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Sustainability indicators for production systems are useful tools when realizing a sustainable development. In this paper a method to measure sustainability is elaborated and tested. The method is based on the idea that ecological sustainability can be measured by comparing the environmental use of a production system with the allocated environmental utility space. The sustainability of a paper mill is measured and the results are presented. Social and scientific problems in measuring sustainability are identified and possible solutions are suggested. The case study indicates that measuring sustainability necessitates some assumptions, and formulates an explicit vision on nature and society. (C) 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. and ERP Environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper argues that acknowledging the wide diversity of current recreational practices on English wetlands enables governance practitioners and site managers to appreciate the full extent of contemporary human engagements with these watery ecosystems. These insights can assist those tasked with managing wetland resources to develop more inclusive and sustainable development plans to support a wide range of actors whose connections to wetland spaces are important for their health, wellbeing and sense of self. Enabling sustainable future uses of wetlands will involve recognising and engaging with differential articulations of place‐making within these diverse waterscapes which themselves are in a constant state of transition. This calls our attention to the dynamic nature of wetlands, and the ways in which place‐making in these spaces shifts and adapts to the changing topography and biota within these waterscapes; each encounter with the space is slightly reconfigured and recast every time. Wetlands' liminality also extends to the diverse and often esoteric uses of these ecosystems for recreation in its most encompassing sense; as leisure spaces, places of renewal and as locations of place‐making practices. Drawing upon Barbara Bender's exploration of landscape as phenomenological palimpsest, this paper utilises empirical interview data drawn from a recent research project, 'WetlandLIFE', to explore how far contemporary human uses of wetlands engage with processes of restoration and reanimation. Making use of the different leisure narratives of the research participants across five English wetland sites, the paper explores the ways in which 'place' is differentially interpreted, enabled and enacted in these saturated spaces. These practises and performances can be functional, prosaic engagements with wetlands; painting, walking, photographing, sitting, reflecting. They can also be anarchic, counter‐cultural and 'delinquent'; wild‐camping, raving, poaching, partying. The wide spectrum of behaviours and attitudes catalogued reveal the contested use and value of these waterscapes in contemporary contexts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The international initiative to combat deforestation and forest degradation, known as REDD+, was put on the DRC agenda following actors' policy discourse aimed at convincing policy‐makers of its effectiveness. This paper uses discursive institutionalism (DI) as a theoretical and analytical framework to analyse a set of selected policy documents on REDD+ issue and to assess the effects of policy discourse on deforestation reduction governance in DRC. From an empirical standpoint, interviews with key actors involved in the DRC REDD+ processes and field observations show that four main types of discourse accompanied the adoption of REDD+ in the DRC: a discourse promoting REDD+ through its forest conservation component, as a policy instrument that would bring in significant financial resources to the DRC forest‐related state bureaucracies, a discourse that considers REDD+ as an efficient mean of reducing poverty while promoting sustainability through "green development", a discourse presenting REDD+ as a way of reducing marginalisation of local communities and indigenous peoples by recognising their customary rights, and finally, a discourse promoting REDD+ as a tool for territorial planning and governance. In addition, the paper points out strong links between DRC REDD+ policy discourse and three types of governance approaches: organisational and fiduciary governance, territorial governance, local development and benefit sharing governance. Our analysis also shows that political discourse has played a significant role in the adoption of substantial policies aimed at reducing deforestation in DRC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Sustainable Development Report (SDR) provides comprehensive global rankings based on countries' performance and efforts toward the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). However, the spillover effects reflecting how one country's actions influence others remain underexplored, especially regarding their interplay with SDGs performance. This paper delves into the cross‐border adverse impacts on the environment and society arising from these spillovers, examining their correlation with SDGs rankings within the context of the North‐South divide and foreign direct investment (FDI). The analysis reveals a pronounced association between higher SDGs scores and amplified negative spillover effects. While this trend is predominant among advanced Northern countries, certain developing Southern nations also exhibit similar tendencies, potentially obstructing the SDGs of more vulnerable states. This paper argues that many countries achieve their SDGs by exploiting the ecological and social resources of others, suggesting a deviation from genuine sustainability and the core ethos of the 2030 Agenda: "Leave No One Behind." To provide a clearer perspective on countries' developmental trajectories, this paper proposes conceptual metrics and utilizes data visualization to re‐assess sustainability progression over time. It also introduces four developmental tendencies: exploitative, degraded, waning, and sustainable development. The findings emphasize that countries aiming to transition from exploitative or degraded development to sustainability must address consumerism, prioritize SDG 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production), and counteract the degradation of SDG 13 (Climate Action). Crucially, a competitive mindset and a lack of international collaboration will hinder SDGs, underscoring the pressing need for collective action on environmental and social justice and equity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The impact of digital technologies on the environmental and economic sides of sustainability has received considerable attention. In contrast, the societal implications are quite under‐researched. Through a systematic literature review, we describe the current status of the research on the impacts that digital technologies have on social sustainability. We pay particular attention to methods used for assessing and measuring these impacts. One positive observation made from our descriptive (bibliometric) analysis is that there is an increasing interest in social sustainability. Our content analysis identified four categories, namely "Area of Impact," "Approach to technology," "Measured/Measurable Effect," and "Measuring Methods", accumulating 30 labels, which we use to classify the papers at study. A quite common label is "Jobs" as the area of impacts, whereas the least used label in the approach to technology category is "Cyber‐security," signaling that few papers that investigate the impacts of digital technologies on social sustainability consider their security and privacy implications. Other gaps that we expose are the lack of empirical data as well as the lack of mathematical modeling when measuring the effects of digital technologies, with direct experiments appearing very seldom in the literature. In an attempt to provide a guide for future research, we identify five general research gaps, listing 20 specific research questions, and propose a structuring procedure for articles on social implications of digital technologies to be produce in a more systematic manner. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Low‐carbon sustainable development is considered an essential strategy for achieving economic growth and environmental protection, requiring a fundamental transformation of the industrial structure, including developing clean technologies, promoting energy efficiency, and adopting sustainable production and consumption patterns. Simultaneously, the evolving digital economy is acknowledged as an essential driver in optimizing the industrial structure. Therefore, can digital economy development reshape the industrial structure and lead to low‐carbon sustainable development? The main purpose of this paper is to examine the mediating role of industrial structure upgrading in the relationship between the digital economy and low‐carbon development. Its ultimate purpose is to explore more possible paths to achieve low‐carbon development. This paper builds a regression model based on the data of cities. We found that digital economic development can directly promote low‐carbon sustainable development, a conclusion that still holds after endogeneity discussion and robustness testing. Additionally, digital economy development can promote industrial structure upgrading and thus promote low‐carbon sustainable development, meaning that industrial structure upgrading is an effective mechanism for digital economy development to promote low‐carbon sustainable development. This paper provides empirical evidence for the positive environmental externalities of digital economic development and establishes a basic research framework of "digital economic development → industrial structure upgrading → low‐carbon sustainable development." [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper presents a systematic exploration of the linkages between environment impact assessment (EIA) and sustainable development goals (SDGs) in the Indian context through a critical analysis of the socio‐ecological impacts of development projects and the policy climate for environmental clearances. A conceptual framework portraying the interlinkages of the systemic disruptions in the socio‐ecological realms, policy challenges, and SDGs is developed, which argues for integrating the SDGs into the EIA framework in India. The paper argues that the legal fluidity and dilution in the design and enactment of EIA retrogrades the crucial socio‐political transformation required for achieving sustainability. The systematic literature review of empirical, conceptual, and grey literature, undertaken on Indian EIA, highlights its instrumental role as a political tool for achieving developmental sustainability. The paper concludes by highlighting the urgent need to mainstream ecological decision‐making into all governance processes for achieving the SDGs in a transforming society like India. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A growing number of emerging economies receive significant parts of their overseas finance and investment from Chinese state‐owned or state‐linked institutions. While academic research has focused on how Chinese policy and state‐owned banks approach sustainable development issues, Chinese sovereign‐backed overseas development funds are a critical yet overlooked component. This paper addresses this knowledge gap by providing the first comprehensive overview of such funds regarding their scope, activities and capitalization, as well as by assessing the funds' policy approach to sustainability. Qualitative and quantitative data are collected from databases, funds' websites, newspaper articles and public statements in both Chinese and English to identify common features between funds and to analyse their sustainability policies in comparison with global best practices. The paper specifically analyses the funds' sustainability approaches rather than impact due to a lack of comprehensive data on the funds' investments. First, the paper finds that given their number, announced capital size of US$213 billion, geographic scope and sectorial focus, including on high‐emissions projects such as mining, energy and heavy industry, the funds are influential players in global development finance. Second, regarding the funds' approaches to sustainability, the paper finds that the funds lack transparency about their policies and practices, which is a key component of sustainable fund management practices. Third, based on an in‐depth analysis of available information, we identify a lack of sustainability in the funds' mandates, an absence of safeguards, limited project pipeline disclosure and no sustainability performance assessment. Lastly, the paper provides four policy recommendations on how to improve the funds' sustainability approaches based on the unique way they are governed by different parts of the Chinese state apparatus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

When talking about developing tourism in places where nature has been untouched, strong criticism has emerged, especially from naturalists, ecologists, and environmentalists. These voices advocating for 'keeping untouched places untouched' often reach many people, who then echo that opinion without necessarily knowing the territory's situation. This paper reflects the sustainable development theory and constitutes a reflective piece of writing about tourism development in the Socotra Archipelago, a place rich in biodiversity and human traditions, but geographically remote. Socotra Island, although relatively unknown, has received a great deal of attention from natural science researchers who have focused on understanding the many endemic species found on the island. However, information about Indigenous Socotri, their behaviors, traditions, and cultures—all components of a successful cultural tourism destination—is scarce. In this paper, the author reflects on current situation on the island and possibilities for future generations. Tourism may help create future possibilities for people from the island by considering a sustainable development theory. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With growing concerns over environmental degradation and climate change, the shipping industry is under increasing pressure to reduce its environmental impact. This has led to the development of green port initiatives in the field of maritime transport and logistics, which aim to promote sustainable practices and reduce the environmental footprint of ports and their operations. One of the key strategies for achieving this goal is the use of renewable energy technologies (RETs). This paper summarizes the potentials, challenges, and economic analysis of RETs applications in green ports, emphasizing those that require aquatic environments for operation, including floating photovoltaic systems, offshore wind turbines, and ocean energy. The paper investigates the concept of green ports and explores the feasibility of integrating RETs into these facilities. Also, the potential of the various RETs is presented in terms of technical and economic aspects and installed capacity. Additionally, due to high flexibility in electrical systems and compatibility with maritime transportation, the use of fuel cells in green ports has been discussed as a feasible solution for supplying power to ports (either as the primary or backup source). The findings of this study show that RETs can significantly contribute to achieving sustainable goals in the maritime industry and pave the way for the creation of more efficient and environmentally friendly ports. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

MC2020, with sustainability and performance‐based design at its core, is the model code for future thinking. It is designed so that both new construction and interventions can be completed based on this model code, bringing together the world's most advanced technologies. In this paper, the basic stance of fib toward sustainability is firstly described. Then, as the future envisioned by MC2020, examples of low‐carbon concrete structures will be presented. The paper also discusses the form and uses of conceptual design that MC2020 emphasizes and presents examples of new construction and the extension of service life/adaptation/upgrading of existing structures. New technologies for a circular economy will also be proposed. Sustainability has economic, social, and environmental aspects, and the optimization of each will eventually lead to carbon neutrality. It can be said that MC2020 will help us to arrive at solutions to those complex challenges. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article examines the situation of water scarcity and security in Mexico, with a focus on the drinking water supply issue in rural communities and the challenges posed by assessment methodologies. We conducted a comprehensive literature review to update the available information on the water crisis in Mexico and its impact on rural communities in the country, as well as the methodologies employed to assess water security and the methodological challenges associated with them. Among the most noteworthy findings is the persistent challenge in evaluating water scarcity and its implications for communities, due to the lack of consensus on the most precise methodology. Nevertheless, current methodological approaches suggest the integration of physical models with pertinent social, economic, and political data. The literature broadly agrees on the severity of the water scarcity crisis and the clear link between rural poverty and inadequate access to drinking water. Water scarcity is both a contributing factor to and a consequence of poverty, stemming from a complex interplay of socioeconomic pressures, inadequate institutional responses, and deficient water management. The paper concludes that water scarcity involves intricate interactions among various factors, encompassing physical water scarcity, pollution, and the impacts of climate change on the water cycle, and most critically, the complexities inherent in water management and regulatory frameworks. Therefore, the integration of well‐informed policies, effective management practices, and collaborative efforts is crucial for ensuring a prosperous and sustainable future. Effective water management can effectively mitigate the challenges of water scarcity and alleviate poverty. This article is categorized under:Engineering Water > Water, Health, and SanitationHuman Water > Rights to WaterScience of Water > Water and Environmental Change [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sustainable packaging is a pivotal aspect of sustainable development, involving multi‐faceted issues such as stakeholder management and environmental policy compliance. Despite the efforts to find packaging solutions, the extant literature is largely fragmented, featuring a high level of heterogeneity among studies that spread across different disciplines, with the majority examining important packaging issues in isolation. A study that systematically consolidates findings of different important areas of sustainable packaging implementation is lacking. This challenges companies' adoption of research findings in business strategy development. Thus, this paper conducts a systematic literature review combining keyword co‐occurrence analysis, thematic analysis and qualitative content analysis to uncover major research domains, consolidate important findings and reveal unsolved research gaps, which are crucial to advancing sustainable packaging management. The findings reveal four major research domains: (1) sustainable packaging materials and properties, (2) management practices of sustainable packaging, (3) consumer behaviours towards sustainable packaging and (4) packaging waste management. Drawing on the natural‐resource‐based view (NRBV) theory and the review findings, this study proposes four future research directions: (1) identifying ways to enhance the commercialisation of sustainable packaging technological innovations, (2) uncovering reasons for insufficient social aspect investigation in sustainable packaging research, (3) exploring strategies to enhance stakeholder integration in sustainable packaging management and (4) examining contingency factors of packaging waste management effectiveness. The research agenda is important to provide practical and managerial insights for business strategy development in sustainable packaging to achieve pollution prevention, product stewardship and sustainable development capabilities to gain future growth and competitive advantage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Over recent years, the Circular Economy (CE) has turned into a debated area worldwide as a way of achieving a more sustainable society. However, little is known about how companies can disclose CE‐related activities in their corporate reporting. This paper aims to explore how and to what extent CE‐related information is included in Integrated Reporting (IR) practices by promoting Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The study applies qualitative content analysis and thematic analysis approaches to explore the associations with CE, IR, the six capitals and SDGs. The institutional theory approach has been adopted to justify incorporating CE R‐principles activities into IR practices. Multiple case study findings demonstrate that every case company minimum one time cites the CE R principle, while case companies seen to be more involved in the reduce (R1), reuse (R2) and recycle (R7) are engaged with IR practices and focussing on SDGs. Whereas coercive, normative, and mimetic isomorphism mechanism substantially impacts CE activities concerning IR practices, we can argue that mimetic isomorphisms need further investigation because no structures and frameworks are available. In terms of managerial implications, this study proposed a combined framework of CE and IR that provides a conceptual picture of how CE activities intermesh with the IR framework and the six capitals, both essential for the Sustainable Development (SD) agenda participation and value creation process of companies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Indicators are important tools that help monitor and assess sustainability, providing crucial information for public management. This study aimed to analyze the behavior of municipalities in eastern amazon (State of Pará), through sustainability indicators that cover social, economic, environmental and basic sanitation dimensions, applying the statistical method of multivariate analysis. For the selection of indicators, a checklist of academic papers on sustainability was carried out. For the composition of the clusters, the Ward method was applied. To validate the number of groups, the Pakhira‐Bandyopadhyay‐Maulik (PBM) index was used, obtaining 2 groups for the sanitation and general dimensions, 3 for environmental and social and 7 groups for economic. In this study, it was possible to demonstrate that several municipalities have deficiencies related to access to water supply and mainly sewage collection and treatment, causing various consequences for the population, as they do not comply with the commitments of the Sustainable Development Goals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines corporate governance's influence on corporate Sustainability in South Asian firms. Recent developments in social injustice, environmental issues and economic turmoil in South Asian countries have motivated the authors. The study used the GMM unbalanced panel data estimation on top South Asian listed firms. The time‐period of the sample taken is of ten years (2012–2022). This study reveals that among South Asian nations, companies listed in the Indian and Bangladesh stock markets have a high percentage of sustainability disclosure reporting. The study's findings show that Board size, independence, and qualification positively impact environmental sustainability reporting performance. In contrast, CEO Duality significantly negatively influences social, environmental, and economic sustainability. The study has implications for the companies and policymakers of South Asian countries and encouraged the firms to restructure the board to enhance its effectiveness to monitor better and support all aspects of corporate sustainability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the context of universities' commitment to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the paper aims to analyse the factors that influence the degree of information disclosure related to the economic, social, and environmental (ESE) aspects of SDGs. Based on a content analysis of the annual and/or sustainability reports for 2021 and the websites of the top 200 universities in the Shanghai ranking, the results show that the volume of ESE disclosures at universities is associated with gender diversity in the governance team, stakeholder commitment and position in academic and environmental rankings. By taking entities that are global benchmarks, the results make practical and managerial contributions. First, they can serve as a guide to setting policy frameworks for institutions to create procedures to develop their SDG‐compliant actions. Second, the promotion of women's participation on the board and the active presence of stakeholders favour universities' information disclosure policies. Third, the results show that the efforts towards disclosure at the top universities in both academic and environmental rankings are related to legitimising their actions and meeting stakeholders' demands. In addition, this study proposes the development of an index that could help improve the ESE information disclosed by universities, which is currently low, yet some aspects of it, such as economic aspects, are barely covered but essential to ensure sustainability. Finally, the proposed indicators can also serve as a guide for governing bodies' management of SDG‐related aspects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper assesses the performance of European Union countries in achieving sustainable development using an assessment framework based on the 2030 Agenda. Through the application of the Spatial Sustainability Assessment Model, which integrates multi‐criteria analysis with the geographical tool QuantumGIS, European countries are classified according to the four basic dimensions of sustainability (social, economic, environmental, and institutional) organized into various sub‐dimensions, with reference to the year 2020. The results show that Northern countries have better overall sustainability performance in all dimensions except the environment. In contrast, Eastern European and Mediterranean countries perform worse, showing major weaknesses, especially in the economic and institutional dimensions, with a gap between the countries that joined the Union after 2004 and the other states. An in‐depth analysis was conducted to highlight the reasons behind these difficulties in order to give useful indications to public decision‐makers, as a tool for planning, on future choices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Drawing on institutional and signaling theories, this paper investigates country‐and firm‐level impact of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) on the European Union (EU) companies' decision to have sustainability reporting assured prior to the implementation of the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD). The dataset consists of 960 companies based in the EU and covers 2020–2022. The total number of observations equals 2880. The research focuses on SDGs‐related factors influencing companies' assurance decisions such as the countries' advancement in SDGs implementation represented by SDG SCORE and companies' efforts toward the SDGs achievement captured with SDG INDEX. The data are analyzed using descriptive statistics and the fixed effects regression model for panel data. The results of the study indicate that SDGs impact companies' assurance decisions on both levels. Larger companies tend to opt for assuring their sustainability reporting more frequently, while those operating in environmentally sensitive industries display greater hesitancy in this regard. The research findings suggest adding SDGs to the wide range of factors identified in previous literature as determinants of the differences in sustainability reporting assurance. Company managers should increase their efforts to achieve the SDGs, as this might promote the use of assurance. The involvement of government agencies, national accounting and auditing associations and standard setters in the implementation of the SDGs can be useful in facilitating the transition from voluntary to mandatory implementation of assurance under the new CSRD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite growing interest in the 17 United Nations (UN) sustainable development goals (SDGs), companies still struggle with how to implement them as part of their sustainability policies. Hence, we explore how the SDGs are adopted in supply chain management (SCM) using institutional logic as a theoretical lens. Based on a case study, we analyse 10 interviews conducted with managers and suppliers of a multinational cosmetics company recognised for its sustainability engagement. Our findings show that while the strategic level embraces the SDG framework, supply management processes are exclusively evident at the operational level. This becomes even more salient in the analysis of sustainability and commercial coexisting logics. Although sustainability logic concerns compliance with sustainability‐related regulations and external pressures, commercial logic demonstrates the effective engagement of strategic decisions in favor of profitability. Our results reveal nuances in the existing gap between the SDGs and SCM, illustrated through a typology of coexisting logics at the strategic and operational levels, adding value to the SCM literature. This paper questions the feasibility of implementing the UN SDGs along a supply chain, which opens the door for future research and new practical insights relevant to companies' daily operations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sustainable development goals assume that basic notions, such as health, life, and water, can be universally and easily expressed and understood across diverse communities and stakeholders. Yet, there is growing evidence pointing to considerable semantic diversity in how humans represent the world in language. In this paper, I discuss such semantic diversity in the context of key notions of sustainability. Focusing on an environmental term of broad relevance to sustainability goals, forest, I explore how this notion compares with assumed equivalent notions in a non‐Western lesser‐known speech community. Specifically, I analyze representations of treed environments in the language of the Jahai, a forager community inhabiting the rainforests of the Malay Peninsula. The results show that an understanding of local indigenous systems of representation can be crucial to the communication and implementation of sustainability goals. Sustainable development goals assume that environmental notions can be universally expressed and understood across languages. In this paper I discuss the notion of forest in the context of an indigenous Jahai term, showing that there are significant challenges to translation and communication of such notions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Demand for sustainably produced biomass is expected to increase with the need to provide renewable commodities, improve resource security and reduce greenhouse gas emissions in line with COP26 commitments. Studies have demonstrated additional environmental benefits of using perennial biomass crops (PBCs), when produced appropriately, as a feedstock for the growing bioeconomy, including utilisation for bioenergy (with or without carbon capture and storage). PBCs can potentially contribute to Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) (2023–27) objectives provided they are carefully integrated into farming systems and landscapes. Despite significant research and development (R&D) investment over decades in herbaceous and coppiced woody PBCs, deployment has largely stagnated due to social, economic and policy uncertainties. This paper identifies the challenges in creating policies that are acceptable to all actors. Development will need to be informed by measurement, reporting and verification (MRV) of greenhouse gas emissions reductions and other environmental, economic and social metrics. It discusses interlinked issues that must be considered in the expansion of PBC production: (i) available land; (ii) yield potential; (iii) integration into farming systems; (iv) R&D requirements; (v) utilisation options; and (vi) market systems and the socio‐economic environment. It makes policy recommendations that would enable greater PBC deployment: (1) incentivise farmers and land managers through specific policy measures, including carbon pricing, to allocate their less productive and less profitable land for uses which deliver demonstrable greenhouse gas reductions; (2) enable greenhouse gas mitigation markets to develop and offer secure contracts for commercial developers of verifiable low‐carbon bioenergy and bioproducts; (3) support innovation in biomass utilisation value chains; and (4) continue long‐term, strategic R&D and education for positive environmental, economic and social sustainability impacts. Perennial biomass crops (PBCs) can potentially contribute to Common Agricultural Policy (2023–27) objectives provided they are carefully integrated into farming systems and landscapes. Despite significant research and development (R&D) investment over decades in herbaceous and coppiced woody PBCs, deployment has largely stagnated due to social, economic and policy uncertainties. This paper identifies the challenges in creating policies that are acceptable to all actors and discusses the interlinked issues: (i) available land; (ii) yield potential; (iii) integration into farming systems; (iv) R&D requirements; (v) utilisation options; and (vi) market systems and the socio‐economic environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years concerns have been raised regarding the environmental consequences of over-use of nitrogen fertilizers on a global level. However, the balance between sustainability and agricultural productivity, a central concern for policy makers in developing countries, has not been sufficiently addressed. In this paper, I evaluate farmers' fertilization practices and their effect on yield using unique plot level data from India. I estimate quadratic crop response functions for different crops and cropping systems. To address endogenous input choices, I use input prices and cost shifters from the fertilizer industry as instrumental variables for the fertilization practice. I find that a large share of Indian cultivators overuse nitrogen relative to the other two nutrients, and could benefit from simply reducing the amount of nitrogen used while keeping the other nutrients fixed. This suggests a potential win-win situation where both productivity and sustainability can be improved by changing fertilizer application. The widespread "nitrogen-only" fertilization pattern is rejected as optimal in most cases. [EconLit Citations: Q12, Q15, Q16, E23, C26, C14]. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Industry 4.0 (I4.0) has brought transformative changes in the manufacturing sector. This paper aims to provide a comprehensive analysis of the applications of I4.0 technologies in major work functions of small and medium‐sized enterprises (SMEs). Specifically, this review focuses on the suitability of I4.0 technologies in areas such as New Product Development, Supply Chain Management, Internal Logistics Management, Production Planning Execution and Control, Quality Management, and Maintenance Management. This study employs a systematic literature review (SLR) methodology to comprehensively analyze relevant sources to present valuable perspectives and practical suggestions customized to the requirements of different essential work functions within manufacturing SMEs. The findings of SLR indicate that Big Data Analytics (BDA), Robotics, and Automation are perceived as highly sustainable, on the other hand, blockchain and cloud technology are viewed as having lower sustainability from SMEs' point of view. The findings presented in this article have several theoretical and practical implications including technology selection and integration, and considering sustainability and ethics. This will allow SMEs to seamlessly integrate distinct I4.0 technologies along three dimensions: vertical, horizontal, and end‐to‐end digital integration. This article intends to provide an unbiased assessment to ascertain the landscape occupied by I4.0 in the context of SMEs. This article highlights the connection and synergy between I4.0 and SMEs as well as the pertinence of how advanced technologies of I4.0 can influence the business processes in manufacturing SMEs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

China's environmental governance exhibits a significant imbalance with its economic development. To enhance the "green" and sustainable practices of enterprises, employing environmental, social, and governance (ESG) principles is imperative. The literature examining the correlation between ESG and green innovation (GI) lacks detailed clarity and obscures the different effects of each dimension. Inefficient resource allocation may also result from ignoring the distinct implementation costs associated with each dimension of ESG. Such problems eventually hinder the guidance of corporate practices. Therefore, the promoting or inhibiting effects stemming from each of these dimensions warrant further study. In this paper, we use data from A‐share listed companies in China for the years 2004 to 2020 to investigate the mechanism that links the E, S, and G dimensions of ESG with GI from an externality perspective. We prove a linear or U‐shaped relationship between the E or S dimension and GI, and we explore the mediating effect of financing constraints on these relationships. We compare these dimensions under a unified theoretical framework to clarify their differences in externality and internality. This study's results highlight the importance for enterprises to emphasise environmental issues and social recognition, instead of just corporate operations, to achieve sustainable development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigating the impact of sustainability committee characteristics (SCCs) on corporate sustainability performance (CSP) utilised environmental, social and governance (ESG) scoring. Based on secondary data obtained from Refinitiv, Fame and FTSE 150 databases, the sample consists of 112 non‐financial companies from 2010 to 2018, thus 926 firm‐year observations. The results reveal a positive and significant relationship between organisational factors including firm size, profitability and firm age across combined ESG and environmental scores. As for the sustainability committee characteristics, there is a positive association between frequency of committee meeting and age diversity with governance scores and a negative relationship between frequency of committee meeting and environmental performance. The empirical finding shows positive and negative relationships under the presence of focussed and non‐focussed committees equally. Furthermore, the presence of focussed or non‐focussed sustainability committees (SCs) do appear to have an association with the overall CSP. Furthermore, this paper provides empirical evidence of the insignificant relationship of SCC with the sub‐dimension of social performance, which contradicts our hypothesis and existing studies. Together with SCC's weak associations with environment and governance dimensions, this finding supports the argument that firms are actively using sustainability committees to create positive public image and reputation to protect legitimacy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper empirically examines the relationship between business sustainability and firm competitiveness and the role of sustainability partnerships in the relationship between business sustainability and firm competitiveness. By classifying two dimensions (environmental sustainability and social sustainability) that are needed to realize business sustainability, this study suggests that a sustainability partnership serves as a moderator in the relation between business sustainability and firm competitiveness. Three developed hypotheses were tested using regression analysis to find the relationship between business sustainability, sustainability partnership, and firm competitiveness. Using a structured survey questionnaire, the data were collected from 135 firms that operate in construction industries in Finland. The findings suggest that investing in environmental sustainability will directly improve firm competitiveness, but investing in social sustainability will not. In addition, sustainability partnerships serve as a promoter in the relationship between social sustainability and firm competitiveness but inhibit the relationship between environmental sustainability and firm competitiveness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The sustainability of resource use and the management of public finances are both long‐run issues that are linked to each other through savings decisions. To study them conjointly, this paper introduces a public debt stabilization constraint in an overlapping generation model in which nonrenewable resources constitute a necessary input in the production function and belong to agents. It shows that stabilization of public debt at a high level (as share of capital) may prevent the existence of a sustainable development path, that is, a path on which per capita consumption is not decreasing. Public debt thus appears as a threat to sustainable development. It also shows that higher public debt‐to‐capital ratios (and public expenditures‐to‐capital ones) are associated with lower growth. Two transmission channels are identified. As usual, public debt crowds out capital accumulation. In addition, public debt tends to increase resource use which reduces the rate of growth. We also provide a numerical analysis of the dynamics that shows that the economy is characterized by saddle path stability. Finally, we show that the public debt‐to‐capital ratio may be calibrated to implement the social planner optimal allocation according to which the growth rate is increasing in the degree of patience. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Amidst the growing emphasis on sustainable development, there is an emerging trend of companies actively pursuing the transition towards sustainability. This shift is driven by various factors, including heightened societal scrutiny and a greater focus on environmental, social, and governance (ESG) considerations. As a result, companies are increasingly acknowledging the significance of incorporating sustainable practices into their operations to align with the expectations of the capital market. This paper investigates the association between ESG disclosures and stock price crash moderated by corporate governance (board size, independence, and gender diversity) for Saudi firms. Using a fixed effects regression method, we find that the coefficient of ESG is significant and negative (−0.0043 for NCSKEW and − 0.0006 for DUVOL) indicating a positive influence of ESG in diminishing stock price crash. The results also show that corporate governance positively and significantly moderate the ESG‐stock price crash risk. As additional analyses, we find a significant negative relationship between each aspect of ESG including social responsibility, environmental activities and governance practices and stock price crash risk. Moreover, the pandemic COVID‐19 has a dampening effect on the ESG‐stock price crash association. To ensure the validity of these conclusions, dynamic GMM models were employed to tackle any potential endogeneity issues, making the results even more robust. Our findings highlight that improving corporate sustainability positively impacts the stability of companies' stock prices. This study provides valuable insights and perspectives from the context of Saudi Arabia and offers theoretical and managerial implications that are relevant for policymakers and investors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A high‐quality green transition is essential to achieving sustainable and coordinated global development. In this paper, a new method of two‐step geometric average is proposed to measure green transition, and a comprehensive framework on the relationship between sustainability and coordination via the propelling force of green transition is constructed at both the national and provincial levels. In addition, the mediating effect model and the threshold model are employed to empirically verify the mechanisms and influences. According to the results, green transition can contribute to regional economic growth at national level and to the coordinated development of regional economies at provincial level in China. Meanwhile, the non‐linear 'U‐shaped' relationships between green transition and regional economy are demonstrated in Asia and the eastern region of China, and spillover effect of technological innovation can indirectly promote regional development. In addition, the heterogeneity effect of green transition fully releases the dividend of economic quality and environmental governance capacity, promoting the coordinated development of regional economies. In the meantime, the driving force of green transition on regional economy is dependent on the external environment, particularly before and after the outbreak of COVID‐19, when its impact has altered substantially. Therefore, it is necessary to promote green transition via greater technological innovation efficiency, and then to restore the vitality of regional economic development; which could provide policy makers and professionals in the regional economy with information for enhancing sustainable and coordinated development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

After decades of offshoring their manufacturing activities, an increasing number of companies are revising their location strategies and implementing reshoring decisions, including backshoring (relocation in the home country) and nearshoring (relocation in the home region) alternatives. It has been recognized that reshoring strategies are consistent with the sustainable production approach, since they allow companies to produce goods in a manner that is socially beneficial, economically viable, and environmentally less harmful over the whole life cycle of those goods. Additionally, there are early indications that reshoring can also promote and support sustainable consumption approaches. Consequently, reshoring has a wide range of impacts in both the home and the host countries, also in terms of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). However, this topic has received little attention in the extant reshoring literature. This paper seeks to contribute to the discussion by adopting a two‐step approach. Initially, we analyze the very few contributions available on this topic; then, we identify and discuss which of the 17 SDGs are impacted by reshoring decisions at both the home and the host country level. It emerges that reshoring decisions have several and differentiated impacts in terms of SDGs. In general, these impacts are positive for home countries and negative for host ones. For this reason, a trade‐off emerges when a single relocation decision is taken and implemented. Based on this evidence, implications for scholars, managers and policy makers are presented and discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The water planetary boundary (PB) quantifies a safe operating space for human water consumption and is understood as a control‐variable set at a safe distance from a selected threshold (or dangerous level) based on precautionary principles. The water PB is useful for guiding sustainable development, and various multiscale quantitative assessments of water PB have been conducted. To improve our understanding and guide future applications, we conduct a comprehensive review of all studies published since the concept's introduction. We identify a total of 288 relevant papers in the literature and perform a systematic review and meta‐analysis of 28 papers providing 488 data records at various spatial scales. The analyses mainly involve the relevant quantification indicators, quantification methods, comparisons of the water PB with the current state of water consumption at different scales, and the identification of associated problems. Finally, we propose 10 outlooks for important future research. This review indicates that the theoretical water‐PB framework, as an early‐stage research area, has gradually developed, despite the few, imperfect available methods. To address the limitations of previous studies, we propose two improvement frameworks for guiding future research: the further improvement of traditional popular approaches to quantifying the multiscale water PB within a consistent scientific framework and an improved framework for quantifying the water PB at various scales to obtain better‐fitting results for different research purposes and study areas. Based on this review, we point out some important issues that have received little attention, including the quantification of safe distances and the linkages between multiscale water PBs. Key Points: The first systematic review and meta‐analysis on the quantification of water planetary boundary at various spatial scales is developedExisting studies have developed three types of quantification indicators with corresponding quantification methodsWe proposed 10 outlooks and two future improvements with specific guidance for implementation [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Small and medium‐sized enterprises (SMEs) are crucial for a sustainable development of the food sector. Common tools to manage and improve business sustainability are not applied widely amongst food manufacturing SMEs yet. Therefore, this paper derives important aspects to consider for an SME‐suitable tool, based on an extract from a Delphi study. By conducting qualitative analysis of expert opinions, light is shed on needed initial requirements of a sustainability management tool for SMEs to use it. Furthermore, important conditions to create credibility are elaborated on, which can increase the application value of a sustainability management tool for SMEs. The different aspects hint at a sustainability management tool integrating not only sustainability assessment but also reporting and certification. With regard to content, the present paper recommends application of sustainability management tools for food manufacturing SMEs that take a holistic view on sustainability, including not solely the environmental but also social, economic and governance dimensions. The aspects explored through the present research lay a foundation for the development of a sustainability management tool for food manufacturing SMEs and can assist practitioners and researchers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sustainable development has become society's focal point. In this context, China's paper industry needs to be more concerned about a low‐carbon strategy. Therefore, a carbon performance evaluation system must be built to guide the low‐carbon enterprise transformation. Based on the carbon value flow analysis, this study takes JX Paper (a paper‐making enterprise) as an example to construct a carbon performance evaluation system consisting of carbon input, transfer, and output indicators. The quantitative and qualitative index weights were determined through a principal component analysis and an analytical hierarchy process. The overall carbon performance increased from 2012 to 2021, but room remains for improvement. These results show that the performance evaluation system provides a helpful reference for enterprises to identify the key factors affecting carbon emissions and evaluate their carbon performance. Moreover, objective criteria should be developed to improve sustainable enterprise carbon performance and low‐carbon competitiveness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite all kinds of environmental goals and programmes, there has been a severe overshooting of the planet's ecological boundaries. The paper investigates various conceptual barriers contributing to the lack of ecological sustainability. The concepts discussed are weak sustainability, eco‐efficiency, ecological modernization, and neoliberalism. This paper's empirical field comprises the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and what preceded them. It is about the report Our Common Future, the green economy, ecological modernization and the Millennium Development Goals. Even with partially positive effects, these programmes have not fulfilled their promises. The various conceptual barriers are recognizable in these programmes; they are exponents of an unshaken belief in efficient markets and conventional economic growth. This appears to be the overriding issue as economic growth in terms of GDP does not respect ecological boundaries, so that ecological sustainability comes closer to being realized. Neoliberalism—coupled with the power of the World Bank and the IMF and their long maintained "market fundamentalism"—has produced unsatisfactory outcomes in the social and ecological domains. The various crises during the last decades have caused governments to expand their roles, but every time this happened under the promise of a speedy return to normal, that is, small government and austerity. Ecological sustainability requires strong governmental roles. This paper does not provide a complete path towards ecological sustainability but discusses three possible conceptual foundations for it: steady‐state economics, eco‐development, and post‐growth economics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The concept of Positive Energy Districts (PEDs), introduced in the Strategic Energy Technology Plan, is one of the fundamental approaches for a successful, clean and sustainable urbanization by 2025. According to the European Commission, a PED is a set of buildings where the community controls the energy flows and aims at a net positive energy balance over a year by utilizing renewable energy sources. There are a plethora of concepts similar to PEDs, such as Positive Energy Community, Net Zero Energy Neighborhood, Plus Energy Districts, that create a need to establish a structure that can facilitate the definition, development, and precise identification of PEDs. Thus, this paper aims to fill this research gap by comparing these and other related concepts through a critical literature review based on three pillars composing the triangle of sustainability: economic, social and environmental. By doing this, the paper aims to determine the connections between these similar concepts, homogenize the use of terms and avoid the issue of repetitions, which can help draw lessons learnt from other energy‐savings concepts. This study shows how PEDs and Nearly Zero Energy Communities have similar bases, aims and omissions. They diverge in a few key concepts, which can become learning points for PEDs. This article is categorized under:Climate and Environment > Net Zero Planning and DecarbonizationPolicy and Economics > Energy TransitionsHuman and Social Dimensions > Energy and Climate Justice [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a stakeholder perspective to study tensions in hybrid organizations (HOs). In this study, we investigate social enterprises (SEs) as emblematic cases of HO. The paper responds to literature that calls for studies about the interactions with stakeholders and proposes the relational paths SEs can implement to alleviate the emerging tensions between environmental–social and business goals. It also contributes to the academic debate offering empirical evidence on HO‐related tensions. Solving these tensions is beneficial for HOs and in terms of sustainable development. The paper presents a longitudinal case study of a leading SE in the fair trade industry. Fair trade represents an industry where economic, social, and environmental goals may be jointly achieved through the action of SEs. The main paper's contributions regard a stakeholders‐generated view of tensions and the identification of stakeholders‐tailored solutions to managing them. In addition, the proposed ad hoc approach contributes to a deeper understanding of how an SE deals with its hybrid nature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Greenwashing is a well‐understood concept, describing the use of false or misleading claims and symbolism to give an impression of a company or organisation's commitment to environmental protection and sustainability. While many environmental groups use the concept widely to criticise the 'optics' strategies of organisations wanting to improve their image while maintaining a business‐as‐usual approach, it has largely been ignored in Geography and related disciplines. This paper argues that we need to take greenwashing seriously. It develops a broad concept of greenwashing, suggesting that the processes of obscuring social and ecological relations via greenwashing are central to the (dis)functioning of contemporary capitalism. A critical theory of greenwashing, therefore, is not simply about challenging 'bad actors', but is an essential part of a wider critique of 'green' capitalism and Sustainable Development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The most cited framework for environmental management accounting to date was published in the Australian Accounting Review 20 years ago. This framework has until today considerably influenced the development of the environmental management accounting field. Set against new sustainability challenges it is now time to question if the framework remains relevant or if it needs to change, and in what ways, to address the contemporary challenges now facing society. Taking stock of environmental management accounting research and practice over the last two decades, a conceptual discussion is developed which is based on extant literature and the authors' extensive experience of the topic. Thus, the paper looks back to reflect on the developments from the perspective of the framework and looks towards how environmental management accounting could be further developed in the future. It considers the current and future potential of environmental management accounting and managers to contribute towards sustainable development. This can be through: the development of new areas of application and thematic scopes targeting aspirational sustainability goals such as those represented by the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and planetary boundaries; extending spatial scope beyond the organisation into supply chains and circular systems; development of new social and environmental measures of performance to complement economic measures; providing information specific to the needs and roles of new personnel using environmental and sustainability information; and building awareness and implementing new drivers for environmental and sustainability management accounting such as AI and chatbots. The Australian Accounting Review published a comprehensive environmental management accounting framework over20 years ago. By reviewing how this research field has developed, this article distinguishes five main developments in this period and suggests future directions for the framework and its implementation by different types of sustainability managers in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The stakeholders' perceptions can significantly impact the management of the supply chain; however, there has been little comparative research on customers' opinions in various regions of the world. This paper conducted a thematic analysis to determine the differences between consumers' perceptions in developed and developing countries. This study analyzes six countries—the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany, India, Japan, and China—with a high social media engagement rate. Then, sentiment analysis was utilized to uncover consumers' emotions. The results indicate that social media users in developing nations are increasingly concerned about the sustainability of the mobile supply chain. Also, developing nations tweeted primarily about socially sustainable practices, whereas developed nations were more concerned with environmentally sustainable practices. This study contributes to the theory of stakeholders and institutions by concentrating on external stakeholders and analyzing their perspectives to determine how to enhance sustainable practices in supply chains. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sustainability is a global mandate and has set agendas for regions, nations, sectors, and corporations. Because of the globalized nature of the economy, the pursuit of sustainability in one place has implications for others. The aim of this paper is to describe how a sector—the Guatemalan Sugarcane Agro‐industry (GSAI)—can make progress toward sustainability and contribute to the Sustainable Development Goals of the country in which it operates. The methodology used was a case study description, based largely on data reported by the GSAI. The main findings of the study show that the contributions of the industry to water and sanitation in its area of operations have been important, but limited, due to several factors that include issues such as: lack of political will, lack of technical capacity, financing, and appropriate legislation. On the other hand, the contributions of the GSAI to energy have been remarkable for the Guatemalan energy matrix, highlighting that cogeneration from sugarcane bagasse represents up to 30% of the electricity demand in the country during the 6‐month harvest season. Building on social corporate responsibility theory, the actions related to the goals on water and energy are explained. What was found is that the contributions of a sector, though important, are possibly not outstanding at the national scale, and that the conditions of the country limit the reach or pace of progress of the sector. An exception is the contributions toward sustainable energy and associated emissions, which are noteworthy. The interplay of actors at different scales needs to be understood if globally we are to achieve the goals. This understanding is key to put in place policies and enabling conditions for sectors to make progress faster, helping their country advance as well as contributing to sustainability of buyers in other countries or regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Soil is a complex ecosystem within which many species interact and where physicochemical and geological processes occur at different spatiotemporal scales, with strong interactions taking place between ecological and management processes. Soil processes affect the qualities of the food and water that we eat and drink, the regulation of greenhouse gases, and are the foundation of our habitation and transportation infrastructures. However, it is estimated that over 2 billion hectares of lands are degraded, with a further 12 million hectares degraded each year causing the annual loss of 24 billion tons of fertile soil. Soil degradation negatively affects the well‐being of over 3 billion people, costing more than 10% of the annual global GDP via the loss of ecosystem services, and reducing the productivity of 23% of the global terrestrial area. The sustainable management of soil ecosystems is, therefore, fundamental to global food, water, and energy security, especially under increasingly unpredictable weather patterns caused by climate change. The land–water–food–energy nexus is central to sustainable development and soil inextricably links these critical domains. Stakeholders and decision‐makers in all four domains are necessarily focusing on the effects of soil degradation on climate change, water resource management, and food production as key to the development of sustainable agricultural practices and policies. A properly integrated approach to managing rural soils is thus required to ensure global water, food, and energy security, whilst increasing and protecting biodiversity. This special issue collects 15 papers on recent advances on soil physical‐, hydrological‐, and biological processes, and linkages with agroecosystem sustainability across experiments, field observations, and methodological breakthroughs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We investigate the effect of corporate sustainability on analysts' forecast accuracy. Specifically, this paper documents how financial analysts respond to environmental, social and governance factors (hereinafter ESG) in earnings forecasts. Using a novel dataset from the Bloomberg ESG ratings, we find that ESG ratings increase analysts' forecast accuracy by reducing information risks and operation risks. The results are robust to a series of robustness checks, including propensity score matching, Heckman two‐stage estimation, staggered difference‐in‐differences (DID), placebo test, firm and year fixed effects and alternative proxies. The effect of ESG ratings on analysts' forecast accuracy is more pronounced for firms audited by accounting firms with low industry expertise and for firms tracked by analysts with low industry expertise. This paper responds to the calls for more research on ESG ratings and analysts' earnings forecast accuracy and provides implications that ESG assurance can effectively improve the quality of nonfinancial information of a company. In addition, the paper is valuable for policymakers to improve the ESG disclosure system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Companies are facing pressure in order to reduce their environmental impact. However, the managerial tools and frameworks to bring sustainability into practice are in their infancy. This paper is encompassed on the development of the Theory of Corporate Sustainability, and this work offers the practical implication of the theory to provide researchers and managers with a tool to analyse how companies integrate sustainability among their strategies and operations. The methodology has been based on the use of the case‐study protocol. Four interviews have been carried out and data obtained has been analysed using content analysis methodology. Results show that companies that have a formal structure to deal with sustainability are able to integrate sustainable practices in a higher degree than companies that adopt sustainability in a siloed way. Moreover, this paper shows how the process of sustainability integration differs between existing companies and new companies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite the competitive advantages of sustainable business models, developing management solutions to systematically support sustainability integration into organizational strategy is still a challenging approach for most organizations. Based on a critical analysis of existing tools to support sustainable business models, the present paper describes the development of a practical management tool to guide the strategic integration of sustainability in organizational business models. The proposed management tool results from the synergistic combination of the Sustainable Value Exchange Matrix and the Integrative Sustainable Intelligence Model, in a cyclic and continuous process supported by the periodic diagnosis of the key organizational factors with relevance for successful sustainability integration processes. The management tool described in this paper is expected to guide the strategic adaptation of organizations toward results with a positive impact on sustainability, with an effective contribution to the development of more sustainable business models. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Blue and green infrastructure (BGI) is increasingly viewed as a promising solution to promoting a shift beyond traditionally engineered "grey" approaches towards more socially and environmentally sustainable infrastructure systems. The specific insights of geographical scholarship on how to address issues of processes, scale, and place in BGI design, implementation, and long‐term management would help unlock the potential for BGI to be appropriate and inclusive, as well as support environmentally sound solutions. In this paper we unpack issues of processes for inclusive decision‐making to design and implement BGI projects that can advance sustainable development. We present an assessment framework and its application to two case studies that highlight the potential for better alignment of BGI projects to the three pillars of sustainable development and that reveal key research challenges that geographical scholarship could address. We believe that co‐produced geographical research in this domain is well placed to tackle these research challenges. The paper presents a framework to better align blue and green infrastructure to sustainable development through appropriateness and inclusivity. It highlights the contribution of geographical scholarship to this ongoing debate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Policy coherence is crucial in the 2030 Agenda's transformative ambitions and heralded as of paramount importance to ensure the successful implementation of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals and climate policy targets. Despite political efforts to achieve policy coherence, apparent trade‐offs and goal conflicts have emerged – even in a proclaimed 'front‐runner' country like Sweden. This paper examines the role of ideas in proposing and legitimising policy options and achieving policy coherence in the light of the Swedish recovery debate in 2020 following the COVID‐19 pandemic. Ideas of a green economic recovery put forward in the public debate are examined through thematic text and frame analysis. We show that ideas of a green transition, boosted by economic recovery spending, draw on a synergistic frame in combining social, environmental, and economic policy options, carrying a potential for coherency. However, the absence of a discussion on power, as in who stands to gain what under which circumstances, coupled with an inherent understanding of a temporal hierarchy of policy priorities does not only impact the ability to design coherent policies but may have considerable impacts on the prospects of achieving sustainability transformations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the process of global environmental governance, renewable energy (RE) has been the focus of government attention as an effective avenue to enhance environmental sustainability. Hence, this paper utilises the rolling‐window Granger causality test to probe the connection between RE and sustainable development (SD) and further probe whether RE can be a solution to reduce air pollution and boost ecological sustainability. The results reveal that RE has both positive and negative impacts on SD, which means that RE can effectively mitigate the ecological burden and progress toward SD in a certain period. This favourable impact supports the conclusions of the energy‐environment model, which indicates that the increasing share of RE is beneficial to improving environmental benefits. Conversely, the rise in SD drives more sustainable investment in clean energy projects and further contributes to RE generation growth. However, economic and government policy changes will affect sustainable investment in the renewable sector and transmit negative shocks to RE development. In the context of the increasingly severe environmental situation, the government should take some proactive measures favouring RE development and ecological sustainability to mitigate ecological deterioration and boost environmental quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, the OECD has been embroiled in discussions on the role of competition law in achieving the sustainable development goals (SDGs). However, it is crucial to understand whether the SDGs and competition work in harmony or are at odds before devising the best strategies for tackling sustainability challenges in competition laws and policies. For this purpose, this paper aims to empirically explore the interplay between sustainability and competition to fill the gap between economic theory and observed data through a study of a panel of 18 OECD countries from 2000 to 2019. The non‐declining inclusive wealth approach serves as the foundation for our model to evaluate sustainability. The SDG Index, which incorporates the socio‐economic and environmental aspects of sustainability, is used as a gauge of the SDGs' achievement, while the Index of Economic Freedom is used as a proxy for competition. The results of the feasible generalized least squares and panel‐corrected standard errors (PCSE) methods reveal that competition has no effect on the SDGs. Our empirical findings also show that the achievement of the SDGs is positively impacted by per capita gross national income and negatively impacted by population growth. The PCSE method's results indicate that the SDGs are not significantly affected by natural capital depletion, as measured by natural resource rents. Besides, the panel causality analysis confirms the existence of a causal relationship between the SDGs and competition. Our empirical results have two implications. First, they show that competition laws are still far from being an effective tool capable of achieving the SDGs. Second, they drive the competition authorities of OECD countries to devote greater efforts to sustainability‐related issues in the enforcement of competition law. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Critical Zone Science (CZS) explores the deep evolution of landscapes from the base of the groundwater or the saprolite‐rock interface to the top of vegetation, the zone that supports all terrestrial life. Here we propose a framework for CZS to evolve further as a discipline, building on 1st generation CZOs in natural systems and 2nd generation CZOs in human‐modified systems, to incorporate human behaviour for more holistic understanding in a 3rd generation of CZOs. This concept was tested in the China‐UK CZO programme (2016–2020) that established four CZOs across China on different lithologies. Beyond conventional CZO insights into soil resources, biogeochemical cycling and hydrology across scales, surveys of farmers and local government officials led to insights into human‐environment interactions and key pressures affecting the socio‐economic livelihoods of local farmers. These learnings combined with the CZS data identified knowledge exchange (KE) opportunities to unravel diverse factors within the Land‐Water‐Food Nexus, that could directly improve local livelihoods and environmental conditions, such as reduction in fertilizer use, contributing toward Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and environmental policies. Through two‐way local KE, the local cultural context and socio‐economic considerations were more readily apparent alongside the environmental rationale for policy and local action to improve the sustainability of farming practices. Seeking solutions to understand and remediate CZ degradation caused by human‐decision making requires the co‐design of CZS that foregrounds human behavior and the opinions of those living in human modified CZOs. We show how a new transdisciplinary CZO approach for sustainable Earth futures can improve alignment of research with the practical needs of communities in stressed environments and their governments, supporting social‐ecological and planetary health research agendas and improving capacity to achieve SDGs. Plain Language Summary: Critical Zone Science (CZS) explores how landscapes evolve from below the Earth's surface to the top of trees, supporting life on Earth. CZS was established by studying pristine landscapes, with little or no human modification of the land, water and soil. These pristine natural systems are rare in our modern world. In this paper, we have proposed a new approach to CZS for studying the human‐modified landscapes that dominate our world. To help explain why this is needed, we have re‐drawn a diagram explaining how the critical zone works to show the role of humans. We also give examples of research in three regions of China where we learned from local farmers living in our study areas, to improve our scientific understanding and to try to align our research process to address the biggest pressures affecting their lives. This new approach to CZS can help focus research to directly support local people and improve our ability to achieve the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. Key Points: Integrating local knowledge with critical zone science can improve interpretation of scientific findings and delivery of Sustainable Development GoalsThird generation science can improve alignment of research with the practical needs of communities and governmentsA new conceptual diagram for human‐modified critical zones is produced to illustrate transdisciplinary Critical Zone Observatories for sustainable Earth futures [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]