{"title":"Circular economy and twin transition in the cooperative movement: The case of Climate Circular Coop research project","authors":"Ginevra Coletti , Asia Guerreschi , Massimiliano Mazzanti , Emy Zecca","doi":"10.1016/j.socimp.2024.100079","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.socimp.2024.100079","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>The twin transition (TT) towards a circular economy (CE) and digital economy is vital for achieving the United Nations' Agenda 2030 Sustainable Development Goals. While research has predominantly focused on traditional enterprises, the role of cooperative enterprises in this transition remains underexplored. The Climate Circular Coop (CCC) project coordinated by the University of Ferrara in collaboration with research offices of the Italian Cooperatives Federation Area Studi Legacoop, and the University of Roma TRE, aims to address this gap by identifying the drivers and barriers cooperatives face in adopting CE and digital technologies. Through the development of a targeted survey, the project seeks to compare the efforts of cooperatives against other enterprise-forms to identify similarities and differences when implementing TT and environmental sustainability practices, such as circular economy (CE). Initial findings suggest that cooperatives and other enterprise-forms, such as SMEs, are influenced by similar barriers and drivers yet the intrinsic community-focused and democratic nature of cooperatives may position them as pivotal players. Comprehensive research is essential to enhance understanding and inform policies that support sustainability development through cooperatives exactly due to their specific business model (BM).</p></div>","PeriodicalId":101167,"journal":{"name":"Societal Impacts","volume":"4 ","pages":"Article 100079"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-09-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2949697724000444/pdfft?md5=5c9b166495485a6619713412d0b15065&pid=1-s2.0-S2949697724000444-main.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142242671","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Societal ImpactsPub Date : 2024-09-11DOI: 10.1016/j.socimp.2024.100082
Fazlar Rahman
{"title":"Societal impact of recycling waste into composite materials","authors":"Fazlar Rahman","doi":"10.1016/j.socimp.2024.100082","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.socimp.2024.100082","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Demands for consumer goods and synthetic materials have increased significantly due to rapid population growth. As a result, environmental pollution, natural disasters and catastrophes, and controlling and recycling waste have become crucial issues for global sustainability and developing a circular economy. Besides the various sources, solid waste is generated from medical fields, ready-made garment (RMG) industries, and human hair during their service time and life. Human hair, face masks, and RMG waste are disposed of in landfills, buried, and incinerated without recycling. It creates dust and microparticles and develops CO<sub>2</sub>, methane, and harmful gases before fully decomposing in landfills, promoting environmental hazards and degrading air quality and social attributes. In addition, it causes the infiltration of microplastics and other micro/nano-particles into aquatic life, birds, and animals, and ultimately into human organs through food chains. It can be controlled by reducing, reusing, and recycling waste into useful materials and resources. Therefore, scientists seek to replace synthetic materials by developing bio-composites through recycling waste. This study explores the social impact of recycling human hair, waste face masks, and RMG waste into composite fields, which will help to reduce environmental pollution and global warming, achieve sustainability, develop a circular economy, and deter climate change. In contrast to societal impacts, the scalability, cost-effectiveness, and long-term durability of composites will not be an issue since the cost of waste is tiny, composite's strengths are higher than some natural fiber-reinforced composites, and those wastes can also be used to fabricate hybrid composites as cheap constituents.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":101167,"journal":{"name":"Societal Impacts","volume":"4 ","pages":"Article 100082"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-09-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S294969772400047X/pdfft?md5=09702e67204e12766246ccf305283516&pid=1-s2.0-S294969772400047X-main.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142242672","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Societal ImpactsPub Date : 2024-08-22DOI: 10.1016/j.socimp.2024.100078
Antonia Friebel, Christina Sanchez-Stockhammer
{"title":"LeDiT – Learning with digital testimonies: Holocaust education 2.0","authors":"Antonia Friebel, Christina Sanchez-Stockhammer","doi":"10.1016/j.socimp.2024.100078","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.socimp.2024.100078","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>The decline in knowledge about World War II and the Holocaust, coupled with increasing discrimination and populism, highlights the urgent need for innovative educational approaches. Abba Naor, a Jewish Holocaust survivor, has devoted his life to sharing his experiences, emphasizing the significance of historical learning to prevent future atrocities. The project \"Learning with digital testimonies\" (LeDiT) seeks to preserve Naor's memories and broaden their accessibility through interactive digital testimonies.Naor's interactive digital testimony offers an immersive and easily accessible means of engaging with a Holocaust survivor, vital for future generations who will not have the opportunity for in-person interactions. Originally recorded in German, the international version with English subtitles now allows users from around the world to ask a Holocaust survivor questions and learn about their personal stories. Implications of the project extend beyond educational settings in schools, with potential applications in museums, memorials, and online platforms dedicated to Holocaust education. Ongoing research aims to understand cross-cultural and generational perspectives on Holocaust education. Thus, interactive digital testimonies not only preserve the memories of survivors but also facilitate meaningful connections to historical events, fostering empathy and collective action against discrimination. Keywords 0<em>Holocaust, memory, testimony, chatbot, Holocaust education, audiovisual translation, subtitling, interactive digital testimony</em></p></div>","PeriodicalId":101167,"journal":{"name":"Societal Impacts","volume":"4 ","pages":"Article 100078"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-08-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2949697724000432/pdfft?md5=5c1e146313121a746b69a34d87e16c84&pid=1-s2.0-S2949697724000432-main.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142151332","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Societal ImpactsPub Date : 2024-08-14DOI: 10.1016/j.socimp.2024.100076
Prosenjit Kayal , Indrajit Roy Chowdhury
{"title":"Beneath the kiln: The unyielding spirit of women shaping rural India's brick tale","authors":"Prosenjit Kayal , Indrajit Roy Chowdhury","doi":"10.1016/j.socimp.2024.100076","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.socimp.2024.100076","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>The brick industry, characterized as an informal and unorganized sector in India, has witnessed growth concurrent with urbanization across various states. This labor-intensive industry relies significantly on the widespread exploitation of women and children and heavily depends on migrant workers for production. This study aims to shed light on the current socio-economic conditions of women in the brick industries of Falta and Budge Budge-II C.D blocks in the South 24 Parganas District of Indian state West Bengal. The variables considered for this study encompass gender, age, marital status, nature of work, experience, education, income, benefits, and challenges —these factors serve as indicators of the socio-economic status of women in these manufacturing units. Environmentalists have identified the brick industry as one of the hazardous sectors with adverse implications for the health and physiological well-being of women and children. The present study is based on both primary and secondary data. The findings reveal that women in this field experience various forms of suffering, and the prevalence of child labor is notably high for both boys and girls in the brick kilns of these two blocks.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":101167,"journal":{"name":"Societal Impacts","volume":"4 ","pages":"Article 100076"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-08-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2949697724000419/pdfft?md5=a99ddd0f6a54de7f3b58d9dc92ffd9e4&pid=1-s2.0-S2949697724000419-main.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142021346","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Societal ImpactsPub Date : 2024-08-14DOI: 10.1016/j.socimp.2024.100077
Michael W. Apprey , Christian Dzah , Kafui T. Agbevanu , Jonathan O. Agyapong , Gloria S. Selase
{"title":"E-waste management from electronic repair workshops: Societal implications and environmental consequences","authors":"Michael W. Apprey , Christian Dzah , Kafui T. Agbevanu , Jonathan O. Agyapong , Gloria S. Selase","doi":"10.1016/j.socimp.2024.100077","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.socimp.2024.100077","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Improper disposal of faulty electronic devices can result in pollution, health hazards, social inequity, and legal issues. This study explores the perceptions and practices of electronic waste management among electronic repair technicians in Ho Municipality, Ghana, with a focus on the significant societal and environmental impacts of e-waste generated in electronic service workshops. A survey using both random and purposive sampling of 150 electronic repairers in Ho Municipality found limited awareness of the negative effects, toxic components, environmental risks, and proper handling and disposal procedures associated with e-waste. Notably, only 31 % of participants were aware of the environmental risks, while 69 % were not. \"Experience\" emerged as a significant predictor of awareness regarding e-waste health risks. Only 22 % were knowledgeable about the hazardous substances in e-waste, indicating a low level of awareness of its risks and opportunities for reducing them. These findings highlight the need for collaboration among stakeholders to implement sustainable e-waste management practices in alignment with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).</p></div>","PeriodicalId":101167,"journal":{"name":"Societal Impacts","volume":"4 ","pages":"Article 100077"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-08-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2949697724000420/pdfft?md5=3fc932c4b453013e3b27c8b422a2dfa6&pid=1-s2.0-S2949697724000420-main.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142021345","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Societal ImpactsPub Date : 2024-08-09DOI: 10.1016/j.socimp.2024.100075
M. Angelidou , C. Politis
{"title":"Αn integrated framework to monitor progress of sustainable urban development strategies, addressing societal, ecological and innovation dilemmas","authors":"M. Angelidou , C. Politis","doi":"10.1016/j.socimp.2024.100075","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.socimp.2024.100075","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>This paper presents an integrated Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) framework, an all-encompassing approach suitable for European cities and regions aiming to monitor and evaluate the implementation and results of sustainable urban development strategies or projects related to urban planning, transport planning, or urban energy management. The framework features a co-created and co-implemented reflexive and adaptive method tailored specifically for strategies or projects that introduce innovative elements from contemporary research and innovation in science and technology, such as net-zero development, systemic solutions for cities, or integrated urban mobility and planning. The approach to designing and implementing the M&E framework was realized through a six-phase process: (i) development of the M&E framework, (ii) tailoring indicators to each region’s specificities, (iii) developing data collection questionnaires and a reporting database, (iv) collecting the data, (v) populating the database, and (vi) writing the final report. The framework was tested and enhanced with four European regional authorities over a 19-month period, enabling them to address their so-called 'policy dilemmas,' defined as the challenges they face in balancing societal and inclusivity objectives with economic and innovation goals. This framework is designed for replication in future sustainable urban development strategies or projects with similar societal, ecological, and innovation objectives.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":101167,"journal":{"name":"Societal Impacts","volume":"4 ","pages":"Article 100075"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-08-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2949697724000407/pdfft?md5=41b5f919fcabb263d32c0dfdd30aab31&pid=1-s2.0-S2949697724000407-main.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141985752","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Societal ImpactsPub Date : 2024-07-26DOI: 10.1016/j.socimp.2024.100074
Rodrigo de Lima Brum , Júlia Oliveira Penteado , Paula Florencio Ramires , Ronan Adler Tavella , Laiz Coutelle Honscha , Livia da Silva Freitas , Fernando Rafael de Moura , Alicia da Silva Bonifácio , Vitória Machado da Silva , Leopoldo dos Santos da Silva , Jéssica El Koury Santos , Flavio Manoel Rodrigues da Silva Júnior
{"title":"Southern Air Project - scientific efforts to monitor and measure the impacts of air pollution in southern Brazil","authors":"Rodrigo de Lima Brum , Júlia Oliveira Penteado , Paula Florencio Ramires , Ronan Adler Tavella , Laiz Coutelle Honscha , Livia da Silva Freitas , Fernando Rafael de Moura , Alicia da Silva Bonifácio , Vitória Machado da Silva , Leopoldo dos Santos da Silva , Jéssica El Koury Santos , Flavio Manoel Rodrigues da Silva Júnior","doi":"10.1016/j.socimp.2024.100074","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.socimp.2024.100074","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Air pollution is responsible for illness and death of millions of people worldwide annually and has strong impacts on the economy and society. Large cities typically have more robust and effective air quality monitoring coverage, however, less populated cities need to rely on monitoring via satellite data or low-cost sensors. Additionally, global and national study hotspots are megacities and highly industrialized regions, and the Southern Air Project aims to broaden the focus on the impact on populations in less populated areas. This article describes the initiatives of the Southern Air Project, aimed at providing data on air pollution and its health effects in small and medium-sized cities in southern Brazil. A significant portion of the air pollutant data used in the project originates from satellite information, low-cost sensors, passive samplers, and data provided by enterprises. These data have been used to understand the levels, dynamics and human health impacts of air pollutants in cities that do not have well-established monitoring networks and, consequently, are less studied. In addition to research initiatives, the project engages in community actions with the aim of informing about the risks of exposure to air pollution and the role of citizens in demanding quality air from public managers.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":101167,"journal":{"name":"Societal Impacts","volume":"4 ","pages":"Article 100074"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-07-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2949697724000390/pdfft?md5=41f4ded9a71d13a53ad4d340027ac514&pid=1-s2.0-S2949697724000390-main.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141841901","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Societal ImpactsPub Date : 2024-07-23DOI: 10.1016/j.socimp.2024.100073
Zoe Qu , Wei Yang , Andrew Allison , Paula Blackett
{"title":"Economic indicator system for adaptive monitoring of compound climate change risks","authors":"Zoe Qu , Wei Yang , Andrew Allison , Paula Blackett","doi":"10.1016/j.socimp.2024.100073","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.socimp.2024.100073","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Climate change adaptation requires proactive development of adaptive planning strategies. To implement such strategies, it is crucial to identify indicators that can monitor and signal approaching adaptation thresholds. While existing research has focused on physical and hazard-based indicators, addressing social and economic indicators is essential for informed decision-making. This research aims to fill this gap by compiling 298 economic indicators across six categories: fiscal factors for central, regional, and local governments; financial system indicators; indicators for industries, businesses, and public organisations; and indicators for identifying socially vulnerable populations due to climate change. Derived from previous studies and the national climate change risk assessment framework, these indicators aim to provide policymakers at all levels and communities with a ready-to-use toolbox for monitoring climate change economic risks. Additionally, the research identifies measurable indicators as well as those that cannot currently be measured but could potentially be quantified. Future work involves further analysis and mapping of these indicators to form a cohesive set warning of the need for adaptation measures, aiming to equip decision-makers with tools to address the economic impacts of climate change.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":101167,"journal":{"name":"Societal Impacts","volume":"4 ","pages":"Article 100073"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-07-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2949697724000389/pdfft?md5=4ada4c7100cdf17878232a8c241c8229&pid=1-s2.0-S2949697724000389-main.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141847660","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Societal ImpactsPub Date : 2024-07-23DOI: 10.1016/j.socimp.2024.100072
Denise McCullagh , Gaby, S. Langendijk , Gundula Winter , Ad Jeuken , Lydia Cumiskey , Peter Medway , Daniel Carr , Ronan Gingles , Declan Dunne , Walther Camaro
{"title":"Climate services: Co-development in Cork City, Ireland","authors":"Denise McCullagh , Gaby, S. Langendijk , Gundula Winter , Ad Jeuken , Lydia Cumiskey , Peter Medway , Daniel Carr , Ronan Gingles , Declan Dunne , Walther Camaro","doi":"10.1016/j.socimp.2024.100072","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.socimp.2024.100072","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Climate change is one of the greatest challenges of our time [1]. It will reshape our world and impact all of society. Cities are where the majority of people live and where most of the world’s population directly experiences climate change impacts. No one individual or organisation will be able to deliver adaptation to climate change for society – we need collaboration across scales, disciplines and societal actors. To help combat climate change impacts that are now unavoidable, Cork City (Ireland) is working in conjunction with 19 partners across Europe, as part of the EU Horizon REACHOUT project, to co-develop user friendly climate services that will help the city prepare for and adapt to these impacts, in line with the strategic development plans for the city and the region. Cork City is exposed to a range of climate related risks, including flooding, heat and wind, all of which are expected to increase in the future under climate change. Cork City Council, University College Cork and technical partners across Europe have been working with local communities to co-develop a range of climate service tools that will be particularly valuable for Cork City and its residents. These tools are intended to support building local resilience to, and understanding of, climate impacts within the city, and to motivate citizens to engage in climate action. This paper explores how these tools may be used to provide climate services in the context of Cork City and how they perform in terms of accessibility, relevance, usability and capacity.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":101167,"journal":{"name":"Societal Impacts","volume":"4 ","pages":"Article 100072"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-07-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2949697724000377/pdfft?md5=32d5e7007ea96a9a983b6779bd5f646e&pid=1-s2.0-S2949697724000377-main.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141850907","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Societal ImpactsPub Date : 2024-07-14DOI: 10.1016/j.socimp.2024.100071
Philippos Zdoupas , Désirée Laubenstein
{"title":"Social impacts of inclusive education: On the requirement for an emphasis on girls with emotional and behavioral disorders (EBD) in research on inclusion","authors":"Philippos Zdoupas , Désirée Laubenstein","doi":"10.1016/j.socimp.2024.100071","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.socimp.2024.100071","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>While there is an extensive and substantial body of epidemiological research on gender-specific differences regarding the prevalence, persistence, and comorbidity of Emotional and Behavioral Disorders (EBD) in childhood and adolescence, empirical research on inclusive education largely lacks a differentiated and gender-sensitive research approach. However, initial empirical findings indicate that girls with internalizing behavior problems are to be considered a particularly vulnerable group in school regarding their social integration, their self-concept, their well-being in school and their perception and interpretation of social interaction processes. Can girls with internalizing behavior problems thus be referred to as the 'forgotten gender' of empirical research on inclusive education? The following article aims to address the existing tension between gender-specific epidemiological data, school-related practices, and empirical research approaches. In this context, we first (I) summarize the available empirical findings, (II) outline the methodological foundations of an ongoing research project, and (III) discuss the social implications of a predominantly one-sided empirical approach and outline a call to action for practice and research.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":101167,"journal":{"name":"Societal Impacts","volume":"4 ","pages":"Article 100071"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-07-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2949697724000365/pdfft?md5=af751d9acd77d07ea3055f15e41ae951&pid=1-s2.0-S2949697724000365-main.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141636671","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}