Aims
Sustainexus: Interdisciplinary Research on Sustainability is an international, peer‑reviewed, fully open‑access journal dedicated to advancing interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary knowledge on sustainability and sustainable development. Published by ABS Research Academy, the journal provides a global scholarly platform for researchers, practitioners, policymakers, industry professionals, and other stakeholders to examine complex sustainability challenges and develop innovative, evidence‑based, and practically relevant solutions.
Sustainability challenges increasingly transcend traditional disciplinary, institutional, and geographical boundaries. Climate change, biodiversity loss, environmental degradation, resource scarcity, energy transition, socioeconomic inequality, technological transformation, and changing patterns of production and consumption require integrated approaches that connect environmental, economic, social, technological, managerial, and policy perspectives. Sustainexus seeks to serve as a nexus for these diverse areas of knowledge.
The journal particularly encourages research that moves beyond disciplinary boundaries and demonstrates meaningful connections between sustainability challenges, their underlying drivers, and potential solutions. It welcomes theoretical, empirical, methodological, policy‑oriented, and practice‑based contributions that enhance understanding of sustainability transitions and their implications for society, organizations, economies, and natural systems.
The journal aims to:
- Advance theoretical and empirical knowledge on sustainability and sustainable development.
- Promote interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary approaches to complex sustainability challenges.
- Encourage research addressing the environmental, economic, social, technological, institutional, and governance dimensions of sustainability.
- Support innovative research related to climate change mitigation, adaptation, resilience, and the transition toward low‑carbon economies.
- Advance understanding of sustainable and green finance, ESG, responsible investment, climate finance, and the financial dimensions of sustainability transitions.
- Promote research on renewable energy, energy efficiency, energy transition, decarbonization, and sustainable energy systems.
- Encourage scholarship on circular economy, sustainable production and consumption, resource efficiency, waste management, and responsible supply chains.
- Examine the role of businesses, financial institutions, governments, communities, and other stakeholders in advancing sustainability.
- Explore how digital technologies, artificial intelligence, FinTech, big data, blockchain, and other emerging technologies can contribute to sustainable development.
- Advance research on social sustainability, equity, inclusion, human well‑being, sustainable communities, and just transitions.
- Strengthen the connection between sustainability research, public policy, managerial practice, and societal needs.
- Facilitate international and cross‑regional research collaboration, particularly research addressing sustainability challenges across developed and emerging economies.
- Disseminate research that contributes to the achievement and critical understanding of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Scope
Sustainexus welcomes original and rigorous research addressing sustainability from individual disciplines as well as studies integrating two or more disciplinary perspectives. The journal's scope encompasses, but is not limited to, the following areas:
1. Sustainability and Sustainable Development
The journal welcomes research examining the concepts, theories, measurement, implementation, and evaluation of sustainability and sustainable development, including:
- Sustainable development theories and frameworks
- Sustainability transitions and transformations
- Sustainability indicators, measurement, and assessment
- Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
- SDG interactions, synergies, and trade‑offs
- Sustainable development strategies
- Local, regional, national, and global sustainability
- Sustainable development in emerging and developing economies
- Sustainability performance and impact assessment
- Resilience and sustainable transformation
- Intergenerational sustainability
- Planetary boundaries and sustainable development
2. Climate Change and Environmental Sustainability
Sustainexus publishes research addressing environmental challenges and responses to climate change, including:
- Climate change mitigation and adaptation
- Climate resilience
- Carbon neutrality and net‑zero transitions
- Decarbonization strategies
- Carbon emissions and emission reduction
- Environmental quality and performance
- Environmental efficiency
- Environmental degradation and pollution
- Climate risk and vulnerability
- Nature‑based solutions
- Environmental regulation and policy
- Environmental governance
- Climate justice
- Low‑carbon development
- Climate‑smart development
3. Energy Sustainability and Energy Transition
The journal welcomes interdisciplinary research on the transformation of energy systems and their sustainability implications, including:
- Renewable and clean energy
- Energy transition
- Energy economics and policy
- Energy efficiency
- Energy security
- Clean energy investment
- Green energy technologies
- Low‑carbon energy systems
- Energy consumption and environmental impacts
- Sustainable energy finance
- Energy poverty and accessibility
- Just energy transition
- Electrification and sustainable infrastructure
- Decarbonization of energy systems
4. Green Finance and Sustainable Finance
The journal encourages research examining the role of financial systems and markets in facilitating sustainability transitions, including:
- Green finance
- Sustainable finance
- Climate finance
- Green banking
- Sustainable banking
- Green bonds and sustainability‑linked instruments
- ESG investing
- Responsible and impact investment
- Climate‑related financial risks
- Carbon finance and carbon markets
- Sustainable FinTech
- Financial inclusion and sustainability
- Biodiversity and nature finance
- Sustainable investment
- Financing the SDGs
- Financial institutions and environmental performance
5. ESG, Corporate Sustainability, and Responsible Business
Sustainexus welcomes research exploring how organizations integrate sustainability into their strategies, operations, governance, and reporting practices, including:
- Environmental, social, and governance (ESG)
- Corporate sustainability
- Corporate social responsibility (CSR)
- Sustainability reporting and disclosure
- ESG disclosure and performance
- Corporate environmental performance
- Sustainable corporate governance
- Responsible business practices
- Business ethics and sustainability
- Stakeholder engagement
- Corporate climate strategies
- Sustainable business models
- Corporate biodiversity strategies
- Green human resource management
- Organizational sustainability capabilities
6. Circular Economy and Sustainable Production
The journal publishes research on resource efficiency and the transition from linear toward circular economic systems, including:
- Circular economy
- Resource efficiency
- Sustainable production and consumption
- Waste prevention and management
- Recycling and resource recovery
- Industrial ecology
- Eco‑design
- Product life‑cycle management
- Sustainable manufacturing
- Cleaner production
- Sustainable materials
- Sharing and regenerative economies
- Circular business models
- Life‑cycle assessment
- Sustainable resource management
7. Sustainable Business, Management, and Entrepreneurship
Research examining organizational and entrepreneurial responses to sustainability challenges is encouraged, including:
- Sustainable business strategy
- Sustainability‑oriented innovation
- Green entrepreneurship
- Sustainable entrepreneurship
- Eco‑innovation
- Green innovation
- Sustainable operations
- Sustainability leadership
- Responsible management
- Sustainable organizational behavior
- Green marketing
- Sustainable consumer behavior
- Sustainability‑oriented capabilities
- Business transformation for sustainability
- Small and medium‑sized enterprises and sustainability
8. Sustainable Supply Chains and Operations
The journal welcomes research addressing sustainability throughout production and supply networks, including:
- Sustainable supply chain management
- Green supply chains
- Circular supply chains
- Responsible sourcing
- Sustainable procurement
- Supply‑chain resilience
- Supply‑chain transparency
- Carbon‑neutral logistics
- Green logistics
- Sustainable operations management
- Ethical sourcing and labor practices
- Digitalization of sustainable supply chains
- Scope 3 emissions and value‑chain sustainability
9. Digital Technologies and Sustainability
Sustainexus encourages research investigating the opportunities, challenges, and unintended consequences of digital transformation for sustainability, including:
- Artificial intelligence for sustainability
- Digital transformation and sustainable development
- FinTech and sustainability
- Big data and sustainability analytics
- Blockchain for sustainability
- Internet of Things and sustainable systems
- Smart technologies
- Green information technology
- Digital platforms and sustainable business models
- Industry 4.0 and sustainability
- Smart cities
- Digital financial inclusion
- Responsible AI and sustainable technology
- Environmental impacts of digital technologies
- Digitalization and energy/resource efficiency
The journal welcomes both research demonstrating sustainability benefits from emerging technologies and critical studies examining their environmental, social, ethical, and governance risks.
10. Sustainable Cities, Communities, and Infrastructure
The journal welcomes studies addressing sustainability in urban and community contexts, including:
- Sustainable cities
- Smart and sustainable cities
- Sustainable communities
- Urban sustainability
- Green infrastructure
- Sustainable transportation and mobility
- Sustainable buildings
- Climate‑resilient infrastructure
- Urban energy systems
- Sustainable housing
- Urban circular economy
- Community resilience
- Inclusive urban development
- Sustainable urban planning
11. Biodiversity, Ecosystems, and Natural Resources
Sustainexus encourages research concerning the sustainable management and protection of natural systems, including:
- Biodiversity conservation
- Ecosystem sustainability
- Natural resource management
- Nature‑positive development
- Biodiversity finance
- Ecosystem services
- Land‑use sustainability
- Forest sustainability
- Water resource management
- Sustainable agriculture
- Food systems and food security
- Soil sustainability
- Marine and coastal sustainability
- Nature‑related financial risks
- Human‑nature interactions
12. Social Sustainability and Inclusive Development
The journal recognizes that sustainability encompasses social as well as environmental and economic dimensions. Relevant topics include:
- Social sustainability
- Social inclusion
- Inequality and sustainable development
- Poverty reduction
- Gender and sustainability
- Sustainable livelihoods
- Community development
- Human well‑being and quality of life
- Environmental and climate justice
- Just transition
- Social innovation
- Sustainable employment
- Inclusive economic development
- Indigenous and local knowledge in sustainability
- Intergenerational equity
13. Sustainability Governance, Institutions, and Public Policy
Research examining institutional and policy responses to sustainability challenges is welcomed, including:
- Sustainability governance
- Environmental governance
- Climate governance
- Environmental regulation
- Sustainable development policy
- Climate policy
- Energy policy
- Institutional sustainability
- International environmental agreements
- Public‑private partnerships
- Policy innovation
- Multilevel governance
- Stakeholder participation
- Sustainable public administration
- Political economy of sustainability
- Sustainability transitions and institutional change
14. Sustainable Tourism, Hospitality, and Mobility
The journal welcomes sustainability research within tourism, hospitality, transportation, and related sectors, including:
- Sustainable tourism
- Ecotourism
- Sustainable hospitality
- Responsible tourism
- Tourism and climate change
- Sustainable destination management
- Green hotels and hospitality practices
- Sustainable aviation
- Sustainable transportation
- Low‑carbon mobility
- Visitor behavior and sustainability
- Community‑based tourism
15. Sustainability Education, Communication, and Behavior
Relevant research may examine how knowledge, communication, education, and individual or collective behavior contribute to sustainable transformation, including:
- Education for sustainable development
- Sustainability literacy
- Environmental education
- Climate communication
- Sustainability communication
- Pro‑environmental behavior
- Sustainable consumption behavior
- Behavioral interventions for sustainability
- Public awareness and engagement
- Sustainability competencies
- Green consumer behavior
- Organizational sustainability culture
Interdisciplinary and Transdisciplinary Research
A defining feature of Sustainexus is its commitment to connecting disciplines rather than treating sustainability challenges in isolation. The journal particularly encourages research integrating perspectives from environmental science, economics, finance, business and management, social sciences, energy, technology, engineering, public policy, governance, education, and other relevant disciplines.
Cross‑country, cross‑sectoral, comparative, and multidisciplinary studies are particularly welcome when they generate insights that extend beyond a single disciplinary or geographical context.
Methodological Scope
Sustainexus is methodologically inclusive and welcomes rigorous research employing:
- Quantitative methods
- Qualitative methods
- Mixed‑method approaches
- Econometric and panel‑data analysis
- Experimental and quasi‑experimental designs
- Machine learning and artificial intelligence
- Data science and big‑data analytics
- Life‑cycle assessment
- Environmental and sustainability efficiency analysis
- Optimization and simulation
- Structural equation modeling
- Configurational approaches
- Systematic and evidence‑based reviews
- Meta‑analysis
- Case‑study research
- Comparative and cross‑country analysis
- Policy and institutional analysis
- Conceptual and theoretical development
Methodological sophistication alone is not sufficient for publication. Submissions should demonstrate a clear contribution to sustainability knowledge and explain the theoretical, practical, policy, environmental, or societal significance of their findings.
Alignment with the Sustainable Development Goals
Sustainexus encourages research addressing one or multiple United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The journal particularly welcomes research that examines interactions among the SDGs, evaluates progress toward their achievement, identifies barriers and trade‑offs, or develops innovative pathways for accelerating sustainable development.
Rather than limiting itself to individual SDGs, the journal encourages research exploring the interconnected environmental, social, economic, technological, and institutional dimensions of the global sustainability agenda.
Global and Societal Relevance
Sustainexus welcomes research from all geographical regions and encourages studies from both developed and developing economies. Particular consideration is given to research that provides transferable insights, addresses underrepresented sustainability contexts, facilitates international knowledge exchange, or develops solutions relevant to communities, organizations, policymakers, and society.
Through its broad interdisciplinary scope, Sustainexus seeks to connect sustainability science with economics, finance, business, technology, society, and public policy, creating a scholarly nexus where different disciplines contribute to understanding and addressing the complex challenges of sustainable development.
Sustainexus: Interdisciplinary Research on Sustainability is published by ABS Research Academy, guided by its mission:
“Academics for a Better Society.”