Sustainability

22 pages, 1094 KiB

Open AccessEditor’s ChoiceArticle

Transformation of Industry Ecosystems in Cities and Regions: A Generic Pathway for Smart and Green Transition

by Nicos Komninos

Sustainability 2022, 14(15), 9694; https://doi.org/10.3390/su14159694 - 06 Aug 2022

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 3163

This research paper focuses on pathways towards a digital and green transition. We assess a generic pathway for the transformation of industry ecosystems in cities and regions based on processes of prioritisation, ecosystem identification, and platform-based digital and green transition. We start with [...] Read more.

This research paper focuses on pathways towards a digital and green transition. We assess a generic pathway for the transformation of industry ecosystems in cities and regions based on processes of prioritisation, ecosystem identification, and platform-based digital and green transition. We start with problem definition and hypotheses; review related works on transition pathways, such as digital transition, green transition, system innovation, industry ecosystems, and multi-level perspective of transformation; assess the generic pathway with case studies; and conclude with a discussion of findings, outline of conclusions, and policy implications. Overall, the paper investigates pathways, priorities, and methods allowing public authorities and business organisations to master the current industrial transformation of cities and regions introduced by the twin digital and green transitions as an opportunity for radical change of city ecosystems, innovation leapfrogging, and system innovation. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue City 4.0: Urban Planning and Development in the Age of Digital Transformation)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

19 pages, 546 KiB

Open AccessEditor’s ChoiceArticle

Urban Air Pollution, Urban Heat Island and Human Health: A Review of the Literature

by Awais Piracha and Muhammad Tariq Chaudhary

Sustainability 2022, 14(15), 9234; https://doi.org/10.3390/su14159234 - 28 Jul 2022

Cited by 53 | Viewed by 15779

Abstract

Many cities of the world suffer from air pollution because of poor planning and design and heavy traffic in rapidly expanding urban environments. These conditions are exacerbated due to the Urban Heat Island (UHI) effect. While there have been studies linking the built [...] Read more.

Many cities of the world suffer from air pollution because of poor planning and design and heavy traffic in rapidly expanding urban environments. These conditions are exacerbated due to the Urban Heat Island (UHI) effect. While there have been studies linking the built environment and air pollution with health, they have ignored the aggravating role of UHI. The past urban planning literature in this field has also ignored the science of materials, vehicles and air pollution, and technological solutions for reducing cumulative health impacts of air pollution and UHI. Air Pollution, built environment and human health are complex discussion factors that involve several different fields. The built environment is linked with human health through opportunities of physical activity and air quality. Recent planning literature focuses on creating compact and walkable urban areas dotted with green infrastructure to promote physical activity and to reduce vehicle emission-related air pollution. Reduced car use leading to reduced air pollution and UHI is implied in the literature. The literature from technology fields speaks to the issue of air pollution directly. Zero emission cars, green infrastructure and building materials that absorb air pollutants and reduce UHI fall within this category. This paper identifies main themes in the two streams of urban air pollution and UHI that impact human health and presents a systematic review of the academic papers, policy documents, reports and features in print media published in the last 10–20 years. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Responding to Climate Emergency: Design, Planning and Assessment of the Built Environment)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

25 pages, 6545 KiB

Open AccessEditor’s ChoiceArticle

Electricity Generation from Municipal Solid Waste in Nigeria: A Prospective LCA Study

by Oluwaseun Nubi, Stephen Morse and Richard J. Murphy

Sustainability 2022, 14(15), 9252; https://doi.org/10.3390/su14159252 - 28 Jul 2022

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 3780

Abstract

Diverse opportunities and environmental impacts could occur from a potential move towards waste-to-energy (WtE) systems for electricity generation from municipal solid waste (MSW) in Lagos and Abuja, Nigeria. Given this, the purpose of this study is to use life cycle assessment (LCA) as [...] Read more.

Diverse opportunities and environmental impacts could occur from a potential move towards waste-to-energy (WtE) systems for electricity generation from municipal solid waste (MSW) in Lagos and Abuja, Nigeria. Given this, the purpose of this study is to use life cycle assessment (LCA) as a primary analytical approach in order to undertake a comparative analysis from an environmental impact perspective of different WtE scenarios, along with diesel backup generators (DBGs) and grid electricity. A functional unit of 1 kilowatt-hour of electricity produced was used in assessing the following environmental impact categories: abiotic depletion (fossil fuels) potential (ADP), global warming potential (GWP 100a), human toxicity potential (HTP), photochemical oxidation potential (POCP), acidification potential (AP), and eutrophication potential (EP). The overall result indicated that anaerobic digestion (AD) had the highest energy generated per one tonne of MSW processed for both Lagos (683 kWh/t) and Abuja (667 kWh/t), while landfill gas to energy (LFGTE) had the lowest for both (Lagos 171 kWh/t, Abuja 135 kWh/t). AD also had the lowest environmental impacts amongst the four WtE systems for both cities based on all the impact categories except for POCP. In contrast, LFGTE had the highest impact in all the categories except ADP and HTP. Extending the analysis to include diesel-based generators (DBG) and grid electricity saw the DBGs having the highest impact overall in ADP (14.1 MJ), HTP (0.0732 Kg, 1.4 DB eq), AP (0.0129 Kg SO₂ eq), and EP (0.00313 Kg PO₄ eq) and grid electricity having the lowest impact in GWP (0.497 Kg CO₂ eq), AP (0.000296 Kg SO₂ eq), and EP (0.000061 Kg PO₄ eq). It was concluded that additional electricity supply from AD to the grid, with its potential to reduce the reliance on DBGs (worst scenario overall), would be a positive action in environmental impact terms. Full article

(This article belongs to the Collection Towards the Full Inclusion of Waste Management into Circular Economy)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

10 pages, 1682 KiB

Open AccessEditor’s ChoiceArticle

Optimal Method for Biomass Estimation in a Cladoceran Species, Daphnia Magna (Straus, 1820): Evaluating Length–Weight Regression Equations and Deriving Estimation Equations Using Body Length, Width and Lateral Area

by Doyeong Ku, Yeon-Ji Chae, Yerim Choi, Chang Woo Ji, Young-Seuk Park, Ihn-Sil Kwak, Yong-Jae Kim, Kwang-Hyeon Chang and Hye-Ji Oh

Sustainability 2022, 14(15), 9216; https://doi.org/10.3390/su14159216 - 27 Jul 2022

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1594

Abstract

Assessing the biomass of zooplankton compensates for the difference between number of individuals and the accumulated body weight of the community, which helps assess aquatic ecosystem food web functions. Daphnia are crustaceans that play an intermediate role in biological interactions within food webs. [...] Read more.

Assessing the biomass of zooplankton compensates for the difference between number of individuals and the accumulated body weight of the community, which helps assess aquatic ecosystem food web functions. Daphnia are crustaceans that play an intermediate role in biological interactions within food webs. The morphology and body specification of Daphnia differ during growth; hence, it is essential to apply species-specific equations to estimate biomass. We evaluated the length–weight regression equations used previously to estimate Daphnia magna biomass and conducted regression analyses using various body specifications and biomass measurements taken directly using devices such as a microbalance and microscopic camera. Biomass estimated using an equation from the Environmental Protection Agency was significantly different from the direct measurement: average biomass was lower, indicating that the equation possibly underestimated actual biomass. The biomass of D. magna had a higher multiple R² value when length was compared with width and area, and a linear regression equation was the most suitable equation for biomass estimation. Because body specifications and biomass are affected by various environmental factors, the development of accurate species-specific biomass estimation equations will contribute to obtaining fundamental data with which the biological responses of zooplankton to aquatic ecosystem changes can be assessed. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biodiversity in Freshwater)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

29 pages, 4848 KiB

Open AccessEditor’s ChoiceArticle

Construction of an Ecological Network Based on an Integrated Approach and Circuit Theory: A Case Study of Panzhou in Guizhou Province

by Liu Yang, Mengmeng Suo, Shunqian Gao and Hongzan Jiao

Sustainability 2022, 14(15), 9136; https://doi.org/10.3390/su14159136 - 26 Jul 2022

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 1843

Abstract

Protecting ecological security has become the backbone of social and economic development since declines in ecological quality due to an increase in human dominance over the natural environment. The establishment of ecological networks is an effective, comprehensive spatial regulation means to ensure regional [...] Read more.

Protecting ecological security has become the backbone of social and economic development since declines in ecological quality due to an increase in human dominance over the natural environment. The establishment of ecological networks is an effective, comprehensive spatial regulation means to ensure regional ecological security. Panzhou city, as a case study, is a typical karst county and has been confronted with the pressure of ecological degradation in recent decades. In this study, an integrated approach combining ecological quality (EQ), ecosystem function importance (EFI), and morphological spatial pattern analysis (MSPA) was developed to determine the ecological sources. Ecological corridors, ecological pinch areas, and ecological barriers were extracted using circuit theory to identify the restored and conserved priority areas of ecological security patterns. The results showed that (1) the remote sensing ecological index (RSEI) and EFI exhibited typical geographical distributions, with the highest values concentrated in the northern and southern parts of the study area and the lowest values scattered in the middle part; (2) 26 patches with forestland, grassland, and waterbodies as the main land cover types were selected as the ecological sources; (3) 63 ecological corridors, composed of 45 key ecological corridors and 18 inactive ecological corridors, were extracted, accounting for 203.12 km and 163.31 km, respectively; (4) 82.76 km² of pinch areas and 320.29 km² of barriers were identified, both of which were distributed on key ecological corridors and played different roles in ecological security; and (5) 4 types of ecological security zones were established according to ecological sources, corridors, pinch areas, and barriers. This integrated approach provides a scientific method for the identification and implementation of ecological networks that can contribute to protecting regional ecological security. Our findings can serve as applicable and reasonable guidance to land administrators and policy-makers for adopting suitable territorial spatial planning, urban planning, green cities, etc. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Emerging Data–Driven Smart City of Sustainability)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

16 pages, 1733 KiB

Open AccessEditor’s ChoiceReview

Spatially Explicit River Basin Models for Cost-Benefit Analyses to Optimize Land Use

by Jawad Ghafoor, Marie Anne Eurie Forio and Peter L. M. Goethals

Sustainability 2022, 14(14), 8953; https://doi.org/10.3390/su14148953 - 21 Jul 2022

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1613

Abstract

Recently, a wide range of models have been used in analyzing the costs and benefits of land utilization in river basins. Despite these advances, there is not enough information on how to select appropriate models to perform cost-benefit analyses. A literature search in [...] Read more.

Recently, a wide range of models have been used in analyzing the costs and benefits of land utilization in river basins. Despite these advances, there is not enough information on how to select appropriate models to perform cost-benefit analyses. A literature search in the Web of Science (WOS) online database was implemented and resulted in the selection of 27 articles that utilized models to perform cost-benefit analyses of river basins. The models reviewed in these papers were categorized into five types: process-based, statistical, probabilistic, data-driven, and modeling frameworks or integrated models. Twenty-six models were reviewed based on their data and input variable needs and user convenience. A SWOT analysis was also performed to highlight the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats of these models. One of the main strengths is their ability to perform scenario-based analyses while the main drawback is the limited availability of data impeding the use of the models. We found that, to some extent, there is an increase in model applicability as the number of input variables increases but there are exceptions to this observation. Future studies should explicitly report on the necessary time needed for data collection, model development and/or training, and model application. This information is highly valuable to users and modelers when choosing which model to use in performing a particular cost-benefit analysis. These models can be developed and applied to assist sustainable development as well as the sustainable utilization of agricultural parcels within a river basin, which can eventually reduce the negative impacts of intensive agriculture and minimize habitat degradation on water resources. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Prospects in Sustainable Water Management)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

13 pages, 3030 KiB

Open AccessEditor’s ChoiceArticle

Life Cycle Assessment and Life Cycle Cost of an Innovative Carbon Paper Sensor for 17α-Ethinylestradiol and Comparison with the Classical Chromatographic Method

by Florinda Martins, Álvaro Torrinha, Cristina Delerue-Matos and Simone Morais

Sustainability 2022, 14(14), 8896; https://doi.org/10.3390/su14148896 - 20 Jul 2022

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1488

Abstract

Nowadays there is a growing concern with the environment and sustainability, which means that better methods, including pollutants analysis, with less consumption of materials, organic solvents, and energy, need to be developed. Considering the almost inexistent information about the topic, the main goal [...] Read more.

Nowadays there is a growing concern with the environment and sustainability, which means that better methods, including pollutants analysis, with less consumption of materials, organic solvents, and energy, need to be developed. Considering the almost inexistent information about the topic, the main goal of this work was to compare the environmental impacts of two analytical methods, a traditional one based on liquid chromatography with fluorescence detection and a newly developed carbon paper sensor. The selected analyte was 17α-ethinylestradiol, which is a contaminant of emergent concern in aquatic ecosystems due to its endocrine disruptor behavior. The life cycle assessment data showed that the sensor detection presents an almost negligible environmental impact when compared with the extraction step (the same for both methods) and the liquid chromatographic determination (roughly 80 times higher than with the sensor). The sensor values for all categories of damage are below 3% of the total method impacts, i.e., 1.6, 1.9, 2.4, and 2.9% for resources, climate change, human health, and ecosystem quality. The extraction represents 98.1% of the sensor environmental impacts (and 99.6% of its life cycle costing) and 38.8% of the chromatographic method. This study evidences the need of developing and applying greener analytical (detection and extraction) strategies. Full article

(This article belongs to the Section Environmental Sustainability and Applications)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

19 pages, 1368 KiB

Open AccessEditor’s ChoiceArticle

Relevance of Impact Categories and Applicability of Life Cycle Impact Assessment Methods from an Automotive Industry Perspective

by Natalia Mikosch, Tina Dettmer, Benjamin Plaga, Marko Gernuks and Matthias Finkbeiner

Sustainability 2022, 14(14), 8837; https://doi.org/10.3390/su14148837 - 19 Jul 2022

Cited by 10 | Viewed by 3747

Abstract

Climate change impacts have been extensively addressed in academia, politics and industry for decades. However, particularly within the scientific community, the importance of considering further impact categories to ensure holistic environmental assessment and avoid burden shifting is strongly emphasized. Since considering all impact [...] Read more.

Climate change impacts have been extensively addressed in academia, politics and industry for decades. However, particularly within the scientific community, the importance of considering further impact categories to ensure holistic environmental assessment and avoid burden shifting is strongly emphasized. Since considering all impact categories might become overwhelming for industry, a prioritization approach can support practitioners to focus their efforts on the most relevant impacts. Therefore, within this paper, an approach for the identification of relevant impact categories is developed for the automotive sector together with Volkswagen AG. The evaluation is conducted using a criteria set including criteria groups “relevance for automotive sector” and “relevance for stakeholders”. For the impact categories identified as relevant, an evaluation of LCIA methods is conducted considering the methodologies CML and ReCiPe 2016 and the methods recommended by PEF. The results demonstrate that climate change is by far the most relevant impact category followed by resource use, human toxicity and ecotoxicity from both automotive and stakeholder perspective. Based on the evaluation of the LCIA methods, a combination of different methods can be recommended. This work provides guidance for the automotive sector to prioritize its focus on the most relevant impact categories and to select applicable LCIA methods for their quantification. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Industrial Ecology Strategies: Environmental Impact and Life Cycle Assessment)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

19 pages, 5053 KiB

Open AccessEditor’s ChoiceArticle

Numerical Experiments on Low Impact Development for Urban Resilience Index

by Hao-Che Ho, Hong-Yuan Lee, Yao-Jung Tsai and Yuan-Shun Chang

Sustainability 2022, 14(14), 8696; https://doi.org/10.3390/su14148696 - 15 Jul 2022

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1677

Abstract

Low impact development (LID) has become one of the strategies that effectively mitigate the impacts of climate change. In addition to the ability to reduce nonpoint source (NPS) pollution caused by flash floods from the surface runoff, LID has also been applied to [...] Read more.

Low impact development (LID) has become one of the strategies that effectively mitigate the impacts of climate change. In addition to the ability to reduce nonpoint source (NPS) pollution caused by flash floods from the surface runoff, LID has also been applied to control water quantity under extreme rainfall events. Due to the fact that studies about LID configuration optimization tended to control water quantity and gradually ignored the main functions of water quality treatment, this study aims to consider water quantity and quality to estimate the benefits and optimal configuration of LID by Non-Dominated Genetic Algorithm (NSGA-II). In addition, regarding to the outlet peak flow, hydrologic footprint residence (HFR) was considered to be the water quantity indicator due to the ability to represent the dynamics of flow changes, and the modified quality indicator (Mass Emission First Flush ratio, MEFF₃₀) was corrected to represent the pollutant transport process in a large catchment area. The results show that the flood and MEFF₃₀ reduction rate of LID are inversely proportional to rainfall duration and intensity. The benefit of pollutant reduction, which can still be maintained by 20% and 15% under a big return period and the long duration was about three times than the quantity control. Taking the cost into account, although the rain barrel had the best effect of reduction per unit area, green roofs and permeable pavements had a higher unit cost reduction rate due to the lower costs. The upper and middle reaches of the open channel and the confluence of rainwater sewers should be the optimal LID configuration to achieve the benefits of both flood and pollution reduction. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Integrating Climate Change Adaptation and Disaster Risk Reduction in Cities: Approaches, Methods and Tools to Overcome the Implementation Gap in Urban Resilience)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

21 pages, 3530 KiB

Open AccessEditor’s ChoiceArticle

Cloud-Based Collaborative Road-Damage Monitoring with Deep Learning and Smartphones

by Akshatha Ramesh, Dhananjay Nikam, Venkat Narayanan Balachandran, Longxiang Guo, Rongyao Wang, Leo Hu, Gurcan Comert and Yunyi Jia

Sustainability 2022, 14(14), 8682; https://doi.org/10.3390/su14148682 - 15 Jul 2022

Cited by 8 | Viewed by 2265

Abstract

Road damage such as potholes and cracks may reduce ride comfort and traffic safety. This influence can be prevented by regular, proper monitoring and maintenance of roads. Traditional methods and existing methods of surveying are very time-consuming, expensive, require a lot of human [...] Read more.

Road damage such as potholes and cracks may reduce ride comfort and traffic safety. This influence can be prevented by regular, proper monitoring and maintenance of roads. Traditional methods and existing methods of surveying are very time-consuming, expensive, require a lot of human effort, and, thus, cannot be conducted frequently. A more efficient and cost-effective process is required to augment profilometer and traditional road-condition recognition systems. In this study, we propose deep-learning methods using smartphone data to devise a cost-effective and ad-hoc approach. Information from sensors on smartphones such as motion sensors and cameras are harnessed to detect road damage using deep-learning algorithms. In order to give heuristic and accurate information about the road damage, we used a cloud-based collaborative approach to fuse all the data and update a map frequently with these road-surface conditions. During the experiment, the deep-learning models achieved good prediction accuracy on our dataset, and the cloud-based fusion approach was able to group and merge the detections from different vehicles. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainability Implications of Emerging Transportation Technologies)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

16 pages, 3963 KiB

Open AccessEditor’s ChoiceArticle

Environmental and Economic Implication of Implementation Scale of Sewage Sludge Recycling Systems Considering Carbon Trading Price

by Jiawen Zhang, Zhiyi Liang, Toru Matsumoto and Tiejia Zhang

Sustainability 2022, 14(14), 8684; https://doi.org/10.3390/su14148684 - 15 Jul 2022

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1452

Abstract

With China’s ongoing economic development and increasing emphasis on environmental protection, the number and treatment capacity of sewage plants is increasing annually. Simultaneously, sludge production is increasing. In recent years, researchers have investigated various approaches to the environmental and economic analysis of sludge [...] Read more.

With China’s ongoing economic development and increasing emphasis on environmental protection, the number and treatment capacity of sewage plants is increasing annually. Simultaneously, sludge production is increasing. In recent years, researchers have investigated various approaches to the environmental and economic analysis of sludge treatment and recycling systems (STRS). These investigations did not take the universal law of different capacities for environmental impact and STRS economics into account. The aim of this study was to analyze the scale effect of STRS with different technologies (i.e., incineration, aerobic composting, used in material (brick), anaerobic digestion) on the environment and economy. Moreover, the cost–benefit impact of introducing a carbon- trading mechanism into the STRS to achieve carbon neutrality was analyzed. After reducing carbon emissions through by-products of STRS, the carbon emission quota can be sold, which will generate income. The results show that the break-even scales for incineration, anaerobic composting, used in building material (brick), and anaerobic digestion are 54,899, 6707, 48,775, and 4425 t/y, respectively. The break-even scale of each system decreased after the introduction of the carbon trading system into the STRS. These findings could provide critical technical information for superior decision-making in sewage sludge recycling systems. Full article

(This article belongs to the Collection Waste Management towards a Circular Economy Transition)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

11 pages, 3345 KiB

Open AccessEditor’s ChoiceArticle

Performance Evaluation of a Novel Pilot-Scale Wet Electrostatic Precipitator in a Bio-Drying-Assisted Solid Recovered Fuel (SRF) Generation Plant: Particulate Matter (PM) Collection Efficiency

by Min-Sang Kim, Hongmok Jo, Yeongmi Park, Uijeong Han, Ajay Thapa, Kyunghyun Kim, Du Hyeong Choi, Gwang Jo Park and Si-Kyung Cho

Sustainability 2022, 14(14), 8702; https://doi.org/10.3390/su14148702 - 15 Jul 2022

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1451

Abstract

The production of solid recovered fuel (SRF) from sewage sludge has been credited with facilitating Korea’s waste management shift toward a resource circular economy. In this study, a novel pilot-scale wet electrostatic precipitator (WESP) was developed and installed in a bio-drying-assisted solid recovered [...] Read more.

The production of solid recovered fuel (SRF) from sewage sludge has been credited with facilitating Korea’s waste management shift toward a resource circular economy. In this study, a novel pilot-scale wet electrostatic precipitator (WESP) was developed and installed in a bio-drying-assisted solid recovered fuel (SRF) generation plant for the first time. To investigate the performance of the novel WESP, various sizes of particulate matter, i.e., total particle matter (PM), particle matter smaller than 10 μm (PM₁₀), and particle matter smaller than 0.1 μm (PM_0.1), collection efficiencies were evaluated and demonstrated promising performances. Under optimal operating conditions (flow rate of 5 m³/min and an applied voltage of 30 kV), 99.76% PM and 91% PM₁₀ collection efficiencies were achieved, and the PM concentration was 0.16 mg/m³, which met the exhaust emission standard. However, a dramatic increase in PM_0.1 was observed and could be explained by the break-up theory, binary homogenous nucleation, and ion-induced nucleation. The experimental findings could serve as useful information to understand the WESP system. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Adoption of Management Strategies and Technologies for Sustainable Production: A Solution to Reduce Environmental Emissions)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

19 pages, 32575 KiB

Open AccessEditor’s ChoiceArticle

Experimental and Numerical Investigation of the Flow Behaviour of Fractured Granite under Extreme Temperature and Pressure Conditions

by Wanniarachchige Gnamani Pabasara Kumari and Pathegama Gamage Ranjith

Sustainability 2022, 14(14), 8587; https://doi.org/10.3390/su14148587 - 13 Jul 2022

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1576

Abstract

As a result of negligible connected porosity—and thus, minimal matrix permeability—the fluid-transport characteristics of crystalline rocks are strongly influenced by the fractures at all scales. Understanding the flow behaviour of fractured rock under extreme stress and temperature conditions is essential for safe and [...] Read more.

As a result of negligible connected porosity—and thus, minimal matrix permeability—the fluid-transport characteristics of crystalline rocks are strongly influenced by the fractures at all scales. Understanding the flow behaviour of fractured rock under extreme stress and temperature conditions is essential for safe and effective deep geo-engineering applications, such as deep geothermal recovery, geological nuclear waste disposal, oil and gas extraction, geological storage and deep mining operations. Therefore, this study aims to investigate the flow characteristics of mechanically fractured Australian Strathbogie granite under a wide range of stress (confining pressures 1–80 MPa) and temperature conditions (20 °C to 350 °C). The study utilised a sophisticated high-temperature, high-pressure tri-axial setup capable of simulating extreme geological conditions, followed by a numerical simulation. According to the experimental results, a linear increment in the steady-state flow rate was observed, with increased injection pressure for the experimental conditions considered. Therefore, linear laminar Darcy flow was considered, and the fracture permeability was calculated using the cubic law. It was found that stress and temperature strongly depend on the flow of fluid through fractures. The steady-state flow rate decreased exponentially with the increase in normal stress, showcasing fracture shrinkage with an increment in effective stress. With regard to permeability through the fractures, increasing temperature was found to cause an initial reduction in fracture permeability due to an increased interlock effect (induced by thermal overclosure), followed by increments because of the thermally induced damage. Furthermore, the increasing temperature caused significant non-linear increments in the fluid flow rates due to the associated viscosity and density reduction in water. Considering the laboratory-scale flow-through exercises, a fully coupled numerical model that can predict hydro–thermo–mechanical variations in the reservoir rocks was developed using the COMSOL Multiphysics simulator. The developed model was calibrated, utilising the temperature- and pressure-dependent properties of granite rocks and fluid (water); was validated against the experimental results; and was used to predict the permeability, pressure development and strain of rock samples under extreme conditions, which were difficult to achieve in the laboratory. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Frontiers in Resources Recovery and Clean Energy of Sustainability from Geo Resources)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

14 pages, 853 KiB

Open AccessEditor’s ChoiceArticle

The Effect of COVID-19 on the Environmental Impact of Our Lifestyles and on Environmental Concern

by Luc Van Ootegem, Elsy Verhofstadt, Bart Defloor and Brent Bleys

Sustainability 2022, 14(14), 8437; https://doi.org/10.3390/su14148437 - 10 Jul 2022

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 1747

Abstract

Since the beginning of 2020, the worldwide COVID-19 pandemic made it necessary to change our lifestyles (e.g., restrictions on transport or travelling and forced telework). This has also changed the environmental impact of our lifestyles. To quantify that impact, we used surveys to [...] Read more.

Since the beginning of 2020, the worldwide COVID-19 pandemic made it necessary to change our lifestyles (e.g., restrictions on transport or travelling and forced telework). This has also changed the environmental impact of our lifestyles. To quantify that impact, we used surveys to calculate the Ecological Footprint (EF) and environmental concern of Belgian respondents in 2021 and compared this to the EF-situation in 2017, before COVID-19. We observed that the EF became significantly lower during the COVID-19 crisis. Of course, this change in behaviour is the result of compulsory measures. Therefore, we asked about people’s willingness to reduce the EF permanently, particularly after COVID-19 and on a voluntary basis. We observed that, in 2021, respondents had a strong desire to return to a pre-COVID-19 lifestyle and that they are even less concerned about the environment than they were in the period before COVID-19. Moreover, these results hold after taking into account the effect of different explanatory variables in a multivariate analysis. As a general conclusion, there is little or no evidence that COVID-19 will fundamentally change the environmental impact of our behaviour or our environmental concern if there is no associated public intervention. There is a need for policies that make use of the potential created by COVID-19 (e.g., stimulate working from home and increased cycling). Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Covid-19 and Its Impact on Environmental, Economic And Social Sustainability)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

22 pages, 3281 KiB

Open AccessEditor’s ChoiceArticle

Residential Buildings’ Real Estate Values Linked to Summer Surface Thermal Anomaly Patterns and Urban Features: A Florence (Italy) Case Study

by Giulia Guerri, Alfonso Crisci, Irene Cresci, Luca Congedo, Michele Munafò and Marco Morabito

Sustainability 2022, 14(14), 8412; https://doi.org/10.3390/su14148412 - 08 Jul 2022

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2410

Abstract

Climate-change-related extreme events impact ecosystems, people, economy, and infrastructures, with important consequences on the real estate market as well. This study aims to investigate the variation of residential buildings’ real estate values in a historic Italian city in relation to the summer surface [...] Read more.

Climate-change-related extreme events impact ecosystems, people, economy, and infrastructures, with important consequences on the real estate market as well. This study aims to investigate the variation of residential buildings’ real estate values in a historic Italian city in relation to the summer surface thermal anomaly pattern and urban features surrounding buildings. Open data from remote sensing products and the national database of the Revenue Agency of Italy were used. Real estate values of residential buildings were spatially analyzed in four urban belts, and the association with daytime summer surface hot- and cool-spot zones was studied through odds ratio (OR) statistic. Urban features (impervious area, tree cover, grassland area, and water body) surrounding residential buildings with different real estate values were also analyzed. Considering the whole Florentine municipality, 13.0% of residential buildings fell into hot-spot zones (only 0.6% into cool-spot ones), characterized by very low tree cover surfaces (generally <1%), most of which were in the central belt (37% of all buildings in central belt). Almost 10% of these buildings belonged to the highest market value class revealing a positive association (OR = 1.53) with hot-spot zones. This study provides useful information to plan targeted building interventions to avoid a probable decrease of the value of residential properties in high heat-related risk areas. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Urban Economics, City Development and Future Social Challenges)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

16 pages, 598 KiB

Open AccessEditor’s ChoiceArticle

Adaptation to Climate Change Across Local Policies: An Investigation in Six Italian Cities

by Vittorio Serra, Antonio Ledda, Maria Grazia Gavina Ruiu, Giovanna Calia, Valentina Mereu, Valentina Bacciu, Serena Marras, Donatella Spano and Andrea De Montis

Sustainability 2022, 14(14), 8318; https://doi.org/10.3390/su14148318 - 07 Jul 2022

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2845

Abstract

Climate change is a concerning phenomenon worldwide. The reduction in greenhouse gas emissions is the core of the mitigation strategies that are effective countermeasures to address a changing climate in the long term. Nevertheless, the need for short-term solutions regarding adaptation to climate [...] Read more.

Climate change is a concerning phenomenon worldwide. The reduction in greenhouse gas emissions is the core of the mitigation strategies that are effective countermeasures to address a changing climate in the long term. Nevertheless, the need for short-term solutions regarding adaptation to climate change (ACC) has gained growing interest in the scientific community and in European institutions. European and national ACC principles are being integrated in strategies and plans. In Italy, some regions have adopted ACC principles in strategic plans, which influence the whole local planning system and persuade local communities to become more climate-resilient. This study focuses on the mainstreaming of ACC into strategies, plans, programs, and projects (SPPPs) adopted by the following Italian cities: Bologna, Milan, Naples, Rome, Turin, and Venice. We scrutinize the contents of SPPPs with respect to four criteria: (i) references to strategies or plans for ACC; (ii) inclusion of ACC objectives and (iii) measures; and (iv) references to—or the inclusion of—climatic analysis on historical series and/or future projections. We found out that most SPPPs adopted by the cities have considered ACC in a promising way, i.e., all the cities are inclined to promote ACC, despite three of them lacking a municipal ACC strategy or plan and a National Adaptation Plan not being in force. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Frontier Research of Environmental Sustainability: Green Infrastructure and Rural Landscape Planning)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

12 pages, 280 KiB

Open AccessEditor’s ChoiceReview

Conflict-Sensitive Climate Change Adaptation: A Review

by Md Nadiruzzaman, Jürgen Scheffran, Hosna J. Shewly and Stefanie Kley

Sustainability 2022, 14(13), 8060; https://doi.org/10.3390/su14138060 - 01 Jul 2022

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2725

Abstract

Climate change adaptation (CCA) evolved in the global policy framework in the early 1990s. However, it began to flourish about a decade later through a subsequent development of institutions, policies and supporting financial mechanisms. Various adaptation approaches and development practices have been evolving [...] Read more.

Climate change adaptation (CCA) evolved in the global policy framework in the early 1990s. However, it began to flourish about a decade later through a subsequent development of institutions, policies and supporting financial mechanisms. Various adaptation approaches and development practices have been evolving over the last couple of decades through a process of scrutiny, debates, and critiques. One such recent approach is called conflict-sensitive adaptation, which encompasses concepts to understand potential conflict-inflicting elements and peacebuilding aspects of adaptation interventions. This paper examines 35 peer-reviewed research articles that have analysed field data with the notion of conceptualising conflict-sensitive CCA initiatives. Emerging key results were presented and discussed in different academic forums to stimulate peer reflections and debates. We found that the understanding of conflict-sensitive adaptation has its universality in engaging with diverse stakeholders. However, practicalities were different in the cases of the global north and the global south. In the global south, there is a concentration of research in areas of pre-existing conflict in Africa and Asia, where climate change links are often assumed from IPCC reports in order to compensate for the unavailability of field data. However, from the perspective of adaptation politics and governance, there is a concerted urge for the emancipatory participation of local and marginalised populations. We argue for a need to pretest adaptation projects through a conflict lens. Decolonising the adaptation and understanding of local geography is critical in such planning. Full article

(This article belongs to the Section Air, Climate Change and Sustainability)

18 pages, 1111 KiB

Open AccessEditor’s ChoiceArticle

Delving Deeper into Market Concentration of Poultry Feed and the Driving Factors for Brand Switching: Evidence from Commercial Egg Producers in Nigeria

by Fatai Abiola Sowunmi, Abeeb Adetunji Bello, Adebayo Isaiah Ogunniyi and Abiodun Olusola Omotayo

Sustainability 2022, 14(13), 8030; https://doi.org/10.3390/su14138030 - 30 Jun 2022

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2027

Abstract

An increase in the price of branded feed has been a major problem for the poultry subsector of Nigerian agriculture, and brand switching for a cheap feed at the expense of quality is a common strategy used by egg-producing farmers. Using descriptive statistics, [...] Read more.

An increase in the price of branded feed has been a major problem for the poultry subsector of Nigerian agriculture, and brand switching for a cheap feed at the expense of quality is a common strategy used by egg-producing farmers. Using descriptive statistics, the Markov chain model and the logistic regression model, our study shows that almost 96% of the egg producers use branded feed while 43.1% switched feed brands because of the increase in the price of their preferred brands. Most farmers used Chikun (39.3%) and Top feed (23.2%) six months before data collection and during data collection, respectively. Our study found that approximately 37% of the feed sellers sold at least 10–50 bags per day. We revealed great inequality regarding market concentration: 50% of the feed sellers accounted for 89.5% of the total bags of feed sold per day. Hybrid had the highest customer loyalty. The study shows that Chikun gained 23.7% and 7.1% from Hybrid and Top feed, respectively, while Hybrid gained 36.0% and 35.7% from Chikun and Top feed (change in loyalty by egg producers), respectively. Membership of an association, distance to feed sellers, flock size and the average price of feed per bag were factors that influenced brand switching of poultry feed among egg producers. The study recommends that the government assists in subsidizing the price of critical ingredients (maize and soya bean) in feed production to prevent the price of eggs (the cheap source of protein) from becoming out of reach for most Nigerians. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Agricultural Development Economics and Policy)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

17 pages, 1329 KiB

Open AccessEditor’s ChoiceArticle

Sustainable Food Packaging: An Integrative Framework

by Romina Santi, Paola Garrone, Mattia Iannantuoni and Barbara Del Curto

Sustainability 2022, 14(13), 8045; https://doi.org/10.3390/su14138045 - 30 Jun 2022

Cited by 7 | Viewed by 5298

Abstract

The paper proposes a comprehensive and operational definition of Sustainable Food Packaging (SFP). Sustainability is a multifaceted concept, yet most SFP conversations decline it as a mere material substitution issue. The efforts of regulators, packaging producers, food companies, and consumers towards the design [...] Read more.

The paper proposes a comprehensive and operational definition of Sustainable Food Packaging (SFP). Sustainability is a multifaceted concept, yet most SFP conversations decline it as a mere material substitution issue. The efforts of regulators, packaging producers, food companies, and consumers towards the design and adoption of SFP products are likely to fail without a common understanding of the multiple means by which food packaging contributes to sustainability. Based on an extensive literature review and the contributions of SFP innovation experts, the paper builds a Food Packaging Sustainability Framework (FPSF) that encompasses the three main dimensions of SFP, namely environmental conservation, food safety, and social value, and operationalizes them in terms of objectives and activable levers. The framework can be used as a tool to search and evaluate food packaging products, a conceptual guide for SFP design, and a narrative platform for coordinating supply chain actors, including consumers. The experimental activities applying FPSF gathered the different actors in the supply chain to jointly adopt the integrated model that distributes environmental, social, and economic benefits along the entire production chain. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainability and Security of Food Packaging)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

27 pages, 35821 KiB

Open AccessEditor’s ChoiceArticle

Social Benefits Evaluation of Rural Micro-Landscapes in Southeastern Coastal Towns of China—The Case of Jinjiang, Fujian

by Lan Shen, Yueying Li, Siren Lan and Minfeng Yao

Sustainability 2022, 14(13), 8036; https://doi.org/10.3390/su14138036 - 30 Jun 2022

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1770

Abstract

Faced with the current situation of the decay and alienation of traditional public space and the broken and disorderly spatial structure caused by the rapid urbanization of the Chinese countryside, rural micro-landscape creation has become an effective way to improve human living environments. [...] Read more.

Faced with the current situation of the decay and alienation of traditional public space and the broken and disorderly spatial structure caused by the rapid urbanization of the Chinese countryside, rural micro-landscape creation has become an effective way to improve human living environments. However, it is currently difficult for rural micro-landscape construction to achieve the sustainable development of social benefits due to the lack of scientific design guidelines. Evaluating the social benefits of completed projects and identifying the important influencing factors are key to realizing the evidence-based design of rural micro-landscapes. To this end, this study deduces the mechanism of social benefit generation based on the psychological process of spatial perception and establishes a structural equation model containing compound influence pathways to measure the social benefits of micro-landscapes. The evaluation model consists of four latent variables, “physical element characteristics”, “perceptual quality”, “cognitive experience”, and “activity behavior”, and 35 observed variables. The researchers selected 18 micro-landscape areas in Jinjiang City, Fujian Province, China, as the survey sample and analyzed the influence of the potential variables and the explanatory power of the observed variables through a quantitative analysis of objective environmental elements and perception data from 102 respondents. The results showed that “perceptual quality” and “cognitive experience” had the greatest direct effect on social benefits, and, based on the progressive influence relationships among the dimensions, “physical element characteristics” dominated the total social benefits through direct and indirect means. Compared with single-function green space, comfortable and diverse artificial facilities encourage residents to enter and use micro-landscapes and contribute to their social benefits. The purpose of this paper is to explore the ideal form of rural micro-landscape creation and provide a theoretical basis for the future practice of high-quality and sustainable rural micro-landscape construction. Full article

(This article belongs to the Section Sustainable Urban and Rural Development)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

10 pages, 1980 KiB

Open AccessEditor’s ChoiceArticle

Sustainable Tourism and Conservation of Underground Ecosystems through Airflow and Particle Distribution Modeling

by Rosangela Addesso, Stefano Pingaro, Bruno Bisceglia and Daniela Baldantoni

Sustainability 2022, 14(13), 7979; https://doi.org/10.3390/su14137979 - 30 Jun 2022

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1805

Abstract

Underground ecosystems are often of interest for the tourism industry due to their important naturalistic and cultural heritage. Since these underground ecosystems are almost completely isolated, external agents (such as human presence) can easily disrupt their chemico-physical and biological processes, which can affect, [...] Read more.

Underground ecosystems are often of interest for the tourism industry due to their important naturalistic and cultural heritage. Since these underground ecosystems are almost completely isolated, external agents (such as human presence) can easily disrupt their chemico-physical and biological processes, which can affect, sometimes irrevocably, their natural equilibrium, placing the preservation of such sites at risk. The most sensible managers of caves, catacombs, mines, and all the accessible cultural sites are searching for methods to control these dynamics and the modeling appears to be effective in preventing scenarios of the known impacts as well as suggesting strategies for their mitigation. In this study, by employing finite element analysis by the COMSOL Multiphysics software and reproducing, in a simplified way, a section of the tourist trail of the Pertosa-Auletta Cave (Italy), for the first time we provided a fact-finding survey of the airflow and the scattering and subsequent deposition of particles transported by tourists. Taking into account discontinuities in the pathway, the simulations rebuilt the possible natural airflow line, reproducing the particle movements induced by different tourist loads, whose high numbers increase the swirling movement of air masses, promoting a higher dispersion of particles, even in the remote cave areas. Performed simulations clearly indicated both the speed and direction followed by particles, as well as deposition sites, highlighting potential hotspots of damage, and demonstrating that the employed approach can be an excellent tool for planning the management of these extraordinary ecosystems, foretelling anthropogenic impacts, and supporting managers in decision-making processes. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Exclusive Papers of the Editorial Board Members of section Environmental Sustainability and Applications)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

23 pages, 5435 KiB

Open AccessEditor’s ChoiceArticle

Spatial Planning and Systems Thinking Tools for Climate Risk Reduction: A Case Study of the Andaman Coast, Thailand

by Joanna M. McMillan, Joern Birkmann, Siwaporn Tangwanichagapong and Ali Jamshed

Sustainability 2022, 14(13), 8022; https://doi.org/10.3390/su14138022 - 30 Jun 2022

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2734

Abstract

The impact of climate change and related hazards such as floods, heatwaves, and sea level rise on human lives, cities, and their hinterlands depends not only on the nature of the hazard, but also on urban development, adaptation, and other socioeconomic processes that [...] Read more.

The impact of climate change and related hazards such as floods, heatwaves, and sea level rise on human lives, cities, and their hinterlands depends not only on the nature of the hazard, but also on urban development, adaptation, and other socioeconomic processes that determine vulnerability and exposure. Spatial planning can reduce climate risk not just by influencing the exposure, but also by addressing social vulnerability. This requires that relevant information is available to planners and that plans are implemented and coordinated between sectors. This article is based on a research project in Thailand, particularly on the results of multi-sectoral workshops in the case study region of the Andaman Coast in southern Thailand, and draws upon climate risk, spatial planning, and systems thinking discourses. The article formulates recommendations for planning in the context of Thailand that are relevant for other rapidly growing and urbanizing regions. Among other conclusions, it suggests that systems thinking approaches and cross-sectoral strategies are ways to grasp the interdependencies between and within climate risk and spatial development challenges. Full article

(This article belongs to the Collection Climate Change, Adaptation and Disaster Risk Reduction–Planning Perspectives)

► Show Figures

Graphical abstract

21 pages, 5384 KiB

Open AccessEditor’s ChoiceArticle

Metal Contents and Pollution Indices Assessment of Surface Water, Soil, and Sediment from the Arieș River Basin Mining Area, Romania

by Ana Moldovan, Anamaria Iulia Török, Eniko Kovacs, Oana Cadar, Ionuț Cornel Mirea and Valer Micle

Sustainability 2022, 14(13), 8024; https://doi.org/10.3390/su14138024 - 30 Jun 2022

Cited by 17 | Viewed by 3653

Abstract

The current study was conducted to assess the level and spatial distribution of metal pollution in surface water, soil, and sediment samples from the Arieș River basin, located in central Romania, an area impacted by various mining and industrial operations. Several pollution indices, [...] Read more.

The current study was conducted to assess the level and spatial distribution of metal pollution in surface water, soil, and sediment samples from the Arieș River basin, located in central Romania, an area impacted by various mining and industrial operations. Several pollution indices, spatial distributions, cluster analyses, principal component analyses, and heat maps were applied for evaluating the contamination level with Ni, Cu, Zn, Cd, Pb, Mn, As, and Hg in the area. Based on the results of the Heavy-Metal Pollution Index and of the Heavy-Metal Evaluation Index of the surface-water samples, the middle part of the Arieș River basin, near and downstream of the gold mine impoundment, was characterized by high pollution levels. The metal concentration was higher near the tailing impoundment, with increased levels of Cu, Ni, Zn, and Pb in the soil samples and As, Cd, Pb, Na, K, Ca, Mn, and Al in the sediment samples. Ca (23.7–219 mg/L), Mg (2.55–18.30 mg/L), K (0.64–14.70 mg/L), Al (0.06–22.80 mg/L), and Mn (0.03–22.40 mg/L) had the most remarkable spatial variation among the surface-water samples, while various metal contents fluctuated strongly among the sampling locations. Al varied from 743 to 19.8 mg/kg, Fe from 529 to 11.4 mg/kg, Ca from 2316 to 11.8 mg/kg, and Mg from 967 to 2547 mg/kg in the soil samples, and Al varied from 3106 to 8022 mg/kg, Fe from 314 to 5982 mg/kg, Ca from 1367 to 8308 mg/kg, and Mg from 412 to 1913 mg/kg in the sediment samples. The Potential Ecological Risk Index values for soil and sediments were in the orders Cu > Ni > Pb > Hg > Cr > As > Mn > Zn > Cd and As > Cu > Cr > Cd > Pb > Ni > Hg > Mn > Zn, respectively, and the highest values were found around the gold mine impoundment. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Frontiers on Ecological and Environmental Risk Assessment and Remediation)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

25 pages, 6953 KiB

Open AccessEditor’s ChoiceArticle

Machine Learning for Determining Interactions between Air Pollutants and Environmental Parameters in Three Cities of Iran

by Abdullah Kaviani Rad, Redmond R. Shamshiri, Armin Naghipour, Seraj-Odeen Razmi, Mohsen Shariati, Foroogh Golkar and Siva K. Balasundram

Sustainability 2022, 14(13), 8027; https://doi.org/10.3390/su14138027 - 30 Jun 2022

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2681

Abstract

Air pollution, as one of the most significant environmental challenges, has adversely affected the global economy, human health, and ecosystems. Consequently, comprehensive research is being conducted to provide solutions to air quality management. Recently, it has been demonstrated that environmental parameters, including temperature, [...] Read more.

Air pollution, as one of the most significant environmental challenges, has adversely affected the global economy, human health, and ecosystems. Consequently, comprehensive research is being conducted to provide solutions to air quality management. Recently, it has been demonstrated that environmental parameters, including temperature, relative humidity, wind speed, air pressure, and vegetation, interact with air pollutants, such as particulate matter (PM), NO₂, SO₂, O₃, and CO, contributing to frameworks for forecasting air quality. The objective of the present study is to explore these interactions in three Iranian metropolises of Tehran, Tabriz, and Shiraz from 2015 to 2019 and develop a machine learning-based model to predict daily air pollution. Three distinct assessment criteria were used to assess the proposed XGBoost model, including R squared (R²), Root Mean Squared Error (RMSE), and Mean Absolute Error (MAE). Preliminary results showed that although air pollutants were significantly associated with meteorological factors and vegetation, the formulated model had low accuracy in predicting (R²_{PM_2.5} = 0.36, R²_PM₁₀ = 0.27, R²_NO₂ = 0.46, R²_SO₂ = 0.41, R²_O₃ = 0.52, and R²_CO = 0.38). Accordingly, future studies should consider more variables, including emission data from manufactories and traffic, as well as sunlight and wind direction. It is also suggested that strategies be applied to minimize the lack of observational data by considering second-and third-order interactions between parameters, increasing the number of simultaneous air pollution and meteorological monitoring stations, as well as hybrid machine learning models based on proximal and satellite data. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Current and Future Strategies for Managing Environmental Pollution in Altered Ecosystems)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

22 pages, 1039 KiB

Open AccessEditor’s ChoiceReview

Exploring Scientific Discourse on Marine Litter in Europe: Review of Sources, Causes and Solutions

by Vilma Havas, Søren Løkke and Lone Kørnøv

Sustainability 2022, 14(13), 7987; https://doi.org/10.3390/su14137987 - 30 Jun 2022

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1822

Abstract

Marine litter is a transboundary environmental issue that affects all the world’s oceans. Marine litter research is a young discipline but one that has exploded during the last five years. However, the increased knowledge of sources and underlying causes to marine litter, as [...] Read more.

Marine litter is a transboundary environmental issue that affects all the world’s oceans. Marine litter research is a young discipline but one that has exploded during the last five years. However, the increased knowledge of sources and underlying causes to marine litter, as well as knowledge regarding solutions, lack systematic review and synthesis. This study reviews the scientific discourses around plastic marine litter in Europe, and more specifically, in Norway and Denmark, and explores emerging discourse coalitions. Four main thematic storylines on the source-cause-solution causal relationship, as well as two emerging storylines within marine litter research, are found. This study concludes that in order to secure sustainability of solutions and to avoid risk transformation and greenwashing, more interdisciplinary research, including life cycle assessment and investigations of scientific and societal discourses, is needed. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Management of Marine Debris)

► Show Figures

Graphical abstract

18 pages, 4709 KiB

Open AccessEditor’s ChoiceArticle

Approaching a Zero-Waste Strategy in Rapeseed (Brassica napus) Exploitation: Sustainably Approaching Bio-Based Polyethylene Composites

by Roberto Aguado, Francesc Xavier Espinach, Fabiola Vilaseca, Quim Tarrés, Pere Mutjé and Marc Delgado-Aguilar

Sustainability 2022, 14(13), 7942; https://doi.org/10.3390/su14137942 - 29 Jun 2022

Cited by 7 | Viewed by 1552

Abstract

The current need to develop more sustainable processes and products requires the study of new materials. In the field of plastic materials, the need to develop 100% bio-based materials that meet market requirements is evident. In this sense, the present work aims to [...] Read more.

The current need to develop more sustainable processes and products requires the study of new materials. In the field of plastic materials, the need to develop 100% bio-based materials that meet market requirements is evident. In this sense, the present work aims to explore the potential of rapeseed waste as a reinforcement of a bio-based plastic matrix that does not generate new sub-waste. For this purpose, three types of processing of rapeseed residues have been studied: (i) milling; (ii) mechanical process; (iii) thermomechanical process. In addition, the reinforcing capacity of these materials, together with the need for an optimized coupling agent at 6 wt.%, has been verified. The micromechanics of the materials have been evaluated to determine the development of these fibers in the composite material. The results obtained show remarkable increases in mechanical properties, reaching more than 141% in tensile strength and 128% in flexural strength. There is a remarkable difference in the impact behavior between the materials with milled rapeseed and the fibers obtained by mechanical or thermomechanical processes. It was found that by sustainable design it is possible to achieve a 76.2% reduction in the amount of plastic used to manufacture material with the same mechanical properties. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biomass Treatment Techniques and Sustainable Utilization of Residues)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

20 pages, 2861 KiB

Open AccessEditor’s ChoiceReview

The Need for Smart Architecture Caused by the Impact of COVID-19 upon Architecture and City: A Systematic Literature Review

by Sang-Jun Park, Kyung-Tae Lee, Jin-Bin Im and Ju-Hyung Kim

Sustainability 2022, 14(13), 7900; https://doi.org/10.3390/su14137900 - 28 Jun 2022

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 3277

Abstract

The recent pandemic era of COVID-19 has shown social adjustment on a global scale in an attempt to reduce contamination. In response, academic studies relating to smart technologies have increased to assist with governmental restrictions such as social distancing. Despite the restrictions, architectural, [...] Read more.

The recent pandemic era of COVID-19 has shown social adjustment on a global scale in an attempt to reduce contamination. In response, academic studies relating to smart technologies have increased to assist with governmental restrictions such as social distancing. Despite the restrictions, architectural, engineering and construction industries have shown an increase in budget and activity. An investigation of the adjustments made in response to the pandemic through utilizing new technologies, such as the internet of things (IoT) and smart technologies, is necessary to understand the research trends of the new normal. This study should address various sectors, including business, healthcare, architecture, education, tourism and transportation. In this study, a literature review was performed on two web-based, peer-reviewed journal databases, SCOPUS and Web of Science, to identify a trend in research for the pandemic era in various sectors. The results from 123 papers revealed a focused word group of IoT, smart technologies, architecture, building, space and COVID-19. Overlapping knowledges of IoT systems, within the design of a building which was designed for a specific purpose, were discovered. The findings justify the need for a new sub-category within the field of architecture called “smart architecture”. This aims to categorize the knowledge which is required to embed IoT systems in three key architectural topics—planning, design, and construction—for building design with specific purposes, tailored to various sectors. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Smart City and Architecture in the Pandemic Era)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

29 pages, 2026 KiB

Open AccessEditor’s ChoiceReview

Microplastics in the Gulf of Mexico: A Bird’s Eye View

by Jacquelyn K. Grace, Elena Duran, Mary Ann Ottinger, Mark S. Woodrey and Terri J. Maness

Sustainability 2022, 14(13), 7849; https://doi.org/10.3390/su14137849 - 27 Jun 2022

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 5280

Abstract

Microplastic debris is a persistent, ubiquitous global pollutant in oceans, estuaries, and freshwater systems. Some of the highest reported concentrations of microplastics, globally, are in the Gulf of Mexico (GoM), which is home to the majority of plastic manufacturers in the United States. [...] Read more.

Microplastic debris is a persistent, ubiquitous global pollutant in oceans, estuaries, and freshwater systems. Some of the highest reported concentrations of microplastics, globally, are in the Gulf of Mexico (GoM), which is home to the majority of plastic manufacturers in the United States. A comprehensive understanding of the risk microplastics pose to wildlife is critical to the development of scientifically sound mitigation and policy initiatives. In this review, we synthesize existing knowledge of microplastic debris in the Gulf of Mexico and its effects on birds and make recommendations for further research. The current state of knowledge suggests that microplastics are widespread in the marine environment, come from known sources, and have the potential to be a major ecotoxicological concern for wild birds, especially in areas of high concentration such as the GoM. However, data for GoM birds are currently lacking regarding typical microplastic ingestion rates uptake of chemicals associated with plastics by avian tissues; and physiological, behavioral, and fitness consequences of microplastic ingestion. Filling these knowledge gaps is essential to understand the hazard microplastics pose to wild birds, and to the creation of effective policy actions and widespread mitigation measures to curb this emerging threat to wildlife. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Management of Marine Debris)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

13 pages, 1101 KiB

Open AccessEditor’s ChoiceArticle

Deep Placement of Compost into Vineyard Soil Affecting Physical Properties of Soils, Yield and Quality of Grapes

by Barbora Badalíková, Patrik Burg, Vladimír Mašán, Jakub Prudil, Ján Jobbágy, Alice Čížková, Koloman Krištof and Martin Vašinka

Sustainability 2022, 14(13), 7823; https://doi.org/10.3390/su14137823 - 27 Jun 2022

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1736

Abstract

In recent years, research has focused on verifying various ways of dosing organic matter into the soil in Central European conditions. The main reason for this is to search for the optimal management methods for soils with permanent vegetation. In this article, we [...] Read more.

In recent years, research has focused on verifying various ways of dosing organic matter into the soil in Central European conditions. The main reason for this is to search for the optimal management methods for soils with permanent vegetation. In this article, we state and evaluate the results of experiments carried out at the Lednice experimental site (Sauvignon Blanc variety) and the Velké Bílovice experimental site (Pinot Gris variety) between 2018 and 2020. The experiments evaluated the deep placement of compost and compost enriched with lignohumax at a rate of 30 t·ha⁻¹ in the areas around vineyard tree trunks on the basic physical properties of the soil and the yield and quality of grapes. Results proved the positive effect of compost heaps and compost combined with the applied lignohumax on improving soil density (2–10% difference compared with the unfertilized reference variant) and porosity, which ultimately resulted in improved soil moisture conditions at both experimental sites (8–25% difference compared with the unfertilized reference variant). At the same time, the results demonstrated the positive effect of the applied compost and the chosen method of application on the yield and quality of grapes. In the case of Sauvignon Blanc, the increase in yield in the fertilized variants was 12–34%, while, in the case of Pinot Gris, it ranged from 24 to 33%. Among qualitative indicators, the grapes of both varieties were evaluated for sugar content, total acidity, pH, and amount of yeast assimilable nitrogen. In this case, results were not unambiguous in favor of fertilized variants; however, in most cases, fertilization had a positive effect. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Soil Tillage Systems and New Practices for Sustainable Farmland Conservation)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

17 pages, 5632 KiB

Open AccessEditor’s ChoiceArticle

Are We Ready for a Sustainable Development? A Survey among Young Geoscientists in Italy

by Andrea Gerbaudo, Francesca Lozar, Manuela Lasagna, Marco Davide Tonon and Elena Egidio

Sustainability 2022, 14(13), 7621; https://doi.org/10.3390/su14137621 - 22 Jun 2022

Cited by 6 | Viewed by 2093

Abstract

The United Nations 2030 Agenda is a plan designed to encourage prosperity that is respectful of the planet and its inhabitants. The Agenda will help introduce the concept of education for sustainability (EfS) to a wider population in order to promote inter- and [...] Read more.

The United Nations 2030 Agenda is a plan designed to encourage prosperity that is respectful of the planet and its inhabitants. The Agenda will help introduce the concept of education for sustainability (EfS) to a wider population in order to promote inter- and trans-disciplinary knowledge about sustainability. Connecting Earth Sciences (ES) with sustainability allows us to deal with the ethical dimensions and the social implications of this field. The belief is that improving the delivery of knowledge around sustainability issues will make visible the potential of ES education as a key component of EfS. The aim of this paper is to understand whether the young Italian ES community has sufficient knowledge of and a shared interest in, sustainability. The conviction is that awareness of these topics among the younger generations is fundamental to building a new pedagogical paradigm. This study shows the results of a survey taken by participants of BeGeo 2021, the Italian national congress dedicated to young geoscientists, held in Napoli in October 2021. The majority of respondents had limited knowledge about sustainability, and only a few had attended academic activities that included these topics. Nonetheless, the importance of sustainability is well recognized and there is a great need to increase the number of activities connected to EfS. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Exclusive Papers of the Editorial Board Members of section Environmental Sustainability and Applications)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

29 pages, 16111 KiB

Open AccessEditor’s ChoiceArticle

Energy, Environmental Impact and Indoor Environmental Quality of Add-Ons in Buildings

by Margherita Mastellone, Silvia Ruggiero, Dimitra Papadaki, Nikolaos Barmparesos, Anastasia Fotopoulou, Annarita Ferrante and Margarita Niki Assimakopoulos

Sustainability 2022, 14(13), 7605; https://doi.org/10.3390/su14137605 - 22 Jun 2022

Cited by 7 | Viewed by 1990

Abstract

On a European scale, the existing building stock has poor energy performance and particularly vulnerable structures. Indeed, most of the existing buildings were built before the introduction of energy standards and under structural safety criteria different from those currently required. It is therefore [...] Read more.

On a European scale, the existing building stock has poor energy performance and particularly vulnerable structures. Indeed, most of the existing buildings were built before the introduction of energy standards and under structural safety criteria different from those currently required. It is therefore necessary the intervention in existing buildings according to an integrated approach that contemplates both the structural safety and the energy efficiency of buildings. This study, consistently with the objectives of the European research project “Proactive synergy of integrated Efficient Technologies on buildings’ Envelopes (Pro-GET-OnE)”, proposes a retrofit intervention for a student dormitory of the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens. The scope of the evaluation is to understand how an integrated intervention, that implies a structural and energy retrofit, as well as a spatial redistribution, leads to an improvement of the Indoor Environmental Quality (IEQ). In detail, the structural retrofit was performed through exoskeleton that leads to the addition of new living spaces and to a remodeling of the building facades. The energy retrofit regarded all three levers of energy efficiency, and thus the building envelope, the microclimatic control systems, and the systems from renewable sources. The integrated intervention, in addition to a reduction of energy demand, has led to advantages in terms of IEQ. Thermal comfort, both during summer and winter, is improved and the hours of suitable CO₂ concentration pass from 34% in the pre-retrofit stage up to 100% in the post retrofit stage. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Urban Regeneration: Issues and Challenges for Buildings and Cities)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

21 pages, 4609 KiB

Open AccessEditor’s ChoiceArticle

A Methodological Proposal for the Climate Change Risk Assessment of Coastal Habitats Based on the Evaluation of Ecosystem Services: Lessons Learnt from the INTERREG Project ECO-SMART

by Alberto Barausse, Cécil Meulenberg, Irene Occhipinti, Marco Abordi, Lara Endrizzi, Giovanna Guadagnin, Mirco Piron, Francesca Visintin, Liliana Vižintin and Alessandro Manzardo

Sustainability 2022, 14(13), 7567; https://doi.org/10.3390/su14137567 - 21 Jun 2022

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2601

Abstract

Climate change is seriously impacting coastal biodiversity and the benefits it provides to humans. This issue is particularly relevant in the case of the European Union’s Natura 2000 network of areas for nature protection, where the sensitivity of local ecosystems calls for intervention [...] Read more.

Climate change is seriously impacting coastal biodiversity and the benefits it provides to humans. This issue is particularly relevant in the case of the European Union’s Natura 2000 network of areas for nature protection, where the sensitivity of local ecosystems calls for intervention to increase resistance and resilience to climate-related risks. Given the complex ways in which climate can influence conservation hotspot areas, there is a need to develop effective strategic approaches and general operational models to identify priorities for management and inform adaptation and mitigation measures. Here, a novel methodological proposal to perform climate risk assessment in Natura 2000 sites is presented that implements the systematic approach of ISO 14090 in combination with the theoretical framework of ecosystem services assessment and local stakeholder participation to identify climate-related issues for local protected habitats and improve the knowledge base needed to plan sustainable conservation and restoration measures. The methodology was applied to five Natura 2000 sites located along the Adriatic coast of Italy and Slovenia. Results show that each of the assessed sites, despite being along the coast of the same sea, is affected by different climate-related issues, impacting different habitats and corresponding ecosystem services. This novel methodology enables a simple and rapid screening for the prioritization of conservation actions and of the possible further investigations needed to support decision making, and was found to be robust and of general applicability. These findings highlight the importance of designing site-specific adaptation measures, tailored to address the peculiar response to climate change of each site in terms of biodiversity and ecosystem services. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Protected Areas and Their Contribution to Sustainable Development)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

19 pages, 4702 KiB

Open AccessEditor’s ChoiceArticle

Effects of the COVID-19 Outbreak on the Use and Perceptions of Metropolitan Agricultural Parks—Evidence from Milan and Naples of Urban and Environmental Resilience

by Vincenzo Rusciano and Andrea Gatto

Sustainability 2022, 14(12), 7509; https://doi.org/10.3390/su14127509 - 20 Jun 2022

Cited by 7 | Viewed by 1989

Abstract

This article describes the multi-function of the metropolitan agricultural parks (MAPs) in Milan (Parco Agricolo Sud Milano) and Naples (Parco De Filippo) and their resilience within the last COVID-19 lockdown period. These parks play an important role in the urban regeneration and social [...] Read more.

This article describes the multi-function of the metropolitan agricultural parks (MAPs) in Milan (Parco Agricolo Sud Milano) and Naples (Parco De Filippo) and their resilience within the last COVID-19 lockdown period. These parks play an important role in the urban regeneration and social inclusion processes in their relative metropolitan areas. Nevertheless, the restrictions imposed to limit COVID-19 contagions have imposed their closure or severely limited their activities, with evident consequences for the local population’s well-being. This study’s novelty is twofold: it is the first study examining the resilience and sustainability impact of MAPs during COVID-19; additionally, it is the first survey making use of Milan and Naples practices. The work uses primary and secondary data and mixed methods. Exploiting a document analysis and the elaboration of a semi-structured interview with the directors, the article lists the multiple functions of the parks and underlines their multidimensional governance vocations for fostering sustainable development—environmental, economic and social functions. The study also reveals that, during the lockdown, the parks’ activities were strongly reduced or restructured. Recreational and educational activities were lifted in Parco Agricolo Sud in Milan whilst local farms restructured their food supply and fostered their network and linkages with the urban distribution channels. MAP in Naples had to stop its activities and reorganize into a smart-working system. Lastly, our study found that economic and farm network activities were resumed with greater urgency in Milan, whereas in Naples the recovery of the social practices has taken on greater importance. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Spatial Planning and Territorial Governance)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

23 pages, 2215 KiB

Open AccessEditor’s ChoiceArticle

Sociotechnological Sustainability in Pasture Management: Labor Input and Optimization Potential of Smart Tools to Measure Herbage Mass and Quality

by Leonie Hart, Elisabeth Quendler and Christina Umstaetter

Sustainability 2022, 14(12), 7490; https://doi.org/10.3390/su14127490 - 20 Jun 2022

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1871

Abstract

Investing labor time in herbage measurements is important for precision pasture management. In this study, the labor input of three smart herbage measurement tools—multispectral imagery linked to an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), a semi-automated rising plate meter (RPM), and near-infrared reflectance spectroscopy (NIRS) [...] Read more.

Investing labor time in herbage measurements is important for precision pasture management. In this study, the labor input of three smart herbage measurement tools—multispectral imagery linked to an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), a semi-automated rising plate meter (RPM), and near-infrared reflectance spectroscopy (NIRS) of cut herbage samples—and of direct observation was modeled based on the REFA work element method. Three to five users were observed during work execution to identify best-practice workflows. Time measurements were conducted using video footage. The resulting standard times of work elements were used to model labor input for herbage measurements in different farm sizes (i.e., milking platforms of 6–100 ha) and subdivisions of a farm’s milking platform (i.e., 4–45 paddocks). Labor time requirement differed between the smart farming tools (0.7–5.9 h) depending on the farm size and milking platform scenario. The labor time requirement increased for all tools with an increase in farm size and was lowest for the RPM. For the UAV tool, it did not increase noticeably when the division of the milking platform changed. Nevertheless, the potential to save time was identified for the UAV and the NIRS. Therefore, the automation of certain steps in the workflows would contribute to sociotechnological sustainable pasture management. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biosystems Engineering - Strategies for Sustainable Agricultural Mechanics)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

16 pages, 1543 KiB

Open AccessEditor’s ChoiceReview

Review of the Impacts of Climate Change on Ports and Harbours and Their Adaptation in Spain

by Nerea Portillo Juan, Vicente Negro Valdecantos and Jose María del Campo

Sustainability 2022, 14(12), 7507; https://doi.org/10.3390/su14127507 - 20 Jun 2022

Cited by 10 | Viewed by 3142

Abstract

Climate change is one of the issues of greatest concern to today’s society. The increase in temperatures has affected sea levels, polar masses and extreme events, among others. There are many scientific studies that analyze the impacts of climate change on coastal communities, [...] Read more.

Climate change is one of the issues of greatest concern to today’s society. The increase in temperatures has affected sea levels, polar masses and extreme events, among others. There are many scientific studies that analyze the impacts of climate change on coastal communities, but most of them focus on beach erosion and coastal recession. Scientific literature on the effects of climate change on ports and harbors and their adaptation is much less abundant. Ports are essential for the economy and society of their cities, so studying the impact of climate change on them is an urgent need. The Mediterranean and the Spanish Mediterranean coast is one of the areas that will be most affected by climate change in the future. In addition, the Spanish economy depends a lot on its tourism and, thus, on its coastal cities. Therefore, the study of the impact of climate change on Spanish ports and coastal communities is essential. This article presents a review of the studies carried out until now on the effects of climate change on Spanish ports, and it identifies research gaps and weaknesses and suggests new research lines. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Addressing Climate Change Impacts on the Sustainable Provision of Transport Infrastructure and Services)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

17 pages, 3588 KiB

Open AccessEditor’s ChoiceArticle

Metrology Process to Produce High-Value Components and Reduce Waste for the Fourth Industrial Revolution

by Ahmad Junaid, Muftooh Ur Rehman Siddiqi, Sundas Tariq, Riaz Muhammad, Ubaidullah Paracha, Nasim Ullah, Ahmad Aziz Al Ahmadi, Muhammad Suleman and Tufail Habib

Sustainability 2022, 14(12), 7472; https://doi.org/10.3390/su14127472 - 19 Jun 2022

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2547

Abstract

Conventionally, a manufactured product undergoes a quality control process. The quality control department mostly ensures that the dimensions of the manufactured products are within the desired range, i.e., the product either satisfies the defined conformity range or is rejected. Failing to satisfy the [...] Read more.

Conventionally, a manufactured product undergoes a quality control process. The quality control department mostly ensures that the dimensions of the manufactured products are within the desired range, i.e., the product either satisfies the defined conformity range or is rejected. Failing to satisfy the conformity range increases the manufacturing cost and harms the production rate and the environment. Conventional quality control departments take samples from the given batch after the manufacturing process. This, in turn, has two consequences, i.e., low-quality components being delivered to the customer and input energy being wasted in the rejected components. The aim of this paper is to create a high-precision measuring (metrology)-based system that measures the dimension of an object in real time during the machining process. This is accomplished by integrating a vision-based system with image processing techniques in the manufacturing process. Experiments were planned using an experimental design which included different lightning conditions, camera locations, and revolutions per minute (rpm) values. Using the proposed technique, submillimeter dimensional accuracy was achieved at all the measured points of the component in real time. Manual validation and statistical analysis were performed to check the validity of the system. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Industry 4.0 Impacts on Lean Production Systems: Sustainable Practices)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

24 pages, 11475 KiB

Open AccessEditor’s ChoiceArticle

The Evolution of Ecological Space in an Urban Agglomeration Based on a Suitability Evaluation and Cellular Automata Simulation

by Yipu Chen, Bohong Zheng and Runjiao Liu

Sustainability 2022, 14(12), 7455; https://doi.org/10.3390/su14127455 - 18 Jun 2022

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1537

Abstract

Changing and reconstructing the ecological space of urban agglomerations is inevitable for ecological conservation and a scientific problem that needs urgent attention from geography, ecology, and urban and rural planning. Using ArcGIS and other software for data processing, this study established a spatial [...] Read more.

Changing and reconstructing the ecological space of urban agglomerations is inevitable for ecological conservation and a scientific problem that needs urgent attention from geography, ecology, and urban and rural planning. Using ArcGIS and other software for data processing, this study established a spatial attribute database, constructed a land use conversion matrix of the Changsha-Zhuzhou-Xiangtan (CZX) urban agglomeration’s ecological space, and quantitatively analyzed the main changes in ecological land. Using a trained cellular automata model with predicted land use in 2035 as the threshold value, the simulation research was presented by creating two simulation scenarios for the spatial distribution of land use by 2035 in the “Green Heart” area of the CZX urban agglomeration. The simulation results were compared, and the constraining role of land use suitability evaluation on ecological space evolution was analyzed. This study found that the total area of ecological space in the Green Heart area saw a rapid reduction, and it predicted that, by 2035, the total area of the CZX Green Heart area will have decreased. Comparing the two simulation scenarios proved the hypothesis that zoning ecological space reconstruction based on a land suitability evaluation can effectively protect ecological space and ensure ecological network functions are harnessed. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Urban Planning and Sustainable Land Use)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

20 pages, 3256 KiB

Open AccessEditor’s ChoiceArticle

Shall the Wild Boar Pass? A Genetically Assessed Ecological Corridor in the Geneva Region

by Fanny Alexandra Laura Kupferschmid, Julien Crovadore, Claude Fischer and François Lefort

Sustainability 2022, 14(12), 7463; https://doi.org/10.3390/su14127463 - 18 Jun 2022

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1864

Abstract

Landscape fragmentation caused by road infrastructures represents a major threat to the genetic diversity of a region. The resulting genetic isolation between subpopulations may lead to consanguinity, and consequently to population collapse and extinction. However, the construction of wildlife crossings can help maintain [...] Read more.

Landscape fragmentation caused by road infrastructures represents a major threat to the genetic diversity of a region. The resulting genetic isolation between subpopulations may lead to consanguinity, and consequently to population collapse and extinction. However, the construction of wildlife crossings can help maintain connectivity. In the present paper, we evaluated the genetic spatial structuring of populations of wild boars (Sus scrofa) in three areas of the Geneva region connected by an ecological corridor. Those areas are cut off either by a highway that is crossed by a wildlife overpass or by an anthropized sector. Genetic profiling with 9 nuclear microsatellite markers yielded 61 single profiles, which allowed for clustering, parentage, and linkage disequilibrium analyses, uncovering the populations’ genetic structure. We also evaluated whether the genetic structure was affected by the sex of individuals. In our analyses, all individuals clustered into a single genetic group, suggesting that no structure limited significantly the gene flow in the region. However, a recent admixture indicated a potential increase in the gene flow between two of the subpopulations due to the wildlife overpass, while the other part of the ecological corridor was not or was only partially functional. Genetic distances between males were significantly higher than between females, although the role of sex remains unclear as to its influence on population genetics. Finally, in order to avoid a subregion becoming fully isolated, urbanization planning should consider this genetic evaluation and proceed with further monitoring, especially by focusing on species more sensitive to landscape fragmentation. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biodiversity Conservation and Environmental Sustainability)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

26 pages, 2612 KiB

Open AccessEditor’s ChoiceArticle

School Culture Promoting Sustainability in Student Teachers’ Views

by Eija Yli-Panula, Eila Jeronen and Sanna Mäki

Sustainability 2022, 14(12), 7440; https://doi.org/10.3390/su14127440 - 17 Jun 2022

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 4652

Abstract

School culture includes values, principles, and criteria. It is an integral part of sustainability education, of which climate change education (CCE) is seen as a way to improve students’ ability to take action to mitigate climate change. This survey aimed to investigate Finnish [...] Read more.

School culture includes values, principles, and criteria. It is an integral part of sustainability education, of which climate change education (CCE) is seen as a way to improve students’ ability to take action to mitigate climate change. This survey aimed to investigate Finnish student teachers’ views of factors important in implementing CCE in school culture and their abilities as teachers to promote CCE. Thirty-six student teachers wrote essays regarding the implementation of school culture and responded to a questionnaire concerning their ability to act as climate change (CC) educators and the challenges they identified in teaching and learning about it. Inductive content analysis was used to study the essays. In student teachers’ answers, six themes to implement in school culture were identified: elements, work community, teacher’s impact, students in the centre, actors outside the school, and challenges. The student teachers highlighted challenges, such as views that deny CC and challenge the transformation of school culture to support sustainable development. The suggested ways to support CCE in daily school life that were very concrete, such as recycling and food education. Student teachers found their own ability to act as climate educators to be relatively good. They identified challenges, especially in motivating students to learn about CC and to participate and take action towards a climate-friendly lifestyle. Students’ conflicting attitudes, values, and beliefs related to CC, reinforced by their inner circle, were seen as challenges in teaching and learning about CC. Despite these challenges, transforming a school culture to support CCE should be the goal of every school. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainability in Biology, Geography and Interdisciplinary Studies and Sustainable Pedagogies)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

9 pages, 570 KiB

Open AccessEditor’s ChoiceCommunication

Have Extreme Events Awakened Us?

by Faraz Farhidi, Kaveh Madani and Rohan Crichton

Sustainability 2022, 14(12), 7417; https://doi.org/10.3390/su14127417 - 17 Jun 2022

Cited by 6 | Viewed by 1602

Abstract

We may translate anthropogenic climate change as a reaction of our planet to our unsustainable economic activities. This research explores whether environmental policies have been impacted by extreme climatic events like droughts, floods, storms, tornados, and wildfires. We use yearly panel data from [...] Read more.

We may translate anthropogenic climate change as a reaction of our planet to our unsustainable economic activities. This research explores whether environmental policies have been impacted by extreme climatic events like droughts, floods, storms, tornados, and wildfires. We use yearly panel data from 1990 to 2017 for the OECD (Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development) countries to examine such a relationship. To have an impartial analysis, we control major variables influencing environmental policies such as energy consumption, gross domestic product (GDP), population, technology, head of the state’s political affiliation, carbon emission, and waste generation. The analysis results suggest that policymakers make more stringent environmental decisions as the death rate increases and environmental threats become more imminent putting human life is at risk; this correlation is stronger in the case of European Countries. Full article

(This article belongs to the Section Air, Climate Change and Sustainability)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

16 pages, 407 KiB

Open AccessEditor’s ChoiceArticle

When Are Loss Frames More Effective in Climate Change Communication? An Application of Fear Appeal Theory

by Scott T. Armbruster, Rajesh V. Manchanda and Ngan Vo

Sustainability 2022, 14(12), 7411; https://doi.org/10.3390/su14127411 - 17 Jun 2022

Cited by 6 | Viewed by 3649

Abstract

This study investigated how goal frames (gain, non-loss, loss) either with or without efficacy statements affect consumers’ support for climate-change policy. Addressing the goal-framing literature’s difficulty in establishing a guiding theory with consistent findings, we (1) propose fear appeal theory as an alternative [...] Read more.

This study investigated how goal frames (gain, non-loss, loss) either with or without efficacy statements affect consumers’ support for climate-change policy. Addressing the goal-framing literature’s difficulty in establishing a guiding theory with consistent findings, we (1) propose fear appeal theory as an alternative framework to guide goal-framing research; (2) test five fear appeal variables (fear, perceived threat, hope, perceived efficacy, and message processing) as mediators of goal-framing effects on policy support; and (3) highlight four common goal-framing confounds that may partly underlie the literature’s inconsistent findings. Aligning with fear appeal theory, results from a carefully controlled experiment revealed that a more threatening loss frame paired with an efficacy statement produced the strongest pro-policy attitudes and the greatest willingness-to-pay by successfully balancing fear/threat with hope/efficacy and by producing deeper message processing. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue ‘We Are All in This Together’: Government, Industry, Firm, Not-for-Profit, and Consumer Responses to a Changing Climate)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

25 pages, 8193 KiB

Open AccessEditor’s ChoiceArticle

Measuring Urban Sustainability over Time at National and Regional Scale for Addressing United Nations Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 11: Iran and Tehran as Case Studies

by Keihan Hassanzadehkermanshahi and Sara Shirowzhan

Sustainability 2022, 14(12), 7402; https://doi.org/10.3390/su14127402 - 16 Jun 2022

Cited by 9 | Viewed by 2642

Abstract

It is evident that relations between political conditions and community development have become sophisticated in recent years. More people now live in urbanized areas, and this ongoing urbanization has various ramifications. Many countries are facing swift urban transformation which alters their regional development [...] Read more.

It is evident that relations between political conditions and community development have become sophisticated in recent years. More people now live in urbanized areas, and this ongoing urbanization has various ramifications. Many countries are facing swift urban transformation which alters their regional development patterns. Urban sprawl, migration and rural depopulation, regional inequalities, increasing urban poverty, and social injustice are some of these emerging problems. Assessing regional development for identifying the aforementioned predicaments is really imperative and related to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 11. However, there are limited studies that focus on the assessment of regional sustainable development at both national and regional scales, simultaneously. Thus, this study aims to fill the gap by developing a robust method that can assess and compare the level of sustainability in various regions and at varying scales. This helps to identify areas where urgent prevention or mitigation strategies and action plans are required. In this study, we strived to evaluate Iran’s regions and Tehran’s provinces based on sustainability indicators. To end this, the authors use factor analysis and F’ANP model in both assessments. The results of the study show that Tehran Province was the most developed province, and its F’ANP result was 2.006. Tehran is 10% more sustainable than the third region in the country which is Khorasan Razavi. Isfahan and Khorasan Razavi provinces were in the next in rank with scores of 1.984 and 1.8, respectively. At the bottom of the list, the northern Khorasan, Ilam, and Kohkiloye-Boyerahmad provinces were in the lowest ranked in terms of access to sustainability indices. It is patently obvious that Iran suffers from uneven development, and the majority of border provinces have moderate or bad situations. This uneven development also intensifies migration to Tehran, which already has one-sixth of Iran’s population which has led todeteriorating social inequity and environmental injustice, nationally. The results of the regional assessment of Tehran also show that there is uneven development in Tehran Province. Tehran County is twice as good and sustainable as 68 percent of the counties in this region. The F’ANP result for Tehran County was 0.580, and it has been ranked first over a period due to the exceptional number of facilities in this region. Tehran County became 20% more sustainable during this decade. After Tehran, Firoozkoh and Damavand counties were in the next ranks with scores of 0.389 and 0.343, respectively. Qarchak, Ghods, and Baharestan counties were the weakest based on the sustainability indices, and their F’ANP results were below 0.2. Full article

(This article belongs to the Section Sustainable Urban and Rural Development)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

21 pages, 6108 KiB

Open AccessEditor’s ChoiceArticle

Analysis of Artisanal and Small-Scale Gold Mining in Peru under Climate Impacts Using System Dynamics Modeling

by Fatih Aranoglu, Tulay Flamand and Sebnem Duzgun

Sustainability 2022, 14(12), 7390; https://doi.org/10.3390/su14127390 - 16 Jun 2022

Cited by 6 | Viewed by 3237

Abstract

In this paper, we propose a system dynamics (SD) model to examine the dynamics of an informal artisanal and small-scale gold mining (ASGM) supply chain that has interactions with the illegal gold supply chain in the Amazon rainforest region, Madre de Dios (MdD), [...] Read more.

In this paper, we propose a system dynamics (SD) model to examine the dynamics of an informal artisanal and small-scale gold mining (ASGM) supply chain that has interactions with the illegal gold supply chain in the Amazon rainforest region, Madre de Dios (MdD), Peru. In order to examine the system under climate impacts and validate the model, we run it under a flood scenario, which is one of the main climate impacts that causes disruption in mining activities. Our findings suggest that the dynamics of informal mines are highly affected by the illegal mercury supply, fuel supply, and availability of workers. In addition, the model under the flood scenario suggests that any external variable that could directly affect fuel and mercury supply would result in a disruption of informal and illegal gold production. Full article

(This article belongs to the Section Hazards and Sustainability)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

6 pages, 408 KiB

Open AccessEditor’s ChoiceBrief Report

Soil Type Rather Than Freezing Determines the Size of Soil-Root Plate of Silver Birch (Betula pendula Roth.) in the Eastern Baltic Region

by Oskars Krišāns, Roberts Matisons, Jānis Vuguls, Andris Seipulis, Didzis Elferts, Valters Samariks, Renāte Saleniece and Āris Jansons

Sustainability 2022, 14(12), 7332; https://doi.org/10.3390/su14127332 - 15 Jun 2022

Viewed by 1069

Abstract

In the Eastern Baltic region, severe windstorms increase both in frequency and magnitude, particularly during the dormancy period, increasing wind damage risks even more for silver birch (Betula pendula Roth.), which is considered to be less vulnerable forest tree species. Tree anchorage, [...] Read more.

In the Eastern Baltic region, severe windstorms increase both in frequency and magnitude, particularly during the dormancy period, increasing wind damage risks even more for silver birch (Betula pendula Roth.), which is considered to be less vulnerable forest tree species. Tree anchorage, particularly the properties of soil–root plate, determines the type of fatal failures trees experience under extreme wind loads and, subsequently, the potential for timber recovery during salvage logging. The link between soil–root plate properties and fatal failure types was assessed by conducting destructive static pulling tests; trees on freely draining minerals and drained deep peat soils under frozen and non-frozen soil conditions were tested. The size of the root plate did not differ between trees experiencing uprooting or stem breakage but was largely affected by soil type. Frozen soil conditions increased soil–root anchorage (via binding between soil particles) and, hence, the frequency of stem breakage without changing the size of soil–root plate. However, the lack of frozen soil conditions is among the main climatic risks for forestry within the region. The differences in the properties of soil–root plate implies plasticity in adaptation to wind loadings relative to birch, suggesting a potential for managing different types of fatal failure of trees and, subsequently, the share of retrievable timber in cases of salvage logging. Full article

(This article belongs to the Section Sustainable Forestry)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

22 pages, 2330 KiB

Open AccessEditor’s ChoiceArticle

The Interaction of Biotechnology and Institution: A Stakeholder Perspective

by Ya-Feng Zhang and Tara Qian Sun

Sustainability 2022, 14(12), 7314; https://doi.org/10.3390/su14127314 - 15 Jun 2022

Viewed by 1685

Abstract

Institutional systems have a crucial impact on the development of biotechnology. In this article, we analyze the interaction between biotechnology and institutions. To conduct our analysis, we use the case study method and the stakeholder perspective. Our findings suggest the following: (1) Through [...] Read more.

Institutional systems have a crucial impact on the development of biotechnology. In this article, we analyze the interaction between biotechnology and institutions. To conduct our analysis, we use the case study method and the stakeholder perspective. Our findings suggest the following: (1) Through the analysis of patent data, biotechnology has been developing very rapidly in recent years in China; (2) basic biotechnology institutions have been established, consisting of government, policy, and other institutional arrangements; (3) the interaction between the development of biotechnology and its existing institutions is dynamic; and (4) the interaction is affected by relative stakeholders. This study contributes to the theory concerning the governance of biotechnology, which is important in the sustainable development of biotechnology. Moreover, the article sheds light on policy implications. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Climate Change and Circular Bioeconomy: Old Challenges and New Opportunities for Environmental Biotechnology)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

18 pages, 4610 KiB

Open AccessEditor’s ChoiceArticle

Evaluation of the Effectiveness of Traffic Calming Measures by SPEIR Methodology: Framework and Case Studies

by Natalia Distefano and Salvatore Leonardi

Sustainability 2022, 14(12), 7325; https://doi.org/10.3390/su14127325 - 15 Jun 2022

Cited by 6 | Viewed by 2528

Abstract

The speed value of 30 km/h should not be exceeded in urban areas, both to ensure safety requirements for all categories of users and to improve the overall quality of life in urban areas. Moreover, it is necessary not only to comply with [...] Read more.

The speed value of 30 km/h should not be exceeded in urban areas, both to ensure safety requirements for all categories of users and to improve the overall quality of life in urban areas. Moreover, it is necessary not only to comply with the prescribed maximum speed, but also to ensure a uniform speed by limiting the variations in relation to the average value within an acceptable range of variation. An original analysis methodology is therefore proposed, useful for both technicians and administrators to verify the effectiveness of traffic calming measures, especially in areas where these measures are widely used, such as Zones 30. This methodology, called SPEIR (acronym for Speed Profile, Effectiveness Indicators and Results, which are the keywords of the three steps into which the proposed methodology is divided), is divided into three operational steps necessary to both verify the effectiveness of existing traffic calming measures in a given context and to plan new traffic calming measures to be implemented in specific urban sectors to be requalified and revitalized. Finally, three case studies are presented where the application of the SPEIR methodology is useful not only for understanding the operational steps in the application of the methodology itself, but also for understanding the differences in terms of the safety performance that the various traffic calming measures provide to the users of the urban streets where such measures are present. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Traffic Calming Measures as an Instrument for Revitalizing the Urban Environment)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

19 pages, 2268 KiB

Open AccessEditor’s ChoiceArticle

Spatial–Temporal Evolution and Sustainable Type Division of Fishery Science and Technology Innovation Efficiency in China

by Wendong Zhu, Dahai Li and Limin Han

Sustainability 2022, 14(12), 7277; https://doi.org/10.3390/su14127277 - 14 Jun 2022

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2095

Abstract

Science and technology innovation is an important driving force to promote the development of fishery industry, and is very important to improve the quality of fishery development. In this study, the Super-SBM model was used to evaluate the fishery science and technology innovation [...] Read more.

Science and technology innovation is an important driving force to promote the development of fishery industry, and is very important to improve the quality of fishery development. In this study, the Super-SBM model was used to evaluate the fishery science and technology innovation efficiency of 30 provinces and cities in China (excluding Hong Kong, Macao, Taiwan and Tibet) from 2011 to 2020. Combined with the kernel density estimation, the spatial and temporal differentiation characteristics were analyzed. Then, from the two dimensions of investment scale and innovation efficiency, the sustainable development types of fishery science and technology innovation were classified. The results show the following: (1) From the perspective of efficiency change, the overall efficiency of fishery science and technology innovation in China increased first and then decreased during 2011–2020, but the overall efficiency level was low, and the efficiency difference between regions gradually widened, and the eastern coastal regions became the development core of fishery science and technology innovation. (2) From the perspective of spatial differentiation characteristics, there was a large gap between the coastal and inland areas in China. The high-efficiency areas were mainly concentrated in the coastal provinces and cities, such as Guangdong, Jiangsu, Shandong, Shanghai and Tianjin, showing a decreasing trend from east to west. (3) From the perspective of investment scale and innovation efficiency, the study regions can be divided into four types: leading area, breakthrough area, catch-up area and backward area. This paper mainly calculates the efficiency of fishery science and technology innovation in various regions, and divides the type areas of fishery science and technology innovation and development. According to the advantages and problems of different types of areas, different development strategies and correction measures are proposed, which can effectively improve the efficiency of resource utilization, avoid resource waste and realize the sustainable development of fishery. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Path to Achieve the Sustainable Development Goals in Marine Fisheries and Aquaculture)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

32 pages, 13876 KiB

Open AccessEditor’s ChoiceArticle

Cycling through the COVID-19 Pandemic to a More Sustainable Transport Future: Evidence from Case Studies of 14 Large Bicycle-Friendly Cities in Europe and North America

by Ralph Buehler and John Pucher

Sustainability 2022, 14(12), 7293; https://doi.org/10.3390/su14127293 - 14 Jun 2022

Cited by 28 | Viewed by 17218

Abstract

This article examines the impact of COVID-19 on cycling levels and government policies toward cycling over the period 2019 to 2021. We analyze national aggregate data from automatic bicycle counters for 13 countries in Europe and North America to determine month-by-month and year-to-year [...] Read more.

This article examines the impact of COVID-19 on cycling levels and government policies toward cycling over the period 2019 to 2021. We analyze national aggregate data from automatic bicycle counters for 13 countries in Europe and North America to determine month-by-month and year-to-year changes in cycling levels in 2020 and 2021 compared to 2019. That aggregate analysis is complemented by case studies of 14 cities in the USA, Canada, the UK, Belgium, France, Spain, and Germany. Although there was much variation over time, among countries, and among cities, cycling levels generally increased from 2019 to 2021, mainly due to growth in cycling for recreation and exercise. In contrast, daily trips to work and education declined. All 14 of the cities we examined in the case studies reported large increases in government support of cycling, both in funding as well as in infrastructure. Bikeway networks were expanded and improved, usually with protected cycling facilities that separate cyclists from motorized traffic. Other pro-cycling measures included restrictions on motor vehicles, such as reducing speed limits, excluding through traffic from residential neighborhoods, banning car access to some streets, and re-allocating roadway space to bicycles. Car-restrictive measures became politically possible due to the COVID-19 crisis. Full article

(This article belongs to the Section Sustainable Urban and Rural Development)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

15 pages, 531 KiB

Open AccessEditor’s ChoiceArticle

Developing an Objective Framework to Evaluate Street Functions

by Abbas Sheikh-Mohammad-Zadeh, Nicolas Saunier and E. O. D. Waygood

Sustainability 2022, 14(12), 7184; https://doi.org/10.3390/su14127184 - 12 Jun 2022

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2901

Abstract

Urban street networks are a vital part of urban areas and have a remarkable influence over quality of life and the use of sustainable modes. They make up about 80% of public space and shape urban activities and identity. Therefore, it is crucial [...] Read more.

Urban street networks are a vital part of urban areas and have a remarkable influence over quality of life and the use of sustainable modes. They make up about 80% of public space and shape urban activities and identity. Therefore, it is crucial to design, develop, and maintain streets in such a way as to make the most of this large and important space in a sustainable manner. Streets have three main functions: to provide access to adjoining properties, to allow transit of users on their way from their origin to their destination, and to provide space for social activities. As such, there is a need to develop indicators, methods, and tools to evaluate how streets fulfill their functions. However, most of the previously developed frameworks rely on measuring the physical environment and transportation facilities, which reflect the potential use of streets, as opposed to their actual use. To address this gap, the main objective of this paper is to propose a holistic and objective framework to evaluate streets based on their actual use by all users. The proposed framework is developed based on direct user observation to assess the various street functions (i.e., transit, access, and place) using objective indicators at a microscopic (individual) level. The developed framework and tools build on street use evaluation by diverse disciplines such as transportation engineering, urban planning, and public health. It will help transportation agencies and urban planners to manage streets and public spaces so that they fulfill their expected functions while minimizing the negative impacts. Full article

(This article belongs to the Collection Urban Street Networks and Sustainable Transportation)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

19 pages, 306 KiB

Open AccessEditor’s ChoiceArticle

The Impact of Family Factors on Children’s Mental Health during Home Quarantine: An Empirical Study in Northwest China

by Xiaoyi Jin, Yitong Dong and Wei Du

Sustainability 2022, 14(12), 7202; https://doi.org/10.3390/su14127202 - 12 Jun 2022

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2591

Abstract

(1) Aims: This paper aims to analyze the factors affecting children’s mental health during home quarantine from the perspective of family composition in a specific Chinese context where historically, families are small in size. (2) Methods: Here, 10,210 online questionnaires from 3 junior [...] Read more.

(1) Aims: This paper aims to analyze the factors affecting children’s mental health during home quarantine from the perspective of family composition in a specific Chinese context where historically, families are small in size. (2) Methods: Here, 10,210 online questionnaires from 3 junior high schools in Xi’an and Hanzhong from 23 to 27 February 2020, were collected to explore the impact of family factors on children’s mental health in Northwest China during home quarantine based on the ecosystem theory, by using OLS, logit regression models, and the Shapley value decomposition method. (3) Results: The mental health of northwestern Chinese children changed significantly after home quarantine. We also found that during home quarantine, some factors, such as a high-income family, lack of siblings, living with parents, mothers with middle- or high-level occupations, frequent parent–child communication, and better parent–child relationships, were positively related to children’s mental health. (4) Conclusions: Different from previous studies, this paper found that the psychological condition of children in Northwest China tended to be improved during the epidemic. In addition, family factors, especially the parent–child interaction, played an important role in the mental health of children during the epidemic. Full article

(This article belongs to the Section Health, Well-Being and Sustainability)

Journal Menu

Journal Browser

Editor’s Choice Articles

Further Information

Guidelines

MDPI Initiatives

Follow MDPI