This checklist should be used alongside our Author Guidelines, which detail the full manuscript preparation requirements. Before completing this checklist, download the official ESSD manuscript template.

Complete all items before submitting. Incomplete submissions will be returned without review.

1. Editorial and Formatting Compliance

• Manuscript follows the official ESSD template
• Word count falls within the limits specified for the relevant article type
• Manuscript is written in clear, accurate academic English
• Title is clear, specific, and consistent with the paper's content
• Abstract is 150–250 words and summarizes objectives, methodology, and findings
• 5–8 keywords are provided, relevant, and not repetitive of the title

2. Originality and Scope

• Manuscript is original and not under review elsewhere
• Topic falls clearly within the scope of Environmental Science and Sustainable Development
• Research gap is clearly identified and justified
• Scientific contribution is explicitly stated

3. Literature Review and Theoretical Framework

• Literature review is relevant, critical, and well-structured
• References include recent and international sources, preferably from indexed journals
• Theoretical framework is coherent with research objectives
• Sources are critically discussed, not merely described

4. Research Objectives

• Research objectives are clearly defined and explicitly stated
• Research questions and hypotheses (if applicable) are clearly formulated
• Logical link between objectives, methodology, and results is clear

5. Methodology

• Methodology is clearly described, transparent, and replicable
• Research design, tools, data sources, and procedural steps are fully explained
• Methodological limitations are acknowledged
• For case studies: context, selection criteria, and scale of analysis are clearly defined

6. Results

• Results are presented clearly and separately from the discussion
• Tables and figures are numbered, cited in the text, and scientifically relevant
• Results include analytical insights beyond mere description

7. Discussion

• Results are interpreted in relation to existing literature
• Scientific contribution of findings is explicitly highlighted
• Discussion does not simply repeat results but provides interpretation and synthesis

8. Conclusions

• Conclusions clearly address research objectives
• Study limitations are acknowledged
• Directions for future research are identified

9. Ethics, Transparency, and Integrity

• All sources are properly cited and manuscript is free from plagiarism
• Any use of AI tools in manuscript preparation is disclosed in the Acknowledgements
• Data, images, and materials are original or used with appropriate permissions
• Conflicts of interest are declared or absence explicitly stated
• Data Availability Statement is included
• Author Contributions statement using CRediT taxonomy is included
• ORCID provided for all authors

10. References

• Reference list includes peer-reviewed sources
• References are up to date, prioritizing recent literature while including foundational works where appropriate
• All in-text citations appear in the reference list and vice versa
• References follow APA 7th edition format with complete details including DOIs
• Self-citations are limited, relevant, and scientifically justified

11. Submission Requirements

• Cover letter is included
• Author names and identifying information removed from manuscript for blind review
• All co-authors have been notified of the submission
• Ethics approval document included where research involves human participants

12. Alignment with International Quality Standards

• Manuscript presents a clear and identifiable scientific contribution
• Logical coherence is maintained across all sections
• Topic and findings are relevant at an international level
• Overall quality meets the standards of an international peer-reviewed journal