Descriptive norms, which indicate “what most people do,” can influence littering behavior. This study examines how the contents of waste already disposed in bins affect individuals’ waste separation behavior. A field experiment was conducted at three waste collection stations in the dining area of a public event in Tochigi Prefecture, Japan. The experimental conditions included (1) correctly sorted waste pre-placed in the bin, (2) incorrectly sorted waste pre-placed in the bin, and (3) a control condition. The results indicate that the mis-sorting rate was 2.57% when correctly sorted waste was present, 11.57% when incorrectly sorted waste was present, and 2.64% in the control condition. Even after controlling for bin location, mis-sorting remained consistently higher when incorrectly sorted waste was pre-placed in the bin than other conditions, consistently across all stations. These findings suggest that the presence of waste in bins serves as a descriptive norm that influences separation behavior. From a waste management perspective, promptly correcting sorting errors is essential to maintaining proper waste separation. These results underscore the importance of waste separation policies that account for the environmental context in which sorting behavior occurs.

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Vietnam, a coastal and island nation, is among the largest contributors to marine plastic pollution. While several programs have been implemented to tackle plastic waste on islands, their effectiveness remains insufficiently studied, particularly given unique socio-environmental factors such as tourism. This study compares two tourism-dependent islands in Central Vietnam,one with no single-use plastic (no-SUP) initiatives and the other without,to evaluate their impact on perceptions of marine plastic pollution and waste management practices. Interview data were collected from key stakeholders, including local government officials and residents, on Cu Lao Cham Island (which has no-SUP initiatives, n = 13) and Ly Son Island (which lacks such initiatives, n = 16). Thematic analysis and the Strengths-Weaknesses-Opportunities-Threats framework were used to explore the similarities and differences between the two islands. The Cu Lao Cham participants showed greater concern for plastic pollution and engaged more frequently in anti-plastic practices, such as reducing SUP bag usage, avoiding littering, and participating in beach clean-ups. These practices are less common at Ly Son. The active participation of local women’s and farmers’ unions contributed to sustaining no-SUP initiatives. However, challenges, such as limited waste treatment infrastructure and external pressures from tourism waste and marine debris, continue to hinder effective plastic waste management. These findings highlight the role of no-SUP initiatives in sustainable waste management for island communities.

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Earthquakes, especially in seismic-prone areas like Japan, pose long-term risks that require proactive disaster mitigation strategies. This study investigates whether participatory dialogue between seismic experts and citizens affects public understanding of uncertainty, trust in experts, and support for mitigation policies. Through the Citizen Conference on the Tokyo Metropolitan Area and Mega Earthquakes (above M8 Level), which gathered scientists, policymakers, and the public, we examine how deliberative discussions shape perceptions of uncertainty and policy action. Findings indicate that uncertainty does not diminish trust; it influences how citizens evaluate expert competence and the need for mitigation policies. Participants enhanced their understanding of probabilistic risk while strongly supporting policy initiatives. This study contributes to research on trans-scientific issues, demonstrating that deliberation can transform uncertainty from skepticism into motivation for action. These insights are pertinent to earthquake preparedness and broader risk governance, where uncertainty must be actively managed in public decision-making.

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Carbon reduction remains a critical challenge for China, which has the highest carbon emissions globally. Although environmental policies play a crucial role in mitigating CO₂ emissions, existing studies often overlook the synergy effects of policy mixes. This study quantified the synergy level of the environmental policy mix (SEPM) using a coupled coordination degree model and examined its impact on carbon emissions across 30 Chinese provinces from 2003 to 2019. The results revealed a negative relationship between SEPM and carbon emissions, indicating that effective coordination among different policy instruments within a policy mix enhances their collective impact on carbon reduction. Among the different policy mixes, a mix of market-based and voluntary regulations has the greatest potential for emission reduction. Although the command-and-control and market-based environmental policy mix can reduce emissions, their emission-reduction effects remain relatively weak. These findings highlight the importance of optimizing policy coordination to enhance the effectiveness of emission reduction.

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Strategic environmental assessment (SEA) is a critical tool for evaluating the potential environmental, social, and economic effects of strategies, policies, plans, and programs (SPPPs), particularly for addressing climate change and fostering sustainable development. By identifying methods to avoid, mitigate, and reduce adverse effects, SEA ensures that development aligns with environmental, social, and economic sustainability goals. A key component is the development of appropriate indicators for measuring the environmental, social, and economic risks associated with the proposed SPPPs. This study aims to create SEA indicators tailored to spatial land-use plans, natural resource management, and climate change adaptation in the Lao PDR, as well as at the regional level. Using a mixed-methods approach, this research employs the Delphi method, expert panels, stakeholder consultations, and document reviews to gather data. As a result, this paper presents a standardized system comprising 57 indicators, categorized into four dimensions: environmental, social, economic, and institutional. These indicators are grounded in the Lao PDR’s environmental policy framework, sustainable development principles, and the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals. This indicator system can not only enhance the effectiveness of SEA in the Lao PDR but also provide a replicable model for regional application, ensuring a balanced approach to development and environmental stewardship.

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Saxaul, a shrub found in the Gobi region of southern parts of Mongolia, is resistant to drought and provides a favorable environment for grazing, making it a popular pasture for camels. However, the characteristics of herders who graze in the forests, when, and for what purposes, and the types of livestock they graze, remain largely unknown. In this study, we aimed to clarify the characteristics and usage of the herders who use Saxaul (types of livestock, purposes, etc.). The survey was conducted among 321 herders in Bogd county, Bayankhongor prefecture, Mongolia. Analysis revealed that camels graze in Saxaul forests from winter to spring for wind protection, while sheep and goats graze in autumn to forage for grasses. Regarding herders using Saxaul forests, those with larger livestock numbers tend to use Saxaul forests during non-drought periods, whereas those with fewer livestock rely on the forests during drought periods. However, Bogd county, where this research was conducted, is located at the northern foot of the mountain range, and has a natural environment with a lake, as well as a social environment in which a ban on Saxaul logging has been imposed and environmental education about Saxaul is being promoted. Therefore, in order to clarify the general characteristics of herders who use the forests, research is needed in different environments.

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This study analyzed 223 articles from the Yomiuri Shimbun, a center-right newspaper, and the Tokyo Shimbun, a center-left newspaper, regarding the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). It quantitatively and qualitatively verified the extent to which the stance of both newspapers is reflected in their energy reporting on global warming countermeasures. The analysis period covers COP21, when the Paris Agreement was adopted; COP25, when the Trump administration announced its withdrawal from the Paris Agreement; COP26, when the Biden administration rejoined the Paris Agreement; and COP28, when a minister from an oil-producing country assumed the presidency. Notably, regarding nuclear power generation related to climate change, the Tokyo Shimbun strongly opposes it due to accidents and the nuclear proliferation risk, while the Yomiuri Shimbun strongly supports it from an economic perspective and takes a negative stance on renewable energy, citing solar and wind power’s instability. The Coverage of COP25 were lower than COP26 by 94% in the Yomiuri Shimbun and 51% in the Tokyo Shimbun, suggesting the potential influence of the US government's climate change policies on Japanese media coverage. The challenge lies in how citizens can acquire appropriate climate change literacy.

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Artisanal and small-scale mining (ASM) in Nigeria is vital for economic development and livelihoods; however, it faces significant legal and policy challenges for sustainable development. This study illustrates the issues of formalization, weak enforcement, and regulatory fragmentation as major legal and policy challenges. Bureaucratic obstacles and limited resources hinder formalization, leaving many ASM operations informal, which undermines regulatory efforts. Moreover, insufficient enforcement exacerbates problems like environmental degradation. Fragmented regulatory responsibilities create inconsistencies and inefficiencies. This study argues that comprehensive policy reforms and a cohesive legal framework are crucial for unlocking ASM’s full potential and ensuring sustainable development.

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In this study, we aimed to examine the health impacts of wind turbine noise (WTN) in two geographically and socially comparable communities located in Xichang Valley, China. One group was located less than 500 m from multiple wind turbines (WT group), and a comparison group was located 8 km away from any wind turbines. To investigate the potential health impacts of WTN exposure among nearby residents, we employed a combination of four medically validated psychometric scales, the Athens Insomnia Scale-Chinese version (AIS-C), 12-item Chinese Health Questionnaire (CHQ-12), 9-item Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9), and 7-item Generalized Anxiety Disorder Scale (GAD-7), which are psychometric self-assessment tools widely recognized for their high consistency, reliability, and external validity in evaluating sleep disturbance, general mental well-being, depression, and anxiety, respectively. The results showed significantly higher sleep disturbance in the WT group than in the comparison group, whereas there were no significant differences in depression, anxiety, or overall well-being between the two groups. However, regression analysis revealed the interrelation among factors, with sleep disturbance acting as a key mediator linking WTN exposure to psychological distress. Annoyance and the length of residence further influenced these effects. These findings highlight the need for health impact assessments (HIAs) in wind energy planning to mitigate potential adverse effects and inform public health policies.

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On January 15, 2022, the Kingdom of Tonga was hit by two natural disasters - the Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha’apai (HTHH) volcanic eruption and tsunami. This study examines the extent to which the normative criteria of human rights to safe drinking water are observed in the HTHH-affected communities compared to control groups. Data was analyzed using a rights-based approach, focusing on five normative criteria of human rights to safe drinking water. The results revealed that access to water supply services in both HTHH-affected communities and the control group was significantly lower than the benchmark. Water quality tests in Tongatapu showed elevated faecal coliform counts, indicating susceptibility of the village water supply service to faecal contamination. The preference for ground water as a source of drinking water was low. Findings suggest the need to enhance water treatment, monitor water quality from supply services, and establish water supply services in the outer islands. Overall, the normative criteria of availability, water quality and safety, acceptability and affordability had similar weaknesses in both HTHH-affected communities and control groups for selected indicators.

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The results of discussions that take place in carefully designed forums are not widely accepted in Japanese society. This could be because there are some issues or problems with the design of the system for discussions. Given that discussion styles may differ depending on differences in institutional and cultural backgrounds, what impact will this have on the evaluation of the quality of discussions in Japan if the DQI, developed in Europe, is used as a measure of the quality of discussions in Japan? In this study, we first presented a methodology to address these issues. We then used case studies to find that the group of utterances that were classified as “high-quality utterances ” in the DQI were divided into two types of utterances from the perspective of the TD category: interactive utterances and non-interactive utterances.　 When we attempted to characterize these two types of speech using factor analysis, we found that they were separated by the axis that assessed the emotionality and assertiveness of the speech. This is thought to be highly suggestive when considering the relationship between the DQI evaluation items and emotionality and assertiveness.

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