Noise pollution in construction sites is a significant concern, impacting worker health, safety, communication, and productivity. The current study aims to assess the paramount consequences of ambient noise pollution on construction activities and workers’ productivity in Peshawar, Pakistan. Noise measurements have been recorded at four different construction sites in Peshawar at different times of the day. Statistical analysis and Relative Importance Index (RII) are employed to evaluate the data Risk variables, such as equipment maintenance, noise control, increased workload, material handling challenges, quality control issues, and client satisfaction. The results indicated that noise levels often exceeded permissible limits, particularly in the afternoon, posing significant worker risks. In addition, RII analysis identified communication difficulties, safety hazards, and decreased productivity as significant issues. The results show that noise pollution is directly linked with safety risks, decreased performance, and client dissatisfaction and needs immediate attention by authorities. This paper proposes a strategic policy framework, recommending uniform hand signals and visual communication methods without noise for workers, worker training about safety, and using wearable devices in noisy settings. Communication training for teams and crane operators, proactive quality control, and customer-oriented project schedules are also proposed. These recommendations aim to mitigate the adverse effects of noise pollution, enhance construction industry resilience, and improve overall operational efficiency, worker safety, and client satisfaction in the construction sector of Peshawar, aligning with policy and sustainable development objectives.
E-commerce is increasingly developing as a platform large and small companies use to carry out online transactions with consumers. However, the development of e-commerce is also fraught with new environmental problems. Various problems occur, such as data leaks and fraud in buying and selling transactions. This research aims to deepen the study of the e-commerce environment from the perspective of local policymakers, and this research completes a study on the analysis of e-commerce problems and solutions from the perspective of policy actors. The development of e-commerce still has an unsafe environment; the potential for fraud and data leakage is still significant, and a government response is needed, such as creating new regulations or revising existing regulations. This research uses qualitative analysis with a content analysis approach and national online news media as research data and information sources. Nvivo 12 Plus software was used to identify problems and solutions offered by actors in their narratives in the media. The results of this research show that data leaks and e-commerce have the potential to threaten the country’s resilience, conventional businesses are threatened with closure, and policymakers are shifting responsibility for overcoming e-commerce problems. Current regulations still need to be made appropriately to overcome e-commerce problems.
Distributed Energy Resources (DERs), such as solar photovoltaic (PV) systems, wind turbines, and energy storage systems, offer many benefits, including increased energy efficiency, sustainability, and grid reliability. However, their integration into the smart grid also introduces new vulnerabilities to cyber threats. The smart grid is becoming more digitalized, with advanced technologies like Internet of Things (IoT) devices, communication networks, and automation systems that enable the integration of DER systems. While this enhances grid efficiency and control, it creates more entry points for attackers and thus expands the attack surface for potential cyber threats. Protecting DERs from cyberattacks is crucial to maintaining the overall reliability, security, and privacy of the smart grid. The adopted cybersecurity strategies should not only address current threats but also anticipate future dangers. This requires ongoing risk assessments, staying updated on emerging threats, and being prepared to adapt cybersecurity measures accordingly. This paper highlights some critical points regarding the importance of cybersecurity for Distributed Energy Resources (DERs) and the evolving landscape of the smart grid. This research study shows that there is need for a proactive and adaptable cybersecurity approach that encompasses prevention, detection, response, and recovery to safeguard these critical energy systems against cyber threats, both today and in the future. This work serves as a valuable tool in enhancing the cybersecurity posture of utilities and grid-connected DER owners and operators. It allows them to make informed decisions, protect critical infrastructure, and ensure the reliability and security of grid-connected DER systems in an evolving energy landscape.
This study conducted a systematic literature review on current and emerging trends in the use of artificial intelligence (AI) for community surveillance, using the PRISMA methodology and the paifal.ai tool for the selection and analysis of relevant sources. Five main thematic areas were identified: AI technologies, specific applications, societal impact, regulations and public policy. Our findings revealed exponential growth in the development and implementation of AI technologies, with applications ranging from public safety to environmental monitoring. However, this advancement poses significant challenges related to privacy, ethics and governance, driving a debate on the need for appropriate regulations. The analysis also highlighted the disparity in the adoption of these technologies among different communities, suggesting a need for inclusive policies to ensure equitable benefits. This study contributes to the understanding of the current scenario of AI in community policing, providing a solid foundation for future research and developments in the field.
Environmental regulation is globally recognized for its crucial role in mitigating environmental pollution and is vital for achieving the Paris Agreement and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. There is a current gap in the comprehensive overview of the significance of environmental regulation research, necessitating high-level insights. This paper aims to bridge this gap through an exhaustive bibliometric review of existing environmental regulation research. Employing bibliometric analysis, this study delineates publication trends, identifies leading journals, countries, institutions, and scholars. Utilizing VOSviewer software, we conducted a frequency and centrality analysis of keywords and visualized keyword co-occurrences. This research highlights current hotspots and central themes in the field, including “innovation”, “performance”, “economic growth”, and “pollution”. Further analysis of research trends underscores existing knowledge gaps and potential future research directions. Emerging topics for future investigation in environmental regulation include “financial constraints”, “green finance”, “green credit”, “ESG”, “circular economy”, “labor market”, “political uncertainty”, “digital transformation”, “exports” and “mediating effects”. Additionally, “quasi-natural experiments” and “machine learning” have emerged as cutting-edge research methodologies in this domain. The focus of research is shifting from analyzing the impact of environmental regulation on “innovation” to “green innovation” and from “emissions” to “carbon emissions”. This study provides a comprehensive and structured understanding, thereby guiding subsequent research in this field.
This study introduces a cross-country comparative analysis of the role of News Ombudsperson in the public media corporations in Spain and France. It investigates the specific media self-regulatory processes established to reduce reputational risks and increase the trust and credibility of the media organisations. It aims to fill in the gaps in prior research by applying a qualitative framework developed using indicators derived from scholarly work on regulation and governance and media management. The variables selected for the analysis are extracted from prior interdisciplinary research and focus on media self-regulatory processes, complaints management mechanisms, election, reporting procedures, checks and balances, roles, visibility and transparency of News Ombudspersons in two countries which represent the Polarised Pluralist media system category. Research questions are raised in relation to the main variables identified for the comparative analysis. Data were collected from multiple publicly available international sources, including public media organizations databases, national media regulatory authorities, and academic studies. Results reveal cross-country variations. The systematic investigation of different forms of self-regulatory procedures might lead to concrete recommendations and best practice models for media organizations beyond the European Union. Further research could address the role of media audiences as relevant stakeholders in media governance processes.
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