Current Policy Environment Research Articles

Identifying Service, Research and Policy priorities for preventing the impacts of family adversity on children’s mental health: An Australian national resource allocation study with professional and lived experience experts

ObjectivesThe objective of this study was to develop Service, Research and Policy priorities to prevent the impact of family adversity on child mental health and determine comparative priorities of diverse stakeholders to those with lived experience of adversity. MethodsValue-weighting approach conducted in a staged process: (i) professionals and experts with lived experience from health, education, justice and social care sectors attended a national symposium to identify priorities for family adversity and mental health and (ii) a subsequent resource allocation survey gathered views from participants and external experts on symposium priorities. ResultsConsensus was reached on priorities. Service priorities included establishing intersectoral hubs for children and families and early childhood nurse home-visiting programs. Research priorities included scaling up evidence-based interventions and evaluating cross-sector, flexible funding models for services addressing childhood adversity. Policy priorities included developing evidence-based policies with evaluation and implementation plans and flexible funding models to support integrated care. ConclusionsOur results provide detailed and actionable clarity on next steps to address family adversities. Implications for Public HealthThe priorities call for a focus on cross-sectoral approaches to preventing or mitigating the effects of family adversity. The current Australian policy environment provides a timely opportunity to action the proposed interventions.

Antitrans Policy Environment and Depression and Anxiety Symptoms in Transgender and Nonbinary Adults

With the increasing legislation restricting health care access for transgender and nonbinary (trans) populations in recent years, there has been limited research on how awareness of and concerns about legislative restrictions and protections influence mental health outcomes. To examine whether awareness of and concerns about the current policy environment regarding trans individuals are associated with depression and anxiety symptoms among trans adults. This study uses cross-sectional data collected between March and April 2023 from the Washington Priority Assessment in Trans Health (PATH) Project, an online study designed by, with, and for trans communities. All participants were trans adults, aged 18 years or older, living in Washington state. Awareness and concerns about the antitrans policy environment. The primary outcomes were depression and anxiety symptoms, assessed via the Patient Health Questionnaire-4. A series of multivariable regression models was used to assess the association between awareness and concerns about the antitrans policy environment and depression and anxiety symptoms. Models were adjusted for covariates, including demographics, social marginalization, and health care experiences. A total of 797 participants (653 women [81.93%]; 455 aged 18-29 years [57.09%]) were included. The majority screened positive for current depression (689 individuals [86.45%]) and anxiety (686 individuals [86.07%]) symptoms. Trans individuals who were concerned or worried about their rights being taken away (vs not) had significantly higher odds of current depression symptoms (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 1.66; 95% CI, 1.08-2.54), as well as current anxiety symptoms (aOR, 2.67; 95% CI, 1.63-4.36). Those who knew (vs did not know) about state-level protective legislation had significantly lower odds of current depression symptoms (aOR, 0.44; 95% CI, 0.28-0.67), as well as current anxiety symptoms (aOR, 0.11; 95% CI, 0.04-0.25). When examining interaction effect estimates, trans individuals who correctly knew about the protective policies and were not worried about having their rights taken away reported the lowest odds of depression and anxiety. The findings of this cross-sectional study are consistent with research elucidating the negative mental health consequences of policies limiting health care access and provide insights into informing policies and interventions that target trans populations' worsened mental health outcomes as a result of antitrans legislation.

Extended producer responsibility in e‐waste recycling: A secure path to a sustainable future for UAE

AbstractThe effective waste management of electrical and electronic equipment gains increasing importance in the modern world. This issue is particularly relevant for the countries of the Middle East region, including the United Arab Emirates (UAE). According to the research objectives, this study employs the method of political and legal analysis. The paper investigates the features of legal regulation and implementation of Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) policies in the waste management of electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) in the UAE. At the same time, the study aims to analyze the current environmental protection policy and assess the prospects for its development. The research also determines the development directions for the profile environmental policy regarding general priorities in the field of economic development of the country. The results of the study indicate that the country's current policy and legislative regulation in the implementation of EPR are complex and meet modern challenges.

A comparative review of global environmental policies for promoting sustainable development and economic growth

This study systematically reviews and analyzes the interplay between environmental policies, sustainable development, and economic growth, with a focus on the role of technological innovation and international cooperation. Employing a combination of systematic literature review and content analysis, the research scrutinizes peer-reviewed articles, policy documents, and reports from 2014 to 2024. The methodology encompasses a structured search strategy across major databases, applying specific inclusion and exclusion criteria to ensure the relevance and comprehensiveness of the literature reviewed. Key findings reveal that both regulatory and market-based environmental policies significantly impact sustainable development and economic growth. Technological innovation emerges as a pivotal driver for achieving sustainability goals, while international agreements and cooperation play a crucial role in addressing global environmental challenges. The study identifies gaps and inefficiencies in current environmental policies, particularly in integrating economic objectives with sustainability goals. The research concludes that enhancing the synergy between environmental sustainability and economic growth necessitates a multifaceted approach, incorporating technological advancements, fostering global partnerships, and adopting integrated policy frameworks. Strategic recommendations for policymakers and stakeholders emphasize the importance of investing in green technologies, strengthening international environmental agreements, and promoting policies that balance economic development with environmental protection. This study contributes valuable insights into advancing sustainable development through effective environmental policies, highlighting the need for an integrated approach to ensure environmental sustainability and economic prosperity. Keywords: Environmental Policies, Sustainable Development, Technological Innovation, International Cooperation.

The value of comparative research in an era of standards-based reforms

The impact of standards-based reforms on the professional practice of English teachers in Anglophone settings has been well documented. Such reforms typically foreground the importance of a particular form of English and standardised formulations of curriculum, pedagogy, and assessment, which facilitate easy measurement and comparisons between educational settings. In Australia, the impact has intensified to such an extent that traditional framings of English teacher practice, which emphasize responsiveness to the cultural and linguistic diversity of students, begin to look like a discourse of a bygone era. From an historical perspective, how has this come about? And what does English teacher practice look like in the current policy environment? Can comparative inquiry into language education, such as has been conducted under the auspices of the International Mother Tongue Education Network (IMEN) over the past four decades, provide intellectual resources to resist relentless pressures towards standardisation and measurement? The collaborative inquiry into the professional practice of one author at the heart of this essay arises out of our attempts to explore the potential of IMEN protocols to render the familiar strange and to see her practice with new eyes. In this way we seek to resist the ways standards-based reforms are radically reshaping the praxis of English educators in Australia.

Bracing Ourselves: Embracing Policy Changes through a Long-Standing University–Schools Teacher Education Partnership in England

We articulate the principles behind our practices as teacher educators for an Initial Teacher Education (ITE) provider in South-West England working in partnership with local schools. We position them as ‘braces’ that enable us not only to withstand but ‘embrace’ the challenges of the current policy environment, which imposes braces of its own. All ITE providers in England must present their curriculum and teaching plans for approval by the Department for Education, one of many significant changes to ITE required in England over the last decade. Furthermore, for such plans to be approved they must assume a model of schooling based on knowledge acquisition in tension with not only our own motivations but also a broader (global) conversation among teacher educators critical of policy priorities for schooling and professional teacher formation that prioritise success in high-stakes tests and international league tables. The braces/principles emerge through articulating our collective understandings of and concerns with the policy braces. Our principles connect to the processes we feel confident are necessary aspects of ‘becoming’ teachers and can hold our Post Graduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) together, going forwards. The braces—becoming an informed educator; becoming an ethical actor; becoming a reflective practitioner—have a distinctive form of reflexivity at their heart and should apply to everyone across our partnership: us, as university-based teacher educators; school-based colleagues; and pre-service teachers. We offer our approach and the braces/principles we have developed to others also struggling to reconcile their own notions of good teacher education with national policy imperatives.

Legal policy and overcoming global environmental concerns

The article is dedicated to the theoretical analysis of legal instruments for regulating environmental problems that are directly aimed at protecting the environment.
 Current global environmental problems inevitably influence environmental policy, on the one hand, acting as the cause of its formation, and on the other hand, environmental policy means directly combating it. It is therefore necessary to note that at the current stage, environmental and legal policy will require enhanced modernization, both at the sovereign level and at the local level.
 Environmental-legal policy is a scientifically grounded, systemic activity of special subjects to create an effective mechanism of legal regulation through a civilized approach to legal means and mechanisms of access Many goals such as preserving the natural environment and natural systems, enhancing their integrity and important functions for life and well-being , promoting the quality of life and healthy population, promoting the demographic situation, ensuring the guarantee of environmental rights of communities, forming a high level of legal and environmental culture of humanity.
 Also, the main directions of legal policy in the fight against current global environmental problems are: the creation of a legal mechanism for ensuring the protection of the environment; prevention and elimination of the threat of environmental safety; improvement of environmental legislation and practices; intensifying the fight against environmental crimes (ecocide, environmental terrorism) and increasing the effectiveness of anti-corruption policy.
 The increase in the ecological and legal culture of citizens and the formation of a new type of individual. A person is a part of nature and is in a dual relationship with the environment, in one case he is the main source of pollution, in the other - he acts as its protector, carrying out environmental protection activities.

Assessing environmental problems: Primary indicators and their role in ecosystem management

Rapid industrialization and structural changes have led to significant environmental pollution, with increased expansion in network and territorial dimensions. The growth of “dirty” industries, which demand substantial natural and energy resources, has exacerbated the ecological challenges and placed economic stability at risk. This study aims to assess the impact of industrial expansion on environmental pollution and evaluate measures for mitigating ecological damage. The focus is on the role of state ecological policies, the prevention of resource exploitation, and international cooperation for ecological improvement. The research employs a review of current environmental policies, analysis of pollution indicators, and case studies on industrial impacts. The study also integrates theoretical models for understanding the interplay between economic activities and environmental degradation. The findings reveal that unchecked industrial activities contribute to severe ecological degradation, affecting both local and global ecosystems. The study highlights the necessity for stringent ecological regulations and collaborative efforts to address these challenges effectively. The results underscore the critical need for integrating ecological considerations into economic planning. By adopting comprehensive measures and fostering international collaboration, it is possible to mitigate environmental damage and improve ecological conditions. This approach is essential for ensuring long-term sustainability and stability.

How to Promote Sustainable Bamboo Forest Management: An Empirical Study from Small-Scale Farmers in China

Bamboo is an important agroforestry and forest plant managed and utilized by rural communities in some countries in the Asia Pacific region, which can generate various benefits to meet social and environmental needs. In rural areas of China, as a large number of forest land management rights have been allocated to small-scale farmers, the willingness of small-scale farmers to reinvest in bamboo forest management has become a key factor for bamboo forest ecosystems to be able to sustainably supply quality ecosystem services. Therefore, it is necessary to answer the question of how to enhance small-scale farmers’ willingness to reinvest in bamboo forest management in the current policy and market context. Combining the prospect theory, the mindsponge theory, the theory of planned behavior (TPB), and the technology acceptance model (TAM), this study constructs theoretical models of perceived property rights security, perceived bamboo forest certification, government support, group decision making, risk perception, perceived value, geographic conditions, and resource endowment affecting willingness to reinvest in bamboo forest management. Based on 1090 questionnaires from a field study in Fujian, China, in 2021, structural equation modeling (SEM) was used to test the theoretical model. The results show that, under the current policy and market environment, government support is the key to enhance small-scale farmers’ willingness to reinvest in bamboo forest management, and their perception of ecological certification also has a facilitating effect on small-scale farmers’ willingness to reinvest in bamboo forest management, in which risk perception plays a significant mediating role. The government can enhance small-scale farmers’ willingness to reinvest in bamboo forest management by maintaining stable land property rights policies, increasing the publicity and promotion of bamboo forest certification, and enhancing information exchange among farmers.

Quantifying access to on-demand alcohol in New Zealand.

On-demand delivery (<2 h from ordering) of alcohol is relatively new to New Zealand. We aimed to quantify the number of services available and the number of outlets available to purchase from within on-demand services. We then tested whether access differed by neighbourhood demographics. We identified six on-demand alcohol services and quantified access to these in Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch. Eighty-one addresses were sampled according to three variables: (i) density of physical alcohol outlet tertile; (ii) socio-economic deprivation tertile; and (iii) areas within the top 20th percentile of Māori within each city. The median number of alcohol outlets to purchase from across all on-demand delivery services was five, though this was higher in Christchurch. For all three cities combined, and for Wellington, the number of outlets available on-demand was highest in areas with the highest density of physical outlets. However, the number of outlets available virtually was not associated with physical outlet density in Auckland or Christchurch. There were no significant differences in access observed for neighbourhood socio-economic deprivation. On-demand delivery services are changing local alcohol environments, and may be increasing overall access to alcohol at a neighbourhood level. On-demand access patterns do not consistently reflect the physical alcohol environment. The current legislative and policy environment in New Zealand pre-dates the emergence of on-demand alcohol services. Local councils need to consider 'virtual' access as well as physical access when developing Local Alcohol Policies.

EPH202 Current Policy, Clinical and Economic Environment of Eye Care and Vision Health in Bulgaria

EPH202 Current Policy, Clinical and Economic Environment of Eye Care and Vision Health in Bulgaria

Personal Information Protection in Government Data Openness Using Decision Tree Model

To address the issues of personal privacy and information security in the current digital age, this study first collects and analyzes relevant government data openness policies and personal information protection laws and regulations to understand the current policy and legal environment. Secondly, a complexity pruning decision tree model is constructed, which can identify and evaluate potential personal information protection risks in government data openness. Using the Singapore government open dataset, this decision tree model is applied for empirical analysis, and its accuracy and effectiveness are evaluated. The research results demonstrate that the complexity pruning decision tree model performs well in terms of accuracy, recall rate, F1 score, and the area under the ROC Curve (AUC). The model achieves an accuracy of 0.85 on the training and 0.8 on the test sets, indicating its high performance in personal information protection in government data openness.

A systematic review on the current situation of emerging pollutants in Mexico: A perspective on policies, regulation, detection, and elimination in water and wastewater

Emerging pollutants (EPs) emerged as a group of new compounds whose presence in the environment has been widely detected in Mexico. In this country, different concentrations of pharmaceutical compounds, pesticides, dyes, and microplastics have been reported, which vary depending on the region and the analyzed matrix (i.e., wastewater, surface water, groundwater). The evidence of the EPs' presence focuses on the detection of them, but there is a gap in information regarding is biomonitoring and their effects in health in Mexico. The presence of these pollutants in the country associated with lack of proper regulations in the discharge and disposal of EPs. Therefore, this review aims to provide a comprehensive view of the current environmental status, policies, and frameworks regarding Mexico's situation. The review also highlights the lack of information about biomonitoring since EPs are present in water even after their treatment, leading to a critical situation, which is high exposure to humans and animals. Although, technologies to efficiently eliminate EPs are available, their application has been reported only at a laboratory scale thus far. Here, an overview of health and environmental impacts and a summary of the research works reported in Mexico from 2014 to 2023 were presented. This review concludes with a concrete point of view and perspective on the status of the EPs' research in Mexico as an alert for government entities about the necessity of measures to control the EPs disposal and treatment.

How asymmetric is the response of CO2 emissions to economic restructuring in China? Evidence from NARDL approach

China has experienced a remarkable economic progression since the implementation of its reform and opening-up policy. Yet, it is crucial to confront the challenge of achieving sustainable and high-quality economic growth while concurrently enhancing environmental quality. This study adopts the nonlinear autoregressive distributed lag (NARDL) approach to explore how economic structure adjustments impacted China's carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from 1980 to 2020. The empirical results reveal some asymmetries in the influence of agricultural progression, industrial development, and foreign direct investment (FDI) on CO2 emissions in short and long-term contexts. Specifically, in the long run, a 10% positive change in agricultural development increases CO2 emissions by 1.55%, nearly double the mitigation effect of a negative change (0.78%); a 10% positive (negative) change in industrialization is associated with a 0.6% decrease (0.23% increase) in CO2 emissions; a 10% positive change in FDI results in a 2.30% increase in CO2 emissions, supporting the "Pollution Haven" hypothesis, while a 10% negative change contributes to a 4.51% increase. In the short run, a 10% negative change in agricultural and industrial sectors increases CO2 emissions by 0.27% and 0.21%, respectively, while a 10% negative change in FDI leads to a 2.0% increase in CO2 emissions. Additionally, short-term positive changes in agricultural and industrial sectors and positive shocks in FDI exert negligible influence on CO2 emissions. These findings highlight the necessity of economic structure transformation and refinement of current environmental policies.

Cultural aspects for adaptation to the climate change impacts on the Ecosystem Services in a case study of Central Amazon

Climate adaptation tends to face resistance or produce adverse effects, if it is tested only on the generalist scientific models, ignoring its effects on the culture, values, and worldviews of local communities. This article investigates how climate change has threatened the livelihood and cultural dimensions of peri-urban communities in the Central Amazon. The analysis is based on the cultural theory of risk in climate adaptation and its relationships to local Ecosystem Services (ES). In this case study, semi-structured interviews were conducted with residents of three municipalities in the Metropolitan Area of Manaus-Brazil. Given that their diet used to be heavily based on native food, the results show how Amazonian communities are adapting their eating habits in response to climate and environmental changes to the ES decline in the category of food security (i.e., in the class of provisioning ES). In addition, these services have relevant cultural value (i.e., cultural services). The ES reduction influences adaptation strategies amid the dismantling of current environmental policies. As a result, these communities began to adopt industrialized means of production and consumption, such as adopting products derived from cattle, whose production is the main cause of greenhouse gas emissions in Brazil. Therefore, the studied case demonstrates how climate adaptation may pressure and erode local cultures, when these following the logic of globalized urbanization.

Analyzing the impact of natural resources and rule of law on sustainable environment: A proposed policy framework for BRICS economies

Industrialization is fueled by economic development, which raises the value of obtained natural resources. However, exploitation and excessive usage of natural resources in various sectors can have a negative impact on the environment. This paper examined the impact of Carbon dioxide emissions (CO2), natural resource rents, rule of law, digitalization, and economic growth (GDP) in (Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa) BRICS between 1990 and 2021. The empirical findings based on the Method of Moment Quantile Regression (MMQREG) confirm that GDP and natural resources have a negative association with CO2 emissions, indicating that these two variables adversely affect carbon emissions in BRICS countries. Interestingly, the outcomes also reveal that digitalization and effective rule of law tackle the issue of CO2 emissions effectively throughout all quantiles. Moreover, the robustness checks of Fully-Modified Ordinary Least Square (FMOLS), and Dynamic Ordinary Least Square (DOLS) confirm and support the outcomes of MMQREG. Based on the study findings, we propose that the current environmental policies of BRICS member countries do not efficiently tackle CO2 emissions. To cope with carbon emissions and resource exploitation, the selected nations should restructure their natural resources-related policies for a sustainable environment by prioritizing the efficient utilization of natural resources and adopting clean and green energy for sustainable economic growth.

Seeking wicked problems, finding opportunities: Advancing Australian general aviation policy beyond COVID-19

The efficacy and value of Australian general aviation policy has been the subject of strident debate. While a program of regulatory reform has shaped activity in the last decade, little documented evidence of coherent sector development or stimulus exists. The purpose of this paper is to highlight policy issues of contemporary concern to a sample of Australian general aviation stakeholders and to capture insights into their attitudes about the current policy environment. The paper presents the early qualitative findings from part of a longitudinal study into the sector, and initially asks whether the economic concept of ‘wicked problems’ represents a frame for understanding some of the impediments identified by the respondents. The results suggest that although there is a willingness to engage with progressive policy initiatives, efforts to resolve endemic and emergent issues are being compromised by the current bureaucratic engagement strategies in place to participate in industry planning.

Global Stillbirth Policy Review - Outcomes And Implications Ahead of the 2030 Sustainable Development Goal Agenda.

Globally, data on stillbirth is limited. A call to action has been issued to governments to address the data gap by strengthening national policies and strategies to drive urgent action on stillbirth reduction. This study aims to understand the policy environment for stillbirths to advance stillbirth recording and reporting in data systems. A systematic three-step process (survey tool examination, identifying relevant study questions, and reviewing country responses to the survey and national documents) was taken to review country responses to the global 2018-2019 World Health Organization (WHO) Reproductive, Maternal, Neonatal, Child and Adolescent Health (RMNCAH) Policy Survey. Policy Survey responses were reviewed to identify if and how stillbirths were included in national documents. This paper uses descriptive analyses to identify and describe the relationship between multiple variables. Responses from 155 countries to the survey were analysed, and over 800 national policy documents submitted by countries in English reviewed. Fewer than one-fifth of countries have an established stillbirth rate (SBR) target, with higher percentages reported for under-5 (71.0%) and neonatal mortality (68.5%). Two-thirds (65.8%) of countries reported a national maternal death review panel. Less than half (43.9%) of countries have a national policy that requires stillbirths to be reviewed. Two-thirds of countries have a national policy requiring review of neonatal deaths. WHO websites and national health statistics reports are the common data sources for stillbirth estimates. Countries that are signatories to global initiatives on stillbirth reduction have established national targets. Globally, nearly all countries (94.8%) have a national policy that requires every death to be registered. However, 45.5% of reviewed national policy documents made mention of registering stillbirths. Only 5 countries had national policy documents recommending training of health workers in filling out death certificates using the International Classification of Diseases (ICD)-10 for stillbirths. The current policy environment in countries is not supportive for identifying stillbirths and recording causes of death. This is likely to contribute to slow progress in stillbirth reduction. The paper proposes policy recommendations to make every baby count.

Will farmers go electric? How Dutch environmental regulation affects tractor purchase motivations and preferences

Farm machinery management can contribute to European agricultural, energy and environmental policy objectives of climate change mitigation and fossil fuel independence by investing in tractor electrification. However, many farmers in the Netherlands (and beyond) have expressed concerns about the future profitability and ability to produce at reasonable costs. The Netherlands is also in a so-called ‘nitrogen crisis’, which further causes policy uncertainty about the introduction of more environmental regulations for nitrogen abatement. We conducted a best-worst scaling survey experiment to elicit preferences for electric tractor attributes and measured attitudes towards environmental regulation using motivational posture theory. The ranking of and correlations across estimated preferences and the purchase intention show that the 156 dairy and arable farmers surveyed evaluated an investment in an electric tractor as not feasible. Another conclusion is that the breakthrough of electric tractors is affected by negative anticipated emotions and feelings concerning the current environmental policy and regulatory context.

Assessment of seed system interventions for biofortified orange‐fleshed sweet potato (OFSP) in Malawi

AbstractThe International Potato Center (CIP) has collaboratively implemented various demand‐pull and supply‐push interventions since 2006 to develop the seed system for biofortified orange‐fleshed sweet potato (OFSP) (Ipomoea batatas) varieties in Malawi. Consequently, the adoption of OFSP varieties has increased to 30%. Nevertheless, the actual adoption rates, the contribution of these interventions to the seed system development, and the extent to which the current policy and regulatory environment facilitated or impeded the availability and access to quality planting materials by smallholder farmers are not well understood. This study explored these critical issues using desk reviews and qualitative information with OFSP subsector stakeholders. The results reveal that most of the critical nodes of the OFSP seed system are underdeveloped. However, CIP backstopping interventions to the national research systems contributed significantly to building Malawi's capacity for producing clean early‐generation seed materials. In addition, CIP has played a critical role in developing the community‐level capacity to produce and disseminate clean vines through the introduction of decentralized vine multipliers and commercial vine multipliers. The study recommends integrating formal and informal seed systems for vegetatively propagated crops to improve access to quality planting materials by farmers. Second, government and development partners (CGIAR centers, Nongovernmental Organization) should progressively promote/create demand for OFSPs among consumers because of the strong association between the biofortified OFSP varieties and nutrition. Lastly, there is need for government and development partners to establish and increase OFSP interventions in the Northern and Central regions of Malawi.