Journal of Sustainable Development, Issue: Vol.19, No.3

Value of the Planning Phase of Environmental Management Systems to Large Organizations

Wed, 01 Apr 2026 01:39:16 +0000

Formalized management systems for environmental aspects and impacts are relatively new to the corporate world, with the first systems being launched in the early 1990s. In the ensuing years, the ISO 14001 standard (currently valid in its 2015 edition) has become the premier global guidance on environmental management. The objective of an Environmental Management Systems (EMS) is to improve the environmental performance of an organization and demonstrate its proper management of environmental aspects. A systems approach is an effective way to run an effective EMS and the most popular model is the Plan-Do-Check-Act (PDCA) model. The foundation of a good quality EMS lies in a proper understanding of the aspects and impacts of an organization and this paper promotes the importance of the planning stage, particularly for larger organizations such as multinational corporations. The objective of the planning stage is to plan the time, cost and resources to appropriately establish the work required to administer the EMS. It entails a comprehensive understanding of key value-adding activities in the organization, including an assessment of important stakeholders, related environmental aspects and impacts, key controls, and environmental laws and regulations.

Analysis of the Development Status of the Five-Year Plan for Regional Pharmaceutical Supply Security in China

Fri, 10 Apr 2026 04:32:46 +0000

The “Healthy China 2030” Planning Outline is explicitly formulated to strengthen the supply guarantee and early warning of shortage drugs and to improve the drug reserve system and emergency supply mechanism. It is further specified by the 4th Plenary Session of the 20th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China that “the whole-chain supervision of drug safety” should be strengthened during the formulation of the 15^th Five-Year Plan. Through these institutional arrangements, the advancement of biopharmaceutical innovation and the process of high-quality development are expected to be promoted. Based on the analysis of Five-Year Plan formulation requirements, the current status of drug supply guarantee development, and regional policy goals during the Five-Year Plan period, regional drug safety guarantee policy goals and supply guarantee capabilities are assessed in this paper by means of Social Network Analysis (SNA) and the DEA-Malmquist evaluation method. The results indicate that during the 14^th Five-Year Plan period, the regional drug supply guarantee system was mainly focused on shortage drug management mechanisms, centralized drug procurement, medical devices and consumables, as well as clinical drug use monitoring and dynamic adjustment mechanisms. The Total Factor Productivity (TFP) of the pharmaceutical manufacturing industry was found to have grown most rapidly during the 13th Five-Year Plan period (2016-2020); however, although the TFP of the pharmaceutical manufacturing industry increased by an average of 8.1% annually in the early stage of the 14^th Five-Year Plan (2021-2023), the growth rate slowed down, and the TFP of various regions decreased compared with that of the 13^th Five-Year Plan period. Based on regional drug supply guarantee policy requirements and guarantee capability evaluation results, the main tasks for drug safety guarantee during the 15^thFive-Year Plan period are proposed, including drug safety traceability management, digital scenario practice, structural optimization of clinical medical products, patient medication education, and popular science publicity.

Digital Transformation, AI Efficiency, and Sustainable Development: Evidence from MENA Economies

Thu, 16 Apr 2026 06:17:05 +0000

This study investigates the impact of digital transformation and artificial intelligence (AI) on sustainable development outcomes in MENA economies over the period 2010–2023. It employs a dynamic panel data approach using the System Generalized Method of Moments (System GMM) estimator to address endogeneity, unobserved heterogeneity, and persistence effects.

The findings indicate that digital transformation is the primary driver of sustainable development, exerting a stronger and more consistent effect compared to AI. This highlights the role of digital infrastructure as a foundational enabler of sustainability transitions. In contrast, AI shows a positive but weaker impact, reflecting its complementary and maturity-dependent nature within the digital ecosystem.

The results also reveal significant regional heterogeneity, with GCC countries exhibiting stronger effects than non-GCC economies. This disparity is explained by differences in institutional quality, digital infrastructure, and absorptive capacity.

Overall, the study demonstrates that sustainable development in MENA economies is driven not only by technology adoption but also by the interaction between digital infrastructure, AI, and institutional readiness.

Tutorial: Calculating the Concentration of Rare Trace Gases in the Atmosphere

Sun, 19 Apr 2026 08:07:20 +0000

The concentration of rare trace gases in the atmosphere in parts per million by volume (ppmv), parts per billion by volume (ppbv) and parts per trillion by volume (pptv) have been reported from several sources. Sustainability, chemistry, and physics students can benefit from understanding how to calculate the concentrations of rare trace gases in the atmosphere. Noting that it is the concentration of a substance which influences the chemical and physical properties of a mixture of the substance not the quantity. Here the calculations are shown from first principles and then applied to carbon dioxide (CO₂), methane (CH₄), nitrous oxide (N₂O), sulphur hexafluoride (SF₆) and carbon monoxide (CO). The masses equivalent to 1ppmv of each gas in the atmosphere are calculated and can be used in a spreadsheet or calculation to arrive at the concentration of these gases in a dry well-mixed atmosphere. This method can also be used for teaching and tutorial work with students in physics, chemistry, botany, environmental science and sustainability courses. Some worked example calculations are used to illustrate how the method can inform policymakers. It is expected that such calculations may be incorporated into models of the atmosphere or climate.

Socio-Demographic Determinants of Household Composting Adoption and Participation in Circular Organic Waste Management Systems in Accra, Ghana

Wed, 22 Apr 2026 03:24:48 +0000

Organic household waste constitutes a significant proportion of municipal solid waste and presents major environmental and public health challenges when poorly managed. Composting offers a sustainable approach to managing biodegradable waste while supporting soil health and circular economy objectives. This study investigates the socio-economic and behavioral factors that influence households' willingness to adopt composting in the presence of free training. Data were collected through a household survey involving 397 respondents and analyzed using descriptive statistics, chi-square tests, and ordered logistic regression models. The results indicate that approximately 68% of respondents expressed willingness to adopt composting under a training-supported scenario. Chi-square analysis indicates that knowledge of organic waste and waste separation practices is significantly associated with willingness to adopt composting. The ordered logistic regression results indicate that the practice of separating waste is a strong positive predictor of willingness to adopt composting. On the other hand, a person's position in the household and the amount of organic waste they produce have strong negative effects. Socio-economic factors such as gender, education level, and household income were not statistically significant predictors in the multivariate model. These findings suggest that behavioral readiness and existing household waste management practices play a more critical role in compost adoption than demographic characteristics. The study highlights the importance of integrating compost promotion programs with household waste separation initiatives and community-based training programs. Strengthening behavioral change strategies and practical support mechanisms may enhance household participation in composting and contribute to more sustainable municipal waste management systems.

Impact of Azospirillum Brasilense and Penicillium sp. Inoculation on Maize Productivity in the Brazilian Cerrado

Thu, 30 Apr 2026 08:03:13 +0000

The use of microbial inoculants has increased markedly in recent years, driven by the need to enhance productivity and reduce reliance on chemical inputs in cultivating maize. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of Azospirillum brasilense and Penicillium sp. inoculation on maize productivity and economic feasibility in the Brazilian Cerrado, in association with different doses of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium (NPK). An in vitro phosphate solubilization test was conducted for isolate selection. Two field experiments were conducted during the second crop of the 2017/18 and 2018/19 agricultural seasons in Rio Verde, Goiás, Brazil, following a randomized block design in a 4 × 4 factorial scheme (four increasing NPK doses: 30, 60, 90, and 120% of the recommended dose; four inoculation treatments: non-inoculated control, A. brasilense inoculation, Penicillium sp. inoculation, and co-inoculation with both A. brasilense and Penicillium sp.). Grain yield was determined at harvest (kg ha⁻¹). For economic analysis, the costs of NPK fertilization and inoculants were considered, while productivity was converted to gross and net yield based on operating costs. The results showed that both Aspergillus sp. and Penicillium sp. can solubilize Bayóvar natural phosphate under in vitro conditions, with Penicillium sp. exhibiting a greater ability to do so. The co-inoculation of A. brasilense and Penicillium sp. enhanced maize yield and allowed a reduction in standard NPK doses, thereby reducing overall production costs.

Institutional Support and Practices in Sustainable Water Management Education: Evidence from Technical Training Institutions in Kenya

Tue, 12 May 2026 11:22:02 +0000

Sustainable water management education (SWME) is increasingly promoted as a pathway for building practical water management skills in water-scarce regions. However, empirical evidence on its effectiveness within Technical Training Institutions (TTIs) remains limited. This study evaluated the effectiveness of SWME in enhancing students’ water management skills in TTIs in Tana River County, Kenya, with specific attention to institutional support and practices. A descriptive cross-sectional research design was employed, involving 64 participants (students, tutors, and administrators) drawn through a census approach. Data were collected using structured questionnaires and observation checklists and analysed using descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation, and multiple regression. The findings reveal significant divergence in perceptions of institutional support for SWME, with administrators unanimously reporting the absence of formal policies, while most students perceived such policies to exist. Institutional support emerged as a strong predictor of students’ SWM skills (R = 0.818; R² = 0.6696), explaining approximately 67% of the variance in competence levels. Instructional challenges were evident, including limited curriculum integration, inadequate infrastructure, insufficient resources, and low instructor confidence. Despite this, students reported relatively high levels of competence, suggesting a possible overestimation associated with self-reported data. The study concludes that while SWME has strong potential to enhance practical water management skills, its effectiveness is largely constrained by weak institutional frameworks and limited instructional capacity. Strengthening policy enforcement, instructor preparedness, and experiential learning infrastructure is essential for improving outcomes in vocational sustainability education.

Reviewer Acknowledgements for Journal of Sustainable Development, Vol. 19, No. 3

Fri, 29 May 2026 11:21:35 +0000

Reviewer Acknowledgements for Journal of Sustainable Development, Vol. 19, No. 3, 2026