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Scientific Research on Sustainable Development Goals

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A special issue of Sustainability (ISSN 2071-1050).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 December 2021) | Viewed by 89921

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Special Issue Editors

Dr. Nuno Crespo

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Guest Editor

Business Research Unit (BRU), Instituto Universitário de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal
Interests: international economy; health economics; macroeconomics; labor economics
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Prof. Dr. Nádia Simões

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Guest Editor

Department of Economics, Instituto Universitário de Lisboa (ISCTE-IUL), 1649-026 Lisbon, Portugal
Interests: personnel economics; human capital; education; job quality; entrepreneurship; bibliometrics
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The definition, in 2015, of the 17 sustainable development goals is a critical milestone in the global agenda for a sustainable world.

The broad objectives established for a better world by 2030 represent a very important incentive to new academic research. This is vital to provide a deeper understanding of the main challenges, and the steps already taken, in this area.

Taking this general context as background, this Special Issue intends to publish high-quality scientific contributions that provide the following:

Ø A survey (literature review) concerning theoretical and/or empirical literature on a specific sustainable development goal;

Ø A bibliometric analysis of the main topics/authors in this area of research;

Ø A meta-analysis of the empirical evidence produced in what concerns a specific sustainable development goal;

Ø Contributions for a more comprehensive/refined/detailed measurement of the results obtained in one or more of the sustainable development goals. This could be directly linked with the targets defined or aim to capture new relevant dimensions;

Ø Comparative evaluations of the levels already achieved in a specific sustainable development goal in the context of a group of countries;

Ø An econometric analysis of the core determinants of performance in regarding one or more sustainable development goals.

References:

Griggs, D., Stafford-Smith, M., Gaffney, O., Rockström, J., Ohman, M. C., Shyamsundar, P., Steffen, W., Glaser, G., Kanie, N., & Noble, I. (2013). Sustainable development goals for people and planet. Nature, 495, 305–307.

Hák, T., Janoušková, S., & Moldan, B. (2016). Sustainable Development Goals: A need for relevant indicators. Ecological Indicators, 60, 565-573.

Nilsson, M., Chisholm, E., Griggs, D., Howden-Chapman, P., McCollum, D., Messerli, P., Neumann, B., Stevance, A.-S., Visbeck, M., & Stafford-Smith, M. (2018). Mapping interactions between the sustainable development goals: Lessons learned and ways forward. Sustainability Science, 13, 1489–1503.

Robert, K. W., Parris, T. M., & Leiserowitz, A. A. (2005). What is sustainable development? Goals, indicators, values, and practice. Environment: science and policy for sustainable development, 47, 8-21.

Sachs, J. D. (2012). From millennium development goals to sustainable development goals. The Lancet, 379, 2206-2211.

Dr. Nuno Crespo
Prof. Nádia Simões
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

sustainable development goals
indicators
bibliometrics
survey
econometrics
meta-analysis

Published Papers (10 papers)

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Research

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34 pages, 1058 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Going Beyond Global Indicators—Policy Relevant Indicators for SDG 6 Targets in the Context of Austria

by Verena Germann and Günter Langergraber

Sustainability 2022, 14(3), 1647; https://doi.org/10.3390/su14031647 - 31 Jan 2022

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 3553

Abstract

Bringing forward sustainable transformation as envisioned within the Agenda 2030 requires comprehensive monitoring of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) formulated therein. To monitor and report progress on goal 6 on clean water and sanitation and its eight pertinent targets, 11 indicators were stipulated in an elaborated process. Yet, through continuous scientific and public scrutiny and debate several gaps and weaknesses were identified. Amongst others, these globally defined indicators are found to reflect weakly the diversity of national realities, capacities and levels of development. To translate the targets into national contexts and fully cover all aspects of the SDG 6 targets, the utilization of complementary indicators is recommended. Within this paper, following a critical appraisal of the SDG 6 indicators, possible complementary indicators are collected from literature and screened based on their quality, relevance for the national context and data availability. A deepened status quo of the SDG 6 targets and corresponding problem areas are outlined for the context of Austria, where water and sanitation infrastructure as well as regulation and governance of water bodies are widely established. Despite increasing the monitoring effort, it is concluded that complementary indicators are practicable to support coherent policy-making and ultimately contribute to the Agenda 2030’s aspiration that all countries take action. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Scientific Research on Sustainable Development Goals)

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16 pages, 4534 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Erasmus+ Programme and Sustainable Development Goals—Contribution of Mobility Actions in Higher Education

by Teresa Nogueiro, Margarida Saraiva, Fátima Jorge and Elisa Chaleta

Sustainability 2022, 14(3), 1628; https://doi.org/10.3390/su14031628 - 30 Jan 2022

Cited by 14 | Viewed by 4143

Abstract

Erasmus+ is an EU programme in the fields of education, training, youth and sport for the period 2014–2021 with a major impact at the international level. These areas are making important contributions to help address socioeconomic changes and the key challenges that Europe will face until the end of the decade as well as to support the implementation of the European policy agenda for growth, jobs, equity and social inclusion. The general objectives of the Erasmus+ Programme are intended to contribute to the overall achievement of the objectives of the Europe 2020 Strategy, among others related to sustainable development. Therefore, the main question is: “To which Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) do the Erasmus+ Programme and the mobility projects for higher education directly contribute to?” The answer to this question will allow us to start filling the knowledge gap at the borderline between SDG and Erasmus+. The purpose of this research is to identify, among the 17 SDGs, those that could be more relevant in the context of mobility projects in higher education within the Erasmus+ Programme and how these projects contribute to these identified SDGs. Through the analysis of the general objective of the Erasmus+ Programme, its most important characteristics and the objectives of Key Action 1 and mobility projects, we can conclude that, from the 2030 Agenda, the most relevant SDGs for the programme and for the action and mobility projects are 4 (quality education), 5 (gender equality) and 8 (decent work and economic growth). Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Scientific Research on Sustainable Development Goals)

27 pages, 6119 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Towards Effective Environmental Sustainability Reporting in the Large Industrial Sector of Bahrain

by Abdulkarim Hasan Rashed, Suad Ahmed Rashdan and Ahmed Y. Ali-Mohamed

Sustainability 2022, 14(1), 219; https://doi.org/10.3390/su14010219 - 26 Dec 2021

Cited by 7 | Viewed by 4159

Abstract

The industrial sector plays a vital role in economic development; therefore, there is a necessity to integrate sustainability into industrial development to maintain the economy and avoid any degradation impacts on the environment, and thereafter on society. Thus, do Bahraini companies have sustainability reports and if so, are these reports based on GRI guidelines? Has the status of their sustainability reports been analyzed? This research aims to examine the sustainability reports of companies by analyzing the status of sustainability aspects in their materiality matrices to assist in identifying and prioritizing the most significant sustainability issues for advancement in their future reporting and to improve their environmental performance. This study employs a content analysis approach and analyzes 11 reports from the period 2016–2020 for three companies in Bahrain’s large industrial sector. The study reveals that the companies using materiality analysis in their reporting benefit from better monitoring and measuring of their environmental performance, and from implementing SDGs. Furthermore, the study indicates that the utilization of a materiality matrix as a reporting tool can define and improve report contents by considering stakeholders’ views, consequently, improving the quality of the sustainability reports. The study concludes by proposing a set of recommendations. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Scientific Research on Sustainable Development Goals)

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22 pages, 3367 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Transitioning to Low-Carbon Economies under the 2030 Agenda: Minimizing Trade-Offs and Enhancing Co-Benefits of Climate-Change Action for the SDGs

by Gabriela Ileana Iacobuţă, Niklas Höhne, Heleen Laura van Soest and Rik Leemans

Sustainability 2021, 13(19), 10774; https://doi.org/10.3390/su131910774 - 28 Sep 2021

Cited by 16 | Viewed by 4522

Abstract

The 2030 Agenda with its Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the Paris Agreement on climate change were adopted in 2015. Although independently defined, the two agreements are strongly interlinked. We developed a framework that scores the impacts of climate-change actions on all SDG targets based on directionality (i.e., trade-offs or co-benefits) and likelihood of occurrence (i.e., ubiquitous or context-dependent), and categorizes them by dependence on four key context dimensions—geographical, governance, time horizon and limited natural resources. Through an extensive literature review, we found that climate-change mitigation measures directly affect most SDGs and their targets, mostly through co-benefits. Improving energy efficiency, reducing energy-services demand and switching to renewables provide the most co-benefits. In contrast, carbon capture and storage and nuclear energy likely lead to multiple trade-offs. We show how understanding the relevant context dimensions facilitates policy design and policy mixes that enhance co-benefits and minimize trade-offs. Finally, by assessing the prevalence of climate-change mitigation measures in G20 countries, we found that measures with more co-benefits are more frequently adopted. Our study advances the knowledge of climate–SDG interactions, contributing to climate and sustainable development governance research, and facilitating policy design for a joint implementation of the Paris Agreement and the 2030 Agenda. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Scientific Research on Sustainable Development Goals)

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15 pages, 960 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Quantitative Analysis of the Impact of Public Policies on the Sustainable Development Goals through Budget Allocation and Indicators

by Raffaele Sisto, Javier García López, Alberto Quintanilla, Álvaro de Juanes, Dalia Mendoza, Julio Lumbreras and Carlos Mataix

Sustainability 2020, 12(24), 10583; https://doi.org/10.3390/su122410583 - 17 Dec 2020

Cited by 17 | Viewed by 5653

Abstract

Measuring the advances performed in the 2030 Agenda and the contribution of public policies remains a key issue. Budgets are acknowledged as one of the most powerful tools made available to administrations to push forward this contribution, and so several initiatives have risen to align budget items and Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) performance at all levels. The aim of this paper is to go beyond simple alignment and statistically analyze the interlinkages between budget and SDG achievement data. We have used the Spanish local administrations budget, together with indicators used to measure the 2030 Agenda goals at the same level, and computed a correlation test in order to find where budget allocation has an impact. We have then looked further into the relevant impacts to split them into direct and indirect. The research found ca. 25% of the budget items with relevant statistical links to the SDGs, with the SDGs 11 and 15 being the least impacted and SDGs 1, 4, 7, 8 and 16 the most connected ones. This research aims to set the bases of an evidence-based decision-support tool for a more efficient and sustainable policy design. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Scientific Research on Sustainable Development Goals)

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24 pages, 1699 KiB

Open AccessArticle

How Is Progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals Measured? Comparing Four Approaches for the EU

by Guillaume Lafortune, Grayson Fuller, Guido Schmidt-Traub and Christian Kroll

Sustainability 2020, 12(18), 7675; https://doi.org/10.3390/su12187675 - 17 Sep 2020

Cited by 42 | Viewed by 14816

Abstract

Evidence-based policymaking must be rooted in sound data to inform policy priorities, budget allocations, and tracking of progress. This is especially true in the case of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), as they provide the policy framework that all 193 UN member states have pledged to achieve by 2030. Good data and clear metrics are critical for each country to take stock of where it stands, devise pathways for achieving the goals, and track progress. Current assessments of the EU’s performance on the SDGs, however, tend to reach different findings and policy conclusions on where the priorities for further action lie, which can be confusing for researchers and policymakers. In order to demystify the drivers of such differences and make them transparent, this paper compares and contrasts the results obtained by four SDG monitoring approaches. We identify three main elements that are responsible for most of the differences: (i) the use of pre-defined targets for calculating baseline assessments and countries’ trajectories; (ii) the inclusion of measures that track not only domestic performance, but also the EU’s transboundary impacts on the rest of the world; and (iii) the use of non-official statistics to bridge data gaps, especially for biodiversity goals. This paper concludes that there is not one “correct” way of providing an assessment of whether the EU and EU member states are on track to achieve the goals, but we illustrate how the different results are the outcomes of certain methodological choices. More “forward-looking” policy trackers are needed to assess implementation efforts on key SDG transformations. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Scientific Research on Sustainable Development Goals)

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17 pages, 1323 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Research and Development as a Moderating Variable for Sustainable Economic Performance: The Asian, European, and Kuwaiti Models

by Ahmad Salman, Ali Al-Hemoud, Saja A. Fakhraldeen, Maha Al-Nashmi, Suad M. AlFadhli and Sungsoo Chun

Sustainability 2020, 12(18), 7525; https://doi.org/10.3390/su12187525 - 11 Sep 2020

Cited by 8 | Viewed by 3635

Abstract

The research and development (R&D) expenditure in Kuwait is insufficient to lead to innovation and a knowledge economy. Investment in R&D has been shown to sustain elevated economic performance. The objective of this study is to explore the association between three competing dimensions of R&D indicators that lead to sustainable economic performance within any given country, namely, R&D expenditure, the number of researchers, and the number of patent rights, using time-series data collected over a 20-year period (1996–2016) by the World Bank Group. R&D indicators were compared between high- and middle-income countries including models from Asian (South Korea, Singapore, and Malaysia) and European (Finland and Ireland) countries as well as the State of Kuwait. Moreover, a case study describing R&D investments in Kuwait is presented. Overall, the results reveal higher R&D spending, number of researchers, and gross domestic product (GDP) per capita for the Asian and European models. Current R&D expenditure in Kuwait is estimated at 0.08% of GDP (2016), which is significantly lower than the mean of the middle-income countries (1.58%). Furthermore, the number of researchers (per million) in Kuwait (386) is less than half of the mean number of researchers in middle-income countries (775) (2015). Low R&D investments in the State of Kuwait has gradually led to a decreased GDP per capita. Regression analysis shows that GDP per capita can be predicted solely based on the number of researchers (beta = 0.780, R² = 0.608). The number of researchers is the most crucial variable to predict GDP per capita, and the R&D expenditure is a good indicator of the number of researchers. These findings offer invaluable insight into the sustainable development goals (SDG 9). To our knowledge, this paper presents the first application of the effect of R&D on sustainable economic performance with reference to the SDG target 9.5 “Research & Development”. Thus, in order to enhance scientific research (both academic, professional, and industrial), countries need to increase the number of researchers, and these actions are necessary to introduce sustainable growth to GDP. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Scientific Research on Sustainable Development Goals)

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16 pages, 459 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Non-Financial Information Disclosure in Italian Public Interest Companies: A Sustainability Reporting Perspective

by Patrizia Gazzola, Roberta Pezzetti, Stefano Amelio and Daniele Grechi

Sustainability 2020, 12(15), 6063; https://doi.org/10.3390/su12156063 - 28 Jul 2020

Cited by 28 | Viewed by 4304

Abstract

The paper aims at investigating the impact of UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 2030 on Italian “public interest entities” both in term of approaches to non-financial disclosure and on business strategies. The analysis focuses on the investigation of the relationships between the 17 SDGs and the set of non-financial information defined in bont the EU Directive 2014/95/EU and the related Italian L.D. n. 254 of 30 December 2016. SDGs has been significantly analysed in the literature, considering the effects on sustainability policies adopted by the States, but little attention has been paid to the policies adopted by companies. The awareness of companies towards the business implication connected to the achievemt of these goals translate into a new conscientious path, in compliance with sustainability standards. In this framework, the paper investigates the entire population of Italian companies subject to the publishing of non-financial information disclosure, with the exclusion of banks and insurance companies. For each company under investigation, two kinds of analysis are presented: (1) firstly, the company’s level of sustainability derived from the company website; (2) the approach in pursuing the 17 SDGs. The overall results are quite comforting in term of companies’ sustainability aptitude. Over the years, Italian public interest entities have implemented active policies linked to the achievement of some specific goals, in compliance with the Italian legislation, although divergences still emerge among the Italian areas, as a result of cultural differences that still exist and affect companies’ approaches to sustainability issues. In this regard, the results of the analysis are interesting for government authorities to regulat the pursuit of sustainability goals. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Scientific Research on Sustainable Development Goals)

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19 pages, 252 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Inclusive Economic Sustainability: SDGs and Global Inequality

by Arno J. van Niekerk

Sustainability 2020, 12(13), 5427; https://doi.org/10.3390/su12135427 - 06 Jul 2020

Cited by 46 | Viewed by 21038

Abstract

In view of the 2020 global health crisis and its repercussions on the global economy, the need to redirect conventional economic thinking towards securing global economic sustainability is most critical. The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are a significant move in this direction. However, in the past few years, a clearer understanding of inclusive economics and sustainability indicators have progressed our ability to reduce economic exclusion, chiefly represented by global inequality. Collective wellbeing within the “global village” is shaped largely by these avenues/directions, thus presenting the question: can an improved combination of sustainability priorities be identified that would substantially enhance countries’ adoption of the SDGs? New, inclusive paths to economic progress are essential to a world economy in crisis recovery mode. The aim of the paper is to qualitatively identify key indicators from these different directions to, collectively, address some of the most significant drivers of global inequality, thus improving the adoption rate of the SDGs. As its main contribution, the study found that for economic inclusivity to realistically reduce global inequality its full integration into three areas is necessary: business models, public policy and community development. This should also be supported by “social covenants” to facilitate improved SDG adoption by countries. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Scientific Research on Sustainable Development Goals)

Other

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18 pages, 482 KiB

Open AccessCommentary

Regenerative—The New Sustainable?

by Leah V. Gibbons

Sustainability 2020, 12(13), 5483; https://doi.org/10.3390/su12135483 - 07 Jul 2020

Cited by 56 | Viewed by 20711

Abstract

Over time, sustainability paradigms have evolved from meeting human needs throughout time to improving human wellbeing and the viability of ecological systems. Regenerative sustainability (RS), the next wave of sustainability, includes and transcends these goals, aiming for thriving living systems in which whole-system health and wellbeing increase continually. A key difference between sustainability paradigms is the thinking underlying them, with regenerative sustainability based on a holistic worldview and paradigm, integrating recent understandings from science and practice, different ways of knowing, and inner and outer dimensions of sustainability necessary for systemic transformation. RS, practiced through regenerative development and design for over 50 years, aligns human consciousness and actions with living systems principles. When this alignment occurs, sustainable development goals are elevated to become regenerative development goals, with living systems principles and characteristics guiding the development of regenerative indicators and strategies made specific to a place through transformational co-creative processes. We should aim for regenerative sustainability because it offers holistic approaches based on how thriving living systems function, addresses the root causes of (un)sustainability, and is inherently more inspiring and motivational. Advancing regenerative sustainability will require fundamental shifts supported by more awareness and education, theoretical and practical development, leadership, empowering communities, and integrating spirituality. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Scientific Research on Sustainable Development Goals)

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