Nazmul Islam, Md. Ahnaf Zaman, Maheen Zaman
et al.
This study investigates the impact of urban meteorological factors on road crash severity in Dhaka, Bangladesh. Using police crash data, and meteorological data from NASA POWER database for years 2011–2022, a generalized ordered logit model was used to analyze crash severity, and interpreted using odds ratio, log odds ratio, predicted probabilities and marginal effects. The results show that land surface temperature (LST), relative humidity, precipitation, surface pressure, and wind speed have significant association with crash severity. Relative humidity, surface pressure and LST exhibited positive relation with higher severity levels of crashes, whereas precipitation had a negative relation. We recommend three actions to lessen the severity of crashes during inclement weather based on the findings: (i) weather-responsive transport safety policies, which incorporate real-time weather data into intelligent transport systems; (ii) law enforcement-oriented policy implications, which include using automated speed cameras and red-light violation cameras to improve compliance consistency and updating driver training courses to include modules on risk perception across various environmental conditions; and (iii) infrastructure and vehicle-related policy implications, which include designing road geometries and surface conditions to prevent the effects of adverse weather conditions and utilizing safety equipment, such as electronic stability control and anti-lock braking systems.
Geography. Anthropology. Recreation, Social Sciences
Nengah Sujana, Feri Irawan Widiyatmoko, Made Sinta Syaharani Sujana
Legal political transformation is a key element in creating sustainable tourism in Indonesia. Based on Law No. 10/2009 on Tourism and Bali Province Regional Regulation No. 5/2020, this study analyzes the implementation of sustainability principles in legal policies, which include environmental preservation, social justice, and economic welfare. Although sustainability principles have been implemented, challenges such as lack of policy harmonization, weak supervision, and low involvement of local communities remain. A comparative approach with other countries, such as Bhutan and New Zealand, shows the importance of collaboration between central and local governments. This research recommends updating the legal framework, using technology for monitoring, and strengthening the participation of indigenous communities, in order to realize economically, ecologically, and socio-culturally sustainable tourism, with a local wisdom-based approach.
Law in general. Comparative and uniform law. Jurisprudence
This perspective article explores foundational shifts required for the conceptualization of future principles and goals to inform the starting re-negotiation process of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) post-2030. Based on a multi-stakeholder consultation and workshop-based focus groups, this article emphasizes integrating non-material aspects of human flourishing, such as cultural, psycho-social, and community-based aspects, in addition to the current focus on material conditions (as represented in the SDGs).Given regional, cultural, religious and other specificities, these non-material aspects need to be based on localized goals and indicators that follow global principles. This in turn, we argue, requires the development of a multi-level governance framework to capture the full spectrum of societal health and human experience allowing for both top-down principle-based governance as well as bottom-up goal and indicator development. Key recommendations include: localized implementation by leveraging local and indigenous knowledge, and fostering adaptable development models rooted in local realities and global principles.This flourishing-based development approach aims to harmonize material conditions with non-material aspects of human flourishing as a process oriented integrated systems approach.
Martyna Błaszczyk-Altman, Magdalena Semla-Kurzawa, Karolina Grzyb
et al.
Abstract Background The high level of environmental contamination from metals requires us constantly to study the relationships between their levels in the body and potential health problems. The possibility of easy, non-invasive sampling made hair a popular matrix for such studies. Many factors, however, may influence the levels of metals in hair and need to be borne in mind. The purpose of this study was therefore to compare metal concentrations (Ca, Cd, Cu, Fe, Hg, K, Mg, Ni, Pb, Zn) in 145 women who employed a variety of hair-care habits (coloring and washing frequency) and lived in three regions of Poland with different levels of urbanization (Malopolskie, Podkarpackie and Swietokrzyskie), and to verify their dependence on air pollution proxied by PM10 data (gathered for 2013 and 2014). Since pre-cleaning procedure may alter hair trace elements composition, we did not clean samples prior to analysis to assess the total metal burden - incorporated from the body and from external contamination - and thus provide an important measure of overall environmental exposure. Results Air pollution significantly affected hair Ca, Hg, Mg, Pb, and Zn levels in both 2013 and 2014. A clear increasing trend in Ca and Pb concentrations was observed with rising PM10 levels. Washing frequency increased levels of Zn in hair, while coloring increased Ca and Mg levels, which indicates that such regimens influence mineral hair composition rather than xenobiotic metal content. Conclusions The region where women live appears to be the most significant factor influencing metal concentrations in their hair. Since geographical location—particularly differences in industrial activity—affects metal levels in unwashed hair, we propose that this matrix could be used to assess overall metal exposure and may also provide insights into the level of air pollution in a given area.
The objective of this study is to explore the factors that contribute to disputes in contract farming and to understand the motivations behind selecting a dispute resolution method. Data for this study were obtained through in-depth interviews and group discussions with 15 lawyers, as well as surveys conducted among 525 respondents, comprising 323 farmers and 202 agribusiness representatives in the Central Coast region of Vietnam. The results of the partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) indicate that all research hypotheses are supported. The factors influencing the occurrence of disputes in contract farming agreements, ranked in ascending order of impact, are contract content, social influence, price volatility, risk perception, environmental uncertainty, and legal understanding. Additionally, these factors indirectly affect the intention to resolve disputes through courts, commercial arbitration, and mediation via the mediating role of contract farming disputes. Furthermore, the study reveals that when contract farming disputes arise, the preferred order of dispute resolution methods is courts, followed by commercial arbitration, and finally, mediation. This empirical analysis also provides evidence of significant differences in perceptions between two groups – farmers and agribusiness enterprises – regarding the intention to resolve disputes through courts and the impact of environmental uncertainty on contract farming disputes. The findings enrich empirical research on contract farming dispute resolution in emerging countries with conditions similar to those of Vietnam.
AcknowledgmentThis study is the result of collaboration between a group of scientists from the University of Law, Hue University, and School of Business and Economics, Duy Tan University. The authors would like to acknowledge the support and facilitation provided by both institutions for the publication of this research.
LIAO Yixiang1, 2, GUO Hao1, 3, CAO Weijun1, 2, YAN Jiaqing1, 2, MAO Chuyuan1, 2, ZHANG Haitao1, 2, LI Chongwei4, WU Zhengxin1, 2, YAN Qiang1, 2, LIU Yong1, 2, LIU Guoqing1, 2,
With the development of science and technology, all kinds of nuclear radiation rays are more widely used, and the demand for radiation protection is also increasing. Moreover, with the deepening of radiation protection application scenarios, radiation protection materials need good environmental adaptability, mobility and wearability. Therefore, in this paper, two kinds of neutron/gamma composite shielding materials, B4C/Bi/NR and Gd2O3/Bi/NR, were prepared by using natural rubber, which has excellent mechanical properties, as the matrix, bismuth as the gamma-ray shielding body, and boron carbide (B4C) and gadolinium oxide (Gd2O3) as neutron-absorbing materials, respectively. A neutron test device was built with 252Cf as neutron source and 3He counting tube as detector to investigate the neutron shielding performance of the shielding materials, and the experimental results were verified by MCNP (Monte Carlo N Particle Transport Code), while the 252Cf shielding performance of the composite shielding materials was investigated by using MCNP simulation. High-purity germanium (HPGe) detector and universal testing machine were used for gamma shielding performance test and mechanical properties test, to study the filler type (B4C and Gd2O3) and filler content on the composite shielding material gamma shielding performance and mechanical properties of the performance changes of the difference. The results show that the shielding performance of B4C/Bi/NR and Gd2O3/Bi/NR against neutron 252Cf fission neutrons (slowed down by 12 cm thick polyethylene) increases gradually with the increase of B4C and Gd2O3 fillings, while the shielding rate of Gd2O3/Bi/NR against neutrons tends to be stabilized when the Gd2O3 content is higher than 40 phr. The experimental results are mutually verified with MCNP. It is found that the transmission ratios of 252Cf fission neutrons within the composite homogeneous materials all satisfy the exponentially decreasing law, and the composites have the best shielding ability for 252Cf fission neutrons when the B4C and Gd2O3 fillings are 80 phr, and the neutron reaction cross sections of B4C/Bi/NR and Gd2O3/Bi/NR are 0.265 cm−1 and 0.267 cm−1, respectively. In addition, the shielding performance of B4C/Bi/NR against 59.5 keV gamma rays decreases with the increase of B4C addition, whereas the shielding performance of Gd2O3/Bi/NR against 59.5 keV gamma rays is enhanced with the increase of Gd2O3 content. The mechanical properties of the natural rubber decrease with the addition of B4C, whereas the addition of appropriate amount of Gd2O3 (20 phr) helps to enhance the natural rubber’s. Gd2O3/Bi/NR composites have good neutron/gamma shielding properties and mechanical properties, which have potential applications as hybrid radiation field shielding materials.
Tax sovereignty, traditionally the exclusive right of states to determine and implement their own tax systems, stands at a crossroads due to unprecedented global interconnectivity. This sovereignty, once a clear-cut aspect of national governance, is now frequently contested by forces transcending traditional political boundaries—forces such as multinational corporations exploiting global tax discrepancies, digital economies that defy conventional tax jurisdictions, and international regulatory efforts aimed at harmonizing tax practices to prevent base erosion and profit shifting. Historically, the concept of sovereignty has evolved significantly. Sovereignty has been shaped by the dual forces of territorial integrity and the non-interference principle. However, as globalization intensifies, these principles are increasingly challenged by the need for international cooperation in economic, environmental, and security issues, which includes the complex arena of tax regulation. This commentary aims to integrate various perspectives, including constitutional law, and explores the intersection with constitutional identity. The focus lies on reconciling the enduring principles of constitutional identity and citizenship with the evolving demands of global tax governance. As we delve into these discussions, we must consider the broader implications of these shifts—not only how they affect the legal standing and economic strategies of nations but also how they influence the very fabric of societal governance and the philosophical underpinnings of democratic participation in the fiscal realm. This conversation is crucial as it shapes the path toward developing tax systems that are both just and effective in a world where traditional boundaries are continually redrawn. Dagan highlighted the delicate balance between maintaining national tax sovereignty and embracing the necessary cooperation required by an interconnected world economy.
Law of Europe, Law in general. Comparative and uniform law. Jurisprudence
Strengthening the implementation of environmental rules is now a main issue for national and environmental law. The environment theme is far from new and has been closely linked to African experts since the 1960s. Indeed, it was in Africa where one of the first major conventions on the conservation of nature and natural resources was initiated. In many African countries, the field of environmental law is notable for the profusion and variety of principles and regulations concerning the preservation of the environment. However, this abundance of legal standards is at odds with the actual practice of environmental protection due to the vast majority of these environmental rules not being implemented. It is necessary to draw attention to the need for improved articulation of African rights with international environmental law to assist Africa in addressing this challenge. This article analyses how the execution and implementation of current environmental legislation in Africa, with an African specificity, could lead to an ‘Africanization’ of environmental protection, which can also help in resolving the discrepancies that arose when norms of external origin were incorporated into African legal frameworks.
If international environmental agreements (IEAs) are to remain relevant over time, the institutional capacity to adjust them to changing circumstances, referred to here as adaptability, is an important asset. Yet, while some IEAs include various adaptability features, others do not. This paper develops the concept of affinity, defined as the varying sense of connection between negotiating countries, and argues affinity is a major driver of adaptability variation. Two rationales may explain why negotiators include adaptability provisions in IEAs. When affinity is low, negotiators likely use adaptability as a safeguard in case cooperation does not go according to plan or to gather more information about other signatories before further cooperation. By contrast, when affinity is high, they can use adaptability as a springboard for long-term expansive cooperation. I test both hypotheses on a sample of 1137 IEAs and find that adaptability is negatively associated with affinity, supporting the safeguard rationale.
Introduction:Environmental crimes are one of the important topics of green criminology. Green criminology deals with crimes and damages that affect the environment, plants, and lives of domestic and wild animals. The results of various reports indicate that the 5 areas of illegal trade in wildlife, timber and forest trees, substances that destroy the ozone layer, discharge of hazardous waste, and illegal fishing outside of the prescribed time are among the most important and common types of environmental crimes in the world. Crimes against the environment are one of the major cases of environmental destruction that have now become important national and global issues. During the recent decades, many studies have been conducted to identify and explain environmental crimes though they have sometimes had conflicting and contradictory results, which create ambiguities in this issue. Due to the abundance and diversity of research conducted in the field of environmental crimes, a combination of research in this area, like a systematic review, is felt to be necessary. The main question of this research was as follows: What are the most important factors affecting environmental crimes? Materials and MethodsThe research method of this paper was based on a systematic review and meta-analysis. The method of systematic review presents a summary of research results in the form of a table and uses the technique of counting opinions. It is a kind of summary of the existing literature and writings about a specific scientific topic, which uses certain methods to search the literature and critically evaluate each research. In addition to the systematic review, the meta-analysis method was used in this study. The term ‘meta-analysis’ means analysis of analyses. A particular topic may have been replicated in various ways by using, for example, differently sized samples and conducting research in different countries under varied environmental, social, and economic conditions. Sometimes, the results appear to be reasonably consistent; others less so. Meta-analysis enables a rigorous comparison to be made rather than focusing on a subjective 'eyeballing'. However, the technique relies on all the relevant information being available for each of the examined studies. If some crucial factors like sample size and methodology are missing, then, no comparison is feasible. Meta-analysis allows us to compare or combine results across a set of similar studies. The units of analysis in individual studies are individual observations. In meta-analysis, the units of analysis are the results of individual studies. Meta-analysis is an objective and quantitative methodology for synthesizing the previous studies and research on a particular topic into an overall finding.In meta-analysis, literature from written sources is placed in a systematic review to determine, based on previous studies, how much is the effect of one variable on another variable. Meta-analysis involves the results of studies as the unit of analysis, specifically results in the form of effect sizes. Obtaining these effect sizes does not require having access to the raw data, which are all-too-often unavailable. It is usually possible to compute these effect sizes from the data reported in papers resulting from the original, primary, or secondary analysis. Meta-analysis is a literature review to summarize the findings of various studies conducted on the same subject matter. It is used only when the examined studies are in the form of quantity studies.In this study, articles were reviewed by using a systematic review, in which topics, such as research method, used variables, and the geographical area or territory under investigation are addressed. After the systematic review, the effect size of each variable is assessed. The population of this study included almost all scientific papers with the subject of factors related to environmental crimes published between 2001 and 2021. Finally, 44 papers were selected and analyzed. For analyzing the data collected from the relevant research, the comprehensive meta-analysis software was used for meta-analysis statistical calculations after coding the data. Also, Cohen's table was applied for interpreting the effect sizes. Discussion of Results and ConclusionThe results of the systematic review showed that illegal wildlife hunters and then illegal wildlife dealers were among the most frequently investigated populations in the field of environmental crimes. Most of the research related to environmental crimes had been done in African regions. The regions of East Asia, North America, and Eastern and Western Europe were in the next ranks. The results showed that the process of law enforcement, market demand, and unemployment, compared to other variables, had a significant impact on environmental crimes.The findings revealed that the relationship between market demand and environmental crimes in the studies reviewed was positive and significant (effect size = 0.51). The relationship between unemployment and livelihoods and environmental crimes in the studies reviewed was positive and significant (effect size = 0.38) as well. These results demonstrated that the combined effects of the relationship between the process of law enforcement and environmental crimes in the reviewed studies were equivalent to 0.32, thus being positive and significant.
European Union (EU) nature conservation law mandates the protection of more than 2000 species and habitats. Many of these species and their habitats rely on agricultural land, which means that Member State implementation of EU nature law necessarily interacts with national agricultural policies. The integration of EU biodiversity goals into sector-level and farm-level agricultural policies is therefore commonplace and, seemingly, in line with the discretion awarded to Member States. However, each stage of this multi-level implementation process brings the opportunity for goal dilution such that this may ultimately undermine the ambitions of the EU's nature conservation laws.This article adds to existing literature on multi-level implementation through an empirical case study of the Dutch implementation of binding EU nature law through an agri-environmental scheme. In the Dutch model, implementation takes place through national and provincial governmental agri-environmental policies as well as implementing actions of (private) agricultural collectives. Our data confirms that that the degree of discretion of each actor within a multi-level implementation setting strongly affects overall goal dilution and goal achievement. By incorporating appropriate controls and monitoring at each governance level, benefits of multi-level implementation can be achieved while dilution and divergence are minimized.
The geological environmental damage caused by coal mining has become a hot issue in current research. Especially in the western mining area, the size of the mining working face is large, the mining intensity is high, while the surface movement and deformation are more intense and wider. Therefore, it is necessary to effectively monitor the surface using appropriate means and carrying out research on the overlying strata structure of the stope. In this paper, by using advantages of various subsidence monitoring technologies and the technical framework of the Internet of Things (IoT), a “space–air–ground” integrated collaborative monitoring network is constructed. The evolution law of overlying strata structure is studied based on discrete element simulations and theoretical analysis. Furthermore, a discrete element mechanical parameter inversion method is proposed. The main results, using numerical simulations, are as follows: The mean square error of monitoring surface subsidence is 33.2 mm, the mean square error of mechanical parameter inversion is 13.4 mm, and relative error is as low as 3.8%. The surface subsidence law of adjacent mining under different working face widths and interval coal pillar widths is revealed. The Boltzmann function model of surface subsidence ratio changing with width–depth ratio and the calculation formula of width reduction coefficient of adjacent mining working face are inverted. The critical failure width of the interval coal pillar is determined as 20.5 m. Based on the theory of “arch–beam” structure and numerical simulation results, the overlying strata structure model of adjacent mining in the mining area is constructed. The research results can provide technical support or theoretical reference for mining damage monitoring, subsidence control, and prediction in western mines.
The constitutional role and authority of the Public Prosecutor’s Office (MP) as an enforcer of law warranted the MP protagonism in the enforcement of environmental legislation and accountability of environmental agencies in Brazil. The MP instituted regional offices to tackle the environmental issue and established a team of experts to provide technical support. This research analyzes the participation of the São Paulo State Public Prosecutor’s Office (MPSP) and the Federal Public Prosecutor’s Office (MPF) experts in the environmental licensing of the Mexilhão Project. The project was located in the coastal region of the state of São Paulo and initially aimed to reduce by half the volume of natural gas imported by the country. Based on the analysis of documents and interviews, this paper shows that there were different interpretations and framings among the MP experts concerning environmental impacts and risks of the project. This study also discusses MP's influence on the decisions of the federal environmental agency about the Mexilhão Project.
Protection for workers, especially workers with disabilities, where the government recognises the safety and existence of workers with disabilities. Labour is part of the subject of employment which is considered able to do a job to produce goods or services to meet the needs of themselves and the community. When referring to the existing legislation, workers with disabilities' position in obtaining employment and the legal protection of the rights of workers with disabilities is the same as that of a non-disabled person. The Government of Indonesia has committed and seriousness to respect, protect, and fulfil the rights of persons with disabilities, which is ultimately expected to improve the welfare of people with disabilities. Therefore, the government is obliged to realise the rights contained in the convention through adjustment of legislation, including ensuring the persons with disabilities rights in all aspects of life. This article would like to find out the implementation of the legal protection towards the disabilities workers in Indonesia and what forms of legal protection should be implemented.
Therefore, this article will use research methods of legal normative and with statute approach, conceptual approach, and comparative approach. The researchers found that the legal protection towards disabilities is sufficiently proven by the regulation and policies that are applicable.
When using point measurement for environmental or sediment laden flows, there is well-recognised risk for not having aligned measurements that causes misinterpretation of the measured velocity data. In reality, these kinds of mismeasurement mainly happen due to the misinterpretation of bed orientation caused by the complexity of its determination in natural flows, especially in bedload laden or rough bed flows. This study proposes a novel bed realignment method to improve the measured data benchmarking by three-dimensional (3D) bed profile orientation and implemented it into different sets of experimental data. More specifically, the effects of realignment on velocity profile and streamwise turbulence structure measurements were investigated. The proposed technique was tested against experimental data collected over a water-worked and an experimentally arranged well-packed beds. Different from the well-packed rough bed, the water-worked bed has been generated after long sediment transport and settling and hence can be used to verify the proposed bed-alignment technique thoroughly. During the flow analysis, the corrected velocity, turbulence intensity and Reynolds stress profiles were compared to the theoretical logarithmic law, exponential law and linear gravity (universal Reynolds stress distribution) profiles, respectively. It has been observed that the proposed method has improved the agreement of the measured velocity and turbulence structure data with their actual theoretical profiles, particularly in the near-bed region (where the ratio of the flow measurement vertical distance to the total water depth, z/h, is limited to ≤0.4).
Thermodynamics, Descriptive and experimental mechanics
Se analiza la cosmovisión del pueblo wixárika en el cuidado de la naturaleza, o “Madre Tierra”, en un proceso de acompañamiento en sus espacios sagrados y vida cotidiana con el objetivo de identificar las creencias, rituales y su relación con el cuidado de la naturaleza, todo ello a fin de elaborar una propuesta intercultural para limitar el cambio climático. Se aplica un diseño metodológico cualitativo etnográfico y se seleccionan casos de familias patriarcales del pueblo wixárika como informantes clave, con quienes se realizan talleres de diálogo, entrevistas en profundidad y observación etnográfica en rituales de lugares sagrados. En los resultados, se observa que la etnia wixárika basa su cosmovisión en rituales de visita a los cinco puntos cardinales importantes de su cultura ubicados en el oriente, poniente, norte, sur y centro de la región Occidente de México, donde habitan elementos de su cosmovisión como el sol (Tayau Tau), el mar (Haramara), el maíz (Icu), el peyote (Hicuri), el venado (Maxa) y el fuego (Tatewari). Desde su perspectiva, el planeta y la vida surgen a través de la relación del mar y el sol, quienes engendraron serpientes que evolucionaron a ríos, animales y seres humanos que transitaron por lugares sagrados. Se concluye en la importancia de recuperar la cosmovisión que se expresa en los rituales de este pueblo a fin de construir una propuesta intercultural para la preservación de la biodiversidad de la naturaleza, o “Madre Tierra”, y limitar el cambio climático desde la ecología profunda.
The rising demand for food production in a changing climate impacts water resources negatively in semi-arid agro-ecosystems. In the Tsavo sub-catchment of Kenya, this is compounded by a surging population and expansion of cropping as a land use; leading to increased abstraction of surface water resources and deterioration of related ecosystem services. The impact of increased abstraction is more profound during water stress seasons when stream-flow levels are low. While water policies have incorporated a requirement for environmental flows, unregulated abstractions persist suggesting an inherent challenge. Drawing on a sample of 279 households, we analysed farmers’ engagement in water resources management and explored how this can inform water resource planning. Seasonal water scarcity and user conflicts were the major challenges experienced by the farmers. Ordinal and logistic regression models show that knowledge, attitude and practices were culture-dependent being impacted by educational attainment, level of income, access to extension and membership to local networks. Attitude and practice were further influenced by land tenure and farm distance to water sources. Since knowledge of water management issues informed attitudes and practices, improved awareness and targeted extension support are necessary in the development and implementation of policy decisions on water resources management.
In the Serbian Law and in the most of jurisdictions, there are limits on exercising the right of property. A real estate owner must refrain from activities by which the use of other real estate is being imploded through the emission of excessive gasses, vapors, smoke, heat, noise, the draining of waste water, etc. Neighboring real estate owners must endure such harmful effects if they do not exceed the limit of usual endurance, taking into account the nature and purpose of such real estate, as well as local conditions. The property owner who is affected by emissions exceeding the set limit, has the right to request a stop of emissions which exceeded the allowed volume of emissions. If the imissions originate from some industrial plants, within the activity allowed by a state authority, one cannot request a cessation of such activities, but can simply seek damages. The issue of the environmental protection in the Republic of Serbia is regulated by a number of particular substantive laws, with a Law of environmental protection of 2009. as fundamental Law.