Sustainability

Lack of public support for coastal adaptation can present significant barriers for implementation. In response, policy makers and academics are seeking strategies to build public support for coastal adaptation, which requires a deeper understanding of peoples’ preferences for coastal adaptation and what motives those preferences. Here, we conduct a systematic literature review to understand preferences for coastal adaptation options and the factors influencing these preferences. Ninety peer-reviewed publications meet the inclusion criteria. The findings revealed that hard protection options were often the most frequently preferred, likely due to a desire to maintain current shoreline, for the protection of recreational spaces and private property, and a perceived effectiveness of hard protection options. Soft protection, including nature-based approaches, accommodation, and no action were the next most preferred options. Finally, retreat options were the least preferred, often due to strong place attachment. We identify twenty-eight factors that could influence preferences, with risk perception, place attachment, and financial considerations occurring most frequently in the literature. In the conclusion, we outline the most significant research gaps identified from our analysis and discuss the implication for adaptation research and practice. Full article

Homogeneous charge compression ignition (HCCI) is considered an advanced combustion method for internal combustion engines that offers simultaneous reductions in oxides of nitrogen (NO_x) emissions and increased fuel efficiency. The present study examines the influence of intake air temperature (IAT) and premixed diesel fuel on fuel self-ignition characteristics in a light-duty compression ignition engine. Partial HCCI was achieved by port injection of the diesel fuel through air-assisted injection while sustaining direct diesel fuel injection into the cylinder for initiating combustion. The self-ignition of diesel fuel under such a set-up was studied with variations in premixed ratios (0–0.60) and inlet temperatures (40–100 °C) under a constant 1600 rpm engine speed with 20 Nm load. Variations in performance, emissions and combustion characteristics with premixed fuel and inlet air heating were analysed in comparison with those recorded without. Heat release rate profiles determined from recorded in-cylinder pressure depicted evident multiple-stage ignitions (up to three-stage ignition in several cases) in this study. Compared with the premixed ratio, the inlet air temperature had a greater effect on low-temperature reaction and HCCI combustion timing. Nonetheless, an increase in the premixed ratio was found to be influential in reducing nitric oxides emissions. Full article

During the last several years, a tremendous increase in the popularity of online shopping has been observed. There are several possible reasons behind it, some of them, like competitive pricing, convenience or low cost of information search, considered to be extrinsic, others—like ease of use of this channel, pleasure related to it or willingness to reduce social interactions—intrinsic. The purpose of this research is to evaluate another factor, i.e., consumers’ environmental attitudes, in the perspective of their possible relation with the perception and willingness to use online and conventional shopping channels. In order to achieve this, a self-reporting questionnaire was developed and the data from a representative sample of 1000 Polish Internet users was gathered. The research procedure included cluster analysis, whose objective was to identify groups of customers with similar composition of environmental attitudes and next, a set of Kruskal–Wallis tests, aimed at identifying differences in opinions on channels between these clusters. The research proved that large groups of consumers with consistent sets of environmental attitudes exist and the scope of differences between such clusters is not reduced to a unidimensional, “positive–negative” continuum. Furthermore, there are significant differences between clusters in the declared willingness to use online and conventional shopping channels—groups more environmentally-oriented are more willing to purchase online and trust online shops, although they neither perceive conventional retail in a more negative way nor directly prefer online over conventional channels. The nature of such a phenomenon is open to explanation and interpretation, nevertheless, the research proves that environmental attitudes should be included in future models of consumers’ channel choice. Full article

Numerous contributions corroborate the need to include emotional education and the development of emotional competencies at school to improve students’ school learning and well-being. The present study aims to learn more about the development of emotional competencies in primary school students, taking into account gender differences across different cycles and analyzing the potential link with students’ overall academic performance. Participants were 2389 primary school students (51.2% boys and 48.8% girls), aged from 6 to 12, from 21 public and semi-private schools in Spain. The study is a non-experimental quantitative study, using an ex-post-facto descriptive method. The Emotional Development Questionnaire (CDE 9-13), the Emotional Competencies Observation Scale, and the overall grade point average were applied to the sample. The results show significant differences in favor of girls in the development of most emotional competencies in all three educational cycles. Differences were also observed in academic performance by gender in the primary school cycle, with girls achieving higher grades. At the same time, positive correlations were found between academic performance and emotional competencies. The results confirm the importance of including emotional education in primary education. Full article

This study is an exploration of the digital divide between urban and rural areas, and it was conducted to assess the impact of the minimum living guarantee system on online education in China. The results of the research showed that 83.38% of students in low-income families have been able to participate in online education at home during the pandemic, while 16.62% of students in low-income families have been unable to do so. The absence of computers, smartphones, and broadband Internet access in low-income households reduces the likelihood of children being able to participate in online education at home. In terms of accessing online education at home, students from urban areas have obvious advantages over those from rural ones, and students from minimum living guarantee families have obvious advantages over those from marginal minimum living guarantee ones. This study also showed that the presence of online education-related amenities, including computers, smartphones, and Internet access, mediates the relationship between the subsistence allowance system, Hukou, and accessibility of online education. To address this issue, this paper includes suggestions for bridging the digital divide in online education. Full article

Covering a central theme in corporate law development, this paper discusses the pragmatic utility of the common-law-originated duty of loyalty of company directors in the civil law context of China. The reception of legal transplantation in a host environment remains a contentious theme, and it seems to be an opportune time to study relevant cases that have been adjudicated since China’s statutory inauguration of the directors’ duty of loyalty in 2005, in the sense that more than 10 years of practice has resulted in ample evidence on the practical effects of this transplanted duty. Through an analysis of 526 cases on the basis of eight attributes, we discovered some commendable features, including increasing accessibility of the law and a differentiation of various types of directors’ duties of loyalty. Meanwhile, the selective adoption norm customary to Chinese culture has to a certain extent compromised the intended goals of greater legislative clarity, judicial consistency and in turn balanced and sustainable businesses, demonstrated in several incompatibilities between transplanted duties and domestic legal institutions. Reshaping the conventional transplantation ideal that commercial laws are easily transferable, the paper suggests the construction of a broad collateral regime for greater congruence between laws and existing institutions. Full article

Current European environmental sustainability standards call for achieving a reduction in energy consumption and CO₂ emissions for a horizon set in the year 2050. It has been verified that buildings and cities have a higher incidence in this regard. It is necessary to have tools for initial assessment that can quickly analyse whether the improvement scenarios put forward by different organisations and governments will be able to meet the goals set at European level. Universities are an important factor for the intended change and therefore offer an excellent environment for testing such tools. A case study focusing on a university in northern Spain is presented, through an evaluation tool using 3D models including life-cycle assessment. Different reform scenarios are evaluated for two key years, 2030 and 2050. The novelty lies in considering, not only the impact of the operational phase but also the impact of the different stages of the life cycle and processes, obtaining an impact value closer to reality. The results indicate that, even with major retrofitting and adaptation efforts, the European targets are difficult to achieve by 2050. Moreover, solutions such as biomass help to achieve greenhouse gas reductions but not to improve energy efficiency. Full article

Pre-COVID-19 pandemic, restaurant workers comprised one of the largest workforces in the United States, contributing hundreds of billions of dollars to the national economy. Yet, restaurant workers routinely face customer abuse, meager wages, lack of benefits, sexual harassment, and one of the highest rates of turnover across industries. Given these conditions, this qualitative study investigates how restaurant workers make sense of a contested occupation and manage the stigma associated with their occupation. Specifically, this study examines how food and beverage service workers identify with and navigate a demanding industry while managing the sociocultural assumptions of service work. Using a multi-level discourse analytic framework, we analyze how service workers craft and enact occupational identities. Through an analysis of in-depth interviews with 19 restaurant employees, we demonstrate how people foreground the positive attributes of restaurant work while resisting social Discourses that position the work as dirty, demeaning, emotional, and meaningless. We analyze how workers frame the values of working in restaurants and the communicative strategies they use to navigate stigmatized social interactions, including emphasizing flexibility, empathy, emotion management, and teamwork. Theoretical and practical implications offer suggestions to improve workforce sustainability and working conditions for employees. Full article

Information Modelling and Management (IMM) methods for Most Economically Advantageous Tender (MEAT) can promote the adoption of environmentally sustainable practices. Despite the wide regulatory framework and existing drivers, Construction and Demolition Waste (CDW) trends are still growing. The literature review analyzed IMM and CDW management implementation during design phases although few studies focused on Green Public Procurement (GPP) and CDW management integration from the Public Client’s point of view. This research aims at investigating the integration and efficiency of MEAT and IMM to promote the application of sustainable strategies focused on waste reduction and resource valorization. The study investigates the Public Client’s role in promoting sustainable practices, introducing digital material inventory and BIM during the design phases, and including environmental award criteria in the call for tender documents. A Design Build (DB) procurement model was considered in the case study of a brownfield renovation and the construction of a new school in northern Italy. The methodology provided the Public Client and included a method to evaluate the environmental impact of the bids, allowing for proper selective demolition planning, CDW decrease, and organization while promoting their integration in companies’ expertise and procedures. The replicability of the methodology is demonstrated by positive results of present and previous case studies. Full article

The conservation of fishery resources is a common interest of the international community. In the 1990s, the global fisheries management system was formed based on the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (LOSC). In order to achieve sustainable fisheries management, the international community also adopted a series of legally binding and non-binding policy instruments for the implementation of the global fisheries regime. The regional institutional framework was strengthened and expanded to offer broad coverage worldwide. Based on the analysis of the global fisheries management system, the article concludes that the current legal and policy instruments collectively provide a comprehensive framework for global fisheries management, but there still exist limits in addressing the challenges of fishery resources today. More effective implementation of the current legal system through better cooperation among States, as well as efficient coordination within and between national, regional and global institutions, is required. Full article

In this systematic review we explore the forces that encourage or hinder the adoption of wastewater treatment and/or management technology. Our literature search uncovered 37 sources that discuss these issues. Retrieved sources were then subjected to qualitative synthesis. We adopted a systems-theory perspective in analyzing the qualitative data and provide insights into the interaction between the political environment and societal and organizational systems. Our findings indicate that sustainable change can best be achieved through understanding the interaction between systems and their actual capability to meet the needs of related systems. Societal-level systems emerge as having the possibility to influence the political environment as well as organizations. Full article

In such drought-prone regions as Kazakhstan, research on regional drought characteristics and their formation conditions is of paramount importance for actions to mitigate drought risks caused by climate change. This paper presents the results of research on the spatio-temporal patterns of atmospheric droughts as one of the most important factors hindering the formation of crop yields. The influence of several potential predictors characterizing teleconnection in the coupled “atmosphere–ocean” system and cosmic-geophysical factors affecting their formation is analyzed. The spatial relationships between atmospheric aridity at the individual stations of the investigated area and the wheat yield in Kazakhstan as well as its relationships with potential predictors were determined using econometric methods. High correlation was shown between wheat yield fluctuations and Multivariate El-Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO), galactic cosmic radiation, solar activity, and atmospheric drought expressed through the soil moisture index, which in turn depends on precipitation levels and temperatures. The model could be modified further so that the individual components could be forecasted into the future using various time series in an ARIMA model. The resulting integration of these forecasts would allow the prediction of wheat yields in the future. The obtained results can be used in the process of creating effective mechanisms for adaptation to climate change and droughts based on their early diagnosis. Full article

In the 21st century, to be successful at the workplace and to get their first job, potential employees must have both “soft skills” (“know how to be”) and “hard skills” (“know how to do”). The proposed Soft Skills Training Program (SSTP) combines multiple serious games to train future employees in four key soft skills that are most demanded by companies: intrapersonal, interpersonal, personal social responsibility, and organizational sustainability. These four MacroSoftSkills are subdivided into eight MesoSoftSkills and 21 MicroSoftSkills to establish a complete multilevel structure. The development of soft skills is measured before and after the training using five appraisal questionnaires and tests. The pilot project, aimed at young university and vocational training students, lasted 9 weeks and proved to be effective since the proposed aggregate indicators of soft skills development increased in value, with the results being different across soft skill, gender, and educational center. The contents and length of some of the training sessions should, however, be adjusted to further develop and improve the program. Full article

Total factor productivity (TFP) is critical to the sustainable development of the rural distribution industry. Improvements in productivity of the rural distribution industry can promote the high-quality development of the Chinese distribution industry. Studying the characteristics and influencing factors of total factor productivity in regard to the rural distribution industry in China is significant for promoting the transformation and development of the rural distribution industry. This paper uses the DEA–Malmquist Index to measure the total factor productivity (TFP) of the Chinese rural distribution industry and its decomposition index, and uses a panel data model to empirically study its influencing factors. The results show that, from 2008 to 2018, the TFP of the Chinese rural distribution industry showed a trend of rising first and then fluctuating and declining, with an average annual growth rate of 2.93%; the fluctuation direction of the TFP of the rural distribution industry in the eastern and western regions of China is basically the same, which has had a reverse change relationship with the central and northeast regions for many years. The industrial structure, urbanization rate, rural informatization rate, and conditions of the transportation facilities have significant impacts on the TFP of the rural distribution industry, among which the informatization rate has the greatest positive impact. Full article

In modern aircraft, energy supply management has become a critical matter, since many aboard electrical loads have to be supplied, especially those related to flight safety. However, at the same time, the size and weight of electrical generators must be limited because of their on-board installation. In this paper, the Mixed Integrated Linear Programming (MILP) methodology has been used to formulate the Supervisor definition of the direct current (DC) microgrid (MG) on-board system with an extension for the programmable loads. Due to the problem of dimension increase, two methods have been presented and tested to perform optimal energy management (EM) aboard an aircraft: the Branch and Bound (B&B) and the Linear Regression Approximation (LRA). Finally, numerical simulations and results have been provided to validate the proposed optimization methodologies, according to the dimensions and the complexity of the problem. Full article

With the rapid development of niche tourism, green tourism activity has become known to the wider public. By taking into account the extended theory of planned behaviour (TPB), this study takes natural dyeing experience as a case study, with the aim of determining the tourist purchase intention of green products under the destination experience scenario. A quantitative approach was adopted, and 349 valid sets of data were collected from individuals who have participated in natural dyeing activities. Partial least squares–structural equation modelling (PLS–SEM) analysis was conducted to test the conceptual model. The results indicate that experience value (EV) had a significant impact on green purchase conception and intention. In addition, subjective norm had a significant positive influence on tourism green purchase attitude. However, environmental knowledge failed to predict green purchase attitude and perceived behavioural control. The PLS–SEM analysis confirmed the extended TPB model, which showed relatively good predictive validity. Findings suggest that TPB mediated the relationship between EV and purchase intention. The extended model considerably contributes to improving understanding of the impact on green tourism products and dissects theoretical and practical implications to practitioners. Apart from strengthening the experience value from attaining, learning, escapism, and fantasy aspects, on the basis of previous literature, this study concludes that practically, environmental education regarding the experimental environment in tourism destinations in China should return to green activity itself and induce the support of green tourism products. Tourism marketers should trigger personal green knowledge through sense experience in the process of stimulating and promoting green tourism activities, as well as stimulate purchasing power. Full article

The present study investigated whether the crypto market is a safe haven. The study argues that during the first wave of the COVID-19 crisis, gold and oil, as typical global commodities, could have been diversifiers. The study developed a unique COVID-19 global composite index that measures COVID-19 pandemic time-variant movements on each day. The study used OLS (ordinary least squares), quantile, and robust regressions to check whether the COVID-19 crisis has had any significant direct influence on the crypto market. The OLS, quantile, and robust regressions estimates confirmed that there was no statistically significant direct influence of the COVID-19 crisis on the crypto market in the first wave period. However, the study found spillovers from risky assets (S&P 500) on the crypto market, with Tether as an exception. Due to this special characteristic, Tether might present a safe haven within the crypto market. Full article

Travel time prediction plays a significant role in the traffic data analysis field as it helps in route planning and reducing traffic congestion. In this study, an XGBoost model is employed to predict freeway travel time using probe vehicle data. The effects of different parameters on model performance are investigated and discussed. The optimized model outputs are then compared with another well-known model (i.e., Gradient Boosting model). The comparison results indicate that the XGBoost model has considerable advantages in terms of both prediction accuracy and efficiency. The developed model and analysis results can greatly help the decision makers plan, operate, and manage a more efficient highway system. Full article

Target 12.3 of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) calls for halving per capita global food waste at the retail and consumer levels, by 2030. The Food Waste Index is suggested as a methodology for grasping the situation. This paper focuses on the consumer level (household food waste). We argue that in order for generating useful information for devising and implementing effective measures for reducing food waste, it should be measured at Level 3 of the Food Waste Index, based on sorting analysis of generated waste, and making a distinction between avoidable and non-avoidable food waste. Furthermore, a breakdown by subcategories that reflect the flow of food in the household could help identify target behaviours. We have developed a categorisation scheme that is internationally agreeable and adoptable, and (1) generates useful information for policy-making and for tackling with reduction of food waste, (2) makes clear the concept of avoidable food waste, and (3) is practical and does not overcomplicate the work of grasping the situation of food wastage. Results of workshops regarding this scheme suggest that the scheme satisfies the criteria. This scheme has been applied to a few sorting analyses of household food waste in Japan, and their results are compared. Full article