Critical Insights in Environmental Science and Technology
- GEMB CEA UNESP
- Apr 17
- 2 min read
The environmental science community now has a new platform dedicated to critical thinking and high-impact discussion with the launch of Critical Insights in Environmental Science and Technology (CIEST). As a selective, interdisciplinary, fully open access journal, CIEST is designed to go beyond descriptive studies, prioritizing research that delivers robust interpretation, integrates knowledge across fields, and provides a clear vision of where environmental science is heading. The inaugural editorial sets this tone, emphasizing the need to address urgent environmental challenges while advancing how we understand and respond to them.
The journal is structured around seven key thematic areas, including contaminant fate and transport, exposure and environmental health, innovative remediation and waste reduction technologies, climate-related environmental processes, alternative energy implications, novel assessment techniques, and emerging environmental issues. Central to its mission is a strong emphasis on interdisciplinary and collaborative research, as well as the encouragement of forward-looking, evidence-based perspectives that help anticipate future directions in the field.
CIEST also stands out for its editorial approach. The journal commits to rapid initial decisions, detailed and constructive peer review, and active support to maximize the clarity, accessibility, and visibility of published work. As an open access journal, all articles are immediately available, increasing readership and facilitating broader dissemination across both academic and applied communities.
Among its first published contributions, the article by Tiziana Tosco provides a comprehensive review of groundwater stress indices used for quantitative resource assessment. By systematically comparing different approaches and discussing their applications and limitations, the study offers a valuable framework for improving how groundwater stress is evaluated across regions. In the context of increasing pressure on water resources, such synthesis is particularly timely and relevant.
The launch of CIEST and its first publications represents an important step toward fostering more integrative, mechanism-oriented, and forward-thinking research in environmental science. The journal positions itself not only as a repository of knowledge, but as a space to actively shape the direction of the field.
Key highlights of the journal:
Scope: Interdisciplinary focus on urgent and emerging environmental issues, from contaminant dynamics to climate and energy
Approach: Emphasis on critical insights, integration of knowledge, and forward-looking, evidence-based perspectives
Peer review: Rapid initial decision (~5 days) and constructive, expert-led evaluation
Publication timeline: ~85 days to first post-review decision
Open access: Immediate and free availability, maximizing visibility and impact
Article types: Research Articles, Insights (reviews), Commentaries, and Methods papers
Editorial model: Strong community engagement, detailed feedback, and enhanced dissemination through accessible summaries
Editorial Board: Editor-in-Chief: Albert Juhasz (University of Adelaide, Australia)Senior Editors: John Kilbane (Illinois Institute of Technology, USA); Zhugen Yang (Cranfield University, UK)
Board Members include: Keith J. Bein, Laura Bulgariu, Alessandra Cincinelli, Rachel Ann Hauser-Davis, Iris Koch, Hongbo Li, Min Lv, Krystyna Malinska, Amauri Antonio Menegário, Lili Niu, Joana Prata, Tiziana Tosco, Chi-Wing Tsang, Chuanyi Wang, Paul Williams, and Yu (Frank) Yang.
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