Sustainable Transformation Research Articles

Household food waste in five territories in Europe and Northern Africa: Evaluation of differences and similarities as implication for actions.

Reduction of food waste is an important element of the sustainable transformation of food systems. This study focused on food waste quantification, its causes, and perception in 5 territories: North Hessia (Germany), Cilento Bio-District (Italy), Kenitra (Morocco), Warsaw (Poland), Copenhagen (Denmark) with the main objective of assessing whether different cultures affected the levels and the profiles of household food waste. A validated questionnaire was used to assess the quantities and typologies of food waste (completely unused, partially used, meal leftovers, leftovers after storing). In addition, the reasons for food waste and how food waste was perceived were investigated. In a sample of 2154 respondents, the level of still edible food that was wasted amounted to 399 g per family per week, equivalent to 153 g per capita. Kenitra showed the highest amount of FW per household (539 g), but the lowest amount of food waste per capita (125 g). Citizens of rural communities, e.g., Cilento Bio-District (136 g), North Hessia Federal State (132 g), and Kenitra (125 g), had more effective food waste prevention practices than citizens of urban areas, e.g., Copenhagen (201 g) and Warsaw (179 g). Family size was identified as a significant factor in FW generation, with households having 5 or more members showing lower FW per capita (85 g) than single-member families (309 g). The study underscores the need for tailored strategies to reduce FW considering the above-reported territorial differences.

The impact of environmental regulation on green investment efficiency of thermal power enterprises in China-based on a three-stage exogenous variable model

Due to the increased frequency of extreme weather events and the implementation of the China’s dual-carbon target, thermal power companies have been under pressure to construct green infrastructure and to actively pursue low-carbon transformation in response to stricter environmental regulations. This research thus selects 30 listed thermal power enterprises in China as study objects and assesses their green investment efficiency in the low-carbon transition process using three-stage DEA evaluation model with environmental regulation as an exogenous variable. Based on this, a benchmark regression model is used to corroborate the relationship between environmental regulation and green investment. Simultaneously, we carry out analysis to compare the correlation between thermal power firms’ green investment efficiency and their focus on green investments. The results show in terms of total efficiency that environmental regulation significantly improves the total efficiency of 80% of thermal power enterprises compared to the absence of this exogenous variable. With the addition of environmental regulation, firms’ total efficiency declines gradually in general from 2018 to 2022, with the mean value of efficiency falling by 0.068. In terms of stage-specific efficiency, the efficiency of the green investment stage of the majority of firms is between 0.3 and 0.6, which is much lower than that of the operational stage and the market performance stage. In terms of sub-indicator efficiency, both green investment efficiency and social donation efficiency among thermal power enterprises show obvious polarization, with 30% of them having an efficiency of 1 and 30% less than 0.1. In terms of green investment focus, thermal power unit renovation has a more obvious role in boosting the green investment efficiency of thermal power enterprises than do wind power and photovoltaic projects. Therefore, both governmental departments and thermal power enterprises need to take active measures in order to achieve green transformation from the perspective of green investment efficiency. Through the segmentation of important projects of green investment, this paper provides a reasonable investment direction reference for the sustainable transformation of China’s thermal power industry. It also provides a rich and novel theoretical basis for the Chinese government to further improve the relevant environmental protection laws and regulations of thermal power industry.

Tackling the Beast – How to Assess Scope 3 Emissions

The transparent and valid measurement of Scope 3 emissions (indirectly caused emissions upstream and downstream) represents one of the greatest challenges for companies during their sustainable transformation. In order to assess the current performance of a company and to derive the necessary action steps, it is essential to have the best possible knowledge of the current emissions. However, especially in the area of Scope 3, companies are dependent on external information and are not in a position to independently determine the ecological footprints of upstream purchased materials, products and services and the downstream emissions caused by products and services sold. This publication provides an overview of current main challenges and complexities deriving from the assessment of Scope 3 emissions and highlights the most suitable approaches to achieve best possible results.

How to Integrate Strategy and Culture for Transformative Change

Purpose: This paper demonstrates that strategy and culture are important collaborators in the successful design and implementation of transformative change for sustainable corporate transformation and ethical institutional development.
 Materials and Methods: The researcher explores select, classic, contemporary and current scholarly literature on the theory of change. The research reviews theory articulated by Kurt Lewin on change management, systems theory, theory U and complexity in relation to their efficacy in facilitating organization change in global and local contexts. The study draws from ubuntu philosophy and the African business experience to propose a conceptual framework for the integration of strategy and culture to establish transformative change. 
 Findings: The study finds a distinction in the context in which the theory of change is applied at the global and local levels. Business leaders need to use different approaches to change initiatives in the two contexts. The study also shows why culture has the power to frustrate transformative change and the implementation of new strategy. Subsequently, the paper proposes that sensitivities to culture should be built into strategy design in order to mitigate its inertial power during strategy implementation. The study submits that global change theory presumes the stability of the macro-operating environments in which strategy is developed. It also assumes the existence of supportive institutional culture, predictable environmental forces and the availability of well-developed macroeconomic infrastructure to underwrite desirable change initiatives. Conventional models suggest that the only intervening agency to establish change is the design and implementation of a new strategy. However, continental business microenvironments are made up of unstable, diverse, complex and volatile microeconomic disparities and cultural undercurrents that resist the implementation of change. In other words, the outcomes of strategy implementation in microenvironments, do not always mirror the predictive designs of global change theory. The study suggests that while global contexts may also benefit from the proposed model, culture should be integrated into the design and implementation of corporate strategy, in local contexts, to facilitate sustainable change. 
 Implications to Theory, Practice and Policy: This paper recommends that; 1) Business and institutional leaders should carefully evaluate the strategic initiatives and development models they adopt and establish whether they indeed have the capacity to create and sustain transformative change within their operating environment, 2) Because proposed change always invites a response from culture, businesses must put in place mitigating measures to ensure that undue cultural inertia does not hinder ethical institutional advance, 3) Business leaders must remain alive to the fact that strategists, however brilliant, are not in control of the environmental forces in the ecosystem they seek to navigate. Hence the need to take pre-emptive measures, design strategic alternatives and employ dynamic approaches to successfully implement strategic plans, 4) Successful strategy implementation depends on the supportive confluence of multiple, complex and dynamic environmental factors beyond the designers of a good strategic plan. Thus, business leaders need to protect good strategy from being disoriented by fluctuating environmental change, 5) The perceived conflict of culture and strategy can be resolved by incorporating the ends of both in the design of crafting transformative change, 6) Ubuntu provides a powerful ethical lens to evaluate the acceptability, suitability and sustainability of strategic business initiatives in the continental business experience.

From access toward sovereignty: A scoping review of municipal land access policies for urban agriculture in the United States

Accessing land—and protecting that access—for the purpose of growing food and other agricultural products is a significant challenge in urban agriculture (UA), an issue exacerbated by racial and wealth disparities and high land values in cities. While local policies and programs supporting the use or sale of public land for UA have increased steadily since the early 21st century, limited research has examined the diversity, accessibility, and permanency of mechanisms facilitating land access and tenure. To address this gap, we compared the availability and characteristics of land access mechanisms across the 40 most populous U.S. cities. While 75% of cities employed at least one mechanism to facilitate land access, few (20%) offered multiple options. Mechanisms facilitating temporary use of public land for UA such as Adopt-A-Lot programs and city-run farms and gardens were more common than those enabling more secure tenure through long-term leases, land trusts, and simplified sales processes. Most policies and programs explicitly focused on local residents and nonprofit/community groups rather than for-profit entities. Nearly half (45%) of cities designed their land access mechanisms with a focus on equity or supporting underserved populations. Less than a quarter of cities offered subsidized water access, liability insurance, soil testing, or funding to complement public land access. The diversity of available mechanisms for facilitating land access underscores how different cities are enabling UA for different goals. Additionally, the incongruence between advocates’ demands for land sovereignty and the mechanisms currently offered raise questions about the extent to which cities are advancing permanent land reforms or provisional interventions at risk of revocation. Our findings may be of use to policymakers and advocates who are creating, comparing, and adapting land access policies and programs to best address growers’ needs and advance sustainable and equitable food transformations.

Are Innovation and Creative Districts New Scenarios for Sustainable Urban Planning? Bogota, Medellin, and Barranquilla as Case Studies

Creative and innovation districts are focused on boosting local economies. However, they also pay attention to the global scale since this local identity of the Orange Economies gives them added value and competitiveness globally, as well as international projection and visibility of products, services, and new technologies associated with creativity and innovation. Thus, this study reviews three case studies of the cities of Barranquilla, Bogota, and Medellin in Colombia, seeking to characterize the creative and innovation districts. The methodology used is strictly qualitative, resorting to the characterization of the polygons and the analysis of public policies. This study describes the general aspects of creative and innovation districts in Colombia. Then, it identifies the forces for CD and ID development in three Colombian cities and the drivers for urban sustainable transformation. The main purpose of this study is to understand if innovation and creative districts are new scenarios for sustainable urban planning.

Hal-Py-SO3H as a novel and recyclable catalyst for highly efficient synthesis of xanthene and spiropyran derivatives

The aim of this research is to synthesize a new sulfonic acid catalyst based on halloysite nanotubes (Hal-Py-SO3H) and characterize it as a solid acid nanocatalyst by various analytical techniques such as Fourier-Transformed Infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), Thermal gravimetric Analysis (TGA), X-ray Diffraction (XRD) analysis, Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), Vibrating Energy-Dispersive X-ray analysis (EDX), Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and X-ray atomic mapping. Furthermore, this new catalyst was evaluated in synthesizing spiropyran derivatives via multicomponent reactions (MCRs) and Xanthen derivatives under environmentally sustainable conditions. The main advantages of this approach include green conditions, excellent yields, quick reaction rates, and ease of preparation. Additionally it was observed that the catalyst exhibited robust stability even after multiple recycling processes, indicating its potential for practical applications in sustainable chemical transformations.

Imitation behavior in environmental, social, and governance disclosure: Textual analysis evidence from Chinese listed enterprises

AbstractThe era of sustainable transformation has witnessed an increase in corporate environmental, social, and governance (ESG) disclosure waves. Using Chinese A‐share listed companies from 2016 to 2021 as a sample, this study adopted textual analysis and machine‐learning techniques to analyze ESG reports and explore the imitation behavior of ESG disclosures in emerging Chinese markets for the first time. The results show imitation behavior exists in corporate ESG disclosures from the perspective of group association. Regarding the imitation object, enterprises tend to choose the peer average level as a reference rather than the best enterprise in the same industry, which reveals the inherent law that enterprises' ESG disclosures are satisfied with compliance rather than championship. In terms of effects, the ESG‐mimetic isomorphic pressure has no incremental information effect but has an efficiency optimization effect. Furthermore, the imitation intensity and impact effects of ESG disclosure behavior exhibit heterogeneity owing to differences in properties, sales growth rates, and external attention. This study expands the motivation for corporate ESG disclosure behavior and enriches the empirical evidence for institutional isomorphism.

The Impact of Multi-Dimensional Urbanization on CO2 Emissions: Empirical Evidence from Jiangsu, China, at the County Level

Understanding the underlying mechanism of how various dimensions of urbanization affect CO2 emissions could be helpful for achieving the goal of low-carbon cities in China. However, previous research has seldomly examined this relationship granularly in economically developed regions at the micro level, nor did they examine the mediating effects of economic development, industrial structure, and coal consumption. Using the panel dataset of 80 counties from 2002 to 2021 at the county level in Jiangsu, China, this study investigates the direct and indirect effects of population, economic, and land urbanizations on CO2 emissions in Jiangsu province and examines the regional heterogeneity. The findings indicate that population and economic urbanization have positive impacts on CO2 emissions, whereas land urbanization has insignificant effects. This finding is supported by various robustness tests. Population and economic urbanizations are found to have significantly positive impacts on CO2 emissions in the southern and northern Jiangsu regions, whereas none of the three dimensions are significant in the middle Jiangsu region. Economic urbanization contributes the most to CO2 emissions in southern Jiangsu. In addition, our results indicate that multi-dimensional urbanizations affect CO2 emissions through the mediating roles of economic development, industrial structure, and coal consumption. Our analysis shed some insights into the nuanced relationship between multi-dimensional urbanization and carbon emissions, which could contribute to sustainable urban transformation.

Transdisciplinary sarcoma care: a model for sustainable healthcare transformation.

No abstract available.

Poetic inquiry to explore the relational values of a transforming peat landscape

Abstract Restoring degraded peatlands is a promising strategy for mitigating carbon emissions. Large‐scale landscape transformations, such as rewetting of land used for intensive agriculture, often lead to conflicts. Elicitation of the relational values acting as barriers to landscape transformation may support the resolution or taming of such conflicts. This study aimed to explore the relational values associated with a transforming peatland site in Northern Germany. We focused on the value of living and non‐living peat landscape elements; cultural heritage values and identities; educational values; spiritual values; recreational values; and sensory, affective and cognitive experiences. Additionally, we sought to understand how past landscape changes have influenced these values. We conducted interviews with land managers and local residents. Using an art‐based research method, we created six thematic participant‐voiced poems that capture the diverse peatland values. Subsequent interpretation of these poems revealed three key observations: the importance of multisensory experiences; the significance of specific living elements; and the deep cultural and historical values linked to peat landscapes. Landscape changes impact peat landscape values, potentially weakening bonds between people and the peatland. Our study indicates that considering the cultural and historical significance of landscapes may prevent conflicts and foster support for peatland restoration. Ensuring the well‐being of those living and working in these areas requires value‐inclusive landscape planning that embraces a broader focus on relational values. This also involves the potential promotion of value shifts. Such an approach may cultivate a more sustainable and inclusive transformation of the landscape. Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog.

The Importance of Collaborative Ability and Emotional Intelligence in Shaping Job Satisfaction and Lecturer Performance in the Transformational Era

The paper aims to provide evaluations and solutions to optimize job satisfaction and lecturer performance during an innovative and cultured sustainable educational transformation in the era of an independent campus. 360 lecturers were chosen as the respondents from four universities with excellent accreditation in Sumatera, Indonesia: _Syiah Kuala_ University, University of Sumatera Utara, State University of Medan, and _Andalas_ University. The raw data was collected using two methods: a survey method by distributing questionnaires and conducting Focus Group Discussions. Data collected is processed and analyzed through Multiple Linear Regression analysis using path analysis and the Sobel test to evaluate the significant relationship between the intervening and the independent variables on the dependent variable. The research proved that collaboration skills and emotional intelligence have a positive and significant effect on job satisfaction and lecturer performance. Job satisfaction also has a positive and significant effect on lecturers' performance. Collaboration Ability is the dominant variable affecting job satisfaction and lecturers' performance. The collaboration skills and Emotional Intelligence possessed by lecturers at Superior Accredited Universities on the Island of Sumatera positively and significantly affect job satisfaction and lecturer performance. The research results prove that lecturer job satisfaction positively and significantly affects lecturer performance.

Challenges and opportunities for European energy policy and sustainable transformations in the aftermath of Russia’s military intervention in Ukraine

Challenges and opportunities for European energy policy and sustainable transformations in the aftermath of Russia’s military intervention in Ukraine

Redefining governance: a critical analysis of sustainability transformation in e-governance.

With the rapid growth of information and communication technologies, governments worldwide are embracing digital transformation to enhance service delivery and governance practices. In the rapidly evolving landscape of information technology (IT), secure data management stands as a cornerstone for organizations aiming to safeguard sensitive information. Robust data modeling techniques are pivotal in structuring and organizing data, ensuring its integrity, and facilitating efficient retrieval and analysis. As the world increasingly emphasizes sustainability, integrating eco-friendly practices into data management processes becomes imperative. This study focuses on the specific context of Pakistan and investigates the potential of cloud computing in advancing e-governance capabilities. Cloud computing offers scalability, cost efficiency, and enhanced data security, making it an ideal technology for digital transformation. Through an extensive literature review, analysis of case studies, and interviews with stakeholders, this research explores the current state of e-governance in Pakistan, identifies the challenges faced, and proposes a framework for leveraging cloud computing to overcome these challenges. The findings reveal that cloud computing can significantly enhance the accessibility, scalability, and cost-effectiveness of e-governance services, thereby improving citizen engagement and satisfaction. This study provides valuable insights for policymakers, government agencies, and researchers interested in the digital transformation of e-governance in Pakistan and offers a roadmap for leveraging cloud computing technologies in similar contexts. The findings contribute to the growing body of knowledge on e-governance and cloud computing, supporting the advancement of digital governance practices globally. This research identifies monitoring parameters necessary to establish a sustainable e-governance system incorporating big data and cloud computing. The proposed framework, Monitoring and Assessment System using Cloud (MASC), is validated through secondary data analysis and successfully fulfills the research objectives. By leveraging big data and cloud computing, governments can revolutionize their digital governance practices, driving transformative changes and enhancing efficiency and effectiveness in public administration.

A comparative multidimensional evaluation of parameters and alternatives for transformation of sustainable cement production in Pakistan

The United Nations has declared its latest climate report a ‘code red,’ sounding the alarm and prompting a global call for scientists and policymakers to adopt comprehensive, systems-wide integrated strategies for promoting sustainable life on Earth. The need for collaborative and holistic approaches for the transformation of cement production into a socio-ecologically sustainable industrial segment had never been more imperative. This paper rigorously evaluates the parameters and alternatives for the sustainable transformation of Pakistan's cement industry. Economic, environmental, and social parameters are explored and screened using multiple methodologies. Real-world data collected from the operating cement plants in Pakistan are analyzed using Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and Grey Relational Analysis (GRA). The consolidated list of sustainability criteria and alternatives is evaluated using the Multi Actor Multi Criteria Analysis (MAMCA) framework, which incorporates the involvement of both local and international stakeholders for prioritization of the transformation goals. Data analytic results reveal that carbon emissions have a strong degree of statistical association with production ingredients such as SiO2, Insoluble Residue (IR), Al2O3, and Fe2O3. Although there are a few interesting variations in the priorities computed from the recorded perspectives of different stakeholders, the consensus on giving top priority to environmental parameters and the alternatives like ‘Waste-heat Recovery Plants’ and ‘Vertical Rolling Mills’ is novel and promising. By taking all the main sustainability domains into account, employing multidimensional techniques, and involving multiple stakeholder perspectives under the context of a developing country, the research outcomes of this study become highly attractive for researchers, investors, and policymakers all over the world.

CONFINTEA Vll Marrakech Framework and the Challenge of and Urgency for Active Citizenship Education

A rear-view mirror approach indicates that citizenship education and adult learning and education (ALE) for lifelong learning have been prominent throughout history, dating back to the League of Nations and continuing through the United Nations and UNESCO. The League of Nations was founded in 1920 after World War I when humanity realized that settling disputes through violence—bombs and guns—was indicative of lack of citizenship education. Central to the League’s Covenant was the need to employ “negotiation and arbitration.” In addition to the International Adult Education Conferences, UNESCO has used other forums to affirm the imperative of lifelong learning and citizenship education. For instance, in the Faure Report, there is emphasis on “education and society” and on the “complete man” ( Faure et al., 1972 ). The complete man/woman is an “educated” citizen. In The Fifth Global Report on ALE, UNESCO (2022a) connects citizenship education to the task of empowering adults for change. This article uses the Marrakech Framework for Action (MFA) that resulted from CONFINTEA VII as background to analyze and present active citizenship education as a necessary condition for human sustainability and global transformation. I conceptualize education broadly to include indigenous ways of knowing. In addition, although active citizenship education is the focus of this piece, I argue that there is a symmetric relationship between lifelong learning, adult education, and citizenship education.

Place-making and place-taking: memories from Tirana

ABSTRACT Multidisciplinary studies try to explain the complexity and the effects of political processes, such as how decision-making, and socio-political transition are connected with urbanism, and activism. Tirana has faced numerous changes over the years, from urbanism, to political landscapes, to economics, to social aspects, and to public spaces within the city (for example, squares and buildings), all of which are key points towards achieving sustainable transformation. This paper tries to explain and understand the political processes and informal placemaking (public space, buildings, activism) following three main perspectives: a) ontologies on political processes approach, the environment, and urban planning; b) activism and protest events; and c) the legal framework on urban planning and activism. Based on previous studies, experiences from the past and these three perspectives, this paper emphasizes the connection between political processes and informal placemaking by answering the questions: “What is the role of urban transformation in activism in Tirana? What are the implications of political processes on activism and urban transformation? The key studies in this paper focus on public spaces around culture heritage buildings in Tirana, such as the National Theatre building and the “Qemal Stafa” National Stadium.

Building Digital and Sustainable Transportation of Indonesia Air Transport

Air transportation as part of the national transportation system has an interest in building digital and sustainable transformation as part of the dynamics of public services which are directed towards world class services based on aspects of safety, capacity and efficiency, security, economic development and environmental protection. An implementation strategy approach that can be elaborated by capitalizing on software resources (infostructure & operation system transformation - transformation towards fulfilling compliance with ICAO SARPs, international best practices and domestic legislation/regulations), hardware (governance & portfolio transformation - transformation towards a sustainable public governance ecosystem both digitally) and brain ware (human capital transformation - human capital-based transformation) of the organization as well as optimizing the interface of science and technology and the related strategic environment in a directed, orderly and integrated manner through the 4 (four) "C" policy implementation method, namely Cooperation (stakeholder cooperation interests), Consensus (stakeholder agreement and agreement), Compliance (compliance with the implementation of laws, norms and ethics), and Commitment (firmness in carrying out planning, organizing, implementing and evaluating). With the belief that through the right and wise approach, the challenges of global priorities/strategic objectives as well as the dynamics of challenges in building digital and sustainable transformation of Indonesian air transportation can be controlled to realize safe, safe and comfortable Indonesian civil aviation.

Online citizen dialogue for SDGs: a Finland-Japan cross-cultural deliberation

This study explores the potential of cross-border citizen dialogues on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) for uncovering cultural barriers and catalysts in sustainability transformations. We utilised a form adapted from the Open Dialogue approach, originally developed in Finnish mental health care, now refined for broader applications in facilitating open citizen dialogues on gender equality (Goal 5) and biodiversity conservation (Goals 14 and 15). Indicators were developed and used to assess attitudinal shifts post-dialogue. The dialogues increased the sense of urgency and importance of gender equality and biodiversity conservation, particularly among the Japanese participants, who initially displayed less engagement than their Finnish counterparts. The dialogue also expanded the scope of collaboration among the Japanese participants, reflected in a heightened sense of global citizenship, as measured by trust scores. Both Finnish and Japanese participants showed a moderate increase in recognising cultural influences on sustainability. Further research is necessary to understand how cross-cultural dialogues can enhance reflection on sustainability at the group level. Additionally, integrating such dialogues into decision-making processes may bolster collective reflexivity.

Transformation of National Housing’s Layout Design in PERUMNAS Sarijadi Bandung

PERUMNAS (“Perumahan Nasional”/National Housing) was established in 1974 to provide decent housing for the lower middle class in Indonesia by the government. One of their projects was done in Sarijadi area, Bandung in 1976-1978. The typical PERUMNAS house in Sarijadi was based on Type 36, named after the building area which was around 36 m2. As time changed, the people’s needs, and behaviour also evolved, and it also affected the contemporary PERUMNAS layout. As such, Type 36 house may be evolved into a growing house, in a sense that it is able to be developed, usually vertically, by stages based on standard housing minimum cost to accommodate the evolving needs of the occupants. This paper will analyse one such growing type 36 PERUMNAS house case, which is located in PERUMNAS Sarijadi, Bandung, West Java. The house was initially built in 1976-1978, and several renovations were done in 1994, 2007, and 2017 as the family grew. By observing the layout transformation, the results showed that the occupants adapted to the original layout by developing the building vertically to add private areas and utilizing the front and the backyard to make new service areas. In the future, homeowners can adapt to shifts in activity by carrying out sustainable transformations in the form of additional functions which then result in different zoning.