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Abstract Women comprise approximately half of the world’s population, yet they are often underrepresented and inadequately considered in medical and public health research and in health care delivery in the United States and around the world. Elucidating sex and gender differences in disease and fundamental hormonal drivers of women’s health is instrumental to informing our overall understanding of human health and improving women’s health outcomes across the lifespan. The Society for Women’s Health Research and ECH Alliance–The Global Health Connector hosted a women’s health program as part of the United Nations 79th General Assembly Science Summit. Here, I briefly describe the basis for this convening to address global gender health gaps and reflect on the event’s presentations and discussions to recognize and better integrate women’s unique health needs in the sustainable development goals.

With the emerging threats to global food security, it is now more urgent to take proactive steps toward ensuring the sustainability of food systems that will support the increasing global population. Hence, the current themed edition of this journal 'Food System Management towards Sustainable End to Hunger-SDG2' is a relevant and timely topic to encourage the participation and contributions of active researchers on measures of combating food insecurity and hunger. The themed edition comprises a set of research and review articles focusing on the relevant elements of food security, sustainability and the effect of incorporating newer technologies in agriculture. Every paper in this edition presents a specific perspective on the comprehensive process that is necessary to realise SDG2 which aims to end hunger, achieve food security, improve nutrition, and promote sustainable agriculture.

This study aims to develop the research gap in sustainable Islamic Finance using a bibliometric analysis of recent empirical research outputs in the area, which comprises publications in scholarly journal articles and book chapters. Data were collected from Scopus for the period 1997 – 2022. This study analyses 285 Scopus scientific documents using Vosviewer, RStudio and Biblioshiny for bibliometric tools to process scientific documents extracted from various sources. Our study shows that the most prominent word in the Scopus scientific papers on Sustainable Islamic Finance is Islamic finance, followed by sustainable development, finance, banking, and investments. The keywords that Scopus scientific documents use little on the topic are ethical investing, climate change, Islamic social finance, waqf, zakat, takaful, green sukuk, and microfinance. There is a clear gap in knowledge around Islamic financial instruments in research that follow our findings and would benefit from further research.

Road traffic crashes caused more than 108,000 deaths and 6,200,000 injuries resulting in 7.7 million disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) lost in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in 2019. This study estimates that 59 % of these casualties could have been avoided if all vehicles were designed to provide crash protection equivalent to that of the best vehicle safety design in their class and all road users adhered to safety best practices. Results of comparative risk assessments indicate that the application of safety technologies that are considered high priority by the United Nations (anti-lock braking, electronic stability control, occupant restraints, frontal and side airbags, crashworthiness, side-door beam, side structure and padding, and helmets) can save 34,373 lives and avert 2.5 million DALYs annually in ASEAN. While implementing Autonomous emergency braking and lane keeping assistance systems would provide additional reductions estimated at 13,077 fewer deaths and 1,021,220 fewer DALYs, speed-limitation systems would have a larger additional benefit, estimated at 21,394 lives saved and 1,382,530 fewer DALYs. The investigated technologies can be among the best approaches toward zero traffic deaths and can elevate public health burdens in low and middle-income countries.

Partnerships are crucial for municipal sustainable development, leveraging diverse expertise and resources. Collaborations between local governments, businesses, NGOs, and community groups drive innovation and shared goals, ensuring more comprehensive and resilient solutions. This study aims to characterise and understand the role of municipal partnerships as a vital tool for driving sustainable progress. A mixed-methods methodology was applied by collecting 874 projects from 308 municipalities in Portugal. The findings identify 506 partnerships and reveal significant asymmetries in the distribution of municipal sustainable development projects. The results also identify 9 motivational factors for the emergence of these initiatives, with the economic and community dimensions standing out. Additionally, 11 actors involved in these initiatives and 4 clusters of collaboration between these entities are mapped. Finally, this study is particularly relevant for establishing public policies that can reduce geographical asymmetries and maximise the impact and resilience of these municipal sustainable development projects.

ABSTRACTIn the face of the climate crisis, cities have committed to ambitious sustainability targets. The UN Agenda 2030 and its 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) provide a globally shared language for decision-makers and policymakers regarding their sustainability objectives. Espoo, Finland’s second-largest city, has become a pioneer in implementing the Agenda, not least due to its recent nomination as ‘Europe’s most sustainable city’. This article investigates the use of the Agenda in strategic governance in Espoo with the aim to identify challenges and opportunities of SDG localisation. Although the Agenda has affected many aspects of policymaking in Espoo and ambitions have been high to shine as an SDG pioneer, a systematic integration of sustainability concerns into policymaking is not yet achieved. Moreover, there is a need to question the reliance of the Agenda framework on the ecological modernisation paradigm, which does not see economic growth and ecological sustainability at odds.

The article aims to develop a conceptual framework for integrating environmental technologies into industrial process management to support the achievement of sustainable development goals. It focuses on analyzing how the adoption of innovative environmental solutions can enhance the environmental performance of industrial production, reduce ecological impact, optimize natural resource use, and contribute to global sustainability goals, particularly those related to climate change, ecosystem preservation, and responsible consumption and production. The article seeks to highlight the key advantages, challenges, and risks involved in integrating environmental technologies into industrial management, emphasizing its role as a critical factor for achieving both environmental sustainability and enterprise competitiveness. Using riskbased approaches, system analysis, and modeling, the article explores the conditions necessary for improving the environmental efficiency of industrial operations, with a particular focus on the use of digital environmental technologies to meet sustainable development goals. Research Findings: The study examines the innovative approaches for integrating environmental protection technologies into industrial management as part of the sustainable development agenda. The benefits of this integration are identified as pivotal to achieving sustainability in industrial operations. The article further explores the convergence of digitalization and environmental strategies, offering new opportunities for sustainable development. This direction helps address the environmental challenges facing modern industries and underscores the importance of innovation in both environmental protection and the effective management of industrial processes. Theoretical Significance: The research contributes to the scientific discourse by developing an approach that incorporates environmental technologies into industrial management, positioning it as a fundamental component in achieving sustainable development. The study presents a new vision of industrial management that merges environmental technologies with contemporary management practices to enhance sustainability. Practical Significance: The study deepens the understanding of the impact of digital and environmental innovations on the economic, environmental, and social performance of industrial enterprises. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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The article deals with the importance of sustainable development of transport infrastructure in the context of ensuring the achievement of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals of Ukraine. It is concluded that today sustainable development of transport infrastructure is a key element for achieving national and global sustainable development goals and an important condition for ensuring economic and inclusive growth, social stability, improving the quality of life of the population and achieving sustainable development of the country as a whole. Comparing the data of the Competitiveness Index for 2015-2021 and the First Voluntary National Review on the Sustainable Development Goals in Ukraine, it was possible to focus on the fact that over the years, the transport infrastructure in Ukraine has been developing at a very slow pace, requiring significant investment for development and modernisation. Particular attention was paid to the review of the state of transport infrastructure after the outbreak of a full-scale war in Ukraine and the importance of its restoration. It is emphasised that today it is becoming clear that there is a need for a comprehensive approach to solving problems in the transport sector, which should combine both the problems that existed before the war and the challenges caused by military operations. It is noted that today Ukraine faces the task not only of restoring the destroyed transport infrastructure, but also of modernising it in line with the current global sustainable development goals. At the same time, sustainable development of transport infrastructure in the context of ensuring the achievement of Ukraine's sustainable development goals cannot be achieved without changing approaches to the formation of the State policy in the transport sector. It is noted that despite significant challenges, Ukraine has significant potential for modernising the transport sector in accordance with international standards of sustainable development. The restoration and development of transport infrastructure in Ukraine in the context of war is a complex and multidimensional task that requires an integrated approach, analysis of problems and adaptation of the strategy to new conditions, in particular, to the restoration and modernisation of infrastructure, introduction of innovations and ensuring the sustainability of transport networks in the context of military and post-war challenges. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With 2030 just around the corner, it is crucial to assess progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This study conducts a systematic review from 2015 to 2022 to analyse the scientific literature focused on the assessment and measurement of the impact of the SDGs within the European Union. A comprehensive analysis of 981 papers was conducted, categorizing them to understand the prevailing topics that are currently receiving attention. The results highlight three key actions for achieving the SDGs: (i) the importance of policy coherence when promoting strategies related to sustainable development; (ii) the need to adjust both the objectives and measurement indicators at the local level; and (iii) the significance of incorporating SDG knowledge into education. These findings aim to raise awareness among researchers, businesses, and policy decision-makers about the importance of achieving the SDGs to ensure the sustainability of our planet across all dimensions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Creative and innovative reflective methods are important to prompt and sustain alternative and novel ways for teachers to consider their professional identity and practice. Digital storytelling is one such method that enables the sharing of valued events including narratives of lived experience. This paper reports on a case study investigating teacher use of digital storytelling to promote reflection and pedagogical awareness in support of immigrant and refugee children's developing sense of belonging. The case study is part of a larger funded project aimed at strengthening the identity and belonging of refugee and immigrant children in early childhood education. In the case study, four early childhood education teachers in an education and care centre planned and created their digital narratives, reflected on the process, and considered the opportunities and implications for integrating digital storytelling in their practice. A range of qualitative data were collected through observations (notes, photographs, video recordings), focus group interview, and teacher created artifacts. Thematic analysis identified that teachers valued their experiences with creating their own digital stories in identifying and affirming their values and identities as teacher practitioners, and in thinking more deeply about coming to belong. They recognised the transformative potential of digital storytelling in promoting understandings of belonging, facilitating reflective practice and identifying relevant belonging-based pedagogical strategies. They recommended other staff and parents could undertake a similar process, predicting that this would enable even stronger reciprocal connections between staff, parents and children to facilitate greater understanding of children's cultural backgrounds and home experiences as a basis for establishing more targeted belonging-based pedagogies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Data from children suggest that the prevalence of child labour in the cocoa industry in Côte d’Ivoire is a worrying 38%. However, while surveying children has the potential to reduce sensitivity biases such as social desirability bias, it presents significant ethical dilemmas and may also be associated with other reporting biases, making accurate estimates of child labour difficult. To address this, we collected data from 1741 cocoa producers to assess whether parents could provide more accurate estimates using indirect survey methods. We compared direct questioning with a list experiment and a novel non-verbal method (‘colorbox’). We found higher prevalence rates of child labour using indirect elicitation methods, but lower than those obtained from children’s surveys. Qualitative in-depth interviews revealed motivations for underreporting, including fear of legal consequences and mistrust of stakeholders. Indirect methods alone are not sufficient to correct for underreporting when child labour is collected from parents. Future research should prioritise direct data collection from children and address ethical concerns to obtain more accurate estimates of child labour. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Globally, people acknowledge poverty as the greatest tragedy in human history, a serious threat to sustainable living, and a barrier to the development of human capital. Realising the importance of lowering global poverty, the United Nations incorporated 'End poverty in all its forms everywhere' as the first of the 17 SDGs for Sustainable Development. This background motivates us to look into how different lower-middle- or lower-income countries are achieving the first SDG goal. Consequently, the study primarily investigates the efficiency of 43 lower middle- or lower-income countries in Asia, Africa, and America in reaching the SDG goal of 'No poverty' by using the Stochastic Production Frontier from 2019 to 2020. Concurrently, the analysis pinpoints the causes of the nation's inefficiency in accomplishing that objective. According to the study's findings the Korea Republic is the most efficient nation at reaching the objective of 'No poverty.' Guinea is the least efficient. In conjunction with inefficiency issues, the analysis demonstrates that rising CO2 emissions paradoxically promote efficiency in the battle against poverty; conversely, rising corruption increases inefficiency. Conflict significantly impedes any constructive goal, such as poverty reduction. Corruption and intentional homicides serve as proxy indicators of conflict in this context. A rise in conflict variables reduces the nation's efficacy in lowering poverty rates. The article ends by outlining future research goals and making pertinent policy recommendations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Sport for Development and Peace (SDP) sector employs sport to stimulate social and personal development beyond sports. However, limited attention has been given to environmental sustainability and SDP's role within the Anthropocene. This study examines how SDP stakeholders interpret macro policies and navigate climate action challenges. The concept of glocalization helps reveal the complexities of addressing climate change at a local level. Semi-structured interviews (N = 4) were conducted with SDP practitioners from NGOs in Brazil and the UK. Findings reveal two key themes: the barriers and opportunities presented by the SDGs and the role of personal experiences in making environmental engagement relevant. The findings shed new light on the diverse motivations that drive SDP NGOs in addressing environmental concerns, as well as the challenges they encounter in contributing to environmental sustainability. This study emphasizes the need for SDP-specific environmental policies, practices, and glocalized responses to the Anthropocene on various levels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigates the trends in chronic malnutrition (stunting) among young children across Bangladesh's 64 districts and 544 sub-districts from 2000 to 2018. We utilized remote-sensed data–nighttime light intensity to indicate urbanization, and environmental factors like precipitation and vegetation levels–to examine patterns of stunting. Our primary data source was the Bangladesh Demographic and Health Survey, conducted six times within the study period. Using Bayesian multilevel time-series models, we integrated cross-sectional, temporal, and spatial data to estimate stunting rates for years not covered by the direct survey information. This approach, enhanced by remote-sensed data, allowed for greater prediction accuracy by incorporating information from neighboring areas. Our findings show a significant reduction in national stunting rates, from nearly 50% in 2000 to about 30% in 2018. Despite this overall progress, some districts have consistently high levels of stunting, while others show fluctuating levels. Our model gives more precise sub-district estimates than previous methods, which were limited by data gaps. The study highlights Bangladesh's advancements in reducing child stunting, highlighting the value of integrating remote-sensed data for more precise and credible analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Urbanization is key to the development of a city. It is part of the Sustainable Development Goals. Developing countries are called upon to modernize and build urban infrastructure. There are several problems in developing countries: undirected and uncontrolled urbanization. This has several consequences, including the proliferation of slums, uncontrolled construction, erosion, flooding, and an increase in the crime rate. It is possible to combat these consequences and mitigate their effects by implementing solid urban planning that takes into account subdivision plans, the reinforcement of embankments, the expansion of the urban area, the construction of infrastructure, and their diversification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While the coal phase-out is progressing in many countries, formerly fossil-dependent regions receive transition funding for substitute economic activities. This can steer these regions into a sustainable future, yet it is not clear from the outset whether governance conditions and actors' preferences are conducive to a genuinely sustainable transition. The present study examines to what extent sustainability goals shape the transition process following the coal phase-out in a German coal region (Lusatia), and the guiding logics observed therein. Three key aspects for regional transition processes are considered: enabling conditions for sustainability governance (policy coherence, participation, reflexivity, intergenerational equity); key actors and their sustainability conceptions; and the role of sustainability in selecting and funding transition projects. Based on expert interviews, policy documents, project lists, and sustainability declarations, our findings indicate that sustainability is a rather low priority for key actors. In combination with ambivalent governance conditions, this manifests as a weak sustainability focus among most resulting projects. Nevertheless, our analysis also reveals several projects focusing on selective aspects of sustainability. The phase-out therefore appears to follow the logic of signaling, and it remains unclear whether this might revert to mere energy system substitution or else aspire to comprehensive regional transformation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on the issue of the existing mechanism of the European Union in combating drugs as a component of ensuring public health. Attention is focused on the EU legislation aimed at criminalizing illegal acts related to combating drug trafficking, in particular directives, strategic acts, etc. Attention is focused on EU measures to protect the health of people addicted to drugs, with noncriminalized measures, including: prevention, treatment and provision of care services; combating drug-related harm; psychoactive drug use disorders and mental health problems. Attention is paid to specialized agencies, bodies, structures of the EU related to the fight against drugs and the protection of the right to health. It is emphasized that EU measures correspond to the UN Sustainable Development Goals, in particular: SDG 3 – Targets 3.4, 3.5, 3.8, 3.9 (3.b), 3.9 (3.d), SDG 15 – Targets 5.1, 5.2, SDG 16 – Target 16 .b, SDG 17 - Targets 17.9, 17.16. It is noted that the EU and its member states are adopting legal, strategic and operational measures to reduce the supply and demand for drugs in Europe, and to address security and health problems related to drug trafficking and use. It was noted that the policy of the EU, as well as the policy of the international community regarding drugs, was until recently based on drug control, primarily regarding the use and possession of drugs, the criminalization of drug trafficking, etc. At the current stage of the Union’s functioning, this vector is considered from the point of view of the impact on human health and the realization of the right to the highest attainable level of health guaranteed by international standards. It was concluded that despite the titanic efforts of all involved entities, the drug problem in the EU is not solved, there is a number of issues that require titanic efforts, which is also confirmed by the European Drug Report 2024. The existing problems encourage the unification of international efforts in combating drugs in order to preserve the health of the population of the Planet and future generations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite contributing minimally to global greenhouse gas emissions, Pacific Island Countries and Territories often shoulder an unequal burden of climate risks. To analyse pathways to sustainability, we conducted a leverage points analysis on the complex sustainability challenges facing the low-lying atoll Ouvéa in Kanaky New Caledonia (France). Leverage points are places within complex systems where interventions can lead to transformative change. Combining a literature review and qualitative interviews with regional, government, provincial, and local stakeholders, we contextualised eight leverage points: (1) expanding and improving coastal protection, (2) strengthening or creating monetary incentives, funding possibilities or forms of compensation to alleviate costs of climate change adaptation and sustainability measures, (3) conducting more research and monitoring, (4) strengthening environmental regulation and restrictions, (5) empowerment of women, youth, and local communities and increasing awareness of power imbalances to strengthen gender equity and social inclusion, (6) establishing new conservation management measures and improving existing ones, (7) increasing institutionalisation of environmental and climate change education, and (8) involving diverse knowledge systems and practices in research and management to strengthen participatory, transdisciplinary, and community-based initiatives. Our results emphasise the importance of acknowledging responsibilities across multiple scales, showing the non-transferability of some interventions due to perceived high costs and incompatibility with local culture. Illustrating dimensions of ocean equity in the context of Ouvéa, we discuss the importance of local values and knowledge systems to ensure fair distribution of costs and benefits in sustainability interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is a growing global recognition that community development has the potential to enhance the socio-economic status of resource-constrained rural communities. Many countries have established commu­nity development initiatives in rural areas to reduce pov­erty and improve social investment. However, numer­ous challenges hinder the implementation of community development initiatives that contribute to poverty re­duction in most of Southern Africa. The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly Goal 1, mandates all countries to end all forms of pov­erty by the year 2030. One approach to achieving this goal is to devise and implement sustainable community development initiatives. This review paper presents some best practices for how community development in­itiatives could reduce poverty in Southern Africa. The lit­erature collected from government reports, accredited journal articles, and other credible scientific writings from 2000 to 2022 was reviewed to triangulate sources of information and understand the state of community de­velopment initiatives. Several challenges were found to impede progress in poverty reduction and negatively impact sustainable community development. The effec­tiveness and sustainability of poverty reduction strate­gies implemented by countries in Southern Africa vary widely from country to country and within the country itself. The study provides recommendations and best practice models implemented within rural communities in Southern Africa.

In recent years, companies in the retail sector have begun to introduce and incorporate the principles of sustainable development into their strategies and began to publish reports on sustainable development. ESG transformation of companies in the retail industry has its own characteristics. The purpose of the work is to determine the directions of ESG transformation in retail companies, as well as tools for ensuring transparency of activities in the field of sustainable development. The methodological basis of the study was the concept of sustainable development and ESG, methods of statistical analysis, a systematic approach, scientific works of leading domestic and foreign scientists in the field of sustainable development, ESG transformation of retail companies. In the course of the work the author has identified 6 areas of ESG transformation that are most relevant and consistent with the Sustainable Development Goals and the industry specifics of the retail sector. It was revealed that there is a problem of comparability of ESG ratings and rankings from various agencies, insufficient prevalence of the practice of publishing non-financial reporting by organisations from this segment.The set of non-financial indicators proposed by the author for retail companies are grouped by areas of ESG transformation, as well as by Sustainable Development Goals. The publication of the proposed indicators in the annual report or sustainability report is intended to help management and interested stakeholders evaluate the results of ESG transformation of retail companies in more depth and detail.

Nowadays, food systems are undergoing major transformations to achieve the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). However, there are a lack of comprehensive reviews on this topic in developing countries. This work highlights food systems’ transition towards sustainability, focusing on Morocco. It was carried out through searching, selecting, evaluating, and synthesizing existing relevant scholarly and gray literature. In Morocco, a meaningful transition towards sustainability is being guided and carried out on several levels, despite numerous challenges, e.g., inability to cope with the detrimental effects of climate change and escalating water scarcity constitute fundamental problems. However, there are conflicting views on the outcomes of food system transformation. Some studies showed that Morocco has increased its agri-food export and reduced poverty to less than 5% of the population over the past decade; the proportion of wasted and malnourished children has declined from 25 to 15% and 4 to 3%, respectively, and the 2023 Global Hunger Index (GHI) showed a score of 9.0. Other studies showed that North Africa has entered a food security crisis; specifically, food inflation has reached unprecedented levels in Morocco. This paper provides valuable insights for policymakers and planners to design evidence-based policies and strategies to boost sustainable development in Morocco.

Purpose – The objective of this study is to analyze the influence of institutional quality on the attainment of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) using a data set comprising 45 African nations during the timeframe 2000 to 2020. Design/methodology/approach – The data are divided into two periods, with the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) data covering the years 2000–2015 and the SDGs data spanning from 2015 to 2020. Controlling for other factors, the researcher employs an index of institutional quality and applies the generalized method of moments (GMM) method to analyze the data. Findings – The findings demonstrate a noteworthy inverse relationship between institutional quality and the achievement of both the MDGs and SDGs. The findings reveal a significant and positive link between economic growth and the achievement of the MDGs, while the impact on the SDGs is shown to be insignificant. Population growth significantly drives the SDGs. The results further reveal that trade openness and industrialization contribute positively to the achievement of both the MDGs and SDGs. Practical implications – The findings emphasize the importance of improving institutional quality, promoting economic growth and supporting trade openness and industrialization for sustainable development in African countries. Originality/value – The contribution of the study is twofold. Firstly and to the best of the author’s understanding, this research marks an initial endeavor to empirically investigate the nexus between institutional quality and the SDGs in the context of Africa. Secondly, it adds novelty to the literature by examining how institutional quality influences both the SDGs and their precursor the MDGs, providing insights into the actual contribution of institutions to development within the framework of these two major global compacts.

Power outages have become pervasive in many Global South countries causing serious disruption to economies, psycho-social well-being, and industries including libraries. Occasionally, these power outages and their implications are felt in Global North countries too, mainly as a result of natural disasters whose occurrence has become too common due to global warming. This study sought to assess the impact of power outages on library services. The method employed was desk research which relied on a literature review and the lived experiences of the researcher who is based in South Africa, one of the countries that experienced almost daily periodic power outages as a result of the imposition of load shedding. The results show that power outages disrupt daily services of libraries resulting in difficulties in accessing electronic resources and services causing library hours to be adjusted and even closures. Power outages often lead to great frustration and anger from clients and librarians alike. Based on the available literature, some remedies are suggested to cushion the blow to clients and libraries. However, these remedies can only be temporary solutions. Ultimately, it is recommended that libraries should tackle the issue of load shedding collectively by either negotiating favourable deals with alternative energy providers and/or in negotiations with governments to, as far as possible, exempt and prioritise libraries in cases of power outages. This will aid in stemming the negative effects on education, access to information, and other efforts to actualise sustainable development.

Abstract Textile dyes are frequently disposable in aqueous effluents, making it difficult to remove them from industrial effluents before their release to natural waters. This paper deals with the fabrication of cellulose-based adsorbents by reacting nanocelulose crystalline (nanocel) with N-[3-(trimethoxysilyl)propyl]ethylenediamine (TMSPEDA), forming the hybrid (silylpropyl)ethylenediamine@nanocellulose (SPEDA@nanocel), which was employed as adsorbent for the uptake of reactive yellow 2 dye (RY-2) from aqueous effluents. Characterisation of SPEDA@nanocel was carried out using FTIR, SEM–EDS, XRD, TGA, surface area, pHpzc, and hydrophobicity/hydrophilicity ratio (HI). Also, adsorption studies were thoroughly investigated. The effect of initial pH indicated that the maximum uptake of RY-2 takes place at pH 2, which is an indication of the electrostatic mechanism. The kinetic data carried out with 250 and 500 mg L−1 RY-2 with SPEDA@nanocel followed better the nonlinear fractional-like pseudo-first-order model. The t0.5 and t0.95 for the dye uptake were about 30 and 141 min, respectively. The equilibrium data from 10 to 45 °C indicated that the Liu isotherm model was the best-fitted isothermal model. The maximum sorption capacity attained was 112.3 mg g−1 at 45 °C. The thermodynamic data have shown that the equilibrium was favorable and endothermic, and the ΔH° was compatible with an electrostatic attraction between RY-2 and SPEDA@nanocel. Experiments of desorption of loaded adsorbent showed promising results for real applications since at least 5 adsorption/desorption cycles could be employed without significant changes in the recovery and with high precision.

Abstract The Bellagio Group for Accelerating AMR Action met in April 2024 to develop the ambitious but achievable 1–10-100 unifying goals to galvanize global policy change and investments for antimicrobial resistance mitigation: 1 Health; 10 million lives saved; and 100% sustainable access to effective antimicrobials. High profile political goals such as the Paris Agreement’s objective to keep global warming well below 2° Celsius compared to pre-industrial levels, UNAIDS’ 90–90-90 goal, and the Sustainable Development Goals challenge global norms, direct attention towards relevant activities, and serve an energizing function to motivate action over an extended period of time. The 1–10-100 unifying goals propose to unite the world through a One Health approach to safeguard human health, animal welfare, agrifood systems, and the environment from the emergence and spread of drug-resistant microbes and infections; save over 10 million lives by 2040 through concerted efforts to prevent and appropriately treat infections while preserving the vital systems and services that depend on sustained antimicrobial effectiveness; and commit to ensuring that antimicrobials are available and affordable for all, used prudently, and secured for the future through innovation. Compared to existing technical targets, these unifying goals offer advantages of focusing on prevention, encouraging multisectoral action and collaboration, promoting health equity, recognizing the need for innovation, and integrating with Sustainable Development Goals. By committing to 1 Health, 10 million lives saved, and 100% sustainable access to effective antimicrobials, we can protect lives and livelihoods today and safeguard options for tomorrow.

This study examines the accessibility of Generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools for people with disabilities, using WCAG 2.2 success criteria as a reference. Significant accessibility issues were identified in the evaluated applications, highlighting barriers mainly affecting disabled users. Integrating accessibility considerations from the beginning of application development and adopting a proactive approach are emphasized. Although challenges are faced, such as the shortage of inclusive training data and opacity in AI decision-making, the need to continue addressing various aspects of accessibility in the field of generative AI tools is acknowledged. These efforts are based on regulatory compliance and ethical principles to ensure equal societal participation, regardless of individual abilities. The fundamental role of accessibility in realizing this vision is highlighted, aligning with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, particularly those related to equality, education, innovation, and inclusion. Improving accessibility meets regulatory requirements and contributes to a broader global agenda for a more equitable and sustainable future. Doi: 10.28991/ESJ-2024-08-04-021 Full Text: PDF

Policy analysts dedicate a great deal of their time performing routine tasks including collecting information, identifying policy issues and options, and appraising policy options. The amount of information available online has become increasingly overwhelming. This “experience” paper examines how readily available AI tools can assist policy workers and researchers. To do so, we examine environmental policy innovation lab (EPIL) websites using three widely used generative AI programs (ChatGPT, Claude AI, and Perplexity) to assess how well they collect information about PILs and how they utilize the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). To do so, five questions are asked, including defining a PIL, whether the PILs in our database are indeed policy labs and the extent to which PILs explicitly or implicitly contribute to and/or address SDGs. Our results suggest that rapidly emerging AI tools can significantly supplement routine policy analysis and improve the routine tasks associated with analytical policy capacity. However, we conclude that despite the rapid developments, augmented intelligence is not a substitute for human analysis but rather a complementary tool.

The transformation of the economy towards sustainable development based on ESG principles is one of the most pressing tasks. This article aims to study the current state of implementation of ESG principles in the context of sustainable development in Kazakhstan and identify critical factors influencing these processes. Special attention is given to the environmental component of ESG development, considering its importance in light of global demographic and technological changes. During the research, general scientific methods of cognition (analysis, synthesis, analogy, generalization, classification), as well as methods of quantitative and qualitative analysis, were applied, allowing for the identification and systematization of critical achievements in implementing ecological aspects of the sustainable development strategy in the republic. The article provides an assessment of Kazakhstan's involvement in adapting the best international practices in the ESG sphere, specifically in the activities of companies. Trends in the change of Kazakhstan's global rankings were analyzed using the Climate Change Performance Index (CCPI) and Sustainable Development Index (SDI). According to the assessments of international experts, a conclusion was drawn about the worsening of Kazakhstan's position. The article gives a detailed characterization of factors hindering the promotion of environmentally responsible investments and reducing the effectiveness of projects for climate change adaptation in the republic. As a result, factors contributing to the successful implementation of ESG development policy in Kazakhstan were identified, and recommendations based on this were given for further activation. The conclusion emphasizes the relevance of continuing research in strengthening the informational support of the ESG development process in the economy, primarily through implementing non-financial reporting.

The COVID-19 pandemic has affected all Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), leading to setbacks in various Latin American countries. In Brazil, progress in technological development and the adoption of sustainable practices by organizations has been significantly hindered. Yet, there remains a limited understanding of the long-term impacts on the country’s development, and a structured national plan for recovery and resuming progress toward the SDGs is lacking. This paper aims to investigate the repercussions of COVID-19 on SDGs 9 (industry, innovation, and infrastructure) and 12 (sustainable consumption and production) in the context of a latecomer country such as Brazil. This study adopted the Delphi-based scenario and Fuzzy Delphi approach and involved the participation of 15 sustainability experts with extensive experience in the Brazilian industrial sector. The findings elucidate the long-term impacts of the pandemic on these SDGs, focusing on Brazil’s socioeconomic landscape and developmental challenges. The pandemic worsened pre-existing issues, hindering infrastructure modernization, technological investment, and sustainable practices. Insufficient research funding, industry modernization, and small business integration further impede progress. Additionally, the paper identifies implications for research, companies, and public policies, aiming to provide actionable insights for fostering sustainable development in the post-pandemic era.