Global Project Research Articles

Global trends in antibiotic consumption during 2016–2023 and future projections through 2030

Antibiotic resistance is a global public health threat. Many factors contribute to this issue, with human antibiotic consumption being significant among them. Analyzing trends and patterns in consumption can aid in developing policies to mitigate the burden of antimicrobial resistance and global disparities in access to antibiotics. Using pharmaceutical sales data licensed from IQVIA, we estimate national-level trends in antibiotic consumption in 67 countries during 2016–2023 and analyze the effects of economic growth and the COVID-19 pandemic. Finally, we estimate global human consumption and project growth through 2030 assuming current trends. We find that estimated antibiotic consumption in reported countries increased 16.3% from 29.5 to 34.3 billion defined daily doses (DDDs) from 2016 to 2023, reflecting a 10.6% increase in the consumption rate from 13.7 to 15.2 DDDs per 1,000 inhabitants per day. Increases were most pronounced in upper-middle- and lower-middle-income countries. While the COVID-19 pandemic significantly reduced consumption globally, this was most pronounced in high-income countries, and in these countries, reductions in antibiotic use in 2020 were sharper, and lasted longer, than in other countries. By 2030, we project that, without reductions in rapidly developing nations, such as investments to improve infrastructure, particularly water and sanitation, along with improved access to vaccination, global antibiotic consumption will increase by 52.3% from an estimated 49.3 billion in 2023 to 75.1 billion DDDs.

Typical Case Studies and Classification with Evaluation of Carbon Dioxide Geological Sequestration in Saline Aquifers

To achieve carbon neutrality in China’s fossil energy sector, saline aquifer CO2 geological storage has become a critical strategy. As research into carbon reduction and storage potential evaluation advances across various geological scales, the need arises for consolidating key CO2 storage cases and establishing a standardized classification system and evaluation methodology. This paper provides a comprehensive review of notable CO2 storage projects in saline aquifers, covering aspects such as project overviews, structural and reservoir characteristics, caprock integrity, and seismic monitoring protocols. Drawing on insights from mineral and oil and gas exploration, as well as international methods, this paper outlines the stages and potential levels of saline aquifer storage in China. It proposes an evaluation framework with formulas and reference values for key coefficients. The study includes successful global projects, such as Sleipner and Snøhvit in Norway, In Salah in Algeria, and Shenhua in China’s Ordos Basin, which provide valuable insights for long-term carbon capture and storage (CCS). By examining geological characteristics, injection, and monitoring protocols in these projects, this paper analyzes how geological features impact CO2 storage outcomes. For example, the Sleipner project’s success is linked to its straightforward structure, favorable reservoir properties, and stable caprock, while Snøhvit illustrates diverse structural suitability, and In Salah demonstrates the influence of fractures on storage efficacy. CO2 storage activities are segmented into four stages—survey, investigation, exploration, and injection—and are further categorized by storage potential: geological, technical, techno-economic, and engineering capacities. This study also presents evaluation levels (prediction, control, technically recoverable, and engineering) that support effective reservoir selection, potential classification, and calculations considering factors like reservoir stability and sealing efficacy. Depending on application needs, volumetric or mechanistic methods are recommended, with precise determination of geological, displacement, and cost coefficients. For China, a dynamic evaluation mechanism characterized by multi-scale, tiered approaches and increasing precision over time is essential for robust storage potential assessment. The levels and methods outlined here serve as a scientific foundation for regional and stage-based comparisons, guiding engineering approvals and underground space management. To align with practical engineering demands, ongoing innovation through laboratory experiments, simulations, and field practice is crucial, supporting continual refinement of formulas and key parameter determinations.

World Bank Financing and Sustainable Management of Tropical Forests

ABSTRACT Tropical forests contribute to maintaining the global ecological balance and to climate regulation. In 2002, the World Bank adopted a revised Forest Strategy to harness the economic potential of tropical forests, reducing poverty and promoting sustainability. This paper conducts a comparative analysis of forest sector project allocations between 2002 and 2020 using the institution’s global project database. The research results confirm that the forest cover of tropical countries is not a priority for World Bank funding, thus contradicting the stated aims of this institution. Only US$ 4.33 billion was allocated to tropical forests between 2002 and 2020, representing 0.41% of the total resources managed. At a particular disadvantage, due to the limited support received, is the African forest, which experienced a decline of more than 10% in its forest cover between 2002 and 2020. The evidence reported in this study justifies the need to significantly increase funding, reinforcing the link between productive development and sustainable forest management. In order to combat deforestation and restore forest cover in low-income countries, the World Bank must extend project benefits to more tropical countries, tailor new mechanisms to local conditions, and make it a priority to facilitate access to financing and increase non-repayable aid.

Constructing and exploring neuroimaging projects: a survey from clinical practice to scientific research.

Over the past decades, numerous large-scale neuroimaging projects that involved the collection and release of multimodal data have been conducted globally. Distinguished initiatives such as the Human Connectome Project, UK Biobank, and Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative, among others, stand as remarkable international collaborations that have significantly advanced our understanding of the brain. With the advancement of big data technology, changes in healthcare models, and continuous development in biomedical research, various types of large-scale projects are being established and promoted worldwide. For project leaders, there is a need to refer to common principles in project construction and management. Users must also adhere strictly to rules and guidelines, ensuring data safety and privacy protection. Organizations must maintain data integrity, protect individual privacy, and foster stakeholders' trust. Regular updates to legislation and policies are necessary to keep pace with evolving technologies and emerging data-related challenges. CRITICAL RELEVANCE STATEMENT: By reviewing global large-scale neuroimaging projects, we have summarized the standards and norms for establishing and utilizing their data, and provided suggestions and opinions on some ethical issues, aiming to promote higher-quality neuroimaging data development. KEY POINTS: Global neuroimaging projects are increasingly advancing but still face challenges. Constructing and utilizing neuroimaging projects should follow set rules and guidelines. Effective data management and governance should be developed to support neuroimaging projects.

“What is going on in global goals projects, is agenda filled?” Highlighting circular economy literature within sustainable development goals–review-based

“What is going on in global goals projects, is agenda filled?” Highlighting circular economy literature within sustainable development goals–review-based

The effect of CHINA RAILWAY Express on alleviating the Red Sea Waterway Crisis: A GTAP model-based study

In November 2023, the Red Sea Waterway Crisis broke out, which caused the goods originally shipped to Europe via the Red Sea-Suez Canal Route to be transported around the Cape of Good Hope in Africa, thus increasing the shipping cost and shipping time. Firstly, this paper uses the Supply Chain Network Model and the Optimization Model to theoretically analyze the impact of this incident. Secondly, the Global Trade Analysis Project (GTAP) Model is employed to analyze the impact of the crisis on China. At the same time, it also explains whether the impact of the incident can be alleviated by using CHINA RAILWAY Express (CR Express). Finally, this paper compares the upward pressure changes of domestic commodity prices in China, Germany, France, Netherlands and Italy before and after the adoption of CR Express. The results of the study are as follows. (1) The outbreak of the Red Sea Waterway Crisis has a great negative impact on China's macro economy. When China switches to the use of CR Express, the impact on China's GDP and terms of trade is reduced. (2) The outbreak of the Red Sea Waterway Crisis has a greater impact on China's import trade than on its export trade. (3) The outbreak of the Red Sea Waterway Crisis has a great negative impact on China's textile and clothing industry and electronic equipment industry. (4) CR Express can ease the upward pressure of domestic commodity prices. Taken together, the above results can provide reference for China and other countries to cope with similar impact events.

Effects of Recruitment, Selection and Training on Construction Project Team Performance in Australia

The article provides a review and synthesis of previous research findings backed by a pragmatic perspective pertaining to the effects of recruitment, selection, and training on construction project team performance in Australia. The paper has been structured in a manner that includes a brief introduction to the topic, definition of the problem statement and methodology, definition of recruitment, selection and training, importance of recruitment, selection and training for construction projects, investigation of current state of recruitment, selection and training in global construction projects and its relatability to Australian context, ascertainment of shortfalls and challenges of present approaches and how those impact the construction team’s performance at present, and finally analysis of existing strategies and novel concepts to overcome the shortfalls of existing recruitment, selection, and training practices. The study has been concluded with actionable recommendations to improve the existing recruitment, selection and training processes in a way that enhances the overall performance of construction projects, which has been verified with the assistance of industry professionals. The author anticipates that the content provided in this article shall be beneficial for effective decision making by organizational leadership as well as human resources personnel to establish and retain high performing construction project teams.

Global Spatial Projections of Forest Soil Respiration and Associated Uncertainties

The accurate prediction of global forest soil respiration (Rs) is critical for climate change research. Rs consists of autotrophic (Ra) and heterotrophic (Rh) respiration, which respond differently to environmental factors. Predicting Rs as a single flux can be biased; therefore, Ra and Rh should be predicted separately to improve prediction accuracy. In this study, we used the SRDB_V5 database and the random forest model to analyze the uncertainty in predicting Rs using a single global model (SGM) and Ra/Rh using a specific categorical model (SCM) and predicted the spatial dynamics of the distribution pattern of forest Ra, Rh, and Rs in the future under the two different climate patterns. The results show that Rs is higher under tropical and inland climatic conditions, while Rh fluctuates less than Ra and Rs. In addition, the SCM predictions better capture key environmental factors and are more consistent with actual data. In the SSP585 (high emissions) scenario, Rs is projected to increase by 19.59 percent, while in the SSP126 (low emissions) scenario, Rs increases by only 3.76 percent over 80 years, which underlines the need for SCM in future projections.

The Value of Independence: Making the Connection Between Quality Journalism and Editorial Control in Rwanda

This study evaluates which type of news outlets—independent or government aligned—produce higher quality stories in the East African country of Rwanda. A number of quality indicators are discussed in context, and hypotheses are proposed based largely on Scott, Gobetz, and Chanslor’s (2008) investment model. The data come from a global project —the Journalistic Role Performance Project— and specifically from a content analysis of 2,644 news stories published by Rwandan media in 2020. Findings reveal that independent news outlets outperform government-aligned outlets on the majority of quality indicators included in the study, especially in regard to story sourcing.

Fighting Racism in the U.S. Military: Dismantling the United States Africa Command

Abstract This article reviews the teaching of international relations in relation to the deployment of racist tropes to understand the current war on terror. It elaborates on how the justification for the U.S. Africa Command changed over time from fighting terror to confronting Russia and China in the big power game. The paper argues that the rift in the U.S. military since the January 6, 2021 insurrection is only one manifestation of the coalescing of forces of conservatism who are opposed to the restructuring of the international political economy. The emergence of military forces in West Africa opposed to the U.S. has brought about a discussion about the U.S.A. being pushed to the margins in Africa. This racial project has created global chaos, and the task of scholars dedicated to peace is to push for the dismantling of the U.S. Africa Command as one component of the global anti racist project.

How should we think about globalization in a post-globalization era?

This article critically examines the challenges to the globalization paradigm observed throughout the world in the twenty-first century. While empirical evidence suggests that the policy-oriented globalization project of the 1990s has been superseded by different tendencies and policies, social-scientific scholarship in areas other than economics has not engaged with the notion of ‘post-globalization’. The principal reason appears to be the employment of different conceptual lenses, whereby globalization appears as a long-term process largely unaffected by short-term shifts. The article interrogates the conceptual terrain of globalization scholarship, arguing that several important developments require the adjustment of theoretical lenses and a greater flexibility in the use of globalization as a master concept. In order to perform such a task, the article outlines a series of ideas that could facilitate the development of a perspective capable of addressing the question of how we should think about globalization in a post-globalization era.

Projected impacts of climate change on global irrigation water withdrawals

Investigating processes causing water resource depletion risks is key to understanding past, present, and future excessive irrigation water withdrawal. Quantitative spatiotemporal analysis of the factors driving excessive irrigation water withdrawal is currently inadequate. Although multiple drivers typically contribute to this risk, we studied, for the first time, whether and how Actual Irrigation Water Withdrawals (AIWW) could affect global future water resources projection. Here, we used AIWW datasets from five CMIP6 climate models based on two Shared Socioeconomic Scenarios (SSP370 and 585) and a global hydrological model (H08) to compare the historical (1981–2014) with the future periods: 2041–2070 and 2071–2100. Results show that the temporal AIWW average variations have shown a statistically significant increase during 1981–2014 (p<0.05 and R2 = 0.98) ranging from 101.82 to 136.24 mm yr−1 (mean = 120.5 mm yr−1). Under SSP370 and SSP585, the global spatial AIWW average during 2041–2070 and 2071–2100 are 142.55 and 145.55, and 144.91 and 149.74 mm yr−1, respectively. Under SSP370 and SSP585, the average AIWW changes for 2041–2070 and 2071–2100 are projected to be 96.71, 97.55, 103.52, and 106.98 %, respectively. Under SSP370 and 585, the average global AIWW anomaly changes for 2041–2070 and 2071–2100 are also projected to be −96.86, −106.29, −97.72, and −111.48 %, respectively. Higher AIWW increases are mainly concentrated in India, South China, parts of the United States, parts of Europe, and parts of South African and Latin American countries. Substantiated with population increase, and higher food demand, an increased AIWW will further aggravate globally. Thus, exploring future AIWW changes is a key step forward that requires greater attention in irrigation research interventions helpful to inform societies to reduce future risks of water resource depletion. Adaptation policies targeting the future use of water for irrigation are crucial to lessen water resource depletion risk, suggesting the need for large-scale policy interventions.

Global trends and projections of occupational trichloroethylene (TCE) exposure-associated kidney cancer: Insights of the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) Study 2021 from 1990 to 2021 and prediction to 2050

BackgroundExposure to trichloroethylene (TCE) in occupations is associated with an increased risk of kidney cancer (KC). However, there is a lack of comprehensive study on the global burden of occupational exposure to TCE-related KC. MethodsEpidemiological data on occupational TCE exposure-associated KC from 1990 to 2021 were obtained from Global Burden of Disease (GBD) 2021 study, including death counts and disability-adjusted life years (DALYs). Global burden of this disease was stratified by genders, age, socio-demographic index (SDI) quintiles, GBD subcontinental regions, and countries. The estimated annual percentage change (EAPC) was calculated to illustrate trends over the last 32 years, and forecasts were conducted to predict the disease burden until 2050. ResultsIn 2021, the global age-standardized death rate (ASDR) of occupational TCE exposure-related KC was 0.0009 (95 %UI: 0.0002–0.0016) per 100,000 persons, and the age-standardized DALY rate (ASDAR) was 0.0284 (95 %UI: 0.0062–0.0522) per 100,000 individuals. The disease showed significant heterogeneity by sex and age, with males bearing a notably higher burden, and the burden being concentrated in the 50–79 year-old group. Major burdens were focused in middle to high-middle SDI regions, especially in Southern Latin America (Uruguay, Argentina, and Chile). Over 32 years, the burden of occupational TCE exposure-associated KC has gradually increased, with projections indicating continued growth to 2050, particularly among males and individuals aged 50–79. Regions like high-middle SDI areas, North America, High-income North America, Southern Sub-Saharan Africa, saw the most significant increases. Correlation analyses indicated a positive association between ASDR and ASDAR with SDI, while EAPC showed a notable negative correlation with SDI. Decomposition analyses reveals three global population determinants that positively contributed to the increase in deaths, but negatively impacted DALYs. ConclusionThis study highlights a significant rising trend of occupational TCE exposure-associated KC from 1990 to 2021 and projected to 2050, with an emphasis on the disease burden in men, elderly population, and middle to high-middle SDI regions, underscoring the impact of occupational TCE exposure on KC.

Future directions for deep ocean climate science and evidence-based decision making

IntroductionA defining aspect of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) assessment reports (AR) is a formal uncertainty language framework that emphasizes higher certainty issues across the reports, especially in the executive summaries and short summaries for policymakers. As a result, potentially significant risks involving understudied components of the climate system are shielded from view.MethodsHere we seek to address this in the latest, sixth assessment report (AR6) for one such component—the deep ocean—by summarizing major uncertainties (based on discussions of low confidence issues or gaps) regarding its role in our changing climate system. The goal is to identify key research priorities to improve IPCC confidence levels in deep ocean systems and facilitate the dissemination of IPCC results regarding potentially high impact deep ocean processes to decision-makers. This will accelerate improvement of global climate projections and aid in informing efforts to mitigate climate change impacts. An analysis of 3,000 pages across the six selected AR6 reports revealed 219 major science gaps related to the deep ocean. These were categorized by climate stressor and nature of impacts.ResultsHalf of these are biological science gaps, primarily surrounding our understanding of changes in ocean ecosystems, fisheries, and primary productivity. The remaining science gaps are related to uncertainties in the physical (32%) and biogeochemical (15%) ocean states and processes. Model deficiencies are the leading cited cause of low certainty in the physical ocean and ice states, whereas causes of biological uncertainties are most often attributed to limited studies and observations or conflicting results.DiscussionKey areas for coordinated effort within the deep ocean observing and modeling community have emerged, which will improve confidence in the deep ocean state and its ongoing changes for the next assessment report. This list of key “known unknowns” includes meridional overturning circulation, ocean deoxygenation and acidification, primary production, food supply and the ocean carbon cycle, climate change impacts on ocean ecosystems and fisheries, and ocean-based climate interventions. From these findings, we offer recommendations for AR7 to avoid omitting low confidence-high risk changes in the climate system.

A New Moral World Order: Carl Alexander Simon and the German Colonization of Southern Chile

Abstract This article focuses on overlooked aspects of German colonization in southern Chile by examining the treatise Auswanderung und deutsch-nationale Kolonisation von Süd-Amerika mit besonderer Berücksichtigung des Freistaates Chile (Emigration and German National Colonization of South America with Special Attention to the Free State of Chile) by Carl Alexander Simon. Simon was a Romantic artist who advocated for overseas colonization and settled in Chile to promote his ideas. His treatise, which blended poetry and Romantic rhetoric with political ideas, aimed to encourage German occupation of Chile and South America based on the supposed physical and intellectual superiority of the Germans. This article argues that Simon’s work is integral to understanding the intersection of Romanticism and German colonialism in the nineteenth century and how racial and nationalistic sentiments fuelled German colonialism in remote corners of the world. Furthermore, it contributes to discussions on German nation-building overseas and the connections between German colonialism and race, the legacies of German colonialism, German colonial fantasies, and indigeneity and Germanness. Finally, this study of Simon’s work complements existing research on German settlements in Africa, Asia and the Pacific from 1850 onwards, highlighting the importance of considering the role of Germany in the global colonial project.

Youth mental health outreach interventions: lessons from an experience capitalisation process

Abstract Issue Young people face socioeconomic, geographical and cultural barriers to access care and support in mental health. Practitioners implement outreach initiatives to improve mental health and address health inequalities, mostly developed in a ‘no-request for care’ context. Methods To better understand the implementation mechanisms of these initiatives, Fondation de France commissioned the French Society for Public Health to carry out an experience capitalisation to inspire other professionals. Experience capitalisation method was used, based on in depth interviews with project stakeholders. Covered themes were: the description of history, strategies and activities; identification of key moment and key levers; skills and knowledge used. Results Nine mental health outreach projects implemented across regions of France were selected with the help of a multidisciplinary steering committee. Each project was synthetised in a capitalisation document and a cross-sectional analysis was undertaken. Lessons • A variety of outreach approaches were carried on: meeting adolescents in the street or at coffee shops; home-based interventions; consultations in converted van etc. • Outreach is not just a matter of physically moving outside health structures but requires non-judging and flexible stance to adjust to the youth’s pace and will. To extend their approach to mobility, professionals deepen their team’s multidisciplinarity, broaden cross-sector partnerships and mobilise new skills and creativity. • Adolescents’ participation to care or support plans was one of projects strengths, whether they suffer from anxiety or mental disorders. However, their participation in governance and decisions regarding global projects remained limited. Key messages • To reduce mental health inequalities and enhance youth participation in outreach interventions, empowerment and wellbeing of interventions practitioners should also be supported. • Capitalisation of experience in health promotion is a promising method contributing to professional acknowledgment and development of shared knowledge on interventions implementation.

Who funds whose infrastructure? Country dyadic analysis of global project finance loans

Global project finance investments have become one of the primary funding mechanisms for large infrastructure projects worldwide over the past few decades. This paper examines the country-level dynamics of global project finance loans from 1981 to 2018, using data from all project finance deals reported in the DealScan database. Our analysis reveals that most international project finance loans originate from banks and financial institutions in advanced democracies, while the recipient countries vary widely in terms of regime type and economic development. Through systematic visualization and statistical analysis, we find that transnational capital flows for infrastructure projects are more likely to occur between countries with similar political systems or between those with starkly different regimes. This finding indicates significant lending and borrowing between full democracies and closed autocracies, suggesting that investments raised in liberal democracies enable some of the most closed dictatorships to finance their infrastructure development. The study suggests that closed and repressive regimes might substantially benefit from the globalized project financing system, warranting increased attention from scholars in International Political Economy on political implications of the globalized project finance market.

Advance industrial monitoring of physio-chemical processes using novel integrated machine learning approach

With the rapid transition of Industry 4.0 to 5.0, modern industrial physio-chemical processes are characterized by two critical challenges: process safety and the quality of the final product. Traditional industrial monitoring methods have low reliability in accuracy and robustness, and they are inefficiently providing satisfactory results. This paper introduces a novel integration technique that employs machine learning (ML) to tackle the challenges associated with real industrial monitoring in physical and industrial processes. The proposed framework integrates distributed canonical correlation analysis - R-vine copula (DCCA-RVC), global local preserving projection (GLPP), and 2-Dimensional Deng information entropy (2-DDE). The framework's ability and productivity are assessed utilizing existing approaches such as wavelet-PCA, MRSAE, and DALSTM-AE and the new proposed novel integrated machine learning-based (DCCA-RVC) approach as benchmarks for model performance. The proposed novel approach has been validated by testing it on the ethanol-water system distillation column (DC) and Tennessee Eastman Process (TEP), utilizing it as actual industrial benchmarks. The results demonstrate that the novel integration ML-technique (DCCA-RVC) T22 – GLP monitoring graphs for the fault class type 1 in the distillation column showed a (FAR) of 0 %, a (FDR) of 100 %, a precision of 100 %, F1-score of 100 % and an accuracy of 100 %. However, for the TEP process failure event 13, the (FAR) was 0 %, the (FDR) was 99 %, the accuracy was 100 %, the F1-score was 99.5 %, and the accuracy was 99.5 %.

Enhancing Communication Skills for Engineering Students

English is a crucial language in India, particularly in engineering, as it serves as both a lingua franca and a library language. It is essential for academic excellence in engineering, as it provides access to a vast repository of knowledge, advanced technical content, and enables students to understand complex concepts, participate in discussions, and perform well in exams. English also serves as a platform for interaction and collaboration, allowing students to share ideas, collaborate on projects, and engage in academic discussions. This exchange of knowledge enhances academic standards and fosters a collaborative learning environment. Effective communication in English prepares students for professional settings where they need to articulate their ideas clearly and work with peers from diverse linguistic backgrounds. The global nature of engineering careers also makes English indispensable; as Indian graduates often work in international environments or with multinational teams. Proficiency in English enables them to interact effectively with colleagues, present their work, and contribute to global projects, enhancing their career prospects and professional growth.

The Convergence of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Financial Technologies (FinTech) in Shaping Future Urban Landscape Planning

As cities worldwide transition into smart urban ecosystems, the integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Financial Technologies (FinTech) becomes crucial. This article delves into the fusion of these technologies under Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030 to enhance urban planning and development. It critically examines how AI and FinTech not only optimize efficiency, sustainability, and livability but also tackle infrastructural and economic challenges within urban environments. By employing a mixed-methods approach, including quantitative data analysis and case studies from both global contexts and specific projects within Saudi Arabia, this study provides comprehensive insights into the potential societal and economic impacts. It also identifies key challenges, such as regulatory hurdles, ethical considerations, and the need for substantial initial investments that could impede technology adoption. This research aims to offer stakeholders a detailed roadmap to navigate these complexities and achieve Vision 2030's ambitious goals, thereby preparing Saudi cities for a smarter and more sustainable future.