Sustainability practices in special economic zones and their challenges to sustainable local community development in Ethiopia

The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals promote global sustainable development. One significant part of the socially focused goals for sustainable development is social justice. Regarding this, the tourism sector has been heavily criticised for not adequately contributing to sustainable development, especially social justice, and is blamed for primarily focusing on profit maximisation and benefitting external stakeholders and businesses, but not the local community. Respectively, this research article explores to what extent sustainable tourism can contribute to social justice for local communities. “Socialising tourism” is a novel concept specifically focusing on social justice for local communities. Thus, this concept has been taken into account when exploring the role of sustainable tourism for social justice. In fulfilment of this aim, this study is based on qualitative research with interviewees from the tourism case study of Grootbos Private Nature Reserve. The qualitative research is used to explore how Grootbos, as a private business, contributes to sustainable development with forms of social justice for the local communities. Respectively, the personal understanding of the participants of social justice has been investigated. Grootbos’ impact on the local community has been looked at through the lens of socialising tourism. The research shows that sustainable tourism and socialising tourism can contribute to sustainable development in local communities and their perception of social justice. Nevertheless, there is a discrepancy between social justice according to the literature and the aspects mentioned by the participants, which have probably been elicited due to listening to the local community.

The research represents the interdisciplinary approach for sustainable development of local communities through the implementation latest innovative approaches and closing the gaps by modern technological possibilities. The paper proposes methodological approaches for informational and analytical support for decision-making on sustainable development of local territorial entities (for example, united territorial communities, BTSEE). It is emphasized that the climate change forecast must be implemented to local, territorial development strategies. The central hypothesis of this research is that the competitiveness and efficiency of economic development local communities can be reached in the framework of combating climate changes with the implementation of information technologies on all steps – from planning until realization. It emphasized that the climate change forecast must be implemented to local, territorial development strategies. The way of implementation is that the territorial development strategies take into account changes in the functional purpose of the territories and determine the directions of prospective activity, taking into account changes in agro-climatic and infrastructural conditions of development. For this purpose, it is proposed to create a complex of information and analytical support for the sustainable development of local, territorial entities. The permissible value of the reverse subsidy, according to our calculations, should be no more than 25 %. It was demonstrated that it is possible to enable the sustainable development of financially capable communities if a flexible, financially based approach is used to determine the reverse subsidy's amount. Implementing the proposed mechanisms for the sustainable development of the BTSEE involves active consultation with local leaders and government representatives in charge of government decentralization.

Purpose. To analyse the role of global art projects in stimulating tourist flows, as well as to assess the economic, cultural and social impact of global art projects on tourism development and related areas. Particular attention is paid to how global art exhibitions, biennials and public art installations influence the formation of attractive tourist destinations, contribute to the development of 'art tourism' and what is the potential of such projects for the sustainable development of local communities. Method. The analysis of domestic and international sources allows us to identify trends in the field of cultural tourism and art projects of various scales; the comparative approach makes it possible to identify common features and peculiarities that stimulate the tourist attractiveness of international art projects in different countries; the findings have become the basis for identifying critical factors for the success of such initiatives in tourism and their importance for the sustainable development of destinations and local communities. Results. The article reveals a pattern of increasing the role of art projects in tourism. According to research by international organisations and scholars, the general trend in cultural tourism is to seek a 'unique experience'. Large-scale exhibitions, biennials, and museum initiatives can attract tourists looking for new experiences. Global art initiatives such as the Venice Biennale (Italy), Art Basel (Switzerland), Documenta (Germany), etc. are becoming important 'points of attraction' in the cultural calendar, creating the preconditions for boosting international tourism and sustainable development of destinations. Scientific novelty. The role of art events in the formation of tourist flows is studied, it is found that a developed infrastructure, information promotion and involvement of local communities and state administrations are key components of the effectiveness of art projects in tourism. The author proposes to clarify the definition of art tourism as a unique type of cultural tourism that focuses on the interaction of tourists with contemporary art projects and art communities. Practical relevance. The results of the study can be used in the development of municipal or regional cultural and tourism development programmes that require synergy to attract investors, build a positive international image and create a sustainable cultural environment. It is noted that close cooperation with local artists, government institutions and commercial partners can significantly increase the tourism potential of art events.

Entrepreneurial activities cause a disastrous effect on us and our future generation due to its contribution to environmental degradation. Because of this, sustainable entrepreneurship practice becomes a resolution of ecological problems capable of addressing business change issues, public health, and safety concerns and crucial for sustainable development. Pollution was identified causing environmental degradation among the upstream and downstream players in Malaysian herbal industry. In response, the Malaysian government focused on ensuring that herbal‐based small and medium enterprises (SMEs) produce products through safe and environmentally friendly practices. Literature suggests that organizational culture influences sustainable entrepreneurship practice among small‐ and medium‐sized enterprises, hence provide them the opportunities to achieve sustainable business development. Nonetheless, its implementation among SMEs is still low due to numerous challenges. This paper intends to investigate the standpoints of herbal‐based SMEs on the influence of top leadership culture and strategic sustainability orientation on sustainable entrepreneurship practice towards achieving sustainable development. This study surveyed 300 herbal‐based SMEs in Malaysia, and data were analyzed using structural equation model. Structural equation model displays the interrelations among latent constructs and observable variables in a model. The results show that top leadership culture has both direct and indirect effect on sustainable practices through strategic sustainability orientation, accounting for 71.049% variance. Findings reveal that both top leadership culture and strategic sustainability orientation are significantly related to sustainable entrepreneurship practice among the respondents, thus substantiates and support previous findings on the crucial roles of top leadership culture and strategic sustainability orientation in enabling organizations to achieve sustainable development.

The subject of research in this chapter is analysis of the concept of sustainable agriculture of local communities from the point of view of strategic planning and based on the case study for the model of sustainability of the local community Glogonj. The main goal of the research is to connect the basic aspects of strategic planning with the concept of sustainable development in order to improve the quality of life in local communities. The authors apply the theoretical and practical, and conceptual and methodological frame of research based on the case study, which is oriented on three thematic areas of analysis: (1) sustainable development as a modern concept for improving the quality of life of local communities; (2) basic aspects of strategic planning in function of implementation of the concept of sustainable development on local level; (3) the model of strategic planning of sustainable development of the local community at Glogonj as a case study.

The notion of local (city-level) sustainable development (LSD) is explored against the backdrop of urban dynamics and the international discussions on sustainable development. Urban metabolism is a key concept used in the analysis. Overall, sustainable urban development is seen to have an internal dimension and an external dimension, even though urban jurisdictions may be restricted to the former. Sustainable cities (SCs) and policies for LSD are discussed conceptually and in terms of their operational use, with a focus on urban policies in developing and emerging countries. Examples are given of SCs in China. Cities with strategies related especially to climate change are considered separately and analysed in terms of developed–developing, adaptation or mitigation focus. Again, examples of especially ‘low-carbon’ cities in China are presented. From these elements, this paper extracts some elements of a (social science) research agenda in urban environmental studies.

UNESCO believed that college students play an important role in sustainable development, and service learning in higher education is an important stage in establishing students’ social responsibility, sustainable community development and sustainable awareness. The purpose of this study was to design a performing arts service-learning course so that participants could truly understand the actions of social responsibility, devote themselves to the action of sustainable development in the community, cultivate awareness sustainable in action, and predict the achievement of sustainable development goals. This study implemented a 3-month “Performing Arts Service-Learning Course”. A total of 90 performing arts college students (57 females and 33 males) voluntarily participated in this research. Reflection activities and questionnaire survey will be carried out immediately after the course ends. The results of the study showed that after the course ended, the participants reflected on the activities and believed that service learning can establish a good partnership between the school and the community. Gain first-hand experience from serving others, serve social justice, serve the less privileged, and spread love and joy to more people. Questionnaires: Both males and females were satisfied with the topics of “social responsibility” and “sustainable community development”. All participants agreed with the topics of “sustainability awareness” and “sustainable development goals”. Males and females were highly correlated with social responsibility, sustainable community development, sustainable awareness, and sustainable development goals (4, 5, 11, 16, 17). Finally, the social responsibility, sustainable community development, and sustainable awareness of males and females could effectively predict the sustainable development goals (4, 5, 11, 16, 17). The conclusion of this study showed that service learning can help college students learn to solve problems from practice and understand the value of sustainable development through community service and caring for environmental changes. From now on, the 17 goals of sustainable development goals should be planned into courses in various fields. It is helpful to broaden students’ horizons and move towards the era of global sustainable development goals.

Sustainable development is largely seen as pertaining primarily to environmental issues and grassroots social development. This stereotype misses the reality that sustainable development and the information society are operationally interconnected. The two phases of the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) in Geneva (December 2003) and Tunis (November 2005) provide an excellent opportunity to integrate sustainable development principles and practices into the institutions and policy frameworks that are shaping the information society. While the World Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD) and WSIS Phase I brought these issues to international attention, Southern voices and visions are still notably lacking from the debate As we move into the age of information it is critically important for us to consider the implications of ICT in Sustainable Development and vice-versa. This research undertaking looks at precisely this intersection with its primary focus on sustainable communities. Sustainable Communities development is an evolving discourse. The locally-owned or adapted knowledge of a community is essential for integrated sustainable development, and is becoming a key priority for development practitioners. The popularity of the concept of communities is growing, and so are ideas on how to support these communities with technologies and how these communities might use ICTs to support themselves. These issues are pertinent in assessing the real contribution of ICTs to sustainable development, and therefore merit a closer examination. The paper presents the findings from the study of 9 communities in the Niger Delta region of Nigeria. The aim of the study was to explore how ICTs may contribute to the social sustainability of communities in the Niger Delta Region of Nigeria. The study grounds the understanding of ICT usage among indigenous communities and consumers in the reality of their everyday lives, in order to promote actions for sustainability.

Sustainable local development aims to improve economy while taking into account environmental protection. Within this context, the contribution of women to sustainable local development over the years is essential to be explored in order to highlight the importance of their offer. This research aims to investigate the role of women in environmental protection for sustainable local development in a Greek island, Rhodes. A semi-structured interview was designed as a data collection tool. It was a field research which was conducted in the villages of the island as well as in the city of Rhodes. The sample of the survey was composed of women over sixty-five (65) years of age. The results of the survey show that the participation of women was particularly important in the environmental protection of the island, as their daily habits and occupations were environmentally friendly. The yards of their houses were decorated with flowers and trees. In their gardens they planted vegetables that were cultivating without using fertilizers or pesticides. They also collected rain water and they generally spent water with great care and attention. They did not throw the excess food in the garbage, they were giving pets or domestic animals the leftover food, and they also made sure that garbage from housework was scarce. Therefore, their work, their everyday habits and their way of life did not burden the environment, so they made a decisive contribution to the sustainable development of the island. Keywords: environmental, local sustainable development, women

Introduction: Gastronomic tourism has emerged as an important aspect of cultural tourism, offering authentic experiences that reflect the identity and traditions of a region. In tourist cities, both in Brazil and in Europe, gastronomy plays a crucial role in promoting cultural aspects and implementing sustainable practices. The intersection between culture, sustainability and gastronomy is a field of study that deserves attention, as these dynamics can influence both cultural preservation and sustainable economic development in these regions. Objective: This study aims to analyze the relationship between cultural aspects and sustainability practices in gastronomic venues located in tourist cities in Brazil and Europe. The research seeks to identify how local gastronomy can serve as a vehicle for promoting culture and at the same time fostering sustainable practices, contributing to responsible tourism and the preservation of local resources. Method: To achieve this objective, a scoping review was conducted, which included the analysis of scientific articles, reports from international organizations and case studies published in the last ten years. The scoping review allows mapping the available evidence on the relationship between culture, sustainability and gastronomy in tourism contexts, offering a comprehensive view of the practices and strategies adopted in different regions. Inclusion criteria were established to ensure the relevance of the selected studies, considering aspects such as cultural representativeness, adoption of sustainable practices and impact on local tourism. Results: The review indicated that gastronomic venues in tourist cities in Brazil and Europe use gastronomy as a powerful tool for cultural preservation and promotion of sustainability. In Brazil, the valorization of native ingredients and traditional culinary techniques has proven effective in preserving local cultures, while in Europe, the integration of sustainable production and consumption practices is more consolidated. However, both contexts face challenges, such as the need to balance tourism demand with the preservation of natural and cultural resources, as well as the management of the environmental impact generated by tourism. Final Considerations: This study highlights the importance of gastronomic venues as promoters of culture and sustainability in tourist cities. The practices adopted in both Brazil and Europe show that it is possible to align cultural preservation with sustainable development, as long as appropriate policies and strategies are implemented.

The article is aimed at substantiating sustainable development as an objective reason for the implementation of environmental policy and an object of managerial influence. The article states that the economic development of Ukraine, without taking into account the principles of placement of productive forces, which are guided by the needs and conditions of social development to ensure its sustainability, has led to the crisis ecological state of our country. This requires building a process of interaction in the «nature – society» system, taking into account the conception of sustainable development, which should be implemented in environmental policy. In the authors’ interpretation of the concept of «environmental policy», the emphasis is placed on the process, systemic, strategic, functional, managerial, instrumental aspects of ensuring the environmental development of the State and on the principles of response and prevention. It is substantiated that in the context of ensuring sustainable development, the role of the regional and local levels of management of its environmental component through managerial activities is increasing. On a specific example, a conclusion is made about the imperfection of the solid waste management system in Ukraine and proposals for its improvement are formed, covering all subsystems of environmental regulation. The shortcomings of the managerial activity of the subject composition, which complement the systemic problems of modern environmental policy, are allocated. Sustainable local development is presented as a set of goal-oriented, synchronous, step-by-step actions that differ from each other in direction, subject and object composition, as well as as integrity that includes the environmental component among others. The Ukrainian State, adhering to world civilizational standards, must provide such conditions for social development in order to ensure its sustainability. One of these conditions is the construction of the process of interaction in the system «nature – man (society)» based on the conception of sustainable development, which, in turn, should be implemented in environmental policy. Decentralization processes, expansion of the range of powers of regional and local authorities, local self-government bodies strengthen the role of regional and local levels of government in ensuring sustainable development. The imperfection of the solid waste management system in Ukraine, verified by a specific example, made it possible to form proposals for improving this system with coverage of all subsystems of environmental regulation. Environmental policy, through which environmental development is ensured, is implemented through the managerial activity of its subjects, and the shortcomings inherent in this activity must be eliminated. Under such conditions, sustainable local development will become a system that is represented by a set of goal-oriented, synchronous, step-by-step actions that differ from each other in direction, subject and object composition, as well as integrity, where the environmental component is of importance.

Today tourism is known as one of the most dynamic economic activities and it plays an important role in sustainable local development. The local community participation in the tourism sector is key to sustainable tourism development which it forms is a suitable context for the use of tourism. Therefore, education is an essential need to increase the community-understanding role of their effective participation. There is a direct relationship between tourism and education, and this relationship requires more commitment to sustainable development. Uraman County is a large region in the provinces of Kurdistan and Kermanshah in the western part of Iran from West enters Iraq. Uraman Takht is a collection of five villages that is part of the city of Sarvabad in Kurdistan Province and is one of the typical tourist areas. This study evaluates the level of education of the people of Uraman in relation to local sustainable tourism development. The aim of this study is to identify the capacities and roots of, Therefore, a survey form designed to collect primary data from the target group and analyzed with SPSS Software. The findings indicate that sustainable tourism with an average indicator (2.64) because the obtained average is considered below average (3), indicating a low level of education in tourism in Uraman. The second indicator is the level of knowledge and awareness of people about sustainable tourism with an average (3.22) because the average obtained is considered to be above average (3) indicates the level of knowledge and awareness about tourism. The last indicator is tourism economic, social and environmental changes, with an average (3.78) the average obtained is considered too moderate and close to 3 then the changes showing in various dimensions of tourism.

The sustainability of cultural heritage resources is strongly linked to the effective participation of local communities in the conservation and management of these resources. Integrated heritage conservation is assumed to be an appropriate conservation approach specifically to promote inclusive participation of local communities and sustainable community development in the historic settlements. In this context, considering the case of historic town of Thimi, this study aims to explore the existing context and role of community participation in the planning and conservation of heritage resources and also investigate the context of integrated conservation. Multiple tools of data collection such as Key informant’s interview, household’s surveys, participant observation, informal discussion and archival research have been used. Findings demonstrate that continuous decay and destruction of cultural heritages in Thimi have threatened its unique identity and the traditionally wellsustained community is now degrading and heading towards unsustainability. The context of community participation and conservation also seems weak in promoting sustainable conservation and development in Thimi. It recommends for adopting and implementing inclusive participation of local communities and integrated approach to conservation along with preparing comprehensive policies, plans and legislations for promoting sustainable conservation and community development in the historic settlements.

Sustainable Local Economic Development in Croatia and the Role of Social Capital

One of the key propositions of Chapter 28 of the 1992 Rio Declaration is that the process of 'good governance' is a precondition for achieving sustainable development at the local level. The logic behind this proposition is twofold. First, it is based upon the belief that the changes required to achieve sustainable development are of such magnitude that they cannot be secured by governments acting alone. It will be necessary to mobilize the energies and initiative of citizens, interest organizations and stakeholders – 'local communities' – if changes in attitudes, values and behaviour are to be secured. Second, the governance process is regarded as a key mechanism to involve and incorporate citizens and local organizations into the decisionmaking process, thereby increasing political engagement and levels of acceptance of decisions and policies for sustainable development.