Search Results (957)

While the corporate adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) is accelerating, its environmental consequences remain insufficiently understood, particularly in absolute firm-level energy consumption. The main objective of this study is to empirically determine the causal impact of AI adoption on absolute firm-level energy consumption in Chinese publicly listed companies, with a particular focus on the mediating role of green innovation and the moderating role of digital capabilities. This study provides the first large-scale micro-level evidence on how AI adoption shapes corporate energy use, drawing on panel data from Chinese non-financial listed firms during 2011–2022. We construct a novel AI adoption index via Word2Vec-based textual analysis of annual reports and estimate its impact using firm fixed effects, instrumental variables, mediation models, and multiple robustness checks. Results show that AI adoption significantly reduces total energy consumption, with a 1% increase in AI intensity associated with an estimated 0.48% decrease in energy use. Green innovation emerges as a key mediating channel, while the energy-saving benefits are amplified in firms with advanced digital transformation and IT-oriented executive teams. Heterogeneity analyses indicate more substantial effects among large firms, private enterprises, non-energy-intensive sectors, and firms in digitally lagging regions, suggesting capability-driven and context-dependent dynamics. This study advances the literature on digital transformation and corporate sustainability by uncovering the mechanisms and boundary conditions of AI’s environmental impact and offers actionable insights for aligning AI investments with carbon reduction targets and industrial upgrading in emerging economies. Full article

The rapid economic growth in major coal-consuming countries has often come at the cost of environmental quality and social well-being. This study is urgently needed to provide empirical evidence on how such growth impacts sustainable development, helping policymakers balance economic progress with environmental protection and social welfare in an era of increasing climate concerns. Despite growing attention on sustainability, few studies have examined how key economic-environmental transformation drivers, such as coal consumption, financial development, globalization, urbanization, and economic growth, affect social sustainability. This study addresses this gap by analyzing the impact of these drivers on social sustainability in the world’s leading coal-consuming countries, as classified by Global Firepower. Using data from ten major coal-consuming nations between 1991 and 2022, sourced from the International Monetary Fund (IMF), KOF Swiss Economic Institute, the BP Statistical Review of World Energy, the World Bank’s World Development Indicators (WDIs), and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the study applies advanced estimation techniques, including the Augmented Mean Group (AMG) and Feasible Generalized Least Squares (FGLS), to address cross-sectional dependence and slope heterogeneity. The results indicate that coal consumption has a negative and significant effect on social sustainability. In contrast, financial development, globalization, urbanization, and economic growth all show positive and significant effects. These findings highlight the urgent need for deliberate policy reforms to support a socially inclusive energy transition. Policymakers in major coal-consuming countries should invest in clean energy, fund worker retraining and community health, promote green innovation, and encourage private sector and stakeholder collaboration for a just, sustainable transition. Such measures are vital for coal-dependent countries to balance economic progress with social well-being. This study is the first to quantify social sustainability using the HDI, addressing a gap in the literature concerning the relationship between coal consumption and social development, thereby providing a quantitative basis for formulating policies that balance equity and decarbonization. Full article

Environmental innovation represents a pivotal pathway toward achieving energy efficiency improvements, carbon footprint reduction, and ecological sustainability enhancement. The research investigates Chinese manufacturing enterprises listed on domestic stock exchanges throughout 2011–2023. The analytical framework utilizes count-based regression methodologies to explore how R&D investment intensity influences eco-innovation capabilities. Results demonstrate curvilinear associations linking R&D expenditure levels with both substantive and strategic environmental innovation achievements across industrial firms. This outcome successfully passed the turning-point test. Environmental oversight and financial incentives produce divergent moderating influences on innovation trajectories. Regulatory frameworks generate restrictive impacts through narrowing optimal investment ranges and dampening peak innovation outputs, whereas fiscal support mechanisms foster expansive effects via broadening resource availability and amplifying achievement levels. Cross-sectional examination uncovers substantial variations among ownership categories and geographical locations. State-owned enterprises demonstrate significantly lower optimal R&D intensity thresholds. Private firms require substantially elevated thresholds for optimal performance. Inland territories manifest unbalanced innovation dynamics. Coastal areas exhibit symmetric innovation patterns. The research enriches empirical knowledge in eco-innovation studies while offering context-specific strategic insights. The findings establish theoretical foundations and practical guidance for policy architects designing integrated environmental management systems that enhance innovation capabilities. Full article

Green hydrogen is gaining global attention as a zero-carbon energy carrier with the potential to drive sustainable energy transitions, particularly in regions facing rising fossil fuel costs and resource depletion. In sub-Saharan Africa, financing mechanisms and structured off-take agreements are critical to attracting investment across the green hydrogen value chain, from advisory and pilot stages to full-scale deployment. While substantial funding is required to support a green economic transition, success will depend on the effective mobilization of capital through smart public policies and innovative financial instruments. This review evaluates financing mechanisms relevant to sub-Saharan Africa, including green bonds, public–private partnerships, foreign direct investment, venture capital, grants and loans, multilateral and bilateral funding, and government subsidies. Despite their potential, current capital flows remain insufficient and must be significantly scaled up to meet green energy transition targets. This study employs a mixed-methods approach, drawing on primary data from utility firms under the H₂Atlas-Africa project and secondary data from international organizations and the peer-reviewed literature. The analysis identifies that transitioning toward Net-Zero emissions economies through hydrogen development in sub-Saharan Africa presents both significant opportunities and measurable risks. Specifically, the results indicate an estimated investment risk factor of 35%, reflecting potential challenges such as financing, infrastructure, and policy readiness. Nevertheless, the findings underscore that green hydrogen is a viable alternative to fossil fuels in sub-Saharan Africa, particularly if supported by targeted financing strategies and robust policy frameworks. This study offers practical insights for policymakers, financial institutions, and development partners seeking to structure bankable projects and accelerate green hydrogen adoption across the region. Full article

In response to the global push for sustainable development, green building certification systems have become a key policy instrument for reducing carbon emissions in the construction sector. In Taiwan, the EEWH (Ecology, Energy Saving, Waste Reduction, and Health) system serves as the primary framework for evaluating building sustainability. However, while government incentives such as floor area ratio (FAR) bonuses aim to encourage adoption, private sector participation remains limited, especially in the residential sector. This study investigates the cost implications and incentive benefits of upgrading green building certification from the Silver level to the Gold level under the EEWH system, using eight collective housing projects in the Taipei metropolitan area as case studies. Through a detailed analysis of certification components, upgrade strategies, and construction cost estimates, this research quantifies the additional costs required for each sustainability indicator and evaluates the alignment between upgrade investments and incentive rewards. The findings reveal that the average cost increase associated with the Silver-to-Gold upgrade ranges between 1% and 3% of total construction costs, with certain design strategies offering high cost-effectiveness. Moreover, the study examines whether the current FAR bonus policy provides adequate motivation for developers to pursue higher certification levels. The results provide valuable insights for policymakers seeking to optimize incentive structures and for developers considering sustainable building investments. Full article

Breast cancer (BC) is the most common malignancy among Brazilian women, with a high percentage of the cases diagnosed at advanced or metastatic stages (mBC). In Brazil, where 75% of the population depends on the resource-limited public health system (SUS), mBC poses significant treatment challenges and disparities. To characterize this scenario, we conducted an online survey assessing treatment strategies available for HER2-negative, hormone receptor (HR)-positive mBC across public and private health systems. The 48-question survey addressed topics such as waiting time (WT) from oncology unit entry to treatment initiation, availability of oncologic medications, and access to palliative and multidisciplinary care teams. Between 2 August 2022 and 30 September 2022, a total of 180 oncologists were invited, and 150 met the inclusion criteria. The median WT for surgery was 60 days in the SUS versus 30 days in the private sector (p < 0.0001), and for chemotherapy, 30 days in the SUS versus 15 days privately (p < 0.0001). Endocrine therapy was the preferred first-line treatment in the SUS (83.3%), while fulvestrant was available to only 48% of respondents. Additionally, specialized palliative care teams were available according to 66% of SUS respondents compared with 82% in the private system (p = 0.001). These findings underscore persistent disparities in mBC treatment, likely driven by limited governmental health investment. Full article

By weaving together cutting-edge AI robotics, resilient global supply chains, universal school enrollment, and dynamic public–private energy investments, this study unveils a powerful, integrated blueprint for driving environmental sustainability in the 21st century. In doing so, the study employed advanced machine-learning techniques—specifically, it introduced an ANN-enhanced wavelet quantile regression framework to uncover the multiscale determinants of China’s ecological footprint. Leveraging quarterly data from 2011/Q1 through 2024/Q4, it reveals dynamic, quantile-specific relationships that conventional approaches often miss. The result from the study demonstrates that robotics, supply-chain integration, public–private energy investments, gender-parity enrolment, and economic growth each exert a positive—and often escalating—upward pressure on the nation’s ecological footprint over short, medium, and long horizons, with the strongest effects in high ecological footprint contexts. The study proposes a significant, tailor-made policy based on these findings. Full article

This paper investigates whether carbon payments are sufficient to entice private landholders to invest in the rehabilitation and protection of coastal wetlands as a nature-based climate solution. Ecologically intact coastal wetlands, such as mangroves and saltmarshes, are capable of sequestering and storing large amounts of carbon. Reinstating ecological functionality of degraded coastal wetlands may be achieved by installing conservation fences that exclude hard-hoofed domestic and feral animals. This research integrates ecological, technical and economic data to ascertain whether conservation fencing could represent a financially viable investment for coastal landholders in the Australian context, if restored wetlands attracted carbon payments. Data gleaned through literature review and expert interviews about technical fencing requirements, contemporary costs and potential blue carbon income are consolidated into scenarios and tested using cost–benefit analysis. Payback periods are calculated using deterministic parameters. Risk-based cost–benefit analysis accounts for uncertainty of ecological and price parameters; it provides probability distributions of benefit–cost ratios assuming an expert-agreed economic lifespan of conservation fences. The results demonstrate that the payback period and benefit–cost ratio are highly sensitive to wetlands’ carbon sequestration capacity, fencing costs and the carbon price going forward. In general, carbon payments on their own are likely insufficient to entice private landholders to protect coastal wetlands through conservation fencing, except in circumstances where restored wetlands achieve high additional carbon sequestration rates. Policy measures that reduce up-front costs and risk and remuneration of multiple ecosystem services provided by restored wetlands are required to upscale blue carbon solutions using conservation fencing. The research findings bear relevance for other conservation and land-use contexts that use fencing to achieve sustainability goals and generate payments for ecosystem services. Full article

Conventional reports on wildfire damage focus on damage to built structures and life loss without capturing the long-term loss of many environmental benefits provided by natural capital. The assessment of the full cost of a wildfire event can be very challenging and time-consuming due to its broad range of impacts traversing decades. Two major wildfires, the 2021 Caldor Fire and 2022 Mosquito Fire, impacted rural communities and burned nearly 30 percent of the approximately 1 million acres of forests and private timber lands in the Upper American River Watershed (UARW) in California’s Sierra Nevada headwaters. The UARW provides a stock of natural capital that provides a flow of environmental benefits, or ecosystem goods and services, including California statewide water supply that was not recognized in the conventional reporting to properly inform decisions and investments for mitigation and recovery. Leveraging new tools available through the recent valuation of the UARW’s ecosystem goods and services, this study provides a first look at the magnitude of damage to the headwaters’ ecosystem from wildfires and, thus, informs proactive, adaptive management actions and post-disaster recovery and restoration. Using burn severity data and per-acre estimates of ecosystem goods and services, we estimate natural capital damage of over USD 14.8 billion across an optimistically estimated period of 20 years. Several recovery time horizons are used to evaluate the sensitivity of the analysis. These findings provide important benchmarks and a viable approach for all levels of government and private entities responsible for allocating resources, mitigating wildfire risks, and improving watershed health. Full article

Digitalization is rapidly reshaping the global construction industry; however, its adoption in developing countries, such as Pakistan, remains limited and uneven. Hence, this study investigates and evaluates the current status of digital technology integration in Pakistan’s construction industry, with a primary focus on key tools, implementation challenges, and necessary policy interventions. Using a three-phase mixed-method approach involving a literature review, expert interviews, and a nationwide survey, this research identifies Building Information Modeling, Geographic Information Systems, and E-Procurement as essential technologies with strong potential to improve transparency, efficiency, and collaboration. However, adoption is hindered by a lack of awareness, limited technical expertise, and the absence of a cohesive national policy. This study also highlights that the private sector shows greater readiness compared to the public sector; however, systemic barriers persist across both sectors. Based on stakeholder insights, a three-part policy strategy was also proposed. This includes establishing a national regulatory framework, investing in capacity-building programs, and providing financial or institutional incentives to encourage the adoption of these measures. The findings emphasize that digitalization is not just a technical upgrade; it represents a pathway to improved governance and more efficient infrastructure delivery. With timely and coordinated policy action, the construction industry in Pakistan can align itself with global innovation trends and move toward a more sustainable and digitally empowered future. Full article

Urban transport is a key driver of greenhouse gas emissions in Europe, making its decarbonization essential to achieving EU climate neutrality targets. This study examines how European strategies, such as the Green Deal, the Sustainable and Smart Mobility Strategy, and the Fit for 55 package, are reflected in Romania’s transport policies, with a focus on implementation challenges and urban outcomes in Bucharest. By combining policy analysis, stakeholder mapping, and comparative mobility indicators, the paper critically assesses Bucharest’s current reliance on private vehicles, underperforming public transport satisfaction, and limited progress on active mobility. The study develops a context-sensitive reform framework for the Romanian capital, grounded in transferable lessons from Western and Central European cities. It emphasizes coordinated metropolitan governance, public trust-building, phased car-restraint measures, and investment alignment as key levers. Rather than merely cataloguing policy intentions, the paper offers practical recommendations informed by systemic governance barriers and public attitudes. The findings will contribute to academic debates on urban mobility transitions in post-socialist cities and provide actionable insights for policymakers seeking to operationalize EU decarbonization goals at the metropolitan scale. Full article

The right to development, an inherent human right for all, emphasizes that all individuals and communities have the right to participate in, contribute to, and benefit from development that ensures the full realization of human rights. In Kenya, where a significant portion of the population faces poverty and vulnerability to climate change, access to rights-based needs such as clean water, healthcare, and education still remains a critical challenge. This study explored the implementation of a Human Rights-Based approach to community development through a Public–Private Development Partnership model (PPDP), with a focus on alleviating poverty and improving access to rights-based services at the community level in Narok and Nakuru counties. The research aimed to identify critical success factors for scaling the PPDP model and explore its effects on socio-economic empowerment. The study employed a mixed-methods approach for data collection, using questionnaires to obtain quantitative data, focus group discussions, and key informant interviews with community members, local leaders, and stakeholders to gather qualitative data. We cleaned and analyzed all our data in R (version 4.4.3) and used the chi-square to establish the significance of differences between areas where the PPDP model was implemented and control areas where it was not. Results reveal that communities with the PPDP model experienced statistically significant improvements in employment, income levels, and access to rights-based services compared to control areas. The outcomes underscore the potential of the PPDP model to address inclusive and sustainable development. This study therefore proposes a scalable pathway beginning with access to rights-based needs, followed by improved service delivery, and culminating in economic empowerment. These findings offer valuable insights for governments, development practitioners, investment agencies, and researchers seeking community-driven developments in similar socio-economic contexts across Africa. For the first time, it can be adopted in the design and implementation of development projects in rural and local communities across Africa bringing into focus the need to integrate rights-based needs at the core of the project. Full article

This article examines the role of managed ecosystems, and particularly forests, in achieving carbon neutrality in Russia. The range of estimates of Russia’s forests’ net carbon balance in different studies varies by up to 7 times. The. A comparison of Russia’s National GHG inventory data for 2023 and 2024 (with the latter showing 37% higher forest sequestration) is presented and explained. The possible changes in the Long-Term Low-Emission Development Strategy of Russia (LT LEDS) carbon neutrality scenario due to new land use, land use change and forestry (LULUCF) data in National GHG Inventory Document (NID) 2024 are discussed. It is demonstrated that the refined net carbon balance should not impact the mitigation ambition in the Russian forestry sector. An assessment of changes in the drafts of the Operational plan of the LT LEDS is presented and it is concluded that its structure and content have significantly improved; however, a delay in operationalization nullifies efforts. The article highlights the problem of GHG emissions increases in forest fires and compares the gap between official “ground-based” and Remote Sensing approaches in calculations of such emissions. Considering the intention to increase net absorption by implementing forest carbon projects, the latest changes in the regulations of such projects are discussed. The limitations of reforestation carbon projects in Russia are provided. Proposals are presented for the development of the national forest policy towards increasing the net forest carbon absorption, including considering the projected decrease in annual net absorption by Russian forests by 2050. The role of government and private investment in improving the forest management of structural measures to adapt forestry to modern climate change and the place of forest climate projects need to be clearly defined in the LT LEDS. Full article

The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted critical vulnerabilities in urban logistics systems, particularly in last-mile delivery. To enhance logistics resilience and efficiency, the Korean government has initiated an innovative project that repurposes idle spaces in subway vehicle bases within the Seoul Metropolitan Area into logistics centers. This study proposes a comprehensive multi-criteria evaluation framework combining the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) and the Technique for Order Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution (TOPSIS) to assess the suitability of ten candidate sites. The evaluation criteria span four dimensions, facility, geographical, environmental, and social factors, derived from the literature and expert consultations. AHP results indicate that geographical factors, especially proximity to urban centers and major logistics facilities, hold the highest weight. Based on the integrated analysis using TOPSIS, the most suitable locations identified are Sinnae, Godeok, and Cheonwang. The findings suggest the strategic importance of aligning infrastructure development with spatial accessibility and stakeholder cooperation. Policy implications include the need for targeted investment, public–private collaboration, and sustainable logistics planning. Future research is encouraged to incorporate dynamic data and consider social equity and environmental impact for long-term urban logistics planning. Full article

This paper proposes an incentive scheme based on a public–private partnership (PPP) to encourage low-carbon travel behavior by inducing the mode choice shift from private cars to public transit. The scheme involves three key entities: travelers, the government, and the private sector. Travelers can choose between private cars and public transit, producing different emissions. As the leader, the government aims to reduce total emission to a certain level with limited budgets. The private sector, as an intermediary, invests subsidies in low-carbon rewards to attract green travelers and benefits from a larger user pool. A two-layer multi-objective optimization model is proposed, which includes travel time, monetary cost, and emission. The objective of the upper level is to maximize the utilities of the private sector and minimize social costs to the government. The lower layer is the user equilibrium of the travelers. The numerical results obtained through heuristic algorithms demonstrate that the proposed scheme can achieve a triple-win situation, where all stakeholders benefit. Moreover, sensitivity analysis finds that prioritizing pollution control strategies will be beneficial to the government only if the unit pollution control cost coefficient is below a low threshold. Contrary to intuition, larger government subsidies do not necessarily lead to better promotion of low-carbon travel. Full article