Search Results (10)

This paper examines the intersection of entrepreneurship, innovation, and sustainability in the tourism sector through the lens of knowledge creation and transfer. It focuses on the Tourism Creative Factory (TCF) ideation programme, developed under Turismo de Portugal’s Fostering Innovation in Tourism 2.0 initiative. Using a case study methodology, the research situates the 2021–2022 “RESTART” edition of TCF within broader theoretical frameworks of knowledge-based development and organisational learning. This study highlights the programme’s role in facilitating knowledge exchange among participants, mentors, and institutional actors, thereby enhancing entrepreneurial readiness and resilience in a post-pandemic context. Emphasis is placed on mentorship, capacity-building, and experiential learning as mechanisms for knowledge management, enabling the 39 selected participants to develop sustainable business models and Minimum Viable Products (MVPs), with the 16 most innovative being selected for a final pitch presentation to a panel of experts representing diverse sectors of the entrepreneurial ecosystem. The findings underscore the transferability of TCF’s methodology to other knowledge-intensive sectors and contribute to advancing theoretical and practical understanding of how structured ideation programmes function as knowledge systems within tourism and beyond. Full article

China possesses 400 million hectares of grasslands that provide regulating ecosystem services (ESs), including wind erosion control, water conservation, and carbon sequestration. The central government implemented the Grassland Ecological Protection Subsidy and Reward Policy (GERCP) in 2011, allocating 150 billion yuan (approximately $23 billion) through 2020, while national vegetation coverage increased from 51.0% in 2011 to 56.1% in 2020. Existing valuation studies emphasize total economic value but rarely quantify the concentration of ES values across space or their alignment with fiscal allocation. We compiled 734 grassland ES valuation observations from 186 studies published between 2000 and 2024, and estimated a multi-level mixed-effects meta-regression model for benefit transfer. We projected standardized county-level ES values, decomposed spatial inequality using the Gini coefficient and Theil index, and assessed the mismatch between value-informed allocation weights and observed GERCP transfers. Predicted values exhibit high concentration (Gini coefficient = 0.58), and between-zone differences explain 52% of total Theil inequality. The mismatch analysis identifies 94 high-value and low-compensation counties concentrated in southern Qinghai and northern Tibet, where per-hectare values are 180 to 240% above national medians, and compensation is 35 to 55% below the median. The results support value-informed targeting and redistribution of fiscal weights across regions, while payment levels require pricing benchmarks based on opportunity cost or conservation cost rather than total economic value. We propose calibrating compensation rates through a tiered schedule based on ESV quantiles or standardized ecosystem-service bundles, and implementing county-level differentiated payments with periodic updating tied to monitoring and evaluation. As a minimum viable step, we recommend piloting this scheme in counties with high ESV yet low current compensation, and integrating it into existing ecological compensation funding channels to reduce administrative frictions. Full article

This study investigates the economic viability of a new composting station dedicated to the recycling of date palm by-products. A field experiential analysis was performed in the Figuig Oasis (Morocco), providing the first evidence on the agronomic quality of the compost. The compost produced from date palm by-product was compared to cattle manure and unamended soil and can be considered as a good-quality amendment, demonstrating its ability to enhance soil fertility. Second, a socio-economic survey was conducted to explore farmers’ perceptions and adoption of sustainable agricultural practices. A total of 201 farmers out of 450 farmers registered in Figuig’s municipal administration were surveyed. In terms of fertilisation, farmers preferred locally produced organic fertiliser when available in order to improve soil organic matter content and reduce dependence on chemical inputs. The selling price for the compost was set at 0.14 EUR/kg to reflect the current market price for compost and the willingness of about 38% of the farmers surveyed to buy it. Third, a detailed cost/benefit analysis was performed, with a breakdown of the station’s operational and investment expenses. This illustrates the minimum scale needed to generate a viable business model. Financial projections show that increasing production capacity from 350 tonnes/year to 3500 tonnes/year reduces unit production costs while increasing profits. As illustrated by the application of the Ecocanvas framework, the socio-economic analysis reveals the potential to generate positive environmental, economic, and social impacts, as the circular approach could be replicable and scalable in similar oases agro ecosystems. Full article

Protected areas are crucial sanctuaries for biodiversity, strictly prohibiting the direct exploitation of natural resources and helping to maintain viable populations and communities. However, even species within these areas face challenges from climate changes. This study compared the present distribution of five woody species (Aspidosperma tomentosum, Kielmeyera coriacea, Peixotoa tomentosa, Qualea multiflora, and Senna velutina) with their projected distribution (in 2080–2100) in 30 protected Brazilian national parks. Our objectives were to evaluate ecological niche models; determine which bioclimatic variables best explain the geographic distribution of species; assess the current distribution of these species; predict changes under distinct future climatic scenarios; and analyze the potential species richness within Brazilian national parks. We overlayed binarized maps of each species and extracted statistical metrics—mean potential, standard deviation, minimum, and maximum potential—using the ‘extract’ function (raster package, v.3.5-2) in the R platform. The results revealed the dynamic nature of species distribution, each one of them being affected by a specific group of factors. All species exhibited changes in their ecological niche or distribution areas in future projections, be it losing areas (A. tomentosum: 26.27–100%; K. coriacea: 38.39–100%; P. tomentosa: 40.46–96.66%; Q. multiflora: 7.34–100%; Senna velutina: 4.52–99.99%) or gaining areas (Q. multiflora: up to 92.21%, and S. velutina: up to 22.07%). We conclude that the potential species richness within Brazilian national parks will be lower in the future. This information is crucial for biodiversity conservation efforts, offering insights into species habitat dynamics and emphasizing the need for adaptive conservation strategies. This study reinforces the urgency of preserving natural ecosystems to ensure a sustainable future for their flora and fauna. Full article

Species energy theory suggests that, because of limitations on reproduction efficiency, a minimum density of plant individuals per viable species exists and that this minimum correlates the total number of plant individuals N with the number of species S. The simplest assumption is that the mean energy input per individual plant is independent of the number of individuals, making N, and thus S as well, proportional to the total energy input into the system. The primary energy input to a plant-dominated ecosystem is estimated as its Net Primary Productivity (NPP). Thus, species energy theory draws a direct correspondence from NPP to S. Although investigations have verified a strong connection between S and NPP, strong influences of other factors, such as topography, ecological processes such as competition, and historical contingencies, are also at play. The lack of a simple model of NPP expressed in terms of the principal climate variables, precipitation P, and potential evapotranspiration, PET, introduces unnecessary uncertainty to the understanding of species richness across scales. Recent research combines percolation theory with the principle of ecological optimality to derive an expression for NPP(P, PET). Consistent with assuming S is proportional to NPP, we show here that the new expression for NPP(P, PET) predicts the number of plant species S in an ecosystem as a function of P and PET. As already demonstrated elsewhere, the results are consistent with some additional variation due to non-climatic inputs. We suggest that it may be easier to infer specific deviations from species energy predictions with increased accuracy and generality of the prediction of NPP(P, PET). Full article

Agroforest systems have been widely recognized as an integrated approach to sustainable land use for addressing the climate change problem because of their greater potential to sequester atmospheric CO₂ with multiple economic and ecological benefits. However, the nature and extent of the effects of an age-sequence of agroforestry systems on carbon (C) storage remain largely unknown. To reveal the influence of different aged poplar-crop systems on C stocks, we investigated the variation in biomass and C storage under four aged poplar-crop agroforest systems (3-, 9-, 13-, and 17-year-old) in the Henan province of China. The results showed that stand biomass increased with forest age, ranging from 26.9 to 121.6 t/ha in the corresponding four aged poplar-crop systems. The poplar tree biomass accounted for >80% of the total stand biomass in these poplar-crop agroforestry systems, except in the 3-year-old agroforestry system. The average stand productivity peaked in a 9-year-old poplar-crop system (11.8 t/ha/yr), the next was in 13- and 17-year-old agroforestry systems, and the minimum was found in 3-year-old poplar-crop stands (4.8 t/ha/yr). The total C stocks increased, with aging poplar-crop systems ranging from 99.7 to 189.2 t/ha in the studied agroforestry systems. The proportion of C stocks accounted for about 6, 25, and 69% of the total C stocks in the crop, poplar tree, and soil components in all studied agroforestry ecosystems, respectively. Our results suggested that the poplar-crop system, especially in productive and mature stages, is quite an effective agroforestry model to increase the study site’s biomass production and C stocks. This study highlighted the importance of agroforestry systems in C storage. It recommended the poplar-crop agroforest ecosystems as a viable option for sustainable production and C mitigation in the central region of China. Full article

Integrated technology management in building smart ports or intelligent ports is a crucial concern for global sustainable development, especially when human societies are facing increasing risks from climate change, sea-levels rising, and supply chain disruptions. By mapping the knowledge base of 103 papers on intelligent ports, retrieved in late December 2022 from the Web of Science, this study conducted a roadmapping exercise using knowledge mapping findings, assisted by Bibliometrix, VoSviewer, and customized Python scripts. The three structural (intellectual, social, and conceptual) aspects of knowledge structure reveal the significance of the internet of things (IoT), the fourth industrial revolution (Industry 4.0), digitalization and supply chains, and the need for digital transformation alignment across various stakeholders with Industry 4.0 practices. Furthermore, an even geographical distribution and institutional representation was observed across major continents. The results of the analysis of the conceptual structure demonstrated the existence of several established and emerging clusters of research, namely (1) industry data, IoT, and ICT, (2) industry 4.0, (3) smart airports, (4) automation; and (5) protocol and security. The overall empirical findings revealed the underlying technology and innovation management issues of digital transformation alignment across stakeholders in IoT, Industry 4.0, 5G, Big Data, and AI integrated solutions. In relation to roadmapping, this study proposed a socio-technical transition framework for prototyping ecosystem innovations surrounding smart sustainable ports, focusing on contributing to valuable carbon or greenhouse gas emission data governance, management, and services in global value chains. Full article

Biochar produced from low-value forest biomass can provide substantial benefits to ecosystems and mitigate climate change-induced risks such as forest fires. Forest residues from restoration activities and timber harvest and biochar itself are bulky and thus incur high logistic costs, so are considered major bottlenecks for the commercialization of the biochar industry. The objectives of this study were to assess the environmental footprints and techno-economic feasibility of converting forest residues in Pacific Northwest United States into biochar pellets using portable systems followed by delivery of the final product to end-users for land application (dispersion). Two portable systems (Biochar Solutions Incorporated (BSI) and Air Curtain Burner (ACB)) were considered for biochar production. A cradle-to-grave lifecycle assessment (LCA) and a discounted cash flow analysis method were used to quantify the environmental impacts and minimum selling price (MSP) of biochar. The global warming (GW) impact of biochar production through BSI and ACB was estimated to be 306–444, and 750–1016 kgCO₂eq/tonne biochar applied to the field, respectively. The MSP of biochar produced through BSI and ACB was 1674–1909 and 528–1051 USD/tonne biochar applied to the field, respectively. Pelletizing of biochar reduced GW impacts during outbound logistics (~8–20%) but increased emissions during pelletizing (~1–9%). Results show the BSI system was a more viable option in terms of GW impact, whereas the ACB system can produce biochar with lower MSP. The results of the study conclude that the production of biochar pellets through the two portable systems and applied to fields can be both an environmentally beneficial and economically viable option. Full article

The sustainable development of the new energy vehicle (NEV) industry is receiving increasing attention worldwide. However, as a “catch-up” country in the automobile industry, China has made remarkable achievements in NEV industry development. To explore this phenomenon, this paper develops an “innovation-demand-policy” (IDP) framework to investigate the driving forces of sustainable development of the NEV industry from the perspective of an innovation ecosystem. Based on a comprehensive data collection and processing of interviews, patents, industry reports, and policy documents, the findings showed that technological innovation, market demand, and government policy drive NEV industry development together, and policy can play an effective role of coordination only when it follows an innovation process and market demand selection mechanism. Specifically, technological grafting, potential market demand, and supply-side policy create a minimum viable ecosystem and the embryonic form of the NEV industry. Technological breakthroughs, public demand, and demand-side policy enhance the NEV industry’s ability to grow via a platform ecosystem. Additionally, total innovation, private demand, and environmental-side policy upgrade the NEV industry through expanding and reconfiguring the innovation ecosystem. This study also provides suggestions for policymakers and industrialists to promote sustainable development of the NEV industry in the future. Full article

Fire impacts many vegetated ecosystems across the world. The severity of a fire is major component in determining post-fire effects, including soil erosion, trace gas emissions, and the trajectory of recovery. In this study, we used imaging spectroscopy data combined with Multiple Endmember Spectral Mixture Analysis (MESMA), a form of spectral mixture analysis that accounts for endmember variability, to map fire severity of the 2013 Rim Fire. We evaluated four endmember selection approaches: Iterative Endmember Selection (IES), count-based within endmember class (In-CoB), Endmember Average Root Mean Squared Error (EAR), and Minimum Average Spectral Angle (MASA). To reduce the dimensionality of the imaging spectroscopy data we used uncorrelated Stable Zone Unmixing (uSZU). Fractional cover maps derived from MESMA were validated using two approaches: (1) manual interpretation of fine spatial resolution WorldView-2 imagery; and (2) ground plots measuring the Geo Composite Burn Index (GeoCBI) and the percentage of co-dominant and dominant trees with green, brown, and black needles. Comparison to reference data demonstrated fairly high correlation for green vegetation and char fractions (r² values as high as 0.741 for the MESMA ash fractions compared to classified WorldView-2 imagery and as high as 0.841 for green vegetation fractions). The combination of uSZU band selection and In-CoB endmember selection had the best trade-off between accuracy and computational efficiency. This study demonstrated that detailed fire severity retrievals based on imaging spectroscopy can be optimized using techniques that would be viable also in a satellite-based imaging spectrometer. Full article