"Environment, Development and Sustainability"

He, Yafen; Cheng, Hao; Zou, Pinjian; Zhou, Ying; Zhang, Xinmin; Chen, Jingjing

doi: 10.1007/s10668-025-06104-8pmid: N/A

Relying solely on regulatory or subsidy strategies complicates the effective and sustainable coordination of agricultural green production. However, this issue may be resolved by leveraging the role of local governments in market support. This study constructs a dynamic evolutionary game model for agricultural green production based on substituting organic fertilizer for chemical fertilizer (hereafter, SOC) and draws on new institutional economics and game theories. The model includes the central government, local government, and farmers, incorporates local government support for organic farming product markets into behavioral strategies, and excludes traditional incentive strategies. Numerical simulation experiments using MATLAB explored effective strategies, including local government subsidies to farmers, local government support of organic agricultural product markets, hierarchical supervision by the central government, local government, and farmers, and supervision intensity for evolutionary equilibrium strategies. The results showed that local governments play a key role in linking the central government and farmers and suggests that the ideal equilibrium can be achieved by supporting the market or subsidizing farmers. Changes in local government supervision intensity had little effect on model equilibrium, whereas increased central government supervision intensity towards local governments significantly affected active implementation. Based on these observations, policy insights are proposed for local governments to establish strategies to promote agricultural green production based on market support and subsidies and for the central government to reward local government, support organic markets, and appropriately strengthen the local government supervisory intensity.

Wu, Jun; Niu, Xiaxia; Santibanez Gonzalez, Ernesto D. R.

doi: 10.1007/s10668-025-06060-3pmid: N/A

The COVID-19 pandemic has posed unprecedented challenges to the global food supply chain (FSC). This study reviewed 194 academic papers to comprehensively assess the impact of the epidemic on FSC. The findings reveal disruptions on both the demand and supply sides of the FSC. Demand-side disruptions included a surge in retail demand due to panic buying, temporary food supply shortages, and a shift towards online shopping and door-to-door delivery services. On the supply side, the pandemic caused labor shortages, reduced production capacity, challenges in transportation and logistics, and disruptions in international trade. The research synthesized various resilience strategies from the literature, such as multiple sourcing, backup suppliers, collaborative relationships, direct marketing, and the adoption of digital technologies. The study also highlights the significant role of technology, including blockchain, Industry 4.0 technologies, and artificial intelligence et al., in enhancing FSC resilience. Based on the reviewed literature, the study suggests a theoretical framework that can help the food sector build a more resilient FSC to better cope with similar disruptions or emergencies in the post-COVID-19 era. Finally, we proposed future research directions. These insights are valuable for both scholars and practitioners, enhancing their understanding of the FSC’s vulnerability during emergencies and offering a pathway towards a more resilient food system.

Wang, Yifei; Liang, Hanwei; Dong, Liang; Zhu, Yiqi; Wang, Yuxuan

doi: 10.1007/s10668-025-06089-4pmid: N/A

The Yangtze River Economic Belt (YREB) plays a crucial role in addressing China’s dual challenges of rapid urbanization and environmental sustainability, while also serving as a significant hub in the global economy due to its strategic importance in trade and innovation. This study investigates the dynamic relationship between new-type urbanization (NTU) and eco-efficiency (EE) within the YREB from 2010 to 2020. Utilizing the entropy method and the Super-SBM model, we assess the NTU index and EE across multiple cities, subsequently analyzing their interactions through the coupling coordination degree (CCD) model. Our findings reveal an overall upward trend in both NTU and EE. Specifically, the average CCD increased from 0.52 to 0.68, indicating a transition from “running-in and basic coordination” to “highly coupling and good coordination”. Despite this progress, the Moran index reveals persistent spatial heterogeneity, with the presence of high-high (HH) clusters in the Yangtze River Delta reflected strong synergies in 2010, but by 2020, their range narrowed, with new low-low (LL) clusters in Anhui and high-low (HL) outliers in the west, underscoring regional policy needs. Furthermore, we identify three distinct sub-types of coupling coordination—systematically balanced, NTU lagging, and EE lagging—which highlight the necessity for tailored regional policies. These results underscore the critical importance of developing region-specific strategies to harmonize urban growth with ecological sustainability, thereby contributing to broader sustainable development objectives within the YREB and beyond.Graphical abstract[graphic not available: see fulltext]

Gu, Xinyue; Miao, Zijian; Mao, Yan; Liu, Xintao

doi: 10.1007/s10668-025-06113-7pmid: N/A

The negative effects of industrial pollutants on the whole environment have long been a contentious issue in urbanization. While studies have analyzed the impacts of the economy and industry on depopulation separately, few focus on their combined and interactive effects at the grid level. This study investigates the complex impacts of depopulation from 2010 to 2020 in China's Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei agglomeration. Using remote-sensing and geoinformatics data, we calculated the composite economic index and the composite pollution index to observe the spatial–temporal effects on depopulation. Subsequently, the study employs the interpretable ensemble model to establish the relations between industrial pollutants, economic variables, and population density and obtained nine distinct change types. Findings reveal that many areas still confront population decline due to industrial pollution despite GDP remaining an attraction to the population. The proportion of this type of area in the nine types of changes over 10 years has ranked second steady, reaching 27.175%, 26.964%, and 29.569% in 2015–2010, 2010–2015, and 2010–2020, respectively. In addition, combined with the visualization map of spatial distribution, it is observed that the problem of population loss is particularly serious in lagging cities. Furthermore, the top three pollutants with the most prominent adverse effects are O3, PM2.5, and PM10. This study offers important insights into sustainable urban development.

Alam, Fakhri; Salam, Muhammad; Bo, Dong; Vambol, Viola; Ullah, Waheed; Riaz, Nimra

doi: 10.1007/s10668-025-06077-8pmid: N/A

The management of municipal solid waste (MSW) in urban areas of developing nations poses significant challenges due to high waste generation. This study provided a comprehensive assessment of MSW generation, management practices, and their health impacts across nine districts in the Malakand division of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan, focusing on the composition and key components of MSW, such as plastic waste, household waste, and animal waste. A survey covering 4,431 households, 150 shops, 50 schools, and 30 hotels revealed notable district-level differences in waste composition and disposal methods. The results revealed that Upper Chitral generated the highest plastic waste, producing 420 kg/day of polythene bag waste and 270 kg/day of hard and soft plastic waste. Waste management varied across districts, with 95% of respondents in Buner selling plastic waste to collectors, compared to 93% in Malakand and 91% in Bajaur. Household waste was predominantly repurposed as animal feed, with Buner and Bajaur districts leading at 97% and 96%, respectively, while Shangla and Upper Chitral reported lower rates of 91% and 89%. Buner also recorded the highest animal waste generation at 575 kg/day. A correlation analysis indicated a significant relationship between plastic waste production and its use for heating and construction. The study emphasized the need for improved waste management strategies, including comprehensive policies, training for waste workers, and enhanced community participation in waste reduction initiatives.

Meng, Zhaosu; Cao, Jingyu; Li, Junyan

doi: 10.1007/s10668-025-06102-wpmid: N/A

Climate change mitigation through the green transition of high-polluting enterprises presents a critical sustainable development challenge in emerging economies. This study examines the effectiveness of green credit policy in promoting environmental responsibility among China’s high-polluting enterprises, with particular focus on market-based mechanisms and transition pathways. Using a comprehensive environmental responsibility index, we employ a difference-in-differences model with dynamic marginal effect analysis to evaluate policy impact. The methodological framework incorporates time-varying interaction terms and mediation analysis to investigate implementation lags and transmission mechanisms. Our analysis reveals three distinctive contributions: first, green credit policy enhances environmental responsibility through market-based mechanisms rather than traditional regulatory approaches, though with a time-lagged positive effect on environmental responsibility, and effectiveness varying across ownership structures; second, the policy operates through a novel dual-pathway framework, which are financing constraints and green technology innovation incentives, with financing constraints exhibiting superior effectiveness; third, ownership-based heterogeneity significantly moderates policy impact, with non-state-owned enterprises showing stronger environmental responsibility improvements despite facing greater financing constraints, while state-owned enterprises receive preferential credit access. These findings show the complex interplay between financial policy and corporate environmental behavior, and provide practical guidance for policymakers and financial institutions in optimizing transition finance approaches for high-polluting enterprises.

Wan, Liang; Zheng, Qiaoqiao; Chen, Zexian; Wang, Chengyuan; Wang, Shanyong; Wei, Jiuchang; Marinova, Dora

doi: 10.1007/s10668-025-06052-3pmid: N/A

The green transformation of the demand side is crucial for mitigating climate change risks and achieving dual carbon targets. However, existing research primarily emphasizes adaptive behaviors in response to climate risks, often neglecting the significant potential of mitigative actions. By focusing on the adoption of green lifestyles as a key strategy, this study sheds light on the crucial role individuals can play in mitigating climate change. Focusing on 279 cities in China and combining detailed weather data and socio-economic indicators, this study constructs an analytical framework to assess the specific impacts of climate change on residents’ lifestyles. The results indicate that: (1) When the daily average temperature rises above 18°C, the temperature has a positive impact on residents’ green lifestyles; (2) Between average temperatures of 18°C and 30°C, green technological innovation mediates the relationship between climate change and residents’ green lifestyles, while environmental policies positively moderate this relationship when average temperatures exceed 18°C; (3) The impact of temperature on residents’ green lifestyles exhibits a two-year lag and cumulative effect; (4) In regions with moderate economic levels and in subtropical and warm temperate zones, the effect of temperature elevation on enhancing residents’ green lifestyles is particularly significant. By shifting focus to demand-side mitigative behaviors, this study deepens the understanding of individual contributions to climate change mitigation and provides empirical evidence for designing strategies that promote sustainable development.

Ali, Syed Rashid; Mujahid, Nooreen

doi: 10.1007/s10668-025-06076-9pmid: N/A

Agriculture is vital to Pakistan’s economy but faces challenges from climate change and environmental degradation. Understanding factors that affect agricultural productivity is essential for sustainable agriculture and economic growth. This study investigated the impact of climate, land use, economic, and environmental factors on agricultural productivity in Pakistan using time series data from 1961 to 2018. This study employs the Auto-Regressive Distributive Lag (ARDL) model to determine the long- and short-run relationship between climate change and crop production index. ARDL is a reliable method even with variables of different orders of integration I(0) and I(1). It is suitable for small sample sizes and provides robust estimates. This study used the Augmented Dickey-Fuller and Phillips-Perron tests to check the linearity of all the variables. The Augmented Dickey-Fuller and Phillips-Perron tests confirm that rainfall and temperature are linear at the level, while the rest of the variables are linear in their first difference. Additionally, the coefficient of bound cointegration (9.864) at 1% is greater than the upper bound values, confirming cointegration among the variables. The coefficient of cereal cropland area is (0.757), which confirms a significantly positive association between cereal cropland area and agricultural productivity in both the long- and short-run, whereas annual rainfall (0.166) and agricultural value added (0.665) are positively significant with the crop production index in the long run only. Annual average temperature (-0.989) significantly negatively affects agricultural productivity in the long run. CO2 emissions (-0.098) insignificantly hinder agricultural productivity in the long as well as in the short run. This study found unidirectional causality in the land area under cereal crops, CO2 emissions, and agricultural value added to temperature. We further found that agricultural value-added influences land area under cereal crops, temperature, rainfall, and CO2 emissions. These results highlight the critical role of climate and land use in shaping agricultural output in Pakistan. They also emphasize the benefits of reducing CO2 emissions in increasing agricultural productivity, promoting sustainable water usage, and expanding the land area under cultivation of cereal crops. This will enable the country to enhance agriculture productivity and maintain environmental sustainability as long as it focuses on practices that maximize the use of rainfall and add value to agriculture. Further, farmers, policymakers, and consumers must collaborate to drive change in the agricultural sector. Future researchers should assess the effectiveness of agricultural policies in improving agricultural productivity and environmental sustainability using new econometric techniques and data.

Gazi, Md. Abu Issa; Hossain, Md. Motaher; Islam, Shanta; Al Masud, Abdullah; Amin, Mohammad Bin; Senathirajah, Abdul Rahman bin S.; Abdullah, Masuk

doi: 10.1007/s10668-025-06082-xpmid: N/A

Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) is increasingly acknowledged as an essential component of sustainable environmental performance (SEP), but the mechanisms behind this relationship are poorly understood, particularly in the case of SMEs in developing nations. Based on the Natural Resource-Based View (RBV) theory, this study investigates how green capability (GC) and green transformational leadership (GTL) mediate the CSR-SEP relationship, with a focus on the moderating function of perceived organizational support (POS). A survey of 420 SME employees in Bangladesh was undertaken, and the results were examined using SPSS and AMOS for structural equation modeling. The findings indicate that CSR greatly improves SEP. Furthermore, GC and GTL act as key mediators, increasing the CSR-SEP relationship. Furthermore, POS moderates the correlations between CSR and SEP, as well as GTL and SEP, implying that organizational support can strengthen or weaken these links. These findings demonstrate the diverse role of CSR in promoting environmental sustainability in many economic circumstances. The study provides practical implications for SMEs and policymakers, emphasizing the strategic significance of leadership and organizational support in improving CSR-driven sustainability efforts.