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This article presents nine resources that focus on environmental education and sustainability. These include: (1) "Sustainability Statement and Policy," Dalhousie University, Nova Scotia, Canada, 2009, which is available at http://office.sustainability.dal.ca/Governance; (2) "Climate Literacy: The Essential Principles of Climate Sciences," National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), USA, 2008, available at www.climate.noaa.gov/education/pdfs/climate_literacy_poster-final.pdf; (3) "Higher Education Carbon Management Programme," The Carbon Trust, UK, available at www.carbontrust.co.uk/he; (4) "Campus Sustainability Toolkit," International Alliance of Research Universities, Australia, available at www.iaruni.org/sustainability/toolkit; (5) "Climate Planning for Campuses: A "How To" Guide," Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education, USA, April 2009, available at www.aashe.org/wiki/climate-planning-guide; (6) "Sustainability Tool for Auditing Curricula in Higher Education (STAUNCH)," The ESRC Centre for Business Relationships, Accountability, Sustainability and Society, Cardiff University, UK, 2007, available at www.brass.cf.ac.uk/projects/Rethinking_the_Future_for_Sustainability/rethinking-the-future-for-sustainability-STAUNCH.html; (7) "Media as Partners in Education for Sustainable Development: A Training and Resource Kit," UNESCO, Paris, 2008, available at http://unesdoc.unesco.org/images/0015/001587/158787E.pdf; (8) "Cookbook for the (Sustainable) University," Morgen--Students Network for a Sustainable Future, The Netherlands, 2009, available at www.studentenvoormorgen.nl/git; and (9) "A Guide for Using the Earth Charter in Education (Version 1)," Earth Charter International, April 2009, available at www.earthcharterinaction.org/content/attachments/12/EC_Education_Guide_2%20APRIL_2009.pdf.

Peri-urban areas support a broad range of multifunctional demands for public goods. In northwest Europe, peri-urban areas tend to overlap with intensive agricultural land, resulting in conflicts between agricultural use and the public good demands of residents. Sustainable intensification (SI) of agriculture might help reconcile agricultural and well-being goals, but it is unclear how the mix of actors in a peri-urban setting can trigger or restrain SI. In a Dutch case study, we explored how SI of agriculture can contribute to making peri-urban areas more sustainable, and which actors are key enabling factors for implementing SI. We used interviews, surveys, workshops, and empirical analysis to obtain insight into the stakeholder's vision of a sustainable future for the case study area, the farming system and actor network. We integrated these insights in a Bayesian Belief Network, where we linked the actor network to implementation of three SI measures (farm-level efficiency measures, small landscape elements, and direct sales), and used sensitivity analysis to model effects of support for implementation by different groups of actors. The case study has a dense stakeholder network, where, dependent on the SI measure, farmers are triggered by all actors to implement SI, or have a stronger role in uptake themselves. The sensitivity analysis suggested that the future preferred by the stakeholders requires broad support of all actors involved, with local actors without a formal role being essential for uptake. Overall, trade-offs among public goods are almost inevitable when taking up SI measures., (© 2022. The Author(s).)

This article maps the scientific production and the contents associated with the sustainable development goals and their integration with universities during the past 21 years. Although many of the topics related to sustainable development goals (SDGs) have been addressed in different studies for decades, it is since 2015 onwards that they gained greater prominence due to the inclusion of higher education as an important actor in the fulfillment of the 2030 agenda and the United Nations SDGs. For the purpose of this paper, a bibliometric analysis of 871 papers, 535 documents in Scopus, and 336 in Web of Science (WoS) from 1998 to 2019 was performed, and the Bibliometrix analysis tool was used. The objective of this mapping is to answer the following research question: Is the integration of the Sustainable Development Goals and Universities a field of study? An analysis of the network of collaborators and trend topics in Scopus and WoS allows us to identify the concurrence and relationships of some keywords, such as sustainable development, sustainability and planning, and some background words, such as humans and global health. In another analysis, the word "higher education" is related to change. This article suggests that the integration of the Sustainable Development Goals in Universities is becoming a field of study under exploration, with a peak of production in 2016 and that has remained stable in the last three years, but thanks to the leading role assigned to Universities, intellectual production should increase in the following years.

Purpose: This paper aims to learn how sustainability and the circular economy were being integrated into the curriculum of a Dutch university and to transfer that knowledge back to a US university business school curriculum. Given the resistance toward integrating sustainability into the US business school curriculum, the Dutch university served as a role model for education for sustainable development. Design/methodology/approach: This case study used ethnographic methods of participant observation over a four-month residency at the Dutch university. Findings: Themes observed are as follows: success in the current context relied upon sustainability being integrated into the culture and lifestyle, legislative enforcement, a focus on urban sustainability, use of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and collaboration as a key to success. The course proposal shifted to a class on the SDGs which is broader, more inclusive, and interdisciplinary. The proposal to integrate circular economy into the US business school curriculum shifted to a class on the SDGs. It was determined that the SDGs presented a more amenable approach to introduce sustainability into the business school curriculum and meet the objectives of education for sustainable development. Research limitations/implications: This case study is based upon the author's experience at one university in the Netherlands. Limitations include the generalizability of the findings to another university as well as the question of transferability across cultures. Practical implications: This case study offers one suggestion for integrating sustainability into the business school curriculum. Social implications: Integrating sustainability into the business school curriculum through the SDGs might help overcome resistance. Originality/value: The findings offer an alternative approach for integrating sustainability into the business school curriculum that is aligned with AACSB standards and which might face less resistance.

Purpose: Daily commuting trips of higher education (HE) students account for a large proportion of the carbon footprint of a HE institution. Considerations of students underlying their choice of travel mode and their decision to make the trip to campus or to study online are explored as a necessary first step for finding an optimal balance between online and on-campus learning from both a sustainability and an educational perspective. Design/methodology/approach: Focus group conversations were held with student groups from different study programmes of a university of applied sciences in the Netherlands. Findings: Dutch students' travel mode choices seem to depend on measures regulating travel demand such as a free public transport card and high parking costs. The findings indicate that students make reasoned choices about making a trip to campus. These choices depend on considerations about their schedule, type, lecturer and content of a course, social norms and their own perceived behavioural control. Alternative online options can provide students with more flexibility to make choices adapted to their needs. Social implications: While these findings are useful for sustainable and educational reasons, they also seem helpful in times of COVID-19 which calls for a re-design of curricula to allow for blended forms of online and on-campus learning. Originality/value: To the best of the authors' knowledge, this paper is one of the first studies looking at students' considerations when deciding whether to travel to campus to learn or stay at home learning online.

Purpose: This paper aims at identifying factors that could contribute to the motivation of students in sustainable development (SD) education. The underlying idea of the paper is that SD education is not always as attractive among students and lecturers as many would like it to be. Design/methodology/approach: The paper briefly reviews literature regarding behavioral change for long-term benefits. It identifies four motivators that could be effective to make people pursue longer-term objectives. It identifies if these motivators were present in five cases of successful SD education. Findings: The four motivators for students that were identified in the literature review (a sense of autonomy, a challenge of reflection on the future role, connection with others, self-fulfillment, focus on the individual learning need) could be observed in the cases of successful SD education, although to various degrees. Individual autonomy in learning was not observed, but group autonomy was present in all cases. Research limitations/implications: The case studies were all electives. It is unclear how the motivators could work out in mandatory courses. Moreover, the curriculum as a whole will affect the success of single courses. Successful courses being "the exception" of the curriculum might be judged differently if they would be part of the curriculum in which such courses would be the main stream. Further research is required to check if the motivators are effective in mandatory and not specifically SD-targeted courses. It is also not clear how various motivators could be applied most effectively in a curriculum. Practical implications: The paper gives guidance to lecturers and educational managers to design attractive and effective SD education. Originality/value: The paper treats SD education from a novel perspective: how to convey a credible behavioral message, and how to motivate students for education for SD.

Purpose: This paper aims to reveal, and contribute to an understanding of, the processes that connect learning and innovation networks in sustainable agriculture to elements of the mainstream agricultural regime. Drawing on the innovations and transition literature, the paper frames the analysis around niche-regime interaction using the notion of niche-regime compatibility. Design/Methodology/Approach: 17 Learning and Innovation Networks for Sustainable Agriculture (LINSA) engaged in agricultural food production, non-food and rural development were analyzed. In line with the project's transdisciplinary approach data were collected in a series of participatory workshops. Findings: Five modes of LINSA-regime interaction are distinguished based on compatibility. The level of LINSA-regime compatibility influences the extent of the diffusion of LINSA ideas and practices into the regime. However, interaction processes within these modes reveal multiple and diverse connections between LINSA and regime entities suggesting a more complex relationship exists. Practical implications: A range of connecting processes and activities (for example, certification, exemption from regulation, facilitation of networking) can bring about effective LINSA-regime interaction and could be externally supported. Originality/Value: Empirical evidence from 17 case studies provides valuable insights from a number of different contexts across Europe. By directing analysis of interaction at the level of LINSA (niche project), rather than at the macro level, the study offers an original perspective. It suggests that the transition to sustainable agriculture might be understood as a complex of interactive processes leading to a series of adaptive changes, rather than as regime change.

Purpose: This paper aims to introduce and investigate dialogic interaction as a key element of achieving a transition towards sustainability in people, organizations and society as a whole. Furthermore "sustainability competence" as a potential outcome of such interaction is to be introduced, referring to the capacities and qualities that people, and the organizations and communities of which they are part, need in order to address (un)sustainability. Design/methodology/approach: The argument of the paper is grounded conceptually in emergent thinking among scholars preoccupied with learning-based change and sustainability in organizations and communities. Empirically, the paper uses two case studies carried out by the authors to ground the argument in real efforts by communities to create a (more) sustainable way of living. Findings: The main results include: a post-normal understanding of sustainability highlighting uncertainty, complexity, normativity, controversy and indeterminacy; a framework facilitating dialogic interaction; and a number of key competences that appear conducive to both dialogic interaction and a transition to sustainability. Research limitations/implications: Although the two case studies are quite extensive and rigorous, the conceptual nature of the paper and the word limitation did not allow for a more detailed discussion of the methodology used in the case studies and the contexts in which the two case studies are located. Originality/value: The paper adopts a post-normal perspective of organizational transitions towards sustainability and focuses on dialogue and dialogic interaction as a key learning-based mechanism for facilitating such a transition. Furthermore the framework for dialogic interaction allows for a more holistic approach toward such a transition and the development of competences needed to accelerate its realization. (Contains 1 figure and 2 notes.)

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to evaluate and analyse the didactic model of a university course, which concerns an applied academic consultancy project and which focuses on skills related to crossing boundaries between disciplines and cultures, and between theory and practice. These boundary crossing skills are needed to develop sustainable solutions for complex environmental problems. Design/methodology/approach: The paper evaluates the course based on recommendations for successful collaborative interdisciplinary research found in literature. Reflections of two cohorts of 30 students are used to analyse the four components that make up the didactic model of the course: organizational "matrix structure" in which students work, two week field-trip, customized SharePoint web site, and teachers as facilitators rather than providers of information. Findings: The course enhanced the students' awareness of disciplinary and cultural boundaries and added to their appreciation of using different disciplinary and cultural perspectives in developing sustainable solutions. Students learnt to deal with uncertainty in scientific research and realized that decisions in environmental management are based on partial knowledge. They also learnt how to overcome barriers in the design and implementation of interdisciplinary research projects. Originality/value: The paper presents an innovative didactic model that proved to be successful in educating boundary crossing skills. It contributes to understanding how educational programmes at universities can better equip students to find sustainable solutions. (Contains 3 tables and 1 figure.)

In the 1990s, courses on sustainable development (SD) were introduced in technological universities. After some years of practice, there is increased interest in the evaluation of the most effective ways for teaching SD. This paper introduces the use of conceptual maps as a tool to measure the knowledge acquired by students when taking a Sustainability course. Pilot measurements have been made to evaluate the concepts and their interrelations in order to evaluate the students' learning. These measurements were carried out using a sample of more than 700 European students. To measure the learning outcomes of courses, the evaluation is done twice. Before the course starts, the students' previous knowledge on sustainability is measured; once the students have completed the course they are evaluated again. By comparing conceptual maps drawn by each student, the improvement of the students' knowledge is evaluated. This paper shows the measuring process, and points out the suitability of using conceptual maps for research in education. Moreover, the correlation between the learning outcomes the pedagogical techniques used in each course may indicate the effectiveness of the pedagogical strategies in education for sustainable development. (Contains 3 tables and 3 figures.)

This paper evaluates the sustainable development graduation track at TU Delft. This track can be followed by all students of TU Delft. It consists of an interdisciplinary colloquium "Technology in Sustainable Development", 300 h of self-chosen courses on sustainable development and a graduation project in which sustainable development is integrated. This paper deals with the numbers of students that follow the track, with the results of a questionnaire among the students, and with the jobs students have found after graduation. Our main conclusions are that about 50 students start the sustainable development track each year, which is more than initially intended; that two thirds of the sustainable development graduates completely integrate sustainable development into their graduation project; that the students feel that the sustainable development certificate adds value to their graduation and that many of them find jobs within the sustainable development field. (Contains 3 tables.)

Purpose--To present the challenge of sustainable development, the way in which technology can address that challenge and the task of engineering education to train engineers for it. Design/methodology/approach--The paper describes briefly the history of the environmental and sustainability discourse in The Netherlands, as a densely populated country. It argues that technology should play a major role in SD, but that technological innovation is not enough. Technological systems renewal is a transdisciplinary activity involving relevant stakeholders and disciplines. "Needs" is the basic starting-point to innovate new systems of provision. The paper reviews relevant literature regarding future orientation of technology development. Based on it, goals for training of engineers are developed. Findings--The engineer has to meet a threefold challenge: providing new creative approaches on the one hand, and setting up and executing R&D programs that produce results, on the other; cooperating with other disciplines and lay stakeholders, on the one hand, and guarding disciplinary quality, on the other; bridging moralism and strategic pragmatism. Research limitations/implications--The paper is an introduction, i.e. it sketches the issues without dealing with them in detail. Practical implications--The paper draws in broad lines a road-map for the future of engineering education and sustainable development. The paper is a useful source for those engineering institutions that are formulating a strategy to introduce sustainable development. Originality/value--The paper goes beyond environmental engineering, not by just adding social and economic issues, but by developing an integrated framework for academic training of engineers. (Contains 1 figure and 3 notes.)

This paper provides critical reflections on higher education for sustainable development (HESD) from a philosophical perspective. A theoretical framework is developed, based on John Dewey's thoughts on the aim of democracy and the critical role of education herein, and with specific focus on two constructs: 'initiative and adaptability' and 'values and virtues'. This theoretical framework is used to analyze HESD in Flanders, from a historical and socio-political perspective. The Flemish case shows a gradual evolution from a focus on environmental management on campus, followed by a normative interpretation of what HESD should look like, and a more transformative approach in light of citizenship and democratic ideals. The case also shows considerable exchange of information between Flanders and the Netherlands, in which Dutch models and instruments were used in the Flemish context. The philosophical perspective provides a theoretical grounding of the field of HESD, which enables us to further develop the field, with a specific focus on initiative and adaptability on the one hand, and the importance of a virtues perspective on the other.

The paradigm of design is changing. Designers now need to be equipped with the skills and knowledge that will enable them to participate in the global move towards a sustainable future. The challenges arise as Design for Sustainability deals with very complex and often contradictory issues. Collaborative learning experiences recognise that these complex issues can be addressed with the pooling of diverse knowledge, perspectives, cultures, skills and tools. Unless, however the process of collaboration is explored in detail, the opportunity for reflection, learning and improvement is lost. This paper proposes that by introducing and analysing collaboration within third level design education, the capacity for responsible design practice can be developed, leading to a transformative shift in how designers are taught as students and subsequently practice as professionals. Over two multidisciplinary projects devised and undertaken by design students from the University of Limerick (Ireland), Hogeschool Utrecht (Netherlands) and Virginia Commonwealth University (USA), the collaborative path is mapped and critical junctions identified. From this process of mapping and visualisation, collective narratives of the overall project experience are constructed (through the eyes of the participants and planners). This leads to a greater understanding and appreciation of the benefits and limitations of the collaborative experience.

Purpose: This paper aims to investigate the intermediary role of universities in spreading design for sustainability into industry. Design/methodology/approach: Three case studies were undertaken on Delft University of Technology, Design for Sustainability Program from The Netherlands; a center on sustainable consumption and production; and Prof. Göksel Demirer from Middle East Technical University, Environmental Engineering Department from Turkey. Findings: The process and evolution of the intermediary roles of the cases are explained. Three types of structures, through which universities undertake intermediary role, are investigated via the cases studies, a program, a center and an individual scientist. Originality/value: This study is a first attempt to investigate the intermediary role of universities in the design for sustainability field.

This paper departs from the regional resilience concept -- as part of a broad strand of literature on non-linear dynamic systems in a space-economy -- and introduces the notion of prosilience to highlight the policy challenge of developing radically new and innovative strategies for regions in decline. The mining industry will be used as an illustrative case. The notion of phoenix regions is put forward to argue that an external disruption or shock in an established industrial sector in a region necessitates unconventional survival strategies oriented towards entirely new market demands and based on totally different product packages. Ansoff's model on product diversification in competitive markets forms an inspiration source for the Schumpeterian 'creative destruction' proposition advocated in this study. An illustrative case study is concisely described in the present paper, viz. the South-Limburg coal mining region in the Southern part of the Netherlands. Smart prosilience trajectories supported in particular by evidence-based decision support tools are sketched for such depressed regions, based on the so-called Pentagon intervention model. The paper is concluded with some general policy lessons for an intelligent transformation of regions in decline. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hospitals in the Netherlands generate approximately 1.3 million kg of waste from the polypropylene (PP) wrapping paper (WP) used to wrap surgical instruments each year. The aim of this study was to develop a method to recycle WP waste into new medical devices. WP was recovered from Maasstad Hospital, Netherlands. The WP was melted into bars, granulated, and mixed with virgin material at different ratios and temperatures. Dog bones were injection-molded from volume (v.%) virgin, mixed (%R), and recycled (100%R) granulate, and a tensile testing machine was used to compare the material properties before and after ten disinfection cycles at the sterilization department. Then, 25 instrument openers were made from the 50%R material and circulated for four weeks. The data indicated no significant differences in the mechanical properties at different melting temperatures. For dog bones made from the 100%R, 50%R, and virgin granulate, the Young's moduli were 1021 (SD13), 879 (SD13), and 795 (SD14) MPa, and the strains were 8%, 12%, and 14%. Ten disinfection cycles did not significantly change the material properties. After one month, the openers did not show any deterioration or damage other than surface scratches. The results indicated that the initial WP melting temperature did not influence the mechanical properties. Although devices could be produced directly from the recycled WP granulate, increasing the recycled granulate in the mix ratio increased the strength and brittleness. It is feasible to recycle WP waste into a high-quality raw material for the injection molding of medical devices without using additives. This would allow hospitals to become more compliant with the circular economy enabling economically viable and circular processes that positively contribute to cleaner technical processes, sustainable products, and the reduction of medical waste. ⁃ Circular reprocessing of surgical waste into high quality raw material. ⁃ Enables cleaner processes for reduction of medical waste. ⁃ Increases sustainable development. ⁃ A new method to decrease the production of medical waste. ⁃ Decreases the shortage of base materials and costs. ⁃ Environmental and sustainability assessment: designs for products based on the "green" wishes of customers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents an evaluation of the visual problem appraisal (VPA) learning environment in higher education. The VPA has been designed for the training of competences that are required in complex stakeholder settings in relation to sustainability issues. The design of VPA incorporates a diversity of instruction strategies to accommodate the heterogeneous learning styles of students in the international and inter-cultural classroom. The focus is on visual learning. The core of the VPA comprises documentaries and filmed interviews that together simulate a consultancy assignment. Students are immersed in the reality of 'wicked problems' and complex multi-stakeholder settings. The VPA also provides feedback loops that pull students out of their comfort zones and makes them reflect on what they learn, how they learn and how they perform in a team. The study is based on experiences with the VPA "Kerala's Coast". The evaluation indicates that the VPA strategy creates a challenging though safe space that provides students with the opportunity to learn outside their comfort zones. They learn from their interaction with unfamiliar stakeholders and by dealing with wicked problems, whilst enhancing their critical reflection on learning and change routines. Students seem to acquire complex competences, such as the competence to reduce their self-referentiality. The study highlighted the need to reconsider lecturing and facilitation in new learning strategies such as VPA. (Contains 8 tables and 1 figure.)

The role of farming previously dedicated mainly to food production changed with an increasing recognition of the multifunctionality of agriculture and rural areas. It seems obvious to expect that farmers and rural actors adapt themselves to these new conditions, which are innovative and redefine their job. In many regions farmers can increase their income basis as rural entrepreneurs, developing new services and exploring new markets. Often, however, there is a gap between the need for change and farmers' willingness to adjust, and the insufficient capacities of innovation agencies and advisory services to effectively support changes. In this contribution we discuss the kinds of gaps between present societal demands, the related farm-level adjustments, and the capacities of innovation agencies and advisory services. We explore a conceptual framework that understands innovation processes as the outcome of collaborative networks where information is exchanged and learning processes happen. We argue that technical and economic factors used to analyse drivers and barriers alone are not sufficient to understand innovation processes. The related social and institutional aspects of cross-sector as well as intra-sector processes are explored. Overall, we emphasize that innovation functions as a process where farmers' and rural entrepreneurs' knowledge, motivations and values play an important role. We emphasize that institutions, administrations and extension services, whose mission it is to support changes, can become barriers to innovation if they do not acknowledge that the needs of farmers and of society have changed. The paper builds on the conceptual level work carried out in the on-going EU funded IN-SIGHT research programme with multidisciplinary teams from seven European countries. (Contains 2 tables, 1 figure and 5 notes.)

In this paper, three universities compare their work on the integration of sustainable development into their educational programmes. The purpose is to show examples of how this can be done and to illustrate important generalised success factors. Methods used to achieve embedding of sustainability in curricula through individual interaction with teachers and other actors are described. The three universities are all technical universities with relatively high ambitions for their activities in relation to sustainable development. (Contains 1 figure and 1 table.)

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to introduce the case of the cross-border RCE Rhine-Meuse established as the first Regional Centre of Expertise (RCE) on Education for Sustainable Development in Europe. RCE Rhine-Meuse is an initiative of two institutions of higher education in the South of The Netherlands, but reaching out to the German and Belgian border regions. Design/methodology/approach: The case of the RCE Rhine-Meuse is used to give a comprehensive description of the building of a multi-national and multi-stakeholder collaboration network aiming at knowledge dissemination on education for sustainable development. The regional approach is complementary to the global approach behind the RCE network. Findings: The development of the RCE Rhine-Meuse over the last two years, shows the development of a functional RCE as described by United Nations University. A regional network for collaboration in the field of learning for sustainable development is created. The governance of the RCE is stable and the activities create an added value to the development of the region. Practical implications: The case of the RCE Rhine-Meuse does not provide a blue-print for setting up an RCE like network. What the case of the RCE Rhine-Meuse does show, is the influence of the regional context on the development of the RCE. In addition, the RCE Rhine-Meuse does provide general notions that can be of use for other regions that want to establish an RCE. Originality/value: The case of the building of the oldest RCE in Europe over the period 2004-2008 provides the first comprehensive overview of the creation of a new mechanism that is focussing on knowledge transfer to further regional sustainable development.

In the context of the UN Decade of Education for Sustainable Development (DESD), United Nations University (UNU) initiated the creation of a network of Regional Centres of Expertise (RCEs) for Education for Sustainable Development. This paper describes the philosophy behind the activities performed by one of those RCEs, RCE Rhine-Meuse, an RCE initiative in the triangle formed by the cities of Eindhoven (the Netherlands), Cologne (Germany) and Leuven (Belgium). A small and flexible structure was created that allows the organisation to operate at the lowest possible level of costs. Safeguards in relation to both academic quality and stakeholder participation were instituted to guarantee a lasting commitment on the part of regional actors; and a strategic advisory board made up of regional stakeholders and academic professionals was formed. Some examples of RCE Rhine-Meuse projects are given. (Contains 1 figure and 2 notes.)

Sustainability, enhancement of personal skills, social aspects of technology, management and entrepreneurship are of increasing concern for engineers and therefore for engineering education. In 1996 at Delft University of Technology this led to the introduction of a subject on sustainable entrepreneurship and technology in the course programmes of Chemical Engineering and Materials Sciences Engineering. This subject combines lectures, project work in which a business plan is written, sustainability and presentation training. This paper shows that it has been possible to combine entrepreneurship, sustainability and project education successfully in a subject for undergraduate engineering students and describes background, assumptions, outline, results and recent adjustments of this subject. It includes a discussion on how to integrate sustainability and entrepreneurship in terms of triple P (People, Profit, Planet) and how to incorporate it pragmatically in the key elements of a business plan: (1) business idea, mission and strategy; (2) context, stakeholder and market analysis; (3) marketing; (4) production; (5) organisation and management; (6) finance and reporting. Attention is paid to results regarding the business plan, spin-off like start-ups and also to the learning results of both students and lecturers. It ends drawing some lessons derived from the subject's results and the learning experiences of both students and lecturers. (Contains 1 table.)

This paper will first sketch some basic features of the engineering profession, and the need for change. It will analyse the political process that resulted in the decision at Delft University of Technology (DUT) to emphasise Sustainable Development (SD) in its curricula. The main goal of this education is to show that SD is not a burden, but a challenge to contribute to as an engineer. It will describe the changes in the engineering curriculum that were implemented and give a preliminary evaluation of these changes. The changes encompassed: (1) a 3 ECTS compulsory training module "Technology in Sustainable Development"; (2) implementing SD issues in existing courses and design work; and (3) the development of a special MSc graduation certificate. (Contains 3 tables.)

When sustainable development (SD) is only taught in specific courses, it is questionable if engineering students are able to integrate it into their engineering practices and technical designs. For this reason, sustainability should also be integrated into regular engineering courses, e.g. design courses, materials courses or processing technology. The SD education plan adopted by the board of Delft University of Technology (DUT) in 1998 was based on this philosophy. It consists of three interconnected activities for all engineering curricula: the implementation of an elementary course "Technology in sustainable development"; the development of a graduation program in sustainable development for students who want to specialize; and the integration of sustainable development in all regular courses, wherever applicable. This paper describes various activities that the project group carried out to stimulate and support the third strategy: SD integration. It turned out that top-down attempts to influence the content of courses often triggered resistance among lecturers, as they feared the intermingling of laymen into their scientific/engineering discipline. Interaction was important but was often impossible by lack of mutual understanding. Participation in a national project aimed to stimulate discussion by making disciplinary sustainability reviews of academic/engineering disciplines. This approach was promising as it created the base for serious discussions. However, the reports often ended in the bureaucracies of the departments. More positive results were achieved with a semi-consultant approach directed at discussing SD issues with individual lecturers. Many lecturers were willing to discuss their courses, and were interested in practical ideas to integrate sustainability. This interactive approach is promising because it does not conflict with academic culture and keeps the lecturer in charge of his own course.

Despite the mainstream technological approach of science in academic curricula, with its focus on specialisation, the Dutch history of higher education is an interesting example of an alternative development. The Vrije Universiteit of Amsterdam has declared in its mission statement a pedagogical ideal of "broad academic education", oriented towards educating students to become" morally responsible and reflective scientists and professionals". This paper describes a pilot study focusing on organisational dynamics, learning processes involved in value education, and the question of how a philosophical/ethical perspective on sustainability can be integrated into the curriculum. A critical evaluation of this pilot study suggests that students need more insight into the status of values as different from empirical facts. (Contains 1 figure.)

This paper aims to capture the effect of an environmental tax on environmental degradation in the Netherlands while controlling economic growth, primary energy consumption, and trade in the Netherlands. As part of its climate change plan, the Netherlands government aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to industrial levels by 2030 and reach net-zero emissions by 2050. The present study used novel Fourier ADL cointegration, Fourier ARDL, and Fourier TY causality approaches. The outcomes of this study reveal that environmentally related taxes cause the mitigation of environmental degradation in the Netherlands, while primary energy consumption affects environmental sustainability negatively. This study provides policy implications based on the empirical results of this study, which support the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) of 2030 through (SDG 7) affordable and sustainable energy, (SDG 9) innovation, and (SDG 13) environmental sustainability., (© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

Because national governments have limited power to regulate the conditions of production abroad, voluntary certification schemes have come to play a significant role in transnational regulation of many global supply chains, particularly in the food sector, where multiple regulatory issues are in play and different certification schemes compete. However, we still know relatively little about the political‐economic factors that shape the construction of certified citrus markets for these competing standards. Based on an original dataset from a comparative survey of US and Dutch importers, this paper investigates factors that shape the construction of certification markets for citrus, focusing on the construction of markets for different kinds of certification schemes including Fair Trade, Organic, and GlobalGAP certification. The paper investigates from a comparative perspective whether the construction of markets differs across the US and Dutch political economies. The results show both the enduring effects of national political economies and the importance of global value chain dynamics. Across competing schemes, the industry‐sponsored business‐to‐business certification systems have outcompeted consumer‐facing label systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The green bond market helps to mobilize financial sources toward sustainable investments. Green bonds are similar to conventional bonds but are specifically designed to raise money to finance environmental projects. The feature of green bonds is the existence of greenium, or the lower yield compared to "conventional" bonds of the same risk. The relevance of the paper is underpinned by the mixed evidence on the existence of 'greenium', especially in corporate green bond markets; there has been limited research on the topic and a narrow focus on global, US, or Chinese green bond markets. Instead, the greenium in European debt markets remains underexplored. The objective of this study is to investigate the existence of greenium and its key determinants in European corporate debt capital markets, including the local markets of the United Kingdom (UK), France, Netherlands, and Germany. The sample included 3851 corporate bonds, both green and conventional ones, between 2007 and 2021 from 33 European countries. Linear regression was applied for the analysis. The results show that the climate corporate bonds in Europe are priced at a discount to the same-risk conventional corporate bonds. The magnitude of greenium is around 3 bps. Determinants of greenium include the presence of an ESG rating and belonging to the utility and financial industry. The remaining drivers of bond yields in the European corporate debt market are the credit quality (expressed by the level of credit rating), the coupon size, the bond tenor, the market liquidity, and macroeconomic variables (growth of gross domestic product and consumer price index). For the local corporate debt markets, our results are controversial. In all markets under consideration except for the UK and the Netherlands, we did not find sustainable evidence of greenium. The results of the research lead to a better understanding of the green bond market for investors, researchers, regulators, and potential issuing companies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Purpose: The 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and their 169 targets pose the most important framework for sustainable development worldwide. However, the contributions of products and companies to the SDGs using social and environmental life cycle assessment (S-LCA; E-LCA) have not been thoroughly addressed in the scientific literature. The purpose of this research is therefore to identify product-related targets, derive suitable indicators and develop a social life cycle impact assessment (S-LCIA) method. Methods: To systematically select product-related targets, two questions are developed. The questions ask whether a product (a) has a direct impact on the achievement of the target or (b) if the companies along the life cycle that produce or offer the product have a direct influence on the achievement of the respective target. Suitable indicators are derived and adapted from generally accepted frameworks such as the Global Indicator Framework (GIF-SDG). To develop an S-LCIA method, the targets are translated into conditions beneficial or damaging to the achievement of the target to estimate the socio-economic impact of the product using a scale from +1 to −1. In cases where the targets remain vague, a systematic five-step approach to derive a quantifiable target involving five steps is applied. Results and discussion: The main contribution of this paper is to propose a coherent method to measure the contribution of products to the targets. All 17 SDGs and 61 of the 169 targets (36%) were evaluated as product-related. For 57% of the product-related targets, indicators from the GIF-SDGs could at least partly be used after slight adaptations, while for the remaining 43% of the product-related targets, indicators were taken from other frameworks or sources or had to be added. In total, 45 indicators have been identified to be suitable for assessing the potential contribution of products to the 61 targets. To illustrate the systematic five-step approach to quantitatively assess the contribution of products to the targets, five types of contribution functions are presented in detail. Conclusions: The presented method allows companies to analyse their impact and that of their products on the targets both within their own company and in the supply chain. As especially the latter is increasingly demanded by supply chain laws in different countries such as France, the Netherlands or the UK, the method fills an important research gap. However, future research to examine the proposed approach, the derived indicators and the impact assessment method is strongly encouraged. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reaching the land-related UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and similar goals articulated by the EU Green Deal (GD) by 2030 presents a major challenge and requires a pragmatic approach focused on joint learning by land users (mostly farmers), researchers and other stakeholders in "Living Labs" and system experiments at experimental farms of research organizations. Defining specific indicators and thresholds for ecosystem services in line with land-related SDGs is crucial to establish "Lighthouses" that can act as inspiring examples if they meet the various thresholds. This exploratory paper discusses indicators and thresholds for an arable farm operating on marine, calcareous light clay soils in the Netherlands. Studies of a system experiment are used to discuss and test operational methodology to be widely applied when characterizing many "Living Labs" in future, as planned by the European Union. The important role of soils in contributing to ecosystem services is discussed in terms of soil health. Recommendations are made for innovative methodology to be associated with all land-related SDGs. Satisfying the thresholds of ecosystem services, which will vary by soil type, region and farm type, can be the basis for farm subsidies, such as the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP). Research on Living Labs and in system experiments has to be judged by different criteria than those associated with traditional linear research. The important contributions of soils to achieve ecosystem services are framed in terms of soil health and are the most effective way to promote soil science in a by now widely desired inter- and transdisciplinary context. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Energy consumption plays a central role in sustainability debates. However, how new are these sustainability challenges? Did sustainability challenges feature in historical energy transitions? This paper analyses societal debates concerning sustainability around the transition from peat to coal in the Netherlands in the mid-nineteenth century. By dividing sustainability challenges in here and now, later and elsewhere, this paper addresses to which extent elements of sustainable development featured in the historical resource transition. Digitized publications in newspapers and journals were analysed using discourse analysis in order to trace back the existence of themes related to sustainable development. Elements of the modern-day discussions can indeed be found in the contemporary discussion. Secondly the paper shows why contemporaries made certain choices that later caused new sustainability challenges. Many of our current energy-related challenges may find their origin in the nineteenth century; it is nevertheless unjust to blame them on these generations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The fashion industry is responsible for bringing some of the worst consumption practices out of individuals by reinforcing tendencies for overconsumption throughout society. Consuming too much has led to negative economic, societal, and environmental consequences. The purpose of this paper is to understand whether promoting a style orientation among consumers (rather than a fashion orientation) will lead to more sustainable apparel consumption. Data collected from 6,386 consumers across five countries that are considered to be leaders in sustainable development (Sweden, Netherlands, Germany, the U.K., and the U.S.) suggest that promoting style can be a potential solution to attain slow fashion and, thus, improve sustainable apparel consumption. We further examine the role of hedonism and materialism in influencing sustainable practices in the industry. Based on the findings, the paper emphasizes the need for the collective effort of different actors, especially the role of government, in creating a more sustainable fashion system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we study conveners' work in establishing change towards sustainability through cross‐sector social partnerships (CSSPs). Applying a paradox lens, we offer a new perspective on tensions in CSSPs: These are not hurdles or challenges to overcome in order to reach success but endure throughout the entire CSSP process. This insight changes the role of the convener, who no longer has to overcome but has to navigate tension. We focus on two tensions related to the convener role: the convener as leader but without formal authority over CSSP‐partners and the convener as both stakeholder and (neutral) facilitator in the process. Through a case study on a CSSP in the Dutch timber sector, we explain how a convener (Forest Stewardship Council Netherlands) responded to these tensions over time. We add to literatures on CSSPs and convening by outlining the relevance of a paradox perspective in this domain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We investigate the extent to which SMEs exercise sustainable entrepreneurship practices. The 128 SMEs operating in the Dutch construction sector that were studied for this paper appeared to use about only two-thirds of their full potential for sustainable entrepreneurship, in terms of social and ecological activities. The main obstacles to the development of sustainable entrepreneurship appeared to be associated with the firm itself and with the environment in which the firm operates, rather than with the entrepreneur himself/herself. It also appeared that firms which are more active with social and environmental activities are also more aware of the obstacles than firms that are less active in sustainable entrepreneurship. This suggests that less active firms are simply less interested in practicing sustainable entrepreneurship, rather than being held back by (perceived) obstacles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose – Sustainable regional development is often accompanied by the introduction and gradual implementation of innovative concepts, like, e.g. "integrated natural resources management" or "sustainable tourism". From a managerial perspective, in order to contribute to improved sustainable regional development, the innovative concepts need to become rooted in everyday policy practice in such a way that they enable rather than hinder collective action. The paper aims to discuss these issues. Design/methodology/approach – Enabling collective action is a managerial challenge that is partly dependent on the presence of a sufficient degree of integration in the governance system that forms a context for the action. This challenge can be studied with the help of the concept of boundary judgments. Boundary judgments are normative and cognitive perceptions of actors on the relevancy of specific actors, factors, issues, etc. for their domain of action (what is "fit", what is acceptable, what is needed?). The paper illustrates the importance of boundary judgments through two empirical studies in The Netherlands. Findings – Divergent boundary judgments hamper the inclusion of the innovative concept in everyday actions for improving sustainable regional development. However, managers avoiding this complexity by relying on old definitions of their tasks also block the possible innovation. The challenge is to keep the balance between these two extremes. Originality/value – The paper explains and illustrates the concept of "boundary judgments" and their importance for different types of managers (project leaders and policy makers) to take them into account, alongside the more obvious variation of values and interests among stakeholders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The article aims to assess the situation of the European Union countries regarding health promotion and protection. The study has adopted indicators related to Sustainable Development Goal 3 (SDG3) in 27 EU countries in two research periods (2014 and 2020) so that it will be possible to assess the situation of the studied countries and indicate which countries have improved or not their situation related to the studied phenomenon. Design/methodology/approach: A taxonomic measure of development based on Weber's median vector was used to assess the implementation of SDG3 in EU countries. Upon its basis, rankings of EU countries were constructed, and typological groups of similar levels were determined due to the studied phenomenon. Findings: The study results showed that the older EU member states are characterised by a better situation in health protection and promotion compared to the newer, mostly postcommunist countries. The best-rated countries in the first research period were Sweden, the Netherlands and Denmark, while in the second one, it was again Sweden, the Netherlands and Ireland. Social implications: The results of the studies presented in this paper can be useful for the diagnosis of the results achieved so far and for the revision of the health policy of the whole European Union as well as of the individual countries in the future. Originality/value: This article is part of the debate on combining health promotion and protection, emphasising a balanced diet and physical activity, and sustainable development. Health promotion, a process that enables people to increase control and improve their health, is expected to play an important (and transformative) role in achieving the sustainable development of Goal 3 (ensuring health for all and at all ages). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study focuses on the role of public authorities in the governance of tourism for sustainable development at national level. Departing from an overview of international recommendations, it analyses whether those recommendations are reflected in the way public authorities influence domestic tourism in the Netherlands. The conclusion is drawn that, currently, the internationally recommended horizontal and vertical coordination of public authorities and their policies is missing. This is largely due to a design approach that follows from neo-liberal principles of governance, as opposed to the sustainability performance of the tourism sector. The paper then discusses the results of a survey carried out to map the extent to which Dutch tourism stakeholders would be in favor of adopting measures to improve coordination. It is concluded that, although there is support for more coordination, there is no converging vision on how specific aspects of it should be best organized. The paper highlights the need for multi-stakeholder debates that should consider the links between governance features and the sustainability performance of tourism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Water resources management issues tend to affect a variety of uses and users. Therefore, they often exhibit complex and unstructured problems. The complex, unstructured nature of these problems originates from uncertain knowledge and from the existence of divergent perceptions among various actors. Consequently, dealing with these problems is not just a knowledge problem; it is a problem of ambiguity too. This paper focuses on a complex, unstructured water resources management issue, the sustainable development—for ecology, economy and society—of the Delta-region of the Netherlands. In several areas in this region the ecological quality decreased due to hydraulic constructions for storm water safety, the Delta Works. To improve the ecological quality, the Dutch government regards the reestablishment of estuarine dynamics in the area as the most important solution. However, re-establishment of estuarine dynamics will affect other uses and other users. Among the affected users are farmers in the surrounding areas, who use freshwater from a lake for agricultural purposes. This problem has been addressed in a participatory decision-making process, which is used as a case study in this paper. We investigate how the dynamics in actors' perceptions and the knowledge base contribute to the development of agreed upon and valid knowledge about the problem—solution combination, using our conceptual framework for problem structuring. We found that different knowledge sources—expert and practical knowledge—should be integrated to create a context-specific knowledge base, which is scientifically valid and socially robust. Furthermore, we conclude that for the convergence of actors' perceptions, it is essential that actors learn about the content of the process (cognitive learning) and about the network in which they are involved (strategic learning). Our findings form a plea for practitioners in water resources management to adopt a problem structuring approach in order to deal explicitly with uncertainty and ambiguity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper evaluates the sustainable development graduation track at TU Delft. This track can be followed by all students of TU Delft. It consists of an interdisciplinary colloquium 'Technology in Sustainable Development', 300 h of self-chosen courses on sustainable development and a graduation project in which sustainable development is integrated. This paper deals with the numbers of students that follow the track, with the results of a questionnaire among the students, and with the jobs students have found after graduation. Our main conclusions are that about 50 students start the sustainable development track each year, which is more than initially intended; that two thirds of the sustainable development graduates completely integrate sustainable development into their graduation project; that the students feel that the sustainable development certificate adds value to their graduation and that many of them find jobs within the sustainable development field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper analyses the sustainable development of tourism on the island of Texel, The Netherlands. It utilises the so-called 'corporate response model to the macro-marketing environment' to conceptualise the multi-dimensionality of the sustainability concept. This model differentiates among four 'margins' within which a tourism region operates. These margins are 'profit', 'risk', 'ecological' and 'socio-cultural'. The paper discusses a number of issues that are particularly relevant to the sustainable development of tourism. These include economic over-reliance on tourism, environmental management, land use conflicts and liveability. These issues are positioned at the interface between adjoining margins, and they represent spatial practices, conceptualisations of these practices as well as struggles over the symbolic construction of Texel. The analysis also reveals some existing strategies for sustainable development of tourism that are transferable to other regions. Although the case of Texel presents interesting practices and strategies of sustainable tourism, the overall balance in terms of results is still meagre. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Housing and its distribution over groups of households dominates debates on urban socio-spatial justice. Amsterdam even received the label 'Just City' as the large stock of social housing in the core of the city is said to increase societal equity. Within the Netherlands, however, the Greater Amsterdam housing market is perceived to be the most dysfunctional. As the discussion is fed by highly political and ideological perspectives, it is difficult to assess at face value how balanced the housing mix of a housing market is and to what extent it meets the community's needs. Consequently, it is difficult to inform politicians about strategies that contribute to a healthy and sustainable housing mix and address the lack of affordable housing which is high on urban policy agendas worldwide. In an attempt to go beyond ideological and political discussions, the aim of this interdisciplinary paper is to develop a metric to measure and compare the theoretical balance of housing markets across regions and across groups of households based on income. The metric will be applied to the case of the Netherlands. The findings of the theoretical model show that large-scale provisions for low-income households may not always result in an improved housing market balance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]