Article Processing Charge | Journal of Environmental Science and Sustainable Development | School of Environmental Science | Universitas Indonesia
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Article Processing Charge

  1. Article Processing Charges (APC) Policy

    General Information on JESSD's Article Processing Charges
    The Journal of Environmental Science and Sustainable Development operates as a full open-access journal, providing immediate, unrestricted access to all published content without subscription barriers. This publishing model maximizes the dissemination, visibility, and impact of our authors' research while ensuring long-term sustainability of our publishing operations.
    Our carefully calibrated APC structure supports numerous essential publishing functions, including rigorous peer review administration, professional editorial services, advanced digital publishing technologies, and comprehensive indexing—all critical components in maintaining the high standards expected of a Scopus-indexed journal. The implementation of these charges enables us to sustain and enhance our publishing infrastructure while continuously improving author and reader experiences.

    Standard APC Structure
    Effective April 10, 2025, all manuscripts submitted to JESSD will be subject to an Article Processing Charge of USD 250 per accepted manuscript. This fee becomes applicable only after a manuscript has successfully completed our rigorous peer review process and received a formal acceptance decision. The APC covers comprehensive publication services, including:

    • Thorough management of the double-blind peer review process
    • Professional content editing and structural formatting
    • Multi-format publication (full-text HTML and PDF)
    • Assignment and registration of persistent Digital Object Identifiers (DOIs)
    • Search engine optimization for improved discoverability
    • Long-term digital preservation through multiple archiving systems
    • Comprehensive indexing in major academic databases including Scopus
    • Perpetual hosting on our secure, state-of-the-art publishing platform
    • Technical support for authors and readers
    This fee structure has been established after careful benchmarking against comparable Scopus-indexed journals and represents a balanced approach to sustaining quality publishing operations while keeping costs reasonable for our author community.

    Mandatory Professional Proofreading Requirement In alignment with our commitment to publishing excellence and to ensure consistency with international language standards, JESSD has implemented a mandatory professional proofreading requirement for all accepted manuscripts. This policy ensures linguistic clarity, precision, and readability across all our publications, enhancing both comprehension and impact.
    All manuscripts accepted for publication must be accompanied by certification of professional proofreading from one of the following internationally recognized language editing services:

    The proofreading certificate must be submitted after manuscript acceptance and before the commencement of production, the certificate should clearly indicate the service provider, date of completion, and confirmation that all reviewer suggestions have been addressed. This requirement applies universally to all manuscripts regardless of the authors' native language or English proficiency, ensuring consistent quality and clarity throughout our published content. Authors must ensure that proofreading covers not only grammatical accuracy but also technical terminology, clarity of expression, and adherence to scientific writing conventions.

    Policy Application for Ongoing Submissions: It is important to emphasize that all manuscripts currently in our system that were submitted before April 10, 2025, will also be required to undergo professional proofreading if they receive an acceptance decision. This ensures consistency in our quality standards during the transition period. Authors with ongoing submissions should anticipate this requirement and prepare accordingly once they receive an acceptance notification.

    Editorial Proofreading Option
    Recognizing that some authors may face challenges in accessing external proofreading services, JESSD offers an alternative editorial proofreading service through our specialized editorial team. Authors who opt for this service will be charged an additional fee, which covers comprehensive language editing, technical terminology verification, and formatting adjustments.
    This service includes:

    • Comprehensive language editing by subject-matter experts
    • Technical terminology verification
    • Standardization of scientific nomenclature and units
    • Formatting according to JESSD guidelines
    • Follow-up support for author queries
    Authors interested in utilizing this service should contact the editorial office at jessd@ui.ac.id for detailed information regarding costs, turnaround times, and specific terms and conditions. Manuscripts will not advance to the production stage until either appropriate external proofreading certification is provided or arrangements for editorial proofreading services have been finalized and confirmed.

    Payment Methods and Procedures
    Upon receiving formal acceptance of a manuscript, the corresponding author will receive an official invoice along with detailed payment instructions. JESSD offers multiple secure payment options to accommodate our international author community:

    1. Secure Bank Transfer: Complete banking details, including international and local transfer options, will be provided on the invoice. Authors should ensure that the manuscript ID is included in the transfer reference.
    2. Credit/Debit Card Payment: Through our PCI-compliant online payment portal, supporting major international cards including Visa, MasterCard, and American Express.
    3. PayPal: For convenient international transactions with minimal processing fees.
    4. Institutional Payment: For authors whose institutions maintain a payment agreement with JESSD.
    All financial transactions are processed through secure channels, with appropriate encryption and data protection measures in place. Official receipts and payment confirmations are issued promptly upon verification of payment. Authors are responsible for any applicable transaction fees, currency conversion charges, or taxes that may apply in their jurisdiction.

    APC Waiver and Discount Program
    JESSD is committed to promoting scholarly communication from all regions of the world and recognizes that financial constraints should not impede the dissemination of valuable scientific research. Our comprehensive waiver and discount program aims to support researchers facing genuine financial limitations:
    Eligibility Criteria:

    • Researchers based in Low-Income or Lower-Middle-Income countries as classified by the World Bank's most recent country classification
    • Early-career researchers without institutional or grant funding, upon verification
    • Research addressing critical environmental challenges in economically disadvantaged regions
    • Authors facing documented temporary financial hardship due to exceptional circumstances
    Waiver Types:
    • Full waivers: Complete exemption from APC (limited availability)
    • Partial waivers: Reduced APC of USD 125 (50% reduction)
    • Deferred payment plans: Extended payment schedules for qualifying authors
    Waiver applications must be submitted prior to manuscript submission through our dedicated online form, accompanied by appropriate supporting documentation. Each application undergoes thorough review by our Waiver Committee, which operates independently from the editorial team to ensure impartial evaluation and maintain the integrity of the peer review process.
    Due to limited resources, we cannot guarantee that all waiver requests will be approved. Decisions are made based on a combination of need assessment and available funding allocation for our waiver program. Authors will be notified of decisions regarding their waiver applications before their manuscripts enter the peer review process.

    APC Refund Policy
    Given the substantial resources allocated to manuscript processing, peer review coordination, and editorial assessment, APCs are generally non-refundable once payment has been processed. This policy reflects the significant investments already made in evaluating and preparing the manuscript for publication.
    However, JESSD recognizes that exceptional circumstances may occasionally warrant consideration of partial refunds:

    • In cases of demonstrable publisher error that significantly impacts the publication process
    • When excessive and unwarranted delays in publication (exceeding 12 months from acceptance) are attributable solely to the journal
    • When ethical concerns emerge after payment that prevent publication of the manuscript
    Refund requests must be submitted in writing to jessd@ui.ac.id with detailed justification and supporting documentation. Each request will be evaluated individually by the editorial board, with decisions typically provided within 30 working days.

  2. Article Withdrawal Policy


    Understanding Manuscript Withdrawal
    Manuscript withdrawal refers to the removal of a manuscript from the publication process after it has been formally submitted to JESSD. The journal strongly discourages withdrawals as they significantly disrupt the scholarly publishing ecosystem and represent a misuse of valuable academic resources.
    When authors submit a manuscript to JESSD, they initiate a comprehensive review process that involves multiple stakeholders—editors who evaluate and coordinate reviews, peer reviewers who donate their expertise and time, and editorial staff who manage the administrative aspects of the process. Withdrawal nullifies these investments and potentially delays the publication of other valuable research.
    Before submitting to JESSD, authors should carefully consider their commitment to publishing with our journal. By submitting your manuscript, you are agreeing to proceed through the entire publication process if your work is deemed scientifically sound and meets our quality standards. Withdrawal should never be taken as a routine option but rather as an exceptional measure in truly unavoidable circumstances.

    Withdrawal Policy Framework
    JESSD has established a clear withdrawal policy to protect the integrity of the scholarly publication process while acknowledging that exceptional circumstances may occasionally necessitate withdrawal. This policy aims to ensure fair treatment of all parties involved while deterring unjustified withdrawals.
    The only circumstance under which withdrawal may be considered without penalty is if there has been no update on review progress for more than six months from our editorial team, despite documented follow-up inquiries from the authors. In all other situations, manuscript withdrawal is strongly discouraged and, if granted, will be subject to significant penalties as outlined below.
    Authors should note that submission to JESSD implies that the manuscript is not being considered for publication elsewhere. Simultaneous submission to multiple journals is considered unethical scientific practice. Withdrawing a manuscript from JESSD after receiving an acceptance from another journal constitutes a serious breach of publication ethics and may result in additional consequences beyond our standard withdrawal penalties.

    Withdrawal Penalties
    To discourage unwarranted withdrawals and compensate for resources already expended, JESSD implements the following penalty structure:

    1. For manuscripts in the review process: If authors request withdrawal during the peer review phase (after initial screening but before final decision), a penalty fee of USD 500 will be applied. This fee compensates for editorial assessment, reviewer selection, and coordination efforts already expended.
    2. For accepted manuscripts: Withdrawal of a manuscript after it has received an acceptance decision but before entering production incurs a penalty of USD 500. This higher fee reflects the completed peer review cycle and editorial decision-making process.
    3. For manuscripts in production: Authors are strongly discouraged from withdrawing manuscripts that have entered the production phase (copyediting, typesetting, proofreading). The penalty for withdrawal at this stage remains USD 500 and reflects the substantial resources already invested in preparing the manuscript for publication.
    It is essential to understand that these penalties are not arbitrary but rather reflect the genuine costs—both financial and in terms of human resources—incurred during the manuscript handling process. Withdrawal not only disrupts journal operations but also affects the academic community more broadly by potentially delaying the publication of other research.

    Consequences of Non-Compliance
    Authors who request withdrawal but fail to pay the applicable penalty will face the following progressive consequences:

    1. The authors named on the manuscript will be blacklisted from future submissions to JESSD.
    2. The authors' institutional affiliations will be formally notified of the non-compliance with clear documentation of the circumstances.
    3. If non-compliance persists, the institutions themselves may be blacklisted, preventing consideration of submissions from any researchers at those institutions for a specified period.
    These measures are implemented with the utmost seriousness and only after multiple attempts to resolve the situation amicably. They represent necessary mechanisms to protect the integrity of the scholarly publishing process and the valuable contributions of our editors, reviewers, and compliant authors.

    Withdrawal Request Procedure
    If authors believe they have legitimate grounds for withdrawal, they must follow this procedure:

    1. The corresponding author must submit a formal withdrawal request to jessd@ui.ac.id using the same email address used during submission.
    2. The request must include the manuscript ID, title, a detailed explanation of the circumstances necessitating withdrawal, and acknowledgment of the applicable penalties.
    3. All co-authors must be copied on this communication to ensure transparency.
    4. The editorial team will review the request and respond with a decision, typically within 10 working days.
    5. If withdrawal is approved, an invoice for the applicable penalty will be issued.
    6. The manuscript will be officially withdrawn from our system only after full payment of the penalty.
    We sincerely hope this clarifies our withdrawal policy. Our goal is not to penalize authors but to maintain the integrity of the scholarly publication process and ensure fair treatment of all parties involved—authors, reviewers, editors, and the broader scientific community who benefit from timely access to new research findings.

    Implementation Timeline
    These comprehensive policies regarding Article Processing Charges and manuscript withdrawal will take effect for all manuscripts submitted on or after April 10, 2025. This implementation date provides authors with adequate notice to prepare for these changes. For manuscripts submitted before April 10, 2025, that are still in the review process at that time, the following transitional provisions apply:

    • The APC will be assessed at the rate in effect at the time of original submission
    • The mandatory proofreading requirement will apply upon acceptance for all manuscripts, regardless of submission date
    • The withdrawal policy will apply based on the manuscript's status as of April 10, 2025
    We emphasize that ongoing submissions that receive acceptance decisions, even if they were submitted before the implementation date, must comply with the professional proofreading requirement. This ensures consistent quality standards across all published content as we transition to our new policies.
    Authors with manuscripts currently under review are encouraged to contact the JESSD Editorial Office at jessd@ui.ac.id for specific guidance regarding their submissions and clarification on how these policies may apply to their particular circumstances.

    Contact Information
    For questions, clarification, or assistance regarding these policies, please contact:

    JESSD Editorial Office
    Email: jessd@ui.ac.id

    Our editorial team is committed to supporting authors throughout the publication process and providing clear guidance on all aspects of our policies and procedures. We strive to respond to all inquiries within 3 working days.

    We appreciate your understanding and cooperation as we implement these measures to strengthen JESSD's position as a leading Scopus-indexed journal in environmental science and sustainable development. These policies reflect our dedication to publishing excellence, ethical scholarly communication, and the advancement of knowledge in our field.