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Advances in Sustainable Climate Change Adaptation Research and Technology
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Advances in Sustainable Climate Change Adaptation Research and Technology

A special issue of Sustainability (ISSN 2071-1050). This special issue belongs to the section "Air, Climate Change and Sustainability".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 May 2026 | Viewed by 14711

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Tamim Younos

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
1. Founder & President, Green Water-Infrastructure Academy, Blacksburg, VA 24040, USA
2. College of Agriculture, Urban Sustainability and Environmental Sciences (CAUSES), University of the District of Columbia, Washington, DC 20008, USA
Interests: climate change and water resources; food, energy, water nexus; watershed science
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Juneseok Lee

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Civil & Environmental Engineering, Manhattan College, Riverdale, NY 10471, USA
Interests: water infrastructure analytics; water distribution; building water systems
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Tammy E. Parece

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Geography, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
Interests: urban agriculture; geospatial technologies; rainwater harvesting; geography education

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

In recent decades, the sustainable management of water resources has shifted to become more influenced by global climate variability and there a significant need has emerged to develop effective strategies enabling adaptation to a changing climate. Adapting to climate change requires strategies, technologies, and policies that address flood control, drought management, adequate water supply, safe water quality, and food security. Warming ocean waters that affect biological systems and sea level rise in coastal cities are critical emerging issues. Furthermore, the interconnectedness of the global economy and human activities creates a complex global environment. Therefore, understanding the social and human dimensions of water management and the related economic challenges are the most significant imperatives in equitable water management.

This Special Issue, entitled “Advances in Sustainable Climate Change Adaptation Research and Technology”, aims to publish original research, research reviews, case studies, and applications of advanced and emerging research and technology, policy, and cross-disciplinary education focused on the sustainable management of water resources/water infrastructure and food security. Specifically, the submission of articles introducing advanced research and technologies, such as data science/machine learning, satellite technologies (remote monitoring and sensor technologies or geospatial analyses), and artificial intelligence, into the sustainable management of water resources and water infrastructure, and discussing the social aspects, economic incentives, and policies for implementing sustainable water management systems, are all highly encouraged.

Dr. Tamim Younos
Dr. Juneseok Lee
Dr. Tammy E. Parece
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 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

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

  • climate change
  • water security
  • food security
  • economic incentives
  • climate change policy
  • data science
  • artificial intelligence
  • satellite technologies
  • sustainable systems

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Published Papers (5 papers)

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Research

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27 pages, 3000 KB  
Article
An Integrated Participatory Framework for Climate-Smart Agricultural Practices from the Lens of Climate Change, Farmers’ Perceptions and Adaptations
by Vithana P. I. S. Wijeratne, Muhammad Sajid Mehmood, Jayathunge N. D. Jayatunga and Lasantha Manawadu
Sustainability 2026, 18(7), 3401; https://doi.org/10.3390/su18073401 - 1 Apr 2026
Viewed by 417
Abstract
The agricultural sector faces increasing vulnerability to climate change, necessitating effective adaptation measures to maintain productivity and enhance system resilience. Despite this critical need, limited studies explore the factors influencing farmers’ adaptive responses within specific climatic zones. This study aimed to identify adaptation [...] Read more.
The agricultural sector faces increasing vulnerability to climate change, necessitating effective adaptation measures to maintain productivity and enhance system resilience. Despite this critical need, limited studies explore the factors influencing farmers’ adaptive responses within specific climatic zones. This study aimed to identify adaptation measures essential for agricultural sustainability in the three purposively selected Grama Niladari divisions (GNDs) known for their diverse crop varieties in the Maho Agrarian Zone, a region characterised by the Maha (Northeast Monsoon) and Yala (Southwest Monsoon) agricultural seasons. A mixed-methods descriptive research design, integrating quantitative surveys and qualitative focus group data, was employed. The findings reveal a highly experienced farming community: 34.9% of farmers have over 30 years of farming experience. A total of 96.7% of farmers reported noticing changes, including a shift in seasons (over 80%) and unpredictable rainfall patterns (53%). A vast majority (62.8%) of farmers lack access to agricultural insurance, leaving them financially exposed to crop losses. Furthermore, while younger and middle-aged groups demonstrated the highest awareness of climate-smart agriculture (CSA), there is a strong, consistent perception across all age groups that government and associated institutions are not providing sufficient support for adaptation efforts. The results offer actionable recommendations for empowering local planning authorities, optimising climate communication strategies, and prioritising the development of practical CSA training modules, ultimately synthesising local knowledge with expert insight to support global resilience-building initiatives. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Sustainable Climate Change Adaptation Research and Technology)
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24 pages, 2416 KB  
Article
A Hybrid Machine Learning Framework for Multi-Pollutant Air Quality Assessment in Urban Environments
by Muzzamil Mustafa, Maaz Akhtar, Ashfaq Ahmad, Fahad Javaid, Barun Haldar and Badil Nisar
Sustainability 2026, 18(4), 2148; https://doi.org/10.3390/su18042148 - 22 Feb 2026
Viewed by 879
Abstract
Urban air quality assessment is central to environmental sustainability and public health management. This study presents a structured comparative evaluation of Random Forest (RF), Support Vector Machine (SVM), LSTM, and Bi-LSTM models for pollutant-driven air quality classification under the Indian National Air Quality [...] Read more.
Urban air quality assessment is central to environmental sustainability and public health management. This study presents a structured comparative evaluation of Random Forest (RF), Support Vector Machine (SVM), LSTM, and Bi-LSTM models for pollutant-driven air quality classification under the Indian National Air Quality Index (NAQI) framework defined by CPCB guidelines. To provide a fair comparison, multi-pollutant data of Indian urban monitoring stations were preprocessed, and the class-balancing protocol and validation protocol were combined. RF had highest total accuracy (0.9971) in the held-out set, with Bi-LSTM (0.9615), LSTM (0.9495), and SVM (0.9442) coming next. Although ensemble methods proved to be very separable in line with the threshold-based NAQI structure, Bi-LSTM was more stable when it came to boundary-sensitive switches among the adjacent severity classes. Calibration analysis (multiclass Brier score: 0.08) showed consistent probabilistic behavior and interpretation, and using SHAP showed physically significant pollutant driving factors. The results explain the appropriateness of comparative models in organized AQI classification and present a reproducible assessment framework for the NAQI framework. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Sustainable Climate Change Adaptation Research and Technology)
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31 pages, 4536 KB  
Article
Fuzzy Logic–Enhanced PMC Index for Assessing Policies for Decarbonization in Higher Education: Evidence from a Public University
by Fatma Şener Fidan
Sustainability 2025, 17(19), 8966; https://doi.org/10.3390/su17198966 - 9 Oct 2025
Viewed by 1620
Abstract
Higher education institutions play a critical role in the transition to a low-carbon future due to their research capacity and societal influence. Accordingly, the calculation of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and the prioritization of mitigation strategies are of particular importance. In this study, [...] Read more.
Higher education institutions play a critical role in the transition to a low-carbon future due to their research capacity and societal influence. Accordingly, the calculation of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and the prioritization of mitigation strategies are of particular importance. In this study, a comprehensive campus-level GHG inventory was prepared for a public university in Türkiye in alignment with the ISO 14064-1:2018 standard, and mitigation strategies were evaluated. To prioritize these strategies, both the classical Policy Modeling Consistency (PMC) index and, for the first time in the literature, a fuzzy extension of the PMC model was applied. The results reveal that the total GHG emissions for 2023 amounted to 4888.63 tCO2e (1.19 tCO2e per capita), with the largest shares originating from investments (31%) and purchased electricity (28.38%). While the classical PMC identified only two high-priority actions, the fuzzy PMC reduced score dispersion, resolved ranking ties, and expanded the number of high-priority actions to seven. The top strategies include awareness programs, energy-efficiency measures, virtual meeting practices, advanced electricity monitoring, and improved data management systems. By comparing the classical and fuzzy approaches, the study demonstrates that integrating fuzzy logic enhances the transparency, reproducibility, and robustness of strategy prioritization, thereby offering a practical roadmap for campus decarbonization and sustainability policy in higher education institutions. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Sustainable Climate Change Adaptation Research and Technology)
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12 pages, 2786 KB  
Article
Case Study: Impact Analysis of Roof-Top Green Infrastructure on Urban System Sustainability in San José, CA
by Indumathi Jeyachandran and Juneseok Lee
Sustainability 2024, 16(22), 9781; https://doi.org/10.3390/su16229781 - 9 Nov 2024
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 3392
Abstract
This paper presents results from a case study focusing on analyzing impacts of Green Infrastructure (GI) on sensible and latent heat fluxes, urban microclimate and the subsequent water–energy nexus components of an urban infrastructure system. The case study, focusing on the campus of [...] Read more.
This paper presents results from a case study focusing on analyzing impacts of Green Infrastructure (GI) on sensible and latent heat fluxes, urban microclimate and the subsequent water–energy nexus components of an urban infrastructure system. The case study, focusing on the campus of a public university in San José, CA, aimed to quantify the pre- and post-conditions for a hypothetical GI implementation, which is in support of San José State University’s (SJSU) robust sustainability initiatives, which are also aligned with Silicon Valley’s broader strategic goals. The results revealed that a reduction of 0.3 °C in the average daily peak maximum temperature on campus could be achieved by the GI implementation. Air-conditioning related energy use was projected to decrease by 1.28%, monthly water use by 7052 m3, and it would result in an estimated reduction of approximately 2800 kWh in the water–energy nexus. In addition to lowering the campus’s carbon footprint, GI therefore offers significant economic and environmental benefits in terms of reductions in the urban air temperature, energy usage and water demand. This study provides valuable information for policy makers and low impact development water infrastructure managers considering GI implementation. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Sustainable Climate Change Adaptation Research and Technology)
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Review

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25 pages, 2444 KB  
Review
Climate on the Edge: Impacts and Adaptation in Ethiopia’s Agriculture
by Hirut Getachew Feleke, Tesfaye Abebe Amdie, Frank Rasche, Sintayehu Yigrem Mersha and Christian Brandt
Sustainability 2025, 17(11), 5119; https://doi.org/10.3390/su17115119 - 3 Jun 2025
Cited by 12 | Viewed by 7148
Abstract
Climate change poses a significant threat to Ethiopian agriculture, impacting both cereal and livestock production through rising temperatures, erratic rainfall, prolonged droughts, and increased pest and disease outbreaks. These challenges intensify food insecurity, particularly for smallholder farmers and pastoralists who rely on climate-sensitive [...] Read more.
Climate change poses a significant threat to Ethiopian agriculture, impacting both cereal and livestock production through rising temperatures, erratic rainfall, prolonged droughts, and increased pest and disease outbreaks. These challenges intensify food insecurity, particularly for smallholder farmers and pastoralists who rely on climate-sensitive agricultural systems. This systematic review aims to synthesize the impacts of climate change on Ethiopian agriculture, with a specific focus on cereal production and livestock feed quality, while exploring effective adaptation strategies that can support resilience in the sector. The review synthesizes 50 peer-reviewed publications (2020–2024) from the Climate Change Effects on Food Security project, which supports young African academics and Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) in addressing Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Using PRISMA guidelines, the review assesses climate change impacts on major cereal crops and livestock feed in Ethiopia and explores adaptation strategies. Over the past 30 years, Ethiopia has experienced rising temperatures (0.3–0.66 °C), with future projections indicating increases of 0.6–0.8 °C per decade resulting in more frequent and severe droughts, floods, and landslides. These shifts have led to declining yields of wheat, maize, and barley, shrinking arable land, and deteriorating feed quality and water availability, severely affecting livestock health and productivity. The study identifies key on-the-ground adaptation strategies, including adjusted planting dates, crop diversification, drought-tolerant varieties, soil and water conservation, agroforestry, supplemental irrigation, and integrated fertilizer use. Livestock adaptations include improved breeding practices, fodder enhancement using legumes and local browse species, and seasonal climate forecasting. These results have significant practical implications: they offer a robust evidence base for policymakers, extension agents, and development practitioners to design and implement targeted, context-specific adaptation strategies. Moreover, the findings support the integration of climate resilience into national agricultural policies and food security planning. The Climate Change Effects on Food Security project’s role in generating scientific knowledge and fostering interdisciplinary collaboration is vital for building institutional and human capacity to confront climate challenges. Ultimately, this review contributes actionable insights for promoting sustainable, climate-resilient agriculture across Ethiopia. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Sustainable Climate Change Adaptation Research and Technology)
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