consequences of lack of warmth and lack of access; (ii) drivers of fuel and transport poverty; (iii) definition and measurement; (iv) policy interventions. Our review suggests that there are important conceptual and practical differences between transport and domestic energy consumption, with crucial consequences for how affordability problems amongst households are to be conceptualised and addressed. In a context where transport and energy exhibit two parallel policy worlds, the analysis in the paper and these conclusions reinforce how and why these differences matter. As we embark on an ever closer union between our domestic energy and transport energy systems the importance of these contradictions will become increasingly evident and problematic. This work contributes to the long-term debate about how best to manage these issues in a radical energy transition that properly pays attention to issues of equity and affordability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Transportation systems play a vital role in contributing to the economic growth and social development of urban areas. However, a number of transportation-related issues continue to plague many urban areas. Intelligent transportation systems (ITS) were introduced to solve some of these urban issues by combining advanced technologies and operational management into existing transportation systems; and many researchers and transportation professionals have contributed numerous theoretical and practical solutions toward the evolution of ITS. As transportation agencies continue to invest in existing transportation facilities, an understanding of their current status for ITS needs and the effects of investments made is required for a strategic long-term policy goal for intelligent transportation. This paper presents indicators we found that can be utilized for a consistent ITS development strategy for road appurtenances and operational management to promote intelligent road infrastructure (IRI) in urban cities. We developed these indicators utilizing a text mining technique that generated a total of 23 indicators under the service categories of the International Organization for Standardization (ISO). Using the indicators enables city officials to establish a consistent strategy in assessing the current status of urban roads and monitor the effects of investments made towards a long-term policy goal for ITS. Another contribution of our indicators is their dedicated use for urban road appurtenances and operational management, differentiating them from other ITS-related indicators. Our indicators can be assimilated easily into the need analysis at city-wide ITS planning programs due to their compatibility and can be extended to future research to develop factors to prioritize ITS needs and decision-making for cost-effective investments. • Indicators were developed to apply for road appurtenances and operational management. • City officials can use the indicators to establish a consistent ITS development strategy. • The indicators were developed to be compatible with city-wide ITS planning programs. • The indicators can potentially be extended to prioritize the ITS performance of urban road infrastructure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To address sustainability challenges in agriculture, private and multi-stakeholder initiatives increasingly use sustainability indicators to monitor the sustainability impact of farms. These indicators can be part of standards for certification or assessment tools to measure farm performance. While these initiatives play an important role in navigating the sustainability transition, insight in how these governance initiatives operationalize sustainability in crop farming is lacking. This paper examines how private and multi-stakeholder governance initiatives, which increasingly regulate the sustainability of a sizeable portion of agriculture globally, operationalize the concept of sustainability. It provides understanding into which sustainability themes are commonly included in sustainability initiatives, and those that are not, which can give insight into the direction these initiatives are steering crop production worldwide. We developed an overview of governance initiatives using databases and existing research on sustainable agriculture initiatives. Documentation about these initiatives was gathered and used to systematically review descriptive and institutional characteristics of the 29 sustainability assessment and standard initiatives. Moreover, we analyzed the kinds of indicators (i.e., performance, practice, and target) and the themes that are prioritized in the environmental, social, and economic dimensions of sustainability. The analysis shows that the 29 initiatives are very diverse in their characteristics. While some specifically focus on one crop or country, others operate across production chains and at a global scale. Within specific sectors or countries, certain standards are quite influential, for instance, the Better Cotton Initiative covers 22% of global cotton production, while in Ireland, 70% of horticulture farmers are Origin Green certified. Globally, 2% of the crop land is certified under one of the 14 standards that reported land use. Our analysis of sustainability themes show an imbalance across environmental, social, an economic sustainability, with environmental sustainability being prioritized. In particular, social themes such as quality of life, food sovereignty and fair trading practices were less often included (38, 24 and 21% respectively). Sustainability standard and assessment initiatives govern a substantial and growing portion of global cropland. They play a central role in determining what is considered sustainable and thereby influence which farming practices are applied worldwide. The impact of these initiatives is likely to continue to grow as sustainability assessments and standards become more widely adopted. In examining a large sample of standard and assessment initiatives, this study presents a comprehensive overview of the current state of sustainability indicators for crop farming globally. [Display omitted] • This paper analyzes both assessment and standard initiatives in crop production. • It analyzes the operationalization of sustainability in crop farming globally. • Imbalances are found across environmental, social, and economic sustainability themes covered. • Variation in the use of practice, target, and performance metrics can be recognized. • Continuous improvement is not widely incorporated into sustainability governance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper analyses historical energy consumption trends of the EU road transport sector and examines the role of key determinants, such as economic and population growth, fuel prices, passenger and tonne-kilometres and vehicle fleet characteristics. In light of the EU 2030 and 2050 energy and climate targets, the paper assesses the energy efficiency and decarbonisation progress from 2000 to 2018. A detailed analysis is carried out using a balanced panel dataset from 1995 to 2018 and a test for causality between energy consumption and the selected explanatory variables. The results suggest that the declining trend of the normalised energy consumption of cars, trucks and light vehicles, which both dropped significantly in 2018 compared to 2000, can be related to energy efficiency and decarbonisation policies adopted by the EU and its Member States over the studied period. Decomposition analysis based on the Logarithmic Mean Divisia Index technique confirms the role of energy efficiency gains in curbing energy consumption of road transport, even with the strong upward force exerted by motorisation and population effects, especially in passenger transport. It also suggests that during the recession years (2008–2013), road transport consumption fell due to a sharp drop in the mileage but not in the motorisation effect, which continued to drive up consumption even in this period. Despite some positive developments, the increased demand for road transportation has led to continued energy consumption growth. This has been further compounded by differences between real-world and vehicle certification fuel consumption data. The article highlights the need to strengthen the current policy framework at the EU and MS levels in the next decade to reach the long-term decarbonisation targets. In the context of these targets, a more in-depth investigation of the real impact of energy efficiency and decarbonisation efforts will also become increasingly important. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Water supply must take into consideration a variety of factors, including consumer habits, options and needs. Little is known about water demands in rural areas of developing regions. Based on data from southern Mali, this paper banks on the hypothesis that water consumption in rural villages can be predicted by combining measurable variables with spatial analyses. A ten-day field campaign was carried out at the end of the dry season 2016. All improved water sources were checked for functionality, flow rate and water quality. Outcomes were coupled with those from over one-hundred household interviews and incorporated into a geographic database. Buffered network analyses were used to quantify the main spatial determinants for water use. Simple and multiple regression models were then developed to establish the main predictors for per capita and household water consumption. Multiple regression reveals that models based on the number of household members, travel time and total travel distance provide robust forecasts for water consumption (R 2 > 0.93). Conversely, potentially relevant parameters such as affordability or water quality were not statistically significant. This could be attributed to the presence of free water sources and to the absence of quality-monitoring, respectively. Outcomes also suggest that having access to basic means of transportation, such as pushcarts, doubles water consumption at the household level. In terms of access to improved water sources, coverage was found to be lower in practice than on paper. These outcomes contribute to the growing body of literature that challenges the widely accepted assumption that 90% of the world population has access to safe drinking supplies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper presents a possible approach for creating business decisions based on multi-criteria analysis. Seven options for a possible revitalization of the thermal power plant “Kolubara”-A Unit No. 2 with energy indicators of sustainable development (EISD) are presented in this paper. The chosen EISD numerically express the essential features of the analyzed options, while the sustainability criteria indicate the option quality within the limits of these indicators. In this paper, the criteria for assessing the sustainability options are defined based on several aspects: economic, social, environmental and technological. In the process of assessing the sustainability of the considered options the Analysis and Synthesis of Parameters under Information Deficiency (ASPID) method was used. In this paper, the EISD show that production and energy consumption are closely linked to economic, environmental and other indicators, such as economic and technological development of local communities with employment being one of the most important social parameter. Multi-criteria analysis for the case study of the TPP “Kolubara”-A clearly indicated recommendations to decision makers on the choice of the best available options in dependence on the energy policy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Swiss agri-environmental data network (SAEDN) encompasses farm management data, which are collected and processed annually to calculate indicators such as greenhouse gas emissions, potential biodiversity impact, or erosion risk. These indicators are yearly published in the framework of an agri-environmental monitoring programme and serve as decision support for policy makers and other stakeholders. Furthermore, the collected data are frequently used for research projects. This paper compares the SAEDN farms with the whole of Switzerland. It addresses the question of how appropriate the data collected are for monitoring purposes as well as research projects. The data collection procedure of the SAEDN is described in detail, including automated tests that improve the data quality. Furthermore, key figures of the SAEDN farms are analysed and compared with the whole of Switzerland in order to assess the significance of the farm network. The time-consuming data collection has resulted in a relatively small, non-random sample of Swiss farms (approx. 300 farms per year). The farms participating in the SAEDN represent the dominant agroecosystems of Switzerland reasonably well, while certain crop specialisations (viticulture and field vegetable production) and small ruminant husbandry are only marginally represented. The latter can partially be explained by an underrepresentation of farms located in southern Switzerland and in the mountains. Another problem is the continuously changing composition of the farm network. Thus, robust time series cannot be produced for all desired farm classifications (e.g. special crops). The collected data offer valuable insights into Swiss land use and farm management practices. To our knowledge, the presented dataset is the most comprehensive source of agronomic data in Switzerland covering many aspects such as complete crop rotations, field-specific fertilisation, and plant protection product use. The data thus provide an important basis for research projects, decisions in the political and legal context, and the development of a future monitoring system. [Display omitted] • The Swiss agri-environmental data network (SAEDN) is presented in this paper. • The suitability of the sampled data for agri-environmental monitoring and research projects is assessed. • The farms participating in the SAEDN represent only the dominant agroecosystems of Switzerland reasonably well. • The usefulness of the data for monitoring purposes is limited due to a rather small and time-varying sample. • The data offers valuable insights into Swiss land use and farm management practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Sustainable Development Goals (Agenda 2030) have evoked optimism but have also been criticized for reproducing a universal template grounded in a western and neoliberal ideology. Identifying three strands of responses/critiques on the SDGs from a review of literature across several disciplines, I analyze what they have to say in the light of histories of past development work. I analyze how universalism is understood differently in different disciplinary approaches and how, despite its limitations, Agenda 2030 might provide a platform to meet current challenges across the world and a framework to talk across different geographies and disciplines. While a delinking from current development and global economic structures are needed for change, I explore how the SDGs can be used to redeploy development to change those very structures. I argue that decolonizing development calls for changing development structures from inside out as much as finding new ways of being outside it. • The Sustainable Development Goals have been criticized for promoting a universalist agenda underpinned by Global North and neoliberal interests. • The paper identifies three overarching critiques and approaches in relation to the SDGs with indicators at the heart of their differences. • Discussing the different approaches that universalism can take, the paper 'walks backwards into the future,' looking to development histories to identify how the tools, language and spaces of development may be used for emancipatory struggles for change. • It is argued that indicators, at the center of the debates on SDG universalism, rather than a final framework may be seen as 'fictional expectations' as well as 'contact zones' where different interests might meet and make way for challenging dominance of some, especially the global North. • A universal SDG agenda offers the possibility where local imaginaries may meet, collective imaginaries constructed and indicators used as tools for a conversation towards Agenda principles not as final but as sites for a needed debate on the future we want. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is increasing legislative and public pressure for the design and build of road infrastructure schemes to achieve better sustainability performance. Roadside noise barriers (RNBs) form a major part of the growing road infrastructure system in mitigating undesirable road noise to impacted communities. However, the relative sustainability of common RNBs is little understood in the research and industry literature. This makes it difficult for stakeholders to make informed decisions with regards to the sustainable design and procurement of RNBs. This paper presents nowel research carried out to assess and rank the relative sustainability of 13 RNB types using three multi criteria analysis (MCA) techniques, i.e. Simple Additive Weighting (SAW), Preference Ranking Organisation MeTHod for Enrichment Evaluations (PROMETHEE), and Elimination et Choice Translating Reality (ELECTRE III). The paper concludes that the presented sustainability rankings of the main RNB types from least sustainable to most sustainable will support the relevant stakeholders, involved in the planning, design, and procurement stages, to evaluate the sustainability of RNB options as either part of a large highways scheme or standalone project. The presented results will save significant analysis time and costs in cases whereby it is unfeasible to conduct MCAs. The presented sustainability asssessment methodology may also provide the basis for an industry sustainability certification sceheme and in turn support advancing the sustainability transport agenda. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This opinion paper introduces a special series of articles dedicated to freshwater benthic algae and their use in assessment and monitoring. This special series was inspired by talks presented at the 9th International Congress on the Use of Algae for Monitoring Rivers and Comparable Habitats (Trento, Italy, 2015), the latest of a series of meetings started in 1991. In this paper, we will first provide a brief overview of phytobenthos methods in Europe. Then, we will turn towards the ‘dark side’ of phytobenthos and describe four particular problems for phytobenthos assessment in the European Union: (1) over-reliance on a single group of algae (mostly diatoms) to the exclusion of other groups; (2) relatively low adoption of benthic algae for ecological assessments in lakes; (3) absence of measures of phytobenthos abundance; (4) approaches used to define boundaries between ecological classes. Following this, we evaluate the strengths and limitations of current phytobenthos assessment methods against 12 criteria for method evaluation addressing four areas: ecological rationale, performance, feasibility of implementation, and use in communication and management. Using these criteria, we identify and discuss three general challenges for those developing new methods for phytobenthos-based assessment: a weak ecological rationale and insufficient consideration of the role of phytobenthos as a diagnostic tool and for communicating ecosystem health beyond a narrow group of specialists. The papers in the special series allow a comparison with the situation and approaches in the USA, present new methods for the assessment of ecological status and acidification, provide tools for an improved management of headwaters and petrifying springs, discuss the utility of phytobenthos for lake assessments, and test the utility of functional measures (such as biofilm phosphorus uptake capacity, PUC). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The concept of resilience is increasingly used in academic and policy circles. To operationalize this concept and reduce the ambiguities surrounding it, since the turn of the century, various resilience assessment methodologies have been introduced. This paper provides a critical review of 36 selected community resilience assessment tools. These tools have been developed by a variety of entities, including national and local organizations, international donor organizations, and academic researchers. First, an overview of the selected tools is presented. This overview analysis shows that while some commonalities exist, there are also considerable differences between the tools. Next, based on literature review, an analytical framework is developed that identifies six criteria for evaluating performance of resilience assessment tools. These are, namely, addressing multiple dimensions of resilience, accounting for cross-scale relationships, capturing temporal dynamism, addressing uncertainties, employing participatory approaches, and developing action plans. Results show that limited success has been achieved in addressing these criteria. In terms of comprehensiveness, the environmental dimension has received relatively less attention in spite of its significance for building community resilience. Further improvements are needed to account for dynamics over time and across space. More attention to employing iterative processes that involve scenario-based planning is needed to better address challenges associated with uncertainties. Results also show that more attention needs to be paid to stakeholder participation in developing assessment tools. The paper concludes by highlighting several other areas of weakness that need to be addressed and discussing major challenges that still remain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper reports systematic attempts to measure and assess recovery after recent major earthquakes. The aim is to compare different methods, both quantitative and qualitative, and to assess which are more cost effective rather than detail the process of recovery after particular events. The paper also discusses how resilience relates to recovery. The methods trialled are all capable of measuring the speed, and to some extent the quality, of recovery, but the merits of each depends on the resources available and the level of detail or precision required. The recommended approach is to use the methods in combination. Specifically satellite imagery analysis can be combined with ground survey, social audit and published data to develop a spatial-temporal geo-database that can be used to monitor recovery. To date, however, it would appear to be challenging to measure resilience. An approach might be to attempt to isolate the factors underlying resilience and focus on measuring these. This might be achieved by analysing recovery after a wide variety of events and building models of resilience based on these factors. These predictions of resiliencey for a wide range of countries at risk might then be compared with the speed and quality recovery after future events. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The UK Environmental Change Network (ECN), the UK's Long-Term Ecosystem Research (LTER) network, has now been operating for over twenty years. It was established in 1992 as a set of terrestrial sites at which sustained observations relevant to a range of ecological indicators and environmental parameters could be made. An additional ECN freshwater network was launched in 1994. In this paper we provide a brief history of the network, and describe its current structure and role within a complementary wider range of UK environmental monitoring and observation programmes that are either more focussed on specific parameters or habitats, or operate at different temporal and spatial scales. We then provide a review of the other papers within this Special Issue, which exemplifies the broad range of environmental concerns that ECN data and sites are helping to address. These include network-wide summaries of environmental and biological trends over the first two decades of monitoring, more site-specific assessment of the ecological impacts of local pressures resulting from changes in management, biological and ecosystem service indicator development, and the testing of new monitoring technologies. We go on to consider: (i) future directions of network development and adaptation in light of recently emerging environmental concerns, dwindling financial resources and the consequent need for greater efficiency; (ii) the desire for tighter integration with other monitoring and observation programmes both nationally internationally; (iii) opportunities raised by recent technological developments; and (iv) the need to process and make available data more rapidly to increase the capacity of ECN sites as early warning systems. In its first two decades of operation the ECN has accumulated a robust set of baseline data that describe environmental and biological variability across a range of habitats in unprecedented detail. With appropriate, informed development, these should prove invaluable in discerning the causes and consequences of environmental change for decades to come. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper argues for a multidisciplinary framework to assess the relationship between environmental processes and social sciences that can be adapted to any geographic location. This includes both physical (earthquake hazard) and human (social vulnerability) dimensions in the context of disaster risk reduction. Disasters varies drastically depending on the local context. Indeed, the probability of a natural disaster having more devastating effects in one place than in another depends on the local vulnerability components of the affected society (cultural, social and economic). Therefore, there is an important correlation between the potential risk and the social resistance and resilience of a specific place, thus the disaster response varies according to the social fabric. In this context, the evaluation of social vulnerability is a crucial point in order to understand the ability of a society (studied at individual, household or community level) to anticipate, cope with, resist and recover from the impact of natural disaster events. Within this framework, the paper discusses how it is possible to integrate social vulnerability into the seismic risk analysis in Italy. Specifically, socioeconomic indicators were used to assess and mapping social vulnerability index. Afterwards, a Geographic Information System (GIS) approach was applied to identify the spatial variability of social vulnerability to seismic hazard. Through the use of a risk matrix, the classes of a social vulnerability index map were combined with those of a seismic hazard map proposed by INGV (National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology). Finally, a qualitative social vulnerability exposure map to an earthquake hazard was produced, highlighting areas with high seismic and social vulnerability levels. Results suggest the importance of the integration of social vulnerability studies into seismic risk mitigation policies, emergency management and territorial planning to reduce the impact of disasters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The 2018 European bioeconomy strategy sets a new vision for Europe's sustainable development: a transition to regenerative resource usage that embraces circular principles. Similarly, various member states have developed national bioeconomy strategies. To be effective, such strategies require methodologically sound monitoring tools that support the alignment of national and urban policies. Indeed, cities are central to the bioeconomy, mobilizing ever increasing amounts of biogenic materials. To better understand the suitability of national bioeconomy strategies for guiding urban circular bioeconomy transitions, this paper examines the composition, features, and topical coverage of national bioeconomy indicator sets with a threefold analysis: (1) assessment of the integration of circularity principles in the sets and their alignment with existing policy frameworks; (2) appraisal of quality and the fulfillment of the sets' functional purposes; (3) evaluation of the breadth and depth of tackled issues. Of the 27 EU member states, only nine have a dedicated bioeconomy strategy, of which four propose an indicator set. While there is a general lack of sophisticated monitoring, the tools proposed after the publication of the 2018 bioeconomy strategy (Germany and Italy) follow indicator development standards rigorously. They include circularity in their notion of bioeconomy and combine indicators for a comprehensive, substantial, informative and politically relevant analysis. These characteristics strongly improve the potential for alignment and coherence with urban-level bioeconomy monitoring efforts. Although national measuring tools are not intended to cover all urban needs, the findings of this paper give insight into their remaining gaps and highlight improvement pathways for an efficient EU-wide circular bioeconomy transition. [Display omitted] • Most EU national bioeconomy strategies lack sophisticated indicator sets. • National bioeconomy strategies should favor alignment with other policy levels. • Thoroughly developed indicator sets allow targeted answers to environmental change. • Recent strategies follow indicator development standards more rigorously. • Recent indicator sets enable monitoring of urban circular bioeconomy transitions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• This article is in reaction to the new Directive (EU) on the resilience of critical entities. • It was created using the Critical Entities Resilience Failure Indication tool (CERFI Tool). • The CERFI Tool connects threat knowledge and the resilience of critical entities. • The CERFI Tool contributes to improving the safety of energy and transport infrastructures. • The use case focuses on the assessment of a physical attack on an electricity substation. The adoption of the new Directive (EU) 2022/2557 on the resilience of critical entities has raised the question of how to assess the level of resilience of these entities in relation to current security threats. Until now, approaches have focused only on assessing the resilience of critical infrastructure elements. However, the new Directive exemplifies the need to pay attention not only to the element resilience, but also and more importantly to the resilience of their owners and operators, i.e., critical entities. Based on this fact, the authors of the article created a tool for Critical Entities Resilience Failure Indication (CERFI Tool). The essence of this tool is a probabilistic algorithm that predicts the relationship between the threat intensity and the protective part of critical entity resilience through indicators (to be created by the assessors themselves). The result of this prediction is an indication of the critical point of failure of the critical entity's resilience in phases of prevention and absorption of impacts. The CERFI Tool thus contributes to increasing the safety of technically oriented infrastructures, especially those of an energy and transport nature. The paper concludes with an example of the practical application of the developed tool on a selected critical entity in the energy sector. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• There is high consistency in the extent of land degradation. • There are consistent hydrothermal change characteristics in the land degradation hotspots area. Land degradation is a major impediment to achieving sustainable development. However, there is currently no harmonized global map of land degradation status and hotspots. This paper aims to obtain the status and hotspots map of global land degradation by multiple methods and indicators to give essential references for land degradation neutrality. The results show that there are significant differences in the distribution and degree of land degradation between the different methods and indicators. Validation through observation points reveals that most of the methods and indicators can reflect land degradation in arid and semi-arid areas, while there are suitable methods or indicators in tropical and high-latitude areas. The degree of degradation has a large difference after overlay analysis, which shows that there are shortcomings of different methods and indicators for monitoring the degree of land degradation. However, the overlay of land degradation extent displays a high consistency, reflecting the current state of global land degradation to a certain extent. These areas with high overlay value can be recognized as hotspots of land degradation. It is also found there are consistent water-energy change characteristics in the hotspot area, such as increased land surface temperature and air temperature and decreased soil moisture and precipitation. These results conclude that studies on the degree of land degradation need to be considered in an integrated manner about the regional background. The combination of multiple methods and indicators is recommended for land degradation extent studies in large areas. Comparison of different methods and indicators is important guidance for global land degradation research. Accelerating ecological monitoring and restoration of land degradation hotspots is the first step towards land degradation neutrality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite their limitations as proxy measures, indicators can serve as leverage points in encouraging policy change. Facing the global urgency of climate change and increasingly recognizing the role of education in providing the social and political impetus for climate action, indicators on climate change education can help. However, despite the encompassing of climate change education in several Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) targets, the associated global indicators currently rely on country self-reported and otherwise inadequate data. This paper describes a collaborative process of developing publicly available third-party data sources to support more robust indicators of climate change education, including in relation to the SDGs. • Climate change education is closely intertwined with the Sustainable Development Goals, in particular target 4.7. • High quality indicators can be useful to support necessary policy change. • The few existing indicators that on climate change education are based on self-reported and otherwise inadequate data. • Collaboratively developed indicators based on third-party data offer a path to the development of more robust indicators. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Frugal innovation can help to foster sustainability and address global challenges, like building economic growth, addressing various social needs, and protecting the environment. However, if one wants to measure the sustainability impacts of frugal innovation or enable companies to make empirically informed decisions between frugal and alternative innovation, the question of how to assess these empirical impacts arises. The main objectives of this paper are the identification of approaches and indicators for assessing the sustainability impacts of frugal innovation and the analysis of empirical findings relating to prior assessments. To this end, a systematic literature review was conducted, which identified 15 texts, and a qualitative content analysis was employed to evaluate their contents. From these analyses two main approaches for assessment emerged. First, the assessment based on the triple bottom line or the dimensions of sustainability (ecological, social, and economic). Second, assessment against the Sustainability Development Goals. In the identified texts, the sustainability dimensions are preferred over the Sustainable Development Goals for assessing the sustainability impacts of frugal innovation. From the 15 identified texts, 13 use qualitative indicators and two quantitative (conceptual) indicators. To answer the research question of the paper, a set of 47 qualitative indicators relating to integrated dimensions of sustainability for the assessment of the sustainability impacts of frugal innovation is proposed. In addition, this paper presents new insights relating to the empirical evidence of sustainability impacts of frugal innovation. Approximately 60% of 334 empirical findings from 70 different cases related to the Sustainable Development Goals contribute to the five (socially and economically focused) SDGs 8, 3, 10, 12, and 9. After a transformation to the Triple Bottom Line, these findings contribute predominantly to the economic and social dimensions (in each case 45%), and only slightly to the ecological dimension (the remaining 10%). In turn, 164 empirical results from 77 different cases related to the Triple Bottom Line show an almost similar contribution to all three sustainability dimensions with a small lead of the economic dimension. Nonetheless, in the opinion of the author, these findings confirm other studies, that from an empirical perspective, frugal innovation can be described as inherently socially and economically sustainable and ecological sustainability is mostly not the primary focus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]