The Circular Economy is one of the most prominent cross-disciplinary and cross-sectoral concepts to emerge in recent decades. It has permeated academia, policymaking, business, NGOs, and the general public, leading to numerous applications of the concept, some of which only partially overlap. In this article, we review recent debates and research trends in the Circular Economy, outlining the ten most common groups of its conceptualizations using the PRISMA (Preferred Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis) method. We then propose a post disciplinary and transnational research program on the Circular Economy that would not only combine hard and soft sciences in unprecedented ways but also have important practical applications, such as developing tools to embed the Circular Economy in natural, technical, economic, and socio-cultural settings.

European commissioner for the Internal Market, Thierry Breton, told Le Journal du Dimanche in January 2022, “Existing nuclear plants alone will need 50 billion euros of investment from now until 2030. And new generation ones will need 500 billion”. This paper considers whether these values are realistic. Further, it asks whether these investments would yield an internationally competitive European nuclear power infrastructure given that the nuclear power industries in the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development member countries have lost global nuclear market share to Russian and Chinese firms since 1995.The paper investigates whether the European nuclear industry even with massive investment can compete with the Chinese nuclear industries. It concludes that the European (in particular, the French) nuclear power industry will be unlikely to be cost competitive with the Chinese nuclear power industry unless financing and new plant orders are immediately forthcoming. To achieve carbon neutrality, the issue becomes whether European Union countries can afford indigenous nuclear technologies or will need to import nuclear power plants from Asia.

This study aims to examine the evolution of the system of support sources in Hungary, focusing on the specific goals supporting higher education in the development programs Széchenyi 2020 (2014–2020) and Széchenyi Plan Plus (2021–2027). The study provides insights into development program evolution and changes, aiming to inform EU funding opportunities for Hungarian higher education institutions over a nearly 10-year period. By focusing on the operational programs that are the basis for the upcoming tenders, the study will display the target system of EU funds that can be utilized to bolster higher education institutions in Hungary. The study is based on document analysis, examining the Hungarian policy tools of the development programs and the operational program strategies of the ten-year time period from 2014 to 2024. By analyzing the support landscape for higher education institutions in Hungary, this study contributes to a better understanding of how the key objectives and criteria of strategic programs have evolved. It also examines the aspects and elements defined in two different development programs over the last ten years. The result of the study can contribute to anticipate the types of funding opportunities that may be available in the future and inform future decision-making processes.

The global climate governance process will have a profound impact on geopolitical relations, and, at the same time, these will determine the direction of cooperation in international climate governance. The European Union and the United States are the most important players in the global governance of climate change, and their competing policy orientations and dynamics have a major impact on trends in this field. In this context, Africa is the region most vulnerable to climate change, and the climate issue in Africa has become one of the frontiers of competition between major powers. Indeed, major powers are increasingly competing in Africa, primarily in the areas of climate leadership, program provision, and capacity building. The study is based on the review of articles and research works regarding the global climate change strategies, especially in AFRICA (2020–2024); it also collected information and statistics from the websites and reports of world banks. In the future, the European Union and Africa should work together to build a new era of strategic partnerships to fight climate change. To do this, they should strengthen their strategic collaboration in global climate governance, look for new ways to work together in old ways, and make their cooperation more effective and efficient.

The purpose of the current study is to raise the question about making a comparison between international legislation in the United States, European Union, and legislation of Saudi Arabia derived from Islamic law regarding the poultry slaughtering process and the relationship of that to achieving safe and healthy food for humans. In addition, the study utilized the Holy Qur’an and the texts of the Prophet’s hadith as primary sources. Additionally, various national and international laws, reports, and legislations were referenced as secondary sources for the review. Moreover, this study addresses a research gap by providing a comparative analysis that links Islamic and international legislation regarding poultry slaughter and examines its impact on food quality and safety. The study’s findings indicate that Islamic Sharia provisions are in harmony with the regulations of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia related to poultry slaughtering process. This alignment ensures the primary goal of the slaughter process, which is to quickly get rid of the blood and achieve the well-being of the poultry. Consequently, this results in high quality meat with low microbial content that can be preserved for a longer period compared to regulations in other global markets such as the USA and the European Union.