Advancing Sustainable Development Goals through Digital Culture: A Global Research Overview

Achieving the Sustainable Development Goals Requires Transdisciplinary Innovation at the Local Scale

To Achieve a Sustainable Blue Future, Progress Assessments Must Include Interdependencies between the Sustainable Development Goals

Women’s empowerment is central to achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 5 (gender equality), while also influencing a broader range of goals including poverty alleviation, education, health, economic growth, and environmental sustainability. This study presents a bibliometric review to assess how women's empowerment contributes to the attainment of SDGs across various domains. Using VOSviewer software, a bibliometric analysis was conducted on literature published between 2012 and 2024, sourced from the Scopus database. A total of 79 peer-reviewed, open-access research articles in English were selected from an initial pool of 369 studies, based on defined inclusion and exclusion criteria. The review examines publication trends over time, most cited authors and articles, journal and country-wise distribution, citation networks, and keyword co-occurrence. The findings indicate that 2024 recorded the highest number of publications, with India leading in research output. The journal Sustainability contributed the most documents, and Kathryn M. Yount emerged as the most influential author. Keyword analysis revealed 10 clusters, from which three core thematic areas were identified, with “women empowerment” and “SDG” being the most frequently occurring keywords. The study highlights women’s empowerment as a catalyst for progress in key SDG areas such as poverty reduction (SDG 1), quality education (SDG 4), health and well-being (SDG 3), and climate action (SDG 13). While education, financial inclusion, and policy support act as key enablers, gender-based discrimination and socio-cultural barriers hinder progress. This review underscores the need for integrated, gender-focused strategies in advancing sustainable development.

The adoption of digital technologies and integration into the networked economy have become essential for the advancement of modern societies, with the aim of enhancing economic development, quality of life, and achieving sustainable development goals (SDGs). In the face of Russia's ongoing war against Ukraine, the country is making efforts to embrace digital transformation and apply it to improve various aspects of society and the economy. This research aims to evaluate Ukraine's preparedness for a networked economy through an examination of the digital transformation's influence on its economy, quality of life, and advancement towards achieving the SDGs. The evaluation is based on several international indices and metrics, which highlight the country's strengths and areas that require improvement. The findings indicate that Ukraine has shown significant progress in the economic dimension owing to digital transformation. In 2023, Ukraine ranked 35th in the economy meter, a substantial improvement from 75th in 2019. However, the country faces challenges in high-tech production and exports, which limit its potential for transitioning to a high-tech industry. The Quality of Life meter showed improvement, with Ukraine moving from 82nd place in 2019 to 59th place in 2023, despite the adverse effects of the ongoing war. Conversely, the SDG Contribution dimension revealed a deteriorating trend, with Ukraine dropping from 43rd place in 2019 to 86th place in 2023, indicating insufficient progress towards sustainable development. The study concludes that, while Ukraine has made strides in integrating into the networked economy, significant efforts are required to overcome existing barriers. These include enhancing high-tech production and exports, reducing income inequality, improving quality of life, and better addressing urban pollution and clean energy generation to achieve the SDGs. Ukraine can achieve full integration into the global networked economy and ensure sustainable economic growth and social development by concentrating on these areas and incorporating innovative digital technologies. The continuous digitalization will play a crucial role in this process, driving economic development, enhancing the quality of life, and supporting the attainment of sustainable development goals. Moreover, further research and practical implementation of digital technologies are critical for advancing these objectives and enhancing societal resilience and innovation.

The present study is relevant in the context of the formation of the digital management concept Smart City 3.0 in the context of sustainable green development goals. These goals are to be achieved by combining digitalisation technologies with the principles of environmental sustainability. The purpose of the study is to determine the conditions for the formation of a digital concept of city management 3.0 in the context of sustainable development goals. Research objectives: 1) to study the concept of the digital concept of city management or Smart City and the conditions for its implementation; 2) to reveal the concept of Smart City 3.0 development in the context of foreign experience; 3) to reveal the essence and significance of the concept of environmental sustainability of smart Smart City 3.0 and the promotion of sustainable green development. The research methodology is a systematic, cross-cultural, interdisciplinary approach to understanding the complex impact of digital technologies on all aspects of sustainable development in digital green smart cities 3.0, in particular on the economic, social and environmental dimensions. It allows for the interaction between digital innovations and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to be considered in a single structure. The Smart City 3.0 concept views the city as an integrated ecosystem. This approach ensures efficient infrastructure management and also helps to reduce environmental impact, improve the quality of life of citizens, and engage them in decision-making. The article examines the pivotal elements of the Smart City 3.0 concept, encompassing the deployment of artificial intelligence, the Internet of Things (IoT), big data and automated systems to enhance the urban environment. It has been demonstrated that the implementation of these technologies can result in a notable reduction in energy consumption, the optimisation of traffic flows, a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions, and an enhancement of the environmental sustainability of the city. The study analyses the global exemplars of digital urban management, identifies opportunities and challenges for the development of Ukrainian cities in the direction of smart and green management, and offers recommendations for their adaptation based on global experience.

There is a synergistic potential between heritage and tourism which can offer a type of special interest tourism. However, despite the potential, it also brings out conflicts that result in negative socio-cultural impacts. Therefore, sustainability issues should be considered in developing heritage tourism. There are three dimensions incorporate in Sustainable Development, which are environment, economic, and social. As sustainable tourism was derived from sustainable development, thus the three dimensions of sustainable development are also applied in sustainable tourism development, especially in sustainable heritage tourism. Generally, the relationships between the three aspects of sustainable development are assumed to be compatible and mutually supportive. However, among the three dimensions of sustainable development, social sustainability is the least developed and often is proposed in relation to ecological or economic sustainability. There have been efforts to address and incorporate the social dimension of sustainability into standard setters, planners, and practitioners in many diverse areas such as forest certification, organic agriculture, conventional agriculture, urban and regional planning, corporate social and environmental management, reporting, and responsibility and fair-trade certification. However, there are still few studies of the social dimension in tourism development. To achieve sustainable tourism development, we cannot neglect the social dimension and only focuses on the economic and environmental dimensions. Social sustainability is not absolute or constant which has to be considered as a dynamic concept, which will change over time in a place. The purpose of this study exploring the key aspects of sustainable tourism development social dimension which is linked to theoretical and on how we should define and understand the fluid concept of the social dimension in tourism sustainability that can also be applied in heritage tourism. This research is using a systematic literature review to identify social dimension aspects or themes of sustainable development, sustainable tourism development, and sustainable heritage tourism. The preliminary findings show that there are few studies of the social dimension of sustainable tourism development. Therefore, it is rather difficult to obtain related articles of the social dimension, especially in the tourism subject fields. To this point, 160 works of literature were obtained and after screening, assessing, and selecting against the criteria for eligibility, there were 19 pieces of literature selected. Selected literature was reviewed to explore how the social dimension aspect in sustainable development debates is variously understood and how it constructs a social pillar. This research compiles a cross-disciplinary major theoretical concept from sustainable development, sustainable tourism development, heritage tourism, political sociology, economic theory, social theory, governance, and urban development to build a new multi-dimensional inquiry into the subject of social sustainability. Thus, this research gives a comprehension of the aspects of social sustainability which contributes to the improvement of the fluid concept of social tourism sustainability, especially in heritage tourism.

The study aims to assess the role of educational institutions in achieving sustainable development goals (SDGs) during wartime in Ukraine. The focus is on the education sector, namely, adapting educational strategies to contemporary challenges. The paper employs a content analysis of information published by ten leading pedagogical universities in Ukraine to assess their success in implementing sustainable development goals. Special attention is given to such sustainable development goals as quality education (SDG 4), gender equality (SDG 5), sustainable cities and communities (SDG 11), peace and justice (SDG 16), and partnerships for the goals (SDG 17). University strategies and publication activity on addressing global sustainable development challenges in the Scopus database were analyzed. The research results demonstrate the variability of university development strategies, which determines their uneven focus on certain aspects of sustainable development. The results highlight the need to improve management strategies, integrate sustainable development principles into educational programs, and strengthen international partnerships. Finally, the study offers recommendations for further adaptation of educational institutions to changing conditions to ensure the sustainable development of Ukrainian society.

The ever increasing applications and widespread use of digital Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) in every aspect of human interactions has become a dominant culture in the current post-modern society. Consequently, it is almost impossible for individuals who are e-illiterate to survive in the emerging smart cities and e-societies, in general. Sustainable development in any nation now rests largely on the level of mastery and use of ICT, as well as, the degree to which citizens are e-literate. The task of developing human potentials needed to power sustainable socioeconomic development as well as producing e-literate citizens, is a core function of the education industry. Here in lies the significance of education, especially teacher education in the achievement of sustainable development goals. This paper therefore, addresses the role of STEAM teacher education in the emerging smart cities, e- societies, and sustainable development goals. The concepts of smart cities, e-societies, Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and STEAM teacher education were discussed in the paper. The role of STEAM teacher education in the attainment of SDGs, was critically examined, and the paper calls for the restructuring of the Nigerian education system in line with the basic tenets of STEAM education as parts of measures to attain the SDGs in Nigeria.

Efforts have gone into the attainment of sustainable development goals globally. In spite of this, only a handful of results have been realised and the sustainable development goals now seem more out of reach than ever. Thus, global questions have arisen as to what effect university education contributes on the attainment of sustainable development goals. On this premise, this paper delves into the implications of sustainable development caused by the lack of intervention in the educational sector specifically in Nigeria. Education for sustainable development pertains to how sustainable development can be included in school curriculums to develop students’ mindset towards the attainment of sustainable development goals and thus the development of their immediate environment. The aim of this paper is to provide answers to the global questions on how to achieve sustainable development, particularly in the university educational system. A suitable literature review detailing the opinions of various authors on the topic will be made to analyse the varying situations this paper’s topic faces worldwide. The issues outlined in this work will be provided to shed light on the limitations to sustainable development, starting from the education sector. These include poverty, corruption in school administration, low priority for education and much more. This paper will be concluded using the key points from the body of work to throw more light on the takeaways a reader should keep in memory and practical use. The suggestions will be a response to the issues discussed and how best to tackle them realistically.

The article explores the impact of the social economy in Romania on the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the UN 2030 Agenda, considering the specific contributions of different types of social economy organizations in achieving sustainable results. These organizations include: economically active NGOs (operating under Government Ordinance No. 26/2000, Law No. 246/2005), licensed social enterprises (operating under the Social Economy Law No. 219/201) and licensed protected units (operating under Law 448/2006 on the protection and promotion of the rights of persons with disabilities). The paper aims to assess the contribution of these economic entities to sustainable development by identifying their specific activities that influence progress towards the achievement of the SDGs. Comparative analysis of different types of organizations helps to understand how each contributes to different aspects of sustainable development. The study was based on updated data from the Register of Associations and Foundations (published on the website of the Ministry of Justice), the National Register of Social Enterprises - RUES (published on the website of ANOFM) and the Register of Authorized Protected Units (published on the website of the National Authority for the Protection of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, Ministry of Labour and Social Solidarity). The results underline the direct contribution of social economy organizations to SDG 1 (Poverty Free), SDG 3 (Health and Well-being), SDG 4 (Quality Education), SDG 8 (Decent Work and Growth), SDG 10 (Reducing Inequalities) and SDG 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production). By reporting on the SDGs, organizations clarify their social impact, improve transparency and accountability, and at the same time increase their attractiveness to donors and partners. This approach facilitates the creation of strategic partnerships and fundraising, contributing to sustainable and effective solutions. The SDGs also provide a clear framework for monitoring progress, assessing long-term impact and supporting public policies that promote sustainable economic and social development. In conclusion, social economy organizations play a key role in transforming society and in achieving a significant number of Sustainable Development Goals, having a positive impact on communities, the environment and local economic development and are thus fundamental pillars of global sustainable development.

Sustainable development goals (SDGs) have become widespread as several countries have embraced them. The aim of this paper is to examine how innovative Nigerian university education can be achieved for sustainable development in Nigeria. Thus, the paper focuses on SDG 9 which is the goal of industry, innovation, and infrastructure. The world today is a digitalised world characterised by digital technology and infrastructure and it is necessary for 21st-century students to keep up with these modern-day digital practices. SDGs have been set up by the United Nations to improve the living standards of the people in the world despite differences in class, religion, economy, race, and other factors that usually cause division between people. These sustainable development goals can be achieved through university education which is known for imparting knowledge, values and discipline to students and shaping them to become future leaders. The roles of Nigerian universities in achieving innovative university education for sustainable development as well as the challenges impeding the advancement of innovative university education in Nigerian universities, were examined to include lack of technological knowledge, inadequate funding, inadequate e-learning, and ICT facilities, amongst others. It was concluded that there is a need for Nigerian universities to develop innovative infrastructure so as to achieve sustainable development in Nigerian universities, as this will enable students to compete with their peers globally. The way forward to these issues would be adequate funding, provision and proper maintenance of e-learning and internet facilities, and proper management of resources, amongst others.

UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) is an initiative of the United Nations to provide a technical and operational fit process for the achievement of sustainable development across the globe. Government and NGOs primarily cater to either of the aspects of sustainable development, but they lack infrastructure and capability. The public policies, though central for achieving these goals, are not adequate. The private sector should also be equally involved as they can drive innovation and growth in the nation. With the presence of the organisational and management expertise, the private sector can accelerate the attainment of these goals. This paper studies the role of businesses in attainment of SDG through corporate social responsibility (CSR) with ICT moderating this relationship. Since Information Communication Technologies (ICT) is considered to act as a catalyst for achieving these SDG, a mixed methodology is used in the study. The study identifies the firm size, profitability and industry sensitivity as factors influencing the CSR implementation in Indian ICT organisations and profitability, ICT and industry sensitivity to be influencing SDG. CSR need not be the only means for businesses to contribute to SDG. SDG can be considered as “corporate social opportunity” to obtain a competitive edge over other firms in the industry.

Background: it has been almost two that sustainable development has been a global agenda in a form or other. Nepal’s efforts to successful execu­tion of millennium development goals (MDGs) also opened new paradigms for the enactment of sustainable development goals (SDGs) planned for 2016-2030. The MDGs based on millennium declaration in the year 2000 by the United Nations (UN) has set foundation for the SDGs 2016-2030.
 Objectives: The primary purpose of this discourse was to establish the relationship between effective compliance of corporate governance and Nepal’s potential for the attainment of SDGs 2016-2030.
 Methods: Fully based on desk review performed in a qualitative setting of inquiry.
 Results: There is positive relationship between effective compliance of corporate governance (CG) and potential for the attainment of SDGs 2016-2030 in changing context of Nepal. Further, this paper highlights the gen­eral national scenarios, issues, challenges and ways forward in governing sustainable corporate development in Nepal to contribute the nation in its mission to attainment of sustainable development goals 2016-2030.
 Conclusions: Effective compliance of corporate governance serves as an instrumental pre-requisite for enhancing national potential to achieve Ne­pal’s national shared goals on SDG.
 Implications: Nepal needs immediate goals diffusion with appropriate re­sources allocation for each participant of sustainable development.

Sustainable development issues rarely become a discussion in classroom settings. Teachers tend to have limited understanding and negative attitudes regarding sustainability issues. Moreover, teachers aware of the importance of sustainable development usually struggle to find resources to discuss topics in the classroom. Not only do sustainability issues seem to be simplified in the textbooks, but the interconnection between subjects regarding sustainable development issues is minimal. Picturebooks can greatly nurture students’ awareness of sustainable development issues. Picturebooks can nurture students’ self-awareness in educational settings and help them develop a positive self-identity. The study evaluates and analyzes possible open-accessed resources for teaching Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in the classroom. The analyzed resources are digital picturebooks provided by Room to Read at literacycloud.org website. The framework used for categorization is adopted from the 17 SDGs established by the United Nations in 2015. The findings show that the sustainable development themes are represented in the picturebooks under analysis to a reasonable extent. Among the 17 SDGs, the most frequent themes that appeared in the picturebooks are SDG 4, Quality Education (17%), SDG 5, Gender Equality (14%), SDG 15, Life on Land (14%), SDG 10, Reduced Inequalities (12%), and SDG 11 Sustainable Cities and Communities (10%). However, themes related to SDG 1, No Poverty, SDG 7, Affordable and Clean Energy, SDG 13 Climate Action, and SDG 17 Partnerships for the Goals are hardly found in the picturebooks. The study findings can become a recommendation for teachers to teach and promote awareness of sustainable development in the classroom.

Education is the means to take the sustainable development goals forward. Sustainable future cannot be built with out the strong foundation of education. With the challenges and concerns grappling across the globe, engineers have a big role to play, especially with regard to the implementation and attainment of sustainable development goals. This study attempts to measure the knowledge level of engineering students regarding sustainability and UN Sustainable development goals. This study also aims to measure the understanding and perception of students understanding towards importance of SDG in their every day life. As our country has a population that is mostly from rural backgrounds, the study also attempted to analyze if there is difference between rural and urban students’ level of understanding on sustainable development goals. Finally, the paper attempts to measure student’s willingness to learn sustainability concepts as a part of their curriculum. The study followed a descriptive research method. Data for the study was collected from 250 engineering students from west Tamilnadu comprising of 7 states. This region also is the hub for engineering education in the state. The survey was developed based on a thorough literature survey and standardized instruments were identified and administered through online mode. The result of the study indicates that the knowledge levels on SDG is low among the students. The understanding and importance of goals to the everyday life was found to be significant. The study also revealed that rural and urban students differ in 5 SDG’s that pertain to their functioning. The results also indicate that majority of the students were willing to be involved in the SDG implementation and interested in having them in their curriculum. Keywords — Knowledge on Sustainability, Understanding of Sustainable Development Goals, Importance, Inclusion of SDG in Engineering Curriculum