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Ecosystem Services, Green Innovation and Sustainable Development

A special issue of Sustainability (ISSN 2071-1050). This special issue belongs to the section "Sustainable Management".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (5 December 2024) | Viewed by 4298

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
Centre of Applied Research in Management and Economics (CARME), School of Technology and Management (ESTG), Polytechnic University of Leiria, 2411-901 Leiria, Portugal
Interests: deep learning; decision tree; regression model; ocean ecosystem services; green innovation

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Centre of Applied Research in Management and Economics (CARME), School of Technology and Management (ESTG), Polytechnic University of Leiria, 2411-901 Leiria, Portugal
Interests: water governance; energy saving in water and wastewater systems; lifecycle assessment (LCA); water economy
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Ecosystem services, green innovation, and sustainable development are intricately linked concepts that underscore humanity’s need to balance environmental conservation with economic progress. Ecosystem services refer to the benefits that humans derive from nature, including clean air and water, pollination of crops, climate regulation, and recreational opportunities. These services are vital for human well-being and economic prosperity. However, they are often taken for granted and undervalued, leading to their degradation through activities such as deforestation, pollution, and overexploitation of natural resources. Green innovation encompasses the development and adoption of technologies, practices, and policies that minimize environmental impact and promote sustainability. This includes renewable energy sources, eco-friendly materials, waste reduction strategies, and efficient resource management techniques. Green innovation drives economic growth by fostering new industries, creating jobs, and enhancing competitiveness while reducing ecological footprint. Sustainable development seeks to meet the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. It integrates economic, social, and environmental considerations to ensure long-term viability and equity. Sustainable development recognizes the interdependence of ecological health, human well-being, and economic prosperity, emphasizing the need for holistic and integrated approaches to decision-making. The relevance between these topics is clear: ecosystem services provide the foundation for human prosperity and well-being, but they are threatened by unsustainable practices. Green innovation offers solutions to mitigate these threats by promoting resource efficiency, reducing pollution, and enhancing resilience to environmental change. Sustainable development provides the framework for integrating these solutions into policy and decision-making processes, ensuring that economic growth is pursued in a way that preserves and enhances ecosystem services for current and future generations. In essence, ecosystem services, green innovation, and sustainable development are interconnected pillars of a holistic approach to addressing the complex challenges facing humanity in the 21st century, ensuring a harmonious coexistence between human society and the natural world.

In this Special Issue, original research articles and reviews are welcome. Research keywords may include (but are not limited to) the following:

  • Assessment of Ecosystem Services in Urban Environments;
  • Technological Innovations for Sustainable Agriculture;
  • Impact of Climate Change on Ecosystem Services;
  • Circular Economy Models and Green Innovation;
  • Ecosystem-Based Approaches to Coastal Zone Management;
  • Green Infrastructure for Urban Resilience;
  • Innovation in Renewable Energy Technologies;
  • Socioeconomic Impacts of Ecosystem Services Degradation;
  • Policy Instruments for Promoting Green Innovation;
  • Integration of Indigenous Knowledge and Practices in Sustainable Development.

We look forward to receiving your contributions.

Dr. Ronnie Figueiredo
Dr. Eleonora Santos
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Sustainability is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • ecosystem services
  • green innovation
  • sustainable development
  • climate change
  • renewable energy
  • biodiversity conservation
  • circular economy
  • urban resilience
  • policy instruments
  • socioeconomic impacts

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Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

23 pages, 771 KiB  
Article
Steering Sustainability: The Interplay of CEO Imprints, Organizational Performance, and Government Policies in Green Innovation
by Feifei Lu, Sixian Du, Khalid Mehmood and Muhammad Mohsin Hakeem
Sustainability 2025, 17(3), 1234; https://doi.org/10.3390/su17031234 - 4 Feb 2025
Viewed by 1020
Abstract
How do CEOs’ unique early-life experiences—particularly those shaped by formative influences such as military training—impact their subsequent strategic decision-making in green innovation? By integrating upper-echelon theory, imprinting theory, and the green innovation literature, this paper explores whether and when a CEO’s military background [...] Read more.
How do CEOs’ unique early-life experiences—particularly those shaped by formative influences such as military training—impact their subsequent strategic decision-making in green innovation? By integrating upper-echelon theory, imprinting theory, and the green innovation literature, this paper explores whether and when a CEO’s military background influences a firm’s adoption of green innovation practices, specifically within an emerging market context. Analyzing a sample of 1419 Chinese listed firms over the period from 2007 to 2016, our results reveal a significant positive effect of a CEO’s military experience on the firm’s green innovation performance. Furthermore, we find that a firm’s positive financial performance amplifies the influence of the CEO’s military imprint on green innovation outcomes. However, the intensity of government environmental regulation moderates this effect, weakening the relationship between the CEO’s personal values and the firm’s green innovation performance. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Ecosystem Services, Green Innovation and Sustainable Development)
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19 pages, 1376 KiB  
Article
Promoting Green R&D to Allow Green Products to Outcompete Non-Green Products: Subsidize Consumers or Manufacturers?
by Qixiang Yuan and Lin Sun
Sustainability 2025, 17(3), 832; https://doi.org/10.3390/su17030832 - 21 Jan 2025
Viewed by 812
Abstract
Although green R&D is recognized as an effective approach to achieving sustainability goals, the adoption of green technology has not been ideal. As such, many governments support green R&D by subsidizing manufacturers’ green R&D or consumers’ sustainable purchases. Accordingly, we develop two theoretic [...] Read more.
Although green R&D is recognized as an effective approach to achieving sustainability goals, the adoption of green technology has not been ideal. As such, many governments support green R&D by subsidizing manufacturers’ green R&D or consumers’ sustainable purchases. Accordingly, we develop two theoretic models, where a manufacturer engages in green R&D to compete with a competitor who focuses on producing non-green products, and the government promotes green R&D by either (a) subsidizing consumers (Model C) or (b) subsidizing manufacturers (Model M). Our analysis reveals that the implications of subsidizing consumers and manufacturers are quite different from each other. In particular, we find that although the incentive for green R&D in Model C is always lower than that in Model M, the former scenario enables the manufacturer to benefit more from the subsidy policy. As such, we suggest that if the government cares more about how green R&D affects environmental performance, it should pay more attention to subsidizing manufacturers. However, if the government cares more about manufacturers’ profits from green products, it should subsidize consumers. Finally, it should be noted that subsidizing consumers hurts the competitor more. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Ecosystem Services, Green Innovation and Sustainable Development)
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17 pages, 280 KiB  
Article
Are Climate Change Strategies Effective in Managing Urban Water Resources? The Case of Portugal
by Eleonora Santos
Sustainability 2024, 16(22), 9664; https://doi.org/10.3390/su16229664 - 6 Nov 2024
Viewed by 1552
Abstract
This study examines the relationship between climate mitigation, adaptation strategies, and water management practices in Portugal from 2015 to 2021. Utilizing climate and water resource data from 2015 to 2021, including meteorological data (emperature, rainfall), wastewater treatment volumes, and energy efficiency metrics, the [...] Read more.
This study examines the relationship between climate mitigation, adaptation strategies, and water management practices in Portugal from 2015 to 2021. Utilizing climate and water resource data from 2015 to 2021, including meteorological data (emperature, rainfall), wastewater treatment volumes, and energy efficiency metrics, the data are sourced from national agencies such as IPMA, ERSAR, APA, and Eurostat. The methodology employs correlation analysis to assess the relationships between climate variables (e.g., temperature, rainfall) and water resource indicators (e.g., reclaimed wastewater, energy efficiency). Despite notable reductions in greenhouse gas emissions and improvements in wastewater treatment efficiency, water resource stability remains a complex issue, particularly with regional disparities such as severe droughts in the Algarve. Additionally, the study evaluates the effectiveness of rainwater harvesting systems, reclaimed wastewater, and infiltration facilities, revealing a decline in reclaimed wastewater efficiency despite increased wastewater treatment. Rainwater harvesting systems (RWHSs) offer resilience, but their broader adoption is hindered by high costs and public perception challenges. Key recommendations include the development of resilient infrastructure, enhanced support for reclaimed water use, and increased investment in research to address water management challenges amid climate variability. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Ecosystem Services, Green Innovation and Sustainable Development)
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