Sustainability

42 pages, 1750 KB

Open AccessArticle

Can Green Finance and Environmental Regulation Weather the Storm? Conditional Effects of Climate Risk Awareness and Firm Size on Agricultural Supply Chain Resilience

by Ying Luo, Yitao Li, Linyi Ran, Ruiting Tang and Yingshi Liu

Sustainability 2026, 18(16), 8292; https://doi.org/10.3390/su18168292 (registering DOI) - 13 Aug 2026

Abstract

Climate risk increasingly threatens agricultural supply chain stability. Green finance (GF) and environmental regulation (ER) are two key policy instruments intended to counter this risk, yet their effectiveness in fostering supply chain resilience (SCR) remains ambiguous. Using panel data from Chinese A-share-listed agricultural [...] Read more.

Climate risk increasingly threatens agricultural supply chain stability. Green finance (GF) and environmental regulation (ER) are two key policy instruments intended to counter this risk, yet their effectiveness in fostering supply chain resilience (SCR) remains ambiguous. Using panel data from Chinese A-share-listed agricultural firms (2010–2024), this study examines the average and conditional associations of GF, ER, and climate risk awareness (CRA) with SCR via a two-way fixed-effects model, supplemented by instrumental variables, quantile regressions, heterogeneity tests, and interaction models. Text-based CRA is positively associated with SCR. Contemporaneous physical climate risk derived from meteorological observations shows no robust association, whereas its one-period-lagged, economic-scale-adjusted counterpart is significantly negative. Neither GF nor ER exhibits an unconditional linear relationship with SCR, and CRA substantially attenuates the marginal effect of GF. Financing constraints, supply chain concentration, factor allocation efficiency, and innovation intensity do not form stable indirect channels. Taken together, the findings suggest that the relationship between GF, ER, and agricultural SCR does not operate through a single transmission pathway, but may instead be shaped by whether firm-level risk sensing, resource mobilization, operational coordination, and structural reconfiguration form an effective capability configuration. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Smart and Sustainable Supply Chain Management: Digital Transformation, Resilience, and ESG Integration)

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25 pages, 2138 KB

Open AccessArticle

Leveraging Visitor Satisfaction for Sustainable Tourism and Economic Growth: A Case of the Golden Triangle in India

by Dipendra Singh Mann and Abraham Pizam

Sustainability 2026, 18(16), 8291; https://doi.org/10.3390/su18168291 - 12 Aug 2026

Abstract

The Golden Triangle circuit (Delhi–Agra–Jaipur) is India’s most iconic tourism product, yet it faces mounting pressure from overtourism, environmental degradation, and economic leakage to non-regional operators. We argue that strategic management of visitor satisfaction can play a key role in transforming this high-volume [...] Read more.

The Golden Triangle circuit (Delhi–Agra–Jaipur) is India’s most iconic tourism product, yet it faces mounting pressure from overtourism, environmental degradation, and economic leakage to non-regional operators. We argue that strategic management of visitor satisfaction can play a key role in transforming this high-volume circuit into a sustainable destination that delivers long-term economic growth. Drawing on expectancy disconfirmation theory (EDT), SERVQUAL (service quality), perceived value theory, social exchange theory (SET), destination competitiveness models, and systematic classification of destination attributes, this study evaluates destination attributes and visitor satisfaction. This study assesses the importance of visitor satisfaction with the Golden Triangle and proposes a comprehensive framework for its measurement and application with destination-specific attributes. It uses a qualitative methodology that incorporates an extensive review of information available through various sources and triangulates findings with autoethnography. It identifies key attributes driving tourist satisfaction in the Golden Triangle and assesses the overall current state of the circuit. Furthermore, it identifies major challenges (harassment, congestion, and leakage) and proposes actionable improvements through smart technology, community-based tourism, and real-time feedback. A comprehensive evaluation of visitor satisfaction with various destination attributes of the Golden Triangle reveals that it performs well, as the outcome shows high overall satisfaction. This study also highlights that overall visitor satisfaction is an indirect economic lever that impacts local economic activity by creating jobs and earning foreign currency. The Golden Triangle can possibly serve as a replicable model for other heritage circuits in the Global South with similar characteristics. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Reframing Sustainable Tourism and Economic Growth in BRICS+ and the Global South)

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25 pages, 2583 KB

Open AccessArticle

Dynamic Sustainability Risk: An Artificial Intelligence Framework for Explaining Forward-Looking Industry Betas

by Timotej Jagrič, Stefan Otto Grbenic and Aljaž Herman

Sustainability 2026, 18(16), 8290; https://doi.org/10.3390/su18168290 - 12 Aug 2026

Abstract

Systematic risk plays a central role in company valuation, enterprise risk management, and sustainable investment. However, conventional approaches primarily rely on historical beta estimates and provide limited insight into the factors associated with future changes in systematic risk. This study develops an AI-supported [...] Read more.

Systematic risk plays a central role in company valuation, enterprise risk management, and sustainable investment. However, conventional approaches primarily rely on historical beta estimates and provide limited insight into the factors associated with future changes in systematic risk. This study develops an AI-supported framework for identifying the determinants of one-year-ahead industry beta coefficients for the US economy by combining macroeconomic variables with risk indicators derived from global news analytics. Annual industry betas published by Damodaran are transformed into monthly observations to align with lagged explanatory variables. The analysis combines macroeconomic indicators with twenty-two artificial intelligence-supported risk categories extracted from the GDELT database, collectively representing Dynamic Sustainability Risk. The empirical results show that historical beta persistence alone does not fully explain future industry beta coefficients. Sustainability-related factors—including ESG, supply-chain, technological, strategic, and labor-market risks—consistently appear among the significant determinants across industries, complementing traditional macroeconomic variables. Furthermore, forward-looking systematic risk is associated with interactions between macroeconomic conditions and dynamic sustainability-related risks rather than with historical financial information alone. Rather than developing a forecasting model, the proposed framework provides an interpretable approach for identifying the macroeconomic and sustainability-related determinants associated with future industry beta coefficients, thereby supporting company valuation, enterprise risk management, and sustainable financial decision-making. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Industrial Digital Transformation: Sustainable Challenges for SMEs)

25 pages, 3039 KB

Open AccessArticle

Reliable Interpretation of Extreme-Heat Energy Response for Sustainable Campus Management: Baseline, Calendar, and Chilled-Water Metering Controls

by Cenk Cihangir, Lale Özyılmaz and Yusuf Coşkun

Sustainability 2026, 18(16), 8289; https://doi.org/10.3390/su18168289 - 12 Aug 2026

Abstract

Open hourly meter data are often used to infer how buildings respond to extreme heat, but the interpretation can depend on the analytical baseline, institutional calendar, and meter configuration. We examined 60 education and office buildings in the Building Data Genome Project 2 [...] Read more.

Open hourly meter data are often used to infer how buildings respond to extreme heat, but the interpretation can depend on the analytical baseline, institutional calendar, and meter configuration. We examined 60 education and office buildings in the Building Data Genome Project 2 using repeated whole-week validation, temperature-matched placebo tests, 13 academic-calendar definitions, and same-building, common-hour carrier comparisons. A leakage-resistant change-point model that incorporated a previous-day, load-derived operating-regime proxy reduced blocked-validation error relative to a conventional model in 58 of 60 buildings; temperature binning provided no additional predictive benefit after regime control. Recovery-related signals were uncommon: rebound was significant in 2 of 49 eligible buildings, load-shape disruption in 1 of 49, and the 72 h duration diagnostic in 3 of 60. At Fox, the BASE calendar supported term and break comparisons through 39–42 °C, but neither building-use group differed significantly after false-discovery-rate adjustment; estimates above 42 °C were inconclusive. In the matched sample of 13 education and 10 office buildings, no electricity-only, chilled-water-only, or weighted specification provided robust evidence of a between-group difference. Across 99 combinations of carrier weight, normalization, and temperature bin, every 95% interval included zero. Reliable campus benchmarking therefore requires out-of-sample baseline assessment, explicit calendar sensitivity, common-hour meter matching, and carrier-specific uncertainty reporting before building-use rankings or resilience-related interpretations are made. Full article

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30 pages, 3443 KB

Open AccessArticle

When Collaboration Constrains Capability: Digitalization, Cold Chain Coverage, and Operational Sustainability in Urban-Rural Logistics

by Meng Xu, Bochao Yan, Xin Tian and Junfeng Wu

Sustainability 2026, 18(16), 8288; https://doi.org/10.3390/su18168288 - 12 Aug 2026

Abstract

Rural logistics networks face the dual challenge of improving service reliability while maintaining long-term cost efficiency. Drawing on the resource-based view and transaction cost economics, this study examines how cold chain coverage and intelligent sorting contribute to the operational sustainability of urban–rural logistics [...] Read more.

Rural logistics networks face the dual challenge of improving service reliability while maintaining long-term cost efficiency. Drawing on the resource-based view and transaction cost economics, this study examines how cold chain coverage and intelligent sorting contribute to the operational sustainability of urban–rural logistics and whether joint distribution conditions these relationships. Using monthly panel data from 150 outlets within a Chinese postal network from 2017–2023, we estimate outlet and time fixed-effects models with interaction terms. The results show that greater cold chain coverage and intelligent sorting penetration are associated with higher delivery success rates and lower unit delivery costs. However, joint distribution intensity weakens both the service-quality benefits and the cost-reduction effects of these investments, suggesting that cross-organizational coordination may constrain the conversion of specialized and technological resources into operational performance. Further heterogeneity analyses reveal that these performance improvements are concentrated in agricultural counties and geographically concentrated service areas, highlighting the importance of local demand characteristics and network conditions in determining the returns to logistics investment. The findings highlight the importance of aligning infrastructure investment, digital upgrading, and inter-organizational governance with local demand and network conditions. Full article

(This article belongs to the Section Sustainable Management)

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35 pages, 10610 KB

Open AccessArticle

Coupling Coordination and Heterogeneous Driving Factors of New Quality Productive Forces and Industrial Structure Optimization: A Geodetector-Based Spatiotemporal Analysis

by Heng Wang, Yuan Wang, Luan Zhang and Xiaohui Ding

Sustainability 2026, 18(16), 8287; https://doi.org/10.3390/su18168287 - 12 Aug 2026

Abstract

New Quality Productive Forces (NQPF) constitute a key driver of Industrial Structure Optimization and Upgrading (ISOU), while the advancement of ISOU provides an essential industrial foundation for the cultivation and development of NQPF. The coordinated development of these two systems is therefore critical [...] Read more.

New Quality Productive Forces (NQPF) constitute a key driver of Industrial Structure Optimization and Upgrading (ISOU), while the advancement of ISOU provides an essential industrial foundation for the cultivation and development of NQPF. The coordinated development of these two systems is therefore critical to promoting high-quality regional economic development in China. This study develops a theoretical framework to clarify the formation of NQPF and the interactive relationship between NQPF and ISOU. It subsequently employs the coupling coordination degree model to examine the spatiotemporal evolution of their coordinated development across China from 2011 to 2023 and applies the Geodetector model to identify the principal driving factors. The results reveal three main findings. First, both NQPF and ISOU exhibited sustained upward trends during the study period, accompanied by pronounced spatial disparities. The eastern region consistently maintained the highest development levels in both systems, whereas the western region remained comparatively underdeveloped, with the east–west gap continuing to widen. Second, the national coupling coordination degree between NQPF and ISOU increased steadily, shifting from moderate imbalance to mild imbalance. Nevertheless, nearly 77% of provinces remained in an imbalanced state in 2023. High-value coupling coordination areas gradually formed a multicore spatial configuration centered on Beijing, Shanghai, Guangdong, and Jiangsu, resulting in an overall pattern characterized by eastern leadership, central transition, and western lagging. Third, the factors influencing coupling coordination exhibited marked regional heterogeneity. At the national level, economic development demonstrated the strongest explanatory power, followed by education and human capital accumulation. In the Yangtze River Economic Belt, economic development remained the dominant factor, while government intervention played an increasingly prominent role. In the Yellow River Basin, education surpassed economic development as the leading factor, whereas human capital was not statistically significant, indicating distinct regional driving mechanisms. Interaction detection further showed that most combinations of influencing factors generated nonlinear enhancement effects. These findings demonstrate that the coordinated development of NQPF and ISOU is shaped by both regional development disparities and the synergistic effects of multiple factors. Accordingly, regionally differentiated and multidimensional policy measures should be adopted rather than uniformly applying standardized policy instruments. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Environmental Economics, Productivity and Efficiency: Synergies for Sustainable Development)

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34 pages, 1262 KB

Open AccessArticle

Green Industry Agglomeration and Public Environmental Awareness: Dual Mechanisms Accelerating Green Development in Zero-Waste Cities

by Yuanyuan Sun, Xingyun Chen, Yiran Zeng and Zeyang Chai

Sustainability 2026, 18(16), 8286; https://doi.org/10.3390/su18168286 - 12 Aug 2026

Abstract

Zero-waste city (ZWC) construction serves as a vital approach to regional sustainable development amid tightening resource constraints and the dual carbon goals. Examining its impact on urban green development efficiency (UGDE) and the underlying transmission mechanisms bears important theoretical significance and practical value. [...] Read more.

Zero-waste city (ZWC) construction serves as a vital approach to regional sustainable development amid tightening resource constraints and the dual carbon goals. Examining its impact on urban green development efficiency (UGDE) and the underlying transmission mechanisms bears important theoretical significance and practical value. Drawing on panel data covering 281 Chinese cities from 2008 to 2024, this study adopts the difference-in-differences model to examine how the zero-waste city pilot (ZWCP) policy affects UGDE. The main findings are summarized as follows. (1) ZWCP policy significantly improves UGDE, and this core conclusion remains robust after multiple robustness tests and endogeneity corrections. (2) Mechanism tests confirm that ZWCP elevates the green development efficiency of pilot cities through two intermediate channels: green industrial agglomeration and public environmental awareness. (3) The ZWCP policy exerts positive spatial spillover effects on UGDE improvement. However, the two transmission mechanisms show heterogeneous spatial linkage effects. Green industrial agglomeration acts as the core channel for policy spatial radiation, with inter-city agglomeration diffusion driving UGDE growth in neighboring cities. In contrast, public environmental awareness only exerts a local mediating effect, with no significant spatial spillover on UGDE. (4) The moderation analysis reveals that government environmental attention (GEA) strengthens both transmission paths, exerting a positive moderating effect on the UGDE promotion of ZWCP. (5) Heterogeneous results indicate that the policy’s boosting effect is more pronounced in eastern regions, resource-based cities and highly urbanized cities. These findings provide empirical evidence and targeted policy references for advancing urban green development efficiency via the differentiated implementation of zero-waste city initiatives across China. They also offer practical Chinese insights for other developing economies pursuing green urban transition. Full article

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

34 pages, 30786 KB

Open AccessArticle

Macro-Level Construction Material Supply Chain Analysis for Dynamic Cradle-to-Site A4 Transport Carbon Assessment

by Tomo Cerovšek and Igor Jakomin

Sustainability 2026, 18(16), 8285; https://doi.org/10.3390/su18168285 - 12 Aug 2026

Abstract

Construction materials move in large volumes, over varying distances and through fragmented logistics chains. Yet EN 15804 Module A4, which covers transport to the building site, is still often calculated with static assumptions rather than verified transport data. This creates a gap between [...] Read more.

Construction materials move in large volumes, over varying distances and through fragmented logistics chains. Yet EN 15804 Module A4, which covers transport to the building site, is still often calculated with static assumptions rather than verified transport data. This creates a gap between declared and project-specific cradle-to-site emissions, especially when circular strategies shift flows from factory-to-site towards site-to-site, site-to-processing and processing-to-site logistics. This paper focuses on dynamic A4 assessment, using macro-level analysis to identify the material flows, spatial patterns, transport modes and digital data needed for traceable logistics-based carbon accounting. The framework connects construction material-flow analysis with Digital Product Passports, ISO 14083 logistics data, GS1 Digital Link, GS1 EPCIS and digital-twin concepts. Building-permit data are used as spatial indicators of material sinks and transport-demand hotspots. The analysis uses Slovenian road, rail and maritime freight statistics, operational railway data for construction-related material categories, CDW data and building-permit data for 2020–2024. Results show that domestic road transport accounts for 93–95% of transported construction-material tonnage, while the smaller international freight volume generates nearly half of total ton-kilometers. Macro-level analysis is essential for locating material demand, potential transport hotspots and 5R strategies: refuse, reduce, reuse, repurpose and recycle. This study defines key information needs for product identification, transported mass, transport legs, distance, mode, energy pathway, load factor, empty running, logistics events and traceability. The results support policymakers, standardization bodies, contractors, logistics providers, manufacturers, researchers and software developers. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Construction Through Utilization of Optimization Tools and Experimental Methods: 2nd Edition)

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23 pages, 3174 KB

Open AccessArticle

Spatial Association Between Metro Network Topological Centrality and Commercial Distribution for Sustainable Urban Development: Evidence from Wuhan

by Leilei Meng, Linlin Zhang, Haoran Niu, Renwei Dong and Yang Lu

Sustainability 2026, 18(16), 8284; https://doi.org/10.3390/su18168284 - 12 Aug 2026

Abstract

This study investigates the spatial association between metro network topological centrality and the distribution of commercial establishments in Wuhan, China, with attention to its implications for sustainable urban development. Metro station data and commercial point-of-interest (POI) data were integrated with space syntax and [...] Read more.

This study investigates the spatial association between metro network topological centrality and the distribution of commercial establishments in Wuhan, China, with attention to its implications for sustainable urban development. Metro station data and commercial point-of-interest (POI) data were integrated with space syntax and GIS-based spatial analysis to examine commercial spatial patterns at both the citywide and station levels. Kernel density estimation was used to identify commercial agglomerations, while station-level Spearman correlation analysis, bootstrap comparison, Gini coefficient analysis, and Local Moran’s I were employed to evaluate the spatial association between metro network topological centrality and different commercial sectors. The results show that: (1) Wuhan exhibits a “primary core–multiple nodes” commercial spatial structure, and the current distribution of commercial establishments differs among planned city-level commercial centers despite their comparable planning hierarchy. (2) A significant positive spatial association exists between metro network topological centrality and commercial establishment distribution at the station level. However, substantial spatial heterogeneity is observed across the network. For example, Optics Valley Square and Zhuyehai contain relatively dense commercial establishments despite comparatively low topological centrality, whereas Wuhan Business District Station exhibits relatively high topological centrality but limited surrounding commercial development. (3) All seven commercial sectors show significant positive spatial associations with metro network topological centrality, although finance exhibits the strongest association. The remaining sectors display broadly comparable correlation strengths but differ considerably in their spatial concentration patterns. These findings enhance understanding of the spatial organization of commercial activities in relation to metro network topology and provide empirical evidence to support commercial planning, transit-oriented urban development, and more sustainable patterns of urban commercial development. Full article

(This article belongs to the Section Sustainability in Geographic Science)

27 pages, 1895 KB

Open AccessArticle

Break-Even Carbon Pricing for Sustainable Carbon Capture and Utilization at Municipal Solid Waste Incineration Facilities: A Life-Cycle Environmental and Economic Assessment Under 2024 and 2050 Scenarios

by Tianjiao Cheng and Hiroshi Onoda

Sustainability 2026, 18(16), 8283; https://doi.org/10.3390/su18168283 - 12 Aug 2026

Abstract

Municipal solid waste (MSW) incineration with energy recovery is embedded in national decarbonization strategies but emits fossil CO₂ from plastic-derived combustion, challenging the long-term sustainability of waste-to-energy systems. Carbon capture and utilization (CCU) offers a potential mitigation route, yet assessments rarely link [...] Read more.

Municipal solid waste (MSW) incineration with energy recovery is embedded in national decarbonization strategies but emits fossil CO₂ from plastic-derived combustion, challenging the long-term sustainability of waste-to-energy systems. Carbon capture and utilization (CCU) offers a potential mitigation route, yet assessments rarely link technology economics, environmental performance, and the carbon-pricing instruments that would finance deployment. This study develops a break-even carbon-pricing framework integrating life-cycle CO₂ emissions (LCCO₂) and discounted annualized life-cycle cost (LCC; capital-recovery-factor annualization at a 4% real discount rate) for two CCU routes—methanation and methanol synthesis—applied to a 300 t/day Japanese incineration facility (84,000 t/y) under 2024 and 2050 energy-system conditions, thereby quantifying the environmental and the economic dimensions of sustainable CCU deployment in the waste sector. Two complementary indicators are distinguished: an incremental break-even carbon price, the price at which adding CCU to the existing waste-to-energy facility becomes economically neutral, and a plant-level cash balance price. Under the product-system boundary and photovoltaic-electrolysis hydrogen, both routes show lower life-cycle emissions than the baseline in both years; the magnitude—and, for methanation in 2024, the sign—of the net climate benefit depends on the downstream-use accounting boundary. The incremental break-even price for methanol falls from 20.3 × 10⁴ JPY/t-CO₂ (≈1293 USD/t-CO₂) in 2024 to 1.90 × 10⁴ JPY/t-CO₂ (≈122 USD/t-CO₂) in 2050, while that for methanation falls from 32.2 × 10⁴ JPY/t-CO₂ to 0.75 × 10⁴ JPY/t-CO₂ (≈48 USD/t-CO₂)—about half the 2023 EU ETS average price—and approaches zero at approximately a one-third capital subsidy. This collapse is driven largely by the assumed hydrogen-price decline (100 → 20 JPY/Nm³); hydrogen-supply policy, rather than carbon pricing alone, therefore appears to be the dominant lever for making CCU at MSW incineration a viable contribution to sustainable, carbon-neutral waste management. Sensitivity analyses covering the discount rate (2–8%), plant scale (300–900 t/day), methane leakage, product-market absorption, and hydrogen delivered price premiums support the robustness of this sequencing conclusion. Full article

(This article belongs to the Section Waste and Recycling)

25 pages, 703 KB

Open AccessArticle

UPHEx-Eco: A Conceptual–Analytical Framework for Human–Ecological Design Relations in Urban Planetary Health

by Francisco Rebelo

Sustainability 2026, 18(16), 8282; https://doi.org/10.3390/su18168282 - 12 Aug 2026

Abstract

Urban planetary health requires urban design decisions to consider human and ecological consequences together, yet relevant evidence is often generated through different constructs, methods and scales. This concept paper develops the Urban Planetary Health Experience–Ecology Framework (UPHEx-Eco) through a targeted critical synthesis supported [...] Read more.

Urban planetary health requires urban design decisions to consider human and ecological consequences together, yet relevant evidence is often generated through different constructs, methods and scales. This concept paper develops the Urban Planetary Health Experience–Ecology Framework (UPHEx-Eco) through a targeted critical synthesis supported by structured literature identification. UPHEx-Eco is organised around the human–ecological design relation: an analytically bounded relationship between a specified and potentially modifiable urban design intervention, condition or alternative and at least one human response and one ecological health response within a common decision context. The framework requires explicit spatial and temporal boundaries, a reference condition, appropriate indicators, reporting of evidential support, testing status and uncertainty, and translation into design, maintenance or monitoring implications. Cross-domain response direction is classified as synergy, trade-off, joint detriment, one-domain effect, no meaningful change or unresolved; perceptual–ecological mismatch is assessed separately when human judgement concerns an independently assessable ecological property. A conceptual worked application concerning night-time lighting in a biodiverse urban park demonstrates the analytical sequence without constituting empirical testing or validation. UPHEx-Eco is, therefore, proposed as a traceable analytical structure rather than a validated predictive or optimisation model; its reliability, transferability and comparative utility remain to be tested. Full article

(This article belongs to the Section Sustainable Urban and Rural Development)

27 pages, 1459 KB

Open AccessArticle

Subsidies, Environmental Taxes, and Rare Earth Recycling: A Game-Theoretical Analysis of Reverse Supply Chain Equilibrium

by Jiawen Xiao, Xiuli Wang, Guogang Ren, Zhiwei Zhang and Hengkai Li

Sustainability 2026, 18(16), 8281; https://doi.org/10.3390/su18168281 - 12 Aug 2026

Abstract

Rare earths are a strategically vital mineral resource on a global scale; the security of their supply chain and their recycling face severe challenges amid dual pressures of resource scarcity and environmental protection. This study focuses on the reverse supply chain for rare [...] Read more.

Rare earths are a strategically vital mineral resource on a global scale; the security of their supply chain and their recycling face severe challenges amid dual pressures of resource scarcity and environmental protection. This study focuses on the reverse supply chain for rare earth permanent magnet materials—specifically those based on praseodymium and neodymium—constructing a two-level game model comprising a rare earth oligopoly (Stackelberg leader) and two recyclers (Cournot followers). It systematically analyzes the dual decision-making behavior of recyclers between “recycling and selling” and “in-house remanufacturing”, and examines the impact of two policy instruments—government subsidies and environmental taxes—on the supply chain equilibrium. The study employs reverse induction to solve the game equilibrium and combines this with numerical simulation methods to compare the differing effects of the two policies on key indicators such as product output, market share, profit distribution, waste recovery volume, and recycling rates. The results indicate that there is strategic coordination and resource competition in recyclers’ decisions regarding recycling and remanufacturing, causing them to assume dual roles as both “suppliers” and “competitors” within the supply chain. Subsidy policies significantly incentivize recycling and remanufacturing activities, thereby increasing the recycling rate, but exert a slight squeeze on the profits of rare earth conglomerates. Environmental tax policies effectively curb primary mining and promote resource circulation, but may have a negative impact on the remanufacturing industry. Currently, value within the closed-loop rare earth supply chain is highly concentrated among upstream oligopolistic enterprises, whilst the recycling segment suffers from insufficient economic incentives and significant policy dependency. This study provides theoretical support and decision-making references for the government to optimize policy combinations and promote the high-quality development of the rare earth recycling industry. Full article

28 pages, 334 KB

Open AccessArticle

Can the Digital Economy Enhance the Export Competitiveness of Agricultural Products?—An Empirical Analysis Based on Panel Data from 30 Chinese Provinces

by Zhen Zhou and Hui Xu

Sustainability 2026, 18(16), 8280; https://doi.org/10.3390/su18168280 - 12 Aug 2026

Abstract

As a new engine of economic development, the digital economy is profoundly reshaping the governance structure and production models of modern agriculture and has increasingly become a significant force driving the high-quality development of agricultural export trade. Based on provincial panel data from [...] Read more.

As a new engine of economic development, the digital economy is profoundly reshaping the governance structure and production models of modern agriculture and has increasingly become a significant force driving the high-quality development of agricultural export trade. Based on provincial panel data from 30 Chinese provinces spanning from 2014 to 2023, this paper employs a two-way fixed effects model to systematically examine the statistical association between the digital economy and agricultural export competitiveness. Furthermore, a mediation effects model is adopted to explore the underlying transmission pathways, and a threshold effects model is applied to reveal the nonlinear characteristics of this association, thereby providing a multidimensional analysis of the underlying mechanisms. The empirical results indicate that: (1) there is a significant positive statistical association between the digital economy and agricultural export competitiveness, and this finding remains robust across a series of robustness checks; (2) upgrading of agricultural industrial structure, agricultural technological innovation, and agricultural labor transfer serve as three important transmission pathways through which the digital economy is associated with enhanced export competitiveness; (3) this positive association exhibits regional heterogeneity, with stronger effects observed in central regions and major grain-producing areas; and (4) there is a nonlinear relationship between the digital economy and agricultural export competitiveness. Finally, based on these empirical findings, several policy implications are proposed, including strengthening digital infrastructure construction, enhancing trade openness, cultivating agricultural digital talents, optimizing factor allocation structures, and improving the digital economy governance system, so as to fully unlock the potential space of the positive association between the digital economy and agricultural export competitiveness. Full article

21 pages, 8425 KB

Open AccessArticle

Predicting the Potential Distribution of Stachys fontqueri Pau (Lamiaceae), a Strictly Endemic Medicinal Species of the Moroccan Rif, Under the Effects of Climate Change for Sustainable Conservation

by Hanane Driouech, Inass El Haddouti, Omar Alaoui Mhamdi, Azzedine Hafid, Said Louahlia, Zohra Benfodd, Mohamed Libiad and Abdelmajid Khabbach

Sustainability 2026, 18(16), 8279; https://doi.org/10.3390/su18168279 - 12 Aug 2026

Abstract

Stachys fontqueri is a strict endemic species of the Moroccan Rif that depends on specific ecological conditions. To understand the effect of climate change on the projected change in potential distribution under current and future climatic scenarios, ecological niche modelling was performed using [...] Read more.

Stachys fontqueri is a strict endemic species of the Moroccan Rif that depends on specific ecological conditions. To understand the effect of climate change on the projected change in potential distribution under current and future climatic scenarios, ecological niche modelling was performed using MaxEnt algorithm based on 70 occurrence records, and 5 bioclimatic variables at a spatial resolution of 30 arc-seconds. To model the effect of climate change, four climatic scenarios were used, namely CSM2-SSP1-2.6, CSM2-SSP5-8.5, MIROC6-SSP1-2.6, and MIROC6-SSP5-8.5, for the period 2061–2080, and the Maximum Test Sensitivity Plus Specificity threshold was used to distinguish suitable from unsuitable habitats. The results demonstrated high model performance, with an AUC ranging from 0.921 to 0.930 and a TSS from 0.81 to 0.83. Three bioclimatic variables contributed significantly to determining the suitable potential distribution area of the species, namely Precipitation Seasonality (Bio15), Temperature Annual Range (Bio7), and Annual Mean Temperature (Bio1). The suitable area covered 3244 km² under the current climate and is projected to decrease by 23.25% to 29.59% under future climate scenarios. This contraction of suitable habitat due to climate change could be exacerbated by human activities, thereby requiring urgent in situ and ex situ conservation measures to ensure the species’ resilience. Full article

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

36 pages, 10010 KB

Open AccessArticle

Analysis of Land Use Change and Driving Factors of Landscape Diversity in Inner Mongolia over the Past Three Decades

by Yan Cui, Xiliang Ni, Molin Xue, Zhenhua Zhang, Xinrui Bao and Yilin Song

Sustainability 2026, 18(16), 8278; https://doi.org/10.3390/su18168278 - 12 Aug 2026

Abstract

The Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, located in northern China, spans a vast territory. It serves as a crucial transitional zone connecting three major ecosystems—forest, grassland, and desert—and constitutes an essential component of the nation’s ecological security barrier. Over the past three decades, significant [...] Read more.

The Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, located in northern China, spans a vast territory. It serves as a crucial transitional zone connecting three major ecosystems—forest, grassland, and desert—and constitutes an essential component of the nation’s ecological security barrier. Over the past three decades, significant changes have occurred in the region’s land use structure and landscape patterns. Based on long-term time-series land use data, this study systematically analyzed land cover changes and landscape diversity characteristics by dividing the region into climatic zones, ecological zones, and administrative areas. Additionally, a driver analysis framework based on the eXtreme Gradient Boosting (XGBoost) model was constructed, and the SHapley Additive exPlanations (SHAP) method was employed to quantitatively identify the contribution rates of driving factors influencing the Shannon Diversity Index (SHDI). Results indicate pronounced spatial heterogeneity in land-use structure dynamics across regions. Among all land use types, grasslands, croplands, and bare land exhibited the most pronounced changes under the combined influence of natural environmental variations and human disturbances. Against this backdrop of landscape pattern evolution, the regional Shannon Diversity Index (SHDI) also showed differentiated variation trends. Based on SHAP contribution analysis, population density (POP) was identified as the primary driver affecting SHDI changes, with a contribution rate of 29.9%, followed by precipitation (PRE, 19.5%), elevation (DEM, 17.2%), and GDP (11.9%). Further SHAP response analysis revealed the nonlinear effects and characteristics of different driving factors on SHDI, indicating that the proposed framework can effectively elucidate the driving mechanisms of landscape changes. The findings provide scientific support for developing sustainable and differentiated land-use management strategies and optimizing ecological conservation and restoration measures across regions with diverse ecological backgrounds. Full article

(This article belongs to the Topic Large-Scale and Long-Term Land Use and Land Cover Mapping)

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26 pages, 6478 KB

Open AccessReview

Bioenergy Development in South Africa: Assessing the Gap Between Policy Ambition and Implementation

by Nkanyiso Mlalazi, Shumani Ramuhaheli and Charles Mbohwa

Sustainability 2026, 18(16), 8277; https://doi.org/10.3390/su18168277 - 12 Aug 2026

Abstract

South Africa possesses substantial bioenergy potential derived from agricultural residues, forestry by-products, municipal organic waste, wastewater sludge, and dedicated energy crops, positioning bioenergy as a potentially important contributor to the country’s low-carbon energy transition. Despite more than two decades of supportive policy, modern [...] Read more.

South Africa possesses substantial bioenergy potential derived from agricultural residues, forestry by-products, municipal organic waste, wastewater sludge, and dedicated energy crops, positioning bioenergy as a potentially important contributor to the country’s low-carbon energy transition. Despite more than two decades of supportive policy, modern bioenergy remains a marginal contributor to the country’s energy system. Although previous studies have examined individual bioenergy technologies, feedstocks, environmental impacts, or policy frameworks, a comprehensive assessment of the alignment between policy ambition, technological readiness, implementation outcomes, and emerging sustainable development opportunities in South Africa remains lacking. This review presents a systematic integrative review of bioenergy development in South Africa, evaluating the alignment between policy ambition, technological readiness, and implementation outcomes. Literature published between 2000 and 2025 was systematically reviewed using Scopus, Web of Science, Google Scholar, and institutional publications. A PRISMA-informed screening process identified 427 records, of which 116 studies met the inclusion criteria for detailed synthesis. Evidence was synthesized across three interconnected dimensions: (i) policy and regulatory frameworks, (ii) feedstock availability and technological readiness, and (iii) deployment outcomes, implementation challenges, and future development opportunities. The findings reveal a persistent implementation gap despite abundant biomass resources and commercially established bioenergy conversion technologies Although global biofuel production exceeded 180 billion liters in 2023, South Africa’s installed bioenergy electricity capacity remains approximately 265 MW, representing less than 0.5% of the country’s approximately 60 GW installed electricity generation capacity. By comparison, installed solar and wind capacities exceed 8 GW and 3 GW, respectively. The review identifies fragmented governance, limited investment incentives, regulatory uncertainty, infrastructure constraints, and inadequate integration of bioenergy into national energy planning as the principal barriers to deployment. The review concludes that South Africa’s principal challenge is not biomass availability or technological capability, but translating policy ambition into coordinated implementation capable of scaling sustainable bioenergy deployment. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Environmental Footprints and Sustainable Development)

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46 pages, 841 KB

Open AccessArticle

Reliability- and Sustainability-Oriented Demand-Side Management in the Presence of Electric Vehicle Load and Distributed Generation

by Nivetha Karikalan, Saravana Balaji Sathiyanarayanan, Narayanan Krishnan, Alexander Aguila Téllez and Francisco Coelho

Sustainability 2026, 18(16), 8276; https://doi.org/10.3390/su18168276 - 12 Aug 2026

Abstract

The increasing complexity of modern power distribution systems, through rising demand, integration of distributed generation, and the scaling of electric vehicles, requires improved demand-side management strategies for effective and reliable operation. This study presents a DSM framework that integrates EV load coordination, DG [...] Read more.

The increasing complexity of modern power distribution systems, through rising demand, integration of distributed generation, and the scaling of electric vehicles, requires improved demand-side management strategies for effective and reliable operation. This study presents a DSM framework that integrates EV load coordination, DG placement, and load shifting techniques to achieve both economic and reliability improvements in distribution networks. The proposed approach is implemented on the IEEE 33-bus and Cairo 59-bus networks to capture practical operating conditions with higher loading and multiple laterals. The methodology is used to reschedule commercial loads while prioritizing cost minimization and maintaining system constraints. EV load charging demand and DG units are optimally allocated to support voltage stability and reduce power losses. Reliability performance was evaluated using the Customer Total Average Interruption Duration Index, using interruption frequency and duration. The results show that the integrated DSM approach significantly reduces operational cost, peak demand, and energy losses while enhancing system operational cost and reliability. The coordinated interaction between EVs, DGs, and flexible loads proves effective in maintaining a balance between economic efficiency and reliable power delivery. This work highlights the potential of broad sustainability-oriented DSM strategies in supporting the transition toward smarter and more sustainable distribution systems. This ensures that electricity is available to all the consumers at all times just by tweaking the usage pattern of the commercial consumers slightly. This will ensure lesser power losses in the system and better utilization of the available energy thereby creating a sustainable power distribution for the connected consumers. This work aligns with SDG 7 (Affordable and Clean Energy) and SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities). Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Smart Grid and Sustainable Energy Systems)

20 pages, 707 KB

Open AccessArticle

Odor Fingerprinting of Drinking Water Using a GC-Based Electronic Nose: A Rapid Screening Framework for Nine Odorants

by Sook-Hyun Nam, Juwon Lee, Eunju Kim, Jae-Wuk Koo, Jeongbeen Park, Intae Shim and Tae-Mun Hwang

Sustainability 2026, 18(16), 8275; https://doi.org/10.3390/su18168275 - 12 Aug 2026

Abstract

This study presents a gas chromatography-based electronic nose (GC-E-nose) approach for screening and classifying the response patterns of nine predefined odorants in drinking water. The PLSR models provided compound-level concentration prediction, with R² values ranging from 0.86 to 0.99 and RMSE values [...] Read more.

This study presents a gas chromatography-based electronic nose (GC-E-nose) approach for screening and classifying the response patterns of nine predefined odorants in drinking water. The PLSR models provided compound-level concentration prediction, with R² values ranging from 0.86 to 0.99 and RMSE values below 27 µg/L. LDA effectively visualized compound- and concentration-dependent response patterns. Canonical discriminant analysis (CDA) showed moderate discrimination among the response classes of representative standards; preparation-level leave-one-out cross-validation (LOOCV) of the 225 valid standard-solution observations yielded an overall sample-level accuracy of 74.7% and a macro-averaged sensitivity of 77.6% across the six predefined response classes. Because none of the target ODCs was detected in the field samples, CDA could not be externally validated. Instead, matrix-matched spiked samples were used to evaluate PLSR, supporting the proposed method as a rapid screening tool prior to confirmatory GC-MS analysis. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Advances in Water Quality Assessment and Sustainable Wastewater Treatment: Analysis and Methods)

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29 pages, 12353 KB

Open AccessReview

Microalgae-Based Approaches for Sustainable Wastewater Treatment: Recent Progress and Insights into Biofilm Systems

by Siena Ianni-Palarchio, Lin Sun, Redae Nuguse Berhe and Martha Dagnew

Sustainability 2026, 18(16), 8274; https://doi.org/10.3390/su18168274 - 12 Aug 2026

Abstract

Population growth has necessitated more stringent regulation of effluent wastewater quality to protect source water. Microalgae have been identified as an emergent technique to perform biological nutrient removal and address this concern. Microalgae have been found to effectively uptake constituents of concern through [...] Read more.

Population growth has necessitated more stringent regulation of effluent wastewater quality to protect source water. Microalgae have been identified as an emergent technique to perform biological nutrient removal and address this concern. Microalgae have been found to effectively uptake constituents of concern through assimilatory pathways while simultaneously contributing to climate change mitigation measures through carbon sequestration. This review summarizes the fundamental biological and physiological characteristics of microalgae that can be leveraged for application in engineered systems to treat wastewater. The current state of both suspended and biofilm systems has been reviewed and their respective advantages and limitations have been evaluated. Emphasis has been placed on recent progress in algal biofilm systems, providing insight related to the factors that contribute to their development. The study of algal biofilm systems remains limited in part due to the complex interactions that influence their behaviors. Hence, this review interrogates the strategies employed for the start-up and operation of biofilm systems and offers future perspectives related to the factors that could potentially expedite biofilm formation and enhance system performance. Full article

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