scispace - formally typeset
Search or ask a question

Showing papers on "Sustainability published in 2021"


Journal ArticleDOI
25 Mar 2021-Nature
TL;DR: A review of the development of aquaculture from 1997 to 2017 can be found in this article, where the authors highlight the integration of aqua-culture in the global food system and the potential for molluscs and seaweed to support global nutritional security.
Abstract: The sustainability of aquaculture has been debated intensely since 2000, when a review on the net contribution of aquaculture to world fish supplies was published in Nature. This paper reviews the developments in global aquaculture from 1997 to 2017, incorporating all industry sub-sectors and highlighting the integration of aquaculture in the global food system. Inland aquaculture—especially in Asia—has contributed the most to global production volumes and food security. Major gains have also occurred in aquaculture feed efficiency and fish nutrition, lowering the fish-in–fish-out ratio for all fed species, although the dependence on marine ingredients persists and reliance on terrestrial ingredients has increased. The culture of both molluscs and seaweed is increasingly recognized for its ecosystem services; however, the quantification, valuation, and market development of these services remain rare. The potential for molluscs and seaweed to support global nutritional security is underexploited. Management of pathogens, parasites, and pests remains a sustainability challenge industry-wide, and the effects of climate change on aquaculture remain uncertain and difficult to validate. Pressure on the aquaculture industry to embrace comprehensive sustainability measures during this 20-year period have improved the governance, technology, siting, and management in many cases. The volume of global aquaculture production has tripled since 2000 with positive trends in environmental performance, but the sector faces mounting challenges including pathogen management, pollution, climate change, and increasing dependence on land-based resource systems.

618 citations


Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors present a critical review of negative and positive impacts of the pandemic and proffers perspectives on how it can be leveraged to steer towards a better, more resilient low carbon economy.
Abstract: The World Health Organization declared COVID-19 a global pandemic on the 11th of March 2020, but the world is still reeling from its aftermath. Originating from China, cases quickly spread across the globe, prompting the implementation of stringent measures by world governments in efforts to isolate cases and limit the transmission rate of the virus. These measures have however shattered the core sustaining pillars of the modern world economies as global trade and cooperation succumbed to nationalist focus and competition for scarce supplies. Against this backdrop, this paper presents a critical review of the catalogue of negative and positive impacts of the pandemic and proffers perspectives on how it can be leveraged to steer towards a better, more resilient low-carbon economy. The paper diagnosed the danger of relying on pandemic-driven benefits to achieving sustainable development goals and emphasizes a need for a decisive, fundamental structural change to the dynamics of how we live. It argues for a rethink of the present global economic growth model, shaped by a linear economy system and sustained by profiteering and energy-gulping manufacturing processes, in favour of a more sustainable model recalibrated on circular economy (CE) framework. Building on evidence in support of CE as a vehicle for balancing the complex equation of accomplishing profit with minimal environmental harms, the paper outlines concrete sector-specific recommendations on CE-related solutions as a catalyst for the global economic growth and development in a resilient post-COVID-19 world.

432 citations


Journal ArticleDOI
08 Jan 2021
TL;DR: The 15-Minute City as mentioned in this paper is a re-emergence of the concept, initially proposed in 2016 by Carlos Moreno, which adds to existing thematic of Smart Cities and the rhetoric of building more humane urban fabrics, outlined by Christopher Alexander, and that of building safer, more resilient, sustainable and inclusive cities.
Abstract: The socio-economic impacts on cities during the COVID-19 pandemic have been brutal, leading to increasing inequalities and record numbers of unemployment around the world. While cities endure lockdowns in order to ensure decent levels of health, the challenges linked to the unfolding of the pandemic have led to the need for a radical re-think of the city, leading to the re-emergence of a concept, initially proposed in 2016 by Carlos Moreno: the “15-Minute City”. The concept, offering a novel perspective of “chrono-urbanism”, adds to existing thematic of Smart Cities and the rhetoric of building more humane urban fabrics, outlined by Christopher Alexander, and that of building safer, more resilient, sustainable and inclusive cities, as depicted in the Sustainable Development Goal 11 of the United Nations. With the concept gaining ground in popular media and its subsequent adoption at policy level in a number of cities of varying scale and geographies, the present paper sets forth to introduce the concept, its origins, intent and future directions.

376 citations


Journal ArticleDOI
15 Jul 2021-Energy
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors highlight the technical feasibility and economic viability of 100% renewable energy systems including the power, heat, transport and desalination sectors and provide an energy transition pathway that could lead from the current fossil-based system to an affordable, efficient, sustainable and secure energy future for the world.

260 citations


Journal ArticleDOI
Abstract: The present study aims to explore the long‐run and causal effect of financial development and renewable energy consumption on environmental sustainability while controlling technological innovation and economic growth within the global framework. In line with the aim of the study, the fully modified OLS (FMOLS), dynamic OLS (DOLS), canonical cointegrating regression (CCR), Bayer and Hanck cointegration, and frequency‐domain causality tests are employed. Empirical evidence confirms the existence of a long‐run linkage among the variables. The present study also finds that in the long run, global financial development and global renewable energy consumption have a long‐run significant positive effect on environmental sustainability, while economic growth increases carbon emission flaring around the world. Within the global framework, the study, therefore, recommends that in order to increase environmental quality, global policy‐makers should further consider the roles of renewable energy and financial development by implementing reform energy policies in both developed and developing countries.

246 citations


Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this article, the authors investigated the effects of technological innovation within certain countries on the energy efficiency performance of neighboring countries, using data from the OECD Triadic Patent Families database for 24 innovating countries between the years 1994 and 2013.

232 citations


Journal ArticleDOI
01 Oct 2021
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors examine the current state of global grasslands and explore the extent and dominant drivers of their degradation, and set out the steps needed to protect these systems and promote their restoration.
Abstract: Grasslands are under severe threat from ongoing degradation, undermining their capacity to support biodiversity, ecosystem services and human well-being. Yet, grasslands are largely ignored in sustainable development agendas. In this Perspective, we examine the current state of global grasslands and explore the extent and dominant drivers of their degradation. Socio-ecological solutions are needed to combat degradation and promote restoration. Important strategies include: increasing recognition of grasslands in global policy; developing standardized indicators of degradation; using scientific innovation for effective restoration at regional and landscape scales; and enhancing knowledge transfer and data sharing on restoration experiences. Stakeholder needs can be balanced through standardized assessment and shared understanding of the potential ecosystem service trade-offs in degraded and restored grasslands. The integration of these actions into sustainability policy will aid in halting degradation and enhancing restoration success, and protect the socio-economic, cultural and ecological benefits that grasslands provide. Grasslands provide key ecosystem services, but their protection is often ignored in sustainable policy. This Perspective describes grassland degradation and sets out the steps needed to protect these systems and promote their restoration.

223 citations


Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this paper, Fourier cointegration and causality tests were performed to analyze the effect of renewable energy generation, globalization, and agricultural activities on ecological footprint and carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions in BRIC countries for the period 1971-2016.

220 citations


Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: The key findings provide inclusive insights for governments, authorities, practitioners, and policy-makers to alleviate the pandemic’s negative impacts on sustainable development and to realize the sustainability transition opportunities post COVID-19.

209 citations


Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this article, a Delphi study with 14 international experts in sustainability education on the framework of key competencies in sustainability by Wiek et al. (Sustain Sci 6: 203-218, 2011), the most frequently cited framework to date, was conducted.
Abstract: Hundreds of sustainability programs have emerged at universities and colleges around the world over the past 2 decades. A prime question for employers, students, educators, and program administrators is what competencies these programs develop in students. This study explores convergence on competencies for sustainability programs. We conducted a Delphi study with 14 international experts in sustainability education on the framework of key competencies in sustainability by Wiek et al. (Sustain Sci 6: 203–218, 2011), the most frequently cited framework to date. While experts generally agreed with the framework, they propose two additional competencies, suggest a hierarchy of competencies, and specify learning objectives for students interested in a career as sustainability researcher. The refined framework can inform program development, implementation, and evaluation to enhance employability of graduates and facilitate comparison of sustainability programs worldwide.

203 citations


Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors explore how digital technologies are helping address grand challenges to tackle climate change and promote sustainable development, and how entrepreneurial organizations have used digital technologies to tackle these challenges.
Abstract: We explore how digital technologies are helping address grand challenges to tackle climate change and promote sustainable development. With digital technologies, entrepreneurial organizations have ...

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: The study demonstrates the need for future research to focus on environment-health-economic nexus—a trilemma that has a potential trade-off in the aftermath of COVID-19.
Abstract: The institution of social distancing and punitive measures to contain the spread of COVID-19 through human-to-human transmission has environmental, health and economic impact. While the global pandemic has led to the enhancement of the health system and decline of emissions, economic development appears deteriorating. Here, we present the global environmental, health and economic dimension of the effect of COVID-19 using qualitative and empirical assessments. We report the health system policies, environmental sustainability issues, and fiscal, monetary and exchange rate measures introduced during lockdown across countries. While air pollution is reported to have declined, municipal and medical waste is increasing. The COVID-19 global pandemic uncertainty ranks the UK as the country with the highest uncertainty level among 143 countries. The USA has introduced 100% of pre-COVID-19 crisis level GDP, the highest policy cut-rate among 162 countries. Science, innovation, research and development underpin COVID-19 containment measures implemented across countries. Our study demonstrates the need for future research to focus on environment-health-economic nexus-a trilemma that has a potential trade-off.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this article, the authors explored the linkage between natural resource, renewable energy, human capital, and ecological footprint (EF) in BRICS using a battery of advance econometric techniques.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors employed panel spatial simultaneous equations models with a generalized spatial two-stage least squares (GS2SLS) method to explore the three-way linkages among economic growth, carbon emissions, and renewable energy consumption for European Union (EU) countries from 1995 to 2014.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: It is noteworthy that the impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic had a greater influence on sustainable consumption, followed by environmental awareness, and to a lesser extent, on social responsibility.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this paper, the potential economic effects of mandated disclosure and reporting standards for corporate social responsibility (CSR) and sustainability topics are discussed and analyzed for U.S. firms including effects in capital markets, on stakeholders other than investors, and on firm behavior.
Abstract: This study collates potential economic effects of mandated disclosure and reporting standards for corporate social responsibility (CSR) and sustainability topics. We first outline key features of CSR reporting. Next, we draw on relevant academic literatures in accounting, finance, economics, and management to discuss and evaluate the potential economic consequences of a requirement for CSR and sustainability reporting for U.S. firms, including effects in capital markets, on stakeholders other than investors, and on firm behavior. We also discuss issues related to the implementation and enforcement of CSR and sustainability reporting standards as well as two approaches to sustainability reporting that differ in their overarching goals and materiality standards. Our analysis yields a number of insights that are relevant for the current debate on mandatory CSR and sustainability reporting. It also points scholars to avenues for future research.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: The results revealed that the negative environmental impacts of PV systems could be substantially mitigated using optimized design, development of novel materials, minimize the use of hazardous materials, recycling whenever possible, and careful site selection.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: Findings suggest that the policy and market context is favorable in the near future, but that consumer beliefs, perception and understanding has to change further for the business opportunity to grow on a larger scale.
Abstract: The food sector is increasingly turning toward sustainability issues. A sustainable food system should provide sufficient, nutritious food for all within limited natural resources. Plant-based food...

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors identify the major criteria for sustainable operations and barriers that need to be overcome to achieve the objectives of sustainability through literature review and experts' opinions, and an integrated approach comprising Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) and Elimination and Choice Expressing Reality (ELECTRE) is used to analyze these barriers and ensure the sustainable supply chain operations.
Abstract: Organizations are struggling to leverage emerging opportunities for maintaining sustainability in the global markets due to many barriers in the era of Industry 4.0 and circular economy. The main aim of this study is to analyze these barriers to improve the sustainability of a supply chain. Our study identifies the major criteria for sustainable operations and barriers that need to be overcome to achieve the objectives of sustainability through literature review and experts’ opinions. An integrated approach comprising Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) and Elimination and Choice Expressing Reality (ELECTRE) is used to analyze these barriers and ensure the sustainable supply chain operations. Resource circularity, increasing profits from green products, and designing processes for resource and energy efficiency have been found to be as major sustainability criteria. There are many barriers to the implementation of Industry 4.0. These barriers include but are not limited to, a lack of a skilled workforce that understands Industry 4.0, ineffective legislation and controls, ineffective performance framework, and short-term corporate goals. The study finds that ineffective strategies for the integration of industry 4.0 with sustainability measures, combined with a lack of funds for industry 4.0 initiatives, are just two of the major barriers. The findings of the study will help organizations to develop an effective and integrated strategic approach that will foster sustainable operations through the utilization of improved knowledge of Industry 4.0 and the circular economy.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors review innovative technologies that offer solutions achieving carbon neutrality and sustainable development, including those for renewable energy production, food system transformation, waste valorization, C sink conservation, and C-negative manufacturing.
Abstract: Global development has been heavily reliant on the overexploitation of natural resources since the Industrial Revolution. With the extensive use of fossil fuels, deforestation, and other forms of land-use change, anthropogenic activities have contributed to the ever-increasing concentrations of greenhouse gases (GHGs) in the atmosphere, causing global climate change. In response to the worsening global climate change, achieving carbon neutrality by 2050 is the most pressing task on the planet. To this end, it is of utmost importance and a significant challenge to reform the current production systems to reduce GHG emissions and promote the capture of CO2 from the atmosphere. Herein, we review innovative technologies that offer solutions achieving carbon (C) neutrality and sustainable development, including those for renewable energy production, food system transformation, waste valorization, C sink conservation, and C-negative manufacturing. The wealth of knowledge disseminated in this review could inspire the global community and drive the further development of innovative technologies to mitigate climate change and sustainably support human activities.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this article, the authors present a review of the recent circular economy literature that focuses on assessing the environmental implications of circularity of products and services, and divide the system levels into micro (product level), meso (industrial estate/symbiosis) and macro (national or city level).

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: This study argues for the development of human capital, a gradual transition to sustainable growth-driven and knowledge-based industries, and the introduction of sustainability practices in the natural resource sector to mitigate CO 2 emissions in LACCs.
Abstract: The world is increasingly getting urbanized and globalized, and the increase in natural resource exploration could have a far-reaching impact on environmental quality. Since most Latin American and Caribbean countries (LACCs) have proximity to the Amazon, they, therefore, rely heavily on agriculture and mining which develop via deforestation which could exacerbate the already increasing carbon dioxide emissions (CO2 emissions). Therefore, to the best of our knowledge, this study becomes the first to investigate the link between natural resources, globalization, urbanization, and environmental degradation in LACCs countries from 1990 to 2017 with advanced panel data econometric techniques. The unit root tests affirm all the variables to be stationary at first difference, and the Westerlund (Oxf Bull Econ Stat 69(6):709–748, 2007) cointegration test confirms the long-run relationship among the variables. The augmented mean group (AMG) and the common correlated effects mean group (CCEMG) results affirm that the aforementioned variables add to CO2 emissions, while human capital mitigates it. Further findings reveal that human capital performs a moderating role in promoting urbanization sustainability. The country-specific results confirm that economic growth adds to emissions in all the countries, except in the Dominican Republic. A feedback causality exists between economic growth, globalization, urbanization, and CO2 emissions. This study argues for the development of human capital, a gradual transition to sustainable growth-driven and knowledge-based industries, and the introduction of sustainability practices in the natural resource sector to mitigate CO2 emissions in LACCs.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this article, the authors examined the linkages between green technology innovation and renewable energy and carbon dioxide emissions based on the STIRPAT model in Turkey during the time of 1990-2018.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors present a reasoned account of the critiques addressed to the circular economy and circular business models and propose critical issues that need to be addressed if the circulareconomies and its business models are to open routes for more sustainable economic development.
Abstract: This paper presents a reasoned account of the critiques addressed to the circular economy and circular business models. These critiques claim that the circular economy has diffused limits, unclear theoretical grounds, and that its implementation faces structural obstacles. Circular economy is based on an ideological agenda dominated by technical and economic accounts, which brings uncertain contributions to sustainability and depoliticizes sustainable growth. Bringing together these critiques demonstrates that the circular economy is far from being as promising as its advocates claim it to be. Circularity emerges instead as a theoretically, practically, and ideologically questionable notion. The paper concludes by proposing critical issues that need to be addressed if the circular economy and its business models are to open routes for more sustainable economic development.

Journal ArticleDOI
Heesup Han1
TL;DR: In this paper, environmental sustainability is the foremost topic in the contemporary tourism and hospitality industry, and diverse forms of environmental problems pose a serious threat to the natural environment, which is why it is important to be aware of these issues.
Abstract: Diverse forms of environmental problems pose a serious threat to the natural environment. Environmental sustainability is the foremost topic in the contemporary tourism and hospitality industry. En...


Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: A systemic overview of the current situation where people and nature are dynamically intertwined and embedded in the biosphere, placing shocks and extreme events as part of this dynamic is provided in this paper.
Abstract: The COVID-19 pandemic has exposed an interconnected and tightly coupled globalized world in rapid change. This article sets the scientific stage for understanding and responding to such change for global sustainability and resilient societies. We provide a systemic overview of the current situation where people and nature are dynamically intertwined and embedded in the biosphere, placing shocks and extreme events as part of this dynamic; humanity has become the major force in shaping the future of the Earth system as a whole; and the scale and pace of the human dimension have caused climate change, rapid loss of biodiversity, growing inequalities, and loss of resilience to deal with uncertainty and surprise. Taken together, human actions are challenging the biosphere foundation for a prosperous development of civilizations. The Anthropocene reality—of rising system-wide turbulence—calls for transformative change towards sustainable futures. Emerging technologies, social innovations, broader shifts in cultural repertoires, as well as a diverse portfolio of active stewardship of human actions in support of a resilient biosphere are highlighted as essential parts of such transformations.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors provide a first-of-its-kind overview on the SDGs and their nexus with digitalization, while unraveling policy implications and future research directions.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this article, the effects of technological innovation, financial development, and economic growth (GDP) on the ecological footprint (EF) controlling urbanization and employing a STIRPAT framework were investigated.
Abstract: The literature analyzing the ecological impacts of financial development (FD) documents mixed results. In addition, very limited researches consider the role of technological innovation in ecological sustainability even though technological innovation is indispensable to achieve technological advancement, which may help in sustainable development and ecological sustainability. Therefore, this work probes the effects of technological innovation, financial development, and economic growth (GDP) on the ecological footprint (EF) controlling urbanization and employing a STIRPAT framework. The analysis of data from West Asia and Middle East nations from 1990 to 2017 revealed cointegration in the model. The long-run coefficients produced by the continuously updated fully modified technique revealed that a 1% upsurge in technological innovation decreases EF by 0.010%. Interestingly, technological innovation is helpful to decrease EF and enhance economic growth in the West Asia and Middle East (WAME) countries. However, a 1% rise in FD boosts the level of EF by 0.0016% inferring that FD stimulates ecological degradation. Likewise, urbanization in the WAME countries raises EF levels and contributes adversely to ecological quality. In addition to this, the study revealed the environmental Kuznets curve hypothesis in the selected countries accounting for technological innovation, FD, and urbanization in the model. The causal analysis provided evidence of unidirectional causality from FD to EF and bidirectional causality between technological innovation and EF. The study recommends more investment in research and development and strong collaboration between the universities and industries to promote the level of technological innovation for both sustainable development and ecological sustainability. In addition, urban sustainability policies are necessary without decreasing the urbanization level.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors present a framework that outlines the transformations in four key areas: pollution control, waste management, sustainable production, and urban sustainability, and propose an agenda for future research in terms of organizational capabilities, performance, and digital transformation strategy regarding environmental sustainability.
Abstract: Digital transformation refers to the unprecedented disruptions in society, industry, and organizations stimulated by advances in digital technologies such as artificial intelligence, big data analytics, cloud computing, and the Internet of Things (IoT). Presently, there is a lack of studies to map digital transformation in the environmental sustainability domain. This paper identifies the disruptions driven by digital transformation in the environmental sustainability domain through a systematic literature review. The results present a framework that outlines the transformations in four key areas: pollution control, waste management, sustainable production, and urban sustainability. The transformations in each key area are divided into further sub-categories. This study proposes an agenda for future research in terms of organizational capabilities, performance, and digital transformation strategy regarding environmental sustainability.