Level Of Sustainable Development Research Articles

Analyzing the sustainability factors of the Far Eastern Federal District under the circular economy implementation

Subject. The article considers the circular economy introduction as a key tool for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals approved by the UN, and the problems of uneven socio-economic development of regions. Objectives. The study aims at working out a methodological approach to assess the level of sustainable development of region, taking into account social, economic, and environmental factors. Methods. We employed methods of comparative analysis. Results. We offered an integrated indicator formula to assess factors in the circular economy, unveiled factors hindering the development of the circular economy in the regions of the Far Eastern Federal District. Conclusions. The use of the integrated indicator enables to assess the level of stability of the constituent entity of the Russian Federation as a whole, as well as to determine the development of each group of factors of sustainable development.

Evaluation mechanism of sustainable development level for the cities in the Yangtze River Economic Belt under the dual-carbon policy.

Low carbon sustainable development (LCSD) has become an inevitable choice, for which China has put forward a "dual-carbon" policy. The purpose of this study is to capture the interaction between the environment and the economy in the context of this goal, thus evaluating LCSD level from a systematic perspective. This paper proposes a super slack based measurement (SBM) model with a non-equal weight structure to assess the LCSD level. Firstly, a maximum influence minimum redundancy (MIMR) index selection algorithm is designed to establish input and output index systems, which avoids redundancy indexes. Secondly, the objective function of the original super SBM employs an equal weight structure, which leads results inadequately reflect the research preferences. Therefore, the weights of indexes are introduced to form an improved super SBM. Finally, 40 cities along the Yangtze River Economic Belt (YREB) are selected for empirical analysis. Results show that (1) the LCSD level of YRBE decreases from downstream to upstream to midstream; (2) Jiangsu, Zhejiang, and Sichuan provinces have higher LCSD levels, while Hunan and Jiangxi provinces have lower levels; and (3) up to 2021, there are 32 effective cities and 8 ineffective cities. The research implies that balancing the economy-environment relationship is crucial for higher efficiency. The LCSD evaluation method not only reflects the coordination level between the economy and the environment, but also integrates the research preference into the results, providing decision support for the government to formulate carbon reduction policies and allocate resources.

Analysis of the Current Situation of Sustainable Development of the Yangtze River Economic Belt based on SDGs

This paper evaluates the level of sustainable development of 11 provinces and cities in the Yangtze River Economic Belt from 2011 to 2020, and analyzes its spatial and temporal differentiation and trend evolution characteristics. This paper adopts the coupling coordination model based on CRITIC-entropy weight combination weight, spatial autocorrelation model, spatial Markov chain and other methods, based on the measurement indicators of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, and conducts a comprehensive evaluation from four aspects: innovation-driven, welfare guarantee, resources and environment, and economic development. The research results show that the sustainable development level of the Yangtze River Economic Belt presents the characteristics of continuous improvement, regional difference, hierarchical leap, spatial dependence, spillover effect, etc. According to the research findings, this paper puts forward some suggestions, such as strengthening regional coordinated development, optimizing spatial planning and governance, coordinating policies and work, promoting rule of law and innovation, etc., aiming to promote the high-quality development of the Yangtze River Economic Belt, achieve the coordinated development of economy, society and ecology, and localize the SDGs. This paper’s research has important theoretical significance and practical value for deeply understanding the current situation and problems of sustainable development of the Yangtze River Economic Belt.

Constructing an evaluation model for the comprehensive level of sustainable development of provincial competitive sports in China based on DPSIR and MCDM.

This study focuses on the objective assessment of sport development in socio-economic environments, considering the challenges faced by the industry. These challenges include disparities in regional investments, limited market participation, slow progress towards sports professionalization, and insufficient technological innovations. To tackle these challenges, we suggest implementing an integrated evaluation model that follows the DPSIR (Drivers, Pressures, States, Impacts, Responses) framework and incorporates comprehensive socioeconomic indicators. Subsequently, we utilized the Entropy power method and TOPSIS (Order Preference Technique for Similarity to an Ideal Solution, TOPSIS) analysis to comprehensively assess the progress of competitive sports development in 31 provinces and cities in China. Additionally, we recommended further developments in competitive sports and proposed precise strategies for promoting its growth. The framework and methodology developed in this paper provide an objective and scientifically based set of decision-making guidelines that can be adopted by government agencies and related industries in order to create successful plans that promote the sustainable growth of competitive sport. This is expected to bolster the nation's global influence, enhance social unity, and fuel economic expansion. The findings of this study offer policymakers valuable insights regarding competitive sports and can advance the development of the sports sector in China, thus making it a crucial driver of regional socio-economic progress.

Research on the Social Responsibility Report of Shuanghui Group

Food is an important pillar industry for people’s livelihoods. The food quality and safety of food enterprises are of particular importance. There is a consensus in today’s society that good social responsibility performance can reflect a company’s comprehensive management ability and future long-term sustainable development level. Based on China’s attention to corporate social responsibility, this article selects Shuanghui Group as the research object, analyzes the changes in its social responsibility reports, points out the problems and causes of social responsibility reports, and proposes relevant improvement suggestions.

Financial inclusion and sustainable development of banks: the place of organization of Islamic cooperation (OIC) in emerging markets

PurposeThis study examines the impact of financial inclusion on the corporate sustainability of banks in both Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) and non-OIC emerging economies, considering the COVID-19 pandemic.Design/methodology/approachThe research utilizes data from 3,159 bank-years from 2007 to 2021 across 33 emerging markets.FindingsEmpirical findings indicate that firms operating in higher financial inclusion developing countries tend to exhibit higher levels of sustainable development. This positive relationship has become even more pronounced during the COVID-19 pandemic, suggesting the importance of financial inclusion in fostering corporate sustainability, especially in times of economic challenges. Interestingly, while the positive correlation between financial inclusion and sustainable development remains consistent across both OIC and non-OIC countries, firms in OIC countries do not show significant changes during the pandemic.Practical implicationsThis observation suggests that the pandemic’s impact on corporate sustainability may vary between the two groups of countries. This study highlights the significance of financial inclusion in promoting corporate sustainability in developing economies. In times of recessions when accessing finance becomes expensive, policymakers in OIC countries should identify firms that adhere to Islamic principles, such as those sensitive to interest rates, and provide them with targeted support. This assistance can enable these companies to compete effectively and achieve their financial sustainability objectives.Originality/valueThere has been no attempt to investigate the effect of financial inclusion and the pandemic on the sustainable development of banks in developing countries.

Unveiling the Patterns and Drivers of Ecological Efficiency in Chinese Cities: A Comprehensive Study Using Super-Efficiency Slacks-Based Measure and Geographically Weighted Regression Approaches

Urban ecological efficiency stands as a pivotal indicator that mirrors the level of sustainable development within cities. To unravel the sustainable development status of Chinese cities and illuminate the factors impacting the diverse developments among them, this study leveraged the super-efficiency SBM (slacks-based measure) model to assess the ecological efficiency of 284 prefectural-level and above cities across China in 2019, divulging their spatial distribution. Furthermore, a GWR (geographically weighted regression) model was also employed to scrutinize the factors influencing the ecological efficiency of these cities. Key findings include: (1) The mean ecological efficiency of Chinese cities in 2019 stood at 0.555, signaling moderate urban sustainability, with southern cities outperforming their northern counterparts. (2) A pronounced spatial clustering of ecological efficiency was evident, featuring positive spillover effects around high-efficiency cities and conversely, negative spillover effects around low-efficiency cities. (3) Economic development and population density positively influenced urban ecological efficiency, while urbanization levels exhibited a negative impact. The influences of industrial structure, technological level, and opening-up level varied, showcasing both positive and negative impacts contingent upon the spatial disposition of the cities. Hence, policymakers are advised to recognize the spatial nuances in the impacts of distinct factors on urban ecological efficiency and tailor measures accordingly to fortify urban sustainability.

Sustainable Energy Development and Sustainable Economic Development in EU Countries

Sustainable development is the subject of many economic analyses, but so far no attempt has been made to identify the main mechanism of interdependence between sustainable energy development and sustainable economic development in the second decade of the 21st century. The particular role of energy in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals is due to the fact that the production, supply and use of energy underpin economic growth. The article fills this research gap and spawns both a better understanding of the essence of sustainable development as well as practical conclusions. The aim is to assess sustainable energy development and sustainable economic development in EU member states and to determine the correlation between the two in the EU. Substantive and formal methods were used to select diagnostic variables, including: the parametric method, the standardized sums method, and correlation analysis. The analysis period covers the years 2014–2021. The conducted research demonstrated a significant variation in the level of sustainable energy development and sustainable economic development among EU countries.

A Coupling Study of Agricultural Carbon Emission, Water Resources and Economic Development in Heilongjiang Province

Heilongjiang Province is a major agricultural province in China, and its agricultural water consumption will account for 88.6% of the province's water consumption in 2020.Based on the coupling effects of agricultural water resources, agricultural carbon emissions and agricultural economy, this paper calculates and finds the data of Heilongjiang Province from 2000 to 2019,and uses Kuznets model theory, literature reading method, systematic research method and geographical research as the theoretical basis. The negative problems of Heilongjiang Province's agriculture, such as weak level of sustainable development, unreasonable consumption of agricultural water resources, and poor sustainable and good development of environment and economy, are analyzed in depth. Finally, by analyzing the restrictive factors, the author puts forward the path and countermeasures of the corresponding coordinated economic development.

The impact of the digital economy on sustainable development: evidence from China

This research investigates the intricate interplay among the digital economy, green innovation, and the level of sustainable development. Panel data from 268 cities in China, from 2011 to 2020, are used to comprehensively evaluate the level of digital economy development and investigate the digital economy’s influence on sustainable development. Additionally, a mechanism analysis is used to investigate the contribution of green innovation. The findings suggest that the digital economy significantly stimulates sustainable development, and green innovation serves as a mediating intermediary and moderating effect in facilitating this relationship. Moreover, the robustness check extends the verification of the positive effect of the “Broadband China” policy on sustainable development, strengthening the reliability of the results. The contribution of this study provides management insights on how regions can promote sustainable development in the digital age.

The impact of land transfer policy on sustainable agricultural development in China

At present, China’s agricultural development presents problems such as increasingly tight constraints on water and soil resources, increased pollution in the process of agricultural production, and noticeable degradation of agricultural ecosystems. So, it is urgent to promote the sustainable development of agriculture. From the perspective of land transfer policy, based on the panel data of 30 regions in China from 2006 to 2020, this paper uses the entropy weight method to calculate the level of sustainable agricultural development. Based on the analysis of the impact mechanism of land transfer policy on sustainable agricultural development, the relationship between land transfer policy and sustainable agricultural development is empirically tested by the continuous difference-in-difference method. The study found that the overall level of sustainable agricultural development in China is relatively low but shows an upward trend. The land transfer policy significantly promoted the sustainable development of agriculture in China. This conclusion is still valid after a series of validity tests and robustness tests. Finally, the corresponding policy suggestions are put forward according to the theoretical analysis and empirical results. Future research will focus on indicators challenging to quantify in agricultural sustainable development and find effective methods to incorporate them into the indicator system. At the same time, find the data of Prefecture-level cities in major grain-producing areas and further improve the measurement and research of agricultural sustainable development.

SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT OF A TRANSPORT ENTERPRISE: ASSESSMENT, PROJECT, AND MECHANISM OF STRATEGY INTEGRATION

The aim of this study is to improve the methodology for assessing the level of sustainable development of a transport enterprise, as well as to develop a project and mechanism for integrating the strategy of sustainable development as one of the functional strategies of the marketing management concept for harmonizing interests with stakeholders. To achieve the set goal, a number of modern interdisciplinary research methods and techniques were used, including abstract-logical methods such as analysis and synthesis, induction and deduction; generalization - for reviewing information sources, studying domestic and foreign experience; systemic analysis - for a comprehensive understanding of the research object and a complex analysis of relationships between elements within the defined problem as a whole; problem-oriented approach - for scientific justification of the methodology for assessing the level of sustainable development of a transport enterprise. The study discusses widely accepted methodological approaches to assessing sustainable development, one of which was taken as a basis, slightly modified and supplemented with indicators reflecting the content of the marketing management concept, taking into account the interests of stakeholders, and improved in terms of mathematical logic. It was proposed to distinguish a separate component of sustainability – risk sustainability, which generally refers to the internal property of a system that contributes to preserving its integrity in the face of various disruptive influences from the external and internal environment. Furthermore, based on the improved methodology for assessing the level of sustainable development of a transport enterprise, a project "Designing Sustainable Development of a Transport Enterprise" has been launched. Its goal is to integrate the principles of the concept of sustainable development into the enterprise's marketing management system. The implementation of the developed functional strategy for managing the sustainable development of a transport enterprise is based on the Balanced Scorecard toolkit, which allowed presenting goals for each area of sustainable development in the form of a hierarchy and decomposition, aligning general and specific interests, taking into account the interests, goals of the enterprise, and key stakeholders. Measures were also taken, including the use of marketing communication tools, for reflexive interaction with stakeholders, operational controlling to align interests, processes, and goals of marketing management. The theoretical conclusions, approaches, and recommendations proposed in the article can be used to assess the level of sustainable development of a transport enterprise and to implement a mechanism for integrating the strategy of sustainable development and the marketing management system based on the Balanced Scorecard toolkit and controlling to harmonize the goals of market-oriented enterprise management and the goals, interests of key stakeholders.

Analyzing sustainable development in Chinese cities: A focus on land use efficiency in production-living-ecological aspects

Efficient utilization of land resources is fundamental for achieving sustainable urban development. Utilizing the urban land use efficiency (ULUE) framework for production-living-ecological (PLE) functions, this study establishes three key indicators to evaluate the sustainable development status of each dimension. The indicator system was applied to 433 Chinese cities to analyze the temporal and spatial changes in urban sustainable development from 2000 to 2020. Research findings reveal significant disparities in sustainable urban development levels across Chinese regions from 2000 to 2020, following a consistent trend: Eastern > Western > Central > Northeast. The ULUE for living and production functions in Chinese cities experienced an obvious decline from 2015 to 2020. This indicates that urban land expansion in most Chinese cities surpassed population growth, accompanied by a noticeable reduction in economic growth rates. Since 2010, the ULUE for ecological function has improved significantly in Eastern region, reflecting a shift in development priorities towards a green approach rooted in ecological conservation principles. However, the ULUE in Northeastern cities has declined, placing this region at a competitive disadvantage due to the dual challenges of declining population and economic recession. Since 2015, urban land expansion in Central Chinese cities has significantly outpaced other regions, resulting in extensive land use, posing challenges to resource planning and management. Smaller cities, in contrast to their larger counterparts, face a lower overall sustainability level and encounter more acute challenges related to population migration and economic transition. The analysis offers valuable insights and policy recommendations to enhance sustainability in developing regions.

STUDY ON THE SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT OF CHINA'S EXPORT MANUFACTURING ENTERPRISES IN THE YANGTZE RIVER ECONOMIC BELT UNDER THE BACKGROUND OF "DOUBLE CARBON"

As a core part of the national economy, manufacturing is the key to achieving sustainable economic development. However, the development of China's manufacturing industry faces many problems, such as poor industrial structure, lack of key core technologies, and serious overcapacity, which seriously affect the quality of China's manufacturing industry. The Yangtze River Economic Belt not only has great strategic significance for coordinating the development of the east, middle and west China, but also a demonstration belt for the sustainable development of manufacturing industries. Amid the Chinese government's "double carbon" implementation in 2020, how to transform and upgrade these export manufacturing enterprises and find a path to sustainable development is a major challenge they will have to face. Therefore, on the basis of combing domestic and foreign literature, taking "quality-sustainable development-sustainable development of manufacturing industry" as the logic line, and combine the theory of sustainable development, environmental Kuznets curve theory, equatorial principle theory, and corporate governance theory. Second, it measures and evaluates the sustainable development of manufacturing industry in the Yangtze River Economic Belt from 2007 to 2019 through quantitative research. Conclusions: When assessing the status, the quality level of sustainable development of manufacturing industry in the Yangtze River Economic Belt has been steadily improving, more than 80% of the provinces and cities in the Yangtze River Economic Belt have high and medium quality. Finally, targeted countermeasures and proposals are put forward.

Spatial and temporal distribution characteristics and influencing factors of tourism eco-efficiency in the Yellow River Basin based on the geographical and temporal weighted regression model.

With economic progression in China, Yellow River Basin serves as a critical economic belt, which has also been recognized as a cradle of Chinese culture. A watershed is a complex structure of social, economic, and natural factors, and the diversity of its components determines its complexity. Studies on the spatiotemporal distribution characteristics and factors influencing the tourism eco-efficiency at the watershed scale are crucial for the sustainable regional socio-economic development, maintaining a virtuous cycle of various ecosystems, and comprehensively considering the utilization and coordinated development of various elements. Based on tourism eco-efficiency, the coordination degree of regional human-land system and the sustainable development levels can be accurately measured. With the tourism eco-efficiency in the Yellow River Basin from 2009 to 2019, the present study considers 63 cities in the Yellow River Basin as the research area by adopting the super-efficiency slacks-based measure (Super-SBM) model. Methods such as trend surface analysis, spatial autocorrelation analysis, elliptic standard deviation analysis, and hot spot analysis were used to explore their spatiotemporal distribution and evolution characteristics. The geographical and temporal weighted regression (GTWR) model was used to determine the factors influencing the tourism eco-efficiency value. The findings are as follows: ①The level of tourism eco-efficiency in the Yellow River Basin is not high, exhibiting a fluctuating upward trend. ②The tourism eco-efficiency in the Yellow River Basin shows significant spatial interdependence and agglomeration. Furthermore, the track of the center of gravity moves from northeast to southwest. ③ The tourism eco-efficiency in the Yellow River Basin is affected by various factors, with the economic development level having the greatest influence.

Evaluation and Analysis of the County-Level Sustainable Development Process in Guangxi, China in 2014–2020

Sustainable development has become a scientific and decision-making consensus in countries and regions around the world. The current research on sustainable development mainly focuses on urban areas with a high level of economic development and intensive land use. Small-scale research, especially for underdeveloped areas, is required to reveal the spatial patterns and differences within administrative units. This study focuses on 1241 towns in Guangxi to assess the sustainable development process and variations at the township scale from 2014 to 2020 by using the entropy method, the coupled coordination degree method, and cluster analysis. The results show that the average sustainable development goal composite index (SDGCI) of towns in Guangxi is around 0.12, and their overall sustainable development level is low. The SDGCI of towns in the central region shows an increasing trend, while that in the northern and southern regions shows a decreasing trend. Then, the SDGs are divided into three systems, namely people, planet, and prosperity. The prosperity system contributes the most to the overall SDGCI, and the low values of the people and planet systems are the reason for the low level of sustainable development in Guangxi. The coupling degree of the SDGCI among the three systems is at a high level, and the level of coupling coordination degree is good, which indicates high consistency and close linkage of the towns in Guangxi when pursuing the SDGs. The results of hierarchical cluster analysis show that towns in Guangxi can be divided into three categories to adapt to different features based on SDGCI values. The assessment of SDG process in towns in Guangxi could guide local governments to refine their development policy, formulate and adjust development strategies in a targeted manner, and promote balanced and sustainable development under townships.

City-level sustainable development impacts on environmental literacy: feelings toward nature, environmental knowledge, and pro-environmental behavior

Research in environmental education adopts a broad concept of environmental literacy, recognizing the multifaceted nature that encompasses cognitive, affective, and behavioral components. However, minimal research has examined how these components interact with each other across various cities. The present study aims to fill this gap by investigating the interplay between the components of environmental literacy, such as affiliation with nature, environmental knowledge, and environmental behavior. More importantly, the study explores how these relationships vary across different cities that differ in sustainable development levels. Children (N = 979, M age = 11.13) from 29 cities in China completed measures of affiliation with nature, environmental literacy, and pro-environmental behavior (PEB). We classified the cities into high versus low sustainable development levels using the Low-Carbon and Green Index – a comprehensive measure of sustainable development, including energy consumption, carbon emissions, and public policy. A moderated mediation analysis revealed that environmental knowledge mediated the relation between affiliation with nature and PEB only in cities with higher sustainable levels. As a result, environmental education should be tailored to a city’s sustainable development level to better encourage pro-environmental behavior.

Factors influencing sustainable development in Eco-tourism settlements: A comparative analysis

This study examined the determinants of sustainable development within national parks and ecotourism settlements across both Tajik National Park and Fann Mountains areas in the Republic of Tajikistan, as well as Zaamin National Park and Hisar State Reserve in the Republic of Uzbekistan. Primary data were gathered from surveys conducted in four distinct settlements across these nations, and subsequent analyses employed descriptive statistics, factor analysis, and Analysis of Variance (ANOVA). The levels of sustainable development varied among the four settlements. The following factors were the most important for sustainable development: active engagement from local authorities and the population, high levels of tourist satisfaction, and attractive sights. The findings of this study have important implications for policymakers and stakeholders involved in the development of national parks and ecotourism settlements in Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. The findings suggest that the following strategies are most effective in promoting sustainable development: encouraging active engagement from local authorities and the population, providing high-quality services to tourists, and protecting the environment.

CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY AND ITS IMPACT ON BUSINESS SUSTAINABILITY

This article substantiates the relevance of developing a model of professional competence for future skilled workers with a focus on ensuring sustainable development. The analysis of factors influencing the formation of professional competence serves as the basis for this research. The primary objective of the article is to systematically structure and analyze the factors contributing to the development of professional competence in future specialists with an emphasis on sustainable development. The article specifically outlines the stages involved in the model's development, utilizing professions within the food production sector in the European Union as a case study. The intent is to adapt the insights gained from this examination to the national system of vocational education. The theoretical framework of the article is grounded in established methods, including analysis, synthesis, interpretation, abstraction, generalization, analogy, and comparison, employed to effectively structure and analyze the factors influencing competence formation in future professionals. The authors employ modeling methods to elucidate the stages involved in the development of the model and utilize comparative methods to contextualize and adapt the European experience to the national system of vocational education. Systematic structuring and analysis of factors influencing the formation of professional competence in future specialists with a focus on sustainable development are carried out by the authors. This analytical approach enables the identification of distinct levels of competence distribution across various dimensions of sustainable development, including international, national, regional, sectoral, and institutional (enterprise-vocational education institution) levels. Additionally, the article presents the stages involved in the development of a competence formation model, using professions related to food production in the European Union as a case study.

Searching for complexity. Application of the set-theory to the analysis of urban mobility readiness index

Numerous initiatives have been developed to monitor the sustainability performance of cities, with rankings and indicators emerging as crucial tools for understanding complex urban phenomena. However, these indices require deeper analytical methods to fully interpret their results. This study highlights the application of Set-Theory methods, specifically Qualitative Comparative Analysis with process-tracing in analyzing the Urban Mobility Readiness Index (UMR) across 60 cities for 2021 and 2022. Our primary achievement is the demonstration of Set-Theory´s ability to unravel the causal complexity in urban dynamics. We find that urban mobility readiness and its negation are not determined by singular conditions but by a combination of conditions. Necessary conditions such as infrastructure and socioeconomic factors have been identified, which are critical for achieving a higher level of readiness in the UMR, and its negation. Cities lacking these conditions are less likely to reach the desired level for sustainable development. Additionally, we reveal that certain conditions serve beyond scope definitions, actively triggering causal mechanisms for both readiness and its negation. This insight underscores the multifaceted nature of urban sustainability, guiding cities towards effective strategies for sustainable development. Our study thus contributes a nuanced understanding of urban mobility, essential for policymakers and urban planners.