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Poverty Reduction Strategy Papers (PRSPs) are a central instrument in international development cooperation and of key importance in guiding donors' policies towards southern recipients. However, many aspects of the PRSP have been criticised by a variety of development stakeholders. A checklist of 85 questions has been developed to analyse the inclusion of aspects of sustainable development in PRSPs and to point to sustainability challenges and opportunities. It thus facilitates targeted advice and quality improvements. The checklist was applied to a selection of 12 PRSPs of developing countries. The results reveal an insufficient integration of the ecosystem services concept, of biodiversity and of climate issues. Property rights, gender issues, water and energy are as a rule well elaborated. PRSPs show significant variation in the integration of environmental sustainability issues. Sustainability assessments can contribute to significant improvements between first and second generation PRSPs provided the assessments are supported by a strong institutional framework and a dedicated political commitment towards sustainability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Globalization presents opportunities and challenges for developing regions such as sub-Saharan Africa as they seek to improve their levels of socioeconomic development. Processes of globalization increasingly depend upon information and communication technologies (ICTs), and these normally need modifications to fit local contexts. This requires that processes that affect interactions between global, regional, and local levels need to be understood. It appears reasonable to conjecture that understanding the roles or effects of socioeconomic and cultural factors (among others) would lead to more effective ICT policies for sustainable development at regional and local levels. Drawing on Sen's capability theory of human development, a modified version of the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) is presented, and validated by analyzing survey data gathered in two sub-Saharan African countries, although no claim is made as to the model's generalizability. Some diagnostics and prescriptions for how to effect sustainable technology adoption and development across the region to enhance human capabilities are then presented. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Touristic security – the practice of securing tourists to sustain tourism – has become a highly pertinent and powerful global security practice. Many organisations, governments, industry stakeholders, consultants, and scholars claim touristic security to be a 'win-win' security practice supportive of global sustainable development for all. But is this true? This paper interrogates this claim in two steps. First, it sets out an international political sociology inspired approach to theorising security as a global practice shaped by and shaping of the continued coloniality of power, and, second, it uses this approach to select, connect, and analyse diverse critical studies of tourism for the emergence, enactment, and consequences of touristic security in the Global South. Put together, the critical studies of tourism analysed suggest that touristic security is a neoliberal security practice that centres international – often white Western – tourists' fears and vulnerabilities, and, following, that it is (re)producing the coloniality of inequalities, insecurities, and immobilities. Far from a 'win-win' security practice, then, critical studies of tourism imply that touristic security is feeding into an endless process of (in)securitisation that is antithetical to global sustainable development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Academic research on mining and climate change and associated impacts on water resources particularly for the developing world has been limitedly explored. Climate change is expected to make water insecurity in rural areas more severe as weather patterns become unfavourable. The extent to which the mining sector is able to reduce its impact on water resources and adapt to climate change will have implications for host communities. This paper explores the relationship between climate change, mining development and water security and how this places rural communities in a position of risk from mining development and climate change for water security. This paper focuses on the Fuleni and Somkhele rural communities located within the uMkhanyakude District Municipality in Northern KwaZulu-Natal, a climate change-induced water scarce area. Despite drought, mining operations continue. Semi-structured interviews were used to collect data from key social actors in the Fuleni community (i.e. residents opposing mining development) and with Somkhele residents (already burdening with mining operations). Additionally for Somkhele, a questionnaire was used to ascertain 424 household views on the impacts of climate variability and mining impacts on livelihoods and water. Results indicated an interplay between climate change, mining impacts and water (and food) security. Development must be implemented in an integrated and holistic manner that contributes to sustainable development and does not impact on water resources. Technological innovations related to water and energy and inter-sectoral collaborations must be prioritised between mining, the government, and civil society, to achieve water security. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The most cited definition of sustainable development was created more than three decades ago, by the Brundtland Commission. The problem that was defined then is equally present today. There are various definitions of 'sustainable development', and thus, in the past, different countries have made different frameworks. However, the current framework has been presented by the 2030 Agenda and specifically divided into 17 goals, defined by the United Nations. It is not the same starting point for countries with developed and underdeveloped economies. This paper highlights the economic and educational structure of the population as a potential for economic and social development, but also for the Gross Value Added. These are the main parameters that were analysed to extract the most sensitive areas. The analysed data refer to the 25 administrative areas (NSTJ 3) in Serbia. The most endangered areas that should be emphasized in further research and action plans are distinguished. The results of the paper should serve as a starting point for further and more in-depth research, as well as for creating projects for the more balanced regional development of Serbia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study quantitatively reviewed the literature related to SDG 11 (Sustainable Development Goal 11) between 2015 and 2022 using bibliometric and spatial autocorrelation methods. The results showed that the amount of SDG 11-related literature increased annually since 2015, with an accelerated growth after 2018. The collaborations among countries, institutions, and authors of SDG 11-related literature were identified, with some major authors and institutions acting as links Keyword cluster and timeline analysis indicated that 'Agenda 2030', 'appropriate technologies', and 'country' were the main clusters of research, while 'management,' 'climate change,' and 'impact' were the most popular keywords, and 'urban plan nexus,' 'social cooperation,' and 'renewable energy' were the emerging keywords since 2021. Spatial autocorrelation analysis revealed that countries with more SDG 11-related literature were dispersed geographically. In the Getis-Ord G* analysis, China, the United States, and the United Kingdom were identified as hotspots; whereas Africa and Central Asia were identified as cold spots. To ensure timely implementation of the SDG 11, this study recommends helping less developed countries, resolving sustainable urbanization issues through innovative technology, and promoting more effective planning. It not only attempts a novel approach of using spatial statistics to analyze the bibliometric results but also provides valuable information for policymakers and scholars. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The phenomena of globalization and fragmentation of production drive countries to face a double challenge of catching up: economic upgrading coupled with improvement in living standards. Meanwhile, insertion and upgrading within global value chains (GVCs) deeply affect national economies in multiple ways. In this paper, we explore the research agenda on the distributional outcomes of the integration of countries into GVCs, with special attention paid to developing countries. A critical review of both the existing literature on the relationship between economic and social upgrading and the methodological approaches to GVC integration and their distributional outcomes are undertaken, in order to improve understanding and to help orient policy strategies. We highlight the relevance of institutions as well as the role of governments and MNE initiatives to ensure that the achievement of sustainable economic gains are translated into social benefits. This can be attained by the reinforcement of welfare and labour institutions, the strengthening of innovation systems, and support for and densification of local chains. There is a pressing need for further research on this topic founded on accurate knowledge of metrics and indicators for analyzing the insertion of countries into GVCs as well as their distributive outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In 2011, the Government of Québec, Canada announced an ambitious twenty-five-year plan to develop the province's northern region—an area nearly twice the size of France. A centrepiece of the Plan Nord is to integrate the province's various Indigenous peoples in the sustainable development of the region. However, there are early warning signs of the potential for future conflict as some Indigenous groups mobilized opposition against proposed developments. This raises important questions: could the plan enhance prospects for improved cooperation between Indigenous peoples and non-Indigenous groups or is it likely to engender conflict? Which factors explain the diverging levels of support for the plan between the region's principal Indigenous peoples (i.e. Cree, Inuit, Innu)? The paper uses the 'sons of the soil' (SoS) conflict framework to theorize the mechanisms that can give rise to—or prevent the escalation of—Indigenous and non-Indigenous conflict in northern Québec. Though typically applied to case studies in the Global South, the SoS conflict framework provides a novel approach for understanding the contentious politics surrounding land, territory, and natural resource development in settler-colonial contexts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Innovation is believed to be a key driver of societal and economic well-being. In many cases, it has also led to more sustainable lifestyles and a more efficient use of natural resources. But despite the relevance of innovation as a tool to support sustainable development, there is a need for research that analyses current trends in order to guide future efforts. The present paper addresses this research need. It examines existing methods and tools for fostering social innovation in matters related to sustainable development, within the framework of the SDGs. By means of an online survey undertaken among sustainability and innovation experts in a sample of industrialised and developing nations, this study has identified some of the means via which social innovation is being pursued, along with its applications and limitations. A number of case studies showing examples of sustainable innovation have been mapped to demonstrate its usefulness. A causal loop diagram, which links the factors associated with social innovation within the context of the UN Sustainable Development Goals, is also presented, offering a greater understanding of their interconnections. The paper concludes by outlining some measures that may help to take better advantage of the many opportunities offered by social innovation that put the principles of sustainable development into practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As rapid urbanization becomes a key topic within urban studies and planning particularly in the Global South, it needs to be considered what radical implications to urban environment mean. Reviewing literature on urbanization and its implications on urban environment from within the Global South and on sustainable development research and environmental studies, this article discusses eight implications of urbanization-environmental conundrum: pollution, water resource degradation, urban heat island effect, sea level rise and urban flooding, urban sprawl and slum growth, urban agriculture decline, public health deterioration, and urban wetland destruction that question the ontology of urbanization in Global South cities. Drawing on cases from Saudi Arabian cities, findings indicate that sustainable development agenda is skewed towards socio-economic development with limited focus on environmental issues. This situation is threatening the sustainability of rapidly urbanizing cities. The paper proposes a rhizomatic understanding of environmental importance as a roadmap for sustainable and transformative urbanization in Global South. This ontology changes understandings of what sustainable urbanization should be in rapidly growing Global South cities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper interprets aspects of the implementation of environmental education in a Higher Education Institution, situated in a developing country, to promote Education for Sustainable Development (ESD). The paper will allow educators to categorise the multiplicity of ESD programmes and projects in higher education institutions, determine their limitations and acceptability, and benefit from the theoretical framework of affective learning in designing new ESD interventions. The paper will also provide an overview of the processes required to establish ESD in developing and developed countries. This paper will further help universities to develop a better understanding of how integration of the three components of sustainable development – economic development, social development and environmental protection – can be incorporated in higher education. The paper explores the challenges for planning the implementation of ESD in an education faculty, outlining the potential lessons learned that could assist in improving ESD efforts in Faculties of Education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The sustainable development goals (SDGs) are intended to make the 17 goals and the 169 targets globally applicable with the necessary contextualisation so as to "leave no one behind" (LNOB). This paper examines how the SDGs can be localised to LNOB in the London boroughs of Newham and Tower Hamlets. These boroughs with one of the most ethnically diverse populations in the country are amongst the high grow boroughs of London but also with one of the highest social and economic deprivations. The research offers insights into how policy framework requires a targeted engagement with marginalised communities. The empowerment of such individuals and communities can in turn enable them to access opportunities that require higher levels of skills in their home boroughs and elsewhere in London. Additionally, the inclusion of cultural norms and practices can further strengthen the process to address the capability deprivations. This approach therefore has wider relevance to achieving the "LNOB" pledge of the SDGs. Globally, in both developed and developing countries, some marginalised communities living with intergenerational deprivations remain untouched by macro-level efforts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper proposes a novel theoretical model for the community-based enterprise, which could assist in achieving UN sustainable development goals within craft communities in developing nations. This model focuses on building enterprise skills in vulnerable communities, sustaining traditional crafts and strengthening community capacity for self-determination. This article distills qualitative data from case studies, participatory action research workshops and field observations within traditional handloom craft communities in Sri Lanka. It explores the prevailing status of community-based entrepreneurship practices and argues that under current practices, entrepreneurial culture is not deeply embedded in community life, leading young people to move away from the traditional way of life and damaging the cohesion of traditional communities. This study establishes the need to sustain levels of social capital, support family networks, and encourage innovation to develop enterprise in craft communities. We recommend various strategies for overcoming structural and socio-cultural barriers to enterprise and to establish community-based sustainable development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Technological Innovation Systems (TIS) framework has become popular for analyzing innovation dynamics and as a systematic approach to understanding the development of new technologies. This paper aims to identify the main drivers and issues faced by EdTech startups and the entrepreneurs' innovation role within Kazakhstan's entrepreneurial ecosystem using the TIS framework, but from the role of the entrepreneur as the main actor, as opposed to systems. This study offers relevant information for new entrepreneurs in the EdTech field aiming for similar goals and potentially facing similar challenges faced by current entrepreneurs in that country. Data were collected from an online survey and semi-structured interviews using a quasi-quantitative and qualitative approach. The main research findings include identifying critical categories of risks and success indicators for Kazakhstan's EdTech startup entrepreneurs, including the ability to attract foreign and local investments, risk management, monetization strategies, developing trends, and government support. A total of 30 companies were analyzed, with findings suggesting that the quality of the entrepreneurial ecosystem reflects the level of economic development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Expanding equitable access to product markets for millions of poor farmers is of critical importance to the development of sustainable rural livelihoods in developing countries. This paper addresses the question of how to improve strategies for improving their capacity to access dynamic markets on a large scale. Skill formation receives little attention in the current debate about how to overcome wealth-differentiated barriers to market entry in poor rural societies. Public investment in skill development for the rural poor fails to meet actual livelihood skill needs. By using a methodology to study farmer groups in three countries that built theory "from the bottom up," this paper's research identified an unmet, grass-roots demand in farmer groups for combining five skill sets that in combination, represent capacity for sustainable entrepreneurship. Not only is the demand for a broader approach to capacity development emerging out of groups of poor farmers, the combined skills are collective attributes formed and exercised by farmer groups that are successfully delivering benefits to their members. The paper concludes that what poor farmers want is the combination of these five capabilities and argues that a more comprehensive redefinition of skills and learning for the rural poor is needed that responds to this demand. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Poverty alleviation has been positioned high on the international development agenda following the adoption of the United Nations Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) in 2000. African countries initiated various missions to establish sustained economic growth by increasing productivity with an ultimate goal of poverty reduction. The significance of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in poverty reduction and employment generation is widely acknowledged. Despite the high failure rate amongst SMEs, particularly in the African context, some are striving with excellent results and are demonstrating signs of growth, innovation and sustainability. This paper explores the development of SMEs as a strategic measure for job creation in sub-Saharan Africa. It examines the role of SMEs in achieving sustainable employment in Africa. This study will benefit governments in Africa, getting them to focus on the development of the SMEs, and guiding them on how best to integrate SME development to achieve poverty alleviation. The recommendations proposed in this study may be helpful in policy formulation, business operation and regulatory practice for sustainable growth and development in the sub-Saharan African context. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper is aimed at identifying constructs that influence sustainable road infrastructure project implementation (SRIPI) in developing countries and to predict which of these constructs determine SRIPI outcomes. A sequential mixed-method approach comprising Delphi study and questionnaire survey was conducted amongst road infrastructure development professionals. Multiple regression was utilized in predicting the effects of the 12 constructs in determining SRIPI outcomes. The study established nine constructs (Social sustainability; cultural sustainability; Economic Sustainability; Environmental Sustainability; Institutional Sustainability; Health & Safety; Project Management; Resource Utilization and Management; and Engineering Performance) from literature and three new constructs (public participation, climate change response and stakeholder management) as influential in SRIP implementation in developing countries. The results revealed that eight of the constructs contributions are not significant in predicting SRIPI outcomes. The other four constructs (Stakeholder management; Public participation; Project management; and Resource utilization and management) make a significant unique contribution in predicting SRIPI outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Capacity-building is acknowledged as an essential requirement for addressing environmental and developmental challenges in developing countries. In particular, the capacity to manage technological change is an important prerequisite for climate change mitigation, adaptation and green growth. Despite the importance of such capacity, there are surprisingly few empirical accounts unpacking its different dimensions and exploring how it might be built in developing countries in the context of climate and sustainable development challenges. In this paper, we contribute to this sparse literature through an in-depth qualitative case study on energy efficiency in India. Specifically, we take a systemic and evolutionary perspective to investigate how the Bureau of Energy Efficiency developed and implemented its programs to promote energy efficiency in household appliances, light-emitting-diode lamps and energy-intensive industries – and how in doing so, both drew upon existing capacity within and outside the country, and also built new capacity, to achieve significant energy savings. Key policy insights Since the capacity to manage technological change is distributed among a range of actors, policymakers require the ability to understand capacity needs from multiple actors' perspectives. Policymakers need to respond to evolving capacity needs over the course of a program – from strategic program design, trust-building and resource mobilization in early stages, to administration in later stages. 'System operators/integrators' can play a crucial role during the early stages of a program by helping develop capacity and sustaining it by creating a demand for such capacity, as well as bringing together actors, enabling coordination, and building coalitions among them. Preliminary analysis suggests that the Bureau of Energy Efficiency programs investigated in this paper resulted in significant energy savings and CO2 emission reductions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines the nexus between tourism revenue and economic growth to the Republic of Benin throughout for 1995–2015. Specifically, this document examines the dynamic link between the three variables within a vector error correction model using the Johansen technique of co-integration, as well as the CUSUM test. The result confirms the tourism-led growth hypothesis that tourism has had a positive impact on economic growth in the developing countries, particularly in the Republic of Benin. Similarly, the CUSUM test CUSUM and CUSUMSQ statistics are well within the 5% critical bounds, implying that short- and long-term coefficients in the ARDL-Error Correction Model are stable. The result suggests that governments in developing nations will promote and increase international tourism demand to attain sustainable economic growth and development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper provides an in-depth analysis of the European Commission's trade and sustainable development discourse from 1993 to 2022. By employing a discursive institutionalist framework and examining a comprehensive corpus of over 1,400 press documents, this study traces the discursive process that has created both significant changes to, and persistent elements in, the Commission's trade-sustainability agenda. The analysis reveals noteworthy shifts within the discourse, notably a transition from a primary concern with labour and human rights during the 1990s to an increased focus on economic development and poverty reduction in the early 2000s. This was followed by a discernible move towards more stringent differentiation among developing countries and an amplified emphasis on reciprocity. In recent years, we are witnessing a strong focus on environmental and climate protection, labour rights, and enforceability. The findings underscore the enduring presence of trade-sustainability ideas within EU trade policy and their gradual evolution over time, while contributing to the literature on the role of ideas in shaping the Union's external policies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Proper integration of low-carbon development (LCD) considerations into policies, plans and programmes (PPPs) using strategic environmental assessment (SEA) is increasingly considered crucial to achieving sustainable development. However, there is little empirical evidence, especially from the developing world, on whether and how SEA is accomplishing this task. This paper analyses five case SEA reports of plans and programmes in Tanzania using a multi-case study design. The aim is to understand how the integration of LCD considerations has played out in practice. A report evaluation framework defined by five review areas and twenty four review questions was used to evaluate the quality of the SEA reports. The results reveal that the integration is patchy across the five cases, with serious deficiencies in conceptualization, scientific assessments, guidelines for implementation, monitoring and follow-up mechanisms and public participation. The average SEA report quality score is 21.6 out of 50 points. The low performance is evidence of a missing link between climate policy and regional/sectoral development planning supported by SEA in Tanzania, reinforcing the urgent need for improvement. Lessons from the Tanzanian cases are broadly relevant for addressing LCD opportunities and challenges in other developing countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper looks at the role, evolution, and regional coverage of the system of multilateral and national development banks (MDBs and NDBs). It analyzes the roles that development banks should play to correct the market failures that characterize financial systems, particularly in emerging and developing countries. It concludes that MDBs should be capitalized to better support emerging and developing countries' recovery after the COVID-19 crisis. They should also be aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals, and enhance their role in promoting innovation and structural transformation, and supporting climate change mitigation and adaptation. It underscores that the development banks should work as a system and that better networking between MDBs and NDBs is essential and should be systematically monitored. Finally, it points out that MDBs should support the development of strong NDBs in the regions where these institutions are underrepresented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explores the effect of government supervision on the development of FFBS by analyzing massive travel information data. Our identification strategy exploits a natural experiment focusing on Mobike in Chengdu. We find that supervision does not necessarily suppress the development of FFBS. It also allows FFBS to increase its focus on alleviating the pressure of public transport and reducing the consumption of public resources. Moreover, we identify that the impact of government supervision on weekends is considerably more significant than on weekdays given that government supervision has a significant suppression effect on the FFBS travel behavior of scattered parking, leisure, and long distance. In contrast, the effect of government supervision on the FFBS travel behavior of commuting and schooling is not significant. We finally present implications for government and operators of FFBS, especially in developing countries, on the sustainable development of FFBS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Billions are faced with poor sanitation in developing countries, forcing United Nations' to miss sanitation targets over the years. This is mainly due to the poor condition of sanitation in the global-south comprising mostly developing countries. International and national organizations are mainly focused on building sanitation infrastructure to target the Sustainable Development Goal 6.2 (i.e., eradicating open defecation by 2030). But the service delivery in terms of monitoring & maintenance along with other governance issues is often overlooked in most cases. How can we arrange sustainable monitoring of a global sanitation community? In this paper, we discuss how information and communications technology (ICT) may be used to address sanitation governance. We outline the necessary governance criteria found in our field-observations and then explore ICT options to address these issues. We conceptualized and created 'Find A Loo' – a mobile application designed to be a 'good-governance' enabler. We tested this application with the help of System Usability Scale (SUS) and Potential Capability Scale (PCS), where it appeared as 'Good' with an 'A Grade' score, based on evaluators' satisfaction on usability and capability. Overall the evaluation affirms that the application is not only useful and ready to use, but also capable of helping in addressing governance issues in sanitation. This work will be of interest to policy & decision-makers, researchers, service providers, NGOs and people working in the sanitation space. Further, such a system lends itself to analytics that helps optimize the performance of sanitation infrastructure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The goal of this article is twofold: first, it assesses the current state of collaboration between institutionalist economics and the academic degrowth discourse on the topic of global inequalities. Since a systematic literature review of the current degrowth discourse shows that the level of such collaboration is limited, the second goal of the article is to outline avenues through which institutionalist scholars could contribute to the current academic degrowth discourse. These include the provision of theories of institutional change, a methodological reflection of selected formal models, and substantive insights on the co-evolution of institutions and technological change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The green economy concept promises to provide a concrete roadmap to the implementation of sustainable development while delivering significant social and economic benefits and reduced environmental risks. However, the concept of a green economy is still being debated and the emerging discourse has yet to be fully interpreted within the industrial, institutional and socio-economic realities of many countries, including particularly emerging and developing nations. This paper traces the origins of the concept, providing the context for its current traction globally, and then introduces three emerging agendas around the green economy: ‘the incrementalist discourse’, ‘the reformist discourse’ and ‘the transformative discourse’. The paper ends with a discussion of the application of key themes within these discourses in the context of southern Africa and considerations as the green economic debate evolves. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Increasing climate vulnerability in developing countries impedes inclusive and sustainable development. The paper examines the linkages between official development assistance (ODA) and climate vulnerability while analysing the mediating role of adaptation readiness in 119 developing countries using a panel correlated standard error estimator. The study also investigates the relationship between ODA's sectoral composition and climate vulnerability. The findings reveal that ODA is positively associated with climate vulnerability across all models and regions. However, ODA disbursement according to governance readiness criteria is associated with low vulnerability. The sectoral analysis reveals that the share of social infrastructure, humanitarian, and debt assistance is more in highly vulnerable countries. In contrast, these countries receive less aid specific to production, economic infrastructure, and multi-sector, and donors commit most climate-related ODA in these sectors. Overall, findings suggest a lack of adaptation mainstreaming into ODA disbursements. Furthermore, it calls for exploiting unexplored opportunities for vulnerability reduction through ODA in those sectors where the share of ODA is high in vulnerable countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Climate change is almost unanimously perceived to be one of the greatest environmental and developmental challenges of this century. Implementing climate change response requires not just huge and prudent utilization of financial resources, but also highly efficient financing institutions and systems especially in developing countries where underlying development issues such as poverty, health, etc. exist. This paper attempts to evaluate the operationalization of the Indonesian Climate Change Trust Fund (ICCTF) as a climate financing prototype in terms of fund mobilization, nature of projects, equity and inclusion, alignment and mainstreaming. This study was conducted through review of relevant and recent literature on climate change governance and financing, supported with information retrieved from relevant official documents as well as interviews of key persons. Our study found the ICCTF most effective in alignment with national development plans and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). It has implemented climate change adaptation programmes with the principles of equity and inclusion of various stakeholders. The ICCTF has however struggled to efficiently mobilize funds owing largely to technical ambiguities especially in its legal and institutional frameworks, it therefore yet to be utilized to its maximum potentials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

UNESCO increasingly points to the value of culture for sustainable development. However, if we review UNESCO policies on the protection of cultural property in the event of armed conflict, developing countries do not seem to find access or implement them. Consequently, this paper analyses UNESCO initiatives related to the protection of cultural property in the event of armed conflict from a developmental perspective and explores whether they are adequate and inclusive for developing countries. Data for this paper were gathered from document analyses and additional expert interviews obtained via email questionnaires. The paper finds that UNESCO tends to be willing to improve the situation. However, the ratification rates of the relevant UNESCO Conventions in developing countries remain low, the implementation of these instruments is almost non-existent and the commitment to UNESCO protection policies is insufficient. This is mainly due to a lack of awareness and to the fact that the initiative has to come from the state concerned; the possibilities for international cooperation are still quite limited. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Over the last decade, the green economy concept has emerged as a fundamental policy framework for sustainable development in developing countries. This paper contributes to the current debate by providing an empirical investigation of the effect of the green economy on food security in 35 Sub-Saharan African countries for the period of 2001–2015. The results provide evidence that green economy indicators have controversial effects on food security (food availability and the proportion of undernourished people). Indeed, the results show that biofuels contribute to decreased food security in Sub-Saharan African countries, whereas renewable energy improves food security. Carbon dioxide emissions have no effect on food security. The results are robust to alternative robustness checks, such as the two-step Generalized Method of Moments (GMM) system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Actions needed to mitigate and adapt to climate change have often synergies and trade-offs with sectoral and sustainable development priorities, and the recent focus on SDGs and sustainable transitions highlights the need to integrate climate action into other policy spheres. This process is known as climate policy integration (CPI) or climate mainstreaming. Enhancing its understanding as a public policy making process can provide insights for its operationalization, which becomes relevant in the context of the implementation of Nationally Determined Contributions in the global South. This paper aims to enhance the understanding of the how windows of opportunity for CPI are formed by drawing on elements from the multiple streams framework (MSF) developed by John Kingdon. This paper analyses grey literature regarding two cases of climate mainstreaming initiatives implemented by international cooperation organizations. The results show that relevant elements from the MSF, such as, attachment to other high-profile national issues, timing the integration with routine institutional procedures, and the presence of policy entrepreneurs, have been catalysing factors for CPI in the context of such initiatives. However, we can only assess the value of this analytical framework for CPI by testing it systematically through case studies in a variety of contexts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper describes the discussions on flood control in Japan, recently adding climate change, and the activities of the Japan International Cooperation Agency for disaster risk reduction. JICA led the negotiations of the UN Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015–2030, as a main member of the government of Japan. The Sustainable Development Goals' demand to 'leave no one behind' requires that the social system protect even the poorest people who live in disaster-prone areas. Local disaster risk reduction planning plays an indispensable role; and JICA wrote an eight-step methodology to formulate these plans. The emphasis in each country needs to shift from planning to implementation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fairtrade is a transnational voluntary labelling initiative that aims to upgrade the social, economic, and environmental conditions of producers in developing countries. In this paper, we systematically translated, coded, and analysed open-ended responses from a global survey of Fairtrade producers to explore how Fairtrade operates as a credential. The credentialism literature sheds light on Fairtrade's ability to create social and economic mobility, the operation of positive and negative selection processes and the hidden curriculum. We conclude with research and policy recommendations, including the need for the research community and Fairtrade International to track and monitor initial conditions of Fairtrade producers and measure progress over time to improve understanding of how Fairtrade operates as a credential and structures the social and economic mobility of developing country producers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aims to examine the influence of banks' credit to SMEs on non-performing loans. Many studies find that access to financial sources has become an obstacle to the growth and sustainability of SMEs. This study uses theoretical and empirical approaches to support the study's hypothesis. Data are presented for 15 banks in Palestine, covering the period 2006 to 2016.The study uses empirical techniques regarding to examine the relationship between the variables. Evidence shows that encouraging banks to lend more money to SMEs through the use of a guarantee fund could decrease their risk. Thus, enhancing credit to SMEs could improve the growth and sustainability of these firms. The study recommending policymakers and bank's managers could develop their strategies according to SME's needing. Therefore, enhancing the growth in these firms and reducing the bank's risk. Furthermore, adopting the guarantee funds in developing countries could decrease the bank's risk, thus lending more to SME. The value of this paper comes from the importance of SME in the economic growth and development sustainability. Therefore, there is a need to convince banks to enhance SME credit through a guarantee fund and that extending this type of credit would positively influence banks' activities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Caribbean, accessed significant external funding over the first three decades of the epidemic, which provided local authorities the opportunity to defer their responsibility in leading or matching the support provided from the external agencies. The reduction in external support has placed increased pressure on the response to the epidemic, with some countries more likely to be affected than others. This paper undertakes a review of the expenditure and funding landscape for HIV programs in the Caribbean. The findings confirm that despite the dwindling number of funding sources, some countries continue to display a significant degree of dependency on external funding sources. It is noteworthy that Treatment and Care accounted for the largest share of HIV expenditure in those countries, which displayed the highest degree of dependency on external funding. While, HIV spending was a relatively small percentage of both total health expenditure and gross domestic product, expenditure levels were noticeably higher in Haiti. These averages however conceal significant differences across countries, which should inform the magnitude and direction of any spending expansion by these countries if they are to achieve financial sustainability. Some recommendations are provided on the way forward to facilitate building a sustainable response to the epidemic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) agenda calls for safe drinking water and sanitation for all communities around the world and the use of water in a sustainable and efficient manner. Although under less scrutiny in developed countries, network water losses can be a costly resource misallocation. This paper analyses real water losses in drinking water networks in Australia by applying a panel data regression model with fixed effects to ascertain the main drivers of real water losses. The results indicate population growth and water main breaks as major drivers of water losses in Australia. Real water losses also have an impact on utilities net revenue per unit water delivered, infrastructure leakage index and operational costs. In order to reduce real water losses, water managers and regulators must pay more attention to the health of the distribution network in the face of rapid urbanisation experienced in the east coast of Australia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the 1980s, the process of convergence between culture and development began to emerge in the context of post-colonialism and changing geopolitical realities. Later on, along with increasing multilateralism, The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) eventually became the main actor in promoting culture as a fourth pillar of sustainable development. The paradigm shift in the heritage-development agenda is examined in the context of growing aspirations of non-Western states to play an active role in the global heritage regime, and the interests and strategies of UNESCO's secretariat and the member states. At first, heritage and development were perceived as separate or opposed fields. Recently, a sustainable development framework emerged as a new global development model. UNESCO has engaged in the shaping of the United Nations (UN) 2030 agenda, and advocated a pragmatic approach to heritage. This paper examines the evolution of ideas and concepts linking 'development' and 'heritage' forged at the forum of UNESCO as part of its Culture and Development framework. The role of the Global South in the paradigm change is highlighted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite the popularity of the concept of sustainable development, there is growing evidence that, globally, human enterprise is becoming less sustainable rather than more. This paper examines this concept and the difficulty of linking it with environmental concerns. Developing countries emphasise economic growth and the eradication of poverty as prerequisites for sustainable development, but despite national strategies and programmes, implementation, especially in Africa, remains weak and fraught with problems. Focusing on national strategies for sustainable development in Zimbabwe, this paper highlights the fragmented and sectoral approach that results in low impact. Agenda 21 as a blueprint for sustainable development underestimates the complexities of diverse situations on the ground and the political and socio-economic realities of development that are in constant flux. Sustainable development initiatives fail to successfully integrate development with environmental concerns, poverty is not adequately addressed, and conservation is regarded as merely an income-generating luxury. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research investigates factors influencing students' commuting choices to university campuses, focusing on the post-COVID-19 era, attitudes, and socio-economic variables. The study includes original data collected from a total of 785 participants who were surveyed at Shiraz University, located in Iran. The study results indicate that while public transportation and university shuttle buses continue to be widely used for transportation, a considerable proportion of students prefer personal cars, mostly driven by favourable impressions. The closeness to the campus is a crucial factor in this regard, as the students residing within a distance of 3 km exhibit a preference for walking. Moreover, the significance of bio-security factors such as cleanliness and the effective control of crowds for modal choice in the post-COVID-19 era. The study's findings give valuable insights for service providers and university administrators in the development of sustainable commuting programmes that align with the university's environmental goals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Capacity building is defined as a process by which stakeholders increase their knowledge, skills and resources in order to improve their ability to adapt in a fast-changing world. Universities play a key role in the promotion of sustainability and implementation of the 2030 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) through capacity building. However, universities in developing countries face significant challenges in the implementation of capacity building programmes for sustainability given the lack of procedures that facilitate the systematic integration of multiple stakeholderś epistemologies, methodologies and objectives. In this paper, we present a capacity building approach as a problem-focused process that follows a multi-domain/multi-stakeholder scheme, and provides alignment with the functions and responsibilities of different sectors of society. The approach involves the use of a decision-support tool for sustainability that enables stakeholders to actively participate in decision-making processes. We illustrate the implementation of the capacity building approach through two case studies and show how general and specific capacities tailored to the different stakeholders can be developed. Our approach to capacity building accentuates the role of universities in Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean as research and innovation hubs that could help design and implement flexible, transparent and robust strategies towards achievement of sustainability in the region. Key policy insights Capacity building to address the sustainable development goals should aim to develop sets of interlinked capacities for sustainability across stakeholder groups. Capacity building should take into account the regional institutional contexts in which universities in Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean are embedded. Effective implementation of capacity building must be tailored to the different roles and functions of the actors involved. Thematic, technical, evaluative and procedural domains provide a comprehensive framework to build capacities, which can be continuously adapted according to the functions and responsibilities of the actors. Capacity building approaches to address climate change vulnerability require decision-support tools to inform policy-making. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is widely agreed that small island developing states (SIDS), a distinct group of 58 developing countries, are uniquely vulnerable to the impacts of climate change. Many SIDS recognize that adequate and effective adaptation to climate change are important components of sustainable development and, as such, are pursuing climate change adaptation policies and programs at the national level. Chapter 29 (Small Islands) of the Fifth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change suggests that more needs to be learnt about how climate change mainstreaming can be practically achieved in these countries. Working within a resilience framework and interviewing senior government and regional organization officials from Caribbean and Pacific SIDS, this paper aims to understand the drivers of, and barriers to adaptation mainstreaming at the national level. In doing this, it finds multiple drivers - the three most commonly reported are institutional/organizational, 'champions'/personalities/informal networks and risk and exposure. It also finds multiple barriers - the three most commonly reported are competing development priorities, poor planning/governance and insufficient manpower/human resources. Building on this knowledge, this paper then proposes a seven-step process towards practically achieving mainstreaming in SIDS, which can be used by national governments and regional organizations to guide their actions in this regard. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This conceptual paper identifies gaps and contributes to the literature on ‘identity’ dilemmas faced by multinational enterprises operating in a globalised world. Various characteristics and business strategies of multinational enterprises are delineated and analysed through the lens of social identity theory and international business concepts such as market and institutional logic. Our analysis, based on multiple cases, and derived from a variety of industries and countries, associates the identity dilemma to informed business strategy. Our findings suggest that while multinational enterprises face identity dilemmas that they sometimes use to their advantage, it also poses several challenges. Through our conceptualisation, we derive five distinct propositions to shape future research directions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Intermittent water supply systems are characterised by schedules that subject water consumers to less than 24 hours a day or less than 7 days of water supply a week. Causes and problems of water supply intermittency and their management options are generally discussed in isolation. This obscures challenges involved in minimising intermittency problems. Through reviewing of the literature relevant to intermittency causal factors, problems and their solution options, this paper finds that the interplay between political, social, economic, natural and technical factors, as they contribute to the development and sustenance of water supply intermittency, calls for interdisciplinary approaches to resolving the problems. These approaches will facilitate understanding of the challenges and development of integrated sustainable interventions. Where water resources are abundant, these interventions should involve conversion from intermittent to continuous supply as the ultimate option to handling supply intermittency problems. For this, development of systematic conversion procedures is recommended. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The global area of biotech crops in 2016 increased from 179.7 million hectares to 185.1 million hectares, a 3% increase equivalent to 5.4 million hectares. Some 26 countries planted biotech crops, 19 of which were developing countries and seven were industrial. Information and data collected from various credible sources showed variations from the previous year. Fluctuations in biotech crop area (both increases and decreases) are influenced by factors including, among others, acceptance and commercialization of new products, demand for meat and livestock feeds, weather conditions, global market price, disease/pest pressure, and government's enabling policies. Countries which have increased biotech crop area in decreasing order in 2016 were Brazil, United States of America, Canada, South Africa, Australia, Bolivia, Philippines, Spain, Vietnam, Bangladesh, Colombia, Honduras, Chile, Sudan, Slovakia, and Costa Rica. Countries with decreased biotech area in decreasing order were China, India, Argentina, Paraguay, Uruguay, Mexico, Portugal, and Czech Republic, in decreasing incremental decrease in biotech area. Pakistan and Myanmar were the only countries with no change in biotech crop (cotton) planted. Information detailed in the paper including future crops and traits in each country could guide stakeholders in informed crafting of strategies and policies for increased adoption of biotech crops in the country. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) of the Kyoto Protocol has the explicit objective to both reduce greenhouse gases emissions and support sustainable development (SD) in developing countries. An important aspect that remains an open issue is how the CDM contributes to the three main dimensions of SD, namely environmental, social and economic. Although an extensive literature has emerged focusing on the different aspects of the CDM, the necessity for the sustainability assessment of the CDM projects still remains. Moreover, existing CDM analysis is dominated by studies of CDM projects in Brazil, Mexico, India and China. Within the thousands of CDM projects globally, Africa only has 251 projects in the CDM pipeline and accordingly limited research has been conducted. To cover this knowledge gap regarding sustainability performance in African countries, this paper presents a methodological approach for the SD benefits’ assessment of the CDM projects in developing countries. To this end, appropriate SD criteria and indicators were selected to measure the performance of the CDM projects according to SD dimensions. The proposed approach lays emphasis on the SD benefits of CDM projects in Kenya, which was selected as a priority country, in terms of its potential for CDM projects. The results from the SD benefits’ assessment of the CDM projects in Africa would be important, especially in policy-making and in countries where high CDM potential has been indicated. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Bioenergy is considered an option of significant potential for both industrialized and developing countries and its exploitation can strive toward more sustainable energy systems. In this framework, the main scope of this paper is an analysis of three bioenergy options, namely biomass combustion, biomass gasification, and production of biofuels for the transport sector, in terms of their status, benefits, and possible barriers, as well as their future potential. Special attention is given to the perspectives for deployment in the developing world in the context of emerging opportunities provided by the clean development mechanism for sustainable technology transfer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this paper is to assess the problems and prospects of sustainable tourism development in developing countries with special reference to the Okavango Delta, Botswana. Using both secondary and primary data sources, this paper points out that tourism in developing countries does not always adhere to the principles of sustainable tourism development. In the Okavango Delta, the tourism industry is designed to meet the interests of tourists from developed countries and is dominated by foreign safari companies. The tourism industry in the Okavango Delta does not significantly take into consideration the sociocultural, economic and environmental needs of the host economy. It is characterised by: the marginalisation of local companies and investors; leakages and repatriation of tourism revenue from Botswana to developed countries; the failure of tourism to promote rural development and poverty alleviation; and, the failure to observe local environmental regulations to conserve the Okavango Delta as a natural ecosystem. This paper argues that, despite these problems, such destinations have the potential to contribute to sustainable tourism development. This requires a planning process that satisfies the needs of tourists and tour operators while being sensitive to the sociocultural, economic and environmental needs of host countries and destinations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Using Lima as an example, the author analyses the meaning of sustainable development and how grassroots community-based organisations can contribute to its achievement in megacities. Demands are today made of cities and countries of the South to develop in a sustainable way, although Northern nations did not themselves do so. 'Sustainability' on a global scale is thus attainable only at the cost of the urban poor in the South. The paper argues that the recent shift towards placing the problems and concerns of Third World megacities back on national and international agendas is founded on environmental preoccupations, rather than being an attempt to address poverty and the lack of basic services. The fragmentation of issues and people in urban environments is seen as a threat to genuine development, while community-based organisations may suggest some ways towards achieving a form of development that integrates social and political concerns and is, therefore, sustainable. The paper asserts that 'public spaces' are a way of achieving a decentralised approach to development and democracy in the megacity, provided these are informed by an understanding of the individual and the community, and by a vision of development and politics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hill, R.C, and Bowen, P. (1997) Construction Management and Economics, 15, 223-39 discuss the evolution of the concepts of `environmentalism' and `sustainability', highlighting their importance in today's context. They relate these concepts, especially the latter, to construction, and provide a framework for environmental management in the construction process. This is a comment on the contents of Hill and Bowen, and endorses their stress on the importance of environmental considerations in the construction process. The paper suggests that other areas relating to the subject of sustainability in construction also require attention, and highlights, in particular, the need to take cognisance of the perspective of developing countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]