Search Results (1,136)

This study investigates the integration of bioeconomy principles in the Greek livestock sector, framing the transition from conventional farming toward a circular bioeconomy as a strategy for resource conservation and reduced environmental pressure. It assesses farmers’ awareness of bioeconomy principles, the adoption of circular practices, and the associated economic and conservation-related performance. Data were collected through a structured questionnaire administered to 383 livestock farmers across the main livestock-producing regions of Greece and analyzed using descriptive statistics and multiple regression. Although respondents show substantial awareness, adoption remains incomplete, mainly because of high initial capital costs and insufficient financial incentives. Farmers implementing circular strategies reported gains in resource-use efficiency, waste minimization, and the conservation of soil, water, and biodiversity, particularly reduced greenhouse-gas emissions, while public subsidies and fiscal incentives emerged as the principal drivers of adoption. In applied terms, support should be prioritized for capital-intensive investments such as anaerobic digestion, manure and nutrient recovery, and water reuse, and the awareness–adoption gap is best closed through targeted subsidies and training. The findings offer concrete guidance for conservation-oriented agri-environmental policy supporting the green transition of livestock farming in Greece. Full article

Digital technologies provide effective tools for formulating sustainable, evidence-based policies; however, this field has so far lacked a cohesive and practical framework to guide their application. Providing comprehensive answers to six primary research questions, this study aims to address this critical gap concerning the prerequisites, challenges, opportunities, key technologies, policy areas, and critical success factors (CSFs) for applying digital technologies in environmental sustainability policymaking. In this study, 39 articles were analyzed from 293 documents indexed in the Web of Science as of 19 August 2025, in accordance with the PRISMA 2020 guidelines. The prerequisites are categorized into the following themes: fiscal incentives, a culture of innovation and sustainability, effective regulations, robust digital infrastructures, participation, and reliable and accessible data. We identified significant challenges, including financial constraints, human resource deficits, infrastructural and regulatory gaps, and the adverse environmental impacts of digital technologies themselves. Opportunities emerged under two main domains: effective policymaking and enhanced environmental management. Our study indicates that pioneering technologies at the core of this transformation include artificial intelligence, big data, blockchain, the Internet of Things, machine learning, and robots. Their applications are predominant in key policy areas, including the environment, energy, climate change, urban sustainability, agriculture, industry, and food security. The analysis identifies four CSFs: the policy–digital–sustainability nexus, fundamental processes, soft capacities, and hard capacities. Full article

Global environmental challenges—ranging from climate change to resource depletion—require not only technological innovation but also sustained shifts in household behavior. Two principal policy tools have emerged to promote such shifts in residential communities: financial incentives (e.g., subsidies, rebates, dynamic pricing) and educational campaigns (e.g., information provision, social norms messaging, feedback systems); yet rigorous comparative evidence on their relative intervention effectiveness —defined here as the magnitude of behavioral change achieved—remains fragmented. The aim of this review is to systematically compare the effectiveness of financial incentives and educational campaigns for promoting pro-environmental behaviors in residential communities, and to identify the conditions under which each approach performs best. This systematic review addresses: How do financial incentives compare to educational campaigns in promoting pro-environmental behaviors in residential communities? Through PRISMA 2020 methodology, synthesizing 51 studies including 5 major meta-analyses (2015–2024), comparative intervention effectiveness evidence is provided. Financial incentives achieve modest reductions (1.8–6.0%, g = 0.36) with rapid adoption but substantial rebound effects (35–60% offset) and poor persistence post-removal. Educational campaigns show higher variability (g = 0.23 to 0.93), with targeted approaches achieving up to 8% reductions, better persistence (57% effect retention at 24 months), and lower rebounds (15–30%). Combined approaches demonstrate the largest effects (g = 0.64) and optimal cost-effectiveness. Context determines effectiveness: financial incentives excel for high-cost technology adoption; and educational campaigns for habitual behaviors. Technology-mediated delivery (smart meters, mobile apps) enhances both approaches. The principal contribution of this review is a comprehensive umbrella synthesis to directly compare both intervention paradigms while simultaneously accounting for rebound effects, moral licensing, age-specific moderators, and cost-effectiveness, offering practitioners an integrated evidence base for intervention selection. We conclude with evidence-based recommendations for intervention selection. Full article

The necessity of brownfield remediation has drawn more attention to scholarly literature in recent years. This review aims to understand the application of brownfield regeneration to sustainable housing and infrastructure development. With an emphasis on deciding the obstacles to regeneration, success factors, and their effects on outcomes, including the environmental, social, and economic aspects of housing and infrastructure development, this paper employs a systematic literature review approach to analyse current perspectives on brownfield regeneration for housing and infrastructure. This paper employs the PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) approach and frequency based meta-synthesis to systematically quantify how often specific teams, variables, barriers, or concepts appear in body of literature. This investigation thoroughly examined 88 publications from the Scopus database. The research also classified and highlighted institutional and legal, financial and economic, socio-political, and environmental challenges to brownfield regeneration. The main success criteria for brownfield regeneration are mature policy alignment, approval processes, grants, and access to financial incentives. The developing gap found in this study should be the focus of future research. To address financial obstacles, a strong business case model for brownfield sites that provide investors or stakeholders with a financial forecast is needed. Finally, it is essential to develop a sustainable framework for brownfield site regeneration that encompasses all sustainable dimensions related to housing and infrastructure development. Finally, the review contributes to theory and practice by giving a comprehensive overview of brownfield barriers, success factors, and their impact on academics and industry. Full article

The management of European mountain landscapes is increasingly threatened by rural abandonment and escalating environmental risks. This study investigates an innovative Stewardship–Renewable Energy Communities model for the Central Apennines, exploring how post-seismic public reconstruction can serve as a financial engine for territorial maintenance. Utilizing Open Data Sisma administrative records and Photovoltaic Geographical Information System irradiation metrics, this research assesses the solar potential of 18 municipalities within the Sibillini seismic crater. To ensure a reliable baseline, a Building Suitability Coefficient was introduced as a conservative proxy for the public reconstruction sector. Results indicate that the implementation of a distributed network of 6.5 MWp across 325 public nodes, with a specific yield of 1390 kWh/kWp on the entire area, could generate 9 GWh/year. This translates to approximately EUR 1.08 million in annual revenue from energy incentives and sharing. This economic surplus provides a Stewardship Capacity sufficient to fund the active maintenance of 789.77 hectares per year through Nature-Based Solutions, based on a regional rate of 1200 EUR/ha. The novelty of this study lies in bridging post-disaster energy policy with landscape resilience, demonstrating that distributed rooftop solar portfolios represent a non-invasive, self-funding mechanism. By leveraging the reconstructed public stock, mountain territories can transition from passive neglect to active, energy-backed stewardship, offering a reproducible template for high-value cultural landscapes. Full article

Decarbonising the residential building sector requires not only technical solutions, but also financially viable delivery models. This paper examines the economic performance of Energy Plus Service (EPS) schemes applied to deep renovation projects under uncertainty, with particular attention to the role of project scale and market conditions. The analysis is based on a portfolio of 21 residential buildings in Northern Italy and combines a Discounted Cash Flow (DCF) model with Monte Carlo simulation. Key sources of uncertainty include renovation costs, post-retrofit energy performance, rental values, and electricity prices, allowing for the estimation of probabilistic Net Present Value (NPV) outcomes. The results show a clear impact of residential asset spatial scale on financial outcomes. Small projects are generally unprofitable, while medium-sized assets are highly sensitive to uncertainty. Larger projects, instead, display a much higher likelihood of positive financial outcomes. Sensitivity analysis indicates that financial performance is driven mainly by investment costs and rental income, while energy-related variables play a more limited role. The findings suggest that the viability of EPS models depends as much on market conditions as on technical performance, pointing to a potential misalignment between energy policy objectives and private investment incentives. Results suggest that projects approaching 160 m² are more likely to achieve a 50% probability of a positive NPV, indicating a potential scale threshold beyond which EPS schemes become significantly more bankable and below which aggregation or additional de-risking measures are likely to be required. Full article

Behavioral interventions are widely used to promote sustainable consumption, but their effectiveness under high-friction real-world conditions remains uncertain, especially when multiple tools are combined. We report a quasi-experimental natural field study conducted in a busy urban café in Tel Aviv, Israel, examining the isolated and combined effects of a localized identity-based social-norm cue and a small financial incentive on reusable cup adoption. Across four consecutive weeks and 9414 hot-beverage transactions, a baseline week was followed by a norm condition, a 1 NIS discount condition, and a combined condition. Reusable cup use increased from 3.33% at baseline to 3.59% in the norm week, 4.19% in the incentive week, and 3.72% in the combined week, but none of these changes reached statistical significance. The financial incentive produced the largest descriptive increase, whereas the combined intervention did not outperform the incentive alone. Across the intervention period, reusable cup use exceeded the number expected under the baseline rate by approximately 35 purchases. These bounded null findings suggest that low-cost behavioral tools may yield only modest gains in convenience-driven consumption settings and that combining policy tools does not necessarily generate additive effects. The study contributes ecologically grounded evidence on the boundary conditions of sustainable behavior change and highlights the importance of testing behavioral policies under realistic implementation constraints. Full article

The transition of thermal power systems toward lower-carbon electricity raises a critical strategic question: whether to rely on cross-border electricity imports or reactivate domestic nuclear capacity under supply constraints. This study examines the trade-offs between these alternatives within a sustainable finance framework. A contingent-claim model is developed in which a life insurer provides long-term financing to a biomass-energy supplier, a thermal power plant, and a nuclear power plant operating under carbon-pricing regulation. The framework links electricity-market decisions with financial risk valuation, allowing the joint effects of biomass utilization, carbon regulation, electricity imports, and nuclear-security risks to be evaluated. The results show that biomass integration and tighter carbon regulation reduce short-term profitability in thermal generation but support long-run decarbonization. Cross-border electricity imports improve system flexibility and reduce operational volatility, strengthening the financial position of thermal producers. In contrast, nuclear-security disruptions significantly increase default risk for nuclear assets, reflecting their exposure to operational and regulatory uncertainty. By integrating energy-transition strategies with contingent-claim valuation, the analysis highlights the role of financial intermediation in shaping investment incentives and risk allocation in the electricity sector. The findings suggest that coordinated policies combining market integration, low-carbon transition strategies, and stable financing mechanisms can enhance system resilience. Full article

Introduction: A knowledge gap exists around which interventions can be implemented to minimise missed opportunities for vaccination (MOVs) in children under age five. Children under age five experience higher rates of MOVs, making them a critical focus for interventions to reduce MOV. This study aims to plot evidence-based interventions reducing MOVs in children under age five. Methods: We performed an electronic search without any language restriction for studies indexed between 1 January 1990 and 30 August 2025 in PubMed (Medline), Web of Science, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, Scopus, CINAHL, and other sources. We included studies highlighting interventions reducing MOVs in children under age five. A meta-analysis was conducted using the random-effects model with risk ratios (RRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). When meta-analysis was not possible, results were reported individually. Results: Out of 535 papers reviewed via titles and abstracts, 21 were included in the meta-analysis. Overall, education interventions reduced the risk of MOVs by 35% (RR 0.65, 95% CI 0.47 to 0.91). Our results also showed that electronic immunisation registries (EIRs) and alerts were successful in lowering the risk of MOVs by 29% (RR 0.71, 95% CI 0.54 to 0.92). Integrated delivery of health interventions reduced the risk of MOVs by 66% (RR 0.34, 95% CI 0.14 to 0.83). Other interventions that reduced the risk of MOVs included integrating a pharmacist in the under-five vaccination programme (RR 0.43, 95% CI 0.26 to 0.72) and multicomponent interventions (RR 0.62, 95% CI 0.48 to 0.80). Financial incentives (RR 0.87, 95% CI: 0.80, 0.94) and combined vaccines (RR 0.72, 95% CI 0.68 to 0.76) showed a statistically significant MOV reduction. However, our results were graded from very low-to-moderate grade evidence. Conclusions: Education interventions, EIRs and alerts, pharmacist inclusion in vaccination programme, integrated delivery of health interventions, multicomponent interventions, combined vaccines, and financial incentives may improve MOVs in children under age five as the evidence was graded from very low to moderate. Full article

This research aims to investigate the concept of industrial symbiosis as a change agent in the Circular Economy, with its consequent effects on the economy, the environment, and society in terms of sustainable development. This study employs qualitative research with quantitative support from a structured survey of 152 IS project experts, researchers, and practitioners, utilizing a questionnaire comprising Likert-type and multiple-choice questions. Data were aggregated into composite indicators and analyzed by using a log-log multiple regression model. Empirical results reveal that economic benefits are the most significant positive drivers. The actors’ involvement also contributes positively, highlighting the importance of multi-stakeholder collaboration. Conversely, barriers have the strongest and the highest negative scale impact on perceived IS synergies. Broader economic and social conditions moderately enhance synergies, while awareness and training show a weaker but positive effect. IS is both economically viable and environmentally necessary, but its expansion depends on reducing financial, regulatory, and infrastructural barriers. Certain economic policy-driven interventions, such as fiscal incentives, regulatory clarity, and investment, enable infrastructure to scale up the adoption of IS. Full article

Environmental research and development (R&D) support environmental improvement by advancing cleaner technologies, improving resource efficiency, reducing emissions, and helping firms meet sustainability goals and regulatory standards. This study examines the effect of environmental R&D on firms’ environmental performance and considers whether firm characteristics, specifically age and size, moderate this relationship. Using purposive sampling based on defined inclusion and exclusion criteria, the analysis draws on data for 303 non-financial firms listed on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange between 2007 and 2024, obtained from Refinitiv DataStream. Diagnostic tests revealed cross-sectional dependence, heterogeneity, and endogeneity in the dataset. To address these issues and ensure robust estimates, the Common Correlated Effects Mean Group (CCEMG), Feasible Generalized Least Squares (FGLS), and two-step difference Generalized Method of Moments (GMM) estimators were employed. The results show that environmental R&D has a positive and significant effect on environmental performance. Firm age and size further strengthen this relationship, indicating that older and larger firms benefit more from environmental R&D initiatives. The study recommends that firms increase investment in environmental R&D to stimulate innovation, enhance sustainable practices, and improve ecological outcomes. Policymakers should also encourage eco-innovation by developing supportive regulations, offering financial incentives for green technologies, and promoting sustainable technological advancement. Full article

Income inequality remains a central impediment to inclusive growth, yet whether government-led digital infrastructure programs mitigate or exacerbate distributional disparities is empirically contested. Exploiting the staggered rollout of China’s “Broadband China” (BBC) demonstration cities as a quasi-natural experiment, this study employs a multi-period difference-in-differences (DID) framework on a panel of 281 prefecture-level cities spanning 2009–2022 to estimate the designation effects of national digital infrastructure policy under the DID identifying assumptions. After parallel-trends validation, permutation-based placebo tests, and propensity score matching, the baseline estimates indicate a dual distributional pattern: BBC designation is associated with a wider urban-rural income gap and lower within-prefecture nighttime-light-based spatial income inequality. Candidate-channel analysis provides evidence consistent with financial deepening and factor mobility as plausible pathways: expanded financial coverage and cross-regional labor reallocation are associated with spatial convergence, whereas asymmetric usage depth and selective labor mobility reinforce urban-rural divergence. Exploratory heterogeneity analysis across four institutional dimensions, officials’ political promotion incentives, local fiscal capacity, traditional infrastructure endowments, and urban hierarchy, further shows that this distributional pattern varies across local contexts. Furthermore, this study extends the analytical lens to the spatial dimension by employing a spatial DID framework. The results identify significant cross-border externalities characterized by cross-prefecture spillovers associated with lower within-prefecture nighttime-light-based spatial income inequality in neighboring cities. These findings provide an integrated policy-evaluation framework that disentangles the complex, multidimensional distributional consequences of digital infrastructure investment, offering actionable insights for designing more equitable digital public policies in developing economies. Full article

This study examines trade-offs between organizational culture, measured by the Competing Values Framework, and high financial compensation among Romanian Generation Z (n = 584). Using a quantitative cross-sectional design and scenario-based choice experiments, binary logistic regression models assessed how culture preferences and demographics predict employer choice. Results show that preferences for Clan culture most consistently increased the likelihood of selecting a culturally defined employer over high-salary alternatives (odds ratios 1.08–1.15), particularly through mentoring and employee development. Notably, Hierarchy culture preferences also significantly influenced decisions, indicating that this generation values both support and structured predictability. Employment status strongly moderated these trade-offs, with employed respondents significantly more likely to prioritize cultural attributes (odds ratios 2.07–2.47). Findings indicate that Generation Z makes nuanced, context-sensitive trade-offs, challenging one-dimensional assumptions about their motivations. These findings provide context-specific insights into Romanian Generation Z employer choice and offer practical implications for employer branding and talent attraction strategies. Full article

The built environment in Saudi Arabia accounts for approximately 78% of the country’s total electricity consumption, positioning building energy performance as one of the most consequential levers available to policymakers pursuing the kingdom’s net-zero greenhouse gas emissions target for 2060 and Vision 2030’s sustainability agenda. Despite the progressive introduction of the Saudi Building Code (SBC) energy chapters SBC 601, SBC 602, and the Saudi Green Building Code (SgBC 1001), a persistent gap remains between regulatory intent and measurable outcomes across Saudi Arabia’s five distinct climatic zones. Building codes are, by design, generic policy instruments encompassing structural, fire, accessibility, and energy provisions; this paper focuses specifically on the energy and sustainability dimensions and critically examines how the SBC’s update cycle and prescriptive compliance architecture shape actual performance outcomes. This study presents three explicit research questions: (RQ1) What zone-differentiated energy savings does SBC implementation deliver across residential typologies? (RQ2) How does the Mostadam national rating system compare with international benchmarks in the Saudi context, and what caveats govern that comparison? (RQ3) What evidence-based policy interventions are needed to transition from compliance-led to performance-led building energy governance? Drawing on a systematic synthesis of 53 building energy simulation models (2018–2025), official programme data, and a structured comparative analysis of Mostadam against LEED v4.1 and BREEAM, the study finds EUI reductions of 5–25% from SBC compliance, with the largest savings in the hot–humid coastal zone. Seven prioritised policy recommendations are proposed, addressing code revision, financial incentives, digital monitoring, renewable energy thresholds, and capacity building. Full article

Building-integrated photovoltaics (BIPVs) offer significant potential for energy-efficient building renovations by seamlessly integrating renewable energy generation into the built environment. This work highlights the strategic opportunity for BIPV within the current European and international context, where the building stock faces an increasingly urgent need for large-scale rehabilitation. BIPV solutions and products for building retrofit are reviewed holistically considering thermal insulation, solar control, daylighting, architectural design, aesthetics, and electrical performance to optimise energy savings and increase social acceptance. A selection of nine international case studies illustrates the versatility of BIPV across diverse building typologies, including projects focused on heritage preservation for which targeted measures are proposed. Despite the opportunities, BIPV adoption remains limited, primarily due to regulatory, economic, and socio-cultural barriers. The specific challenges of BIPV retrofitting in heritage and protected buildings are also examined. Multiple studies have demonstrated BIPV cost-effectiveness, especially when fiscal incentives, environmental co-benefits, and architectural factors are considered. Nonetheless, affordability remains a barrier for many households, highlighting the need for comprehensive financial support to accelerate market uptake. This review is intended to provide a broad audience—including researchers, architects, building professionals, and decision-makers—with a comprehensive, structured overview of BIPV renovation opportunities. Full article