bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Forging Pathways to Circular Economy Excellence: Integrating Industry 4.0 with Quality Management
Authors: Duong Thi Binh An , Akbari Mohammadreza , Le Thi Cam Huong , Nguyen Canh Lam , Truong Quang Huy
Published: April 2024

The convergence of industry 4.0 technologies with supply chain operations and sustainability initiatives has sparked interest in integrating supply chain quality management with these advancements, termed SCQM 4.0. A comprehensive literature review spanning 1998 to 2023, analyzing 232 papers, unveiled key trends, identified research gaps, and outlined a future research agenda for SCQM 4.0. The review culminated in the development of a comprehensive theoretical framework for SCQM 4.0 geared towards fostering sustainability within a circular economy framework, encompassing economic, social, and environmental dimensions. Notably, the study implies a rising enthusiasm for leveraging industry 4.0 tools such as the internet of things, blockchain, traceability systems, and smart packaging to enhance quality management within circular supply chain operations. Additionally, it proposes SCQM 4.0 strategies aimed at achieving holistic sustainability objectives in circular economies, underscoring implications for further scholarly inquiry in this dynamic field. To promote supply chain quality management digitalization, supply chain stakeholders should analyze research gaps and develop practical implementation plans using the SCQM 4.0 framework. Additionally, exploratory qualitative investigations among organizations and industries should be conducted to identify essential components in sustainable SCQM 4.0.
Accident Severity Analysis of Traffic Accident Hot Spot Areas in Changsha City Considering Built Environment
Authors: Yan Ruizhe , Hu Lin , Li Juanjuan , Lin Nanting
Published: April 2024

Examining the impacts of accident characteristics and differentiated built environment factors on accident severity at inherent accident hotspots within cities can help managers to adjust traffic control measures through urban planning and design, thereby reducing accident casualties. In this study, time series clustering was used to identify traffic accident hotspots in Changsha City. Based on the hotspot identification results, Kruskal–Wallis tests were used to select differentiated built environment factors among different accident areas within the city. A severity analysis model for road crashes in Changsha’s hotspots, taking into account the built environment, was constructed using a Light gradient boosting machine (LightGBM). In addition, Shapley additive explanations (SHAP) were used to reveal the influences of accident characteristics and built environment factors on accident severity. The results showed that different accident characteristics and built environment factors affect accident severity in different urban accident areas. Factors such as type of accident, visibility, period of time, land use mixing degree, population density, density of commercial places, and density of industrial places showed varying degrees of importance in influencing accident severity, while the overall impact trends remained consistent. On the other hand, transportation accessibility, road network density, landform, and accident location showed significant differences in their impacts on accident severity between different accident areas within the city.
The Dialectics of Nature–Human Conflicts for Sustainable Water Security
Authors: Ganoulis Jacques
Published: April 2024

How humans use and manage water resources under climate change conditions threatens water security, which means risking the availability of enough good-quality water for everybody and for nature’s flora and fauna. Integrated Water Resources Management is a state-of-the-art water management model. After 20 years in use, the application of this model failed to achieve its primary goal in many countries, i.e., ensuring the good ecological status of rivers, lakes, and aquifers. This paper shows that because the model is more human-centered than nature-oriented or anthropocentric, it generates severe environmental damages called “externalities.” From a historical analysis of the human–nature interplay, three main results were obtained: (1) the nature–human interaction is always in a state of contradictory confrontation, being composed of two opposite human behaviors of conflict and cooperation with nature; (2) this contradiction is assumed as a general ontological principle and epistemic hypothesis, called “dialectical”; and (3) historically, in the balance of power between nature and humans, three clusters are identified: (i) naturalistic, (ii) dualistic, and (iii) anthropocentric. A theory of a novel behaviorist conflict resolution model is suggested to dialectically resolve conflicts between stakeholders and natural laws. This model provides a harmonic symbiosis of humans and nature, removes environmental externalities, and can lead to sustainable water security. Three case studies illustrate the merits of the new dialectical model in real applications.
Managing Marble Quarry Waste: Opportunities and Challenges for Circular Economy Implementation
Authors: Tazzini Antonio , Gambino Francesca , Casale Marco , Dino Giovanna Antonella
Published: April 2024

Marble has been a prominent natural stone exploited since ancient times, commonly employed as a building material and ornamental stone. However, the disposal of waste generated from marble extraction, particularly fine sludge, poses significant environmental challenges for the dimensional stone industry. The difficulty in managing and recovering these materials, exacerbated by local regulations and the absence of suitable recovery protocols, often leads to landfilling. This issue is exemplified by the Carrara Marble Basin in the Apuan Alps (Tuscany, Italy), where more than half of the extracted marble remains as quarry waste or debris. Modern cutting technologies have intensified the production of finer materials and sawing residue, known as “marmettola”, ranging in size from fine sand to silt. The disposal of these materials, commonly through landfilling or abandonment, has profound environmental repercussions. This research primarily aimed to carry out a preliminary physical, mineralogical, and morphological characterization of the fine waste and sludges generated from Carrara Marble exploitation. The findings reveal the high granulometric uniformity of the materials, and a nearly pure carbonate composition, suggesting potential for reuse in various industrial sectors such as paper, plastics, and pharmaceuticals production.
Phytoplankton Communities’ Response to Thermal Stratification and Changing Environmental Conditions in a Deep-Water Reservoir: Stochastic and Deterministic Processes
Authors: Wang Hongtian , Li Yixuan , Li Yuying , Liu Han , Wang Wanping , Zhang Pengcheng , Fohrer Nicola , Li Bai-Lian , Zhang Yixin
Published: April 2024

Thermal stratification has become more extensive and prolonged because of global warming, and this change has had a significant impact on the distribution patterns of the phytoplankton communities. However, the response of phytoplankton community structures and assembly processes to thermal stratification is not fully understood. We predicted that the structure and assembly processes of phytoplankton communities would be affected by thermal stratification among water layers associated with environmental condition changes, reflecting certain patterns in temporal and spatial scales. Phytoplankton from Danjiangkou Reservoir were collected from October 2021 to July 2022 to verify this prediction. During the sampling period, Danjiangkou Reservoir remained thermally stratified with stability. The composition of the phytoplankton community in the surface layer significantly differed from that in both the thermocline and bottom layer. The phenomenon of thermal stratification affected the pattern of nitrogen and phosphorus distribution and, thus, the processes of the phytoplankton community structures. Deterministic processes had a greater influence on the assembly of the phytoplankton communities in the surface and bottom layers. In contrast, stochastic processes were more prevalent in the assembly of the thermocline phytoplankton community. The phytoplankton community within the thermocline layer exhibited a broader niche range than that in the surface and bottom layers, showing notable dissimilarity from that of the bottom layer. Canonical correspondence analysis (CCA) revealed that the vertical distributions of the phytoplankton communities were significantly correlated with NH4+-N, pH, and water temperature (WT). In summary, this study explained the distribution patterns of phytoplankton community structures and assembly processes in deep-water reservoirs during the stratification period. Additionally, the study explored the potential of using the distribution patterns of phytoplankton in stratified-state deep-water reservoirs under a subtropical–warm temperate climate as climate indicators in the context of global warming.
Healthy and Inclusive Neighbourhoods: A Design Research Toolkit for the Promotion of Healthy Behaviours
Authors: Busciantella-Ricci Daniele , Macchi Alessia , Viviani Sara , Rinaldi Alessandra
Published: April 2024

Addressing urban health through the built environment requires cross-disciplinary approaches, where design plays a crucial role. Gaining insights from a design-led research perspective to find situated solutions for promoting healthy behaviours is a requirement that must be clarified. Therefore, we ask the following question: what kind of design research instruments may help in applying the urban health approach from a design-led perspective? With this research question, and to contribute to the mentioned issues to be clarified, this paper presents the application of a framework adopted in a local action research project, namely the Healthy Neighbourhoods Hub (HNH) research project. The HNH framework was used as a design research toolkit for collecting contextual data and identifying insights to build scenarios and strategies for all the involved design disciplines. Around 169 participants among local stakeholders and citizens in two case studies in the city of Florence (Italy) were involved in semi-structured interviews, Healthy Labs, and Open Space Lab. As a result, the participatory activities provided a wide variety of qualitative data, such as themes related to user needs (n = 15), critical issues and points of weakness (n = 32), potentialities and points of strength (n = 27), strategies (n = 38), design insights (n = 30), and a collection of 40 local projects (40 in 5 themes), that contributed to the subsequent co-design activities of the project. This richness suggests the potential of using the adopted resources to build the HNH Toolkit as a design research instrument for addressing urban health and gaining design knowledge for the promotion of healthy behaviours through the design of the built environment.
Challenges and Prospects of Sustainability in the Context of Global Health
Authors: Bjegovic-Mikanovic Vesna , Laaser Ulrich
Published: April 2024

We introduced this Special Issue entitled “Challenges and Prospects of Sustainability in the Context of Global Health”, published by MDPI, about two years ago with the following excerpt: [...]
Land Cover Patterns of Urban Lots and Their Contribution to Ecological Functions
Authors: Horta Marise Barreiros , Carvalho-Ribeiro Sònia Maria , Mas Jean François , Martins Francisco Medeiros , Resende Fernando de Moura , Goulart Fernando Figueiredo , Fernandes Geraldo Wilson
Published: April 2024

The green infrastructure of urban lots performs socio-ecological functions and provides several ecosystem services (ESs) in urban environments. By assessing the land cover patterns of such sites, one can deduce ecological functions and potential ESs. We represented the various land cover combinations of lots by mapping and classifying the vegetation quality of 2828 lots in the city of Belo Horizonte, Southeast Brazil. We performed cluster analysis of land cover with weighting according to ecological functions, potential for ES provision, and performance. Most lots (1024, 36.21%) were in the moderate vegetation quality class (trees/native vegetation between 25% and 50% or >50% herbaceous-shrubby vegetation), which included the largest plot of 383,300 m2 and a median plot size of 403 m2. A total of 244 (8.63%) lots were in the highest vegetation quality class (trees/native vegetation between >50% and 100%). The lots included diverse vegetation cover combinations of up to ten land cover types, with two dominant types: herbaceous-shrubby vegetation and tree clumps. Among the four land cover patterns obtained, those covered by tree clusters (1193 lots; 42.18%) had the highest ecological performance and the greatest potential for regulating and supporting ESs. This cluster had the highest average land cover of tree clumps (49%) and the highest averages for native vegetation formations (2–6%). Our study showed a variety of land cover patterns and an expressive percentage of lots with capabilities to provide ecological functions and ESs, which can support urban sustainability policies that have yet to be addressed.
Digital Twins for Supporting Ageing Well: Approaches in Current Research and Innovation in Europe and Japan
Authors: Lehmann Jasmin , Granrath Lorenz , Browne Ryan , Ogawa Toshimi , Kokubun Keisuke , Taki Yasuyuki , Jokinen Kristiina , Janboecke Sarah , Lohr Christophe , Wieching Rainer , Bevilacqua Roberta , Casaccia Sara , Revel Gian Marco
Published: April 2024

One of the central social challenges of the 21st century is society’s aging. AI provides numerous possibilities for meeting this challenge. In this context, the concept of digital twins, based on Cyber-Physical Systems, offers an exciting prospect. The e-VITA project, in which a virtual coaching system for elderly people is being created, allows the same to be assessed as a model for development. This white paper collects and presents relevant findings from research areas around digital twin technologies. Furthermore, we address ethical issues. This paper shows that the concept of digital twins can be usefully applied to older adults. However, it also shows that the required technologies must be further developed and that ethical issues must be discussed in an appropriate framework. Finally, the paper explains how the e-VITA project could pave the way towards developing a Digital Twin for Ageing.
Coconut Waste: Discovering Sustainable Approaches to Advance a Circular Economy
Authors: Vieira Fabrícia , Santana Hortência E. P. , Jesus Meirielly , Santos Joana , Pires Preciosa , Vaz-Velho Manuela , Silva Daniel Pereira , Ruzene Denise Santos
Published: April 2024

The coconut tree (Cocos nucifera) stands as a pivotal resource in tropical regions, playing a crucial role in both subsistence and economic activities across Asia, the Pacific Islands, and South America. While the harvesting of coconut fruit is essential for producing globally utilized edible products, such as coconut oil, by small owners and large producers around the world in the food, cosmetics, and pharmaceutical industries, concerns have arisen due to the substantial amount of agro-industrial residue generated in this process, posing environmental risks if they are not properly managed. Recognizing the environmental challenges, this paper emphasizes the transformative potential inherent in coconut waste, characterized by its lignocellulosic composition rich in lignin and multifunctional groups. By delving into the historical context of coconut economic exploration and its chemical composition, this review explores the diverse applications of coconut products, focusing on the utilization and processing of residues to generate sustainable products and byproducts. Ultimately, this comprehensive review underscores the significance of repurposing coconut waste, not only to mitigate the environmental impact but also as a valuable contributor to a circular economy, promoting the use of the lignocellulosic biomass in research and bolstering its role as a raw material in the chemical and energy sectors.
A New Perspective on Strategic Choices for the Survival and Development of Energy Enterprises: An Analysis of Market Power, Innovation Strategy, and Sustainable Development of Major Multinational Oil Companies
Authors: Guo Chunliang , Zhang Jiawen , Li Na
Published: April 2024

As global economic recession and deterioration of the ecological environment become increasingly prominent, every responsible enterprise, especially the energy enterprises with more environmental controversies, will be faced with the most difficult choice regarding sustainable operation in history: market power expansion strategy, or technological innovation strategy? Most of the literature supports the finding that the former can occupy the market advantage and obtain the current market survival, but the future potential is low, while the latter reduces the firm’s negative externality and gains future competitiveness, but current profits are reduced. This paper proposes a new perspective to evaluate the “sustainable development of enterprises” and then constructs a new measurement model, using a linear regression model for empirical analysis, which provides technical support and guidance for energy enterprises facing this decision-making dilemma. For further research, we have proposed more practical business management strategies for the sustainable development of petrochemical companies in developing countries.
Chinchero as Tourism Hub and Green Corridor as a Social Integrator in Cusco Peru 2023
Authors: Esenarro Doris , Cho Alejandro , Vargas Nalia , Calderon Oscar , Raymundo Vanessa
Published: April 2024

This research focuses on the proposal of a corridor design that allows social and ecological integration in the context of a city with emerging potential as a tourist destination in Chinchero, Cusco. Key challenges addressed include lack of infrastructure to manage growing tourism demand, fragmentation of social identity, displacement of the local population due to gentrification processes, uncontrolled urban sprawl, and inappropriate exploitation of natural, cultural, and agricultural lands. To address these issues, a comprehensive diagnosis was carried out covering various urban-environmental dimensions, such as topography, road infrastructure, archeology, climate, and biodiversity. In this process, digital tools such as Blender, AutoCAD, Photoshop, and Affinity Designer were used. As a result of the analysis, an urban green corridor is proposed consisting of seven sectors covering the shores of the Piuray lagoon, the city center, and its archeological area, through the creation of socially active public spaces equipped with cultural, sports, and recreational facilities. The city of Chinchero, with its growing importance as a tourist destination, presents the opportunity and the need to develop a controlled urban development axis that promotes the connection between environmental, cultural, archeological, social, and tourism aspects. This objective is materialized in the form of a green corridor that seeks to promote social integration and a sense of territorial belonging.
Workplace Energy Culture Framework: A Mixed Methods Study Examining Differences in Energy Use and Behaviours within an Industrial Workplace
Authors: Brown Llinos
Published: April 2024

One way to achieve energy efficiency in the workplace is to change employee behaviour. Research in this area is limited, and significant gaps remain in understanding differences in how energy is used within workplaces and the suitability of existing frameworks for application in workplace settings. This paper addresses these gaps by applying and further developing the interdisciplinary energy culture framework (ECF) to examine employee energy use in an industrial workplace with an office and manufacturing areas. A mixed methods approach consisting of surveys, a focus group and interviews is applied. Results show significant differences in the office and manufacturing areas, with office areas having a more energy-efficient energy culture. Qualitative results show differences exist due to organizational behaviours, such as the effectiveness of business communications methods, varying levels of investment, the physical environment and work tasks. Results also show external influences, such as government budgets, business structure, and wider organisational cultures, impact energy cultures and how energy is used. This paper proposes modifications to the ECF, which acknowledges the multi-scalar nature of workplace energy cultures. This paper demonstrates how the ECF can be applied to workplace settings, allowing further understanding of how energy is used, and identifying wider organizational, occupational, and individual psychological influences on energy use.
The Evolution of Open Space Planning within a Developing, Biodiverse City (Durban, South Africa)
Authors: McLean Cameron T. , Roberts Debra C. , Slotow Rob
Published: April 2024

Conserving and restoring biodiversity is central to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals. The need to curb biodiversity loss through the mainstreaming of biodiversity considerations within land-use planning is consistently highlighted in global biodiversity assessments intended for policymakers and practitioners. We present a Global South local government-led examination of the mainstreaming of biodiversity issues within a biodiversity hotspot area. Here, we evaluated the four-decade-long evolution in open space planning in Durban, South Africa, in response to shifting urbanisation, governance and policy/legislative contexts. We assessed the role of science in responding to contextual changes, the need for champions, and key institutional interventions undertaken to embed a biodiversity function within local government. In addition, we investigated how biodiversity concerns have been incorporated into land-use planning applications via the city’s environmental planning function. We provide evidence of the advancement of mainstreaming biodiversity concerns within local government processes, institutional functions, and land-use decision-making. This has been achieved through effective and sustained leadership; the use of science and scientific information in advancing the policy and legislative environment and building political support by responding to shifting governance contexts; investment in institutional scientific capacity and generating scale-appropriate biodiversity information. Learnings from this paper may be useful for other local governments addressing biodiversity loss through land-use planning processes, by identifying critical investment areas that may shorten the time required for effective mainstreaming.
PM2.5 and O3 in an Enclosed Basin, the Guanzhong Basin of Northern China: Insights into Distributions, Appointment Sources, and Transport Pathways
Authors: Li Xiaofei , Guo Jingning , Wan Xuequan , Yang Zhen , Tripathee Lekhendra , Yu Feng , Zhang Rui , Yang Wen , Wang Qiyuan
Published: April 2024

Aerosol samples (PM2.5) were collected in Xi’an (XN) from 11 August to 11 September 2021 and in Qinling (QL) from 14 July to 24 August 2021, respectively. In addition, ozone (O3) data were collected in order to investigate the characteristics and source areas of PM2.5 and O3 in the Guanzhong Basin (GB). The concentrations of PM2.5, organic carbon (OC), and elemental carbon (EC) in XN (53.40 ± 17.42, 4.61 ± 2.41, and 0.78 ± 0.60 μg m−3, respectively) were higher than those in QL (27.57 ± 8.27, 4.23 ± 1.37, and 0.67 ± 0.53 μg m−3, respectively) in summer. Total water-soluble ions (TWSIIs) accounted for 19.40% and 39.37% of the PM2.5 concentrations in XN and QL, respectively. O3 concentrations in summer were 102.44 ± 35.08 μg m−3 and 47.95 ± 21.63 μg m−3 in XN and QL, respectively, and they showed a significant correlation with Ox. The positive matrix factorization (PMF) model identified three main sources in XN and QL, including coal combustion source (COB), secondary aerosol (SA), and dust sources (DUSs). The potential source contribution function (PSCF) and a concentration weight trajectory (CWT) model with back-trajectory analysis showed that Inner Mongolia, the interior of Shaanxi, and nearby areas to the southwest were the sources and source areas of carbonaceous matter in XN and QL. The results of this study can contribute to the development of prevention and control policies and guidelines for PM2.5 and O3 in the GB. Furthermore, long-term and sustainable measuring and monitoring of PM2.5 and O3 are necessary, which is of great significance for studying climate change and the sustainable development of the environment.
Drivers of Macroinvertebrate Communities in Mediterranean Rivers: A Mesohabitat Approach
Authors: Alcaraz-Hernández Juan Diego , Sánchez-Hernández Javier , Muñoz-Mas Rafael , Martínez-Capel Francisco
Published: April 2024

We investigated the relationship between benthic macroinvertebrate community attributes (richness, abundance, biodiversity, and climate-specific and resistance forms) and the physical characteristics of distinct mesohabitats (hydromorphological unit types) discretized into fast (e.g., riffles or rapids) and slow (e.g., pools or glides) flow types in four Mediterranean rivers of Spain. Key attributes of hydromorphological units, including length, width, depth, shade, substrate composition, embeddedness, abundance of aquatic vegetation, and density of woody debris, were considered. Through a comprehensive suite of multivariate analyses, we unraveled taxonomic and habitat distinctions among rivers and hydromorphological unit types, with a notable influence of spatial proximity (greater similarity within the same river basin). In slow hydromorphological units, aquatic vegetation, depth, and abundance of coarse substrate emerged as pivotal factors shaping macroinvertebrate assemblages, whereas in fast-flowing units, vegetation, substrate embeddedness, and density of woody debris were the most important. Contrary to the remaining community attributes, the studied resistance forms (absent, eggs, cocoons, and cells against desiccation and diapause) exhibited uniformity across rivers despite observed variations in macroinvertebrate communities, underscoring regional functional analogies in biological and ecological mechanisms within the investigated Mediterranean river basins. This study contributes valuable insights for anticipating the repercussions of ongoing climate change, particularly in regions where fast-flowing hydromorphological units are more susceptible to depletion during drought periods.
Optimizing an Anaerobic Hybrid Reactor Series for Effective High-Strength Fresh Leachate Treatment and Biogas Generation
Authors: Sutthiprapa Sakulrat , Towprayoon Sirintornthep , Chiemchaisri Chart , Chaiprasert Pawinee , Wangyao Komsilp
Published: April 2024

Treating high-strength fresh leachate is challenging and of great interest due to the inherent variability in its physical and chemical characteristics. This research aims to enhance the efficiency of the anaerobic hybrid reactor (AHR) series in treating high-strength fresh leachate and achieving biogas generation from fresh leachate at ambient temperatures. The AHR series used consists of two serially connected reactors termed the first anaerobic hybrid reactor (AHR-1) and the secondary anaerobic hybrid reactor (AHR-2). AHR-1 treated high-concentration fresh leachate with an organic loading rate (OLR) between 5 and 20 kgCOD/m3·d. AHR-2 treated the effluent from the first tank and removed organic matter from the system. The experiment was conducted for 210 days, showing that an OLR of 10 kgCOD/m3·d resulted in the most suitable COD removal efficiency, ranging from 82 to 91%. The most suitable OLR for biogas production was 15 kgCOD/m3·d. The AHR series proved to be an efficient system for treating high-strength fresh leachate and generating biogas, making it applicable to leachate treatment facilities at waste transfer stations and landfill sites. Treating leachate and utilizing it as a renewable energy source using the AHR series presents a practical and efficient waste management approach. High-strength leachate can be effectively treated with the AHR series; such methods may be integrated into industries treating leachates with high COD values.
Study on the Ecological Compensation Standard in the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region of China under the Perspective of Natural Capital Supply and Demand
Authors: Shi Jinli , Wang Tuodi , Xu Liping , Gao Zhiyu , Cao Cui , Luo Yutian , Xi Yunyun , Zhang Yu
Published: April 2024

The fundamental component of the ecological compensation system, as well as the crucial basis for its efficient functioning, is calculating the ecological compensation amount and establishing the ecological compensation standard. This study integrates the ecological footprint with natural capital monetization and other methods by introducing a natural capital accounting system. From the standpoint of natural capital supply and demand, it also builds an accounting framework for ecological compensation standards that is standardized, dynamic, and regionally differentiated while taking local socioeconomic aspects into account. We determined the amount of ecological compensation by using Xinjiang as the research object and calculating and analyzing the features of regional and temporal changes in the monetary and physical quantities of natural capital in Xinjiang from 2010 to 2020. The findings show that from 2010 to 2020, Xinjiang’s ecological footprint increased by 1.26 times in physical terms and 1.21 times in monetary terms and that its ecological carrying capacity increased by 4.13% in physical terms and 9.42% in monetary terms. The ecological deficit continues to grow in physical and monetary terms, with a per capita ecological deficit in 2020 of 19.92 s-nha/cap and 70,100 CNY/cap in physical and monetary terms, respectively. The amount of ecological compensation required to be paid in Xinjiang increased from CNY 5659 million to CNY 10,259 million, and the per capita ecological compensation payment standard increased from 259.42 CNY/cap/yr to 396.11 CNY/cap/yr. In summary, Xinjiang’s natural capital supply is insufficient to meet the demand for consumption, and the ecological deficit is growing with time, necessitating the payment of ecological compensation. The study’s results lay the foundation for formulating and implementing ecological compensation policies in Xinjiang and provide theoretical support for constructing ecological civilization in Xinjiang. In addition, the ecological compensation accounting framework constructed in this study organically integrates natural capital theory, ecosystem services, and socioeconomic influencing factors, which enriches the methodology of accounting for ecological compensation standards, and, at the same time, can be used as a paradigm of a dynamic and equitable ecological compensation accounting framework to further promote its use at different scales and regions.
Design, Economic, and Environmental Accounting Assessment of a Solar-Powered Cold Room for Fish Storage in Traditional Markets
Authors: Rami Yassine , Allouhi Amine
Published: April 2024

The food industry, crucial for emerging economies, faces challenges in refrigeration, particularly in fish storage. High energy consumption, environmental impact, and improper cooling methods leading to food waste are significant issues. Addressing these challenges is vital for economic and environmental sustainability in the food sector, especially concerning fish storage where spoilage rates are high. In this context, this research proposes a sizing methodology, evaluation, and parametric simulations based on multi-criteria attributes for a solar PV-powered cold room for storing fish in traditional markets in Morocco. To identify the cooling load of the system, TRNSYS 16 was utilized to simulate the transient behavior, while the PV array specifications were determined using SAM 2017.9.5 software. The design process introduced a cold room coupled to a refrigeration unit powered by a 15.3 m2 PV array with a 1.8 kWp nameplate capacity. Finally, yearly and life cycle metrics including self-sufficiency, self-consumption, Levelized Cost of Cooling (LCOC), discounted payback period (DPP), CO2 emissions avoided and total environmental penalty cost savings (TEPCS) are evaluated to assess the performance of the system and a sensitivity analysis was conducted on these metrics. The proposed system has an attractive LCOC of 0.131 $/kWhCold and a DPP of 3.511 years. Using the PV array proved to avoid 437.56 tons of CO2 emissions and generated TEPCS from $100.59 to $866.66. The results of this study highlight the potential for utilizing renewable energy sources in the refrigeration sector to improve both economic and environmental sustainability.
The Role of Legumes in the Sustainable Mediterranean Diet: Analysis of the Consumption of Legumes in the Mediterranean Population over the Last Ten Years a PRISMA Statement Methodology
Authors: Carlini Betty , Lucini Cristina , Velázquez Javier
Published: April 2024

The Mediterranean model, introduced by Ancel Keys, has gained significant importance from the perspective of sustainability. This is why the Mediterranean diet is now called a sustainable diet. This study focuses on legumes, protein-rich foods of vegetable origin, cultivated in the area, as their production and use in cooking are highly sustainable. The analysis covers their consumption over the last 10 years in the entire Mediterranean area, looking specifically at Spain. The objectives of this work are to analyze the production of legumes in the Mediterranean area, taking into account the fact that they are an important environmental as well as food resource, and to analyze how the consumption of legumes has changed in certain countries bordering the Mediterranean in relation to social and cultural changes, with particular attention to the pandemic. The study shows how, in Spain, since 2020, the consumption of legumes has increased, demonstrating that in emergency situations, different dietary choices are made. In addition, it shows how legumes are an excellent source of vegetable protein and an important environmental resource from the perspective of sustainability.
The Relationship between Supply Chain Resilience and Digital Supply Chain and the Impact on Sustainability: Supply Chain Dynamism as a Moderator
Authors: Atieh Ali Ahmad Ali , Sharabati Abdel-Aziz Ahmad , Allahham Mahmoud , Nasereddin Ahmad Yacoub
Published: April 2024

This research aims to explore the complex interplay between supply chain resilience (SCR), digital supply chain (DSC), and sustainability, focusing on the moderating influence of supply chain dynamism. The goal is to understand how these elements interact within the framework of contemporary supply chain management and how they collectively contribute to enhancing sustainability outcomes. The sample size is 300 CEOs and managers. The study approach integrates quantitative research methods. Structural equation modeling (SEM) is utilized to quantitatively analyze the direct and indirect effects of SCR and DSC on sustainability. The numerous surveys we conduct among supply chain ecosystem stakeholders provide a rich picture of practical implications and contextual nuances. In sum, our early findings generally support a positive relationship between SCR and sustainability in and of itself, declaring the need for more resilient supply networks for sustainability. We further find the beneficial impact of digital technologies in promoting sustainability via enhancing environmental control and controlling for efficiency in supply chains. We also offer evidence to show that supply chain dynamism compounds the positive logic between SCR and DSC and sustainability. As a final word, it must be noted that our work speaks to the burgeoning literature on supply chain dynamism as a moderator by examining the direct and contingent effects of SCR and DSC not only on performance but sustainability. By shedding light on the moderating role of dynamism, the study provides fresh insights into the multifaceted nature of supply chain management and sustainability practices. The study’s findings enhance theoretical understanding by elucidating the synergistic effects of SCR, DSC, and sustainability in dynamic supply chain settings. The study augments the existing theoretical frameworks by integrating the concepts of resilience, digitalization, and sustainability into a comprehensive model. Practical and economical, the research offers actionable guidance for organizations aiming to improve sustainability performance through resilient and digitally advanced supply chains. By acknowledging the role of supply chain dynamism, managers can tailor strategies to manage disruptions effectively and leverage digital innovations. Economically, adopting sustainable practices can result in cost savings and competitive advantages. The research emphasizes the importance of aligning supply chain strategies with sustainability goals to drive long-term value and societal impact.
Soil Mercury Pollution of Hainan Island, China: Patterns, Influencing Factors, and Health Risks
Authors: Sun Yan , Yang Canchao
Published: April 2024

Due to the rapid expansion of tourism, mining, and manufacturing, the economy of Hainan Island in southern China has experienced swift growth. However, it also brings the risk of soil pollution by mercury (Hg) as a result of increased traffic and mineral processing activities. In order to investigate the characteristics of soil Hg pollution in Hainan Island and assess the health risk, a total of 239 samples were gathered from five representative regions across the island. The findings indicate considerable fluctuations in the soil Hg concentration across the five sub-study areas, which are influenced by factors such as wind direction, mining activities, and economic development. Changjiang Li Autonomous County, situated in the downwind direction (NW) and rich in mineral resources, shows the highest soil Hg concentration (10.00–1582.50 ng·g−1). Following closely are Haikou and Sanya, the two most economically developed cities on the island, with soil Hg concentrations of 8.33–321.50 ng·g−1 and 6.04–180.50 ng·g−1, respectively. Wuzhishan Nature Reserve and Lingshui Li Autonomous County, located in the upwind area (SE), show the lowest concentrations, ranging between 10.70–104.67 ng·g−1 and 9.43–84.00 ng·g−1, respectively. Both the Single Pollution Index method and the Geo-accumulation Index method were employed to assess the level of Hg pollution. The results indicate that nearly half of the sampling sites are contaminated, in which the proportion of contaminated sites in Sanya and Haikou are the highest, but the level of contamination is low; the heavily contaminated sites are predominantly found in Changjiang Li Autonomous County. However, the low Health Risk Index (HI) ranging from 0.0001 to 0.0334 suggests that although the soil is contaminated with Hg, it does not pose a substantial non-carcinogenic risk to human health.
A COP28 Perspective: Does Chinese Investment and Fintech Help to Achieve the SDGs of African Economies?
Authors: Zhang Aimin , Nankpan Moses Nanyun , Zhou Bo , Forson Joseph Ato , Nkrumah Edmund Nana Kwame , Adjavon Samuel Evergreen
Published: April 2024

Scientific consensus affirms human activity, particularly carbon emissions from market participants, drives global warming. Foreign investment, crucial for sustainability in developing nations, now faces scrutiny regarding its impact on environmental quality in emerging economies. This study examines the influence of Chinese Outward Foreign Direct Investment (OFDI) and fintech on environmental conditions in the top five Chinese-invested African economies, alongside factors such as energy consumption, economic performance, and unemployment affecting CO2 pollution. Quarterly data from 2006–2021 confirm cointegration among variables via panel unit root and cointegration tests. Panel ARDL method estimates coefficients for short and long-run effects. Our findings reveal: (1) A 1% increase in Chinese investment leads to a 0.56% decrease in CO2 emissions, supporting its positive environmental impact. (2) Fintech adoption also demonstrates a beneficial effect, with a 1% increase associated with a 0.18% reduction in CO2 levels. (3) Total energy consumption, as expected, has a detrimental impact, causing a 0.92% increase in CO2 emissions with a 1% rise. (4) Interestingly, economic growth fosters environmental sustainability, while unemployment correlates negatively with it. These findings suggest that targeted Chinese investments and fintech adoption can aid in mitigating CO2 pollution in African economies while balancing economic considerations.
The Impact of Official Promotion Incentives on Urban Ecological Welfare Performance and Its Spatial Effect
Authors: Zhang Can , Li Jixia
Published: April 2024

Economic growth, environmental protection, and welfare improvement are closely related to local officials. Therefore, exploring the paths that affect ecological welfare performance (EWP) from the perspective of official promotion incentives has certain practical significance. EWP is an indicator that measures the welfare relationship between ecological resource inputs and outputs, reflecting the sustainable development status of a region. First, considering the background of the dual carbon goals, the EWPs of 284 cities from 2007 to 2020 were measured by constructing an indicator system and using the super-SBM-DEA method. Second, by constructing a theoretical framework of “official promotion incentives-fiscal responsiveness-EWP”, we empirically tested the impact and mechanism of official promotion incentives on urban EWP; finally, based on regional and official age heterogeneity, we explored the differential impacts of official promotion incentives on urban EWPs. The results show that official promotion incentives inhibit the improvement of urban EWP by reducing financial responsiveness; in terms of spatial spillovers, under three types of spatial weight matrices, promotion incentives for officials in neighboring areas can significantly improve the EWPs of local cities. From the perspective of regional differences, official promotion incentives in the eastern region significantly improved urban EWP, official promotion incentives in the western and northeastern regions significantly inhibited urban EWP, and official promotion incentives in the central region had no significant impact on urban EWP. From the perspective of official age, local officials aged 53 and 54 intensified the inhibitory effect of promotion incentives on urban EWP. By constructing a theoretical framework and empirical testing, this paper provides theoretical support and empirical evidence for the impact of official promotion incentives on urban EWP. The results help to understand the relationship between official promotion incentives and sustainable development, and promotes sustainable urban development.
Research on the Mechanism of the Carbon Emission Reduction Effect of Green Finance
Authors: Ma Zhaoliang , Fei Zhengdong
Published: April 2024

Under the background of China’s “double carbon” policy, determining how to use the carbon emission reduction effect of green finance is an important starting point for China to achieve stable economic development and sustainable ecological development. By integrating provincial data from the CEADS, EPS, CSMAR, and CNRDS databases from 2003 to 2021, the two-way fixed-effect models are used to empirically test how green finance can exert a carbon emission reduction effect. This study finds that green finance can significantly reduce carbon emission intensity. A mechanism analysis shows that green finance can promote green technology innovation, induce social investment, and promote the disclosure of the social responsibility information of listed companies to reduce carbon emissions, which is still valid after a series of robustness tests. A heterogeneity analysis finds that the government’s environmental attention and the scale of financial industry development have heterogeneous effects on the carbon emission reduction mechanism of green finance. Both the government’s environmental attention and the scale of financial industry development can induce social investment, but the government’s environmental attention cannot promote the growth of green technology innovation, and the scale of financial industry development cannot promote the disclosure of the social responsibility information of listed companies. This paper broadens the research perspective of green finance to reduce carbon emissions and provides some empirical evidence and a theoretical reference to further promote the green transformation of the “two high and one surplus” industry and the sustainable development of the financial industry.
Assessment of Greywater Reuse in a University Building in a Hyper-Arid Region: Quantity, Quality, and Social Acceptance
Authors: Lanchipa-Ale Teresa , Cruz-Baltuano Ana , Molero-Yañez Nahuel , Chucuya Samuel , Vera-Barrios Bertha , Pino-Vargas Edwin
Published: April 2024

Since Tacna is a hyper-arid region, greywater is a potential alternative water source. This study aimed to quantify and characterize greywater in a university building with 732 students, as well as assess their perception of greywater reuse. Water meters were used to calculate greywater quantity. To assess untreated greywater quality, physical–chemical and microbiological parameters were analyzed. Questionnaires were used to measure students’ acceptance regarding greywater reuse using a Likert scale. The greywater quantity recorded in this study was 426.85 L/d, which is less than reported in previous global research. The greywater quality showed relatively low values regarding physical–chemical parameters; however, microbial contamination was higher compared to international permissible limits for wastewater reuse. Furthermore, it was found that the generated greywater has little biodegradability (0.38). Students disclosed a lower acceptance of reusing untreated greywater compared to a 77.05% acceptance of reusing treated greywater for green areas. According to the greywater characterization, biological treatment will not be enough to ensure environmental protection and user health; thus, physical–chemical treatment will also be needed. The produced greywater quantities would generate a 12.67% water saving if used for toilet flushing. The greywater volume fulfills the whole demand for watering green areas or green roofs. Students would assent to the reuse of treated greywater.
Providing Feedback during the Online Phase of a Flipped Classroom Design: Fostering Sustainable Learning Performance While Considering Study Time Management
Authors: Thai Ngoc Thuy Thi , De Wever Bram , Valcke Martin
Published: April 2024

This study concentrates on the effects of teacher feedback (FB) on students’ learning performance when students are tackling guiding questions (GQ) during the online session in a flipped classroom environment. Next to students’ performance, this research evaluates the sustainability in students’ self-efficacy beliefs and their appreciation of the feedback. Participants were second year college students (n = 90) taking the “Environmental Technology” course at Can Tho College (Vietnam). They were assigned randomly to one of two research conditions: (1) with extra feedback (WEF, n = 45) and (2) no extra feedback (NEF, n = 45) during the online phase of the flipped classroom design. In both conditions, students spent the same amount of time in the online environment as well as in the face-to-face environment. The findings indicate that students studying in the WEF condition achieve higher learning outcomes as compared to students in the NEF condition. With respect to student variables, we observe no significant differences between the two research conditions in terms of self-efficacy beliefs at various occasions. However, we explore significant differences between the two research conditions in terms of feedback appreciation during the posttest assessment.