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Abstract It is believed that the environment is largely susceptible to changes in human behavior and the constant advances in using new technologies. Different challenges with regard to housing, basic services, food, health, education, and natural resources must be overcome as it is expected an urban population growth in the upcoming decades. Thereby, a proposal has been formulated herein with the aim of understanding the correlation between a group of socioeconomic and environmental variables that tend to represent how cities of a metropolitan region in Brazil behave towards the duality of social development and electricity use. For such a purpose, a spatial econometric analysis has been conducted on sets of variables that are associated with sustainable development goals (SDGs) established to understand social vulnerabilities, economy, electricity use, health and population. The Euclidean distance has been used on standardized variables for the 39 cities in the Metropolitan Region of Paraíba Valley and North Coast as an alternative to that suggested by spatial econometrics. The region under study presents hub cities whose economies are mainly based on industry, trade and services. The results show good consistency and reveal the correlation between SDGs as regards care for vulnerable people, mainly women, children and the elderly. Highlights • A spatial econometric analysis was performed for a metropolitan region of Brazil. • Euclidian distance was proposed as the metric for representing socio-environmental differences between cities. • Sustainable Development Goals were associated to the socio-economic variables of the cities. • Social vulnerabilities, economy, electricity use, health, and population were considered as spatial attributes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study concerns a part of the research work developed within the project GreenCamp, funded by the Regione Toscana and aiming at defining a model of sustainable management and competitive territorial campsite cluster. The main objective of the study was a sustainable mobility system for the customers of 3 campsites, located in a protected area, through the evaluation of the economic and environmental sustainability. In order to assess the connection between the 3 campsites and the coastal area as well as the nearby Regional Park of Migliarino, San Rossore and Massaciuccoli, two alternatives for a sustainable mobility have been assessed: a diesel-powered tourist train and an electric tourist train. The comparison between the two alternatives has been carried out by an Environmental Impact Study, through the analysis of the main biotic and abiotic components as well as of the social-economic aspects. The results of the study depicted the strengths and opportunities of both solutions, by also taking into account some weakness and threats. Nevertheless, through some compensation and mitigation measures, both solutions proved to be viable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sustainable development within the educational sector provides an important opportunity to conserve energy and resources. However, much of the current debate on energy efficiency focuses on new builds or technical measures to adapt established premises; the potential to harness the energy saving behaviour of employees is neglected. Previous research has shown that within the domestic environment, participants’ socio-economic characteristics and environmental attitudes are strongly linked to their propensity to make energy savings and promote energy conservation. The objectives of this research are to examine whether these same principles could be applied to a business environment, in particular the educational sector. This research focused on staff at a typical college of further education in the UK. Two questionnaires were used as the most appropriate research tool for this investigation. This analysis is based on data from 330 employees at a Further Educational College in Staffordshire. The results indicate that energy saving behaviour is important across a wide sector of variables, with home owner status, social altruism and home installation of green measures determining people's views and opinions. Although the results have made positive correlation the analysis also exposed the need for a major change in the patterns of human behaviour towards environmentally sustainable alignment. Data from staff who did not want to take part in the surveys was also analysed for motivations and reasons. Recommendations were made for further study in this sector. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper reviews the social implications of wind energy from four points of view: socio-environmental, socio-economic, socio-cultural, and stakeholder’s involvement, and analyzes wind power projects in the Isthmus of Tehuantepec, Mexico, alongside the background of the literature review. Local economy, geographic conditions, culture, and stakeholders are fundamental when planning a wind project. Technology implementation for sustainable development must recognize the importance of reducing emissions and other environmental impacts, and maximizing socio-economic benefits. The aim of this paper is to review social implications of wind energy, with special emphasis on a disadvantaged region in Mexico, the Isthmus of Tehuantepec, with some of the world׳s highest wind energy potential, but one of the poorest areas in the country and with a large indigenous population. Wind energy development in Mexico has been complex and contentious; the large increase of wind energy in Oaxaca has created social conflicts in Oaxaca, which even might stop further wind project development in the region. Ultimately, local communities need to be considered in the planning and development process of wind power worldwide and the Mexican case shows the need for a national and regional policy, and a comprehensible on-site participatory planning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Energy is indispensible in modern society and is one of the most important components of socio-economic development. Nepal is one of the least developed countries with more than 80% of its population residing in rural communities. Per capita energy usage – often viewed as a key index of the development – in the country is far less than the global average per capita energy usage. The energy sector is dominated by the traditional energy sources such as fuel woods, crop residues and animal dung mainly for domestic usage contributing to about 86% of the national energy consumption. Currently 40% of the population has access to electricity, and the rural electrification accounts for only 29%. The majority of rural populations are meeting their energy needs by burning biomass in traditional stoves which has several environmental and public health issues. Nearly all fossil-derived fuels consumed in the country are imported in a refined form, and the perpetual increase in petroleum imports has adversely impacted the existing fragile economy of the country. Despite a huge potential in harnessing various renewable energy resources such as hydropower, solar power, wind energy and biofuels/bioenergy, these resources have not been sustainably captured due to geographical, technical, political and economical reasons. This paper presents a brief account of Nepal''s renewable energy resources and the current status of various renewable energy technologies (RETs) such as micro-hydro, solar power, wind energy, biofuel/bioenergy, improved cook stoves, and improved water mill. It also highlights the opportunities and barriers for the development of RETs. Finally this paper presents some recommendations for the promotion, development and implementation of RETs in the country. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The paper provides for an evaluation of the potential level and nature of sustainable development of the Sabalan geothermal power plant in NW Iran, to be operational in 2011. The paper achieves this by applying a mathematical model of sustainable development developed by the author (re: Phillips ), in respect to the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) conducted by Yousefi et al. using the Rapid Impact Assessment Matrix (RIAM) methodology (re: Pastakia ; Pastakia and Jensen ). Using a model application methodology developed for the RIAM, the results indicated that the nature of sustainable development for Sabalan was considered to be very weak (S =0.063). This was due to the imbalance between negative environmental impacts and positive socio-economic impacts deriving from the project. Further, when placed into context with a similar set of results obtained from the EIA of the Tuzla geothermal power plant by Baba also using the RIAM methodology, then the similarities between the results obtained raises some legimate questions as to the sustainable development credentials of geothermal power production. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]