WeatherProof

Rethinking the Ph.D. dissertation in botany: Widening the circle.

Ecocriticism is a mode of interdisciplinary critical inquiry into the relationship between cultural production, society, and the environment. The field advocates for the more-than-human realm as well as for underprivileged human and non-human groups and their perspectives. Taiwan is one of the earliest centers for promoting ecocriticism outside the West and has continued to play a central role in shaping ecocriticism in East Asia. This is the first English anthology dedicated to the vibrant development of ecocriticism in Taiwan. It provides a window to Taiwan’s important contributions to international ecocriticism, especially an emerging “vernacular” trend in the field emphasizing the significance of local perspectives and styles, including non-western vocabularies, aesthetics, cosmologies, and political ideologies. Taiwan's unique history, geographic location, geology, and subtropical climate generate locale-specific, vernacular thinking about island ecology and environmental history, as well as global environmental issues such as climate change, dioxin pollution, species extinction, energy decisions, pollution, and environmental injustice. In hindsight, Taiwan's industrial modernization no longer appears as a success narrative among Asia's “Four Little Dragons,” but as a cautionary tale revealing the brute force entrepreneurial exploitation of the land and the people. In this light, this volume can be seen as a critical response to Taiwan's postcolonial, capitalist-industrial modernity, as manifested in the scholars’ readings of Taiwan's "mountain and river," ocean, animal, and aboriginal (non)fictional narratives, environmental documentaries, and art installations. This volume is endowed with a mixture of ecocosmopolitan and indigenous sensitivities. Though dominated by the Han Chinese ethnic group and its Confucian ideology, Taiwan is a place of complicated ethnic identities and affiliations. The succession of changing colonial and political regimes, made even more complex by the island’s sixteen aboriginal groups and several diasporic subcultures (South Asian immigrants, Western expatriates, and diverse immigrants from the Chinese mainland), has led to an ongoing quest for political and cultural identity. This complexity urges Taiwan-based ecoscholars to pay attention to the diasporic, comparative, and intercultural dimensions of local specificity, either based on their own diasporic experience or the cosmopolitan features of the Taiwanese texts they scrutinize. This cosmopolitan-vernacular dynamic is a key contribution Taiwan has to offer current ecocritical scholarship.

The global health issue is not a shortage of capital or technology, but a shortage of health manpower. Health human resource (HHR), an important component of health resources, determines the quantity, quality and effectiveness of health service, thus greatly impacting on health service to the citizens. In China, providing free basic public health services for urban and rural residents is a specific function of the government to carry out a preventative health policy, and it is a long-term fundamental system arrangement in public health. The implementation of national basic public health service is essential for gradually promoting the equalization of basic public health services, and a key task of deepening medical and health system reform. It is beneficial in preventing and controlling the spread of infectious and chronic diseases, in improving the accessibility to public health service, in gradually reducing urban-rural gaps and in progressively equalizing basic public health service through intervention in health problems of urban and rural residents, which could reduce major health risk factors. Over the decade, the public health service system has been enhanced to promote the equality of urban and rural residents in utilizing public health service by implementing basic and major public health service. Recently, the training of public health personnel in China has been in great progress, but the training of public health personnel especially from grassroots is still confronted with multiple challenges, one of which is unreasonable allocation of human resources. The investment of public health manpower currently lacks a definite plan and aim[1]. A feasible allocation scheme of public health manpower should be designed in combination with socio-economic development based on the health demands of residents[2].

PURPOSE: Despite the many benefits of exercise behavior, physical inactivity is a global health issue. The Transtheoretical Model (TTM) has been applied to a wide variety of behaviors, including exercise. However, its application among individuals with hearing impairments in China has yet to be explored. This study tested the full TTM among students with hearing impairments in China, and determined the factors from the model that most influenced their exercise behavior. METHODS: Using a cross-sectional design, students with hearing impairments (N=322; M age = 19.4 yr, SD = 2.0) were recruited from a junior college and high school in Southeast China, and they completed questionnaires for each TTM construct (i.e., decisional balance, processes of change, self-efficacy, and stages of change) and exercise behavior. RESULTS: The TTM measures showed good internal consistency of the scale items (Cronbach's α range=0.60-0.89). Using discriminant analysis, the overall stage of change classification accuracy was 35%, with 30% of the participants being classified in the action or maintenance stages of change. In univariate analyses, the Pros (η2=0.06), self-efficacy (η2=0.11), and processes of change (η2=0.15) were significantly (p<0.05) associated with the stages of change, and their mean values showed an increase from the inactive to the active stages of change. These relationships, however, were not observed for the Cons construct, suggesting that students weighted less on the Cons of exercise in their decisional balance. CONCLUSIONS: This study examined the potential application of TTM in studying exercise behavior among students with hearing impairments, with some inconsistent findings pointing to the differential relationships among the TTM constructs and their relation to exercise in this unique population. Future research is warranted to better understand cognitive, emotional, and behavioral activities that underlie the patterns of transition across various stages. Supported by General Administration of Sport of China Grant 1290SS08108

Suicide is a significant global mental health issue and a leading cause of death, with over half a million lives lost annually. The majority of suicide deaths occur in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), yet there are limited data on suicidal behavior in these regions, particularly in Ethiopia. Given the rising trends of mental health issues worldwide and the alarming rate of suicide in LMICs, this research addresses a critical gap in knowledge regarding suicidal behavior in Eastern Ethiopia, which is essential to inform local public health strategies. Therefore, the study aimed to assess the prevalence and associated factors of suicidal ideation and attempts among adults in the Kersa, Haramaya and Harar Health and Demographic Surveillance System in Eastern Ethiopia in 2022. A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted among 1,411 participants selected using a multistage sampling technique. Binary logistic regression was employed to identify factors associated with suicidal ideation and attempts. The findings revealed that 9.8% and 6.2% of participants reported suicidal ideation and attempts, respectively. A history of mental illness [adjusted odds ratio (AOR) = 6.82, 95% confidence interval (CI): 4.63-10.05] and khat use (AOR = 2.34, 95% CI: 1.48-3.69) were factors significantly associated with suicidal ideation. Similarly, rural residence (AOR = 4.32, 95% CI: 2.17-7.58), a history of mental illness (AOR = 6.02, 95% CI: 3.78-9.60) and khat use (AOR = 2.23, 95% CI: 1.29-3.85) were strongly associated with suicide attempts (p < 0.05). The study highlights that nearly one in 10 individuals in the community experienced suicidal ideation or attempts, underscoring the urgent need for attention to these mental health concerns. In conclusion, suicidal ideation and attempts are prevalent in Eastern Ethiopia and are significantly associated with mental illness, khat use and rural residence. Early screening, detection and management of suicidal behavior at the community level are recommended to address this pressing public health issue.

&lt;p&gt;Flourishing businesses, in contrast to those solely prioritizing profit, have greater potential for innovation, more opportunities, reduced risk, and enhanced resilience in our rapidly changing world. This paper outlines the critical intersection between entrepreneurship education (EE) and the pursuit of UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) within higher education institutions. This paper examines how universities can leverage EE as a stimulant for advancing sustainable development initiatives and fostering a culture of responsible entrepreneurship among students. Drawing on existing literature, the paper explores the multifaceted contributions of EE to the SDGs across various domains, including poverty alleviation, gender equality, environmental sustainability, and economic growth. It highlights the role of EE in equipping students with the knowledge, skills, and mindset necessary to address complex social and environmental challenges through entrepreneurial endeavors. Furthermore, the paper identifies the strategies and best practices for integrating sustainability principles into EE curricula, emphasizing the importance of experiential learning, interdisciplinary collaboration, and community engagement. It also discusses the role of universities as hubs of innovation and research in developing solutions to pressing global issues and fostering entrepreneurial ecosystems that support sustainable development initiatives. Overall, the paper underscores the transformative potential of entrepreneurship education in universities to drive meaningful progress towards the achievement of SDGs. It provides insights and recommendations for educators and practitioners seeking to harness the power of entrepreneurship education to create positive social, environmental, and economic impacts in the pursuit of sustainable development.&lt;/p&gt;

Incorporating economic, social, and environmental considerations into policymaking and corporate practices is essential for achieving sustainable development, which is multidimensional. This study looks into how statistical software tool like SPSS can be used to test and model the processes of long-term growth in a number of different areas. The study looks at big datasets from a lot of different industries and regions to find out how they measure important sustainability indicators like carbon emissions, resource efficiency, and socioeconomic equity. This is done by using complex quantitative methods to look at the data. Integrating classic and modern statistical software is made novel in this study; which makes easier to simulate complicated sustainability patterns and gives policymakers and companies information they can put into practice. Using data mining, AI-enhanced features, and machine learning algorithms in these tools, the research finds links between sustainability factors and the success of different sustainability initiatives that were not known before. Even though these software tools have a lot of potential, the study points out some limitations like the data quality, complexity to judge the long-term benefits of sustainability and to make sure that different measurement frameworks used in different regions and industries. The findings demonstrate that businesses may enhance their long-term profitability and environmental impact by incorporating sustainable development objectives into their operations. Additionally, the research highlights the importance of using data to inform decision-making in the creation of sustainable policies. Using SPSS has several benefits, such as improving predictive capacities, processing massive information accurately, and providing a thorough study of sustainable development initiatives. This study adds to theoretical and practical knowledge by providing a data-driven strategy for achieving global sustainability objectives.

The aim of this paper is to explore the sustainability choices of a group of investors relating to corporate environmental initiatives and disclosures given a case‐based scenario. Obtaining such an understanding is important because, as per signaling theory, investors' preferences for sustainable development initiatives and disclosures are one of the contributory factors in determining the quality of environmental disclosures. A web‐based survey of a group of investors was conducted. The questionnaire includes a hypothetical case‐based scenario presenting environmental versus economic consequences of pollution prevention initiatives for a small mining company. The findings indicate that a majority (52%) of the respondents failed to choose a dominant proenvironmental or profinancial strategy. The findings imply that making a decision about a sustainable initiative is complex and requires consideration of a range of contextual factors. The findings support the view that given the resource limitations of a small company, compliance with existing regulation is preferred by the investors over competitive advantage and reputation for undertaking prosustainability initiatives. Hence, one implication is that the regulators should examine tightening the current sustainability regulation status for small companies regarding their environmental policies and disclosures.

Ashiru Bello and Ainul Jaria Maidin take a close look at Malaysia in “Sustainable development initiatives at the local government level in Malaysia.” The authors write that land use planning and development control have been identified as essential tools in the prevention of many environmental problems, sustainable management of natural resources and management of the urban environment, and Malaysia supports initiatives that seek to achieve sustainable development. As part of this strategy, the Malaysian government promotes the incorporation of environmental protection measures into all the various national development plans. Sustainable development has contributed immensely to the array of issues considered in the efforts to balance between individual interest and common good. This being one of the focal points of Malaysia’s planning system and also concords with international concerns. The argument that there is a firm adoption of sustainable development tenets in planning system as compared to other areas, does not guarantee the occurrence of a systematic transformation of the planning agenda itself. A number of cases particularly regarding spatial development and environmental conservation suggests that the planning system is still dominated by the craving for development which in a way contradicts the modest focus of sustainability. In order to develop a viable approach to environmental conservation and shape the spatial pattern of development at the local level, several strategies have been adopted in Malaysia. This chapter sets out the initiatives taken at the State and local government level in Malaysia guided by the Federal government policies adopted at the State and local authorities where they are entrusted with the task to plan and manage land use planning and development control processes for promoting sustainable development.

Small for gestational age (SGA) remains a substantial global health issue, particularly in low- and middle-income countries, where structural and clinical determinants significantly influence fetal growth. This meta-analysis estimates global and regional prevalence of SGA and synthesizes evidence on maternal, socioeconomic, nutritional, behavioral, and clinical determinants. A systematic search across six databases was conducted following PRISMA 2020 criteria. Random-effects models were used to compute pooled prevalence and odds ratios. The global prevalence of SGA was approximately 14%, varying widely across regions. Maternal smoking, inadequate nutrition, low education, poverty, rural residence, and chronic medical conditions increased the odds of SGA. Adequate prenatal care was protective. High heterogeneity was observed, and funnel plot asymmetry suggested possible publication bias. These findings reinforce the need for equity-oriented public-health strategies and early antenatal interventions.

Book Review: Promoting Sustainable Local Economic Development Initiatives: Case Studies Promoting Sustainable Local Economic Development Initiatives: Case Studies, edited by VenterM; AOSIS Books. 2022. 259 pp. $10.84 (paperback). ISBN 9781779952332.

We critically discuss the impact of sustainable development initiatives in Kerala, India, on biodiversity and on women farmers in the matrilineal Adivasi community of the Kurichya-tribe in Wayanad. By contextualizing development programs regarding the specifically gendered access to land, division of labor, distribution of knowledge and decision-making power, we situate our analysis within the theoretical framework of feminist political ecology. We first outline women’s gaining of social and political space in local self-government institutions (Panchayath) and then critically discuss the impacts of women’s farming groups (Joint Liability Groups: JLGs). Decentralization and development programs have aimed at empowering women and reducing poverty through improved food security. However, little success has materialized, as patriarchal power structures concerning decision-making processes as well as control over the most valuable resources (land and rice) and traditional knowledge have been maintained. Whereas women’s self-help groups (Kudumbasree) in Kerala have enhanced their position, women’s farming groups (JLGs), by contrast, have brought little betterment. In some cases they have even downsized women’s management and knowledge of resources related to agriculture and do not integrate or enhance Kurichya women’s knowledge. As some women are now introducing high-yielding rice seeds and fertilizer and as it is impossible for them to control land and get access to traditional rice seeds—the domain of men—we contest the notion of women being considered the preservers of agrobiodiversity. We argue, rather, that the construction and transformation of ecological traditional knowledge is highly dependent on the gendered multi-scaled power structures of state and community.

The main objective of this study is to examine the implementation of Green Public Procurement in the province of Albay. This study explores awareness of procurement officers and city government officials on Green Public Procurement, evaluates the compliance of the three cities in Albay with its legal mandates, assesses the sustainability practices they have adopted, and identifies key challenges and strategic solutions to enhance the effectiveness of sustainable procurement initiatives. This employs a mixed-methods approach, blending qualitative and quantitative techniques to thoroughly analyze how Green Public Procurement is being implemented. To gain deeper insights, semi-structured interviews and focus group discussions are conducted with key stakeholders, including procurement officers and city government officials to shed light on their experiences and perspectives regarding Green Public Procurement. Additionally, relevant documents and policies are reviewed to better understand the existing framework and uncover any potential gaps. To complement this, structured surveys are distributed to key respondents, providing a means to measure awareness, compliance levels, and challenges related to Green Public Procurement. The collected data is then carefully analyzed using statistical tools to identify trends, patterns, and opportunities for improvement. This well-rounded approach ensures that the evaluation of Green Public Procurement practices in Albay is both detailed and insightful. The findings highlight that the cities of Tabaco, Legazpi, and Ligao in the Province of Albay have a basic awareness of Green Public Procurement, particularly in relation to Republic Act 9184. However, they lack a deeper understanding of how to effectively integrate green criteria into their regular procurement processes. While these cities engage in various sustainable development initiatives, there are no specific programs in place to encourage end users to prioritize green products during procurement. Moreover, the implementation of Green Public Procurement in these cities is hindered by the absence of essential elements such as binding policies, local ordinances, established procedures, and clear targets for Green Public Procurement adoption. These gaps present significant challenges to fully embrace sustainable procurement practices in the region.

PURPOSE: This article explores the transformative role of higher education institutions in promoting sustainability and advancing Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) within the evolving global landscape. DESIGN/METHODOLOGY/APPROACH: Employing qualitative methods, including thematic analysis, semi-structured interviews and Fuzzy Cognitive Mapping, the study investigates sustainability practices at Higher Colleges of Technology (HCT) in the UAE, focusing on their Al Ain campuses (HCT-AAC). FINDINGS: The study identifies and synthesises best practices at HCT-AAC, highlighting interactive and innovative initiatives aimed at achieving a sustainable campus status and fostering a sustainability-focused culture aligned with SDGs. ORIGINALITY/VALUE OF THE PAPER: This research contributes to the literature by providing insights into effective strategies and practical approaches for integrating sustainability into higher education institutions. It emphasises the unique contributions of HCT-AAC as a case study, offering valuable lessons for other institutions seeking to enhance their sustainability efforts. RESEARCH LIMITATIONS/IMPLICATIONS: The study’s scope is limited to a specific higher education institution and may not fully capture the diversity of practices across different institutional contexts. Future research could explore comparative studies across multiple institutions to broaden insights into sustainability practices. PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS: The findings suggest actionable steps for higher education leaders and policy-makers to enhance sustainability initiatives, foster interdisciplinary collaboration and promote community engagement. These insights are crucial for institutions aiming to drive positive environmental and societal impacts through sustainable practices. KEYWORDS: Sustainable Campus; Fuzzy Cognitive Mapping; Sustainable Higher Education Institutions; Sustainable Development Initiatives; SDGs Achievement. CITATION: Benhamed, A. and Odeh, M. (2024): Reflections on Advancing Higher Education Institutions Through Sustainability Towards Achieving a Sustainable Campus: The Case of Higher Colleges of Technology, AL AIN Campuses, UAE. In Ahmed, A. (Ed.): World Sustainable Development Outlook 2024, Vol. 20, pp.123–143. WASD: London, United Kingdom.

PurposeThe purpose of this study is to assess the level of energy efficiency (EE) practices and worshippers’ comfort experience towards energy consumption of a selected energy retrofitted mosque. This study identifies whether the work was done on ad hoc or planned basis and to gauge the success level of the retrofit work.Design/methodology/approachMixed method was used in this study. A selected mosques with a capacity of more than 1,000 worshippers under the Class A of classification places of assembly with operating hour ranging from 45 to 65 h and the penarafan hijau jabatan kerja raya (pHJKR) rating tool as a benchmarking for EE assessment is used. A total of 45 respondents were involved in this study to obtain their perception on comfort experience in mosque. Meanwhile, energy audit and walk-through surveys were conducted to obtain data on energy consumption. To identify whether the work was done on ad hoc or planned basis and to gauge the success level of the retrofit work, pHJKR rating tool and efficiency standard MS1525:2019 are used for benchmarking in keeping with sustainability guidelines.FindingsThe results of this study indicated that the EE score achieved by the mosque is good while there are still rooms for improvement to increase the higher score to the pHJKR’s EE benchmarking tool.Research limitations/implicationsEE is one of the most important agenda under sustainable development initiatives. Part of the initial government strategy is to encourage the use public buildings in demonstrating initiatives for sustainable development to justify high capital resources investment. Mosque buildings have huge potential for this purpose because as religious public buildings for the majority Muslim community, their operations are fully funded from public funds. Selection of mosques is also driven by its unique intermittent energy consumption pattern, while early mosques adopted natural ventilation, modern mosques are often designed with mechanical ventilation (air conditioning).Practical implicationsAn encouragement on government initiative towards sustainable development can be escalating by producing exemplary building for intermittent use pattern categories by mosque as a model.Social implicationsSustainable development especially in EE becomes normal practices and energy and impact towards environment possibly be saved.Originality/valueSustainable development especially in EE becomes normal practices and energy and impact towards environment possibly be saved. This research is based on supportive national agenda by assessing EE measure for development of energy management in intermittent use buildings (mosque).