Current Research in Environmental Sustainability最新文献

{"title":"Attitude towards risk and preferences for low-carbon energy sources: Findings from two preregistered studies","authors":"Stepan Vesely,&nbsp;Christian A. Klöckner","doi":"10.1016/j.crsust.2026.100349","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.crsust.2026.100349","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Risk attitudes are an important determinant of energy efficiency investments, but little is known about their role in shaping preferences for energy sources, and low-carbon energy sources specifically. In two large preregistered studies conducted in Germany and Spain (combined <em>n</em> = 2864) we therefore test whether risk attitudes predict preferences for solar, wind, hydro, and nuclear energy. We find little support for this hypothesis overall. Exploratory analyses of the Spanish data, nevertheless, indicate that in case of environmentally concerned individuals, preferences for hydropower become stronger as risk aversion increases. This research contributes to a stream of recent investigations mapping when risk attitudes may influence energy-related decisions.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":34472,"journal":{"name":"Current Research in Environmental Sustainability","volume":"11 ","pages":"Article 100349"},"PeriodicalIF":3.8,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147740091","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Editorial: Reinterpreting sustainability discourses around the globe","authors":"Sjors Witjes ,&nbsp;Elizabeth Deborah Martínez Aguilar ,&nbsp;Shoko Yamada","doi":"10.1016/j.crsust.2026.100334","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.crsust.2026.100334","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":34472,"journal":{"name":"Current Research in Environmental Sustainability","volume":"11 ","pages":"Article 100334"},"PeriodicalIF":3.8,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147421244","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Life cycle assessment of rice farming in Indian Punjab: Balancing environmental sustainability and economic profitability across farm sizes","authors":"Arshdeep Singh ,&nbsp;Poonam Kataria","doi":"10.1016/j.crsust.2026.100350","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.crsust.2026.100350","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The present study examined the environmental and economic aspects of rice farming across diverse farm sizes in Punjab, India. Utilizing primary data from 196 rice farmers collected via multi-stage sampling and direct interviews during the 2021–22 crop season, the analysis assessed carbon emissions and economic outcomes. Results indicated that the Farm Carbon Footprint (FCF) escalated with farm size, averaging 8,695.7 ± 617.4 kg carbon dioxide equivalent (CO₂e) per ha for small farms, 9,300.8 ± 792.4 kg CO₂e/ha for medium farms, and 10,601.2 ± 849.5 kg CO₂e/ha for large farms. Similarly, the Product Carbon Footprint (PCF) rose from 144.6 ± 11.1 kg CO₂e/q on small farms to 161.8 ± 13.1 kg CO₂e/q on large farms, driven by resource-intensive practices, especially in irrigation. Economic assessments revealed higher production costs per unit on large farms, indicating reduced economic efficiency. Carbon Efficiency Ratio (CER) and the Carbon Sustainability Index (CSI) emphasized the advantages of small and medium farms in balancing emissions with productivity. Notably, production, gross and net return-scaled carbon metrics demonstrated that small and medium farms generated lower emissions per monetary unit earned. The findings advocate for sustainable interventions, including reduced crop residue burning, methane mitigation, efficient irrigation, optimized fertilizer application, and mechanization, to curtail emissions while enhancing profitability. Small and medium farms emerged as pivotal to sustainable agricultural practices, highlighting the potential for collective strategies that integrate eco-friendly inputs and technologies to achieve environmental and economic harmony in rice cultivation.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":34472,"journal":{"name":"Current Research in Environmental Sustainability","volume":"11 ","pages":"Article 100350"},"PeriodicalIF":3.8,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147797953","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Evaluating socioeconomic and equity outcomes in livelihood interventions: Insights from Community Resource Management Areas (CREMAs) in northern Ghana","authors":"Samuel Adeyanju ,&nbsp;Mirjam A.F. Ros-Tonen ,&nbsp;Janette Bulkan ,&nbsp;Bernard N. Baatuuwie ,&nbsp;Terry Sunderland","doi":"10.1016/j.crsust.2026.100337","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.crsust.2026.100337","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Over the past 25 years, Ghana's Community Resource Management Area (CREMA) program has expanded to cover 2 million hectares across 600 communities, aiming to achieve its dual objectives of biodiversity conservation and poverty reduction. As Ghana's flagship Community-Based Natural Resource Management (CBNRM) initiative, it has attracted significant investment from international organizations for livelihood interventions to reduce poverty and incentivize conservation. Yet little is known about how these interventions are implemented or who benefits. Using qualitative methods, this study examines stakeholders' perceptions of the types, socioeconomic impacts, and equity dynamics of livelihood interventions in three CREMAs in northern Ghana. Our findings reveal that interventions that enhance existing livelihoods, such as modern beekeeping, remain the most frequently implemented. Although the socioeconomic impacts of these interventions vary across and within CREMAs, they provide individuals with modest, seasonal income and support community development projects. The gender dimensions of the interventions show that gender-targeted, pro-poor distribution norms have increased women's inclusion and access to cash income but also raise concerns about exclusion and intersectional inequities. By situating our findings within debates on distributional and contextual equity, we offer insights into how pro-poor norms interact with gender and other contextual factors to shape economic and equity outcomes in incentive-based conservation. This article is relevant beyond the case study, as it can inform the design of equitable, context-sensitive, and sustainable livelihood interventions in current and future incentive-based conservation efforts across the tropics and beyond.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":34472,"journal":{"name":"Current Research in Environmental Sustainability","volume":"11 ","pages":"Article 100337"},"PeriodicalIF":3.8,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147421139","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Local livelihood assets and their diversification under different levels of salinity intrusion in coastal Bangladesh: A comparative assessment","authors":"Masudul Alam ,&nbsp;Mokbul Morshed Ahmad ,&nbsp;Takuji W. Tsusaka ,&nbsp;Malay Pramanik","doi":"10.1016/j.crsust.2026.100341","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.crsust.2026.100341","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study assesses the condition of livelihood assets in the southern coastal regions of Bangladesh using a comparative approach. A questionnaire survey was conducted with 400 households across Kalapara, Taltali, and Patharghata Upazilas, representing high and moderate salinity areas. Using the livelihood approach, the study assesses the condition of human, physical, natural, financial, and social capital assets based on 33 indicators, with values ranging from 0 to 1, where higher scores indicate stronger asset conditions. The composite values for the assets were highest in Kalapara (0.52), indicating relatively better access to resources, followed by Taltali (0.48) with moderate conditions, and Patharghata (0.41) as the weakest, reflecting practical differences in resilience and adaptive capacity. Significant differences reflect regional variations. The findings highlight the significant strain on livelihoods, particularly in Patharghata, where limited access to resources and persistent salinity intrusion have substantial impacts. The research also explores the state of livelihood diversification using the Simpson's Diversity Index, with values of 0.83, 0.89 and 0.82 in Kalapara, Taltali, and Patharghata, respectively. The shift from agricultural livelihood to alternative sources reflects households' effort to enhance resilience and adaptive capacity amidst environmental challenges. The study recommends government initiatives and interventions in the salinity-prone regions to strengthen adaptive capacity and resilience. It emphasizes the need for comprehensive policies that promote adaptation strategies and income diversification to achieve Sustainable Development Goals 1, 2, 3, 4, and 15.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":34472,"journal":{"name":"Current Research in Environmental Sustainability","volume":"11 ","pages":"Article 100341"},"PeriodicalIF":3.8,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147448652","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Engaging the public in groundwater conservation through digital communication: Pathways to inclusive policy","authors":"Abdul Saboor Rahmany ,&nbsp;Troy Allen Berthold ,&nbsp;Kim Dooley ,&nbsp;Emmanuel Chisom Okolo","doi":"10.1016/j.crsust.2026.100347","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.crsust.2026.100347","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study evaluates the digital communication strategies of Groundwater Conservation Districts (GCDs) in Texas's Carrizo-Wilcox Aquifer and their role in public engagement and education regarding groundwater availability and conservation. With escalating water demands due to increasing population and climate change, effective public outreach and communication are crucial in enhancing sustainable groundwater resource management. In this study, using qualitative content analysis of GCDs websites, we assessed the dissemination of information and the effectiveness of digital platforms in engaging the public. Our methodology integrates a constructivist approach, analyzing how GCDs communicate their regulatory frameworks and educational programs using digital communication with stakeholders. The analysis revealed variation in content quality, accessibility, and inclusivity. The findings highlight the need for more interactive, user-centered, and language-accessible digital tools to enhance public engagement in conservation of resources and inclusive policy. Building on existing environmental communication literature, this study develops an integrative conceptual framework combining content, accessibility, and interactivity—dimensions often studied separately—to evaluate the inclusiveness of digital communication. The study also presents a transferable conceptual framework for evaluating digital communication strategies in environmental governance. This framework can support systematic assessments across various environmental organizations and sectors globally. Future research should explore how digital outreach influences stakeholder behavior and participation in groundwater governance.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":34472,"journal":{"name":"Current Research in Environmental Sustainability","volume":"11 ","pages":"Article 100347"},"PeriodicalIF":3.8,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147600292","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Twenty years of dingo discourse: Examining news media representation of dingo conservation and management in Victoria, Australia","authors":"Lily M. van Eeden ,&nbsp;Lilan He","doi":"10.1016/j.crsust.2026.100351","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.crsust.2026.100351","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Conservation and management of charismatic wildlife and pests is surrounded by social conflict. Analysis of news media can be useful for understanding changing discourse on environmental topics including revealing dimensions such as social power dynamics and conflicting narratives between different social groups. We employed discourse analysis to explore news media narratives on conservation and management of dingoes in Victoria, Australia. We included 238 articles from 2005 to 2024, coding them based on sentiment, news outlet type, voices represented, and key topics. Media attention to dingoes has increased since 2020, aligning with policy change and proposals to restore or reintroduce them. General news media outlets were more likely to describe dingoes and their conservation positively, and rural outlets to describe them negatively. Considering voices represented, general news media outlets represented a higher proportion of researchers and dingo advocacy groups, regional outlets more frequently represented local government and Indigenous voices, and rural outlets more frequently represented farming groups. Our findings suggest growing societal interest in dingo conservation issues and reveal differences in how social groups (e.g., urban vs rural) are exposed to narratives around dingoes. Absence of representation of Indigenous voices until 2018 may indicate recent changes in power dynamics on dingo discourse amid broader social change towards increasing Indigenous agency in environmental decision-making. Increasing media interest in dingoes in Victoria was linked with several key moments in dingo discourse, such as proposals to restore them, so understanding media narratives can support informed decision-making that can pre-empt public response to policy or management decisions.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":34472,"journal":{"name":"Current Research in Environmental Sustainability","volume":"11 ","pages":"Article 100351"},"PeriodicalIF":3.8,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147740090","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Transformative adaptation pathways: A multi-level framework for navigating systemic climate change responses","authors":"Jingming Yang ,&nbsp;Bishawjit Mallick ,&nbsp;Ajay Bailey","doi":"10.1016/j.crsust.2026.100353","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.crsust.2026.100353","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Escalating climate risks have intensified calls for transformative adaptation. Yet a persistent theoretical challenge remains: the lack of an integrated framework that explains how transformation unfolds by linking micro-level behavioral dynamics with macro-level structural change. This paper addresses this gap by developing the Transformative Adaptation Pathways (TAP) framework. TAP integrates three theoretical pillars: Dynamic Adaptive Policy Pathways (DAPP) for temporality and tipping points; the Social-Ecological Systems (SES) framework for structural context; and the Sustainable Livelihoods Framework (SLF) for a micro-foundation of actor behavior. Its core contribution is the conceptualization of cross-scale feedback mechanisms—power-mediated processes of institutional selection that link macro, <em>meso</em>, and micro levels. It elucidates how these mechanisms, which generate either transformative or regressive feedback, are conditioned by power dynamics, steering the system toward a TAP (addressing the root causes of vulnerability) or trapping it in a Non-TAP (lock-in/maladaptation). Positioned as a conceptual–diagnostic framework, TAP offers practical value by enabling scholars and practitioners to trace pathway evolution, diagnose lock-ins, and identify leverage points for intervention, thereby supporting more resilient and equitable adaptation trajectories. As a concrete output, the paper advances six testable propositions, charting a research agenda for operationalizing the framework's core mechanisms and diagnosing pathway divergence across diverse social-ecological contexts.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":34472,"journal":{"name":"Current Research in Environmental Sustainability","volume":"11 ","pages":"Article 100353"},"PeriodicalIF":3.8,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147797960","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"A meta-analysis of soil organic carbon dynamics under climate-smart agricultural systems in the Amazonian region","authors":"Chukwudi Nwaogu ,&nbsp;Modupeola A.O. Chukwudi ,&nbsp;Bridget E. Diagi ,&nbsp;Chinonye V. Ekweogu ,&nbsp;Khosravi Vahid ,&nbsp;Samuel K. Ahado ,&nbsp;Onyedikachi J. Okeke ,&nbsp;Gordon T. Amangabara ,&nbsp;Lucy Izunobi ,&nbsp;Imuwahen P. Aigbedion ,&nbsp;John Okwudili Ugwu ,&nbsp;Deborah O. Diagi ,&nbsp;Mary U. Okoro ,&nbsp;Martin C. Iwuji ,&nbsp;Christopher C. Ejiogu ,&nbsp;Budiman Minasny ,&nbsp;Mauricio Roberto Cherubin ,&nbsp;Patrick S.U. Eneche","doi":"10.1016/j.crsust.2026.100336","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.crsust.2026.100336","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Climate-smart agriculture (CSA) systems have been promoted as a nature-based solution to ameliorate carbon losses from cropland by increasing soil organic carbon (SOC) stocks. The scale to which CSA systems [i.e., integrated cropping (iC), integrated crop-livestock (iCL) and integrated crop-livestock-forest (iCLF)] can contribute to reversing SOC losses and promote C-storage is limited in knowledge. We used a meta-analysis to give a regional-level appraisal of SOC stock changes in relation to the adoption of CSA systems in Rondônia State, Brazil. The CSA systems (iC, iCL, and iCLF) accumulated SOC at mean rates of 0.37, 0.52, and 0.76 Mg C ha⁻¹ yr⁻¹, respectively, which showed that iCLF had the highest SOC change rate, study span notwithstanding. On average, the rate of SOC (Mg C ha⁻¹ yr⁻¹) change for short-term studies (&lt; 11 years), 11–20 years, and above 20 years were 0.47, 0.93, and 0.55, respectively. Climate, altitude, and soil depth also have significant effects on the rates of SOC stock change. Oxisols and Ultisols promoted C sequestration, while Alfisols and other soil groups did not. The results from our meta-analysis established that CSA under the prevailing soil and environmental conditions can encourage more adoption of CSA by farmers, promote SOC accumulation, and consequently mitigate greenhouse gases (GHG) emissions, while guaranteeing food security. The study might support Brazil's Low-Carbon Agriculture Plan and help the country in achieving its Nationally Determined Contributions commitments on climate change mitigation through agriculture.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":34472,"journal":{"name":"Current Research in Environmental Sustainability","volume":"11 ","pages":"Article 100336"},"PeriodicalIF":3.8,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147421246","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Code ecologies: Integrating cultural legitimacy analysis in sustainability transitions","authors":"Laura Santamaria","doi":"10.1016/j.crsust.2026.100340","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.crsust.2026.100340","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>A persistent challenge in sustainability transitions is the uneven uptake of interventions such as renewable energy projects, conservation measures and rewilding initiatives. These often encounter resistance that cannot be explained by economics, technical feasibility or governance arrangements alone. Instead, they hinge on questions of legitimacy and cultural alignment. Existing frameworks, including socio-ecological systems (SES) and cultural ecosystem services (CES), recognise human dimensions yet miss the symbolic dynamics through which interventions are interpreted, accepted or contested. Symbolic codes are patterned systems of meaning expressed through aesthetics, aspirational values and common practices in a particular context, which influence whether interventions are embraced, negotiated or resisted. This paper advances the Symbolic Ecology Framework (SEF), a conceptual framework for integrating symbolic codes as cultural variables in socio-ecological analysis. This conceptual contribution: (1) establishes theoretical premises for treating symbolic codes as cultural variables in socio-ecological analysis; (2) specifies six attributes (salience, valence, resonance, legitimacy, diachronic status, place-binding) drawn from cultural analysis and environmental research for systematic code assessment; and (3) proposes their aggregation into a Symbolic Alignment Index (SAI) for legitimacy alignment diagnostic purposes. An illustrative case study application to renewable energy siting demonstrates the framework's analytical logic. Finally, the empirical research agenda required to operationalise SEF is outlined, including protocol standardisation, validation studies and cross-context calibration.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":34472,"journal":{"name":"Current Research in Environmental Sustainability","volume":"11 ","pages":"Article 100340"},"PeriodicalIF":3.8,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147421259","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}