Abstract The Achankovil River Basin (ARB) is a tropical region of the Western Ghats in Kerala, southern India, facing critical issues with groundwater sources from natural and human-induced activities. This study aims to identify pollution vulnerability to groundwater using a GIS-based DRASTIC-LC model and hydrochemical analysis. Land cover (LC) change (2000 – 2025) was incorporated to evaluate its impacts on groundwater vulnerability. The DRASTIC-LC map indicates a vulnerability index ranging from 74 to 235, classified into five zones such as very low (13%), low (52.2%), moderate (16.6%), high (16.8%), and very high (1.4%). A higher vulnerability rate has been noted in the western coastal and lateritic midlands due to the occurrence of unconfined aquifers with shallow groundwater (< 3 m bgl), characterized by high seepage flow (> 2000 L min⁻1), formed by coastal sandy alluvium under both natural and human-induced pressures. Wherein the eastern highlands with hard rock formations exhibit a lower vulnerability rate, due to deeper confined aquifers (> 12 m bgl), and lower permeability (< 500 L min⁻1). In the middle plateaus, the laterite formations were noticed with moderate vulnerability conditions. Model reliability was validated through the strong spatial agreement between high DRASTIC-LC index zones and elevated hydrochemical indicators (EC, TDS, Na⁺, Cl⁻, SO₄2⁻, and NO₃⁻). Multivariate analyses (PCA and HCA) further confirmed that depth to water table, recharge, vadose zone characteristics, hydraulic conductivity, and land cover are the dominant controls on groundwater vulnerability. Overall, groundwater vulnerability in the ARB is influenced by urban discharge, agricultural residues, sewage and industrial infiltration, LULC change, the expansion of impervious surfaces, and reduced recharge. The consistency between DRASTIC-LC indices, hydrochemical indicators (EC, TDS, Na⁺, Cl⁻, SO₄2⁻, and NO₃⁻), and multivariate statistical results demonstrates the effectiveness of this approach in identifying aquifers prone to pollution. It supports groundwater protection measures aligned with the United Nations SDGs 6, 13, and 15.
Mosaraf Hosan Nishat, Md. Habibur Rahman Bejoy Khan, Tahmeed Ahmed
et al.
Abstract The pollution in Dhaka's navigable waterways, including the Buriganga, Balu, Tongi Khal, and Turag rivers, is a significant concern due to rapid industrial and urban expansion. Industrial discharges, domestic sewage and inadequate waste management are the primary sources of this pollution, degrading water quality and threatening aquatic ecosystems. This study aimed to predict the Water Quality Index (WQI) of these rivers using fourteen machine learning (ML) models: Decision Tree Regression, Linear Regression, Ridge Regression, Stochastic Gradient Descent (SGD) Regressor, Extreme Gradient Boosting (XGB) Regressor, Light Gradient Boosting Machine (GBM) Regressor, Elastic Net Regressor, Support Vector Regression (SVM), Random Forest Regression, Bayesian Ridge Regressor, Artificial Neural Network (ANN), AdaBoost Regressor, CatBoost Regressor and Extra Trees Regressor. The objective was to evaluate and compare these models to identify the most effective predictive method for WQI, enabling efficient environmental monitoring and management of urban waterways. Among the evaluated ML models, ANN and Random Forest Regressor performed the best. The ANN model demonstrated superior predictive capability, achieving a Root Mean Squared Error (RMSE) of 2.34, a Mean Absolute Error (MAE) of 1.24, a Nash–Sutcliffe Efficiency (NSE) of 0.97, and a Coefficient of Determination (R2) of 0.97. Furthermore, an Adjusted R 2 value of 0.965 further confirmed its ability to capture complex patterns in water quality data with remarkable accuracy. These findings emphasize the importance of using AI modeling techniques, specifically ANN and Random Forest Regression, to improve the accuracy of WQI forecasts for the waterways. This study contributes to the field of environmental science by offering a novel integration of feature selection techniques with ML models to enhance efficiency and cost-effectiveness of water quality monitoring. Unlike previous studies, this research specifically addresses the challenges of urban waterways in Dhaka, Bangladesh, a region significantly impacted by industrial and urban pollution. To our knowledge, this is the first study to apply such a comprehensive range of ML models to predict the WQI of Dhaka’s four major rivers. By providing a reliable methodology for WQI estimation, this study supports informed decision-making and proactive measures to protect vital water resources.
This letter discusses the complex nature of plastics, why regulating plastics is a ‘wicked problem’, and the implications of a life cycle approach. The draft Global Plastics Treaty attempts to address two key problems: the cap on production and the problem of chemical additives in plastics. As a ‘wicked’ problem with many conflicting interests, dealing with plastics requires a holistic life cycle approach completely different from the Montreal Protocol. Strict and enforced limits on polymer production would reduce plastics pollution and also encourage a reduction in the range of additives, as limiting production would make mechanical or chemical recycling more viable. Used plastics need to be turned into a commodity rather than a waste, and reducing and standardising the number of different chemical formulations would help by reducing the number of chemicals to be regulated. To achieve these objectives, this letter argues for a regulatory approach based on a forensic analysis that applies extended environmental systems analysis to all the life cycle stages of the plastics value chain.
Georgia Kate Moloney, Gabrielle Grace Brien, Nellie May Shute
et al.
Accurate and rapid detection methodologies for monitoring the illicit trafficking of threatened species through highly exploited maritime routes are crucial to support law enforcement and conservation efforts. One of the most prominent trafficked species is the lion (Panthera leo), prized for their pelts, bones, and other derivatives, with the intensity of the trade contributing to their current vulnerable International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) conservation status. The trade in such wildlife products is facilitated by the limited availability of detection technologies at seaports and border crossings to identify and intercept trafficking efforts. Thus, we explored the feasibility of airborne environmental DNA (eDNA) analysis as a novel method to detect lion pelts concealed in shipping containers. Air samples were collected within close proximity of the pelts, as well as from the external air vents of a sealed container using a custom air extraction device. To enhance trace eDNA capture and attempt to overcome the combined challenges of degraded DNA (common in wildlife trade samples) and a confined environment, samples were collected on plasma polymer-coated HEPA F7 filters. All filter samples captured eDNA from the air, with no significant difference in overall yield across filter types (p > 0.05). However, only three surface-modified filters captured amplifiable P. leo mitochondrial DNA using species-specific primers, and only when sampling occurred in close proximity to pelts. Although the adaptation of eDNA-based detection methods shows potential, our findings demonstrate that the current protocol may be unsuitable for law enforcement applications without significant optimisation and validation.
General. Including nature conservation, geographical distribution
Constant changes in the international security environment require quick and adequate responses and the formation of an appropriate system for assessing Ukraine’s national security, taking into account the influence of various exogenous and endogenous threats and military risks. In this regard, the aim of this article is the theoretical and methodological substantiation of the approach to assessing Ukraine’s national security in the post-war period. As a result of the research, it is determined that most researchers and specialists attempt to assess the level of Ukraine’s national security using indices calculated by leading international organizations and rating agencies. These indices are attractive because they are comprehensive and take into account various aspects of national security: political, economic, social, environmental, demographic, informational, etc. However, these indices cannot provide a complete and accurate analysis of the level of national security and assess the efficiency of its provision system from methodological positions. That is, global indices and ratings do not allow for adequate assessments of the dangerous state of a country, nor do they facilitate the development of appropriate mechanisms to ensure national security, taking into account the direct impact on critical system parameters while preventing the emergence of new threats. Therefore, it is considered advisable to apply an integral approach, which should be based on the use of a system of rating assessments and the calculation of an integral indicator using a list of indicators that are conditionally systematized into the following groups: 1) characterizing the level of military security and defense capability of the country; 2) reflecting the state of societal development and the orderliness of social relations (law and order), the stability and effectiveness of State policy in the field of national security; 3) characterizing the level of economic and financial security; 4) reflecting the socio-demographic characteristics of the country; 5) characterizing the level of environmental security. The proposed methodological approach will allow for addressing the issues of national security provision based on unified methodological positions, despite the different substantive content of individual aspects of determining the threshold values of assessment indicators. Moreover, this integral approach, which is based on systems and national security theories, and also calculations using econometric methods, will enable the establishment of general regularities of occurrence of real and potential threats, and the development of forecasting methods to substantiate strategic directions for ensuring national security in the post-war period.
Ahmad Mufti, Faissal Malik, Fathurrahim Fathurrahim
The extensive legal framework governing maritime law enforcement in Indonesia has inadvertently created a proliferation of institutions with overlapping authorities and divergent jurisdictional interpretations, resulting in institutional silos that undermine coordinated operations and reduce enforcement effectiveness. Focusing on Ternate City’s waters, this research uses empirical legal research and descriptive qualitative analysis to examine these challenges and their implications, including the risk of inter-agency disputes and strained cooperation. It finds that six agencies—the Indonesian Navy, Bakamla, KPLP, the Directorate General of Customs and Excise, Polair, and PSDKP—exercise jurisdiction in the same maritime zones, generating complexity and confusion among stakeholders. Without clear coordination, enforcement becomes inefficient and potentially compromises national maritime security and economic interests. Therefore, a comprehensive strategy to harmonize mandates and strengthen inter-agency coordination is essential to ensure effective and cohesive law enforcement across Indonesian waters..
Sarah Johann, Moritz Düster, Piero Bellanova
et al.
Abstract Background The flood in July 2021 is considered one of the largest flood disasters in Western Europe in decades, with massive socio-economic consequences. The potential emission and remobilization of anthropogenic pollutants can lead to additional environmental consequences, which need to be addressed in long-term mitigation strategies. The Inde River and its tributary, the Vichtbach River, form a catchment located at the transition from the low mountain ranges of the Eifel to the lowlands of the Lower Rhine Embayment in Germany. The area has been an industrial and mining hotspot for centuries, making it a high-risk area for flood sediment pollution. The present study provides an ecotoxicological screening of flood sediments of the Vicht–Inde catchment to gain an impression of the degree of contamination by organic pollutants by means of in vitro effect-based method. Sediment samples were collected within days after the flood and fractionated prior to biotesting, and supportive instrumental geochemical analysis was performed. Results Flood sediments did not reveal estrogenic potential, which was included in the testing strategy as a relevant endpoint for industrial chemicals and untreated wastewater. In contrast, moderate-to-high dioxin-like activity was observed in 70% of the sediment samples with a peak dioxin-like potential at the restored section of the Inde. Overall, four hotspot samples were identified as at risk, which aligned mostly with the high concentration of organic pollutants including PAHs and PCBs. The fractionation allowed the identification of PAHs and their derivates as the most likely toxicity drivers for dioxin-like activity in the sediments of the Vicht–Inde catchment. Conclusion The results provide first information on the prioritization of hotspot locations at risk for a detailed ecotoxicological profiling and a post-flood monitoring of organic contamination. The identified sinks of contamination in the floodplain areas can be considered a source for remobilization of pollution in future flood events, which is highly relevant for the receiving Rur River.
Marine ecosystems play a vital role in development, human life, and health, thereby promoting sustainable development. However, due to rapid industrialization and urbanization, as well as intense exploitation of marine resources, among other phenomena, both Pakistani and Chinese marine ecosystems face severe challenges such as pollution, overfishing, and habitat destruction. In particular, the Pakistan-China Free Trade Agreement, which aims to boost economic growth, exacerbates these environmental issues due to the increased trade volume. The purpose of this article is to discuss the challenges of legal standards regulating marine environmental protection within the context of the Pakistan-China Free Trade Agreement. By examining the current state of the mentioned agreement as well as regional judicial practice, the current study demonstrates the need to adopt a number of legal measures, such as including specific teeth provisions within the Free Trade Agreement, establishing a special joint environmental commission, increasing public participation, and boosting national environmental law, in order to reduce the adverse effect on marine ecosystems and properly mitigate such effects with a view to achieving sustainability.
Science, General. Including nature conservation, geographical distribution
This article examines the legal and policy intersection of property rights and environmental law. Property rights are closely connected to and often in tension with many elements of environmental law and policy. Appropriate controls on the use of property rights and natural resources, and effectively managing the environmental consequences of such use, are critical in addressing the environmental challenges of our time. This paper first reviews the importance of property rights in the context of our legal, social, economic and political systems. It then examines the active use of property rights and mechanisms to address environmental challenges, including the creative and innovative use and development of new forms of property rights that have emerged in recent times. This is followed by a discussion of recent developments in restricting the use of property rights in land use and natural resource development to address environmental issues. The paper concludes with some ideas for future development of the law, and emerging new directions for future research. Throughout the paper, New Zealand will be used as a case study to reflect on the relationship between property rights and environmental protection.
Introduction: Today, the role of knowledge, technology and related skills in companies gaining competitive advantages in the market has become increasingly important. Failure to pay attention to the correct process of converting an innovative idea into a suitable technology or product and its entry into the market can turn into a big business failure. Knowledge-based companies, due to having capacities such as an economy based on local knowledge and relying on domestic scientific and research power, are considered as the foundational elements of development in the framework of the economy, but the identification and use of the capacities of knowledge-based companies, especially in the commercialization of technological projects, is still neglected. Is. The purpose of the present research can be presented in this way, which factors are effective in the commercialization of technological projects, especially in new knowledge-based companies, and what is their importance.de a new approach to evaluating organizational strategies
Methodology: The current research is an applied research in terms of its purpose. Also, in terms of how to collect information, a descriptive-survey type of research has been used using a combination of quantitative and qualitative methods to achieve the research objectives. In order to achieve the desired criteria in explaining the model of commercialization of technological projects in new knowledge-based companies, in addition to collecting and translating articles and texts from the most reliable domestic and foreign scientific databases, from reviewing the documents in some committees for evaluating and approving proposed projects and interviewing Science and technology activists and a group of university professors were used to complete the list of criteria. In the next step, while analyzing the content of the interviews and documents and comparing the criteria with the criteria extracted from the literature in related researches, out of 222 criteria identified, 65 criteria have the highest number of repetitions in 7 financial, technological, cultural, environmental, market, political and Law, knowledge and skills were considered for designing and setting up the questionnaire.
Results and Discussion: This research has two questions:
What factors are effective in the commercialization of technological projects, especially in new knowledge-based companies?
In what order is the importance of the above factors?
In order to calculate the criteria of commercialization of technological projects of new knowledge-based companies, three available sources of literature, interviews and review of documents and plans in recent years were used.
Conclusion: The present research used a mixed method. In the first step, in the qualitative method, in addition to collecting and translating relevant articles and texts, the review of documents in some committees for evaluating and approving proposed projects and interviewing science and technology activists and a group of university professors were used to complete the list of criteria. Is. And after that, BMW has investigated the factors affecting the commercialization of innovative projects in new knowledge-based companies using a quantitative method and calculated the weight of each. While analyzing the content of interviews and documents and comparing the criteria with the criteria extracted from the literature in related researches, out of 222 identified criteria, 46 criteria with the highest number of repetitions in 5 categories of finance, technology, market, policy and law, and knowledge and skills were determined. In order to determine the weight of the criteria and sub-criteria, the fuzzy best-worst method and the paired comparison questionnaire tool based on the mentioned method have been used. The results show that the highest weight belongs to the technology criterion, and then the financial, market, knowledge and skill criteria, and finally politics and law, were given the best to worst weight. Also, in the sub-criteria of each main criterion, production of technological knowledge, risk-taking, government policies, innovation in design and idea have the best weight.
The present work aims to evaluate the performance of the constant-volume method by several sets of experiments carried out in three different closed vessels (a sphere and two cylinders) analyzing the obtained results in order to obtain accurate laminar burning velocities. Accurate laminar burning velocities can be used in the development of computational fluid dynamics models in order to design new internal combustion engines with a higher efficiency and lower fuel consumption leading to a lower degree of environmental pollution. The pressure-time histories obtained at various initial pressures from 0.4 to 1.4 bar and ambient initial temperature were analyzed and processed using two different correlations (one implying the cubic low coefficient and the other implying the burnt mass fraction). The laminar burning velocities obtained at various initial pressures are necessary for the realization of a complete kinetic study regarding the combustion reaction and testing the actual reaction mechanisms. Data obtained from measurements were completed and compared with data obtained from runs using two different detailed chemical kinetic mechanisms (GRI 3.0 and Warnatz) and with laminar burning velocities from literature. Our experimental burning velocities ranging from 35.3 cm/s (data from spherical vessel S obtained using the burnt mass fraction) to 37.5 cm/s (data from cylindrical vessel C1 obtained using the cubic law) are inside the interval of confidence as reported by other researchers. From the dependence of the laminar burning velocity on the initial pressure, the baric coefficients were obtained. These coefficients were further used to obtain the overall reaction orders. The baric coefficients (ranging between −0.349 and −0.212) and the overall reaction orders (ranging between 1.42 and 1.50) obtained in this study fall within the reference range of data specific to methane–air mixtures examined at ambient initial temperature.
Andrea Chierici, Andrea Malizia, Daniele Di Giovanni
et al.
Since the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant accident in March 2011, the technology available for unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) for radiation monitoring has improved greatly. Remote access to radiation-contaminated areas not only eliminates unnecessary exposure of civilians or military personnel, but also allows workers to explore inaccessible places. Hazardous levels of radioactive contamination can be expected as a result of accidents in the nuclear power industry or as a result of the intentional release of radioactive materials for terrorist purposes (dirty bombs, building contamination, etc.). The possibility to detect, identify, and characterize radiation and nuclear material using mobile and remote sensing platforms is a common requirement in the radiation sensing community. The technology has applications in homeland security and law enforcement, customs and border protection, nuclear power plant safety and security, nuclear waste monitoring, environmental recovery, and the military. In this work, the authors have developed, implemented, and characterized a gamma-ray detection and spectroscopy system capable of operating on a UAV. The system was mainly developed using open-source software and affordable hardware components to reduce development and maintenance costs and provide satisfactory performance as a detection instrument. The designed platform can be used to perform mapping or localization tasks to improve the risk assessment process for first responders during the management of radiological and nuclear incidents. First, the design process of the system is described; the result of the characterization of the platform is then presented together with the use of the prototype installed on a UAV in an exercise simulating a radiological and nuclear contamination scenario.
According to research results, the theoretical component of the article defines the process of organization of labor manager, as such that is carried out on the same basis as the organization of work of the entire collective. The organization of labor is based on social laws (Law of Labor District, Law Cooperatives, Law of Labor, etc.) and subjective organizational principles (principle of rhythm, principle of proportionality, principle of continuity, etc.). But in the methods of organizations of management labor are the features arising from the specifics of the management processes of the organization. They are due to the separation of managerial labor from the work of the executive, which is a form of manifestation of division of labor in society. Global Competition, Many Markets, Costs Increasing, Consumer Caution, Prejudice to top managers and owners of companies, Permanent Public Supervision, Instant Distribution of Information, Limiting Natural Resources, Future Future – All this imposes a print of management and work of managers. Management in social structures includes not only psychological interconnections between people, but also important for the implementation of social groups economic, cultural, political, legal, law enforcement, production, environmental and other attitudes in which the specific activities of people are carried out.
This paper examines the impact of China’s new environmental protection law on green innovation. Using a large sample of Chinese prefecture-level cities for the 2010–2016 period and the difference-in-differences (DID) methodology, we provide strong evidence that the new environmental protection law promotes green innovation. This finding is robust to a battery of sensitivity tests. The micromechanism analysis shows that the new environmental protection law can promote green innovation by imposing stricter financial constraints on enterprises in high-pollution industries and increasing their incentives for green innovation to meet green credit requirements. Further, we find that the impact of the new environmental protection law on green innovation is more prominent in prefecture-level cities with a lower level of banking competition and for prefecture-level cities with stronger intellectual property protection. Overall, these findings suggest that the new environmental protection law has played an important role in promoting green innovation in China. To improve the effect of the new environmental protection law on green innovation, the government can consider lowering banking competition and strengthening intellectual property protection.
This article addresses the International Law Commission’s Draft Principles on the Protection of the Environment in Relation to Armed Conflicts. The main argument presented is that any principles on the protection of the environment – pre-conflict, during conflict, and post-conflict – should be complementary to and inclusive of both the Women, Peace and Security agenda and Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Diccimination Against Women as part of a holistic and integrated approach to environmental protection. The erasure of the specific women’s human rights instruments, including Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Diccimination Against Women, cannot be legitimized on the basis that mentioning gender equality or the right to non- discrimination is redundant given that other more general instruments have been cited or that considering them is too controversial. Their inclusion as part of the underlying international human rights framework is vital.
Balancing between economic growth and environmental protection is the core of sustainable development. However, both developed and developing countries are facing many difficulties in dealing with global challenges such as climate change, pollution and resource shortage. In an effort to promote environmental protection and legislate punishment, environmental crimes have been included in criminal law. In order to increase its effectiveness, criminal law on environmental crimes need to be further specified, such as identification of environmental offences, inclusion of new offences, expansion of scope of application, increase on fine, and supplement existing sanctions for environmental offences. These changes can bring tremendous impacts on Vietnam’s sustainable development in the nearfuture.
The ‘climate crisis’ describes human-caused global warming and climate change and its consequences. It conveys the sense of urgency surrounding humanity's failure to take sufficient action to slow down, stop and reverse global warming. The leading direct cause of the climate crisis is carbon dioxide (CO2) released as a by-product of burning fossil fuels,i which supply ~87% of the world's energy. The second most important cause of the climate crisis is deforestation to create more land for crops and livestock. The solutions have been stated as simply ‘leave the fossil carbon in the ground’ and ‘end deforestation’. Rather than address fossil fuel supplies, climate policies focus almost exclusively on the demand side, blaming fossil fuel users for greenhouse gas emissions. The fundamental reason that we are not solving the climate crisis is not a lack of green energy solutions. It is that governments continue with energy strategies that prioritize fossil fuels. These entrenched energy policies subsidize the discovery, extraction, transport and sale of fossil fuels, with the aim of ensuring a cheap, plentiful, steady supply of fossil energy into the future. This paper compares the climate crisis to two other environmental crises: ozone depletion and the COVID-19 pandemic. Halting and reversing damage to the ozone layer is one of humanity's greatest environmental success stories. The world's response to COVID-19 demonstrates that it is possible for governments to take decisive action to avert an imminent crisis. The approach to solving both of these crises was the same: (1) identify the precise cause of the problem through expert scientific advice; (2) with support by the public, pass legislation focused on the cause of the problem; and (3) employ a robust feedback mechanism to assess progress and adjust the approach. This is not yet being done to solve the climate crisis, but working within the 2015 Paris Climate Agreement framework, it could be. Every nation can contribute to solving the climate crisis by: (1) changing their energy strategy to green energy sources instead of fossil fuels; and (2) critically reviewing every law, policy and trade agreement (including transport, food production, food sources and land use) that affects the climate crisis.
This paper analyzes the different law area’s that affect the business world, starting with the most known, as: the international trade law and customs law, referring to the most important treaties in the field. Continue with other relevant areas such as environmental law, intellectual property, employment law and consumer law; each with its own internationally that applies in the region and several real cases where the impact these law area´s may have in the business world. The text concludes with the importance and necessity of considering the impact of the law, beyond the branches more known in the world of business and trade, customs and similar right, when undertaking a lucrative activity in order to manage properly the potential impact on the businesses that are being developed.