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This paper aims to explore the current stage of biodiversity preservation in higher education institutions (HEIs), using samples from German universities and investigating three different dimensions, namely, existing approaches, challenges and future developments.

Semistructured expert interviews were conducted with employees from 14 German Universities. To analyze the data, both deductive and inductive methods of content analysis were conducted to systematically code the results.

This research shows that efforts for biodiversity preservation are frequently made in the areas of student and staff initiatives, green space management, as well as in research and teaching. However, German HEIs face numerous hurdles such as interest conflict, lack of prioritization and financial restrictions, some of which are difficult to overcome. In the future, HEIs should seek a deeper integration of biodiversity into curricula to further raise biodiversity awareness.

This study provides practical implications by providing good practices, which can serve as a guide for implementing measures for biodiversity preservation. By understanding the struggles and future expectations, stakeholders and policymakers could promote targeted measures and relevant policies to advance biodiversity initiatives at and beyond universities. Moreover, the research shows the importance of involving students and staff actively in the planning and executing stage for biodiversity preservation through initiatives to achieve green campuses.

The paper presents an essential research field which is still in its earlier stage. To the best of the authors’ knowledge, it is the first study that focuses on German Universities in this context. This study adds value in providing in-depth insights into this topic to raise awareness of biodiversity preservation in both practice and research.

Sustainable development is inseparable from rational and responsible use of resources and promotion of green entrepreneurship. The contemporary green development agenda encompasses climate, economic, technical, social, cultural, and political dimensions. International efforts to greening the global development are conducted by the major economies, including China as the world’s largest consumer of energy and the biggest emitter of greenhouse gases. China is aware of its environmental problems, as well as of its part of the overall responsibility for the accomplishment of the sustainable development goals. By means of the decarbonization efforts, the latter are integrated both into the national development agenda (the concept of ecological civilization) and China’s international initiatives (the greening narrative within the Belt and Road Initiative). Over the past decade, China has made a breakthrough on the way to promoting green entrepreneurship and greening of its development (better quality of air and water, renewable energy, electric vehicles, and organic farming). On the other hand, emissions remain high, agricultural land loses productivity, and freshwater resources degrade due to climate change. In conventional industries (oil, coal mining, and electric and thermal energy), decarbonization faces an array of impediments. In this chapter, the authors summarize fundamental provisions of China’s approach to building an ecological civilization and measures to reduce emissions and achieve the carbon neutrality status within the nearest decades. The analysis of obstacles to the decarbonization of the economy and possible prospects for the development of green entrepreneurship summarizes China’s practices for possible use in other countries.

This paper aims to explore the biodiversity and threatened species extinction reporting of 54 biodiversity-indexed companies on the Indonesia Stock Exchange (IDX). The primary objectives are to explore the rhetoric of biodiversity disclosure as a practice of virtue ethics and to identify instances of emancipatory extinction accounts on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List.

The research sample comprised 54 biodiversity-indexed companies on the IDX. A content analysis of the narrative text of their annual and sustainability reports for 2020 was conducted to discern the rhetoric of biodiversity disclosure as an ethical practice using Aristotle’s rhetoric (ethos, logos and pathos). The identification of extinction accounts listed on the IUCN Red List was conducted based on criteria established in the conceptual framework of Atkins and Maroun (2018).

All 54 companies used ethos, logos and pathos in their biodiversity disclosure as a virtuous practice. These disclosures improve the tone of corporate communications and enhance accountability and transparency. Low-profile companies showed a greater propensity for reporting biodiversity disclosures compared to high-profile companies. Additionally, the authors identified 14 companies informing extinction accounts that qualify as emancipatory accounts, with high-profile companies disclosing extinction more frequently than low-profile ones. Emancipatory accounting highlighted species such as turtles, orangutans, elephants, rhinos, turtles and medicinal plants. These accounts are intended as a form of accountability to the species.

The limitation of this research is the observation of annual reports in one period. Future studies can add more observation periods to see the consistency of companies in disclosing biodiversity and extinction.

Companies can adopt the rhetorical strategy of ethos, logos and pathos in disclosing their biodiversity. For policymakers, it is important to establish regulations to encourage companies to disclose biodiversity. The implications for accountants, to contribute more to biodiversity and extinction reporting, considering that previously sustainability accounting reporting was mostly carried out by nonaccountants.

Regarding social implications, emancipatory accounts aimed at preventing the extinction of animals such as birds, orangutans and rhinos will have significant social and natural impacts.

This research represents the first use of Aristotelian rhetoric and virtue to understand biodiversity disclosure as virtue rhetoric and extinction disclosure as emancipatory accounting. This rhetoric is a benevolent persuasion tool that can shape the audience’s thinking and behavior in a more ethical manner concerning biodiversity issues. It provides evidence of the role of accounting as a social and moral practice, which is particularly relevant in the face of a complex reality and increasing concerns, notably regarding the threat of biodiversity loss and extinction.

This research aims to propose a model for the complex decision-making involved in the ecological restoration of mega-infrastructure (e.g. railway engineering). This model is based on multi-source heterogeneous data and will enable stakeholders to solve practical problems in decision-making processes and prevent delayed responses to the demand for ecological restoration.

Based on the principle of complexity degradation, this research collects and brings together multi-source heterogeneous data, including meteorological station data, remote sensing image data, railway engineering ecological risk text data and ecological restoration text data. Further, this research establishes an ecological restoration plan library to form input feature vectors. Random forest is used for classification decisions. The ecological restoration technologies and restoration plant species suitable for different regions are generated.

This research can effectively assist managers of mega-infrastructure projects in making ecological restoration decisions. The accuracy of the model reaches 0.83. Based on the natural environment and construction disturbances in different regions, this model can determine suitable types of trees, shrubs and herbs for planting, as well as the corresponding ecological restoration technologies needed.

Managers should pay attention to the multiple types of data generated in different stages of megaproject and identify the internal relationships between these multi-source heterogeneous data, which provides a decision-making basis for complex management decisions. The coupling between ecological restoration technologies and restoration plant species is also an important factor in improving the efficiency of ecological compensation.

Unlike previous studies, which have selected a typical section of a railway for specialized analysis, the complex decision-making model for ecological restoration proposed in this research has wider geographical applicability and can better meet the diverse ecological restoration needs of railway projects that span large regions.

Gunung Mulu National Park (GMNP) is one of the two protected areas with UNESCO World Heritage Site (WHS) status in Malaysia. Until now, this area can only be accessed by tourists via air and water transportation only. Recently, the government has proposed the construction of a road connecting GMNP to several areas, including Miri City through a high-impact infrastructure project. However, this project might instigate the potential benefits and challenges in terms of tourism development and community well-being. As custodians of the park, their support for this initiative needs to be dismantled so that the management of the national park can still be implemented holistically and does not jeopardise the current UNESCO status of WHS. WHS is UNESCO-designated area of cultural, historical, scientific, or other significant value, legally safeguarded by international agreements, and preserved for the benefit of future generations due to its exceptional value to humanity. Thus, this study aims to examine challenges and socioeconomic impacts of the proposed road among key informants' perspectives at Long Terawan Village, Long Iman Village, Batu Bungan Village and GMNP Headquarters. The study was conducted via in-depth interviews with 10 community members residing in the settlement, including a tribal chief, boatman, lodging operator, park guide and farmer, all of whom are professionals and representatives of the local community. They were designated as key informants on account of their extensive engagement and development within the community. Through a thematic analysis, their perspectives on the proposed roads to be built in the area were elucidated. The study offers pragmatic understanding of socioeconomic impact assessment, which could inform strategic decision-making by incorporating information regarding potential benefits and challenges of the proposed road construction to an isolated protected area.

Based on social and moral identification theories, this investigation aims to analyse how corporate greenwashing impacts employees' organizational citizenship behaviours for the environment (OCBEs), both directly and through job satisfaction and affective commitment.

Data collected from a questionnaire administered to 398 Portuguese employees who recognized greenwashing practices in their employer firms was analysed using structural equation modelling techniques through AMOS.

The results show that greenwashing has destructive effects on job satisfaction, affective commitment and OCBEs. This means that in the presence of greenwashing, the work environment is impacted to such an extent that employees are less eager to give their best: their voluntary actions aimed at environmental improvement fade. Thus, greenwashing adversely affects OCBEs, both directly and through job satisfaction and affective commitment.

This study advances the human resources management literature by providing an improved insight into the harmful consequences of greenwashing on employees' emotions and, consequently, their voluntary engagement in environmental extra-role activities that are not directly related to their contractual duties.

In response to water scarcity in Sri Lanka, the government is implementing strategies such as rainwater harvesting, efficient irrigation, wastewater treatment and desalination. Initial efforts include the establishment of a desalination plant in Jaffna, with additional plans for the dry zones (DZ). The study aims to comprehensively identify the barriers to establishing desalination plants in the DZ and provide recommendations to mitigate these barriers. Additionally, this research provides valuable insights aimed at minimizing barriers to the construction of future desalination plants within Sri Lanka.

The study used qualitative methods, using an expert survey to identify current and future barriers, along with strategies for overcoming them. The collected data were analysed using the template analysis technique.

Regarding desalination plant establishment, various barriers such as high capital costs, high energy expenses, brine discharge, pollution, emissions, technical challenges, health concerns and waste disposal have been identified. However, specific strategies exist to address and mitigate each of these obstacles.

The study offers recommendations to environmental experts and government on expediting the approval procedures for desalination plants in Sri Lanka’s DZ. Adapted to Sri Lanka’s specific challenges, it highlights strategies and barriers essential for upcoming desalination projects. Furthermore, it emphasizes the financial advantages such as increased production and job creation resulting from establishing desalination facilities.

Through this study, promoting sustainable practices and fostering community involvement, it aims to enhance livelihoods, accelerate economic development and improve overall well-being through reliable access to water. Additionally, the study aims to enhance understanding of the importance of desalination in alleviating water scarcity, promoting community engagement and ultimately facilitating improved living conditions, health outcomes and economic opportunities in Sri Lanka’s DZs.

This study provides crucial direction for decision-makers by highlighting the main barriers to the establishment of desalination plants in Sri Lanka and outlining practical solutions. Implementing these strategies helps meet the region’s increasing water demands, advance sustainable water management, improve the standard of living for nearby communities and promote the socioeconomic development of desalination plants in Sri Lanka’s DZ.

Divers were contracted to carry out a detailed baseline survey which will form the Environmental Impact Assessment. This report presents information about the biodiversity of Cawsand Bay and the impact of installing a subsea tidal energy module. Subsequently, this addresses some of the SDG14 targets: 14.5, conserve coastal and marine areas; 14.7, increase the economic benefits from the sustainable use of marine resources to small island developing states and less developed countries; and 14.8, increase scientific knowledge, research and technology for ocean health. Contracted from November to December 2021 over a four-week period, five SCUBA divers conducted baseline transects over regular intervals of five meters at Cawsand Bay in each cardinal direction. Water and sediment samples were analysed to better understand the habitat and benthos at Cawsand Bay. Sediment samples established the biotope by identifying the benthos: sublittoral seagrass beds (SS.SMp.SSgr.Zmar). The data also revealed Zostera marina, commonly known as eelgrass (seagrass), is the most abundant species in the area, resulting in a high oxygen content within the water samples. In turn, this helps establish an environment capable of sustaining high levels of biodiversity for this time of year and is a more efficient support ecosystem.

The purpose of this paper is to review cases of artificial reefs built through additive manufacturing (AM) technologies and analyse their ecological goals, fabrication process, materials, structural design features and implementation location to determine predominant parameters, environmental impacts, advantages, and limitations.

The review analysed 16 cases of artificial reefs from both temperate and tropical regions. These were categorised based on the AM process used, the mortar material used (crucial for biological applications), the structural design features and the location of implementation. These parameters are assessed to determine how effectively the designs meet the stipulated ecological goals, how AM technologies demonstrate their potential in comparison to conventional methods and the preference locations of these implementations.

The overview revealed that the dominant artificial reef implementation occurs in the Mediterranean and Atlantic Seas, both accounting for 24%. The remaining cases were in the Australian Sea (20%), the South Asia Sea (12%), the Persian Gulf and the Pacific Ocean, both with 8%, and the Indian Sea with 4% of all the cases studied. It was concluded that fused filament fabrication, binder jetting and material extrusion represent the main AM processes used to build artificial reefs. Cementitious materials, ceramics, polymers and geopolymer formulations were used, incorporating aggregates from mineral residues, biological wastes and pozzolan materials, to reduce environmental impacts, promote the circular economy and be more beneficial for marine ecosystems. The evaluation ranking assessed how well their design and materials align with their ecological goals, demonstrating that five cases were ranked with high effectiveness, ten projects with moderate effectiveness and one case with low effectiveness.

AM represents an innovative method for marine restoration and management. It offers a rapid prototyping technique for design validation and enables the creation of highly complex shapes for habitat diversification while incorporating a diverse range of materials to benefit environmental and marine species’ habitats.