Tourism and the sustainable development goals in the Abaco cays: pre-hurricane Dorian in the Bahamas

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (3) ◽  
pp. 321-336
Author(s):  
Raymond Maxwell Francis ◽  
Vikneswaran Nair
Keyword(s):  
Sustainable Development ◽  
Critical Discourse Analysis ◽  
Sustainable Development Goals ◽  
Practical Implication ◽  
Geographical Area ◽  
National Level ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
The Bahamas ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Development Goals

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to explore how tourism investment, business and operations were aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in the Abaco Cays pre-Hurricane Dorian 2019 in The Bahamas. Design/methodology/approach This paper takes an exploratory qualitative approach using the Abaco Cays, The Bahamas as the geographical study area. Semi-structured interviews were conducted face-to-face for data collection and transcribed using NVivo 12 plus. Critical discourse analysis was used to interpret interviewees’ spoken words in the broader social context of the Abaco Cays. Findings Results illustrate the extent of tourism alignment with the SDGs in communities, dependent on tourism for growth. Findings from tourism investment, business and operations data analysis provide insights on tourism and the SDGs from a local perspective. Research limitations/implications This research demonstrates how tourism aligns with the SDGs in one geographical area of The Bahamas. It also highlights discourses influencing tourism and the SDGs towards achieving the 2030 Agenda. Practical implications A practical implication of this paper is adopting a bottom-up approach for a comprehensive understanding of tourism alignment with the SDGs in the Abaco Cays. Originality/value This paper provides implementation guidelines for communities in the Abaco Cays, to align local sustainable tourism plans with the SDGs. It also provides a multidisciplinary approach for greater coherence of tourism with the SDGs from the community to the national level in the Bahamas.

Tracking sustainable development goals – a case study of Pakistan

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Anam Javeed ◽  
Muhammad Yar Khan ◽  
Mobashar Rehman ◽  
Asif Khurshid
Keyword(s):  
Sustainable Development ◽  
General Public ◽  
Sustainable Development Goals ◽  
National Level ◽  
Ground Level ◽  
Policy Makers ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The People ◽  
Level Data ◽  
Development Goals

PurposeThe aim of this study is to gather and analyse the information regarding the level of awareness and commitment of the public as well as the organizations of Pakistan pertaining to sustainable development goals (SDGs).Design/methodology/approachA sample of 500 respondents in total including employs and general public is selected for their opinion regarding SDGs. The data was collected by personal administration of questionnaires in organizations and general public. The data has been collected from federal and provincial capitals of Pakistan. The data has been analysed using Smart PLS and the hypothesized relationships have been tested using regression analysis.FindingsThe level of awareness as well as level of commitment towards the fulfilment of SDGs varies across the cities of Pakistan according to the business volume and their affiliation with the United Nations.Research limitations/implicationsThis study has been conducted in Pakistan only however a cross-country implementation of the framework and comparison would have yielded more in-depth facts.Practical implicationsThis study provides the policy makers with the ground-level data regarding the awareness and commitment of Pakistani organizations and public towards SDG fulfilment. A glance towards the attitudes of the people towards the subject could also be seen through this study. It could be further utilized and referred by other researchers for comparison with their own studies regarding SDGs.Originality/valueThis a comprehensive study conducted at federal and provincial level of Pakistan which has yielded ground realities towards the implementation of SDGs. The results could be used for policy making and planning at national level.

The adoption of sustainable development goals by large Portuguese companies

2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Maria João Santos ◽  
Cristina Silva Bastos
Keyword(s):  
Sustainable Development ◽  
Sustainable Development Goals ◽  
Corporate Sustainability ◽  
Management Strategies ◽  
Business Management ◽  
Theoretical Framework ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Content Type ◽  
2030 Agenda ◽  
Development Goals

Purpose Two years on from the launch of the United Nations 2030 agenda, this study aims to approach just how and why large Portuguese companies are incorporating the sustainable development goals (SDGs) into their strategies. This sets out a theoretical framework for priority levels of management and the key rationales and motivations towards the adoption of the SDGs by companies within the scope of identifying logical and mutual connections. Design/methodology/approach The proposed theoretical framework applied an empirical, qualitative study approach, deploying content analysis of the semi-structured interviews carried out. Findings The results convey how the responding companies are using the different management models identified for integrating the SDGs, with the strategic and operational facets of greatest relevance. There are various key reasons put forward in justification of this involvement, in particular highlighting the understanding of the 2030 agenda as an ethical and social contract followed by concerns over managing stakeholders. The results demonstrate that these main motivations influence the management level at which the SGDs undergo integration, yet they do not determine the type of integration. Research limitations/implications The analysis of a limited number of companies and the fact that the semi-structured interviews were made with a single representative, which correspondingly reflects how the responses received convey the understandings, visions, values and responsibilities of these interlocutors. Originality/value This provides one of the first studies contributing towards understanding how and why businesses are aligning with the SDGs. At the conceptual level, this proposes a theoretical framework for analysing the underlying logics and the levels of integration into business management and how both can be interconnected. In practical terms, this clarifies how business management strategies may leverage the integration of the 2030 agenda as a mechanism for implementing corporate sustainability.

Internationalisation of Malaysian higher education: policies, practices and the SDGs

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Chang Da Wan ◽  
Doria Abdullah
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Sustainable Development ◽  
Sustainable Development Goals ◽  
National Level ◽  
System Level ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Institutional Level ◽  
Internationalisation Of Higher Education ◽  
Development Goals ◽  
Policies And Practices

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to examine the policies and practices of internationalisation of higher education in Malaysia, and to specifically explore how Sustainable Development Goals are translated into policies and practices.Design/methodology/approachThis paper takes a chronological and historical approach to examine policies and practices on internationalisation of higher education in Malaysia. This includes identifying patterns, trends and shifts on internationalisation at the system and institutional levels.FindingsAt the system level, Malaysia has transformed from a sending to receiving country, from being an aid recipient to an equal partner, and from a host to a provider. At the institutional level, internationalisation transforms from a fad to a norm, and from having unilateral collaboration to setting up multinational collaborations with international partners. Equally important, the paper discusses the role of internationalisation to address the global Sustainable Development Goals, and identify policy gaps at the national level and the de facto practices of Sustainable Development Goals at the institutional level.Originality/valueThis paper charts the changes of internationalisation of higher education in Malaysia, and importantly, shows gaps to incorporate the global Sustainable Development Goals and to relate this global agenda to the internationalisation of higher education.

Implementing the sustainable development goals at University level

2018 ◽  
Vol 19 (3) ◽  
pp. 473-497 ◽  
Author(s):  
Silvia Albareda-Tiana ◽  
Salvador Vidal-Raméntol ◽  
Mónica Fernández-Morilla
Keyword(s):  
Sustainable Development ◽  
Teaching Practices ◽  
Sustainable Development Goals ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Sustainable Development ◽  
Learning And Teaching ◽  
University Curriculum ◽  
Development Goals ◽  
The University

Purpose The purpose of this case study is to explore the principles and practices of sustainable development (SD) in the university curriculum. Design/methodology/approach To explore the principles linked with the sustainable development goals (SDGs) and the learning and teaching practices in sustainability at the International University of Catalonia (Universitat Internacional de Catalunya, UIC, in Catalan), an empirical study was carried out by using a mixed methodology for data collection. Indicators related to SDGs found in the University curriculum (quantitative analysis) were measured using Excel, combined with in-depth semi-structured interviews to the deans of different faculties (qualitative study), which were analysed using Atlas.ti. Findings Several visions, difficulties and challenges were identified in this mixed-method study around the concept of sustainability, which allowed the authors to describe and portray a specific starting position in relation to the SDGs at the UIC. Research limitations/implications The presence of dimensions linked to the SDGs in the University curriculum were analysed by means of a quantitative study. However, global competences related to education for sustainable development were not studied. Practical implications Special emphasis was given to the challenges and opportunities for training future graduates and the whole University community in SD. Originality/value This paper shows a methodological exploration of the principles related to the SDGs and the learning and teaching practices in sustainability in higher education.

scholarly journals Defining and Quantifying National-Level Targets, Indicators and Benchmarks for Management of Natural Resources to Achieve the Sustainable Development Goals

2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 462 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chris Dickens ◽  
Vladimir Smakhtin ◽  
Matthew McCartney ◽  
Gordon O’Brien ◽  
Lula Dahir
Keyword(s):  
Sustainable Development ◽  
Natural Resources ◽  
Sustainable Development Goals ◽  
National Level ◽  
Resource Quality ◽  
The Sustainable Development ◽  
Country Level ◽  
2030 Agenda ◽  
Development Goals ◽  
Global Indicators

The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), are high on the agenda for most countries of the world. In its publication of the SDGs, the UN has provided the goals and target descriptions that, if implemented at a country level, would lead towards a sustainable future. The IAEG (InterAgency Expert Group of the SDGs) was tasked with disseminating indicators and methods to countries that can be used to gather data describing the global progress towards sustainability. However, 2030 Agenda leaves it to countries to adopt the targets with each government setting its own national targets guided by the global level of ambition but taking into account national circumstances. At present, guidance on how to go about this is scant but it is clear that the responsibility is with countries to implement and that it is actions at a country level that will determine the success of the SDGs. Reporting on SDGs by country takes on two forms: i) global reporting using prescribed indicator methods and data; ii) National Voluntary Reviews where a country reports on its own progress in more detail but is also able to present data that are more appropriate for the country. For the latter, countries need to be able to adapt the global indicators to fit national priorities and context, thus the global description of an indicator could be reduced to describe only what is relevant to the country. Countries may also, for the National Voluntary Review, use indicators that are unique to the country but nevertheless contribute to measurement of progress towards the global SDG target. Importantly, for those indicators that relate to the security of natural resources security (e.g., water) indicators, there are no prescribed numerical targets/standards or benchmarks. Rather countries will need to set their own benchmarks or standards against which performance can be evaluated. This paper presents a procedure that would enable a country to describe national targets with associated benchmarks that are appropriate for the country. The procedure builds on precedent set in other countries but in particular on a procedure developed for the setting of Resource Quality Objectives in South Africa. The procedure focusses on those SDG targets that are natural resource-security focused, for example, extent of water-related ecosystems (6.6), desertification (15.3) and so forth, because the selection of indicator methods and benchmarks is based on the location of natural resources, their use and present state and how they fit into national strategies.

scholarly journals Revitalizing the Global Alliances for Sustainable Development: Analyzing the Viability of Sustainable Development Goal 17—A Multi-Actor Governance Approach

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (8) ◽  
pp. 4247
Author(s):  
Elena Bulmer ◽  
Cristina del Prado-Higuera
Keyword(s):  
Sustainable Development ◽  
Sustainable Development Goals ◽  
Marine Conservation ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Sustainable Development Goal ◽  
Development Goal ◽  
Global Partnership ◽  
Development Goals ◽  
Common Vision

The seventeenth Sustainable Development Goal of the United Nations, Partnerships for the Goals, aims to strengthen the means of the implementation and revitalize the global partnership for sustainable development. The successful implantation of the UN’s seventeenth Sustainable Development Goal will aid the execution and achievement of the other sixteen goals. This article explores the importance and viability of Sustainable Development Goal 17, using a case study based in Valencia, Spain. The study presents an illustrative stakeholder situation, where we see that there are conflicting interests among conservationists, fishermen, municipality representatives, and others. Data collection was done using desk-based research and semi-structured interviews. The interview process was performed between October 2018 and October 2019. In total, 21 different stakeholders were interviewed. For the data analyses, a stakeholder register, Power–Interest Matrices, and a stakeholder map were used, and, to complement the latter, narratives were developed. The different analyses showed that most project stakeholders supported the project, while there was really only one stakeholder, the fishermen themselves, who were reticent about participating. However, it was shown over time that, by developing a common vision with them, the fishermen came on board the project and collaborated with the scientists. Stakeholder engagement analyses are especially useful in the application of Sustainable Development Goals at the project level. Although this case study is specifically applicable to a marine conservation context, it may be extrapolated and applied to any other Sustainable Development Goals’ context.

Sustainability-oriented strategy and Sustainable Development Goals

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Priscila Borin de Oliveira Claro ◽  
Nathalia Ramajo Esteves
Keyword(s):  
Sustainable Development ◽  
Sustainable Development Goals ◽  
Small Sample ◽  
Theoretical Argument ◽  
Negative Externalities ◽  
Global Compact ◽  
Content Type ◽  
For Profit ◽  
Development Goals ◽  
Over Time

PurposeSustainability-oriented strategies involve considering all possible environmental, social and economic factors that impact stakeholders and sustainable development. They could be a crucial contribution of the private sector to Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The study’s objective is twofolded. First, the authors want to discover if enterprises doing business in Brazil are contemplating the SDGs in their strategies. Second, the authors want to identify the external and internal factors that motivate them.Design/methodology/approachThe authors collected data through an online survey with employees from Global Compact signatories in Brazil. From a list of 335 for-profit enterprises, the authors got back 132 answers. The sample comprises Brazilian enterprises that only operate in the Brazilian market, Brazilian multinational enterprises (MNEs) and foreign multinationals operating in Brazilian and international markets. For this study, the MNEs’ group comprises Brazilian multinationals and foreign multinationals (MNEs). To characterize the sample and identify the motivating factors, the authors conducted a descriptive analysis. To compare the domestic and MNEs’ mean differences regarding the factors that influenced their strategies and the SDGs, the authors performed Mann–Whitney's U-test.FindingsThe results of the study show that enterprises are addressing the SDGs in their strategies. All internal and external driving factors are similar for domestic and MNEs, except for the value chain's negative externalities. MNEs are more prone to consider their negative externalities, which is a positive trend. Finally, results suggest that both groups of enterprises consider the 17 goals in their strategies, contrary to the theoretical argument that multinationals suffer more pressure because of their broad geographic scope.Research limitations/implicationsThe database of the study involves data collected through a self-response survey. Thus, the authors cannot discuss the effectiveness of real SDGs' strategies once enterprises' discourse on sustainability does not always correspond with practices. Therefore, the authors suggest that researchers address the results of implemented strategies on the SDGs over time to check for improvements and new developments.Practical implicationsThe authors suggest frequent materiality assessment of domestic enterprises' supply chain and articulation of explicit purposes around the selected SDGs, including setting key performance indicators (KPIs) and monitoring progress.Social implicationsThe authors believe that enterprises and decision makers should recognize their essential role to bend the curve on SDGs and shift their behavior toward strategic choices that could contribute to their positive performance over time, without contributing to environmental degradation and socioeconomic chaos.Originality/valuePublication on how enterprises address the SDGs in Brazil is relatively scarce. This study provides some answers to that by focusing on the factors influencing sustainability-oriented strategies on the SDGs. Besides, most previous studies consider a small sample of enterprises and are industry specific or focus on the effects of the SDGs in public policy. The sample of this study is diverse and represents 42% of the for-profit signatories of the Global Compact in Brazil.

Analysis of sustainability insertion in materials selection courses of engineering undergraduate programmes

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jeniffer Fonseca Zanitt ◽  
Izabela Simon Rampasso ◽  
Osvaldo Luiz Gonçalves Quelhas ◽  
Milena Pavan Serafim ◽  
Walter Leal Filho ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Sustainable Development ◽  
Content Analysis ◽  
Delphi Method ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Sustainable Development Goals ◽  
Materials Selection ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Development Goals ◽  
The Subject

Purpose This study aims to analyse how the materials selection courses of engineering undergraduate programmes can be better aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Design/methodology/approach Initially, a content analysis was performed in 39 materials selection course descriptions from 40 engineering undergraduate programmes of Brazilian higher education institutions, and subsequently, Delphi method procedures were conducted with professors that teach or have taught the course and are knowledgeable in the subject of sustainability. Findings Considering the analysed course descriptions, it was shown that most of the materials selection courses do not consider or present little emphasis on sustainability aspects. Regarding the Delphi method, eight items were evidenced to consider sustainability aspects in the analysed courses. Originality/value This study contributes to the debates about sustainability insertion in engineering undergraduate programmes. More specifically, the findings presented consolidated information that professors and coordinators can use to align materials selection courses with the SDGs better.

scholarly journals Policy capacity and governance conditions for implementing sustainable development goals in Brazil

2020 ◽  
Vol 71 (b) ◽  
pp. 38-77
Author(s):  
Natália Massaco Koga ◽  
Fernando Filgueiras ◽  
Maricilene Isaira Baia do Nascimento ◽  
Natasha Borali ◽  
Victor Bastos
Keyword(s):  
Sustainable Development ◽  
Sustainable Development Goals ◽  
Institutional Design ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Vertical Coordination ◽  
State And Society ◽  
Governance Tools ◽  
Implementation Context ◽  
Development Goals ◽  
Key Aspects

This article examines governance conditions for implementing the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in Brazil. The SDGs are a commitment (signed and adopted in September 2015 by 193 countries) to achieve 17 key milestones by 2030 for formulating and implementing public policies that promote economic, social, and environmental development. Yet the Goals’ multifaceted and imbricated nature poses expressive challenges. One argues that the SDGs provide a rich set of interconnected policies to address key aspects of the governance debate, such as the capacities in a complex policy-implementation context; the association between administrative and relational policy capacities; and the dynamics of governance tools. This investigation entails quanti-qualitative analysis based on data produced by semi-structured interviews and a survey with a random sample of the Brazilian federal bureaucracy, answered by 2,000 individuals. The main findings are that the SDGs require a governance strategy capable of building capacity for promoting collaboration among state and society, horizontal and vertical coordination, and data and information for developing analytical capabilities. In sum, SDGs require higher levels of capacities, leadership, and proper institutional design to reach the necessary levels of collaboration for producing coherent and integrated policies, so leadership materializes as the main critical condition for SDGs’ implementation in Brazil.

scholarly journals Public-Private Partnership for achieving sustainable development goals: a case study of Khulna, Bangladesh

2020 ◽  
Vol 23 (3) ◽  
pp. 283-298
Author(s):  
Md. Nazmul Haque ◽  
Mustafa Saroar ◽  
Md. Abdul Fattah ◽  
Syed Riad Morshed
Keyword(s):  
Sustainable Development ◽  
Sustainable Development Goals ◽  
Public Private Partnership ◽  
Private Partnership ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Public ◽  
The Road ◽  
Development Goals ◽  
On The Road

PurposePublic-Private Partnership (PPP) is a common practice in both the public and private sectors. PPP has been an important instrument to achieve Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) at the national level. However, the role of PPP at the subnational level is often scarcely studied. Using Khulna city of Bangladesh as a case, this paper aims to assess the role of PPP projects in the attainment of SDGs.Design/methodology/approachThe research was conducted in the Central Business District (CBD) of Khulna, on a total of 4.6 kilometers stretches of road medians in the CBD where landscaping was done through the PPP approach. Besides the collection of secondary data from official records, primary data were collected through site visits, field surveys and interviews of PPP project partners.FindingsThe result shows that 89 percent of the respondents (road users) were pleased with the landscaping done on the road medians. Similarly, about 86 percent of the respondents felt more comfortable and safer to use the roads. Well-maintained road medians allow road-crossing at a regular interval which reduces the chance of an accident. The private parties have installed promotional billboards on the road medians and saved BDT 10.82 million a year. The public authority saves the maintenance budget amounting to BDT 23 million a year. The project achieves a triple-win situation. Despite some limitations, this PPP project has taken Khulna a step forward to achieve SDGs.Originality/valueThe findings have policy implications as the PPP project has enhanced the resilience of Khulna by addressing the relevant SDGs.

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