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This study aims to highlight the issues encountered by Islamic Banking Institutions (IBIs) while financing the agriculture sector and explore the feasibility of Muzara’ah (crop sharing contract on partnership basis) model based on the concept of revolving credit as an alternative to current models.

To validate the proposed model and gauge the feasibility of Muzara’ah contract, a qualitative research method is applied based on 10 in-depth interviews with qualified industry experts and practitioners. These interviewees are selected following the purposive sampling method, and they belong to Sharīʿah board members of banking institutions, banking industry professionals engaged in agriculture lending, financial regulators (i.e. central bank personnel) and the farming community. Thematic analysis was applied to analyze the data.

The findings of this study document that Muzara’ah can be a useful alternative/solution for the growth of agriculture sector portfolio of financial institutions. Muzara’ah is cost-effective than other Islamic products, including Salam (a kind of sale in which payment is made on the spot while the delivery of the goods is deferred), and carries the features of revolving credit as offered by conventional banks/counterparts.

The main limitation of the study is that only 10 in-depth interviews are conducted.

The application of the Sharīʿah compliant Muzara’ah model based on the concept of revolving credit could help increase agricultural productivity and revenues and reduce poverty and food insecurity. The research will help IBIs to develop products on the concept of Muzara’ah for farmers and other sectors of the agriculture industry.

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, Muzara’ah contract is not offered by formal banking institutions in Pakistan. Hence, the findings contribute to the existing literature and facilitate the policymakers and practitioners in implementing this financial product for the growth of the agriculture sector.

Protecting the planet from unprecedented environmental crises in the presence of economic expansion has become a critical global concern. Hence, the current study aims to analyze the impact of nations’ green behaviors that they adopt to protect the planet while promoting economic expansion. Additionally, the study explores the moderating role of ES in the nexus of GI and green growth.

Data were collected over a period of 1990–2019. Analysis was conducted by employing panel data analysis techniques and various robustness tests, including multicollinearity, serial correlation and spatial correlation, for a sample of 33 nations by categorizing in Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa (BRICS) economies as well as in the pre- and post-financial crisis period.

Analysis of the composite sample reveals a significant positive impact of green investments and green innovations on green growth. Further analysis reveals a significant moderating role of environmental policy stringency in OECD economies, especially in the pre-financial crisis period. The interaction slope shows that the contribution of green innovations to green growth is positive at high and medium levels of ES. However, in the case of BRICS economies, this moderating role is insignificant.

Study findings signify the importance of stakeholder environment and urge governments to prioritize funds for sectors practicing environmentally friendly behaviors to foster green growth and stresses for more effective infrastructure of policy implementation, monitoring and evaluation.

The relationship of green investments, innovations and green growth has been established largely in existing literature; however, there is a dearth of studies to analyze the moderating role of ES. Hence the current study investigates this moderating role in the nexus of nations’ green behavior and green growth in different stakeholder environments and contexts.

This study examines the relationship between green entrepreneurship and environmental quality in selected Asian economies. The impact of green entrepreneurship dimensions, i.e. renewable energy utilization, innovation orientation, green funding and resource efficiency is empirically assessed on environmental quality. The research assists in opening the “black box” mechanism of how green entrepreneurship affects the environmental pillar of sustainability.

An analysis of 11 Asian countries is conducted over the period from 2000 to 2019, using panel regression techniques to examine the link between green entrepreneurship dimensions and environmental quality indicators.

The findings reveal that all four dimensions of green entrepreneurship have an inverse relationship with carbon emissions and ecological footprint while showing a positive relationship with the load capacity factor. This implies that green entrepreneurship contributes positively to environmental sustainability by enhancing the ecosystem’s resilience and capacity to support life.

We advocate for policymakers to prioritize green entrepreneurship to stimulate innovation for energy transition and environmental sustainability. Furthermore, creating a conducive atmosphere for green entrepreneurs can spur job creation, economic growth and societal well-being, thus fostering a more resilient and sustainable future for all.

In this study, we adopted a multidimensional approach for measuring green entrepreneurship, which represents an advancement over existing literature that predominantly relied on renewable energy consumption to gauge the green entrepreneurship phenomenon at the macro level.

The study aims to uncover the relationship between rising temperatures, increased greenhouse gas emissions and the prevalence of lethal violence, encompassing suicides and homicides. It also sought to identify how climate change affects different economic strata in countries, notably in high and middle-income nations, and across Asia and Africa.

This study rigorously explored the link between global climate change and lethal violence across 201 countries from 1970 to 2020. Climate change was measured using annual surface temperature fluctuations and greenhouse gas emissions, while lethal violence was estimated using data on suicides and homicides.

The analysis revealed significant positive associations between escalating temperatures, heightened greenhouse gas emissions and lethal violence. These connections were evident across different economic levels and geographic regions in Asia and Africa.

This study emphasizes the urgent need for comprehensive interventions to combat human-induced climate change and mitigate its extensive negative impacts on society, particularly its association with increased violent behavior.

There is currently a lack of comprehensive examination in the research field exploring the relationship between digitalization and environmental performance (EP) in manufacturing small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). This study investigates the relationship between digital technologies, digital organizational culture (DOC), environmental dynamism and EP through the mediation of innovation capacity (IC) and moderation of perceived environmental volatility and green strategic intent (GSI).

The data were gathered from 473 managers of manufacturing SMEs in Pakistan. Partial least square structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) was applied to examine the mediation and moderation effects. Multiple regression analysis was used to see the influence of digital technologies, DOC, environmental dynamism, innovation capacity, perceived environmental volatility and GSI on SMEs environmental performance.

Results indicate a statistically significant direct relationship between digital technologies, environmental dynamism and EP. While there is an insignificant direct relationship between DOC and EP. Furthermore, the results reported a significant result between digital technologies, DOC, environmental dynamism and IC. Similarly, IC significantly mediated the relationship between digital technologies, DOC, environmental dynamism and EP. Moreover, results reported that perceived environmental volatility does not moderate the relationship between IC and EP, while GSI significantly moderates between IC and EP.

Policymakers must emphasize advancing digital integration to enhance manufacturing SMEs’ efficiency and environmental effectiveness.

This is the first research that incorporates digital technologies, environmental factors and innovation capacity to measure environmental performance in line of natural resource orchestration theory (natural ROT). All the variables significantly measure environmental performance instead of digital organizational culture. Perceived environmental volatility also does not moderate.

This paper aims to address the need to adopt circular economy models in the urban development and infrastructure of Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries – Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, UAE and Saudi Arabia. The purpose is to provide insights into the progress, challenges and potential benefits of transitioning from a linear to a circular economic model in response to the environmental challenges posed by rapid economic development and population growth in the GCC region. The study emphasizes the relevance of this research in fostering economic diversification, mitigating ecological concerns and attracting sustainable investments.

The study adopts a qualitative approach to investigate the adoption of circular economy principles in each GCC country’s urban development and infrastructure. It details the specific strategies and initiatives undertaken by Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, UAE and Saudi Arabia. The research methodology includes a Systematic Literature Review (SLR), thematic, comparative and individual analysis of their goals, progress and the unique approaches employed. Additionally, a SWOT analysis is conducted to identify strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats associated with adopting circular economy models in the GCC region.

The case studies reveal each GCC country’s diverse approaches and progress in adopting circular economy models. Bahrain aims for carbon neutrality by 2060, Kuwait prioritizes sustainability in urban development, Oman focuses on waste reduction, Qatar integrates circular economy principles into its Vision 2030 initiative and Saudi Arabia explores closed-loop material flows. Whereas, the UAE focuses on infrastructure development with unique technological advancements in the near future. Despite common challenges such as traditional linear models and economic obstacles, the benefits of transitioning to circular economies in the GCC region are substantial. These include social, environmental and economic advantages, emphasizing sustainable growth, resource efficiency and enhanced environmental protection.

This paper contributes original insights into the adoption of circular economy models in the GCC region, providing a clear and succinct case for its value. The research underscores this transition’s economic, environmental and social benefits. It emphasizes the significance of sustainable resource management and economic opportunities while acknowledging challenges such as implementation obstacles and potential business impacts. The study invites reflection on future research steps, fostering a balanced and fair analysis of the value of the results. It positions the adoption of circular economy models as a crucial step toward achieving economic diversification, and environmental sustainability and attracting green investments in the GCC region.

This study aims to seek and identify key enablers influencing the integration of deconstruction and carbon finance to improve sustainable and resilient construction in the Industry 5.0 era and then examines how these enablers relate to one another and rank, classify and prioritize them appropriately.

This study adopts the Integrated Decision-Making Trial and Evaluation Laboratory-Interpretive Structural Modeling-Matrice d’impacts Croises Multiplication Appliquee a un Classment (DEMATEL-ISM-MICMAC) methodology.

The key enablers are the circular economy approach with closed-loop material flow, prioritizing material recovery and reuse, and structuring carbon credits for affordability.

The construction industry can advance toward environmentally friendly, sustainable building techniques and help achieve the larger objectives of carbon neutrality and environmental preservation by adopting the study’s guiding principles.

This study implies switching to circular rather than linear economic methods. It is still unrealistic to achieve zero carbon emissions, which is why carbon finance is important because it allows companies to trade carbon credits and encourages negative carbon activities and to structure and trade carbon credits affordably so that businesses of all sizes can participate. To extend the lives of current materials and reduce waste, it is imperative to maximize their reuse and minimize their disposal.

The novelty of this research lies in introducing carbon trade finance concepts to the construction sector, particularly focusing on the deconstruction phase, to enhance sustainability and resilience in construction practices in the Industry 5.0 era.

The desire of international retail brands to implement sustainable supply chain practices in the fashion value chain and improve suppliers' sustainability efforts; this research paper elucidates the relationship between blockchain technology and sustainability to impact apparel firms' triple bottom line.

For studying the impact of sustainable supply chain practices on the triple bottom line, a survey questionnaire was chosen and sent out to 500 garment companies simultaneously, of which 371 responded. The data collected is cross-sectional. The questionnaire survey was developed keeping in mind a few demographic elements such as experience, age and qualification to generalize the findings. For analysis, SmartPLS is used to run model structuring and regression analysis.

Test runs on model structure confirm the instrument's validity and reliability. Bootstrapping on the theoretical model to test developed hypotheses suggests that supply chain sustainability practices positively affect social, environmental and economic performance in a direct relationship. Further, indirect relation testing conducted to test blockchain technology's moderation influences only the constructs' relations.

The clubbing of sustainable supply chain practices and blockchain technology is a novel idea in the apparel industry; however, there are more constructs in the context of practice-based theory and supply chain which impact firm performance. Also, the research limits itself from discussing IT infrastructure and smart contract types that impact the technology's performance.

The study provides a framework for interpreting the synergetic influence of SSCP on firm social, environmental and economic performances, which is demanded both by consumers and regulators in an industry. The results suggest that managers sustainably design the production ecosystem, thus eliminating any discrepancy or slackness in the complete chain. Usually, suppliers are ignored, which are precursors in implementing SSCP.

The paper studies sustainability problems through ecological modernization theory and practical-based theory giving a unique perspective on the issue faced by the apparel industry and combining sustainable supply chain practices and blockchain.

Islamic finance growth depends on factors that are crucial for fostering positive perceptions and increasing acceptance, particularly in Muslim countries. This study aims to investigate the influence of awareness, knowledge, religion and the advantages on perceptions of Shariah scholars toward Islamic banks in Pakistan and the mediating role of attitude.

The study collected data through a questionnaire from 200 Shariah scholars in Pakistan who have completed or are currently enrolled in Islamic banking and finance courses. It employed exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses using SPSS and AMOS software to analyze the data to evaluate measurement and structural models, ensuring the validity and reliability of the constructs and testing hypotheses to examine the relationships among factors and perception.

The study identified a significant influence of knowledge and attitude on perception, thus supporting H3 and H9. H2, H6 and H8 indicate an insignificant impact of awareness, religious motivation and advantage on perception. This highlights the need for Islamic banks to bridge academic and industry gaps, ensuring that their promotional efforts emphasize monitoring by Sharia committees. The research revealed significant impacts of factors on attitude, confirming H1, H3, H5 and H7. Importantly, attitude was found to play a pivotal role as a mediator between factors and Shariah scholars’ perceptions of Islamic banking in Pakistan.

By investigating the perspectives of Shariah scholars, this research seeks to provide insights into enhancing the understanding and development of Islamic banking practices within the context of Islamic principles and global financial landscapes.

This research contributes to the field by uniquely focusing on Shariah scholars’ perceptions of Islamic banking, addressing a significant gap in literature because little research has been conducted to address these issues from the Shariah scholars’ perspectives.

This study evaluates the impact of environmental innovation (EI) on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) along with mediating role of green branding among the production oriented small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) based on the resource-based view (RBV) and ecological modernization theories.

The study compiled data through questionnaire-based survey and inspected via partial least square structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM) to find results.

The findings indicate that EI aligns positive significant association with SDGs among the production SMEs. The study also discovers that green branding mediates between EI and SDGs.

The results have interesting implications for policy and explicate the practitioners to apply the techniques of eco-organizational innovation, eco-product innovation and eco-process innovation to achieve SDGs.

Even, the topics of EI and SDGs have gained significant attention, but this is the first study in these domains.