مجله محیط زیست و توسعه فرابخشی
پیاپی 80 (تابستان 1402)

Social capacity building and raising awareness on water and environmental problems through education of different groups of people is one of the most fundamental issues that should be considered so that the protection of water and the environment becomes a behavior pattern in society. Among the foundations of participation in the field of water resources and environmental protection, we can mention building cultural capacity, which has a function beyond academic, professional, and human resources training. Many models have been developed to examine the position of behavioral sciences in the field of water resources management, most of them are organized with the theory of planned behavior (TPB) structuring water conservation behaviors, which has been successful in predicting proven behavior and growth and development. The upstream model of this research is also developed through it. Considering that children as the future heirs of resources and students as influential segments of society are of particular importance, so, they should be encouraged to accept the role of protecting water resources in the best possible way. Therefore, the purpose of this research is to identify the psychological factors affecting the behavioral logic and behavioral tendencies of students to participate in water conservation through a socio-psychological model and to investigate the effectiveness of indirect and informal education with an environmental scratch approach.

In this research, the behavior of 90 students in three levels of education, primary, first, and second secondary, as well as 30 selected male and female undergraduate and master's students in Karaj city, about water, was investigated in the two axes of water consumption reduction and water reuse. For this purpose, a questionnaire was designed and prepared based on the defined components of the upstream model including intention, attitude, perceived behavior control, moral norm, understanding of risk, subjective norm, behavior, trust, and habit, and based on the review of international sources and interviews with experts to determine the behavioral logic of the statistical population of the research regarding the aforementioned policy options.

The obtained results showed that the indirect and informal educational programs for water protection have had a positive effect on people's attitudes towards water protection, subjective norms, perceived behavioral control, behavioral inclination towards water protection, and moral norms. Also, education in female students has been more effective in the attitude component, but in male students, the level of knowledge and insight about water protection issues in the pre-test has been higher. In addition, education among primary students has been more effective than in first-secondary students.

In designing educational campaigns, it is better to pay attention to the intention of people to save water consumption and then implement this. Also, considering that it seems that the younger the training starts, the better the results. Therefore, special attention should be paid to education at younger ages. In addition, more educational programs should be carried out with an emphasis on indirect and informal education to facilitate water conservation for improving the behavior of water conservation among students.

The declining trend of non-renewable resources and the damage caused to the climate in this century has caused many concerns in terms of economic growth and progress. Strengthening economic growth is achieved in parallel with the increasing consumption of energy, and high energy consumption causes the release and increase in the concentration of all kinds of pollutants that are harmful to the environment, for this reason, the topics of economic growth and how to create a balance between growth and environmental quality are very important. One of the important tools to investigate this question is to pay attention to the environmental curve of Kuznets. This review is also important in the micro sector and the same macroeconomic results cannot be used for other sub-sectors. For this reason, in this study, this curve has been investigated and extracted for each of the economic sub-sectors.

The present study aims to measure the effects of economic growth on the environment. The research variables include the country's GDP per capita as an indicator of economic growth and CO2 emission per capita as an indicator to show the level of environmental degradation. The data of the study has been collected at the level of three main sectors for the economy of Iran in the period of 2010-2016. This research will first create an econometric relationship (Co-Integration) between the mentioned variables in each of the three sections and then present the applied form of EKC.

The results of the study confirm the long-run Co-integration relationship between the research variables in the agricultural and industrial sectors, but the dependent form of the Kuznets curve is not confirmed in these sectors. The results show that there is no long-run Co-integration association in the service sector. Also, the error correction coefficients in each of the agricultural and industrial sectors state that 6 and 1 percent of each period's error is corrected in moving to the long-run Steady equilibrium, respectively.

Based on the findings of the research and relying on the logic of the Kuznets curve based on the positive correlation between economic growth variables (income) and pollutant emissions (energy consumption) at low income levels and negative correlation at high income levels, in each of the agricultural and industrial sectors, Economic growth is accompanied by the production of more pollutants and more destruction of the environment, and according to the results of the estimated elasticity’s, this trend in the agricultural sector has more acceleration than in the industrial sector. Therefore, surely, the plan of the Iranian governments should be in line with moving in the direction of development by observing the indicators of sustainable development and compatible with nature. In this regard, the results of the present study on the use and exploitation of clean technologies and new production technologies. It emphasizes recycling, renewable energy consumption, green transportation, green chemistry, gray water, etc.

Ports play an important and strategic role in the growth and development of a country; Therefore, the development of ports is an important driver for the economic, social and regional growth of countries. A key and practical concept to achieve port development is the concept of sustainable development. Shahid Rajaei port of Iran is considered the most important import and export gate of the country due to its unique geographical location. Therefore, the most important goals of this research are to identify the effective and key indicators of sustainable development in Shahid Rajaei port of Iran and to prioritize these indicators.

In order to identify the key indicators of sustainable development in Shahid Rajaei port and prioritize these indicators, by reviewing the literature, sustainability indicators were identified and extracted from the research literature. In the second step, in order to prioritize the indicators, a questionnaire was designed and provided to the sample of the research statistical community. which includes managers, officials and officials of various port departments and experts and experts in this field. The sampling method in this research is a non-probability and non-random judgment. In the next step, AHP and SWARA multi-criteria decision making methods were used to rank the indicators. In the following, related software such as Excel and Super Decisions were used. Finally, average ranks and Copeland methods were used to integrate the results to achieve a prioritization.

According to the obtained results, the economic dimension is the most important dimension of sustainability; Then, social and environmental aspects are important. The findings show that in terms of education level, the majority of research experts have master's and doctorate degrees and are at a high level scientifically. And due to the fact that most of the experts have more than 15 years of work experience, they are experienced people with high work experience.

In the environmental dimension, the indicators of identifying types of environmental pollution and waste management were ranked first. In the economic dimension, the index of the amount of investment and the increasing trend of the market share and the index of access to road, rail and air transport lines were ranked first in two methods. In the social dimension, the index of job creation and high quality of port services ranked first. The results of this research can be a basis for the improvement and growth of sustainability in the port and to provide the managers and authorities of the port with proper direction and vision in the field of sustainable development, to take appropriate decisions and actions in the future.

In recent years, environmental problems have attracted the attention of many policymakers. In many developing countries, foreign direct investment and environmental risk play a vital role for economic growth and development. Therefore, it is necessary to examine the relationship between foreign direct investment and environmental risk. In this regard, the present study examines the role of financial development in the relationship between foreign direct investment and environmental risk.

In the present study, the stationary ​​of the variables was first evaluated by using the ADF test and then by applying Kao cointegration, the long-run relationship between the variables of the model has been examined. Finally, the effect of financial development, foreign direct investment, GDP per capita and urbanization on environmental risk for 35 countries during the period of 1990-2021 was investigated using generalized panel moments. For the analysis and estimation of the model, Eviews_12 software has been used.

According to the ADF unit root test, some variables are stationary at the level and some are stationary at the first order difference, to avoid false regression in estimations, co-accumulation between variables was investigated. The results of the Kao cointegration test confirmed the long-term relationship between the variables. Also, the results of generalized method of moments model show that foreign direct investment has a negative and significant effect on environmental risk. Most foreign direct investment comes from developed countries with strict environmental regulations; hence, they can transfer superior environmental technologies to the host country. Finally, foreign direct investment paves the way for promoting environmental sustainability in the host country. Also, the development of the financial sector reduces the environmental risk in both models because financial development helps to provide more information about the importance of the environment, especially in developing countries, due to the provision of financial resources and the possibility of accessing more efficient technologies and in model 2, there is a non-linear U-shaped relationship between financial sector development and environmental risk. The FD × FDI interaction term also has no significant effect on environmental risk. The results also show that economic growth and urbanization reduce environmental risk.

This study states that the development of the financial sector in developing countries can increase the quality of the environment. However, the results may be different in a developed financial sector. Most foreign direct investment comes from developed countries with strict environmental regulations; hence, they can transfer superior environmental technologies to the host country. Finally, foreign direct investment paves the way for promoting environmental sustainability in the host country. On the other hand, with the increase in real income, people have more ability to allocate resources to protect the environment and reduce environmental risk. Also, economic growth resulting from improved technology can provide higher returns with lower environmental risk. Urbanization is also beneficial for the environment due to higher living standards, increased public health, positive external effects and economy of scale.

Natural capital is essential for human survival and achieving sustainable development goals. Therefore, a scientific framework is required to evaluate regional natural capitals consumption and their capacity to ensure sustainable development. Natural capitals represent the limiting and irreplaceable factors in human well-being and sustainability of every developmental intervention. Degradation of the accumulation and flows of the natural capitals are the fundamental issues in the discussion of environmental sustainability. The current research has been conducted with the aim of investigating the state of ecosystem sustainability by adopting two approaches of ecological footprint and ecosystem services, and in other words, comparing the amount of demand for resources with the supply of goods and services provided by the ecosystem.

In this research, to investigate the sustainability of Nowshahr's natural and urban ecosystem as the case study, first, the trend of land use changes and its associated phenomena in the region have been investigated using ENVI 5.6 software for processing the satellite images. In order to investigate the change process of the study area, Landsat satellite reference images, TM, ETM+ and OLI sensors were used for the time scale of 2002, 2013 and 2020. Then, the classic ecological footprint of the region was calculated for six types of productive ecosystems, including agricultural lands, pastures, fishing areas, forests, built-up lands, and the carbon demand. The areas of these six land cover types were converted into global hectares using yield and equivalence factors. Subsequently, the maximum amount of ecosystem service flow per global hectare was estimated. And after that, the amount of consumption of natural capital accumulation and the occupation of capital flow in the region were investigated. Finally, the ecosystem stability of the study area was investigated using indicators such as the ecological pressure index (EPI), ecological sustainability index (ESI), ratio of capital stock to flows index, flow occupation ratio index, and excessive natural capital flow index.

According to the research results in the city of Nowshahr, during the period of 2011-2019, the amount of ecological footprint, ecological deficit and pressure have gradually increased, resulting in a reduction of the ecological balance and stability. Only the pasture, forest and fishing areas are in a stable state meaning that the supply of ecological resources is more than the demand, and the pressure is still within the carrying capacity of the ecosystem. In the period of investigation, the amount of use of stock to natural capital flow has increased and has reached almost four times of natural capital flow.

Measuring human demand for natural capital and nature's supply is essential for tracking progress, setting goals, and orientating sustainability policies. By combining the two approaches of evaluating ecosystem services and ecological footprint, it is possible to track human demand and nature's supply from a precise subset of ecosystem services, and therefore ecological balance and sustainability can be examined at the local level. Based on the results of the research, the stability of the region and the status of its ecosystem services is threatened by the cultivated land, and mainly the consumption of fossil energy. Based on the results of the research, in the period of investigation, the stability of the city of Nowshahr has decreased and the status of its ecosystem services are threatened by the cultivated land, and mainly the consumption of fossil energy. During this period and considering factors such as land use level, ecological deficit, footprint depth, ecosystem service flow, ecological pressure index, and ecological sustainability index, agricultural land use was the most unsustainable and fishing was the most sustainable use in city of Nowshahr.

Habitat destruction is one of the main threats to biodiversity and species. Decomposition of the habitat and decrease of local populations to small habitats cause an increase in inbreeding, a decrease in genetic diversity, an increase in demographic events, and as a consequence, an increase in the risk of extinction. The Goitered gazelle (Gazella subgutturosa) with a vulnerable protection status is one of the key species of Iran's plain habitats, which is distributed in most regions of the country. But due to reasons such as indiscriminate hunting and habitat land use change, its population has decreased drastically and it needs stronger protection in the network of protected areas of Iran. Gazella subgutturosa is in the mammals' class, the order of Artiodactyla, the family of the Bovidae. In this study, the distribution of this species in the Kalmand Bahadran protected area of yazd has been investigated using the MaxEnt.

Data presence points of the species were collected through field studies and direct observations, footprints and resting places for the species in the Kalmand Bahadran protected area during the four seasons of 2022 recorded and using GPS was registered. In this study, the variables of slope, aspect, dem, distance from the water sources, distance from the road, distance from the village, distance from the watering place and vegetation were used to model the habitat suitability. Modeling was done using MaxEnt model in MaxEnt software and finally, the species distribution map was obtained. To investigate the spatial distribution of the study species in the region, a total of 41 presence points were used.

The results of the maximum entropy model showed that the greatest distribution potential in the central and northwestern regions of study area. Also, the results showed that the model has a high ability to predict the presence of Gazella subgutturosa in the study area and has a significant difference with the random model at all thresholds (AUC=0.812; P<0.0001). The results of the sensitivity analysis using the jackknife method showed that the variables of dem, distance from the water sources, and aspect. are of higher priority for the species in this area.

Due to successive droughts, the number of deer breeding in Kalmand Bahadran protected area has decreased. Another factor in the decrease of its population is the road accidents, which are caused by the passing of Tehran-Bandar Abbas transit road and rural roads in the region. The presence of free-ranging dogs on the outskirts of villages, illegal hunters, being preyed upon by carnivorous and Felidae and birds of prey such as wolves, caracal and eagles are other factors that decrease the population in the study area. But since the Kalmand area of Bahadran is relatively a good habitat for this species and support a relatively high number of species population. In general, by considering the areas used by Goitered gazelle and the areas identified in the suitable model, it can be concluded that the extent of the optimal habitat for the species in the Kalmand Bahadran protected area is more than what is currently used. Correct management and planning of the suitable habitats in this area can protect more than the maximum number of Goitered gazelles that existed in this area until today and improve the level of necessary habitat in the area. The results of this study can be used in the implementation of protection and management procedures to increase appropriate habitats in Yazd province.

Environmental disasters, stakeholder pressure, and global trends have caused the discussion of new energies and businesses in this field to be the focus of researchers. In Iran, the issue of sanctions, dependence of industries on fossil fuels and the traditional mentality of managers has restricted growth and development of clean energy. Development in this field requires a correct understanding of the future and fundamental planning. Without paying attention to financing, which is one of the most important challenges for the development of any business, it will not be possible to continue the activity. Therefore, the current research identified drivers and investment scenarios in the field of clean energy.

The current research is pragmatic in terms of philosophy and applied in terms of orientation. Also, this study is exploratory in terms of objective and mixed in terms of methodology. The statistical population of the research were experts in the field of clean energy and financing. Using judgmental sampling, 15 managers working in Iran Renewable Energy Association, Iran Energy Association, Environmental Protection Organization and university professors in the relevant fields have been used. The research has been done in five steps. In the first step, key drivers were identified through background review and interviews with experts. In the second step, the drivers were screened through an expert questionnaire and using the fuzzy Delphi method. In the third step, the screened propellants were analyzed through the effect measurement questionnaire and using the fuzzy Dimetal method, and the final propellants were identified based on the degree of effectiveness. In the fourth step, believable scenarios were developed using CATWOE. The probable scenario was identified with CODAS technique.

By reviewing the background and interviewing experts, 24 drivers were extracted. Using the fuzzy Delphi method, 12 drivers whose diphasis number was higher than the threshold (0.7) were selected. Then, with the Fuzzy Dimetal technique, the two drivers of the laws related to the energy field and the government's view on the need to enter the field of clean energy were identified and evaluated as suitable for the development of scenarios. Based on these two drivers, four scenarios of soul prison, auspicious, Anti-innovation culture, and poisonous structure were developed. The soul prison scenario depicts the pessimistic future and the auspicious scenario shows the best scenario. Then, using CODAS technique, the soul prison scenario was selected as the most probable scenario.

Policy makers should try to make Karmiar's ideal scenario happen instead of realizing the soul prison scenario, which happens to be the worst scenario. For this purpose, laws and policies should be established to improve the business environment in the field of clean energy. Such laws should remove obstacles to attract foreign capital while increasing domestic capital. These laws should enable the transfer of advanced technologies through fiscal and financial support. The view of government officials on the need to enter into clean energy as the second most important driver has cultural roots and originates from managers' ignorance of clean energy and its advantages in the business environment. For this reason, universities, research centers, social media, non-governmental organizations supporting the environment, global and regional developments and environmental disasters play an important role in changing this attitude. In Iran, because managers are forced to accept change at the last moment, change is sudden and has increasing costs. It is hard to expect change without doing inclusive and spontaneous cultural work. Cultivation plays an important role in favoring green products. In addition, changing the attitude of managers can lead to the facilitation of financing as a key challenge in the field of clean energy.