Regional Sustainable Development Research Articles

IMPERATIVES OF MODERN MANAGEMENT OF NATURAL ASSETS OF NATURE PRESERVATION FUND OBJECTS

Topicality. The development of protected natural areas in Ukraine is a crucial aspect of the country's post-war recovery. During the war, not only people but also territories, including natural ecosystems, suffer significant losses and destruction. Effective and well-managed administration of protected natural areas can enable the implementation of measures aimed at restoring damaged landscapes, preserving biodiversity, and maintaining ecological balance, which is essential for sustainable development. Therefore, in order to develop and increase the significance of nature-protected territories, it is necessary first of all to determine scientific approaches that will allow to increase the effectiveness of nature protection state management in this area. Aim and tasks. Based on this, the aim of this study is to identify the imperatives of modern management of natural assets of protected area objects by analyzing: the conceptual foundations of managing natural assets of protected area objects; the state and shortcomings of the existing management model of the natural reserve fund in Ukraine; and the main aspects of the impact of protected areas on regional development. Materials and methods. The research employed general scientific and specialized methods: institutional, retrospective, and systems analysis, synthesis, and theoretical generalization. The information base of the study included domestic and foreign periodical scientific publications, informational-analytical materials, and legislative-regulatory acts of Ukraine. Research results. The study identifies priority directions and the strategic goal of managing natural assets of protected area objects, listing specific objectives for achieving it, along with the principles, tasks, and functions. Definitions are provided for terms such as "natural assets of protected area objects" and "management of natural assets of protected area objects." The problematic issues of the current management model of the natural reserve fund in Ukraine are examined, and the condition of the territories and objects of the natural reserve fund of Ukraine is analyzed, including their subordination and structure. The key aspects of the impact of protected areas on regional development are considered. The proposal to create a unified state body for managing protected areas is substantiated. Conclusion. Effective management of natural assets of protected area objects plays a crucial role in the development of protected areas, which, in turn, cannot be considered separately from the economic systems of regions, countries, and the world due to their essential role in providing ecosystem services, economic value, and socio-economic interaction. Defining the priority directions of modern management of natural assets of protected area objects is necessary for achieving sustainable development and balanced economic growth of both protected areas and regions. In the absence of a unified state body for managing the territories and objects of the natural reserve fund, numerous problems arise in various aspects of management activities, reducing the effectiveness of biodiversity conservation, natural resource management, and environmental security. Based on this, and the analysis conducted in the study of the management bodies of protected areas in Ukraine and other foreign countries, the creation of a unified state body for managing protected areas is proposed. This body would ensure the development of natural reserve objects while taking into account historical and cultural aspects.

Geochemical Indicators on the Central Tibetan Plateau Lake Sediments: Historical Climate Change and Regional Sustainability

This study investigates geochemical indicators (TOC, TN, C/N, δ13Corg, δ15N, and pollen indicators) from sediment samples of Zigetang Co Lake on the Tibetan Plateau (TP) to explore past climate changes in the lake basin. The findings aim to provide essential data for developing sustainable strategies for the TP region. From 14.0 to 10.8 cal. ka BP, the δ15N, TOC, TN, and δ13Corg value of the lake sediments was relatively low; this indicated a low organic matter input into the lake, reflecting a probably cold and arid environment. In addition, the pollen was primarily composed of Artemisia and Gramineae, which are adapted to cold environments, further confirming that the climate during this period was likely cold and dry. From 10.8 to 8.2 cal. ka BP, the changes in the main plant composition were likely due to increased solar radiation, the onset of the monsoon, and higher temperatures and precipitation, which created more favorable conditions for the growth of Cyperaceae. From 8.2 to 4.2 cal. ka BP, when the solar radiation weakened and the monsoon diminished, the basin maintained relatively high water levels, with regional precipitation being likely influenced by westerly winds. From 4.2 to 0.01 cal. ka BP, δ13Corg and δ15N initially decreased and then increased, which was likely a transition from a cold–wet climate to warm–dry conditions during the late Holocene, and the Pollen sum also showed significant changes. Understanding climate evolution and vegetation changes is crucial for formulating timely policies to ensure regional sustainable development.

Halving Environmental Impacts of Diverse Crop Production in Fujian, China through Optimized Nitrogen Management

Nitrogen (N) fertilizer is essential for agricultural production as it is the main nutrient driving crop growth. However, in China, only one-third of applied N fertilizer is effectively absorbed by crops, while the rest leads to significant environmental impacts. In this study, we introduced a nitrogen threshold boundary (NTB) approach to establish different thresholds for N use efficiency (NUE) and N surplus without affecting crop yield. We also developed an integrated assessment framework to systematically evaluate the potential for improving N utilization and reducing environmental impacts in the production of grain crops (rice, wheat, maize, and soybeans) and cash crops (tea, fruits, and vegetables) at the county level in Fujian Province. Three N management strategies were evaluated: a scenario with reduced N surplus (S1), a scenario with increased NUE (S2), and a combined scenario that simultaneously reduces N surplus and increases NUE (S3). The predictions indicate that, under the aforementioned scenarios, there will be a decrease of 66%, 58%, and 71% in N application without affecting crop yields, respectively. Correspondingly, N surplus will decrease by 65%, 56%, and 67%, while greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions will decrease by 54%, 48%, and 57%. In addition, NUE will increase by 23%, 17% and 25%, respectively. It is notable that scenario S3 demonstrated the greatest potential for improvement. For cash crops, N application will decrease by 65–78%, NUE will increase by 13–21%, N surplus will decrease by 63–74%, and GHG emissions will reduce by 66–78%. In contrast, for grain crops, N application will decrease by 27–38%, NUE will increase by 9–13%, N surplus will decrease by 26–37%, and GHG emissions will reduce by 24–28%. Overall, the potential for improvement is greater for cash crops compared to grain crops. The application of the assessment framework in this study demonstrates its effectiveness as a valuable tool for promoting green and sustainable development in conventional agricultural regions.

Unraveling the complex interconnections between food-energy-water nexus sustainability and the supply-demand of related ecosystem services

Matching the supply and demand of related ecosystem services can be an effective way to realize long-term sustainable management of the food-energy-water nexus (FEW Nexus) in drylands. However, few studies have focused on the matching of supply and demand for ecosystem services associated with advancing the sustainability of FEW-Nexus, there is limited research in this domain, which lacks systematic and quantitative analysis of the relationship between them and FEW Nexus sustainability. Here, this research takes the West Liaohe River Basin in the arid region of China as a case study. Based on a localized FEW Nexus sustainability evaluation index system, the FEW Nexus sustainability and the supply-demand matching characteristics of the corresponding ecosystem services in the West Liaohe River Basin from 2005 to 2015 were assessed. The relationship between them was analyzed quantitatively through the methods of coupling coordination degree and geographical detector. The results showed a synergistic improvement in both FEW Nexus sustainability and the supply-demand situation of combined ecosystem services. The supply of food production and water yield were able to meet their demands adequately from 2005 to 2015, with a strengthening surplus, leading to an overall surplus and gradual improvement in the integrated ecosystem services. This surplus synergistically promoted the process of FEW Nexus sustainability. The results of the geographical detector indicate that the supply-demand ratio of carbon sequestration was the main factor influencing FEW Nexus sustainability. Areas with higher FEW Nexus sustainability tended to have larger deficits in carbon sequestration, which was more evident in areas with high levels of urbanization. Therefore, the key to enhancing FEW Nexus sustainability in the basin is to balance the supply of and demand for carbon sequestration services. Overall, the present study not only provides a basis for strengthening the management of the supply-demand of ecosystem services associated with FEW to achieve regional sustainable development, but also offers insights into how the growing demand for the FEW Nexus is exerting pressure on the balance between supply and demand of related ecosystem services.

Spatial and Temporal Characteristics of Land Use Changes in the Yellow River Basin from 1990 to 2021 and Future Predictions

Studying spatial and temporal characteristics of land use changes and the driving factors in the Yellow River Basin as well as simulating and predicting future land use is crucial for resource management, ecological protection, and regional sustainable development in the Yellow River Basin. Based on the China Land Cover Dataset (CLCD) of the Yellow River Basin from 1990 to 2021, this study employs various methods such as the Mann–Kendall test and sliding t-test, land use dynamics, the land use transfer matrix, the standard deviation ellipse, the center of gravity migration model, and a geographic detector to explore the spatial and temporal characteristics of land use changes and driving forces in the Yellow River Basin over the past 30 years. Additionally, the study predicts land use types in the study area for the year of 2030 by using the Future Land Use Simulation (FLUS) model. The results show the following: (1) From 1990 to 2021, the area of forest, grassland, water, and impervious surfaces increased significantly, while the area of cropland, shrub, barren land, and wetlands decreased significantly. The most actively changing land use types are cropland, grassland, barren land, and impervious surfaces. (2) The center of gravity for shrub and impervious surfaces shifted westward, while wetlands showed a trend of obvious concentrated distribution, and the remaining land use types exhibited stable directional distributions. (3) Economic factors had a stronger driving effect on land use changes than topographic and climatic factors. The land use changes in the Yellow River Basin are influenced by the coordinated driving forces of multiple factors. (4) In 2030, the main land use types in the Yellow River Basin are still expected to be cropland, grassland, and forest. However, there will be a significant expansion of impervious surfaces and forest land, with substantial encroachment on cropland and grassland.

Farmers’ Willingness and Adoption of Water-Saving Agriculture in Arid Areas: Evidence from China

Enhancing water resource utilization efficiency is crucial for achieving sustainable development in arid and semi-arid regions. In promoting water-saving agriculture technologies, there is often a phenomenon of “willingness without behavior”. Therefore, investigating how willingness translates into behavior is of significant importance for improving water resource utilization. This study utilized data from a survey of 494 households in Ulanqab City, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, China, and employed Probit models to analyze the factors influencing farmers’ willingness towards water-saving technologies and their adoption. Prospect theory and mental accounting theory were introduced to understand the mechanism of transformation from farmers’ willingness to adoption. The study found that farmers’ willingness is a crucial prerequisite for their adoption. Farmers’ income perception towards adopting water-saving technologies can facilitate the transformation from willingness to adoption, while cost perception can inhibit this transformation. Both small and large-scale farmers’ perception of the benefits of water-saving technologies significantly increased their likelihood of translating their willingness to adopt into actual action. Compared with large-scale farmers, small-scale farmers are more sensitive to the perception of economic costs in the decision-making process. For both types of farmers, the perception of learning cost inhibits their willingness to adopt water-saving technologies to a certain extent. Farmers’ perception of the prospects of adopting water-saving technologies leads to a psychological segmentation effect, and the ultimate adoption depends on the psychological game between farmers’ income and cost perception.

Assessment of grassland carrying capacity drivers and evaluation of pasture-livestock balance: A case study of Xinjiang, China

Assessment of grassland carrying capacity drivers and evaluation of pasture-livestock balance: A case study of Xinjiang, China

Spatiotemporal change of lake shrinkage and its response to the unprecedented heat waves in the middle and lower Yangtze River Basin

ABSTRACT Due to the joint influence of human activities and climate change, lakes experience significant shrinkage or expansion, posing enormous challenges for water resource management and the ecological balance of lake ecosystems. As an important region abundant in water resources in China, the balance of water resources in the middle and lower Yangtze River Basin (MLY) is crucial for region sustainable development. However, to date, few studies have quantitatively analysed the lake area during heat waves in the MLY. To fill this gap, this study selected the summer of 2022, which encountered unprecedented heat waves, to analyse the changes of lake area in the MLY. Specifically, Sentinel-1 images were used as data sources, and the Random Forest (RF) model was applied to extract the monthly area of 62 lakes (area >10 km2) in the MLY from 2019 to 2022. The results showed that: (1) Compared to the Support Vector Machine (SVM) model and the Otsu method, the RF model had the highest accuracy, with its accuracy and Kappa coefficient in the testing samples of 97.14% and 0.94, respectively. During the period from June to September in 2022, the total area of 62 lakes decreased by 3475.50 km2. (2) Compared to the same period in the summer of 2019–2021, 23 lakes (37.10%) were observed to experience shrinkage. Among them, the area of Poyang Lake and Dongting Lake decreased to the level of the previous winter dry seasons in August 2022. (3) Temperature was the most important meteorological factor that caused changes in the lake area in the MLY, compared to precipitation, evaporation, and runoff. This research can help understand the impact of climate change on lakes and provide references for decision-making in the MLY to formulate the strategies of water resource management under the changing climate.

Research Progress on Ecological Carrying Capacity and Ecological Security, and Its Inspiration on the Forest Ecosystem in the Karst Desertification Control

Social progress and the improvement of living standards are often accompanied by the intensification of ecological crises. The long-term abuse of natural resources has led to the accumulation of ecological liabilities, which in turn seriously hinders economic development. This has prompted all sectors of society to recognize the importance of ecological carrying capacity (ECC) and ecological security (ES). Remarkable progress has been made in karst desertification control (KDC), which has helped reshape the ECC and ES pattern of forests. Currently, the research field of ECC and ES is experiencing rapid development. Further studies in these areas have immeasurable value in promoting regional sustainable development strategies and strengthening ecological civilization construction. The objective of this paper is to provide an overview of the current research status and potential challenges in the field of ECC and ES, with a view to optimizing the program of forest restoration and protection in KDC. This study systematically analyzed 350 relevant studies and found that (1) research on forest ECC and ES has shown a strong growth trend overall, especially after 2017, with a growth rate exceeding 75%; (2) the literature predominantly focuses on the assessment of forest ECC (40.58%) and the enhancement of forest ES (23.42%); and (3) geographically, research findings are heavily concentrated in Asia, representing 95.40% of the total. Notably, China emerges as the primary contributor to research in this field, accounting for a substantial 94.12%. Based on the above analysis, this review summarizes the significant advancements in forest ecosystems, ECC, and ES, while also delving into the key scientific issues that need to be addressed. Furthermore, it offers valuable insights from forest ecosystems in tackling KDC, with the goal of offering guidance and strategic recommendations for future research and practices in managing delicate ecological environments.

Impacts of Land Use Changes on Landscape Patterns and Ecosystem Service Values in Counties (Villages) in Ethnic Regions of China: A Case Study of Jianghua Yao Autonomous County, Hunan Province

This study, using Jianghua Yao Autonomous County in Hunan Province as a case, systematically analyzes the response of ecosystem service value (ESV) to land use and landscape pattern changes by employing landscape-level indices and landscape-type-level indices. The findings provide a reliable basis for scientifically formulating land use planning and ecological protection policies in ethnic regions, thereby promoting regional ecological security and sustainable development. This study reveals that (1) the land use structure in the county underwent significant changes between 2000 and 2020, with grassland and shrubland areas decreasing substantially by 71.66% and 78.41%, respectively, while urban and arable land areas increased significantly by 228.30% and 15.84%, respectively. Particularly under the scenario of prioritizing economic development, these changes led to increased landscape fragmentation and a decline in ecosystem service value (from CNY 296.571 billion in 2020 to CNY 287.959 billion in 2030). (2) In contrast, the scenarios of ecological protection and sustainable development significantly enhanced the region’s ecosystem service value by increasing forest and water area, effectively maintaining the stability of the landscape pattern. These findings provide important evidence for the formulation of scientifically sound land use planning and ecological protection policies, contributing to the dual goals of economic development, tourism growth and ecological protection in Jianghua Yao Autonomous County and similar regions.

Land ecological security evaluation and prediction based on SBM-BP model: a case study of Yangtze River Economic Belt, China

Land ecological security is the foundation for ecological environmental protection and regional sustainable development. Therefore, examining the land ecological security and spatial heterogeneity in the Yangtze River Economic Belt (YREB) in China can guide effective land ecological protection in this region. Using a driving force-pressure-state-impact-response (DPSIR) index system, a global super-efficiency slacks-based measure (SBM) model, and a backpropagation (BP) neural network model, this study evaluated the land ecological security in 126 YREB prefecture-level cities and then employed spatial correlation analysis to identify the spatial distribution characteristics. It was found that: (1) from 2012 to 2021, the land ecological security in the study area decreased and then increased, with the eastern and western regions being better than the central regions; (2) from 2015 to 2017, the high land ecological security was clustered in the Yangtze River Delta urban agglomeration and the low value was clustered in Yunnan Province, Hubei Province, and the Chongqing Municipality; (3) from 2022 to 2026, the land ecological security in the study area is expected to gradually increase, but in the southwest is expected to remain low. These research results provide a theoretical basis for the evaluation and prediction of land ecological security and practical guidance for land ecological protection in areas with similar natural conditions.

Dynamics of the Oasis–Desert–Impervious Surface System and Its Mechanisms in the Northern Region of Egypt

Arid oasis ecosystems are susceptible and fragile ecosystems on Earth. Studying the interaction between deserts, oases, and impervious surfaces is an essential breakthrough for the harmonious and sustainable development of people and land in drylands. Based on gridded data such as land use and NDVI, this article analyzes the interaction characteristics between oases, deserts, and impervious surfaces in northern Egypt and examines their dynamics using modeling and geographic information mapping methods. The results show the following: In terms of the interaction between deserts and oases, the primary manifestation was the expansion of oases and the reduction of deserts. During the study period, the oases in the Nile Delta and Fayoum District increased significantly, with the area of oases in 2020 being 1.19 times the area in 2000, which shows a clear trend of advance of people and retreat of sand. The interaction between oases and impervious surfaces was mainly observed in the form of the spread of impervious surfaces on arable land into oases. During the study period, the area of impervious surfaces increased 2.32 times. The impervious surface expanded over 1903.70 km2 of arable land, accounting for 66.67% of the expanded area. The central phenomenon between the impervious surface and the desert was the encroachment of the covered area of the impervious surface into the desert, especially around the city of Cairo. Population growth and urbanization are the two central drivers between northern Egypt’s oases, deserts, and impervious surfaces. The need for increased food production due to population growth has forced oases to move deeper into the desert, and occupation of arable land due to urbanization has led to increasing pressure on arable land, creating a pressure-conducting dynamic mechanism. Finally, countermeasures for sustainable regional development are suggested.

Enhanced Water Quality Inversion in the Ningxia Yellow River Basin Using a Hybrid PCWA-ResCNN Model: Insights from Landsat-8 Data

The real-time monitoring and evaluation of water quality provides a scientific basis for water resource management and promotes regional sustainable development. This study established a database using Landsat-8 satellite data and water quality data from the Ningxia Yellow River basin in China, spanning 2021 to 2023, and this paper proposes a custom residual convolutional neural network model with a hybrid attention mechanism, referred to as PCWA-ResCNN. The accuracy of the model in predicting turbidity, permanganate, ammonia nitrogen, and dissolved oxygen concentration was more than 95%. Compared to convolutional neural networks and long short-term memory models, this model performed better in predicting water quality parameters with significantly improved prediction performance. In terms of spatial distribution, the pollution degree in the middle reaches of the basin is relatively serious. However, the overall water quality is good, being mainly Class I and Class II water quality. The hybrid model established in this paper can better capture the complex nonlinear relationship between the observed values and the surface water reflectance, showing strong robustness. This model can be used for the water quality monitoring of complex inland rivers and lakes, and it can also provide effective support for relevant government departments to formulate scientific and reasonable water quality management policies.

Sustainable Food Systems and Regional Development: Analyzing Food Security in Medan City's Underprivileged Areas, Indonesia

Sustainable Food Systems and Regional Development: Analyzing Food Security in Medan City's Underprivileged Areas, Indonesia

Urban growth simulation and scenario projection for the arid regions using heuristic cellular automata

Arid regions tend to form compact urban patterns that have significant implications on urban growth and future urban patterns. Spatial simulation and projection using cellular automata (CA)-based models are important for achieving sustainable urban development in arid regions. In response to this need, we developed a new CA model (GSA-CA) using the gravitational search algorithm (GSA) to capture and project urban growth patterns in arid regions. We calibrated the GSA-CA model for the arid city of Urumqi in Northwest China from 2000 to 2010, and validated the model from 2010 to 2020, and then applied to project urban growth in 2040. The results indicated that the optimal performance of the model was achieved when the fraction of the population was 0.5. GSA-CA achieved an overall accuracy of 98.42% and a figure of merit (FOM) of 43.03% for the year 2010, and an overall accuracy of 98.52% with FOM of 37.64% for 2020. The results of the study help to adjust urban planning and development policies. The developed model has the potential to be employed in simulating urban growth and future scenarios in arid regions globally, including Northwest China and Africa.

Spatiotemporal Dynamics of Ecosystem Water Yield Services and Responses to Future Land Use Scenarios in Henan Province, China

Water yield (WY) service is the cornerstone of ecosystem functionality. Predicting and assessing the impact of land use/land cover (LULC) changes on WY is imperative for a nation’s food security, regional economic development, and ecological environmental protection. This study aimed to evaluate the water yield (WY) service in Henan Province, China, using high-resolution (30 m) remote sensing land use monitoring data from four study years: 1990, 2000, 2010, and 2020. It also utilized the PLUS model to predict the characteristics of LULC evolution and the future trends of WY service under four different development scenarios (for 2030 and 2050). The study’s results indicated the following: (1) From 1990 to 2020, the Henan Province’s WY first increased and then decreased, ranging from 398.56 × 108 m3 to 482.95 × 108 m3. The southern and southeastern parts of Henan Province were high-value WY areas, while most of its other regions were deemed low-value WY areas. (2) The different land use types were ranked in terms of their WY capacity, from strongest to weakest, as follows: unused land, cultivated land, grassland, construction land, woodland, and water. (3) The four abovementioned scenarios were ranked, from highest to lowest, based on the Henan’s total WY (in 2050) in each of them: high-quality development scenario (HDS), business-as-usual scenario (BAU), cultivated land protection scenario (CPS), and ecological protection scenario (ES). This study contributes to the advancement of ecosystem services research. Its results can provide scientific support for water resource management, sustainable regional development, and comprehensive land-use planning in Henan Province.

Demographic trends in the development of rural settlement areas

The demographic situation in rural areas of Ukraine has become increasingly significant in light of the administrative-territorial reform of 2020, the country's European integration course, and contemporary social challenges, including the repercussions of the Russia-Ukraine war. Negative demographic trends, such as depopulation, population aging, and declining birth rates, critically affect national security and the sustainable development of regions, highlighting the importance of this research. Objective of the study: to evaluate demographic trends in the rural areas of the Zhytomyr region as a foundation for the sustainable development of the region and for shaping state policies to support rural populations. The study is based on statistical data provided by the Main Department of Statistics in the Zhytomyr region, the Zhytomyr Regional Military Administration, and analytical materials from Ukrainian and international researchers. Methods of statistical analysis, graphical modeling, and comparison were employed. The research identified a persistent decline in the rural population of the Zhytomyr region—since 1995, its size has decreased by 28 %. As of 2022, rural residents account for 40.4 % of the region's total population. A significant disparity in population distribution across districts was observed, with the highest concentration in the Zhytomyr district and the lowest in the Berdychiv district. Key factors contributing to this decline include depopulation, low birth rates, migration, high mortality rates, and deteriorating living conditions. The study highlights a substantial reduction in rural birth rates, which remain below the replacement level. Factors influencing this decline include socioeconomic conditions, youth migration, the professional engagement of women, and low income levels. Simultaneously, increasing mortality rates, coupled with migration losses, exacerbate the demographic crisis. Ensuring the sustainable development of rural areas requires the implementation of comprehensive state and regional policies aimed at creating favorable conditions for living, working, and population reproduction. These policies must also consider the impact of ecological and socio-political factors, particularly the consequences of the war. The findings of the study can be utilized to develop strategies for the sustainable development of rural areas, plan demographic policies, and implement programs for the socio-economic support of rural populations.

Socio-demographic consequences of environmental problems of the Western region of Ukraine

This work has carried out a comprehensive study of the impact of environmental factors on demographic processes in the western regions of Ukraine. Attention is focused on the study of both common and specific environmental problems of Lviv, Zakarpattia, Ivano-Frankivsk, Ternopil and Chernivtsi regions, which have a significant impact on the health and structure of the population of these regions. Particular attention is paid to Lviv region, as the largest in terms of population and industrial potential, for a detailed analysis of the age structure, dynamics of the number of active age groups and the reproductive population. The relationship between changes in demographic indicators and the level of environmental pollution has been studied. A correlation analysis has been conducted between the level of mortality from diseases and the amount of emissions of pollutants into the air. A significant correlation was found between mortality from respiratory diseases and the concentration of solid suspended particles in the air (ρ = 0.874), nitrogen oxide emissions (ρ = 0.855) and non-methane volatile organic compounds; the statistical relationship of these emissions with diseases of the circulatory system as causes of mortality was also studied. These indicators indicate a significant impact of anthropogenic pollution on the health of the population and the demogra­phic situation in the region. In addition to analyzing the current state, the article proposes promising ways to improve the environmental situation in the western regions of Ukraine. In particular, the emphasis is on the introduction of environmentally friendly technologies, reducing emissions of harmful substances and increasing environmental awareness of the population. It is determined that the integrated use of environmental mechanisms can contribute to stabilizing the demographic situation, reducing mortality and improving the quality of life of the population of the region. The results obtained are important for developing strategies for sustainable regional development aimed at improving environmental safety, health protection, and demographic stability.

Long-term monitoring of water quality and phytoplankton community structure of Lake Manzala, Mediterranean Coast of Egypt

Long-term monitoring of water quality and phytoplankton community structure of Lake Manzala, Mediterranean Coast of Egypt

Spatiotemporal evolution in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals on the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau in 2000–2020

Assessing the sustainable development level of the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau (QTP) is of great significance for China’s sustainable development. With rich natural resources, a fragile ecological environment, and a relatively low level of economic development, the QTP is typical of regions in China where conflict between socio-economic development and environmental protection is prominent. However, there is a lack of assessment of spatiotemporal progress in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) on the QTP. To address this gap in knowledge, cluster analysis was used to quantitatively assess spatiotemporal changes in SDG indicators and sustainable development levels in different counties of the QTP from 2000 to 2020. The results show that the sustainable development level of the QTP is increasing; the growth rate of the sustainable development in 2010–2020 was three times that of 2000–2010. The level of sustainable development in the eastern region is significantly higher than that in the western region. However, while the level of sustainable environmental development is high, the levels of sustainable social and economic development remain low. Certain factors, including precipitation, slope, population density, and cultivated area, are strongly positively correlated with the sustainable development of the QTP. The findings of our study can serve as a valuable reference for other jurisdictions seeking to evaluate their evolution towards the SDGs.