Ecological Sustainability Research Articles

Implicit ecological considerations on Paris Agreement

The object of this study is the structure of the Paris Agreement on the attribution of transparency, the Nationally Determined Contributions, support for the economy and reduction of the emission of polluting gases with consequences of environmental constitutionalism in the Risk Society. The method used to approach is the inductive, through the investigation of bibliographies, rules and laws. The Paris Agreement has not favored mitigation by the international cooperation, although it does offer financing strategies for development projects. Sophisticating documents is not showing the ecological sustainability of human rights as a relationship between all forms of life. Everyone involved in this process needs to have a true and cohesive democratic participation, favoring a new conscience, access to information, popular participation in legislative processes, in decision making and access to environmental justice strengthen the environmental preservation in all its levels.

The influence of selected grain size fractions of coal fly ash on properties of clay-cement mortars used for the flood levees construction

This study examines the influence of different grain size fractions of coal fly ash on the properties of clay-cement mortars used in flood levee construction. Dry aerodynamic separation and mesh sieving were used to obtain ultrafine, fine, and medium fractions of high-calcium and silica fly ash. The experimental results reveal that the rheological properties of fresh mortars are significantly influenced by these fractions. High-calcium fly ash mortars exhibit high reactivity and rapid increase in viscosity, with finer fractions showing the highest reactivity. Silica ashes show increased reactivity in the later stages of suspension hardening. Their spherical shape contributes to reducing internal friction during flow in initial technological operations. Furthermore, the compressive strength of hardened mortars improves as the particle size decreases for both ashes, resulting in a dense and uniform microstructure. The separation and fractionation of fly ashes contribute to the obtaining of fractions that influence the parameters of clay-cement suspension application on different scales. The results show the potential benefits of ash separation, which can bring advantages in terms of economic viability, engineering performance, and ecological sustainability.

Human impact on the scenic quality of coastal dunes: A study of the central Caribbean coast of Colombia

This paper provides a scenic assessment of 19 dune sites using the Dune Scenery Evaluation System (DSES). The DSES assesses values from a checklist of 18 physical and 8 human parameters and allows the calculation of a scenic evaluation index (D Value), which classifies D sites into five classes: Class I, usually natural areas of top scenic characteristics, to Class V, poor scenic dune areas with a greater impact of human interventions. Our findings reveal a predominance of coastal dune systems falling into middle to lower scenic quality classes (III, IV, and V), indicating considerable degradation due to intense human activities. Notably, these activities have adversely impacted the structural integrity and scenic value of these dunes, leading to a loss of biodiversity and increased vulnerability to natural hazards. This paper highlights the critical need for integrated coastal management strategies that balance conservation with sustainable development. Furthermore, our study proposes the enhancement of existing regulatory frameworks, community engagement in conservation efforts, and the implementation of ecological restoration projects aimed at reversing the degradation and restoring the ecological and scenic value of these vital landscapes. The findings underline the potential of using scenic quality as an ecological indicator to guide conservation and management practices, ensuring the preservation of coastal dunes, which are essential for ecological sustainability and local economic benefits. This multidisciplinary approach not only enriches our understanding of the complex interactions within dune ecosystems but also sets a precedent for future research and policymaking in coastal zone management.

An integrated framework for measuring sustainable rural development towards the SDGs

Rural areas are essential for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), necessitating the evaluation of rural sustainability transitions. A precondition for evaluating sustainable rural development is to adapt the SDGs to rural contexts while maintaining global comparability. Besides, tradeoff relationships among evaluation indicators should be captured to overcome the limitations of traditional weighting aggregation methods. In this study, we propose an integrated framework that incorporates the SDGs into a composite indicator system for assessing sustainable rural development. Our framework quantifies these indicators using the index thresholds outlined in the SDGs dashboard, along with customized rules that reflectrural contexts. Furthermore, we employ the Pareto ranking approach to evaluate the sustainable development potentials of rural areas regarding tradeoff relationships among different indicators. In a case study of Zhaoyuan City, China, our findings indicate that only 20 % of the sustainable development goals are achieved on average across all indicator dimensions. The economic and social dimensions are closer to their ideal targets and more compatible with each other, while the ecological dimension remains relatively unsustainable. Sustainable rural development depends primarily on natural resource endowment, ecological sustainability, and residential sustainability of villages. Understanding tradeoff relationships among different indicators enables us to better adapt rural policies to the specific contexts of villages.

Spatio-temporal interplay between ecosystem services and urbanization in the Yangtze River Economic Belt: A new perspective for considering the scarcity effect

The expeditious trajectory of urbanization has profound ramifications on the configuration and functioning of the natural milieu. Given the constrained opulence of natural capital and its indispensable bestowal of ecosystem services in different regions, meticulous contemplation of the relationship between urbanization and the ecosystem service scarcity value (ESSV) while formulating decisions is imperative. This study focuses on the Yangtze River Economic Belt (YREB), where ESSV is quantified by combining the dynamic changes in market supply and demand factors. The influence of supply and demand changes on the ESSV is discussed and analyzed in four scenarios. Subsequently, a multidimensional urbanization comprehensive evaluation index system was established to explore the spatiotemporal interactive response mode between ESSV and urbanization. Our findings manifest a notably augmented ESSV in the YREB from 1990 to 2020, particularly prominent between 2000 and 2010. Moreover, the growth in public goods services outpaced that in private goods services within the same period. Demand-driven scarcity has emerged as the foremost determinant of ESSV. Urbanization levels gradually increased from 1990 to 2020, with a uniform allocation of heightened ESSV and urbanization throughout the region. The urbanization level of YREB, as a whole, exhibited conspicuous spatial heterogeneity, with the downstream region significantly surpassing the middle and upper reaches, and the downstream Yangtze River Delta city cluster and the middle reaches of the Chengdu-Chongqing city cluster notably outpacing that in the surrounding region. The coupling coordination degree (CCD) between the ESSV and urbanization in the YREB develops in a harmonious direction during the study period, accompanied by palpable spatial disparities. The area of unbalanced development gradually decreased, and the area proportion of the coordinated development type of ESSV and urbanization increased continuously. Overall, this study elucidates regional disparities in the reciprocal relationship between the ESSV and urbanization in the YREB, thereby unveiling the extent of incongruity between regional urbanization and the ecosystem. It serves to identify the juncture at which ecological sustainability and urbanization converge harmoniously, thus offering novel insights in achieving comprehensive, high-caliber, and synchronized development in the YREB.

Patch shape, connectivity and functional groups moderate the responses of bird diversity to agricultural diversification — A meta-analysis

Agricultural expansion and intensification pose significant threats to global biodiversity. However, the conservation of agricultural biodiversity is essential for harmonizing agricultural production with ecological sustainability. Agricultural diversification can mitigate the negative impacts of agriculture on ecosystem functioning and biodiversity. Characteristics of the broader landscape may also play an important moderating role in diversified agricultural landscapes, but are not fully solved. To bridge this gap, we conducted a meta-analysis of peer-reviewed studies to compare bird abundance and species richness in diversified agricultural landscapes compared to those in simplified farmlands and natural landscapes. We also explored the moderating role of species functional groups and 11 metrics of landscape composition, configuration and heterogeneity. We found a generally positive effect of perimeter-to-area ratio of farmland patches, connectivity within farmland patches, and connectivity within patches of natural and semi-natural habitats on bird abundance and species richness. Responses to other landscape metrics were less consistent. For pollinators, the abundance was higher in diversified agricultural landscapes compared to control groups, and particularly when compared to natural landscapes. For natural enemies, the species richness was significantly lower in diversified agricultural landscapes than in natural landscapes, while their abundance was not. The overall abundance and species richness of granivores and frugivores in diversified agricultural landscapes were comparable to those in control landscapes. These results indicated landscape type of control groups, species functional groups, and their interactions had consistent impacts on the responses of bird diversity. We found a vital role of farmland patch shape and connectivity within farmland and habitat patches for bird conservation in diversified agricultural landscapes, which has been rarely reported in previous studies. These insights underscore the need for policymakers and managers to develop farmland management and planning strategies at multiple scales to fulfill growing human demands while achieving biodiversity conservation objectives.

Safe and just housing for all–Towards establishing a sustainable consumption corridor for housing

This paper introduces a sustainable consumption corridor (SCC) framework designed to define a ‘safe’ and ‘just’ space for housing provisioning, integrating social equity with ecological sustainability in the housing sector. It proposes a comprehensive set of ecological ceilings and social foundations, providing actionable threshold indicators for measuring and guiding sustainable housing practices. Through the SCC, this work addresses the pressing socio-ecological challenges the housing sector faces, especially the need to balance housing expansion with environmental limits. In doing so, this work provides a platform to discuss the consumption-based versus absolute limits for social and ecological thresholds, the need to integrate social and environmental thresholds, and the need to model the provisioning system dynamics which in turn influence the social and environmental performance of housing provisioning systems. This provisioning includes both the physical and political economic factors which influence these outcomes. The study sets the stage for future empirical research and the refinement of indicators that can be adapted across different contexts to ensure relevance and applicability. The ultimate aim promote policies to reconfigure housing provisioning systems to meet human needs within the planetary boundaries.

Knowledge and practices of vegetable consumption in Accra and greater Lomé: nutritional, health and environmental sustainability

In Accra and Greater Lomé, research into the harmful effects of food transitions focuses scarcely on the levels of knowledge and good practices (LKGP) of vegetable consumers. However, these foods play a key role in the nutritional, health, socio-economic and ecological sustainability of cities. This research aims to assess the health, nutritional, ecological and socio-economic sustainability of LKGP linked to vegetable consumption in these conurbations. A quantified multi-criteria evaluation approach was adopted. The respondents (394), selected via judgmental sampling, were equally distributed between the two cities. Data were collected using a Food Frequency Questionnaire administered by Kobocollect. The overall average rate of good vegetable consumption knowledge and practices in Accra and Greater Lomé is low (37.43%). This result stems from the low LKGP for daily vegetable consumption (24.62%), their inclusion in the main daily meals (33.50%) and consideration of their nutritional composition (30.86%). The target population is unaware of the health, nutritional and ecological drawbacks of poorly preserved vegetables (66.93%) and adopts inappropriate waste management practices when handling them (65.91%). The average proportions of access to vegetable procurement technology (47.08%) and sustainable food education (11.29%) were also low. The research results, unfavorable to the achievement of the SDGs in Accra and Greater Lomé, call for an inclusive, integrated and continuous sustainable food education program.

Assessing priorities for food systems transformation among UK alternative actors

Abstract Food systems actors are key enablers or barriers to transformation toward social and ecological sustainability. We mapped 1422 UK food system actors across different sub-sectors, scales, organisational levels, and specialisms. We then surveyed the priorities for transformation (n = 1190 text responses) among a cross-section of this group (n = 372) and conducted quantitative and qualitative thematic analysis. Of the 58 identified priorities, most frequent were those regarding agroecological, organic and regenerative production, the localisation of food systems, reducing animal sourced foods and dietary change, and addressing power relations. Less frequent were those related to technology and innovation. We highlight potential positive and negative outcomes of these priorities and compare results with England’s Food Strategy White Paper and recommendations from global food systems reports. We close by offering a concrete set of 15 priorities for food systems transformation to be taken forward by policy and practice.

Sustainable Development Interaction between Humans and the Interior Architecture

This research explores the evolution of sustainability in interior architectural environments by analysing four distinct settings: Egyptian, African, Japanese, and Chinese. These environments were chosen due to their climatic similarities and shared characteristics. The study examines representative dwelling models from each environment to understand how advanced sustainability can be tailored to each context. The research follows a structured approach, beginning with analysing human-environment interactions and the influence of culture on these dynamics. It delves into the evolution of interior architecture through various historical stages, considering factors like urban expansion, globalization, contemporary design, and technological advancements. The study also looks at the economic and social changes that have shaped interior architecture in these diverse environments. By creating a line graph illustrating these developments, the research highlights the progression of interior architecture across different historical periods. The findings suggest that sustainable development in interior architecture can be enhanced by drawing inspiration from ancient cultures. Traditional design elements, such as natural materials, symbolic colours, and energy-efficient layouts, offer valuable lessons for contemporary architects and designers. By integrating these time-tested techniques, modern interior architecture can achieve a balance between cultural heritage preservation and ecological sustainability, leading to designs that are harmonious with the environment.

Exploring commoning in the anthropocene. Introducing the concept of the election commons as a response to socio-ecological crisis. The case of Skouries, Greece

The Anthropocene epoch challenges our planet’s ecological sustainability and its relationship with democratic processes. The prioritization of economic growth and capital accumulation within most democratic organizations and institutions encourages limitless economic expansion while ignoring or disregarding the earth’s ecological vulnerability in multiple crises (economic, social, ecological). Commoning presents an alternative political strategy to respond to these crises, particularly when it is based on transformative practices of collective care. In this paper, we investigate how an anti-mining community in Skouries, Greece, opposes the imposition of a large-scale mining project by forming a commons initiative. We introduce the concept of election commons, which was designed to allow the anti-mining community to claim institutional power at a local level. This concept is argued to provide valuable insights into how collective care sets the foundations for the renewal of democracy, allowing an alternative relation to the environment and playing a strategic role in connecting different geographical scales of politics. We claim that commoning can enable a more fitting political strategy for the Anthropocene while highlighting the case of decision-making at a national and international level benefiting from local politics.

Evaluating Sustainable Digitalization: A Carbon-Aware Framework for Enhancing Eco-Friendly Business Process Reengineering

In an era where sustainability is paramount, understanding the environmental impact of digitalizing business processes is critical. Despite the growing emphasis on sustainable practices, there is a lack of comprehensive methodologies to evaluate how digitalization impacts environmental sustainability compared to traditional processes. This paper introduces a carbon-aware methodological framework specifically designed to assess the sustainability of business process reengineering through digitalization. The Digital Green framework quantitatively analyzes the environmental costs associated with digital transformation, ensuring that truly sustainable digitalization results in lower resource consumption relative to the complexity of the process being digitalized. To demonstrate its effectiveness, the framework was applied to a case study involving the reengineering of an administrative process at a small university in southern Italy. The case study highlighted the framework’s ability to quantify the environmental benefits or detriments of digital transformation, thus guiding organizations toward more sustainable digital practices. This research contributes to the field by offering a concrete tool for aligning digitalization efforts with ecological sustainability, and by paving the way for integration with initiatives such as the Green Software Foundation’s Software Carbon Intensity (SCI) specifications.

Evaluating the influence of Nano-GO concrete pavement mechanical properties on road performance and traffic safety using ANN-GA and PSO techniques

The burgeoning demand for durable and eco-friendly road infrastructure necessitates the exploration of innovative materials and methodologies. This study investigates the potential of Graphene Oxide (GO), a nano-material known for its exceptional dispersibility and mechanical reinforcement capabilities, to enhance the sustainability and durability of concrete pavements. Leveraging the synergy between advanced artificial intelligence techniques—Artificial Neural Networks (ANN), Genetic Algorithms (GA), and Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO)—it is aimed to delve into the intricate effects of Nano-GO on concrete's mechanical properties. The empirical analysis, underpinned by a comparative evaluation of ANN-GA and ANN-PSO models, reveals that the ANN-GA model excels with a minimal forecast error of 2.73%, underscoring its efficacy in capturing the nuanced interactions between GO and cementitious materials. An optimal concentration is identified through meticulous experimentation across varied Nano-GO dosages that amplify concrete's compressive, flexural, and tensile strengths without compromising workability. This optimal dosage enhances the initial strength significantly, and positions GO as a cornerstone for next-generation premium-grade pavement concretes. The findings advocate for the further exploration and eventual integration of GO in road construction projects, aiming to bolster ecological sustainability and propel the adoption of a circular economy in infrastructure development.

Uncovering time-, frequency- and quantile-based impacts of energy, fiscal policy instruments, and economic growth on sustainable development

ABSTRACT Hampering environmental deterioration and limiting global warming has become a significant task for policymakers at the global level in order to achieve sustainable development. Dozens of studies have questioned various policy instruments, but the role of fiscal policy instruments for sustainable development has not yet been extensively examined. Therefore, this study aims to investigate the impact of fiscal policy tools, economic development, and renewable energy (REN) utilization on sustainable development, represented by the load capacity factor (LCF). The study focuses on Germany from 1995Q1 to 2021Q4 using novel wavelet- and quantile-based estimation methods. The empirical evidence shows a time- and frequency-based dependency between fiscal policy tools, economic growth, REN utilization, and sustainable development. Economic growth and REN utilization enhance sustainable development through their positive impacts, especially at higher quantiles. The potential positive impact of REN utilization offers hope for ensuring sustainable development and preserving the ecology for the well-being of future generations. Despite the limited positive impact of a specific tax-based fiscal policy instrument, the overall effect of tax-based policy instruments on sustainable development is negative across all quantiles. Protection-based fiscal policy instruments, namely environmental protection expenditures, promote ecological sustainability in higher quantiles. These findings have significant implications regarding ensuring a sustainable future for German policymakers. In this regard, German policymakers should not rely on tax-based fiscal policies to improve ecological sustainability. Instead, they should consider promoting ecological protection expenditures to strengthen sustainable development.

Optimization and characterization of a biphasic solvent system for vinegar residue pretreatment: Enhanced fractionation efficiency, propionic acid production, and sustainability

This study introduces a novel biphasic solvent system composed of phenoxyethanol and p-Toluenesulfonic acid (p-TsOH) for the pretreatment of vinegar residue (VR). The system achieves high cellulose retention (80.15 %) and effective removal of hemicellulose (97.10 %) and lignin (88.31 %) under mild conditions (127°C, 1.9 h). Structural changes in pretreated VR were analyzed, revealing significant improvements in enzymatic hydrolysis yield, achieving nearly 90 % conversion.The hydrolysate supports fermentation by Acidpropionibacterium jensenii, leading to efficient propionic acid production. The sugar-to-acid conversion rate of 28.15 % highlights the hydrolysate’s quality for lignocellulosic biotransformation. Density functional theory and molecular dynamics simulations confirm stable lignin interactions in the system, driven by hydrogen bonding, van der Waals forces, and π-π stacking, which promote lignin removal. Recycling phenoxyethanol over four cycles maintains high cellulose digestibility (84–95 %) and consistent delignification rates (88–89 %). The mass balance validated the efficient fractionation of biomass. A comprehensive analysis was conducted on the sustainability, safety, and environmental impact of the system. In conclusion, this study presents a novel biphasic solvent system that effectively fractions biomass, enhances solvent recovery, and reduces environmental impact. This system demonstrates broad applicability to different lignocellulosic biomasses, contributing to both economic and ecological sustainability.

The dynamic role of digital financial inclusion, sustainable energy transition, and governance in achieving global ecological sustainability

AbstractA global surge in socio‐economic activities is putting a massive burden on ecological balance, which has become one of the major challenges worldwide. Yet, it is complicated for national and international authorities to find eco‐friendly and interlinked socio‐economic developments due to a lack of empirical evidence. In this era of digitalization, digital financial inclusion has an ability to create a balance among economy, ecology, and society by conserving natural resources. Meanwhile, it minimizes ecological burden by promoting sustainable energy transition at all societal levels, which is the main agenda of the United Nations (UN) Climate Change 28th Conference of Parties (UN‐COP28). Focusing on these intentions, this research aims to explore the dynamic influence of digital financial inclusion (DFI), sustainable energy transition (SET), and governance (GOV) on global ecological footprints (EFT) by taking a sample of 121 nations within a timeframe of 2003–2022. This study utilizes a two‐step system generalized method of moments (GMM) and Driscoll–Kraay (D–K) regression as prime and robust empirical techniques, respectively. The outcomes reveal that DFI significantly reduces EFT worldwide and upper‐middle‐income samples; however, it significantly enhances EFT in high‐income nations. While DFI has a negative and insignificant connection with EFT in lower‐middle and low‐income countries. Moreover, SET significantly declines EFT in all categories, and mixed outcomes are found for the linkage between GOV and EFT. Some vital policy implications for ecological sustainability are also provided in this research work.

Risk-averse coordinated operation of hydrogen-integrated energy hubs with seasonal energy storage

Addressing seasonal fluctuations and supply–demand mismatches in renewable energy is vital for sustainable multi-energy hubs. Moreover, current research has limitations in achieving economic efficiency, flexibility, security, and sustainability simultaneously. Therefore, this study leverages hydrogen storage’s long-term flexibility, proposing an integrated operational strategy to manage these fluctuations and optimize green energy utilization. This novel tertiary hub hydrogen-based integrated energy system integrates producers, prosumers, and consumers, optimizing ecological and economic sustainability via demand response programs and carbon capture, utilization, and storage systems. Utilizing risk-averse stochastic optimization for day-ahead and real-time operations, it evaluates dispatch decisions’ impact on risk costs and coupling efficiency. This study’s mixed-integer linear programming model, solved using CPLEX in GAMS, ensures a globally optimal solution. Key findings include an 86.15% cost-saving return through multi-energy storage and hub coordination, along with a 5.27% decrease in operating expenses and an 8.13% drop in emissions. In addition, adjusting the risk level parameter by 10% leads to a 14.76% variance in risk cost, bolstering client confidence in the model’s efficacy and sustainability.

Tailor-made ammonia nitrogen risk management with machine learning models for aquatic environments in the Mainland of China

Efficient management of pollutant risks in water bodies is crucial for public health and aquatic ecosystem sustainability. However, the toxicities of pollutants, such as ammonia nitrogen (NH3-N), are often affected by multiple water quality factors, including the pH and water temperature. Extensive spatial and temporal variability in these factors hinders tailor-made management of risk. This study used high-frequency monitoring data collected over 1 year to evaluate the long-term NH3-N risk in China’s aquatic ecosystems. High accuracy and interpretability were achieved by decomposing NH3-N risk into the contributions of key influencing factors using random forest models and Shapley Additive Explanations. Two distinct types of NH3-N risk hotspots were identified across 18 cities: 15 cities with high NH3-N concentrations and 3 cities with low environmental carrying capacity due to high pH levels or elevated water temperatures. For the former, rapid NH3-N abatement measures are necessary to bring NH3-N concentrations back below the environmental capacity. For the latter, it is recommended that NH3-N related industries are relocated to regions with high environmental capacities because fragile environments are not suitable for such industries. Importantly, this study investigated methods for attributing pollutant risks in the context of non-linear influencing factors, and the risk of NH3-N was predicted to increase by 6.1 % by the end of 2100 in the context of increasing temperatures under the SSP 2–4.5 scenario. The methodology is also adaptable and suitable for integration into global ecosystem risk management efforts to balance development and aquatic ecological sustainability.

Employment and Energy

At the Global Business Forum in Goa in October 2015, Dr. Romesh Wadhwani highlighted a significant gap in India's economic strategy: while GDP growth surged by 54% in recent years, employment in the organized sector grew by a mere 3%. Projecting into the future, he warned that even a 100% increase in GDP might only yield a 6% rise in employment, emphasizing the need for a focus on creating meaningful job opportunities to prevent social instability and enhance well-being. Dr. Wadhwani proposed several solutions, including expanding vocational training, restructuring education to include vocational streams from high school, and fostering self-employment and entrepreneurship. However, an examination of India's current skill development policies reveals a lack of focus on labor mobility and the impact of automation and energy consumption on job creation. The historical relationship between GDP growth and energy use shows that increased industrial productivity often comes at the expense of job creation due to heightened automation and energy consumption. This trend, combined with the environmental impact of fossil fuel reliance, underscores the limitations of the current growth model. To address these issues, this paper suggests shifting towards a "restoration economy" model. By focusing on low-energy, high-employment jobs in environmental and ecosystem restoration, India can create significant employment opportunities while also contributing to ecological sustainability. Investing in restoration projects and leveraging existing funding programs, such as MG-NREGA, can provide a dual benefit: addressing employment challenges and rebuilding degraded environments. This approach offers a more balanced and sustainable path forward for India's economic and social development

Ecological care in nursing practice: a Walker and Avant concept analysis

BackgroundToday, the human population faces an increasing array of emerging environmental challenges. Despite its importance, nurses often neglect ecological issues, which can compromise patient health. While the ecological nursing perspective has the potential to lead to innovative care approaches that benefit patients, the nursing profession, and the environment, the concept of ecological care lacks a clear definition and its dimensions remain unclear. This study aimed to analyze and clarify the concept of ‘ecological care’ in the nursing discipline.MethodsWalker and Avant’s analysis method was used to identify descriptions, antecedents, consequences, and empirical referents of the concept of ‘ecological care’ in nursing. We searched the databases (PubMed, Scopus, PsycINFO, CINAHL, ERIC, SID, and IranDoc) using the keywords “ecological,” “nurse,” and “nursing” using Boolean operators “AND” and “OR” in the title and abstract fields both in English and Persian to identify relevant literature on ecological care in nursing.ResultsEcological care, as a multidimensional concept, encompasses ecological thinking, ecological attitude, ecological awareness, ecological sensitivity, and ecological literacy. This entails the optimal utilization of environmental factors to provide patients with high-quality care and preserve ecological sustainability through environmentally friendly behaviors.ConclusionsThe findings highlight the need to elucidate, endorse, and solidify ecological thinking in all aspects of nursing care including nursing management, education, and research, which can lead to improved care quality, patient safety, and sustainability. Within this framework, nursing educators could play an essential role in integrating ecological care into nursing education. The study emphasizes the need to integrate ecological thinking into all aspects of nursing.