Problemy Ekorozwoju / Problems of Sustainable Development
„Problemy Ekorozwoju” / „Problems of Sustainable Development” is a peer-reviewed, international, interdisciplinary half-yearly journal published in English language by Lublin University of Technology, in an electronic version. The articles presented in this journal concern sustainable development problematics from the fields (categories) of multidisciplinary sciences, environmental engineering, energy, social sciences, sociology and philosophy, economics, legal sciences and environmental science. The journal publishes in open access formula under the Creative Commons Attribution licence – CC BY 4.0 Int. (until 2023 inclusive CC BY-SA). Since 2008 the journal's articles are indexed in Scopus and Web of Science databases. (more)
The Position of European Union Countries According to Poverty Before and After the COVID-19 Crisis
The purpose of the paper is to evaluate and present the position of the European Union countries according to the poverty level before and after the COVID-19 crisis, combining five individual indicators. The GRA (Grey Relational Analysis) method was used to calculate the composite poverty indicator. To assess poverty, the study uses criteria from the official database of the European Commission and calculates the aggregate index for 2019 and 2022. All criteria in the model have the same relative importance because the method of equal weight coefficients is applied. The paper proved that the Czech Republic and Slovenia had the most favourable indicators of poverty in both periods, while Greece, Romania, Bulgaria, and Latvia occupied a critical position. In general, the countries of Southern Europe and the Baltic countries have poor poverty indicators. Compared to 2019, according to the country rankings, the poverty level is significantly higher in Finland, Germany, and Hungary, while after the pandemic, the following countries made considerable progress in reducing poverty: Poland, Belgium, Luxembourg, and Cyprus. The presented results can be useful to decision-makers at the macro level in the field of economic, social, and sustainable development policy.
Copyright (c) 2024 Milan Marković https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Assessing the Effects of COVID-19 on China's Economy and Foreign Trade Enterprises through a Sustainable Development Perspective
The COVID-19 epidemic has had a significant effect on China's economy and mainly on foreign trade enterprises. This virus has affected the social economy and business performance, becoming a primary test of governance aptitude and the national governance system. As a result, a neural network can be used to study and analyze the economic and social development during the COVID-19 epidemic. Good nonlinear forecasting can be achieved using neural network techniques since they overcome the limitations of traditional forecasting methods. Economic forecasts usually have great uncertainty and are affected by factors with complex relationships. However, using the B.P. network on economic forecasts can have a good forecasting effect. Economic analysis in the context of the new crown epidemic will provide more reference to future complex emergencies. However, countermeasures have been established based on financial institutions, governments, and enterprises. These measures are formulated to cope with the challenges faced by foreign trade enterprises based on the scrutiny of international public emergencies. They include exploration of international cooperation, advancing the new open economy system, speeding up transformation and upgrading, and perfecting the public safety emergency system. Other measures include cooperatively promoting high-quality development of foreign trade enterprises, enabling internal capacities to improve management capabilities, and establishing an external environment based on environmental perfection of the rule of law and policy. However, countermeasures have been established based on financial institutions, governments, and enterprises. These measures are formulated to cope with the challenges faced by foreign trade enterprises based on the scrutiny of international public emergencies. They include exploration of international cooperation, advancing the new open economy system, speeding up transformation and upgrading, and perfecting the public safety emergency system. Other measures include cooperatively promoting high-quality development of foreign trade enterprises, enabling internal capacities to improve management capabilities, and establishing an external environment based on environmental perfection of the rule of law and policy
Copyright (c) 2024 Zimin Lin, Zi Ye, Xiaohua Hou, Fangbiao Liu, Sarita Gajbhiye Meshram, Chao Chen https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
On Sustainable Development under the Conditions of Human Capital Migration: A New Agenda for External and Internal Population Displacement
The article examines the relationship between the migration of human capital and the sustainable development of socio-economic systems. The evolutionary role of migration and its dual nature are substantiated. It has been proven that, on the one hand, the influx of migrants creates a burden on social protection systems; on the other hand, developed countries that receive the main migration flows show a fairly high degree of socio-economic sustainability and compete for high-quality human capital. An analysis of the quantitative and qualitative characteristics of human capital migration was carried out. The main reasons for external and internal population movement in the EU countries and Ukraine, the directions of trends, the intensity of migration and emigration in the EU countries are identified. Socio-demographic portraits of migrants from the EU countries and Ukraine were formed before and after the start of a full-scale war in Ukraine. The benefits of losses, risks, opportunities for migration of human capital and sustainable development are identified and compared. The consequences of migration for the implementation of Sustainable development goals of host countries and donor countries are identified.
Copyright (c) 2024 Nataly, Igor Britchenko, Lesya Kolinets, Yuliia Popova https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
On Naturally Unsustainable and Artificially Sustainable Development
The author presents the hypothesis that in the absence of human interference, i.e. in natural conditions, development takes place spontaneously and is basically unsustainable, and it becomes sustainable only due to anthropogenic factors, i.e. artificially. Sustainable development takes place primarily in the sociosphere. People began to balance development only when they realized that rapid economic development was reaching a critical moment because of the rapid exhaustion of fossil and non-fossil raw material resources and unlimited overconsumption. This was initially ignored. It took several decades before it was taken seriously. Then the idea of controlled, or sustainable, development appeared. Since then, actions have been taken to reduce various categories of imbalances in an increasing number of areas of activity. Since then, the idea of sustainable development has become fashionable, important and lucrative, although utopian, because sustainable development is seen as a panacea for crises, inequalities and social contradictions. The publications of Donella Meadows (Limits to growth. A Report for the Club of Rome's Project on the Predicament of Mankind), of Ernst U. v. Weizäcker (Wir sind dran. Was wir ändern müssen, wenn wir bleiben wollen), and of Gaya Herrington, (Five Insights for Avoiding Global Collapse) contributed significantly to the implementation of this idea. They indicate that appropriate actions taken by 2040 will determine the future fate of humanity. To prove the validity of his hypothesis, the author used some publications on 17 general goals and 169 tasks.
Copyright (c) 2024 Ryszard Sztumski https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Artificial Intelligence in the Scientific and Technological Paradigm of Global Economy
The article examines the impact of artificial intelligence (AI) technologies on global sustainable development. Artificial intelligence affects all three pillars of sustainable development: economic, social, and environmental. Based on the generalization of academic works and authoritative expert assessments, it is shown that this impact is ambiguous. By increasing technological capabilities and enhancing the efficiency of business, public administration, and the provision of administrative and social services, AI creates a number of socio-economic problems, primarily in the labor market, when hundreds of professions are discredited and may disappear. It has been confirmed that almost all sectors of the economy, including education and medicine, are subject to the large-scale impact of AI. AI is able to optimize the use of resources and increase energy efficiency, reducing waste, thus affecting the environmental pillar of sustainable development. The purpose of the article is a systematic study of the intellectual and technological landscape of the global economy with a cross-country analysis of its key indicators using the Kohonen algorithm. The author has positioned artificial intelligence in the technological paradigm of the twenty-first century. If scientific progress in materials science, energy, and mathematical computing led to the digital transformation with the emergence of Industry 4.0, then in synergy with bio- and quantum technologies, AI will form Industry 5.0, i.e., essentially a smart economy, through a technological explosion. To recreate the current global intellectual and technological landscape, the study used the Kohonen algorithm with the Deductor Studio package to analyze 128 countries by 5 indicators. The modeling allowed us to group them into 5 clusters, which makes a real comparative analysis possible. Similar modeling with the implementation of the AI indicator (number of robots per 10,000 population) for 18 countries allowed them to be grouped into 3 clusters according to the level of readiness of governments and society to interact with AI.
Copyright (c) 2024 Dmytro Lukianenko, Anastasiia Simakhova https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Economic and Environmental Limitations of Sustainable Energy Transition in Europe
In recent decades, the concept of sustainable development has become increasingly widespread since the United Nations Convention on Climate Change was adopted. However, it is also being overused, imitated, politicized, or even ignored. This study analyzes the current conditions and long-term consequences of the European energy transition and discusses the limitations and true economic and environmental implications of implementing energy sustainability. The paper is aimed at forming an understanding of the current environmental conditions and challenges associated with the economic, financial, and environmental consequences of introducing renewables in Europe. Research has revealed that renewables, while cleaner energy sources are not necessarily sustainable as initially suspected. There are various implications and limitations, that is: an initial carbon footprint, land footprint, recycling issues, harmful impacts on wildlife and humans, moreover the efficiency and economic implications when transitioning to a net zero. As a result, it is concluded that the basic principles of the energy transition are to be introduced and considered for it to become indeed sustainable. It is also concluded that when introducing or improving an energy model, it is crucial to consider the country's initial energy and resource base. Nuclear energy should not be disregarded and should considered to be a clean energy source, as well as a safe one, particularly in the context of national security, which is heavily dependent on energy transition.
Copyright (c) 2024 Olha Prokopenko, Viktor Koval, Julia Yereshko, Olexiy Kuzkin, Tetiana Skibina, Vitalii Travin https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Food Loss and Food Waste Along the Food Supply Chain – An International Perspective
Food loss and waste represents a global problem which is characteristic for all food supply chain sectors and all groups of countries. On average, every year one third of the total amount of food produced is lost or wasted, which indicates an extremely high level of inefficiency in the food supply chain. One of the key characteristics of food loss and waste is a wide range of ecological, economic and social implications, which is why this problem has become the subject of many national and global agendas. Although there is still no unique definition of the term food loss and waste and unique data collection methodology, many authors have researched this topic so far. Therefore, this paper's aim was to research the existing literature on the phenomenon of food loss and waste, as well as to observe trends of the amount of food loss and waste in the world and the EU. The results indicated that the differences between developed and developing countries have changed, and the amount of food waste in both groups of countries at the household level is now quite uniform. At the level of the EU, the household sector is also the largest generator of food waste.
Copyright (c) 2024 Marija Jeremić, Bojan Matkovski, Danilo Đokić, Žana Jurjević https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Nonlinear Effects of Agricultural Technology on Sustainable Grain Production in China
Grain production is an important element of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, regarding livelihoods and social stability. This article uses data on agricultural technology, social factor and grain production in China from 2011 to 2022, and uses the Generalized Additive Model (GAM) to deeply explore the nonlinear impact of agricultural technology and social factor on grain production. The results of the study show that (1) China’s grain output is generally on a growing trend, but the growth rate is declining and fluctuating significantly. There is a significant difference in grain production before and after the COVID-19 epidemic. Moreover, the output in the northern region is significantly higher than that in the south. (2) Except for Consumption expenditure per capita, all other agricultural technology and social factor variables are positively correlated with grain out. (3) The impact of agricultural technology and social factor on grain output shows significant non-linear characteristics, and its impact effect varies in different intervals. Specifically, When the value of the agricultural meteorological observation service station is 20-25, the effective irrigation area is greater than 1800, consumption expenditure per capita greater than 17000 and the total sowing area of crops is 7500, it can significantly increase grain yield. On the contrary, if the emission value of chemical oxygen demand exceeds 130, it has a significant inhibitory effect on grain yield. Furthermore, the effect on grain yield peaks when the total power of agricultural machinery, GDP, and the number of unemployed people in cities approach 3000, 10000, and 20, respectively. The results of the study provide an important basis for optimizing the allocation of agricultural resources and enhancing the efficiency of grain production. Finally, some practical policy recommendations are put forward.
Copyright (c) 2024 Bizhen Chen, Dehong Sun https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Comparative Analysis of the Quality of Working Life in Ukraine and in EU Countries
The quality of working life is an influential factor in determining the direction of labor movement between countries and between corporations within a country. Countries that offer the best living conditions, financial state support, social integration programs, decent working conditions and wages have become the center of attraction for Ukrainian refugees after the beginning of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine. The purpose of this study was to conduct a comparative analysis of the quality of working life in Ukraine and the European Union to assess the possibilities of returning refugees to Ukraine and attracting new labor from European countries during its recovery and implementation of steps towards sustainable development. A comparative analysis of key characteristics of the quality of working life shows that Ukraine is significantly inferior to EU countries. Macroeconomic conditions, employment rate and share of informal employment, income and wages, length of working week and annual guaranteed leave are key groups of indicators that require attention and direct or indirect influence to adjust them to the EU average. The article identifies the priority tasks for bridging the gap between the quality of working life in Ukraine and European countries, in particular by eliminating structural imbalances in the labor market.
Copyright (c) 2024 Olena Zelenko, Olena Khandii, Olga Novikova https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
A Theoretical and Practical Approach to Exponential Relation between Innovation and Sustainable Development
A Aside from the political, geographic, economic, legal, social, and cultural problems that every nation, state, and government faces, it is evident that sustainable development is the key to sustainability, progress, and improving the quality of life. Achieving SDG targets has been seen as the primary trend for the past 15 years and the foreseeable future. In this direction, with an eye towards the fifth industrial revolution, innovation has been viewed as one of the primary production variables, along with land, labor, capital, and entrepreneurship, to help address current and future difficulties facing humanity. This study aimed to shed light on the connections between innovation and sustainable development. To test Hypothesis H1, which states a positive solid relationship between the SDG Index and ISO 9001 Index, we conducted a statistical analysis using regressive analysis between the Sustainable Development Goals Index and Innovation Index. This was done to compare the results to Hypothesis H0, which suggests no such relationship exists. The research's findings indicate that scientific management of the factors of production opens up possibilities for long-term sustainable development, ensuring the prosperity of society and everyday life for future generations, encouraging economic growth, and improving the quality of life without endangering the environment. Innovation, embodied in the ISO 56000 family of standards, is applied as an efficient and effective tool, which is urgently needed. The overall conclusion of the study – which also serves as a practical and social contribution to the field – is that, to achieve and sustain sustainable development scenarios, all interested parties – individuals, public and private institutions, decision-makers, and civil society – should look forward to ensuring that the SDG and innovation are built and maintained. Innovation principles can be applied as effective and efficient tools.
Copyright (c) 2024 Enriko Ceko, Reis Mulita, Artur Jaupaj https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Sustainability as a Message on Social Media: A Case Study of the World Economic Forum’s Twitter (Now X) Account
Sustainability and social media are two current topics, the combination of which can be a compelling means of change for a better, sustainable future. This paper analyses the Twitter profile of the World Economic Forum, a global leader in promoting sustainability, over five years, from 2016 to 2020. The main focus of this work is to analyse the content and nature of the World Economic Forum's contributions (tweets) focusing on topics of Sustainable Development Goals. The results are presented in three categories – geographical focus, thematic focus, and most popular content. The results can indicate the trend, what topics and geographical locations related to sustainability are emphasised online, how the audience perceives it, and how to popularise sustainability among the public.
Copyright (c) 2024 Jiri, David Klika https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Impact of Internet Use on Ecological Footprint: Panel Data Analysis for Fragile Five Countries (Brazil, India, Indonesia, South Africa, and Turkiye)
In addition to the views that claim that the development of information and communication technologies will result in less environmental pollution and better environmental quality, there are also views that claim that it will increase environmental pollution. In this study, the relationship between environmental quality and information and communication technologies for the 1995–2021 period for the Fragile Five countries was examined using the panel augmented autoregressive distributed lag (ARDL) bounds test method. Ecological footprint was used to represent environmental quality, and the proportion of individuals using the internet was used to represent developments in information and communication technologies. In addition, economic growth, energy consumption, and financial development are included in the model as explanatory variables. According to the results of this study, internet use reduces the ecological footprint in both the short and long run. While financial development reduces the ecological footprint in the long run, energy consumption increases both in the short and long run. Economic growth, on the other hand, increases the ecological footprint in the short run. In line with these results, expanding internet use in the Fragile Five Countries may increase environmental quality.
Copyright (c) 2024 Fatih Akin, Fergul Ozgun https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
The Contribution of the Business, Management and Accounting Literature to the UN Sustainable Development Goals
Businesses and academia as two stakeholders of the sustainable development goals are important to under-stand the recent status quo of research. This paper examines 851 papers in the field of business dealing with the sustainable development goals. For bibliometric analysis, concept-based search, manual coding and biblio-metrix was used. The results showed that the research in the marketing area is lagging behind. Accounting and finance, management and organization and production management have almost the same ratio. Most re-search have been done in line with the 9th, 12th and 8th goal. The fewest research has been done in line with the 3rd,4th, 10th, 14th,15th and 17th goal.
Copyright (c) 2024 Bilge Katanalp, Aybüke Şimşek Sağlık https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Symbiosis of Creativity and Sustainability: Modelling the Dynamic Relationship Between Sustainable Development and Cultural and Creative Industries in the EU Countries, Great Britain and Ukraine
The study explores the complex dynamics of cultural and creative industries and their potential to contribute to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The dual nature of these industries is reviewed, recognizing their potential to have a positive impact on sustainable development while addressing the risks they pose, including environmental threats and the potential for increased social inequality. The main goal of the study was to identify the determinants of asymmetric shocks that influenced the development of cultural and creative industries. To achieve the goal, we used an integrated modeling approach based on panel models with fixed and random effects, as well as a two-stage dynamic panel model. The results of the study made it possible to identify asymmetric shocks that influenced the development of cultural and creative industries, such as the consequences of the pandemic and the war in Ukraine, which led to the energy and migration crises, slower economic growth and increased inflation. The results obtained indicate that the influence of the selected factors on sustainable development is complex and depends on time dynamics.
Copyright (c) 2024 Serhii Plutalov, Olena Iastremska, Tetiana Kulinich, Nataliia Shofolova, Oleksandr Zelenko https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
The Role of Energy Consumption and Economic Growth on Human Development in Emerging (E-7) Countries: Fresh Evidence from Second-Generation Panel Data Analyses
This study aims to examine the impacts of energy consumption and economic growth on the human development index of seven emerging countries (E-7) with high economic performance for yearly observations from 1992 to 2021. The analyses were carried out with second-generation panel data analyses: (i) Panel cointegration test with structural breaks proposed by Westerlund (2006), (ii) augmented mean group estimator recommended by Eberhardt and Bond (2009), and (iii) Dumitrescu and Hurlin (2012) panel causality test. The empirical model also included trade openness and urbanization parameters as control variables. The panel cointegration test outcomes reveal the presence of a long-run relation among the human development index and energy consumption, economic growth, urbanization, and trade openness for all countries. Augmented mean group test outcomes signify that energy consumption, economic growth, and trade openness have positive and statistically significant impacts on the human development index, whereas urbanization does not have any statistically significant impact in the long-run. Finally, panel causality test results signify that there is a bidirectional relation between the human development index and energy consumption, economic growth, and trade openness and also a unidirectional relation from urbanization to the human development index in E-7 countries. All these findings indicate that the main macroeconomic indicators have an important role on the human development index in E-7 countries. In this context, these countries should implement a more effective and innovative economic policy for Sustainable development goals.
Copyright (c) 2024 Oktay Kizilkaya, Oktay Kizilkaya, Gökhan Akar, Faruk Mike https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
International Determinants of Demining Territories in the Context of Sustainable Development: Economic Projection
The problem of landmines is becoming increasingly prevalent, with a growing impact on all spheres of society and a consequent slowing down of sustainable development planning at the international, national and local levels. Since February 2022, the issue of mine clearance has become even more relevant for Ukraine, where active hostilities are still ongoing, which requires a thorough study of the economic, social and environmental aspects of this process. In order to mitigate the negative impact of the war and possibly speed up the clearance of mines and other explosive hazards, it is important to analyse the key results of international experience in this area, which has already been gained by a significant number of countries. In order to expand on the subject of this study the example of demining territories of the seven most heavily mined countries in the world were chosen: Albania, Afghanistan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Cambodia, Croatia and Turkey. The authors concentrated on identifying problems and highlighting the potential for further research into the sustainable dimension of demining, which is considered in this study to be the initial stage of territorial rehabilitation. In this context, the authors focus on the key results of demining through the prism of sustainable development, with particular emphasis on the economic component, as it affects the possibility of rapid resumption of economic and other peaceful use of the territories affected by armed conflicts. This formed the basis of the conclusions, where the authors substantiated ways to implement international demining experience in Ukrainian practice that lies in the inclusion of sustainable development components in strategic and operational documents at the national level. This is to lay a solid foundation for restoring the economic, social and environmental potential of territories in the context of war and post-war recovery.
Copyright (c) 2024 Yuliia Rohozian, Kseniia Sieriebriak, Yevhen Akhromkin, Mykhailo Plietnov, Viktoriia Vakhlakova https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
The Equity in Sustainability: Unravelling Financial Realities and Global South Perspective on Mitigating Carbon Emission
The economics of environmental sustainability is embedded in several tragic dilemmas, underscoring the inefficiency of contemporary socio-economic structure that has failed to provide prior consideration to the issues related to protecting the socially excluded and marginalized community. The study scrutinizes how corporate giants favour the commercial aspects of development, promoting a mercantile logic of meritocracy and capitalistic zeal of accumulating wealth, neglecting the social component of sustainability and subsistence. Emphasizing the symbiotic nature of environmental sustainability, the article advocates the significance of constructing a value system that transcends instrumental reasoning to support an intrinsic value of ecologism – focusing on the innate correlation between nature and human civilization, demanding not only the transformation of the financial and economic pattern of consumption but also coercing us to rethink our value system in favour of prioritizing the subsistence rights of poor and marginalized societies. Therefore, the primary objective of the article is to analyze the financial aspects of reducing carbon emissions along with evaluating the perspective of the global south in restoring the balance between sustainability and material inequality, adopting an interpretive approach to evolve a deep and nuanced understanding of the phenomenon of our discussion.
Copyright (c) 2024 Sumiti Kataria https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
How Sport Innovations Can Shape Sustainable Cities: An Interdisciplinary Approach
L Leveraging the potential of sport can play a significant role in shaping cities of tomorrow, generate environmental and social change. The integration of sport into city planning can provide multiple benefits, such as promoting physical activity, health, well-being, and enhancing social cohesion. However to date, there is a lack of research on the potential of sport innovations to enhance the sustainable development of cities. This study aims to explore the role of sport innovations in sustainable cities through systematic literature review, utilizing interdisciplinary approach that combines sport and urban management disciplines to understand how sport innovations affects the sustainable living. The findings of this study identify sustainable references in sport innovations literature, including best practices for integrating sport into urban planning and development, and thus verifying their contribution to the sustainable development of cities in areas of social inclusion, community participation, collaboration and networking, organizational strategy.
Copyright (c) 2024 Narek Parsamyan, Aleksander Orłowski https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Research on Countermeasures to Build a Green University Management System under the Concept of Ecological Education
Higher learning institutions have played a significant role in enhancing ecological education and ideological development among students. This is in response to the many problems occurring in the modern world concerning ideological and environmental aspects. Despite the efforts made by the state through increasing investments to deal with these aspects effectively, the resulting impact is not satisfactory. As a result, higher learning institutions have served as a significant area in offering solutions to these problems by nurturing high-level social talents. Education in higher learning institutions has dramatically expanded and integrated new research areas to counteract the limitations of traditional learning methods. Colleges and universities have upgraded their teaching activities and education sites in the modern era. However, these institutions have experienced many challenges and problems which have severely affected the ideological education ecosystem and the moral quality of students. The ecological education crisis in most learning institutions has become an unavoidable drift of the current education development. As a result, ideological education in colleges and universities is regarded as an ecosystem since it is analyzed from an ecological perspective. The ecology of ideological education refers to the environmental balance, law, and processes involved in the ideological education system. Furthermore, it incorporates value alignment and procedural thinking on the interaction between the environment and various aspects. Ecological and environmental development significantly impacts higher education students' values, emotions, and thoughts in the new environment. Therefore ecological changes have clear impacts on the living environment, which is in compliance with sustainable development concept.
Copyright (c) 2024 Jing Zhou https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Harmony with Nature: Exploring Sustainable Development through the Lens of Hindu Tradition
The study explores the Hindu tradition’s profound connection to sustainable development, emphasizing the importance of harmony with nature, as dictated by the principles of Dharma (duty) and Ahimsā (non-violence). The Hindu tradition, found in sacred texts such as the Vedas and the Bhagavad Gita, underscores humanity’s ethical and moral obligation to protect and nurture the environment. Key concepts such as vegetarianism, reverence for all life forms, and eco-conscious rituals are integral to this philosophy, offering practical approaches to modern sustainability. Additionally, the paper examines the global perspective promoted by the concept of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam, which underscores our interconnectedness with the world. In conclusion, the Hindu tradition provides a valuable perspective on sustainable development, emphasizing the unity of all life and our shared responsibility to safeguard our planet, underscoring the significance of living in harmony with nature.
Copyright (c) 2024 Subhasmita Maharana Subhasmita, Ajit Kumar Behura https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Sustainable Development of China’s Intangible Cultural Heritage in Rural Revitalization based on Experience Perspective
The protection and inheritance of the local intangible cultural heritage (ICH) holds profound significance, which has the characteristics of oral transmission and the intertwining of time and space, is an important content and means of rural cultural governance in China in the new era. It is significant in value for promoting rural revitalization and passing on the cultural genes of China. As rural society transforms, the change of rural social structure and cultural order leads to some conflicts for rural ICHs in China, such as subjective crises, weakening of values and the impact of modernity. Therefore, this paper combines the advantages of experience with the inheritance needs of ICH and puts its inheritance and protection under the national strategy of rural revitalization. The study focuses on the function of ICH in rural revitalization from the perspective of experience and explores the topic from three levels: the government, universities, and villages. Moreover, we provide sustainable development strategies for integrating intangible cultural heritage into rural revitalization to promote the revival of rural culture. This article explores the mutually beneficial relationship between intangible cultural heritage and rural revitalization, enhancing our understanding of both aspects. The primary contribution lies in providing sustainable development strategies for integrating intangible cultural heritage into rural revitalization at the government, university, and village levels.
Copyright (c) 2024 Yingying Cui, Youjing Wang, Jinshi Jiang https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Valorising Agricultural Residues into Pellets in a Sustainable Circular Bioeconomy
It is a truism by now that the combustion of fossil fuels has execaerbated climate change, and its repercussions. Biomass in pelletised form, will emerge as substitutes, in the circular bioeconomies of the future. This brief review focuses on the utilisation of agricultural residues as raw materials for pellets, and explores the aspects of sustainability – socio-cultural, economic, environmental, and techno-functional – in the 20-plus peer-reviewed articles selected for that purpose using Scopus with a set of search-phrases. The articles are case studies dated between 2012 to 2023, tracing their provenance to different countries in the world – Brazil, Canada, China, Denmark, Greece, India, Italy, Mexico, Peru, Spain, Thailand, Türkiye, Zambia, etc. Among the many gleanings which are reported in this review, some deserve mention here in the abstract. The social aspect of sustainability has not been studied as much as the economic and environmental. The case studies emphasize the importance of adapting the pelleting process to the properties of the agricultural/horticultural residues and the prevalent local conditions. It is encouraging to note that there is a surfeit of agricultural residues (corn, coffee, quinoa, beans, oats, wheat, olives, tomatoes, pomegranates, grapes, etc. in the articles reviewed) which can be valorised to pellets, also in combination with the in-vogue forestry wastes. This is more advisable if the status quo is open burning of such residues in the fields. The journey towards the sustainable development goals (SDGs) will be aided by investments in such biorefinery-projects, SDG 17 is extremely vital for their success – collaboration and cooperation among several stakeholders around the world. This review, though based on only 20-plus articles from around the world, is an in-depth analysis which promises to be of interest to decision-makers and sustainability-specialists keen on contributing to the transition to a circular bioeconomy.
Copyright (c) 2024 Anders Svensson, Madelene Almarstrand, Jakob Axelsson, Miranda Nilsson, Erik Timmermann, Venkatesh Govindarajan https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Game Theory Approach for Economic Cooperation and Sustainable Development: Optimization South Pars – North Dome Field between Iran and Qatar
Cooperation between countries in the exploitation of common natural resources such as oil and gas contributes to the optimization of resources, prevention of unsustainable extraction, promotion of long-term resource sustainability, strengthening diplomatic relations, and promoting peace, playing a significant role in the economic growth of countries. This research presents a modeling of the extraction of interested countries from a common resource using triangular distribution and game theory approach. The modeling is designed based on the share of the parties in the common resource and the extraction capability (in terms of the sanction factor). The results indicate that the extraction level of each country from the common resource depends on both the share of the interested parties and the level of sanction imposed on them. Moreover, if a sanction is imposed on one or both countries, a portion of the resources will not be extracted. Among the most important results, we can point out that only if the amount of sanctions is very severe, then the extraction of resources for Iran has no economic justification.
Copyright (c) 2024 Siab Mamipour, Mohammad Hadi Sobhanian, Sattar Salimian, Salah Salimian https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
The Transformation of the European Union's Energy Sector
S Such geoeconomic and geopolitical factors as Russian armed aggression against Ukraine caused the energy crisis in the European Union (EU), exposing the EU’s vulnerabilities due to its overdependence on Russian fossil fuel imports. As a consequence of gas supply disruptions, substantial rises in energy prices and heightened safety concerns, the EU's energy policies have been thoroughly reassessed. Therefore, the article aims to examine the profound ramifications of Russia's military aggression against Ukraine on European energy markets and elucidate the strategies articulated in European Commission initiatives intended to reduce reliance on Russian fossil fuels. Within this framework, the REPowerEU plan is especially beneficial for the rapid diversification and increased integration of renewable energy sources. These initiatives have the potential to result in a structural transformation of the EU's energy landscape, necessitating coordinated regulatory initiatives, infrastructure advancements, and cooperative energy diplomacy. Current research reveals the potential for economic expansion, strengthened industrial primacy and progress towards achieving climate neutrality by 2050 through the environmentally sustainable metamorphosis of Europe's energy framework. The results of this scientific research can also be used for the further implementation of the strategy of achieving sustainable development of the EU member states in the context of the development of clean energy, which will allow meeting the needs of the population of these countries in the near future without endangering future generations.
Copyright (c) 2024 Dmytro Banas, Tetiana Melnyk https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0