Nations Sustainable Development Goals Research Articles

Sustainability concerns on pro-sustainable travel behavior: combining the United Nations SDGs, norm activation model and value theory

PurposeThis study examines the effect of sustainable development goal (SDG) concerns regarding the sustainability issues raised in the United Nations SDG agenda on pro-sustainable travel behavior (PSTB) by building on the norm activation model as well as value theory (altruism), with the latter assumed to moderate the effect of SDG concerns on PSTB.Design/methodology/approachThe model was tested using structural equation modeling (SEM) based on data from 200 USA respondents who have traveled internationally in the past 12 months.FindingsThe results confirmed the effect of SDG concerns on positively influencing PSTB both directly and indirectly (through the NAM variables of “responsibility” and “obligation”). Additionally, results revealed that altruism positively moderates the effect of SDG concerns on PSTB.Practical implicationsResults provide tourism businesses and destinations with a better understanding of which aspects of the 17 issues identified in the UN SDG agenda are more likely to influence travelers’ future PSTB and whether such behavioral changes additionally depend on people’s individual altruism levels.Originality/valueUnlike previous studies focusing mainly on environmental concerns and tourists’ pro-environmental behavior, this study offers a more comprehensive understanding of PSTB in light of today’s UN SDGs.

Empowering migrant women's entrepreneurship: stakeholder perspectives from the entrepreneurial ecosystem

PurposeEntrepreneurial ecosystems (EEs) research has focused on high-growth scale-up entrepreneurship, whereas the role of EEs in nurturing the ventures of marginalised groups like migrant women entrepreneurs (MWEs) has often been elided from extant discussions. This research explores how the EE's structure, policies and programmes advance diversity, equity and inclusion to foster MWEs, and MWEs' contribution to the dynamics and sustainability of the host country's EE based on EE actors' perspectives. We contribute to EEs' diversity, equity and inclusion, which are important but neglected social aspects of sustainable EEs.Design/methodology/approachThe qualitative data was collected through thematic interviews with EE actors, including NGOs and entrepreneurial support-providing organizations based in Finland. The collected data was complemented by interviews with MWEs, archival data and published supplementary materials on ecosystem actors.FindingsEE structure, policies, programmes and individual agency, coupled with MWEs' proactivity in lobbying the necessary actors in the required places for their interests, enhance their businesses' development. There were both impeding and fostering dynamics, which may have idiographic and contextual features. Evidently, by being occupied in various sectors, from science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) to socially beneficial niche service sectors, MWEs contribute to the host country's EE dynamics not only through their productive entrepreneurship but by enriching the ecosystem's resource endowments and institutional arrangements.Originality/valueWe argue that exploring the gender and inclusivity aspects of EEs as the accommodating context is particularly relevant, given that the United Nation's sustainable development goals 5, 8 and 10 aim to improve women's empowerment at all levels, promoting sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, and ensuring equal opportunities and reduced inequalities within the population. Inclusion and embeddedness in EEs positively affect diversity and sustainability in the host country. Theoretically, our contribution is twofold. First, by exploring female migrants' entrepreneurial experiences within the EE based on EE actors' perspectives, we broaden the research on inclusivity in EEs and gender aspects and enrich the research on their societal impact, which has received scant attention from scholars. More specifically, we contribute to EE research with (1) a novel understanding of MWEs and EE elements, their interconnections and dynamism, (2) identifying previously ignored elements shaping MWE and (3) providing EE actor insights into the co-creation of EE for MWE. Second, by analysing the impact of MWEs' businesses on the host country's EE, we contribute to calls for research on MWE contributions to its economic environment.

Potential capacity and cost assessments for hydrogen production from marine sources

The current study comprehensively examines the application of wave, tidal and undersea current energy sources of Turkiye for green hydrogen fuel production and its cost analysis. The estimated potential capacity of each city in the country is derived from official data and acceptable assumptions and is subject to discussion and evaluation in the context of a viable hydrogen economy. According to the findings, the potential for green hydrogen generation in Turkiye is projected to be 7.33 million tons using a proton exchange membrane electrolyser (PEMEL). Cities with the highest hydrogen production capacities from marine applications are Mugla, Izmir, Antalya, and Canakkale with 998.10 kt, 840.31 kt, 605.46 kt, and 550.42 kt, respectively. The study calculations obviously show that there is a great potential by using excess power in producing hydrogen which will result in an economic value of 3.83 billion US dollars. This study further helps develop a detailed hydrogen map for every city in Turkiye, using the identified potential capacities of renewable energy sources and the utilization of electrolysers to make green hydrogen by green power. The potentials and specific capacities for every city are also highlighted. Furthermore, the study results are expected to provide clear guidance for government authorities and industries to utilize such a potential of renewable energy for investment and promote clean energy projects by further addressing concerns caused by the usage of carbon-based (fossil fuels dependent) energy options. Moreover, green hydrogen production and utilization in every sector will help achieve the national targets for a net zero economy and cope with international targets to achieve the United Nation's sustainable development goals.

Sustainability outcomes and policy implications: Evaluating China's "old urban neighborhood renewal" experiment.

Globally, old urban neighborhood transformation has become a new urban sustainability focus for its significant contribution to the United Nation's Sustainable Development Goal 11. A regeneration-oriented approach is particularly important for Chinese cities with a dwindling land supply, obsoleting infrastructure, and inadequate standard of living. Using a mixed-methods approach informed by BREEAM Communities, we examined two Chinese initiatives-old urban neighborhood renewal (OUNR) and sponge city development (SCD)-through a comprehensive study of pilot project sustainability, policy emphases and gaps, and broader governance implications. We found that SCD's top-down technocratic management was highly efficient in enhancing neighborhood hydrological functions and physical environment. However, successes were undermined by the lack of climate considerations and civic participation. Besides actionable recommendations for applied scholarship and policymaking in China, we provide insight into how the OUNR/SCD initiatives may broadly inform worldwide urban regeneration practices through project and policy experimentations that build adaptive capacity.

Analysis of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGS) Reporting in Provincial Regional Governments Indonesia

Purpose: This research aims to describe the implementation of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in provincial regional governments in Indonesia. Method: The research uses secondary data from the Indonesian Central Statistics Agency with the main data being the Sustainable Development report. The research uses a descriptive quantitative approach with comparative analysis of sample averages with the achievement of sustainable development goals at the national level. Results and conclusion: The research results show that data on achieving sustainable development at the provincial level is very limited and there are six SDGs goals that do not have achievement data. Even though there are limited data, the available SDGs achievement data of eleven achievements shows that the average achievements of provincial regional governments are similar to the SDGs achievements at the national level. This shows that the provincial government's policy regarding SDGs is in line with the central government. Measurement of SDGs achievements in provincial regional governments must be completed and is an obligation to be presented through the Central Statistics Agency's reporting in the future, considering that provincial regional governments' SDGs achievements are an inseparable part of national SDGs achievements. Implications of the Research: The SDGs program at the provincial level must be improved and the formulation of measurement and implementation must be simplified so that provincial governments are able to prepare complete SDGs statistics. Originality/value: This research reveals that the implementation of the SDGs program at the provincial level is in accordance with the implementation of the SDGs at the national level.

Global urbanization and ruralization lessons of clean energy access gap

While energy access is improving across economic groups globally, here remains the monumental challenge of clean energy inequality that has further aggravates climate-related problems. To further address clean energy inequality, this study offers novel understanding on the forces behind clean energy access divide associated with urbanization and ruralization by employing the case of the high, low, lower-middle, and upper-middle income economies in the period 2010 to 2021. By using empirical analysis, the results reveal that (i) annual growth in the economy, and (ii) literacy parity between male and female further worsen clean energy access between urban and rural population. Contrarily, innovative activities reduce urban-rural clean energy access by an elasticity of 3.510. These findings, in theory and practice, provide policy insight toward specifically achieving the United Nation's Sustainable Development Goals 7 and 10, and other global challenges.

Sustainability Evaluation of the 'Batu Into Green' Village Based on the United Nation Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

Nowadays, environmental issues deserve everyone's attention. People can actually improve their surrounding environment to be healthier and more comfortable, started with their own houses. This idea realizes an ecology village named 'Batu Into Green', located in Pattimura V, Temas, in the City of Batu, Indonesia. Originally, this village was a slum, but with the initiation of the local village head and with the increase of local public awareness for a healthier environment, the locals improved the ecology of their village. 'Batu Into Green' applies to the concept of environmental friendly village. Thus, an analysis was carried out to examine the level of sustainability of this ecology village. This research applied a qualitative approach to descriptively evaluate the current condition of the village based on the principles of the United Nation's Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The focus of the SDGs in this discussion is Sustainable Cities and Communities (SDGs No.11). From the analyses, the 'Batu Into Green' initiative has a great potential for economic, social, and cultural sustainability

Sustainability Evaluation of the 'Batu Into Green' Village Based on the United Nation Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

Nowadays, environmental issues deserve everyone's attention. People can actually improve their surrounding environment to be healthier and more comfortable, started with their own houses. This idea realizes an ecology village named 'Batu Into Green', located in Pattimura V, Temas, in the City of Batu, Indonesia. Originally, this village was a slum, but with the initiation of the local village head and with the increase of local public awareness for a healthier environment, the locals improved the ecology of their village. 'Batu Into Green' applies to the concept of environmental friendly village. Thus, an analysis was carried out to examine the level of sustainability of this ecology village. This research applied a qualitative approach to descriptively evaluate the current condition of the village based on the principles of the United Nation's Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The focus of the SDGs in this discussion is Sustainable Cities and Communities (SDGs No.11). From the analyses, the 'Batu Into Green' initiative has a great potential for economic, social, and cultural sustainability

Towards enhanced control of mycetoma: a roadmap to achieve the UN's sustainable development goals by 2030.

Mycetoma is a neglected tropical disease (NTD) with devastating morbidity and stigma. Despite increased awareness and international collaboration, the burden of mycetoma is largely unknown and diagnosis and treatment are difficult. Addressing mycetoma globally aligns with several United Nation's Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Little progress has been made since the WHO's NTD roadmap publication in 2020. The Global Mycetoma Working Group proposes an enhanced mycetoma-control roadmap to meet the SDGs, stimulate progress and improve the lives of patients experiencing mycetoma. By aligning mycetoma management with the goals and targets of this enhanced roadmap, it becomes possible to leverage existing resources, infrastructure and partnerships to improve the lives of affected individuals and communities. This updated assessment is designed for the benefit of health workers and providers in mycetoma-endemic areas, NTD government officials, civil society and funding and implementing agencies.

Strategic Development Assessment: Evaluating Maximum Expected Monetary Value (EMV) and Expected Opportunity Loss (EOL) for the Cross River Watershed

This research investigates optimal strategic decision-making for hydropower development in the Cross River Basin. The study aims to determine Expected Monetary Value (EMV) and Expected Opportunity Loss (EOL) through BDM, emphasizing overcoming challenges and optimizing resource planning for sustainable development. Collaborative efforts with Cross River Basin Development Authority (CRBDA), Parastatals, and Ministries facilitated comprehensive data collection, validated through the Pearson moment coefficient (R2 = 0.9376). The methodology includes dam project experiments, economic efficiency estimation, net benefit analysis, and BDM application. Noteworthy findings reveal hydropower with a Maximum EMV of 1.69 trillion Naira at 187.7% efficiency and a Minimum EOL of -0.79 trillion Naira at -87.77% efficiency. The dual Models jointly demonstrates 100% validation efficiency, making it a preferred choice for development. Graphical representation elucidates the dynamics between EMV and EOL. The research underscores the importance of employing strategic decision-making models like BDM, contributing insights to address challenges and optimize resource planning. Hydropower aligns with national goals and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Recommendations advocate for strategic policy implementation, emphasizing renewable energy adoption. BDM's efficacy in drawing inferences from historical information addresses dimensionality challenges. Recommending the Federal Government's deployment of BDM aligns with national SDG pursuits, integrating hydropower as a renewable energy source. The research solidifies BDM's effectiveness, contributing valuable insights. References support the methodology and enrich understanding of decision modeling and watershed management.

Fast-tracking action on the Sustainable Development Goals by enhancing national institutional arrangements.

Six years remain to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Despite some progress, institutional effectiveness for SDG achievement has not been delivered at a national level. Identification and establishment of an institutional framework to operationalise the 2030 Agenda within national plans, giving science-based coordination of SDG implementation a central role, is urgently required to accelerate progress. This paper tackles this challenge. Drawing on literature analysis, it asks: 1) What are the deficiencies in institutional national arrangements that hinder SDG implementation? 2) How can existing institutional deficiencies in SDG implementation be addressed? and 3) How can institutional changes support fast-tracking of SDG implementation processes at national level? Findings show that country-specific horizontal institutional arrangements are usually advanced. However, national visions to improve mainstreaming across decision-making at different levels to enable whole-of-government and whole-of-society approaches to SDG implementation are commonly under-developed. Deficiencies are due to poor systematic engagement of scientific and technical expertise in operational day-to-day communication, as well as in the design, validation, implementation, monitoring and reporting of domestic SDG-related multi-stakeholder actions. Vertical institutional arrangements are complex, and risk resource-consuming, uncoordinated implementation. Our analyses suggest countries may benefit from establishing a national, centralised independent scientific and technical coordinating body for SDG implementation at national level, within existing science-based institutional arrangements. Such a body would not be led by governmental processes but would provide technical support to government agencies. We argue that scientific and technical skills in data and information management and quality control are central to coordinated and evidence-informed support, and could help to accelerate national SDG implementation. Such a supporting body would also enable a more joined-up approach between stakeholders working in the areas of science and technology, government and practice, improving orchestrated science-based actions and their auditing across sectors and stakeholder communities at national and sub-national levels. It would further guide actions to reduce trade-offs within national sustainable development aspirations, and would facilitate consideration of diverse values in advancing towards a durable and just transformative future. Such efforts are vital given the rapidly closing window of time for SDG achievement.

Reorienting research investments toward under‐researched crops for sustainable food systems

AbstractThe dominance of a few staple crops (maize, rice, and wheat) in most agricultural systems hampers the application of interventions to improve food security and nutrition. Research and development attention has focused on improving the production and utilization of these crops, leaving other crops under‐researched and underutilized. Subsequently, there have been high malnutrition rates due to poor diet diversity, yet there are “opportunity crops” that remain under researched. The opportunity crops can unlock solutions to food insecurity, malnutrition, a lack of biodiversity, and indeed poor climate adaptation. The study explored diversification in agricultural systems to analyze whether reorientation of research investment to include under‐researched crops can increase nutrient gain and enhance dietary diversity. Research outputs benchmarked as the number of publications from three leading African universities, Nairobi, Pretoria, and Ghana, were related to crop diversity and nutrition of crops in five clusters: cereals, vegetables, legumes, roots and tubers, and nuts. The findings show that maize was the predominantly researched crop across the three institutions. Low research outputs were observed for pearl millet, finger millet, and yam across the three institutions: amaranth and nightshade (Pretoria), sweet potatoes (Pretoria and Ghana), Marama bean (Nairobi), and soya bean (Nairobi and Ghana). There was nutrient gain across all five clusters, particularly from under‐researched indigenous crops such as finger millet, amaranth, nightshade, yam, sweet potatoes, Marama bean, and soybean. Nutrient gain was contributed more by cereals and root and tuber crops from Pretoria, vegetables and nuts (Ghana), as well as legumes (Nairobi). The findings demonstrate that incorporating research on the least researched crops with successful integration of other research and development initiatives (policy and dissemination) can increase nutrition and improve dietary diversity. The nutrient gain will positively affect food security and nutrition, contributing to the achievement of Africa Agenda 2063, the United Nation's Sustainable Development Goals, and reducing food imports. The findings can inform research investment and decision across different institutions within the African continent. Research investment targeting crops such as finger millet, amaranthus, sweet potatoes, soya beans, and cashew nuts is needed considering the nutritional contribution, climate change adaptability, market potential, and biodiversity contribution. Further analysis should explore production, socio‐economic (marketability and income generation), and environmental gains (adaptive ability to climate change) for specific crops. The development of frameworks to guide the analysis of the nature and scope of factors affecting the contribution of these crops to food security and nutrition, as well as research on specific crops considering geographic distribution and institutional involvement, is also needed.

Artificial intelligence and sustainability in higher education: a bibliometric analysis and its relations with the UN SDGs

This research aimed to analyze the importance of artificial intelligence and sustainability in higher education according to the literature in the field and to present the relationships of this context with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The adopted research strategies included bibliometric analysis using VOSviewer software and literature review, considering the Web of Science scientific database. The bibliometric analysis resulted in the clustering of four groups. The blue cluster highlighted the emergence of interest in studies on AI and sustainability in higher education following the Covid-19 pandemic. The green cluster emphasized the importance of more efficient teaching methods adapted to the demands of higher education, as well as the need to empower teachers to use artificial intelligence in developing students' skills and competencies, emphasizing sustainability. The yellow cluster indicated the presence of artificial intelligence in higher education based on the triad of sustainable education and innovation, aiming to prepare students for future challenges. The red cluster emphasized the impact of artificial intelligence in higher education, focusing on student learning, efficiency, and sustainable performance. Finally, the literature analysis identified the main AI technologies in higher education and their relationship with the United Nations SDGs. The reflections presented here can contribute to expanding discussions on the relationship between artificial intelligence and sustainability in higher education. From a practical standpoint, it can serve as a foundation for university managers aiming to promote the integration of AI into their teaching processes, considering the context of sustainability.

Traditional Atlantic Diet and Its Effect on Health and the Environment

The universal call to action for healthier and more sustainable dietary choices is the framework of the United Nations's Sustainable Development Goals. The Atlantic diet, originating from the northwest of the Iberian Peninsula, represents an example of a traditional diet that aligns with these principles. To explore a 6-month intervention based on the Atlantic diet's effects on metabolic and environmental health, assessing metabolic syndrome (MetS) incidence and the carbon footprint. The Galician Atlantic Diet study was a 6-month randomized clinical trial designed to assess the effects of this regional traditional diet on families' eating habits. The study was conducted from March 3, 2014, to May 29, 2015, at a local primary health care center in the rural town of A Estrada in northwestern Spain and involved a multisectoral collaboration. Families were randomly selected from National Health System records and randomized 1:1 to an intervention or control group. This secondary analysis of the trial findings was performed between March 24, 2021, and November 7, 2023. Over 6 months, families in the intervention group received educational sessions, cooking classes, written supporting material, and foods characteristic of the Atlantic diet, whereas those randomized to the control group continued with their habitual lifestyle. The main outcomes were MetS incidence, defined per National Cholesterol Education Program Adult Treatment Panel III guidelines, and carbon footprint emissions as an environmental metric using life cycle assessment with daily dietary intake as the functional unit. Initially, 250 families were randomized (574 participants; mean [SD] age, 46.8 [15.7] years; 231 males [40.2%] and 343 females [59.8%]). The intervention group included 126 families (287 participants) and the control group, 124 families (287 participants). Ultimately, 231 families completed the trial. The intervention significantly reduced the risk of incident cases of MetS (rate ratio, 0.32; 95% CI, 0.13-0.79) and had fewer MetS components (proportional odds ratio, 0.58; 95% CI, 0.42-0.82) compared with the control condition. The intervention group did not have a significantly reduced environmental impact in terms of carbon footprint emissions compared with the control group (-0.17 [95% CI, -0.46 to 0.12] kg CO2 equivalents/person/d). These findings provide important evidence that a family-focused dietary intervention based on a traditional diet can reduce the risk of incident MetS. Further research is needed to understand the underlying mechanisms and determine the generalizability to other populations, taking into account regional cultural and dietary variations. ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT02391701.

Trends in mortality due to tracheal, bronchial, and lung cancer across the BRICS: An age-period-cohort analysis based on the Global Burden of Disease Study 1990-2019.

Tracheal, bronchus, and lung cancer (TBL) is a major cause of mortality and top contributor to productivity loss in large emerging economies such as the BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa). We examined the time trends of TBL mortality across the BRICS to better understand the disease burden in these countries and inform public health and healthcare resource allocation. TBL mortality-related data between 1990 and 2019 were obtained from the Global Burden of Disease Study 2019 and analyzed using age-period-cohort models. Net drift (local drift) was used to describe the expected age-adjusted TBL mortality rate over time overall (each age group); the longitudinal age curve was used to reflect the age effect; the period rate ratios (RRs) were used to reflect the period effect; and the cohort RR was used to reflect the cohort effect. In 2019, there were 958.3 thousand TBL deaths across the BRICS, representing 46.9% of the global TBL deaths. From 1990 to 2019, the age-standardized mortality rate (ASMR) of TBL decreased in Russia, Brazil, and South Africa while increased in China and India, with the largest reduction reported in Russia (-29.6%) and the largest increase in China (+22.4%). India showed an overall increase (+15.7%) in TBL mortality but the mortality risk decreased among individuals born after 1990 (men) and 1995 (women). Although South Africa and Brazil experienced an overall decline in TBL mortality, their recent birth cohorts, such as Brazilian individuals born after 1985 (men) and 1980 (women), and South African men born after 1995, had an increasing TBL mortality risk. China has experienced an overall increase in TBL mortality, with the mortality risk rising among individuals born after 1995 for both men and women. Russia, which had the highest TBL mortality among the BRICS countries in 1990, has demonstrated significant improvement over the past three decades. Over the past 30years, the BRICS accounted for an increasing proportion of global TBL mortality. TBL mortality increased in older women in all the BRICS countries except Russia. Among the recent birth cohort, the risk of TBL mortality increased in Brazil, China, and South Africa. More effective efforts are needed in the BRICS to reduce the burden of TBL and help achieve the United Nation's Sustainable Development Goals.

Promoting sustainability in nursing and midwifery clinical laboratories: Strategies for resource reduction, reuse, and recycling

BackgroundThe impacts of climate change on planetary health are multifaceted and threaten public health gains made since World War II. Healthcare is the fifth largest global emitter of greenhouse gas emissions, demanding significant efforts to transition to an environmentally sustainable future. Addressing these issues will require collective societal action. In this regard, universities have a dual responsibility – (1) to tackle complex social, economic, and environmental challenges by championing sustainability initiatives designed to positively impact planetary health; and (2) to ensure that graduates are equipped with the knowledge, attitudes and skills needed to steward planetary health towards a more sustainable future. The future nursing and midwifery workforce must be educated to mitigate the health sector's impact on the environment, advocate for action on climate change, prepare for ongoing health impacts of unpredictable climate and environmental changes, and help communities and healthcare systems become more climate resilient. What this paper contributesTo help increase nursing and midwifery educators' and students' capacity to support planetary-health related interventions, the overarching purpose of this paper is to provide a series of exemplars that illustrate sustainability initiatives used in four university-based clinical skills laboratories. These initiatives each demonstrate a commitment to the United Nation's Sustainable Development Goals and can be used to help embed the importance of planetary health in student learning.

Micronutrient diversity in pole and bush type Dolichos bean germplasm: identification of gene sources from biofortification perspectives

AbstractExploring the nutritional potential of underutilized legumes such as Dolichos bean (Lablab purpureus L.) is of great significance, particularly, in view of accomplishing the United Nation's Sustainable Development Goal number two, which emphasizes on improving food and nutrition security by 2030. A thorough understanding of genetic variability is crucial for developing biofortified cultivars of Dolichos bean. In this study, the Dolichos bean genotypes represented by pole and bush types (28 bush and 19 pole types) were assessed for genetic variability for Cu, Mn, Fe and Zn contents. Pole type genotypes had higher average contents for all micronutrients except manganese. Among micronutrients, Cu, Fe, Mn and Zn, content ranged from 10.10–19.95, 77.13–331.93, 22.78–46.40 and 42.03–102.85 mg kg−1 in pole type, and 8.2–18.5, 50.8–99.3, 25.65–53.25 and 37.15–63.25 mg kg−1 in bush type beans, respectively. Strong positive correlations between Cu, Fe and Zn concentrations occurred, which indicates the possibility of simultaneous improvement of these nutrients. Pod pigmentation was positively correlated with contents of Fe and Zn. There was an association of micronutrients with yield. The pole genotypes VRSEM-1000, VRDB-01 and VRSEM 109 and bush type genotypes VRBSEM-3, VRBSEM-35 and VRBSEM- 200 are good source of microelements and high yielders. Gene sources with enhanced nutrients may be used as cultivated forms or as input material for breeding nutritionally rich biofortified varieties of bean.

Environmental monitoring in European regions using the sustainable development goals (SDG) framework

The paper focuses on environmental monitoring in European regions using the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) framework. Adopted in 2015, the United Nations SDG are a set of global goals developed to guide countries towards sustainable development. Although designed for the national level, it is growingly argued that achieving the SDG requires action at the sub-national, local level. With this in mind, in this paper, we use indicators co-designed by researchers and SDG practitioners from European regional administrations to monitor the environmental status of selected European regions over a period of time. We consider environmental monitoring a domain that encompasses activities beyond the monitoring and reducing CO2 emissions alone and widely regards biodiversity and conservation, ecosystems, climate change, environmental pollution and human ecology. By default, this touches upon different sectors of society (from energy to mobility, and production to consumption), and the latter is also reflected in the SDG and their targets. To this end, we isolate indicators that directly and indirectly address the environment as a domain to highlight areas where there is a need for improvement. Finally, the paper provides insights into how the SDG framework can be used to monitor environmental progress at the regional level in Europe and how the current policy framework might also contribute to this progress.

Connect Globally, Thrive Locally: The Spillover Effect of Sister-City Inward FDI on Regional Innovation

Sister cities are a prevalent form of subnational intergovernmental relationships. Such relationships can play an important role in attracting foreign direct investment (FDI). However, we know little about whether and how these relationships influence the localized impacts of FDI in host countries, which is pivotal in achieving the United Nation's Sustainable Development Goals. By integrating the literature on FDI spillover and sister cities, our study proposes that the higher the FDI percentage received by a city from its sister city, the greater the number of patents applied for by firms in that city. Our sample consists of 7273 inward FDI projects into China from 1558 cities in 77 countries between 2003 and 2008. The analysis results support our assumption. We also find that this positive effect is stronger when FDI projects are from recently established sister cities, when the asymmetry in the global economic networks of the two sister cities is smaller, and when regional marketization in host-country is higher.

The contribution of urban green and blue spaces to the United Nation's Sustainable Development Goals: An evidence gap map

Urban green and blue spaces (UGBS) have the potential to make a significant contribution to the United Nation's Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Research shows the need for UGBS to mitigate the adverse environmental impacts of urbanisation and provide equitable access to resources that reduce social and health inequalities. However, no previous review has attempted to consolidate this evidence within the context of the SDGs. The aim of this study was to review the evidence pertaining to the role of UGBS in achieving the SDGs and identify important knowledge gaps. Using systematic review methods, we developed an evidence gap map of the literature that explores the role of UGBS in the achievement of the SDGs. Five databases (Scopus, MEDLINE, PubMed, EMBASE, and GreenFILE) were searched for studies published since 2015 that investigated at least one outcome that corresponded to the SDGs. Following screening, study characteristics were extracted, and the data were imported into EPPI-Mapper to create the interactive evidence gap map. In total n = 1872 studies were identified. Following screening, n = 181 eligible studies were included in the evidence synthesis. The majority of studies focused on the impact of UGBS on health and wellbeing (SDG3; n = 115), pollution, and urban heat island effects (SDG11 and SDG13; n = 73 and n = 46, respectively). SDGs that were not addressed by the studies included SDG5 (gender equality), SDG9 (industry, innovation and infrastructure), SDG12 (responsible consumptions and production), SDG14 (life below water) and SDG17 (partnership for the goals). In addition, there was a relative lack of studies conducted in low- and middle-income countries. Theoretically, UGBS could contribute to 15 of the 17 SDGs. More research is needed to address the evidence gaps towards SDGs 5,9, and 12. Related research in low- and middle-income countries must also be accelerated and more research is needed that assesses the multifunctional benefits of UGBS, drawing explicit links between UGBS and the SDGs.