The present article is an attempt to perceive the universal sustainability observable in an individual country or region, where the religious, political, social-demographic, economic, environmental, creative, technological and investment subsystems are revealed not only through the vitality of spiritual and material existence media, but rather through the signs of the development of these subsystems as self-assembled units through the erosion of their interaction. The problem of optimal allocation of investment resources among the separate sustainability's subsystems was addressed by means of expert methods and techniques of portfolio methodology which will enable the achievement of the enshrined universal sustainability standards. A country-specific index composition of sustainability subsystems' indices was chosen as the universal sustainability index for the specific country. The index in its dynamics is perceived as a random process. While projecting its state and evaluating its power, i.e., the impact of the subsystem efficiency in a particular moment, this power is measured by the level of the index and the reliability or guarantee of an appropriate level. To solve the problem of investment resources allocation, the idea of Markowitz Random Field was invoked in order to reach the maximum power of sustainability index while applying the technical solution—the so-called "GoldSim" system. Engineering is a methodology that aspires to reveal the core attributes of complex systems and instruments in order to manage the possibility to influence these properties for the systems. Experimental expert evaluation and case study is performed on Lithuanian data.
This paper analyses the link between sustainability-related innovation and sustainability performance and the role that family firms play in this. This theme is particular relevant from a European point of view given the large number of firms that are family-owned. Governments often support environmentally and socially beneficial innovation with various policy instruments with the intention is to increase international competitiveness and simultaneously support sustainable development. In parallel, firms use corporate social responsibility (CSR) and environmental management systems partly in the hope that this will foster such innovation in their organisation. Hence the main research question of this paper is about the association of CSR and environmental management with environmentally and socially beneficial innovation and its determinants. Based on panel data, the paper analyses the link of corporate sustainability performance with sustainability innovation and the effect of being a family firm using panel estimation techniques. The paper discusses the results of the analysis, which point to a moderating role of family firms on the link of sustainability innovation and performance and assesses the policy implications of this insight.
This paper analyses the link between sustainability-related innovation and sustainability performance and the role that family firms play in this. This theme is particular relevant from a European point of view given the large number of firms that are family-owned. Governments often support environmentally and socially beneficial innovation with various policy instruments with the intention is to increase international competitiveness and simultaneously support sustainable development. In parallel, firms use corporate social responsibility (CSR) and environmental management systems partly in the hope that this will foster such innovation in their organisation. Hence the main research question of this paper is about the association of CSR and environmental management with environmentally and socially beneficial innovation and its determinants. Based on panel data, the paper analyses the link of corporate sustainability performance with sustainability innovation and the effect of being a family firm using panel estimation techniques. The paper discusses the results of the analysis, which point to a moderating role of family firms on the link of sustainability innovation and performance and assesses the policy implications of this insight.
Measuring sustainability is not only a contentious issue, but one which has captured the attention of both academics and politicians since the late 1980s. A plethora of methods and approaches have been developed over the last decades or so, from rapid measurements as inputs to specific projects, to longer-term processes of research, monitoring and wider learning. Indicators have been, however, the most influential measuring tool of all and despite the fact that the tensions between expert-led and citizen-led models in their development have fuelled much debate in the literature. It has been suggested that integrating the two approaches would tap into various levels of 'knowledge' of sustainability and thus, be a better way of assessing sustainability. However, little is known of whether these 'integrated' sets of sustainability indicators work in practice, or indeed reflect the local perspectives, values and understandings of sustainability which they aim to represent. This paper aims to fill this gap. First, an 'integrative' set of indicators is designed and second, this is discussed with over 60 'sustainability experts' and 130 residents living in three urban areas in the UK. It is found that the set of indicators is generally a good reflection of urban sustainability in these areas, however, people tend to assign different degrees of 'importance' to individual indicators, something which is little accounted for when measuring urban sustainability. The paper concludes that sustainability indicators are not isolated pieces of information, but manifestations of local underlying processes and interconnections that can be mapped and which have the potential to expand our understanding of local sustainability.
Sustainability Reporting includes a large scope of topics that affect many aspects of a company. It has been applied by companies for over 20 years and has gained great recognition since 2000. Nowadays, and especial due to the accelerating climate change that we witness, Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), Non-Financial Reporting (ESG – Environmental, Social, Governance) and Corporate Environmental Sustainability Reporting (CESR) have become crucial issues for companies and governments. In this paper, it is discussed how these issues became crucial for companies and societies and how the European Union acts for enhancing them. Also, this paper analyzes the implementation practices, meaning the tools used for applying the sustainability reporting, with emphasis to the GRI Standards. The importance of this kind of reporting stimulates research into the benefits and the necessity of its implementation. In the second part, we refer to the Greek legislation and we examine the case of the Athens International Airport (AIA), Eleftherios Venizelos, the Corporate Responsibility Report 2016 of which is further examined. The focus is on what is reported, how it is applied and what are the benefits of reporting for the company, the society and the environment. Finally, we track the gaps and suggest further investigation as far as small medium companies are concerned.
One of the main problems that affects modern cities is connected to transport/mobility. Urban transport is currently based on car use; the transition to the use of more sustainable means of transport is happening slowly. Bicycles used as main way of transport, combined with walking, it's a successful solution for many towns to really bring traffic and congestion down. For their high density and their short time travels, towns are the best places (in comparison to long time travels as merchandise transport) to reduce the green houses gasses emitted promoting walking, cycling and public transport. For this reason the European Union is directly founding different projects that boost urban cycling. Many examples presented in this paper where collected by an European project. This project sectioned best practices and excellences in cycling as the so called cycle cities: Amsterdam, Copenhagen, Seville,…cities that have recognized the importance of cycling as a solution to traffic congestion. But how is it possible to transfer these experiences to others realities?The scope of this article is to show the sustainability of cycling according to socio-economic (social and economic sustainability) and environmental terms (environmental sustainability).For this reason is proposed a CBA (Cost and Benefits Analysis) methodology specific to evidence the advantages of investments in cycling made by public authorities or private companies both, to promote and realize ecological infrastructures.One of the main problems that affects modern cities is connected to transport/mobility. Urban transport is currently based on car use; the transition to the use of more sustainable means of transport is happening slowly. Bicycles used as main way of transport, combined with walking, it's a successful solution for many towns to really bring traffic and congestion down. For their high density and their short time travels, towns are the best places (in comparison to long time travels as merchandise transport) to reduce the green houses gasses emitted promoting walking, cycling and public transport. For this reason the European Union is directly founding different projects that boost urban cycling. Many examples presented in this paper where collected by an European project. This project sectioned best practices and excellences in cycling as the so called cycle cities: Amsterdam, Copenhagen, Seville,…cities that have recognized the importance of cycling as a solution to traffic congestion. But how is it possible to transfer these experiences to others realities?The scope of this article is to show the sustainability of cycling according to socio-economic (social and economic sustainability) and environmental terms (environmental sustainability).For this reason is proposed a CBA (Cost and Benefits Analysis) methodology specific to evidence the advantages of investments in cycling made by public authorities or private companies both, to promote and realize ecological infrastructures. ; Uno dei maggiori problemi delle città attuali è legato alla mobilità/trasporti. La mobilità urbana si basa ancora in oggi in grandissima parte sull'uso dell' automobile e il passaggio verso modi di trasporto più sostenibili sta avvenendo con grande lentezza. L'uso delle biciclette in città come mezzo di locomozione preferenziale, insieme alla pedonalità, si è dimostrato in molti centri urbani una carta vincente per abbattere fortemente congestione e traffico veicolare a motore. Data la grande densità di popolazione e la quota elevata di spostamenti di breve distanza, le città presentano maggiori possibilità di ridurre emissioni nocive in atmosfera, rispetto al sistema dei trasporti su lunga percorrenza, potenziando gli spostamenti a piedi, in bicicletta e con i mezzi pubblici.In quest'ottica sempre più progetti che mirano alla ciclabilità delle città sono stati direttamente finanziati dall'Unione Europea. Molti degli esempi presentati nel paper sono stati raccolti proprio grazie ad un progetto europeo che ha selezionato buone pratiche ed eccellenze di "cyclecities", tra cui si ricordano Amsterdam, Copenaghen, Londra, Siviglia, città che hanno visto nella ciclabilità una soluzione alla congestione stradale. Ma come è possibile trasferire queste esperienze europee in Italia?Finalità dell'articolo è dimostrare la sostenibilità del cycling, sia in termini socio-economici (sostenibilità socio-economica) che ambientali (sostenibilità ambientale).A riguardo sarà proposta una metodologia CBA (Cost and Benefit Analysis) specifica atta a evidenziare i vantaggi che derivano da investimenti congiunti di soggetti pubblici e privati nel promuovere e realizzare infrastrutture ecologiche.
One of the main problems that affects modern cities is connected to transport/mobility. Urban transport is currently based on car use; the transition to the use of more sustainable means of transport is happening slowly. Bicycles used as main way of transport, combined with walking, it's a successful solution for many towns to really bring traffic and congestion down. For their high density and their short time travels, towns are the best places (in comparison to long time travels as merchandise transport) to reduce the green houses gasses emitted promoting walking, cycling and public transport. For this reason the European Union is directly founding different projects that boost urban cycling. Many examples presented in this paper where collected by an European project. This project sectioned best practices and excellences in cycling as the so called cycle cities: Amsterdam, Copenhagen, Seville,…cities that have recognized the importance of cycling as a solution to traffic congestion. But how is it possible to transfer these experiences to others realities?The scope of this article is to show the sustainability of cycling according to socio-economic (social and economic sustainability) and environmental terms (environmental sustainability).For this reason is proposed a CBA (Cost and Benefits Analysis) methodology specific to evidence the advantages of investments in cycling made by public authorities or private companies both, to promote and realize ecological infrastructures.One of the main problems that affects modern cities is connected to transport/mobility. Urban transport is currently based on car use; the transition to the use of more sustainable means of transport is happening slowly. Bicycles used as main way of transport, combined with walking, it's a successful solution for many towns to really bring traffic and congestion down. For their high density and their short time travels, towns are the best places (in comparison to long time travels as merchandise transport) to reduce the green houses gasses emitted promoting walking, cycling and public transport. For this reason the European Union is directly founding different projects that boost urban cycling. Many examples presented in this paper where collected by an European project. This project sectioned best practices and excellences in cycling as the so called cycle cities: Amsterdam, Copenhagen, Seville,…cities that have recognized the importance of cycling as a solution to traffic congestion. But how is it possible to transfer these experiences to others realities?The scope of this article is to show the sustainability of cycling according to socio-economic (social and economic sustainability) and environmental terms (environmental sustainability).For this reason is proposed a CBA (Cost and Benefits Analysis) methodology specific to evidence the advantages of investments in cycling made by public authorities or private companies both, to promote and realize ecological infrastructures. ; Uno dei maggiori problemi delle città attuali è legato alla mobilità/trasporti. La mobilità urbana si basa ancora in oggi in grandissima parte sull'uso dell' automobile e il passaggio verso modi di trasporto più sostenibili sta avvenendo con grande lentezza. L'uso delle biciclette in città come mezzo di locomozione preferenziale, insieme alla pedonalità, si è dimostrato in molti centri urbani una carta vincente per abbattere fortemente congestione e traffico veicolare a motore. Data la grande densità di popolazione e la quota elevata di spostamenti di breve distanza, le città presentano maggiori possibilità di ridurre emissioni nocive in atmosfera, rispetto al sistema dei trasporti su lunga percorrenza, potenziando gli spostamenti a piedi, in bicicletta e con i mezzi pubblici.In quest'ottica sempre più progetti che mirano alla ciclabilità delle città sono stati direttamente finanziati dall'Unione Europea. Molti degli esempi presentati nel paper sono stati raccolti proprio grazie ad un progetto europeo che ha selezionato buone pratiche ed eccellenze di "cyclecities", tra cui si ricordano Amsterdam, Copenaghen, Londra, Siviglia, città che hanno visto nella ciclabilità una soluzione alla congestione stradale. Ma come è possibile trasferire queste esperienze europee in Italia?Finalità dell'articolo è dimostrare la sostenibilità del cycling, sia in termini socio-economici (sostenibilità socio-economica) che ambientali (sostenibilità ambientale).A riguardo sarà proposta una metodologia CBA (Cost and Benefit Analysis) specifica atta a evidenziare i vantaggi che derivano da investimenti congiunti di soggetti pubblici e privati nel promuovere e realizzare infrastrutture ecologiche.
Our purpose is to explore the concept of "sustainability" when understood from a performative perspective, i.e. as a concept that is filled with meaning across time. Drawing on a 10 year-long study of the digital footprint of Stockholm Royal Seaport, claimed to be northern Europe's largest sustainable urban development district, we show that "sustainability" emerged as the project became associated with particular places, projects, histories, and technologies. This means that "sustainability" was local in that it was situated in the particular spatial context of the project; temporal in that it was situated in a particular time; and political in that it expressed particular values and perspectives. The study contributes to explaining why "sustainability" remains—and always will remain—a contested concept, which is why sustainability transitions are complex. Consequently, we suggest that the transition towards sustainability always involves the transition of sustainability, something that needs to be acknowledged in order for a transition to actually become sustainable.
In four ways, massively multiplayer online role-playing games may serve as tools for advancing sustainability goals, and as laboratories for developing alternatives to current social arrangements that have implications for the natural environment. First, by moving conspicuous consumption and other usually costly status competitions into virtual environments, these virtual worlds might reduce the need for physical resources. Second, they provide training that could prepare individuals to be teleworkers, and develop or demonstrate methods for using information technology to replace much transportation technology, notably in commuting. Third, virtual worlds and online games build international cooperation, even blending national cultures, thereby inching us toward not only the world consciousness needed for international agreements about the environment, but also toward non-spatial government that cuts across archaic nationalisms. Finally, realizing the potential social benefits of this new technology may urge us to reconsider a number of traditional societal institutions.
Climate change represents a widespread threat to both humans and nonhumans and demands strong global responses and actions to mitigate them. Given the nature of these threats, communication scholars are in a unique position to contribute meaningfully to solutions and mitigation efforts by crafting effective public communication campaigns around climate change and sustainability. The articles included in this Special Section explore the various challenges and opportunities surrounding effective climate and sustainability communication campaigns. A primary aim of this Special Section is to move climate change communication scholarship beyond its early focus on media coverage of climate change. Instead, the focus is on research that operates in an updated paradigm and reality, acknowledging, for example, the blurring lines between informative and persuasive media content and between mass-produced and user-generated content. The articles were drawn from a special postconference jointly sponsored by the Environmental Communication, Political Communication, and Health Communication divisions of the International Communication Association and represent a diversity of theoretical and methodological viewpoints from international scholars.
This paper discusses the nature of sustainability and the institutional arrangements that can help or hinder the pursuit of a future society that is both ecologically sustainable and humanly desirable. All collective efforts are mediated through institutions, and without institutional change we will not move purposefully toward sustainability. Although there has been much policy development under the banner of 'ecologically sustainable development' (ESD) in recent years in Australia, institutional change remains at the margins of public policy and administration. The paper considers how this situation can be rectified. The characteristics of ESD problems are discussed, such as spatial and temporal scale, complexity and uncertainty, and the need for community participation. The paper then uses an 'adaptive' approach to frame the requirements of institutions for sustainability, suggesting the core principles of persistence, purposefulness, information-richness, inclusiveness and flexibility. The strengths and limits of some current arrangements are assessed, and then particular attention is given to a selection of current institutional arrangements that fulfil at least some of the requirements for an adaptive approach. Finally, suggestions are given for institutional reforms to establish ESD as a policy field that enjoys parity with other, at present more influential and well-supported fields. Specific recommendations include: • A wide ranging legislative review to recommend changes to laws that hinder or do not promote ESD - analagous to the competition policy legislative review; • A National Commission or Council for ESD to promote discussion and cooperative action between the three levels of government, the private sector and community groups; • A Commissioner for ESD or Offices for ESD to ensure implementation of ESD policies in government agencies; • An Australian Institute for ESD to generate new ideas, inform cooperative policy development, develop standards, prepare manuals and run training courses – similar to the role played by the Australian Emergency Management Institute for emergency management; Without institutional change we will not move purposefully toward sustainability. • Long term support for Landcare and similar groups to encourage and support commitment to ESD practices from local communities; • Much increased support for long term ecological research and monitoring; • A Bureau of Ecological Economics together with changes in the mandate and functions of mainstream economic agencies to ensure that alternative economic analyses based on ecological perspectives are taken into account in policy making.
This paper discusses the nature of sustainability and the institutional arrangements that can help or hinder the pursuit of a future society that is both ecologically sustainable and humanly desirable. All collective efforts are mediated through institutions, and without institutional change we will not move purposefully toward sustainability. Although there has been much policy development under the banner of 'ecologically sustainable development' (ESD) in recent years in Australia, institutional change remains at the margins of public policy and administration. The paper considers how this situation can be rectified. The characteristics of ESD problems are discussed, such as spatial and temporal scale, complexity and uncertainty, and the need for community participation. The paper then uses an 'adaptive' approach to frame the requirements of institutions for sustainability, suggesting the core principles of persistence, purposefulness, information-richness, inclusiveness and flexibility. The strengths and limits of some current arrangements are assessed, and then particular attention is given to a selection of current institutional arrangements that fulfil at least some of the requirements for an adaptive approach. Finally, suggestions are given for institutional reforms to establish ESD as a policy field that enjoys parity with other, at present more influential and well-supported fields. Specific recommendations include: • A wide ranging legislative review to recommend changes to laws that hinder or do not promote ESD - analagous to the competition policy legislative review; • A National Commission or Council for ESD to promote discussion and cooperative action between the three levels of government, the private sector and community groups; • A Commissioner for ESD or Offices for ESD to ensure implementation of ESD policies in government agencies; • An Australian Institute for ESD to generate new ideas, inform cooperative policy development, develop standards, prepare manuals and run training courses – similar to the role played by the Australian Emergency Management Institute for emergency management; Without institutional change we will not move purposefully toward sustainability. • Long term support for Landcare and similar groups to encourage and support commitment to ESD practices from local communities; • Much increased support for long term ecological research and monitoring; • A Bureau of Ecological Economics together with changes in the mandate and functions of mainstream economic agencies to ensure that alternative economic analyses based on ecological perspectives are taken into account in policy making. ; Jointly sponsored by: The Australian Conservation Foundation; The Environment Institute of Australia; Land and Water Australia
The sustainability concept seeks to balance how present and future generations of humans meet their needs. But because nature is viewed only as a resource, sustainability fails to recognize that humans and other living beings depend on each other for their well-being. We therefore argue that true sustainability can only be achieved if the interdependent needs of all species of current and future generations are met, and propose calling this 'multispecies sustainability'. We explore the concept through visualizations and scenarios, then consider how it might be applied through case studies involving bees and healthy green spaces.
The sustainability concept in its current form suffers from reductionism. The common interpretation of 'meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs' fails to explicitly recognize their interdependence with needs of current and future non-human generations. Here, we argue that the focus of sustainability on human well-being – a purely utilitarian view of nature as a resource for humanity – limits its conceptual and analytical power, as well as real-world sustainability transformation efforts. We propose a broadened concept of 'multispecies sustainability' by acknowledging interdependent needs of multiple species' current and future generations. We develop the concept in three steps: (1) discussing normative aspects, fundamental principles underlying the con- cept, and potential visual models, (2) showcasing radically diverging futures emerging from a scenario thought experiment based on the axes sustainable-unsustainable and multispecies-anthropocentric, and (3) exploring how multispecies sustainability can be applied to research and policy-making through two case studies (a multispecies stakeholder framework and the Healthy Urban Microbiome Initiative).
Meeting fundamental human needs while preserving earth's life support systems will require an accelerated transition toward sustainability. A new field of sustainability science is emerging that seeks to understand the fundamental character of interactions between nature and society and to encourage the interactions along more sustainable trajectories. Such an integrated, place-based science will require new research strategies and institutional innovations to enable them especially in developing countries still separated by deepening divides from mainstream science. Sustainability science needs to be widely discussed in the scientific community, reconnected to the political agenda for sustainable development, and become a major focus for research.
