Located in the west coast of Taiwan, Yunlin County is considered as one of the most industrialized counties. The impact of land use on the coastal zone is significantly high. The main objective of this study is to analyze the impact of coastal land use changes in Yunlin County between 1996 and 2011 on shoreline dynamics. Two sets of satellite images (SPOT and FORMOSAT-2) are used as major data sources, and all analyses are performed using Geographic Information Systems (GIS) techniques. Land use classification includes seven types. Their area changes and correlations with shoreline area changes are calculated. Results indicate that between 1996 and 2011, the Yunlin coastal zone has experienced substantial land use changes, with dramatic increase of industrial and residential area along with significant loss of sandy coast. For the last sixteen years, Yunlin shoreline has undergone both erosion and accretion position changes. However, accretion is more prominent and common in many places. The net shoreline change observed is an accretion area of 1.65 km². Results also further reveal that area changes of agriculture, residential, abandoned and aquaculture lands have caused a negative impact on the shoreline, moving it landward. However, area changes of industrial land and the sandy coast have exerted a positive impact (shifting the shoreline towards the sea). This positive impact is mainly due to land reclamation projects and destruction of natural coasts. As such, this is not favorable for natural coastal environments. This study also clearly indicates that, human induced coastal land use changes do exist in Yunlin. These changes may have created long-term shoreline position shifts and significant impact on its coastal environment.

The achievement of water sustainability necessitates the development and application of comprehensive assessment tools to monitor and evaluate the impact of water resource management. This article presents a comprehensive comparative analysis of various water sustainability indices, emphasizing their underlying principles, methodologies, and potential applications. Our study reveals the diverse landscape of existing indices, illustrating that even indices with similar names can vary significantly in scope and methodology. Via a systematic review of 124 publications, this study provides insights into existing composite indices related to water sustainability, highlighting their specific applications and potential contributions to water resource management and sustainability. The information gathered from the selected papers was synthesized and analyzed thematically to identify common patterns through keyword co-occurrence mapping, SDG mapping, standard review protocols, and cluster analyses. Through a cluster analysis, we identified six distinct clusters of indices, highlighting the need for careful consideration in selecting appropriate ones. Moreover, our analysis of co-occurring keywords underscores the close relationship between sustainable development, water resources, water supply, and water conservation within the context of water-related indices. Notably, these indices address not only sustainable development goal six but also a number of other interconnected goals. It was also found that “sustainability index” is a common name for different nature water indices. This review also identifies research gaps in the existing literature. However, significant limitations exist, including a lack of historical application and future projections for many current water sustainability indicators. Without the ability to track changes over time and project the future, identifying areas of improvement and measuring progress toward long-term water sustainability goals becomes challenging. Furthermore, many indices are complex and designed for watershed or regional levels, limiting their adaptability to different contexts. Despite these challenges, indices remain valuable tools for assessing and managing water resources sustainably, addressing various dimensions of sustainability, and supporting decision-making processes across different sectors and contexts.

Greywater irrigation is becoming popular in urban farming, especially in developing countries. However, farmers’ perception of nontraditional irrigation methods is significant for their successful implementation. Therefore, this study was designed to identify the perception levels of urban farmers in the Colombo District in Sri Lanka towards greywater irrigation and to identify the factors that influence their perception levels. The results revealed that the urban farmers in the Colombo District are willing to reuse greywater for farming activities and farm management factors such as irrigation source, farm size, and farmers’ preference for different crop types have a significant influence on their perception of greywater irrigation.

Biopesticides are emerging as a crucial component of sustainable pest management in India; however, their adoption remains limited, despite policy support and growing consumer demand for residue-free produce. This study offers a comprehensive evaluation of the Indian biopesticide sector, examining its market structure, regulatory frameworks, technological advancements, and regional consumption patterns. Using the nationally representative NSS data and econometric analysis, we identify socioeconomic and institutional determinants of farmers’ expenditure on both chemical pesticides and biopesticides across key rice-growing states. The results show that factors such as agricultural training, household size, membership in farmer organizations, access to crop insurance, and expenditure on key inputs significantly influence the adoption of biopesticides, whereas formal education has a limited effect. The analysis also reveals significant regional disparities, with a small number of states accounting for nearly half of the nation’s biopesticide consumption. We discuss how India’s pragmatic regulatory approach, cost-effective domestic manufacturing, and targeted public initiatives provide a scalable model for promoting sustainable crop protection in other developing regions. Policy recommendations focus on streamlining registration, strengthening extension services, supporting private sector participation, and enhancing research on locally adapted, high-efficacy products. By integrating market, regulatory, and behavioural perspectives, this study advances the evidence base for scaling biopesticide use, offering insights relevant to agricultural sustainability and food safety in both India and the wider Global South.