A CuBi2O4 photocathode with interconnected nanoparticle textured morphology has achieved a photocurrent density of -0.94 mA cm-2 at 0.52 V vs. RHE. It was successfully fabricated via electrodeposition using ethylene glycol (EG) containing a specific concentration of Bi(NO3)35H2O and CuCl22H2O as the electrolyte, followed by 2 h of calcination at 550 degrees C. Using urea as a complexing agent in the EG electrolyte enhanced the photocurrent density of the CuBi2O4 photocathode. Adding 0.15 g of urea to the electrodeposition solution improved film uniformity, enhanced PEC water splitting efficiency, and achieved a photocurrent density of -1.44 mA cm-2 at 0.52 V vs. RHE. This value is higher than those of previously reported CuBi2O4 photocathodes, which typically exhibit photocurrent densities below -1.0 mA cm-2. To understand the factors contributing to this enhanced PEC performance, this study investigated the effects of varying urea concentrations (0, 0.1, 0.15, and 0.2 g per 100 mL EG) on the crystallite domain size, morphology, surface roughness, light absorption, band gap, electronic band structure, and PEC performance. A mechanism was proposed to account for the long-term stability based on its inadequate valence band potential and irreversible degradation behaviour. This work provides insights for optimizing CuBi2O4 thin films to enhance their stability and efficiency in PEC water splitting applications.

The ’Smart economics’ neoliberal development discourse prioritises achieving women’s economic empowerment through their participation in paid labor. These discourses are supported by the government of Bangladesh through its aquaculture policies, along with the active support of international development agencies and non-governmental organizations (NGOs). In the coastal Satkhira District of Bangladesh, local government policy encourages women to work as independent shrimp seed (or ”fry”) collectors, selling their output to the local shrimp industries. Yet, this paper questions the extent to which such sectoral policies increase women’s overall empowerment, due to the potentially negative impacts of these activities on their livelihoods and health. To explore this question, a study was conducted in the Satkhira District: data were collected from 306 social survey respondents, 8 focus group discussions (FGDs), and 26 in-depth interviews. The findings of the study show that in spite of paid labor enabling a degree of agency, women shrimp seed collectors (WSSCs) are unable to maintain their livelihoods due to economic exploitation by the shrimp industry. They also encounter severe health problems, which become more intense relative to lower socioeconomic status and higher environmental degradation. Given the inconsistencies of the neoliberal development perspective in terms of enhancing women’s empowerment, this paper argues for the integration of social justice into government aquaculture policies, in order to improve women’s economic status in conjunction with improving health and well-being through ’decolonizing’ development governance, i.e. empowerment through social justice.

Land-use transformation driven by large-scale water conservancy projects profoundly reshapes regional ecosystem structures and the supply capacity of ecosystem services, yet targeted quantitative assessments linking land-use evolution to ecosystem service values (ESV) in the Xiaolangdi Reservoir resettlement zone remain insufficient, restricting scientific ecological management and territorial spatial governance for reservoir-affected counties and districts. This study draws on the latest ecosystem service valuation theories proposed by domestic and international scholars and applies the value equivalence method to quantify variations in land-use pattern changes and ESV across nine resettlement counties and districts (including the Sanmenxia urban area) affected by the Xiaolangdi Reservoir relocation project. Data collected included historical records (1995–2020), digital elevation models (DEM, 30 m resolution), and land-use information. By applying value equivalence theory and analyzing land-use change impacts, the study calculated changes in ESV and conducted sensitivity analyses across different land types. The findings reveal significant impacts on surrounding counties following the reservoir’s completion. Data indicate that the expansion of water areas drove the total ESV to rise from US$3.3261 billion in 1995 to a peak of US$3.6557 billion in 2010, followed by a decline to US$3.6128 billion in 2020. The most pronounced changes occurred during the first five years post-reservoir filling (2000–2005), marked by elevated water sensitivity indices. This research clarifies the differentiated responses of ecosystem service functions to land-use changes across reservoir-affected counties, provides quantitative decision-making support for coordinated ecological restoration, cultivated land protection, and sustainable land management in the resettlement area of the Xiaolangdi Reservoir, and offers a replicable technical framework for ecosystem service valuation of large sediment-laden river reservoir regions worldwide.

Decolonising public administration is an urgent and necessary endeavour. In this short article we argue that we cannot, however, settle for shallow decolonialisations. We argue that the specific iterations of bureaucracy evidenced in post-colonial states across the majority world can be conceptualised through the lens of administrative traditions, but that any contemporary investigation into these traditions must take account of institutionally sticky pre-colonial state bureaucratic practices, because ideas and practices persist. We argue this point and then contextualise it through the case of Nigeria, especially the Northern Nigerian administrative tradition legacies from the Sokoto Caliphate that persist today. The paper concludes with a proposed future research agenda.

This article examines the European Union’s (EU) external humanitarian and disaster response through the 2023 Syrian earthquake, a complex disaster context shaped by armed conflict, fragmented governance, sanctions, and security challenges. It aims to (1) analyse how the EU operationalises humanitarian principles in external assistance, (2) explore how these principles are adapted under insecurity and operational constraints, and (3) examine the EU’s disaster response strategies in conflict-affected environments beyond its borders.Using an extreme single-case study design, the research draws on 12 semi-structured interviews with EU officials, local responders, and partner organisations, supported by documentary analysis of EU policy and operational documents. The findings reveal that EU humanitarian action follows a security-mediated response model combining strategic oversight, partnership-based implementation, and civilian-led operations supported by logistical assistance.While the principles of humanity and neutrality were largely maintained, independence and impartiality were reshaped by security-driven coordination, political constraints, sanctions, and fragmented governance. The study demonstrates that EU disaster response practices are produced through interactions among international organisations, local actors, and third-country contexts. It contributes to debates on humanitarian governance, EU external action, and the relationship between humanitarian principles and operational strategies in complex emergencies.

Charge separation and transfer in a CuBi 2 O 4 photocathode under illumination in a three-electrode photoelectrochemical cell, enabling water splitting into hydrogen and oxygen.

Climate change impacts create survival challenges for people in coastal areas of Bangladesh. Government responses are exercised through top-down adaptation governance, reflecting a neocolonial perspective evident in externally funded water development projects such as the Flood Control, Drainage and Irrigation (FCDI) scheme. Problematically, this form of donor 'climate coloniality' creates novel ecological debts that increase localised socioeconomic vulnerabilities. These vulnerabilities are concentrated within marginalised groups, although the impacts of one climate-related ecological debt, waterlogging, are not widely understood. Two critical research questions emerge from this context: (i) in what ways does waterlogging impact marginalised groups in coastal regions?; (ii) how could adaptation institutions be decolonised to reduce resultant vulnerabilities? Primary data from sociological research conducted in Jessore District in south western Bangladesh is utilised in answering these questions. The findings show that marginalised groups disproportionately endure the impacts of historically path dependent, climate-related ecological debts through multiple vulnerabilities including declining crop production, loss of domestic animals, unemployment, price increases, gendered inequalities and health impacts, linked to their exclusion from adaptation decision-making. In response to this neocolonial perspective, such structural domination needs to be challenged by decolonising adaptation institutions through integrating recognition and procedural justice. Decolonised institutions based on this justice perspective could provide a governance space for recognising community voices related to coastal ecosystems and agricultural practices.

The changes in frequency and intensity of rainfall, variation in temperature, increasing extreme weather events, and rising greenhouse gas emissions can together have a varying impact on food grain production, which then leads to significant impacts on food security in the future. The purpose of this study is to quantify how maize productivity might be affected due to climate change in Southern India. The present study examines how the projected changes to the northeast monsoon will affect maize yield in Tamil Nadu during the rabi season, which spans from September to December, by using a three-step methodology. Firstly, global climate models that accurately represent the large-scale features of the mean monsoon were chosen. Secondly, baseline and future climate data were extracted from the selected global models and the baseline data were compared with observations. Thirdly, the panel data regression model was fitted with the India Meteorological Department’s (IMD) observed climate data to generate the baseline coefficients and projected the maize production using future climate data generated from the global climate model. The Representative Concentration Pathways (RCPs) of RCP4.5 and RCP8.5 were used from two global climate model outputs, namely GFDL_CM3 and HadGEM2_CC, to predict the climate change variability on maize yields during the middle (2021–2050) and the end (2071–2100) of this century. The maize yield is predicted to increase by 3 to 5.47 per cent during the mid-century period and it varies from 7.25 to 14.53 per cent during the end of the century for the medium- (RCP4.5) and high-emission (RCP8.5) climate change scenarios. The maize grain yield increasing during the future periods indicated that the increase in rainfall and temperature during winter in Southern India reduced the possibility of a negative impact of temperature on the maize yield.

Landslides cause severe ecological, human, and economic losses globally, with Fuyuan County in Yunnan Province, China, being a typical case. Accurate landslide susceptibility mapping (LSM) is crucial for disaster prevention and mitigation. Traditional methods struggle to meet contemporary needs, so this study employs advanced integrated machine learning models (LightGBM and XGBoost) to assess landslide susceptibility in the county, comparing them with traditional models. The LightGBM model performed best, achieving an AUC of 0.89, accuracy of 84.10%, and F1-score of 83.17%. It also demonstrated excellent stability—characterized by low uncertainty, narrow confidence intervals, and consistent discriminative ability across multiple resamplings—with outstanding reliability. Frequency ratio analysis identified key factors facilitating landslides: weak mudstone lithology, proximity to rivers (<200 m), and high mining density (0.098–0.149). Dense vegetation and hard limestone, however, reduce landslide risks. SHAP analysis further revealed that mining density is the most significant influencing factor, with a synergistic effect with river proximity that jointly exacerbates landslide susceptibility. The generated susceptibility zoning map identifies most areas of Dahe Town, Yingshang Town, and Zhuyuan Town as very high susceptibility zones, which highly aligns with historical landslide records and field survey results. The study emphasizes the need to strictly restrict mining activities in very high susceptibility zones and riparian areas, while comprehensively implementing slope reinforcement, vegetation restoration, and mine reclamation measures. These findings provide a scientific theoretical framework for global landslide research.

Entrepreneurship is associated with economic growth in developed countries. Education level, however, has different impacts on entrepreneurship. In some contexts, it has a negative impact due to educated individuals having greater job choice and awareness of risks and challenges in establishing a business. In other cases, low levels of education may drive the pursuit of entrepreneurship out of necessity. Using Global Entrepreneurship Monitor data from 2016, this research sought to determine the role of education and related factors in entrepreneurial motivation. The study focuses on the following Latin American countries: Panama, Chile, Argentina, Uruguay, Mexico, Brazil, Columbia, Peru, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, and Belize. Extending current research on entrepreneurship in the Latin American context, specifically related to opportunity and necessity motivations, the current study examines household income, education level, and work status. In this paper, findings indicate that education plays a role in entrepreneurial participation intent. Higher levels of education the intent leans toward opportunity motives and lower levels of education by necessity. We find that low-income households show greater evidence of nascent entrepreneurship. The study also looks at fully employed versus part-time employed entrepreneurs who show a propensity to not only see but act on entrepreneurship due to a perception or reality of a good opportunity.

In view of the energy dissipation design of the USBR Type III stilling basin, which is characterized by intense turbulent flow and complex flow patterns, a reliable mathematical model and calculation method is used to track and record the changes of flow parameters during fluid movement. The results of flow movement can be obtained, and the changes to the whole and local parameters of the flow field can be accurately simulated. Using the case of the discharge sluice stilling basin of the flood storage ecological treatment project of Jinchang Industrial Base in Gansu Province, this paper simulates the flow pattern through numerical calculation, thereby saving labor and material costs. The design cycle is also greatly shortened compared with the physical model test, and the technique has good repeatability, controllability, convenient optimization design, and provides technical support and quality assurance for complex energy dissipation problems.

The physical foundation and environmental assurance provided by the regional habitat are crucial for the survival and sustainable development of organisms. Land use change, as a significant manifestation of human activity, is a crucial factor in habitat quality. An SD-PLUS coupled model was developed to simulate land use change in the Baiyangdian(BYD) Basin using data on land use, socio-economic factors, and the climatic environment from 2000 to 2020. The InVEST model was employed to assess the habitat quality of the basin from 2000 to 2050. The findings indicated the following: Between 2020 and 2050, the predominant land use changes across the three scenarios involve the conversion of farmland to construction land and grassland to woodland. The magnitude of these changes steadily declines over time. The magnitude of change in land use for all kinds was greater under SSP5 compared to SSP1 and SSP2. The movement of habitat quality grades primarily occurred from higher grades to lower grades. In 2050, the habitat quality is projected to improve compared to 2020 under three different scenarios. The highest improvement is expected in SSP5 with a 0.60% increase, followed by SSP2 with a 0.42% increase and SSP1 with the smallest increase of 0.23%.

This paper assesses the sustainability impacts in the middle and lower reaches of the Yellow River in China after the Xiaolangdi Dam was constructed. Based on land use data interpreted from Landsat remote sensing images, covering the time period from 2000 to 2020 at 5-year intervals, this research uses a land dynamic attitude index and comprehensive index of land use degree to reveal the degree of land use type change in the study area and analyze the relationship between land use and social economy. The results show that urban and rural construction land is the land use type with the largest annual change rate, and the increase is most obvious from 2005 to 2010, growing by nearly 900 km2. The six types of land use in the research area changed sharply from 2000 to 2010, with grassland and unused land showing the most significant change. On the whole, the dynamic attitude of comprehensive land use tends to be stable. The comprehensive index analysis of land use degree indicates that the study area has developed in the direction of urban settlement. Population and GDP are the main driving factors affecting the constant change in land use types in this region, in which population growth and rapid economic development are the main factors leading to the decline of grassland area, and are also the main driving factors for the expansion of construction land. The research results provide a scientific basis for sustainable land use and development in the middle and lower reaches of the Yellow River Basin.

Climate change adaptation is currently an important community concern in developing countries like Bangladesh. The conceptualization of adaptation within the government system matters for the promotion of activities such as employment generation for local communities. The lesser the gap between government policy and the local community's needs for adaptation the more effective outcomes are for ensuring policy success and promoting sustainable community livelihoods or vice versa. This interface between policy and community is important for climate change adaptation which is explored in this paper along with the findings of the research project, DEltas, vulnerability and climate change: Migration and Adaptation (DECCMA) conducted during 2014-2018 in Bangladesh, Ghana, India, and the United Kingdom. The data from Bangladesh was collected from 1384 survey respondents, 19 Focus Group Discussions (FGDs), 3 workshops, and 43 Key Informant Interviews (KIIs). The findings of the paper show that government adaptation activities mainly reflect the Reactive Approach of Limited Action (RALA) perspective rather than the Proactive Approach To Adaptation (PATA). The RALA perspective is characterized by piecemeal and top-down approaches to adaptation which fail to recognize a community conceptualization of climate change, policy perspectives for coping with local concerns, and governance approaches for effective adaptation. In response, the government needs to focus on the PATA in policy, programs, and projects with the governance approach implemented from the bottom-up or, in other words, from the local perspective. Community participation in decision-making processes is characteristic of this bottom-up governance model. Local community participation, consultation, and representation are essential parts of PATA in adaptation policy formulation and execution, providing important lessons for Bangladesh.

Abstract Due to multiple drivers many countries are experiencing significant water-related risks, particularly to agriculture, making sustainable management of water resources critical for national development. One of the most susceptible countries to these risks is Turkey, where over-abstraction of surface and groundwater resources has occurred in agricultural regions, leading to severe environmental, social and economic impacts. In response to such risks, national water governance is currently undergoing a significant transformation through the implementation of river basin planning in the form of the EU Water Framework Directive alongside institutional innovations for water allocation. In this chapter, we therefore illustrate how this institutional change is occurring and then assess the effectiveness of this new, evolving water allocation regime in the agricultural sector in terms of its sustainability. By examining institutional change in two specific river basin case studies, Konya Closed Basin and Küçük Menderes, this chapter shows that it is not resulting in sustainable use of water resources.

Faced with the challenges posed by enhancing the performance of national waste management policy, sub-national political authorities in China have engaged with the public and non-state actors, particularly NGOs. Across China’s multi-level administrative governance, different levels of government have consequently committed toward working with NGOs in waste management but the degree of actual participation remains questionable. Therefore, this study aims to assess participative relations between NGOs and neighborhood level governments as an indicator of this newfound national commitment to urban participatory governance. Analysis of three Chinese cities is conducted in order to uncover mechanisms for NGO participation in urban waste management. Each case study reveals different levels of participation: although central, provincial and city governments have displayed a welcoming attitude towards NGO engagement, local authorities have proven less open. Moreover, where NGOs are involved in waste governance, they exhibit some autonomy even while remaining under government control. Such findings can be explained by the motivations of local governments within participatory waste governance.