Author Guidelines

1. Paper Relevance

Future – EPSD is committed to publishing original, high-impact research in the fields of environmental policy, climate governance, and sustainable development. Submitted manuscripts should tackle critical environmental challenges and propose innovative, scalable, and evidence-based solutions. Contributions must demonstrate both theoretical depth and practical applicability, with clear policy implications.

We encourage submissions that address sustainability in diverse domains, including but not limited to environmental regulation, climate adaptation, resource management, green innovation, and environmental justice. Applied case studies and policy implementation reports are welcome if they offer insightful analysis and generalizable lessons for the field.

2. Scope of Topics

The journal accepts papers across a wide range of topics, including but not limited to:

  • Environmental policy analysis and reform

  • Climate change mitigation and adaptation strategies

  • Governance of ecosystem services and natural resources

  • Circular economy and sustainable production

  • Green infrastructure and urban resilience

  • Environmental justice and equity frameworks

  • Cross-sectoral policy integration (e.g., energy-water-food nexus)

  • Monitoring, evaluation, and indicators for sustainable development

3. Criteria for Judging Papers

Submissions will be evaluated based on the following core criteria:

  • Originality: The research should present new frameworks, methods, or evidence within environmental policy or sustainability science.

  • Significance and Relevance: Contributions must address timely and pressing global sustainability issues.

  • Scientific and Methodological Soundness: The study should be well-founded, methodologically rigorous, and clearly justified.

  • Presentation Quality: Manuscripts should be logically structured, professionally written, and follow academic standards in formatting and citation.

Manuscripts that fall short in these areas may be returned for revision or rejected.

4. Expectations for Paper Content

Accepted manuscripts are expected to meet the following:

  • Motivation and Objectives: Clearly define the environmental or policy problem being addressed and its real-world importance.

  • Novelty and Contribution: Highlight what is new or better than existing solutions or frameworks, and provide comparative insight with existing literature or policies.

  • Empirical or Theoretical Evidence: Submissions must include robust evidence, case studies, or theoretical justification supporting the effectiveness and relevance of the work.

  • Comparative Analysis: Clearly situate your research within the current body of work, identifying gaps addressed and contributions made.

5. Paper Types

The journal welcomes the following categories:

  • Theoretical and Methodological Papers: Introducing new conceptual frameworks or analytical tools with relevance to environmental policy or sustainability.

  • Empirical Papers: Presenting data-driven research or evaluations with real-world policy impact.

  • Policy and Practice Reports: Offering detailed insights from policy implementation, pilot projects, or regional sustainability initiatives with potential for broader application.

6. Manuscript Specifications

To maintain consistency and quality, submissions must:

  • Use the Official Template: Manuscripts should be formatted according to the journal’s template, including sections such as title, abstract, keywords, introduction, literature review, methodology, results, discussion, conclusion, and references.

  • Abstract and Keywords: Provide a structured abstract (150–250 words) summarizing goals, methods, results, and implications. Include 5 keywords.

  • Length and Focus: There is no strict page limit, but manuscripts should be focused, complete, and aligned with the journal’s aims.

  • Figures and Tables: Ensure clarity and resolution (minimum 300 dpi). All visual content must be properly labeled and integrated into the text.

  • Equations and Symbols: Clearly define all symbols and variables. Number equations sequentially.

  • References: Use APA 6th edition citation style. List references alphabetically at the end and cite them appropriately in the text.

  • Supplementary Material: Any additional data, appendices, or visuals should be submitted separately but referenced within the manuscript.

7. Authorship and Submission Policies

  • Authorship: All listed authors must have made significant intellectual contributions and take responsibility for the content.

  • Ethics and Integrity: Authors must comply with ethical standards, disclose conflicts of interest, and confirm the originality of submitted work.

  • Prior Publication: Submissions must not be under review elsewhere or previously published. Overlapping content must be clearly disclosed.

  • Submission Portal: All manuscripts must be submitted through the Future-EPSD portal using the official template.

8. Submission Process

To submit your manuscript:

  • Prepare your paper using the official Future-EPSD template.

  • Submit through the online submission portal.

  • For questions or technical issues, contact the editorial office at: epsd@fupress.org