Environmental Sustainability Challenges Research Articles

Data Centers and Green Energy: Paving the Way for a Sustainable Digital Future

As Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) reach unprecedented heights of global influence, the USA stands as a leader with 91.8% of its residents connected to the internet. The interconnection of sectors like healthcare, finance, social media, and governance through the internet results in an immense volume of data, stored and managed globally within Data Centers. The surge in Data Centers in the USA, driven by a 4.12% CAGR and expanding service providers, prompts a critical examination of their environmental impact. Currently, nearly 2% of the USA's total energy production is attributed to Data Centers, predominantly reliant on conventional energy sources. This research explores the potential transition of Data Centers to green energy sources, investigating the feasibility of taking them off the grid. By aligning internet user growth, Data Center functionalities, and the USA's renewable energy capacity, the study aims to unravel the environmental implications and sustainability challenges faced by the Data Center industry. Through an in-depth analysis of key point indicators for Data Center sustainability and leveraging various renewable resources, the research assesses the viability of supporting Data Centers with green energy in the USA. The findings delve into predictions for renewable energy production, offering insights into aligning energy consumption patterns with sustainable practices for a greener digital future.

Photocatalytic decomposition of textile dyeing effluents using TiO2, ZnO, and Fe2O3 catalysts

Textile dyeing industries are facing the challenge of environmental sustainability due to the discharge of large volumes of textile dyeing effluents containing residual reactive dyes and chemicals. Hence, it is imperative to treat the discharged effluents before releasing them into the environment. The study aimed to degrade textile dyeing effluent using some selected catalysts. The study collected some effluent samples from the Bangladesh Small and Cottage Industries Corporation (BICIC) of Rajshahi, and were subjected to photocatalytic decomposition using three catalysts such as TiO2, ZnO, and Fe2O3. It considered several operational parameters, including irradiation time, catalyst concentration, pH, and dose of the oxidizing agent for optimizing the color removal efficiency. Besides, the kinetics and the mineralization of the photocatalytic decomposition reactions were examined. The study results showed that the maximum 81.6% decomposition was achieved using ZnO catalyst at the optimized conditions. It also showed that TOC and COD were reduced by about 97.9% and 43.53%, respectively. Kinetics study of the degradation process of the effluents showed pseudo-first-order reactions indicating the potentiality of the catalysts. The study observed that the ZnO is suitable for photocatalytic degradation in the textile dye effluents treatment.

Transforming lives and societies through education and research at DCU

Dublin City University identifies Sustainability as a core theme underpinning all of the University’s activities and strategic goals [1]. DCU is committed to ensuring that all graduates understand the challenges of environmental sustainability and have the sustainability competencies that will equip them to be global citizens, inspired and empowered to take the actions necessary for a sustainable future. DCU undertakes sustainability focused research and works to demonstrate, where feasible, these sustainable solutions within our Living Lab campuses. DCU also works with enterprise and societal communities to engage, inform and support these communities on our joint sustainable journey.Keyword: Sustainability Challenges, Education for Sustainable Development, Environmental Sustainability

Environmental perspectives on the impacts of trade and natural resources on renewable energy utilization in Sub-Sahara Africa: Accounting for FDI, income, and urbanization trends

Trade has remained a pivotal ingredient to the economic prosperity of many resources rich Sub-Sahara African (SSA) states over the years. However, an examination of the environmental aspects of trading activities amidst vast natural resources is critical to positioning Sub-Sahara African states on environmental sustainability path in their quest for economic prosperity. Unlike most extant studies that only focused on fossil energy facets of energy consumption, this study provides a synthesis of the impacts of trade and natural resources on renewable energy consumption in a bid to address environmental sustainability challenges in the SSA region. The empirical dissection hinges on the ARDL approach for available renewable energy consumption data while incorporating other relevant factors like the SSA's income level, FDI, and urbanization trends among the countries. From the results, the duo of openness to trade and urbanization posits significant detrimental impacts on the level of renewable energy consumption in the SSA region, while the impacts created by resources rent on renewable energy consumption level were insignificant. Conversely, a rise in income level alongside higher FDI was observed to be leading to a significant positive effect on renewable energy utilization with estimated long-run elasticity of ∼0.126 and ∼0.105 respectively. This implies that poverty reduction and foreign capital inflow can significantly boost the adoption and use of renewables in the SSA. As such, policy frameworks to harness essential FDI inflow for environmental benefits in view of clean energy consumption amidst vast resources were highlighted for the SSA authorities, while also emphasizing the need to guide against potential regional pollution haven tendencies.

Workplace commute in Shanghai under post-pandemic rehabilitation: Health and fitness problems in planning and sustainability challenges

The COVID-19 has changed people’s lifestyle from many aspects such as the way people commute and their attention to health and fitness, and environmental problems. This report is to understand how residents in Shanghai commute with difficulties and the environmental sustainability challenges and health issues in the post-pandemic rehabilitation background. Taking educational institution in Shanghai as example, this study applied big data techniques with kernel density, Ripley’s K(d) function and 2SFCA analysis to identify the spatial characteristics and accessibility of different institution types under different travel modes such as walking. The results show that the distribution is extremely uneven in Shanghai, area with extreme concentration is observed. In case of educational workplace, although the proportion of street-town with moderate or higher accessibility reached 74.34%, such proportion is only 41.01% for walking mode. Current planning has skewed commuting around educational sites towards more carbon-intensive travel patterns and not conducive for keeping fit and health. Besides, households located in the districts of Chongming, Qingpu and Jinshan commute much longer than those in other regions. Long commute time and less exercise may lead to the wider spread of disease and it’s harmful to residents’ health and sustainable living. In summary, the findings of this paper regarding commuting to educational sites provide a clearer understanding of the health and sustainability challenges for policymakers.

Farmers’ Knowledge and Acceptance of Microalgae in Almería Greenhouse Horticulture

Almería horticulture in SE Spain hosts the largest concentration of greenhouses in the world and faces important environmental sustainability challenges. Microalgae-derived applications are efficient nature-based solutions as they are used for wastewater regeneration or as biostimulants and biopesticides in agriculture. However, farmers’ knowledge and acceptance of microalgae-derived applications remain unknown, which is a major barrier to its commercialization. This study explores current farmers’ knowledge and acceptance of microalgae in Almería horticulture. Results revealed that there exists a significant lack of knowledge regarding the use of microalgae agricultural-based applications. Over sixty percent of farmers indicated that microalgae can have beneficial uses in agriculture, such as biostimulants or biofertilizers. However, although seventy percent of farmers expressed their willingness to use them, results also showed that only 32% of farmers using microalgae-derived applications have obtained satisfactory results. We call the urgent need for new communication strategies based on transdisciplinary approaches that increase farmers’ knowledge around the multiple microalgae-derived products and applications in agriculture.

Vanadium Carbide Film Formed through Molten Salt Electrolysis of Sodium Metavanadate for Efficient Electrocatalytic Hydrogen Evolution

The utilization of non-precious electrocatalysts is key-enabling to mitigate challenges in energy and environmental sustainability. Herein, we report a vanadium carbide (VC) film generated from molten salt electrolysis of sodium metavanadate (NaVO3) on carbon cloth cathode. The VC forms on carbon cloth by spontaneous thermal nucleation and electrochemical growth. The molten salt electrolysis enhances the adhesion and electronic interaction of VC films with carbon cloth, resulting in an electrocatalytic activity for hydrogen evolution with a low overpotential (97 mV) at 10 mA cm−2 and long-lasting stability (50 h) in acidic media. This work provides a molten salt electrolysis integrating preparation of electrocatalysts and value-added utilization of vanadium slag.

Prospects of dietary seaweeds and their bioactive compounds in sustainable poultry production systems: A symphony of good things?

Modern poultry production systems face numerous economic, environmental, and social sustainability challenges that threaten their viability and acceptability as a major source of animal protein. As scientists and producers scramble to find cost-effective and socially acceptable solutions to these challenges, the dietary use of marine macroalgae (seaweeds) could be an ingenious option. Indeed, the incredible array of nutritive and bioactive compounds present in these macroscopic marine organisms can be exploited as part of sustainable poultry production systems of the future. Incorporating seaweeds in poultry diets could enhance feed utilization efficiency, growth performance, bird health, meat stability and quality, and consumer and environmental health. Theoretically, these benefits are mediated through the putative antiviral, antibacterial, antifungal, antioxidant, anticarcinogenic, anti-inflammatory, anti-allergic, antithrombotic, neuroprotective, hypocholesterolemic, and hypoglycemic properties of seaweed bioactive compounds. Despite this huge potential, exploitation of seaweed for poultry production appears to be constrained by a variety of factors such as high fibre, phenolics, and ash content. In addition, conflicting findings are often reported when seaweeds or their extracts are used in poultry feeding trials. Therefore, the purpose of this review paper is to collate information on the production, phytochemical components, and nutritive value of different seaweed species. It provides an overview ofin vivoeffects of dietary seaweeds as measured by nutrient utilization efficiency, growth performance, and product quality and stability in poultry. The utility of dietary seaweeds in sustainable poultry production systems is explored, while gaps that require further research are highlighted. Finally, opportunities that exist for enhancing the utility of seaweeds as a vehicle for sustainable production of functional poultry products for better global food and nutrition security are presented.

From Chestnut Tree (Castanea sativa) to Flour and Foods: A Systematic Review of the Main Criticalities and Control Strategies towards the Relaunch of Chestnut Production Chain

Castanea sativa plays a key role in different production chains (timber, flour, honey, and tannins). Moreover, considering the great importance of chestnuts and chestnut flour for the food industry and for the subsistence of piedmont communities, a relaunch of this production chain is definitely essential, thus motivating this review. The first aim of this literature overview is to summarize current knowledge regarding the main criticalities in chestnut tree cultivation, chestnut processing, and in chestnut flour production. The second aim is to suggest specific improvement strategies to contrast the main pests and diseases affecting chestnut trees, improve chestnut processing and flour production, and, finally, valorize all by-products generated by this production chain. With respect to chestnut trees, it is essential to develop specific integrated strategies based on early detection and management to contrast known and emerging issues. With regard to chestnut drying and flour production, particular attention needs to be paid to molds and mycotoxins which definitely represent the main criticalities. In addition, further investigations are needed to improve the dying process in both traditional and modern dry kilns, and to develop innovative drying processes. Finally, to face the monumental challenge of environmental sustainability, the valorization of the whole chestnut by-products is crucial. This review clearly highlighted that the recovery of polyphenols from chestnut by-products is the most interesting, sustainable, and profitable strategy. However, the fungal fermentation or the incorporation of little amounts of these by-products into foods seems a very interesting alternative.

Identification of representative dairy cattle and fodder crop production typologies at regional scale in Europe

European dairy production faces significant economic, environmental, and social sustainability challenges. Given the great diversity of dairy cattle production systems in Europe, region-specific concepts to improve environmental and socioeconomic sustainability are needed. Regionally integrated dairy cattle-crop systems emerge as a more resilient and sustainable alternative to highly specialized farming systems. Identifying different dairy cattle production typologies and their potential interactions with fodder crop production is presented as a step in transitioning to optimized agricultural systems. Currently existing typologies of integrated systems are often insufficient when characterizing structural, socioeconomic, and environmental components of farms. We fill this gap in the literature by identifying, describing, and comparing representative dairy cattle production system typologies and their interrelation with regional fodder crop production at the European regional scale. This is a necessary step to assess the scope for adapted mitigation and sustainability measures in the future. For this purpose, a multivariate statistical approach is applied. We show how different land-use practices, farm structure characteristics, socio-economic attributes, and emission intensities condition dairy production. Furthermore, the diversity of regional fodder crop production systems is demonstrated by analyzing their distribution in Europe. Together with identified typologies, varying degrees of regional specialization in milk production allow for identifying future strategies associated with the application of integrated systems in key European dairy regions. This study contributes to a better understanding of the existing milk production diversity in Europe and their relationship with regional fodder crop production. In addition, we discuss the benefits of integrated systems as a clear, viable, and resilient alternative to ongoing livestock intensification in the European context. Identifying interactions between components of integrated systems will facilitate decision-making, the design and implementation of measures to mitigate climate change, and the promotion of positive socio-economic and environmental interactions.

Novel strategies to improve chicken performance and welfare by unveiling host-microbiota interactions through hologenomics.

Fast optimisation of farming practices is essential to meet environmental sustainability challenges. Hologenomics, the joint study of the genomic features of animals and the microbial communities associated with them, opens new avenues to obtain in-depth knowledge on how host-microbiota interactions affect animal performance and welfare, and in doing so, improve the quality and sustainability of animal production. Here, we introduce the animal trials conducted with broiler chickens in the H2020 project HoloFood, and our strategy to implement hologenomic analyses in light of the initial results, which despite yielding negligible effects of tested feed additives, provide relevant information to understand how host genomic features, microbiota development dynamics and host-microbiota interactions shape animal welfare and performance. We report the most relevant results, propose hypotheses to explain the observed patterns, and outline how these questions will be addressed through the generation and analysis of animal-microbiota multi-omic data during the HoloFood project.

Hospitality futures: Towards a sustainable, healthier and ethical way of catering

This viewpoint piece aims to draw attention to the opportunities that the development and active promotion of an attractive and nutritionally sound plant-based offer present to the hospitality industry on environmental, health and ethical bases that impact societal well-being. The case for advancing the promotion and normalization of plant-based eating at catering facilities is argued using the threefold dimensions associated with food production. First, the environmental impacts of different food types are discussed. This is followed by an evaluation of health-related debates linked to culinary consumption along with a selection of ethical issues involved in food production systems. This review highlights that the environmental sustainability challenges posed by the animal agricultural sector call for innovative and effective mitigating measures that can be linked to the development and promotion of plant-based food consumption which the hospitality industry can actively promote. From the health perspective, plant-based diets can report health benefits in the prevention and treatment of health conditions, but this requires planning by catering providers for nutritionally adequate and wholesome eating. From the ethical dimension, removing animals from the food chain would not only achieve lesser environmental pressures and social issues associated with the consumption of animal-derived produce. This would also reduce the suffering that sentient beings endure across different stages in food production which in turn can improve the hospitality sector’s corporate image and ethical stance whilst progressing positive social messages on sustainability, ethics and health.

Fostering innovative and sustainable mass-market construction using digital fabrication with concrete

The construction industry produces buildings and infrastructure. These construction works are typically immobile and customised, and must meet many criteria to provide value to modern society: structural safety, durability, serviceability, aesthetics and integration, environmental sustainability and construction efficiency. Accordingly, traditional construction methods, along with the resulting construction works, have been adapted to comply with these multifaceted requirements for more than a century. However, the construction industry has a considerable environmental impact, with reinforced concrete as its primary driver due to its extensive use, and will be facing an ever-increasing responsibility to tackle climate neutrality in the upcoming years. Digital fabrication with concrete is a young yet already broad discipline that brings about the potential for the necessary reduction of the environmental impact and further industrialisation of the construction industry while being compatible with the multifaceted requirements for construction works. Still, it has not penetrated the construction mass market, which is paramount for making a significant difference towards improving the environmental impact of the construction industry. The present study tackles this issue by (i) assessing traditional construction and digital fabrication on a value-driven basis, identifying and summarising their inherent strengths and challenges, and (ii) proposing a value-driven ideation process to identify relevant mass-market levers of digital fabrication in the construction industry. The presented methodology indicates two exemplary applications of how traditional construction and digital fabrication processes can be combined to tackle the persistent environmental sustainability challenges.

Smart specialization and participatory processes in green path renewal. Analysis of the forest-based bioeconomy in sparsely populated regions in the Nordics

ABSTRACT This paper examines two atypical sparsely populated regions and their experience implementing a strategy of forest-based bioeconomy through smart specialization. Smart specialization is increasingly promoted as an opportunity for green transformations. Indeed, its recent evolution from S3 to S4 is an effort to address environmental sustainability challenges alongside regional development. In this paper, we argue that one of smart specialization’s early stages, the entrepreneurial discovery process (EDP), can help establish a basis for the green transformation of traditional industries located in sparsely populated areas. The EDP is a participatory process that gathers diverse actors interested in developing a common economic sector, mostly through innovation. We explain how multi-actor participation facilitate understanding innovation as a problem-solving process requiring the input of actors outside (but including) the firms. As the cases show, this can unlock the potential of place-based multi-actor interventions to identify and mobilize pre-existing conditions and resources that, when combined with a common agenda, can influence green path renewal. In our cases, those pre-existing conditions are a culture of collaboration, knowledge, infrastructure and access to natural resources. The common agenda is to transform the regional economy into a forest-based bioeconomy.

Employee Capabilities, Workplace Resonance, and Common-Good HRM

The challenge of economic, social and environmental sustainability is one of the most critical dilemmas facing society on an international scale and therefore needs to be a core priority for organizations. To date, businesses are still struggling to balance a future social-mission with established strategic business goals. This conceptual paper reflects on ambiguity surrounding the societal role and purpose of HRM relating to a range of internal and external dysfunctional relationships. Specifically, we develop further the recently proposed Common-Good HRM (CGHRM) paradigm (Aust, Matthews, Müller-Camen, 2020), and address the lack of an explanatory sociological foundation (Why?), a clearly defined definition (What?), and an operational framework (How?). We draw on two main streams of literature, and enrich Sen’s Capability Approach with Rosa’s Theory of resonance. We thereby reinterpret the challenge of sustainability as a crisis of resonance, and the workplace as a possible enabling zone of resonance. By synergistically defining the role of HRM in terms of a capability-enhancer with a special focus on creating resonant workplace relations and collective opportunities for achievement, we reconnect the individual, collective and institutional levels of analysis and infer a fundamental revaluing of the quality of both workplace social experiences and HRMs relations to the wider world. Finally, adapting Ibrahim’s three-stage model, we describe the process through which HRM can move beyond methodological individualism towards collective sustainable organizational and societal transformation and illustrate our arguments with examples of alternative purpose-driven management approaches who are embracing human, societal and economic change.

Agro waste as immobilization carrier for in situ remediation of 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene contaminated soil

In light of global challenge of environmental sustainability, it has become imperative to devise techniques for eco-friendly remediation of hazardous compounds. 2,4,6-Trintro toluene (TNT) is one such hazardous explosive compound finding application in defence and civilian sectors. In this study, we explore the efficiency of Janibacter cremeus an indigenous bacteria, immobilized on biowaste from agriculture sector, viz, cocopeat and waste egg shells for degrading TNT in soil. Preliminary evaluation on tolerance of the bacteria to TNT in aqueous phase revealed maximum degradation at 60 mg/l. Agrowaste used as carrier was found to enhance the bioavailability of explosive to microbe and enhanced the remediation of the explosive compound. Remediation of TNT was carried out under unsaturated as well as saturated conditions. It was observed that, TNT was degraded efficiently in both conditions (98 and 99 % respectively). Saturated conditions prove to be better due to the disappearance of the intermediates formed by the end of the study (35 days). Both the conditions exhibited release of nitrite in initial stages, followed by its uptake. Also, the microbial activity in both the conditions were monitored in terms of live cell count and bulk enzyme activity. Saturated treatment sets showed higher live cell count as well as enzyme activity in comparison to the unsaturated treatment sets. The maximum microbial growth was observed at day 21 followed by its decrease later. The biowaste based bioformulation was observed to be a sustainable solution for remediation of TNT contaminated soil. • Janibacter cremeus was evaluated for its TNT degradation potential. • TNT contaminated soil was remediated under saturated and unsaturated conditions. • J. cremeus was immobilized on agrowaste for soil remediation. • HPLC analysis was used to confirm degradation. • Saturated/ anoxic conditions lead to better performance of J. cremeus .

Resource Orchestration and Opportunity Beliefs in Multi-Stakeholder Initiatives for Sustainability

Our world is increasingly faced with wicked environmental sustainability challenges, requiring entrepreneurs to work in multi-stakeholder initiatives (MSIs) to address these challenges. Network orchestration is essential for these MSIs to realize their sustainability goals and make an impact. The concept of opportunity beliefs is central in understanding the actions taken by these entrepreneurs. However, the current theorization of opportunity beliefs formation is individual-centric. Furthermore, there is little understanding of how orchestration influences the opportunity beliefs formation in multi-stakeholder teams. We build on the framework of McMullen and Shepherd (2016), who presented a two-stage model of how third-person opportunity beliefs transform into first-person opportunity beliefs. We advance two contributions by using a single case study and applying the Gioia method to code and analyze the data. First is a two-stage model consisting of the formation of joint first-person opportunity beliefs that suggests that value-aligning and informing resource orchestration activities are essential in this process. Second, we advance the idea that the resource orchestration activities have both enabling and adversely constraining effects impairing the formation of joint first-person opportunity beliefs under conditions of organizational pressure.

Identifying exemplary sustainable cropping systems using a positive deviance approach: Wheat-maize double cropping in the North China Plain

CONTEXTSustainable cropping systems need to balance productivity and profitability with resource and environmental conservation. Within a population of cropping system observations, there might be positive deviants that outperform others in terms of sustainability, which could serve as “model systems” for future development. Wheat-maize double cropping is the dominant system in the North China Plain, which is facing multiple economic, societal, and environmental sustainability challenges. Identifying exemplary positive deviants out of a multitude of wheat-maize observations might provide solutions to enhance overall sustainability. OBJECTIVESWe aimed to 1) identify exemplary wheat-maize systems that reached optimal performance across seven sustainability indicators, 2) determine which factors regarding management practices and farming contexts resulted in the sustainability gaps between exemplary and other systems, and 3) propose a sustainable wheat-maize prototype. METHODSBased on a farmer survey dataset (n = 344), we developed a cropping system-level positive deviance approach, including multi-criteria assessment, positive deviant identification (Pareto ranking) and positive deviant clustering, to identify exemplary wheat-maize systems. We then compared exemplary and other systems to quantify the sustainability gaps and identify the key variables explaining sustainability gaps. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONSSixteen percent of wheat-maize cases were Pareto-optimal and were classified as positive deviants. These were sorted into seven clusters representing contrasting sustainability patterns. Among these clusters, one comprised exemplary systems due to the best compromise over the indicator set. Compared to remaining wheat-maize cases, exemplary systems, on average, resulted in 49% and 17% higher gross margin and dietary energy output, respectively, and 33–51% lower labor use, groundwater depletion, N loss, net greenhouse gas emission, and pesticide use. Key practices conferring exemplary system performance included higher maize seeding density, lower fertilizer N input in wheat, partial substitution of inorganic fertilizer with manure, a smaller number of irrigation events, and a lower frequency of pesticide and herbicide application. No significant difference in farming context was found between exemplary and other systems. SIGNIFICANCESince the practices of exemplary systems were already locally adopted and proven, we expect that farmers in the region can increase the sustainability of their wheat-maize production by adjusting their management to resemble the exemplary systems. The positive deviance approach thus provides a pragmatic bottom-up approach to identify practices that can improve the sustainability of cropping systems, and can be used for other cropping systems elsewhere.

Suburbanization within City Limits in Hungary—A Challenge for Environmental and Social Sustainability

Suburbanization is one of the most prominent processes of post-socialist urban development, leading to the deconcentration of people, capital, as well as productive and non-productive activities within the functional urban area. This phenomenon also has a significant impact on the traditional rural landscape and leads to environmental and social sustainability challenges. Outmigration from the city center to the rural municipalities of the agglomeration ring is already a thoroughly studied topic. However, less attention is given to migration processes not crossing municipal borders. In Hungary, a significant fraction of them is driven by similar motivations as “traditional” suburbanization. Such movements include flows to built-up residential areas that are physically separated from the urban core. Due to their peculiar development path, the inhabited outskirts can also become destinations for within-city migration. This kind of mobility can be considered suburbanization within the city limits. Because of the general lack of data, this phenomenon is seldom researched. However, this study attempts to address this gap. The prevalence of this process in Hungary is explored by analyzing national statistical data sources. Four case studies are selected for detailed examination—Győr, Zalaegerszeg, Kecskemét, and Szeged. GIS methods, field examinations, surveys, and expert interviews are used to get a detailed picture of the demographic and land cover change processes, as well as the distinctions between the destination areas of the case studies. A comparison of the results drawn from the different methods reveals that land use change in the study area is more widespread than what the land cover datasets indicate. The findings indicate that the Corine Land Cover categories describing mixed land use—especially complex cultivation patterns—are not able to capture the drastic function shift caused by intense suburbanization. Different environmental and social sustainability issues are identified depending on the economic status of the outmigrants. This paper also sheds some light on the urban planning considerations of this emerging challenge.

The Metaverse as a Virtual Form of Smart Cities: Opportunities and Challenges for Environmental, Economic, and Social Sustainability in Urban Futures

Data infrastructures, economic processes, and governance models of digital platforms are increasingly pervading urban sectors and spheres of urban life. This phenomenon is known as platformization, which has in turn given rise to the phenomena of platform society, where platforms have permeated the core of urban societies. A recent manifestation of platformization is the Metaverse, a global platform project launched by Meta (formerly Facebook) as a globally operating platform company. The Metaverse represents an idea of a hypothetical “parallel virtual world” that incarnate ways of living and working in virtual cities as an alternative to smart cities of the future. Indeed, with emerging innovative technologies—such as Artificial Intelligence, Big Data, the IoT, and Digital Twins—providing rich datasets and advanced computational understandings of human behavior, the Metaverse has the potential to redefine city designing activities and service provisioning towards increasing urban efficiencies, accountabilities, and quality performance. However, there still remain ethical, human, social, and cultural concerns as to the Metaverse’s influence upon the quality of human social interactions and its prospective scope in reconstructing the quality of urban life. This paper undertakes an upper-level literature review of the area of the Metaverse from a broader perspective. Further, it maps the emerging products and services of the Metaverse, and explores their potential contributions to smart cities with respect to their virtual incarnation, with a particular focus on the environmental, economic, and social goals of sustainability. This study may help urban policy makers to better understand the opportunities and implications of the Metaverse upon tech-mediated practices and applied urban agendas, as well as assess the positives and negatives of this techno-urban vision. This paper also offers thoughts regarding the argument that the Metaverse has disruptive and substantive effects on forms of reconstructing reality in an increasingly platformized urban society. This will hopefully stimulate prospective research and further critical perspectives on the topic.