Impact of the armed conflict on environmental safety and resilience of the urban environment in Ukraine

Today, urban development faces complex global challenges that require new approaches to influence its practices and policies. By prioritizing sustainability, mobility, and community resilience, we are moving towards a holistic approach that protects the well-being of residents and the environment. In this dynamic urban design environment, finding ways to identify pedestrian-friendly spaces and create safe, efficient, and sustainable urban environments is a major challenge, and it requires research that seeks to optimize this choice, especially in terms of integrating numerical modeling methods and a wide range of measurement tasks. This research is concerned with optimizing pedestrian accessibility, which directly contributes to reducing environmental impact, improving non-motorized transport, and reducing traffic congestion. It integrates a novel, mixed multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM) model that benefits from the use of Grey’s theory. This research’s purpose goes beyond addressing cities’ immediate challenges; it seeks to contribute to a broader understanding of sustainable urban planning. This study represents a pioneering effort to identify the challenges of optimal site selection for pedestrian walkways. By using a multi-criteria decision-making approach based on mathematical modelling and facility engineering, this effort addresses gaps in the current understanding of site selection criteria and aims to lead a paradigm shift toward a sustainable, efficient, and inclusive urban environment. The results show that the updated RANCOM-PIV greyscale is quite robust and reliable, when comparing the final results of the PIV greyscale and the MARCOS greyscale.

Roadside safety in rural environments has been the focus of considerable study, but direct application of this knowledge to the constrained urban environment has posed many challenges. Restricted right-of-way with a greater demand for functional use of the space adjacent to urban roads makes the maintenance of a wide clear zone impractical. This paper summarizes a corridor roadside crash analysis used to help identify urban roadside safety issues and illuminate possible solutions for attempting to mitigate objects in the roadside that have the potential to increase injury severity if hit. The paper focuses on arterial and collector-type facilities in urban areas with speed limits between 25 and 50 mph. The authors assessed corridors of urban roadside conditions and compared 6 years of historic crash data with roadside features. The goal of this effort was to identify potential configurations that posed a greater risk by the use of cluster-crash analysis. Locations with similar features without these companion crashes provided insight into prospective alternative treatments for roadside safety in urban environments. The higher-risk roadside locations identified by these approaches were referred to as urban control zones. The most commonly observed roadside crashes included locations in close lateral proximity to the curb face or lane edge, lane merge locations, select auxiliary lane treatments, sidewalk buffer configurations with rigid objects in close proximity to the travelway, driveway and intersection locations, high-cluster-crash locations, and other common roadside crash conditions.

Background. The article reviews the speeches of the participants of the All-Ukrainian scientific and practical conference, dedicated to the 100th anniversary of the birthday of Doctor of Law, Professor Vasyl Luk'yanovych Muntyan, on the topic "Legal problems of rational nature use, nature protection and a safe environment in Ukraine." The event was organized and held jointly by the Department of Land and Agrarian Law and the Department of Environmental Law of the Educational and Scientific Law School of Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv, October 21, 2022. The purpose of the article is analysis of scientific heritage of Professor Vasyl Luk'yanovych Muntyan, to highlight scientific-theoretical and legal approaches to the further development of environmental, land and agrarian legal research in the context of national environmental as well as land and agrarian policy, taking into account the proposals made by the participants of the conference from the standpoint of current legislation as far as the participation of our state in international and European integration processes is considered. Methods. The methodological basis of the research was the general scientific dialectical method of learning social phenomena in their interrelationship and development, as well as scientific methods of analysis and synthesis, interpretation of legal norms, formal and legal, historical, comparative and legal, prognostic methods etc. Results. The participants of the conference paid attention to the current problems of the development of agrarian, land and environmental law in the context of overcoming the consequences of large-scale russian aggression on the territory of Ukraine and the transition to peaceful development in the future. Proposals were given for improvement of environmental, land, agrarian and natural resources legislation and law enforcement practice, as well as for the development of environmental, land and agrarian legal science in Ukraine through the prism of generational inheritance and scientific heritage of Prof. V. L. Muntyan. In the scientist's research, the concept of rational nature management is embedded as a fundamental principle of environmental law, science and state management. The idea of legal provision of rational nature use meets modern requirements for reforming ecological and legal reality, harmonizing relations between man and nature on the basis of sustainable development and economical use of natural resources, development of Ukraine as a European, legal, social and ecological state, implementation of the constitutional principles of the Ukrainian people's property on land. More than 60 years ago, Prof. V. L. Muntyan actualized the need to solve the problems of wind and water erosion of soils, the negative impact of deforestation on the condition of agricultural lands and careless management; he pointed out the need to adopt the Law on Soil Protection. Conclusions. The need to eliminate fragmentation in further studies of problems of the methodology of development of environmental, land and agrarian law in order to form a system of guarantees of the effectiveness of the law, to determine ways of improving the legislation in the sources of national environmental, land and agrarian policy has been determined. The study and generalization of law enforcement practice will make it possible to evaluate the positive and negative results of the introduction of the principles of sustainable development, the elimination of corruption in the process of land reform, reforms in mining, forestry, water, agriculture, industry and other sectors of economy, ensuring environmental safety, observing and protecting rights human, prevention of negative climate changes. During the martial law and in the reconstruction period – after overcoming the Russian military aggression against our country – the entire legal system should be aimed at building Ukraine as a European, legal, social and ecological state.

Driving is a critical everyday function that helps older adults remain independent. The Advanced Cognitive Training in Vital Elderly (ACTIVE) study has shown cognitive training improves driving safety outcomes for older adults. Few studies have examined the longitudinal effects of cognitive training on crash risk beyond 5 years. To address this empirical gap, we aimed to determine the effects of cognitive training on crash risk over 20 years, and how urbanicity moderates these relationships. Using participants from the no-contact control and intervention (speed of processing, memory, and reasoning training) groups in the ACTIVE study (n=2170) and state-recorded crash reports, cox proportional hazards models were used to examine the effect of three cognitive training interventions as predictors of time to first at-fault crash over 20 years. Participants (mean age 73, 73% White, 23% Male) reported driving 90.6 miles/week on average and 12.6% experienced an at-fault crash. Overall, speed of processing training was the only intervention related to lower crash risk, but this varied by urbanicity. Namely, speed of processing training was related to lower crash risk for individuals living in rural environments (HR=.16, 95% CI [.04-.73], p=.018) but not for individuals in urban environments (HR=.89, 95% CI [.54-1.50], p=.679). Findings highlight the safety benefits of speed of processing training for older drivers living in rural environments where more fatal crashes occur. However, interventions are still needed to improve safety in urban environments where more crashes occur generally. Consideration of location in future interventions may help improve safe driving for older adults.

This study addresses the critical issue of road safety in urban environments, with a specific focus on the Greater London Area. Utilizing a novel, theory-driven approach, the study investigates the multifaceted impact of urban fabric factors on road safety, operationalized through a severity-weighted index of road accident frequency per capita. Through factorial analysis, six key factors (Urban Integration, Socioeconomic Challenges, Urban Amenities, Commuter Patterns, Housing and Mobility Barriers, and Major Urban Infrastructure) are identified. These factors are examined in relation to road safety using a structural equation model to uncover theoretical relationships, which inform predictive modeling with an XGBoost machine learning framework, enhanced by SHAP value analysis. Our findings reveal significant insights into the interplay between urban physical and social environments and road safety, revealing that integrated urban development strategies—encompassing improved urban integration, enhanced sustainable density, robust infrastructure development, alleviation of socioeconomic disparities, fostering of local employment, and integration of residents with transportation—are imperative for increasing road safety.

More With the rise of AI-driven technologies, urban cycling is becoming more accessible and appealing to many due to benefits such as health improvement and cost efficiency. Governments worldwide are promoting cycling as a sustainable transportation option to address environmental challenges. Ensuring seamless bicycle mobility in cities is essential to incentivize cycling. AI-powered Traffic Engineering can significantly enhance the flow of bicycle traffic in urban areas by optimizing infrastructure and safety. This article explores the benefits of cycling and the rationale for investing in AI-integrated cycling infrastructure. It provides examples of smart solutions such as AI-based vehicle-cycle segregation (including London's Cycle Superhighways), protected intersections enhanced by machine learning algorithms, and Intelligent Transport Systems (ITS) that incorporate AI for dynamic traffic management. Their implementation and impact on cyclists and overall traffic flow are analyzed, demonstrating that these advanced systems reduce accidents, boost road efficiency, and make cycling more enjoyable. Quantitative data on these improvements is also presented. In conclusion, AI-enabled Traffic Engineering solutions play a vital role in enhancing bicycle mobility and safety in urban environments.

This paper presents an advanced approach for helmet detection at traffic signals using deep learning techniques, addressing the critical issue of motorcycle safety in urban environments. With the rising number of road accidents involving two-wheeled vehicles, effective monitoring of helmet usage is essential for enhancing compliance with safety regulations. We propose a convolutional neural network (CNN)-based model that analyses video feeds from traffic signals to detect and classify helmeted riders. Our methodology involves the collection and annotation of a diverse dataset that includes various riding scenarios, helmets, and lighting conditions to ensure robust model training. Leveraging transfer learning, we fine-tuned pre- trained models such as YOLOv5 and EfficientDet, achieving high accuracy in real-time detection. We also implemented data augmentation techniques to counteract potential overfitting and improve the model's generalization capabilities. The experimental results demonstrated that our helmet detection system achieves an impressive mean average precision (mAP) score, outperforming existing solutions in both speed and accuracy. Furthermore, we integrated this detection system into a prototype traffic monitoring framework, allowing for immediate feedback regarding helmet compliance at traffic signals. Our system not only enhances road safety by encouraging helmet use among riders but also contributes valuable data for traffic management authorities. By automating helmet detection, we facilitate proactive intervention strategies and support public safety initiatives. This work underscores the significance of applying deep learning in transportation safety measures and sets a foundation for further research in the realm of intelligent traffic systems. The implementation implications extend beyond just helmet monitoring, offering a scalable solution for various vehicular safety assessments that can potentially inform policy- making and enhance public health outcomes

Objective: analysis of forms of civil control over the activities of law enforcement agencies of Ukraine. Research methods: the research was conducted using general scientific methods, such as dialectical analysis and synthesis, abstraction, etc. and special methods by which the author analyzes the forms of civil control over the activities of law enforcement agencies of Ukraine. Results: the article examines the effectiveness of various forms of civil control in the field of law enforcement and compares such activities with the experience of the EU and the US. In particular, the control of US intelligence agencies, which includes the CIA, FBI NSA and others (a total of 15 bodies) is entrusted to parliamentary committees and is carried out in the following areas: consideration of the draft intelligence community budget and control over spending, development of legislation in intelligence activities; overseeing covert operations, approving presidential nominations for director and first deputy director of the CIA, and military intelligence chiefs, preparing reports for the relevant chambers of Congress on specific issues in which intelligence played a significant role. In the Republics of Poland, Romania, Norway, civil control over the activities of intelligence (law enforcement) bodies is also exercised by parliamentary committees with control measures, assessment of their effectiveness, ensuring human and civil rights and freedoms and disclosure within the interests of the state. reports, conclusions and information. Discussion: research of the role of the public in exercising control over law enforcement agencies of Ukraine through the prism of foreign and international experience. The role of public organizations is, of course, important for building the rule of law as a means of dialogue between government agencies and society. However, if civil control is exercised through public authorities, local governments, elected or formed by the majority of our society, the activities of various public associations are formed on other principles and financed from sources that are neither controlled by the state nor under the control of society. Introduction of forms of civil control used in NABU, NAPC, DBR pose a threat of pressure from members of such public councils and public organizations that formed them, on the heads and employees of law enforcement agencies.

The article discusses the issues of forming a safe digital environment for the harmonious development and upbringing of minors. The subject of the study includes legal acts regulating the main directions of state policy in this area, as well as the threats associated with the unlawful use of the Internet, and the measures implemented to prevent and curb their socially dangerous consequences. The main problem has been identified as the lack of regulation concerning the interaction of minors with a vast information space and the absence of understanding regarding the algorithm of specific actions necessary in different situations when threats harming children's moral and physical health arise. International organizations, government authorities, public organizations, and the parental community are interested in creating conditions for developing children's skills for independent, conscious, and responsible use of information products, as well as protecting minors from external destructive information and psychological influences. The research utilized general scientific methods (deduction, systematic and logical analysis) and special methods: a statistical method was applied in studying the qualitative and quantitative indicators of minors' involvement in the digital space, as well as legal analysis of the legislation. The novelty of the research lies in the analysis of legal acts and various programs implemented in the Russian Federation aimed at identifying, preventing, and curbing threats to children's information security, as well as creating information products that contribute to the personal development of the younger generation. As a result of the conducted research, taking into account the main risks a child may face when interacting with the digital environment, the authors concluded that there is a need to enhance the protection of minors’ rights in the digital space by implementing measures in the field of information security for children and their parents, fostering close interaction between government bodies and public organizations, and creating a clear algorithm of actions in case of information threats that contribute to destructive impacts on children.

The article examines the importance of public organizations in the conditions of the war in Ukraine, which demonstrated their readiness to restore the country, the ability to involve the country's population in the process. The general principles of strengthening the unity of Ukrainians by public organizations have been determined. It is noted that the development of public organizations in Ukraine depends on the political situation, the economic state of the country, public activity, and the legislative framework. It is substantiated that the involvement of civil society in the design and implementation of transformational reforms has a proven history of success in Ukraine, in particular, in the conditions of war, public organizations are actively involved in supporting the population affected by the war, including children, veterans, internally displaced persons and refugees. It is noted that in Ukraine there is a significant number of public organizations operating in various areas, including civil rights, gender equality, ecology, social development, culture, education and many others. It was established that public organizations, acting as mediators between the Ukrainian government and international donors, are an entity that ensures the effective use of international aid. The dynamics of the number of registered public organizations in Ukraine were analyzed. It was determined that their number was increased during 2014–2023. Public organizations are actively involved in the reform of state institutions, contribute to the fight against corruption, monitor the activities of government bodies and participate in decision-making at various levels. The existence of problems in the development of public organizations has been confirmed. First, the lack of stability in the financial support of their activities makes it difficult to plan long-term projects and ensure stable work. Secondly, the activities of public organizations are hampered by complicated administrative procedures and bureaucracy. Thirdly, in connection with the departure abroad or the acquisition of the status of an internally displaced person by already existing members of public organizations, their further participation in the work becomes difficult and there is a need for training of new members of the public organization. Fourth, insufficient experience in receiving international aid (for example, grants) and establishing cooperation with businesses. It is noted that the work of public organizations can be improved thanks to the use of innovative technologies and digital tools. The advantages and disadvantages of digitalization of public organization activities are determined. It was concluded that the activity of public organizations is a prerequisite for public well-being, and the digitalization of their activity will contribute to the development and integration into the European and international space.

Today, at the global level, special importance is given to the food problem. It is the interweaving of the interests of individual, social groups, society and the world community as a whole in terms of meeting the needs of people in food. Food safety is one of the UN’s global goals for sustainable development and needs to be studied in details.The purpose of the article is the description of the nature of the global food problem, the identification of its impact on food safety, the study of Ukraine’s ranking on the food safety index, the comparative analysis of the values of food safety sub-indices of Ukraine with the average world values, and the establishment of ways to adapt to the new and constantly changing conditions of the global environment.Methodology. The general scientific and special research methods, the method of theoretical generalization, in particular, are used to clarify certain concepts such as «global food problem» and «food safety»; the method of statistical analysis is used to assess the dynamics of Ukraine’s ranking in the Global Food Safety Index (GFSI); the method of comparative analysis of the values of Ukraine’s food safety sub-indices with average world values is applied.Results of the survey shows the existing approaches to the usage of categories «global food problem» and «food security". The assessment of food safety in Ukraine is confirmed on the values of the Global Food Security Index. It is based on the data published annually by The Economist Intelligence.In the analysis of the food, the safety level of the countries on the global index GFSI was found, it shows that in 2018 Ukraine ranked 63rd place out of 113 countries. In terms of food, the safety sub-indices got high scores and they are fixed at tariffs on agricultural imports and the level of urbanization. The average value of the country was obtained by means of social programs of food support of the population, the safety of food supply; the breadth of the product range, the content of nutrients. Ukraine shows constant GDP per capita, access to financial resources for farms, agricultural infrastructure, volatility of agricultural production, food standards.At the same time, the country has low rates in terms of political stability and level of corruption. Based on the comparative analysis of the values of Ukraine’s food safety sub-indices with the average world values, the author determines the possible ways of adaptation to the new and constantly changing conditions of the global environment in order to protect its leading positions in the world market of agricultural products and foodstuffs.Conclusions. The agrarian sector and food industry of Ukraine are able to meet the needs of both in the domestic market and provide leading positions in the world market of agricultural products and food, make a significant contribution to solving the global food problem.At the same time, the admission of Ukraine into the world economic space, the consolidation of globalization processes, trade liberalization need to be adapted to new and constantly changing conditions with further improvement of food standards, the development of agricultural infrastructure, access to financial resources for farms, etc.

PurposeThis study aims to explore the perceived impact of Internet of Things (IoT) adoption in Malaysian public sector organizations, focusing on key areas such as public service delivery, operational efficiency and governance, among others. The research highlights how IoT drives broader organizational changes, contributing to digital transformation and supporting Malaysia’s socio-economic development goals.Design/methodology/approachThis study adopts a qualitative research design, employing semi-structured interviews with 17 key participants from various ministries, central agencies, state governments and local city councils in Malaysia. The participants were selected using purposive sampling to ensure diverse representation from different stages of IoT adoption. Thematic analysis was conducted to identify key themes representing the impacts of IoT adoption in the public sector. The analysis followed Braun and Clarke’s six-phase framework, with the support of Atlas.ti software to systematically code, categorize and interpret the data. The findings provide comprehensive insights into the perceived impacts of IoT on governance, operational efficiency, service delivery and organizational culture within Malaysia’s public sector.FindingsThe study reveals IoT’s transformative impact on Malaysian public sector organizations, with key themes emerging in operational excellence, service delivery transformation and data-driven governance. Specific findings include improved resource allocation through real-time data analytics, increased transparency in decision-making processes and enhanced public health monitoring systems. Additional themes, such as advancements in public health, environmental resilience and citizen engagement, further highlight IoT’s role in driving public sector innovation and enhancing Malaysia’s socio-economic development goals.Originality/valueThis study contributes original insights into the nascent field of IoT adoption in the public sector, with a specific focus on the Malaysian context. By identifying 21 key themes through qualitative data, categorized into 4 impact areas, it offers a detailed examination of how IoT affects public service delivery, operational efficiency and governance, providing new perspectives on digital transformation in government.

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has caused many social, economic, environmental and energy problems. Most business entities faced problems at the national level that affected their financial and economic activities. The mass departure of workers abroad, rising natural gas prices, internal relocation, and constant shelling force business entities to search for new approaches to the management and development of their enterprises. The purpose of the study – substantiate and test the scientific and methodological approach to achieving energy independence of economic entities as a way to avoid their insolvency in times of war. In the course of the study, a critical analysis of the thematic literature was performed, and a set of general scientific and special research methods was used: expert assessments, observation, analogy, grouping, obtaining a consensus, deductive, inductive reasoning, systematisation, system-functional, measurement, analysis, comparison, logical generalisation, systematisation, hypothesis, a repeated combination of independent scenarios, extrapolation, elasticity estimation and graphical. The study identified the consequences of the military invasion of Ukraine and developed an algorithm for actions during the war. Four scenarios have been identified, under which the investigated business entity can solve the urgent problems. It is substantiated that the best scenario is the one in which it is required to increase its production capacity by setting up a “full cycle” production using a continuous pyrolysis system for the recycling of worn-out tires. The rationality of its use is proved. The scientific and methodological tools for interaction between business entities and the state during the war have been improved based on a systematic approach, which, unlike the existing ones, deepens the significance of shifting the centre of gravity from the macro to the micro level and is based on the proposed algorithm of actions (identifying the problem, developing possible scenarios for its immediate solution, compliance of the chosen scenario with the national interests of the state, finding a source of funding for the implementation of one of the scenarios), which determines the most optimistic scenario of the balance of interests between the state and business entities. The practical value of the proposed lies in the identification of economic, social, environmental and energy efficiency of the developed algorithm of actions in practice, on the example of financial and economic activities of the entity. Such an approach, on the one hand, allows for achieving energy independence soon and is a way to avoid the insolvency of economic entities in the conditions of war. On the other hand, it should become a reliable base for the national economy in the period of post-war reconstruction.

The article considers classical and innovative personnel technologies, specifics of their application in public authorities. Personnel technologies are considered as a part of personnel work with reference to the specifics of public authorities. Personnel work is the management of human resources, their selection, development and support throughout their professional path in the organisation. Personnel technologies are specific methods of work with personnel, which cover separate spheres of work with personnel. Classical HR technologies include selection, training and motivation of employees. Classic methods are accompanied by a large amount of bureaucracy, are partially fixed in organisations and are an integral part of the work of HR specialists, but are gradually being replaced by more technological and less resource-intensive processes. The article describes in detail their role and significance in ensuring effective work of public authorities' organisations, the necessity of their partial preservation and ways of development and transition to new technologies. It also presents innovative personnel technologies that are gradually penetrating into public administration, such as methods of personnel selection based on big data analysis, the use of online platforms for training and development, as well as the introduction of hybrid forms of work and teamwork. The challenges of implementing such technologies specifically within public organisations are highlighted, as well as the benefits already available from their use. In conclusion, the importance of synergies between classical and innovative approaches is emphasised in order to be able to take into account the unique working conditions of each particular authority. It is also noted that innovative HR technologies in public authorities' organisations are integrated more slowly due to the specifics of work. But these changes allow to achieve the highest efficiency of personnel management.

The article discusses the issues of self-regulation in the field of ecology of the regions of the North–West of the Russian Federation. The activity of self-regulatory and public organizations in the environmental sphere, both in our country and abroad has been analyzed. The analysis of the use of environmental standards and norms in the construction industry has been done. Possible recommendations have been developed on measures to adapt the economies of the regions of the North–West of Russia to large-scale climate change. The necessary conditions for the transformation of human thinking to conduct economic activity, the use of natural resources and environmental protection are determined. The current environmental situation objectively induces the creation of self-regulatory organizations in the field of ecology that will regulate environmental standards in the construction industry, and their close interaction with all economic entities. It is proposed that environmentalists preparing the environmental sections for the construction business should apply the requirement of mandatory membership in an environmental SRO, which will become another important factor in determining the social component of SRO.