The state delivery of affordable and sustainable housing continues to be a complicated challenge in Africa, and there is a need to encourage private sector participation. As a result, this study examines the risks associated with private sector participation in affordable housing and supporting infrastructure investment and the strategies towards mitigating the risks from an Afrocentric perspective. The evidence from a systematic literature review was coupled with the opinion of an international expert panel to address the paper’s aim and provide recommendations for developing improved housing and supporting infrastructure in Sub-Saharan Africa. The review outcomes and the qualitative data from the panel discussion were analysed using thematic analysis. The results revealed that market dynamics, land supply and acquisition constraints, cost of construction materials, unsupportive policies, and technical and financial factors constitute risks to affordable housing in the region. Mitigation strategies include leveraging joint efforts, strengths, and resource bases, increasing access to land and finance for private sector participation, developing a supportive government framework to promote an enabling environment for easy access to land acquisition and development finance, local production of building materials, research and technology adoption. In line with the United Nations (UN) Agenda 2030 targets and principles, reforms are required across the housing value chain, involving the private sector and community. Application of the study’s recommendations could minimise the risks of affordable housing delivery and enhance private sector participation.

This research addresses environmental, ethical, and health concerns related to high meat consumption, and aims to identify key predictors that encourage a shift towards sustainable diets among young adults. A cross-sectional survey involving 340 students from ten Malaysian universities was conducted using a structured questionnaire. The findings indicate that attitudes, subjective norms, perceived behavioral control, and personal norms significantly predict the intention to adopt plant-based diets. These results have practical implications, suggesting that policymakers, educators, and health professionals should create supportive environments and educational programs that emphasize the benefits of plant-based diets and equip students with the necessary knowledge and skills. Theoretically, the study reinforces the TPB framework’s applicability in understanding dietary behaviors and underscores the importance of personal and social factors in shaping dietary intentions. Ultimately, promoting plant-based diets among university students necessitates a comprehensive approach and strategy addressing attitudes, social norms, perceived control, and personal values. By leveraging these insights, stakeholders can foster sustainable and healthy eating practices among young adults, contributing to broader environmental and public health objectives for sustainable development.

Olive production is threatened by a fungal pathogen, Armillaria mellea (Vahl. Fr.) P. Kumm.,causing decline in trees worldwide. Effectiveness of once and twice applications of fungicides hexaconazole, propicoconazole and thiophanate-methyl and application of biological agent (Trichoderma harzianum) to control A. mellea was studied at orchard scale during four years. T. harzianum inhibited the pathogen growth on agar media. This antagonistic fungus provided a 25% control efficiency of A. mellea on olive trees younger than 15 years which was the same as control efficiency of once application of hexaconazole. Control efficiencies as perfect as 100% were determined on younger (<15 years old) diseased olive trees treated with once applications of thiophanate-methyl and hexaconazole, and twice applications of thiophanate-methyl. Moreover, olive tree age was significantly effective on fungicidal control efficiency. Hence, this four-year research advanced our understanding of sustainable olive production in study region and other geographical areas with similar agro-ecological characteristics.

This paper highlights the complex relationship between entrepreneurship, sustainable development, and economic growth in 41 European countries, using a reliable K-Means cluster analysis. The research thoroughly evaluates three key factors: the SDG Index for sustainable development, GDP per capita for economic well-being, and the New Business Density Rate for entrepreneurial activity. Our methodology reveals three distinct narratives that embody varying degrees of economic vitality and sustainability. Cluster 1 comprises the financially stable and sustainability-oriented countries of Western and Northern Europe. Cluster 2 showcases the variegated economic and sustainability initiatives in Central and Southern Europe. Cluster 3 envelopes the economic titans with noteworthy business expansion but with the potential for better sustainable practices. The analysis reveals a favourable association between economic prosperity and sustainable development within clusters, although with nonlinear intricacies. The research concludes with a series of strategic imperatives specifically crafted for each cluster, promoting economic variation, increased sustainability, invention, and worldwide collaboration. The resulting findings highlight the crucial need for policy-making that considers the specific context and the potential for combined European resilience and sustainability.

Universities play a crucial role in supporting sustainable development. In recent decades, indicator-based assessment tools have emerged to quantify universities’ efforts towards sustainability. The most widely known is the UI GreenMetric World University Rankings (UI-GWUR): In our paper, we examine the sustainability performance of the three greenest Hungarian universities. The University of Pécs, the University of Szeged and the University of Sopron were among the top 200 higher education institutions (HEIs) in the UI-GWUR in 2023, which proves that they have successfully integrated sustainable development into the components of their system. The aim of the paper is to identify the sustainability measures implemented by the three-top Hungarian HEIs. Their experiences shed light on how it is possible to move forward in the UI GWUR for a Hungarian higher education institution. In order to evaluate the sustainability efforts of the universities, the UI GWUR database was first examined. The websites and sustainability reports of the three universities were also analyzed to gain insight into their activities. Identifying the sustainability actions of the three institutions will help other universities to successfully plan and implement their sustainability initiatives. In the last part of our paper, we evaluate how the three Hungarian universities communicate sustainability through their websites. The results show that advancement in the UI Green Metric World University Rankings primarily requires conscious planning, which means a deeper understanding of the ranking methodology on the one hand, and a clear strategy creation and implementation on the other hand.

In green construction, sustainable resources are essential. One such material is copper, which is widely utilized in electronics, transportation, manufacturing, and residential buildings. As a very useful material, it has many beneficial impacts on human life. Observed from the recent demand spike is in line with the overall trend and the current growing smelter construction in Indonesia. Researchers intend to adapt the existing Copper Smelting Plant Building into an environmentally friendly building as a part of the production chain, in addition to reducing public and environmental concerns about the consequences of this development. We have identified a disparity in cost, where the high cost of green buildings is an obstacle to its implementation to enhance the cost performance with increased renewable energy of the Smelter Construction Building, this study investigates the application of LEED parameters to evaluate green retrofit approaches through system dynamics. The most relevant features of the participant assessments were identified using the SEM-PLS approach, which is used to build and test statistical models of causal models. We have results for this Green Retrofitting study following significant variables according to the following guidelines: innovation, low-emission materials, renewable energy, daylighting, reducing indoor water usage, rainwater management, and access to quality transit.