Aug 2026· Sustainability· Vol 18, pp. 8517· 0 citations· 43 references
Abstract
Sustainable development has traditionally been understood as a framework balancing environmental, economic and social objectives. However, accelerating climate change, geopolitical instability, technological disruption and growing systemic risks challenge the conditions under which these objectives can be achieved. Despite expanding research on sustainability, resilience and security, their interrelationships remain fragmented across disciplinary perspectives. This article examines how the relationship between sustainable development and security has evolved and analyzes how existing discussions on sustainable security can be brought together into a more coherent analytical framework. The study applies qualitative document analysis, comparative analysis, thematic analysis and analytical synthesis of the academic literature, international policy documents and institutional reports. The analysis indicates that progress towards sustainable development depends to a substantial extent on the resilience of environmental, economic, societal and institutional systems. Rather than representing a separate policy field, sustainable security provides an integrative perspective that explains how these dimensions interact under conditions of systemic uncertainty. Building on existing research in sustainability, security, resilience and governance, the article develops an Integrated Sustainable Security Framework that brings these dimensions into a single analytical structure suitable for examining their mutual relationships. Its main contribution lies in integrating existing perspectives into an analytically consistent framework that may support future empirical and interdisciplinary research on the sustainability–security nexus.
The article examines the interrelationship between sustainable development, national security, and international economic integration as key components of ensuring state resilience under the
conditions of contemporary global transformations. It is substantiated that the intensification of
geopolitical instability, the digitalization of the global economy, the transformation of internation al production and logistics chains, as well as energy and climate challenges, necessitates a transition from fragmented responses to threats toward a comprehensive model of public governance
focused on long-term resilience. The evolution of scientific approaches to the interpretation of security is analyzed, demonstrating that the modern understanding of security is based on the state's
ability to function effectively and adapt to internal and external risks. The concept of sustainable
security is explored as an approach that integrates economic, social, environmental, energy,
human, and state security dimensions while emphasizing the preventive nature of public policy. The
role of international economic integration as a factor in strengthening economic resilience,
enhancing competitiveness, and diversifying foreign economic relations is identified. A conceptual
model for ensuring state resilience is proposed, founded on the systematic integration of the principles of sustainable development, national security, and the international economy. The model
encompasses a comprehensive analysis of multi-level threats, the establishment of an integrated
information and analytical framework, and the application of scenario modeling and strategic
forecasting to support evidence-based public decision-making. It is demonstrated that the implementation of the proposed approach will enhance the adaptability of public policy, strengthen economic and security resilience, facilitate Ukraine's more effective integration into the international economic environment, and improve its long-term competitiveness.
Serhii Ierokhin, Olha Dzhyhora, O. Poliarush· Actual Problems of Economics· 0 citations
Sustainability has emerged as one of the most significant global priorities in response to accelerating climate change, environmental degradation, resource depletion, rapid urbanization, and widening socioeconomic inequalities. Recognizing the interconnected nature of these challenges, the United Nations adopted the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development in 2015, introducing seventeen Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as an integrated framework for achieving inclusive economic growth, environmental conservation, and social well-being. The SDGs provide a universal roadmap for governments, industries, academic institutions, and civil society to address global sustainability challenges through coordinated actions and evidence-based policymaking. Since their adoption, sustainability has evolved from a predominantly environmental concept to a multidimensional development paradigm encompassing corporate governance, technological innovation, circular economy practices, renewable energy transition, sustainable manufacturing, digital transformation, and stakeholder engagement.
This review critically examines recent developments in sustainability research and analyzes the contribution of the Sustainable Development Goals toward achieving long-term environmental, economic, and social resilience. The paper synthesizes contemporary literature on renewable energy systems, Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) frameworks, sustainable industrial development, climate action, smart technologies, and sustainable resource management. It further discusses the growing role of Artificial Intelligence (AI), the Internet of Things (IoT), blockchain, big data analytics, and Industry 4.0 in supporting SDG implementation across multiple sectors. In addition, the review evaluates emerging challenges including climate change, biodiversity loss, resource scarcity, greenwashing, policy fragmentation, financial constraints, and technological disparities that continue to hinder global sustainability efforts.
Biswajit Sahoo Biswajit Sahoo, Antaryami Muduli Antaryami Muduli, Chinmaya Kumar Swain Chinmaya Kumar Swain et al.· International Journal of Cre...· 0 citations
Contemporary sustainable development is affected by geopolitical competition, geoeconomic fragmentation and growing strategic uncertainty. These developments challenge conventional assumptions on which sustainability governance is based and raise questions about the relationship between sustainable development, economic security and strategic autonomy. This article examines how geopolitical and geoeconomic transformations are reshaping sustainable development within the European Union and assesses their implications for the future evolution of the European development model. The analysis is based on a qualitative analysis of policies and documents in key EU strategic frameworks, legislative instruments, sustainability reports and the academic literature. Particular attention is paid to the European Green Deal, the European Economic Security Strategy and the Europe 2026 Sustainable Development Report. Sustainable development now depends not only on environmental and social outcomes but also on resilience, secure access to key resources and technologies and the ability to adapt to external disruptions. Economic security and strategic autonomy do not emerge as competing priorities but as enabling conditions for the implementation of sustainability goals. This article argues that sustainability governance in the European Union is undergoing a process of geopoliticisation, in which environmental, economic and strategic considerations are now closely intertwined. Its main contribution is the creation of a framework of sustainable strategic resilience that conceptualises these interactions as mutually reinforcing dimensions of contemporary EU governance.
This article examines how sustainable migration can be conceptualised across major international policy documents at the intersection of migration governance, sustainable development, climate change, disaster risk reduction, and human rights. Although the term has gained increasing visibility, its meaning remains fragmented across institutional frameworks and policy domains. Using qualitative document analysis and Sustainable Development Goal index, ND-GAIN, and MIPEX indices, the article analyses this concept. The analysis focuses on how sustainability is framed in relation to development, climate change and human rights within these documents from the perspective of sustainable migration. The findings show that sustainable migration is not articulated through a single coherent model, but through three overlapping governance logics. First, a developmental-economic logic presents migrants as contributors to inclusive growth and development outcomes. Second, an adaptive-environmental logic links migration to climate resilience, disaster risk reduction, and long-term adaptation planning. Third, a protective-social logic emphasises integration, rights, and state obligations toward vulnerable populations. The article argues that sustainable migration serves as a bridging concept across international policy domains, yet remains normatively unsettled and institutionally incomplete. Greater conceptual clarity and an index are needed to measure and connect dimensions of sustainable migration.
Zahide Erdoğan· Akdeniz Üniversitesi İktisad...· 0 citations
Against the global imperative to advance higher education for sustainable development and institutional transformation in support of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), coherent governance architectures have been recognized as a foundational prerequisite for enabling universities to embed sustainability into values into core operations, teaching, research, and community engagement. Drawing on socio-technical systems theory and complex adaptive systems thinking, this study analyzes 167 central-level policy documents (2015–2023) related to China’s Higher Education “Delegation, Regulation, and Service” reform to examine how governance intentions are translated into organizational control mechanisms. A dual-dimensional analytical framework is developed that conceptualizes policy objectives as system goals and policy instruments as control levers, combining content analysis with fuzzy systems methodology to quantify system coupling. The findings reveal distinct emergent patterns: governance objectives exhibit structural differentiation with functional complementarity, whereas the synergy of control levers is shaped by their functional roles and organizational adaptability. More importantly, a selective pattern of structural–functional decoupling is identified. Coupling between Improving Quality and its supporting levers declines substantially over the study period, while coupling involving Stimulating Vitality exhibits marked volatility and an overall decline. By contrast, coupling associated with Breaking Down Institutional Barriers and Improving the Modern University System remains consistently high. These differentiated patterns suggest that governance misalignment is concentrated in quality- and vitality-related objectives rather than occurring uniformly across the governance system. The study provides a diagnostic framework for assessing governance coherence as a prerequisite for organizational capacity-building, contributing to both sustainability governance research and the design of more coherent institutional governance systems.
An analysis of the complex, and intertwined, relationships between global economic development, and green environmental sustainability. With economic growth indicators (GDP, trade openness, foreign direct investment) as independent variables and green environmental performance (carbon emissions, renewable energy adoption, ecological footprint) as mediating and dependent constructs, the paper integrates existing literature within a systematic framework. A study of empirical evidence for 2020–2026 shows that unrestrained economic growth contributes to environmental destruction, whilst appropriately designed green transitions can promote inclusive and sustained development in the long term. The main problems identified include policy fragmentation, financing gaps, institutional weaknesses, and the technology gap between developed and developing nations. The paper concludes that embedding Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) frameworks, circular economy principles and multilateral mechanisms for climate finance are necessary as the basis for aligning economic ambition with planetary boundaries. This article contributes to the literature examining sustainable development, environmental economics, and global governance with practical implications for policymakers, international organisations, and development financiers.
Sreekumar P G, Suvarnalakshmi. V, S. Udayakumar et al.· International Journal of Eco...· 0 citations