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Wholesale conversion of natural Amazonian ecosystems has been encouraged by Brazil's extreme antienvironmental government, and historical forest loss explains municipal-scale voting prevalence. Embracing a new administration would strengthen local-to-regional governance, suppress illegal land grabbing, deforestation, logging, and gold mining, thereby protecting the world's most species-rich forest domain and ensuring global sustainability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigates the role of solar energy, environmental policy stringency (EPS), and climate technology in realizing environmental sustainability in OECD economies from 2001 to 2018. The preliminary findings confirm the issues of slope heterogeneity and cross-sectional dependency; thus, we apply the cross-sectional augmented autoregressive distributed lags (CS-ARDL) model. The overall results indicate that solar energy, EPS, and climate technologies are playing a positive and significant role in encountering environmental issues and ensuring environmental sustainability in the long run, while economic growth is the key driver of environmental degradation. A similar insight is observed in the short run; however, their coefficient size and significance substantially vary. Moreover, the Error Correction Term is significantly negative, implying the convergence towards long-run equilibrium in case of any shock in the short-run. These results are consistent with alternative estimators and suggest the promotion of solar energy, implementation of stringent ecological policies, and climate technologies to achieve inclusive and sustainable growth. • Cross-sectional dependence, Slope heterogeneity and cointegration properties exist. • Energy is reducing the environmental pollution like CO2 for OECD economies. • Economic growth is a direct contributor towards sustainability issues. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Given the alarming rate of ecological corrosion, countries around the globe are seeking ways of curtailing environmental deficits to attain future sustainability. In this quest for green development, economies are motivated to adopt eco-friendly practices that can assist in the fulfilment of resource conservation and efficiency to achieve green eco-systems. Keeping the importance of the concept in mind, the current study analyzed the influence of renewable energy transition, ecological innovation and environmental policy stringency on the ecological footprint of OECD economies from 1990 to 2017 under the theoretical concepts of the Environmental Kuznets Curve. Applying the advanced Method of Moment Quantile-Regression (MM-QR), the empirical findings reported the negative association of the studied green variables with the ecological footprint across all quantiles while also validating the Kuznets curve in the sampled sample economies. Moreover, the outcomes of heterogeneous panel causality revealed the uni-directional causal link from ecological innovation and renewable energy transition to ecological footprint. On the other hand, economic growth and policy stringency have been found to have feedback causal association with the ecological footprint. The study recommended the formulation of policies to syndicate countries' economic and financial tools with environmental and technological incentives to promote sustainable business operations and country-wide green awareness. • Increase in energy transition, eco-innovation and environmental policy reduce the levels of ecological footprint. • Environmental Kuznets Curve is validated in OECD economies. • Eco-innovation and energy transition cause environmental sustainability. • Economic growth and policy stringency have bidirectional causal link with ecological footprint. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recently, there has been rising global concern regarding the importance of achieving environmental sustainability. Consequently, researchers and policymakers have focused on identifying and evaluating the various elements that contribute to an individual's ecological footprint and environmental consequences. Therefore, this study provides an in-depth understanding of the roles of green technology, research and development (R&D), and environmental policies that help attain environmental sustainability in Ghana. The present study utilized both the nonlinear autoregressive distributed lag (NARDL) and autoregressive distributed lag (ARDL) techniques to evaluate the long and short-run relationships between explanatory variables from 1990 to 2022. The study compares the results of NARDL and ARDL techniques. The findings reveal that the NARDL (0.999) analysis had a greater impact on the ecological footprint in Ghana than the ARDL (0.996) analysis. Under the ARDL technique, green technology has a negative impact on ECF in both the short and long run, and R&D also decreases ecological footprint (ECF) in the long run. Environmental policies had a negative impact on ECF in both the short and long run. Based on the NARDL approach, an adverse change in GT had a negative impact (0.004) on the ECF in both the short and long run. In contrast, a negative change in R&D has a negative impact (0.007) on the ECF in the short run, and a positive change in R&D negatively affects the ecological footprint in the long run. Notably, a positive change in environmental policies had a significant negative impact (0.040) on the ECF in the short and long run. This study suggests that policymakers should encourage and support the adoption and application of green technology and the development of robust environmental policies, as these measures can significantly contribute to decreasing the ecological footprint and fostering environmental sustainability. • This research assesses factors for attaining environmental sustainability in Ghana. • This study utilizes the ARDL and NARDL methodologies. • Research and development decrease ecological footprint. • Green technology can contribute to reducing ecological footprint in the long run. • Environmental policies decrease ecological footprint in the short run. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the context of global climate change and increasing population, transitioning to resource-efficient, environmentally friendly agricultural technologies is essential for sustainability. In this context, the present study is anchored in the theories of information asymmetry and bounded rationality. It constructs a tripartite evolutionary game model under market mechanisms and government guidance, facing the challenges of promoting green agricultural technologies among multiple actors. This model explores the strategic choices and dynamic evolution of these actors under economic incentives and risk perception. The objective of the research is to reveal the dynamic evolutionary trends of stakeholder behavior under different policy intervention conditions and how governments can propel the promotion of green agricultural production technologies through policy instruments. To encompass the impact of historical decisions on the evolutionary process of green technology dissemination, this study employs a Delay Differential Equations (DDE) algorithm that considers historical time lags in its numerical simulations. Through stability analysis and DDE numerical simulations, the research identifies factors influencing the promotion of green agricultural production technologies. The findings indicate that under market mechanisms, there is a risk of "market failure" in the dissemination model of green agricultural technologies. Government participation can provide external incentive support, effectively enhancing the stability and efficiency of the evolutionary game system for promoting green technologies. Simulation results further suggest that government intervention can significantly improve the stability and efficiency of technology promotion. Economies of scale, initial willingness, risk perception, and subsidy intensity are decisive factors in technology adoption. Consequently, policymakers are advised to formulate precise and multifaceted subsidy strategies based on the varying needs of different actors, to stimulate engagement, reduce risk, and encourage widespread adoption of green technologies. This study lays a theoretical groundwork for smallholders and family farms to overcome technology adoption barriers, crucial for sustainable agricultural development. It provides a framework for understanding and addressing these challenges, guiding policymakers in crafting effective green agriculture policies to improve farming efficiency and sustainability. [Display omitted] • This research investigates the impact of policy interventions on the adoption of green agricultural technologies. • We employ a tripartite game model and the DDE algorithm to analyze strategy evolution. • The study demonstrates that government involvement enhances the promotion of green technologies. • Implement a variety of subsidies to promote green technologies and support sustainable agriculture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Metal halide perovskite materials have gained significant attention in recent years due to their potential energy and lighting applications. They are potentially vital materials for the current energy transition which aims to minimize the dependence on fossil fuels and limited land resources by the increased use of cost-effective and efficient renewable energy sources. The European Green Deal policy, which sets out its ambitions in the Chemicals Strategy for Sustainability, can help its transition to a Safe and Sustainable by Design (SSbD) development. In this context, we applied the SSbD approach to selected perovskite-based devices which are still in their development state, by assessing potential human health and environmental risks along their life cycle. We applied the SSbD approach in a tiered manner so that it aligns with successive Technology Readiness Levels (TRL) to help the innovators ensuring safety and sustainability aspects throughout the various stages of their product development. Thus, the SSbD assessment began right from the start of the development (TRL 1–2), when there can be (huge) gaps and uncertainty in the product knowledge, up to the later stages of higher TRL when the product knowledge is more abundant and certain. In our assessment, we mainly focused on the human health risk of the perovskite-based devices and considered the implications of environmental emissions of hazardous substances on the human health. We further bring attention to the alternatives which could help mitigate concerns over their safety and sustainability for a responsible technology development and deployment. Results of this study are important to understand the detailed sustainability assessment in which we look at multiple sustainability aspects and its potential future impacts due to technology scale-up in the future. • We assess human health and environmental risks of perovskites over their life cycle. • Application of perovskites in energy harvesting and lighting devices is assessed. • Assessment uses safe and sustainable by design approach in a tiered manner. • Flexibility in the use of available knowledge and data helps adoption by the industry. • Alternatives in material design can mitigate safety and sustainability concerns of the perovskites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The growing urgency of environmental problems, such as climate change, pollution, and waste management, has highlighted the importance of eco-innovation. It includes the development of sustainable solutions for goods and services. As corporations adopt sustainability practices, governments are increasingly essential in propelling eco-innovation. Innovation and economic growth are inextricably linked since innovation helps reduce costs, increases productivity, and builds knowledge. Eco-innovation, requiring stakeholders' collaboration and knowledge sharing where public policy plays a critical role in fostering eco-innovation, is frequently catalyzed by climate change and environmental issues. This paper provides an assessment of the public policy of several countries and its part in promoting eco-innovation. It explores how policy tools such as research and development investments, regulations, incentives, and infrastructure can be used successfully. It also explores how such instruments influence small and medium enterprises due to their importance in environmental sustainability policy. This research contributes to knowledge and adds to the literature by offering a global approach to the subject, complementing previous regional/single-country studies. It demonstrates the worldwide consequences of policy actions on eco-innovation and provides recommendations for policymakers, businesses, academics, and environmental stakeholders. The results highlight how governmental support is integral to ensuring the sustainability of a green future with economic benefits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Environmental pollution caused by many factors including energy use has been a major problem around the world. A sustainable energy structure can help improve environmental sustainability. The roles of green innovation and environmental policies in determining an effective energy structure and achieving environmental sustainability have gained attention in recent research, but there are gaps to fill. Given the rapid development and unification of Africa to boost economies, this article aims to establish whether or not green innovation and environmental policies have influenced energy structure and environmental sustainability. Thirty-one (31) countries out of the 55 African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) countries were used in the analysis. The study adopted the Fully modified ordinary least squares (FMOLS) and the Dynamic ordinary least squares (DOLS) models in its analysis. Major empirical results revealed that a 1% increase in green innovations reduces ecological footprints by 0.7% and 1% (DOLS and FMOLS). Also, a percentage increase in environmental policies can reduce ecological footprints by 10.12% (DOLS) and 21.87% (FMOLS). A 1% rise in renewable energy improves their environmental sustainability by 3.26% (DOLS) and 1.82% (FMOLS). A 1% consumption of non-renewable energy reduces environmental sustainability by 4.59% (DOLS) and 1.55% (FMOLS). These results provide insights into the importance of green innovation, environmental policy, and renewable energy in improving environmental sustainability. Stringent measures and policies to boost green investment, sustainable energies, and environmental sustainability are necessary for the region. • Role of green innovation in energy structure and environmental sustainability is examined. • Thirty-one AfCFTA countries were examined. • Green innovation and environmental policy influence energy structure. • Policy implications to boost environmental sustainability are outlined. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The sizes of the economies and population of the Next Eleven countries are anticipated to surge in the next couple of decades whereby their energy demands can be assumed to rise in tandem. However, meeting the rising energy demand with the traditionally-consumed unclean energy resources can impose adverse environmental consequences. As a result, achieving environmental sustainability has become an utmost important issue for these countries. Against this backdrop, this study examines whether improving energy efficiency rate, enhancing renewable electricity production, and promoting financial inclusivity can help the Next Eleven countries reduce their carbon dioxide emissions. Overall, the findings reveal that energy efficiency improvement and greater renewable electricity shares in total electricity outputs mitigate carbon dioxide emissions in the long run. Contrarily, financial inclusion, economic growth, and international trade are observed to boost carbon dioxide emissions. Moreover, energy efficiency and financial inclusion are found to jointly inhibit emissions whereby the mediating and moderating effects of energy efficiency on the financial inclusion-carbon dioxide emissions nexus are verified. Furthermore, these findings are robust across alternate estimation techniques and also when total greenhouse gas emissions are considered as an alternative proxy for measuring environmental well-being. Accordingly, several relevant environmental sustainability-related policies are recommended to the concerned governments. • Energy efficiency gains inhibit CO2 emissions in Next Eleven countries. • Renewable electricity output reduces CO2 emissions in Next Eleven countries. • Financial inclusion triggers higher CO2 emissions in Next Eleven countries. • Energy efficiency moderates and mediates the financial inclusion-CO2 emissions nexus. • Economic growth, international trade, and urbanization stimulate CO2 emissions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to growing awareness and increased pressure from stakeholders, global economies impose stringent environmental policies to control climate changes, which instigate the transition of renewable energy. Following the same aspects, the present study elucidates the impacts of environmental policy stringency and renewable energy transition on environmental quality for BRICS economies. This study employs a cross-section augmented autoregressive distributed lag (ARDL) framework on data from 1990 to 2019. The results reveal that stringent environmental policies are one of the most significant ways to impede carbon emissions (CE) in BRICS economies. Besides, renewable energy has an inverse relationship with CE. On the other hand, the industrial value-added and economic growth are positively significant to CE. Furthermore, renewable energy transition is integrated into the model using interaction terms of renewable energy and stringent environmental policies. The finding described that the combined effects of these two variables are more substantial than their individual impacts on CE reduction, confirming the transition of renewable energy through stringent regulations. The study provides valuable insights to policymakers to facilitate the overall environmental quality in BRICS economies by focusing on strict environmental policies. These results have also delineated the importance of renewable energies to mitigate CE. • Advance panel estimators are applied. • Environmental policy stringency mitigates carbon emissions. • Renewable energy reduces carbon emissions. • Transition of renewable energy is confirmed through stringent regulations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on 196 prefecture-level cities in China from 2006 to 2021, this paper constructs a weight matrix of urban economic geography and uses the spatial differential model to verify the impact of smart city policies on urban green energy efficiency. The results show that the efficiency value of green energy fluctuates in Chinese cities. Different test results show that smart city policies can effectively improve urban green energy efficiency, but mainly from the time effect rather than the individual effect. It means the improvement in urban green energy efficiency comes more from the fast-growing of the Chinese economy and urban construction in this period than from the country's smart city pilot policy. In addition, from the spatial spillover effect result, China needs to design a better urban spatial development plan to improve the capacity of smart city energy services and vigorously develop intelligent technology represented by information and communication science. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although technological innovation plays a critical role in promoting sustainable development and environmental sustainability, there are few studies in the existing literature that address this relationship. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between technological innovation (TI), renewable energy consumption (REC), natural resource rent (NRR) and ecological footprint (EF) of E-7 countries (i.e. Brazil, China, India, Indonesia, Mexico, Russia and Turkiye) from 1992 to 2018 in order to ensure environmental sustainability in the context of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Analysis was performed using the ARDL estimator, robustness test and Dumitrescu-Hurlin panel causality (DHC) test. Long-term empirical estimates from the PMG-ARDL technique have shown that a 1 % increase in TI and REC reduces EF by 0.064 % and 0.234 %, respectively, i.e. increases environmental sustainability. At this point, it is possible to say that TI and REC contribute to the achievement of SDG-7 and 13 in E-7 countries while NRR and real income (GDP) were found to impede the achievement of SDG-7 and 13 in E-7 countries through an increase in EF. The results were confirmed using robustness techniques. In the DHC test results, while there is a unidirectional causality from TI to EF, from EF to NRR and trade openness, a bidirectional causality was found between GDP and EF. This study suggests that policymakers should focus on introducing environmentally friendly equipment to reduce environmental degradation, increase the share of RECs and focus on sustainable development within the framework of the SDGs. • We explore nexus between technological innovation affect the ecological footprint in E-7 economies. • Adoption of second-generational panel econometrics techniques. • Technological innovation and renewable energy consumption help in mitigating climate change. • Green growth policies should be pursued in E7 energy mix. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Amidst the global advancement of sustainable production, the green supply chain initiative is becoming increasingly significant in harmonizing environmental and economic interests. This study delves into the financial implications of such initiatives, focusing on a particular government-led green supply chain demonstration project. Utilizing a difference-in-differences model and data from firms involved in the project between 2010 and 2021, findings indicate a notable reduction in firms' financial distress. This result, framed within the resource-based view perspective, shed lights on how green policy value permeates a company's internal capabilities, aligning environmental goals with financial performance. Additionally, we found that when companies enhance the quality of their environmental information disclosure and decrease the concentration of their supply chain, the inhibitory effect of this demonstration policy on financial distress is amplified. This underscores the pivotal value of enhancing information transparency and maintaining a flexible supply chain structure in green supply chain practices. In conclusion, this study emphasizes the empirical link between sustainable operations and financial resilience, laying a strong theoretical groundwork for businesses to proactively adopt green practices and aiding in the government's crafting of environmental policies. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, we assess the sustainability of the electricity sector and explore the correlation between government environmental policies and the sector's sustainability. We find that at the national level, the sustainability of the electricity sector has exhibited a notable upward trend in recent years. However, this trend has not been evenly distributed across different regions of the country. Second, government environmental policies have a significant positive impact on promoting the sustainability of the electricity sector. Third, the impact of government environmental policies on the sustainability of the electricity sector is more pronounced in the western region of China. • We explore the impact of government environmental policy on the sustainability of China's electricity sector. • Government environmental policies can significantly promote the sustainability of China's electricity sector. • Technological progress is an effective channel between government environmental policies and the sustainability of the electricity sector. • The sustainability of the electricity sector is most significantly impacted by the environmental policies of the government in western China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Environmental regulations have emerged as a critical policy tool for promoting environmental sustainability worldwide. However, there is a dearth of literature that investigates the impact of environmental regulations on load capacity factor in Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) economies. This study aims to address this gap by examining the role of renewable energy consumption, human capital, and environmental regulations in improving load capacity factor. In doing so, the paper covers 14 APEC economies; applies second generations panel data models (i.e., CUP-FM (continuously updated fully modified) as the base model and CUP-BC (continuously-updated and bias-corrected) for the robustness); and runs data between 1992 and 2018. The empirical findings present that: i) renewable energy consumption and human capital contribute to improving load capacity factor; ii) environmental regulations are not at a level to increase load capacity factor; iii) economic growth and trade openness significantly reduce load capacity factor. Considering empirical outcomes, this study suggests that APEC should tighten environmental regulations to achieve sustainable environment. In addition, this study offers important sustainable environmental policies for APEC within the framework of empirical findings. • CUP-FM and CUP-BC methods are applied over the spanning from 1992 to 2018. • Examines relationship between renewable energy, environmental regulations, and human capital with load capacity factor. • Renewable energy and human capital significantly increase the level of environmental quality. • Environmental regulations are insufficient for APEC countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many studies have suggested that implementing green human resource management (GHRM) can help alleviate ecological issues around the world and enhance sustainable practices, resulting in better environmental performance (EnvP). This study delves into the relationship between green innovation, environmental policy, and green behavior in the workplace, and how they relate to GHRM and EnvP. Moreover, it delves into the dual mediation of green innovation and workplace green behavior, as well as the moderating influence of environmental policy. Data was gathered from 384 employees employed by Malaysian manufacturing firms that adhere to green HR practices, prioritize environmental issues, and comply with environmental policies. The data was analyzed using Smart PLS. The findings reveal that green innovation, green behavior at work, and environmental policy act as mediators and moderator in the relationship between GHRM and the EnvP of companies. The research also shows that GHRM operations are making increased efforts towards EnvP, specifically in terms of promoting green innovation and encouraging green behavior in the workplace. Likewise, these actions have a direct impact on a company's EnvP. This study demonstrates the vital role of GHRM activities in the manufacturing industry. It conclusively proves that these activities can effectively promote green behavior in the workplace, thus significantly enhancing the social and EnvP of companies. This invaluable information is indispensable for both researchers and managers in their drive towards sustainable development. [Display omitted] • The environmental conditions in the manufacturing sector are being debated. • Investigate the double mediation of green innovation and behavior in the workplace. • Propose a model for evaluating environmental outcomes in the manufacturing sector. • Moderating function of environmental policy fosters green innovation and performance. • Employees green practices and environmental policies boost manufacturing performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study employs the dynamic recursive Computable General Equilibrium (CGE) approach to model Australia's economy. This carbon tax policy is designed based on Australia's economy, starting at A$23/tCO2, increasing over time and imposing uniformly on all industries. This study proposes two carbon tax policies and three revenue recycling approaches, and the prices and GDP variations are estimated during 2020 and 2035. This study confirms introducing a carbon tax policy decreases Australia's carbon emissions and reduces real consumption and GDP if it is not accompanied by a revenue recycling policy. But following a revenue-neutral policy and redirecting the carbon tax revenue into the economy through reducing income taxes and investing in research and development (R&D) projects leads to economic growth. This study confirms the implementation of a carbon tax associated with a suitable revenue recycling approach benefits Australia both economically and environmentally. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Natural gas is a crucial transitional energy for Pakistan to attain the emission reduction goal for sustainable economic growth. To imply environmentally-friendly fuel and save foreign exchange, huge indigenous resources can be used. Under sustainable policies, Pakistan's natural gas is predicted to adequately rise, which will significantly impact energy security, economy and environment. The objective of the study is to analyze NGC factors' decomposition in Pakistan from 1996 to 2020, applying the logarithmic mean Divisia index method to provide evidence of the effect of key factors, including NGC intensity, income and population effects. The results show that: (a) during 1996–2020, natural gas is raised maximally due to the rise in income and population levels. (b) Population effect was the second key driver of gas rising, while the intensity effect was added to slow down during the maximum intervals. With the rising trend of a population between 0.12 and 0.22 billion, it is the only leading factor that is increasing the NGC to maximum level. (c) The sectorial outcomes influenced population growth with positive income, evidenced by the per capita. Looking forward to the energy targets, prediction highlights that sustainability and energy security could be guaranteed by modifying technological progress and environmental policies. • Natural gas intensity, income and population are studied under planning period. • Logarithmic mean Divisia index method is employed to evaluate NGC factors. • Income and population factors are the key driver of NGC growth. • NGC intensity was contributed to slow down during the maximum intervals. • Sectorial differences impacted the population growth with positive income growth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper focuses on transformation in sustainable urban governance by examining the prospect of fostering sustainable development through top-down urban governance. It takes a case study of urban development in Saudi Arabia, which had been administered through a centralized framework devoid of the environmental assessment of policies and plans. Urban planning documents made limited references to the environment. Consequently, Saudi cities have been ranked low on environmental sustainability. However, recently, due to the political imperative of addressing the problems, low oil prices, and the Arab Spring, there has been a remarkable transformation in urban governance. The planning of some of the major cities has been decentralized and some policies implemented to curb unsustainable development. This article reviews these changes to investigate how top-down approaches might still be relevant in promoting sustainable development. It concludes that there is a need to implement a framework of legislation and administrative procedures integrated with strategic environmental assessment (SEA) to ensure proper sustainable institutionalised urban governance. The findings could serve as lessons for those operating under similar political contexts especially in developing countries. • Examines the prospect of fostering sustainable development through top-down urban governance • Examines urban governance in Saudi Arabia as a case study • Highlights the transformation in sustainable urban governance in Saudi Arabia • Top-down approach is relevant in promoting sustainable urban governance in some contexts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract In the late 1990s, China initiated the Conversion of Croplands to Forest Program (CCFP) and the Ecological Welfare Forest Program (EWFP) based on the Payments for Ecosystem Services (PES) principle. Positive socioeconomic outcomes of the programs are essential for the long-term success of eco-environment conservation. However, there is lack of understanding of their longer-term (over 10 years) impacts on rural livelihoods. In this paper, we examine income distribution and inequality of rural households under CCFP and EWFP in rural Anhui, China after 12 years of program implementation. Results show that CCFP-participating households have higher income inequality than non-participants, while the EWFP does not have a significant effect. Local off-farm work and out-migration with remittances are the two principal income sources and both add to inequality. A regression-based decomposition of inequality shows that the CCFP indirectly alters livelihoods by increasing out-migration with remittances, but it also adds to inequality from shifting livelihoods to non-agricultural activities. Meanwhile, EWFP payments positively affect agricultural incomes and contribute 16% to agricultural income inequality. Finally, human capital, natural capital and physical capital all play important roles in generating income and inequality, but the factors affecting inequality from agricultural and non-agricultural activities are different. Highlights • We examine rural household income distribution under two concurrent PES programs. • CCFP positively affects non-farm income via out-migration followed by remittances. • EWFP positively affects agricultural income and adds slightly to inequality. • Factors affecting agricultural and non-agricultural income distributions differ. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Many of the world's greatest challenges are complex socio-environmental problems, often framed in terms of integrated assessment, resilience or sustainability. To resolve any of these challenges, it is essential to elicit and integrate knowledge across a range of systems, informing the design of solutions that take into account the complex and uncertain nature of the individual systems and their interrelationships. To meet this scientific challenge, we propose a tiered, system-of-systems modeling framework with these elements: a component-based, software framework that couples a wide range of relevant systems using a modular, system-of-systems structure; a tiered structure with different levels of abstraction that spans bottom-up and top-down approaches; the ability to inform robust decisions in the face of deep uncertainty; and the systematic integration of multiple knowledge domains and disciplines. We illustrate the application of the framework, and identify research and education initiatives that are needed to facilitate its development and implementation. Graphical abstract Image 1 Highlights • A generic approach to resolving families of complex socio-environmental problems. • Combines a system-of-systems framework with the integrated assessment methodology. • Has a tiered structure with different levels of abstraction. • Accommodates the need for decision-making in the face of deep uncertainty. • Systematically integrates multiple knowledge domains and disciplines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract This paper deals with the efficiency of the 28 European Union (EU) Member States for the years 2008, 2010, 2012 and 2014 by employing Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) and directional distance function to tackle undesirable outputs. Eight parameters are used, namely municipal solid waste (MSW) generation, employment rate, capital formation, gross domestic product (GDP), population density and for the first time sulphur oxide (SOx), nitrogen oxide (NOx) and greenhouse gases (GHG) emissions from the waste sector for the relevant countries. The innovation of this paper lies in the fact that both new parameters are taken into account and that diverse modelling techniques have been employed in terms of the outputs and inputs used. The empirical results obtained were bias corrected in order to get the correct efficiency scores for each country studied. Overall the most efficient countries were shown to be Germany, Ireland and the UK. These results were then reviewed against the recycling rate of each country for the examined time periods. The recycling rate actually depicts the DEA results, namely more efficient countries seem to have a higher recycling rate too. Moreover the DEA efficiency results were contrasted to the overall treatment options used in the countries under consideration. Overall it is noticed that countries employing all four treatment options with high use of more sustainable ones and decrease in the use of landfill are the ones that also proved to be efficient according to DEA. These results resemble the image of a financial crisis hit Europe which tried to take advantage of the more sustainable treatment options in order to achieve a transition to a circular economy, whereas the value of products, materials and resources needs to be maintained in the economy for as long as possible and the generation of waste minimised. This can be a valuable lesson for policy makers in the design and application of national and EU legislations and directives in order to achieve also the targets towards a circular economy driven Europe. Highlights • Employing DEA to assess national waste generation. • Three novel environmental production frameworks designed. • Directional distance function to tackle undesirable outputs. • Comparison of results with treatment options and recycling rates. • Policy implications under a circular economy approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • The development of a sustainability index model applicable to the Mauritian manufacturing sector. • To identify the key dimensions for sustainability assessment for the Mauritian manufacturing industry. • To include sustainability indicators of Mauritian manufacturing companies into a single multi-dimensional model. Abstract It has been long recognized that environmental matters are important to the survival of manufacturing companies. Yet manufacturing companies continue to degrade the environment, over exploit natural resources and generate unmanageable amount of wastes. Manufacturing is not just about financial returns, but it should also be conscious of the long-term impacts on living standards of both present and future generations. The purpose of this paper is to develop a sustainability index to quantify the impact of Mauritian manufacturing activities on the environment. This research is an attempt to stimulate manufacturing companies in Mauritius to report their organization's sustainability via an index that shall aid in driving both profits and growth. It reviews the main social, economic and environmental issues affecting manufacturing companies and provides a Sustainability Index Model (SIM) that can be used as a sustainability performance measurement indicator, helping in the mitigation of perennial business challenges. The derived sustainability index, that combines the principal sustainable indicators quoted in the literature, has been used as a single decision-making tool for assisting manufacturing companies realize sustainable development goals. A sample of 30 large manufacturing companies in Mauritius were used to validate the sustainability index model. The study reveals an index with 9 environmental, 4 economic and 2 social indicators which were pertinent in sustainability measurement, with varying degree of importance, within the Mauritian manufacturing context. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Various environmental footprint concepts have already been developed and applied in sustainability research. However, these analyses tend to remain restricted to historical observation samples. At least in comparison with related research activities in other environmental policy domains (like, e.g., climate policy), it seems that applications of integrated assessment tools represent rather seldom exceptions within the resource policy domain. Our paper is, therefore, intended to strengthen the related evidence base. We present recent projections from the dynamic Multi-Region Input-Output (MRIO) simulation model GINFORS (Global Inter-Industry Forecasting System), which provide an outlook on global development trends until the year 2050. Our detailed material footprint and climate policy assessment indicates that a global agreement on a policy mix will allow a clear turnaround towards climate protection and a sustainable use of natural resources without deteriorating economic performance. If the EU decides unilaterally to lead the way, then this turnaround could also be achieved for the EU while the EU would also benefit economically from this pioneering role. A third pathway towards a resource efficient and low-carbon Europe quantifies the environmental and economic impacts of a strong transitional change induced by European citizens' commitments to far-reaching sufficiency objectives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract As a matter of policy, minimizing human health and environmental risks associated with pesticide use is a major challenge but necessary for improving agricultural sustainability. Efficient and effective policies that encourage the use of less risky pesticides, such as pesticide taxes, necessitate a precise and realistic quantification of potential adverse effects. Various indicators are currently utilized in policies and they focus mainly on a purely quantitative dimension of the pesticides used, which can lead potentially to unfavorable outcomes of pesticide policies. A unique dataset applied to pesticide use by Swiss farmers in winter wheat and potato production, demonstrates that on average the two most important quantitative indicators show a significant correlation with pesticide risks as expressed by the Danish Load Indicator. However, they have almost no explanatory power for extreme risks (e.g. most intensive use patterns for pesticides with unfavorable toxicity profiles). Results remain stable over a range of aggregation levels, from application- to farm-level indicators of pesticide use. These findings render the commonly used, quantitative indicators ineffective to reduce potential environmental and human health risks of pesticides and, in the worst case, lead to misinformed market-based pesticide policies consequential to National Action Plans. Graphical abstract Unlabelled Image Highlights • Current pesticide policies are mainly based on quantitative indicators. • We compare consistency of quantitative indicators with pesticide risks. • Highly detailed panel data on pesticide use of Swiss crop farmers is used. • We find a good average consistency but no explanatory power for extreme risks. • The use of purely quantitative indicators might lead to adverse policy outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract The critical role of everyday practices in climate change mitigation has placed experimental approaches at the top of the environmental policy agenda. In this paper we discuss the value of behavioural approaches, practice theories, pragmatic tinkering and speculative thinking with respect to experimentation. Whereas the first two have been much discussed within sustainability science and transition research, the notions of pragmatic tinkering and speculative thinking radically broaden the scope of experimental research and its contribution to sustainable everyday practices. Pragmatism brings to the fore the need to coordinate multiple practices and understandings of good eating, as these may clash in practice. Through this lens, the value of experimental research lies in revealing frictions that need to be resolved, or tinkered, in practice. Speculative experimentation, in turn, refers to the power of experiments to challenge the experimental setting itself and force thinking about new possibilities and avenues. We investigate the value of all four approaches in relation to our experiments with sustainable eating in the Finnish and Nordic context. Our elaboration justifies the need to broaden the conception of experimental research in order to capture the multiplicity of sustainable eating. Hence, we call for attentive, speculative experimental research aimed not only at testing solutions for sustainable everyday practice, but also at reflecting on the practice of experimentation itself. Highlights • Key role of everyday practices in sustainability transition calls for experimentation. • We explore and test four approaches to experimentation in sustainable eating. • Sustainable eating calls for attentive, speculative experimental research. • Attentiveness to tensions raised by experiments force new questions and solutions. • Reflecting on the practice of experimentation is fundamental to ethical transition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract In the last decades, the European Union has developed a set of environmental policies whose main objectives have been to protect natural capital and to develop a resource-efficient and green economy. These issues are essential to secure the sustainability in the long-term of the member states. The objective of this paper is to develop the Environmental Performance Assessment Composite Index, in the framework of the 2050 Europe vision, which will be applied to the European Union 28 in the period 2000–2014. It might allow policy makers to obtain information about the strengths and weaknesses of each member state in natural capital, use of sustainable and efficient resources as well as use of more environmentally friendly resources. The results suggest that Sweden, Austria, Denmark, Italy and Germany have the better scores in environmental performance assessment. However, Slovakia, Romania, Czech Republic, Poland and Lithuania have the lowest scores in the composite index. Specific reinforcing actions are proposed for them in order to reduce their environmental impact. Highlights • A composite index of environmental impact assessment is obtained for the EU-28. • It considers the dimension of both sustainable and efficient resources use. • It also aggregates both dimensions of natural resources and resource alternative use. • Sweden, Austria, Denmark, Italy and Germany have the best results. • New policies are required in Slovakia, Romania, Czech Republic, Poland, Lithuania. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract The importance firms, public institutions, and, more recently, consumers give to environmental issues has led in recent years to a surge in the development, dissemination, and application of Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) methodology. Nevertheless, little is still known about this tool's effective deployment by companies, or about the level of knowledge they have of it in some specific geographical areas, as in the Basque Region in the north of Spain. This paper seeks to provide a starting point for subsequently addressing these unresolved issues. Through the analysis and treatment of the data collected via the questionnaire, this work aims to provide a snapshot of the LCA situation in the Basque Country. In turn, the specific objectives are to discover who is carrying out LCA studies, why and how they are doing it, and to publicize the benefits provided by this type of study. Among other things, the study reveals that the LCA is still a little-known tool used mainly by large companies in specific sectors. The LCA is perceived as a complicated methodology that reports few economic benefits, although its capacity to improve the environmental performance of the products and the image of the company is recognized. The companies also think that their use will be generalized in the future, although they complain about the lack of institutional support that is provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Desert oases are fragile agrarian areas, very vulnerable to sand encroachment by wind. Ensuring their conservation highly depends on our capacity to identify sand encroachment patterns, e.g. the origin of sand and its spatial distribution in the irrigated plots. Here we show how to tackle this issue using the case study of Erg Chebbi (Morocco), where two oases (Hassilabiad and Merzouga) are surrounded by dunes, Hamada and alluvial sediments from the Wadi Ziz. We combine field interviews with the study of wind dynamics, sediment sampling, Particle Size Distribution (PSD) tests and End-Member Modelling Analysis (EMMA). We observe that the most relevant contributor to sand encroachment is the Wadi Ziz (30%), followed by the Hamada (28%), an undetermined source of dust (25%), and the Erg dunes (16%). These genetically different sediments cluster unevenly in the oases, indicating the existence of areas with contrasting degrees of exposure to sedimentary sources. The results allow to define on solid grounds which sand source areas should be stabilized first in order to obtain the greatest reduction in sand encroachment. Our approach also provides policy-makers with better tools to identify which spots are specially vulnerable to accumulate a specific sediment, thus allowing for a more nuanced management of sand in oasis environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While environmental composite indexes are useful tools in ranking the relative performance of countries on characteristics of interest, critiques are being made about their lack of relevance and responsiveness pertaining to changes in the environment; this negatively affects their usefulness and relevance. In this paper, an alternative to the Environmental Performance Index (EPI) is proposed by constructing a proof-of-concept index based on component variables whose changes reflect the actual state of the environment and the environmental sustainability on the particular dimensions measured. The proposed Environmental State and Sustainability Index (ESSI) also takes into account the relationships between variables in constructing the composite index by checking the relevance of the theoretical environmental dimensions against factor components, which explains the complex relationships between environmental variables and aims at achieving a relevant weighting of the component variables. Results indicate that ESSI scores are comparable with EPI and reflect better the actual situation of some countries with high-rank differences. Thus, ESSI can be used as a basis for constructing or revising environmental indicators that are closer to the objective of achieving a truly overarching measure of the state of the environment that is relevant in informing policy and reflect actual changes in the component dimensions as relevant data becomes available. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Circular economy (CE) is gaining popularity at different levels with the promise of creating more sustainable processes. In this context, cities are implementing a number of initiatives that aim to turn them into sustainable circular systems. Whether these initiatives achieve their sustainability goals, however, is largely unknown. Nevertheless, as the application of CE strategies is actively encouraged by many policies across the globe, there is a need to quantify the environmental impacts and to identify the strategies that support urban sustainability. This paper analyses the extent to which research focuses on quantifying the environmental balance of CE initiatives promoted at the municipal level. To this end, the analysis scanned CE initiatives reported in cities around the globe and classified them into urban targets and CE strategies. In parallel, the paper conducted a review of the literature that uses industrial ecology tools to account for the environmental impacts of CE strategies. Results show a diverse geographical representation, as reported cities concentrated in Europe, whereas for environmental research, the main results came from China. In general, cities encourage strategies relating to urban infrastructure (47%), with and additional focus on social consumption aspects, such as repair and reuse actions. In comparison, research mainly addressed industrial and business practices (58%), but the approach to infrastructure was similar to that of cities, both with a special interest in waste management. Research has yet to assess social consumption and urban planning strategies, the latter essential for defining the impacts of other urban elements. Hence, there is a need to define the environmental impacts of the strategies that cities select in their quest for circularity. Research and practice can also benefit from working collaboratively so as to prioritize the CE strategies that best fit into the features of each urban area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aims to explore the phenomenon of the adoption of sustainability accounting, sustainable financing and relevant regulatory measures for the development of a green financing system in an emerging global financial centre under the influence of sustainable global development. As Hong Kong, the Global Financial Centre of China (GFCC), emerges as a regional green finance hub, a framework of the circumstantial developments that contribute to the development of a green financing system is illustrated. It suggests a top-down approach of institutional legitimacy for sustainability influenced by a national policy and enhanced through a market-based finance approach in the GFCC. Adopting a multiple-case study approach, this paper reveals three cases of sizable listed enterprises notable for their heterogeneous approaches to embracing risk governance, sustainable accounting and financing in their issuance of green bonds. A theoretical framework is proposed over the mutually reinforcing effects of legitimate policy and market-based finance that engender the convergence of a green financing system. The implications for the integrity of a green financing system in relation to sustainability controls and cleaner production are articulated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rural areas around the world are increasingly exposed to natural disasters. To guide management intervention for sustainable development after natural disasters, scientists and policymakers need a better understanding of the linkages between livelihood changes after natural disasters and recovery outcomes. Despite the growing body of disaster research, systematic evaluation of the relationship between post-disaster changes in rural livelihoods and recovery outcomes is rare, largely due to the lack of relevant data. By taking advantage of the long-term data collection and research conducted in China's Wolong Nature Reserve (Wolong), we empirically evaluated livelihood changes after the catastrophic 2008 Wenchuan Earthquake and how those changes are linked to the recovery of human well-being. Our results show that households' livelihood portfolios in Wolong conspicuously changed after the earthquake and that human well-being had been recovering. However, we found most of these livelihood changes negatively affected, instead of facilitated, human well-being recovery. The enriched understanding of the linkages between post-disaster livelihood changes and recovery outcomes has important management implications for achieving Sustainable Development Goals amid natural disasters in Wolong and beyond. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding what influences the value of nature is crucial for informing environmental policy. From a sustainability perspective, economic valuation should not only seek to determine a society's willingness to pay for environmental goods to devise an efficient allocation of scarce resources, but should also account for distributional effects to ensure justice. Yet, how economic inequality affects the value of non-market environmental goods remains understudied. Combining recently developed theoretical results with empirical evidence, this Commentary shows that more equal societies have a higher valuation for environmental public goods and that non-market benefits of environmental policy accrue over-proportionally to poorer households. On this ground, we discuss implications for environmental valuation, management and policy-making and identify a number of fruitful areas for future research. We conclude that environmental valuation should explicitly account for economic inequality, and that encompassing assessments of the distributional effects of environmental policies must consider the distribution of non-market environmental benefits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines the environmental impact of potential coordination on supply chains. A decentralized two-node supply chain is studied, in which one node is a buyer ordering from a second node, who is a supplier operating under the lot-for-lot policy. The supplier is allowed to use a quantity discount to manipulate the buyer’s decision reducing both his individual cost and system’s operational costs. This results in decreasing the frequency of deliveries. We demonstrate that environmentally friendly policies could be also cost saving. The crucial factor about the environmental benefits is the total distance travelled rather than the vehicle loads. We establish the magnitude of the environmental benefits using numerical examples under specific operational parameters. Complete and incomplete information cases are investigated, where the buyer and the supplier make their decisions to optimize their own business operations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Serious games and gamification are nowadays pervasive. They are used to communicate about science and sometimes to involve citizens in science (e.g. citizen science). Concurrently, environmental decision analysis is challenged by the high cognitive load of the decision-making process and the possible biases threatening the rationality assumptions. Difficult decision-making processes can result in incomplete preference construction, and are generally limited to few participants. We reviewed 43 serious games and gamified applications related to water. We covered the broad diversity of serious games, which could be explained by the still unsettled terminology in the research area of gamification and serious gaming. We discuss how existing games could benefit early steps of Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis (MCDA), including problem structuring, stakeholder analysis, defining objectives, and exploring alternatives. We argue that no existing game allows for preference elicitation; one of the most challenging steps of MCDA. We propose many research opportunities for behavioral operational research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The implementation and the diffusion of environmental policy is a hotspot in European ecosystem management. Policy diffusion meets the need of the harmonization principle in which the EU countries must converge towards the same targets. In the light of this, the paper aims to explain the main determinants of the environmental diffusion policy, allowing countries to converge on a common base. We outline the achievements of the environmental policy objectives of the countries by using the Environmental Performance Index, a widely accepted index used at the international level. By using a dyadic dataset on 15 European countries, we highlight the economic and institutional determinants pointing out successes and failures of policies adopted. The findings reveal that the economic variables play most important role in the diffusion process of environmental policy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The cities are playing a leading role in action to reduce the global CO 2 emissions. In this paper a greenhouse gas (GHG) balance of the medieval historic centre of Siena (Tuscany, Italy) has been performed for the first time. It was compiled by a top down approach and according to the latest IPCC guidelines released in 2006. The results show a balance far from carbon neutrality and offer ideas for testing appropriate environmental policies based on improving energy efficiency (such as energy saving and integrated waste management) as well on transition towards renewable energies. The proposed strategies, and in particular the installation of photovoltaic panels on roofs, showed a substantial reduction in gross GHG emissions (−57%) in the short run (about 10 years) and enable carbon neutral status to be reached in the long run (about 30 years). Carbon status further improves when the electricity obtained from the photovoltaic panels is used for private/service sector needs (e.g. lights and electrical appliances), for public/household electric heating and for electric transport. Solar and other renewable resources represent the most desirable solution for decarbonisation but need specific concern in urban systems with a high degree of structural and historical constraints coherently with the scopes of the Global Protocol for Community-Scale GHG Emission Inventories (2014). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Over the years, many countries across the world have increasingly experienced the collapse of their ecosystems, leading to an elevated increase on the demand for freshwater resources. Botswana is not an exception. The problem of disrupted potable water supply is widespread across the country. However, the physical shortage of water in the country is arguably coupled by lack of effective and efficient water supply and management institutions and water infrastructure. Most of the research on water scarcity in Botswana is mostly inclined towards physical water scarcity, while little is investigated on how the design of institutions for water management in developing countries leads to water scarcity. Furthermore, the premises of most research is neoclassical economics ideas, thereby offering solutions as developing and/or reforming water markets and water pricing mechanisms, among other findings. This paper analyses potable water supply and access in Botswana within a new institutional economics paradigm. The study examines key features of water institutions in Botswana on how they affect water supply and access, applying new institutional economics fundamentals. The study extensively uses various secondary data sources including weather and climate reports, policy documents, maps and charts and survey data, among others. The paper argues that to achieve effective water allocation in Botswana, there is a need to balance social and environmental water resource needs through water policies and other statutory enactments, as well as the crafting of practical management strategies. The country, therefore, requires not only a swift institutional transformation in the water sector, but also needs practical governance structure necessary for implementing integrated water resources management and driving water resources towards sustainability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study revisited the fundamentals of allocation to joint products and proposed new models for allocating common greenhouse gases emissions among coproducts of biorefineries. These emissions may account for more than 80% of the total emissions of greenhouse gases of the biorefineries. The proposed models optimize the reward of coproducts for their compliance to environmental requirements. They were illustrated by a case study of wheat straw biorefinery built on the literature. Several scenarios were considered with regard to the grain yield, field emissions of greenhouse gases, allocation between grain and straw and policy requirements. The results conform to the expectations and are sensitive to the policy targets and to the environmental performance of the counterpart system. Further research works are necessary to achieve a full application to complex processes. However, the proposed models are promising towards assessing the simultaneous compliance of coproducts of a biorefinery to environment policy requirements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Addressing the long-term sustainability challenge in the policymaking process requires close engagement of private firms—particularly in the green innovation area—along with other actors. Involvement of private firms in the implementation of privatization policies is encouraged by national governments, as it is believed that such engagement will help in producing more sustainable solutions. Transport is a key sustainability issue, where a sound privatization policy could positively affect the transport-related environmental efficiency and sustainability. In this context, the policy transfer process can provide a strong impetus for further growth of transport privatization. Little attention, however, in the literature and practice has been devoted to analyse factors affecting the policy transfer phenomenon in transport privatization policies. This paper, hence, aims to investigate the relationship between policy transfer and transport sustainability via privatization. The paper hypotheses that both economic and institutional determinants increase the effect of policy convergence. As the case study context, the EU is placed under the microscope, and a dyadic dataset on transport policies is analysed. The findings indicate that institutional and economic variables play a highly critical role for policy transfer in achieving transport sustainability in the EU. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Utilities in larger cities have to make complex decisions planning future investments in urban water infrastructure. Changes are driven by physical water stress or political targets for environmental water flows e.g. through the implementation of the European water framework directive. To include these environmental, economic and social sustainability dimensions we introduce a novel multi-criteria assessment method for evaluation of water supply technologies. The method is presented and demonstrated for four alternatives for water supply based on groundwater, rain- & stormwater or seawater developed for augmenting Copenhagen's current groundwater based water supply. To identify the most sustainable technology, we applied rank order distribution weights to a multi-criteria decision analysis to combine the impact assessments of environment, economy and society. The three dimensions were assessed using 1) life-cycle assessment, 2) cost calculations taking operation and maintenance into account and 3) the multi-criteria decision analysis method Analytical hierarchy process. Specialists conducted the life-cycle assessment and cost calculations and the multi-criteria decision analyses were based on a stakeholder workshop gathering stakeholders relevant for the specific case. The workshop reached consensus on three sets of ranked criteria. Each set represented stakeholder perspectives with first priority given to one of the three sustainability dimensions or categories. The workshop reached consensus and when the highest weight was assigned to the environmental dimension of sustainability then the alternative of ‘Rain- & stormwater harvesting’ was the most sustainable water supply technology; when the highest weight was assigned to the economy or society dimensions then an alternative with ‘Groundwater abstraction extended with compensating actions’ was considered the most sustainable water supply technology. Across all three sets of ranked weights, the establishment of new well fields is considered the least sustainable alternative. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent studies suggest that a growing number of universities are embracing the notion that sustainability should and can be integrated into the university support system for entrepreneurship, or that sustainability activities should be implemented and promoted with entrepreneurial spirit. This finding relates positively to the demands by policy makers that sustainable entrepreneurship should be addressed in (higher) education, to prepare the mind-set of future “green entrepreneurs”. But there are hardly any insights concerning how an appropriate university system should be designed and which factors influence the emergence and implementation of university support systems for sustainable entrepreneurship. We address this research gap by means of a qualitative multi-case study approach. Based on 41 good practice examples, we carried out in-depth case studies investigating four universities based in the USA and Germany. Our results indicate that the four areas of potential influence derived from theory and the literature (environmental context, institutional framework, key persons and external interaction) are actually relevant. The case studies support the assumption that the role of key persons as initiators, promoters or networkers is of outstanding importance. In addition to the four areas of influence derived from theory and literature, the four case studies indicated that there are further relevant factors. It was possible to identify three additional fields of influence: (1) Core activities for developing university support systems (research or implementation projects, dialogue processes), (2) the organizational history and competencies background of universities and (3) student interest and demand. While the question why sustainable entrepreneurship should be supported by higher education institutions is clearly answered, there are hardly any insights concerning how an appropriate university system should be designed and which factors influence the emergence and implementation of university support systems for sustainable entrepreneurship. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The central role of cities in advancing sustainability transitions is nowadays universally recognised by the scientific community. Simultaneously, local leaders increasingly advocate for the sustainable, low-carbon development of social and technological systems in their cities. This situation provides a window of opportunity for academic research to guide the development and implementation of innovative governance mechanisms capable of delivering urban low-carbon transitions in practice, and for practitioners to influence research. The current interest in tailoring the Transition Management (TM) approach to the urban scale is a result of such an interaction. However, as we argue in this article, there is still much to learn about the ways in which decisions related to local transitions are made in practice , in order to build a more complete understanding of the usefulness of TM techniques in the urban context. Our claim is based on a case study analysis of a pair of EU-funded projects involving eight cities from a diverse set of European countries. The main findings highlight the role of five contextual barriers specific to the urban level within the European multilevel governance scene, which sustain inertia and resistance to change among municipal administrators and other local stakeholders and counteract the successful implementation of TM-inspired governance mechanisms at the local level. As a consequence, a rather shallow version of TM is applied in practice, which is not powerful enough to overcome the messy and contingent character of decision-making surrounding ongoing urban low-carbon transition processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents the editorial for the Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews joint special issue devoted to the research work discussed and presented at the 11th Conference on Sustainable Development of Energy, Water and Environment Systems (SDEWES), held from the 4th September to the 9th September 2016 in Lisbon, Portugal and the 2nd South East European (SEE) SDEWES Conference held from June 15th to June 18th, 2016 in Piran, Slovenia. This special issue is in line with the journal's aim of publishing research from across the ever-broadening field of renewable and sustainable energy with a strong review element. Previous SDEWES conference special issues have gathered a significant knowledge base in the field of sustainable development that reflects the continuous research efforts of the SDEWES research community. Therefore, this editorial provides not only an overview of the papers published in this particular special issue, but also a wider overview of the current trends in the domain of sustainable and renewable energy. This year's special issue focuses particularly on the benefits of the bio-based economy, energy security issues, fossil fuel thermal plant alternatives and environmental constraints, district heating and cooling together with cross sector energy efficiency and energy conservation issues. Sustainable transport systems, the issue of fuel poverty in urban neighbourhoods and renewable energy to support development of peripheral rural areas, optimising passive building design for hot climates and solar-powered heating and cooling are further topics featured in this special issue. In the process of selecting papers for this special issue, the guest editors invited in total 23 extended manuscripts for consideration for publication. After a rigorous review process by expert reviewers overseen by the guest editors a total of 16 articles were accepted for publication. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sustainability perception can be understood as humans' awareness of the environment. This study assessed the sustainability perception of the Paraná III Basin residents in Brazil through item response theory (IRT). For this purpose, a scale to measure sustainability perception, in which the items and latent features of respondents in the same unit of measurement are positioned, was constructed. Fifty-two items (sustainability indicators) evaluated through structured questionnaires applied to 2519 respondents, residents of three cities in the study area, were created. The results indicated that 52.3% of respondents have no, very low or low perception of sustainability, and the study population was allocated between levels 90 and 100 of the perception scale. IRT was suitable for the data analysis because it enabled quality evaluation of the items, construction of a scale to quantify sustainability perception and identification of perception levels. The developed tool - the measurement scale for sustainability perception - can be used by those responsible for local environmental governance to develop projects aimed at social and environmental education with the goal of identifying alternatives to raise the perception levels of the local residents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Defining sustainable cities is not straightforward. The main issues involved in urban sustainability are buildings, energy, food, green areas and landscape, mobility, urban planning, water and waste; and their improvement is promoted through different strategies. However, a quantitative method, such as life cycle thinking (LCT), is essential to evaluating these strategies. This paper reviews LCT studies related to urban issues to identify the main research gaps in the evaluation of these improvement strategies. The review identifies the main sustainability strategies associated with each urban issue and compiles articles that deal with these strategies through LCT, including environmental life cycle assessment (LCA), life cycle costing (LCC), social LCA (S-LCA) and life cycle sustainability assessment (LCSA), as well as integrated analyses with combined tools. Water, waste and buildings are the urban issues that accounted for a larger amount of studies. In contrast, a limited number of papers assessed urban planning and energy (excluding energy in buildings). Strong interrelations among urban issues were identified, most of them including water. In terms of methods, 79% of the studies exclusively applied life cycle tools (i.e., LCA, LCC, S-LCA or LCSA). Within this group, the environmental dimension was the focus of 84% of the papers. Single environmental indicators (e.g., global warming) were common in 20% of the analyses, highlighting the need to integrate more impact categories to prevent trade-offs. In the field of social and sustainability assessment, there is a need for methodological advances that foster their application in urban areas. Further research should cover the thematic and methodological gaps identified in this paper, such as developing models that assess complex urban issues, generating comprehensive LCT studies and promoting multi-indicators. Life cycle tools might benefit from revising the methodology with stakeholders to optimize the understanding and communication of life cycle results for policy- and decision-making processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Stormwater is a complex political and geographical problem. It is at once bound to land-use decisions, tied to geographical features such as lakes and rivers, and capable of flowing across different political boundaries and jurisdictions. In this paper, I empirically focus on how disparate understandings of stormwater are forged through different institutional arrangements and the ways multiple actors interact across scales of governance in Los Angeles. The results indicate four discourses influence decisions on urban stormwater management and are articulated through different forms of knowledge and power in environmental governance. The discourses diverge over contrasting perspectives on infrastructural interventions, the role of economic approaches, and the need for new institutions and rules. I suggest that disagreement may not deter integration and collaboration across different scales of governance, but without addressing conflict over key discursive claims about how stormwater governance should proceed, broadly accepted outcomes may remain elusive. With current trends in environmental governance moving towards hybrid forms that bring together groups that transcend traditional organizational structures, this paper reveals how more sustainable outcomes are being devised through current configurations of knowledge and power. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Advancing urban sustainability requires an implementation of various measures such as environmental policy, behavioral change, and technological developments, which have to be taken at various spatial scales. However, choosing the right measures demands considering their potential contribution in reducing the environmental impact and advancing urban sustainability. In recent years, some attempts to assess the contribution of implementing various measures have been advanced by various researchers focusing on different components of urban environmental interactions. While these studies make a significant contribution towards the understanding of the impact of various measures taken for a specific environmental issue, they mostly ignore the diversity and complexity of the urban interface with the environment at different spatial scales, as well as the ecological economics perspective, which approaches the city as a system. This paper uses the UBSI index published recently in this journal, to evaluate the urban biophysical sustainability of the city of Tel Aviv-Jaffa (Israel) in 2014. Based on this data, future scenarios are developed, which examine the potential contribution of various policy measures and different technological processes to the city's sustainability. This examination is conducted while considering population growth and changes of consumption patterns as they are expected to occur until 2030. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]