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Search Results (505)

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Keywords = social-ecological networks

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14 pages, 379 KiB  
Essay
Is Platform Capitalism Socially Sustainable?
by Andrea Fumagalli
Sustainability 2025, 17(15), 7071; https://doi.org/10.3390/su17157071 - 4 Aug 2025
Viewed by 158
Abstract
This theoretical essay aims to analyze some of the socio-economic innovations introduced by Platform Capitalism Specifically, it focuses on two main aspects: first, the digital platform as a radical organizational innovation. Digital platforms represent a structural novelty in the market economy, signaling a [...] Read more.
This theoretical essay aims to analyze some of the socio-economic innovations introduced by Platform Capitalism Specifically, it focuses on two main aspects: first, the digital platform as a radical organizational innovation. Digital platforms represent a structural novelty in the market economy, signaling a new organization of production and labor. Second, the essay examines the role of platforms in directly generating value through the concept of “network value”. To this end, it explores the function of “business intelligence” as a strategic and competitive tool. Finally, the paper discusses the key issues associated with platform capitalism, which could threaten its social sustainability and contribute to economic and financial instability. These issues include the increasing commodification of everyday activities, the devaluation of paid labor in favor of free production driven by platform users (the so-called prosumers), and the emergence of proprietary and financial monopolies. Hence, digital platforms do not inherently ensure comprehensive social and environmental sustainability unless supported by targeted economic policy interventions. Conclusively, it is emphasized that defining robust social welfare frameworks—which account for emerging value creation processes—is imperative. Simultaneously, policymakers must incentivize the proliferation of cooperative platforms capable of fostering experimental circular economy models aligned with ecological sustainability. Full article
(This article belongs to the Section Economic and Business Aspects of Sustainability)
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28 pages, 2266 KiB  
Review
Uncovering Plastic Pollution: A Scoping Review of Urban Waterways, Technologies, and Interdisciplinary Approaches
by Peter Cleveland, Donna Cleveland, Ann Morrison, Khoi Hoang Dinh, An Nguyen Pham Hai, Luca Freitas Ribeiro and Khanh Tran Duy
Sustainability 2025, 17(15), 7009; https://doi.org/10.3390/su17157009 - 1 Aug 2025
Viewed by 264
Abstract
Plastic pollution is a growing environmental and social concern, particularly in Southeast Asia, where urban rivers serve as key pathways for transporting waste to marine environments. This scoping review examines 110 peer-reviewed studies to understand how plastic pollution in waterways is being researched, [...] Read more.
Plastic pollution is a growing environmental and social concern, particularly in Southeast Asia, where urban rivers serve as key pathways for transporting waste to marine environments. This scoping review examines 110 peer-reviewed studies to understand how plastic pollution in waterways is being researched, addressed, and reconceptualized. Drawing from the literature across environmental science, technology, and social studies, we identify four interconnected areas of focus: urban pollution pathways, innovations in monitoring and methods, community-based interventions, and interdisciplinary perspectives. Our analysis combines qualitative synthesis with visual mapping techniques, including keyword co-occurrence networks, to explore how real-time tools, such as IoT sensors, multi-sensor systems, and geospatial technologies, are transforming the ways plastic waste is tracked and analyzed. The review also considers the growing use of novel theoretical frameworks, such as post-phenomenology and ecological materialism, to better understand the role of plastics as both pollutants and ecological agents. Despite progress, the literature reveals persistent gaps in longitudinal studies, regional representation, and policy translation, particularly across the Global South. We emphasize the value of participatory models and community-led research in bridging these gaps and advancing more inclusive and responsive solutions. These insights inform the development of plastic tracker technologies currently being piloted in Vietnam and contribute to broader sustainability goals, including SDG 6 (Clean Water and Sanitation), SDG 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production), and SDG 14 (Life Below Water). Full article
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20 pages, 1838 KiB  
Article
Study on the Temporal and Spatial Evolution of Market Integration and Influencing Factors in the Yellow River Basin
by Chao Teng, Xumin Jiao, Zhenxing Jin and Chengxin Wang
Sustainability 2025, 17(15), 6920; https://doi.org/10.3390/su17156920 - 30 Jul 2025
Viewed by 174
Abstract
Enhancing market integration levels is crucial for advancing sustainable regional collaborative development and achieving ecological protection and high-quality development goals within the Yellow River Basin, fostering a balance between economic efficiency, social equity, and environmental resilience. This study analyzed the retail price data [...] Read more.
Enhancing market integration levels is crucial for advancing sustainable regional collaborative development and achieving ecological protection and high-quality development goals within the Yellow River Basin, fostering a balance between economic efficiency, social equity, and environmental resilience. This study analyzed the retail price data of goods from prefecture-level cities in the Yellow River Basin from 2010 to 2022, employing the relative price method to measure the market integration index. Additionally, it examined the temporal and spatial evolution patterns and driving factors using the Dagum Gini coefficient and panel regression models. The results indicate the following. (1) The market integration index of the Yellow River Basin shows a fluctuating upward trend, with an average annual growth rate of 9.8%. The spatial pattern generally reflects a situation where the east is relatively high and the west is relatively low, as well as the south being higher than the north. (2) Regional disparities are gradually diminishing, with the overall Gini coefficient decreasing from 0.153 to 0.104. However, internal differences within the downstream and midstream areas have become prominent, and contribution rate analysis reveals that super-variable density has replaced between-group disparities as the primary source. (3) Upgrading the industrial structure and enhancing the level of economic development are the core driving forces, while financial support and digital infrastructure significantly accelerate the integration process. Conversely, the level of openness exhibits a phase-specific negative impact. We propose policy emphasizing the need to strengthen development in the upper reach of the Yellow River Basin, further improve interregional collaborative innovation mechanisms, and enhance cross-regional coordination among multicenter network nodes. Full article
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22 pages, 1111 KiB  
Article
Dynamics of Using Digital Technologies in Agroecological Settings: A Case Study Approach
by Harika Meesala and Gianluca Brunori
Agriculture 2025, 15(15), 1636; https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture15151636 - 29 Jul 2025
Viewed by 273
Abstract
The main objective of this study is to offer fresh empirical insight into the evolving relationship between digitalisation and agroecology by examining Mulini Di Segalari, a biodynamic vineyard in Italy. While much of the existing literature positions digital agriculture as potentially misaligned with [...] Read more.
The main objective of this study is to offer fresh empirical insight into the evolving relationship between digitalisation and agroecology by examining Mulini Di Segalari, a biodynamic vineyard in Italy. While much of the existing literature positions digital agriculture as potentially misaligned with agroecological principles, this case study unveils how digital tools can actively reinforce agroecological practices when embedded within supportive socio-technical networks. Novel findings of this study highlight how the use of digital technologies supported agroecological practices and led to the reconfiguration of social relations, knowledge systems, and governance structures within the farm. Employing a technographic approach revealed that the farm’s transformation was driven not just by technology but through collaborative arrangements involving different stakeholders. These interactions created new routines, roles, and information flows, supporting a more distributed and participatory model of innovation. By demonstrating how digital tools can catalyse agroecological transitions in a context-sensitive and socially embedded manner, this study challenges the binary framings of technology versus ecology and calls for a more nuanced understanding of digitalisation as a socio-technical process. Full article
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35 pages, 1524 KiB  
Article
Unveiling the Interplay of Climate Vulnerability and Social Capital: Insights from West Bengal, India
by Sayari Misra, Md Saidul Islam and Suchismita Roy
Climate 2025, 13(8), 160; https://doi.org/10.3390/cli13080160 - 26 Jul 2025
Viewed by 729
Abstract
This study explores the interplay of climate vulnerability and social capital in two rural communities: Brajaballavpur, a high-climate-prone village in the Indian Sundarbans characterized by high ecological fragility, recurrent cyclones, and saline water intrusion affecting water access, livelihoods, and infrastructure; and Jemua, a [...] Read more.
This study explores the interplay of climate vulnerability and social capital in two rural communities: Brajaballavpur, a high-climate-prone village in the Indian Sundarbans characterized by high ecological fragility, recurrent cyclones, and saline water intrusion affecting water access, livelihoods, and infrastructure; and Jemua, a low-climate-prone village in the land-locked district of Paschim Bardhaman, West Bengal, India, with no extreme climate events. A total of 85 participants (44 in Brajaballavpur, 41 in Jemua) were selected through purposive sampling. Using a comparative qualitative research design grounded in ethnographic fieldwork, data were collected through household interviews, Participatory Rural Appraisals (PRAs), Focus Group Discussions (FGDs), and Key Informant Interviews (KIIs), and analyzed manually using inductive thematic analysis. Findings reveal that bonding and bridging social capital were more prominent in Brajaballavpur, where dense horizontal ties supported collective action during extreme weather events. Conversely, linking social capital was more visible in Jemua, where participants more frequently accessed formal institutions such as the Gram Panchayat, local NGOs, and government functionaries that facilitated grievance redressal and information access, but these networks were concentrated among more politically connected individuals. The study concludes that climate vulnerability shapes the type, strength, and strategic use of social capital in village communities. While bonding and bridging ties are crucial in high-risk contexts, linking capital plays a critical role in enabling long-term social structures in lower-risk settings. The study contributes to both academic literature and policy design by offering a relational and place-based understanding of climate vulnerability and social capital. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Development Pathways and Climate Actions)
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16 pages, 6762 KiB  
Article
Study on the Evolution and Predictive for Coordinated Development of Regional Water Resources, Economic Society, and Ecological Environment
by Subing Lü, Cheng Lü, Tingyu Wang, Weiwei Shao and Fuqiang Wang
Water 2025, 17(14), 2093; https://doi.org/10.3390/w17142093 - 14 Jul 2025
Viewed by 274
Abstract
Water resources are strategic resources that support regional economic social development and maintain the health and stability of ecosystems. This study revealed the evolution of the coordinated development of China’s water resources–economic society–ecological environment system based on the coordination degree mode. The research [...] Read more.
Water resources are strategic resources that support regional economic social development and maintain the health and stability of ecosystems. This study revealed the evolution of the coordinated development of China’s water resources–economic society–ecological environment system based on the coordination degree mode. The research was conducted by integrating machine learning with traditional mathematical methods; by setting up the status quo development scenario, water resources priority scenario, economic society priority scenario, ecological environment priority scenario and balanced development scenario; and by using the Holt exponential smoothing–feedforward neural network prediction model, the coordinated development trends under different scenarios were predicted. The results showed that, analyzed from the perspective of the coordinated evolution type of the dual systems, the dominant development system during the study period gradually transformed from water resources–economic society to water resources–ecological environment. For the coordinated development of the complex system, the coordination degree showed “stepped leap—resilient fluctuation (from 0.7242 to 0.8238)”, and “better in the southeast than in the northwest, with significant advantages in the coast”. The most significant increase in the coordination degrees were observed in the balanced development scenario and economic society priority scenarios, where it increased by an average of around 5%, confirming the effective contribution of stable economic and social development to the level of coordination. This study provides theoretical support and practical guidance for regional water resources management. Full article
(This article belongs to the Section Water Resources Management, Policy and Governance)
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28 pages, 1706 KiB  
Article
Adaptive Grazing and Land Use Coupling in Arid Pastoral China: Insights from Sunan County
by Bo Lan, Yue Zhang, Zhaofan Wu and Haifei Wang
Land 2025, 14(7), 1451; https://doi.org/10.3390/land14071451 - 11 Jul 2025
Viewed by 411
Abstract
Driven by climate change and stringent ecological conservation policies, arid and semi-arid pastoral areas face acute grassland degradation and forage–livestock imbalances. In Sunan County (Gansu Province, China), herders have increasingly turned to off-site grazing—leasing crop fields in adjacent oases during autumn and winter—to [...] Read more.
Driven by climate change and stringent ecological conservation policies, arid and semi-arid pastoral areas face acute grassland degradation and forage–livestock imbalances. In Sunan County (Gansu Province, China), herders have increasingly turned to off-site grazing—leasing crop fields in adjacent oases during autumn and winter—to alleviate local grassland pressure and adapt their livelihoods. However, the interplay between the evolving land use system (L) and this emergent borrowed pasture system (B) remains under-explored. This study introduces a coupled analytical framework linking L and B. We employ multi-temporal remote sensing imagery (2018–2023) and official statistical data to derive land use dynamic degree (LUDD) metrics and 14 indicators for the borrowed pasture system. Through entropy weighting and a coupling coordination degree model (CCDM), we quantify subsystem performance, interaction intensity, and coordination over time. The results show that 2017 was a turning point in grassland–bare land dynamics: grassland trends shifted from positive to negative, whereas bare land trends turned from negative to positive; strong coupling but low early coordination (C > 0.95; D < 0.54) were present due to institutional lags, infrastructural gaps, and rising rental costs; resilient grassroots networks bolstered coordination during COVID-19 (D ≈ 0.78 in 2023); and institutional voids limited scalability, highlighting the need for integrated subsidy, insurance, and management frameworks. In addition, among those interviewed, 75% (15/20) observed significant grassland degradation before adopting off-site grazing, and 40% (8/20) perceived improvements afterward, indicating its potential role in ecological regulation under climate stress. By fusing remote sensing quantification with local stakeholder insights, this study advances social–ecological coupling theory and offers actionable guidance for optimizing cross-regional forage allocation and adaptive governance in arid pastoral zones. Full article
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18 pages, 1171 KiB  
Article
The Evolution of Urban Environmental Governance Networks: Evidence from China
by Kai Wang, Huiqing Han and Chunyan Tan
Sustainability 2025, 17(14), 6345; https://doi.org/10.3390/su17146345 - 10 Jul 2025
Viewed by 319
Abstract
Urban environmental issues are fundamental to ecological civilization development, with key stakeholders such as governments, enterprises, social organizations, and community residents playing crucial roles in the governance process. From a network governance perspective, this study innovatively applied social network analysis (SNA) to policy [...] Read more.
Urban environmental issues are fundamental to ecological civilization development, with key stakeholders such as governments, enterprises, social organizations, and community residents playing crucial roles in the governance process. From a network governance perspective, this study innovatively applied social network analysis (SNA) to policy co-occurrence networks, analyzing over 2300 policy documents related to China’s urban environmental governance from 2017 to 2023 to investigate evolutionary trends. The key findings indicate the following. (1) The comparative analysis across two periods reveals that China’s urban environmental governance network structure has stabilized, with both network density and centralization indices showing an upward trend. (2) The degree of centrality and betweenness centrality shows that government agencies remain the core entities within the network, while the role and influence of business enterprises have steadily increased. (3) The participation of social organizations in governance continues to increase, but community public participation in governance is insufficient. Therefore, China’s ecological environment governance network has formed a network structure with the government as the leader, enterprises as the key role, and social organizations providing effective support. Full article
(This article belongs to the Section Social Ecology and Sustainability)
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21 pages, 1685 KiB  
Review
A Comprehensive Analysis of Power Electromobility: Challenges from a PESTLE Perspective
by Nicolay Andres Niño-Suarez, Luis Armando Flores-Herrera, Raúl Rivera-Blas, María Bárbara Calva-Yañez, Paola Andrea Niño-Suárez, Emmanuel Zenén Rivera-Blas, José Eduardo Hernández-Galindo and Oscar Alberto Alvarez-Flores
Energies 2025, 18(14), 3632; https://doi.org/10.3390/en18143632 - 9 Jul 2025
Viewed by 298
Abstract
This study analyses aspects related to the electromobility transition. Emerging technologies have enabled the production and commercialisation of electric vehicles to reduce polluting emissions. However, significant obstacles are present in this global transition. The analysis identifies that public policies play a crucial role [...] Read more.
This study analyses aspects related to the electromobility transition. Emerging technologies have enabled the production and commercialisation of electric vehicles to reduce polluting emissions. However, significant obstacles are present in this global transition. The analysis identifies that public policies play a crucial role in the development of electromobility, and emphasises how new business models in electromobility are emerging to satisfy changing customer demands. Concerns related to raw materials extraction, battery disposal, and vehicle-to-grid (V2G) integration are also important to consider. The relationship between technologically advanced countries and raw material-producing nations must balance socioeconomic, historical, labour, and ecological factors. In order to have a standard reference, this study considers for the analysis the political, economic, social, technological, environmental, and legal factors (PESTLE). An analysis of future scenarios considering pessimistic and optimistic trends revealed that, compared with the actual trends, important actions must be taken to develop electromobility not only from the technological aspect. These results provide a comprehensive analysis of electromobility sustainability and its importance for multidisciplinary stakeholders related to the actual challenges towards electromobility, the electric network capabilities, and the importance of creating new jobs and products based on a circular and sustainable economy. Full article
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20 pages, 807 KiB  
Article
The Impact of Farmers’ Digital Participation on Cultivated Land Ecological Protection
by Qinghua Xin, Baijun Wu and Yaru Shi
Sustainability 2025, 17(13), 6191; https://doi.org/10.3390/su17136191 - 5 Jul 2025
Viewed by 475
Abstract
The increasingly severe ecological and environmental problems in rural areas pose a serious threat to agricultural sustainability and human well-being. Protecting the ecological environment of cultivated land is fundamental to ensuring food security and achieving sustainable development goals. The effective integration of digital [...] Read more.
The increasingly severe ecological and environmental problems in rural areas pose a serious threat to agricultural sustainability and human well-being. Protecting the ecological environment of cultivated land is fundamental to ensuring food security and achieving sustainable development goals. The effective integration of digital technology into farmers’ production and daily life is a key driver for transforming farming practices and advancing the ecological protection of cultivated land. This study draws on data from the 2020 China Rural Revitalization Survey (CRRS) to systematically examine the impact of farmers’ digital participation on the ecological protection of cultivated land. The main findings are as follows: (1) Digital participation significantly promotes ecological conservation of cultivated land, with each unit increase associated with a 7.8% reduction in fertilizer use intensity; (2) the results are robust across various empirical strategies, including instrumental variable estimation, the ERM approach, residual analysis, and alternative indicator specifications; (3) mechanism analysis indicates that digital participation reduces fertilizer use through three main channels: expansion of social networks (accounting for 7.10%), enhancement of subjective cognition (29.66%), and adoption of agricultural technologies (10.18%); and (4) heterogeneity analysis shows that the protective effects on cultivated land are more pronounced among households with off-farm employment experience, in villages where leaders have higher educational attainment, and in regions with more advanced digital environments. Based on these findings, the following policy recommendations are proposed: enhancing digital infrastructure in rural areas, strengthening the training of agricultural practitioners, and developing localized digital environments tailored to local conditions. Full article
(This article belongs to the Section Sustainable Agriculture)
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25 pages, 3239 KiB  
Article
Community Perceptions and Determinants of the Sustained Conservation of Historical Rubber Plantations in the Lomela and Lodja Territories, Sankuru Province, Democratic Republic of the Congo
by Maurice Kesonga Nsele, Serge Shakanye Ndjadi, Charles Mumbere Musavandalo, Désiré Numbi Mujike, Israël Muchiza Bachinyaga, John Tshomba Kalumbu, Eli Mwishingo Mutwedu, Joël Mobunda Tiko, Séraphin Irenge Murhula, François Tshamba Y’onyowokoma, Jean-Pierre Mate Mweru and Baudouin Michel
Conservation 2025, 5(3), 33; https://doi.org/10.3390/conservation5030033 - 5 Jul 2025
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 388
Abstract
The drastic and historic fall in natural rubber prices has prompted many smallholders around the world to abandon rubber plantations in favor of other survival alternatives. In the Lomela and Lodja territories of Sankuru Province (Democratic Republic of Congo), where a historical absence [...] Read more.
The drastic and historic fall in natural rubber prices has prompted many smallholders around the world to abandon rubber plantations in favor of other survival alternatives. In the Lomela and Lodja territories of Sankuru Province (Democratic Republic of Congo), where a historical absence of a rubber market prevails, local communities have conserved rubber plantations inherited from the colonial era (dating back to 1955). Data collected from 401 households enabled us to identify the perceptions and determinants of rubber plantation conservation. The results show that households are highly dependent on forest ecosystem services. Agriculture is the main activity for 81.3% of respondents, in the context of extreme poverty where daily incomes amount to 0.33 USD/person. The patriarchal system favored men, who inherited 97% of the plantations. Men perceived the conservation of the plantations as beneficial, while women perceived it as serving external project interests. Perceptions were significantly influenced by gender, age, social and legal organization, geographical origin, mode of acquisition, main activity, diversification of income sources, membership in a tribal mutuality, access to the informal mutual aid networks, membership in an association and contact with extension services. Conservation was positively and significantly correlated with geographical origin, membership in an association, contact with extension service, consideration of plantations as natural heritage and the ecosystem services provided. These results underline that rubber plantations cannot be understood only in terms of rubber production, but also in terms of their socio-ecological and heritage dimensions. Full article
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23 pages, 9492 KiB  
Article
Assessing the Resilience of Urban Social–Ecological–Technological Systems in the Beijing–Tianjin–Hebei Urban Agglomeration
by Jin Huang, Liping Zhang, Jing Xie, Shuo Lei, Xuejie Mou, Cheng Duan and Xiahui Wang
Sustainability 2025, 17(13), 6099; https://doi.org/10.3390/su17136099 - 3 Jul 2025
Viewed by 354
Abstract
The resilience of urban agglomerations (UAs) is recognized because of their ability to withstand, adapt to, and recover from natural disasters and social threats. However, limited information on the resilience of specific urban agglomerations may hinder their sustainable development. The emerging concept of [...] Read more.
The resilience of urban agglomerations (UAs) is recognized because of their ability to withstand, adapt to, and recover from natural disasters and social threats. However, limited information on the resilience of specific urban agglomerations may hinder their sustainable development. The emerging concept of Social–Ecological–Technological system (SETS) resilience presents a novel framework for understanding and evaluating the resilience of UAs. Taking the Beijing–Tianjin–Hebei urban agglomeration (BTHUA) as a case study, we constructed a comprehensive resilience assessment framework. By incorporating the coupling coordination degree (CCD) model, modified gravity model, standard deviation ellipse, and obstacle degree model, we systematically evaluated the BTHUA’s SETS resilience. The results show that from 2010 to 2022, both the SETS resilience and its CCD in the BTHUA improved significantly. All the cities reached the coordination stage, with CCD values exceeding 0.6. The key cities enhanced their influence on the surrounding cities, resulting in a more robust and interconnected intercity resilience network. However, the BTHUA still confronts challenges in resource endowment, technological innovation, and public services, which warrant a more integrated and systematic approach to enhance regional SETS resilience. Full article
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27 pages, 862 KiB  
Article
Impact of Ecological Education on University Students’ Environmentally Sustainable Behavior—Evidence from China
by Wei Hou, Qianwen Yang, Yipei Cao, Lei Luo, Jingyi Ding, Qilin Wang, Jun Wei and Hai Ma
Sustainability 2025, 17(13), 6051; https://doi.org/10.3390/su17136051 - 2 Jul 2025
Viewed by 403
Abstract
With the development of higher education, college students have become a new and important group for environmentally sustainable development. How to evaluate and strengthen the practical effect of ecological education is of great significance. Based on the survey data of 1579 university students, [...] Read more.
With the development of higher education, college students have become a new and important group for environmentally sustainable development. How to evaluate and strengthen the practical effect of ecological education is of great significance. Based on the survey data of 1579 university students, this study constructed a systematic index system of ecological education by using a hierarchical evaluation method. Moreover, OLS (Ordinary Least Squares), Oprobit, and intermediary effect models were used to analyze the influence relationship and mechanism of the two empirically and IV-Oprobit was used to solve the endogeneity problem. The results show the following: (1) Ecological education can effectively promote the sustainable behavior of university students, and the probability of university students implementing sustainable behavior increases by 10.7% with each unit increase in the level of ecological education. (2) Environmental value perception such as in individual economic value perception, social value perception, and health value perception are all important mediating channels of ecological education, among which health value perception has the strongest mediating effect. (3) Particulate Matter 2.5 (PM2.5) exposure positively moderates the impact of university students’ environmental value perception on their sustainable behavior. (4) There is a significant correlation between university students’ household registration, participation in environmental associations and hometown social networks, and sustainable behaviors. (5) The influence of ecological education on students’ behaviors shows heterogeneity in family household registration. Students from rural families have a higher level of environmental behavior and value perception than those from urban families. Moreover, they are more likely to exhibit behaviors under the influence of ecological education. The above results provide reference suggestions for the ecological education policy system and offer theoretical support and policy inspiration for promoting sustainable behaviors among global college students and enhancing the efficiency of ecological education in universities. Full article
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22 pages, 1598 KiB  
Article
Research on the Spatial Correlation Pattern of Sustainable Development of Cities in the Yangtze River Delta Region of China, Based on the Dynamic Coupling Perspective of “Ecology-Economy”
by Zhujie Chu, Qi Ge and Lufa Zhang
Systems 2025, 13(7), 533; https://doi.org/10.3390/systems13070533 - 1 Jul 2025
Viewed by 255
Abstract
Focusing on the dynamic change process of urban ecology and economy, this paper explores the spatial correlation pattern of cities in the Yangtze River Delta (YRD) region for sustainable development from 2012 to 2023 based on the coupled coordination model, gravitational model, and [...] Read more.
Focusing on the dynamic change process of urban ecology and economy, this paper explores the spatial correlation pattern of cities in the Yangtze River Delta (YRD) region for sustainable development from 2012 to 2023 based on the coupled coordination model, gravitational model, and social network analysis (SNA). First, the sustainable development level of the city shows a certain upward trend in the time dimension. In the spatial dimension, there is significant regional differentiation, which roughly shows the development characteristics of gradual increase from the interior to the coast. Second, cities with lower-level sustainable development and higher-level sustainable development always maintain their own stability, but being adjacent to a city with lower-level sustainable development increases the probability of an improvement. Third, cities that play an important role in driving the level of spatial correlation for sustainable development are mainly concentrated in the central and eastern parts of the YRD, with Shanghai, Suzhou, Nanjing, and Hangzhou being the most important radiation centers in the pattern of spatial correlation. Fourth, the affiliation system of sustainable development gradually changes from the double core system of Shanghai–Suzhou to the triple core system of Shanghai–Suzhou–Hangzhou to drive and lead the development of the subordinate cities. Fifth, the spatial network can be categorized into four plates: benefit, overflow, bilateral spillover, and broker, with obvious linkage effects between plates. Full article
(This article belongs to the Section Systems Practice in Social Science)
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28 pages, 3822 KiB  
Article
Understanding Paradigm Shifts and Asynchrony in Environmental Governance: A Mixed-Methods-Study of China’s Sustainable Development Transition
by Lin Qu, Jiwei Shi, Zhijian Yu and Cunkuan Bao
World 2025, 6(3), 90; https://doi.org/10.3390/world6030090 - 1 Jul 2025
Viewed by 904
Abstract
Escalating environmental challenges severely impede global sustainable development, prompting countries worldwide to innovate environmental governance approaches. As the world’s largest developing country, China’s paradigm shifts in environmental governance from “pollution control” to “ecological conservation” embody many inherent complexities. To investigate the evolution and [...] Read more.
Escalating environmental challenges severely impede global sustainable development, prompting countries worldwide to innovate environmental governance approaches. As the world’s largest developing country, China’s paradigm shifts in environmental governance from “pollution control” to “ecological conservation” embody many inherent complexities. To investigate the evolution and underlying logic of such paradigm shifts, this study introduces a nested asynchrony framework. Employing a mixed-methods approach that integrates qualitative content analysis, Social Network Analysis, and machine learning, this study analyzes China’s environmental planning documents since the 11th Five-Year Plan to clarify the process of the paradigm shifts and their driving mechanisms. The principal conclusions derived from this study are as follows: (1) Environmental planning is uniquely valued as an analytical lens for identifying paradigm shifts in environmental governance. (2) The paradigm shifts in environmental governance are temporally distinct, wherein transformations in value norms precede structural reforms, while shifts in action logic and disciplinary foundations exhibit path-dependent inertia. (3) Inconsistencies within the planning authority framework spanning central and local governments impede the effective allocation and implementation of resources. This study reconstructs the transformation pathway of environmental governance paradigms, validates computational methods in policy analysis, and presents a longitudinal framework for tracking governance evolution. Applicable to other countries or sectors undergoing similar sustainable development transitions, the framework can provide broader utility. Full article
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