Sustainability studies deal with a lot of issues that concern the environment, economy, and social life. It is not only an interesting field of research but also extremely important. The main goal is, of course, to move to sustainable living and means of production and reduce the impact on natural resources.
The good news for students is that there is no lack of topics to work on. So, if you wondered “what current sustainability issues should I write my essay on?”, this list of possible subjects will help you out. Here one can find inspiration or decide on the path to follow with their research.
Environmental and Economic Impact of Cryptocurrencies
The market of cryptocurrencies and NFTs has been growing massively in the last decade. Although many consider it a valid investment option and opportunity to earn, there are many concerns regarding sustainability. First of all, there is a huge footprint as a result of mining different cryptocurrencies. And the more people engage with them and NFTs, the higher the environmental risks.
Secondly, it is important to evaluate how this new market will influence socioeconomic relations. What are the possible results if this market is here to stay for the economy? What are the possible implications of it on equality?
Blockchain Technology and Sustainability Management
Blockchain is a relatively new technology that is changing the way many businesses and companies work. It can be implemented in banking, insurance, governmental institutions, investment, healthcare, etc. But how will it change the business opportunities, models, and processes?
How is it connected to the concept of sustainable management? What are the possible prospects of such a shift?
Influence of Government Action on Sustainability
Despite advocacy and research, corporations and international enterprises are yet to implement sustainable practices in their production. The question is whether governmental action, including legislation, can help with this move.
For many businesses, financial merit is much more important than environmental concerns. And there is always a risk of performative activity from their side without any actual change.
How can governmental action change that? What are the possible acts, norms, or regulations that can help? How can we ensure that this collaboration is fruitful for both sides?
COVID-19 and Unemployment Among Young People
The COVID-19 pandemic resulted in huge shifts in the job market. Many people had to work from home, but another issue is that numerous professionals lost their jobs. The number of unemployed young people has risen all over the world. What industries have suffered the most?
It is essential to evaluate how it will influence the labor market, diversity hiring, salary rates, and competition in different industries.
COVID-19 Sustainability Roadmaps for Hospitals
Another current issue that is yet to be researched properly is the impact of the pandemic on the sustainability practices in hospitals. Were the previously created roadmaps effective? What new practices were implemented because of the virus? Are they sustainable? And how can they impact the environment? It is also crucial to figure out how many one-time protection pieces can be reused or utilized safely.
Circular Economy and Its Prospects
Many researchers consider a circular economy to be the best path to sustainability. It means building an economy where waste becomes a resource. And there is less necessity to use virgin and rare natural resources.
How can the circle between supply and disposal be closed? How can it impact the environment, economy, and social life? What action can we take to move to the circular economy model?
Performance Monitoring Tools, Methods, and Guidelines
Sustainability studies rely heavily on the exact data. It needs to be specific and collected regularly. Let’s take the performance monitoring of the production to evaluate carbon footprint as an example. This data should be collected constantly to see how sustainability practices influence the footprint.
What monitoring tools and methods are best to use? How can we monitor companies’ performance regarding GHG emissions? How often should such data be collected? How will we use this data? How can it help sustainability studies?
Social Justice and Sustainable Consumption
The movement to sustainable consumption is predominant in first-world countries. Yet, even there, not every person can become environmentally conscious and participate in it. Sustainable clothing, food, and utensils are more expensive and less available to the mass public.
It is important to figure out several things. Can consumption under capitalism be sustainable? How do we define sustainable consumption? What role do emotion and public shaming play in this culture? How does this influence social justice issues? Does it contribute to a big gap between households with different incomes?
Luxury Travel and Sustainability
The travel industry is client-oriented. It means that hotels cannot simply go to the new practices that will make them undesirable for people. Their ability to satisfy needs is what makes their business successful. But how does it correspond with the more environmental issues and practices?
Is there an opportunity for luxury travel institutions to be more cautious about their impact and reduce it? What can be done in such regard? Is it possible to create roadmaps for them, and how will these roadmaps look?
eGovernment Services and Carbon Footprint
Many countries switch to electronic government services. Of course, the spread of it depends on the country. Yet, it is obvious that this trend will stay and gain even more attention. How does it influence the carbon footprint? How can researchers measure the contributing factors?
What are the average carbon footprint savings? What methods and tools can we use for that?
In Summary
These are the ten current issues that are still very much underresearched. It has to do with the fact that they deal with relatively new trends and phenomena. Thus, you have an opportunity to become one of the few people contributing to the emerging field of study. It can be very exciting for students and scientists to work on new subjects to make a positive change in the world.
