LAUSR

Achieving the 17 UN sustainable development goals (SDGs) and their 169 targets is a challenge, especially in regions where poverty and ecosystem degradation are major development constraints. Moreover, rapid economic growth and aspirations for higher living standards continue to put increasing pressure on natural resources, particularly in the context of climate change. Integrated innovative approaches and methods, based on state-of-the-art scientific knowledge and technology advancement, can be of great help in meeting these challenges. These could be adopted by decision makers in order to ensure proper development while preserving the environment. It is within this framework that this special issue of the Arabian Journal for Geosciences is dedicated to some of the latest developments in four main areas of SDGs: water, energy, environment and society. It encompasses a selection of 13 articles from more than 100 papers presented at two international conferences (ICWEES-2018 and IFWC-2018) held in Tunisia in 2018. The main results are as follows: