Search Results (1,267)

Wind energy is a core pillar of global green and sustainable energy transition. However, existing wind power prediction models face three key challenges: traditional long short-term memory (LSTM) models struggle to capture long-term temporal dependencies efficiently and have high training latency, while Transformer-based models exhibit excessive computational complexity and are prone to overfitting for short-term fluctuating data; meanwhile, few models integrate seasonal trend modeling with multi-scale temporal feature extraction, leading to large prediction errors in seasonal transitions. To address these issues, this paper proposes a hybrid prediction framework combining a novel T-LSTM recurrent unit with the Seasonal Autoregressive Integrated Moving Average (SARIMA) model. The T-LSTM unit fuses a simplified Transformer module and an improved LSTM structure. Thus, the design can synergistically capture both short-term fluctuations and long-term dependencies in wind power data. Complementarily, SARIMA is integrated via weighted fusion to model seasonal trends, addressing the neglect of seasonal characteristics in existing deep learning models. A diverse set of benchmark methods for wind power prediction are selected for comparison, including LSTM, convolutional neural network-gated recurrent unit (CNN-GRU), ns_Transformer, Autoformer, Reformer and least squares support vector machine (LSSVM), with experiments conducted across various prediction horizons. The results show that the proposed T-LSTM model outperformed most benchmark methods in key evaluation metrics across multiple prediction horizons and exhibited no statistically significant difference from Autoformer only in the 90 min horizon, validating its superiority in handling complex wind power time series. Full article

Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) has emerged as a critical paradigm for corporate sustainable development. In the maritime industry, a sector central to global trade, ESG is gaining prominence, driven by regulatory pressures and investor demands. This study conducts a systematic literature review to map the research landscape of ESG in the shipping industry from 2020 to 2024. Employing the PRISMA methodology, we analyze 20 core academic papers from the Web of Science and Scopus databases. Our findings reveal a rapidly growing research interest, with a clear thematic evolution from a singular focus on environmental issues to a more holistic, three-pillar (E, S, and G) framework. Key research hotspots identified include the relationship between ESG performance and financial performance, ESG disclosure, and risk management. While a positive correlation between good ESG practices and corporate financial performance is a recurring theme, significant challenges persist, notably inconsistent disclosure standards, fragmented global research efforts, and a lack of industry-specific evaluation frameworks. This review synthesizes the current state of knowledge, identifies critical research gaps, and proposes a forward-looking agenda focusing on developing industry-specific frameworks, analyzing external institutional impacts, and enhancing data credibility. Our findings provide a foundational reference for academics, policymakers, and industry practitioners to advance the sustainable transformation of the shipping industry. Full article

The qualitative and experience-dependent nature of traditional safety management in high-hazard process industries (e.g., chemical, petrochemical, oil & gas) poses significant challenges to scientific decision-making and cross-domain benchmarking. To address this, we propose and systematically construct Safety Metrology as a nascent sub-discipline of safety science with direct relevance to process safety engineering. Through a comprehensive analysis of disciplinary evolution, societal demands, and theoretical foundations, this study develops a conceptual framework characterized by ‘benchmarking, consistency, and reliability’, supported by a four-dimensional theoretical pillar (philosophy, safety science, metrology, and interdisciplinarity). The findings demonstrate that Safety Metrology provides the methodological bedrock for achieving quantifiable, comparable, and actionable safety management in complex process systems, thereby facilitating a paradigm shift towards data-driven safety governance in complex systems and contributing to sustainable risk management in high-hazard industries. Full article

Sustainability has become a central pillar of public policy and higher education, with university students playing a key role both as recipients of knowledge and as agents of change toward more responsible practices. Existing literature shows that students’ attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors related to sustainability are shaped by multiple explanatory factors; however, prior research has often addressed these factors in isolation, resulting in a fragmented understanding of how sustainability is constructed within the university context. Students’ engagement with sustainability emerges from the interaction of several interconnected dimensions, including conceptual clarity, everyday lifestyle practices, academic experiences, institutional environments, and sustainability-related training. This study provides a descriptive and exploratory empirical overview of the dimensions that shape university students’ understanding of sustainability, enabling the identification of patterns, trends, and key influences on attitudes, intentions, and sustainable behaviors. Data were collected from a sample of university students in Spain using a structured questionnaire designed to capture perceptions, behaviors, and experiences related to sustainability. The data were analyzed using quantitative descriptive techniques. The findings reveal distinct sustainability dimensions and highlight the interplay between conceptual understanding, educational experiences, institutional initiatives, and lifestyle practices in shaping students’ engagement with sustainability. By offering a comprehensive, non-manipulative empirical perspective, the study lays the groundwork for the development of more effective educational and university management strategies aimed at strengthening student commitment to the Sustainable Development Goals. Beyond its descriptive contribution, the study proposes an integrated conceptual model of sustainable education that brings together conceptual, attitudinal, educational, and institutional dimensions from the students’ perspective. This holistic framework provides actionable guidance for universities seeking to adapt curricula, pedagogical approaches, and institutional initiatives to foster more coherent, inclusive, and effective sustainability education. Full article

Background: In today’s dynamic healthcare environment, Changi General Hospital (CGH) has positioned staff wellbeing and engagement as fundamental priorities that underpin workforce sustainability and quality care delivery. Recognizing that allied health professionals (AHPs) face unique emotional demands and potential empathy fatigue, the CGH Allied Health Division (AHD) uses three strategic pillars: individual empowerment, leaders as key stewards and institutional support systems to address staff wellbeing and engagement. This paper will evaluate the outcomes of implementing the programs and identifying the barriers and enablers to achieving staff wellbeing and engagement. Methods: It adopts a mixed-methods approach using both quantitative survey data and qualitative feedback. Results: A total of 314 AHPs participated with a mean employment duration of 8.89 years. While 95% agreed that their work was meaningful and 76.8% reported happiness at work, 40.8% did not experience being recognized by the organization and approximately 30% did not find higher management responsive to their needs or transparent in their communication. Qualitative analysis revealed concerns about psychological safety of sharing one’s opinions and concerns, and a desire for better renumeration and career progression. Conclusions: AHPs reported happiness and meaningfulness in their clinical work. However, issues with organizational recognition, higher management responsiveness and transparency, as well as psychological safety were elicited. Working towards addressing fostering psychological safety and enhancing recognition and communication with management are important in order to develop and sustain a thriving healthcare workforce capable of high-quality patient care. Overall, the findings reinforced AHD direction of putting employee wellbeing and engagement as a strategic priority. Full article

The decarbonisation of the construction sector represents a central pillar of sustainable development strategies, contributing simultaneously to climate change mitigation, energy efficiency, energy security, and long-term socio-economic resilience. In this context, the European regulatory framework increasingly recognises the role of digitalisation and smart technologies in improving building performance beyond static energy efficiency indicators. The Smart Readiness Indicator (SRI), introduced in Energy Performance of Buildings Directive IV (EPBD), is designed to evaluate a building’s ability to optimise energy usage, adapt to the needs of its occupants, and interact intelligently with energy networks through automation and control systems. However, the scientific literature has only partially explored its potential contribution to sustainability-oriented decision-making and decarbonisation governance. This study adopts a conceptual and methodological research approach to investigate the role of the SRI as a sustainability-oriented assessment and governance tool for building decarbonisation. The paper develops a multi-scale analytical framework based on a structured synthesis of the scientific literature, European policy documents and evidence emerging from national SRI test phases. The framework systematically links smart readiness functionalities with digital modelling tools, automation systems, and decarbonisation objectives across building, system, and policy levels. The results highlight that the SRI can be interpreted not only as a descriptive rating scheme, but also as a strategic instrument for assessing sustainability, capable of supporting environmentally, economically, and operationally sustainable decision-making in the built environment. This study contributes to the advancement of sustainability assessment tools that enable the monitoring, governance and long-term decarbonisation of the building stock in line with European climate and sustainability goals by reframing the SRI within a digital and decarbonisation-oriented methodological perspective. Full article

With the signing of the 2030 Agenda, most countries around the world have committed to making the Earth a better place for current and future generations. Sustainable development involves balancing economic, environmental and social plans; therefore, a series of indicators were chosen in the study to define these three pillars. Also, given Romania’s low results compared to other EU member states, it was desirable to implement an analysis aimed at exploring this country in more detail, which is why a regional investigation was implemented. Through a panel cluster analysis for the period 2015–2023, an attempt was made to determine the degree of homogeneity between the counties of Romania in order to identify the most affected regions. Among the results obtained, it was noted that geographical location had an influence on how counties were grouped into classes, with the most affected areas being those in the immediate vicinity of the capital. This fact once again reinforces the idea behind the concept of “agglomeration shadows”, according to which areas around large cities are deprived of certain resources or economic activities. Full article

This review examines the status, challenges, and future trajectories of global mussel aquaculture within the blue food system. Despite steady production growth, mussels’ relative contribution to total bivalve output has significantly declined over recent decades due to disproportionate expansion of oyster, clam, and scallop sectors. A major geographical production shift has occurred, with Asia, spearheaded by China, emerging as the dominant region, supplanting traditional European producers while the Americas rapidly ascend. China’s overwhelming dominance in overall bivalve production starkly contrasts with its underdeveloped mussel sector, where growth lags behind other bivalves despite substantial absolute increases, reflecting a fundamental restructuring of species composition. The industry faces interconnected sustainability constraints: persistent vulnerabilities in spat supply stemming from environmental variability, hatchery limitations, and disease transmission risks; escalating environmental stressors including climate change impacts, harmful algal blooms, pollution, and pathogens; structural flaws in value chains characterized by fragmented production, market volatility, and underutilized byproducts; and governance challenges related to spatial access and licensing inefficiencies. This review advocates for a comprehensive strategy to boost the mussel aquaculture. These encompass advancing hatchery technology and genetic breeding programs, implementing ecosystem-based management such as multi-trophic systems and AI-enhanced environmental monitoring, restructuring value chains through producer cooperation and high value product diversification, and establishing science-based spatial planning frameworks with streamlined governance. Addressing these challenges holistically is critical to position mussel farming as a resilient pillar of sustainable blue food production capable of reconciling ecological integrity with economic viability and social equity. Full article

The circular economy offers effective strategies to support the transition from fossil fuels to renewable energy. However, research at the nexus of the circular economy and energy transition remains fragmented across disciplines and lacks a systematic and integrative overview of its intellectual structure and thematic evolution. To address this gap, this study conducts a large-scale bibliometric analysis of 2977 journal articles published between 2008 and 2025 to examine the development, knowledge structure, and global distribution of this field. Performance analysis and scientific mapping are employed to evaluate research output, subject areas, thematic structures, intellectual foundations, journal dissemination, and international collaborations. The results indicate that the circular economy–energy transition nexus is a rapidly growing and multidisciplinary field. It is anchored by conceptual and policy-oriented works and complemented by applied studies on waste management, bioenergy, and decarbonization technologies that directly relate to energy production, conversion, and system efficiency. The geographical distribution shows a multi-pillar but uneven research landscape, with Europe and China emerging as leading contributors, while other regions remain comparatively underrepresented, shaped by regional priorities and collaborative networks. The study highlights emerging research gaps and future directions, offering insights into how circular economy strategies such as resource circularity and waste-to-energy applications can contribute to sustainable and equitable energy transitions and inform future energy-focused research agendas in the context of low-carbon transformation. Full article

In the context of the European Green Deal and the New European Bauhaus, circularity and sustainability have emerged as central paradigms for rethinking development models in both urban and rural areas. While most literature focuses on cities, rural villages are increasingly recognised as living laboratories where cultural heritage, landscape values, and community-based practices can support sustainable and responsible tourism. This study applies the Circular Development framework to 54 European case studies of rural regeneration, examining the interrelations among cultural heritage enhancement, sustainable tourism, circular resource management, and community engagement. Through a mixed-methods approach combining frequency and cluster analysis, the research identifies strategic domains and recurring configurations of actions, contributing to the definition of a conceptual model for the Circular Rural Village. Three pillars (Circular Tourism, Circular Land, and Circular Living) articulate how cultural identity, experiential tourism, ecological regeneration, and participatory governance can foster integrated and sustainable development. The findings offer insights for policy-makers and practitioners aiming to activate regenerative tourism and heritage-led circular transitions aligned with sustainability goals. Full article

Background/Objective: Feminist theories and feminist economics have contributed to making visible the structural relevance of care work in sustaining capitalist societies and social reproduction, arguing that care must be addressed as a political phenomenon rather than a merely domestic issue. This perspective is particularly pertinent in contemporary healthcare, where chronic care represents one of the major public health challenges in a context of population ageing and increasing prevalence of chronic diseases. The aim is to contribute to a critical understanding that can support the development of public policies recognizing care as a fundamental pillar of socio-healthcare provision and as a matter of collective responsibility. Methods: A narrative literature review with a critical feminist approach was conducted using PubMed/MEDLINE, Scopus, and Web of Science. Results: A total of 299 records were identified, of which 30 studies were included following screening and eligibility assessment. Care is an essential element for sustaining life, although it has historically been rendered invisible, feminized, and relegated to the private sphere. Chronicity requires simultaneous consideration of the material dimension of care (as work), the subjective dimension (including emotional bonds and moral responsibility), and the political dimension (shaped by power relations). Global care chains reveal persistent inequalities related to gender, class, and race. Conclusions: Care is a structural, political, and transnational category that sustains life and healthcare systems. In the field of chronic care, the recognition, redistribution, and socialization of care are essential for achieving social justice and for safeguarding the dignity of both caregivers—predominantly women—and care recipients. Full article

This research examines the influence of environmental, social, and governance (ESG) strategies on corporate financial performance (CFP) in China’s automotive industry, characterized by intense regulatory pressure and fast-paced technological transformation. Using an unbalanced panel dataset of A-share listed automotive firms from 2009 to 2024, this paper combines ESG scores from the Huazheng ESG index with firm-level financial data from CSMAR. CFP is measured through both accounting-based (ROA) and market-based (Tobin’s Q) indicators. Panel regression models are applied to evaluate the influence of overall ESG performance and the three individual pillars, and to assess heterogeneity across ownership types, firm type, and firm age. The results show that ESG performance is significantly and positively associated with ROA, but is insignificantly associated with Tobin’s Q. It is suggested that ESG engagement improves accounting profitability but is not fully reflected in the capital market. Among the three ESG pillars, governance shows the strongest positive link with ROA, while environmental and social performance are weakly associated with ROA. Furthermore, the heterogeneity study shows that the positive relationship between ESG and CFP is more pronounced for non-state-owned firms, vehicle manufacturers, or mature firms. Overall, this paper presents fresh evidence on whether and how ESG initiatives can facilitate sustainable value in China’s automotive sector, offering insights for policymakers and management that may help this industry achieve sustainable growth. Full article

Residential energy renovation remains a central pillar of climate mitigation and social sustainability strategies, yet renovation rates persistently lag behind policy targets, particularly in older urban neighborhoods. This study investigates the underlying causes of renovation inertia using a neighborhood-scale mixed-methods approach that combines door-to-door household surveys, façade infrared thermography, and expert focus groups. Using a post-industrial residential district in Liège, Belgium, as an exploratory case, the study jointly analyzes building conditions, household characteristics, and renovation contexts. The results reveal that renovation failure cannot be explained solely by technical deficiencies. Instead, three interacting socio-technical mechanisms emerge: adaptive occupant behaviors that mask poor building performance, a constrained renovation agency shaped by tenure and income asymmetries, and the stratification of energy awareness along social lines. Together, these mechanisms reinforce a form of renovation lock-in in which technical degradation, behavioral adaptation, and institutional fragmentation mutually sustain inaction. By integrating physical diagnostics with social and experiential data, the study explains why conventional incentive-based renovation policies systematically underperform in comparable urban contexts. Rather than treating energy renovation as a purely technical or economic decision, the findings highlight the need for policy instruments that explicitly address agency constraints, behavioral compensation, and unequal exposure to energy-related risks. The proposed mixed-method framework is transferable to other urban neighborhoods and offers a replicable approach for diagnosing renovation barriers, supporting more socially sustainable energy transition strategies. Full article

From adaptation to building effective resilience to climate change is critical for transforming West and Central Africa (WCA) agricultural system. Climate-Smart Agriculture (CSA) is an approach initiated by leading international organizations to ensure food security, increased adaptation to climate change and mitigation. Its application spans from innovative policies, practices, technologies, innovations and financing. However, CSA initiatives lack scientific-based assessment prior to implementation to ensure their effectiveness. To fill this gap, future interventions should not only be assessed using rigorous methodology but should also be built on lessons learned from previous initiatives. Although there are a lot of climate related agricultural initiatives in WCA, most of them have not been analyzed through a CSA lens and criteria to capitalize on their experiences to improve future interventions. In this study we mapped previous climate-related initiatives in WCA, highlighted their gaps and lessons learned to accelerate the implementation of CSA in the region. The study covered 20 countries in WCA: Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Côte d’Ivoire, Congo, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Liberia, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Togo. CSA initiatives were reviewed using a three-steps methodology: (i) national data collection, (ii) regional validation of the national database, (iii) data analysis including spatial mapping. Data was collected from the websites of international, regional and national organizations working in the field of agricultural development in the region. Each initiative was analyzed using a multicriteria analysis based on CSA principles. A total of 1629 CSA related initiatives were identified in WCA. Over 75% of them were in the form of projects/programs with more of a focus on the first CSA pillar (productivity and food security), followed by adaptation. The mitigation pillar is less covered by the initiatives. Animal production, fisheries, access to markets, and energy are poorly included. More than half of these initiatives have already been completed, calling for more new initiatives in the region. Women benefit very little from the implementation of the identified CSA initiatives, despite the substantial role they play in agriculture. CSA initiatives mainly received funding from technical and financial partners and development partners (45%), banks (22%), and international climate financing mechanisms (20%). Most of them were implemented by government institutions (48%) and development partners (23%). In total, more than 600 billion EUR have been disbursed to implement 83 of the 1629 initiatives identified. These initiatives contributed to reclaiming and/or rehabilitating almost 2 million ha of agricultural land in all countries between 2015 and 2025. Future initiatives should ensure the consideration of the three CSA pillars right from their formulation to the implementation. These initiatives should consider investing in mixed production systems like crop-animal-fisheries. Activities should be built around CSA innovation platforms to encourage networking among actors for more sustainability. Full article

Rethinking architecture is an urgent task for creating caring, democratic, and sustainable environments for older adults. In Spain, architectural design has historically been disconnected from the complex dimensions of care, leaving a critical gap in the discipline’s engagement with the implementation of community-based, person-centered care typologies. Following the COVID-19 pandemic, the term caring architecture has rapidly proliferated in Spanish architectural discourse, in which care has become central to political debate and spatial strategies. In this context, this article develops a theoretical framework for transitioning from institutional architecture toward a caring architecture for older people. The study is based on a theory-oriented systematic literature review and critical analysis of key theoretical approaches that intersect architecture, urbanism, and the ethics of care. Through bibliometric, conceptual, and thematic analyses of eight selected publications, three dimensions of care ethics are identified: interdependence, economics of care, and eco-dependence. The research shows that these dimensions of care resonate closely with the democratic quintuple helix model and the sociocultural, economic, and environmental pillars of holistic sustainability. The alignment between care, democracy, and sustainability underpins the proposed conceptual framework of caring, democratic, and sustainable architecture for older people. This theoretical paradigm enables transitioning from institutional settings to built environments that promote well-being, community connectedness, and respect for both people and the planet. Full article