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Copyright of Studia Ecologiae et Bioethicae is the property of Uniwerystet Kardynala Stefana Wyznskiege w Warzawie 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.)

With technological improvement such as ore exploration, robotics, and hydrodynamic lifting, deep-sea mining has attracted more attention from governments, companies, and scientific research institutions. Although its research and development has made great progress, there are still many obstacles in its industrial development, such as environmental pollution and sustainability development issues. This article analyses the research status of the sustainable development of deep-sea mining from an overall perspective. Through a literature review, this paper also discusses the application of the full life cycle assessment method to analyze environmental impact during the entire process of deep-sea mining ore application. Overall, this paper summarizes the research gaps that exist in the sustainable development of deep-sea mining, including the lack of sufficient quantitative research, environmental baseline data research, cumulative environmental impact assessment, resource recycling technology, and acceptable environmental impact range analysis. The significance of this article is to point out the most urgent problems to be solved in the research direction of the sustainable development of deep-sea mining in current academic circles. It has far-reaching potential to promote the industrialization process of the entire deep-sea mining industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper provides a brief review on wastewater treatment system and the application of life cycle assessment (LCA) for assessing its environmental performance. An extensive review regarding the geographical relevance of LCA for WWTPs, and the evaluation of sustainable wastewater treatment by LCA in both developed and developing countries are also discussed. The objective of the review is to identify knowledge gap, for the improvement of the LCA application and methodology to WWTPs. A total of 35 published articles related to wastewater treatment (WWT) and LCA from international scientific journals were studied thoroughly and summarised from 2006 to 2022. This review found that there is lack of studies concerning LCA of WWTPs that consider specific local criteria especially in the developing countries. Thus, it is important to: (1) assess the influence of seasonality (i.e., dry and wet seasons) on the environmental impact of WWT, (2) investigate environmental impacts from WWTPs in developing countries focusing on the site-specific inventory data, and (3) evaluate environmental sustainability of different processes for upgrading the wastewater treatment system. The environmental impact and cost assessment aspects are crucial for the sustainable development of WWTP. Therefore, environmental impacts must be thoroughly assessed to provide recommendation for future policy and for the water industry in determining environmental trade-offs toward sustainable development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The integration of bioeconomy principles in bionic production holds promise for enhancing sustainability and resource efficiency. This scientific article aims to investigate the potential of bioeconomy-driven approaches in bionic production, focusing on the utilization of renewable biological resources, sustainable manufacturing techniques, and circular design strategies. The research questions guide the exploration of resource utilization, manufacturing techniques, waste reduction, environmental impact assessment, and economic considerations. The article presents a conceptual framework that integrates bioeconomy principles throughout the life cycle of bionic products, validating the proposed concepts and methodologies. By embracing bioeconomy principles, this article highlights the potential of bionic production to contribute to sustainable development, resource conservation, and the transition toward a bioeconomy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In mid 20s Carson (1963) raised the question of environmental issues in economics as one that should be discussed by practitioners and researchers. From that point, the environmental issues from the analysis of exhaustible and productive resources to its economic role and consequentially its impact, were examined. Environment affects must be considered as human activity-based processes which repercussions effect economy in general. Thus, the long-term decision-making processes in economy must take into account future generations as well. Furthermore, tourism as an economic activity is growing rapidly and one must take into consideration, that it is based on, primarily, natural environment and man-made resources. Degradation of basic tourism resources can lead to decrease of tourism demand. Therefore, the analysis of environmental impact on tourism, and vice versa, the impact of tourism on environment is crucial. With the development of information technology sector, new and innovative methods for analysis and forecasting have emerged such as artificial intelligence. The main hypothesis of this paper is to research how artificial intelligence can contribute to analysis and investigating environmental aspect of tourism. Therefore, the paper provides a theoretical overview of possible fields of artificial intelligence usage in sustainability, in the context of tourism development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In planning regional road development, planners often face a challenge to reconcile various interests and interpretations on the ultimate goals which complicate the discussion decision-making processes. This situation is defined as strategic ambiguity. Standard procedures for impact assessment are mostly ineffective at offering solutions that satisfy all involved stakeholders. This paper analyses the situation by using a Multiple Stream Framework (MSF) approach. MSF identifies three factors, labelled "streams', i.e. the problems, the solutions, and the politics streams, that open sustainability 'windows' for integrating different interests. This paper investigates the opening of such windows in two highway projects in Indonesia. Both projects showed a high ambition for achieving environmental sustainability. In these cases, the window was opened through (i) recognition of the problems and the solutions by the active involvement of stakeholders, (ii) coalitions with influential stakeholders for political supports, and (iii) mobilization of resources and policy networks by the stakeholders. It is concluded that planners might influence the streams to outline decision-making processes and to implement environmental impact assessments effectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Environmental & Social Management Journal / Revista de Gestão Social e Ambiental is the property of Environmental & Social Management Journal 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.)

Lack of comprehensive land use planning in India has posed significant challenges in achieving more optimal utilisation of land resources. This has also limited the opportunities for developing land use plans that adequately reflect the rationale and objectives of planning. This calls for developing a comprehensive and holistic approach to review the compatibility of actions associated with development plans involving multiple sectors with the ground realities. This paper is an attempt to apply strategic environmental assessment (SEA) as a promising tool to identify environmental risks and deficiencies in the land use planning process in India. The paper draws on the experience of applying SEA to Gurgaon-Manesar Development Plan for 2031 and elaborates on the merits and usefulness of adopting SEA in land use planning in the Indian context. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Nowadays, the population growth leads environmental, legislative, and social concerns. As a consequence, government and companies started to be aware of the impact of supply chain operations in the environment and society. While most of research in Supply Chain Network Design (SCND) has focused on economic performance, recently some studies consider environmental and social aspects of the SCND. The majority of existing related papers deal with multi-objective optimization modelling approaches when considering sustainable aspects of the supply chain. In this study, the optimization of a hierarchized Sustainable Supply Chain Network Design (SSCND) is addressed. To model this situation, a bi-level programming approach is considered. In the proposed model, an Environmental Protection Agency from the government has the leader role and acts as the upper level decision maker. Also, the supply chain's manager assumes the follower role acting as the lower level decision maker. Leader's objective function considers environmental aspects, while follower's objective function considers economical aspects. In the modelled situation, the government tries to cause an impact in the SCND by offering financial incentives (subsidies) and by encouraging the supply chain's manager to use cleaner technologies. The resulting bi-level programming model is a mixed-integer linear program. Due to the structure of the lower level problem, the bi-level model cannot be reduced into an equivalent single-level one by using KKT conditions. Therefore, an algorithm based on the simulated annealing metaheuristic is proposed for solving the problem. The results show that an appropriate government's financial incentives strategy lead to significantly decrease the environmental impact of the SSCND. Moreover, a greater impact is achieved when the financial incentives do not depend on the total production obtained via the use of cleaner technologies (scenario 1) than assigning subsidies based on the production made with specific technologies (scenario 2). Furthermore, the proposed model could be considered as a new approach for SSCND procuring environmental and economic aspects under an assumed predefined hierarchy. Highlights • A sustainable supply chain network design (SSCND) is studied in this paper. • Incentives are offered to the companies promoting the use cleaner technologies. • A novel bi-level programming model is proposed to handle with this problem. • An algorithm based on simulated annealing is designed to find acceptable solutions. • Results show significant reductions in the environmental impact of the SSCND. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract The Sustainable Development Goals agreed by the United Nations in September 2015 comprise 17 goals and 169 targets aimed at integrating matters related to sustainable development into the overall economic, environmental and social frameworks of countries. Whereas the SDGs have a global dimension, their action implementation depends on the level of priority different countries give to them, and on how sustainability issues compete with a country's main problems. The aim of this paper was to identify the main Sustainable Development Goals approached by experts from different geographic regions, according to their experience and research area, and to discuss the relation between these goals and the main local issues and challenges of each region. The methodology starts with snowball sampling to collect information from experts from all geographic regions, through contact networks of universities in different countries. With the information about the goals researched by the participating experts, an analysis of the relation between the study focus and the geographical regions of origin was conducted. A total of 266 specialists from North America, Latin America/Caribbean, Africa, Asia, Europe and Oceania participated in the survey. Based on the sample used, it can be said that there is a relation between the local problems or challenges observed in some regions and the main areas of interest of the surveyed experts, with a general emphasis on the study of goals 4, 11 and 13. Based on the data gathered, the paper presents a set of examples of positive and negative situations in the various regions, and considers the extent to which some Sustainable Development Goals are being pursued by research on a worldwide basis. Graphical abstract Image Highlights • The SDGs are now being implemented by many countries. • There are differences in the emphasis to the implementation of the SDGs across different geographical regions. • Goals related to Climate Action, Sustainable Cities and Education seem to be among the most popular ones. • The research gaps suggest that many SDGs deserve more attention in order not to "leave anyone behind". [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Outdoor educators are adapting practices to respond to the priorities of education for sustainability. New practices are emerging or adopted from elsewhere. In Europe, the American recreational movement of Leave No Trace (LNT) has influenced environmental education programs. LNT has been criticized for encouraging a reduction in environmental impact in wilderness areas while ignoring the more significant impacts of equipment purchase, travel, and modern lifestyles. This paper extends the critiques of LNT, suggesting that it encourages attitudes of a separation from nature. It suggests that the LNT concept is unrealistic and unhelpful in Europe, where most landscapes have experienced the impact of humans for millennia. Inspired by European approaches of human-nature relations, and at a time of need for significant environmental changes, I suggest that educational programs seeking to connect people with nature encourage people to "leave more trace" or, perhaps, to "consider their trace" instead. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The circular economy (CE) paradigm in its broadest sense is key to our survival as a species. Due to this critical importance, understanding its fundamental limitations is thus of significant importance. Especially understanding the losses to Nature are key as these represent the true limitation to circularity. This requires at the minimum an understanding of the thermodynamics and entropy of the losses. Most CE work as well as the many depictions to date neglect to address this in detail, the many losses are brushed aside. Many texts in CE do not use the words entropy, thermodynamics, mass and heat transfer, technology etc. which all ultimately fundamentally affect both the circularity as well as economic viability of the system. Using lead as carrier for the narrative of this paper, the state-of-the art from technology to the thermodynamics as well as heat and mass transfer, product design, modularity, environmental impact, system simulation etc. will be critically discussed. This will reveal what key knowledge and data is presently missing to achieve the economically viable circularity of materials and products. This paper identifies what should be researched and developed to “close” the circular economy system. It thus provides a “ground zero” or baseline for the evaluation of the true economic viability of the CE paradigm relative to what we are presently achieving in our linear economy paradigm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The production of crude palm oil has environmental, economic and social implications. A sustainability assessment framework is needed to improve the sustainability performance of crude palm oil production in a carbon-constrained economy. The objective of this paper is to develop Performance Measures for triple bottom line assessment in the Malaysian palm oil industry, which includes Key Performance Indicators and Higher Performance Indicators for implementing the sustainability assessment framework. The Performance Measures of the triple bottom line assessment were built on the framework of Lim and Biswas (Sustainability 7(12):16561-16587, 2015). The measures were further developed through a participatory approach involving stakeholders and area experts, including Government, Industry, Academia and Local Smallholders/Non-Government Organisations. The developed framework presents a final list of Performance Measures, Key Performance Indicators and Higher Performance Indicators using a structured process and introduces weighting factors to the indicators to reflect the difference in the perceived level of importance. The calculation methods of the assessment framework were verified, and finally, the framework was tested using hypothetical data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although there are substantial benefits by using an adequate strategy in order to reach competitive advantage, little attention has been given to the strategy formulation process for environmental sustainability. The aim of this research is to propose a basic model to formulate strategy for companies that compete pursuing the sustainable environmental development. Based on a literature research of 231 papers, 14 papers were selected and analyzed in detail using content analysis. These papers were categorized into 10 strategy perspectives and compared to the criteria of the Fields and Weapons of the Competition model. From this comparison, a basic process of strategy formulation was devised. The originality and practical implications of this research is to present a basic, adaptable model that can guide entrepreneur, executives and leaders in the process of strategy formulation for sustainable environmental development, especially in times when companies become surrounded by so many environmental sustainable initiatives that confuse rather than guide. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Considering the history of cleaner production in the Asia-Pacific region, there have been sustained efforts to develop cleaner production techniques and also techniques for sustainability assessment to ensure that the desired benefits from cleaner production are actually achieved. Two conferences, the Asia Pacific Roundtable on Sustainable Consumption and Production (APRSCP) and the International Conference on Green and Sustainable Innovation (ICGSI) have been organized regularly to bring together experts on cleaner production as well as assessment. Papers presented at these events form part of this special volume along with some invited papers from outside. The papers cover a wide range of topics under the cleaner production umbrella including product and process development and innovation, environmental assessments including carbon footprint, water footprint, life cycle assessment and more comprehensive sustainability assessment including socio-economic issues along with environmental ones. The papers in this special volume reflect the status of green and sustainable innovation for cleaner production in the Asia-Pacific region. The studies in this volume demonstrate Asian examples of the development of innovative technologies and the application of life cycle thinking-based assessment techniques, including those that are well-established and emerging ones. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While hospitals, sustainable healthcare organizations, and recent peer-reviewed publications have assessed the sustainability of medical products and services, the healthcare industry lacks a framework to effectively inform environmental decision making and quantitatively assess the success of sustainability initiatives for medical products and services. Several recent publications have even expressed a need for better ways to quantify sustainable healthcare practices. To address these needs, this research compared the cradle-to-grave environmental and economic impacts of some of the most common recommendations from checklists: reusable versus disposable medical products, and changes to common medical services. Salient results and conclusions from recent studies focusing on the environmental and economic impacts of various reusable versus disposable medical products and different medical services were synthesized and prioritized. All relevant results related to environmental and economic impacts of reusable versus disposable medical products and the analyzed medical services were also correlated with existing sustainable checklists. The results showed that reusable products were less expensive their single-use disposable alternatives. The dental bur also required the least amount of water for its associated cleaning processes, had the lowest total embodied energy, and had the lowest associated greenhouse gas emissions. These outcomes were likely due to the fact the burs were, by far, the smallest examined product. Based on the results derived from the study, healthcare checklists should be updated to include: optimizing the reusability of medical products; reduce products utilized in custom packs; and evaluating energy recovery potential of utilized products. The results of this study indicate that sustainable healthcare checklists be further validated with more environmental and economic life-cycle analyses related to medical products and services. The primary aim of this paper is to assist hospital employees and administrators with making more informed decisions about the sustainability of their products and services. The scientific value of this paper is underscored by a novel aggregation of life cycle assessment studies pertaining to medical devices and services in order to draw conclusions regarding the overall sustainability of those medical devices and services. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of La Granja, de Ciencias de la Vida is the property of Universidad Politecnica Salesiana 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.)

Abstract Economics is a critical subject for the integration of sustainable development into curriculum given the discipline's influence in shaping social metabolism of societies, inequality, environmental impacts and wellbeing. There are very few empirical studies of the integration of sustainable development into economics curriculum. The purpose of the paper is to conduct analysis of a department wide intervention to integrate sustainable development into economics at a case study University, the first of its kind. The study makes use of surveys, interviews and key word searches to provide both qualitative and quantitative data and findings. Results indicate integration of sustainable development into curriculum on some modules but not the majority of the sample, evidence of resistance was also found. A range of barriers to integrating sustainable development into curriculum were identified in interviews. A sector wide survey on barriers to integrating sustainable development into economics curriculum was then conducted to provide empirical evidence on the subject. This is the first sector wide study of barriers to integrating sustainable development into economics curriculum. Results from the survey show that the Research Excellence Framework is a substantial barrier to integrating sustainable development into economics curriculum. The survey can be developed and applied elsewhere in the world to enable comparative analysis across countries, to get wider evidence on barriers. Highlights • First department wide intervention study of integrating sustainability in economics. • First sector wide survey of barriers to integrating sustainability into economics. • Surveys identify key barriers to integration of sustainability into economics. • The Research Excellence Framework is a major barrier to integrating sustainability. • The approach and survey can be applied elsewhere for comparative analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Exploring aspects of how innovative methods can truly attain a sustainable society is necessary for the future of our planet. This study focuses on serious games, and how users can increase their understanding of sustainability issues and their familiarity with sustainable development strategies. "Users" of serious games consist of all possible target groups that are interested in attaining knowledge of sustainability through the use of games that are designed for a purpose beyond entertainment, in this case for sustainability education. This paper follows the systematic literature review method to deliver a study of serious games featuring sustainable development practices and policies. In order to provide a thorough analysis of their dynamic features, 77 games were explored in this study. The findings show the growing number of serious games that seek to educate in sustainability and the categorization of these games according to the triple-bottom line of sustainability, giving clarification hints to users wishing to select the relevant tool that offers an understanding of specific sustainability issues. The purpose of such research is to reveal the contribution of serious games as effective tools in facilitating sustainability education and to group them according to their nature and direction in relation to sustainability. Limitations in their effectiveness are also identified and a research agenda for new, relevant serious games is proposed that will enhance holistic knowledge and make it easier to clarify their pedagogical basis. The recipients of the findings will be all those future users and trainers who are interested in accessing sustainability education patterns through the use of serious games. This study will enable them to select the serious game that best serves their needs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • An integrated approach is developed for environmental sustainability. • Climate variability has significant impacts on local environmental sustainability. • Rio Grande Basin is sustainable under current climate conditions. • Rio Grande Basin will become less sustainable in the late 21st century. Abstract Extreme weather events have been affecting local environmental sustainability. Previous literature in this field evaluates environmental sustainability based mainly on past and current resource consumption and availability, however, knowledge about the status and potential changes of environmental sustainability under future climate extremes is missing. This paper proposes an integrated approach (combining the Ecological Footprint Analysis with econometric regressions) to predict future environmental sustainability under different climate scenarios. Based on the case study of the U.S. Rio Grande Basin, the results show that this region has been sustainable in 1982–2012, although sustainability levels have been declining over time. In addition, projections for the future show that the entire region will most likely move away from sustainability by the end of this century under the high emission scenario (e.g., RCP8.5). These findings are relevant for sustainable resource management and allocation of local environmental resources as well as for decision-making support regarding climate risk adaptation and mitigation strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present research aimed to evaluate the economic and environmental sustainability of livestock farms in inland areas of the Cilento, Vallo di Diano and Alburni National Park (Southern Italy) and the convenience and possibility of activating forms of local economies. The study involved three types of grazing husbandries: one with only sheep and goats; one with only cattle; and one mixed, namely with cattle, sheep and goats. The profitability of the analyzed farms was compared through their gross profit and the net income of the farmer. To evaluate the convenience of the farms under study to activate forms of a short supply chain, the transformation value of the milk was used as the reference parameter. The environmental impact per farm and per adult bovine unit was assessed through the LCA methodology. The economic analysis showed that the survival of the analyzed farms is essentially linked to public subsidies, which in some cases represent more than 75% of the total output. Family enterprise plays a fundamental role in management decisions, in the size of animal breeding, and in investment decisions. Referring to environmental impacts, the analysis showed a lower sustainability of cattle farming, mainly due to the higher methane emissions during enteric fermentation. Despite all this, the ecosystem services provided by these semi-extensive farms in inland areas are significant, and therefore economic and environmental analyses should take them into account to enhance them and encourage farmers to remain in these often marginal areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since the introduction of the non-financial reporting mandate for business entities by the Government of India's Ministry of Environment and Forests in 1993, the manufacturing landscape has changed. The regulatory framework for checking the environmental impacts of chemical based manufacturing plants has strengthened with much of activity reported in the past decade. A thorough study of published literature revealed that the various manufacturing steps in pharmaceutical units involve a wide variety of chemical syntheses. These processes are associated with large amounts of energy consumption causing high green-house gas (GHG) emissions and waste generation. The purpose of this review article is to discuss how the pharmaceutical companies are approaching sustainability while considering environmental aspects along with economic and social welfare of the society. Accordingly, a comparative analysis, through an exploratory study of the trends followed in India and in other countries has been reported. The underlying endeavor is to provide a better understanding of the sustainability trend in the Indian pharmaceutical manufacturing sector and where it is headed. Apart from the extensive review of technical literature published in journals, various reports published by profit and non-profit making organizations have been studied for the purpose of developing a better understanding about sustainability practices in the Indian context, supported by examples from around the world. In addition, the benefits of various methodologies to achieve sustainability in pharmaceutical organizations have been discussed. The authors hope that the paper will enhance the understanding regarding how pharmaceutical setups can achieve sustainability by adopting various practices, what are the various performance metrics available and how reporting sustainability brings transparency and efficiency in an organization. The authors propose for a further study on integration of various approaches adopted by Indian pharmaceutical organizations' global counterparts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Leveraging sustainable packaging resources in the circular economy framework has gained significant attention in recent years as a means of minimizing waste and mitigating the negative environmental impact of packaging materials. In line with this progression, bio-based hydrogels are being explored for their potential application in a variety of fields including food packaging. Hydrogels are three-dimensional, hydrophilic networks composed of a variety of polymeric materials linked by chemical (covalent bonds) or physical (non-covalent interactions) cross-linking. The unique hydrophilic nature of hydrogels provides a promising solution for food packaging systems, specifically in regulating moisture levels and serving as carriers for bioactive substances, which can greatly affect the shelf life of food products. In essence, the synthesis of cellulose-based hydrogels (CBHs) from cellulose and its derivatives has resulted in hydrogels with several appealing features such as flexibility, water absorption, swelling capacity, biocompatibility, biodegradability, stimuli sensitivity, and cost-effectiveness. Therefore, this review provides an overview of the most recent trends and applications of CBHs in the food packaging sector including CBH sources, processing methods, and crosslinking methods for developing hydrogels through physical, chemical, and polymerization. Finally, the recent advancements in CBHs, which are being utilized as hydrogel films, coatings, and indicators for food packaging applications, are discussed in detail. These developments have great potential in creating sustainable packaging systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The relationship between sustainability and happiness is an intriguing and growing research area (Cloutier et al., 2013; Montgomery, 2013; Florida et al., 2013; Leyden et al., 2011). However, a review of primary literature and research indicates a missing gap in neighborhood level assessments of sustainability and happiness. The Sustainable Neighborhoods for Happiness Index (SNHI) was developed using city level data and studies (Cloutier et al., 2014), but was created with the intent of serving as a neighborhood measure. Within this paper, we detail the development of the Sustainable Neighborhoods for Happiness (SNfH) Decision Tool – a neighborhood level assessment tool, derived from the SNHI, to assist in decisions around future strategies for sustainable community development. While several sustainability decision tools exist, there is a need for those that are easily understood and accessible to neighborhood stakeholders (e.g., residents, community leaders, city employees). The SNfH Decision Tool was created with a user-friendly graphical front-end and embedded back-end calculations to inform users. The goal is to help neighborhood stakeholders identify the needs of their community to swiftly take action to alleviate issues and promote a sustainable and happy future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a research of possibility to improve sustainability of public transport system in the city by implementation of management system. Test of proposed method was done using the example of Naberezhnye Chelny. Conceptual model of system as well as interaction scheme of its program modules were shown. The composite indicator to assess system efficiency was proposed. An information-logical model of data as well as process of scientifically based decision making in the sphere of urban public transport routing were described. Such routing approach requires actual information about traffic flows on the city roads and, in the same time, takes into account the minimization of negative environmental impact while keeping index of population mobility. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Performance assessment of urban passenger transport is relevant since it causes economic, environmental and social impacts. Thus, this paper proposes a structured method to assess and evaluate the performance of passenger transport systems. Assuming that an eco-efficiency analysis is a step toward sustainability, we applied the method in a Brazilian case considering eco-efficiency measures, to show its potential as a tool to support decisions. We concluded that neither the most used alternative nor the one with the highest capacity attained the best eco-efficient performance, which can be explained by the low occupancy rates. Focusing on the latter, we propose some actions – based on the Brazilian and international literature – that can be implemented to improve its performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Life Cycle Assessment (the systematic analysis of the environmental impact of products during their entire life cycle), Carbon Footprint and Water Footprint assessments play an important role in decision-making processes. These assessments can help guide land management decisions and will likely play a larger role in the future, especially in natural areas with high biodiversity. Agriculture is a substantial consumer of fresh water, so it is important to identify causes and possible solutions to optimize agricultural water use. Water footprint assessments consider water consumption from several points of view and aid in reaching Sustainable Development Goals. Olive trees are a widespread agricultural crop growing in the Mediterranean Basin and are particularly important in the Umbria region in Italy. This paper estimates the water footprint impact related to the production of 1 kg of olives in a rainfed olive orchard managed using low environmental impact techniques. Eleven years of data collection (meteorological data, olives yield data, processes data) are analyzed for typical rural conditions. The results show that local management techniques have lower water requirements than standard international usages. These results can be used to improve and to further explore agricultural water use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study focuses on the importance and need to identify criteria and indicators (C&I) for sustainable landscaping using native plants in Qatar. The conditions for operationalizing the criteria and indicators approach are being incorporated into sustainable development practices and management planning in Qatar. This paper aims to develop criteria and related indicators for strengthening the global sustainability assessment system (GSAS) in order to provide a holistic approach for sustainable environmental assessment and the enhancement of ecosystem services. A total of 50 potentially native plant species were prioritized and categorized based on the following different parameters: weather conditions tolerated (temperature, humidity, and rainfall), multiple use value (ecological, economical, and medicinal), standard crown size (≤50 cm and ≥50 cm) and water requirement (moist, moderate, and dry). Diverse local stakeholders as well as international experts were consulted to rank the plant species, and concluded that these prioritized native species are fit for sustainable landscaping as opposed to the exotic plant species which are imported from different geo-climatic zones. Environmental, social, economic, human, and policy sustainability aspects were considered, along with 12 criteria and 49 related indicators which were identified by promoting the use of potential native plants for sustainable landscaping in Qatar. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nanotechnology applications (nanoproducts) have entered the market or are expected to do so in the near future. Robust and science-based criteria are required to appraise and manage their sustainability. This paper describes the approach used to develop a comprehensive and reliable framework of criteria, which was missing until now, for evaluating the sustainability of nanoproducts. A literature review of the frameworks and tools employed to assess nanoproducts sustainability implications was firstly performed to select an initial set of criteria. A survey of experts in the sustainable nanotechnology domain was then conducted to elicit their knowledge in terms of completeness, reliability and validity of the criteria set. Ranking and correlation analyses completed the research by identifying the parameters of major interest as well as the links and dependencies between them. A total of 54 and 65 experts replied to the pilot and main survey, respectively. The reliability and validity of the criteria was assessed with the responses from both questionnaires, whereas the answers from the main survey were used to calculate the relative index of the criteria as well as their correlations. This research resulted in a framework composed of 68 criteria, which are structured into six main areas: (i) economic performance; (ii) environmental impacts, (iii) environmental risk assessment; (iv) human health risk assessment; (v) social implications and (vi) technical performance. This study helps to broaden the understanding on the identification of criteria for sustainability assessments. It also provides those interested in evaluating nanotechnology implications with the basis for real case studies, possibly by integrating available information with the stakeholders using tools that support decision-making. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper introduces Solution-focused Sustainability Assessment (SfSA), provides practical guidance formatted as a versatile process framework, and illustrates its utility for solving a wicked environmental management problem. Society faces complex and increasingly wicked environmental problems for which sustainable solutions are sought. Wicked problems are multi-faceted, and deriving of a management solution requires an approach that is participative, iterative, innovative, and transparent in its definition of sustainability and translation to sustainability metrics. We suggest to add the use of a solution-focused approach. The SfSA framework is collated from elements from risk assessment, risk governance, adaptive management and sustainability assessment frameworks, expanded with the ‘solution-focused’ paradigm as recently proposed in the context of risk assessment. The main innovation of this approach is the broad exploration of solutions upfront in assessment projects. The case study concerns the sustainable management of slightly contaminated sediments continuously formed in ditches in rural, agricultural areas. This problem is wicked, as disposal of contaminated sediment on adjacent land is potentially hazardous to humans, ecosystems and agricultural products. Non-removal would however reduce drainage capacity followed by increased risks of flooding, while contaminated sediment removal followed by offsite treatment implies high budget costs and soil subsidence. Application of the steps in the SfSA-framework served in solving this problem. Important elements were early exploration of a wide ‘solution-space’, stakeholder involvement from the onset of the assessment, clear agreements on the risk and sustainability metrics of the problem and on the interpretation and decision procedures, and adaptive management. Application of the key elements of the SfSA approach eventually resulted in adoption of a novel sediment management policy. The stakeholder participation and the intensive communication throughout the project resulted in broad support for both the scientific approaches and results, as well as for policy implementation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Green computing is a recent trend and an evolving field aiming towards a sustainable future. Different approaches have been established as possible directions towards green computing. Virtualization, Cloud computing, Energy minimization, reduction in use of hazardous substances in electronic items etc are a few approaches. Though major focus has shifted towards energy minimization, other approaches have churned themselves out as new subjects – cloud computing. Green computing encompasses a wide range of things. One of them is e-waste management. End of life electronic equipments known as e-waste is a threat to the whole world. Globally 41.8 million metric tonnes of e-waste was generated in 2014. These electronic items are the hardware part of the computer. The proper management of e-waste hence leaves a good potential to implement green computing. An overwhelming amount of research articles focusing on green computing are present and major focus is on energy minimization, efficient algorithms and cloud computing. Literature on green computing focusing on e-waste management is scant. The research questions aroused are as follows. Is it actually possible to implement green computing using e-waste management? What are the issues pertaining to it? How can this be achieved? How sustainable it this approach? The study tries to answer these questions. The main objective of this study is to establish e-waste management as a parameter for green computing. The study also intends to check the sustainability potential of this approach. The paper will help the stakeholders, practitioners, researchers and decision makers for choosing a benchmark approach and will pave directions for future research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Integrated impact assessment (IA) of policies in the European Commission takes place in an environment of competing problem frames, contested policy objectives and a multitude of interested actors. This paper sets out to discuss the potential value of integrating the ecosystem services (ESS) concept for improving the consideration of environmental benefits and values during framing and appraisal of new policies at European level. The discussion was based on a workshop conducted with experts encompassing their disciplinary fields to the science–policy interface. A review of recent literature and impact assessment reports from policy science and ecosystem services research allowed for a two-way contemplation. The potential integration of concepts was analysed for conceptual, technical, ethical and pragmatic aspects. It was found that indicator sets applied in the impact assessment reports follow a much less formalised structure than the reports or the procedure. An integration of the ecosystem services concept would enhance the requisite variety of indicators used, and thus contribute to the overall goal for sustainable development. Potentials for improving IA lie particularly in the up- and downscaling of benefits and values, policy relevant comparative studies and the prospective possibilities for innovation in indicator development. Based on this rationale of improving requisite variety for future decision making, the emphasis lies on a further development of the ESS concept along two pathways of operationalisation: the translation of the concept for a comprehensive approach at a higher level of abstraction (soft application), and the application of the concept for providing aggregated, quantitative and unit-based information at different steps of an IA (hard application). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sustainable procurement is the process of meeting the needs of an organisation with the most beneficial monetary value, while mitigating the diverse effects of its operations on society and environment. There are studies which adopt environmental criteria to procurement decisions, whereas, works integrating the three dimensions and discussing the trade-offs between them are scarce. In this paper, the three dimensions of corporate sustainability; environmental–economical–social, are integrated into supplier selection and demand allocation decisions. With their integrated approach, the proposed mathematical models aim to contribute to the relevant literature by analysing different sustainable procurement strategies. Initially a questionnaire is introduced for measuring the sustainability scores of a company's potential suppliers, and these scores are then used as an input to the models. The developed mixed-integer linear programming models distribute demand to the most sustainable firms in the supplier pool of the company, while ensuring minimum procurement cost for the identified strategy. The questionnaire and models are implemented in three companies to interpret the outcomes of different sustainability strategies on the procurement decisions. Selection of the most appropriate strategy is a managerial decision influenced by the varying dynamics of the company and the market conditions. These models demonstrate an easy and practical approach in assisting sustainable procurement. Results are promising in displaying the trade-offs between the sustainability dimensions of different strategies with alternating procurement costs, and can aid the managers to integrate environmental, economical, and social aspects into their supply chain operations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sustainability assessment of biodiesel production is a topic of increasing importance due to the interest of governments to define sovereignty strategies and diversification of their energy matrix, and to set up the impact of biofuels production. In this context, this work aims to propose a hierarchical structure of sustainability assessment that integrates dimensions of sustainable development with principles, criteria and indicators (PC&I). The method employed to define the hierarchical structure was a comprehensive literature review, based on information search strategy and classification. About 400 documents were reviewed and 103 documents were ultimately selected, including laws, policy documents, certificates, directives and other normative documents and papers published in peer-reviewed journals. The first result of the analysis was the need to strengthen identification of the sustainable development assessment, adding the political and technological dimensions to the three traditional dimensions, social, economic and environmental, studied in this kind of evaluation. The second result was the proposal of a hierarchical framework for the sustainability assessment of biodiesel production, organized in four levels: the first level comprises the five dimensions associated with sustainable development evaluation, the second includes 13 principles, the third contains 40 criteria and the fourth level corresponds to a set of indicators that describes each criterion. Outcomes of this work provide a foundation for further discussion of sustainability assessments for biodiesel production and its potential application in specific contexts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Human-induced climate change is one of the most daunting challenges of the 21st century. Addressing climate change will require new sectors that create economically and ecologically sustainable products and services, often supported through voluntary certification standards. For example, the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) voluntary certification standard seeks to reduce the environmental impacts of buildings through stimulating growth of the “green building” sector. Both public and private actors have attempted to promote such standards; however, we know little about the relative efficacy of such efforts. We know even less about how regional culture conditions the impact of such public and private promotion. In this study, we theorize and test how regional institutional logics filter the efficacy of public and private efforts to promote adoption of standards. Our results demonstrate that, in addition to policy, private actors such as social movement organizations, market intermediaries, and environmental entrepreneurs play a role in bolstering adoption. Yet, the efficacy of such interventions is dependent upon variations in regional culture; only environmental entrepreneurs were able to bridge the cultural divide and be equally effective in regions dominated by either market or community logics. Our findings advance understanding of how new markets are socially constructed and the conditions under which efforts to promote new sectors are more effective. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a system to incorporate the economic benefits of sustainability into the valuation of real estate project developments. The impact is provided through the consideration of quantified sustainable qualities of buildings in the determination of the interest rate in the valuation process. Furthermore, it highlights the added value that sustainable features and the relevant certification systems bring to a project development. Using a catalogue of parameters, key parameters are identified for the specific project development to be valuated. These parameters are then quantified by means of distribution functions and checked for interdependencies. This analysis, and with it the results of a sustainability valuation, are incorporated into the calculation of the market value and the internal rate of return. Results are communicated according to the input data through distribution functions. The valuation system makes investment decisions easier to understand and emphasises the positive impact that sustainable features can have on the economic success of real estate projects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Academic interests in the product-service system have shifted from the area of environmental sustainability to the socio-economic issues. In this context, life cycle assessment is no longer the only approach to interpreting the performances of product-service systems. Multiple criteria reflecting product-service quality, customer satisfaction, and the full sustainability concerns would be needed to evaluate the system solutions. In this paper, a concept of sustainable product-service efficiency is proposed to explore the relationship between product-service value and the sustainability impact. Additionally, the authors discuss how this concept can be applied to assess sustainable product-service systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The concept of sustainable development still needs more scientific discussion to be useful for decision-making processes. The polysemy of the term sustainability has undermined the credibility of the concept, leading, among other effects, to the inability to translate discourse into practical actions and to distortive appropriations of the term. The purpose of this article is to propose a basis for discussion to demarcate the concept. In this context, a literature review was conducted on the theme, encompassing an exploratory approach and a systematic hermeneutics analysis of the literature. Based on a structured discussion of the evidence collected in papers and books, we developed a conceptual model named Sustainable Development with an Axiological Perspective, encompassing three dimensions: satisfaction of human needs (including social and economic aspects), natural resources (making explicit Earth's limitations) and decision-making perspective (from an axiological point of view). The model proposes that sustainable development can be seen as development aimed at improving the well-being of society as a whole (including future generations), enabled by an axiological perspective in decision-making processes, considering the limitations of environmental resources. The model explicitly includes a value-based mindset in the concept of sustainable development, as pointed out by the axiological perspective. This perspective is intrinsic to the main definitions of sustainability, but is not explicit in the models and in the literature on sustainable development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Asia-Pacific region includes a majority of the world's population and many of its most rapidly growing economies. It is also home to the world's largest number of extremely poor people, many fragile states, and unsustainable environmental practices. The region has increased its influence in the world economy but is still grappling to overcome complex interrelated challenges of poverty, inequality and sustainable development. Its priorities must be addressed as a central element of any post-2015 global development goal framework. Drawing from lessons of the Millennium Development Goals, this paper suggests a conceptual framework to guide a new generation of goals, along with an intergovernmental approach to implementation. The “ZEN” framework stresses the distinct challenges of achieving zero extreme poverty (Z), setting country-specific “Epsilon” benchmarks for broader development challenges (E), and promoting environmental sustainability both within and across borders (N). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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One of the most debated topics of our time is climate change. For this reason, the European Union and the countries of the world are taking several steps to reduce and reverse the effect. When we talk about climate change or sustainable development, it is very important to also talk about the energy sector. The European Union aims to achieve climate neutrality by 2050, which will require significant changes in our lives, it will be a major challenge for mankind. In 2019, fossil fuels accounted for 80% of the world's energy production. The production of energy from fossil fuels has several negative effects aside from climate change. When fossil fuels are burned, gases and particles harmful to human health are released into the air and some of the fossil fuels are raw materials to produce plastics, for example. If we use it for energy production, we waste our raw materials. What are the options for reducing the environmental impact? How can coal-based energy production be replaced? What are other ways to reduce the environmental impact? These topics are discussed in the article. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Environmental evaluation of the waste treatment processes for the area of Greater Porto (Portugal) is presented for the year 2015. The raw data for the energy recovery plant (ERP) provided by the waste management entity were modelled into nine environmental impact categories, resorting to a life cycle assessment dedicated software (GaBi) for the treatment of 1 tonne of residues. Also, a sensitivity analysis was conducted for five scenarios in order to verify the assessment quality. Results were compared to two European average situations (typical incineration plant and sanitary landfill with no waste pre-treatment), which showed that these facilities perform better or at the same level as the average European situation, mostly due to the high efficiency observed at the ERP and to the electricity production in the incineration process. A detailed analysis concluded that these helped to mitigate the environmental impacts caused by some of the processes involved in the waste-to-energy technology (landfill showing the harder impacts), by saving material resources as well as avoiding emissions to fresh water and air. The overall performance of the energy recovery plant was relevant, 1 tonne of waste saving up to 1.3 million kg of resources and materials. Regarding the environmental indicators, enhanced results were achieved especially for the global warming potential (-171 kgCO2-eq.), eutrophication potential (-39 Χ 10-3kgPO4-eq.) and terrestrial ecotoxicity potential (-59 Χ 10-3kgDCB-eq.) categories.This work was the first to characterize this Portuguese incineration plant according to the used methodology, supporting the necessary follow-up required by legal frameworks proposed by European Union (EU), once this facility serves a wide populational zone and therefore is representative of the current waste management tendency in the country. LCA (life cycle assessment) was confirmed as a suitable and reliable approach to evaluate the environmental impacts of the waste management scenarios, acting as a functional tool that helps decision-makers to proceed accordingly. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Strategic forms of impact assessment have seen increased application around the world since their conception. Expansion has produced considerable variation and this range of tools and processes can create practitioner confusion and blurred boundaries in practice. This research draws on empirical data from England and Scotland to examine different systems to understand how the purposes of strategic assessment are framed and to consider how purposes are translated into practice. Four key purposes of strategic assessment are examined; overcoming EIA shortcomings, strategic thinking, representation of the environment and consideration of sustainability. It is concluded that various scales (international, national, local and individual) influence how strategic assessment purpose is framed. We find that as multiple purposes come together they interact, with regulatory compliance potentially dominating. Strategic assessment is also found to be described as information provider, and excluded or distant from strategic thinking as part of plan formulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the large increase in transportation over the last decades and the associated negative impacts upon the environment and society, a more sustainable use of transport is a crucial policy issue. This analysis focuses on road freight transport of selected produce (carrots, cabbage, apples and pears) with the aim to appraise the sustainability of road freight transport of these for the Slovene market. To this end, we take into account self-sufficiency, import and export features, transport needs, produce origin and prices differences between domestic and non-domestic produce. The method used for obtaining transported quantities, exported from and imported to the county, was material flow accounts (MFA). Then we undertook an analysis of sustainability of road transport of produce where we considered the country’s transport needs. The study finds that road freight transport for selected produce is not sustainable. Recognising the normative dimensions of sustainability, the role of social marketing in this context is explored and suggestions on how to promote more sustainable transport solutions advanced. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

For 22 years, Elsevier's Journal of Cleaner Production (JCLP) has been publishing high quality research papers based upon the prevention of environmental and social problems rather than cleaning up after we create them. The JCLP's authors, reviewers and editors are dedicated to foster development and implementation of innovative transitions to achieve equitable, post-fossil carbon societies, which are truly sustainable. Consequently, JCLP editors encourage authors to prepare articles, which integrate new topics, concepts, theories and approaches, which will then be published in special topic volumes and in general volumes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sustainable development of hydropower demands a holistic view of potential impacts of water level regulation (WLR) on reservoir ecosystems. Most environmental studies of hydropower have focused on rivers, whereas environmental effects of hydropower operations on reservoirs are less well understood. Here, we synthesize knowledge on how WLR from hydropower affects alpine lake ecosystems and highlight the fundamental factors that shape the environmental impacts of WLR. Our analysis of these impacts ranges from abiotic conditions to lower trophic levels and ultimately to fish. We conclude that the environmental effects are complex and case-specific and thus considering the operational regime of WLR (i.e. amplitude, timing, frequency, and rate of change) as well as the reservoir's morphometry, geology and biotic community are prerequisites for any reliable predictions. Finally, we indicate promising avenues for future research and argue that recording and sharing of data, views and demands among different stakeholders, including operators, researchers and the public, is necessary for the sustainable development of hydropower in alpine lakes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Today, sustainability emphasis is imperative for modern design and manufacturing enterprises; therefore, sustainability assessment has attracted increasing attention. In this study, we use cost, environmental impact, and labor time as indicators to measure a comprehensive set of sustainability dimensions: economic, environmental, and social sustainability. Similarly, modular product design (MPD), due to its benefits to design and manufacturing, has been widely accepted as a useful strategy. The need for customizing MPD for various sustainability purposes across a product's life cycle motivates this study. Our research goal is to develop a MPD approach to improve the product life cycle performance for dimensions of sustainability. We also concentrate on two current product design focused research gaps: (1) how to best handle key components and (2) taking into account life cycle uncertainty at the component or product end-of-life (EOL) stage. Key components represent core techniques and can have the highest sustainability impact. We specify key components and then develop three sustainable clustering algorithms to generate component modules based on the identified key components. For EOL uncertainty, we adopt fuzzy logic to assess 14 EOL characteristics and use modified transfer equations to convert fuzzy evaluations to designer's perception toward sustainability. Left-right defuzzification method is employed to estimate the probability of each EOL strategy and calculate the expected EOL sustainability values for each component. The Module Structure Sustainability Index (MSSI) advances toward optimizing sustainability in order to determine the best component modules. A coffee maker case study is used to illustrate the proposed methodology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As one of the major methodologies used in the modeling of sustainability, Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) is widely used to evaluate the environmental impacts of emerging technologies and to enhance decision making towards sustainable development. However, most of the current LCA models are static and deterministic. More insights could be generated when LCA models are coupled with higher-resolution techniques in a prospective fashion. Instead of trying to accurately predict the future, the purpose and value of integrated prospective models are to explore the boundaries of possibility and to shed light on directions that can lead to sustainable pathways. The biggest challenge is to determine the appropriate model resolution so that both big-picture insights and critical details are included. This challenge is hard to address, especially for interdisciplinary models that try to incorporate more than one dimension related to sustainability. However, improvements can be made continually through efforts from a growing population of interdisciplinary researchers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]