This paper presents a policy framework for student-led exchanges within UNESCO-designated Biosphere Reserves (BRs) and Global Geoparks (UGGps), aiming to enhance Education for Sustainable Development (ESD). Drawing on experiential learning theory, place-based education, and transformative learning, the framework was co-developed during an international symposium held at Kanazawa University in March 2025. It addresses institutional barriers such as administrative complexity and financial constraints, proposing a flexible, low-burden model that supports intercultural dialogue, field-based learning, and community engagement. The framework includes six components: student-led coordination, flexible exchange formats, recognition and learning assessment, sustainable funding, hybrid learning integration, and regional sustainability. Pilot programs across six countries will test the model's feasibility and impact. Student testimonials and institutional feedback highlight the transformative potential of immersive exchanges and the need for inclusive, digitally supported systems. This work contributes to sustainable education policy by offering actionable strategies for integrating youth mobility into UNESCO's MAB and Geopark networks while treating the recommendations as hypotheses under pilot testing rather than proven solutions.

The groundwater crisis in Iran, epitomized by a 22-m aquifer decline over three decades in the Kuhdasht Plain, underscores systemic socio-ecological failures driven by fragmented governance and misaligned incentives. This study investigates the interdependencies between policy, ecology, and user behavior through Ostrom's socio-ecological systems (SES) framework. Employing a qualitative, exploratory research paradigm and a non-experimental design, we analyzed secondary data, including scientific literature, gray documents, reports, and governmental publications. The sample comprised 83 participants, including 35 subject matter experts and 48 key farmers with significant experience in groundwater issues. Data collection primarily occurred through in-depth interviews. Findings indicate that the prevailing challenges stem from decades of unenforced extraction laws, fragmented institutional mandates, and politically driven water management. Factors such as unregulated extraction, political limitations in water management, and the absence of a systemic approach to integrated basin management, combined with ineffective enforcement of laws against violators, have exacerbated stress on water resources. Moreover, farmers prioritize water-intensive crops (e.g., sugar beet) due to market incentives and livelihood dependencies. Technical interventions alone are insufficient; restoring aquifer sustainability demands polycentric governance reforms, equitable enforcement, and livelihood diversification to align ecological and socio-economic priorities.

Protected areas are essential for conserving biodiversity and maintaining ecosystem services, yet they face growing threats from habitat fragmentation, human encroachment, and limited funding. This study investigates community willingness to support conservation in Kafta-Sheraro National Park through financial or labor contributions, aiming to address these challenges and uncover factors influencing participation. Surveying 384 local residents, the study reveals widespread concern over habitat degradation caused by agricultural expansion, illegal logging, and overgrazing. Majority of respondents (88.8 %) supported the proposed conservation plan, with 72.43 % preferring to contribute labor and 27.57 % opting for monetary support. Using probit and biprobit models the study identified key determinants of payment vehicle preference and amount of contribution. Ethnicity and residence condition, living conditions, livestock ownership, and income from forest resources are factors influencing decision. Prior conflicts related to conservation efforts negatively impacted willingness to participate. Households favoring monetary contributions were willing to pay an average of 1362.24 birr annually (approximately US$40.40), while those preferring labor offered 30 days per year. When extrapolated across kebeles (lower administrative unit) bordering the park, total annual contributions amounted to 5,632,519 birr (US$166,988.41) and 325,929 labor days—equivalent to 88,000,830 birr (US$2,608,978.06). The study recommends a more inclusive conservation strategy that legally integrates community roles in park governance. This includes mandated involvement in patrols, infrastructure maintenance, faire control activities, decision-making, and financial support. Such measures are vital for ensuring the long-term sustainability of protected areas and fostering sense of shared responsibility among local communities. • 88.8 % of locals support for conservation of the Park. • 72.43 % of participants prefer labor contributions over monetary support. • Habitat loss blamed on farming, illegal logging, and uncontrolled grazing. • Ethnicity, residence, and forest income shaped payment vehicle preferences. • Community pledged 325,929 labor days and over 5.6 million birr annually.

The Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) marks a major shift in EU sustainability reporting by requiring compliance with the European Sustainability Reporting Standards (ESRS). This study examines how a sample of Norwegian companies relate to measuring the ESRS's broad set of indicators on environmental impacts. Using a mixed methods design, it explores: (1) which indicators are deemed material, (2) companies' experience with measuring them, and (3) how challenging companies expect their measurement to be going forward. Results show that indicators pertaining to climate change are most frequently considered material, while biodiversity is expected to gain prominence due to the required double materiality assessment. Scope 3 greenhouse gas emissions are particularly challenging to measure, followed by indicators related to microplastics and secondary resource use. These assessments varied by companies' sectors and reporting groups, but not by their customer segment. The study contributes to the ongoing theoretical discussions by supporting legitimacy and stakeholder theories over institutional and signaling theories. Based on the findings, normative recommendations are offered. Practitioners should begin assessments early and collaborate with value chain partners. In the context of the EU's Omnibus simplification process, guidance should be prioritized over simplifications, with focus on the most challenging indicators. Future research could examine how companies conduct the double materiality assessment in practice and reporting challenges in project-based companies.