Showing papers in "Sustainability in 2022"

A Global Assessment: Can Renewable Energy Replace Fossil Fuels by 2050?

Abstract: Our study evaluated the effectiveness of using eight pathways in combination for a complete to transition from fossil fuels to renewable energy by 2050. These pathways included renewable energy development; improving energy efficiency; increasing energy conservation; carbon taxes; more equitable balancing of human wellbeing and per capita energy use; cap and trade systems; carbon capture, utilization, and storage; and nuclear power development. We used the annual ‘British Petroleum statistical review of world energy 2021’ report as our primary database. Globally, fossil fuels, renewable (primarily hydro, wind and solar), nuclear energy accounted for 83%, 12.6%, and 6.3% of the total energy consumption in 2020. To achieve zero fossil fuel use by 2050, we found that renewable energy production will need to be increased by up to 6-fold or 8-fold if energy demand is held constant at, or increased 50% from, the 2020 energy demand level. Constraining 2050 world energy demand to a 25% increase over the 2020 level, improves the probability of achieving independence from fossil fuels. Improvements in energy efficiency need to accelerate beyond the current rate of ~1.5% per year. Aggressive application of energy conservation policies involving land use and taxation could potentially reduce world energy use by 10% or more by 2050. Our meta-analysis shows that the minimum level of per capita energy consumption that would allow 8 billion people to have a ‘Decent Living Standard’ is on average ~70 GJ per capita per year, which is 93% of the 2020 global average. Developed countries in temperate climates with high vehicle-dependency needed ~120 GJ per capita year−1, whereas equatorial countries with low vehicle-dependency needed 30 GJ per capita year−1. Our meta-analyses indicated replacement of fossil fuels with renewable energy by 2050 may be possible but will require aggressive application of all eight pathways, major lifestyle changes in developed countries, and close cooperation among all countries.

The Impact of Financial Development and FDI on Renewable Energy in the UAE: A Path towards Sustainable Development

Abstract: Several empirical studies have explored the influence of financial development on energy consumption; however, the impact of financial development, economic growth, and FDI on renewable energy consumption (REC) has not been studied in the case of the UAE. For this purpose, the long and short-run interactions among economic growth, FDI, financial development, and renewable energy consumption are explored by applying the new technique of bootstrap autoregressive distributed lag, along with Granger causality analysis, in the context of the UAE for the period from 1989–2019. Using estimation techniques, the study reveals the main findings and implications for policymakers in the UAE. The present research provides significant empirical evidence that financial development, FDI, and economic growth can significantly increase renewable energy consumption in the UAE. Therefore, it is essential to promote financial development in the UAE in order to avert the financial risks that undermine the stability of the financial markets and that negatively affect the REC. Furthermore, policymakers in the UAE should promote the concept of green finance and should provide more funds for investments in green energy for sustainable energy development in the UAE.

Sustainability in Higher Education during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Systematic Review

Abstract: The COVID-19 pandemic has created cause for rapid innovation in, reimagining of, and pivoting of higher education institutions. Prior to 2020, the global higher education sector began to radically focus their efforts on creating sustainable institutions, and incorporated the United Nations’Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The novel coronavirus pandemic may have changed that. This systematic review examines eight manuscripts, identified through a systematic search strategy on sustainability during the COVID-19 pandemic across 2020–2021. Interestingly, the low volume of manuscripts identified highlights potential learning and teaching risks, as priorities may have shifted during rapid digitalization and emergency remote teaching practices. These manuscripts focused on Goal 4, inclusive and equitable quality education (50%);Goal 8, decent work and economic growth;Goal 9, industry, innovation, and infrastructure (37.5%);and goal enabling through integrating and embedding sustainability into the curriculum (12.5%). The implications of this systematic review highlight a need to rebuild efforts to focus on the Sustainable Development Goals, particularly considering the evolving higher education landscape during COVID-19. While there were still considerable volumes of manuscripts on higher education and sustainability during 2020–2021, the lack of contextualization to current higher education conditions should be of concern for sustainability scholars. This systematic review creates a critical foundation for accelerating our understanding of achieving SDGs in higher education during and beyond the pandemic.

Identifying World Types to Deliver Gameful Experiences for Sustainable Learning in the Metaverse

Abstract: The metaverse is expected to turn imagination into reality through the convergence of various technologies and should be considered as a medium for sustainable education, free from the constraints of time and space. The purpose of this study was to identify world types in the metaverse to deliver a gameful experience to users. The relationship between gameful experience and learning motivation was examined by analyzing previous studies. Furthermore, the metaverse platforms were confirmed as virtual worlds using the metaverse classification. This study employed a bottom-up approach based on real cases to identify world types that can be used for metaverse-based education. Survival, maze, multi-choice, racing/jump, and escape room world types were identified. The results of this study can be used to provide equal educational opportunities to learners by creating innovative educational environments. This is expected to enable the achievement of the fourth sustainable development goal.

Factors Influencing the Adoption of Big Data Analytics in the Digital Transformation Era: Case Study of Jordanian SMEs

Abstract: Big data (BD) analytics has been increasingly gaining attraction in both practice and theory in light of its opportunities, barriers and expected benefits. In particular, emerging economics view big data analytics as having great importance despite the fact that it has been in a constant struggle with the barriers that prevent its adoption. Thus, this study primarily attempted to determine the drivers of big data analytics in the context of a developing economy, Jordan. The study examined the influence of technological, organizational and environmental factors on big data adoption in the Jordanian SMEs context, using PLS-SEM for the analysis. The empirical results revealed that the relative advantage, complexity, security, top management support, organizational readiness and government support influence the adoption of BD, whilst pressure of competition and compatibility appeared to be of insignificant influence. The findings are expected to contribute to enterprise management and strategic use of data analytics in the present dynamic market environment, for both researcher and practitioner circles concerned with the adoption of big data in developing countries.

Improved Metaheuristic-Driven Energy-Aware Cluster-Based Routing Scheme for IoT-Assisted Wireless Sensor Networks

Abstract: The Internet of Things (IoT) is a network of numerous devices that are consistent with one another via the internet. Wireless sensor networks (WSN) play an integral part in the IoT, which helps to produce seamless data that highly influence the network’s lifetime. Despite the significant applications of the IoT, several challenging issues such as security, energy, load balancing, and storage exist. Energy efficiency is considered to be a vital part of the design of IoT-assisted WSN; this is accomplished by clustering and multi-hop routing techniques. In view of this, we introduce an improved metaheuristic-driven energy-aware cluster-based routing (IMD-EACBR) scheme for IoT-assisted WSN. The proposed IMD-EACBR model intends to achieve maximum energy utilization and lifetime in the network. In order to attain this, the IMD-EACBR model primarily designs an improved Archimedes optimization algorithm-based clustering (IAOAC) technique for cluster head (CH) election and cluster organization. In addition, the IAOAC algorithm computes a suitability purpose that connects multiple structures specifically for energy efficiency, detachment, node degree, and inter-cluster distance. Moreover, teaching–learning-based optimization (TLBO) algorithm-based multi-hop routing (TLBO-MHR) technique is applied for optimum selection of routes to destinations. Furthermore, the TLBO-MHR method originates a suitability purpose using energy and distance metrics. The performance of the IMD-EACBR model has been examined in several aspects. Simulation outcomes demonstrated enhancements of the IMD-EACBR model over recent state-of-the-art approaches. IMD-EACBR is a model that has been proposed for the transmission of emergency data, and the TLBO-MHR technique is one that is based on the requirements for hop count and distance. In the end, the proposed network is subjected to rigorous testing using NS-3.26’s full simulation capabilities. The results of the simulation reveal improvements in performance in terms of the proportion of dead nodes, the lifetime of the network, the amount of energy consumed, the packet delivery ratio (PDR), and the latency.

Components of Education 4.0 in 21st Century Skills Frameworks: Systematic Review

Abstract: Responsive educational proposals to develop skills to meet the demands of Industry 4.0 have become imperative to guarantee inclusive, equitable, and quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all, also reducing the negative impact of COVID-19 and the major post-pandemic social issues. This article analyzes which components of Education 4.0 have been considered in 21st century skills frameworks and identifies the teaching and learning methods and key stakeholders impacted. We conducted a systematic literature review (SLR) with research questions to highlight studies that address 21st century frameworks worldwide, identifying which teaching–earning strategies contain 4.0 components, their learning dimensions, and the targeted stakeholders. The findings allowed us to identify opportunities to create or improve 21st century skills frameworks with the required Education 4.0 components to develop future skills. Our study revealed the absence of these frameworks for teachers and schools. Most are oriented toward students, developing competencies through the dimensions of character, meta-learning, and linking active learning teaching strategies. This work presents studies incorporating innovative educational practices and the core Education 4.0 components. It concludes with a reflection on creating educational models to develop complex-reasoning competencies and auto-systemic thinking to support problem-solving and address social needs.

Technology-Enhanced Education through VR-Making and Metaverse-Linking to Foster Teacher Readiness and Sustainable Learning

Abstract: The main purpose of this paper is to bring pioneering insights into the core line of sustainable education research by investigating the multi-dimensional aspects of teachers’ readiness to design technology-enhanced learning environments. In order to achieve this goal, this study documents the experiences of pre-service English teachers in instructional Virtual Reality (herein, VR) content design of K–12 English digital textbooks. Furthermore, it examines how their VR creation can be linked to a metaverse platform for learning adaptivity and sustainable education. The data are collected by pre-/post-surveys as well as reflective papers. The pre-/post-survey responses are analyzed with a t-test to determine significance; the reflective paper entries are scrutinized with sentiment analysis and text mining. The study findings suggest that such transformative experiences of VR-Making (herein, VRM) for instructional contents are conducive to capacitate pre-service teachers’ technological readiness, 4Cs (Critical Thinking, Creativity, Collaboration, Communication) in digital citizenship, and perceived pedagogical benefits. Based on findings, this study continues to support the need for providing teaching practitioners with hands-on learning-to-teach opportunities with emerging technology as a tool to fulfill sustainable education.

Minimizing Risk of Failure from Ceramic-on-Ceramic Total Hip Prosthesis by Selecting Ceramic Materials Based on Tresca Stress

Abstract: The choice of ceramic-on-ceramic coupling in total hip prosthesis has advantages over couplings with other combinations of materials that use polyethylene and metal materials in terms of high hardness, scratch resistance, low wear rate, and increased lubrication performance. To reduce the risk of primary postoperative failure, the selection of ceramic materials for ceramic-on-ceramic coupling is a strategic step that needs to be taken. The current study aims to analyze ceramic-on-ceramic coupling with commonly used ceramic materials, namely zirconium dioxide (ZrO2), silicon nitride (Si3N4), and aluminium oxide (Al2O3), according to Tressa failure criterion for the investigation of the stress distribution. A two-dimensional axisymmetric finite element-based computational model has been used to evaluate the Tresca stress on ceramic-on-ceramic coupling under gait cycle. The results show that the use of ZrO2-on-ZrO2 couplings can reduce Tresca stress by about 17.34% and 27.23% for Si3N4-on-Si3N4 and Al2O3-on-Al2O3 couplings, respectively.

Transformation of Solid Waste Management in China: Moving towards Sustainability through Digitalization-Based Circular Economy

Abstract: In China, environmental pollution due to municipal solid waste (MSW) over-generation is one of the country’s priority concerns. The increasing volume and complexity of the waste poses serious risks to the environment and public health. Currently, the annual growth of MSW generation is estimated to be approximately 8–10% and will increase to 323 million metric tons (Mt) by 2030. Based on the secondary data collected from a literature survey, this article critically evaluates the recent progress of MSW management (MSWM) in China and offers new insights into the waste sector in the era of Industry 4.0. This helps decision makers in China to plan a smooth transition nationwide to a circular economy (CE) in the waste sector. It is evident that digitalization is a driving force for China to move towards low-carbon development strategies within the framework of CE. Through digitalization, the waste sector has promoted prevention, reduction, reuse, and recycling (3Rs) of waste before waste disposal in landfills. A proper implementation of digitalization-based waste recycling has contributed to an efficient cooperation between the government and private sector, increased job opportunities, and promoted the conservation of resources. It is anticipated that this work not only contributes to the establishment of an integrated MSWM system in China, but also improves local MSWM through digitalization in the framework of a CE.

Performance Assessment of Fiber-Reinforced Concrete Produced with Waste Lathe Fibers

Abstract: The amount of steel waste produced is on the increase due to improvements in steel manufacturing industries. The increase in such wastes causes significant environmental problems and, furthermore, a large area is also required to store these waste products. Instead of disposing of these wastes, the reuse of them in different industries is an important success in terms of both reducing environmental pollution and providing low-cost products. From this motivation, the effect of lathe scrap fibers generated from Computer Numerical Control (CNC) lathe machine tools on concrete performance was investigated in this study. Pursuant to this aim and considering different fiber content, an experimental study was conducted on some test specimens. Workability and slump values of concrete produced with different lathe scrap fibers were determined, and these properties were compared with those of plain concrete. For the hardened concrete, 150 mm × 150 mm × 150 mm cubic specimens and cylindrical specimens with a diameter of 100 mm and a height of 200 mm were tested to identify compressive strength and splitting tensile strength of the concrete produced with different volume fracture of lathe waste scrap (0%, 1%, 2% and 3%). With the addition of the lathe scrap, the compressive and splitting tensile strength of fiber-reinforced concrete increases, but after a certain value of steel fiber content, there is a decrease in workability. Next, a three-point bending test was carried out on samples with dimensions of 100 × 100 × 400 mm and a span length of 300 mm to obtain the flexure behavior of different mixtures. It has been shown that the flexural strength of fiber-reinforced concrete increases with an increasing content of waste lathe. Furthermore, microstructural analysis was performed to observe the interaction between lathe scrap fiber and concrete. Good adhesion was observed between the steel fiber and cementitious concrete. According to the results obtained, waste lathe scrap fiber also worked as a good crack arrestor. Lastly, practical empirical equations were developed to calculate the compressive strength and splitting tensile strength of fiber-reinforced concrete produced with waste lathe scrap.

A Review on Global E-Waste Management: Urban Mining towards a Sustainable Future and Circular Economy

Abstract: The trending need for smarter electrical and electronic equipment (EEE) is surging globally by the year and is giving rise to huge amounts of outdated EEE going into landfills. This has caused enormous threats to our environment and the health of living beings due to its unsustainable ways of collection, treatment and disposal of waste EEE or E-waste. With increasing E-waste, the formal sectors lack infrastructure, technology and expertise required to collect and process the E-waste in an environmentally sound manner. This article is intended to bring out the global best practices in the field of E-waste management, to shed light on the importance of policy implementation, technology requirement and social awareness to arrive at a sustainable and circular economy. Although about 71% of the world’s populace has incorporated E-waste legislation, there is a need to enforce and implement a common legal framework across the globe. The article explains the gap created among the stakeholders and their knowledge on the roles and responsibilities towards a legalized E-waste management. It further explains the lack of awareness on extended producer responsibility (EPR) and producer responsibility schemes. Despite various legislations in force, numerous illegal practices such as acid leaching, open incineration, illegal dumping carried out by the informal sector are causing harm to the environment, natural resources and the safety of unorganized and unskilled labor. The article discusses the crucial need for awareness amongst stakeholders, consumer behavior and the global challenges and opportunities in this field to achieve a low-carbon, circular economy. To conclude, the article highlights the importance of common legal framework, EPR and licenses, transformation of the informal sector, benchmark technologies, responsibilities of various stakeholders and entrepreneurial opportunities to enhance the formal capacity. The article wholly advocates for transparency, accountability and traceability in the E-waste recycling chain, thus creating a greener environment and protecting our planet and natural resources for future generations.

Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as a Framework for Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR)

Abstract: Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) has been an articulated practice for over 7 decades. Still, most corporations lack an integrated framework to develop a strategic, balanced, and effective approach to achieving excellence in CSR. Considering the world’s critical situation during the COVID-19 pandemic, such a framework is even more crucial now. We suggest subsuming CRS categories under Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) be used and that they subsume CSR categories since SDGs are a comprehensive agenda designed for the whole planet. This study presents a new CSR drivers model and a novel comprehensive CSR model. Then, it highlights the advantages of integrating CSR and SDGs in a new framework. The proposed framework benefits from both CSR and SDGs, addresses current and future needs, and offers a better roadmap with more measurable outcomes.

Teachers’ Satisfaction, Role, and Digital Literacy during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Abstract: The COVID-19 pandemic has unexpectedly affected the educational process worldwide, forcing teachers and students to transfer to an online teaching and learning format. Compared with the traditional face-to-face teaching methods, teachers’ professional role, career satisfaction level, and digital literacy have been challenged in the COVID-19 health crisis. To conduct a systematic review, we use critical appraisal tools from the University of the West of England Framework We removed the irrelevant and lower-quality results to refine the results and scored each selected paper to get high-quality studies with STARLITE. The number of finally included studies is 21. We used the PICO mnemonic to structure the four components of a clinical question, i.e., the relevant patients or population groups, the intervention (exposure or diagnostic procedure) of interest, as well as against whom the intervention is being compared and considered appropriate (outcomes). We formulated five research questions regarding teachers’ professional role, satisfaction, digital literacy, higher educational practice, and sustainable education. The study found that teachers’ professional roles changed complicatedly. Moreover, they were assigned more tasks during the online teaching process, which also implicated a decline in teachers’ satisfaction. After the COVID-19 pandemic, it is necessary to conduct a blended teaching model in educational institutes. Teachers should have adequate digital literacy to meet the new needs of the currently innovative educational model in the future. In addition, the study reveals that teachers’ digital literacy level, career satisfaction, and professional role are significantly correlated. We measured to what degree the three factors affected the online teaching and learning process. Ultimately, the study may provide some suggestions for methodological and educational strategies.

Improvement in Bending Performance of Reinforced Concrete Beams Produced with Waste Lathe Scraps

Abstract: In this study, the impacts of different proportions of tension reinforcement and waste lathe scraps on the failure and bending behavior of reinforced concrete beams (RCBs) are clearly detected considering empirical tests. Firstly, material strength and consistency test and then ½ scaled beam test have been carried out. For this purpose, a total of 12 specimens were produced in the laboratory and then tested to examine the failure mechanism under flexure. Two variables have been selected in creating text matrix. These are the longitudinal tension reinforcement ratio in beams (three different level) and volumetric ratio of waste lathe scraps (four different level: 0%, 1%, 2% and 3%). The produced simply supported beams were subjected to a two-point bending test. To prevent shear failure, sufficient stirrups have been used. Thus, a change in the bending behavior was observed during each test. With the addition of 1%, 2% and 3% waste lathe scraps, compressive strength escalated by 11.2%, 21.7% and 32.5%, respectively, compared to concrete without waste. According to slump test results, as the waste lathe scraps proportion in the concrete mixture is increased, the concrete consistency diminishes. Apart from the material tests, the following results were obtained from the tests performed on the beams. It is detected that with the addition of lathe waste, the mechanical features of beams improved. It is observed that different proportions of tension reinforcement and waste lathe scraps had different failure and bending impacts on the RCBs. While there was no significant change in stiffness and strength, ductility increased considerably with the addition of lathe waste.

Can Digital Transformation Promote Green Technology Innovation?

Abstract: Using the index of the degree of digital transformation of enterprises constructed based on text analysis, and combining the data of Shanghai and Shenzhen A-share listed companies from 2007 to 2020, a panel data model was established to empirically study the impact of digital transformation on green technology innovation and the mechanism of action and to further analyze the impact of heterogeneity. The results show that digital transformation can significantly promote green technology innovation, and its internal mechanism is that digital transformation can improve the level of green technology innovation by alleviating financing constraints and attracting government subsidies. Compared with nonstate-owned enterprises and small and medium-sized enterprises, digital transformation plays a more significant role in promoting green technology innovation in state-owned enterprises and large-scale enterprises. Therefore, the government should regulate the market order and formulate reasonable financial policies to provide policy and financial support for enterprises to carry out digital transformation, mobilize the willingness of enterprises to carry out green technology innovation and improve the level of green technology innovation in China.

A Systematic Survey on Energy-Efficient Techniques in Sustainable Cloud Computing

Abstract: Global warming is one of the most compelling environmental threats today, as the rise in energy consumption and CO2 emission caused a dreadful impact on our environment. The data centers, computing devices, network equipment, etc., consume vast amounts of energy that the thermal power plants mainly generate. Primarily fossil fuels like coal and oils are used for energy generation in these power plants that induce various environmental problems such as global warming ozone layer depletion, which can even become the cause of premature deaths of living beings. The recent research trend has shifted towards optimizing energy consumption and green fields since the world recognized the importance of these concepts. This paper aims to conduct a complete systematic mapping analysis on the impact of high energy consumption in cloud data centers and its effect on the environment. To answer the research questions identified in this paper, one hundred nineteen primary studies published until February 2022 were considered and further categorized. Some new developments in green cloud computing and the taxonomy of various energy efficiency techniques used in data centers have also been discussed. It includes techniques like VM Virtualization and Consolidation, Power-aware, Bio-inspired methods, Thermal-management techniques, and an effort to evaluate the cloud data center’s role in reducing energy consumption and CO2 footprints. Most of the researchers proposed software level techniques as with these techniques, massive infrastructures are not required as compared with hardware techniques, and it is less prone to failure and faults. Also, we disclose some dominant problems and provide suggestions for future enhancements in green computing.

Designing Value Chains for Industry 4.0 and a Circular Economy: A Review of the Literature

Abstract: The growth of emerging digital technologies has led to premature and inconsistent conclusions about the relationship between circular economy and value chain activities. A structured, systematic review approach was used to examine the titles and abstracts of 912 papers from the circular economy and digital transformation, strategic management, and operations management literature. We looked at a relevant selection of 79 articles to develop a research agenda. The literature review helped identify strategic initiatives impacting the firm value chain’s redesign involving logistics capabilities, marketing, sales, and service. Outcomes of this study make significant contributions to the field. First, firms must reorganize their business models that align with their value chain activities. Second, the literature review in this study adds to a growing understanding of the field of research by showing that engaging with Industry 4.0 and the circular economy is desirable and necessary for internalizing knowledge flows across different value chain actors. Third, this study is a first step in the right direction in developing and understanding the critical role of value chains and evolving business models in a global economy with calls for more sustainable development.

A Comprehensive Review on the Ground Granulated Blast Furnace Slag (GGBS) in Concrete Production

Abstract: In the last few decades, the concrete industry has been massively expanded with the adoption of various kinds of binding materials. As a substitute to cement and in an effort to relieve ecofriendly difficulties linked with cement creation, the utilization of industrial waste as cementitious material can sharply reduce the amount of trash disposed of in lakes and landfills. With respect to the mechanical properties, durability and thermal behavior, ground-granulated blast-furnace slag (GGBS) delineates a rational way to develop sustainable cement and concrete. Apart from environmental benefits, the replacement of cement by GGBS illustrates an adequate way to mitigate the economic impact. Although many researchers concentrate on utilizing GGBS in concrete production, knowledge is scattered, and additional research is needed to better understand relationships among a wide spectrum of key questions and to more accurately determine these preliminary findings. This work aims to shed some light on the scientific literature focusing on the use and effectiveness of GGBS as an alternative to cement. First and foremost, basic information on GGBS manufacturing and its physical, chemical and hydraulic activity and heat of hydration are thoroughly discussed. In a following step, fresh concrete properties, such as flowability and mechanical strength, are examined. Furthermore, the durability of concrete, such as density, permeability, acid resistance, carbonation depth and dry shrinkage, are also reviewed and interpreted. It can be deduced that the chemical structure of GGBS is parallel to that of cement, as it shows the creditability of being partially integrated and overall suggests an alternative to Ordinary Portland Cement (OPC). On the basis of such adjustments, the mechanical strength of concrete with GGBS has shown an increase, to a certain degree; however, the flowability of concrete has been reduced. In addition, the durability of concrete containing GGBS cement is shown to be superior. The optimum percentage of GGBS is an essential aspect of better performance. Previous studies have suggested different optimum percentages of GGBS varying from 10 to 20%, depending on the source of GGBS, concrete mix design and particle size of GGBS. Finally, the review also presents some basic process improvement tips for future generations to use GGBS in concrete.

Identification of Social and Economic Expectations: Contextual Reasons for the Transformation Process of Industry 4.0 into the Industry 5.0 Concept

Abstract: The dynamic development of the fourth industrial revolution, focused on the implementation of Industry 4.0 technologies, sparked fears of governments and society regarding the dehumanization of the industry in the future. Currently, there is a need to consider sustainable development and the crucial role of man in the assumptions of industry’s future development. Concerns about the implementation of the fourth industrial revolution’s technology became the basis for building the assumptions of Industry 5.0. The article aims to identify the social and economic expectations of the development of the fourth industrial revolution in the context of the development of the sustainability, humanization, and resilience of Industry 4.0. The article presents the results of research obtained based on a critical analysis of the literature and surveys conducted among representatives of Polish society. As a result of the research, key social expectations as to the directions of development of the Industry 4.0 concept were identified. Recommendations for industry development focused on three areas of development—human-centric, sustainable, and resilient—were established. The presented research results will allow the development of an investment strategy and a government policy to support the development of industry based on the human-centric digitization of the economy.

Solid Waste Management in the Context of a Circular Economy in the MENA Region

Abstract: Solid waste management in most MENA countries is characterized by lack of planning, improper disposal, inadequate collection services, inappropriate technologies that suit the local conditions and technical requirements, and insufficient funding. Therefore, waste management is mainly limited to collection, transportation, and disposal. As the circular economy has recently been given high priority on the MENA region’s political agenda, all MENA member states are seeking to move away from old-fashioned waste disposal, “waste management”, towards a more intelligent waste treatment, “resource efficiency”. This paper presents a comprehensive overview of national systems for municipal solid waste (MSW) management, and material and energy recovery as an important aspect thereof, in the context of the circular economy in selected countries in the MENA region. Since policy, regulation, and treatment technologies are traditionally connected to MSW management, the focus of this article is twofold. Firstly, it aims to identify the different practices of solid waste management employed in selected MENA region countries and their approaches to embracing the circular economy and, secondly, it examines the extent to which policies and technologies applied play any role in this context. The study revealed that most waste management issues in the countries analyzed appear to be due to political factors and the decentralized nature of waste management with multi-level management and responsibilities. In fact, material and energy recovery in the context of municipal solid waste management does not differ significantly in the countries in the MENA region considered. In most cases, “waste” is still seen as “trouble” rather than a resource. Therefore, a fresh vision on how the solid waste management system can be transformed into a circular economy is required; there is a need for paradigm shift from a linear economy model to a circular-economy model.

Exploring the Road toward Environmental Sustainability: Natural Resources, Renewable Energy Consumption, Economic Growth, and Greenhouse Gas Emissions

Abstract: Despite the fact that China’s economy has grown swiftly since the reform and opening up, the problem of environmental degradation in China has become increasingly significant. Therefore, this paper uses China as an example to examine the dynamic relationship between the highlighted variables (renewable energy consumption, economic growth, oil rent, and natural resources) and greenhouse gas emissions (a proxy for environmental sustainability). Using annual data over the period 1971–2018 and employing the auto-regressive distributed lag bounds approach to perform an empirical analysis, the results suggest that there is a long-run equilibrium relationship between the highlighted variables and greenhouse gas emissions. Specifically, renewable energy consumption and oil rent contribute to environmental sustainability because of their negative effects on greenhouse gas emissions. On the contrary, economic growth and natural resources hinder environmental sustainability due to their positive effects on greenhouse gas emissions. In addition, using the fully modified ordinary least squares approach and dynamic ordinary least squares approach to conduct a robustness test, the results also support the previous findings. To conclude, the findings of this paper may provide some solutions for China’s environmental sustainability.

Urban Resilience for Urban Sustainability: Concepts, Dimensions, and Perspectives

Abstract: Urbanization is a continuous process for a city’s economic development. Though rapid urbanization provides a huge employment opportunity for people, urban threats also increase proportionately due to natural and man-made hazards. Understanding urban resilience and sustainability is an urgent matter to face hazards in the rapidly urbanized world. Therefore, this study aims to clarify the concept and develop key indications of urban resilience and sustainability from the existing literature. A systematic literature review guided by PRISMA has been conducted using literature from 1 January 2001 to 30 November 2021. It argues that sustainability and resilience are interrelated paradigms that emphasize a system’s capacity to move toward desirable development paths. Resilience and sustainability are fundamentally concerned with preserving societal health and well-being within the context of a broader framework of environmental change. There are significant differences in their emphasis and time scales, particularly in the context of urbanization. This study has identified key indicators of urban resilience under three major components like adaptive capacity (education, health, food, and water), absorptive capacity (community support, urban green space, protective infrastructure, access to transport), and transformative capacity (communication technology, collaboration of multi-stakeholders, emergency services of government, community-oriented urban planning). This study also identified several indicators under major dimensions (social, economic, and environmental) of urban sustainability. The findings will be fruitful in understanding the dynamics of urban vulnerability and resilience and its measurement and management strategy from developed indicators.

Effects of Waste Powder, Fine and Coarse Marble Aggregates on Concrete Compressive Strength

Abstract: The use of marble wastes in concrete mixtures, causing air and water pollution, has been promoted in the academic and practical spheres of the construction industry. Although the effects of various forms (powder, fine, coarse and mixed) of this waste on the concrete compressive strength has been subject to a decent number of studies in the literature, the difficulties in reaching specific conclusions on the effect of each test parameter constitute a major restraint for the proliferation of the use of marble wastes in the concrete industry. Most of these studies are far from underscoring all of the parameters affecting the concrete compressive strength. Due to the urgent need in the literature for comprehensive studies on concrete mixtures with marble wastes, the results of the axial compression tests on a total of 429 concrete mixtures with marble aggregates were compiled by paying special attention to reporting all test variables (form and content of marble wastes, water–cement ratio, cement content, proportion of coarse and fine aggregates in all aggregates) affecting the concrete strength. In this context, multivariate regression analyses were carried out on the existing test results. These regression analyses yielded to relationships between the change in concrete compressive strength and the test parameters for each and every form of marble waste (powder, fine and coarse aggregate). The study indicated that independent from the form of marble wastes (as powder, fine aggregate or coarse aggregate), aggregate replacements of up to 50% can yield to significant changes in the concrete compressive strength. In addition, the analytical estimates from the developed equations exhibited a high correlation (a least r value of 0.91) with the experimental results from the previous studies, yielding to rather low error values (RMSE value is 5.06 MPa at max). For this reason, the developed equations can consistently predict the changes in concrete compressive strength with varying amounts and forms of the marble aggregates as well as the other test variables.

Sustainable Supply Chain and Business Performance: The Impact of Strategy, Network Design, Information Systems, and Organizational Structure

Abstract: Technological advancement and the highly competitive nature of business have forced organizations to use multiple strategies to streamline their business operations. Current research investigates the relationship between sustainable supply chain management (SSCM) and business performance, focusing on operational and financial performance. It provides insights into the operational structure, resource utilization, and the identification of strategic tools needed to strengthen organizational performance. The researchers conducted unstructured interviews with 41 industrialists and analyzed them via open-source coding and deducing reasoning. A questionnaire was developed by analyzing critical scientific literature and unstructured interviews. Empirical responses were taken from 202 industrial corporations. The structural analyses indicate that the effective execution of SSCM significantly improves firms’ operational and financial performance. The findings also provide detailed information about different components of SSCM, namely supply chain strategy (SCS), supply chain network design (SCND), organizational structure, and information system, and explain how it relates to the previous literature review by using a multivariate statistical analysis, followed by structural equation modeling (SEM). The findings of current research highlight the significant role of SSC in accelerating firms’ operational and financial performance and suggest that SSCM should be taken as a secondary strategy and must be integrated with the overall business strategy.

A Review on Application of Biochar in the Removal of Pharmaceutical Pollutants through Adsorption and Persulfate-Based AOPs

Abstract: Increasing quantities of pharmaceutical pollutants have been found in aquatic ecosystems. The treatment of pharmaceutical pollutants has been a major task that people have been committed to in recent years. The removal of pharmaceutical pollutants can be achieved by adsorption and advanced oxidation processes (AOPs). Compared with other carbon materials, biochar has a strong adsorption capacity and persulfate activation ability, and more importantly, biochar is cheap and easy to obtain; thus, it has higher economic benefits. This study firstly reviews the application of biochar in the removal of drugs (tetracycline (TC), sulfamethoxazole (SMX), acetaminophen (ACT), cephalexin (CPX), levofloxacin (LEV), etc.) through adsorption and persulfate-based AOPs. In addition, we summarize the adsorption mechanism of biochar for various pharmaceutical pollutants and the main attack sites on different pharmaceutical pollutants in persulfate-based AOPs catalyzed by biochar. Finally, the challenges and prospects of biochar with respect to the removal of pharmaceutical pollutants are put forward.

FDI, Green Innovation and Environmental Quality Nexus: New Insights from BRICS Economies

Abstract: One major concern about foreign direct investment (FDI) is the potential negative environmental impact due to increased CO2 emissions. However, there is a possibility that FDI mitigates CO2 emissions through green innovation and creates a cleaner environment. In the existing literature, there is no significant empirical evidence on the linkage among FDI, green innovation and CO2 emissions in the context of BRICS countries. Hence, this study aims to analyze the impact of FDI and green innovation on the environmental quality of BRICS economies for 1990–2014. The study employed Augmented Mean Group (AMG) estimators for empirical data analysis. The study’s findings depict that foreign direct investment, energy use, and economic growth have a significant and positive impact on the CO2 emissions of BRICS economies. Moreover, green innovation has a significant inverse impact on CO2 emissions. The results show bidirectional causalities between CO2 emissions and green innovation, trade openness and CO2 emissions, energy use and CO2 emissions, and urbanization and CO2 emissions. Additionally, the findings reveal a one-way causality from CO2 emissions to GDP and CO2 emissions to urbanization. This study offers essential policy recommendations for the environmental sustainability of BRICS countries through green innovation.

Factors Influencing University Students’ Adoption of Digital Learning Technology in Teaching and Learning

Abstract: Education and learning have been significantly impacted by ICT. The purpose of this project is to create a new model and conduct confirmatory factor analysis in order to better understand how students utilize ICT in the classroom. An additional aim is to study, based on students’ attitudes and aspirations to utilize ICT for digital learning, their fundamental computer abilities, media-related skills, WBS, and adoption of digital learning technologies, by surveying students at Bisha University and King Faisal University. Structural equations modeling (SEM)-AMOS was used to survey 711 university students, and this study used an improved version of the Technology Acceptance Paradigm (TAM) approach as its research paradigm, as well as quantitative data collection and analytic methodologies. Students’ comments were divided into seven categories and analyzed to identify their attitudes toward and intentions for using ICT in learning environments. BCS, media-related abilities, and WBS all had a substantial influence on perceived usefulness and perceived ease of use, according to the research. This model, which was based on research, was successful in describing students’ attitudes and intentions about using ICT for digital learning.

Charging and Discharging of Electric Vehicles in Power Systems: An Updated and Detailed Review of Methods, Control Structures, Objectives, and Optimization Methodologies

Abstract: As a result of fossil fuel prices and the associated environmental issues, electric vehicles (EVs) have become a substitute for fossil-fueled vehicles. Their use is expected to grow significantly in a short period of time. However, the widespread use of EVs and their large-scale integration into the power system will pose numerous operational and technical challenges. To avoid these issues, it is essential to manage the charging and discharging of EVs. EVs may also be considered sources of dispersed energy storage and used to increase the network’s operation and efficiency with reasonable charge and discharge management. This paper aims to provide a comprehensive and updated review of control structures of EVs in charging stations, objectives of EV management in power systems, and optimization methodologies for charge and discharge management of EVs in energy systems. The goals that can be accomplished with efficient charge and discharge management of EVs are divided into three groups in this paper (network activity, economic, and environmental goals) and analyzed in detail. Additionally, the biggest obstacles that EVs face when participating in vehicle-to-grid (V2G) applications are examined in this paper.

Business Sustainability of Small and Medium Enterprises during the COVID-19 Pandemic: The Role of AIS Implementation

Abstract: Small and medium enterprises (SMEs) are the pillars on which most businesses worldwide rest. Thus, without the support of qualified information systems, it can be very challenging for them to improve their performance and difficult for them to reach sustainability goals. Despite the essentiality of economic sustenance for a competitive advantage in the postmodern industrial era, Jordanian SMEs are hampered with multiple challenges, such as accounting information quality, which supports various organizational decisions. The prevalence of information technology (IT) optimizes accounting operations through accounting-based information. A computerized accounting system (accounting information system, or AIS) facilitates accurate reporting, processes large-scale transactions, and generates meaningful reporting for subsequent evaluation. Given the lack of AIS implementation in SMEs, despite its notable advantages, this study aims to investigate the AIS-implementation antecedents and their implications towards sustainable business performance among Jordanian SMEs. An integrated model was recommended based on the technology–organization–environment (TOE) framework and resource-dependency theory (RDT) for the incorporation of AIS-implementation elements and sustainable business performance into one model. A self-administered questionnaire was disseminated among 194 respondents within the context of Jordanian SMEs for data collection and evaluation using structural equation modelling (SEM). Based on the study outcomes, external pressure, compatibility, financial support, top management support (TMS), and external assistance significantly impacted AIS implementation, which subsequently catalyzed sustainable business performance. Such results could offer useful insights into how organizations could optimize AIS implementation for sustainable business performance and expand the current body of literature on IS- or IT-implementation antecedents and impacts. The implications of this study are that SMEs should develop effective AIS implementation in order to reach sustainability goals. Therefore, we recommend and encourage SMEs decision makers to utilize AIS for their businesses.