Socio-environmental Indicators Research Articles

The Use of Socio-Environmental Indicators to Assess the Needs Relating to the Development of Urban Greenery

The Use of Socio-Environmental Indicators to Assess the Needs Relating to the Development of Urban Greenery

COVID-19 incidence and mortality in Chile: Socio-environmental indicators as measurement of health environmental justice

COVID-19 incidence and mortality in Chile: Socio-environmental indicators as measurement of health environmental justice

Evaluation of the impact of mining royalties on socio-environmental indicators in Parauapebas, Pará, the Eastern Amazon

This research evaluated the impact of applying financial resources from mining exploitation (known as CFEM) on socio-environmental indicators in Parauapebas municipality, eastern Amazon. This study applies synthetic control methodology to establish a counterfactual for Parauapebas by weighting data from municipalities that did not experience the same impact due to the absence of mineral resources. We created synthetic indicators for before and after 1991, the initial year in which these royalties were received. Parauapebas municipality achieved a higher level of socio-environmental well-being with mining royalties than those without this activity. The rates (highest impact since 2000) for the population served with water were 3 %; sanitary sewage: 7 %; and waste collection: 3 %. Thus, resources allocation considers territory demands and expectations for the maintenance of municipality development. This research has important implications: it may guide the actions of various actors operating locally and support government development planning.

PROMOTING QUALITY OF LIFE AND SUSTAINABILITY.

The promotion of quality of life and sustainability is an interdisciplinary theme of great contemporary relevance. It focuses on finding approaches that balance human well- being with preserving natural resources and the health of the planet. This theme covers a variety of areas, from public health and urban development to environmental conservation and economic policy. The objective of this study is to investigate strategies and practices that seek to improve people's quality of life in a sustainable way. This study is a bibliographic review, in which a multidisciplinary approach was adopted that integrated qualitative and quantitative analyses. Data collection covered the investigation of specialized literature, relevant case studies and an in-depth analysis of socio-environmental indicators. The results demonstrated that the promotion of quality of life and sustainability requires an integrated approach. Successful initiatives include the implementation of efficient public transport policies, the creation of urban green spaces, the adoption of renewable energies and education for environmental awareness. Public awareness and cross-sectoral collaboration also emerged as critical factors in achieving positive outcomes. Promoting quality of life and sustainability is not just a necessity, but an imperative to ensure a livable future for future generations. The integrated approach, combined with the participation of society and government engagement, can result in an effective balance between human well-being and preservation of the environment. By prioritizing sustainability in all spheres of life, we can aspire to a future where prosperity and care for the planet go hand in hand.

Enteroparasitoses as socioenvironmental indicators in Quilombola communities: a systematic review and meta-analysis

The study addresses the presence of enteroparasitoses as a significant problem in quilombo communities, which face unique challenges due to their precarious socio-economic and environmental situation. The central objetive is to investigate the prevalence of these diseases in these communities and to highlight the influence of the socioenvironmental factors in their dissemination. To do so, a systematic and meta-analytical approach was used to examine the prevalence of enteroparasitoses in quilombo communities and their relationship with socioenvironmental factors. The results revealed a significant correlation between the prevalence of enteroparasitoses and factors such as inadequate access to treated water and poor sanitation conditions. However, other socioenvironmental variables, such as the presence of a toilet and the collection of blood, did not show statistically significant correlations with the prevalence of enteroparasitoses.

Socio-Environmental Overview of The Main Sugarcane Producing Municipalities in Sergipe Between the Years of 2001 and 2022

Objective: Analysis of the socio-environmental situation of the main sugarcane producing municipalities in the state of Sergipe, in the period between 2001 and 2022. Theoretical Framework: Sugarcane cultivation represents an important economic role for communities and countries that produce this commodity. In this scenario, Brazil emerges as the main sugarcane producer on the planet and, along with the benefits arising from the agro-industrial sugarcane production chain, there are socio-environmental problems arising from the anthropization of the landscape and natural resources allocated in the production of co-products of this culture that need to be reviewed in light of climate emergencies and the demands of different social actors. Method: The research has an exploratory nature, using scientific articles available from Science Direct and Capes Periodical Platform and secondary data collected on the Mapbiomas and Terrabrasilis platforms. Results and conclusions: The results showed the dissonance between the global analysis of environmental degradation indicators, such as fires and deforestation, and the data relating to each municipality analyzed. And it was concluded that there is an urgent need to re-analyze public policies for monitoring and controlling socio-environmental indicators in order to contain the anthropization processes caused by sugarcane cultivation. Implications of the research: This research allows us to clearly understand the socio-environmental dynamics caused by sugarcane cultivation in the main sugarcane producing municipalities of Sergipe, in order to contribute to a realistic debate on the current stage of environmental degradation and on the construction of the near future due to social and environmental demands arising from changes in the climate. Originality/value: No analysis was found on the set of municipalities studied based on the main agricultural crop produced, which implies a scenario of exploration that is not only reflective and political but also open to new work that can be developed in each of these municipalities separately, or together, with the purpose of bringing quality of life and conscious and environmentally appropriate development to the communities in this group of municipalities and to the state of Sergipe.

How Design Is Appropriated: Understanding Habitation through the Observation of Situated Behavior

The relationship between people and designed space is often approached exclusively with text-based research techniques (e.g., interviews and questionnaires). After proposing a theoretical framework for design from a sociological perspective, this paper first illustrates the limitations of those techniques when investigating appropriation of designed space, i.e., situated behaviors and perceptions. Then, the observation of socio-environmental indicators is proposed as a research technique, illustrating how this unobtrusive approach overcomes some of those limitations, allowing the study of habitation through the observation of effects of behaviors rather than the behavior itself. A taxonomy of socio-environmental indicators is introduced, showing how five categories can be construed (i.e., traces, alterations, adaptations, signs, and routines) for the analysis of habitation of designed spaces at various level of scales, from the proxemic space around the body to the larger designed environment. Certain specific examples are discussed, showing how indicators can be analyzed, generating insights and the formulation of hypotheses that may be further investigated triangulating with other research techniques. After discussing the limitations of this technique, the paper reflects on how its application contributes to a dialogical appreciation of design.

Relationships between urban expansion and socioenvironmental indicators across multiple scales of watersheds: a case study among watersheds running through China.

Understanding the relationships between urban expansion and social/environmental features is fundamental to managing watershed and urban expansion. However, such relationships remain unclear, especially across multiple scales of watersheds. Here, we quantified the correlation between urban expansion measures and 255 socioenvironmental indicators across three scales of watersheds running through China (20, 103, and 349 watersheds) during 1992-2016 and analyzed their scaling relations. The results showed that the number of indicators showing a significant correlation with the area and speed of urban expansion increased from 132 and 153 to 234 and 237, respectively, from level 1 to level 3 watersheds. Among these indicators, urban expansion was significantly correlated with indicators of climate and anthropogenic impact. From a large scale (level 1 watershed) to a small scale (level 3 watershed), 104 and 84 socioenvironmental indicators shifted from uncorrelated to significantly correlated with urban expansion area and speed. The constraint line analysis further confirmed that some relationships were nonlinear, which suggested that the drivers and impacts of urban expansion have scaling effects. We argue that it is crucial to consider the scaling effects of urban expansion when we formulate urban or watershed management plans.

Identification of risk areas for arboviruses transmitted by Aedes aegypti in northern Brazil: A One Health analysis

IntroductionThe complex and growing problem generated by the rapid expansion of unplanned urban areas includes high population density and increased infestation by vectors responsible for the transmission of several diseases. This requires interdisciplinary and intersectoral interventions due to the burden of diseases, especially those caused by arboviruses, which can present severe forms and generate significant pressure on health systems, especially in more vulnerable regions. The objective of this study was to analyze the spatial distribution of arboviruses transmitted by Aedes aegypti (dengue, Zika, and chikungunya) and assess their correlations with demographic, social, and environmental data from the state of Tocantins, Brazil. MethodsThis was an ecological time series study of the dengue, Zika, and chikungunya arboviruses in the state of Tocantins. Local Moran's indices were used to observe the spatial autocorrelation of cases and to delimit clusters of high and low risks, correlating them with socioenvironmental indicators, in addition to analyses to detect case clusters. ResultsThe state reported a mean incidence of 591 annual cases of arbovirus infections per 100,000 inhabitants and a stationary trend with seasonal pattern. Female Pardo individuals aged 20–39 years, with an education level of below college education, were the most affected; Palmas and Araguaína, the two largest cities in the state in terms of economy and population, were the most affected. ConclusionA better understanding of the interaction between social characteristics, the environment, and ecology of wild animals and vectors is important for the development of mechanisms to predict outbreaks as well as to develop strategies to reduce and/or mitigate recurring arboviral epidemics and other diseases.

Multi-variate Time-series Analysis Using VECM Identifies the Best Set of Exogenous Predictors for Rainfall and Temperature in India: A Data Analytical Approach

The complex nature of climate change with multitude of underlying factors poses a major hindrance in data analysis and decision making by policy makers. Here, we utilize data analytic techniques to identify the best set of climate change indicator variables that could predict precipitation and temperature data for India. The observed values of important climatic parameters namely, rain, maximum temperature, minimum temperature, and mean temperature in India were analyzed along with the observed values of selected socio-environmental indicators featured by WHO for climate change as exogenous variables for a period of 61 years. Data were pre-processed to identify ten exogenous indicators which were then modelled using Vector Error Correction Model (VECM). 1024 VECM models were built and evaluated for the prediction of the four endogenous variables using all possible combinations of the selected indicators. Seven exogenous variables were determined as the best set of indicators based on the AIC of the different models. The model built using the identified variables was compared to others to illustrate the probable impact of this combination of variables. The study thus demonstrates a simple but rational data-driven approach for use in decision making.

Social and environmental indicators of the Jaboatão river water basin associated with diseases related to inadequate environmental sanitation (DRIES)

Located in the Southern Mata region of the state of Pernambuco, the Jaboatão River Hydrographic Basin (JRB) has an area of 442 km². Part of the group of small coastal rivers (GL2), the JRB drains the municipalities of Recife, Jaboatão dos Guararapes, Moreno, São Lourenço da Mata, Cabo de Santo Agostinho, and Vitória de Santo Antão. In addition to contributing to the public supply of the Metropolitan Region of Recife, the JRB receives domestic, industrial and agro-industrial effluents along its route. The JRB runs through densely occupied municipalities with irregular land use and deficiencies in infrastructure, reflecting social, economic and environmental problems. The objective of this study is to make a diagnosis of the socio-environmental indicators in the JRB and correlate them with the main waterborne diseases related to the lack of basic sanitation. The study involved a literature review and a survey of secondary data. Regarding the water quality of the JRB, it was found to vary between Polluted and Very Polluted during the monitored period. With regard to environmental impacts, deforestation, waste dumping and irregular occupation of riverbanks were observed, causing problems for the fauna, flora and the population. In relation to the basic sanitation indicator in the municipality of Jaboatão dos Guararapes, among the obstacles raised was the fact that the municipality does not have a Municipal Policy on Basic Sanitation and the Jaboatão dos Guararapes Municipal Administration does not have a Municipal Basic Sanitation Plan; There is a scarcity of systematized information that supports the process of measuring environmental health; between urban and rural areas there are disparities in access to sanitation services, requiring the adoption of public policies to expand sanitation services in order to assist these populations and thus promote the universalization of sanitation access. The deficiency in basic sanitation in the municipality of Jaboatão dos Guararapes hinders local sustainable development, causing social, economic and environmental impacts. Regarding the number of hospital admissions caused by diseases related to inadequate environmental sanitation (DRIES) in the municipalities that are part of the JRB, Recife stood out with 13,191 hospitalizations in the study period, and in 2010 had the highest number of hospitalizations (2,204). With regard to the number of deaths caused by DRIES, Recife also stood out with 4,208 deaths during the study period.

Information entropy and ranking of IBOVESPA companies

This study analyzes the weights of multidimensional performance indicators to determine the ranking of the companies listed in Bovespa index. This is a quantitative research using the multicriteria data entropy method, in which the indicators of the environmental, social, governance, economic-financial and market dimensions were obtained through the Refinitiv Eikon database. Thus, it was possible to establish the indicators weights for each year in order to determine the rankings of the companies at sector and general level. The environmental innovation variable was responsible for the greater information relevance, while the indicators such as return on net worth and financial leverage obtained the lowest weights. As for the ranking, Renner occupied the first place, which makes it possible to infer that this company has been standing out in the indicators portrayed with higher weight. In addition, the communication and public utility sectors presented the highest mean scores, while the health and energy segments had the lowest mean performances. These results indicate the relevance of providing corporate information to reach investors, increasingly concerned with good management practices and socio-environmental indicators. Moreover, the findings suggest that innovating on environmental issues does not consist of a priority for the companies in the sample, raising the question whether these organizations visualize the legitimacy or returns of successful innovations as rewards of the investments made. Research contributes by pointing out that companies with best environmental practices can obtain more benefits, as well as the society, before the quality of life and environmental preservation.

Socio-environmental Quality Index as an instrument for evaluating and promoting actions for sustainable development in the municipality of Ilha Grande, Litoral Piauí

The process of occupation of the Brazilian coast in a disorganized way causes the lack of sanitation, pollution and soil degradation, directly affecting issues such as mobility and safety, therefore, the objective was to elaborate the socioenvironmental quality index and propose environmental planning actions based on the Sustainable Development Goals in the city of Ilha Grande de Santa Isabel, Parnaíba, Piauí. The methodology addresses the information contained in the literature and actions taken by the municipality to meet urban planning, with a quali-quantification method applying the adapted Socioenvironmental Quality Index, in the evaluation of the quality index expressed by the multi-criteria evaluation of different socio-environmental indicators included in the Housing Quality Index and Social Insertion Index. The results demonstrate a low coverage of basic sanitation and inefficiency in solid waste management, the adoption of the UN's sustainable development goals, but with outdated public policies that do not aim at environmental education. In general, the socioenvironmental quality index proved to be regular. It was concluded that a dialogue between civil society and the government is necessary to improve the environmental quality indices of the municipality.

Increase of Agribusiness in the Brazilian Amazon: Development or Inequality?

The growing global demand for soybean production combined with its increased market value could result in a new supercycle for this commodity. For Brazilian agribusiness, there has been an opportunity to increase exports, particularly in soybean production, in recent years, and therefore, soybean production has been expanding more and more across the states of the Brazilian Amazon. Soybean is the most important grain crop among temporary crops in the Brazilian Amazon; in 2019, it reached a value of USD 21.78 billion, using a planted area of 124,947 km2 (about 55% of the planted area). At the same time, overall deforestation increased significantly in recent years: 10,897 km2 in 2019 and 9811 km² in 2020. To study these changes, economic, social, and environmental sustainability indicators were identified and analyzed using a regression model, and changes in the main economic and socio-environmental indicators were observed that identified a strong positive correlation between agricultural GHG emissions and soybean-planted area. The impact on the local population was also analyzed between the years 2000 and 2019, and there was a mismatch between the population growth rate and the growth rate of the harvested area, which resulted in the displacement of the populations to the cities, and identified a strong positive correlation between the unemployment rate for young people and the soybean-planted area. In this context, this paper presents an analysis of the correlation between soy expansion and the main economic indicators and socioenvironmental impacts in the Brazilian Amazon.

Agro-economic and socio-environmental assessments of food and virtual water trades of Iran

Ending hunger and ensuring food security are among targets of 2030’s SDGs. While food trade and the embedded (virtual) water (VW) may improve food availability and accessibility for more people all year round, the sustainability and efficiency of food and VW trade needs to be revisited. In this research, we assess the sustainability and efficiency of food and VW trades under two food security scenarios for Iran, a country suffering from an escalating water crisis. These scenarios are (1) Individual Crop Food Security (ICFS), which restricts calorie fulfillment from individual crops and (2) Crop Category Food Security (CCFS), which promotes “eating local” by suggesting food substitution within the crop category. To this end, we simulate the water footprint and VW trades of 27 major crops, within 8 crop categories, in 30 provinces of Iran (2005–2015). We investigate the impacts of these two scenarios on (a) provincial food security (FSp) and exports; (b) sustainable and efficient blue water consumption, and (c) blue VW export. We then test the correlation between agro-economic and socio-environmental indicators and provincial food security. Our results show that most provinces were threatened by unsustainable and inefficient blue water consumption for crop production, particularly in the summertime. This water mismanagement results in 14.41 and 8.45 billion m3 y−1 unsustainable and inefficient blue VW exports under ICFS. “Eating local” improves the FSp value by up to 210% which lessens the unsustainable and inefficient blue VW export from hotspots. As illustrated in the graphical abstract, the FSp value strongly correlates with different agro-economic and socio-environmental indicators, but in different ways. Our findings promote “eating local” besides improving agro-economic and socio-environmental conditions to take transformative steps toward eradicating food insecurity not only in Iran but also in other countries facing water limitations.

Optimization and sizing of SPV/Wind hybrid renewable energy system: A techno-economic and social perspective

The present work intends to develop a rural hybrid renewable energy system and examines the techno-financial, and social viability of the same system for rural sites in northern India. This work analyses the performance of Solar Photovoltaic-Wind hybrid renewable energy system for a residential load demand of 51.54 kWh/day with 11.51 kW peak in standalone application. In this paper, a nine parameter based multi-target optimization and sizing scheme is executed by HOMER PRO software. This work sequentially addresses the techno-economic and socio-environmental indicators for optimization analysis. The specification of technical and financial fields are availed from the Indian local market. Seven feasible combinations of different resources are analysed for designing parameters and the optimized combination is selected by multi criteria analysis. The solar Photovoltaic-wind-diesel generator-battery storage is found best combination for consistent power supply. The net present cost and cost of energy are obtained as $ 0.179 and $31,439 respectively. Sensitivity analysis is performed for macro-economic factors and components cost to obtain better opportunity. Moreover, the technical and commercial viability of the proposed system is assured by robustness check for satisfying the consumer demand.

Generation of socio-environmental indicators in the territorial structure of San Luis Huexotla, Texcoco, México

Objective: This article aims to show the statistical density of the population per block, toknow its effect as a critical spatial result and its relationship with some socio-environmental indicators, this analysis-process incorporates statistical data andgeographic information systems as a model for territorial spatial analysis, which showsthe relationship between demand and generation of services.Design / Methodology / Approach: The Urban Basic Geostatistical Units data of INEGI(the Spanish acronym of the National Geostatistical Information Institute in Mexico) wasused on block-level as: number of inhabitants and number of dwellings. It wasassociated with variables identified by exploring those key stakeholders at the locality(Delegates, and the Council for Citizenship Participation (in Spanish, COPACI), as wellas the Huexotla Ejido Commissariat, their clergy representative and some other keyinformants. In addition, GIS were used to digitize vector information and to integrate arelational database for the geospatial analysis of the variables, data and indicators inorder to obtain zoning maps.Results: This study presents a proposal for the generation of socio-environmentalindicators that can be used in territorial analysis with urban and rural applications usingGeographic Information Systems as a tool.Study limitations: Transition processes converge in geographic transformation and,consequently have effects on landscape changes; demand for public services; and solidwaste generation.Findings / Conclusions: The size of the scale used for the locality analysis contributesto determine the territorial planning of a geographical space. Thus, results obtaineddeliver information for planning in the decision-making processes at localities in rural tourban transitional zones.

Why scale is vital to plan optimal Nature-Based Solutions for resilient cities

A need for multi-functional assessment tools evaluating trade-offs and co-benefits for various types of Nature-Based Solutions (NBS) has been increasingly identified in recent years. Methodologically, concepts for a tool are presented which include quantifying the demand and potential for NBS to enhance ecosystem service (ES) provision, and linking ESs to readily quantifiable and legislatively-relevant environmental quality indicators (EQIs). The objective of tool application is to identify optimal NBS placement across a diverse set of socio-environmental indicators, whilst also incorporating issues of relative location of areas of implementation and benefit accrual. Embedded within the tool is the importance of evaluating outcomes in terms of economic benefits and of sustainable development goals. The concepts are illustrated with simplified examples, relating to the case of implementing urban forestry as an exemplar NBS. By summarising the knowledge base it is demonstrated that benefits of NBS are substantially scale-dependent in two main respects; those of extent and proximity to receptors. Evaluation tools should be capable of quantifying scale-dependence. The substantive importance of these considerations and how their dynamics vary between indicators and services is illustrated graphically through schematic functions. When developed, the tool should be used as a focus for consultation and co-design to pinpoint the size of NBS necessary to achieve a sufficient level of benefit for a particular receptor. This could be measured against target levels of benefit for each indicator, distinguishing between primary intended outcomes and those co-benefits or trade-offs that are secondary or unintended.

No Silver Bullet for De-carbonization: Preparing for Tomorrow, Today

The objective of this study is to examine the green supply chain management (GSCM) practices, economic growth, and socio-environmental indicators on a macro-level in a panel of European Union (EU) member states. The study employed different advanced statistical techniques, including generalized method of moments and fully generalized least square for testing the hypotheses. At the same time, the study also adopted Dumitrescu Hurlin Panel Causality test to the cause-effect relationship between the endogenous and exogenous variables. The findings revealed that green supply chain management practices are much useful to improve environmental sustainability through a reduction in carbon emissions and PM2.5, which further correlated with a reduction in the pollution-related mortality rates. Also, the results indicate that green supply chain practices spur economic growth in terms of providing trade opportunities around the globe particularly in pro-environmentalist countries without any non-tariff barriers/penalties and attract foreign investors due to green policies. In our best of knowledge, in the literature review, none of the research conducted on GSCM practices and Macro-level indicators, this study will assist both policymakers and practitioners to understand the holistic role of GSCM practices to greening the economy and provide a framework to develop game-changing environmental policies in the context of cross-border supply chain and trade.

Examining the Relationship between Social and School Environment and Children’s Caries Experience Using Primary and Secondary Data: A Cluster Analysis

Dental caries is still prevalent worldwide, even with advances in preventive and curative measures. The aim was to examine clustering patterns of socioeconomic and environmental characteristics of schools and their associations with caries experience of schoolchildren. An epidemiological survey with cross-sectional design was conducted in 2014/2015 and included 5,213 students (aged 2–11 years) from 38 public schools of Carapicuíba (SP, Brazil). Primary data consisted of dental examinations performed at schools by 6 calibrated examiners to evaluate caries experience (dmf/DMFT index). Secondary data were extracted from the last official Demographic Census (2010) and School Census (2014 and 2015) to assess the socioeconomic and environmental characteristics of the territorial units and infrastructure of each school, respectively. Cluster analysis and ANOVA were applied to identify schools with similar social and environmental aspects and children’s caries experience. A logistic regression model was used to ascertain the effects of cluster variables on the likelihood that participants have caries experience, controlling for the stage of dentition and sex. Two valid and reliable clusters were identified: cluster 1 (“advantaged group”), characterized by 33 schools with the highest percentages of children without caries experience and located in regions with better socioenvironmental indicators, and cluster 2 (“least advantaged group”), characterized by 5 schools with higher percentages of children with caries experience, lower percentages of households with sanitary sewer and water supply, higher residents/household ratio and higher percentages of families living with up to 1 minimum wage. An increase in the odds of having caries experience for each percent of houses with well water and families which live with up to 1 minimum wage was observed. By using primary and secondary data, the study draws attention to the relationship between socioeconomic and environmental indicators and caries experience, identifying least advantaged regions and helping to design strategic health plans for this target population.