Pub Date : 2026-06-01Epub Date: 2026-01-17DOI: 10.1016/j.indic.2026.101131
Zhiying Tang , Yihang Jia , Zhibing Lu , Wenhua Duan , Yonghui He , Gang Lei , Lizheng Fang , Wenting Li , Yaoxing Wu , Tianxiang Wang , Huimin Tian , Lianghua Qi
Global climate change and intensified human activities drive rapid land use and land cover (LULC) changes, particularly in ecologically fragile regions like China's Southern Hilly Region (SHR), affecting ecosystem services (ESs) trade-offs/synergies. However, scale-dependent thresholds governing these relationships remain poorly quantified. We analyzed ESs dynamics (water yield, soil conservation, carbon storage, nutrient retention, habitat quality) across regional, watershed, and sub-watershed scales (1990–2020) using the InVEST model, sensitivity indices, and piecewise linear regression. ESs responses exhibited significant scale effects, with sub-watersheds showing the highest sensitivity to LULC changes and representing the most stable management unit. Particularly, we found that critical LULC thresholds regulate trade-offs/synergies: forest cover exceeding ∼70 % strongly enhanced synergies among multiple ESs, while cropland proportions between 30 and 65 % intensified trade-offs (e.g., between soil conservation and water yield). Impervious expansion consistently degraded ESs. Our results demonstrate that optimizing LULC patterns-prioritizing forest conservation (>70 % cover), limiting cropland (<65 %), and controlling urban sprawl-at the sub-watershed scale minimizes ESs trade-offs. This study establishes quantitative thresholds to guide targeted land-use planning and ecological restoration policies in hilly regions globally, supporting sustainable landscape governance.
{"title":"Thresholds of ecosystem service trade-offs and synergies at different spatio-temporal scales in hilly region of Southern China","authors":"Zhiying Tang , Yihang Jia , Zhibing Lu , Wenhua Duan , Yonghui He , Gang Lei , Lizheng Fang , Wenting Li , Yaoxing Wu , Tianxiang Wang , Huimin Tian , Lianghua Qi","doi":"10.1016/j.indic.2026.101131","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.indic.2026.101131","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Global climate change and intensified human activities drive rapid land use and land cover (LULC) changes, particularly in ecologically fragile regions like China's Southern Hilly Region (SHR), affecting ecosystem services (ESs) trade-offs/synergies. However, scale-dependent thresholds governing these relationships remain poorly quantified. We analyzed ESs dynamics (water yield, soil conservation, carbon storage, nutrient retention, habitat quality) across regional, watershed, and sub-watershed scales (1990–2020) using the InVEST model, sensitivity indices, and piecewise linear regression. ESs responses exhibited significant scale effects, with sub-watersheds showing the highest sensitivity to LULC changes and representing the most stable management unit. Particularly, we found that critical LULC thresholds regulate trade-offs/synergies: forest cover exceeding ∼70 % strongly enhanced synergies among multiple ESs, while cropland proportions between 30 and 65 % intensified trade-offs (e.g., between soil conservation and water yield). Impervious expansion consistently degraded ESs. Our results demonstrate that optimizing LULC patterns-prioritizing forest conservation (>70 % cover), limiting cropland (<65 %), and controlling urban sprawl-at the sub-watershed scale minimizes ESs trade-offs. This study establishes quantitative thresholds to guide targeted land-use planning and ecological restoration policies in hilly regions globally, supporting sustainable landscape governance.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":36171,"journal":{"name":"Environmental and Sustainability Indicators","volume":"30 ","pages":"Article 101131"},"PeriodicalIF":5.6,"publicationDate":"2026-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146081040","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-06-01Epub Date: 2026-01-15DOI: 10.1016/j.indic.2025.101057
Marjan Bahlekeh , Seyed Hamidreza Sadeghi
The current study will deal with the problem of natural resource degradation, presenting a new, multifaceted approach to the measurement of watershed health. This idea determines the capacity of a watershed to be structurally and functionally sound within a safe operating interval that has its upper (i.e., resilience) and lower (i.e., release) limits. The method extends beyond the analogous concepts by quantitatively prognosing the nearness of a system to highly sensitive breaking points, by providing a dynamically diagnostic framework and management recommendations. The viability was determined at economic, social, infrastructural, and environmental dimensions. Content Validity Ratio (CVR) and Index (CVI) were used to validate criteria refinement with expert input (n = 40) used to refine criteria. A complex viability index was calculated on these criteria, and interrelationships between them investigated by Interpretive Structural Modelling (ISM) and MICMAC analysis. The framework was applied to the Shazand Watershed in Iran and determined a moderate-depletion state with a weighted mean index of viability of 41.46 % (±5.74). Spatial zoning map showed central sub-watersheds to be the most vulnerable. A SDGs-based performance evaluation revealed that SDG 13 (Climate Action) and SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being) were the most successful (80.63 % and 62.59 %). On the other hand, the lowest scores were received by SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals) and SDG 15 (Life on Land) (30.71 % and 33.40 %). The conceptualized model and its pilot application demonstrates a critical and transferable instrument for assessing watershed viability that decision-makers should use to develop comprehensive and specific watershed management plans.
{"title":"A novel watershed viability assessment grounded in global sustainable development goals","authors":"Marjan Bahlekeh , Seyed Hamidreza Sadeghi","doi":"10.1016/j.indic.2025.101057","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.indic.2025.101057","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The current study will deal with the problem of natural resource degradation, presenting a new, multifaceted approach to the measurement of watershed health. This idea determines the capacity of a watershed to be structurally and functionally sound within a safe operating interval that has its upper (i.e., resilience) and lower (i.e., release) limits. The method extends beyond the analogous concepts by quantitatively prognosing the nearness of a system to highly sensitive breaking points, by providing a dynamically diagnostic framework and management recommendations. The viability was determined at economic, social, infrastructural, and environmental dimensions. Content Validity Ratio (CVR) and Index (CVI) were used to validate criteria refinement with expert input (n = 40) used to refine criteria. A complex viability index was calculated on these criteria, and interrelationships between them investigated by Interpretive Structural Modelling (ISM) and MICMAC analysis. The framework was applied to the Shazand Watershed in Iran and determined a moderate-depletion state with a weighted mean index of viability of 41.46 % (±5.74). Spatial zoning map showed central sub-watersheds to be the most vulnerable. A SDGs-based performance evaluation revealed that SDG 13 (Climate Action) and SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being) were the most successful (80.63 % and 62.59 %). On the other hand, the lowest scores were received by SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals) and SDG 15 (Life on Land) (30.71 % and 33.40 %). The conceptualized model and its pilot application demonstrates a critical and transferable instrument for assessing watershed viability that decision-makers should use to develop comprehensive and specific watershed management plans.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":36171,"journal":{"name":"Environmental and Sustainability Indicators","volume":"30 ","pages":"Article 101057"},"PeriodicalIF":5.6,"publicationDate":"2026-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146081044","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-06-01Epub Date: 2026-02-02DOI: 10.1016/j.indic.2026.101154
Boniface Ngah Epo, David Arsène Temching Sonkeng Etame
This study analyzes the temporal synchronization and spillover impacts of China's green growth on African Regional Economic Communities (RECs) from 1996 to 2019, emphasizing emissions dynamics and environmental externalities. Two composite indicators are developed: the Stimulating Green Growth Index (SGGI), which measures advancements in energy sustainability, production efficiency, and social inclusion, and the Destimulating Green Growth Index (DGGI), which indicates pollution intensity, resource depletion, and ecological degradation. The indices are generated by a two-stage Principal Component Analysis and examined through the Continuous Wavelet Transform, facilitating the detection of time-frequency-specific synchronization and lead-lag correlations. The results indicate a significant disparity in the transfer of green growth between China and Africa. China's promotion of green growth has weak and sporadic alignment with African trends, demonstrating modest convergence solely following the Paris Agreement. Conversely, China's counterproductive green growth demonstrates robust, enduring, and China-driven synchronization with African regions, signifying considerable transboundary spillovers of environmental costs. Phases of accelerated economic growth in China often align with increasing destimulating pressures in resource-abundant African Regional Economic Communities, indicating emissions externalization via trade and extractive connections. This study documents pre-2020 dynamics to offer a baseline for assessing China's post-2020 dual-carbon promises and their effects on carbon spillovers within China–Africa supply chains.
{"title":"China and Africa in the green transition: Evidence from wavelet analysis","authors":"Boniface Ngah Epo, David Arsène Temching Sonkeng Etame","doi":"10.1016/j.indic.2026.101154","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.indic.2026.101154","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study analyzes the temporal synchronization and spillover impacts of China's green growth on African Regional Economic Communities (RECs) from 1996 to 2019, emphasizing emissions dynamics and environmental externalities. Two composite indicators are developed: the Stimulating Green Growth Index (SGGI), which measures advancements in energy sustainability, production efficiency, and social inclusion, and the Destimulating Green Growth Index (DGGI), which indicates pollution intensity, resource depletion, and ecological degradation. The indices are generated by a two-stage Principal Component Analysis and examined through the Continuous Wavelet Transform, facilitating the detection of time-frequency-specific synchronization and lead-lag correlations. The results indicate a significant disparity in the transfer of green growth between China and Africa. China's promotion of green growth has weak and sporadic alignment with African trends, demonstrating modest convergence solely following the Paris Agreement. Conversely, China's counterproductive green growth demonstrates robust, enduring, and China-driven synchronization with African regions, signifying considerable transboundary spillovers of environmental costs. Phases of accelerated economic growth in China often align with increasing destimulating pressures in resource-abundant African Regional Economic Communities, indicating emissions externalization via trade and extractive connections. This study documents pre-2020 dynamics to offer a baseline for assessing China's post-2020 dual-carbon promises and their effects on carbon spillovers within China–Africa supply chains.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":36171,"journal":{"name":"Environmental and Sustainability Indicators","volume":"30 ","pages":"Article 101154"},"PeriodicalIF":5.6,"publicationDate":"2026-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146174147","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-06-01Epub Date: 2026-02-07DOI: 10.1016/j.indic.2026.101167
Huong Giang Luong , Thi Lan Anh Nguyen , Vu Ngoc Xuan
This paper examines the long- and short-run relationships between innovation (INNO), carbon dioxide emissions (CO2), real economic activity (GDP), foreign direct investment (FDI), trade openness (TRAD), and renewable energy (RE) in the Netherlands over 1990–2023 using the autoregressive distributed lag (ARDL) bounds testing framework. We specify a log-linear emissions model and, as a robustness check, an INNO-driven model to study feedback effects. The empirical strategy includes unit-root testing (ADF/PP/KPSS), structural break screening, ARDL bounds cointegration tests, long-run estimation with an error-correction representation, and extensive diagnostics (serial correlation, heteroskedasticity, and functional form) as well as stability tests (CUSUM/CUSUMSQ). While INNO, RE penetration, and trade structure are conceptually expected to reduce emissions through efficiency and substitution channels, scale effects from GDP and FDI can increase emissions unless accompanied by sufficiently strong technological upgrading. The study contributes country-specific evidence for the Netherlands, a small open economy with advanced INNO capacity and ambitious climate targets. Results sections include carefully formatted tables and figures templates ready for estimation. Rather than identifying generic emissions drivers, this study evaluates the effectiveness and stability of innovation-led decarbonization under intensified post-2020 climate policy regimes in the Netherlands.
{"title":"Assessing sustainability indicators of carbon emissions in the Netherlands: The roles of innovation, renewable energy, and economic openness","authors":"Huong Giang Luong , Thi Lan Anh Nguyen , Vu Ngoc Xuan","doi":"10.1016/j.indic.2026.101167","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.indic.2026.101167","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This paper examines the long- and short-run relationships between innovation (INNO), carbon dioxide emissions (CO<sub>2</sub>), real economic activity (GDP), foreign direct investment (FDI), trade openness (TRAD), and renewable energy (RE) in the Netherlands over 1990–2023 using the autoregressive distributed lag (ARDL) bounds testing framework. We specify a log-linear emissions model and, as a robustness check, an INNO-driven model to study feedback effects. The empirical strategy includes unit-root testing (ADF/PP/KPSS), structural break screening, ARDL bounds cointegration tests, long-run estimation with an error-correction representation, and extensive diagnostics (serial correlation, heteroskedasticity, and functional form) as well as stability tests (CUSUM/CUSUMSQ). While INNO, RE penetration, and trade structure are conceptually expected to reduce emissions through efficiency and substitution channels, scale effects from GDP and FDI can increase emissions unless accompanied by sufficiently strong technological upgrading. The study contributes country-specific evidence for the Netherlands, a small open economy with advanced INNO capacity and ambitious climate targets. Results sections include carefully formatted tables and figures templates ready for estimation. Rather than identifying generic emissions drivers, this study evaluates the effectiveness and stability of innovation-led decarbonization under intensified post-2020 climate policy regimes in the Netherlands.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":36171,"journal":{"name":"Environmental and Sustainability Indicators","volume":"30 ","pages":"Article 101167"},"PeriodicalIF":5.6,"publicationDate":"2026-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146174146","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
The Indo-Gangetic Plains (IGP) remain highly climate vulnerable, where farmers experience limited access to timely, trusted, and contextualized risk information necessary for adaptation. This study examines how exposure to risk communication, along with key socio-psychological determinants, shapes behavioural responses to climate change. Using the Stimulus-Organism-Response (S-O-R) framework, six constructs were conceptualized and validated—Risk Communication, Social Participation, Institutional Awareness, Risk Perception, Negative Emotions, and Behavioural Change. A multistage sampling approach was applied across Bihar and Uttar Pradesh, engaging 240 farmers. PLS-SEM was used to develop indicators, evaluate construct validity, and test structural relationships. Among the significant predictors, Negative Emotions strongly impacted Behavioural Change (β = 0.961), while Institutional Awareness significantly influenced both Negative Emotions (β = 0.817) and Risk Perception (β = 0.711). Beyond model fit, the validated indicators generated through this study can support future assessment of climate risk communication effectiveness and serve as reference metrics for extension and sustainability research. Overall, the study offers a contextually grounded and empirically strengthened risk communication model that can inform more responsive and farmer-centric advisory strategies to enhance climate resilience in the IGP. It provides valuable insights for designing more effective, psychologically informed risk communication strategies to strengthen climate resilience among vulnerable farming communities.
{"title":"Climate risk communication and farmers’ adaptive behaviour in the Indo-Gangetic Plains: Insights from the Stimulus-Organism-Response (S-O-R) framework","authors":"Nushrat Jahan , R.N. Padaria , Aiswarya S , L. Muralikrishnan , Subhashree Sahu , Md Yeasin , Ananta Vashisth , Dibyanshu Shekhar , Priti Priyadarshni , Bhaskar Ghosh , Sweety Mukherjee , Amandeep Ranjan , Kotha Shravani , Simran Pundir","doi":"10.1016/j.indic.2026.101141","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.indic.2026.101141","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The Indo-Gangetic Plains (IGP) remain highly climate vulnerable, where farmers experience limited access to timely, trusted, and contextualized risk information necessary for adaptation. This study examines how exposure to risk communication, along with key socio-psychological determinants, shapes behavioural responses to climate change. Using the Stimulus-Organism-Response (S-O-R) framework, six constructs were conceptualized and validated—Risk Communication, Social Participation, Institutional Awareness, Risk Perception, Negative Emotions, and Behavioural Change. A multistage sampling approach was applied across Bihar and Uttar Pradesh, engaging 240 farmers. PLS-SEM was used to develop indicators, evaluate construct validity, and test structural relationships. Among the significant predictors, Negative Emotions strongly impacted Behavioural Change (β = 0.961), while Institutional Awareness significantly influenced both Negative Emotions (β = 0.817) and Risk Perception (β = 0.711). Beyond model fit, the validated indicators generated through this study can support future assessment of climate risk communication effectiveness and serve as reference metrics for extension and sustainability research. Overall, the study offers a contextually grounded and empirically strengthened risk communication model that can inform more responsive and farmer-centric advisory strategies to enhance climate resilience in the IGP. It provides valuable insights for designing more effective, psychologically informed risk communication strategies to strengthen climate resilience among vulnerable farming communities.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":36171,"journal":{"name":"Environmental and Sustainability Indicators","volume":"30 ","pages":"Article 101141"},"PeriodicalIF":5.6,"publicationDate":"2026-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146174199","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-06-01Epub Date: 2026-01-23DOI: 10.1016/j.indic.2026.101135
Mohammed Mashary Alnaim
This study explores the potential of cultural tourism as a strategic driver for sustainable urban development in Hail City, Saudi Arabia, emphasizing its alignment with the objectives of Saudi Vision (2030). Situated at the intersection of heritage preservation, community participation, and environmental sustainability, the research investigates how Hail's rich cultural assets, ranging from the UNESCO-listed Jubbah Rock Art to its traditional urban fabric and crafts, can be transformed into engines of socio-economic growth. A qualitative-dominant mixed-methods approach was adopted, integrating document analysis, stakeholder interviews, field surveys, and comparative case studies from Fez, Kyoto, and Bath. Findings indicate that despite possessing significant cultural value, Hail's tourism potential remains underdeveloped due to infrastructural limitations and institutional fragmentation. Nevertheless, strong local identity, community enthusiasm, and ecological endowments provide a promising basis for sustainable transformation. The study proposes a comprehensive cultural tourism strategy structured around three interrelated pillars: infrastructure improvement, heritage preservation and programming, and community empowerment with environmental integration. The research contributes to global discourse on heritage-led urbanism by demonstrating how mid-sized cities in developing contexts can achieve balanced modernization, enhance quality of life, and preserve cultural authenticity through a locally adapted sustainability model.
{"title":"Cultural tourism as a driver for sustainable urban development in Hail City, Saudi Arabia","authors":"Mohammed Mashary Alnaim","doi":"10.1016/j.indic.2026.101135","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.indic.2026.101135","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study explores the potential of cultural tourism as a strategic driver for sustainable urban development in Hail City, Saudi Arabia, emphasizing its alignment with the objectives of Saudi Vision (2030). Situated at the intersection of heritage preservation, community participation, and environmental sustainability, the research investigates how Hail's rich cultural assets, ranging from the UNESCO-listed Jubbah Rock Art to its traditional urban fabric and crafts, can be transformed into engines of socio-economic growth. A qualitative-dominant mixed-methods approach was adopted, integrating document analysis, stakeholder interviews, field surveys, and comparative case studies from Fez, Kyoto, and Bath. Findings indicate that despite possessing significant cultural value, Hail's tourism potential remains underdeveloped due to infrastructural limitations and institutional fragmentation. Nevertheless, strong local identity, community enthusiasm, and ecological endowments provide a promising basis for sustainable transformation. The study proposes a comprehensive cultural tourism strategy structured around three interrelated pillars: infrastructure improvement, heritage preservation and programming, and community empowerment with environmental integration. The research contributes to global discourse on heritage-led urbanism by demonstrating how mid-sized cities in developing contexts can achieve balanced modernization, enhance quality of life, and preserve cultural authenticity through a locally adapted sustainability model.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":36171,"journal":{"name":"Environmental and Sustainability Indicators","volume":"30 ","pages":"Article 101135"},"PeriodicalIF":5.6,"publicationDate":"2026-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146081039","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-06-01Epub Date: 2026-01-27DOI: 10.1016/j.indic.2026.101146
Jiale Li , Zinuo Huo , Xinling Jiang , Toba Stephen Olasehinde , Yubing Fan , Hua Qin
Due to climate change and human activities, the grasslands of the Qinghai-Xizang Plateau have experienced varying degrees of degradation, which has significantly reduced livelihoods of the herder households. Herders are indigenous to these vast grasslands. Over centuries, they have developed a strong sense of community belonging, which helps protect natural grasslands and prevent further degradation. This study explores how community belonging affects herders' willingness to restore degraded grasslands and examines the underlying mechanisms of this relationship. We frame our analysis within a common-pool resource framework to clarify the collective action dilemma associated with grassland restoration. The results indicate that community belonging shows a statistically significant and positive effect on herders’ willingness to restore degraded grasslands, suggesting a 36.7 % increase in willingness. Being a village cadre negatively moderates the impact of community belonging, indicating a 70.1 % decrease in the positive effect. Additionally, herders with smaller livestock scales, those who have access to loans, and those residing in the Haixi region exhibit stronger behavioral willingness responses to community belonging. Therefore, grassland restoration policies should focus on enhancing community belonging and leveraging social capital as a key component of grassland protection and restoration strategies, with targeted economic incentives and improved institutional trust through better policy implementation.
{"title":"Community belonging and grassland restoration willingness: Evidence from a micro-survey of herders in Qinghai Province, China","authors":"Jiale Li , Zinuo Huo , Xinling Jiang , Toba Stephen Olasehinde , Yubing Fan , Hua Qin","doi":"10.1016/j.indic.2026.101146","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.indic.2026.101146","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Due to climate change and human activities, the grasslands of the Qinghai-Xizang Plateau have experienced varying degrees of degradation, which has significantly reduced livelihoods of the herder households. Herders are indigenous to these vast grasslands. Over centuries, they have developed a strong sense of community belonging, which helps protect natural grasslands and prevent further degradation. This study explores how community belonging affects herders' willingness to restore degraded grasslands and examines the underlying mechanisms of this relationship. We frame our analysis within a common-pool resource framework to clarify the collective action dilemma associated with grassland restoration. The results indicate that community belonging shows a statistically significant and positive effect on herders’ willingness to restore degraded grasslands, suggesting a 36.7 % increase in willingness. Being a village cadre negatively moderates the impact of community belonging, indicating a 70.1 % decrease in the positive effect. Additionally, herders with smaller livestock scales, those who have access to loans, and those residing in the Haixi region exhibit stronger behavioral willingness responses to community belonging. Therefore, grassland restoration policies should focus on enhancing community belonging and leveraging social capital as a key component of grassland protection and restoration strategies, with targeted economic incentives and improved institutional trust through better policy implementation.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":36171,"journal":{"name":"Environmental and Sustainability Indicators","volume":"30 ","pages":"Article 101146"},"PeriodicalIF":5.6,"publicationDate":"2026-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146174150","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-06-01Epub Date: 2026-02-02DOI: 10.1016/j.indic.2026.101157
Teklu Gebretsadik, Tsadiku Alemu
Linking Bees, Biodiversity, and Breadwinners highlights the complex and essential relationship between Bees and the survival of rural livelihoods. Although the role of bees in advancing sustainable development objectives is broadly recognized, a range of additional advantages offered by bees has not been completely acknowledged. This study examines how Beekeeping adoption influences ecological productivity and the sustainability of livelihoods for rural households across six kebele in Dilla Zuria, Wonago, and Dale woreda clusters in Southern Ethiopia. It employs a triangulated mixed-methods design that includes household surveys (n = 178), plot-level production data (n = 120), alongside 10 key informant interviews (KIIs) and 6 focus group discussions (FGDs). An index for livelihood sustainability (LSI) was developed utilizing normalized components of economic, social, and ecological factors. Findings indicate that adopting Beekeeping boosts the likelihood of enhanced livelihood sustainability by 6 percentage points, and every extra ETB 1000 in honey revenue elevates LSI by 1.2 percentage points. Productivity assessment shows that a one-unit rise in the pollinator index boosts crop yield by 12%, while adding 10 hives raises yield by 3%. Mediation analysis verifies a modest yet significant ecological pathway; adoption enhances pollinator abundance (β = 0.35, p < 0.001), leading to higher yield (β = 0.11, p = 0.007), resulting in a small but notable indirect benefit in LSI. Propensity score matching shows an average income increase of ETB 3200 for those who adopt. Qualitative evidence spines these conclusions, emphasizing Beekeeping as a means of income stability, ecosystem benefits, and empowerment, especially when combined with institutional backing and gender inclusivity. The research introduces and determines that Beekeeping acts as a connection between 3B's (Bees, Biodiversity, and Breadwinners) as preserving biodiversity and ensuring the sustainability of rural livelihoods. The research finds that enhancing Beekeeping in smallholder farming systems can greatly support in reaching the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)- especially SDG 1.1 and 1.2 through improved income-focused poverty alleviation, SDG 2 (Zero Hunger), SDG 13 (Climate Action), and SDG 15.1 and 15.5, aligning with the Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan. Enhancing agroecological methods that support pollinators, increasing access to modern Beekeeping technologies, and boosting institutional capabilities can expedite advancements towards sustainable agri-food systems.
《联系蜜蜂、生物多样性和养家糊口者》强调了蜜蜂与农村生计生存之间复杂而重要的关系。虽然蜜蜂在促进可持续发展目标方面的作用已得到广泛承认,但蜜蜂提供的一系列额外优势尚未得到完全承认。本研究考察了在埃塞俄比亚南部的Dilla Zuria、Wonago和Dale worreda集群的六个kebele中,养蜂的采用如何影响农村家庭的生态生产力和生计的可持续性。该研究采用三角混合方法设计,包括住户调查(n = 178)、小区生产数据(n = 120)、10次关键信息者访谈(kii)和6次焦点小组讨论(fgd)。利用经济、社会和生态因素的标准化成分,开发了生计可持续性指数(LSI)。研究结果表明,养蜂使生计可持续性提高了6个百分点,蜂蜜收入每增加1000英镑,LSI就会提高1.2个百分点。生产力评估显示,传粉者指数每增加一个单位,作物产量就会提高12%,而增加10个蜂箱,产量就会提高3%。中介分析验证了一条适度但重要的生态路径;采食增加传粉媒介丰度(β = 0.35, p < 0.001),导致更高的产量(β = 0.11, p = 0.007),在大规模种植中产生了虽小但显著的间接效益。倾向得分匹配显示,那些采用的人平均收入增加了3200英镑。定性证据支持这些结论,强调养蜂是收入稳定、生态系统效益和赋权的一种手段,特别是在与制度支持和性别包容性相结合的情况下。该研究介绍并确定了养蜂作为3B(蜜蜂、生物多样性和养家糊口者)之间的联系,以保护生物多样性和确保农村生计的可持续性。研究发现,通过加强以收入为重点的扶贫、可持续发展目标2(零饥饿)、可持续发展目标13(气候行动)以及可持续发展目标15.1和15.5,加强小农农业系统的养蜂可以极大地支持实现可持续发展目标(SDG),特别是可持续发展目标1.1和1.2,并与《生物多样性战略和行动计划》保持一致。加强支持传粉媒介的农业生态方法,增加获得现代养蜂技术的机会,并提高机构能力,可以加快实现可持续农业粮食系统的进程。
{"title":"Linking Bees, Biodiversity, and Breadwinners: Ecological and Economic values of Beekeeping for Agricultural productivity and livelihood sustainability in Southern Ethiopia","authors":"Teklu Gebretsadik, Tsadiku Alemu","doi":"10.1016/j.indic.2026.101157","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.indic.2026.101157","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Linking Bees, Biodiversity, and Breadwinners highlights the complex and essential relationship between Bees and the survival of rural livelihoods. Although the role of bees in advancing sustainable development objectives is broadly recognized, a range of additional advantages offered by bees has not been completely acknowledged. This study examines how Beekeeping adoption influences ecological productivity and the sustainability of livelihoods for rural households across six kebele in Dilla Zuria, Wonago, and Dale woreda clusters in Southern Ethiopia. It employs a triangulated mixed-methods design that includes household surveys (n = 178), plot-level production data (n = 120), alongside 10 key informant interviews (KIIs) and 6 focus group discussions (FGDs). An index for livelihood sustainability (LSI) was developed utilizing normalized components of economic, social, and ecological factors. Findings indicate that adopting Beekeeping boosts the likelihood of enhanced livelihood sustainability by 6 percentage points, and every extra ETB 1000 in honey revenue elevates LSI by 1.2 percentage points. Productivity assessment shows that a one-unit rise in the pollinator index boosts crop yield by 12%, while adding 10 hives raises yield by 3%. Mediation analysis verifies a modest yet significant ecological pathway; adoption enhances pollinator abundance (β = 0.35, p < 0.001), leading to higher yield (β = 0.11, p = 0.007), resulting in a small but notable indirect benefit in LSI. Propensity score matching shows an average income increase of ETB 3200 for those who adopt. Qualitative evidence spines these conclusions, emphasizing Beekeeping as a means of income stability, ecosystem benefits, and empowerment, especially when combined with institutional backing and gender inclusivity. The research introduces and determines that Beekeeping acts as a connection between 3B's (Bees, Biodiversity, and Breadwinners) as preserving biodiversity and ensuring the sustainability of rural livelihoods. The research finds that enhancing Beekeeping in smallholder farming systems can greatly support in reaching the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)- especially SDG 1.1 and 1.2 through improved income-focused poverty alleviation, SDG 2 (Zero Hunger), SDG 13 (Climate Action), and SDG 15.1 and 15.5, aligning with the Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan. Enhancing agroecological methods that support pollinators, increasing access to modern Beekeeping technologies, and boosting institutional capabilities can expedite advancements towards sustainable agri-food systems.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":36171,"journal":{"name":"Environmental and Sustainability Indicators","volume":"30 ","pages":"Article 101157"},"PeriodicalIF":5.6,"publicationDate":"2026-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146174140","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-06-01Epub Date: 2026-01-26DOI: 10.1016/j.indic.2026.101143
Xinyue Zhang , Lingyi Cao , Fan Yang , Guangyu Wang , Huikeng Lai , Rongxiao He
Coastal urban ecosystems are becoming increasingly vulnerable to climate-induced disturbance and damage due to the escalating frequency and intensity of typhoons. This study employed an integrated approach of remote sensing analysis and ground-based surveys to systematically assess the damage patterns and spatial heterogeneity of urban vegetation in the Jiangdong New District (Haikou, China) following super typhoon events. The results indicate that tree community diversity, measured by the Shannon index, was significantly and positively correlated with vegetation damage severity (p < 0.001, r = 0.496). Green space patch characteristics were positively associated with the extent of storm damage. In contrast, building height and landscape aggregation index showed negative correlations with damage severity. Approximately 56.4 % of the vegetated areas exhibited a declining trend in the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI). Human activity intensity and the magnitude of vegetation decrease were significantly positively correlated in northeastern wetlands and negatively correlated in the southeastern tree nurseries. Relying solely on wind-resistant tree species is insufficient to develop a resilient ecosystem. Instead, heterogeneity in community structure and urban spatial layout are critical in increasing tree resistance to wind disturbances. These findings emphasize the need to consider landscape characteristics and human activity patterns along urban environmental when developing adaptation strategies for coastal cities to improve the resilience of urban green infrastructure to extreme climate events.
由于台风的频率和强度不断上升,沿海城市生态系统越来越容易受到气候引起的干扰和破坏。采用遥感分析与地面调查相结合的方法,系统评价了海口市江东新区超强台风过后城市植被的破坏格局和空间异质性。结果表明,以Shannon指数衡量的树木群落多样性与植被破坏程度呈显著正相关(p < 0.001, r = 0.496)。绿地斑块特征与风暴破坏程度呈正相关。建筑高度和景观聚集指数与破坏程度呈负相关。归一化植被指数(NDVI)呈下降趋势的植被面积约占56.4%。人类活动强度与植被减少幅度在东北湿地呈显著正相关,在东南部乔木苗圃呈显著负相关。仅仅依靠抗风树种不足以发展一个有弹性的生态系统。相反,群落结构和城市空间布局的异质性对于增强树木对风干扰的抵抗力至关重要。这些发现强调,在制定沿海城市适应战略时,需要考虑景观特征和城市环境中的人类活动模式,以提高城市绿色基础设施对极端气候事件的抵御能力。
{"title":"Spatial differences in vegetation damage under typhoon hazards: A case study of a coastal urban district","authors":"Xinyue Zhang , Lingyi Cao , Fan Yang , Guangyu Wang , Huikeng Lai , Rongxiao He","doi":"10.1016/j.indic.2026.101143","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.indic.2026.101143","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Coastal urban ecosystems are becoming increasingly vulnerable to climate-induced disturbance and damage due to the escalating frequency and intensity of typhoons. This study employed an integrated approach of remote sensing analysis and ground-based surveys to systematically assess the damage patterns and spatial heterogeneity of urban vegetation in the Jiangdong New District (Haikou, China) following super typhoon events. The results indicate that tree community diversity, measured by the Shannon index, was significantly and positively correlated with vegetation damage severity (p < 0.001, r = 0.496). Green space patch characteristics were positively associated with the extent of storm damage. In contrast, building height and landscape aggregation index showed negative correlations with damage severity. Approximately 56.4 % of the vegetated areas exhibited a declining trend in the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI). Human activity intensity and the magnitude of vegetation decrease were significantly positively correlated in northeastern wetlands and negatively correlated in the southeastern tree nurseries. Relying solely on wind-resistant tree species is insufficient to develop a resilient ecosystem. Instead, heterogeneity in community structure and urban spatial layout are critical in increasing tree resistance to wind disturbances. These findings emphasize the need to consider landscape characteristics and human activity patterns along urban environmental when developing adaptation strategies for coastal cities to improve the resilience of urban green infrastructure to extreme climate events.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":36171,"journal":{"name":"Environmental and Sustainability Indicators","volume":"30 ","pages":"Article 101143"},"PeriodicalIF":5.6,"publicationDate":"2026-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146080989","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-06-01Epub Date: 2026-01-27DOI: 10.1016/j.indic.2026.101148
Zhao Jinyu , Sa Na , Kou Xuyang , Cao Yuexuan , Lu Zhaohua , Sang Weiguo
Enhancing subjective well-being (SWB) is central to sustainable development, yet the psychological mechanisms linking ecological worldviews to SWB in conservation contexts remain underexplored. This study investigates how the New Ecological Paradigm (NEP)—a measure of biocentric worldview—shapes residents’ perceptions of ecosystem services (ES) and influences SWB in Dailing Town, a community adjacent to Liangshui National Nature Reserve in China. Using a mixed-methods approach combining Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) and Canonical Correspondence Analysis (CCA) with survey data from 169 residents, we find that: (1) SWB is highest in the health dimension but lowest in social relations, with specific deficits in transportation, water quality, and employment conditions; (2) NEP is the strongest predictor of SWB, exerting both direct effects and indirect effects mediated by enhanced ES perceptions; (3) ES preferences are segmented by socioeconomic and demographic factors: older, land-dependent residents prioritize cultural services (e.g., recreation, aesthetics), whereas younger, non-land-based residents value tangible provisioning and regulating services. These findings underscore the critical role of ecological worldviews in shaping well-being and highlight the need for targeted policies that integrate ecological education, social infrastructure, and differentiated livelihood strategies to foster synergistic human-nature outcomes in protected area communities.
{"title":"The power of a biocentric view: Ecological worldviews as a key driver of subjective well-being for residents near nature reserves","authors":"Zhao Jinyu , Sa Na , Kou Xuyang , Cao Yuexuan , Lu Zhaohua , Sang Weiguo","doi":"10.1016/j.indic.2026.101148","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.indic.2026.101148","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Enhancing subjective well-being (SWB) is central to sustainable development, yet the psychological mechanisms linking ecological worldviews to SWB in conservation contexts remain underexplored. This study investigates how the New Ecological Paradigm (NEP)—a measure of biocentric worldview—shapes residents’ perceptions of ecosystem services (ES) and influences SWB in Dailing Town, a community adjacent to Liangshui National Nature Reserve in China. Using a mixed-methods approach combining Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) and Canonical Correspondence Analysis (CCA) with survey data from 169 residents, we find that: (1) SWB is highest in the health dimension but lowest in social relations, with specific deficits in transportation, water quality, and employment conditions; (2) NEP is the strongest predictor of SWB, exerting both direct effects and indirect effects mediated by enhanced ES perceptions; (3) ES preferences are segmented by socioeconomic and demographic factors: older, land-dependent residents prioritize cultural services (e.g., recreation, aesthetics), whereas younger, non-land-based residents value tangible provisioning and regulating services. These findings underscore the critical role of ecological worldviews in shaping well-being and highlight the need for targeted policies that integrate ecological education, social infrastructure, and differentiated livelihood strategies to foster synergistic human-nature outcomes in protected area communities.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":36171,"journal":{"name":"Environmental and Sustainability Indicators","volume":"30 ","pages":"Article 101148"},"PeriodicalIF":5.6,"publicationDate":"2026-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146080954","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}