Search Results (684)

Promoting green industrial development and enhancing high-quality employment are crucial for advancing county-level economic growth and achieving shared prosperity. This study analyzes the spatiotemporal evolution trends of green industrial development and high-quality employment using panel data from 20 mountainous counties (cities and districts) in Zhejiang Province from 2010 to 2023. It employs panel models to investigate the effects and mechanisms through which green industrial development fosters high-quality employment. The results indicate that, during the study period, both green industry development and high-quality employment exhibited uneven progress across the 20 mountainous counties (cities and districts) in Zhejiang. Mechanism analysis revealed that green industrial development significantly promotes high-quality employment through two pathways: industrial structure upgrading and technological progress. The heterogeneity analysis indicates that the impact of green industrial development on high-quality employment varies significantly across different industrial structures, with counties dominated by the tertiary sector showing more substantial promotion effects. The threshold regression analysis reveals a dual-threshold effect of technological progress in promoting high-quality employment through green industrial development, presenting an approximately J-shaped nonlinear relationship. The research findings provide significant support for the sustainable development of the ecological environment and society by addressing current imbalances between ecological preservation and economic or social growth. Full article

Elderly welfare institutions in Taiwan have experienced multiple severe fire incidents, with smoke inhalation accounting for the majority of fatalities. Hot smoke can rapidly propagate through interconnected ceiling spaces, complicating evacuation for residents with limited mobility who depend heavily on caregiving staff and external responders. Field inspections conducted in this study indicate that 82% of residents require assisted evacuation, underscoring the critical role of early detection, staff-mediated response, and effective smoke control. Drawing on disaster management theory, this study examines key determinants of fire safety performance in elderly welfare institutions, where caregiving staff are primarily trained in medical care rather than fire safety. A total of 64 licensed institutions in Tainan City were investigated through on-site inspections, structured checklist-based surveys, and statistical analyses of fire protection systems. In addition, a comparative review of building and fire safety regulations in Taiwan, the United States, Japan, and China was conducted to contextualize the findings. Using the defense-in-depth framework, this study proposes a three-layer fire safety strategy comprising (1) prevention of fire occurrence, (2) rapid fire detection and early suppression, and (3) containment of fire and smoke spread. From a sustainability perspective, this study conceptualizes fire safety in elderly welfare institutions as a problem of risk governance, illustrating how defense-in-depth can be operationalized as a governance-oriented framework for managing fire and smoke risks, safeguarding vulnerable older adults, and sustaining the resilience and continuity of long-term care systems in an aging society. Full article

With the rapid development of the global urbanization process, the resource utilization of construction waste has become one of the core issues of the development of a circular economy and has been widely concerned by the international community. However, China’s resource utilization efficiency in this field is still in the development stage, and cthere is still a gap with developed countries. It is urgent to systematically solve scientific problems such as low resource utilization efficiency, prominent technical bottlenecks, and imperfect whole process management mechanisms, so as to realize the coordinated high-quality development of the economy, society, and the environment. In order to scientifically predict the generation trend of construction waste and assess the resource potential, this study takes Beijing as the research object. Based on the historical data samples of construction waste in Beijing from 2001 to 2024, the analysis framework of “output estimation—trend prediction—value evaluation” is constructed. The ARIMA model is selected as the core tool of prediction, because it can match the phased change characteristics of construction waste output with the development of the city in time series data processing. Combined with the cost–benefit analysis method, it makes a quantitative analysis of the future production scale of construction waste and the economic benefits of resource utilization in Beijing. The research results show that from 2025 to 2034, the production of construction waste in Beijing will show a trend of first decreasing and then increasing, and it will reach 13.599 million tons by 2034. The resource utilization of construction waste in the next 10 years is expected to bring about USD 2.998 billion of economic benefits. This prediction result may be related to the policy guidance of Beijing’s urban renewal, changes in construction activities, and industrial technology upgrading. Accordingly, this study puts forward countermeasures and suggestions to help the development of industrialization, providing theoretical support and practical references for the sustainable development of the resource utilization of construction waste. Full article

The dual Hukou system, originating in China’s planned economy period, structured Chinese society into separate urban and rural segments, thereby generating distinct sets of rights and benefits for agricultural and non-agricultural residents regarding land, social security, education, and healthcare. Urban home purchase is a pivotal indicator of social integration for rural–urban migrants in destination cities. While the literature has extensively examined migrants’ residential conditions in China, the institutional impact of the agricultural hukou system—a core constraint—on their urban homeownership, along with its underlying mechanisms and heterogeneity, remains underexplored. To address this gap, this study adopts a twofold approach: theoretically, it employs the separating equilibrium model in housing markets with incomplete information to verify that agricultural hukou acts as an institutional barrier to migrants’ local home purchases; empirically, it uses data from the China Migrants Dynamic Survey (CMDS) and applies the Fairlie decomposition method to quantify the constraint effect. The empirical results suggest that agricultural hukou exerts a 29.72% suppressive effect on migrants’ urban home purchase behavior. This effect operates indirectly by weakening migrants’ long-term settlement intention, which serves as a mediating variable. Moreover, the hindrance of agricultural hukou varies heterogeneously across groups, differing in education level, generational cohort, and regional distribution. To advance the fair and sustainable development of the real estate market, we advocate accelerating hukou reform by decoupling public services from residence status, fostering inclusive urbanization, and ensuring equitable development of housing markets. Full article

Demographic decline and population ageing present unprecedented challenges to housing systems in post-socialist Europe. With one of the European Union (EU)’s fastest shrinking populations, an underdeveloped social housing sector, and an ageing housing stock dominated by Soviet-era multi-family blocks, Latvia exemplifies these difficulties. Adaptive property reuse—repurposing underutilised buildings into age-friendly social housing—offers a potential solution, but its feasibility depends on complex economic, regulatory, social, and environmental determinants. This study investigated these determinants using a mixed-methods approach. Data were drawn from 312 survey responses, 15 policymaker interviews, 10 developer interviews, and focus group of 25 senior residents across Latvia. Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) was used to extract six determinant clusters: site selection, feasibility analysis, design and planning, implementation strategies, monitoring and evaluation, and scaling strategies. The findings demonstrate: (1) economic feasibility and regulatory clarity dominate stakeholder concerns, with financing gaps receiving the lowest ratings (M = 2.91); (2) implementation strategies emerged as the highest-priority determinant, emphasising governance capacity and structured execution; (3) significant trust deficits exist between developers and municipal authorities, undermining collaboration; (4) seniors prioritise design inclusivity and social integration, while developers emphasise cost efficiency and regulatory certainty; and (5) environmental sustainability consistently ranked lower (M ≈ 3.34) across all stakeholder groups due to pressing affordability concerns. Although municipal officers were intentionally oversampled (58%) due to their central role in Latvia’s housing governance, robustness checks confirmed the six-factor structure remained stable across stakeholder groups. This study contributes theoretically by contextualising adaptive reuse within shrinking cities and ageing societies and practically by providing a determinant-based framework for housing policy. Full article

In recent years, European cities have experienced rapid changes in their functional and spatial organisation, which have affected, among others, the natural environment, the economy and society. The intensive and often uncontrolled growth of residential development associated with suburbanisation significantly impacts areas located around urban areas. Growing investment pressures usually lead to the transformation of rural and naturally valuable areas, altering their character and functions. Solving these problems requires developing a method to determine the main directions and intensity of land use changes in the context of urbanisation pressures and sustainable spatial development. This article presents the results of a spatiotemporal analysis of the dynamics of built-up area development in rural and suburban zones, utilising Geographic Information Systems (GIS) technology. The study focused on the expansion of single- and multi-family housing around the city of Białystok, Poland, between 1997 and 2022. The analysis was based on spatial data, including available orthomosaics and cadastral data from the Topographic Objects Database (BDOT10k). The GIS-based analysis covered an area of nearly 2000 km² and included methods for change detection, analysis, and land cover classification. The results indicated a marked intensification in landscape transformations, particularly in transition zones between rural and urban areas. At the same time, forests and protected zones significantly influenced the direction and pace of development, acting as natural barriers limiting spatial expansion. The results indicate the need to consider environmental factors (e.g., protected areas and forests) in spatial planning processes and sustainable development policies. The study confirms the high usefulness of GIS tools in monitoring and forecasting spatial change at both the local and regional scales. This research also contributes to the discussion on urbanisation, its characteristics, causes, and consequences, and highlights the role of green spaces in limiting sprawl. Full article

Mineral resource exploitation poses substantial pressure on regional ecological environments. The Xiaoxing’anling mineral belt—a critical ecological functional area and a major mineral-rich zone in China—exemplifies such environmental vulnerability. Conducting a scientific assessment of ecological changes in mining-affected regions is essential for balancing resource development and environmental protection. Based on the DPSIR (Driver-Pressure-State-Impact-Response) model, this study developed a comprehensive indicator system tailored for evaluating ecological changes in mining areas. Using the Xiaoxing’anling mineral belt in Heilongjiang Province as a case study, we integrated remote sensing, geographic information, statistical yearbooks, and field survey data, and applied an objective weighting method to quantitatively assess ecological changes from 2010 to 2020. The results indicate the following: (1) Ecological evolution exhibits significant spatiotemporal heterogeneity, with persistently high ecological pressure in the eastern region leading to continued environmental degradation. (2) Socioeconomic transformation driven by new energy development has weakened the overall development driver, though Yichun City remains a core driver due to its super-large mineral deposits. (3) Ecological impacts demonstrate a spatial spillover effect, extending to urban residential areas, while ecological response measures lag severely and are misaligned with pressure distribution—nature reserves have become high-value response zones rather than the actual mining sites. (4) The comprehensive ecological restoration index is on a downward trend. The measures currently adopted by society to improve the ecology of mining areas, such as using greener mining methods and increasing vegetation coverage, are unable to counteract the adverse effects of previous mining activities. This study identifies passive and lagging responses as the key bottlenecks impeding ecological recovery. We emphasize that future management strategies must shift from passive remediation to proactive intervention, and propose clear spatial and institutional directions for sustainable governance in mining areas. Full article

As the global deployment of fifth-generation (5G) networks matures, the research community is conceptualising sixth-generation (6G) systems, projected for deployment around 2030. This article presents a comprehensive, evidence-based examination of the technological innovations and applications that characterise this transition, informed by a scoping review of 57 sources published between January 2020 and August 2025. The transition to 6G signifies a fundamental transformation from a mere communication utility to an intelligent, sensing, and globally integrated cyber-physical continuum, propelled by a strategic reassessment of the network’s societal function and the practical insights gained from the 5G era. We critically analyse the foundational physical layer technologies that facilitate this vision, including Reconfigurable Intelligent Surfaces (RIS), Terahertz (THz) communications, and the transition to Extremely Large-Scale MIMO (XL-MIMO), emphasising their interdependencies and the fundamental shift towards near-field physics. The analysis encompasses the architectural transformation necessary to address this new complexity, elucidating the principles of the AI-native network, the seamless integration of Non-Terrestrial Networks (NTN) into a cohesive three-dimensional framework, and the functional convergence of communication and sensing (ISAC). We also look at how these changes affect the real world by looking at data from trials and case studies in smart cities, intelligent transportation, and digital health. The article synthesises the overarching challenges in security, sustainability, and scalability, arguing that the path to 6G is defined by two intertwined grand challenges: building a trustworthy and sustainable network. By outlining the critical research imperatives that stem from these challenges, this work offers a holistic framework for understanding how these interconnected developments are evolving wireless networks into the intelligent fabric of a digitised and sustainable society. Full article

The sustainable development of cities urgently requires an understanding of the interaction between social equity and ecological quality, especially in the peri-urban areas that traditional environmental justice research has paid less attention to. Taking Outer London as an example in this study, the Comprehensive Social Equity Index (CSEI) and the Remote Sensing Ecological Index (RSEI) were constructed to explore the social–ecological coupling relationship and spatial heterogeneity. Four types of socio-ecological coupling were identified through the four-quadrant model, ordinary least squares (OLS), and multi-scale geographically weighted regression (MGWR). The results reveal the characteristics of nonlinear coupling: in addition to the dual disadvantages and advantages of society and ecology, there are also regional patterns where social conditions are advantageous, but ecology is degraded, and where society is weak, but ecology is rich. This indicates that there is a complex spatial dislocation relationship between society and ecology in the peri-urban. The research proposes a scale-sensitive governance strategy based on location, emphasizing the coordinated countermeasures of social reinvestment and ecological restoration, providing a new perspective for environmental justice and sustainable planning in the peri-urban areas of the UK. Full article

This paper investigates the investigators behind the distinct ‘moral panic’ that targeted mixed-race families residing in Britain’s multiracial port communities during the interwar period. This period witnessed heightened social anxieties following the First World War, exacerbated by the economic downturn and the visible presence of multiracial populations, a consequence of wartime labour demands. The 1919–1920 ‘race riots’, erupting in various British port cities, served as a critical catalyst in the exposure of underlying racial prejudices and anxieties surrounding interracial relationships and mixed-race children. In our paper we explore how the ensuing ‘moral panic’ was not simply a spontaneous societal reaction fuelled by sensationalist and prejudiced reporting in the press, but was actively constructed and sustained through a confluence of official investigations and the actions of key individuals within government and society. These forces collectively contributed to a pathological legacy that profoundly impacted the treatment and perception of mixed-race families in Britain well beyond the interwar years. Our paper builds upon our collaborative work with Peter Aspinall, to whom this paper is dedicated as one of his last scholarly endeavours. Full article

This article explores participatory planning as a key tool for addressing the challenges of overtourism, a phenomenon that exerts complex pressures on the environment, social cohesion, and the cultural identity of cities, despite its contribution to economic growth. Through a comparative analysis of six European urban destinations with high tourism intensity, the study presents different forms of participatory processes as strategies for the sustainable management of tourism. The findings show that the active involvement of stakeholders—local authorities, professional associations, civil society organizations, and residents—strengthens the legitimacy and social acceptance of policies, while improving their overall effectiveness. The article examines whether existing strategies address the structural conditions that generate overtourism or are limited to managing its symptoms, and how the level of community engagement influences the sustainability of these policies. It also highlights that the concept of overtourism, while useful, is often overused in both public and academic discourse, which makes evidence-based analysis even more crucial. The study concludes that there is a pressing need for a more inclusive and strategically oriented model of tourism governance, one that goes beyond symptom management and targets the deeper causes of the phenomenon. Full article

Electromagnetic (EM) fields, as one of the basic forms of energy in the built and lived environment (BLE), present an environmental health challenge, yet they often remain an overlooked concern, particularly with the development of information and communication technologies (ICT) and energy systems. Although these fields are essential for the contemporary infrastructure, society needs to engage in a thorough discussion regarding their potential impact on health. In light of this, a commitment should be made to design and manage technologies and infrastructure that strive to lower EM pollution, while ensuring optimal functionality. Achieving this goal requires viable urban planning and sustainability strategies. The motivation of this study is to examine various instances to foster a deeper understanding of the EM in the BLE. It explores significant sources of exposure and major safety guidelines. A literature review and EM field audits in three locations within two cities in Canada and the UK have been provided to understand the trends and serve as a comparative sample. Key transition pathways towards EM sustainability have been proposed, including the establishment of observatory systems in urban locations, hygiene practices, risk governance, and an interplay between sustainability and technology. Full article

The emergence of energy communities in the energy transition world could be beneficial for sustainable development, particularly in ancient town centers. The interaction between energy groups, renewable energy sources, and electric vehicles in Italy’s historic cities is the primary concern of this work. It examines the potential for these interconnected components to collaborate to revitalize Italian historical sites and ensure their sustainable management. This study focuses on the overall potential of energy communities to boost democracy and energy security, and decrease negative environmental impacts. It is studied by analyzing rules and regulation along with new technologies and changes in society and economy that are affecting the energy sector. This paper focuses on approaches to the application of renewable energy resources and examines electric mobility and its role in realizing ecologically sustainable transportation in cities. It also demonstrates the needs to occur with infrastructures, use rates and policies that must be implemented to get a person to drive electric cars around historic districts. This improves the management’s capacity to implement an easy transition to low carbon because, related to energy production and consumption, techniques of comprehensive planning should be adopted. Full article

This study explores the role of sustainability-oriented education in supporting post-disaster recovery and resilience in Derna, Libya, following the catastrophic floods of September 2023. Using a qualitative descriptive design, twenty semi-structured interviews were conducted with academic experts, public health professionals, policymakers, and community leaders. The findings reveal that Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) is perceived as both a critical resilience tool and a moral imperative in fragile, disaster-affected contexts. However, institutional fragility, limited resources, and weak policy integration hinder its implementation. The study highlights the need to embed ESD within both formal education systems and informal community networks, aligning recovery strategies with local environmental realities. It offers practical recommendations for leveraging schools, faith-based institutions, and grassroots initiatives to foster adaptive capacity. These insights contribute to global debates on localising sustainable development in post-conflict settings and underscore the potential of ESD to bridge immediate recovery and long-term sustainability. The study explicitly aligns with the objectives of Sustainable Development Goal 4 (Quality Education) and Sustainable Development Goal 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities). It demonstrates how sustainability-oriented learning can strengthen community resilience by connecting education with local recovery systems, environmental adaptation, and social rebuilding. Through this alignment, the research underscores the role of education as a mechanism for both immediate recovery and long-term sustainability within fragile and disaster-affected societies. Full article

This study explores sustainable urbanism in the three largest Saudi Arabian cities—Riyadh, Jeddah, and NEOM—in the context of Vision 2030. Qualitative methodology was used, which incorporated environmental, social, economic, governance, and mobility aspects. The analysis of ten semi-structured interviews with planners, engineers, and policy officials was based on Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA), Sustainable Urbanism, and Participatory Governance models. The results indicate that Riyadh presents structural congruence and consistency of policies, Jeddah is characterized by disjointed governance and poor coordination, and NEOM is characterized by futuristic aspirations with unpredictable social inclusiveness. The paper highlights that more powerful integration of governance, participatory planning, and realistic implementation is required to create a balance between technological innovations and equity in society. It adds to the current knowledge of how the global sustainability models can be localized in the fast-changing cities of the Gulf. Full article