International Journal of Sustainability for Young Scholars

A Systems Approach for a Resilient Future Sustainability is often simplified into metrics of carbon emissions, recycling rates, or energy efficiency. While these indicators are valuable, they do not capture the deeper structural patterns driving ecological crises and social injustice. A systems approach to sustainability reveals these underlying connections—how deforestation in one region contributes to global supply chains, or how fossil fuel subsidies affect both greenhouse gas emissions and economic inequality. As the 21st century unfolds, humanity faces a critical choice: continue down a path of incremental reform, or embrace…

Data’s Green Frontier: Algorithmic Approaches to Earth’s Toughest Challenges The escalating environmental crisis demands more than conventional solutions; it calls for a revolution in how we understand and interact with our planet. This revolution is increasingly being spearheaded by the sophisticated methodologies of data science, offering powerful new lenses through which to view, predict, and ultimately mitigate ecological degradation. Traditional empirical models often struggle with the inherent complexity and vast scale of natural systems, leaving critical gaps in our ability to formulate effective interventions. Data science, conversely, thrives on such…

Data-Driven Solutions to Environmental Challenges: Predicting and Managing Pollution with Machine Learning Data science is playing an increasingly vital role in tackling complex environmental challenges, particularly in urban settings where pollution and resource management are major concerns. One especially promising area is the use of machine learning to predict air pollution levels. With growing volumes of data from satellites, ground sensors, traffic feeds, and weather stations, it’s now possible to develop predictive models that track and forecast concentrations of pollutants like PM2.5, nitrogen dioxide, and ozone with remarkable accuracy. The…

Carbon Lock-in and the Limits of Green Growth The notion of “green growth”—economic growth that is environmentally sustainable—has become a cornerstone of global climate policy. Institutions like the World Bank, OECD, and UNDP promote climate-compatible development strategies that aim to reduce carbon emissions while sustaining economic expansion. However, this article argues that green growth often fails to address structural dependencies on fossil fuel infrastructures, financial systems geared toward short-term returns, and socio-political regimes invested in extractive development. These entrenched systems produce what scholars call “carbon lock-in,” making transformative change exceedingly…

The Green Revolution: Sustainable Finance and Its Role in Mitigating Climate Change As the world grapples with the escalating challenges of climate change, sustainable finance has emerged as a critical tool in the global effort to transition towards a more sustainable and environmentally friendly economy. This movement towards green finance signifies a profound shift in how investments are made, prioritizing long-term environmental sustainability alongside traditional financial returns. Sustainable finance encompasses a range of financial services, including green bonds, social bonds, sustainability-linked loans, and investment funds that aim to support environmental…

Plastic Pollution: A Major Challenge to Environmental Sustainability In today’s society, environmental sustainability faces numerous severe challenges, among which plastic pollution is particularly prominent. Thanks to its characteristics of being lightweight, durable, and low-cost, plastic is widely used in modern life, from food packaging to industrial materials, and it can be found everywhere. However, this has also led to the proliferation of plastic waste on a global scale. The large amount of plastic garbage is randomly discarded on land and in the ocean. In the ocean, plastic waste not only…

Enhancing the Efficiency of Perovskite Solar Cells Through Interface Engineering The quest for sustainable energy solutions has brought perovskite solar cells (PSCs) to the forefront of photovoltaic research due to their remarkable power conversion efficiencies and cost-effective fabrication processes. A critical point that significantly influences the performance of PSCs is interface engineering—the optimization of the layers between the perovskite absorber and the charge transport materials. Focusing on this aspect can lead to substantial improvements in efficiency, stability, and overall device performance. Perovskite materials have exceptional optoelectronic properties, such as high…