Regional Sustainability最新文献

{"title":"Assessment of vegetation cover changes and the contributing factors in the Al-Ahsa Oasis using Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI)","authors":"Walid Chouari","doi":"10.1016/j.regsus.2024.03.005","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.regsus.2024.03.005","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>The abandonment of date palm grove of the former Al-Ahsa Oasis in the eastern region of Saudi Arabia has resulted in the conversion of delicate agricultural area into urban area. The current state of the oasis is influenced by both expansion and degradation factors. Therefore, it is important to study the spatiotemporal variation of vegetation cover for the sustainable management of oasis resources. This study used Landsat satellite images in 1987, 2002, and 2021 to monitor the spatiotemporal variation of vegetation cover in the Al-Ahsa Oasis, applied multi-temporal Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) data spanning from 1987 to 2021 to assess environmental and spatiotemporal variations that have occurred in the Al-Ahsa Oasis, and investigated the factors influencing these variation. This study reveals that there is a significant improvement in the ecological environment of the oasis during 1987–2021, with increase of NDVI values being higher than 0.10. In 2021, the highest NDVI value is generally above 0.70, while the lowest value remains largely unchanged. However, there is a remarkable increase in NDVI values between 0.20 and 0.30. The area of low NDVI values (0.00–0.20) has remained almost stable, but the region with high NDVI values (above 0.70) expands during 1987–2021. Furthermore, this study finds that in 1987–2002, the increase of vegetation cover is most notable in the northern region of the study area, whereas from 2002 to 2021, the increase of vegetation cover is mainly concentrated in the northern and southern regions of the study area. From 1987 to 2021, NDVI values exhibit the most pronounced variation, with a significant increase in the “green” zone (characterized by NDVI values exceeding 0.40), indicating a substantial enhancement in the ecological environment of the oasis. The NDVI classification is validated through 50 ground validation points in the study area, demonstrating a mean accuracy of 92.00% in the detection of vegetation cover. In general, both the user’s and producer’s accuracies of NDVI classification are extremely high in 1987, 2002, and 2021. Finally, this study suggests that environmental authorities should strengthen their overall forestry project arrangements to combat sand encroachment and enhance the ecological environment of the Al-Ahsa Oasis.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":34395,"journal":{"name":"Regional Sustainability","volume":"5 1","pages":"Article 100111"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666660X24000100/pdfft?md5=09e140b90622c1e789b241f989024e87&pid=1-s2.0-S2666660X24000100-main.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140843815","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}

{"title":"Spatial differences of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) among counties (cities) on the northern slope of the Kunlun Mountains","authors":"Tao WANG ,&nbsp;Daojing ZHOU ,&nbsp;Jie FAN","doi":"10.1016/j.regsus.2024.03.002","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.regsus.2024.03.002","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>The county (city) located on the northern slope of the Kunlun Mountains is the primary area to solidify and extend the success of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, China in poverty alleviation. Its Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are intertwined with the concerted economic and social development of Xinjiang and the objective of achieving shared prosperity within the region. This study established a sustainable development evaluation framework by selecting 15 SDGs and 20 secondary indicators from the United Nations’ SDGs. The aim of this study is to quantitatively assess the progress of SDGs at the county (city) level on the northern slope of the Kunlun Mountains. The results indicate that there are substantial variations in the scores of SDGs among the nine counties and one city located on the northern slope of the Kunlun Mountains. Notable high scores of SDGs are observed in the central and eastern regions, whereas lower scores are prevalent in the western areas. The scores of SDGs, in descending order, are as follows: 62.22 for Minfeng County, 54.22 for Hotan City, 50.21 for Qiemo County, 42.54 for Moyu County, 41.56 for Ruoqiang County, 41.39 for Qira County, 39.86 for Lop County, 38.25 for Yutian County, 38.10 for Pishan County, and 36.87 for Hotan County. The performances of SDGs reveal that Hotan City, Lop County, Minfeng County, and Ruoqiang County have significant sustainable development capacity because they have three or more SDGs ranked as green color. However, Hotan County, Moyu County, Qira County, and Yutian County show the poorest performance, as they lack SDGs with green color. It is important to establish and enhance mechanisms that can ensure sustained income growth among poverty alleviation beneficiaries, sustained improvement in the capacity of rural governance, and the gradual improvement of social security system. These measures will facilitate the effective implementation of SDGs. Finally, this study offers a valuable support for governmental authorities and relevant departments in their decision-making processes. In addition, these results hold significant reference value for assessing SDGs at the county (city) level, particularly in areas characterized by low levels of economic development.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":34395,"journal":{"name":"Regional Sustainability","volume":"5 1","pages":"Article 100108"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666660X24000070/pdfft?md5=e6f30a55c6d5a5993ffaf27343791637&pid=1-s2.0-S2666660X24000070-main.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140843812","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}

{"title":"Coupling coordinated development among digital economy, regional innovation, and talent employment: A case study in the Hangzhou Metropolitan Circle, China","authors":"Luyi QIU ,&nbsp;Sharina OSMAN ,&nbsp;Yidi HUA","doi":"10.1016/j.regsus.2024.100115","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.regsus.2024.100115","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Coordinative development across various systems, particularly the economic, social, cultural, and human resources subsystems, is a key aspect of urban sustainability and has a direct impact on the quality of urbanization. The Hangzhou Metropolitan Circle, comprising Hangzhou City, Huzhou City, Jiaxing City, and Shaoxing City, was the first metropolitan circle approved by the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) as a demonstration of economic transformation in China. To evaluate the coupling coordination degree of the four cities and analyze the coordinative development in three systems (including digital economy, regional innovation, and talent employment), we collected panel data during 2015–2022 from these four cities. The development level of the three systems was evaluated by the standard deviation method and comprehensive development index. The results are as follows: (1) the level of coupling coordinated development of the three systems in the Hangzhou Metropolitan Circle was relatively low; (2) the coupling coordination degree of the four cities in the Hangzhou Metropolitan Circle showed significant regional differences, among which Hangzhou City was in the leading position, and Huzhou, Jiaxing, and Shaoxing cities made steady but slow progress in the coupling development of the three systems; and (3) the development of digital economy and talent employment needs to be strengthened. This study contributes to the coordinative development of Hangzhou Metropolitan Circle by innovatively focusing on the coupling coordination relationship among digital economy, regional innovation, and talent employment, which also meets the industrial layout of Hangzhou Metropolitan Circle. In this way, the optimal allocation and sustainable development of digital economy, regional innovation, and talent employment in the Hangzhou Metropolitan Circle can be achieved.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":34395,"journal":{"name":"Regional Sustainability","volume":"5 1","pages":"Article 100115"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666660X24000148/pdfft?md5=4508bc1bc9fe3d8a90eb7f134d1ae74a&pid=1-s2.0-S2666660X24000148-main.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140842918","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}

{"title":"Preparedness, knowledge, and perception of nursing students about climate change and its impact on human health in India","authors":"Ramya Kundayi Ravi ,&nbsp;Priya Baby ,&nbsp;Nidhin Elias ,&nbsp;Jisa George Thomas ,&nbsp;Kathyayani Bidadi Veerabhadraiah ,&nbsp;Bharat Pareek","doi":"10.1016/j.regsus.2024.100116","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.regsus.2024.100116","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Higher education plays an important role in all aspects of sustainability. Infusing climate change and sustainability into the curriculum is important to prepare future health-care professionals for climate change and sustainability actions to build resilient health systems. In this study, we evaluated the preparedness, knowledge, and perception regarding climate change and its impact on human health among Indian nursing students. A quantitative descriptive survey was conducted among 644 undergraduate nursing students studying in three institutes in the southern, northern, and western parts of India. We used a structured online questionnaire with established validity and reliability to collect data. The data were analyzed using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences version 26 software. The results showed that more than half of the students reported experiencing excessive increase (362; 56.2%) and decrease (374; 58.1%) in temperature in recent years. Though more than three quarters of the students (494; 76.7%) accepted the general truth that climate change is mainly caused by human activities, only less than half of the students (309; 48.0%) perceived the impact of climate change to be high. Three quarters of the students (483; 75.0%) had a high level of knowledge regarding climate change. The students who had a high level of knowledge about climate change exerted a high perceived impact of climate change (<em>χ</em>²=75.47; <em>P</em>&lt;0.01). More than half of the students (50.9%) felt that they needed information about climate change to be included in the nursing curriculum, and only one sixth of the students (16.1%) were highly confident about engaging in climate change-related conversation with patients. Most of the students who participated in the study had basic knowledge about climate change and its impact on human health. However, there is an observed gap between knowledge and their preparedness and confidence to engage in climate change actions. Hence, we propose to strengthen the nursing curriculum by integrating various curricular and co-curricular activities related to climate change, so that future nurses are empowered to become climate change advocates.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":34395,"journal":{"name":"Regional Sustainability","volume":"5 1","pages":"Article 100116"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666660X2400015X/pdfft?md5=d7d9586c91cdd787ed3c9337b88c8d99&pid=1-s2.0-S2666660X2400015X-main.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140842919","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}

{"title":"Exploring well-being disparities between urban and rural areas: A case study in the Stavropol Territory, Russia","authors":"Anastasia Chaplitskaya ,&nbsp;Wim Heijman ,&nbsp;Johan van Ophem","doi":"10.1016/j.regsus.2024.100114","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.regsus.2024.100114","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Rural areas are crucial for a country’s sustainable economy. New strategies are needed to develop rural areas to improve the well-being of rural population and generate new job opportunities. This is especially important in countries where agricultural production accounts for a significant share of the gross product, such as Russia. In this study, we identified the key indicators of satisfaction and differences between rural and urban citizens based on their social, economic, and environmental backgrounds, and determined whether there are well-being disparities between rural and urban areas in the Stavropol Territory, Russia. We collected primary data through a survey based on the European Social Survey framework to investigate the potential differences between rural and urban areas. By computing the regional well-being index using principal component analysis, we found that there was no statistically significant difference in well-being between rural and urban areas. Results of key indicators showed that rural residents felt psychologically more comfortable and safer, assessed their family relationships better, and adhered more to traditions and customs. However, urban residents showed better economic and social conditions (e.g., infrastructures, medical care, education, and Internet access). The results of this study imply that we can better understand the local needs, advantages, and unique qualities, thereby gaining insight into the effectiveness of government programs. Policy-makers and local authorities can consider targeted interventions based on the findings of this study and strive to enhance the well-being of both urban and rural residents.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":34395,"journal":{"name":"Regional Sustainability","volume":"5 1","pages":"Article 100114"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666660X24000136/pdfft?md5=436dbe6e6e190a49e3884ff6d73b4029&pid=1-s2.0-S2666660X24000136-main.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140842917","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}

{"title":"Association between people’s attitudes towards human-elephant conflict and their locational, demographic, and socio-economic characteristics in Buxa Tiger Reserve and its adjoining area, India","authors":"Chiranjib Nad,&nbsp;Tamal Basu-Roy","doi":"10.1016/j.regsus.2024.03.003","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.regsus.2024.03.003","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>“Human-elephant conflict (HEC)”, the alarming issue, in present day context has attracted the attention of environmentalists and policy makers. The rising conflict between human beings and wild elephants is common in Buxa Tiger Reserve (BTR) and its adjoining area in West Bengal State, India, making the area volatile. People’s attitudes towards elephant conservation activity are very crucial to get rid of HEC, because people’s proximity with wild elephants’ habitat can trigger the occurrence of HEC. The aim of this study is to conduct an in-depth investigation about the association of people’s attitudes towards HEC with their locational, demographic, and socio-economic characteristics in BTR and its adjoining area by using Pearson’s bivariate chi-square test and binary logistic regression analysis. BTR is one of the constituent parts of Eastern Doors Elephant Reserve (EDER). We interviewed 500 respondents to understand their perceptions to HEC and investigated their locational, demographic, and socio-economic characteristics including location of village, gender, age, ethnicity, religion, caste, poverty level, education level, primary occupation, secondary occupation, household type, and source of firewood. The results indicate that respondents who are living in enclave forest villages (EFVs), peripheral forest villages (PFVs), corridor village (CVs), or forest and corridor villages (FCVs), mainly males, at the age of 18–48 years old, engaged with agriculture occupation, and living in kancha and mixed houses, have more likelihood to witness HEC. Besides, respondents who are illiterate or at primary education level are more likely to regard elephant as a main problematic animal around their villages and refuse to participate in elephant conservation activity. For the sake of a sustainable environment for both human beings and wildlife, people’s attitudes towards elephants must be friendly in a more prudent way, so that the two communities can live in harmony.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":34395,"journal":{"name":"Regional Sustainability","volume":"5 1","pages":"Article 100109"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666660X24000082/pdfft?md5=592acf88f71622cfeb51b9720d4ca8c9&pid=1-s2.0-S2666660X24000082-main.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140843813","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}

{"title":"Socio-economic vulnerability level in the Jeneberang watershed in Gowa Regency, South Sulawesi Province, Indonesia","authors":"Andi Rachmat Arfadly ,&nbsp;Hazairin Zubair ,&nbsp;Mahyuddin ,&nbsp;Andang Suryana Soma","doi":"10.1016/j.regsus.2024.03.007","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.regsus.2024.03.007","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Jeneberang watershed is vital, particularly for people living in Gowa Regency (South Sulawesi Province, Indonesia), who benefit from its many advantages. Landslides and floods occur every year in the Jeneberang watershed, so it is imperative to understand the socio-economic vulnerability of this region. This research aims to identify the vulnerability level of the Jeneberang watershed so that the government can prioritize areas with high vulnerability level and formulate effective strategies to reduce these the vulnerability. Specifically, this study was conducted in 12 districts located in the Jeneberang watershed. The primary data were collected from questionnaires completed by community members, community leaders, and various stakeholders, and the secondary data were from the Landsat satellite imagery in 2020, the Badan Push Statistic of Gowa Regency, and some governmental agencies. The socio-economic vulnerability variables were determined using the Multiple Criteria Decision Analysis (MCDA) method, and each variable was weighted and analyzed using the Geographical Information System (GIS). The study reveals that the levels of socio-economic vulnerability are affected by variables such as population density, vulnerable groups (disabled people, elderly people, and young people), road network and settlement, percentage of poor people, and productive land area in the Jeneberang watershed. Moreover, all of the 12 districts in the Jeneberang watershed are included in the medium vulnerability level, with the mean percentage of socio-economic vulnerability around 50.92%. The socio-economic vulnerability of Bajeng, Pallangga, and Somba Opu districts is categorized at high level, the socio-economic vulnerability of Bungaya, Parangloe, and Tombolo Pao districts is classified as medium level, and the remaining 6 districts (Barombong, Bontolempangan, Bontomarannu, Manuju, Parigi, and Tinggimoncong) are ranked as low socio-economic vulnerability. This study can help policy-makers to formulate strategy that contributes to the protection of biodiversity and sustainable development of the Jeneberang watershed, while improving disaster resilience and preparedness of the watershed.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":34395,"journal":{"name":"Regional Sustainability","volume":"5 1","pages":"Article 100113"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666660X24000124/pdfft?md5=189bf93cf6bbb1bc5b12df539ee5226d&pid=1-s2.0-S2666660X24000124-main.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140842916","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}

{"title":"Impact of forest governance and enforcement on deforestation and forest degradation at the district level: A study in West Bengal State, India","authors":"Aishwarya Basu ,&nbsp;Jyotish Prakash Basu","doi":"10.1016/j.regsus.2023.11.002","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.regsus.2023.11.002","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>According to the United Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP), the world loses 1.0 ​× ​10⁶ ​hm² forest land through deforestation annually. About 1.6 ​× ​10⁶ people who depend on forests for livelihood are negatively affected by deforestation and forest degradation. The paper attempts to study the impact of forest governance, enforcement and socio-economic factors on deforestation and forest degradation at the local level in West Bengal State, India. The study was based on questionnaire survey data during 2020–2021 collected from three western districts (Purulia, Bankura, and Paschim Medinipur) where deforestation and poverty rates are higher than other districts in West Bengal State. The total number of selected villages was 29, and the total sample households were 693. A stratified random sampling technique was used to collect data, and a questionnaire was followed. Forest governance and enforcement indices were constructed using United Nation Development Programme (UNDP) methodology and a step-wise logistic regression model was used to identify the factors affecting deforestation and forest degradation. The result of this study showed that four factors (illegal logging, weak forest administration, encroachment, and poverty) are identified for the causes of deforestation and forest degradation. It is observed that six indices of forest governance (rule of law, transparency, accountability, participation, inclusiveness and equitability, and efficiency and effectiveness) is relatively high in Purulia District. Moreover, this study shows that Purulia and Bankura districts follow medium forest governance, while Paschim Medinipur District has poor forest governance. The enforcement index is found to be highest in Purulia District (0.717) and lowest for Paschim Medinipur District (0.257). Finally, weak forest governance, poor socio-economic conditions of the households, and weak enforcement lead to the deforestation and forest degradationin the study area. Therefore, governments should strengthen law enforcement and encourage sustainable forest certification schemes to combat illegal logging.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":34395,"journal":{"name":"Regional Sustainability","volume":"4 4","pages":"Pages 441-452"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666660X23000580/pdfft?md5=78323e85cbf92f2d0aef4564bba486a8&pid=1-s2.0-S2666660X23000580-main.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"138474180","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}

{"title":"A tale of duality: Community perceptions towards the ecotourism impacts on Simien Mountains National Park, Ethiopia","authors":"Tewodros Abuhay ,&nbsp;Endalkachew Teshome ,&nbsp;Gashaw Mulu","doi":"10.1016/j.regsus.2023.11.007","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.regsus.2023.11.007","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>This study aims to analyze how park households perceive the economic, socio-cultural, and environmental impacts of ecotourism in Simien Mountain National Park (SMNP), Ethiopia. We combined qualitative and quantitative techniques for data collection. A sequentially embedded mixed design that gives priority to quantitative data was used. We also employed a multistage sampling technique to select respondents from three districts or woreda, namely Debark, Janamora, and Beyeda woredas. Finally, 397 participants were involved in the study from a random selection of three villages from each district or woreda. Data were gathered using a survey questionnaire, interviews, and focus group discussions. Data were analyzed using both descriptive and inferential statistical methods, including means, standard deviations, analysis of variance (ANOVA), and logistic regression models. The findings from a logistic regression analysis revealed that ecotourism participation had a significant relationship with gender (<em>B</em> ​= ​1.850, <em>P</em> ​= ​0.023), level of education (<em>B</em> ​= ​0.238, <em>P</em> ​= ​0.032), geographical location (<em>B</em> ​= ​0.420, <em>P</em> ​= ​0.041), and occupation (<em>B</em> ​= ​0.920, <em>P</em> ​= ​0.019). This investigation suggested that males and individuals with a higher educational background are more likely to possess optimistic perspectives concerning the impacts of ecotourism. Furthermore, individuals residing in districts relatively near ecotourism destinations, those engaged in tourism-related work, and younger participants were recognized as having optimistic viewpoints regarding the impacts of ecotourism. In conclusion, the study highlighted the need for collaborative efforts among stakeholders to maximize ecotourism's benefits and minimize negative effects in SMNP. To achieve this, it is recommended that the Ethiopian Wildlife Conservation Agency, the Ministry of Tourism, and local government should work together to develop sustainable tourism plans that enhance local livelihoods and park conditions. Efforts should focus on increasing the participation of women and individuals with lower education levels through training and resource provision.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":34395,"journal":{"name":"Regional Sustainability","volume":"4 4","pages":"Pages 453-464"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666660X23000634/pdfft?md5=56b84596bf95a01a8809ab24edd228d6&pid=1-s2.0-S2666660X23000634-main.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"138577712","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}

{"title":"Toward a sustainable future: Examining the interconnectedness among Foreign Direct Investment (FDI), urbanization, trade openness, economic growth, and energy usage in Australia","authors":"Liton Chandra Voumik ,&nbsp;Md. Hasanur Rahman ,&nbsp;Md. Maznur Rahman ,&nbsp;Mohammad Ridwan ,&nbsp;Salma Akter ,&nbsp;Asif Raihan","doi":"10.1016/j.regsus.2023.11.003","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.regsus.2023.11.003","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>The energy demand in Australia is increasing with the industrialization and rapid economic growth. This study analyzed the relationships among the economic growth, Foreign Direct Investment (FDI), trade openness, urbanization, and energy usage in Australia based on the data from World Development Indicators (WDI) from 1972 to 2021. The results indicated that there is a cointegration among economic growth, FDI, trade openness, urbanization, and energy usage, which was traced through the autoregressive-distributed lag (ARDL). The Zivot-Andrews unit root test reveals that energy usage, economic growth, FDI, urbanization, and trade openness show significant structural breaks in 1993, 1996, 1982, 2008, and 1994, respectively. The ARDL model shows that economic growth has a positive and significant effect on energy usage in the long-run (0.814) and short-run (0.809). Moreover, the results also show that FDI (0.028) and trade openness (0.043) have positive impacts on energy usage in the long-run. However, urbanization shows a negative and significant influence on energy usage in the long-run (−0.965). Then, the research demonstrates a unidirectional causation between energy usage and trade openness, with energy usage significantly causing trade openness. The current study endorses energy consumption policies and investment strategies for a paradigm shifting from a reliance on fossil fuels as the primary energy source to renewable energy sources. These findings have profound implications for sustainable energy usage.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":34395,"journal":{"name":"Regional Sustainability","volume":"4 4","pages":"Pages 405-415"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666660X23000592/pdfft?md5=1b6d36a734cb618310aa6d7db23ce74e&pid=1-s2.0-S2666660X23000592-main.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"138465865","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}