Search Results (308)

As the global energy transition accelerates, the integration of solar power and artificial intelligence (AI) technologies offers new pathways for sustainable local development. This study examines four Serbian municipalities—Šabac, Sombor, Pirot, and Čačak—to assess how AI-enabled solar power systems can enhance energy resilience, reduce emissions, and support community-level sustainability goals. Using a mixed-method approach combining spatial analysis, predictive modeling, and stakeholder interviews, this research study evaluates the performance and institutional readiness of local governments in terms of implementing intelligent solar infrastructure. Key AI applications included solar potential mapping, demand-side management, and predictive maintenance of photovoltaic (PV) systems. Quantitative results show an improvement >60% in forecasting accuracy, a 64% reduction in system downtime, and a 9.7% increase in energy cost savings. These technical gains were accompanied by positive trends in SDG-aligned indicators, such as improved electricity access and local job creation in the green economy. Despite challenges related to data infrastructure, regulatory gaps, and limited AI literacy, this study finds that institutional coordination and leadership commitment are decisive for successful implementation. The proposed AI–Solar Integration for Local Sustainability (AISILS) framework offers a replicable model for emerging economies. Policy recommendations include investing in foundational digital infrastructure, promoting low-code AI platforms, and aligning AI–solar projects with SDG targets to attract EU and national funding. This study contributes new empirical evidence on the digital–renewable energy nexus in Southeast Europe and underscores the strategic role of AI in accelerating inclusive, data-driven energy transitions at the municipal level. Full article

The water sector is facing a convergence of systemic challenges generated by climate change, increasing demand, and increasingly stringent regulations, which threaten its operational and strategic sustainability. In this context, the article examines how ESG (environmental, social, governance) principles are integrated into the governance, financing, and management of water resources, with a comparative focus on Romania and the European Union. It aims to assess the extent to which ESG practices contribute to the sustainable transformation of the water sector in the face of growing environmental and socio-economic challenges. The methodology is based on a systematic analysis of policy documents, regulatory frameworks, and ESG standards applicable to the water sector at both national (Romania) and EU levels. This study also investigates investment strategies and their alignment with the EU Taxonomy for Sustainable Activities, enabling a comparative perspective on implementation, gaps and strengths. Findings reveal that while ESG principles are increasingly recognized across Europe, their implementation remains uneven (particularly in Romania) due to unclear standards, limited funding mechanisms, and fragmented policy coordination. ESG integration shows clear potential to foster innovation, improve governance transparency, and support long-term resilience in the water sector. These results underline the need for coherent, integrated policies and stronger institutional coordination to ensure consistent ESG adoption across Member States. Policymakers should prioritize the development of clear guidelines and supportive funding instruments to accelerate sustainable outcomes. The originality of our study lies in its comparative approach, offering an in-depth analysis of ESG integration in the water sector across different governance contexts. It provides valuable insights for advancing policy coherence, investment alignment, and sustainable water resource management at both national and European levels. Full article

This study conducts a comprehensive systematic review of the economic impact of Digital Twin (DT) technology within the Architecture, Engineering, and Construction (AEC) industry, following the PRISMA methodology. While DT adoption has been accelerated by advancements in Building Information Modelling (BIM), the Internet of Things (IoT), and data analytics, significant challenges persist—most notably, high initial investment costs and integration complexities. Synthesising the literature from 2016 onwards, this review identifies sector-specific barriers, regulatory burdens, and a lack of standardisation as key factors constituting DT implementation costs. Despite these hurdles, DTs demonstrate strong potential for enhancing construction productivity, optimising lifecycle asset management, and enabling predictive maintenance, ultimately reducing operational expenditures and improving long-term financial performance. Case studies reveal cost efficiencies achieved through DTs in modular construction, energy optimisation, and infrastructure management. However, limited financial resources and digital skills continue to constrain the uptake across the sector, with various extents of impact. This paper calls for the development of unified standards, innovative public–private funding mechanisms, and strategic collaborations to unlock and utilise DTs’ full economic value. It also recommends that future research explore theoretical frameworks addressing governance, data infrastructure, and digital equity—particularly through conceptualising DT-related data as public assets or collective goods in the context of smart cities and networked infrastructure systems. Full article

The future of marine sustainability depends on public understanding and trust in the policy recommendations that emerge from scientific research. For common pool marine resource decisions made by the people who depend on these resources for their food, employment, and economic future, understanding the current status of these marine systems and change is essential to ensure these resources will persist into the future. As such, the informal learning infrastructure is essential to increasing marine science literacy in a changing world. This mixed-methods research study analyzed the distribution and accessibility of marine science education and research across Alaska’s five geographic regions. Using the PRISMA framework, we synthesized data from 198 institutions and analyzed peer-reviewed literature on marine ecosystems to identify geographic and thematic gaps in access to informal science learning and research focus. In parallel, we undertook geospatial analysis and resource availability to describe the distribution of resources, types of informal learning infrastructure present across the state, regional presence, and resources to support informal marine science learning opportunities. Findings from this multifactor research revealed a concentration of resources in urban hubs and a lack of consistent access to learning resources for rural and Indigenous communities. The configurative literature review of 9549 publications identified topical underrepresentation of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands, as well as a lack of research on seabirds across all regions. Considered together, these results recommend targeted investments in rural engagement with marine science programming, culturally grounded partnerships, and research diversification. This review concludes that disparities in learning resource support and government-funded priorities in marine wildlife research have created conditions that undermine the local people’s participation in the sustainability of sensitive resources and are likely exacerbating declines driven by rapid change in Arctic and sub-Arctic waters. Full article

The UI GreenMetric World University Ranking has become a widely adopted instrument for benchmarking institutional sustainability performance; nevertheless, empirically grounded evidence from universities in diverse regional contexts remains scarce. This study undertakes a rigorous appraisal of the extent to which Mahasarakham University (MSU) has institutionalized the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) within its pedagogical offerings, research portfolio, community outreach, and governance arrangements during the 2021–2024 strategic cycle. Employing a mixed-methods design and guided by the 2024 UI GreenMetric Education and Research indicators, this investigation analyzed institutional datasets pertaining to curriculum provision, ring-fenced research funding, 574 peer-reviewed sustainability publications, student-led community initiatives, and supporting governance mechanisms; the analysis was interpreted through a Plan–Do–Check–Act management lens. The number of sustainability-oriented academic programs expanded from 49 to 58. Student participation in community service activities strongly recovered following the COVID-19 pandemic, and MSU’s GreenMetric score increased from 7575 to 8475, thereby elevating the institution to the 100th position globally. These gains were facilitated by strategic SDG-aligned investment, cross-sector collaboration, and the consolidation of international partnerships anchored in Thailand’s Isaan region. The MSU case provides a transferable model for universities—particularly those operating in resource-constrained contexts—endeavoring to align institutional development with the SDGs and internationally recognized quality benchmarks. The findings substantiate the capacity of transformative education and applied research to engender enduring societal and environmental benefits. Full article

Specialized and special new “little giant” enterprises are characterized by specialization, refinement, uniqueness, and innovation. They have relatively strong innovation capabilities and enterprise vitality. However, they also face problems such as high innovation costs, long investment recovery cycles, and high risks of investment returns, which lead to information asymmetry and financing difficulties. Government venture capital is a policy fund provided by the government and established with the participation of local governments, financial institutions, and private capital. They can utilize fiscal policies to attract market funds and support the development of key industries. Therefore, in this study, the first through sixth batches of specialized and special new “little giant” enterprises listed on the A-share and New Third Board from 2013 to 2023 were taken as samples, and their investment behavior and investment effects were empirically studied using the multiple linear regression method. The investment behavior of government venture capital tends to target strategic emerging industries. The intervention of government venture capital can enhance the innovation of “little giant” enterprises and has an impact through the intermediary mechanism of R&D investment. This paper draws conclusions and puts forward relevant policy suggestions for supporting the development of “little giant” enterprises. Full article

This study examines the dynamics of culture-led urban development, focusing on the role of museums and cultural institutions in urban transformation through the case study of Holon, Israel. Reliance on public funding and political support for cultural initiatives exposed this strategy’s fragility. Political transitions and budget reductions highlight the vulnerabilities of cultural institutions to shifting priorities and economic pressures. This study critically examines the interplay between cultural policy, urban branding, and community engagement, exploring how these dynamics contribute to urban renewal and the challenges that jeopardize its sustainability. Drawing on theoretical frameworks of cultural capital and place branding, the research explores how cultural investments can strengthen and destabilize cities’ socioeconomic and symbolic fabric. The study highlights the dual potential and fragility of culture-driven urban regeneration through a mixed-methods approach combining archival research, interviews, and field observations. By analyzing Holon’s trajectory, this research offers valuable insights into the potential and risks of leveraging culture for urban regeneration, emphasizing the need for resilient governance structures and diversified funding strategies to ensure the longevity of culture-led urban development. Full article

Background: Economic logistics in fire and rescue services is a critical determinant of operational readiness, fiscal sustainability, and resilience to large-scale emergencies. Despite its strategic importance, logistics remains under-researched in Central and Eastern European contexts, where legacy governance structures and EU-funded modernization coexist with systemic inefficiencies. This study focuses on the Slovak Fire and Rescue Service (HaZZ) as a case to explore how economic logistics systems can be restructured for greater performance and value. Objective: The objective of this paper was to evaluate the structure, performance, and reform potential of the logistics system supporting HaZZ, with a focus on procurement efficiency, lifecycle costing, digital integration, and alignment with EU civil protection standards. Methods: A mixed-methods design was applied, comprising the following: (1) Institutional analysis of governance, budgeting, and legal mandates based on semi-structured expert interviews with HaZZ and the Ministry of Interior officers (n = 12); (2) comparative benchmarking with Germany, Austria, the Czech Republic, and the Netherlands; (3) financial analysis of national logistics expenditures (2019–2023) using Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) principles, completed with the visualization of cost trends and procurement price variance through original heat maps and time-series graphs. Results: The key findings are as follows: (1) HaZZ operates a formally centralized but practically fragmented logistics model across 51 district units, lacking national coordination mechanisms and digital infrastructure; (2) Maintenance costs have risen by 42% between 2019 and 2023 despite increasing capital investment due to insufficient lifecycle planning and asset heterogeneity; (3) Price variance for identical equipment categories across regions exceeds 30%, highlighting the inefficiencies in decentralized procurement; (4) Slovakia lacks a national Logistics Information System (LIS), unlike peer countries which have deployed integrated digital platforms (e.g., CELIS in the Czech Republic); (5) Benchmarking reveals high-impact practices in centralized procurement, lifecycle-based contracting, regional logistics hubs, and performance accountability—particularly in Austria and the Netherlands. Impacts: Four high-impact, feasible reforms were proposed: (1) Establishment of a centralized procurement framework; (2) national LIS deployment to unify inventory and asset tracking; (3) adoption of lifecycle-based and performance-based contracting models; (4) development of regional logistics hubs using underutilized infrastructure. This study is among the first to provide an integrated economic and institutional analysis of the Fire and Rescue Service logistics in a post-socialist EU member state. It offers a structured, transferable reform roadmap grounded in comparative evidence and adapted to Slovakia’s hybrid governance model. The research bridges gaps between modernization policy, procurement law, and digital public administration in the context of emergency services. Full article

The European Union (EU) is advancing a digital twin of its electricity grid as a flagship initiative to accelerate the dual transitions of decarbonization and digitalization. By creating a real-time virtual replica of the EU-27 power network, policymakers and industry stakeholders aim to enhance grid efficiency, resilience, and renewable energy integration. This review provides a comprehensive analysis of the three critical dimensions shaping the digital twin’s development: (1) regulatory barriers, including fragmented policies, inconsistent data governance frameworks, and the need for harmonized standards and incentives across member states; (2) technological challenges, such as achieving interoperability, integrating real-time data, developing robust cybersecurity measures, and ensuring scalable infrastructure; and (3) economic opportunities, centered on potential cost savings, optimized asset management, new flexibility services, and pathways for innovation and investment. Drawing on European Commission policy documents, regulatory reports, academic studies, and industry projects like the Horizon Europe TwinEU initiative, this review highlights that significant groundwork has been laid to prototype and federate local grid twins into a cohesive continental system. However, achieving the full potential of a pan-European digital twin will require additional regulatory harmonization, more mature data-sharing protocols, and sustained financial commitment. This review concludes with an outlook on the strategic convergence of policy reforms, collaborative R&D, and targeted funding, emphasizing how institutional momentum, federated architectures, and cross-sector integration are advancing a secure, resilient, and economically viable digital twin that is envisioned as a foundational layer in the operational and planning infrastructure of Europe’s future electricity system. Full article

In recent years, corporate innovation has faced growing pressures from macroeconomic fluctuations and intensifying industry competition, making the maintenance of uninterrupted innovation increasingly crucial. This study selected Chinese listed firms from 2015 to 2022 as samples and adopted a panel fixed-effect model to examine the impact of corporate ESG performance on sustained innovation, with particular attention to external environmental pressures, including macroeconomic uncertainty, industry competition, and market attention. The results demonstrate that corporate ESG performance significantly promotes corporate sustained innovation. Mechanism analyses indicate that from the dual perspectives of resource effects and governance effects, ESG performance primarily enhances sustained innovation by increasing investment in R&D funding and personnel, as well as avoiding managerial myopia. Specifically, macroeconomic uncertainty dampens the positive effect of ESG performance, whereas, under industry competitive and market scrutiny pressures, the beneficial impact of ESG performance on sustained innovation becomes more evident. The research findings expand the internal drivers for sustained innovation, enrich the study of economic consequences of ESG performance, and clarify the differentiated moderating effects of various external pressures under VUCA scenarios. By integrating internal drivers and external complex environments, the paper offers practical insights for firms to leverage ESG practices for innovation resilience and long-term growth, particularly under dynamic market conditions. Full article

Promoting the Sustainable Development Goal 3 (SDG 3) of Good Health and Well-being of all people requires an approach that ensures that health systems are strengthened with comprehensive social support mechanisms. This interrelation has gained increasing recognition as a foundational pillar in realizing sustainable and equitable healthcare. Economic instabilities and social vulnerabilities have direct implications on health access and outcomes, making focused welfare and security measures important in entrenching SDG 3. This work combines interdisciplinary studies, bridging health policy and economic security, at a time when social policy decisions, more than ever, should be guided by real-world needs and evidence, dealing with key factors, interventions, and contributions from policymakers on strategies that can reinforce health systems. Thus, current achievements of SDG 3 and challenges to successfully integrate health and social support sectors are discussed. The study addresses future pathways to achieve this Goal, including greater public investment in inter-sectoral collaboration, innovative funding models, and data-driven policymaking as part of this next wave in advancing health systems resilience. Important ways to restructure public health with less inequality entail a reinforcement of social safety nets, mitigating health consequences through poverty and adverse economic conditions. Coordinated governance, cross-sectoral collaboration, and evidence-based monitoring frameworks assure policymakers of their effectiveness in achieving these policy priorities. This calls for prioritized planning that invests in scalability, sustainability, and adaptability for resilient health systems supported by inclusive welfare state policies. By aligning social policies with health priorities, this paper aims to contribute to a global agenda regarding universal, sustainable, and equitably achieved health outcomes within the framework of the Sustainable Development Goals. Full article

Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs) are essential for accelerating sustainable development as they combine public goals with private sector efficiency, leading to improved service delivery and less financial burden on governments. It is a project delivery model based on long-term contractual arrangements, where the private sector provides services, including engineering, construction, and operation of public infrastructure, taking financial risks. At the project development stage, the private sector carries out a financial risk assessment to ensure economic returns from a PPP investment and secure funding for the project. In this paper, we present a Bayesian Belief Network (BBN)-based model that can be used to assess financial risks, particularly the level of profitability in PPP projects. The proposed model was developed considering PPP projects in the healthcare sector and validated using data on PPP hospital projects in Turkiye. The findings demonstrate that the BBN model is useful for capturing the interdependencies between risks, resulting in different scenarios, and provides effective decision support for investors in PPP projects. This study contributes to the literature by offering a novel application of probabilistic risk assessment to provide a better understanding of interrelated risk factors that may result in different financial scenarios. The model can be used by the private sector to assess risk, estimate profitability, and develop risk mitigation strategies in PPP healthcare projects, which may increase project success, contributing to social, environmental, and economic sustainability. Full article

The intelligent connected vehicle (ICV) industry encounters substantial challenges related to technology, policies, and funding. Its development relies not only on the close collaboration and technological innovation between carmakers and technology companies but also on the support of government’s incentive policies. Therefore, this paper establishes a tripartite evolutionary game model that involves governments, carmakers, and technology companies to investigate the stability equilibrium strategy of multi-party participation in promoting the development of the ICV industry. In addition, by analyzing relevant regulations and company annual reports, this paper conducts a simulation analysis to examine how government incentive policies and benefit distribution mechanisms impact the evolutionary trajectory. Several insightful and practical conclusions are drawn. First, in the early stages of industrial development, the government’s infrastructure investment could promote the cross-border innovation cooperation between carmakers and technology companies, thereby accelerating the advancement of ICVs; however, the long-term impact of the sustained investment remains limited. Second, the incremental government subsidies for carmakers and technology companies within limits could increase the probability of them choosing to cooperate and innovate with each other. Still, the excessive subsidies could result in unstable industry growth. Finally, the increase in the benefit distribution ratio for carmakers with professional technology in automotive technology and vehicle design has a positive effect on the development of the ICV industry. This paper expands the research scope of ICVs and provides theoretical insights for promoting the sustainable development of the ICV industry from policy and market viewpoints. Full article

Family businesses play a vital role in the global economy as an organizational form that has evolved over time. However, Chinese family firms generally suffer from insufficient investment in research and development. Based on panel data of Chinese listed family firms from 2008 to 2022, this study investigates the impact of government green subsidies on family firms’ green innovation, along with the heterogeneity of such effects under different scenarios. The results show that government green subsidies significantly promote both strategic and substantive green innovation. The moderating effect analysis reveals that economic policy uncertainty weakens the baseline effect. Further analysis confirms that the positive impact of green subsidies is achieved by alleviating firms’ R&D funding constraints. Heterogeneity analysis indicates that green subsidies have a stronger effect on non-heavily polluting firms; they promote substantive green innovation more effectively in firms with low managerial green cognition, and strategic green innovation in those with high cognition. Additionally, the effects vary across the firm life cycle: green subsidies enhance strategic green innovation during the growth and maturity stages, and substantive green innovation during the growth and decline stages. This study reveals the mechanisms through which government green subsidies affect green innovation in family firms and offers policy implications for promoting sustainable development in the family business sector. Full article

This study investigates whether government subsidies promote R&D cost stickiness in the new energy vehicle (NEV) industry in China—that is, whether public funding encourages firms to retain R&D resources even during periods of declining sales. While prior literature primarily explores the relationship between subsidies and R&D investment levels, it often overlooks firms’ financial position and dynamic cost behaviors. Given that R&D investment has high adjustment costs and is sensitive to cash flows, reductions in R&D spending during downturns may reflect managerial cost asymmetry rather than a crowding-out effect of subsidies. Moreover, government subsidies may serve as a signal of long-term market optimism, motivating managers to retain R&D resources during economic downturns. Using a panel dataset of 573 listed new energy vehicle (NEV) firms in China’s A-share market from 2007 to 2021, we construct a model based on the asymmetric cost behavior framework to empirically assess the impact of government subsidies on R&D cost stickiness. The results show that government subsidies significantly increase the degree of R&D cost stickiness. Serving as a signal of future market optimism, subsidies raise managerial expectations and incentivize decisions to retain R&D-related costs during economic downturns. This positive relationship is more pronounced in firms with high levels of green innovation, large-scale enterprises, and non-state-owned firms. These findings suggest that public funding alleviates managerial pressure to cut R&D expenses amid revenue declines, thereby supporting firms’ long-term innovation strategies. Our study contributes to the cost management literature by highlighting a novel channel through which subsidies influence managerial discretion under uncertainty. It also provides policy implications for the future phase-out of subsidies, emphasizing the need for complementary market mechanisms to sustain innovation investment, particularly for small, young, and financially constrained firms. Full article