Sustainability

13 pages, 6693 KB

Open AccessArticle

Bird Diversity and Spatial Distribution at a High-Altitude Wetland in Eastern Anatolia: A Grid-Based Assessment of Çalı Lake (Kars, Türkiye) and Its Implications for Sustainable Wetland Management

by Leyla Sarıboğa and Emrah Çelik

Sustainability 2026, 18(17), 8634; https://doi.org/10.3390/su18178634 (registering DOI) - 23 Aug 2026

Abstract

High-altitude wetlands in the Caucasus Anatolia transition zone remain among the least-documented avian habitats in the Western Palearctic. Standardised avian biodiversity assessment in such systems provides essential evidence for sustainable wetland management, supporting the conservation planning and long-term ecological monitoring needed to safeguard [...] Read more.

High-altitude wetlands in the Caucasus Anatolia transition zone remain among the least-documented avian habitats in the Western Palearctic. Standardised avian biodiversity assessment in such systems provides essential evidence for sustainable wetland management, supporting the conservation planning and long-term ecological monitoring needed to safeguard these ecosystems under increasing anthropogenic pressure. We report on the avifauna of Çalı Lake (2237 m a.s.l.; 391 ha; Kars Province, Türkiye), a nationally designated wetland located on the Central Asian Flyway, based on five systematic survey periods conducted from March 2024 to Spring 2026 using line transects and point counts, combined with a 25 × 25 m grid-based GIS analysis encompassing 498 cells. Approximately 31 ha of the core open-water and marsh perimeter within the 391 ha designated boundary is covered; upland steppe and pasture zones beyond the active survey perimeter were excluded. A total of 154 species belonging to 18 orders and 41 families were recorded, representing approximately 30.5% of Turkey’s national checklist. IUCN status assessment identified two Endangered species, Neophron percnopterus and Oxyura leucocephala, two Vulnerable, five Near Threatened, and 145 Least Concern species. Grid-level species richness averaged 1.47 ± 1.20 per cell per period; cumulative richness per grid reached 7.62 ± 2.73 across all five survey periods. Spearman rank correlation between per-grid richness (S) and abundance (N) was consistently strong across all five periods (ρ = 0.52–0.60; all p < 0.001). A Friedman test indicated significant overall variation across periods (χ²(4) = 127.73, p < 0.001, Kendall’s W = 0.064, a negligible effect size by conventional benchmarks, indicating that the statistically significant variation reflects trivially small per-cell richness differences at this block size). Bonferroni-corrected post hoc Wilcoxon tests revealed that all significant contrasts involved the 2024 Spring–Summer period or the 2026 partial Spring window, while the four fully comparable 2024 Autumn–2025 periods showed no significant differences. A Lorenz concentration curve yielded a Gini coefficient of 0.351, with the top 10% of grid cells concentrating 24.0% of all individual detections in the central and south-western lake zones. Collectively, these findings document Çalı Lake as a species-rich high-altitude wetland with significant conservation value, and establish a reproducible spatial and temporal baseline for long-term ornithological monitoring. These results demonstrate the value of standardised biodiversity assessment as a practical tool for sustainable wetland governance and align with international sustainability frameworks, including the UN Sustainable Development Goals on life on land and clean water and sanitation. Full article

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33 pages, 422 KB

Open AccessArticle

The Resilience-Enhancing Effect of Climate Policy Uncertainty Perception: A Capability Driven Mechanism from Enterprises

by Lingfu Zhang, Yongfang Dou and Hailing Wang

Sustainability 2026, 18(17), 8633; https://doi.org/10.3390/su18178633 (registering DOI) - 23 Aug 2026

Abstract

Climate risks drive dynamic adjustments to global climate policies, creating significant climate policy uncertainty (CPU). This uncertainty profoundly affects enterprises’ survival and sustainable development. A key question emerges: how do enterprises’ perception of CPU influence their resilience? To answer this, this study adopts [...] Read more.

Climate risks drive dynamic adjustments to global climate policies, creating significant climate policy uncertainty (CPU). This uncertainty profoundly affects enterprises’ survival and sustainable development. A key question emerges: how do enterprises’ perception of CPU influence their resilience? To answer this, this study adopts a capability perspective and empirically examines the impact of climate policy uncertainty perception (CPUP) on enterprise resilience (RESI) and the underlying mechanism. Using panel data on Chinese A-share listed companies on the Shanghai and Shenzhen Stock Exchanges from 2009 to 2023, the study defines CPUP as the interaction between a news-based provincial CPU index and the frequency of climate risk words in annual report texts, and measures RESI with the entropy weight method across four dimensions (business volatility, long-term growth, short-term performance, and enterprise survival). Panel regression with fixed effects indicates that CPUP significantly enhances RESI. A one-standard-deviation increase in CPUP raises RESI by approximately 0.0019 index units, equivalent to about 2.2% of the standard deviation of RESI. This effect is more pronounced for enterprises in the eastern and central regions and in high-carbon industries. Mechanism tests confirm that CPUP boosts RESI by optimizing management capabilities and strengthening development capabilities, revealing a capability-driven path between CPUP and RESI. This study enriches the theoretical understanding of CPU’s economic consequences and RESI antecedents from a capability perspective. It also provides empirical references for enterprises to build resilience amid policy fluctuations and for policymakers to formulate regionally differentiated climate policies. Full article

(This article belongs to the Section Air, Climate Change and Sustainability)

28 pages, 5517 KB

Open AccessArticle

Digital Rural Transformation, Ecological Space Transition, and Territorial Sustainability: Evidence from China’s Taobao Villages

by Jiayi Gu, Chenjing Fan, Shiguang Shen, Weixiao Chen, Qin Tao and Bo Wen

Sustainability 2026, 18(17), 8632; https://doi.org/10.3390/su18178632 (registering DOI) - 23 Aug 2026

Abstract

The rapid growth of rural e-commerce is reshaping rural development, yet its implications for territorial sustainability remain unclear. Using panel data from 1503 Chinese counties from 2014 to 2022, the effects of Taobao Village development and the mechanism of territorial sustainability are examined [...] Read more.

The rapid growth of rural e-commerce is reshaping rural development, yet its implications for territorial sustainability remain unclear. Using panel data from 1503 Chinese counties from 2014 to 2022, the effects of Taobao Village development and the mechanism of territorial sustainability are examined through causal, spatial, and mechanism analyses. The results show the following: (1) Taobao Village development significantly improves territorial sustainability, with stronger effects observed in central and northeastern China, while the impacts vary considerably across regions due to differences in economic foundations, digital infrastructure, and land-use conditions. (2) Spatial analysis reveals that the sustainability-enhancing effects of Taobao Villages are mainly localized, with no significant spillover effects to neighboring counties, indicating the constraints of existing administrative and spatial governance systems. (3) The ecological land-use change induced by Taobao Village development is characterized by quantity reduction with potential quality upgrading. The development of Taobao Village has reduced the ecological land area, but it does not mean a decline in ecological functions. The converted land may be composed of low-quality ecological plots, and the fiscal benefits driven by e-commerce and China’s land use compensation policy may maintain or enhance the overall ecological function. These findings highlight the importance of integrating digital rural development with ecological sustainability and territorial spatial governance. The study provides policy implications for promoting resilient and sustainable rural transformation through differentiated land-use strategies. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Economic Growth and Sustainable Regional Development)

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23 pages, 814 KB

Open AccessArticle

The Contagion Effect of Greenwashing in Interlocking Directorate Networks: The Moderating Role of Financing Constraints and Implications for Corporate Sustainability

by Duan Wang, Yang Zhou and Byungjun Yu

Sustainability 2026, 18(17), 8631; https://doi.org/10.3390/su18178631 (registering DOI) - 23 Aug 2026

Abstract

China’s “dual carbon” targets and stricter green finance regulations have increased compliance pressures on manufacturing firms. In response, some firms engage in greenwashing—exaggerating their environmental performance or concealing negative information. If greenwashing spreads through interlocking directorate networks, it poses a threat to green [...] Read more.

China’s “dual carbon” targets and stricter green finance regulations have increased compliance pressures on manufacturing firms. In response, some firms engage in greenwashing—exaggerating their environmental performance or concealing negative information. If greenwashing spreads through interlocking directorate networks, it poses a threat to green financial stability. However, existing research primarily focuses on individual firm motivations, leaving the mechanisms of network contagion and their boundary conditions insufficiently understood. Using panel data on A-share manufacturing firms from 2009 to 2023, we employ two-way fixed-effects models to test for peer greenwashing contagion and examine how financing constraints moderate this effect. Our findings reveal significant contagion within manufacturing interlocking directorate networks: firms facing fewer financing constraints are more sensitive to peer greenwashing. This effect is more pronounced in highly marketized regions, in high-tech industries, and among firms with advanced digital transformation. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) Performance Assessment, 2nd Edition)

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28 pages, 330 KB

Open AccessArticle

Climate Policy Uncertainty and Transition Risk in High-Carbon Industries: Evidence from China

by Cunpu Li, Chenbo Liu and Pu Wang

Sustainability 2026, 18(17), 8630; https://doi.org/10.3390/su18178630 (registering DOI) - 23 Aug 2026

Abstract

Managing the transition risks of carbon-intensive firms is essential for reconciling climate governance with the stable operation of the real economy; nevertheless, existing scholarship has yet to fully elucidate how climate policy uncertainty contributes to the formation of these risks. In this paper, [...] Read more.

Managing the transition risks of carbon-intensive firms is essential for reconciling climate governance with the stable operation of the real economy; nevertheless, existing scholarship has yet to fully elucidate how climate policy uncertainty contributes to the formation of these risks. In this paper, we develop a firm-specific measure of climate policy uncertainty exposure by integrating China’s aggregate climate policy uncertainty index with climate-risk-related textual data retrieved from listed companies’ annual reports. Drawing on a panel dataset of A-share listed companies in nine carbon-intensive sectors over 2010–2023, we employ a partial-linear double/debiased machine-learning methodology to investigate how climate policy uncertainty exposure influences multidimensional firm transition risk. Our baseline estimations indicate that greater climate policy uncertainty exposure is associated with a statistically significant rise in transition risk among high-carbon firms, with the preferred model producing a coefficient estimate of 0.0243. These findings remain robust to an array of sensitivity checks and endogeneity-correction procedures. Mechanism analysis provides evidence consistent with four potential channels involving weaker intra-industry competition, lower corporate risk-taking, tighter financing constraints, and higher agency costs. Heterogeneity examinations reveal that the detrimental impact is particularly evident among larger enterprises, high-technology companies, and firms characterized by comparatively lower pollution levels. Further analysis based on conditional average treatment effects and best linear predictors reveals that media supervision and the presence of long-term institutional investors substantially reduce the extent to which climate policy uncertainty translates into firm transition risk. This study provides firm-level empirical evidence elucidating how climate policy uncertainty shapes multidimensional transition risk in the low-carbon transformation of high-carbon industries. Full article

21 pages, 2714 KB

Open AccessArticle

Optimal Scheduling of Microgrids for Intelligent Ships Based on Multi-Objective Coordination for Compliance with Carbon Emission Reduction Standards

by Yangyang Lu, Wenting Chen, Xiaolei Li and Ke Shang

Sustainability 2026, 18(17), 8629; https://doi.org/10.3390/su18178629 (registering DOI) - 23 Aug 2026

Abstract

The decarbonization of maritime transportation requires shipboard energy systems to coordinate conventional generators, renewable energy sources, energy storage devices, and thermal energy units under voyage-dependent operating constraints. This paper develops a configurable hybrid multienergy ship system for coordinated electrical and thermal energy scheduling. [...] Read more.

The decarbonization of maritime transportation requires shipboard energy systems to coordinate conventional generators, renewable energy sources, energy storage devices, and thermal energy units under voyage-dependent operating constraints. This paper develops a configurable hybrid multienergy ship system for coordinated electrical and thermal energy scheduling. The proposed framework functionally separates the propulsion subsystem from the service and thermal subsystem while retaining system-level coordination among photovoltaic generation, wind generation, diesel generators, micro gas turbines, energy storage batteries, and thermal energy units. A convolutional neural network is employed to provide short-term photovoltaic power forecasts for day-ahead scheduling. The resulting scheduling problem simultaneously considers voyage completion, power balance, equipment operating limits, ramp-rate constraints, battery charging and discharging restrictions, operating costs, and pollutant emission treatment costs. The nonlinear operating logic is reformulated as a mixed-integer optimization problem and solved using CPLEX. A representative coastal voyage case study is used to evaluate the proposed framework. The results demonstrate that the method can coordinate multiple shipboard energy sources, satisfy the prescribed electrical and thermal demands, and provide a set of Pareto-optimal solutions describing the trade-off between operating cost and emission-related cost. The proposed framework provides a system-level scheduling approach for supporting the economic and low-carbon operation of hybrid multienergy ships under increasingly stringent maritime emission reduction requirements. Full article

26 pages, 848 KB

Open AccessArticle

Artificial Intelligence Development and Tourism Economic Resilience: Quasi-Experimental Evidence from China’s National New-Generation Artificial Intelligence Innovation and Development Pilot Zones

by Jiashu Wang, Lili Wei and Anmin Huang

Sustainability 2026, 18(17), 8628; https://doi.org/10.3390/su18178628 (registering DOI) - 23 Aug 2026

Abstract

Amid growing global economic uncertainty, strengthening tourism economic resilience is critical to the economic sustainability of tourism destinations. Using panel data for 288 Chinese prefecture-level cities from 2010 to 2024, this study uses the staggered designation of the National New-Generation Artificial Intelligence Innovation [...] Read more.

Amid growing global economic uncertainty, strengthening tourism economic resilience is critical to the economic sustainability of tourism destinations. Using panel data for 288 Chinese prefecture-level cities from 2010 to 2024, this study uses the staggered designation of the National New-Generation Artificial Intelligence Innovation and Development Pilot Zones as a quasi-natural experiment and applies a staggered difference-in-differences (DID) model to examine whether artificial intelligence (AI) development promoted by the pilot-zone initiative enhances tourism economic resilience. Results show that the pilot-zone initiative significantly enhances city-level tourism economic resilience, and this finding remains robust across a series of endogeneity and robustness checks. Mechanism analysis identifies data factor utilization, technological innovation, and industrial structure upgrading as three parallel channels. Moderation analysis shows that the resilience-enhancing effect of the pilot-zone initiative is stronger in cities with more developed digital infrastructure, higher levels of marketization, and greater human resources. Heterogeneity analysis reveals overall regional heterogeneity and a stronger effect in resource-based cities. These findings clarify the mechanisms and boundary conditions linking AI development promoted by the pilot-zone initiative to tourism economic resilience and provide implications for technology-enabled sustainable tourism development. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Harnessing Technology for Sustainable Tourism: Paving the Way for a Sustainable Future in Travel)

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31 pages, 6555 KB

Open AccessReview

Extended Producer Responsibility in the Context of Pharmaceutical Waste in the European Union

by Justyna Rogowska and Grażyna Gałęzowska

Sustainability 2026, 18(17), 8627; https://doi.org/10.3390/su18178627 (registering DOI) - 23 Aug 2026

Abstract

Pharmaceutical waste is a challenge for the environment and public health in the European Union (EU). Although EU legislation requires Member States to establish collection systems for unwanted household pharmaceutical products, there is no common legal framework governing the application of extended producer [...] Read more.

Pharmaceutical waste is a challenge for the environment and public health in the European Union (EU). Although EU legislation requires Member States to establish collection systems for unwanted household pharmaceutical products, there is no common legal framework governing the application of extended producer responsibility (EPR) in this area, which has led to differences in the financing, organization, and effectiveness of national waste collection systems. Against this background, the aim of this work was to critically examine the role of EPR in the management of household pharmaceutical waste in the EU by analyzing its legal foundations, comparing selected national take-back systems, identifying the barriers to its implementation and indicating the key elements of a future EU regulatory framework. The analysis indicates that key elements of the future EPR framework for pharmaceutical products should include financing for producers through producer responsibility organizations (PROs), free and accessible collection of medicinal products from patients through community pharmacies, full cost compensation for collection point operators, common reporting requirements, environmentally differentiated producer contributions, consumer education, and independent public oversight. The future EU framework could build on good practices developed in Member States with established EPR systems and on the regulatory solutions adopted in EU environmental legislation. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Waste Management for Sustainability: Emerging Issues and Technologies)

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23 pages, 4895 KB

Open AccessArticle

Spatiotemporal Evolution and Multilevel Driving Mechanisms of Water Ecological Health in the Lixiahe Plain River Network: A DPSIRM-Based Framework for Sustainable Development

by Tian Cheng, Geng Niu, Guanhang Sui, Tianchi Duan, Yu Zhang, Yue Xin and Junxian Yin

Sustainability 2026, 18(17), 8626; https://doi.org/10.3390/su18178626 (registering DOI) - 22 Aug 2026

Abstract

Maintaining water ecological health is essential for the sustainable development of plain water-network regions, where natural hydrological conditions and intensive human activities jointly shape ecological processes. To address the limited understanding of driving pathways, system-level contributions, and key internal factors affecting water ecological [...] Read more.

Maintaining water ecological health is essential for the sustainable development of plain water-network regions, where natural hydrological conditions and intensive human activities jointly shape ecological processes. To address the limited understanding of driving pathways, system-level contributions, and key internal factors affecting water ecological health, this study focused on the Lixiahe Plain, a typical plain water-network region in China. A water ecological health assessment system was developed based on the DPSIRM framework, and the Water Ecological Health Index (WEHI) was calculated at a 1 km grid scale from 2000 to 2020. PLS-SEM, RDA-VPA, and XGBoost-SHAP were further integrated to identify subsystem pathways, independent and interactive explanatory contributions, and key driving factors. The results showed that WEHI exhibited an overall fluctuating upward trend, increasing from 0.541 in 2000 to 0.594 in 2020, with the lowest value of 0.511 observed in 2010. Spatially, high-WEHI areas were mainly distributed in the southern and central–eastern regions and gradually expanded. PLS-SEM revealed stage-dependent differences in the direction and magnitude of subsystem effects, with the explained variance increasing from 21.7% in 2010 to 70.9% in 2020. The state and impact subsystems were the main carriers of WEHI variation. XGBoost-SHAP further identified vegetation coverage, RSEI, and soil moisture as key explanatory factors. The integrated results reveal the multilevel mechanisms underlying water ecological health in the Lixiahe Plain and provide a scientific basis for spatially differentiated ecological restoration and sustainable water and ecosystem management in plain water-network regions. Full article

(This article belongs to the Section Sustainable Water Management)

23 pages, 625 KB

Open AccessArticle

The Impact of Digital Intelligence on Corporate Green Total Factor Productivity: Empirical Evidence from Chinese A-Share Listed Companies

by Kaiwen He, Chengying Jia, Le Yang, Fengge Yao and Yaoqun Xu

Sustainability 2026, 18(17), 8625; https://doi.org/10.3390/su18178625 (registering DOI) - 22 Aug 2026

Abstract

Against the backdrop of China’s 14th Five-Year Plan, digital economy strategy, and dual-carbon goals, this study draws on panel data from Chinese A-share-listed firms over 2008–2024 to construct a provincial digital intelligence (DI) index using the entropy-weighting method, measure corporate green total factor [...] Read more.

Against the backdrop of China’s 14th Five-Year Plan, digital economy strategy, and dual-carbon goals, this study draws on panel data from Chinese A-share-listed firms over 2008–2024 to construct a provincial digital intelligence (DI) index using the entropy-weighting method, measure corporate green total factor productivity (GTFP) using the SBM–GML model, and examine the effect of DI on GTFP and the mechanisms underlying this effect. The results show that regional DI is significantly and positively associated with GTFP, and this association remains robust across alternative specifications and endogeneity treatments. Mechanism tests indicate that lower financing constraints and lower ownership concentration may serve as potential channels linking DI to GTFP. Human capital strengthens this positive effect, whereas total asset turnover weakens it. Heterogeneity analysis further shows that the productivity gains from DI are more pronounced among large firms. Although subgroup estimates are larger for firms without executives who have overseas experience, the between-group difference is not statistically robust and is therefore interpreted as exploratory rather than causal. These findings highlight the importance of integrating DI with green transformation, improving firms’ access to finance and human capital, and adopting differentiated support policies. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Digital Technologies for Sustainable Business and the Green Economy)

26 pages, 5082 KB

Open AccessReview

HIEC: A Heritage–Intervention–Evidence–Continuity Framework for AI-Assisted Digital Mural Restoration: A Scoping Review

by Yu Su, Liangyong Yan, Qiu Li, Xuanzhu Lu, Yuxuan Xu, Fengyu Xin and Wonkyung Kim

Sustainability 2026, 18(17), 8624; https://doi.org/10.3390/su18178624 (registering DOI) - 22 Aug 2026

Abstract

AI-assisted digital mural restoration is expanding rapidly, but image similarity alone does not establish whether a digital output can support conservation decision making. We conducted a PRISMA-ScR scoping review of 203 reports identified across the Web of Science Core Collection, IEEE Xplore, and [...] Read more.

AI-assisted digital mural restoration is expanding rapidly, but image similarity alone does not establish whether a digital output can support conservation decision making. We conducted a PRISMA-ScR scoping review of 203 reports identified across the Web of Science Core Collection, IEEE Xplore, and Scopus. Bibliographic, task, model, evaluation, and evidence continuity variables were charted using the Heritage–Intervention–Evidence–Continuity (HIEC) framework. Inpainting or defect restoration accounted for 149 reports (73.4%); CNNs (68, 33.5%), GANs (54, 26.6%), diffusion models (36, 17.7%), and transformers (23, 11.3%) were the most frequent primary model families. Evaluation remained dominated by the SSIM (149, 73.4%) and PSNR (145, 71.4%), whereas expert evaluation, cross-site validation, versioning, and long-term monitoring were much less frequently reported. HIEC organizes the evidence chain across heritage context, intervention boundary, evidence validity, and continuity and governance, yielding a multi-database evidence map and a minimum evidence continuity record for traceable and revisable conservation decisions. The findings distinguish benchmark similarity and visual plausibility from historically credible interpretation and physical conservation outcomes. Evidence continuity represents one contribution to sustainable heritage conservation. Full article

(This article belongs to the Topic AI for Sustainable Development: Innovations, Challenges, and Real-World Applications)

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17 pages, 9718 KB

Open AccessArticle

A Google Earth Engine Framework for Spatiotemporal RSEI Analysis and LULC Mapping: Assessing Ecological Changes Associated with Tourism Development in the Altai Mountains

by Andrei Kartoziia

Sustainability 2026, 18(17), 8623; https://doi.org/10.3390/su18178623 (registering DOI) - 22 Aug 2026

Abstract

The increasing tourism pressure on the UNESCO World Heritage Altai Mountains calls for efficient environmental monitoring tools. This study presents a Google Earth Engine framework that couples the Remote Sensing Ecological Index (RSEI) with land use/land cover (LULC) mapping to assess ecological changes [...] Read more.

The increasing tourism pressure on the UNESCO World Heritage Altai Mountains calls for efficient environmental monitoring tools. This study presents a Google Earth Engine framework that couples the Remote Sensing Ecological Index (RSEI) with land use/land cover (LULC) mapping to assess ecological changes in the Lake Manzherok area between 2020 and 2025. RSEI was derived from Sentinel-2 and Landsat imagery by combining four indicators (NDVI, MNDWI, NDBSI, LST) through principal component analysis. LULC classification was carried out using Random Forest trained exclusively on Sentinel-2 spectral bands. The results confirm that RSEI effectively captures ecological gradients in complex mountainous terrain, with the first principal component explaining 57–62% of the total variance. While 92% of the study area remained stable, 5.9% showed a decline in ecological status, spatially coinciding with a near doubling of built-up and bare surfaces from 9.89 km² to 18.17 km². The largest negative RSEI changes were associated with transitions from forestland (ΔRSEI = −0.29) and grassland (ΔRSEI = −0.20) to built-up/bare land, whereas reverse transitions displayed positive ΔRSEI values. These spatial patterns are consistent with the visible development related to tourism. However, because the built-up/bare land class also includes naturally bare surfaces, and because interannual climate variability may affect the RSEI components, it is important to interpret the ΔRSEI values as relative changes rather than absolute measurements of tourism impact. The proposed framework provides a reproducible and transferable tool for monitoring ecological quality in data-scarce mountain regions, delivering spatially explicit evidence that can support conservation and land-use planning. Full article

(This article belongs to the Section Environmental Sustainability and Applications)

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31 pages, 15960 KB

Open AccessArticle

Assessing the Complementarity of Microtransit and Public Transit for Sustainable Mobility: Evidence from Three California Cities

by Susan Shaheen, Elliot Martin, Brooke Wolfe, Cal Holman and Amartya Kumar

Sustainability 2026, 18(17), 8622; https://doi.org/10.3390/su18178622 (registering DOI) - 22 Aug 2026

Abstract

Microtransit services fill gaps within public transportation systems across the United States (U.S.), but there are questions about whether they complement and compete with fixed-route services. The successful integration of microtransit is important for sustainability because it has the potential to improve the [...] Read more.

Microtransit services fill gaps within public transportation systems across the United States (U.S.), but there are questions about whether they complement and compete with fixed-route services. The successful integration of microtransit is important for sustainability because it has the potential to improve the ridership and viability of public transit, which has implications for reducing emissions and increasing vehicle occupancy. Moreover, microtransit may serve as a more cost-effective way to provide transit service in low-density regions, relative to fixed-route services. We analyzed survey and trip activity data from three microtransit operations in California, including the Silicon Valley Hopper (N = 457), Richmond Moves (N = 131), and the Via West Sac (N = 224). For the Bay Area systems, surveys were deployed in November 2024, while activity data spanned June 2022 to November 2024. Via West Sac is one of the oldest microtransit systems in the U.S., and data from a May 2019 survey was integrated into the analysis. The survey showed that 35% of Richmond Moves, 31% of Silicon Valley Hopper, and 17% of Via West Sac respondents connected to and/or from public transit during their most recent microtransit trip. We estimated travel and wait times were lower on microtransit than public transit for 53% of Richmond Moves, 83% of Silicon Valley Hopper, and 85% of Via West Sac trips. We also found that 27% of Richmond Moves, 37% of Silicon Valley Hopper, and 52% of Via West Sac trips had no viable fixed-route transit alternative. Insights from these findings and expert interviews were used to define planning and design recommendations to improve complementarity. Key recommendations include providing comparative travel time information between microtransit and public transit options, highlighting faster fixed-route alternatives to requested trips, and offering transfer credits for microtransit trips that connect to transit. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Urban Mobility Network and Public Transport)

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25 pages, 1002 KB

Open AccessArticle

Digital Transformation and Coupled Open Innovation in Manufacturing Enterprises: Capability Pathways, Executive Pay Gap, and Organizational Sustainability

by Yunfei Wang, Ruijing Yao and Dian Song

Sustainability 2026, 18(17), 8621; https://doi.org/10.3390/su18178621 (registering DOI) - 22 Aug 2026

Abstract

Digital transformation can expand manufacturing firms’ capacity for interorganizational collaboration, but digitalization does not automatically translate into coupled open innovation. Drawing on dynamic capability theory and social comparison theory, this study examines the association between digital transformation and coupled open innovation, evaluates absorptive, [...] Read more.

Digital transformation can expand manufacturing firms’ capacity for interorganizational collaboration, but digitalization does not automatically translate into coupled open innovation. Drawing on dynamic capability theory and social comparison theory, this study examines the association between digital transformation and coupled open innovation, evaluates absorptive, adaptive, and innovative capabilities as parallel capability-related pathways, and investigates the external executive pay gap as a boundary condition. The analysis uses 12,791 firm-year observations from 2199 Chinese A-share listed manufacturing firms during 2011–2022. Digital transformation is measured from annual-report disclosures, while coupled open innovation is operationalized as joint patent applications with external co-applicants. Firm and year fixed-effects regressions with firm-clustered standard errors are complemented by Poisson pseudo-maximum-likelihood and negative-binomial count models and firm-cluster bootstrap mediation analyses. Digital transformation is positively associated with coupled open innovation across the linear and count specifications. In the simultaneous parallel-mediator model, the indirect associations through the absorptive-, adaptive-, and innovative-capability proxies are statistically distinguishable from zero, although the innovative-capability association is substantively small. The linear interaction specification indicates a stronger Digital–COI association at higher observed levels of the external executive pay gap, while the exploratory conditional-indirect analysis suggests selective moderation through the innovative-capability pathway rather than a uniform pattern across all three capability pathways. The results clarify how digital resources, organizational capabilities, and executive compensation context relate to formal collaborative innovation and the organizational and economic sustainability of manufacturing firms. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Organizational Adaptation: Nurturing Ecosystems for Innovation and Resilience)

26 pages, 1009 KB

Open AccessArticle

Conditional Low-Carbon Effects of China’s Digital Economy: Industrial Upgrading Moderation and Economic Development Thresholds

by Bo Zhang, Shengnan Hou and Hongmei Li

Sustainability 2026, 18(17), 8620; https://doi.org/10.3390/su18178620 (registering DOI) - 22 Aug 2026

Abstract

Against China’s dual carbon peaking and carbon neutrality strategic goals, nationwide digital transformation brings both carbon abatement dividends and potential energy rebound risks, and its full low-carbon potential is constrained by local industrial foundations and regional economic development stages. Most existing studies merely [...] Read more.

Against China’s dual carbon peaking and carbon neutrality strategic goals, nationwide digital transformation brings both carbon abatement dividends and potential energy rebound risks, and its full low-carbon potential is constrained by local industrial foundations and regional economic development stages. Most existing studies merely treat industrial upgrading as an intermediate transmission channel, with little discussion of its moderating influence. Moreover, few threshold analyses take the comprehensive level of regional economic development as the core threshold variable to capture the boundary conditions of digital decarbonization effects. Based on balanced panel data covering 30 provincial-level regions of China from 2011 to 2023, this paper constructs a multi-dimensional digital economy index via the entropy weight method. Prior to formal regression, we conduct Pearson correlation analysis and mean-centered VIF multicollinearity diagnostics to avoid biased estimation. Two-way fixed-effects regression, moderation tests, Bootstrap-based regional heterogeneity comparison and Hansen’s single threshold model are adopted for empirical analysis. The results show that digital economy development significantly curbs carbon emission intensity; a one-standard-deviation increase in the digital economy composite index is associated with an approximately 9.7% decline in carbon emission intensity. The mean-centered interaction term DIG × UIS is significantly negative at the 1% level, proving that service-oriented industrial upgrading strengthens the carbon reduction effect of digitalization. The mitigation effect displays distinct spatial divergence: the estimated coefficient equals −2.638 for eastern provinces, −3.585 for central regions and −1.700 for western areas. Bootstrap inter-group coefficient tests confirm statistically significant gaps between east–west and central–western subgroups. Threshold regression identifies a single threshold of logarithmic per capita GDP at 11.94. After crossing this economic development threshold, the inhibitory coefficient of the digital economy rises markedly from −0.844 to −1.473. This study enriches the theoretical system of digital low-carbon transition by jointly uncovering the moderating role of industrial upgrading and the stage threshold constraint of economic development and offers differentiated digital low-carbon policy guidance for provincial governments. Full article

28 pages, 2637 KB

Open AccessArticle

Supply-Chain Transmission of Environmental Policy Pressure and Suppliers’ External Green Technology Acquisition: Evidence from China

by Shiyi Wang and Yutong Lv

Sustainability 2026, 18(17), 8619; https://doi.org/10.3390/su18178619 (registering DOI) - 22 Aug 2026

Abstract

Using 1135 customer–supplier–year observations involving Chinese A-share listed firms and their major suppliers from 2011 to 2023, together with prefecture-level government work reports and patent-assignment records, we examine whether environmental policy pressure faced by downstream customers shapes upstream suppliers’ external green technology acquisition. [...] Read more.

Using 1135 customer–supplier–year observations involving Chinese A-share listed firms and their major suppliers from 2011 to 2023, together with prefecture-level government work reports and patent-assignment records, we examine whether environmental policy pressure faced by downstream customers shapes upstream suppliers’ external green technology acquisition. External green technology acquisition is measured as the log-transformed annual number of green patents assigned to each supplier. We find that suppliers acquire more external green patents when their customers face stronger local environmental policy pressure, with a one-standard-deviation increase in policy intensity associated with approximately 5.7% higher external green patent acquisition. The result is robust to placebo tests, alternative measures, and PPML estimation, while instrumental-variable estimates point in the same direction. Further analyses document stronger customer green-transition urgency and supplier-perceived supply-chain uncertainty under greater downstream policy intensity, and they show that the relationship is stronger among suppliers with weaker bargaining power or lower R&D intensity. Environment-related policy intensity is more strongly associated with end-of-pipe technology acquisition, whereas energy-transition and market-incentive policy intensity are more strongly associated with source-control technology acquisition. Overall, the findings indicate that environmental policy intensity in downstream customers’ cities is associated with upstream suppliers’ external green technology acquisition within observed customer–supplier relationships. Full article

(This article belongs to the Section Economic and Business Aspects of Sustainability)

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31 pages, 796 KB

Open AccessArticle

The Effect of Supply Chain Innovation and Application Pilot Program on the Competitive Advantage of Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises

by Yating Zeng, Qiaoyi Liu and Yanzhen Weng

Sustainability 2026, 18(17), 8618; https://doi.org/10.3390/su18178618 (registering DOI) - 22 Aug 2026

Abstract

Stable and efficient supply chain relationships are essential for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to strengthen competitive advantage and achieve sustainable growth. However, how resource-constrained SMEs overcome internal resource constraints and enhance competitiveness through supply chain integration remains underexplored. Taking China’s Supply Chain [...] Read more.

Stable and efficient supply chain relationships are essential for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to strengthen competitive advantage and achieve sustainable growth. However, how resource-constrained SMEs overcome internal resource constraints and enhance competitiveness through supply chain integration remains underexplored. Taking China’s Supply Chain Innovation and Application Pilot Program (SCIAPP) as a quasi-natural experiment, this study uses panel data of SMEs from 2014 to 2024 and employs a SCIAPP significantly improves SMEs’ competitive advantage (

β_{1}

= 0.016, p < 0.01). Mechanism analyses reveal that SCIAPP enhances competitive advantage by mitigating the bullwhip effect and increasing innovation investment. The positive effect is stronger for firms with higher supply chain dependence, for non-capital-intensive firms, and for smaller firms. Further analysis shows that improvements in competitive advantage contribute to higher firm value. This study extends research on SMEs’ competitive advantage by demonstrating how government-led supply chain governance facilitates capability development among resource-constrained firms. The findings also provide implications for policymakers seeking to improve supply chain governance and promote the high-quality development of SMEs. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Digital Transformation, Entrepreneurship and Sustainable Business Models)

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24 pages, 2740 KB

Open AccessArticle

Geopolitical Gas Disruptions and Sustainable Energy-Security Convergence: Comparative Evidence from Germany and Jordan

by Ahmad Alshwawra, Ahmad Almuhtady, Ruben Otte, Celma de Oliveira Ribeiro and Erik Eduardo Rego

Sustainability 2026, 18(17), 8617; https://doi.org/10.3390/su18178617 (registering DOI) - 22 Aug 2026

Abstract

Geopolitical disruptions of natural gas supply have repeatedly forced importing countries to reorganize their electricity systems, yet it remains unclear whether such disruptions are followed by movement of structurally different economies toward comparable energy-security and sustainability outcomes. This study compares Germany, a high-income [...] Read more.

Geopolitical disruptions of natural gas supply have repeatedly forced importing countries to reorganize their electricity systems, yet it remains unclear whether such disruptions are followed by movement of structurally different economies toward comparable energy-security and sustainability outcomes. This study compares Germany, a high-income economy exposed to the 2022 curtailment of Russian pipeline gas, with Jordan, a developing import-dependent economy exposed to the repeated sabotage of the Arab Gas Pipeline after 2011, using harmonized generation-mix and carbon intensity data for Germany over 1985–2024 and Jordan over 2000–2022, supplemented by weekly German market data. The generation fuel mix concentration is measured with a Herfindahl-based Supply Concentration Index (SCI), structural change is estimated with segmented interrupted time series (ITS) regressions inferred through Newey–West heteroskedasticity- and autocorrelation-consistent standard errors, and the joint security–sustainability position of each country is summarized with a newly proposed Energy Vulnerability–Transition Index (EVTI) that combines diversification, renewable penetration, and carbon intensity performance. The results show that Jordan’s 2011 disruption was associated with a baseline estimated change in its carbon intensity trajectory from +3.32 to −12.63 gCO₂/kWh per year and with renewable growth of +2.39 percentage points per year from a near-zero base, while Germany’s 2022 disruption was associated with a temporary carbon intensity shock, visible in a coal reactivation index that peaked at 1.26 and a sixfold wholesale price increase, followed by a policy-supported return to the pre-existing decarbonization pathway. The Germany–Jordan EVTI ratio narrowed from 6.5× in 2014 to 1.8× in 2022, and this convergence is robust to alternative component weightings. The findings indicate that geopolitical gas disruptions, despite their high short-run costs, were followed in both contexts by measurable movement toward more diversified and lower-carbon electricity systems, with direct implications for Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 7. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Energy Economics and Sustainable Environment)

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24 pages, 6015 KB

Open AccessArticle

Remote Sensing-Based Ecological Monitoring of Ion-Adsorption Rare Earth Mining Areas Integrating a Desertification Index and Variable-Weight Theory

by Shibin Zhong, Kaiming Zeng, Hengkai Li, Yue Deng, Yaxue Liu and Yaoyao Jiang

Sustainability 2026, 18(17), 8616; https://doi.org/10.3390/su18178616 (registering DOI) - 22 Aug 2026

Abstract

Long-term exploitation of ion-adsorption rare earth deposits has played a vital role in ensuring the supply of strategic mineral resources. However, intensive mining activities have also resulted in severe ecological degradation, including vegetation loss, land degradation, and soil erosion. Although the Remote Sensing [...] Read more.

Long-term exploitation of ion-adsorption rare earth deposits has played a vital role in ensuring the supply of strategic mineral resources. However, intensive mining activities have also resulted in severe ecological degradation, including vegetation loss, land degradation, and soil erosion. Although the Remote Sensing Ecological Index has been widely used for ecological environment assessment, it inadequately characterizes land degradation in ion-adsorption rare earth mining areas, while its fixed-weight framework is unable to effectively capture the influence of localized ecological limiting factors. To address these limitations, this study selected a typical ion-adsorption rare earth mining area in southern Jiangxi, China, as the study area. A Desertification Difference Index was incorporated into the conventional RSEI framework to establish a five-dimensional evaluation system consisting of greenness, wetness, dryness, heat, and desertification. Furthermore, a Dynamic Variable-Weight Remote Sensing Ecological Index (DV-RSEI) was developed by integrating variable-weight theory, enabling adaptive adjustment of indicator weights according to local ecological conditions. Using Landsat imagery from 2000, 2005, 2010, 2016, 2020, and 2023, the spatiotemporal evolution and spatial heterogeneity of ecological environmental quality were systematically investigated. The results indicate that: (1) ecological environmental quality exhibited a characteristic evolution process of mining disturbance–ecological degradation–comprehensive restoration–ecological recovery during 2000–2023, with an overall trend dominated by stability and improvement; (2) ecological environmental quality showed significant spatial clustering, with High–High clusters mainly distributed in areas with favorable ecological conditions, whereas Low–Low clusters were concentrated in regions strongly affected by mining activities; and (3) compared with the conventional RSEI, the DV-RSEI better characterized mining-related ecological degradation patterns and the spatial heterogeneity of ecological environmental quality. The proposed approach provides a scientific basis for dynamic ecological monitoring, evaluation of ecological restoration effectiveness, and the construction of green mines in ion-adsorption rare earth mining areas. Full article

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