The green financing landscape in Pakistan is evolving, which signifies the need for a comprehensive gap analysis that examines the present status and constraints in supporting green finance in the country. Textile and leather industries are key sectors in Pakistan’s economy and rely heavily on small and medium enterprises (SMEs). Excessive resource use and inadequate environmental management methods pose a significant danger to the sectors’ long-term viability and account for an extreme relevance to the embracement of the circular economy paradigm. Green finance aims to ensure that economic process, safeguarding the environment, and maintaining environmental integrity all grow together. This research used a literature review and interview-based methodology (in which we interviewed more than 20 people representing SME operators, government officials, and banking staff) to examine SME finance, green banking, and demand and supply side constraints to cleaner/sustainable manufacturing in Pakistan’s leather and textile sectors. The research findings show that policy uncertainty and financial short-termism are economic impediments and obstacles that constitute a path-dependent, lock-in, non-linear mechanism. This study found a lack of tailored business advisory and financing for SMEs to learn about and invest in sustainable consumption and production (SCP). Furthermore, many banks in Pakistan also show a strong commitment to the expansion of the State Bank of Pakistan’s Green Banking Guidelines (GBGs). The results also highlight the high value of government assistance for businesses participating in green initiatives and incentives for banking institutions and private limited companies to support and invest in green practices. Full article

With 120 million hectares of forest area, Indonesia has the third largest area of biodiversity-rich tropical forests in the world, and it is well-known as a mega-biodiversity country. However, in 2020, only 70 percent of this area remained forested. The government has consistently undertaken corrective actions to achieve Sustainable Development Goal targets, with a special focus on Goals #1 (no poverty), #2 (zero hunger), #3 (good health and well-being), #7 (affordable and clean energy), #8 (decent work and economic growth), #13 (climate action), and #15 (life on land). Good environmental governance is a core concept in Indonesia’s forest management and includes mainstreaming ecosystem services as a framework for sustainable forest management. This paper analyzes efforts to mainstream Indonesia’s remaining forest ecosystem services. We review the state of Indonesia’s forests in relation to deforestation dynamics, climate change, and ecosystem service potential and options and provide recommendations for mainstreaming strategies regarding aspects of policy, planning, and implementation, as well as the process of the articulation of ecosystem services and their alternative funding. Full article

Establishing a circular supply chain for single-use medical devices would make a significant contribution to reduce health care-generated emissions. One way in which this can be accomplished is to apply the possibility of device recovery through high-level disinfection and sterilization (a process referred to as ‘reprocessing’). As increasing emphasis is being placed on reducing health care-generated emissions, several major OEMs of single-use medical devices have extended their business to reprocessing services, taking a green servitization orientation. The present paper examines the trend towards green servitization in the single-use medical device industry. It uses interviews with industry experts, complemented with information from secondary sources, to explore how the green servitization phenomenon is supporting the transition of the industry to a more sustainable economic model. The findings provide insights into the green servitization endeavors of device OEMs as regards services offered, strategic intents, dominant business models, use of collaborative relationships and capability requirements. The paper reveals that single-use device OEMs may have started to understand the perspective and the long-term market share gains of combining a service model and a manufacturing model, making reprocessing an integrated part of how they think about how to design, produce and deliver their products. Full article

Communication through visual contents has become the new normal, and visual images and photographs are becoming the primary means of communication. People use Instagram not only for communication but also for identity seeking and self-expression. The casual sharing of digital photos on social networking sites has become a part of daily life, and there is a new phenomenon: people travel to take pictures to post on Instagram. In this circumstance, it is important to understand why people post photos on Instagram and who posts photos on Instagram. This study investigated the main and moderating effects of social–psychological motivations (i.e., social interaction, ideal-self presentation, true-self presentation) and an important personal trait, public self-consciousness, on the intention to post photos on Instagram. The study found that social–psychological motivations and public self-consciousness were positively associated with the intention to post photos on Instagram. This study also found a moderating role of public self-consciousness with social–psychological motivations on the intention to post photos on Instagram. Based on the study findings, the implications and directions for future research were discussed. Full article

Under the dual pressure of the large number of patients and the funding of expensive treatments, the established medical model is no longer able to meet the treatment needs of patients with cognitive disorders. Cognitive disorders cannot be cured, and the proposed MCI stage provides a window of opportunity for early intervention of the condition. Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) is a high-risk potential conversion state prior to a diagnosis of cognitive disorder, where the person still has the ability to live but with the presence of cognitive damage. The theory of environment-facilitated rehabilitation has begun to be applied to the study of cognitive disorders prevention, but its effectiveness and the drivers of its pathological characteristics remain unclear. In this paper, we explore spatial design strategies for the rehabilitation of patients with cognitive disorders based on the adaptability of pathological characteristics, and provide new ideas for spatial interventions to prevent the condition. Firstly, this paper constructs the relationship between behavioral characteristics (roaming), pathological characteristics (cognitive impairment), and environmental factors interacting with cognitive disorder patients. Second, the feasibility of spatial design to assist the rehabilitation of the condition was demonstrated by analyzing spatial accessibility, visual visibility, and walking distance using the environmental modification of Yuexiu Elderly Service Center in Guangzhou as an example. The study concludes that environmental influences to improve the quality of rehabilitation and cognitive function are effective, mainly in the improvement of spatial communication depth and care efficiency variables. Full article

This paper contains an interview-based study focusing on permeable pavements as part of sustainable drainage systems. Climate change is causing pluvial flooding, according to the newest IPCC report. This mostly affects urban areas in cities due to: (1) limited capacity of existing drainage systems during heavy-intensity rainfall over a short period of time and (2) limited space for ditches in city areas. Permeable pavements are, therefore, sustainable drainage solutions which combine road infrastructure with water infrastructure. Are permeable pavements a preferable sustainable solution? To answer that question, 24 respondents were interviewed. The interview study was based on a semi-structured interview methodology. A lessons-learned experience was gathered, and the following conclusions were contrived: Firstly, official guidelines on how to construct, consult, and maintain permeable pavements are required. Secondly, more contractors should be able to offer the same product. Finally, official guidelines on the relationship between the contractors are required. These three indicators were extracted from the study. Full article

The scientific literature extensively mentions the use of a solar air heater (SAH) by utilizing solar energy for heating purposes. The poor heat-transfer rate of an SAH with a flat plate is caused by developing a laminar sub-layer near the heated base plate. The plate temperatures improve significantly, resulting in losses and a decrease in performance. The passive approach entails the placement of fins/turbulators/pouring material/ribs to the surface where the boundary layer forms to disrupt it. Artificially roughened SAH for gathering and efficiently using solar radiations for thermal purposes is extensively described in the literature. This paper includes a thorough literature overview of the history, basics, roughness evolution, forms of SAH, and recent breakthroughs in thermal performance improvement techniques for SAH compiled by several researchers. This paper uses a comparative evaluation of several roughness geometries and kinds of SAH to uncover thermohydraulic performance factors that may be considered in future research to pick the optimal configuration. Full article

With increased concern for environmental and social issues, consumers and the apparel industry have become more interested in the topic of sustainability. Numerous brands strive to reposition in sustainability by employing credible sources and maintaining information transparency to get consumers’ recognition. By employing the stimulus-organism-response (S-O-R) framework, this study experimented with how sustainability positioning with credible sources (EPA vs. Celebrity vs. Social Media Influencer) and high (vs. low) transparency influence brand attachment, trust, and identification, leading to eWOM and brand loyalty. The findings indicate that sustainable positioning with credible sources (i.e., EPA and Social Media influencers) could achieve consumers’ positive brand attachment, trust, and identification in social media marketing. However, we did not find evidence of the impact of high (vs. low) transparency on these dependable variables. Furthermore, brand loyalty and eWOM are significantly influenced by consumers’ brand attachment and trust, whereas brand identification positively affects brand loyalty only, not eWOM. Additionally, this study found that women and higher-income groups had a high preference for sustainable brands. Full article

Green innovation serves as both a catalyst for businesses to pursue sustainable development and a crucial step in achieving green circular economic development. Green innovation is the practice of organizations considering environmental, social, and governance (ESG) aspects and the ESG advantages resulting from this process may become a driving force for enterprises to undergo a green transformation. Therefore, based on data related to Chinese A-share listed companies from 2009 to 2020, we study the relationship between ESG rating performance and corporate green innovation and its boundary mechanism. The results show that ESG ratings can improve the green innovation level of listed enterprises, and the relationship between ESG ratings and green innovation was also found to be strengthened by the institutional environment and redundant organizational resources. This study previously confirmed the positive impact of enterprises’ ESG ratings on their green innovation, which has important implications for realizing the effective combination of ESG advantages and green innovation, promoting the construction of an ecological civilization, and realizing the concept of a community with a shared future for mankind. Full article

There is a problem among Generation Z regarding the insufficient perception of green apparel consumption and the “perception–action paradox”, which presents a great challenge to China’s future sustainable development. To address this problem, we constructed a chain multiple mediation research framework that explored the transmission paths between the environmental value and green consumption behavior of apparel, as well as the associated influence mechanisms; this was performed by integrating environmental responsibility and green consumption intention. Data for this study were collected through a multistage sampling survey of 657 Chinese Gen Z members born between 1995 and 2002. Our results reveal that all three types (egoism, altruism, and biospheric values) of environmental values had different direct and indirect effects on the green apparel consumption behavior for Gen Z members, but the indirect effects of each aspect significantly outweighed their direct effects. In terms of the direct effects, egoistic values had no significant direct negative effect on green apparelconsumption behavior, whereas the significant positive direct effect of the biospheric values was greater than that of altruistic values. The greatest mediating effect between the environmental values and green apparelconsumption behaviorwas green consumption intention, followed by environmental responsibility, and ending with the chain mediation effect of environmental responsibilityand green consumption intention. These findings suggest that it is imperative to stress the cultivation of green consumption intentions, environmental responsibility, and environmental values and bridge the seamless link among these variables for the promotion of green apparel consumption practices in Generation Z. This is the first study that explicitly identifies the significant chain mediating effect of environmental responsibility and green consumption intention between the environmental values and green apparel consumption behavior. Our findings broaden the theoretical research perspective of green apparel consumption behavior and provide a reference for the guiding of green consumption practices and policy formulation for the global population of Generation Z. Full article

Climate change already challenges people’s livelihood globally and it also affects plant health. Rising temperatures facilitate the introduction and establishment of unwanted organisms, including arthropods, pathogens, and weeds (hereafter collectively called pests). For example, a single, unusually warm winter under temperate climatic conditions may be sufficient to assist the establishment of invasive plant pests, which otherwise would not be able to establish. In addition, the increased market globalization and related transport of recent years, coupled with increased temperatures, has led to favorable conditions for pest movement, invasion, and establishment worldwide. Most published studies indicate that, in general, pest risk will increase in agricultural ecosystems under climate-change scenarios, especially in today’s cooler arctic, boreal, temperate, and subtropical regions. This is also mostly true for forestry. Some pests have already expanded their host range or distribution, at least in part due to changes in climate. Examples of these pests, selected according to their relevance in different geographical areas, are summarized here. The main pathways used by them, directly and/or indirectly, are also discussed. Understanding these pathways can support decisions about mitigation and adaptation measures. The review concludes that preventive mitigation and adaptation measures, including biosecurity, are key to reducing the projected increases in pest risk in agriculture, horticulture, and forestry. Therefore, the sustainable management of pests is urgently needed. It requires holistic solutions, including effective phytosanitary regulations, globally coordinated diagnostic and surveillance systems, pest risk modeling and analysis, and preparedness for pro-active management. Full article

Sunflower is the most important source of edible oil and fourth-largest oilseed crop in the world. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of using two organic fertilizers from various sources (compost coupled with biofertilizer (CCB), filter mud cake (FMC)) and comparing them to conventional inorganic fertilizers in their effect on the quality of sunflower seeds, sunflower oil, and soil properties. The data showed that the highest value of dry weight, plant height, disk dry weight in addition to chlorophyll content, and phenolic secondary metabolites in oil was measured after the application of inorganic fertilizer, while the use of organic fertilizer contributed to a substantial increase in the production yield of sunflower seeds, oil, and a high stalk yield compared with inorganic treatment. Oils produced from organic fertilizer (CCB and FMC) gave higher blue color values than inorganic ones and the most transparent oil was inorganic while the organic treatments produced darkest oils. The results for chemical composition of sunflower seeds showed nonsignificant differences for protein and ash among all treatments while a significant difference with regard to oil content was recorded, in which the FMC recorded the highest oil content followed by compost (CCB), and finally came the inorganic treatment. Organic fertilizers are a valuable source of organic material and nutrients essential for plants and can be safely used for soil, crops, and the environment. Full article

Compared to battery electric vehicles (BEVs), fuel cell vehicles (FCVs) have been developing since the early 2000s due to their efficiency and environmental advantages. However, unlike the battery industry which has already achieved economies of scale, the scale of fuel cell manufacturing is still in its early stage in China. In this exploratory study, using the case of BYD, we identify and analyze the key economic and environmental factors that might facilitate and propel the adoption of FCVs in China. Utilizing quantitative (i.e., the statistically descriptive method) and qualitative (i.e., a semi-structured interview and Porter’s model) reasoning, this study finds that by systematically addressing two factors, (i) customers’ misperceptions about the safety and environmental friendliness of FCVs and (ii) lack of technical competencies in the upstream and downstream of the FCV industry’s value chain in general and for BYD in particular, the sustainable development and adoption of FCVs in China can be achieved. Full article

Connected and Autonomous Vehicles (CAVs) combine technologies of autonomous vehicles (AVs) and connected vehicles (CVs) to develop quicker, more reliable, and safer traffic. Artificial Intelligence (AI)-based CAV solutions play significant roles in sustainable cities. The convergence imposes stringent security requirements for CAV safety and reliability. In practice, vehicles are developed with increased automation and connectivity. Increased automation increases the reliance on the sensor-based technologies and decreases the reliance on the driver; increased connectivity increases the exposures of vehicles’ vulnerability and increases the risk for an adversary to implement a cyber-attack. Much work has been dedicated to identifying the security vulnerabilities and recommending mitigation techniques associated with different sensors, controllers, and connection mechanisms, respectively. However, there is an absence of comprehensive and in-depth studies to identify how the cyber-attacks exploit the vehicles’ vulnerabilities to negatively impact the performance and operations of CAVs. In this survey, we set out to thoroughly review the security issues introduced by AV and CV technologies, analyze how the cyber-attacks impact the performance of CAVs, and summarize the solutions correspondingly. The impact of cyber-attacks on the performance of CAVs is elaborated from both viewpoints of intra-vehicle systems and inter-vehicle systems. We pointed out that securing the perception and operations of CAVs would be the top requirement to enable CAVs to be applied safely and reliably in practice. Additionally, we suggested to utilize cloud and new AI methods to defend against smart cyber-attacks on CAVs. Full article

Consumption is an important concept in economics and many social sciences. The aim of the study is to compare consumption in European households in the years 2004–2020 and to identify groups of countries with similar consumption–expenditure structures. Statistical methods were used: trend analysis, cluster analysis. Between 2004 and 2019, the consumption expenditures of European households gradually increased. In all countries, spending on categories such as food, housing maintenance, and food and accommodation rose. Most countries also saw an increase in spending on other categories of consumer goods and services, although there were also countries where some types of spending decreased during the period under study. Our research grouped countries according to their consumption structure in 2004, 2019 and 2020. In Europe, several groups of countries can be distinguished according to their consumption structure. Similarities between EU countries’ consumption change through time. Ward’s clustering and k-means methods allowed to reduce a large number of countries to a few basic groups, which can be perceived as the subject and direction of further analysis. Full article