Sustainable development is a foundational element in European Union (EU) policies, yet there remains a lack of coherence among member states regarding the perception and response to environmental challenges, resulting in regional inequalities. The “Fit for 55” initiative by the EU is an ambitious strategy aiming to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 55% by 2030, as part of its broader goal of achieving climate neutrality by 2050. This study investigates the economic impact and intergovernmental dynamics of the “Fit for 55” plan, analyzing its potential to not only meet environmental targets but also to foster economic resilience and social equity across the EU. The purpose of this study is to assess the effectiveness of the “Fit for 55” initiative in harmonizing environmental goals with economic and social policies among diverse EU member states. The study reveals that while the initiative offers significant potential benefits, such as stimulating innovation and creating jobs in green industries, it also faces considerable challenges, including economic disparities among member states and the social impacts of rapid decarbonization. These findings highlight the need for integrated approaches that address both environmental sustainability and socio-economic equity.

Problem: in recent years, new studies have been published on biological effects of strong static magnetic fields and on thermal effects of high-frequency electromagnetic fields as used in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Many of these studies have not yet been incorporated into current safety recommendations. Method: scientific publications from 2010 onwards on the biological effects of static and electromagnetic fields of MRI were searched and evaluated. Results: new studies confirm older work that has already described effects of static magnetic fields on sensory organs and the central nervous system accompanied by sensory perception. A new result is the direct effect of Lorentz forces on ionic currents in the semicircular canals of the vestibular organ. Recent studies on thermal effects of radiofrequency fields focused on the development of anatomically realistic body models and more accurate simulation of exposure scenarios. Recommendation for practice: strong static magnetic fields can cause unpleasant perceptions, especially dizziness. In addition, they can impair the performance of the medical personnel and thus potentially endanger patient safety. As a precaution, medical personnel should move slowly in the field gradient. High-frequency electromagnetic fields cause tissues and organs to heat up in patients. This must be taken into account in particular for patients with impaired thermoregulation as well as for pregnant women and newborns; exposure in these cases must be kept as low as possible.

Since an outbreak of COVID-19 in the late 2019 in Wuhan in China, the pandemic and contagious nature of coronavirus did not spare Nigeria as the most populous Africa nation from being affected. Statistical records have shown that a large number of citizens were affected and overwhelming literature has explored different dimensions of the impacts of COVID-19 in the country. However, there is a less attention in exploring legal, economic, health and ethical impacts of the pandemic on Nigerian children. The paper primarily aims at filling this gap in the existing body of knowledge. Systematic literature review (SLR) and content analysis of secondary data of online peer-reviewed, scholarly articles among others were used as methodology. The findings revealed that, the general economic impact of COVID-19 that affects trade and small & medium scale business activities of parents also directly or indirectly affected their children. The health consequence of COVID-19 affects provision of nutritious foods that would help their balanced diet and growth. It is further noted that the ethical impact of COVID-19 affects their right to education as a result of lockdown during the first phase of the out-break. It is however reiterated that, there has not been adequate legal framework to address the multifarious im-pacts of COVID-19 on the Nigerian children. In conclusion, this paper has novel contribution specifically showing concern for children during the period of COVID-19 pandemic in the country. It is therefore suggested that efforts should be galvanized by the stakeholders in addressing multifarious challenges of the impact of COVID-19 on the Nigerian children as explored in this study.

This study investigates the impact of extreme rainfall events on soil erosion in the downstream Parnaíba River Basin, located in the Brazilian Cerrado. The analysis focused on rainfall erosivity (R factor) and soil erodibility (K factor) as key indicators. The average erosivity in the region was 9051 MJ mm h⁻¹ha⁻¹year⁻¹, with a variation between 7943 and 10,081 MJ mm h⁻¹ha⁻¹year⁻¹, suggesting a high erosive potential, mainly in the rainiest months, from December to April. The soils of the studied area, mainly Ultisols and Chernosols, present high to very high erodibility, with K factor values ranging from 0.025 to 0.050 t h MJ⁻¹ mm⁻¹. Furthermore, fieldwork revealed areas, near highways, with apparently fragile soils, as well as rills and gullies, identified through photographs taken during fieldwork. These locations, due to the combination of high erosivity and susceptible soils, were considered prone to the occurrence of erosion processes, representing an additional risk to local infrastructure. The spatialization of R and K factors, along with field observations, showed that much of the area is at high risk of erosion and landslides, particularly in regions with greater topographic variability and proximity to water bodies. These results provide a basis for the development of mitigation strategies, being important for the effective prevention of landslides.

This paper aims to analyze the impact of access to Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) on the private returns to higher education (HE) focusing on gender inequality in 2020. Methodology: To evaluate the above impact a set of Mincerian equations will be estimated. The proposed approach mitigates biases associated with self-selection and individual heterogeneity. Data: The database comes from the National Household Income and Expenditure Survey (Encuesta Nacional de Ingresos y Gastos de los Hogares, ENIGH) from 2020. Results: Empirical evidence suggests that individuals that have HE have a positive and greater impact on their salary income compared to those with a lower educational level, being women that do not have access to ICT those with the lowest wage return. Policy: Access to ICT should be considered as one of the criteria that integrate social deprivation in the measurement of multidimensional poverty. Likewise, it is necessary to design public policies that promote the strengthening and creation of educational and/or training systems in technological matters for women. Limitations: No distinction was made between individuals that graduated from public or private schools, nor was income from sources other than work considered. Originality: This investigation evaluates the impact of access to ICT on the returns to higher education in Mexico, in 2020, addressing gender disparity.

The research addresses the importance of ethics in public administration, focusing on public servants in the municipality of Rionegro, Colombia. Ethics is presented as an essential element to promote transparency and combat corruption in public management. Despite the fact that the 1991 Constitution establishes ethical principles, their application in practice remains a challenge, with a high level of immorality in public service. The study highlights the diversity of professional profiles in public servants, which hinders consistent ethical management. In addition, it mentions that many civil servants lack political training and understanding of the importance of their role, which contributes to corruption. Ethics, according to the authors, is a key tool for strengthening institutions and regaining public trust. The research evaluated the impact of a professional ethics training program on public servants, finding significant improvements in their ethical knowledge and behavior. It concludes that, although ethics will not solve all corruption problems, it is an indispensable component for strengthening accountability and justice in public administration. It underscores the need to implement continuous training programs that promote ethical values as part of a strategy to improve efficiency and transparency in public institutions.