• Energy Research
• 1. No poverty close

Building resilient cities is the foundation and guarantee for the Chengdu-Chongqing economic circle to achieve high-quality and sustainable development. This research uses the entropy TOPSIS method to evaluate the urban resilience level of the Chengdu-Chongqing Economic Circle and uses the Fuzzy Set Qualitative Comparative Analysis (fsQCA) approach to analyze the configuration of contributing factors. Research indicates that the overall urban resilience level is relatively low, with more than 70% of the areas being less than 0.3. Overall, Chengdu (Level 1) and Chongqing central districts (Level 2) are 1–3 levels higher than their surrounding areas, which indicates insufficient spatial balance. The consistency scores of the single-antecedent condition necessity analyses were all less than 0.9, and the consistencies of all configuration analysis results were all greater than 0.8. This research proves that the creation of urban resilience is the result of a combination of factors, rather than the independent influence from any individual factor. Financial and innovation forces are the key driving factors that affect the level of urban resilience. The multiple driving model also helps to improve the level of resilience. The lack of cultural and innovation forces in Chongqing area has been proven to inhibit the level of urban resilience, and the lack of openness and political focus has resulted in a low level of resilience in the Sichuan area. We propose to promote the construction of a “dual core”, to create synergies between Chongqing and Chengdu, and to achieve balanced and integrated development in the entire region. We focus on the key factors affecting the resilience level of the Chengdu-Chongqing economic circle. In the future, we suggest further opening the market and implementing a developing strategy that is driven by economy and innovation. Regarding the construction of the Sichuan and the Chongqing areas, we encourage the two regions to adjust policies based on local conditions. First, the administration should solve the driving force deficiencies for development, then adopt differentiation strategies for regional development.

In Germany and other European countries, the sustainable development of cities and regions is steadily discussed in relation to the concept of resilience (BIRKMANN et al. 2013), especially with regard to the ongoing global climate change. Impacts on human and natural systems resulting from the worldwide climate change are less and less neglectable (IPCC 2014, 2-4). To reduce the vulnerability of biological systems, to protect communities and to strengthen the resilience of the economy, adaptation strategies were developed and set in place on several spatial levels (e.g. from a European perspective to regional approaches to urban adaptation strategies). The focus of adaptation strategies is on more planned and proactive means of adaptation, dealing with a reduction of vulnerability of ecological-social-economic systems to the impact of climate change (S MIT et al. 1999, 200-202). Of course, this adaptive perspective on cities and regions is also crucial for other policy fields, as the germinal question for cities is to what extent and by which strategies they can increase their resistance successfully - with regard to the ecological capacities of cities, to the backdrop of the financial scarcity of public budgets, to high refugee numbers searching for shelter in cities and so on.

The implementation of sustainability-oriented practices in small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) has been discussed frequently over the years. Recent studies on sustainability have focused mainly on links between ecological and economic sustainability. This exploratory study aims to explore institutional barriers and facilitators regarding the implementation of sustainability-oriented practices in the Indonesian batik industry and to provide policy recommendations. The Indonesian batik industry is well-known for its cultural heritage and for being part of the Indonesian identity. Batik products are mostly hand-crafted by women crafters. The study used in-depth insights from two focus groups conducted with entrepreneurs active in the batik industry, while also building on earlier empirical insights. The lack of customer knowledge and socio-cultural and regulatory factors were found to be barriers to sustainability in batik SMEs. Ecological, technological, socio-cultural, and political factors were found to facilitate achieving sustainability objectives. This study contributes to the sustainable entrepreneurship and women entrepreneurship literature by considering facilitators and barriers as they are experienced by batik entrepreneurs and by furthering the conceptualization of sustainable entrepreneurs as either “committed” or “followers”.

Anthropogenic activities in search of livelihood come with its environmental implications. This is in line with the current crusade of the United Nations sustainable development goals (SDGs) target 7 and 13 for effective clean energy access and mitigating the adverse effect of climate change issues. Since the seminal study of Kraft and Kraft (1978) on the nexus between energy and gross national product, there has been no consensus in the extant literature in the last four decades. To this end, the current study applies recent data for the case of Nigeria from 1970 to 2017 on an annual frequency. Modified Wald causality test of Toda-Yamamoto is in conjunction with the recent gradual shift causality test with Fourier approximation for robustness and precision of analysis. Empirical results show the pollutant driven economy as one-way causality is seen running from pollutant emission to economic growth. This suggests that economic growth is driven by dirty energy sources that are from non-renewable energy sources. This is further validated in the pollution haven hypothesis (PHH) confirmed in the study by the causality seen running from foreign direct investment and carbon dioxide emissions. Additionally, the exploration of natural resources also engenders economic expansion in Nigeria. Based on the current study findings, a couple of submissions are made such as the need for a paradigm shift to cleaner energy sources. More so, the need for the adoption of cleaner, eco-system friendlier innovations, and technologies will aid in the attainment of the SDGs of mitigating climate and pollution issues.

Abstract Industrial sustainability has gained huge attention in the scientific community owing to the concern of global warming. Establishing sustainability indicators by the application of exergy analysis can guide and motivate industrial sustainability. In this context, an attempt is made to establish sustainability indicators for the industrial sector. Different measures to improve the sustainability of the industrial sector of Bangladesh are also discussed. Based on the energy consumption data from the year 2000–2015, energy, exergy, and sustainability analyses are performed. It is found that the energy efficiency varies from 55.01% to 59.67% and exergy efficiency varies from 53.11% to 56.97%. Exergy efficiency is found to be at lower side due to the accounting of irreversibility. Various sustainability indicators such as sustainability index, depletion number, exergetic renewable share, cumulative exergy loss, and non-renewable exergetic share have been studied as well. It is observed that depletion numbers vary from 43% to 45% and the sustainability index varies from 2.21 to 2.32. Non-renewable exergetic share is as high as 98% and maximum cumulative exergy loss is found to be 217.3 PJ in 2015. Improvement potential shows a continuous increase from 22.75% in 2000 to 101.89% in 2015. Waste heat recovery, energy audit, waste minimization, and adopting renewable energy sources are recommended to increase the efficiency and sustainability of this sector. The outcome of this study reveals that exergy analysis is an effective technique to develop energy conservation policies for this sector.

The potential for decoupling of energy and resources from economic growth should enable economic development while improving environmental sustainability indicators. Relative decoupling of energy has been a characteristic of developed nations as a consequence of efficiency gains and productivity growth. The trend has strengthened in recent decades as economies have advanced further into the service economy phase. The next phase of development (the so-called ‘Infotronics’ phase) is being enabled by the rapid growth of information and communications technology (ICT), and artificial intelligence. The question explored in this commentary is whether the Infotronics phase will shift energy consumption in absolute rather than relative terms (so-called ‘strong’ vs. ‘weak’ decoupling), using Australia as a case study. In this context, weak decoupling is defined as a relative reduction in energy consumption per unit of GDP, whereas strong decoupling is also an absolute reduction in national energy consumption. Historic data on Australian primary energy consumption, gross domestic product, GDP deflator, and industrial sectors have been assembled for the period 1900–2014. A time-series linear regression between energy and real GDP was undertaken to explore the historic relationship between changes in the changing structure of the Australian economy and energy consumption. Despite a significant shift towards a service economy, primary energy consumption has remained strongly connected to GDP, but overlaid with distinct long-run trends in energy intensity. An explanation for the long-run connection is two-fold. The evolution towards greater social and industrial complexity has been underpinned by the ready availability of cheap fuels. The deepening of the service economy towards the infotronics phase should be seen partly as a consequence of available energy supply and productive primary and secondary sectors. Several specific examples of ICT are explored to test the hypothesis, including ICT-enabled remote work, online retail, the ‘sharing economy’, and productivity-enhancing ICT applications. Second, energy consumption is driven by demand for end-use energy services, including transport, buildings and food. Demand for these services is a function of human wants, needs and income, and a changing industrial structure does not alter their underlying demand. The conclusion is that ICT is enabling productivity gains and new business models, but does not significantly weaken the demand for these services, and therefore does not enable strong decoupling.

Uttarakhand is endowed with perennial rivers and large network of both rain fed and ice fed rivers that provide immense scope for development of Hydro Power in the State. Hydro power is the clean energy which generates electricity at zero fuel cost. Regulatory issues, Transmission /Power evacuation issues, Environmental concerns, Inter-state perspectives, Law and order issues, Dearth of good contractors, Natural effects, Political issues, Land acquisition problem, Resettlement and Rehabilitation issues, Locational disadvantages, Budgetary requirements, Private sector involvement and Longer gestation period are some of the obstructions which are hindering the development of hydro power plants. This paper reviews the available literature to identify several barriers affecting the development of Hydro Power in Uttarakhand.

This paper investigates how social outcomes from urban transport projects typically play out by reflecting on multi-scale spatial changes induced by projects over time, and the extent to which such changes meet varied interests in project outcomes. We use a multi-methods case study approach using two exemplars, a metro project in London and Seoul, which established extensive public transport networks to support urban growth. Our study highlighted that urban transport network expansion does not always enhance life opportunities for all due to intermediate and cumulative impacts of spatial changes induced by projects. Immediate benefits such as enhanced accessibility were often undermined by long-term consequences of incremental spatial changes at local scales. This study also indicated that differential patterns of spatial changes around nodes between centre and periphery could be attributed to multiple negative impacts on people living in the most deprived areas. To enhance social outcomes, we suggest an integrated approach to urban transport and spatial development that focuses on scale and temporal dimensions of spatial transformation enacted by projects. In conclusion, achieving sustainable and equitable effects from urban transport infrastructure requires careful examination of broader societal consequences of long-term spatial changes and locational contexts, especially function and socio-economic conditions.