bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Assessment of Ecological Livability for Agricultural, Pasture, Forestry, Residential, and Tourism Activities; Study Area: North of Iran
Authors: Hashemkhani Zolfani Sarfaraz , Hedayatnezhad Kashi Seyed Mostafa , Baharvandi Saba
Published: October 2022

Ecological livability assessment is one of the effective strategies seeking an optimum balance between the processes of urban development and ecological ones to ensure sustainable and livable environments ultimately. Since this type of evaluation is functional and practical for managers and planners, ecological livability is studied from different aspects (ecological, physical-social, economic). With an emphasis on ecological-infrastructural potentials, the present paper studies the region’s capabilities in four activities: agriculture, pasture, forestry, residential, and tourism in northern Iran. Firstly, in the methodology and based on GIS, ecological-infrastructural indicators were investigated in the study area (Tonekabon City). Secondly, the four activities evaluated the ecological-infrastructural indicators according to the Delphi and ANP methods. Then they were combined with the Overlay function to prioritize the ecological-infrastructural potential of Tonekabon City for the activities. Findings from the study show that topographic and land capability indicators impact various activities concerning Tonekabon City’s characteristics. The results of the research for the four activities in Tonekabon indicate that 35% of lands have a high potential for agriculture and pasture, more than 70% for forestry, 35% for tourism activities, and more than 73% for settlement ones in the category 1 and 2 (suitable, moderately suitable). In addition, the most ecological infrastructure potential is for agricultural-pasture, residential, and tourism activities in the northern of Tonekabon and forestry ones for the southern part. However, the high potential and power are in other parts of Tonekabon, especially the central sections, to establish several activities that it is possible to improve livability in the light of sustainable development through the investment in activities.
“Mapping the Extreme Terres”: A Socio-Ecological Strategy in Response to the Critical Condition of the Italian Hinterland of Val di Sole
Authors: Pasquali Margherita , Marengo Mathilde
Published: October 2022

Vulnerable topographies and morphologies are reservoirs of resilience in reacting to social, economic, and environmental crises in the Italian Hinterlands. Moreover, the pandemic situation of recent years has influenced people’s values and priorities, allowing us to reconsider the value of lands outside urban centres. In Italy, overcoming a contrasting vision between cities and inland areas brings out a relationship of interdependence between territories, a fragile balance to be investigated and reconnected. The contribution of this paper aims to investigate the current state of vulnerability of these hinterlands, crossed by continuous phenomena and by discrete or sudden phenomena, to represent the tangible and intangible space to fully understand the performativity of these territories. The methodology used lies in an intermediate space between the values process of landscape ecology, which sees as its starting point the investigation of tangible land effects, and the quantitative-qualitative approach of mapping. A scale of values is assigned through the use of GIS-assisted multi-criteria evaluation. The proposed methodology is set and applied in the case of Val di Sole, Trentino, to spatialise the relationship between risk and resources in Italy’s hinterlands.
Innovative In Situ and Ex Situ Conservation Strategies of the Madonie Fir Abies nebrodensis
Authors: Frascella Arcangela , Della Rocca Gianni , Barberini Sara , Emiliani Giovanni , Secci Stefano , Lambardi Maurizio , Benelli Carla , Tarraf Waed , Izgu Tolga , Schicchi Rosario , Germanà Maria Antonietta , Jouini Nourhene , Amato Filippo , Di Noto Giuseppe , La Placa Gaetano , Geraci Anna , Bonomo Peppuccio , Arista Montserrat , Balao Francisco , Terrab Anass , Del Valle Jose C. , Lo Meo Vincenzo , Danti Roberto
Published: October 2022

Abies nebrodensis (Lojac.) Mattei is an endemic species of the north-west of Sicily located in an 84 ha area in the Madonie Regional park. The current population is limited to 30 relic adult trees and a fluctuating number of juveniles of natural regeneration. The species is defined as “Critically Endangered” in the Italian list of threatened plants and is classified as CR-D in the 2000 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. This article reports the key action undertaken by the LIFE4FIR project aimed at preserving A. nebrodensis, and the results obtained so far in three years of activity. OpenArrays SNPs genotyping revealed a high rate of inbreeding in the natural population and that the adult trees are genetically related. Controlled cross-pollination was consequently performed to increase the genetic variability of the progeny. Outbred offspring are currently being grown in the nursery. Reforestation has been planned by using 4000 selected outbred seedlings in 10 areas within Madonie Park to create re-diffusion cores. Support and protection of the relic population have been implemented through regular phytosanitary surveys, as well as new fencing and video surveillance systems against grazing and wild herbivores. A seedbank and cryobank for the long-term germplasm conservation have been established.
Spatial Distribution, Contamination Levels, and Health Risks of Trace Elements in Topsoil along an Urbanization Gradient in the City of Urumqi, China
Authors: Sidikjan Nazupar , Eziz Mamattursun , Li Xinguo , Wang Yonghui
Published: October 2022

For this study, we collected a total of 77 topsoil samples from urban, suburban, and rural gradients in the Urumqi city area in northwest China and analyzed their concentrations of seven trace elements: Arsenic (As), cadmium (Cd), nickel (Ni), lead (Pb), mercury (Hg), copper (Cu), and Zinc (Zn). To assess and compare the contamination levels and the potential health risk of trace elements in topsoil along an urbanization gradient, we employed the pollution index and the health risk assessment model introduced by the US Environmental Protection Agency; we also used geostatistical analysis to analyze the spatial distribution patterns. The results we obtained indicate that the contamination levels of trace elements in soil decreased in the order of urban > rural > suburban gradients. We found a similar spatial distribution pattern of contamination levels of Ni, Zn, Cd, and Pb elements, with a zonal distribution pattern, while the spatial distribution patterns of As, Cu, and Hg elements show high concentration patches in many of the areas investigated in this study. Furthermore, based on the identified concentrations, the topsoil is heavily contaminated by Hg and slightly contaminated by Pb, As, and Zn in the urban gradient, whereas it is heavily contaminated by Hg in suburban and rural gradients and slightly contaminated by As in the suburban gradient. The total non-carcinogenic risk index of the analyzed trace elements for adults and children decrease in the order of urban > suburban > rural gradients, whereas the total carcinogenic risk index of the analyzed elements for adults and children decreased in the order of suburban > urban > rural gradients. However, the contamination of topsoil in all gradients is more harmful to children’s health than to that of adults. Overall, urbanization has had obvious effects on the accumulation of trace elements in soil, and As is the main carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic risk factor among the investigated elements in topsoil in all urbanization gradients.
Research on Evolutionary Game Strategy Selection and Simulation Research of Carbon Emission Reduction of Government and Enterprises under the “Dual Carbon” Goal
Authors: Li Sufeng , Dong Chenxin , Yang Lei , Gao Xinpeng , Wei Wei , Zhao Ming , Xia Weiqi
Published: October 2022

As one of the effective market instruments in carbon emission reduction policy, carbon trading is capable of promoting the smooth implementation of the “dual carbon” goal. Based on the path evolutionary game method of information economics, this paper constructs a dynamic game model of the evolution and development of government and enterprise carbon emission reduction. It also analyzes the evolution and development law of government and enterprise carbon emission reduction. We used the carbon market trading data of Guangdong Province to simulate the evolutionary game path of government and enterprise carbon emission reduction under the “double carbon” target and then selected strategies. Results show that (1) Scientific adjustment of carbon quota can effectively shorten the realization time of carbon emission reduction probability of high-pollution enterprises, obtain additional surplus carbon quota, and win extra carbon emission reduction income; (2) Increasing financial subsidies can improve the probability of carbon emission reduction of high-pollution enterprises but cannot prevent the periodic change in carbon emission reduction probability, which in turn helps prolong the “window period” of government regulation on carbon emission reduction; (3) Increasing carbon emission penalties will help high-pollution enterprises actively reduce emissions and improve the motivation of government supervision; (4) The government can introduce a dynamic reward and punishment mechanism. If the government properly chooses the reward and punishment strategy, it may not necessarily pay additional subsidies, so that the government and enterprises can cooperate in tacit agreement to achieve the goal of carbon emission reduction; (5) If the price of carbon emission permits is adjusted, high-pollution enterprises will actively reduce carbon emissions and gain greater benefits no matter what regulatory measures the government takes. Results of this study have profound significance for carbon emission reduction strategies and government regulation of high-pollution enterprises and will help China achieve its “dual carbon” development goal.
Parametric-Based Multi-Objective Optimization Workflow: Daylight and Energy Performance Study of Hospital Building in Algeria
Authors: Besbas Soumaya , Nocera Francesco , Zemmouri Noureddine , Khadraoui Mohamed Amine , Besbas Asma
Published: October 2022

Daylight is an important factor that significantly contributes to patients’ healing, with a reduction in the length of stay in the hospital. It can strongly affect energy consumption negatively or positively through lighting control strategies. Therefore, the case of healthcare buildings is very particular and sensitive, especially under extreme climate conditions as in hot and arid regions. The present study aims to determine a balance between daylight use and energy consumption through a parametric-based optimization of the external shading system in a typical hospital room in Biskra. This paper demonstrates how the implementation of parametric design with evolutionary algorithms is considered a reliable strategy to reach optimum solutions in building performance problems. The daylight performance is investigated based on multi-objective optimization to minimize the Energy Use Intensity “EUI”, while maximizing Spatial Daylight Autonomy “sDA” and Useful Daylight Illuminance “UDI”. A simulation model was developed via Grasshopper, which was employed with the use of Ladybug, Honeybee, and Octopus plug-ins. The results revealed that the adaptive facade system can improve indoor daylight levels and energy performance simultaneously compared to the conventional shading system. The presented framework may be used as a reference model, which can enhance opportunities to solve complex design problems in the early design stages and suggest recommendations for sustainable building design.
The Impact of Vehicle Ownership on Carbon Emissions in the Transportation Sector
Authors: Hou Lingchun , Wang Yuanping , Zheng Yingheng , Zhang Aomei
Published: October 2022

As one of the important sources of carbon emissions, the transportation industry should be given attention. This study investigates the relationship between vehicle ownership, economic growth, and environmental pressure on the Chongqing transportation industry (CQTI) based on CQTI data, then constructs a comprehensive regression model and couples the EKC curve and Tapio model for integrated analysis, and finally constructs a LEAP-Chongqing model to forecast CQTI from multiple perspectives. The innovations are that the multi-model examines the effects of different variables and has a better classification of transportation modes in scenario simulation. The results show that: (1) there is an inverse N-shaped relationship between car ownership, economic growth, and environmental pressure of CQTI; (2) every 1% of transportation output, urbanization rate, or car ownership will cause 0.769%, 0.111%, and 0.096% of carbon emission change, respectively; (3) gasoline, diesel and aviation kerosene consumption account for 80–90%, private cars cause 41–52% of carbon emissions, and the energy structure and transportation structure of CQTI are unreasonable; (4) the results of a multi-scenario simulation show that the energy saving and emission reduction effect of a single policy is not satisfactory, and the integration of energy saving and emission reduction measures should be strengthened.
Supporting Future Teachers to Promote Computational Thinking Skills in Teaching STEM—A Case Study
Authors: Tripon Cristina
Published: October 2022

In recent years, teachers in various fields, such as science, mathematics, linguistics and others, have been interested in alternative learning strategies as opposed to traditional activities, in order to help students to examine their learning progress. The integration of computational thinking in teaching activities, after returning to face-to-face activities, can meet the needs of students during the COVID-19 pandemic. In this research, two samples of students in their first year of study were recruited for the teacher training program validation for computational skills in STEM education. The training model offers an explanation for the differences between the following two sets of data: the CT modules used in a substantial number of teacher workshops, and the results obtained, which are closely related to the argument that teachers can support students’ lifelong learning by developing computational thinking activities. The results related to the students’ scores may have contributed to their improvement in computational thinking skills and it could be one of the best examples of how to change the ways of learning about 21st century skills and sustainable education.
Instant Closing of Permanent Magnet Synchronous Motor Control Systems at Open-Loop Start
Authors: Dianov Anton
Published: October 2022

Nowadays, position sensorless permanent magnet synchronous motor drives are gaining popularity quite rapidly, and have become almost standard in many applications such as compressors, high speed pumps, etc. All of these drives involve estimators to calculate the speed and the position of the rotor, which are necessary for proper operation of vector control. While these estimators, with the exception of injection-based ones, work well in the middle and high-speed ranges, they cannot operate at low speeds. In order to overcome this problem, sensorless control systems include different starting techniques, with the most popular being open-loop starting. In this approach, the motor is accelerated in open-loop mode until it reaches the speed where estimator operates stably, then the control system is closed. However, the weakest point of this method is the technology of closing the system, which typically creates transients and can even be the cause of loss of stability. This paper proposes a method for instant and seamless transition from open-loop to closed loop which works perfectly under different load conditions. Other starting techniques are considered and compared with the proposed method.
Influencing Factors of The Innovation Power in the Adoption of Sustainability Strategies
Authors: Barbieri da Rosa Luciana Aparecida , Gomes Clandia Maffini , Campos Waleska , Rodrigues Carolina , Godoy Tais Pentiado , Kneipp Jordana Marques
Published: October 2022

The study aimed to analyze which are the best corporate environmental strategies to foster the innovation power of companies in the mining sector. The methodology used was the quantitative approach through multiple linear regression analysis were used to analyze the power of innovation and to see how the interrelationship between pressures and incentives can influence companies in the implementation of the sustainability strategy which resulted in five different models. The results show that different environmental strategies foster, in different ways, the power of innovation of companies in the analyzed mineral sector. Therefore, it became evident that cost reduction and adaptation to a strong regulatory environment are strategies capable of promoting external guidance and the transparency of innovation processes. Second, the search for reducing environmental impacts and adapting to a strong regulatory environment are strategies that strengthen knowledge of the business environment. In addition, the results show that leadership in products and processes can be optimized through strategies to reduce costs and environmental impacts. Finally, Autonomy and market leadership in relation to innovative initiatives can be achieved via cost reduction, incorporation of social and environmental guidelines, and adaptation to a strong regulatory environment. Thus, this study contributes to the theory and practice of innovation as it reveals to be the best corporate strategy capable of fostering the innovation power of companies in the mineral sector.
Ancestral Rituals Heritage as Community-Based Tourism—Case of the Ecuadorian Andes
Authors: Torres-Toukoumidis Angel , Marín-Gutiérrez Isidro , Hinojosa-Becerra Mónica
Published: October 2022

This research aims to describe aguacolla’s ancestral ritual in a local community in Ecuador, determining the use of ancestral medicine, the healing process, its sociological antecedents, diagnosis and treatments. A micro-ethnographic design was carried out in the local community with total involvement in the ritualistic process for 20 days, where, in addition to collecting data through participant observation and interviews, a video production of the ritual was generated. As a result, the involvement of religious and cultural syncretism in the ceremony, acceptance of the locals and strengthening of their identity by including symbolisms of the area, the different categories of ancestral medicine were analyzed: wachakhampiYachak for pregnant women and children, yurakhampiYachak for headaches and fever, KakuyampiYachak for bones and rikuyhampiYachak for supernatural diseases. Concluding, the healing experience produced by the “aguacolla” shows that in addition to the healing spectrum, there is also a touristic, historical and patrimonial repercussion in the ceremonies.
Regional Governance for Food System Transformations: Learning from the Pacific Island Region
Authors: Thow Anne Marie , Ravuvu Amerita , Iese Viliamu , Farmery Anna , Mauli Senoveva , Wilson Dorah , Farrell Penny , Johnson Ellen , Reeve Erica
Published: October 2022

The unsustainability of food systems is a global policy challenge. There is an urgent need for the improved coordination and integration of policies across sectors to improve food system outcomes. The aim of this study was to examine the role and opportunities for regional governance in strengthening policy for food system transformations, using the Pacific Island region as a case study. We conducted a qualitative policy analysis, drawing on data from 21 interviews with experts and participants in Pacific Island regional food system governance, and the analysis of 17 key regional commitments (policy documents) relating to food systems. The findings indicate that the Pacific Island region has made significant progress towards improved regional food systems governance. Regional governance has been used to address multiple shared and inter-related challenges associated with food systems, improve coordination across silos, and facilitate constructive engagement on policy issues between international, regional, and national actors. However, food systems outcomes related to the economy, nutrition, and environment continue to be mixed, and there are challenges to policy coordination and effectiveness at the regional level. Interviewees envisaged a regional approach characterized by being rooted in regional values, meeting multiple objectives, balancing tensions, and providing meaningful support and resources for countries. Following food systems disruptions associated with the COVID-19 pandemic, this study suggests that there is an opportunity to strengthen regional food system governance through paradigm change, the development of new modes of coordination, and increasing the dynamic interactions between regional institutions, countries, and communities.
Multi-Objective Optimal Operation of Building Energy Management Systems with Thermal and Battery Energy Storage in the Presence of Load Uncertainty
Authors: Trairat Parichada , Banjerdpongchai David
Published: October 2022

This paper presents the optimal operation of a building energy management system (BEMS), with combined heat and power (CHP) generation, thermal energy storage (TES), and battery energy storage (BES), subject to load demand uncertainty. The main objective is to reduce the total operating cost (TOC) and total CO2 emission (TCOE). First, we develop two models of load demand forecasting, one for weekday and the other for weekend, using artificial neural networks, long short-term memory, and convolutional neural networks. Then, we incorporate the predicted load demand and load demand uncertainty for planning the energy dispatch of the BEMS. TES aims to store the thermal energy waste from the power generation of CHP and discharge the thermal energy to the absorption chiller to supply the cooling load. BES and spinning reserve (SR) play an important role in handling the uncertainty of the load demand. The operation of BEMS, subject to the load demand uncertainty, is formulated as a linear program. We can efficiently solve the linear program and provide an optimal solution that satisfies the dispatch constraints. Thereafter, we determine the optimal size of BES, based on economics and environmental optimal operation. The proposed BEMS is compared to the previous BEMS, without BES and SR. Furthermore, we propose the multi-objective optimal operation, where the normalization for TOC and TCOE is introduced, and the multi-objective function is defined as a linear combination of normalized TOC and TCOE. The numerical results reveal the trade-off relationship between TOC and TCOE. In particular, when TCOE is minimum, TOC becomes maximum. On the other hand, when TOC is minimum, TCOE becomes maximum. The relationship provides a method to select the operating point, as well as analyze the power flow for the multi-objective optimal operation.
Augmented Reality and GPS-Based Resource Efficient Navigation System for Outdoor Environments: Integrating Device Camera, Sensors, and Storage
Authors: Singh Saravjeet , Singh Jaiteg , Shah Babar , Sehra Sukhjit Singh , Ali Farman
Published: October 2022

Contemporary navigation systems rely upon localisation accuracy and humongous spatial data for navigational assistance. Such spatial-data sources may have access restrictions or quality issues and require massive storage space. Affordable high-performance mobile consumer hardware and smart software have resulted in the popularity of AR and VR technologies. These technologies can help to develop sustainable devices for navigation. This paper introduces a robust, memory-efficient, augmented-reality-based navigation system for outdoor environments using crowdsourced spatial data, a device camera, and mapping algorithms. The proposed system unifies the basic map information, points of interest, and individual GPS trajectories of moving entities to generate and render the mapping information. This system can perform map localisation, pathfinding, and visualisation using a low-power mobile device. A case study was undertaken to evaluate the proposed system. It was observed that the proposed system resulted in a 29 percent decrease in CPU load and a 35 percent drop in memory requirements. As spatial information was stored as comma-separated values, it required almost negligible storage space compared to traditional spatial databases. The proposed navigation system attained a maximum accuracy of 99 percent with a root mean square error value of 0.113 and a minimum accuracy of 96 percent with a corresponding root mean square value of 0.17.
The Nexus between Entrepreneurial Education and Entrepreneurial Self-Competencies: A Social Enterprise Perspective
Authors: Opuni Frank Frimpong , Snowden Michael , Winful Ernest Christian , Hyams-Ssekasi Denis , Halsall Jamie P. , Quaye Josiah Nii Adu , Afriyie Emelia Ohene , Ocloo Elikem Chosniel , Opoku-Asante Kofi
Published: October 2022

The purpose of the study was to examine the mediation roles of student satisfaction and entrepreneurial self-efficacy in the nexus between entrepreneurial education and entrepreneurial self-competencies within a social enterprise context. The study used a cross-sectional survey design, with a sampled population of 185 business students from three universities (Accra Technical University, Cape Coast Technical University and the University of Ghana) in Ghana. A PLS-SEM approach was used to examine the relationships among the independent–dependent constructs in the study. Entrepreneurial education had positive and significant relationships to student satisfaction and entrepreneurial self-efficacy, but it showed an insignificant relationship to entrepreneurial self-competencies. Student satisfaction was also found to relate positively and significantly to entrepreneurial self-efficacy and entrepreneurial self-competencies. Furthermore, both student satisfaction and entrepreneurial self-efficacy were found to fully mediate the nexus between entrepreneurial education and entrepreneurial self-competencies. The study highlights the crucial roles of student satisfaction and self-efficacy in the implementation of entrepreneurial education in higher education institutions. In a discipline that is characterised by paucity, this study provides a unique and original assessment of the important roles of student satisfaction and student self-confidence in building entrepreneurial competencies among students.
Living Labs and Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises: A Symbioses Propelling Sustainable Innovation
Authors: Alexandrakis Julian , Hein Julia , Kratzer Jan
Published: October 2022

Until recently, it had not been certain to what extent the integration of SMEs in Living Labs, as a special form of open innovation ecosystems, actually leads to successful commercialization of (sustainable) products and/or services. Today, while the effectiveness of publicly funded innovation projects is increasingly being debated, especially by European policymakers, who once hoped to solve the European paradox through this type of public-private-people partnership, this article can prove that in parts of the innovation process—and this includes, in particular, the sustainable innovation output—an increase in innovation performance on the site of the SMEs can be detected. Based on the concept of program evaluation, the effects on SMEs’ innovation are determined with a preliminary qualitative study. The impact of Living Lab projects on innovation output, activities, capabilities, and knowledge flows of 12 European SMEs are then empirically tested in a quantitative study. Significant effects on the innovation performance of SMEs resulting from participation in Living Labs are identified. According to this study, Living Lab projects mainly influence the sustainable innovation output and knowledge flows of SMEs.
Integrated Use of Herbicides and Mulching for Sustainable Control of Purple Nutsedge (Cyperus rotundus) in a Tomato Crop
Authors: Zangoueinejad Rouzbeh , Sirooeinejad Behnaz , Alebrahim Mohammad Taghi , Bajwa Ali Ahsan
Published: October 2022

Purple nutsedge (Cyperus rotundus L.) is a problematic weed in tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum L.) crops causing significant yield losses. Although several chemical options are available for this weed, the level of control is often unsatisfactory, and the consistent use of herbicides has a risk of resistance evolution. Therefore, we evaluated the efficacy of two herbicide options, halosulfuron and fomesafen + S-metolachlor, alone or integrated with natural and plastic mulches in controlling purple nutsedge in tomato crops in a three-year field study. The use of herbicides or mulches alone did not provide effective weed control (below 65%). However, the combination of natural mulch and fomesafen + S-metolachlor provided the most effective weed control by reducing the density and biomass of purple nutsedge by up to 83% and 81%, respectively, as compared with the season-long untreated control. The use of a natural mulch in combination with the herbicides halosulfuron or fomesafen + S-metolachlor also resulted in the highest tomato yield (ca. 3.3 kg per plant). This integrated treatment improved tomato yield by over 400% as compared with the season-long untreated control. The integrated use of a plastic mulch and two chemical options resulted in a 67–74% weed biomass reduction and a 332–368% yield increase over the season-long untreated control. These findings suggest that the combinations of herbicides and mulches are effective integrated weed management options for purple nutsedge in tomato crops.
An Empirical Study of Determinants of Pay-for-Performance in PPP Procurement
Authors: Cao Fuguo , Wang Cong
Published: October 2022

Pay-for-performance is important in procuring Public–Private Partnership projects to which existing research has not paid enough attention. We took 884 ecological construction and environmental protection PPP projects (eco-environmental PPPs) as a sample and used the fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis method to discuss the links among technological, organizational, and environment in pay-for-performance procurement based on technology–organization–environment frameworks. We found the following: (1) A single condition alone does not constitute a necessary condition for the high-level pay-for-performance of PPP projects. The multiple concurrencies of technology, organization, and environmental conditions form three configurations that drive the pay-for-performance of PPPs with the same effect. (2) The existence of attention distribution and institutional regulation are crucial for optimizing pay-for-performance. To improve pay-for-performance, local governments should combine their own conditions to strengthen the synergy of technology, organization, and environmental conditions. In addition, the leader’s attention distribution and institutional regulation should be taken seriously. The contributions of this study are twofold: (1) Theoretically, this study provides new evidence of the determinants of pay-for-performance in PPP procurement, complementing empirical studies on the factors facilitating its implementation. (2) In practice, it provides a specific path for the government to improve the performance of eco-environmental PPPs.
The Sustainable Development Goals Implementation: Case Study in a Pioneer Brazilian Municipality
Authors: Teixeira Talita B. , Battistelle Rosane A. G. , Teixeira Adriano A. , Mariano Enzo B. , Moraes Tiago E. C.
Published: October 2022

Knowing how cities are planning, monitoring, and implementing the 2030 Agenda has been considered by the literature as crucial to the advancement of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). In this context, the main purpose of this article was to investigate the performance of the municipality of Birigui (São Paulo State, Brazil) in the implementation of the SDGs. To achieve the objectives proposed in this study, first a literature review was carried out on the subject of the SDGs and the importance of the counties for their effectiveness. Next, a case study was realized to understand “how” and “what” practices had been adopted by the county. The results confirm the importance that counties have, as well as the relevance of partnerships for the effective implementation of the SDGs. In addition, it presents the various practices adopted to leverage the SDGs in the county that may serve as an example for other counties in Brazil, in emerging countries and around the world, or for various types of sectors and organizations. Therefore, this work fills an important research gap in bringing to light a personalized study of how the SDGs have been planned, monitored, and implemented in a local government (city) in Brazil.
Impact of Different Fertilizer Forms on Yield Components and Macro–Micronutrient Contents of Cowpea (Vigna unguiculata L.)
Authors: Yürürdurmaz Cengiz
Published: October 2022

Organic materials, whose importance is increasing day by day in terms of soil fertility, plant nutrition, and sustainable agriculture in the world, need to be shown to be more effective against chemical fertilizers in order for farmers to adopt and use them more. The study was carried out to determine the effects of different organic fertilizer forms (farmyard manure (FM1 = 2500, FM2 = 5,104,000, FM3 = 7500, and FM4 = 10,000 kg ha−1), leonardite (L1 = 5000 and L2 = 10,000 kg ha−1) and vermicompost (V1 = 2500, V2 = 5000, V3 = 7500, and V4 = 10,000 kg ha−1)) on the yield components and some macro and micronutrient contents of the cowpea (Vigna unguiculata L.). The study, which was carried out under the Kahramanmaraş Mediterranean ecological conditions in 2020–2021, was conducted according to the experimental design of completely randomized blocks with three replications. As a result of the study, it was found that the differences between the fertilizer forms were significantly effective in terms of all the examined characteristics. It was determined that the seed yields varied between 3043.3–4126.7 kg ha−1, and according to the results of the two-year study, 10,000 kg ha−1 vermicompost would be sufficient to obtain the highest cowpea yield (4126.7 kg ha−1) under Mediterranean climate conditions.
Analyst Earnings Forecast Optimism during the COVID-19 Pandemic: Evidence from China
Authors: Yu Yan
Published: October 2022

Analysts are important participants in the capital market, but there are relatively few studies on the impact of the COVID-19 outbreak on analysts’ behaviors. This article examines the impact of the COVID-19 outbreak on the analysts’ earnings forecast optimism by using a sample of visits to Chinese listed firms during 2019–2020. We find that the analysts’ earnings forecasts become less optimistic and show pessimism after the outbreak of COVID-19. This result is consistent with past research findings that major natural disasters lead to analysts’ forecasts pessimism. However, we also find that the earnings forecasts issued by analysts with on-site visits are more optimistic after the COVID-19 outbreak. The increase in optimism is associated with accounting information transparency, the proportion of tangible assets, and the revenue geographical concentration of the visited companies. Further analysis shows that higher optimism in visiting analysts’ earnings forecasts after the COVID-19 outbreak leads to a positive market response, suggesting that optimism in visiting analysts’ forecasts misleads the market’s resource allocation. We also find that the higher level of optimism in visiting analysts’ earnings forecasts disappeared after the COVID-19 outbreak was well controlled. Overall, our study enriches the study of the impact of COVID-19 on capital markets from the perspective of analysts’ forecast optimism. Investors in other countries should also be aware of the impact of similar phenomena.
Guideline and Strategies of Textile Industry on the Sustainable Development of Benin
Authors: Dafia Chabi Simin Najib , Chen Fei , Sumo Peter Davis
Published: October 2022

Benin is one of Africa’s leading authorities in cotton production. Today, Benin’s textile firms face challenges that affect their textile production efficiency level. The study employs exploratory and descriptive methods. Applying the AHP (Analytic Hierarchy Process) and SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats) methods to make proper analysis after a wide range of surveys to provide guidance about the resilience of the textile industry in Benin. The SWOT-AHP approach was employed with secondary data sources. The analytical results highlight the need for private capital to resolve technical challenges and boost the industry’s competitiveness by examining the manufactory’s significant weaknesses, such as dated technological installations and the implementation of source energy. Overall, the results suggest that Benin state plays a regulatory role rather than a decision-making role. For the country’s textile firms to benefit economically and enhance their efficiency level, we recommend that Benin’s government switch the industrial structure from cotton processing to textile manufacturing. Moreover, the results obtained also testify that, on the one hand, there is a need to rebuild the foundations of industrial development in order to link industrial sectors with the potential of the primary and tertiary sectors, and on the other hand, it is important to set up an adequate environment that is capable of allowing industrial activity to be carried out effectively, without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs, hence enhancing the sustainability of Benin textile companies’ performance.
Performance Auditing to Assess the Implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in Indonesia
Authors: Sari Dwi Amalia , Margules Chris , Lim Han She , Sayer Jeffrey A. , Boedhihartono Agni Klintuni , Macgregor Colin J. , Dale Allan P. , Poon Elizabeth
Published: October 2022

Regular assessment of progress on the implementation of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) is crucial for achieving the goals by 2030 yet such assessments often require extensive resources and data. Here, we describe a method using performance auditing as a novel approach for assessing the implementation of SDGs that would be useful for countries with limited resources and data availability but might also provide an alternative to choosing particular goals and implementing them one at a time, for all countries. We argue that, instead of monitoring all 169 targets and 242 indicators, a country could assess the effectiveness of its governance arrangement as a way of ensuring that progress on implementing SDGs is on track, and hence improve the likelihood of achieving the SDGs by 2030. Indonesia is an archipelagic upper-middle-income country facing challenges in data availability and reliability, which limits accurate assessments of SDG implementation. We applied a standardized performance audit to assess the effectiveness of current governance arrangements for the implementation of SDGs. We used the Gephi 0.9.2 software (Open sourced program by The Gephi Concortium, Compiègne, France) to illustrate the regulatory coordination among public institutions. We found that Indonesia’s governance arrangements are not yet effective. They might be improved if Indonesia: (1) synchronize its SDG regulations; (2) redesigns its governance structure to be more fit for purpose; and (3) involves audit institutions in the SDG governance arrangements. These findings would likely apply to many other countries striving to implement the SDGs.
Analysis of the Relationship between Age and Violation of Traffic Laws and Ordinances in Traffic Accidents on Children
Authors: Onishi Hiroki , Fujiu Makoto , Morisaki Yuma , Takayama Junichi
Published: October 2022

In Japan, where the birthrate continues to decline, various initiatives are underway to promote traffic safety for children. Although these efforts have helped reduce the number of traffic accidents involving children, an examination of the circumstances under which children were killed or injured in traffic accidents in recent years shows that accidents in which children were riding bicycles accounted for the highest percentage of accidents. We investigated the relationship between the ages of children involved in traffic accidents and violations of traffic laws using traffic accident statistics maintained by the Ishikawa Prefectural Police Headquarters. These records revealed that 16-year-olds were most likely to be involved in traffic accidents. Our analysis of the violations of laws and ordinances with respect to the ages of bicyclists involved in car accidents at intersections found that, of all the age categories, elementary school students had the lowest rate of accidents with no violations and the highest rate of accidents involving a failure to stop. Junior and senior high school students had lower rates of accidents involving a failure to stop than elementary school students. Moreover, at non-intersections, driving safety violations were notably higher for accidents involving bicycling elementary school students than for those in other age groups.
The Need for a Proper Waste Management Plan for the Construction Industry: A Case Study in Lebanon
Authors: Saad Ali , Bal Menoka , Khatib Jamal
Published: October 2022

The construction industry is known as one of the biggest generators of solid waste. Considering this, attention needs to be paid to construction and demolition (C&D) waste. Lebanon has experienced many situations that have increased the generation of C&D waste. Therefore, it is essential to manage C&D waste. This research aims to assess and analyse the importance of waste management plans and their impact on the generation of construction and demolition waste in Lebanon. For this purpose, an extensive literature review has been carried out, and a questionnaire survey consisting of five sections has been developed. Factors were ranked by using 5-point Likert scales. Additionally, four optional open-ended questions were also included in the survey for qualitative data collection. A survey questionnaire was sent to 80 Lebanese experts, and 50 questionnaires were returned. Most of the responses (i.e., consultants and academics) were from the private sector; results showed that respondents to this survey were biased for their expertise. Reliability and ranking analysis were performed on the collected data. It was found that “site management and supervision-related factors” are the main sources of C&D waste. The main barrier to implement 3R was the “lack of awareness and knowledge”, and the most critical success factor was “waste management regulations”. There is lack of data on construction waste in Lebanon. Therefore, there is a need to conduct research on construction waste management in Lebanon, which is the subject of the current investigation. This research is expected to generate benefits for the construction industry in Lebanon and the surrounding region.
The Nexus between Environmentally Sustainable Practices, Green Satisfaction, and Customer Citizenship Behavior in Eco-Friendly Hotels: Social Exchange Theory Perspective
Authors: Abdou Ahmed Hassan , Hassan Thowayeb H. , Salem Amany E. , Albakhit Azzam Ibrahem , Almakhayitah Muhanna Yousef , Salama Wagih
Published: October 2022

Recently, with increasing customer awareness about environmental issues, guests staying in hotels and potential consumers are more and more concerned about environmentally sustainable practices and their associated consequences. From the hotel industry perspective, empirical studies conducted on the association between customer citizenship behavior (CCB) and environmentally sustainable practices (ESPs) with the existence of green satisfaction (GS) are scarce. Consequently, the primary aim of the current study is to investigate the impact of ESPs on GS and CCB in a sample of five-star eco-friendly hotels in Egypt, as well as exploring the potential mediative role of GS in the relationship between CCB and ESPs. Additionally, we attempt to empirically determine to what extent GS directly impacts CCB. The study suggests a conceptual model for testing four hypothesized relationships between ESPs, GS, and CCB. Structural equation modeling (SEM) with bootstrapping was employed for testing our hypotheses. The findings of the study confirmed the significant positive impacts of ESPs on GS and CCB. Further, GS significantly and positively affects CCB. Moreover, GS partially mediates the relationship between CCB and ESPs. Given the study findings, some practical implications for improving GS and boosting CCBs in the green/eco-friendly hotel industry context are suggested.
Spatial and Temporal Variation in Alpine Vegetation Phenology and Its Response to Climatic and Topographic Factors on the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau
Authors: Feng Zihao , Chen Jianjun , Huang Renjie , Yang Yanping , You Haotian , Han Xiaowen
Published: October 2022

Vegetation phenology changes are able to reveal climate-change-associated ecosystem feedback mechanisms. In this study, Qinghai–Tibet Plateau (QTP) alpine vegetation phenological information was extracted from the normalised difference vegetation index of the MOD13Q1 product collected from 2001 to 2020 using TIMESAT3.3 and S-G filtering and threshold dynamics methods. An analysis of data from the start of growth (SOG) and end of growth (EOG) seasons using a Theil–Sen median slope trend and partial correlation analyses revealed spatial and temporal variations in vegetation phenology related to climate change and topography, including: (1) significant spatial variation, gradually increasing southeast-to-northwest SOG delays and northeast-to-southwest EOG delays, with significant variations across vegetation types; (2) significant altitude-associated variations in the meadow, steppe, and shrub alpine vegetation types with high-altitude boundaries of 2400 m, 2800 m, and 2600 m, respectively, with delayed and earlier SOG and EOG below and above each boundary, respectively; and (3) spatial variations in relationships between vegetation phenology changes and climatic factors, where SOG negatively and EOG positively correlated with temperature and precipitation. The mean temperature in the 30 days before SOG and mean total precipitation in the 30 days before EOG were significantly correlated with SOG and EOG timing both negatively and positively, respectively. These results provide guidance for the monitoring of the alpine vegetation phenology on the QTP.