Digital technologies are often seen as a powerful means for poverty reduction. Yet, much of the existing research focuses on macro-level outcomes, leaving gaps in understanding individual-level mechanisms and the processes behind successful digital interventions. This study addresses these gaps by examining how online platforms, developed as social innovation efforts, enable smallholder farmers in Japan to escape poverty. Using a qualitative, case-based approach, we analyze six social enterprises and explore how stakeholder mobilization drives the success or failure of these platforms. We developed a schematic model that captures the nonlinear, collaborative nature of the social innovation process. Our findings reveal a systemic account of why and how only two of the six platforms achieved meaningful impact, offering insights into the factors that shape the effectiveness of digital technologies in reducing poverty. In the end, our model offers practical implications for future digital poverty reduction initiatives.

This study examines the role of normative values and stakeholder commitment in the evalua-tion and implementation process of social and organizational innovations in highly regulated systems, using the example of the four-day work week in German healthcare. Based on 26 expert interviews across micro, meso, and macro levels, the study reveals how actor-specific values and institutional contexts shape judgment about ecological, economic, social, and or-ganizational performance sustainability. The findings show that commitment to innovation is not determined solely by functional considerations but emerges in a field of tension between normative aspirations. Stakeholders align themselves differently along axes such as employee vs. patient orientation or short- vs. long-term thinking, resulting in competing innovation scenarios. The study proposes a transferable framework enabling organizations to map stakeholder values, locate areas of tension, and assess the depth and direction of commitment.

This article critically examines the mediating role of teacher and student reflexivity in relation to promotional interest agents within the Global Action Programme on climate change. Regarding reflexivity, Margaret Archer’s basic idea seeks to mediate between agency and structure. Although social structures are considered limiting, it is believed that individuals can still practice personal reflexivity, leading to efforts to think and act critically in responding to climate change. Knowing the role and variations of environmental agent reflexivity in addressing climate change in Indonesian school is important. This study uses critical ethnography, which is intended to describe hidden realities. In a micro-sociological context, teacher’s interactions with students can be empowering and limiting. Both can interact dynamically, sometimes dominating, interdependent, connected and disconnected until connected again. This condition is influenced by the extent to which there is an opportunity for reflective monitoring through dialogue, discussion and deliberation. Referring to Archer’s typology of reflexivity, each environmental agent reflects four modes of internal conversation: communicative reflexivity, autonomous reflexivity, meta-reflexivity and fractured reflexivity. While Archer centres internal conversation in reflexive agency, this study foregrounds silent conversation in digital spaces as a critical bridge between reflection and environmental action in schools.

Many conceptions of Just Transition focus narrowly on how to create employment opportunities for those in the so called ‘dirty’ industries who are likely to lose their jobs in the transition to sustainability. However, there is an emerging concept of ‘Transformative Just Transition’ (TJT) which emphasises the need to entirely transform our societies in order to achieve justice in this transition. What a TJT should include is still being debated. In this article, I propose that the fundamental element needs to be a redistribution of income and wealth – globally, nationally and locally. This would mean the wealthier would inevitably have to reduce their ecological footprint while those on low incomes could afford to meet their social and environmental needs (healthy food, water and housing; adequate energy and transport; etc). This paper discusses the why and how (e.g. climate reparations, progressive environmental taxation) of redistributing income and wealth in order to achieve a TJT. It particularly focuses on the role of labour unions in achieving the necessary redistribution.

Blockchain, an emerging technology exhibiting swift growth, significantly bolsters transparency within a given supply chain, enabling secure traceability, backtracking, and info tracing. Blockchain technology holds substantial promise for the dairy sector, offering enhancements unnecessary market intermediaries, thereby broadening access to credit and insurance for farmers, particularly in developing economies Such advancements could lead to more sustainable, efficient, and resilient livestock practices. However, the technology faces challenges, including the need for sophisticated infrastructure, cross-platform software, and skilled personnel with advanced expertise. Divergence in technological capabilities between developed and developing nations may hinder trade and exacerbate disparities. Regulatory barriers could also restrict blockchain's application. Thus, it is imperative to enhance blockchain knowledge among trade authorities and policymakers to facilitate its broader adoption. The objective of this review is to discuss principles of blockchain and proposed future work pathways for its use in the dairy industry.

Climate change, biodiversity loss, and antimicrobial pollution caused by human activity are placing pressure on global microbiota. However, microbial protection remains mostly absent from international law and global governance frameworks. This policy brief highlights the chronic marginalisation of microbes in international health, environmental, and human rights law, as well as in governance frameworks addressing antimicrobial resistance (AMR). Drawing on recent genomics and humanities research, it argues that policymakers need to abandon interventions designed to control or combat individual microbes in favour of microbiota-oriented governance. This brief discusses three major areas (pollution thresholds, microbial conservation, and the human right to a clean, healthy, and sustainable environment) where change is already occurring.

African dryland farming systems integrate crop and livestock production. In these systems, cropland and livestock productivities are intricately connected to support livelihoods of pastoral and agropastoral communities inhabiting African drylands. However, achieving sustainable increases in crop and livestock production under the prevailing conditions of low external inputs, soil degradation and climate variability and vulnerability to climate change, remains a great challenge in African drylands. Thus, to address these inherent challenges and achieve food security in the region, there is a need to adopt sustainable agricultural systems and practices. Pasture cropping, a no-tillage system where annual cereal crops are sown into perennial pastures during their dormant stage, has great potential to diversify African dryland farming systems and enhance overall cropland productivity. This can be linked to its contribution to increased perennial vegetation cover that protects the soil from agents of erosion, improving soil structure and soil hydrological properties, accumulation of organic matter, reducing N leaching, promoting C sequestration and weed control. Despite its great potential, pasture cropping in African drylands is still at its infancy stage. This review examines the potential of pasture cropping as a sustainable agricultural production system in African drylands. Specifically, we describe its salient features, benefits and challenges and explore its applicability to the environmental and socio-economic conditions of African drylands. Pasture cropping shows promise for improving agricultural productivity and sustainability in the African drylands. However, to achieve its full potential, significant adaptations are needed to tailor the system to match prevailing local socio-economic and environmental conditions, including climate and local adaptation, species selection, socio-economic constraints and economic viability among farming communities.

The digital and sustainable transitions represent two strategic drivers of growth and innovation for micro-, small-, and medium-sized enterprises. This is especially relevant for micro-firms, which significantly lag behind larger firms in these areas. Financial literacy can play a key role in guiding small entrepreneurs to make sound financial choices and make the so-called twin transition successful. We exploit a survey conducted by the Bank of Italy in 2021 – involving about 2,000 non-financial firms with less than 10 employees – to investigate whether financial literacy acts as a driver for the twin transition. Through instrumental variable estimation, we find evidence of a causal link between financial literacy and both digitalisation and engagement in sustainable activities.

This review examines the critical role of meteorological data in optimising flight trajectories and enhancing operational efficiency in aviation. Weather conditions directly influence fuel consumption, delays and safety, making their integration into flight planning increasingly vital. Understanding these dynamics becomes essential for risk mitigation as climate change drives more frequent and severe weather events. Synthesising insights from 57 studies published between 2001 and 2024, this article highlights key variables – such as wind, temperature and convective weather – significantly impacting flight operations. A framework is proposed to improve air traffic management’s safety, efficiency and cost-effectiveness. The findings emphasise the need for systematically incorporating meteorological inputs into trajectory optimisation models, such as wind shear, convective storms and temperature gradients. This integration improves operational predictability and safety while advancing sustainability goals by reducing fuel consumption and CO2 emissions – an increasingly important priority amid rising climate variability and global air traffic demand.

This article explores how water conditions in geographical contexts could influence the construction of teachers’ professional identities and, consequently, their knowledge and beliefs about water sustainability. Water sustainability is defined as the responsible management of water from a perspective that integrates environmental, social and economic sustainability principles. This quantitative study employed an ad hoc questionnaire, inspired by the New Water Culture principles as a conceptual sustainability framework. The instrument, designed with Google Forms, was administered to 221 secondary school teachers from two cities with contrasting water and cultural conditions: Bogotá (Colombia) and Melilla (Spain). Results indicate that teachers’ knowledge and beliefs in both cities are not aligned with water sustainability principles, with no significant differences between the two groups due to their different water conditions. However, there are partial differences related to the respective personal experiences: in Bogotá, teachers show greater concern for water quality, whereas in Melilla the focus is more on the quantity available. These findings underline the importance of promoting teachers’ professional development in water sustainability aligned with professional identities, as a key strategy for nurturing aware and engaged citizens. This approach is fundamental to tackle water stress challenges and foster a paradigm shift towards more responsible, sustainable lifestyles globally.