Policy Goals Research Articles

Tracing the path to democratic governance in South Africa and Ethiopia: a comparative policy analysis

Purpose This study aims to investigate the dynamics of democratic governance in South Africa and Ethiopia within the framework of Africa Agenda 2063 (AA2063), including how political polarisation and populism shape the democratisation process. Design/methodology/approach A mixed-methods approach integrates quantitative analysis using the Varieties of Democracy (V-Dem) data set with qualitative case studies from South Africa and Ethiopia. Cohort analysis, comparative analysis and descriptive statistics revealed patterns and trends in democratic transformation, how groups evolve over time and the momentum needed for both countries to achieve the goals of AA2063. Findings This study found that the political landscapes of South Africa and Ethiopia are significantly shaped by the emergence of democracy, political polarisation and populist parties. Considering the 10-year expected outcomes outlined in AA2063, the findings show that South Africa achieved 84% of its 10-year democratic governance policy goals, whereas Ethiopia reached only 25%. South Africa, despite demonstrating a strong commitment to clean elections, has experienced significant political polarisation and the rise of populist movements. In Ethiopia, the shift towards one-man governance has significantly diverted the country’s trajectory from liberal democratic aspirations to undemocratic practices. Practical implications The findings provide actionable policy recommendations aimed at building resilient democracy against political polarisation and populism. Social implications This study highlights the vital role of informed citizens in safeguarding democratic practices. Originality/value This study makes a significant contribution through a rigorous comparison of democratic practices in South Africa and Ethiopia by elucidating the critical factors that shape their differing levels of democratic maturity. The analysis uncovers the impact of political polarisation and populism on governance by employing a comprehensive array of democratic indicators to provide a nuanced understanding of these dynamics.

Possibilities of Implementing Sustainable Production of Chicken Meat by Applying an Innovative Device for Poultry Electric Stunning

The aim of this research was to determine the feasibility of sustainable chicken meat production, using good- and low-quality raw material and two different devices (own construction—OC, and a Dutch company’s—DC) for electrical stunning at the slaughter stage. A statistical analysis was also performed to indicate which of the analyzed courses of action is the most important for the company to maintain a balance between the quality of produced meat (pH, number of hemorrhages—small and large, defectiveness, and color on the external and internal surfaces of the fillet and tenderloin), and environmental and economic aspects. It has been shown that the use of device OC for stunning poultry compared to the device DC has a positive effect on: (1) reducing the number of hemorrhages on the outer surface and inside of the fillet—mainly large hemorrhages, (2) increasing by ~50% the share of production of fillets without hemorrhages, and (3) brightening and unifying the color of the external and internal surfaces of the fillet and tenderloin. Taking the above into account, it was concluded that the goals of sustainable chicken meat production depend mainly on the type of stunning device used; therefore, it is recommended to replace the Dutch device (DC) currently used in the plant with an innovative device (OC). It is also recommended to use financial tools when concluding contracts with poultry breeders so that meat producers can implement the goals of the sustainable management policy already at the raw material stage.

Green Monetary Policy Measures and Central Bank Mandates: A Comparative Political Economy Analysis

Climate change and the political pressure for urgent policy responses have stirred an intense debate as to whether central banks should adjust their monetary policy frameworks in support of the transition to a greener economy. Despite the seriousness of environmental issues and the seeming existence of monetary policy tools to address them, some economists and central bank officials argue that monetary authorities cannot, or should not, be responsible for making policies that act upon the source of those problems. Among other reasons, the adoption of green monetary policy measures can conflict with the primary monetary policy goals, compromise the political independence of central banks, and raise questions about the legitimacy and increased power of some of these banks. Yet, evidence shows that a number of monetary authorities have already adopted environmental criteria in their policymaking, resulting in an expansion of monetary policy toolkits and areas of responsibility. This article undertakes a comparative political economy analysis of the green monetary policy measures and legal mandates of 20 central banks, covering the period between January 2010 and January 2024. This article then examines the monetary policy decisions of two case study central banks, whose green strategies appear not to be fully aligned with their mandates. The empirical findings aim to contribute to the growing political economy literature and international debate on how central banks address pressures related to environmental concerns which, although vital to society and the planet, may pose challenges to conventional goals and established mandates.

Policy Framing, Social Networks, and Teacher Perspectives in a Technology Rollout

Drawing on theories of framing and social networks, we examine how educators define policy goals in a technology rollout, and how this framing process shapes teacher attitudes for technology. We analyzed social network data and 37 interviews with district leaders, digital learning coaches, and school staff from six elementary schools in a mid-sized district in California. These data suggest that school leaders and teachers re-framed district reform messages in different ways depending on the density of dialogue in their networks and who had social influence. These framings supported teacher motivation for using technology in ways that aligned to or built upon the district's instructional goals, or prompted teachers to resist change and/or make compliance-oriented and superficial shifts in their practice. We argue that district leaders should attend to school context when implementing technology rollouts and proactively engage school actors to define the goals of technology. We caution that technology rollouts demand sudden and intensive shifts in teacher work roles and can foster resistance to change without adequate time and support.

Designing effective policy to achieve sustainable development impact of FDI: the case of Sub-Saharan Africa

AbstractTo optimize the sustainable development impact of foreign direct investment (FDI), developing countries must attract FDI that aligns with sustainable development characteristics. This necessitates an understanding of host governments’ expectations and the design of policies tailored to these needs. This study aims to address the gap in international business policy research by assessing FDI policy designs and identifying conditions that influence their effectiveness in attaining sustainable development outcomes. Building on a policy design fit model, we develop propositions related to the coherence of policy goals (goal coherence), the consistency of policy means (mean consistency), and the congruence between goals and means. Using crisp-set qualitative comparative analysis, we evaluate FDI policies in selected Sub-Saharan African countries. Contrary to conventional expectations, our findings reveal that while the combination of goal coherence, mean consistency, and congruence between goals and means is typically considered pertinent for policy design effectiveness, goal coherence alone is sufficient to attain FDI policy design effectiveness in the sampled countries. These results suggest that policymakers should prioritize clear, coherent goals in FDI policies to enhance sustainable development impact, potentially reducing the need for overly complex policy designs. This has implications for the formulation of future FDI strategies in similar contexts.

Collaborative dynamics and shared motivation: exploring tobacco control policy development in Zambia.

In Zambia, efforts to produce a tobacco control policy have stalled for over a decade, and the country is not yet close to developing one. Limited studies have explored the dynamics in this policy process and how they affect the attainment of policy goals and outcomes. This study explored how collaborative dynamics within tobacco control policy development shaped shared motivation among stakeholders in Zambia. The study used a qualitative case study design that adopted a collaborative governance lens, comprising an in-depth exploration of the tobacco control policy working group meetings and their internal collaborative dynamics. The integrative framework for collaborative governance, which identifies mutual trust, mutual understanding, internal legitimacy and shared commitment as key elements of shared motivation, was adapted for this study. Data were collected from 27 key informants and analysed using thematic analysis. Several collaborative dynamics thwarted mutual trust among tobacco control stakeholders, including concerns about associated loyalties, fear of a ban on tobacco production, silo-mentality and lack of comprehensive dialogue. All stakeholders agreed that the limited sharing of information on tobacco control and the lack of reliable local evidence on the tobacco burden hindered mutual understanding. Diverse factors hampered internal legitimacy, including sector representatives' lack of authority and the perceived lack of contextualization of the proposed policy content. Acknowledgement of the need for multisectoral action, lack of political will from other sectors and limited local allocation of funds to the process were some of the factors that shaped shared commitment. To accelerate the development of tobacco control policies in Zambia and elsewhere, policymakers must adopt strategies founded on shared motivation that deliberately create opportunities for open discourse and respectful interactions, promote a cultural shift towards collaborative information sharing and address unequal power relations to enable shaping of appropriate tobacco control actions in respective sectors.

Well-Being Economics - From Slogan to Discipline?; Comment on "Can a Well-Being Economy Save Us?"

This commentary addresses Ronald Labonté's recent editorial, "can a well-being economy save us?" It considers how to assess whether well-being economy policy proposals are likely to achieve real change, or simply represent performative sloganeering. It considers Labonté's discussion of the congruence between the well-being economy and widely held, cross-cultural values. Finally it explores the relationship between "well-being economics" and the key heterodox economic disciplines it has sprung from, especially ecological and feminist economics; and explores the relationship of well-being economics with degrowth and postgrowth economics as policy goals and models, rather than disciplines. Ultimately, a well-being economy can only "save us" if it is fully guided by and constrained within the same hard ecological constraints that must also guide degrowth or post-growth policy prescriptions.

The Impacts of Perceived Safety and Service Quality on Perceived Accessibility by Public Transport in Melbourne

In recent years, accessibility to services and activities using sustainable transport modes has become an important goal for land use and transport planning policies. Traditional approaches rely on objective measures, such as travel time, distance, costs, and other spatial data, overlooking personal preferences, experiences, demographic features, and socio-cultural and economic dynamics. Attributes that affect perceptions of accessibility require attention but our understanding of the factors influencing perceived accessibility is inadequate, particularly in Australia’s expanding suburbs. Through a literature review and questionnaire surveys, this study aims to take into account various travel characteristics and enhance the understanding of how perceived safety and service quality impact mobility behaviour and perceived accessibility within the Australian context. The study found that perceived safety and service quality have significant impacts on perceived accessibility and hence influence the use of public transport. We have identified critical factors that require proper consideration in transport and land use planning and policies to enable a better contribution from public transport to the liveability and well-being of residents in Australian suburbs.

Health Promotion and Health Literacy in the Legal Foundations of the Austrian Healthcare System

Health reform sees health promotion (HP) and health literacy (HL) as essential cornerstones for achieving health policy goals. This article examines the extent to which the legal foundation in the Austrian healthcare system provides a basis for orientation towards HP and HL. The focus of the analysis was set on medical professions, the health care and nursing professions, hospitals, and primary health care facilities. In a first step, legal and other relevant documents were reviewed. For this, a literature-based coding grid was created. In a second step, the legal bases were analyzed and interpreted using the coding grid. Recommendations were derived from the analysis of the legal basis and experts' assessments. Health promotion and health literacy are included in the general legal foundations. However, HP/HL is primarily conceived as a supplementary service with separate financing and is thus less understood as an integral part of any patient contact. The primary health care units and the nursing professions have a relatively clear mandate with regard to HP/HL compared to the hospitals and medical professions. Overall, it was recognized that terminology should be used more coherently and operationalized for the respective areas of cure and care. In particular, the legal bases relating to the medical professions do not build on one another in a coherent manner. Having adequate staff is the key to HP/HL. If these are in place, competencies in the field of HP/HL should be required, promoted, evaluated, and rewarded. HP/HL should be an integral part of any care setting. The concepts of health promotion and health literacy should be operationalized in the legal frameworks of health professions and organizations. This is especially true for the Physicians' Act and for hospitals. Furthermore, the role of patients should be strengthened and the involvement of users in the planning of health services should be further developed.

Automated vehicles, the ‘driver dilemma’, stopping powers, and paradigms of regulating road traffic

This article examines the driver dilemma as it applies to the increasing automation of road traffic with a focus on roadside enforcement stopping powers. The driver dilemma exists where road traffic laws are expressed as directed toward human drivers. As automation increases, it becomes more problematic who is the driver, in fact and in law, for the purposes of international and national road traffic laws. An obvious solution to the driver dilemma is to enact reforms that deem automated driving systems ‘drivers’ under road traffic laws. This can be seen in recent amendments to the Vienna Convention on Road Traffic. However, the deeming solution has limitations. Through a case study on specific Australian provisions that authorise roadside enforcement officers to stop vehicles, two paradigms informing regulation of road traffic are revealed. The legacy paradigm, founded on the unity of driver and vehicle, conceives road transport involving individuals with an expectation of freedom of movement. The deeming solution attempts to preserve this paradigm. The case study also revealed an alternative paradigm of road traffic as a system that should be regulated to ensure overarching public policy goals. This alternative paradigm is evident in the specific passenger transport laws, where stopping powers are expressed as vehicle-centric. There is no driver proxy and no need for a further wrong for the powers to be enlivened. The article concludes that automated transport futures need this alternative paradigm of road traffic regulation and vehicle-centric rules should be a template for more adaptable road traffic laws.

Understanding Impacts of Neighbourhood Micro-Renewal Through a Lens of Place Value: A Case Study of Wuhan, China

Neighbourhood micro-renewal (NMIR) plays a critical role in the renewal landscape of urban China. However, an oversight in post-occupancy evaluation (POE) impedes the comprehensive understanding of NMIR’s impact and post-implementation efficacy. This research addresses this gap by leveraging the lens of place value to examine NMIR’s outcomes. Using Wuhan, China, as a case study, 10 Delphi consultations and 28 interviews were conducted among five stakeholder groups: local government, planning professionals, academics, community workers, and residents. Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) and Fuzzy Comprehensive Evaluation (FCE) were combined to identify and rank potential indicators. A total of 6 primary and 22 secondary indicators were identified. The indicators were derived from four key policy areas—health, society, economy, and environment—highlighting the relationship among NMIR initiatives, their contribution to place quality, and alignment with policy goals. AHP and FCE results reveal substantial enhancements in environmental quality, residential properties, and public infrastructure. Nevertheless, the analysis exposes varied satisfaction levels and divergences in the perceived relevance of indicators among the government, professionals, and the residents, particularly concerning social cohesion. These disparities underscore the layered impacts of NMIR. This research recommends integrating resident feedback with expert insights to enhance place quality in NMIR projects by balancing physical upgrades with social considerations. It also advocates for a continuous, adaptable post-occupancy evaluation system to monitor and support place value over time. This system should be flexible and context-specific, allowing NMIR initiatives to adapt to diverse urban settings globally, thus supporting long-term sustainability and thriving urban communities.

Older adult immigrants’ experiences of being hospitalized: a qualitative study

BackgroundAccess to equal health services is a key issue in most European countries. In the coming years, immigrants will constitute an increasing proportion of older adults in Europe, and their need for healthcare services will likely increase. Healthcare services must prepare for such encounters to make them equitable. Older immigrants’ hospitalization experiences require elucidation. Their patient experiences can provide important knowledge when the healthcare system is working toward equal and equitable healthcare services.MethodsThis study employed an exploratory qualitative design. Data were collected through narrative interviews with a purposive sample of eight older adult immigrants, aged 61–79 years. Patient narratives were analyzed using thematic analysis with a reflexive approach, as outlined by Braun and Clarke.ResultsThe analysis created three themes that shed light on older adult immigrants’ experiences as hospital patients. The themes conveyed experiences related to challenging involvement and interaction, notions of what an ideal patient should be like, and participants not feeling valued as a person.ConclusionThe findings indicate that communication between healthcare professionals and older adult immigrant patients is deficient: older immigrants in this study did not make their voices heard nor were they invited to participate by healthcare professionals. This contributes to limited involvement in assessment, treatment, and care. The older immigrants felt that they were not valued nor met as unique individuals. The findings indicate that health policy goals regarding patient participation and person-centered care are not met when older immigrants are patients. Consequently, the experiences of older adult immigrants in this study indicate that equal health services are at risk.

Spatial feasibility prediction of green hydrogen scale-up in China under decarbonization policies: Based on improved diffusion model

Hydrogen production from renewable electrolysis is a suitable transformative technology for driving a cleaner energy mix, mitigating climate change, and achieving sustainable development and has been given the color value definition of "green hydrogen". However, this low-carbon technology is still in its infancy, and the pathways for expanding market supply have not been analyzed. To address the problems of unclear factors influencing the diffusion of green hydrogen technology innovation, unclear technology diffusion laws, and inaccurate predictions of regional green hydrogen production capacity under the goal of decarbonization policy, this work constructs a spatial assessment framework of the feasibility of low-carbon technology development in response to climate change on the basis of the theory of technological innovation systems, the improved technology diffusion model, and the feasibility of climate change spatial concepts to analyze and predict the diffusion law and regional green hydrogen production capacity of hydrogen production by renewable energy under the goal of carbon neutrality. The results of the study on the development of renewable hydrogen technology in China show that it follows the law of diffusion of low-carbon technologies in both the formation and growth stages. The diffusion of green hydrogen technology in the formation stage is slow, and the regional green hydrogen capacity in the near term cannot meet the decarbonization policy target demand in 2030. Before the spatial inflection point of technology diffusion feasibility, the demand-pull of the phase decarbonization policy target dominated the stability and sustainability of the green hydrogen supply market. After the inflection point, the internal growth of technology diffusion plays a key role in market diffusion and ultimately reaches a saturation value under the joint regulation of policy and the market to realize a carbon-neutral target capacity demand in 2060. The uncertainty of diffusion model parameters leads to anomalies in the feasibility space of technology diffusion, and risks such as overcapacity or insufficient demand in some regions may occur. Overall, this work provides a systematic assessment system for analyzing and predicting the pathways and characteristics of expanding renewable hydrogen production in specific regions under decarbonization policy objectives.

A Representative Profile of MSW Graduates in the United States.

As the United States faces burgeoning behavioral health needs and a growing recognition of the inextricable link between social conditions and health outcomes and quality-of-life indicators, a current representative profile of the MSW workforce with respect to sociodemographic and employment characteristics can provide a reference point for ongoing assessments of that workforce. The profile also can establish a baseline by which efforts to bolster the diversity and strength of the MSW workforce can be grounded. The core aim of the current study was to generate a nationally representative, descriptive profile of MSW graduates in the United States using a sample of 1,028 MSW graduates (representing a subpopulation of 691,061 individuals) from the 2021 National Survey of College Graduates. Weighted univariate and bivariate analyses were conducted to generate a descriptive profile of MSW graduates with respect to sociodemographic, education, and employment characteristics. Study findings can help employers, health services researchers, policymakers, and practitioners understand the context of the MSW workforce as it relates to diversity, labor workforce projection data, and student loan and salary considerations. This information can guide future policy and training goals to support the future vitality of the social work profession.

Dreams of mass repatriation: government and far-right expansions of deportability in Sweden

ABSTRACT Far-right parties present increased deportations and repatriations of ‘racial aliens’ as a central policy goal. The mainstreaming of the far-right contributes to making such ideas enter mainstream politics and become legitimized. This article investigates what expansions of deportability can be discerned in relation to membership categories viewed as secure – notably, permanent residency and citizenship – in government policy and far-right policy proposals in Sweden. Based on an analysis of Swedish government policy documents from 1885 to 2022 and far-right party programs and policy proposals from 1989 to 2022, the article shows how government and far-right ideas have converged in recent years in part through the rekindling of historical policy. The article concludes that the mainstreaming of the far-right has contributed to a shift towards a conception of citizenship that aims to render a significant part of the Swedish population deportable.

An AI-driven approach for modeling the compressive strength of sustainable concrete incorporating waste marble as an industrial by-product.

A key goal of environmental policies and circular economy strategies in the construction sector is to convert demolition and industrial wastes into reusable materials. As an industrial by-product,Waste marble (WM), has the potential to replace cement and fine aggregate in concrete which helps with saving natural resources and reducing environmental harm. While many studies have so far investigated the effect of WM on compressive strength (CS), it is undeniable that conducting experimental activities requires time, money, and re-testing with changing materials and conditions. Hence, this study seeks to move from traditional experimental approaches towards artificial intelligence-driven approaches by developing three models-artificial neural network (ANN) and hybrid ANN with ant colony optimization (ACO) and biogeography-based optimization (BBO) to predict the CS of WM concrete. For this purpose, a comprehensive dataset including 1135 data records is employed from the literature. The models' performance is assessed using statistical metrics and error histograms, and a K-fold cross-validation analysis is applied to avoid overfitting problems, emphasize the models' reliable predictive capabilities, and generalize them. The statistical metrics indicated that the ANN-BBO model performed best with a correlation coefficient (R) of 0.9950 and root mean squared error (RMSE) of 1.2017MPa. Besides, the error distribution results revealed that the ANN-BBO outperformed the ANN and ANN-ACO with a narrower range of errors so that 98% of the predicted data points in the training phase by the ANN-BBO model experienced errors in the range of [-10%, 10%], whereas for the ANN-ACO and ANN models, this percentage was 85% and 79%, respectively. Additionally, the study employed SHapley Additive exPlanations (SHAP) analysis to clarify the impact of input variables on prediction accuracy and found that the specimen's age is the most influential variable. Eventually, to validate the ANN-BBO, a comparison was performed with the results of previous studies' models.

Perceptions of improvements and mental health outcomes of micro-renewal in old Danwei community: a survey of residents in Hengyang, China.

Danwei communities are a testament to China's socialist urban development, characterized by the self-sufficiency, strong social networks, and institutional management. In the historical context of urban development in China, many old communities have evolved from former housing areas of Danwei. After more than 40 years of use, the buildings, and environments in the old Danwei communities remain in disrepair, dirty, disorderly and poor condition. Many functions have failed that negatively affect the quality of life and health of residents. After Covid-19, improving the mental health of residents has become a major goal of public policies in various countries. To explore the residents' mental health in the micro-renewal, this study carried out a survey regarding residents' evaluation on the micro-renewal and their mental health in two renewed Danwei communities in Hengyang, China. More than 800 respondents joined the interview, among them, 634 samples are effective for analysis. Entropy-TOPSIS is applied to analyze the weights of various indicators of micro-renewal. And multinominal logit model is used to examine the relationship between the personal factors, satisfaction on various items of micro-renewal and mental health. The findings indicates that the mental health level of residents living in Danwei community is affected by micro-renewal. The socio-demographic characteristics and behavior factors can influence on the possibility of being in different levels of mental health. The satisfaction on the components of micro-renewal and improvements after micro-renewal is also determiner of residents' mental health level. In addition, the heterogeneity is address in mental health.

Modeling the co-adoption dynamics of PV and heat pumps in Swiss residential buildings: Implications for policy and sustainability goals

The Swiss energy system is facing a paradigm shift as it strives to achieve net-zero greenhouse gas emissions, as well as phase out nuclear electricity production. This entails significant changes in the country’s energy landscape, including increased adoption of renewable energy technologies in the residential sector. To facilitate informed decision-making and planning by policymakers, this study introduces a system-dynamics model for the long-term adoption of solar photovoltaic (PV) and heat pump (HP) technologies in Swiss residential buildings. Unlike conventional approaches, this framework considers the feedback loops and correlations between PV and HP adoption, while also accounting for building heterogeneity. Through scenario analyses, the model evaluates the impact of regulatory and financial policy interventions on the transition of the residential energy system. The results highlight the significant influence of policy measures on technology deployment rates, energy demand, and greenhouse gas emissions. They demonstrate that slight adjustments in current policy and regulatory framework could allow to safely reach PV deployment targets, but strong modifications are necessary to completely decarbonize the residential sector. This study contributes to advancing our understanding of the complex dynamics shaping residential energy transitions and offers valuable insights to support the formulation and implementation of effective energy strategies.

Examining social-cultural norms affecting the adoption of solar energy technologies at the household level

The relevance of social culture in determining energy consumption behaviour is repeatedly highlighted, yet it is still unclear how social-cultural factors affect the uptake of solar energy technologies- SETs. The study highlights social-cultural norms as one of the aspects rarely considered for solar energy adoption and utilises the Energy Cultures Framework to examine the influence of such norms on the acceptance and usage of solar energy technologies SETs at the household level. The study comprised a cross-sectional survey of households from three urban districts in central Uganda (n = 439), and data was analysed using partial least squares structural equation modelling method. The results showed that moral and subjective norms positively and significantly influence the adoption of SETs. However, the influence of moral norms on adoption is relatively stronger than that of subjective norms on adoption. These findings imply that individual-level concerns and a sense of responsibility towards energy usage are more important than the collective societal behavioural requirement for SETs adoption. This study distinctively highlights the relevance of the different types of norms and offers valuable insights into households’ energy usage behaviour, which is essential for designing successful promotion campaigns for SETs and increasing the adoption and usage of more sustainable energy alternatives. Increased adoption of SETs is an important part in the development, implementation, and achievement of energy policy goals.

Transforming coastal fisheries in Norway: Institutional implications of green technology implementation

In Norway, the coastal fishing fleet is essential for maintaining local value chains and securing employment systems in fisheries dependent areas. To uphold rural policy goals, this fleet segment is subject to a management regime with strict length restrictions. Concurrently, Norway is committed to significantly reducing greenhouse gas emissions in line with both national and international policies, including the Paris agreement. Achieving this reduction necessitates the replacement of traditional diesel engines with new green technologies. However, these green technologies, such as battery systems, electric engines, and gas tanks, require significantly more space onboard the vessels compared to traditional diesel engines. Hence, replacing compact diesel engines with green technologies will challenge the existing length restrictions. To accelerate the green transition for coastal vessels, a new regulatory framework has thus been placed high on the fisheries' political agenda. This paper outlines the coastal fleet's current management status, explores alternative regulatory parameters to ease the green transition, and considers the potential implications for the coastal fleet structure. Our study finds that replacing strict length regulations with more liberal cargo hold volume regulations may support the green transition, thereby enhancing environmental sustainability. However, the substitution of length restrictions with cargo hold volume regulations may shift the fleet structure towards larger vessels and alter their operating patterns, in turn impacting the maintenance of local value chains. The question that remains is how to meet the green transition while maintaining a diverse coastal fishing fleet.