Sustainability, Volume 15, Issue 18 (September-2 2023) – 757 articles

Owing to its strategically advantageous geographical position that connects Asia and Europe, Turkey has consistently experienced a high rate of migration throughout its history. Nevertheless, one of the most remarkable and unparalleled migration events unfolded in 2011, triggered by the internal strife in Syria resulting from the Arab Spring. This tumultuous period witnessed an enormous wave of Syrian refugees seeking refuge within Turkey’s borders. Given its contemporary relevance, this migration carries profound implications for the social sustainability of future generations. This study aims to evaluate the contribution of the Uyum Çocuk (Harmonization Child) platform, initiated by the Turkish Ministry of Interior, to promote social cohesion among both native and immigrant children to the advancement of social sustainability. The platform is assessed across various dimensions of social sustainability, including social equality and justice, cultural diversity and freedom of expression, social participation, sustainable urban development, and eco-consumption. The research findings underscore that the platform primarily focuses on enhancing social equality and justice while other dimensions receive comparatively less attention. Considering Turkey’s role as a host country for millions of migrants, this study recommends that public authorities and civil society organizations prioritize initiatives aimed at instilling the principles of social sustainability across all segments of society, with a particular emphasis on children. Full article

Higher education attainment is a focus of gender differences research. However, little is known about differences in university students’ major choices at the same level of higher education in China’s education hierarchy. Based on a web survey of 1164 undergraduate students in China’s broad enrollment context, this study uses Wenjuanxing to collect information by posting questionnaires on social media platforms and analyzes the impact of gender differences on the major choices of finance and economics undergraduates by using the Linear Discriminant Model (LDM). Moreover, this study explores the differential impact of income level, urban–rural settings, and regional differences on university students’ major choices. This study finds that female students are approximately 2.62 times more likely than male students to choose applied majors (such as accounting, financial management, auditing, international business, and so on), a gap that is more pronounced in high-income families and Eastern regions. In addition, in rural areas, female students have a higher probability of choosing applied majors than male students. These findings indicate that in China’s broad discipline enrollment model, gender differences still significantly affect students’ major choices, and female students are more likely to enter applied majors than their male counterparts. Full article

Passenger transport is a key sector of the economy, and its sustainability depends on achieving the greatest possible efficiency, avoiding problems of congestion or underuse of infrastructures, and reducing the sector’s environmental impact. Knowing the elasticities of demand is critical to achieving these objectives, estimating the intensity of transport demand, and predicting the effect of different policies on reducing greenhouse gas emissions. This research proposes a relatively simple model for estimating and predicting the elasticity of demand for different modes of transport at the route level. This model could be used by companies and public management to obtain a vision of the different analysed routes and the pressure of their demand, as well as a relative perspective of each of them. Such a model is used to estimate the price and income demand elasticities of passenger transport modes in domestic routes in the United States (2003–2019), where there is competition between road, rail, and air transport. Series of passenger numbers, fares, and budget shares are reconstructed from the available data. A Rotterdam demand model (RDM) is estimated using a seemingly unrelated regression method (SUR). The estimated income elasticities imply that demand for road transport increases somewhat more proportionally than the increase in income, somewhat less than proportionally for air transport, and with very low proportionality for rail transport. This indicates the need to target investment and service improvement efforts, as well as technological solutions, according to this difference in demand pressures. Finally, the demand response of the three modes of transport to price increases is inelastic, and there is little or no pass-through from one mode to another. This implies that fiscal or carbon pricing actions could have a very limited impact and high social costs. Again, strategies based on investments in technological progress, infrastructure development, and normative interventions could be more effective. Full article

The arterial signal coordination is an effective method to improve traffic operational efficiency and reduce vehicle delay. In this paper, a two-stage arterial signal coordination model under dynamic traffic demands is established, and the signal timing and offset are adjusted according to the dynamic traffic demands. The objective is to minimize the expected intersection delay and the overflow of the coordinated direction. In the first stage, a calculation model for intersection signal timing based on phase clearing reliability is proposed by the reverse causal-effect modeling approach, which can calculate the signal timing of each intersection in real time. In the second stage, an offset calculation model is established to achieve the goal of minimizing delay in the coordinated direction, which can calculate the offset of trunk coordination in real time. The concept of phase clearance reliability is introduced in the model, which can dynamically adjust the balance between the coordinated phase and the non-coordinated phase, thus taking the overall control efficiency of intersections into account. We then develop an algorithm to solve the problem and then apply the model and the solution algorithm to an arterial road with three intersections to investigate and compare its performance with the Allsop’s method and the Webster’s method. A comparison between the proposed coordinated two-stage logic and a coordinated actuated logic is also conducted in the case study to show the advantages and disadvantages. Full article

The aim of this study was to explore the current knowledge and practice of agrobiodiversity to improve nutrition and health. The study focused on wild mushrooms commonly consumed in Northeastern Thailand in terms of ecology, cooking and preservation methods, and folk remedies. The monosaccharide, sugar alcohol, glucan, and carbohydrate polymer content and the glycemic index of these wild mushrooms were determined using the enzymatic method. The mushrooms collected belonged to three biological groups and were mostly saprotrophic and symbiotic. The most abundant mushrooms were Amanita, Boletus, and Russula, followed by Calostoma sp., Astraeus asiaticus C. Phosri, and Astraeus odoratus C. Phosri. Wild edible mushrooms can be used for food and medicinal purposes. Cooking methods utilized in the area consist of steaming, boiling, and grilling. Glucose was the major monosaccharide detected in all mushroom samples. Xylitol and inositol were found in all mushroom samples, while some contained mannitol and arabitol. Glucan was present in all mushroom samples, ranging from 8.03 to 31.1 mg/g DW. All mushrooms were classified as having a low glycemic index. These findings provide important information to potentially enhance and promote the utilization of wild mushrooms to improve the accessibility, availability, and sustainability of nutritious food. Full article

Social, economic and environmental factors contribute to the companies’ sustainable development. Social and financial dimensions have an important contribution to sustainable performance, through assurance of transparency in the information communication requested by stakeholders in order to substantiate their decisions. Social transparency is ensured by presenting organization’s actions in the field of social responsibility, and financial transparency takes into account the most accurate, complete and neutral presentation of information, both in the annual financial statements and in the audit reports. The present study aims to assess the influence of financial transparency and gender equality on the sustainable corporate performance, thus contributing to increasing SDGs awareness and achievement required by 2030 Agenda. Through a sample of 1133 observations (Romanian listed companies/years) to the period 2008–2020, the obtained research results emphasis that gender equality and absence/presence of transparency in financial reporting have a significant influence on corporate sustainable performance. Full article

The existing flood stochastic simulation methods are mostly applied to the stochastic simulation of flood intensity characteristics, with less consideration for the randomness of the flood hydrograph shape and its correlation with intensity characteristics. In view of this, this paper proposes a flood stochastic simulation method that combines intensity and morphological indicators. Using the Foziling and Xianghongdian reservoirs in the Pi River basin in China as examples, this method utilizes a three-dimensional asymmetric Archimedean M6 Copula to construct stochastic simulation models for peak flow, flood volume, and flood duration. Based on K-means clustering, a multivariate Gaussian Copula is employed to construct a dimensionless flood hydrograph stochastic simulation model. Furthermore, separate two-dimensional symmetric Copula stochastic simulation models are established to capture the correlations between flood intensity characteristics and shape variables such as peak shape coefficient, peak occurrence time, rising inflection point angle, and coefficient of variation. By evaluating the fit between the simulated flood characteristics and the dimensionless flood hydrograph, a complete flood hydrograph is synthesized, which can be applied in flood control dispatch simulations and other related fields. The feasibility and practicality of the proposed model are analyzed and demonstrated. The results indicate that the simulated floods closely resemble natural floods, making the simulation outcomes crucial for reservoir scheduling, risk assessment, and decision-making processes. Full article

Remote sensing technology significantly contributes to fisheries management and marine ecosystem preservation. The development disparities among countries create gaps that hinder sustainable fisheries and ecosystem protection. Assessing progress and efforts across regions and countries is crucial for sustainable development. Effective measurement methods are used to identify shortcomings, guide academic development, and strengthen partnerships. Tracking and highlighting partnership achievements is challenging due to the difficulties in quantification. The objective of this study is to create indicators for evaluating the community of international academic cooperation. We analyzed and examined the trend in national efforts and international partnerships before and after the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) were released in 2015 using bibliometric methods and bibliographic information from the Web of Science (WoS). The results show that tracking the progress and evolution of international collaborations in fisheries remote sensing research can be facilitated by employing quantitative indicators that measure international cooperation among coauthors, institutions, and countries. Additionally, the number of partnerships in each country displays a significant relationship with the country’s level of national development. A comparison of indicators developed by actors with different orientations can be used as a strategic reference for developing partnerships among countries. Academic research in developing countries that rely heavily on fisheries plays a critical role in preserving life below water (SDG 14). The achievement of this SDG can be enhanced through global partnerships (SDG 17). Full article

Dynamic Modulus, E* is a crucial property of the hot mix asphalt (HMA). For the AASHTOWare Pavement ME design, E* is an essential material input. E* can be measured in the laboratory or predicted using different models based on some fundamental properties of the HMA. The NCHRP 1-37A and NCHRP 1-40D prediction models are the two main models adopted by the AASHTOWare to predict the E* based on the HMA mixture volumetrics, gradation, and binder properties. The main objective of this research was to validate these two prediction models using local HMA mixes for the purpose of the regional application of the AASHTOWare Pavement ME design in Egypt. For this purpose, the E* values of ten locally plant-produced HMA mixes were measured in the laboratory. The two E* prediction models were then used to estimate the E* values for the same materials. Consequently, the performance of both models was studied by comparing the measured values to the estimated values. The results showed that the NCHRP 1-40D prediction model can satisfactorily predict the E* of the Egyptian HMA mixes with minimal bias and high accuracy. The model yielded an adjusted coefficient of determination (R²) of 0.86 based on 480 E* measurements. On the other hand, the NCHRP 1-37A prediction accuracy was not satisfactory, with very poor accuracy (Adjusted R² = 0.18) and high bias. Afterwards, the effect of the predicted E* from the NCHRP 1-40D model on the AASHTOWare Pavement ME predicted pavement performance in terms of rutting, cracking, and roughness was further studied. Accordingly, twenty-four simulation runs for typical Egyptian design cases were conducted using, first, the laboratory measured E* values and, then, the NCHRP 1-40D predicted E* values. The results showed that the NCHRP 1-40D predictions had no significant effect on the pavement performance predicted by the AASHTOWare Pavement ME with R² of the different pavement distresses ranged from 0.980, for the AC rutting, to 0.9996 for the International Roughness Index (IRI). Hence, the NCHRP 1-40D model can be used satisfactorily to predict E* for the Egyptian HMA mixes without compromising the structural pavement design. Full article

Bioenergy productions from microalgae have received wide attention recently and have a high potential to replace fossil fuels. Moreover, due to the high photosynthetic efficiency, microalgae mass cultivation and scale-up are believed to efficiently reduce the impact of greenhouse gas emissions. This review article explores the potential of microalgae as a reliable and sustainable source of bioenergy feedstock. The current review article contains an in-depth discussion of the various methods of producing energy using microalgae, viz. algal fuel cell (AFC), microbial fuel cell (MFC), bioethanol and biodiesel, and various other applications. This article discussed the different aspects of AFC and MFC, such as fuel cell configurations, reaction mechanisms at electrodes, reactor design factors affecting the efficiencies, and strategies to enhance the efficiencies. Moreover, microalgae cultivation, value-added compounds (pigments, polysaccharides, unsaturated fatty acids), liquid fuel production, limitations, the global scenario of microalgae biomass-based energy, and significant advancements in this field. In a nutshell, this review serves as a valuable resource for identifying, developing, and harnessing the potential of microalgae as a promising biofuel source. Full article

Providing an accurate spatiotemporal distribution of rainfall and filling data gaps are pivotal for effective water resource management. This study focuses on the Asir region in the southwest of Saudi Arabia. Given the limited accuracy of satellite data in this arid/mountain-dominated study area, geospatial interpolation has emerged as a viable alternative approach for filling terrestrial records data gaps. Furthermore, the irregularity in rain gauge data and the yearly spatial variation in data gaps hinder the creation of a coherent distribution pattern. To address this, the Centered Root Mean Square Error (CRMSE) is employed as a criterion to select the most appropriate geospatial interpolation technique among 51 evaluated methods for maximum and total yearly precipitation data. This study produced gap-free maps of total and maximum yearly precipitation from 1966 to 2013. Beyond 2013, it is recommended to utilize ordinary Kriging with a J-Bessel semivariogram and simple Kriging with a K-Bessel semivariogram to estimate the spatial distribution of maximum and total yearly rainfall depth, respectively. Additionally, a proposed methodology for allocating additional rain gauges to improve the accuracy of rainfall spatial distribution is introduced based on a cross-validation error (CVE) assessment. Newly proposed gauges in the study area resulted in a significant 21% CVE reduction. Full article

This paper examines a Business Model (BM) from a socio-economic system perspective to discern key factors and understand its interactions resulting in the Scaling of Social Impact (SSI) in Social Entrepreneurship (SE). Previously, studies have explained the importance of the BM in relation to SE. However, there is a lack of empirical studies on how a BM’s transitions through participation of various actors result in the SSI, causing a gap in this field’s research. This research applies a qualitative analysis on a single case study of a Japanese social startup, “mymizu”, the first water refill application platform in Japan. The findings show that collaboration amongst different stakeholders on the initial phase of the BM could increase awareness of responsible consumption, convert into actual users for sustainability, and change their behavior. Secondly, members of society could take on dual roles, both as users and collaborators in the BM, which results in an exponential scaling effect of the Social Impact (SI). This paper contributes towards adding a Participatory Stakeholder (PS) to the ecosystem of the SSI and building a Regenerative BM (RBM) that is relevant in SE towards sustainability. Full article

Trust—both cognitive and affective trust—sit at the core of the development of avatars in hospitality. Based on the theory of mind (ToM), this study collected data from 563 hotel customers and utilized partial least squares-structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) to examine the differential roles of affective and cognitive trust in shaping the customer experience, customer-brand identification, brand love, and brand loyalty, all within a framework that emphasizes sustainable relationships and practices. The framework encompasses a comprehensive approach to fostering long-term, mutually beneficial relationships throughout the customer journey. This research contributes to the field by exploring the specific impacts of affective and cognitive trust on various customer-related outcomes within the context of avatars in hospitality, providing valuable insights into the unique dynamics of trust-building in this domain. The findings shed light on the ToM and offer strategic marketing plans for hospitality practitioners, highlighting the significance of trust and sustainable customer relationships in driving long-term value. Full article

In 2023, the global use of generative AI, particularly ChatGPT-3.5 and -4, witnessed a significant surge, sparking discussions on its sustainable implementation across various domains, including education from primary schools to universities. However, practical testing and evaluation in school education are still relatively unexplored. This article examines the utilization of generative AI in primary school education. The study involved 110 pupils, aged 8–14 years old, studying in the 4th–6th grades across four classes in two schools. Using laptops, pupils participated in test lessons where content, text, figures, and exercises were generated and modified using generative AI, specifically ChatGPT-3.5. The results demonstrated that it was possible to use ChatGPT-3.5, as one example of generative AI, to personify learning material so that it would meet the knowledge and learning skills of pupils with different levels of knowledge. A clear majority of pupils enjoyed learning the generative AI-modified material. There is a promising potential of generative AI use in school education, supporting pupils’ motivated learning and skills development. However, these tools need to be developed, refined and optimized to ensure proper adaptation and to create impactful, inclusive, and sustainable learning in schools to benefit pupils, teachers and education managers alike. Full article

In the context of climate change, the questions of the sustainability of peat soil use are particularly relevant. The evaluation of changes in the properties of soils (including histosols) using chemical methods is expensive, thus, their application possibilities are limited. Analyzing the morphology of histosol profiles would provide effective spatial analysis opportunities for assessing the extent of their anthropogenic transformation and impact on climate change. The key diagnostic horizons and their sequences for the identification of the risk group are the main results of the study. The analysis included 12 soil profiles, whose morphological structure was characterized using the WRB 2022 system of master symbols and suffixes for soil profile horizon descriptions. The analyzed profiles were excavated in forested (relatively natural), agricultural (agrogenized) and peat mining (technogenized) areas. The insights of this article in the discussion are based on the chemical analyses (pH KCl, N, P and K, soil organic carbon, dissolved organic carbon, mobile humus substance, humic and fulvo acids, C:N ratio and humification degree) of three histosol profiles. The main discussion is based on the results of the morphological analysis of the profiles. The results of this research allowed for the identification of a different structure of the histosol profile. The upper part of the histosol profile, which consists of O–H(a,e,i) horizons, indicates its naturalness. The murshic horizon (Hap) is the classic top horizon of the agricultural histosol profile, which is most affected by mineralization. The technogenized histosols have a partially destroyed profile, which is represented by the Ahτ/Haτ or only Haτ horizons at the top. The morphology of the histosol profile and the identification of the relevant horizons (Hap, Haτ and Ahτ) indicate its risks and presuppose a usage optimization solution. The most dangerous in the context of sustainable land use principles and climate change is the murshic horizon (Hap), which is uncovered after removing the horizon O. The risks of sustainable use of histosol are caused by measures that promote its microbiological activity, which is the maintenance of a drained state and cultivation. In the context of GHG emissions and sustainable use, the most favorable means would be the formation of the horizon O by applying perennial plants. Rewetting should be applied to those histosols whose removal from the agricultural or mining balance would provide maximum ecological benefits. Full article

This study uses time series data from the World Bank database to examine the relationship between unemployment and entrepreneurship in Namibia. We applied the Augmented Dickey–Fuller and Phillips–Perron tests for unit root testing and found all the variables to be stationary after the first difference. Given that, we employed the Johansen–Juselius test to measure cointegration, which revealed the absence of long-run relationships between the variables. Hence, we performed a Vector Autoregressive model to estimate the short-run relationships and found that Namibia exhibits both the refugee and Schumpeter effects. Finally, we measured the direction of causality using the Pairwise Granger causality test, and the results revealed that none of the variables Granger causes the other, implying that they are all independent of each other. This implies that the significance of entrepreneurship in addressing unemployment in Namibia is limited in the long run, mostly owing to the absence of sustainable business ventures. Therefore, we recommend prioritizing the development of policies to tackle unemployment through sustainable entrepreneurship. Full article

Land management in crises requires quick solutions, which, without proper knowledge and experience, can lead to harmful interventions in established cities. In this regard, when choosing areas for placing critical infrastructure, such as temporary residences for refugees or field hospitals, it is essential to take into account not only the existing experience of scientists and experts on the topic but also the opinions of those who are intended to benefit from these services and of the people who live nearby. The purpose of this study was to identify the needs and opinions regarding the placement of critical infrastructure and facilities for those forcibly displaced as a result of the war in Ukraine (based on the example of Lviv, Ukraine) and the effects on the residents of Warsaw (Poland) as a city that faced a powerful wave of migrants from Ukraine. In the summer of 2022, a survey of 81 internally displaced persons who lived in two modular towns in Lviv was conducted. During 2022–2023, the residents of Warsaw were surveyed concerning the essential criteria for emergency site locations and their attitudes toward refugees from Ukraine. The results of our research showed that for internally displaced persons in temporary shelters in Lviv, it was vital to provide for their basic needs, along with a sense of security, and to encourage the unity of the people living nearby. A significant result of the survey indicated the necessary yet undesirable infrastructure facilities within a radius of up to 1 km around residents’ homes. It was determined that the most important objects, which should be placed within the limits of pedestrian accessibility, were bomb shelters, medical institutions, centers for administrative services, and others. In return, the most undesirable infrastructure facilities were military facilities, burial sites, and memorial complexes, etc. The results of the Warsaw survey were related to the criteria for choosing sites for the placement of significant critical infrastructure facilities and also demonstrated the positive attitude of the citizens toward the immigrants from Ukraine and their readiness to help if needed. The results could serve as a solid basis for the selection of plots for constructing temporary accommodation for refugees and internally displaced persons in European cities during crisis events. Full article

Desiccant agents (DAs) have drawn much interest from researchers and businesses because they offer a potential method for lowering environmental impact, increasing energy efficiency, and controlling humidity. As a result, they provide a greener option to conventional air conditioning systems. This review thoroughly analyzes current issues, obstacles, and future advancements in liquid desiccant agents (LDAs) for drying, air conditioning, and dehumidification applications. The importance of LDAs in lowering energy use and greenhouse gas emissions is highlighted, emphasizing their potential for environmentally friendly humidity control. The current review examines key parameters such as novel materials, enhancing desiccant qualities, integration with technologies, and long-term durability while examining recent developments in LDAs and investigating their applications in diverse industries. The main conclusions from the evaluated publications in this review are also highlighted, including developments in LDAs, new applications, and developing research fields. Overall, this review advances knowledge of LDAs and their potential to shift humidity control systems toward sustainability and energy efficiency. Full article

In line with the fourth industrial revolution, most countries have imposed a variety of regulations or policies for the goals of energy conservation, sustainable development, and industrial transition. Renewable energy production and its production process, which is widely discussed, especially in the context of sustainable energy, has become more important with Industry 4.0. This paper tested the relation among economic growth, renewable electricity generations (% of GDP), Industry 4.0, industrial structure, trade openness, financial development, and research and development expenditure for G20 countries in 2000–2021 by employing a panel quantile regression approach and various panel cointegration tests in addition to investigation of panel Granger causality among the analyzed variables. The variables of industrial structure, trade openness, and financial development were selected as control variables. Since this study is the first study on this topic, it will contribute to the development of the literature by providing resources for future studies about I4.0, renewable energy production, and economic growth. Furthermore, this study will not only contribute to the literature by revealing the theoretical and empirical relationship between these variables but will also shed light on the policies that G20 countries will produce in this regard. According to results, all variables examined have significant causal effects: unidirectional causality from economic growth to Industry 4.0, to research and development, and to renewable energy output and, also, from research and development to renewable energy output. Bidirectional causality and feedback effects between renewable energy and Industry 4.0 are determined. Further, unidirectional causality from industrial structure, from openness to trade, and from financial development to renewable energy output are determined. Results indicate renewable-enhancing effects of Industry 4.0. Full article

The quality of service is one of the key assumptions of a sustainable and profitable business in the hotel industry. On the other hand, employees as direct providers of hotel services have a direct impact on the perceived quality of service. Establishing a relationship between job satisfaction and perceived intangible service quality is of great importance for customer relationship management and sustainable competitive advantage. For the collection of primary data, questionnaires were distributed to two groups of respondents, namely hotel employees and guests. Thus, 456 paired questionnaires were obtained. The testing of defined hypotheses and relations between constructs and latent variables was completed using the PLS-SEM approach. The results of the study showed that all validated constructs, namely pay, promotion, supervision, fringe benefits, contingent rewards, coworkers, communication, and the nature of work, contribute positively to job satisfaction. A positive relationship between job satisfaction and intangible service quality constructs was confirmed for reliability, assurance, and responsiveness but not for empathy. The study confirmed that perceived intangible service quality can be influenced by increasing job satisfaction and that payment and communication can achieve the most significant influence. Full article

This paper identifies the main contributions of Social Network Analysis (SNA) use in the study of innovations in rural areas with an emphasis on agriculture and forestry. The bibliographic analysis was carried out on the Web of Knowledge (WoK) and Scopus platforms. Sixty-eight studies were found in which SNA was used as the main research tool in innovation processes in rural areas. The main fields of the SNA contribution were as follows: (i) social capital; (ii) social learning: information and knowledge flow for the adoption of innovations produced through existing social structures; (iii) the implementation and evaluation of innovations for local and territorial dynamization. The study contributes to summarizing the existing knowledge on SNA use in the study of innovations in rural areas and to informing future research. Understanding social networks is essential to strengthen and enhance the existing social capital and to promote social learning related to innovations in rural areas. Full article

Port vulnerability assessment is inherently linked to the delivery of sustainable and resilient infrastructure. Identifying the vulnerabilities and weaknesses of a port system allows for the minimization of disaster effects and optimization of maintenance, repair, or mitigation actions. The current port vulnerability assessment practices are built upon the examination of a diversity of indicators (parameters), including technical, physical, environmental, and socioeconomic pressures. From an engineering perspective, and given that ports are tangible infrastructure assets, their vulnerability is highly affected by the structural condition of their facilities. Hence, the present research seeks to enhance port vulnerability assessment by introducing structural condition parameters based on Structural Health Monitoring applications. The four fishing and leisure harbors of the Municipality of Thebes, located in central Greece, were used as a case study. Two approaches were considered for the harbors’ vulnerability assessments: (a) enabling and (b) disabling the use of the proposed parameters. In situ inspections were conducted with the employment of an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) for condition monitoring. UAV data were analyzed to generate geospatial images that allow for the mapping and detecting of defects and failures in port infrastructure. The overall research assists decision-makers in gaining valuable insight into the system’s vulnerabilities and prioritizing their interventions. Full article

The current regulatory context for the energy sector and in which Energy Communities operate is fragmented and unclear in most EU countries. Although some initiatives have existed in Northern Europe for some time, this concept is considered relatively new. Indeed, EU legislation has only recently recognised Energy Communities through EU Directives 2018/2001 and 2019/944. In the framework of the Erasmus+ EU project EU-NETs (Grant Number KA220-VET-62435110), this qualitative research gathered information regarding the current adaptability and applicability of directives within national legislation, together with the legal and administrative frameworks in Spain, Italy, and Greece. Desk research and semi-structured interviews with 20 key informants from Spain, Italy, and Greece were conducted. Cross-case analysis was focused on the regulatory framework for ECs, its structure, and the models of governance. The results showed that the process of harmonisation of renewable energy legislation has not yet been completed in Southern Europe, with notable differences in the degree of implementation between countries. Full article

Rumination behavior is closely associated with factors such as cow productivity, reproductive performance, and disease incidence. For multi-object scenarios of dairy cattle, ruminant mouth area images accounted for little characteristic information, which was first put forward using an improved Faster R-CNN target detection algorithm to improve the detection performance model for the ruminant area of dairy cattle. The primary objective is to enhance the model’s performance in accurately detecting cow rumination regions. To achieve this, the dataset used in this study is annotated with both the cow head region and the mouth region. The ResNet-50-FPN network is employed to extract the cow mouth features, and the CBAM attention mechanism is incorporated to further improve the algorithm’s detection accuracy. Subsequently, the object detection results are combined with optical flow information to eliminate false detections. Finally, an interpolation approach is adopted to design a frame complementary algorithm that corrects the detection frame of the cow mouth region. This interpolation algorithm is employed to rectify the detection frame of the cow’s mouth region, addressing the issue of missed detections and enhancing the accuracy of ruminant mouth region detection. To overcome the challenges associated with the inaccurate extraction of small-scale optical flow information and interference between different optical flow information in multi-objective scenes, an enhanced GMFlowNet-based method for multi-objective cow ruminant optical flow analysis is proposed. To mitigate interference from other head movements, the MeanShift clustering method is utilized to compute the velocity magnitude values of each pixel in the vertical direction within the intercepted ruminant mouth region. Furthermore, the mean square difference is calculated, incorporating the concept of range interquartile, to eliminate outliers in the optical flow curve. Finally, a final filter is applied to fit the optical flow curve of the multi-object cow mouth movement, and it is able to identify rumination behavior and calculate chewing times. The efficacy, robustness, and accuracy of the proposed method are evaluated through experiments, with nine videos capturing multi-object cow chewing behavior in different settings. The experimental findings demonstrate that the enhanced Faster R-CNN algorithm achieved an 84.70% accuracy in detecting the ruminant mouth region, representing an improvement of 11.80 percentage points over the results obtained using the Faster R-CNN detection approach. Additionally, the enhanced GMFlowNet algorithm accurately identifies the ruminant behavior of all multi-objective cows, with a 97.30% accuracy in calculating the number of ruminant chewing instances, surpassing the accuracy of the FlowNet2.0 algorithm by 3.97 percentage points. This study provides technical support for intelligent monitoring and analysis of rumination behavior of dairy cows in group breeding. Full article

Chemicals are an essential ingredient for many industries. The chemical industry has a direct environmental and social impact and massive potential to contribute towards a more sustainable world. Environmental and social awareness and pressure from society are increasing, customers expect from companies to show increased corporate social responsibility (CSR), and there are increasing legal requirements for companies to disclose information on their social, economic, and environmental performance through CSR reporting. This paper explores the most material sustainability topics in the chemical industry. We reviewed 25 sustainability reports of some of the biggest companies in the chemical industry—in terms of annual sales. We studied the reports, created a database, and then analyzed the findings. We identified the topics that were most commonly reported as being material by the chemical industry. This enabled us to identify trends, differences, or similarities within the data. The industry’s main environmental impacts are pollution and energy consumption, which is directly related to carbon emissions. Other material issues include health and safety, and water and waste management. Overall, it became apparent that the chemical industry recognizes the importance that the materiality assessment plays, but the content and detail of the sustainability reports can be improved. Full article

In the current era, economic growth is inevitable for global prosperity but achieving sustainable economic development is one of the significant challenges for the developing world. The present study explores the impacts of foreign direct investment, energy use, and technological innovations on the economic growth and environmental quality of BRICS countries for the period 1990–2018. We used the augmented mean group (AMG), the common correlated effects mean group estimator (CCEMG), and several other modern-day empirical techniques to analyze data. The findings show that foreign direct investment increases economic growth but harms the environmental sustainability of BRICS countries. Moreover, we have seen that energy use is directly proportional to economic growth and CO₂ emissions. This confirms that energy use is one of the factors which harms the environmental quality in BRICS economies. Likewise, economic growth increases CO₂ emissions. On the other hand, technology innovation has a direct relationship with economic growth but an inverse relationship with CO₂ emissions as it improves the environmental sustainability of the BRICS region. This research adds to the existing literature by exploring the interplay between FDI, innovation, energy use, economic growth, and environmental outcomes in the context of major emerging economies. The study’s findings provide empirical evidence on the role of these factors in shaping the environmental outcomes in the BRICS economies, and they have implications for policymakers and stakeholders in addressing environmental challenges such as global warming and climate change. Full article

Our study analyzed PM_2.5 concentrations in Porto Velho, Rondônia, during the April 2020 and October 2022 wildfire seasons. This study aimed to evaluate the temporal characteristics of PM_2.5 and the influence of long-distance pollution sources. Using PurpleAir data, we found that the average PM_2.5 concentration was 17.7 ± 24.0 µg m⁻³, with significant spikes in August. PM_2.5 concentrations decreased during the day but rose from nighttime to morning. The PM_2.5 concentration was observed to be distributed at a high level of 36.3 ± 31.1 µg m⁻³ in slow westerly winds. Moreover, even in the dominant northerly wind conditions, a similarly high concentration of PM_2.5 was detected, measuring at 33.2 ± 28.3 µg m⁻³. Air masses mainly originated from northeastern, southeastern, and southern regions, passing through Paraguay and Bolivia. Furthermore, PM_2.5 in Porto Velho was influenced by Brazil’s northern and Central-West areas. To meet the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) Indicator 11.6.2 for clean air, it is recommended that wildfires in Porto Velho’s northern and western regions be reduced, and more robust deforestation policies are needed in areas with long-distance pollution sources. Full article

Interest in firms’ ESG performance is longstanding and growing. However, understanding remains fragmented across firms at different stages of their life cycle. This study investigates the role of life cycle stages in the relationship between ESG and firm performance in the Chinese context. Using a sample of 26,412 firm–year observations of firms listed in China from 2011 to 2021, the results provide evidence that, although ESG has a significant positive effect on firm performance, the effect is contingent on the stages of the firm’s life cycle. The association between ESG and firm performance is more pronounced for firms in the growth and mature phases. We also find that this effect is enhanced for state-owned growth firms localized in regions with a lower marketization degree. Furthermore, the findings also extend the distinct mediation roles of institutional investors and the agency cost of free cash flow in the nexus of ESG and firm performance. This paper provides direct empirical evidence for a better understanding of firm’s behavior across different life cycle stages, as well as helps to achieve a win–win situation of firm performance and social value. Full article

The red abalone Haliotis rufescens is a pivotal marine resource in the context of worldwide abalone aquaculture. However, the species has been listed as critically endangered partly because of the life-history massive mortalities associated with habitat climate changes, including short- and long-term ocean acidification. Because abalone survival depends on its early life history success, figuring out its vulnerability to acidification is the first step to establishing culture management strategies. In the present study, red abalone embryos were reared under long-term CO₂-induced acidification (pH 7.8 and 7.6) and evaluated. The impairment prevalence was assessed during their larval stages, considering the developmental success, growth and calcification. The result in the stage-specific disturbance suggests that the body abilities evaluated are at the expense of their development stages, of which the critical threshold is found under −0.4 pH units. Finally, the settlement was short-term stressed, displaying the opposite to that observed in the long-term acidification. Thus, the early life history interacts through multiple pathways that may also depend on the acidification challenge (i.e., short or long term). Understanding the tolerance limits and pathways of the stress response provides valuable insights for exploring the vulnerability of H. rufescens to ocean acidification. Full article

Butanol has good combustion properties and it can be a viable alternative fuel for automotive spark ignition engines due to its ability to improve energy and pollution performance. This paper analyses the influence of butanol content in gasoline blends on engine operation with a focus on operation stability, thermal efficiency and emissions. A Cielo Nubira A15MF engine type with four cylinders and a 1.5 L displacement was turbocharged and it was fueled with butanol in a blend with gasoline in percent’s of 10% vol. and 15% vol. An operation regime of 2500 1/min speed and 55% engine load was used, at different dosages, at which the engine power remained constant. Regarding the engine fueled with butanol in a blend with gasoline, the operation stability was improved, especially when lean dosages were used; the dosages at which the thermal efficiency was higher are comparative to classic fueling. Concerning the use of lean dosages, the combustion duration decreases and the energetic engine performance was improved when butanol was used comparative to gasoline. When butanol was used, polluting emissions and emission with a greenhouse effect were reduced. The sharp reduction in NO_x is highlighted in this paper. Full article