Search Results (230)

Ecological corridors can promote regional integration, socio-economic development, and biodiversity conservation by enhancing cross-border connectivity. The Nepal–China Himalayan Corridor (NCHC), a strategic component of the Belt and Road Initiative, traverses an ecologically fragile and disaster-prone mountain region where infrastructure development, local livelihoods, and ecological sustainability need to be balanced. This study combines Q-methodology with the lens of imaginaries to examine stakeholder perspectives on SDG-oriented development pathways for the NCHC. Five major factors were identified: sustainable green infrastructure development, Himalayan climate adaptive capacity, inclusive growth through bilateral collaboration, trans-Himalayan multi-dimensional connectivity through viable projects, and local capacity building through transnational policy transformation. These factors reveal different stakeholder priorities and the synergies and trade-offs among SDGs in corridor development. The findings highlight the importance of multi-stakeholder cooperation and differentiated development pathways for advancing sustainable corridor development in fragile transboundary mountain regions. Full article

While deepening regional connectivity, the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) poses formidable challenges to conservation of biodiversity in ecologically sensitive areas along its routes. It makes stronger international cooperation on biodiversity conservation imperative for participating countries. However, the existing literature predominantly focuses on single-country institutional analyses or project-level ecological impact assessments, leaving a gap in the integrated governance framework that bridges “internal institutional supply” and “external international cooperation”. The study finds that recent practices along BRI routes show concentrated progress in several key areas: refining targeted legislation in key sectors, integrating local ecosystem characteristics into conservation approaches, and safeguarding the rights and interests of local communities through diverse channels. By systematically classifying the practices of six representative case studies—including the Mombasa–Nairobi Railway and the Karot Hydropower Plant—the evolving trends for biodiversity conservation under the BRI have been revealed: diversification of conservation subjects and digitalization of conservation methods. To balance the supply and demand of the system, the institutional innovation of China’s biodiversity conservation could be realized through dual-dimensional optimization (internal institutional design + external international cooperation). The specific proposals are as follows: (1) Strengthening domestic institutional rigidity: At the top-level design stage, this entails advancing sui generis legislation for biodiversity conservation, encouraging joint rulemaking by local governments and line ministries, and leveraging the supplementary and constraining effects of treaty-based and contractual standards. At the implementation stage, introducing the community co-management model requires improving public participation mechanisms, such as diversified communication channels. (2) Activating the flexibility of international cooperation, establishing BRI Ecological Cloud digital platforms for data sharing and dynamic monitoring, and joint conservation efforts should be conducted through cross-border projects with BRI partner countries, harnessing project resources to achieve mutual benefits in global biodiversity governance to promote the transnational legal process of biodiversity conservation and global ecological civilization construction. Full article

The molecular epidemiology and antiretroviral (ARV) drug resistance of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) remain incompletely outlined in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA). The aim of this retrospective molecular epidemiology study was to analyze MENA HIV-1 sequences for phylogenetic clustering and to delineate surveillance drug-resistance mutations (SDRMs) for nucleoside reverse-transcriptase inhibitors (NRTIs), non-nucleoside reverse-transcriptase inhibitors (NNRTIs), and protease inhibitors (PIs) across various periods, locations, and subtypes/circulating recombinant forms (CRFs). Viral sequences were retrieved from the Los Alamos HIV Sequence Database as of 15 April 2026. Analyses were done using multiple sub-gene regions (two env regions (n = 224 and n = 60) and PR (n = 2413) and RT (n = 2103) of the pol gene). Phylogeny construction was conducted using maximum-likelihood estimation, while ARV drug resistance analysis was conducted using the Stanford HIVdb algorithm. The HIV-1 MENA sequences showed a remarkable genetic diversity, with co-circulation of multiple subtypes/CRFs, including subtype B in the Maghreb, Levant, and Egypt sub-regions, subtypes A1, G, CRF01_AE, and CRF02_AG in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) and Yemen sub-region, and subtypes C and D in the Horn of Africa and Sudan sub-region. The percentage of MENA HIV-1 sequences in clusters was 10.3% for env1, 8.3% for env2, 22.0% for PR and 37.2% for RT. Phylogenetic reconstruction hinted at a structured epidemic dominated by small transmission units, with most clusters comprising dyads (n = 260) or networks (n = 142) and a limited number of large clusters (n = 8) that were largely confined within national boundaries, with only occasional cross-border linkages (n = 8). Overall SDRM prevalence was 3.2% in the PR region and 14.9% in the RT region, with a higher percentage of NNRTI-associated mutations (10.0%) than NRTI-associated mutations (9.1%) and dual-class resistance observed in 4.1% of sequences. Phylogenetic clustering was not associated with the probability of harboring SDRMs; however, negative binomial models showed that non-clustered sequences had a greater burden of NRTI-associated mutations, whereas no such association was observed for NNRTI- or PI-associated mutations. The findings showed predominantly localized and fragmented MENA HIV-1 transmission dynamics. Heterogeneous ARV drug resistance dynamics indicated that resistance emergence might be shaped by broader epidemiologic and treatment-related factors rather than ongoing clustered transmission. There is a need for coordinated molecular surveillance and optimized ART strategies across the MENA countries. Full article

Cross-border regions have become key arenas for experimenting with new territorial configurations, particularly where functional interdependencies challenge inherited administrative boundaries. This article examines how cross-border cooperation contributes to innovative territorial construction along the French–Italian Alpine border, focusing on how territorial actors mobilise the border and how these dynamics relate to the emerging notion of transfrontierisation. The study centres on the urban–mountain system linking Savoie, the Aosta Valley, and the Metropolitan City of Turin, using the A-MONT project (Interreg ALCOTRA 2021–2027) as an empirical entry point. A mixed methodology was applied, combining quantitative analysis of ALCOTRA projects from the 2014 to 2020 and 2021 to 2027 programmes, qualitative fieldwork to local and supra-local actors, and a critical review of recent Integrated Territorial Plans (PITER). The results reveal a pronounced centre–periphery pattern in project participation, persistent disparities in administrative capacity, the development of informal networks that mitigate institutional fragmentation, and the emergence of shared territorial diagnoses. The article argues that these dynamics extend beyond project-based interaction and proposes the concept of transfrontierisation to describe the process through which cross-border cooperation reshapes supra-local networks, stabilises governance arrangements, and fosters shared territorial referents without replacing existing institutional frameworks. Full article

Urban and regional planning has shifted from state-centric models toward relational, vision-based paradigms that emphasize functional spaces over fixed boundaries. In the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) region, cross-border planning (CBP) is gaining strategic relevance driven by national economic diversification strategies, transboundary environmental challenges, and mega-infrastructure projects. Applying a comprehensive framework across five analytical dimensions, socio-economic, social, geopolitical, spatial, and environmental, this paper examines the conceptual foundations, governance typologies, and empirical realities of regional integration. While global benchmarks like the European Union offer mature examples of institutionalized multilevel governance, GCC initiatives face unique challenges. Although spatial and socio-economic integration is advancing through projects like the GCC Railway Network, the King Fahd Causeway, and the GCC Interconnection Authority regional grid, development is frequently constrained by national sovereignty priorities, procedural friction, and implementation asymmetries. To optimize transnational corridors under Saudi Vision 2030, this study recommends delineating functional cross-border regions, establishing permanent corridor governance cells, resolving border friction through digital integration, and institutionalizing a GCC-wide planning observatory. The study’s principal original contribution is a unified five-dimensional analytical framework (socio-economic, social, geopolitical, spatial, and environmental) that is operationalized as an evaluative lens and applied consistently across global, regional, and national cases, together with an accompanying governance typology and a sequenced implementation model tailored to the sovereignty-sensitive GCC context. Full article

This paper examines how sequenced cross-border health initiatives may contribute to confidence-building and, ultimately, serve as catalyst toward more coherent cross-border migration-related governance in North Africa. Using a practice-based case study approach, it analyzes a series of regional processes implemented in 2024 and 2025 by the International Organization for Migration (IOM), in collaboration with the WHO Regional Office for the Eastern Mediterranean (WHO EMRO) and Africa CDC, including two technical workshops in Tunis, a sub-regional simulation exercise in Cairo, and a Mediterranean Forum. The analysis draws on process documentation, institutional outputs, and the authors’ direct involvement in these initiatives to trace how repeated technical engagement supported procedural alignment and the gradual building of confidence for cross-border collaboration. Key outputs included a draft operational plan, a technical white paper, and regional policy recommendations. The paper argues that, in politically sensitive migration settings, cross-border health cooperation—jointly engaging ministries of health, interior, and foreign affairs—can provide an entry point for dialogue, joint problem-solving, and confidence-building across countries and sectors, thereby enhancing collaborative governance. While such collaboration does not directly determine migration policy, it may contribute to health diplomacy efforts that foster a more coherent governance environment capable of supporting safer, more orderly, and better-coordinated migration processes. Although several operational questions remain unresolved and more studies are need it, this paper seeks to open further dialogue and encourage new evidence and reflection on the potential role of health as a catalyst for collaborative governance and confidence-building between countries. Full article

The North Sea is becoming a shared renewable energy space in which offshore wind deployment, grid planning, market operation and environmental governance increasingly cross borders. This article asks how wind-resource complementarity can inform legal and institutional design for cross-border offshore wind cooperation. It combines a five-year representative-point wind-resource screening analysis using NASA POWER hourly data from 2021 to 2025 with functional legal–institutional analysis. The empirical analysis covers seven offshore or near-offshore representative screening points, hub-height correction to 100 m and 150 m, a wind-power proxy and wind-power-density proxy, low-wind frequency and low-wind event duration, monthly and interannual variability, pairwise correlation, CWCI and weighting sensitivity. The representative-point results suggest a mean 100 m corrected wind-speed range of 8.52 to 9.88 m/s, 4 m/s low-wind frequencies of 8.69% to 12.64%, and a maximum 4 m/s low-wind event of 173.0 h at NO_SOUTH. The baseline CWCI screening identifies DK West–BE Coast, DK West–FR Channel and UK East–FR Channel as leading within-sample pairs. The legal analysis uses these results as screening evidence for questions of data compatibility, hub-height assumptions, low-wind consultation, hybrid offshore grid governance, market coordination, cumulative environmental assessment, investment regulatory space and crisis dispute prevention. The article proposes an operational five-pillar framework with institutions, instruments, implementation steps and compliance pathways. It should be read as an exploratory evidence-to-law screening analysis, not a definitive wind-resource assessment, turbine-output model, capacity-factor estimate or grid-dispatch simulation. Full article

Cross-border cooperation (CBC) is defined as the structured, institutionalized, or informal collaboration between adjacent regional and local authorities, economic actors, and civil society groups across international state borders. Within contemporary border studies, CBC has transitioned from traditional top-down, state-centric diplomatic containment toward bottom-up, grassroots territorial integration. This entry synthesizes the multidisciplinary evolution of CBC across geography, economics, jurisprudence, sociology, and political science, structuring the analysis around four core dimensions: spatial, political, economic, and socio-cultural. It categorizes diverse territorial and governance mechanisms of cooperation, ranging from localized town twinnings to formalized Euroregions and European Groupings of Territorial Cooperation (EGTCs), and introduces quantitative performance metrics such as the Cross-Border Activity Index (CBAI). Examining how these structures operate along both the internal and external borders of the European Union, this entry analyzes the cyclical, non-linear dynamics of the bordering–debordering–rebordering framework. By evaluating diverse theoretical models across varying geopolitical contexts, it identifies the universal characteristics of contemporary border dynamics, conceptualizing borders not merely as physical or political demarcations, but as analytical lenses reflecting broader processes of globalization, regionalization, and territorial resilience. Full article

Introduction: AQUArestore is a three-year project focused on promoting adaptive ecological restoration strategies for river ecosystems in the vulnerable cross-border region of Portugal. The project responds to pressing environmental challenges across the territory, including severe habitat degradation, climate vulnerability, declining water security, and biodiversity loss, with particular concern for freshwater fish communities, making river restoration essential to preserve native species and freshwater ecosystem services. Objective: The project aims to develop a replicable framework for restoration of Mediterranean transboundary riverine habitats, supporting the objectives of the EU Nature Restoration Law (NRL, Regulation 2024/1991). The consortium AQUArestore will develop (1) robust restoration indicators, (2) implement living labs for restoration experimentation, and (3) establish capacity-building and training programs for technicians and citizens. Methodology: The project kick-off meeting was used to operationalize project tasks, detail the implementation calendar and milestones, and clarify responsibilities of each project member and partner institutions within the different work tasks. The meeting gathered consortium members from the coordinating institution CEF-ISA (researchers at the Instituto Superior de Agronomia) and partners WWF Portugal (an environmental NGO) and Mushmore Cooperative, each one contributing according to their respective expertise and institutional objectives. Results: The AQUArestore project kick-off meeting took place in January 2026 at ISA, Lisbon, and included a presentation of the NRL and a detailed discussion of project task development. In detail, the activities will begin with the compilation of information on previously restored sites (Task 1). This will support the development and validation of environmental and biodiversity indicators of restoration outcomes, including those linked to freshwater fish assemblages and riparian vegetation (Task 2). The project will then establish two living labs as platforms to test nature-based solutions in collaboration with stakeholders and local communities (Task 3). In parallel, AQUArestore will strengthen technical capacity through training for practitioners and public authorities (Task 4). Finally, dissemination will be supported through citizen science, communication activities, and stakeholder engagement, fostering a broader impact (Task 5). Together, these tasks provide an integrated, science-based, and participatory framework aiming to support adaptive river restoration under climate and environmental changes. Conclusions: By integrating ecological restoration, biodiversity and environmental monitoring, and stakeholder engagement, AQUArestore is expected to contribute to the recovery of Mediterranean freshwater ecosystems and improve habitat quality and connectivity for native fish communities, enhancing resilience to climate change and other anthropogenic pressures. Full article

Amid rising geopolitical fragmentation and growing uncertainty in global financial systems, Central Bank Digital Currencies (CBDCs) are increasingly viewed as a potential innovation in cross-border digital payments. This paper provides a systematic review of the literature on CBDCs, with a particular focus on their role in cross-border payment systems, while also considering broader implications for monetary power and geopolitical realignment. Using a PRISMA-based review approach, complemented by bibliometric mapping, the study synthesizes existing research across economic, technological, institutional, and geopolitical dimensions. Unlike prior studies that primarily examine technical design features or domestic monetary implications, this review develops an integrated framework that situates CBDCs within the evolving architecture of cross-border digital payment systems in a fragmented global environment. The evidence suggests that CBDCs can enhance cross-border payment efficiency by reducing transaction costs, shortening settlement times, and enabling more direct transfer mechanisms that bypass traditional correspondent banking networks. At the same time, the literature highlights several critical challenges, including interoperability constraints, regulatory divergence, privacy concerns, and cybersecurity risks. Importantly, the findings also point to the potential emergence of parallel digital currency ecosystems, which may reinforce existing financial fragmentation rather than fully resolve it. Overall, CBDCs should be understood not only as technological innovations in digital payments but also as strategic instruments with implications for monetary sovereignty and global economic influence. Their long-term impact on cross-border payment systems will depend on the development of interoperable standards, coordinated regulatory frameworks, and sustained international cooperation. By bringing together fragmented strands of research, this study contributes to a more comprehensive understanding of how CBDCs are reshaping both digital payment infrastructures and the broader global financial order. Full article

Rabies is a fatal zoonotic viral disease that continues to pose a significant threat to both animal and public health worldwide. Despite considerable progress in its control across Europe, sporadic outbreaks still occur, particularly in regions where wildlife reservoirs and stray animal populations sustain virus circulation. This study provides one of the first comparative longitudinal analyses integrating European countries and Turkiye rabies surveillance data over a decade (2013–2023). Information on reported outbreaks was obtained from the Animal Disease Information System (ADIS) and the World Animal Health Information System (WAHIS) database. The analysis focused on temporal trends, regional differences, and the distribution of affected animal species. During the study period, a total of 4865 outbreaks were reported in 16 countries. The number of detected outbreaks declined considerably over time, decreasing from 1022 cases in 2013 to 325 cases in 2023, representing an overall reduction of approximately 68%. The temporal trend was not uniform, with periods of decline followed by temporary increases. The highest number of outbreaks was registered in Türkiye, followed by Romania and Poland, indicating pronounced regional disparities. Domestic dogs represented the most frequently affected species, while cases were also recorded in wildlife and domestic cats, confirming the epidemiological importance of both domestic and wild reservoirs. The observed reduction in the number of outbreaks reflects the impact of vaccination programs and coordinated control measures, but may also be influenced by differences in surveillance systems and reporting practices. Nevertheless, the persistence of rabies in several regions indicates that the disease remains an epidemiological concern. Sustained vaccination of domestic animals, continued wildlife immunization, and strengthened surveillance and cross-border cooperation are essential for long-term control and prevention. Full article

Malaria is one of the major global public health issues. An estimated 282 million malaria cases occurred worldwide in 2024, and the overall prevention and control progress has stagnated or even reversed in some regions. Mass drug administration (MDA), as a potential strategy to accelerate malaria elimination, has regained attention. This paper reviews the evidence base, controversial focuses, and application strategies of MDA in malaria prevention and control. It aims to promote its scientific application in the elimination phase. MDA plays an important role in malaria prevention and control. However, this strategy is accompanied by core limitations such as long-term drug resistance risks, insufficient implementation sustainability, and a high failure rate of regional adaptation. It also faces challenges from multiple common malaria species, as well as the newly discovered Plasmodium knowlesi. We therefore propose an “MDA+” collaborative strategy integrating vaccines, digital monitoring, and cross-border cooperation, so as to optimize resource allocation, achieve full coverage control over various malaria parasites, and advance the global malaria elimination process. Full article

This study reconceptualises marginality in China’s inter-provincial border regions as a dynamic, scale-sensitive spatial relationship rather than a static condition of underdevelopment. Using the Hubei–Henan–Anhui border area as a case study, we quantitatively assess marginality across three dimensions—production, livelihood, and ecology—based on panel data from 61 counties for 2000, 2010, and 2021. The entropy-weighted TOPSIS method is used to calculate comprehensive development indices, and geographic detector models identify key driving factors. The results show that production marginality is persistently shaped by economic level and industrial structure. Livelihood marginality exhibits a clear temporal shift: dominant drivers move from healthcare security to cultural amenities and finally to transport accessibility. Ecological marginality remains primarily determined by natural endowments such as habitat quality and ecosystem services. Theoretically, the study advances marginality analysis by integrating spatial, temporal and dimensional perspectives. Practically, it offers a diagnostic framework to support differentiated, cross-administrative governance strategies that can transform peripheral border regions into cooperative hubs. Full article

Global decarbonization and the rapid growth of distributed energy resources increase the need for information-centric mechanisms that can support secure, scalable, cross-border coordination under heterogeneous technical and regulatory conditions. This paper proposes a Global Virtual Prosumer (GVP) framework that integrates IoT sensing, multi-agent coordination, and permissioned blockchain smart contracts to operationalize cross-border energy services as auditable service commitments rather than physical power exchange. Building on prior work that validated MAS-based power management and blockchain-secured operation within individual Virtual Prosumers, the present contribution lies in the cross-border coordination layer and its associated contractual and evaluation mechanisms, not in the constituent technologies themselves. A layered IoT–AI–blockchain architecture is introduced, where off-chain optimization produces allocations and admissibility indicators and on-chain contracts enforce identity, feasibility guards, delegation and partner-assignment rules, oracle verification, and settlement time compliance outcomes. The contractual lifecycle is formalized through four smart-contract algorithms covering trade registration, conditional delegation, cooperative fulfillment, and cross-border settlement with explicit failure semantics and event-based audit trails. The framework is evaluated on a global case study with seven Virtual Prosumers and quantified using contract-centric KPIs that capture registration time rejections, settlement success versus non-compliance, oracle-driven failure attribution, and full lifecycle traceability. The results demonstrate internal consistency of the proposed lifecycle and the practical value of KPI-driven accountability for cross-border energy service coordination. At the same time, the evaluation is based on synthetic parameterization and an emulated contract environment; realistic deployment constraints—including consensus latency, cross-region communication reliability, and regulatory overlap—are discussed as explicit limitations and directions for future empirical validation. Full article

This study examines how the international harmonisation of intellectual property rules, particularly trade secret protection, reshapes the governance of artificial intelligence (AI) in ways that both enable and threaten justice. We argue that convergent standards on undisclosed information are essential for legal certainty in knowledge-intensive AI investments. Such standards are anchored in TRIPS, reinforced by WIPO guidance and digital trade agreements, and complemented by regional instruments such as the EU Trade Secrets Directive. This emerging framework facilitates cross-border technological cooperation while helping prevent the “regulatory expropriation” of code, models, and data infrastructures. At the same time, when this pro-secrecy architecture is extended to opaque algorithmic systems that mediate access to credit, employment, welfare, health and justice, it can entrench digital vulnerability: information asymmetries between firms, states and citizens; barriers to meaningful transparency and audit; and pathogenic forms of exclusion that disproportionately affect already disadvantaged groups. Building on the concept of digital and structural vulnerability, the paper defends a vulnerability-sensitive approach to harmonisation in which trade secret protection is balanced against human rights, algorithmic accountability and the regulatory space of Global South states. We conclude that only an intellectual property regime guided by an ethics and politics of vulnerability can reconcile economic integration, technological development and reducing digital vulnerability in deeply unequal societies. Full article