Sustainable Governance Research Articles

Policy Over Practice: A Review of Groundwater Governance Research in Sub-Saharan Africa

Groundwater is increasingly seen as crucial to both agricultural and domestic water supply in sub-Saharan Africa. Citing climate change and growing populations, there is especially a notable shift towards promoting groundwater for irrigation to ensure food security. Increased use of the resource will undoubtedly be accompanied with new questions of governance, with groundwater overexploitation in other parts of the world functioning as a strong cautionary tale. This article provides an overview of the current groundwater governance literature on sub-Saharan Africa. Using a critical water governance lens we analyse how groundwater governance is framed, what terms, categories, and measurements are used to describe and assess groundwater governance, and whose perspectives are considered. We also assess whether groundwater governance research has taken place across sub-Saharan African countries in a balanced way. We find that groundwater governance research in sub-Saharan Africa, even more so than elsewhere, ignores the voices and perspectives of those physically encountering the resource. Instead, it is dominated by the views of formal, technical groundwater experts focusing on the need for more hydrogeological data and formal policies. While the existing contributions to the literature are valuable, the current bias in perspectives calls for others to join the field of groundwater governance and to supplement current conceptualisations and approaches with those of users and others dealing with groundwater management on a daily basis. We argue that groundwater users’ practical governance experiences, locally adapted solutions and knowledges, can add important complementary perspectives and insights towards crafting effective, sustainable and equitable groundwater governance processes across the continent.

Digital Twin Approach in Buildings: Future Challenges via a Critical Literature Review

In 2011, the term Digital Twin was originally introduced by Michael Grieves to define the synchronization between two realities: physical objects placed in a real space and virtual objects within in virtual space, linked through the mutual exchange of data throughout the entire lifecycle, both in real-time and asynchronously. Nowadays, Digital Twin is among the principal and emerging technological innovations of both Industry 4.0 and the emerging Industry 5.0, enabling an interaction between physical and virtual objects, Big Data, Internet of Things, and Artificial Intelligence. The construction sector, too, is now exploring the potentialities offered by the Digital Twin approach in enhancing innovative, responsible, and sustainable governance of buildings’ lifecycles. Concerning these issues, this paper proposes visualizing future challenges with a specific focus on the operation and maintenance phase and its related impact on decarbonization via a critical literature review of the current statements. The applied methodology is based on three different questions related to certain research issues performed in the Scopus database. The selected findings were filtered, classified, and discussed. Some future challenges on specific issues have been identified, defining and promoting novel research ideas.

Tata kelola sumber daya air berkelanjutan-berkeadilan : Bagaimana Indonesia memperkuat poros maritim?

Water resources are an important aspect of human survival. However, population growth, urbanization, climate change, agricultural expansion, and industrialization have led to a rapid decline in the quality and availability of water resources. It is estimated that by 2050, the global population will reach 9.7 billion, which will increase the need for water resources. Currently, approximately 2.3 billion people live in water-critical areas, and two-thirds of the global population experiences critical water shortages for at least one month of the year. The United Nations has established Sustainable Development Goals, with a focus on clean water and sanitation. Indonesia, with more than 17,000 islands, has rich water resources but is vulnerable due to urbanization, pollution, and climate change. To overcome these challenges, sustainable water governance is necessary. Indonesia is already experiencing water shortages, and it is estimated that 67% of economic activity will be in areas experiencing water scarcity by 2045. In addition, Indonesia is among the ten largest groundwater-consuming countries, drawing groundwater mainly for domestic use. To overcome this challenge, the government has implemented water governance reforms through regulatory policies and infrastructure improvements. In this context, this research aims to provide an overview of the progress of sustainable water governance in Indonesia and strategies for facing challenges as a maritime axis in sustainable water governance. This study uses a systematic literature review methodology to analyze 69 articles on current water governance practices, sustainable water governance challenges, and strategies for overcoming these challenges. By adopting sustainable water governance, Indonesia can ensure fair and equitable access to water, reduce water-related conflicts, increase access to clean water and sanitation, and strengthen the country's overall environmental and economic resilience.

Developing a New Capital City (IKN) In Indonesia: A Thematic Analysis

The urgency of this research was identified from the ambitious new capital city (IKN) development project. This research aims to respond to this issue by studying the development plan. The method chosen is qualitative with a thematic analysis approach. The research data source comes from the official government website by searching official documents. The analysis tool that is maximized in data coding is Nvivo 12 Plus. This study mapped three critical themes in the IKN development plan, including the principles of development of the new capital city (IKN), the position and specificities of the new capital city (IKN), and the government's strategic efforts. In general, the IKN development theme focuses on an Indonesia-centric development orientation, development, and adaptation to the use of renewable technology and the clean technology industry for more environmentally friendly mobility and utilities, as well as accelerating the transformation of the Indonesian economy. This idea requires a government response by developing supporting infrastructure, including budget, governance, bureaucracy, and resources, and maintaining the social situation in development areas. This study is of academic interest because it provides insight into the principles and strategies underlying the development of Indonesia's new capital city (IKN), contributing to scientific discourse on sustainable development and government initiatives.

Audit and Sustainability: Integrating Environmental Aspects in Auditing

This study explores the integration of environmental aspects into auditing practices, aiming to enhance organizational sustainability and corporate governance. Through a systematic review of literature, the historical evolution of environmental auditing is traced from its roots in the late 20th-century sustainability movement to its prominence in the early 2000s within the accounting profession. Theoretical frameworks such as institutional theory and legitimacy theory are employed to understand the drivers behind organizations' adoption of environmental auditing practices. Challenges hindering the effective integration of environmental aspects into auditing practices, including the lack of standardized methodologies and regulatory complexity, are identified. Despite these challenges, environmental auditing presents opportunities for organizations to improve their environmental performance, mitigate risks, and identify opportunities for improvement and innovation. Future research directions include exploring innovative methodologies for assessing environmental performance, addressing regulatory challenges, investigating auditors' roles in promoting sustainability, and conducting longitudinal studies to assess the long-term impact of environmental auditing on organizational performance. The study underscores the importance of advancing sustainable auditing practices to achieve organizational sustainability goals.

THE STUDY ON SOCIO-ENVIRONMENT SUSTAINABLE NATURAL RESOURCES MANAGEMENT AND GOVERNANCE

The transformation of sustainable management and governance for a natural resource can be organized as social learning involving all types of social workers like experts, political leaders, scientist, and local actors and their corresponding scientific and nonscientific knowledge require all new spaces of communicative share sustainable natural resource make novel demand on governance arrangement governance make some principle for diverse contexts and they are availability for sustainable natural resource. The principle can be directly used to design government institutions that are legitimate and transparent, inclusive and fair. The main areas highlight a natural resource that ensures sustainable development. Perspective on the rules and perspectives of our society to promote sustainable development and Environmental Protection. The environmental impact of the assessment system planes with human activities and preventing damage to the environment. This paper analysis of analyzes the sustainable management and governance of natural resources. It provides raw materials and space for social production but serves the needs of human life. It recognizes in that people and their livelihoods rely on the health production of our landscape and play critical roles in maintaining their wealth and productivity. For improving natural resources, securing rights, and sharing power and responsibility for understanding, accessing, and improving natural resource governments including all sharing power and responsibilities. To understand accessing improving natural resources government the realize that values and conserve nature. The extent to which the sustainable management of natural resources is being achieved Looking at human management and environment, land use, population, and waste management resource efficiency.

Scarcity and quality risks for future global urban water supply

ContextSupply of freshwater to the world’s cities is increasingly affected by human pressures and climate change. Understanding the effects of human pressures and climate change on global urban water scarcity and quality risks in an integrated way is important.ObjectivesThe objective of this study is to assess the scarcity and quality risks to water security for 304 large cities (population > 1 million) across the world for 2015 and 2050.MethodsWe assessed the water scarcity according to water demand and availability, and evaluated the quality of water supply in terms of the population density, cropland fertilization, and landscape patterns in source watersheds. In addition, the impacts of human pressures and climate change on urban water risks were quantified using contribution analysis.ResultsWe found that about 90% of these cities faced water risks in 2015. The number of cities facing quality risk was about three times the number of cities facing scarcity risk, and nearly a quarter faced dual risks. From 2015 to 2050, 88.8–99.7% of cities were projected to face rising water risks with about one-third facing dual risks by 2050. Increase in water demand was the main cause of rising scarcity risk; growth in population and crop fertilization in source watersheds were the main reasons for rising quality risk.ConclusionsThere is an urgent need to promote landscape conservation of urban water source areas, implement sustainable urban water planning and governance, improve water supply infrastructure, and refine ecological compensation regimes to achieve global urban water security.

Assessing production-living-ecological spaces and its urban-rural gradients in Xiangyang City, China: insights from land-use function symbiosis.

Understanding the formation process and pattern of production-living-ecological spaces (PLES) is crucial for sustainable land-use management and adaptive city governance. However, previous studies have neglected the symbiotic relationships between land-use functions (LUFs) in identifying and optimizing PLES. To address this gap, this paper proposes a technical framework for assessing PLES from a LUF symbiosis perspective. A case study was conducted in Xiangyang City, China, to identify PLES and analyze its urban-rural differentiation using the symbiosis degree model and landscape pattern indices. Our findings revealed that the symbiotic relationships between LUFs varied. There were 25 combination types of PLES in Xiangyang City, with significantly varied area proportions and spatial distribution. The landscape types and fragmentation of PLES increased along with the gradient change from the old urban area to the rural area. Furthermore, we proposed a PLES optimization strategy involving LUFs symbiosis and the urban-rural gradient. Our study enriches the dimensions of PLES assessment and supports better-coordinated planning and the protection of PLES.

The Effect of Sustainability Financial Disclosure, Sustainability Governance and Financing In The Sustainable Business Activities Category On The Share Price of Banks Listed On The Indonesia Stock Exchange

This research aims to determine the influence of sustainable financial disclosure, sustainable governance and financing in the category of sustainable business activities on banking share prices listed on the Indonesia Stock Exchange. Based on data processing from 40 banks listed on the Indonesia Stock Exchange, the results showed that sustainable financial disclosure using the GRI FS indicator had a significant positive effect on the share prices of banks listed on the Indonesia Stock Exchange. Meanwhile, sustainability governance does not have a significant effect on the price of banking shares listed on the Indonesia Stock Exchange, and environmental costs do not have a significant effect on the price of banking shares listed on the Indonesia Stock Exchange

Analysis of The Effect of Governance and CSR on Member Welfare Mediated by Performance at Credit Union Cooperatives

This study aims to determine the welfare of members of the Bererod Gratia CU Cooperative and Madani Cooperative KSP through governance and CSR dimensions mediated by performance. The questionnaire concluded that the welfare of cooperatives depends on good and sustainable governance and CSR mediated by professional performance. Good Corporate Governance is manifested in transparency, accountability, accountability, independence, equality and fairness in every financial transaction, the level of commitment of the management, the quality of cooperative work, and decision making involving all members. Research also shows the existence of cooperative social responsibility for the welfare of members and the surrounding community which has a positive influence in the form of social, economic, environmental, obedience to the law, and health-education. Finally, research shows that quality professional performance by having work motivation, responsible financial flexibility, a conducive work environment, opportunities for self-development, strong teamwork, and sustainable financial stability can help ensure the welfare of cooperative members and the sustainability of the cooperative. The results showed that both cooperatives have succeeded in working on the welfare of their members.

Sustainable Development and ESG Initiatives in the Pharmaceutical Industry: A Case Study of Johnson & Johnson Medical Corporation

As global concerns about sustainability and corporate responsibility continue to grow, this paper explores the evolving landscape of social development trends and the profound impact of Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) initiatives in the corporate world. Utilizing Johnson & Johnson Medical Corporation as a compelling case study, this paper delves into the company's rich history and enterprise background, examines recent developments in the pharmaceutical industry, and dissects the extensive ESG information disclosed by Johnson & Johnson. Our analysis encompasses three vital dimensions of ESGEnvironment, Social Responsibility, and Corporate Governanceproviding a comprehensive view of the company's commitment to sustainability. Finally, this paper illuminates the broader implications of these initiatives, not only for the pharmaceutical market but for the entire global business ecosystem. The research employed qualitative and quantitative methods, incorporating interviews, surveys, and financial data analysis, to assess the effectiveness of Johnson & Johnson's ESG strategies. The results indicate that Johnson & Johnson's ESG initiatives have led to a significant reduction in carbon emissions, increased supplier diversity, enhanced global health equity, and improved employee well-being, reinforcing its commitment to sustainability and ethical governance. These findings highlight the transformative potential of ESG practices in shaping a more sustainable, equitable, and accountable future for the healthcare industry and beyond.

Firm-level carbon risk perception and ESG performance.

In a sustainable economy, each firm perceives different levels of carbon risk, but there are few studies on the relationship between a firm's carbon risk perception and Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) performance. This paper examines the impact of firm-level carbon risk perception on ESG performance using Chinese A-share listed firms during 2011-2020. We find a positive relationship between firm-level perception of carbon risk and firm ESG performance. Further analysis shows that analyst coverage and media attention exert a substantial moderating effect on the link between carbon risk perception and ESG performance. We identify three channels through which carbon risk perception affects ESG performance. First, rising carbon risk perception enables firms to take measures to reduce pollutants and greenhouse gas emissions and increases environmental (E) scores. Second, this perception encourages firms to take responsibility for social employment and increases social (S) scores. Finally, it improves firm sustainable governance and further increases governance (G) scores. Our research has an important guiding role in promoting firm ESG practice.

Sustainability and transnational governance as a subsidy for disseninating new power matrices

This paper aims to investigate sustainability as a new paradigm inducing law in post-modernity, in the social, economic and environmental dimensions, while contributing to the re-signification of the energy matrix by presenting viable alternatives for the diversification of new ecological energies. The academic and social relevance of the this research lies in the fact that the progress of energy efficiency, already slow, faces significant setbacks, such as the decrease in global improvements in energy efficiency since 2015, which directly affect the global goals for the climate and sustainability. Thus, the research problem is drawn: Therefore, the research problem is drawn: Will sustainability as a new legal paradigm have better conditions to promote socio-environmentalism, inclusion and social justice and better quality of life? As for the methodology, both in the investigation phase and in the phase of reporting the results, the method to be used will be the inductive one.

Sustainable Land Use Diagnosis Based on the Perspective of Coupling Socioeconomy and Ecology in the Xiongan New Area, China

Analysis of land use sustainability (LUS) coupling socioeconomic and ecological systems has drawn the interest of researchers and decision-makers concerned with sustainable development. Exploring the relationships between land use systems can offer a coordinated route for localized and effective land governance strategies. We proposed a new theoretical framework for LUS considering coordinated development between socioeconomy and ecology. We applied it further to the Xiongan New Area, typical of a new region with government-led construction in eastern China, to explore in depth the coupling and coordination relationship among land use systems and their driving factors. Results revealed that: (1) ecological sustainability grew while socioeconomic sustainability declined in most areas of Xiongan New Area during 2010–2020 at the township level, (2) relationships among land use systems in 2010–2020 showed a trend of coordinated development, but generally, their coordination was still only at a primary and moderate level, with a shift from prominent ecological lag to prominent socioeconomic lag, (3) economic factors are critical to the coordinated development of land use systems, while the influence of ecological factors is also increasing, and (4) four development types were identified for the towns: coupling and developed, coupling and undeveloped, tradeoff and developed, and tradeoff and undeveloped. Policymakers can better appreciate the importance of government interventions in future land use planning in terms of sustainable development with the help of land use zoning optimization and sustainable land governance.

Institutional Role of Independent Smallholders in Realizing Sustainable Palm Oil Plantation Governance

Purpose: The palm oil sector plays an important role in the national economy. Growth in this sector can improve people's welfare and reduce poverty. The purpose of this study is to determine the role of independent smallholder institutions and their obstacles in realizing oil palm plantation governance following ISPO principles/criteria/indicators. Theoritical Framework: This study focuses on the application of the theory of Esman and Uphoff in (Abriandi et al., 2019), mentioning several roles of farmer institutions, with indicators namely: Interorganizational Tasks, Resource Tasks, Services Tasks, and extra–organizational tasks. This study uses a mixed research method, which combines the process of a quantitative approach in data collection and a qualitative approach in analyzing descriptively. Methods: This study focuses on the application of the theory of Esman and Uphoff in (Abriandi et al., 2019), mentioning several roles of farmer institutions, with indicators namely: Interorganizational Tasks, Resource Tasks, Services Tasks, and extra–organizational tasks. This study uses a mixed research method, which combines the process of a quantitative approach in data collection and a qualitative approach in analyzing descriptively. Findings: Researchers finding the importance of building collaboration in strengthening ISPO regulations in the future, because Independent Smallholder Institutions play an important role in influencing the success or failure of the implementation of ISPO certification, in general, ISPO certification policies are still in demand by large companies while the majority ownership of oil palm plantations is owned by Independent Smallholders so need to encourage Independent Smallholders to play an active role in implementing ISPO certification. Practical Implications: By uncovering the obstacles faced by independent smallholders and assessing the effectiveness of institutions in the ISPO certification process, the research provides actionable insights for policymakers and stakeholders. The study's emphasis on developing responsive plans and strengthening the independent smallholder ecosystem adds a practical dimension to the broader discourse on sustainable palm oil development. Originality/Value: This research stands out through its specific focus on independent smallholders, the nuanced examination of ISPO challenges at the grassroots level, the adoption of a comprehensive institutional concept, the significance of the chosen geographical context, the integration of multi-disciplinary insights, and the exploration of readiness and conventional practices. These elements collectively contribute to the novelty and originality of the study, offering a unique contribution to the existing body of knowledge on sustainable palm oil governance.

Extract or conserve? The Hartwick-rule and sustainable environmental governance

The legal safeguards for sustainable environmental governance are often inadequate, inefficient, and amenable to political maneuverings. Australia recently approved the Carmichael coal mine, rail, and expansion of the Abbot Port projects. These projects, along with many others in the region, have dire consequences for the groundwater system (Currell et al., 2017) [5], the Great Barrier Reef (Kroon et al., 2016; Grech et al., 2016) [6,7], and climate change (Taylor and Meinshausen, 2014) [8]. Here we show that incorporating the Hartwick-rule in economic analysis renders many of these projects unviable with or without the opportunity and externality costs. The Hartwick-rule dictates that exhaustible resource extraction can ensure weak sustainability if resource rents can be invested in such a way that the produced capital outweighs the consumed natural capital (Hartwick, 1977) [9]. We put forward two main arguments; one, resource rents belong to the society and many projects are only viable when these rents are invested with a certain growth rate; second, economic analysis shall incorporate the Hartwick-rule and shall be applied prior to recourse to the legal safeguards. Our analysis can be applied to any non-renewable natural resource extraction decision making.

Sustainability in Japan’s Agriculture: An Analysis of Current Approaches

Sustainable agriculture has gained prominence as a response to global concerns, such as climate change, population growth, and improving the quality of life. In this context, Japan presents specific characteristics regarding land, economy, and population; however, studies related to sustainable agricultural practices and government measures remain insufficient. To evaluate the state of Japan’s sustainable agriculture, this paper presents a comprehensive literature review. In this paper, a bibliographic review was carried out, including articles, books, and governmental data, to contextualize the current state of agriculture in Japan and demonstrate that sustainable agriculture is being applied and encouraged in Japan. According to the research, in general, agriculture in Japan has been suffering over the years due to population decline and an aging population, and fewer young people are interested in agriculture. However, when it comes to sustainability, the country, government, and farmers have adopted several measures to improve aspects such as decreasing herbicide and pesticide use, payment for environmentally friendly farmers, and promoting education about good agricultural practices. This study illuminates the importance of Japan’s efforts to advance sustainable agriculture, potentially offering insights that could contribute to the broader global discourse on sustainable food production. Although Japan presents distinct characteristics, certain patterns observed in its approach may have relevance in similar contexts in other countries. The policies implemented in Japan provide data for comparative studies that aim to assess their adaptability and effectiveness in different global contexts.

Mapping the literature on decent work: A bibliometric analysis of sustainable development goal 8

AbstractThe bibliometric study based on the Scopus database aims to investigate the global literary development of “decent work” over a span exceeding two decades. The noticeable surge in publications since 2015 underscores the growing significance of the concept. Limited representation of lower‐middle and lower‐income countries, except India, among the top 10 contributors is observed, revealing a considerable research gap in the study of decent work. The research highlights five principal themes: the labor market's impact on economic development, corporate social responsibility and sustainable development, gender equality, governance, and social justice, as well as decent work, job quality, education, well‐being, and job satisfaction. The study also shows the importance of the topic in different fields. Future researchers may consider the variables or indicators identified for surveys and questionnaire construction.

Migration and sustainable development.

To understand the implications of migration for sustainable development requires a comprehensive consideration of a range of population movements and their feedback across space and time. This Perspective reviews emerging science at the interface of migration studies, demography, and sustainability, focusing on consequences of migration flows for nature-society interactions including on societal outcomes such as inequality; environmental causes and consequences of involuntary displacement; and processes of cultural convergence in sustainability practices in dynamic new populations. We advance a framework that demonstrates how migration outcomes result in identifiable consequences on resources, environmental burdens and well-being, and on innovation, adaptation, and challenges for sustainability governance. We elaborate the research frontiers of migration for sustainability science, explicitly integrating the full spectrum of regular migration decisions dominated by economic motives through to involuntary displacement due to social or environmental stresses. Migration can potentially contribute to sustainability transitions when it enhances well-being while not exacerbating structural inequalities or compound uneven burdens on environmental resources.

Policy integration through the Sustainable Development Goals? The case of the German Federal Government

AbstractIn 2015, the United Nations adopted 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) with 169 targets as part of its 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. The launch of this comprehensive and inclusive set of global goals was expected to lead, among other things, to more integrative policymaking, which is widely seen as important for sustainability governance. In this article, we draw on a detailed empirical case study of the German government to analyze whether the launch of the SDGs has indeed strengthened policy integration and which mechanisms may account for this. With statistical methods and extensive network analysis, our analysis captures changes in horizontal, vertical, and sectoral policy integration between 2012 and 2019. In addition, we use semi‐structured interviews to explore institutional, leadership, and ideational integration mechanisms. The study shows that sectoral and horizontal policy integration has increased after 2015, but that the SDGs still have not changed the conditions for system‐wide policy integration. Our findings shed new light on the possibilities and limitations of integrative sustainability governance through global goals.