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Sustainable farming on ever-shrinking agricultural land and declining water resources for the growing human population is one of the greatest environmental and food security challenges of the 21st century. Conventional, age-old organic farming practices alone, and foods based on costly cellular agriculture, do not have the potential to be upscaled to meet the food supply challenges for feeding large populations. Additionally, agricultural practices relying on chemical inputs have a well-documented detrimental impact on human health and the environment. As the available farming methods have reached their productivity limits, new approaches to agriculture, combining friendly, age-old farming practices with modern technologies that exclude chemical interventions, are necessary to address the food production challenges. Growing genetically modified (GM) crops without chemical inputs can allow agricultural intensification with reduced adverse health and environmental impacts. Additionally, integrating high-value pleiotropic genes in their genetic improvement coupled with the use of modern agricultural technologies, like robotics and artificial intelligence (AI), will further improve productivity. Such 'organic-GM' crops will offer consumers healthy, agrochemical-free GM produce. We believe these agricultural practices will lead to the beginning of a potentially new chemical-free GM agricultural revolution in the era of Agriculture 4.0 and help meet the targets of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Furthermore, given the advancement in the genome editing (GE) toolbox, we ought to develop a new category of 'trait-reversible GM crops' to avert the fears of those who believe in ecological damage by GM crops. Thus, in this article, we advocate farming with no or minimal chemical use by combining chemical-free organic farming with the existing biofortified and multiple stress tolerant GM crops, while focusing on the development of novel 'biofertilizer-responsive GE crops' and 'trait-reversible GE crops' for the future., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

This study investigates the impact of corporate governance mechanisms (namely board meeting, board independence, board gender diversity, CEO duality, ESG-based compensation and ESG committee) on carbon emissions performance of multinational entities (MNEs). The study analysed international sample of 336 top MNEs operating in 42 non-financial industries from 32 countries over a 15-year period. Result shows that board gender diversity, CEO duality, and ESG committee are negatively associated with carbon emissions rate, whilst board independence and ESG-based compensation have significant positive impact. Whereas board gender diversity and CEO duality have significant negative impact on carbon emissions rate in carbon-intensive industries, the impact of board meeting, board independence and ESG-based compensation is significant and positive. In the non-carbon-intensive industries, board meeting, board gender diversity and CEO duality have significant negative impact on carbon emissions rate, whilst the impact of ESG-based compensation is positive. Further, there is a negative association between the millennium development goals (MDGs)/sustainable development goals (SDGs) era dichotomy and carbon emissions rate, implying that the United Nations agenda for sustainable development significantly affected carbon emissions performance of MNEs, with the SDGs era generally witnessing better carbon emissions management in comparison to the MDGs era in spite of the higher emissions level in the SDGs era. The study contributes to knowledge in several ways. First, it adds to the limited literature on the determinants of carbon emissions reduction within an international context. Second, the study addresses mixed result reported in prior studies. Third, the study adds to knowledge on the governance factors affecting carbon emissions performance in the MDGs and SDGs periods, thus providing evidence on progress MNEs are making towards addressing climate change challenges through carbon emissions management., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2023 The Author. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.)

Background: Social enterprises must balance between profitability and sustainability. The impetus on sustainability grew further after the adaption of the SDG agenda by the United Nations (UN)., Objective: This paper examines the role of social enterprises in helping attain sustainable development goals in India., Research Design: This multi-stage paper comprises three studies directed at scale development, scale refinement, pre-testing, and construct validity. The scale development stage is conducted through a combination of extensive literature review and focused group discussions. Expert discussions and item-reduction techniques have been used in the second stage aimed at scale refinement and pre-testing. The third stage of testing construct validity is carried out through Partial Least Square-Structural Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM)., Results: The findings suggest that all the competencies of social enterprises identified in the study i.e. social mission, collaborative networks, innovation, financial viability and level of scalability significantly impact sustainable development., Conclusion: Because the goals of social enterprises and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are mutually reinforcing and complementary, the study suggests that social enterprises have a lot of potential for achieving the SDGs. The study also suggests future research directions and policy implications that can be replicated in other countries., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist., (Copyright: © 2023 Bansal et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.)

Sustainable practices in the building industry are strongly influenced by published green and sustainable building and real-estate standards (GSBRES). Therefore, it is crucial to assess how these standards contribute to achieving the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This paper evaluates the extent to which GSBRESs align with the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, lending a particular focus to the call for transformative change implicit in the SDGs. To this end, we develop a methodology that combines qualitative and quantitative analysis to assess the overlap between the content of three GSBRESs (LEED for design, BOMA BEST for operation, and GRESB for investment) and the SDGs. Despite the overlaps between the attributes of the GSBRESs and the general topics of the SDGs, we find that less than 20% of GSBRES attributes address the specific targets of the 2030 Agenda. Most importantly, the qualitative analysis shows that less than 10% of the standards' scores is attributed to transformative change. We conclude that claims that the GSBRESs are effective in advancing the SDGs are overstated and, without further empirical evidence, caution that they increase the risk of sustainable development greenwashing. We recommend that the standards be repositioned to adopt transformation-focused indicators related to a project's long-term impacts., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2022 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) serve as a common aim that brings many nations together, led by the United Nations with the purpose to achieve a set of 17 targets by 2030. One very important factor in achieving these aims is finance. The advancement in financial development all around the world will be able to speed up achieving SDGs where governments, policymakers, and people will be able to grow the economic development and infrastructure of the country, provide adequate job opportunities for many people, reduce poverty, as well as improve sustainability around the world. In opposition to that, some researchers see the advancement in financial development as an activity that will jeopardize achieving SDGs as financial development might lead to the production of carbon footprints at a faster rate. Using bibliometric analysis, this paper was able to discover that there is an increase in attention and interest in the field with the rise in publications in recent years, especially in 2022. Furthermore, this paper also identifies research hotspots within the field while also finding and analyzing the most impactful authors and publications on the topic. Ultimately, this paper hopes to provide a better definition for the relationship between financial development and SDGs with the use of bibliometric analysis, where data is collected from the Scopus database and analyzed using VOSviewer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is a growing interest in the literature on the theme of big data and sustainable development. As the volume of data is increasing exponentially so does the need to analyse, understand and use this data in the context of UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development Goals. The data revolution, the open data movement, the rise of Artificial Intelligence and the Internet of Things have the power to transform society through integrated actions in order to tackle the environmental, economic and social challenges that we are facing today. Despite all these opportunities, there is still a lack of knowledge on how to make the best use of all existing big data and how it can be mapped in research areas so the public can benefit. Therefore, this paper proposes a bibliometric analysis on the subject of big data for sustainable development with the aim to assist in the development of future research papers. To this end, journals indexed in Scopus database have been used. We extracted a total of 281 papers that were further analysed using the following criteria: publication year, affiliation, country, funding sponsor, type of research document, subject area and most identified keywords. The results of the review serves as the basis for determining possible future research projects, raising awareness at the country level as to the lack of funding towards this domain and the achievement of SDG sustained by the UN. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As we race towards 2030, the target date for achieving the U.N. Sustainable Development Goals, it is critical that we examine our approaches to agricultural development research and practice. We should not expect extraordinary results by using the approaches we have always used. Rather, we must innovate. To that end, Advancements in Agricultural Development held a Symposium on Methods of Agricultural Development Research and Practice in October 2023 on the University of Reading campus, co-hosted by the School of Agriculture, Policy and Development. We invited recognized experts from around the world to develop papers focused on innovative methods of agricultural development practice or innovative methods of agricultural development research. We had ten papers presented that were authored by 26 researchers representing 13 universities/research institutes in 6 countries. Sixteen authors attended the symposium to present their papers. A healthy dialogue followed each presentation to help authors refine their papers, resulting in the articles published in this special issue. A summary of each article is provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The halfway point for the implementation of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) was marked in 2023, as set forth in the 2030 Agenda. Geospatial technologies have proven indispensable in assessing and tracking fundamental components of each of the 17 SDGs, including climatological and ecological trends, and changes and humanitarian crises and socio-economic impacts. However, gaps remain in the capacity for geospatial and related digital technologies, like AI, to provide a deeper, more comprehensive understanding of the complex and multi-factorial challenges delineated in the SDGs. Lack of progress toward these goals, and the immense implementation challenges that remain, call for inclusive and holistic approaches, coupled with transformative uses of digital technologies. This paper reviews transdisciplinary, holistic, and participatory approaches to address gaps in ethics and diversity in geospatial and related technologies and to meet the pressing need for bottom-up, community-driven initiatives. Small-scale, community-based initiatives are known to have a systemic and aggregate effect toward macro-economic and global environmental goals. Cybernetic systems thinking approaches are the conceptual framework investigated in this study, as these approaches suggest that a decentralized, polycentric system—for example, each community acting as one node in a larger, global system—has the resilience and capacity to create and sustain positive change, even if it is counter to top-down decisions and mechanisms. Thus, this paper will discuss how holistic systems thinking—societal, political, environmental, and economic choices considered in an interrelated context—may be central to building true resilience to climate change and creating sustainable development pathways. Traditional and Indigenous knowledge (IK) systems around the world hold holistic awareness of human-ecological interactions—practicable, reciprocal relationships developed over time as a cultural approach. This cultural holistic approach is also known as Systemic Literacy, which considers how systems function beyond "mechanical" aspects and include political, philosophical, psychological, emotional, relational, anthropological, and ecological dimensions. When Indigenous-led, these dimensions can be unified into participatory, community-centered conservation practices that support long-term human and environmental well-being. There is a growing recognition of the criticality of Indigenous leadership in sustainability practices, as well as that partnerships with Indigenous peoples and weaving knowledge systems, as a missing link to approaching global ecological crises. This review investigates the inequality in technological systems—the "digital divide" that further inhibits participation by communities and groups that retain knowledge of "place" and may offer the most transformative solutions. Following the review and synthesis, this study presents cybernetics as a bridge of understanding to Indigenous systems thinking. As non-Indigenous scholars, we hope that this study serves to foster informed, productive, and respectful dialogues so that the strength of diverse knowledges might offer whole-systems approaches to decision making that tackle wicked problems. Lastly, we discuss use cases of community-based processes and co-developed geospatial technologies, along with ethical considerations, as avenues toward enhancing equity and making advances in democratizing and decolonizing technology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study illustrates the linkages between the ISO's Land Administration Domain Model (LADM) and the UN's sustainable development goals (SDGs), highlighting the role of the LADM in promoting effective land administration suitable for efficient computation of land/water (space)-related SDG indicators. The main contribution of this study is the formalization of SDG indicators by using the ISO standard LADM. This paper proposes several SDG-indicator-related extensions to the multi-part LADM standard that is currently under revision. These extensions encompass the introduction of new procedures for calculating indicators, the integration of blueprints for external classes to fulfil additional information needs and the design of interface classes for presenting indicator values across specific countries and reporting years. In an innovative approach, this paper introduces the Four-Step Method—a powerful framework designed to formalize SDG indicators within the LADM framework. Detailed attention is devoted to specific indicators, including 1.4.2 (secure land rights), 5.a.1 (women's agricultural land rights), 14.5.1 (protected marine areas) and 11.5.2 (valuation as a basis for direct economic loss). In short, the Four-Step Method is pivotal in eliminating ambiguities, enhancing the efficiency of indicator computation and securing more accurate indicator values that more truly reflect the progress towards SDG realization. This approach is also expected to work with other (ISO) standards for other SDG indicators. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, responsible sourcing and procurement (including green supply chain management) across the architecture, engineering, and construction (AEC) sectors have become notable contributors to sustainable construction strategies. This study aims to provide a systematic review of responsible sourcing literature across the AEC sectors of the UK to identify a suite of opportunities and obstacles to adopting ethical and environmentally supportive practices and to highlight avenues for further investigation. The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) review process was adopted to identify, screen, and select (n = 80) articles (from 2000–2020) for review. Analysis of these articles identified the most frequently reported opportunities: (i) stakeholder value (40%); (ii) improved supply chain performance (39%); and (iii) competitive advantage (30%). The most frequently reported obstacles relating to the uptake of responsible sourcing are the following: (i) cost (44%); (ii) industry constraints (28%); and (iii) lack of frameworks/information and lack of awareness (25%). Given the industry importance of these themes, it is proposed that there is a necessity to explore and unravel the perceptions of industry experts about these issues so as to clarify the progress and possibilities for more widely adopting responsible sourcing across the AEC sector and, moreover, for clarifying their contribution towards achieving national and international sustainability targets (e.g., UN Sustainable Development Goals). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Integrated ocean management (IOM) aligns with the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and serves as a crucial strategy for promoting the enduring health of marine ecosystems and the sustainable utilization of marine resources. An analysis of the evolution of China's integrated ocean management policy (IOMP) is crucial for providing valuable guidance in achieving sustainable growth in marine management and the marine economy for both China and other coastal nations worldwide. This paper studies the evolution characteristics, challenges, and prospects of IOMP in China since 1978 using content analysis. The findings indicate that the evolution of IOMP can be categorized into four stages: the germination period (1978–1998), the construction period (1999–2009), the systematization period (2010–2017), and the strategization period (2018–present), based on the state of international marine management. The IOMP has transitioned over time from its initial emphasis on resource development during the germination period to a strategization period that prioritizes the full development of all parts of the system. However, the ultimate goal has consistently been to achieve harmonious coexistence between people and the sea. China's IOMP has experienced a progressive development; nevertheless, it continues to encounter obstacles such as the pressing requirement to revise sea-related policies and the absence of policy alignment. The objective of this paper is to explore the evolution, challenges, and prospects of China's IOMP to better improve the land–sea coordination policy, strengthen international judicial cooperation. and provide effective policy reference for other maritime countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The global move towards a circular economy, as well as that of achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), has necessitated the search for several sustainable solutions in various sectors. Given this, the provision of sustainable waste management and electricity systems constitute a significant part of the SDGs, and the waste-to-energy (WtE) concept has recently become a key topic given that it can potentially help reduce the dependence on fossil fuels for energy generation, as well as minimizing the need to dispose of waste in landfill. However, to date, the sustainability assessments of WtE generation technologies have been limited in scope concerning the three-dimensional sustainability framework (economic, environmental, and social). Life Cycle Sustainability Assessment (LCSA) has been proposed as a potential approach that could comprehensively address these three pillars of sustainability simultaneously based on life cycle thinking. LCSA, as a holistic method, could also potentially deal with the complexity associated with decision-making by allowing for the consideration of a full range of possible sustainability consequences. LCSA is an analytical tool that integrates the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA), Life Cycle Costing (LCC), and Social Life Cycle Assessment (sLCA) methodologies, which already exist and continue to be developed. Individually, these life-cycle approaches tend to be used to point out particular 'hotspots' in product or service systems, and hence focus on direct impacts in a given sustainability domain, neglecting the indirect ones. LCSA aims for a more holistic sustainability perspective and seeks to address the associated challenge of integrating these three pillars of sustainability into an overall and more comprehensive sustainability assessment. This need for harmonization within the LCSA methodology is a major challenge in its operationalization. In recent years there has been steady progress towards developing and applying LCSA, including for WtE. The aim of this paper is to review the most recent trends and perspectives in developing countries, especially regarding how LCSA could help inform decision-making. The paper also analyses the LCSA literature to set out the theoretical and practical challenges behind integrating the three methods (LCA, LCC, and sLCA). The review was conducted via a search of keywords such as LCSA, waste, and energy in the Web of Science databases, resulting in the selection of 187 publications written in English. Of those, 13 articles operationalized LCSA in specific waste and WtE related case studies. The review provides a review of the application of LCSA for researchers, technological experts, and policymakers through published findings and identifies perspectives on new research. These include uncertainty, subjectivity in weighting, double-counting, the low maturity of sLCA, and the integration of the interconnection between the three dimensions (environmental, economic, and social dimensions) of LCSA results in decision-making. In addition, gaps (such as the integration of the interconnection between the three dimensions) that need to be addressed via further research are highlighted to allow for a better understanding of methodological trade-offs that come from using the LCSA analytical approach to assess the sustainability of WtE generation technologies, especially in developing countries. It is hoped that this study will be a positive contribution to environmental and energy policy decisions in developing countries faced with the dual problems of waste management and electricity supply along with their sustainable development goals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Following the systematic review and bibliometric analysis of current literature, this paper attempts to investigate whether the wealth generated through cryptocurrency trading can assist in attaining the United Nations' (UN) sustainable development goal (SDG) 7, affordable and clean energy and UN SDG 13 related to climate action. The critical analysis of literature indicates a growing interest in cryptocurrency, the UN's SDGs and the negative effect that crypto mining has on the use of enormous energy. However, there is a clear gap in the literature that focuses on the possibility of using the wealth generated through cryptocurrency trading in financing environmentally friendly projects and attaining the UN's SDG 7 and SDG 13. The findings and the future research direction of this study aim to firstly expand the academic literature related to SDG 7 and SDG 13 and secondly to examine the relationship between cryptocurrency and sustainability even during an uncertain period. This study provides evidence pertaining to the theoretical models that can be applied within discussion of the complex relationship between cryptocurrency, clean energy and climate action. Our findings will provide policymakers with information regarding actions that need to be taken in order to convert cryptocurrency generated wealth and consequently attaining sustainable socio‐economic goals in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As a pillar of United Nations, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia pursues to greener its economy and achieve the Sustainable Development Goals of the 2030 Agenda. The green economy represents a catalyzer for sustainable development in its three dimensions -economic, social and environmental- aiming to improve human well-being and social equity and reduce environmental risks. However, the relevant previous studies lacked the role of green economy on sustainable development for the Saudi Arabia. For this purpose, this paper aims to explore how green is the kingdom and analyze its performance toward sustainable development from 2015 to 2020. To do so, we adopt the EEPSE Green Economy Index that combines educational, economic, political, societal and environmental indicators associated with the pillars of the Quintuple Helix Innovation Model. In this study, this index is composed of 42 indicators related to the green economy and the sustainable development. The empirical results suggest that the Saudi Arabia witnessed a significant progress of EEPSE GEI score. In addition, the findings support that the performance of the kingdom regarding the green economy is affected after the COVID-19 crisis. Thus, the paper provides original visions for policy makers to encourage the transition to green economy which constitutes the main locomotive to attain the economic, social and environment sustainability for the kingdom. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: UN defined Transforming our world: the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development promotes international relations as a platform of cooperation between all stakeholders to achieve peace, stability, and prosperity but faces significant challenges in the post-2022 period. In light of the COVID-19 pandemic and the Ukraine crisis, the prospects for sustainable development as a component of international relations are one of the challenges. The main objective of this paper is the conceptualization of a model for sustainable development risk analysis, intended for developing countries with underdeveloped or nonexistent monitoring systems. Methods: Theory synthesis, adaption, and model development were used in the conceptual method due to empirical research limitations. Analysis, induction, and modeling were utilized to evaluate qualitative and quantitative sustainable development risk assessment approaches and anticipate their advantages and disadvantages. Results: The theoretical part of the research points to the need to consider the risks to implementing sustainable development (primarily future energy development and climate change) that arise from changes in international security. The novel result of the paper is the proposal of the concept Model for sustainable development implementation risk assessment in developing countries, derived from the following inputs: (a) an overview of the development of international relations and attitudes towards sustainable development; (b) a proposal of a generic model for risk assessment; (c) a prediction of the sustainable development future from the perspective of international relations and defined risks for its implementation. A set of indicators is proposed by dimensions: social, economic–political, and energy-environment. Conclusions: The future of sustainable development can be considered at a certain degree of risk in light of the global crisis after 2022. Changes in geopolitical constellations, armed conflicts, population growth, climate change, and the reallocation of financial resources are the factors that will largely determine the commitment of individual countries to implementing sustainable development. Therefore, sustainable development risk assessment must be revisited, improved, and closely monitored. The development of models based on the specificities of each country is highly recommended. Methodological notes are presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Elimination of malaria has become a United Nations member states target: Target 3.3 of the sustainable development goal no. 3 (SDG3). Despite the measures taken, the attainment of this goal is jeopardized by an alarming trend of increasing malaria case incidence. Globally, there were an estimated 241 million malaria cases in 2020 in 85 malaria-endemic countries, increasing from 227 million in 2019. Malaria case incidence was 59, which means effectively no changes in the numbers occurred, compared with the baseline 2015. Jennifer Doudna—co-inventor of CRISPR/Cas9 technology—claims that CRISPR holds the potential to lessen or even eradicate problems lying in the centre of SDGs. On the same note, CRISPR/Cas9-mediated mosquito-targeting gene drives (MGD) are perceived as a potential means to turn this trend back and put momentum into the malaria elimination effort. This paper assessed two of the critical elements of the World Health Organization Genetically modified mosquitoes (WHO GMM) Critical Pathway framework: the community and stakeholders' engagement (inability to employ widely used frameworks, segmentation of the public, 'bystander' status, and guidelines operationalization) and the regulatory landscape (lex generali, 'goldilocks dilemma', and mode of regulation) concerning mosquito-oriented gene drives (MGD) advances. Based on the assessment findings, the author believes that CRISPR/Cas-9-mediated MGD will not contribute to the attainment of SDG3 (Target 3.3), despite the undisputable technology's potential. This research pertains to the state of knowledge, legal frameworks, and legislature, as of November 2022. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs) ensure future human well-being. However, they face challenges due to the pressing need to reduce carbon emissions, with nearly 40% originating from the construction sector. With the current global environmental and energy crisis, there is a pressing need to address building carbon emissions and prioritise investments in passive strategies for improving indoor thermal comfort. Exploring fast-growing bio-based materials like bamboo, straw, hemp, and flax directly addresses these concerns, fostering environmental sustainability. Material selection in construction is crucial for advancing the SDGs, for example, promoting sustainable cities and communities (SDG11) and responsible consumption and production (SDG12). This paper proposes a comparative analysis of conventional and bio-based construction materials, focusing on their production stages through life cycle analysis. Tools such as Building Emissions Accounting for Materials (BEAM) and the Methodology for Relative Assessment of Sustainability (MARS) enable a detailed comparison. The results highlight the benefits of bio-based materials in storing carbon more rapidly and their lower environmental impact compared to conventional alternatives. Moreover, bio-based materials contribute to indoor moisture regulation and a healthier indoor environment, underscoring their potential to accelerate progress towards the UN SDGs through informed material choices in design practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During the last decades, Morocco has recorded substantial urbanization and faced challenges related to urban sprawl and encroachment on fertile lands. This paper reviews several studies assessing urban sustainability development in 27 Moroccan urban areas using the UN's Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) indicator 11.3.1, i.e., the ratio of Land Consumption Rate (LCR) to Population Growth Rate (PGR). Among the 27 urban areas reviewed, analysis of SDG 11.3.1 data revealed that only 7 exhibited trends towards sustainable urban development, while the remaining 20 showed a divergence from the sustainability objectives. We analyze the studies, conducted between 2020 and 2023, describing in depth the relationship between LCRs and PGRs, and provide a comprehensive summary of the SDG 11.3.1 outcome, discussing along the way methodological variations, and introducing a new concept for the evaluation of urban land consumption. The review reveals disparate regional urban development trends, emphasizing the need for local land tenure rules. Additionally, the study discusses how the SDG 11.3.1 reacts under the influence of several parameters such as land characteristics, climate, and geographic location. While the study acknowledges the limitations of SDG 11.3.1, it found that the indicator provides valuable insights into trends and comparisons, and should offer assistance to stakeholders, urban planners, and decision makers in their pursuit of sustainable development. However, these identified limitations underscore the need for a more comprehensive and multidimensional urban sustainability development indicator, capable of better addressing the complexities of the urban environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Corporate social responsibility (CSR) extends beyond mere profit-seeking to encompass the ethical behavior of a company toward society, mitigating negative and generating positive impacts on the environment, consumers, employees, communities, and all stakeholders. The UN Global Compact (UNGC) is the world's largest voluntary CSR initiative, and its Communication on Progress (CoP) requirement is a key reporting mechanism that allows participating companies to transparently showcase their progress and efforts regarding CSR. As more and more companies are reporting CSR practices, it is crucial to establish a global, standardized, trusted, accessible, and useful database that can be used by different stakeholders, including the companies themselves in the benchmarking process. This paper examines whether the UNGC CoP can be used as a sustainability benchmarking tool, based on well-established criteria, and compares it with other existing reporting frameworks. Results indicate that the UNGC CoP can be considered a benchmarking tool, being applicable to nearly all phases of the benchmarking process. The study also shows that the CoP stands out regarding other frameworks due to ample coverage of the sustainable development goals (SDGs), number of reporting companies, accessibility to all stakeholders, and consolidation of the information into one platform. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The increasing urbanization trend, projected to reach 70% of the global population residing in cities by 2050, underscores the pivotal role of cities in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) set by the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development (UN, 2015) and combating climate change. Nonetheless, the 2023 report by the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN Habitat) reveals an alarming gap in achieving SDG 11 "Sustainable cities and communities" by 2030. This gap highlights the urgent need for transformative shifts in urban policies and investments to prevent cities from becoming centers of global disparities, including socio-economic inequalities, digital divide, and spatial fragmentation, particularly in marginal areas. Marginal areas suffer indeed from conditions of sub-optimality in planning capacity, valuable decision-making, and project implementation. The inadequate planning, management, and governance of marginal areas, coupled with suboptimal investments, can severely compromise their socioeconomic condition. Planning efforts frequently fall short in achieving long-term sustainability goals due to localized and short-sighted decision-making processes, particularly evident in marginal areas. It is crucial, though, to support their public administrations in the achievement of the SDG 11 targets and in their responsive participation in the calls for the allocation of public funding. In this paper, we provide a theoretical and methodological approach to evaluate urban regeneration projects in marginal areas. In detail, we develop an A'WOT approach, which combines a Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats (SWOT) analysis to the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP), to rank alternative urban development projects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Thirty years ago, Wall published "Exergy Ecology Democracy - Concepts of a vital society or a proposal for an exergy tax". This paper discusses this milestone contribution by Wall. It has traced a path toward economic, environmental and societal sustainability and proposed exergy as a robust indicator for measuring progress. This paper is divided into two parts. The first focuses on better understanding Wall's role in today's scenario. This second part presents different methods that allow using exergy to assess the sustainability of economic, industrial and societal processes. First, it presents an example showing the inadequacy of domestic material consumption (DMC) in evaluating the sustainability of import-export operations. Second, how exergy can apply to increase the significance of DMC has been discussed. A new indicator that allows coupling with DMC has been defined to improve the information delivered by DMC and make it a more effective sustainability indicator. Third, some ecological indicators are discussed. The use of exergy to integrate DMC and assess lifecycle and polluting emissions into the environment has been discussed. Finally, an effective exergy tax proposal is presented as an instrument for stimulating an effective transitionward sustainability of consumption and people's habits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Urban areas constitute one of the main issues of sustainability as defined by the United Nations with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The recent smart city concept represents a way for achieving the urban sustainability goals. The European Commission (EC) bases the smart city concept on three pillars: energy, transport and Information and Communication Technologies (ICT). The main objective of the paper is to investigate the European smart city process, by focusing on urban mobility and their interconnections with the other two pillars. The methodological approach of territorial planning is used by identifying the plan dimensions and then analyzing the processes at master and sectorial level. The applied processes are verified with a review of the European documents that constitute the rules for defining and implementing the smart city concept. European guidelines indicate the SUMP as the integrated master plan that contributes to reach the convergence among energy, transport and ICT processes. By focusing on people mobility sector, European cities are implementing the Mobility as a Service (MaaS) plan at the sectorial level. This implies the necessity to enhance the knowledge of mobility phenomenon, in relation to emerging ICT and their impact on energy consumptions. The contribution of the work is given by the identification of a planning and implementation path focused on smart city, in urban areas, which connects the general goals of Agenda 2030 with the daily implications for citizens and therefore with the specific results. The paper results are useful: from one side, for researchers that work on advancements of theories, and from another side, for planners and decision makers to explore the European attempts towards urban sustainability and the real implementations on urban mobility systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Being key players in providing sustainable energy on a global scale, oil and gas (O&G) companies can contribute to achieving the UN's Sustainable Development Goals SDG 7 (Affordable and Clean Energy) and SDG 13 (Climate Action). This paper focuses on Russian O&G companies and presents an analysis of their contribution to these SDGs in the context of today's decarbonization agenda. The study is based on a content analysis of their corporate sustainability reports and has produced three results. First, we analyzed the key strategic goals of Russian O&G companies. Second, we identified the correspondence between the progress towards the SDGs declared in their sustainability reports and the UN's SDG indicators. Third, we analyzed the contributions of Russian O&G companies to SDGs 7 and 13. As a result of the study, recommendations were formulated to introduce practical tools aimed at increasing the contribution of Russian O&G companies to sustainable development. The article discusses problems in corporate sustainability reporting of Russian O&G companies. The paper also seeks to expand the existing literature on the contribution of the Russian O&G sector to providing sustainable energy and accelerating the energy transition in line with the decarbonization agenda. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The climate change – inequality nexus has become an increasingly important concept advanced by inequality and sustainability experts as well as international organisations like the United Nations. In this perspective paper, two arguments are made to further our understanding of the nexus and to promote action on SDG 10 ("Reducing inequalities within and among countries") and SDG 13 ("Climate action"). First, climate change's status as a "core" planetary boundary as well as its embeddedness in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, calls for a wider discussion on environmental and ecological degradation in the context of inequality. Second, the concept of inequalities of opportunity freedoms, under the guise of the influential human capabilities framework, is well suited to make sense of the complexity and multidimensionality of the climate change – inequality nexus. To this end, some (and by no means all) causal links between climate change, wider environmental and ecological degradations, and inequality are analysed. The paper concludes by arguing in favour of a framework that can aptly capture the full complexity and multidimensionality of the climate change – inequality nexus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bangladesh is passing through the dividend phase of demographic transition, with 45 million (over a quarter of the total population) in the age group of 15-29 years and 52.8 million (about a third) in the 15-36 age group. Young scientists belong to the upper segments of the later age group (some may be somewhat older than 36), who will in the fullness of time, take up leadership positions in their respective fields. Whatever be the field of human endeavour, the capability of the protagonists, is certainly a pivotal key to success. Indeed, human capability depends on education, skill training and health services. The better the availability of these services, the better is expected to be the ability acquired by the people concerned. One of these key services, health, is included in the theme of this conference. This paper has proposed that a universal health coverage (UHC) system be developed in Bangladesh so that people from all walks of life can access at least primary health services. The UHC can be developed centering around the 14,000 or so Community Clinics in place all around rural Bangladesh. Bangladesh is pursuing the goal of sustainable development within the UN adopted 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development framework. This agenda is anchored on three pillars-economic, social and environmental. Sustainable development can be succinctly defined as socially acceptable, environmentally sound economic growth. Also, a basic tenet characterising sustainable development is that nobody can be left behind, i.e., everybody has to be included. The theme of this conference consist of the environmental pillar of sustainable development. In fact, the environment is the ultimate resource base of all development. Climate change, a major sub-set of environmental issues, is fast deteriorating and becoming an existential threat to humanity. This paper has discussed what has been happening in relation to climate change and what is being done to combat the menace globally and in Bangladesh. The efforts of Bangladesh in policy, programming, funding, and action in the context of responding to the increasingly adverse impacts on the country caused by the worsening climate change have been reviewed. Also, since this problem is global and cannot be adequately combatted by any one country, much less by a resource-poor country like Bangladesh, what role the international community is playing in this regard has been examined. The final section relates the lessons from the above discussions and reviews the future roles that young scientists need to play. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sustainable development is one of the key pre-conditions of achieving desirable world for next generations. It is a broad concept which contains environmental, economic and social dimensions. In a world of growing globalization, where the interconnectedness and interdependence of nations and people are growing, it was decided to set a set of values through 17 global goals that will guide each UN member to bring the world on a sustainable path. Young people are drivers of change and should be encouraged and empowered to participate in the implementation of the 2030 Agenda at local and national level in order to make the most effective transformation of the world into a better place for all. Since young people are a pledge for the future of the labor market, it is interesting to explore their knowledge of sustainable development. The aim of this paper is to investigate the knowledge of young people in Brod Posavina County on sustainable development and determine whether there is a connection between gender, place of residence and level of education of young people with knowledge of the concepts and components of sustainable development and sustainable development goals. For the purposes of this paper, an empirical study was conducted involving young people from 18-30 years of age. A survey questionnaire was used to collect data. Univariate and bivariate statistics methods were used for data processing. Univariate statistics consist of frequencies, measures of central tendency, percentages and measures of variability, while bivariate statistics in this case include χ² test, T-test and simple analysis of variance. In addition to the survey, scientific and professional articles, publications and statistics were studied. The results of the research confirm that the sociodemographic characteristics of young people affect different knowledge of the determinants of sustainable development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In many regions of the world, groundwater is the main water source for multiple uses, including for drinking, irrigation, and industry. Groundwater quality, therefore, is closely related to human health, and the consumption of contaminated groundwater can induce various waterborne diseases. In the last ten years, the world has witnessed a rapid development in groundwater quality research and the assessment of associated health risks. This editorial introduced the foundation of the current Special Issue, Groundwater Quality and Public Health, briefly reviewed recent research advances in groundwater quality and public health research, summarized the main contribution of each published paper, and proposed future research directions that researchers should take into account to achieve the one health goal. It is suggested that groundwater quality protection should be further emphasized to achieve the one health goal and the UN's SDGs. Modern technologies should be continuously developed to remediate and control groundwater pollution, which is a major constrain in the development of a sustainable society. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper evaluates the quality of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals' report for 2020, and devises a new data quality assessment framework based on analysing many data quality frameworks. Data in this paper is collected from the official UN SDG official website, and the national statistics offices of the UN countries. A weighted-score sum module is also being utilized to find the best data quality dimension. These dimensions are then used to create a new data quality framework. It is found that the UN SDGs used a data quality framework that is based on statistical output factors and ignores other quality factors and therefore the score for assessing this report is 56%. The perceived identified gaps include: countries are using different quality and assessment frameworks which cause inconsistency in data quality; data is outdated and incomplete; data is not available for many indicators and countries; cost and efficiency are not part of the UN SDG data quality framework; therefore weak data management is found. Areas for improvement include creating one comprehensive data quality framework for all countries will ensure the highest data quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As humanity's presence in space continues to advance, it is important to consider the positive and negative effects of space activities on sustainable development. This paper presents the findings from an expert elicitation process to assess the benefits and risks of the Earth-for-space, space-for-Earth, and space-for-space economies for the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Significant benefits and risks exist, with SDGs 6, 9, 12, 14, and 16 exhibiting numerous benefits, and SDGs 6, 8, 11, and 15 exhibiting various risks from activities across the space economies. Multi-sectoral, multi-disciplinary experts have identified benefits including space as a means to facilitate international agreement and cooperation, insights from space-based Earth observation, and advances in economic and technological development. Conversely, they identified risks of space advancement resulting in inequality, overexploitation of space resources, and the increase of global geopolitical tensions. These findings were used to suggest an SDG 18 for space, consisting of seven targets that address the concerns raised in the process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The study was undertaken with a purpose of at source bioconversion of wet kitchen waste. To accelerate the "Zero Waste Concept" and meet the UN's Sustainable Development Goals 2015. Method: Wet waste was mixed with dry paper, cardboard material and a microbial culture was inoculated in the bag. Proper mixing of the material enhanced the process of composting. Results: Microgold-Y had a pH range of 6.7 to 7.0 with 45 to 58% moisture content, and suitable for plant growth. Germination test using radish (R. sativus) revealed 100% sprouting between 24 to 48 hrs on Microgold-Y (10%) followed with 93.3% on Microgold-Y (20%) as against 96.6% in sand (control), grown in small containers (5x6 cm) at 20.2 to 20.7° C and 58 to 65% RH. Besides, profuse growth and flowering was observed in B. monnieri on Microgold Y while poor growth without flowering in control. Safety evaluation on earthworm, E. fetida revealed the survival of 60% as compared to 95% in control (cow dung). The worms produced undersized cocoons (< 2 mm) on microgold as compared to control (2.7 to 3.7 mm) and interestingly regained their reproduction on pre-mature microgold. Conclusion: The yeast was identified as Pichia kudriavzevii determined by the specialists at ICAR-Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi-12 based on NCBI Blast Result and FASTA Sequence. The pH and moisture content of the product (Microgold-Y) ranged from 6.7 to 7.0 and moisture ranged from 45 to 58 per cent, which are ideal attributes of good compost recommended for field applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Sustainable Development Goals, adopted by all United Nations Member States, emphasize sustainable cities and communities, aiming to strengthen development planning and foster positive links between urban and rural areas by 2030. As the newly leading platform for urbanization development, characteristic towns ('Tese Xiaozhen' in Chinese) contribute to the target of sustainable urbanisation, wherein town policies are especially important for leading the sound development of characteristic towns. However, the effect of these characteristic towns policies remains uncertain. Additionally, most related studies have utilized qualitative methodologies in policy evaluation, which may be inadequate to guide actual practice. Thus, in order to accurately acknowledge the effect of characteristic towns policies, a policy evaluation framework is established in this paper, utilising the multiple streams theory, text mining and the Policy Modelling Consistency Index model (PMC-Index model). Then, taking 225 policy documents promulgated in China from 2015 to 2022 as the research objects, policy evaluation indicators were selected by combining the multiple streams theory to improve the PMC-Index model and a text mining method. Thereafter, an empirical analysis was conducted to evaluate the consistency of 10 characteristic towns policies chosen. The results indicate that the mean value of the PMC indexes of the 10 examined policies is 7.13 in the total of 9 points, which means that the general performance of the characteristic town policies is satisfactory, yet the low scores in terms of effectiveness, content, and guarantee. In the end, some recommendations and suggestions are proposed for clarifying administrative attributes, optimizing the integration of urban and rural resources, and adjusting the policy hierarchy to a bottom-up approach. This study not only provides a policy evaluation framework to comprehensively understand the consistency of global urbanization policies but also offers a beneficial reference for promote urban–rural sustainable development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The possibility of introducing another form of official money, the Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC), recognised by legislation, has long been discussed worldwide. This paper aims to analyse the advantages and disadvantages of such a solution, as well as to highlight the challenges facing legislatures about the possibility of legalising digital currency and, above all, protecting the rights and freedoms of citizens participating in the process. Due to its technological nature, CBDC is characterised by a much lower level of anonymity than conventional cash, which is often presented as a disadvantage. However, an analysis of this solution seems to weigh in favour of its advantages. One of them is the possibility of using CBDCs to support the process of financial inclusion referred to in the United Nations document Transforming our world: The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. This is an important subject of academic research that can be carried out under the doctrine of financial-market law. Undoubtedly, this matter also has an increasing impact on the practice of financial-market functioning and fiscal and monetary policy decisions. In particular, financial law plays a key role in solving socioeconomic problems and is becoming an instrument for achieving the goals set by the United Nations. The research subject of CBDC is innovative and exploratory, as money, no matter how it is perceived, is, has been and will continue to be an instrument to change the world for the better. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper we study the usefulness of the water-energy-food nexus in assessing the sustainability of an economy. All economic activity depends on its surrounding physical environment, and especially on the interconnection between these three essential resources. As a result, the nexus is a useful tool for detecting the economic risk of resource scarcity, optimising investments or resource use, and assessing the effects of economic policies or shocks such as climate change. The nexus approach is also useful for guiding policies towards achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). We show that both the objective of each study and the scale on which it is conducted are factors worth considering when choosing the most suitable research methodology. We detected important challenges relating to the heterogeneity of the methods, scales and variables used, and therefore necessary measures nare suggested in order to homogenise the studies for their comparability and/or integration, both horizontally and vertically, or over time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since the emergence of the coronavirus pandemic, digital transformation has become a crucial tool in several aspects of life. Experts and scientists agree that digitalization is the essential key for all governments to implement sustainable development in both developed and developing countries. For example, many African countries are focusing on improving their digital systems in order to meet the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Today, this Agenda represents United Nations' 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in order to improve the lives of billions. In the last few years, Algeria has seriously taken up the issue of digital transformation to achieve sustainable development. This research paper discusses the concept of sustainable development in Algeria and how digital transformation can contribute to reaching sustainable development. It also illustrates different aspects of sustainable development that can be impacted by the digitalization process. The paper demonstrates the efforts deployed by the Algerian government in terms of digitalization to reach sustainable development. The other objective of this study is to highlight the different challenges faced by the Algerian government during the digital revolution. To do this study, the researcher adopts a descriptive analytical method. In addition, data was gathered from various research sources (national and international literature), reports, documents, and websites in order to make a comprehensive assessment of Algeria's efforts to reach sustainable development via digitalization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research paper endeavors to construct a comprehensive conceptual model for steering the sustainable evolution of Sarawak Digital Community Centers (SDCCs). The main emphasis is on figuring out crucial elements and procedures necessary for long-term sustainability and the constructive transformation of communities. The report examines the current state of Sarawak's Digital Community Centres in-depth and evaluates how they could support the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) listed in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development of the United Nations. Three basic pillars—economic sustainability, environmental sustainability, and social sustainability—support our conceptual framework for sustainable development. Within this paradigm, we investigate the crucial functions played throughout the SDCC lifetime by governmental assistance, collaborative efforts, and technology innovation. To ensure relevance in a constantly changing digital environment, we also stress the crucial need of cybersecurity education and adaptability to emerging technology. Using a mixed-methods approach that combines thematic analysis and phone interviews, the Sarawak Digital Community Centres want to acquire insights into the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and dangers they are currently facing. The SWOT analysis framework draws on this assessment to generate its suggestions and policy directives for sustainable development. In conclusion, Sarawak's Digital Community Centres have enormous potential to strengthen local communities, promote inclusivity, and promote societal and economic growth. The suggested model offers stakeholders and policymakers a road map for strengthening SDCCs and maximizing their impact on sustainable community development in the age of the digital economy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This short communication discusses the need to transform food systems towards sustainability and focuses on recent political events. Especially the United Nations Food Systems Summit (UNFSS) from 2021 and the respective stocktaking event, which took place in July 2023, are presented and critically analyzed as the process has faced criticism for its lack of transparency, corporate influence, and perceived disregard for human rights frameworks. In this context, the recent UNFSS +2 Stocktaking Moment (STM) in Rome aimed to assess developments in 2021. While over 100 countries presented their progress, many reports focused more on intentions rather than measurable achievements. The outcomes of the STM were perceived as mixed messaging, as no binding agreement or declaration was signed by member states. A major point of criticism is the absence of comparable targets and indicators for tracking and comparing progress across countries, which hinders effective global stocktaking. The paper also underlines the need for universally agreed-upon targets and indicators to provide a clear direction for food systems transformation. It proposes the development of a roadmap with intermediate targets and gradual steps. Alignment with international frameworks such as the Agenda 2030 and the Rio Conventions is also recommended. Collaboration among policymakers, marginalized groups, civil society, scientists, and business leaders is highlighted as being crucial, ensuring inclusive participation and addressing diverse perspectives. Furthermore, the importance of addressing food systems injustices (such as unfair trade practices, exploitative working conditions, and the disproportionate impact of climate change), particularly in Africa, is highlighted. Overall, the paper highlights the challenges and complexities involved in transforming food systems towards sustainability and calls for concerted efforts to address these issues at both global and local levels. Key words: Food systems, Governance, Stock taking, UNFSS, Targets, Africa, INTRODUCTION The term 'food systems' emerged in the 1970s, but the idea to holistically transform food systems towards sustainability gained momentum in the last decade [1, 2]. Calls for transformation [...]

Maritime sectors have always dealt with uncertainties and disruptions. The COVID pandemic confronted the cruise industry with profound, wide-ranging, and lasting challenges while disrupting normal operations. Although the cruise industry contributes to the implementation of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs), resumption and sustainable cruising requires the industry to adapt to the challenges presented. To this end, the paper suggests adaptive actions for the cruise sector to respond to the pandemic and links the actions to the UN SDGs to highlight their sustainable contributions. A system thinking approach is applied and a literature review is conducted to identify suitable adaptive actions. This paper shows the importance of UN SDGs 3, 4 and, in particular, 17 for sustainable cruising. The results of this paper provide support for informed decision-making to increase the cruise industry's sustainability. This paper recommends that stakeholders: 1- identify drivers and barriers of sustainable cruising, 2- adapt to changes and embrace the UN SDGs, as they provide a platform for realizing sustainability, and 3- use educational programs to improve and transfer knowledge on sustainable cruising between academia and policymakers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Urban mobility is one of the main issues in the pursuit of sustainability. The United Nations 2030 Agenda assigns mobility and transport central roles in sustainable development and its components: economic, social, and environment. In this context, the emerging concept of Mobility as a Service (MaaS) offers an alternative to unsustainable mobility, often based on private car use. From the point of view of sustainable mobility, the MaaS paradigm implies greater insights into the transport system and its components (supply, demand, and reciprocal interactions). This paper proposes an approach to the transport system aimed at overcoming the current barriers to the implementation of the paradigm. The focus is on the implications for the transport supply subsystem. The investigation method is based on the analysis of the main components of such subsystem (governance, immaterial, material, equipment) and its role in the entire transport system. Starting with the first experiences of Finnish cities, the paper investigates some real case studies, which are experimenting with MaaS, to find common and uncommon elements. From the analyses, it emerges that the scientific literature and real experiences mainly focus on the immaterial components alone. To address the challenges related to sustainable mobility, this paper underlines the need to consider all components within a transport system approach. The findings of the paper are useful in several contexts. In the context of research, the paper offers an analysis of the transport supply system from the point of view of the MaaS paradigm. In the real context, the paper offers further useful insights for operators and decision-makers who intend to increase the knowledge and skills necessary to face challenges related to the introduction of MaaS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The area of women's empowerment has attracted increasing attention among a wide range of interest groups, from authors to researchers to feminist scholars and non-governmental organizations (NGOs). This paper aims to identify the diverse understandings of women's empowerment in the literature and to discuss empirical evidence from NGO projects in the field. A systematic literature review is employed that includes an analysis of relevant high-quality articles and research papers published in the Scopus database, as well as those produced by United Nations (UN) bodies and well-published authors. The findings highlighted four common understandings of women's empowerment including granting women a voice, challenging existing power structures, the radical transformation of lives and livelihoods, and gender mainstreaming. The findings of these empirical studies on the role of NGOs in this field revealed understandings limited to granting women a voice and gender mainstreaming, thus reflecting the fact that limited knowledge of women's empowerment hampers the ability of NGOs to serve women's advancement and sustainable development. Furthermore, and given that these approaches and understandings still fall short of achieving social inclusion for women, it is recommended that these NGOs discharge their efforts toward initiating systemic change to actually sustain female empowerment in the communities in which they are active. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents an academic exploration of the shifting landscape of business models toward greater sustainability, considering the environmental, social, and economic dimensions. The United Nations has emphasized the need for companies to prioritize sustainability, leading to scholarly discussions on the topic. While economic sustainability remains important, decision-makers must now navigate the transformation of their business models to incorporate environmental and social sustainability, driven by emerging regulations such as the European Union's Green Deal. This transition may initially appear as an additional task accompanied by potential investment costs and reduced profits. However, it also presents opportunities for economic growth through the creation of new value propositions, entry into untapped markets, access to novel customer segments, the provision of innovative services, and the facilitation of data-driven supply chains. This paper provides a comprehensive literature review on sustainability as a pivotal future value proposition for companies and identifies potential pathways that can leverage its transformative potential. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sustainability is understood as a dynamic balance in economic, environmental, and social dimensions to fulfill all human needs for all generations at all times. However, with the increasing signs of losing the dynamic balance between socio-economic human living and the rest of Nature, the survival of the human species itself is in question. Efforts being made worldwide through the United Nations to restore this balance have shown marginal impacts at ground level. Though Nature, when observed closely, is easily visible as a dynamically evolving self-sustainable system, but, generally this fact is not considered/overlooked while planning sustainable developmental activities. Therefore, in the present paper, an effort has been made to uncover these inherent characteristics of Nature responsible for its dynamic sustainability. Various well-established pieces of evidence from ecological and modern sciences, arguments, and philosophical and spiritual aspects are discussed which show that there are fundamental characteristics of Nature i.e..—interconnectedness and coexistence that exist everywhere even at a sub-atomic level. These characteristics are essential for designing/achieving sustainable development programs. Based on the evolved characteristics, a holistic co-existential model ensuring dynamic sustainability for all generations at all times is proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Sustainability is viewed as an encompassing perspective, as endorsed by the international policy context, driven by the UN's Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). We aim to examine how women entrepreneurs transform capitals to pursue sustainability, and to generate policy insights for sustainability actions through tourism entrepreneurship. Design/methodology/approach: Applying qualitative approach, we have generated empirical evidence drawing on 37 qualitative interviews carried out in Turkey, whereby boundaries between traditional patriarchal forces and progressive movements in gender relations are blurred. Findings: We have generated insights into how women entrepreneurs develop their sustainability practice by transforming their available economic, cultural, social and symbolic capitals in interpreting the macro-field and by developing navigation strategies to pursue sustainability. This transformative process demonstrates how gender roles were performed and negotiated in serving for sustainability pillars. Research limitations/implications: In this paper, we demonstrate the nature and instrumentality of sustainable tourism entrepreneurship through a gender lens in addressing some of these SDG-driven challenges. Originality/value: We advance the scholarly and policy debates by bringing gender issues to the forefront, discussing sustainable tourism initiatives from the viewpoint of entrepreneurs and various members of local community and stakeholder in a developing country context where women's solidarity becomes crucial. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Digital public goods (DPGs), if implemented with effective policies, can facilitate the realization of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). However, there are ongoing deliberations on how to define DPGs and assure that society can extract the maximum benefit from the growing number of digital resources. The International Research Center of Big Data for Sustainable Development Goals (CBAS) sees DPGs as an important mechanism to facilitate information-driven policy and decision-making processes for the SDGs. This article presents the results of a CBAS survey of 51 respondents from around the world spanning multiple scientific fields, who shared their expert opinions on DPGs and their thoughts about challenges related to their practical implementation in supporting the SDGs. Based on the survey results, the paper presents core principles in a proposed strategy, including establishment of international standards, adherence to open science and open data principles, and scalability in monitoring SDG indicators. A community-driven strategy to develop DPGs is proposed to accelerate DPG production in service of the SDGs while adhering to the core principles identified in the survey. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The agenda for sustainable development actualizes sustainability analysis of countries' social, ecological, and economic conditions, as well as the necessity of designing practical recommendations to realize the sustainable development goals (SDGs). Sustainability analysis is a part of decision making and policy development in a broad environmental, economic, and social context. That is why this analysis goes beyond simple technical assessment. In order to make sustainability a target variable in development strategies, it is necessary to use special methods combining mathematical tools and managerial content. The paper systematizes modern mathematical methods for assessing economic sustainability and proposes a methodology for the integrated assessment of the social, economic, and environmental sustainability of countries, which were tested on data from 24 EU countries over 12 periods. The case study results derived from spatial and temporal samples are consistent with the currently observed processes in the EU. The content basis is the UN concept of sustainable development, the instrumental basis is multivariate comparisons, the Mahalanobis distances method, the correlation and regression analysis, analysis of variance, time series analysis, and trends analysis. Composite indices of social, economic, and environmental sustainability of the EU countries, each of them including five indicators, were developed in this study; the levels of social, economic, and environmental sustainability of EU countries were determined, as well as individual instability indicators. Mahalanobis distances and relative and absolute sustainability indicators were calculated and determined. Cluster analysis of the EU countries by levels of social, economic, and environmental instability and Mahalanobis distances, the diagnosis of the current situation and dominant trends were carried out for testing the hypothesis that there are positive relations between the instability of development and Mahalanobis distances. Hypotheses about the relationship between instability and the level of country development, reflected in the values of socio-economic and environmental indicators, and whether countries with good values of social, environmental, and economic indicators are the most sustainable, were investigated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Universities are aware of the imperative of sustainability and are focusing on promoting the aims and principles of sustainable development, such as greening their curriculum, enhancing the environmental performance of their campus and using sustainable criteria in their investment and purchasing behavior. Also, the scope of sustainable development was broadened by the introduction of 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) proposed by the United Nations' (UN) 2030 Agenda which stipulates new directions for sustainability at a global level. Given this background, this paper examines the level of alignment of universities with the 17 SDGs through an analysis of sustainability reports prepared by universities, in order to highlight the issues which are mostly discussed by universities in relation to SDGs. To do so, an empirical analysis was carried out on a sample of 37 sustainability reports using a methodological framework based on scoring techniques to analyze their content. The findings show that the universities have disclosed more information about climate change mitigation and adaptation practices and less about SDGs regarding quality of education and peace, democracy and strong institutions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gender equality and women's empowerment are major concerns under Goal 5 of the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals to be achieved by 2030. Therefore, microfinance institutions in developing nations have been working on these issues by providing loans to married women and others in need. As a result, this paper focuses on one such microfinance institution in Ethiopia, called ACSI (Amhara Credit and Saving Institution), and its role in fostering economic independence for married women and their involvement in various public social schemes. The study utilized a qualitative approach, collecting data through in-depth interviews (26), focus group discussions (1), and life histories from ACSI experts (4) and key informants from Women's and Children's Affairs (6). Specifically, the study focused on married women in Basona Werana Woreda and examined the impact of ACSI's credit services on their social conditions. The empirical findings of the study reveal that the social condition of married women clients has improved due to the credit services provided by ACSI. Women's social empowerment indicators have shown positive changes after utilizing the credit services. However, the study also identified challenges faced by the institution, such as a lack of adequate transportation means and a shortage of personnel to reach remote residents and fulfill their mission of improving the situation of vulnerable low-income and productive poor resident women. Additionally, cultural attitudes pose significant challenges to the social empowerment of women. The empirical implementation of this study provides insights into the achievements and hurdles that need to be addressed in enhancing economic security for married women through microfinance initiatives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents the authors' methodology of a risk-oriented approach to assessing the performance of territorial bodies of the Federal Treasury of the Russian Federation. The proposed methodology consists in the application of adjustment coefficients, which account for the quality of the execution of budgetary powers and the growth rate of the gross regional product of the corresponding territory. The goal of the study is to develop a risk-oriented methodology for assessing the contribution of the territorial bodies of the Federal Treasury to the United Nations sustainable development goals and national goals. The current study employs systemic, process based, risk-oriented approaches, statistical data analysis, and mathematical research methods. The gross regional product for the subjects of the Russian Federation is calculated for 2018–2019. Based on an analysis of Russian and foreign research on modern controlling systems and in accordance with the current concept of controlling, an attempt is made to develop a methodology for assessing the performance of the Federal Treasury and its territorial bodies. The main conclusion of the study is that the most expedient approach to assessing the efficiency of territorial bodies of the Federal Treasury is through the balanced scorecard system built in accordance with the strategic goals of the Federal Treasury, the national goals of the Russian Federation, and the UN SDGs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper offers three contributions to the burgeoning movements of AI for Social Good (AI4SG) and AI and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). First, we introduce the SDG-Intense Evaluation framework (SDGIE) that aims to situate variegated automated/AI models in a larger ecosystem of computational approaches to advance the SDGs. To foster knowledge collaboration for solving complex social and environmental problems encompassed by the SDGs, the SDGIE framework details a benchmark structure of data-algorithm-output to effectively standardize AI approaches to the SDGs. Second, as a specific instantiation of the SDGIE framework, the SDG Impact Intensity Model (SDGIIM) is theoretically and operationally established. SDGIIM embeds expert decision-making and SDG keyword banks in textual data processing to determine overall SDG "impact intensity." Ideally, SDGIIM can be applied to textual data sets from any sector or discipline: academia, business, government, non-profit, civil society, etc. Third, the SDGIIM instantiation is applied to the specific domain of academic journal rating systems as a case study. Traditionally, academic journals have been evaluated on loosely conceived and empirically shaky notions of 'quality.' Aligned with the trend of AI4SG and broader calls to action, 'impact' is rapidly becoming the primary normative consideration for assessing academic journals. We hypothesize and demonstrate that SDGIIM is capable of producing evaluations aligned with experts' expectations of SDG impact intensity; the consistent analysis and rating of textual data sets that embody the SDGs with varying degrees of meaning and, ultimately, promote positive impact on the actual material conditions of the world. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]