World

Islas Huichas, located in Chile’s remote Aysén region, has long faced water scarcity due to a lack of natural sources. The community relies on rainwater collection pools managed by the Rural Drinking Water Committee (RDWC), which face increased pressure during the summer tourist season, leading to frequent shortages. In 2014, a Reverse Osmosis (RO) plant with a 240 m³ daily capacity was installed to address the issue. While the RO plant helps alleviate summer shortages, it has high energy costs and maintenance challenges, exceeding the financial capacity of the RDWC. This study evaluates various scenarios to reduce the plant’s operational costs and emissions reduction. Full article

Driven by growing demands for environmental protection and sustainable development, green finance has gained increasing attention, evolving from a peripheral topic to a core research area. Research in green finance primarily focuses on financial products, services, and policies, analyzing their impacts on society, markets, and listed companies. Through a systematic literature screening and analysis process, this study reviewed the existing body of literature on green finance, with a particular emphasis on key areas such as green financing, green financial technology, green financial products and derivatives, green building, financial reform and innovation in green finance, and carbon trading markets. Using keywords such as “green finance”, “green insurance”, “green securities”, and “green investment”, we identified 15,487 relevant publications from 2014 to 2023 across multiple databases. We then applied Latent Semantic Indexing (LSI) to cluster these documents, identifying core subfields and conducting a detailed bibliometric analysis. Our results reveal a geographic shift in green finance research prominence from the U.S. to China, with a thematic shift from green building and energy efficiency to green bonds and climate finance. Through our analysis, we provide policy recommendations informed by these findings. This study’s unique contribution lies in its systematic extension of bibliometric analysis into emerging subfields of green finance, such as green financial technology and carbon trading markets, both of which are becoming increasingly critical. Additionally, this study offers valuable insights into the evolving landscape of green finance research, bridging the gap between academic research and industry practice and providing actionable policy recommendations for stakeholders across different sectors. Full article

Businesses are leveraging digital technology through e-commerce platforms as a strategy to continue operating following the movement control order (MCO). Online shopping, a subset of e-commerce platforms, allows consumers to browse, select, and purchase products using digital interfaces. Unfortunately, there is a lack of understanding of how this platform can impact customer behavior. Therefore, this study aims to develop new knowledge of customer behavior and assess the relationship between consumer behavior and e-service quality in online shopping to better understand the e-service quality provided by the vendor in Malaysia. A novel model of e-service quality and consumer behavior has been developed and investigated. Survey questionnaires were distributed and tested using structural equation modeling (SEM) to 200 customers who had experienced online shopping during COVID-19. The finding revealed that website design, security/privacy, and fulfillment are statistically correlated with e-service quality. However, customer service is not significantly correlated with e-service quality. Meanwhile, the quality of e-services is statistically significantly related to customer behavior. This study shows that e-service quality can provide good customer behavior post-COVID-19. Online shopping is therefore predicted to boost the economy of the country, but consumers also want high-quality e-services to continue. Retailers can improve their storefronts, engage customers, and promote responsible consumption. Full article

Managing protected areas (PAs) supports protecting biodiversity and preserves ecological functions. Many risks associated with PAs management affect the most important goals of PAs including sustainability, effectiveness, and ecological balance. This work aims to define the most predictable risk factors affecting PAs management as well as to introduce a model for assessing and exploring the influences of the identified risk factors on PAs management. Fifty-four risk factors affecting the PAs management goals are defined under seven risk groups including general and fundamental preparations, monitoring system, protocols, and implementation plans, training, visitors, employees, and activities conducted within the PAs. Many characteristics of risk factors such as presence rate and impacts on sustainability, effectiveness, and ecological balance goals are introduced. Fuzzy logic is utilized in developing the proposed risk model and applied using data collected in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Various relationships are introduced among risk indices that impact PAs management goals, ensuring close relations among all indices. The results highlight various important risk factors, such as the “Absence of mechanisms for early warning of disasters affecting protected areas”, and the “Lack of a system for monitoring the occurrence development and spread of disasters”. A risk group related to the monitoring system has been identified as causing the highest risk impacting the management of PAs. Further, most of the risk impacts on the three goals are due to protocols and implementation plans group. This work presents a new strategy to support managing PAs in Saudi Arabia, which can be easily adapted for application in other countries. Full article

This research provides a comprehensive view of the geolocation of physical health assets in the city of Tarragona (Spain) and how these assets are used and recommended by healthcare professionals to promote healthy lifestyles. Focusing on the distribution and accessibility of sports facilities, such as outdoor gyms or football and basketball courts, this study highlights the importance of these assets in leading a healthy life and preventing chronic diseases. This article investigates the availability of these assets and their prescription by healthcare professionals to improve people’s quality of life through surveys and fieldwork. It evaluates both the knowledge healthcare professionals have about these available assets in the area and the types of physical activity they prescribe. The results show significant variability in the availability of physical health assets across different neighbourhoods. However, most residents have good walking access to these assets, especially in the central and western parts of the city. This study concludes that while physical health assets are an underutilised resource for healthcare professionals, enhancing the awareness and prescription of these assets could improve public health outcomes, particularly for older adults. Full article

In times of global natural changes, environmental pollution, and the harmful impacts of certain products, it is essential to observe consumer behavior regarding preferences for products with sustainable characteristics. This paper evaluates the process of making decisions about the purchase of sustainable products using the Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP), as the most common method of multi-criteria decision-making. The aim of the research is to define the influences that change consumer behavior regarding the purchase of sustainable products. The study was conducted on a sample of 880 respondents in Croatia, Spain, Moldova, Turkey, and Ukraine. The results showed that the quality and composition of products, their origin in bioproduction, and their status as local or healthy products are decisive for the purchase of sustainable products. It was also found that consumers in different countries vary; those in Croatia and Spain have similar criteria and priorities, while those in Moldova, Turkey, and Ukraine differ in certain aspects of their preferences. Full article

This paper provides a narrative review of previous research on effort–reward imbalance (ERI) and passion exploitation, providing a perspective for future research. Previous research has shown that ERI can cause work stress, negative economic behavior such as job turnover, and illnesses such as metabolic syndrome. Previous research also claims that loyal and generous people, as well as young people and women, are more likely to be targets of passion exploitation. However, there are unresolved issues in previous research, such as (i) the mechanism by which effort–reward imbalance leads to stress and illness, (ii) there being lack of research on what types of jobs are more likely to experience imbalance, and (iii) there being lack of research on what level of imbalance is acceptable, and therefore further research is required. To this end, this study recommends addressing these challenges through the integration of ERI and passion exploitation theory. Full article

Frequency-Selective Surfaces (FSSs) are structures that act as frequency-dependent electromagnetic filters, enabling innovative designs for energy-efficient building envelopes. This paper explores their potential for energy harvesting and integration into construction materials, offering insights into design strategies, performance analysis, and potential applications of FSS sin future architectural projects. A range of FSS designs are presented and systematically classified based on their performance and adaptability for building integration. This includes their use as part of traditional construction elements or as independent components of building walls. Critical issues such as the limitations, challenges, and durability of FSSs in real-world applications are also examined to provide a comprehensive view of their practical feasibility. Additionally, incorporating the electromagnetic properties of these materials into Building Information Modelling (BIM) systems is recommended. Doing so will enable architects and engineers to better utilize the novel opportunities that FSSs offer, fostering more innovative, energy-efficient building envelopes. Overall, this paper provides valuable insights into how FSSs can transform the future of sustainable architecture and energy management in buildings. Full article

The COVID-19 pandemic has not just gently nudged but forcefully thrust environmental issues into the forefront of public consciousness. This shift in awareness has been a long-time aspiration of conservation scientists, who have played a crucial role in advocating for recognizing nature’s contributions to human life and a healthy environment. I explain the advantages of using newly available tools and sources of digital data, i.e., the absolute search volume in Google using the flag keywords biodiversity, climate change, and sustainability, Τhe GDELT Project, which monitors the world’s broadcast, print, and web news, and the difference-in-differences method comparing paired samples of public interest before and after the pandemic outbreak. We focus on the case of UK citizens’ public interest. Public interest in the flag keywords in the UK showed a highly significant increase during the pandemic. The results contradict hypotheses or findings presented elsewhere that the public interest is attenuated during and because of the public health crisis. I support growing public awareness of the existential risks springing from human materialism misappropriating nature, environment, and resources. In conclusion, I advocate for a “new conservation narrative” that could be fostered by the increased public interest in environmental topics during the pandemic. Full article

The consumption of contaminated water contributes to the global burden of diarrhea and other water-borne diseases, especially among young children. While decentralized solar water disinfection treatment systems (hereafter SODIS) remain a viable option to have safe drinking water, our understanding of the effects of household water treatment before use on willingness to accept and adopt a SODIS is limited. In this study, a complementary log-log regression analysis of the compositional and contextual factors that systematically vary with willingness to accept and adopt a SODIS in the Sawla-Tuna-Kalba (STK) district of Ghana was carried out. Based on our findings, a greater proportion of households (97%) are willing to accept and adopt a SODIS. Compositional and contextual factors such as age, marital status, education, religion, and geographical location significantly contribute to households’ willingness to accept and adopt a SODIS in the STK district of Ghana. Households that treat their water before use (66%, p < 0.05) are more likely to accept and adopt a SODIS compared to those that do not treat their water before use. The findings, therefore, suggest that scaling up SODIS in the STK district is sacrosanct and highlight the necessity to analyse compositional and contextual factors influencing willingness to accept and adopt SODIS. Our findings will inform policies and programs aimed at implementing SODIS in the study area to improve the health of communities that rely on poor-quality drinking water sources. Full article

Sustainable initiatives play a crucial role in promoting digital health equity by addressing barriers to access and ensuring equitable use of digital health technologies and services. These initiatives may arise in various contexts, including local collaborative networks that emerge in the municipal context. This study aims to identify and characterize the municipal initiatives that have been developed in Portugal to promote digital health equity. It adopts a mixed methods approach to initially quantify the distribution of these projects in the Portuguese territory and, at a later stage, to understand the level of influence of these projects, considering their impact on individual, interpersonal, community, and societal levels. The findings identified 22 municipal sustainable initiatives and concluded that there is a strong relationship between the areas of community and individual influence. The results of this study are relevant to deepening the knowledge of bottom-up innovation in the digital health field and establishing public policies to increase the impact of these projects at the territorial level, the communities involved, and the social objectives addressed, contributing to greater social cohesion. Full article

This study critically investigates the socio-economic effects of urban expansion and forced relocation on peri-urban communities in Nkurenkuru, Namibia. Urban expansion in middle-income countries often has negative impacts on peri-urban and rural communities. Urban expansion leads to the displacement of such communities, and this study focuses on the socio-economic effects of such urbanization-induced displacement. This study used a qualitative research design, with in-depth interviews to chart the effects of relocation on community life and livelihoods. Findings reveal that before relocation, community members were involved in several land-use-related socio-economic activities. Relocation has worsened their living conditions with a significant drop in household income, financial stability, food security, and their access to vital services. Other findings include insufficient support from municipalities during the relocation process. This study shows the socio-economic repercussions of relocation and the importance of community consultations and participation in the urban expansion process. Full article

Since the 1970s, the issue of ageing farmers and generational renewal in agriculture has consistently attracted the attention of policymakers. However, despite successive reforms of the European Union Structural Funds, efforts to encourage young people to enter the agricultural sector remain largely focused on agricultural and rural policies, specifically on the First Settlement scheme. This paper highlights the role of the European Union’s rural development policy in supporting and encouraging generational renewal in agriculture. A qualitative analysis of the Italian case examining some of the demographic changes that have occurred within the agricultural system at the regional level has been conducted. The analysis is based on the comparison of policy implementations in different programming periods. Using data from the General Censuses of Agriculture and the Italian Agricultural Payments Agency—supplemented by the Annual Implementation Reports of the Italian Rural Development Programmes—the research traces the evolution of initiatives supporting young farmers. The main findings reveal a notable decline in the number of young people in the primary sector over the last decade, together with an ageing population of agricultural farmers. Measures to support young farmers under the Common Agricultural Policy appear to be ineffective in countering the ageing trend. There is scope for integrated policies to enhance the attractiveness and profitability of rural areas and to ensure long-term sustainable generational renewal in the agricultural sector. Full article

Pakistan’s economic growth has been hindered by various internal and external factors since its independence in 1947. This study aims to identify the root causes of these issues and provide a comprehensive understanding of the country’s economic situation. Internally, inefficient bureaucracy, corruption, inadequate support for small and medium enterprises (SMEs), labor market rigidity, tax evasion, and regional inequalities have impeded development. External factors such as political instability, terrorism, weak governance, foreign policy challenges, and insufficient infrastructure have discouraged investment and disrupted economic activities. Pakistan’s reliance on low-tech exports has also led to a loss of competitiveness in international trade. To revitalize the economy, the study suggests reforms in governance, bureaucracy, and infrastructure, with a focus on supporting SMEs, reducing corruption, and attracting investment. The adoption of circular economy (CE) practices, particularly through the use of recycled materials, is proposed as a viable pathway to enhance economic resilience and environmental sustainability. The study highlights the potential for integrating CE strategies, drawing from successful global practices, to address Pakistan’s economic and environmental challenges. However, the reliance on historical data and linear econometric models may not fully capture the evolving economic dynamics, necessitating further research incorporating real-time data and sector-specific approaches. Despite these limitations, the study provides actionable insights for policymakers, offering a framework for Pakistan and other developing economies to achieve sustainable growth. Full article

The complexity of urban areas has motivated the search for integrative approaches. This paper addresses three topics—human habitat, urban metabolism, and urban entropy—to explore their links within the context of urban territory and sustainability. The lack of approaches, outlooks, and synergies motivates the search for an integrated conceptual framework, what I originated as a review of published works to contribute an interdisciplinary and multiscale outlook. From reviewing 41 articles, published from 1960 to 2020, definitions were extracted, original concepts were identified, synthetic definitions were formulated, and basic elements were identified to be integrated into a first synthetic approach, both illustrative and schematic. Eighteen binding key concepts, which were derived from 83 definitions, were incorporated into the proposed conceptual framework. We suggest that the human habitat, urban metabolism, and urban entropy are strongly interrelated, confirming the utility of the proposed conceptual framework and showing the potential to generate methodological approaches that integrate one or several conceptual elements that comprise it. Demonstrating the explicit bond between definitions, concepts, and components integrated systematically into the proposed conceptual framework is innovative in the field of scientific investigation, considering its applicability to public policy, resource management, or sustainable urban planning. Full article

Environmental degradation driven by human activities has heightened the need for sustainable development strategies that balance economic growth with ecological preservation. This study uses a compartmental model approach to examine the effects of global warming on ecosystem dynamics, focusing on how rising temperatures alter interactions across trophic levels. Three case studies of varying complexity, including a human ecosystem incorporating social and economic factors, were analyzed by integrating feedback loops between greenhouse gas emissions, temperature anomalies, and ecosystem responses. The results quantitatively demonstrate that even minor disruptions in one part of an ecosystem can cause significant instability across trophic levels, potentially driving the system to collapse in a short period. These findings from all case studies highlight the cascading impacts of global warming, underscoring the intricate relationship between climate change and ecosystem stability. Furthermore, this study offers qualitative insights into the potential consequences of climate change on biodiversity and resource availability in real ecosystems, highlighting the vulnerability of such systems and the importance of incorporating feedback mechanisms into environmental policy and decision-making processes. The approach employed in this study offers a more robust framework for understanding ecosystem responses and for developing strategies to enhance resilience against climate change, thereby protecting the long-term sustainability of ecosystems. Full article

Since proclaiming independence in 1960, Senegal has faced economic and demographic imbalances across its regions. To address these disparities, the government launched decentralization policies in three major phases, aiming to stimulate socio-economic growth at the local level. This study examines the impact of these policies on urban–rural development using socio-economic data between 2000 and 2020, and a multiple linear regression model in the entirety of Senegal. The findings reveal significant correlations between rural population growth, access to electricity, fertilizer availability, and per capita cultivated land, all positively associated with agricultural productivity. Additionally, rapid urbanization (47.3%) and weak land tenure (88.6%) adversely affect ecological systems and contribute to the proliferation of slums. A notable lack of health facilities per capita highlights a severe gap in healthcare accessibility. The study suggests increasing agricultural income, creating jobs, and promoting policies that support rural collective entrepreneurship as critical steps. It also recommends adopting a “one ecological zone, one economic activity” strategy to reduce economic disparities and encourage sustainable development in rural Senegal. Full article

Rapid urbanization in South Asian cities has triggered significant changes in land use and land cover (LULC), degrading natural biophysical components and intensifying urban heat islands (UHIs). This study investigated the impact of LULC changes on land surface temperature (LST) and the role of biophysical indicators in enhancing urban resilience to thermal extremes. We used Landsat satellite imageries from 1993 to 2023, conducted a comprehensive analysis of LULC changes, and estimated LST variations at 6-year intervals in the Dhaka, Gazipur, and Narayanganj districts in Bangladesh. Afterward, we performed statistical analysis upon employing correlation, regression, and principal component analysis (PCA) techniques to summarize information. The results reveal that 339.13 km² worth of urban expansion has occurred in last 30 years, with an average annual growth rate of 3.5%, accompanied by a substantial reduction in water bodies (−139.17 km²) and vegetation cover. Consequently, summer temperatures exceeded approximately 36.52 °C in dense urban areas. Also, the results highlighted the strong influence of built-up areas (BSI and SAVI) on LST, while vegetation (NDVI) and water indices (NDWI) exhibited a negative association. The findings emphasize the urgency of integrating green infrastructure and deploying sustainable urban planning policies to mitigate the potential adverse impacts of scattered urbanization in the face of climate change. Full article

The integration of sustainable practices in tourism is increasingly critical, given the sector’s substantial environmental and social impacts. Although the need for innovation management to promote sustainable tourism is widely recognized, various barriers hinder its effective implementation. This study employs the Decision-Making Trial and Evaluation Laboratory (DEMATEL) methodology to systematically examine these barriers, identifying their interconnections and assessing their broader implications. The findings indicate that a short-term focus and financial constraints are the primary effect barriers to implementing innovation management in sustainable tourism. Their prominence as endpoints in the flow of impact within the model of interconnected barriers developed in this study underscores the need to further address the deeper, cause-related barriers that propagate these effects, such as inadequate leadership support, resistance to change, poor stakeholder communication and collaboration, insufficient knowledge and skills, and restrictive regulatory policies. Additionally, industry-specific challenges like a fragmented industry structure and fluctuating market conditions exacerbate these difficulties. Therefore, a comprehensive, holistic approach is essential for transitioning the tourism sector towards sustainable practices through innovation management and overcoming inherent financial and strategic barriers. This study advocates adopting the recently published Management System Standard ISO 56001:2024 as a structured innovation management framework capable of systematically and holistically mitigating these barriers. By analyzing the cause-and-effect relationships among the identified barriers, this study ultimately provides valuable insights that aid stakeholders—including policymakers, business leaders, and community representatives—in devising more effective, inclusive, and forward-thinking approaches to innovation in sustainable tourism. This is crucial for fostering a tourism sector that is not only economically beneficial but also environmentally responsible and socially equitable. Full article