Volume 17, Issue 05

OIDA International Journal of Sustainable Development
Open-access peer-reviewed journal 

Sustainable Development, Social Work Practitioners, Indigenous Communities, and Traditional Leadership Interface in Biodiversity Conservation

Fikile Xaba 1,  Nondumiso Hadebe 2
1,2 Department of Social Work, University of Zululand. Kwa-Dlangezwa, 3886, South Africa.

Volume 17, Issue 05, Pg. 11-20, 2024

Abstract: Biodiversity conservation is one of the main economic drivers that contribute to sustainable development. The degradation of land and extinction of species along the coast, because of natural disasters may be regarded as the main threats to sustainable livelihood. This paper serves to explore if the interface of indigenous community, social work practitioners and traditional leadership serves as the key drivers for economic development and sustainable livelihood. A qualitative design was used to conduct the study, involving the indigenous community, social work practitioners, and traditional leadership in uMkhanyakude District Municipality, situated in Northern KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. Twenty participants were recruited through a purposive sampling method. Data was analysed through thematic analysis. Ecological theory was appropriate for this study as it considers the environment from the micro, messo and macro level. The Sustainable Livelihoods Approach (SLA) was also adopted as an explanatory lens. Findings indicate that the collaboration of social workers with indigenous community and traditional leaders in living harmoniously with objects – plants and animals can assist to preserve natural resources and manage biodiversity in developing and sustaining partnerships that establish and deepen an interdisciplinary multi sectoral approach to advancing the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. The paper concluded that the human beings’ reliance on biodiversity conservation is indispensable.

Keywords: Sustainable development, Biodiversity conservation, indigenous community, social work practitioners, traditional leadership, Sustainable Livelihoods Approach.

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Assessing the Shoreline Dynamics Integrating Sea-Level Data and Geo-Spatial Technology: Lessons from Kerala State, India

Rajeev R 1, Adinarayanane Ramamurthy 2
1Assistant Professor and PhD Research Scholar
2 Dean (Planning & Development) and Associate Professor,
Department of Planning, School of Planning and Architecture Vijayawada,
Ministry of Education, Government of India.

Volume 17, Issue 05, Pg. 21-36, 2024

Abstract: Global sea-level rise has been estimated to accelerate and to reach 1–2 m by 2100. The rise in ocean level and the consequent coastal flooding present noteworthy dangers to urban settlements situated in coastal regions. Despite the efforts made to implement mitigation strategies, there is uncertainty regarding the effectiveness of these actions in reducing the exposure of cities and the risks associated with climate change-related events. Numerous studies on this subject have explored the vulnerability of sea level change and related climatic impacts at various spatial scales. The broad spatial scales required to assess the impacts of climate change necessitate collaboration and coordination among managers, planners, and policymakers from different jurisdictions, agencies, and management units. Globally, the coastal regulations try to address the above challenges in this ever-changing environment by maintaining adequate setbacks from the High Tide Line (HTL) and setting guidelines for coastal planning and governance. However, studies indicate that these regulations are often violated; more development is attracted towards the coast and this exceeds the inherent development capacity of the coast.

Keeping the aforesaid knowledge in mind, the southern state of Kerala in India has been chosen for further detailed investigation on shoreline changes, climate change and CRZ regulations. The authors have tried to conceptualize the Sea-level Rise and related impacts, generated the spatial interaction model for Composite Coastal Vulnerability and Coastal Risk associated with Sea Level Rise under the Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ). The qualitative “Coastal Vulnerability Index (CVI)”, the factor indicating Composite Coastal Vulnerability, is based on quantitative estimates to characterize the physical setting – including Geomorphology (G), Mean Elevation (ME), Shoreline Change (SLC), Bathymetry/ coastal slope (B), relative Sea-Level Change/ Rise (SLR), Significant Wave Height (SWH), and Mean Spring Tide Range (MSTR) – coupled with predominant land use/ human activities (LU), and coastal population (P). A linear regression model was drawn along with sea-level and shoreline change data to understand the impact of sea-level. Additionally, through hotspot analysis areas of high concern have been identified and coastal development in these coastal stretches has been studied to understand the adherence to the CRZ regulations and violations. For this study, secondary data has been used to construct and analyse regional level (state-level) details; further primary survey which includes interviews with stakeholders and expert opinions were undertaken.

Based on the positive relationship between rising sea-level, shoreline change and CRZ, this study finally suggests that using satellite imagery, sea-level data and statistical and spatial techniques, the changing nature of shorelines along with sea-level rise and CRZ violations can be reliably understood. The study also reveals that the planning framework for coastal management requires a system of classification and evaluation that embraces wide areas of environmental sensitivity, or areas of concern, as well as the smaller areas of concentrated ecological value and particular essentiality to the ecosystem, the vital areas – broadly designated as areas for “preservation”, “conservation” and “utilization” according to their varying ecological sensitivities. The study concludes with recommendations to the decision-maker to include climate concerns into spatial planning of coasts for deriving the most appropriate spatial development strategies to maintain the balanced and sustainable development of the coastal region in India.

Keywords: Climate Change; Coastal Vulnerability; CRZ; Geo-spatial Technology; Sea Level Rise.

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Indonesian Banking Policy in The Digital Era and Its Impact on Competition in the Banking Industry

Haryono 1, Muhammad Zilal Hamzah 2, Eleonora Sofilda 3, Anung Herlianto 4
1,2,3,4 Public Policy Studies, Faculty of Economics & Business,
Universitas Trisakti, Jakarta, Indonesia.

Volume 17, Issue 05, Pg. 37-46, 2024.

Abstract: The role of digitalization is increasingly shining along with the development of the world of technology.  Technological developments have changed most of human life, the use of smartphones, computers, laptops, the internet, and interconnected applications allows Business-to-business (B2B) and Business-to-customer (B2C) relationships to run well. One of them is the development of information technology in the banking sector which encourages higher public needs for better financial access. The main policies taken by the Government and regulators in anticipating these changes must have an impact on the existence and competition of banks, especially entering the Bank 5.0 Era. In several developed countries, digital banking contributes to improved banking performance, which also aligns with improved banking performance in Indonesia. This research will also discuss the role of the government and regulators in anticipating technology Disruption in the Financial Services Industry (entering the Bank 4.0 era) and its impact on banking competition in the next 5 years.

This study aims to analyze the impact of technology disruption and banking digitalization and the role of the government in the competition of the banking industry, and also the national economy.

The methodology used in this study is quantitative approaches. A quantitative approach was chosen to analyze secondary data from various individual bank reports (2012 to 2022) using econometric methods with a panel data model.

The results of this study show that: (i). The 5 banks that dominate market share during the 2017.1 – 2022.4 period are BBRI (12,813%), BMRI (10,120%), BBCA (7,606%), BBNI (5,852%), and BNGA with a market share of 2,270%; (ii). Company Size, Capital Adequacy Ratio, Loan Deposit Ratio, and Net Interest Margin have a positive and significant effect on achieving banking efficiency that provides digital banking services. Meanwhile, Non-Performing Loans, BOPO, and Third-party funds have no effect on achieving efficiency for banks that provide digital banking services; (iii). Corporate Governance has been proven to have a positive effect on achieving banking efficiency that provides digital banking services; and (iv). Regulatory changes require the identification of a system change or the emergence of risks in the banking and financial services market. With a few exceptions, regulators are clearly not innovators, and therefore the regulator’s response to innovation is to see it as a risk to banking and financial markets.

Keywords: Public Policy, IT Disruption, Banking Digitalization, Banking Competition

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The Impact of human factors on road traffic fatalities within Musina Local Municipality: An analysis of critical elements

Mosena Comet 1, Dee Khosa 2, Jacob Tseko Mofokeng 3
1,2,3 Tshwane University of Technology, Faculty of Humanities, Department of Safety and Security Management, 2 Aubrey Matlakala Street, Soshanguve – K, Soshanguve, 0001, Pretoria, South Africa.

Volume 17, Issue 05, Pg. 47-56, 2024.

Abstract: Sustainable transport is essential to achieving most of the goals in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Although not represented by a dedicated sustainable development goal, sustainable transport is mainstreamed across several goals and targets, especially those related to food security, health, energy, infrastructure and cities, and human settlements. Thus, the development of different transportation systems, especially land transportation, has contributed to the mobility, accessibility, and development of societies. Great economic and technological benefits are derived from this flow of goods and people. However, at the same time and together with all the benefits derived from it, the most pernicious aspects appear, such as environmental pollution, visual and acoustic intrusion, congestion, and the worsening of habitability in cities, among other elements. Of all these problems, traffic accidents have the greatest social impact. Consequently, this paper deals with the human factor in the field of traffic, mobility, transportation and road safety, and the relationship with other major factors such as roads, environment, signalling, vehicles, and enforcement. Road safety is also an important sustainable development issue as illustrated by its express inclusion in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, in targets 3.6 – aiming for the reduction of global road traffic deaths and injuries by 50 per cent by 2020; and 11.2 – aiming to provide access to safe, affordable, accessible and sustainable transport systems for all by 2030. The need for improving road safety has been acknowledged by the United Nations (UN) and its Member States for over 60 years, with extensive work being carried out particularly by the UN regional commissions, the World Health Organisation (WHO), and the World Bank. More recently, road safety has been receiving increased international attention, including through the launch of relevant initiatives and activities. This study has explored human factors as critical elements contributing to road traffic fatalities in the Musina Local Municipality. This was done to fill the existing gap in the available literature studies by determining notable problems of road traffic fatalities, which were increasing in the selected study location despite all the efforts made by the local traffic department to implement road safety measures. An exploratory qualitative research method has been used to collect data from 25 participants who were purposively selected. This study establishes that road safety measures were many and they were known by various road users but are not followed. As such, road safety measures have made little contribution towards reducing the problem of road traffic fatalities in the study area. The study finds that there were many and various causative factors related to human behaviour as a critical contributory element of road fatalities, including human, infrastructural, environmental, situational, and mechanical factors. It is recommended that implementing road safety measures should go together with the efforts of clearly understanding the human behaviour of road users. Furthermore, law enforcement interventions and education should be accompanied by public information awareness campaigns to highlight the significance of this practice. This study concludes that the occurrences of road traffic fatalities in the study location could not be explained by the violation of road safety measures alone.

Keywords: Contributing factors, critical elements, human factors, Musina Local Municipality, road traffic fatalities

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