Aims and Scope
Highlights of Sustainability is an international, transdisciplinary journal focusing on environmental, economic, social as well as cultural, technological, and political fields about sustainability and sustainable development. The journal serves as a platform for addressing and discussing theoretical and practical studies related to natural and social sciences as well as humanities about sustainability in corporations, governments, education institutions, regions, and societies.
As a scholarly open access journal, Highlights of Sustainability encourages researchers to publish their experimental and methodical results in as much detail as possible to promote the development of new technologies and new sustainability solutions. The journal accepts research articles and reviews.
As a scholarly open access journal, Highlights of Sustainability encourages researchers to publish their experimental and methodical results in as much detail as possible to promote the development of new technologies and new sustainability solutions. The journal accepts research articles and reviews.
Highlights of Sustainability is an international, transdisciplinary journal focusing on environmental, economic, social as well as cultural, technological, and political fields about sustainability and sustainable development. The journal serves as a platform for addressing and discussing theoretical and practical studies related to natural and social sciences as well as humanities about sustainability in corporations, governments, education institutions, regions, and societies.
As a scholarly open access journal, Highlights of Sustainability encourages researchers to publish their experimental and methodical results in as much detail as possible to promote the development of new technologies and new sustainability solutions. The journal accepts research articles and reviews.
The journal will cover topics including:
As a scholarly open access journal, Highlights of Sustainability encourages researchers to publish their experimental and methodical results in as much detail as possible to promote the development of new technologies and new sustainability solutions. The journal accepts research articles and reviews.
The journal will cover topics including:
- circular economy
- climate change
- defining and quantifying sustainability
- education and sustainability
- effects of global climate change on sustainability
- energy resources management and assessment
- environmental degradation
- environmental impact assessment
- environmental law
- environmental protection
- environmental resources management
- environmentally-friendly chemical engineering
- green building
- green technologies
- health and environment
- heritage conservation
- human population control
- human well-being and social equality
- land use
- local and individual lifestyles
- measuring sustainability
- natural capital and biodiversity
- natural resources management
- overconsumption
- policies and laws related to sustainability
- policies for sustainable development
- pollution
- poverty
- renewable energy
- supply chain management
- sustainable agriculture and food security
- sustainable tourism
- sustainability assessment tools
- urban and regional planning
- urban planning and transport
- waste
- water pollution and sanitation
- and others as related to sustainability
Editor-in-Chief
Systematic Review 3 Feb 2026
Hugo González-González, Gemma Fernández-Caminero, Carmen-María Hernández-Lloret, Luis Espino-Díaz and José-Luis Álvarez-Castillo
Highlights of Sustainability
Volume 5 (2026), Issue 1, pp. 104–115
Volume 5 (2026), Issue 1, pp. 104–115
146 Views48 Downloads
Article 2 Feb 2026
Nattavud Pimpa
Highlights of Sustainability
Volume 5 (2026), Issue 1, pp. 84–103
Volume 5 (2026), Issue 1, pp. 84–103
266 Views44 Downloads
Article 23 Jan 2026
Susana Sobral, João Ricardo Catarino and Alexandre Morais Nunes
Sustainable development requires legitimate coordination of cross-sector trade-offs across environmental limits, social needs, and long-term economic viability. Because the implementation of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) relies on multi-actor arrangements, collaborative governance (CG) design features may condition
Sustainable development requires legitimate coordination of cross-sector trade-offs across environmental limits, social needs, and long-term economic viability. Because the implementation of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) relies on multi-actor arrangements, collaborative governance (CG) design features may condition whether participation translates into joint decision-making. CG emerges from these dynamic strategies to produce public products and services with multiple stakeholders, aligning and integrating the various parties’ ambitions. Given the ongoing discussion on SDGs, marked by the complexity and interdependence of actors, innovative, collaborative solutions are needed to achieve the desired goals. This necessity is further underscored by introducing a goal related to partnerships and collaboration: “Partnerships for Development” (Goal 17), demonstrating that collaboration is a crucial element for sustainable development and the implementation of the SDGs and the 2030 Agenda. Thus, this study aims to explore how CG supports strategies to implement the SDGs. To this end, through content analysis, we examine four initiatives involving public and private actors related to the implementation of the SDGs in Portugal. We aim to analyze whether these meet the criteria of CG and the various dimensions anticipated for its process. Only one initiative meets the criteria for CG, and Portugal still needs an established collaborative governance arrangement for implementing the SDGs. Therefore, it is necessary to invest in collaborative arrangements initiated by public organizations that allow for participation in decision-making and greater consensus-building, preserving a real contribution to public policy and a better understanding of the impacts and benefits of collaboration. It is also necessary to discuss the need for metagovernance structures for sustainable development.
or
Access Full Article
Highlights of Sustainability
Volume 5 (2026), Issue 1, pp. 70–83
Volume 5 (2026), Issue 1, pp. 70–83
233 Views57 Downloads
Article 21 Jan 2026
Krasimir Bratoev
Highlights of Sustainability
Volume 5 (2026), Issue 1, pp. 61–69
Volume 5 (2026), Issue 1, pp. 61–69
191 Views48 Downloads
Article 19 Jan 2026
Stephan Soklaridis, Andrea Reisdorf and Sebastian Kummer
Highlights of Sustainability
Volume 5 (2026), Issue 1, pp. 46–60
Volume 5 (2026), Issue 1, pp. 46–60
274 Views50 Downloads
Systematic Review 3 Feb 2026
Hugo González-González, Gemma Fernández-Caminero, Carmen-María Hernández-Lloret, Luis Espino-Díaz and José-Luis Álvarez-Castillo
Highlights of Sustainability
Volume 5 (2026), Issue 1, pp. 104–115
Volume 5 (2026), Issue 1, pp. 104–115
146 Views48 Downloads
Article 2 Feb 2026
Nattavud Pimpa
Highlights of Sustainability
Volume 5 (2026), Issue 1, pp. 84–103
Volume 5 (2026), Issue 1, pp. 84–103
266 Views44 Downloads
Article 23 Jan 2026
Susana Sobral, João Ricardo Catarino and Alexandre Morais Nunes
Sustainable development requires legitimate coordination of cross-sector trade-offs across environmental limits, social needs, and long-term economic viability. Because the implementation of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) relies on multi-actor arrangements, collaborative governance (CG) design features may condition
Sustainable development requires legitimate coordination of cross-sector trade-offs across environmental limits, social needs, and long-term economic viability. Because the implementation of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) relies on multi-actor arrangements, collaborative governance (CG) design features may condition whether participation translates into joint decision-making. CG emerges from these dynamic strategies to produce public products and services with multiple stakeholders, aligning and integrating the various parties’ ambitions. Given the ongoing discussion on SDGs, marked by the complexity and interdependence of actors, innovative, collaborative solutions are needed to achieve the desired goals. This necessity is further underscored by introducing a goal related to partnerships and collaboration: “Partnerships for Development” (Goal 17), demonstrating that collaboration is a crucial element for sustainable development and the implementation of the SDGs and the 2030 Agenda. Thus, this study aims to explore how CG supports strategies to implement the SDGs. To this end, through content analysis, we examine four initiatives involving public and private actors related to the implementation of the SDGs in Portugal. We aim to analyze whether these meet the criteria of CG and the various dimensions anticipated for its process. Only one initiative meets the criteria for CG, and Portugal still needs an established collaborative governance arrangement for implementing the SDGs. Therefore, it is necessary to invest in collaborative arrangements initiated by public organizations that allow for participation in decision-making and greater consensus-building, preserving a real contribution to public policy and a better understanding of the impacts and benefits of collaboration. It is also necessary to discuss the need for metagovernance structures for sustainable development.
or
Access Full Article
Highlights of Sustainability
Volume 5 (2026), Issue 1, pp. 70–83
Volume 5 (2026), Issue 1, pp. 70–83
233 Views57 Downloads
Article 21 Jan 2026
Krasimir Bratoev
Highlights of Sustainability
Volume 5 (2026), Issue 1, pp. 61–69
Volume 5 (2026), Issue 1, pp. 61–69
191 Views48 Downloads
Article 19 Jan 2026
Stephan Soklaridis, Andrea Reisdorf and Sebastian Kummer
Highlights of Sustainability
Volume 5 (2026), Issue 1, pp. 46–60
Volume 5 (2026), Issue 1, pp. 46–60
274 Views50 Downloads
Article 19 Jan 2026
Inten Meutia, Shelly Febriana Kartasari and Hasni Yusrianti
Highlights of Sustainability
Volume 5 (2026), Issue 1, pp. 34–45
Volume 5 (2026), Issue 1, pp. 34–45
277 Views54 Downloads
Article 12 Jan 2026
Mehmet Recai Uygur, Fatih Tekin, Fatma Sever and Samson Abiodun Toye
Politics in all regimes hinges on ordinary acts of obedience, yet the mechanisms that sustain it differ. This article theorizes “sustainable obedience” as obedience (i.e., rule-following and deference to collectively binding authority) that reproduces itself because
Politics in all regimes hinges on ordinary acts of obedience, yet the mechanisms that sustain it differ. This article theorizes “sustainable obedience” as obedience (i.e., rule-following and deference to collectively binding authority) that reproduces itself because the marginal costs of monitoring and sanctioning are kept low by institutional and cultural feedback. We develop a dual-channel model: a fear channel (deterrence through selective coercion and information control) and a trust channel (procedural justice, impartial enforcement, and legitimacy) that interact through path dependence and habit formation. Mixed methods combine cross-national indices (V-Dem, Freedom House, World Values Survey) with comparative discourse and document analysis (2014–2025) to trace these mechanisms in three contrasting regimes: the Netherlands (liberal democracy), Turkey (competitive authoritarianism), and Russia (closed autocracy). Findings show trust-based obedience dominates in the Netherlands and is temporarily supplemented by proportionate deterrence during crises; Turkey institutionalizes a high and persistent fear architecture, with limited compensatory appeals to performance and electoral legitimacy; Russia sustains obedience primarily through multi-layered coercion and digital control backed by ideological narratives. We derive testable propositions about substitution and complementarity between channels and show how crises can normalize exceptional measures. Normatively, democratic resilience depends on renewing the trust architecture without entrenching fear; authoritarian resilience remains cost-effective yet ultimately fragile under information shocks.
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Highlights of Sustainability
Volume 5 (2026), Issue 1, pp. 15–33
Volume 5 (2026), Issue 1, pp. 15–33
404 Views76 Downloads
Article 11 Jan 2026
John C. G. Lee, Yeney Widya Prihatiningtias, Febryanti Simon and Samantha Siu Ling Lee
Indonesia’s National Free Meals Programme (NFMP) faces systemic challenges of fragmented implementation across agricultural, educational, and logistical sectors. These systemic challenges are compounded by inequitable reach in its archipelagic geography, where rural infrastructure gaps exacerbate disparities.
Indonesia’s National Free Meals Programme (NFMP) faces systemic challenges of fragmented implementation across agricultural, educational, and logistical sectors. These systemic challenges are compounded by inequitable reach in its archipelagic geography, where rural infrastructure gaps exacerbate disparities. This study examines these issues through an integrated theoretical framework—combining Policy Transfer, Multi-stakeholder Governance, and Sustainable Livelihoods theories—using a mixed-methods approach that synthesises global policy benchmarks, peer-reviewed literature, and Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) alignment metrics. Key findings identify governance fragmentation, supply chain inefficiencies (notably 15–20% food spoilage in eastern regions), and digital divides as critical constraints. The research proposes a three-tiered intervention framework: (1) geospatially tailored procurement mechanisms; (2) incentivised corporate partnerships for cold-chain infrastructure; and (3) co-created R&D for climate-resilient crops. These strategies synergistically advance SDG 1 (Poverty Reduction), SDG 2 (Zero Hunger), and SDG 4 (Quality Education), demonstrating potential for farmer income gains, reduced child stunting, and improved school attendance. The study contributes to theoretical debates on adaptive policy transfer and offers Indonesia a scalable blueprint for integrated food-security transformation in archipelagic contexts.
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Highlights of Sustainability
Volume 5 (2026), Issue 1, pp. 1–14
Volume 5 (2026), Issue 1, pp. 1–14
286 Views68 Downloads
Article 23 Dec 2025
Waleed Mugahed Al-Rahmi
Highlights of Sustainability
Volume 4 (2025), Issue 4, pp. 329–352
Volume 4 (2025), Issue 4, pp. 329–352
570 Views91 Downloads
Article 23 Dec 2025
Ga-won Song, Eunhwa Yang and Cheol-Jae Yoon
Highlights of Sustainability
Volume 4 (2025), Issue 4, pp. 299–328
Volume 4 (2025), Issue 4, pp. 299–328
325 Views93 Downloads
Article 18 May 2023
Larry Dwyer
Highlights of Sustainability
Volume 2 (2023), Issue 2, pp. 83–99
Volume 2 (2023), Issue 2, pp. 83–99
10910 Views6955 Downloads14 Citations
Article 29 Apr 2022
Richard W. Butler and Rachel Dodds
Highlights of Sustainability
Volume 1 (2022), Issue 2, pp. 54–64
Volume 1 (2022), Issue 2, pp. 54–64
9754 Views5833 Downloads16 Citations
Article 7 Feb 2024
Tsz Hin Hui, Nadine Itani and John F. O’Connell
Highlights of Sustainability
Volume 3 (2024), Issue 1, pp. 61–75
Volume 3 (2024), Issue 1, pp. 61–75
9054 Views5283 Downloads7 Citations
Article 26 Aug 2022
Stephen K. Wegren
Although Russia’s grain growing regions have experienced episodic droughts, the financial impact of climate change has to date been modest when measured in terms of value of production lost. As industrial agriculture continues to emit greenhouse
Although Russia’s grain growing regions have experienced episodic droughts, the financial impact of climate change has to date been modest when measured in terms of value of production lost. As industrial agriculture continues to emit greenhouse gases, the impact of climate change will intensify, making Russia’s southern regions drier and hotter, and potentially forcing a structural shift in production northward, an event that will lead to lower yields and grain output. The sustainable sector in Russia’s agricultural system is not able to compensate for lower grain output in the south, nor is it able to feed the nation or ensure food security across the full spectrum of commodities that consumers expect. The prospect of Russia as a declining grain power impacts the dozens of nations that import Russian grain, most notably authoritarian regimes in the Middle East.
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Highlights of Sustainability
Volume 1 (2022), Issue 3, pp. 188–201
Volume 1 (2022), Issue 3, pp. 188–201
6598 Views7488 Downloads3 Citations
Review 8 May 2023
Annette Toivonen
Highlights of Sustainability
Volume 2 (2023), Issue 2, pp. 75–82
Volume 2 (2023), Issue 2, pp. 75–82
6216 Views4786 Downloads5 Citations
Article 6 Dec 2022
Julia Hillmann, Anne Bergmann and Edeltraud Guenther
This paper investigates the time-dependent effects of building organizational resilience. So far, empirical research only finds evidence that organizational resilience provides benefits in the long term. For the short and medium term, the link remains unclear.
This paper investigates the time-dependent effects of building organizational resilience. So far, empirical research only finds evidence that organizational resilience provides benefits in the long term. For the short and medium term, the link remains unclear. On the one hand, literature indicates that building organizational resilience is costly. On the other hand, actions to build organizational resilience are perceived by investors, which should provide immediate positive effects for companies. This study investigates these two assumptions in the climate change context. We apply multiple regression analysis to study the relationship between resilience capabilities and different measures of financial performance. For market value and financial volatility, our findings indicate that building organizational resilience provides immediate benefits. For the total stock return index, we find only benefits that materialize with a time lag. We find no evidence at all that building resilience capabilities is related to costs in terms of lower accounting-based financial performance. Overall findings indicate that building organizational resilience is advantageous as it prepares an organization to face the challenges of climate change and, at the same time, provides financial benefits.
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Highlights of Sustainability
Volume 1 (2022), Issue 4, pp. 233–252
Volume 1 (2022), Issue 4, pp. 233–252
6675 Views3923 Downloads3 Citations
Review 18 Apr 2024
Md Tasbirul Islam, Usha Iyer-Raniga and Amjad Ali
Highlights of Sustainability
Volume 3 (2024), Issue 2, pp. 129–162
Volume 3 (2024), Issue 2, pp. 129–162
8576 Views1123 Downloads5 Citations
Article 8 Sep 2022
Annalisa Stacchini, Andrea Guizzardi and Michele Costa
Highlights of Sustainability
Volume 1 (2022), Issue 3, pp. 202–223
Volume 1 (2022), Issue 3, pp. 202–223
7387 Views1796 Downloads9 Citations
Article 23 Aug 2024
Gulnara N. Nabiyeva and Stephen M. Wheeler
Highlights of Sustainability
Volume 3 (2024), Issue 3, pp. 294–307
Volume 3 (2024), Issue 3, pp. 294–307
5947 Views3109 Downloads4 Citations
Article 24 Jun 2024
Vesela Veleva, Svetlana Todorova, Kevin Bleau, Joy Mohr and Rob Vandenabeele
Highlights of Sustainability
Volume 3 (2024), Issue 3, pp. 275–293
Volume 3 (2024), Issue 3, pp. 275–293
4649 Views3959 Downloads1 Citations
Editor-in-Chief
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Highlights of Sustainability
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Cathy Wang
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