Search Results (21)

Scientific knowledge and international collaboration are critical to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This study conducts a large-scale bibliometric analysis of 49.4 million publications indexed in the Web of Science (1945–2023) related to the SDGs, with a specific focus on SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-Being). Since 1992, SDG 3 has accounted for 58% of SDG-related scientific output. Using K-means clustering and network analysis, we classified countries/regions by research productivity and mapped core–periphery collaboration structures. Results reveal a sharp concentration: the United States, China, England, and Germany account for 51.65% of publications. In contrast, the group composed of the 195 least productive countries and territories accounts for approximately 5% of the total scientific output on the SDGs, based on the same clustering method. Collaboration patterns mirror this inequality, with 84.97% of partnerships confined to the core group and only 2.81% involving core–periphery cooperation. These asymmetries limit the capacity of developing regions to generate health research aligned with local needs, constraining equitable progress toward SDG 3. Expanding scientific cooperation, fostering North–South and South–South collaborations, and ensuring equitable research funding are essential to promote inclusive knowledge production and support sustainable global health. Full article

This study explores global research trends, regional challenges, and methodological approaches in food–water–energy (FWE) nexus research within agricultural contexts from 2000 to 2024. A bibliometric analysis of 929 articles indexed in the Web of Science and Scopus was conducted. A sharp increase in research output has been observed after 2014, with the United States and China identified as dominant contributors. European countries have been recognized as key connectors in international research networks. Thematic evolution indicates a transition from foundational concepts to more advanced approaches, incorporating machine learning, optimization techniques, and circular economy strategies. Regional disparities in research capacity and thematic focus have been highlighted, influenced by differing resource constraints and socio-economic conditions. The energy dimension of the nexus has consistently been identified as a cross-cutting challenge, primarily due to increasing energy demands in agriculture. Methodological preferences have been found to vary across regions: scenario analysis is emphasized in North America, optimization models are commonly applied in East Asia, and stakeholder-centered approaches are more prevalent in developing regions. These findings suggest a need for enhanced international collaboration, greater methodological diversity, and stronger engagement with underrepresented regions, particularly South and Southeast Asia and Africa. Strengthening the FWE nexus framework through inclusive and adaptive research strategies is essential for promoting sustainable agricultural management under increasing global resource pressures. Full article

Groundwater is of vital significance to achieve the 2030 Agenda and its Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs); nevertheless, it remains vulnerable to contamination from phenolic compounds. This systematic review critically evaluates the chromatographic and spectrometric techniques applied in real-case groundwater contamination studies involving phenolic compounds. It highlights advances, limitations, and research gaps. A comprehensive research strategy retrieved a total of 345 publications from the Scopus and Web of Science databases, of which 52 (from the years 1984 to 2023) met the PRISMA criteria. The review identified 107 phenolic compounds across 25 countries. Temporal and spatial analyses, source identification, and pollutant profiles were systematically assessed per country. The study also mapped priority (n = 11) and hazardous (n = 27) phenolic compounds according to the USEPA, comparing their detectability across analytical methods. The most frequently applied techniques were LC-MS and LC-MS/MS, while GC-MS demonstrated competitive performance when combined with derivatization. The study found that contamination was predominantly reported in the Global North, with industrial and domestic sewage being the main sources. The highest concentrations reported were 40 × 10⁶ ng/L for 4-methylphenol and 50 × 10⁶ ng/L for phenol, both of which are hazardous substances typically linked to industrial/domestic effluents and the use of pesticides. These findings highlight the imperative for regulatory measures and international scientific collaboration to enhance groundwater monitoring, particularly in the Global South, where data scarcity persists. Full article

Biocontrol has emerged as an effective strategy for managing plant pathogens and pests. The use of plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) as biocontrol agents offers a sustainable alternative, enhancing plant morphology, biochemistry, physiology, and secondary metabolism. This study conducts a bibliometric analysis and systematic review of PGPR-based biocontrol research from 2019 to 2023, using the Web of Science (WoS) database. A total of 2823 publications were identified, with a significant increase in scientific output since 2019. Original research articles dominated the field, with India, China, the USA, and Pakistan leading in publication volume. Key contributors included Babalola (North-West University, South Africa), Kloepper (Auburn University, USA), and Shen (Nanjing Agricultural University, China), each with at least 25 publications. Co-authorship analysis revealed four major research networks centered in India, China, Brazil, and Canada. Bacillus and Pseudomonas were the most studied PGPR genera, recognized for their roles as bioinoculants, bioremediators, and biostimulants, mitigating the negative impacts of synthetic fertilizers and pesticides. This analysis underscores the growing global focus on PGPR-based biocontrol and its potential for sustainable agriculture. Strengthening international collaboration and accelerating applied research on PGPR formulations will be critical for optimizing their efficacy and scalability in real-world agricultural systems. Full article

Although scientific literature already shows the connections between gamification, tourism and sustainability, there is still a gap in research into how gamification can transform cities into more playful, sustainable and intelligent tourism destinations. Gamification in tourism promotes engagement, education and innovation, enriching experiences and driving the development of smart destinations. This study advances this debate by employing a mixed methodology, combining a systematic review (supported by Rayyan, an artificial intelligence) and content analysis (supported by Iramuteq, a textual software, version 0.7 Alpha 2). Additionally, we used Dreamscape by Voyant Tools online for a geographical analysis of the textual corpus formed by n = 61 abstracts. The intersection of main findings from the techniques applied provides eight new insights on urban tourism education through gamification, which are as follows: (1) exchange between the Global North and South; (2) local and global participation; (3) collaborations to achieve the 17 SDGs; (4) improve urban destination marketing by ethics principles; (5) deepening disruption technology and ethics studies; (6) the transformation of reality by sciences; (7) gamification on interdisciplinary perspectives; and (8) the role of gamification on the tourism and hospitality industry. The results suggest that gamification in tourism can offer a new ontological approach to addressing sustainable urban development, highlighting both theoretical and practical challenges. This research has both theoretical and practical implications, advancing the concept of ecogaming by integrating technology, entertainment and sustainability, and reinforces its potential to educate and engage in sustainable urban tourism practices. Full article

This pioneering study evaluates the digital divide and advances in virtual education (VE) and e-learning research in the Global South Countries (GSCs). Using metadata from bibliographic and World Bank data on research and development (R&D), we conduct quantitative bibliometric performance analyses and evaluate the connection between R&D expenditures on VE/e-learning research advances in GSCs. The results show that ‘East Asia and the Pacific’ (EAP) spent significantly more on (R&D) and achieved the highest scientific literature publication (SLP), with significant impacts. Other GSCs’ R&D expenditure was flat until 2020 (during COVID-19), when R&D funding increased, achieving a corresponding 42% rise in SLPs. About 67% of ‘Arab States’ (AS) SLPs and 60% of citation impact came from SLPs produced from global north and other GSCs regions, indicating high dependence. Also, 51% of high-impact SLPs were ‘Multiple Country Publications’, mainly from non-GSC institutions, indicating high collaboration impact. The EAP, AS, and ‘South Asia’ (SA) regions experienced lower disparity. In contrast, the less developed countries (LDCs), including ‘Sub-Sahara Africa’, ‘Latin America and the Caribbean’, and ‘Europe (Eastern) and Central Asia’, showed few dominant countries with high SLPs and higher digital divides. We advocate for increased educational research funding to enhance innovative R&D in GSCs, especially in LDCs. Full article

In the context of the technological era, the smart tourism construct serves as a bridge between human and the artificial worlds, combining social sciences and neurosciences. This study aims to explore smart tourism through neuroscientific methods in order to shape the future of tourism destinations, using a hybrid methodology combining bibliometric techniques and content analysis. The findings reveal the integration of diverse scientific domains, highlighting a transdisciplinary approach. They offer clear evidence that neuroscientific methods in smart tourism integrate multiple areas of scientific knowledge, surpassing disciplinary boundaries. “Destination” stands out alongside “emotion”, “visual attention” and eye tracking (ET). The collaboration network reveals the emergence of a new school, called neurotourism in the 21st century, formed mainly by actors and organizations from the Global North, evoking the need to include the Global South in the research scenario. The predominant methods include ET, heart rate (HR), and electroencephalography (EEG), suggesting triangulation with traditional methods for robust results. Virtual reality emerges as the primary immersive technology, promising insights when integrated with neurosciences. This study’s practical and theoretical contributions guide smart tourism strategies and enhance destination experiences through neuroscientific methods, addressing a gap in the scientific literature while advancing ontological and epistemological understanding. Full article

The goal of this project is to assess the state of marine biodiversity in the Natura 2000 marine network in Spain and analyze the impact of fishing policies on it. The study focuses on three marine demarcations in Spain: North Atlantic, South Atlantic, and the Strait of Gibraltar and Alborán Sea. The research uses the DPSIR (Drivers of Change-Pressure-State-Impact-Response) framework, a multi-criteria analysis approach to understand the relationships between biodiversity loss, fishing, marine ecosystem integrity, and the provision of ecosystem services. Our results revealed a significant decline in biodiversity since 1985 in the four marine areas studied; this loss was more pronounced in the Gulf of Cadiz (in Andalusia) and less intense in the northern regions of Spain (Galicia and Asturias). This trend aligns with the global degradation of marine ecosystems and loss of biodiversity caused by human activities. The main drivers behind this decline are economic factors promoting industrial fishing and overexploitation. However, there has been a reduction in the industrial fishing fleet since the 2000s, supported by the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund for transitioning toward sustainable fishing methods. Despite the increase in regulations and the establishment of marine protected areas, these measures have not been effective enough to stop the loss of marine biodiversity. The results highlight the importance of combining administrative measures such as creating marine protected areas and implementing fisheries management regulations with the preservation of cultural services provided by these ecosystems. Successful governance models that involve collaboration between fishermen and decision-makers have been observed in northern Galicia and the Gulf of Cádiz. Full article

This study addresses a notable gap in the climate change literature by examining the potential of artificial intelligence and machine learning (AI–ML) in urban climate change adaptation and sustainable development across major global continents. While much attention has been given to mitigation strategies, this study uniquely delves into the AI–ML’s underexplored role in catalyzing climate change adaptation in contemporary and future urban centers. The research thoroughly explores diverse case studies from Africa, Asia, Australasia, Europe, North America, and South America, utilizing a methodological framework involving six-step and five-step models for systematic literature reviews. The findings underscore AI–ML achievements, illuminate challenges, and emphasize the need for context-specific and collaborative approaches. The findings imply that a one-size-fits-all approach is insufficient. Instead, successful adaptation strategies must be intricately linked to the particular characteristics, vulnerabilities, and intricacies of each region. Furthermore, the research underscores the importance of international collaboration, knowledge sharing, and technology transfer to expedite the integration of AI–ML into climate adaptation strategies globally. The study envisions a promising trajectory for AI–ML in the climate adaptation domain, emphasizing the necessity for ongoing research, innovation, and practical AI–ML applications. As climate change remains a defining challenge, this research predicts an increasingly pivotal role for AI–ML in constructing climate-resilient urban centers and promoting sustainable development. Continuous efforts to advance AI–ML technologies, establish robust policy frameworks, and ensure universal access are crucial for harnessing AI–ML’s transformative capabilities to combat climate change consequences. Full article

Network effects, economies of scale, and lock-in-effects increasingly lead to a concentration of digital resources and capabilities, hindering the free and equitable development of digital entrepreneurship, new skills, and jobs, especially in small communities and their small and medium-sized enterprises (“SMEs”). To ensure the affordability and accessibility of technologies, promote digital entrepreneurship and community well-being, and protect digital rights, we propose data cooperatives as a vehicle for secure, trusted, and sovereign data exchange. In post-pandemic times, community/SME-led cooperatives can play a vital role by ensuring that supply chains to support digital commons are uninterrupted, resilient, and decentralized. Digital commons and data sovereignty provide communities with affordable and easy access to information and the ability to collectively negotiate data-related decisions. Moreover, cooperative commons (a) provide access to the infrastructure that underpins the modern economy, (b) preserve property rights, and (c) ensure that privatization and monopolization do not further erode self-determination, especially in a world increasingly mediated by AI. Thus, governance plays a significant role in accelerating communities’/SMEs’ digital transformation and addressing their challenges. Cooperatives thrive on digital governance and standards such as open trusted application programming interfaces (“APIs”) that increase the efficiency, technological capabilities, and capacities of participants and, most importantly, integrate, enable, and accelerate the digital transformation of SMEs in the overall process. This review article analyses an array of transformative use cases that underline the potential of cooperative data governance. These case studies exemplify how data and platform cooperatives, through their innovative value creation mechanisms, can elevate digital commons and value chains to a new dimension of collaboration, thereby addressing pressing societal issues. Guided by our research aim, we propose a policy framework that supports the practical implementation of digital federation platforms and data cooperatives. This policy blueprint intends to facilitate sustainable development in both the Global South and North, fostering equitable and inclusive data governance strategies. Full article

International research and development projects (or grand challenge projects) consist of multicultural, multi-country, multi-sectoral, and multi-stakeholder initiatives aimed at poverty reduction. They are usually conceived as partnerships between actors in the global north–south. The COVID-19 pandemic was a major unexpected disruption to ongoing projects and challenged their already complex management. The aim of this paper is to present evidence on how international development projects were impacted by COVID-19 with a particular focus on the relationship between research institutions in the north and south. We conducted a mixed-methods research study, combining a reflective exercise with the co-author team and a survey with principal investigators, project managers, and capacity development leads drawn from 31 Global Challenges Research Fund (GCRF) projects funded through the UK government’s Official Development Assistance (ODA) and focused on social–ecological system research. The survey contained closed- and open-ended questions in order to (i) demonstrate how those involved in managing projects adapted to risks, including both threats and opportunities, presented by the COVID-19 pandemic, and (ii) consider the implications for tailoring adaptive management approaches in international research projects amidst uncertainties, with a special focus on enhancing equities in global north–south partnerships. The paper offers the following recommendations on designing, planning, and implementing international research and development projects: (i) devolve project management in order to enhance project resilience and improve north–south equities; (ii) allocate dedicated resources to enable equitable north–south research partnerships; (iii) rely more on hybrid and agile approaches for managing a project’s life cycle; and (iv) improve resource flexibility, transparency, and communication through enhanced funder–implementer collaboration. Full article

Underpinned by the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic review and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) 2020 Statement, this systematic review analyses 58 peer-reviewed articles published during 2008–2021 and retrieved from Scopus and Google Scholar that address the relationship between climate change and UNESCO World Heritage-listed cultural properties. The review reveals a suite of observations that will be important to consider for future research, including: the significant increase in publications since 2008; the prevalence of scholarship focused on the region of Europe and North America; the diversity of research methods and approaches; the instances of climate change hazards; the numerous adaptation measures and barriers. The study also showcases a much greater scholarly concentration on natural sites compared to cultural sites, observing that a reliance on a nature/culture binary does not bode well for the effective safeguarding of cultural World Heritage sites. This article also highlights the need for greater representation from the Global South in terms of both geographic focus and authorship, the lack of collaboration between Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) and Humanities, Arts and Social Science (HASS) disciplines, the capacity for collective action from different stakeholders, the importance of intangible elements, and the effects of both international and national legal frameworks and regulations. Full article

Ancient DNA (aDNA) research first began in 1984 and ever since has greatly expanded our understanding of evolution and migration. Today, aDNA analysis is used to solve various puzzles about the origin of mankind, migration patterns, and the spread of infectious diseases. The incredible findings ranging from identifying the new branches within the human family to studying the genomes of extinct flora and fauna have caught the world by surprise in recent times. However, a closer look at these published results points out a clear Global North and Global South divide. Therefore, through this research, we aim to emphasize encouraging better collaborative opportunities and technology transfer to support researchers in the Global South. Further, the present research also focuses on expanding the scope of the ongoing conversation in the field of aDNA by reporting relevant literature published around the world and discussing the advancements and challenges in the field. Full article

We are in the midst of an unprecedented public and planetary health crisis. A major driver of this crisis is the current nutrition transition—a product of globalization and powerful multinational food corporations promoting industrial agriculture and the consumption of environmentally destructive and unhealthy ultra-processed and other foods. This has led to unhealthy food environments and a pandemic of diet-related noncommunicable diseases, as well as negative impacts on the biophysical environment, biodiversity, climate, and economic equity. Among migrants from the global south to the global north, this nutrition transition is often visible as dietary acculturation. Yet some communities are defying the transition through selective resistance to globalization by recreating their traditional foods in their new home, and seeking crop species and varieties customarily used in their preparation. These communities include Zapotec migrants from the Central Valleys of the southern Mexican state of Oaxaca living in greater Los Angeles, California. Focusing on the traditional and culturally emblematic beverage tejate, we review data from our research and the literature to outline key questions about the role of traditional foods in addressing the public and planetary health crisis. We conclude that to answer these questions, a transnational collaborative research partnership between community members and scientists is needed. This could reorient public and planetary health work to be more equitable, participatory, and effective by supporting a positive role for traditional foods and minimizing their harms. Full article

The objective of this study is to characterize the contribution to sustainable entrepreneurship as a field of knowledge from developing countries, also called the Global South, through the analysis of the literature that has been produced in the last two decades. This research starts from the premise of the dominance of the Global North over academic production on this topic and analyzes the consequences for the Global South. Through VOSViewer software, and Biblioshiny, a web interface of bibliometrix R-package, 1964 articles that were retrieved from the WoS database were analyzed. According to the results, the dominance of the Global North is confirmed, not only by the number of articles (63% vs. 22% of the Global South), but also by the impact on the publications, the publishing systems, and the thematic addressed, among other indicators. Likewise, the low North–South collaboration (15%), and the scarce collaboration networks between Southern countries, were also confirmed. This situation may have affected the formation of a critical mass of Southern researchers to develop their own concepts and address subjects related to sustainable entrepreneurship that are more adjusted to their reality. We did not find significant differences between the Southern and the Northern research themes or the emergence of new concepts from the Global South, despite their different conditions. Finally, a closer look at the thematic trajectory in terms of scholarly production shows a lesser emphasis on sustainability in the Global South than that in the Global North. These findings are discussed herein. Full article