Effects of Circular Economy Policies on the Environment and Sustainable Growth: Worldwide Research

From linear to circular: Evaluating the effects of circular economy on sustainable development progress in the EU economies

The circular economy (CE) represents a transformative approach to global sustainability, fundamentally reimagining how societies can maximize resource efficiency while minimizing waste. Despite its promise, significant questions remain about its practical implementation. This study investigates how CE practices have influenced progress toward Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 12 and 13 across the European Union between 2005 and 2020. Through rigorous econometric analysis, combining two-way fixed effects, system GMM, panel causality tests and quantile via moments regression (MMQR), we examine the relationship between key circular economy indicators and sustainable development outcomes. Our findings reveal bidirectional causality between CE variables and SDGs, suggesting complex feedback mechanisms in the sustainability transition process. The findings also show that urbanization has a strong positive impact on SDG achievement in developed regions, while GDP growth demonstrates a predominantly negative relationship with SDG progress. We also identify a marked North-South divide in CE implementation and SDG achievement across EU member states, reflected in their varying positions on the Environmental Kuznets Curve. Drawing on Post-Keynesian economic theory, we demonstrate how green innovation systems and strategic government intervention can help separate economic prosperity from environmental degradation. Our findings emphasize the importance of context-specific solutions in advancing circular economy initiatives.

Technological trajectories in circular economy: Bridging patent analytics with sustainable development goals

This study examines key technologies in the circular economy through patent mining and expert evaluations. We identified eleven distinct technology clusters, including Smart Fluid Management Systems, Circular Chemical Processing, and Structural Design for Circularity. Using the S-curve model, we analyzed the maturity stages of these technologies, revealing a mix of mature and emerging technologies. For example, Energy Storage and Electrical Systems have reached maturity, while Circular Chemical Processing and Waste Treatment are still in the growth phase. These findings highlight the varying levels of technological development and the potential for targeted research and investment. To assess sustainability, we used the TOPSIS method, which ranks technologies based on their alignment with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Our results indicate that Circular Chemical Processing, Thermal Management, and Structural Design for Circularity are key areas for innovation, offering significant potential to contribute to global sustainability goals. The study emphasizes the need for integrated solutions, suggesting that technological progress will be driven by synergies between different technology clusters. It calls for cross-sector collaboration to maximize the impact of these technologies. By combining insights on technological maturity and sustainability alignment, this research provides a strategic roadmap for advancing circular economy practices. It offers guidance for industry stakeholders and policymakers on prioritizing investments in technologies that support long-term sustainability and resource efficiency. In conclusion, this study provides a comprehensive framework for understanding and advancing circular economy technologies, offering valuable insights for accelerating the transition toward a sustainable, circular economy.

The circular economy through the prism of machine learning and the YouTube video media platform

The transition to a Circular Economy (CE) is rapidly gaining ground across countries and industries. It is the means of achieving more sustainable development by adopting innovative environmentally friendly strategies and saving primary resources. There are several studies indicating the increasing public and corporate interest in the CE but still remain limited in terms of the multitude and utilization of social media data. This work aims to shed light on the most common topics discussed on the YouTube platform, related to the CE. For this reason, we selected 17 videos including the term "Circular Economy" since these have been the most relevant with a sufficient number of comments and views. The model identified two main topics referring to "Sustainable industry and environmental responsibility" and "Circular Economy and resource management" which is a strong indicator of the people's interest in the utilization of resources alongside industrial and corporate activities. The two-topic configuration presented the highest coherence score; however, five and ten-topic configurations have been deployed since there was no extreme differentiation in the model's performance, which could provide more detailed insights. This work's innovation lies in utilizing Machine Learning techniques and social media data to unravel CE's debates.

A review of organic and inorganic amendments to treat saline-sodic soils: Emphasis on waste valorization for a circular economy approach

Soil salinization poses a significant challenge to the sustainable advancement of agriculture on a global scale. This environmental issue not only hampers plant growth and soil fertility but also hinders the advancement of the national economy due to restrictions on plant development. The utilization of organic and/or inorganic amendments has demonstrated the ability to mitigate the detrimental impacts of salt stress on plant life. At the outset, this review, in addition to summarizing current knowledge about soil amendments for saline-sodic soils, also aims to identify knowledge gaps requiring further research. The organic or inorganic amendments modify soil conditions and impact plant development. For instance, organic amendments have the potential to improve the structure of the soil, augment its capacity to retain water, and stimulate microbial activity. As this occurs, salts gradually leach through the porous structure of the soil. Conversely, inorganic amendments, such as gypsum and phosphogypsum, displace sodium from soil-negative sorption sites reducing the salinity, they also increase base saturation, altogether positively impacting plant growth conditions. This review emphasizes that, under adequate rates, the combination of organic and inorganic amendment has a high potential to enhance the poor physicochemical properties of saline-sodic soils, thereby reducing their salinity. Consequently, an in-depth examination of the mineral composition, texture, and chemical composition of the soil is required to choose the most effective amendment to implement. Future research necessitates a thorough investigation of techno-economic and life cycle assessment, with active involvement from stakeholders, to enhance the decision-making process of the amendments in specific localities.

A critical review on plastic waste life cycle assessment and management: Challenges, research gaps, and future perspectives

The global production and consumption of plastics, as well as their deposition in the environment, are experiencing exponential growth. In addition, mismanaged plastic waste (PW) losses into drainage channels are a growing source of microplastic (MP) pollution concern. However, the complete understanding of their environmental implications throughout their life cycle is yet to be fully understood. Determining the potential extent to which MPs contribute to overall ecotoxicity is possible through the monitoring of PW release and MP removal during remediation. Life cycle assessments (LCAs) have been extensively utilized in many comparative analyses, such as comparing petroleum-based plastics with biomass and single-use plastics with multi-use alternatives. These assessments typically yield unexpected or paradoxical results. Nevertheless, there is still a paucity of reliable data and tools for conducting LCAs on plastics. On the other hand, the release and impact of MP have so far not been considered in LCA studies. This is due to the absence of inventory-related data regarding MP releases and the characterization factors necessary to quantify the effects of MP. Therefore, this review paper conducts a comprehensive literature review in order to assess the current state of knowledge and data regarding the environmental impacts that occur throughout the life cycle of plastics, along with strategies for plastic management through LCA.

Drivers for circular economy development: making businesses more environmentally friendly

Stakeholders have been pressuring companies to develop more environmentally friendly strategic and operational solutions. In this sense, companies are seeking alternatives that reduce the negative impacts of organizational activities, Circular Economy (CE) is one of the solutions with the greatest potential for success. Thus, the goal of this paper is to provide drivers for organizations' transition from a linear to a CE. For this reason, content analysis was used as the scientific method, for being appropriate for the interpretation of qualitative data and the identification, clustering, and systematization of themes in a given field of knowledge. In the case of this work, a set of 30 articles with information related to the implementation and development of CE were analyzed, allowing the identification of 19 key elements of CE. These key elements were then grouped and systematized into four drivers: decision-making; capacity and training; sustainable practices; and green supply chain. Scientifically, this work contributes to the improvement and increase of the block of knowledge about the CE, because the drivers can be used to advance the state of the art and as a starting point for the development of new research. In an applied way, the drivers proposed in this article provide a range of actions for managers to make their companies greener and improve their organizational performance, thus contributing environmentally and socially to the planet.

Analysing of the sustainable development goals in Damascus University during Syrian crisis using the strategy in the university and the bibliometrics data from SciVal

Most countries strive to reach effective sustainable development policies, given the repercussions of this policy on many aspects, such as the economic growth of countries. The adoption of policies of sustainability by developing countries may lead to their development faster than expected. This research aims to study the strategies applied in one of the universities of developing countries and the sustainability policies adopted at that university which is Damascus University. The study focuses on the time during last four years of the Syrian crisis through several factors, with a focus on the analysis based on the SciVal and Scopus databases and the strategies applied by the university itself. In this research, we use the method of extracting and analysing the data of the sixteen sustainable development goals (SDGs) of Damascus University within Scopus and SciVal. We also analyse the strategies used in the university in order to reach some of the determinants of SDGs. By analysing Scopus and SciVal data, we find that the third goal of SDGs is the most widespread in terms of scientific research in Damascus University. We find that the application of such policies led to an important goal in the environment, which is the ratio of green space in Damascus University reaching to more than 63 percent of the total flat area of the university. In addition, we find that the application of sustainable development policies led to the generation of energy from renewable sources by 11% of the total electrical energy consumed at the university. The university has been able to reach lots of indicators of the sustainable development goals and it remains apply others.

Can new energy demonstration city policy reduce carbon emissions? A quasi-natural experiment from China

Against achieving carbon peaking by 2030 and carbon neutrality by 2060 context in China, the new energy demonstration city policy (NEDCP) has a crucial function to perform in promoting resource utilization efficiency, building the green development policy system, and facilitating carbon emission reduction. However, existing research has rarely investigated the contribution of NEDCP on carbon reduction. To investigate the policy effect of NEDCP, the differences-in-differences (DID) model is introduced to quantify the influence of NEDCP on carbon reduction, taking a statistical sample of 285 Chinese cities over the period 2005-2017 on the basis of exploring the intrinsic mechanism of NEDCP on carbon emissions. The statistical results reveal that NEDCP significantly inhibits carbon emissions. NEDCP's dampening impact on carbon reduction is more pronounced in the eastern area but not in other areas. City size and resource endowment heterogeneity results suggest that NEDCP significantly inhibits the output of carbon emissions in non-resource-based and large cities but insignificantly in resource-based and small- and medium-sized cities. Finally, we conclude that policy-makers should not only broaden the scope of NEDCP implementation continuously but also design relevant policy combination tools following the basic characteristics of each city to provide institutional guarantees for achieving carbon emission reduction.

Drivers of green growth in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia: can financial development promote environmentally sustainable economic growth?

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has recently declared its vision of turning carbon neutral by 2060. This declaration has motivated policymakers in this Arab nation to design policies that can green economic activities in Saudi Arabia so that environmentally sustainable growth can be ensured. Against this backdrop, this study models the independent and joint effects of financial development, globalization, and energy efficiency rates on green growth of the Saudi Arabian economy. In this regard, green growth in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is proxied by the difference between the nation's annual per capita growth rates of gross domestic product and carbon dioxide emission. Utilizing data from 1972 to 2018 and controlling for structural break-induced problems found in the data, the findings from the regression and causality analyses confirm the green growth-inhibiting impacts of financial development and trade globalization. In contrast, greater financial globalization is evidenced to drive green growth in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Furthermore, more efficient uses of energy resources are found to not only directly boost green growth but also partially neutralize the long-run green growth-dampening impacts associated with the development of the financial sector. In addition, financial development and trade globalization are observed to jointly inhibit green growth attainment both in the short and long run. In line with these important findings, it is recommended that the government of Saudi Arabia conceptualizes new green growth policies so that the nation's annual per capita economic growth rate outpaces its annual per capita growth rate of carbon dioxide emissions.

Circular bioeconomy for olive oil waste and by-product valorisation: Actors' strategies and conditions in the Mediterranean area

The circular economy and bioeconomy can contribute to transitioning towards more sustainable production and consumption in the olive oil sector. This article is the first to analyse multi-actor strategies and multi-level socio-economic conditions for olive oil waste and by-product valorisation in the Mediterranean area using circular bioeconomy principles. Government policies, the strategies of corporations and farmers and consumers' perceptions are discussed, and various methods are applied, such as desk reviews, case studies and quantitative and qualitative surveys. The findings show strong aspirations for improved sustainability in the olive industry. Furthermore, waste and by-product valorisation strategies foster the creation of innovative practices. However, a common regulatory framework, public financial measures, new circular business models using innovative technologies, multi-actor collaboration and increased consumer awareness of the circular economy and new olive oil waste-based products are necessary for more efficient and sustainable use of olive resources. The policy and management recommendations presented in this study may aid in improving and innovating frameworks and practices for better sustainable management of valuable olive resources.

Exploring the moderating effect of globalization, financial development and environmental degradation nexus: a roadmap to sustainable development

Financial development is a multidimensional process that contributes to economic growth but sometimes it has a devastating effect on climate change. No country can achieve sustainable development goals without caring the environmental quality. The present study investigates the moderating role of globalization (KOF) in determining the financial development (FD) on environmental degradation in the SAARC countries from 1990 to 2020. The long-run coefficients are estimated using the panel quantile regression (PQR) approach at lower, middle and upper quantile groups. The study shows the U-shaped relationship across three quantile groups based on financial development and carbon emissions. The moderator globalization (KOF) brings up the change in the turning point and flattens before the maturity of the U-shaped curve at the middle quantile while flattens after the maturity of the U-shaped curve at the upper quantile. The study recommends that by using energy-efficient technologies, better financial sector interaction with globalization enhances the environmental quality in SAARC countries.

Data-driven evaluation of regional agricultural production efficiency for sustainable development

This study aims to improve regional agricultural production efficiency and promote sustainable agricultural development by presenting a data-driven evaluation method for regional agricultural production efficiency. Based on data collection and processing of regional agricultural input-output factors in Anhui Province, China, from 2014 to 2019, a data envelopment analysis Malmquist model is constructed for data modeling. Static analysis of regional agricultural production efficiency and production redundancy is conducted, and the dynamic change of regional agricultural production efficiency is measured. The results show that technical efficiency is the core driving factor for improving regional agricultural production efficiency. The findings indicate significant policy implications for improving agricultural production efficiency from the perspective of regional agricultural high-quality development. This study provides theoretical and methodological support for the sustainable development of regional agriculture.

Carbon footprint changing with Covid-19 in Turkey

The COVID-19 virus first appeared in Wuhan, China, and has affected the whole world. Due to COVID-19, which spreads rapidly and causes death, countries have taken their own pandemic measures. The first case of COVID-19 was seen in Turkey on March 11, 2020, and on the same day, the COVID-19 outbreak was declared a pandemic by the World Health Organization. Turkey has implemented measures such as full closure and partial closure throughout the country in certain periods during the pandemic process. These measures have increased the time people spend at home and have led to differences in their general lifestyles. These differences have caused various effects, especially on ecological carrying capacity, as well as the changes in the world's economic and social consumption habits (electricity, heating, transportation, etc.). It is observed that the changing human habits due to the pandemic are effective in ecological developments, in cities having cleaner air and environment, and in the positive renewal of natural life. One of the most important components of the ecological footprint, which is used to make ecological differences measurable and comparable, is the carbon footprint. In this study, the individual change in the carbon footprint is discussed and the positive environmental changes in Turkey are questioned in relation to individual human activities. The study comparatively examines pre-COVID-19 (before 1 March 2020) and post-COVID-19 (after 1 March 2020) in terms of individual carbon footprint.

Bibliometric Analysis of Groundwater’s Life Cycle Assessment Research

Groundwater is an important water resource that accounts for 30% of the world’s freshwater. 97% of this extracted groundwater is for drinking and human use. Due to anthropogenic activities, this resource is affected and, consequently, its life cycle is modified, changing its natural state. This paper aims to analyse the scientific production that deals with the study of groundwater’s Life Cycle Assessment (LCA), using bibliometric methods. Thus, it contributes to the evolution of knowledge of this resource in terms of its use (environmental, economic and social). The methodological process includes: (i) selection and analysis of search topics in the Scopus and Web of Science (WoS) databases; (ii) application of Bibliometrix and Visualisation of Similarity Viewer (VOSviewer) software to the data collected; (iii) scientific structure of the relation of the topics groundwater and life cycle, considering programme lines and relations in their sub-themes; (iv) literature review of Author keywords. A total of 780 papers were selected, 306 being from Scopus, 158 from WoS and 316 published in both databases. The time evolution of the analysed data (publications) indicates that groundwater LCA studies have seen exponential growth (between 1983 and 2021). In addition, it has three development periods: introduction (years between 1983 and 2001), growth (between 2002 and 2011) and maturation (between 2012 and 2021). At the country level (origin of contributions authors), the USA dominates the total scientific production with 24.7%, followed by Denmark with 12.8% and 10.3% for China. Among the main topics of study associated with LCA are those focused on: the proposal of remediation methods, the application and development of technologies and the use of water resources by the urban community. This study allows establishing new trends in agricultural development issues about irrigation efficiency, wastewater reuse, mining and treatment, climate change in a circular economy scheme related to sustainability and life cycle assessment.

Modelling and Simulation of Building Material Flows: Assessing the Potential for Concrete Recycling in the German Construction Sector

The reuse and recycling of materials can make an important contribution to the conservation of natural resources in the sense of a circular economy. This applies in particular to high quality recycling, supporting the material use of waste and closing product cycles. The construction sector is the most important sector in terms of available volume of materials for recycling. However, the largest share of recycling (RC) materials goes predominantly into road construction and underground engineering. This research developed a dynamic model and used a simulation tool to calculate future building material flows in the German construction sector of residential buildings to explore the medium- and long-term potential for RC concrete. The results show that, by increasing the RC rate of concrete to produce recycled aggregates for concrete (RAC) from currently 1.5% to 48%, up to 179 million tons of sand and gravel could be saved until 2060. If the current maximum secondary input rate of RAC of 45% is increased to 70%, the savings could rise over another 66 million tons. If a secondary input rate of 100% is applied, RAC could completely fulfill the demand for sand and gravel for new residential building in Germany from 2045 onwards. The approval of RC concrete for more concrete strength and exposure classes is required to avoid a surplus of RAC and a rapid exhaustion of landfill capacities in the future.

Exploring the Research Regarding Frugal Innovation and Business Sustainability through Bibliometric Analysis

Nowadays, innovation is valued as being of utmost significance when evaluating measures of sustainable development and performance constructs. The current research develops investigations into the field of frugal innovation (FI) and how this process can contribute to business sustainability. This study performs a comprehensive evaluation of scientific production through the quantitative method of bibliometric analysis to facilitate our understanding of the current structure of studies and to highlight future research paths on FI and business sustainability. The paper maps the literature by narrowing its research topics and identifying certain patterns. Using the Web of Science database (WoS) on a sample of 2072 documents, descriptive and performance analyses were conducted. The VOSviewer software was used to perform the science mapping of the conceptual, intellectual, and social structure that provides scholars with a quantified and graphic representation of the FI and business sustainability field. The trend towards the analysis of business sustainability and consumer behaviour in the context of FI is highlighted. Annual scientific production and citation analysis reveal significant growth in international interest and scientific production, indicating an increasing line of inquiry for this topic at the start of the twenty-first century. The prominent scholars in the field are of European origin, while the highly active countries in the subject of FI and business sustainability are the USA, Germany, England, the Netherlands, and India, with major collaborations across the globe. This paper covers the limits identified by previous scholars by detailing the knowledge base and by using science mapping tools to document the structure of the literature; distinguish key journals, articles, and authors; and highlight new emerging topics of research.

Lignocellulosic Biomass Valorization for Bioethanol Production: a Circular Bioeconomy Approach

Lignocellulosic biomass generated from different sectors (agriculture, forestry, industrial) act as biorefinery precursor for production of second-generation (2G) bioethanol and other biochemicals. The integration of various conversion techniques on a single platform under biorefinery approach for production of biofuel and industrially important chemicals from LCB is gaining interest worldwide. The waste generated on utilization of bio-resources is almost negligible or zero in a biorefinery along with reduced greenhouse gas emissions, which supports the circular bioeconomy concept. The economic viability of a lignocellulosic biorefinery depends upon the efficient utilization of three major components of LCB-cellulose, hemicellulose and lignin. The heterogeneous structure and recalcitrant nature of LCB is main obstacle in its valorization into bioethanol and other value-added products. The success of bioconversion process depends upon methods used during pre-treatment, hydrolysis and fermentation processes. The cost involved in each step of the bioconversion process affects the viability of cellulosic ethanol. The lignocellulose biorefinery has ample scope, but much-focused research is required to fully utilize major parts of lignocellulosic biomass with zero wastage. The present review entails lignocellulosic biomass valorization for ethanol production, along with different steps involved in its production. Various value-added products produced from LCB components were also discussed. Recent technological advances and significant challenges in bioethanol production are also highlighted in addition to future perspectives.

Nanotechnology for a Sustainable Future: Addressing Global Challenges with the International Network4Sustainable Nanotechnology

Nanotechnology has important roles to play in international efforts in sustainability. We discuss how current and future capabilities in nanotechnology align with and support the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals. We argue that, as a field, we can accelerate the progress toward these goals both directly through technological solutions and through our special interdisciplinary skills in communication and tackling difficult challenges. We discuss the roles of targeting solutions, technology translation, the circular economy, and a number of examples from national efforts around the world in reaching these goals. We have formed a network of leading nanocenters to address these challenges globally and seek to recruit others to join us.

Circular Economy Business Models for the Tanzanian Coffee Sector: A Teaching Case Study

One of the major issues the agri-food supply chains is the considerable production of by-products, which are mostly discarded as wastes and dangerously landfilled. This problem is particularly acute in the coffee supply chain: coffee cultivation generates by-products and in quantities which are potentially dangerous for the environment. A circular economy business model aimed at the recovery of these by-products may represent an interesting solution in terms of environmental, social, and economic sustainability. The goal of this paper was to provide teachers and educators with case material on circular business models that can be used for problem-based learning and case-based learning activities. The proposed case was built to address a real-world problematic situation related to the coffee supply chain. From a theoretical point of view, this study contributes to the literature on circular economy business models by providing a case study developed in the context of a developing country. Furthermore, the research entails practical implications since it shows managers and startuppers how to map a circular business model in all its components under the guidance of a conceptual framework.

Scientific Research in Ecuador: A Bibliometric Analysis

Ecuador has shown a growth in its scientific production since 2011, representing 85% of the total historical production. These investigations are reflected in scientific publications, which address world interest topics and serve as a link for the university, business, and society. This work aims to analyze the scientific production generated by Ecuador in the period of 1920–2020 using bibliometric methods to evaluate its intellectual structure and performance. The methodology applied in this study includes: (i) terms definition and search criteria; (ii) database selection, initial search, and document compilation; (iii) data extraction and software selection; and finally, (iv) analysis of results. The results show that scientific production has been consolidated in 30,205 documents, developed in 27 subject areas, in 13 languages under the contribution of 84 countries. This intellectual structure is in harmony with the global context when presenting research topics related to “Biology and regional climate change”, “Higher education and its various approaches”, “Technology and Computer Science”, “Medicine”, “Energy, food and water”, and ”Development and applications on the Web”. Topics framed in the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), sustainability, climate change, and others. This study contributes to the academic community, considering current re-search issues and global concerns, the collaboration between universities and countries that allow establishing future collaboration links.

Sustainable Business Model in the Product-Service System: Analysis of Global Research and Associated EU Legislation

The business fabric is trying to resolve the many transformations that have occurred in recent decades. Companies are obliged to offer new ways to meet the needs of the market. This situation has led to the creation of new business models that combine both competitiveness and sustainability. Among the most consistent strategies, the product-service system (PSS) stands out. A bibliometric analysis was carried out on 1088 documents during the period 2000–2020, to synthesize the knowledge base on PSS in a global context and analyse future trends. The results obtained have made it possible to identify the evolution of scientific production, the main drivers of this issue, the lines of research developed and their link with EU legislation and reveal some critical gaps in knowledge. The main lines of research describe different aspects of PSS: servitisation, product design, manufacturing, life cycle, circular economy, and sustainable development. This study has identified how its analysis has developed to date and what terms allow us to glimpse new approaches; hence, it is a useful tool for PSS researchers and sponsors who provide financial resources that allow new directions in this research.

Worldwide Research Trends in Landslide Science

Landslides are generated by natural causes and by human action, causing various geomorphological changes as well as physical and socioeconomic loss of the environment and human life. The study, characterization and implementation of techniques are essential to reduce land vulnerability, different socioeconomic sector susceptibility and actions to guarantee better slope stability with a significant positive impact on society. The aim of this work is the bibliometric analysis of the different types of landslides that the United States Geological Survey (USGS) emphasizes, through the SCOPUS database and the VOSviewer software version 1.6.17, for the analysis of their structure, scientific production, and the close relationship with several scientific fields and its trends. The methodology focuses on: (i) search criteria; (ii) data extraction and cleaning; (iii) generation of graphs and bibliometric mapping; and (iv) analysis of results and possible trends. The study and analysis of landslides are in a period of exponential growth, focusing mainly on techniques and solutions for the stabilization, prevention, and categorization of the most susceptible hillslope sectors. Therefore, this research field has the full collaboration of various authors and places a significant focus on the conceptual evolution of the landslide science.

Transitional Pathways towards Achieving a Circular Economy in the Water, Energy, and Food Sectors

Achieving sustainable socio-economic development requires approaches that enhance resource use efficiencies and can address current cross-sectoral challenges in an integrated manner. Existing evidence suggests an urgent need for polycentric and transformative approaches, as global and local systems have come under strain. This study conducted a systematic literature review at the global level to assess the progress made towards achieving a circular economy between 2010 and 2020, a period covering the formulation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the initial five years of their implementation. The focus was on the potential of improved water and energy use efficiency, linking them to food production within the context of a circular economy. Identifying successes, opportunities, challenges, and pathways towards a circular economy from the literature review facilitated developing a conceptual framework to guide strategic policy formulations towards a more sustainable economy. A combination of transformative approaches is analysed in an integrated way in response to the 2030 global agenda on sustainable development. Thus, the study is informed by the initiatives to attain SDGs and mitigating negative environmental impacts due to waste and pollution. The premise is to enhance transformational change as a catalyst for employment creation and the attainment of a green economy while reducing waste. Transformative approaches have been identified to provide pathways towards global climate targets and protection of the environment from further degradation. They are a catalyst to achieve SDG 12 on ensuring sustainable consumption and production patterns.

Removal of Pharmaceuticals from Wastewater: Analysis of the Past and Present Global Research Activities

Water pollution is a worldwide problem. Water consumption increases at a faster rate than population and this leads to a higher pollution rate. Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) include proposals aimed at ensuring the availability of clean water and its sustainable management (Goal 6), as well as the conservation and sustainable use of oceans and seas. The current trend consists in trying to reconcile economic growth with sustainability, avoiding the negative externalities for the environment generated by human activity. More specifically, the objective of this article is to present the evolution of the research regarding the removal of polluting pharmaceuticals that are discharged into wastewater. To do that, a bibliometric analysis of 2938 articles comprising the period 1979–2020 has been carried out. This analysis includes productivity indicators in the scientific field: journals, authors, research institutions and countries. In addition, keyword analysis allows the identification of four main axes of the research regarding the removal of pharmaceutical residues found in wastewater. The first group of articles is aimed at identifying the pharmaceuticals present in polluting effluents. The second and third groups of articles focus on presenting the procedures that enable the treatment of emerging contaminants, either from a biological point of view (second group) or a physicochemical point of view (third group). The fourth group refers to water quality and its possibilities to be reused. Finally, there is a growing trend of worldwide scientific publications, which justifies the importance of polluting residues management, especially those of pharmaceutical origin, in order to achieve a more sustainable society.

New Life for Disused Religious Heritage: A Sustainable Approach

The sustainable reuse of the built heritage is one of the main challenges of our time. Religious heritage, in particular, requires strong survey strategies and analyses in order to achieve consistent approaches for the conservation and transmission of its value, both material and immaterial. The exploitation of the latter is underpinned by knowledge analyses, prior to the conservation actions, with a focus not only on the techniques of material restoration but also on the values that it represents for the territory and local communities. With this aim, three case studies in Southern Italy are here presented, that offer a good example of how ecclesiastical heritage, although vast and diffuse, is still an undervalued asset. By combining accurate knowledge and historical research in comparison with the residual performance of the buildings, the results aim to demonstrate how integrated knowledge strategies can pursue more conscious choices of new possible uses for abandoned religious heritage, resulting in preserve their memory and add value in terms of social sustainability.

Implications for Sustainability of the Joint Application of Bioeconomy and Circular Economy: A Worldwide Trend Study

The joint application of bioeconomy (BE) and circular economy (CE) promotes the sustainable use of natural resources, since by applying a systemic approach, it improves the efficiency of these resources and reduces the impact on the environment. Both strategies, which belong to the area of green economy, provide a global and integrated approach towards environmental sustainability, as regards the extraction of biological materials, the protection of biodiversity and even the primary function of food production in agriculture. The objective was to analyze the implications for sustainability of BE and CE joint application. A systematic and bibliometric review has been applied to a sample of 1961 articles, selected from the period 2004–May 2021. A quantitative and qualitative advance is observed in this field of study. The expansion of scientific production is due to its multidisciplinary nature, since it implies technical, environmental and economic knowledge. The main contribution of this study is to understand the state of research on the implications for sustainability that BE and CE have when combined, in relation to their evolution, the scientific collaboration between the main driving agents, and the identification of the main lines of research developed.

Recent Advances in Carbon Dioxide Conversion: A Circular Bioeconomy Perspective

Managing the concentration of atmospheric CO2 requires a multifaceted engineering strategy, which remains a highly challenging task. Reducing atmospheric CO2 (CO2R) by converting it to value-added chemicals in a carbon neutral footprint manner must be the ultimate goal. The latest progress in CO2R through either abiotic (artificial catalysts) or biotic (natural enzymes) processes is reviewed herein. Abiotic CO2R can be conducted in the aqueous phase that usually leads to the formation of a mixture of CO, formic acid, and hydrogen. By contrast, a wide spectrum of hydrocarbon species is often observed by abiotic CO2R in the gaseous phase. On the other hand, biotic CO2R is often conducted in the aqueous phase and a wide spectrum of value-added chemicals are obtained. Key to the success of the abiotic process is understanding the surface chemistry of catalysts, which significantly governs the reactivity and selectivity of CO2R. However, in biotic CO2R, operation conditions and reactor design are crucial to reaching a neutral carbon footprint. Future research needs to look toward neutral or even negative carbon footprint CO2R processes. Having a deep insight into the scientific and technological aspect of both abiotic and biotic CO2R would advance in designing efficient catalysts and microalgae farming systems. Integrating the abiotic and biotic CO2R such as microbial fuel cells further diversifies the spectrum of CO2R.

Worldwide Research on Land Use and Land Cover in the Amazon Region

Land cover is an important descriptor of the earth’s terrestrial surface. It is also crucial to determine the biophysical processes in global environmental change. Land-use change showcases the management of the land while revealing what motivated the alteration of the land cover. The type of land use can represent local economic and social benefits, framed towards regional sustainable development. The Amazon stands out for being the largest tropical forest globally, with the most extraordinary biodiversity, and plays an essential role in climate regulation. The present work proposes to carry out a bibliometric analysis of 1590 articles indexed in the Scopus database. It uses both Microsoft Excel and VOSviewer software for the evaluation of author keywords, authors, and countries. The method encompasses (i) search criteria, (ii) search and document compilation, (iii) software selection and data extraction, and (iv) data analysis. The results classify the main research fields into nine main topics with increasing relevance: ‘Amazon’, ‘deforestation’, ‘remote sensing’, ‘land use and land cover change’, and ‘land use’. In conclusion, the cocitation authors’ network reveals the development of such areas and the interest they present due to their worldwide importance.

Worldwide Research on Socio-Hydrology: A Bibliometric Analysis

The technical and scientific analysis regarding studies of the water surface or groundwater has increasingly taken on a great social impact, which has led to the creation of the term socio-hydrology. Since decision making has a greater weight, considering the social perspective, its study has become more important in the past 20 years. This article aims to carry out a bibliometric analysis related to socio-hydrology using the Scopus database and the application of VOSviewer software for the evaluation of the intellectual structure of socio-hydrology, its conceptual evolution, and its tendencies. The methodology considers (i) search criteria of the research field, (ii) search and document selection, (iii) software and data extraction, and (iv) analysis of results and trends. The results show us the term socio-hydrology as a new scientific discipline that has traces in the Scopus database in the past two decades. However, its application stems from recognising ancestral knowledge alongside other forms of knowledge. Socio-hydrology practice requires participatory models, where the community has a great influence, and for the most part, it guarantees results for the common good. The trend of this topic is growing and open to the criteria of sustainability.

Research Trends in Career Success: A Bibliometric Review

The purpose of this article is to provide an overview of academic research on professional success, using the bibliometric analysis to understand the evolution of this field between the years 1990 and 2020. The information was obtained from the publications indexed in the Scopus database, under a rigorous bibliometric process that comprises five parts: (i) criteria search of the field, (ii) selection of database and documents, (iii) inclusion and selection criteria, (iv) software and data selection, and (v) analysis and results. The results show professional success as a scientific discipline in full exponential growth, which allows us to consider the main contributions of authors, institutions, and international contributions, as well as to consider the main themes that have shaped the intellectual structure of the subject through their visualization using bibliometric maps of co-citation and co-occurrence, which combined showed eight main lines of research. The results obtained allowed us to identify patterns of convergence and divergence in various topics, which allows obtaining current and diverse information on the state of the research field’s art.

Economic Business Sustainability and Strengthening Human Resource Capacity Based on Increasing the Productivity of Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in Makassar City, Indonesia

The dynamics of urban development coupled with economic growth have contributed positively to the development of small and medium enterprises (SMEs). Optimizing the utilization and strengthening of the capacity of SMEs’ human resources will encourage increased productivity of economic enterprises and the sustainability of small and medium enterprises (SMEs). This study aims to analyze (1) strengthening the capacity of human resources (HR) of small and medium enterprises to work as a determinant of increasing the productivity of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and labor absorption; (2) the effect of strengthening the capacity of human resources (HR), business productivity, technology utilization, and business diversification on the sustainability of small and medium enterprises (SMEs); and (3) optimizing the role of government in supporting business development, increasing productivity, business stability and sustainability of small and medium enterprises (SMEs). This study uses a sequential explanatory design approach. Data were obtained through observation, in-depth interviews, surveys, and documentation. Qualitative analysis in this study was carried out through a process of data reduction, data presentation, and conclusion drawing, while the quantitative analysis in this study uses quantitative descriptive analysis, correlation, and multiple regression. The results showed that strengthening the capacity of human resources, coupled with the use of technology, and followed by diversification of business, had a positive contribution to increasing the productivity of small and medium enterprises (SMEs). Furthermore, strengthening human resource capacity, business productivity, technology utilization, and business diversification simultaneously have a positive and significant correlation to the sustainability of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) with a determination coefficient of 72.3%. This study recommends that government policy support through strengthening human resource capacity, increasing business productivity, technology utilization, and business diversification have an impact on the sustainability of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in Makassar City, Indonesia.

Omni-Chanel Network Design towards Circular Economy under Inventory Share Policies

In this paper, we study inventory share policies in an omni-channel supply network, to contribute to the circular economy (CE) concept. Lateral inventory share implementation provides flexibility and profitability in the supply chain by allowing inventory share between the same echelon locations in a network. Total holding costs and transportation costs can be reduced by lateral inventory share applications, which also contribute to decreased material usage for production over time, as well as reduced CO2 emission released by transportation. Technological and Internet of Things (IoT) developments make it possible for companies to share their real-time information with each other for uninterrupted marketing experiences. With such a connected network, companies aim to increase their profitability and responsiveness to their customers. We explore a well-designed inventory share policy towards the CE concept under an (s, S) inventory control policy. We simulate several pre-defined share designs by Arena 16.0 commercial software and compare their performances in terms of cost, responsiveness, transportation frequency, inventory held, etc. The results show that, by the implementation of a well-designed lateral inventory share policy, an omni-channel network can benefit from decreased holding cost and transportation cost, contributing to the CE concept.

Economic Evaluation, Use of Renewable Energy, and Sustainable Urban Development Mamminasata Metropolitan, Indonesia

The acceleration of the development of the Metropolitan Mamminasata area has an impact on the socio-economic dynamics of the community and the use of excess energy resources. The purpose of this study was to analyze (1) economic growth and energy security work as determinants of urban development for Metropolitan Mamminasata, (2) the effect of economic growth, energy consumption, availability of transportation infrastructure, and renewable energy on the quality of the environment and the sustainability of the Metropolitan Mamminasata system, and (3) renewable energy management strategies and sustainable urban development for Metropolitan Mamminasata. An explanatory sequential approach was used. Data were obtained through observation, surveys, and documentation. The results showed that renewable energy which has the potential to used, in the Mamminasata Metropolitan urban area to support economic growth and increase urban productivity, namely water energy, wind energy, and biomass energy. Furthermore, it takes the effectiveness and efficiency of energy users toward improving environmental quality. Economic growth, energy consumption savings, the availability of transportation infrastructure, and renewable energy have a significant effect on environmental quality, with a determination coefficient of 82.3%, and the sustainability of the Metropolitan Mamminasata system, with a determination coefficient of 75.7%. Use of renewable energy in the management of urban development will require support from government policies, as well as community and business participation. This study recommends a renewable energy management strategy as an important part of supporting the sustainability of urban development in Metropolitan Mamminasata, Indonesia.

Open Innovation for Sustainability or Not: Literature Reviews of Global Research Trends

The demand for innovative approaches applied to productive sectors is a reality present in the circular economy and open innovation is a relatively new concept that has revolutionized the literature about innovation management. Since the concept appeared in 2003, many articles have focused on its development and application. Although some studies have connected open innovation with sustainability, the relevance of this current on the global literature about open innovation is still unidentified. In this context, this paper tries to cover this gap with a bibliometric analysis focused on the evolution of the open innovation paradigm and the relevance of sustainability in this field of research. A sample of 3087 papers published between 2003 and 2019 in the Scopus database was obtained. The analysis revealed the main topics and the most prolific journals, authors, institutions, and countries, in terms of productivity, citations, and h-indexes. Besides of these contributions, keywords analysis reveals that, in recent years, sustainability and ecosystems are decisive variables in open innovation research.

Analysis of the Circular Economic Production Models and Their Approach in Agriculture and Agricultural Waste Biomass Management

As of now, circular economic production models of the circular economy (CEPMs), which include circular economy, bioeconomy, and circular bioeconomy, are among the main tools characterizing development policies in different countries. During the last five years, policies and strategies regarding CEPMs have promoted and contributed to the development of research on this topic. The evolution and most relevant aspects of the three CEPMs previously mentioned have been analyzed from a sample of 2190 scientific publications obtained from the Scopus database. Bibliometric analysis has been used to evaluate the approach of these models in agriculture and to introduce the ways in which they address the management of agricultural waste biomass (AWB). Results show that the circular economy is the most studied and prioritized model in China and most European countries, with the UK leading the way. Germany leads in topics related to the bioeconomy. The management policies and strategies of the circular bioeconomy are key to promoting research focused on AWB valorization since bioenergy and/or biofuel production continue to be a priority.

The Complexity of Space Utilization and Environmental Pollution Control in the Main Corridor of Makassar City, South Sulawesi, Indonesia

Population mobility, increasing demand for transportation, and the complexity of land use have an impact on environmental quality degradation and air quality pollution. This study aims to analyze (1) the effect of population mobility, increased traffic volume, and land use change on air quality pollution, (2) direct and indirect effects of urban activities, transportation systems, and movement patterns on environmental quality degradation and air pollution index, and (3) air pollution strategy and sustainable urban environmental management. The research method used is a sequential explanation design. Data were obtained through observation, surveys, in-depth interviews, and documentation. The results of the study illustrate that the business center and Daya terminal with a value of 0.18 µgram/m3 is polluted, the power plant and Sermani industrial area with a value of 0.16 µgram/m3 is polluted, the Makassar industrial area with a value of 0.23 is heavily polluted, and the Hasanuddin International Airport area with a value of 0.04 µgram/m3 is not polluted. Population mobility, traffic volume, and land use changes have a significant effect on environmental quality degradation, with a determination coefficient of 94.1%. The direct effect of decreasing environmental quality on the air pollution index is 66.09%. This study recommends transportation management on the main road corridor of Makassar City, which is environmentally friendly with regard to sustainable environmental management.

Remote Sensing Applied in Forest Management to Optimize Ecosystem Services: Advances in Research

Research Highlights: the wide variety of multispectral sensors that currently exist make it possible to improve the study of forest systems and ecosystem services. Background and Objectives: this study aims to analyze the current usefulness of remote sensing in forest management and ecosystem services sciences, and to identify future lines of research on these issues worldwide during the period 1976–2019. Materials and Methods: a bibliometric technique is applied to 2066 articles published between 1976 and 2019 on these topics to find findings on scientific production and key subject areas. Results: scientific production has increased annually, so that in the last five years, 50.34% of all articles have been published. The thematic areas in which more articles were linked were environmental science, agricultural, and biological sciences, and earth and planetary sciences. Seven lines of research have been identified that generate contributions on this topic. In addition, the analysis of the relevance of the keywords has detected the ten main future directions of research. The growing worldwide trend of scientific production shows interest in developing aspects of this field of study. Conclusions: this study contributes to the academic, scientific, and institutional discussion to improve decision-making, and proposes new scenarios and uses of this technology to improve the administration and management of forest resources.