{"title":"Decoding the mystery of Bangladesh's jute decline: A climate crisis or plastic predicament","authors":"","doi":"10.1016/j.indic.2024.100521","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.indic.2024.100521","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Bangladesh is one of the areas in Asia most vulnerable to climate change, with a mostly agricultural economy. Although jute was formerly an important cash crop, its production has steadily declined. However, the use of plastic products instead of jute-made goods is increasing rapidly. This study investigates whether plastic and climate change seriously threaten jute crops in Bangladesh. The dataset includes observations from 1988 to 2021, and various methods are used, including the Augmented Dickey-Fuller (ADF) test, Johansen cointegrating regression estimators, and fully modified Autoregressive Distributed Lag (ARDL). The findings show that floods and rainfall significantly harm jute production in Bangladesh. However, plastic usage which is measured by the use of plastic has no statistically significant effects on jute production. Therefore, to safeguard jute production in Bangladesh, the government should prioritize climate-resilient agricultural practices, such as improved flood management and the introduction of flood-resistant jute varieties. Additionally, promoting jute-made products over plastic alternatives can help revive the jute industry and reduce plastic pollution.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":36171,"journal":{"name":"Environmental and Sustainability Indicators","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":5.4,"publicationDate":"2024-11-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142578149","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":"Perceived accessibility matters: Unveiling key urban parameters through traditional and technology-driven participation methods","authors":"","doi":"10.1016/j.indic.2024.100523","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.indic.2024.100523","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The demand for innovative solutions to address urban complexities, with accessibility being crucial for sustainable environments, is growing globally. As demographic shifts and disability prevalence evolve, understanding spatial dynamics affecting accessibility becomes urgent. The research hypothesis suggests that investigating both physical and perceived accessibility realms reveals critical insights into challenges individuals face in public spaces. This study explores public participation methods of different nature to evaluate their effectiveness and complementarity in portraying perceived accessibility in urban spaces. A multi-method approach, integrating participant observation tools like self-completion questionnaires and semi-structured interviews with non-participant technology-driven data sources like Foursquare, Twitter, and Google Places, was employed. The analysis focused on two areas in Alicante, Spain. Findings emerge in four phases: (1) identifying perceived accessible public spaces via questionnaires, (2) discerning influential parameters from interviews, (3) conducting a comprehensive analysis incorporating quantitative and qualitative methods, and (4) establishing correlations between parameters gathered through the methods. The results underscore the importance of diverse public participation methods in urban planning, offering a comprehensive framework for future research to improve accessibility and inclusivity in urban environments. Understanding the relationship between physical urban features and citizens' perceptions advocates targeted interventions for improved accessibility and socially inclusive environments.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":36171,"journal":{"name":"Environmental and Sustainability Indicators","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":5.4,"publicationDate":"2024-10-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142593638","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":"Towards net-zero carbon emissions: A systematic review of carbon sustainability reporting based on GHG protocol framework","authors":"","doi":"10.1016/j.indic.2024.100516","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.indic.2024.100516","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The growing threat of climate change, driven largely by carbon emissions, has made the transition to net-zero carbon emissions a critical global priority. In this systematic literature review conducted between 2021 and 2024 within the oil and gas domain, the investigation focuses on the pathway toward achieving net-zero carbon emissions. The study focuses on the role of carbon sustainability reporting, specifically those aligned with the Greenhouse Gas (GHG) protocol framework, in facilitating this transition. Employing the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) framework, this research thoroughly examines 34 papers specifically published in the oil and gas sector. This rigorous approach yielded 96 relevant studies encompassing a diverse range of industries. The analysis delves into the adoption, implementation, and impact of carbon sustainability reporting practices that adhere to the GHG Protocol Framework. The findings identified key themes within the collected research, including the effectiveness of carbon sustainability reports in driving organizational practices towards carbon neutrality, the challenges encountered on the path to net-zero carbon emissions, and the broader implications for policy development and future research directions. By synthesizing the findings from this extensive selection of studies, this review offers a comprehensive role of the carbon sustainability reporting within the oil and gas industry based on the GHG protocol framework. Furthermore, it proposes valuable recommendations for advanced initiatives towards a carbon-neutral future.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":36171,"journal":{"name":"Environmental and Sustainability Indicators","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":5.4,"publicationDate":"2024-10-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142555583","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":"Water provision benefits from karst ecosystems: An example for Watuputih groundwater basin, North Kendeng Mountain, Indonesia","authors":"","doi":"10.1016/j.indic.2024.100518","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.indic.2024.100518","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Karst ecosystems offer a wealth of ecosystem services, but their protection is increasingly challenging due to degradation and land-use conversion, including limestone mining. This study investigates the water provision service derived from karst ecosystems threatened by limestone mining in the Watuputih groundwater basin, Central Java, Indonesia. Water supply was quantified by measuring water discharge rates from major springs around the basin. Water usage was quantified for household consumption, agriculture, and recreation. This study also measured water infiltration rates in mining and non-mining areas to indicate the effects of limestone mining to hydrological processes. This study identified three primary springs around the basin: Sumber Seribu spring, Brubulan spring, and Kalutan spring, with discharge rates of 1080 L per second, 85 L per second, and 0.76 L per second, respectively. A local water company extracts water from Sumber Seribu spring at a rate of 80 L per second to supply approximately 57,600 individuals. The water supply from the three springs can irrigate approximately 1594 ha of rice fields. Water from Sumber Seribu spring also supports recreational activities in Sumber Semen recreation park, attracting an average of 19,173 visitors per year. This study revealed a complete impairment of soil's water infiltration capacity in limestone mining areas. These findings underscore the pressing need to safeguard the Watuputih groundwater basin and to mitigate the detrimental effects of limestone mining on hydrological processes. This involves designating the Watuputih karst ecosystem as a protected area, implementing Payment for Ecosystem Services (PES) programs, and restoring degraded post-mining sites.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":36171,"journal":{"name":"Environmental and Sustainability Indicators","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":5.4,"publicationDate":"2024-10-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142555582","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":"Ecosystem services driving factors and ecological conservation pattern construction, Qinghai-Tibet Plateau","authors":"","doi":"10.1016/j.indic.2024.100512","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.indic.2024.100512","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Given that the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau (QTP) is an important ecological security barrier in western China, changes in its ecosystem services (ESs) have received attention. Using multivariate datas and model simulations, we evaluated the ESs of the QTP, revealed their driving factors, and constructed ecological conservation pattern based on ecosystem services index (ESI) and ecosystem sensitivity (ES). The results showed that: (1) The overall ESs of the QTP from 2000 to 2020 were positive, with a spatial distribution characteristic of decreasing from southeast to northwest. Forest and grassland were the key land use types promoting ESs. (2) Natural factors had a stronger influence on ESs than socioeconomic factors, with precipitation, FVC (Fractional Vegetation Cover) and NPP (Net Primary Productivity) had the strongest explanatory power for ESs. (3) The proportion of the collaborative development area (CDA), consolidation and enhancement area (CEA) and priority protection area (PPA) to the total area of the QTP was 19%, 56% and 25% respectively. The CDA should follow the concept of natural restoration and green development. The CEA should optimize the management system and do a good job of environmental management in combination with artificial restoration. The PPA should strictly prevent disturbances caused by human activities and protect the originality of natural landscapes such as glaciers, snow and permafrost.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":36171,"journal":{"name":"Environmental and Sustainability Indicators","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":5.4,"publicationDate":"2024-10-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142555581","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":"Assessment of shift in GWPZs in Kashmir Valley of Northwestern Himalayas","authors":"","doi":"10.1016/j.indic.2024.100513","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.indic.2024.100513","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Groundwater is a critical resource for the Kashmir Valley, which is increasingly pressured by urbanization and climate change. This study aims to delineate Groundwater Potential Zones (GWPZs) in the Kashmir Valley using the Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) and Geographical Information Systems (GIS). The research integrates eight thematic layers, including geology, geomorphology, slope, drainage density, land use/land cover (LULC), lineament density, rainfall, and topographic wetness index (TWI), to assess GWPZs for 1995, 2010, and 2020. Weights for each layer were assigned based on their influence on groundwater dynamics. The generated GWPZs were classified into five classes: very high, high, moderate, low, and very low. Over 25 years, significant changes in GWPZs were observed: very low potential zones decreased by 45.17%, low potential zones by 26.17%, and very high potential zones by 72.95%. Conversely, moderate potential zones increased by 50.87%, and high potential zones saw a slight increase of 9.00%. Results indicated that high and very high GWPZs are predominantly located in the valley's alluvial plains, primarily covered by agricultural and partially horticultural land. Validation of the generated GWPZs using bore well locations, discharge data, and Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) curves demonstrated high accuracy, with Area Under the Curve (AUC) values of 0.915, 0.898, and 0.890 for the respective years. These findings underscore the adverse impact of urbanization on groundwater potential zonation and emphasize the need for sustainable water management practices. This study provides valuable insights into the long-term shifts in groundwater potential in response to urban expansion and climate change. It highlights the importance of continuous monitoring and adaptive management to safeguard groundwater resources.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":36171,"journal":{"name":"Environmental and Sustainability Indicators","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":5.4,"publicationDate":"2024-10-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142538219","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":"Integrated coastal vulnerability index for coastal flooding: A case study of the Croatian coast","authors":"","doi":"10.1016/j.indic.2024.100514","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.indic.2024.100514","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The combination of accelerated urbanization and tourism-related activities, along with frequent coastal flooding, has generated pressure on the coastline of the Republic of Croatia (RH). In this paper, an integrated coastal vulnerability model (ICVI) for coastal flooding was developed. The ICVI was generated using a GIS multicriteria approach and derived from two sub-indices: the physical vulnerability index (CVI<sub>N</sub>) and the socio-economic vulnerability index (CVI<sub>S</sub>). In total, 30 criteria were used in the derivation of the ICVI, with twelve contributing to CVI<sub>S</sub> and eighteen to CVI<sub>N</sub>. The ICVI model is represented as a line divided into smaller segments, each segment indicating ICVI vulnerability levels ranging from 1 (<em>very low</em>) to 5 (<em>very high</em>). The accuracy of CVI<sub>N</sub> was evaluated using 159 geocoded coastal flood locations obtained from various websites and the official register of Hrvatske Vode flood events from 2008 to 2023. More than 80% of geocoded flood locations are situated in areas with very high (5) or high (4) CVI<sub>N</sub>. Furthermore, out of 32 settlements with officially registered flood events, 90.6% of them are located in areas with <em>very high</em> or <em>high</em> ICVI. Since all data used in the ICVI derivation were acquired from open-source databases and a user-friendly GIS-MCDA toolbox was utilized, this paper presents a cost-effective approach to modeling integrated coastal vulnerability. This model can guide decision-makers and provide them with new insights for implementing an effective integrated coastal zone management strategy.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":36171,"journal":{"name":"Environmental and Sustainability Indicators","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":5.4,"publicationDate":"2024-10-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142555580","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":"Development of shallow landslide susceptibility maps incorporating relative spacing index for forest management","authors":"","doi":"10.1016/j.indic.2024.100515","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.indic.2024.100515","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study aims to obtain valuable insights into forest management that can reduce the risk of shallow landslides. We developed shallow landslide susceptibility maps (SLSMs) incorporating tree height and the relative spacing index as indicators of forest management for <em>Cryptomeria japonica</em> and <em>Chamaecyparis obtusa</em> plantations, focusing on the shallow landslides that occurred during the July 2012 Northern Kyushu heavy rain in the Aso region of Kumamoto Prefecture. We created SLSMs by developing a Random Forest model. The explanatory variables included tree height and relative spacing index, topography, geology, rainfall, and other factors totaling eleven factors. The area under the curve for the model was 0.94, indicating very high accuracy. The importance of the relative spacing index was comparatively low. The impact of forest management on shallow landslides was quantitatively assessed via a partial dependence plot for the relative spacing index. The results indicated that the relative spacing index that minimized the landslide probability was 23.7, below the cut-off value that distinguishes between landslide and non-landslide. In addition, the SLSMs indicated that implementing forest management with a uniform relative spacing index of 23.7 could reduce the ‘Very High' susceptibility area by 77.76 ha compared to the case without forest management. The threshold of the relative spacing index obtained in this study are crucial for future plantation forest management practices aimed at reducing the risk of shallow landslides.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":36171,"journal":{"name":"Environmental and Sustainability Indicators","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":5.4,"publicationDate":"2024-10-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142555579","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":"Geoparticipation as a tool for mapping calamities mosquito hotspots: A case study from Litovelské Pomoraví, Czechia","authors":"","doi":"10.1016/j.indic.2024.100509","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.indic.2024.100509","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The coexistence of humans and nature has been a recurring theme throughout history, gaining particular importance in the context of climate change and the sustainability of our planet for future generations. However, the delicate balance between humans and nature is often disrupted, as exemplified by the Litovelské Pomoraví Protected Landscape Area in Czechia, where close interaction between humans and mosquitoes is a persistent issue. In this area, when environmental conditions are favorable for mosquito outbreaks, the local population living near the floodplain forests experiences significant discomfort for extended periods. The risk of mosquito overpopulation has intensified in recent years, largely attributed to climate change. Rising water temperatures in breeding habitats accelerate the developmental cycles of certain mosquito species, shortening the time required for maturation. This study aims to utilize modern geoinformation techniques to assess mosquito activity within the Litovelské Pomoraví region and evaluate the perceived impact on human populations. The methodological approach integrates the development of a representative population distribution layer and participatory mapping. These efforts culminate in the identification of active mosquito zones and the quantification of the at-risk population. While long-term data indicate that the situation is not deteriorating significantly, the study confirms that elevated mosquito activity continues to disrupt the daily lives of residents and visitors. Notably, summer mosquito outbreaks exert a broader impact than spring outbreaks, affecting both a larger geographic area and a greater proportion of the population.</div><div>The study's primary output, the spatial delineation of active mosquito zones and the identification of continuously populated areas at risk, holds significant value for the integrated management of the region. These findings can help mitigate the annual occurrence of mosquito outbreaks, improve the health of the floodplain forest ecosystem, and promote biodiversity conservation.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":36171,"journal":{"name":"Environmental and Sustainability Indicators","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":5.4,"publicationDate":"2024-10-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142571773","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":"Marine microbial community taxonomic and functional indicators to volcanic and anthropogenic stressors in Deception Island, Antarctica","authors":"","doi":"10.1016/j.indic.2024.100511","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.indic.2024.100511","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>In recent years, the growth in Antarctic tourism has stimulated research on the anthropogenic impacts on the region, boosted by advances in OMIC technologies applied to polar microbial communities. This study aimed to assess the human impacts on marine prokaryotic and viral communities of Deception Island by identifying potential taxonomic, functional, and resistome indicators of both anthropogenic and natural/volcanic pressures. Proteobacteria, Bacteroidetes, and Actinobacteria were the dominant phyla, with notable variations attributed to volcanic activity and anthropogenic pressure. The abundance of Euryarchaeota in regions with increased volcanic activity underlines their adaptability to extreme conditions. Their mercury resistance coupled with their ability to cope with toxic heavy metals is a critical component in managing volcanic mercury concentrations. Actinobacteria, Cyanobacteria, Planctomycetes, and Synergistetes showed distinctive abundance patterns with potential ecological implications related to volcanic environments. Functional analyses revealed the enrichment of functions associated with metal-based, hydrocarbon degradation, and nitrogen metabolism. Submarine volcanic vents contributed significantly to the shape of functional diversity. Identification of specific functions related to nosocomial infections and gastroenteritis highlights the impact of anthropogenic activities on functional traits. Antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) showed nuanced patterns influenced by both anthropogenic pressure and volcanic activity. Actinobacteria were correlated with increased ARG abundance, which was enhanced by wastewater disposal. Remarkably, Fumarole Bay showed an increased prevalence of certain ARGs, despite a lower anthropogenic impact, suggesting a unique selective pressure induced by volcanic activity. The responsiveness of these indicators to varying levels of pressure characterizes them as valuable tools for assessing and mitigating anthropogenic impacts on the marine waters of Deception Island.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":36171,"journal":{"name":"Environmental and Sustainability Indicators","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":5.4,"publicationDate":"2024-10-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142446502","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}