The dairy industry is considered one of the most needed industries in almost every country; this is due to the continuous daily demand of its different products. Nevertheless, this industry consumes large amount of water, energy and material resources, and generates large quantities of liquid and solid wastes. In the sequel, under the pressure of fulfilling the 17 sustainable development goals (17 SDGs), it is important to address the sustainability of this sector in the world and particularly in developing countries. This study aims at assessing the impact of environmental, economic and social sustainability practices on the organizational performance of dairy industry in Palestine. To this end, a quantitative-research approach, based on a questionnaire for data collection, was adopted. Data has been collected from a convenient sample of 15 dairy factories working in West Bank in Palestine during a three-month period from March to May, 2023. Inferential statistical analyses were conducted as well. The results revealed that there is a difference between the median values of environmental and economic practices. In addition, the results showed that there is a medium relationship between sustainability practices and organizational performance. However, the economic practices proved to have the strongest impact then social practices; while, there is no impact of environmental practices on organizational performance. Furthermore, the results showed that this industry consumes larger amount of water as well as it generates large amounts of wastewater that mainly discharged to the drainage system without treatment for recycling or reuse. Several sound recommendations are given at the end of this paper. It worth mentioning that there are no previous studies conducted on the dairy industry sector in Palestine about sustainability assessment.

While infrastructure provides necessary public services and is vital for the socio-economic development of a nation, public funds alone cannot finance all infrastructure needs in society, especially after the COVID-19 pandemic, where many countries are facing budget deficits. Although private financing schemes, such as public-private partnerships (PPPs) and land value capture, have been considered intensively, they have yet to produce adequate private capital flows to infrastructure projects due to a lack of incentives for private investors. Against the background, this paper proposes a new financing mechanism in which governments might divert some of the increased tax revenue from the spillover effects of newly constructed infrastructures to fund the private sector through grants or subsidies. The empirical work in Vietnam shows a significant increase in tax revenues after completing two expressways, supporting our idea about spillover effects, which includes small- and medium-sized enterprise (SME) development. This study’s results suggest that spillover effects can bring new opportunities for governments and multilateral development banks (MDBs) to implement infrastructure projects with greater private sector involvement in the region. It also proposes some financial schemes, such as land capture and financing for business startups, including SMEs, to enhance the spillover effects of infrastructure.

The existing studies on the association between the built environment and health mainly concentrates on urban areas, while rural communities in China have a huge demand for a healthy built environment, and research in this area remains insufficient. There is a lack of research on the health impact of the built environment in rural communities in China, where there is a significant demand for advancements in the healthy built environment. Exploring the Influence of built environment satisfaction on self-rated health outcomes in New-type village communities has positive significance for advancing research on healthy village community. This paper selects four new-type village communities as typical cases, which are located in the far suburbs of Shanghai, China. A questionnaire survey was conducted on individual villagers, and 223 valid questionnaire samples were obtained. A PLS-SEM model was developed using survey data to examine how built environment satisfaction influences dwellers’ self-rated health while taking into account the mediating function of the perceived social environment. Moreover, multi-group analysis was performed based on age. The results show that built environment satisfaction indirectly influences residents self-rated health through its impact on perceived social environment. The research also discovered that the relationship between built environment satisfaction, social environment satisfaction and self-rated health is not influenced by age as a moderating factor. The research offers new insights for the planning and design of new-type village community from a health perspective.

In the context of ecological and social challenges in global food systems, this study investigates the potential of agri-food districts to foster balanced territorial development. A multi-step approach to developing sustainable agri-food districts is outlined. How these districts, as integrated systems and meso-level organizational forms, can enhance sustainability through governance is then assessed. This research uses a context-driven analysis pathway involving stakeholder participation and needs identification. The theoretical background, the Italian regulatory framework, and a case study from Lombardy are presented. Needs are identified through participatory approaches and actions are prioritized using desk research and a narrative SWOT analysis combined with key stakeholder discussions (focus group). A total of eighteen needs are identified and categorized into 3 dimensions of sustainability: economic, environmental, and socio-institutional. Findings indicate that agri-food district organization has great potential to help achieve local and regional policy goals in line with the shift to sustainable approaches in the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP). The paper proposes actions to strengthen district capacity-building, focusing on internal governance and sustainable production chains. Additionally, initiatives to attract young people to rural areas and agreements for ecosystem services in agri-food districts are suggested. These actions aim to promote sustainability and competitiveness while addressing challenges related to governance, innovation, branding, demographics, and environment. In conclusion, the study prompts critical inquiry into governance models and system dynamics. The innovative aspects of this study lie in its methodological approach, integration of theory and practice, holistic perspective, policy relevance, and critical inquiry, which collectively contribute to advancing knowledge and understanding in the field of sustainable agriculture and territorial development.

Tropical peat swamp is an essential ecosystem experiencing increased degradation over the past few decades. Therefore, this study used the social-ecological system (SES) perspective to explain the complex relationship between humans and nature in the Sumatran Peatlands Biosphere Reserve. The peat swamp forest has experienced a significant decline, followed by a significant increase in oil palm and forest plantations in areas designated for peat protection. Human systems have evolved to become complex and hierarchical, constituting individuals, groups, organizations, and institutions. Studies on SES conducted in the tropical peatlands of Asia have yet to address the co-evolutionary processes occurring in this region, which could illustrate the dynamic relationship between humans and nature. This study highlights the co-evolutionary processes occurring in the tropical peatland biosphere reserve and provides insights into their sustainability trajectory. Moreover, the coevolution process shows that biosphere reserve is shifting toward an unsustainable path. This is indicated by ongoing degradation in three zones and a lack of a comprehensive framework for landscape-scale water management. Implementing landscape-scale water management is essential to sustain the capacity of peatlands social-ecological systems facing disturbances, and it is important to maintain biodiversity. In addition, exploring alternative development pathways can help alter these trajectories toward sustainability.

Pattaya City is a well-known tourist destination in Thailand, famous for its beautiful beachfront, lively nightlife, and stunning natural scenery. Since 2019, the Eastern Special Development Zone Act, the so-called EEC (Eastern Economic Corridor), has positioned the city as a focal point for Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions (MICE), boosting its tourism-driven economy. Infrastructure improvements in the region have accelerated urban development over the past decade. However, it is uncertain whether this growth primarily comes from development within existing areas or the expansion of urban boundaries and what direction future growth may take. To investigate this, research using the Cellular Automata-Markov model has been conducted to analyze land use changes and urban growth patterns in Pattaya, using land use data from the Department of Land for 2013 and 2017. The findings suggest an upcoming city expansion along the motorway, indicating that infrastructure improvements could drive rapid urbanization in coastal areas. This urban expansion emphasizes the need for urban management and strategic land use planning in coastal cities.