Sustainable Development Goals Research Articles

Antennal olfactory responses in the black soldier fly Hermetia illucens

The Black Soldier Fly (BSF) is considered as the “crown jewel” of the insect feed industry and circular economy, significantly contributing to the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals by reducing carbon dioxide emissions and enabling circular management of organic waste, animal manure, and plant residues. Despite their industrial importance, limited knowledge about adult BSF biology has hindered optimal mass production. In this context, the present paper aims to explore the olfactory capabilities of both male and female BSF in response to various odorants commonly associated with organic decomposition in substrates suitable for mate encounters and egg laying. This will be achieved by performing electroantennographic recordings and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) observations on the antennal sensilla. Our results demonstrate for the first time the supposed olfactory capabilities of BSF antennae and present a first dataset of substances emitted by decaying organic matter detected by both male and female flies. Additionally, the current EAG recordings allowed comparisons with molecular data previously obtained through in silico and in vitro methods, highlighting the need for caution and strongly supporting a multidisciplinary approach as the best tool for investigating insect chemical ecology. These findings advance our understanding of BSF chemical ecology, which is crucial for effective reproduction and could significantly optimize global breeding systems

Factors associated with hygiene practices among primary school children in southern Ethiopia

BackgroundEight years into the Sustainable Development Goal period, Ethiopia is not on track to achieve good hygiene practices among school children. Ensuring good hygiene practices among primary school children to prevent the spread of communicable diseases remains a challenge in most primary schools in Ethiopia. Therefore, the aim of this study was to identify factors associated with hygiene practices among primary school children in southern Ethiopia.MethodsA school-based cross-sectional study was conducted from June 3 to July 28, 2022, in five primary schools. The simple random sampling technique was used to select the school. Subsequently, 640 students were selected from the proportionally allocated sample size. Pretested semi-structured interviewer-administered questionnaires and observational checklists were utilized to collect data. The data was then entered into EpiData version 4.6 and analyzed using SPSS version 25. Variables with a p ≤ 0.25 at bivariate analysis were used to develop a multivariable logistic model to identify factors associated with hygiene practices. P < 0.05 with a 95% confidence interval was considered statistically significant.ResultsThe magnitude of overall good hygiene practices was 29.2% (95% CI: 25.81–32.59). Urban residence (AOR = 3.4, 95% CI 2.1–5.55), knowledge of handwashing (AOR = 4.5, 95% CI 2.8–7.36), being a member of a hygiene and sanitation club (AOR = 3.7, 95% CI 2.4–6.86), and experience of visiting a model school (AOR = 3.1, 95% CI 2.1–5.55) were found to be significantly associated with hygiene practices.ConclusionThe overall level of good hygiene practices in Kedida district was low. Therefore, it is essential to enhance health education on handwashing, establish sanitation and hygiene clubs, and conduct visits to district model elementary schools.

Modular hydrogel selectively adsorbs phosphates and hexavalent chromium while enabling phosphate recovery

Electroplating wastewater containing high concentrations of phosphates and hexavalent chromium Cr(VI) poses serious environmental pollution. Moreover, phosphorus, as a non-renewable resource, necessitates its recovery to meet sustainable development goals. To address this issue, this study used sodium alginate as the scaffold module, synthesized lanthanum carbonate in situ within a chitosan module to serve as the phosphate adsorption module, and employed polyethyleneimine (PEI) modules to enhance the adsorption capacity for Cr(VI), successfully fabricating a modular hydrogel (LC-CSP). LC-CSP exhibits a complex porous structure and surface morphology, forming an ultra-low-density fiber network with good strength and elasticity, ensuring uniform distribution and exposure of active sites. Under optimal conditions for single-component adsorption, LC-CSP achieved adsorption capacities of 232.02 mg/g for phosphates and 474.61 mg/g for Cr(VI). Additionally, LC-CSP demonstrated excellent reusability, retaining over 83 % of its performance after five cycles. In simulated electroplating wastewater experiments with various interfering substances, LC-CSP maintained high removal efficiencies (>90.72 %) for phosphates and Cr(VI). Post-experiment, enriched water after phosphate desorption was further treated to recover phosphorus resources in complex water environments. Multiple characterization techniques elucidated the adsorption mechanisms of LC-CSP: phosphate adsorption primarily involved ligand exchange, electrostatic interactions, and hydrogen bonding, while Cr(VI) adsorption included electrostatic interactions, hydrogen bonding, and reduction reactions. Finally, fixed-bed simulated wastewater adsorption experiments validated the technical potential of LC-CSP for practical electroplating wastewater management.

Unlocking the potential for microbiome-based therapeutics to address the sustainable development goal of good health and wellbeing.

Recent years have witnessed major advances and an ever-growing list of healthcare applications for microbiome-based therapeutics. However, these advances have disproportionately targeted diseases common in high-income countries (HICs). Within low- to middle-income countries (LMIC), opportunities for microbiome-based therapeutics include sexual health epidemics, maternal health, early life mortality, malnutrition, vaccine response and infectious diseases. In this review we detail the advances that have been achieved in microbiome-based therapeutics for these areas of healthcare and identify where further work is required. Current efforts to characterise microbiomes from LMICs will aid in targeting and optimisation of therapeutics and preventative strategies specifically suited to the unmet needs within these populations. Once achieved, opportunities from disease treatment and improved treatment efficacy through to disease prevention and vector control can be effectively addressed using probiotics and live biotherapeutics. Together these strategies have the potential to increase individual health, overcome logistical challenges and reduce overall medical, individual, societal and economic costs.

The emergence of green finance a conceptual framework for environmental sustainability: innovation viewpoint

Background of the study This study intends to contribute to the continuing discussion about green economic growth by objectively investigating the consequences of clean energy generation, cutting-edge green practices, and ethical business on global sustainability. This study also examines how green finance laws effectively handle the financial limitations that companies face when pursuing green innovation. Green finance enables the development and implementation of sustainable business models, investments, trade, economic, environmental, and social projects through the effective utilization of financial resources. Methods This article offers a complete evaluation of the current state and advancements in green finance research using a mixed-methods approach, which includes bibliometric and qualitative analysis. We analysed a big dataset of research papers after entering the keywords into the Scopus database. Results This study found that green bank products include green securities, investments, climate financing, carbon finance, insurance, credit, and infrastructure bonds. Sustainability, sustainable development, investments, environmental economics, sustainable finance, green bonds, and the green economy dominate as a most prevalent theme. China has the strongest bibliometric linkages to other nations, followed by the US and UK. This study also examines whether green finance policies address firm financial restrictions while pursuing green innovation. VOS-viewer generates co-authorship-based keyword occurrence links and network maps. Conclusion Green finance strives to increase funding flows to sustainable development goals while mitigating environmental and social hazards. “Going green,” pricing, forecasting, modelling, picking the most efficient tool, and influencing investor behaviour toward environmentally friendly operations are all challenges. Environmental policies, interest rates, religion, risks, social inclusion, and banking laws all have an impact on bank green financing initiatives. The study’s main contribution is an overview of green finance breakthroughs for sustainability, which may help scholars and practitioners understand the trend and future research directions.

A two-stage deep learning architecture for detection global coastal and offshore submesoscale ocean eddy using SDGSAT-1 multispectral imagery

Submesoscale ocean eddies are essential oceanic phenomenon that control and influence the ocean energy cascade. Most existing eddy detection methods rely on low-resolution satellite altimeter data, which fail to capture submesoscale ocean features and oceanographic phenomena in shallow water. Introducing high-resolution multispectral data can alleviate these problems, yet it has been largely overlooked. A generalized and efficient deep learning architecture that combines developments in deep learning with Sustainable Development Goals Science Satellite 1 (SDGSAT-1) multispectral data from earth observations offers a potential pathway for more fine detection of ocean eddies. Considering that oceanic eddy exhibits spatially sparse characteristics on high-resolution remote sensing scenes, the oceanic eddy detection (OED) model suitable for global coastal and offshore regions is divided into two stages: eddy information judgment and eddy position determination. Correspondingly, SDGSAT-1 multispectral data from November 2021 to December 2022 were carried out to construct two submesoscale eddy datasets for training and testing each stage model. The union validation of multiple metrics demonstrates that the proposed OED model and its stage models achieve state-of-the-art (SOTA) performance, especially in optically complex coastal and offshore waters. We applied the model to real-world scenes captured by SDGSAT-1 in 2023, and found that the detected results were mainly located at the water depth below 200 m. The authenticity of the recognition results is validated using sea surface chlorophyll concentration, temperature, and topography data, indicating that the OED model has achieved remarkable effectiveness under various sea conditions. In addition, the temporal distributions and statistical characteristics of detected submesoscale eddies are analyzed over an extended period (November 2021 to November 2023). Finally, HISEA-2, Landsat-9, and Sentinel-2 served as testing grounds to validate the generalization of the proposed methodology, with experimental results demonstrating that the OED model possesses significant developmental potential for multi-source remote sensing data. This paper presents a comprehensive deep learning framework for the global-scale detection of submesoscale eddies and underscores the pivotal role of high-resolution multispectral imagery as an innovative data source for global coastal and offshore eddy identification.

Ecological redline policy strengthens sustainable development goals through the strict protection of multiple ecosystem services

Ecological redline policy strengthens sustainable development goals through the strict protection of multiple ecosystem services

Assessing the impact of armed conflict on the progress of achieving 17 Sustainable Development Goals

Assessing the impact of armed conflict on the progress of achieving 17 Sustainable Development Goals

New Luminescent Solar Concentrator Windows Using PMMA-InP/ZnS Nanohybrid Coating Films for Green Building Applications

Green fluorescing PMMA-InP/ZnS nanohybrid coating films were applied onto FTO glass substrates through the traditional spin coating technique for the development of luminescent solar concentrator windows. Examination using transmission electron microscopy (TEM) displayed good morphology and uniform dispersion of InP/ZnS quantum dots (QDs) in PMMA matrix, whereas X-ray diffraction (XRD) indicated the amorphous nature and good adhesion to FTO glass substrate. Investigations of the influence of varying QD concentrations on spectral photophysical characteristics were conducted using techniques such as optical absorption, transmission, fluorescence spectroscopy, and the chromaticity diagram (CIE 1931). The films exhibited good transparency in the visible spectrum, approximately 87%, with reduced transparency in the near-infrared (NIR) region, approximately 26%. The films have various shades of green colors closely aligned with the sensitivity of the human eye, as demonstrated by CIE 1931 chromaticity diagram. Skin depth calculations spanning the UV to NIR wavelengths (200-2400 nm) showed a marked decrease in electromagnetic wave penetration correlating with increased InP-ZnS QD concentrations. Fluorescence spectroscopy revealed the highest fluorescence intensity and quantum yield of 71% for QDs concentration of 0.15wt% coupled with outstanding photostability properties after exposure to UVA radiation (365 nm) for 72 h. This optimization effectively reduces the infiltration of detrimental solar radiation into buildings, encompassing ultraviolet and infrared wavelengths. The research outcomes are consistent with the objectives of Sustainable Development Goals SDG7 and SDG 11, in sun-drenched regions such as Saudi Arabia, as PMMA-InP/ZnS nanohybrid coating films can be tailored to meet the spectral needs of energy-efficient windows.

Factors affecting carbon dioxide emissions for sustainable development goals – New insights into six asian developed countries

Factors affecting carbon dioxide emissions for sustainable development goals – New insights into six asian developed countries

Artificial Intelligence for English Language Learning and Teaching: Advancing Sustainable Development Goals

Artificial Intelligence for English Language Learning and Teaching: Advancing Sustainable Development Goals

Green extraction technologies for valorization of date seed waste to achieve sustainable development goals: Biofunctional and innovative food applications

Green extraction technologies for valorization of date seed waste to achieve sustainable development goals: Biofunctional and innovative food applications

DEVELOPMENT OF A SYSTEMATIC APPROACH TO ASSESSING THE COMPLIANCE OF UNIVERSITY EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS WITH THE UN SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS

The purpose of the article is to develop and test in practice a systematic approach to assessing the compliance of educational programs of universities with the goals of sustainable development of the United Nations. The systematic approach includes the development of a sequence of development and approval of a questionnaire to determine the degree of compliance of educational programs of universities with the goals of sustainable development. Methodology. The survey was based on a comparison of the data of three groups of respondents (developers of educational programs and their curators at three levels of higher education). Approbation of the approach took place on the basis of the National Transport University (Kyiv, Ukraine). In total, 64 curators and developers of educational programs took part in the survey (this is 60% of educational programs of NTU). The results of the survey showed that educational program developers understand the importance of including the tasks of the United Nations Development Program in separate educational components or modules of disciplines in order to form relevant competencies in students. However, respondents noted the need to review educational programs and their components, as well as the educational process in the context of compliance with the goals of sustainable development and its ecologization. Practical implications. The results of this research will be used during the regular review of educational programs and their components at the National Transport University, and will also serve as a basis for further improvement of the concept of sustainable development of the NTU. The research data can be distributed to other universities. Also, the research results will be used in the project the Transformational Learning Network for Resilience – Enabling Ukrainian higher education to ensure a sustainable and robust reconstruction of (post-war) Ukraine (TransLearnN). The results of this study will contribute to the development of the program of sustainable development of universities in Ukraine. Value / Originality. The obtained results will make it possible to determine prospective directions for improving the educational process and educational programs of universities, taking into account the goals of sustainable development and trends in the ecologization of education.

The Level of SDGs Disclosure Practice by Government Link Companies in Malaysia: A Conceptual Exploration

This concept paper explores the level of Sustainability Development Goals (SDGs) Disclosure practices by Government Link Companies in Malaysia in the current business environment. This study is designed to examine the level of SDG disclosure practices in companies’ corporate reporting by examining the level of Malaysian Government Link Companies (GLCs) SDG disclosure practices with publicly listed companies based on their industry segments. Drawing from the stakeholder theory, this study highlights the influence of ownership structure and board diversity, which can play an essential role in shaping the companies’ practices for SDG disclosure. Through a comprehensive review of the existing literature, the paper unravels the distinctive SDG commitments due to internal and external drivers, particularly in the country with higher concentrated ownership structures. Using stakeholder theory, a set of hypothesised relationships between SDG disclosure practices and drivers for disclosure are developed. The study emphasised the importance of nuanced understanding to improve corporate sustainability practices, accountability, and value creation. The study aims to guide future research for robust Sustainable Development Goal disclosure practices measurements framework and identify the challenges of such practices in a given economic situation. This paper's conceptual framework and discussions are intended to contribute to a broader academic discourse on the rising concern of SDG practices for economic decision-making.

Menggali Potensi Kampung melalui Pemetaan Partisipatif: Pendekatan Komunitas dalam Pembangunan Berkelanjutan di Dupak Magersari Surabaya

Sustainable development is a timeless topic. Behind it are a myriad of aspirations for current and future generations, both from the economic, social and environmental aspects. The concept that is promoted is development that promotes the fulfillment of the needs of the present without involving the ability of the next generation to achieve 17 goals, which are often referred to as sustainable development goals (SDGs) or Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). One of them is sustainable cities and communities. This should be realized in the village of Dupak Magersari RT 01 which is the study in this research. Researchers tried to explain the potential through participatory mapping by emphasizing the active involvement of many people such as communities and even stakeholders. The goal is to hold the community in maintaining and developing their village in a sustainable manner. The analysis is based on the Participatory Rural Appraisal (PRA) approach, which is a technique to stimulate community participation in various activities, starting from the social analysis stage, planning, implementation, evaluation to program expansion. The result is an alignment between the concept of sustainable development and the mapping practices studied. The community can make sustainable planning through the findings of five basic capitals, including natural, human, financial, physical and social capital.

Fostering interdisciplinary intercultural citizenship with virtual reality in a world language virtual exchange project

Intercultural dialogue is an essential component of intercultural citizenship, i.e., students’ ability to address complex societal issues. With more interconnected problems comes an increased need for students to communicate and collaborate with people from differing backgrounds. This preliminary study combined the framework of Intercultural Citizenship (ICit) and the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs) with Virtual Reality (VR) and Virtual Exchange (VE) to investigate the students’ development of ICit. Fifteen learners of German, consisting of university students of German in the United States and students studying at a German university, met in dyads or triads in VR over six weeks and worked on their independent projects in which they each addressed a societal environmental problem of their choice. Analyses of the data (pre-project and post-project surveys, weekly journal entries, project presentations) revealed that participants developed their intercultural competence and enhanced their critical language awareness. Some students showed a shift of emphasis: While at the beginning they were more concerned with linguistic elements of the German language toward the end of the project they were focused on the topic of their project. Finally, participants appreciated the VR setting for building relationships, communicating, and developing intercultural competence in an authentic setting. This study underscores the potential of advancing ICit and intercultural communicative competence (ICC) through a VR-VE format, emphasizing VR-VE’s potential in fostering relationships-building between students. It also offers students practical experience in navigating and appreciating the complexities of intercultural communication.

FORMATION OF STRATEGIC DIRECTIONS FOR THE USE OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE IN THE ENTERPRISE TO ACHIEVE THE GOALS OF SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

Rapid artificial intelligence (AI) development opens new opportunities for enterprises to achieve sustainable development goals. This article summarizes the research results of applying AI to optimize production processes, reduce environmental impact, increase productivity, and strengthen social responsibility. The article aims to highlight the potential of AI for achieving enterprises' sustainable development goals and identify effective strategies for its application to increase economic efficiency, social responsibility, and environmental sustainability. A qualitative analysis of statistical data, official regulatory documents, books, and articles from accredited journals was used to achieve the goal. The obtained results showed that AI could be used to analyze production processes and forecast the demand for raw materials, optimize supply chains and reduce energy consumption, identify potential sustainability risks and develop strategies to prevent them, identify defects in production and control product quality in real-time, create personalized services and products for customers. The study highlights the importance of AI's ethical and safe use to ensure its positive impact on society and the environment. The practical value of the article lies in the systematic review of studies on the effects of AI on the sustainable development of enterprises. The obtained results can be used to improve production processes, increase enterprises' competitiveness, and promote sustainable development.

The Role of Sharia Economics in Realizing Sustainable Development in Indonesia

This study provides a comprehensive bibliometric analysis of the role of Sharia economics in promoting sustainable development in Indonesia. By examining 810 publications between 2006 and 2024, the study explores key research trends, themes, and collaborations in the literature. The analysis reveals a significant increase in research activity after 2020, with a focus on aligning Islamic finance principles with sustainable development goals (SDGs), particularly in areas such as poverty alleviation, economic growth, and green finance. Keyword co-occurrence visualizations highlight the importance of concepts such as "green sukuk," "economic growth," and "poverty alleviation," while co-authorship networks show concentrated collaboration within small research groups. The findings suggest that Sharia economics has substantial potential to contribute to SDGs, particularly through instruments like green sukuk and waqf, but greater interdisciplinary collaboration and exploration of emerging topics like technology and post-pandemic recovery are needed. These insights have significant implications for both academic research and policy-making in Indonesia and beyond.

Universal Health Care Coverage for Aging Population

The term Universal Health Coverage (UHC) refers to a situation where “all people (both males and females, boys and girls) have access, without financial hardship, to the full range of type of quality health services when and where they need them, now and at times”. The UHC envisages coverage of the full range of essential health care services: from health promotion to (1) ‘Prevention’, (2) ‘Treatment’, (3) ‘Rehabilitation’, and (4) ‘Palliative care’ [aimed at improving quality of life of people (adults and children) and their families confronted with life-threatening illness]. It is pertinent to note that the UHC aligns with the SDG (Sustainable Development Goal) Target 3.8: achieve universal health coverage. The UHC is, thus, global commitment. However, in to deliver this promise, national governments need and inter-governmental organizations need to have health systems that are rooted in the locations communities they serve. Also, such health systems need to be • Need-based, • Efficient, and • Equitable. The author of this review paper argues that Primary Health Care (PHC) is the most effective and cost-efficient way to reach out to people with the UHC, with consideration of “need-based approach”. Further, it is due to this consideration of need-based theory that every country, with its own socio-economic and demographic profile, adopts a different strategy for the purpose of achieving the UHC. Furthermore, national governments decide what to cover, depending on the needs of their populations, including availability of health infrastructure (resources). Investment in the scientifically designed UHC programs has the potential to ensures that health needs of people are (a) ‘Identified’, (b) ‘Prioritized’, and (c) ‘Addressed’. The conceptual framework of the UHC is of increased relevance for aging population (individuals above the age of 65). The author of this work is of the considered research view that objective of achieving the SDG-3.8 target cannot be fully and adequately realized without transforming health care system that has significant impact on functional ability in older age people (or aging population). Objective of this evidence-based review paper is to investigate into significance and implications of the UHC for aging population. Also, it briefly outlines renewed strategies needed for the UHC for aging population. Secondary data (largely ‘qualitative’ in nature) have been used. The method of data analysis is ‘descriptive’, involving non-statistical (mathematical) techniques. The paper briefly concludes that scientifically-designed mechanism for offering the UHC for older people, without financial burden, is crucial. It is important that health financing systems of the national governments are designed to cater to health needs of older people, while protecting them from to access services when they are needed, but also to protect them from financial catastrophe (by abolishing “out of pocket spending”).

Sustainability Performance Differences of Industrial Heritage Regeneration Implementation Modes

In high-density cities around the world, the contradiction of sustaining development and limited resources has become more evident. Transforming historic industrial buildings, through both functional and spatial adjustments, has emerged as a key strategy to manage these challenges effectively. There is a significant demand for the quick regeneration of industrial heritage districts, resulting in the emergence of various implementation modes (IMs). While the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) have gained widespread acceptance, the integration of sustainability principles into urban regeneration practices has strengthened globally. However, in many regions, approaches to achieving sustainable regeneration are still unclear, with a lack of evaluation and adjustment of sustainability performance (SP). This paper combines qualitative analysis and a quantitative assessment of indicators to compare three representative case studies with different IMs. It explores whether there is a connection between the chosen IM and SP, examines the mechanisms of impact, and discusses how to select the most suitable IM for industrial heritage regeneration. The study confirms the practicality of an SP evaluation system and identifies key factors within IMs that affect SP. Future research is expected to produce tools that support the promotion of sustainability in industrial heritage regeneration efforts.