Sustainable Development Path Research Articles

Tigray Education War Crisis: Implication for Sustainable Development Goals and Paths to Recovery

War and conflict have long been recognised as impediments to economic and social development in countries worldwide. However, the specific impact of war on education, particularly in regions engaged in internal conflicts with their central governments, remains under-documented. The Tigray War, a protracted and multifaceted conflict in the Tigray region of Ethiopia that commenced in November 2020 and officially concluded in 2022, serves as a poignant case study in this regard. This study delved into the repercussions of the Tigray War on the educational landscape of the region. Drawing on data sourced from secondary materials available in various open-access databases and government publications, the study uncovers a sobering reality: the educational achievements of Tigray, as gauged by metrics such as student enrolments and the infrastructure developed over decades, have been severely affected by the conflict. The war has inflicted profound psychological and social wounds on students, leading to learning deficits, diminished motivation among both students and educators, and a disrupted learning environment. These consequences collectively jeopardise the attainment of Sustainable Development Goal 4 (SDG4) by 2030, rendering mere rhetoric the global commitment to inclusive and quality education for all. The study underscores the urgent need to address key areas for educational recovery in post-war Tigray. Stakeholders can pave the way for rebuilding a resilient and thriving educational system that empowers the region’s youth and fosters sustainable development in the aftermath of conflict.

Optimising geotrail planning by leveraging least-cost path for sustainable geotourism development: a case study on a Tasmanian west coast post-mining landscape

Optimising geotrail planning by leveraging least-cost path for sustainable geotourism development: a case study on a Tasmanian west coast post-mining landscape

How Does Inward FDI Lead to Trade Performance and Sustainable Growth In India?

Objectives: The purpose of this study is to examines the relationship between Foreign Direct Investment and trade performance (Export and Import) in India from 1991-2022. The purpose of the study is Causality analysis also, between FDI and trade with other considered variables. Methods: This study utilizes annual data from 1991 to 2022 from the World Bank (2022) and the Reserve Bank of India (2022). Data on GDP, Export, Inflation and interest rate, and FDI are collected from the World Bank. Autoregressive Distributive lag Model procedure has been used for the study in order to establish relationship between trade performance and FDI. Results and discussion: The Auto-regressive distributive lag-bound-co-integration (ARDL) method confirms a long-run association between FDI and export. Coefficient indicates significant and negative relation establishes between FDI and Export but the coefficient between FDI and import represent weak relation. Causality analysis reveals unidirectional relation between FDI and Export, and the direction of causality is from export to FDI. It means export causes FDI, FDI does not causes Export. A negative coefficient indicates that there is a need for efficiency-seeking and export-oriented FDI but negative relations support that Foreign Direct investors prefer market seeking FDI and they focused more on the domestic market opportunity of India. Research Implication: This result supports the market-seeking approach and FDI trade substitute theorem which confirms that the inflow of FDI in India is only for utilizing domestic market opportunity instead of exporting goods to other countries. Therefore, there is a need for efficiency-seeking or export-oriented FDI. The government should facilitate and accordingly create their policy to increase export-oriented FDI to improve technology and productivity of India as well as increases foreign exchange and infrastructure dvelopment in order to sustain growth of india. Originality: India’s FDI situation is presently seeing a growth with liberalized reforms over the recent two decades, several changes like ease of doing, infrastructural development, increased the limit of FDI in several sectors create alluring investment atmosphere having a beneficial outcome of the inflows. Result contributed towards trade and FDI relation that FDI comes from the other countries in india to capture our market potenials so government should try to enhance export oriented FDI in order to know the techniques and improves the export potential as well. Investment and export both simultaneously create a path for sustainable development.

Application of science and technology to improve the competitiveness of traditional craft villages in the context of modernization and industrialization in Vietnam

Traditional craft villages are facing fierce competition in the context of globalization and industrialization. In order to survive and develop, the application of science and technology in the production and business process is an inevitable trend. This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of the application of science and technology in improving production processes, enhancing product quality, expanding markets and sustainable development to increase competitiveness in the modern economic environment for traditional craft villages through a typical case study. The author used research methods such as analyzing available documents and in-depth interviews with artisans in the traditional lacquer craft village of Tuong Binh Hiep, a typical traditional craft village in Vietnam. The research results show that the application of science and technology, including automation, e-commerce and software production management, has helped traditional craft villages improve productivity, reduce costs and expand international markets. This has made an important contribution to enhancing the competitiveness of craft villages in the context of economic globalization and industrialization. However, to maintain the momentum of development and ensure sustainability in the future, long-term and comprehensive solutions are needed to optimize the effectiveness of science and technology while adapting to new global market challenges. From the opinions and analysis of the application of science and technology in Tuong Binh Hiep Lacquer Craft Village, a number of important conclusions can be drawn, showing the path of sustainable development of traditional craft villages in the context of integration. From the above issues, the objective of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness of applying science and technology to improve production processes, enhance product quality, and expand markets to help traditional craft villages in Vietnam increase their competitiveness in the modern economic environment.

Research on Comprehensive Evaluation of Food Governance Sustainable Development Based on Entropy Weight Method

Based on the connotation and characteristics of food modernization governance, this paper constructs a comprehensive evaluation system for sustainable development of food governance from the three dimensions. These three dimensions include industrial development, safety risk and social co-governance. Based on the availability of data, entropy weight method is used to carry out empirical evaluation on the index data of the past three years. Variability in the index data provide suggestions for the sustainable development path of food governance in the next step.

Tourism, industrialization, and sustainable economic growth

<p>The coordination between tourism and other industries contributes to the tourism sustainability as well as the sustainable economic growth. This study comprehensively examines the effect of the relationship between tourism development and industrialization on sustainable economic growth based on provincial data of China. By using the coupling coordination degree model and instrumental variable regression method, we found the following: (1) Tourism-industrialization coordination exerts positive and significant effects on sustainable economic growth. Additional robustness checks show that the results are reliable. (2) Economic development, tourism development, and manufacturing innovation moderate the effect of tourism-industrialization coordination on sustainable economic growth. (3) The sustainable economic growth effect of tourism is nonlinear and affected by tourism-industrialization coordination, and industrialization is important for tourism-led sustainable growth. The findings broaden the understanding of the relationship between tourism and economic sustainability from the perspective of industrial coordination. It may contribute to building a sustainable economic development path in developing countries.<strong></strong></p>

TOE Configuration Analysis of Smart City Construction in China Under the Concept of Sustainable Development

The construction of smart cities is an effective path for sustainable urban development. Determining how to build smart cities and choose effective development models has attracted attention from all walks of life. Consequently, determining how to promote the development of smart cities and how to choose effective development models has also attracted attention. This paper takes 77 prefecture-level cities in China as case studies to explore the impact of technology, organization, and environment on the high-level development of smart cities. In this study, the fsQCA (fuzzy set-based qualitative comparative analysis) method was used to explore the configuration effects of three types of factors. The main findings are as follows: Firstly, no single factor among the three categories is a necessary condition for the high development level of smart cities, indicating that relying solely on technological conditions cannot build high-level smart cities. Secondly, the path of development of a smart city can be summarized into three modes: Both organizational and industrial environment type, both governance and cultural environment type, and balanced development type. Finally, among the three modes, the government’s digital governance capability and industrial environment play a crucial role in achieving a high level of development in smart cities. This article examines the development of smart cities from a systems perspective and provides useful, practical insights for the construction of smart cities.

Mudurnu: The Realities of a Small Turkish Silk Road Town vs. UNESCO World Heritage

Abstract This paper presents the story of a heritage management professional’s journey through her various roles, from the academic, consultant, administrator, and property owner through to entrepreneur, to support the cultural and natural heritage-led sustainable development of the Historic Guild Town of Mudurnu, a small town inscribed on Türkiye’s UNESCO World Heritage Tentative List and located on the northwest Anatolian section of the Silk Road. The author first provides the background of her doctoral dissertation on urban conservation projects and governance, the Mudurnu Cultural Heritage Site Management Plan preparation and implementation periods, the nomination file prepared for the UNESCO World Heritage List, and the context in which it failed to be inscribed on the World Heritage List. She then presents the experiences of the following civilian entrepreneurial period, where she founded Terra Mudurnu Culture Tourism and Real Estate Inc. with her partners, restored a historic building in Mudurnu called Madanlar Mansion, and started operating it as a boutique hotel. The author shares her interpretation of events and situations in Mudurnu from the perspectives of the “people,” “economy,” and “politics” challenges in heritage management and destination development. She juxtaposes the historical trajectory of the town—its rise, decline, and potential future recovery—with contemporary global trends like climate-driven tourism shifts and neo-ruralization, linking these macro perspectives to localized challenges and opportunities. While acknowledging the resilience of cities and their tangible heritage in the context of the “longue durée,” the author testifies that the creative and persistent search for new and improved models in the path of culture and heritage-led sustainable development needs to be humbly reconciled with local realities, seeing the mix of successes and failures as a learning experiment on the limits and possibilities for heritage professionals contributing to broader society.

Design of a sustainable development path in Chenzhou based on a knowledge graph

Design of a sustainable development path in Chenzhou based on a knowledge graph

How can the natural background and ecological & environment promote the green and sustainable development of Chinese tourist attractions?

In the context of the global carbon peak and carbon neutrality initiatives and post-pandemic, studying the green and sustainable development of tourist attractions is of great significance for the sustainable utilization of tourism resources. This study focuses on tourist attractions in 30 provinces in China from 2001 to 2019, establishes an input–output indicator system for economic efficiency and eco-efficiency, and uses the Super-SBM model in Data Envelopment Analysis to calculate the economic efficiency and eco-efficiency of tourist attractions in China. To analyze the natural background and environmental driving factors that affect eco-efficiency, as well as the interaction between these factors, using a geographic detector model, and propose a green and sustainable development path for tourist attractions. The research results indicate that the eco-efficiency of Chinese tourist attractions was higher than the economic efficiency, and both showed a downward trend. The proportion of altitude and nature reserve area to the area under the jurisdiction, as well as the total investment in environmental pollution control, have a significant impact on eco-efficiency; The interaction between temperature, precipitation, and normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI), and the proportion of nature reserves in the jurisdiction and the total investment in environmental pollution control, is significantly enhanced, indirectly affecting the eco-efficiency of Chinese tourist attractions. Among the natural factors, temperature, precipitation, and NDVI all could interact with altitude to significantly the impacts on the eco-efficiency of Chinese tourist attractions. The research aims to provide a Chinese solution for developing tourist attractions in developing countries similar to China.

RESEARCH ON REGIONAL BRANDING OF AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTS IN CHINA

Topic: In recent years, branding agricultural products is a necessary path for the development of agricultural products in China. In today's deepening globalization and digital economy, regional agricultural product branding has a non-negligible role in enhancing the market competitiveness of agricultural products. General Secretary Xi Jinping has repeatedly emphasized the importance of agricultural product branding, and policy documents have proposed to strengthen the construction of regional agricultural product public brands. Objectives: This paper analyzes foreign experience in agricultural product branding on the basis of understanding the policy background and literature related to regional branding of agricultural products in China as a reference. This paper also discusses the development of agricultural branding in China and proposes a sustainable development path for the future. Methods: This paper adopts a comparative analysis method to analyze the development of agricultural product branding in China.

Tracing the Progress

The emergence of feminist development within the broader field of the sociology of development adds a critical lens to the research discourse on global and national development. Within the broader field of sociology, which traditionally focused on economic growth, social change, and poverty alleviation, feminist perspectives introduce critical analyses of gender dynamics and power structures. The infusion of feminist viewpoints has not only enhanced the discipline but also sparked vital conversations aimed at cultivating fairer and more sustainable development paths. This dual-volume special issue of Sociology of Development underscores the mission and focus of feminist development scholarship.

Is there a case for or against patents to incentivize green technologies?: A critical evaluation of innovation incentives for the global north and global south

The world society is in urgent need for new ecological problem solutions on a global scale. However, the current system to incentivize invention and innovation for green technologies is only limitedly able to provide effective solutions—particularly in the “global south”. Since patents that exert distortionary effects remain the dominant mechanisms for incentivizing innovation, the debate about alternative incentivization instruments for fostering green invention and innovation has recently been renewed. Yet, some of these instruments run the danger of a so-called “projectitis”, an obsession with static small-scale projects. Instead, this article argues that we need scalable experiments for a better institutional support of systemic invention and innovation activities by improving the global governance regime that moves beyond individual organizations, industries, sectors, states, and geopolitical blocks. From a sustainability nexus perspective, required scalable innovation ecosystems must therefore account for the interconnections between technological, economic, political, social, and environmental issues. A reformed order that combines patents and alternative incentivization instruments may help to redirect resources towards fostering a more systemic, market-based, and consumer-oriented path of legitimate sustainable global development, as proposed by the 2030 Agenda and its sustainable development goals (SDGs), without leaving particular countries behind, while at the same time maintaining companies’ systemic dynamism in the long run.

Sustainability and nutritional aspects of traditional dishes from the Friuli Venezia Giulia region, Italy: A true cost accounting evaluation

The agrifood system needs to be redirected towards a path of sustainable development in which tradition regains its rightful place and importance. True Cost Accounting (TCA) can support this transition by translating environmental impacts into monetary terms and highlighting the hidden costs of foods. The present research combines TCA with nutritional data of traditional dishes from the Friuli Venezia Giulia region (Italy) to assess their sustainability. Results show the dishes with the highest hidden costs are those with animal proteins (beef), while those with predominant vegetable proteins have generally lower hidden costs. Specific ingredients and portion sizes were found to influence the dish impact and should be considered when developing sustainable menus or guidelines. The present study can pave the way for further studies designed to consider actual environmental indexes of local origin foods and food preparations and to summarize them in a single economic indicator, such as true cost.

Conflict and Coexistence of Natural Resource Exploitation and Ancient Monument Group Conservation - Exploration of the Path of Sustainable Development

The article reviewed several impacts of conflicts between resources exploitation and heritage protection in worldwide. Infrastructure construction as a major project for developing countries with poor heritage exploration might directly expose the archeological heritage under atmosphere, and lead to severe oxidization. Fossil fuel factories will release sulfur dioxide and nitroxide into the air, and following acid deposition will harm the surrounding heritages made with marbles or wood and cost high repairing fee for the government. The destruction of minority’s heritages by mining projects also happened around the world, which brings up concerns of minority rights lost and poor supervision to the companies. The unbalanced economic growth has result to the illegal deeds like stolen or looting frequently happened in developing countries with relatively poor checking, and lead to many valuable artifacts are traded in the black markets. With plenty of concerns and difficulties in applying heritage protections, the paper has stated the potential direction for solution, which involved a long-term cooperation between local government and international archeology organization through public education to complete legislation.

Assessing progress toward sustainable development in China and its impact on human well-being

The rising call for prioritizing specific sustainable development goals (SDGs) over holistic SDG achievement may worsen development imbalances and limit the enhancement of human well-being. It is essential to assess the progress and evenness of SDGs across time and space, as well as their impact on human well-being. Here, we assessed 16 SDGs for 31 provinces in China over the period 2000–2020, evaluated the SDG index (SDGI) and SDG evenness (SDGE), and explored the impact of SDGE and GDP on human well-being in terms of basic needs, security needs, and spiritual needs. Our findings indicate improvements in both SDGI and SDGE at the national and provincial levels. Most provinces witnessed progress across the majority of SDGs, except SDG 10 (reduced inequalities) and SDG 12 (responsible consumption and production). Over the past two decades, eastern China consistently exhibited a higher SDGI compared to western China. However, the region demonstrating the best SDGE performance gradually shifted from the eastern coastal region to northern China. SDGs 1 (no poverty), 3 (good health and well-being), 8 (decent work and economic growth), and 16 (peace, justice, and strong institutions) made significant contributions to the enhancement of SDGI and SDGE. Furthermore, economic development and the improvement of SDGE significantly influenced human well-being, albeit with some variations. Both of them positively affected health but also exacerbated environmental challenges. For gender equality, SDGE had a positive impact, while GDP had a negative influence. To achieve sustainable development, it is imperative to promote the decoupling of development from resource consumption and environmental pollution. Additionally, comprehensive measures should be implemented to enhance the equity and inclusiveness of economic development outcomes. This study contributes to the comprehensive achievement of the SDGs and serves as a valuable reference for assessing sustainable development paths and optimizing development patterns globally.

Challenges in developing a systems approach to sustainability reporting

Subject. This article examines the key aspects of developing a systems approach to sustainability reporting. Objectives. The article aims to identify the challenges faced by organizations in the preparation of ESG reporting, reveal the content of key constraints in the preparation of sustainability reporting, and offer practical recommendations for the successful implementation of a systems approach to building a reporting system for sustainability indicators. Methods. For the study, we used analysis, synthesis, comparison, and generalization. Results. Identifying key standards and trends in the regulatory practice of preparing reports in the field of sustainable development, as well as emphasizing the importance of transforming approaches to reflecting data on sustainable development and the convergence of existing provisions and recommendations, the article reveals discrepancies in the terminology used in the preparation of non-financial reporting, and the underdevelopment of its institutional framework. The article also presents the results of the analysis of the approaches of the International Initiatives EFRAG, GRI, TNFD, CDP, IFRS in the coordination of operational approaches to institutional coordination of actions, as well as the approach of soft regulation of the reporting process considering the Russian Federation as a case study. Conclusions. Dynamically evolving in the last decade, sustainability reporting takes into account the needs of a wide range of stakeholders. The creation of a unified database of indicators in the field of sustainable development is a factor that contributes to the acceleration of the implementation of a wide range of recommendations and initiatives into world accounting practice, as well as mitigates the risks and costs of economic entities that have chosen the path of sustainable development.

Green Finance Mechanisms for Sustainable Development: Evidence from Panel Data

The nexus between environmental degradation, green finance, and sustainable development has been analyzed in a number of studies. Despite attempts by different studies to fill the gap in the existing literature, they have all failed to do so. This study further extends the existing literature by applying robust techniques such as the system-GMM method and applying various proxies to measure green finance, which other studies have failed to examine. For this purpose, we employ panel data for the period of 1985–2021. Our findings support our hypothesis: while green funding tends to have a positive effect on sustainable development, environmental degradation has exactly the opposite effect. These findings are supported by a wide range of statistical methods, including the system-GMM technique. Our work underlines the major contribution bound to be made by green resources toward legislative frameworks in an attempt to aid the effort of reducing the negative impact of environmental degradation and building a sustainable development path.

Effect of low carbon policy on residents’ health: Evidence from China

A good ecological environment is foundational to the survival and health of society. This study utilized data from the China Family Panel Studies to empirically examine the impact of implementing low-carbon cities on residents’ health. The results revealed that low-carbon cities enhanced residents’ health. Mechanism analysis revealed that the construction of low-carbon cities fosters residents’ health by improving air quality, expanding urban green spaces, encouraging residents to engage in physical exercise, and enhancing residents’ mental well-being. This research offers policy insights to guide governments in pursuing a sustainable development path that prioritizes both natural environments and residents’ health.

Study on the Emission Reduction Effect of China's OFDI in Countries along the Belt and Road

With extreme weather events occurring more frequently around the world, urgent action on climate change is becoming increasingly urgent. In the countries along the "Belt and Road", many adopt extensive development methods and face increasing pressure on carbon emissions. This paper explores the impact of China's outward direct investment (OFDI) on carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from 108 countries along the route that have joined China's Belt and Road Initiative, reported by Xinhua News Agency, from 2005 to 2020. The findings show that China's OFDI helps reduce carbon emissions in host countries, strongly refuting the claim that China's OFDI poses an environmental threat. At the same time, OFDI has promoted the spread of environmental protection technology and industrial upgrading in countries along the route, especially in developing countries, which may bring the phenomenon of "pollution halo". Based on the results of the study, it is suggested that China and countries along the "Belt and Road" should carry out international environmental technology exchanges and cooperation, and strengthen green and low-carbon investment in these countries. These cooperation measures will help push countries along the Belt and road towards a more sustainable development path and jointly address the challenge of global climate change.