Sustainability — Open Access Journal

The concepts, ‘sustainable development’ and ‘sustainable agriculture’, have been shaped by both political discourses of the United Nations and scientific discourses. Using critical discourse and content analysis, we trace the meaning of ‘sustainable agriculture’ in both international political and in scientific discourses to examine and identify key elements of the representation of sustainable agriculture. We found that the meanings of the concept of sustainable agriculture vary markedly: International political actors primarily produce discourses on sustainable development in agriculture and on sustainable agricultural intensification. Scientists tend to emphasise issues of environmental management. Based on our findings, we highlight the differences in the meaning of sustainable agriculture between the political and scientific discourses and attempt to explain them. In addition, discursive gaps are shown that have the potential to hinder the systematic operationalization of ‘sustainable agriculture’, such as the integration of a social dimension of sustainable agriculture. Full article

The Internet of Things (IoT) is comprised of connected devices which are equipped with sensors, actuators, and applications to provide services for enabling those objects to connect and exchange data. For these connected devices and the IoT network environment, heterogeneous protocols and frameworks have been published and applied to provide novel IoT services in our daily life. On the Internet, most of the services are provided by existing web service providers which are based on the high-performance processor, storage, and stable power supply. However, devices of the IoT are developed for constrained environments using the small size of equipment to provide seamless services ubiquitously. For accessing the constrained devices and existing web service providers using the clients in the IoT networks such as smart homes, the services of servers from the devices and web service providers shall be discovered by the clients using a consistent discovery service. In this paper, a consistent registration and discovery scheme is proposed for the devices and web service providers in the Open Connectivity Foundation (OCF)-based IoT network. For supporting the proposed scheme, an embedded resource directory (RD) server is proposed to provide a consistent registration service that is used for publishing information of devices and web service providers. For the registration, a unified profile format is used that is based on the RESTful API Modeling Language to describes the information of devices and web service providers. Furthermore, the discovery service provides the consistent interface to discover the registered devices and web service providers by the client using the unified user interface. Accordingly, the client can access the resources of devices and web service providers based on the discovered information. Full article

: In this paper, the time-varying volatility feedback of nine series of energy prices is researched by employing the time-varying parameter stochastic volatility in mean (TVP-SVM) model. The major findings and conclusions can be grouped as follows: Significant differences exist in the time-varying volatility feedback among the nine major energy productions. Specifically, crude oil and diesel’s price volatility has a remarkable positive time-varying effect on their returns. Yet the returns, for natural gas and most petroleum products are negatively affected by their price volatility over time. Furthermore, obvious structural break features exist in the time-varying volatility feedback of energy prices, which coincide with the breakpoints in the energy volatility. This indicates that some factors such as major global economic and geopolitical events that cause the sudden structural breaks in the energy volatility may also affect the volatility feedback of the energy price. Moreover, the volatility feedback in energy price will become weak and even have no impact on energy returns in some special periods when the energy price volatility is extremely high. Full article

How to combine disaster prevention and mitigation, post-disaster reconstruction and poverty alleviation has become a new hot issue. On 12 May 2008, a major earthquake devastated the Wenchuan area in Sichuan Province in the heartland of China. After ten-years have passed, it is a good time to review what we learned from the Great Wenchuan earthquake. The impact of Wenchuan earthquake on poverty-stricken counties, poverty-stricken villages, and poverty-stricken households was analyzed. Suggestions for improving the method of combining disaster prevention, post-disaster reconstruction, and poverty alleviation were proposed. The results from this research could serve as an important reference for formulation of the poverty alleviation and development program after a major earthquake. Full article

Income inequality and consumption gaps between urban and rural residents are prominent problems in the economic transition phase of China. Stimulating consumption, expanding domestic demand, and shifting development modes are inevitable choices for maintaining China’s economy with healthy, stable, and endogenous growth, and the key premise is to clarify the coordination relationship between residents’ income and consumption. In view of that, this study incorporates the spatial factors of three economic zones and time factors of China’s economic transition into an analytical framework. By transforming discrete data into continuous functions, we compared the regional differences and temporal characteristics of the relationship between residents’ income and consumption based on the two perspectives of static absolute level and dynamic growing speed. The result shows that: (1) There are significant differences in the absolute levels of original income and consumption among residents in the eastern, middle, and western regions of China, whereas the growing velocity and acceleration of income and consumption do not have significant regional differences. (2) There is a highly positive canonical correlation both in the absolute growth amount and dynamic growth potential of residents’ income and consumption, whereas their nonlinear co-variation has obvious temporal characteristics, and the degree of canonical correlation has significant regional differences. Based on these conclusions, China’s government need not consider regional factors too much when formulating and implementing policies to narrow residents’ income gap and stimulating consumption in order to expand domestic demand, but should discriminate the specific coevolving period of income and consumption and take into account the difference in average consumption rate of different social strata. Full article

Delivery of affordable healthcare services to communities is a necessary precondition to poverty alleviation. Co-creation approaches to the development of business models in the healthcare industry proved particularly suitable for improving the health-seeking behavior of BOP patients. However, scant research was conducted to understand BOP consumers’ decision-making process leading to specific healthcare choices in slum settings, and the relative balance of socio-cultural and socio-economic factors underpinning patients’ preferences. This article adopts a mixed-method approach to investigate the determinants of BOP patients’ choice between private and public hospitals. Quantitative analysis of a database, composed of 436 patients from five hospitals in Ahmedabad, India, indicates that BOP patients visit a public hospital significantly more than top-of-the-pyramid (TOP) patients. However, no significant difference emerges between BOP and TOP patients for inpatient or outpatient treatments. Qualitative findings based on 21 interviews with BOP consumers from selected slum areas led to the development of a grounded theory model, which highlights the role of aspirational demand of BOP patients toward private healthcare providers. Overall, healthcare provider choice emerges as the outcome of a collective socio-cultural decision-making process, which often assigns preference for private healthcare services because of the higher perceived quality of private providers, while downplaying affordability concerns. Implications for healthcare providers, social entrepreneurs, and policy-makers are discussed. Full article

The Chinese government is undergoing a major reform. The current core task of new Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR) is to establish a national territorial spatial planning system (NTSPS). Urban agglomeration has become a main body in NTSPS. China’s new urbanization strategy identified 19 key development areas of urban agglomerations (UA), but the land development path is not clear. Due to the lack of research on the land development intensity evaluation (LDIE) of urban agglomerations, this study applied a GIS-based, multi-criteria method for LDIE to the Shandong Peninsular urban agglomeration (SPUA). Evaluation indices were determined for three factors (development intensity, supporting capacity, and utilization efficiency) that comprise the discriminant model of the three-dimensional matrix method, which was used to establish the method for this topic and demonstrate the accuracy of the land spatial development intensity. This empirical study on the SPUA indicated that, overall, the average indices for development intensity, supporting capacity, and utilization efficiency in the study area are 0.40, 0.34, and 0.55, respectively. Using the three-dimensional matrix discrimination model, three zones of development intensity were identified: key, stable, and restricted development zones. The threshold values for construction land growth in the eight cities of the SPUA were obtained. The findings provide a theoretical reference and guide for the practical application of LDIE as well as a scientific basis for sustainable land development and utilization. Full article

Ecological protection and restoration results in a series of complicated changes in land cover. Lack of research on the historical and potential effects of land cover change on ecosystem service value (ESV) hinders decision-making on trade-offs involved in environmental management. To address this gap, the effects of land cover change on ESV in the upper reaches of the Heihe River Basin in northwestern China were evaluated. First, on the basis of land cover maps for 2001, 2008 and 2015, the land cover map for 2029 was predicted with CA-Markov model. Then, the changes in ESV resulting from land cover change were valuated with the benefit transfer method. The results showed that the total ESV increased from $1207.33 million (USD) in 2001 to $1479.48 million (USD) in 2015, and the value was expected to reach $1574.53 million (USD) in 2029. The increase in ESV can be mainly attributed to expansion in areas of wetland. In this study, the elastic index was applied to identify areas that were more sensitive to ecological management, aiding in selecting sites for investment in ecological protection and restoration programs. Furthermore, the potential effects of land cover change on ESV was evaluated. The results are of great importance for guiding future ecological management. Full article

A growing body of research suggests that the composition of a firm’s board of directors can influence its environmental, social and governance (ESG) performance. In the banking industry, ESG performance has not yet been explored to discover how a critical mass of women on the board of directors affects performance. This paper seeks to fill this gap in the literature by testing the impact of a critical mass of female directors on ESG performance. Other board characteristics are accounted for: independence, size, frequency of meetings and Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) sustainability committee. We use fixed effects panel regression models on a sample of 108 listed banks in Europe and the United States for the period 2011–2016. Our main empirical evidence shows that the relationship between women on the board of directors and a bank’s ESG performance is an inverted U-shape. Therefore, the critical mass theory for banks is not supported, confirming that only gender-balanced boards positively impact a bank’s performance for sustainability. There is a positive link between ESG performance and board size or the presence of a CSR sustainability committee, while it is negative with the share of independent directors. With this work, we stress the key role of corporate governance principles in banks’ ESG performance, with relevant implications for both banks and supervisory authorities. Full article

In the past, research addressing the issues reflecting industrial needs for sustainability-related curriculum design in higher education has been limited. To narrow this gap and to provide students with better business sustainability curricula, we propose employing a mapping concept to extract the opinions and needs of industrial professionals. A total of 14 industrial professionals were invited to brainstorm on topics of business sustainability to be included in the curriculum, and we were able to obtain 52 topics. The participants were then asked to group the topics on the basis of their own perception of similarity, and rated their importance and difficulty levels. To associate the topics into clusters, we conducted multidimensional scaling and hierarchical cluster analysis. We achieved five clusters: resource usage reduction and management, corporate governance and labor safety, business sustainability practices, employee rights and community involvement, and knowledge of the regulations. A derived importance–performance analysis (dIPA) was later implemented to further categorize the topics on the basis of the distinct levels of importance and difficulty of each topic. The four quadrants in dIPA could act as guidelines for designing a series of progressive courses on business sustainability in higher education. Full article

Non-observable board diversity is an important organizational strategy for improving the long-term growth and survivability of firms. The involvement of corporate sustainability (CS) in top management teams has led to effective boards. By using agency theory, we stress how financially qualified directors (FQD) in audit committees (ACs) may positively or negatively affect the practice of earnings management (EM). We also use various theories to explain how a powerful chief executive officer (CEO) complicates the effectiveness of AC and reduces their ability to detect EM practices. Using a sample of 1020 firm-year observations representing 204 non-financial listed Pakistani firms during 2013–2017, we find that the presence of FQD on the AC is associated with lower levels of EM. Our analysis shows that this effect is driven by the level of FQDs’ accounting knowledge. Full article

A better understanding of the effect of long-term tillage management on soil properties and yield is essential for sustainable food production. This research aimed to evaluate the 37-year impact of different tillage systems and cover cropping on soil hydro-physical properties at 0–15 and 15–30 cm, as well as on soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr] yield. The long-term experiment was located in Jackson, TN, and the different treatments involved in this study were no-tillage (NT), disk (DP), chisel (CP), moldboard plow (MP), and no-tillage with winter wheat [Triticum aestivum (L.)] cover crop (NTW). Forty-five days after the tillage operation, MP showed a comparable bulk density (BD) with NT, NTW, and CP at 0–15 cm depth. At surface depth, No-tillage systems increased cone penetration resistance (PR) by 12% compared with the reduced tillage systems, and 47% relative to MP. Wet aggregate stability (WAS) at surface depth was 27% and 36% greater for NT systems than for reduced and conventional tillage systems, respectively. Similarly, the geometric mean diameter (GMD) of aggregates was significantly higher under NT and NTW. However, water infiltration and field-saturated hydraulic conductivity (K_fs) did not differ significantly among tillage systems. The greatest soybean yield was obtained from CP and DP, producing 10% higher yield than NTW. Overall, 37 years of no-tillage, with or without simplified cover cropping did not result in a consistent improvement in soybean yield and soil physical properties with the exception of having improved soil aggregation. Full article

As the processes of globalization and localization deepen, spatial externalities of economic growth are becoming increasingly apparent. The agglomeration mechanisms and spillover effects of China’s regional economic growth are also gradually gaining attention. Nevertheless, there is a continuing lack of research at the prefecture and county levels. As a result, building on the foundations of new economic geography and centered on the concept of market potential, this paper used spatial econometrics and panel data from Chinese counties to calculate inequality in the economic growth of counties at the prefecture level for the period 1992–2013. It also investigated the agglomeration versus economic inequality trade-off as well as quantitatively measuring spatial spillover effects at the county and prefecture level in China. The results showed that economic agglomeration, represented by market potential, had a significant influence on economic growth at the prefecture level in China. In addition, economic agglomeration exacerbated regional economic inequality, but economic inequality within a controllable range was found to have a positive influence on economic growth. Thus, there is a trade-off between economic growth and economic agglomeration. Economic growth at the prefecture level in China is not yet free of the effects of basic factors of production, and direct spillover effects, represented by market potential, have the most significant and strongest positive influence on economic growth. Moreover, it was found that the economic growth of prefectures was inseparable from the random impacts of surrounding prefectures and that it was also affected by indirect spatial spillover effects. On the whole, the rational use of the benefits of regional economic agglomeration and spillover effects, the gradual removal of market barriers, and the transformation of the development of prefecture-level economic growth will be the keys to prefecture-level economic development in the future. Full article

Overloaded heavy vehicles (HVs) have significant negative impacts on traffic conditions due to their inferior driving performance. Highway authorities need to understand the impact of overloaded HVs to assess traffic conditions and set management strategies. We propose a multi-class traffic flow model based on Smulders fundamental diagram to analyze the influence of overloaded HVs on traffic conditions. The relationship between the overloading ratio and maximum speed is established by freeway toll collection data for different types of HVs. Dynamic passenger car equivalent factors are introduced to represent the various impacts of overloaded HVs in different traffic flow patterns. The model is solved analytically and discussed in detail in the appendices. The model validation results show that the proposed model can represent traffic conditions more accurately with consideration for overloaded HVs. The scenario tests indicate that the increase of overloaded HVs leads to both a higher congestion level and longer duration. Full article

The UK food industry faces significant challenges to remain sustainable. With major challenges, such as Brexit, on the horizon, companies can no longer rely on a low labour cost workforce to maintain low production costs and achieve economic sustainability. Smart Systems (SS) is being seen as an approach towards achieving significant improvements in both economic and environmental sustainability. However, there is little evidence to indicate whether UK food companies are prepared for the implementation of such systems. The purpose of this research is to explore the applicability of Smart Systems in UK food manufacturing companies, and to identify the key priority areas and improvement levers for the implementation of such systems. A triangulated primary research approach is adopted that includes a questionnaire, follow-up interviews, and visits to 32 food manufacturing companies in the UK. The questionnaire and interviews are guided by a unique measuring instrument that the authors developed that focusses upon SS technologies and systems. This paper makes an original contribution in that it is one of the few academic studies to explore the implementation of SS in the industry, and provides a new perspective on the key drivers and inhibitors of its implementation. The findings suggest that the current turbulence in the industry could be bringing food companies closer to the adoption of such systems; hence, it is a good time to define and develop the optimum SS implementation strategy. Full article

The disposal of a large amount of biogas residue from anaerobically digested food waste is a burden for biogas production. The aim of this work was to investigate biogas residue as a potential feedstock, by preparing biochar at a broad pyrolysis temperature range of 400–900 °C. The properties required for phosphorus recovery and soil amendment application were evaluated. Biogas residue collected from an urban food waste treatment plant was pyrolyzed in a laboratory scale reactor. It was found that by increasing the pyrolysis temperature, the yield of biochar decreased and the pH, electrical conductivity and Brunauer–Emmett–Teller surface area increased. The amount of phosphorus adsorbed onto the biogas residue-derived biochar (BRB) at 900 °C was larger than that of other kinds of biochar. The kinetics of phosphorus (P) adsorption on BRB could be described by the pseudo-second-order equation. The pot experiments showed that the resulting biochar is beneficial for the growth of cabbage. Overall, turning solid residue from the anaerobic digestion of food waste for biogas production into biochar shows good prospects as a means of solving the disposal problem, while creating new markets for food waste biogas residue. Full article

The aim of this study is to suggest planning strategies for managing comfortable thermal environments in urban areas by local cold air generated in mountains, which finally contributes to making sustainable and eco-friendly cities. For this purpose, we selected urban areas in the Honam Jeongmaek in Korea and analyzed the nighttime cold airflow and altitude of the cold air layer generated in mountains, by using the KALM (Kaltluftabflussmodell) model which calculates the amount of cold air generated during the nighttime without winds. The results of analysis found that the local airflows generated in Mt. Chuwol, Mt. Mudeung, Mt. Cheonun, Mt. Byeongpung and Mt. Geum influenced the entire study site from across Gwangju Metropolitan City to adjacent areas. Therefore, the mountains generated major cold airflows should be designated as the management area for securing cooling function. As a result of detailed analysis, most developed areas, such as Buk-gu, Seo-gu and Nam-gu, as well as industrial areas, did not have a smooth flow, so management strategies were needed. In particular, Mt. Mudeung and Mt. Cheonun were the source areas of the local cold air generation and the generated flows from the mountains could influence into developed areas of Gwangju Metropolitan City. Thus, thorough preservation policies are required for Mt. Mudeung and Mt. Cheonun from development that causes damages to mountainous terrain and topography. This study could support the establishment of systematic management plans of the Honam Jeongmaek in preparation for climate change. In addition, it is expected to be used to develop policies related to the quantitative expansion of mountain areas with cooling functions and the conservation of sustainable mountain areas. Full article

As with environment and sustainable development, there has been a rapid rise in the worldwide consumption of organic foods over the last years, as well as the quickly growing potential of organic markets in China, and their direct influence on consumer health awareness and social opinion. This study provides insights into Chinese consumers’ attitudes toward organic foods and evaluates purchase intention’s impact as a mediator in the relationship between external and internal factors on purchase intention. This empirical study is based on an online questionnaire using a sample of 1421 Chinese consumers. Structural equation modeling (SEM) was used as the main practical approach for data analysis, and six hypotheses were examined. The results show that a more positive attitude on the part of consumers toward organic foods will further reinforce their purchasing intentions, whereas, there was no significant impact of marketing price and communication on consumers’ attitudes toward organic foods. Furthermore, the results show that intention was a full or a whole mediator among the three exogenous constructs of environment awareness, health consciousness, and subjective norms. Based on the findings, marketing communication strategies should concentrate on offering more value to consumers regarding the features of nutritional value. Long-term environment friendliness, health benefits, and social status symbols should be assumed to enhance consumers’ purchase intention in the organic foods industry. Full article

Integrated multimodal mobility (IMM) platforms are being discussed as a promising solution to facilitate the transition to sustainable transport in both urban and rural areas. The idea behind such platforms is to provide a one-stop-shop offering information, booking and payment options for multiple means of transport. The aim of this paper, based on diffusion of innovations theory (DoI), is to investigate the interest in IMM platforms, as well as the factors in potential user groups that may influence the intention to use them. A sample of 711 car-sharing users responded to an online questionnaire containing items on DoI variables, as well as on the specific requirements concerning IMM platforms. The results show that few members of car-sharing schemes have used IMM platforms before, but that the interest in them is generally high. Perceived advantage and personal compatibility show the strongest associations with the intention to adopt IMM platforms followed by innovativeness, observability of use (social visibility of the innovation) and perceived technology security. Additionally, a target group was defined for the efficient and effective promotion of IMM platforms in an early market phase. Measures to promote IMM platforms were suggested based on this group’s perceptions and their specific requirements. Full article