Search Results (129)

Frequent occurrences of inter-regional emergencies constitute critical impediments to global security and sustainable development, necessitating enhanced intergovernmental emergency collaboration. This study employs a network evolutionary game model (NEGM) to examine how vertical interventions shape diffusion mechanisms of cooperative strategies among local governments. The results show that (1) solely intensifying penalties or rewards yields diminishing marginal returns in incentivizing local governments to adopt a proactive cooperative strategy; (2) elevating the cost-sharing index significantly accelerates the diffusion rate of cooperative strategies, effectively mobilizing broader subnational engagement in public health emergency response; and (3) the tripartite integration of penalty-based enforcement, reward incentives, and cost-sharing mechanisms demonstrates synergistic superiority over alternative policy instruments—whether implemented individually or in pairwise combinations. Full article

From the Red Shirt heartlands of the North and Northeast to the conservative South and the fragmented middle-class electorate of Bangkok, Thailand’s regional divisions reflect a deeply contested relationship with centralized power. How these divisions shape citizens’ relative trust in local versus central government remains an open empirical question. Drawing on three waves of the Asian Barometer Survey conducted between 2014 and 2022 (pooled N = 3600), this study examines whether territorial location produces differential trust in local relative to central government. The findings are mixed. Regional differences are observable in baseline models, but their explanatory power diminishes once individual-level evaluations of political institutions and economic conditions are taken into account. Rural residents exhibit a smaller trust gap, indicating a weaker relative preference for local over central government, consistent with central welfare transfers sustaining support for the central tier. At the contextual level, higher regional poverty rates are associated with a compression of the trust gap between levels of government. Once poverty is introduced, the overall temporal increase observed by 2022 is no longer statistically significant. Structural economic geography explains much of the aggregate shift. Regional dynamics, however, are not uniform. The Northeast diverges sharply in the final wave, and the pattern holds across model specifications. The shift points to accumulated political alienation rooted in repeated episodes of electoral disenfranchisement. The findings carry direct implications for decentralization policy and territorial development strategy. Where regional trust gaps are driven by fiscal constraints on local government and accumulated political alienation, administrative redesign alone cannot restore citizen confidence in sub-national governance. Full article

Despite extensive global progress monitoring under the 2030 Agenda, existing Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) assessment frameworks remain structurally blind to within-country distributional disparities. This study addresses this gap by developing a methodologically transparent composite SDG index for multi-level governance assessment, applying it to 218 Nomenclature of Territorial Units for Statistics (NUTS 2) regions across the European Union over the period 2015–2022 (1744 region-year observations). In this context, the term “region-year observations” refers strictly to the balanced panel data structure, which is calculated by observing 218 distinct sub-national regions continuously over an 8-year period (218 regions × 8 years The index aggregates four dimensions—social, economic, educational, and institutional—using min-max normalization. The analysis yields three main results: (1) Spatial econometric analysis reveals strong, persistent positive spatial autocorrelation, with high-performing clusters concentrated in Northern and Western Europe and lagging clusters in Eastern and Southern peripheries. (2) A spatial error model identifies institutional governance quality as a consistent statistical predictor of sub-national SDG performance. The significance of the spatial error parameter (λ = 0.497) suggests that unobservable institutional and geographical common shocks systematically link neighboring regions. (3) Cluster analysis further distinguishes four regional archetypes: Disadvantaged, Leaders, Educated, and Transitional. These findings underscore the need for spatially aware SDG monitoring infrastructure and investment in institutional capacity as prerequisites for equitable governance, as integrating spatial dependencies is crucial to prevent national averages from masking severe regional developmental traps. Full article

Marine oil spills pose critical challenges to environmental sustainability and socioeconomic stability. Taking four pivotal cases as the entry point, this study uses comparative case analysis, semi-structured stakeholder interviews, policy analysis and international gap comparison to systematically analyze the evolution of marine oil spill governance in the Taiwan region of China over two decades, aiming to identify systemic gaps and propose actionable reforms. By integrating and explicitly detailing these multiple methodologies, this research not only identifies but also systematically examines the Taiwan region of China’s unique challenges as a non-UN-member entity navigating international conventions like the international convention for the prevention of pollution from ships, 1973, as modified by the protocol of 1978 relating thereto (MARPOL 73/78). Key findings reveal persistent issues in decision-support tools, fragmented inter-agency coordination, and legal inadequacies in compensation mechanisms. The study’s novelty lies in its rigorous synthesis of localized case-driven insights compared with global best practices, proposing a concrete, phased model for a unified task force and context-aware, data-driven contingency plans to enhance real-time response efficiency. It further advocates for pragmatic steps to align the Taiwan region of China’s Marine Pollution Control Act with international standards while critically addressing the transboundary collaboration barriers imposed by its political status, exploring potential pathways through sub-national and regional partnerships. Notably, the 2023 Angel Container case underscores the urgency of modernizing enforcement capacities and integrating advanced technologies. By bridging gaps in governance, legal accountability, and practical international engagement, this research not only advances the Taiwan region of China’s preparedness but also offers a nuanced and adaptable blueprint for coastal regions facing similar geopolitical and environmental constraints. Its recommendations hold significant implications for global marine pollution management, emphasizing the interplay of policy innovation, technological adoption, and pragmatic cross-jurisdictional cooperation. Full article

Indonesia is approaching the ‘last mile’ of elimination for several skin-related neglected tropical diseases (skin NTDs): notably, leprosy, yaws and lymphatic filariasis (LF). However, persistent transmission in selected districts highlights systemic weaknesses in surveillance. This paper aimed to analyse the health system, operational and sociocultural barriers to integrated skin NTDs surveillance in Indonesia. A descriptive analysis of the national programmatic review of integrated skin NTDs was conducted in 2024, using a mixed-methods descriptive evaluation based on routine data and thematic analysis. Comparative case studies of the Belitung, Mimika and Sorong Selatan Districts were conducted using routine data, programme reports, and structured observations at primary health centres, district health offices and laboratories. Qualitative insights from programme managers, health workers and communities were thematically analysed. Integrated surveillance was constrained by fragmented governance, inflexible financing, and uneven workforce capacity, alongside operational challenges like delayed detection and geographic inaccessibility. Furthermore, sociocultural factors such as stigma and population mobility, combined with zoonotic LF transmission in Belitung, significantly undermine effectiveness and long-term programmatic sustainability. Despite strong national policy commitment and substantial progress in disease elimination, significant gaps remain between integration frameworks and operational realities at the district level. Accelerating skin NTDs elimination in Indonesia requires context-adapted integration, strengthened digital surveillance, sustained subnational financing, workforce capacity building and, in zoonotic settings, a One Health approach. Addressing these factors is essential for achieving and sustaining elimination in the last mile. Indonesia has achieved substantial progress across major skin NTDs, while also revealing persistent gaps that threaten the sustainability of elimination gains. Full article

The World Health Organization recommends the use of balanced energy protein (BEP) supplements during pregnancy in settings with a ≥ 20% prevalence of underweight women of reproductive age to reduce the risk of adverse health outcomes. Several countries are implementing BEP supplementation in varied formats. However, the implementation and monitoring of outcomes remain poor across countries. This qualitative study explores the experiences, opportunities, and challenges related to implementing national and sub-national BEP supplementation programs in nine countries (12 countries originally invited) to inform best practices. Methods: Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 15 personnel involved in its implementation in Haiti, India, Malawi, Mexico, Nigeria, Pakistan, Rwanda, Senegal, and Sri Lanka between October 2024 and March 2025. The interviewees in each country were predominantly implementation experts but also government officials involved in the provision of BEP supplementation. The transcripts were analyzed thematically, focusing on acceptability, adoption, appropriateness, cost, feasibility, and sustainability of outcomes. Results: In non-humanitarian settings (five countries), BEP supplementation was commonly integrated into the governmental health system or social protection programs. However, humanitarian contexts (four countries) often relied on partner-led (e.g., UN organizations) implementation. Clear operational protocols, including behavioral change communication strategies, facilitated the implementation. Community-based organization partnerships strengthened adherence; however, implementation costs, stock shortages, and geographic inequities in coverage varied and were limiting factors in scale-up, primarily in humanitarian contexts. Conclusion: In sum, two distinct implementation pathways emerged: government-led models characterized by policy integration, national ownership, and more stable systems, and humanitarian or donor-led models shaped by crisis response, external dependency, and non-committal challenges. Successful implementation of BEP supplements depends on the presence of effective policies, context-adapted design, integration into health systems, consistent funding, and effective monitoring. There is a need for implementation research to generate evidence on best practices when implementing BEP supplementation programs. Full article

Community disaster resilience is increasingly guiding risk-reduction investments, but in many Southeast European settings, comparable subnational data remain scarce. This study assesses perceived community disaster resilience across Serbia by combining BRIC–DROP dimensions into a single index and analyzing differences across hazard types and sociodemographic factors. A cross-sectional household survey was conducted using multistage random sampling and the “next birthday” method for respondent selection. The final sample included 1200 adults from 22 local government units across four regions: Belgrade, Vojvodina, Šumadija & Western Serbia, and Southern & Eastern Serbia. Participants evaluated preventive measures and societal resilience for ten hazard types and considered five social dimensions: social structure, social capital, social mechanisms, social equity/diversity, and social beliefs. Descriptive statistics, bivariate analyses (including Pearson correlations, t-tests, and ANOVA), and multiple linear regression identified key predictors of preventive behavior and perceived resilience. Composite scores highlighted spatial resilience differences. Overall perceptions were generally low, mostly falling below the midpoint of the scale. Furthermore, the highest ratings for implemented preventive measures were recorded for pandemics/epidemics, storms/hail, and floods, whereas the lowest were observed for environmental pollution and droughts. Perceived resilience was highest for snowstorms, storms/hail, and pandemics/epidemics, and lowest for environmental pollution and droughts. Also, respondents reported relatively strong family ties and favorable perceptions of communication and access to basic supplies, but weak institutional capacity, particularly in budget allocation, early warning and public notification, rapid decision-making, and evacuation and shelter readiness. Regression results were statistically significant but explained only a small portion of the variance. Age and public-sector employment positively predicted perceived resilience; fear, income, and, to a lesser extent, education were negatively associated. These findings highlight the structural and psychosocial factors that shape perceptions of resilience. The BRIC–DROP composite indicates generally low perceived preparedness and resilience, especially in risk communication, evacuation and shelter readiness, and financing—the key bottlenecks in strengthening local resilience. The results recommend combining institutional reform with targeted risk communication to reduce fear and build trust, especially focusing on hazard areas with the lowest confidence, such as environmental pollution and drought. Full article

What is the influence of different multilevel governance architectures on the provision of infrastructural powers? Multilevel governance corresponds [i] to the vertical distribution of decisions and responsibilities between territorial spheres of government, or [ii] polycentric relationships among different agents. In this work, the focus is on vertical [Type I], and polycentric models [Type II] are outside the scope of this study. Only the vertical subnational perspective will be considered, which can be associated with federalism, decentralization in administrative, fiscal and political dimensions or the scale of authority exercised by subnational governments. The result is the construction of a scale and typology of multilevel governance in the region, considering the influence on government “infrastructural powers” and, subsequently, indicators of and effective territorial penetration. Full article

Background: The end of the COVID-19 public health emergency of international concern (PHEIC) in May 2023 marked a transition from disruption to recovery and rebuilding of health systems. The WHO African Region entered this period with declining routine immunization coverage, widening inequities, and fragile surveillance systems. We conducted a critical narrative synthesis of post-PHEIC recovery and the transformation of immunization systems in the region from 2023 to 2025. Methods: We thematically analyzed publicly available data from the WHO and other sources using a systems-oriented framework covering immunization coverage, equity, vaccine introductions, disease control, governance, financing, and data systems. Results: Regional coverage for most antigens was restored to 2019 pre-pandemic levels by 2024, e.g., three doses of diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis-containing vaccines at 76%. However, progress remains insufficient to meet the Immunization Agenda 2030 (IA2030) target of 90% coverage. In addition, there were 6.7 million zero-dose children in the 2024 birth cohort (6.3% higher than the 6.3 million in 2019), concentrated in a few countries. The IA2030 target is a 50% reduction in the number of zero-dose children by 2030, compared to 2019. Recovery initiatives have restored services, while accelerated introductions (e.g., malaria vaccines introduced in 20 new countries in 2024–2025) signal renewed system momentum. Yet, progress has plateaued at pre-pandemic levels, reflecting structural constraints rather than sustained transformation. Concurrently, recurrent outbreaks of measles, yellow fever, and other vaccine-preventable diseases highlight persistent immunity gaps and surveillance limitations. Structural constraints (including financing fragility, subnational inequities, and system fragmentation) continue to limit sustained progress. Conclusion: This study offers important insights that can inform immunization policymaking in the WHO African Region and beyond. Current post-PHEIC trends reflect recovery without transformation. Achieving IA2030 targets will require a shift from broad coverage expansion to precision delivery approaches that prioritize zero-dose and underserved populations. Immunization must be positioned as a central pillar of primary health care and health security systems. Full article

This article examines how platform-mediated crisis policy shaped inclusion and exclusion outcomes for small, medium, and micro enterprises (SMMEs) in the Western Cape during COVID-19. Integrating a market-failure perspective with entrepreneurial ecosystem theory, we present a theory-driven secondary analysis of 16 qualitative interviews and policy documents. We map five crisis-amplified failures—finance, markets, digital, institutions, and human capital—onto Isenberg’s six ecosystem domains and analyze how provincial interventions, particularly digital marketplaces, voucher schemes, and online coordination tools, functioned as governance mechanisms regulating access, visibility, and participation. The findings show that platform-mediated interventions accelerated coordination and digital market access but disproportionately benefited already connected firms, leaving institutional and inclusion gaps largely unresolved. We conceptualize sub-national crisis response as a form of platform governance and discuss implications for designing more inclusive digital policy infrastructures in middle-income contexts. Full article

Despite the institutional establishment of Regional Adaptation Action Plans (RAAPs), no systematic cross-regional assessment has examined their structure and implementation dynamics. The objective of this research is to categorize various adaptation strategies identified at the regional level within the 13 RAAPs of Greece and evaluate the current implementation status by introducing a three-pillar RAAP assessment approach including (i) typological classification of all RAAP measures (soft, development and hard), (ii) functional classification of sectoral measures applied to two indicative pilot regions (Crete and the Ionian Islands) and (iii) stakeholder insights on the implementation of regional adaptation. Each measure is assigned to its corresponding adaptation sector to enable cross-regional comparison. The implementation level is assessed through interviews with regional officials exploring criteria guiding measure selection, existing funding mechanisms and social consequences. These findings reveal the characteristics of early stage regional adaptation planning in Greece, where monitoring priorities, institutional capacity and sectoral exposure strongly shape adaptation strategies. Beyond descriptive mapping, the study introduces a structured multi-level analytical framework that offers a replicable tool for the comparative assessment of regional adaptation governance and advances research from policy-inventory approaches toward governance-oriented evaluation at the sub-national scale. Full article

Forest and landscape restoration (FLR) represents a critical nexus of climate change mitigation, biodiversity conservation, and sustainable development. Despite substantial federal investments and commitments, empirical subnational research quantifying the relationships between governance structures, funding mechanisms, and restoration outcomes remains scarce, and integrated implementation frameworks bridging institutional, technical, and socio-economic dimensions are largely absent from the literature. This study presents a mixed-methods analysis of FLR implementation gaps across Maryland, Virginia, and West Virginia. Three Mid-Atlantic Appalachian states selected for their contrasting ecological conditions, governance structures, and restoration trajectories that collectively represent the heterogeneity of subnational restoration challenges. We examined 147 restoration projects (2019–2024), conducted 25 stakeholder interviews, and analyzed federal funding allocations ($428 million) through spatial and temporal frameworks. Our findings reveal five critical implementation barriers: (1) policy incoherence across federal–state–local jurisdictions creating 34% project delays; (2) chronic underfunding with 63% of projects receiving less than 60% of planned budgets; (3) technical capacity deficits affecting 71% of rural communities; (4) inadequate stakeholder engagement mechanisms reducing project sustainability by 45%; and (5) insufficient monitoring frameworks limiting adaptive management. We introduce an Integrated Restoration Implementation Framework (IRIF) that uniquely integrates policy coordination, sustainable financing, technical capacity building, and community engagement within a unified adaptive management cycle, operationalized through empirically derived thresholds, to guide evidence-based interventions. Quantitative analyses demonstrate that multi-stakeholder governance models increase restoration success rates by 2.3-fold (p < 0.001), while integrated funding mechanisms improve long-term sustainability by 67%. Theoretically, this study advances socio-ecological systems scholarship by providing empirical evidence that multi-scalar governance configurations and integrated stakeholder engagement mechanisms are principal determinants of restoration success, advancing the evidence base for adaptive governance approaches in complex federal systems. Our findings provide actionable intelligence for policymakers and practitioners, while underscoring that sustainable FLR in complex federal systems depends on coherent multi-level governance architectures coordinating institutional mandates, financial resources, technical capacity, and community agency across jurisdictional scales. Full article

Why do some organic farming systems persist while others collapse despite similar histories of collective action, policy support, and social legitimacy? This study examines how institutional design shapes the resilience of organic rice systems under conditions of market volatility and buyer power. Drawing on a qualitative comparative analysis of two subnational cases in rural Indonesia—Magelang and Tasikmalaya—Magelang experienced only 6–8% reversion to conventional rice (≈4.2 ha lost), while Tasikmalaya saw 32–38% reversion (≈13–17 ha). The study applies and extends the Institutional Analysis and Development (IAD) framework to foreground market risk governance as a central explanatory variable. The findings show that sustainability depends less on collective organisation than on whether producer institutions function as risk-bearing actors. In Magelang, a farmer cooperative governed market relations through internal monopsony and buyer diversification, shifting market risk from individual households to the organisational level. In Tasikmalaya, reliance on an external monopsony concentrated risk outside producer control; when buyer demand weakened, risk was rapidly transferred to farmers, triggering institutional fragmentation and exit from organic production. By distinguishing internal from external monopsony, the study advances an institutional explanation of resilience in market-mediated sustainability transitions and suggests that policies should prioritise institutional capacity for market risk governance over certification or production technologies. Full article

Tourism is increasingly acknowledged as a major driver of global greenhouse gas emissions. However, efforts to accurately assess its carbon footprint remain hindered by methodological inconsistencies and a reliance on fragmented case studies. This study undertakes a systematic review of 166 peer-reviewed research papers to critically evaluate prevailing approaches for quantifying tourism-related carbon emissions. Leveraging a structured framework encompassing four analytical dimensions and fourteen parameters, the analysis reveals that energy consumption and emission factors constitute the core elements of prevailing models. Nevertheless, only half of the papers account for indirect emissions, and the majority of studies are confined to national or subnational scales, offering limited insight into destination-specific impacts. This methodological heterogeneity undermines the comparability of results and constrains their utility in formulating coherent, evidence-based climate policies. By synthesising these diverse approaches, this review identifies critical methodological gaps, advocates for the harmonisation of best practices, and delineates a roadmap for more robust and context-sensitive carbon accounting within the tourism industry. The insights gained are practical for researchers and policymakers seeking to align tourism development with climate mitigation objectives, thereby fostering greater transparency and efficacy in carbon governance within the sector. Ultimately, such initiatives aim to fortify the sector’s contribution to global decarbonisation efforts. Full article

The concept of sustainable development has emerged as a global consensus, forged in response to environmental constraints and critical reflection on conventional growth-oriented paradigms. It now serves as the overarching framework for addressing climate, ecological, and socio-economic crises. In the period after the adoption of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in 2016, there was an observable trend of increased integration of these objectives into the strategic frameworks of national and subnational entities. However, global assessments have indicated a divergence between the progress achieved and the trajectory delineated by the SDGs. The Earth system is demonstrating signs of decreased resilience, with widening inequalities and the emergence of multiple crises, thereby hindering the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. As the 2030 deadline approaches, a fundamental question arises for global development governance: what should be the future of the SDGs beyond 2030? While insufficient progress has prompted debates over the adequacy of the SDG framework, fundamentally revising or replacing the SDGs would risk undermining a hard-won international consensus forged through decades of negotiation and institutional investment. Based on a comprehensive review of the historical evolution of the sustainable development concept, this study argues that the SDGs represent a rare and fragile achievement in global governance. While insufficient progress has sparked debates about their effectiveness, fundamentally revising or replacing the SDGs would jeopardize the hard-won international consensus forged through decades of negotiations and institutional investments. This study further analyzes the latest progress on the SDGs and identifies emerging risks, aiming to explore how to accelerate and optimize sustainable development pathways within the existing SDG framework rather than propose a new global goal system. Based on both global experience and practice in China, four interconnected strategic priorities—namely, economic reform, social equity, environmental justice, and technology sharing—are proposed as a comprehensive framework to accelerate SDG implementation and guide the transformation of development pathways towards a more just, low-carbon, and resilient future. Full article