Environmental Challenges最新文献

{"title":"Spatiotemporal dynamics and machine learning-based risk assessment of heavy metal contamination in surface waters and Nile Tilapia in Egypt","authors":"Mohamed Ali Hussein ,&nbsp;Samir Shamma ,&nbsp;Hani N. Sewilam ,&nbsp;Tamer Shoeib ,&nbsp;Anwar Abdelnaser","doi":"10.1016/j.envc.2025.101209","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.envc.2025.101209","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Heavy metals are persistent pollutants that can devastate human health and ecosystems. In this study, we collected surface water and fish samples from various locations across five governorates in Egypt. We examined the spatiotemporal distribution of 13 heavy metals in the surface water and Nile tilapia and assessed the ecological and human health risks associated with these metals. Moreover, we utilized statistical and machine learning approaches, including principal component analysis (PCA) and linear discriminant analysis (LDA), to explore the relationships between the metals themselves and between the metals and specific governorates or seasons. Our spatiotemporal analysis revealed that aluminum (Al) and iron (Fe) are more concentrated across all governorates every season than other metals. The ecological risk assessment indicates a higher risk for Al and a moderate risk for Fe. Our findings suggest that concentrations of Fe, Cd, Pb, Mn, Al, Ni, and Hg in surface water from aquaculture exceeded national and international standards, posing risks to aquatic ecosystems. In fish, Cd levels surpassed the thresholds set by global standards but remain below the Egyptian limits, indicating a need for ongoing monitoring. Furthermore, Mn concentrations significantly exceed the limits established by Egyptian regulations and the FAO, necessitating ongoing monitoring. The human health risk assessment reveals no health risks associated with dermal exposure to metals in surface water. However, there is a moderate carcinogenic risk associated with ingesting Nile tilapia due to the presence of cadmium, barium, nickel, and chromium. PCA and LDA results provide insights into the interactions among metals, allowing us to identify which metal is unique in a particular governorate as well as the potentials of co-occurrences of various metals, which opened avenues for a deeper investigation into potential sources of metal and the cumulative effects of clustered metals on human health and the consequences of simultaneous exposure. Collectively, our study highlighted the foreseeable risk of heavy metals to human health and advocated for examining potential sources of pollution, implementing monitoring programs, imposing strict regulations, applying safety interventions, conducting public awareness campaigns, and screening programs to reduce the hazardous effects on human health and the environmental system.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":34794,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Challenges","volume":"20 ","pages":"Article 101209"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-06-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144366596","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":"Mitigating soil erosion in arid landscapes: Integrating RUSLE and geospatial analysis for sustainable land management","authors":"Muhammad Rashid ,&nbsp;Saif Haider ,&nbsp;Asim Rizwan ,&nbsp;Muhammad Waqar Naseer ,&nbsp;Muhammad Fahim Aslam ,&nbsp;Mohammad Hamza ,&nbsp;Abdullah Nadeem ,&nbsp;Muhammad Ali Haider ,&nbsp;Hafiz Kamran Jalil Abbasi ,&nbsp;Muhammad Atiq Ur Rehman Tariq","doi":"10.1016/j.envc.2025.101210","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.envc.2025.101210","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Soil erosion, induced by water, wind, and human factors, poses a significant threat to sustainable land management and agricultural productivity. Land degradation, sudden meteorological changes, and the intensive use of unsustainable practices add to this problem in Southern Punjab, Pakistan. The study attempts to analyze the annual soil erosion dynamics in an area of 751 km² in the Vidore Hill Torrent (VHT) catchment as a function of climatic, topographic, soil, and land cover data computed from high-resolution (0.5 m) satellite imagery. The Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation (RUSLE) was applied to estimate annual soil erosion, integrating six key factors. The Spatial and temporal dynamics of soil erosion were assessed by mapping and classifying it into five categories: Very Low (&lt;1 ton/ha/year) to Extreme (&gt;50 ton/ha/year), using a cross-tabular change matrix approach. The results show soil loss of 12,931 tons/ha/year on average, sediment volume of 102.50 ha m, with the most significant erosion rates near steep slopes and drainage channels. The outcomes of this study demonstrate the necessity of sustainable land management (e.g., terracing, afforestation, and rainwater harvesting) to retard erosion. Hydrological modelling and real-time monitoring should be further researched to design adaptive erosion control strategies.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":34794,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Challenges","volume":"20 ","pages":"Article 101210"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-06-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144314571","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":"Beyond the Banks: Paving the way for environmental flows in Nepal","authors":"Ram Devi Tachamo-Shah ,&nbsp;Santosh Nepal ,&nbsp;Deep Narayan Shah ,&nbsp;Nishadi Eriyagama","doi":"10.1016/j.envc.2025.101211","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.envc.2025.101211","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Nepal has huge hydropower potential. Although the concept of environmental flows (e-flows) emerged in the early 2000s, its integration into hydropower development remains in the early stages. This study represents the first comprehensive effort to evaluate key stakeholders’ awareness of e-flows and identify the major challenges hindering their mainstream adoption in Nepal’s hydropower sector. Furthermore, it documents stakeholders’ perceptions regarding the impact of hydropower development on aquatic biodiversity and river ecology. An extensive survey was conducted between December 2022 and January 2023, collecting responses from a diverse group of stakeholders, including government agencies, water resource developers, user groups, practitioners, researchers, and academics. Additionally, focus group discussions were held in the Karnali River basin of western Nepal. The findings reveal that only 50 % of respondents are familiar with the e-flows concept. However, 80 % believe that e-flows have not been adequately implemented in any existing hydropower projects in the country. Similarly, 72 % of respondents perceive that hydropower development leads to biodiversity loss, while 56 % believe it reduces downstream water flow. The key challenges identified include (a) inadequate follow-up on environmental impact assessments (EIAs), (b) weak regulatory enforcement, (c) insufficient civil society oversight for ensuring compliance with EIA recommendations, (d) limited technical expertise, and (e) the absence of user-friendly e-flow estimation methods. The study's findings provide valuable insights for policymakers to promote sustainable water resources development and mitigate the ecological impacts of hydropower projects.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":34794,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Challenges","volume":"20 ","pages":"Article 101211"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-06-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144321575","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":"Microstructural and mechanical evaluation of HVFAC incorporating recycled plastic flakes and pozzolanic additives for environmental sustainability","authors":"Chandra Sekhar Reddy Vennapusa,&nbsp;Arunakanthi Eluru","doi":"10.1016/j.envc.2025.101196","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.envc.2025.101196","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This research examines the microstructural behaviour of High-Volume Fly Ash Concrete (HVFAC) in both plastic and hardened states, highlighting how constituent materials influence performance characteristics. As microstructure governs mechanical strength, durability, and long-term stability, the study evaluates the impact of admixtures on structural integrity. It emphasizes mix design modifications to tailor microstructural properties and enhances concrete performance through engineered material combinations. Eleven M-30 grade concrete mixes were developed over eight days using Ordinary Portland Cement (OPC), Pozzo Crete 100 (processed fly ash), Silica Fume (SF), and Waste Plastic Bottle Flakes (PBFs) in varying ratios, with 1 % superplasticizer by weight of cementitious material. After 28 days of water curing, compressive strength and non-destructive testing (NDT) assessed mechanical performance. Microstructural analysis via Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and Energy-Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy (EDS) was performed on powdered samples from each mix. The studies revealed diverse morphological features, including dense, refined matrices; porous Interfacial Transition Zones (ITZ); spherical fly ash particles; glassy textures; and partially unreacted pozzolanic materials. A denser microstructure correlated with improved durability, including reduced permeability and enhanced resistance to chloride ingress and chemical attack, suggesting suitability for aggressive environments. Additionally, including plastic waste supports sustainability goals and presents potential for non-structural or moderately loaded applications, balancing mechanical performance with environmental considerations. This study highlights the potential of synergistic material combinations to optimize concrete for targeted performance and sustainability outcomes.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":34794,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Challenges","volume":"20 ","pages":"Article 101196"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-06-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144306638","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":"Enhancing dairy wastewater treatment: Effects of hydraulic and organic loading rates in vermifiltration systems","authors":"Gilbert J. Miito ,&nbsp;Femi P. Alege ,&nbsp;Pius M. Ndegwa","doi":"10.1016/j.envc.2025.101207","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.envc.2025.101207","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Vermifiltration is increasingly recognized as a cost-effective and environmentally sound method for treating concentrated agricultural effluents. This study evaluated how varying hydraulic loading rates (HLRs), and corresponding organic loading rates (OLRs) affect both the treatment efficiency and earthworm biomass dynamics in a vermifiltration system treating dairy wastewater. The experiment was conducted over 60 days using a bench-scale system with a surface area of 0.36 m² and media depth of 45 cm. Four hydraulic loading rates, ranging from 0.5 to 3.0 m³ m⁻² d⁻¹, were tested. These corresponded to organic loading rates between 1.3 and 7.6 kg [COD] m⁻² d⁻¹. System performance was evaluated based on removal efficiencies for COD, TS, TSS, TN, NH₄⁺–N, NO₃⁻–N, TP, and ortho-P. Earthworm biomass gain was also measured as an indicator of biological activity and system health. Removal efficiencies across treatments varied by parameter, with COD ranging from 21 to 52 %, TS from 25 to 34 %, TSS from 43 to 75 %, TN from 33 to 62 %, TAN from 22 to 53 %, and NO₃⁻–N from 21 to 72 %. Optimal removal occurred at the lower HLRs (0.5–1.0 m³ m⁻² d⁻¹) and OLRs (1.3–2.5 kg [COD] m⁻² d⁻¹), likely due to extended hydraulic retention times that enhanced microbial processing and earthworm-mediated degradation. Earthworm biomass peaked at an OLR of approximately 2.5 kg [COD] m⁻² d⁻¹, suggesting that higher organic inputs may surpass the tolerance threshold for earthworm productivity. Conversely, ortho-P removal improved with increasing HLR, indicating that elevated flow rates may enhance phosphorus mineralization. These findings underscore the necessity of optimizing HLR and OLR to balance pollutant removal with biological activity in vermifiltration systems managing dairy effluent.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":34794,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Challenges","volume":"20 ","pages":"Article 101207"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-06-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144253585","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":"Socio-ecological drivers of value chain participation in Thai waxy corn farming","authors":"Thanyalak Teerapornkittikul,&nbsp;Chaiteera Panpakdee,&nbsp;Sukanlaya Choenkwan","doi":"10.1016/j.envc.2025.101205","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.envc.2025.101205","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Understanding the factors influencing farmers' participation in value chains (VCs) is critical for designing effective interventions. This study examines the characteristics of VC participation among waxy corn farmers in Thailand, utilizing primary data collected from 53 respondents. Semi-structured interviews and multiple regression analysis were strategically employed to identify essential factors of VC participation. The findings reveal that financial assistance, climate resilience, and post-harvest processing are crucial for VC participation. Notably, retail store ownership (β = -0.150, <em>p</em> &lt; 0.01) and Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) certification (β = -0.253, <em>p</em> &lt; 0.01) exhibit a negative relationship with the demand for VC support, suggesting that certified farmers and those with established retail ventures experience enhanced market access. These findings emphasize the necessity of policies that improve financial accessibility and reinforce cooperative marketing. This research contributes an integrated analytical framework synthesizing socio-ecological determinants of VC participation, offering a more comprehensive perspective than previous research.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":34794,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Challenges","volume":"20 ","pages":"Article 101205"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-06-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144279875","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":"Heavy metal bioaccumulation in sediments and mussels along the moroccan mediterranean coast: A spatial assessment","authors":"Mustapha El Boudammoussi ,&nbsp;Yahya El Hammoudani ,&nbsp;Khadija Haboubi ,&nbsp;Abdelhak Bourjila ,&nbsp;Iliass Achoukhi ,&nbsp;Said Bouhaj ,&nbsp;Achraf EL kasmi ,&nbsp;Hammadi El Farissi ,&nbsp;Fouad Dimane","doi":"10.1016/j.envc.2025.101195","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.envc.2025.101195","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Due to its strategic location and rapid development, the Moroccan Mediterranean coast is particularly vulnerable to trace metal contamination. This study examines the spatial distribution of selected heavy metals in surface marine sediments and in the tissues of the mussel Mytilus galloprovincialis, a species widely consumed by humans and other animals, from six strategically chosen coastal stations. Sediment and mussel samples were collected and analyzed using atomic absorption spectrometry (Varian AA 20 AAS) and inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES 720-ES), respectively. In sediments, the metal concentrations decreased in the following order: Zn &gt; Cu &gt; Cr &gt; Pb &gt; Fe &gt; Cd, with chromium reaching a maximum concentration of 45 mg/kg at the most contaminated site. In mussel tissues, the sequence was Fe &gt; Zn &gt; Cu &gt; Cr &gt; Cd &gt; Pb, with iron concentrations peaking at 524 mg/kg. Pearson correlation analysis revealed moderate relationships between metal concentrations in sediments and mussels for most elements, except for Fe and Zn, while multiple regression analysis indicated that cadmium levels in sediments significantly influenced Cd bioaccumulation in mussels. Although our enrichment factor analysis suggests relative anthropogenic input, the overall metal loads remain low—a result likely attributable to the sandy nature of the sediments and active hydrodynamics that limit material retention. Collectively, these findings provide critical baseline data on metal bioavailability in this dynamic coastal system and have important implications for ecological risk assessment and food safety management in the region.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":34794,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Challenges","volume":"20 ","pages":"Article 101195"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-05-31","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144184793","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":"Holy yet Hindered: Habitat use patterns of a large herbivore reveal challenges to Farmers in India","authors":"Chandrapratap Singh Chandel ,&nbsp;Sangeeta Madan ,&nbsp;Dhruv Jain ,&nbsp;Ujjwal Kumar ,&nbsp;Vishnupriya Kolipakam ,&nbsp;Lallianpuii Kawlni ,&nbsp;Qamar Qureshi","doi":"10.1016/j.envc.2025.101198","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.envc.2025.101198","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Large herbivores are integral to ecosystem functioning worldwide, often acting as ecosystem engineers or keystone species. However, their spatial ecology is increasingly disrupted by escalating anthropogenic pressures and rapid land-use transformations across diverse landscapes, leading to spatial incongruence and rising human-wildlife conflicts globally. The human-nilgai conflict in India exemplifies such challenges, particularly in regions where nilgai habitat and human activities overlap. We used three independent and extensive datasets comprising nilgai occurrences from camera trapping, citizen science, and conflict records to assess nilgai habitat preferences and the potential of conflict at a landscape scale in India. Specifically, we assessed (a) the factors that determine the suitability of a particular environmental covariate for nilgai in a landscape, (b) the extent of suitability of these land cover classes, (c) the distribution of these classes with respect to their protection status and administrative divisions, and (d) the extent of overlap between croplands and suitable habitat patches across this landscape. Our findings revealed that nilgai habitat suitability is negatively associated with anthropogenic disturbances, while positively with forest deciduousness and moderate aridity. Among different land cover classes, rangeland (40.64 %), closely followed by woodland (32.36 %), and cropland (25.96 %), stands out for its highest suitability. We found that over 83.83 % of nilgai suitable habitats lie outside protected areas, with the majority concentrated in Madhya Pradesh (42.49 %). Furthermore, we found that Madhya Pradesh is highly vulnerable to conflict, with 43,720.39 km² of suitable areas, respectively, overlapping with cropland. Given the higher suitability of agricultural lands and their adaptability for nilgai, translocation may not mitigate this conflict, as removing them does not change the attractiveness of these areas, potentially leading to new conflict as other nilgai move in. Instead, better land-use planning that prioritizes the protection of rangelands and forests outside the protected area network is recommended to promote human-nilgai coexistence in this landscape.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":34794,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Challenges","volume":"20 ","pages":"Article 101198"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-05-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144212109","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":"Coastal Workforce Development Success: The U.S. Coastal Research Program & the Keystone Variable Concept","authors":"B.R. Charbonneau ,&nbsp;M.A. Cialone ,&nbsp;B.M. Webb ,&nbsp;A. Mercer ,&nbsp;J.D. Rosati ,&nbsp;N. Elko ,&nbsp;J.A. Straub","doi":"10.1016/j.envc.2025.101203","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.envc.2025.101203","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Complex societal issues surrounding future climate impacts and responses within coastal regions represent multifaceted non-stationary problems requiring a large, diverse and skilled workforce to develop and evolve solutions. The coastal zone represents a present and future challenge as the global nexus of nature, society, infrastructure, and development. In the last 25 years, 1999-2024, several of U.S. organizations have formally called for increasing the coastal workforce as complex coastal issues grow surrounding changing environmental conditions related to coastal hazards (e.g., sea level rise, increased storm frequency and intensity) and increased societal pressures such as development. Has society responded to these calls for action and if not, how can we more effectively work to do so? This paper presents a broad overview of global coastal zone issues necessitating workforce development. We posit tactics for workforce development across employment sectors and highlight the Keystone Variable Framework used by the U.S. Coastal Research Program (USCRP) to target actions leading to coastal sector workforce growth. Lastly, we discuss coastal student survey results to glean current and future deterrents to coastal workforce development and how to overcome them. This paper represents a renewed and imperative call to action for globally developing the coastal workforce across industries and disciplines, providing a framework to do so in the Keystone Variable Concept, that can be utilized across employment sectors.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":34794,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Challenges","volume":"20 ","pages":"Article 101203"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-05-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144271995","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":"Quantifying the synergistic effects of social and human capital in farmers' decisions to adopt organic rice farming: A case study of Lombok Kulon village, Indonesia","authors":"Fajar Fadhilatun Nisak ,&nbsp;Gunawan Prayitno ,&nbsp;Ismu Rini Dwi Ari ,&nbsp;Ar. Rohman Taufiq Hidayat ,&nbsp;Budi Sugiarto Waloejo ,&nbsp;Fadly Usman ,&nbsp;Wawargita Permata Wijayati ,&nbsp;Masamitsu Onishi","doi":"10.1016/j.envc.2025.101204","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.envc.2025.101204","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The adoption of organic farming practices is critical for achieving sustainable agriculture, yet it faces barriers such as resource limitations, market access, and farmer empowerment. This study employs data from 100 farmer households to quantify how social and human capital jointly shape decisions to adopt organic rice farming in Lombok Kulon Village, Indonesia. By addressing a gap in existing literature—which often treats these factors separately—this research clarifies that trust, social networks, and reciprocity (social capital) interact synergistically with education, skills, and experience (human capital) to influence adoption. Using a mixed-methods approach, including surveys, interviews, Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA), and Structural Equation Modeling (SEM), the research identifies trust, social networks, and norm as pivotal dimensions of social capital. The results showed that the R² value of 0.620 of the organic rice farming adoption decision also the role of human capital (path coefficient 0.566) was greater than social capital (path coefficient 0.328) but still could form a good model. Human capital not only exerts a strong direct influence but also amplifies the effect of social capital on adoption decisions. In turn, these findings reveal that policy measures integrating both forms of capital can effectively promote organic farming, advance environmental goals through reduced chemical inputs, and contribute to Sustainable Development Goals 2 (Zero Hunger) and 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production). By providing contextualized insights on resource-constrained environments, this study offers practical recommendations for policymakers, extension agents, and NGOs to foster responsible consumption and enhance food security through organic rice.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":34794,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Challenges","volume":"20 ","pages":"Article 101204"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-05-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144205295","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}