Sustainable Social Development Research Articles

Industrial structure optimization and green growth in China based on a population heterogeneity perspective

AbstractPopulation and industrial structure, as foundational characteristics of economic and social systems, exhibit significant spatial heterogeneity and dynamic evolutionary trends in their impact on sustainable economic and social development. However, existing research often employs subjective spatial categorization of samples and overlooks the dynamic transitions of influencing patterns, potentially leading to biases in empirical results. To address this, the current study, based on the calculation of green total factor productivity (GTFP) for 30 provinces in China from 2000 to 2018, incorporates a finite mixture model. This model examines the objective heterogeneity and dynamic transition patterns of industrial structure's impact on GTFP, both from the perspectives of industrial structure advancement (ISA) and rationalization (ISR), and reveals the mechanisms of heterogeneity and dynamic changes from a population standpoint. The findings indicate that there are three patterns in the impact of industrial structure on GTFP, with nearly half of the provinces undergoing pattern transitions during the observation period. The key factors for these transitions are identified as the improvement in human capital levels and urbanization rates. In provinces like Beijing, Guangdong, and Shanghai, ISA and ISR significantly promote GTFP, with their effects further enhanced by increased urbanization and human capital levels. Conversely, in regions such as Shanxi and Hebei, ISA does not favor GTFP improvement, and while ISR can enhance GTFP, this positive effect diminishes with increasing urbanization and labor force numbers. This research not only enriches the literature on the positive interaction patterns between industrial and population structures but also provides a comprehensive analytical framework for governments to adopt differentiated policy measures for sustainable economic development.

Preparation and characterization of cellulose fluorescent material: Experiment and simulation

The extensive use of fossil based materials has caused serious pollution problems, the full utilization of biomass resources to prepare high value-added new materials is of great significance for the environmental protection and sustainable social development. For this purpose, this study explored the preparation process and molecular dynamics simulation of cellulose fluorescent materials. Firstly, bacterial cellulose was dissolved in a solution of NaOH and urea at low temperature, followed by a solution blending and hot pressing with hyperbranched polyamide. It was found that the addition of hyperbranched polyamide could effectively filled in the internal pores of cellulose hydrogel, thereby enhancing the fluorescence effects and tensile properties, especially the elongation at break of cellulose materials. The optimal amount of hyperbranched polyamide added was 5 wt%. Molecular dynamics simulation showed that the hydrogen bonds and interaction with cellulose increased as the concentration of hyperbranched polyamide increased.

Green technological licensing strategies with fixed-fee among rival firms under emissions trading scheme

This paper considers no-licensing, unilateral licensing, and cross-licensing strategies among rival firms with different green technologies under emissions trading scheme. We mainly focus on the impact of green technological licensing strategies on firms’ operational management from a business perspective by considering different carbon quota allocations. It is shown that the green technological licensing strategy is always a preferred strategy in globally optimal sense when the technological gap and emission improvement are lower than some thresholds; if firms’ bargaining powers are within a certain range, the green technological licensing strategies can realize a Pareto improvement; the equilibrium decisions have a certain degree of robustness under random perturbation. To improve the performance of green technological licensing models, we introduce revenue-sharing contracts into the green technological licensing negotiation processes and show that, if the better-off firms agree to transfer a certain portion of their revenues, revenue-sharing contracts can increase the total profits of firms and are profitable for all parties. From an economic and environmental perspective, green technological licensing strategies can promote sustainable social development, while revenue-sharing contracts can significantly increase the incentive for rival firms to license green technologies.

Corporate Social Responsibility and Sustainable Development in India

Corporate Social Responsibility and Sustainable Development in India

Social Responsibility and Sustainable Development Initiatives in India

Social Responsibility and Sustainable Development Initiatives in India

Evaluating Mandatory Corporate Social Responsibility Disclosure Policies and Sustainability Development Goals Achievement in Indonesia

<div class="WordSection1"><p><em>The enactment of the 2007 Company Law confirms Indonesia’s requirement for mandatory disclosure of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). However, there has not been any research specifically examining CSR activities from the report disclosed. Only a few studies have examined the mandatory disclosure of CSR for companies whose core business does not directly include natural resources but whose activities significantly impact the environment. Therefore, this research aimed to evaluate and analyse the mandatory disclosure of CSR through company annual  reports,  taking  a  sample  of  listed  textile  businesses in Indonesia and the correlation with the achievement of Sustainability Development Goals (SDGs). The findings showed that  the  mandatory  disclosure  regulations  in  2007  Company Law and Financial Service Authority Regulation Number 51/ POJK.03/2017 failed to improve optimal CSR implementation by textile companies in Indonesia. Various textile companies focused more on community development while paying little attention to environmental concerns. Additionally, detailed and explicit provisions were lacking in achieving the SDGs target. Reformulation of CSR disclosure policies was necessary to regulate reporting procedures, content, and criteria for environmental aspects of the programs in annual reports while correlating with </em><em>the targets of the 2030 SDGs policy.</em></p></div>

Digitization and Gender Income Gap Among Rural Migrants: Evidence from China

This article explores the role of digitization in the gender wage gap among rural migrants in China. With the rapid development of the digital economy, rural migrant workers have become an important part of society. Based on data source from National Health Commission of the People's Republic of China, we find that although digitization increases the overall income of rural migrant workers, it benefits males more than females, and the gender income gap among rural migrants is widening. According to our estimates, digitization significantly improves the mobility of females and requires more male physical workers than females, thus widening the gender income gap. Heterogeneity analysis shows that there are significant differences in the effect of digitization among those who have different education levels, marital status, ages, and the economic levels of the cities they have migrated to. The gender income gap widens when rural migrants have junior or high school education, are married, are young, and have migrated to cities with high economic development. Our findings highlight the effects of digitization across special social groups, providing micro-evidence of the digital economy's impact on the gender income gap and offering useful references for implementing digital strategies and public policies to social equity and sustainable development.

Application Research on Optimal Allocation of Drainage Rights Based on Computer Big Data in Anhui Province of Huai-River Basin

In this paper, a three-dimensional visualization model of river water body based on Vega is proposed. This system can not only display the water quality information of each monitoring point on the geographic information platform, but also carry out virtual reality roaming of the river. Then the mechanism of interactive allocation of initial water discharge rights is analyzed. According to the principle of interaction and negotiation between different regions and industries, a two-level diagnosis and optimization model is established. Secondly, the optimal equation and diagnostic criteria of comprehensive benefits based on regional economy and society are constructed based on the strict control of the maximum emission permit. The initial emission rights are interactively configured between the primary and secondary levels. Emission reduction targets for each region and industry were proposed. Considering the fairness and effectiveness of the allocation of water discharge rights between regions and industries, the comprehensive benefits of each region and the whole basin are maximized. The feasibility of the scheme is illustrated by an example analysis. It is urgent to carry out the research on the rational allocation of drainage rights in Huaihe River, and the relevant research results will contribute to the sustainable supply of grain in Anhui province, help avoid water disputes around the Huaihe River, and promote the sustainable economic and social development of Anhui province.

Green energy revolution: A unique approach for energy forecasting and optimization towards sustainable energy planning and social development

Green energy revolution: A unique approach for energy forecasting and optimization towards sustainable energy planning and social development

Catalytic pyrolysis characteristics of polystyrene by biomass char-supported nanocatalysts

Plastics originate from the synthesis of chemical products, and the regeneration of chemical products from waste plastics through catalytic pyrolysis helps to reduce the dependence on fossil resources and improve the treatment of waste, which is an important aspect of current sustainable social development. In this study, metasequoia was used as a biomass precursor and three porous char-supported nanocatalysts (Fe-MEC, Ni-MEC, and Co-MEC) were synthesized via a simple and feasible microwave heating method, which were then used as catalysts for the preparation of high-quality liquid oil from polystyrene powder via an ex-situ catalytic pyrolysis method. The results indicate that Fe-MEC, Ni-MEC, and Co-MEC possessed good pore structures due to the microwave-heating and catalytic effect of these metals, and metal nanoparticles are generated and uniformly anchored on the matrix of the char support. Using these catalysts, the yield of liquid product from polystyrene pyrolysis decreased slightly, while the gas yield increased slightly. Fe-MEC catalysis reached the highest liquid yield of 91% among the three catalysts. The catalysts can improve the yield of a series of high-value liquid products such as toluene, ethylbenzene, and α-methyl styrene. The catalysts also exhibited excellent cycle stability, and carbon nanotubes were formed which are less prone to deactivation.

Study on the Current Status of China's Road to the Rule of Law and Countermeasures

The purpose of this thesis is to study the current situation of China's rule of law road and countermeasures, and to put forward corresponding recommendations. Firstly, the historical evolution of China's rule of law path is analysed, including the characteristics of the rule of law in ancient times, the beginning of the rule of law path in modern China and the current development of the rule of law. Then, the progress and achievements of China's rule of law construction are discussed, covering the formulation and improvement of laws and regulations, the advancement of the reform of the judicial system, as well as the enhancement of civic awareness and the popularisation of the concept of the rule of law. Then, the problems and challenges facing China's rule of law road are pointed out, including the imperfections in the implementation of laws and the lack of enforcement, the problems of judicial justice and judicial independence, the insufficient protection of citizens' rights and the lack of rule of law culture. Finally, countermeasures are proposed to strengthen the construction of the legal system, improve the judicial system, raise the level of civil rights protection and cultivate a culture of the rule of law. Through these countermeasures, the development of China's rule of law road can be further promoted, the level of the rule of law can be improved, and a strong guarantee can be provided for social stability and sustainable development.

Research Hotspots, Research Frontiers, and Management Significance: A Bibliometric Analysis and Review of Global Food Waste of Students Research Based on CiteSpace

Reducing food waste in the student population is important for promoting sustainable economic, social, and ecological development. In this paper, with the help of CiteSpace software (versions 6.1.R6 and 6.2.R4), we visually analyze the literature related to the food waste of students in the WoS core collection database. It is found that (1) scholars are paying increasing attention to the field of student food waste research, with the United States being the country with the largest total amount of research in this field, the greatest academic influence, and the most frequent cooperation with other countries. (2) Research in this field can be broadly divided into three phases: the starting period (2000–2010), the exploration period (2011–2015), and the development period (2016–2023). The research on student food waste involves multiple fields of knowledge, such as statistics, behavior, psychology, management, nutrition, etc. It is divided into three research hotspots, namely student food waste quantity measurement, student food waste influencing factors, and student food waste behavioral interventions, as well as three cutting-edge themes, namely student food waste in developing countries, student food waste and dietary intake and nutritional health, and student food waste from the perspective of behavioral science. (3) Scholars from different countries/regions have different research focuses. Research in the United States focuses on the development of student food waste interventions and the investigation of students’ and teachers’ knowledge, attitudes, and barriers to intervention in student populations; European scholars focus on researching this area from a behavioral perspective; developing countries in Asia focus on quantifying the level of food waste among college students and exploring the impact of demographic factors on student food waste; and developed countries in Asia focus on surveys of teachers, dietitians, and other parties to explore the impact of food education on food waste and propose food education interventions based on the recommendations of various parties. Based on the above findings, future research directions are proposed to provide references for subsequent research on food waste among students.

Patriarchy in Southern Africa and war in West Africa: Twin impediments to sustainable social development in Africa

<p>Close to 4 decades post the publishing of the Brundtland Report, a global blueprint that emphasised on multilateralism and interdependence of nations as the basis for a tenable sustainable development, gender inequalities and untenable development persist in Africa. There is need to continuously redefine the pathways for eliminating poverty and gender inequalities, as the basis for sustainability. A better understanding of the causes of gender inequality, as well as an acknowledgement of the fact that gender equality and sustainable development are inseparable is also imperative. This review study, through a desk review of available literature, explored three central issues; why gender inequality and sustainable development must be addressed together in everyday theory and practice, how patriarchy and war cause gender inequalities and untenable sustainability in Africa and how these twin pandemics must be confronted to ensure achievement of the 17 sustainable development goals (SDGs) and their 86 targets, drawing from case studies of Southern and West Africa. Focusing on a number of social determinants of well-being, including good health for all, sexual and reproductive health services, education for all, quality of employment, gender rights and basic requirements such as food and portable water, the review study argues that development efforts in Africa have proved gender unequal and thus unsustainable. The review study advanced arguments for a holistic view to sustainable social development, contending that market focused indicators of development that disregard social determinants of well-being misrepresent reality. Market focused neo-liberal patterns of growth neglect human needs and compound poverty and under-growth. On the other hand, integrating a people centred approach to growth helps understand the connections, ruptures and trade-offs between dimensions of gender equality and sustainability in a way that facilitates holistic growth.<strong></strong></p>

Towards concentric spatial systems for sustainable social development: Beyond western ethnocentric diametric spatial opposition and empty space

<p>This article outlines key features of an emerging spatial turn in education, the social sciences and humanities and its relevance to developing sustainable social systems, with a particular focus on inclusive systems. This is cognisant of UN Sustainable Goal 4 on Equitable Inclusive Education and Goal 1 on No Poverty. Offering a necessarily illustrative selection of key conceptual traditions and recent applications of spatial understandings pertinent to education and inclusion, with wider applicability, this proposed spatial turn is examined as offering critical alternatives to Western ethnocentric frames of space. This leads to contrasts between concentric spatial systems of inclusion, assumed connection and relative openness and diametric spatial systems of exclusion, splitting and mirror image oppositions in education and community spaces of relation.</p>

Advanced Linguistic Complex T-Spherical Fuzzy Dombi-Weighted Power-Partitioned Heronian Mean Operator and Its Application for Emergency Information Quality Assessment

Against the background of a major change in the world unseen in a century, emergencies with high complexity and uncertainty have had serious impacts on economic security and sustainable social development, making emergency management an important issue that needs to be urgently resolved, and the quality assessment of emergency information is a key link in emergency management. To effectively deal with the uncertainty of emergency information quality assessment, a new fuzzy multi-attribute assessment method is proposed in this paper. First, we propose the linguistic complex T-spherical fuzzy set (LCT-SFS), which can deal with two-dimensional problems and cope with situations in which assessment experts cannot give quantitative assessments. Then, the advanced linguistic complex T-spherical fuzzy Dombi-weighted power-partitioned Heronian mean (ALCT-SFDWPPHM) operator, which incorporates the flexibility of Dombi operations, is proposed. The partitioned Heronian mean (PHM) operator can consider attribute partitioning and attribute correlation, the power average (PA) operator can eliminate the effect of evaluation singularities, and the advanced operator can circumvent the problem of consistent or indistinguishable aggregation results, which provides a strong comprehensive advantage in the evaluating information aggregation. Finally, a fuzzy multi-attribute assessment model is constructed by combining the proposed operator with the WASPAS method and applied to the problem of assessing the quality and sensitivity of emergency information; qualitative and quantitative comparison analyses are carried out. The results show the method proposed in this paper has strong feasibility and validity and can represent uncertainty assessment more flexibly while providing reasonable and reliable results. The method can provide new ideas and methods for the quality assessment of emergency information, and promoting sustainable, efficient, and high-quality development of emergency management.

The “Lifelong Learning” concept as a factor of competitiveness and sustainable social and economic development

The purpose is to identify homogeneous groups of consumers towards the purchase of Lifelong Learning services in the context of their purchasing behaviour.The theory of system analysis, economic‐statistical and empirical methods were used. The respondents were consumers of services provided in the centres of additional education of the largest Russian universities. The data for the study was collected by means of an online survey via Google Forms service.Six groups of educational services consumers were identified: 1st – “LLL” consumers who identify their learning experience as ineffective (corresponding to the response “get nothing out of learning”); 2nd – men and women not more than 35 years old, targeting mainly not in the family, but in building a career, quite often participating in various educational activities; 3rd – women who choose the format of training in the form of retraining programs; 4th – women working as freelancers or self‐employed, some of them on maternity leave; 5th – women up to about 35 years old, working as line workers, without children and without higher education; 6th – men under the age of 40, with a good financial situation, who independently choose a certain training programme in order to obtain specific knowledge.The concept of “Lifelong Learning” involves the continuous development and improvement of skills, competences and knowledge throughout life, which helps to enhance competitiveness and sustainability of social and economic development.

The Role of Tangguh Development Projects in Achieving Welfare for the Papuan Community

Purpose: The purpose of the study is to determine and analyze the role of the Tangguh Development Project in realizing the welfare of the Papuan people.   Methods: Describe the methodology used in the study, such as data collection methods, analysis techniques, and any relevant frameworks or theories employed to assess the impact of the Tangguh Development Project on Papuan welfare. This could involve surveys, interviews, case studies, or statistical analysis.   Results and Discussion: Present the findings of the study regarding the role of the Tangguh Development Project in promoting the welfare of the Papuan people. Discuss the positive impacts, if any, as well as any shortcomings or challenges faced by BP Tangguh in fulfilling its commitments. Analyze the discrepancies between BP's claims and the actual conditions on the ground, particularly in the economic sector.   Implications of the Research: Discuss the implications of the findings for various stakeholders, including BP Tangguh, the Indonesian government, local communities in Papua, and environmental advocacy groups. Address the potential socio-economic, environmental, and political implications of the Tangguh Development Project on Papuan welfare and broader regional development.   Originality/Value: Highlight the original contributions of the study to the existing literature on corporate social responsibility, sustainable development, and resource extraction projects in indigenous or marginalized communities. Emphasize the value of the research in informing future policy decisions, corporate practices, and community engagement strategies aimed at promoting inclusive development and equitable distribution of benefits from resource projects like the Tangguh Development Project.

Awareness begets action: public climate attention and corporate green innovation

ABSTRACT In this study, we examine the effect and mechanism of public climate attention on corporate green innovation. We find that green innovation strengthens with increasing degrees of public climate attention. Moreover, the impact of public climate attention on green innovation is more significant when enterprises face more green development pressure and hold more resource reserves. Further investigation reveals that public climate attention contributes more to green innovation in samples of state-owned enterprises (SOEs), non-high-tech companies, and under more frequent extreme climate disasters. Finally, based on the differences in firm motivation for engaging in green innovation, we also explore the influence of public climate attention on firms’ substantive and strategic green innovations and find that public climate attention significantly contributes to both types of innovation. Our research results are of theoretical and practical significance for achieving dual-carbon goals and promoting sustainable social development and high-quality economic development.

Advances in amelioration of air pollution using plants and associated microbes: An outlook on phytoremediation and other plant-based technologies

Globally, air pollution is an unfortunate aftermath of rapid industrialization and urbanization. Although the best strategy is to prevent air pollution, it is not always feasible. This makes it imperative to devise and implement techniques that can clean the air continuously. Plants and microbes have a natural potential to transform or degrade pollutants. Hence, strategies that use this potential of living biomass to remediate air pollution seem to be promising. The simplest future trend can be planting suitable plant-microbe species capable of removing air pollutants like SO2, CO2, CO, NOX and particulate matter (PM) along roadsides and inside the buildings. Established wastewater treatment strategies such as microbial fuel cells (MFC) and constructed wetlands (CW) can be suitably modified to ameliorate air pollution. Green architecture involving green walls and green roofs is facile and aesthetic, providing urban ecosystem services. Certain microbe-based bioreactors such as bioscrubbers and biofilters may be useful in small confined spaces. Several generative models have been developed to assist with planning and managing green spaces in urban locales. The physiological limitations of using living organisms can be circumvent by applying biotechnology and transgenics to improve their potential. This review provides a comprehensive update on not just the plants and associated microbes for the mitigation of air pollution, but also lists the technologies that are available and/or can be modified and used for air pollution control. The article also gives a detailed analysis of this topic in the form of strengths-weaknesses-opportunities-challenges (SWOC). The strategies mentioned in this review would help to attain corporate Environmental Social and Governance (ESG) and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), while reducing carbon footprint in the urban scenario. The review aims to emphasise that urbanization is possible while tackling air pollution using facile, green techniques involving plants and associated microbes.

CURRENT CHALLENGES OF SOCIAL PROTECTION OF THE POPULATION IN UKRAINE: ANALYSIS OF KEY TRENDS

The scientific article examines and analyzes the key trends of challenges in the field of social protection that are taking place in Ukraine at the current stage. Key aspects of these issues include: accessibility and equity in social protection, population aging and the pension system, poverty, social vulnerability, gender equality in social protection, effectiveness and financing, changes in society and the labor market, etc. In connection with the constant changes and development of society, social security causes unabated interest and generates many discussions. The problems of social security attract the close attention of researchers, politicians and the public, because they determine the way modern societies function and affect the quality of life of citizens. The identification and analysis of the key trends in the development of the sphere of social protection in Ukraine constitutes the relevance of this issue and the need for its more thorough research.
 A proactive approach to solving pressing problems and introducing new approaches is the key to ensuring sustainability, well-being and harmony in society. Solving the above-mentioned issues requires a comprehensive approach and joint efforts on the part of the authorities, public organizations and citizens. It is necessary to actively develop the economy, take care of social security, increase the availability of quality medical and educational services, as well as promote the creation of an appropriate environment for the development of families and raising children. Only in this way will Ukraine be able to achieve sustainable social development and ensure a decent future for its citizens
 The following methods were used during the research: analysis and synthesis (to determine the main concepts, object, subject and tasks of the research); theoretical generalization (to reveal the peculiarities of the Ukrainian social protection system); comparison (during the analysis of foreign and domestic experience in this field), content analysis (this method was used to analyze textual information, such as legislative acts, regulatory documents and other sources, in order to identify key topics and trends in social protection of the population)