Search Results (720)

Household electricity consumption is a major and growing source of urban carbon emissions in high-density residential area. However, its influencing mechanisms operate across multiple nested spatial scales and are not fully captured by single-scale analyses. Using electricity consumption data and a household survey from 42 high-density communities in Beijing, this study applies a hierarchical linear model (HLM) to examine how spatial form, socioeconomic attributes, and behavioral factors affect household electricity carbon emissions across urban districts, Ten-Minute Living Circles, residential areas, and Individual dwellings. The results indicate that dwelling-level characteristics exert the most direct influence, while residential-area-level spatial morphology provides an important contextual effect. In contrast, Ten-Minute Living Circles indicators show limited direct associations after accounting for hierarchical structure. Several spatial factors influence emissions through cross-level moderating mechanisms rather than isolated effects. These findings provide a data-driven multiscale analytical framework to support low-carbon planning and retrofit strategies in high-density residential area. Full article

Background/Objectives: Few studies have simultaneously evaluated spatial accessibility to both food destinations and spaces for physical activity in relation to body weight in children. The aim of this study was to determine whether spatial accessibility to food destinations and places for physical activity is associated with body weight among children, differentiating between boys and girls. Neighborhood socio-economic status and walkability were incorporated as covariates. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted in Valencia, Spain. The initial sample comprised a sample of 808 children. GIS-based procedures were used to evaluate access to food outlets, walkability and socio-economic status (i.e., household income) among home neighborhoods. Access to different types of food destinations and destinations where children can engage in physical activity was assessed using the Neighborhood Environment Walkability Scale for Youth (NEWS-Y-IPEN). Weight and height were objectively assessed. The body mass index (BMI) percentile was calculated. Mixed-model regression analyses were performed. Results: Being a boy was positively associated with BMI percentile (p = 0.003), whereas physical activity was negatively related to this outcome (p = 0.028) in the whole sample. None of the built environment attributes were significantly associated with BMI percentile in boys. Access to healthy restaurants (p = 0.035), as well as neighborhood income (p = 0.049), were negatively associated with BMI percentile among girls. Conclusions: The relationship between built environmental attributes and BMI varies significantly between boys and girls. Understanding these differences is key for designing effective public health interventions with the aim of reducing childhood obesity. Full article

With the rapid development of the sharing economy and the progress of social ecological civilization, social media influencers (SMIs) have garnered significant from academia and practitioners for their pivotal role in fostering pro-environmental behavioral intentions within the tourism consumption context. Drawing on the two-step flow theory, social influence theory, and social learning theory, this study establishes an integrated analytical framework to elucidate how SMIs facilitate the balance between tourism development and ecosystem preservation by activating pro-environmental behavioral behavior. This study conceptualizes the SMIs’ multi-traits as a higher-order construct (a third-order reflective structure), which integrates content-determined and personality-determined attributes, viewing SMIs’ effectiveness as a coherent system of influence rather than a series of fragmented traits. Based on survey data collected from 598 Chinese social media users, the study utilized Covariance-Based Structural Equation Modeling (CB-SEM) to test the proposed model. The results demonstrate that SMIs’ multi-traits exert significant positive effects on parasocial relationships and wishful identification, which in turn enhance individuals’ willingness to mimic. This willingness to mimic serves as a core behavioral conversion mechanism, bridging digital influence on three pro-environmental behavioral intentions: general, specific and online advocacy intentions. Furthermore, robustness analyses reveal marked heterogeneity across education- and income-based groups, indicating that the efficacy of SMI traits and the psychological-to-behavioral conversion efficiency are contingent upon the recipients’ socioeconomic resources and cognitive capital. Overall, this study characterizes social media influencer marketing as a scalable, socially driven phenomenon that can effectively activate and promote pro-environmental behavioral intentions, providing valuable insights for environmental education and sustainable tourism development in the digital age. Full article

Accurately forecasting demand for intermittent items is essential for effective inventory control, improved service levels, and cost reduction. This study focuses on highly sparse, irregular, and volatile demand patterns and proposes a generalizable multi-source data-driven framework for intermittent demand forecasting, using automotive spare parts as a representative application scenario. The proposed framework integrates Transformer networks, multi-graph convolutional networks (GCNs), and a Mamba-based feature fusion module. The Transformer captures long-term temporal dependencies in historical demand sequences, while the multi-graph GCN incorporates prior knowledge—including traffic geography, socioeconomic indicators, and environmental attributes—to model spatial correlations across multiple supply nodes. The Mamba-based fusion module then integrates temporal and spatial features into a unified representation, enhancing predictive accuracy and robustness. Extensive experiments on real-world datasets of automotive spare parts in China show that the proposed framework exhibits competitive and often superior performance compared with TiDE, FSNet, Informer, and DLinear across multiple forecasting horizons (3-, 6-, and 9-step), as measured by RMSE, MAE, and $R^2$. The proposed approach provides a practical and adaptable solution for forecasting intermittent demand, offering valuable support for dynamic inventory management. Full article

District heating systems are central to Europe’s decarbonisation strategy and its 2050 climate-neutrality objective. However, district heating is deeply embedded in the socio-economic system and the built environment. This makes compliance with policy targets at the local level particularly challenging. The issues are attributable to two factors. Firstly, the process is characterised by a high degree of complexity and multidimensionality. Secondly, there is a scarcity of local resources (e.g., land, surface waters, waste heat, etc.). In Bucharest, Romania, the largest district heating system in the European Union, the process of decarbonisation represents a particularly complex challenge. The system is characterised by large physical dimensions, high technical wear, heavy dependence on natural gas, significant heat losses and complex governance structures. This paper presents a strategic planning exercise for aligning the Bucharest system with the Energy Efficiency Directive 2023/1791. Drawing on system data, investment modelling, and local resource mapping from the LIFE22-CET-SET_HEAT project, the study evaluates scenarios for 2028 and 2035 that shift heat generation from natural gas to renewable, waste heat, and high-efficiency sources. The central objective is the identification of opportunities and issues. Options include large-scale heat pumps, waste-to-energy, geothermal and solar heat. Heat demand profiles and electricity price dynamics are used to evaluate economic feasibility and operational flexibility. The findings show that the decarbonisation heat supply in Bucharest is technically possible, but financial viability hinges on phased investments, interinstitutional coordination, regulatory reforms and access to EU funding. The study concludes with recommendations for staged implementation, coordinated governance and socio-economic measures to safeguard heat affordability and system reliability. Full article

Ecosystem vulnerability assessment is paramount for local environmental stability and lasting economic progress. This study selects Hubei Province as the research area, applying multi-source spatiotemporal datasets spanning the period 2000–2023. A pressure–state–response (PSR) framework, incorporating 14 distinct indicators, was developed. The selection criteria for these indicators adhered to principles of scientific rigor, all-encompassing scope, statistical representativeness, and practical applicability. The chosen indicators effectively encompass natural, anthropogenic, and socio-economic drivers, aligning with the specific ecological attributes and key vulnerability factors pertinent to Hubei Province. The analytic network process (ANP) method and entropy weighting (EW) method were integrated to ascertain comprehensive weights, thereby computing the ecological vulnerability index (EVI). In the meantime, we analyzed temporal and spatial EVI shifts. Spatial autocorrelation analysis, the geodetic detector, the Theil–Sen median, the Mann–Kendall trend test, and the Grey–Markov model were employed to elucidate spatial distribution, driving factors, and future trends. Results indicate that Hubei Province exhibited mild ecological vulnerability from 2000 to 2023, but with a notable deteriorating trend: extreme vulnerability areas expanded from 0.34% to 0.94%, while moderate and severe vulnerability zones also increased. Eastern regions demonstrate elevated vulnerability, but they were lower in the west, correlating with human activity intensity. The global Moran’s I index ranged from 0.8579 to 0.8725, signifying a significant positive spatial correlation of ecological vulnerability, with the highly vulnerable areas concentrated in regions with intense human activities, while the less vulnerable areas are located in ecologically intact areas. Habitat quality index and carbon sinks emerged as key drivers, possibly stemming from the forest–wetland composite ecosystem’s high dependence on water conservation, biodiversity maintenance, and carbon storage functions. Future projections based on Grey–Markov models indicate that ecological fragility in Hubei Province will exhibit an upward trend, with ecological conservation pressures continuing to intensify. This research offers a preliminary reference basis of grounds for ecological zoning, as well as sustainable regional development in Hubei Province, while also providing a theoretical and practical framework for constructing an ecological security pattern within the Yangtze River Economic Belt (YREB) and facilitating ecological governance in analogous river basins globally, thereby contributing to regional sustainable development goals. Full article

Investors’ ability to retain investments during bearish and uncertain market periods is a crucial behavioral trait for long-term wealth accumulation and reduces market instability. Nevertheless, little is understood about how digital financial literacy (DFL) shapes the capacity of increasingly digitalized financial environments. This study investigates the links between DFL and investment grip among Japanese active investors—defined here, following conventional Japanese regulatory and research practice, as individuals who maintain a securities account and have engaged with an online brokerage within the past year—building on several theoretical perspectives from behavioral science. Using survey data from 149,261 individuals with an active account at Rakuten Securities, we estimated ordered probit regression models as the main specification. The findings showed a strong positive association between DFL and investment grip, even after accounting for demographic, socioeconomic, as well as cognitive attributes. These results are supported by robustness tests employing a probit model with a binary outcome. The sample consists exclusively of digitally active retail investors; the findings are therefore most directly applicable to this subpopulation. Overall, the evidence suggests that DFL fosters investors’ capacity to endure market volatility by promoting rational decision-making and reducing panic-driven selloffs. This study offers new empirical findings that will help promote financial resilience in technology-driven markets. Full article

Under the pressing imperative of achieving “dual carbon” goals and advancing urban low-carbon transitions, understanding how neighborhood spatial environments influence carbon emissions has become a critical challenge for enabling refined governance and precise planning in urban carbon reduction. Taking the central urban area of Xining as a case study, this research establishes a high-precision estimation framework by integrating Semantic Segmentation of Street View Images and Point of Interest data. This study employs a Geographically Weighted XGBoost model to capture the spatial non-stationarity of emission drivers, achieving a median R² of 0.819. The results indicate the following: (1) Socioeconomic functional attributes, specifically POI Density and POI Mixture, exert a more dominant influence on carbon emissions than purely visual features. (2) Lane Marking General shows a strong positive correlation by reflecting traffic pressure, Sidewalks exhibit a clear negative correlation by promoting active travel, and Building features display a distinct asymmetric impact, where the driving effect of high density is notably less pronounced than the negative association observed in low-density areas. (3) The development of low-carbon neighborhoods should prioritize optimizing functional mixing and enhancing pedestrian systems to construct resilient and low-carbon urban spaces. This study reveals the non-linear relationship between street visual features and neighborhood carbon emissions, providing an empirical basis and strategic references for neighborhood planning and design oriented toward low-carbon goals, with valuable guidance for practices in urban planning, design, and management. Full article

The Netherlands is widely recognised as the global leader in water management, with its flood risk management (FRM) infrastructure lauded as being of the best in the world. This status notwithstanding, Dutch FRM primarily maintains established infrastructural practices and experimental applications of NBSs remain less frequent than established structural projects. This paper details and examines the challenges associated with the prevailing ‘business-as-usual’ approach to FRM in The Netherlands, in which traditional ‘grey’ infrastructural techniques are prioritised over innovative ‘green’ nature-based solutions (NBSs). In line with emerging international trends, such as the EU Water Resilience Strategy, NBSs are increasingly advocated as a strategic, complementary layer to enhance the resilience of existing safety frameworks rather than a self-evident replacement for them. Contrary to grey infrastructure, NBSs provide a number of environmental and social co-benefits extending beyond their flood and drought protection utility. The literature on NBSs details the design, effectiveness, and positive socio-economic impact of the operationalisation of such projects for FRM. This notwithstanding, the uptake and practical implementation of NBSs have been slow in The Netherlands. From a legal and policy perspective, this has been attributed to a lack of political will and the corresponding failure to include NBSs in long term FRM planning. Given the long planning horizons associated with FRM (50–100 years), the failure to incorporate NBSs can lead to policy lock-in that blocks future adaptations. Against this backdrop, this paper employs a semi-systematic literature review to clarify the obstacles to implementing NBSs in Dutch FRM and sets a research agenda that charts a course to mainstreaming NBSs in Dutch FRM. Seven core focus areas for future research are identified. The paper concludes by drawing on these identified focus areas to construct a research agenda aimed at systematically addressing each barrier to the practical operationalisation of NBSs in Dutch FRM, emphasising a hybrid green–grey approach which may serve to inspire similar research in other jurisdictions. Full article

Numerous factors contributed to coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) disease recovery and death rates. In many countries, socioeconomics, morbidities, the experience of symptoms and access to healthcare services are major contributors to recovery and death rates. A retrospective cohort study was conducted to determine the morbidity, mortality, survival probability, and risk factors associated with COVID-19 among children in the Free State province, South Africa. A total of 846 patients’ records were used in the study. Using SPSS version 28 software, survival probability was determined using Kaplan–Meier estimation curves and Cox regression was used to determine the effect of sociodemographics and clinical manifestation information on time of death. The COVID-19 mortality rate was 13.12% in our study. There were more female patients (60%) than male patients (40%). In total, 71 patients had two or more morbidities, while 414 patients were asymptomatic. Patients between 5 and 18 years old were at twice the risk of dying of COVID-19, and male children were at a higher risk as well. Having more than one symptom was also a risk for dying in this study. Severe COVID-19 is attributed to numerous factors, and these are closely associated with surrounding environments and public health systems. The findings are important for the clinical management of similar diseases and circumstances in the future. Full article

With socioeconomic development, cities face increasingly complex and diverse disaster risks, making the construction of resilient cities an inevitable choice. However, the driving forces and tactical approaches behind urban resilience development remain unclear for urban safety development, thus posing challenges to cities urgently needing to enhance their resilience. Therefore, this paper investigates this issue, covering the following aspects: (1) Eighteen influencing factors within the complex system of urban resilience were identified and summarized from five perspectives: Economic, Social, Environmental, Infrastructure, and Organizational & Institutional. The attributes of the influencing factors were analyzed using the Decision-Making Experimentation and Evaluation Laboratory (DEMATEL) method, and key factors were identified accordingly. (2) The Total Adversarial Interpretive Structure Model (TAISM) method was applied to construct a multi-perspective adversarial recursive structural model with integrated impact values. This model illustrates the interrelationships among the influencing factors and clarifies their hierarchical structure. (3) A Fuzzy Reachability Matrix (FR) was introduced to handle uncertain relationships between factors in the comprehensive influence matrix, enabling an explicit analysis of the hierarchical structure of the urban resilience complex coupling giant system, clearly showing the impact of factor hierarchical changes on the system structure. (4) Building upon the analysis of factors affecting urban resilience, the specific pathways and mechanisms were articulated, followed by recommended measures formulated from both internal (governmental) and external (community) perspectives. The results can provide theoretical support for resilient city construction and serve as a practical cornerstone. Full article

Household bread and bakery product waste constitutes a growing issue in Algeria, with significant economic, environmental, and socio-cultural implications. This research is situated within the framework of sustainable food systems and responds to recent transformations in domestic food practices, driven by increased female labor force participation, time constraints, and the widespread availability of industrial bread, which have reshaped household food management and traditional home bread-making practices. The study aims to (1) review traditional Algerian breads, emphasizing their culinary, nutritional, and cultural significance; (2) examine household behaviors during the month of Ramadan in the city of Constantine, focusing on patterns of consumption, purchasing, waste generation, and strategies for reusing leftovers; and (3) assess the economic implications of these practices using the FUSIONS methodology and explore their contribution to household-level food sustainability. Methodologically, a cross-sectional exploratory survey was conducted among 100 married women, the majority of whom were middle-aged (62%; range: 27–71 years; mean age: 52.0 ± 10.21), well-educated (59% with a university degree), economically active (68%), and living in medium-sized households (63%). The findings reveal pronounced contrasts across bread categories. Industrial breads, particularly baguettes, are characterized by high daily purchase frequencies (4.16 ± 1.31 units/day) and the highest waste rates (12.67%), largely attributable to over-purchasing (92%) and low perceived value associated with subsidized prices, with convenience (100%) remaining the primary factor explaining their dominance. In contrast, traditional breads exhibit minimal waste levels (1.63%) despite frequent purchase (3.85 ± 0.70 loaves/day), reflecting more conscious food management shaped by strong cultural attachment, higher perceived value, and dietary preferences (100%). Modern bakery products, along with confections and pastries, the latter representing of 58% of total household food purchases, comprise a substantial share of food expenditure during Ramadan (2.16 ± 0.46 loaves/day and 12.07 and 7.28 ± 2.50 units/day, respectively), while generating relatively low levels of food waste (5.69%, 4.19%, and 0%, respectively). This suggests that higher prices and symbolic value encourage more careful purchasing behaviors and conscious consumption. Freezing leftovers (63%) emerges as the most commonly adopted waste-reduction strategy. Overall, this work provides original quantitative evidence at the household level on bread and bakery product waste in Algeria. It highlights the key socio-economic, cultural, and behavioral drivers underlying waste generation and proposes actionable recommendations to promote more sustainable food practices, in line with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 12 on responsible consumption and production. Full article

The built environment plays a critical role in promoting residents’ physical activity, yet the interactive mechanisms between objective environmental factors and subjective perceptions remain insufficiently understood. This study examines three functionally distinct neighborhoods in Beijing’s Xicheng District—Xinjiekou (historic), Financial Street (administrative), and Baizhifang (residential)—representing typical urban regeneration contexts. Using an ordered logit model based on 1072 valid questionnaires, we analyze how objective and subjective built environment factors jointly influence residents’ leisure physical activities. Results reveal that socioeconomic attributes (income, age, education) are primary determinants of activity engagement. Among objective factors, facility accessibility and land-use mix exert the strongest direct effects, while subjective perceptions—particularly satisfaction with environmental attractiveness—significantly moderate these relationships. Based on these findings, we propose differentiated spatial renewal strategies tailored to each street type. This research provides empirical evidence for implementing health-oriented urban regeneration policies in high-density metropolitan areas. Full article

Seabed mining has gained widespread attention under the blue economy concept, offering economic opportunities while posing significant environmental risks. In Sri Lanka, where mining of seabed resources is growing, understanding public perceptions and preferences for seabed conservation remain crucial to ensure sustainable resource management. This study, therefore, represents the first empirical assessment of public preference and Willingness to Pay (WTP) for seabed conservation in Sri Lanka. A Discrete Choice Experiment (DCE)-based approach was employed to assess public preferences for seabed conservation. Data were collected from 630 respondents across Sri Lanka using a pre-tested self-administered structured survey. The analysis employed Conditional Logit (CL) and Random Parameter Logit (RPL) models to estimate preference heterogeneity and attribute trade-offs. The findings of the study reported strong public support, with a WTP of Sri Lankan Rupees (LKR) 3532 per household per year for seabed conservation. Younger, well-educated individuals demonstrated a significantly higher preference for seabed conservation. Biodiversity loss (66.9%), physical damage to seabed (40.7%) and exploitation of natural resources (17.8%) were recognized as major consequences of sea bed mining, highlighting the need for stringent regulatory frameworks (34%) and public engagement (44%) in sustainable seabed conservation. The RPL model revealed significant preference heterogeneity for key attributes. A significant positive preference for a 30% reduction in mineral extraction (coefficient = 0.894, p < 0.05) reinforces public preference for stricter extraction limits. A 25% reduction for biodiversity and habitat destruction (coefficient = 0.010, p < 0.05) reflects public concern for seabed conservation in the context of ongoing marine resource related economic development activities. These results underscore the importance of integrating economic valuation into seabed conservation policies, ensuring that seabed mining activities align with sustainability goals. The study suggests targeted awareness campaigns, financial incentives, and inclusive policymaking to bridge socio-economic disparities and foster long-term public support for seabed conservation. These insights provide a critical foundation for policymakers to develop balanced approaches that promote economic benefits, while safeguarding marine ecosystems within Sri Lanka’s blue economy framework. Full article

The evolution of “Production–Living–Ecological” spaces (PLESs) in mountainous rural areas is shaped by complex interactions between terrain gradients and socio-economic factors. However, existing research lacks a targeted exploration of their evolution and driving mechanisms at the town scale. This study takes Taiji Town in Chongqing, China, as a case study and identifies land use data for mountainous rural areas. Based on this, “Production–Living–Ecological” attributes are assigned to each land use class, terrain gradients are delineated using the Terrain Niche Index, and the gradient-specific characteristics and spatiotemporal distribution patterns of PLES evolution in mountainous rural areas are analyzed. Additionally, the nonlinear driving mechanisms of PLES evolution are explored by incorporating variables such as terrain gradient, geographical location, social development, and ecological landscape. The results show that the evolution of PLES in Taiji Town generally follows a trend of decreasing production space, expanding living space, and steadily increasing ecological space. Furthermore, topographic constraints form a bottleneck in the evolution of production space in mountainous rural areas, with some production space boundaries extending into higher-gradient areas. Analysis of the driving mechanisms reveals that the interactions between land use degree evolution and elevation, as well as between land use degree evolution and slope, are key factors influencing the evolution of PLES, with significant differences across villages with varying topographic conditions. This study provides a scientific basis and methodological reference for observing spatial evolution and optimizing spatial planning at the town scale. Full article