Science and Technology Policy Institute

Deglaciations are periods in Earth’s geological history marked by the transition from glacial to interglacial climates. Recent research has increasingly focused on identifying similarities and differences among terminations, particularly the role of millennial-scale climate variability. These transitions are marked by episodes of a weakened Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC), with widespread climate impacts. Observational data suggest that the AMOC may be weakening at present due to human-induced climate change, reinforcing the importance of terminations as case studies for understanding climate behavior under reduced AMOC, global warming, global ice loss, and monsoon changes. This study compares the evolution of Terminations V (ca. 430 ka), II (ca. 135 ka), and I (ca. 20 ka) from a paleoceanographic and paleoclimatic perspective based on marine sediment cores from the western tropical Atlantic. Sea surface temperature and salinity, bottom-water ventilation, and continental precipitation over the adjacent tropical South America will be reconstructed. For this purpose, we are conducting stable oxygen and carbon isotope analyses on planktonic and benthic foraminifera, Mg/Ca analyses on planktonic foraminifera, and X-ray fluorescence analyses on bulk sediment. Our goal is to identify specific patterns of climatic variability among these terminations, focusing on regional and global ocean-atmosphere responses. These results may improve our understanding of the dynamics of rapid climate transitions and their effects on the tropical Atlantic, as well as provide insights into potential present-day climate responses to AMOC weakening. Preliminary results will be presented. [FAPESP grants 2022/06452-0, 2024/11054-9, 2024/00949-5, 2025/19613-0 and 2025/05117-0].

In Latin America (LA), the transportation sector is a major and fast-growing source of greenhouse gases. Urban centers struggle with air pollution, severely impacting public health. In this context, the electrification of urban bus fleets has emerged as a promising strategy to leapfrog polluting technologies. Nevertheless, the deployment of battery-electric buses (BEBs) faces significant resistance due to the path dependence of conventional diesel buses, as well as uncertainties surrounding this technology, particularly its higher costs and charging infrastructure requirements. This paper aims to analyze and review how nationally implemented public policies, in coordination with multi-level actors, can drive the implementation of BEBs in Latin America, with a specific focus on Brazil. While this paper examines the broader Latin American context as a backdrop, its primary focus is on Brazil, where BEBs adoption reflects both regional trends and distinctive national dynamics. Drawing on the framework of sustainability transitions, the findings suggest that national-level public policies, when aligned with local initiatives and supported by effective actor coordination, can enhance the potential for driving the electrification of public transportation and overcoming implementation barriers. Considering the varying adoption of BEBs across LA, this paper addresses two key research questions: i) What is the role of public policies in promoting the implementation of BEBs in LA countries? ii) How do actors at different governance levels contribute to or hinder the implementation of BEBs? Using Brazil as a case study, the paper emphasizes that fostering electromobility requires strengthening and deepening policy coordination across national and local levels, alongside collaboration with non-governmental actors. Furthermore, the paper underscores the need to build stronger mechanisms for collaboration to address the political, institutional, and financial challenges associated of reducing dependence on combustion-based technologies. • High costs, infrastructure gaps, and policy misalignment hinder Battery Electric Buses (BEBs) scalability in Latin America. • Multi-level actor coordination is essential for overcoming barriers to BEBs implementation. • Promoting electromobility requires strong national-local coordination and collaboration with non-governmental actors. • Public policies reduce uncertainty, foster long-term planning, and align public-private efforts. • Brazil's national policies lack clear deadlines or targets for reducing urban transport emissions.

Purpose This study aims to examine the unintended consequences of the Digital Markets Act (DMA). It focuses on the impact of the DMA on new entry and the investment environment in Europe, beyond the global Big Tech companies directly regulated by the law. Design/methodology/approach Using a difference-in-differences model, the analysis is based on a data set comprising 1,034 startup and investment records from 27 EU member countries spanning 2020–2024. This design enables a robust estimation of the DMA’s causal effects on DMA-related industries. Findings Empirical analysis shows that the DMA negatively impacted market new entry and investment in DMA-related industries. Contrary to its original intent to promote competition, the DMA has reduced the attractiveness of startups and created a less favorable investment environment. Originality/value This study provides important insights into the unintended policy side effects of the DMA. It highlights the need for regulators to consider the broader impact on entrepreneurship and market dynamics.

Bhutan in the eastern Himalaya contains some of the last pristine watersheds in the world, yet there has been limited monitoring of streams and rivers. Eighteen streams in three watersheds were surveyed for chemistry, bacteria, and macroinvertebrates in post-monsoon (2015) and monsoon (2016) seasons. Many water quality variables, including temperature, pH, specific conductivity, nitrite, nitrate, E. coli, and total coliform bacteria differed between seasons and between areas upstream and downstream of anthropogenic disturbance. In both seasons, total coliform bacteria and E. coli were significantly higher downstream of anthropogenic disturbance, with many urban sites having high coliform levels (>2000 cfu/100 ml) indicative of sewage inflow. A total of 50 insect families and six non-insect taxa were identified. During the post-monsoon, eight of 13 metrics (e.g., total richness, Ephemeroptera, Plecoptera, and Trichoptera (EPT) richness, % EPT, % non-insects, HKHbios, BMWP1983, ASPT1983, and ASPT2021) based on kick samples (qualitative) indicated impairment, while in the monsoon season composite Surbers (quantitative) had two metrics (e.g., total richness and Shannon) that differed between sites up and downstream of disturbance. DNA barcoding for cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) in 63 morphological species of mayfly, stonefly, and caddisfly indicated 18 additional species, 17 mayflies and one stonefly. Forty-two barcode species were new additions to the Barcode of Life Data database. Results suggest macroinvertebrates are a viable method for evaluating human impacts on Bhutan streams. Bhutan faces future challenges of sanitation management, climate change, and shared river systems, and monitoring will need to be expanded. The monsoon season may be an ideal time to measure water chemistry and bacteria due to increased runoff, but macroinvertebrate sampling should occur in the post-monsoon season to obtain the best sampling conditions and larger individuals. Increasing the knowledge of species in the region, potentially with the help of DNA barcodes, will document the diversity of the region and help amplify the capacity for macroinvertebrates with future biomonitoring.

ABSTRACT The current study expands the literature on parenting during the COVID-19 pandemic by considering how much time spent on childcare increased and how the time was perceived by mothers and fathers in South Korea. Using the perspective of family systems theory and taking a person-centered approach, this study examined how parental experiences differ according to parental gender and investigated subgroups of mothers and fathers in terms of parental experiences during the pandemic. This study also examined how those groups differ in terms of the factors of family subsystems, adaptive self-organization, and sociodemographic variables. With a sample of 372 mothers and 366 fathers in South Korea, this study employed latent profile analysis and identified four distinct subgroups of mothers and fathers: Muggle, Juggle, Snuggle, and Struggle. Some parents feel like muggles, managing short childcare times without much joy or challenge, whereas others juggle long hours with their children, finding both joy and difficulty. Some snuggle, enjoying their extended childcare time with delight, whereas others struggle, facing the hardships of prolonged childcare without much enjoyment. The overall profile patterns and the ratios of these profiles were similar for both mothers and fathers. Suggestions for future researchers, practitioners, and policy-makers are discussed.