Background:People working outdoors in the Map Ta Phut pollution control area of Thailand require comprehen-sive health monitoring.In the past,studies have been done on the health effects of pollutants.However,there ar...Background:People working outdoors in the Map Ta Phut pollution control area of Thailand require comprehen-sive health monitoring.In the past,studies have been done on the health effects of pollutants.However,there are few studies on musculoskeletal disorders(MSDs),and Thailand is struggling to meet the Sustainable Development Goals.Methods:This cross-sectional study examines access to health services and factors affecting MSDs among outdoor pollution workers(OPWs).The sample group includes OPWs,including local fisherman,street vendors,public car drivers,and traffic police.We studied 50 people from each of these groups,for a total of 200 people.Data were analyzed with inferential statistics using Chi-square test,McNemar test,and Univariate logistic regression.Results:The OPWs reported experiencing significantly more total MSDs pain than they did in the past(P<0.05).Factors affecting current MSDs pain,including occupation and working days per week,were significant(P<0.05).The street vendor group and public car driver group had(odds ratio[OR]=2.253,95%confidence interval[CI]:1.101 to 5.019)and(OR=2.681,95%CI:1.191 to 6.032)times higher risks of MSDs pain,respectively.OPWs who work>5 days per week had a(OR=1.464,95%CI:1.093 to 2.704)times higher risk of MSDs pain.52.7%of OPWs with MSDs,pain(n=110)had received an annual health check-up.In the past year,50.9%had minor illnesses and 21.8%had severe illnesses.OPWs receiving free treatment and visiting health service stations for no cost comprised 77.3%and 51.8%,respectively.60.9%used their right to receive treatment with universal health insurance cards.Conclusions:The study indicates that occupational groups with MSDs pain problems should exercise this right,according to the worker protection law.Local health agencies should organize activities or create accessible media to promote preventive medicine services,as many OPWs believe that health services can only be accessed when illness occurs.展开更多
The rapid urbanization and increasing challenges are faced by cities globally,including climate change,population growth,and resource constraints.Sustainable smart city(also referred to as“smart sustainable city”)ca...The rapid urbanization and increasing challenges are faced by cities globally,including climate change,population growth,and resource constraints.Sustainable smart city(also referred to as“smart sustainable city”)can offer innovative solutions by integrating advanced technologies to build smarter,greener,and more livable urban environments with significant benefits.Using the Web of Science(WoS)database,this study examined:(i)the mainstream approaches and current research trends in the literature of sustainable smart city;(ii)the extent to which the research of sustainable smart city aligns with Sustainable Development Goals(SDGs);(iii)the current topics and collaboration patterns in sustainable smart city research;and(iv)the potential opportunities for future research on the sustainable smart city field.The findings indicated that research on sustainable smart city began in 2010 and gained significant momentum in 2013,with China leading,followed by Italy and Spain.Moreover,59.00%of the selected publications on the research of sustainable smart city focus on SDG 11(Sustainable Cities and Communities).Bibliometric analysis outcome revealed that artificial intelligence(AI),big data,machine learning,and deep learning are emerging research fields.The terms smart city,smart cities,and sustainability emerged as the top three co-occurring keywords with the highest link strength,followed by frequently co-occurring keywords such as AI,innovation,big data,urban governance,resilience,machine learning,and Internet of Things(IoT).The clustering results indicated that current studies explored the theoretical foundation,challenges,and future prospects of sustainable smart city,with an emphasis on sustainability.To further support urban sustainability and the attainment of SDGs,the future research of sustainable smart city should explore the application and implications of AI and big data on urban development including cybersecurity and governance challenges.展开更多
Blindness affected 45 million people globally in 2021,and moderate to severe vision loss a further 295 million.[1]The most common causes,cataract and uncorrected refractive error,are generally the easiest to treat,and...Blindness affected 45 million people globally in 2021,and moderate to severe vision loss a further 295 million.[1]The most common causes,cataract and uncorrected refractive error,are generally the easiest to treat,and are among the most cost-effective procedures in all of medicine and international development.[1-2]Thus,vision impairment is both extremely common and,in principle,readily manageable.展开更多
Sustainable Development Goal 2(SDG 2,zero hunger)highlights that global hunger and food insecurity have worsened since 2015,driven in part by growing imbalance.Addressing the challenge of achieving SDG 2 in the face o...Sustainable Development Goal 2(SDG 2,zero hunger)highlights that global hunger and food insecurity have worsened since 2015,driven in part by growing imbalance.Addressing the challenge of achieving SDG 2 in the face of rapid global population growth requires sustained attention to global and national cropland changes.Accurately quantifying the correlation between population and cropland area(i.e.,SDG 2.4.1 per capita cropland)and analyzing the trends of global cropland imbalance are essential for a comprehensive understanding of SDG 2.In this study,we utilized a new global 30 m land-cover dynamic dataset(GLC_FCS30D)to analyze cropland dynamics,quantify per capita cropland and its changes across various countries and levels of development.Our results indicate that the global cropland area expanded by 0.944 million km^(2)from 1985 to 2022,with an average expansion rate of 2.42×10^(4)km^(2)/yr.However,the global per capita cropland area decreased from 0.347 ha in 1985 to 0.217 ha in 2022,mainly due to a higher population increase of nearly 65%in the same period.In the context of globalization,cropland expansion and per capita cropland exhibited spatial imbalances globally,particularly in developing countries.Developing countries saw an increase in total cropland area by 7.09%but a significant decrease in per capita cropland area by 37.38%.From a temporal perspective,the global imbalance has been steadily increasing with the Gini index rising from 0.895 in 1985 to 0.909 in 2022.Consequently,this study reveals an increasing imbalance of global per capita cropland across various countries,which threatens the attainment of the targets of SDG 2.展开更多
This year marks the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between China and Mozambique.To commemorate this milestone,ChinAfrica spoke with Maria Gustava,Mozambique’s ambassador to China,about the state of bilatera...This year marks the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between China and Mozambique.To commemorate this milestone,ChinAfrica spoke with Maria Gustava,Mozambique’s ambassador to China,about the state of bilateral relations,China-Africa cooperation,and key developments shaping the global landscape.展开更多
Urban areas’performance in water,energy,infrastructure,and socio-economic sectors is intertwined and measurable through Sustainable Development Goals(SDGs)6–13.Effective synergy among these is critical for sustainab...Urban areas’performance in water,energy,infrastructure,and socio-economic sectors is intertwined and measurable through Sustainable Development Goals(SDGs)6–13.Effective synergy among these is critical for sustainability.This study constructs an indicator framework that reflects progress towards these urban SDGs in China.Findings indicate underperformance in SDGs 8–11,suggesting the need for transformative actions.Through network analysis,the research reveals complementarities among these SDGs.Notably,the SDG space divides into socio-economic and ecological clusters,with SDG 6(Clean Water and Sanitation)central to both.Additionally,SDG 8(Decent Work and Economic Growth)and SDG 9(Industry,Innovation,and Infrastructure)act as bridges,while greater synergies exist between SDG 12(Responsible Consumption and Production)and SDG 13(Climate Action).An in-depth view at the indicator-level shows a core-periphery structure,emphasizing indicators like SDG 6.2(Wastewater Treatment Rate)and SDG 6.6(Recycled Water Production Capacity per capita)as pivotal.This study confirms the urban SDG space’s stability and predictiveness,underscoring its value in steering well-aligned policy decisions for sustainable growth.展开更多
Ecosystem services in urban agglomerations are the environmental conditions under which human survival and development are sustained.Quantitative assessment of ecosystem services and complex interactions can contribut...Ecosystem services in urban agglomerations are the environmental conditions under which human survival and development are sustained.Quantitative assessment of ecosystem services and complex interactions can contribute positively to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals(SDGs)for urban agglomerations.However,studies on the future contribution of multi-scenario ecosystem services to the SDGS are lacking.We pronovel integrated modeling framework that integrates the CLUES,InVEST,SOM,and GWR approaches to address the complex relationship between ecosystem services over a long“past-present-future”time series.We construct a novel ecosystem service bundle-based approach for measuring urban agglomerations progress towards achieving ecologically relevant sustainable development goals at multiple scales.In the future scenario,the water yield(WY),habitat quality(HQ),and soil conservation(SC)show similar spatial patterns,with comparable spatial grids,while carbon stock(CS)remains predominantly unchanged and the ecological protection scenario(EPS)improves more significantly.The high-synergy regions are mainly distributed in bundle 4,and most of the trade-off regions appear in bundles 1 and 2.Over the last 30 years,all but the water-related SDGs are declining in bundle 1 of the two urban agglomerations,which are 15%higher in the Guangxi Beibu Gulf(GBG)than in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area(GBA).From 2020 to 2035,the three scenarios demonstrate that the optimization of the SDGs progresses most effectively under the future ecological protection scenario(EPS).In particular,bundles 3 and 4 are significantly improved.This critical new knowledge can be used in sustainable ecosystem management and decision-making in urban agglomerations.展开更多
Geography is a discipline that touches multiple sciences and has been key to bridging numerous fields of knowl edge.This gives geography the advantage of connecting natural(e.g.,biology,ecology,climatology,geomorphol ...Geography is a discipline that touches multiple sciences and has been key to bridging numerous fields of knowl edge.This gives geography the advantage of connecting natural(e.g.,biology,ecology,climatology,geomorphol ogy)with social and human(e.g.,education,demography,sociology)sciences.The spatialisation of information from different sciences allows us to understand distribution patterns and connections between different realities.Thus,geographical knowledge is essential for an integrated and consistent understanding of our world.The Sus tainable Development Goals(SDGs)established by the United Nations(UN)in 2015 were essential to unifying the world towards a common goal.To achieve these,17 goals and 169 targets were created,and knowledge from multiple sciences is needed to support them.It is a huge challenge,and different knowledge branches are needed to connect.Geography and geographical knowledge have this capacity and support all 17 goals and 169 targets.Although this is a reality,as it will be explained in this editorial,SDG’s achievement for some is becoming utopic and unrealistic due to our world’s differences.It is time to think about the post-2030 SDGs,in which geography and geographic knowledge will be essential unequivocally.展开更多
Ecosystems play a pivotal role in advancing Sustainable Development Goals(SDGs)by providing indispensable and resilient ecosystem services(ESs).However,the limited analysis of spatiotemporal heterogeneity often re str...Ecosystems play a pivotal role in advancing Sustainable Development Goals(SDGs)by providing indispensable and resilient ecosystem services(ESs).However,the limited analysis of spatiotemporal heterogeneity often re stricts the recognition of ESs’roles in attaining SDGs and landscape planning.We selected 183 counties in the Sichuan Province as the study area and mapped 10 SDGs and 7 ESs from 2000 to 2020.We used correlation analysis,principal component analysis,Geographically and Temporally Weighted Regression model,and self organizing maps to reveal the spatiotemporal heterogeneity of the impacts of the bundle of ESs on the SDGs and to develop spatial planning and management strategies.The results showed that(1)SDGs were improved in all counties,with SDG 1(No Poverty)and SDG 3(Good Health and Well-being)exhibiting poor performance.West ern Sichuan demonstrated stronger performance in environment-related SDGs in the Sichuan Province,while the Sichuan Basin showed better progress in socio-economic-related SDGs;(2)habitat quality,carbon sequestration,air pollution removal,and soil retention significantly influenced the development of 9 SDGs;(3)supporting,regulating,and provisioning service bundles have persistent and stable spatiotemporal heterogeneity effects on SDG1,SDG8,SDG11,SDG13,and SDG15.These findings substantiate the need for integrated management of multiple ESs and facilitate the regional achievement of SDGs in geographically intricate areas.展开更多
The county(city)located on the northern slope of the Kunlun Mountains is the primary area to solidify and extend the success of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region,China in poverty alleviation.Its Sustainable Development...The county(city)located on the northern slope of the Kunlun Mountains is the primary area to solidify and extend the success of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region,China in poverty alleviation.Its Sustainable Development Goals(SDGs)are intertwined with the concerted economic and social development of Xinjiang and the objective of achieving shared prosperity within the region.This study established a sustainable development evaluation framework by selecting 15 SDGs and 20 secondary indicators from the United Nations’SDGs.The aim of this study is to quantitatively assess the progress of SDGs at the county(city)level on the northern slope of the Kunlun Mountains.The results indicate that there are substantial variations in the scores of SDGs among the nine counties and one city located on the northern slope of the Kunlun Mountains.Notable high scores of SDGs are observed in the central and eastern regions,whereas lower scores are prevalent in the western areas.The scores of SDGs,in descending order,are as follows:62.22 for Minfeng County,54.22 for Hotan City,50.21 for Qiemo County,42.54 for Moyu County,41.56 for Ruoqiang County,41.39 for Qira County,39.86 for Lop County,38.25 for Yutian County,38.10 for Pishan County,and 36.87 for Hotan County.The performances of SDGs reveal that Hotan City,Lop County,Minfeng County,and Ruoqiang County have significant sustainable development capacity because they have three or more SDGs ranked as green color.However,Hotan County,Moyu County,Qira County,and Yutian County show the poorest performance,as they lack SDGs with green color.It is important to establish and enhance mechanisms that can ensure sustained income growth among poverty alleviation beneficiaries,sustained improvement in the capacity of rural governance,and the gradual improvement of social security system.These measures will facilitate the effective implementation of SDGs.Finally,this study offers a valuable support for governmental authorities and relevant departments in their decision-making processes.In addition,these results hold significant reference value for assessing SDGs at the county(city)level,particularly in areas characterized by low levels of economic development.展开更多
This study examines the transformative role of self-help groups(SHGs)in the socioeconomic development of rural women in Cooch Behar District,India,and their contribution toward achieving Sustainable Development Goals(...This study examines the transformative role of self-help groups(SHGs)in the socioeconomic development of rural women in Cooch Behar District,India,and their contribution toward achieving Sustainable Development Goals(SDGs)of the United Nations.In this study,we explored the effect of SHGs on rural women by specifically addressing SDGs,such as no poverty(SDG 1),zero hunger(SDG 2),good health and well-being(SDG 3),quality education(SDG 4),and gender equality(SDG 5).Given this issue,a cross-sectional survey and comparison analyses are needed to assess the socioeconomic development of rural women and their awareness level before and after the participation of rural women in SHGs.The survey conducted as part of this study was divided into three sections,namely,demographic characteristics,socioeconomic development,and awareness level,with each focusing on different aspects.A group of 400 individuals who were part of SHGs completed the questionnaire survey form.The results showed that the participation of rural women in SHGs significantly improved their socioeconomic development and awareness level,as supported by both mean values and t test results.Memberships in SHGs and microcredit programs were the major elements that boosted the socioeconomic development of rural women,which also achieves SDGs 1,2,3,4,and 5.This study revealed that participation in SHGs and related financial services significantly aided rural women in economically disadvantaged communities in accumulating savings and initiating entrepreneurial ventures.Moreover,participation in SHGs was instrumental in enhancing the self-confidence,self-efficacy,and overall self-esteem of rural women.Finally,doing so enabled them to move more freely for work and other activities and to make family and common decisions.展开更多
Urbanization and Sustainable Development Goals(SDGs)are important global issues in the current“Anthropocene”.Climate change and the COVID-19 pandemic have exacerbated global urban problems and hindered the ability t...Urbanization and Sustainable Development Goals(SDGs)are important global issues in the current“Anthropocene”.Climate change and the COVID-19 pandemic have exacerbated global urban problems and hindered the ability to meet SDGs on time,while the broad interlinkages between urbanization and the SDGs remain poorly understood.This study shows that among the interlinkages of urbanization with 17 SDGs,synergies are observed with 151 targets(89%),among which 67(40%)have stronger synergies,and trade-offs are observed with 66 targets(39%),among which 31(18%)have stronger trade-offs.Furthermore,the synergies and trade-offs between urbanization and the achievement of SDGs are specifically analyzed based on four fundamental interaction fields:(a)public health and social welfare equality;(b)energy consumption and economic growth;(c)natural resource use and ecological/environmental impacts;and(d)international cooperation for development.Finally,based on these analyses,we propose four recommendations for sustainable urbanization,including(a)shared well-being and spatial justice for urban and rural residents;(b)guiding green and low-carbon urban development;(c)building resilient cities;and(d)promoting multilateral cooperation in cities,which can contribute to the achievement of SDGs by 2030.展开更多
The COVID-19 pandemic has stalled and rolled back progress on Sustainable Development Goals(SDGs).Ecosys-tem services(ESs),defined as the contributions of ecosystems to human well-being,underpin the achievement of SDG...The COVID-19 pandemic has stalled and rolled back progress on Sustainable Development Goals(SDGs).Ecosys-tem services(ESs),defined as the contributions of ecosystems to human well-being,underpin the achievement of SDGs.To promote SDG achievement in post-pandemic era,we teased out the links between ESs and SDGs while examining the impact of COVID-19.We found that ESs benefited all SDGs,yet man-made pressures led to degra-dation of ecosystems and their services.There is broad consensus that the virus lurks in degraded ecosystems and generates spillover due to human interference.The pandemic and global lockdown/restriction disrupted the flow of ESs and altered human ESs demand,threatening the efforts for the SDGs.We suggested:1)to study the association and traceability of ESs-SDGs under the pandemic;2)to prioritize pressing issues such as health care,livelihood,and resource security and in the long run,we should promote human-nature harmony to achieve the SDGs;and 3)to enhance ESs and to promote the SDGs through local community efforts,ESs accounting,and ecosystem restoration.This paper provides insights into the importance of ESs to the SDGs and the ways to integrate ESs into socio-economic development to promote the SDG achievement after the pandemic.展开更多
The implementation of strategies to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals(SDGs)is frequently hindered by potential trade-offs between priorities for either environmental protection or human well-being.However,ecos...The implementation of strategies to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals(SDGs)is frequently hindered by potential trade-offs between priorities for either environmental protection or human well-being.However,ecosystem services(ES)-based solutions can offer possible co-benefits for SDGs implementation that are often overlooked or underexploited.In this study,we cover this gap and investigate how experts from different countries value the SDGs and relate them with ES.A total of 66 countries participated to the survey,and answers were grouped into three macro-regions:Asia;Europe,North America,and Oceania(ENO);Latin America,Caribbean and Africa(LA).Results show that the most prioritized SDGs in the three macro-regions are usually those related to essential material needs and environmental conditions,such as SDG2(Zero Hunger),SDG1(No Poverty),and SDG6(Clean Water).At a global scale,the number of prioritized synergies between SDGs and ES largely exceeded trade-offs.The highest amount of synergies was observed for SDG1(No Poverty),mainly with SDG2,SDG3(Good Health),SDG5(Gender Equality),and SDG8(Economic Growth).Other major synergies among SDGs include SDG14-15(Life below water-Life on land),SDG5-10(Gender Equity-Reduced Inequality),and SDG1-2(No poverty-Zero Hunger).At a global scale,SDG15,SDG13,SDG14,and SDG6 were closely related to ES like climate regulation,freshwater,food,water purification,biodiversity,and education.SDG11(Sustainable Cities)and SDG3 were also relevant in Asia and in LA,respectively.Overall,this study shows the potential to couple future policies that can implement SDGs’strategies while adopting ES-based solutions in different regions of the world.展开更多
Sustainable development is the theme of the 21st century. To monitor the progress of sustainable development, the United Nations launched Sustainable Development Goals(SDGs) in 2015. Subsequently, nations of the world...Sustainable development is the theme of the 21st century. To monitor the progress of sustainable development, the United Nations launched Sustainable Development Goals(SDGs) in 2015. Subsequently, nations of the world have drawn up a list of localized indicators regarding the United Nations SDGs as a paradigm. We established a database including SDGs indicator systems of 11 economies by collecting and determining a large number of materials. Based on this database, we analyzed SDGs indicators by designing a conceptual framework of comparative analysis that included three views. We found that the SDGs indicator systems of 11 economies are different between the number of indicators, the proportion of different categories, and the connotation of indicators. Although the SDGs indicator systems among economies regarded the United Nations SDGs as a framework and included the major social problems related to sustainability, the inconsistency between SDGs indicator systems is large. It is a major reason why scholars lack the systematic method for developing indicators. There are challenges faced in data accessibility. The framework for comparative analysis could be applied to different economies.展开更多
The Russian-Ukrainian armed conflict is a dramatic world event. Apart from the loss of life, the present conflicthas tremendous impacts on the environment, economy, and society. The conflict provoked a ripple of event...The Russian-Ukrainian armed conflict is a dramatic world event. Apart from the loss of life, the present conflicthas tremendous impacts on the environment, economy, and society. The conflict provoked a ripple of events withimplications at the global level, especially in energy and food. The escalation of this conflict is imposing severethreats to achieving the United Nations (UN) Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) not only to the countries di-rectly involved in the conflict but also to other countries, especially the developing ones that are more vulnerableto the economic crisis. In this editorial, we assessed the impacts of the Russian-Ukrainian conflict on BiophysicalSDGs, Social SDGs, Economic SDGs and Partnership for the Goals SDG that consider all the previous dimensions.The Russian-Ukrainian conflict’s impact on the SDGs is variable. Biodiversity SDGs are mainly affected at theregional level (Russia, Ukraine, surrounding and European Union countries). Society SDGs are affected at local(e.g., SDG3 good health and wellbeing;SDG4 quality education) and global (e.g., SDG2 zero hunger) levels. Fi-nally, the Russian-Ukrainian armed conflict has world-level implications for the economic SDGs. Nevertheless,the ongoing conflict’s impacts are not entirely understood, and several uncertainties exist. Peace is needed toachieve the UN’s SDGs in 2030.展开更多
In 2018,a total of US$166 billion global economic losses and a new high of 55.3 Gt of CO_(2)equivalent emission were generated by 831 climate-related extreme events.As the world’s largest CO_(2)emitter,we reported Ch...In 2018,a total of US$166 billion global economic losses and a new high of 55.3 Gt of CO_(2)equivalent emission were generated by 831 climate-related extreme events.As the world’s largest CO_(2)emitter,we reported China’s recent progresses and pitfalls in climate actions to achieve climate mitigation targets(i.e.,limit warming to 1.5-2°C above the pre-industrial level).We first summarized China’s integrated actions(2015 onwards)that benefit both climate change mitigation and Sustainable Development Goals(SDGs).These projects include re-structuring organizations,establishing working goals and actions,amending laws and regulations at national level,as well as increasing social awareness at community level.We then pointed out the shortcomings in different regions and sectors.Based on these analyses,we proposed five recommendations to help China improving its climate policy strategies,which include:1)restructuring the economy to balance short-term and long-term conflicts;2)developing circular economy with recycling mechanism and infrastructure;3)building up unified national standards and more accurate indicators;4)completing market mechanism for green economy and encouraging green consumption;and 5)enhancing technology innovations and local incentives via bottom-up actions.展开更多
Forests are considered as a sacred asset in India and have guided the way of living throughout its history.Indian forests not only accommodate the myriad species but also act as a survival support system to the commun...Forests are considered as a sacred asset in India and have guided the way of living throughout its history.Indian forests not only accommodate the myriad species but also act as a survival support system to the communities that depended on them.The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development proposed by the United Nations(UN)has gained momentum and becomes an integral part of the recent efforts of Indian governance.In this investigation,we examined the potential nexus between Indian forestry system(biodiversity-enriched assets,ecosystem services,constitutional mechanisms,and governances)and Sustainable Development Goals(SDGs)through theoretical underpinnings from literature that selected from database like Google Scholar,Indian forest survey reports,and information retrieved from Indian government websites.The significance of this review is that it presents comprehensive information about Indian forestry,biodiversity-rich assets,and sustainable forest management practices.The results show that Indian forestry as a whole is an integral part of the food-energy-water cycle and contributes to all dimensions of sustainable development,i.e.,economic sustainability,social sustainability,and environmental sustainability.The investigation confirms that besides partly contributing to the economy and life support systems to many dependent species,forests also act as boosters in the areas of food security and health.Targets related to the climate action,peace,and partnership goals are well in place through various forestry interventions and environmental commitments by the Government of India.展开更多
Sustainability is a concept for achieving integration and balance in development to preserve and use resources properly by providing new solutions to overcome structural,social and economic misconceptions to prevent f...Sustainability is a concept for achieving integration and balance in development to preserve and use resources properly by providing new solutions to overcome structural,social and economic misconceptions to prevent further degradation and waste of natural resources and create a better future for human societies.Sustainable development can be defined as a strategy for the correct use of resources,by modifying and redefining consumption patterns and avoiding one-sided development approaches.Therefore,sustainable development is defined as a long-term and unlimited solution for aligning different concepts(social,economic,and environmental),seemingly independent but related and influencing each other.This paper examines the challenges and capacities of the Oman Maritime Community and Maritime Energy Management's role in terms of sustainable development.To analyze this issue,the role of key players in Oman's maritime industry,such as the Oman Fisheries Company and the Oman Shipping Company,has been studied with the five main indicators of sustainable development goals,including people,the planet,peace,welfare,and partnership.展开更多
基金grant Fundamental Fund of National Science Research and Innovation Fund(NSRF)via Burapha University of Thailand(Grant number 52/2024).
文摘Background:People working outdoors in the Map Ta Phut pollution control area of Thailand require comprehen-sive health monitoring.In the past,studies have been done on the health effects of pollutants.However,there are few studies on musculoskeletal disorders(MSDs),and Thailand is struggling to meet the Sustainable Development Goals.Methods:This cross-sectional study examines access to health services and factors affecting MSDs among outdoor pollution workers(OPWs).The sample group includes OPWs,including local fisherman,street vendors,public car drivers,and traffic police.We studied 50 people from each of these groups,for a total of 200 people.Data were analyzed with inferential statistics using Chi-square test,McNemar test,and Univariate logistic regression.Results:The OPWs reported experiencing significantly more total MSDs pain than they did in the past(P<0.05).Factors affecting current MSDs pain,including occupation and working days per week,were significant(P<0.05).The street vendor group and public car driver group had(odds ratio[OR]=2.253,95%confidence interval[CI]:1.101 to 5.019)and(OR=2.681,95%CI:1.191 to 6.032)times higher risks of MSDs pain,respectively.OPWs who work>5 days per week had a(OR=1.464,95%CI:1.093 to 2.704)times higher risk of MSDs pain.52.7%of OPWs with MSDs,pain(n=110)had received an annual health check-up.In the past year,50.9%had minor illnesses and 21.8%had severe illnesses.OPWs receiving free treatment and visiting health service stations for no cost comprised 77.3%and 51.8%,respectively.60.9%used their right to receive treatment with universal health insurance cards.Conclusions:The study indicates that occupational groups with MSDs pain problems should exercise this right,according to the worker protection law.Local health agencies should organize activities or create accessible media to promote preventive medicine services,as many OPWs believe that health services can only be accessed when illness occurs.
文摘The rapid urbanization and increasing challenges are faced by cities globally,including climate change,population growth,and resource constraints.Sustainable smart city(also referred to as“smart sustainable city”)can offer innovative solutions by integrating advanced technologies to build smarter,greener,and more livable urban environments with significant benefits.Using the Web of Science(WoS)database,this study examined:(i)the mainstream approaches and current research trends in the literature of sustainable smart city;(ii)the extent to which the research of sustainable smart city aligns with Sustainable Development Goals(SDGs);(iii)the current topics and collaboration patterns in sustainable smart city research;and(iv)the potential opportunities for future research on the sustainable smart city field.The findings indicated that research on sustainable smart city began in 2010 and gained significant momentum in 2013,with China leading,followed by Italy and Spain.Moreover,59.00%of the selected publications on the research of sustainable smart city focus on SDG 11(Sustainable Cities and Communities).Bibliometric analysis outcome revealed that artificial intelligence(AI),big data,machine learning,and deep learning are emerging research fields.The terms smart city,smart cities,and sustainability emerged as the top three co-occurring keywords with the highest link strength,followed by frequently co-occurring keywords such as AI,innovation,big data,urban governance,resilience,machine learning,and Internet of Things(IoT).The clustering results indicated that current studies explored the theoretical foundation,challenges,and future prospects of sustainable smart city,with an emphasis on sustainability.To further support urban sustainability and the attainment of SDGs,the future research of sustainable smart city should explore the application and implications of AI and big data on urban development including cybersecurity and governance challenges.
文摘Blindness affected 45 million people globally in 2021,and moderate to severe vision loss a further 295 million.[1]The most common causes,cataract and uncorrected refractive error,are generally the easiest to treat,and are among the most cost-effective procedures in all of medicine and international development.[1-2]Thus,vision impairment is both extremely common and,in principle,readily manageable.
基金supported by the National Key Research and Development Program of China(Grant No.2023YFB3907403)the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant No.42201499)the Open Research Program of the International Research Center of Big Data for Sustainable Development Goals(Grant No.CBAS2022ORP03).
文摘Sustainable Development Goal 2(SDG 2,zero hunger)highlights that global hunger and food insecurity have worsened since 2015,driven in part by growing imbalance.Addressing the challenge of achieving SDG 2 in the face of rapid global population growth requires sustained attention to global and national cropland changes.Accurately quantifying the correlation between population and cropland area(i.e.,SDG 2.4.1 per capita cropland)and analyzing the trends of global cropland imbalance are essential for a comprehensive understanding of SDG 2.In this study,we utilized a new global 30 m land-cover dynamic dataset(GLC_FCS30D)to analyze cropland dynamics,quantify per capita cropland and its changes across various countries and levels of development.Our results indicate that the global cropland area expanded by 0.944 million km^(2)from 1985 to 2022,with an average expansion rate of 2.42×10^(4)km^(2)/yr.However,the global per capita cropland area decreased from 0.347 ha in 1985 to 0.217 ha in 2022,mainly due to a higher population increase of nearly 65%in the same period.In the context of globalization,cropland expansion and per capita cropland exhibited spatial imbalances globally,particularly in developing countries.Developing countries saw an increase in total cropland area by 7.09%but a significant decrease in per capita cropland area by 37.38%.From a temporal perspective,the global imbalance has been steadily increasing with the Gini index rising from 0.895 in 1985 to 0.909 in 2022.Consequently,this study reveals an increasing imbalance of global per capita cropland across various countries,which threatens the attainment of the targets of SDG 2.
文摘This year marks the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between China and Mozambique.To commemorate this milestone,ChinAfrica spoke with Maria Gustava,Mozambique’s ambassador to China,about the state of bilateral relations,China-Africa cooperation,and key developments shaping the global landscape.
基金supported by the Excellent Young Scientists Fund from the National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.72022004)the National Key Scientific Research Project(No.2021YFC3200200).
文摘Urban areas’performance in water,energy,infrastructure,and socio-economic sectors is intertwined and measurable through Sustainable Development Goals(SDGs)6–13.Effective synergy among these is critical for sustainability.This study constructs an indicator framework that reflects progress towards these urban SDGs in China.Findings indicate underperformance in SDGs 8–11,suggesting the need for transformative actions.Through network analysis,the research reveals complementarities among these SDGs.Notably,the SDG space divides into socio-economic and ecological clusters,with SDG 6(Clean Water and Sanitation)central to both.Additionally,SDG 8(Decent Work and Economic Growth)and SDG 9(Industry,Innovation,and Infrastructure)act as bridges,while greater synergies exist between SDG 12(Responsible Consumption and Production)and SDG 13(Climate Action).An in-depth view at the indicator-level shows a core-periphery structure,emphasizing indicators like SDG 6.2(Wastewater Treatment Rate)and SDG 6.6(Recycled Water Production Capacity per capita)as pivotal.This study confirms the urban SDG space’s stability and predictiveness,underscoring its value in steering well-aligned policy decisions for sustainable growth.
基金National Natural Science Foundation of China,No.U21A2022,No.U1901219,No.42071393,No.42101369。
文摘Ecosystem services in urban agglomerations are the environmental conditions under which human survival and development are sustained.Quantitative assessment of ecosystem services and complex interactions can contribute positively to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals(SDGs)for urban agglomerations.However,studies on the future contribution of multi-scenario ecosystem services to the SDGS are lacking.We pronovel integrated modeling framework that integrates the CLUES,InVEST,SOM,and GWR approaches to address the complex relationship between ecosystem services over a long“past-present-future”time series.We construct a novel ecosystem service bundle-based approach for measuring urban agglomerations progress towards achieving ecologically relevant sustainable development goals at multiple scales.In the future scenario,the water yield(WY),habitat quality(HQ),and soil conservation(SC)show similar spatial patterns,with comparable spatial grids,while carbon stock(CS)remains predominantly unchanged and the ecological protection scenario(EPS)improves more significantly.The high-synergy regions are mainly distributed in bundle 4,and most of the trade-off regions appear in bundles 1 and 2.Over the last 30 years,all but the water-related SDGs are declining in bundle 1 of the two urban agglomerations,which are 15%higher in the Guangxi Beibu Gulf(GBG)than in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area(GBA).From 2020 to 2035,the three scenarios demonstrate that the optimization of the SDGs progresses most effectively under the future ecological protection scenario(EPS).In particular,bundles 3 and 4 are significantly improved.This critical new knowledge can be used in sustainable ecosystem management and decision-making in urban agglomerations.
文摘Geography is a discipline that touches multiple sciences and has been key to bridging numerous fields of knowl edge.This gives geography the advantage of connecting natural(e.g.,biology,ecology,climatology,geomorphol ogy)with social and human(e.g.,education,demography,sociology)sciences.The spatialisation of information from different sciences allows us to understand distribution patterns and connections between different realities.Thus,geographical knowledge is essential for an integrated and consistent understanding of our world.The Sus tainable Development Goals(SDGs)established by the United Nations(UN)in 2015 were essential to unifying the world towards a common goal.To achieve these,17 goals and 169 targets were created,and knowledge from multiple sciences is needed to support them.It is a huge challenge,and different knowledge branches are needed to connect.Geography and geographical knowledge have this capacity and support all 17 goals and 169 targets.Although this is a reality,as it will be explained in this editorial,SDG’s achievement for some is becoming utopic and unrealistic due to our world’s differences.It is time to think about the post-2030 SDGs,in which geography and geographic knowledge will be essential unequivocally.
基金supported by the Second Tibetan Plateau Scien-tific Expedition and Research Program(STEP)of China(Grant No.2019QZKK0402).
文摘Ecosystems play a pivotal role in advancing Sustainable Development Goals(SDGs)by providing indispensable and resilient ecosystem services(ESs).However,the limited analysis of spatiotemporal heterogeneity often re stricts the recognition of ESs’roles in attaining SDGs and landscape planning.We selected 183 counties in the Sichuan Province as the study area and mapped 10 SDGs and 7 ESs from 2000 to 2020.We used correlation analysis,principal component analysis,Geographically and Temporally Weighted Regression model,and self organizing maps to reveal the spatiotemporal heterogeneity of the impacts of the bundle of ESs on the SDGs and to develop spatial planning and management strategies.The results showed that(1)SDGs were improved in all counties,with SDG 1(No Poverty)and SDG 3(Good Health and Well-being)exhibiting poor performance.West ern Sichuan demonstrated stronger performance in environment-related SDGs in the Sichuan Province,while the Sichuan Basin showed better progress in socio-economic-related SDGs;(2)habitat quality,carbon sequestration,air pollution removal,and soil retention significantly influenced the development of 9 SDGs;(3)supporting,regulating,and provisioning service bundles have persistent and stable spatiotemporal heterogeneity effects on SDG1,SDG8,SDG11,SDG13,and SDG15.These findings substantiate the need for integrated management of multiple ESs and facilitate the regional achievement of SDGs in geographically intricate areas.
基金financially supported by the Natural Science Foundation of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region,China(2022D01B234).
文摘The county(city)located on the northern slope of the Kunlun Mountains is the primary area to solidify and extend the success of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region,China in poverty alleviation.Its Sustainable Development Goals(SDGs)are intertwined with the concerted economic and social development of Xinjiang and the objective of achieving shared prosperity within the region.This study established a sustainable development evaluation framework by selecting 15 SDGs and 20 secondary indicators from the United Nations’SDGs.The aim of this study is to quantitatively assess the progress of SDGs at the county(city)level on the northern slope of the Kunlun Mountains.The results indicate that there are substantial variations in the scores of SDGs among the nine counties and one city located on the northern slope of the Kunlun Mountains.Notable high scores of SDGs are observed in the central and eastern regions,whereas lower scores are prevalent in the western areas.The scores of SDGs,in descending order,are as follows:62.22 for Minfeng County,54.22 for Hotan City,50.21 for Qiemo County,42.54 for Moyu County,41.56 for Ruoqiang County,41.39 for Qira County,39.86 for Lop County,38.25 for Yutian County,38.10 for Pishan County,and 36.87 for Hotan County.The performances of SDGs reveal that Hotan City,Lop County,Minfeng County,and Ruoqiang County have significant sustainable development capacity because they have three or more SDGs ranked as green color.However,Hotan County,Moyu County,Qira County,and Yutian County show the poorest performance,as they lack SDGs with green color.It is important to establish and enhance mechanisms that can ensure sustained income growth among poverty alleviation beneficiaries,sustained improvement in the capacity of rural governance,and the gradual improvement of social security system.These measures will facilitate the effective implementation of SDGs.Finally,this study offers a valuable support for governmental authorities and relevant departments in their decision-making processes.In addition,these results hold significant reference value for assessing SDGs at the county(city)level,particularly in areas characterized by low levels of economic development.
文摘This study examines the transformative role of self-help groups(SHGs)in the socioeconomic development of rural women in Cooch Behar District,India,and their contribution toward achieving Sustainable Development Goals(SDGs)of the United Nations.In this study,we explored the effect of SHGs on rural women by specifically addressing SDGs,such as no poverty(SDG 1),zero hunger(SDG 2),good health and well-being(SDG 3),quality education(SDG 4),and gender equality(SDG 5).Given this issue,a cross-sectional survey and comparison analyses are needed to assess the socioeconomic development of rural women and their awareness level before and after the participation of rural women in SHGs.The survey conducted as part of this study was divided into three sections,namely,demographic characteristics,socioeconomic development,and awareness level,with each focusing on different aspects.A group of 400 individuals who were part of SHGs completed the questionnaire survey form.The results showed that the participation of rural women in SHGs significantly improved their socioeconomic development and awareness level,as supported by both mean values and t test results.Memberships in SHGs and microcredit programs were the major elements that boosted the socioeconomic development of rural women,which also achieves SDGs 1,2,3,4,and 5.This study revealed that participation in SHGs and related financial services significantly aided rural women in economically disadvantaged communities in accumulating savings and initiating entrepreneurial ventures.Moreover,participation in SHGs was instrumental in enhancing the self-confidence,self-efficacy,and overall self-esteem of rural women.Finally,doing so enabled them to move more freely for work and other activities and to make family and common decisions.
基金the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grants No.42171204,42121001 and 41822104)Chinese Academy of Sciences Basic Frontier Science Research Program from 0 to 1 Original Innovation Project(Grant No.ZDBS-LY-DQC005)the Chinese Academy of Sciences Strategic Pilot Project(Class A)(Grant No.XDA23100301).
文摘Urbanization and Sustainable Development Goals(SDGs)are important global issues in the current“Anthropocene”.Climate change and the COVID-19 pandemic have exacerbated global urban problems and hindered the ability to meet SDGs on time,while the broad interlinkages between urbanization and the SDGs remain poorly understood.This study shows that among the interlinkages of urbanization with 17 SDGs,synergies are observed with 151 targets(89%),among which 67(40%)have stronger synergies,and trade-offs are observed with 66 targets(39%),among which 31(18%)have stronger trade-offs.Furthermore,the synergies and trade-offs between urbanization and the achievement of SDGs are specifically analyzed based on four fundamental interaction fields:(a)public health and social welfare equality;(b)energy consumption and economic growth;(c)natural resource use and ecological/environmental impacts;and(d)international cooperation for development.Finally,based on these analyses,we propose four recommendations for sustainable urbanization,including(a)shared well-being and spatial justice for urban and rural residents;(b)guiding green and low-carbon urban development;(c)building resilient cities;and(d)promoting multilateral cooperation in cities,which can contribute to the achievement of SDGs by 2030.
基金funded by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant No.41861134038,Grant No.41771197)Norwegian Research Council(Grant No.286773)the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities.
文摘The COVID-19 pandemic has stalled and rolled back progress on Sustainable Development Goals(SDGs).Ecosys-tem services(ESs),defined as the contributions of ecosystems to human well-being,underpin the achievement of SDGs.To promote SDG achievement in post-pandemic era,we teased out the links between ESs and SDGs while examining the impact of COVID-19.We found that ESs benefited all SDGs,yet man-made pressures led to degra-dation of ecosystems and their services.There is broad consensus that the virus lurks in degraded ecosystems and generates spillover due to human interference.The pandemic and global lockdown/restriction disrupted the flow of ESs and altered human ESs demand,threatening the efforts for the SDGs.We suggested:1)to study the association and traceability of ESs-SDGs under the pandemic;2)to prioritize pressing issues such as health care,livelihood,and resource security and in the long run,we should promote human-nature harmony to achieve the SDGs;and 3)to enhance ESs and to promote the SDGs through local community efforts,ESs accounting,and ecosystem restoration.This paper provides insights into the importance of ESs to the SDGs and the ways to integrate ESs into socio-economic development to promote the SDG achievement after the pandemic.
基金This work was supported by National Key R&D Program of China(Grant No.2017YFA0604700)National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant No.4181101243)+2 种基金the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central UniversitiesFrancesco Cherubini was supported by Nor-wegian Research Council(Grant No.286773)Paulo Pereira was sup-ported by the European Social Fund project LINESAM(Grant No.09.3.3-LMT-K-712-01-0104).
文摘The implementation of strategies to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals(SDGs)is frequently hindered by potential trade-offs between priorities for either environmental protection or human well-being.However,ecosystem services(ES)-based solutions can offer possible co-benefits for SDGs implementation that are often overlooked or underexploited.In this study,we cover this gap and investigate how experts from different countries value the SDGs and relate them with ES.A total of 66 countries participated to the survey,and answers were grouped into three macro-regions:Asia;Europe,North America,and Oceania(ENO);Latin America,Caribbean and Africa(LA).Results show that the most prioritized SDGs in the three macro-regions are usually those related to essential material needs and environmental conditions,such as SDG2(Zero Hunger),SDG1(No Poverty),and SDG6(Clean Water).At a global scale,the number of prioritized synergies between SDGs and ES largely exceeded trade-offs.The highest amount of synergies was observed for SDG1(No Poverty),mainly with SDG2,SDG3(Good Health),SDG5(Gender Equality),and SDG8(Economic Growth).Other major synergies among SDGs include SDG14-15(Life below water-Life on land),SDG5-10(Gender Equity-Reduced Inequality),and SDG1-2(No poverty-Zero Hunger).At a global scale,SDG15,SDG13,SDG14,and SDG6 were closely related to ES like climate regulation,freshwater,food,water purification,biodiversity,and education.SDG11(Sustainable Cities)and SDG3 were also relevant in Asia and in LA,respectively.Overall,this study shows the potential to couple future policies that can implement SDGs’strategies while adopting ES-based solutions in different regions of the world.
基金Under the auspices of the Second Tibetan Plateau Scientific Expedition and Research Program(No.2019QZKK0608)Key Laboratory of Environmental Change and Natural Disaster+1 种基金Ministry of EducationBeijing Normal University。
文摘Sustainable development is the theme of the 21st century. To monitor the progress of sustainable development, the United Nations launched Sustainable Development Goals(SDGs) in 2015. Subsequently, nations of the world have drawn up a list of localized indicators regarding the United Nations SDGs as a paradigm. We established a database including SDGs indicator systems of 11 economies by collecting and determining a large number of materials. Based on this database, we analyzed SDGs indicators by designing a conceptual framework of comparative analysis that included three views. We found that the SDGs indicator systems of 11 economies are different between the number of indicators, the proportion of different categories, and the connotation of indicators. Although the SDGs indicator systems among economies regarded the United Nations SDGs as a framework and included the major social problems related to sustainability, the inconsistency between SDGs indicator systems is large. It is a major reason why scholars lack the systematic method for developing indicators. There are challenges faced in data accessibility. The framework for comparative analysis could be applied to different economies.
文摘The Russian-Ukrainian armed conflict is a dramatic world event. Apart from the loss of life, the present conflicthas tremendous impacts on the environment, economy, and society. The conflict provoked a ripple of events withimplications at the global level, especially in energy and food. The escalation of this conflict is imposing severethreats to achieving the United Nations (UN) Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) not only to the countries di-rectly involved in the conflict but also to other countries, especially the developing ones that are more vulnerableto the economic crisis. In this editorial, we assessed the impacts of the Russian-Ukrainian conflict on BiophysicalSDGs, Social SDGs, Economic SDGs and Partnership for the Goals SDG that consider all the previous dimensions.The Russian-Ukrainian conflict’s impact on the SDGs is variable. Biodiversity SDGs are mainly affected at theregional level (Russia, Ukraine, surrounding and European Union countries). Society SDGs are affected at local(e.g., SDG3 good health and wellbeing;SDG4 quality education) and global (e.g., SDG2 zero hunger) levels. Fi-nally, the Russian-Ukrainian armed conflict has world-level implications for the economic SDGs. Nevertheless,the ongoing conflict’s impacts are not entirely understood, and several uncertainties exist. Peace is needed toachieve the UN’s SDGs in 2030.
文摘In 2018,a total of US$166 billion global economic losses and a new high of 55.3 Gt of CO_(2)equivalent emission were generated by 831 climate-related extreme events.As the world’s largest CO_(2)emitter,we reported China’s recent progresses and pitfalls in climate actions to achieve climate mitigation targets(i.e.,limit warming to 1.5-2°C above the pre-industrial level).We first summarized China’s integrated actions(2015 onwards)that benefit both climate change mitigation and Sustainable Development Goals(SDGs).These projects include re-structuring organizations,establishing working goals and actions,amending laws and regulations at national level,as well as increasing social awareness at community level.We then pointed out the shortcomings in different regions and sectors.Based on these analyses,we proposed five recommendations to help China improving its climate policy strategies,which include:1)restructuring the economy to balance short-term and long-term conflicts;2)developing circular economy with recycling mechanism and infrastructure;3)building up unified national standards and more accurate indicators;4)completing market mechanism for green economy and encouraging green consumption;and 5)enhancing technology innovations and local incentives via bottom-up actions.
文摘Forests are considered as a sacred asset in India and have guided the way of living throughout its history.Indian forests not only accommodate the myriad species but also act as a survival support system to the communities that depended on them.The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development proposed by the United Nations(UN)has gained momentum and becomes an integral part of the recent efforts of Indian governance.In this investigation,we examined the potential nexus between Indian forestry system(biodiversity-enriched assets,ecosystem services,constitutional mechanisms,and governances)and Sustainable Development Goals(SDGs)through theoretical underpinnings from literature that selected from database like Google Scholar,Indian forest survey reports,and information retrieved from Indian government websites.The significance of this review is that it presents comprehensive information about Indian forestry,biodiversity-rich assets,and sustainable forest management practices.The results show that Indian forestry as a whole is an integral part of the food-energy-water cycle and contributes to all dimensions of sustainable development,i.e.,economic sustainability,social sustainability,and environmental sustainability.The investigation confirms that besides partly contributing to the economy and life support systems to many dependent species,forests also act as boosters in the areas of food security and health.Targets related to the climate action,peace,and partnership goals are well in place through various forestry interventions and environmental commitments by the Government of India.
文摘Sustainability is a concept for achieving integration and balance in development to preserve and use resources properly by providing new solutions to overcome structural,social and economic misconceptions to prevent further degradation and waste of natural resources and create a better future for human societies.Sustainable development can be defined as a strategy for the correct use of resources,by modifying and redefining consumption patterns and avoiding one-sided development approaches.Therefore,sustainable development is defined as a long-term and unlimited solution for aligning different concepts(social,economic,and environmental),seemingly independent but related and influencing each other.This paper examines the challenges and capacities of the Oman Maritime Community and Maritime Energy Management's role in terms of sustainable development.To analyze this issue,the role of key players in Oman's maritime industry,such as the Oman Fisheries Company and the Oman Shipping Company,has been studied with the five main indicators of sustainable development goals,including people,the planet,peace,welfare,and partnership.
