Sustainability

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17 pages, 3500 KiB

Open AccessArticle

From Pixels to Sustainability: Trends and Collaborations in Remote Sensing for Advancing Sustainable Cities and Communities (SDG 11)

by Omer Ekmen and Sultan Kocaman

Sustainability 2023, 15(22), 16094; https://doi.org/10.3390/su152216094 - 19 Nov 2023

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2186

Abstract

Remote sensing data and methods have become indispensable for observing and modeling the Earth and have great potential for monitoring a substantial portion of the targets defined under the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This study investigates remote sensing research on SDG [...] Read more.

Remote sensing data and methods have become indispensable for observing and modeling the Earth and have great potential for monitoring a substantial portion of the targets defined under the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This study investigates remote sensing research on SDG 11 (sustainable cities and communities) from 2016 to 2023, highlighting the growing interest in the field. By evaluating a large number of selected articles (6820) using a specialized keyword selection strategy and various filters, a significant increase in publication frequency was observed. Remote Sensing and Sustainability were found to be the most relevant journals. A trend towards research addressing urban ecological quality, changes in land use patterns, and the impact of impervious surfaces was found in domain-specific citations. Semi-niche motor themes encompass deep learning, feature extraction, and semantic segmentation. Simultaneously, remote sensing, machine learning, and change detection serve as foundational motor themes, merging elements of both basic and motor themes. The introduction of new analytical methods (e.g., new indices), together with the use of open data and crowdsourcing, has gained great interest. While there has been a strong focus on land cover, urban expansion, and land surface temperature, the main gaps were identified in regional development, disaster, resilience, natural and cultural heritage, housing, and inclusiveness. The findings show the significance of remote sensing research and its practical applications for shaping urban policy, planning strategies, and sustainable urban development. By extracting research patterns using centrality and density analyses and identifying underexplored areas, valuable insights into relationships, significance, and developmental progress within SDG 11-related remote sensing research were gained and may contribute to future planning and informing policymaking decisions. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue State of the Art of Assessment for Sustainable Development Goals)

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17 pages, 1381 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Principles for Responsible Investment in Agriculture (CFS-RAI) and SDG 2 and SDG 12 in Agricultural Policies: Case Study of Ecuador

by Narcisa Requelme and Ana Afonso

Sustainability 2023, 15(22), 15985; https://doi.org/10.3390/su152215985 - 15 Nov 2023

Viewed by 1362

Abstract

Global governance is a strategy to address the problems of food production and consumption, as well as to encourage responsible investments in agriculture. The FAO proposed 10 Principles for Responsible Investment in Agriculture (CFS-RAI) which, like the SDGs, are guidelines that guide the [...] Read more.

Global governance is a strategy to address the problems of food production and consumption, as well as to encourage responsible investments in agriculture. The FAO proposed 10 Principles for Responsible Investment in Agriculture (CFS-RAI) which, like the SDGs, are guidelines that guide the design of policies; however, although they are not necessarily considered, there are semantic coincidences. The objective was to analyze to what extent the CFS-RAI Principles and SDGs 2 and 12 are being contemplated in Ecuador’s agrarian policy. The semantic and content analysis of the policy was carried out, coding nodes and categories from keywords using the Nvivo program. The results show that the policy incorporates Principles 2, 8, and 7 and is aligned with SDG 2 in terms of increased productivity and income (target 2.3) linked to international markets (target 2.b, 2.c), the provision of infrastructure, research, agricultural extension, technology (target 2.a), agrobiodiversity, and traditional knowledge (target 2.5). It is related to targets 12.1, 12.2, and 12a of SDG 12. It is concluded that responsible investment in agriculture following the CFS-RAI Principles is a viable way to promote the achievement of the SDGs. The agrarian policy must be reformulated to incorporate the Principles and targets of the SDGs that are not considered but are important. The findings give insight to researchers and policymakers working on this area. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue State of the Art of Assessment for Sustainable Development Goals)

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26 pages, 2907 KiB

Open AccessArticle

A Sustainable Development Evaluation Framework for Chinese Electricity Enterprises Based on SDG and ESG Coupling

by Ruiyu Dong, Chaofeng Shao, Shuqi Xin and Zhirui Lu

Sustainability 2023, 15(11), 8960; https://doi.org/10.3390/su15118960 - 1 Jun 2023

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2999

Abstract

In 2021, China’s power generation industry took the lead in launching carbon emissions trading, ushering in a major challenge and opportunity for the sustainable development of power enterprises. Assessing the sustainable development performance of power enterprises has become the key to the sustainable [...] Read more.

In 2021, China’s power generation industry took the lead in launching carbon emissions trading, ushering in a major challenge and opportunity for the sustainable development of power enterprises. Assessing the sustainable development performance of power enterprises has become the key to the sustainable financing and development of power enterprises in this new developmental stage. Based on the integration of the long-term UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) evaluation indicators of listed companies, this paper constructed an index system for the evaluation of the sustainable development of electric power companies consisting of 75 indicators corresponding to four dimensions: economic, social, environmental, and governance. Given the vision for the sustainable development of electric power companies, the assessment thresholds for each indicator were determined by the practical exploration and typical progress assessment of SDGs. Aggregate assessment and dashboard assessment techniques for the sustainable development of electric power companies were established, and we conducted a robustness analysis of the evaluation system. The results revealed the following details: (1) The disclosure of sustainable development indicators of Chinese electricity enterprises was 94.13%, among which the four dimensions of economy, environment, society, and governance were 99.89%, 82.62%, 94.00%, and 97.71%, respectively. (2) The aggregate sustainable development index for Chinese power companies was 59.34, and the environment, society, governance, and economic scores were 62.10, 64.49, 76.79, and 41.37, respectively. (3) Based on the results of the dashboard, investment in innovation, public welfare, emissions of greenhouse gases, and economic sustainability are the key factors limiting the achievement of sustainable development. (4) The framework’s robustness analysis showed that the results of the evaluation of this paper’s indicator framework fell within a reasonable range of variation using different ranking and weighting systems. Chinese electricity companies should comprehensively control costs and expenses, strengthen capital management, expand funding channels, focus on enhancing R&D capabilities, enhance their scientific and technological innovation management systems, and improve their disclosure of information about greenhouse gas emissions, resource consumption and use, and employee issues to improve the overall level of sustainable development. The evaluation system developed in this paper further enriches the evaluation of corporate sustainability performance. This paper explored the application of the SDG index and dashboard construction methods at the national level to the evaluation of sustainability at the corporate level, providing a clear picture of corporate performance with respect to various dimensions, issues, criteria, and indicators. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue State of the Art of Assessment for Sustainable Development Goals)

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30 pages, 6935 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Assessing Urban Sustainability and the Potential to Improve the Quality of Education and Gender Equality in Phnom Penh, Cambodia

by Puthearath Chan, Kulakhmetova Gulbaram and Thorsten Schuetze

Sustainability 2023, 15(11), 8828; https://doi.org/10.3390/su15118828 - 30 May 2023

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2609

Abstract

This research assessed the urban sustainability of all 14 districts of the Cambodian capital Phnom Penh to identify weaknesses and improvement potentials to achieve the national development goals; the New Urban Agenda (NUA); and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 11 (sustainable cities and [...] Read more.

This research assessed the urban sustainability of all 14 districts of the Cambodian capital Phnom Penh to identify weaknesses and improvement potentials to achieve the national development goals; the New Urban Agenda (NUA); and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 11 (sustainable cities and communities), 4 (quality education), and 5 (gender equality). The indicators’ selection was based on available data. The analysis of the indicators and their weights was based on the analytic hierarchy process (AHP). Indicator weights were used to improve assessment accuracy and identify each district’s unique characteristics and specific strengths and weaknesses. The normal distribution model was used to standardize the variables before comparison. Among the quality education indicators, the access to education and vocational training obtained the highest weight of 0.38, followed by education staff with 0.33 and facilities with 0.29. Among gender-equality-related indicators, the indicators related to professions obtained the highest weight with 0.34, followed by schools with 0.33 and decision-making with 0.32. The most sustainable district was Boeng Keng Kong, with a consolidated result of 22.81 for quality education and gender equality assessment based on indicator weights, followed by the districts Doun Penh with 20.51, Prampir Makara with 19.95, and Chamkarmon with 19.75. This research identified district-specific strengths and weaknesses, whereas the weak points unveil the improvement potential of specific districts. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue State of the Art of Assessment for Sustainable Development Goals)

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15 pages, 2216 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Aligning the Sustainable Development Goals in the Wine Industry: A Bibliometric Analysis

by Joaquín Martínez-Falcó, Javier Martínez-Falcó, Bartolomé Marco-Lajara, Eduardo Sánchez-García and Gustav Visser

Sustainability 2023, 15(10), 8172; https://doi.org/10.3390/su15108172 - 17 May 2023

Cited by 11 | Viewed by 4601

Abstract

Academic contributions pertaining to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the wine industry have seen a steady rise in recent years due to the tremendous importance of these topics for economic, social, and environmental advancement. This study seeks to explore the wine industry [...] Read more.

Academic contributions pertaining to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the wine industry have seen a steady rise in recent years due to the tremendous importance of these topics for economic, social, and environmental advancement. This study seeks to explore the wine industry by using bibliometric techniques to analyze 107 articles published between 1997 and 2022. The findings of the research indicate substantial growth in the rate of production since 2015, with the Environmental Sciences being the most predominant domain of study. Furthermore, the most influential publishers of related content are MDPI, Elsevier, and Springer. Thus, this research may be beneficial for researchers, both new and experienced, who wish to gain a more thorough understanding of the academic output related to SDGs in the wine industry. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue State of the Art of Assessment for Sustainable Development Goals)

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20 pages, 4170 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Sustainable Development Goals in the Business Sphere: A Bibliometric Review

by Javier Martínez-Falcó, Bartolomé Marco-Lajara, Eduardo Sánchez-García and Luis A. Millan-Tudela

Sustainability 2023, 15(6), 5075; https://doi.org/10.3390/su15065075 - 13 Mar 2023

Cited by 16 | Viewed by 3757

Abstract

Academic contributions on the impact of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) on businesses have grown exponentially in recent years as a result of the importance of the business sector in improving the economy, society and the environment. Through the use of bibliometric methods [...] Read more.

Academic contributions on the impact of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) on businesses have grown exponentially in recent years as a result of the importance of the business sector in improving the economy, society and the environment. Through the use of bibliometric methods and taking the Web of Science (WoS) as a reference database, the research aims to analyze the structure of scientific knowledge of the link between the SDGs and the corporate sector, analyzing 2366 documents published between 1992 and 2022. The results show, among other aspects, the accelerated growth rate of the scientific production analyzed since 2015, the use of publications in articles as the main format for disseminating research results, the relevance of the category of Environmental Sciences as the area of study in which most of the scientific production analyzed falls as well as the predominant role of the publishing houses MDPI, Elsevier and Emerald in the publication of scientific documents on the topic under analysis. The research can therefore be of use to both neophyte and experienced researchers who wish to deepen their understanding of the academic knowledge structure of the SDGs in the business world. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue State of the Art of Assessment for Sustainable Development Goals)

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18 pages, 2527 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Quantifying Progress Made in Achieving Sustainable Development Goal 6 in Chile: A Holistic and Local Approach

by Daniela Madrazo-Ortega and Maria Molinos-Senante

Sustainability 2023, 15(5), 4125; https://doi.org/10.3390/su15054125 - 24 Feb 2023

Viewed by 2671

Abstract

The implementation of Sustainable Development Goal 6 (SDG 6) in Chile, a middle-income country, has only been partially measured, mainly due to the lack of the data required to quantify all indicators related to this goal. Quantifying the progress made in achieving SDG [...] Read more.

The implementation of Sustainable Development Goal 6 (SDG 6) in Chile, a middle-income country, has only been partially measured, mainly due to the lack of the data required to quantify all indicators related to this goal. Quantifying the progress made in achieving SDG 6 is particularly relevant in countries such as Chile, which is currently facing major drought and water management issues. This research aims to quantify all indicators in SDG 6 based on a holistic and local approach. In doing so, a three-step process is proposed: a critical analysis of SDG 6 indicators using the specific, measurable, achievable, realistic, time-bound (SMART) indicators framework, a new definition proposal for indicators when necessary, and lastly, a composite index capable of reflecting the progress made toward achieving SDG 6. The results show that none of the targets in SDG 6 have been achieved in Chile. The main challenges the country faces are related to integrated water resource management, transboundary arrangements, and community participation in water management. Conversely, Chile’s performance in water supply and sanitation services is closer to the target. This research contributes a group of specific indicators for Chile, which provide an inexpensive and pragmatic way to measure the progress made in achieving SDG 6. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue State of the Art of Assessment for Sustainable Development Goals)

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Review

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16 pages, 1482 KiB

Open AccessReview

Sustainable Development Goals and Gender Equality: A Social Design Approach on Gender-Based Violence

by Raquel Lima and Graça Guedes

Sustainability 2024, 16(2), 914; https://doi.org/10.3390/su16020914 - 22 Jan 2024

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 3310

Abstract

Gender equality is a central human aspect of the Sustainable Development Goals. Among its multiple and complex issues, this research highlights gender-based violence as a domain that affects women’s empowerment and the guarantees of an effective equality on numerous levels. To address such [...] Read more.

Gender equality is a central human aspect of the Sustainable Development Goals. Among its multiple and complex issues, this research highlights gender-based violence as a domain that affects women’s empowerment and the guarantees of an effective equality on numerous levels. To address such a complex structure, which perpetuates inequalities between men and women, generating multiple effects and jeopardising social changes, social design can provide contributions on cultural and social levels. To achieve social systemic changes, one needs to activate profound cultural transformations. Thus, how can we change culture without rejecting the need to empower women and promote equality? The Montréal Design Declaration (2017) recognised social design’s potential to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG), to contribute to global challenges, and to accept a calling for stakeholders’ integration and agency promotion. This review explores how social design can provide contributions with regard to SDG5 and gender-based violence, presenting relevant domains that actively contribute to cultural transformation to address interventions in this systemic phenomenon. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue State of the Art of Assessment for Sustainable Development Goals)

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