Cities play a key role in achieving the climate-neutral supply of heating and cooling. This paper compares the policy frameworks as well as practical implementation of smart heating and cooling in six cities: Munich, Dresden and Bad Nauheim in Germany; and Jinan, Chengdu and Haiyan in China, to explore strategies to enhance policy support, financial mechanisms, and consumer engagement, ultimately aiming to facilitate the transition to climate-neutral heating and cooling systems. The study is divided into three parts: (i) an examination of smart heating and cooling policy frameworks in Germany and China over the past few years; (ii) an analysis of heating and cooling strategies in the six case study cities within the context of smart energy systems; and (iii) an exploration of the practical solutions adopted by these cities as part of their smart energy transition initiatives. The findings reveal differences between the two countries in the strategies and regulations adopted by municipal governments as well as variations within each country. The policy frameworks and priorities set by city governments can greatly influence the development and implementation of smart heating and cooling systems. The study found that all six cities are actively engaged in pioneering innovative heating and cooling projects which utilise diverse energy sources such as geothermal, biomass, solar, waste heat and nuclear energy. Even the smaller cities were seen to be making considerable progress in the adoption of smart solutions.

The Republic of Moldova is a state with a small, but dynamic economy and which, with the help of competitiveness in the IT industry, is looking for a place on the economic market in the Eastern European region. The research approaches this topic from an economic, historical, but also geopolitical point of view. This analysis of economic data and figures from the last period, combined with government policies and that of the National Bank of Moldova, means that in the near future the software economic area of Moldova will become an important regional player in this part of Europe.

 Purpose: This research paper aims to assess the proficiency of tertiary education providers in engaging with online learning environments, especially in the context of the post-COVID-19 transition. The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated the adoption of online learning platforms, it is essential to understand how educational institutions have adapted and evolved in their approach to virtual education. The central research question explores how Continuous Professional Development (CPD), Technological Infrastructure (TI), and Support Systems (SS) collectively influence educators’ proficiency in online teaching (POT). Study design/methodology/approach: A comparative study was performed, comparing data collected during the COVID-19 pandemic with post-pandemic data from higher education institutions in Uzbekistan. In-depth interviews were conducted with 15 education facilitators representing both public and international educational institutions. This purposive sampling approach allows for a holistic exploration of the experiences, challenges, strategies, and preparedness of these facilitators during the transition to online learning. Manual qualitative data classification and content analysis were employed to understand themes in respondent experiences and identified actions. Findings: The study reveals the significant role of CPD, robust TI, and effective SS in enhancing the Proficiency of tertiary education providers in engaging with Online Teaching. These elements were found to be significant determinants of how well institutions and educators adapted to the shift to virtual education. The research offers valuable insights for educators, policymakers, and students, aiding in decision-making processes within academia and guiding the development and implementation of effective online teaching strategies. Originality/value: This study contributes to the existing literature by providing an in-depth understanding of the adjustments education facilitators make in response to the pandemic. It emphasizes the importance of ongoing preparation for online learning and highlights the role of digital workplace capabilities in ensuring successful interaction in virtual educational environments.

The article reveals the problems of the transition to a “green” economy based on sustainable technological changes, which are caused by global ecological pollution of the ecosystem, which leads to warming and ecological changes and the insufficiency of the natural resource potential to meet the needs of the population of the planet, which does not contribute to development. The essence of the study is to determine the impact of a green economy on economic growth and development, in which natural assets continue to provide resources and environmental services. It is shown that the green economy provides a practical and flexible approach to achieving concrete, measurable progress in all its economic and environmental principles, while at the same time fully taking into account the social consequences of greening the dynamics of economic growth. Green economy strategies aim to ensure that natural assets can fully realize their economic potential in a sustainable manner. This potential includes the provision of vital life support services—clean air and water, as well as the sustainable biodiversity needed to support food production and human health. Natural assets cannot be replaced indefinitely, so the policy of the green economy should take this into account. It is characterized that the green economy provides a practical and flexible approach to achieving concrete, measurable progress in all its economic and environmental principles, while at the same time fully taking into account the social consequences of greening the dynamics of economic growth. The problems of the post-war revival of Ukraine’s economy are systematized and proposals for their solution are substantiated, which is the scientific contribution of the authors to the coverage of this problem. The global problems of the transition to a green economy, which are closely related to Ukrainian realities, are revealed. The practical content is determined by the fact that the theoretical and methodological provisions, conclusions and scientific and practical recommendations constitute the scientific basis for the development of a new holistic concept of the development of the green economy of Ukraine. The conclusions that it is the “green” economy that is able to most closely link the ecological and economic aspects of the national economy, acting as a key direction for ensuring the sustainable “green” development of the region and the state as a whole, actualize the prospects of creating a green economy in Ukraine and become necessary and quite achievable in the post-war period.

This paper investigates the impact of financial inclusion on financial stability in BRICS countries from 2004 to 2020. Using a panel smooth transition regression model, the results reveal a U-shaped relationship between financial inclusion and financial stability. Financial inclusion reduces financial stability up to a threshold of 44.7%. Beyond this point, financial inclusion contributes to greater financial stability, through gradual transitions. Enhanced financial inclusion supports banks in stabilizing their deposit funding by facilitating access to more stable, long-term funds and alleviating the negative impacts of fluctuations in returns. Furthermore, the study examines the role of institutional quality in shaping the financial inclusion-financial stability nexus, indicating a significant positive effect, especially in the upper regime. These findings provide valuable insights for financial regulatory authorities, highlighting the importance of promoting financial inclusion in BRICS economies and adapting regulations to mitigate potential risks to global financial stability.