Search for Articles:
Title / Keyword
Author / Affiliation / Email
Journal
Article Type
 
 
Advanced Search
 
Section
Special Issue
Volume
Issue
Number
Page
 
5.8
3.9
Journals
Sustainability
Special Issues
Improving Community Well-Being through Sustainable Interventions
sustainability-logo
Submit to Sustainability Review for Sustainability Propose a Special Issue

Journal Menu

► Journal Menu

Journal Browser

► Journal Browser
share announcement

Improving Community Well-Being through Sustainable Interventions

A special issue of Sustainability (ISSN 2071-1050). This special issue belongs to the section "Social Ecology and Sustainability".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (17 February 2024) | Viewed by 4058

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Michael Peters

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Construction Management and Engineering, University of Reading, Reading, UK
Interests: sustainable energy management; corporate environmental performance; environmental policy tools; waste minimisation; community-based carbon reduction
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Dylan Tutt

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Construction Management and Engineering, University of Reading, Reading, UK
Interests: construction employment patterns; migrant workers; practice and management of occupational health and safety
Dr. Vincent Carragher

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
College of Science and Engineering, University of Galway, Galway, Ireland
Interests: SDGs; sustainability; behaviour change; community intervention; discourse based approaches; participatory action research

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The ever-intensifying challenge of climate change calls on society to untangle the existing structures of provision and put in place new, more sustainable infrastructures and forms of social organisation. Community-level responses are vital in contributing to the transition to a more sustainable, low-carbon future, where collective activities and initiatives play a critical role in addressing the complexities of climate change locally.

The search for an effective means of enabling behaviour change, innovation, and cooperation in local communities continues. This Special Issue invites papers that can contribute new insights and a fresh understanding of the opportunities and challenges of improving community well-being through the application of imaginative sustainable interventions. These range from community renewable energy initiatives through to infrastructural- and information-oriented change programmes that are united in their efforts to engage people individually and collectively in less wasteful and more pro-environmental patterns of thinking and living.

Community participation in fighting climate change is crucial, and it is intended that the papers in this Special Issue will help in assessing the potential opportunities for sustainability and practicable climate action at the community level, as well as some of its limitations.

We are looking forward to your contributions to this Special Issue of Sustainability.

Dr. Michael Peters
Dr. Dylan Tutt
Dr. Vincent Carragher
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Sustainability is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • facilitating the low-carbon transition through local- and community-level action
  • challenges for local-level climate change policy
  • engagement of households and businesses in the transition to a low-carbon economy
  • alternative models for low-carbon community governance
  • decentralized and community renewable energy initiatives
  • models of sustainable and low-carbon community activities

Published Papers (4 papers)

Download All Papers
Order results
Result details
Show export options expand_more Show export options expand_less
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:

Research

21 pages, 632 KiB  
Article
Feasibility Assessment of a Small-Scale Agrivoltaics-Based Desalination Plant with Flywheel Energy Storage—Case Study: Namibia
by József Kádár, Omad (Hassan) Abdelshakour, Tali Zohar and Tareq Abu Hamed
Sustainability 2024, 16(9), 3685; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/su16093685 - 28 Apr 2024
Viewed by 684
Abstract
As climate change and population growth threaten rural communities, especially in regions like Sub-Saharan Africa, rural electrification becomes crucial to addressing water and food security within the energy-water-food nexus. This study explores social innovation in microgrid projects, focusing on integrating micro-agrovoltaics (APV) with [...] Read more.
As climate change and population growth threaten rural communities, especially in regions like Sub-Saharan Africa, rural electrification becomes crucial to addressing water and food security within the energy-water-food nexus. This study explores social innovation in microgrid projects, focusing on integrating micro-agrovoltaics (APV) with flywheel energy storage systems (FSSs) and small-scale water desalination and purification plants. Employing a mixed-methods approach to assess the economic viability of FSS and APV-powered desalination, we believe that social innovation could serve as a significant tool for rural development, requiring collaboration between governments, the private sector, and nonprofit organizations. While FSS technology for microgrids has not been entirely developed, it holds promise as an alternative energy storage solution. Our capital budgeting analysis, presented within the context of social innovation, reveals positive Net Present Values (NPV) and a short payback period over the project’s 20-year lifespan. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Improving Community Well-Being through Sustainable Interventions)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

11 pages, 749 KiB  
Article
Enhancing Disaster Resilience for Sustainable Urban Development: Public–Private Partnerships in Japan
by Mikio Ishiwatari, Haruki Kawakami, Daisuke Sasaki, Akiko Sakamoto and Mikiyasu Nakayama
Sustainability 2024, 16(9), 3586; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/su16093586 - 24 Apr 2024
Viewed by 981
Abstract
A resilient building environment is crucial for securing sustainable development in urban areas, as the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development Goal 11 stresses. In developing countries in particular, the risk of disasters is increasing due to the poorly built environment caused by urbanization. [...] Read more.
A resilient building environment is crucial for securing sustainable development in urban areas, as the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development Goal 11 stresses. In developing countries in particular, the risk of disasters is increasing due to the poorly built environment caused by urbanization. However, building disaster resilience in vulnerable urban environments characterized by aging houses, limited public spaces, and complex land rights and tenancy issues poses a major challenge. This study aims to identify critical factors influencing effective disaster-resilient urban development by examining Japan’s experience, with a focus on approaches facilitating public–private partnerships. Driven by disasters like the 1995 Kobe Earthquake, Japan has promoted innovative strategies to improve urban resilience and mitigate disaster impacts. The Disaster Mitigation Zone Implementation Program represents a novel program designed to revitalize densely populated areas with aging wooden structures highly vulnerable to disasters. Through semi-structured interviews, a literature review, and an in-depth case study in Tokyo, this research analyzes the development and effectiveness of this targeted redevelopment approach. Findings underscore the pivotal role of policies promoting public–private collaboration, consensus-building mechanisms among stakeholders, flexibility in project formulation, and financial incentives via government subsidies. Engaging the private sector ensures project feasibility through urban development expertise, while simpler, smaller-scale projects attract greater private investment. Japan’s experience offers valuable insights into collaborative, context-sensitive strategies for enhancing urban disaster resilience through targeted redevelopment of high-risk areas. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Improving Community Well-Being through Sustainable Interventions)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

14 pages, 251 KiB  
Article
Amish and Non-Amish Farmer Perspectives on Climate Change Causes, Effects, and Adaptation Strategies
by Caroline Brock and Van R. Haden
Sustainability 2024, 16(2), 897; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/su16020897 - 20 Jan 2024
Viewed by 995
Abstract
Successful agricultural extension programs on climate change require a better understanding of the diverse and evolving farm population. Amish communities are an increasing constituency of rural populations. Ohio Amish and non-Amish farmers (n = 122) were surveyed on attitudes about weather events, [...] Read more.
Successful agricultural extension programs on climate change require a better understanding of the diverse and evolving farm population. Amish communities are an increasing constituency of rural populations. Ohio Amish and non-Amish farmers (n = 122) were surveyed on attitudes about weather events, climate change, potential adaptation, and policy strategies. Farmers’ belief in climate change and its associated effects were relatively low compared to other studies, with Amish farmers’ belief in climate change less than half that of their non-Amish counterparts. Farmers also tended to focus on isolated weather events over long-term trends. Respondents expressed more concern about government strategies to address climate change than the biophysical climate change effects, with a strong desire to adapt independently of government policy. These sentiments were more profound among the Amish. Both Amish and non-Amish farmers expressed views about God being in control of the weather and, thus, not a pressing source of concern for them. Results indicate the importance of Christian land stewardship principles and point to future research and outreach possibilities that could develop a better understanding of farmer motivations toward climate friendly practices through interviews and collaborative partnerships to promote conservation behaviors in culturally appropriate ways. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Improving Community Well-Being through Sustainable Interventions)
22 pages, 515 KiB  
Article
‘Simply Make a Change’—Individual Commitment as a Stepping Stone for Sustainable Behaviors
by Petra Lindemann-Matthies, Julia Werdermann and Martin Remmele
Sustainability 2023, 15(16), 12163; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/su151612163 - 9 Aug 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 982
Abstract
In the face of climate change and other environmental issues, all relevant stakeholders, including members of civil society, should participate in the transformation towards a sustainable future. The project ‘Simply make a change’ engaged citizens (n = 101), with the help of an [...] Read more.
In the face of climate change and other environmental issues, all relevant stakeholders, including members of civil society, should participate in the transformation towards a sustainable future. The project ‘Simply make a change’ engaged citizens (n = 101), with the help of an entirely voluntary and individual commitment approach, in a sustainable behavior they had not carried out before (e.g., plastic-free shopping or vegan nutrition). With the help of two questionnaires and subsequent interviews, participants were asked about their experiences with the commitment. The high proportion of participants who voluntarily sustained their chosen activity after the one-week trial run (78%), their rich and differentiated comments, and the formation of competencies such as mindfulness, reflectivity, and feelings of responsibility indicate that the approach was meaningful. Participants would have preferred a longer trial and perceived restrictions in daily life by behaviors with high task-difficulty (vegan nutrition), but felt confident to try out other sustainable behaviors in the future. The present data indicate that a completely voluntary self-commitment can encourage citizens to try out a new behavior and might also lower the threshold for trying other sustainable behaviors. This might contribute, step by step, to a more sustainable society. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Improving Community Well-Being through Sustainable Interventions)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

Show export options expand_more Show export options expand_less
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:
 
Displaying articles 1-4
Back to TopTop