Socioeconomic Impacts Research Articles

Socioeconomic Impacts of Sustainability Practices in the Production and Use of Carrier Bags

Although the negative environmental impact of plastic carrier bags has long been known, their use in Europe continues undiminished. Lithuania stands out for its high use and production of plastic bags. Governments and sustainability-driven businesses are taking various measures to reduce the environmental impact. Such measures include strategies to replace conventional plastic bags with paper or bioplastic bags, to reduce plastic bags by encouraging consumers to reuse them, and similar strategies. In contrast to the environmental impact of plastic bags, the socioeconomic effects of strategies to reduce their use have been much less studied in the scientific literature. Therefore, this paper analyses the impact of sustainability practices in the producing and using of carrier bags on Lithuania’s gross domestic product (GDP), employment and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. This study uses the CleanProdLT computable general equilibrium model based on the latest available data for 2020. The model allows for analysis of economy-wide effects by considering cleaner production and more sustainable consumption scenarios at different levels of detail. The results of the analysis show that while the analysed substitution of plastic bags with bioplastic (BioPlastic scenario) or paper bags (PaperBags scenario) has positive socioeconomic impacts, the overall best results can be achieved by reducing their consumption (ConsReduction scenario). In detail, it is estimated that the GDP could increase by EUR 18 million under the PaperBags scenario, by EUR 47 million under the BioPlastic scenario, and by EUR 64 million under the ConsReduction scenario. At the same time, employment increases by 213 jobs, 891 jobs, and 449 jobs, respectively. While the PaperBags and the BioPlastic scenarios reveal increases in GHG emissions of 4.5 ktCO2eq. and 29 ktCO2eq., respectively, the ConsReduction scenario demonstrates a decrease in GHG emissions of 4 ktCO2eq.. These findings suggest that the recent policy decision to charge for plastic bags in supermarkets will have positive environmental and socioeconomic impacts in the future.

Systematic Review of GIS and Remote Sensing Applications for Assessing the Socioeconomic Impacts of Mining

As the mining industry expands, a comprehensive understanding of its socioeconomic risks and benefits is urgently needed. This paper systematically reviews 71 studies (1996–2021) that utilized spatially integrated approaches to evaluate socioeconomic mining impacts. The number of studies that utilize geographic information systems and remote sensing to study mining impacts increased from 2014 onwards. A framework was used to classify the mining impacts studied in the literature and all eight framework categories – Environment, Land, People, Community, Culture, Livelihoods, Infrastructure and Housing – were captured by the literature though Culture was least studied. Coal mining, active mining phase, Landsat data and classic remote sensing algorithms were most highlighted. Future research should focus on advancing geospatial technology like artificial intelligence (AI) to better capture intangible socioeconomic impacts, under-researched minerals and long-term mine lifecycle components. Spatially referenced social data can improve stakeholder involvement and support spatially explicit planning to ensure sustainability.

Socioeconomic and Psychological Impacts of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Various Occupational Groups in Bangladesh

Socioeconomic and Psychological Impacts of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Various Occupational Groups in Bangladesh

The Role of Organic Farming in Achieving Agricultural Sustainability: Environmental and Socio-economic Impacts

This article examines the role of organic farming in achieving agricultural sustainability, focusing on its environmental and socio-economic impacts. Organic farming, characterized by the avoidance of synthetic chemicals and the adoption of natural agricultural processes, presents a sustainable alternative to conventional farming practices. The environmental benefits of organic farming are significant, including improved soil health, enhanced biodiversity, reduced pollution, and a lower carbon footprint. These practices contribute to the preservation of ecosystems and mitigate the impacts of climate change. From a socio-economic perspective, organic farming offers health benefits by reducing exposure to harmful chemicals for both consumers and farmers. Economically, while it provides access to niche markets and potentially higher product prices, it also poses challenges such as higher production costs and the need for more labour-intensive practices. Additionally, organic farming can strengthen community ties and support local food systems, contributing to the preservation of cultural and traditional agricultural methods. The article concludes that organic farming is a key element in the pursuit of sustainable agriculture, offering multiple environmental and socio-economic benefits. However, realizing its full potential requires addressing its challenges through continued research, innovation, and supportive policies.

Driving Forces and Socio-Economic Impacts of Low-Flow Events in Central Europe: A Literature Review Using DPSIR Criteria

Recent drought events in Europe have highlighted the impact of hydrological drought and low-flow events on society, ecosystems, and the economy. While there are numerous publications about flood risk management and the socio-economic consequences of floods, these have hardly been systematically dealt with in the scientific literature regarding low flows. This paper fills this gap by summarizing the current state of research in the form of a systematic literature review combining the criteria of the drivers–pressures–state–impacts–responses (DPSIR) framework with the propositional inventory method. In particular, the driving forces of low-flow events, their pressures, and the impacts on different economic sectors such as navigation, fisheries, industry, agriculture, forestry, energy, and tourism and recreation as well as resulting competitive usage claims for water and responses are presented and validated through expert interviews. In doing so, the study examines the causal chain of low-flow events and serves as a fundamental base for the future development of a damage cost database for low-flow events by preparing literature data on the socio-economic consequences of low-flow events for parameterization.

Multi-objective optimization for selecting potential locations of multi-purpose utility tunnels considering agency and social lifecycle costs

Multi-purpose utility tunnels (MUTs) and the synchronized method of underground utility intervention are two methods that have the potential to reduce the maintenance intervention lifecycle cost (LCC) of underground utilities. However, when considering the total LCC of both methods, there is a tradeoff between agency and social costs. Currently, limited research quantifies the socioeconomic impact of both methods at a macro level, especially the long-term benefits of MUTs. By quantifying the socioeconomic impacts of implementing both MUTs and the synchronized utility interventions at the network level, the LCCs of both alternatives can be optimized and compared. The main objective of this research is to optimize the agency and social LCCs and network deterioration using multi-objective optimization for identifying the potential locations of MUTs. This selection involves modeling the agency and social cost savings and the network deterioration resulting from the implementation at the network and segment levels. Comparing the optimization results in identifying the street segments in a network where the LCC of implementing MUTs is less than the LCC of the synchronized utility intervention. While doing so, a multi-year plan for MUT location selection that optimizes the three objective functions and offers lifecycle savings is achieved. The results show that out of the 312 potential street segments selected for MUT implementation, 51 offered both agency and social LCC savings. This research can aid utility owners in understanding the socioeconomic effects of both methods of utility interventions as well as identifying streets where the implementation MUTs will have significant economic advantages.

Socio-Economic Impacts of Climate Change on the Coastal Areas of Balochistan

Socio-Economic Impacts of Climate Change on the Coastal Areas of Balochistan

Socioeconomic Impacts of Food Waste Reduction in the European Union

Food waste is a global multidimensional problem, with economic, social, and environmental dimensions linked to sustainable development. This study analyses the socio-economic and pollution effects of reducing food waste in the European Union. The food waste reduction scenarios analysed cover all segments of the supply chain from primary production to household consumption. Using the economy-wide model SAMmodEU, the impact of the scenarios is analysed in the context of the whole economy. Most scenarios analysed demonstrate positive socioeconomic effects in terms of a slight increase in gross domestic product and increasing employment. The multicriteria analysis indicates that the best overall performance is achieved by reducing food waste in the foodservice. It is recommended to focus on behaviour in policy design, thereby reducing food waste both in food services and in households and ensuring positive socioeconomic impacts.

The Study on Socio-Economic Impacts of Tourism in the Golden Triangle of Odisha

The Puri-Konark-Bhubaneswar “Golden Triangle” is not only Odisha's main draw but also has enormous potential as a tourist destination. Odisha, on India's eastern coast, is an auspicious Indian state with numerous opportunities and a wealth of sights to see. The state has many natural and cultural resources, such as its beaches, arts and crafts, temples and monuments, lakes, forests, and wildlife. Millions of worshippers from all over the world visit the temple of Lord Jagannath in Puribecause it is considered one of the holiest of holy dhams in India, alongside the Sun Temple at Konark, the sole World Heritage Monument in all of India. Bhubaneswar, the state capital, is home to a wide variety of well-known tourist attractions, such as the Lingaraj temple, the Rajarani temple “widely regarded as the crowning achievement of Kalingan architecture”, the Jain caves at Khandagiri and Udaygiri, the white tiger breeding grounds at Nandankanan, the site of the Kalingan war at Dhauligiri, and many others besides. Odisha has a lot of potential as a tourist destination, and there are many exciting things to see and do there, but the state has not seen a significant uptick in visitor numbers to match its product. This study mostly focused on a popular travel destination for the “Golden Triangle”. Many people travel to Puri each year to pay their respects to Lord Jagannath because it is considered to be one of the four Dhams. The group travels to Puri, the Sun Temple at Konark, and the Shiva Temple in Bhubaneswar. Since so many people flock to Odisha, the area around Bhubaneswar, Puri, and Konarkhas become known as the “Golden Triangle”.

Evaluasi dan impact assessment pelatihan sekolah lapang pengendalian hama terpadu (SL-PHT) tanaman jagung melalui pengenalan dan aplikasi pestisida nabati di Kabupaten Purbalingga

The Sri Lestari farmer group in Karangbanjar Village, Bojongsari District, Purbalingga Regency works on the cultivation of food crops such as corn and rice, some of them working on horticultural crops. The use of chemical fertilizers and chemical pesticides carried out from year to year is quite worrying with the increasing dose of use of Chemical Fertilizers as well as environmentally unfriendly chemicals that are concerned will damage the natural ecosystems. The implementation of integrated pest management field schools (SL-IPM) corn farm efforts are expected to be able to impact the level of application of integrated pesticide control through the identification and application of plant pesticides on the Sri Lestari farmer group. The aim of the study was to analyze the impact of the SL-IPM implementation on the level of application of integrated pest control and the socioeconomic impacts of members of the Sri Lestari group. This research was conducted in May 2023. The number of respondents was 35 people using the census technique. Data is analyzed quantitatively. The observed variables are characteristics, pre-test and post-test, and socio-economic impact assessment of members of the farm group. The results of that there was an improvement in understanding, changes in attitudes, skills, knowledge and behavior in the good category (when an increase in respondent understanding of the training material was more than 30% of all pre-test and post-test questions). The number of members of the peasant group who applied the FS-IPM principle of corn crops was 62.86% with an increase in corn productivity of 50.91%.

Socioeconomic Impacts of Development-Induced Displacement on Informal Settlement in Qalacha Khamdan, Kabul City, Afghanistan

Development-induced displacement projects mainly involved locations with informal settlements, especially slum and squatter areas which left behind many socioeconomic impacts on displacement households. This forced displacement has caused breaking living patterns and social networks, destroying economic status, increasing infectious diseases, and other severe health problems. Many development projects, such as dam projects, airports, and road projects, have been implemented since 2001 in Afghanistan. The Kabul-Logar Road extension project, located on the southern side of Kabul city, has foreseen will destroy the existing socioeconomic status of Qalacha Khamdan's dwellers. Therefore, this paper examines the socioeconomic impacts of development-induced displacement on informal settlements in Qalacha Khamdan by the Kabul-Logar Road extension project. Data has been collected through site observation, questionnaires survey of heads of families affected, interviews with key informants, committees’ members, and some data from Cernea's model (IRR). The finding shows that the displaced population has lost social cohesion, social ties, close connectivity with brothers, relatives and neighbourhoods, businesses, valuable lands and well-designed homes. Finally, this study argues for more government and private sector involvement to manage the socioeconomic impacts of development-induced displacement after displacement.

Socio-Economic Impacts of Climate Change on South Asian Nations

Socio-Economic Impacts of Climate Change on South Asian Nations

Comparing cross-sectional andlongitudinal approaches to tuberculosis patient cost surveys using Nepalese data.

The World Health Organization has supported the development of national tuberculosis (TB) patient cost surveys to quantify the socio-economic impact of TB in high-burden countries. However, methodological differences in the study design (e.g. cross-sectional vs longitudinal) can generate different estimates making the design and impact evaluation of socio-economic protection strategies difficult. The objective of the study was to compare the socio-economic impacts of TB estimated by applying cross-sectional or longitudinal data collections in Nepal. We analysed the data from a longitudinal costing survey (patients interviewed at three time points) conducted between April 2018 and October 2019. We calculated both mean and median costs from patients interviewed during the intensive (cross-sectional 1) and continuation (cross-sectional 2) phases of treatment. We then compared costs, the prevalence of catastrophic costs and the socio-economic impact of TB generated by each approach. There were significant differences in the costs and social impacts calculated by each approach. The median total cost (intensive plus continuation phases) was significantly higher for the longitudinal compared with cross-sectional 2 (US$119.42 vs 91.63, P < 0.001). The prevalence of food insecurity, social exclusion and patients feeling poorer or much poorer were all significantly higher by applying a longitudinal approach. In conclusion, the longitudinal design captured important aspects of costs and socio-economic impacts, which were missed by applying a cross-sectional approach. If a cross-sectional approach is applied due to resource constraints, our data suggest that the start of the continuation phase is the optimal timing for a single interview. Further research to optimize methodologies to report patient-incurred expenditure during TB diagnosis and treatment is needed.

Socioeconomic impacts of drug and substance abuse on secondary school students in Nigeria from 1980 to 2023: A narrative review of the extent of published studies

Background: The socioeconomic impact of drug and substance abuse on secondary school students in Nigeria is yet to be fully evaluated even in the face of the current surge in abuse of substances among the younger folks who constitute more than half of the entire population. Objective: This study narratively reviewed the studies on the socioeconomic impacts of drug and substance abuse on secondary school students and studies by researchers in Nigeria. Methods: The study was a narrative review of the literature covering the socioeconomic impacts of drug and substance abuse on secondary school students in Nigeria from 1980 to 2023. Data were extracted and summarized with descriptive statistics. Results: All the studies took place between 2012 and 2023; 6 (100%). The studies carried out were all observational studies 6 (100%). All the studies fell below average in the benchmark for the hierarchy of evidence-based studies. The studies mostly took place in the South-West 3 (50.00%), while 1 (16.67%) took place in the South-East, North-West, and North-Central respective regions of Nigeria. Conclusion: The available studies done on the impacts of drug and substance abuse focused more on the social impacts, with little or no attention to the economic effect. The available studies however remain at the observational level in the evidence-based ladder. Future Research on the reviewed theme should focus on the economic implications of the social effects of drug and substance abuse on secondary school students in Nigeria.

Socio-economic impacts of shipping along the Northwest Passage: The cost to locals

This paper presents a novel approach to assessing the cost of container liner shipping through the Northwest Passage (NWP) on northern local communities. Based on some representative communities, concerns of the residents of these Canadian Arctic regions were assessed. Two essential factors to the well-being of the community members—air pollution and oil spills—are considered in our model. The approach was therefore used to evaluate the socio-economic impact of Arctic container liner shipping in Canadian Arctic regions. More specifically, the approach adopted a) uses a logit model to estimate the market share of NWP for commercial liner shipping; b) investigates different scenarios to evaluate the feasibility of commercial liner shipping through the NWP; c) incorporating concerns from the local communities, conducts a socio-economic analysis for the communities. With the analysis of the socio-economic impacts on local communities, the study would help guide governments on how to evaluate and calculate transit fees for transiting NWP. The study is imperative in supporting decision-making to shape Arctic policy. Furthermore, it gives stakeholders an idea of the market dynamics of shipping in the Arctic area.

The gendered socioeconomic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on women with fistula repair in Uganda

Public health mitigation strategies for SARS-COV-2 are effective in limiting the spread of COVID-19; however, these restrictions can create gendered socioeconomic impacts and further isolate marginalized communities from essential resources. Our qualitative study aimed to understand the gendered effects of the COVID-19 lockdown on a population of women in Uganda with a history of prior obstetric fistula repair, a group experiencing greater vulnerability and less support due to intersecting stigmatized identities. We conducted in-depth interviews among 30 women with prior genital fistula and corrective fistula repair surgery at 3 hospitals in Southern Uganda. We found that COVID-19 lockdown measures caused both financial and health-related impacts in this community such as inaccessibility of healthcare and loss of income. Understanding these experiences should inform strategies to ensure equitable, future pandemic responses.

Use of a Sustainable Livelihood Framework-Based Measure to Estimate Socioeconomic Impact of Tuberculosis on Households.

Tuberculosis (TB) disproportionally affects impoverished members of society. The adverse socioeconomic impact of TB on households is mostly measured using money-centric approaches, which have been criticized as one-dimensional and risk either overestimating or underestimating the true socioeconomic impacts of TB. We propose the use of the sustainable livelihood framework, which includes 5 household capital assets (human, financial, physical, natural, and social) and conceptualizes that households employ accumulative strategies in times of plenty and coping (survival) strategies in response to shocks such as TB. The proposed measure ascertains to what extent the 5 capital assets are available to households affected by TB as well as the coping costs (reversible and nonreversible) that are incurred by households at different time points (intensive, continuation, and post-TB treatment phase). We assert that our approach is holistic and multidimensional and draws attention to multisectoral responses to mitigate the socioeconomic impact of TB on households.

Technical modelling of solar photovoltaic water pumping system and evaluation of system performance and their socio-economic impact

Water is a precious resource for agriculture and most of the land is irrigated by tube wells. Diesel engines and electricity-operated pumps are widely used to fulfill irrigation water requirements; such conventional systems are inefficient and costly. With rising concerns about global warming, it is important to choose renewable energy source. In this study, SPVWPS has been optimally designed considering the water requirement, solar resources, tilt angle and orientation, losses in both systems and performance ratio. A PVSyst and SoSiT simulation tools were used to perform simulation analysis of the designed solar photovoltaic WPS. After designing and performance analysis, farmers were interviewed during fieldwork to assess socioeconomic impacts. In the result section, performance of PV system is analyzed at various tilt angles and it is established that system installed at a 15° tilt angle is more efficient. The annual PV array virtual energy at MPP of designed photovoltaic system is 33342 kWh and the annual energy available to operate the WPS is 23502 kWh. Module array mismatch and ohmic wiring losses are 374.16 kWh and 298.83 kWh, respectively. The total annual water demand of the selected site is 80769 m³ and designed SPWPS pumped 75054 m³ of water, supplying 92.93% of the irrigation demand. The normalized values of the effective energy, system losses, collection losses and unused energy in the SPVWP system are 2.6 kW/kWp/day, 0.69 kW/kWp/day, 0.72 kW/kWp/day and 0.48 kW/kWp/day, respectively. The annual average performance ratio of the proposed system is 74.62%. The results of the interviews showed that 70% of farmers are extremely satisfied with the performance of SPVWPS and 84% of farmers indicated that they did not incur any operating costs. The unit cost of the SPWPS is 0.17 €/kWh, which is 56.41% and 19.04% less expensive than the cost of diesel and grid electricity.

Introduction: The Socioeconomic Impacts of COVID-19

The COVID-19 pandemic has exacted a historic toll on Americans’ health and longevity. It has also shaped socioeconomic inequalities along the lines of gender, race, ethnicity, nativity, and class in America. The effects of COVID-19 are evident in the stratified experiences of Americans in work, unemployment, and unpaid labor; in stark inequalities in wealth and income; in the historic expansions and retrenchments in social welfare spending; and in the increase in violence and changes in the criminal justice system. While there has been an outpouring of research on the social and economic consequences of COVID-19, far less work draws together research across these varied, but interrelated, domains. In this introduction, we provide a broad narrative of how the COVID-19 pandemic unfolded in America and reshaped, in some instances fleetingly and in others more permanently, the landscape of socioeconomic inequality in America.

The Relationship Between Air Quality, Health Outcomes, and Socioeconomic Impacts of the COVID-19 Pandemic in the US.

COVID-19 lockdowns caused significant improvements in air quality in US states where traffic emissions are the main pollution source. In this study, we investigate the socioeconomic impacts of the COVID-19-related lockdowns in states which experienced the greatest changes in air quality, especially among different demographic populations and those with contraindications to health. We administered a 47-question survey and collected 1,000 valid responses in these cities. Our results show that 74% of respondents within our survey sample had some level of concern regarding air quality. In agreement with previous literature, perceptions of air quality were not significantly correlated with measured air quality criteria butrather seemed to be influenced by other factors. Respondents in Los Angeles were the most concerned about air quality followed by Miami, San Francisco, and New York City. However, those from Chicago and Tampa Bay expressed the least amount of concern about air quality. Age, education, and ethnicity were all factors affecting peoples' concerns about air quality. Respiratory conditions, living in proximity to industrial areas, and financial impacts from the COVID-19 lockdowns influenced concerns about air quality. About 40% of the survey sample reported greater concern for air quality during the pandemic, while approximately 50% stated that the lockdown didn't affect their perception. Furthermore, respondents seemed concerned about air quality in general, not a specific pollutant, and are willing to adopt additional measures and more stringent policies to improve air quality in all investigated cities.