This paper surveys the energy literature and systematically reviews the path to an inclusive and sustainable energy transition by exploring factors that drive the current energy transitions, countries with advanced energy transition programs, and the roles of energy literacy and justice in energy transition. Utilizing an exhaustive literature search from 2001 to 2023 via the Scopus database, the study identifies strong policy frameworks, technological advancements, economic incentives, and international collaborations as pivotal factors in successful energy transitions. Case studies from the Nordic countries, Germany, and Poland highlight diverse approaches and significant progress, revealing valuable lessons for global application. Although energy literacy emerges as crucial for public acceptance and participation, fostering informed decision-making and supportive behaviors toward renewable energy initiatives, energy justice ensures equitable access to the benefits of energy transitions, addressing socio-economic impacts on marginalized communities. The study identifies a scarcity of research that articulates and integrates energy literacy and justice concurrently within the purview of energy transition. The paper recommends the adoption, integration, and institutionalization of frameworks that concurrently propagate energy literacy and guide fair and equitable energy transitions. The frameworks should encourage active community involvement, promote community ownership of renewable energy projects, ensure transparency and inclusivity, implement measures for equitable economic benefits, protect livelihoods, address historical distrust, and leverage social media to promote energy literacy and justice. Finally, the continuous monitoring and evaluation of energy transition initiatives are crucial to ensure that they meet evolving societal needs and environmental goals.

This study assessed the level of toxic metals and hydroquinone in skin-lightening-creams commonly use in Ogun State, Nigeria. The pH of all the cream samples was determined and metals quantification was carried out using ICP-OES after acid digestion while that of hydroquinone was done using HPLC. The health risk of dermal exposure to heavy metals via the regular application was done by evaluating the carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic risk. The pH of all the samples are acidic and it follows this trend; Sample 3 > Sample 1 > Sample 4 > Sample 2. All the metals considered in this study were detected in all the analyzed samples except Cd, Co and Cr in sample 1, As, Ba and Pb in sample 2, Ag, As and Hg in sample 3 and Ba in sample 4. Highest levels of Al, Co, Pb and Zn were recorded in Sample 3 (Organic cream). Though the concentrations of most of the toxic metals (Al, Zn and Mn) are above the permissible levels, they pose no non-carcinogenic health risk based on the calculated HQ and HI. The carcinogenic risk of metals in the sampled creams were all within the acceptable limit except that of Cd. Hydroquinone was detected in all the four samples analyzed ranging between 2.58 and 4.17 % which exceeded the permissible limit by WHO. This finding show that long-term use of skin-whitening-creams may pose serious health hazards so, public should be continually enlightening on the hazardous health effects of the use.

In promoting sustainable cities and societies, accelerating the shift from sustainable building design to sustainable building operations is essential. A persistent challenge lies in the absence of a unified, multidimensional metric that enables meaningful performance comparisons across buildings of similar types and functions, both regionally and globally. This study develops and demonstrates the operational sustainability index (OPSi)—a novel metric grounded in case study research that integrates indoor environmental quality (IEQ) and energy utility quality (EUQ). OPSi is applied to six buildings in three comparative cases: (1) LEED-certified and non-certified dormitories, (2) LEED-certified and non-certified event buildings, and (3) male- and female-occupied multifamily housing units. Results show that the LEED-certified dormitory underperformed in two of five OPSi variants compared to its non-certified counterpart despite achieving up to 18% higher objective IEQ performance. The LEED-certified event building outperformed its non-certified counterpart across all OPSi metrics, with up to 88% higher objective IEQ scores. Findings also include higher energy performance in male-occupied housing units than in female-occupied ones, highlighting behavioral differences worthy of future study. This research addresses longstanding criticisms of green certification systems—particularly their limited capacity to holistically measure post-certification operational performance—by offering a practical and scalable evaluation framework. OPSi aligns with global sustainability goals, including SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities) and SDG 7 (Affordable and Clean Energy), and supports smart, data-driven decision-making. Future applications may extend OPSi to include carbon life cycle assessment and maintenance metrics to further strengthen building sustainability in urban contexts.

This study examines how supply-chain circularity (SCC) translates into firm performance in Nigeria's synthetic-hair industry by testing a mediated pathway from SCC to resource-utilization efficiency (RUE) and onward to operational efficiency (OE). Motivated by the need to move beyond advocacy toward mechanism-focused evidence in developing-country contexts, we implemented a quantitative design comprising a structured questionnaire administered to industry personnel in Lagos (managers, supervisors, and production staff; N = 138) and a complementary public-perception survey of consumers (N = 382). Using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) for the firm-side data and descriptive analysis for the consumer data, the results indicate that SCC does not exert a significant direct effect on OE; instead, SCC significantly enhances RUE, which in turn strongly improves OE, thereby validating a mediated SCC→RUE→OE mechanism consistent with the Natural Resource-Based View. Moreover, consumer evidence suggests that sustainability is salient, yet purchase decisions hinge on credible quality assurances, price fairness, hygiene and trust, alongside openness to disposal guidance. Collectively, these findings position resource-utilization efficiency as the transmission channel through which circular capabilities convert environmental intent into operational advantage. They also underscore that such operational gains are most likely to be realized in the market when firms pair efficiency improvements with visible quality signals and clear end-of-life instructions.Implications: The study shows that circular practices improve operations indirectly by improving resource-use efficiency, not through a direct operational effect (SCC → RUE → OE). Managers should therefore focus on strengthening resource-efficiency routines, translate those gains into market value through visible quality assurance and disciplined pricing, provide clear end-of-life guidance, and rely on supportive policies that incentivize waste reduction and better input management.