Sustainable Development Process Research Articles

Evaluation of Local Government Digital Governance Ability and Sustainable Development: A Case Study of Hunan Province

Strengthening the governance capacity of local governments in the digital domain is crucial to the modernization of the national governance system and the process of sustainable development. This paper integrates the concept of sustainable development drawing upon the principles of systems theory and adopts the logical analytical framework of “resource input–process transformation–result output” to construct a digital governance capacity indicator system for local governments. The focus is on three dimensions: basic resource input, network public opinion management, and digital service effectiveness. Using statistical data from the digital governance capacity indicators of 14 cities and prefectures in Hunan Province from 2018 to 2022 as a case study, we base our analysis on the index system constructed herein. Employing the entropy-weighted TOPSIS method and the obstacle degree model, we evaluate and analyze the digital governance capacity of the government in Hunan Province. Our findings indicate that the government’s digital governance capacity in Hunan Province has been on a rising trend overall. However, there are noticeable regional disparities in the strength of digital governance capacity across western, northern, central, and southern Hunan, particularly in terms of digital service effectiveness, which presents the most significant barriers to improvement. These results suggest that local governments should tailor their efforts to enhance digital governance capacity around resource allocation based on regional differences, the establishment of an online public opinion monitoring system, the optimization of government information disclosure mechanisms, the performance of government service platforms, and the strengthening of a two-way communication mechanism between the government and the public.

A weighted fuzzy approach for the agility of sustainable product development process assessment: A case study in Chinese medium-sized enterprises

The integration of sustainable practices within manufacturing organizations has become a necessity. However, ensuring a competitive edge in the market remains pivotal for the success of these sustainability initiatives. This research introduces an approach to harmonize the influence of sustainability and agility within the product development process, enabling enterprises to pursue sustainable manufacturing while upholding robust market competitiveness. The significance of this study lies in its combined utilization of expert insights and mathematical techniques to gauge the components and sub-components of sustainability and agility, thereby enhancing the precision of assessment outcomes. This accomplishment was achieved through the application of a Weighted Fuzzy Assessment Method (WFAM) for evaluating both product sustainability and agility. Employing the Fuzzy Analytic Hierarchy Process (FAHP), the study assigned weights to elements and sub-elements. Subsequently, employing fuzzy logic based on these derived weights, the study assessed the sustainability and agility scores in the product development process. Demonstrating the effectiveness of this devised methodology, the research employed a multi-functional electric bicycle as a case study. The outcomes highlight the potential the proposed method in attaining the varied objectives of sustainability and agility in product development.

Sustainable development through green transition in EU countries: New evidence from panel quantile regression

Sustainable development addresses global challenges by promoting practices that balance economic, social, and environmental considerations. Key factors include the shifting to green energy and the integrating of green technology in the sustainable development process. This study investigates the heterogenous effects of green technology development, green energy, R&D expenditures, FDI, economic growth, and urbanization on CO2 emissions in 25 European Union (EU) countries using panel quantile regression over the period 2000–2021. The results, based on panel quantile regression, indicate that green energy decreases CO2 emissions from the 10th to the 90th quantiles, while green technology development increases CO2 emissions at the lower quantiles (10th to 60th) and then turns negative. The robustness of the fixed effect model also confirms the findings of the study. Additionally, panel causality tests indicate no causal link between green technology development and CO2 emissions, but there is bidirectional causality between green energy and CO2 emissions. Therefore, the findings highlight that policymakers should thoroughly evaluate measures and strategies to encourage the development of green technologies and green energy sources to reduce high levels of CO2 emissions. One strategy is to provide financial aid and support technological advances to produce green energy at reduced costs.

Poverty or pollution: The environmental cost of E-commerce for poverty reduction in China

Pro-poor policies can have economic benefits, but they may also have environmental costs. This paper examines the impact of China's “E-commerce into Countryside” project (the ECC project), one of the world's largest targeted poverty alleviation strategies, on local air quality. The project covers approximately 100 million poor people. Using a set of difference-in-differences identification strategies, we find that the pro-poor ECC policy has consistently and significantly contributed to local air pollution, despite its role in fighting poverty. The decline in local air quality is primarily caused by the increase in rural enterprises, destruction of vegetation, and traffic pollution resulting from the intention to sell more agricultural products to the city. Pro-poor policymakers face the challenge of balancing poverty reduction with environmental protection during the process of sustainable development. When making policy decisions, it is important to consider local environmental regulations, ecological vulnerability, and potential adaptation strategies in order to weigh economic benefits against environmental costs.

Mechanochemical and Microwave Multistep Organic Reactions

Abstract: The development of more sustainable chemical reactions and processes has been the focus of recent research activities. Advances in the field of organic synthesis have led to the emergence of new methodologies and techniques involving non-conventional energy sources. These include the applications of mechanical energy (mechanochemistry) and microwave radiation (MW) methods. This article reviews the advances in multistep organic synthesis of biologically relevant organic molecules using mechanochemistry and microwave techniques. Among them, various heterocyclic molecules (with nitrogen, oxygen, and sulphur atoms), amides, and peptides have been synthesized by multistep mechanochemical or MW reactions. Performing multiple synthetic steps using more sustainable methods shows cumulative advantages over multistep processes under conventional conditions in terms of reduced solvent use, shorter reaction times, better turnovers, and reaction yields. Simplification of protocols by carrying out two or more reaction steps in the same reaction vessel is another advantage of multistep syntheses.

Role of ionic liquids in the electrodeposition of metals

Green chemistry techniques have gained significant importance in advancing chemical engineering and processes in the modern era, contributing to the implementation of sustainable development strategies. Ionic liquids (ILs) at room temperature have emerged as versatile solvents in catalysis, separation science, and electrochemistry. Conventional synthesis of ILs typically involves a two-step process using refluxing solvents, which is time-consuming and requires large amounts of organic solvents. This study investigates the synthesis of alkylmethylimidazolium salts by the co-heating of haloalkanes and 1-methylimidazole, highlighting the role of ILs in green chemistry, particularly in the electrodeposition of metals. The objective of this research is to explore the impact of ILs on the electrodeposition process, aiming to develop environmentally friendly and efficient metal deposition methods. The methodology involves the preparation of ILs through a facile and sustainable approach, followed by the characterization of their physicochemical properties. The ILs are then utilized as electrolytes for metal electrodeposition, and the resulting metal films are analyzed for their morphology, structure, and properties. The findings of this study demonstrate the significant influence of ILs on metal electrodeposition. The ILs exhibit excellent solvation properties, facilitating the reduction and deposition of metals with improved control over morphology and structure. Additionally, the ILs offer the advantage of reduced environmental impact compared to traditional organic solvents. The main innovation lies in the application of ILs as green solvents in metal electrodeposition, contributing to the development of sustainable and efficient processes in the field of green chemistry.

The Optical Spectra of Hydrogen Plasma Smelting Reduction of Iron Ore: Application and Requirements

Due to the ever‐increasing demand for high‐quality steel and the need to reduce CO2 emissions, research and development of sustainable steelmaking processes have gained a lot of interest in the past decade. One of these processes is the hydrogen plasma smelting reduction (HPSR), which has proven to be a promising solution for iron ore reduction where water vapor is formed instead of CO2. However, due to the highly dynamic and sometimes unpredictable behavior of plasmas and their nonlinear interaction with the liquid oxides, the monitoring and control of the underlying processes must be improved. This article explores the usage of optical emission spectroscopy (OES) and image analysis for HPSR process monitoring at laboratory and pilot scale. The results cover the time evolution of the OES and camera data with the focus on the most interesting radiating species, such as atomic hydrogen, iron, and oxygen together with the FeO molecule. In addition, the advantages, disadvantages, and requirements of these methods for HPSR process monitoring are discussed.

A Study on Residents' Willingness for Tourism Ecological Compensation and Its Influencing Factors: A Case Study of Zhujiawan Village in the Qinba Mountain Region

Ecological compensation plays a crucial role in balancing stakeholder interests, aligning with the principles of ecological civilization and sustainable development. However, research on tourism ecological compensation, especially concerning community residents' perspectives, remains limited. This study addresses this gap by examining the case of Zhujiawan Village in China's Qinba Mountain region. Through surveys and analysis, the study investigates community residents' perceptions, preferences, and factors influencing their willingness to accept tourism ecological compensation. The findings reveal that while residents acknowledge the positive economic impacts of rural tourism development, they also express concerns about environmental pollution, particularly waste and noise. They largely attribute responsibility for ecological compensation to the government and tourism developers. Cash compensation emerges as the preferred method, with employment opportunities also valued. Additionally, residents expect an annual compensation standard of 1,033 RMB, influenced by their satisfaction with the local ecological environment and awareness of ecological compensation policies. The study highlights the importance of balancing economic development with environmental protection in rural tourism destinations. It underscores the need for diversified compensation mechanisms and emphasizes the significance of community involvement in decision-making processes for sustainable tourism development.

THE EVOLUTION OF STANDARDIZATION OF SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT REPORTING

Accountability for sustainable development process is currently in high demand. Partners of business activities are interested not only in the financial condition and business activity of organizations, but also in the attitude towards environmental protection, implementation of social programs, fulfillment of public obligations. To this end, the problem arises of organizations preparing and publishing reports on sustainable development with international standards. The article presents the evolution of sustainability reporting standardization, which includes the GRI-SAAB-IFRS-S process chain and analyzing opportunities for financial and non-financial information reporting.

Optimal and sustainable production of tailored fish protein hydrolysates from tuna canning wastes and discarded blue whiting: Effect of protein molecular weight on chemical and bioactive properties

Thousands tons of discards of blue whiting (BW) and tuna heads (YT) by-products are generated each year in Europe. BW is the species most discarded by European fishing fleet and, in some canning factories, YT are processed for the retrieval of oil rich in omega-3, but producing a huge amount of solid remains and effluents disposal as wastes. The development of optimal and sustainable processes for both substrates is mandatory in order to reach clean solutions under the circular economy precepts. This work focused on the mathematical optimization of the production of tailored fish protein hydrolysates (FPH), from blue whiting and tuna residues, in terms of controlling average molecular weights (Mw) of proteins. For the modeling of the protein depolymerization time-course, a pseudo-mechanistic model was used, which combined a reaction mechanistic equation affected, in the kinetic parameters, by two non-lineal equations (a first-order kinetic and like-Weibull formulae). In all situations, experimental data were accurately simulated by that model achieving R2 values higher than 0.96. The validity of the experimental conditions obtained from modeling were confirmed performing productions of FPH at scale of 5 L-reactor, without pH-control in most of cases, at the different ranges of Mw selected (1–2 kDa, 2–5 kDa and 5–10 kDa). The results showed that FPH from BW with lower Mw led to a remarkable yield of production (12 % w/w of substrate), largest protein contents (77 % w/w of BW hydrolysate), greatest in vitro digestibility (>95 %), highest essential amino acid presence (43 %) and the best antioxidant (DPPH = 62 %) and antihypertensive (IC50-ACE = 80 mg/L) properties. Our results prove that the proposed procedure to produce sustainable FPH, with specific Mw characterisitics, could be extended to other fish waste substrates. Tailored FPH may have the potential to serve as valuable ingredients for functional foods and high-quality aquaculture feed.

Sustainable Development Processes for Renewable Energy Technology II: An Overview

This Special Issue, titled “Sustainable Development Processes for Renewable Energy Technology II: An Overview”, presents a collection of papers in the field of sustainable development in the mineral resource sector, detailing the “seamless” process of transforming energy production into the use of renewable sources [...]

Foliar Application of Nanoparticles Reduced Cadmium Content in Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) Grains via Long-Distance "Leaf-Root-Microorganism" Regulation.

Foliar application of beneficial nanoparticles (NPs) exhibits potential in reducing cadmium (Cd) uptake in crops, necessitating a systematic understanding of their leaf-root-microorganism process for sustainable development of efficient nano-enabled agrochemicals. Herein, wheat grown in Cd-contaminated soil (5.23 mg/kg) was sprayed with different rates of four commonly used NPs, including nano selenium (SeNPs)/silica (SiO2NPs)/zinc oxide/manganese dioxide. SeNPs and SiO2NPs most effectively reduced the Cd concentration in wheat grains. Compared to the control, Cd concentration in grains was significantly decreased by 35.0 and 33.3% by applying 0.96 mg/plant SeNPs and 2.4 mg/plant SiO2NPs, and the grain yield was significantly increased by 33.9% with SeNPs application. Down-regulated gene expression of Cd transport proteins (TaNramp5 and TaLCT1) and up-regulated gene expression of vacuolar Cd fixation proteins (TaHMA3 and TaTM20) were observed with foliar SeNPs and SiO2NPs use. SeNPs increased the levels of leaf antioxidant metabolites. Additionally, foliar spray of SeNPs resulted in lower abundances of rhizosphere organic acids and reduced Cd bioavailability in rhizosphere soil, and soil microorganisms related to carbon and nitrogen (Solirubrobacter and Pedomicrobium) were promoted. Our findings underscore the potential of the foliar application of SeNPs and SiO2NPs as a plant and rhizosphere soil metabolism-regulating approach to reduce Cd accumulation in wheat grains.

Governing sustainable corridor development: A case study of the Gilimanuk–Denpasar–Padang Bai corridor in Indonesia

AbstractIn regional planning, and more specifically transport corridor development, sustainability is often overshadowed by economic ambitions and prospects. This contribution explores how the governance of corridor development processes can enhance sustainability. It presents findings from the planning process for the Gilimanuk–Denpasar–Padang Bai (GDP) Corridor in Bali, Indonesia. The analysis is guided by a theoretical framework that builds on literature on regional development, corridor development, sustainability and governance. Using process tracing, the analysis investigates the influence of five governance factors on the process of sustainable corridor development and its outcomes, notably the presence of a sustainability vision, the governance mode, the actor constellation, the available knowledge, and the institutional setting. Whereas literature on sustainable corridors suggests that governance structures and corridor management are needed, this contribution analysis how and under what conditions these structures in practice contribute to sustainable outcomes. The findings show how the original economic focus of the corridor gradually evolved into a more sustainable one, although not all potentials were realized. These illustrate that sustainable corridors require governance of interaction processes, involving a dynamic and contextualized constellation of governance factors, that co‐evolves during the planning process. Despite that the GDP corridor gradually developed into a more sustainable direction, the presence of a sustainability rather than an economic focus from the onset would have increased the potentials of realizing sustainability ambitions.

Proposed Extended Design Process for Sustainable Development and Innovation

The perspective that innovation plays a crucial role in promoting sustainability is generally acknowledged by researchers, professionals in many industries, and government officials. The urgency of addressing sustainable development necessitates prompt action and comprehensive adjustments from governments, industries, and society. The field of design has seen significant transformations throughout the last five decades. In response to the multifaceted challenges of contemporary times, there has been a partial expansion of limits. Various areas, such as social design, inclusive design, codesign, and sustainable design, have evolved as a direct reaction to the shortcomings of the existing consumption and production system. Within this framework, the design of artifacts has been influenced by social, environmental, and cultural trends. However, it is noteworthy that the actual design process has undergone little alterations. In contemporary design processes, there is an increasing recognition of the importance of incorporating criteria beyond economic considerations, particularly when pursuing social and environmental objectives. However, it is noteworthy that the process employed to achieve these objectives remains consistent with the stages and logic traditionally employed in approaches driven solely by economic goals. In this paper, we provide a novel approach to the design process, which encompasses the accountability for the outcomes generated by the artifacts developed, extending beyond the mere supply of solutions.

Does geopolitical risk impact sustainable development? A perspective on linkage between geopolitical risk and sustainable development research

The impact of the geopolitical crisis radiates into the area of sustainable development, it has become a major challenge hindering the process of sustainable human development. Thorough research is necessary to determine how global geopolitical concerns affect sustainable development. Based on the methodology and paradigm of bibliometrics, this study incorporated the research of geopolitical influences on sustainable development into the analytical framework, creating and comparing structural changes in the field before and after the outbreak of the Russia-Ukraine conflict, and systematic basic research using data from relevant publications included in Web of Science core collection. The results indicate that the study of geopolitical influences on sustainable development has attracted widespread interest among scientists and that the number of publications on the subject has been on the rise, Environmental Sciences Ecologic have become the most dominant subject in the research field of the topic. The geographical distribution of publications shows that developed countries have more publications in this field. The evolution of the dynamics of international collaboration reveals heterogeneity in the patterns of country and author collaboration before and after the outbreak of the Russia-Ukraine conflict, a decrease in the clustering of country collaboration, and the replacement of the United States by China as the country with the highest intensity of collaboration after the Russia-Ukraine conflict, and author collaboration networks show a lack of high-impact author groups in the subject. Thematic clustering results reveal that geopolitical risks have influenced economic, social, and environmental sustainability, which include impacts on economic development, energy security, global supply chains, the water environment, and many others. At the end of the article, relevant suggestions are proposed for achieving sustainable development goals under geopolitical threats.

Assessing Environmental Risks during the Drug Development Process for Parasitic Vector-Borne Diseases: A Critical Reflection.

Parasitic vector-borne diseases (VBDs) represent nearly 20% of the global burden of infectious diseases. Moreover, the spread of VBDs is enhanced by global travel, urbanization, and climate change. Treatment of VBDs faces challenges due to limitations of existing drugs, as the potential for side effects in nontarget species raises significant environmental concerns. Consequently, considering environmental risks early in drug development processes is critically important. Here, we examine the environmental risk assessment process for veterinary medicinal products in the European Union and identify major gaps in the ecotoxicity data of these drugs. By highlighting the scarcity of ecotoxicological data for commonly used antiparasitic drugs, we stress the urgent need for considering the One Health concept. We advocate for employing predictive tools and nonanimal methodologies such as New Approach Methodologies at early stages of antiparasitic drug research and development. Furthermore, adopting progressive approaches to mitigate ecological risks requires the integration of nonstandard tests that account for real-world complexities and use environmentally relevant exposure scenarios. Such a strategy is vital for a sustainable drug development process as it adheres to the principles of One Health, ultimately contributing to a healthier and more sustainable world.

Temperature-Sensitive Materials for Oil and Gas Drilling Applications.

With the vigorous development of the petroleum industry, improving the efficiency of oil and gas exploitation has become an important issue. Temperature-sensitive materials show great potential for application in the development and production of oil and gas fields due to their unique temperature-responsive properties. This paper reviews the application of temperature-sensitive materials in oil and gas drilling and introduces the characteristics of three types of temperature-sensitive materials: N-substituted acrylamide polymers, amphiphilic block copolymers, and peptides. Because these materials can change their physical state at specific temperatures, this paper discusses in detail the role of various temperature-sensitive materials as plugging agent, thickener, oil displacing agent, flocculant, and tackifier in oil and gas field operations, as well as the mechanism of action and performance of temperature-sensitive materials in practical oil and gas drilling operations. As we have not yet seen relevant similar literature, this paper aims to discuss the innovative application of temperature-sensitive materials in the oil and gas drilling process, and at the same time points out the problems in the current research and applications as well as future development directions. Through analysis and comparison, we provide an efficient and environmentally friendly materials selection option for the petroleum industry in order to promote the progress and sustainable development of oil and gas extraction processes.

ОСНОВНЫЕ ТРЕНДЫ РОСТА РЕГИОНАЛЬНОГО СЕЛЬСКОГО ХОЗЯЙСТВА: ОТ ОБЪЕМОВ К УСТОЙЧИВОСТИ

The strategic task until 2030 for the agro-economic systems of the country and its regions is to increase the average annual growth rate of volumetric indicators of agricultural production to 3%, which is twice as high as the achieved value. To achieve this aim, it is necessary to develop and implement effective mechanisms to smooth out the abrupt growth of production volumes and ensure the sustainable development of agricultural sectors. The development of the agricultural sector of the Republic of Tatarstan shows positive trends in the growth of volumetric indicators of production over the past five years. The volume of gross agricultural output in the region increased with an annual growth rate of 21.62 billion rubles. At the same time, the volume of production growth in the crop and livestock sectors amounted to 11.11 and 10.49 billion rubles, respectively, which demonstrates the uniform development of the two main industries. The growth in volumetric indicators of product production is mainly due to the intensification of production processes, the introduction and development of innovative technologies. Along with this, abnormal weather conditions have a negative impact on the process of sustainable development of agriculture, as evidenced by the results of 2021, when the total production volume was only 80.1% of the previous year’s level, and crop production decreased by 38.7%. The identified trend once again emphasizes the need to search for adaptive methods of farming in accordance with climate change by moving at a more intensive pace to the creation of drought-resistant varieties, the development of moisture-saving technologies and the active implementation of reclamation measures. Livestock farming is developing at a more sustainable pace, although there is a decline in the numbers of certain animal species. However, this process does not affect production volumes due to increased animal productivity. The industry is in the process of gradually replacing low-productive animals with highly productive breeding stock. To transition to sustainable development of agriculture in the republic, it is necessary to continue work on adapting technological processes to climate change, creating and introducing new varieties, developing genetic technologies for animal breeding, using digitalization and robotization of the industry.

The correlation between economic diversification and sustainable development of the Russian regions

Diversity of economic activities and their diversification determine the key factors of sustainable development of the Russian regions. The relevance of this study lies in the search of connection between the present economic process and such parameters of sustainable development as social well-being, economic and environmental stability. The research is based on examination of data of the Federal State Statistics Service, its publications, and other scien tific sources. The methodology includes a comprehensive analysis of economic indicators of diversification and their correlation with the three indices described above. The presented results demonstrate a direct connection between the level of economic diversification in the regions and their sustainable development. It is shown that regions with a more varied economic structure have higher indicators in the field of social stability, economic growth, and environmental safety. The authors determine that diversification as a whole does not depend on the production orientation or the traditional industrial equipment of a region. It is identified that innovative practices may be implemented in almost all subjects in case if a number of administrative barriers will be overcome. It is revealed that the level of sustainability of regional development directly depends on the degree of diversification of economic processes.

English-for-Specific-Purposes Lecturer in English-Medium-Instruction Environment – Maritime English Case Study

In this paper, the Maritime English lecturer's role is considered from the point of view of their ecologically sustainable development. This will be done according to the survey carried out with experienced and novice Maritime English lecturers. The survey examines the current role of a Maritime English lecturer and seeks to envisage the best course of their future development in an English-medium-instruction (EMI) environment. Thus, a questionnaire with appropriate questions for a group of respondent Maritime English lecturers was created and then distributed; next, the responses were analysed and the results’ overview elaborated; last, an attempt was made to model the Maritime English lecturer's optimum development according to the guidelines of ecological sustainability. The essential prerequisite was to consider the idea of an ecologically sustainable development process, its establishment and purpose, and how it can be overlaid onto the professional and pedagogical role of Maritime English lecturers to support their current role, but also to assist in their future development. The latter seems unavoidable due to changes in the maritime industry and requirements from the maritime educational sector.