Sustainable Futures最新文献

In the 21st century, transport has become an essential factor defining countries' progress or failure. The century has also witnessed a shift from conventional styles of transport to modernized and smart models that facilitate the effective movement of people between various destinations. Smart transportation refers to an approach that integrates modern technologies into the transportation system to enhance urban mobility efficiency. This paper examined the cornerstones and benefits of smart transportation planning and analyzed the challenges of implementing smart transportation in the KSA. The methodology comprises identifying, screening and analyzing the peer-reviewed articles on smart transportation in KSA. Databases such as Elsevier, Google Scholar, and Springer and Science Direct were used. During the assessment, it became evident that safety, convenience, and speed are the factors that inspire KSA to shift towards smart transport. Smart transportation is beneficial as it provides employment opportunities, encourages investments and improves people's living standards. The findings offered helpful insights regarding the different issues that affect the effective implementation of smart transportation systems in KSA, including lack of resources, regulatory framework and skilled personnel. The recommendations that are evident from the study comprise stakeholder involvement and intensive planning. The country must adopt policy-driven strategies, standardization, and inclusive development with clear private, public, and research collaboration commitments. Close adherence to these recommendations will help KSA attain the benefits of smart transportation systems.

The transition toward renewable energy includes a need for equitable outcomes, yet a critical research gap exists in understanding the relationship between renewable energy deployment and energy justice within International Energy Agency (IEA) member nations. This study addresses this gap by thoroughly examining the influence of renewable energy deployment on energy justice across 23 IEA member nations from 1995 to 2020. We employ advanced econometric techniques such as the two-step system generalized method of the moment to investigate the linkage between renewable energy deployment and energy justice. By considering the various dimensions of energy justice, this study provides a holistic assessment of the positive linkage between renewable energy deployment and energy justice within IEA member nations. Significantly, we uncover that a greater share of renewable energy substantially enhances energy justice levels, highlighting the importance of renewable energy policies prioritizing social inclusion and justice. By shedding light on this relationship and addressing a critical research gap, our study contributes to advancing knowledge in renewable energy deployment and energy justice. These insights hold substantial implications for policymakers, providing valuable guidance for formulating policies and strategies that promote equitable and sustainable outcomes during the renewable energy transition.

Amid global climate challenges, loss of biodiversity and resource depletion firms must act for sustainable performance (SP) and future well-being. It is crucial to understand the underlying mechanisms that enhance SP. This study aims to examine the impact of sustainable supply chain management (SSCM), and circular economy (CE), on SP in Bangladesh's green garment industry. Employing a quantitative research design, we tested the hypothesized structural model using data from 303 managers collected through surveys. The Partial Least Square Structural Equation Modeling (PLS SEM) statistical method was utilized to examine the hypotheses. The results indicate that SSCM positively impacts CE and SP, and CE mediates the SSCM-SP link. This study contributes to the literature by enhancing the Natural Resource-Based View theory, presenting SSCM-CE as resources that enhance SP. The findings hold valuable implications for Bangladesh's RMG policymaking practitioners.

Child labor is a pressing social issue with significant implications for sustainability, particularly in Egypt. This study aims to identify the social and economic factors associated with the prevalence of child labor in Egyptian society. Using a descriptive analysis approach, we conducted interviews, administered questionnaires, and made observations among a representative sample of 478 working children from various areas in Cairo Governorate (Maadi, Helwan, and Al-Maasara) and Giza Governorate (Faisal, Al-Haram, and Dokki). Our findings reveal key factors contributing to child labor in Egypt. Firstly, the study highlights the substantial impact of low monthly income, rated as a high contributing factor (weighted relative weight of 89.21 %). Additionally, migration from rural to urban areas was found to have a moderate contribution (weighted relative weight of 76.33 %). Moreover, social traditions and customs within families encouraging child labor were rated as a moderate factor (weighted relative weight of 77.60 %). The study also identifies high school dropout rates (weighted relative weight of 87.94 %) and family disintegration (weighted relative weight of 88.29 %) as significant contributors to child labor. Lastly, through interviews with the working children, we identified several negative consequences of their early employment, including exposure to stress, fatigue, injuries, anemia, low morale due to verbal abuse and humiliation by employers, inclination towards smoking, violence, and loitering at night without purpose, deprivation of education and playtime, drug and alcohol addiction, and vulnerability to sexual harassment. These findings underscore the serious challenges that child labor poses to achieving sustainable development goals. Implementing comprehensive strategies is necessary to address this issue and ensure a sustainable future for Egypt.

This paper is aimed at examining and analyzing the contribution of palm oil smallholders to the achievement of the SDGs. Another objective is to determine the highest SDGs that contribute to the achievement of SDGs by examining 13 SDGs out of 17 SDGs analyzed using Principal Component Analysis (PCA) to estimate composite SDGs index. The survey was conducted in 7 provinces in Indonesia which are oil palm centers in Indonesia. Data was obtained from interviews with 3060 smallholder oil palm farmers divided into 3 strata based on the area of oil palm land owned. The results showed that the SDG composite index of smallholders reached 77.57 %, which informed that smallholder oil palm had reached 77.57 % of the 2030 SDGS target. This achievement is greater than the national achievement which reached 70.16 %. Of the 13 SDGs analyzed, SDG17 achieved the weakest followed by SDG5. While the highest achievement was obtained by SDG1 which was followed by SDG6 and SDG8. In the future, more comprehensive cross-sectoral research related to the achievement of SDGs, especially related to the impact of government policy interventions on the achievement of SDGs.

At present, the manufacturer collaborates on selling and recycling through an online platform. We explores the mode selection of closed-loop supply chain (CLSC) under the reselling or agency modes in forward SC and under the delegated-recycling mode or agency-recycling mode in reverse SC considering data intelligence level with an online platform. The results show that both the retail price of intelligent connected products (ICPs) and the demand of new ICPs are positively correlated with data intelligence level of new ICPs. The recycling price of old ICPs is negatively relevant to data intelligence level of old ICPs. However, the recycling quantity of old ICPs is positively related to data intelligence level of old ICPs. Increasing data intelligence level of new ICPs is benefit to enterprises. Moreover, it is very unconventional that the demand of new ICPs is increasing when the retail price of new ICPs increases. In addition, the manufacturer can choose the optimal selling mode and recycling mode by setting the selling commission rate and the recycling commission rate.

Using the upper echelon framework, the present study delves into the interplay between the financial styles of senior executives (CEOs and CFOs) and their impact on earnings and risk management within non-financial firms across BRICS countries: Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa. The period of study is 2011–2022. The analysis utilizes panel data that aligns managers with their respective firms to track the fixed effects of managers on earnings and risk management practices. The overall result of the study underline that the financial styles of top executives, captured through their manager-fixed effects, along with their observable characteristics, exert significant influence on decisions related to earnings and risk management. This study's findings contribute a novel contextual perspective and enhance comprehension within the realm of emerging markets, thereby enriching the existing understanding of the subject matter.

China is currently the world's top carbon emitter due to the acceleration of urbanization, the rapid growth of energy consumption and the rise in carbon emissions, with the construction industry leading the three energy sectors in terms of emission reduction potential. Among the various sectors, the construction industry holds immense potential for emission reduction, with public buildings playing a crucial role. In China, the expansion of public building spaces is closely linked to the pace of urbanization and contributes to a rising share of total building area. Public buildings, characterized by high energy usage, offer a great opportunity for energy conservation and emission reduction. Changsha is experiencing rapid growth and change, and the city is becoming more industrialized and urbanized, which leads to a prominent contradiction between energy supply and demand. There is also great potential for energy conservation and emission reduction in public buildings. Additionally, Changsha is an important node city in the Yangtze River urban agglomeration and the middle reaches of the Yangtze River Economic Belt. It is a typical area that has hot summer and cold winter, thus Changsha is selected as the research case to examine the carbon emission path of public buildings. The primary influencing factors of carbon emissions of public buildings in Changsha City are determined by using the LMDI factor decomposition method addition model. The scenario analysis method is adopted to set the two energy consumption forecast scenarios, which are the baseline scenario and the green scenario. Based on LEAP model and GREAT framework structure, the LEAP prediction model is constructed to predict the carbon emissions of public buildings in Changsha City from 2021 to 2035. The Baseline scenario indicates that while carbon emissions from public buildings in Changsha continue to rise, they are expected to decline starting in 2030. The peak carbon emission of 34.279 million tons of CO₂ is predicted for 2032. In contrast, the Green scenario reveals a significantly slower growth rate in carbon emissions from public buildings, with the peak carbon emission projected to reach 27.054 million tons in 2030. This aligns with China's national goal. The findings of this study support the accuracy of the long-term prediction of the model, and offer recommendations for energy conservation and emission reduction in Changsha. This study also provides an example and certain guidance for other provinces and cities that have similar development models and climate conditions. Pertinent development strategies serve as a point of reference for other typical hot summer and cold winter regions.

The reduction of antibiotics in livestock farming is of great significance for ensuring the safety of meat-derived food and reducing farming pollution. Agricultural technology extension can precisely, efficiently, and cost-effectively provide frontline concepts and technologies for antibiotic reduction to farmers. However, there is still a lack of empirical evidence on the impact of Internet usage on antibiotic reduction among farmers. Based on survey data from 1005 duck farmers in 9 provinces across China, this study empirically analyzes the impact of Internet usage on the reduction of antibiotics among duck farmers and its underlying mechanisms. The results indicate that Internet usage significantly affects antibiotic reduction among farmers, a conclusion that holds true after endogeneity testing and robustness testing. Cognition of ecological benefits and cognition of health benefits are crucial pathways for promoting antibiotic reduction in farming, and Internet usage significantly enhances farmers' cognition of ecological and health benefits. Regarding information effectiveness, technical training exhibits complementary effects on Internet usage. The marginal effects of Internet usage on antibiotic reduction among farmers are significantly enhanced when the quantity and quality of family labor are at a medium level or higher. Internet usage has a substantial impact on antibiotic reduction among farmers when the quantity of family labor is at a medium level or higher, and information effectiveness can effectively promote antibiotic reduction in farming. There is no apparent heterogeneity in the impact of information effectiveness on antibiotic reduction among farmers of different quality groups.

This study examines blockchain technology (BCT) firms’ ownership structure and cash holding (CH). Using GMM on a sample of firms indexed on Blockchain50 in China during 2009–2022, findings show that Largest-shareholders minimise CH, indicating corporate expansion. Due to their monitoring motive, Top10-shareholders allow corporations to maintain large cash. To prevent currency misuse, institutional ownership and CH are negatively related. Managerial ownership favours, while the chairman ownership lowers CH, supporting the interest alignment theory. Pre- and post-BCT index period analyses demonstrate a weak post-index period influence. The BCT adaptation lessens information asymmetry and aids in reducing agency issues through quick information flow, limiting owners’ influence. This study adds empirical evidence on ownership structure and CH. The study's findings may apply to developing market enterprises employing BCT's corporate governance structures.