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This paper discusses the significant yet often neglected environmental repercussions of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, highlighting the adverse effects on soil, air, water, and biodiversity. Through a comprehensive bibliometric analysis, it examined existing research on the environmental impact of wars, focusing on key dimensions such as water, air, soil, and biodiversity. The study further explores variousmethods as well as sustainable-oriented solutions aimed at mitigating these effects on the environment. Furthermore, it discusses the immediate and long-term challenges Ukraine faces in its recovery efforts, emphasizing the need for environmentally conscious approaches to address the many environmental problems caused by the war issues. In the end, the paper presents findings from a workshop involving 15 Ukrainian experts from three different Ukrainian universities, which aimed to understand the broader implications of environmental damages to human health. This interdisciplinary approach offers valuable insights into the intersection of environmental degradation and public health, proposing operational strategies for recovery and sustainability in post-conflict settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Occupational therapists and physiotherapists aim to promote health, prevent various diseases and help people in their rehabilitation processes. So far, there is a paucity of understanding of the big picture of how the new paradigm of planetary health (PH) is connected to the education and practice of these professionals. Methods: This research aimed to address this gap by investigating and deploying a bibliometric analysis to elucidate the pivotal role of occupational therapists and physiotherapists in addressing PH challenges. The ultimate goal is to construct a comprehensive framework crosschecking the bibliometric analysis and the collection of 10 case studies selected by experts to outline how best practices in occupational therapy and physiotherapy, related to the three pillars of sustainability and the UN's Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), can contribute to increasing PH. Results: The bibliometric analysis revealed four major research strands: 1) enhancing patient care and quality of life; 2) integrating sustainability in health care and rehabilitation; 3) professional development and clinical competence; and 4) evidence‐based practice and quality improvement. Moreover, further temporal analysis revealed how the topic evolved, from advancing evidence‐based practice and clinical effectiveness, exploring the strengthening of health care and person‐centred practices, to connecting the topic to aspects also predicted by the SDGs, such as integrating environmental and climate concerns in therapy and addressing psychological and self‐care impacts on health. The case studies confirmed this trend, and a framework of PH in occupational therapy and physiotherapy through the lens of the SDGs was developed to support future research and practitioners in advancing this research field. Conclusions: Occupational therapists and physiotherapists are essential players in public health and can integrate sustainability at every level of practice, from using resources during therapy sessions to advocating for more sustainable lifestyles. PLAIN LANGUAGE SUMMARY: Occupational therapists and physiotherapists aim to promote health, prevent diseases and help people recover. However, there is uncertainty about how they could contribute to the planetary health paradigm in their education and practice. This research aimed to investigate the role of occupational and physiotherapists in addressing planetary health challenges, utilising a bibliometric analysis and case studies to show how best practices can improve planetary health. The analysis showed four ways that a contribution can be made: 1) improving patient care and quality of life, 2) integrating sustainability in health care and rehabilitation, 3) developing clinical competence and professional skills, and 4) using evidence‐based practices and quality improvement. The research also shows that the topic evolved from evidence‐based practice and clinical effectiveness to connecting the topic to aspects predicted by the Sustainable Development Goals. The case studies confirmed this trend, and a framework of planetary health in occupational therapy and physiotherapy was developed. In conclusion, occupational therapists and physiotherapists play an essential role in planetary health and can integrate the paradigm into every level of practice, by using resources during therapy sessions and advocating for more sustainable lifestyles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The technological revolution has contributed to environmental and social issues around the world. However, in the context of higher education institutions (HEIs) – key stakeholders for sustainable development - there is a theoretical gap regarding systematic reviews on the topic. In order to address this need, this study explores how digital transformation (DT) can contribute to sustainability in HEIs by identifying the general state of the art, the theoretical perspectives in the field, and future research insights. A multi-methods approach was adopted, which consisted of a quantitative bibliometric review and a qualitative content analysis. Consistent with this approach, the Scopus database was used for the bibliometric analysis of 672 publications, which was conducted with the support of VOSviewer software. Subsequently, a content analysis of 72 publications was carried out using the software ATLAS.ti and Zotero. The findings suggest three areas of current research: ensuring sustainability competencies through DT, smart and sustainable campus approaches, and theorisation of sustainability in higher education through DT. The theoretical perspectives of the field were divided and discussed into seven main clusters. Lastly, five research lines for further studies on DT towards sustainability were identified. This study has both theoretical and practical implications since it may be the first literature review on this subject, providing theoretical insights to the academic community, guiding sustainability and digital practices in HEIs - through the identification of tools, approaches, and strategies - and then supporting the implementation of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since the UN Conference on the Human Environment was held in Stockholm in 1972, higher education institutions (HEIs) have been adapting to assume their social role in supporting societies in promoting sustainable lifestyles. However, HEIs are complex institutions composed of several interdependent subsystems. Sustainable improvement requires holistic assessment measures to comply with established goals. To date, few studies have focused on comparing the different perceptions of sustainability in HEIs and considering the views of the academic community in shaping the efforts and better disseminating sustainable development initiatives. To fill this gap, this work aimed to implement a methodology that compares the perceptions of sustainability and the implemented actions among members of HEIs to show the discrepancies between perceptions and facts. Many studies report either the perception of members of the academic community or the technical assessment of the sustainable performance of the institution in isolation. The novelty of this work lies in developing a tool that allows the use of a similar scale to compare the perception of users of academic services with the valuation attributed by technicians responsible for implementing sustainable development initiatives at HEIs. Analysing of these results enables the identification of dimensions with discrepancies, guiding managers as they carry out actions to promote greater community engagement in implementing sustainability initiatives that boost the consolidation of these values in the institutional culture. Additionally, it is highlighted that the proposed methodology could be adapted for use in other types of institutions, maintaining the same benefits described here. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This paper aims to connect participatory sustainability implementation with sustainability assessment, exploring learning theories, the principles of Higher Education for Sustainable Development (HESD) and respective indicators applied in the university context. Even though participation is partly considered in existing assessment practices, it is still unclear what and how to measure participatory processes that envision implementing sustainability principles in higher education institutions. Holistic approaches are often proclaimed, but reductionist assessment methods are frequently followed. Design/methodology/approach: The study followed a qualitative approach, inspired by the Delphi method, and includes semi-structured expert interviews (N = 15) and two focus group discussions (N = 23), with participants coming from a total of 17 different countries. Data were analysed and compared according to qualitative content analysis and systemized according to the underlying theoretical strands. Findings: The findings suggest that participatory processes can be better assessed from a social learning and organisational learning perspective, emphasizing non-linear criteria for the quality of the process in terms of depth and meaningfulness as well as criteria for the quality of the outcome in terms of knowledge generation and innovation. The findings also point implicitly to the need of considering double- and triple-loop learning, if a culture of participation towards sustainability is to be pursued, and underline the high impact of institutional governance. Originality/value: Although a great volume of literature about sustainability implementation in higher education exists, studies focusing on participatory processes in this context are rather scarce. This research pays attention to sustainability experts working in universities rarely heard in a more systemic manner and also applies a reflective participatory approach itself by using qualitative methods.

This study investigates the trend in monthly and annual rainfall, and minimum and maximum temperature (Tmin and Tmax) in the Savannah region of Togo. The historical data of Mango and Dapaong weather stations from 1981 to 2019 were used. A serial correlation test was applied to all time series to identify serially independent series. A Non-parametric Mann–Kendall (MK) test was applied to serially independent series. The magnitude of the trend was calculated using the Sen's slope (SS) method. For the data influenced by serial correlation, a modified version of the Mann–Kendall test was applied. An open-source library package was developed in the R language, namely, "mkmodified". For annual rainfall, results showed a significant increasing trend at Dapaong (p < 0.05) and a non-significant decreasing trend at Mango (p > 0.05) at 95%. There was an increasing trend in the Tmin both at Mango and Dapaong. No statistically significant trend was found at Mango (p > 0.05), while at Dapaong (p < 0.05), a significant trend was found at 95%. Simlarly, there was a statistically increasing trend in the Tmax both at Mango and Dapaong. Rainfall in Dapaong has increased (5.50 mm/year) whereas in Mango, it has decreased (−0.93 mm/year). Tmn increased by 0.04 and 0.008 °C per year in Mango and Dapaong, respectively. Tmax increased by 0.03 and 0.02 °C per year in Mango and Dapaong, respectively. A Rainfall Anomaly Index (RAI) was also used to present a temporal variation in rainfall; the historical series presented drier years. Many studies have analysed the trend of climate parameters in northern Togo, but none of them has specifically targeted the Savannah region that is considered the poorest region of the country. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is a significant energy transition in progress globally. This is mainly driven by the insertion of variable sources of energy, such as wind and solar power. To guarantee that the supply of energy meets its demand, energy storage technologies will play an important role in integrating these intermittent energy sources. Daily energy storage can be provided by batteries. However, there is still no technology that can provide weekly, monthly and seasonal energy storage services where pumped hydro storage is not a viable solution. Herein, we introduce an innovative energy storage proposal based on isothermal air compression/decompression and storage of the compressed air in the deep sea. Isothermal deep ocean compressed air energy storage (IDO-CAES) is estimated to cost from 1500 to 3000 USD/kW for installed capacity and 1 to 10 USD/kWh for energy storage. IDO-CAES should complement batteries, providing weekly, monthly and seasonal energy storage cycles in future sustainable energy grids, particularly in coastal areas, islands and offshore and floating wind power plants, as well as deep-sea mining activities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The debate on sustainable development is not new and the search for new approaches, methods and means to further the case of sustainability in a higher education context is needed today more than ever. This paper reviews the status of sustainable development at universities and presents issues which need to be considered in ensuring sustainable development is integrated in higher education institutions in a systematic way.

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to describe the experiences of RCE Hamburg, one of the latest Regional Centres of Excellence (RCE) to be created. It outlines the activities performed by the RCE and describes its relationships with the various stakeholders. Design/methodology/approach: A description of the region where the RCE is located is provided, along with some facts and figures related to the site. In addition, a description of the structure and the activities of the RCE Hamburg is provided, complemented by a description of the engagement of various stakeholders. Findings: The paper shows that, by means of projects and action-based initiatives, synergies between regional centres of expertise on education for sustainable development and agencies based at the local level can be achieved. Originality/value: The RCE is characterised by an integrated approach where different target groups are involved (e.g. schools, NGOs and industry) and where a local university plays a catalyst role. (Contains 5 figures and 1 table.)

Purpose: To report on a project involving European and Latin American universities, focusing on curriculum greening. Design/methodology/approach: This paper presents the experiences gained in connection with the "ACES Project" which is a model of the implementation of sustainability principles in higher education, with a special emphasis on curriculum greening. This paper presents the principles and main results of the project, which involved 11 European and Latin American universities, with financial support from the ALFA programme of the European Commission. Findings: The paper identifies ten characteristics of the initial model of curriculum greening which were validated in the process and were interpreted in the paper. Research limitations/implications: The type of action-oriented research carried out in the context of the ACES Project, by means of cooperative efforts and the accumulation of diverse fields of knowledge, presented working difficulties which are different from those experienced by more homogeneous groups. Nevertheless, the knowledge generated is very consistent in response to environmental issues and problems and reflects the need for collaboration between all areas of knowledge in order to preserve and improve environmental conditions. Practical implications: The paper introduces not only the results obtained with the ACES model, but also ten components which characterise curriculum greening and may be used elsewhere. Originality/value: The approach used and the emphasis on international cooperation illustrate ways in which a multi-stakeholders project may be successfully undertaken. (Contains 2 figures and 1 note.)

Purpose: To outline the role of the group supervision model in postgraduate training, especially its advantages in respect of research involving industry sponsors. Design/methodology/approach: The paper considers the various categories of supervision and the pivotal role played by the supervisor. It analyses indicators of supervisor effectiveness in four major categories including supervisory style, the supervisor competence and supervisor characteristics and attitudes. Finally, it discusses how universities have worked on student attitudinal and skill problems through the provision of postgraduate training courses and changes to the supervisory system. A number of group supervisory practice models are described and the role and function of a supervisor are considered. Findings: The quality of postgraduate study is not purely a question of supervision methodology and motivation but hinges also, but not exclusively, on institutional admission procedures and policies, faculty/school administration policies as well as assistance and infra structure that is provided by faculty/school to supervisors and students, including financial assistance, access to child care, pastoral care, computing, library, office space, phone access, access to secretarial support, provision of research seminars and presentations, funding for library searches, conferences, travel, fieldwork, photocopying, and opportunities for casual work within the school. Research limitations/implications: The paper acknowledges that current supervision of postgraduate research students is deficient in many cases, but cannot provide, for ethical reasons, examples of bad practice. It does acknowledge that problems exist manifesting themselves in inadequate supervision, emotional and psychological problems in the student body, communication problems between supervisors and supervisees, knowledge deficiencies in the student body with the ultimate effect of late completions and low retention rates. Practical implications: The paper shows that universities must work towards improved linkages to ensure that they can take advantage of partnership opportunities. Originality/value: The paper has identified approaches to panel supervision and outlines the role of the industry partnership model. It is helpful to both students and supervisors trying should to determine under what research arrangement they conduct their research. (Contains 1 note.)

Summary: Motivation: Communities across the global south use their rich indigenous and local knowledge (ILK) to predict weather events and climate hazards. ILK may assist efforts to address climate change challenges in Africa and make subsequent decisions regarding climate adaptation. Purpose: The article documents evidence of the ILK's potential in reducing vulnerability to climate change and/or improving the resilience of communities. The study also reflects on major barriers that hinder the improved mainstreaming of ILK into adaptation strategies. Methods and approach: The present study uses two main methods: a literature review and a presentation of case studies from a sample of African countries where ILK informs adaptation options, including indigenous land‐tenure practices and weather prediction. The selected case studies highlight the historical legacy of ILK and its effectiveness in reducing vulnerability and the impacts of climate change. Findings The results indicate that, despite being acknowledged as a valuable resource for climate adaptation, current national adaptation policies on the African continent still show serious gaps in effectively integrating ILK systems within the legal frameworks to reduce vulnerability. Policy implications: ILK should be better integrated with modern climate change adaptation strategies to anticipate more effective responses. Both rural communities and relevant government agencies should complement the use of ILK with climate change strategies, so as to maximize its contribution to the effective implementation of climate change policies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The boom in technological advances in recent decades has led to increased demand for rare earth elements (REEs) (also known as rare earth metals) across various industries with wide-ranging industrial applications, including in the clean energy sector, but with some environmental, economic, and social footprint concerns. This paper reviews the complexities of the production, consumption, and reuse or recovery of REEs, presenting current trends in terms of potentials and challenges associated with this. This paper in particular focuses on the supply, demand, and (environmental and economic) sustainability of REEs, as a subset of critical raw materials. It does so via a critical stocktaking of key discussions and debates in the field over the past 15 years up until now, through a thematic analysis of the published and gray (policy) literature with a grounded theory approach. The paper finds that carefully balanced lifecycle sustainability assessments are needed for assessing the respective dimensions of the extraction, processing, and reuse or recovery methods for different types of REE sources and supplies to meet current and future demands. It furthermore diagnoses the need for taking into account some shifts and substitutions among REEs also for reasons of cost and locational supplies for the security of supply. Finally, the paper provides some overall policy recommendations for addressing current problems, with a conceptual framing of the UN Sustainable Development Goals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Low-carbon energy transitions taking place worldwide are primarily driven by the integration of renewable energy sources such as wind and solar power. These variable renewable energy (VRE) sources require energy storage options to match energy demand reliably at different time scales. This article suggests using a gravitational-based energy storage method by making use of decommissioned underground mines as storage reservoirs, using a vertical shaft and electric motor/generators for lifting and dumping large volumes of sand. The proposed technology, called Underground Gravity Energy Storage (UGES), can discharge electricity by lowering large volumes of sand into an underground mine through the mine shaft. When there is excess electrical energy in the grid, UGES can store electricity by elevating sand from the mine and depositing it in upper storage sites on top of the mine. Unlike battery energy storage, the energy storage medium of UGES is sand, which means the self-discharge rate of the system is zero, enabling ultra-long energy storage times. Furthermore, the use of sand as storage media alleviates any risk for contaminating underground water resources as opposed to an underground pumped hydro storage alternative. UGES offers weekly to pluriannual energy storage cycles with energy storage investment costs of about 1 to 10 USD/kWh. The technology is estimated to have a global energy storage potential of 7 to 70 TWh and can support sustainable development, mainly by providing seasonal energy storage services. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]