Policy Issues Research Articles

Embracing the politics of transformation: Policy action as “battle‐settlement events”

AbstractSocietal transformations for addressing climate change are intensely contested and at risk of resistance and backlash to ambitious policy action. But they are frequently modeled through heuristics such as S‐curves which abstract from such conflicts, assuming increasing returns to scale as a driver of transformations. This is the case even while scholars accept the presence of political conflict in transformation processes. Within political science and allied disciplines, the notions of policy feedback and policy coalitions have been deployed to understand how such political conflicts may be understood. But these approaches risk gravitating toward an instrumental design impulse that inadvertently downplays conflict. We argue that policy action for societal transformations should be re‐conceptualized as an unfolding series of battle‐settlement events whereby heated episodic political struggles over a certain policy object or issue play out and eventually settle in ways that structure future debates while nonetheless remaining indeterminate and open to challenge or reversal. Such an approach reflects the varied empirical experiences of climate policy action to date which include both accumulation and reversal. It also helps explain trajectories of change that are discontinuous and lurching in contrast to common images of transformation as progressive and cumulative. We illustrate this approach through two cases of unfolding societal transformation on climate change: coal phaseout in the United Kingdom and renewable energy uptake in Australia.

Trade, gender equality and institutional quality: Evidence from the gravitational approach

Purpose The contributions of gender equality to trade and the moderating impact of institutional quality on the trade-gender link have been understudied in contemporary literature. Therefore, this paper aims to use the augmented gravity model to investigate the impacts of gender equality and institutional quality on trade, and the moderating impact of institutional quality on the trade-gender link. Design/methodology/approach The panel data is comprised of bilateral trade flows of Vietnam and 40 major trading partners in the 2002–2021 period. Estimation methods include combined fixed effect, random effect, system generalized method of moments two-step (SGMM-II) and Poisson-pseudo maximum likelihood (PPML) which allow the treatment of heterogeneity, endogeneity and heteroskedasticity in the research models. Findings The exporting country’s gender equality has an inconclusive impact on trade in SGMM-II and PPML estimations. However, female labor force participation in the exporting country increases trade. Importing country’s gender equality and female labor force participation increase trade. The direct impact of institutional quality on trade is inconclusive, which is dependent on estimation methods. Most noticeably, the institutional quality of exporting and importing countries facilitates the hampering effects of gender equality and female labor force participation on trade. Research limitations/implications Future research should apply the framework of this paper to sectoral trade, which allows more sector-specific policy implications to be delivered. Moreover, gender development, gender inequality and institutional quality should be included in the SGMM estimations as endogenous variables for robustness checking purposes in future research. Practical implications The paper has justified the integration of gender-specific issues in trade policies, which aligns trade with sustainable development agenda. The explored moderating impact of institutional quality of the exporting country has implied the trade-off relationship between gender equality and export growth in the effort to improve institutional quality. Reversely, in the case of importing countries with higher institutional quality, improved gender equality may mitigate the trade deficit by hampering import growth. Originality/value Investigating the impact of gender equality on trade is the prominent contribution of this paper. Gender equality is considered by three component indicators which include gender development, gender inequality and female labor force participation. New measurement approach to the institutional quality level is also introduced. Furthermore, the explored moderating impacts of institutional quality on the trade-gender link are novel in the literature on sustainable development.

Policy Guidance for Direct-to-Consumer Genetic Testing Services: Framework Development Study.

The online offer of commercial genetic tests, also called direct-to-consumer genetic tests (DTC-GTs), enables citizens to gain insight into their health and disease risk based on their genetic profiles. DTC-GT offers often consist of a combination of services or aspects, including advertisements, information, DNA analysis, and medical or lifestyle advice. The risks and benefits of DTC-GT services have been debated and studied extensively, but instruments that assess DTC-GT services and aid policy are lacking. This leads to uncertainty among policy makers, law enforcers, and regulators on how to ensure and balance both public safety and autonomy and about the responsibilities these 3 parties have toward the public. This study aimed to develop a framework that outlines aspects of DTC-GTs that lead to policy issues and to help provide policy guidance regarding DTC-GT services. We performed 3 steps: (1) an integrative literature review to identify risks and benefits of DTC-GT services for consumers and society in Embase and Medline (January 2014-June 2022), (2) structuring benefits and risks in different steps of the consumer journey, and (3) development of a checklist for policy guidance. Potential risks and benefits of DTC-GT services were mapped from 134 papers and structured into 6 phases. In summary, these phases were called the consumer journey: (1) exposure, (2) pretest information, (3) DNA analysis, (4) data management, (5) posttest information, and (6) individual and societal impact. The checklist for evaluation of DTC-GT services consisted of 8 themes, covering 38 items that may raise policy issues in DTC-GT services. The themes included the following aspects: general service content, validity and quality assurance, potential data and privacy risks, scientific evidence and robustness, and quality of the provided information. Both the consumer journey and the checklist break the DTC-GT offer down into key aspects that may impact and compromise individual and public health, safety, and autonomy. This framework helps policy makers, regulators, and law enforcers develop methods to interpret, assess, and act in the DTC-GT service market.

Nascent policy subsystems in polycentric governance networks: The case of sea‐level rise governance in the San Francisco Bay Area

AbstractA policy subsystem is a system of relations between actors within the context of a specific, territorially bounded policy issue. Mature policy subsystems feature well‐established, easily distinguishable, confrontational coalitions. Recent literature has explored the behavior of nascent subsystems, which emerge in response to novel policy challenges and feature developing, rather than fully fledged, coalitions. However, as yet, we lack an empirical approach to identify and analyze the structural characteristics of nascent subsystems and assess their implications for theoretical and subsystem development. How do we recognize a nascent policy subsystem when we see one? What are the drivers of its nascent coalitional structure? We answer these questions using social network analysis in the empirical case of the governance network of adaptation to sea‐level rise in the San Francisco Bay Area, using original data collected in 2018. We find that the network portrays a nascent subsystem developing out of pre‐existing coalitions focused on two facets of environmental advocacy: environmental protection and environmental justice. We conclude with recommendations for future research on policy subsystem development.

Arctic Cooperation between Russia and India in the Wake of Climate Change

Global climate change has placed the region at the centre of geopolitics, as melting Arctic sea ice transforms it from a predominantly scientific interest to a contest of national security claims, commercial interests and environmental concerns, with profound implications for both the international legal and political systems. The Arctic environment is an area of common concern requiring collective behaviour by all, including Russia and India.Aim. Examine environmental issues in the Arctic policies of Russia and India, and find common ground in Arctic cooperation on climate change.Tasks. Identify existing problems and propose recommendations to address them.Methods. To solve the problems set in the study, the author uses such methods as statistical analysis, method of document analysis, discourse analysis of speeches of political leaders of Russia and India. Results. The issues of the climate agenda of Russia and India are considered. Unlike Russia, the Indian side has problems in implementing its state policy on climate change. Sharing experience in effective financing of environmental programmes, disaster risk management and information exchange are areas of potential cooperation in the context of climate change. Despite the geopolitical changes taking place around the world, Russia-India cooperation has not been interrupted, but has remained at the same level and has great potential.Conclusions. Ensuring the environmental security of Russia and India is an integral part of the policies of the two states. As the data presented in this paper show, the states have similar interests in developing measures to prevent climate change deterioration in the Arctic region.

Appraisal of Students Admission on Service Delivery in the Directorate of Undergraduate Studies (DUS) Federal College of Education (FCE), Yola

Establishment of relationship between policy issues and service delivery in tertiary institution of learning requires to encourage policy implementations to relate to policy formulation that would address rather than dismal service delivery in tertiary educational institutions across the country. Precisely the research intends to establish if policy issues on students’ admission affect service delivery in DUS FCE, Yola. The main instruments used for data collection were the Questionnaires, Focus Group Discussion (FGD), observation check list and Semi Structured Interview (SSI) formats. This paper proposes Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) test statistic as a measurement tool for the study. The findings show that consideration of only first choice for JAMB Admission affect students intake in DUS and cut off marks for admission into DUS poses a threat to intake in some programmes. Post JAMB screening of applicants ensures selection of better candidates. Also, clearly stated memorandum of understanding (MoU) with portal managers and memorandum of understanding (MoU) with ICT facility managers would enhance service delivery in DUS. The study recommends that admission guidelines/policies of regulatory bodies like JAMB and affiliate institution need to be carefully studied and regularly incorporated in the students’ guide book.

Community-University Partnerships: The Benefits of Collaboration in Measuring Public Support for a Community Recreation Center

Community recreation centers (CRCs) are gaining popularity across the country. While many support the argument that CRCs improve quality of life by building social capital and improving the physical health of residents, that support does not necessarily translate into community support for the funding and construction of CRCs. Some communities undertake surveys to try to gauge the support for CRCs but have had mixed results on the insights provided by those surveys. Furthermore, public perceptions about the accuracy and usefulness of survey data could lead to stakeholder disregard for the data produced by them. This case study focuses on the benefits of a robust partnership between a local community and a regional university in developing a survey research project to analyze support for building a CRC. In this paper, we emphasize the value of producing trusted data and provide lessons on how community-university partnerships can achieve similar objectives. The first lesson is that community-university partnerships, by emphasizing local connections, can help foster trust in survey research projects. Second, strategic community-university partnerships can derive additional benefits such as division of labor, expertise, and cost savings. Third, by embracing the above two benefits, collaboration is not only possible, but can produce tailored survey research projects that provide stakeholders insights into critical questions. Finally, community-university partnerships that are structured around shared values can help communities solve critical policy issues effectively and efficiently. This case study details these lessons through an examination of a robust community-university partnership that led to the passage of a ballot referendum to build a CRC. This community-university model of collaboration provides a framework for communities and universities to work together to serve the public good.

Addressing health workforce shortages as a precursor to attaining universal health coverage: A comparative policy analysis of Nigeria and Ghana

There is a critical shortage of health professionals globally which is affecting the possibility of attaining universal health coverage. Developing countries in sub-Saharan Africa such as Ghana and Nigeria are disproportionately affected and the shortfall in health professionals is envisaged to worsen over the next decade. Countries have responded differently in addressing this shortage. To understand the differing response to the same policy issue in two countries that share similar characteristics in terms of geolocation, socioeconomic indices and disease burden, this paper offers a comparative policy analysis of the two countries using the 3-I framework and punctuated equilibrium theory as comparative policy analysis tools. The analysis identified the ideas, interests, and institutions at play and how they have led to different policy outcomes in both countries. The analysis also shows the interaction between subsystems, policy images and policy venues and how this interaction led to policy change, in the case of Ghana and lag in the case of Nigeria. Our findings show four critical areas in addressing health workforce shortages in both countries – a general approach to addressing the issue, welfare and remuneration, workforce autonomy and career progression, and financing for workforce improvement. For Ghana, there has been significant policy change including implementing strategies for increasing the production of health professionals and addressing remuneration and welfare issues. For Nigeria, there has been seems to be a lag in policy change. While the findings show that Ghana's approach has seemingly put them on a good path toward universal health coverage, applying any lessons should, however, be contextual, considering other country-level and health systems factors that are relevant to addressing health workforce shortages.

The Global Intellectual Disability Nursing Research Collaboratory: Forming an international transformational nursing network.

This paper explains how we created the Global Intellectual Disability Nurse Research Collaboratory (GIDNRC), a transformative network. The GIDNRC aims to make improvements in the understanding, research, policy, clinical care, and support provided to people with an intellectual disability. In 2022, the World Health Organization (WHO) called upon healthcare leaders internationally to take actions to promote more equal healthcare for disabled persons. This paper promotes the GIDNRC as a way for professionals to work together to make more equal healthcare throughout the world for people with intellectual disabilities. We created this paper by reviewing peer-reviewed literature and research, international policies, and nursing networking initiatives. This paper explores current policy, research, and practice issues that formed the basis of beginning the GIDNRC, including how the COVID-19 pandemic changed care. Nurses are over 50% of the world's health workforce. Therefore, they have the potential to make a large impact in making care for people with intellectual disability much more equal than currently exists throughout the world. However, barriers exist. Forming the GIDNRC, as well as using the World Wide Web, offers an opportunity to address barriers to this goal. Nurses can address the needs of people with intellectual disability in their daily nursing practice. The GIDNRC aims to strengthen these clinical skills, understand how care may vary throughout the world, and share knowledge, good practices, and new ways to approach care for people with an intellectual disability worldwide. International nursing policy should actively focus on the needs of people with intellectual disabilities and the role nurses play in addressing these health needs. The GIDNRC may provide an important way to achieve developments in this policy.

Towards transactional integrity issues in policy based network management systems

Towards transactional integrity issues in policy based network management systems

O-231 Offering and regulating expanded carrier screening (ECS) in the UK: an exciting prospect in genetic testing or ‘a can of worms’?

Abstract Study question What are the practical and ethical complexities emerging from the increasing offer of ECS in the UK amidst a lack of guidance and regulation? Summary answer The current lack of guidance and regulation around ECS in the UK raises complex practical and ethical issues both for technology users and providers. What is known already Expanded carrier screening (ECS) is increasingly offered preconception to identify risks of passing on genetic conditions to offspring. It involves testing of people with no known risk for hundreds of conditions and can be used for prospective parents or gamete donors. Despite increasing uptake in the UK, ECS has received little policy attention compared to PGT and newborn screening, leaving clinics and laboratories free to determine its cost, delivery and marketing. While the ethical and medical implications of ECS have been considered, issues for practitioners and policymakers are under-researched, with little understanding of specificities in the UK context. Study design, size, duration Using a scoping methodology (Arksey H & O’Malley L., 2005), this study aimed to situate ECS in the UK policy landscape. 20 qualitative interviews were conducted with stakeholders (policy, commercial, patient, professional) over 6 months (July - December 2023) to systematically capture emergent policy and practice issues. Participants/materials, setting, methods Data come from part 1 of a large ESRC-funded interdisciplinary, multi-method project investigating the social, ethical, economic and policy implications of ECS in the UK. Semi-structured interviews (Van Audenhove, L., & Donders, K. 2019) were conducted with 20 key policy, commercial, and clinical stakeholders with a remit or interest in regulating reproductive genomic testing in the UK. Participants were recruited using purposive sampling, informed by a literature review and consultation with experts in the field. Main results and the role of chance Despite the UK government’s aspiration to become a world-leader in genomic medicine, there has been little public and policy discussion around ECS. ECS does not appear on the agenda of several key UK policy organisations, and some policy stakeholders interviewed were unaware of the specific complexities presented by ECS. Guidance is currently under discussion among some professional societies. The current lack of guidance has generated a range of practical and ethical issues for providers and users including: • Inconsistent provision of genetic counselling about the technology aims, results and limitations; • Shortage of genetic counsellors; • Difficulties and confusion about how to use imported ECS-screened donated gametes; • Lack of clarity regarding legal liability if a recessive condition is transmitted via gamete donation, leading to defensive practise; • Unequal access to ECS offer and services; • Lack of communication and collaboration between the public and private sectors around ECS; leading to extra costs and difficulties for users and challenges for the NHS Clinical Genetics services; • Difficulties related to the absence of a standard panel of conditions; Absence of clear and evidence-based information for test-takers in the public domain. Limitations, reasons for caution We used a purposive sample. Given there is limited information about where and how ECS is currently offered and that some providers do not advertise their offer, we may not have represented the views of all provider and marketing stakeholders. Wider implications of the findings This research shows the need for the development of appropriate policy, guidance and regulation and public discussion in the UK. In particular, there is a need for better communication and collaboration around ECS between the public and private sectors. Trial registration number Non applicable

Exploring Data Privacy and Privacy Paradox Nature of Consumers Using Block Chain Technology: Application of SLR and Bibliometric Analysis Tools

This research presents an in-depth study of blockchain technology’s impact on data privacy and the consumer behaviour phenomenon known as the privacy paradox. Through a systematic literature review (SLR) and bibliometric analysis, the study delves into the effectiveness of blockchain in safeguarding personal data in an increasingly digital world. Key databases such as Scopus and Web of Science provide rich academic contributions, particularly from regions with stringent data privacy laws. The findings highlight blockchain’s effectiveness in limiting unauthorised data access, boosting user control and tackling the privacy paradox, where personal information is shared despite privacy worries. Yet, it points out challenges in aligning blockchain with legal frameworks, such as General Data Protection Regulation, particularly concerning data erasure rights. The study emphasises three themes: blockchain’s progression toward robust data protection, psychological aspects of the privacy paradox in consumer decisions and attitudes toward blockchain solutions. It notes gaps in standardisation, public awareness and blockchain’s practical applications, alongside ethical and policy issues. Conclusively, the research stresses the need for aligning technological advancements with legal and ethical frameworks, highlighting user experience in digital technology adoption. It positions blockchain as a pivotal factor in reshaping digital privacy, advocating for continued innovation and exploration in blockchain applications to ensure a secure, user-empowering future globally.

A gender-based review of workplace violence amongst the global health workforce-A scoping review of the literature.

Workplace violence (WPV) impacts all levels of the health workforce, including the individual provider, organization, and society. While there is a substantial body of literature on various aspects of WPV against the health workforce, gender-based WPV (GB-WPV) has received less attention. Violence in both the workplace and broader society is rooted in gendered socio-economic, cultural, and institutional factors. Developing a robust understanding of GB-WPV is crucial to explore the differing experiences, responses, and outcomes of GB-WPV with respect to gender. We conducted a scoping review and report on the prevalence and risk factors of GB-WPV in healthcare settings globally. The review followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR). We registered the scoping review protocol on the Open Science Framework on January 14, 2022, at https://osf.io/t4pfb/. A systematic search was conducted of empirical literature in five health and social science databases. Of 13667, 226 studies were included in the analysis. Across the studies, more women than men experienced non-physical violence, including verbal abuse, sexual harassment, and bullying. Men experienced more physical violence compared to women. Younger age, less experience, shifting duties, specific clinical settings, lower professional status, organizational hierarchy, and minority status were found to be sensitive to gender, reflecting women's structural disadvantages in the workplace. Given the high prevalence and impact of GB-WPV on women, we provided recommendations to address systemic issues in clinical practice, academia, policy, and research.

The Relationship Between Topics, Negativity, and User Engagement in Election Campaigns on Facebook

Negativity is a common feature of current online political communication during elections. Previous studies on negativity and its impact on user engagement focused mainly on Western European countries. Considering the political particularities of the Central and Eastern European countries, the present study focused on Czechia, Hungary, Lithuania, the Republic of Moldova, and Romania, where national election campaigns took place from 2020 to 2022. We aimed to investigate comparatively different topics prevalent in the negative messages and look at users’ engagement with negative communication. We applied manual content analysis of N = 4,095 Facebook posts published four weeks before the elections by political parties elected in the national parliament. Results showed significant differences across countries using negative messages and the associated topics. The posts’ highest rate of negative statements was identified in Czechia (52%), while the lowest was in Lithuania (17%). There are topics consistently associated with negative statements across most countries, such as corruption, economy and finance, foreign policy, labor, and social issues. However, given that those elections took place during the Covid-19 pandemic in Czechia, Lithuania, Romania, and the Republic of Moldova and, in Hungary, after Russia invaded Ukraine, we also identified contextual topics such as health, war, and conflicts with other countries and defense that were mainly associated with negative messages. Furthermore, negative posts generate more reactions and comments than posts containing no negative statements. Addressing foreign policy in negative posts generates significantly more reactions and comments.

Canada: Political Developments and Data in 2023

AbstractThere was no federal election in 2023 but change seemed to be in the air, as the official opposition Conservatives, under their new leader, made major gains in the polls and took a significant lead over the Liberals. Controversy over foreign interference in Canadian politics generated controversy, and foreign policy issues had an uncharacteristic impact on Canadian politics. The Liberal government responded with a major Cabinet shuffle, while by‐elections left the party positions in the House of Commons essentially unchanged.

American Shoulder & Elbow Surgeons Perspectives on Political Advocacy

BackgroundPhysician involvement in political advocacy has become increasingly important in recent years. This study aims to explore the types of involvement and barriers to involvement in political advocacy among American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons (ASES) members, identify issues considered most important by ASES members, and assess demographic factors that might correlate with involvement in political advocacy efforts among ASES members. MethodsThis survey was conducted by the ASES Political Advocacy Committee over a two-week period in June 2021. The survey collected demographic information including sex, ethnicity, years in practice, practice type, political affiliation, and level of current involvement in political advocacy. Additional questions consisted of thoughts regarding current health care policy issues and the role of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS)/ASES regarding such policy issues. ResultsWe received 297 responses for a total response rate of 27%. Of those who responded, 24.6% identified as Democrat, 33% identified as Republican, and 42.4% identified as Independent. There was no difference in political affiliation between membership groups. Physician Reimbursement (82%), Medical Liability Reform (50%), and Physician Ownership (50%) were the most important issues identified among respondents. Physician Ownership, Physician Reimbursement and GME and Student Loan Reform were most important to those in early practice, while Quality and Research was most important to those with greater than 25 years of practice experience. ConclusionThere is strong agreement among surgeons regarding the most important political advocacy issues. The efforts of the AAOS and ASES should focus on these areas. Additionally, the vast majority of respondents felt that advocacy efforts had a positive impact on patients and surgeons.

Housing, Homelessness, and Mental Health

Homelessness is one of the most significant humanitarian, policy, and public health issues in the United States. People experiencing homelessness are at a heightened risk of various health issues, including severe mental illness, and face a life expectancy up to 30 years shorter than those with stable housing. The US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) defines homelessness as lack of a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence and reports that there has been a steady rise in the number of individuals with mental illness lacking stable housing, far outpacing the capacity of available services. Despite the importance of housing for mental health, psychiatrists are often ill-equipped to intervene on this key social determinant of health. This article reviews underlying factors contributing to homelessness for individuals with mental illness, details clinical ramifications of homelessness, and outlines evidence-based interventions for supporting people experiencing homelessness and psychiatric illness. [ Psychiatr Ann. 2024;54(7):e202–e208.]

The analysis of electricity consumption in Kazakhstan

The energy sector is a fundamental element of the economic structure of any state, determining its sustainability, competitiveness and ability to innovate. In this context, Kazakhstan, which has significant reserves of hydrocarbons, energy sources and renewable properties, finds itself at the crossroads of solving issues of energy policy, innovation and sustainable development. The electricity sector is a priority resource necessary to maintain the economic security of the country. This is relevant due to the rapid growth of industrial production and demography in order to maintain increasing demand and increase electricity generation in the country. The purpose of this scientific work is focused on the economic analysis of electricity generation and consumption, as well as the identification of shortcomings and the proposal of recommendations to ensure the sustainable development of the energy sector in Kazakhstan. Using the scientific method of analysis, the study aims to identify trends that determine the level of electricity consumption in the country, as well as to offer recommendations for the sustainable and effective development of this industry. The article is a valuable contribution to strengthening and modernizing the energy system of the country. The results of the research are: the current state of Kazakhstani energy sector is revealed against the background of anti-Russian sanctions, increased energy prices and global uncertainty; a comparative analysis of electricity production is carried out; an economic assessment of primary and final energy consumption from 2015 to 2023 was carried out; the reasons for changes in electricity generation and consumption from the perspective of industrial and consumer demand growth were substantiated; shortcomings were revealed and proposals were made to improve the development and consumption of electricity in the republic. The results obtained have significant potential to initiate certain transformations in the energy sector of Kazakhstan. The article is a scientific work contributing to the development of theory and practice in the field of energy in Kazakhstan. This research contributes to the further development of energy consumption and improvement of the country's energy infrastructure, ensuring its sustainability and competitiveness in the long term.

International convergence towards a climate-neutral economy: modeling the agricultural sector

Purpose. This article aims to construct a comprehensive convergent model for assessing the global and EU’s progress, degree of consolidation and symmetry of agricultural economies towards climate neutrality in the context of key international green initiatives. Methodology / approach. This research employs both qualitative and quantitative analyses to assess convergence measures in the agricultural sector’s carbon emissions. The quantitative component relies on the sigma and beta convergence models to evaluate international convergence in carbon emissions CO2 dynamics. The dimensions of modeling are as follows: global sample within 194 countries with reliable emissions data; European Union, focusing on convergence within the EU27 member states, the United Kingdom, and Ukraine. The time period covers open data from 1972–2022. The dynamics of sigma and beta convergence is determined for the points, namely UN Stockholm Conference (1972), UN Rio Conference (1992), Kyoto Protocol (entry into force in 2005), Paris Agreement (2015). Additionally, statistical indicators of variation, skewness, Gini and Theil indices were calculated for delineating global smoothness and the concentration of agricultural emissions. Results. The results of the study reveal an inertial and divergent trend of the agricultural economy towards decarbonisation, which slows down the overall movement towards “net zero” due to the presence of clubs of lagging agricultural countries that increase emissions in violation of international agreements. The reduction in emissions skewness in recent years shows that more countries are “pulling” decarbonisation due to their high capacity to move towards net zero, but this is not enough. The EU is the most prominent example of accelerated climate convergence, but markers of its weakening in recent years are identified due to the inability of economies to maintain the pace of decarbonisation caused by economic constraints, technological barriers, policy and regulatory issues, and misunderstandings of climate neutrality goals. It is shown that the long-term decarbonisation capacity of the agricultural sector is the key trigger for a country to make a positive contribution to the global convergence towards climate neutrality. At the current stage, the pace of decarbonisation plays a much greater role for consolidating efforts in the agricultural economy and achieving climate neutrality than the initial level of emissions in the sector. Factors in this process include proactive compliance with global climate agreements, technology sharing and cooperation, digitalisation and smart agriculture, and green financing and investment. Its implementation requires a three-way integration of stakeholder actions, strategy selection and results evaluation. Originality / scientific novelty. The study’s originality lies in its large-scale analysis of over 50 years of emissions dynamics and the context of five key green agreements that provided support for the green transition. It allows studying international convergence in agricultural sectors globally and within the EU. The novelty implies the integrated use of sigma and beta convergence models that identifies predictors of convergent and divergent processes and separates countries into leaders and laggards of agricultural decarbonisation. This approach provides a comprehensive view of modern climate policy, the impact of international green initiatives, and the position of individual towards climate neutrality in agriculture. Practical value / implications. The practical value lies in the ability to adjust climate policies for the agricultural economy’s decarbonisation, facilitating the determination of prospective outcomes for achieving climate neutrality. The aforementioned factors facilitate the process of governmental decision-making. The assessment of international programmatic agreements' effectiveness is enhanced through these models. The study offers a framework for global convergence towards climate neutrality in agriculture, highlighting the importance of digital technologies and smart agriculture as significant factors in global convergence.

Turkey and the EU: waning foreign policy alignment in a changing international context

ABSTRACT The current relationship between the European Union (EU) and Turkey is dragged outside the standard EU accession framework and is increasingly shaped by Turkey’s positions and actions regarding a set of regional and global foreign policy issues. For the EU to carry forward Turkey’s long-stalled accession negotiations, Turkey is expected to show progress on multiple fronts, including a satisfactory level of policy alignment with the EU’s Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP). This article provides an in-depth analysis of Turkey’s poor alignment with the EU’s CFSP positions since 2014. It looks into regional as well as international issues that occupied the agenda of EU foreign policy and explores the utility-based and normative explanations behind Turkey’s (dis)engagement in policy cooperation.