Policy Purposes Research Articles

Characteristics of Foreign Language Education in Italy and Implications: From the Perspective of National Foreign Language Capacity

This article reviews foreign language education in Italy using a national language competence-oriented evaluation approach. Foreign language education is at the heart of the acquisition component of language planning, and assessing foreign language education from the perspective of the purpose of language policy, i.e. the promotion of national language competence, which refers to the sum total of the government’s ability to deal with all language-related issues of strategic interests and allows for a more direct application of language planning theory. Based on the theoretical framework of National Foreign Language Capacity and acquisition planning, this study presents a detailed analysis of the characteristics and problems of Italian foreign language education policy, taking into account its ‘rationality,’ ‘coverage,’ and ‘influence,’ which are three interrelated indicators that allow for a comprehensive and specific assessment of national foreign language competence. By revealing the inadequacies of Italy’s national language proficiency system, the author intends to provide an insight into the gap between the effectiveness of policy formulation and implementation in foreign language education in Italy and to suggest some widespread problems in foreign language education that are similar to those in China.

SECTORAL AND HOME COUNTRY DISTRIBUTION OF FOREIGN DIRECT INVESTMENT IN INDONESIA

This study investigates the distribution of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) across Indonesian economic sectors and home countries. Using descriptive statistics analysis of secondary data, the result shows that on average, FDI dominated the share of total investment, while domestic investment (DI) led the number of projects in Indonesia. FDI and DI mostly inflow to the chemical and pharmaceutical industry which is a part of manufacturing industries. The largest contributions of total FDI share come from Singapore and Japan. Investors from Japan reached the largest share of investment while investors from Singapore dominated the number of projects across Indonesian regions. Singapore reached the highest FDI share in Banten, Jakarta, Jawa Timur, Kalimantan Barat, Kalimantan Selatan, Kalimantan Tengah, Kepulauan Riau,Riau, Maluku Utara, Papua Barat, Sulawesi Utara, Sulawesi Barat, Sulawesi Selatan, and Sumatera Utara. Japan experienced the highest FDI in Jawa Barat and Jawa Tengah. This study can map the preference of investors from each home country. Investors from Australia and Mauritius mostly preferred to invest in the coal mining sector. Investors from Japan mostly preferred transport-related industries especially the industry of spare parts and accessories for four or more wheel motor vehicles. Investors from Singapore mostly selected telecommunication industries. Investors from South Korea mostly preferred to invest in plastic-related industries and processing industries. Some Investors from China invested in the electricity industry. Many investors from France also invested in the water supply sector. And Investors from the Republic of China mostly preferred to invest in the pulp, paper, and paperboard industry. The Indonesian Government needs to concern about the general characteristics of investors in home countries in attracting foreign investors. For policy purposes, knowing such characteristics provides scientific reasons for a government to have distinct strategies between different targeted home countries in order to attract foreign investors.

The updated Okun method for estimation of potential output with alternative measures of labor underutilization

This paper extends the Updated Okun Method (UOM) for estimation of potential output proposed in Fontanari et al. (2020), which, from a demand-led growth perspective, regards potential output as an empirical approximation to full-employment output, as in A.M. Okun's (1962) original method. Based on the apparent incapability of the official rate of unemployment to fully account for labor underutilization, we offer estimates of Okun's law both with alternative unemployment indicators and with an indicator of ‘standardized hours worked’ which we propose as a novel measure of the labor input. The paper reflects on the possible different empirical measures of full employment. The different estimates of potential output that we obtain show greater output gaps than those produced by standard methods, thus highlighting a systematic tendency of the latter to underestimate potential output. We define a ‘corridor’ of output gap estimates and propose a two-step procedure to identify the most relevant gap for policy purposes. JEL Codes: E60; E24; O40; E12; C30

Research on Network Security Defense Model Based on Combination Strategy of Firewall and IPS

Firewall and intrusion detection system are widely used network security protection equipment, which plays a vital role in preventing network attack and intrusion. However, they have inevitable defects, which reduces the protection function provided in actual use. Therefore, in order to further improve network security, this paper designs a new network security protection technology which can integrate the advantages of multiple security technologies and make up for their shortcomings. This paper proposes a network security defense model based on the combination strategy of firewall and IPS. The purpose of policy based intrusion prevention system (pb-ips) is to realize the real combination of security management and network management system. This can take the network management system as the intermediary, integrate the firewall technology and intrusion detection technology, and realize a new network security protection measures.

Catalan Terminological Databases as a Means of Language Policy

Terminological databases are reliable and useful tools for translators, because they contain not only the basic grammatical information related to the terms, but also facilitate the conceptual analysis necessary for the translation of the terms. High quality databases that are compiled according to terminological principles also serve language policy purposes and fulfil terminological policy tasks. In recent years, the Catalan language as an element of Catalan identity has also become the focus of interest in parallel with the independence movement in Catalonia. This paper aims to present and analyse five Catalan terminological databases compiled by TERMCAT, the Catalan Center for Terminology and two universities in Catalonia. A comprehensive classification and evaluation system will be used for the analysis of the databases, which includes four main aspects: background information, technical parameters, information on the content and the usage of the termbases. The databases presented here are the result of a conscious effort by the professionals responsible for terminology and the database as well as the associated workflow, can serve as a good practice for other language communities.

Purpose of the monetary policy of the central banks of the EU participating countries

The scientific article is devoted to the study of the purpose of monetary policy of the central banks of the EU member states. The legislation of the European Union, the member states of the European Union (Germany, France, Poland, the Czech Republic, Spain), as well as the United Kingdom, which left the EU, modern approaches in the science of constitutional and administrative law to determine the monetary policy of central banks EU members. The concept of the purpose of the monetary policy of the Central Banks of the EU member states, the activities and instruments of monetary policy, the functions of the central bank of the EU member state are distinguished. Emphasis is placed on the following regulatory functions of central banks that exist in legal doctrine: 1) management of aggregate money turnover; 2) regulation of the monetary sphere; 3) regulation of supply and demand for credit. The focus is on the fact that the central banks of the EU member states support purchasing power, as well as on the well-known fact: inflation - the slope of financial policy is recognized in economic theory as the most effective. Ensuring the stability of the currency (conducting open market operations or establishing exchange rate policies or reserve requirements, etc.) is a function of the central bank of the state, not the purpose of its activities. The stability of the national unit is also a function of the central bank of the state. It is established that the main purpose of the monetary policy of the central banks of the EU member states is to ensure price stability. In addition, it is argued that this is the inflationary - inclination of financial policy is the most effective. Accounting policy, interest rate policy, regulation of reserve requirements, money supply, open market operations and credit operations, interest rates, reserve requirements of banks are the activities and instruments of monetary policy of central banks. members of the EU, not the purpose of monetary policy.

Lifestyle dynamics index: Worldwide results and the case of the United States of America

The term ‘lifestyle dynamics’ has been used in relation to family and environmental studies and it refers to ‘how lifestyle evolves over time’ –where lifestyle is how we loosely refer to ‘the way individuals live’. Lifestyle and its dynamics have also shown potential socioeconomic and household implications, noting the importance of lifestyle effects on public health or household energy consumption. We build up a novel index based on the data structure of time use surveys from the Multinational Time Use Study (MTUS) and the American Time Use Survey (ATUS). Our worldwide results confirm a clear worldwide pattern towards a less dynamic lifestyle since the 1960s. Results for the case of the United States from the ATUS in the 21st century show also an overall decline of the index in the 2003–2012 decade, with a yearly decline after 2008; we also obtained state-level results for 2013–2016 which allows us to see with-in country differences. As more time use survey data are released worldwide, the potential use of the Lifestyle Dynamics Index for socio-economic policy purposes could be better exploited, with the United States as the country with better availability and quality of data.

Land to the Tiller: The Sustainability of Family Farms

This paper on family farms is in the form of an historical review complemented by current and future perspectives from North America, China, Brazil and Europe. The literature review demonstrates the multiple discourses, concepts and methodologies which underpin contemporary understandings of the family farm. The authors argue that family-based farming units are ubiquitous in most agricultural systems and take on many different forms and functions, conditioned by the structure of agriculture in different locations and political systems. Our review accepts this diversity and seeks to identify some key elements that inform our understanding of the sustainability of family farming, now and in the future. The term ‘family’ is the differentiating variable and behooves a sociological approach. However, economists can view the family farm as an economic unit, a business and even a firm. Geographers see family farms consigned to the margins of good land areas, and political scientists have seen family farms as a class. What emerges is a semantic enigma. As an imaginary term, ‘family farming’ is useful as a positive, universally valued ideal; as a definable entity on the ground, however, it is difficult to classify and measure for comparative policy and research purposes. This ambiguity is utilized by governments to manage the increasing capitalization of farm units while projecting the image of wholesome production of food. The case studies demonstrate the diversity of ways in which family farming ideologies are being mobilized in contemporary agrarian change processes. The notion of ‘land to the tiller’ is resonant with historic injustices in Scotland and Brazil, where family-based agriculture is understood as the ‘natural’ order of agricultural production and actively supported as an historic ideal. In contrast, in the Chinese context, ‘land to the tiller’ is a political means of increasing capital penetration and economic sustainability. Evidence from China, Brazil and Scotland demonstrates the active role of governments, coupled with symbolic ideologies of farming, which suggest that the longevity (i.e., sustainability) of family farming will continue.

КОНЦЕПЦІЙНІ ПОЛОЖЕННЯ ДЕРЖАВНОЇ ПОЛІТИКИ ЗАБЕЗПЕЧЕННЯ ЕКОНОМІЧНОЇ БЕЗПЕКИ УКРАЇНИ В УМОВАХ СУЧАСНИХ ЗАГРОЗ ТА ЦИФРОВІЗАЦІІ

The article focuses on the relevance of identification and typology of modern risks and threats to the economic security of Ukraine. According to the nature of modern risks and threats, they are classified as hybrid. The hybrid nature of modern threats to Ukraine’s economic security necessitates the application of new approaches to the formation and implementation of state policy to ensure the economic security of Ukraine’s national economy. It is shown that the economic security of the state is a complex dynamic system that requires constant monitoring and management of resilience to internal and external threats in order to ensure a positive impact on socio-economic development, improve macroeconomic development, ensure quality and necessary structural changes and institutional reforms. formation of the system of competitiveness of the national economy. Under such conditions, the general goal of state policy should be to improve Ukraine’s economic security system, ensure a higher level of its resistance to the impact of hybrid risks and threats, factors and conditions of globalization and the world order. The elements of the state policy of economic security of Ukraine are determined, namely – the initial conditions, the purpose of state policy, goals and principles of policy, directions of formation of the system of counteraction to security threats, financial-resource and organizational-managerial support. The practical significance of the research results is that the immaturity of the integral system of economic security of the state is identified, which is due to the imperfection of the institutional environment, the imbalance of its structure, the predominance of the role of informal institutions over formal ones. The scientific novelty of the study is to substantiate the conceptual provisions of state policy to ensure the economic security of the state in the face of non-standard hybrid risks and threats.

Analysis Of Culinary Business Opportunities Through Canvas Model Business Approach to Determine a New Business Strategy with The Implementation of Community Activities Restrictions Implementation (Ppkm) In Bandung City (Case Study: Bandung Chicken Siomay)

The government since July 3, 2021 until now has officially stipulated the implementation of the Emergency Community Activity Restriction (PPKM) policy. This emergency PPKM policy limits community activities more strictly than the previous regulations. The purpose of this emergency PPKM policy is to suppress the surge in Covid-19 cases in Indonesia, where the implementation of this emergency PPKM is more stringent than PSBB and Micro PPKM which have also been implemented by the previous government. The implementation of PPKM is certainly very influential on community activities, especially for business activities. This study aims to analyze the effect of this Emergency PPKM policy on the development of culinary businesses and so that businesses can survive in this time. The research method used in this study is descriptive verification method, the sample in this study were consumers from Bandung chicken dumplings. The results of this study indicate that there must be additional customer segments so as to increase the value proposition, namely by changing the Revenue Streams target by optimizing revenue in sales, Adding customer segments, namely customers obtained through online media, Changes to Key Resources will change Key Activities towards the right direction. better with management support © Review of International Geographical Education

Анализ социально-экономического положения скандинавских стран с использованием макроэкономического обобщающего показателя развития.

The socio-economic development of the country is the goal of every state. An important element in achieving this goal is the availability and application of a macroeconomic generalizing indicator that reveals the purpose of public policy. The main aim of the study is to identify the socio-economic characteristics of the organization of life in the countries of Scandinavia, using the macroeconomic generalizing indicator RAZ (the name of the indicator is based on the first part of the Russian word “razvitie” translated as “development”), proposed by the authors. The authors consider this indicator as suitable for cross-country comparisons of the quality of life and an objective estimation of development of the society from the point of view of focusing on the maximum disclosure of person's abilities and personal development. The research was based on the methods of analysis, synthesis, comparison, generalization and modeling, as well as on the case-study method. The use of these methods made it possible to identify the characteristics of the socio-economic organization of life and characteristics defining quality of life (human birth, education and medical care) in their composition, and also the indicators corresponding to them characterizing qualitative changes — levels of human birth rate, education and medical care. The generalized estimation of the specified characteristics defining quality of life, it is offered to make by means of a macroeconomic generalizing indicator. For its calculation a set of the quantity indicators defining quality of life (population in the country, number of the persons trained in an education system and number of healthy people) is generated. The authors make an assessment of the macroeconomic generalizing indicator and the set of the quantity indicators defining quality of life (the population in the country, the number of healthy people and the number of people studying in the education system).The study has developed an approach to calculating defining quality of life indicators using the System of National Accounts according to the data of the European Bureau of Statistical Research and the official websites of the national statistical services of the countries of Scandinavia and Switzerland as a country that has indicators close to the leading values of the countries of Scandinavia. These estimates can be used for comparative analysis purposes. The study compiled a rating of countries according to the macroeconomic generalizing indicator. According to calculations, Norway occupies a leading position. The lowest rank is observed in Sweden. There are changes in the quality of life in society, and this complex phenomenon requires an objective assessment. Generalizing indicator of the development provides such an assessment. The indicator allows us to evaluate the set of characteristics that determine the quality of life, which is not yet taken into account in cross-country comparisons, and to compare them. It has been established that the lack of development of the conceptual apparatus and the unavailability of important statistical information complicate the principle of compiling the indicator and lead to an inaccurate calculation of the macroeconomic generalizing indicator at this study stage. Nevertheless, it was found out that the calculation could be made in relation to the following levels: humanity (world), country, region or city. Further research is planned to study substantiation of the conceptual device of formation of RAZ as indicator for cross-country comparisons of quality of life and an objective estimation of development of the society, as well as for using it as a modelling element of social and economic systems. Besides, it is necessary to develop additional characteristics that take into account the influence of a person’s life expectancy on the quality of his life, as well as in clarifying the conceptual apparatus for forming a macroeconomic generalizing indicator RAZ for building a rational organization of people's place of residence. This approach creates new theoretical and methodological foundations for scientific knowledge of the socio-economic development of the countries and allows us to analyze the quality of life as a base which moves development of the countries in different historical periods and to see the development of the world in the future in a different way.

Personnel policy as a basis formation of innovation strategy in the organization management system

The purpose of the article research of theoretical bases of personnel policy as bases of formation of innovative strategy in system of management of the organization, logical structuring of concept «personnel policy» and identification of personnel policy in modern practice of management of the organization. The research methodology consists in the use of analytical, logical, systematic methods, as well as a system-activity approach. The scientific novelty of the obtained results lies in the comprehensive study of this issue and finding new methods of activating personnel policy in the management system of the organization. Conclusions. The main purpose of personnel policy should be the formation and optimal use of personnel to achieve the goals of the enterprise. As a component of the strategic goals of the organization, it should be focused on the specific results and prospects of the organization, whose effective activity directly depends on knowledge, competence, qualifications, discipline, motivation, ability to solve problems, desire to constantly improve their skills and skills of all staff. That is why personnel policy is an important component in the management system of the organization, the ultimate goal of which is to create a cohesive, responsible, highly productive team capable of performing tasks in conditions of uncertainty and risk. Key words: personnel policy, management of the organization, strategy, staff, motivation, goals of the organization.

Meta-analysis of factors affecting prevalence estimates of HIV-associated neurocognitive disorder in sub-Saharan Africa

Successful treatment of HIV with anti-retroviral therapy (ART) is resulting in more people living with HIV-associated neurocognitive disorder (HAND). In sub-Saharan Africa, this calls for strategic planning and judicious allocation of scarce resources, which requires an accurate estimate of the prevalence of HAND. Estimates of the prevalence of HAND in sub-Saharan Africa vary greatly, between 18.8% and 88.3%. This variability may be explained by factors such as different diagnostic approach, neuromedical examination, ART status, sampling method, substance abuse, assessors’ qualification, depression and outcome measure. Different methods of diagnosing HAND, different outcome measures and non-random sampling techniques make it almost impossible to accurately estimate the prevalence of HAND in sub- Saharan Africa, often resulting in overestimation of the burden of disease. Consumers of health research should consider certain study characteristics and exercise appropriate caution when interpreting burden of disease in sub-Saharan Africa, especially when pursuing policy shift. Underestimating the prevalence of HAND will certainly affect the capacity and speed of containment, while overestimating will draw unnecessary attention and result in the misallocation of scarce resources. Significance: The high prevalence of HAND in sub-Saharan Africa as estimated in this review calls for further research on the impact of HAND on activities of daily living and putative therapeutic modalities. We highlight which study characteristics should be critically checked when using prevalence estimates for the purpose of health policy and distribution of scarce resources in sub-Saharan Africa. By favouring certain factors, this review will guide HIV health researchers in which techniques should be used to estimate the burden of HAND. These factors may also apply to estimating the burden of other diseases in sub-Saharan Africa.

Migration and human development in Ukraine: features of interaction and priorities of state regulation

Purpose. The purpose of the article is to substantiate theoretically the relationship between migration and human development in the system of achieving the Sustainable Development Goals, to reveal a modern understanding environment of the opportunities as a factor in shaping the migration potential, to formulate recommendations for the implementation of the state policy for human development under conditions of high migration activity of the population, relevant for Ukraine.
 Methodology / approach. The general scientific methods (analysis, synthesis, generalization, systematization, graphic method) and special ones (statistical analysis, comparison, organizational and managerial modeling) were the basis of the methodological approach. Current ideas in determining the competitive conditions of environment of opportunities for human development were systematized in order to generalize the theoretical foundations of the study. Statistical analysis was performed on the example of Ukraine as a migration-active country using data from international statistical platforms UNDP, IОМ, ILO, Eurostat, Worldometer. Interstate comparative analysis made it possible to substantiate the need for the formation and implementation of the state policy for human development under conditions of high migration activity of the population. Ishikawa diagram specifying the target areas and the measures algorithm of their achievement was used to determine the catalyze priorities of such a policy.
 Results. In the article there were made the theoretical and applied justifications for the modern understanding of migration, human development and their interaction in terms of the formation of the internal environment of opportunities in the global mobile space of competitive redistribution of human potential. The interstate comparative analysis of the main socio-economic indicators on the example of Ukraine to identify applied problems of human development of a migration-active society was conducted. The excessive gaps indicated the priority spheres of state policy for human development as a measures’ set of demographic, valeological, educational, economic, environmental and security nature, aimed at ensuring decent, socially just and active living conditions with respect for choice and movement freedom. The priorities of the state policy for human development under the conditions of high migration activity of the population were offered. They provide an opportunity to substantiate management focuses on the implementation of monitoring of human development and migration, improving the efficiency of migration capital and the welfare of the population, stimulating demographic reproduction, the formation of social unity and legal culture.
 Originality / scientific novelty. There were improved the theoretical and applied bases of research of relationship between human development and population migration in the context of realization of choice right and movement freedom. The methodical bases of the comparative analysis of the internal opportunities’ environment of human development of migration-active society were further developed. The method of Ishikawa diagram (Constructing a Fishbone) to specify the priorities of the state policy for human development under the conditions of high migration activity of the population was used for the first time.
 Practical value / implications. The content, purpose, spheres and priorities of the state policy for human development under the conditions of high migration activity of the population were substantiated. The applied recommendations for the implementation of such a policy for migration-active Ukrainian society were formulated.

Greatly Exaggerated in Canada: Diverging Data and Media Bailouts

Background: The Canadian government allocated $595 million in subsidies over five years to news media in 2019, but the bailout was based on questionable data. Financial losses were exaggerated; a think tank report was criticized for using data selectively; data from a university research project differed sharply from annual industry counts; and job loss figures were disputed. Analysis: Hard data can diverge markedly from soft data accepted in pursuit of policy outcomes. Conclusions and implications: A second campaign under way on behalf of entertainment industries could yield a bailout several times larger than the first. Closer scrutiny should be exercised of media narratives and offered data. An independent media research centre should collect and verify data for policy purposes.

Are the saving decision patterns of bank customers also clouded by psychological biases? Evidence from Ghana

PurposeThis paper attempts to investigate the influence of psychological biases on saving decision-making of bank customers in Ghana.Design/methodology/approachIt employs weighted least squares regression to test the effect of psychological biases on savings decisions of bank customers.FindingsThe findings show that all the nine psychological biases, namely mental accounting, availability, loss aversion, representativeness, anchoring, overconfidence, status quo, framing effect and disposition effect employed for the study have a significant influence on saving decision of bank customers. The results depict that psychological biases are entrenched in the saving pattern of bank customers in Ghana.Practical implicationsFor policy purposes, the study recommends that bank customers need to enhance their knowledge of psychological biases in order to improve their gains from savings, and not to fall prey to these prejudices. The satisfied customer is a dependable source of bank viability and survival.Originality/valueTo the best of the knowledge of the author, this study provides the first empirical evidence of the influence of psychological biases on saving decisions of bank customers in Ghana. The findings of this study will enhance knowledge on the influence of psychological biases on individual decision-making and will accentuate the fact that the individual is not an entirely rational being.

Australia's National Security Neoconservatives

This article examines how elites shape debates during major contests over national security, with specific reference to a new neoconservative strand of Australia's domestic discourse. It argues that Australian neoconservatives have adopted a revisionist narrative: a direct challenge to orthodox views about the nature and purpose of foreign and security policy. I demonstrate this in four stages. First, I identify the securitisation of “Australian values” as a hallmark of Australian national security neoconservatism. Next, I identify its core themes, which bear similarities to neoconservative thinking in the United States. Third, I explore the main strategies Australia's national security neoconservatives utilise to revise domestic debates. These incorporate the inflation of threat perceptions; interpreting values as virtues; and the marginalisation of opposing viewpoints. Finally, in assessing the effect of these strategies I find that Australian neoconservatism is internally divisive, constrains Australian choices, and ultimately damages the values its proponents seek to protect.

Improving quality of medical certification of causes of death in health facilities in Tanzania 2014\u20132019

BackgroundMonitoring medically certified causes of death is essential to shape national health policies, track progress to Sustainable Development Goals, and gauge responses to epidemic and pandemic disease. The combination of electronic health information systems with new methods for data quality monitoring can facilitate quality assessments and help target quality improvement. Since 2015, Tanzania has been upgrading its Civil Registration and Vital Statistics system including efforts to improve the availability and quality of mortality data.MethodsWe used a computer application (ANACONDA v4.01) to assess the quality of medical certification of cause of death (MCCD) and ICD-10 coding for the underlying cause of death for 155,461 deaths from health facilities from 2014 to 2018. From 2018 to 2019, we continued quality analysis for 2690 deaths in one large administrative region 9 months before, and 9 months following MCCD quality improvement interventions. Interventions addressed governance, training, process, and practice. We assessed changes in the levels, distributions, and nature of unusable and insufficiently specified codes, and how these influenced estimates of the leading causes of death.Results9.7% of expected annual deaths in Tanzania obtained a medically certified cause of death. Of these, 52% of MCCD ICD-10 codes were usable for health policy and planning, with no significant improvement over 5 years. Of certified deaths, 25% had unusable codes, 17% had insufficiently specified codes, and 6% were undetermined causes. Comparing the before and after intervention periods in one Region, codes usable for public health policy purposes improved from 48 to 65% within 1 year and the resulting distortions in the top twenty cause-specific mortality fractions due to unusable causes reduced from 27.4 to 13.5%.ConclusionData from less than 5% of annual deaths in Tanzania are usable for informing policy. For deaths with medical certification, errors were prevalent in almost half. This constrains capacity to monitor the 15 SDG indicators that require cause-specific mortality. Sustainable quality assurance mechanisms and interventions can result in rapid improvements in the quality of medically certified causes of death. ANACONDA provides an effective means for evaluation of such changes and helps target interventions to remaining weaknesses.

North Carolina’s Changing Energy Generation Profile and Reductions in Key Air Pollutants, 2000-2019

BACKGROUND AND AIM: Coal combustion releases a number of airborne toxins. The North Carolina (NC) Clean Smokestack Act of 2002 required coal-fired power plants (CFPP) to reduce nitrogen oxide (NOX) emissions by 2009 and sulfur dioxide (SO2) emissions by 2009 and 2013. The purpose of this analysis is to corroborate the effectiveness of the Clean Smokestacks Act at reducing air pollution across NC and assess a major policy that aimed to benefit environmental health. METHODS: We utilized publicly available databases from the Energy Information Administration and the Environmental Protection Agency to characterize NC’s electricity generation profile from 2000 until 2019 and evaluate corresponding NOX and SO2 emissions by sector over the same time period. RESULTS:Between 2000-2008 in NC, approximately 60% of electric power was generated by coal-fired plants. Since then, NC’s electric power generation has transformed from predominate dependence on coal to approximately equal dependence on natural gas and nuclear power (each at ~30%), with coal close behind (~25%). Renewables have increased, although marginally compared with the rapid increase in natural gas. Despite the stark drop in reliance on CFPPs for energy in NC, and subsequent drop in emissions, CFPPs still contribute ~60% of SO2 air pollution as of 2017. CONCLUSIONS:While this analysis relies upon utilities’ self-reported electricity generation and emissions data and publicly available data from federal agencies, the data support environmental health policy and research purposes. NC’s electric utilities met the 2009 and 2013 regulatory benchmarks set by the Clean Smokestack Act, which resulted in substantial reductions in SO2 emissions from the fuel combustion electric generation sector. Still, CFPPs remain the predominant utility-related contributor of SO2 air pollution in NC. KEYWORDS: air pollution, sulfur dioxide, coal, natural gas, policy, North Carolina

Methods for Small Area Population Forecasts: State-of-the-Art and Research Needs.

Small area population forecasts are widely used by government and business for a variety of planning, research and policy purposes, and often influence major investment decisions. Yet, the toolbox of small area population forecasting methods and techniques is modest relative to that for national and large subnational regional forecasting. In this paper, we assess the current state of small area population forecasting, and suggest areas for further research. The paper provides a review of the literature on small area population forecasting methods published over the period 2001–2020. The key themes covered by the review are extrapolative and comparative methods, simplified cohort-component methods, model averaging and combining, incorporating socioeconomic variables and spatial relationships, ‘downscaling’ and disaggregation approaches, linking population with housing, estimating and projecting small area component input data, microsimulation, machine learning, and forecast uncertainty. Several avenues for further research are then suggested, including more work on model averaging and combining, developing new forecasting methods for situations which current models cannot handle, quantifying uncertainty, exploring methodologies such as machine learning and spatial statistics, creating user-friendly tools for practitioners, and understanding more about how forecasts are used.Supplementary InformationThe online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s11113-021-09671-6.