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Twenty-minute neighbourhoods highlight the importance of well-connected and mixed-used neighbourhoods and communities with proximate access to employment, essential services, public transport, and open spaces. Shorter distances together with re-prioritised public spaces encourage more active transport choices, resulting in public health benefits and reduced environmental pollution. Higher liveability brought about by mixed-use developments enables people to have equitable access to local facilities, amenities, and employment opportunities, promoting vibrancy, social cohesion, and intergenerational connections. The attributes of 20-minute neighbourhoods also combine to create places, that are acknowledged as friendly for all ages, address changing needs across the life course, and provide better support for the ageing population. Furthermore, there are indications that 20-minute neighbourhoods may be more resilient against many of the negative impacts of stringent public health protocols such as those implemented in periods of lockdown during the Covid-19 pandemic. In this article, we evaluate and compare planning policies and practices aimed at establishing 20-minute neighbourhoods in Melbourne (Australia) and Scotland (the UK). Using case studies, we discuss similarities and differences involved in using place-based approaches of 20-minute neighbourhoods to address 21st-century challenges in key areas of health and wellbeing, equity, environmental sustainability, and community resilience.

Modern society is facing great challenges due to pollution and increased carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions. As part of solving these challenges, the use of renewable energy sources and electric vehicles (EVs) is rapidly increasing. However, increased dynamics have triggered problems in balancing energy supply and consumption demand in the power systems. The resulting uncertainty and unpredictability of energy production, consumption, and management of peak loads has caused an increase in costs for energy market actors. Therefore, the means for studying the balancing of local smart grids with EVs is a starting point for this paper. The main contribution is a simulation-based approach which was developed to enable the study of the balancing of local distribution grids with EV batteries in a cost-efficient manner. The simulation-based approach is applied to enable the execution of a distributed system with the simulation of a local distribution grid, including a number of charging stations and EVs. A simulation system has been constructed to support the simulation-based approach. The evaluation has been carried out by executing the scenario related to balancing local distribution grids with EV batteries in a step-by-step manner. The evaluation results indicate that the simulation-based approach is able to facilitate the evaluation of smart grid– and EV-related communication protocols, control algorithms for charging, and functionalities of local distribution grids as part of a complex, critical cyber-physical system. In addition, the simulation system is able to incorporate advanced methods for monitoring, controlling, tracking, and modeling behavior. The simulation model of the local distribution grid can be executed with the smart control of charging and discharging powers of the EVs according to the load situation in the local distribution grid. The resulting simulation system can be applied to the study of balancing local smart grids with EV batteries. Based on the evaluation results, it is estimated that the simulation-based approach can provide an essential, safe, and cost-efficient method for the evaluation of complex, critical cyber-physical systems, such as smart grids.

The aim of this paper is to scrutinize smart biking in the context of gendered innovations and sustainable transport. Based on media representations, interviews, reports and surveys, the paper situates the establishment of the Chinese biking company Mobike in the landscapes of recent innovation strategies. What are the gendered implications of shared biking and Mobike design and technology? Does Mobike provide a challenge to the car-centric developments of urban mobility in China? What are the broader lessons to be learned in terms of sustainable urban transport? The Mobike company rolled out its first waves of bikes in the streets in Shanghai and Beijing in 2016, since when smart biking has spread like wildfire, particularly in China, but also in other countries around the globe. This paper contributes to situating and analyzing innovative practices related to gender and sustainability. Mobike was invented by a woman, Hu Weiwei, who set out to address the pressing needs of urban residents in respect of more convenient, sustainable and efficient modes of transport. It is argued that Mobike should be seen as an experimental case of disruptive gendered innovations that feeds into the challenges of sustainable urban transport and social equality.

In Zimbabwe trade has been a driver of economic growth, rising incomes, and progressive empowerment of Zimbabweans through rising standards of living and the promise of better jobs. Since 1980, through good years and bad years, increases in exports have been positively associated with increases in national income. Zimbabwe's location and resource base, together with a low-cost but relatively well educated labor force, have endowed it with a naturally high trade ratio built on a diversified base that facilitates using trade as an engine of growth. While trade volumes have rebounded smartly from the deep recession of 2007-2008, these do not offset other worrisome longer-term trends: 1) export growth during the last decade has been lackluster and failed to drive high growth; 2) agricultural exports, other than tobacco, have lost their once dominant role in the region, and are no longer a source of diversification; 3) manufacturing has withered in a continuing secular decline; and 4) Zimbabwe's export basket has become less diversified and more dependent on a narrow range of mineral and, to a lesser extent, agricultural products. In short, exports have become less diversified, less-technologically sophisticated, and less labor-intensive, and ever more dependent on a few large mining activities to provide foreign exchange and employment. This report traces the roots of this poor performance to several policy issues: poor predictability of macroeconomic policy and economic governance has created an unfavorable climate for private investment and trade; a tariff structure that dampens export profitability; industrial policies (indigenization policy in particular) that undermine investor confidence and inhibits private investment; and finally, competition-limiting policies toward services that limit connectivity of Zimbabweans and raise trade costs. The good news arising from the study is that the remedies for these policy shortcomings lie in Zimbabwean hands. If the government were to adopt reforms that reconfigure economy-wide incentives and trade and industrial policies, it could promote sustained growth, economic diversification and empowerment of poor people.

Recent events in Europe show the necessity of speeding up the transition to local renewable energy sources utilization within countries’ power systems. Moreover, the share of electric vehicles is gradually increasing within the Europe market. To utilize renewable energy sources with intermittent character to supply power for this increasing demand for electric vehicle charging, the vehicle-to-grid concept must be applied. However, for this concept to be successful, it should be beneficial for electric vehicle drivers and charging station operators. As a result, the focus of this research is on developing a charging/discharging control algorithm that adheres to the above assumptions. The use of the proposed control mechanism in case studies demonstrates that if electric vehicle drivers declare their preferences truthfully, the social welfare of all participants can be maximized. To prevent one of the drivers from trying to disrupt the social welfare concept in their favor by reporting false preferences, the incentive mechanism is proposed as well. The case studies show that the incentive mechanism results in the increased cost of the participant trying to disrupt the social welfare while decreasing the cost of all the others. Therefore, truth-telling and thus maximizing the social welfare of all participants in the system is an optimal strategy for each of them.

La movilidad eléctrica parece traer un cambio de paradigma en el sector del transporte por carretera en todo el mundo. El enorme consumo de combustibles fósiles y la creciente congestión del tráfico han causado preocupaciones sobre el consumo futuro de energía, el crecimiento de la economía y las emisiones de gases de efecto invernadero en los países miembros del Consejo de Cooperación del Golfo. La introducción de vehículos eléctricos (VE) en los dos países más poblados de la región, es decir, el Reino de Arabia Saudita y los Emiratos Árabes Unidos, se considera una opción prometedora para abordar la contaminación ambiental y los futuros temores relacionados con la economía de la región. Este documento presenta los impulsores clave para que los países adopten el transporte eléctrico. Este estudio de investigación investiga el impacto de la penetración de los vehículos eléctricos en la energía, la economía y el medio ambiente de Arabia Saudita y los Emiratos Árabes Unidos a través del pronóstico de existencias de vehículos eléctricos mediante el análisis de regresión lineal. Los resultados obtenidos sugieren que el crecimiento esperado en el sector eléctrico de Arabia Saudita y los Emiratos Árabes Unidos les permitirá mantener una penetración de vehículos eléctricos del 5% y el 30% para 2030, respectivamente. En este sentido, se propone un conjunto de políticas que permitirán a los países acelerar sus esfuerzos para alcanzar los objetivos previstos de reducción de emisiones de gases de efecto invernadero (GEI). Aunque la investigación presentada se centra en el estudio de caso de Arabia Saudita y los Emiratos Árabes Unidos, los hallazgos de la investigación son lo suficientemente generalizados como para aplicarse a todas las demás regiones de la región. El conjunto de políticas sugerido servirá como guía para las partes interesadas pertinentes sobre las medidas necesarias para la electrificación sostenible del transporte por carretera en Arabia Saudita y los Emiratos Árabes Unidos. La mobilité électrique semble apporter un changement de paradigme dans le secteur du transport routier dans le monde entier. L'énorme consommation de combustibles fossiles et la congestion croissante du trafic ont suscité des inquiétudes quant à la consommation d'énergie future, à la croissance économique et aux émissions de gaz à effet de serre dans les pays membres de la région du Conseil de coopération du Golfe. L'introduction de véhicules électriques (VE) dans les deux pays les plus peuplés de la région, à savoir le Royaume d'Arabie saoudite et les Émirats arabes unis, est considérée comme une option prometteuse pour lutter contre la pollution de l'environnement et les craintes liées à l'économie future. Ce document présente les principaux facteurs incitant les pays à adopter le transport électrique. Cette étude de recherche étudie l'impact de la pénétration des véhicules électriques sur l'énergie, l'économie et l'environnement de l'Arabie saoudite et des Émirats arabes unis grâce à la prévision des stocks de véhicules électriques à l'aide d'une analyse de régression linéaire. Les résultats obtenus suggèrent que la croissance attendue dans le secteur de l'électricité en Arabie saoudite et aux Émirats arabes unis leur permettra de maintenir une pénétration de 5 % et de 30 % des véhicules électriques d'ici 2030, respectivement. À cet égard, un ensemble de politiques est proposé, qui permettra aux pays d'accélérer leurs efforts pour atteindre les objectifs de réduction des émissions de gaz à effet de serre (GES). Bien que la recherche présentée se concentre sur l'étude de cas de l'Arabie saoudite et des Émirats arabes unis, les résultats de la recherche sont suffisamment généralisés pour être appliqués à toutes les autres régions de la région. L'ensemble de politiques suggéré servira de lignes directrices aux parties prenantes concernées sur les mesures nécessaires à l'électrification durable du transport routier en Arabie saoudite et aux Émirats arabes unis. Electric mobility seems to bring a paradigm shift in the road transport sector worldwide. Huge consumption of fossil fuels and ever-increasing traffic congestion have caused concerns over future energy consumption, economy growth, and greenhouse gas emissions in the Gulf Cooperation Council region's member countries. The introduction of electric vehicles (EVs) in the two most populous countries of the region, i.e., the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and UAE is considered a promising option to address environmental pollution and future economy-related fears region. This paper presents key drivers for the countries to adopt electric transportation. This research study investigates the impact of EVs penetration on energy, economy, and environment of KSA and UAE through EV stockpile forecasting using linear regression analysis. The obtained results suggest that expected growth in KSA and UAE's power sector will enable them to keep up 5% and 30% EVs penetration by 2030, respectively. In this regard, a set of policies are proposed, which will enable the countries to pace up their efforts to achieve the intended greenhouse gases (GHG) emission reduction goals. Though the presented research is focused on the case study of KSA and UAE, the research findings are generalized enough to be applied to all other regions of the region. The suggested set of policies will serve as guidelines for the relevant stakeholders about the necessary measures required for sustainable road transport electrification in KSA and UAE. يبدو أن التنقل الكهربائي يجلب نقلة نوعية في قطاع النقل البري في جميع أنحاء العالم. تسبب الاستهلاك الهائل للوقود الأحفوري والازدحام المروري المتزايد باستمرار في مخاوف بشأن استهلاك الطاقة في المستقبل ونمو الاقتصاد وانبعاثات غازات الدفيئة في البلدان الأعضاء في مجلس التعاون الخليجي. يعتبر إدخال المركبات الكهربائية (EVs) في البلدين الأكثر اكتظاظًا بالسكان في المنطقة، أي المملكة العربية السعودية والإمارات العربية المتحدة، خيارًا واعدًا لمعالجة التلوث البيئي ومنطقة المخاوف المتعلقة بالاقتصاد المستقبلي. تعرض هذه الورقة الدوافع الرئيسية للبلدان لتبني النقل الكهربائي. تبحث هذه الدراسة البحثية في تأثير تغلغل المركبات الكهربائية على الطاقة والاقتصاد والبيئة في المملكة العربية السعودية والإمارات العربية المتحدة من خلال التنبؤ بمخزون المركبات الكهربائية باستخدام تحليل الانحدار الخطي. تشير النتائج التي تم الحصول عليها إلى أن النمو المتوقع في قطاع الطاقة في المملكة العربية السعودية والإمارات العربية المتحدة سيمكنهما من الحفاظ على انتشار السيارات الكهربائية بنسبة 5 ٪ و 30 ٪ بحلول عام 2030، على التوالي. وفي هذا الصدد، تُقترح مجموعة من السياسات التي ستمكن البلدان من تسريع جهودها لتحقيق الأهداف المنشودة لخفض انبعاثات غازات الدفيئة. على الرغم من أن البحث المقدم يركز على دراسة حالة المملكة العربية السعودية والإمارات العربية المتحدة، إلا أن نتائج البحث معممة بما يكفي لتطبيقها على جميع المناطق الأخرى في المنطقة. ستكون مجموعة السياسات المقترحة بمثابة إرشادات لأصحاب المصلحة المعنيين حول التدابير اللازمة لكهربة النقل البري المستدام في المملكة العربية السعودية والإمارات العربية المتحدة.

Freight transport has emerged as one of the most critical and dynamic aspects of the transport sector where change has become the norm. It is now the main element supporting global commodity and more generally supply chains. Yet the lack of seamlessness and inefficiencies in general as well as the rising costs and complexities of shipping and delivering goods are adding to profit pressures faced by manufacturers across the globe. Our paper first discusses the concept of seamlessness, and then examines some of the consequences of the lack of seamlessness in terms of freight transport inefficiencies. We then begin to examine the new developments in which intermodality, technology (e-commerce), and logistics are changing and will have the impact of heightening competitive advantage and reducing constraint points in production value chains and global production networks. Finally the intent is to show how research on this theme might be advanced in a trans-Atlantic framework.

Logistics systems constitute the backbone of international trade. For developing countries, establishment of sustainable logistics systems reduces costs, and makes supply chains strong to become able to compete. Without setting indicators for sustainable logistics, it is not possible to understand what policies are necessary for success. Logistics systems situations become worse in especial industries such as Fast-Moving Consuming Goods (FMCG) industry that are facing observable challenges such as old-fashioned goods or product corruption. The objective of this paper is to determine a set of indicators, which can be helpful in enhancement of sustainable logistics systems in developing countries. An initial set of indicators is determined through literature review and justified by asking experts’ opinions who have experience of management in logistics systems in developing countries such as Iran and Afghanistan, especially in logistics management in FMCG industry. The indicators are prioritized using Best–Worst Method (BWM), which is a newly introduced decision-making model. Results of prioritization of finalized dimensions and indicators by use of BWM show that “Governance” has the highest importance among dimensions and “management commitment to sustainability” is the most important indicator among all indicators. The results are applicably acceptable as we can see in business circumstances that only when managers believe in perusing sustainability principles as an important factor under each type of economic circumstance, an efficient vision will be set. Risk management has gained the least weight in this study. Based on experts’ opinions, if policies and procedures are set and performed correctly, risks will be less probable by themselves. The results help mangers in assignment of limited budgets to improvement projects related to each indicator.