The present study investigates the relationships among carbon dioxide emissions, Gross Domestic Product, and the Human Development Index in Greece. Spearman correlations and Decoupling Analysis were applied from 2008 to 2022, during the financial crisis and the COVID-19 pandemic. Additionally, we compare our results with those of the European Union to identify any similar patterns or distinct trends. The Spearman correlation test reveals a statistically significant negative correlation between HDI and CO₂ emissions in Greece and the EU. Decoupling Analysis reveals a prevalence of recessive decoupling during 2008–2015, particularly in the Greek economy. The results of the Decoupling Index, based on the proposed CO₂/HDI ratio, indicate a strong decoupling state in both Greece and the EU throughout the entire period, with a more profound effect in Greece, where the DIHDI dropped to − 13.37 during 2015–2022, highlighting the country’s notable progress toward sustainability. Finally, conclusions, limitations, and future research directions are presented.
Minsky’s proposal for a Job Guarantee (JG) as a strategy for full employment dates back to 1986. It is based on public employment programmes (PEPs), which have been utilized to address long-term unemployment during major economic crises in the USA and Europe since the 1930s, including the recent Great Recession. PEPs are multi-purpose tools whose objectives and design are not necessarily based on Minsky’s theoretical arguments and principles for a JG, such as universal coverage or voluntary participation. During the Great Recession, the design of PEPs in the EU was largely influenced by the “activation approach” to labour market policy, which had been promoted by the European Employment Strategy (EES) since its ratification by the Amsterdam Treaty of the EU in 1997. However, several experiments with JG programmes have also been conducted in various EU Member States in recent years. This has led some post-Keynesian economists and the European Trade Union Confederation to advocate for the establishment of a European JG aimed at eliminating long-term unemployment across the EU. The article first discusses the functions of PEP under alternative theoretical and policy frameworks, expanding in more detail Minsky’s JG proposal and the “activation paradigm” of labour market policy. It then examines the variety of goals and rationales of the PEPs implemented in the EU during the Great Recession. Finally, it delves into the recent experiences of JG programmes in Greece and France to draw lessons for the design of a European JG, as the countercyclical component of the EES.
Investment in schools has wide-ranging implications for society, from improving learning outcomes to economic growth and social cohesion. Addressing inequalities in school funding is important, as part of an effort to guarantee equal opportunities. However, little is known about the consequences of recent changes to school funding in England on school spending, including the introduction of the National Funding Formula (NFF) policy. We employed interrupted panel regression models to assess trends and inequalities in school spending, and whether the NFF policy was associated with a decline in geographical inequalities between schools in the most deprived fifth of local authorities and the rest of England. We used routinely available school-level spending data for all publicly funded primary and secondary schools in England between 2015 and 2023, aggregated to lower-tier local authority level (N = 315) and adjusted for inflation. We found reduced funding for schools in England over the last decade, with clear geographical inequalities. These cuts have particularly impacted schools in deprived local authorities. While funding across schools increased after the introduction of the NFF, inequalities in spending remain. These patterns are concerning in the context of rising inequalities in educational attainment and recent inflationary pressures impacting school spending. School funding policy should take into account social factors affecting schools in deprived areas, where pupils often face higher rates of poverty, food insecurity and housing instability.
This scoping review explores how critical pedagogy has been conceptualized and implemented in school-based health education between 2014 and 2025. Grounded in Freirean principles, the review addresses a growing call to move beyond biomedical, behaviorist models toward equity-oriented, dialogical, and empowering educational practices. A systematic search across five academic databases identified 21 peer-reviewed studies applying critical pedagogy frameworks in primary and secondary schools and teacher education. The analysis was guided by the PRISMA-ScR framework and involved inductive thematic synthesis using NVivo. Results were organized across three analytical axes: temporal clustering (pre- and post-pandemic), seven overarching pedagogical themes, and five phases of conceptual evolution. Findings show a trajectory from early embodied and feminist frameworks toward post-pandemic ecological, decolonial, and digital pedagogies. Despite regional innovations—particularly in New Zealand, Australia, and Europe—implementation remains constrained by institutional resistance, policy standardization, and curricular tensions. This review identifies key implications for educational policy, curriculum reform, teacher training, and future research. It argues that critical pedagogy offers a timely, transformative alternative for advancing health equity and social justice in global school health education.
This study presents a comprehensive wildfire risk assessment framework for Rhodes Island, Greece, aimed at quantifying the impacts of climate change on hazard levels and vulnerability in a typical Mediterranean environment. The approach integrates Fire Weather Index (FWI) data, detailed fuel-type mapping, and multiple vulnerability indicators covering ecological, socioeconomic, and population factors, enabling spatially explicit estimates of current and future wildfire risk. Historically, Rhodes mostly faces moderate wildfire risk, mainly in central and northeastern regions, with localised areas of higher risk near settlements and key economic sites. Climate forecasts for 2025-2049 predict a notable increase in hazard, with areas experiencing extreme fire weather (FWI > 50) increasing from 15.19% to 66-72%, across all emission scenarios. Ecological vulnerability is particularly alarming, as 93% of the island is already highly susceptible; fire-prone forest and agricultural zones are expected to move into the highest ecological risk categories, especially in the central mountain areas. The devastating 2023 wildfire, which burned over 17,600 hectares, caused more than & euro;5.8 million in direct damages and led to the largest evacuation in the island's history, closely aligning with high-risk zones modelled in the framework. An important insight is the limited spatial variation in near-future risk between RCP 4.5 and RCP 8.5, indicating that significant wildfire intensification is largely unavoidable by mid-century, emphasising the urgent need for quick adaptation and risk mitigation efforts for Mediterranean critical infrastructure and communities.
