Sustainability Commons^™

Review Of Digital Degrowth: Technology In The Age Of Survival, Michael Kirby

Publications and Research

No abstract provided.

The Limits Of Technocratic Degrowth: A Review Of The End Of Capitalism: Why Growth And Climate Protection Are Incompatible—And How We Will Live In The Future, Michael Kirby

Publications and Research

This book review discusses Ulrike Herrmann’s The End of Capitalism: Why Growth and Climate Protection Are Incompatible—and How We Will Live in the Future, situating it within contemporary climate debates. Herrmann’s central claim—that capitalism’s dependence on perpetual growth renders meaningful climate protection impossible—is presented as a clear, accessible synthesis of degrowth arguments. The book is particularly notable for its rejection of techno-utopian solutions such as carbon capture and its skepticism vis-à-vis large-scale renewable transitions under market conditions. However, the review ultimately questions the feasibility of Herrmann's proposed alternative (the “survival economy”), demonstrating that it overlooks political power, class interests, and …

Complexity, Polycentricity, And Climate Change: An Embedded, Multi-Level Case Study Of A Climate Meta-Network, Timothy Staub

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

The earth is in crisis, and without urgent, systemic, and collective global action to address the emerging threat of climate change, we will continue to see catastrophic events impacting humanity, threatening our very survival in many regions of the world. Temperatures will rise, ice shelves will melt, seas will rise, crops will fail, water scarcity from drought and new weather patterns will increase and spread, wildfires will accelerate, and food and water insecurity, violence, and the largest human migration in history will ensue. These climate crises will displace over 1.2 billion people by 2050 at a rate currently exceeding 21.5 …

Repositioning Traditional Authority To Fight Illegal Gold Mining In Dunkwa-Offin In The Upper Denkyira East Municipal District Of The Central Region Of Ghana, Manaseh Mawufemor Mintah

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

Ghana is endowed with valuable mineral resources, including gold, diamonds, and manganese. However, the country has struggled to manage these resources in a way that benefits the broader population. Illegal mining, commonly referred to as galamsey, has become a persistent national concern. This practice involves the unauthorized extraction of mineral ore by individuals and groups operating without formal government authorization. The town of Dunkwa-Offin exemplifies the severe social and ecological consequences of galamsey, where livelihoods, public health, and environmental sustainability are increasingly compromised. This study examines the potential role of traditional authorities in Dunkwa-Offin in combating illegal small-scale mining, also …

Integrating Indigenous Values And Community Strengths To Achieve Indigenous Food Sovereignty And Community Well-Being In The Ka’A’Gee Tu First Nation, Northwest Territories, Jennifer K. Temmer

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

Northern Indigenous communities face disproportionate impacts from interconnected challenges related to climate change, food security, health, and cultural preservation, that threaten traditional food systems and practices. While there is a growing recognition of the importance of community-driven solutions, existing frameworks fail to integrate Indigenous values and local priorities effectively. This research addresses this gap by exploring how the Ka’a’gee Tu First Nation (KTFN) is responding to these crises through climate change adaptation efforts focused on food system sustainability as a pathway to self-sufficiency and community well-being. To contribute to these efforts, this dissertation uses Participatory Action Research to facilitate community-driven …

Co-Creation, Interpretations And Engagement With A Movement-Based Symbol For Climate Justice: A Qualitative Inquiry, Kai Reimer-Watts

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

The climate crisis demonstrates with complete clarity the need for massive systems-level changes towards far more sustainable societies. Global and local emissions need to decline rapidly to mitigate intensifying climate breakdown, accompanied by climate and sustainability solutions, to secure a far more stable, safe, and just future for all people and all life. Within these changes, engaging in our communities is essential to support and co-create broader solutions to help advance more sustainable societies, reduce negative impacts of a changing climate, and to move towards cultures and systems that recognize natural limits and centre care for people and planet.

‘Climate …

Impact Of Urban Development On Uv Exposure: A Clustering And Machine Learning Assessment, Taufik Roni Sahroni Mr., Verdi Yasin, Lulut Alfaris, Reza Ariefka, Ruben Cornelius Siagian, Mohammad Alfin Karim, Nana Rahdiana, Ade Suhara

Journal of Environmental Science and Sustainable Development

The relocation of Indonesia's capital city is anticipated to promote inclusive economic growth while embracing cultural diversity. However, this transition may affect ultraviolet (UV) radiation exposure patterns. The study investigated variations in UV exposure in the IKN region, focusing on urban development factors such as land use and population density that affect public health, sun protection, and skin cancer prevention. The research hypothesized that UV radiation is significantly correlated with these factors. UV Index data from 2010-2023, a hierarchical clustering method, identifies complex data patterns without determining the number of clusters. XGBoost, a machine learning model, was used for handling …

Scientifically Improving Human-Nature Relationship In Desertification Areas, Bojie Fu, Yanxu Liu, Shuai Wang, Junfeng Song, Zejiang Li

Bulletin of Chinese Academy of Sciences (Chinese Version)

The expansion trend of desertification in China has been fundamentally restrained. In the new era, scientifically improving the relationship between human and nature in desertification areas to promote regional sustainable development has become an important demand for desertification combat in China. We summarize four key challenges to sustainable development in desertification areas, including increasing human demand on water, increasing land use intensity, increasing climatic risk, and insufficient industrial innovation. Based on the theoretical understanding of the coupling relationship between human and nature, the evolution of human-nature relationship in combating desertification can be divided into four stages, namely, extensive land exploitation, …

Action Logic And Agenda Game Of Global Methane Emission Control And China’S Countermeasures, Bo Zhang, Jinling Guo, Bing Zhong, Junlian Gao, Guosheng Zhang, He Liu

Bulletin of Chinese Academy of Sciences (Chinese Version)

Originated from the global response to climate change, methane emission control has evolved into a focus of international climate negotiations in recent years. At present, the agenda for controlling methane emission in global climate governance is basically taking shape, but in the process of shifting from scientific consensus to political consensus, the content of the topic and the focus of the game continue to evolve. To carry out global action, it is necessary to address issues such as the allocation of responsibilities, international rules, climate investment and financing, and risk prevention, as well as the basic capacity guarantees behind them. …

Overall Promotion Of Integrated Management And Utilization Of Saline-Alkali Land In Northwest China: Conditions, Challenges, And Recommendations, Qi Feng, Xinwei Yin, Meng Zhu, Jutao Zhang, Wei Liu, Haiyang Xi, Tengfei Yu, Linshan Yang, Wen Liu, Zhixiang Lu

Bulletin of Chinese Academy of Sciences (Chinese Version)

Cultivated land is the lifeblood of grain production and the foundation for food security. Saline-alkali land in Northwest China is an important cultivated land reserve resource and a potential granary for guaranteeing national food security, so the high-quality promotion of comprehensive management and utilization of saline-alkali land in Northwest China is a strategic measure to achieve the goal of “storing grain in land and technology”. Based on a profound understanding of the great significance for promoting the integrated management and utilization of saline-alkali land in Northwest China, this study systematically summarizes the quantity, distribution pattern, and utilization potential of saline-alkali …

China’S Rare Earths Trade Flow Analysis: Trade Patterns And Strategic Insights, Linbin Tang, Peng Wang, Wei Chen, Yawen Han, Yuning Jin, Zilong Peng, Weiqiang Chen

Bulletin of Chinese Academy of Sciences (Chinese Version)

Rare earth elements are strategic critical metals that support low-carbon energy, aerospace, and defense technologies. Currently, China’s rare earth industry lacks competitiveness and faces the risk of “multidimensional pressures” in global competition. Therefore, it is crucial to systematically analyze the supply-demand and trade patterns of rare earths, accurately identify the bottlenecks and pain points in China’s entire rare earth industry chain, and provide strategies to transform China’s rare earth resource advantage into a strategic competitive edge. Based on customs trade data, this study traces the trade flows of various forms of rare earth products across the full industry chain in …

Research And Reflection On Transformation Of Resource-Based Cities In China—A Case Study Of Datong City, Shanxi Province, Zhijian Xiong, Hong Zhao, Xiuli Liu

Bulletin of Chinese Academy of Sciences (Chinese Version)

Currently, there are 262 resource-based cities in China, of which mature and declining cities account for 79.39%. These cities have made significant contributions to the country’s economic and social development, but now they are facing severe challenges and difficulties, and their transformation problems urgently need to be solved. This work studies the mechanism of resource-based transformation and proposes strategies for the transformation of resource-based cities: (1) Transformation should be comprehensive, balanced, and sustainable; (2) Transformation should fully leverage the leading role of the market while also taking into account the fundamental role of the government; (3) Transformation should fully leverage …

Methods In Environmental Studies, Erika Dunagan, Maya Mendoza, Posey Graber, Alex Cullins, Emma Mcginnis, Ally Nepomuceno, Isabella Buchan

Featured Student Work

This publication is a collection of undergraduate research conducted in the Methods in Environmental Studies course at the University of San Francisco in Fall 2024. The student-led projects explore the intersections of place, policy, ecology, and cultural identity through applied environmental research methodologies. Topics include a decolonial examination of the Forest Park Mound Group and Indigenous resilience in St. Louis; a comparative study of Navajo cosmology and ecological justice; a social and environmental impact assessment of Costa Rica’s National Decarbonization Plan; a psychogeographical analysis of Golden Gate Park and its impact on the psyche, emotions, behaviour, and health of urban …

Case Study On Seney National Wildlife Refuge: How The Upper Peninsula Led Wildlife Conservation In The Beginning Of The Twentieth Century, Holly A. Galligan

HS 390 Primary Research Papers

The research presented in this paper will weave together the story of how the Upper Peninsula became a crucial hub for wildlife conservation in the first half of the twentieth century. Seeking to answer the question of how and why this occurred, as well as why it is distinct from the social movement of the 1960s, the research is based on public awareness, photographic research developments, and the concept of the national system for conservation. Hunting played the main role in the motivations for this movement therefore, it is also heavily discussed throughout. The previous research on this subject emerged …

Curbing Environmental Degradation To Balance Sustainable Development: Evidence From China, Muneza Kagzi, Vishal Dagar, Nadia Doytch, Deepika Krishnan, Manisha Raj

Ateneo School of Government Publications

To achieve the goals of sustainable development, it is crucial to check the balance of increased level of international trade along with financial development, foreign direct investment (FDI), energy consumption, and institutional advancement with the quality of the environment. This study focuses on how these variables have caused environmental degradation in China. To achieve Goal 13 of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), i.e. to increase the nation's resilience to natural disasters and hazards related to climate change, to promote climate action and safeguard life as part of sustainable development, this involves the analysis of time-series data sets from 1975 to …

Analyzing Food Sources And Food Insecurity Of Kichwa Farming Families In The Ecuadorian Amazon, Reina Watanabe

Crop, Soil and Environmental Sciences Undergraduate Honors Theses

While the right to food is internationally recognized and the United Nations established the sustainable development goal to end hunger and achieve food security by 2030, many households remain without consistent access to food in 2024. In Latin America, approximately 4 in 10 households were reported as food insecure in 2020 with higher rates in rural and indigenous communities. Rural areas, which have great overlap with indigenous communities in Ecuador, experience disproportionately high levels of poverty and food insecurity compared to urban areas. The most populous indigenous nationality in the Ecuadorian Amazon and the participants of this study are the …

Experimental Investigations Of Wind Shear From Passing A Vehicle, Hamid Rahai, Assma Begum, Jeremy Bonifacio, Ryan Moffit

Mineta Transportation Institute

Wind energy can be harnessed for various commercial and transportation-related applications. This study assessed experimentally the potential of capturing wind energy from the passage of vehicles for electric power generation. Both wind tunnel experiments and field tests were performed. The wind tunnel experiments were performed in an open-circuit low-speed wind tunnel at a free-stream mean velocity of 23 m/s. Five PVC pipes placed adjacent to the wind-blowing domain were used to simulate the columns under a freeway overpass. A scaled Ahmad body (simplified car body model) was used as the vehicle. The spanwise distance between the Ahmad body and the …

Climatological Trends And Effects Of Aerosols And Clouds On Large Solar Parks: Application Examples In Benban (Egypt) And Al Dhafrah (Uae), Harshal Dhake, Panagiotis Kosmopoulos, Antonis Mantakas, Yashwant Kashyap, Hesham El-Askary, Omar Elbadawy

Mathematics, Physics, and Computer Science Faculty Articles and Research

Solar energy production is vastly affected by climatological factors. This study examines the impact of two primary climatological factors, aerosols and clouds, on solar energy production at two of the world’s largest solar parks, Benban and Al Dhafrah Solar Parks, by using Earth observation data. Cloud microphysics were obtained from EUMETSAT, and aerosol data were obtained from the CAMS and assimilated with MODIS data for higher accuracy. The impact of both factors was analysed by computing their trends over the past 20 years. These climatological trends indicated the variations in the change in each of the factors and their resulting …

Optimization For Qinghai-Xizang Plateau Ecological Security Barrier System, Bojie Fu, Yanxu Liu, Wenwu Zhao, Xiaoming Feng, Shiliang Liu, Chiyuan Miao, Xuhui Wang, Chunyang He, Changjia Li, Aizhong Ye, Zhongmin Hu, Zhifeng Liu, Dingyang Zhou

Bulletin of Chinese Academy of Sciences (Chinese Version)

The ecological security barrier system is a composite system to maintain ecological security and sustainable development within and outside the region. This system enables the maintenance of the structure and function of the ecosystem in the ecological security barrier region relatively shielded from or minimally impacted by external environmental threats, so that forms a multilevel and orderly stable pattern. Over the period from 2000 to 2020, the ecosystem water conservation function was on the rise, and the soil conservation function, net ecosystem productivity, and habitat quality were generally stable in the Qinghai-Xizang Plateau. Comparing the previous three national parks and …

Green Certificate Of “Lucid Waters And Lush Mountains” And The Yellow River Demonstration, Guangqian Wang, Deyu Zhong

Bulletin of Chinese Academy of Sciences (Chinese Version)

Guided by the “Lucid Waters and Lush Mountains are Invaluable Assets”, this work systematically studies the mechanism for realizing ecological value and proposes an implementation plan centered on a Green Certificate system for ecological assets, to be advanced in three stages. The Green Certificate serves as an objective and quantifiable proof of ecological assets, integrating four categories of ecological products—ecological water, soil and water conservation, carbon sequestration, and afforestation (grass planting)—into a unified, tradable rights certificate system. This provides an institutional foundation for transforming “Lucid Waters and Lush Mountains” into “Gold and Silver Mountains” through market mechanisms. Taking the Yellow …

Coordination Degree Of Composite Systems And Its Application, Ke Qi, Jiaojun Zhu, Dexiong Teng, Xiao Zheng, Huaiqing Zhang

Bulletin of Chinese Academy of Sciences (Chinese Version)

A composite system (CS) is an organic whole composed of multiple subsystems. It has the property of operating in a coordinated manner through the interconnection and interaction between its subsystems, which could be evaluated by the indicator of coordination degree of composite systems (CDoCS). However, there is currently a lack of quantitative methods for CDoCS and the CDoCS-based technology for composite system optimization. As a result, there is a lack of effective solutions to the problems caused by the disharmony of composite systems such as the mountain-water-forest-farm-lake-grass-sand systems (i.e., composite ecosystems) and the social-economic-natural systems. Therefore, the connotation of CDoCS …

Research On Regional Suitability Assessment And Promotion Mechanisms Of Conservation—Based Utilization Models For Black Soil, Xiaojie Liu, Liangjie Xin, Jiliang Ma, Yuxian Wang, Fan Zhang

Bulletin of Chinese Academy of Sciences (Chinese Version)

Black soil represents a high-quality and scarce arable land resource, serving as a critical foundation for ensuring food security in China. However, prolonged development and utilization have resulted in varying degrees of degradation of black soil in Northeast China, directly affecting national food security and ecological stability. Since 2015, China has initiated and progressively intensified efforts in black soil protection. Technical models such as the “Lishu Model” and the “Longjiang Model” have been developed, demonstrated, and promoted, leading to increasingly significant conservation outcomes. Nevertheless, current technical models for black soil protection face dual challenges: unclear suitability boundaries and difficulties in …

Evolutionary Logic And Development Trends Of China’S Ecological And Environmental Fiscal Polocies—Quantitative Analysis Based On Policy Texts, Yu Qi, Wumei Shi, Yankun Xu

Bulletin of Chinese Academy of Sciences (Chinese Version)

The modern fiscal system has a unique role in promoting the development of green transformation, taking into account the different interests of different subjects, linking different governance links, and balancing the distribution of benefits between regions and generations, and has become a tool that is increasingly relied upon to improve the basic system of ecological civilization, sound ecological and environmental governance system, and innovate the mechanism of green and low-carbon development. Through a retrospective study of 1 516 policy texts issued by the central government departments since the reform and opening up of China, which are closely related to “ecological …

Comparison And Enlightenment Of International Renewable Energy Legislation Systems, Lanchun Li, Wei Feng, Wei Chen, Qing Liu

Bulletin of Chinese Academy of Sciences (Chinese Version)

The high-quality development of renewable energy cannot be achieved without legal system guarantees. In the new era, the deepening of national major strategies such as energy revolution, high-quality development, and dual carbon have put forward new and higher requirements for China’s renewable energy legal system. Based on the perspective of “past-now-future”, this study systematically reviews the development process and evolution trend of international renewable energy legal systems, extracts typical experiences of major countries, and compares and summarizes the analyses of China’s legal systems. In light of gaps, it is proposed to further improve the revision of the Renewable Energy Law …

The Costs Of Ecosystem Disturbances, E. Wesley F. Peterson

Cornhusker Economics

Presents an illustration of the interdependencies inherent in natural ecosystems. An ecosystem may be defined as: “… a single environment and every living (biotic) organism and non-living (abiotic) factor that is contained within it or characterizes it. An ecosystem embodies every aspect of a single habitat, including all interactions between its different elements” (Knapp 2020). In such interdependent systems, removal of one or more of the essential “elements” can severely disrupt the functioning of the system and such disruptions can give rise to negative impacts on the environment and human health and well-being.

Factors Influencing Households’ Willingness To Adopt Rooftop Solar Power In The Philippines, Rosalina Palanca-Tan

Economics Department Faculty Publications

The Philippines is endowed with vast solar potential. Through rooftop solar power (RTSP), households directly participate in the clean energy transition, expanding renewable energy supply to meet increasing energy demand and effectively lowering electricity costs for themselves. Yet, RTSP in the country remains largely untapped. Using the Contingent Valuation framework, this study conducted a survey of households in Metro Manila and its neighboring provinces to identify the factors that influence adoption and willingness to pay for RTSP. Survey results reveal that both economic (mainly electricity bill reduction) and environmental benefits are well-recognized and positively correlated with RTSP adoption. The study …

Perspectives Through The Lens Of Educators And Students: Teaching Flood Mitigation And Other Controversial Food, Energy, Water Nexus Issues In The Classroom, Sumaiya Tabassum

Dissertations and Doctoral Documents, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 2023–

Science and society are inseparably linked, shaping each other in ways that define our world, emphasizing the need to teach science for empowering students capable of taking meaningful action toward building a sustainable and just society. Developing sustainability competencies in students is an important step toward this goal, with controversial socio-scientific issues (SSIs) providing a valuable teaching context, that encourage students in analyzing interdisciplinary evidence while considering the social, economic impacts of potential solutions. However, recognizing the unique perspectives individuals bring to the classroom is prerequisite for tailoring effective, inclusive instruction, as perspectives often shape learning and classroom-engagement. This study …

The Effects Of Wildfires On The Mental And Physical Health Of School-Age Children In North America: A Scoping Review, Sarah Oerther, Sarah Manspeaker, Alison Wix, Daniel Oerther, Carmen Marsit

Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Background: Wildfires are occurring more often and with greater intensity, leading to longer and harsher fire seasons. As a result, children are more frequently exposed to wildfire smoke, which increases their risk of mental and physical health effects. Purpose: The purpose of our scoping review is to explore the current literature on what is known about the direct and indirect impacts of wildfires on the mental and physical health of school-age children in North America (5 to 18-year-olds). Methods: A health sciences librarian-assisted literature search, with input from the research team, was performed. Results: A total of 16 studies were …

Acci̇Dental Oi̇L Polluti̇On From Tankers İN The Caspi̇An Sea : Problem Causes And Lessons Learned, Emin Sadirov

World Maritime University Dissertations

No abstract provided.

A Study On The Risk Assessment Of Japanese Domestic Passenger Vessel Accident, Miki Yanagisawa

World Maritime University Dissertations

No abstract provided.