Protecting the environment and the Earth's natural resources is one of the most important tasks for modern societies, economies, and countries. Changes in the environment have made climate protection a key task of state policy implemented at the local, national, and international. They also have caused such negative social manifestations as environmental radicalism and terrorism. The purpose of this paper was to analyze the capacity of state institutions to prevent environmental terrorism and radicalism, particularly in the Russian context, by identifying and prioritizing key challenges and countermeasures. A mixed-methods approach was adopted, involving both qualitative and quantitative analyses. Following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines, a total of 35 articles and reviews were selected to provide a foundation for understanding eco-terrorism trends. Additionally, an expert survey was conducted with 44 qualified participants to rank problems and recommended actions. The Kendall concordance coefficient was used to assess the consistency of expert opinions. The authors conclude that low environmental awareness and insufficient cooperation between state institutions and environmental organizations are the most significant challenges in preventing eco-terrorism. To adequately and competently prevent environmental terrorism and radicalism in society, the prevention system must be based on clear and thoughtful actions by state institutions.

In response to the challenges of climate change, this study explores the use of moringa pod powder as reinforcement in the manufacture of compressed earth bricks to promote sustainable building materials. The objective is to evaluate the impact of African locust bean pod powder on the mechanical properties of the bricks. Two types of soils from Togo were characterized according to geotechnical standards. Mixtures containing 8% African locust bean pod powder at various particle sizes (0.08 mm, 2 mm, and between 2 and 5 mm) were formulated and tested for compression and tensile strength. The results show that the addition of African locust bean pod reduces the mechanical strength of the bricks compared to the control sample without pods, with strengths ranging from 0.697 to 0.767 MPa, compared to 0.967 to 1.060 MPa for the control. However, the best performances for the mixtures were obtained with a fineness of less than 2 mm. This decrease in performance is attributed to several factors, including inadequate water content and suboptimal preparation and compaction methods. Optimizing formulation parameters is necessary to maximize the effectiveness of African locust bean pods. This work highlights the valorization of agro-industrial waste, paving the way for a better understanding of bio-based materials and future research for sustainable construction.

The Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration (HVAC&R) industry is pivotal to Europe’s goals for energy efficiency, sustainability, and technological advancement. As demand for skilled HVAC&R professionals rises, the effectiveness of educational programs in this field has become a focal point. This article explores the Portuguese case to analyze how pedagogical strategies and student motivation contribute to the quality of HVAC&R training across Europe. The study highlights innovative teaching methodologies such as active and competency-based learning, as well as the use of laboratory training and digital simulations to provide hands-on experience. Additionally, it emphasizes Bloom’s Taxonomy as a framework for curriculum development, ensuring that students advance from foundational knowledge to complex problem-solving abilities. Motivation is also identified as a critical factor for student engagement and long-term career commitment. The article concludes that a balanced integration of theoretical knowledge, practical skills, and motivational support is essential for producing highly qualified HVAC&R professionals. This approach not only meets current industry needs but also aligns with Europe’s broader environmental and technological objectives, offering valuable insights for educators, policymakers, and industry stakeholders.

The health of employees is so paramount for employee productivity. While emphasis is often placed on the physical health of employees, less emphasis is placed on the psychological or mental health of the employees. Similarly, it seems as if health challenges are more occurring in manufacturing industries, but the service organizations employees are as well susceptible to mental health challenges. Understanding the predictive factors to mental health challenges therefore becomes imperative. It is on this note that the present research examines how employee mental health is predicted by work safety measures like perceived workplace safety, work overload and pay satisfaction. The workplace safety variables include perception of job, co-worker, supervisor, management, and safety programs. A cross sectional survey method was adopted, using ex-post-facto research design. Data were gathered from 258 employees, including 150 (58.1%) females and 108 (41.9%) males of a non-governmental organization. Correlation and regression analyses were used to analyze data obtained from the standardized psychological scales that were administered. The results showed that mental health correlated positively with perceived job safety, but negatively with perceived co-worker, supervisor, management, safety programs and pay satisfaction. Workplace safety variables jointly predicted mental health, accounting for 23% variance, but only perceived job safety and supervisor safety were significant. The higher employees perceived job safety, the lower their mental health challenges. Similarly, the higher they perceived supervisor safety, the lower their mental health issues. Pay satisfaction accounted for 3% variance in mental health, and the higher the pay satisfaction, the lower the level of employee mental health issues. It is implied that the human resource unit of service organizations should intermittently examine their organizations to identify and prevent possible job and supervisor safety threats. Supervisors should be trained on how to be discrete in communicating safety measures to subordinates so that it will not boomerang to hamper mental health. The human resources unit should also intermittently organize workshop, training, and employee-assisted programs for younger and lower grade employees on adaptive mechanisms for reducing mental health challenges.

Infrastructure decision-making has traditionally been focused on the use of cost-benefit analysis (CBA) and multicriteria decision analysis (MCDA). Nevertheless, there remains no consensus in the infrastructure sector regarding a favored approach that comprehensively integrates resilience principles with those tools. This review focuses on how resilience has been evaluated in infrastructure projects. Initially, 400 papers were sourced from Web of Science and Scopus. After a preliminary review, 103 papers were selected, and ultimately, the focus was narrowed down to 56 papers. The primary aim was to uncover limitations in both CBA and MCDA, exploring various strategies for amalgamating them and enhancing their potential to foster resilience, sustainability, and other infrastructure performance aspects. Results were classified based on different rationalities: i) objectivist, ii) conformist, iii) adjustive, and iv) reflexive. The analysis revealed that while both CBA and MCDA contribute to decision-making, their perceived strengths and weaknesses differ depending on the chosen rationality. Nonetheless, embracing a broader perspective, fostering participatory methods, and potentially integrating both approaches seem to offer more promising avenues for assessing the resilience of infrastructures. The goal of this research proposal is to devise an integrated approach for evaluating the long-term sustainability and resilience of infrastructure projects and constructed assets.

This study examines innovative teaching approaches’ effect on the quality of education for prospective primary teachers. A mixed-methods approach combining qualitative and quantitative data collection techniques was employed. Initially, the two data sets were analyzed separately—qualitative data through thematic analysis and quantitative data through statistical methods. The themes emerging from the qualitative analysis were then cross-referenced with the quantitative findings to evaluate whether the trends supported each other. For instance, if a qualitative theme indicated that teachers felt more confident using innovative methods, this was supported by quantitative data showing improvements in teacher performance scores or student outcomes. The study had 200 participants, and the study findings revealed a significant positive impact of innovative teaching approaches on the quality of education for future primary teachers. Participants reported increased engagement, improved critical thinking, and enhanced adaptability in classroom settings. The study findings reveal that innovative approaches significantly improve the quality of education for prospective primary teachers by fostering more interactive, technology-enhanced, and student-centered learning environments. To maintain these improvements, it is essential to invest in infrastructure, provide ongoing support for teacher educators, and continuously update curricula to reflect emerging educational technologies and practices. These findings emphasize the importance of innovation in teacher training to meet the evolving demands of primary education.