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Social Challenges of Sustainable Development

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A special issue of Sustainability (ISSN 2071-1050). This special issue belongs to the section "Social Ecology and Sustainability".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (15 April 2023) | Viewed by 34668

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Special Issue Editors

Dr. Katarzyna Pawlewicz

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Guest Editor

Department of Socio-Economic Geography, Institute of Spatial Management and Geography, Faculty of Geoengineering, University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn, 10-720 Olsztyn, Poland
Interests: socio-economic development; environmental; economic and social indicators of local development; sustainable development; social capital; social participation; spatial planning; methods for the identification and visualization of spatial phenomena
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Prof. Dr. Iwona Cieślak

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Guest Editor

Department of Socio-Economic Geography, Institute of Spatial Management and Geography, Faculty of Geoengineering, University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn, 10-720 Olsztyn, Poland
Interests: spatial analysis; GIS; urban planning; urban sustainability; urban development; urbanism; city planning; spatial planning; sustainable development
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

This special issue is dedicated to the status and significance of modern society in the process of pursuing sustainable development goals. The sustainable development concept has emerged as the priority vision for the future of our planet and the development of human civilization based on universal norms and social values [1]. Human beings are a social species that is capable of adapting to new environments, and these factors are the key determinants of social and economic growth. Humans live in social groups, and they cooperate to achieve common goals and resolve shared problems [2]. Recent years have witnessed a shift in attitudes towards social and economic growth and a renewed interest in the notion of the common good, which is manifested by social responsibility for a clean and healthy environment [3, 4]. Nearly all human activities exert an impact the environment, the economy and the society, and they influence our well-being, quality of life, and the survival of the human species [5]. A participatory approach to sustainable development is consistent with the principle of subsidiarity which posits that decisions should be made as closely as possible to the citizens. The ultimate goal of sustainable development can be reached only through the cooperation of all stakeholders, which is why the principle of participation should be incorporated into the concept of extended social responsibility that requires broader and more active participation of all social entities [6, 7]. All citizens should be made aware that responsible attitudes towards consumption, production, environmental protection and progressive social values will determine the survival of the current and future generations [5, 8].

Saracevic, S.; Schlegelmilch, B.B. The Impact of Social Norms on Pro-Environmental Behavior: A Systematic Literature Review of The Role of Culture and Self-Construal. Sustainability 2021, 13, 5156, doi:10.3390/su13095156.
Pawlewicz, K.; Pawlewicz, A. Interregional Diversity of Social Capital in the Context of Sustainable Development—A Case Study of Polish Voivodeships. Sustainability 2020, 12, 5583, doi:10.3390/su12145583.
Betlej, A. Wyzwania zrównoważonego rozwoju w społeczeństwie sieci (Challenges of Sustainable Development in Network Society). Zeszyty Naukowe. Organizacja i Zarządzanie / Politechnika Śląska 2017, z. 106, doi:10.29119/1641-3466.2017.106.10.
Cosmulese, C.G. European Journal of Accounting, Finance & Business. Reflections On Sustainable Development and Durability of Resources 2019, IX.
Mensah, J. Sustainable Development: Meaning, History, Principles, Pillars, and Implications for Human Action: Literature Review. Cogent Social Sciences 2019, 5, 1653531, doi:10.1080/23311886.2019.1653531.
Dobrzańska, B.M. Wskaźniki zrównoważonego rozwoju. In Zrównowazony rozwój - aspekty rozwoju spolecznosci lokalnych; Fundacja Forum Inicjatyw Rozwojowych: Bialystok, 2009; pp. 20–28 ISBN 978-83-929825-0-0.
Guo, F. The Spirit and Characteristic of the General Provisions of Civil Law. Law and Economics 2017, 3, 5–16.
Horton, P.; Horton, B.P. Re-Defining Sustainability: Living in Harmony with Life on Earth. One Earth 2019, 1, 86–94, doi:10.1016/j.oneear.2019.08.019.

We would like to invite you to submit original research papers to the Special Issue of Sustainability entitled “Social Challenges of Sustainable Development”.

This special issue is dedicated to the status and significance of modern society in the process of pursuing sustainable development goals. In view of the challenges faced by modern societies, sustainable development is the key, if not the only strategy for building a stable future for our planet. Sustainable development is a complex concept that integrates environmental protection with social and economic growth. Current social attitudes and decisions undoubtedly influence the achievement of sustainable development goals and, consequently, the fate of the present and future generations. Therefore, the main aim of this special issue will be to present novel interdisciplinary research on social responsibility, social awareness and the common good concept. Particular emphasis will be placed on social participation in the process of managing the surrounding space. The complex nature of human-environment interactions is a highly interesting topic of scientific inquiry. Rapid scientific progress generates new research methods and observations that can facilitate the discovery of novel relationships between the society and sustainable development, and can pave the way to a sustainable future. This special issue is open to research papers that discuss the latest trends in social responsibility based on the existing body of knowledge in the field of social and economic geography.

Dr. Katarzyna Pawlewicz
Prof. Dr. Iwona Cieślak
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Sustainability is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

social order
social responsibility
common good
social awareness
social participation
social capital
local initiatives
quality of life
public-private partnership

Published Papers (14 papers)

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Research

21 pages, 2562 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Socio-Economic Analysis of the Construction and Building Materials’ Usage—Ecological Awareness in the Case of Serbia

by Milica Vidak Vasić, Gaurav Goel, Mandefrot Dubale, Slavica Živković, Milan Trivunić, Milada Pezo and Lato Pezo

Sustainability 2023, 15(5), 4080; https://doi.org/10.3390/su15054080 - 23 Feb 2023

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2361

Abstract

The main idea of the present study was to investigate the impact of the ongoing world crisis on the socio-economic issues in Serbia concerning building materials usage and purchase. This research fills in the gaps in the literature and contributes to the comprehension of how the crisis has affected salaries, market pricing, and materials consumption in the building sector. The data are gathered through a questionnaire and analyzed using a statistical methodology (frequencies, descriptive statistics, and Spearman’s correlations). Most of the former studies investigated the surveys conducted on specialists in the field, while this study analyzed the perspectives of random people. Socio-demographic issues are analyzed along with materials consumption before and after the crisis. A special emphasis is given to ecological awareness and novel materials usage. Additionally, it captures a broad shift in the economy and ecological consciousness in a developing country. The majority of respondents are open to using novel building materials and products, but their choice would largely be influenced by cost, the amount of effort involved, and their understanding of the advantages. Statistical approaches revealed that the crisis has a considerable impact on the markets for construction and building supplies, altering consumers’ decisions when purchasing. This contribution lays the groundwork for developing countries in the modern world to improve sustainability and adopt circular thinking. Professionals in Serbia need to have a more eco-aware mindset and enhance how they provide pertinent information to potential clients. This study is limited by the number of respondents. For future mathematical modeling and forecasting, more answerers are needed. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Social Challenges of Sustainable Development)

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24 pages, 4265 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Risk of Agricultural Land Abandonment as a Socioeconomic Challenge for the Development of Agriculture in the European Union

by Adam Pawlewicz and Katarzyna Pawlewicz

Sustainability 2023, 15(4), 3233; https://doi.org/10.3390/su15043233 - 10 Feb 2023

Cited by 7 | Viewed by 2996

Abstract

In this article, the risk of agricultural farmland abandonment was assessed with the use of a synthetic measure of socioeconomic problems as challenges to the quality of life in rural areas in the European Union. To determine the direction and dynamics of changes in farmland abandonment in the EU countries, variables based on EUROSTAT and FADN data were analyzed using Hellwig’s method, and data for 2010, 2013, 2016, and 2019 were compared. The EUROSTAT methodology for the agri-environmental indicator “risk of land abandonment” was adapted for the needs of this study. Agricultural land is abandoned for many reasons, including conversion to other uses, but also abandonment of farming. The results of the analysis indicate that the risk of farmland abandonment was highest in countries with difficult farming conditions, such as Greece, Spain, Portugal, Romania, and Finland. In turn, Belgium, Denmark, Germany, and the Netherlands, i.e., the most economically developed countries, were most resilient to this risk. An analysis of the factors that contribute to farmland abandonment demonstrated that the likelihood of this risk decreases with a rise in agricultural investments, farm income, population density, prices of agricultural land, road quality, and density. A high proportion of ageing farm owners was the only factor that increased the risk of agricultural land abandonment. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Social Challenges of Sustainable Development)

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14 pages, 671 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Analysis of the Influencing Factors of Social Participation Awareness on Urban Heritage Conservation: The Example of Suzhou, China

by Tiancheng Zhou, Tongguang Zang, Jun Jiang, Xiaoqi Yang and Konomi Ikebe

Sustainability 2023, 15(3), 2713; https://doi.org/10.3390/su15032713 - 2 Feb 2023

Viewed by 1652

Abstract

Social participation is an important tool in heritage conservation, but levels remain low in developing countries. To increase social-participation awareness of urban-heritage conservation, this study aimed to find an effective method to determine the factors that affect participation awareness, with a focus on the magnitude of each influence. Through literature analysis we developed hypotheses about the factors affecting participation awareness, and then developed a linear regression model. In order to test the reliability of the model, we selected Suzhou as the research object and obtained the following conclusions: (1) Suzhou’s social-participation awareness was positively correlated with place identity, urban memory, subjective cognition, objective knowledge, and place identity. (2) The factor that had the strongest impact on Suzhou’s place identity was public space, with residence time and community sentiment also influencing place identity. (3) The factors that influenced the urban memory of Suzhou were residence time, urban transformation, and urban events with the most influential factor being lifestyle transformation. (4) Urban-heritage conservation social-participation awareness was higher among Suzhou people living in the old city than in the new city. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Social Challenges of Sustainable Development)

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19 pages, 699 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Rural–Urban Divide: Generation Z and Pro-Environmental Behaviour

by Leszek S. Dąbrowski, Stefania Środa-Murawska, Paweł Smoliński and Jadwiga Biegańska

Sustainability 2022, 14(23), 16111; https://doi.org/10.3390/su142316111 - 2 Dec 2022

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 3390

Abstract

Generation Z is the crucial cohort that will have to face the issues resulting from human impacts on the environment. The oldest members of this generation are now entering adulthood. Even though Generation Z is a global and homogeneous cohort, research indicates that the type of settlement unit where one lives may condition the emergence of intra-generational differences. The study focused on determining the pro-environmental behaviour (PEB) of Generation Z from the perspective of a former-socialist European country, Poland. We explored the motivational factors of Polish Generation Z towards their PEB and the actual PEB they undertake. We conducted focus-group interviews with 68 representatives of Generation Z, aged 16–19, living in villages, small towns, and medium-sized and large cities. The data obtained from the interviews were analysed in NVivo software by means of content analysis. Using the Theory of Planned Behaviour, we showed that the type of settlement unit determines pro-environmental attitudes and barriers to undertaking pro-environmental behaviour. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Social Challenges of Sustainable Development)

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21 pages, 476 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Determinants of Development of Social Enterprises according to the Theory of Sustainable Development

by Marian Oliński and Jarosław Mioduszewski

Sustainability 2022, 14(23), 15679; https://doi.org/10.3390/su142315679 - 25 Nov 2022

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1819

Abstract

Social enterprises today are a worldwide phenomenon that has had a major impact on local communities and societies. Apart from pursuing their mission within the market, social enterprises are closely linked through scientific theories with the concept of sustainable development. In practice, they are linked with pursuing so-called sustainable development goals adopted by the United Nations in 2015. It is a universal call to action to end poverty. One of the ways of fighting against poverty is providing people excluded from the labor market with decent jobs. It is one of the main aims of many social enterprises. The aim of this paper is to identify internal and external conditions influencing the functioning and development of social enterprises operating in the Warmia and Mazury region, which is underdeveloped according to the EU taxonomy. This paper used survey research conducted among social enterprises in the region of Warmia and Mazury. In the context of sustainable development as a concept, this paper identifies the scale of influence of the analyzed social enterprises on restoring people who are professionally excluded into the labor market. This paper indicates that not only financial and legal issues limit the development of social enterprises, but also elements such as the insufficient number of people willing to do social work or the level of creativity of the employed staff. It has been established that among analyzed enterprises, the level of received support is associated with the number of created workplaces, but it is not connected with gained income, nor is the volume of employment within the analyzed social enterprises correlated with gained income. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Social Challenges of Sustainable Development)

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20 pages, 992 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Consumer Acceptance of Renewable Energy in Peninsular Malaysia

by Zailin Zainal Ariffin, Norsuhada Isa, Muhammad Quisar Lokman, Norasikin Ahmad Ludin, Sufian Jusoh and Mohd Adib Ibrahim

Sustainability 2022, 14(21), 14627; https://doi.org/10.3390/su142114627 - 7 Nov 2022

Cited by 8 | Viewed by 3252

Abstract

Renewable energy (RE) is a type of advanced technology that changes natural energy into a form that can be used as an alternative to traditional energy solutions to help reduce problems caused by global warming. Nevertheless, consumers still have limited knowledge of renewable energy, which leads to an unwillingness to pay more. Renewable energy marketing as a sustainable willingness to pay more for renewable energy billpayers in Peninsular Malaysia. This research applied the theory of reasoned action as the theoretical underpinning theory. A questionnaire survey was distributed to taxpayers, and 3209 usable responses out of 5000 persons were obtained. This paper suggested that consumers’ concerns and knowledge of renewable energy were positively related to paying a premium for renewable energy. This research showed that the energy consumption patterns influenced consumers’ willingness to pay more for renewable energy. This will benefit policymakers, in line with the Twelfth Malaysian Plan, in pursuing green technology growth and recommending the policy measure to achieve the country’s 31% and 40% renewable energy targets in 2025 and 2035, respectively. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Social Challenges of Sustainable Development)

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18 pages, 2813 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Use of Level Based Weight Assessment (LBWA) for Evaluating Public Participation on the Example of Rural Municipalities in the Region of Warmia and Mazury

by Katarzyna Pawlewicz and Iwona Cieślak

Sustainability 2022, 14(20), 13612; https://doi.org/10.3390/su142013612 - 20 Oct 2022

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1768

Abstract

Social participation is presently a legal requirement or a prerequisite for public policy decision-making both on the global and local scale. Therefore, both international (Agenda 21, Agenda 2030) and domestic documents (in Poland: Social Capital Development Strategy and Strategy for Responsible Development) emphasize the role of social participation for development. The co-participation of local residents and local authorities is thus an important factor that contributes to the success and well-being of local communities, improves local governments’ relations with the residents, and promotes a sense of belonging to a community and responsibility for the “common good”. The main aim of the present study was to evaluate public participation in rural municipalities of the Region of Warmia and Mazury and to analyze the influence of various indicators on the level of public participation. The four categories of public participation were selected based on a review of the literature and an analysis of data availability: public action, public involvement, electoral participation, and obligatory participation. These categories were described with the use of fourteen indicators. Data for the study were obtained from publicly available statistical databases and a survey of local government representatives. Public participation was evaluated with the use of the Level Based Weight Assessment (LBWA) method, which revealed that public participation in rural municipalities of the Region of Warmia and Mazury is moderate and is influenced mostly by social consultations, legislative initiatives, and local government elections. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Social Challenges of Sustainable Development)

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25 pages, 766 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Types of Rural Residents in Central Poland in Terms of Their Local Participation: The Perspectives of the Local Authorities and the Inhabitants

by Małgorzata Marks-Krzyszkowska, Krystyna Dzwonkowska-Godula and Anna Miklaszewska

Sustainability 2022, 14(20), 13512; https://doi.org/10.3390/su142013512 - 19 Oct 2022

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1140

Abstract

This article analyzes the public participation of rural inhabitants in Poland. It aims to identify the types of rural residents in terms of their local participation. In our research, we adopted the triangulation approach involving using two types of data, qualitative and quantitative, from the research including two types of respondents: mayors of rural communes and inhabitants. On this basis, two typologies of rural inhabitants were created, which were then confronted. First, the local authorities’ views on residents’ engagement in public affairs are presented. Free-form interviews with six mayors of selected rural municipalities of the Łódzkie Region in central Poland were conducted. Based on their observations, the typology of rural inhabitants includes two variables, namely, engagement (activity versus passivity) and motivations for an activity, or a lack of it. Second, we analyzed data from a survey conducted among inhabitants of the same rural municipalities concerning their forms of local participation, their interest in public affairs, their satisfaction with different dimensions of local life and local policy, as well as their trust in the local authorities and sense of impact on local policies and management. The distinguished types of rural inhabitants based on these data differ in their levels of public engagement (very active vs. totally inactive) and preferred forms of activity (individual vs. collective and public vs. social). In the comparison of the results of both studies, we confirmed some of the mayors’ observations concerning the most common type of resident, which is alienated people who are not interested in any public activity. The group of fully active residents, who could be partners in local governance for the local authorities, is very small. On the basis of the interviews with mayors, one can suppose that the situation can be used by local authorities as a justification for not involving residents in local public management. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Social Challenges of Sustainable Development)

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20 pages, 2759 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Exploring the Contribution of Social and Economic Status Factors (SES) to the Development of Learning Cities (LC)

by Pawinee Iamtrakul, Sararad Chayphong and Adrian Yat Wai Lo

Sustainability 2022, 14(19), 12685; https://doi.org/10.3390/su141912685 - 5 Oct 2022

Cited by 8 | Viewed by 2786

Abstract

Learning cities can help to reinforce the socio-economic well-being of residents in deprived areas contributing to the sustainability of cities and also provide them with learning and working opportunities. Diverse learning providers should be inclusively designed to meet all citizens’ needs, opportunities, and aspirations. Understanding the different social and economic characteristics of a city enables the proposition of appropriate development strategies to truly meet all citizens’ needs. Thus, this study examines the relationship between social and economic status (SES) and the perceptions of the development of learning cities (LC) in peri-urban development. To understand the significance of different social factors affecting the development of a learning city so that appropriate development guidelines and responses to people’s needs in outskirt areas can be recommended, data were collected from 400 participants through questionnaires in Thanyaburi District, Pathum Thani province, Thailand. This study applied nonparametric statistics through the use of the Chi-Square and Kruskal–Wallis H test to explore the differences in the variables of each classification and pairwise, including exploring the correlation between independent and dependent variables. The results revealed that different SES characteristics were significantly associated with different learning-enhancing activities (p-value < 0.05). The development of a learning city is therefore recommended to respond to the diverse citizens’ needs while contributing to several societal objectives with great potential for sustainable urban development. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Social Challenges of Sustainable Development)

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19 pages, 8275 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Land Management Using Land Reserves to Alleviate Emergencies on the Example of Warsaw

by Alina Maciejewska, Łukasz Kuzak, Marianna Ulanicka-Raczyńska and Kamil Moreau

Sustainability 2022, 14(18), 11625; https://doi.org/10.3390/su141811625 - 16 Sep 2022

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1381

Abstract

Some of the most important contemporary threats to the population are global emergencies, such as pandemics, refugee waves, and climate disasters. Urban areas with high-density housing and limited access to services have been primarily affected. There is often a lack of time, resources, and space to develop primary services available near places of residence. In the face of progressing urbanisation and the expanding pandemic, it is necessary to rationally manage urban space, ensuring the use of unused, post-industrial areas, on the one hand, and minimise the negative effects of crises—the spread of a virus, the occurrence of an urban heat island, or the relocation of refugees. One beneficial solution in cities is effectively managing empty, undeveloped urban areas to develop cities in a way that is future-proof from new emergencies. In this study, we aimed to search for optimal solutions which can help to alleviate the negative effects of emergencies in the city using the decision-making model of field reserve management. Two districts of Warsaw, the capital city of Poland, were chosen for this study: one was typically urbanised, namely, Mokotów, and the other had large undeveloped areas for construction, namely, Białołęka. We analysed the land reserves of these districts. Spatial analyses of the data made it possible to identify optimal locations that constituted land reserves that can be used for essential services. Based on the analysis results, planners can effectively create a set of recommendations for local governments. Thanks to these recommendations, municipalities can manage their land reserves and eventually adapt them for the abovementioned purposes. As a result, it is expected that the effective management of land reserves using publicly available spatial data will improve preventive actions in an emergency, such as a pandemic. In addition, the proposed design solutions are universal; since they are based on the data on available field reserves and their statuses, management in emergencies will be possible. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Social Challenges of Sustainable Development)

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14 pages, 1315 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Does Park Size Affect Green Gentrification? Insights from Chongqing, China

by Bo Wang, Shoukui He and Weiwen Ma

Sustainability 2022, 14(16), 9916; https://doi.org/10.3390/su14169916 - 11 Aug 2022

Cited by 7 | Viewed by 1855

Abstract

International studies have shown that urban parks lead to rising residential prices and, consequently, gentrification effects. However, the studies on whether the size of the park drives gentrification are controversial. In this article, using the insight from Chongqing China, a hedonic price model is used to evaluate the influence of park size on residential prices, a geographically weighted regression model is employed to explore the spatial differentiation characteristics of park premiums, and a questionnaire survey is conducted to study residential socio-economic characteristics and attitudes toward green gentrification. We find that park premium is a strong predictor of gentrification, while park size is not. Most medium and large parks do not lead to green gentrification. The parks with high premiums that will lead to green gentrification are a small percentage of parks, only about 20% in Chongqing, China. Green gentrification in China is not due to the crowding out of low-income by middle- and high-income residents, but mainly due to the filtering of the real estate market. These findings provide new explanations for the relationship between parks and gentrification. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Social Challenges of Sustainable Development)

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22 pages, 6351 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Aging Population Spatial Distribution Discrepancy and Impacting Factor

by Ke Zhang, Hao Sun and Xiangyu Li

Sustainability 2022, 14(15), 9528; https://doi.org/10.3390/su14159528 - 3 Aug 2022

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2241

Abstract

The phenomenon of population aging is gradually spreading around the world. Consequently, it is leading to unsustainable economic development due to the decline of the labor force. Therefore, many people identify the aging population from national and intercontinental levels, as it would not be possible to recognize specific population spatial distribution characteristics and impacting factors in a province or state because of the spatial and temporal differences. In this paper, Jiangsu Province was selected as the study area to represent its aging population’s spatial characteristics and to identify the spatial heterogeneity with impacting factor by Geographically Weighted Regression (GWR), as well as to determine the impacting situation by marginal effect. The results show the following: (1) The impact factor’s spatial heterogeneity from the cities in Jiangsu Province is small but occurs in the city groups, while the impacting situation is the same in the north, central and south city groups, showing a disparity among them. (2) There is a significant change in the impact factor’s influence from 2010 to 2020. (3) The social–economic factor negatively relates to the aging population in 2020, with an interval value of [−1.0585, −1.0632]. This finding indicates that the spatial heterogeneity of the aging population at the province level is not the same as that at the national level. Therefore, we need to consider the local situation more. These findings further provide an empirical basis for the province-level study of the aging population, which differs from the national level. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Social Challenges of Sustainable Development)

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23 pages, 1412 KiB

Open AccessEditor’s ChoiceArticle

Challenging and Interlinking Quality of Life with Social Sustainability in European Cross-Border Suburban Regions: An Empirical Survey in Bratislava-Lower Austria and Burgenland, and Salzburg-Bavaria

by Pavla Štefkovičová and Andreas Koch

Sustainability 2022, 14(11), 6602; https://doi.org/10.3390/su14116602 - 27 May 2022

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2022

Abstract

The relatively dynamic population growth in suburban municipalities in some European border regions caused by cross-border suburbanization poses challenges for maintaining and promoting the quality of life of residents and the social sustainability of municipalities. The aim of this paper is to provide insights into these issues based on our own empirical research conducted in the border regions of Lower Austria, Burgenland, and Bavaria, which are affected by the cross-border suburbanization of Bratislava and Salzburg. Empirical results illustrate a “cherry-picking strategy” of a high proportion of residents, i.e., choosing selectively the best options of both worlds to improve or maintain their quality of life. These strategies refer to housing decisions, satisfaction with the social neighborhood and the environment, functional patterns of daily activities, and local engagement. Although most respondents rated community relations positively, the coexistence of different social groups would benefit from their deeper integration into the community life. Residential satisfaction in terms of quality of life can foster a sense of belonging and thus contribute to the social sustainability of cross-border suburban regions. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Social Challenges of Sustainable Development)

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21 pages, 1979 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Sustainable Development of Agriculture in Member States of the European Union

by Beata Kalinowska, Piotr Bórawski, Aneta Bełdycka-Bórawska, Bogdan Klepacki, Aleksandra Perkowska and Tomasz Rokicki

Sustainability 2022, 14(7), 4184; https://doi.org/10.3390/su14074184 - 31 Mar 2022

Cited by 17 | Viewed by 2778

Abstract

The main aim of this study was to evaluate the sustainable development of agriculture in the member states of the European Union (EU). Sustainable development is the main objective of Polish agriculture. Sustainable development encompasses three pillars: economic, social and environmental. In recent years, Polish agriculture has undergone a considerable change to integrate and adapt the agricultural sector to the EU standards. The achievement of the sustainable development goals in European agriculture was evaluated based on the Eurostat data as well as the analysis of the literature. The discussion on sustainable development of agriculture is rich. However, little attention is paid to the measurement of sustainable development. Our intention was to fill in the gap in the literature and provide a method to evaluate sustainable development. The paper contributes to the measurement of sustainable development based on Hellwig’s method. The changes in sustainable agricultural development were assessed with an index that was normalized with the zero unitarization method. In the first step, descriptive statistics for the variables applied in the process of calculating the sustainable development index were analyzed. The taxonomic measure of development (TMD) was then calculated for the economic, social and environmental dimensions of sustainable development. In the following stage, 27 EU member states were divided into sustainable development classes based on the mean values of the TMD for each of the three pillars of sustainability. The conducted research revealed changes between the European Union countries in terms of sustainable development. In 2018, the highest values of the sustainable development index were noted in the Netherlands, Germany, France and the United Kingdom. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Social Challenges of Sustainable Development)

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