Environmental Sustainability and Applications
A section of Sustainability (ISSN 2071-1050).
Section Information
Environmental sustainability is a broad concept that brings together the ecological and socio-economic components of sustainability. Environmental sustainability is closely related to the maintenance of environmental security, defined by Müller and colleagues in 2008 as: [environmental security], in an objective sense, aims to evaluate the level of threats in order to acquire and sustain ecosystem values in terms of ecosystem goods and services at multiple scales, and in a subjective sense, it represents a level of fear that such values will be attacked and possibly lost.
Over the last decades, the use of primary resources has increased due to the growing global population, economic improvements, and new life styles, which are changing the habits of populations in both high-income and developing countries. However, non-renewable ecosystem goods (i.e., fossil fuels, fertile lands, metals, and mineral reserves) and services (i.e., climate regulation, pollination, and disturbance regulation) are commonly mismanaged and at risk. As a result, the sustainable use of natural resources is becoming mandatory for the development of current economies and the support of human well-being, and to guarantee long-term environmental sustainability and security.
Since the second half of the 20th century, research and studies have focused their interest on environmental concerns such as air pollution, water and soil contamination, excessive mine extraction, deforestation, waste mismanagement, and unplanned land use changes. In this context, a social–ecological perspective of environmental sustainability is based on a system’s adaptability to environmental change in terms of its ability to cope with human and natural disturbances in a changing world. However, to enhance environmental sustainability, it is mandatory to deal with threats and hazards and with human responses to environmental risks.
In this context, this section focuses on original research and reviews regarding the current state of our understanding of how to measure and manage the environmental sustainability of socio-ecological systems to enhance their resilience and security through different applications at different spatial (urban, regional, national, and worldwide) and temporal (short-, medium-, and long-term) scales. Spatial and remote sensing approaches, subjective assessments based on human perception and values, and scenario building are all welcome. The proposal and use of new environmental sustainability metrics can help assessing and supporting environmental planning and management towards sustainability.Editorial Board
Topical Advisory Panel
Special Issues
Following special issues within this section are currently open for submissions:
- Achieving Carbon Neutrality: Opportunities and Challenges, 2nd Edition (Deadline: 24 November 2024)
- Artificial Intelligence Leading the Way to Environmental Solutions (Deadline: 30 November 2024)
- Environmental Policy as a Tool for Sustainable Development (Deadline: 30 November 2024)
- Wetlands: Conservation, Management, Restoration and Policy—2nd Edition (Deadline: 30 November 2024)
- Sustainability and Indoor Environmental Quality (Deadline: 30 November 2024)
- Bioeconomy, Circular Economy and Sustainability: 2nd Edition (Deadline: 5 December 2024)
- Organic Waste Valorization and Risk Control of Emerging Pollutants during This Process (Deadline: 6 December 2024)
- Sustainable Management of Energy and Environment Based on Life Cycle Assessment (Deadline: 27 December 2024)
- Toxic Metal Remediation: Recent Advances in the Development of a Green and Sustainable Environment (Deadline: 31 December 2024)
- Energy Consumption Control and Environmental Pollution Treatment in Sustainability (Deadline: 31 December 2024)
- Innovative Approaches, Techniques and Technologies Related to Retrofitting Architectural Heritage for Sustainable and Resilient Cities (Deadline: 31 December 2024)
- Evaluation of Energy– Environment Interactions Using the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) Method (Deadline: 31 December 2024)
- Energy Transition and Carbon Mitigation Solutions: Addressing Issues Related to Renewable/Nonfossil Electricity Systems (Deadline: 31 December 2024)
- Natural Quality, Environmental Resources and Global Value Chain (Deadline: 31 December 2024)
- Sustainable Waste Management in the Healthcare Sector (Deadline: 31 December 2024)
- Sustainable Lighting and Light Pollution (Deadline: 31 December 2024)
- Industrial Upgrading and Regional Development in Global Low-Carbon Transformation-Second Volume (Deadline: 31 December 2024)
- Challenges and Future Trends in Integrating Adaptation to Climate Change and Green Infrastructure in Planning Practice (Deadline: 12 January 2025)
- Global Hydrological Studies and Ecological Sustainability (Deadline: 25 January 2025)
- Application of Remote Sensing and GIS for Promoting Sustainable Geoenvironment (Deadline: 27 January 2025)
- Water Environmental Control of Pollutants and Environmental Sustainability (Deadline: 29 January 2025)
- Circular Economy and Green Innovation for Sustainable Business Development (Deadline: 30 January 2025)
- The Road to Sustainable Resources and Environmental Economics—2nd Volume (Deadline: 31 January 2025)
- Sustainable Management of Sewage Sludge Based on Recovery and Reuse Strategy: Ecological and Health Risks (Deadline: 31 January 2025)
- Innovation and Sustainable Development of Remote Sensing Technology—2nd Edition (Deadline: 31 January 2025)
- Recent Advances in Biomass Conversion, Renewable Energy, and Biomaterials (Deadline: 31 January 2025)
- Design for Sustainability in the Minerals Sector (Deadline: 31 January 2025)
- Latest Advances and Prospects in Sustainable Waste Management (Deadline: 10 February 2025)
- Development Trends in Environmental Economics, Environmental Policy, and Regional Sustainability—2nd Edition (Deadline: 28 February 2025)
- Sustainable Wood Product Management and Forest Bioeconomy under Climate Change (Deadline: 28 February 2025)
- Recent Development of Nanomaterials for Wastewater Treatment and Sustainable Environmental Protection (Deadline: 28 February 2025)
- Our Future Earth and Sustainable Ecological Environment and Society—2nd Edition (Deadline: 28 February 2025)
- Towards Sustainability: The Role of Corporate Social Responsibility in Addressing Environmental and Social Challenges (Deadline: 28 February 2025)
- Ecosystemic Services and Landscape Perspectives on Sustainable Urban Forest Planning (Deadline: 1 March 2025)
- Dynamic Strategies for Sustainable Landscape Conservation and Cultural Legacy (Deadline: 15 March 2025)
- Environmental Behavior and Climate Change (Deadline: 30 March 2025)
- Photocatalytic Oxidation, Materials Studies, Photochemistry Analysis in Organic Pollutants under Sustainable Environmental Governance (Deadline: 31 March 2025)
- Effects of CO2 Emissions Control on Transportation and Its Energy Use (Deadline: 31 March 2025)
- Environmental Microbiology and Biotechnology (Deadline: 31 March 2025)
- Sustainable Land Use and Management, 2nd Edition (Deadline: 31 March 2025)
- Recent Advances in Climate Change and Water Resources (Deadline: 3 April 2025)
- Ecosystem Services in the Planning and Sustainable Development of Urban Green Spaces (Deadline: 15 April 2025)
- Sustainable Treatment of Organic Pollutants and Microbial Degradation for Environmental Sustainability (Deadline: 24 April 2025)
- Advancing Sustainable Development Through Artificial Intelligence (AI) (Deadline: 28 April 2025)
- Sustainable and Regenerative Ecologies for the Management of Mountain Forestscapes (Deadline: 30 April 2025)
- Innovative Approaches for Monitoring Water Quality and Environmental Health (Deadline: 30 April 2025)
- Advances in Waste Biomass and Environmental Sustainability (Deadline: 30 April 2025)
- Waste Management for Sustainability: Emerging Issues and Technologies (Deadline: 30 April 2025)
- Energy Use, Storage and Emission Analysis for Industrial Decarbonization (Deadline: 30 April 2025)
- Environmental Economics in Sustainable Social Policy Development (Deadline: 5 May 2025)
- Groundwater, Soil and Sustainability (2nd Edition) (Deadline: 20 May 2025)
- Environmental Performance and Efficiency Evaluation of Enterprises (Deadline: 31 May 2025)
- Innovative Green Water Technologies for Effective Environmental Pollution Control (Deadline: 31 May 2025)
- Soil Microorganisms, Plant Ecology and Sustainable Restoration (Deadline: 31 May 2025)
- Remote Sensing in Landscape Quality Assessment (Deadline: 31 May 2025)
- Extremophilic Plants and Microorganisms in Environmental Sustainability (Deadline: 31 May 2025)
- Sustainable Lighting: Design for Human Wellbeing and Technological Development (Deadline: 31 May 2025)
- Nature-Based Solutions for Wastewater Treatment and Polluted/Degraded Ecosystem Restoration (Deadline: 31 May 2025)
- Digital Solutions for Promoting a Circular Economy and Sustainability (Deadline: 31 May 2025)
- Sustainable Development and Land Use Change in Tropical Ecosystems (Deadline: 31 May 2025)
- Environmental Economics and Ecological Transformations from a Sustainability Perspective (Deadline: 31 May 2025)
- Nuclear Energy and Technology and Its Environmental Impact, 2nd Edition (Deadline: 16 June 2025)
- CO2 Capture and Utilization: Sustainable Environment (Deadline: 18 June 2025)
- Land Use Change, Air Quality and Environmental Pollution Governance—2nd Edition (Deadline: 20 June 2025)
- Wastewater Treatment Technology Under Sustainable Environmental Monitoring (Deadline: 21 June 2025)
- Green Landscape and Ecosystem Services for a Sustainable Urban System (Deadline: 30 June 2025)
- Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) and Sustainability (Deadline: 30 June 2025)
- Air Quality Characterisation and Modelling—2nd Edition (Deadline: 1 July 2025)
- Sustainable Urban Mobility, Transport Infrastructures and Services (Deadline: 1 July 2025)
- Artificial Intelligence and Sustainable Development (Deadline: 10 July 2025)
- Sustainable Water Resource Availability and Pollution: Characterization, Future Scenarios and Solutions (Deadline: 16 July 2025)
- Heavy-Metal Soil Contamination: Sources, Opportunities, and Sustainable Solutions (Deadline: 25 July 2025)
- Sustainable Environmental Science and Water/Wastewater Treatment: 2nd Edition (Deadline: 31 July 2025)
- Towards Sustainability: Applications of Machine Learning in Water Management and Environmental Monitoring (Deadline: 30 August 2025)
- Advancing Landscape Ecology Within Sustainability and Resilience Perspectives (Deadline: 31 August 2025)
- Sustainable Approaches to Biodeterioration/Biodegradation and Biotreatment in Cultural Heritage Environments (Deadline: 31 August 2025)
- Sustainable Development and Emerging Pollutants: Innovations in Detection, Management, and Environmental Protection (Deadline: 31 August 2025)
- Sustainable Remediation of Organic Pollution (Deadline: 1 September 2025)
- Environmental Assessment in Sub-Saharan Africa—Innovation, Perspectives and Practice (Deadline: 19 September 2025)
- Sustainable Solutions for Nano and Microplastic Pollution: Challenges and Innovations (Deadline: 31 October 2025)
- Sustainable Solutions for the Microplastic Pollution: Challenges and Innovations (Deadline: 30 November 2025)
- Natural Resource Economics and Environment Sustainable Development (Deadline: 31 December 2025)
- Sustainability and Advanced Research on Microbiology (Deadline: 31 December 2025)
Topical Collections
Following topical collections within this section are currently open for submissions:
- Advances in Biomass Waste Valorization
- Aquaculture and Environmental Impacts
- Circular Economy and Sustainable Strategies
- Climate Change, Landscape in Transition and Tools for Sustainable Landscape Planning (Closed)
- Efficient Use and Recovery of Resources for the Purpose of Circular Economy and Sustainability
- Environmental Assessment, Life Cycle Analysis and Sustainability
- Eutrophication and Sustainable Management of Water (Closed)
- Feature Papers in Sustainable Use of the Environment and Resources
- Fisheries Economics and Management
- Impact of COVID-19 on the Environment, Energy and Economics (Closed)
- Landscape Approaches in Era of Post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework: Sustainable Forestry and Agriculture, Close-to-Nature Forestry, and Conservations in OECMs
- Modeling and Simulations for Sustainable Water Environments
- Organic Waste Management
- Reviews, Advances and Applications in Environmental Sustainability
- Risk Assessment and Management
- Sustainable Consumption and Production
- Sustainable Integrated Clean Environment for Human & Nature
- Trends in Municipal Solid Waste Management (Closed)