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Purpose: This study aims to explore the range of sustainability-related discourses by the stakeholders within a particular Finnish Higher Education Institution (HEI); interaction between the discourses and the context of the HEI; and the extent to which different understandings of sustainability cause challenges for the implementation of the university strategy for sustainability. Specifically, the paper explores how the employees within the HEI make sense of sustainability in their teaching, research and daily life and the extent to which sustainability-related discourses are aligned with the university strategy. Design/methodology/approach: This research draws upon collected qualitative and quantitative data. It focuses on individual discourses by executives, teaching and research staff within an HEI regarding their understandings of sustainability and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Findings: This paper illustrates the key challenges of sustainability and SDG implementation that may emerge in HEIs due to varied understandings. The results indicate a need for efficient HEI strategic vision communication and consideration of the stakeholders' multiplicity of sustainability values. Originality/value: This paper sheds light on the challenges involved in seeking to enhance sustainable development in an academic setting with multiple disciplines and categories of staff guided by academic freedom. The analysis thus advances the understanding of academic sustainability-related discourses and framings as well as mechanisms through which the implementation of sustainability-related efforts can be enhanced in such a context. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This study aims to examine the role of edible mushrooms in the Brazilian diet, considering their strategic significance in meeting nutritional goals within sustainable development. Despite their potential in the nutrition of the Brazilian population, significant knowledge gaps still exist. To address this, the authors formulated this study into five main sections: the consumption of edible mushrooms in Brazil, the factors influencing the consumption, the occurrence of edible mushrooms in Brazil, the nutritional contribution of mushrooms consumed in Brazil and sustainable mushroom production in Brazil. Design/methodology/approach: The authors compiled current literature to develop this viewpoint paper using systematic review, systematic search and narrative review search methods. Findings: Mushrooms are sporadically consumed in Brazil, primarily by the urban population, with challenges in estimating the most used species. Social, economic and cultural factors, health considerations and reduced meat consumption influence mushroom consumption behavior. While Pleurotus ostreatus, Lentinula edodes and Agaricus bisporus are primary species, ethnomycological studies highlight a more diverse consumption among traditional indigenous communities. Brazil hosts approximately 133 wild mushroom species safe for human consumption. Some can be sustainably cultivated using substrates derived from agricultural and urban waste, offering high-protein, high-fiber, low-fat foods with bioactive compounds holding antioxidant and prebiotic potential. Originality/value: To the best of the authors' knowledge, no previous study has investigated how edible mushrooms contribute to the food and nutrition of the Brazilian population. This study emphasizes the crucial role of edible mushrooms in preserving Brazil's cultural heritage, contributing to food and nutritional security and enhancing the overall diet quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to empirically analyze the impact of remittance inflows on sustained economic growth in India. Design/methodology/approach: This study has taken a time series dataset for the period of 1976–2021, and a nonlinear autoregressive distributed lag model technique (NARDL) has been applied to check the impact of remittance inflows along with other control variables, including broad money and service sector performance, on the sustained economic growth of India. Findings: The results of the study indicated that in both the short and long runs, any positive shock in remittance inflows has a positive impact on the economic growth of India, while negative shocks do not affect economic growth. Practical implications: The economic policymakers of India can use the findings of the study by implementing remittance-friendly policies. Moreover, NITI Aayog, the body working toward achieving sustainable development goals (SDGs) in India, can also use this study as a reference while making strategies to achieve SDG. Originality/value: Economic growth has always been an area of interest among economists, researchers and policymakers. However, achieving sustained economic growth requires an analysis of those factors that themselves have sustained performance over a long period of time and have the potential to sustain it over the upcoming years. This study has taken remittance inflows as one such factor and investigated its impact on the sustained economic growth of India. At present, there is an evident gap in the literature that very little attention has been given to sustained Indian economic growth. Moreover, there is no study available in which the nonlinear impact of different variables has been tested on the economic growth of India. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Universities are rethinking their teaching and research programs and their whole third mission in response to the framework provided by the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). But how do universities walk the talk? What are the main strategies and activities undertaken by universities to implement the 2030 Agenda? While the higher education literature has documented the growing number of practices and strategies around SDGs, there have been few attempts to synthesize these scholarly resources. Moreover, the knowledge base revolves around an array of activities, which makes the literature seem fragmented. To fill this gap, the present paper conducts a systematic literature review and derives a method of categorizing activities that can support further knowledge growth. We classified 130 selected papers based on the type of university activities considered (research, teaching, third mission, and managing operations) and the level of the implemented action (macro, meso, and micro). Subsequently, we identified the main gaps in the literature and discussed future research avenues for addressing higher education's role in accomplishing SDGs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The aim of this personal vision research is to analyse the characteristics of physical education subject to contribute to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) through the development of competences in university students. The objective is to reflect on how critical and systemic thinking could be mobilised through the contents and methodologies in physical education to promote the SDGs. Design/methodology/approach: A conceptual article is proposed in which an active investigation of how physical education could foster critical and systemic thinking has been carried out. For this purpose, articles were selected that have analysed the potential of physical education for sustainability. Databases such as Web of Science, Scopus or Google Scholar have been reviewed through keywords such as "physical education", "sustainability", "critical thinking" or "systems thinking". Findings: Strategies are presented to enable university students to understand the scope of the subject beyond the physical dimension. This study discusses that it is only through such a change of view of the subject that meaningful learning and learning situations that encourage enquiry and active participation can be introduced. Thus, this paper argues that physical education is a unique area of knowledge for mobilising critical and systemic thinking in the context of sustainable development (SD). Consequently, concrete actions are presented for application in physical education teaching that shows direct connections to specific targets of the SDGs. Practical implications: This study presents practical implications for higher education leaders and educational policy designers at the national level, as it would help improve initial and ongoing training programs for physical education teachers, focusing on the development of key competencies for sustainability. Social implications: Physical education has the potential to contribute to the development of vulnerable schools and communities, especially to the health and well-being of children and young people and does not require large financial budgets. Therefore, the recommendations presented in this study can have a positive impact on the well-being of these groups. Originality/value: This document invites reflection on how, through different teaching strategies, we can produce significant learning that contributes to the sustainability of the planet. All this, trying to mobilise critical and systemic thinking and consequently improving awareness for SD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The aim of this personal vision research is to analyse the characteristics of physical education subject to contribute to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) through the development of competences in university students. The objective is to reflect on how critical and systemic thinking could be mobilised through the contents and methodologies in physical education to promote the SDGs. Design/methodology/approach: A conceptual article is proposed in which an active investigation of how physical education could foster critical and systemic thinking has been carried out. For this purpose, articles were selected that have analysed the potential of physical education for sustainability. Databases such as Web of Science, Scopus or Google Scholar have been reviewed through keywords such as "physical education", "sustainability", "critical thinking" or "systems thinking". Findings: Strategies are presented to enable university students to understand the scope of the subject beyond the physical dimension. This study discusses that it is only through such a change of view of the subject that meaningful learning and learning situations that encourage enquiry and active participation can be introduced. Thus, this paper argues that physical education is a unique area of knowledge for mobilising critical and systemic thinking in the context of sustainable development (SD). Consequently, concrete actions are presented for application in physical education teaching that shows direct connections to specific targets of the SDGs. Practical implications: This study presents practical implications for higher education leaders and educational policy designers at the national level, as it would help improve initial and ongoing training programs for physical education teachers, focusing on the development of key competencies for sustainability. Social implications: Physical education has the potential to contribute to the development of vulnerable schools and communities, especially to the health and well-being of children and young people and does not require large financial budgets. Therefore, the recommendations presented in this study can have a positive impact on the well-being of these groups. Originality/value: This document invites reflection on how, through different teaching strategies, we can produce significant learning that contributes to the sustainability of the planet. All this, trying to mobilise critical and systemic thinking and consequently improving awareness for SD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article aims to present a brief historical overview of the performance of the Regional Development Bank of the Far South (BRDE) in these 61 years of existence and the perspectives for the future. To do so, it begins by approaching the context of its creation and the advances made in the first decades. Then, the paper describes the recent performance of the development institution, highlighting the financing contracts, the strategy of diversifying the sources of resources, the financial results, the support to innovation and the actions of socio-environmental responsibility. Next, it discusses the BRDE's position in dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic, which generated restrictions on production activity and the mobility of people. The study subsequently highlights the BRDE's future agenda, showing the advance of its own methodology that shows the adherence of the Bank's contracts to the UN's Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the Regional Vision 2040 project and the proposal to create the South Fund. Finally, the final considerations express the main ideas presented throughout the article. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Local governments play a crucial role in the fight for a more sustainable world and, therefore, in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), as they are the closest public entities to citizens and best know their needs. Local governments should be the driving force behind integrating the different areas of sustainability in their municipalities, especially in social services, which is the focus of this paper. However, these governments have limited resources, making it necessary to provide public services as efficiently as possible. To present a complete picture of the factors that affect efficiency in social service provision, we have taken into account the SDGs related to the social sphere of sustainability (SDG 1, SDG 2, SDG 5, and SDG 10), in addition to the determinants usually collected in studies on efficiency in local governments. For a sample of Spanish municipalities, we found that local governments that have made more progress in achieving SDG 2 are more efficient. In contrast, municipalities that have worked the most to reduce gender inequalities (SDG 5) are less efficient in providing social services. The other SDGs do not influence the efficiency analysed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this paper was to examine whether the COVID-19 epidemic has slowed the fulfilment of one of the core tasks of the energy sector "Ensure Access to Affordable, Reliable, Sustainable and Modern Energy for All" (SDG7) taking into account corporate social responsibility. Four research questions and hypotheses were posed, relating to the perspectives of local authorities, the activities of large energy companies, the impact of the epidemic on the implementation of the SDG7 and, in addition, to the understanding of CSR principles from the point of view of ordinary entrepreneurs. A qualitative descriptive analysis based on two reliable databases and a survey procedure (Question 4) was used to answer the research questions posed. The goal was achieved by positively confirming three hypotheses and testing one negatively, relating to COVID-19's slowing role in SDG7 implementation. The analysis showed that the 2020–2021 epidemic in Poland has led to more initiatives in this area, contrary to expectations. However, they were linked to the simultaneous implementation of other SDGs, which distorted their importance for achieving Goal 7. In summary, although energy companies were more active than expected during the epidemic, they had a low contribution to SDG 7. This also applies to local authorities. An analysis of the knowledge about CSR in a group of entrepreneurs from the Lublin district (case study) confirmed the opinion appearing in the literature about the lack of understanding of the concept and the need for its application. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Natural capital and its increasing scarcity have been at the heart of concerns over sustainability for many decades. This paper highlights the significant advances in accounting for the stocks and flows of natural capital that have taken place in the statistical community through the ongoing development and implementation of the System of Environmental-Economic Accounting (SEEA). Through description of the history and key components of the SEEA and through presentation of various examples of accounting from around the world, this paper demonstrates not only the theoretical advances but also the feasibility and relevance of SEEA based accounts to policy making. The increasing recognition of the threats of climate change and the importance of halting biodiversity loss and maintaining healthy ecosystems which provide essential contributions to people, make the implementation of the SEEA extremely timely and relevant in supporting policies that take into account the environment. There is now clear support from the official statistics community and a clear role for national statistical offices in using the SEEA to go "beyond GDP". We can no longer afford to ignore our dependence on the environment, our natural capital. Accounting for it is part of the pathway forward. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Healthy oceans and seas are essential to our existence. They cover 70 percent of our planet and we rely on them for food, energy and water. Yet, we have managed to do tremendous damage to these precious resources. We must protect them by eliminating pollution and overfishing and immediately start to responsibly manage and protect all marine life around the world. Everyone is responsible for to make sure that we meet the Global Goals. Following 10 targets to create action to conserve and sustainably use the oceans, such as (1) Reduce Marin Pollution, (2) Protect & Restore Ecosystem, (3) Reduce ocean Acidification, (4) Sustainable Fishing, (5) Conserve coastal & Marin areas, (6) End subsidies contributing to overfishing, (7) Increase the Economic benefits from sustainable use of Marin Resources, (8) Increase scientific knowledge, Research & Technology for Ocean Health, ((9) Support Small Scale Fisheries, (10) Implement & Enforce International Sea Law. SDG, is commonly popular as Global Goals, build on the success of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and aim to go further to end all forms of poverty. India is fully committed to follow. India has made steady progress towards achieving the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in areas of health, energy, and infrastructure, as per NITI Aayog's latest SDG India Index. Overall objective of this paper to understand this interesting subject, role of UN and how India is responsibly responding to maintain sustainability in this sector. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Healthy oceans and seas are essential to our existence. They cover 70 percent of our planet and we rely on them for food, energy and water. Yet, we have managed to do tremendous damage to these precious resources. We must protect them by eliminating pollution and overfishing and immediately start to responsibly manage and protect all marine life around the world. Everyone is responsible for to make sure that we meet the Global Goals. Following 10 targets to create action to conserve and sustainably use the oceans, such as (1) Reduce Marin Pollution, (2) Protect & Restore Ecosystem, (3) Reduce ocean Acidification, (4) Sustainable Fishing, (5) Conserve coastal & Marin areas, (6) End subsidies contributing to overfishing, (7) Increase the Economic benefits from sustainable use of Marin Resources, (8) Increase scientific knowledge, Research & Technology for Ocean Health, ((9) Support Small Scale Fisheries, (10) Implement & Enforce International Sea Law. SDG, is commonly popular as Global Goals, build on the success of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and aim to go further to end all forms of poverty. India is fully committed to follow. India has made steady progress towards achieving the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in areas of health, energy, and infrastructure, as per NITI Aayog's latest SDG India Index. Overall objective of this paper to understand this interesting subject, role of UN and how India is responsibly responding to maintain sustainability in this sector. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

How do global development goals translate into local action? How do such goals support or undermine already existing efforts, at the local level, to build robust and sustainable communities? In this article we examine the experience of a women's cooperative vegetable farm in rural South Africa, considering the on-the-ground consequences of high-level planning for development and, in particular, the measurement and accountability demands associated with such initiatives. We focus on the broad aims of Sustainable Development Goals 2 (to end hunger) and 5 (to achieve gender equality and women's empowerment). We explore farmers' responses to external demands for measurement and accountability, some of which they are not well equipped to meet and others of which collide with their own priorities to support their households and wider community. We find a major problem of translation between global goals and the needs of people on the ground: far from resulting in material support for small-scale farmers, the daily burdens of the 'audit society' directly impede aims like ending hunger and achieving gender equality. The first section of the paper briefly canvasses recent efforts at global goal setting, considering the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and SDGs in turn. The longer second section offers the case study of the women's farm, examining how the measurement demands related to global goals impact locally generated priorities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to present a case study of how a UK business school has explicitly linked sustainability to employability and embedded these into all levels of its undergraduate and postgraduate degree portfolio. Design/methodology/approach: This case study features Nottingham Business School's (NBS's) journey of linking sustainability with employability to achieve the University's strategic objectives and help deliver on the sustainable development goals (SDGs). After reviewing all courses, a cross-school approach was adopted in re-designing the curriculum, first at undergraduate and later postgraduate level. Partnerships, both internal and external were developed, involving the employability and enterprise teams, the University's students and alumni, local employers, local authorities and businesses and charities. Feedback from graduates is included. Findings: When NBS introduced new undergraduate modules in 2012, there was resistance with concerns over already crammed curricula and the perceived irrelevance of sustainability. This changed as students realised that an understanding of sustainability was benefiting them at interviews and adding value to their employers. While it cannot be proved that increased self-awareness and sustainability literacy have a direct effect on graduate prospects (as measured by the Destinations of Leavers from Higher Education survey), NBS has seen the percentage of students in graduate level employment and/or study increase from 71 to 89.6 per cent over the past five years. Originality/value: Linking sustainability to employability, and embedding these in the curriculum, should benefit any institution, its students, employers and society, and can be replicated anywhere in the world. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Life cycle engineering (LCE) targets product development and manufacturing activities in a life cycle perspective, with the aim to create more sustainable solutions. Coined approximately 30 years ago, it was adopted by the International Academy for Production Engineering (CIRP, from the French title), which established annual conferences on life cycle engineering to further develop the concept and its operationalisation. With the recent advent of the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), engineering is now provided with specific targets to steer societies towards sustainable production and consumption. But how can LCE contribute to meeting the UN SDGs? Here, we report on a consultation process conducted as part of the 25th CIRP LCE conference, organised in Copenhagen, DK, in 2018. Approximately 175 participants reflected on a list of ten pre-identified challenges for implementing the SDG agenda that LCE could help tackle, and were solicited to propose solutions. A total of 118 solutions were proposed, and the main messages and recommendations are summarised and reported in the paper. Overall, they voice the need for stronger action from academia (e.g. research needs related to addressing trade-offs across SDGs), business and governments (e.g. transparent and harmonised reporting on sustainability performances, internalisation of external costs) and society at large (e.g. consumer behaviour, role of education). • Experts were consulted on how life cycle engineering can contribute meeting the UN SDGs. • An interactive session was organised in an international LCE conference. • Solutions to pre-defined challenges to achieve SDGs were proposed by 175 participants. • Specific key messages from the proposed solutions are reported here. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sustainability has become a focus area for practitioners and scholars due to the growing socio-economic issues. The sustainability of airport operations is being raised in various international platforms. This paper aims to identify the dimensions of sustainability and evaluate sustainable practices in airports of selected ASEAN countries. The various dimensions associated with the environmental aspect are energy management, emissions management, water and effluents management, solid waste management. It was understood that noise management, employee development, and community investment belong to the social dimension. Similarly, the factors such as economic contribution, passenger experience, airport safety, and security are inclined to economic dimensions of sustainability. It was found that environmentally sustainable practices have greater importance than social and economic initiatives in the airport context which provide quantifiable benefits for airports in the long term. Airport operators in South East Asia strived to mitigate carbon emissions, reduce waste and effluents, enhance the economic contribution, satisfy passengers, and meet employee needs. Compared to the total economic and social benefits obtained from these airports, the negative impacts of airport operation (such as noise emission from aircraft) are minimal but significant. The most common sustainable initiatives in airports, such as employee development, energy management, and passenger safety, supported sustainable development goals (SDG) 8, SDG 9, and SDG 11. A weak connection is observed between SDG 14 & SDG 15 and the airport's sustainable practices. The new technological innovations are concentrated in busy and profitable airports. A slow trend towards the adoption of new technologies for sustainable practices is observed in airports. The paper concludes that major airport operators in South-East Asia have effectively responded to the growing sustainability challenges in aviation markets. The sustainable dimensions and practices discussed will be valuable resource for airports striving to achieve sustainability goals. • This paper details the social, economic and environmental aspects of airport sustainability. • The sustainable practices of ASEAN airport operators are examined for the first time. • Sustainable initiatives at the airport have a strong correlation with Sustainable Development Goals (SDG). • The adoption of new technologies for sustainable practices is at a slow pace. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With nearly 70% of the world population expected to live in cities by 2050, assessing the sustainability of urban systems, both existing and future ones, is becoming increasingly relevant. Making cities more sustainable is a global priority, which is highlighted by 'Sustainable Cities and Communities' being listed as one of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) adopted by United Nations Member States in 2015. This Virtual Special Issue (VSI) explores the implementation and assessment of policies and technologies that contribute to the transition to a sustainable, energy efficient and regenerative society. We organized the issue according to four main research themes: 1) Renewable Energy Systems (i.e., different types of systems, qualitative assessments and public acceptance); 2) Sustainable Built Environment (which includes construction, operation and refurbishment); 3) Multi-Scale Models (considering urban sustainability transition from building to districts, or cities and regions to multi-country comparisons and their scaling across different countries); and 4) Governance and Policy (climate change mitigation and adaptation plans/policies that are reported across countries, urban services and infrastructures). This paper serves two purposes. The first is to provide an analysis about patterns, correlations and synergies found across the different topics that have been addressed over the last 20 years in the literature about cities' sustainability paths. A bibliometric analysis and a contingency matrix show the degree of correlation between scientific journals and main topics addressed by published articles. Secondly, the paper acts as an Editorial to the VSI, introducing the wealth of research articles and topics included in it. Both the bibliometric analysis and the papers published in this VSI demonstrate the interconnectedness of energy consumption, pollutant emissions and the competition for finite resources. The aim is to present advances and challenges of this exciting and ever-evolving research field to inform and guide future studies of urban sustainability. • We carried out a bibliometric analysis of the literature using the Cortext Manager platform· Using network analysis of a corpus of paper spanning 20 years we identified 8 major clusters. • The paper serves also as editorial for a virtual special issue dealing with urban sustainability pathways. • The virtual special issue is organised in four main themes, which touch upon different Sustainable Development Goals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]