Means Of Sustainable Development Research Articles

Vegetated Roofs as a Means of Sustainable Urban Development: A Scoping Review

Urbanisation affects the water cycle and heat balance in a negative way. Vegetated roofs have the potential to minimise the effects of urbanisation. A scoping review is presented here to examine how vegetated roofs are being evolved as an effective tool of sustainable urban stormwater management and overall urban development. It has been found that research on vegetated roofs has been increasing significantly and it can contribute towards achieving multiple sustainable development goals (SDGs). It has also been found that the uptake of vegetated roofs has been slow. A lack of regulatory acceptance caused by an absence of experimental data and a subsequent knowledge gap establishing the effectiveness of vegetated roofs are major reasons behind this slow uptake. Future research on vegetated roofs and their subsequent evolutions should put a focus on gathering experimental data towards establishing a performance benchmark for detention, retention and water quality in urban settings. Such data can be utilised towards developing a stand-alone guideline and software for green roof design.

Ecological Innovation: Sustainable Development in Slovakia

Background: Systematic management of innovation in the context of sustainable development based on ecological innovation is an essential part of the global market. Therefore, it will be guided by ecological innovations, which represent a means of sustainable development. The traditional approach to the evaluation of innovations focused mainly on economic results and failed to capture the ecological dimensions of sustainability from the theme of view of their consumers’ application. Therefore, the paper has the aim of evaluating the sustainability of ecological innovations from the perspective of customers in Slovakia, focusing on the elementary characteristics of sustainability through ecological innovations from the point of view of consumers. In the research, we focus on the parameters of ecological innovations connected with the sustainability of buildings and their operation—energy, health, comfort, materials, living processes and the quality of the place and equipment from the point of view of mobility. Methods: The primary study method is the Kano model. Conclusions: The results point to the fact that Slovak respondents are largely unaffected by ecological innovations, but they perceive the use of cars with an internal combustion engine as a mandatory requirement; innovations in thermal insulation, the use of natural and renewable materials and mass transport are attractive requirements for the respondents. Heating and use of recyclable materials are one-dimensional requirements.

High-quality economic development, green credit and carbon emissions

Carbon peaking and neutrality goals have been an important issue in China’s economic development in recent years. Here is increasing academic interest in ways to realize emission peak and carbon neutrality goals within a finite timeframe. As an important means of sustainable development, high-quality economic development and green credit are of great significance to achieve carbon peak and carbon neutrality. Based on the panel data of 29 provinces and cities in China from 2007 to 2020, spatial Durbin and semi-etric spatial lag models are adopted to investigate the impact of high-quality economic development on green credit and carbon emissions. This study also analyzes whether green credit plays a moderating role in the impact of high-quality economic development on carbon emissions through the moderating effect model. The results reveal that such development has a significant negative correlation with carbon emissions, and presents an “inverted U” -shaped nonlinear relationship. There is a significant negative correlation between green credit and carbon emissions, and an “n-type” nonlinear relationship. Finally, the moderating role of green credit in the impact of high-quality economic development on carbon emissions is analyzed. This study presents the following suggestions: (1)Give full play to the positive spillover effect of high-quality economic development between various regions, and build a complete high-quality economic development system, (2) Improve the green credit system, increase green credit funds, and promote green development.

Heritage Buildings’ Façades as Facilitators for Local Sustainable Development: The Case of Cairo’s El Korba Area

Previous research has highlighted the correlation between the design of the built environment and sustainable development, underscoring how buildings have the potential to accelerate the realization of the SDGs. However, the specific contribution of built heritage to the SDGs have been seldom studied, and little research has attempted to link built heritage architectural features with sustainable development. This research examines how heritage façades, and the street-level activities they instigate, contribute to local sustainable development. The researchers build on existing knowledge to develop a framework that links façade features with the SDGs. The framework is used to re-examine several case studies in El Korba, located in Heliopolis, Cairo (Egypt). Many researchers have studied this area architecturally, historically, and socially, but no research has studied its possible contribution to local sustainable development. The findings highlight how those heritage façades serve as a means for sustainable development on the social, economic, and environmental levels. The paper also underscores how the deterioration of this built heritage location risks diluting the architectural features that drive their contribution to the SDGs. The findings also substantiate several of the connections in the framework, which enables future researchers to link the design features of heritage building façades and the SDGs and document how different built heritage locations support sustainable development.

Designing a Board Game about the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals

Game-based learning has been regarded as one of the best ways to raise public awareness of important issues. It is also a feasible strategy. The promotion of sustainable development education is not limited to schools as the issue of sustainability is related to everyone. The learning of sustainable development goals through games can extend to public sectors, companies, and private units so that more people understand the sustainable development concepts and the content of sustainable development goals. This study aimed to develop and design a board game aiming to acquaint learners with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the United Nations and to add fun to the serious issue and make it closer to life while maintaining knowledge. The result indicates that the “SDGs Board Game” designed by this study has an inspiring effect on learning the meaning and goals of sustainable development. When used in class, it can enhance learners’ knowledge and reflection on sustainable development goals. When used out of class, according to the feedback, learners can establish the basic concepts of the Sustainable Development Goals after playing the game. The experts suggest that in the future, slight improvements of the SDGs game mechanism should be carried out. By working with art editors and manufacturers, it can be commodified and promoted to be used in different units as an important tool to promote sustainable development education in Taiwan.

SDGs in new-media arts for science: How do new-media arts promote biotech as means for sustainable development?: How do new-media arts promote biotech as means for sustainable development?

New media arts take inspiration and tools from new technologies and scientific research. In turn, they have great potential for communication of science and its role for sustainability.

Effects of Mulching and Slow-release Fertilizer Application Reduction on Soil Microbial Community Structure in Rapeseed Field Under Two Different Rainfall Conditions

In order to investigate the effects of furrow and ridge rainwater harvesting, straw mulching, and reduced and slow-release fertilizer on soil microbial community structure of rapeseed, a two-year field study was conducted in rainy (2016-2017) and drought (2017-2018) seasons, which included three cultivation patterns:1 conventional flat planting, 2 straw mulching, and 3 ridge-furrow rainfall harvesting system and four fertilization patterns:1 conventional fertilization (100% of the amount), 2 reduced slow-release fertilizer Ⅰ (80% of the amount), 3 reduced slow-release fertilizer Ⅱ (60% of the amount), and 4 no fertilizer. The results indicated that it was rainy in 2016-2017, with seasonal drought during the nutritional growth stage in 2017-2018. The two technologies (straw mulching+80% slow-release fertilizer, J80 and ridge-furrow rainfall harvesting system+80% slow-release fertilizer, M80) were beneficial to boost the soil microbial activity. J80 and M80 increased the microbial biomass carbon by 9.94% and 10.32% and microbial biomass nitrogen by 2.38% and 1.19%, respectively, compared with that of the local cultivation pattern under two different climate conditions. The total amount of microbial phospholipid fatty acid (PLFA) decreased by 30.75% in the rainy year compared with that in the drought year, and mulching technology could effectively increase the total amount of soil PLFA. The PLFA contents of soil bacteria and fungi in the rainy year were 33.67% and 53.21%, respectively, lower than those in the drought year. However, the PLFA content of actinomycetes increased by 13.04%. Microbial communities were sensitive to abnormal precipitation. The bacteria/fungi ratio increased in rainy weather. The drought climate heighted the ratio of straight chain saturated fatty acid/straight chain monounsaturated fatty acid and straight chain monounsaturated fatty acid/cyclopropane acid. In conclusion, adopting the optimal cultivation technologies can stabilize the soil microenvironment under abnormal precipitation, relieve water and nutrient stress, and provide an effective means for rapeseed sustainable development.

Crop Cultivation Underneath Agro-Photovoltaic Systems and Its Effects on Crop Growth, Yield, and Photosynthetic Efficiency

Agro-photovoltaics (APV) could be the optimal means of sustainable development in agricultural areas once a few challenges are overcome, perhaps the greatest of which is the constant shading from AVP structures. This study examined how the growth and yield of rice, potato, sesame, and soybean crops could be optimized when grown underneath different APV systems. The solar radiation, shading levels, and temperatures during crop cultivation were measured. In addition, the photosynthetic efficiency was measured at different growth stages. Adjacent to the APV systems were the control plots with full sun. In these studies with potato crops grown under APV systems, most growth and yield parameters were similar to those grown in the control plot except for the plant height. On the other hand, sesame crops grown underneath the APV systems had a lower stem length, effective branching number, 1000 seed weight, and a reduced yield of 19% compared to the crops from the control plot. In two distant locations (Paju and Youngkwang), soybean crops grown underneath APV systems at both sites showed increased ungrained ratios per pod and a reduced yield of 18–20% compared to the control plot. Finally, rice crops cultivated underneath the APV systems had a lower panicle number per hill, spikelet number per panicle, 1000 seed weight, and yield reduction of 13–30% compared to the control plot. Overall, crops grown underneath the APV systems had a greater plant height and stem length. Moreover, the solar radiation and PAR underneath the APV systems were also lower than in the control plots. The photosynthetic efficacy in rice plants grown underneath the APV systems was lower than in the control plots. The photosynthetic efficacy may help lower the crop yield when cultivation is underneath an APV system.

The impact of the pandemic crisis on employment in the context of urbanization

The level of economic and social development of a country is closely linked to the degree of urbanization. Continuous urbanization will bring new opportunities for and challenges to sustainable development, which is closely correlated with the general level of economic and social development. Thus, the global urbanization trend has been accompanied by changes in employment, representing both a goal and a means of sustainable development at the level of all the branches of national economies. A major test for all the countries was the crisis caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, which severely impacted the labor market in Europe and beyond. This research aims to produce an overview on the employment situation in urban and rural areas for 31 countries in Europe, as well as on the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on employment for the analyzed countries. Although cities are development centers for their countries in terms of economics and quality of life, there is also a need to improve the living conditions of rural residents and increase the attractiveness for all population segments, in order to reduce the rural-urban imbalance in terms of employment opportunities.

Introduction: Quo Vadis , Latin America? Human Rights, Environmental Governance and the Sustainable Development Goals

Introduction: <scp> <i>Quo Vadis</i> </scp> , Latin America? Human Rights, Environmental Governance and the Sustainable Development Goals

پائيدار ترقی کے ليے قدرتی وسائل کا محفوظ استعمال: عہد نبوی کی روشنی ميں خصوصی مطالعہ

Abstract:Sustainable development means that human societies survive and meet their needs without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs. It is as if existing resources are to be preserved for future generations and the resources that we are running out of are to be reduced or used in such a way that they remain usable for a long time. In modern times, due to population expansion and overuse of natural resources, resources are dwindling day by day and the world's population is not benefiting from these resources. Therefore the concept of sustainable development has become very popular globally and the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) also introduced the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs 2030) to ensure the balanced and sustainable economic and social development of human society. We find in the Qur'an and Sunnah the basic concept of the proposed measures for sustainable development to protect and augment the resources of the state. Many verses in the Holy Qur'an draw attention to the best management of resources. While some verses are clearly related to natural collective resources and directly or indirectly call for proper arrangement of natural collective resources. This article will explain the concept of safe use of natural resources in the light of the Qur'an, Sunnah, and Sīrah of the Prophet (S.A.W). Keywords: Safe Use of Natural Resources, Sustainable Development, Sustainable Development and Islamic point of view, Sustainable Development in light of Sirah, Use of Natural Resources in light of Sirah

The effect of economic development on carbon intensity of human well-being: Evidence from spatial econometric analyses

Improving the carbon intensity of human well-being is important not only for nations to improve the lives of their citizens, but also for the world community at large as a means of sustainable development. Based on panel data from 114 nations (or regions) over the period of 1980–2014, this study constructed an index of the carbon intensity of human well-being, and use spatial autocorrelation to explore the pattern of its spatial evolution as well as the characteristics of its spatial clusters. The spatial Durbin model was applied to identify the relationship between economic development and the carbon intensity of human well-being. We drew the following conclusions: First, the carbon intensity of human well-being declined significantly, with spatial differentiation between the high-high and low-low clusters, and a significant gap between developed (or regions) and developing nations. Second, economic development, energy consumption, trade, and mortality rate have increased the carbon intensity of human well-being while industrialization and capital accumulation have reduced it. Third, the dynamic evolution of the carbon intensity of human well-being by various drivers has a regional heterogeneous structure. In particularly, the positive impact of economic development on the carbon intensity of human well-being showed the largest impact on Latin American developing countries, followed by Asian developing and developed countries (or regions), and the smallest impact on African developing countries. Finally, prominent spatial spillover effects were observed on the drivers of the carbon intensity of human well-being. An increase in a nation's neighbors' energy consumption, trade, and industrialization increased its carbon intensity of human well-being, whereas increasing economic development, capital accumulation, and mortality rate had the opposite effect. These empirical insights provide an important decision-making reference for countries with different levels of economic development to choose appropriate policies and cross-regional governance mechanisms.

The causal link between circular economy and economic growth in EU-25.

Actively promoting circular economy (CE) is one of the key means of global sustainable development. The purpose of this study is to analyze the causal relationship between CE and economic growth using data from EU-25 countries from 2010 to 2018. The selected CE indicators included municipal waste recycling rate, CE-related investment, municipal waste generation per capita, circularity rate, and trade in recyclable raw materials. Panel cointegration techniques affirmed the long-term equilibrium relationship between CE indicators and GDP. Panel vector error correction model results confirmed that in terms of short-run causality, an increase in material recycling led to a decrease in waste generation, an increase in waste generation led to an increase in CE-related investment, and economic growth led to circular economy growth, but not vice versa. This implies that encouraging CE-related innovation investments and promoting material recycling to stimulate the secondary raw material market can help achieve zero waste goals. Looking at the long-term causality, the GDP and CE indicators constituted a causal loop, which implies that there is co-evolution between them, although the circular economy is still in its infancy. This co-evolutionary sustainable economic growth can bring welfare to future generations.

Musical Heritage as a Means of Sustainable Development: Perceptions in Students Studying for a Degree in Primary Education

Education is an essential vehicle for valuing cultural legacy, and musical heritage is a part of that cultural legacy that we must protect as it is one of the main areas of intangible cultural heritage, a reflection of cultural diversity, and a conveyor of meaning, and social, cultural, and economic values contributing to sustainable development. The purpose of this study, therefore, is to evaluate the perception students studying for the Degree in Primary Education at the University of Zaragoza and the Autonomous University of Madrid have of the value, significance, and importance of the sustainability of musical cultural heritage. This non-experimental and descriptive research is based on the statistical descriptive method, with a sample of n = 202 preservice teachers. A questionnaire consisting of fifteen items was designed and validated as a data collection instrument. The data analysis shows differences in the analyzed categories and points to the need to take action to solve them. It also reveals the importance students attach to musical cultural heritage, to including it in the curricula of the various educational stages, and to the need to protect it as an essential requirement for sustainable development.

SMEs engagement with the Sustainable Development Goals: A power perspective

The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are a call to action for governments, companies and communities to rebalance the relationship between the economy, the environment and society. Although companies represent a vital partner inachieving the SDGs, the discussion about the involvement of Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in such goals is scarce. Drawing upon the ‘powercube’ approach, this research investigates what sustainable development means to SMEs, how they view the SDGs and why they engage – or do not engage – with such goals. Sixteen face-to-face interviews were conducted within rural and urban locations in the UK. The results show that although SMEs are interested in sustainable development, power dynamics impede their understanding and implementation of SDGs guidelines. This research offers to SME managers actionable insights on SDGs' implementation strategies and it provides a research agenda on how institutions and stakeholders can facilitate SMEs adoption of SDGs.

Strengthening of Community Tourism Enterprises as a Means of Sustainable Development in Rural Areas: A Case Study of Community Tourism Development in Chimborazo

Community tourism (CT) constitutes a management model for tourism practice within communities, which was consolidated within Ecuador through the Plurinational Federation of Community Tourism of Ecuador (FEPTCE), with the Corporation for the Development of Community Tourism of Chimborazo (CORDTUCH) as the central network in the province of Chimborazo. This network, with 14 years of experience, has been committed to tourism as a mechanism for the diversification of the productive matrix of the peasant and indigenous communities that comprise it, integrating 1772 direct beneficiaries articulated in 10 CT organizations. Thus, they have managed to support actions related to land management, the equitable distribution of benefits, the valuation of natural and cultural heritage, and the organizational strengthening of communities. This support has contributed to the consolidation of “Alli Kawsay,” that is, working to achieve a full life for these human groups, generating an integral sustainability of their spaces, and contributing to the fulfilment of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) from this other Andean perspective. The methodology employed focused on participatory action research (PAR), which allows for listening and obtaining information directly from key actors, recognizing the existence of knowledge that has not been published that corresponds to peoples’ ancestral knowledge. The aim of this research is to provide an overview of the current reality of CT within CORDTUCH, as well as the strengthening achieved in the community enterprises that comprise it. Among the main results achieved, it is highlighted that CT has become, for these communities, a tool of insurgency against extractive activities and the advance of the agricultural frontier that threatens these spaces, showing that the territories can be exploited under other approaches and through innovative proposals.

VOCATIONAL EDUCATION IN NIGERIA: A RECAPITULATION OF THE PROSPECTS AND CHALLENGES FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

Over the years, vocational education has been a vital part of man and has been demonstrated to be a means for sustainable economic growth and development. It has been used in many societies of the world to provide skills for work. This study employed the qualitative research method using an interview guide and participant observation to identify how vocational training impacts the necessary practical proficiencies for the growth of a nation’s formal and informal sectors. This paper attempts to examine the prospects of vocational training by highlighting the likely skills and employment opportunities in the sector. It also discussed the challenges facing vocational education in Nigeria. The study identifies skills acquisition as a means for sustainable development. It recommended among others that vocational training should focus more on the aspects of skill acquisition and feasible business opportunities for economic empowerment.

INNOVATIVE MEANS OF FORMATION OF THE CONCEPT OF ASSESSMENT OF SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT IN THE SYSTEM: ENTERPRISE – INDUSTRY – REGION – STATE

The subject of the article is the theoretical and applied aspects of assessing the level of achieving sustainable development of the enterprise. The aim of the research is to use innovative means to develop the concept of assessing the level of achievement of sustainable development in the system: enterprise-industry-region-state. During the study, groups of external and internal stakeholders were identified from the position of 3 levels. There is a significant inconsistency of motives of stakeholders in the implementation of the concept of sustainable development at the enterprise level and a diverse vision of the essence and meaning of the term sustainable development of the enterprise. This necessitated the formulation of the concept of assessing sustainable development in the system: enterprise - industry - region - state in terms of external and internal sustainability of development. The obtained results describe a system of indicators of the level of sustainable development in terms of its "usefulness" for the regional and national economy and can be used to develop and implement measures to ensure sustainable development at the individual enterprise, region, industry and state.

Eco-friendly hierarchical porous palygorskite/wood fiber aerogels with smart indoor humidity control

Advocating low-carbon has become the consensus of all countries in the world and a necessary means of sustainable development. Humidity-control materials (HCMs) can smartly regulate indoor air humidity without energy consumption, thereby greatly reducing building energy consumption. However, the preparation process of traditional HCMs involved toxic or corrosive substances, which was not eco-friendly. In this work, monolithic humidity-control palygorskite/wood fiber composite aerogel materials (PalOH/WF-HCAMs) with hierarchical porous were prepared by freeze-drying method. The composite aerogels had low densities (<0.1 g/cm3), good mechanical properties (Young's modulus up to 11 MPa), and excellent self-adjusting humidity ability with a water vapor content of up to 364 g/m2 (24 h, RH = 95%) without adding any inorganic salt. Actual evaluation tests proved that PalOH/WF-HCAM could spontaneously rapidly maintain indoor ambient humidity at 50%–65% without additional energy supply, and the humidity-control performance was still stable after 30 cycles (RH = 20–90%). It is particularly important that the synthesis process of PalOH/WF-HCAMs is economical and eco-friendly without adding any toxic organic solvent. These results demonstrate that eco-friendly, hierarchical porous PalOH/WF-HCAMs are excllent candidates in indoor humidity-control application.

Spanglish ecolinguistic environment as a means of sustainable development

Sustainable development of multicultural communities affected by translingualism has gained a special importance with the recognition of mixed languages within the framework of ecolinguistical methodology, which considers language communities as ecosystems. The paper aims at the ecolinguistic analysis of the relationship between language and its environment. The study implies the dual nature of language ecology (physiological and social) and the fact that the ecology of the language depends on people studying and using it, transmitting the language to others. The extensive use Spanglish is promoted by a wide range of sources, including literary texts and digital media as a form of sustainability in the American social environment. The paper enlists and discusses the features of Spanglish applying the ecological, linguistic, componential, distribution and statistical analysis methods. The study focuses on the novel Yo-Yo Boing! by Giannina Braschi and results in making certain observations on the sustainability of Spanglish societies in the USA. The paper sums up that Spanglish represents a new means of social interaction which can be described as a poststandard translingual culture serving to overcome existing environmental threats.