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Kuntiyawichai K, Aksorn P. The knowledge and holistic management indicators to measure the sustainability of area-based infrastructure project (AIP). Heliyon 2024; 10:e30159. [PMID: 38707318 PMCID: PMC11066644 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e30159] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2024] [Revised: 04/13/2024] [Accepted: 04/21/2024] [Indexed: 05/07/2024] Open
Abstract
For determining the effectiveness of area-based infrastructure management, a comprehensive measurement to implement and develop an infrastructure project would need to be integrated in holistic and knowledge management. The main objective of this study was to identify the keys to measurement the sustainability of area-based infrastructure project (AIP) management. First, the key performance indicators were reviewed and selected. Next, the interviews with project developers and managers of the pilot site were conducted to investigate the real context of significant keys. The discussion with five experts who have relevant experience in area-based infrastructure projects management then arose to validate possible key performance indicators. Based on the expert comments, the questionnaire was revised for its validity and clarity. Then, the data collection using a questionnaire was sent out to representative samples across Thailand. Later, there was the analysis to interpret the survey results. The results revealed that there are two groups of keys to measure the sustainability of AIP management. One was the "Holistic Management (HM)", which consisted of seventeen components. The other was the "Knowledge Management (KM)", which involved six similarity items. It was found that the aforementioned factors can explain 70.024% of the total cumulative variance in the entire datasets compiled for the assessment of keys to measurement the sustainability of AIP management. The main outcomes from this study can be beneficial for the development of effective and good governance strategies for achieving sustainability patterns of area-based infrastructure project management. This theory offers the understanding of how the effectiveness of key measurement of AIP management can drive sustainable development project s, which can help in project manager and developer research on identity-related transitions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kittiwet Kuntiyawichai
- Center for Water Resources Engineering and Environment, Faculty of Engineering, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen, 40002, Thailand
| | - Preenithi Aksorn
- Sustainable Infrastructure Research and Development Center (SIRDC), Department of Civil Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen, 40002, Thailand
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Chaichana T, Reeve G, Jaisan C, Chakrabandhu Y. Modelling and assessing new SME digital business status for visualising virtual economics and sustainability economic indicators: Empirical evidence from poultry business. Heliyon 2024; 10:e30624. [PMID: 38756572 PMCID: PMC11096974 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e30624] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2023] [Revised: 04/09/2024] [Accepted: 04/30/2024] [Indexed: 05/18/2024] Open
Abstract
SMEs are generally recognised as financial contributors to regional economic development. Despite the enormous contributions of digital SMEs to sustainable economic growth and regional development have not yet been reported. This paper assesses and models SME businesses to gain a digital business status and model. These days, visualising economic growth is challenging and powerful to identify business performance and realise sustainable regional development. This research analyses empirical data obtained from a poultry business to form a standard model for implementing a new SME digital business model and status. This standard model is a guideline to measure the other SME businesses and productions. Localisation of the SDGs was analysed using thematic analysis. Mathematical computation is used to visualise virtual economic growth geographically. Hence, our digital business model and status demonstrated business performance, management, and economic growth.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thanapong Chaichana
- Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, 52000, Thailand
- Navamindradhiraj University, Bangkok, 10300, Thailand
- Department of Research and Medical Innovation, Faculty of Medicine, Vajira Hospital, Bangkok, 10300, Thailand
| | - Graham Reeve
- School of Mathematics, Computer Science and Engineering, Liverpool Hope University, Liverpool, England, L16 9JD, United Kingdom
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Debnath S, Sarkar UK, Kumari S, Karnatak G, Puthiyottil M, Das BK, Das A, Ghosh BD, Roy A. Exploring the vulnerability of the coastal wetlands of India to the changing climate and their adaptation strategies. Int J Biometeorol 2024; 68:749-760. [PMID: 38244115 DOI: 10.1007/s00484-024-02620-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2023] [Revised: 11/20/2023] [Accepted: 12/10/2023] [Indexed: 01/22/2024]
Abstract
Changing climate exerts significant pressure on coastal wetland fishery, ecosystems and livelihood at the eco-regional level. In the present study, an indicator and scoring-based vulnerability assessment framework was developed to assess climate change-induced potential impacts and vulnerability of the coastal wetlands through stakeholder perception and primary data collection on ecology and fisheries. The study was conducted in 12 coastal wetlands in the Gangetic estuarine regions of eastern India. Analysis of rainfall, temperature and extreme climatic events was also carried out. The climate variability in the region was analysed and discussed in the context of ecosystem health and sustainability indicators. The results indicated that anthropogenic stress has a greater influence on ecosystem services than climatic stress. However, the nature and degree of vulnerability of fishers to climate change vary with their capacity to adapt to such changes and alternate sources of livelihood. Altogether, 34 fish species were documented, belonging to 11 taxonomic orders, and categorized as per intensity of resilience using selected criteria. Perception-based climate-resilient adaptation strategies have also been discussed. Developing appropriate adaptation policies and implementing climate-resilient practices and management can minimize vulnerability and increase the adaptive capacity of fishers ensuring sustainable livelihood options.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sanjeet Debnath
- ICAR-Central Inland Fisheries Research Institute, Barrackpore, India
| | | | - Suman Kumari
- ICAR-Central Inland Fisheries Research Institute, Barrackpore, India
| | - Gunjan Karnatak
- ICAR-Central Inland Fisheries Research Institute, Barrackpore, India
| | | | - Basanta Kumar Das
- ICAR-Central Inland Fisheries Research Institute, Barrackpore, India
| | - Arijit Das
- ICAR-Central Inland Fisheries Research Institute, Barrackpore, India
| | - Bandana Das Ghosh
- ICAR-Central Inland Fisheries Research Institute, Barrackpore, India
| | - Aneek Roy
- ICAR-Central Inland Fisheries Research Institute, Barrackpore, India
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Liyanapathirana NN, Grech A, Li M, Malik A, Ribeiro R, Burykin T, Lenzen M, Raubenheimer D. Nutritional, environmental and economic impacts of ultra-processed food consumption in Australia. Public Health Nutr 2023; 26:3359-3369. [PMID: 37881877 PMCID: PMC10755453 DOI: 10.1017/s136898002300232x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2022] [Revised: 09/01/2023] [Accepted: 10/23/2023] [Indexed: 10/27/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To quantify the full life cycle impacts of ultra-processed foods (UPF) for key environmental, economic and nutritional indicators to identify trade-offs between UPF contribution to broad-scope sustainability. DESIGN Using 24-h dietary recalls along with an input-output database for the Australian economy, dietary environmental and economic impacts were quantified in this national representative cross-sectional analysis. Food items were classified into non-UPF and UPF using the NOVA system, and dietary energy contribution from non-UPF and UPF fractions in diets was estimated. Thereafter, associations between nutritional, environmental and economic impacts of non-UPF and UPF fractions of diets were examined using a multi-dimensional nutritional geometry representation. SETTING National Nutrition and Physical Activity Survey 2011-2012 of Australia. PARTICIPANTS Respondents (n 5344) aged > 18 years with 1 d of 24-h dietary recall data excluding respondents with missing values and outlier data points and under reporters. RESULTS Australian diets rich in UPF were associated with reduced nutritional quality, high greenhouse gas emissions, energy use, and increased employment and income associated with the food supply chains. The environmental and economic impacts associated with the UPF portion of diets become more distinct when the diets are standardised to average protein recommendation. CONCLUSION Increased consumption of UPF has socio-economic benefits, but this comes with adverse effects on the environment and public health. Consideration of such trade-offs is important in identifying policy and other mechanisms regarding UPF for establishing healthy and sustainable food systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Navoda Nirmani Liyanapathirana
- ISA, School of Physics A28, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW2006, Australia
- The School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Charles Perkins Centre, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Amanda Grech
- The School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Charles Perkins Centre, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Mengyu Li
- ISA, School of Physics A28, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW2006, Australia
| | - Arunima Malik
- ISA, School of Physics A28, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW2006, Australia
- Discipline of Accounting, Business School, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Rosilene Ribeiro
- The School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Charles Perkins Centre, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Timur Burykin
- The School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Charles Perkins Centre, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Manfred Lenzen
- ISA, School of Physics A28, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW2006, Australia
| | - David Raubenheimer
- The School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Charles Perkins Centre, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
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Rodríguez-Castillo M, Bolívar-Paypay V, Poganietz WR, Prieto AL. Indicators for the sustainability assessment of MBR technologies for wastewater reuse in Chile: The good, the bad, and the ugly. MethodsX 2023; 10:102111. [PMID: 36942283 PMCID: PMC10023990 DOI: 10.1016/j.mex.2023.102111] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2022] [Accepted: 03/04/2023] [Indexed: 03/08/2023] Open
Abstract
While Chile faces a mega-drought, wastewater reuse emerges as an alternative solution. In this study we develop a set of indicators for the comprehensive sustainability assessment for the application of advanced wastewater treatment technologies (e.g., MBRs) in a wastewater reuse project in Chile. The methodology is based on the Integrative Concept of Sustainable Development (ICoS) framework. A critical analysis of the set of indicators is presented in terms of the benefits (The Good), the difficulties (The Bad), and the barriers (the Ugly) for their development and potential application. The characterization of the environmental benefits constitutes the useful aspects (e.g., recovery of nutrients, energy, and water). Difficulties include economic aspects (e.g., continuous monitoring of emerging contaminants) and public acceptance. Political and administrative aspects were found to be the main barrier, including water rights in Chile and the absence of a clear regulatory framework for wastewater reuse. To our knowledge, this study is the first to present a detailed methodology for developing indicators for membrane-based water reuse projects in Chile. The steps to develop the indicators are: •Identification of the study zone or case study, characterization of treatment technology.•Identification and formulation of indicators for the specific case study, based on the ICoS framework.•Verification of the relevance of indicators for the case study according to data availability and expert reviews.
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Affiliation(s)
- Montserrat Rodríguez-Castillo
- Departamento de Ingeniería Civil, Universidad de Chile, Av. Blanco Encalada 2002, Santiago, Chile
- Centro Avanzado para Tecnologías del Agua (CAPTA), Universidad de Chile, Av. Beauchef 850, Santiago, Chile
| | - Vanessa Bolívar-Paypay
- Institute for Technology Assessment and Systems Analysis, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Germany
| | - Witold-Roger Poganietz
- Institute for Technology Assessment and Systems Analysis, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Germany
| | - Ana Lucía Prieto
- Departamento de Ingeniería Civil, Universidad de Chile, Av. Blanco Encalada 2002, Santiago, Chile
- Centro Avanzado para Tecnologías del Agua (CAPTA), Universidad de Chile, Av. Beauchef 850, Santiago, Chile
- Corresponding author.
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Camarinha-Matos LM, Rocha AD, Graça P. Collaborative approaches in sustainable and resilient manufacturing. J Intell Manuf 2022; 35:1-21. [PMID: 36532704 PMCID: PMC9734423 DOI: 10.1007/s10845-022-02060-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2022] [Accepted: 11/19/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
In recent years, the manufacturing sector is going through a major transformation, as reflected in the concept of Industry 4.0 and digital transformation. The urge for such transformation is intensified when we consider the growing societal demands for sustainability. The notion of sustainable manufacturing has emerged as a result of this trend. Additionally, industries and the whole society face the challenges of an increasing number of disruptive events, either natural or human-caused, that can severely affect the normal operation of systems. Furthermore, the growing interconnectivity between organizations, people, and physical systems, supported by recent developments in information and communication technologies, highlights the important role that collaborative networks can play in the digital transformation processes. As such, this article analyses potential synergies between the areas of sustainable and resilient manufacturing and collaborative networks. The work also discusses how the responsibility for the various facets of sustainability can be distributed among the multiple entities involved in manufacturing. The study is based on a literature survey, complemented with the experience gained from various research projects and related initiatives in the area, and is organized according to various dimensions of Industry 4.0. A brief review of proposed approaches and indicators for measuring sustainability from the networked manufacturing perspective is also included. Finally, a set of key research challenges are identified to complement strategic research agendas in manufacturing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luis M. Camarinha-Matos
- School of Science and Technology and Uninova-CTS, NOVA University of Lisbon, Campus de Caparica, Caparica, 2829-516 Portugal
| | - Andre Dionisio Rocha
- School of Science and Technology and Uninova-CTS, NOVA University of Lisbon, Campus de Caparica, Caparica, 2829-516 Portugal
| | - Paula Graça
- School of Science and Technology and Uninova-CTS, NOVA University of Lisbon, Campus de Caparica, Caparica, 2829-516 Portugal
- Instituto Superior de Engenharia de Lisboa, Instituto Politécnico de Lisboa, Rua Conselheiro Emídio Navarro 1, Lisbon, 1959-007 Portugal
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Duarte Castro F, Gomes Xavier B, Alexina do Carmo Cardeal J, Marcela Penha Perpétuo B, Gomes Lopes L, Lacerda da Silva J, França Furtado da Costa R, Cutaia L, Vaccari M. The (un)shared responsibility in the reverse logistics of portable batteries: A Brazilian case. Waste Manag 2022; 154:49-63. [PMID: 36209718 DOI: 10.1016/j.wasman.2022.09.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2021] [Revised: 08/29/2022] [Accepted: 09/22/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
The Brazilian National Solid Waste Policy (BNSWP) determines that reverse logistics (RL) of waste batteries is mandatory and adopts the principle of shared responsibility among stakeholders. In this work, we sought to diagnose the current state of the RL chain for batteries in Vale do Aço, Brazil, and identify challenges and potentialities related to its improvement. Data were obtained by means of questionnaires sent to the main stakeholders involved in the batteries RL chain and by consultation of official Brazilian databases. The results showed that the main obstacles to the implementation of the RL of portable batteries in the region are: the lack of information by consumers and retailers regarding the BNSWP and management of waste batteries; the existence of few collection and consolidation points in the region; lack of municipal waste management plans; and lack of sustainability of waste picker organizations. The identified potentialities were: the good receptivity of environmental education actions by the population; the possibility of taking advantage of direct logistics of local retail chains to collect waste; the existence of a special waste management and transportation company in the region; and the existence of waste picker organizations interested in integrating the RL system. Finally, by a SWOT analysis, strategies for the implementation of a more effective RL system were drawn up. This work can serve as a basis for the structuring and implementation of the batteries RL system at the Metropolitan Region of Vale do Aço (MRVA) and can be a reference for other settings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francine Duarte Castro
- Department of Civil, Environmental, Architectural Engineering and of Mathematics, University of Brescia, Via Branze, 25123 Brescia, Italy.
| | - Bárbara Gomes Xavier
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Catholic University Center of Eastern Minas Gerais (UNILESTE-MG), Av. Presidente Tancredo de Almeida Neves, 35170-056 Coronel Fabriciano, Brazil
| | - Jordânia Alexina do Carmo Cardeal
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Catholic University Center of Eastern Minas Gerais (UNILESTE-MG), Av. Presidente Tancredo de Almeida Neves, 35170-056 Coronel Fabriciano, Brazil
| | - Brena Marcela Penha Perpétuo
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Catholic University Center of Eastern Minas Gerais (UNILESTE-MG), Av. Presidente Tancredo de Almeida Neves, 35170-056 Coronel Fabriciano, Brazil
| | - Laura Gomes Lopes
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Catholic University Center of Eastern Minas Gerais (UNILESTE-MG), Av. Presidente Tancredo de Almeida Neves, 35170-056 Coronel Fabriciano, Brazil
| | - Jaqueline Lacerda da Silva
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Catholic University Center of Eastern Minas Gerais (UNILESTE-MG), Av. Presidente Tancredo de Almeida Neves, 35170-056 Coronel Fabriciano, Brazil
| | - Ricardo França Furtado da Costa
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Catholic University Center of Eastern Minas Gerais (UNILESTE-MG), Av. Presidente Tancredo de Almeida Neves, 35170-056 Coronel Fabriciano, Brazil
| | - Laura Cutaia
- ENEA - Italian National Agency for New Technologies, Energy and Sustainable Economic Development, Rome, Italy
| | - Mentore Vaccari
- Department of Civil, Environmental, Architectural Engineering and of Mathematics, University of Brescia, Via Branze, 25123 Brescia, Italy
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Yıldırım Ç, Türkten H, Boz İ. Assessing the sustainability index of part-time and full-time hazelnut farms in Giresun and Ordu Province, Turkey. Environ Sci Pollut Res Int 2022; 29:79225-79240. [PMID: 35710965 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-022-20966-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2021] [Accepted: 05/16/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
The study's primary purposes were to assess the sustainability of hazelnut farms and explore the effects of part-time and full-time farming types on sustainability in hazelnut production in the Giresun and Ordu Province of Turkey. One hundred fifty-two hazelnut farms were selected using the stratified sampling method, and data were collected by using face-to-face questionnaires. Several steps were taken, including using factor analysis after standardizing the variables to determine their weights to calculate the composite hazelnut farms' sustainability index. The research findings showed that overall hazelnut sustainability scores of farms varied from 0.28 to 0.59, and the average score was 0.44 at sampled farms. The composite hazelnut sustainability index was at an unsatisfactory level. The social and economic sustainability index values of farms were equal, and they were higher than the environmental index value. The values were 0.50 and 0.30, respectively. The economic sustainability index score of full-time farms was higher than that of part-time farms, and part-time farms had higher environmental sustainability index scores than that of full-time farms. Social sustainability scores were not different in terms of farm type. It was recommended that when designing and regulating support policies, policy-makers should differentiate part-time and full-time farming. Training and extension programs must be planned to increase the level of knowledge of every willing farmer. To increase sustainability, specific policies are developed according to the farming type.
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Affiliation(s)
- Çağatay Yıldırım
- Department of Agricultural Economics, Faculty of Agriculture, Ondokuz Mayıs University, Samsun, Turkey.
| | - Hatice Türkten
- Department of Agricultural Economics, Faculty of Agriculture, Ondokuz Mayıs University, Samsun, Turkey
| | - İsmet Boz
- Department of Agricultural Economics, Faculty of Agriculture, Ondokuz Mayıs University, Samsun, Turkey
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Raya-Tapia AY, Cansino-Loeza B, Sánchez-Zarco XG, Ramírez-Márquez C, Ponce-Ortega JM. A systematic approach for assessing water, energy and food security during the COVID-19 pandemic: case study of Mexico. Environ Dev Sustain 2022; 25:1-29. [PMID: 36158991 PMCID: PMC9483337 DOI: 10.1007/s10668-022-02671-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2022] [Accepted: 09/07/2022] [Indexed: 05/10/2023]
Abstract
Assessing the security of the water-energy-food nexus is a topic of great importance, which allows determining the situation of each resource to implement actions for sustainable management of these resources in today's society. For this reason, a systematic procedure is proposed to evaluate the synergies of the water-energy-food nexus in a large region that is divided into subregions that allow considering their interactions. The new procedure considers the availability, accessibility and regional interdependence of resources while annexing economic and social aspects. A composite index called the WEF Global Index is developed, which involves the WEF nexus index and has nine indicators that evaluate the availability, accessibility and regional interdependence of each resource in the water-energy-food nexus. This new index considers the Gross Domestic Product per capita and the involved population. As a case study, the 32 states of Mexico were considered to assess the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the economy and the security of the water-energy-food nexus at the state level. For this, the composite index was evaluated in the years 2019 and 2020. The results show that from 2019 to 2020, the value of the global index increased in 13 states, in 21 states the security index of the WEF nexus increased, and in 9 states the GDP per capita index increased. On the other hand, the results indicate that in 11 states there was no improvement in the nexus security index due to the increase in water demand, which considerably affected the water availability indicator. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s10668-022-02671-2.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alma Yunuen Raya-Tapia
- Chemical Engineering Department, Universidad Michoacana de San Nicolás de Hidalgo, Ciudad Universitaria, Francisco J. Múgica S/N, 58060 Morelia, Michoacán Mexico
| | - Brenda Cansino-Loeza
- Chemical Engineering Department, Universidad Michoacana de San Nicolás de Hidalgo, Ciudad Universitaria, Francisco J. Múgica S/N, 58060 Morelia, Michoacán Mexico
| | - Xate Geraldine Sánchez-Zarco
- Chemical Engineering Department, Universidad Michoacana de San Nicolás de Hidalgo, Ciudad Universitaria, Francisco J. Múgica S/N, 58060 Morelia, Michoacán Mexico
| | - César Ramírez-Márquez
- Chemical Engineering Department, Universidad Michoacana de San Nicolás de Hidalgo, Ciudad Universitaria, Francisco J. Múgica S/N, 58060 Morelia, Michoacán Mexico
| | - José María Ponce-Ortega
- Chemical Engineering Department, Universidad Michoacana de San Nicolás de Hidalgo, Ciudad Universitaria, Francisco J. Múgica S/N, 58060 Morelia, Michoacán Mexico
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Moreira FDA, Dalla Fontana M, Sepe PM, Lopes MV, Moura LDV, Medeiros LS, de Kraker J, Malheiros TF, Di Giulio GM. Co-creating sustainability indicators for the local water-energy-food nexus. Sustain Sci 2022; 17:2315-2329. [PMID: 35497021 PMCID: PMC9039609 DOI: 10.1007/s11625-022-01141-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2021] [Accepted: 03/15/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Sustainability indicators have become essential tools to deal with compartmentalized resources planning and management in cities. The development of water, energy, and food nexus (WEF nexus) indicators is a prominent goal of current research, but the focus is mainly on economic issues and material flows. Attention to the local scale and context, social aspects, and the inclusion of non-academic actors is mostly lacking. To address these gaps, this paper reports and reflects on the co-creation of sustainability indicators related to the WEF nexus in the city of São Paulo, Brazil. With a transdisciplinary approach, non-academic actors were included in the different stages of the process using the Urban Living Lab methodology, to improve the usability of the produced indicators' set. The case of São Paulo concerned on-going actions in the peri-urban and rural areas of the city which seek to improve environmental protection by stimulating more sustainable forms of agriculture. Thirty-four indicators were developed through a sequence of interactive activities, such as workshops, meetings, and field trips. The presented process aims to strongly enhance usability by actively involving users from the start, connecting the nexus approach to previous knowledge and familiar frameworks, paying attention to the local scale and context, and to social aspects, and by anticipating future use in various ways.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Patrícia Marra Sepe
- Municipal Secretariat of Urban Development, São Paulo City Hall, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Mathews Vichr Lopes
- Municipal Secretariat of Urban Development, São Paulo City Hall, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Lucas do Vale Moura
- Municipal Secretariat of Urban Development, São Paulo City Hall, São Paulo, Brazil
| | | | - Joop de Kraker
- Maastricht Sustainability Institute, School of Business and Economics, Maastricht, The Netherlands
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Sacramento Rivero JC, Mwampamba TH, Navarro-Pineda FS, Musule R, García CA, Martínez-Bravo RD, Morales-García AL, Equihua-Sánchez M, Fuentes-Gutiérrez AF, Gallardo-Álvarez RM, Ruiz Camou CR, Grande-Acosta GK, Manzini F, Islas-Samperio JM, Camarillo R. A Methodological Framework for Assessing the Sustainability of Solid Biofuels Systems. Bioenergy Res 2022; 15:1797-1819. [PMID: 35106115 PMCID: PMC8794610 DOI: 10.1007/s12155-021-10365-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2021] [Accepted: 11/24/2021] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
UNLABELLED This paper introduces a methodological framework for assessing the sustainability of solid biofuels in Mexico. The designed framework comprises 13 normalized indicators and two diagnostic studies, covering the economic, social, environmental, and institutional sustainability dimensions, and their intersections. Indicators are normalized using the concept of load capacity of a system, similarly to the planetary boundaries. Thus, the graphical representation of results facilitates their multidimensional analysis. The framework was applied to three case studies: traditional fuelwood in rural households, charcoal for restaurant grilling, and electricity cogeneration from sugarcane bagasse. This was part of an iterative process of testing and refining the framework and simultaneously demonstrating its application in the Mexican bioenergy context. This led to the conclusion that the resulting framework (a) provides a useful, quantitative, and comprehensive overview of both broad and specific sustainability aspects of the assessed system; (b) requires a balance of accessible but also scattered or sensitive data, similarly to most existing frameworks; (c) is highly flexible and applicable to both modern and traditional solid biofuels; and (d) is simple to communicate and interpret for a wide audience. Key directions for improvement of the framework are also discussed. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s12155-021-10365-2.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Tuyeni H. Mwampamba
- Instituto de Investigaciones en Ecosistemas y Sustentabilidad, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico City, Mexico
| | | | - Ricardo Musule
- Escuela Nacional de Estudios Superiores, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico City, Mexico
- Facultad de Ciencias Químicas, Universidad Veracruzana campus Coatzacoalcos, Coatzacoalcos, Mexico
| | - Carlos A. García
- Escuela Nacional de Estudios Superiores, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - René D. Martínez-Bravo
- Instituto de Investigaciones en Ecosistemas y Sustentabilidad, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Ana L. Morales-García
- Instituto de Investigaciones en Ecosistemas y Sustentabilidad, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico City, Mexico
| | | | - Alfredo F. Fuentes-Gutiérrez
- Instituto de Investigaciones en Ecosistemas y Sustentabilidad, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Rosa M. Gallardo-Álvarez
- Escuela Nacional de Estudios Superiores, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - César R. Ruiz Camou
- Escuela Nacional de Estudios Superiores, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Genice K. Grande-Acosta
- Instituto de Energías Renovables, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Fabio Manzini
- Instituto de Energías Renovables, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Jorge M. Islas-Samperio
- Facultad de Ciencias Químicas, Universidad Veracruzana campus Coatzacoalcos, Coatzacoalcos, Mexico
| | - Rafael Camarillo
- Escuela Nacional de Estudios Superiores, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico City, Mexico
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12
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Effat HA, Ramadan MS, Ramadan RH. A spatial model for assessment of urban vulnerability in the light of the UN New Urban Agenda guidelines: case study of Assiut City, Egypt. Model Earth Syst Environ 2021; 8:3687-3706. [PMID: 34746368 PMCID: PMC8556150 DOI: 10.1007/s40808-021-01281-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2021] [Accepted: 09/06/2021] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Most cities in developing countries suffer environmental degradation caused by the growth of unplanned areas that sprawl in the cities. In the current paper, we attempted to integrate a set of selected UN-based urban indicators based on the New Urban Agenda (NUA) within a GIS framework to observe and assess some aspects of urban vulnerability among city districts based on deprivation. The vulnerability map for the districts in Assiut City was created through a spatial multicriteria evaluation model. Thirteen sub-indicators related to shelter, social environmental and economic situations have been assessed in the model using standardization, weighting and aggregation methods. Results revealed that: districts, namely, El Thaltha, El Owla, El Thania, and El Rabaa are most vulnerable in most scenarios, while districts, namely, El Sheyakha El Sabaa, and El Sadsa, El-Walidya El Qiblia and El-Hamra El Thania are among the least vulnerable zones. Results also revealed that vulnerable districts encompass the highest percentage of slums, highest density of population, highest rates for urban growth and poor connection to services. Eventually, we assume that the most vulnerable zones in the city are under the highest risk of airborne diseases including COVID-19 epidemic. Eventually, a subset of selected urban vulnerability indicators that could be triggering the spread of the pandemic was chosen for another spatial multcriteria model to delineate city zones under risk. The result revealed that expected high-risk areas exist in the south-west of the city and include El Thaltha, El Owla, El Thania and El Rabaa districts, while the least risk district is El-Walydia El-Qeblia. The applied methodology and its outputs could support decision makers in reviewing priorities, setting contingency plans, allocation of funds and raising resilience among the city districts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hala A Effat
- Division of Environmental Studies and Land Use, National Authority for Remote Sensing and Space Sciences, NARSS, Cairo, Egypt
| | - Mona S Ramadan
- Division of Environmental Studies and Land Use, National Authority for Remote Sensing and Space Sciences, NARSS, Cairo, Egypt
| | - Rasha H Ramadan
- Division of Environmental Studies and Land Use, National Authority for Remote Sensing and Space Sciences, NARSS, Cairo, Egypt
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13
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Jouan J, Carof M, Baccar R, Bareille N, Bastian S, Brogna D, Burgio G, Couvreur S, Cupiał M, Dufrêne M, Dumont B, Gontier P, Jacquot AL, Kański J, Magagnoli S, Makulska J, Pérès G, Ridier A, Salou T, Sgolastra F, Szeląg-Sikora A, Tabor S, Tombarkiewicz B, Węglarz A, Godinot O. A dataset for sustainability assessment of agroecological practices in a crop-livestock farming system. Data Brief 2021; 36:107078. [PMID: 34013009 PMCID: PMC8114105 DOI: 10.1016/j.dib.2021.107078] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2021] [Accepted: 04/15/2021] [Indexed: 10/27/2022] Open
Abstract
This article presents data designed by European researchers who performed a literature review and interpreted the results to determine impact factors of many agroecological practices on a wide variety of sustainability indicators. The impact factors are represented in a matrix that connects practices to indicators. The indicators are related to environmental, economic and social sustainability of a typical European integrated crop-livestock farm. The data are included in the serious game SEGAE to learn agroecology, as described in "SEGAE: a serious game to learn agroecology" [1]. The data can be modified to adapt the game to other agricultural systems. Finally, the data can be re-used in research projects as a basis to assess impacts of agroecological practices.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julia Jouan
- SAS, INRAE, Institut Agro, 35042 Rennes, France
| | | | - Rim Baccar
- USC 1432 LEVA, Ecole Supérieure d'Agricultures, INRAE, SFR 4207 QUASAV, 49100 Angers, France
| | | | | | - Delphine Brogna
- ULiège Gembloux Agro-Bio Tech, TERRA Research and Teaching Center, B-5030 Gembloux, Belgium
| | - Giovanni Burgio
- DISTAL, Alma Mater Studiorum Università di Bologna, 40126 Bologna, Italy
| | - Sébastien Couvreur
- USC 1481 URSE, Ecole Supérieure d'Agricultures, INRAE, 49007 Angers, France
| | - Michał Cupiał
- University of Agriculture in Krakow, Faculty of Production and Power Engineering, 30-149 Kraków, Poland
| | - Marc Dufrêne
- ULiège Gembloux Agro-Bio Tech, TERRA Research and Teaching Center, B-5030 Gembloux, Belgium
| | - Benjamin Dumont
- ULiège Gembloux Agro-Bio Tech, TERRA Research and Teaching Center, B-5030 Gembloux, Belgium
| | | | | | - Jarosław Kański
- Faculty of Animal Science, University of Agriculture in Krakow, 30-0599 Kraków, Poland
| | - Serena Magagnoli
- DISTAL, Alma Mater Studiorum Università di Bologna, 40126 Bologna, Italy
| | - Joanna Makulska
- Faculty of Animal Science, University of Agriculture in Krakow, 30-0599 Kraków, Poland
| | | | - Aude Ridier
- SMART-LERECO, INRAE, Institut Agro, 35042 Rennes, France
| | - Thibault Salou
- SAS, INRAE, Institut Agro, 35042 Rennes, France.,ITAP, Univ Montpellier, INRAE, Institut Agro, 34060 Montpellier, France
| | - Fabio Sgolastra
- DISTAL, Alma Mater Studiorum Università di Bologna, 40126 Bologna, Italy
| | - Anna Szeląg-Sikora
- University of Agriculture in Krakow, Faculty of Production and Power Engineering, 30-149 Kraków, Poland
| | - Sylwester Tabor
- University of Agriculture in Krakow, Faculty of Production and Power Engineering, 30-149 Kraków, Poland
| | - Barbara Tombarkiewicz
- Faculty of Animal Science, University of Agriculture in Krakow, 30-0599 Kraków, Poland
| | - Andrzej Węglarz
- Faculty of Animal Science, University of Agriculture in Krakow, 30-0599 Kraków, Poland
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14
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Gaudencio LMA, de Oliveira R, Curi WF. Sustainability Indicators System Based on Multicriteria Analysis: A Tool for the Management of the Sustainability of Offshore Oil and Gas Production Units. Integr Environ Assess Manag 2021; 17:614-625. [PMID: 33085188 DOI: 10.1002/ieam.4359] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2019] [Revised: 09/24/2020] [Accepted: 10/14/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
The increasing production of oil and gas in the marine environment and the growing participation of companies of different nationalities and sizes require the use of tools to support the sustainable management of offshore oil and gas production units. This paper presents the results of the application of a sustainability indicator system, developed from the identification of the economic, environmental, social, and operational impacts of the activities of these production units. The sustainability performances of 3 oil and gas production units operating in the Brazilian marine environment were compared to the performance of one considered ideal, through the application of the PROMETHEE II and ordinal COPELAND multicriteria methods. The indicator system applied favored the analysis of the sustainability management of offshore oil and gas production activity in a multidimensional approach, considering the points of view of experts from various areas of knowledge, and proved to be a reliable tool to support the sustainable management of these offshore production units. Integr Environ Assess Manag 2021;17:614-625. © 2020 SETAC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucia Maria Al Gaudencio
- Federal University of Campina Grande, Science and Technology Center, Chemical Engineering Academic Unit, Campina Grande, Paraíba, Brazil
| | - Rui de Oliveira
- Paraíba State University, Technology Center, Campina Grande, Paraíba, Brazil
| | - Wilson F Curi
- Federal University of Campina Grande, Campina Grande, Paraíba, Brazil
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15
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Vardopoulos I, Konstantopoulos I, Zorpas AA, Limousy L, Bennici S, Inglezakis VJ, Voukkali I. Sustainable metropolitan areas perspectives through assessment of the existing waste management strategies. Environ Sci Pollut Res Int 2021; 28:24305-24320. [PMID: 32072414 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-020-07930-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2019] [Accepted: 01/29/2020] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Human activities are considered among the main producers of any kind of pollution. This paper, through a Driver-Pressure-State-Impact-Response (DPSIR) model analyses, focuses on the evaluation and assessment of the existing practices, procedures, and results obtained in order to determine whether the municipal solid waste (MSW) management implemented in three major Greek municipalities in the greater urban area of Attica, namely the municipalities of Nea Smirni, Vyronas, and Piraeus, could be considered viable and sustainable. The evaluation indicated that MSW in Greek cities have reduced over the last years, also suggesting a steady downward trend, which could be considered consistent with that of the per capita incomes in Greece due to the extended economic austerity, while at the same time the recycling indicator seems to optimize. The results are very useful for policymakers and local authorities towards taking actions related to the targets set from the circular economy strategies as well as the targets set from United Nation Development Program and the European Green Deal Strategy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ioannis Vardopoulos
- Department of Home Economics and Ecology, School of Environment, Geography and Applied Economics, Harokopio University, 70 Eleftheriou Venizelou Avenue, 17676, Kallithea, Attica, Greece.
| | - Ioannis Konstantopoulos
- Department of Environmental Inspectorate, Hellenic Ministry of Environment and Energy, 119 Mesogeion Avenue, 11526, Athens, Attica, Greece
| | - Antonis A Zorpas
- Laboratory of Chemical Engineering and Engineering Sustainability, Environmental Conservation and Management, Faculty of Pure and Applied Sciences, Open University of Cyprus, 33 Giannou Kranidioti, Nicosia, 2252, Latsia, Cyprus.
| | - Lionel Limousy
- Mulhouse Materials Science Institute (IS2M), Joint Research Unit (UMR), French National Center for Scientific Research (CNRS) - University of Upper Alsace (UHA), 15 Jean Starcky, F-68100, Mulhouse, France
- University of Strasbourg, 67081, 4 Blaise Pascal, Strasbourg, 67081, France
| | - Simona Bennici
- Mulhouse Materials Science Institute (IS2M), Joint Research Unit (UMR), French National Center for Scientific Research (CNRS) - University of Upper Alsace (UHA), 15 Jean Starcky, F-68100, Mulhouse, France
- University of Strasbourg, 67081, 4 Blaise Pascal, Strasbourg, 67081, France
| | - Vassilis J Inglezakis
- Environmental Science and Technology Group (ESTg), Chemical and Materials Engineering Department, School of Engineering and Digital Sciences, Nazarbayev University Astana, 53 Kabanbay Batyr Avenue, Nur-Sultan, Kazakhstan, 010000
| | - Irene Voukkali
- Laboratory of Chemical Engineering and Engineering Sustainability, Environmental Conservation and Management, Faculty of Pure and Applied Sciences, Open University of Cyprus, 33 Giannou Kranidioti, Nicosia, 2252, Latsia, Cyprus
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Lizana J, Manteigas V, Chacartegui R, Lage J, Becerra JA, Blondeau P, Rato R, Silva F, Gamarra AR, Herrera I, Gomes M, Fernandez A, Berthier C, Gonçalves K, Alexandre JL, Almeida-Silva M, Almeida SM. A methodology to empower citizens towards a low-carbon economy. The potential of schools and sustainability indicators. J Environ Manage 2021; 284:112043. [PMID: 33607548 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2021.112043] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2020] [Revised: 12/13/2020] [Accepted: 01/20/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Environmental empowering to control resource consumption and environmental impacts is critical to engage citizens to adopt more sustainable habits. This study demonstrates the potential benefits of innovative approaches based on sustainability indicators towards a low-carbon economy. A methodology to measure and promote sustainability in schools has been proposed and evaluated, aiming at showing the environmental performance and informing of potential environmental savings. The methodology, titled ClimACT, has two main purposes: measuring the environmental performance of schools through a school sustainability index based on measurable indicators in the areas of transport, procurement, green spaces, indoor air quality, energy, water and waste; and encouraging students, teachers and families towards an energy-efficient and low-carbon pathway through a structural procedure based on roles, activities and progress evaluation. The approach, applied to 39 pilot schools from Portugal, Spain, France and Gibraltar, achieved promising and encouraging results. All schools deployed the methodology successfully, achieving measurable environmental benefits in 95% of cases, with an average improvement of 10% in the global performance of schools after one year. Moreover, the 5112 surveys applied to school communities, before and after the methodology implementation, highlighted how the sustainable indicators had a significant influence on the daily lives of families, leading to improvements of their behaviour, with an average increase of 20% in indicators regarding good practices in transport, energy, water, waste and citizenship. The environmental empowering through measurable indicators is a step forward a low-carbon economy. This methodology is open and adaptable to all sectors and requirements.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jesus Lizana
- Instituto Universitario de Arquitectura y Ciencias de la Construcción, Universidad de Sevilla, Avda. Reina Mercedes 2, 41012, Seville, Spain.
| | - Vítor Manteigas
- Centro de Ciências e Tecnologias Nucleares (C2TN), Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade de Lisboa, Estrada Nacional 10, ao Km 139.7, 2695-066 Bobadela-LRS, Portugal; H&TRC - Health & Technology Research Center, ESTeSL - Escola Superior de Tecnologia da Saúde, Instituto Politécnico de Lisboa, Av. D. João II, lote 4.69.01, Parque das Nações, 1990-096, Lisboa, Portugal.
| | - Ricardo Chacartegui
- Departamento de Ingeniería Energética, Universidad de Sevilla, Camino de los Descubrimientos s/n, 41092, Seville, Spain.
| | - Joana Lage
- Centro de Ciências e Tecnologias Nucleares (C2TN), Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade de Lisboa, Estrada Nacional 10, ao Km 139.7, 2695-066 Bobadela-LRS, Portugal.
| | - Jose A Becerra
- Departamento de Ingeniería Energética, Universidad de Sevilla, Camino de los Descubrimientos s/n, 41092, Seville, Spain.
| | - Patrice Blondeau
- LaSIE CNRS UMR 7356, La Rochelle University, Avenue Michel Crépeau, 17042 La Rochelle Cedex 1, France.
| | - Ricardo Rato
- Instituto de Soldadura e Qualidade, Avenida Professor Dr. Cavaco Silva, 33 Taguspark, 2740-120 Porto Salvo, Portugal.
| | - Filipe Silva
- Instituto de Soldadura e Qualidade, Avenida Professor Dr. Cavaco Silva, 33 Taguspark, 2740-120 Porto Salvo, Portugal
| | - Ana R Gamarra
- Energy Systems Analysis Unit, Energy Department, CIEMAT, Avenida Complutense, 40, 28040 Madrid, Spain.
| | - Israel Herrera
- Energy Systems Analysis Unit, Energy Department, CIEMAT, Avenida Complutense, 40, 28040 Madrid, Spain.
| | - Margarida Gomes
- Associação Bandeira Azul da Europa, Edificio Vasco da Gama, Rua General Gomes Araújo, Bloco C - Piso 1, 1350 Lisboa, Portugal.
| | - Amaia Fernandez
- University of Gibraltar, Europa Point Campus, Gibraltar, GX11 1AA, Portugal.
| | - Celine Berthier
- Mairie de la Rochelle, 3 Place de l'Hôtel de Ville, 17000 La Rochelle, France
| | - Karla Gonçalves
- EDIGREEN, Rua Central de Cidadelha, 726, 4475-622 Maia, Portugal.
| | - Jose L Alexandre
- EDIGREEN, Rua Central de Cidadelha, 726, 4475-622 Maia, Portugal.
| | - Marina Almeida-Silva
- Centro de Ciências e Tecnologias Nucleares (C2TN), Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade de Lisboa, Estrada Nacional 10, ao Km 139.7, 2695-066 Bobadela-LRS, Portugal; H&TRC - Health & Technology Research Center, ESTeSL - Escola Superior de Tecnologia da Saúde, Instituto Politécnico de Lisboa, Av. D. João II, lote 4.69.01, Parque das Nações, 1990-096, Lisboa, Portugal.
| | - Susana Marta Almeida
- Centro de Ciências e Tecnologias Nucleares (C2TN), Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade de Lisboa, Estrada Nacional 10, ao Km 139.7, 2695-066 Bobadela-LRS, Portugal.
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17
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Paz TDSR, Caiado RGG, Quelhas OLG, Gavião LO, Lima GBA. Assessment of sustainable development through a multi-criteria approach: Application in brazilian municipalities. J Environ Manage 2021; 282:111954. [PMID: 33482402 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2021.111954] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2020] [Revised: 12/29/2020] [Accepted: 01/02/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
In the last decades, there has been an increase in impacts on the environment, driven by the industrialization process. As a result, society's social and environmental awareness increased, and business organizations began to promote corporate social responsibility initiatives to positively contribute to better working and environmental conditions, and other sustainability issues. This article aims to verify the performance of 217 Brazilian municipalities from 31 indicators segmented in the three dimensions of sustainability (economic, environmental, and social), selected from the literature review, to contribute to the sustainable investment strategy of organizations. To this end, we used the multi-criteria decision making method, Technique for Order Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution (TOPSIS), and proposed an analytical sustainability dashboard. The main results of this paper were the sustainable performance rankings of the municipalities and the dashboard with three analytical panels that contributed to identifying the points of improvement of each municipality, consequently contributing to the investment strategy in these locations. This research consists, therefore, of an important methodology, combining the multi-criteria method and the sustainability dashboard, to assess the sustainable development of the municipalities in the triple bottom line dimensions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tainá da Silva Rocha Paz
- Management Systems Department, Federal Fluminense University. R. Passo da Pátria, 152-470 - 24210-240, São Domingos, Niterói, RJ, Brazil.
| | - Rodrigo Goyannes Gusmão Caiado
- Pontifical Catholic University of Rio de Janeiro, Tecgraf / PUC-Rio - Institute of Technical-Scientific Software Development. Rua Marquês de São Vicente, 225, Gávea, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil.
| | - Osvaldo Luiz Gonçalves Quelhas
- Department of Production Engineering, Federal Fluminense University. R. Passo da Pátria, 152-470 - 24210-240, São Domingos, Niterói, RJ, Brazil.
| | - Luiz Octávio Gavião
- Escola Superior de Guerra (ESG), Fortaleza de São João - Av. João Luiz Alves, S/nº - Urca, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil.
| | - Gilson Brito Alves Lima
- Management Systems Department, Federal Fluminense University. R. Passo da Pátria, 152-470 - 24210-240, São Domingos, Niterói, RJ, Brazil.
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Chowdhury H, Chowdhury T, Hossain N, Chowdhury P, Salam B, Sait SM, Mahlia TMI. Exergetic sustainability analysis of industrial furnace: a case study. Environ Sci Pollut Res Int 2021; 28:12881-12888. [PMID: 33094462 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-020-11280-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2020] [Accepted: 10/15/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Industrial furnaces play a significant role in industrial energy consumption and production. Minimizing losses from these furnaces can contribute to industrial sustainability. Exergy being an optimization tool can reduce energy loss and emission from furnaces and contribute to environmental sustainability. Currently, no exergy-based sustainability analysis has been adopted in the literature. In this analysis, a reheater furnace that is fired by natural gas is analyzed in terms of energy and exergy utilization. To address the sustainability of the furnace, several exergy-based sustainability parameters have been used. The overall energy efficiency of the furnace is 93.40%, while exergy efficiency is only 27.37%. From sustainability analysis, it is found that 72.63% of the fuel is diminished from the furnace, and it contributes to a lower sustainability index of 1.38. Higher exergy losses from this furnace positively affect the environment, which is validated from the higher value of the environmental destruction coefficient, the environmental destruction index, and the lower value of the environmental benign index. The value of the environmental destruction coefficient is 3.65, and the value of the environmental benign index is 0.38. Recovering waste energy and optimizing auxiliary equipment will increase the value of sustainability parameters.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hemal Chowdhury
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Chittagong University of Engineering & Technology, Kaptai Highway, Raozan, Chattogram, Bangladesh
| | - Tamal Chowdhury
- Department of Electrical & Electronic Engineering, Chittagong University of Engineering & Technology, Kaptai Highway, Raozan, Chattogram, Bangladesh
| | - Nazia Hossain
- School of Engineering, RMIT University, 128 La Trobe Street, Melbourne, VIC, 3001, Australia.
| | - Piyal Chowdhury
- Chattogram Collegiate School and College, Ice Factory Road, Chattogram, Bangladesh
| | - Bodius Salam
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Chittagong University of Engineering & Technology, Kaptai Highway, Raozan, Chattogram, Bangladesh
| | - Sadiq M Sait
- King Fahd University of Petroleum &Minerals, Dhahran, Saudi Arabia
| | - Teuku Meurah Indra Mahlia
- School of Information, Systems and Modelling, Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, NSW, 2007, Australia
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Meneses-Jácome A, Ruiz-Colorado AA. A new approach of ecologically based life cycle assessment for biological wastewater treatments focused on energy recovery goals. Environ Sci Pollut Res Int 2021; 28:4195-4208. [PMID: 32935211 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-020-10703-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2019] [Accepted: 09/01/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
The energy potential of high-organic loaded agro-industrial effluents receiving biological treatment is often neglected, particularly in emergent regions, because of different technical and regulatory drawbacks. In addition, small alternative bioenergy sources are forced to compete disadvantageously with conventional energy supply, hindering their more extended exploitation. Thus, smart strategies to prove the environmental/economic potential of biogas and sludge produced in biological wastewater treatment systems (Bio-WWTs) are required to promote them as truly sustainable energy sources. In this view, the present study depicts a refined methodological framework for a more appropriate appraisal of Bio-WWTs promoting bioenergy recovery. Life cycle assessment (LCA) and emergy analysis (EmA) methods were merged around the statement of some identified and stated Principle-Criteria of Sustainability (PCS) for this kind of "water-energy nexus." As a result, a novel set of four single sustainability development indicators (SDIs) and one aggregated SDI were obtained to address sustainable conditions for valorization of bio-energy from agro-industrial Bio-WWTs. These indicators were made up of an environmental term coming from an LCA based on a system expansion approach as well as a second or "eco-economic" term obtained by means of EmA. This work introduces and shapes the "additionality" notion as an expression of overall sustainability and uses novel sustainability charts to interpret the obtained SDIs and their shifting or changes for different Bio-WWTs' life cycle scenarios. The "proof of concept" of this methodology is discussed along the obtained results for two case studies in Colombia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander Meneses-Jácome
- Programa de Ingeniería Ambiental, Unidades Tecnológicas de Santander-UTS, Calle de los Estudiantes #9-82, Ciudadela Real de Minas, Bucaramanga, Colombia.
- Research Group on Energy, Resources and Sustainability, GIRES, Universidad Autónoma de Bucaramanga (UNAB), Avenida 42 No, 48-11, Bucaramanga, Colombia.
- Ingeniería en Energía (Energy Engineering Department), Universidad Autónoma de Bucaramanga-UNAB (Campus El Jardín), Avenida 42 No. 48-11, Edificio L, Oficina 2do. Piso, Bucaramanga, Colombia.
| | - Angela Adriana Ruiz-Colorado
- Bioprocesos y Flujos Reactivos, Universidad Nacional de Colombia-Sede Medellín, Carrera 80 No 65-223, Núcleo Robledo, Medellín, Colombia
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Cossio C, McConville JR, Mattsson A, Mercado A, Norrman J. EVAS - a practical tool to assess the sustainability of small wastewater treatment systems in low and lower-middle-income countries. Sci Total Environ 2020; 746:140938. [PMID: 32795755 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.140938] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2020] [Revised: 07/08/2020] [Accepted: 07/11/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Small wastewater treatment systems (WWTSs) in low and lower-middle income countries still face challenges to achieve optimal performance and acceptable levels of sustainability. Thus, a practical tool, easy to apply by locals, to diagnose the actual status of WWTSs is required in order to identify weak areas for further improvement. This study presents a sustainability assessment tool, EVAS (EVAluación de Sostenibilidad: EVAluation of Sustainability), for small WWTSs in low and lower-middle income countries. The EVAS tool is developed based on a set of contextualized sustainability indicators and sub-indicators in five dimensions (technical, environmental, social, economic, institutional). Each indicator or sub-indicator is broken down into factors, each associated with specific targets to fulfil, and scored using a traffic light scale (0 to 4) indicating unsustainable-low-medium to high levels of sustainability. The tool was developed taking into consideration that local data may sometimes be incomplete and encourages the collection and monitoring of relevant data. The assessment results support local managers or other stakeholders responsible for wastewater management with the identification of weaknesses that need to be addressed. The tool was tested using two case studies involving WWTSs in Bolivia. One WWTS received a medium sustainability rating, whereas the other system received a low sustainability rating, which indicates that several improvements are required in all sustainability dimensions. Stakeholders in the case studies found the tool useful, and suggested ways in which it could be further improved. It is expected that the application of this tool can contribute to raising the sustainability level of small WWTSs in low and lower-middle-income countries.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claudia Cossio
- Department of Architecture and Civil Engineering, Chalmers University of Technology, SE-412 96 Göteborg, Sweden; Centro de Aguas y Saneamiento Ambiental, San Simon University, Cochabamba, Bolivia.
| | - Jennifer R McConville
- Department of Energy and Technology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Box 7032, SE-750 07 Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Ann Mattsson
- Department of Architecture and Civil Engineering, Chalmers University of Technology, SE-412 96 Göteborg, Sweden; Gryaab AB, Box 8984, SE-402 74 Göteborg, Sweden
| | - Alvaro Mercado
- Centro de Aguas y Saneamiento Ambiental, San Simon University, Cochabamba, Bolivia
| | - Jenny Norrman
- Department of Architecture and Civil Engineering, Chalmers University of Technology, SE-412 96 Göteborg, Sweden.
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Cetrulo TB, Marques RC, Malheiros TF, Cetrulo NM. Monitoring inequality in water access: Challenges for the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Sci Total Environ 2020; 727:138746. [PMID: 32498195 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.138746] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2020] [Revised: 04/13/2020] [Accepted: 04/14/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
The diffusion of the indicators for monitoring sustainable development goals (SDG) has conceptual and symbolic uses far beyond their instrumental uses. Despite its value in dismantling social and economic inequalities, the goal regarding guaranteed of water and sanitation for all did not specify any indicators for this purpose. This research contributes to the discussions on the best way to monitor inequality in access to water by the SDG. Inequality measures established in other areas of study and specific to the access to water were analyzed as their applicability for this purpose. Our study finds that current United Nations strategy does not allow for robust conclusions and does not respect some economical axioms. Furthermore, we show the potentialities and inconveniences of the most important metrics, but it can be concluded that if the objective is merely to measure inequality and communicate easily, the concentration index is the most appropriate measure. These results may contribute to a more refined discussion of how the SDGs can measures progress towards equality in water access and provides information to guide governments agendas for equality in water access.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tiago B Cetrulo
- Department of Hydraulics and Sanitation, University of São Paulo, Brazil.
| | - Rui C Marques
- Department of Civil Engineering, Architecture and Geo-resources at the Instituto Superior Técnico (IST), University of Lisbon, Portugal.
| | - Tadeu F Malheiros
- Department of Hydraulics and Sanitation, University of São Paulo, Brazil.
| | - Natália M Cetrulo
- School of Arts, Science and Humanities, University of São Paulo, Brazil.
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Abstract
Considering today's globalised world, new concepts that assist ergonomics are needed to provide human well-being. Accordingly, the sustainability concept is used in this study to satisfy the needs of stakeholders, put environmentally-friendly and cost-effective interventions into practice and provide ergonomically well-designed and easily managed processes that are more flexible, adaptable and human-sensitive. To achieve this, a practical and easily adaptable framework, which integrates ergonomics and sustainability by presenting the relations between fundamental elements of ergonomics and sustainability dimensions (SDs), is proposed. Within this base framework, ergonomic indicators (EIs) and sub-dimensions proposed for the classification of EIs are structured for ergonomics under a sustainability point-of-view. The sub-dimensions proposed in this study, which have direct or indirect relations to humans, are 'Loss', 'Investment', 'Conditions', 'Contribution', 'Self-Development', and 'Satisfaction'. This structural framework, which can be easily used by ergonomists or managers, ensures a good starting point for providing sustainable processes in ergonomics. Practitioner summary: This study proposes a structural framework to present the relations between ergonomics and sustainability. In the context of ergonomics, fundamental elements of ergonomics are chosen, while three dimensions of sustainability and proposed sub-dimensions are used in the context of sustainability. The adapted ergonomic indicators are also classified within these sub-dimensions.Abbreviations: SDs: sustainability dimensions; SIs: sustainability indicators; EIs: ergonomic indicators.
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Affiliation(s)
- Irem Sarbat
- Department of Industrial Engineering, Dokuz Eylul University, Izmir, Turkey
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Devkota KP, Khanda CM, Beebout SJ, Mohapatra BK, Singleton GR, Puskur R. Assessing alternative crop establishment methods with a sustainability lens in rice production systems of Eastern India. J Clean Prod 2020; 244:118835. [PMID: 31969774 PMCID: PMC6946438 DOI: 10.1016/j.jclepro.2019.118835] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2019] [Revised: 09/16/2019] [Accepted: 10/10/2019] [Indexed: 05/30/2023]
Abstract
Sustainability of rice production systems is a prime concern for Asia to maintain food security and to support economic growth. This gain in productivity not only depends on agricultural inputs but also depends on social and environmental factors. To address these emerging issues, new resource- and capital-efficient and profitable technologies have been introduced. The conventional method of rice production (puddling and manual transplanting, PTR) is considered as highly input intensive. As an alternative, dry direct seeded rice (DSR) using seed drill has been promoted to save labor and production costs compared with PTR. Similarly, machine transplanted rice (MTR) has been also considered and promoted in many rice growing countries of South and East Asia. Economic, environmental, and social performances of DSR and MTR (alternative rice establishment technologies) were compared to the PTR using Sustainable Rice Platform (SRP) defined 12 Performance Indicators (PIs) (version 1.0) as a gauge to measure their sustainability. For that, a household survey was conducted on 652 households in Odisha India during 2016. The gaps, i.e., the target to achieve better sustainability, were computed for most of the indicators from the difference between top 10th percentile and the population mean value of the indicator. The results indicated a yield gap of 1.35 t ha-1, a profit gap of $273 ha-1, labor productivity gap of 21 kg day-1, nitrogen (N) use efficiency gap of 22 kg grain kg-1 N, phosphorus (P) use efficiency gap of 105 kg grain kg-1 P, and water productivity gap of 0.00010 kg grain L-1 water in rice production systems in Odisha. Among the compared technologies, MTR results in the highest yield, profit, labor productivity, nitrogen-, phosphorus-use efficiency, and water productivity (at par), and is positive for children's welfare and the overall energy productivity, indicating better sustainability and has the potential to replace PTR. Direct seeded rice has the highest yield gap (1.57 t ha-1; 38%) but has the lowest production cost (can reduce the cost of production by $130 ha-1), and the highest greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction potential. SRP PIs are capable for assessing the sustainability of rice establishment technologies except for a few indicators, for example food safety and workers health and safety, which are more applicable to watershed and household level indicators, respectively. The SRP PIs provide scientific evidence and practical impetus for the selection and promotion of sustainable rice production technologies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Krishna Prasad Devkota
- International Rice Research Institute, DAPO Box 7777, Metro Manila, 1301, Philippines
- Present address: Africa Rice Center (AfricaRice), 01 B.P. 2551, Bouaké 01, Cote d'Ivoire
| | - C M Khanda
- Orissa University of Agriculture and Technology, Bhubaneswar, India
| | - Sarah J Beebout
- International Rice Research Institute, DAPO Box 7777, Metro Manila, 1301, Philippines
| | - Bidhan K Mohapatra
- International Rice Research Institute, DAPO Box 7777, Metro Manila, 1301, Philippines
| | - Grant R Singleton
- International Rice Research Institute, DAPO Box 7777, Metro Manila, 1301, Philippines
- Natural Resources Institute, University of Greenwich, Chatham Maritime, Kent, UK
| | - Ranjitha Puskur
- International Rice Research Institute, DAPO Box 7777, Metro Manila, 1301, Philippines
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Anzilago M, Panhoca L, Bezerra CA, Beuren IM, Kassai JR. Values or hypocrisy: the global reporting initiative mapping in agricultural cooperatives in Paraná, Brazil. Environ Monit Assess 2018; 190:487. [PMID: 30043230 DOI: 10.1007/s10661-018-6870-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2017] [Accepted: 07/12/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
This article presents an analysis of the environmental reporting that was published by agricultural cooperatives in the Brazilian state of Paraná in 2013. The purpose of this analysis is to evaluate the level of conformity in data, reported by cooperatives, with the guidelines of Global Reporting Initiative issued in 2016. Our descriptive analysis, performed with qualitative research methods, revealed a selective character of disclosure as well as general discrepancy between size of the reporting organisations and quality of the information provided. This made us question the degree of cooperatives' commitment to the principles of sustainable development and well-being of the communities they represent.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marcielle Anzilago
- Federal University of Parana (UFPR), Pref. Lothario Meissner, 632 - Campus III - Botanical Garden, Curitiba, PR, 80210-170, Brazil.
| | - Luiz Panhoca
- Federal University of Parana (UFPR), Pref. Lothario Meissner, 632 - Campus III - Botanical Garden, Curitiba, PR, 80210-070, Brazil
| | - Cicero Aparecido Bezerra
- Federal University of Parana (UFPR), Pref. Lothario Meissner, 632 - Campus III - Botanical Garden, Curitiba, PR, 80210-070, Brazil
| | - Ilse Maria Beuren
- Federal University of Santa Catarina (UFSC), Socioeconomic Center - Block F Campus - Trindade, Florianópolis, SC, 88040-970, Brazil
| | - José Roberto Kassai
- Universidade de São Paulo (FEA - USP), Av. Luciano Gualberto, 908 - Building FEA / 3 - 2nd floor - Room 235, São Paulo, SP, 05508-900, Brazil
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Bonisoli L, Galdeano-Gómez E, Piedra-Muñoz L. Deconstruction: the qualitative methodology for the analysis of sustainability assessment tools of agri-system. MethodsX 2018; 5:635-638. [PMID: 30013946 PMCID: PMC6019696 DOI: 10.1016/j.mex.2018.06.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2018] [Accepted: 06/08/2018] [Indexed: 11/02/2022] Open
Abstract
As sustainability is a philosophical concept, the evaluation of sustainability of an agri-system is underpinned by a philosophical understanding. Deconstruction is the qualitative methodology derived from philosophical science that allows to show what is hidden, to reveal the implicit meaning of a sustainability assessment tool. •Qualitative methodology of analysis.•Applicable to all kind of qualitative analysis.•Suitable for review article.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lorenzo Bonisoli
- Universidad Técnica de Machala (Unidad Académica de Ciencias Empresariales), Ecuador.,University of Almería (Agrifood Campus of International Excellence, ceiA3), Spain
| | | | - Laura Piedra-Muñoz
- University of Almería (Agrifood Campus of International Excellence, ceiA3), Spain
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Nag D, Paul SK, Saha S, Goswami AK. Sustainability assessment for the transportation environment of Darjeeling, India. J Environ Manage 2018; 213:489-502. [PMID: 29398182 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2018.01.042] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2017] [Revised: 01/04/2018] [Accepted: 01/14/2018] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Darjeeling is an important tourist hill town of West Bengal, India. It suffers from an acute problem of transportation, particularly during its peak tourist seasons due to limited road space, inadequate public transport facilities and indiscriminate use of automobiles. This hill town was originally designed for a population of 10,000, but over the years, it has come face-to-face with rapid urbanization, a rising population of both tourists and residents and intensifying motor vehicle usage. These factors together are posing a threat to its transport environment. This study identifies the Sustainable Transport Indicators (STIs) available in the existing literature to identify the critical stretches using Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) based on experts' consensus. It was found that the experts placed emphasis on the mobility of the town, talking about vehicular impact on air pollution and encroachment of roads as the main issues affecting the sustainability of the transport environment. Thereafter, policy-level interventions have been suggested in accordance with the identified sustainability issues. We trust that other tourist hill towns with issues similar to Darjeeling could easily emulate the study methodology to assess their transport environment sustainability, or replicate on the lines of the recommended policy interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dipanjan Nag
- Ranbir & Chitra Gupta School of Infrastructure Design & Management, Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur, Kharagpur, West Bengal, 721302, India.
| | - Subrata Kr Paul
- Department of Architecture, Town & Regional Planning, Indian Institute of Engineering Science & Technology, Shibpur, PO- Botanic Garden, Howrah, West Bengal, 711103, India
| | - Swati Saha
- Department of Architecture, Town & Regional Planning, Indian Institute of Engineering Science & Technology, Shibpur, PO- Botanic Garden, Howrah, West Bengal, 711103, India
| | - Arkopal K Goswami
- Ranbir & Chitra Gupta School of Infrastructure Design & Management, Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur, Kharagpur, West Bengal, 721302, India
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Albertí J, Balaguera A, Brodhag C, Fullana-I-Palmer P. Towards life cycle sustainability assessent of cities. A review of background knowledge. Sci Total Environ 2017; 609:1049-1063. [PMID: 28787779 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2017.07.179] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2017] [Revised: 07/16/2017] [Accepted: 07/20/2017] [Indexed: 05/28/2023]
Abstract
This article analyses whether existing LCA and sustainability methods can be used in the assessment of a city or an urban region. The approach is performed through the review of current existing LCA-based and sustainability standards and guidelines. A focus is put into those LCA-based standards specially designed for the built environment. Moreover, a review of non-LCA based standards, indices and guides for the assessment of the sustainability of countries, cities or urban regions is done. The purpose is to check if these assessment tools can provide good results in the absence of LCA-based assessments for cities and urban regions. This review demonstrates the lack of consensus in the definition of both, the city and its boundaries, which hinders the development of useful sustainability standards. Furthermore, it is concluded that current sustainability assessment tools miss, at least, one of these aspects: (i) holistic point of view, (ii) focus on various environmental impacts, (iii) a Life Cycle (LC) perspective, and (iv) the possibility to compare the results among different cities or urban regions. From the LCA perspective, the deficiencies found also include the need for a definition of the function, functional unit (FU), and reference flow (RF) of neighbourhoods, cities, and urban regions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jaume Albertí
- UNESCO Chair in Life Cycle and Climate Change, ESCI-UPF, Universitat Pompeu Fabra. Passeig Pujades 1, 08003 Barcelona, Spain.
| | - Alejandra Balaguera
- UNESCO Chair in Life Cycle and Climate Change, ESCI-UPF, Universitat Pompeu Fabra. Passeig Pujades 1, 08003 Barcelona, Spain; Facultad de Ingenierías, Universidad de Medellín, Carrera 87 N° 30 - 65, Medellín, Colombia
| | - Christian Brodhag
- École des Mines de Saint-Étienne (EMSE), 158, cours Fauriel, CS 62362, F-42023 Saint-Étienne Cedex 2, France
| | - Pere Fullana-I-Palmer
- UNESCO Chair in Life Cycle and Climate Change, ESCI-UPF, Universitat Pompeu Fabra. Passeig Pujades 1, 08003 Barcelona, Spain
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28
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Collet L, Ruelland D, Estupina VB, Dezetter A, Servat E. Water supply sustainability and adaptation strategies under anthropogenic and climatic changes of a meso-scale Mediterranean catchment. Sci Total Environ 2015; 536:589-602. [PMID: 26247688 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2015.07.093] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2015] [Revised: 07/19/2015] [Accepted: 07/20/2015] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
Assessing water supply sustainability is crucial to meet stakeholders' needs, notably in the Mediterranean. This region has been identified as a climate change hot spot, and as a region where water demand is continuously increasing due to population growth and the expansion of irrigated areas. The Hérault River catchment (2500 km2, France) is a typical example and a negative trend in discharge has been observed since the 1960s. In this context, local stakeholders need to evaluate possible future changes in water allocation capacity in the catchment, using climate change, dam management and water use scenarios. A modelling framework that was already calibrated and validated on this catchment over the last 50 years was used to assess whether water resources could meet water demands at the 2030 horizon for the domestic, agricultural and environmental sectors. Water supply sustainability was evaluated at the sub-basin scale according to priority allocations using a water supply capacity index, frequency of unsatisfactory years as well as the reliability, resilience and sustainability metrics. Water use projections were based on the evolution of population, per-unit water demand, irrigated areas, water supply network efficiency, as well as on the evaluation of a biological flow. Climate projections were based on an increase in temperature up to 2°C and a decrease in daily precipitation by 20%. Adaptation strategies considered reducing per-unit water demand for the domestic sector and the importation of water volume for the agricultural sector. The dissociated effects of water use and climatic constraints on water supply sustainability were evaluated. Results showed that the downstream portions would be the more impacted as they are the most exploited ones. In the domestic sector, sustainability indicators would be more degraded by climate change scenarios than water use constraints. In the agricultural sector the negative impact of water use scenarios would be stronger. The environmental sector would be hardly satisfied especially in summer with low resilience levels. The adaptation strategies considered in this study would not be sufficient to cope with both anthropogenic and climate changes. Other strategies were discussed based on known examples in the Mediterranean context.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lila Collet
- CNRS, Place Eugène Bataillon, 34395 Montpellier Cedex 5, France.
| | - Denis Ruelland
- CNRS, Place Eugène Bataillon, 34395 Montpellier Cedex 5, France
| | | | - Alain Dezetter
- IRD - UMR HydroSciences Montpellier, Place Eugène Bataillon, 34395 Montpellier Cedex 5, France
| | - Eric Servat
- IRD - UMR HydroSciences Montpellier, Place Eugène Bataillon, 34395 Montpellier Cedex 5, France
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Mata TM, Mendes AM, Caetano NS, Martins AA. Sustainability and economic evaluation of microalgae grown in brewery wastewater. Bioresour Technol 2014; 168:151-158. [PMID: 24830377 DOI: 10.1016/j.biortech.2014.04.091] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2014] [Revised: 04/24/2014] [Accepted: 04/25/2014] [Indexed: 06/03/2023]
Abstract
This article evaluates the sustainability and economic potential of microalgae grown in brewery wastewater for biodiesel and biomass production. Three sustainability and two economic indicators were considered in the evaluation within a life cycle perspective. For the production system the most efficient process units were selected. Results show that harvesting and oil separation are the main process bottlenecks. Microalgae with higher lipid content and productivity are desirable for biodiesel production, although comparable to other biofuel's feedstock concerning sustainability. However, improvements are still needed to reach the performance level of fossil diesel. Profitability reaches a limit for larger cultivation areas, being higher when extracted biomass is sold together with microalgae oil, in which case the influence of lipid content and areal productivity is smaller. The values of oil and/or biomass prices calculated to ensure that the process is economically sound are still very high compared with other fuel options, especially biodiesel.
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Affiliation(s)
- Teresa M Mata
- Laboratory for Process Engineering, Environment, Biotechnology and Energy (LEPABE), Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto (FEUP), R. Dr. Roberto Frias S/N, 4200-465 Porto, Portugal.
| | - Adélio M Mendes
- Laboratory for Process Engineering, Environment, Biotechnology and Energy (LEPABE), Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto (FEUP), R. Dr. Roberto Frias S/N, 4200-465 Porto, Portugal
| | - Nídia S Caetano
- Laboratory for Process Engineering, Environment, Biotechnology and Energy (LEPABE), Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto (FEUP), R. Dr. Roberto Frias S/N, 4200-465 Porto, Portugal; Department of Chemical Engineering, School of Engineering (ISEP), Polytechnic Institute of Porto (IPP), R. Dr. António Bernardino de Almeida S/N, 4200-072 Porto, Portugal
| | - António A Martins
- Department of Environmental Engineering, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Engineering and Technology (FCNET), Oporto Lusophone University, R. Dr. Augusto Rosa, 24, 4000-098 Porto, Portugal
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Hay L, Duffy A, Whitfield RI. The Sustainability Cycle and Loop: models for a more unified understanding of sustainability. J Environ Manage 2014; 133:232-257. [PMID: 24388926 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2013.11.048] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2012] [Revised: 11/13/2013] [Accepted: 11/30/2013] [Indexed: 06/03/2023]
Abstract
In spite of the considerable research on sustainability, reports suggest that we are barely any closer to a more sustainable society. As such, there is an urgent need to improve the effectiveness of human efforts towards sustainability. A clearer and more unified understanding of sustainability among different people and sectors could help to facilitate this. This paper presents the results of an inductive literature investigation, aiming to develop models to explain the nature of sustainability in the Earth system, and how humans can effectively strive for it. The major contributions are two general and complementary models, that may be applied in any context to provide a common basis for understanding sustainability: the Sustainability Cycle (S-Cycle), and the Sustainability Loop (S-Loop). Literature spanning multiple sectors is examined from the perspective of three concepts, emerging as significant in relation to our aim. Systems are shown to provide the context for human action towards sustainability, and the nature of the Earth system and its sub-systems is explored. Activities are outlined as a fundamental target that humans need to sustain, since they produce the entities both needed and desired by society. The basic behaviour of activities operating in the Earth system is outlined. Finally, knowledge is positioned as the driver of human action towards sustainability, and the key components of knowledge involved are examined. The S-Cycle and S-Loop models are developed via a process of induction from the reviewed literature. The S-Cycle describes the operation of activities in a system from the perspective of sustainability. The sustainability of activities in a system depends upon the availability of resources, and the availability of resources depends upon the rate that activities consume and produce them. Humans may intervene in these dynamics via an iterative process of interpretation and action, described in the S-Loop model. The models are briefly applied to a system described in the literature. It is shown that the S-Loop may be used to guide efforts towards sustainability in a particular system of interest, by prescribing the basic activities involved. The S-Cycle may be applied complementary to the S-Loop, to support the interpretation of activity behaviour described in the latter. Given their general nature, the models provide the basis for a more unified understanding of sustainability. It is hoped that their use may go some way towards improving the effectiveness of human action towards sustainability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Hay
- Department of Design, Manufacture, and Engineering Management, 131 Rottenrow, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow G4 0NG, UK.
| | - Alex Duffy
- Department of Design, Manufacture, and Engineering Management, 131 Rottenrow, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow G4 0NG, UK.
| | - R I Whitfield
- Department of Design, Manufacture, and Engineering Management, 131 Rottenrow, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow G4 0NG, UK.
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