Top Research Papers on Sustainability

Abstract: The Summer 2024 Issue. Ploughshares is an award-winning journal of new writing. Since 1971, Ploughshares has discovered and cultivated the freshest voices in contemporary American literature, and now provides readers with thoughtful and entertaining literature in a variety of formats. Find out why the New York Times named Ploughshares “the Triton among minnows.” The Summer 2024 Issue, guest-edited by Rebecca Makkai, features prose by Dur e Aziz Amna, Ramona Ausubel, Peter Mountford, Khaddafina Mbabazi, DK Nnuro, and more.

This paper delves into the multifaceted concept of sustainability, covering its evolution, laws, principles, as well as the different domains and challenges related to achieving it in the modern world. Although capitalism, socialism, and communism have been utilized throughout history, their strengths and drawbacks have failed to address sustainable development comprehensively. Therefore, a holistic approach is necessary, which forms the basis for a new development model called sustainalism. This study proposes a new socio-economic theory of sustainalism that prioritizes quality of life, socia...

Leadership and sustainability have been researched and examined concurrently. There is considerable knowledge regarding sustainable, sustainability, and environmental leadership as separate areas of research and as effective leadership styles that facilitate the achievement of sustainability outcomes. While these research streams have developed alongside each other, there is limited knowledge about the similarities and differences between each of these three leadership approaches. To resolve this problem, the purpose of this paper is to review and compare key leadership themes from each sustai...

Aviation fuel demand is expected to continue to grow over the next decades and continue to rely heavily on kerosene fuel for use in jet engines. While efficiency and operational improvements are possible ways to reduce GHG emissions, decarbonisation will need to heavily rely on low carbon kerosene drop-in alternatives. Currently, alternative fuels make up a very small share of fuel used in aviation, but their commercialisation is making good progress. Hydrogen offers a longer term alternative fuel option but requires aircraft design and fuelling infrastructure changes. Electrification is eme...

The topic of sustainability is becoming one of the strongest drivers of change in the marketplace by transforming into an element of competitiveness and an integral part of business strategy. Particularly in the manufacturing sector, a key role is played by technological innovations that allow companies to minimize the impact of their business on the environment and contribute to enhancing the value of the societies in which they operate. Technological process can be a lever to generate sustainable behaviors, confirming how innovation and sustainability constitute an increasingly close pair. H...

Experience tourism in the midst of nature, the appreciation of healthy food, which allows to appreciate, taste and experience the moment becomes the motto for the beginning of a new era. The objective of this study was to identify which actions are necessary to internalize the SDGs in the resumption of tourism activities after the pandemic. The analysis of the perceptions of public managers, private initiative, and educational institutions to understand and awaken the issues of sustainability in environmental issues, in the resumption of tourism with a demand for activities in the midst of nat...

The review explores the pivotal role of sustainable nanomaterials in promoting green supply chains and advancing environmental sustainability. Nanotechnology has emerged as a promising field for developing innovative materials with enhanced properties and reduced environmental impacts. Sustainable nanomaterials, characterized by their eco-friendly synthesis methods, biodegradability, and low toxicity, offer transformative opportunities for enhancing the sustainability of supply chains across diverse industries. This review examines the potential applications of sustainable nanomaterials in gre...

Abstract Although sustainable tourism research is a rich and diverse field, it still suffers from a few important shortcomings. Negligible attention has been given to various possible pathways to sustainable tourism (as opposed to sustainable tourism as a ‘goalpost’) and there is an insufficient understanding of how the interconnections and interdependencies within tourism as a complex system shape the pursuit of sustainability. What is therefore needed is a sharper focus on the actual processes that must unfold for a transition to sustainable tourism to take place, and a better conceptualisat...

: The aim of this study was to investigate the role of universities in promoting sustainability and sustainable development goals among Indian students as future entrepreneurs, supporting the mission of sustainability. Using PLS-SEM ( n = 422), we checked the influence of three constructs related to the university’s role, i.e., campus sustainability, environmental sustainability, and education on sustainability at the university, on attitudes towards sustainability among students, on one hand, and on the intention to start entrepreneurship for sustainability, on the other hand. We also looked i...

The rise of sustainable investing in fixed-income markets has led to a variety of special types of bonds. In addition to green bonds that are predominantly used to provide capital for the energy transition, social, sustainability, and sustainability-linked bonds have also appeared recently in financial markets. We explain the differences between each of these bond types, the developments, and the composition of the markets. Because yield differences between sustainable and conventional bonds are small and correlations high, the risk and return profile of the portfolio is unlikely to change muc...

The fashion industry, characterized by rapid cycles of production and consumption, has emerged as a global economic powerhouse, generating significant revenue and employment opportunities worldwide. However, this growth has come at a substantial environmental and social cost, marked by extensive resource consumption, greenhouse gas emissions, and labor exploitation. This paper critically examines the environmental and social impacts of the fashion industry, focusing on issues such as textile waste, water pollution, and unethical labor practices. It explores the transition towards sustainable f...

Social sustainability is one of the 3 pillars of sustainability, alongside economic and environmental. Social sustainability covers the dimensions of diversity, equity, quality of life, maturity, democr acy and gov ern ance, an d interconnected/social cohesions (defined by Nobel Laureate Amartya Sen). This pillar of sustainability is often forgotten, but without the key element of people we can never truly obtain sustainability.

Dyllick and Hockerts observed that consideration and debate regarding sustainability in the 21 st century has involved integrating long-standing concerns about economic growth and social equity with concern for the carrying capacity of natural systems. 1 In their words, sustainability “embodies the promise of societal evolution towards a more equitable and wealthy world in which the natural environment and our cultural achievements are preserved for generations to come”. Simply put, problems relating to economic growth, social equity and the environment must be addressed and solved simultaneou...

Sustainable consumption (SC) is the concept surrounding the use of products and services with minimal impact on environmental safeguarding resources for current and future generations. Since its implementation in 2015, SC is an expanding area of research as the increased occurrence of environmental impacts is observed globally. In this article, a literature review of sustainable consumption and education is presented as an in-depth review of relevant literature over the last 25 years. The review provides an understanding of the relationship, effect, and current concepts of sustainability educa...

This paper reviews the existing research on sustainability and sustainable development around the world. It begins by defining the sustainability and sustainable development concepts. Thereafter, the paper highlights the dimensions of sustainable development and sustainability based on the literature. The paper also shows the relationship between sustainability and sustainable development. The paper used the literature review methodology. The paper finds that each region of the world has made some progress towards achieving high levels of sustainable development; however, each region also face...

From Brundtland to Rio ? Food and Agriculture ? Population ? Urbanization ? Industrialization ? Energy ? Economics ? Biodiversity ? The Commons ? Institutions ? International Relations.

The Horizon 2030 program of the United Nations presents a proposal for sustainable development and 17 goals for transforming our world [1]. Various actions and public policies are now striving to attain these objectives, with (bio)analytical chemistry, due to its nature, playing a fundamental role not only in industry but also in education and research [2]. Nowadays, within this concept, the appeal of a methodology continues to be sensitive, precise and accurate in terms of analytical chemistry but the analytical characteristics are also targeted towards the principles of environmental sustain...

The concepts of sustainable development (SD) and sustainable communities (SC) are firmly on policy agendas. Conceptual clarity is essential for the selection of high-quality indicators to monitor progress in these important areas. However, there are mixed views about the nature of social sustainability (SS) and definitions of SC are limited. This paper addresses these deficiencies by presenting a new conceptualization of SS central to which is addressing basic human needs so that the criterion of sufficiency is met. Ensuring ‘sufficiency’ is crucial to ensure the provision of welfare within pl...

Supply chain efficiency, transparency, and sustainability can be enhanced using blockchain technology. Blockchain enables a company to accurately track raw material origin to finished products, which ensures standard quality and sustainability. Furthermore, blockchain improves partnerships between supply chain stakeholders by providing a confident, common platform for sharing data. The influence of implementing blockchain technology on supply chain sustainability includes reduced wastage, increased resource transparency, monitoring of social standards, and reduced operational costs. The challe...

ABSTRACT Sustainability science seeks to understand human–nature interactions behind sustainability challenges, but has largely been place-based. Traditional sustainability efforts often solved problems in one place at the cost of other places, compromising global sustainability. The metacoupling framework offers a conceptual foundation and a holistic approach to integrating human–nature interactions within a place, as well as between adjacent places and between distant places worldwide. Its applications show broad utilities for advancing sustainability science with profound implications for g...

Objective: The purpose of this research is to explore the switching intention of consumers from traditional technology and products - to sustainable technology and products while shedding light on important technology and product adoption constructs.   Theoretical Framework: This research integrates the theory of UTAUT and consumer self-accountability in order to examine the switching intention of consumers from traditional technology and products - to green, eco-friendly and sustainable technology and products.   Method: Convenience sampling and a questionnaire was used to collect data which ...

Without embracing environmental sustainability (ES), the universal concept of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) cannot be achieved in today's world. As an inseparable part of SDGs, ES can help the nations to fulfil the goal of Agenda 2030. The world, particularly the developing countries, is now encountering several environmental problems, including carbon dioxide (CO2) emission, hazardous pollution, climate change, global warming, floods, droughts, deforestation, excessive and less rainfall crisis, scarcity of food, water and other natural resources, misuse and overconsumption of natural r...

Understanding contemporary issues of social-ecological systems in environmentally sensitive areas is very complicated and requires careful and extensive research. The approach of “sustainability” is highly applicable to this task because it demands both social and ecological perspectives and it projects contemporary practices into the future. The World Commission on Environment and Development (1987) defined sustainable development as “the use of environment and resources to meet the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs”. T...

AbstractThis research is motivated by the low business sustainability of MSMEs in West Java. In MSMEs, human resources play an important role in the development of MSME businesses. This study aims to determine the effect of sustainable commitment and competencies on the business sustainability of MSMEs. This research was conducted using a quantitative approach with a survey method of 209 fish processing business owners in West Java. Data collection was carried out by survey using a questionnaire instrument. Data analysis was performed with AMOS SEM. The results of this study reveal that the be...

Fight climate change: build the road to carbon neutrality by 2030 and net zero emissions by 2045 by engaging Sanofi towards the 1.5°C global warming trajectory Limit our environmental footprint and aim for circular solutions by optimizing the use/reuse of resources and reducing impact of emissions Improve environmental profile of products by delivering eco-innovative products considering and by fostering a sustainable use of medicines Mobilize our people for environmental sustainability by promoting an environmentally conscious culture in the workplace Engage our suppliers in our environmental...

Sustainable supply chain financing has emerged as a pivotal strategy in contemporary business paradigms, aiming to harmonize economic growth with environmental stewardship and social responsibility. This review delves into the integration of banking mechanisms within sustainable supply chain financing models to foster enhanced sustainability across diverse industries. In recent years, the concept of sustainability has gained momentum, prompting organizations to reevaluate their operational frameworks to mitigate environmental impacts and address societal concerns. Supply chain financing, a fin...

Our purpose is to explore the concept of “sustainability” when understood from a performative perspective, i.e. as a concept that is filled with meaning across time. Drawing on a 10 year-long study ...

Sustainability is one of the most important socio-economic-environmental topics of the time. Consumers are increasingly demanding companies to have eco-friendly approaches that ensure sustainable ecommerce. There is a great challenge to e-commerce business, taking into account that e-commerce is connected with frequent shipping, high return rates, and non-recyclable packaging, which cause a negative impact on the environment. The studies show that ecommerce is rapidly growing and widely accepted. However, the challenge is how to sustain the growth of e-commerce in the long run considering the ...

In recent decades, the impositions of environmental sustainability have resulted in severe challenges for the tourism sector. It is not enough to make tourist destinations greener and more circular. It is necessary to encourage pro-sustainable behavior among tourists. This research aims to explore the role of available reliable information on the sustainability of destinations in relation to the pro-sustainable habits of tourists and to investigate changes in tourist behavior related to travel and tourism. In addition, it aims to assess the influence of tourists’ pro-sustainable habits on chan...

PurposeSustainability-oriented strategies involve considering all possible environmental, social and economic factors that impact stakeholders and sustainable development. They could be a crucial contribution of the private sector to Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The study’s objective is twofolded. First, the authors want to discover if enterprises doing business in Brazil are contemplating the SDGs in their strategies. Second, the authors want to identify the external and internal factors that motivate them.Design/methodology/approachThe authors collected data through an online survey...

Sustainability’s growth, year after year, continues to be staggering, becoming a reference point for those working on these issues [...]

Sustainable investing and financing play a central role in achieving sustainable development goals. Using high‐quality articles from the Scopus database, this study deploys bibliometric analysis followed by content analysis on 528 and 33 articles to synthesise the academic literature on sustainable investing and financing published between 2012 and mid‐2022 and analyse the field's evolution and progress in research. The performance analysis identifies the field's most influential studies, and the conceptual and intellectual structures shed light on foundational themes and research progression....

Purpose This paper aims to address the novel phenomenon of tourism in the metaverse and analyse possible scenarios that could influence the resilience of a sustainable tourism paradigm in response to this new phenomenon. Design/methodology/approach Based on Kuhn’s paradigmatic framework, this paper offers an innovative perspective for the integration of new theories and practise-relevant phenomena. It emphasises the relevance and commensurability of different paradigmatic dimensions and outlines the scenarios for the integration of metaversal sustainability. Findings The phenomenon of tou...

Abstract This paper captures both a historical perspective and the current situation of sustainability communication (SC), the relevance and impact of conceptual and empirical contributions, and the future of SC research. By applying the principles of a meta-narrative systematic literature review, we analyze the concepts, theoretical models, and empirical approaches that researchers use in 116 articles in the field. The main manifestations of SC, including sustainability/green advertising, sustainability reporting, and greenwashing, are presented. The analysis reveals a predominant environment...

This chapter approaches some issues related to the implementation of sustainability reporting and its benefits within an economic entity. The main objectives of this chapter are to present a brief implementation guide of sustainability reporting, according to GRI requirements and the benefits of its use. Based on the specialized literature, the authors present various aspects encountered in implementing sustainability reporting, interpreting the information used for the internal management and the stakeholders through the sustainability indicators. All the aspects presented and analyzed are ba...

It is long overdue for tourism research to move beyond the basic question of whether gender matters, because there is no humanity (or human phenomenon) without gender dimensions. Instead this article asks how does it matter? It does so by challenging tourism sustainability knowledges from the perspective of feminist epistemologies. It presents a broad and necessary conceptualization of gender which includes the spectrums of sex, sexuality, gender expression, and gender identity. Drawing on the philosophical conception of ideology by Elisabeth Anderson, this article invites to reimagine dominan...

The Sustainable Development Report 2022 features the SDG Index and Dashboards, the first and widely used tool to assess country performance on the Agenda 2030 and the Sustainable Development Goals. In a context of multiple crises, the report analyzes and outlines how the SDGs can be used as a roadmap for more sustainable societies by 2030 and beyond. In particular, this year's edition underlines the importance of international financing mechanisms for addressing lack of fiscal space in poorer countries and promoting sustainable investments into physical and human infrastructure. The authors ex...

On behalf of the F Fe ed de er ra al l M Mi in ni is st tr ry y f fo or r E Ec co on no om mi ic c C Co oo op pe er ra at ti io on n a an nd d D De ev ve el lo op pm me en nt t, Germany.

The SDGs have made a significant contribution to the sustainability movement, being used by many organisations from across sectors all over the world as their sustainability framework. However, have they impacted the previous trend of sustainability challenges just because of their existence? This article aims to contribute to answering this question by statistically comparing the trends in the sustainability performance of the SDGs before and after they were launched in 2015. Data were collected for every SDG and their trends were quantitatively assessed using non-parametric tests, finding th...

Sustainable smart cities are at the forefront of urban development, striving to balance economic prosperity with environmental sustainability. This Review delves into the critical role played by Financial Technology (Fintech) in advancing environmental sustainability within smart city initiatives. Fintech innovations are instrumental in optimizing resource management, enhancing citizen engagement, and fostering collaborative governance models, thereby contributing to the overarching goal of creating sustainable urban ecosystems. Through a historical perspective, this Review traces the evolutio...

It is shown how the popular workflow management system Snakemake can be used to guarantee reproducibility, and how it enables an ergonomic, combined, unified representation of all steps involved in data analysis, ranging from raw data processing, to quality control and fine-grained, interactive exploration and plotting of final results.

Promoting youth involvement in environmental sustainability is crucial for a sustainable future. This article explores effective strategies and policy recommendations to engage young people in environmental conservation efforts. By integrating environmental education in school curricula, establishing youth advisory councils, providing funding for youth-led initiatives, promoting inclusivity and diversity, and recognizing youth contributions, we can harness the creativity and passion of young individuals to address environmental challenges. These efforts should be supported by leveraging techno...

. In the article, the analysis of scientific literature leads to the definition of sustainable finance and identification of its types. This distinction allows for a more detailed examination of sustainable finance in different contexts, especially when only one type of sustainable finance is considered. The empirical study that has been carried out in the Baltic Sea states confirms that sustainable finance has an impact on the implementation of sustainable development goals. The countries that use more sustainable finance have better results in terms of the SDGs. The created research model re...

Achieving sustained competitive advantage in the current business landscape has become an important challenge for both the service and manufacturing sectors. Based on the thematic analysis of the empirical data from expert interviews of 46 professionals from Australia and Pakistan, this study puts forward a framework to achieve sustained competitive advantage. The research employs a dynamic capability (DC) theory lens and creates a foundation for the “sustainable dynamic capabilities” concept for future research. The findings affirm that (1) sustainable dynamic capabilities lead to sustained c...

The research is focused on the sustainable waste management, with the specific concern on the use of waste management platform called waste bank being driven by local organizations in Lombok, Indonesia. The study aims to investigate the factors that attract the participation of local communities in using the platform for waste management and further to explore the lessons and good practices of waste banks driven by local community-driven organizations in Lombok, Indonesia. The method used for this research was qualitative with the analytic-descriptive approach. Data collection was through lite...

Sustainable Architecture: Envisioning Self-Sustaining Buildings for the Future explores the imperative for sustainable design practices in the construction industry. With global environmental challenges becoming increasingly urgent, the need for buildings that are not just energy-efficient but also self-sustaining is paramount. This report delves into the principles, technologies, and design strategies that can transform traditional buildings into sustainable structures that reduce environmental impact and enhance quality of life. The report begins by highlighting the pressing need for sustain...

This book offers a hopeful response to the often frightening changes and challenges the authors face; arguing that they can actively create a positive and abundant future through mindful, contributive engagement that is rooted in a living systems based worldview.

The idea of sustainable life is thought to have reached its usefulness limit. A sustainable lifestyle is a critical component of achieving environmental and economic sustainability. It entails a comprehensive approach to daily decisions and actions that reduce negative environmental impacts while improving individual and societal well-being. This paper delves into the essential components of a sustainable lifestyle, such as responsible consumption, reduced waste output, energy efficiency, water conservation and a shift toward environmentally conscious mobility. Adopting such a way of life not ...

Biodiesel, an environmentally degradable and renewable biofuel derived from organic matter, has exhibited its capacity as a viable and sustainable substitute for traditional diesel fuel. Numerous comprehensive investigations have been conducted to assess the effects of biodiesel on internal combustion engines (ICEs), with particular emphasis on diesel engine performance metrics, combustion dynamics, and emission profiles. Biodiesel demonstrates a significant decrease in emissions of particulate matter (PM), hydrocarbon (HC), and carbon monoxide (CO) in diesel engines. The addition of biodiesel...

This PrimeView highlights the life cycle analysis and end-of-life considerations necessary for designing sustainable polymers.