Potential For Sustainable Development Research Articles

Coordinate and Optimize Political Ideology, Curriculum Reform and Local Governance to Promote Sustainable Development

Local sustainable development is the main content and long-term goal of regional governance, but in the case of the unification of ideas, it is impossible to deeply develop the potential of sustainable development. Local governments should do a good job in ideological and political work and optimize resources in various ways. Therefore, this paper puts forward the following issues: 1) the relationship between the ideological and political curriculum reform and local governance in region A, 2) the synergy of various resources can promote the reform of the political ideology curriculum, and 3) the promotion and importance of synergy resources and political ideological reform to local governance. The results show that the ideological and political curriculum reform in region A can deepen local autonomy, and the optimization of collaborative resources can positively promote the political curriculum reform. However, the relationship between local governance and political thought courses is not a necessary condition. Synergistic resources and political and ideological reform can jointly promote local governance, and political and ideological reform is the main factor.

Empirical Study on the Impact of New-Quality Productivity on Regional Economic Development in China

New-quality productivity (NQP) reflects the modernization of productivity, characterized by higher technological levels, better quality, and greater efficiency and sustainability. Against the backdrop of technological innovation, NQP plays an increasingly significant role in economic development. Sustained growth of NQP is key to maintaining stable and rapid economic progress. This paper adopts the new-quality productivity index developed by scholar Lu Jiang, Guo Ziang and Wang Yuping, which comprises three dimensions, including innovation capacity, technological research and development, and production efficiency. By using this index, an OLS regression analysis is conducted on the economic development levels of various regions. Through regression analysis, the paper examines the impact of these indicators on regional economic development and provides relevant policy recommendations. The results show with a higher new-quality productivity index tend to have a higher level of economic development. Theoretically, this result further illustrates that new-quality productivity enhances production efficiency through technological innovation and resource optimization, thereby driving economic growth. New-quality productivity not only transcends the traditional factor-driven growth model but also injects stronger innovative momentum and potential for sustainable development into regional economies. On a practical level, improving the level of new-quality productivity can effectively promote the rational allocation of resources, accelerate industrial structure upgrades, and significantly enhance the affluence and vitality of regional economies.

Sustainable Tourism Development in Vietnam in the Current Period

Sustainable tourism development is currently an inevitable and effective direction for the tourism industry of Vietnam in particular and countries around the world in general. Vietnam has great potential for sustainable tourism development, from geographical location to natural and cultural resources. However, we also encounter many difficulties when developing sustainable tourism. This study points out the theoretical basis for sustainable tourism development; analyzes the current status of tourism development in Vietnam from 2015 to 2023; evaluates sustainable tourism development in Vietnam based on three aspects: Economy-Society-Environment; and examines the opportunities and challenges for sustainable tourism development in Vietnam. From that, several solutions will be proposed to develop sustainable tourism in Vietnam, making the tourism sector a key industry contributing to the ongoing development of Vietnam’s economy and society.

Assessing the achievement of sustainable development in the Maghreb countries

Aim. Comparative analysis of the progress of achieving sustainable development by Maghreb countries (among them Libya, Tunisia, Algeria, Morocco, Mauritania) according to the indices developed by international organizations and scientific institutions, as well as ranking the countries according to the level of sustainable development in the region.Objectives. To analyze the regulatory framework governing sustainable development in the Maghreb countries; to assess the level of sustainable development of the countries under consideration according to international environmental, social and economic indices in 2018–2023; to apply a universal methodology for assessing sustainable development based on basic statistical data of each country; to identify common achievements and unique challenges faced by countries in the process of implementing sustainable development programs.Methods. The analysis is based on the comparison of statistical data, publications and reports of international organizations on the success of the implementation of sustainable development programs in the Maghreb countries. Comparative and analytical approaches to assessing the level of sustainable development were applied, and attention was paid to factors affecting successes and obstacles to achieving sustainable development.Results. Maghreb countries are at different levels of sustainable development. The article traces the differences in the countries’ strategies for implementing national sustainable development programs. The analysis of the level of sustainable development in Maghreb countries showed that Morocco has the highest position. Libya has the lowest level of sustainable development. The poverty rate in the region is decreasing, although in Libya, it remains high. Countries are showing progress in renewable energy development, with Morocco in particular implementing solar energy programs. Despite the successes, the countries face significant challenges. Inequality in access to resources and income, along with high unemployment, especially among youth, remains a pressing problem in the region. Political instability in Libya, non-cooperation between Morocco and Algeria hinder economic development and the realization of the Sustainable Development Goals.Conclusions. Regular monitoring of the level of sustainable development in the Maghreb countries, as well as timely adjustment of actions, serves as a necessary step to achieve prosperity and well-being in the region. Despite many challenges, Libya, Tunisia, Algeria, Morocco and Mauritania have great potential for sustainable development. However, realizing the Aim. requires considerable effort, political will and effective cooperation, both within the region and internationally. It is necessary to continue to invest in development, strengthen regional cooperation and utilize innovative technologies to achieve a sustainable future.

A method for estimating maximum safe installable power for groundwater extraction with application to Africa

New groundwater development is a likely way to meet growing global water demand but needs careful management. To help inform the sustainable development of groundwater resources, a novel method based on the maximum safe installable power for water pumping systems and the maximum safe remaining installable power (considering current abstraction) is developed. The proposed model couples energy, technology and hydrogeological parameters, and is then developed to compute the maximum power that can be safely installed per km2 without exceeding a maximum annual pumpable volume, calculated through available recharge and storage. The model is applied to estimate the maximum safe installable power across Africa with a 0.2-degree resolution, using available energy and hydrogeological data. Constrained by recharge (considering that 25 % of the annual recharge is available for utilization), the maximum safe installable power ranges between 0 and 9960 W/km2 across Africa with regions such as the Congo Basin (~340 W/km2), and western Africa between the Ivory Coast and Nigeria (~230 W/km2) identified as having high potential for sustainable pumping system development. Constrained by storage (considering that 0.1 % of storage can be withdrawn per year), it ranges between 0 and 13,425 W/km2 highlighting the ability to harness storage for pumping system development in the large aquifers of Northern Sahara (~8720 W/km2). When considering limitations posed by both groundwater recharge and aquifer storage (considering that 25 % of the annual recharge and 0.1 % of storage can be withdrawn per year), along with current groundwater withdrawal, 93 % of the maximum safe installable power remains still installable on average across Africa. Nevertheless, 2 % of the locations are estimated to be already experiencing overexploitation, particularly in Sudan, northern Africa, and northeastern South Africa. These findings provide a novel and adaptable way to examine water security, which can assist institutions in targeting investments to meet water demand sustainably.

Circular Economy in Architecture: Reducing Waste and Promoting Reuse in Construction

This paper explores the concept of circular economy within the Architecture, Engineering, and Construction (AEC) industries. It examines the evolution of the circular economy framework from the traditional 4R model to more expansive 9R and 10R iterations. The study investigates the challenges and opportunities in implementing circular economy principles in Nigeria's AEC sector, considering its significant contribution to the country's GDP and potential for sustainable economic development. By analysing the relationship between construction activities and economic growth, this research aims to provide insights into the transformative potential of circular economy practices in AEC industry and its broader implications for national development.

Research on the Implications of the Energy Transition in the Middle East

This paper critically examines the implications of the energy transition in the Middle East, a region historically reliant on fossil fuel revenues. The research explores the economic, technological, social, and geopolitical impacts of shifting from conventional energy sources to renewable alternatives. Through a detailed analysis, the study highlights the region's involvement in solar and wind energy projects, reflecting an emerging awareness of environmental sustainability. The regional objectives include reducing domestic fossil fuel consumption and curbing exports of oil and gas. While the transition offers significant potential for sustainable development, it also uncovers considerable challenges, particularly financial constraints, social acceptance issues, and political hurdles, as evidenced by comprehensive case studies. The paper advocates for a phased approach to achieving a greener energy sector, emphasizing the necessity of financial support, social initiatives, and political reforms. By situating the energy transition within a regional context, this study provides valuable insights for stakeholders and policymakers, offering a holistic perspective on the path toward sustainable growth.

Smart City Aquaculture: AI-Driven Fry Sorting and Identification Model

The development of smart agriculture has become a critical issue for the future of smart cities, with large-scale management of aquaculture posing numerous challenges. Particularly in the fish farming industry, producing single-sex fingerlings (especially male fingerlings) is crucial for enhancing rearing efficiency and could even provide key support in addressing future global food demands. However, traditional methods of manually selecting the gender of broodfish rely heavily on experienced technicians, are labor-intensive and time-consuming, and present significant bottlenecks in improving production efficiency, thus limiting the capacity and sustainable development potential of fish farms. In response to this situation, this study has developed an intelligent identification system based on the You Only Look Once (YOLO) artificial intelligence (AI) model, specifically designed for analyzing secondary sexual characteristics and gender screening in farmed fish. Through this system, farmers can quickly photograph the fish’s cloaca using a mobile phone, and AI technology is then used to perform real-time gender identification. The study involved two phases of training with different sample sets: in the first phase, the AI model was trained on a single batch of images with varying parameter conditions. In the second phase, additional sample data were introduced to improve generalization. The results of the study show that the system achieved an identification accuracy of over 95% even in complex farming environments, significantly reducing the labor costs and physical strain associated with traditional screening operations and greatly improving the production efficiency of breeding facilities. This research not only has the potential to overcome existing technological bottlenecks but also may become an essential tool for smart aquaculture. As the system continues to be refined, it is expected to be applicable across the entire life cycle management of fish, including gender screening during the growth phase, thereby enabling a more efficient production and management model. This not only provides an opportunity for technological upgrades in the aquaculture industry but also promotes the sustainable development of aquaculture. The smart aquaculture solution proposed in this study demonstrates the immense potential of applying AI technology to the aquaculture industry and offers strong support for global food security and the construction of smart cities.

Transforming watermelon (Citrullus lanatus) rind into durable superabsorbent hydrogels for enhanced soil water retention properties and adsorbs dye in water

Innovative superabsorbent hydrogels were synthesized from watermelon rind (WR), an abundant agricultural waste. The process involved free radical polymerization of acrylic acid (AA) and acrylamide (AAm) with WR particles activated by ammonium persulfate (APS), resulting in (AA-co-AAm)/WR hydrogels with high equilibrium swelling capacities of 749 ± 32 g/g. Notably, after eight cycles, the WR hydrogel maintained 94.88 % of its initial swelling capacity, significantly outperforming the (AA-co-AAm) hydrogel without WR (13.80 % retention). This durability, combined with excellent water retention across various soil textures and high adsorption capacity for methylene blue (MB), underscores the WR hydrogel as a superior soil moisture conservation agent. This study marks a significant advance in recycling organic waste and enhancing water management in agricultural soils, demonstrating the potential for sustainable hydrogel development.

Р ОЛЬ СЕВЕРО-ЗАПАДНОГО ФЕДЕРАЛЬНОГО ОКРУГА В ОБЕСПЕЧЕНИИ УСТОЙЧИВОГО ИННОВАЦИОННОГО РАЗВИТИЯ РОССИЙСКОЙ ФЕДЕРАЦИИ

The article is devoted to the innovative development of the Russian Federation, both in general and in the regional context for the period from 2014 to 2022. The scientific research is based on statistical data for the open period. The purpose of the study is to identify the role of the Northwestern Federal District in the innovative development of the Russian Federation through indicators of financing scientific activities, costs of innovative research in the context of types of work and subjects. The results obtained confirm the potential of sustainable innovative development of the Russian Federation, the significant place in it of the North-Western Fed- eral District and can be applied for strategic planning of measures for the implementation of innovative development

Geosite assessment as the first step for the development of canyoning activities in North Montenegro

Abstract The objective of the study is to investigate the current state of the canyons in the northern part of Montenegro, their potential for sustainable development, which could be achieved through canyoning as an attractive tourist attraction, and to assess the area’s geotourism potential. The canyons encompassed in this research are the Nevidio Canyon, the Tara Canyon, the Grlja Canyon, and the canyon of the river Ibar. The research was carried out using the modified Geosite Assessment Model, which includes tourists’ opinions on the significance of indicators in the assessment process. The obtained results show that all four canyons possess significant scientific, educational, and aesthetic values for the development of canyoning tourism. Since surveyed tourists pointed out not only the advantages but disadvantages of these geosites, these findings should be further used for the valorization and geoconservation of the geosite and provide a more favorable deal for the arrival of as many tourists as possible. In the future, investigated geosites should be improved with tourist content and activities, such as interpretive boards for tourists, expert guides, organized visits, tourist infrastructure, and promotion. Successful activities in these critical areas could contribute to sustainable geotourism being one of the key economically beneficial activities of the local population that will develop local communities through the arrival of a larger number of domestic and foreign tourists.

Unveiling the Canvas: Sustainable Integration of AI in Visual Art Education

The rapid advancement of technology is transforming the landscape of art education, fostering a new era of creativity and learning with a focus on sustainability. By optimizing resources and reducing the reliance on physical materials, AI-supported art education enhances sustainability, broadens accessibility, and lowers environmental impacts. Despite some research on the application of smart tools in art education, there remains a gap in robust evidence supporting their effectiveness and long-term impact. This study undertakes an in-depth examination of the intersection of sustainable technologies, pedagogical theories, and assessment methods within visual art education. By reviewing 685 research articles from the past decade, we ultimately filtered them down to 36 completely relevant studies that illuminate the technological advancements in teaching visual art. Our analysis focuses on emerging trends, the theoretical frameworks underpinning learning, hardware platforms, application categories, and dependent variables used to assess the impact on sustainability. Our findings indicate that the use of technology in art education is still in its nascent stages, yet it holds significant potential for sustainable development. These insights are crucial for developers and educators, offering guidance on creating user-friendly, interactive, and sustainable art education programs that enhance student comprehension and engagement beyond the current offerings.

Inclusive business and partnerships: Enhancing value creation for producers in the global south

AbstractInclusive businesses (IBs) are promoted to alleviate poverty and contribute to sustainable development at the base of the pyramid (BOP). In the agri‐food sector, there is limited evidence regarding what types of partnerships enhance IBs' value creation potential for low‐income producers. This prevents policymakers from providing effective support to IBs and leveraging their full potential for sustainable development. To understand what types of partnerships are more effective for social value creation, this paper conducts a mixed‐method analysis of 46 cases from Tanzania and Ghana. It finds that transactional partnerships create efficient IB networks that require limited external support. Such IBs, however, generally undertake business‐as‐usual activities. In contrast, IBs adopt more innovative business models when their partners are integrated in decision‐making and strategic planning. Such IBs, however, often require tailored support to resolve their inter‐ and intra‐organizational challenges. This paper suggests practical considerations for designing IB partnerships to maximize impact potential.

The Environmental Component of Sustainable Development Potential in the Odesa Industrial-Urban Agglomeration

The Environmental Component of Sustainable Development Potential in the Odesa Industrial-Urban Agglomeration

Harmonizing Nature, Education, Engineering and Creativity: An Interdisciplinary Educational Exploration of Engineered Living Materials, Artistry and Sustainability Using Collaborative Mycelium Brick Construction.

This study presents an innovative approach to interdisciplinary education by integrating biology, engineering and art principles to foster holistic learning experiences for middle-schoolers aged 11-12. The focus lies on assembling mycelium bricks as engineered living materials, with promising applications in sustainable construction. Through a collaborative group task, children engage in the hands-on creation of these bricks, gaining insights into mycology, biomaterials engineering and artistic expression. The curriculum introduces fundamental concepts of mycelial growth and its potential in sustainable material development. Children actively participate in fabricating 3D forms (negative and positive) using mycelium bricks, thereby gaining practical knowledge in shaping and moulding living materials. This hands-on experience enhances their understanding of biological processes and cultivates an appreciation for sustainable design principles. The group task encourages teamwork, problem-solving and creativity as children collaboratively compose structures using mycelium bricks. Integrating art into the activity adds a creative dimension, allowing participants to explore aesthetic aspects while reinforcing the project's interdisciplinary nature. Conversations about the material's end-of-life and decomposition are framed within the broader context of Nature's cycles, facilitating an understanding of sustainability. This interdisciplinary pedagogical approach provides a model for educators seeking to integrate diverse fields of knowledge into a cohesive and engaging learning experience. The study contributes to the emerging field of nature-inspired education, illustrating the potential of integrating living materials and 3D-understanding activities to nurture a holistic understanding of science, engineering and artistic expression in young learners.

Highly functionalized all-cellulose nanocomposites via bacteria-enabled in-situ modifications

Bacterial cellulose (BC) is an appealing class of nanoscale biopolymers with immense potential for sustainable development across food, energy, and health sectors. However, facile, green approaches to convert BC into functional, value-added materials remain limited. Here, novel BC nanocomposites are developed by incorporating highly functional amorphous cellulose chains, called “hairs”. It is shown how in-situ modifications via integrating hairy nanocrystalline cellulose (HNCC) into cellulose-synthesizing Komagataeibacter medellinensis media enable all-cellulose nanocomposites with diverse functional groups. As a result, sterically stabilized HNCC (SNCC) with neutral aldehyde, electrosterically stabilized HNCC (ENCC) with carboxyl and bifunctional HNCC (BNCC) with both aldehyde-carboxyl groups yield hairy BC/SNCC (aldehyde ∼ 0.9 mmol g−1), BC/ENCC (carboxyl ∼ 1.5 mmol g-1) and BC/BNCC (aldehyde ∼ 0.8 mmol g-1 and carboxyl ∼ 1.1 mmol g-1) nanocomposites, respectively. These nanocomposites, characterized by finely tuned chemistry and architecture, offer versatile sustainable platforms. Anionic BC/ENCC and BC/BNCC are loaded with the antibacterial ɛ-poly-L-lysine (PLL) to explore drug adsorption isotherms, release kinetics, and underlying mechanisms. The antibacterial efficacy of hairy nanocomposites is quantified, followed by a biocompatibility assessment with human bone marrow stromal cells (hBMSC). This work lays the foundation for BC conversion to highly functional advanced nanocomposites for a wide range of applications.

Conversion of Bamboo into Strong, Waterproof, and Biodegradable Thermosetting Plastic through Cell Wall Structure Directed Manipulation.

Reckoning with the global environmental challenge of plastic pollution, particularly in terms of recycling and biodegradation of thermosetting plastics, sustainable alternatives are imperative. The rapidly growing and eco-friendly material bamboo has great potential as a sustainable resource; however, it lacks the inherent self-bonding and plasticity characteristics found in plastics. This study presents a feasible approach to enhance the plasticity of bamboo by selectively removing part of its lignin and disrupting the crystalline structure of cellulose. Concurrently, this process selectively transforms hydroxyl groups into highly reactive dialdehyde groups to increase the reactivity of bamboo. The resulting activated bamboo units undergo a hot-pressing process to transform them into a type of thermosetting plastic (ABTP). The ABTP is highly moldable, and its color can be precisely regulated by adjusting the lignin content. Additionally, it exhibits exceptional solvent and water resistance, along with notable mechanical properties, including a tensile strength of 50 MPa, flexural strength of 80 MPa, flexural modulus of 5 GPa, and Shore D hardness approaching 90. Furthermore, the bamboo-derived plastic exhibits exceptional reusability and biodegradability, presenting feasible and environmentally friendly alternatives to conventional plastics while harnessing the sustainable development potential of bamboo.

Analysis of Solid Waste Treatment and Management in Typical Chinese Industrial Parks with the Goal of Sustainable Development and Future Suggestions

Solid waste disposal and management have become a global problem, which is particularly tricky in China with its large population and rapid urbanization. This study focused on the disposal status of multi-source solid waste as well as the park management of some typical cities of China. Firstly, the main technical methods for solid waste disposal were summarized as follows: landfill, incineration, anaerobic digestion and aerobic compost. Secondly, the network analysis method was applied to seek an optimized method for solid waste disposal and management. Thirdly, typical demonstration parks for solid waste disposal and management were analyzed to study their respective operating modes and strategies for synergistic development in terms of resources, environment and economy and to explore the sustainable development potential of the Guangdong–Hong Kong–Macao operating mode. The results showed that the collaborative disposal and recycling of solid waste are important for cities (especially megacities) to achieve resource conservation and environmental protection. The NIMBY effect and environmental pollution risks caused by decentralized construction could be reduced through the construction of circular industrial parks. Advanced technologies and the national policy for solid waste disposal and recycling in industrial parks of small–medium cities, large–medium cities and megacities were systematically analyzed so as to explore a self-operating management mode of industrial parks. Finally, reasonable suggestions, such as sharing, saving and cycling and propaganda education, as well as green and low-carbon solutions were put forward for solid waste disposal and management in typical industrial parks, effectively resolving the contradiction between economic development and environmental protection so as to help urban sustainable development.

A potential community-based tourism analysis of baseco: A basis for socio-economic sustainability development

Background: Community-based tourism has been promoted as a strategy for the reduction of poverty, with the potential to improve the sustainability of marginalized regions and communities. The locals of Baseco have low wages, unsecured employment, and limited access to primary services like education, healthcare, sanitation, and adequate shelter. Methods: The study determines the relationship between the local government views on community-based tourism and their level of contributions to the community-based tourism for the Baseco’s socio-economic sustainability development. The researchers had two distinct categories of respondents to get the perspectives of all parties involved in the study’s beneficial result. Using the quantitative method and the purposive sampling technique, there were one hundred thirty (130) respondents through online survey questionnaires. The data of the respondents were examined using a Likert scale, and the collected information was statistically analyzed using frequency, weighted mean, standard deviation, and Pearson correlation coefficient. Findings: Using the elements of community-based tourism such as: (1) resource conservation; (2) social and economic development; (3) empowerment and ownership; and (4) quality visitor experience, the participants determine the impact of community-based tourism to the community. The result indicates a moderately strong positive relationship between the viewed community-based tourism socio-economic activity of the local government unit in Baseco and the perceived level of possible contributions to its community-based socio-economic sustainability. Moreover, the result from the local community of Baseco indicates a strong agreement and satisfaction with the possible implementation of community-based tourism in Baseco. Conclusion: The residents firmly support and express pleasure with the implementation of community-based tourism as shown in the data. Novelty/Originality of this Study: The novelty CBT in Baseco, Manila, a highly urbanized informal settlement, emphasizing the potential for socio-economic and sustainable development through local government and community collaboration, which has not been extensively documented before.

Utilization of Poly(Ethylene Terephthalate) Waste Bottle into Disodium Terephthalate: A Sustainable Electrolyte for Visible to Near‐Infrared Broadband Electrochromic Modulation

AbstractThe growing challenge of poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) plastic bottle waste underscores the urgent need for innovative solutions. This study introduces a pioneering approach to repurpose PET waste into valuable electrolytic material for electrochromic (EC) smart windows, presenting a novel strategy to address environmental concerns while advancing technology. Through alkaline depolymerization, disodium terephthalate (DST) electrolyte is derived from PET waste, offering an eco‐friendly and cost‐effective alternative. Integrated with chromogens such as 1‐hexyl‐[4,4′‐bipyridin]‐1‐ium iodide [MV(I)], or 1,1′‐dihexyl‐[4,4′‐bipyridine]‐1,1′‐diium iodide [DVH(I)], or 1,1′‐dihexyl‐[4,4′‐bipyridine]‐1,1′‐diium dihexafluorophosphate [DVH(PF6)], alongside hydroquinone [HQ] and poly(ethyene glycol) diacrylate [PEGDA]: water, novel EC gel‐based devices are fabricated. Notably, ED‐3 exhibits dual‐band absorption across the visible to near‐infrared spectrum, enabling seamless color transitions and exceptional optical contrast. With (ΔT) values of 88.03% at 550 nm and 73.7% at 900 nm, along with a coloration efficiency of 277 cm2C⁻¹ and cyclic stability exceeding 2000 cycles, this innovative approach marks a significant advancement in PET waste upcycling for EC applications. Furthermore, this research contributes to addressing the global challenges of plastic waste pollution and energy consumption, underscoring the transformative potential of sustainable material development.