Call for Papers: Special Issue on Nature-Based Solutions and Circular Economy Frameworks for Ecosystem Restoration

Posted on 2026-08-06

Guest Editors:

1. Muhammed Aamer Mahmoud:
Professor, Department of Bioinformatics & Biotechnology, Government College University Faisalabad, Pakistan. ORCID: 0000-0001-9250-7260.

2. Ganjar Samudoro:
Associate Professor, Department of Environmental Engineering, Diponegoro University, Indonesia. ORCID: 0000-0002-3028-7239.

ESSD invites researchers, practitioners, and policymakers to submit manuscripts for the Special Issue "Nature-Based Solutions and Circular Economy Frameworks for Ecosystem Restoration."

Biodiversity loss, land degradation, and resource depletion are accelerating as global consumption patterns place mounting pressure on natural ecosystems. Addressing these interconnected challenges requires moving beyond conventional conservation approaches toward frameworks that actively integrate ecological restoration with resource efficiency and economic viability. Nature-based solutions (NbS) and circular economy principles offer complementary pathways: one restores and strengthens natural systems, while the other redesigns resource flows to minimize waste and extend material life cycles.

This Special Issue aims to bring together interdisciplinary research that integrates ecological restoration with bio-based technological innovations, economic modeling, sustainable resource management, and policy interventions. Contributions supporting the achievement of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 6 (Clean Water and Sanitation), SDG 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production), and SDG 15 (Life on Land), are especially encouraged.

Topics Covered

Submissions may include, but are not limited to, the following topics:

  • Upcycling of agricultural and industrial waste
  • Biological nutrient recovery
  • Life-cycle assessment of bio-based materials
  • Circular raw materials management and recycling technologies
  • Urban mining and critical raw material supply chains
  • Constructed wetlands for water treatment and flood mitigation
  • Mangrove restoration and coastal ecosystem recovery
  • Green roofs and urban forests for carbon sequestration
  • Regenerative farming practices
  • Contaminated soil remediation and terrestrial ecosystem protection
  • Valuation of ecosystem services
  • Circular economy business models
  • Policy frameworks for environmental quality and the built environment
Types of Articles
  • Research Articles
  • Review Articles
Important Dates
  • Submission Opens: 8 August 2026
  • Submission Deadline: 20 February 2027
  • Publication Date: 31 March 2027
Submission Instructions

Authors are invited to submit original manuscripts that have not been published or submitted elsewhere. All submissions will undergo the journal's standard peer-review process.

Manuscripts should be prepared according to the journal's author guidelines and submitted through the journal's online submission system here: Submit

For manuscript preparation requirements, formatting guidelines, and submission instructions, please refer to the journal's Submission Guidelines available here: Link