Timothy O. Randhir

This research seeks to create a thorough framework for assessing sustainability in project management through a multiscale and multicriteria methodology. A Sustainable Project Management Framework (SPMF) utilizing the PESTEL model is suggested, together with a Sustainable Project Management Index (SPMI) for quantitative evaluation. The approach incorporates literature analysis, focus group conversations, and the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) to assess the relative significance of sustainability elements. The framework undergoes empirical testing on two farming projects in East Kazakhstan. The results show that political and economic influences are predominant in the initial stages of projects, whereas social and environmental aspects become more significant during the execution and oversight phases. The findings further indicate that sustainability priorities differ based on project type and context. The suggested SPMI offers a versatile and methodical framework for evaluating sustainability performance in various sectors. This research adds to the existing literature by presenting a dynamic, multiscale method that incorporates both temporal and contextual aspects of sustainability into project management, providing valuable insights for decision-makers and project managers.

Increased frequency and intensity of extreme weather events, driven by climate change, are expected to alter hydrological and water quality processes in the Connecticut River watershed. This study aims to model the temporal and spatial impacts of climate change on the watershed’s hydrology and nutrient dynamics. We used the Hydrologic and Water Quality System (HAWQS), which incorporates the Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT), to establish a baseline scenario and assess two climate scenarios: Coupled Model Intercomparison Project (CMIP5-) Representative Concentration Pathways (RCP) 4.5 and RCP 8.5. The model was validated using observed data from the United States Geological Survey (USGS) gage sites. Our results show that both climate scenarios will cause significant changes in hydrological processes, including a shift in precipitation seasonality, with more rainfall expected during winter and early spring. These changes will affect nutrient loading, shifting the seasonal peaks of nitrogen and phosphorus. Notably, the nitrogen-to-phosphorus ratio is projected to decrease across the entire watershed under both climate scenarios. These findings suggest that the altered hydrological regime and nutrient dynamics could have cascading effects on aquatic ecosystems, impacting phytoplankton and algal growth, with important implications for future nutrient management strategies.

Ecosystem services play a vital role in sustaining agricultural productivity. Birds are known to control infestations of the coffee berry borer (Hypothenemus hampei; hereafter borer), a pest that can reduce annual coffee yields by as much as 30–35%. Pest control services by birds appear to be related to the extent of native forest at the landscape scale, with potentially important implications for forest conservation. Integrated open canopy coffee system is a land-sparing approach, in which farmers retain forest cover in exchange for carbon credits. However, its potential for enhancing pest control has not been previously evaluated. Our study is the first to examine pest control by birds in integrated open canopy coffee systems, to estimate the economic value of this service in Honduras, and to identify a forest cover threshold associated with reduced borer abundance. Through an exclosure experiment, we assessed the effects of avian predation on borer damage and abundance, and linked these outcomes to landscape-level forest cover across 3 coffee production systems: sun, shade, and integrated open canopy coffee. We show that birds reduce borer infestations on coffee plantations; however, this reduction was only observed on Sun and Integrated open canopy coffee farms. Furthermore, borer damage and abundance were negatively associated with insectivorous bird species richness, including those identified as potential predators of borer. Borer abundance also declined with increasing forest cover, with a threshold effect observed at 36% forest cover within a 250-m radius. Finally, we estimate the economic value of bird control on borer is currently 195.68 USD per hectare per season, with values ranging from 118.22 to 350.59 USD. These findings highlight the economic and ecological value of bird-friendly practices, such as maintaining forest cover and implementing Integrated open canopy systems, in promoting sustainable coffee production.

Climate change and land-use intensification are speeding up the loss of ecosystem services that support human health, food security, and environmental stability. Vegetative interventions—such as urban forests in cities and cover crops in farming systems—are increasingly seen as nature-based solutions for climate adaptation. However, their benefits are often viewed separately. This review combines 20 years of research to explore how these strategies, together, improve provisioning, regulating, supporting, and cultural ecosystem services across various landscapes. Urban forests help reduce urban heat islands, improve air quality, manage stormwater, and offer cultural and health benefits. Cover crops increase soil fertility, regulate water, support nutrient cycling, and enhance crop yields, with potential for carbon sequestration and biofuel production. We identify opportunities and challenges, highlight barriers to adopting these strategies, and suggest integrated frameworks—including spatial decision-support tools, incentive programs, and education—to encourage broader use. By connecting urban and rural systems, this review underscores vegetation as a versatile tool for resilience, essential for reaching global sustainability goals.

Industrial regions of Central Kazakhstan face complex ecological pressures, yet integrated evaluations of multiple environmental compartments remain limited. This study provides a comprehensive assessment of atmospheric air, soils, and surface waters in the Karaganda region, covering five major urban centers. Field campaigns employed standardized national and international protocols for sampling and monitoring, supported by accredited laboratory analyses. Air quality measurements revealed that concentrations of CO, NO2, SO2, H2S, and particulates generally complied with national standards, although discrepancies with stationary monitoring indicated episodic exceedances linked to meteorological conditions. Soil analyses showed that the cities of Temirtau, Saran, Shakhtinsk, and Abai largely remained within sanitary norms, while the city of Balkhash emerged as a critical hotspot: cadmium reached 3.23 mg/kg and lead peaked at 151 mg/kg, exceeding national thresholds more than fivefold. Surface waters displayed distinct stressors: suspended solids in Temirtau and Shakhtinsk consistently exceeded limits (up to 42 mg/L), while Lake Balkhash showed severe ionic enrichment, with sulfates up to 736.5 mg/L and chlorides over 452.6 mg/L, approximately twice WHO guidelines. These findings highlight the dual challenge of controlling industrial emissions and mitigating salinity-driven degradation in a transboundary basin of strategic importance. Results provide evidence for targeted remediation, integrated monitoring, and advancing Kazakhstan’s commitments to the UN Sustainable Development Goals.

The purpose of this study is to develop a methodology for assessing environmental risks and to test it using data on pollution across different regions of Kazakhstan. Methodology . The study uses a literature review and deductive reasoning to find solutions to environmental pollution. Content analysis helps develop an integrated, weighted environmental risk through composite indexing. Economic and mathematical methods (including Moran’s I, spatial weights matrices), along with visualization techniques, are used to present the research results. The uniqueness of this study lies in its focus on the influence of natural and climate features of a specific region, along with pollution from neighboring areas, rather than relying solely on national pollution indicators and their effects on the regional environment. Data collected and analyzed on emissions and waste in Kazakhstan's four largest regions allowed for the calculation and comparison of environmental risk levels. Regional environmental risk assessments were based on data of the end of 2024. The study revealed that Karaganda (1.26) and West Kazakhstan (1.78) regions experienced high environmental risk during this period, particularly due to the municipal waste index. Meanwhile, in East Kazakhstan, the index, at -0.0142, was considered quite low, and in Kyzylorda, it was closer to the boundary between moderate and high environmental risk (0.198). The study highlights the importance of quick access to environmental data for guiding management decisions by regional governments. It also stresses the need to expand and sustain this research by developing a regional environmental database. Calculation of environmental risks helps to clarify measures for environmental management in regions adjusting decisions considering the weight of a particular index.