Current Policy Environment Research Articles

Protocol for a Multi-Level Policy Analysis of Non-Communicable Disease Determinants of Diet and Physical Activity: Implications for Low- and Middle-Income Countries in Africa and the Caribbean.

Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) are the leading cause of death globally. Despite significant global policy development for addressing NCDs, the extent to which global policies find expression in low-and-middle income countries’ (LMIC) policies, designed to mitigate against NCDs, is unclear. This protocol is part of a portfolio of projects within the Global Diet and Activity Research (GDAR) Network, which aims to support the prevention of NCDs in LMICs, with a specific focus on Kenya, Cameroon, South Africa and Jamaica. This paper outlines the protocol for a study that seeks to explore the current policy environment in relation to the reduction of key factors influencing the growing epidemic of NCDs. The study proposes to examine policies at the global, regional and country level, related to the reduction of sugar and salt intake, and the promotion of physical activity (as one dimension of healthy placemaking). The overall study will comprise several sub-studies conducted at a global, regional and country level in Cameroon, Kenya and South Africa. In combination with evidence generated from other GDAR workstreams, results from the policy analyses will contribute to identifying opportunities for action in the reduction of NCDs in LMICs.

Prevalence and antimicrobial profile of potentially pathogenic bacteria isolated from abattoir effluents in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe

The spread of pathogenic bacteria from food production processes has become a problem worldwide. Abattoir effluents are potential carriers of resistant pathogenic bacteria and could be contributing to the global spread of these strains in the environments. We investigated the prevalence and antimicrobial profiles of bacteria isolated from government (Abattoir 1) and private owned (Abattoir 2) abattoir effluents. A total of 300 effluent samples were collected from each abattoir. Total bacterial counts and antibiotic sensitivity profiles were determined. The total bacterial counts in effluents were high for both abattoirs, ranging from 7.83 to 5.81 log CFU/mL. Significant differences were observed (p < 0.05) between bacterial counts of abattoir 1 and 2 at all sampling sites A, B and C. However, bacterial counts for Abattoir 1 were significantly higher than those for Abattoir 2 at sampling sites A and B and on the contrary total bacterial counts for Abattoir 1 were significantly lower at sampling site C. Sampling site A had the most bacteria (average: 7.55 log CFU/mL) while site C had the least bacteria (average: 6.32 log CFU/mL), suggesting that the processing could lower the discharged effluent's bacterial counts. Fifteen different potentially pathogenic bacteria were isolated from the effluent. Escherichia coli, Bacillus spp, Streptococcus pyogenes, Citrobacter freundii, Citrobacter spp, Klebsiella aerogenes, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Proteus mirabilis, Salmonella spp, Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus coagulase negative, S. enteritidis, Staphylococcus epidermidis and Staphylococcus intermedius. E. coli (23.33%) and Bacillus species (21.85%) were the most prevalent and Staphylococcus intermedius (1.30%) the least prevalent. Most bacterial isolates (58.71%) were highly resistant to antibiotics tested and this could be very dangerous if the effluent is released into the environment without treatment. Therefore, there is a need to evaluate current environmental, veterinary, and public health policies to monitor and produce safe effluents.

Brain circuity: The case of South Africa as a hub for doctoral education

The production and reproduction of knowledge are important components of national development. As student mobility increases, globally and within Africa, so does the national diversity of students as they seek to further their postgraduate studies at the limited number of research universities in Africa. Knowledge migration is inevitably a relationship between nation states because migration is driven by push factors (such as the socio-economic conditions and opportunities) in the country of origin as well as by pull factors (such as the rules and incentives for entry, participation in postgraduate education and post-study residency), which are prerogatives of the host nation. In other words, migration and development must be understood in comparative terms. The brain drain perspective on migration and development takes mainly the perspective of the origin country into consideration. Migration and the loss of high-level skills are seen as detrimental to the development prospects of the country of origin. The brain circulation perspective moves the discussion forward by suggesting that there are residual returns to the country of origin. However, relatively little attention has been given to the impact of knowledge migrants on the host nation when the host is facing its own post-colonial development challenges. This is the dilemma facing South Africa as a hub for doctoral students from the rest of Africa: attracting top doctoral students from the rest of the continent to contribute to the country’s knowledge capacity but at the expense of developing local talent, thereby setting up a complex tension between underdevelopment and development. Here we establish whether South Africa is maintaining its position as a PhD hub on the African continent and explore the extent to which the brain circulation argument holds up in the African context. We suggest that, given the current policy environment in South Africa, brain circuity is a more likely outcome, where brain circuity describes the flow of knowledge characterised by indirection and undesirable intricacy.Significance: In the case of South Africa as a destination for doctoral students from the rest of Africa, neither the brain drain nor the brain circulation theories of student mobility hold; rather, students are confronted with an overly complex set of conditions resulting in brain circuity. Despite the continued attractiveness of South Africa as a destination for doctoral students, the tension between equity and development remains unresolved at the policy level, potentially undermining the circulation of knowledge for the benefit of all African countries.

Medicare payment policy in skilled nursing facilities: Lessons from a history of mixed success.

The current policy environment for rehabilitation in skilled nursing facilities (SNFs) is complex and dynamic, and SNFs are facing the dual challenges of recent Medicare payment policy change that disproportionately impacts rehabilitation for older adults and the COVID-19 pandemic. This article introduces an adapted framework based on Donabedian's model for evaluating quality of care and applies it to decades of Medicare payment policy to provide a historical view of how payment policy changes have impacted rehabilitation processes and patient outcomes for Medicare beneficiaries in SNFs. This review demonstrates how SNF responses to Medicare payment policy have historically varied based on organizational factors, highlighting the importance of considering such organizational factors in monitoring policy response and patient outcomes. This historical perspective underscores the mixed success of previous Medicare policies impacting rehabilitation and patient outcomes for older adults receiving care in SNFs and can help in predicting SNF industry response to current and future Medicare policy changes.

The role of bioenergy in Ukraine's climate mitigation policy by 2050

The development of renewable energy sources (RES) is considered to be a key instrument in addressing climate change. However, different RES have different potential and economic feasibility depending on country-specific conditions and mitigation ambitions. Understanding the relative importance of each RES could help policymakers focus their efforts on the most promising options. In this paper, we focus on Ukraine and explore the potential of biomass use under two mitigation scenarios – with 68% and 83% of greenhouse gas emissions reduction in 2050 relative to the 2010 level.First, using the TIMES-Ukraine energy system model, we show that biomass would play a major role in the future climate mitigation. If constrained at the baseline scenario level (due to political or other reasons), mitigation costs would be substantially higher – by 14.0–19.6 B € or 10.8–14.3 €/tCO2-eq., over the 2020–2050 time frame. Second, we quantify the importance of each biomass source. We show that woody biomass and bioliquids are the most important biofuels under the high-ambition climate scenario, while biowaste and bioliquids play a key role in the lower ambition pathway. Finally, we analyse the current policy environment in the context of future biomass development and conclude with a set of policy recommendations toward the realization of the biomass potential in Ukraine. We believe that findings presented in the paper would be relevant not only for supporting the decision-making process in Ukraine, but could also provide useful insights for other countries with similar conditions.

5G technology deployment in Latin America: An analysis of public policy and regulation environment

5G has become a reality in Latin America and it is expected to boost the digital revolution with key capabilities, including higher speeds and ultra-low latency, thus enabling innovative solutions and socioeconomic development. But its deployment faces many challenges related to, among other factors, spectrum allocation and infrastructure deployment. In this work we assess the current public policy and regulatory environment in Latin America regarding the adoption and deployment of 5G technology, considering mainly the above-mentioned challenges. From the analysis, it is possible to note that Latin American countries exhibit different levels of commitment and progress in 5G deployment since, for example, the spectrum allocation and assignment for 5G is still underway, and many regulations hamper instead to facilitate the implementation of 5G networks. On the other hand, the analysis confirms the necessity of having public policies and regulations which define flexible, efficient and transparent processes for all aspects related to 5G deployment.

Biocellulose for Treatment of Wastewaters Generated by Energy Consuming Industries: A Review

Water and energy are two of the most important resources used by humanity. Discharging highly polluting wastewater without prior treatment is known to adversely affect water potability, agriculture, aquatic life and even society. One of the greatest threats to water sources are contaminated effluents, which can be of residential or industrial origin and whose disposal in nature must comply with specific laws aimed at reducing their environmental impact. As the oil industry is closely related to energy consumption, it is among the sectors most responsible for global pollution. The damage caused by this industrial sector is present in all countries, whose legislations require companies to carry out wastewater treatment before disposal or recycling in their production process. Bacterial cellulose membranes have been shown to be efficient as filters for the removal of various contaminants, including biological and chemical agents or heavy metals. Therefore, their use could make an important contribution to bio-based technological development in the circular economy. Moreover, they can be used to produce new materials for industry, taking into consideration current environmental preservation policies aimed at a more efficient use of energy. This review aims to compare and describe the applications of cellulose membranes in the treatment of these effluents.

Contribution to the geomechanical stability of marble underground openings using backfill

A stability analysis on the possibility of using room and pillar underground mining method, in a marble quarry in Alentejo (Portugal) with backfill, is presented. Given the data provided by the laboratory tests over marble samples and in situ tests as well as a thoroughly geology acknowledgment of the area, a new excavation design was presented for the underground phase, using Finite Element analysis, where global and local stability is assessed. Moreover, the innovative idea, for marble underground quarries, was to contribute to the circular economy and the current environmental policies by making a use of the quarry’s waste rock, as the principal aggregate for a backfill material, that not only reduces the impact of wastelands in the surface but also acts as support for the newly excavated area leading to residual pillars recovery. Given this, an overview of the stress displacement is presented, and the main potential instability zones are assessed. The results are a quantitative contribution to the characterization of the rock mass for alternative ways of ornamental marble production in this region.

Patient-Centered Care: Transforming the Health Care System in Vietnam With Support of Digital Health Technology.

BackgroundOver the recent decades, Vietnam has attained remarkable achievements in all areas of health care. However, shortcomings including health disparities persist particularly with a rapidly aging population. This has resulted in a shift in the disease burden from communicable to noncommunicable diseases such as dementia, cancer, and diabetes. These medical conditions require long-term care, which causes an accelerating crisis for the health sector and society. The current health care system in Vietnam is unlikely to cope with these challenges.ObjectiveThe aim of this paper was to explore the opportunities, challenges, and necessary conditions for Vietnam in transforming toward a patient-centered care model to produce better health for people and reduce health care costs.MethodsWe examine the applicability of a personalized and integrated Bespoke Health Care System (BHS) for Vietnam using a strength, weakness, opportunity, and threat analysis and examining the successes or failures of digital health care innovations in Vietnam. We then make suggestions for successful adoption of the BHS model in Vietnam.ResultsThe BHS model of patient-centered care empowers patients to become active participants in their own health care. Vietnam’s current policy, social, technological, and economic environment favors the transition of its health care system toward the BHS model. Nevertheless, the country is in an early stage of health care digitalization. The legal and regulatory system to protect patient privacy and information security is still lacking. The readiness to implement electronic medical records, a core element of the BHS, varies across health providers and clinical practices. The scarcity of empirical evidence and evaluation regarding the effectiveness and sustainability of digital health initiatives is an obstacle to the Vietnamese government in policymaking, development, and implementation of health care digitalization.ConclusionsImplementing a personalized and integrated health care system may help Vietnam to address health care needs, reduce pressure on the health care system and society, improve health care delivery, and promote health equity. However, in order to adopt the patient-centered care system and digitalized health care, a whole-system approach in transformation and operation with a co-design in the whole span of a digital health initiative developing process are necessary.

Forecasting Chinese carbon emissions using a novel grey rolling prediction model

Carbon dioxide is the crucial factor leading to global warming, which has brought great negative effects on economic development and human life. Accurate prediction of carbon dioxide emissions is of great significance for the evaluation of China's current low-carbon environmental protection policy. However, the traditional forecasting models only consider the regularity of historical data, and seldom consider the addition of new information on the development trend. Then, this paper proposes a novel grey rolling mechanism based on new information priority principle. An average weakening buffer operator is used to process the original sequence and the new information is mined before modeling. The modeling mechanism and steps of the new model are described in detail. Finally, the proposed model is used to predict and analyze the trend of carbon dioxide emissions in China. Compared with other two types of classical prediction models without considering new information priority, the experimental results show that the proposed model demonstrates better simulation and prediction performance and a high stability. The research results provide important reference value for China's relevant environmental sectors to make decisions on energy conservation and emission reduction policies, and also help to enrich and expand the development of grey system theory.

Nature-Based Solutions and Sustainable Urban Planning in the European Environmental Policy Framework: Analysis of the State of the Art and Recommendations for Future Development

Sustainable urban planning (SUP) is crucial in the development of sustainable cities, as also underlined by the New Urban Agenda. Nature-based solutions (NBS) are increasingly being recognized for their potential to offer multiple benefits that are necessary in order to cope with present and future urban challenges. The European policy framework, including the recently released European Green Deal, could strongly boost the role and recognition of NBS and SUP as drivers of sustainable and inclusive urban transition. Through a content analysis of current environmental European policies, strategies and agreements, this paper provides (i) an overview of the state of the art of the environmental European policy framework and the recognized role of NBS and SUP in reaching defined objectives, and (ii) insights on where NBS and SUP could play a larger role within this framework. On this basis, the paper identifies gaps and develops recommendations for a better integration of such concepts into the current framework.

Addressing the challenge of wood mobilisation through a systemic innovation lens: The Irish forest sector innovation system

In the face of growing demand for sustainable sources of biomass, the challenge of mobilising non-industrial private forest landowners (NIPF) with varying management objectives, to actively manage their forests and increase the supply of wood biomass, is an area of growing research and policy focus. While innovation and knowledge exchange is increasingly viewed as a means of promoting sustainable wood mobilisation, structural weaknesses in the sector such as deficiencies in the institutional and infrastructural setting or capacity of stakeholders, can negatively influence innovation processes. Addressing these overarching challenges requires a systemic analysis of the barriers to innovation across the forest sector as a whole. This case study of the Irish forest sector develops a comprehensive innovation systems framework, integrating structural and functional streams of innovation systems research. This `coupled structural–functional’ framework is applied to identify a number of interconnected systemic problems that hinder the functioning of the forest sector innovation system and negatively influence the potential for co-innovation and wood mobilisation in the sector. Three sets of key systemic wood mobilisation problems are identified, among which there is negative feedback. These so called `blocking mechanisms' have developed over time as a result of historical patterns of practice, prevailing culture, attitude and regulation and are defined here as (i) weak networks blocking capacity development of new forest owners, (ii) infrastructural problems blocking the reach and effectiveness of knowledge networks, (iii) rigid institutional structures and policy blocking co-innovation. To address these deficiencies in the current forest policy and institutional environment, this study makes a number of policy recommendations to promote co-innovation and tackle the multi-dimensional challenge of wood mobilisation.

Solar energy adoption: A case study of South Carolina

We explore the issues of adoption of solar photovoltaic produced electricity with a focus on the state of South Carolina. Specifically, we examine the state’s current policy environment, trends in renewable energy adoption (including national trends), potential reasons for non-adoption, economic impacts, costs and benefits of solar, and, the future challenges and opportunities. Barring any adverse economic events, we predict that the consumption of solar photovoltaics (coupled with storage) with likely double by 2030.

Predicting fish community responses to environmental policy targets

The European Union adopted the Water Framework Directive (WFD) in the year 2000 to tackle the rapid degradation of freshwater systems. However, biological, hydromorphological, and physico-chemical water quality targets are currently not met, and identifying successful policy implementation and management actions is of key importance. We built a joint species distribution model for riverine fish in Flanders (Belgium) to better understand the response of fish communities to current environmental policy goals. Environmental covariates included physico-chemical variables and hydromorphological quality indices, while waterway distances accounted for spatial effects. We detected strong effects of physico-chemistry on fish species’ distributions. Evaluation of fish community responses to simulated policy scenarios revealed that targeting a ‘good’ status, following the WFD, increases average species richness with a fraction of species (0.13–0.69 change in accumulated occurrence probabilities). Targeting a ‘very good’ status, however, predicted an increase of 0.17–1.38 in average species richness. These simulations indicated that riverbed quality, nitrogen, and conductivity levels should be the focal point of policy. However, the weak response of species to a ‘good’ quality together with the complexity of nutrient-associated problems, suggest a challenging future for river restoration in Flanders.

Mapping and assessing ecosystems and their services: a comparative approach to ecosystem service supply in Suriname and French Guiana

ABSTRACT Current environmental resource management policies acknowledge the need to manage and conserve biodiversity. Sustaining good ecosystem conditions and ecosystem services (ES) is imperative at and across multiple spatial scales. The ES concept is a valuable tool to communicate the benefits that nature provides to people. In the Guiana Shield, neighbouring countries share landscapes and ecosystems, and therefore also the services they supply. This study presents the first spatial ES assessments at territorial level for Suriname and French Guiana. Expert-based ES supply matrices were used and analysed in combination with Land Use/Land Cover (LULC) data to compile ES capacity maps for the two territories. In comparison, both ES supply matrices showed a high degree of similarity – forest ecosystems scored the highest ES capacities, followed by aquatic and marine ecosystems. Agricultural and urban land cover showed weak to moderate capacities for ES supply. A statistical analysis revealed a 30% difference of the two matrix assessments. Expert scores given for ES in Suriname exceeded those in French Guiana, especially for urban LULC and planted forests. Sociodemographic factors such as age, gender and institutional environment were analysed to explain this difference. The diverging scores can also be attributed to the distribution and the degree of similarity of the different LULC types and, hence, ES capacities and different governance and institutional contexts of the assessments. Comparative evaluations are essential to understand the differences in perception of ES supply capacities and to underpin future knowledge-based bilateral conservation policies and funding decisions by governments and managers.

State-led efforts to reduce environmental impacts of artisanal and small-scale mining in Tanzania: Implications for fulfilment of the sustainable development goals

Improved environmental management is key to several of the sustainable development goals (SDGs). This paper focuses on the interaction between formalization of the Artisanal and Small-scale Mining (ASM) sector in Tanzania, and the regulation of negative environmental impacts. Key environmental impacts associated with ASM in Tanzania include: deforestation, use of mercury and cyanide in gold processing, dust and noise pollution, generalized water pollution, soil contamination, and failure to properly reclaim mining areas, and/or secure or fill-in mine shafts. Previous studies found that the Tanzanian regulatory framework was not well suited to the needs of the ASM sector, governance of ASM environmental issues was overly centralized, and environmental awareness amongst miners was low. Over the past five years, the Tanzanian government has reformed environmental regulations in the mining sector and has attempted to formalize ASM. It has also aligned some of its development targets to the SDGs. This paper describes current environmental regulations and policies, discusses actual and potential linkages to formalization initiatives, and assesses the capacities of different stakeholders to regulate and reduce environmental impacts, in the context of the SDGs.

Research on the Integration Development Mode of China’s Media Industry and Capital Market

With the rapid development of Internet and digital technology, China’s media industry has been developing rapidly in this context, but at the same time, it also exposed some practical problems such as the shortage of funds. The effective integration with the capital market is the future development trend. Therefore, this paper establishes the research on the integration development mode of China’s media industry and capital market. This paper makes an in-depth study on the current media industry and capital market. Through this study, it is believed that the current media industry in China has reached the bottleneck of development, and the shortage of funds has restricted the sustainable development of enterprises. The capital market is also optimistic about the market prospect of media industry, but it is subject to the current open policy and market environment. In view of this situation, this paper analyzes the structure of the media industry and the main forms of the extra industry capital entering the media industry. It is believed that the biggest reason for the media industry’s demand for capital comes from the fact that many media enterprises have changed from the original public institutions into self-financing enterprises without the financial support of the government. In this paper, combined with the main characteristics of China’s media industry, as well as the current capital market environment, integrated with advanced financial management concepts, put forward the development of media financing mode with Chinese characteristics, which makes up for the shortcomings of the current media financing mode.

Global Warming and the Role of Environmental Policy in Protecting the U.S. Quality of Life

We document a negative relation between abnormal temperature and quality of life in the U.S. since 1990. Cross-state and (within state-year) county-level comparisons both indicate that the temperature-quality of life relation is more positive in states adopting more stringent environmental policies prior to our sample period. Additional tests indicate no significant pre-adoption differences in the temperature-income sensitivity of adopters and non-adopters. Together, our findings suggest that U.S. quality of life is likely to deteriorate on average if rising temperature projections manifest and that enhancing current environmental policies should be added to the list of potential avenues of adaption.

Promoting Healthy Aging Through Policy Change on the Federal Level: Strategies for Scholars and Clinicians

Influencing health policy change is a significant focus for scholars and clinicians in the aging field. Nevertheless, they seldom receive formal training on how to influence the policymaking process effectively or how to translate their clinical and research experiences to inform policymakers best. Exposing scholars and clinicians to the policymaking process can advance their effectiveness as they seek to realize meaningful change to promote healthy aging of our population. This poster presentation focuses on providing scholars and clinicians with strategies to understand and influence the federal policymaking process. The presentation addresses the current policy environment in which federal health and aging policy is made and describes challenges to this process. Four strategies are identified to help scholars and clinicians influence the policymaking process: 1) identify a problem and any relevant policy that corresponds to the issue, 2) identify evidence-based solutions that relate to quality improvement, population health, or reducing per capita cost of healthcare, 3) grow relevant networks, meet experts, build relationships and connect with key stakeholders, 4) identify potential unintended consequences or barriers to the implementation of policy. By providing examples, this how-to aging and health policy road map provides context and guidance to stakeholder engagement, frameworks, and methods that can be used to engage in the policymaking process. The final part of this presentation explores ways to integrate health policy training and experience into scholars’ and clinicians’ professional development.

Pulses Production: Status, Trends and Strategies in India

Pulses are an important ingredient in the vegetarian diet of Indian masses. These are important because these have a high value for maintaining the optimal blood sugar levels and also restoring energy over a long period of time after the meals because the carbohydrates provided by pulses are released slowly as compared to cereals. In general, pulses are one of the most sustainable crops as it utilizes only 359 liter of water to produce one kg of pulses as compared to 1,802 liter for soybeans and 3,071 liters for groundnut. They play a significant role in contributing to soil quality by fixing nitrogen in the soil. India is one of the largest producer as well as consumer of a wide variety of pulses that is dominated by the tropical and sub-tropical crops such as chickpea, black gram, pigeon pea, green gram, lentil & so on. In this study, analysis has been done to help out the researcher and policy makers to take decisions regarding future initiatives and programs. In India during 2017-18 pulses were grown over an area of 29.99 million hectare producing 25.23 million tones with yield of 841 kg / per hectare. The cropping area of pulses in Haryana as compared to India is almost decreasing. The trend of contribution of pulses by Haryana at national level is also decreasing which reduces from 0.10 million tons in 2000-01 to 0.06 million tons in 2016-17. In India, about 5.63 to 10.90 percent share of food grains production is of pulses. The percentage growth rate in the cropped area as well as in production of total pulses in India shows much fluctuation but serious downfall in case of Haryana. The present study tries to review and analyze the current policy environment and suggests ways and means to improve the pulses production scenario in the country and Haryana as well. It advocates the need to diversify from cereal–based cropping systems to pulses-based cropping system with certain policy decisions like crop diversification, improving seed replacement rate, improved crop production techniques etc. This paper analyses status of pulse crop in India as a whole and Haryana in particular along with paradigm shift required in policy decision, pulse research, technology generation & dissemination, commercialization along with capacity building of farmers and frontier areas of research & extension.