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This paper investigates if and how cities conceive of festivals staged in outdoor public space as a means of achieving cultural inclusion policy objectives. The inclusion of culture in the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) creates an imperative for cities to scrutinize their approaches to making their cities inclusive. Festivals offer potential in this regard and this study examines the ways that Barcelona, Dublin, Glasgow, Gothenburg and London incorporate festivals into cultural inclusion policies. It relies on secondary research to critically analyse a range of current policy documents, informed by Ball's ideas about policy contexts: (a) of influence, (b) of policy text production, and (c) of practice. Findings confirm existing assessments of the festival landscape as being complex. They show that while the cities studied have a long history of strategizing about festivals, this has not yet led to dedicated policy attention. Overall, in line with work by Whitford, Phi and Dredge, a market-led approach to festivals dominates, although evidence of a policy rhetoric linking festivals to cultural inclusion is present. Nevertheless, the findings suggest that policy thinking about how festivals can achieve cultural inclusion is neither sufficiently comprehensible nor "joined up" across relevant policy domains. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Carbon emissions are mostly generated in cities. At the 2015 Paris Climate Conference, local governments pledged local action to address climate change. Since Paris many cities have declared Climate Emergencies to reach net zero emissions and reduce biodiversity loss. Post-Covid recovery and meeting the Sustainable Development Goals need to be based on a New Green Deal strategy. The Commonwealth has an important role at COP26 to advance these global aims. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As environmental degradations constantly and directly threaten human well-being, it is imperative to explore the environmental impacts on people's happy life. This research investigates the association between subjective well-being (SWB) and ecological footprints (EF) through space-time fixed effects panel regressions. EF, as a vital indicator of environmentally sustainable development, plays a vital role in ecological balance. SWB determines the subjective quality of life for humanity. EF-related factors and socio-economic indexes referring to GDP, urbanization rate, income, education, health, political stability, and political voice accountability in 101 countries were captured. Compared with ordinary least square (OLS), stepwise regression (SR) and fixed effects panel regression models (FEPR) exhibited good fitness regardless of the cross-section or longitudinal models due to R2 beyond 0.9. The finding also discloses that EF and health were positively significant to SWB, while income was negatively significant to SWB. EF was an invert u-shaped link to SWB, which met the assumption of EKC. This research provided a model-driven quantitative method to address environmental impacts on people's quality life of happiness, and opened shared doors for further research of carbon balance and circular economy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Climate leadership is important for the transition to a low‐carbon economy, where some countries are seen as leaders because of their ambitious climate and energy policies. Climate leadership is dynamic and evolves over time to become a political myth, however, which governments use in their policy strategies. Changes in governments lead to new climate and energy strategies that affect the respective countries' leadership positions. This article links the growing literature on environmental/climate leadership and the political myth literature. Specifically, it draws on the environmental/climate leadership framework to analyse the connection between political myths and the climate and energy policy strategies of governments to understand how the changing interpretation of the political myth influences leadership. The article uses Denmark as a case study because of the consensus in the literature on it being a climate and energy policy pioneer. This article analyses how Danish governments interpret the political myth of Danish climate and energy pioneership and how their policies influence the Danish leadership position, concluding that whilst the continued reinterpretations of the political myth of leadership do not always reflect the original myth, the myth remains important for government claims to leadership. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reliable projections of Indian Summer Monsoon Rainfall (ISMR) to the next century by climate models is critical for policy toward sustainable development goals but depends on sensitivity of the models simulating ISMR as global mean temperature changes. Here, using observed ISMR and historical global temperature (1850–2005), we find that the mean ISMR scales as (3.95 ± 1.13%)/K, lower than the Clausius‐Clapeyron (CC) scaling (∼7%/K). However, the sensitivity of the intensity of daily rainfall extremes is (29.5 ± 3.4)%/K, four times as large as the CC scaling. We also find that the sensitivities of simulated mean ISMR by 36 CMIP5 and CMIP6 models each at 13.36%/K and 11.82%/K, respectively, are 2–3 times larger than the observed sensitivity and independent of the chosen period. Larger than simulated CC scaling of ISMR is consistent with simulated strengthening of Indian monsoon circulation in contrast to observations. Models' sensitivity appears to be due to their stronger than observed response to forcing over land resulting in stronger north‐south heating gradient and acceleration of monsoon circulation. Projected sensitivity of ISMR in models with increased greenhouse gas forcing weakens compared to the historical period approaching the CC scaling. Required to delineate the contributions of larger than observed intrinsic sensitivity of the models from projected sensitivity, our findings provide a way to correct the bias potentially improving the reliability of ensemble mean projections of ISMR. Plain Language Summary: Reliability of projections of ISMR to the future by climate models remaining poor due to large intermodel variability making decisions on adaptation and mitigation of climate change difficult. Further, the changes in ISMR in projections could be biased by natural multidecadal variability. Here, making unbiased estimates of changes of ISMR and global mean temperature, we show that the large intermodel variability of projections of ISMR is partly due to the fact that the models are far too sensitive in simulating ISMR changes to changes in global mean temperature compared to observations. As the model biases are systematic leading to the large model sensitivity, our findings also provide a way to correct them and constrain the intermodel variability and improve reliability of the ensemble mean. Key Point: Hydrological sensitivity of Indian Summer Monsoon Rainfall [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

All processes involved in food production involve an energy amount from various sources; in the form of solar energy, fossil fuels, renewable resources, services and energy invested in the production of the materials of the economy. Some flows involved in agrarian processes, such as the contributions of nature, are not considered by the Classical Economy when defining market prices; what has caused the devaluation and depletion of non-renewable resources. The emergetic analysis is the methodology of scientific base that counts the environmental value and the economic value, under a common unit (solar emJoule); making use of Environmental Economics, Systems Theory, Thermodynamics, Biology and the new principles of the operation of open systems. It is developed in four stages: design of the System Diagram, Emergetic Evaluation Table, Calculation of Emergetic Indexes and Interpretation of the results. These indices allow us to know the efficiency of the systems in the use of resources, evaluate sustainability, establish comparisons between various scenarios and, therefore, serve as support for management. This review aims to establish the foundations for the implementation of this methodology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article offers an assessment of the International Labour Organization (ILO) report "World Employment and Social Outlook 2018: Greening With Jobs." Topics covered include the success of the report in providing perspectives, findings and policy proposals for global climate stabilization, the relationship between stabilization, economic growth and jobs discussed in the report, and some significant problems found in the study.

• Results show an increased fragmentation and connectivity loss from 1999 to 2007. • The fragmentation trend is expected to continue based on the urban development for 2030. • The tools confirmed non-linearity between habitat loss and connectivity. • The combination of tools foster the acquisition of useful data for planning. The increasing global population requires new infrastructure and urban development, and these land use changes have an impact on habitats and their ecological connectivity. To anticipate and minimise these impacts, environmental and urban planners require tools and methods that they can use at early planning stages. This paper investigates and selects landscape ecology techniques that can be used by planners to assess the effects in terms of changes in habitat loss, fragmentation and ecological connectivity due to expected land use changes. The selected techniques were tested in Luxembourg. Twelve landscape metrics, four connectivity indices, and one connectivity model were selected based on their straightforwardness, widespread application, and accessibility. Land cover maps and proposed areas of urban development up to 2030 were used as input data, together with adapted resistance surfaces from previous studies and a matrix of presence/absence for six target species. The combined analysis reveals a trend of increasing habitat fragmentation and loss of habitats, as well as a reduction of ecological connectivity with regard to all the targeted species, and suggests that this trend will likely continue in the near future. The selected landscape metrics, connectivity indices, the connectivity model and the software used to run them makes the abovementioned techniques easy to use by non-experts, and their combination helps to reduce some of the limitations of each individual technique. Both aspects might be useful in order to mainstream the use of landscape ecology techniques in spatial planning processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The performance of recycled and fresh ballast mixture was studied. • The boundary of recycled ballast mixing ratio was found out. • Ballast surface texture was employed in DEM to represent both recycled and fresh ballast. • Recycled ballast could be reinforced by fresh ballast addition. Ballast degradation is frequently observed under cyclic loading, and results in bearing capacity and drainage problem of ballast track. To keep the stability and safety, periodical maintenances are needed, such as cleaning and replacement, which produce a huge amount of wasted ballast. Thus, reusing the deteriorated ballast can become a considerable method for sustainable railway development and environment protection. One applications is adding the cleaned deteriorated ballast (i.e. recycled ballast) into fresh ballast. Furthermore, it is common situation that applying the mixture of fresh and deteriorated ballast during the railway operation. To study the mechanical behaviour of this mixture and find out the criterion weight proportion of the recycled ballast, a series of large direct shear tests were performed with different weight proportions (0%, 10%, 20%, 30%, 40%, and 50%) of recycled ballast mixed into fresh ballast under different normal stresses (50, 100 and 200 kPa). In addition, a numerical simulation based on discrete element method (DEM) was used to illustrate the shear strength, contact forces, coordination numbers and displacements of ballast particles. Results show that the shear strength reduction of the mixture is insignificant, when mixed with less than 30% recycled ballast. With the recycled ballast proportion increasing, the shear strength and coordination number reduce and the displacements get larger. This research provides a foundation for the application of recycled ballast, and on the other hands, adding fresh ballast can be a solution to reinforce deteriorated ballast bed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study revealed the difference of regional gross primary productivity (GPP) in two different geomorphic provinces. We used δ13C, δ15N, and δ18O to trace carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) footprints in two different watersheds in China and analyzed differences in regional economic development. The total dissolved total nitrogen (DTN) and dissolved carbon (DC) deposition fluxes were 16.93 kg N·hm−2·yr−1 and 27.67 kg C·hm−2·yr−1 in the Chenqi watershed (karst) and 43.88 kg N·hm−2·yr−1 and 49.15 kgC·hm−2·yr−1 in the Xiangxi watershed (non-karst), respectively. Rainwater was more enriched in δ13C in the Xiangxi watershed (−14.4‰±1.89‰) than in the Chenqi watershed (−8.54 ± 3.87‰). In addition, DTN efflux was 244.22 and 941.61 kg N·hm−2·yr−1 and efflux of DC was 4157.86 and 9129.22 kg C·hm−2·yr−1 in surface water and groundwater in Chenqi watershed. And DTN efflux was 413.68 kg N·hm−2·yr−1 and DC was 2846.05 kg C·hm−2·yr−1 in Xiangxi watershed. Nitrate nitrogen (NO 3 −-N) and dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC) were the main forms of DTN and DC, respectively in both watersheds (both >84%). Carbonate reaction and groundwater were the main sources in the Chenqi watershed (contribution rates >30%), while atmospheric deposition and soil water were the main sources in the Xiangxi watershed (contribution rates are >22% and >28%, respectively). Using C and N footprints, we speculated that the direct causes of economic disparity in the two watersheds were nutrients lost with soil erosion which limited vegetation growth. Therefore, it is necessary to plant the suitable vegetation rationally. This study also provides a scientific basis for economic development and ecological environment coordinated sustainable development. Image 1029819 • Determine C and N footprints in karst and non-karst watersheds by isotope method. • Understanding the soil nutrients and vegetation absorption through N footprints. • Understanding of C storage implications in different geomorphologic locations. • Analysis of the reasons for the slow economic development of the two provinces. • Provide strategies for sustainable development of the ecological environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, it is found that environmental regulation is an important mechanism that trade openness affects the level of human capital. The author established a theoretical framework to analyze the influence of trade openness on the level of human capital and adopted the system GMM to test it, using Chinese provincial data over the period 1995–2015. The empirical results show that environmental regulation has a long-term U-shaped effect on the level of human capital, while the current environmental regulation in China is conducive to improving the level of human capital. Furthermore, the promotion of human capital level can also increase the possibility of improving environmental regulation, which is conducive to the internal formation and positive interaction between human capital and environmental regulation. The research further enriches the theory of sustainable development of environment and economy. It provides theoretical support for China and developing countries with similar economic and technological levels to actively implement more stringent environmental policies in the context of trade openness. Image 108550 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a comparative in-depth investigation of the energy standings, opportunities and the barriers that occur in the expansion of renewable energy in the Asia's two fastest growing economies, i.e. India and China. These two countries contain almost 36% of the world's population and constitute the fastest emerging hub for trade and industries in the energy sector in which different types of energy resources are sought to meet the energy demands. Non-conventional sources of energy are the inevitable alternative for the achievement of economic improvement, ecological balance, nature friendly environment and sustainable development. It is recommended to eliminate the obstacles to achieving the estimated energy targets of the 13th financial year plan (FYP) of both nations and stimulate the enhancement of the rate of green energy resources exploitation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract This study aims to investigate Chinese adult learners' viewpoints of a blended learning environment in promoting sustainable development with the research methods such as hermeneutics and a semi structured survey. The research results reveal that Chinese adult learners believe a blended learning environment promotes sustainable development in at least three aspects within some degree. Firstly, with the characteristics of comfort and convenience for learning, a blended learning environment promotes sustainable development for adult education and continuing education. Secondly, a blended learning environment is an eco-friendly learning environment, which helps to construct a source-saving society. More importantly, a blended learning environment bridges the gaps in sustainable development between females and males and between those living in rural areas and those living in cities. It increases the opportunities for female and those living in rural areas to become educated and promotes sustainable development. The study hopes that the research results will be beneficial for education policy makers and practitioners interested in sustainable development. Highlights • It is a pioneer study to analyse the effectiveness of a blended learning environment in promoting sustainable development. • It calls on sustainability studies on social equality development with new technology in education. • It is of use to education policy makers and practitioners interested in sustainable development. • It is only a case study in China from which the findings are derived. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is meaningful to explore the influence of land use change on urban thermal environment for urban sustainable development and city livability improvement etc. Based on one pixel component arranging comparing algorithm (PCACA), this study estimates three instantaneous heat fluxes of Beijing city from meteorological data and the NDVI, land surface temperature (LST), and albedo products retrieved from Landsat data on September 21, 1997, September 22, 2009 and September 28, 2017. Then the temporal and spatial variation in the heat fluxes of the Beijing with land use change is discussed. The following key points have been found: 1) LST and heat fluxes have distinctly spatial heterogeneity, and significant differences between mountainous and plain areas, and among different land use types in plain area; 2) both LST and heat fluxes have a consistent order of arrangement for different land use types at different times. Forest has the highest latent heat flux (LHF) with an average of 265.7 W/m2, followed by cropland and grassland, and building land has the smallest average of 158.4 W/m2. LST has the reverse order, cropland has the highest average of 24.8 °C, followed by grassland and cropland, water body has the lowest average of 19.2 °C; 3) temporally, urban thermal fluxes vary greatly with land use transition. LHF and sensible heat flux (SHF) will respectively drastically reduce and increase when natural surface changes into building land. These analyses suggest that green spaces play an important role in easing urban heat environment. • Spatiotemporal variation of heat fluxes in Beijing from 1997 to 2017 is mapped. • Heat fluxes have distinctly spatial differences among different land uses. • Heat fluxes have a consistent order for different land uses at different times. • Urban thermal fluxes vary greatly with land use transition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The construction process plays a key role in sustainable development of the environment. With the concept of sustainable construction being put forward in the world, some countries released green construction standards to strengthen the requirements in the construction phase. Green construction code checking needs to integrate semantic information embedded in green construction standards and model information involved in Industry Foundation Classes (IFC) and/or Model View Definition (MVD), which are generated separately and lead to difficulty in information integration for green construction code checking. At present, the existing code-checking methods cannot be directly used for green construction. Related practitioners need an efficient and convenient method for green construction code checking urgently. To ameliorate this situation, this research proposes an innovative approach to organize, store, and re-use green construction knowledge by combining mvdXML and semantic technologies. The code checking of green construction is classified into four types based on the difficulty level to meet the requirements of the clauses in green construction standard. Depending on the characteristics of each inspection type, mvdXML or semantic technology is adopted for the appropriate inspection type. This paper demonstrates the deployment and validation of such automated checking procedures in a case study. Based on these experiences, a detailed discussion about the identified issues is provided as the starting point for future research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • Ethiopia's sustainable industrial transition experiment could become a model for other African countries. • Green transition is sought by articulating pressure from global decarbonisation agenda as opportunity for economic growth. • With industrial clustering and eco-industrial parks, Ethiopia is taking significant steps down a low-carbon pathway. • Strong political will is yielding progress, but limited human and financial resources remain a formidable challenge. • The institutional framework for coordinating a sustainable industrial transition needs to be strengthened further. Abstract The concept of 'sustainable industrialisation' is now integral to the UN's Sustainable Development Goals. However, there are no historical examples or current models to emulate. Scholarly analyses of putative initiatives to green industrialisation, especially in developing countries, are few and limited. This article explores the conception and implementation of green industrialisation in Ethiopia, one of the world's poorest nations, where an ambitious Climate Resilient Green Economy (CRGE) strategy has been created, alongside a multi-sectoral Growth and Transformation Plan (GTP), to leapfrog environmentally unsustainable development and bring the country to middle-income status by 2025. Using the socio-technical transition (STT) perspective and in particular Smith, Stirling, and Berkhout (2005) framework for assessing sustainable transition programmes, it analyzes the 'selection pressures' on the industrial 'regime' and its 'adaptive capacity'. It finds: (i) clear articulation of the imperative for climate change mitigation and economic growth; (ii) strong high-level government commitment to a greening agenda within the context of accelerated industrialisation; and (iii) a nascent innovation system that is beginning to evolve according to these priorities. However, the analysis also identifies important challenges, including: coordination mechanisms between different stakeholders; framing issues; availability of resources; and ongoing tension between addressing climate change and promoting economic growth. It also highlights the importance of the availability of cross-border resources for purposive sustainability transition within low-income countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Nowadays, in order to preserve the environment and sustainable development, the use of natural and renewable resources is a priority for industries. High performance and specific structure of nano-biocompatible materials has attracted researchers. In this research, alginate polymer, which is generally obtained from marine sources such as algae, was added to polyvinyl alcohol nanofibers in order to improve their biocompatibility and investigate the effect of solution parameters on their morphology. Materials and Methods: Polyvinyl alcohol nanofibers were produced in different concentrations by electrospinning to investigate the effect of concentration, adding alginate polymer and Triton x-100 surfactant. The quality of nanofibers and rheology behavior of polymer solutions were evaluated using scanning electron microscopy, rheometry and tensiometer. Results: The results showed that increasing the concentration of polymer solution increased the diameter of nanofibers, as well as the viscosity of the polymer solution, such that a polyvinyl alcohol solution with 10wt.% concentration produced more uniform nanofibers. At first, adding alginate to the polyvinyl alcohol solution deteriorated electrospinning, however, production of nanofibers was improved by increasing polyvinyl alcohol solution to 10wt.%. Also, the results showed that adding Triton x-100 surfactant to the polymer solution affected the dominant mechanism in electrospinning by reducing surface tension and viscosity of the solution at polyvinyl alcohol solution 6wt.% and 10wt.%, respectively. Conclusion: Under optimized conditions of solution parameters, suitable nanofibers will be produced, which will be applicable in many industries, such as drug delivery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • Biodiversity conservation should be at the heart of the agenda towards the SDGs. • The built environment has a major role to play in reducing loss of biodiversity. • Raising awareness of the effects of the built environment on biodiversity loss is key to the realisation of the SDGs. • The construction industry should promote sustainable procurement practices that conserve biodiversity. Abstract Recent major global environmental initiatives toward a more sustainable society are the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the New Urban Agenda (NUA) and the Paris Agreement. The built environment has been recognised as a major contributor to loss of biodiversity and should therefore play a major role in a sustainable world where ecological values are enhanced. There should be a smooth interaction between the built environment and the natural environment because humanity and nature are the usual victims of loss of biodiversity. The purpose of this paper is to examine the link between the Built Environment, Biodiversity and the Sustainable Development Goals. The paper explores the role of a sustainable built environment towards biodiversity conservation which is central to the realisation of the SDGs in general and SDG 15 in particular. The paper adopts a qualitative research methodology using knowledge generation workshop involving 16 experts from both academia and industry. The results show that, even though the built environment has a negative impact on biodiversity, it also has the greatest opportunity to integrate biodiversity into all development projects. Reducing the impact of the built environment on biodiversity should be an integral part of policies and strategies towards a sustainable built environment. All key built environment stakeholders need to engage in raising awareness of the effects of biodiversity loss as a result of construction activities, on the health and wellbeing of mankind. The value of this paper is to help decision-makers such as government agencies, industry-players and non-governmental organisations to understand the contributions of the built environment towards biodiversity conservation in achieving the SDGs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses several developmental approaches of ecosystem for implementation of the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 14. Topics include sustainable development and use of oceans, seas, and marine resources through SDG; ecosystem approach of Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD); and ecosystem approach to fisheries (EAF) taken by Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO).

An introduction is presented in which the editor discusses articles in the issue on topics including sustainable development in social, economic and ecological structures; and mentions transforming development in organizational structures, technological systems and patterns of behavior.

One of the main outcomes of the Rio + 20 Conference was the agreement to set Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The most common terms in the17 goals are economic growth, resilience and inclusion, all of which are critically examined in this article. This article discusses how these goals are reflected within existing sustainability programs at a vocational college, and at the undergraduate and postgraduate university levels in The Netherlands. Within all three institutions the author has integrated lectures on sustainable development with specific emphasis on the SDGs. The aim was to engage students in critical discussion, allowing reflection on the issues and paradoxes that characterise the larger discourse of sustainability. The case studies illustrate how curriculum aimed at this awareness can be developed stimulating the students’ recognition of critique of economic development, inclusion and resilience. As a result of the courses, the students were able to develop a certain degree of critical, imaginative, and innovative thinking about sustainable development in general and the SDGs in particular. Cradle to cradle and circular economy approaches were named as more promising for current production systems. This article concludes with the recommendation as to how the SDGs can be critically taught. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In light of an increasing demand for energy and sustainable development, bioenergy production is a must. A carboxylate platform-based bioprocess now enables the conversion of organic waste into a valuable bioproduct via open culture fermentation due to a complex microbial activity. Caproic acid is one of the promising products that can be further processed into liquid biofuels. In this study we have shown stable, long-term production of n-caproate from acid whey by shaping the reactor microbiome in a UASB bioreactor. The reactor was operated at pH 5.5 with gradually decreasing hydraulic retention time. The results showed acceleration of n-caproate formation and the highest average n-caproate production rate that lasted for 37 days was 134.3 ± 30.9 mmolC L−1 d−1 (0.11 g L−1 h−1) (with a median of 146.1 mmolC L−1 d−1) and specificity between 58 and 83% (with a median of 79%). Microbiological studies showed the prevalence of fermentative microorganisms from the families Coriobacteriaceae, Ruminococcaceae and Prevotellaceae that are the likely agents for lactose and lactate to n-caproate conversion. A flow cytometry based evaluation of the reactor microbiome demonstrated the inherent heterogeneity of microbial subpopulations in terms of microbial activity at different points of fermentation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Design intensity is defined as the amount of the original landscape changed and the degree of artificiality of added elements to the landscape by design. In spite of the significance for landscape design, it has been neglected for a long time by academic research. How does a designer choose an appropriate level of design intensity for a specific landscape to satisfy the users’ aesthetic preference? The answer is still unknown and important to research. This study explored the effects of three levels (low, moderate and high) of design intensity on visual aesthetic quality of two landscape types: natural and restored, using visual images as stimuli. The results indicated that, compared to the low or high level of design intensity, the moderate level not only led to a higher landscape quality, but also had a better marginal effect on promoting aesthetic preference. However the marginal effect was dependent on the landscape types: for the natural landscape, low design intensity had the highest marginal effect, with the original pictures’ quality having a non-significantly negative association to design intensity’s influence on visual aesthetic quality. The Intermediate Disturbance Hypothesis which suggests a moderate level of disturbance leading to maximized biodiversity is used to explain the results. In design practice high design intensity should be abandoned. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Evaluations of food, energy and water (FEW) linkages are rapidly emerging in contemporary nexus studies. This paper demonstrates, from a food consumption perspective, the potential of life cycle thinking in understanding the complex and often “hidden” linkages between FEW systems. Our study evaluates the upstream virtual water and embodied energy in food consumption in the Tamar catchment, South West England, distinguishing between domestic production and imports origin. The study also evaluates key inputs, including virtual nutrients and animal feed, when tracking supply chain of food products. Based on current dietary patterns and food products selection, the catchment consumes annually 834 TJ, 17 hm 3 and 244 hm 3 of energy, blue water and green water, respectively. Tamar is not self-sufficient in terms of food and requires imports of food products, as well as imports of virtual nutrients and animal feed for local production. Consequently, 51% of the embodied energy and 88% blue and 45% green virtual water in food consumed within the catchment are imported. Most of the embodied energy (58%) and green virtual water (90%) are because of animal feed production, where nearly half of embodied energy (48%) and green virtual water (42%) come from imports. 92% of blue virtual water is used for irrigation and primarily happens elsewhere due to imports. Irrigation is the process that demands the largest amount of energy for the crop-based products, with 38% of their total energy demand, followed by fertilisers production (24%). Our study illustrates water and energy hotspots in the food life cycle and highlights potential FEW risks and trade-offs through trade. This is useful considering potential unexpected changes in trade under recent global socio-political trends. Currently available databases and software make LCA a key tool for integrated FEW nexus assessments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent policy and academic voices in the field of Education for Sustainable Development put forward the importance of a holistic approach to the concept of Sustainable Development. We investigated the personal understanding of ‘Sustainable Development’ of scholars involved in teacher training programs and in the academic field of Education for Sustainable Development. To this purpose, an on-line survey was conducted based on the principle of comparative judgement. After careful selection, 249 academics were found to fit the specific profile for inclusion into the study. All of them were invited and56 of them participated. The instrument consisted of 16 statements built specifically to reflect different interpretations of sustainable development: fragmented, separated, holistic and integrated perspectives. Each participant compared 12 pairs of statements and were asked to decide which one better represented their interpretation of the concept of Sustainable Development in the context of Education for Sustainable Development. Using the D-PAC methodology for comparative judgement, our results show that the statements that were most often chosen prioritized an understanding of Sustainable Development according to which two or three of the dimensions of the concept (environment, society, economy) are seen as separated to each other and less often in an integrated way. The scale reliability was equal to 0.79, indicating good quality of the measurement. The results show that academics in the field of Education for Sustainable Development do not conceive of the concept of Sustainable Development holistically. There is also a tendency towards social and economic aspects of Sustainable Development. Implications for Education for Sustainable Development research and teacher training are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The continuous diffusion of information and communication technology (ICT) has exerted growing influences on the production process and energy use. This paper analyzes the major drivers behind changes in China's energy intensity with emphasis on ICT and production structure using a three-tier structural decomposition analysis (SDA) approach. This approach could thoroughly quantify the various effects of ICT on energy intensity and investigate the mechanisms of ICT input change through which it affects sectoral energy consumption. The main results indicate that: (a) production structure exerted a rising negative effect on China's energy intensity change from 2002 to 2012; (b) ICT contributed to a 4.54% increment in energy intensity, yet ICT input substitution was conducive to reduce energy use in production; (c) the ICT effects were more significant in the service sector and technology-intensive sectors. The study suggests that the Chinese government should formulate measures for adjusting production structure, promoting sustainable development of ICT and harmonizing inter-sectoral ICT input level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Environmental safety is one of the most important and urgent problems of the present and future of our society. The concept of sustainable development arises from the assessment of adverse effects in the geographic envelopes and understanding of global environmental problems. By the decree of the Cabinet of Ministers was established the National Commission on Sustainable Development of Uzbekistan Republic from November 12, 1997. (By the decree of the Cabinet of Ministers of November 12, 1997 the National Commission on Sustainable Development of the Republic of Uzbekistan was established.) The main goal of the concept of sustainable development in Uzbekistan is to strengthen the demographic system, solve economic and social issues, improve and restore the natural geographical environment, scientific substantiation of environmental education. In this article discusses the issues of environmental safety and sustainable development by the example of the Aydar-Arnasay lake system. It is important to study the irrigated and anthropogenic lakes of our arid climate, as well as to ensure environmental safety during the disastrous fate of the Aral Sea, unfolding before our eyes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Environmental monitoring has been continuously increasing due to an emerging global emphasis on the importance of sustainable development. Improving water quality monitoring and control is a challenge that calls for innovative solutions. Current methods of water monitoring are costly and analytical techniques suitable for field use are limited. There is a need for accurate, long–term monitoring of environmental contaminants using sensors that can be operated on site. The aim of our research is to theoretically model, fabricate and characterise holographic sensors for water quality monitoring that are simple to operate, capable of sensing copper present in fresh water and have relatively low cost. The sensors are created by holographic recording of surface relief gratings (SRG) in a self-processing photopolymer material. Interrogation of these structures by light allows indirect measurements of ion concentration in real time. The SRG structures are modified by coating with porous LTL-nanoparticles (nanosized zeolites) which selectively adsorb copper ions. The suitability of the sensors for detection of copper (II) present in water at concentration levels 1–4 mM is reported. The current detection limit of the sensor is 63 ppm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The World Commission on Environment and Development of the United Nations defined “sustainable development” for the first time in 1987, indicating the necessity for considering development that fulfils the needs of both present and future generations. However, the current situation of the sharp growth in the population and resources/energy consumption that adversely affects the global climate has been adding significance to the concept of sustainable development. From this background, the authors proposed a sustainability design system. This design method includes systems to clearly set the performance requirements to be considered with respect to social, economic, and environmental aspects, calculate the attained performance, and verify if the performance requirements are met. This paper describes the application feasibility of the sustainability design through the above procedures using an existing prestressed concrete viaduct. Additionally, comprehensive evaluation is carried out regarding the relationship between the elements of sustainability in comparison with the general method to clarify the effectiveness of sustainability design. It is concluded that sustainability design system has great potential of its applicability to concrete structures and promoting technical innovation based on setting of high‐performance requirements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Engineering & Sustainable Development is the property of Republic of Iraq Ministry of Higher Education & Scientific Research (MOHESR) and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Journal of Engineering & Sustainable Development is the property of Republic of Iraq Ministry of Higher Education & Scientific Research (MOHESR) and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The essence of the application of the life cycle assessment study is to avoid increasing the quality of individual products and services at the expense of environmental degradation. Life cycle assessment is regarded as a universal method that is useful for any organization, regardless of the nature and scope of business. The effectiveness of wastewater treatment can determine and assesses potential risks associated with operation of wastewater treatment plant to the environment using appropriate methodology. The implementation of the method requires formulizing processes, using exact methods, allowing identifying the environmental impacts on the environment. Life cycle assessment belongs in industrialized and environmentally conscious states among ordinary tool of environmental management. The scientific part is the introduction of general standards for specific wastewater treatment plant. The emphasis is given on correct understanding of the problem, regarding the definition of objectives, functional unit, system boundaries, and evaluation indicators. Based on the monitoring and measurement of pollutants in samples of wastewater, the data is processed by the competent life cycle assessment software. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Based on long-term monitoring conducted in Chang-ning county, a pilot site of the ‘Grain for Green Program’ (GFGP), an integrated emergy and economic method was applied to evaluate the dynamic ecological-economic performance of 3 kinds of bamboo systems planted on sloping farmland. The results confirmed the positive effects of all 3 kinds of bamboo systems on water conservation and soil erosion control. The benefits gained progressively increased during the first 8 years after conversion, going from 4639 to 16127 EMyuan/ha/yr on average. All three bamboo plantations were much more sustainable than common agricultural crops planted on sloping land (CP) on both the short and long-term scales with their Emergy Sustainability Index (ESI) and Emergy Index for Sustainable Development (EISD), respectively, being 14.07–325.71 and 80.35–265.80 times that of CP. However, all 3 bamboo plantations had a Net Economic Benefit (NEB) less than that of CP during the first 8 years after conversion. Even with the government-mandated ecological compensation applied, the annual NEB EC s of the Bambusa rigida (BR) and Phyllostachys pubescense (PP) plantations were, respectively, 3922.03 and 7422.77 yuan/ha/yr lower than the NEB of CP. Emergy-based evaluation of ecosystem services provides an objective reference for applying ecological compensation in strategy-making, but it cannot wholly solve the economic viability problem faced by all bamboo plantations. Inter-planting annual herbs or edible fungus, such as Dictyophora echinovolvata, within bamboo forests, especially in young bamboo plantations, might be a direction for optimizing bamboo cultivation that would improve its economic viability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Urban areas have contributed 75% of the global CO 2 emissions. Therefore, seeking global carbon reduction solutions from the perspective of city has become a focus of decision-makers in charge of environmental protection. The carbon emission reduction potential in land management and spatial adjustment has become an important mean for achieving regional and global sustainable development. In this paper, we systematically review and synthesize four main aspects of urban carbon metabolism spatial analysis, namely: (1) advances in urban carbon metabolism, (2) carbon accounting based on land use and cover change, (3) spatial distribution of urban carbon metabolism and influencing factors, and (4) forecasting based on land use change (Land Use and Cover Change – LUCC). In addition, we point out current deficiencies in the study of urban carbon metabolism, such as incomplete process analysis and lack of spatial display. Based on previous research, we propose a spatial-analysis-centric outlook on urban carbon metabolism, including the following key approaches: (1) future researchers should simultaneously consider natural and socioeconomic components, as well as vertical (flows from land to atmosphere) and horizontal (flows among different land use types) carbon flows, to obtain a more complete picture of the entire urban carbon metabolism system; (2) carbon metabolic spatial mapping can be implemented in patches to better serve government’s goals for optimal regulation and spatial planning; (3) researchers should refine current urban-scale research, also expanding it to the metropolitan (i.e., urban agglomeration) scale, to establish multi-scale, multi-level, and organic network structures, and study the spatial distribution pattern of carbon metabolism within and among cities and metropolitan areas, which will lay a scientific foundation for urban, regional, and national sustainable development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study sheds light on the driving forces of eco-innovation and the effects on firm performance. We focus on eco-innovation, which provides customer and business value, and contributes to sustainable development while decreasing environmental costs and impacts. The study uses data collected from 442 Chinese firms to investigate the relationship among the drivers, eco-innovation behavior, and firm performance. The results reveal that certain factors (i.e., technological capabilities, environmental organizational capabilities, a market-based instrument, competitive pressures, and customer green demand) contribute to the development of eco-innovation. Competitive pressure provides firms with the greatest incentive to adopt eco-innovation, followed by a market-based instrument, technological capabilities, customer green demand, and environmental organization capabilities. The market-based instrument is effective in inducing eco-innovation, while a command and control instrument does not. With regard to the adoption of eco-innovation, we show that eco-innovation behavior can significantly enhance a firm's environmental performance, and, through environmental performance, has an indirect positive impact on its economic performance. These findings support the “Porter hypothesis,” and have several implications for both policy makers and business managers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An editorial on responses of new sustainable development approaches to societal challenges. Topics discussed include approval of 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development at the United Nations (UN) in September 2015; increasing global inequality and fundamental failures in economic systems; and the economic development with equity and social justice.

This Article examines the role of the global financial markets in promoting sustainability and the governance challenges arising from this phenomenon. A growing range of financial instruments and strategies catalyze the desire of investors and corporations to support environmentally and socially sustainable commercial activity. This Article focuses on green bonds, a form of debt financing whose proceeds are specifically dedicated to environmentally-friendly "green" projects, assets, and business activities. Having emerged in the past three years, green bonds are expected to play an integral role in responding to the existential threat and enormous costs posed by climate change. Largely missing from the still-nascent green bond market are government regulators. Instead, its governance is decentralized and primarily shaped by private governance regimes (such as investment standards, certification schemes, ratings, and third-party assessment), which compete or collaborate with each other for market adoption. In comparison to public regulation, private governance is often faster to implement and more responsive to the needs of market participants but may suffer from a lack of legitimacy, accountability, and consistency and be susceptible to greenwashing. To address these deficits, this Article identifies and analyzes governance gaps in the green bond market and outlines a public-private hybrid regulatory framework to optimize the interests of investors and stakeholders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The proportion of residential electricity consumption in the total energy consumption has increased rapidly in the past decades all over the world. It is becoming increasingly important to promote household energy conservation for the sustainable development of a country in the case of resource constraints. This paper reviews and evaluates the existing research works which are related to the residential electricity consumption behavior. Particular attention is given to the following aspects. (1) Factors influencing residential electricity consumption in social psychology. (2) Theories of social psychology in understanding residential electricity consumption behavior. (3) Different interventions aiming at encouraging households to reduce electricity consumption. Finally, we discuss the challenges and opportunities of research on residential electricity consumption behavior in the big data era. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Photocatalytic conversion of CO 2 to fuels has attracted immense attention because it offers a cleaner energy technology and safer environment. In this study, performance of structured montmorillonite (MMT) dispersed Fe-doped titanium dioxide (Fe/TiO 2 ) nanocomposite was tested for dynamic photo-induced CO 2 reduction by H 2 to fuels. Cordierite monolithic support was employed in order to improve the photo-activity and reusability of Fe-MMT/TiO 2 nanocomposite in a CO 2 utilization process. MMT-clay supported Fe/TiO 2 samples were prepared by a controlled and direct sol-gel method and were dip-coated over the monolith micro-channels. The efficiency of Fe-loaded MMT/TiO 2 for CO 2 reduction by H 2 toward CO was investigated using a cell type and a monolith photo-reactor under UV-light. The maximum CO yield over 3 wt % Fe-10 wt % MMT-loaded TiO 2 catalyst reached 166 μmole g-catal. −1 h −1 at selectivity 99.70%, considerably higher than the amount of CO produced over the MMT/TiO 2 (16 μmole g-catal. −1 h −1 ) and the pure TiO 2 (5 μmole g-catal. −1 h −1 ) catalysts. The other products observed with adequate amounts were CH 4 and C 2 H 6 . More importantly, photo-activity and stability of Fe-MMT/TiO 2 catalyst for CO evolution was significantly improved using monolith photo-reactor compared to the cell type reactor under the same operating conditions. This enactment was evidently due to higher quantum efficiency of monolith photoreactor, improved adsorption-desorption process in a catalyst coated monolith channels and hindered charges recombination by Fe. The reusability of catalyst loaded over the monolithic support showed greater recycling capability than the catalyst dispersed in a cell reactor. This development confirmed higher photo-activity of Fe-MMT/TiO 2 photo-catalyst loaded over monolithic support for CO 2 photo-reduction to cleaner fuels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The protection of the environment and the consolidation of sustainable development in the market are simultaneously achievable, and constitute part of the foundation of European law. This law highlights their viability, in the area of financial mechanisms that support the production of renewable energy in an effort to address climate change. The harmony of these mechanisms, provided, for example, in Directive 2009/28/EC and its adoption by the Member States of the European Union with the free movement of goods, is analyzed by the Court of Justice in the case of Ålands Vindkraft AB v. Energimyndigheten (C-573/12). In this case, the Court highlighted how compatibility among the climate, green energy production and the development of the market is a necessity. In this area, the European Commission has proposed to the Parliament and the Council a framework and package of measures, which they will implement together, based on their functions, in accordance with the provisions of European law. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the Children’s Environmental Health Network (CEHN), a nonprofit advocacy group efforts to protect children from environmental health hazards and promote a healthier sustainable environment. Topics discussed include childcare and health-care providers professional training in environmental exposures, policies to prevent toxic exposures, consumer demand for safer products, and eco-healthy changes.

In his last lifetime essay, 'A Few Words about the Noosphere', Academician V.I. Vernadsky (1944) wrote that all living organisms on the planet, including man, are integral to the biosphere of the Earth, its material and energy structure and cannot be physically independent of it even for a minute. However, the substrate that generates all living beings and is no less tightly bound to the biosphere has always been characterized by a significant geochemical heterogeneity, traced both in the vertical and in the lateral structure of all geospheres. The present work is devoted to three most important aspects of modern geochemistry and biogeochemistry: On the basis of theoretical concepts of biogeochemistry and geochemical ecology, formulated in the works of V.I. Vernadsky, A.P. Vinogradov, A.E. Fersman, B.B. Polynov, A.I. Perel'man, M.A. Glazovskaya, V.V. Kovalsky, E. Odum, B. Commoner, E.I. Kolchinskii and others, the author puts forward a hypothesis that there exist two qualitatively different stages in the evolution of the biosphere. The first stage is recognized as the period of natural evolution of the biosphere during which it evolves successively into a more complex and more biogeochemically specialized object. In the course of the geological time, this constantly results, on the one hand, in an increase in species diversity and the perfection of individual species, and, on the other hand, to directed improvement and a greater differentiation of the geochemical conditions of the environment. At this stage, the evolution of all systems of the biosphere that were controlled by the mechanisms of self-organization and self-regulation resulted in the establishment of a dynamic equilibrium, which was responsible for the cycling of all essential chemical elements and therefore providing ecologically optimal geochemical conditions in all ecological niches and for all species and biocenoses inhabiting the biosphere at any given moment. The beginning of the second stage is related to the appearance of reason and qualitative changes in the biosphere caused by the goal-directed activity of the human mind, as an entirely new geological force that appeared to be able not only to disrupt the functioning of natural mechanisms of self-regulation and selforganization, but also to transform the environment in the intersts of a single biological species, Homo sapiens. A direct consequence of this change was the uncontrolled transformation of the natural environment, during which the primary structure (geochemical background) created in the course of billions of years was eventually superimposed by a qualitatively new layer of anthropogenically-derived chemical elements and compounds, thus building an interference pattern of a new geochemical field with which practically all modern living organisms are now forced to interact. An outstanding feature of the new evolutionary stage of the natural environment, called by Vernadsky the noosphere, is that biogeochemical changes at this stage proceed at a rate which exceeds that required for the living matter to adapt to these changes. The result is the disruption of the existing parameters of the biological cycle, leading to the emergence of a significant number of endemic diseases of geochemical nature. The proposed approach was used to prove the anthropogenic genesis of existing geochemical endemic diseases and explain the mechanisms of their appearance. In addition, this approach allowed us to develop a new methodology for mapping zones of ecological and geochemical risk and noticeably simplify the procedure of monitoring distribution and prevention of all diseases of geochemical nature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This introduction to the special issue presents an overview of the wide range of results produced during the European Union project Arctic Climate Change, Economy and Society (ACCESS). This project assessed the main impacts of climate change on Arctic Ocean's geophysical variables and how these impending changes could be expected to impact directly and indirectly on socio-economic activities like transportation, marine sea food production and resource exploitation. Related governance issues were examined. These results were used to develop several management tools that can live on beyond ACCESS. In this article, we synthesize most of the project results in the form of tentative responses to questions raised during the project. By doing so, we put the findings of the project in a broader perspective and introduce the contributions made in the different articles published in this special issue. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper focuses on community development and its relationship to eco-tourism as a means of creating a sustainable future for local Cuban communities. If communities control local resources to create economic opportunities for local goals, there is a greater chance that community development will be more effective and sustainable. Local empowerment can play a key role in community development through ecological and cultural tourism. The focus of this paper is Cuba's potential to develop into a major ecological and cultural tourism center within international tourism. Recent policy announcements regarding the intention to diversify Cuba's economy and move people into private enterprise will require new employment opportunities, especially those with lower opportunity costs and resources. The growth of small paladares (restaurants run by self-employed owners) and casas particulares (rooms for rent in private homes), which provide low environmental impact and resource use, are compatible with ecocultural tourism's emphasis on the local. In an era of increasing environmental costs and resource scarcity, eco-cultural tourism offers a sustainable alternative to conventional tourism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The growing extraction of natural resources and the waste and emissions resulting from their use are directly or indirectly responsible for humanity approaching or even surpassing critical planetary boundaries. A sound knowledge base of society's metabolism, i.e., the physical exchange processes between society and its natural environment and the production and consumption processes involved, is essential to develop strategies for more sustainable resource use. Economy-wide material flow accounting (MFA) is a framework that provides consistent compilations of the material inputs to national economies, changes in material stocks within the economic system, and material outputs to other economies and the environment. We present the conceptual foundations of MFA and derived indicators and review the current state of knowledge of global patterns and trends of extraction, trade, and use of materials. We discuss the relation of material use and economic development and the decoupling of material use from economic growth in the context of sustainable resource use policies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]