Search Results (271)

This study introduces an integrated Life Cycle Assessment–Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis–Nash Equilibrium (LCA–MCDA–NE) framework to assess the feasibility of hydrogen energy storage (HES) in Philippine island grids. It starts with a cradle-to-gate LCA of hydrogen production across various electricity mix scenarios, from diesel-dominated Small Power Utilities Group (SPUG) systems to high-renewable configurations, quantifying greenhouse gas emissions. These impacts are normalized and integrated into an MCDA framework that considers four stakeholder perspectives: Regulatory (PRF), Developer (DF), Scientific (SF), and Local Social (LSF). Attribute utilities for Maintainability, Energy Efficiency, Geographic–Climatic Suitability, and Regulatory Compliance inform a 2 × 2 strategic game where net utility gain (Δ) and switching costs (C₁, C₂) influence adoption behavior. The findings indicate that the baseline Nash Equilibrium favors non-adoption due to limited utility gains and high switching barriers. However, enhancements in Maintainability and reduced costs can shift this equilibrium toward adoption. The LCA results show that meaningful decarbonization occurs only when low-carbon generation exceeds 60% of the electricity mix. This integrated framework highlights that successful HES deployment in remote grids relies on stakeholder coordination, reduced risks, and access to low-carbon electricity, offering a replicable model for emerging economies. Full article

As the largest exporter in the global solid tire market, Sri Lanka’s natural rubber supply chain plays a critical role in global production, yet its social dimension remains largely unaddressed. Our study aims to assess the social performance of a Sri Lankan natural rubber supply chain in solid tire manufacturing using social life cycle assessment (S-LCA) in a cradle-to-gate approach. Study adapts “More Good and Less Bad” method which captures both positive and negative social impacts, addressing traditional S-LCAs’ focus on negative impacts solely. It applies to updated methodological sheets to distinguish “good” and “bad” social conditions across subcategories based on baseline compliance. Social impacts were quantified using a Social Performance Index (SPI), calculated by multiplying social performance levels by working hours at the organizational level, comprising SPI_good for good social impacts and SPI_bad for bad social impacts. Data was collected through stakeholder interviews, with working hours calculated using a “working hour model”. Results showed mixed social performance across 39 subcategories, identifying six social hotspots: promoting social responsibility (27.67% less bad, 72.32% more good), wealth distribution (26.87% less bad, 73.13% more good), commitment to sustainability issues (100% less bad), social benefits (100% less bad), safe and healthy living conditions (100% less bad), and hours of work (88.74% less bad, 11.26% more good). Full article

The accelerating low-carbon transition requires decision-support approaches capable of addressing complex, interdependent sustainability challenges across multiple sectors. While Multi-Criteria Decision-Making (MCDM) techniques are gaining popularity in assessing sustainability within energy and agricultural systems, their current application remains fragmented, sector-focused, and poorly aligned with the fundamental system characteristics of uncertainty, circularity, and social equity. This Perspective employs a systematized conceptual analysis to integrate different MCDM techniques, methodological trends, and integration challenges in energy and agricultural systems. Through a literature review, this work provides a critical view of the predominant structural deficiencies, which stem from methodological isolation, the use of disparate and heterogeneous datasets, ad hoc treatment of uncertainty, and the lack of incorporation of the circular economy (CE) and equity dimensions in the analysis. Given the presence of multifunctionality, circularity, climate sensitivity, and strong social characteristics, the analysis underscores that agriculture is a prime candidate to serve as a system-level testbed for the development of integrated MCDM frameworks. Based on this analysis, the paper articulates the fundamental characteristics of next-generation MCDM frameworks that are cross-sectoral, flexible, adaptive, uncertainty-resilient, and actionable. In doing so, it prioritizes integrated approaches that combine MCDM with life cycle assessment (LCA), data analytics, and nexus modelling. This paper stresses that structural deficiencies need to be addressed for MCDM to evolve from sectoral and fragmented analytical frameworks to cohesive decision-support systems that can guide energy and agricultural systems transitions towards equity, circularity, and climate change adaptation. As a perspective, this paper does not aim to provide empirical validation but instead articulates conceptual design principles for next-generation MCDM frameworks that integrate uncertainty, circularity, and social equity across energy and agricultural systems. Full article

The growing global environmental crisis calls for fundamental transformations in production and consumption systems, but the understanding of how circular economy strategies translate into quantifiable environmental benefits remains fragmented across sectors and geographies. The objective of this study is to synthesize current scientific knowledge on the circular economy as an environmental mitigation strategy, identifying conceptual convergences, methodological patterns, geographic distributions, and critical knowledge gaps. A systematic review combined with a bibliometric analysis of 62 peer-reviewed articles published between 2018 and 2024, retrieved from Scopus, Web of Science, ScienceDirect, Springer Link and Wiley Online Library, was conducted following the PRISMA 2020 guidelines. The results reveal a marked methodological convergence around life cycle assessment, with Europe dominating the scientific output (58% of the corpus). Four complementary conceptual frameworks emerged, emphasizing closed-loop material flows, environmental performance, integration of economic sustainability and business model innovation. The thematic analysis identified bioenergy and waste valorization as the most mature implementation pathways, constituting 23% of the research emphasis. However, critical gaps remain: geographic concentration limits the transferability of knowledge to diverse socioeconomic contexts; social, cultural and behavioral dimensions remain underexplored (12% of publications); and environmental justice considerations receive negligible attention. Crucially, the evidence reveals nonlinear relationships between circularity metrics and environmental outcomes, calling into question automatic benefits assumptions. This review contributes to an integrative synthesis that advances theoretical understanding of circularity-environment relationships while providing evidence-based guidance for researchers, practitioners, and policy makers involved in transitions to the circular economy. Full article

Indonesia faces growing pressure to strengthen waste management while expanding renewable energy generation, particularly from high-moisture biomass such as palm oil mill effluent (POME) and the organic fraction of municipal solid waste (OFMSW). Anaerobic digestion technology (ADT) is technically suitable for both feedstocks; however, its deployment depends on broader operational, financial, social, and institutional conditions. This study evaluates ADT readiness for biomass waste-to-energy (BWTE) development in Indonesia using a multistakeholder Japanese Technology Readiness Assessment (J-TRA) framework. The results and discussion are supported by a literature review, secondary data analysis, and interviews with government agencies, industry actors, financiers, non-governmental organizations, and researchers. The results reveal a clear divergence in readiness outcomes. POME-based ADT reaches Technology Readiness Levels (TRLs) of 6–8, supported by a stable and homogeneous feedstock supply, established industrial operations, and corporate incentives to mitigate methane emissions. Key remaining constraints relate to high capital costs for smaller mills, low electricity purchase tariffs, and competing export incentives for untreated POME. In contrast, OFMSW-based ADT remains at TRL 2–4, constrained by inconsistent waste segregation, insufficient operation and maintenance capacity, limited municipal budgets, residential safety concerns, and fragmented governance across waste and energy institutions. Across both cases, readiness is shaped by five interacting forces. The first three are technical: feedstock characteristics, operations and maintenance (O&M) capability, and financial certainty. The remaining two are enabling conditions: social acceptance and institutional coordination. This study concludes that Indonesia’s BWTE transition requires integrated technological, behavioral, and policy interventions, supported by further research on hybrid valorization pathways and context-specific life-cycle and cost analyses. Full article

Establishing a mechanism for ecological product value realizing (EPVR) is a critical component of China’s ecological civilization strategy, aimed at translating the concept that “lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets” into actionable economic policies. Although central government investments in the form of project for EPVR have increased significantly, surpassing CNY 700 billion by 2024, studies rarely focus on these projects and how to evaluate them. Evaluating the performance of EPVR projects is essential for optimizing resource allocation, enhancing project accountability, and ensuring the sustainable realization of ecological, economic, and social values. This study innovatively defines the conceptual connotation of EPVR projects and constructs a comprehensive performance evaluation system based on a “benefit-cost” analysis, comprising a multi-dimensional indicator system, quantifiable calculation methods, and explicit evaluation criteria. As water source protection projects are typical EPVR projects, the comprehensive water environment management project of Hongfeng Lake is selected for an in-depth empirical study. The results reveal that (1) the total annual benefits amount to CNY 923.66 million, dominated by ecological benefits (84.04%); (2) with an investment of CNY 1194.66 million, the project yields a net loss and a moderate performance index (PCPI = 0.77); (3) the project performance is primarily affected by weak economic value conversion stemming from restrictive zoning policies and underdeveloped market mechanisms for ecological services; and (4) integrated development pathways—such as ecotourism, eco-aquaculture, and ecological branding—are proposed to enhance the long-term sustainability of the project. The Hongfeng Lake case establishes a replicable framework for global assessment of analogous projects and delivers actionable insights for enhancing benefit–cost ratios in public ecological initiatives, with costs confined to data collection, modeling, and validation. Therefore, this study contributes a quantifiable and reproducible tool for the full lifecycle management of EPVR projects, thereby facilitating more informed government decision-making. Key findings reveal the following: (1) A comprehensive “Benefit-Cost” performance evaluation framework, pioneered in this study and tailored specifically for individual EPVR projects, surpasses regional-scale accounting methodologies like Gross Ecosystem Product (GEP). (2) A novel consolidated metric (PCPI) is introduced to integrate ecological, economic, and social dimensions with cost input, thus enabling direct cross-project comparison and classification. (3) The framework operationalizes evaluation by providing a detailed, adaptable indicator system with explicit monetization methods for 26 distinct benefits, thereby bridging the gap between theoretical value accounting and practical project assessment. (4) The empirical application to a drinking water source protection project addresses a critical yet understudied category of EPVR projects, offering insights into “protection-oriented” models. Full article

In the context of sustainable development and the growing emphasis on decent work and productivity, understanding the human factors that shape employee performance has become a central concern for organizations and policymakers. While intelligence has long been linked to work outcomes, existing research remains fragmented and predominantly focused on single dimensions, offering limited insight into how different forms of intelligence interact across employees’ career life cycles. Addressing this gap, the present study advances a multi-dimensional perspective on intelligence and examines its relevance for sustainable employee productivity, thereby contributing to the human resource management literature and to the achievement of Sustainable Development Goal 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth). The study assesses the impact of five types of intelligence (cognitive—IQ, emotional—EQ, physical—PQ, vitality—VQ, and social—SQ) on employee productivity across distinct career life cycle stages. The research was conducted in two phases: (1) measurement of intelligence dimensions and employee productivity using standardized psychometric instruments, including MSCEIT V2.0, the Guilford–O’Sullivan test, the Eysenck test, the Chekhov vitality method, and biological age indicators; (2) statistical analysis of the relationships between intelligence, productivity, and career stages using open-source Python tools. Empirical data were collected from enterprises in the Ukrainian construction industry. The findings demonstrate that the influence of intelligence on productivity varies across career stages. Emotional intelligence emerges as a consistently significant factor throughout the employee life cycle, while other intelligence dimensions exhibit stage-specific effects. These results confirm the dynamic and non-uniform nature of intelligence–productivity relationships. The study provides practical insights for sustainable human resource management by highlighting the need for stage-sensitive development strategies that align intelligence profiles with career phases. Implementing such targeted approaches can enhance employee productivity, organizational effectiveness, and long-term economic sustainability, thereby supporting progress toward SDG 8. Full article

Global demand for food is expected to grow significantly by 2050, underlying the urgency of a sustainable transition in agriculture. In this context, the Circular Economy (CE) paradigm emerges as a promising strategy. This transition is still ongoing, underscoring the importance of sustainability assessment as the first crucial step in supporting this process effectively. Therefore, comprehensive and robust evaluation tools and methodologies are necessary to support effective decision-making processes in this context. This study addresses this topic by conducting a literature review focused on the main evaluation methodologies adopted to assess the sustainability of circular technologies in agriculture, as well as to identify emerging research trends and to identify current knowledge gaps. Therefore, the main objective of this research is to establish a well-defined framework that starting from existing researches, it will support the development of future research directions. The performed review identifies Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) as the most applied methodology for environmental impact assessment, due to its ability to analyze environmental impacts and resources consumption throughout the entire life-cycle of a product, followed by Multi-Criteria Analysis (MCA) and performances-based models for their capacity of integrating and managing many dimensions (environmental, economic, and social) within the evaluation process. Emerging trends highlight the increasing adoption of computational approaches, such as System Dynamics (SD), facilitating a more comprehensive assessment of complex agricultural systems. Despite this increasing attention, the review addresses the significant gap, or rather, the limited management of stakeholders’ conflicts and synergies. This gap will inform potential research directions within the Agritech project, especially regarding the development of Social Multi-Criteria Evaluation (SMCE) to integrate stakeholders’ perspectives in the sustainability assessment of circular technologies. Full article

The global shift towards sustainable development and low-carbon growth has intensified the need for efficient management of natural resources. This study proposes an integrated economic assessment framework to evaluate how ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) integration and circular economy strategies influence resource productivity and long-term economic performance. The research focuses on the water–energy–land nexus as a critical driver of global economic systems. Using a combination of multi-criteria decision analysis (AHP/TOPSIS), material flow analysis (MFA), life-cycle assessment (LCA), and panel econometric modeling on a broad dataset of countries (2018–2023), we examine the relationship between resource efficiency, ESG adoption, and economic competitiveness. The results indicate that circular business models and strong ESG practices significantly reduce resource intensity, enhance total factor productivity, and strengthen economic resilience. Scenario modeling demonstrates that transitioning from linear to circular resource flows can yield substantial economic and ecological benefits, including a ~1–3% rise in GDP and a ~15–20% drop in resource intensity under a high-circularity scenario. These findings provide actionable insights for policymakers and businesses, emphasizing that sustainable resource governance is not only an environmental necessity but also a key driver of global economic transformation. Full article

Cocoa is a key tropical crop with profound environmental, social, and economic implications throughout its value chain. Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) has been widely employed to assess these impacts; however, most applications remain fragmented and focus primarily on environmental dimensions. This review addresses the issue related to which phases of the cocoa life cycle generate the most significant environmental impacts and how LCA methodological choices, such as the definition of system boundaries, functional units, and data sources, influence the integration of socioeconomic dimensions. A systematic literature review of 33 LCA studies published between 2008 and 2025 was conducted. The dominant categories, impact indicators, and boundary conditions were identified by applying the PRISMA methodology and cluster analysis. Results show that cultivation involves high water consumption, especially in conventional monocultures, while processing is the most energy-intensive due to machinery and transport demands. Most studies adopt cradle-to-gate system boundaries and rely heavily on secondary databases, that is, pre-existing datasets from LCA repositories like Ecoinvent or GaBi, which provide generic or averaged inventory data rather than specific measurements for each case, such as those obtained in the field of study. Overall, LCA helps identify environmental hotspots and guide decisions, but is limited by data gaps and poor integration of social and economic factors. Advancing toward comprehensive assessments requires region-specific datasets, sensitivity analyses, and hybrid frameworks, including UNEP/SETAC Social LCA guidelines, to fully integrate environmental, social, and economic dimensions of cocoa value chains. Full article

The remediation of contaminated sites necessitates robust and objective sustainability assessment frameworks to guide decision-making, yet prevailing methods often rely on qualitative or semi-quantitative metrics susceptible to subjectivity. This study establishes a comprehensive, fully quantitative evaluation system integrating environmental, economic, and social dimensions, comprising 13 objective indicators derived from Life Cycle Assessment (LCA), economic documentation, and publicly accessible social data—including nighttime light intensity, Point of Interest (POI) data, and social media sentiment analysis. The system employs the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) for weight assignment, ensuring methodological rigor and expert consensus. Validated through three case studies of remediated contaminated sites in Shandong Province, China, the framework reveals distinct sustainability profiles: Site 1 achieved the highest composite score (0.1030), demonstrating balanced performance across all dimensions, whereas Sites 2 and 3 yielded negative scores (−0.2490 and −0.1069, respectively), reflecting trade-offs between remediation efficiency, secondary environmental impacts, and socio-economic outcomes. The key findings underscore the dominance of environmental health indicators—notably Disability-Adjusted Life Years (DALYs)—in overall weighting and highlight the critical influence of remediation technology selection on lifecycle impacts. The study validates the utility of a quantitative, multi-criteria approach in identifying optimal remediation strategies, facilitating cross-project comparability, and supporting the transition from cost-centric remediation toward value-driven, sustainable redevelopment. Full article

The spatial configuration of Waste-to-Energy infrastructure plays a decisive role in determining the environmental and economic performance of municipal solid waste (MSW) management systems. This study applies a Life Cycle Assessment methodology to evaluate the environmental implications of centralized and decentralized siting strategies for Refuse-Derived Fuel utilization in Greece. Two alternative scenarios were modeled: (i) a centralized approach based on six large WtE plants as proposed by the Greek Ministry of Environment and Energy (gr. YPEN), and (ii) a decentralized approach involving smaller, regionally distributed units located closer to Recycling and Recovery Facilities. Using the SimaPro software and the ReCiPe method, environmental impacts were quantified across categories including global warming potential, acidification, eutrophication, and particulate matter formation. The results indicate that the decentralized scenario yields substantial environmental advantages, with reductions ranging from 33% to 45% across all impact categories and displaying a 35% decrease in CO₂-equivalent emissions compared to the centralized scenario. Economic analysis confirms these findings, showing a 31% reduction in total transport and emissions-related costs due primarily to minimized long-distance and maritime transport. The study concludes that decentralized RDF-to-energy systems offer a more balanced and sustainable pathway, enhancing operational flexibility, lowering environmental burdens, and improving social acceptance. These results underscore the importance of integrating spatial and logistical parameters in national WtE planning to align with EU waste hierarchy principles and circular economy objectives. Full article

While coastal zones support economic and social development, they also face prominent contradictions between shoreline utilization and ecological protection. This study proposed an innovative conflict-coordination framework for constructing living shorelines, aiming to identify and mitigate multi-dimensional conflicts in coastal engineering. The framework introduced a four-dimensional conflict analysis structure encompassing policy, social environment, ecological environment, and technical capacity, thereby extending beyond traditional single-dimensional or ecological-only assessments. Furthermore, it integrated the Comprehensive Conflict Index (CCI) with a multi-objective coordination model that couples three core indicators (e.g., whole-life-cycle carbon emissions, comprehensive impact intensity, and the living shoreline index) to achieve synergistic optimization among lower carbon emission, less human intervention, and higher ecological function objectives. Applied to an ecological restoration and seawall ecologization project in Zhenhai District, Ningbo, the results demonstrated that the framework helped constructing living shorelines by effectively reducing comprehensive conflict intensity with 21.2%, decreasing total carbon emissions with 60.2%, and significantly improving both the living shoreline index and multi-objective coordination level. Compared to traditional coastal zone assessment methods, these findings highlighted the differentiated advantages of the proposed framework in quantifying conflict sources, enhancing coordination among multi-objectives, and providing scientific support for living shoreline construction and sustainable coastal management. Full article

With the widespread use of the internet, cyberbullying has become a significant issue affecting adolescents’ mental health and quality of life. This study utilized propensity score matching (PSM) and network analysis to compare the mental health and quality of life symptom networks of Chinese high school students who had experienced cyberbullying and those who had not. A total of 9066 students were assessed using the Symptom Checklist (SCL-90) and the Chinese Quality of Life Scale for Primary and Secondary School Students (QLSCA). Network comparison tests revealed significant structural differences (M = 0.2136, p < 0.05), with the cyberbullying group showing higher global network strength (11.985 vs. 10.700, p < 0.05), indicating a more densely connected symptom network. In both groups, “self-satisfaction” was the most central node, but the cyberbullying group exhibited higher centrality for “negative emotion” and “self-concept” compared to anxiety and depression in the non-cyberbullying group. Key bridging symptoms differed: “academic attitude” in the non-cyberbullying group and “opportunity for activity” in those who had experienced cyberbullying. Moreover, the connection strength between “interpersonal sensitivity” and “negative emotion” was stronger in the cyberbullying group. These findings suggest that targeted interventions should focus on emotional regulation and social activity to disrupt the symptom network cycle. Full article

The heavy environmental impact of the construction industry—responsible for 39% of world CO₂ emissions and consuming over 40% of natural resources—supports the need for evidence-based decision-making tools for sustainable material selection balancing environmental, economic, and social considerations. This research develops and evaluates an integrated decision support system that couples cradle-to-grave lifecycle assessment (LCA) with various multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM) methods to optimize climate-resilient material selection for schools. The methodology is an integration of hybrid Analytic Hierarchy Process–Technique for Order of Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution (AHP-TOPSIS) and VIKOR techniques validated with eight case studies in hot-arid, hot-humid, and temperate climates. Environmental, economic, social, and technical performance indices were evaluated from primary experimental data and with the input from 22 international experts with climate change assessment expertise. Ten material options were examined, from traditional, recycled, and bio-based to advanced composite systems throughout full building lifecycles. The results indicate geopolymer–biofiber composite systems achieve 42% reduced lifecycle carbon emissions, 28% lower cost of ownership, and 35% improved overall sustainability performance compared to traditional equivalents. Three MCDM techniques’ cross-validation demonstrated a satisfactory ranking correlation (Kendall’s τ = 0.87), while Monte Carlo uncertainty analysis ensured framework stability across 95% confidence ranges. Climate-adaptive weighting detected dramatic regional optimization contrasts: thermal performance maximization in tropical climates and embodied impact emphasis in temperate climates. Three case studies on educational building projects demonstrated 95.8% accuracy in validation of environmental performance and economic payback periods between 4.2 and 6.8 years in real-world practice. Full article