This book offers a transdisciplinary perspective on the concept of "smart villages" Written by an authoritative group of scholars, it discusses various aspects that are essential to fostering the development of successful smart villages. Presenting cutting-edge technologies, such as big data and the Internet-of-Things, and showing how they have been successfully applied to promote rural development, it also addresses important policy and sustainability issues. As such, this book offers a timely snapshot of the state-of-the-art in smart village research and practice.

This book, the second volume in the series, continues to raise contextual issues and presents perspectives regarding multifaceted challenges in management and governance of water in India. This volume attempts to broad base and expand the dialogue started in the first volume and would touch upon issues that need immediate discussion but have been left unattended like politics and management of groundwater, efficient utilization of water in agriculture (irrigation) and improving water use efficiency and building resilience. As in the first volume, this book presents a set of suggestions and recommendations in each chapter that can help frame policy guidelines in the country.

The purpose of this book is to study the association of corporate environmental responsibility (CER) with financial performance, capital structure, innovative activities, corporate risk, working capital management and accounting quality. Undoubtedly, CER has been developed into a crucial corporate issue around the world. CER has been incorporated within various sectors, countries and includes many types of activities and dimensions. A fundamental issue that is addressed in this book, is how corporate finance and accounting are affected by CER activities and how it impacts company performance. In order to analyse this interrelation, the authors focus on a sample of firms from 28 EU member countries. The purpose of this book is to study the association of CER with financial performance, capital structure, innovative activities, corporate risk, working capital management and accounting quality. The book also intends to provide useful policy recommendations as well as to offer constructive impulses for future research.

Trends in cleaner business decisions have resulted in sustainable business models involving society, stakeholders, and consumers. Sustainable choices of companies create competitive differentiations that enable consumers to weigh social values and shift loyalties in the competitive marketplace. This book focuses on sustainability as the pivot of marketing and argues that commitment to sustainability in business not only equips companies to have greater social impact but also inspires an emotional response in consumers that aids companies in growing their image, brands, and socio-political reputations. Exploring topics such as the circular economy, sustainable logistics, eco-innovation, conscious consumption, and social entrepreneurship, the chapters discuss sustainable practices in emerging markets and co-creation between corporations and consumers. This book offers researchers innovative concepts on sustainable business modelling.

One of the earliest scientific works on all aspects of compost and manure. Still of value today, especially to those interested in organic agriculture. Howard is the author of the very ground breaking "An Agricultural Testament."

Originating from the 8th edition of the Energy and Sustainability conference, the research included in this volume contributes to the increasing amount of interest in renewable energy resources and the search for maintainable energy policies. Energy production and distribution need to respond to the modern world's dependency on conventional fuels. This volume includes collaborative research between different disciplines, including materials, energy networks, new energy resources, storage solutions, waste to energy systems, smart grids and many other related subjects. Energy policies and management are of primary importance to achieve the development of sustainability and need to be consistent with recent advances in energy production and distribution. Challenges lie as much in the conversion from renewable energies such as wind and solar to useful forms like electricity, heat and fuel at an acceptable cost (including environmental damage) as in the integration of these resources into an existing infrastructure. A range of topics are covered, including: Energy efficiency, Energy storage and distribution, Sustainable buildings, Energy policies, Biomass and biofuels, Environmental risk management, Case studies and Ecosystem modelling.

This book contains an introduction and 20 studies, each describing a recent research investigation in the area of sustainable and resilient buildings, built environment infrastructure and renewable energy. Contributions are from many different countries of the world and on a range of topics, representing a sample of research within the 'sustainable energy and buildings' field. The book begins with chapters on the sustainable design of buildings, followed by descriptions of issues relating to the renovation, restoration and reconstruction of existing buildings, or in one case a railway wagon. The next part of the book covers factors that form barriers or impediments to low or zero carbon buildings, followed by studies of issues relating to policy and certification. There then follow four chapters on various topics related to sustainable buildings - undergraduate courses, insurance issues, biophilia relating to buildings and thermal conductivity measurement. There are several chapters relating to renewable energy, followed by two chapters with a sustainable transport theme, one relating to electric vehicles, and the other about a sustainable road infrastructure. The final chapter is on the manufacture of sustainable building components for the UK housing sector. The book is of use to engineers, scientists, researchers, practitioners, academics and all those who are interested to develop and use sustainability science and technology for the betterment of our planet and humankind, and to mitigate climate change reality.

This book explores how technological progress accelerates the transformation of economic development by adopting a fundamental logical approach to technological progress, intensive inputs, and promotion of productive efficiency to transformation of economic development. It investigates the internal mechanisms and the choice of corresponding modes that initiate technological progress to accelerate the transformation of economic development at three basic research levels: micro-enterprise level, mid-industry level and macro-economy level. Based on the above research, the book summarizes four dimensions facilitating the transformation: agricultural intensification, new industrialization, modernization of the service industry and the advanced manufacturing industry, and linkage of the modern service industry. This book is especially valuable in its hierarchical categorization covering theoretical, empirical, industrial and strategic exploration. On one hand, it analyzes the mechanisms and approaches influencing the transformation of economic development driven by technological progress from both theoretical and empirical perspectives. On the other hand, based on the introduction of advanced international experiences, it probes into the guarantee basis for the strategic implementation and the corresponding mode choices of the transformations. Furthermore, it offers specific policy proposals from both the macro level of how technological progress promotes the transformation of economic development and the micro level covering the agricultural, industrial and service industries.

This book highlights the Eco-design or Sustainable design in textiles and fashion, aimed at reducing their environmental impact throughout their life cycle. Sustainable design is one of the core elements practiced in various industrial sectors. The textiles and fashion sector, is also creating a huge environmental brunt in terms of various fibres, processes, consumption of various resources including dyes, chemicals and auxiliaries, etc,. Thus, sustainable design is the key to reduce the environmental impacts made out of textiles and fashion products. This book includes seven informative chapters to decipher the concept and applications of sustainable design in textiles and fashion.

This book highlights cutting-edge ecodesign research, covering product and service design, smart manufacturing, and social perspectives in ecodesign. Featuring selected papers presented at EcoDesign 2019: 11th International Symposium on Environmentally Conscious Design and Inverse Manufacturing, it also includes diverse, interdisciplinary approaches to foster ecodesign research and activities. In the context of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), it addresses the need for the manufacturing industry to design innovations for sustainable value creation, taking into account technological developments, legislation, and consumer lifestyles. Further, the book discusses the concept of circular economy, which originated in Europe and aims to increase resource efficiency by shifting away from the linear economy. Focusing on product life cycle design and management, smart manufacturing, circular economy, and business strategies, and providing useful approaches and solutions to these emerging concepts, this book is intended for both researchers and practitioners working in the broad field of ecodesign and sustainability.

Encyclopedia of Renewable and Sustainable Materials, Five Volume Set provides a comprehensive overview, covering research and development on all aspects of renewable, recyclable and sustainable materials. The use of renewable and sustainable materials in building construction, the automotive sector, energy, textiles and others can create markets for agricultural products and additional revenue streams for farmers, as well as significantly reduce carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions, manufacturing energy requirements, manufacturing costs and waste. This book provides researchers, students and professionals in materials science and engineering with tactics and information as they face increasingly complex challenges around the development, selection and use of construction and manufacturing materials.

This book examines the processes for the inclusion of women, and the role of women employees in Nepal's forestry bureaucracy. The book adopts a "gender lens" drawn from feminist institutionalism and is framed around the following four objectives: evaluating the effectiveness of current legislative and policy frameworks for the inclusion of women in the Nepalese forest bureaucracy; examining the dynamics of organizational culture, formal and informal institutions, and structure and agency in and around forest bureaucracy in Nepal; assessing power relations in forestry institutions focusing on influential participation of women forestry professionals in the bureaucratic structure; and gaining insights about the alternative space of feminist institutionalism in connection with women inclusive forest bureaucracy. Findings in the book inform and extend feminist institutionalism perspectives by applying it to a context which remains under explored, providing insights on the efficacy of public sector cultural change, especially as it relates to those areas within bureaucracies less in a position to adopt the changes mandated by society and principles of good governance.

This book provides a solid foundation for a comprehensive, systemic and water-centric approach to water management. Said approach integrates two performance principles essential for sustainable water use systems, namely equity and efficiency. Further, it decreases the policy space for decision-making encountered by water managers and makes it easier to arrive at reasonable solutions because of the bounded rationality inherent in its development. By combining the distributive and aggregative principles, the approach offers a transparent and autonomous structure for gathering water data and enabling stakeholder involvement. Lastly, it employs and promotes a unifying language for all types of water use systems, e.g. urban, agricultural and industrial.

Environmental Life Cycle Assessment (ELCA) that was developed about three decades ago demands a broadening of its scope to include lifecycle costing and social aspects of life cycle assessment as well, drawing on the three-pillar or 'triple bottom line' model of sustainability, which is the result of the development of the Life Cycle Sustainability Assessment (LCSA). LCSA refers to the evaluation of all environmental, social and economic negative impacts and benefits in decision-making processes towards more sustainable products throughout their life cycle. Combination of environmental and social life cycle assessments along with life cycle costing leads to life cycle sustainability assessment (LCSA). This book highlights various aspects of life cycle sustainability assessment (LCSA).

This book presents a comprehensive collection of recent research on the timely topic of sustainable development goals, with a focus on developing countries. In this manner, it furnishes interdisciplinary coverage in terms of sustainable development; it sets forth the pillars of sustainability (environmental, technical and technological, social, institutional, and economic disciplines); and it explores the adaption of these pillars for long-term sustainability. With its survey of transboundary research, experiences, and lessons learned, the book offers integrated conceptual and empirical contributions from diverse interrelated fields. Viable options are set forth for societies in transition in the twenty-first century to achieve well-being in the lives of their people through the eradication of poverty, mitigation of climate change, promotion of lifelong learning opportunities, and empowerment of society. These options also make it possible to deploy affordable energy, sustain economic growth, offer innovation, reduce inequality, and finally, to help ensure global sustainability.

This book reviews recent research and applications, developments, research trends, methods and issues related to the applications of industrial hemp for fundamental research and technology.

This book analyzes the implementation of CSR reporting and codes of business conduct and ethics in the legal systems of the USA, Austria and China and their enforcement in international supply chain arbitrations. The book demonstrates that long-term profit maximization is increasingly intertwined with corporate ethics and CSR policies. In order to prevent window-dressing and greenwashing, certain control mechanisms and legal standards are required along the entire supply chain. This book introduces an ethics and CSR system recommending a reward-based whistleblowing mechanism, internal oversight by a CSR and Ethics Committee comprised of independent board members and at least one sustainability expert, and an external, independent and comprehensive assurance of CSR reports provided by auditing firms or newly formed governmental agencies consisting of certified CSR experts. The author emphasizes the significance for supply chain leaders to ensure contractual enforcement of their codes of business ethics and conduct along the supply chain. Against this background, the author created a comprehensive fictitious case scenario covering a supply chain dispute arising from the breach of the supply chain leader's code of business conduct and ethics by a lower-tier supply chain member. The author acknowledges the fact that in most of the cases the governing law of international supply chain contracts is English law or law based on English law. Thus, the author discusses potential contractual claims for damages arising from a loss of profits caused by a loss of reputation resulting from violations of core provisions of the chain leader's supplier code of conduct pursuant to English law. As international supply chain disputes usually involve more than two parties, and international arbitration is the ideal means for the resolution of these disputes, the book compares the arbitration rules for consolidations and joinders of some of the most significant international arbitration institutions: SIAC, ICC, AIAC, ICDR, VIAC, CIETAC and HKIAC. The book is directed at legal practitioners, legislators of various jurisdictions, board members of corporations, ethics and compliance officers, academics, researchers and students. It is the author's main goal that the book serves as an inspirational source for the establishment or the improvement of a corporate ethics and CSR system preventing window-dressing and greenwashing and covering the entire supply chain. Furthermore, it is intended that students develop a deeper understanding for the enforcement of corporate ethics and CSR policies.

This book presents an introduction to the concept and need of sustainable agriculture, the mechanisms of conventional and controlled release of pesticides, herbicides and plant hormones. It also contains the carriers which supply controlled release including polymers and nanoparticles. A full chapter is devoted to the theory and simulation aspects.

This book approaches the tourism and hospitality industry from a regional science perspective. By analyzing the spatial context of tourist travels, the hospitality sector, and the regional impacts of tourist activities, it demonstrates the value of the regional science paradigm for understanding the dynamics and effects of tourism and hospitality-related phenomena. Written by leading regional science scholars from various countries as well as professionals from organizations such as OECD and AirBnB, the contributions address topics such as migration, new types of accommodation, segmentation of tourism demand, and the potential use of tracking technologies in tourism research. The content is divided into five parts, the first of which analyzes spatial effects on the development of firms in the tourism industry, while the second approaches temporal and spatial variability in tourism through analytical regional science tools. The broader economic and social impacts of tourism are addressed in part three. Part four assesses specific tourism segments and tourist behaviors, while part five discusses environmental aspects and tourism destination policies. The book will appeal to scholars of regional and spatial science and tourism, as well as tourism specialists and policymakers interested in developing science and evidence-based tourism policies.

The book presents a sequential approach for the treatment of dye wastewater, presenting state-of-the-art techniques based on recent findings. The release of these dyes into the environment is a major threat due to their toxicity, mutagenicity and carcinogenicity and their biotransformation products. It has been at least two decades since researchers have been trying to find interactions between dye molecules and water media, and find new purification methods. This book plays an important role in this field by highlighting the cutting edge results in dye removal and remediation, and discusses in detail the application of various physical, chemical, and biological techniques for the removal of pollutants from water.

Business, Organized Labour and Climate Policy examines the current lack of effective action in bridging the gap between climate change goals and governmental policies. With little published about the role of employers' organizations and trade unions in the climate change policy process, this book evaluates their involvement and argues that labour market considerations should be a central element of climate change policy. The study applies ecological modernization theory as a framework to guide policy development and negotiation. Application of the framework finds that employers' organizations and trade unions are effective civil society advocates, but responding to the labour market implications of climate change is neither institutionally embedded nor prioritized. Included are case studies of climate change policy in six developed and two developing economies, as well as within organizations such as the European Union and the UNFCCC. The emergence of labour issues in formal climate agreements demonstrates the impact that climate change is having on the broader economy and employment, and the need for business and labour to take concrete action. Providing an invaluable reference for policy development, this work will appeal to academics and students, as well as employers' organizations and trade unions. This book provides a unique perspective on key stakeholding organizations in climate change policy and presents a platform for engaging with government.