Environmental and Sustainability Indicators最新文献

{"title":"Topological signatures of socio-energy transitions in South Africa","authors":"Tichaona Chikore ,&nbsp;Farai Nyabadza","doi":"10.1016/j.indic.2026.101175","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.indic.2026.101175","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The success of energy transitions in coal-dependent economies, such as South Africa, is critical not only for reducing greenhouse gas emissions but also for achieving Sustainable Development Goal 7 (SDG 7) on affordable and clean energy, ensuring access to reliable, renewable, and socially-inclusive energy systems. This study develops a novel socio-energy framework linking South Africa’s green energy shift to socio-demographic dynamics, including literacy, fertility, Internet access, and urbanization. We adopt a hybrid methodological approach: first, Topological Data Analysis (TDA) and Persistent Homology extract high-dimensional topological signatures from longitudinal data, identifying four socio-energy regimes (High-Readiness, Transitional, Fragile-Growth, and Low-Engagement) that capture the structural co-evolution of social and energy indicators and reveal non-linear dependencies often overlooked by traditional analyses. These regimes are then embedded in a non-homogeneous Markov chain model, where transition probabilities are modeled as functions of socio-demographic and energy covariates. This approach quantifies how rising Internet access, literacy improvements, or declining fertility either facilitate favorable regime shifts or reinforce persistence in less-developed states. The technique successfully maps South Africa’s socio-energy pathway, aligning predicted transitions with observed historical developments. The model is both interpretable and predictive, providing actionable insights for policy evaluation. Results suggest that accelerating South Africa’s energy transition requires coordinated investments in social capacity building alongside renewable energy deployment, ensuring alignment between socio-demographic development and energy policy. This framework offers a generalizable tool for assessing socio-technical transitions in other emerging economies.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":36171,"journal":{"name":"Environmental and Sustainability Indicators","volume":"30 ","pages":"Article 101175"},"PeriodicalIF":5.6,"publicationDate":"2026-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146174145","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":"Integrating sustainability assessments to facilitate decision making in sustainable water management in agriculture","authors":"Tamara Avellán ,&nbsp;Hanna Dencker ,&nbsp;Jonas Nordström ,&nbsp;Nóra Hatvani ,&nbsp;Balázs Sándor Gál ,&nbsp;Wieslaw Fialkiewicz","doi":"10.1016/j.indic.2026.101140","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.indic.2026.101140","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Agricultural production necessitates sustainable practices to ensure long-term and sustained food security. Water is a key ingredient for food production. Ensuring sustainable water management in agriculture is thus essential for global wellbeing. But how do we make sure that our practices are sustainable? A large variety of sustainability assessments abound. Their results may even show conflicting results. In this study, we demonstrate the application of three sustainability assessment methods – Water Footprint Assessment, Cost-Benefit Analysis and Life Cycle Assessment – for the use of a water retainer product on different soil types, crops and growing seasons in a farm in Poland. In addition, we aggregate the results of these assessments through a Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis (PROMETHEE) to facilitate decision making. Our findings suggest that yields of all crops, on all soils in both growing seasons increased. However, yield gain was insufficient in most cases to offset the increased costs of using the water retainer product. The Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis showed that soil type and crops used had a larger effect on rank than the application of the water retainer. Overall, the conclusion from the various methods is to not recommend the use of the water retainer as an efficient water saving technology for the specific case. Our analysis showed the effects on the economic and environmental dimension of sustainability but does not include the social dimension due to the lack of data, leaving an incomplete picture of sustainability.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":36171,"journal":{"name":"Environmental and Sustainability Indicators","volume":"30 ","pages":"Article 101140"},"PeriodicalIF":5.6,"publicationDate":"2026-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146080951","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":"Risk analysis of water resources carrying capacity based on a novel early warning framework","authors":"Heyuan Zhou ,&nbsp;Xinwei Guo ,&nbsp;Suzhen Dang ,&nbsp;Chengpeng Lu","doi":"10.1016/j.indic.2026.101120","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.indic.2026.101120","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Water Resources Carrying Capacity (WRCC) embodies the fundamental constraint relationship between water resource sustainability and regional economic growth as well as social development, serving as a key indicator for assessing regional sustainable development. Existing studies mainly focus on carrying capacity or status assessment, often deriving deterministic results based solely on a single factor. However, as an indicator of sustainability, WRCC is inevitably influenced by uncertainty risks. Therefore, This study develops a novel Water Resources Carrying Capacity Early Warning (WRCCEW) system based on the Driving force-Pressure-State-Impact-Response-Management (DPSIRM) framework and applies it to evaluate the status of Henan Province from 2011 to 2023.Using the Geographical Detector (GD) model, this study examined the drivers of WRCCEW during different periods along with their interaction effects, while the Bayesian Network (BN) model was applied to simulate the probability of risk occurrence under diverse scenarios. Findings reveal that in Henan Province, the no warning zones are migrating from the west toward the south, the proportion of extreme warning zones has markedly decreased, whereas the proportion of no warning zones has experienced a modest reduction. Meanwhile, the interactive effects of multiple factors exert a significantly stronger influence on WRCCEW than single-factor effects, with the coupling between total water resources and other factors being the most prominent. In the scenario simulations, the S18 scenario can significantly reduce the occurrence of high-risk situations in Henan Province. This study provides a comprehensive framework for the early risk assessment of regional WRCC, highlighting the importance of incorporating uncertainty and probabilistic risks in sustainability evaluation.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":36171,"journal":{"name":"Environmental and Sustainability Indicators","volume":"30 ","pages":"Article 101120"},"PeriodicalIF":5.6,"publicationDate":"2026-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146081041","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":"Bedrock geochemical baseline and pre-mining risk assessment of heavy metals in a potential lithium deposit in Sonora, Mexico: Implications for sustainable resource management","authors":"Xochitl Virginia Bello-Yañez ,&nbsp;María-Concepción Martínez-Rodríguez ,&nbsp;S.B. Sujitha ,&nbsp;L.E. Campos-Villegas ,&nbsp;Diego Domínguez-Solís ,&nbsp;Héctor Guadalupe Ramírez-Escamilla ,&nbsp;Ana Laura Cervantes-Najera ,&nbsp;M.P. Jonathan","doi":"10.1016/j.indic.2026.101138","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.indic.2026.101138","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The clay-hosted lithium deposit in Sonora, Mexico, represents a potential mining site for this critical mineral, which is essential for clean energy technologies and currently in high demand during the energy transition. Establishing geochemical baselines is crucial for anticipating potential environmental risks before mining and for supporting a fair and sustainable energy transition. The objective was to report lithium (Li) concentrations and establish a geochemical baseline under pre-mining conditions by analyzing spatial distribution, statistical variability, and background comparisons, and to evaluate the degree of pollution and potential environmental risks, laying a foundation for incorporating sustainable policies. Therefore, 15 samples were collected from the bedrock of the Li deposit in Sonora, Mexico, to determine the concentrations of Li and other toxic heavy metals (Cr, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, As, and Pb). Results revealed Li concentrations ranging from 301 to 5890 ppm, and multivariate analysis showed significant geochemical associations. The calculated environmental indices (<span><math><mrow><msub><mrow><mspace></mspace><mi>I</mi></mrow><mtext>geo</mtext></msub></mrow></math></span>, CF, <span><math><mrow><msub><mrow><mspace></mspace><mi>C</mi></mrow><mi>deg</mi></msub></mrow></math></span>, PLI, <span><math><mrow><msub><mtext>PIN</mtext><mtext>emerow</mtext></msub></mrow></math></span>, Er, and RI) showed that most elements presented low contamination and ecological risk, with only localized moderate enrichment for Ni, Cu, and Zn. In contrast, arsenic showed extreme variability and posed a potential environmental risk. Thus, this study provides evidence that bridges geoscientific analysis with sustainability policy in mining, the first link of the supply chain, strengthening the foundations for responsible Li governance in emerging clay-hosted deposits and contributing to sustainable production and consumption.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":36171,"journal":{"name":"Environmental and Sustainability Indicators","volume":"30 ","pages":"Article 101138"},"PeriodicalIF":5.6,"publicationDate":"2026-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146081038","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":"Assessing climate impacts on education: a comparison of four temperature indices in Spain","authors":"Rafael Suárez-López,&nbsp;Camilo Ruiz","doi":"10.1016/j.indic.2026.101161","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.indic.2026.101161","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Rising global temperatures are increasingly recognized as a threat to education, affecting students’ cognitive performance, learning environments, and institutional resilience. However, educational data are rarely available in many regions of the world at sufficient spatial and temporal resolution to directly quantify these impacts. This study focuses on the development and comparison of four temperature-based climate indices across Spain—mean daily temperature, maximum daily temperature, number of days above 26.7 °C, and number of days with temperature anomalies above the 95th percentile—and examines how these indices can inform understanding of heat-related risks in education. Each index captures different dimensions of climate hazards, exposure, and vulnerability, providing complementary perspectives on how increasing heat affects educational outcomes. Using ERA5-Land data from 1961 to 2022, linear regression models were applied to assess geographic disparities and climate change trends in the ten most populous Spanish cities. The indices are weighted based on their relevance to educational impacts, including inequality, learning disruptions, and health-related stress. Results reveal regional disparities in both baseline climate conditions and the pace of warming, underscoring that no single metric fully captures the multifaceted nature of heat exposure. While the study does not quantify educational impacts directly, the indices provide a framework for evaluating and comparing climate hazards in education and may also serve as tools to support climate literacy and institutional preparedness.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":36171,"journal":{"name":"Environmental and Sustainability Indicators","volume":"30 ","pages":"Article 101161"},"PeriodicalIF":5.6,"publicationDate":"2026-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146174149","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":"CEDES: a taxonomic and LCA-based Green Building Rating System for sustainable building design","authors":"Luis De Garrido","doi":"10.1016/j.indic.2026.101164","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.indic.2026.101164","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The <em>Comprehensive Environmental Design and Evaluation System</em> (CEDES) is based on a general taxonomic and conceptual framework that allows it to function both as a building sustainability assessment system and as a flexible reference structure for the development of <em>Green Building Rating Systems</em> (GBRS) adaptable to diverse environmental and socio-economic contexts. CEDES indicators are organized into eight main categories with initial weightings: (1) resource optimization (18%); (2) reduction of energy consumption (34%); (3) use of natural and renewable energy sources (13%); (4) reduction of waste generation and emissions (12%); (5) improvement of occupants’ quality of life (8%); (6) reduction of life-cycle economic costs (10%); (7) social adequacy (3%); and (8) complementary aspects (2%).</div><div>CEDES introduces several innovations to overcome limitations of existing GBRS. It is conceived for international applicability, independent of regional regulatory conditions, and can be adapted to different environmental and socio-economic contexts by adjusting indicator weightings without modifying its structure. The system constitutes a complete and non-redundant framework, ensuring that all relevant sustainability dimensions are addressed. Indicator weightings are systematically justified and validated through their interaction with other indicators and through an improved comprehensive <em>life cycle assessment</em> (LCA) covering all construction phases. Finally, beyond serving as an evaluation tool, CEDES also acts as a practical guide to support building design processes aimed at maximizing environmental performance and sustainability.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":36171,"journal":{"name":"Environmental and Sustainability Indicators","volume":"30 ","pages":"Article 101164"},"PeriodicalIF":5.6,"publicationDate":"2026-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146174142","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 vulnerability assessment: Integrating risk and capacity measurement in Tunisian communes adaptation—Evidence from nine communes","authors":"Tarek Gasmi ,&nbsp;Ramzi Guesmi ,&nbsp;Safouane Gaddour ,&nbsp;Neila Akrimi","doi":"10.1016/j.indic.2026.101160","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.indic.2026.101160","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Climate adaptation planning in resource-constrained contexts requires systematic assessment tools integrating vulnerability with capacity measurement, yet existing frameworks focus either on community vulnerability without institutional dimensions or institutional maturity without quantitative risk weighting. This gap leaves communes unable to demonstrate climate finance readiness or prioritize investments.</div><div>We address this through a three-index model integrating Climate Risk and Vulnerability Assessment with institutional capacity measurement. Documentary analysis, structured questionnaires assessing five capacity dimensions (local capabilities, governance, partnerships, gender integration, technical tools), and participatory workshops generate three metrics: a Risk Index (RI) quantifying threats, an Adaptation Capacity Index (ACI) measuring resources, and a Climate Maturity Index (CMI) expressing capacity relative to system state.</div><div>Applied to nine Tunisian communes, assessment reveals systematic patterns. Risk scores range from 2.33 to 3.00, with maturity (CMI) spanning 16.7% to 50.7%. Socioeconomic sensitivity rather than physical hazards serves as the primary differentiator, with agricultural dependency above 60% associated with maximum sensitivity. Socioeconomic sensitivity and adaptive capacity exhibit inverse correlation (<span><math><mrow><mi>ρ</mi><mo>=</mo><mo>−</mo><mn>0</mn><mo>.</mo><mn>69</mn></mrow></math></span>, <span><math><mrow><mi>p</mi><mo>=</mo><mn>0</mn><mo>.</mo><mn>04</mn></mrow></math></span>), with 89% showing adaptation deficits averaging +1.54 points. Universal weakness in gender integration (mean=0.78) and technical tools (mean=0.67) persists across readiness categories, explained by 44% concordance between community priorities emphasizing infrastructure and technical assessments identifying governance, gender, and tools as critical capacity determinants.</div><div>These findings challenge climate finance allocation equity, revealing eligibility criteria may favor communes already possessing capacity. The model offers a quantitative readiness tool for vulnerability-weighted resource allocation, with patterns identified across these nine diverse communes generating hypotheses for validation in broader Middle East and North Africa (MENA) contexts.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":36171,"journal":{"name":"Environmental and Sustainability Indicators","volume":"30 ","pages":"Article 101160"},"PeriodicalIF":5.6,"publicationDate":"2026-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146174151","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":"Foreign capital and energy consumption in Tunisia: Driving growth or enhancing sustainability?","authors":"Naceur Khraief ,&nbsp;Mazin Alharbi","doi":"10.1016/j.indic.2026.101155","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.indic.2026.101155","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study examines the short- and long-term relationships between energy consumption and foreign capital inflows in Tunisia from 1971 to 2020, while also exploring the influence of economic growth, exports, and currency devaluation on energy consumption. Employing the ARDL bounds testing approach with structural breaks, the analysis reveals a stable long-term relationship among these variables. Causal analysis indicates bidirectional effects between foreign capital inflows and energy consumption, energy consumption and economic growth, and foreign capital inflows and economic growth, underscoring the strong interdependence among these factors.</div><div>This research is particularly significant for Tunisia, where persistent energy deficits, currency fluctuations, and limited domestic investment constrain economic growth. Understanding how foreign capital inflows affect energy demand provides valuable insights for designing policies that attract sustainable investment while reducing energy dependency. The findings highlight that foreign capital inflows play a pivotal role in shaping Tunisia's energy dynamics by supporting economic expansion, enhancing energy efficiency, and promoting sustainable consumption patterns. By integrating foreign investment strategies with energy efficiency objectives, policymakers can foster balanced economic development and strengthen Tunisia's energy resilience.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":36171,"journal":{"name":"Environmental and Sustainability Indicators","volume":"30 ","pages":"Article 101155"},"PeriodicalIF":5.6,"publicationDate":"2026-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146174144","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":"The paradox of fossil fuel subsidies in emerging economies: Assessing their impact on environmental sustainability, energy equity, and energy security with a structural break","authors":"Mayank Parashar ,&nbsp;Ritika Jaiswal","doi":"10.1016/j.indic.2026.101149","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.indic.2026.101149","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The three pillars of the energy trilemma (ET) framework are frequently at odds when fossil fuel subsidies (FFSs) remain intact in emerging economies. Although intended to enhance energy availability, these subsidies can lead to a paradoxical relationship with environmental sustainability, energy equity, and energy security. However, empirical evidence that examines these trade-offs remains limited. To comprehend this, the present study investigates the impact of FFSs on the ET—environmental sustainability, energy equity, and energy security indicators—across 12 emerging economies from 2011 to 2021 using robust econometric methods such as Panel Corrected Standard Errors (PCSE), Feasible Generalized Least Squares (FGLS), and Method of Moments Quantile Regression (MMQR). The empirical results show that FFSs contribute to higher greenhouse gas emissions and carbon intensity, undermining environmental sustainability. Results also reveal that FFSs enhance access to electricity at lower quantiles. However, the estimates become insignificant at higher quantiles. Additionally, FFSs negatively influence energy security by reducing the overall share of electricity from low-carbon and hydropower energy sources. This is attributed to market distortion, geographical differences, technological challenges, financial constraints, and inefficient policy frameworks, which further exacerbate the negative impacts of FFSs. Moreover, higher amounts of FFSs encourage overconsumption of conventional energy sources. On the contrary, solar and wind energy sectors exhibit resilience, emphasizing the significance of sector-specific incentives, targeted policies, and technological advancements. Thus, there is an urgent need for phased and strategic subsidy reform, combined with targeted social protection and technology-specific incentives to ensure equitable energy transition and boost sustainability.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":36171,"journal":{"name":"Environmental and Sustainability Indicators","volume":"30 ","pages":"Article 101149"},"PeriodicalIF":5.6,"publicationDate":"2026-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146174198","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":"Optimizing crop diversity across multiple spatial scales","authors":"T.P.M. van Loon,&nbsp;A. Kanellopoulos,&nbsp;S. de Leeuw","doi":"10.1016/j.indic.2026.101137","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.indic.2026.101137","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Increasing crop diversity in agricultural landscapes can increase biodiversity but it is unclear how different diversification strategies affect crop diversity across spatial scales. Here we compared different diversification strategies for farmers along three dimensions of diversity: temporal, genetic, and spatial. We developed a framework that optimizes crop diversity for different spatial scales and applied it to a case study of 58 arable farms with 544 fields in the municipality of Lelystad, Netherlands. We showed that the scale at which crop diversity is assessed determines what the optimal crop diversification strategy is. At lower spatial scales, strategies that increase crop diversity along the spatial dimension increased crop diversity most. In contrast, at higher spatial scales, strategies that increase crop diversity along the temporal and genetic dimensions increased crop diversity most. These differences led to trade-offs between the optimal level of crop diversity at different spatial scales. With our modelling framework we can provide guidelines to efficiently allocate activities that aim to increase crop diversity across multiple spatial scales.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":36171,"journal":{"name":"Environmental and Sustainability Indicators","volume":"30 ","pages":"Article 101137"},"PeriodicalIF":5.6,"publicationDate":"2026-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146174196","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}