Sustaibable Development

The Rajasthan Textile and Apparel Policy 2025 aims to rejuvenate Rajasthan's textile sector by integrating sustainable manufacturing, advanced infrastructure, and comprehensive financial incentives. This paper analyzes the policy framework, focusing on capital subsidies and other fiscal benefits offered under the textile and apparel subsidy for Rajasthan. The study highlights the policy's potential to stimulate investments, generate employment, and position Rajasthan as a global textile hub.

Soundscape is the psychological construct resulting from the perception of an acoustic environment in context. While the concept has mostly been referred to 'urban' situations, it does apply to indoor contexts, and particularly to facilities like nursing homes, where specific caring functions are taking place. Recently there has been an increasing interest on the acoustic environment of care facilities and its potential to affect the experience of residents with dementia. There is evidence that poor soundscape quality affects negatively the quality of life of people with dementia and increases agitation. The AcustiCare project aims at using the soundscape approach to enhance the Quality of Life (QoL) of residents and to reduce Behavioural and Psychological Symptoms of Dementia (BPSD), as well as improving the everyday experience of nursing homes for both residents and staff members. In order to characterise the perception of the current acoustic environments, five living rooms in different nursing homes in Flanders were observed during a twelve-hour slot (07:00-19:00h) in a typical week day. Soundscape data were gathered every 30 minutes through a protocol adapted from soundscape literature. Preliminary results show that soundscape quality varied significantly between nursing homes (p<.001 for overall soundscape quality and appropriateness), but not over time during the observation periods (p=.817 and p=.935 for overall soundscape quality and appropriateness). This suggests that much depends on the nursing home but also that there is room for improvement for the soundscape daily pattern and time-varying soundscape strategies might be put in place to manage the acoustic environments of the nursing homes in order to improve the overall residents' experience.

Tea processing in key producing countries such as Kenya, Sri Lanka, and Rwanda remains heavily reliant on wood fuel, particularly for withering and drying stages. Wood fuel poses significant sustainability challenges despite its widespread use, including deforestation, low energy efficiency, and rising production costs. In Rwanda, where tea is a major export commodity, the inefficient use of wood fuel in processing factories presents both environmental and economic concerns. This study provides a comparative assessment of wood fuel consumption in three anonymized tea factories designated as Factory A, Factory B, and Factory C located across different regions of Rwanda. Ethical protocols were followed, with factory identities withheld and informed consent obtained. April 2024 and August 2024 were selected as representative months for the rainy and dry seasons, respectively. Primary data on wood usage and made tea output were collected, and energy efficiency was calculated in kilograms of made tea per cubic meter of firewood consumed. Fuel costs were standardized using a rate of 28,000 Rwandan Francs (RWF) per sterre (1 m³), as informed by national benchmarks. Results revealed marked disparities in wood fuel efficiency across factories and seasons. Factory A demonstrated the most significant seasonal improvement, reducing wood consumption from 1.63 kg per kilogram of made tea in April to 1.17 kg in August-equating to an increase in fuel efficiency from 338 to 469 kg/m³. In contrast, Factory C showed limited gains, maintaining high fuel usage even in the dry season, leading to increased operational costs. These findings align with prior research emphasizing the variability of energy efficiency across processing sites. This study highlights critical opportunities for enhancing energy efficiency, reducing costs, and advancing environmental sustainability in Rwanda's tea sector. The findings support calls for cleaner energy transitions and investment in efficient biomass technologies.

The settlement of tourist models developed public policies in the touristic area in Mexico between 1974 and 1976. This resulted in the creation of the Integrally Planned Loreto Resorts (CIP) at Cancun and Ixtapa in 1975, Loreto and Los Cabos in 1976, this action is the origin of the principal touristic development in the State of Baja California South. This continues being the activity with the greatest impact in the economical structure, mostly in the southern region of the Peninsula. Nevertheless after around 20 years of prosperous growth, in 2007 the principal tourist indicators began showing certain weakness. (between 2007 and 2010 the total visitors flow decreased from 1.45 to 1.22 million, while in annual average of Hotel occupancy decreased from 70% to 59%); also decreased the growth rate of the tourism infrastructure of the estate megaprojects and timeshare which affected the construction and trade among others. Added to these factors we should mention the negative effect of the economical crisis of United States (mainly origin in tourism), and an increment in the national and international competition with other destinations of the same market. The hypothesis of this investigation suggests that: the touristic model development applied in Los Cabos shows signs of the stage of maturity, which is exposed in the statistics indicators about the touristic activity and the decrement of its image. It is assumed that continuing the current model it risks the future viability of the destination; therefore this crisis causes the analysis and discussion of the design of a restructuration process in the touristic activity of the area. In order to address in a correct form, the competitive challenges and sustainability that an international destination require now a days. As a function of this hypothesis the goals are; to review and describe theoretical and conceptual contributions in respect of models of development and management of tourist destinations of sun and beach and to make a diagnosis that permits contextual analysis of the development, the problems it faces and the prospects of this activity in Los Cabos, -finally-check the application and validity of the theory of "Life Cycle Tourist Destinations" as a descriptive and predictive model.

This study makes a comparative analysis of tourists' and residents' perceptions of the quality of tourist/visitor attractions across five Brazilian macro-regions (North, Northeast, Central-west, Southeast and South). A survey was conducted during 2021 and 2022, with 1,776 participants (700 residents and 1,076 domestic tourists), focusing on 26 quality indicators derived from the TOURQUAL tool. Both residents and domestic tourists participated in the research. The data were analyzed using ANOVA. The analysis found significant differences between the perceptions of residents and tourists for several indicators, which varied from region to region. Overall, tourists tended to evaluate attractions more positively than residents, although there were some notable exceptions. This study contributes to a deeper understanding of consumer behaviour in tourism by highlighting how different stakeholder groups have different perceptions of the quality of tourism attractions and how these differences vary on a regional basis within a country.

Regarding Bangladesh's ongoing environmental and energy crisis, the desire for ecologically sound and carbon-free energy sources has assumed crucial significance. It is essential to look into feasible alternatives to traditional fossil fuels as the nation struggles with issues including growing urbanization, population growth, and rising emissions of greenhouse gases. Solar energy is eco-friendly technology, a superb energy supply, and also the most significant green and renewable energy source. To address Bangladesh's energy and environmental problems, this study thoroughly reviews the opportunities and constraints of solar energy. The assessment starts with a survey of the nation's existing energy situation, emphasizing the nation's excessive reliance on fossil fuels and its effects on greenhouse gas emissions and climate change. Then explores Bangladesh's enormous solar energy possibility, highlighted by the country's geographic location and year-round sunshine. It looks at how the use of solar energy has increased recently in the nation, covering the rise of solar farms and solar photovoltaic systems. The study analyses the positive aspects of solar energy, including its potential to lower carbon emissions, create jobs, and provide access to electricity in rural locations.

The objective of the present study is to explore the environmental and socioeconomic impacts of coal mine and coal based thermal power plant in and around Barapukuria. The samples of coal, water and soil were analysed using standard methods. Besides, data on socioeconomic impacts was collected through a questionnaire survey which was conducted on 228 out of 526 households of four affected villages. The present study found that coal mine and thermal power plant have brought some environmental and socioeconomic challenges to the Barapukuria and adjacent areas related to soil, water and air pollution, fly ash and solid waste, subsidence of land and livelihood insecurity of inhabitants. Heavy metal, organic carbon, exchangeable cations of coal water treated in the farmland soil suggest that coal mining deteriorated the surrounding water and soil quality. Besides, some physicochemical properties were investigated on coal fly ash of BTPP. The present study also found that the inhabitants of adjacent area of the coal mine and power plant are facing critical difficulties in their daily livelihood due to environmental pollution, requisition of homesteads and agricultural land, land subsidence, wall cracking etc are belive with adverse impacts of coal mine and thermal power plant. Transformation of occupation from farming to non-farming activities due to losses of agricultural land is another conspicuous change in local people's livelihood. This study recommends that advanced technologies and sustainable measures must have to consider to control and lessen the adverse impacts of coal mine and thermal power plant to the adjacent area of Barapukuria.

Dünya genelinde hızlı nüfus artışının yanı sıra ekonomik kalkınmanın da etkisiyle küresel enerji talebindeki yükselme devam etmektedir. Küresel enerji talebindeki artış iklim değişikliğiyle ilgili endişelerle birleşince gerek hükümetler, gerek işletmeler ve gerekse de akademik çevreler için enerji stratejileri en önemli konulardan biri haline gelmiştir. Enerji sektöründe karbon emisyon oranlarının düşürülmesi ihtiyacı dijitalleşmeyi gerekli kılmakta, geleneksel iş modellerinin dönüşmesine yol açmaktadır. Bunların yanı sıra belirsiz bir ekonomik ve politik ortam uzun vadeli yatırımlar ile uzun vadeli gelirlerde öngörülemezliğe neden olmaktadır. Tüm bu gelişmeler hükümetler ve işletmeler açısından gelecekte günlük olarak değişeceği öngörülen enerji tüketim kalıplarındaki değişikliğe hazırlanmak üzere enerji konusunda bir yol haritası ihtiyacını ortaya çıkarmaktadır (Arifin, 2022; Houldin ve Yang, 2020; Tolmasquim ve diğerleri, 2020). 
Enerji dönüşümü; toplum, ekonomi, mevzuat ve çevre gibi küresel ekonominin birbiriyle bağlantılı çok sayıda alt sistemini etkileyen zorlu bir çabayı içermektedir (Jakimowicz, 2022). Yenilenebilir enerji gibi alternatif enerji kaynaklarına geçiş, mevcut sistemlerde ve uygulamalarda değişiklikler gerektirmekle birlikte teknik ve lojistik zorlukları da kapsamaktadır. Yenilenebilir enerji kaynaklarına geçişte aynı zamanda akıllı şebekeler ve enerji depolama sistemleri gibi yeni teknolojilere ve altyapı yatırımlarına da ihtiyaç duyulmaktadır. bu nedenle enerji dönüşümü, çeşitli alt sistemlerin birbirleriyle ilişkisini dikkate alan, farklı sektörlerdeki paydaşlar arasında iş birliğini içeren kapsamlı bir yaklaşımı gerektirir. Dolayısıyla enerji dönüşümünde hükümetler, sektör liderleri ve yöneticiler gibi karar vericilerin enerji dönüşümünün potansiyel paydalarını en üst düzeye çıkartacak buna karşılık olumsuz etkilerini en aza indirecek politika ve stratejiler geliştirebilmelidirler (Alvarado, 2024). Çalışma kapsamında günümüzün en önemli gündemlerinden biri olan enerji konusunda gelecek projeksiyonlar değerlendirilmiş olup kamu ve iş dünyasına yönelik rehber niteliğinde yol gösterici çalışmaların yer aldığı küresel enerji stratejileri literatürü ayrıntılı olarak analiz edilmiştir.

Data needs of ecotourism managers are quite high. Data is used to improve service and quality. However, there is not much data availability and tends to be difficult to collect. Even though they have used information technology to facilitate data collection, they have not yet obtained maximum results. The reason is that managers do not manage information technology properly and not many tourists participate in filling in information technology content. The advancement of information technology especially online-based social networks actually provides a lot of data. But the manager has difficulty retrieving the data, because it requires unique keywords or markers. Keywords or markers are needed for the process of withdrawing data from internet. This marker also makes it easy to cluster very large amounts of data. This paper describes how to design of digital data collection systems uses the gamification approach. Using game strategy theory and game elements such as rewards and leaderboard. The goal is to attract tourists or visitors to share photos, videos and stories through social media. This system is very simple, utilizing existing information technology and social media. Thus more tourists are interested and motivated to share, more data collection they have, so that management and improvement of ecotourism services can run better.

COVID-19, the advent of artificial intelligence, and the tremendous
growth of social media have had a tectonic impact on the youth generation in the world and Azerbaijan. Not only did youth change their perception of various political processes, but their attitudes and values toward formal education have also changed. The global pandemic and short-term education switch to the online mode did not throw students at
universities and schools into the abyss of ignorance but instead opened new opportunities for them. The youth in Azerbaijan began to realize that
education can be obtained not only formally but also in other ways.

Hkkdj fla g "kks /k Nk=] ekuo foKku foHkkx] bykgkckn fo"ofo|ky;] mÙkj çns 'k] Hkkjr MkW-iz "kkUr [k=h lgk;d vkpk;Z ] ekuo foKku foHkkx] bykgkckn fo"ofo|ky;] mÙkj çns 'k] Hkkjr Corresponding Author: iz Hkkdj fla g "kks /k Nk=] ekuo foKku foHkkx] bykgkckn fo"ofo|ky;] mÙkj çns 'k] Hkkjr vkink ,oa vkthfodk ds v/;;u dk vo/kkj.kkRed Lo:i iz Hkkdj fla g] MkW-iz "kkUr [k=h lkjka "k iz Lrq r "kks /k i= "kks /kkFkhZ ds "kks /kiz cU/k ^^vkink ,oa vkthfodk % iw ohZ mRrj iz ns "k ds cfy;k tuin ds dkthiq j xk¡ o es a a ckn iz la x dk ,d v/;;u** ds v/;k;&,d dh iz R;{k fu'ifRr gS A tgk¡ dk ,d v/;;u** ds v/;k;&,d dh iz R;{k fu'ifRr gS A tgk¡ "kks /kkFkhZ us vius v/;;u ds vo/kkj.kkRed igyw dk fu:i.k fd;k gS A tgk¡ "kks /kkFkhZ us vkthfodk ,oa vkink dk vFkZ ] ekuofoKku es a vkink ds v/;;u dk lEcU/k ,oa fodkl] vkink ds oS Kkfud v/;;u gs rq nf'Vdks .k] vkink ds lkekftd iz Hkko dk vo/kk.kkRed i{k] O;ogkfjd i{k ,oa lkekftd vlq j{kk ds dkjdks a dk fo"ys 'k.k dk;Z dkj.k :i es a fd;k x;k gS A dw V"kCn% vkink] vkthfodk] gks fe;ks LVS fVd] vkink ,ts a V] vkink la LÑfr] Hks |rk] yphykiu] lkekftd&tula [;dh;] lkekftd vkfFkZ dh Interna tional Jo urna l o f Sociolo gy and Huma nities 2 024 ; 6 (1): 107-11 2 ~ 108 ~

Energy is the building block of modern civilization and a prerequisite for sustainable development. Global energy consumption will increase by 36% with an annual growth of 1.6% from year 2011 to 2030, comprising 88% fossil fuel share. Bangladesh is a developing country in the Southeast Asia, which is one of the lowest per capital energy consuming nation. The power crisis has become a major constraint to continued economic growth and energy sector of the country is currently facing serious challenge. Due to depleting nature and mono fuel dependent energy policy; finding alternative energy source has become imperative for the country. This study examined the current energy mix, present energy crisis and its way to overcome such scenario by utilizing alternative energy sources such as biomass, solar, wind and small scale hydropower energy, in the context of Bangladesh. Among the renewable energy sources, biomass is found to be the most effective and utilizable. Potential electricity generation from biomass is 312.608 terawatt hour (TWh), where only 44.52 TWh is utilized. On the other hand, solar home system (SHS) has shown positive impact on socioeconomic development in the rural areas by alleviating poverty and creating jobs. To assure national energy security, and aiming to provide constant and quality power supply to all citizens of Bangladesh, Government of People's Republic of Bangladesh (GOB) must strive to double its effort towards attaining greater renewable energy share by conversion, utilization and dissemination.

Energy is the building block of modern civilization and a prerequisite for sustainable development. Global energy consumption will increase by 36% with an annual growth of 1.6% from year 2011 to 2030, comprising 88% fossil fuel share. Bangladesh is a developing country in the Southeast Asia, which is one of the lowest per capital energy consuming nation. The power crisis has become a major constraint to continued economic growth and energy sector of the country is currently facing serious challenge. Due to depleting nature and mono fuel dependent energy policy; finding alternative energy source has become imperative for the country. This study examined the current energy mix, present energy crisis and its way to overcome such scenario by utilizing alternative energy sources such as biomass, solar, wind and small scale hydropower energy, in the context of Bangladesh. Among the renewable energy sources, biomass is found to be the most effective and utilizable. Potential electricity generation from biomass is 312.608 terawatt hour (TWh), where only 44.52 TWh is utilized. On the other hand, solar home system (SHS) has shown positive impact on socioeconomic development in the rural areas by alleviating poverty and creating jobs. To assure national energy security, and aiming to provide constant and quality power supply to all citizens of Bangladesh, Government of People's Republic of Bangladesh (GOB) must strive to double its effort towards attaining greater renewable energy share by conversion, utilization and dissemination.

The principal aim of this paper is to examine the problems considered relevant in the context of unsustainable practices in the littoral area of Tulum, Mexico-a small town located approximately 81 miles (130 km) south of Cancun. Tulum is facing a rapid population growth without having strategies that guarantee sustainable development in this part of the Mexican territory. This study begins with a literature review and a description of the methodology; then the characteristics of Tulum related to tourism are explored, and finally outcomes are presented and discussed. The results help to understand the type of pressure that is being exerted in this zone by the tourism activity, the environmental damages and the social and economic effects on the Tulum area.

the material is concerned, specifically the rights of translation, reprinting, reuse of illustrations, recitation, broadcasting, reproduction on microfilms or in any other physical way, and transmission or information storage and retrieval, electronic adaptation, computer software, or by similar or dissimilar methodology now known or hereafter developed. The use of general descriptive names, registered names, trademarks, service marks, etc. in this publication does not imply, even in the absence of a specific statement, that such names are exempt from the relevant protective laws and regulations and therefore free for general use.

The global arena of international relations is placing increasing importance on the subject of climate change. The disruptions in natural weather patterns are giving rise to a wide array of challenges in ecological, sociopolitical, and economic systems. This piece of writing investigates the concept of marginalization brought about by the effects of climate change. The analysis adopts a multi-faceted approach, utilizing the framework of climate justice. The primary focus lies in understanding how climate-induced marginalization impacts a nation's social structure, especially affecting disadvantaged communities. Following that, the conversation delves into making a comparison among different countries, examining their contributions to climate change and the subsequent difficulties they encounter. The article also underscores the insufficiencies in international frameworks aimed at mitigating climate change, underscoring the lack of accountability during their development. Additionally, the problem of climate-induced marginalization is evaluated in the context of the Sustainable Development Goals, and suggestions are put forth to effectively tackle this issue.

Considering citizens’ perceptions of their living environment is very helpful in making the right decisions for city planners who intend to build a sustainable society. Mental map analyses are widely used in understanding the level of perception of individuals regarding the surrounding environment. The present study introduces Aram Mental Map Analyzer (AMMA), an open-source program, which allows researchers to use special features and new analytical methods to receive outputs in numerical data and analytical maps with greater accuracy and speed. AMMA performance is contingent upon two principles of accuracy and complexity, the accuracy of the program is measured by Accuracy Placed Landmarks (APL) and General Orientation (GO), which respectively analyses the landmark placement accuracy and the main route mapping accuracy. Also, the complexity section is examined through two analyses Cell Percentage (CP) and General Structure (GS), which calculates the complexity of citizens’ percepti...

The objective of this study is to assess the implementation of Voluntary sustainability standards projects on the environmental performance of tea production units in Rwanda. The key focus of implementation of the Voluntary Sustainable standards (VSS) projects is the improvement the economic, social and environmental performance of the industry that they are implemented. The study was done through a comparison of two operational tea factories (Sorwatea and Mulindi tea factories) where the VSS projects have been implemented at varied levels. The effects of these standards implementation was measured through the assessment the following specific environmental performance indicators: Water usage, Energy usage, waste generation and biodiversity loss whose trend changes were compared. The study is an exploratory research which is motivated by the confirmed gaps existing in the review of the effects of the implementation of the VSS projects in the country and the focus of going green in the tea sector in Rwanda. The research adopted a mix of both qualitative and quantitative approaches which are aimed ensuring that enough data was be gathered to cover the subject. The research strategy that has been adopted for this study is a comparative study for two tea production units (currently producing around 30% of Rwanda tea by volume). Data collection was both primary (Interviews, key informants) and secondary data (company data and other sourced data) collection methods. Data was be analyzed using a matrix table for the qualitative data and contemporary statistical tools (Student T test and correlation coefficient) for the quantitative data using the statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS) version18.The results of the study show that at least 72 % of the tea factories in Rwanda have implemented one or sacral of the VSS project in their firm. The leading firm in the implementation of the standards is Sorwatea which has 8 VSS implemented since they started the process in 2006. The key influences/drivers for the implementation of the standards were noted to be regulatory, social, improved environmental an operational performance and commercial motivations. The key challenges of implementing VSS project in firms were noted to be Financial, Operational and Human resources. Sorwatea which has a longer history of implementing the VSS projects has managed to overcome most of the challenges in comparison to Mulindi which is just starting the journey. The research study found that there is a relationship between environmental performance and the implementation of VSS. Detailed analysis of various parameters well showed that Sorwatea has better environmental performance and this could be attributed to the implementation of VSS projects as the production for the two firms, locality, type of tea is all the same. This was evidenced by the following:-The presence of robust Environmental management system at Sorwatea in comparison to Mulindi.VSS implementation as noted to lead to some sustainable actions like water metering and conservation, waste water analysis amongst others.-The trend of water usage where it has declined overtime at Sorwatea as compared to Mulindi.-There is a significant difference in water fuel, firewood and electivity usage between the two firms.-Sorwatea has a functional waste water treatment plant and do undertake waste water analysis unlike Mulindi.-Sorwatea has a robust Solid waste management system where there is separation of waste reuse recycling and as from this year (2005) they have started recording the quantities of waste generated in the firm. This was absent in Mulindi.

In line with the fourth industrial revolution, most countries have imposed a variety of regulations or policies for the goals of energy conservation, sustainable development, and industrial transition. Renewable energy production and its production process, which is widely discussed, especially in the context of sustainable energy, has become more important with Industry 4.0. This paper tested the relation among economic growth, renewable electricity generations (% of GDP), Industry 4.0, industrial structure, trade openness, financial development, and research and development expenditure for G20 countries in 2000–2021 by employing a panel quantile regression approach and various panel cointegration tests in addition to investigation of panel Granger causality among the analyzed variables. The variables of industrial structure, trade openness, and financial development were selected as control variables. Since this study is the first study on this topic, it will contribute to the development of the literature by providing resources for future studies about I4.0, renewable energy production, and economic growth. Furthermore, this study will not only contribute to the literature by revealing the theoretical and empirical relationship between these variables but will also shed light on the policies that G20 countries will produce in this regard. According to results, all variables examined have significant causal effects: unidirectional causality from economic growth to Industry 4.0, to research and development, and to renewable energy output and, also, from research and development to renewable energy output. Bidirectional causality and feedback effects between renewable energy and Industry 4.0 are determined. Further, unidirectional causality from industrial structure, from openness to trade, and from financial development to renewable energy output are determined. Results indicate renewable-enhancing effects of Industry 4.0.

Keywords: Industry 4.0; renewable energy; economic growth; sustainable economic development; information and communication technologies; research and development; international trade; G20; panel quantile regression; cointegration

The overall aim of this research was to find a group of easy-to-access variables, that are measurable or assessable, and which help predict acoustic comfort in urban places, in order to make further progress in developing a soundscape indicator based on indices readily available in urban environments. Our main conceptual framework has been the Environmental Experience Model and the ISO of Soundscape, together with the most up-to-date information and technology, where parameters that influence the soundscape and comfort in urban public places have been identified. This work has been undertaken as part of the CITI-SENSE project. A viable technical and procedural solutionwas designed and tested in a field demonstration, where 53 people were engaged to provide 120 observations in the city ofVitoria-Gasteiz, using environmental sensors connected to a smartphone. The results were analysed and are discussed here with the aim of defining an indicator that permits an easy evaluation of acous...

This paper presents a new leader-follower decision-making framework for the automatic assessment and comparison of different water resources management scenarios and selection of the best one. WEAP (Water Evaluation and Planning) model is used to simulate different management scenarios, which are reasonable from the viewpoint of the leader decision-maker, and evaluate the response of water users (followers). A number of management scenarios are developed for water pricing and allocation to followers in the agricultural, industrial, and fishery sectors. The results are evaluated by a novel sustainability index considering economic performance, water allocation efficiency, and social equity criteria. The economic performance is evaluated by two indices assessing the profit of the basin's leader and followers. The efficiency of water allocation policies is analyzed by an index using the Evidential Reasoning approach. Social equity is inspected by an index evaluating the distribution of incomes among followers using the Gini coefficient concept. The Gorganrud-Qaresou basin in Iran is used as a case study to demonstrate the applicability and efficiency of the proposed framework and the sustainability index. Sustainable water allocation policies and water prices for agricultural, industrial, and fishery sectors in the basin are the main findings of this paper. The results show that current water tariffs are low, particularly for the agricultural sector, and it could lead to inefficient use of water by followers, which has been the case in many regions in Iran.

Considering citizens’ perceptions of their living environment is very helpful in making the right decisions for city planners who intend to build a sustainable society. Mental map analyses are widely used in understanding the level of perception of individuals regarding the surrounding environment. The present study introduces Aram Mental Map Analyzer (AMMA), an open-source program, which allows researchers to use special features and new analytical methods to receive outputs in numerical data and analytical maps with greater accuracy and speed. AMMA performance is contingent upon two principles of accuracy and complexity, the accuracy of the program is measured by Accuracy Placed Landmarks (APL) and General Orientation (GO), which respectively analyses the landmark placement accuracy and the main route mapping accuracy. Also, the complexity section is examined through two analyses Cell Percentage (CP) and General Structure (GS), which calculates the complexity of citizens’ percepti...

Energy is the building block of modern civilization and a prerequisite for sustainable development. Global energy consumption will increase by 36% with an annual growth of 1.6% from year 2011 to 2030, comprising 88% fossil fuel share. Bangladesh is a developing country in the Southeast Asia, which is one of the lowest per capital energy consuming nation. The power crisis has become a major constraint to continued economic growth and energy sector of the country is currently facing serious challenge. Due to depleting nature and mono fuel dependent energy policy; finding alternative energy source has become imperative for the country. This study examined the current energy mix, present energy crisis and its way to overcome such scenario by utilizing alternative energy sources such as biomass, solar, wind and small scale hydropower energy, in the context of Bangladesh. Among the renewable energy sources, biomass is found to be the most effective and utilizable. Potential electricity generation from biomass is 312.608 terawatt hour (TWh), where only 44.52 TWh is utilized. On the other hand, solar home system (SHS) has shown positive impact on socioeconomic development in the rural areas by alleviating poverty and creating jobs. To assure national energy security, and aiming to provide constant and quality power supply to all citizens of Bangladesh, Government of People's Republic of Bangladesh (GOB) must strive to double its effort towards attaining greater renewable energy share by conversion, utilization and dissemination.

This paper presents project managers (PM) competencies that influence the successful achievement of sustainable development (SD) projects. A relevant literature review is conducted to summarize the PMs' competencies that lead to outstanding performance in projects. Then, this has been narrowed down to find out the PMs' competencies that influence the adoption and completion of SD projects. Considering the different views, the primary purpose of this exploration is to illustrate the PMs' competencies that have a positive impact on the achievement of SD projects in an integrative model. The investigation indicates that there are four main categories of PMs' competencies that influence the success of SD projects: project management skills, team management abilities, emotional intelligence skills, and formal skills. Hence, this study demonstrates a model inclusively for PMs to relate the found PMs' competencies to the successful implementation of SD projects. The model primarily explains that PMs who acquire the found competencies have a higher potential to achieve outstanding results in existing and future SD projects.

Sustainability is development that "meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs" (Brundtland Report, 1987). While the term has often been used with reference to environmental development, today, sustainability touches other spheres of human development including but not limited to social-political and economic spheres. As the world grows to acknowledge that human activities have had a negative impact on sustainability, the United Nations has come up with a set of goals namely, Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), aimed at mitigating and improving the current state of affairs. This article provides an overview of SDG Goal 7 which delves into the concept of affordable and sustainable clean energy.

Na manhã seguinte a que publicou, em 2009, o relatório Prosperidade sem Crescimento? – A transição para uma economia sustentável, o professor britânico Tim Jackson ouviu um sonoro silêncio. Assim como na manhã seguinte, na outra e na outra. Seu trabalho, resultado de 20 anos, apresentava ideias bastante inovadoras em meio ao monocórdio mantra do crescimento pelo crescimento – mas contou com repercussão nula. (Ou mínima. Nos lados de cá do Atlântico, Página22 mencionou o estudo em reportagem na edição 30, de junho de 2009, intitulada “As Voltas Que o Mundo Dá”). Pois não é que dá mesmo? Tim Jackson é persona mui grata nas mesas de debates paralelos da Rio+20 e nas páginas e telas dos grandes veículos de mídia, ainda que sob os ecos do mantra crescimentista do G-20, reunido às vésperas da Conferência. Nesta entrevista concedida à equipe de Página22 no Forte de Copacabana, logo após participar do evento Diálogos Sustentáveis – iniciativa do Funbio, Arapyaú e Vitae Civilis, com a presença de Arminio Fraga e Ricardo Abramovay –, Jackson comemora que a mensagem esteja se disseminando mais e mais. Muito por conta, diz ele, da pressão exercida pelos 99% que estão nas bordas e cobram da economia a busca de um
sentido humano e social. “Essas pessoas estão lutando para um futuro mais justo. Isso é parte dos diálogos da sociedade que vemos aqui, no Rio. Mesmo que essa revolução ainda não seja a maior expressão das partes, tem sido a essência da mudança para o desenvolvimento sustentável”, diz. Por mais que o mundo dê voltas, Jackson tem uma estrela-guia –Vênus, bem resplandecente, no céu de todo lugar.
Tim Jackson é professor de desenvolvimento sustentável da Universidade de Surrey, na Inglaterra, e diretor do Research Group on Lifestyle, Values and the Environment. É autor de obras que questionam os atuais parâmetros e métricas do desenvolvimento econômico, entre elas Prosperidade Sem Crescimento e Economia Para um Planeta Finito.

Tourism development in Brazil is a viable and economic alternative for job creation and revenue as long as the country can rely on human resources training and a business community integrated with the public sector to attract visitors through the quality of infrastructure and services. The aim of this study was the analysis of tourist flow in a given Brazilian city and the visitor&#39;s view on the quality of infrastructure and tourist attractions. An official data base was used and a survey with 172 tourists performed. The research revealed a fluctuation in the tourist flow - causing economic and social unsustainability - and a lack of quality in the overall services according to the tourist&#39;s opinion,such as safety, urban and beach cleanliness, tourist information, commercial centers and tours. Integration between government, private sector and agencies promoting tourism is the key to improve the quality of the overall services.

The present study aims to present the basic formulations for creating strategic guidelines for planning and management of a tourist destination. The report examines the features of the tourist resources of the cross-border region of Chiprovtsi and Pirot. The opportunities for development of alternative tourism and the creation of a diverse product range are outlined. Strategic goals and priorities and mechanisms for their implementation have been developed in five main directions. The possibilities for creating a common regional brand are analyzed, through which to guarantee the recognition and sustainable development of the region as a tourist destination.

Tourism, being related to the goods and services demanded by tourists, is considered a transversal activity in the economy of a territory. Its importance lies in its ability to generate and spread economic growth in destinations, through the consumption of tourists and because it is an activity with a high capacity to generate jobs, foreign exchange and investment.

The tourism sector requires an information and knowledge base, whose solidity depends on how truthful, timely, systematized and sufficient this base is, without which, the decisions and actions of all the participants in tourism - social, public and private - They can be counterproductive for the sustainability of the entire sector and reduce the benefits for the communities in which it occurs.

The State of Yucatan has great tourism potential due to its geographical position, its natural resources and its cultural heritage, but it has not been fully exploited due to the fact that tourism promotion campaigns have not been properly oriented. The tourist products have not been enough for the tourist and the market segments that could be more successful for the State are not yet defined, on the other hand, the lack of training according to the specific needs of the destination, of updated information and the The absence of consistent methodologies for the collection and generation of reliable information are major obstacles in the promotion, development and competitiveness of tourist destinations in the State and throughout Mexico.

The development of markets, products and promotional campaigns need to be supported by reliable and timely data for decision-making and actions in tourism development, the competitiveness of destinations requires training programs appropriate to their specific needs, this document condenses the activities carried out for the creation of a tourism training program for a specific type of destination, such as the town of Celestún, Yucatán.

The recently published ISO/TS 12913-2:2018 standard aims to provide researchers and practitioners around the world with a reliable questionnaire for soundscape characterization. The ISO Technical Specifications report protocols and attributes grounded in the soundscape literature, but only includes an English version. The applicability and reliability of these attributes in non-English speaking regions remains an open question, as research investigating translations of soundscape attributes is limited. To address this gap, an international collaboration was initiated with soundscape researchers from all over the world. Translation into 15 different languages, obtained through focus groups and panels of experts in soundscape studies, are proposed. The main challenges and outcomes of this preliminary exercise are discussed. The long-term objective is to validate the proposed translations using standardized listening experiments in different languages and geographical regions as a way to promote a widespread use of the soundscape attributes, both in academia and practice, across locations, populations and languages.

The recently published ISO/TS 12913-2:2018 standard aims to provide researchers and practitioners around the world with a reliable questionnaire for soundscape characterization. The ISO Technical Specifications report protocols and attributes grounded in the soundscape literature, but only includes an English version. The applicability and reliability of these attributes in non-English speaking regions remains an open question, as research investigating translations of soundscape attributes is limited. To address this gap, an international collaboration was initiated with soundscape researchers from all over the world. Translation into 15 different languages, obtained through focus groups and panels of experts in soundscape studies, are proposed. The main challenges and outcomes of this preliminary exercise are discussed. The long-term objective is to validate the proposed translations using standardized listening experiments in different languages and geographical regions as a way to promote a widespread use of the soundscape attributes, both in academia and practice, across locations, populations and languages.

The recently published ISO/TS 12913-2:2018 standard aims to provide researchers and practitioners around the world with a reliable questionnaire for soundscape characterization. The ISO Technical Specifications report protocols and attributes grounded in the soundscape literature, but only includes an English version. The applicability and reliability of these attributes in non-English speaking regions remains an open question, as research investigating translations of soundscape attributes is limited. To address this gap, an international collaboration was initiated with soundscape researchers from all over the world. Translation into 15 different languages, obtained through focus groups and panels of experts in soundscape studies, are proposed. The main challenges and outcomes of this preliminary exercise are discussed. The long-term objective is to validate the proposed translations using standardized listening experiments in different languages and geographical regions as a way to promote a widespread use of the soundscape attributes, both in academia and practice, across locations, populations and languages.

Acquiring the right innovation competencies can lead to a successful implementation of sustainability projects. Hence, the purpose of this study is to identify the innovation competencies required by project team members to adopt and implement innovation effectively in sustainability projects. To achieve this target, a comprehensive literature review has been performed to build a model that integrates innovation competencies of project team members with the successful achievement of substantiality projects. In specific, these innovation competencies are leadership, communication, teamwork, creativity, and commitment of project team members. The paper also reveals that a successful implementation of innovation in sustainability projects leads to economic growth, environmental protection, and social equity as main outcomes. Accordingly, this research proposes a model that presents the associations between project team members’ innovation competencies and the implementation of sustaina...

This study deals with the managerial competencies of current managers that are required to achieve sustainable development projects. A comparative literature review is conducted to summarize the critical managerial competencies in general. Then, this is narrowed down to find the managerial competencies that lead to the proper accomplishment of sustainable development projects. Considering these views, the purpose of this exploration is to discover the significance of managerial competencies on the achievement of sustainable development projects. The findings indicate that communication, leadership, development orientation, achievement orientation, motivation, teamwork, innovation, and decision making are the most critical managerial competencies that can enhance the performance of managers towards achieving sustainable development projects. Thus, this article demonstrates a model inclusively for managers to link the found managerial competencies with the realization of sustainable d...

In recent times, tea becomes highly known owing to its pharmacological potential properties such as antitumor, anti-oxidative, and anti-carcinogen activities. Especially, the quality of tea is assessed based on its caffeine content. Most people drink tea with the purpose of getting some caffeine amount in their body to diminish the increased cardiovascular disease, some chronic diseases, and cancer risks. The main study’s objective was to determine the caffeine content in tea samples from different tea growing regions of Rwanda in order to identify the region that has tea with the highest amount of caffeine. This may help in classifying the tea regions and tea quality in Rwanda according to their amount of caffeine. In this study, eleven samples were obtained from National Agriculture Export development Board (NAEB). Extraction of the caffeine was done using hot water. Quantification of caffeine from tea samples was accomplished by using high-pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC); t...

This study investigated the influence of strategic value addition on the growth of coffee export processing firms in Rwanda. Specifically, the study sought to establish the influence of continuous improvement of high quality coffee, high quality coffee and access to the world markets, sensitization of farmers on high quality coffee, and human capital, managerial competence and high quality coffee, on the growth of coffee export processing firms in Rwanda. The target population was 91 people from coffee export processing firms, staff who deal with activities related to coffee export and processing under the National Agricultural Export Development Board (NAEB), the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning, and the Ministry of Trade and Industry. The sampling techniques were purposive sampling for staff under Ministries and NAEB, and a census for coffee export processing firms; thus the sample size was 91 respondents. A questionnaire was used to collect data. Descriptive and inferent...

Tourism is one of the principal sectors of the economy that makes an important
contribution to the distribution of income in society. Tourist activity has shown great expansion and participation in the economy, while developing in an atmosphere of intense
competition and demand on the part of its users. The objective of this research is to analyze tourists perception of the quality of services offered in a cultural tourism attraction
in Paraíba. The studied object, located on the coast of João Pessoa - PB, stands out for
being a pioneer in the activities offered, since it is the only one that offers cultural and
environmental immersion in Brazil having a set of 32 villages of the Potiguara ethnicity.
To support the research, studies on the evaluation of services in tourism were adopted,
specifically the TOURQUAL Model. The data was obtained through mixed qualitative research on TripAdvisor, and the data was analyzed based on the 28 TOURQUAL indicators.
It was noted that the destination was well evaluated, considering the reality of a little
explored community-based cultural tourism, since this research is the first carried out in
the place, which covers a total of 32 indigenous villages that offer cultural and environmental immersion in the Potiguara ethnic group. The studied destination has a remarkable potential for growth, where in the research, improvements were suggested so that
the destination can be more recognized in the national scenario. In addition, the significant engagement of local public bodies stands out, as the destination's initiatives move
the local economy, generating income and employment.

The design of noise mitigation actions, after strategic noise map evaluation of urban environments, is always a challenging task that normally relies on technology for the definition of proposals for noise prevention and control. Taking into account that the main objective of strategic noise maps and noise action planning in agglomerations is citizens’ quality of life, comfort and health rather than just putting decibels down, the main effect of environmental noise on people living in urban areas, that is annoyance, must be taken into consideration when deciding about proposals for noise control and mitigation. Citizens’ noise exposure comes as a direct result from strategic noise maps, both as percentage of people exposed to noise ranges, usually 5 dBA intervals, and as noise exposure mapping. In this work we focus on urban road traffic noise annoyance mapping, evaluated by means of recommended exposure-response relationship and recent WHO Europe revision formula, as a complementar...

The objective of this study is to assess the implementation of Voluntary sustainability standards projects on the environmental performance of tea production units in Rwanda. The key focus of implementation of the Voluntary Sustainable standards (VSS) projects is the improvement the economic, social and environmental performance of the industry that they are implemented. The study was done through a comparison of two operational tea factories (Sorwatea and Mulindi tea factories) where the VSS projects have been implemented at varied levels. The effects of these standards implementation was measured through the assessment the following specific environmental performance indicators: Water usage, Energy usage, waste generation and biodiversity loss whose trend changes were compared. The study is an exploratory research which is motivated by the confirmed gaps existing in the review of the effects of the implementation of the VSS projects in the country and the focus of going green in t...

Since the creation of the Pueblos Mágicos program in 2001, a series of social and cultural events have directly affected the heritage conservation of 121 towns. Multidisciplinary groups from all over Mexico, create a set of diagnoses for most of these settlements, in a constant can be observed in most of them, which is the loss of cultural heritage. Several factors have been identified that have promoted this cultural loss, as a direct reflection of the economic crisis prevailing in Mexico, highlighting transculturality, understood as the integration or substitution of local cultural patterns to the detriment of the heritage of these Pueblos Mágicos. The entry and contact with new cultures have led, in some cases, to a low valuation of cultural traditions, which translates into a transformation and even their total loss. This paper seeks to present specific cases of transformation and loss of cultural heritage due to the application of the public policy of this program and propose scenarios in which the negative effects can be reversed.

The objective of this study is to assess the implementation of Voluntary sustainability standards projects on the environmental performance of tea production units in Rwanda. The key focus of implementation of the Voluntary Sustainable standards (VSS) projects is the improvement the economic, social and environmental performance of the industry that they are implemented. The study was done through a comparison of two operational tea factories (Sorwatea and Mulindi tea factories) where the VSS projects have been implemented at varied levels. The effects of these standards implementation was measured through the assessment the following specific environmental performance indicators: Water usage, Energy usage, waste generation and biodiversity loss whose trend changes were compared. The study is an exploratory research which is motivated by the confirmed gaps existing in the review of the effects of the implementation of the VSS projects in the country and the focus of going green in t...

Considering citizens’ perceptions of their living environment is very helpful in making the right decisions for city planners who intend to build a sustainable society. Mental map analyses are widely used in understanding the level of perception of individuals regarding the surrounding environment. The present study introduces Aram Mental Map Analyzer (AMMA), an open-source program, which allows researchers to use special features and new analytical methods to receive outputs in numerical data and analytical maps with greater accuracy and speed. AMMA performance is contingent upon two principles of accuracy and complexity, the accuracy of the program is measured by Accuracy Placed Landmarks (APL) and General Orientation (GO), which respectively analyses the landmark placement accuracy and the main route mapping accuracy. Also, the complexity section is examined through two analyses Cell Percentage (CP) and General Structure (GS), which calculates the complexity of citizens’ percepti...

Considering citizens’ perceptions of their living environment is very helpful in making the right decisions for city planners who intend to build a sustainable society. Mental map analyses are widely used in understanding the level of perception of individuals regarding the surrounding environment. The present study introduces Aram Mental Map Analyzer (AMMA), an open-source program, which allows researchers to use special features and new analytical methods to receive outputs in numerical data and analytical maps with greater accuracy and speed. AMMA performance is contingent upon two principles of accuracy and complexity, the accuracy of the program is measured by Accuracy Placed Landmarks (APL) and General Orientation (GO), which respectively analyses the landmark placement accuracy and the main route mapping accuracy. Also, the complexity section is examined through two analyses Cell Percentage (CP) and General Structure (GS), which calculates the complexity of citizens’ percepti...

The city of Granada is experimenting a big urban transformation, attending national and international commitments on clean air, energy efficiency and savings linked to greenhouse gases reduction strategies and sustainable development action plans. This situation constitutes a good scenario for new noise control approaches that take into account the sound variable and citizens empowering in urban design, such as the soundscape assessment of urban territory. In this way, soundscape tools have been used in Granada as a complementary method for environmental noise characterisation where traditional noise control techniques are difficult to be carried out or give limited results. After 2016 strategic noise map and in the preparation of the new noise action plan, the city came across a great acoustic challenge in a new area located outskirts characterised by growing urbanisation, still under development, the greatest legal protection because of sensitive teaching and hospital buildings an...

The objective of this study is to assess the implementation of Voluntary sustainability standards projects on the environmental performance of tea production units in Rwanda. The key focus of implementation of the Voluntary Sustainable standards (VSS) projects is the improvement the economic, social and environmental performance of the industry that they

Soundscape assessments by citizens are starting to emerge as a common practice, normally carried out in context by means of soundwalks along selected paths with volunteers. However, when such assessments are carried out, either in situ or in laboratory experiments, visually impaired citizens are not usually involved. To address this question, three soundwalks were carried out in 2020 in the city of Granada, in southern Spain, with the participation of visually impaired people. In this paper, we present the lessons learnt from this research with respect to the methodology issues that have to do with soundwalking and the surveying procedures when people with limited vison are participating, the assessment results, and a comparison with a soundscape evaluation carried out in 2019 without the collaboration of visually impaired people. The results of this preliminary campaign highlight that: (1) Adapting soundscape assessment protocols from standards for visually impaired people is a met...

The number of soundscape studies is growing steadily over time and the discipline as a whole is going through a process of methodological standardization. Yet, more empirical evidence is needed about the benefits of experiencing positive soundscapes for health, well-being and quality of life. In this study, a pilot questionnaire was distributed to 50 users of a public open space in London (Granary Square), which consisted of a standardized protocol for collecting soundscape data (ISO 12913-2:2018, Method A), the World Health Organisation-Five Well-Being questionnaire (WHO-5) and a short protocol to assess perceived safety. Results show that associations between negative soundscape dimensions and lower well-being scores exist at a statistically significant level (p &lt; .05) and other further insights into the relationships between sound perception and perceived safety. By making a stronger case for policy makers and planners, these findings contribute to the discourse of approaching...