Economic Assets Research Articles

The emotional sight of neoliberalized port infrastructure in the city of Poti, Georgia

ABSTRACT This article traces an ethnography-based analysis of the historical Poti port as it has been socially imagined through the lenses of ideological transformations. Situated at a nexus of Black Sea trading infrastructure, the city of Poti has been known as the gateway of Georgia, between Asia and Europe. The port, in its current location since the late nineteenth century, has been an economic asset to colonial powers (Russian Tsarist, Soviet state-socialist) and neoliberal economic agendas. Its infrastructure, which encompasses a specific field of trading and transit functions, encapsulates a social layer while affecting the daily lives of inhabitants. People’s reflections on either development or decay can evoke emotional perceptions of and reflections on this urban infrastructure. Living and producing infrastructure, gazing at constructed landscapes and associating oneself with particular spatial reflections all have an immersive effect on the city’s morale, evoking feelings of pride, shame and uncertainty. Thus, I aim to present in what sense the port is attached in people’s reflections to these emotional domains. I contend that specific neoliberal ideological experiences set the area of Poti port morally and socially apart from the inhabitants’ everyday reflections.

Strategi Pemberdayaan Ekonomi Masyarakat Desa Melalui Agrowisata di Kabupaten Banyumas

Cikidang Village is located in Cilongok Sub-district, Banyumas Regency, Central Java Province. Cikidang Village is the smallest village that attracts attention because it is located along the Purwokerto -Ajibarang provincial road and is dominated by agricultural land. The Cikidang Village Government has a short-term plan to explore the village's potential which includes natural resources, economic assets, social and cultural heritage, and human resources through the development of community-based agritourism. The medium-term plan for Cikidang Village is set out in the draft RPJMDES 2020-2025. This qualitative research involved field observations, interviews and documentation. Key informants in this research include the Village Head, Village Secretary, and General Affairs Officer of the Cikidang Village Government, as well as other stakeholders such as the Head of Bumdes, Head of Farmer Groups, Local Entrepreneurs, Community Leaders, and external parties including the Banyumas Regency Youth, Sports, Culture & Tourism Office, and Banyumas Regency small and medium business associations. The results revealed the potential of natural resources that can be developed as agro-tourism objects, while the development of the Cikidang Village rest area functions as a tourist centre that promotes local products and culture of the village. Based on stakeholder analysis shows that the participation of various parties in the agritourism development plan in Cikidang Village. Strategies to empower the community economy through agritourism in Cikidang Village are formulated in three stages, namely creating a conducive atmosphere, effective village government management, and maintaining long-term sustainability.

Salvage technoscience: Conserving and extracting the value of the Amazon Rainforest

Very few forests take up as much space in contemporary Western imagination as the Amazon. It is the archetypical mythological forest that many people want to save and even more people want to exploit. Over the years, it has been the object of multiple campaigns to ‘save the rainforest’ from resource extraction both within South America and beyond, within scientific communities as well as broader publics. This article addresses a concern with how to extract the resources of the Amazon Forest in ways that are more sustainable than past and contemporary logging, mining and farming. This concern is promoted by Brazilian scientists who have allied themselves with well-intended tech industry initiatives and small-scale entrepreneurs. We refer to this combination of conservation with extraction as salvage technoscience, an approach currently dominating the struggle for the resources of the Amazon by attempting to reconcile the opposing views of the forest as an economic asset and as an object to be preserved. Our contribution thus demonstrates the interwoven nature of capitalist extraction and environmental conservation under the auspices of technoscientific progress.

International cooperation in radiology training: A multipronged approach

IntroductionMedical imaging has undergone significant technical advancements in recent years, posing a considerable challenge for radiologists to stay up-to-date with emerging modalities and their applications in daily practice. This challenge is even more daunting in developing countries with limited resources compared to the US and other developed nations with greater economic assets. The collaboration between the United States and other advanced nations with radiological institutions in Latin America has been a significant achievement in the pursuit of new opportunities for continuous medical education. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of international collaborations among Spanish-speaking Latin American institutions and radiologists through a survey. Materials and MethodsA group of radiologists and institutions from various countries, including the USA, Spain, and Argentina, who have been working together for several years to improve Radiology education across Latin America, were selected. An online survey was conducted. The survey included questions about interest in the activities, participation, and impact of radiologic education during these educational efforts. ResultsThe survey received responses from 166 participants, all of whom reported knowledge of at least one type of educational activity. The most well-known activity was ALAT Webinars. The primary motivators for participation were the quality of the content and the opportunity to learn new information. Additionally, improving local education in radiology and receiving expert advice on radiology issues were identified as priorities for participation in international collaborations. The Cronbach alpha coefficient was calculated for individual and global Likert questions, resulting in a global score of 0.96. ConclusionThe study confirms the significance of a multifaceted approach to address gaps in radiology education. While traditional models have relied on hosting international visitors or sending US teachers abroad, the results suggest that using a variety of methods will have a greater impact than relying on a single technique for those who benefit most from collaborative efforts.

Context-based civic blockchain: Localising blockchain for local civic participation.

Experiments in alternative forms of urban digitalisation include blockchain-based applications as enablers of civic action in local communities, inspired by different visions than blockchain-based speculative cryptocurrencies. This article investigates how blockchain technology can be oriented towards locally embedded applications. It explores the case of a blockchain-based wallet app that aims to support social collaborative economies and civic participation in urban communities by tokenising social and economic assets. Building on studies on the embeddedness of urban digital platforms with a local character, this article studies how the app under consideration is shaped by, and adapted to, the needs and resources of local socio-economic contexts. Two pilot experimentations on the app are considered, concerning systems for rewarding civic participation and urban sharing economies. The empirical analysis concerns the methodology for introducing the app into local socio-economic contexts, the way in which local actors interpret its properties, and the resulting iterative co-design of its functionalities. The article defines and discusses the extent to which the civic blockchain is rendered context-based by this methodology, and highlights similarities and differences with other urban digital platforms. The empirical evidence drawn from this research contributes to the debate on how community members, researchers and digital experts together can realise alternative forms of urban digitalization.

Dynamic volatility among fossil energy, clean energy and major assets: evidence from the novel DCC-GARCH

The objective of this paper is to assess the dynamic volatility connectedness between fossil energy, clean energy, and major assets i.e., Bonds, Bitcoin, Dollar index, Gold, and Standard and Poor's 500 from September 17, 2014 to October 11, 2022. The main motivation of the study relates to examining the dynamic volatility connectedness mentioned during periods of important events such as the recent coronavirus pandemic and the Russia–Ukraine conflict which has shown the vulnerability of economic and financial assets, energy commodities, and clean energy. The novel Dynamic Conditional Correlation-Generalized Autoregressive Conditional Heteroskedasticity (DCC-GARCH) approach is employed for the investigation of the sample period mentioned. Empirical analysis reveals that both the total and net volatility connectedness between assets is time-varying. The highest connectedness among the assets is observed with the onset of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, and it increases with some important international events, such as the Russia–Ukraine conflict, the referendum of Brexit, China–US trade war, and Brexit day. On average, the result shows that 32.8% of the volatility in one asset spills over to all other assets. The DCC-GARCH results also indicate that crude oil, bonds, and Bitcoin act as almost pure volatility transmitters, whereas the Dollar index, gold, and S&P500 act as volatility receivers. On the other hand, clean energy is found neutral to external shocks until the first quarter of 2020 and after that time, it starts to behave as a volatility transmitter. Based on the obtained results, we offer some specific policy implications that are beneficial to the US economy and other countries.Graphical Dynamic volatility connectedness between fossil energy, clean energy, and major assets (Bonds, Bitcoin, Dollar index, Gold, and Standard and Poor's 500)

Post-traumatic stress disorder during the Covid-19 pandemic: a national, population-representative, longitudinal study of U.S. adults

Substantial literature documents the impact of mass traumatic events on post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in populations. However, the trajectory of PTSD in the US population during the pandemic and the association between assets, Covid-19 related stressors, and PTSD over time remains unclear. The Covid-19 and Life Stressors Impact on Mental Health and Well-Being (CLIMB) is a nationally representative, longitudinal panel of US adults in Spring 2020 (N = 1270), 2021 (N = 1182), and 2022 (N = 1091). Using the four-item PC-PTSD-4, we assessed the prevalence of probable PTSD in the US population over three years. Using generalized estimating equations (GEE) and logistic regression at each wave, we estimated associations of demographics, assets, and stressors with probable PTSD. Here we report that the overall prevalence of PTSD decreases from 22.2% in 2020 to 16.8% in 2022 (p = 0.02). Persons with household incomes below $20,000 report higher prevalence of probable PTSD compared to other income groups. The GEE model shows higher odds of probable PTSD among persons with household incomes below $20,000 (OR = 2.17 (95%CI: 1.35,3.50)) relative to $75,000 or more; and high stressor scores (OR = 2.33 (95%CI: 1.72,3.15)) compared to low stressor scores. High stressor scores are associated with higher odds of probable PTSD in 2020 (OR = 2.69 (95%CI: 1.56,4.66)), 2021 (OR = 4.58 (95%CI: 2.52,8.30)), and 2022 (OR = 3.89 (95%CI: 2.05,7.38)) compared to low stressor scores. This analysis highlights the pandemic’s prolonged influence on population mental health, particularly among persons with fewer economic assets and those experiencing more pandemic-related stressors. Reducing mental health disparities requires interventions to address inequities.

Determinants of Human Capital Development and Macroeconomic Freedoms: DEA Modelling

The purpose of the study is to identify countries with mechanisms to most effectively ensure that human capital losses do not become an obstacle to strengthening macroeconomic freedoms. The study is based on the hypothesis that a decrease in absence from work due to personal health problems, unemployment, and mortality leads to an increase in the level of six basic macroeconomic freedoms: business, labour, trade, investment, monetary, and financial freedoms. In this case, absence from work due to personal health problems, unemployment, and mortality serve as discouragers/inhibitors of human capital development, the growth of which reduces the chances of an employee obtaining the necessary knowledge and skills to effectively transform this employee’s labour into an economic asset. To generalise the scientific opinion on the studied issue, a bibliometric analysis of the relationship between each of these factors and the totality of all macroeconomic freedoms was carried out using the R Bibliometrix package in RStudio software. The basis of this analysis was formed by the databases of publications indexed by Scopus for 1937–2024, consisting of 1618, 1578, and 1517 literature sources for each factor-destimulator. This analysis allowed us to form clouds of the most used keywords and analyse the dynamics of their use, see how the relevant research areas and the keywords used have evolved, build a topic map of the research interface, etc. The information base of the study is the statistical data of Europa and the Heritage Foundation; the object is 30 European countries; the time horizon is 2021; the main method is the non-parametric method of Data Envelopment Analysis (CCR and BCC models); the software package is the rDEA and Benchmarking package in the R programming language. Frontier graphs were constructed that clearly show the efficiency frontier in the CCR and BCC orientations. Six iterations of DEA modelling were carried out, each using only one of the 6 indicators of macroeconomic freedom as an output and three indicators of human capital as inputs. The countries with the most effective national mechanisms to ensure that human capital losses do not become an obstacle to strengthening macroeconomic freedoms are Cyprus, Czech Republic, Iceland, Ireland, Malta, and Romania. These countries demonstrate “benchmark” efficiency in 6 cases out of 6 calculated. There is also a group of countries that have never been included in the list of “benchmark” countries: Austria, Belgium, Croatia, Estonia, France, Hungary, Greece, Italy, Lithuania, Latvia, Portugal, Serbia, Slovakia, and Spain. We have also identified countries that are “benchmark” not by all parameters, but only by certain ones: Bulgaria – only in terms of the impact of the studied human capital determinants on monetary freedom; Luxembourg – only on investment freedom and financial freedom; Poland – only on investment freedom.

Crash risk and conservatism: Evidence from Borsa Istanbul

This study assesses the relationship between the likelihood of future stock price crashes and conservatism—an accounting characteristic that leads to the undervaluation of accounting net assets relative to economic net assets. This undervaluation is achieved by less stringent verification criteria in acknowledging losses compared with gains, resulting in more timely recognition of economic losses. Utilizing a sample of firms traded on Borsa Istanbul from 2009 to 2019, this study reveals that firms with a greater degree of conservatism witness a significant reduction in crash risk after accounting for firm-specific determinants of crash risk along with firm and year fixed effects. This result corroborates the findings in the literature on conservatism, revealing that conservatism diminishes the ability of managers to withhold unfavorable information. In addition, the results are economically meaningful and hold after a set of tests to assess robustness. The findings are particularly relevant for underperforming firms, indicating that an increase in adverse information enhances the motivation for firms to obscure and delay sharing the information. Further analysis demonstrates that accounting conservatism offers advantages by mitigating future crash risk, especially for firms with high intangible intensity.

Fostering environmental and resources management in Sudan through geo-information systems: A prospective approach for sustainability

Environmental and land resource degradation is a serious problem that poses significant challenges in Sudan and worldwide generally. Despite the fact that the physical environment components are the underlying economic resources and production assets in developing countries like Sudan, and they directly affect the nation’s socioeconomic aspects of income, health, water availability, food security, and many others. The interventions and protective measures were insufficient to meet the magnitude and extent of the ongoing degradation and resource wastage. Based on the analysis of the indicators and trends of the environmental and natural resources management ‘status quo’, this paper is an attempt to overview and investigate the state of environmental and natural resources management and governance in Sudan. Further discussion delves into the utilization of geo-information systems in Sudan’s environmental and resource management by analyzing and reviewing “some previous case studies” where GIS approaches and techniques were deployed. The paper further strives to explore and highlight the opportunities and potential contributions of GIS in the context of Sudan’s environmental and resource management. Lessons learned from the previous experiences were considered, and the recommendations for the future use of a tailored geo-information system in Sudan context were highlighted and suggested to support better practices and sustainability insights for environmental governance and resources management.

Towards a sustainable business model for rubber agroforestry in Indonesia

Agroforestry systems, particularly rubber agroforests, are crucial for Dayak communities in Indonesia, providing economic benefits and vital assets for their livelihoods. Two common types in Simpang Dua sub-district are tembawang (traditional fruit gardens) and rubber agroforests. Both have flourished for generations but they now face threats of conversion due to declining rubber prices and the oil palm boom. Tembawang is considered more resilient due to better protection of tenure rights under local customary law and its greater provision of socioeconomic benefits. In some instances, rubber agroforests are only maintained because of their deep rooted social and cultural importance, but they have potential to still be economically valuable. Rubber agroforests can provide a diversified income, offering resilience against volatile rubber markets, and although oil palm provides higher income in the short term, rubber agroforests can provide higher income over the entire system cycle. Long-term financing is essential to improve yields and product quality, to support smallholder rubber agroforests, but obtaining this type of financing is difficult. Obstacles include low rubber prices, poor-quality latex, a lack of productivity of agroforestry crops and low attention from investors, financiers, and markets. Non-commercial financial support, including technical support, could help strengthen farming practices and market-based instruments, including carbon payments, could help stabilise farmers' income. The expansion, however, of large-scale oil palm plantations has shifted the rural labour force from rubber smallholders to plantation workers. Efforts to address these challenges include the establishment of a rubber processing and collective marketing unit, UPPB, to improve market access and prices for smallholder farmers. Founded in 2022, the unit aims to arrange collective marketing and provide technical capacity for farmers to meet the specifications of Standard Indonesia Rubber. By aggregating rubber slabs, farmers can earn up to 25% higher prices than individual farmers, but irregular supplies from farmers and low prices are affecting their success. Despite facing challenges, local farmers' groups remain resilient in organising themselves to improve their systems with the support of NGOs. Commitment from government and private sector stakeholders is additionally needed to further promote sustainable and inclusive rubber agroforestry businesses.

Cross-culture analysis of batik sub-culture Pekalongan: A case study on the complexity dimensions of representation, diversity and conflict

Pekalongan batik sub-culture development is influenced by three cultures namely Javanese, Chinese and Arabic. Most studies of batik use a cultural and socioeconomic analysis by focusing mainly its cultural aspects. This research aims to analysis transformation of social and economic assets, by using a different perspective namely cross-cultural theory and democratization framework in order to explain the political economic contestation among the entrepreneurs. This research uses Robert Dahl’s conceptual framework regarding the development of democracy and only uses three of the seven relevant aspects, namely: (a) representation, (b) diversity, and (c) conflict. Case studies as a qualitative methodology are used with in-depth interview techniques, observation and literature reviews as data collection tools. The results of this study are, Pekalongan batik sub-culture has formed a kind of long acculturation formation in the cultural perspective, but secondly it also contributes to develop a kind of political contestation, conflicts and gender-bias political practices This study concludes that regional autonomy and decentralization policies have created space for political contestation and opened up opportunities to transform the social/economic capital of batik entrepreneurs as assets for political contestation and have even raised the issue of identity politics.

The Challenging Nature of Volcanic Heritage: The Fogo Island (Cabo Verde, W Africa)

Many volcanic landscapes reflect the essence of volcanism and are particularly attractive to different kinds of visitors, featuring the concept of volcanic geoheritage. The expressiveness of volcanic processes is exacerbated in active volcanoes, which increasingly attracts geotourism, despite the natural hazards associated to such geological environment. This work reports how the 2014–2015 eruption of the Fogo volcano at Cabo Verde (West Africa) affected the geoheritage of the central part of the caldera, classified since 2003 as Natural Park, and which caused the destruction of several villages but enabled the occurrence of new geosites. Chã das Caldeiras is the only inhabited area within the perimeter of the park and the unique case of human settlement inside the crater of an active volcano. Besides agriculture, geotourism is an important economic activity for the local communities, and both were devastated after the eruption. However, after the 2014–2015 crisis and despite the eruption risk the local population decided to return to the affected villages and re-start their former life, including geotourism which has since recorded enormous growth. The volcanic geoheritage has dynamic nature that stand out from the majority of stable geosites, with periodic destruction of geosites and corresponding geotouristic infrastructures, and the emergence of new geosites. But despite the costs of rehabilitating, this type of geoheritage must be seen as an economic asset capable of attracting visitors to travel to destinations subject to the risk of eruptions, therefore contributing to foster the typical community-based tourism of normally inhospitable territories.

Cryptoart: ethical challenges of the NFT revolution

The digital transformation of the art world has become a revolution for the sector. Cryptoart, based on non-fungible tokens (NFT), is attracting the attention of artists, collectors and enthusiasts for its ability to tokenise any element that can be sold as art in the digital market. In this way, it is able to become a scarce resource and an economic asset by encapsulating the market value of a piece of digital art, which may or may not have a reference in the real world. This study will delve into the ethical aspects underlying what is known as the NFT Revolution, particularly impacts related to the abuse or destruction of cultural heritage, speculation and the generation of economic bubbles and environmental unsustainability. To this end, this research has been carried out within the framework of a hermeneutic-critical proposal for analysing, understanding and prescribing cryptoart and its processes. This, methodology, typical of the human and social sciences, critically analyses the current context of the digital transformation of art through the study and interpretation of bibliographical sources and case studies in order to reconstruct the keys and conditions of possibility that guide its development in a fair and responsible way.

Disaster risk assessment in villages near PT ANTAM UBPB West Kalimantan’s bauxite mining area

PT Antam UBPB West Kalimantan is a firm dedicated to the long-term viability of the local community. This commitment is fulfilled by the preparation of an analysis of disaster risk, vulnerability, and capacity owned by the communities surrounding the company’s operational region in order to lessen the danger of an imminent disaster. Balai Belungai Village is one of these villages, which faces two sorts of threats: floods and droughts. According to an estimate of disaster risk, a flood will have an impact on four sorts of assets: human assets, economic assets, infrastructure assets, and environmental assets. Drought will have an impact on four sorts of assets: human assets, economic assets, environmental assets, and social assets. Drought poses a high level of danger to economic assets, a moderate level of risk to human and environmental assets, and a low level of risk to social assets.

CONCENTRATION OF INVESTMENT CAPITAL IN MERGERS AND ACQUISITIONS: PREREQUISIGTES FOR A TECHNOLOGICAL BREAKTHROUGH

Purpose. The purpose of the article is to substantiate the prerequisites for systemic economic shifts based on the analysis of the structure of capital investments and mergers and acquisitions. Methodology of research. General scientific and special methods were used in the course of the study, in particular, analysis, synthesis, and generalization were applied while working with statistical data on the mergers and acquisitions market, and the monographic method was used when studying literary sources on issues related to the research topic. Financial analysis techniques (specifically, ratio and horizontal anal-ysis) were used in assessing the structure of capital investments in various sectors of the economy over the past twelve years (up to 2022). Additionally, the analysis of structural changes and shifts, as well as meth-ods of comparison and graphical analysis, were employed to study the dynamics of structural shifts in the economy under the influence of investment capital movement. Findings. The study of the preconditions for structural economic transformations was conducted through the assessment of the dynamics of investment capital concentration in economic sectors and the analysis of the dynamics of the number and value of mergers and acquisitions in pre-war and wartime peri-ods, as well as a review of the motives behind these transactions. The preconditions for structural changes in the economy, which are being laid at this stage through the investment decisions of investors and the political decisions of government representatives, were analyzed. The conducted research indicates the need to maintain a high share of industrial capital concentration alongside the decline in the share of indus-try in GDP due to the substantiated necessity for significant modernization of certain sectors. Originality. The study for the first time highlighted the role of investment capital by analysing the dominance of progressive industries with high added value in the structure of mergers and acquisitions, which can become the beginning of the structural transformation of the Ukrainian economy with the concen-tration of investment capital in high-income sectors. The use of analysis of the structure of capital invest-ments by economic sectors has further developed as a tool for determining the investment attractiveness of individual sectors and the dynamics of changes in the investment preferences of entities. Practical value. The results of the study can be used by government bodies in the development and refinement of the country's investment strategy, the formulation of the principles of the state's investment policy, and the adjustment of existing plans for post-war recovery; by private companies and investors (both local and foreign) for developing plans for the analysis and investment in Ukrainian economic assets, adjusting their expectations and priorities; by members of the scientific community who are interested in further development of this research topic; and by experts in related disciplines to expand their understand-ing of the issue, which may be relevant to their area of expertise, among others. Key words: investments, capital investments, capital concentration, capital market, mergers and ac-quisitions.

Inter and transdisciplinarity strategies for evaluating and improving water quality monitoring systems: Uruguay as a study case

Developing robust systems for monitoring and evaluating water quality is crucial for assessing ecosystem integrity and the impacts of human activities on nature. It also enables the assessment of water management effectiveness, governance systems, and the design and evaluation of public policies. However, designing such monitoring programs is complex due to multiple constraints like eco-hydrological knowledge, economic resources, human capital availability, and governance dynamics. This study combines quantitative and qualitative analyses (virtual watershed methodologies, empirical modeling, and theoretical frameworks of water governance) to evaluate the robustness of water quality monitoring systems and identify strengthening alternatives (including institutional design and public policy). The inter and transdisciplinary strategy is tested in the evaluation of eutrophication processes in Uruguay. Major spatial patterns of water quality at a national scale were identified, highlighting the influence of land use, soil types, point sources of pollution, and livestock on nitrogen and phosphorus concentrations. Current monitoring efforts and spatial coverage fall short of adequately addressing water management needs, especially in Uruguay's socio-economic context. Based on the weaknesses identified, an increase in the number of stations (and their spatial distribution) is proposed to have a better representation of biogeophysical and socio-economic conditions diversity. The challenge involves an important transformation (i.e. establishing a network system of public institutional nodes at national and regional levels) due to the country's centralism, fragmented water governance system, and scarce economic assets.

The Urgency of Regional Regulations Regarding Natural Habitat in Sustainable Protection of Geographical Indications

Objective: This study aims to analyze the importance of maintaining Geographical Indications to ensure protection for product consumers while preserving the reputation of Geographical Indications as a sustainable regional economic asset. Methods: This type of research is normative legal research. The study uses secondary data consisting of primary and secondary legal materials. The data analysis technique uses qualitative data analysis, and conclusions are drawn by deductive method. Result: Until now, many products in Indonesia have been registered and protected by Geographical Indications, but there is no guarantee that the sustainability of product quality will be maintained. This is because no legal provisions prohibit planting plants outside the GI area, so circulating products use the same characteristics as products protected by Geographical Indications but have different qualities. Conclusion: The research results show that local governments are obliged to maintain the quality of products that have been registered and protected by Geographical Indications by establishing blood regulations on the natural habitat of products registered in Geographical Indications to prevent the planting of products protected by Geographical Indications outside the area stated in the GI application. This becomes very urgent to ensure the quality of products received by consumers and maintain the reputation of assets protected by Geographical Indications as sustainable economic assets.

Blockchain culture and digital image precariousness. Questioning NFTs as an art preservation strategy

In the last decades, the digital image has moved between the thin line that separates its exponential multiplication and its continuous danger of invisibility and loss. Despite the fact of being constantly used on the internet or social network interactions, the difficulties in filtering, gathering, authenticating and preserving new media images have led them to be a type of art barely collected by contemporary art museums. Even more, the huge amount of material produced not only by artists or creatives but also by citizens makes it impossible for cultural institutions to tackle the task of preserving a significant percentage of it. Museums seem to be unable to distinguish what might be considered art or heritage among the massive amount of images that fed popular culture. Nevertheless, the irruption of blockchain culture has focused on the importance of digital images as an identity, social and economic asset. NFTs seem to attempt to remedy the weaknesses of the digital image by associating it with a verifiable and supposedly incorruptible contract. This study tries to analyse the precariousness of the digital image as a key element in the emergence and sudden rise and fall of the so-called “crypto-art”. To this end, the idea of the “poor image” outlined by Steyerl is followed. The aim is to clarify whether the digital images associated with blockchain transactions solve the problematic obsolescent and unstable condition of the works, or if, on the contrary, these are used as fuel for a new ultra-liberal financial machine being quickly consumed and discarded.

Tackling climate change through wastewater reuse in agriculture: A prioritization methodology

Water shortages, exacerbated by climate change, are posing a major global challenge, particularly impacting the agricultural sector. A growing interest is raised towards reclaimed wastewater (RWW) as an alternative irrigation source, capable of exploiting also the nutrient content through the fertigation practice. However, a prioritization methodology for selecting the most appropriate wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) for implementing direct RWW reuse is currently missing. Such prioritization would benefit water utilities, often managing several WWTPs, and policymakers in optimizing economic asset allocation. In this work, a prioritization framework is proposed to evaluate WWTPs' suitability for implementing direct RWW reuse considering both WWTP and surrounding territory characteristics. This procedure consists of four key steps. Firstly, a techno-economic model was developed, in which monthly mass balances on water and nutrients are solved by matching crop requirements, rainfall conditions, and effluent characteristics. Economic suitability was quantified considering economic benefits due to savings in freshwater resource, mineral fertilizers and avoided greenhouse gases emissions, but also losses in crop yield due to RWW salinity content. Secondly, a classification procedure was coded to select representative WWTPs among a set of WWTPs, based on their size, presence of nutrient removal processes, and type of crops in their surroundings. The techno-economic model was then applied to these selected WWTPs. Thirdly, input parameters' relevance in determining WWTP suitability for RWW reuse was ranked. Finally, scenario analyses were conducted to study the influence of rainfall patterns and nutrient treatment removal on the RWW reuse feasibility. The type of crops surrounding the WWTPs and RWW salinity content resulted to be crucial elements in determining WWTPs suitability for RWW reuse implementation. The proposed methodology proved to be an effective support tool for policymakers and water utilities to assess the techno-economic feasibility of direct RWW reuse, generalizing results to several combinations of WWTPs and crops.