Participatory Research Research Articles

Addressing the knowledge and recruitment gap in Alzheimer's disease and precision medicine research among Native people: an innovative randomized controlled trial

ABSTRACT Background The American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) population is increasing and AI/AN people are living longer than ever before. Although aging-related health issues such as cognitive impairment, dementia, and Alzheimer's disease (AD) are becoming more visible among this population, reliable data on AD prevalence and risk factors among AI/AN people are nearly nonexistent. Concurrently, precision medicine (PM) has demonstrated significant potential for detecting and treating diseases such as AD. For PM to promote health equity for underserved populations, it must not exacerbate existing health disparities and bias in research. There is also little information about preferences among AI/AN people for communicating information regarding AD, PM, or recruitment into clinical trials. Communication barriers and few known facilitators contribute to low rates of AI/AN research participation. This study seeks to address the gaps in AD and PM research among AI/AN communities and promote knowledge of, attitudes towards, and interest and participation in AD-related PM research efforts. Methods We designed a three-armed RCT to determine the effect of a culturally tailored brochure and video compared to non-tailored recruitment materials. Participants were recruited in Rapid City, South Dakota and were required to meet the following eligibility criteria: 1) identify as AI/AN; 2) be able to speak, read, and understand English; 3) be aged 40 or older; and 4) have the cognitive and decisional capacity to consent and sign and date the informed consent document. Results We enrolled 914 in the RCT and 812 have been randomized to a study condition. The mean age is 54 years (standard deviation = 10.3 years); 62% are female. Overall, 22% reported a parent, grandparent or sibling have been diagnosed with AD, and 22% reported a family member with an other type of dementia. One quarter (25%) of participants reported having an undiagnosed memory problem themselves, and 22% reported having a family member with undiagnosed memory problems. Of randomized participants, 743 (72%) enrolled in the research registry. Conclusions This study will inform future recruitment efforts for ADRD-focused clinical trials. Enrollment of AI/AN participants in an Alzheimer's Disease-Precision Medicine (AD-PM) Registry will provide opportunity for future research on this topic in partnership with this population.

Current, persistent, and low-poverty area residence and social risks among Black cancer survivors.

Persistent area-level poverty may be associated with long-term social and economic disinvestment, which can contribute to social risks and financial difficulties for individuals. This study examines the associations between census tract poverty and the prevalence of social risks and financial hardship among Black cancer survivors. Data were used from 4066 participants in the population-based Detroit Research on Cancer Survivors cohort. Census tract poverty was categorized as persistent (≥20% of residents in poverty for 30+ years), current (≥20% currently in poverty), and low (<20% in poverty). Participants self-reported social risks related to food, housing, utilities, access to care, and safety as well as material and behavioral financial hardship. Prevalence ratios and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were estimated with modified Poisson models controlling for sociodemographic and cancer-related factors. Overall, 36% of participants reported any social risks. The prevalence was higher in persistent (45%) relative to both current (40%) and low-poverty areas (25%). The prevalence of each social risk and of behavioral financial hardship was higher in current and persistent versus low-poverty areas in unadjusted models butmost attenuated in adjusted models. The adjusted prevalence of any social risk was 21% higher in both persistent (95% CI, 7%-37%) and current (95% CI, 7%-36%) compared with low-poverty areas. Area poverty was not associated with financial hardship in adjusted models. Living in current but not persistent or persistent high-poverty areas is associated with a higher prevalence of social risks. Residents of high-poverty areas may represent a priority population for screening and intervention.

Residential Evictions by Life Course, Type, and Timing, and Associations with Self-rated Health: Social Epidemiology to Combat Unjust Residential Evictions (SECURE) Study.

Few existing data sources quantify the magnitude of court-ordered and illegal residential evictions, among historically marginalized groups. We describe the Social Epidemiology to Combat Unjust Residential Evictions (SECURE) Study (2021-2024; n = 1,428; 91.1% response rate) methodology and participant characteristics. Univariable and multivariable statistics including Spearman correlations were used to describe data. Unadjusted and adjusted modified Poisson regression with robust error variance estimated relative risk (RR) and associated 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) for associations between five eviction measures and self-rated health (SRH), and self-rated health relative to most similarly aged peers (RSRH). A quarter of the participants reported experiencing an eviction as a child (n = 354). Over half of the study sample reported ever experiencing a court-ordered (n = 432) and/or an illegal eviction (n = 360). In the past 2years, 15.2% of the sample reported experiencing a court-ordered (n = 122) and/or illegal eviction (n = 95). Eviction during childhood, and ever experiencing both court-ordered and/or illegal eviction was associated with between 12 and 17% higher risk of poor SRH, and childhood eviction and ever experiencing illegal eviction was associated with between 34 and 37% higher risk of worse RSRH among reproductive age Black women. More community-partnered research using participatory action research methods are needed to understand and intervene upon the health impacts of residential evictions among disproportionately impacted groups.

Postphenomenological Study: Using Generative Knowing and Science Fiction for Fostering Speculative Reflection on AI-nudge Experience.

This study presents an evidence-based argument for integrating participatory inquiry practices into AI education, using science fiction films as a primary tool for examining human-technology relationships. Through a media-enhanced co-inquiry approach, facilitators and students first explore the entanglements of human-technology interactions before engaging with AI nudges-productivity prompts introduced during time-constrained, interdependent assembly tasks in anexperimental setting. Apostphenomenological analysis of focus group interview datarevealsthat students' collective responses to AI nudges reflect the competitive pedagogical culture of engineering, often reinforcing rigid, task-driven adaptation. However, moments of attunement to material conditions suggest that speculative thinking can serveas a catalyst for renegotiating entrenched norms of engineering rationality.By facilitating the movement of concepts and generating productive friction, speculation disrupts dominant conceptualizations of AI that the engineering community often readily subscribes to. Thisstudy highlightsthe necessity of a cultural shift in engineering education-one that embraces speculative inquiry as a means of fostering sociotechnical reflection and reimagining human-technology relations.

Pro-Poor Impacts of Tourism Handicrafts in Ethiopia: A Value Chain Approach

Using the lenses of Porter’s value chain theory and pro-poor tourism strategies, the current study investigates the pro-poor value chain impacts of the handicraft sector in four tourist destinations in Ethiopia. The study employed a qualitative research approach with an exploratory design. We recruited research participants from relevant stakeholders using purposeful and convenient techniques. Data were collected using in-depth interviews, focus group discussions, and personal observations. Research findings reveal that although the handicraft-based tourism activity in the study areas seems promising, the handicraft sector in the region is less pro-poor due to a lack of solid and sustainable value chain formation. Drawing upon its findings, the study develops a comprehensive handicraft value chain framework that can serve as a blueprint for various rural area handicraft actors and destination planners. Policy-relevant implications, study limitations, and future research directions are also discussed.

Perspectives of Research Ethics Committees on the Challenges of Human Genomic Research Participation in Ethiopia.

Human Genomic Research (HGR) has contributed to public health advancement by identifying disease susceptibility and resistance. However, HGR is surrounded by several ethical, legal, and societal concerns. This qualitative research study explored the perspectives of REC members in Ethiopia on the ethical challenges of HGR. Two focus group discussions consisting of nine REC members were conducted on November 24, 2022, and March 22, 2023. A thematic analysis was conducted using MAXQDA Analysis Software. The study highlighted several important ELSIs related to HGR, including the inadequacy of HGR literacy at all levels: research participants, researchers, and RECs; unsatisfactory quality of consent; the vulnerability of HGR participants; and the lack of a legal framework to govern the acquisition, storage, use, and sharing of genomic data. Therefore, improving HGR literacy at all levels and introducing a legal framework to govern the protection of research participants of HGR is urgently needed.

Bridging the United States population diversity gaps in clinical research: roadmap to precision health and reducing health disparities.

Precision medicine promises improved health outcomes by tailoring treatments to individual genetic and environmental factors. However, achieving this potential is hindered by persistent health disparities and the underrepresentation of racially and ethnically diverse populations in clinical trials. Limited diversity in research exacerbates health inequities, reducing the generalizability of findings and widening gaps in access to effective treatments. This review outlines a multi-faceted strategy to bridge diversity gaps in clinical trials, focusing on community engagement, clinical pharmacology, and regulatory science. Key approaches include decentralized trials, targeted recruitment, advanced data modeling, and comprehensive integration of genetic and social determinants of health data. Regulatory frameworks, such as diversity action plans, play a crucial role in ensuring equitable access to precision health innovations. Increasing representation in research enhances the reliability of clinical data and fosters health equity by addressing differences in disease prevalence, treatment responses, and healthcare access. By leveraging technological advancements and inclusive research methodologies, this framework aims to transform clinical trials into a roadmap for equitable healthcare. Ensuring diverse participation in research is essential for the successful implementation of precision medicine and realizing the full potential of precision health, ultimately reducing health disparities and promoting fair access to medical advancements across all populations.

Transformative actions for sociolinguistic equity: mobilizing students' agency at university

Abstract This paper explores the concept of agency for social transformation and its mobilization through a participatory action research project developed with students from the Faculty of Philosophy and Letters at Universidad Autónoma de Madrid in Spain. The research, which was longitudinal and employed ethnographic and participatory approaches, was based on critical pedagogy to raise awareness about the role of language in reproducing social inequalities. The students who participated mobilized agency through projects that addressed the lack of social recognition and unequal access to resources and rights due to linguistic hierarchies, intercultural differences, and discrimination. These efforts culminated in the students/researchers’ effective implementation of concrete actions to address these inequalities, including doing posters, workshops, support programs, discussion groups, and proposals for public institutions. In this article, we identify key factors that enabled students/researchers to develop concrete transformative actions to tackle sociolinguistic inequalities, such as students’ social positioning, available resources, the scaffolding provided by the researchers/facilitators, and the crucial role of accompaniment. These dynamics co-constructed three dimensions of agency—reflexive, critical, and distributed—whose interweaving defines this agency as transformative. Finally, we examine the project’s impact, both on a personal and collective level for the students/researchers and researchers/facilitators, as well as its effects on the contexts where the various actions were implemented.

Participation their way: a mixed methods study on engaging Australian adolescents in non-communicable disease prevention

BackgroundNon-communicable diseases (NCDs) are a major global health burden, particularly affecting adolescents due to preventable risk factors. However, adolescents are frequently overlooked in NCD prevention efforts that directly impact them. This study aimed to evaluate adolescents' perspectives, experiences, perceptions, and preferences regarding their participation in NCD prevention activities.MethodsTo enable both breadth and depth, a mixed-methods study design was selected comprising cross-sectional online survey and focus groups, underpinned by community-based participatory research approach. Participants were 13–18 years and residing in Australia. Methodological integration through merging quantitative and qualitative data was employed. A weaving approach through narrative was used to report the findings. Adolescent researchers were actively engaged throughout all phases.ResultsFive hundred one survey participants (mean 16.0 years, SD 1.2) and 19 focus group participants (mean 17.0 years, SD 0.9) contributed to this study. Mental health disorders were identified as the most significant health concern. Those with prior volunteer experience showed greater engagement in health-promoting activities. Participants recognised their pivotal role in NCD prevention, highlighting ‘influence’ as crucial for health improvements. They emphasised the importance of visibility, flexibility, and authenticity in engagement methods. Despite a strong willingness to participate in future NCD prevention activities, participants cited barriers such as limited opportunities.ConclusionThis study highlights the importance of adolescent involvement in NCD prevention and suggests strategies to overcome participation barriers. Recommendations include promoting meaningful engagement, improving accessibility, and fostering collaboration with decision makers. These insights are crucial for guiding future efforts to tackle NCD challenges among adolescents.

Influences of Chemical and Nonchemical Stressors on Health and Quality of Life in Fenceline Communities: A Community-Based Participatory Research Survey in Southeastern Pennsylvania

Influences of Chemical and Nonchemical Stressors on Health and Quality of Life in Fenceline Communities: A Community-Based Participatory Research Survey in Southeastern Pennsylvania

‘Contra el Arteijo de Google’: political agency in secondary school adolescents within the framework of a participatory research study in Galicia

Abstract This contribution examines how sociolinguistic and political forms of collective agency have emerged, oriented towards the linguistic planning of a minority language (Galician) in a participatory research project developed in a Secondary School in Galicia. The Critical Linguistic Awareness approach (García, 2016) vertebrates the ethnographic process in which students became co-researchers to analyze the linguistic landscape of their community (Cenoz and Gorter, 2008; Zas and Prego, 2018). The ethnographic process has stimulated the agentive capacity of these young people who acted as legitimate political agents in the transformation of the linguistic order. As a result, the students demanded that Google maps corrected the name of their town as it appeared with the Castilianized form of the same: "Arteijo", instead of the Galician official form "Arteixo". In this sense, the students demanded compliance with the Linguistic Normalization Law, which requires the use of official place names in the Galician language throughout Spain. These junior researchers, accompanied by their professor and University of Santiago de Compostela (USC) researchers, asked the city council to take appropriate measures to support them in their claim against Google. As a result, a form of collective agency was reinforced. This agency promoted linguistic citizenship (Stroud, 2015) by taking a stand against Google's non-compliance with the Law of Linguistic Normalization. The students took the initiative to mobilize and asked for support from the local administration to resolve this situation and move towards a more egalitarian and inclusive sociolinguistic order for the Galician language in the global space.

Development and evaluation of virtual simulation for smoking cessation counseling education program for nursing students

BackgroundSmoking is still a one of the critical preventable factors for human health, Nurses are healthcare providers who can help patients quit smoking. The subject for Smoking cessation counseling is not routinely included in nursing curricula.MethodsThe purpose of this study was to develop a virtual simulation for smoking cessation counseling education for nursing students and to increase the motivation and competence of research participants in smoking cessation counseling intervention. A quasi-experimental, nonequivalent control group, nonconcurrent pretest-posttest design was used to evaluate the effectiveness of the virtual simulation-based smoking cessation counseling education program. The VSCCEP(Virtual simulation-based Smoking Cessation Counseling Education Program) was developed based on the ADDIE model, utilizing the content required for tobacco cessation counseling education. The subjects of this study were third-year nursing students from two universities located in S city included 39 participants in the experimental group and 36 in the control group. The research data were collected from September 30, 2024 to November 5, 2024. We were analyzed using descriptive statistics and the t-test, paired t-tests.ResultsTotal research participants was 76 divided 2 groups. Autonomous motivation for smoking cessation counseling increased statistically significantly in the experimental group before and after VSCCEP (t=-3.33, p = .002), and there was also a statistically significant difference when compared to the control group (t=-2.05, p = .044). There was a statistically significant increase in control motivation for cessation counseling among experimental group subjects before and after VSCCEP (t=-3.67, p = .001) and no statistically significant difference when compared to the control group (t=-1.44, p = .153). Perceived competence in cessation counseling was statistically significantly increased in the experimental group (t=-4.51, p < 001), with a statistically significant increase in the control group (t=-2.58, p = .014), but not statistically significant when compared to the control group (t=-0.99, p = .324).ConclusionThe results of this study confirmed the efficacy of the developed VSCCEP in enhancing nursing students’ motivation and perceived competence in tobacco cessation counseling. These findings suggest that integrating virtual simulation programs into nursing education can strengthen practical counseling skills and support the development of autonomous, practice-ready nurses for tobacco cessation interventions.

The Entrepreneurship Training and Mentoring in Dusun Tengah, Padurungan Village, Tanah Merah District, Bangkalan Regency

Padurungan Village, Tanah Merah District, Bangkalan-Madura Regency has a number of residents, the majority of whom are farmers. So the income of the Padurungan village community is from farming, and only once a year due to very limited land conditions. Therefore, we aim to carry out community service to improve the economy of the community with the Title Entrepreneurship Training and Mentoring in Dusun Tengah Village Padurungan District, Tanah Merah District, Bangkalan Regency. The method of this activity is participatory action research (PAR). Of course, the researchers went directly to the field to analyze and collect data. And the researchers found that the Padurungan village community, apart from farming, also grew crops such as: cucumbers, cassava, sesame seeds, peanuts, corn and others. This can be traded in the market, the rest is consumed personally. The researcher conducted a preliminary study to provide an understanding of how to improve an efficient and effective economy in accordance with the natural resources in the village. And in this case, the formation of a home industry is very relevant, namely a home business producing goods or a small company, because this type of activity is centered at home, the existence of a home industry will bring significant changes to improving the quality of life of the community. In this, efforts are needed to protect and develop this business. The research used in the study is a qualitative method. with the existence of a home industry, cassava leaf chips become a strategy in the Miro Business and can increase the income of the community in Padurungan Village.

“Don’t Research about Us without Us”: Participatory Action Research as an Approach to Producing Knowledge with Marginalized Populations

ABSTRACT Communities marginalized along economic, social, and political fronts are frequently the objects of academic research, particularly among scholars who study social problems. However, given the many obstacles that prevent people from vulnerable populations from obtaining graduate degrees and becoming formal researchers, much of our knowledge about vulnerable groups is written by outside academics rather than those from the communities being studied. In this article, we argue that Participatory Action Research (PAR) is an effective approach for enabling vulnerable groups to play a central role in the process of knowledge production about their communities. Not only does this approach bring the voices of the periphery into academic research, it also improves the quality of the data, facilitates data collection, promotes the well-being of the research population, and creates opportunities for community members to gain entry into higher education. We illustrate this claim by describing our experience conducting a two-year research project that employed a PAR approach to examine the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on Cidade de Deus, a “favela,” or informal settlement in Rio de Janeiro. We discuss the benefits, challenges, and limitations of employing PAR for incorporating voices from the periphery in sociological research about marginalized communities.

Sharing elders' stories through culturally resonant research: A narrative perspective on the Kūpuna Interview Project.

This article provides a first-person perspective on the Kūpuna Interview Project, a culturally resonant, community-based, qualitative research project designed to examine the health experiences of Native Hawaiian elders. The voices included in this article are from two elder research participants, three representatives of a community partner organization, one university faculty member, and one student member of the research team, all of Native Hawaiian ancestry. Together, these individual testimonies highlight the importance of community-engaged, culturally relevant narrative research. Lessons learned include the importance of self-reflexivity among members of the research team when working with the community, meaningful gifts for participants, the need for interviewers to take time getting to know the participants and their communities, and the potential for research to create and strengthen meaningful relationships. Finally, this project demonstrates the potential of future research in community psychology to intentionally facilitate spaces for narrative co-creation by participants and researchers.

The use of translanguaging to support the teaching of literacy: intermediate phase teachers’ perceptions

ABSTRACT Internationally, the term ‘translanguaging’ has gained marked interest education, particularly as it pertains to supporting learners whose home language is not the same as the language of teaching and learning. Within the South African context, inconsistencies remain regarding to the features of this term, as well as the implementation of this approach in classrooms. The purpose of this article is to explore Intermediate Phase teachers’ perceptions of the use of translanguaging to support the teaching of literacy. For this qualitative investigation, a participatory action research design was chosen, with data being collected from Intermediate Phase teachers selected as study participants through homogenous purposeful sampling. The data collected were coded using the induction method. A literature review was conducted in which recent research on this topic was analysed and used to correlate the findings of the field research for this study. This article reports on the views of Intermediate Phase teachers regarding translanguaging as an approach to teaching literacy, and what support they need to ensure its success. The findings and their relevance to the improvement of learners’ literacy skills are described. The conclusion is that this approach is beneficial, provided that teachers are supported and guided by the relevant stakeholders.

Agency in muda processes: transforming subjectivities and linguistic practices in the Basque context

Abstract The Basque revitalisation process is going through a crucial moment which has mobilised policy makers and language activists alike in efforts to boost the social use of the minority language. The great increase in the knowledge of Basque in the last 40 years has not been followed by a proportional increase in the use of the language. This has called for urgent action towards what has been termed in Basque sociolinguistics and grassroot movements as ‘activation’ in favour of Basque, a concept intimately related to the notion of linguistic muda (Pujolar &amp; González, 2013), which refers to significant changes in an individual’s linguistic repertoire, also impacting in their social identity. The Participatory Action Research project discussed in this article attempts to contribute to the present challenges in the current revitalisation scenario in the Basque Country by studying processes of linguistic mudas of Basque university students. The study of mudas have proven an interesting angle from which to explore forms of agency through language. Indeed, developing agency has been crucial for participants to better understand their own subjectivities as speakers, unveil the unequal sociolinguistic order surrounding them, and make the move towards action in order to enact the changes they desired in their linguistic practices. In this article we will explore the different ways in which agency has revealed itself in our study. In doing so, we aim to shed some light on what it means to exercise agency from the perspective of speakers in contexts of ethnolinguistic minorisation.

Contributing to evidence-based veterinary medicine: A qualitative study of veterinary professionals' views and experiences of client-owned companion animal research.

Research on the outcomes of veterinary treatments in dogs, cats and horses has important benefits for these animals and their owners. However, this information is not always available, and the evidence base is often lower-quality than in human medicine. To identify ways to improve the generation of evidence, we investigated the views of veterinary professionals about research involving companion animal patients and their owners. This qualitative study used semi-structured interviews with veterinary surgeons and registered veterinary nurses working in UK companion animal clinical practice. Interviews were conducted with 20 veterinary professionals from different clinical settings including both those with and without previous experience of research involving animals. Analyses revealed that veterinary professionals valued evidence-based information to help them make informed decisions about treatment with owners. However, there was often not enough available evidence. Veterinary professionals were willing to help produce this research evidence. However, lack of time and resources were key challenges and in addition, they did not always feel they had the necessary research skills, experience and support. Some participants also found it difficult to discuss participation in research with owners of their veterinary patients. They also had concerns about the amount and type of extra information they would need to give to owners. Veterinary professionals also faced a dilemma as their key role is to protect the welfare of animals that they treat, yet felt that there was the potential for some animals assigned to receive a specific treatment as part of a research study to be disadvantaged. Companion animal research has important benefits for veterinary patients, their owners and for veterinary professionals. Based on our findings, more funding, improved research training, resources, support networks and changes to current regulations are needed. Improved evidence would assist veterinary professionals and owners when making informed decisions around veterinary care.

Youth Engagement Methods

The university can be an enabler of positive transformation by engaging with various communities. By describing a methodological process followed in a doctoral study, this paper presents a participatory research approach with youth in a resourcepoor context to illustrate methodological pathways of inclusion. The paper also problematises the notion of social entrepreneurship and stresses the definitional challenges associated with the term. This is important to show the possibility of expanding the scholarly footprint of social entrepreneurship and universities’ important role and options in framing new approaches and methodologies within community university partnerships. A methodological primer is presented to show the methodological process, embedded in qualitative participatory research, that informed the study. The methodological process is rooted in the participants’ lifeworld and seeks to amplify local concerns and solutions. Community-university partnerships that respect aspirations and agendas of local communities inspired by collaborative, dialogical, transforming and respectful processes are identified in the paper as enablers of successful university-community engagements.

Climate Diplomacy of Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania: Where Do They Compare in Climate Action, Based on Their Involvement in the UN Climate Conferences

The study compares how Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia address global climate change internationally. Even though the institutions of the European Union play a pivotal role in setting the climate change mitigation goals, and Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC) are submitted collectively, the ambition and involvement vary significantly between different EU member states. Each country has diplomatic tools to negotiate, particularly during the Conference of Parties (COP), the climate conferences held annually in the framework of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) since 1995, and through external action. Successful climate diplomacy in this study is understood as proactive participation in the above-mentioned conferences, including delivering high-level segment national statements, delegation size and the involvement of different stakeholders in the process, memberships and propositions in Climate clubs aiming at quicker decarbonisation, and contribution to the international climate finance by assisting developing countries. Climate diplomacy is evaluated by analysing the documents available on the UNFCCC website regarding participation, statements, and pledges to climate finance. The study finds that although no Baltic State stands out as a clear frontrunner in climate action, Estonia has become more outspoken in the international arena, particularly since COP26 in Glasgow. Meanwhile, Latvia and Lithuania can be considered more as bystanders. At COP28, Estonia became the first and, so far, the only Baltic State to have ever built its pavilion to present itself as ‘a consistent advocate for environmental stewardship and climate action’. Estonian participation record is also notable for the participation of academicians and researchers, while Latvian participation can be praised for the highest share of the civil society attending the conferences. Estonia and Latvia have involved various stakeholders other than the government representatives in the climate negotiation process. Meanwhile, the size of Parties (government and its agencies) is the biggest in Lithuania; Lithuanian and Latvian delegations tend to be the most diverse at the ministerial level – seven ministries have sent their delegates to the COPs, which may signify the political involvement is not limited to the ministry in charge of energy. However, Estonia remains more carbon-intense than Latvia and Lithuania, and none of the three have joined the most ambitious Climate clubs. This case study helps understand the role and negotiating potential of the EU member states in climate change talks, where each can become frontrunners, passive bystanders or obstacles in implementing the common EU position and contributing to global decarbonisation.