Search Results (337)

Like in many countries, the transfer of increased land value created by public actions without landowner contributions back to the public is under debate in Türkiye. Although various Land Value Capture (LVC) mechanisms are employed worldwide to finance infrastructure investments, no comprehensive system has been established in Türkiye for this purpose. In this study, an improved LVC model that integrates land value and development rights is proposed. This model, termed Hybrid Land Readjustment (hLR), is designed to ensure that land value increases triggered by public investments are returned to the public. To this end, existing Turkish value capture instruments with potential are examined. Under the proposed hLR framework, equal basic development rights are granted to cadastral parcels, parcel and building-block value maps are utilized, basic rights are adjusted according to land-value changes, and a portion of additional development rights is transferred to the public. A practical application scenario is provided to illustrate the model’s operation. The system is configured for seamless integration into Türkiye’s existing legal and planning framework, offering a sustainable mechanism for financing infrastructure and implementing zoning plans. Full article

This paper proposes a strategic framework to enhance nuclear energy governance by advancing the Qudrat-Ullah Nuclear Peace and Trust (Q-NPT) framework. Designed to complement existing treaties such as the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) and International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) safeguards, Q-NPT integrates principles of equity, transparency, and trust to address persistent governance challenges. The framework emphasizes sustainable nuclear technology access, multilateral cooperation, and integration with global energy transition goals. Through an analysis of institutional, economic, technological, and geopolitical barriers, the study outlines actionable pathways for adoption, including legal harmonization, differentiated financial instruments, and deployment of advanced verification technologies such as blockchain, artificial intelligence (AI), and remote monitoring. A phased implementation timeline is presented, enabling adaptive learning and stakeholder engagement over short-, medium-, and long-term horizons. Regional case studies, including Serbia and Latin America, demonstrate the framework’s applicability in diverse contexts. By linking nuclear policy to broader climate, energy equity, and global security objectives, Q-NPT offers an operational and inclusive roadmap for future-ready governance. This approach contributes to the literature on energy systems transformation by situating nuclear governance within a sustainability-oriented, trust-centered paradigm. Full article

Background/Objectives: Respectful maternity care involves privacy, dignity, and informed choice within the process of delivery as stipulated by the World Health Organization (WHO). Informed consent is a cornerstone of patient-centered care, representing not just a formal document, but an ongoing ethical and clinical process through which women are offered objective, understandable information to support autonomous, informed decision-making. Methods: This narrative review critically examines the literature on informed consent in maternity care, with particular attention to both obstetric-led and midwifery-led models of care. In addition to identifying institutional, cultural, and systemic obstacles to its successful implementation, the review examines the definition and application of informed consent in perinatal settings and evaluates its effects on women’s autonomy and satisfaction with care. Results: Important conclusions emphasize that improving women’s experiences and minimizing needless interventions require active decision-making participation, a positive provider–patient relationship, and ongoing support from medical professionals. However, significant gaps persist between legal mandates and actual practice due to provider attitudes, systemic constraints, and sociocultural influences. Women’s experiences of consent can be more effectively understood through the use of instruments such as the Mothers’ Respect (MOR) Index and the Mothers’ Autonomy in Decision Making (MADM) Scale. Conclusions: To promote genuinely informed and considerate maternity care, this review emphasizes the necessity of legislative reform and improved provider education in order to close the gap between policy and practice. Full article

Disability Certification is an instrument that can contribute to the identification of persons with disabilities who are potential beneficiaries of social protection programmes. In Colombia, the disability certification process was changed in 2020 to include a human rights perspective. However, little information exists on how far the process aligns with the recommendations made by the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities or to what extent it provides useful information for the operation of the country’s social protection system. This study aims to analyse how the changes implemented in 2020 have contributed to the identification and determination of persons with disabilities in social protection programmes in Colombia. This research uses an analytical-descriptive design, in which legal documents related to the social protection programme and disability certification were analysed. In addition, we conducted semi-structured interviews in Colombia with people with disabilities, professionals conducting the certification, and with key stakeholders, and we analysed the information using thematic analysis. Colombia changed its certification process in 2020, moving from a capacity-to-work assessment to a process of assessing functioning capacity and participation limitations following the International Classification of Functional Disability and Health. However, the new certification process has not provided an instrument to contribute to determining persons with disabilities who should be prioritised or receive social benefits in Colombia. The certification does not establish the support needs of people with disabilities, does not recommend reasonable adjustments to support their participation in society, and has not been used systematically in social protection programmes. Finally, individuals with disabilities commented that the disability certification is a process that does not open up opportunities to receive social benefits and social transfers, and in most cases, it is an expensive and lengthy process. Disability certification in Colombia is not an instrument that determines the needs of people with disabilities, nor the reasonable accommodations that they require in order to participate in society. Full article

Energy-intensive industries (EIIs) face mounting pressure to reduce greenhouse gas emissions while maintaining international competitiveness—a balance that is central to achieving the EU’s 2030 and 2050 climate objectives. In this context, energy management (EM) emerges as a strategic instrument to decouple industrial growth from fossil energy consumption. This study proposes a redefinition of EM to support carbon-neutral supply chains within the European Union’s EIIs, addressing critical limitations of conventional EM frameworks under increasingly stringent carbon regulations. Using a modified systematic literature review based on PRISMA methodology, complemented by expert insights from EU Member States, this research identifies structural gaps in current EM practices and highlights opportunities for integrating sustainable innovations across the whole industrial value chain. The proposed EM concept is validated through an analysis of 24 EM definitions, over 170 scientific publications, and over 80 EU legal and strategic documents. The framework incorporates advanced digital technologies—including artificial intelligence (AI), the Internet of Things (IoT), and big data analytics—to enable real-time optimisation, predictive control, and greater system adaptability. Going beyond traditional energy efficiency, the redefined EM encompasses the entire energy lifecycle, including use, transformation, storage, and generation. It also incorporates social dimensions, such as corporate social responsibility (CSR) and stakeholder engagement, to cultivate a culture of environmental stewardship within EIIs. This holistic approach provides a strategic management tool for optimising energy use, reducing emissions, and strengthening resilience to regulatory, environmental, and market pressures, thereby promoting more sustainable, inclusive, and transparent supply chain operations. Full article

This article examines how governance structures and procedural timing influence the effectiveness of Territorial Management Instruments (TMIs) in Portugal. Anchored in a comparative analysis of two key legal reforms (Decree-Law No. 380/1999 and Decree-Law No. 80/2015), the study explores the tensions between democratic legitimacy and regulatory complexity. While the 1999 framework emphasized vertical coordination and participatory rights, it often led to procedural rigidity and institutional inertia. Conversely, the 2015 reform promoted digital tools and streamlined processes but introduced new governance gaps, reduced stakeholder diversity, and compressed consultation timelines. Drawing on a qualitative analysis of legal texts, policy documents, and technical documentation, the article introduces the concept of temporal governance, the idea that planning time is not merely a constraint but a governable resource. Through this lens, planning delays are reframed as either pathological (caused by inefficiency and fragmentation) or productive (used strategically to enhance environmental assessment and stakeholder engagement). A new conceptual framework is proposed to classify types of planning time, differentiate delays, and support temporal calibration in governance design. Findings show that effective planning outcomes hinge not only on legal architecture or participatory norms but also on the institutional ability to balance speed with deliberation and strategic foresight with procedural pragmatism. The paper concludes by calling for adaptive governance models that integrate time as a dynamic dimension of spatial planning, with implications for environmental resilience, democratic value, and, above all, institutional trust. Full article

Brain metastases (BMs) are the most common intracranial tumors in adults. Their heterogeneity, potential multifocality, and complex biomolecular behavior pose significant diagnostic and therapeutic challenges. Artificial intelligence (AI) has the potential to revolutionize BM diagnosis by facilitating early lesion detection, precise imaging segmentation, and non-invasive molecular characterization. Machine learning (ML) and deep learning (DL) models have shown promising results in differentiating BMs from other intracranial tumors with similar imaging characteristics—such as gliomas and primary central nervous system lymphomas (PCNSLs)—and predicting tumor features (e.g., genetic mutations) that can guide individualized and targeted therapies. Intraoperatively, AI-driven systems can enable optimal tumor resection by integrating functional brain maps into preoperative imaging, thus facilitating the identification and safeguarding of eloquent brain regions through augmented reality (AR)-assisted neuronavigation. Even postoperatively, AI can be instrumental for radiotherapy planning personalization through the optimization of dose distribution, maximizing disease control while minimizing adjacent healthy tissue damage. Applications in systemic chemo- and immunotherapy include predictive insights into treatment responses; AI can analyze genomic and radiomic features to facilitate the selection of the most suitable, patient-specific treatment regimen, especially for those whose disease demonstrates specific genetic profiles such as epidermal growth factor receptor mutations (e.g., EGFR, HER2). Moreover, AI-based prognostic models can significantly ameliorate survival and recurrence risk prediction, further contributing to follow-up strategy personalization. Despite these advancements and the promising landscape, multiple challenges—including data availability and variability, decision-making interpretability, and ethical, legal, and regulatory concerns—limit the broader implementation of AI into the everyday clinical management of BMs. Future endeavors should thus prioritize the development of generalized AI models, the combination of large and diverse datasets, and the integration of clinical and molecular data into imaging, in an effort to maximally enhance the clinical application of AI in BM care and optimize patient outcomes. Full article

Higher education institutions (HEIs) are increasingly seen as central actors in entrepreneurial ecosystems, yet their support mechanisms do not always align with the needs of student entrepreneurs. This study investigates how key stakeholders, business students, professors, and experienced start-up founders perceive the relative importance of success factors for student-led start-ups within HEIs. Using a cross-sectional descriptive design, this study used a 34-item survey instrument developed through an extensive literature review and validated for content by a panel of experts. Triangulation between stakeholder groups enabled a multidimensional comparison of perspectives. Descriptive statistics were used to analyze patterns of agreement and variability, resulting in a three-tier framework of success factors based on perceived importance and consensus. High-impact factors included faculty entrepreneurial experience, student mindset, and access to mentorship, while traditional inputs such as infrastructure, legal support, and funding were ranked lower. The findings highlight a misalignment between institutional offerings and stakeholder priorities, highlighting the critical role of social and human capital. This research provides practical guidance for HEIs seeking to improve entrepreneurial support and contributes to theoretical discussions on stakeholder-informed ecosystem models. Although limited by its single-institution context, this study offers a foundation for future cross-institutional and longitudinal research. Full article

Physical accessibility is a human right constituted in legal regulations, which mandates guaranteeing inclusive and equitable spaces in higher education, aligning with the Sustainable Development Goals, especially with goal 4, which guarantees inclusive and equitable quality education, goal 10, which aims to reduce inequalities by promoting the inclusion of people with disabilities, and goal 11 which seeks to create sustainable and accessible environments. University centers must adhere to the strict principles of universal accessibility to ensure that all individuals, regardless of their abilities, can navigate and use their facilities independently and safely. In this context, the objective of this article is to evaluate the physical accessibility of an Ecuadorian university’s campus, identifying barriers that limit the full inclusion of university students with disabilities. For this purpose, an ad hoc instrument was applied based on the guidelines of national and international regulations on accessibility. The evaluation was conducted in one of the buildings with the highest student concentrations in Quito, Ecuador. It is concluded that the campus has made significant progress in implementing accessibility, although it is necessary to make important changes, as almost half of the evaluated elements are barely accessible. Full article

The present study addresses the need for valid and reliable tools to assess employability thinking among young people in training. In a labor market increasingly shaped by transversal skill demands, the objective was to construct and validate a scale adapted for secondary and post-secondary non-tertiary students. Grounded in strategic frameworks such as the Europe 2020 Strategy, the European Skills Agenda, and relevant Spanish legislation, an abbreviated version of the Graduate Skills and Attributes Scale (GSAS) was administered to a representative sample of 949 Andalusian students enrolled in compulsory secondary education, baccalaureate, or vocational training. A cross-sectional and exploratory research design was adopted, with all procedures conducted in accordance with ethical and legal standards and approved by the University of Granada’s ethics committee. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses were performed, leading to a refined 28-item version of the instrument. Items were grouped into four well-defined factors: ethical self-regulation and achievement orientation, effective communication and collaborative working, proactivity and commitment to learning, and analytical thinking and information handling. The factors demonstrated high internal consistency and structural validity. These findings indicate that the scale is a clear and effective tool for assessing employability-related competencies and may assist in the design of educational interventions aimed at improving students’ professional development. Full article

Poland is a country with significant lignite resources. Prospecting for and exploring lignite deposits, as well as lignite extraction, requires prior acquisition of an appropriate concession. As concessions serve as instruments for regulating economic activity—and thereby constitute a form of permissible restriction on such activity under the Polish Constitution—the legal provisions governing them must be enacted by statute. This article analyzes the role of state policies relating to lignite extraction and its use in electricity generation, and examines the concession procedure as a regulatory instrument, with a particular focus on one specific ground for refusing to grant a concession: inconsistency with the state’s raw material interest. The main research question addresses whether the incorporation of the state’s raw material interest as grounds for refusal complies with constitutional standards and whether policy documents—specifically the State Raw Materials Policy and the State Energy Policy—can effectively guide its interpretation. The analysis concludes that, while the constitutional framework permits such a ground for refusal, current policy documents require updates and greater specificity to ensure legal certainty and consistency in administrative practices. Full article

This article examines algorithmic bias as a pressing legal challenge, situating the issue within the broader context of artificial intelligence (AI) governance. We employed comparative legal analysis and reviewed pertinent regulatory documents to examine how the fragmented U.S. approaches and the EU’s user-centric legal frameworks, such as the GDPR, DSA, and AI Act, address the systemic risks posed by biased algorithms. The findings underscore persistent enforcement gaps, particularly concerning opaque black-box algorithmic design, which hampers bias detection and remediation. The paper highlights how current regulatory efforts disproportionately affect marginalized communities and fail to provide effective protection across jurisdictions. It also identifies structural imbalances in legal instruments, particularly in relation to risk classification, transparency, and fairness standards. Notably, emerging regulations often lack the technical and ethical capacity for implementation. We argue that global cooperation is not only necessary but inevitable, as regional solutions alone are insufficient to govern transnational AI systems. Without harmonized international standards, algorithmic bias will continue to reproduce existing inequalities under the guise of objectivity. The article advocates for inclusive, cross-sectoral collaboration among governments, developers, and civil society to ensure the responsible development of AI and uphold fundamental rights. Full article

In recent years, Europe has experienced an unexpectedly high frequency of natural disturbances. Private forest owners (PFOs), who manage a significant proportion of European forests and have diverse objectives and approaches to forest management, play a crucial role in salvage logging. The aim of this study was to (i) categorise PFOs based on their forest management objectives, experience with regular forest management, and responses to natural disturbances, and (ii) propose policy implications for particular PFO groups to improve salvage logging operations and meet legal requirements. A survey was conducted among a random sample of PFOs whose forests were affected by natural disturbances (n = 547). The survey data were analysed using K-means cluster analysis, and three groups of PFOs were identified. The outsourcing-oriented managers (32%) responded most strongly to natural disturbances, with 96.0% carrying out salvage logging. This highly co-operative group often relies on forest contractors and demonstrates the highest commitment to performing forest management activities among the three groups. The self-reliant managers (42%) also responded strongly (92.6% carried out salvage logging) and are characterised by a strong preference for performing the work themselves. The group of less active managers (26%) included the highest proportion of PFOs who did not conduct salvage logging (19.0%) and those with no previous forest management experience (12.0%). Despite these differences, common policy instruments based on smart regulation principles are proposed to promote efficient salvage logging. The results may contribute to the holistic transformation of forest policy and management in response to the current challenges posed by large-scale natural disturbances. Full article

In pursuit of a higher-quality post-pandemic economic recovery, Chinese authorities have accelerated the development of the e-CNY. This study posits that the e-CNY distinguishes itself from other payment instruments through its controlled anonymity, programmability, and non-interest-bearing attributes. By analyzing patents filed by the Digital Currency Research Institute of the People’s Bank of China between 2016 and 2023, the paper elucidates potential implementation strategies for these distinctive features. The findings suggest that the e-CNY may facilitate a zero-interest accrual model within the prevailing legal framework. Restricted authority access and the anonymity ensured by encrypted data further allow users to maintain a high degree of confidentiality. Additionally, conditional automatic transfers—a prominent function in the e-CNY’s smart contracts—mirror traditional automatic transfers for directed fund utilization without impeding the circulation of fiat currency. The People’s Bank of China has sought to thoughtfully integrate these functionalities into its Central Bank Digital Currency framework, aiming to minimize potential conflicts with existing legal standards. Instead of relying solely on extensive legislative revisions, China’s experience illustrates how deliberate and incremental CBDC design choices can reconcile regulatory compliance with innovative technological advancements. Full article

In Cuba, coastal zone management is a matter of environmental priority. The Cuban State has legislated its protection mechanisms, actions, and instruments according to a high-hierarchical-rank legal norm. This article revealed the institutional frameworks and implementation strategies that support the socio-ecosystemic approach in coastal marine governance in the southeastern region of Santiago de Cuba, focusing on the management practices of integrated coastal zone management (ICZM) programs. Under the logic of ICZM principles, a scientometric, exegetical–legal study was carried out, with thematic content analysis, using the Driving Forces–Pressures–State–Impacts–Respond (DPSIR) framework. The methodology to meet the objectives was based on three analytical stages that generated scientific proposals for implementing the socio-ecosystemic approach in adaptive coastal governance practices. As a result, it is demonstrated that this approach has a scientific and legal proposal in Cuba, and its dynamics in coastal management programs are revealed. This study indicates that the logic of the DPSIR framework provides a propositional platform that helps structure the fundamentals of the proposed approach with reference to objectives and responses of coastal marine governance in Cuba. Full article