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Environmental sustainability urgently needs to be embraced as a driver of development for society and industry. While researchers and practitioners herald numerous benefits when adopting eco-efficiency and circular economy approaches, these green solutions are yet to become pervasive principles for designing and operating industrial systems. This study reviews the last ten years of research contributions from the International Federation for Information Processing Working Group 5.7 (IFIP WG5.7) on Advances in Production Management Systems (APMS) through its dedicated annual conference. A systematic literature review method was employed to map the APMS conference papers against eco-efficiency principles and to identify how these principles have been addressed by this research community. A cross-thematic analysis further describes the trends around dominant themes in production research. Finally, the paper concludes with an update on eco-efficiency principles applied to manufacturing and a proposed framework to consider more systematically the environmental implications of advances in production research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recently, the company announced that its Major League Soccer stadium for the Philadelphia Union will be zero landfill, a feat that involves partnerships with venue management company Spectra, recycling data company Recycle Track Systems, and energy company Covanta (Subaru of America [4]). Subaru - Taking Ownership of Waste For the most committed organizations, setting a goal to produce zero waste is a strategy that requires embracing circularity throughout the business. Circular business practices to be more environmentally sustainable and discuss the types of innovation that are easiest to adopt for sustainability In the ethos of Denise Coogan, one of the leaders of Subaru of America's zero waste manufacturing initiative, "Waste is a material that hasn't found its use yet" (Subaru of America [15], 4:25). [Extracted from the article]

Biocultural approaches are gaining attention for coping with current sustainability challenges. These approaches recognize that biological and cultural diversity are inextricably linked. Indigenous and local knowledge (ILK) plays an important role in biocultural approaches as these often build on local cultural perspectives. This review explores how ILK is conceptualized and applied in the scientific literature published in Spanish on biocultural approaches to sustainability and examines the status and trends of ILK described in this literature. For this, we reviewed 72 publications and conducted a category-based qualitative content analysis. We found multiple conceptualizations of ILK, although most of them shared some commonalities, such as the close link to specific biocultural contexts. The results suggests that there are three themes that seem to be both relevant and controversial within the reviewed literature: the different strategies to bridging diverse knowledge systems, the conflictive views on the role of ILK in sustainability, and the threats to ILK. We also show that future research would benefit from greater attention to power relations and context-specific dynamics in bridging diverse knowledge systems, as there is still room to improve approaches and tools to promote the co-production of knowledge while supporting and enhancing the self-determination of IPLC. We conclude that the way biocultural approaches to sustainability engage with ILK can support shape a variety of alternative futures, which may differ from currently dominant perspectives on sustainability, and further demonstrate that the design and implementation of conservation policies that protect both people and nature can be enhanced. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Concrete, a widely used building material, should minimize its environmental impact to align with the construction sector's Sustainable Development Goals. Researchers worldwide are investigating the possibility of e-waste in building materials incorporating various recyclable elements. This paper conducts a thorough review of research on e-waste as a building material. Various E-waste products are used as fine and coarse aggregate replacements in concrete. The study uses a bibliographic approach with the Scopus database to delve into the literature discussing E-waste in construction materials from 2007 to 2022. Data are extracted specifically from Scopus, which identifies 731 papers based on the keyword "Electronic waste used as building materials". The second step involves scientometric analysis, which focuses on patterns within the articles, such as the most prolific countries, sources, frequently used keywords, and reports containing relevant research. Each research phase contains a summary of the results obtained at various stages. Detailed quantitative and qualitative discussions are also conducted to achieve the three primary goals: a summary of quantitative data, a discussion of the existing application, and identifying future research directions. These findings will be useful for subsequent academic studies on transforming e-waste into building materials. The scientometric review provides a path for researchers from various countries to share new ideas and information while encouraging research collaboration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Disabled populations are disproportionally affected by the current climate and environmental crises. However, they are hardly included and their knowledge is neglected in processes addressing these challenges. To achieve the UN Agenda 2030, societies should actively engage with the values, experiences and knowledge held by people with disabilities in science and policy contexts. In this paper, we suggest that addressing 'deep' leverage points by 1) recognising diverse valuations of and connections to nature by different social groups (i.e. re-connecting to nature), 2) including disabled populations in decision-making and knowledge creation (i.e. re-structuring institutions), and 3) promoting inclusive education and knowledge generation (i.e. re-thinking knowledge production) can facilitate the development of inclusive transformation pathways and foster sustainable human-nature relationships. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite increasing efforts by research and policy to approach sustainability, human impact on nonhuman nature is intensifying the current social-ecological crisis. To foster sustainability transformation, there is a need to re-think qualities of human-nature connections which calls for relational discourses that provide alternatives to the predominance of mindsets postulating a human-nature divide. Against this backdrop, this conceptual paper introduces 'human-nature resonance' as a relational account that provides system, target, and transformation knowledge for sustainability transformation. The paper argues that the social-ecological crisis has one of its root causes in mute human-nature relations. On this basis, it is illustrated how the social-ecological crisis is only slightly affecting the behaviours of Western societies, which are subsequently failing to establish responsive human-nature relations. Considering that mute relations are fostered by making the world constantly available, the non-affective human-nature relation can be traced back to a lack of material and moral boundaries of nonhuman nature perceived as a lifeless object of infinite availability. For strengthening human-nature resonance, the paper calls for the vision of human-nature partnership neglecting hierarchical human-nature relations. To strengthen the human-nature partnership, nature will speak with an own voice by assigning her legal personhood, agency, and soulfulness. Furthermore, human self-efficacy needs to be strengthened to listen to nature by nourishing internal relational capacities such as compassion and self-worth. Future work on human-nature resonance can integrate basic and applied inter- and transdisciplinary research which links natural and social sciences, Western and Indigenous ontologies, and the scientific world of logos and transcendental wisdom. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Path-breaking transformative change is needed in human-environment relations to move towards more sustainable development trajectories at local, national and global scales. Crises may trigger transformative change and learning in the short and in the long term. However, in particular, a short-term response to crises may also be reactive, strengthening established unsustainable practices and further perpetuating vulnerability and inequality rather than supporting transformative change towards a more sustainable path. To understand the nature and response to a crisis in the context of sustainability transformations, this paper elaborates on the following aspects of a crisis: What are the characteristics of a crisis? What and who shapes the narrative(s) of a crisis? What and who shapes the nature of the response to a crisis? Do responses to crises trigger higher levels of learning? Conceptual synthesis is complemented with an exploratory comparative analysis of the Cape Town water crisis and of the COVID-19 pandemic in South Africa. To this end the paper analyzes the interplay between mobilizing individual, collective and relational agency and navigating and transforming power relations to challenge and profit from already weakened unsustainable structures. This approach proves to be promising to understand the role of crises in catalysing and supporting transformative learning to eventually replace unsustainable structures. ● During and immediately after crises, it is important to identify opportunities for policy change to address persistent governance failures. ● To support transformative change towards sustainability, governments typically should adopt a network governance style and act more as a convenor for deliberative processes in the later phase of the response to a crisis. ● Formation of innovation platforms bringing together actors from different levels and different roles (e.g. pioneering innovators, investors, scientists, policymakers, regulators) could support the scaling up of local initiatives and innovative approaches that have been developed during crises. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Addressing complex sustainability issues in higher education requires the combination and integration of various disciplines, perspectives and approaches. Challenge-Based Learning (CBL) can support interdisciplinary collaboration on sustainability issues. It requires students to actively explore, discuss, reflect on and integrate information and methods from various disciplines. Online learning could enhance interdisciplinary collaboration since it is associated with greater geographical and educational flexibility and accessibility. Applying an active learning approach such as CBL in an online setting is believed to support interdisciplinary learning and collaboration. We present a case study that took place in a 10-week online interdisciplinary, inter-university undergraduate course on sustainability education. Our research is based on well-known online learning theories "Transactional distance" and "Community of Inquiry" (CoI). The aim of this study was to investigate how transactional distance, presence and (online) interdisciplinary learning are perceived by students. 23 undergraduate students from three universities were enrolled in the course. Quantitative survey data (N = 13) and qualitative data from student reflection papers and interviews (N = 15) were collected. Students perceived low levels of transactional distance and high levels of presence. Unexpectedly, a small increase in perceived distance between students was measured which could be explained by reported limitations of the course design. Students valued the open, interactive and creative character of the course and the online format was not perceived as hindering. Students reflected on interdisciplinary competences that they developed during the course. This study is a first step towards future national as well as international interdisciplinary, inter-university educational collaboration on sustainability issues. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Several analysis methods exist to identify hotspots regarding resource efficiency in industry and consecutively find measures to reduce environmental impact. Still, many companies do not use systematic methods to analyse and improve their resource efficiency, partly because they do not have the competencies to apply them. In this context, learning factories support by providing a realistic environment to teach methodological competencies. This paper systematically derives criteria and compares hotspot analysis methods for the identification of resource efficiency hotspots. Based on these results, an approach is developed to derive needed competencies and a list of required technical infrastructure for learning factories. The developed tool includes the general ratings of the methods depending on prerequisites as well as the possibility to weight the criteria. Learning factory operators and trainers can use this tool to identify suitable hotspot analysis methods and get guidance on how to implement the methods in their learning environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper addresses two interlinked problems in sustainable development and suggests a methodology to resolve them. The first is the reduction of atmospheric greenhouse gas emissions, especially carbon dioxide. The second is the maintenance of biodiversity. Current carbon financing and environmental stewardship mechanisms underwhelm, often diluting intended positive effects. Most existing carbon credits do not have protection after 40 years, placing projects substantially beneath the C02 radiative forcing cycle. This paper presents the 'Balance' approach to sustainable development, including contractual principles ensuring C02 reduction, biodiversity enhancement and financial accountability. We describe two novel measures: a carbon calculator for commercial entities, and a new metric, the Balance Unit, combining biodiversity creation with carbon credits. A case study, spanning over 20 years at the Forest of Marston Vale, is then presented. It finds an increase in tree cover, CO2 sequestration, reduction in agricultural GHG emissions, sulphur dioxide and particulate matter absorption, and annual local economic benefits totalling £UK12.83 million. Expository detail regarding the 'Planting Principles' practised at Marston Vale is also provided. We argue that the Balance methodology, especially the Balance Unit, enables greater measurement reliability and long-term efficacy for maintaining biodiversity and reducing GHG emissions than current carbon financing approaches. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper aims to develop an integrated model to enhance the relationship between green entrepreneurship orientation (GEO), and sustainable firm performance to encourage sustainable consumption and production, by integrating Natural Resource Based View, and Dynamic Capability Theories with slight modification. We have approached this study through deductive reasoning, and the quantitative research approach. Structured questionnaire has been used to gather data from Green Entrepreneurs across different sectors in Ghana. The analyses have been conducted with the aid of SMART-PLS version 3.3.1 algorithm. Structural Equation Modelling technique has been used to test our hypotheses. Our results have shown that GEO drives green innovative performance, and firm performance. Moreover, green innovative capability significantly moderated the relationship between GEO, and green innovation performance. Again, green innovative performance significantly mediated the relation between GEO, and Sustainable firm performance. In conclusion, environmental sustainability could be achieved through GE, and Environmental Innovative Performance (EIP). Likewise, Green dynamic capability could be used to strengthen the relationship between GEO, and EIP. The implications of this study include the emergence of an integrated model to enhance green entrepreneurship development and environmental sustainability, and social realisation of Sustainability Development Goals 4, 8, 12, and 13 in a developing economy context. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The key organizing theme for this special issue is "Sustaining Rural Systems: Rural Vitality in an Era of Globalization and Economic Nationalism." The multiplicity of roles that rural communities play in economic and social systems are often overlooked in conversations about globalization and economic nationalism. Yet rural communities, economies and landscapes are closely tied to global industries, migrant flows and markets, while simultaneously subject to nationalist economic policies and strategies. These articles are drawn from the 2019 International Geographical Union Commission on the Sustainability of Rural Systems Colloquium and examine the interplay between rural places and the competing narratives of globalization and nationalism. The studies come from Croatia, Belgium, Australia, the USA, Argentina, Bolivia, Ecuador, Mexico, Italy and Spain. In each article, the authors seek to elucidate the nuanced ties between people and industries that are at once intensely local and simultaneously tied to regional and global processes. The articles challenge us to critically examine oversimplified messaging of highly complex systems and provide insights into processes of change at local scales across major global regions, highlighting the contemporary status of rural change through the lens of sustainability and set within current competing narratives of globalization and economic nationalism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA), due to their remarkable biodegradability, biocompatibility, and favorable physical and chemical properties, are tested for applications in the agricultural, industrial, and medical fields in place of conventional plastic. Sustainable microbial PHA production is a challenge because of the economic aspects accrued due to the cost-effective substrates and downstream processing. Different approaches are adopted to circumvent the high economic price of PHA production by co-production, employing recombinant strain, mixed cultures, and low-cost feedstock. The review focuses on the co-production of intracellular microbial PHA with an extracellular value-added product. The present review highlights the feasibility of other bio-based products from the feedstock to offset the cost of PHA production with emphasis on another viable option. The paper discusses the recent progress in the simultaneous production of PHA with exopolysaccharides, pigments, enzymes, bio-surfactants, biofuels which primarily fulfill the criteria of higher yield of PHA, and another high-value product that can be achieved. This approach not only maximizes resource utilization but also provides opportunities for the development of a wide range of sustainable bio-based products to improve the overall feasibility of the process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this paper is to investigate agricultural sustainability as a collective issue involving multiple rather than individual farms. Through the utilization of energy consumption as a proxy, we propose a novel methodology that evaluates the impact of farm consolidations on agricultural sustainability while accounting for resource preferences. Our approach incorporates the ordered weighted averaging (OWA) operator within an inverse data envelopment analysis (IDEA) model to identify post-merger farms that meet preset efficiency targets. We employ a DEA cross-efficiency (DEA-CE) procedure to select merger plans that maximize agricultural sustainability for each preference scenario. By analysing a case study of 43 tomato greenhouse farms in Biskra, northern Algeria, our findings demonstrate that mergers can significantly enhance agricultural sustainability, surpassing the potential of individual farms by a factor of over 15. Additionally, the adoption of the most sustainable merger plan can lead to energy savings of more than 69%. Irrespective of the preference scenario, substantial energy savings in machinery, fertilizers, diesel, and electricity ranging from 22.92% to 73.73% were observed. These results emphasize the strategic role of merger processes in promoting agricultural sustainability and optimizing resource utilization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Between 2019 and 2021, the Autonomous Region of Sardinia and the Eni Enrico Mattei Foundation (FEEM) developed and applied a sustainability assessment model of the investments within the regional operational programmes (ROPs), with specific reference to the United Nations’ 2030 Agenda and its 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). That same methodology is used here for the assessment of the sustainability of the ROPs co-financed by the European Union with specific reference to Italy’s National Sustainable Development Strategy (NSDS). In particular, the analysis is done by looking at the contribution of the 182 intervention fields to the NSDS’ strategic goals. Throughout the paper the importance of defining implementation strategies of the NSDS’ National strategic goals through the integration of the indicators, goals and choices of the national strategy into local or regional development plans is emphasized. Finally, the work suggests this methodology as a reference point to ensure careful monitoring of the sustainability of the investments of various European Union policies, in consideration of the importance that the strategy assumes for both Italy and the Italian regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In line with internationally defined goals of sustainable development, European agricultural policies today have a far-sighted vision for rural areas. Using a case study approach, this paper explores how receptive rural farms in Sicily are to a long-term vision of development. The study focuses on three key factors of a long-term vision, that is, digitalisation, innovation and sustainability, to examine not only whether farms have invested in these areas but also how they perceive their role in the post-pandemic era. Empirical results provide insights into the concentration of farms in the central inland areas of Sicily without any real long-term vision of development. Nevertheless, the analysis also shows that some of them do have a positive attitude to change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In many parts of the Global South, food systems are confronted with complex sustainability challenges including high levels of poverty, food insecurity, malnutrition, disempowerment, and degraded environments. Transformation is broadly discussed in research, policy, and planning as the systemic change required to address complex sustainability issues. Transformation of food systems has become a global priority for research and action. However, transformation processes are not neutral, but are associated with losses and gains that are unevenly distributed. Institutions play an important role in relation to how transformation of food systems occur and with what outcomes. Empirical understandings of how institutions can influence transformation processes in a way that avoids risks or the so-called dark side of transformation are needed. This article aims to contribute towards understanding the roles that institutions play in transformation processes in the context of Global South food systems through synthesising insights from transdisciplinary case studies. The three case studies include multi-purpose cooperative institutions in farming areas in southwest Ethiopia, fisherfolk organisations in aquatic food-producing areas in northern Philippines, and Gotong Royong for irrigation canal management for pond aquaculture in Indonesia. The article examines whether and how institutions advance inclusion and participation in food systems, and whether institutions enable or constrain food system actors in mitigating or avoiding transformation risks. The paper reflects on the role of community-level institutions and hybrid governance arrangements, and the interplay of structure and agency in transformation processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aims at modelling long-term weather parameters (1955 to 2020), recorded in Bahrain, and at investigating which parameters have strong correlation coefficients with such data to account for mitigation and achieve sustainability. Eight forms of fitting methods were utilized to calculate the correlation coefficient between each parameter versus each given year. These parameters (Average and Anomalies) are the average temperature, maximum temperature, minimum temperature, humidity, wind speed, dust and precipitation. The forms of correlations used are as follows: Linear regression, Quadratic regression, Cubic regression, Power regression, ab-Exponential regression, Logarithmic regression, Hyperbolic regression and Exponential regression. Among all forms of regressions, the Exponential (cubic) regression is found to have the highest correlation coefficient for such data, both Average and Anomalies data; the highest is for humidity versus year (r = 0.900, strong relation), and the least is for precipitation (r = 0.1647, poor relation) for Average data. As for the Anomalies data, the highest is for humidity versus year (r = 0.9019) and the least is for precipitation versus (r = 0.1647, no relation). The novelty of this paper lies in concluding that the exponential (cubic) regression is the most accurate correlation (among 8 correlation coefficients) to predict all the recorded long-term (65 years) weather parameters in Bahrain eight correlation. This regression fit is the most useful one in projecting the weather trend by 2050 in Bahrain to account for the future built environment to become more resilient, sustainable and tolerant with the environment due to the anticipated damage resulting from climate change. More investigation is to be made for other data set in the Gulf Cooperation Countries, and worldwide, to explore whether this Exponential (cubic) regression will still have the highest correlation coefficient among the others. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Green banking has become dominant in academics' and practitioners' discourse. The purpose of the research is to investigate whether banks' attitudes, in deciding to go green, change under the influence of other banks through their mutual interaction and whether hysteresis plays a part in the process. A mathematical model, described by a differential system with time delay, considering three variables, i.e.: green, outsider and undecided banks, is used as a research method. We investigate the local stability of the two equilibrium points. Moreover, we look for the optimal control strategy targeting the undecided banks so that the outsiders' group diminishes. The main contribution is that the paper sheds more light on the qualitative rather than on the quantitative side of the banking business given that banks' behaviours are examined when it comes to implementing green policies. The research has policy implications since bank managers can decide whether to follow the greening trends of other banks and bank regulators can use the instrument for tracking the overall changes in banks' behaviours in this respect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the recent literature, energy efficiency got the attention of scholars due to its discouraging impact on CO2 emissions, which is considered the most prevalent greenhouse gas that human activities produce. Data reports that China is the leading CO2 emitting country across the globe, and still the environmental degradation is in progress. Thus, the current paper empirically investigates the impact of energy efficiency (ENEF), financial inclusion (FD), GDP, export diversification (EXD), and human capital index (HCI) on the environmental degradation of China over the period from 1988 to 2018. This study uses various time-series tests to empirically investigate the determinant of CO2 emissions, including normality tests, unit root tests, and combined cointegration tests. Besides, the long-run coefficients are analyzed via the fully modified ordinary least square (FMOLS), dynamic OLS (DOLS), and the Canonical Cointegrating Regression (CCR) estimators. The empirical findings reveal that all the variables are cointegrated in the long run. However, the coefficient estimate shows that ENEF and HCI significantly promote environmental sustainability. While GDP, FD, and EXD significantly promote environmental degradation by enhancing the CO2 level in the atmosphere. This study recommends practical policy implications based on the empirical findings: energy-efficient products and energy sources could be promoted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The poultry population in Africa is mostly composed of local or indigenous chickens appreciated for the unique taste and texture of their meat. However, with the ever-increasing population growth, the free-range or backyard poultry farming system is no longer adapted to supply people with protein requirements. Crossbreeding local hens with an improved rooster weakens the thermotolerance and disease resistance of the offspring in African areas. In this context, the available breeds need to be preserved. The improvement of their productivity should be actualized through the implementation of a sustainable production programme that is simple and less expensive for the farmer, taking into account: feeding, habitat and chicken care. Scientific research should invest more time on the identification and characterization of all available breeds or chicken ecotypes allowing us to know production performances and their nutritional needs. Feeding with locally available resources, vaccination and use of indigenous medicine requiring training of farmers are essential perspectives. This paper focused on the productivity and resilience of indigenous chicken ecotypes in various African tropical environments and some essential factors to improve the birds. For this, a critical analysis was made based on the available data on the birds from research databases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Food waste utilisation and zero waste approach are among the many ways of building a sustainable economy. Food waste as authentic edible food being accepted by the consumers still has many barriers to overcome. One tool to help in the valorisation of food waste to valueadded products is three-dimensional food printing (3DFP). These products can lead to easier and greater acceptance of food waste by consumers, having familiar nature with respect to taste, texture and appearance as other consumables. In the present study, food ink recipes were formulated from spinach stems and kale stalks, the common green leafy vegetable wastes. These spinach and kale inks were then characterised on their rheological properties of shear thinning and yield stress. The inks were subjected to IDDSI tests meant for standardisation of soft foods for dysphagia patients. This paper demonstrates ways of converting vegetable wastes into edible diets that are aesthetically pleasing through 3DFP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Conservation agriculture (CA) is being promoted as an energy efficient and cost-effective farming system that conserves soil and water and improves crop yields. Adoption of this farming system can contribute to attainment of Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 2: end hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition, and promote sustainable agriculture. However, the adoption rate of this new farming technique by smallholder farmers in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) is low. The trade-offs and synergies related to the three pillars that anchor CA have not, however, been investigated in the context of Botswana. Farmers are faced with trade-offs in the use of crop residue in CA as mulch with traditional use as feed for livestock. This paper reviews the components of CA with a view to contribute to the development of CA strategies for Botswana. We show that adoption of CA in SSA is challenged by lack of weed control measures, the lack of a market for grain legumes and competing uses of crop residue. The paper highlights the discrepancy between CA methods and current government subsidies, issues that may restrain the adoption of CA in Botswana. The paper concludes by making recommendations for research and policy development for sustainable CA practices in Botswana. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chinese farming culture mostly starts from the angles of geography, history, sociology and folklore. However, there are relatively few systematic studies on farming culture from the perspective of landscape science, and the research direction mainly focuses on the concept, type, characteristics, function, and operation mode of farming culture. Under the background of the concept of agricultural ecology, it is necessary to improve the effect of the landscape design of agricultural theme parks. With the support of ecological concepts, this paper analyses the background requirements, public needs, design principles, design objectives, design essentials, and design elements of the agricultural theme park design based on the sustainable development and agricultural economic concepts. Moreover, this paper combines case studies to analyse the landscape design of agricultural theme park. From the design effect, it can be seen that the design method proposed in this paper has a certain effect, which can provide a reference for the subsequent landscape design of agricultural theme park. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to improve the reliability and scientificity of the path of agriculture sustainable development, guided by the concept of circular economy, this paper combines data mining technology to construct a path analysis system of agricultural sustainable development and establishes a one-dimensional discrete dynamic model of the interaction between the stock of renewable resources and the output. Moreover, this paper discusses the impact of resource-based industries' output on the sustainable use of resources and establishes a two-dimensional discrete dynamic control model for resource stock and resource development speed. In addition, this paper mainly studies the relationship between resource stock and output when the speed of resource development is managed and controlled, and builds a system structure model based on the actual needs of agricultural development. Finally, this paper designs an experiment to analyse the performance of the system model constructed in this paper. The research results show that the system constructed in this paper has a certain guiding effect on the sustainable development of agriculture, and it can be applied to practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The United Nations adopted 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to address societal, economic and environmental sustainability issues. The efficiency of SDGs monitoring could be improved by essential variables (EVs), which can help to better deal with massive data, interdisciplinary knowledge and workloads. However, in practice, effectively combining EVs with SDGs monitoring remains challenging. In this paper, we proposed a refining method of essential SDGs variables (ESDGVs) to land degradation. Firstly, we selected northwest China as our experimental region and extracted a group of variables related to land degradation from SDG indicators based on the DPSIR framework. Next, we identify the essential ones using a combined qualitative and quantitative methods with the criteria of feasibility, spatialization, and relevance which considered the issues of data acquisition, monitoring scale, and closeness to the land degradation. Finally, we analysed the monitoring role of ESDGVs. Results show that, compared to conventional observations, ESDGVs facilitate the monitoring and evaluation of regional SDGs with reduced efforts. And both climate and human activities have a facilitating or inhibiting effect on land degradation processes. In the future, we hope to have more mature data sets and consider adding more SDG indicators for ESDGVs' refinement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines the persistence of differentiated pricing in the multi-family housing related to eco-certification. In examining a sample of market rents for non-specialty, multifamily properties both across the U.S., as well as those areas that enjoy the highest concentrations of LEED certified apartments, we find rental premiums of 10.2% and 14.7%, respectively for those properties with LEED certification. The addition of the continuous Walk Score, to control for variations in urban form, results in premiums of 7.4% and 9.6%, respectively. These findings are directionally consistent with those found in earlier studies, and demonstrate a persistence in rental premiums for certified properties over time, and with increased LEED adoption. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, the American Council for Construction Education (ACCE) has shifted to outcomes-based accreditation standards for higher education construction programs, allowing greater customization of educational strategies. Past research efforts have analyzed the demands of industry and strategies used in academia, but these studies occurred before the shift to outcomes-based accreditation. This paper presents an updated analysis of construction industry needs and academic priorities and aims to provide insight into the status of industry and academia in the context of this outcomes-based focus. Thematic analysis of five years of direct evaluations of student performance during industry internships provides insight into industry demands. Parallel analysis of construction education research publications from a corresponding time period is leveraged to understand developments within the academic research community. Results suggest that both sectors recognize the need for experiential learning and software competencies among construction graduates. However, differences in trends were observed with a greater industry focus on personal attributes and a greater academic emphasis on sustainability learning competencies. The contribution of this paper is in providing an up-to-date evaluation of industry and academic trends in order to guide subsequent developments in construction education while addressing the needs of industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper describes the design and implementation of a political advocacy project in an Organic Chemistry II course. The advocacy project was designed to demonstrate that organic, green, and sustainable chemistry can be applied outside of laboratory and industrial settings to help solve issues related to environmental sustainability. After the instructor identified pending state legislation relating to sustainability, students read and summarized the bill. After class discussion, students did further research into questions raised in the discussion and prepared talking points. The talking points were developed into a white paper or postcard in advance of a class trip to the state capitol to share the views with legislators. Student reflections indicated a positive experience with advocacy, a greater understanding of environmental issues that affect them, and better awareness of how they can affect change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigates total factor productivity growth (TFPG) and its determinants in the Indonesian palm oil sector industries. TFPG is estimated using a growth accounting method. This paper applies the fixed effects model to investigate the determinants of the TFPG. The data is sourced from a manufacturing survey of the Indonesian Bureau of Central Statistics (Badan Pusat Statistika/BPS) for the period 2000–2017. This paper finds that the TFPG of the Indonesian palm oil industry is relatively low. Moreover, output growth, output per worker, export activity, and wages per worker have significant effects on the TFPG. The effect of output growth, which is dominated by the large use of inputs, raises concerns in the aspect of environmental sustainability due to uncontrolled land expansion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Social-ecological systems (SES) research has emerged as an important area of sustainability science, informing and supporting pressing issues of transformation towards more sustainable, just and equitable futures. To date, much SES research has been done in or from the Global North, where the challenges and contexts for supporting sustainability transformations are substantially different from the Global South. This paper synthesises emerging insights on SES dynamics that can inform actions and advance research to support sustainability transformations specifically in the southern African context. The paper draws on work linked to members of the Southern African Program on Ecosystem Change and Society (SAPECS), a leading SES research network in the region, synthesizing key insights with respect to the five core themes of SAPECS: (i) transdisciplinary and engaged research, (ii) ecosystem services and human well-being, (iii) governance institutions and management practices, (iv) spatial relationships and cross-scale connections, and (v) regime shifts, traps and transformations. For each theme, we focus on insights that are particularly novel, interesting or important in the southern African context, and reflect on key research gaps and emerging frontiers for SES research in the region going forward. Such place-based insights are important for understanding the variation in SES dynamics around the world, and are crucial for informing a context-sensitive global agenda to foster sustainability transformations at local to global scales. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A leverage points perspective recognises different levels of systemic depth, ranging from the relatively shallow levels of parameters and feedbacks to the deeper levels of system design and intent. Analysing a given social-ecological system for its characteristics across these four levels of systemic depth provides a useful diagnostic to better understand sustainability problems, and can complement other types of cause-and-effect systems modelling. Moreover, the structured comparison of multiple systems can highlight whether sustainability challenges in different systems have a similar origin (e.g. similar feedbacks or similar design). We used a leverage points perspective to systematically compare findings from three in-depth social-ecological case studies, which investigated rural landscapes in southeastern Australia, central Romania, and southwestern Ethiopia. Inductive coding of key findings documented in over 60 empirical publications was used to generate synthesis statements of key findings in the three case studies. Despite major socioeconomic and ecological differences, many synthesis statements applied to all three case studies. Major sustainability problems occurred at the design and intent levels. For example, at the intent level, all three rural landscapes were driven by goals and paradigms that mirrored a productivist green revolution discourse. Our paper thus highlights that there are underlying challenges for rural sustainability across the world, which appear to apply similarly across strongly contrasting socioeconomic contexts. Sustainability interventions should be mindful of such deep similarities in system characteristics. We conclude that a leverage points perspective could be used to compare many other types of social-ecological systems around the world. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sustainability requires a combination of meaningful co-production of locally relevant solutions, synthesis of insights gained across regions, and increased cooperation between science, policy and practice. The Programme for Ecosystem Change and Society (PECS) has been coordinating Place-Based Social-Ecological Sustainability Research (PBSESR) across the globe and emphasizes the need for regional scientific nodes from diverse biocultural regions to inform sustainability science and action. In this paper, we assess the strengths of the PBSESR communities in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC). We provide an overview of PBSESR literature associated with this region and highlight the achievements of two prominent regional networks: The Social-Ecological Systems and Sustainability Research Network from Mexico (SocioEcoS) and the South American Institute for Resilience and Sustainability Studies from Uruguay (SARAS Institute). Finally, we identify the potential in these nodes to constitute a regional PECS node in Latin America and discuss the capacity needed to ensure such function. The results of the literature review show that while still loosely interconnected across the region, networks play key roles in connecting otherwise cloistered teams and we illustrate how the SocioEcoS network (focusing on transdisciplinary co-production of knowledge towards sustainability) and the SARAS Institute (focusing on innovative approaches for looking at complex social-ecological problems, rooted in slow science and arts) operate as key connectors in the region. We conclude that these organizations combined can embody a Latin American node for PECS, and would thereby not only contribute to regional but also global capacities to advance the sustainability agenda. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper develops a pattern that guides manufacturing system designers and engineers in the identification of requirements and solutions throughout the systems engineering lifecycle. The presented design pattern guides decision-making about the requirements and solutions related to the design and operation of manufacturing plants, lines, cells, and workstations. The research presented in this paper builds on a prior version of the Manufacturing System Design Decomposition, Version 9.2 (MSDD 9.2), which established the requirements and solutions for making effective manufacturing system design decisions. By incorporating decision-centric design and model-based systems engineering tools, MSDD 9.2 is expanded to Manufacturing System Design Decomposition, Version 10.0 (MSDD 10.0) which offers innovative design capabilities in being able to capture and relate all applicable manufacturing system design information as a single source of truth. The design pattern seeks to guide the objective evaluation and introduction of new manufacturing systems, technologies, and products for the manufacturing enterprise. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One of the goals of the Industry 4.0 paradigm is the sustainable success within a mass customization environment, which in turn, depends on the manufacturing efficiency of the transformation processes. In this paper we propose to represent manufacturing efficiency within the context demand fulfillment. The main original contribution of this paper are two demand fulfillment analytical expressions. Their novelty is on the way they are expressed, that is, in terms of the structural elements that define a mass customization environment. Their usefulness was put to the test via a Discrete Event Simulation (DES) model of two different demand fulfillment strategies (namely inventory-oriented level and capacity-oriented chase strategies). The obtained results suggest that the analytical expressions act as a fairly good trend indicator of the missed demand values increase/decrease. A discussion of the managerial implications of these findings are presented at the end of this document. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigates the relationship between business strategy and sustainability of Chinese SMEs and how the environmental uncertainty may affect this relationship. It analyses the impact of active and passive business strategies on firms' sustainability and tests the potential moderating role of economic policy uncertainty in this relationship. The empirical analysis is performed by employing fixed-effect and GMM estimations on data collected from 937 Chinese A-share non-financial companies listed on the Shanghai and Shenzhen stock exchanges from 2010 to 2021. The results show that the high-risk active business strategy of innovation and new market development is associated with greater business sustainability, and this relationship is stronger for SMEs than for non-SMEs in China. Moreover, higher economic policy uncertainty strengthens the positive relationship between active business strategy and firm sustainability, implying that in periods of higher environmental uncertainty firms which pursue active business strategy achieve greater business sustainability. These findings are useful for devising business strategy and can assist in formulating policy initiatives seeking to ensure sustainable development of SMEs in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper investigates whether eco-innovation, sustainability, and asset pricing effect of maximum daily return (maxing out effect), truly and steadily exists in A share market of China and the nexus among maxing out effect and idiosyncratic volatility in China's A Share Market. Regression analyses were conducted using the data of listed companies in China's A share market from July 1993 to May 2021. The empirical results show that the maxing out effect, eco-innovation and sustainability steadily exists in a sample country. In practice, this research help to improve asset pricing efficiency, provide high-quality materials for investor education, guide arbitrage trading activities, and improve resource allocation efficiency in the stock market. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Considering the significant importance of environmental sustainability, it is vital to understand the determinants of environmental sustainability and to draw the policy implications for a sustainable environment. This paper examines the impacts of financial development and industrial structure on environmental sustainability in China from 1995 to 2020 using the A.R.D.L. approach. The result indicates that financial development negatively impacts CO2 emissions and greenhouse gas emissions in the long-run. The impact of industrial structure is also enormous. The results also suggest that industrial structure negatively impacts environmental sustainability by decreasing CO2 emissions and greenhouse gas emissions in the long-run. While Internet development accelerates environmental sustainability in Japan in the long run, economic development and energy negatively impact environmental sustainability in the long run. The findings of this study add to the current literature and provide some significant policy implications for improving environmental sustainability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Traditionally, laws regarding soil pollution were limited in China. However, due to rapid industrialization and urbanization, soil pollution has become a major environmental issue. Thereby, in order to address the emerging threat, different measures have been introduced and implemented by Chinese government. The paper, in this regard, examines the role of government measures to reduce soil pollution, eco-innovation, and environmental sustainability on soil pollution in China. secondary data from the World Development Indicators (WDI), Chinese Soil Database, the global economy, and the environmental performance index (EPI) has been collected from 1985 to 2020. Autoregressive distributed lag model is used in the study to check the relationship among constructs. Findings reveal that government expenditures to reduce soil pollution, eco-innovation, and environmental sustainability have a negative association with soil pollution in China. The results also revealed that industrialization and population growth have a positive linkage with soil pollution in China. Having these evidences, the study recommends that fiscal policies should be formulated to increase the budget for soil reduction projects so it can save soil from pollution. Likewise, policymakers must behave to encourage eco-innovation at economic and societal levels to reduce soil pollution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wilderness is an important concept in the discourses and policies concerning contemporary European protected areas, inherently challenging in terms of sustainability. Since its designation in 1992, the Val Grande National Park, located in northwest Italy, has been portrayed and promoted as a wilderness area, thereby enhancing tourism, whilst disregarding the historical signs of human activity. In this paper we explore the wilderness concept, focusing on the narratives developed in the area, that changed from a strict conservationist approach to a more utilitarian one, influencing the National Park's policy-making. The research is based mainly on the content analysis of several literary texts. We conclude that wildernessneeds to be reconceptualized so that contemporary European protection policies might become more effective, and we may use our knowledge of nature to promote sustainable development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In an increasingly competitive environment, many hotels have implemented sustainable practices and have actively involved the guests in the generation of unique experiences through the value co-creation process. In this sense, this paper aims at analysing the impact of 'green' practices and value co-creation on hotel image, guest trust, satisfaction, and loyalty, and to assess the moderating role of culture, conceived as related to guest nationality. To test the model, a quantitative method based on a sample of 611 guests from Spain and Colombia was used. Our results indicated that there are significant differences based on the guests´ nationality regarding the effects of value co-creation and image on trust, image on satisfaction, and satisfaction on loyalty. These findings will allow hotel management to have a better understanding of tourists when designing their corporate strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study explores the influence of environmental risk (macroeconomic uncertainty and environmental sustainability risk) on the inflow of foreign direct investment (FDI), utilizing data from 37 economies in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) from 1996 to 2019. The empirical analyses were carried out using Panel Corrected Standard Error (PCSE) estimation technique. The outcomes show that higher level of uncertainty in GDP growth, inflation uncertainty and financial development volatility induce more FDI inflows whilst uncertainty in exchange rate adversely impacts FDI inflows in SSA. The paper highlights how effectiveness of governance, stable political atmosphere and quality of regulatory structures moderate the relationship between environmental risk and FDI with striking varying outcomes. Consistent with the pollution haven hypothesis, the interactions between governance effectiveness, political stability, regulatory structures and environmental risk suggest that the sub-region is attracted to risk loving speculative investors who prefer poorly regulated and weak governance environment. From policy implication, the findings imply that FDI composition in the sub-region may have moved more towards the speculative type, which may not necessarily be classified as pro-growth in nature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines the impact of public debt on fiscal balance. This study uses the standard debt equation in a fiscal reaction and impulse response functions framework to assess the trajectory of public debt and its sustainability within the Sub-Sahara region from 1980–2017. From the estimations of the fiscal reaction function, the lagged primary balance significantly affects the fiscal deficits of Sub-Saharan African countries. Also, public debts to the gross domestic product beyond a threshold of fifty percent are positive and significantly associated with the primary balance. Fiscal deficits contribute to increases in the debt stock of about 120% over the ten-year for the Sub-Sahara region. The results imply that fiscal governance is required to constrict fiscal deficits whenever debt stock levels approach a certain threshold and growth. Therefore, stakeholders should implement enhanced fiscal policy rules on fiscal balance, public debts, and economic growth to improve debt sustainability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The influx of Agenda 2030 for Sustainable Development and the COP 21 has necessitated the need for a paradigm shift in traditional consumption and production to reflect a balance between environmental safety, social justice and profitability. The Ghanaian Petroleum Industry is predominately fossil fuel–based with higher level of carbon and methane emissions. Ensuing from the Stakeholders' and the Resource-Based View theories, this paper aims to develop a model to explain the relationship between sustainable supply chain management (SSCM) practices and sustainable performance (SP) by examining the extent to which pressure from stakeholders could strengthen the proposed model in the context of downstream petroleum supply chain. Variance-Based Partial Least Square method has been used to analyse a cross-sectional data from Oil Marketing companies in Ghana. Our results have revealed that SSCM practices such as environmental, economic, and social are positively related to SP. Moreover, stakeholder's pressure positively and significantly relates to SP. Again, stakeholders' pressure significantly moderate the relationships between environmental and social dimensions of SSCM practices and SP. By implications, there is an emergency of an SP model with enhanced predictability. Again, policymakers and advocates can achieve greater sustainability by maximising stakeholders' pressure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, we developed an optimization model for determining the optimal parameters for multi-pass CNC turning processes. The six elements of sustainable manufacturing were considered in this study to derive new insights into multi-pass turning modeling. This paper details the relationship between time and power and considers total noise in terms of the personal health element and cost of quality in terms of the manufacturing cost element. The objective functions for our model include the total energy, surface roughness, total noise, total cost, and total carbon emission. The decision variables for our model include the cutting depth, feed rate, cutting speed, and number of roughing passes. The proposed model was solved using the Gamultiobj algorithm (MATLAB). This algorithm was used to identify a set of non-dominated points on the Pareto front. Additionally, a single optimal solution is identified using the TOPSIS method. There are twelve combinations of multi-objective optimization processes carried out. One of twelve combinations, for the five objective functions, the optimal values were determined as follows: total energy value of 495,965.751 joules, surface roughness of 0.285 μm, average noise of 78.788 dBA, total cost of $288.587, and carbon emission of 337,748.265 kgCO2. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Urban sustainability in low and middle income countries is rarely studied from a sustainability transitions perspective, though 90% of projected population growth between 2018 and 2050 will be in cities of the Global South. Using principles from grounded theory, this paper explores the relevance of the multi-level perspective (MLP) - a prevalent analytical framework in sustainability transitions theory that has primarily been applied in the Global North - for the study of infrastructure in the Global South. It draws on empirical data collected through case study research in the cities of Ahmedabad, India, and Jinja, Uganda, which have adopted innovative socio-technical approaches to service delivery that respond to the challenges presented by urbanization, climate change and inequality. Applying the MLP to these cases shows how niche innovations by non-state actors in waste management (Ahmedabad) and solar energy (Jinja) can increase access to services, reduce ecological footprints and empower socially excluded groups, in spite (or because) of landscape pressures such as poverty, informality and limited institutional capacity. The observed benefits are attributable not only to technological but also to organizational innovation. These findings may help to develop a more flexible understanding of the types of urban transitions needed and the ways in which those transitions could be achieved. Lessons from alternative socio-technical configurations in the South could be informative for any city looking for service delivery models that better serve contemporary environmental and societal needs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a multi-criteria methodology for prioritizing highway-rail grade crossings for grade separation or other major improvements. The traditional approach for making grade-crossing investment decisions has been guided primarily by the Federal Highway Administration Railroad–Highway Grade Crossing Handbook, which focuses heavily on traffic and safety-related factors. However, it does not consider other criteria such as economic competitiveness, environmental sustainability, and livability. Due to factors including 1) increasing traffic demands resulting in significant delays at crossings, 2) the high cost of grade separation, 3) the long-lasting impact of grade separation on a community, and 4) funding requirements from grant applications, several factors should be considered in crossing selection. The main contributions of this paper are 1) a novel robust prioritization methodology that considers safety, economic, environmental, and community/livability. 2) a case study that prioritizes crossings at two separate rail corridors and a comparison of the results with the expert judgment. The case studies use data that is readily available to practitioners and implementation is fostered by the provision of an Excel Toolkit. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Climate change and public health emergencies have severely threatened world food security. In response, the Chinese government has actively promoted sustainable agricultural practices (SAPs) and emphasized the importance of integrated packages to enhance the development of high-quality agriculture. However, due to information failure, farmers' adoption rate of SAPs is still very low. Meanwhile, internet use can effectively reduce the cost of information barriers and catalyze farmers to promote the joint adoption of SAPs. This paper aims to theoretically elucidate the logic of how internet use impacts farmers' joint adoption of SAPs. Empirical analysis based on data from 844 rice farmers in southern China reveals that internet use can significantly promote the joint adoption of SAPs, and adoption behaviours are complementary across multiple technologies. Furthermore, internet use in the group of rice farmers with more farmlands or those receiving subsidies is more inclined to adopt SAPs jointly. These findings suggest that developing countries should prioritize public investment in rural internet infrastructure to facilitate joint adoption of SAPs through farmers' internet use. The moderate scale of farmland usage and targeted agricultural subsidy policies can further enhance the effectiveness of ICT-based joint adoption of SAPs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A rapid decline in water availability for crop production has driven substantial changes in cropping systems in the arid and semi-arid regions, including transitions from irrigated to dryland cropping. Management decisions play a critical role in the sustainability of agricultural systems facing transitions. Specifically, adopting practices that increase crop water use efficiency, improve soil health, and conserve water in the soil profile could improve agricultural sustainability. This review discusses published literature on the challenges associated with crop production and highlights management strategies to sustain soil health, enhance agricultural production, and farm profitability in the Ogallala Aquifer region to elucidate pathways to agricultural sustainability in water-limited environments around the world. We searched for published papers discussing soil health and water conservation practices, including conservation tillage, crop residue management, crop diversification, cover cropping, and livestock integration in cropping systems. These studies demonstrate adopting conservation systems can increase soil organic carbon (SOC) storage, water infiltration, soil microbial activities, water use efficiency, and decrease N fertilizer inputs compared to conventional systems. Integrating more than one soil and water conservation practice can complement to enhance soil health and sustainability of dryland or limited-irrigation agriculture in the Ogallala Aquifer region and similar agroecosystems across the world. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sustainable practices are seen as one of the solutions to redress the negative impact of agriculture's growing intensification. Despite efforts by many governments, the adoption rate of sustainable practices amongst farmers is still low. One of the causes is policymakers' insufficient knowledge of farming-system diversity. In order to account for such diversity, this paper proposes classifying farming systems, including new elements such as the sustainability level of agricultural practices and market channel traits, in combination with socio-economic and farm characteristics. We apply a farming typology approach, using vegetable production in Chile as our case study. We developed the typology using multivariate analysis techniques including principal component analysis (PCA) and hierarchical clustering (CA). We collected data using surveys (n = 352) in the central region of Chile. The results reveal five farming-system types: (1) Large dual farming, (2) ecological farming, (3) traditional farming, (4) conventional small-scale farming, and (5) conventional medium-scale farming. The five farming system types provide insights on the different agricultural practices used and their different starting points in terms of their transition towards more sustainable agriculture practices. We also propose possible policies based on these farming-system types that can be useful for policymakers to promote sustainable practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]