Sustainable Development

Purpose - The present study aims to examine the challenges and opportunities for local stakeholders' empowerment related to rural planning in Iran. In general, the current approach of planning process from making decision to implementation and monitoring is based on instrumental rationalism approach, irrespective of the villagers’ viewpoints. Urban – Rural divided planning has created some challenges for sustainable rural development and opportunities for improving environmental-ecological and socio-economic indicators, which have been ignored . Design/Methodology/Approach- Less attention has been paid to local stakeholders' empowerment in planning methods and procedures, which is regarded as an obstacle for the promotion of the indicators related to sustainable rural development. The present study was based on a descriptive – analytical method. Correlation test and multivariate regression were used to provide a meaningful framework. Library and field studies were used for data collection. Library method was used to understand the impact of policy implementation and planning approach on the socio-economic empowerment of local stakeholders for their socio-economic participation in sustainable rural development and the study of previous research experiences and other countries on appropriate planning. The statistical population of the study is 124 villages in south and southeast of Tehran. Random sample size for completing the questionnaire of local authorities at village level, using Cochran formula and its adjustment formula for small statistical population, with 95% confidence level and probability of 0.05 and prediction of variance S2 0.25 = sample size of 54 villages was achieved. In these 54 villages, 450 questionnaires were completed according to size by specifying sample size in each village .The validity of the research questionnaire was conducted by experts in organizations. The reliability of the questionnaire through Cronbach's alpha was 0.801. Findings- The results indicated that local stakeholder's generative empowerment is important although unproductive empowerment is increasingly overcoming. In addition, the possible effects of this process have been identified. Thus, problem-oriented planning is necessary for formulating a community-based approach optimally and strengthening social capital, which is not based on current instrumental rationalism approach. Thus, for the best planning with a community-based approach and the reinforcement of social capital, the group to convene is needed in the process and problem-oriented planning is important. This is inconsistent with the techno centrism rationalism approach.

Modern banks have shifted their function as purely administrative, economic and industrial entities into socio-political institutions that must be sensitive to the surrounding environment. This function has always been neglected. This study was conducted based on primary, secondary, and tertiary data and reviews the full text of 75 studies selected from more than 245 studies. The selected elected papers and studies addressed the following issues: (1) business models, (2) banking business models, (3) sustainability and sustainable development, and (4) business models adopting a sustainable development approach. Investigations on banking business models show that most studies have focused on the categorization of banking activities at the multi-bank level, and finally, using clustering techniques, have provided some general categorization for business models.

One of the essential problems of urban planning and management in Iran is the failure of implementation and execution of urban development plans. The studies show that lack or poor level of citizen participation is one of the influential reasons to that. So, it is evident that there is a need for “bottom-up” and “community based” sustainable solutions for urban problems. Asset-Based Community Development (ABCD), as an alternative to the commonly need-based approach, is based on identifying and mobilizing assets and capacities (although not being very much) in communities and emphasizes on participation in order to accelerate development. This paper would review the application of ABCD approach and evaluation its efficiency in a residential deteriorated neighborhood of Tehran (Emamzadeh Hassan Mohalla), with specific spatial characteristics and religious background, which is now housing the low class of blue collar workers and losing its population due to deterioration of social condition and physical quality. The results, based on survey, random sampling and statistical analysis, show that social and physical capitals (as the main community assets) have increasing effect on organized participation tendency (as the main goal of ABCD). Subsequent analysis showed that social capital is a direct factor to increase organized participation tendency and consequently neighborhood development, and physical capital, as an indirect factor, serves to increase social capital. Therefore by applying this approach for development, people-based strategies (to enhance participation) and place-based strategies (to enhance social capital), should simultaneously be considered.

Environmental security is one of the most important aspects of human security, which puts emphasis on sustainability of the developmental policies and that they should adjust with the environment as well as rights of future generations. Since threats to the human security mainly occur within environmental issues, this research- highlighting the relationship between human security and environmental security and pointing out the threatening causes and factors to the human security - has replied to the question that how has the environmental degradation endangered human security in Iran? This study shows adoption of policies like 1- Expansion of urbanization, 2- Population growth, 3- Consumerism and stressing the production increase, disregarding its consequences, and 4- Development of environmentally incompatible technologies have led to further utilization of fossil fuels as well as uncontrollable use of various environmental resources, increased pollution, and extensively damaged the environment which consequently endangered human security due to the severe dependence of human being to the environment.

Today, the issue of sustainable development has become one of the most important global issues and has become the focus of attention and human attention in the economic, social, and environmental perspectives. Various human activities, as well as the development of industries and the expansion of urbanization with waste and wastewater, have contaminated soil. Different methods are available to clean up the soil about economic issues. One of them is the electro remediation method, which is often applied in low-permeability fine-grained soils and is successful as a greenhouse effect in reducing the toxicity of heavy metals and is a new and developing approach for organic pollutants. This paper will be presented the effective parameters, the strong points as well as limitations, to clarify the basic concepts in the electro remediation process. Conduct experiments with the three-dimensional arrangement of electrodes instead of the linear arrangement of electrodes could be more practical. Using geosynthetic electrodes to prevent corrosion of metallic electrodes, combining the electro remediation process with other designs and different operational modes, and overcome to the problem of reducing the electro-osmosis flow and reverse electro-osmosis flow with pH control are methods to enhance the rate of removal of pollutants from soils.

Todays, the issue of environmental instability and destructive environmental behavior can leave many irreparable effects and damage on future ecosystems and the lives of future generations. Method: This study aimed to present an environmental model of sustainable development in the Iranian gas industry. The present study used a qualitative with grounded theory method. In-depth interviews were conducted with 25 academic experts (professors of public administration and environmental engineering at universities in Mazandaran province) and the heads of the National Iranian Gas Company in five regions of Iran using the "rich information" sampling method. Results: The results indicated that the environmental model of sustainable development in the Iranian gas industry had 15 dimensions in terms of causal conditions. 1. Services, 2. Safety and health requirements, 3. Social responsibility, (context condition) 4. Education and learning, 5. Acculturalization, 6. Managers' attitude and awareness (intervening conditions) 7. Contractors, 8. Technical facilities and equipment, 9. Technology and technical operations (Strategy) 10. Medium and long term policies of the Ministry of Energy, 11. Continuous monitoring and evaluation of project progress, 12. Consumption management programs, 13. Pollutants management programs and consequences 14. Improved environmental performance of the gas company and 15. Moving towards sustainable development. Conclusion: Since the gas industry is one of the most polluting industries and the lack of attention to environmental issues in this huge industry will lead the Iranian environment to very serious and perhaps irreparable crises, using the environmental model of sustainable development in this industry seems highly important and necessary.

Background: Today, tourism is recognized as one of the largest and fastest growing industries which has been highly regarded by governments for its diverse benefits, including job creation, increasing local and national revenues, expanding entrepreneurial opportunities, making optimal economic investment, and improving the security by reducing political tensions. Nevertheless, tourism can have various economic, social, and cultural consequences on the environment and local communities. Therefore, there are serious ethical considerations in terms of environmental degradation and negative social and cultural impacts of tourism that need to be taken into account in tourism development programs. The aim of this research is to study the role of environmental ethics in sustainable tourism development and provide ethical environmental solutions in the development of tourism. Conclusion: Considering the fact that, in most cases, few may benefit from tourism development, while its adverse effects influence the society and the environment, ethical solutions such as understanding the real values of nature, assessing the environmental and social impacts of tourism development plans, estimating the carrying capacity of the destination, focusing on sustainable forms and alternative tourism, and establishment of effective laws and regulations are required for a more sustainable and ethical tourism development.

Purpose: The overall purpose of this study was to investigate the role of Scaffolding in nature school in order to promote sustainable development in education. This research was practical in terms of purpose and survey in terms of descriptive method. Methodology: the present study was practical in terms of purpose and survey in terms of descriptive method. This statistical population consisted of 75 principals, deputies and teachers of the nature school in Mazandaran province. According to Cochran's formula, 63 people were selected as a sample using simple random sampling method. Scaffolding questionnaire with 60 questions and sustainable development questionnaire with 25 questions were used to collect data. The face and content validity of the tools were confirmed by experts and their reliability was calculated using Cronbach's alpha coefficient for Scaffolding questionnaire 0.92 and sustainable development 0.89. Structural equation test was used to analyze the data. Findings: The results showed that; The role of Scaffolding in nature school on sustainable development in education is positive and significant and the proposed model has a good fit. Conclusion: Scaffolding is an important concept in teaching and learning in which teachers and students create meaningful relationships between teachers 'cultural knowledge and students' daily experience.

Supply chain coordination from supplier selection stages to customer delivery is among the issues creating the most challenges for supply chain management, especially for short-lived and perishable foodstuffs.  The current study aims to identify and rank the factors involved in sustainable supply chain in the dairy industry. In this qualitative research, by reviewing the theoretical literature and surveying specialists and experts, the factors affecting supply chain sustainability and the sustainable supply chain dimensions (i.e., economic, social, and environmental) were identified. The determined factors were then ranked. To this end, the analytic hierarchy process (AHP) was used as a decision-making technique and the targeted snowball sampling method was used for sampling. In the qualitative stage, factors were extracted from open interviews with 15 academic experts active in the field of sustainable development and experts in the dairy industry. The social dimension with a weight of 0.493 was recognized as the most important dimension of the sustainable supply chain according to the researchers and experts in the dairy industry. After that, the economic dimension with a weight of 0.314 was in the second rank, and finally, the environmental dimension with a weight of 0.193 was third in rank.

To be in line with the new environmental paradigms, the present study aims to design an Eco-friendly marketing pattern in Iran’s oil industry. The methodology is a sequential exploratory one. In the qualitative section, grounded theory is used. The creative data were gathered through a theoretical sampling of in-depth, semi-structured interviews of 15 experts from the oil industry. The initial model of the research was achieved with 19 (major) factors which were divided into 6 aspects according to the experts’ views: causal circumstances, the major factor, background circumstances, interventions, strategies and consequences. Next, in the quantitative section, the validity of the research was investigated through a surveying method and the questionnaire tool. The statistical population includes a limited number of managers and experts from the oil industry in research and planning fields, counting up to 170 people from whom 118 were selected through random sampling. After evaluating the reliability of the questionnaire, the questions themselves were validated and their number was narrowed down. Carrying out an explanatory factor analysis, the components were reduced to 14 and the dimensions to 5. The relationship between the dimensions was assessed through the correlation test and then the final pattern was designed. Eventually, the theory of the study was developed under the supervision of experts. The significant results of this study were finding the interventions, including productivity, governmental support, social institutions, and sustainable development along with the strategies, including reviewing the energy section structure, improving the managers’ perspectives and developing the green investments.

This research was conducted with the aim of explain and prioritize information disclosure factors related to sustainable development accounting with fuzzy approach" in 2019 of companies active on the Iranian Stock Exchange. Qualitative data were obtained through the study of research and credible sources in the field of sustainable development accounting and using coding through content analysis, the initial variables of the model were identified; 61 indicators were extracted from the initial codes in 4 dimensions including: environment, social factors. Economic and governance factors were categorized. In the quantitative section, the statistical population of the study included knowledgeable and professional and academic experts in the field of ac-counting. Using the targeted sampling method, 25 experts were selected as statistical samples. In the quantitative part, using fuzzy Delphi technique in one step, the indicators were screened. In the next step, prioritization of criteria and sub-criteria was done by hierarchical analysis method with fuzzy approach; among the main criteria, environmental dimension with weight 0.405 in rank 1 The social dimension with a weight of 0.296 was ranked 2nd, the economic dimension with a weight of 0.186 was ranked 3rd and the leadership dimension with a weight of 0.113 was ranked 4th. Finally, based on the calculated final weight, the strategic approach to environmental impacts with a weight of 0.955 in the first place, management and efficiency in consumption in the second place, social development and humanity in the third place and management Waste and waste came in fourth.

The appearance of Square in Northwest Iran, as a traditional element of the city, did not have a certain definition in the urban planning due to its structural disruption in the spatial fabric as well as its chaotic present in the manifestation of its identity. On the other hand, since the concept of the square in this area does not match to the similar models existing in the central plateau of Iran including the characteristics of being enclosed and architectural integrity, most researchers have assumed that the irregularity of the form in the squares of northwest Iran is because of gradual growth, lack of spatial desirability, and performance without a predesigned plan. This descriptive-analytic research studies the effect of climate on the formation of the structural layout of "Saheb Abad" Square as a case study. In this way, a specified framework would be suggested, and a fixed sustainable urban pattern would be achieved regarding the form of a square in modern urbanism in this region. According to the findings of this study, the disintegrated layout of the square in Northwest Iran is not only because of its structural weakness, but it was in certain parallels with environmental and natural conditions. It is obvious that the investigation of this innovation could lead to sustainable development in modern urban constructions.

One of the main reasons of unsustainability of city development in Iran is that planners and mayors have not almost been able to create connections between different dimensions of a city. Sustainability indicators are evaluation tools of cities operation applicable in living environmental, economical, and social aspects. The purpose of this paper is to offer a framework including the description of wide specter of indicators, with regard to the operation of environmental sustainability indicators. In order to have a common framework for sustainable indicators of Iranian new town, we create a charter in America and Australia. Therefore, we will study some samples of sustainable cities according to the documents and library related studies and comparative method of study. The result of this paper is as follows: The introduction of sustainability indicators for codification of sustainability indicators of Iranian new town.

Vernacular architecture has always had appropriate answer in conformity with the environment and climate. This paper has considered values of Iran vernacular urbanization and architecture in humid and moderate climate looking through sustainability and sustainable development concepts. Gorgan city has been studied using laboratory studies and available sources and relying on the content analysis and values hidden in the vernacular architecture in humid and moderate region of Golestan Province. Effects of weather on urban structure, landscape and views have been analyzed and considered in this regard in order to provide designers with some strategies for their future designs.

In recent decades, urban planning has tended to humanist urbanism. In this regard foot travels and bicycle use are the two strategies that urban planners and transportation engineers are using them as adequate alternatives for making cities more people friendly. Using bicycle is known as a strategy that has a great role in decreasing traffic among developing countries in recent decades. These countries have taken great steps by reducing traffic congestion and environmental pollutions to reach the sustainable development using comprehensive legislations in this context. This paper aims to assess and analyse the successful countries’ experiences specifically Holland and Denmark as countries that have eliminated extensive amount of traffic difficulties by using bicycle transportation system. Also, investigating this form of transportation regarding the improvement of bicycle use culture in the case study of Niavaran district will be conducted. This article has been implemented in the basis of library–based phase of the research, case study method and observation for its field study phase. Tosum up, the findings of this study comprise the feasibility of bicycle use in the mentioned case study; in which despite of district¢s high slope, efficient proposals have been used to achieve sustainable development.

One of the fundamental notions of realization of sustainable city within the framework of the theory of sustainable development is what affects the urban green spaces as well as the influence they may have. As the upshot of years’ worth of experiences in the ideology of Iranian urban design, Iranian garden is of magnificently high position which possesses the potentials to act as the green space with a variety of functions to serve the promotion of sustainability in today’s cities. Closely studying Dolat Abad garden as one example of the exquisite Iranian garden architecture in a comparative analysis, this study exامینes the role of gardens in the achievement of today’s cities to sustainability within the frameworks of the theory of sustainable city. It will also attempt to prove the hypothesis regarding that Dolat Abad garden and the Taj Mahal have established themselves as sustainable elements in the two contemporary cities of Yazd and Agra, and will accordingly continue to remain so.