Sustainability, Volume 16, Issue 6 (March-2 2024) – 377 articles

The myriad and contested meanings of ‘sustainability’ and ‘sustainable development’ lead many to refer to both concepts as meaningless, oxymoronic, and paradoxical. Yet breaking down such terms to their key principles allows for introducing core concepts, constituent meanings, and associated practices that should enable greater understanding. Despite this, understandings of the interconnected nature of sustainability and sustainable development lack a holistic perspective among students. Exploring this area further, this paper presents findings from a 6-year longitudinal survey at Southern Connecticut State University which asked sustainability studies students (n = 150) for their perspectives on the Rio Declaration’s principles of sustainability. Findings from this study elucidate the many disconnections students form predicated on limited real-world global awareness of sustainability projects alongside breaking down broad concepts to those accommodated by contemporary socio-environmental discourse. Conversely, sustainability students consider alternative concepts such as responsibility, cooperation, accountability, intersectionality, and new economic pathways to be of value and necessity as opposed to the sustainability principles encompassed in the Rio Declaration. Summarising the alternative concepts that are preferable to sustainability students, and exploring the principles and implications of related disconnections and terminological evolution, this article argues for increasing engagement from sustainability academics to explore this departure from some of the discipline’s core foundations. Full article

The study of energy consumption in buildings, particularly residential ones, brings with it significant socio-economic and environmental implications, as it accounts for approximately 40% of CO₂ emissions, 18% in the case of residential buildings, in Europe. On a number of levels, energy consumption serves as a key parameter in urban sustainability indicators and energy plans. Access to data on energy consumption is crucial for energy planning, management, knowledge generation, and awareness. Urban Building Energy Models (UBEMs), which are emerging tools for simulating energy consumption at neighborhood scale, allow for more efficient intervention and energy rehabilitation planning. However, UBEM validation requires reliable reference data, which are often challenging to obtain at urban scale due to privacy concerns and data accessibility issues. Recent advances, such as automation and open data utilization, are proving promising in addressing these challenges. This study aims to provide a standardized UBEM validation process by presenting a case study that was carried out utilizing open data to develop bottom-up engineering models of residential energy demand at urban scale, with a resolution level of individual buildings, and a subsequent adjustment and validation using reference tools. This study confirms that the validated GIS-UBEM model heating and cooling demands and consumption fall within the confidence bands of ±15% and ±12.5%, i.e., the confidence bands required for the approval of official alternative simulation methods for energy certification. This paves the way for its application in urban-scale studies and practices with a well-established margin of confidence, covering a wide range of building typologies, construction models, and climates comparable to those considered in the validation process. The primary application of this model is to determine the starting point and subsequent evaluation of improvement scenarios at a district scale, examining issues such as massive energy rehabilitation interventions, energy planning, demand analysis, vulnerability studies, etc. Full article

This paper investigates a competitive market consisting of two new energy vehicle (NEV) firms with a technology gap and consumers with green preferences. By employing a Hotelling model, we obtain the equilibrium outcomes of two competing firms without and with segmented consumer subsidy (SCS) following Nash game theory. We further explore the incentive effect, effective scope of SCS policy and the impacts of subsidy threshold and technology improvement on it, which fills the gap in the literature and provides managerial insights. We find that SCS can only play a role when the threshold is intermediate, and the government can expand the effective scope of subsidies by cultivating consumers’ green preferences and strengthening the intensity of subsidies. Moreover, the government can change the competitiveness and green level gap of two firms through the threshold. When threshold is small (large), increasing it can narrow (expand) the green level gap between two firms but widen (narrow) the market gap. We also find that implementing an SCS policy has a positive impact on environmental benefits and technological improvement is more likely to cause environmental damage. However, the government can effectively decrease the degree and probability of damage by raising the subsidy threshold and reducing the subsidy amount. Full article

The European Green Deal (EGD) is the cornerstone of a strategic package (EGD Strategic Framework; EGDSF), which aims to make the EU a climate-neutral and competitive economy by 2050. The green transition planned by the EGD has been affected by relevant external shocks, which have highlighted Europe’s vulnerabilities in key strategic sectors. In this context, EU strategic autonomy (SA) has increasingly become a recurring element of the EGDSF. This article aims to provide a better understanding of the role of SA within the EGDSF and investigate whether it supports the EGD’s environmental ambitions. Based on an in-depth qualitative analysis of the EGDSF, it examines the specific purposes that, via SA, the EU wants to achieve and provides a categorisation of the related implementation measures. It emerges that SA objectives embedded into the EGDSF have been shaped in support of EGD goals but that some trade-offs may arise depending on the implementation measures selected to meet the former. In particular, current measures that promote self-sufficiency and the extension of environmental requirements to foreign businesses/products accessing the EU market raise some environmental, economic, and social concerns, which can be partly addressed through a stronger and more comprehensive EGD external dimension. Full article

Transport systems are complex systems present in modern cities. The sustainability of all other urban systems depends on the sustainable functioning of urban transport. Various processes occur within transport systems. Road traffic is one of them. At the same time, road traffic is a rather complex process to manage, which is explained by the influence of many different internal and external environmental factors. The unpredictable and chaotic behavior of each vehicle in a traffic flow complicates predicting the transport situation and traffic management. This problem gave rise to several unsolved problems, including traffic congestion and road accident rates. The solution to these problems is connected with sustainably managing transport systems in terms of road traffic. However, numerous regularities between elements within the system should be understood in order to implement the management process. Unfortunately, the results of many previous studies often reflect only partial regularities and have limited functionality. Therefore, a new approach to urban traffic management is needed. As opposed to the existing solutions, the authors of this paper propose to implement management based on the regularities of changes in the chaos of the transport system. In this regard, the purpose of this research is to establish the relationship between road traffic chaos and road accident rates. The general methodological basis of this research is the system approach and its methods: analysis and synthesis. The theoretical studies were mostly based on the theories of chaos, dynamic systems, and traffic flows. The experimental studies were based on the theories of experimental design, probability, and mathematical statistics. To achieve this goal, a profound analysis covered studies on the sustainability of transport and dynamic systems, sociodynamics, and traffic. The authors proposed considering the relative entropy of lane occupancy at signal-controlled intersections as a measure for assessing traffic flow chaos and sustainability. Notably, as the main conclusions, the authors established regularities for the influence of entropy on the kinetic energy of traffic flows and injury risk. It also makes sense to emphasize that the initial data for the experiment were collected via real-time processing of video images using neural network technologies. These technologies will further allow for the implementation of traffic management and real-time forecasting of various events. Ultimately, the authors identified changes in injury risk depending on the level of road chaos. According to the authors, the obtained results can be used to improve the sustainability of urban transport systems. The research identified changes in injury risk depending on the level of road chaos, which could have significant implications for urban traffic management strategies. Full article

Logistics processes play a crucial role in ensuring the smooth operation of the supply chain, and warehouse management is one of the key logistics activities of invaluable significance. To evaluate the management principles of companies, it is necessary to thoroughly analyze their functions, operational standards, and quality requirements. One of the most common strategies in modern businesses is quality improvement. Insufficient quality can lead to competitive disadvantages and have negative consequences for companies that do not prioritize quality and neglect their services and products, resulting in a loss of customer loyalty and revenue. Effective warehouse management is critically important for companies to meet consumer needs, reduce costs, and gain a competitive advantage. Conducting qualitative research is necessary in order to learn how to properly organize warehouse management within companies, which will also help to identify key issues and determine areas for change. This article consists of a theoretical section that analyzes the scientific literature on the quality of warehouse process management in the logistics sector. It examines theoretical aspects of logistics processes and quality assurance in company management, including the implementation of systems that ensure quality in warehouse processes and logistics process management. The subsequent sections describe the research methods applied, evaluate the results of warehouse management quality, and provide insights and recommendations. Full article

Agricultural systems contribute nearly one-third of global anthropogenic GHG emissions and are an important source of GHGs globally. The clarification of the GHG emission pattern from agriculture is of paramount importance in the establishment of an agricultural emission reduction mechanism and the realization of China’s dual-carbon target. Based on the life cycle assessment method (LCA), this paper comprehensively quantifies the greenhouse gas emissions from the agricultural system in China, encompassing rice, wheat, and corn cultivation as well as animal husbandry including cows, horses, donkeys, mules, camels, pigs, and sheep. The analysis covers the period 2000–2020 and examines the spatial distribution, temporal trends, and structural changes in the greenhouse gas emissions within China’s agriculture sector. The main results are as follows: (1) from 2000 to 2020, China witnessed a consistent upward trajectory in its total agricultural GHG emissions, exhibiting an average annual growth rate of 0.73%. Notably, methane (CH₄) emissions emerged as the largest contributor, displaying an overall fluctuating pattern. Carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions demonstrated intermittent increases with a noteworthy annual growth rate of 3%, signifying the most rapid expansion within this context. Conversely, nitrous oxide (N₂O) emissions experienced decline over the specified period. (2) GHG emissions from cultivation demonstrate an upward trajectory, primarily driven by the CH₄ emissions originating from rice cultivation and CO₂ resulting from straw incineration. Conversely, GHG emissions stemming from animal husbandry declined, with the primary source being CH₄ emissions arising from animal enteric fermentation. Agricultural N₂O emissions predominantly arise due to manure management and nitrogen fertilizer application. (3) Agricultural greenhouse gas emissions exhibit significant variations in spatial distribution, gradually concentrating towards the North China Plain, the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River, and the northeast. Specifically, agricultural CH₄ emissions are progressively concentrated in China’s pivotal rice-growing regions, encompassing the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River Plain, as well as livestock breeding areas like Inner Mongolia. Agricultural CO₂ emissions primarily concentrate in dryland crop production zones such as North China and Northeast China. Meanwhile, Agricultural N₂O emissions predominantly occur in Inner Mongolia and the North China Plain. China’s agricultural greenhouse gas emissions in 2020 show a significant spatial clustering effect, with hotspots primarily concentrated in Shandong, Anhui, Henan, and other regions and cold spots focused in the western and southern areas. The emission patterns of agricultural GHGs are closely intertwined with farming practices, regional development levels, and national policy; hence, tailored measures for emission reduction should be formulated based on specific crop types, livestock categories, agricultural production activities, and regional development characteristics. Full article

The electricity-saving behavior of construction workers is helpful in reducing construction costs, protecting the ecological environment, and preventing global climate change. However, there is insufficient research on the electricity-saving behavioral mechanisms of tunnel-construction workers, and their behavior is influenced by their surrounding people including supervisors and co-workers because they are nested in various construction sites and isolated from other acquaintances. This study aims to develop a hierarchical linear model that explores the interrelationships between tunnel-construction workers’ electricity-saving behavior and four influencing factors theoretically and empirically. An organizational-level factor, electricity-saving climate, and three individual-level factors, including attitude, perceived behavioral control, and moral norms, are considered, and 1567 tunnel-construction workers from 41 construction sites mainly located in the southwest of China participated in this study. A six-step procedure for statistical analyses is adopted to test eight hypotheses using questionnaire survey data. The results supported all the hypotheses within the multi-level model and showed that the organizational-level factor played a leading role in predicting workers’ electricity-saving intentions with three individual-level factors positively associated with workers’ electricity-saving intentions. Further, the organizational electricity-saving climate also indirectly affects workers’ electricity-saving intentions through three mediators (individual-level factors), and electricity-saving intention is positively associated with electricity-saving behavior. Consequently, cultivating an electricity-saving climate within an organization is of great benefit to electricity conservation and environmental protection, and several recommendations are provided to improve the practical operability of results. The findings enable a better understanding of electricity-saving behavioral mechanisms and promote a low-carbon lifestyle among tunnel-construction workers. Full article

Rainfall variability, exacerbated by climate change, poses significant challenges to water resource management, particularly in regions prone to intense droughts and floods. The Greek islands, characterized by poor water potential, face interannual water supply issues dating back to their earliest habitation. Rainwater harvesting (RWH) systems emerge as a promising solution to address water scarcity in these regions. This study simulates RWH systems for two small Greek islands, Fourni and Nisyros, representing similar rainfall regimes. Multiple scenarios are explored, and system reliability is assessed in light of simulated daily rainfall time series incorporating climate change projections. Utilizing eight low/medium (RCP 4.5) and eight high (RCP 8.5) emission scenarios over a future 35-year period, the study evaluates system reliability based on model parameters (collection area: 40 to 140 m², rainwater tank volume: 5 to 30 m³, number of household members: 2, 3), with 30% coverage of total daily water demand (180 L/d). Negligible evapotranspiration effects are assumed due to closed-type tanks. Results indicate that the RWH system demonstrates high efficiency in general. The investigation for the future period revealed that the system’s performance varies, with instances where daily demand targets are not met, even with a 30 m³ tank. This research underscores the potential of RWH systems as a cost-effective “green” solution, particularly in regions with deficient rainfall regimes. It highlights the importance of localized water management strategies, reducing reliance on mainland water transportation, and assisting desalination unit operations. In conclusion, this study contributes to the assessment of RWH systems, demonstrating their viability as a sustainable water management solution in regions facing water scarcity, contingent on local rainfall conditions and system design parameters. Full article

In the last decade, ecosystem services, that is, the goods and benefits provided by ecosystems to people, have gained significant importance in the planning domain, as a consequence of the growing scholarly awareness about, and interest in, the complex relationship between human well-being and nature [...] Full article

Agriculture is an important sector of the European Union in social, economic and environmental terms. To ensure the sustainability of the sector, improvements are needed in key operations. Weeding is one of the most important activities affecting farm productivity, farmer safety, food safety and security, and the state of the environment. New technical and organizational solutions are needed to achieve the goals of the EU policy for sustainable agriculture. One of the advanced techniques is laser-based weed control. It is important to fully understand the impact of the introduction of these techniques on markets and agricultural practices in the context of sustainability. For this reason, a social life cycle analysis (S-LCA) was carried out. The method applied in the study was based on a participatory approach. The assessment was carried out from three perspectives: the general society, the farmers and the business perspective in relation to agriculture. Expert interviews based on questionnaires and workshops were conducted to gather opinions on the impact of new laser technology on specific aspects of its implementation. The results show generally positive effects from all perspectives, especially from the farmers’ perspective. From the farmers’ point of view, the most favored factors influencing the widespread introduction of WLAT are the economic consequences, the most important of which are the production costs associated with the introduction of the new technology. According to business experts, the perspective of business development, with particular emphasis on new prospects for businesses and development, is the most important factor. The quality of life and the environment are most valued by society. Full article

Increasing the installed capacity of renewable energy sources (RESs) in the power system is significant for advancing sustainable development. As the proportion of RESs rapidly increases in power systems, the inherent stochasticity and variability of renewable energies significantly reduce the regulatory capacity of generation resources. To compensate for the lack of power system flexibility, it is necessary to coordinate the participation of load-side resources in demand response (DR). Therefore, this paper proposes a solution to the diminished flexibility of power systems. It introduces a day-ahead stochastic scheduling model for an integrated thermal-hydro-wind-solar system. This model relies on customer directrix load (CDL) to efficiently absorb RES output. CDL represents an ideal load profile shape. Firstly, the stochastic scenario sets of RES output were modeled using Monte Carlo simulations, and the complementary characteristics between wind and solar output are considered using Copula theory. Then, CDL is introduced into day-ahead scheduling model, which considers relevant demand-side responsive load constraints. Secondly, customer-side DR effectiveness model is proposed to obtain the shaping load profile after DR, based on quantitative customer response effectiveness evaluation metrics. Lastly, system-side stochastic scheduling model of high-proportion RES power system is proposed based on the shaping load profile. Case studies were conducted on a modified IEEE-6 bus system. These studies show that the model effectively addresses the uncertainty of RES. It improves the power system’s regulation capability. Additionally, it promotes the absorption of RES. Full article

Green innovation is a new approach to achieving sustainable social development. Examining whether firms can reap the rewards of this costly and risky endeavor is essential to assessing whether they can sustainably adhere to a green strategy. This study was conducted on a sample of Chinese A-share-listed firms from 2010 to 2021 and employed a two-way fixed-effects approach. We found that substantive and strategic green innovations significantly impact firms’ financial and environmental performance. Specifically, substantive green innovation leads to a significant improvement in financial performance, while strategic green innovation weakens financial performance; both types of green innovations lead to a significant improvement in environmental performance, with strategic green innovation being more effective in this regard compared to substantive green innovation. Moreover, our heterogeneity analyses showed that substantive green innovation has a weaker effect on improving financial performance in state-owned enterprises (SOEs) and in firms in regions with higher government environmental concerns; similarly, in SOEs, strategic green innovation has a weaker detrimental effect on financial performance. The findings of this study provide substantial evidence for promoting green innovation transformation and the upgrading of enterprises. Full article

Benchmarking is a process of improving organizational performance by recognizing, comprehending, adjusting, and incorporating the most effective practices and procedures observed either within or outside an organization. Benchmarking creates, primarily in industrial sectors, clearly identified opportunities for the use of processes and resources, and detecting the continuous improvement of their performance. From the point of view of a systemic approach to the management of the efficiency of the performance of industrial organizations based on benchmarking, it is possible to increase competitiveness in interaction with economic improvements. The objective of this study is to assess the potential of benchmarking in a business, with a particular focus on the economic aspect, by a systematic approach, and to propose a model for selecting the research segment, based on an international company operating across multiple countries worldwide. The study concentrates on the technical equipment of quarries in EU countries, where the company operates, employing benchmarking, a benchmark index, and statistical methods. The proposed model was designed in an open way that can be expanded and generalized for other manufacturing and non-manufacturing enterprises. The model is flexible and adaptable to the specifics of other sectors as regards the need to improve management with an emphasis on making management more efficient, and thereby supporting sustainable development. Full article

Previous research has identified metrics that are applicable to both lean and agile strategies and has hypothesised that financial and efficiency metrics are more relevant to the lean supply chain strategy, while customer service and flexibility metrics are more relevant to the agile supply chain strategy. These metrics need to be assessed empirically to confirm their relevance and validate these hypotheses. Drawing upon contingency theory, which mandates that supply chain performance metrics should vary based on the supply chain strategy, the research methodology resulted in developing a survey instrument that has been subsequently tested in 45 large enterprises and analysed by Partial Least Square-Path Modelling using XLSTAT software v.2020.4. The results support the existing beliefs and suggest that financial and efficiency indicator sets are more applicable to the lean supply chain strategy, whereas customer service and flexibility indicator sets are more pertinent to the agile supply chain strategy. This research distinguishes itself, through its novelty, in validating an adaptable framework for supply chain performance metrics, acknowledging the necessity of developing a suitable supply chain performance system. Ultimately, the findings of this research might serve as an initial foundation for practitioners in shaping the design of supply chain performance systems since the strong relationship between SC strategies and specific metrics may serve as a strategic approach to evaluate and improve performance. Full article

To reach climate neutrality and circularity targets, industry requires infrastructure guaranteeing available, accessible, affordable, and sustainable supply of renewable energy and resources. The layout and operation of the required grids are a key topic in energy system modelling, a research field under constant development to tackle energy transition challenges. Although industry is a core player, its transformation and related policy initiatives are not yet fully reflected, resulting in a research gap. The industrial cluster concept, stimulating local cross-sectoral co-operation, circularity, and optimisation, offers untapped potential to improve the spatial representation of industry in energy system models and paves the way for cluster transition research. This paper introduces the Industry–Infrastructure Quadrant to visualise the relationship between industry and infrastructure presence by means of five distinct area categories. A complementary methodology integrates industrial clusters for multi-node selection in energy system models, solely relying on open-source data and cluster algorithms (DBSCAN). A case study applied to Belgium results in ten nodes to represent the territory, accurately reflecting crucial infrastructure elements and future needs whilst improving industry representation in terms of space and composition. The work serves as a first step towards a deeper understanding of the prominence of industrial clusters in sustainable energy systems. Full article

Regarding whether a polycentric urban spatial structure is a sustainable urban development model, various studies use different employment center identification methods, resulting in inconsistent conclusions. This paper takes Hangzhou, Wuhan, and Nanning, three Chinese cities at different stages of development as cases, and adopts various methods to identify employment centers to compares the polycentric spatial structure differences from morphological and functional dimensions, and puts forward a multi-dimensional perspective for analyzing the characteristics of the polycentric spatial structure. The results show that the polycentric model of GL_SC threshold method has the relatively good explanatory power, which can best represent the characteristics of urban development in China. The explanatory power of the polycentric model of the Wuhan commuter flow method (adjusted R-squared value is 0.37) is slightly weaker than that of the GL_SC threshold method (adjusted R-squared value is 0.40), indicating that the agglomeration development forces are equivalent to the decentralized development forces and it is a balanced polycentric development structure. In Hangzhou and Nanning, the GL_SC threshold method (adjusted R-squared values are 0.28 and 0.36, respectively) is stronger than the commuter flow method (adjusted R-squared values are 0.19 and 0.33, respectively), which reflects the strong characteristics of agglomeration polycentric development. However, from the comparison of the number and distribution of employment center identification, the polycentric development characteristics of Hangzhou are stronger than those of Nanning. The comparison of the identification results of the morphological and functional dimensions shows that the two dimensions as a unified evaluation process can more fully reflect the characteristics of an urban polycentric development structure, thereby providing preliminary research support for the study of the impact of polycentric structure on economic development, air pollution, work and residential commuting, etc. Full article

This article investigates whether customer education about the sustainability advantage of a sustainable innovation helps promote the diffusion of such innovation using a survey and an experimental study in the cosmetic industry. Educating customers to equip them with awareness, know-how, and principal knowledge about sustainability promotes their motivation toward adoption and thus facilitates the diffusion of sustainable innovation. Specifically, results show that educating customers about cosmetic product ingredients, sustainability definition, and green certification increases the customers’ intention towards checking cosmetic products for ingredients, avoiding products that contain harmful ingredients, and purchasing a sustainable product in the next two years. Customers will also have more trust and intention to adopt certified sustainable products, and they will regard whether a product is truly sustainable as a factor more important than its price in their purchase decisions. Finally, a comprehensive list of factors that contribute to a customer’s perception and adoption of a sustainable product, as well as the ranking given by the study participants, are discussed. Full article

Aralia cordata is called “Udo” and is one of the famous herbaceous perennial plants found in Korea, China, and Japan. In Japan, aerial parts of A. cordata have been consumed. Furthermore, its rhizome and root are utilized as crude drugs known as “dokukatsu” and “wakyoukatsu”, respectively. A. cordata is cultivated as a vegetable in many places in Japan, and one of the production areas is Tokyo. A. cordata made in Tokyo is known as a high-quality “Udo” product (aerial part) using a unique cultivation method, known as “Udo muro”. “Udo muro” blocks light and maintains optimal temperature and humidity throughout the year, facilitating the soft cultivation of udo. However, the roots of A. cordata cultivated in Tokyo are all discarded. Thus, the utilization of the A. cordata root cultivated in Tokyo might lead to sustainability and income improvement for farmers. In this study, we investigated the effect of “Udo muro” with or without cultivation and drying temperature on chlorogenic acid (CA) contents in A. cordata root and compared it with A. cordata produced in other areas (“wakyoukatsu”) by a quantitative analysis of the CA content using high-performance liquid chromatography. The results indicate that the CA content of the roots of A. cordata grown in Tokyo was higher than those grown in other areas. Furthermore, the usefulness of A. cordata root was evaluated using inhibitory activity tests such as nitric oxide production and melanin production using Raw264.7 and B16F10 cell lines, respectively. Full article

In many sectors of the economy, the global changes brought about by COVID-19, the war in Ukraine and the ensuing economic crisis have challenged the hitherto used social competencies necessary to successfully manage companies in sustainable supply chains. The slogan of sustainability has now become a household word in the global economy. At the same time, the EU is moving from a 4.0 to a 5.0 economy, with increasing attention being paid to the soft competencies of future managers. This article aims to present the patterns of competencies in supply chains and to identify the relevance of specific social competencies for doing business in the face of the above challenges. The survey was conducted among selected experts from the healthcare industry, who were asked to identify the importance of social competencies. This choice was primarily motivated by certain characteristics of the industry. This work aims to determine which social competencies seem to be essential for future managers in sustainable supply chains and the transformation towards a 5.0 economy. The answer to this question is crucial for research and teaching centers aiming to educate future managers at the highest level of specific social competencies and skills in a business environment. Given the dynamic development of specific industries, it is reasonable to identify the needs in the areas of social skills. Full article

This paper aims to evaluate customer perceptions regarding the benefits generated by sustainability 4.0 in the banking sector through a survey. A structured questionnaire was developed with 55 factors divided into economic, social, and environmental dimensions. A total of 90 questionnaires were collected. Descriptive statistics and Kendall’s coefficient of agreement were used with the intention of measuring the degree of agreement or disagreement between bank customers’ responses. The results indicated a positive perception of customers regarding the relationship between sustainable practices and economic, social, and environmental aspects, with a relatively high agreement. The best-rated benefits were related to economic and environmental aspects, such as reducing service time and efficient use of digital resources. However, there was a diversity of opinions regarding social aspects, with some issues receiving lower ratings, especially related to the permanence of employees and the autonomy of elderly customers. This suggests concerns about the impact of technology on maintaining banking jobs and the accessibility of financial services for specific groups, such as the elderly. It is concluded that by focusing on customer perception, the study offers a holistic view of the implications of sustainability 4.0, going beyond traditional analyses focused on organizations. Full article

Biodegradable polymer-based bags were developed as an alternative to plastic. However, their degradation in environmental conditions has not been fully investigated and is often incomplete. Here, the decomposition of three types of biodegradable bags and one type of plastic bag in different types of environments was analyzed. Polymer bags were exposed for six weeks in water, soil, air and compost, while the control groups were stored in room conditions. All types of polymer bags were sampled twice (after 3 and 6 weeks), and different parameters of changes in physical–mechanical properties were measured. The research established significant differences in changes in mechanical properties between different types of biodegradable polymer bags, with ‘white’ and ‘brown’ bags showing the best decomposition potential. As expected, the largest change in the structure and physical–mechanical properties of all types of polymer bags was recorded in compost, and the smallest in air and water. Full article

Scenario analysis is a widely employed method for addressing uncertainties when assessing the physical and socio-economic impacts of climate change. Global scenarios have been extensively used in this context. However, these scenarios are in most cases not suitable for supporting local analyses. On the other hand, locally developed scenarios may lack the global context, thus having limited comparability with or transferability to other locations. The Shared Socioeconomic Pathways (SSP), which have been primarily developed for climate impact research, provide the possibility to extend the existing global narratives and adapt them to local characteristics in order to develop locally relevant scenarios. Here, we propose a methodological framework for producing harmonized scenarios across different case studies. This framework was developed in the EVOKED project and combines elements of top-down and bottom-up approaches to develop local scenarios for four regions in northern Europe. We employ the SSP as boundary conditions and, in cooperation with stakeholders from these four regions, develop local scenarios for a range of SSP. The developed sets of scenarios are consistently informed by global developments and are therefore comparable with other downscaled scenarios developed in different regions. At the same time, they have been based on local participatory processes, thus being locally credible and relevant to the needs of stakeholders. The local scenarios constitute a climate service per se as they can raise stakeholder awareness of the processes that will drive risk, exposure, and adaptive capacity in the future and inform discussions on mitigation strategies and adaptation pathways. Full article

Nuts consumption has increased significantly in the last 10 years, especially driven by the stimulated awareness of their possible beneficial health effects. Increased nuts consumption is linked to an obvious accumulation of by-products and waste. With the view of the circular economy, the aim of this review is to analyse the recent and innovative approaches able to valorise the by-products derived from almonds and hazelnuts, two important nut products of the Italian scene, with historical and traditional importance. The most important solutions are concerned with reuse of almond hull, shell, skin, oil cake, and hazelnut shell; skin and oil cake are often considered waste or by-products. Many interesting implications in the feed and food sectors have been detected in the last ten years, aimed at designing innovative materials developed from by-products and extraction of bioactive molecules for different purposes. The perspective chosen to discuss the topic is related to the sustainability of these processes, in terms of both the environment and economy. The circular economy supports a zero-waste approach, which should not also be meant as a zero-cost process in terms of the level of technology that has been partially developed. Full article

The grassland ecological compensation mechanism is a basic guarantee for promoting the sustainable utilization of grassland resources, and the reasonable determination of the compensation subject is the basic premise for the effective operation of the grassland ecological compensation mechanism. At present, grassland ecological compensation is mainly based on government compensation, and the compensation method generally adopted is financial transfer payment with a single source of compensation funds. Therefore, establishing diversified compensation entities is of great significance in expanding the sources of compensation funds. As important users of grassland resources, herders should become the main representatives of grassland ecological compensation according to the principle of “whoever uses, pays”. In this study, based on survey data with respect to pastoral areas in Inner Mongolia, we used a multivariate ordered logistic regression model to empirically analyze the factors influencing the establishment of a voluntary compensation entity for herders. The results of this study showed that (1) the resource endowment factors of the respondents, including livestock inventory, grazing area, and cutting grassland area, have a significant positive impact on the willingness of herdsmen to voluntarily serve as the main representatives of grassland ecological compensation. When each influencing factor increased by one unit, the probability of voluntarily becoming a compensation subject increased by 3.5%, 1.91%, and 1.41%, respectively. (2) The factor of prohibited pasture area in the endowment of herders had a significant negative effect on their willingness to become compensation subjects, which indicates that the larger the prohibited pasture area owned by herders, the lower their grassland utilization rate and the lower their willingness to voluntarily become compensation subjects. (3) Among the cognitive factors of the respondents, “whether they will continue to support the implementation of the grassland compensation policy” had a positive promoting effect on herdsmen voluntarily becoming compensation subjects, showing that the higher the support of herdsmen for the ecological compensation system, the more willing they were to become compensation subjects. This article is based on the perspective of the sustainable utilization of grassland resources and empirically analyzes the influencing factors of herders’ willingness to reduce their number of livestock. Through the voluntary reduction of livestock by herders, a voluntary compensation entity for herders is constructed. Based on the research conclusions, relevant countermeasures and suggestions are proposed, providing a reference for improving grassland ecological compensation policies and promoting the sustainable utilization of grassland resources. Full article

Industry 4.0, characterized by the integration of advanced technologies, has allowed industries to optimise operations, reduce waste, and minimize environmental impact. Digitalization has become a cornerstone for achieving sustainability goals, and one of the key enablers of Industry 4.0 is the digital twin. The digital twin provides real-time insights and simulations to optimise processes. Organizations can thus optimise not only their operations but also contribute to a more resilient global supply chain. The aim of the paper is to present a comprehensive methodology for implementing the digital twin principle in the Tecnomatix environment. The Tecnomatix model is connected to Siemens PLC SIMATIC S7-1200 utilizing the OPC UA (Unified Architecture) method and through KEPServerEX, V6.14.263.0. The described approach enables continuous monitoring of critical indicators to optimise production efficiency and address downtime issues. Full article

Today’s competitive advantage is built through sustainability. Regional competitiveness is undoubtedly one of the most important components for achieving sustainability of development at the local level. The analysis of key factors and their correlations, aimed at gauging regional competitiveness, yields valuable insights into the multifaceted elements that impact the growth and advancement of underprivileged regions. However, a crucial question remains: What precisely are the factors that form the foundation for assessing and measuring regional competitiveness? The literature review and analysis initially identified the ten most frequently mentioned factors for measuring regional competitiveness. The overarching aim of the research is the understanding of the ten main determining factors of regional competitiveness and the extraction of ten propositions based on those ten factors and exploring the relationship between various factors and regional competitiveness. This study’s time frame was from August 2023 to January 2024. In this research, our aim was to undertake a traditional literature review, concentrating on the context of doing a more traditional and critical literature review rather than a systematic literature review. We assess and evaluate published research spanning the last five years (2018–2023); we have identified and emphasized ten central and widely published factors that span various domains, including (1) economy, (2) labor market, (3) poverty and social inclusion, (4) healthcare, (5) educational infrastructure, (6) environmental considerations, (7) transportation infrastructure, (8) science and technology, (9) high-tech industries, and (10) innovation. Our main findings on these ten reviewed factors indicate the following. (a) The economy factor should be expanded to include education, healthcare, and environmental sustainability parameters, while (b) there is a need to address youth employment differences in the labor market. (c) Collaborative, multidimensional approaches are important, together with improving health infrastructures and services, to improve poverty and social exclusion. (d) Investments on education and innovation are required to improve prosperity and competitiveness, as are more informed policies and collaborative actions for a greener, healthier, and more sustainable future, and finally, (f) well-planned investments in transportation, the essential link between R&D, innovation, and economic progress, as well as additional high-tech industry development and innovative actions should be taken for permanently sustainable and economic growth of the regions. Overall, the research highlights how economic, social, and environmental factors intertwine to shape successful societies, forming a fundamental understanding of regional competitiveness. The research underscores the interconnectedness of economic, social, and environmental factors in shaping prosperous societies, providing a foundational understanding of regional competitiveness. Full article

The aim of this study was to examine the curvilinear relationship between tangible investment and sustainable firm growth in the MENA region, as well as the moderating role of financial inclusion on this connection. To achieve this, we selected a sample of 465 firms over the period 2007–2020. Employing a system GMM model for the empirical analysis, the findings reveal that there is a curvilinear (inverted U-shaped) nexus between tangible investment and sustainable firm growth. Moreover, this study employs a moderating effect model to demonstrate that financial inclusion can enhance sustainable firm growth. The system GMM model further indicates that financial inclusion moderates the curvilinear relationship between tangible investment and sustainable firm growth. This study offers valuable insights for strategic firm planning and policy development, highlighting the role of financial inclusion in promoting firm sustainability. Full article

Urban day-to-day travel systems generally exist in various types of cities. Their modeling is difficult due to the uncertainty of individual travelers in micro travel decision-making. Moreover, with the advent of the information age, intelligent connected vehicles, smartphones, and other types of intelligent terminals have placed urban day-to-day travel systems in an information environment. In such an environment, the travel decision-making processes of travelers are significantly affected, making it even more difficult to give theoretical explanations for urban day-to-day travel systems. Considering that analyzing urban day-to-day travel patterns in an information environment is of great significance for governing the constantly developing and changing urban travel system and, thus, of great importance for the sustainable development of cities, this paper gives a systematic review of the theoretical research on urban day-to-day travel and its development in an information environment over the past few decades. More specifically, the basic explanation of an information environment for urban day-to-day travel is given first; subsequently, the theoretical development of micro decision-making related to individual day-to-day travelers in an information environment is discussed, and the theoretical development related to changes in urban macro traffic flow, which can be recognized as the aggregation effect formed by individual micro decision-making, is also discussed; in addition, the development of understanding different types of traffic information that travelers may obtain in an information environment is discussed; finally, some important open issues related to the deep impact of information environment on urban day-to-day travel systems that require further research are presented. These valuable research directions include using information methods to fit day-to-day travel patterns of cities and implementing macro and micro integrated modeling for urban day-to-day travel systems based on complex system dynamics and even quantum mechanics. Full article

Faced with the widespread issue of greenwashing, there is a pressing need for an effective approach to assess the extent of corporate involvement in such hypocritical practices. This study aims to address this concern by examining the association between corporate ESG disclosures’ readability and greenwashing. We gauge the readability using a modified Fog Index and construct a company’s peer-relative greenwashing score based on data from third-party databases. The empirical analysis reveals a negative relationship between the level of corporate greenwashing and the readability of its ESG disclosures, suggesting that companies whose ESG disclosures are more readable are less likely to engage in greenwashing. This negative relationship is particularly pronounced in companies characterized by higher levels of information asymmetry. However, the relationship is weaker after 2018, when the “Code of Corporate Governance for Listed Companies” was implemented. In conclusion, our research highlights the significance of ESG disclosure readability in effectively conveying and predicting corporate greenwashing practices. This study provides valuable insights for investors seeking to evaluate corporate performance and make well-informed investment decisions. Full article