This chapter intends to systematize the trends and approaches that will inspire local policymaking in response to climate change challenges and to meet European guidelines and recommendations for sustainable development and quality of life improvement. The analysis explores relevant components for promoting health and sustainable behavior, namely smart living, smart health (as a part of the smart economy), and smart governance (i.e., participatory, anticipatory, and innovative).
This chapter includes a brief overview of the historical development of public health and the emergence of the planetary health movement. Since the 1960s, human behavior has been central to public health concerns and functions.
Rising human populations and energy demands have triggered the scientific community to explore renewable and sustainable energy sources, along with enhancing technologies associated with energy storage and electrocatalytic applications. Nanoclay has gained significant attention in recent years for various applications, of which energy storage and electrocatalytic applications are the most significant domains.
From a global standpoint, the interplay between air quality and climate change represents a critical environmental issue, with profound implications for health, ecosystems, and economies across the planet. This chapter provides an in-depth analysis of the complex interplay between air pollution and climate change, examining their sources, impacts, and strategies for mitigation. It delves into the direct and indirect health effects of air pollutants and greenhouse gases, emphasizing the vulnerabilities of different populations.
As indicated by various scientific organizations—the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the World Health Organization, and World Wide Fund for Nature, among others, the earth is in an accelerated process of socio-environmental degradation. This is due to the enormous quantity of greenhouse gases that humanity has poured into the atmosphere for more than two centuries which has resulted in anthropogenic global warming, the sixth mass extinction of the species, and a generalized contamination of air, water, and soil.
In recent years the use of plastics has increased exponentially. Due to their low capacity for degradation and low recycling (approximately 9%) plastic compounds have accumulated in the marine environment where erosion processes fragment and break them into microparticles that contaminate the water, harm marine fauna, and are ultimately ingested by humans. Various studies have reported the presence of microplastics in different components of marine ecosystems such as sediments, water, organisms, and even air.
Algal biodiesels have emerged as a promising renewable energy source with numerous advantages over conventional fossil fuels. This paper provides a comprehensive overview of diverse production processes, drawbacks, and benefits of the algal biofuel production process while also critically assessing the potential gaps in the field. With a plethora of advantages like cost-effectiveness, nutrient cycling, yield benefits, sustainability, and versatility required for commercial usage, several challenges are yet to be addressed for effective implementation.
Climate change is accepted as the biggest challenge for the European Union (EU) and for this reason being a climate-neutral continent by 2050 is a priority for Europe. Deploying more renewables, increasing energy efficiency and electrification are the most important tools serving to this policy. With the support of innovation, renewable energy sectors could be more effective in climate change mitigation and adaptation measures. In this study, the two most mature renewable energy sectors; solar photovoltaic and wind energy in European countries are examined.
The study explores the complexities Arab-Bedouin students face in balancing modern academic life with traditional societal norms, based on interviews with 30 students from education colleges in southern Israel.
This research paper explores and compares the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) strategies of the top 25 companies in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and those of the top companies globally having a presence in the UAE market too, using lists sourced from Forbes Magazine.
