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- Using data science for sustainable development in higher educationPublication . Leal Filho, Walter; Eustachio, João Henrique Paulino Pires; Nita (Danila), Andreea Corina; Dinis, Maria Alzira Pimenta; Salvia, Amanda Lange; Cotton, Debby R. E.; Frizzo, Kamila; Trevisan, Laís Viera; Dibbern, ThaisDespite the abundance of studies focused on how higher education institutions (HEIs) are implementing sustainable development (SD) in their educational programmes, there is a paucity of interdisciplinary studies exploring the role of technology, such as data science, in an SD context. Further research is thus needed to identify how SD is being deployed in higher education (HE), generating positive externalities for society and the environment. This study aims to address this research gap by exploring various ways in which data science may support university efforts towards SD. The methodology relied on a bibliometric analysis to understand and visualise the connections between data science and SD in HE, as well as reporting on selected case studies showing how data science may be deployed for creating SD impact in HE and in the community. The results from the bibliometric analysis unveil five research strands driving this field, and the case studies exemplify them. This study can be considered innovative since it follows previous research on artificial intelligence and SD. Moreover, the combination of bibliometric analysis and case studies provides an overview of trends, which may be useful to researchers and decision-makers who wish to explore the use of data science for SD in HEIs. Finally, the findings highlight how data science can be used in HEIs, combined with a framework developed to support further research into SD in HE.
- Influences of the Covid-19 pandemic on the impact factor of a sample of environment/sustainability-related journalsPublication . Leal Filho, Walter; Dinis, Maria Alzira Pimenta; Salvia, Amanda Lange; Gomes, Bárbara Maria Fritzen; Vasconcelos, Claudio Ruy Portela de; Albrecht, Clarissa FerreiraPurpose The COVID-19 pandemic has led to changes in academic routines. These changes have also contributed to an increase in the number of papers submitted to journals, citations and, ultimately, to changes in metrics. This study aims to address a gap between theory and practice, analysing the changes in the impact factor (IF) of a sample of 30 environment/sustainability-related journals, in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic. Design/methodology/approach The study used an expert-driven literature analysis and an assessment of a selected sample of 30 environment/sustainability-related journals’ increased trends. Findings The unprecedented trend observed when analysing the results obtained in the IF of environment/sustainability-related journals contribute to the body of knowledge on this topic, allowing us to understand how specifically the COVID-19 pandemic has influenced scientific publishing, despite the restrictions imposed by lockdowns and access to research knowledge and facilities. Research limitations/implications Based on a sample of 30 environment/sustainability-related journals, this study can highlight lessons learned from the COVID-19 pandemic, suggesting specific measures which may be addressed to contribute to upkeep levels of publishing in the environment/sustainability field covered in this study. Practical implications This study will contribute to setting the stage for additional research on the influences of the COVID-19 pandemic on scientific publishing’s impact in environment/sustainability areas of knowledge. The implications of this research will allow us to set the basis for more extensive research in other areas of knowledge. Originality/value To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this study is unique, as it addresses the implications of the COVID-19 pandemic in 30 considered exemplary environment/sustainability-related journals, the main research area of all the authors involved in this publication.
- The added value of partnerships in implementing the UN sustainable development goalsPublication . Leal Filho, Walter; Dibbern, Thais; Dinis, Maria Alzira Pimenta; Coggo Cristofoletti, Evandro; Mbah, Marcellus Forh; Mishra, Ashish; Clarke, Amelia; Samuel, Naima; Castillo Apraiz, Julen; Rimi Abubakar, Ismaila; Aina, Yusuf A.Partnerships have become a key tool in the implementation of the United Nations (UN) Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Partnerships can scale up the impact of initiatives by leveraging the strengths and reach of each involved partner. This allows for the replication and expansion of successful projects and programs. In the context of the UN SDGs, partnerships can play a key role in their effective implementation, due to their ability to bring together a variety of stakeholders from different sectors and with different levels of expertise and experience. By leveraging the skills, resources, and capacities of different stakeholders, partnerships can contribute to creating synergies that are essential for the successful implementation of the SDGs. Despite the role of partnerships and their potential value, there is a need for studies that can help understand their role and promote greater transparency and accountability in the implementation of the SDGs. Against this background, this article outlines the concept of partnerships and their values, followed by a description of the partnerships for sustainable development, concerning the implementation of the SDGs and its main features. Some examples of relevant partnerships are presented, outlining their scope and degree of success. Based on the experiences gathered specific suggestions on how to foster partnerships to foster the implementation of sustainable development are provided. It is crucial to define common objectives to ensure alignment and a strong foundation for collaboration, involving diverse stakeholders, including governments, businesses, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), academia, and local communities, thus bringing unique perspectives and resources. Open and transparent communication builds trust and encourages the sharing of ideas and challenges. Additionally, demonstrating the benefits for each partner, whether in reputation, market access, or cost reduction, motivates active engagement, establishes incentive structures, and allows to celebrate successes. Pooling resources, knowledge, and expertise enhances the effectiveness of sustainable development initiatives, encouraging long-term commitments and fostering adaptability in the face of complex challenges. These are specific strategies that highlight the relevance of these findings, in comparison to existing work. Partnerships have evolved into indispensable instruments for the realization of the UN SDGs. Their transformative potential is expected to grow as the future trend, driven by the ongoing need for collaborative solutions to global challenges, becoming instrumental in addressing pressing global issues such as climate change, public health crises, and economic inequalities. In the coming years, a surge in research and initiatives focusing on optimizing partnership models, governance structures, and monitoring mechanisms to enhance accountability and transparency, is anticipated. Furthermore, the integration of digital technologies and data-driven insights into partnership strategies may revolutionize their impact and efficiency. Overall, the evolution of partnerships as a vital force in global sustainability presents a promising future trend with broader applications and a crucial role in addressing multifaceted challenges beyond the SDGs, as demonstrated in this study.
- Editorial: Sustainability challenges around energy poverty in an era of global environmental and economic crisisPublication . Dinis, Maria Alzira Pimenta; Ngarava, Saul; Zhou, Leocadia; Chari, Martin MunasheEditorial on the research topic Sustainability challenges around energy poverty in an era of global environmental and economic crisis
- The central role of climate action in achieving the United Nations' sustainable development goalsPublication . Leal Filho, Walter; Wall, Tony; Salvia, Amanda Lange; Dinis, Maria Alzira Pimenta; Mifsud, MarkSustainable Development Goal (SDG) 13 refers to “Climate Action”. It is one of the 17 goals established by the United Nations in their 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. The primary objective of SDG13 is to take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts. It recognises that climate change is a global challenge that requires immediate attention and concerted efforts from governments, businesses, communities, and individuals worldwide. SDG13 permeates a number of SDGs and also influences them in a significant way. Based on the need to contextualise SDG13 and considering its role as one of the central SDGs, this article outlines the links between SDG13 and the other SDGs. It also reports on a survey involving experts from 61 countries. The findings suggest that even though climate change impacts, particularly extreme weather events, are known to disproportionally affect poorer and minoritized communities, the synergies among related goals and climate justice seem to receive less attention. The article concludes by describing some of the means via which synergies between SDG13 and other SDGs may be achieved.
- Ensuring sustainability in internationalisation efforts at higher education institutionsPublication . Leal Filho, Walter; Viera Trevisan, Laís; Dinis, Maria Alzira Pimenta; Sivapalan, Subarna; Wahaj, Zujaja; Liakh, OlenaPurpose – Higher education institutions (HEIs) around the world are engaged in internationalisation efforts. Yet internationalisation per se is associated with significant pressures on the environment and environmental resources, which need to be addressed. Therefore, this study assessed the opportunities, benefits, and challenges associated with the internationalisation of universities at a global level. Design/methodology/approach – A total of 27 relevant case studies were extracted from the literature to illustrate how HEIs worldwide are ensuring sustainability in their internationalisation efforts. Findings – Through case studies of international HEIs, the study lists the opportunities, benefits, and challenges associated with the internationalisation of universities at a global level and some of the measures that may be deployed to reduce the environmental impacts of their international activities. Originality/value - This study provides a welcome contribution to the literature since it outlines some of the works taking place at universities, where matters related to sustainable development are considered against a background of internationalisation efforts.
- Managing medical waste in Ghana – the realityPublication . Debrah, Justice Kofi; Carlotto, Ivani Nadir; Vidal, Diogo Guedes; Dinis, Maria Alzira PimentaThis study estimates the Medical Waste (MW) generated and the handling process in six Healthcare Facilities (HF) in Ghana, Sub- Saharan Africa (SSA), and identifies the associated parameters. The data were collected by field work and MW collection, identification and weighing. The results indicate that the average rate of infec- tious MW ranged from 0.23 to 2.34 kg/bed/day (M = 0.95 kg/bed/ day), and 0.24 to 1.68 kg/bed/day for non-infectious MW (M = 0.56 kg/bed/day). An amount of 11.41 tonnes of MW were estimated in the six HF in Greater Accra and Eastern Region in Ghana, comprising 49.1% infectious MW. The results suggest that the number of outpatients/day and the size of HF are the main predictors for the MW generation. The study shows that the segre- gation of MW is not correctly practised in the studied HF since 33% used the uncontrolled combustion process of open burning and dumping to handle 0.99 tonnes (8.7%) of MW.
- Promoting gender equality across the sustainable development goalsPublication . Leal Filho, Walter; Kovaleva, Marina; Tsani, Stella; Țîrcă, Diana-Mihaela; Shiel, Chris; Dinis, Maria Alzira Pimenta; Nicolau, Melanie; Sima, Mihaela; Fritzen, Barbara; Lange Salvia, Amanda; Minhas, Aprajita; Kozlova, Valerija; Doni, Federica; Spiteri, Jane; Gupta, Tanushka; Wakunuma, Kutoma; Sharma, Mohit; Barbir, Jelena; Shulla, Kalterina; Bhandari, Medani P.; Tripathi, ShivGender issues, and gender equality in particular, can be regarded as cross-cutting issues in the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), even though it is unclear how they are taken into account. This study addresses this information gap by performing an assessment of the emphasis on gender issues across all the other 16 SDGs, in addition to SDG5, through a literature review and case study analysis, the basis for the newly developed framework, highlighting specific actions associated to each SDG. The 13 countries addressed in the 16 case studies include China, India, or Australia and illustrate the inclusion of SDG5 into the SDGs. Using an SDG matrix, the SDG targets are analysed. Those where an emphasis on gender equality is important in allowing them to be achieved are listed. The novelty of our approach resides in offering an in-depth analysis of how gender issues interact with the other SDGs, proposing a new analysis framework clearly identifying SDGs 1, 4, 11, 12, 14 and 16 demanding further attention for successful SD gender implementation and illustrating specific areas where further actions may be necessary, which may be used by policy-makers, raising further awareness on gender equality contribution to achieve the SDGs. A set of recommendations aimed at placing gender matters more centrally in the SDGs delivery are presented as a final contribution. These focus on the need for greater awareness and attention to good practices, to achieve successful implementation initiatives.
- Environmental, social and governance (ESG) and innovation in the construction sector: systematic literature reviewPublication . Cruz, Pedro Lucas; Ávila, Lucas Veiga; Dinis, Maria Alzira Pimenta; Baggio, Daniel KnebelPurpose – To analyze the evolution of Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) and innovation in the civil construction industry, focusing on innovative and sustainable practices, as well as ways of measuring the level of construction companies in these themes. Design/methodology/approach – A Systematic Literature Review approach was used. The Web of Science and Elsevier Scopus Databases, from 2017 to 2022, were used for data collection, based on a set of keywords and Boolean operators (“sustainable development” & “framework” & “measurement” & “environment”). Using the Zotero Software, 488 papers were classified and organized according to the publication date, main content, proposals for sustainable and innovative tools and techniques. The papers were analyzed in the VOSviewer Software. Findings – There is an Asian predominance in the volume of publications and networks of strong connections in clusters by countries. The authors tend to look for papers from the same region as a reference, going against the concept of globalization of ESG and innovation themes and the condition of replicability of practices. Among the exemplified practices, there are replicable models and initiatives, as well as incipient innovative construction materials and methods in search of consolidation. Originality/value – Amid the current and growing discussion about innovation and ESG in organizations, it is noted that the civil construction sector still lacks better performances in these themes. This paper aims to contribute to the advancement of the discussion in the sector, bringing together works found in recent literature.
- Dermatological side effects of cancer treatment: psychosocial implications—a systematic review of the literaturePublication . Almeida, Vera; Pires, Daniela; Silva, Marta; Teixeira, Maribel; Teixeira, Ricardo João; Louro, André; Dinis, Maria Alzira Pimenta; Ferreira, Maria; Teixeira, AnaCancer is a leading cause of mortality and morbidity all over the world and the second major cause of death in Portugal. Dermatological side effects resulting from cancer treatment have a psychosocial impact on patients’ lives, such as quality of life (QoL), body image, cognitive fusion and social inhibition. This systematic review aimed to explore and synthesize the psychosocial impact of dermatological side effects of cancer treatment, answering the following research objectives: (i) Do the dermatological side effects of the cancer treatment present any psychosocial impact for the patients? (ii) How does the psychosocial impact of the dermatological toxicities of the cancer treatment manifest in patients’ lives? Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines were followed and guided a systematic search through the PubMed, Cochrane Library and PyscNet databases. The considered studies correlate dermatological side effects of cancer treatments and their psychological/psychosocial outcomes. The studies found were all published in peer-reviewed journals. The results obtained established that cancer treatment causes the most varied skin changes, consequently reducing self-esteem and QoL; disturbing body image; and contributing to cases of stress, depression and anxiety. There is still limited literature that profoundly investigates the experience of living with these skin toxicities. The development of research lines to improve knowledge in this field will allow for significant improvements in healthcare for patients undergoing cancer treatment who need to focus more on the psychosocial implications of skin toxicities. The novelty of this review lies in adding knowledge summarizing the psychosocial implications of dermatological side effects of cancer treatment to support healthcare providers in the development of integrative therapeutic strategies for these patients in their clinical practice.