UN Sustainable Development Research Articles

Realisation of Human Development through the UN Sustainable Development Goals: A Case Study of India and South Africa

This comparative article reviews the policy interventions framed to achieve human development within the framework of the UN Sustainable Development Goals in two emerging economies, namely, India and South Africa. It focuses on the instruments of development and their implications for addressing common macroeconomic challenges such as poverty, inequality, and unemployment by learning from the expertise of each other.

Corporate Social Investment in the Environment in Brazil: an Overview of Actions Related to SDG 6 – Water and Sanitation

Objective: Investigate the Corporate Social Investment (CSP) in the environment in Brazil, focusing on the UN's Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 6 – Water and Sanitation. Theoretical Framework: Achieving SDG 6 in Brazil requires partnerships between governments, companies and citizens to guarantee water resources for future generations, and the CSP can contribute in this aspect. Method: Documentary research on BISC Reports (Benchmarking em Investimento Social Corporativo) from 2008 to 2023; GIFE Censuses (Grupo de Institutos, Fundações e Empresas) from 2005 to 2022-2023; and Sustainability Reports of participating companies. Results and Discussion: In BISC surveys, CSP in the environment had a better moment in 2012, representing 12% of investments, when it decreased continuously until 2020, reaching 0.1%, and rising to 5.8% in 2022. Environment prevailed in companies' mandatory socio-environmental applications, meaning legally imposed investments to compensate for environmental impacts. In the GIFE censuses, the average number of companies with CSP in the environment was 42%, but the volume of resources in 2022 was only 5.8% of the total. Only 10 companies had an CSP related to SDG 6, with target 6.6, about protection and restoration of water-related ecosystems, having the greatest performance. Research Implications: The private sector is a large consumer of potable water and the growing demand for water security requires new forms of corporate water management, beyond company walls and legal impositions. Originality/Value: The CSP in the environment in Brazil is still not very representative, but there are success stories to be studied and made a reference for other companies.

Celebrating International Year of Millet 2023: Analysing Sustainable Food Security in India Since Independence to the Amrit Kaal from the Lens of Millets

While the world is grappling with adversities caused by climate change, the agricultural sector has been the hardest hit, posing a new set of challenges for food security. As the developing world is still struggling with rampant poverty and malnutrition, an alternative framework that could promote climate-resilient and water-saving agriculture emerges as an exigency. In this context, climate-resilient crops like millets acquire the greatest significance as they are not only sustainable and low on climate-critical resources like water but also add to the diversity of the nutritional basket of farmers in rain-fed regions. In this light, the adoption of the India-sponsored resolution declaring 2023 as the International Year of Millets by the United Nations General Assembly is extremely crucial and needs to be analysed with reference to its potentiality to ensure sustainable food security in India in sync with UN Sustainable Development Goals on Poverty and Food Security. Given the potential of millets, this article aims to analyse innovative and sustainable pathways to agriculture from Indian Independence to Amrit Kaal, in alignment with goals of productivity enhancement, energy transition and climate action of the Government of India. It examines the policies and programmes of the government implemented to achieve the goal of Viksit Bharat (Developed India) during the Amrit Kaal.

Sustainability Indicators Applied to Water Resource Management: A Case Study of The Lower Course of The Paraíba do Sul River Watershed, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Objective: This paper presents an indicator system called "thrivability appraisal", developed based on the systemic view of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDG). This system combines seven dimensions of sustainability with principles of integrated and participatory water management. Theoretical Framework: The deprivation of resources, functions, and ecosystem services, which play a crucial role in the well-being and sustainability of communities, represents a challenge for development as established by the Millennium Summit. The publication of the United Nations' 2030 Agenda defined seventeen SDG, with the aim of promoting prosperity for all human populations. In the face of this challenge, water stands out as an essential chemical component for life, as well as for the health, well-being, and economic prosperity of populations. SDG 6 specifically addresses this issue, recognizing it as fundamental not only to achieve sustainability at the local, regional, and global levels but also to promote prosperity. Method: The thrivability appraisal methodology is based on an indicator system composed by 49 parameters chosen according to Ostrom’s seven sustainability principles. Secondary data from technical and academic documents were analyzed, complemented by primary data obtained through the environmental perception of representatives from the Watershed Committee of the IXth Hidrographic State Region (RH-IX). Results and Discussion: Water resources management sustainability evaluation in RH-IX revealed the existence of considerable challenges, as well as the need to strengthen participatory governance. Research Implications: The research showed that thrivability appraisal can be an important tool to suport decision-making definitions of the Committee.

Sustainable refrigeration technology selection: An innovative DEA-TOPSIS hybrid model

This study proposes a novel multiple criteria decision making (MCDM) framework aimed at selecting refrigeration technologies that are both carbon- and energy-efficient, aligning with the UK's net-zero policies and the UN's Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Addressing the challenge of a limited number of competing technologies and the need to incorporate diverse stakeholders’ perspectives, we design a hybrid DEA-TOPSIS approach utilizing the Feasible Super-Efficiency Slacks-Based Algorithm (FSESBA). FSESBA proves invaluable, especially in scenarios involving super-efficiency or efficiency trend measurement, where addressing undesirable factors may lead to the well-known infeasibility problem. While we establish the theoretical soundness of the DEA-TOPSIS model, we validate the efficacy of our proposed approach through comparative analysis with conventional methods. Subsequently, we evaluate the choices of present and upcoming refrigeration technologies at a leading UK supermarket. Our findings reveal a shift from prevalent HFO-based technologies in 2020 to CO2-based technologies by 2050, attributed to their lower energy usage and GHG emissions. In addition, maintaining current refrigeration systems could contribute to achieving international and national targets to decrease F-Gas refrigerant usage, although net-zero targets will remain out of reach. In summary, our research findings underscore the potential of the introduced model to reinforce the adoption of novel refrigeration system technology, offering valuable support for the UK SDGs taskforces and net-zero policy formulation.

MEDICAL PERSONNEL AS THE KEY TO SOCIALLY RESPONSIBLE GREEN TRANSITION IN THE HEALTHCARE SECTOR

To implement the socially responsible green transition in the Healthcare sector, it is essential to involve competent and educated personnel/staff. Article 48 of the Medical Treatment Law (Ārstniecības likums) of the Republic of Latvia stipulates that a medical practitioner has a duty to regularly improve his or her professional qualifications. Article 1 also defines improvement of professional qualifications as part of post-graduate education in a specific profession or specialty, which occurs in accordance with a freely selected education program, though the content and time of acquisition of which is not regulated. However, it must be noted that almost all programs offered by the Ministry of the Health of the Republic of Latvia for the improvement of practitioners’ professional qualifications refer to the acquisition of skills and knowledge necessary to improve the process of treating patients. Although various international and national regulatory acts determine the obligations of state institutions to include the green transition into their operations, the involvement of the institution’s employees is not discussed. This study aims to analyze and reflect on the competence of medical personnel and students regarding patient treatment and to analyze the compliance of the regulations of the Cabinet of Ministers with international and national regulations related to the creation of a socially responsible and sustainable state. UN Sustainable Development Goal Nr.4 “Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all” includes the necessity to ensure that all trainees acquire the knowledge and skill needed to promote sustainable development, including education regarding sustainable development and sustainable lifestyle. Within the scope of the research examples of positive foreign green transition practices will be evaluated. The results obtained within the framework of the research indicate the need to develop specific guidelines for the education of medical personnel, regarding the implementation of a socially responsible green transition in the healthcare sector, ensuring quality education in terms of promoting sustainable development.

The Role of Copyright Law in the Attainment of Inclusive and Equitable Quality Education in English-Speaking West African Countries

Abstract Education is a prerequisite for the attainment of sustainable development, with multiplier effects on society. This study examines the possibility of achieving inclusive and equitable education under the UN Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 4, AU Agenda 2063 and ECOWAS Vision 2050. Copyright plays an essential role in either encouraging or barring access to educational materials, which are necessary for the attainment of SDG 4. Through a desk study using the laws and policies of English-speaking West African countries (Gambia, Ghana, Liberia, Nigeria and Sierra Leone), the article examines the copyright laws of these jurisdictions in order to determine how they facilitate or stop access to knowledge. It finds that most of the jurisdictions (except Nigeria) have not maximized the flexibilities available for access to knowledge through copyright limitations and exceptions, thereby barring access to educational materials. It recommends a review of national copyright legislations in line with a developmental perspective.

Caring for our planet: a world apart or same difference? A global music collaboration

PurposeThe impact and collective threat of climate change is of key concern to all. Music and arts education can play a role by responding to the ongoing climate crisis through the creation of artworks as activism. This paper discusses a collaborative online international music project and its potential contribution to sustainable development education.Design/methodology/approach 10,427 miles and 11 hours apart, music education students undertook the project, working in groups with a mix of students from Aberdeen, Scotland and Melbourne, Australia in each group. Each student collected video footage that captured their experience of climate concerns related to their environment. Students combined and edited the footage then collaboratively composed music to accompany the footage. This research was conceived as a collaborative self-study project undertaken by the authors as music teacher educators.FindingsThe results show a range of musical and extra musical outcomes and challenges. Evidence suggests that a collaborative online international music learning experience may contribute to sustainable development education and regenerative practice more broadly. Students began to develop their practice as educators for school and community contexts embedding learning for sustainability and climate consciousness, thus enabling them to develop as active global citizens.Originality/valueThis paper argues for greater attention to the affordances of digital collaborative music technology tools to facilitate creative projects as well as the need to reimagine musical experience, drawing together strands of music, sustainability education, technology and global citizenship. This paper also argues for the importance of embedding the UN Sustainable Development Goals in teaching and learning in Higher Education.

Sustainability implications of the EU's bioeconomy transition along global supply chains

The EU has set ambiguous targets for the development of a bioeconomy (BE) that not only ensures sufficient production of high-quality foods but also contributes to decarbonization, green jobs and reducing import dependency through biofuels and bio-based chemical products. However, the various and complex interrelations between the BE, the natural environment as well as wider economy and society risk that the EU's targets might indirectly compromise achieving the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) globally. Here, we assess the impacts of the EU's BE on the achievement of a broad range of SDG indicators using the hybrid econometric input-output model that covers 64 countries plus a region rest of world with 36 industries and 28 agricultural production sectors each. We compare the impacts of the EU's BE across three different scenarios based on SSP2 combined with corresponding IEA and FAO scenarios describing different futures of population and GDP growth, climate policy and structural changes in the energy and agriculture sector. Our results show that, especially without further measures focusing on the circular use of biomass, the EU's BE is likely not contributing to a general improvement in SDG indicators. Instead, there are major trade-offs between various SDGs. Firstly, between the goals of climate change mitigation, on the one hand, and preservation of ecosystems through the protection of natural land, especially forests, and water bodies on the other. The second major trade-off is between the EU's goals of fostering the economic competitiveness and lowering the import dependency of fossil energy and food security especially in low income countries outside Europe.

Crop yields fail to rise in smallholder farming systems in sub-Saharan Africa

Drawing on a harmonized longitudinal dataset covering more than 55,000 smallholder farms in six African countries, we analyze changes in crop productivity from 2008 to 2019. Because smallholder farmers represent a significant fraction of the world's poorest people, agricultural productivity in this context matters for poverty reduction and for the broader achievement of the UN Sustainable Development Goals. Our analysis measures productivity trends for nationally representative samples of smallholder crop farmers, using detailed data on agricultural inputs and outputs which we integrate with detailed data on local weather and environmental conditions. In spite of government commitments and international efforts to strengthen African agriculture, we find no evidence that smallholder crop productivity improved over this 12-y period. Our preferred statistical specification of total factor productivity (TFP) suggests an overall decline in productivity of -3.5% per year. Various other models we test also find declining productivity in the overall sample, and none of them finds productivity growth. However, the different countries in our sample experienced varying trends, with some instances of growth in some regions. The results suggest that major challenges remain for agricultural development in sub-Saharan Africa. They complement previous analyses that relied primarily on aggregate national statistics to measure agricultural productivity, rather than detailed microdata.

Review of Crop Wild Relative Conservation and Use in West Asia and North Africa.

Ensuring global food security in the face of climate change is critical to human survival. With a predicted human population of 9.6 billion in 2050 and the demand for food supplies expected to increase by 60% globally, but with a parallel potential reduction in crop production for wheat by 6.0%, rice by 3.2%, maize by 7.4%, and soybean by 3.1% by the end of the century, maintaining future food security will be a challenge. One potential solution is new climate-smart varieties created using the breadth of diversity inherent in crop wild relatives (CWRs). Yet CWRs are threatened, with 16-35% regarded as threatened and a significantly higher percentage suffering genetic erosion. Additionally, they are under-conserved, 95% requiring additional ex situ collections and less than 1% being actively conserved in situ; they also often grow naturally in disturbed habitats limiting standard conservation measures. The urgent requirement for active CWR conservation is widely recognized in the global policy context (Convention on Biological Diversity post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework, UN Sustainable Development Goals, the FAO Second Global Plan of Action for PGRFA, and the FAO Framework for Action on Biodiversity for Food and Agriculture) and breeders highlight that the lack of CWR diversity is unnecessarily limiting crop improvement. CWRs are not spread evenly across the globe; they are focused in hotspots and the hottest region for CWR diversity is in West Asia and North Africa (WANA). The region has about 40% of global priority taxa and the top 17 countries with maximum numbers of CWR taxa per unit area are all in WANA. Therefore, improved CWR active conservation in WANA is not only a regional but a critical global priority. To assist in the achievement of this goal, we will review the following topics for CWRs in the WANA region: (1) conservation status, (2) community-based conservation, (3) threat status, (4) diversity use, (5) CURE-CWR hub: (ICARDA Centre of Excellence), and (6) recommendations for research priorities. The implementation of the recommendations is likely to significantly improve CWRs in situ and ex situ conservation and will potentially at least double the availability of the full breadth of CWR diversity found in WANA to breeders, and so enhance regional and global food and nutritional security.

Transition to cooking with clean fuels in rural households of India: Studying the effect of policy and other factors

The seventh UN Sustainable Development Goal is access to clean and affordable energy and cooking with clean fuels is essential to reduce the disease burden associated with indoor air pollution from solid fuel use. The Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY) was launched in 2016 to target poor households belonging to disadvantaged caste and class categories and provided free LPG connections to these households to make clean energy accessible. This paper used binomial logistic regression modelling with rural household data from two rounds of the NFHS conducted in 2015–16 and 2019-21, to find whether a targeted intervention like the PMUY is enough to increase the use of clean fuels over solid fuels among rural households in India. The change in the effect of socio-economic and demographic factors affecting the choice of clean fuels for cooking are also studied to find their relative contribution along with the effect of policy. This analysis finds that targeted interventions have significant impact in bringing a positive change in use of clean fuels for cooking in rural households in India but there are other social and economic factors which also play an important role in sustaining the transition to clean cooking.

Fostering the discussion of planetary health in occupational therapy and physiotherapy.

Occupational therapists and physiotherapists aim to promote health, prevent various diseases and help people in their rehabilitation processes. So far, there is a paucity of understanding of the big picture of how the new paradigm of planetary health (PH) is connected to the education and practice of these professionals. This research aimed to address this gap by investigating and deploying a bibliometric analysis to elucidate the pivotal role of occupational therapists and physiotherapists in addressing PH challenges. The ultimate goal is to construct a comprehensive framework crosschecking the bibliometric analysis and the collection of 10 case studies selected by experts to outline how best practices in occupational therapy and physiotherapy, related to the three pillars of sustainability and the UN's Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), can contribute to increasing PH. The bibliometric analysis revealed four major research strands: 1) enhancing patient care and quality of life; 2) integrating sustainability in health care and rehabilitation; 3) professional development and clinical competence; and 4) evidence-based practice and quality improvement. Moreover, further temporal analysis revealed how the topic evolved, from advancing evidence-based practice and clinical effectiveness, exploring the strengthening of health care and person-centred practices, to connecting the topic to aspects also predicted by the SDGs, such as integrating environmental and climate concerns in therapy and addressing psychological and self-care impacts on health. The case studies confirmed this trend, and a framework of PH in occupational therapy and physiotherapy through the lens of the SDGs was developed to support future research and practitioners in advancing this research field. Occupational therapists and physiotherapists are essential players in public health and can integrate sustainability at every level of practice, from using resources during therapy sessions to advocating for more sustainable lifestyles.

Identification of applicable regulation and public policy gaps regarding marine renewable energy in Mexico

Integrating renewables into the energy matrix enables efficient energy systems and meets the UN Sustainable Development Goals 7) affordable and clean energy, 9) industry, innovation, and infrastructure, 12) responsible production and use, and 13) climate action. A specific case is the use of marine renewable energy (MRE) for power supply in coastal cities affected by environmental and anthropogenic threats. MRE can be harnessed from waves, currents, offshore wind, and thermal and salinity gradients. In emerging economies, the marine renewable energy industry is at different stages from quantifying the potential, to device development, or testing. Currently, in Mexico, there is a wide range of marine energy projects despite the technological advances there is no framework for the device’s deployment.As a guide for developers, this article presents the current Mexican legislation on MRE. The review of the legislation has identified some niche opportunities that were highlighted during the research; legal pathway for planning and operational purposes.

Developing classroom ICT teaching techniques, principles and practice for teachers in rural Ghana without access to computers or internet: a framework based on literature review

PurposeThis paper aims to propose a conceptual framework for integrating information and communication technologies (ICT) into teaching practices for educators in rural Ghana lacking computer and internet access. Bridging the rural–urban digital divide is critical for equitable quality education. This research identifies distinct infrastructure, financial, human, and socio-cultural challenges of ICT adoption in underserved Ghanaian schools through an exhaustive literature review. The framework provides tailored strategies to empower teachers to leverage ICT for innovative pedagogy despite limitations. Ultimately, the goal is to offer pragmatic, evidence-based solutions to advance ICT-enabled instruction and digital equity in marginalized settings.Design/methodology/approachThis study utilizes a qualitative literature review methodology to develop a conceptual framework for ICT teaching techniques tailored to the rural Ghanaian context. Published empirical studies, theoretical papers, and reports focused on ICT education in developing countries, particularly sub-Saharan Africa, were systematically reviewed across multidisciplinary databases. Relevant theories and models, like TPACK and SAMR, were analyzed to determine appropriate modifications for the framework design. The proposed strategies emphasize affordable technologies, teacher training, localized content, and culturally relevant pedagogies selected based on evidence from literature to address the unique barriers and needs of the rural setting.FindingsThe literature review revealed profound infrastructure, financial, human, and socio-cultural barriers to ICT adoption in rural Ghanaian schools. These include lack of electricity, internet, hardware, and software alongside inadequate teacher training and support. The proposed conceptual framework offers solutions including leveraging low-cost technologies like mobile devices, prioritizing teacher professional development, developing localized digitally-enabled resources, and fostering community participation. Culturally relevant pedagogies are also emphasized. This tailored, evidence-based approach holds promise for enhancing ICT-enabled instruction and bridging digital divides to promote equitable quality education. Further findings will emerge through framework implementation and evaluation.Research limitations/implicationsThis conceptual framework requires implementation and evaluation to truly determine its impact and effectiveness in the intended rural Ghanaian context. As a literature review, primary data collection was not undertaken. Practical application of the framework in schools can yield direct insights through surveys, interviews, observations, and analysis of key educational outcomes pre and post-implementation. Comparisons with control groups may further illuminate its efficacy. Monitoring and adaptation over time is also essential. Ultimately, this research sets the foundation for praxis-oriented work transforming ICT integration in marginalized communities to advance digital equity and inclusion.Practical implicationsThis research provides an evidence-based, context-aware framework with pragmatic solutions to enhance ICT-enabled teaching and learning in underserved rural Ghanaian schools. It offers guidance to teachers, administrators, and policymakers on integrating technology despite infrastructure and resource constraints. The emphasis on cost-effective innovations, educator training, localized content, and community participation can inform planning and investments in ICT education. Broader applications include adapting the framework for other developing country contexts facing comparable challenges. Overall, this work promotes digital equity and quality education access, catalyzing social development and aligning with the UN Sustainable Development Goals.Social implicationsThis research highlights the urgent need to address digital divides exacerbating educational inequalities between rural and urban communities in Ghana. Lack of technology access and utilization in rural schools threatens to widen gaps in skills, capabilities, and opportunities for students. Strategic integration of ICT can promote social inclusion, cultivate digital literacy, and equip youth to participate in the global digital economy, thereby enhancing prospects. More broadly, advancing digital equity and ICT-enabled education empowers marginalized groups, fosters community empowerment, and drives progressive social change. This work underscores that localized, context-appropriate solutions are pivotal for promoting development and social justice.Originality/valueThis research fills a crucial gap by proposing a conceptual framework tailored specifically for integrating ICT in teaching practices in rural Ghanaian schools lacking digital access, responding to context-specific barriers and needs. While extensive literature examines ICT education models globally, few studies offer localized strategies for resource-constrained environments. This framework adapts established models based on a systematic literature review, emphasizing affordability, capacity building, and cultural relevance. By synthesizing evidence-based, pragmatic solutions to advance ICT-enabled instruction in marginalized settings, this work provides a valuable foundation for praxis transforming rural education. The localization approach could inform frameworks for other developing regions.

Another look at energy consumption and environmental sustainability target through the lens of the load capacity factor: Accessing evidence from MINT economies

AbstractThe relationship between energy utilization and the environment is crucial in an era of environmental concerns by global economies and rising energy consumption. Emerging economies such as Mexico, Indonesia, Nigeria, and Turkey (hereafter, MINT) face complex trade‐offs between economic growth and environmental sustainability. Strengthening this study are the UN Sustainable Development Goals prepositions on access to clean and alternative energy, decent economic growth, responsible production and consumption and climate action (UN‐SDGs‐7, 8, 12, and 13). The present study examines the environmental Kuznets curve (EKC) hypothesis for MINT economies within the framework of the load capacity factor (LCF). The article leverages panel econometrics to operationalize the relationship between study variables. Empirical findings show that the present study fails to confirm the presence of EKC. Thus, it implies that the MINT economies are at their first stage of accelerated economic growth which might result in an augmented ecological footprint and exert pressure on natural resources, as indicated by the observed negative outcome. Furthermore, there is a positive and significant relationship between renewable energy consumption (RENENG) and LCF. It implies that a 1% increase in RENENG leads to an increase in LCF of 0.70%. These outcomes indicate that the level of RENENG in MINT economies is not sufficient to mitigate climate change issues. Thus, from a policy perspective, there is a need for change in the MINT nations' energy portfolio mix, such as the need to switch from conventional energy sources (fossil fuels) to renewable energy sources, including solar, wind, photovoltaic and hydropower, which usually have a smaller negative impact on the environment. Furthermore, there is a need for investment in new and green energy technologies in the countries investigated to arrive at a clean and better ecosystem as desired. More insight is outlined in the concluding section.

Agroecosystem-based analysis of household dietary diversity and its linkage with agricultural production diversification in the Upper Blue Nile Basin, Ethiopia: Multilevel analysis approach

Even though the UN's Sustainable Development Goals emphasize improving dietary diversity and overall nutritional status globally by promoting sustainable agriculture, inadequately diversified dietary intake remains a public health problem in many low-income countries, including in Sub-Saharan Africa. The main objective of this study was to gather relevant information to gain an improved understanding of household dietary diversity and explore the role that production diversification could play within household diets and nutrition so that appropriate interventions could be implemented with the goal of enhancing nutrition-sensitive agriculture while also considering the varied features across the agroecosystems. Agroecosystem-based cross-sectional study design was employed. Data were collected predominantly through semi-structured questionnaires and analyzed by descriptive and inferential statistics, and a multilevel mixed-effect model. Results showed that the usual dietary intake of households has a monotonous pattern dominated by starchy staple foods, and consumption of fruits, vegetables, and animal-sourced foods was very limited. One out of five households had inadequate dietary diversity but varied significantly across agroecosystems. About 26% of the heterogeneity in dietary diversity was attributed due to agroecosystem level factors. In the fixed-effect part of the model, production diversification, wealth status, number of meals per day, market access, and annual mean rainfall were significantly associated with household dietary diversity status. The findings of our research contribute to give insights on the linkage between dietary diversity and production diversification among subsistence rural farmers across contrasting agroecosystem zones. Therefore, understanding agroecosystem variations and local context in the rural subsistence farming setup is a key point in designing nutrition-sensitive agriculture.

How Can Language Education Contribute to Securing a Livable Planet?

AbstractThe aim of this study was to test the notion of ecological citizenship empirically in the English language classroom in an underrepresented region, Latin America. A pedagogic project aimed at the development of students as ecological citizens was designed and implemented in 2019 in four English language classrooms in a public secondary school in Argentina. Participants were 111 teenagers aged 15–17 taking their fourth or fifth years. The project addressed the theme ‘the world we want’ using the UN sustainable development goals as a foundation, in particular, those concerned with environmental issues. The study is theoretically grounded on the notion of ecological citizenship and the research question is: How can language education contribute to securing a livable planet? Data types include Instagram publications (video, text, and a variety of semiotic resources); Instagram comments; student artifacts created in class (graphs, charts, tables, icons); infographics sewed together to make a quilt; a project video; the Autobiography of Intercultural Encounters; and a final student survey. Qualitative analysis was done in three phases and findings indicate that the creative arts and community engagement in combination fostered students' development as ecological citizens in this context. Implications for language education are considered.

Progress toward universal health coverage in Vietnam: Evidence on dispensing trends of diabetes medications from 2015 to 2021

AimsThis study aims to investigate the trends in treatment coverage through dispensing diabetes medications in Vietnam from 2015 to 2021. The findings will serve to inform health policies to mitigate the health burden of Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). MethodsWe collected information on major antidiabetic medicines from General Department of Vietnam Customs and payments for antidiabetics via the National Health Insurance Program. We applied ordinary least squares models, accounting for economic and health outcome characteristics, to estimate the association between the annual mass of medications and related factors. ResultsNationally, the total mass/doses of all antidiabetic drugs increased rapidly from 2015 to 2021, based on both databases. Metformin was the most frequently prescribed medicine, with the total mass increasing nearly threefold over the study period. Gliclazide, a Sulfonylureas drug, ranked second. In the multivariate regression analysis, a one-unit increase in adults with diabetes (in 1,000 s) was associated with 0.11 % (95 %CI = 0.0005; 0.0076) and 0.13 % (95%CI = 0.0007; 0.0242) higher mass of Metformin and Glimepiride, respectively. ConclusionOur data suggested that policies changes were related to significant increase in antidiabetic medication dispenses in Vietnam. The high treatment coverage indicates impressive progress in achieving universal health coverage in Vietnam, meeting the UN Sustainable Development Goal (SDG).

Optimisation of POME biodiesel with isobutanol additive to cater UN sustainable development goal on affordable and clean energy

Biodiesel is a suitable alternative to solve global pollution and declining non-renewable resources. This aligns with the sustainable climate goals and policies to cater to SDG 7. Sustainable technology and solutions have to be fostered. The higher blends of biodiesel will result in engine performance and emissions degradation. Therefore, this research aims to improve the engine performance and emissions of diesel engines operating with B20 POME biodiesel and isobutanol. The Central Composite Design (CCD) model was used to construct the RSM model to determine the optimised condition of the engine testing. Engine performance and emissions of diesel engines were tested on the Yanmar TF120M at 50 % load. Six fuel samples, diesel, B20 Palm Oil Methyl Ester (POME) biodiesel blended fuel, and another four B20 POME biodiesel blends added with 5–20 % in volume percentage of isobutanol, were tested. The optimised RSM obtained a desirability of 0.7. The optimal conditions for the engine testing were at 1868 rpm and a 10 % isobutanol additive percentage. The brake power, BSFC, and BTE of the B95IBU5 and B90IBU10 show an improvement compared to the B20. The exhaust emission shows the lowest CO emission for B90IBU10 at 50 % load. The lowest NOx emission was obtained by B95IBU5 and B90IBU10, with an improvement of 1.8 % and 2.4 %, respectively. Therefore, from this study, it can be concluded that a lower percentage of isobutanol additive of 5–10 % is a promising additive for biodiesel blended fuels.