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Abstract This paper exposes, through the case study of the city of Pamplona (Spain), the benefits of employ a system of urban utility tunnels (UUTs) for the smart and sustainable regeneration of historic centres. Governors and technicians of the city of Pamplona faced the challenge and responsibility to protect the historical and cultural heritage of the city and, in turn, to of adapt it to the needs of an ever changing society taking into account the new social and functional needs. This situation motivated the election of a system of UUTs as an optimal solution thinking about the future because it facilitates the maintenance, renewal or expansion of utility networks, while reduces inconvenience to residents and visitors by minimizing works in public space and visual pollution caused by aerial and fixed on facades wiring. This action allows the inhabitants of the historic city centre to have the same opportunities as citizens of new urban developments to enjoy the same quality, or more, of urban basic services and infrastructures. Likewise, in this paper will be presented the main difficulties encountered for the development of the project and the constructive solution finally executed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this paper is to analyze at what extent the connectivity of small localities is a determinant of their demography. Specifically, we pay attention to three factors: the evolution of the population; the distance, measured both in kilometres and travel time, to the province capital, the usual city where the largest set of services is available; and finally, the coverage of different kinds of broadband services (from ADSL or 3.5 G to the fastest ones FTTH) in rural areas. An econometric model was estimated where the dependent variable captures the increase of inhabitants along 2017–2020 of the 5955 Spanish municipalities with a population between 101 and 10,000 inhabitants (73.3 % of all municipalities). The results point out to the following facts: digital connectivity of small localities is a determinant of their demography, whatever the technology used, but physical distance remains being a significant factor on the population growth (both if it is measured of physical distance or travelling time) to explain the population growth of each locality. • Digital connectivity of small localities is a determinant of their demography. • Internet connections are a new communication channel to promote/deter depopulation in rural areas. • Internet access is positively correlated with population growth in small/medium populations. • The distance to the provincial capital continues to be a factor that slows down population growth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sustainable restoration process is one of the biggest challenges for public and private decision makers in the Cultural Heritage sector. Currently, sustainability assessment methods are well established tools to quantitatively determine their environmental (LCA), economic (LCC) and social (SLCA) impacts from products/service across the entire value chain. Nevertheless, while these life cycle methods are widely applied in many industries and service sectors, they still are at its infancy in the restoration work of Cultural Heritage. The main goal of this paper is to define and build a general framework including all impact indicators related to the restoration work processes to apply experimentally, and for the first time, all the sustainability assessment dimensions together within the Cultural Heritage sector. The ISO 14040 standard under guidelines published by the UNEP/SETAC Life Cycle Initiative has been used as an assessment tool. Then, a CH-LCM Model framework based on a previous work from the author is applied to the real case concerning the restoration of the fortress of Uncastillo (Spain). The data collected from the real case concerning the restoration of the fortress of Uncastillo (Spain) have allowed us to reach two objectives: firstly, to validate the model empirically and, secondly, to identify successful managerial practices for the decision makers. In this respect, the paper shows that the life cycle approach can be considered an effective method for improving innovative managerial practices towards the sustainability, preservation and restoration of Cultural Heritage by assessing the environmental impact, the financial and economic feasibility and the implementation of an engagement strategy for the stakeholders. Finally, we have pointed out a set of valuable recommendations for future actions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The transportation sector is characterized by a high consumption of fossil fuels and a strong environmental impact. Promoting electric vehicles is an alternative to reduce and limit them move towards the sustainability of the automobile sector. In a short period of time, world car manufacturers have built, marketed and sold a million electric vehicles, and a million drivers got used to these new low carbon advanced technologies. Comparatively, this figure represents approximately the average annual sales of conventional vehicles in Spain. The main problem is the battery autonomy, since its maximum range does not exceed 250 km, a restriction that limits the trip. Spain belongs to the group of countries which have longest trip average around 80 km. Then the problem is how to understand electric mobility, for that the types and modes of charging, the types of electric vehicles, and the available charging systems all interact with one another in the charging systems for electric vehicles, which will be specifically analysed. Alternative charging methods are also presented, and the agents involved in the charging process in accordance with applicable regulations are identified. The objective of this article is to analyse the charging of electric vehicles in Spain and to assess the current situation to be able to propose potential improvements or implementation strategies. This paper determines that it is necessary to develop public policies for a structured implementation of charging stations in public places and in common-use areas within large shared spaces, such as parking areas and residential areas in order to improve electric mobility in Spain. This paper also illustrates the need to legislate standards for charging electric vehicles to maximize their implementation in Spain, with the goal of implementing electric vehicles on a larger scale and ultimately allowing society to benefit from the advantages of this technology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cities today are dense networks of interchanging investments, information, goods and people, as well as centers of innovation and knowledge management. In such a complex framework of housing, social and economic interrelationships, cities become large consumers of resources and producers of greenhouse gases. Therefore, and in order to preserve resources and guarantee social services and the well-being of citizens, planning and policy actions are required that contribute to achieving sustainable growth. Beyond the environmental perspective, a socio-economic analysis is essential to make a comprehensive sustainability diagnosis of urban and rural systems. This paper presents a methodology for sustainability assessment, based on 38 indicators that include the three pillars of sustainability: social, economic and environmental. To carry out this assessment, 64 municipalities out of 313 located in Galicia (Northwest Spain) were selected and classified in three categories according to their population size (Medium Size, Small Size and Village). Moreover, two weighting methods have been considered (equal weighting and measured weighting attributed through Analytic Hierarchy Process method). The results show that most sustainable municipalities are located in the north of the region. On the other hand, regardless of the weighting method, 57% of the medium-sized municipalities are rated sustainable compared to 45% of those of the categories of Village and Small Size categories. Therefore, municipal size is relevant for measuring sustainability and there are no significant differences between the results obtained with the two weighting methodologies, indicating that the method developed is robust and could be applied to other municipalities and cities. Image 1 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this paper is to provide insights of a Workshop entitled 'Inner Processes of Creation' w hich was held at the Global Conference on Cleaner Production and Sustainable Consumption, in Barcelona, Spain, in November 2015, with further perceptions on a presentation of the topic at ARTEM Conference on Creativity and Sustainability, in Nancy, France, in Septemper 2017. The Workshop was designed to catalyze the development of perceptions and consciousness of the inner wisdom, as it emerges in self-expression, by focusing upon the processes of awakening the wisdom from within, which can help all of us achieve better understanding of our reponsibility in helping societies to live sustainably, within planetary boundaries. The Workshop included four movements, with the themes: a) creation, b) definition, c) a specific way, and d) achievement with self realization. The research envolved the interdisciplinary, autopoïetic, and complex thinking view of the subject. During the Workshop, an environment of trust was created by regarding the participants with reverence and respect to their individual rhythms. The participants experienced and catalyzed new versions and plans for creative and sustainable organizational approaches of learning and development, in an environment of trust. Participants consciousness was enlarged towards envisioning sustainable proposals, in which we need to become more actively engaged. It was concluded, that the inner knowledge can be experienced through creative, meditative, visioning processes. When effectively facilitated, this process can bring deep understanding of meaning about different issues and can support the effective decision-making towards a constructive change-making, through sustainable proposals made individually and collectivelly. The blossoming of a flower in the golden ratio representing Poïesis. Poïesis is a Greek word that indicates making, creating, producing, and the unfolding of Life. This research shows the poïetic, dialogic and interdisciplinary dimensions, where development of living beings is recognized as continuous, like a spiral in movement and fluidity. The integration of all living beings is connected to the web of life in constant self-organization, which is dependent and autonomous, at the same time, establishing a dialogic relation. This meaning can be awakened in a variety of ways, by each individual who experiences the Workshop on the Inner Processes of Creation. Image 10022628 • The Workshop entitled 'Inner Processes of Creation' aimed at the awakening the inner worth. • The systemic approach of awakening the inner worth, can lead to sustainable proposals in decision-making. • Participants experienced the inner wisdom emerging in an experience of self-expression and introspection. • Introspection can play an important role in specific societal processes of sustainability. • New kind of participation in the cosmos can be gained via the awareness of nature to the divine in the mind and soul. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the context of the European Green Deal and the Recovery Plan for Europe, CSP can play its role, by providing dispatchable and flexible energy when other renewable technologies cannot. The aim of this paper is to identify the potential socioeconomic, social and environmental impacts associated to the future deployment of CSP projects in Spain, taking into account the global value chain. Based on an extended multiregional input-output model developed by the authors, this paper identifies the country and sector-origin of nine sustainability indicators for the two dominant CSP technologies (parabolic trough and central receiver). The research considers the deployment of a 200 MW CSP power plant in Spain to compare the sustainability impacts of these two technologies under three different scenarios regarding the country-origin of the main components. The results show that central receivers have more positive economic impacts, both in terms of value added and employment creation, and lower negative environmental and social impacts than the parabolic trough alternative. The economic and environmental impacts of the CSP deployed in Spain depend on the origin of components, with the highest negative environmental impacts occurring when the components come from China and the lowest when they come from Germany. The same occurs for the social impacts and supply risks, which are lower when Germany supplies the main components. The scenario in which Spain supplies all the components performs better than the Chinese supply scenario in terms of social risks, whereas no major differences among them were found on supply risks. • CSP deployment in Spain will have socioeconomic benefits, mostly retained in Europe. • CSP electricity has low silver extraction and carbon and water footprints compared to other energy sources. • Chinese penetration in the European CSP market worsens the sustainability of plants. • The best sustainability performance occurs in the European cooperative scenario. • There are tradeoffs between the sustainability impacts driven by the CSP investments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The impact of technology on tourist cities and destinations has led to the emergence of renewed management approaches that seek to adapt the planning processes to new challenges and opportunities derived from the smart scenario. The smart city and smart tourist destination approaches are aimed at improving efficiency in management, the quality of life of the residents and the tourist experiences. However, little is known about how these ideas are being translated into real policies and whether they are having a real impact. The objective of this paper is to understand how the smart approach is being deployed in the planning processes of Spanish tourist cities and destinations, and its implications in terms of the governance, sustainability and data-driven public management. The planning instruments that guide the smart strategies of different Spanish cities are identified and analysed. This is complemented with a questionnaire administered among managers of the smart city and smart destination initiatives. The findings reveal the diversity of smart initiatives, their benefits and limitations. The results contribute to generating a necessary debate on the implications of the smart discourse for urban and tourism planning and enrich the international debate around this approach. • Contrasts the theoretical and international smart discourse with practical application in Spanish cities • Critically analyses smart city and smart destination plans, identifying categories • Surveys smart city and destination managers to unveil their perception of impacts • Contributes to overcome the insufficient consideration of tourism within the analysis and development of smart cities • Identifies implications for global urban and tourism planning of the uneven development of the smart approach [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Depopulation is a major challenge for many rural inland areas, as is the case in a considerable number of rural municipalities in Galicia (north-western Spain). The pandemic had a considerable impact on internal migration in 2020, but it was far from being anywhere near high enough to reverse the ongoing trend of population decline, highlighting the need for further action. Thus, this paper has a twofold objective: firstly, to propose an index of rural sustainable development for the rural Galician municipalities, and secondly, to identify the factors related to it. In so doing, a composite index stemming from the Benefit of the Doubt methodology has been proposed in the first stage, an index built from four-dimension factors– economic, demographic, social, and environmental. The empirical evidence of this index has been compared with three additional ones (namely, common weights, super-efficiency, and geometric mean and logistic normalization models). In the second stage, the relationship between the composite index and a set of exogenous variables that affect rural development has been analyzed, the data confirming that the rates of female immigration and occupancy in the hospitality sector favors sustainable development, whereas the distance from the provincial capital hinders it. This paper paves the way for an assessment of the potentialities of each territory, and the evidence found allows actions to be supported that generate sustainable progress in rural Galician municipalities and that are useful for tackling this complex problem. • A new rural sustainable development index based on four dimensions is proposed. • Strengths and weaknesses for each Galician rural municipality are identified. • Environmental factors constitute a driver of rural development in Galicia. • Social aspects (i.e., health, education, services) stand out as main weaknesses. • Policies to boost social care and attract childbearing-age inhabitants are paramount. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper outlines the latest developments in sustainability reporting in Spain, one of the leading countries worldwide in this field, and makes special emphasis on the recent governmental initiative entitled “Spanish strategy on companies’ corporate social responsibility practices 2014–2020” aimed at extending CSR practices not only to listed companies and state-owned enterprises but also to the rest of companies (including SMEs) and the Public Administrations. It is based on six principles, four strategic objectives, ten action lines and sixty proposed measures with the ultimate goal of supporting the development of responsible practices in the public and private sectors in order that they become a significant driver of the country's competitiveness and its transformation to a more productive, sustainable and inclusive economy. The most relevant initiatives set out in each of the main CSR pillars are highlighted and compared with similar actions adopted in other European countries. The paper concludes with a reflection on the main challenges ahead that need to be overcome through the joint efforts of all the actors involved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wood has been presented as a carbon-neutral material capable of significantly contribute to climate change mitigation and has become an appealing option for the building sector. This paper presents the quantification of the organization environmental footprint of a wood parquet company. The multi-regional input-output (MRIO) database EXIOBASE was used with a further structural path analysis decomposition. The application of the proposed method quantifies 14 environmental impacts. Highly influential sectors and regions responsible for these impacts are assessed to propose efficient measures. For the parquet company studied, the highest impact category once normalized was ozone depletion and the dominant sector responsible for this impact was the chemical industry from Spain and China. The structural path decomposition related to ozone loss revealed that the indirect impacts embedded in the supply chain are higher than the direct impacts. It can be concluded that the assessment of the organizational environmental footprint can be carried out applying this well-structured and robust method. Its implementation will enable tracking of the environmental burdens through a company's supply chain at a global scale and provide information for the adoption of environmental strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In a context of expansion and development of the tourism sector worldwide, assessing the tourism sustainability performance of regions or countries becomes an important goal of strategic planning as a means to ensure an appropriate balance between present and future opportunities of areas with a tourism-based economy. Due to the multidimensional nature of the sustainability concept and the difficulties encountered in its measurement, composite indicators have increasingly been used as useful tools for the operationalization of sustainability. In this paper the study of tourism sustainability of Spanish regions is addressed by building a composite indicator that uses multicriteria decision techniques for the aggregation and weighting of the simple indicators considered. The developed index allows the representation of both the weak and strong sustainability paradigms, as well as other compromising, midway concepts between those. Moreover, the sustainability performance of the studied regions can be easily compared and a fair ranking of the regions can accordingly be obtained, which can serve as a starting point that stimulates public and private debate and promotes improvement actions to achieve sustainability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this paper is to link the literatures on economic complexity, income equality and environmental quality within the context of the Environmental Kuznets Trilemma. Within this framework, it is possible to measure the presence of an impossible trinity of irreconcilable objectives: economic growth, equal distribution of income and environmental sustainability. Our paper revisits this trilemma by focusing on economic complexity (EC) indexes instead of direct measures of economic growth, and applies this analysis to the sub-national level. We link these three cutting-edge topics by means of novel datasets computed for the Spanish economy at the province level (NUTS-3) for a long period (2002–16). Our paper also sheds new light on the spatial patterns of the trilemma's three dimensions and their implications for the future of Spain's more peripheral regions. ⁃ This paper links the literatures on economic complexity, income equality and environmental quality within the context of the Environmental Kuznets Trilemma. ⁃ Our paper focuses on economic complexity indexes instead of direct measures of economic growth, and applies this analysis to the sub-national level, using novel datasets for the Spanish provinces (NUTS-3) for a long period (2002–16). ⁃ Our paper shows a clear tension between economic growth and complexity versus income equality and environmental quality. The econometric analysis verifies the classic trilemma (equality-sustainability-growth), but also of our new version: equality-sustainability-complexity. ⁃ The paper also tests the presence of a quadrilemma, discussing the role to which a province's level of complexity tends to play in the tensions between growth, inequality, and sustainability. The results open new avenues for the smart specialization of regions within countries, something specially relevant in the COVID-19 crisis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Environmental sustainability in the wine sector has become a priority, as a result of both the growing interest in environmental issues and the consumer's demand for more information regarding the environmental impact of the products they purchase. In this context, the use of carbon footprint as an indicator to assess and report the environmental burdens associated with wine production has gained a role of primary interest. The present study has the aim of improving the wine sector's sustainability by providing inventory data on wine production systems from a total of 18 wineries located in major wine-producing regions in Spain and the South of France. The main novelty of this paper is: the corporate carbon footprint approach, the greater number of wineries studied, the diversity of location of those wineries, the detail of data presented and the identification of the best reference flow for vineyards. Data was statistically analysed. Vineyard consumptions are usually related to the area of cultivation. However, although 1 ha of vineyard or 1 kg of harvested grape could both be considered good reference flows for vineyard processes, this study shows a greater standard deviation of average data calculated per ha rather than per kg. Impact results show a major contribution of the winery phase to the corporate carbon footprint (73%), mainly due to glass production for bottling (45.6% contribution) and electricity consumption (9.2%). In the vineyard phase, contribution comes mainly from diesel production and combustion due to field works (11.3%) and the use of phytosanitary products (6.0%). The results revealed that with the establishment of best practices and with optimized resource consumption, the corporate carbon footprint values can be reduced by almost 25%. The comparative results presented can be used as a reference that will enable wineries to compare their impacts to the average, to identify in which aspects they are within the average and which aspects they are outside the average and whether these aspects are significant to their carbon footprint. This may encourage wineries to adopt measures for Eco-innovation through carbon emission reduction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wine is the main economic resource in the 'Area of Jerez', located in the south of Spain. It is one of the most important wine tourism destinations in the world. However, its sustainable production process, so strongly influenced by climatic conditions, can be clearly affected by the phenomenon of global warming. The ageing process of "Sherry wine" takes place in buildings known as 'Cathedral warehouses', an example of Nearly-Zero Energy Buildings (NZEBs). For centuries, they have been used to provide specific ecological conditions for biological ageing without any type of mechanical heating/cooling system. The purpose of this paper is to assess the impact of climate change on this production model. For this, the annual thermal behavior of a representative winery was monitored during several years. The first energy simulation model of this type of buildings was developed and validated (daily R2 = 99%; hourly R2 = 97%). Finally, the model was simulated by modifying the outdoor climatic conditions (9 years training data sets) for a climate change scenario, applying the 'morphing' method for the transformation of the weather data. The results show that, by the middle of this century, the average outdoor temperature will increase by 2.3 °C (in summer up to 3.6 °C). As a consequence, the temperature in the ageing zone would exceed the comfort limit for 19% of the year, (up to 34% in hot years). For 2080, the prediction is even worse (average value of 27%). As a result, the microorganisms responsible for this unique process could not maintain their activity. This fact will force the sector to face a harsh reconversion through the adoption of new mechanisms and strategies, which endangers the economic sustainability of an entire region dedicated to this practice. Beyond the specific case, the work highlights the need to evaluate the future behavior of NZEBs through simulation. [Display omitted] • Assess the impact of climate change in a Near Zero Energy Building. • "Cathedral warehouses" will lose their usefulness by the middle of this century. • Comfort limits will be exceeded 19% of the year, interrupting biological ageing. • The economic sustainability of an entire region would be endangered. • The need to evaluate the future behavior of Near Zero Energy Building is highlighted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Worldwide farmer managed irrigation systems have provided crops for food, feed and the market for centuries. From high mountain environments to river valleys and deltas, in all continents people have organized to construct, use, maintain, transform and sustain irrigated agro-ecosystems. In this context it is important to better understand how these systems are sustained. The objective of this contribution is to explore and theorize through which strategies and mechanisms irrigators are able to sustain these systems in a constantly changing socio-environmental context. The study is based on ethnographic qualitative research in four areas where farmer managed irrigation systems are sustained by irrigators (Valencia region, Spain; Ecuadorian highlands; Cambodian Mekong delta; and Tsangano district, Mozambique). Research consisted of interviews and observations in these areas and was supported by a literature review of what has been published about these systems. Results show that farmer managed irrigation systems are dynamic systems that constantly transform but that are sustained in these changes through what we term ' communality '. We introduce this term to point out three interrelated elements that stand at the basis of farmer managed irrigation systems sustenance, namely: commons, community and polity. Analysis of the four case studies points out that these three elements are mobilized differently by farmers depending on their socio-environmental context. We show that the mobilization of these different elements amidst internal and external challenges and conflicts, forms the basis for the longevity and sustainability of collectively managed irrigation systems. In the literature on farmer managed irrigation systems collective action has been portrayed as the main pillar that sustains these systems. This contribution challenges this notion by showing that irrigation systems are sustained by a combination of individual actions, collective practices, normative frameworks and organizational forms; a sense of community; and the development of political agency (polity). Recognizing that these elements come together as site specific hybrids opens new avenues of inquiry to better understand the sustainability of farmer managed irrigation systems. [Display omitted] • We need new frameworks to understand farmer managed irrigation systems (FMIS) sustainability. • This paper develops the analytical framework of communality to fill this gap. • Four cases of sustained FMIS are analyzed through communality. • Differences in strategies to sustain irrigation systems are identified. • Communality opens new avenues of inquiry to better understand the sustainability of FMIS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper analyses meat consumption and consumer attitudes towards meat and meat analogues in Spain, as well as the barriers and motives that could modify meat consumption in the future. Probably, the trend observed in the decline in meat consumption before the pandemic, which stabilized during the pandemic, will be observed again, with health, animal welfare and environmental issues being the main concerns and reasons for the reduction of consumption. The main drivers of meat consumption are the hedonic component, its nutritional characteristics, and its perception as a healthy and indispensable in a balanced diet. Meat analogues can be found in most Spanish supermarkets, some of them produced by large meat industries. Finally, authors highlight the need to provide Spanish consumers with reliable and credible information that will enable them to be aware of the efforts made by the different production players in the meat sector to achieve a more sustainable product and guarantee animal welfare. • A decrease in meat consumption is expected in Spain • Health, animal welfare and environmental issues are the main concerns for meat consumers • Hedonic consumption, nutritional properties and health are the main motivations • Meat analogues are widespread throughout the country and available in major food stores. • When exporting, meat industry tries to adapt their products to consumer demands of the importing country [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines the impact of Geographical Indications in cheese mountain areas, exploring their potential to contribute to landscape and environmental sustainability by drawing on field work and documental evidences from Cabrales (Asturias, NW Spain). The Cabrales mountain, nestled in the Picos de Europa National Park, embraces a millenary culture linked to the elaboration of an intense flavor blue cheese. The commercial success of this cheese motivated, 40 years ago, the creation of the Cabrales Protected Designation of Origin (PDO). From that moment on, the implementation of certain control measures that affect the production process, together with the increase in demand, led to the disappearance of small producers and to the intensification of livestock management practices. Cheese producers took the opportunity that the PDO label gave them, and the PDO provided the context in which cheese production became an effective barrier against the degradation of the rural system. However, nowadays the intensification of livestock management practices constitutes the main threat to landscape and environmental conservation. Therefore, Local administrators and stakeholders should consider the need to reinforce the idea of a product whose quality is linked to environmental and landscape sustainability through the maintenance of the traditional extensive management practices. • Cabrales cheese production acts as a barrier against the demotion of the rural system. • Increased demand caused the emergence of differences in cheese production. • Extensive production is linked to a superior cheese that increases brand prestige. • Intensification of livestock management practices hinders landscape conservation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In transport economics, modeling modal choice is a fundamental key for policy makers trying to improve the sustainability of transportation systems. However, existing empirical literature has focused on short-distance travel within urban systems. This paper contributes to the limited number of investigations on mode choice in medium- and long-distance travel. The main objective of this research is to study the impacts of socio-demographic and economic variables, land-use features and trip attributes on long-distance travel mode choice. Using data from 2007 Spanish National Mobility Survey we apply a multilevel multinomial logit model that accounts for the potential problem of spatial heterogeneity in order to explain long-distance travel mode choice. This approach permits us to compute how the probability of choosing among private car, bus and train varies depending on the traveler spatial location at regional level. Results indicate that travelers characteristics, trip features, cost of usage of transport modes and geographical variables have significant impacts on long-distance mode choice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Environmental degradation due to polluting industrial complexes constitutes a relevant issue for local community. Most studies focus on the negative externalities, in terms of pollution, of these industrial complexes, although some research has also explored the economic benefits of these installations and the harm their closure can inflict on the local economy. In the context of a petrochemical complex located in Castellón (Spain), the present paper analyses how residents' cognitive appraisal of the economic and environmental aspects leads to their affective responses, and how both elements – cognitive and affective – jointly explain their behavioural intention. The proposed hypotheses are tested on a sample of 992 individuals. The results confirm that cognitive appraisals, directly and by means of the affective response, have a significant influence on the residents' behavioural intention towards their place of residence. The findings also show that affective response has a higher impact than cognitive response and, additionally, that environmental aspects play a more important role than economic ones. Furthermore, the relationship between affects and behavioural intention has a greater weight among citizens who live closest to the petrochemical complex. Implications for firms' and public authorities' environmental management are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sustainability issues in higher educational institutions have attracted increasing levels of attention from both the public and policy makers in recent decades. A number of previous studies have called for a more comprehensive integration of sustainable development into mainstream university operations and curricula. However, there is a lack of sufficient studies that investigate sustainable development in higher education in Spain. Therefore, the present paper has two goals: First, the study analyses the extent to which Spanish universities have implemented sustainability practices in their institutions. To accomplish this task, data were collected using a survey distributed to rectors and senior management at Spanish higher education institutions. The second goal is to examine the main factors that might explain the implementation of sustainability practices in Spanish universities. For this purpose, Pearson chi-square tests were used to analyse the data collected in the survey. Key findings show the slow rate of progress of many Spanish universities with regard to implementing sustainability practices, a fact which could indicate that there are clearly a number of obstacles to overcome. Additionally, there were no factors influencing the implementation of sustainability practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The increasing social concern about the protection and improvement of the environment has transformed environmental commitment into a new strategic via channel through which to achieve competitiveness in firms. Nevertheless, to date, limited research on this subject has focused on small and medium enterprises. This study addresses this gap by shedding light on the relationship between environmental commitment and business performance as well as their relationship with two other strategic variables: relational marketing and image. From a sample of 481 small and medium firms in Southern Spain and using structural equation modelling, different cause–effect relations were analysed. The results suggest that environmental performance has a positive, direct and significant influence on competitive performance as well as the mediating effects of image and relational marketing. In this regard, this paper offers new empirical evidence of how firms that improve their environmental engagement generate a positive interaction with their stakeholders. An improved environmental performance encourages the appearance of positive reactions for any company's image and its competitiveness. Some of these environmental practices are provided according to their strategic relevance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper shows how exergy can be used to assess the mineral balance of a country and at the same time assess its mineral resource sustainability. The advantage of using such an approach is that the quality of the resources is taken into account, as opposed to the conventional procedure that uses tonnage as a yardstick. The exergoecology method evaluates mineral resources as the exergy required to replace them from a complete dispersed state to the conditions they were originally found with the best available technologies. The country chosen as a case study is Spain and serves as a representative example of the mineral situation in Europe. The general trend observed is that imports are increasing and domestic production is decreasing. The minerals with higher exergy replacement costs are mainly those imported, including fossil fuels and scarce minerals. In 2005, the domestic production of minerals was higher than the imports but since imports were mainly of scarce minerals, the exergy loss associated with such imports was higher compared to domestic production. As it happens to most European nations, Spain is a very dependent country regarding the supply of fossil fuels but not as much in the case of non-fuel minerals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Construction and demolition waste is a major problem in modern society, as it accounts for 25–30% of all the solid waste generated yearly. Its proper handling is one of the mainstays of European waste management policy, which aims to sever the direct relationship between economic growth and the increase in waste generation, lowering associated environmental impacts and furthering recycling and sustainability. To date, no paper has been published in the international literature on the C&DW management model in place in an EU Member State. To fill that gap, the present article analyses Spain's model, with a view to identifying and assessing the industry's strengths and weaknesses. Such analyses are of key importance, given the decisive impact of the management model on the technical and economic viability of using the end product (recycled aggregate) in new applications in construction (structural applications) and hence capitalising on the economic and social benefits to be reaped. The present model is found to be characterised by private plants with an intra-provincial waste reception and product commercialisation radius of no more than 30 km. Government's role in the model is mainly confined to establishing a legislative framework that regulates and fosters construction and demolition waste recycling, with scant financial participation or adoption of effective incentives for using recycled aggregate. The incoming product is primarily mixed construction and demolition waste with a high clay-based material content. In Spain, then, private enterprise is the sector that has committed most firmly to C&DW recycling, a business whose continuity is presently threatened by the slump in the construction industry and the ready availability of natural aggregate in Spain, compared to which the recycled product is not competitive. The current management model is consequently in need of revision, with special emphasis on government's role in furthering the use of processed construction and demolition waste as a raw material for the manufacture of new construction products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we provide a test of the sustainability of the Spanish government deficit over the period 1850–2000, emphasizing the role played by monetary and fiscal dominance in order to get fiscal solvency. Since the condition of fiscal solvency was satisfied, government deficit would have been sustainable along the sample period. In addition, the whole period can be characterized as one of fiscal dominance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents the responsible operating space (ROS) framework, a framework that includes both the common governance of the global environmental concerns and the comprehensive management of environmental sustainability. The ROS framework determines environmental objectives regarding the global concerns using a footprint perspective, and defines coherent integrated environmental objectives for the production and consumption processes at different territorial scales. In this case study, we firstly estimated the global ROS, as well as both the consumption-side ROS and the production-side ROS of Spain. Then, the national ROS was transferred to the 17 Spanish regions and was further extended to the 313 municipalities of one of the regions (Galicia). Finally, we transferred the ROS to 163 sectors, as well as to one industrial park and several companies. Our results demonstrate that, even assuming the methodological limitations and scarcity of data, it is already possible to allocate objectives and decentralize the management of global environmental concerns even at municipal and company levels. The role of circular economy under the ROS framework is also discussed on the basis of the potential coexistence of circularity with an unsustainable production-consumption system. • Coherent reduction targets at municipal and company levels can be calculated. • The framework allows integrating circular economy actions at different scales. • Decentralized management of the global environmental concerns is achievable. • The framework boosts the operationalization of environmental sustainability. • The framework can be integrated into a holistic sustainable development plan. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Different methodologies of education for sustainability have raised environmental awareness in schools. However, these studies have barely considered the effect of emotions in transforming students' environmental behaviour. This paper analyses how education for sustainability and environmental emotions affects students' sustainable behaviour in three secondary schools in Spain. Based on participatory learning methods, 215 students took part in a pilot project. Using structural equation modelling, a longitudinal study along the 2018 and 2019 were presented in the paper. Theoretical and empirical learning activities were designed by schools' board of directors and parent board with the effective collaboration of environmental companies near the three schools. Findings reveal the key role that emotions play in transforming students' environmental behaviour. • Students' emotions are triggered by learning experiences at school. • Achieving educational goals requires special social support from the academic community. • The research outcomes explain what role emotions play in shaping student's behaviour. • The prediction of the research model delineates future empirical research at school. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The literature on Sustainable Business Models (SBMs) has burgeoned, identifying different archetypes to capture the variety of business models applied. Little is known, however, regarding to what extent such SBMs are effectively driving sustainable performance. This paper addresses this gap by exploring how SBMs relate to sustainability performance, considering both overall sustainable performance and the balance across the three dimensions – environmental, social, and economic (integrated performance). Based on original survey data on B Corps located in Italy, Spain and the United Kingdom, our findings suggest that the implementation of most SBMs results in the prioritization of one sustainability dimension over the others, especially when it comes to economically-oriented SBMs. Furthermore, our study suggests that none of the SBM archetypes considered is associated with a balanced sustainable performance, that is, none of them are inherently better able to overcome tensions across the Triple Bottom Line. • We study how SBMs archetypes relate to sustainability performance (SP). • Most SBMs prioritise a triple bottom line (TBL) axes over the others. • Economically-oriented SBMs are not connected with superior SP. • No SBM archetype drives a balanced performance across TBL axes. • A means-end divide emerges. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Circular Economy (CE) model has recently gained a lot of attention as an effective way to cope with the urgent issues related to Climate Change and sustainability. The European Union (EU) has launched a series of reports, plans and activities known as the Circular Economy package which main goal is to expand the CE model throughout Europe, with large companies leading the initiative. This paper aims at assessing their engagement with the CE model, and if their actual understanding, practice and reporting of CE corresponds to the standards and principles promoted by the EU CE Action Plan. The research does also analyse if large companies' reporting in terms of CE can be assimilated to their environmental sustainability reporting or if they consider it a different topic, with different drivers. The reports of the largest companies in Spain (IBEX35) were studied in full detail as well as their environmental scores (ESG) from DataStream database, and activity sector. Results show interesting implications highlighting how companies' perception over CE, as reported, differs from the EU CE Action Plan approach and from the environmental sustainability framework, especially when taking into account the type of activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The first, and probably the most determining, decision that engineering teams need to make when facing the structural design of any infrastructure is the choice of both an appropriate material and the suitable structural typology for its components. Each component is required to satisfy technical and functional aspects imposed by standards and stakeholder. Currently, the aspects that are most frequently considered in decision-making processes are economic. Nevertheless, environmental and social criteria are also required if one aims at making sustainability-based decisions. In this regard, to the best of the authors' knowledge, very few tools or studies exist that can support decision-makers. The few that do exist, are rather limited, either because they fail to incorporate many relevant factors in the sustainability assessment of a project or because they only evaluate environmental and social impacts of a project as a whole. Although a global assessment is useful to gain a holistic understanding of impacts of a project and to compare them to other projects, it does not necessarily help engineering teams understand the impact of fundamental decisions made when designing individual structural components. Therefore, the aim of the present research paper is to develop a new method for the sustainability analysis of building structural components which has been specifically oriented to beams and girders. This is done by means of the Integrated Value Model for the Evaluation of Sustainability method, which is known by its Spanish acronym, MIVES (Modelo Integrado de Valor para una Evaluación Sostenible). This method draws on multi-attribute utility theory and that allows building an integrated value model as an approach for multi-criteria decision-making. The developed model has been applied to assess the sustainability of different alternatives of beams and trusts to support the non-accessible roof of a sports hall in Vila-seca, Spain. Different material types and structural typologies are analysed. The findings show that the most sustainable alternatives are timber and reinforced concrete trusses, which are actually two options that are seldom used in practice. • A model to evaluate the sustainability of structural elements is developed. • MIVES is proved to be an adequate sustainability assessment tool in these cases. • Girders and trusses made of timber, concrete and steel are analysed. • Timber and concrete trusses achieve the highest global sustainability indexes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The wine sector is highly vulnerable to climate change, especially due to the dependence of vine growing on climatic and environmental conditions. For this reason, adaptation and mitigation measures are important for the future of the wine industry. However, the process of adopting these measures by companies is not sufficiently known. The objective of this paper is to study the action against climate change by the wine sector in Spain, which has 13% of the world's vineyard area. Data capture was carried out through a survey of wineries. First, a questionnaire was designed and validated. This process included semi-structured and in-depth interviews with several winery owners. Second, the survey was conducted on a simple random sample of 87 Spanish wineries, stratified by region. Third, using a multivariate technique of factor analysis, the research found a set of 11 indicators describing the different types of measures adopted. In addition, a cluster analysis provided four different winery profiles. The first group comprises 37% of the wineries, whose sustainability actions are very focused on viticulture. The second group includes 22% of the wineries, which manage their activities according to widespread sustainability criteria. The third group is composed of 21% of the wineries, whose mitigation measures are only focused on energy. The fourth group includes 21% of the wineries, which are characterized by the absence of measures to achieve sustainability. Finally, the characteristics of the wineries and their responses to specific variables were studied, in relation to their belonging to the groups. The results show that the wineries of all the groups are aware of the existence of climate change and that it can seriously affect them. However, the adoption of measures is very variable from one group to another. Regarding the characteristics of the wineries, large companies and young professionals are positively related to the professional management of sustainability. The certification of organic production is frequent in the wineries, but it is not enough to guide them in their action against climate change. The calculation of the carbon footprint, which is not widespread, is associated with the wineries that systematically manage sustainability. In view of the results, some policies are suggested to favour the action of the vitivinicultural sector against climate change. Image 1 • A survey shows that Spanish wineries are aware of the risks of climate change. • Four profiles of wineries have been found, according to the measures they adopt. • The adoption of measures is limited and very variable from one group to another. • A wine sustainability is needed, covering both mitigation and adaptation. • Information to manage actions against climate change must be provided externally. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Multiple previous studies at international level have examined the effects of land use policies regarding to sustainability, and particularly devoted to the induced private car mobility excess. However, it is remarkable the different urban planning tradition depending on the country or region. Thus, the Mediterranean urbanism has been generally featured by high or moderately high population and dwellings density, which has promoted the presence of pedestrians on streets. In this paper we analyse the case of Burgos city, as an example of mid-sized city in Spain. Although it isn't suffering sprawl symptoms, its local administration is trying to improve current modal share by increasing sustainable means of transport. The performed analysis includes population, dwellings density and absolute compactness, to check their influence in car trip generation. In coherence with previous studies, our results have shown a qualitative correlation between low densities and higher use of private car for the studied case. The effects of some urban planning policies are discussed as possible reasons of observed behaviour, serving as basis for future recommendations. • Density and compactness are studied and correlated for a Spanish city case. • Population and traffic generation data are combined in a GIS model using an innovative approach for a qualitative analysis. • Results have shown a clear correlation between low population density and high number of car trips for the selected case. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Uncertainties and non-linearities between processes involved in rural dynamics pose a challenge to planners and policymakers. Numerical models minimize the risk of making an inappropriate decision and assist planners with making informed policy decisions. In this paper, we present a quantitative analysis of the social, economic and demographic dimensions of rural dynamics using a system dynamics approach. The resulting model (RUSEM: RUral Socio-Economic Model) consists of four main modules that reproduce the main characteristics of the rural areas, with a focus for the European case. The economic module contains the most important variables in the dynamics of local economies - for example, the provision of key services, the availability of public services, and local economic structure. The social and demographic modules use large age groups to analyse the labour market and population dynamics. The attractiveness module summarises push-pull factors affecting rural migration. The model is used to evaluate thirty-six socio-economic scenarios of rural Spain. The results show that very small villages could be incapable to stop rural decline because the absence of "critical mass" while mid-sized villages require targeted actions to reinforce the positive feedbacks of local economy. RUSEM has two goals: to offer computational support enabling robust decision-making in policy formulation in conditions of deep uncertainty and to integrate the socio-economic dimension into Earth System Models (ESMs) providing a numerical model that can be embedded into ESMs at a relatively cheap computational cost. • RUSEM is a socio-economic model of rural dynamics based on system dynamics theory. • It offers computational support enabling robust decision-making in policy formulation. • It can be embedded into ESMs improving the representation of anthropogenic processes. • Output data showed the existence of 'critical mass' thresholds in small communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]