Earth and Environmental Science (R0)

We have entered a new era where business, technologies, communities, and even pandemic deceases cross borders with unprecedented speed and intensity. 2030 Agenda and 17 SDGs reflect the global community's high expectations of finally reversing the destruction of our natural and social habits, and achieving a more balanced and equitable pathways toward well-being of all. However, despite the initial efforts, the world is not on track to achieving the most of the 169 targets that comprise the goals. It is evident that we have a system problem, so we need a system solution. Authors presented a hierarchical system consisting of two-level management systems: first level—unsustainability reduction systems and second level—control system for transformations toward sustainability. The book clearly shows that implementation of systems for unsustainability reduction and for transformations toward sustainability is possible, and that sufficient knowledge is available to get started. It is designed for researchers, practitioners, and politicians.

This book analyses and develops overarching concepts for forest policy and forest governance and includes a detailed investigation into the historical discussion on forests. It examines opportunities and limits for negative emissions in a sector that – like peatlands – appears significantly less ambivalent compared to highly technical large-scale forms of climate geoengineering. The analysis shows that the binding climate and biodiversity targets under international law are much more ambitious than most people assume. Measured against that, the volume critically reviews the potentials of afforestation and reforestation for climate mitigation, which is often presented as the new saviour to fulfil the commitments of the Paris Agreement and to reach climate neutrality in the future. It becomes clear that ultimately only biodiverse and thus resilient forests can function as a carbon sink in the long term. The volume shows that the existing European and international forest governance approaches fail to comply with these targets and insights. Furthermore, the book develops a bundle of policy measures. Quantity governance systems for livestock farming, fossil fuels and similar drivers of deforestations represent the most important approach. They are most effective when not directly targeting forests due to their heterogeneity but central damaging factors. With regard to the dominant regulatory and subsidy-based governance for forests we show that it remains necessary to supplement these quantity governance systems with certain easily graspable and thus controllable regulatory and subsidy regulations such as a regulatory protection of old-growth forests with almost no exceptions; extension of the livestock-to-land-ratio established in organic farming to all farming; far-reaching restriction of bioenergy use to certain residues flanked by import bans; and a national and international complete conversion of all agricultural and forest subsidies to “public money for publicservices” to promote nature conservation and afforestation in addition to the quantity control systems.

This contributed volume offers a state-of-the-art, holistic overview of the employment of a Water-Energy-Food (WEF) Nexus approach to implement the seventeen United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), with a geographical focus on applications in different African regions. The book is divided into three sections, each composed of several chapters contributed by experts in their respective fields. 

Section I introduces the WEF Nexus and its role in the achievement of the 2030 Agenda and the SDGs. It highlights the attempt to connect different spheres of sustainability thanks to the Nexus, taking advantage of the existing interlinkages and interconnections among the Goals. Section II proposes a multi-scale and multi-stakeholder approach to various aspects of the Nexus and reviews existing quantitative tools. This section focuses on the issue of resource control and development aims and spotlights how Nexus dynamics influence the achievement of the SDGs as awhole. Section III applies the WEF Nexus to different African regions, which are balancing a rising population and an economic boom with severe vulnerability in the face of climate change.

Chapter “Review of the Economic Impact of Water Availability on Food Security and the Related Ecosystems” is available open access under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License via link.springer.com.

The book explores the key factors affecting the successful implementation of public participation spatial systems in participatory planning as part of the urban governance system. It brings insight from nation-wide research in the Czech Republic and the implications to other countries in the region and beyond. The main aim of the proposed book is to analyse the state-of-the-art of using geoparticipatory tools for citizens’ participation in community decision-making process and to suggest the effective implementation of the geoparticipatory tools available in urban governance.

This book describes initiatives and concrete examples on sustainable food production worldwide. In the current world scenario, where nations all over the world are struggling to accomplish the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and to ensure sustainable patterns for all, this book provides a contribution towards a more comprehensive and interdisciplinary understanding of the cross-cutting issues related to Sustainable Agriculture and Food Security. This interdisciplinary book supports the efforts to engage a commitment from all fields of science, to work together to provide knowledge that could help to address SDG2 (No hunger) and lead to the promotion of quality of life, by means of a more sustainable food production, and improved food security. 

This edited volume analyzes cases of higher education programs engaging with sustainable development. Offering cases from across the globe that focus on the role of universities in promoting societal transformations and building sustainable futures, the volume specifically discusses how higher education institutions can educate for the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

As critical spaces for research, development, and innovation, higher education institutions are fundamental change agents for societal transformations. Their role in disseminating sustainability through different paths is undeniable, and it is worth discussing the dimensions that surround the concept of sustainability within universities. Considering the role of policy, curriculum, practice, teaching, research, and development paths in universities, this book looks at the contributions of higher education sector to our vision of sustainable development. This publication offers readers a chance to look at different higher education institutions’ engagement with sustainable development through political, managerial, curricular and practical steps.

The book provides a pioneering overview of the evolution of the local government and urban policy in Cape Verde after independence, offering a multi-scale perspective of local governance in Cape Verde from 1970 - 2020. It examines the process of urban development in the country, and in the capital city in particular, and explores the consequences and challenges for spatial planning, housing, urban heritage, and the environment, namely issues related to climate change in the post-independence period.

The aim of this volume is to foster more sustainable business models through financial markets. To that end, it is necessary to know the main global challenges facing financial markets and their impact on creating sustainable value in business models of enterprises in the context of sustainable adaptation. The book focuses on assessing the decision criteria adopted by financial markets in the process of transaction risk valuation, in terms of the presence of Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) criteria, and by assessing the impact of including these criteria in the risk assessment process by financial markets in business decisions, leading as a consequence to building new value in the form of a sustainable business model.

The book presents global ESG risks facing the financial markets, and discusses how ESG risks are managed and monitored, and how financial markets can measure and operationalize extra-financial risks in its assessment process. The book alsoanalyses ESG risk implications and influences on company behavior, and the actions that companies should take considering the ESG assessment requirements of financial markets. Finally, it provides a comprehensive, structured, and systematic view of how financial markets and companies should adapt and improve their business models. The book provides unique challenges for investors, companies, financial markets, and for our society as a whole, advancing traditional risk management approaches to address global risks.

This volume fills a significant gap in the scientific and policy literature on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and on SDG 17 which focuses on partnership as a means of implementation (MOI) for the SDGs. The collection offers a strong theoretical context, and outlines the nature of partnerships (e.g. alternative forms, multi-level forms, barriers to take-up) using the most recent UN database as well as through key case studies that highlight partnership successes and failures at local, national and global scales. The text covers a brief history and background of partnerships and the SDGs, an analysis of existing SDG partnership using UN data, a scalar analysis of case studies involving multi-stakeholder partnerships, and recommendations for successful partnership models and implementation strategies. The book will be relevant for a wide variety of readerships including academics in different policy fields and disciplines, policymakers, SDG advocates and practitioners, and NGOs active in the promotion of the SDGs and environmental issues. 

Provides a unique outline of partnership theory and its application to the SDGs

Outlines the nature of partnerships, including their multi-level forms and barriers to take-up using UN data

Analyzes key SDG partnerships case studies that highlight partnership success stories for practitioners

This book explores the topic of proximity and its relations in the design of contemporary urban fabrics and public spaces. The effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and reflections on the future of cities have lately shed light on the concept of proximity, which is intended as the relationship between communities and urban functions and as relations among people, built spaces, and open spaces. The proximity is a historic and fertile field of interest for American and Northern European urban studies; it is a spatial and social program seemingly surpassed by the styles and rhythms of contemporary city life, but today it is back in vogue with different purposes. Meanwhile, the action research developed by the Department of Architecture and Urban Studies at the Politecnico di Milano for the Municipality of Milan reached its conclusion (2018–2020). The research work focused on contextualizing the new M4 Metro line stations under construction, and jointed mobility flows and places, long-rangenetworks and local ones, boosting the idea of metro stations as regenerative urban thresholds and urban platforms for enabling environmental, sustainable settlement, and active mobility systems. In other words, the action research for Milan shows how to achieve the concept of proximity in the urban design practice in a dense, stratified, and complex urban context.

Our dependency on groundwater resources and overuse thereof has led to a decline in water table so that in the last couple of decades the focus has shifted back to the traditional practices of rainwater harvesting, and ways and means have been sought to promote Rainwater harvesting in Urban areas to recharge the stressed groundwater systems. This book discusses in brief the classifications of Rainwater harvesting, and the various rainwater harvesting systems that are currently applied. The most important aspect for achieving any groundwater recharge is the availability of source water, this can be evaluated by analyzing the monsoon rainfall pattern, its frequency, number of rainy days, and maximum rainfall in a day and its variation in space and time.

The Deccan basalts are one of the most enigmatic rocks in India and pose a very difficult task when it comes to ground water exploration and groundwater recharge, especially in the urban areas where due to constraint of space one needs to resort to borewells for recharge purpose. It is important for any such undertaking to understand the applicability and sustainability aspects of Rainwater harvesting as it is being practiced.

This book tries to differentiate the Basaltic Aquifers from the other hard-rock Aquifers, and highlights the difficulties in trying to implement rainwater harvesting by groundwater recharge with the basaltic terrain. It also deals with the issue of long term sustainability of roof top Rainwater to meet the growing demands of fresh water. It also highlights some of the shortcomings in the methodologies used and the requirements for being considered in the various categories of green building rating agencies.

It furthermore clarifies the possibility and limitations of dependence of roof top harvesting in addressing the question of water shortages, which is of common occurrence within most urban centres of India. It also helps in clarifying major misconceptionsthat are currently prevailing regarding Roof top Rainwater harvesting especially within the low capacity aquifers within the hard rock terrain of the Deccan basalts.

This volume collects the results from the Politecnico di Milan’s award-winning “Boa_Ma_Nhã, Maputo!” research-by-design project, which studied various transdisciplinary approaches to development in the context of the Global South. The challenges of urbanization are well known, but that only goes so far in aiding implementation. From local considerations like water access and housing rights to global issues like climate change, territorial development demands solutions that address the needs of the specific population while keeping such goals as sustainability and inclusion in mind. By focusing on a number of towns within the Maputo Province of Mozambique, and thus addressing many of the issues endemic to Sub-Saharan Africa, the research, structurally presented so as to aid those who may require introduction to the issue, makes a clear case in favor of always keeping the Water-Energy-Food (WEF) Nexus in mind when formulating development strategies for improving people’s lives, as well as the wisdom of marrying academic findings with the insights accrued by local NGOs and institutions, thereby expanding the potential idea bank beyond the Eurocentric status quo that has tended to dominate the field.

The book presents expert assessments of modern opportunities for fisheries and aquaculture in terms of economic efficiency, the state of fishery reservoirs, and the state of ichthyocenoses. The purpose of this book is to provide interested parties (government bodies, representatives of business, science and civil society) with information about modern solutions in the field of aquatic biological resources management, the state of aquatic ecosystems and fish stocks, and modern and promising technologies in aquaculture and fisheries. The book contains an assessment of the state and recommendations for the restoration of natural aquatic ecosystems, an analysis of the state of fisheries and aquaculture in inland waters, taking into account regional characteristics, the development of a methodology for assessing freshwater fish stocks, information on advanced technologies in cage aquaculture in reservoirs and lakes and in circulation systems, data on opportunities for capacity building in small-scale fisheries, and the prospects for establishing a data and information management system for fisheries and aquaculture.

This book focuses on the emergence of COVID-19 and climate change as twin mega risks to cities of both developed and developing countries. The work analyses how the pandemic has transformed city functions, promoted remote working, and affected socializing, education and learning patterns, recreation, as well as shopping and entertainment. It discusses the lessons learned from these two Mega Risks, the evolution of urban patterns and functions in their wake, and provides visionary thinking for the improvement of cities from the experiences gained. The COVID-19 Pandemic and climate change are both posing serious threats to cities’ future. Together, they demand changes in the ways cities’ function and operate. The work presents a case for a better understanding of the twin mega risks, the magnitude of their impacts, the responses of cities in combating these issues, and planning strategies for preparing, mitigating and adapting to these and future risks. The book is designed to provide reliable resource materials for a wide audience such as planners, professional practitioners, scientists, students, teachers and researchers working in various fields including geography, environmental sciences, social sciences, policy and planning.

This book provides an original cross-thematic and wide scope review of crime prevention processes in urban areas that are explicitly based on the cooperation between different scientific and professional fields. Focusing primarily on environmental and community-based crime prevention, this book compiles a peer-reviewed collection of papers and prospective essays that explore how, and to what extent, multi-disciplinarity can be used as a cornerstone for achieving safer cities.

Relying on the input from specialists, researchers, decision-makers, and practitioners from around the world, it covers the various stages from theory to implementation, by discussing theoretical stances, interpreting policy and planning guidelines, uncovering unique educational experiences, and narrating insights and lessons learned from innovative research and practice. Hence, it provides vivid discussions and invaluable insights into processes of partnership building, planning, and management, oriented towards establishing successful mechanism for preventing crime and reducing feelings of insecurity in urban areas.

This book explores the role of scientific evidence within United Nations (UN) deliberation by examining the negotiation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), endorsed by Member States in 2015. Using the SDGs as a case study, this book addresses a key gap in our understanding of the role of evidence in contemporary international policy-making. It is structured around three overarching questions: (1) how does scientific evidence influence multilateral policy development within the UN General Assembly? (2) how did evidence shape the goals and targets that constitute the SDGs?; and (3) how did institutional arrangements and non-state actor engagements mediate the evidence-to-policy process in the development of the SDGs? The ultimate intention is to tease out lessons on global policy-making and to understand the influence of different evidence inputs and institutional factors in shaping outcomes.

To understand the value afforded to scientific evidence within multilateral deliberation, a conceptual framework is provided drawing upon literature from policy studies and political science, including recent theories of evidence-informed policy-making and new institutionalism. It posits that the success or failure of evidence informing global political processes rests upon the representation and access of scientific stakeholders, levels of community organisation, the framing and presentation of evidence, and time, including the duration over which evidence and key conceptual ideas are presented. Cutting across the discussion is the fundamental question of whose evidence counts and how expertise is defined? The framework is tested with specific reference to three themes that were prominent during the SDG negotiation process; public health (articulated in SDG 3), urban sustainability (articulated in SDG 11), and data and information systems (which were a cross-cutting theme of the dialogue). Within each, scientific communities had specific demands and through an exploration of key literature, including evidence inputs and UN documentation, as well as through key informant interviews, the translation of these scientific ideas into policy priorities is uncovered. 

The intended audiences of this book include academic practitioners studying evidence to policy processes, multilateral negotiation and/or UN policy planning. The book also intends to provide useful insights for policy makers, including UN diplomats, officials and staff working to improve the quality of evidence communication and uptake within multilateral institutions. Finally, it aims to support the whole global academic and scientific community, including students of public policy and political science, by providing insights on how to input into, influence, and even shape international evidence-informed policy-making.

This book analyzes ancient cities that are facing crisis, and their coping mechanism to maintain resiliency and sustainability to remain economically viable and historically relevant. The book takes a fresh look at the underlying causes of the crises and recommends good governance and strategic planning options that the city could use to develop a robust economy using surveys and other materials, including geez (old Ethiopian language) church sources. This book illustrates the usage of the concepts of resilience and sustainability to critically assess the historical and cultural transformation of cities and the role of local government in maintaining a sustainable community.

A historic city that served as the national capital for close to 250 years, where Christians, Moslems, and Jews lived side by side for centuries, and once dubbed “Paris de l’Abyssinie” by European travelers because of its rich cultural resources, modern artifacts, and setting of new fashions, today Gondar is experiencing stagnation and decline because of changes that moved the center of political power from the city to Addis Ababa in the central part of the country. Since the last century, Gondar has been struggling to maintain its identity as the historical and cultural center of Ethiopia.

This book also gives insights on some of Gondar’s extraordinary historic issues/subjects including who were the main construction workers that built the Fasil castle, how did the Ethiopian Orthodox churches of Gondar sustain themselves for centuries, where is kurate Reesu (the 16th century painting of Christ with crown of thorns) treasured by Gondarian emperors, how did the tabot of Abune Teklehaymanot of Debre Libanos (the most influential church in Ethiopia) end up in Azezo (Gondar) and stayed there for over 260 years, and who were the main royal women that opposed the Jesuits plan of converting Ethiopia to Catholicism?

This open access book represents a journey documenting the development of tools and methodologies over 3 decades and asks where the future lies. It further develops seminal work carried out under the auspices of the Capacity building in Sustainability and Environmental Management (CapSEM) project co-funded by the EU Erasmus programme from 2016-2019 as well as research projects such as IGLO-MP2020, SUSPRO, and SISVI. It gathers existing paradigms of environmental management within the relevant frameworks which have driven the way in which this discipline has developed. It seeks to both challenge and support the way in which business sectors have approached this previously, with a more holistic and overarching model being provided, moving through four very distinct levels.  It therefore provides not only a different approach, but a different way of thinking. Systems thinking is characterized by four levels: Process, Product Value Chain, Organisational and Systemic which combinesMaterial Flow Analysis (MFA), Life Cycle Assessment (LCA), Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and Industrial Ecology (IE) principles. In its practical application, Corporate Social Responsibility, for example, thus becomes an integral part of a much wider business strategy and impacts on all business activity, not added value for its own sake, but a valuable component in a wider toolbox as a fundamental part of any business strategy and plan, changing, flexing and developing over the years.

The book is divided into 4 parts: moving from context and background, to the theoretical model or toolbox, onto its practical application in case studies and culminates in looking at the future and potential developments. It represents the multi-disciplined collaboration at NTNU and beyond, exemplifying its use in a wealth of business sectors and a range of stakeholders from construction to textiles to wind power as outlined in the European Circular Action Plan.

This book presents smart energy management in the context of energy transition. It presents the motivation, impacts and challenges related to this hot topic. Then, it focuses on the use of techniques and tools based on artificial intelligence (AI) to solve the challenges related to this problem. A global diagram presenting the general principle of these techniques is presented. Then, these techniques are compared according to a set of criteria in order to show their advantages and disadvantages with respect to the conditions and constraints of intelligent energy management applications in the context of energy transition. Several examples are used throughout the white paper to illustrate the concepts and methods presented. 

An intelligent electrical network (smart grid—SG) includes heterogeneous and distributed electricity production, transmission, distribution and consumption components. It is the next generation of electricity network able to manage electricity demand (consumption/production/distribution) in a sustainable, reliable and economical way taking into account the penetration of renewable energies (solar, wind, etc.). Therefore, a (SG) smart grid also includes an intelligent layer that analyzes the data provided by consumers as well as that collected from the production side in order to optimize consumption and production according to weather conditions, the profile and habits of the consumer. In addition, this system can improve the use of green energy through renewable energy penetration and demand response.

This book, besides discussing challenges and opportunities, will reveal the microbe-metal interactions and strategies for e-waste remediation in different ecosystems.  It will unveil the recent biotechnological advancement and microbiological approach to sustainable biorecycling of e-waste such as bioleaching for heavy metal extraction, valorization of precious metal, biodegradation of e-plastic, the role of the diverse microbial community in e-waste remediation, genetically engineered microbes for e-waste management, the importance of microbial exopolysaccharides in metal biosorption, next-generation technologies, omics-based technologies etc. It also holds the promise to discuss the conservation, utilization and cataloging indigenous microbes in e-waste-polluted niches and promising hybrid technology for sustainable e-waste management.

Nevertheless, the continuous demand for new-generation gadgets and electronics set this high-tech evolution to a new frontier in the last few years. With this continuing trend of technological development, e-waste is expanding exponentially worldwide. In the year of 2019, the worldwide generation of e-waste was approximately 53.6 Mt, of which only about 17.4% of e-waste was collected and recycled, and the other 82.6% was not even documented. E-waste containsvarious heterogeneous waste complexes such as metals (60%), blends of many polymers (30%) and halogenated compounds, radioactive elements and other pollutants (10%), respectively. The sustainable, efficient, and economic management of e-waste is thus, a challenging task today and in the coming decades. Conventional techniques such as the use of chemicals, incineration and informal ways of e-waste dismantling trigger serious health risks and contamination to the human population and environment, respectively due to the liberation of toxic and hazardous substances from the waste. In this context, bio-candidates especially microorganisms could be sharp-edged biological recycling tools to manage e-waste sustainably. As microbes are omnipresent and diverse in their physiology and functional aspects, they offer a wide range of bioremediation.

This volume explores the spatial side of sustainability using cases from India. It provides a variety of chapters from scholars from West Bengal and elsewhere in the country, highlighting spatial perspectives on environmental issues and offering insight on sustainable development in the subcontinent from a geographical perspective. A wide variety of topics are covered here, including but not limited to mitigation of and adaptation to climate issues, hydrogeomorphologic issues, environmental management, agricultural sustainability, ecosystem services, urban environmental management and tourism issues. The lessons learned here are transferable to other contexts, and the book is a resource for researchers, academics, practitioners, government organizations, NGOs and anyone else interested in the spatial side of sustainability.  

In response to student demands reflecting the urgency of societal and ecological problems, universities are making a burgeoning effort to infuse environmental sustainability efforts with social justice. In this edited volume, we extend calls for higher education leaders to revamp programming, pedagogy, and research that problematically reproduce dominant techno-scientific and managerial conceptualizations of sustainability. Students, staff and community partners, especially those from historically underrepresented and marginalized groups, are at the forefront of calls for critical sustainabilities programming, education and collaborations. Their work centers themes of power relations, (in)equity, accessibility, and social (in)justice to study the interrelationships between humans, non-humans, and the environment. Their voices, perspectives and lived experiences are provocations for institutions to think and act more expansively. This book amplifies some of these voices and bottom up efforts toward a more critical approach to sustainability on campus. We ground our recommendations on findings from campus-wide surveys that were taken by over 8,000 undergraduates in 2016, 2019, and 2022. Furthermore, we share the design principles and lessons learned from several innovative, award-winning initiatives designed to foster critical sustainabilities at UC Santa Cruz. 

Sustainability is now a widely spread concept, and much progress has been achieved since the 1970s, when it started to be widely discussed. At present, many international organizations and scientists are active in implementing sustainable development as a whole and the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in particular. Nevertheless, the main research agenda is being led by some countries, providing a good opportunity for other nations and regions which have not yet been so active, to bring their viewpoints to the global discussion. One of these regions is Latin America.

a) to provide research institutions, universities, NGOs, government agencies, and enterprises from the region with an opportunity to present their works in the field of sustainability and

Last but not least, a further aim of the book is to present methodological approaches and experiences deriving from case studies and projects, which aim to show how sustainability may be enhanced in practice.

This book summarizes new discoveries on fracturing in chalk. Based on studies on the Danish North Sea, this book shows how observations from outcrop analogues, core and seismic data can be used to characterize the density, distribution and geometry of natural fractures in chalk and marl. Laboratory experiments on chalk samples reveal the controls on the geomechanical properties of chalk and thus on the growth of natural fractures. Finally, various modeling techniques are employed to investigate the mechanical deformation in the chalk structures of the Danish North Sea and to predict fracture distribution and geometry in the subsurface.

An understanding of fracture density, distribution and geometry is essential for planning efficient fluid extraction or injection strategies and CO₂ sequestration. This book provides the necessary knowledge.

Environmental impacts created by the textiles and fashion sector are well known and acknowledged by various stakeholders involved in the entire supply chain. The entire lifecycle of textile products creates various impacts to the environment and hence any attempts to alleviate the impacts are highly welcomed. The whole sector is keen to investigate novel sustainable alternatives in terms of raw materials, processes, approaches to make the entire textiles and fashion sector more sustainable. This broad title of novel sustainable alternatives can be split into three subtopics: novel raw material alternatives, novel process alternative and novel alternative approaches. This volume is dedicated to deal with the novel sustainable alternative approaches for the textiles and fashion industry.

Environmental impacts created by the textiles and fashion sector are well known and acknowledged by various stakeholders involved in the entire supply chain. The entire lifecycle of textile products creates various impacts to the environment and hence any attempts to alleviate the impacts are highly welcomed. The whole sector is keen to investigate novel sustainable alternatives in terms of raw materials, processes, approaches to make the entire textiles and fashion sector more sustainable. This broad title of novel sustainable alternatives can be split into three subtopics: novel raw material alternatives, novel process alternative and novel alternative approaches. This volume is dedicated to dealing with novel sustainable raw material alternatives for the textiles and fashion industry.

This book showcases the latest trends and innovations in the field of Green Building, covering topics from research and design to innovative practices and challenges. It is a compilation of communication papers presented at the 2023 International Conference on Green Building (ICoGB 2023), a leading annual event that focuses on sharing and discussing developments in this field. Green Building principles constitute key aspects to achieve the sustainable development goals. This conference is dedicated to providing a platform for researchers, scientists, engineers, and scholars to exchange and share their experiences, new ideas, and research and to discuss the challenges encountered as well as the solutions adopted.

ICoGB 2023 was organized in Malmo, Sweden, during May 19–21, 2023. The target audience are all professionals in the building design and construction fields, such as architects, engineers, scholars, researchers, builders, promoters, among others.

This book provides accurate and integrated information about land resources especially with the accelerated progress of information technology to help Egypt and similar countries to achieve the country sustainable development goals in the field of agriculture and natural resources. The Egyptian National sustainable development plans mainly aim to conserve the arable lands in the Nile Delta and the Nile Valley, in addition to the oases and desert fringes. Moreover, increasing land productivity is a vital national goal for filling the food gap.  Consequently, providing accurate and integrated information about land natural resources using the recent technologies such as satellite data/images and geoinformatics techniques. Such information would be a base for planning, decision making and research needs all over the world due to the importance of Egypt as the biggest and leading country in the MENA regions.

The book provides land natural resources database as a platform, upon which additional thematic information can be added in the future to serve multi approached sustainable development. The book highlights the usage of digital information in monitoring urban planning and encroachment, in addition to soil and land capability classification. Moreover, networks of irrigation/drainages, railways, and utilities are added for a wide management range. Various available information systems were employed to initiate the targeted land resources database (e.g., ArcGIS, ERDAS IMAGINE and ENVI). Data of previous soil survey projects were the basis for the created digital database including High Dam Soil Survey, Soil map of Egypt and Land Master Plane.

The Digital Elevation Model (DEM) was elaborated using SRTM space images, in addition to spot heights and contour lines derived from the topographic maps (scale 1:50,000) produced by the Egyptian Survey Authority (ESA). The resulted thematic layers were incorporated in the created GIS land resources database. 

The book is a unique and a great source of information and knowledge for all researchers around the globe particularly for MENA regions. Researchers, graduate students, the policy planners and decision making will find this book very useful for them. are most people who could benefit from the book. We believe the book will be an added value to the existing information and knowledge.

This book contains a comprehensive guide to the latest developments in building and bridge construction. The book covers a wide range of topics, including the use of advanced materials such as fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP) composites and the incorporation of smart technologies into design and construction of buildings and bridges.

The book discusses advantages of using FRP composites in building and bridge construction. It then goes on to explore the use of smart technologies, such as sensors and structural health monitoring systems, to improve performance and safety of structures. It also covers the use of advanced concrete and masonry materials and methods, including high-performance concrete, self-consolidating concrete, and advanced masonry systems.

The book is written for engineers, architects, and construction professionals and provides a detailed overview of the latest research and developments in the field. It includes case studies and practical examples to illustrate key concepts and techniques, making it an invaluable resource for those involved in building and bridge construction.

With its comprehensive coverage of the latest advances in building and bridge construction, "Advances in Concrete, Masonry and FRP Composite Smart Buildings and Bridges" is an essential guide for anyone looking to stay current with the latest trends and technologies in the industry.

This book examines green transition and circular economy in the fields of building design and Real Estate management. By outlining windows for seizing the opportunity to integrate circular approaches in current building practices, the book provides information tools to support building stakeholders (e.g. building designer and managers, manufacturers, Real Estate owners, maintenance operators, facility managers, etc.) in: (i) understanding circular re-strategies (e.g. reuse, remanufacturing, repurposing, etc.), the related requirements and the pre-conditions for their implementation within building design and management practices; (ii) reviewing design approaches at the product and building scale, also highlighting new circularity-related contents for the Briefing Documents; (iii) developing circular organizational and contract models for the procurement of Facility Management services, also integrating new circularity-related contents in Invitations to Tenders (ITTs); and (iv) assessing the quality and the effectiveness of circular practices, also highlighting circularity performance metrics and indicators in the context of corporate sustainability reporting.

The book offers a comprehensive overview of the challenges and opportunities associated with the transition to sustainable energy, circular economy, and sustainable financing for ESG practices. The publication is needed at this time because the world is facing urgent environmental and social challenges, such as climate change, resource depletion, and social inequality, which require a fundamental transformation of our economic and social systems. The transition to sustainable energy, circular economy, and sustainable financing for ESG practices offers a promising pathway to address these challenges and achieve sustainable development goals.

The purpose of the publication is to provide a holistic and practical guide for policymakers, business leaders, investors, and other stakeholders who are interested in advancing sustainable energy, circular economy, and ESG practices. The book covers a range of topics, including the drivers of the transition, policy frameworks and regulations, technology and innovation, business models and financial instruments, and the role of stakeholders in facilitating the transition. It also emphasizes the importance of integrated approaches that balance economic, social, and environmental objectives, and provides practical examples and case studies of successful sustainable energy, circular economy, and ESG practices from around the world.

The new contribution of this publication is its interdisciplinary and practical approach to sustainable energy, circular economy, and ESG practices. The book draws on the latest research from various fields, including economics, engineering, environmental science, and social science, and provides a synthesis of best practices and lessons learned from a diverse range of stakeholders, such as governments, businesses, and civil society organizations. The publication also provides a roadmap for how stakeholders can work together overcome the challenges of the transition and create a more sustainable and equitable future.

The book is a timely and essential guide for anyone who is interested in advancing sustainable development goals. The book provides a comprehensive overview of the challenges and opportunities associated with the transition to sustainable energy, circular economy, and sustainable financing for ESG practices and offers practical solutions and case studies from around the world. Its interdisciplinary and practical approach makes it a valuable resource for policymakers, business leaders, investors, and other stakeholders who are committed to creating a more sustainable and equitable future.

This proposed book aims to present an analysis of several crisis issues induced by global climate changes and implications at the micro-level, particularly from the perspective of ground-based study. Climate crisis leads to several socio-ecological issues which need to discuss with some empirical case studies from the contextual global evidences. Climatic crisis generates several social responses which are associated with mitigating issues in addition to sustainable development goals. Under these circumstances, several loopholes interlinked with climatic crisis need to expose in the present-day context. This book argues that it is important to understand the issues from multiple dimensions. It identifies some important dimensions to discuss in the process. Themes we purpose to cover are: several field-based studies are included for which micro-level field-based data would incorporate to understand current crisis induced by climate change, thus exposing the vulnerabilities of the communities which would be incorporated in different chapters with adequate representation of qualitative methods, modelling-based geospatial approach. Therefore, some secondary data-based studies have also been included to provide a broader picture.

Additionally, this book aims to provide an interdisciplinary understanding of the issues mainly from the lenses of Geography, Economics, and Sociology as well as Environmental Studies too. Given the focus of this study, it is believed that an approach that harmonizes the cognitive domain from different discipline is appropriated. A combination of chapters using qualitative as well as quantitative methods also made this book exclusive from others. We believe that this edited book surely contributes the knowledge domain with some relevant chapters’ discussion in the contemporary time and leads to reduce the gap of knowledge.

This contributed volume presents an attempt to understand climatic variability and induced risk to livelihood of communities and to offer insights on how catastrophic conditions and crises can be mitigated through public policy interventions. The case studies herein offer insights into different spheres and domains affected by climate change and present models of adaptation possibilities. The book is divided into three thematic sections. The first contains chapters that deal with assessing the effects of climate change. The second section offers perspectives on adaptation and governance, vulnerability in the context of sustainable livelihoods. The third and last section looks at Policy and Governance, with respect to climatic change adaptation and mitigations. The lessons contained in this volume are useful to a wide audience including research scholars, students, policymakers, and planners.

This volume contains the proceedings of the 2023 iteration of the ISPGAYA conference, titled “Digital Sustainability: Inclusion and Transformation” and held in Vila Nova de Gaia, Portugal. The conference and resulting book intend to explore the involvement of Portugal, a country on the semi-periphery of the world system, in developments regarding the understanding of and progress toward sustainability. The conference was organized by ISPGAYA, an institution belonging to the private polytechnic higher education system in Portugal, and brought together participants from around the world. This volume intends to establish a milestone in the multidimensional approach to the theme of sustainability, affirming the concept's multi and interdisciplinary nature and bringing together scholars across disciplines.

This book delves into the complexities of urban crises, focusing on the efforts of researchers and practitioners who confront precarious housing and forced displacement. Originating from the 8th International Conference on Building Resilience (convened in November 2018 in Lisbon, Portugal), this book examines challenges across diverse contexts and geographies, including Chile, India, Kenya, Mexico, Portugal, and Syria. Structured in three parts, the book's 12 chapters address disaster prevention and recovery, humanitarian architecture, and issues related to housing, migration, and urban forced displacement. The narratives emphasize vulnerabilities, community-driven design, and cross-cultural perspectives, comprehensively reviewing global urban planning, slum upgrading, and incremental housing strategies. The contributions engage readers with practical insights for mitigating urban vulnerability and intellectual analyses that consider the complexities of life amid systemic injustices. Ultimately, the authors suggest integrating architectural practice with social work within communities to address intricate urban housing challenges.

This book includes the insights of a seminar that was held at IUAV University of Venice, on May 29th and 30th featuring 10 speakers. 8 speakers, 2 moderators, and 1 organizer from the seminar, plus 10 other authors contributed to this book. The writers’ expertise spans from local climate adaptation planning, public policy analysis, climate and environmental finance, and climate adaptation advocacy to multi-risk analysis, GIS, disaster risk management, ecosystem services assessment, urban geography, art, and civic engagement. The book contents address adaptation and flood risk mitigation along the Science-Policy-Action path - both theoretical and operative perspectives are discussed. EU climate adaptation policy and finance, climate adaptation implementation, flood risk analysis, nature-based solutions, blue ecosystem services, regional adaptation planning, and critical infrastructure adaptation are the topics investigated in depth by the writers.

This book underscores the idea of harnessing the sustainable designs and materials in nature and integrating them into the field of engineering to design innovative materials and structures with multifunctional properties targeting defense, automotive, aerospace, electronics, nuclear, healthcare, energy, sports, packaging, etc. to offer improved safety, reliability, performance, durability, sustainability, and functionality. The concept of sustainability involves the understanding of how nature has evolved solutions to various challenges over millions of years and applying these principles to design innovative materials and structures with multifunctional properties. This book provides a thorough examination of the methods and techniques used in developing sustainable materials and structures, highlighting their potential for multifunctional applications. The book delves into the expansion of our understanding in this field, which is accompanied by novel synthesis and processing methods. These methods and techniques incorporate sustainable strategies, to create innovative materials and systems to offer a wide range of properties and functions, making them highly attractive for various applications in different fields of advanced technology. In addition, these materials and structures can be tailored to have specific properties and functions, such as self-healing capabilities, high strength-to-weight ratios, and enhanced energy absorption which are the prime requirements for the researchers looking for lightweight materials and structures.

This book offers a comprehensive detail about the role that corporate social responsibility can play in promoting sustainable development thereby ensuring a resilient and greener future for all. The book emphasises how business strategies and environmental harmony are becoming more integrated, thereby supporting the agenda towards a sustainable development.

The synergistic and symbiotic relationship between social responsibility and sustainability has evolved over the years with enterprises becoming more aware of their commitment towards ethical, equitable, inclusive, and environmentally conscious practices. Adopting a socially responsible attitude by the new age entrepreneurs represents the paradigm shift in how corporations understand and undertake their regular activities. The traditional objective of wealth maximisation that the enterprises followed led to severe misutilisation of resources in terms of its environmental and societal impact and led to severe corporate disasters. It gave rise to adopting alternative objectives that are not only holistic but also combine concern for profits, humanity, society, and, above all, the environment. The result is that almost every major corporation has adopted a code of conduct and established the necessary management structures and procedures to ensure compliance with the newly framed objective of socially responsible profits. Consequently, the concept of corporate social responsibility has acquired momentum in recent times. This has come after the realisation that social responsibility is a significant environmental and organisational sustainability dimension that only some enterprises can sustain for a while. Over the years, this harmonisation has ushered in significant progress, reshaping the perspective of businesses towards their societal and environmental impact.

The volume of Springer Proceedings in Geoarchaeology and Archaeological Mineralogy contains selected papers presented at the 10th Geoarchaeology Conference, which took place during September 18–21, 2023, at the South Urals Federal Research Center, the Ural Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Miass, Russia. The Proceedings unite studies in the fields of archaeometry, geoarchaeology, and ancient technologies, based on cases from northern Eurasia, and include archaeometallurgy, stone tools investigation, exploitation of geological resources in the past, bioarchaeology, residue analysis, pottery and lithics investigation, use of the GIS in archaeology. A study of non-organic materials, rocks, minerals, ores, metals, metallurgical slags is a special focus of the book. Many papers also use modern analytical methods of isotopic, chemical, and mineralogical analysis to study the composition and structure of ancient materials and the technological practices of past human populations of Modern Russia, Caucasus, and Serbia. The volume is intended for archaeologists, historians, museum staff, and geologists, as well as students, researchers from other disciplines, and the general public interested in the interdisciplinary research in the field of archaeology and archaeological materials, strategies and techniques of past quarrying, mining, metallurgy and lithic technologies at different chronological periods in Northern Eurasia.

This book offers a comprehensive exploration of climate justice intertwined with energy transitions, specifically focusing on the unique challenges and opportunities in developing countries. It presents a series of in-depth studies and discussions across various dimensions such as legal frameworks, economic incentives, gender issues, and the socio-economic impacts of energy policies. By dissecting complex relationships like those between renewable energy consumption and employment in Nigeria as well as the impacts of financial development, official development assistance, institutional quality and foreign direct investment on energy transition in Africa, this book illuminates the multifaceted nature of sustainable development. Starting with an overarching introduction to the imperatives of climate justice and the necessity for energy transition, the book delves into detailed analyses including the challenges and opportunities in renewable energy, the impacts of fossil fuel dependency and reforms, and the critical role of legal and institutional frameworks in supporting just transitions. Subsequent chapters discuss the gender-specific impacts of energy policies, the potential of international partnerships, and the entrepreneurial ventures emerging within just energy markets. Further, the book addresses public engagement, the educational imperatives for climate and energy literacy, and the intricate links between climate-induced migration, conflicts, and energy policies. It also explores the economic frameworks that can facilitate a just transition, evaluates the role of carbon markets in climate justice, and assesses how energy transitions impact water and food security. The book concludes by synthesizing key findings and offering strategic recommendations for integrating climate justice into energy transition policies. This final chapter provides actionable insights for policymakers, stakeholders, and communities aimed at fostering sustainable and equitable energy solutions. Targeted at policymakers, academics, and professionals involved in energy and climate policy, as well as students and researchers, this book serves as an essential resource for anyone committed to advancing sustainable and just energy transitions in developing countries.

This book provides a detailed analysis of the past and current political developments in the Gulf and Middle East region and the global geopolitical landscape. It is the result of the 1st International Arabian Gulf Security Conference which was hosted by the American University in the Emirates. The book focuses on a widespread of aspects such security and technological advancements in the formation of (trans)-regional alliances, mitigating local and global socio-economic developments. It addresses the evolving geopolitical landscape of the region, urging countries participating in new alliances to strengthen their partnerships and highlighting the role of a particular country in preserving regional alliances across different sub-regions. It explores the shifting dynamics of regional alliances in the Arab-Gulf and wider Asian regions. The focus shows how technological advancements and changing global socio-economic factors have influenced the formation and strengthening of these non-realist alliances through highlighting the importance of preserving these partnerships in the face of evolving geopolitical challenges. Moreover, further analysis has been addressed regarding the legal doctrine of responsibility and its application in the context of the Syrian conflict and how it has impacted the development and interpretation of international law. It explores the legal and ethical considerations surrounding humanitarian interventions in response to the use of chemical weapons. In addition, it sheds light on some of the current events influencing the region and its impact such as COVID-19, where it discusses the challenges and opportunities presented by the pandemic in terms of public policy and social welfare. use of chemical weapons. In addition, it sheds light on some of the current events influencing the region and its impact such as COVID-19, where it discusses the challenges and opportunities presented by the pandemic in terms of public policy and social welfare.

This book provides an extensive critical review of seismic inversion methods and applications. Hydrocarbon reservoir extensions and properties cannot be accurately defined from information provided by geological data, geophysical data, and well log data. Seismic data has adequate spatial coverage but lacks vertical resolution, while well data has excellent vertical resolution but spatially sparse. Seismic reflection amplitudes are related to pore fill and lithology changes. Seismic AVO analysis and inversion exploit variation of amplitudes with angle of incidence to derive useful attributes and elastic rock properties such as velocity, impedance, and density. Seismic inversion attempts to fill the gap between and away from the already drilled wells with rock properties that are available from the measured and/or interpreted well log data. In this endeavour, seismic data, well log data, and all available geological model data are integrated to predict rock and ultimately reservoir properties such as porosity, water saturation, shale content, brittleness, and pore pressure. This book is aimed at graduate and postgraduate students, academics, and geoscientist exploiting earth resources. It is especially directed to oil and gas industry professionals in supporting their efforts in quantitative reservoir description from seismic data. While brief theoretical derivations are provided to understand power and limitations of inversion methods used, emphasis has been on the practical applications. A comprehensive critical review of the seismic inversion and AVO theory and applications published and presented at technical meetings is provided with ample references and further references for probing geoscientists.

This proceedings book dedicates to publish exceptionally important and high-quality, agenda-setting research so as to tackle the key global and societal challenges of ensuring the provision of energy and protecting our environment for the future. The book appeals to chemical scientists, chemical and process engineers, energy researchers, bio-scientists, and environmental scientists from across academia, industry, and government. The scope is intentionally broad, and the book recognizes the complexity of issues and challenges relating to energy conversion and storage, alternative fuel technologies and environmental science. The main topics of this book include but not limit to (1) environmental pollution analysis and control; (2) carbon emissions, carbon sequestration, and carbon reduction; (3) low carbon urban planning, landscape design, and the related environmental effects; (4) green building design, building energy conservation, and building environmental management; (5) clean energy technology and application; (6) grid-connected renewable energy systems and sustainable energy management; (7) energy saving and heat transfer technology.

All scales of studies and analysis, from impactful fundamental advances, to interdisciplinary research across the (bio)chemical, (bio/geo)physical sciences, and chemical engineering disciplines are welcomed. So, this book is linked to the energy-environment nexus and is of significant general interest to our community-spanning readership.

The book provides a comprehensive exploration of the innovative strategies, smart recycling solutions, and advanced technologies that enable the sustainable utilization of wastewater resources. This book aims to shed light on the untapped potential of wastewater as a valuable resource and to present practical approaches for unlocking its benefits through intelligent recycling solutions and cutting-edge technologies. By exploring smart recycling solutions, advanced technologies, and best practices in resource recovery, this book will empower readers to unlock the full potential of wastewater resources for a more sustainable and resilient future. With increasing concerns about water scarcity, pollution, and resource depletion, there is a growing demand for comprehensive resources that address wastewater management challenges. The book will serve as a comprehensive guide, offering insights, case studies, and practical solutions for readers interested in the intersection of smart recycling, advanced technologies, and sustainable resource management in the context of wastewater. This book aims to inspire positive changes in current practices and contribute to a more sustainable and environmentally conscious future. 

This edited volume is based on the accepted papers for presentation at the 3rd MedGU Annual Meeting, Istanbul 2023. With four parts spanning a large spectrum of geological and geophysical topics, this book presents a series of newest research studies that are nowadays relevant to Middle East, Mediterranean region, and Africa. The book gives a general overview on current research, focusing on geoenvironmental issues and challenges in hydrogeosciences in the Middle East and Mediterranean region and surrounding areas. It offers a broad range of recent studies that discuss the latest advances in geoenvironmental and hydrogeosciences from diverse backgrounds including climate change, geoecology, biogeochemistry, water resources management, and environmental monitoring and assessment. It shares insights on how the understanding of ecological, climatological, oceanic and hydrological processes is the key for improving practices in environment management, including the eco-responsibility, scientific integrity, and social and ethical dimensions.

Why has global economic growth failed to deliver equity, sustainability, and well-being for all? Despite decades of growth-centric and free-market policies, poverty and inequality persist, and the unchecked exploitation of natural resources threatens the planet’s future. This thought-provoking book critically examines the limitations of current economic models and highlights how growth has often been achieved at the cost of environmental and social health.

Drawing from ancient Indian philosophical traditions, historical and cultural practices—while steering clear of religious dogma—the authors challenge the modern obsession with profit maximization, consumerism, and self-interest. They advocate for a behavioral and ethical transformation in economic thinking: one rooted in community, sustainability, and intergenerational equity.

This work is the product of years of dialogue with scholars, thinkers, and practitioners, and offers a powerful alternative vision: an economy that not only thrives but also uplifts all.

This book offers a rich compilation of diverse research, innovative practices, and forward-thinking strategies that redefine how cities can grow sustainably while effectively adapting to climate impacts. In an era characterized by rapid urbanization and escalating climate challenges, the need for sustainable cities has never been more urgent. This comprehensive book, compiled from conference proceedings, explores how cities can evolve and transform into resilient, inclusive, and ecologically balanced urban environments through holistic, integrated approaches.

The book is organized into four parts, each addressing a key dimension of green urbanism and resilience.

This book serves as a valuable resource for urban planners, environmental researchers, policymakers, and stakeholders in community development. It goes beyond theoretical discussions, showcasing case studies and practical examples from different parts of the world, including Belgium, Italy, Brazil, and Indonesia. By addressing diverse geographic and socio-economic contexts, the book presents a well-rounded perspective on the opportunities and challenges inherent in transitioning to more sustainable urban forms.

Through its interdisciplinary approach, this collection encourages readers to think broadly and act locally. It illuminates how the collective power of urban planning, technological innovation, community engagement, and circular economy can be harnessed to foster environmental sustainability and social resilience and equity. Ultimately, it inspires hope for the future of urban environments, where cities become models of resilience, inclusivity, and ecological harmony.

The book provides a critical evaluation of South Africa’s freshwater resources to illustrate the way in which its freshwater resources, water access, services and infrastructure have continued to decline over the past three decades. The continued decline of water governance, management, water service delivery, dilapidated water infrastructure, dysfunctional local governments and overall excessive water degradation is illustrated and emphasized using real-life examples and case studies from various contexts within the country.

An inter-disciplinary evaluation of South Africa’s current water predicament is provided, major water crises are prioritized, and suitable recommendations are given to transform its predicament into problems which can be addressed. Suitable background information is given to emphasize the necessity of good water governance, management, and service delivery. South Africa’s freshwater resources are evaluated with specific focus on the decline of informed water governance, management, service delivery and water quality. Factors requiring urgent attention are determined and suitable recommendations and/or actions are provided.

South Africa’s already scarce freshwater resources and decaying infrastructure will persist and possibly collapse if no major actions or interventions are implemented.