Visions for Sustainability
type: channel
publisher: Università degli Studi di Torino
language: en-US
publication name: Visions for Sustainability
issn: 2384-8677
items: Planetary health impairments and the myopia pandemic
items: Are we on the right track for mitigating climate change?
items: Towards an eco-surplus culture
items: Peace with nature as the new nature of peace
items: EDITORIAL - On natures and human nature. Ethics, aesthetics, ecologies
items: Visions and Ecologies: A comparative analysis on human-nature relationship
items: The planetary man
items: Natures, territories and the Breath of Life.
items: Revolutionary grounds: political ontology of Zapatista land relations
items: Climate Resilience to Floods on Rural Roads in Cambodia
items: Ecosystem-based adaptation as a strategy to increase climate resilience of small island communities in Indonesia
items: Circular economy in action
items: The sustainability lag
items: Land use conflicts
items: Theories and models for sustainable agroecology business networks
items: Rethinking sustainability
items: Green Mindfulness: A systematic review of the literature

Planetary health impairments and the myopia pandemic
type: item
description: The Rockefeller Foundation–Lancet Commission defines planetary health as: the achievement of the highest attainable standard of health, wellbeing, and equity worldwide through judicious attention to the human systems—political, economic, and social—that shape the future of humanity and the Earth's natural systems that define the safe environmental limits within which humanity can flourish. Put simply, planetary health is the health of human civilisation and the state of the natural systems on which it depends (Whitmee et al., 2015, p.1978). While this definition clearly demonstrates what is at stake for human systems if the state of natural systems is disrupted, putting emphasis first on humanity and the consequences for human civilisation of such disruption rather than on the equilibria of natural systems as the basis for planetary health, still places the analysis within an anthropocentric perspective. Inverting the emphasis to give priority to natural systems and humanity’s ecological niches and roles (together with all the other species that are currently present in the biosphere) within these systems establishes an ecocentric perspective. This enables clearer vision for understanding and addressing complex, interrelated causes of planetary health impairment such as climate change, biodiversity loss, urbanisation and its effects, damage to coastal areas, wetlands loss and damage, land degradation and desertification, forest clearance and land cover change, freshwater depletion and contamination, and numerous others, and the reciprocal interactions these have with human systems. A recurring myopic focus on climate change At this time of the year, as the dust settles on the latest edition of the annual COP meeting, particular attention is paid to climate change, both in terms of published scientific research and media coverage. The outcome of the recent COP 30 exemplifies various aspects of how myopia is a condition that afflicts humanity at two levels, both of wh…
creator: Martin Dodman
creator: Ramsey Affifi
creator: Jean-Louis Aillon
creator: Osman Arrobbio
creator: Matteo Calabrese
creator: Elena Camino
creator: Laura Colucci-Gray
creator: Enzo Ferrara
creator: Silvano Folco
creator: Giuseppe Barbiero
rights: Copyright (c) 2025 Visions for Sustainability
date: 2025-12-11
publication date: 2025-12-11
starting page: 24
ending page: 11
doi: 10.13135/2384-8677/13028

Are we on the right track for mitigating climate change?
type: item
description: Climate change, primarily driven by human activities, is becoming one of the most urgent global challenges of our time. Over the past decade, significant efforts have been made to address the climate change crisis, resulting in certain impacts in combating climate change and raising awareness about its consequences. This paper critically assesses global climate mitigation efforts, highlighting both achievements and persistent shortcomings. Despite growth in renewable energy, international agreements, and technological innovation, as well as a carbon market, greenhouse gas emissions remain at record highs, and climate impacts continue to accelerate. Key strategies that predominantly rely on a growth-oriented paradigm and technological solutions have fallen short, often reinforcing existing exploitation paradigms rather than transforming them. Drawing on Granular Interaction Thinking Theory (GITT), the paper proposes transitioning from an eco-deficit to an eco-surplus culture—one that views ecological restoration and protection as fundamental for socio-economic well-being and development. Mitigating climate change requires not only scaling proven solutions but also reimagining socio-economic and governance structures to align with planetary boundaries and long-term sustainability.
creator: Viet-Phuong La
creator: Minh-Hoang Nguyen
creator: Thanh Tu Tran
creator: Quan-Hoang Vuong
rights: Copyright (c) 2025 Visions for Sustainability
date: 2025-07-22
publication date: 2025-07-22
starting page: 24
ending page: 275
doi: 10.13135/2384-8677/12060

Towards an eco-surplus culture
type: item
description: Following the Paris Agreement, global actors intensified climate action through ambitious pledges, financial alliances, and investments in green technologies. However, despite continued rises in atmospheric carbon concentrations and global temperatures, a series of structural regressions have emerged, exposing the deep vulnerabilities and inherent flaws of artificial environmental protection systems—systems predominantly shaped by mainstream economics’ growth-oriented and technology-centric paradigms. This paper, grounded in Granular Interaction Thinking Theory (GITT), seeks to uncover the logical flaws embedded in such systems. It explains how they perpetuate the illusion that perpetual economic growth is compatible with environmental protection through prioritizing investment in advanced—yet often costly, low-impact, and highly uncertain—technological solutions. This bias also results in an overdependence on a limited range of technologies, heightening the risk of economic bubble formation and immiserizing growth. To address these systemic shortcomings, we advocate for the adoption of the semiconducting principle of monetary and environmental value exchange. This principle ensures that environmental values can be translated into monetary values, but not vice versa—thereby preventing monetary valuation from undermining ecological sustainability. Operationalizing this principle effectively requires the cultivation of Nature Quotient (NQ) across society and a broader socio-cultural shift toward an eco-surplus culture, in which environmental protection, restoration, and regeneration are not peripheral trade-offs, but foundational preconditions for long-term economic resilience, political stability, and social well-being. Such a profound transition will inevitably increase systemic entropy—manifesting as uncertainty and disruption across established socio-cultural and political patterns, norms, and structures. Accordingly, this paper also explores the major challenges …
creator: Quan-Hoang Vuong
creator: Minh-Hoang Nguyen
creator: Viet-Phuong La
rights: Copyright (c) 2025 Visions for Sustainability
date: 2025-08-20
publication date: 2025-08-20
starting page: 24
ending page: 344
doi: 10.13135/2384-8677/12178

Peace with nature as the new nature of peace
type: item
description: Mounting ecological crises—climate change, biodiversity loss, pollution, and resource depletion—act as “threat multipliers,” undermining livelihoods, intensifying insecurity, and fueling violent conflict. This perspective argues that peace in the twenty-first century must extend beyond the absence of armed conflict to encompass harmony between humanity and the natural environment. Lasting peace, therefore, requires reinvestment in ecosystems as critical foundations for resilience, prosperity, and stability. Cultivating Nature Quotient (NQ) - the capacity to perceive and act upon ecological interdependence - is a prerequisite for leaders and societies to secure peace with nature and safeguard civilization’s continuity.
creator: Quan-Hoang Vuong
creator: Viet-Phuong La
creator: Manh-Tung Ho
creator: Minh-Hoang Nguyen
rights: Copyright (c) 2025 Visions for Sustainability
date: 2025-10-08
publication date: 2025-10-08
starting page: 24
ending page: 369
doi: 10.13135/2384-8677/12531

EDITORIAL - On natures and human nature. Ethics, aesthetics, ecologies
type: item
description: The vision According to Raymond Williams (1980), the term nature is “a case of a definition of [a] quality which becomes, through real usage, based on certain assumptions, a description of the world”. What is most striking in the linguistic history of the term nature is the coexistence of that common idea, a state of nature, with the almost unnoticed, because so habitual, use of nature to indicate the inherent and essential quality of any particular thing [which] is, of course, much more than accidental. Indeed there is evidence that it is historically the earliest use. In Latin one would have said natura rerum, keeping nature to the essential quality and adding the definition of things. But then also in Latin natura came to be used on its own, to express the same general meaning: the essential constitution of the world. […] The multiplicity of things, and of living processes, might then be mentally organized around a single essence or principle: a nature (p.68). This “singular abstraction” becomes “a nominal continuity over more than two millennia” so pervasive “that we may not always realize quite all that it commits us to. A singular name for the real multiplicity of things and living processes may be held, with an effort, to be neutral, but I am sure it is very often the case that it offers, from the beginning, a dominant kind of interpretation: idealist, metaphysical, or religious” (p. 69), each of which has a specific historical and cultural context. The aim of this special section is to focus on the interpretation of this “singular abstraction” through the diverse lenses proposed by the contributions to the international conference Natures and Human Nature. Ethics, aesthetics, ecologies. A comparative approach, organized by Viviana Toro Matuk and Salima Cure in April 2024. The conference was designed as an occasion for reflecting from different disciplinary perspectives on the possibility of using the analytical tools of British anthropologist Mary Douglas’s …
creator: Viviana L. Toro Matuk
creator: Martin Dodman
rights: Copyright (c) 2025 Visions for Sustainability
date: 2025-12-09
publication date: 2025-12-09
starting page: 24
ending page: 379
doi: 10.13135/2384-8677/12986

Visions and Ecologies: A comparative analysis on human-nature relationship
type: item
description: Drawing on contributions to the conference Natures and Human Nature. Ethics, Aesthetics, Ecologies. A Comparative Approach, held on April 24, 2024, this article proposes a reading based on Douglas, Vildavsky and Thompson’s Cultural Theory of different “visions” of the natural world. Cultural theory posits that there are four cultural configurations or worldviews that influence how human beings represent their relationships with the environment and how they think about themselves. Individualists believe that nature is robust and benign and that human beings are autonomous and driven by self-interest. Hierarchical groupings perceive nature as a stable system governed by authoritative positions. In such a society, individuals are regarded as passive and require governance by robust and reliable institutions. Egalitarianism views nature as delicate and interconnected, highlighting reciprocal care and equality as fundamental principles. Fatalism embraces a perspective characterized by chaos, wherein neither nature nor humanity adheres to a discernible or rational order. Ethnographic experiences and theoretical reflections demonstrate how these configurations can be useful when evaluating both field research results and disciplinary epistemological frameworks.
creator: Viviana L. Toro Matuk
rights: Copyright (c) 2025 Visions for Sustainability
date: 2025-10-21
publication date: 2025-10-21
starting page: 24
ending page: 396
doi: 10.13135/2384-8677/12657

The planetary man
type: item
description: Despite evidence of a biblical influence on the anthropocentric model of man’s dominance over nature, some trends of Christian thought dialogue with the contemporary philosophical and anthropological insights on nature and human relationship with it. Beside Pope Francis’ relevant contribution to the debate on climate change and anthropocentrism at large, and his call for integral ecology, other Christian experiences are of great interest in this regard. The article focuses on the work of an Italian Catholic thinker who anticipated some of the current theoretical questions about Anthropocene, and envisioned a novel post-Christian, generally post-religious and even post-cultural, cosmology which is worth to investigate. In L’uomo planetario (The Planetary Man) (1985), Ernesto Balducci presents a vision of human interdependence with nature, echoing themes later explored by posthumanist anthropology. Balducci advocates for transcending the human-centered view of nature as a separate object, and embracing a planetary consciousness, urging a re-evaluation of the human-nonhuman relationship. His perspective, which predates current onto-ecological debates, underscores the urgency of overcoming anthropocentrism and embracing a holistic approach to environmental stewardship. Balducci’s vision aligns astonishingly with Chakrabarty’s concept of the “planetary age” and resonates with his argument on overcoming sustainability toward planetary habitability. Revisiting Balducci’s insights, we can find inspiration in our constant search for new visionary visions of nature and our place within it.
creator: Francesco Della Costa
rights: Copyright (c) 2025 Visions for Sustainability
date: 2025-10-14
publication date: 2025-10-14
starting page: 24
ending page: 410
doi: 10.13135/2384-8677/12658

Natures, territories and the Breath of Life.
type: item
description: The Murui people’s concept of Jagɨyɨ or Jafaikɨ signifies Breath of Life. This concept represents the genesis and the end of the Murui existence, as it was exhaled by Moó and the material world was created. Furthermore, it is the sole means through which human life is possible, as we breathe. This study presents Jagɨyɨ or Jafaikɨ as a native aesthetics or philosophy of life. It demonstrates how this concept is perpetuated through the contextualisation of social practices according to events lived in and out of the territory of origin. I conducted interviews with several elders and participated in community events in Leticia in the context of academic projects and cultural rituals. Furthermore, I conducted a review of the relevant literature. I present four examples illustrative of the maintenance of Jagɨyɨ or Jafaikɨ has occurred in recent times: 1. The foundation of Nɨmaɨrafiya or the Indigenous School ‘House of Knowledge’; 2. The cooling of the presence of illegal armies and the internal war in territories; 3. The cooling of daily life in foreign lands; 4. The contribution to the Commission of Truth’s Final Report. I conclude that the symbolic and physical violence expressed through extractivist economies, internal armed conflict and displacement from the place of origin are the events recognised as decisive for the hybridization of social practices, and the maintenance of Jagɨyɨ or Jafaikɨ represents a strategy for the defence of the cultures, natures and territories of the Murui people, which may be regarded as contemporaneous native aesthetics.
creator: Judy Marcela Chaves-Agudelo
rights: Copyright (c) 2025 Visions for Sustainability
date: 2025-12-02
publication date: 2025-12-02
starting page: 24
ending page: 426
doi: 10.13135/2384-8677/12799

Revolutionary grounds: political ontology of Zapatista land relations
type: item
description: This study explores Zapatista communities' relationship with the land and their participation in transnational networks of coffee distribution, focusing on the political ontologies behind their resistance to capitalist destruction. The research highlights how their collective fight challenges privatization and extractive economies by analyzing their approach to land through the lens of political ecology and anthropology. Rooted in indigenous ontologies blended with anticapitalist ideologies, the Zapatistas' rejection of private property and their creation of autonomous territories represent a radical stance in the ongoing struggle for indigenous rights and agrarian reform in Mexico. Ethnographic fieldworks with both Zapatista producers and European solidarity networks reveal tensions between autonomy, processes of political subjectivization, and resistance to commodification, as well as the risk of romanticizing indigenous and peasant movements. The research contextualizes these dynamics within broader challenges posed by increasing violence, state repression, and organized crime in Chiapas. The findings contribute to ongoing debates about the commons, indigenous autonomy, and the contradictions of participating in transnational markets. By integrating insights from anthropology, political ontology, and social movement studies, this research offers a deeper understanding of how Zapatista communities and their allies strive to build sustainable economic lives, underlying their significance in reimagining dignifying alternatives to current predatory capitalism.
creator: Miria Gambardella
rights: Copyright (c) 2025 Visions for Sustainability
date: 2025-12-08
publication date: 2025-12-08
starting page: 24
ending page: 445
doi: 10.13135/2384-8677/12716

Climate Resilience to Floods on Rural Roads in Cambodia
type: item
description: This article examines the vulnerability of rural roads in Cambodia to flooding, with a focus on enhancing climate resilience through spatial and hydrological analysis. The study utilizes Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and a Rational Method to assess flood risks and identify infrastructure vulnerabilities in Siem Reap Province. Data from a 12-year period (2012–2023) was analyzed to evaluate changes in rainfall intensity and peak discharge, revealing that certain road segments, particularly Siem Reap Roads 03 and 04, are highly susceptible to flooding. GIS-based flood mapping pinpointed flood-prone areas, while the Rational Method provided estimates of peak runoff, helping to identify critical infrastructure segments in need of upgrades. The findings demonstrate that road networks in low-lying areas and near water bodies are particularly vulnerable, with the highest peak discharge recorded in 2020, reflecting the growing impact of climate variability. To mitigate these identified risks, the study recommends infrastructure improvements such as enhanced drainage systems, road elevation, and the use of permeable materials. These results offer valuable insights for policymakers and engineers to prioritize investments and develop climate-resilient infrastructure strategies. Integrating climate resilience into rural road planning allows Cambodia to reduce adverse flood impacts on transportation and fosters sustainable rural development.
creator: Monirath Ly
creator: Chunho Yeom
rights: Copyright (c) 2025 Visions for Sustainability
date: 2025-06-10
publication date: 2025-06-10
starting page: 24
ending page: 37
doi: 10.13135/2384-8677/11406

Ecosystem-based adaptation as a strategy to increase climate resilience of small island communities in Indonesia
type: item
description: The climate crisis is a global challenge significantly affecting the sustainability of both human system and ecosystem. Due to their geographical circumstances, communities on small islands are more vulnerable to its impacts. This study critically examines the potential of the ecosystem-based climate change adaptation model (Ecosystem-Based Adaptation) to increase climate resilience in small island communities, particularly in Indonesia. Through a semi-systematic literature review of 31 key studies, this research analyzes the characteristics of small island climate vulnerability and resilience, then compare the findings to Indonesia context. Ecosystem-Based Adaptation has several advantages compared to other climate adaptation models; however, some challenges and limitations associated with its implementation are also identified. Findings suggest that for Ecosystem-Based Adaptation to be effective, it needs to be community-led alongside empowerment, integrative-collaborative, and adaptive. Furthermore, the literature review identified critical gaps in current research on Ecosystem-Based Adaptation on small islands, offering valuable avenues for further exploration and advancement of this vital adaptation approach.
creator: Kandi Sekarwulan
creator: Tutik Rachmawati
rights: Copyright (c) 2025 Visions for Sustainability
date: 2025-09-12
publication date: 2025-09-12
starting page: 24
ending page: 67
doi: 10.13135/2384-8677/11566

Circular economy in action
type: item
description: Circular Economy (CE) integrates social and environmental considerations into business strategies, recognizing these aspects as crucial for achieving organizational and ecosystems sustainability. While previous studies on CE and its correlation with Creating Shared Value (CSV) predominantly focus on developed nations, this research aims to fill the gap by showing an empirical investigation of the implementation of a circular business model in the tapioca industry of Indonesia. This study employed the Triple Bottom Line (TBL) framework, encompassing economic, environmental, and social performance and analysed 132 survey responses from tapioca business managers and owners in Indonesia using a quantitative approach with SmartPLS 4. The findings indicate that CE and CSV practices positively influence TBL performance and reveal a strong association between CE practices and CSV opportunities. By aligning with the TBL framework, this study highlights the transformative potential of CE and CSV practices in driving sustainability, profitability, and social equity in the global agroindustry.
creator: Hudi Istanto
creator: Andiyanci
creator: Cahya Mulyawati
creator: Evi Rinawati Simanjuntak
rights: Copyright (c) 2025 Visions for Sustainability
date: 2025-06-06
publication date: 2025-06-06
starting page: 24
ending page: 91
doi: 10.13135/2384-8677/11824

The sustainability lag
type: item
description: While digital technologies are expanding rapidly in developing countries, their environmental consequences - particularly electronic waste (e-waste) - remain poorly integrated into digital development discourse. Most existing studies treat digital readiness and environmental sustainability as distinct domains, offering limited empirical evidence on how digital infrastructure impacts waste management, especially across regions with varied governance capacities. This study addresses this gap by analyzing whether higher digital readiness correlates with improved e-waste management in 40 developing countries - 20 from Africa and 20 from Asia. Drawing on cross-national data, the study uses indicators such as the ICT Development Index (IDI), AI Readiness Index, GDP per capita, urbanization rate, and e-waste formally collected and recycled. Descriptive analysis shows that while the average ICT score was 4.12 (on a 10-point scale), only 14.2% of e-waste was formally recycled across the sample, with Africa averaging under 5%. Regression results reveal that in Africa, both IDI (β = 2.49, p < 0.001) and GDP per capita (β = 0.0012, p = 0.011) significantly predicted recycling rates, while in Asia, these relationships were weaker and statistically non-significant. AI Readiness was not a strong predictor in either region. These findings imply that digital infrastructure alone is insufficient for sustainable outcomes and must be paired with effective governance and investment in environmental systems. The study’s novelty lies in its cross-regional, comparative approach, bridging digital development and environmental sustainability. Theoretically, it extends Ecological Modernization Theory by demonstrating that technological capacity must be mediated by policy effectiveness. Empirically, it introduces the concept of a “sustainability lag” to explain why rising digital access does not automatically translate into improved environmental outcomes in the Global South.
creator: Sylvester Ngome Chisika
creator: Chunho Yeom
rights: Copyright (c) 2025 Visions for Sustainability
date: 2025-11-28
publication date: 2025-11-28
starting page: 24
ending page: 111
doi: 10.13135/2384-8677/12529

Land use conflicts
type: item
description: Mangrove ecosystems are considered vulnerable environments with a high risk of disappearing due to anthropogenic activities. Currently, territories prioritize economic development over the conservation of environmental resources, which paradoxically sustain their economy and, therefore, their own existence. This is the case of the Mangrove Community Reserve of the Portoviejo River Estuary, an ecosystem that has been affected since 1950 by the expansion of urban boundaries, intensive agricultural practices, and, most notably, aquaculture activities, which have deforested approximately 86% of the original mangrove cover. Consequently, the purpose of this research was to understand how urban expansion, driven by the population growth of the communities within the estuary’s biocorridor and their associated economic activities, has generated significant land-use conflicts that hinder conservation efforts for the remaining mangroves in the community reserve. Three methodological phases were applied: (a) characterization of the study area, (b) evaluation of human interactions and environmental pressure, and (c) identification of key patterns driving land-use changes. It was concluded that the urban footprint has increased by 146% since 2006, the population is growing around the mangrove reserve, and their socio-productive activities have fragmented the ecosystem and transformed the natural landscape. It is estimated that 407.55 hectares of mangrove forest have disappeared over the past seven decades due to indiscriminate logging for the construction of shrimp farms and agricultural plots, causing significant environmental alterations in the reserve.
creator: Luis Alberto Zambrano Ureta
creator: Marcos Javier Vera Vera
creator: Gabriel Antonio Navarrete Schettini
creator: Anthony Miguel Rodriguez Solórzano
rights: Copyright (c) 2025 Visions for Sustainability
date: 2025-06-07
publication date: 2025-06-07
starting page: 24
ending page: 134
doi: 10.13135/2384-8677/11819

Theories and models for sustainable agroecology business networks
type: item
description: We study theories and models for sustainable agroecology business networks and lessons applicable to agroecology businesses and markets in Eastern Uganda. Agroecology, as both a science and social movement, offers promising solutions for building resilient food systems. However, transitioning from conventional market-driven agriculture to agroecology-based systems presents challenges, particularly in the marketing of agroecological products. To address this gap, we examine various theories and models for sustainable agroecological business networks, aiming to identify interventions that catalyse the transitioning and sustainability of agroecological business networks through enhanced marketing. Methods involved document analysis, following interpretive qualitative research, and stakeholder participatory market system mapping and development. The results indicated seven theories shaping the principles and practices of agroecology business networks, one approach for developing market systems, and ten models for social, economic, and environmental interventions in agroecology networks. The Model for Women’s Entrepreneurship in Agroecology and Food Systems scored the highest at 93% to address the disablers of transitioning towards agroecology. From this model, and with support of other literature, we proposed the EquiAgro; A gender-inclusive Agroecological Business Model for Agroecology Business Networks and Markets. Our conclusions provide strategies for co-creating sustainable, resilient and socially inclusive agricultural systems that prioritize environmental stewardship and community well-being.
creator: Stella Namanji
creator: Charles Ssekyewa
creator: Catherine Awidi
rights: Copyright (c) 2025 Visions for Sustainability
date: 2025-06-06
publication date: 2025-06-06
starting page: 24
ending page: 173
doi: 10.13135/2384-8677/11823

Rethinking sustainability
type: item
description: In the face of intensifying environmental degradation and unsustainable consumption trends, fostering sustainable consumption behaviour among university students has become a strategic imperative for global sustainability agendas. Although environmental education is widely endorsed as a key driver of pro-environmental behaviour, its real-world impact often remains limited when psychosocial dynamics are overlooked. This study investigates how conformity, social environment, and self-concept function as moderating factors that enhance the impacts of environmental education on sustainable consumption behaviour. Employing a large-scale quantitative design, data were collected from students across 122 public universities in Indonesia using structured questionnaires. The model was tested using Structural Equation Modelling with Partial Least Squares (SEM-PLS) through WarpPLS. The findings reveal that these psychosocial factors significantly strengthen the link between environmental education and sustainable consumption, suggesting that social identity and peer context are critical enablers of behavioural change. The study offers a novel contribution to the sustainable consumption literature by integrating educational, social, and psychological constructs within a cohesive theoretical framework. It also provides actionable insights for higher education institutions and policymakers to design transformative educational interventions that cultivate social influence, internalized norms, and environmentally responsible identities among students.
creator: Kemal Budi Mulyono
creator: Suratno
creator: M. Fathur Rahman
rights: Copyright (c) 2025 Visions for Sustainability
date: 2025-10-28
publication date: 2025-10-28
starting page: 24
ending page: 206
doi: 10.13135/2384-8677/12670

Green Mindfulness: A systematic review of the literature
type: item
description: Introduction. Humans possess an innate tendency towards life which, through fascination, facilitates the restoration of directed attention and stress recovery. Given the increasing urbanization, integrating Nature contact with mindfulness - a practice known for its analogous mental health benefits - is gaining attention. This systematic review investigates whether Nature-based mindfulness (Green Mindfulness) is synergistic, neutral, or antagonistic compared to indoor mindfulness or Nature exposure considered separately. Methodology. Following PRISMA guidelines, a systematic search on Google Scholar using the string "Nature-based mindfulness" AND (empirical OR experimental) was conducted, yielding 129 results. After screening, twenty empirical studies published in 2023–2024 were included, with only nine featuring a comparator activity in a real natural environment. Participants included adolescents and adults, healthy subjects, and those with mental/physical vulnerabilities. Outcomes included psychological (stress, anxiety, mood, Nature connectedness) and physiological (cortisol, heart rate) measures. Results. All twenty studies reported positive effects on well-being and health. However, the comparative analysis of the nine controlled studies showed heterogeneous outcomes, indicating that Nature-based mindfulness is not unequivocally superior to comparison conditions, with results being synergistic, neutral, or even antagonistic depending on the variable. Specifically, antagonistic effects and neutral effects were observed for some variables. Discussion and Conclusions. The field of Nature-based mindfulness is emerging and highly heterogeneous in activity design and reporting. The lack of superior efficacy in some studies suggests that formal, introspective mindfulness may impede the necessary sensory relationship with the environment. An ecopsychological perspective is proposed for future research, advocating for an ecocentric green mindfulness model that includes …
creator: Lucia Ghezzi
creator: Marcella Danon
creator: Giuseppe Barbiero
rights: Copyright (c) 2025 Visions for Sustainability
date: 2025-10-10
publication date: 2025-10-10
starting page: 24
ending page: 223
doi: 10.13135/2384-8677/12667