Distant Future Research Articles

The effect of cognitive behavioral therapy on future thinking in patients with major depressive disorder: A randomized controlled trial.

Pessimistic thinking about the future is one of the cardinal symptoms of major depression. Few studies have assessed changes in pessimistic thinking after undergoing cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). A randomized clinical trial (RCT) was conducted with patients diagnosed with major depressive disorder (MDD) to determine whether receiving a course of CBT affects pessimistic future thinking using a future thinking task. Thirty-one patients with MDD were randomly assigned to either CBT (n = 16) or a talking control (TC) (n = 15) for a 16-week intervention. The main outcomes were the change in response time (RT) and the ratio of the responses for positive valence, measured by the future thinking task. Secondary outcomes included the GRID-Hamilton Depression Rating Scale, the Beck Depression Inventory-Second Edition (BDI-II), the Dysfunctional Attitude Scale (DAS), and the word fluency test (WFT). Regarding the main outcomes, the CBT group showed reduced RT for the positive valence (within-group Cohen's d = 0.7, p = 0.012) and negative valence (within-group Cohen's d = 0.6, p = 0.03) in the distant future condition. The ratio of positive valence responses in both groups for all temporal conditions except for the distant past condition increased within group (distant future: CBT: Cohen's d = 0.5, p = 0.04; TC: Cohen's d = 0.8, p = 0.008; near future: CBT: Cohen's d = 1.0, p < 0.001; TC: Cohen's d = 1.1, p = 0.001; near past: CBT: Cohen's d = 0.8, p = 0.005; TC: Cohen's d = 1.0, p = 0.002). As for secondary outcomes, the CBT group showed greater improvement than the TC group regarding the need for social approval as measured by the DAS (p = 0.012). Patients with MDD who received CBT showed a reduced RT for the positive and negative valence in the distant future condition. RT in the future thinking task for depressed patients may be a potential objective measure for the CBT treatment process. Because the present RCT is positioned as a pilot RCT, a confirmatory trial with a larger number of patients is warranted to elucidate the CBT treatment process that influences future thinking. https://center6.umin.ac.jp/cgi-open-bin/icdr_e/ctr_view.cgi?recptno=R000021028, identifier UMIN000018155.

The projected futures of water resources vulnerability under climate and socioeconomic change in the Yangtze River Basin, China

Despite being one of the most abundant water resources globally, the Yangtze River Basin (YRB) region is facing substantial risks aggravated by climatic and anthropogenic changes. Here, we adopted an integrated framework to investigate the plausible futures of water resource provisioning in YRB under current and future conditions on the sub-watershed level: (i) a process-based model (InVEST) was used to project the water yield of the whole of YRB in the nearest future (2040–2060) and distant future (2080–2100) and (ii) a socio-ecological index was developed to assess the spatio-temporal patterns of water resources vulnerability (WRV). Model projections indicated that several water-rich areas in the southeastern YRB would suffer declining water yield in the future. While water yield was projected to increase in some drier regions in the northwest. Future changes in the basin-level vulnerability were projected to decrease under low emissions scenarios (RCP2.6) combined with a sustainability socioeconomic scenario (SSP1). The greatest increase in vulnerability was projected under the medium-to-high end (RCP7.0) rather than high-end (RCP8.5) climate change scenario. The areas with high WRV were distributed in sub-watersheds near Taihu Lake and the source of the Yangtze River. Climate and socioeconomic change were projected to have different roles in shaping the future dynamics of WRV, with precipitation reduction and water consumption increase being likely to result in increased WRV levels in the southeastern lower reaches and the middle reaches, respectively. Our study added new spatial data on projected water resource dynamics for the region of vital ecological and economic importance in Asia. The areas prone to increased WRV should be prioritised in future water resources management practices. The assessment approach used in this study integrated concurrent measures from both subjective and objective perspectives and could be used in relevant studies on exploring how future vulnerability could respond to environmental changes.

Confronting the Uncertainties Associated with Long-Time Scales: Analysis of the Modes of Preservation of Memory of Radioactive Waste Burial Sites

The burial of radioactive waste in deep geological repositories has gradually imposed itself since the 1980s in various countries. Considered more stable, safe, and responsible than storage above ground, this solution is seen as a way of keeping the waste out of human reach, and of freeing oneself of the obligation to monitor repositories. However, it soon became clear that the idea of relying on the relative stability of deep geological repositories for the safe disposal of nuclear waste to remove it from the ‘all too human’ risks associated with history’s turbulences, has produced new uncertainties, and raised new questions, given the multi-millennial time scales involved. This article presents a study of the strategies adopted by the actors in charge of radioactive waste management in the face of the temporal constraints imposed by the length of their radioactive life. More specifically, it is intended to question the representations of temporality that allow the designers of these projects to assume their responsibilities by transmitting information and warnings towards to an extremely distant future, to recipients who are not easily representable and for whom they already have a responsibility even though they do not yet exist.

Evolutionary quantization and matter-antimatter distribution in accelerated expanding of Universe

In this paper we consider ultimate generalization of classical/quantum mechanics that directly follows from the causality principle and topology of a system’s state space. Interestingly that in generalized mechanics, the Hamiltonian/Schrodinger equations remain the same, but the Hamiltonian may depend on the action and its canonically conjugated variables as additional dynamical variables. This extension of quantum mechanics indicates that the quantization of matter could be an evolutionary process, and in the distant future, even massive bodies may become entirely quantum objects without well-defined trajectories and shapes. In the classical limit, the first approximation of the Hamiltonian with respect to the action explains the accelerated expansion of the Universe, Hubble’s law, formation of spiral galaxies with a non-Kepler curve of rotation velocity, and observed asymmetry between distributions of matter and antimatter. This theory predicts that our open universe could have extended pre-history and be preceded by a long set of closed precursor universes.

Russia and the World: 2023 IMEMO Forecast

Abridged English-language version of the annual IMEMO forecast ‘Russia and the World: 2023’ is dedicated to the analysis and the forecast of key trends in the world economy and international relations in 2023. The paper is based on decades-long IMEMO experience in forecast research. The primary focus is on the issues that are of fundamental importance for Russia in the near (2023) and more distant future. Experts come to the conclusion, that the ongoing Ukrainian conflict will have an impact on the situation in the socio-economic, energy, foreign policy, military and political spheres. By a synergetic effect, the military-political conflict is aggravated by its overlap with multiple global deformations caused by the 2019–2021 pandemic as well as climate change, which altogether have resulted in rising food and energy prices. In the world economy, the authors of the paper expect the divergence of country economic growth trajectories and increased competition for technological dominance; the global food problem acquiring crisis traits. In the world trade due to the US–EU and US–UK joint energy security efforts and the growth of oil, petroleum products, and gas trade Transatlantic linkage will grow further. At the global level, the energy transition will take longer and cost significantly more than previously thought. In spite of unprecedented sanctions pressure, the global market offers Russian companies opportunities to circumvent Western sanctions. Also, the sanctions regime is constantly adjusted so that it does not cause excessive damage to the functioning of world markets and the economies of the sanctioning countries. When the world enters a post-conflict phase, the key factors affecting the world order will be: the format of US–China relations development – fierce competition vs. economic and military-political confrontation; the dynamics of Transatlantic relations; Russia's policies and the emergence or absence of opportunities to normalize its relations with the West.

Predicting the current and future suitable-habitat distribution of tropical adult and juvenile targeted fishes in multi-sector fisheries of central Queensland, Australia

Context Coastal and estuarine finfish species are responding to human-induced climate change by altering their distributions. In tropical regions, the species mostly affected by warming have limited acclimation capacity or live close to their upper thermal limits. Consequently, coastal fish assemblages may dramatically contract in range, experience declining population abundance or local extinction. Aim Here we use two different predictive modelling techniques that cope with non-linear empirical relationships between responses and environmental predictors to investigate distribution change. Methods The habitat-suitability models we use are the maximum entropy model (MaxEnt) and the generalised additive model (GAM). We built the models for the period 2004–2019 with environmental data relevant to coastal systems. We incorporated climate change at current conditions, near future (2015–2054) and distant future (2055–2100) from CMIP6 climate models. Key results We identified bathymetry and sea-surface temperature to be key variables explaining the current and future distribution of coastal finfish and elasmobranchs of the Great Barrier Reef coast in central Queensland. Conclusions We showed how the distributions of valuable fisheries species will change under future warming conditions. Implications The objective is to inform fisheries management supporting the restructure of existing fisheries or the development of new resources for the dual purposes of conservation and food security.

Editorial

From Editor’s Desk… The new year begins with the threat of a new coronavirus variant, according to health experts. A new chapter in the COVID mutation issue has begun in China. The potential of new mutations that could prove to be more contagious or fatal than the currently dominant omicron strain is being considered by specialists as the number of COVID infections in China has skyrocketed since the country loosened its preventative and control procedures. About 250 million individuals in China may have caught COVID-19 in the first days of December, according to an estimate from China’s health officials, as reported by Bloomberg and the Financial Times. A severe omicron pandemic is expected to break out in the next few months, according to a model developed by the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME) at the University of Washington School of Medicine. The model predicts that by March 1, 2023, if strict safeguards are not reinstated, the expected number of new infections every day might reach 4.6 million. Peter Hotez, head of Baylor College of Medicine’s National School of Tropical Medicine in Houston, agrees that the sudden increase in cases in China is likely to lead to the appearance of novel mutations. The vaccine’s efficacy is another crucial factor to consider. New research shows that Chinese vaccinations like Sinovac only prevent 61 percent of deaths and 55 percent of hospitalizations, while vaccines made by Moderna and Pfizer are 90 percent effective against both. Taking into account all of the evidence, it is possible that we may experience another phase of the breakout in the not too distant future. Dr. Khaid Mohammed Alabdulwahhab Editor in Chief

Теория ноономики в системе регионального развития

at present, society is faced with the choice of the vector of the direction of socio-economic development and methods of technological modernization of the foundations of the economy. The existing problems and contradictions of the modern social structure have become impossible to solve within the framework of the existing formational system. On one hand, the need to choose new approaches is due to the fact that the current system, which is imputed to permanent crises, slows down progressive socio-economic shifts, and on the other hand, there is an aggravation of urgent problems that need to be addressed in the short term. Numerous publications offer various paradigms for solving these and other problems. Among them the most promising is the theory of noonomy, which contains the necessary prognostic potential for comprehending and understanding trends in both the near and distant future. These publications touch on the global or country level, leaving the regional aspect unaddressed. This study examines how elements of the theory of noonomy can be implemented at the regional level and whether it can act as a methodological and theoretical tool that allows the implementation of strategic projects for the development of the region. The possibility of using project management methods to implement aspects of the theory of noonomy is substantiated.

A review on face mask detection using image processing

Face identification becomes an extremely challenging task, while wearing masks since some aspects of the face are obscured, making it crucial to develop advanced facial recognition technologies that can handle these complex scenarios effectively. The purpose of this paper is to offer an overview of several different approaches and algorithms that are utilized for human recognition when a face mask is applied. In this study, a number of distinct methodologies, including the Haar cascade, Adaboost, VGG-16 CNN Model, and others, are discussed. These approaches are compared side by side in order to determine which one has the best chance of success. It is possible that in the not too distant future, with the continued development of technology and the passage of time, more trustworthy methods for human recognition while wearing a face mask will come into use. It describes some of the practical uses of face detection and highlights the potential for advancements in reliable methods for human recognition even when individuals are wearing face masks. This technology has a variety of uses in public areas, schools, and other settings where persons need to be recognized despite wearing face masks in order to assist society. Facial recognition technology can also enhance security and streamline access control processes in a wide range of applications, from airports to corporate offices.

Impact on Platooning of Autonomous Vehicles using Macro to Micro simulations

Social costs increase as traffic problems continue. Driverless vehicles are attracting attention as a way to overcome this issue. Many said that fully autonomous driving is not a distant future. As one of the autonomous vehicle operations, vehicle platooning has been paid attention. Therefore, this study analyzes the effects of vehicle platooning on the road network. As a large-scale network, Jeju island, one of the cities in Korea was selected to test the platooning arrangement. A macro simulation was developed and calibrated based on the collected traffic counts, and then the network and assigned paths were imported to the micro simulation, which is capable of forming the platoon. The analysis was conducted by changing various parameters of the platooning vehicle. According to the investigation, it can be seen that as the market share of autonomous vehicles increases, delays decrease, and speed increases. Traffic efficiency was improved through platooning in general. It is expected that the results of this study can be used as primary data to develop an optimal traffic flow management strategy for cluster operation.

Can gene expression delay aging and increase longevity?

The reality of interacting genes and proteins is vastly complex and intricate with many unknowns which currently prevent us from solving the anti-ageing equation in terms of gene expression. Molecular studies involving genome modification should take into consideration the importance of apparently opposing genes and proteins which when seen as a whole, can orchestrate an optimal systemic balance. Gene expression is often a double-edged sword with positive effects turning negative when a particular gene is overexpressed. For this reason, the US National Academy of Sciences and the National Academy of Medicine have placed stringent restrictions on the promising genome editing methods to be used only for the specific DNA sequence associated with a transmissible genetic disease. Rejuvenation as a result of gene expression is still an open area of research with studies that have either been limited to in vitro research or clinical studies claiming success based on a limited perspective that selectively emphasises the benefits of certain genes while leaving the negative outcomes in the shadows of their silence. For example, some investigators relate the presence of ZMPSTE24, IGF1R, NGF4, EEF2, EIF4FBP1 CCL18, and other genes with “rejuvenation,” selectively focusing on potential benefits while ignoring the involvement of some of these genes in malignancies and inflammation. Well-controlled gene expression molecular experimental studies with mechanotherapy and effortless exercise have limited themselves to the observation of increased slow skeletal genes associated with muscle growth that do not present any adverse side effects. Overall, exercise and nutrition are still the safest and most ethical methods of gene expression at least until genome editing can be extended to delaying ageing, in the near or distant future. As observed in the research analysing gene expression as the result of different types of exercise, inflammatory events are counterbalanced by antagonizing anti-inflammatory ones. This signifies optimal biological homeostasis because health depends on the harmonious interaction of opposite processes levelling and stabilizing each other. Exercise modalities and lifestyle are still representing the cornerstone of delaying ageing and the most riskless method of increasing longevity by triggering processes that balance each other.

The Price of Caring More About the Distant Future: Evidence From Cross-country Variations in Languages and Auditing Fees

The Price of Caring More About the Distant Future: Evidence From Cross-country Variations in Languages and Auditing Fees

НАУКА КАК ФАКТОР СОЦИАЛЬНО-ЭКОНОМИЧЕСКОГО РАЗВИТИЯ РЕГИОНА (НА ПРИМЕРЕ НОВГОРОДСКОЙ ОБЛАСТИ)

The article considers the influence of science on the socio-economic development of the region. Science and innovation arethe basis of economic development, as in modern conditions economics is based on research and development. Scientific activity contributes to the creation of new technologies, products and services, which entails an increase in labor productivity and growth of gross domestic product of the region. At the same time, the presence of scientific research and highly professional scientific centers attracts qualified specialists and students to the region, which contributes to improving the level of education and competence of the workforce. The study reveals that within the framework of the "Priority 2030" program Yaroslav-the-Wise Novgorod State University undergoes a number of transformations that allow not only to increase its competitiveness among educational organizations, but also to turn it into a leading research and innovation center. The University becomes a full-fledged participant of the region's ecosystem and acts as a generator of the region's socio-cultural code. A modern university is able to influence the economic and social life of the region in several directions at once, thus increasing the full socio-economic value of the territory both in the near future and in the distant future. The creation and development of regional scientific centers,institutes and laboratories, including those based on the university, is the basis for the development of modern technologies,innovative business and investment attraction. Such scientific and technical facilities play an important role in the development of the economy, create new jobs and allow the region to be competitive both in the domestic market and in the international arena. Such an effect arises due to active and purposeful interaction between the university, business and regional authorities. Theauthors use the example of the Novgorod region to show that contribution to the development of certain branches of science significant for the region allows obtaining visible progress both in the research activity itself and in the development of economically important industries for the territory.

Dream Super-Express: A Cultural History of the World's First Bullet Train by Jessamyn R. Abel

Reviewed by: Dream Super-Express: A Cultural History of the World's First Bullet Train by Jessamyn R. Abel Morris Low (bio) Dream Super-Express: A Cultural History of the World's First Bullet Train By Jessamyn R. Abel. Stanford: Stanford University Press, 2022. Pp. ix + 289. Brad Pitt's latest film, Bullet Train (Sony, 2022), reinforces what Jessamyn Abel contends are the contradictory images of Japanese high-speed rail: futuristic but also hiding some of the social problems, power plays, and politics at work in the larger society. Pitt's film is based on Bullet Train: A Novel (2021) by Japanese author Kōtarō Isaka, who portrays the train as the thrilling site of intersecting stories. Abel in her [End Page 269] own way also examines how the idea of the bullet train was used by various actors to promote their own agendas and the affective power of the train in helping the Japanese to reimagine their sense of identity as individuals, as well as at the level of city and nation. Readers of this journal will likely know Takashi Nishiyama's Engineering War and Peace in Modern Japan, 1868–1964 (2014) and Christopher Hood's Shinkansen: From Bullet Train to Symbol of Modern Japan (2006) before it. Abel builds on these studies. Steering largely clear of the technical matters that Nishiyama and others have written about and going beyond the chronological history that Hood helps provide, she regards the bullet train not as representing a major technological leap; her interests lie elsewhere. While readers may be familiar with Abel's recent articles on the topic, versions of which are included in the book, the total is greater than the sum. Each chapter provides insights combined with thoughtful analysis and offers a range of perspectives backed up by careful archival research that provides us with some sense of official narratives and disputes. We are also introduced to the scholarly literature in both Japanese and English, as well as to relevant magazine and newspaper articles, films, novels, and art. The latter sources allow us to gain some insight into the popular imagination surrounding the train and all its social and political baggage. Those who are interested in the history of railways and know Wolfgang Schivelbusch's The Railway Journey (1986) will be familiar with some aspects of what Abel covers: the ways in which trains transform the landscape, changing ideas of time and space, and regional identity (ch. 2). But Abel goes beyond this. While cultural representations of the bullet train for both domestic and international audiences are part of what she examines, we also are privy to the policy-making process surrounding the bullet train in the planning stages, the fraught decision-making and politicking around the location of stations, and the displacement of residents to make way for the train (ch. 1). The train was linked to the future in terms of Japanese aspirations to become an information society (ch. 3). It also created a moment of nostalgia for Japan's former empire during the 1930s, when the Asia Express ran through Manchuria and there were hopes for a bullet train to be built in Japan itself (ch. 4). These hopes would later be realized, just in time for the 1964 Tokyo Olympics, changing perceptions of trains and providing the Japanese government with a symbol of Japanese technological prowess that could be showcased at the 1964–65 New York World's Fair (ch. 5). While the prospect of a superconducting maglev train running between Tokyo and Osaka has been relegated to the distant future (conclusion), the Japanese people continue to embrace high-speed rail for the many reasons that Abel outlines. She makes the simple but profound statement that "people used physical infrastructures to build conceptual ones that would help them make sense of their world and reshape it in ways they hoped would make it better" (p. 19). I [End Page 270] recommend the book to all readers interested in the history of technology. It provides a useful framework for scholars to employ when considering other technologies. We need to pay close attention to how they emerged and were contested, while acknowledging the many meanings that can...

Petrification

Petrification is a process of transformation from cellulose to rock, making it possible to imagine a ceramic artifact with a simple shape, from paper, rope, cotton, wood, or cardboard. It consists of two stages: the infusion of a silica solution into the model, followed by atmospheric pyrolysis. During this firing, carbon, and silica fuse to form silicon carbide, a rigid and abrasive ceramic, technically comparable to that of a diamond. This project—developed by Emile De Visscher in collaboration with scientists from ESPCI (Jérôme Bibette), UPMC (Florence Babonneau), Chimie ParisTech (Philippe Barboux), ENSAD (SACRe, l’Université PSL), and Humboldt Universität (Cluster Matters of Activity) —combines experimental scientific development with research through design to imagine an innovative artisanal manufacturing process. At the heart of the project lies the question of the durability of our forms of knowledge, know-how, and heritage. Petrifaction, as a transmutation of organic matter toward the inorganic, from the vegetal to the mineral, perpetuates ephemeral forms destined to deterioration. At a time when the ecological crisis and capitalism are generating major declines in biological forms (disappearance of species and seed varieties), but also in practices (disappearance of traditional techniques), the question arises of how to keep track of our knowledge and fragile material forms. Beyond its formal technical principle, the process of petrifaction is symbolic in that it invokes a series of cultural contents rooted in many civilizations and regions of the world: in Greek mythology with Medusa, among the Celts with the dolmens, but also in Japanese, Papuan, and pre-Columbian traditions. Ubiquitous in the 18th and 19th centuries, both in connection with the practice of collecting fossils and the development of techniques for petrifying bodies, this process is still very much present in many current cultural forms, such as video games, science-fiction novels, and Hollywood films. This recurrence of petrifaction in the collective imagination refers to fundamental dualities shared between the fantasy of surviving death, the curse of stability, eternal life, or fear of apocalypse. The project thus unfolds as a speculative archaeological proposal, which stabilizes endangered elements for a distant future. The collaboration with Lucile Vareilles and Ophélie Maurus sought to account for this theoretical and historical dimension within the framework of the publication .able. The iconographic element of this project refers us directly to the question of the Anthropocene because it uses firing, certainly energy consuming, to sequester carbon in a land base instead of in the atmosphere. Rather than helplessly endure the relentless accumulation of fossil wastes, plastics, and reinforced concrete, the project explores the possibilities of a collective, and therefore political decision to populate the Anthropocene.

Demographic processes in the Baltic macro-region (1990-2022)

The article discusses the features and factors of the dynamics and territorial differentiation of the demographic development of the population of the Baltic macroregion in 1990 - 2022. Study have indicated, although the population of the macroregion is growing, and most of the countries located here have a migration population growth, the demographic situation cannot be considered to be satisfactory in any of its parts. Depopulation has been taking place everywhere for a long time, and there are no serious grounds for expecting, even in a fairly distant future, not only an expanded, but also a simple reproduction of the population. The population of the Baltic countries decreased catastrophically in 1990-2022. There are also territories in the Nordic countries, the Baltic regions of Germany and Poland, losing population and characterized by an intensive redistribution of residents from villages to cities, which is typical at the micro level for Russian regions as well. In the countries with a traditional market economy, characterized by a high migration influx from Asia and Africa, there are acute problems of migrant integration and / or the development of multiculturalism. At the initiative of Western partners, the cross-border mobility of the population and any (including educational and scientific ties) between the EU countries and Russia are limited. On the basis of the latest published statistical data, the listed and other problems of population dynamics in the macroregion are analyzed, its parts are typified according to the predominance of certain features of the natural and migration movement of the population, the existing and predicted demographic problems are assessed, particular attention is drawn to the need for their speedy solution.

Quality in education in the policy of Heydar Aliyev

The purpose of the study is to provide quality education in the education system of our country, especially in the higher education system, and to determine ways to integrate into the world education system, taking into account the global processes taking place in the world and digital technologies resulting from the IV industrial revolution, as well as new requirements of the business world. and international communities to professional skills designed for the distant future in this direction.

New Drugs for the Treatment of DME and the Role of Biomarkers in Predicting Their Effectiveness

Today, between 230 and 347 million people on the planet suffer from diabetes, which is approximately 6 % of the all adult population. Diabetic macular edema (DME) can occur at any stage of diabetic retinopathy (DR), and remains the most common cause of moderate vision loss in patients with DR, due to increased retinal vascular permeability leading to accumulation of extracellular/intracellular fluid and blood plasma components in the neurosensory retina. The use of objective, quantifiable medical signs, called biomarkers, has become more relevant in clinical practice and clinical research. They allow the identification of a normal biological or pathological process, becoming clinical and diagnostic tools in routine clinical practice. Over the past decade, there has been significant progress in the treatment of macular edema, but the search for a more effective method does not stop. Modern research is being carried out in the direction of creating new drugs and increasing the intervals between injections. New molecules target previously studied as well as new targets. The pharmaceuticals used are investigating at higher doses and different delivery methods. Viral vectors and new phototherapeutic agents are currently being tested. This wide range of research studies, with several therapeutics currently in phase 3, could lead to impressive results in the treatment of diabetic retinopathy in the not too distant future.

The Issue of Regulating Human Rights and Freedoms in Modern Transforming Society

The development of the institute of human rights and civil freedoms in any state indicates the level of its own development, while the proper mechanism for implementing the norms that enshrine human rights and civil freedoms testifies to democracy, law and order, the legality and legal level of this state. The article aims at studying the legal mechanism for implementing and protecting human rights and freedoms in modern conditions. The authors of the article have revealed that the Russian society grows aware of human rights and freedoms, which can be regarded as the beginning of the spiritual revival of the Russian Federation. The ideology of rights is now generally recognized and required by both government and society. From the viewpoint of this ideology, the Soviet and post-Soviet views should be reassessed and projected onto the near and distant future. The authors have proved that the realization of individual rights is a complex and multifaceted phenomenon that includes not only the activities of law enforcement agencies but also the activities of individuals. They have also established that the individual’s activity in such implementation depends on the level of legal consciousness, legal culture and legal awareness.

Decube Framework: An Introduction to a New Energy Modelling and Planning Process for Sustainable Utilisation of Pakistan’s Energy Resources

Sustainable Development—which ensures that the use of resources and the environment today does not restrict their use by future generations [UNEP (2007)]—is the most significant challenge facing today’s governments. Consequently, the notion of Sustainable Development [Matthews (1979)] has become a fundamental part of any policy and decision carried out at national and international levels. If the current acceleration of human advancement is not reduced it poses the biggest threat to long term sustainability of the entire globe, arising from the development and industrialisation in the twenty-first century, dwarfing the impact of twentieth century. This further compounds the work of policy-makers faced with the challenge of fast tracking the economies of developing countries. Since the Industrial Revolution energy has become the lifeline of economic development and progress. This led to exponential increase in use of fossil fuels. However, rampant, unchecked and accelerated burning of fossil fuels in the twentieth century has resulted disastrous and long term damaging effects to earth’s climate. Consequently, world has begun this century with the aim “to develop a coherent and practical approach to climate change [World Energy Council (2007)].” “Safe, environmentally sound and economically viable energy pathway that will sustain human progress into the distant future is clearly imperative [WCEW (1987)]” to achieve the above goal. As a result environment has become an integral part of any energy system and policy. On the whole today’s energy policies and decisions have to be carefully woven into an intricate web traversing the boundaries of economy, environment and society.