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Net Zero requires ambitious greenhouse gas emission reductions on beef and sheep farms coordinated with afforestation and other land use change measures
Get PDFCONTEXTThe UK Climate Change Committee has recommended a 64% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions from the agriculture and land-use sector to meet the 2050 Net Zero target in the UK. However, it is unclear how this reduction can be achieved at a farm level.OBJECTIVEUsing detailed real farm data and novel modelling approaches, we investigated the management interventions and afforestation that would be required to deliver Net Zero within the farm boundary.METHODSBaseline carbon footprints were calculated for twenty Welsh beef and sheep farms using the Agrecalc carbon calculator, whilst carbon sequestration was estimated using Bangor University's Carbon Footprinting Tool. Scenarios were created to determine the emissions reductions achievable on each farm through implementation of cost-effective mitigation measures. Mitigation measures and their abatement potentials were sourced from the most recent UK Marginal Abatement Cost Curve, which allow emissions to be reduced mostly through improvements in efficiency thus maintaining the production of the system. Area footprints were calculated for production, with and without offset (afforested) areas needed to achieve Net Zero.RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONEmission reductions following the implementation of cost-effective mitigation measures averaged 28% across all farms, ranging from 19 to 35%. The woodland needed to offset the remaining emissions to achieve Net Zero ranged from 8 to 85% of the farm area, with an average 38%. This offset area was equivalent to on average 17.4 m2.yr kg−1 deadweight (carcass weight). Apparent area efficiency decreased when the offset area was accounted for, however, the ranking of farms in terms of efficiency was largely unaffected. Mitigation scenarios rely on several assumptions and these need to be refined to accurately inform Net Zero pathways.SIGNIFICANCEBased on the results for these study farms, our modelling indicates that even after implementation of ambitious mitigation across beef and sheep farms, large-scale land use change will be required to achieve Net Zero at an individual farm-level. However, this reform could lead to the unintended consequence of displacing production to less efficient systems and increase overall emissions.Instead, we advocate a combined approach of carbon and land footprints that could help to identify farms on which either food production or carbon removals should be prioritised to move the industry towards achieving Net Zero at a sectoral, regional or national level
Miniaturized Antenna Design for Monitoring of Individual Pollinators in Smart Farm Environment
Get PDFCommentary on “Wales and Autism: The Impact of Philanthropy Matched with Ambition”
Get PDFPurposeThis paper is a commentary that aims to address themes arising from the article by Morgan titled “Wales and Autism: The Impact of Philanthropy Matched with Ambition”.Design/methodology/approachThis opinion piece considers the broader impact of stakeholder engagement in the field of autism, including how the dissemination of evidence-based support could be made more accessible for autistic people, their families and carers and philanthropists.FindingsThis paper highlights the link between stakeholder engagement and meaningful change in policy and practice in the field of autism. It highlights the need for philanthropists to invest in evidence-based support but highlights the difficulty in identifying and accessing such support. This piece supports the use of evidence and gap maps (EGMs) to increase the accessibility of autism research and evidence.Originality/valueWhile stakeholder engagement is encouragingly rising in this field, most of the evidence is held in academic journals, which are behind paywalls and, therefore, inaccessible to many autistic people, their families, carers and associated professionals. Displaying evidence using EGMs provides an accessible way for autistic people and those who support them to identify possible avenues of support quickly and allows philanthropists to direct research funding to areas of high priority
Impact of focus cue presentation on perceived realism of 3-D scene structure: implications for scene perception and for display technology
Get PDFStereoscopic imagery often aims to evoke three-dimensional (3-D) percepts that are accurate and realistic-looking. The "gap" between 3-D imagery and real scenes is small, but focus cues typically remain incorrect because images are displayed on a single focal plane. Research has concentrated on the resulting vergence-accommodation conflicts. Yet, incorrect focus cues may also affect the appearance of 3-D imagery. We investigated whether incorrect focus cues reduce perceived realism of 3-D structure ("depth realism"). Experiment 1 used a multiple-focal-planes display to compare depth realism with correct focus cues vs. conventional stereo presentation. The stimuli were random-dot stereograms, which isolated the role of focus cues. Depth realism was consistently lower with incorrect focus cues, providing proof-of-principle evidence that they contribute to perceptual realism. Experiments 2 and 3 examined whether focus cues play a similar role with realistic objects, presented with an almost complete set of visual cues using a high-resolution, high-dynamic-range multiple-focal-planes display. We also examined the efficacy of approximating correct focus cues via gaze-contingent depth-of-field rendering. Improvements in depth realism with correct focus cues were less clear in more realistic scenes, indicating that the role of focus cues in depth realism depends on scene content. Rendering-based approaches, if anything, reduced depth realism, which we attribute to their inability to present higher-order aspects of blur correctly. Our findings suggest future general 3-D display solutions may need to present focus cues correctly to maximise perceptual realism.</p
Hidden systems in primary care cancer detection: an embedded qualitative intervention development study
Get PDFBACKGROUND: UK cancer mortality is worse than in many other high-income countries, partly because of diagnostic delays in primary care.AIM: To understand beliefs and behaviours of GPs, and systems of general practice teams, to inform the Think Cancer! intervention development.DESIGN AND SETTING: An embedded qualitative study guided by behaviour change models (COM-B [Capability, Opportunity, Motivation - Behaviour] and theoretical domains framework [TDF]) in primary care in Wales, UK.METHOD: Twenty qualitative, semi-structured telephone interviews with GPs were undertaken and four face-to-face focus groups held with practice teams. Framework analysis was used and results were mapped to multiple, overlapping components of COM-B and TDF.RESULTS: Three themes illustrate complex, multilevel referral considerations facing GPs and practice teams; external influences and constraints; and the role of practice systems and culture. Tensions emerged between individual considerations of GPs (Capability and Motivation) and context-dependent external pressures (Opportunity). Detecting cancer was guided not only by external requirements, but also by motivational factors GPs described as part of their cancer diagnostics process. External influences on the diagnosis process often resulted from the primary-secondary care interface and social pressures. GPs adapted their behaviour to deal with this disconnect. Positive practice culture and supportive practice-based systems ameliorated these tensions and complexity.CONCLUSION: By exploring individual GP behaviours together with practice systems and culture we contribute new understanding about how cancer diagnosis operates in primary care and how delays can be improved. We highlight commonly overlooked dynamics and tensions that are experienced by GPs as a tension between individual decision making (Capability and Motivation) and external considerations, such as pressures in secondary care (Opportunity).</p
The evolution and determinants of the non-performing loan burden in Italian banking
Get PDFWe investigate the factors influencing Non-Performing Loans (NPLs) in the Italian banking sector from 2011 to 2017, a period marked by significant challenges. Using dynamic panel data methods and considering both bank-specific and macroeconomic variables, our empirical analysis reveals the complexity of NPL volumes in Italy. Our findings highlight that better capitalised banks tend to exhibit lower levels of NPLs, indicating reduced incentives for engaging in riskier practices. We document an inverse relationship between credit growth and NPLs, suggesting a potential outcome of demand-driven credit expansion. Additionally, the countercyclical nature of NPL stocks is evident, with banks’ NPL volumes influenced by the economic conditions of the country
The Diagnostic Pathway Experiences of People Living with Rare Dementia and Their Family Caregivers: A Cross-Sectional Mixed Methods Study Using Qualitative and Economic Analyses
Get PDFThe pathways for receiving a diagnosis of a rare type of dementia are poorly understood. Diagnostic challenges decrease access to relevant health promotion activities and post-diagnostic support. This study was focused on pathways experienced by people affected by rare dementia in Wales, United Kingdom (UK), considering the practical, emotional, and economic consequences. Semi-structured interviews were completed with 10 people affected by rare dementia across Wales, UK (nine family caregivers and one person living with rare dementia). The interview data were subject to a thematic analysis and a bottom-up costing approach was used to cost the pathway journeys. Five transitional points occurred across the diagnostic pathway (initial contact, initial referral, further referrals—provider, further referrals—private, and diagnosis) alongside two further themes (i.e., involved in the diagnostic process and disputes between stakeholders). The timeliness of the diagnosis was perceived to often be subject to ‘luck’, with access to private healthcare a personal finance option to expedite the process. Higher economic costs were observed when, in retrospect, inappropriate referrals were made, or multiple referrals were required. The confusion and disputes relating to individual diagnostic pathways led to further emotional burdens, suggesting that higher economic costs and emotional consequences are interlinked. Clearer diagnostic pathways for rare dementia may prevent unnecessary service contacts, waiting times, and associated distress. Prioritising appropriate and timely service contacts leads to diagnosis and support to families and enables people to increase control over their health. Appropriate diagnostic pathways may be less costly and reduce costs for families
Cross-country variations in the caregiver role: evidence from the ENTWINE-iCohort study
Get PDFBackground: Globally, economically developed countries face similar ageing demographics and the challenge of a ‘care gap’, yet they vary due to different care and formal support systems, and different cultural and societal norms around illness and care. The aim of this exploratory study was to examine cross-country variations in caregiver motivations, willingness, values, meaning in life, illness beliefs, and experiences of wellbeing, gain, health-related quality of life, burden and depression, across 6 European countries and Israel. Cross-country differences in the above-mentioned informal caregiver experiences are rarely described.Methods: An online survey (ENTWINE-iCohort) was conducted using validated measures wherever possible. This paper utilises data from 879 caregivers and seven countries (Greece, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland, Sweden, the UK, and Israel).Results: No consistent finding supporting the concurrent relationship between caregiver support policies/country culture and caregiver motivations/willingness was found. Caregivers in countries typically characterised by individualist cultures reported lower familism, higher self-enhancement values, and greater perceived illness threat compared to more collectivist countries. Search for meaning was higher in poorer countries than in wealthier countries. Higher negative caregiver experiences (e.g., burden) and lower positive experiences (e.g., wellbeing) were generally observed in countries with underdeveloped caregiver support as compared to countries with more developed formal support systems.Conclusions: Cross-country variations can be explained to varying degrees by national policies around care (or their absence) and country cultural contexts. The results emphasise the importance of formal support services for achieving positive caregiver experiences, and help inform the development of policies and measures to support caregivers in Europe and Israel.<br/
Eco-innovation and corporate waste management: The moderating role of ESG performance
Get PDFBased on a sample of companies from G7 countries, we investigate the effect of eco-innovation on waste management as well as the moderating role of firms’ environmental, social, and governance (ESG) on this relationship. Our findings indicate that a higher level of eco-innovation might lead to a decline in firms’ total waste produced and an increase in firms’ magnitude of reusing and recycling waste. Likewise, our findings are associative with a moderating effect of ESG on the eco-innovation‐waste management nexus. We argue that eco-innovation, along with better ESG performance, leads to a reduction in waste produced and thus better business waste management. Our study has several implications on micro- and macroeconomic levels. Countries should revisit their national strategies and domestic policies about circular economies to form international alliances and embrace more technological development
Revisiting Rancière’s ‘radical democracy’ for contemporary education policy analysis
Get PDFJust over a decade on from a spike of interest in Jacques Rancière’s writing within educational philosophy and theory, I revisit his interventions on democracy and education to make the case for (re)engaging with Rancière’s writing now to address important questions about contemporary education policy, the role of schools in democratic societies and public debate over the curriculum. Specifically, I argue that Rancière’s interventions on the Platonism that characterises both ‘progressive’ and ‘traditional’ arguments about school curricula in such contexts offer a vital tool for understanding the shifts in education policy and educational debate that animate our current political moment. Building on work that has applied Rancière’s writing to analyse neoliberal education policy, I argue that Rancière’s writing provides a distinctive analytical lens for interpreting a recent shift towards neo-conservative education policy agendas, and the imbrication of schools within the ‘culture-wars’ that characterise the contemporary political landscape in several national settings. Taking recent policies concerned with the teaching of values in England as an example, I argue that a Rancierian perspective on such policy is helpful for revitalising research concerned with education and the role of public schooling in societies that wish to maintain some claim to democracy