Societal Impacts最新文献

The establishment of environments that are suitable for children is of utmost importance in fostering communities that are both healthy and content, particularly in regions undergoing rapid urbanisation, such as Kolkata, India. The objective of this research was to ascertain the key areas of focus for the enhancement of child-friendly localities in Kolkata, as determined by the viewpoints of 258 inhabitants who partook in an internet-based questionnaire. The survey conducted a ranking of 12 amenities, encompassing a variety of services such as parks and childcare facilities, based on their respective levels of significance. The findings of the study indicate that the provision of parks, footpaths, street lights, street trees, and resting places are crucial in creating child-friendly neighbourhoods in Kolkata. Nevertheless, an examination based on parental status indicated minor variations, as parents exhibited a greater inclination towards prioritising libraries for their children in comparison to non-parents. Conversely, healthcare provision was deemed less significant among parents relative to non-parents. This research holds significant societal implications, as it offers valuable insights to urban planners and policymakers regarding the development of more sustainable and equitable communities for children residing in Kolkata. Urban planners can enhance the livability and inclusivity of neighbourhoods by prioritising child-centric amenities, such as parks and footpaths, while also taking into account the unique needs of parents and non-parents. This approach can foster social cohesion and promote community resilience. The present research holds significance for multiple Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), namely SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being), SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities), and SDG 16 (Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions). Sustainable urban planning has the potential to make a significant contribution towards the attainment of SDG 3 by establishing environments that are conducive to the physical and mental well-being of children. Urban planners can make a significant contribution towards the attainment of SDG 11 by giving priority to the creation of public spaces that are safe and accessible. Urban planning can play a role in realising SDG 16 through the provision of child-centric amenities that promote social inclusion and equity.

This research aims to produce reflections on the potential of the concept of Nature-based Solutions - NbS to guide actions on income generation, improving human well-being and preserving nature in urban communities and favelas in Brazil. The data demonstrate that there are actions taken that are inspired by the environment in areas of concentrated poverty that can be understood as NbS. This discussion assumes scientific and social relevance, considering that urban communities and favelas in Brazil bring together a large population. This population lives in social and environmental vulnerability and seeks better living conditions. Actions preserving the environment in areas of concentrated poverty, understood as Nature-based Solutions (NbS), are an available strategy for improving human well-being. With the hypothesis that there are successful cases involving health and well-being, income generation from scenic beauty and nature-based teaching solutions in urban peripheries, but that there are processes that make them socially invisible, we investigated the application of NbS in urban communities (favelas) in Brazil and found several efforts demonstrating the viability of NbS to reduce social and environmental vulnerabilities and improve living conditions.

Mexico is the centre of origin and domestication of more than 130 plant species, most of which are cultivated in traditional agricultural systems (TAS). In recent decades, this abundance has been eroded by the expansion of monocultures and commercial seeds, the homogenisation of diets, rural dynamics or the loss of traditional knowledge. From 2019 to 2022, a nationwide project funded by the GEF built and strengthened mechanisms to help conserve agrobiodiversity, and one of the territories chosen was the Purhépecha region (Michoacán). This paper systematises the project's impacts in the TASs of Michoacán and rescues the critical methodological elements that served for its successful implementation. Participatory Action Research was the conceptual approach that guided the work in six communities with more than 600 participants. Successful implementation requires four indispensable elements: trust building, communication, previous experience and conflict management. The social impacts lie in the improved understanding of the agroecological paradigm and the increase of cultivated species and varieties. Participants also improved their income by selling their products in alternative markets and creating six seed houses. Agrobiodiversity conservation requires a social transformation based on actions anchored in the territory, where local actors combine innovation and tradition to ensure generational renewal.

Urban areas around the world grapple with the issue of derelict and abandoned spaces (DAS). This study, set in Tehran, Iran, delves into the potential of these spaces when transformed into Small Urban Green Spaces (SUGS). Through a comprehensive approach involving Electroencephalogram (EEG) and psychological assessments, the study examines the impact of SUGS on the psychological well-being of urban residents. Results reveal distinct physiological and emotional responses to these green spaces, indicating their significant role in enhancing mental health and societal welfare. The findings demonstrate the value of incorporating SUGS in urban planning, providing critical insights for sustainable urban development and the revitalization of cities: (1) Various kinds of leftover spaces evoked unique physiological reactions and preferences in the participants; (2) Proactive efforts to transform spaces present a practical approach for growing populations; (3) Observing SUGS resulted in significant alterations in gamma wave power, indicating a robust connection between empathy and gamma activity; (4) Participants experienced considerable improvements in feelings of comfort, relaxation, and perceptions of color, beauty, appeal, cheerfulness, as well as overall mood states.

This study examines the economic value of cataract interventions by the Noor Dubai Foundation (NDF) on inclusive development in Katsina state. A 5-point Likert scale instrument and a multistage random selection technique were employed to draw a sample of 300 beneficiaries. The outcome shows that an important societal economic value was derived from the cataract interventions. Beneficiaries’ monthly purchasing power has surged from as low as $11.3 to $113.4, thereby lifting 79% of the eye care beneficiaries from the United Nations poverty line index. Thus, the societal benefits can be visualized in terms of reduced economic vulnerability of visually impaired persons, enhanced social inclusiveness, and improved quality of life.

Widespread high exposure and vulnerability, coupled with inadequate adaptive capacity, underscore the urgent need for targeted interventions and policies to enhance urban resilience. This research communication presents a robust framework for assessing urban social vulnerability (USoV) and associated risk assessment criteria, and underscores its policy implications. Our framework integrates exposure, sensitivity, and adaptive capacity dimensions to construct the USoVI. Applied to 146 urban centers in West Bengal, utilizing diverse indicators and advanced GIS mapping, the framework reveals elevated vulnerability levels and socio-economic disparities. Better understanding of vulnerabilities and guidance in addressing them is imperative so that effective and context-specific interventions to enhance urban resilience and alleviate vulnerability can be developed. The framework presented herein is a tool for evidence-based decision-making, empowering policymakers to craft tailored strategies that address the distinct challenges – the exposure and associated sensitivity factors - faced by diverse urban populations. By providing insights into the spatial manifestation of vulnerability and its far-reaching societal implications, we aim to contribute to the creation of inclusive, secure, and sustainable urban development. This method enhances our comprehension of vulnerability, providing urban planners with essential knowledge to tackle the intricate aspects of social vulnerability in dynamic urban settings.

The identification of societal impacts resulting from interdisciplinary research is a complex task. This complexity is particularly evident for agricultural research, which strives to mitigate trade-offs between agricultural production and multiple societal targets, including food provision, ecosystem services, soil and biodiversity conservation, climate action and rural development, all contributing to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). To address this issue, this article presents an Impact Mapping Framework for systematically assessing such societal impacts. The use case on soil health shows how ZALF, an interdisciplinary agricultural landscape research institute in Germany, uses the framework to map its research activities and their contributions towards the improvement of ecosystem services and biodiversity, and the SDGs. The Impact Mapping Framework is presented in a circular format, with research activities mapped in the outermost circle and their contributions to SDGs in the center. The article provides step-by-step instructions for applying the impact mapping framework and a supplementary Impact Map Table. It concludes by emphasizing the importance of using a systemic approach to formatively assess the societal impact of interdisciplinary research, to visualize it for external communication, to identify research gaps and collaboration opportunities, and to build impact literacy.

Recent scholarly endeavors in the domain of Cyber Intelligence have unveiled its multifaceted implications, intricately interwoven with various Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), notably encompassing Goal 9 (Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure), Goal 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities), Goal 16 (Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions), among others. This study intricately dissects the symbiotic nexus between Cyber Intelligence research and these SDGs, whilst simultaneously unraveling its profound reverberations across the diverse dimensions of the PESTEL (Political, Economic, Social, Technological, Environmental, and Legal) framework. Ten critical impacts inherent in current research works on cyber intelligence were identified, subsequently juxtaposing these impacts within the PESTEL dimensions. This analytical process further unraveled an additional eleven critical impacts yet to be addressed by current research works on cyber intelligence. Addressing these additional 11 impacts in forthcoming research endeavors is posited as a catalyst for optimizing societal benefits across the diverse spectra of PESTEL dimensions. Moving on from categorizing and classifying societal impacts of cyber research within PESTEL framework, this study finally establishes a strategic roadmap of 11 future research directions on cyber intelligence like sustainable cyber security practices, mental health aspects of cyber victimhood, ethical AI in cybersecurity among others. Fostering a cross-disciplinary dialog, this work contributes to the broader discourse on harnessing cyber intelligence for societal betterment, mitigating the potential detrimental effects cyber threats.

This article explores the risk factors limiting access to formal financing in the artisanal and small-scale mining (ASM) industry. It is argued in this study that to tackle the funding constraints in the ASM industry a bottom-up approach that captures the perspective of the miners who are engaged in these activities themselves is required. This involves understanding more about the limiting factors that inhibit the miners’ access to formal lending from the perspective of the miners themselves. This will provide better guidance when formal lenders scrutinize the documents for issuing loans to this group of miners. This study draws data from participants in the mining industry and from formal lenders who lend to operators in the industry, using grounded theory. Results of the analyses of the study data helped to underpin the credit risk factors that limits access of ASM operators to formal sources of funding. With the knowledge of these risk factors, lenders are aware of the critical areas for due diligence, which minimises their risk exposure and can potentially encourage loan issuance to this sector. Adequate funding for the ASM industry will improve their contribution to the national economic development. With access to formal financing which this study promotes, ASM companies are enabled to achieve safe and healthy operations, with reduced negative impact on the environment. Also, formal financing will limit the prospect of vested interests of informal financiers in the industry, thereby increasing the earnings of the miners from the operations and improving their living conditions. Thus, a well-financed ASM sector can help developing nations across the world to move closer to meeting key targets linked to the Sustainable Developments Goals (SDGs), especially SDG1 (end poverty), SDG2 (zero hunger), SDG8 (decent work and economic growth) and SDG10 (reduced inequality).

There is a growing gap in the provision of early rehabilitation services in low income countries. This article describes the EI® app, to help understand how digital technology and scale up has set the stage to help implement and sustain early interventions in rural India to help address the unmet rehabilitation needs within the country and globally.