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Carbon emissions commonly serve as an indicator for environmental friendliness, and so more and more carbon emission calculators (CECs) are offered that allow an estimation of the environmental footprint of freight transport operations. Unfortunately, their exact measurement is challenging due to the availability or poor quality of necessary input data and a multitude of possible calculation methods that may result in highly inaccurate to very misleading figures.

A structured online search was conducted to identify suitable online carbon emission calculators (OCECs) for further assessment in the form of a benchmark case that includes different modes of transport from road and rail to air and sea between China and Europe. Further comparison resulted in a ranking of OCECs along the categories of transparency (routing system, data sources and calculation method), completeness (input options) and accuracy (data output).

Different predefined inputs and calculation methods employed by the OCECs assessed inevitably result in a wide spread of more or less reliable carbon footprint measurement results.

All potential users of CECs, including policymakers, actors from the transport industry and other stakeholders, are well advised to question greenhouse gas (GHG) emission statements that are not backed by transparent procedures and internationally recognized calculation standards.

This study, including a benchmark case and a ranking, offers a guideline for potential users of CEC to avoid major pitfalls coming along with the present carbon footprint measurement of freight transport operations.

Calculating an organization's carbon footprint is crucial for assessing and implementing emission reductions. Although Finnish higher education institutions (HEIs) aim for carbon neutrality by 2030, limited research exists on plans to reach a similar target in any country. This paper aims to address the shared and individual challenges Finnish HEIs have with carbon footprint calculations, reductions, resources and offsetting.

A survey was targeted to sustainability experts in all 38 HEIs in Finland to identify key patterns and trends in the focus fields of the study. SWOT analysis was used to classify main strengths, opportunities, weaknesses and threats, based on which a series of policy recommendations was drafted.

Finnish HEIs are committed to carbon footprint tracking (97%, annually by 87%). The lack of standardization and the number of external stakeholders complicate accounting indirect emissions, impeding comparability and reliability. Only 39% had set separate emission reduction targets, suggesting a preference for carbon footprint over other environmental impact indicators. Insufficient monetary and human resources emerged in 23% of institutions, especially those smaller in size. Only 52% had clear offsetting plans, with shared concerns over trust and responsibility.

By including both research universities and universities of applied sciences, the findings provide an unprecedented outlook into the entire Finnish HEI sector. The policy recommendations guide HEIs both locally and globally on how to improve their transparency and scientific integrity, reflect on core successes and weaknesses and how they complete their objectives of education, research and social impact while promoting stronger sustainability.

This paper aims to analyze the influences of context and methodological differences in how universities confront, report and manage carbon neutrality in selected Andean universities, contrasted with a university in the USA.

A sequential, mixed-methods design, using quantitative and qualitative approaches was applied. The data analysis is based on a systematic literature review with bibliometric analysis to identify how carbon neutrality in universities is understood and applied. Informed by the quantitative analysis, the qualitative phase compared the assessment methodologies, opportunities and obstacles in three Andean universities – EAFIT in Colombia, EPN in Ecuador and the UC in Chile – contrasted with MIT (USA) for comparative purposes beyond the region.

The bibliometric analysis points to the evolution of carbon management and carbon neutrality in universities and indicates how universities have applied methodologies and defined opportunities and obstacles. In this comparative experience, the contextual issues are brought to the fore. The conclusions highlight the importance of context in carbon neutrality assessment and argue against crude comparative metrics. While carbon assessment protocols provide data on which actions may be taken, the phase of carbon management development and the specifics of context – based on local institutional, geographical, climatic, cultural, socioeconomic and national policy conditions – are far more relevant for identifying actions.

This study only considered four universities, and the findings are not generalizable. The argument highlights the point that contextual factors generate important differences that may complicate simple comparisons based on the university's type or size. It also highlights the differences in the carbon calculation methodologies used by the institutions.

Results build on the recent publications that document the Latin American context. The article contributes to knowledge about Andean university commitments and actions relating to climate change and carbon neutrality. This knowledge can contribute to how universities in the region seek to apply different methodologies, set targets and the timing of actions and consider their contextual opportunities and obstacles.

Comparing university carbon footprints and carbon neutrality plans is an emerging topic, presenting methodological and institutional difficulties. This paper reveals some of these difficulties by comparing parameters, actions and implementation processes against contextual factors. While there is a drive for international and national comparisons and systematization of data on university carbon performance, significant methodological gaps still need to be resolved to account for these contextual factors.

Wind energy has developed rapidly becoming a promising source of renewable energy. Although wind energy is described as clean energy, the problem of blade disposal has emerged from decommissioned wind turbines in the renewable energy sector, these blades manufactured from composite materials are almost impossible to recycle.

This study proposed a methodological workflow for an educational approach toward accelerating the transition to a circular economy (CE) through a case study reusing wind turbine blade waste. The participants were undergraduate students. In the quantitative case study approach of students’ coursework, innovative architectural reuse was the basis of the methodology for creatively reusing blade waste. Students reused the blades as building elements.

The workflow could be beneficial to the renewable energy sector and the architecture, engineering and construction industry. The results show that the impact of creative reuse is positive as it reduces the energy consumed by conventional recycling processes, reduces carbon dioxide-equivalents and preserves the structural properties of the blades.

The research reported in this study is exploratory and findings may not be generalizable due to the location and limited number of participants in the design process. Also, the empirical data collected were limited to the views and opinions of the students and instructor.

The novel workflow provided evidence at the end of the course that participating students became more interested in CE and were able to think more independently about CE. Creative reuse promotes circularity, reducing virgin material extraction and carbon emissions.

This study aims to assess carbon emissions in urban aged residential buildings in Qingdao, Shandong Province, constructed prior to 2000, and to evaluate retrofitting and rebuilding strategies for potential carbon reduction.

Field investigations and literature reviews were conducted to identify key factors influencing carbon emissions, such as shape coefficient, window-to-wall ratio and envelope structure. A combination of generalization and mathematical statistical methods was used to classify buildings based on construction year, form, structural type and energy-saving goals. Cluster analysis was employed to extract six typical building models.

Results demonstrate that building form complexity positively correlates with carbon emissions per unit area, while longer lifespans reduce emission intensity. Retrofitting exhibits shorter carbon payback periods (1.62–3.92 years) than rebuilding (18.7–49.94 years), indicating superior environmental performance. Pre-1986 buildings are advised for demolition/rebuilding due to limited retrofit benefits. For 1986–1995 buildings, retrofitting is recommended if structurally viable. Post-1996 buildings favor retrofitting over new construction for its shorter payback and lower emissions, enhancing long-term carbon reduction.

This study contributes to the understanding of carbon emissions in urban aged residential buildings by considering various factors and providing specific recommendations for retrofitting and rebuilding strategies tailored to different construction periods. Additionally, it highlights the importance of building form complexity and remaining lifespan in determining carbon emissions, offering insights for sustainable urban development and carbon reduction initiatives.

The presence of green spaces plays a vital role in promoting urban sustainability. Urban green parks (UGPs) help create sustainable cities while providing fundamental ecological functions. However, rapid urbanization has destroyed crucial green areas in Ranchi City, endangering inhabitants’ health. This study aims to locate current UGPs and predict future UGP sites in Ranchi City, Jharkhand.

It uses geographic information system (GIS) and analytical hierarchical process (AHP) to evaluate potential UGP sites. It involves the active participation of urban communities to ensure that the UGPs are designed to meet dweller’s needs. The site suitability assessment is based on several parameters, including the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI), land use and land cover (LULC), population distribution, PM 2.5 levels and the Urban Heat Island (UHI) effect. The integration of these factors enables an evaluation of potential UGP’s sites.

The findings of this research reveal that 54.39% of the evaluated areas are unsuitable, 15.55% are less suitable, 12.76% are moderately suitable, 11.52% are highly suitable and 5.78% are very highly suitable for UGPs site selection. These results emphasize that the middle and outer regions of Ranchi City are the most favorable locations for establishing UGPs. The NDVI is the most important element in UGP site appropriateness, followed by LULC, population distribution, PM 2.5 levels and the UHI effect.

This study improves the process of integrating AHP and GIS, and UGPs site selection maps help urban planners and decision-makers make better choices for Ranchi City’s sustainability and greenness.

The study aims to determine the impact of sustainable manufacturing on environmental performance through government regulation and eco-innovation in Indonesian small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).

The results indicate sustainable manufacturing plays a significant role in SMEs' environmental performance and regulations, and eco-innovation can moderate it. It also reveals that government regulation has a positive and significant effect on environmental performance. Moreover, eco-innovation has a positive and significant effect on environmental performance.

The findings of this study indicate that SMEs can embrace sustainable manufacturing practices and achieve their long-term sustainability goals by adhering to regulations, collaborating with stakeholders and implementing eco-friendly innovations.

This research uncovers ground-breaking perspectives on the evolution of scientific knowledge about the impact of eco-innovation, regulatory measures and sustainable manufacturing practices on the environmental performance of SMEs.

Inspired by the internationalisation paths to prosperity of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), where narcissistic leaders are diligent about organisations but also pursue their dark goals, this study aims to concurrently examine two avenues for the internationalisation of narcissistic leaders in SMEs concerning the function of team organisational citizenship behaviours (OCB): corporate social irresponsibility (CSI) and digital business model innovation (BMI).

This study utilised a quantitative design emphasising mature theory research, and data was analysed using multiple regression analysis and Hayes' process model. The data for this study was collected via surveys from 270 SMEs in Vietnam.

The study showed that narcissistic Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) can penetrate the global market profoundly by utilising both the righteous path, which is based on the power of the times via BMI, and the unethical path, CSI. However, team devotion via OCB can mitigate the unethical conduct of narcissistic CEOs.

The study endeavoured to find a path to internationalisation for SMEs in emerging markets with high economic openness and increasingly close connections with international markets, via two strategies for SMEs to conquer the international market more successfully, and with utilising the foundations of CEO narcissism and team citizenship behaviour.

This study contributed to the theory of SME internationalisation by employing the resource-based view and upper-echelon theory, with the updated Uppsala model as its foundation.

The world today is heavily controlled by the content available on the internet, where a one-star rating gain may work wonders for a company and a one-star rating decline can cause huge damage. Online booking platforms provide more freedom, privacy and contact with experienced travelers than physical hotel booking. The study identifies the factors shaping travelers' online hotel booking intention (OHBI).

We utilized structural equation modeling (SEM) to expand the horizons of the technology acceptance model (TAM) and stimulus-organism-response (SOR) framework in the hospitality sector. The results are based on the data collected from 705 travelers who made online hotel reservations.

The findings demonstrate that online reviews, hotel website quality and hotel website convenience quotient favorably shape prospective tourists' perceived trust, magnifying their inclination to book a hotel online. Website convenience quotient and trust partially mediate the association between the constructs. In addition, the linkage between perceived trust and OHBI is strengthened by promotional offers but weakened by perceived risk.

Our findings provide several important implications for hotel managers, prospective travelers, hotel owners, website developers, policymakers, hotel employees, the local community and competitors to expedite the growth of the Indian hotel industry.

The literature reveals that website convenience quotient, perceived trust and promotional offers have not received enough attention in the hospitality industry and warrant attention. Our study strives to broaden the scope of the TAM and SOR models to better understand these constructs in the backdrop of the Indian hospitality sector. The study also examines how promotional offers and perceived risk influence the linkages between the underlying constructs.