Environmental Sustainability and Applications
A section of Sustainability (ISSN 2071-1050).
Section Information
Environmental sustainability is a broad concept that brings together the ecological and socio-economic components of sustainability. Environmental sustainability is closely related to the maintenance of environmental security, defined by Müller and colleagues in 2008 as: [environmental security], in an objective sense, aims to evaluate the level of threats in order to acquire and sustain ecosystem values in terms of ecosystem goods and services at multiple scales, and in a subjective sense, it represents a level of fear that such values will be attacked and possibly lost.
Over the last decades, the use of primary resources has increased due to the growing global population, economic improvements, and new life styles, which are changing the habits of populations in both high-income and developing countries. However, non-renewable ecosystem goods (i.e., fossil fuels, fertile lands, metals, and mineral reserves) and services (i.e., climate regulation, pollination, and disturbance regulation) are commonly mismanaged and at risk. As a result, the sustainable use of natural resources is becoming mandatory for the development of current economies and the support of human well-being, and to guarantee long-term environmental sustainability and security.
Since the second half of the 20th century, research and studies have focused their interest on environmental concerns such as air pollution, water and soil contamination, excessive mine extraction, deforestation, waste mismanagement, and unplanned land use changes. In this context, a social–ecological perspective of environmental sustainability is based on a system’s adaptability to environmental change in terms of its ability to cope with human and natural disturbances in a changing world. However, to enhance environmental sustainability, it is mandatory to deal with threats and hazards and with human responses to environmental risks.
In this context, this section focuses on original research and reviews regarding the current state of our understanding of how to measure and manage the environmental sustainability of socio-ecological systems to enhance their resilience and security through different applications at different spatial (urban, regional, national, and worldwide) and temporal (short-, medium-, and long-term) scales. Spatial and remote sensing approaches, subjective assessments based on human perception and values, and scenario building are all welcome. The proposal and use of new environmental sustainability metrics can help assessing and supporting environmental planning and management towards sustainability.Editorial Board
Topical Advisory Panel
Special Issues
Following special issues within this section are currently open for submissions:
- Ecosystem Services in the Planning and Sustainable Development of Urban Green Spaces (Deadline: 15 June 2026)
- Nuclear Energy and Technology and Its Environmental Impact, 2nd Edition (Deadline: 16 June 2026)
- Innovation and Low Carbon Sustainability in the Digital Age (Deadline: 16 June 2026)
- Innovations and Sustainable Pathways for Maritime Decarbonization (Deadline: 23 June 2026)
- Energy Use, Storage and Emission Analysis for Industrial Decarbonization (Deadline: 30 June 2026)
- Sustainability and Advanced Research on Microbiology (Deadline: 30 June 2026)
- Ecology, Environment, and Watershed Management (Deadline: 30 June 2026)
- Awareness, Understanding, and Mitigation Measures of Climate Change Towards Sustainable Development (Deadline: 30 June 2026)
- Advances in Indoor Environmental Quality Control and Green Buildings (Deadline: 30 June 2026)
- Environmental Protection and Natural Resource Management (Deadline: 30 June 2026)
- Strategies for Sustainable Soil, Water and Environmental Management (Deadline: 7 July 2026)
- Innovating the Circular Future: Pathways to Sustainable Growth (Deadline: 26 July 2026)
- Sustainable Development and Land Use Change in Tropical Ecosystems (Deadline: 31 July 2026)
- Extremophilic Plants and Microorganisms in Environmental Sustainability (Deadline: 31 July 2026)
- Sustainable Environmental Science and Water/Wastewater Treatment: 2nd Edition (Deadline: 31 July 2026)
- Artificial Intelligence for Climate Change Mitigation, Adaptation and Sustainability: Innovative Approaches for a Greener Future (Deadline: 31 July 2026)
- Sustainable Solutions for the Microplastic Pollution: Challenges and Innovations (Deadline: 31 July 2026)
- Innovations in Environment Protection and Sustainable Development (Deadline: 31 July 2026)
- Transforming Landscapes: Sustainable Land Use, Environmental Protection, and Innovations in Landscape Research (Deadline: 31 July 2026)
- Recent Advances in Biomass Conversion, Renewable Energy, and Biomaterials—2nd Edition (Deadline: 31 July 2026)
- Sustainable Architecture, Structural Design, and Environmental Engineering (Deadline: 31 July 2026)
- AI-Driven Smart Sensing and Non-Destructive Testing for Sustainable Innovation: Enhancing Environmental Sustainability and Technological Progress (Deadline: 31 July 2026)
- Human–Nature Relationship in the Context of Environmental Change and Sustainability (Deadline: 31 July 2026)
- Sustainable Development of Low-Carbon Energy Transition and Climate Change Adaptation (Deadline: 1 August 2026)
- Sustainable Development of Green Chemistry and Environmental Technology (Deadline: 25 August 2026)
- Waste Management for Sustainability: Emerging Issues and Technologies (Deadline: 31 August 2026)
- Wastewater Treatment Technology Under Sustainable Environmental Monitoring (Deadline: 31 August 2026)
- Natural Resource Economics and Environment Sustainable Development (Deadline: 31 August 2026)
- The Nexus Between Environment, Economy, Policy and Sustainable Development—a Needed Global Systems Optimization to Stay Below 1.5 Degrees (Deadline: 31 August 2026)
- Land Use and Sustainable Environment Management (Deadline: 31 August 2026)
- Remote Sensing for Sustainable Environmental Ecology (Deadline: 31 August 2026)
- Sustainable Application and Functional Roles of Microbial Communities in Soil, Sludge and Sediments (Deadline: 31 August 2026)
- Resilience and Sustainability of Socio-Ecological Systems (Deadline: 31 August 2026)
- Advances in Sustainable Agroecosystems: The Integrated Management of Crop, Livestock, and Environment (Deadline: 31 August 2026)
- Geo-Spatial Intelligence for Compact, Resilient, and Equitable Urban Land Use Planning (Deadline: 31 August 2026)
- Ecology Meets Empathy: Human Perception in Biodiversity and Sustainability (Deadline: 31 August 2026)
- Farming the Blue: The Sustainability of Aquaculture and the Marine Environment (Deadline: 31 August 2026)
- Urban Water Cycle Management in the AI Era: New Trends in a Rapidly Changing Tool Kit (Deadline: 31 August 2026)
- Smart Technologies Toward Sustainable Eco-Friendly Industry (Deadline: 13 September 2026)
- Driving Sustainability in Civil and Environmental Engineering Through Machine Learning Innovations (Deadline: 13 September 2026)
- Pro-Environmental Behavior and Sustainable Development in Organizations (Deadline: 30 September 2026)
- Environmental Change from a Social Science Perspective (Deadline: 30 September 2026)
- Economic and Environmental Concerns Regarding Agri-Food Products Within the Context of Sustainability (Deadline: 30 September 2026)
- Assessing the Nexus of Climate Change, Water Security, and Human Mobility Towards Sustainability (Deadline: 30 September 2026)
- Management of Waste, Residues and By-Products Generated in Biotechnological Processes Consistent with Sustainable Development (Deadline: 30 September 2026)
- Sustainable Strategies for the Control of Persistent Toxic and Radioactive Contaminants (Deadline: 30 September 2026)
- Advances in Environmental Pollution Monitoring and Analytical Methods (Deadline: 30 September 2026)
- Utilizing Geographic Information Systems for Sustainable Prediction and Prevention of Disaster Risk (Deadline: 30 September 2026)
- Climate-Functional EcoEngineering Design (Deadline: 1 October 2026)
- Solid Waste Management and Sustainable Environmental Remediation (Deadline: 30 October 2026)
- Sustainable Development and Emerging Pollutants: Innovations in Detection, Management, and Environmental Protection (Deadline: 31 October 2026)
- Applications of Remote Sensing and Artificial Intelligence in Land Cover Mapping and Ecosystem Monitoring (Deadline: 31 October 2026)
- Innovative Green Technologies and Sustainable Solutions for Environmental Challenges (Deadline: 31 October 2026)
- Exploring the Influence of ESG Factors on Environmental Investments for Sustainable Development (Deadline: 31 October 2026)
- Sustainable Management of Blue Carbon Ecosystems (Deadline: 31 October 2026)
- Toward Net-Zero Futures: Innovations in Carbon Management and Sustainable Transitions (Deadline: 31 October 2026)
- The Third Pole in Peril: Climate Change, Water Security, and Sustainable Futures in the Hindu Kush Himalaya (Deadline: 31 October 2026)
- Sustainable Resource and Waste Management for Environmental Protection (Deadline: 31 October 2026)
- Green Innovation: Scaling Sustainable Environmental Management Solutions (Deadline: 31 October 2026)
- Governance, Quantification, and Justice in Circular Economy for Carbon Neutrality (Deadline: 31 October 2026)
- Future Transitions for a Sustainable Bioeconomy: Governance, Circularity and Regional Innovation (Deadline: 31 October 2026)
- Air Pollution: Causes, Monitoring and Sustainable Control (Deadline: 2 November 2026)
- Decarbonizing Our World: Strategies and Technologies for Climate Mitigation (Deadline: 15 November 2026)
- Heavy-Metal Soil Contamination: Sources, Opportunities, and Sustainable Solutions (Deadline: 25 November 2026)
- Ecosystemic Services and Landscape Perspectives on Sustainable Urban Forest Planning (Deadline: 30 November 2026)
- Planning Smart Cities for Environmental Sustainability (Deadline: 30 November 2026)
- Resource Recovery and Sustainable Biomass Waste and Wastewater Management (Deadline: 30 November 2026)
- Monitoring Tools for the Sustainable Management of Organic Carbon in Coastal Ecosystems (Deadline: 30 November 2026)
- The Hidden Treasure: Grasslands, Carbon, and Climate Resilience (Deadline: 30 November 2026)
- Innovative Strategies for Sustainable Biomass Valorization and Wastewater Treatment (Deadline: 30 November 2026)
- Towards Sustainability: Applications of Machine Learning in Water Management and Environmental Monitoring (Deadline: 31 December 2026)
- Green Landscape and Ecosystem Services for a Sustainable Urban System (Deadline: 31 December 2026)
- Environmental Policy as a Tool for Sustainable Development: 2nd Edition (Deadline: 31 December 2026)
- Sustainable Utilization of Resources for Environmental Enhancement (Deadline: 31 December 2026)
- Process Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) and Sustainability (Deadline: 31 December 2026)
- Addressing Climate Uncertainty: Toward Resilient and Sustainable Agriculture (Deadline: 31 December 2026)
- Sustainable Development of Wind-Sand Prevention and Ecological Conservation (Deadline: 31 December 2026)
- Monitoring Environmental Indicators with Geotechnologies (Deadline: 31 December 2026)
- Integration of Digitalization and Green Economy (Deadline: 31 December 2026)
- Smart Technologies and Digital Methods for Advanced Environmental Remediation (Deadline: 31 December 2026)
- Adaptation Beyond Climate: Facing Planetary Limits and Ecological Injustices (Deadline: 3 January 2027)
- Impacts of Climate Change and Human Activities on Animal Biodiversity and Ecosystem Sustainability (Deadline: 12 January 2027)
- Sustainable Optimization for Energy and Environmental Systems Engineering (Deadline: 31 January 2027)
- Microbial Ecology and Biotechnology for Sustainable Groundwater Resource Management (Deadline: 31 January 2027)
- Sustainability at the Intersection of Environmental Quality, Circular Economy and Bio-Waste Valorization: Consumer Behavior and Regional Resilience to Climate Change (Deadline: 31 January 2027)
- AI and ML Applications for a Sustainable Future (Deadline: 31 January 2027)
- Advancing Environmental Sustainability Through Life Cycle Assessment (Deadline: 1 February 2027)
- Sustainable Environmental Science: Application of Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence in Earth Systems (Deadline: 15 February 2027)
- New Trends and Perspectives in Environmental Biotechnology for Sustainability (Deadline: 15 February 2027)
- Advances in Plant Sciences: Climate-Smart Innovations for Sustainability and Resilient Ecosystems (Deadline: 28 February 2027)
- Microbiomes in Agricultural Ecosystems: Their Role in Soil Fertility, Plant Health, and Ecosystem Sustainability (Deadline: 28 February 2027)
- Sustainable Tourism Planning in the Context of Climate Change (Deadline: 28 February 2027)
- Sustainable Management of Emerging Contaminants in Water and Food Systems (Deadline: 1 March 2027)
- Environmental Impact Assessment and Restoration Management for Sustainable Development (Deadline: 1 March 2027)
- Advancements in Solid Waste Valorization for Clean Energy and Environmental Protection (Deadline: 31 March 2027)
- Advances in Sustainable Approaches to Monitoring, Treatment and Policy of Micropollutants in Water (Deadline: 31 March 2027)
- Solutions for Water Sustainability: Wastewater Treatment and Reuse (Deadline: 31 March 2027)
- Advanced Environmental Technologies for Sustainable Water and Waste Management (Deadline: 31 March 2027)
- Machine Learning for Environmental Sustainability and Climate Justice in Transportation Systems (Deadline: 1 April 2027)
- Innovations for Sustainable Water Management, Wastewater Treatment and Pollutant Removal (Deadline: 20 April 2027)
- Drone-Enabled Smart Technologies for Sustainable Electrical Engineering and Energy Infrastructure (Deadline: 30 April 2027)
- Machine Learning/Artificial Intelligence Applications to Environmental Sustainability (Deadline: 30 April 2027)
- Human Behavior and Environmental Sustainability: Ecological Impacts and Pathways (Deadline: 30 April 2027)
- Environmental Applications of Photocatalysis and Photoactive Materials: Toward Cleaner Air and Water (Deadline: 7 May 2027)
- CO2 Capture and Utilization: Sustainable Environment (Deadline: 24 May 2027)
- Remote Sensing and GIS Approaches to Land Use Change and Natural Hazards (Deadline: 30 June 2027)
- Marine Carbon Capture and Storage for Sustainable Climate Mitigation (Deadline: 30 September 2027)
- Nanomaterials for Water Remediation: From Intelligent Design to Environmental Applications (Deadline: 1 October 2027)
Topical Collections
Following topical collections within this section are currently open for submissions:
- Advances in Biomass Waste Valorization
- Aquaculture and Environmental Impacts
- Circular Economy and Sustainable Strategies
- Efficient Use and Recovery of Resources for the Purpose of Circular Economy and Sustainability
- Environmental Assessment, Life Cycle Analysis and Sustainability
- Feature Papers in Sustainable Use of the Environment and Resources
- Landscape Approaches in Era of Post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework: Sustainable Forestry and Agriculture, Close-to-Nature Forestry, and Conservations in OECMs
- Modeling and Simulations for Sustainable Water Environments
- Reviews, Advances and Applications in Environmental Sustainability
- Risk Assessment and Management
- Sustainable Integrated Clean Environment for Human & Nature