Effectiveness Of Implemented Measures Research Articles

Risk Management Strategies in the Global Business Environment: Analysis of Complex Dependencies and Effectiveness of Measures

"The study investigates risk management strategies within the global business environment, focusing on the analysis of intricate dependencies and the efficacy of corresponding measures. The significance of this research arises from the contemporary reality wherein the business environment contends with a multitude of influential factors capable of altering the organizational dynamics of the business realm. Consequently, enterprises and companies must cultivate preparedness for diverse factors that threaten their sustained viability. The article deliberates on risk management strategies within the global business environment, emphasizing the analysis of complex dependencies and the effectiveness of implemented measures. The significance of risk management in the current stage of development is delineated. The essence of risk management strategies is explicitly defined, and factors that possess the potential to impact the operational dynamics of enterprises adversely are systematically examined. The paper outlines various methods of risk management planning, including acceptance, transfer, avoidance, and reduction. The specific application nuances of each method are expounded upon. Additionally, the interrelationship between risk management methods and strategies is delineated, providing clarity on their respective roles and contributions. The examination of risk management strategies encompasses the analysis of specific approaches, namely the one percent strategy, stop-loss and take-profit order strategy, diversification and hedging, exit strategy, and research strategy. The study identifies the predominant domains wherein each strategy is frequently employed, elucidating their fundamental characteristics and discerning their impact on alterations within the company’s operations. Furthermore, illustrative examples of these strategies are provided to enhance understanding. The summary of risk management strategy implementation in the enterprise’s activities is presented, elucidating the principal aspects, stages, and procedural framework. The determination of the impact of implementation on the company’s operations and its capacity to mitigate risks is systematically addressed."

Assessment of the Level, Direction and Factors of Structural Changes in the Irkutsk Region Industry

It is known that the structure of industrial production in Russia was formed under the influence of many factors that caused its raw materials specialization and accelerated development of the military-industrial complex. Since the realization of the need for structural transformations (the beginning of the 90s), authorities, associations of industrialists and the scientific community have offered various options for actions aimed at mitigating (eliminating) accumulated and continuing to intensify structural deformations, some measures (programs) have been implemented in whole or in part. In addition, the modern actualization of import substitution processes should also have a significant impact on the structure of the economy and industry, in particular. As a result, there is a need to assess the direction and intensity of structural changes in industrial production over the period 1991–2023, as a result of which it is possible to judge the degree of impact and effectiveness of implemented measures, including in the field of import substitution, on the structure of industry. In the article, this assessment is carried out on the example of the Irkutsk region. According to calculations, the conclusion is made about the preservation and deepening of the raw materials specialization of the industry of the Irkutsk region, despite the measures taken. The key factor was the implementation of major investment projects in the field of oil and gas production, as well as their transportation, which led to a significant increase in the share of extractive industries. At the same time, there is a point-by-point growth in some manufacturing industries, including high-tech ones, which does not affect the structural dynamics as a whole, but proves the effectiveness of the measures taken in the field of import substitution and the development of manufacturing industries.

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The study investigates risk management strategies within the global business environment, focusing on the analysis of intricate dependencies and the efficacy of corresponding measures. The significance of this research arises from the contemporary reality wherein the business environment contends with a multitude of influential factors capable of altering the organizational dynamics of the business realm. Consequently, enterprises and companies must cultivate preparedness for diverse factors that pose potential risks to their sustained viability. The article deliberates on risk management strategies within the global business environment, emphasizing the analysis of complex dependencies and the effectiveness of implemented measures. The significance of risk management in the current stage of development is delineated. The essence of risk management strategies is explicitly defined, and factors that possess the potential to adversely impact the operational dynamics of enterprises are systematically examined. The paper outlines various methods of risk management planning, including acceptance, transfer, avoidance, and reduction. The specific application nuances of each method are expounded upon. Additionally, the interrelationship between risk management methods and strategies is delineated, providing clarity on their respective roles and contributions. The examination of risk management strategies encompasses the analysis of specific approaches, namely the one per cent strategy, stop-loss and take-profit order strategy, diversification and hedging, exit strategy, and research strategy. The study identifies the predominant domains wherein each strategy is frequently employed, elucidating their fundamental characteristics and discerning their impact on alterations within the company's operations. Furthermore, illustrative examples of these strategies are provided to enhance understanding. The summary of risk management strategy implementation in the enterprise's activities is presented, elucidating the principal aspects, stages, and procedural framework. The determination of the impact of implementation on the company's operations and its capacity to mitigate risks is systematically addressed.

Reducing bat mortality at wind farms using site-specific mitigation measures: a case study in the Mediterranean region, Croatia

Abstract A 4-year monitoring of bat fauna at Rudine wind farm in Croatia aimed to produce mitigation measures to minimize both the number of bat fatalities and power loss in energy production. During the first 2 years, a high number of carcasses was found from mid-July to the end of October, indicating the need for some mitigation strategy. Based on the results of carcass searches, meteorological data and bat activity monitored at a weather mast and four wind turbine nacelles, mitigation measures were proposed. During the next 2 years, wind turbine curtailment was implemented in the high collision risk period based on critical wind speed thresholds varying from 5.0 to 6.5 ms−1. Estimation of a total number of bat fatalities was conducted with the GenEst software for each monitoring year. A 78% reduction in estimated number of fatalities was recorded indicating the effectiveness of implemented measures.

Methodological Framework for the Quantification of GHG Emission Reductions from Climate Change Mitigation Actions

The quantification of the effect of climate change mitigation actions is avery useful exercise that can be used to meet a variety of objectives, such asinforming policy design, enhancing policy implementation, assessing policyeffectiveness, justifying budget allocation, and attracting climate finance. Itis also a reporting requirement according to the reporting framework of theUnited Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) andthe Monitoring Mechanism Regulation of the European Union (EU) aboutclimate change relevant information. However, the reporting of emissionssavings associated to mitigation actions by EU Member States is not com-plete, according to recent technical reports of the European EnvironmentalAgency. The purpose of this paper is to present a methodological frameworkthat can be used to quantify the effect (i.e. emission reductions) of themitigation actions. It is based on comprehensive and transparent models andformulas that could be easily tracked and reproduced. The proposed frame-work could be easily applied by EU Member States, but also by other non-EUcountries, to enhance the reporting of climate change related informationto European Commission and UN bodies. By applying the methodologicalframework for Greece, as a case study, it was possible to estimate the effectof implemented policies and measures for historical years (ex-post analysis),but also to estimate the projected effect (ex-ante analysis) of implemented,adopted and planned policies for future years (e.g. 2030).

Disparities in the Evolution of the COVID-19 Pandemic between Spanish Provinces.

Spain experienced a second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in autumn 2020, which has been approached with different measures by regional authorities. We analyze the presence of convergence in the cumulative incidence for 14 days (CI14) in provinces and self-governing cities. The Phillips–Sul methodology was used to study the grouping of behavior between provinces, and an ordered logit model was estimated to understand the forces that drive creating the different convergence clubs. We reject the presence of a single pattern of behavior in the evolution of the CI14 across territories. Four statistically different convergence clubs and an additional province (Madrid) with divergent behavior are observed. Provinces with developed agricultural and industrial economic sectors, high mobility, and a high proportion of Central and South American immigrants had the highest level of CI14. We show that the transmission of the virus is not homogeneous in the Spanish national territory. Our results are helpful for identifying differences in determinants that could explain the pandemic’s evolution and for formulating hypotheses about the effectiveness of implemented measures.

Monitoring of Antimicrobial Resistance in diagnostic Veterinary laboratory in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a global one health issue threatening our ability to treat bacterial infections in humans and animals. Surveillance of AMR is important in order to estimate the size of the problem, to identify targets for measures and to evaluate the effect of implemented measures. The study was conducted to determine how microbiological samples were collected, results interpreted and the number of samples collected for bacterial culture and sensitivity testing; to identify bacteria frequently isolated from milk and avian samples; and to determine the trend of samples submitted for bacterial culture, sensitivity testing and AMR prevalence. A retrospective study was conducted to collect AMR data by extracting information from laboratory logbooks and laboratory information system from 2010-2017. About 90% of samples were submitted by farmers, and then registered into laboratory registration systems at the reception. A total of 4157 samples were collected for bacterial culture, which included 3571 milk samples collected from cows, 555 samples obtained from live or dead chicken, and 31 samples collected from other animal species. Four hundred and thirty (430) samples requested bacterial culture and sensitivity testing, of which 346 (80.5%) were from cow milk samples, 53 (12.3%) from avian samples, and 31 (7.2%) from other animal species. The common bacterial isolates were Micrococcus, E. coli, Salmonella, Staphylococcus, Enterobacter, and Bacillus species. The use of diagnostics and detection of drug susceptibility is important to support rational use of antibiotics and tracking of AMR.

Monitoring of Antimicrobial Resistance in diagnostic Veterinary laboratory in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a global one health issue threatening our ability to treat bacterial infections in humans and animals. Surveillance of AMR is important in order to estimate the size of the problem, to identify targets for measures and to evaluate the effect of implemented measures. The study was conducted to determine how microbiological samples were collected, results interpreted and the number of samples collected for bacterial culture and sensitivity testing; to identify bacteria frequently isolated from milk and avian samples; and to determine the trend of samples submitted for bacterial culture, sensitivity testing and AMR prevalence. A retrospective study was conducted to collect AMR data by extracting information from laboratory logbooks and laboratory information system from 2010-2017. About 90% of samples were submitted by farmers, and then registered into laboratory registration systems at the reception. A total of 4157 samples were collected for bacterial culture, which included 3571 milk samples collected from cows, 555 samples obtained from live or dead chicken, and 31 samples collected from other animal species. Four hundred and thirty (430) samples requested bacterial culture and sensitivity testing, of which 346 (80.5%) were from cow milk samples, 53 (12.3%) from avian samples, and 31 (7.2%) from other animal species. The common bacterial isolates were Micrococcus, E. coli, Salmonella, Staphylococcus, Enterobacter, and Bacillus species. The use of diagnostics and detection of drug susceptibility is important to support rational use of antibiotics and tracking of AMR.

COVID-19 and residential care facilities: issues and concerns identified by the international network prevention of elder abuse (INPEA)

PurposeThe COVID-19 pandemic has affected the physical, psychological, social and financial health of older persons. On this subject, the United Nations published a policy brief on the impact of COVID-19 on older persons in May 2020. In line with this, the purpose of this general review is to address three issues affecting older persons living in residential care facilities: protective measures implemented to block the virus’ entry, the types of mistreatment most frequently experienced and the necessity to promote and defend the rights of these persons.Design/methodology/approachThe design of this study is based on input gathered since the end of April during meetings of the International Network for the Prevention of Elder Abuse (INPEA) and the results of a July survey of its members.FindingsThe survey results indicate variability in the implementation of protective measures in different countries and the significant presence of mistreatment and violation of the rights of older persons. Three major issues demand attention: ageism, systemic and managerial problems and the effects of implemented measures. All these prompt the INPEA to once again plea for the adoption of an international convention of human rights of older persons.Originality/valueTo our knowledge, this is the first article sharing the views of the INPEA from a global perspective in the context of COVID-19.

Post-Pandemic Scenarios of Economic Development of Developed Countries and Russia

Amid the Kondratiev cycle's downward slope movement and global pandemic, a recession in many countries is Likely to Lead to a deep long-term economic crisis. The aim of the article is to study the simplest recession indicators in developing and developed countries, economic-recovery measures, and economic development scenarios. The objectives of the paper are to study current economic situations in different countries, including Russia; identify measures to prevent a recession in developing and developed countries; evaluate possible economic development scenarios with regard to the cyclical dynamics in the current climate. The authors used methods of analysis, modelling, monitoring of major economic indicators based on the data of past recessions and other crises. The results of the research show different scenarios of economic growth depending on the number of Covid-19 cases and the effectiveness of government’s responses to the pandemic; a correlation between monetary and fiscal policies in overcoming crisis; monetary policy priorities necessary for economic recovery; problems and prospects of monetary and fiscal policy implementation. The authors concluded that GDP, unemployment, and inflation rate are key indicators for the evaluation of the current and future money, credit, and production-related events. Proactive measures ensure a smoother average economic growth. Both monetary and fiscal policy have advantages and disadvantages. Proactive measures, in particular, inevitably cause two time lags: in the reaction to a recession and in the effectiveness of implemented measures. The governments and central banks must be proactive in overcoming the economic recession and providing support to the citizens.

ВНУТРЕННИЙ КОНТРОЛЬ И ЭКОНОМИЧЕСКАЯ БЕЗОПАСНОСТЬ: ФУНКЦИОНИРОВАНИЕ И ВЗАИМОДЕЙСТВИЕ

For the efficient implementation of functions in the sphere of internal control depending on the activity scale and nature, organizations create services of internal control, internal audit, risk management, and economic security; however, the functionality of these structures are not clearly defined. The main goal of this study is the allocation of responsibilities for making and implementing the decisions in the sphere of internal control, which ensures the concurrence and effectiveness of implemented measures at simultaneous nonduplication of functions. The paper deals with the study of the internal control system of an economic entity. The study determined the functional interrelation between the level of the internal control system maturity and the organizational structure of an economic entity. The author considered the structure of control authorities and their functionality based on the maturity level of the economic entity’s internal control system. The paper presents the diagrams of the feed-forward and feed-back mechanism peculiar to the full-functional internal control. Based on the generalization of theoretical provisions, the author determined the role of the internal control services as an instrument for ensuring the state of economic security of an organization. The proposed mechanism of functioning of structural divisions involved in the internal control system promotes the improvement of business management efficiency and reduces the negative impact of the external and internal factors. While developing an economic entity, the internal control system should be reconsidered, taking into account the formation of a single methodological foundation for all divisions. As a result of the study, the author recommends regularly examining (at least once a year) the divisions’ functions within the internal control system using the procedure described in the study.

POLLUTION OF THE ENVIRONMENT WITH PERSISTENT TOXIC SUBSTANCES AND PREVENTION OF THEIR HARMFUL IMPACT ON THE HEALTH OF THE INDIGENOUS POPULATION RESIDING IN THE ARCTIC ZONE OF THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION

The article presents results of cohort epidemiological studies conducted in the period from 2001 to 2010 among the indigenous population residing in Chukotka (ChAO) and Nenets (NAO) autonomous districts. The aim was to document temporal changes in blood concentrations of persistent contaminants that caused the serious health concern from the first Arctic Monitoring and Assessment Program (AMAP) survey in 2001 “Persistent toxic substances, food security and indigenous peoples of the Russian North”. In monitored indigenous cohorts there have been measured blood concentrations of persistent contaminants including polychlorinated biphenyls (28/31; 52; 99; 101; 105; 118; 128; 138; 153; 156; 170; 180; 183 and 187); hexachlorocyclohexane (α, β, γ - isomers of HCH); oxychlordane (trans chlordane, cis-chlordane); DDT (2,4 DDE; 4,4 DDE; 2,4 DDD; 4,4 DDD; 2,4 DDT; 4,4 DDT); hexachlorobenzene (HCB); heptachlor; dieldrin; mirex; toxaphene (Par 26, the Par 50, the Par 62); PBDEs (28; 47; 100; 99; 153; 154; 183); metals (Cd, Pb, Hg). During 2003-2004 there was implemented a set of measures for the disposal and detoxification of local sources of persistent pollutants and reduction of the risk of associated health effects that had been recommended by the international AMAP expert panel. As a result of 2010 study a significant reduction in the average serum concentrations of DDT and DDE 4.4, as well as blood concentrations of lead was found to occur, they were observed only in men living in NAO. Changes in concentrations of a number of other persistent toxic substances (PTS) although show a tendency to decrease, but these changes failed to reach the level of statistical significance. The mean annual incidence rates of diseases associated with harmful impact of PTS, in particular, cancer, endocrine system diseases, congenital malformations, and immunodeficiency, unlike most of the other classes of diseases in the population showed a clear trend towards to the increase in the period of observation. Conclusion. The results obtained did not allow to confirm the sufficient effectiveness of implemented measures for the rehabilitation of residential areas both in Chukotka and NAO. The period of re-measuring blood concentrations of PTS was assumed not be appropriate due to longer half-life of many PTS studied. The health importance of long-range transboundary transport of PTS is likely to be also underestimated especially due to the observed high contamination of migrating of commercial species of wild birds, fish and marine animals that make up a significant part of the traditional diet of indigenous peoples of the North. There is need for the improvement of national biomonitoring as well as information systems for appropriate assessment, prediction and management of health risks associated with long-range biotransportation of PTS into the arctic food chains.

Evaluating homeowners’ retrofit choices – Croatian case study

In this paper, a model of homeowners’ energy efficiency retrofit choices is presented based on the database of a project implemented by the national energy efficiency retrofit scheme in Croatia during 2015 and 2016. The analysis was performed on the cleaned dataset of 4610 implemented projects in privately owned family houses.We have analyzed available data to answer how much money consumers are willing to pay for energy refurbishment and how this corresponds to household characteristics. We have developed linear regression models for estimating costs and energy savings of different measures and have further applied multinomial and nested discrete choice models on investment choices made by homeowners. The resulting models provide estimations of willingness to pay for energy efficiency refurbishment in private family houses in relation to income class the owners belong to.The results show that homeowners in all income classes have a similar level of willingness-to-pay for similar energy efficiency measures, with main differences being their capability to invest. With the current level of subsidies, only three of four observed measures show a significant level of free-riders. This suggests there could be a better allocation of public funds, where less money could be spent for subsidies to generate a similar amount of savings.Furthermore, the proposed model replicates existing experience and provides insight into inconsistencies which appear when the effectiveness of implemented measures is analyzed.

ROLE AND PLACE OF ECONOMIC SECURITY IN THE SYSTEM OF STATE REGULATION PROVIDING FOR NATIONAL SECURITY OF UKRAINE

The essence of such concepts as “national security”, “economic security” is disclosed; the components of the national and economic security of Ukraine are defined; mechanisms of public administration economic security; the main indicators of economic security are described; detected threats that affect economic security; Recommendations are developed to improve the effectiveness of implemented measures to minimize existing threats. It is determined that at present state administration of the subjects of ensuring national security taking into account real and potential threats should be directed to the improvement of the organizational structure of the management of the subjects of ensuring national security, namely: clarification of the functions of ministries and other central executive bodies, elimination of surplus administrative units, simplification and relatively cheaper control of the management apparatus, taking into account the assessment of the impact of information networks on the management of entities with bezpechennya national security in a single information space. Having considered the components of national security, it was concluded that the most important in the overall system of national security is economic security, since it is the material basis of national sovereignty, which determines the real possibilities for securing other types of security. It is noted that the main content of economic reforms in Ukraine is the creation of conditions for overcoming poverty and excessive property stratification in society, bringing social standards closer to the level of the states of Central and Eastern Europe — the EU member states, achieving the economic criteria necessary for Ukraine to become a member of the EU. According to the adopted “Strategy of National Security of Ukraine”, the main condition for a new quality of economic growth is the provision of economic security.

NOSOLOGICAL SPECTRUM OF THE DISABILITY IN THE ELDERLY POPULATION OF THE ELDERLY CATEGORY IN THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION AND PECULIARITIES OF REHABILITATION-EXPERT DIAGNOSTICS, REHABILITATION AND ABILITATION

Disability of the elderly age group of the population is the most important problem of public health and social services of all developed countries over the world without exception. In the Russian Federation, this age segment is characterized by the gain, reflecting the global process of population aging. The aim of the study was to analyze the nosological structure of the primary and secondary disability in elderly people in comparison with the main age categories of the adult population in the Russian Federation and the evaluation of rehabilitation / rehabilitation activities for disabled people. The volume of the study was 34,840,933 people aged of from 18 years and over, recognized as disabled, including the disabled elderly - 12,971,062. The subject of a special study was the nature of functional disorders, the degree of the disability, the nosological spectrum of causes of the disability of elderly people and the effectiveness of implemented measures of medical and social rehabilitation (rehabilitation and expert characterization). The study was selective, the sample size account of 370 people. The results of the research demonstrate the nosological structure of the pathology, the associated types of impairments and the nature of the disability to determine the severity of the disability in elderly people, the complexity of the formation and implementation of individual programs for the rehabilitation and rehabilitation of disabled people (IPRA). The improvement of the quality of life and integrating disabled people into the society has been and remains a difficult task for rehabilitation and habilitation activities. Rehabilitation and provision of technical means of rehabilitation, to a lesser extent - social and professional rehabilitation are the most feasible for the implementation.

Transboundary flood risk management in the Rhine river basin

The Rhine connects the Alps to the North Sea. It is 1232 km long and one of the most important rivers in Europe. It has a drainage area of approximately 200,000 km2 and covers parts if not all nine countries, which participate into the International Commission for the Protection of the Rhine (ICPR) for the sustainable development of the Rhine ecosystem. The topography of the Rhine catchment is various, from high, middle and low mountain chains to lowlands and low-lying valleys, and includes different climatic zones resulting in different patterns of flood discharges. Several important flood events occurred in the past and thus the ICPR has decided to include the topic of transboundary flood risk management into its daily work. Common actions resulted in the Action Plan on Floods in 1998 and the first Flood Risk Management Plan for the international river basin district Rhine (according to the European Union Floods Directive) in 2015. To help inform the public and assess the effectiveness of implemented measures, the ICPR created and published two means and instruments of communication and decision support: The Rhine Atlas on Floods and a specific GIS-tool which is also available for other river organizations or national institutions. This paper presents the organisation and the outcomes of the coordinated transboundary flood risk management within an international river basin using the Rhine and the particular work of the ICPR.

Bulk tank milk surveillance as a measure to detect Coxiella burnetii shedding dairy goat herds in the Netherlands between 2009 and 2014

In the period from 2005 to 2009, Coxiella burnetii was a cause of abortion waves at 28 dairy goat farms and 2 dairy sheep farms in the Netherlands. Two years after the first abortion waves, a large human Q fever outbreak started mainly in the same region, and aborting small ruminants were regarded as most probable source. To distinguish between infected and noninfected herds, a surveillance program started in October 2009, based on PCR testing of bulk tank milk (BTM) samples, which had never been described before. The aim of this study was to analyze the effectiveness of this surveillance program and to evaluate both the effect of culling of pregnant dairy goats on positive farms and of vaccination on BTM results. Bulk tank milk samples were tested for C. burnetii DNA using a real-time PCR, and results were analyzed in relation to vaccination, culling, and notifiable (officially reported to government) C. burnetii abortion records. In spring and autumn, BTM samples were also tested for antibodies using an ELISA, and results were evaluated in relation to the compulsory vaccination campaign. Between October 2009 and April 2014, 1,660 (5.6%) out of 29,875 BTM samples from 401 dairy goat farms tested positive for C. burnetii DNA. The percentage of positive samples dropped from 20.5% in 2009 to 0.3% in 2014. In a multivariable model, significantly higher odds of being PCR positive in the BTM surveillance program were found in farms of which all pregnant dairy goats were culled. Additionally, the risk for C. burnetii BTM PCR positivity significantly decreased after multiple vaccinations. Bulk tank milk ELISA results were significantly higher after vaccination than before. The ELISA results were higher after multiple vaccinations compared with a single vaccination, and ELISA results on officially declared infected farms were significantly higher compared with noninfected farms. In conclusion, BTM surveillance is an effective and useful tool to detect C. burnetii shedding dairy goat herds and to monitor a Q fever outbreak, and thus the effect of implemented measures.

BSE – Epidemiology and Transmission Mechanisms in Animal Production Systems

In 1986, a new clinical disease in cattle was recognized in the UK. It was classified as a progressive neurological condition in cattle similar to scrapie of sheep and goats, and was named bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE). Epidemiological studies on clinical cases diagnosed in 1986 and 1987 highlighted the increased risk of BSE on farms that had fed cattle concentrates containing meat-andbone meal (MBM). The addition of MBM to cattle concentrate feed at that time was common practice in the UK and other countries (but with varying percentages). As a consequence, the use of MBM in ruminant feed was banned in the UK in 1988. This ban resulted in a significant reduction of new infections in cattle born after this ban, thereby highlighting the importance of controlling this exposure route. Further studies in the UK and other countries confirmed that BSE is predominantly, if not exclusively, transmitted by inclusion of ruminant CNS material - brain or spinal cord from BSE-infected cattle - in cattle rations. BSE cases born after these MBM bans (denoted BAB cases) documented the presence of other infection routes besides routine inclusion of MBM in cattle concentrates. Cross-contamination of cattle feed with feed produced for pigs and poultry, and cross-exposure of cattle to pig or poultry feed on mixed-species farms were identified as additional infection routes. The Scientific Steering Committee (SSC) of the European Commission listed several risk factors for BSE propagation including the structure and intensity of the cattle population and other livestock populations, production and use of ruminant-derived meat-and-bone meal (including feed bans), the use of specified risk material (SRM) and carcasses (including SRM bans) and the rendering industry (structure, technology, rendering parameters). Prevention of these known and suspected feed-related routes of BSE transmission has resulted in a decline in the number of new infection in subsequent birth cohorts in several countries. Due to the long incubation time of BSE, however, it takes several years until the effectiveness of implemented measures to prevent new BSE infections can be assessed. BSE is a food-transmitted disease, and exposure to the infectious agent is strongly associated with the cattle feed production and management practices within specific cattle production systems. The disease can be controlled by changes in these feed production systems and cattle farming practices, however, it will take time for countries that have detected domestic BSE cases to completely eliminate all circulating BSE infectivity.

Netherlands policy-making process on scenarios and projections for greenhouse gas emissions

An important commitment in the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (FCCC) for so-called Annex I Parties (OECD plus Central and Eastern Europe) is the communication on climate change policies. A detailed description of policies and measures and specific estimates of their effects on projected anthropogenic emissions by sources and removals by sinks are crucial chapters in each Annex I Party communication. This article focuses on the Netherlands' climate change policy-making process with respect to projections of greenhouse gases (GHG). A main element of this process is the periodic monitoring of the progress of climate change policy, including assessment of effects of implemented measures, updating the validity of assumptions made, and analysis of structural economic changes. Another element of this policy-making process is analysis of the cost-effectiveness of possible mitigation options and evaluation of the impacts of these options. Several monitoring and analysis instruments and modeling tools used in this process are discussed, as is the broader framework. Attention is also given to the FCCC review process and its relevance for the Netherlands' policy-making process.