International Journal of Sustainable Society 

About: International Journal of Sustainable Society is an academic journal published by Inderscience Publishers. The journal publishes majorly in the area(s): Sustainability & Sustainable development. It has an ISSN identifier of 1756-2538. Over the lifetime, 245 publications have been published receiving 1781 citations.

Principles of international water law: creating effective transboundary water resources management

Abstract: This article summarises the principles of international water law related to transboundary water resources management and analyses to what extent these principles are incorporated in recent international conventions and treaties. The study reveals that principle of equitable and reasonable utilisation, obligation not to cause significant harm, principles of cooperation, information exchange, notification, consultation and peaceful settlement of disputes are widely acknowledged by modern international conventions, agreements and treaties. These principles could facilitate effective transboundary water resources management involving riparian countries of shared watercourses and hence, promote sustainable development around the world.

The costs and socio-economic benefits associated with the Natura 2000 network

Abstract: The EU’s Habitats and Birds Directives form the basis of efforts to conserve Europe’s biodiversity, with the implementation of a network of protected areas – Natura 2000 – lying at their heart. Implementation of Natura 2000 involves substantial capital investment and requires resources for on-going management and monitoring activities. The network can also deliver a variety of socio-economic benefits, resulting from a range of provisioning, regulating and cultural services, each of which supports human well being. While there is still a lack of quantitative and monetary data for the socio-economic benefits associated with Natura 2000, there is evidence that the benefits to society are larger than the costs of managing and investing in the network. This paper reviews evidence of the costs and benefits of Natura 2000 and makes the proposals regarding future work that would improve understanding of these at a local, regional, national and EU level.

Corporate social responsibility and corporate governance in Italian SMEs: towards a 'territorial' model based on small 'champions' of CSR?

Abstract: Does a positive relationship between the adhesion to a culture of social responsibility and evolved systems of governance exist? And is such correlation more or less significant for small- and medium-sized firms with respect to large-sized firms? This paper winds itself around these questions and describes the principle findings that have emerged from the qualitative investigation focused on a selected group of 'cohesive' Italian small- and medium-sized businesses (SMEs), in which the nexus between the evolution of corporate governance and socially responsible management practices were examined. The concluding reflections trace the features of a territorial model of socially responsible orientation centred on the best practices of SMEs, 'convivial enterprises' who are excellent examples of 'spirited businesses'.

Hydropolitics is what societies make of it (or why we need a constructivist approach to the geopolitics of water)

Abstract: Although the study of hydropolitics (i.e. the geopolitics of water) is mainly an offshoot of the discipline of International Relations (IR), the use of IR conceptual tools remains largely implicit in the literature. As a result, theoretical exploration has been very limited in hydropolitics and is usually cast within IR’s traditional divide between realism and liberalism. This is problematic because the quest for a predictive and parsimonious science of politics that characterises mainstream IR theory may be overly rigid and too narrow a strategy to understand the full diversity exhibited by water-related interstate relations around the globe. With its anti-deterministic and pro-human agency stance, constructivism constitutes a promising alternative approach to hydropolitics that can be explored if theorisation is made explicit. In this regard, securitisation theory is one example of constructivism’s great potential in hydropolitical analysis.

Flexitarianism: A More Moral Dietary Option

Abstract: It is morally impossible to justify the power wielded by the livestock industry. This paper describes the human, ecological and animal welfare concerns caused by excessive meat production and consumption, including climate change, water depletion and degradation, land misappropriation and degradation, rainforest destruction, biodiversity and rapid species loss and the significant threats and challenges presented to human health and wellbeing. It offers flexitarianism (flexible or part-time vegetarianism) as a personal opportunity and moral responsibility to combat the destructive duplicity of the global livestock megamachine. Through personal nutritional paradigm shifts and the resulting food choices, individuals can reclaim the possibility of a more sustainable world and global society.