The Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) Purple Line project is part of the Thai government’s energy- and transportation-related greenhouse gas reduction plan. The number of passengers estimated during the feasibility study period was used to calculate the greenhouse gas reduction effect of project implementation. Most of the estimated numbers exceed the actual number of passengers, resulting in errors in estimating greenhouse gas emissions. This study employed a direct demand ridership model (DDRM) to accurately predict MRT Purple Line ridership. The variables affecting the number of passengers were the population in the vicinity of stations, offices, and shopping malls, the number of bus lines that serve the area, and the length of the road. The DDRM accurately predicted the number of passengers within 10% of the observed change and, therefore, the project can help reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 1289 tCO2 in 2023 and 2059 tCO2 in 2030.
Since 2019, Togo has resolutely engaged in the decentralization process marked by communalization and elections of municipal councilors. Financial autonomy constitutes an essential lever for the free administration of municipalities, allowing them to ensure decision-making and the implementation of development projects. However, despite a legal and regulatory framework defining taxation specific to local authorities, Togolese municipalities are often perceived as needing more financial resources. This study aims to map the financing mechanisms for decentralization in Togo and analyze their contribution to municipal budgets. By adopting a quantitative approach combining documentary analysis and interviews with 188 experts and practitioners of local finance from various Togolese structures, four main financing mechanisms were identified: local, national, Community, and international. Among these mechanisms, own resources (in particular from the sale of products and services, fiscal and non-fiscal taxes) and state transfers via the Support Fund for Local Authorities emerge as the primary sources of financing for municipalities. However, the study reveals that several instruments of local mechanisms, although institutionally defined, still need to be updated in many municipalities, thus limiting their effectiveness in resource mobilization. These results highlight the importance of optimizing the management of local mechanisms to strengthen municipalities’ financial autonomy and support territories’ sustainable development.
This study investigates the willingness of Indonesian consumers, particularly in West Java, to pay for green products by applying and expanding the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB). It examines how perceived green product value and willingness to pay premiums influence consumer intentions and behavior toward green purchases. The research highlights the gap between consumers’ willingness to pay for environmentally friendly products and the actual sales of such products. By incorporating perceived value and willingness to pay into the TPB framework, the study aims to find what factors that can address the gap particularly in a developing country context to contribute to shaping a pro-environmental socio-cultural community in Indonesia and mitigates country’s significant environmental challenges. In the context of 251 young consumers in Indonesia, this study finds that subjective norms do not significantly influence purchase intentions. However, attitudes and behavioral controls do effectively encourage green behavior, suggesting that societal norms for green behavior may not be fully established. In addition, while willingness to pay a premium and perceived value of green purchases can influence green behavior, consumers are generally reluctant to pay higher prices for environmentally friendly products.
This study explores the impact of online assessments on students’ academic performance and learning outcomes at the University of Technology in South Africa. The research problem addresses the effectiveness and challenges of digital assessment platforms in higher education (HE), particularly their influence on student engagement, feedback quality, and academic integrity. A qualitative case study approach was employed, involving semi-structured interviews with ten undergraduate and postgraduate students from diverse academic backgrounds. The findings reveal that while online assessments provide flexibility and immediate feedback, they also pose challenges related to technical issues, feedback delays, and concerns about long-term knowledge retention. The study highlights the necessity of aligning assessment strategies with constructivist learning principles to enhance critical thinking and student-centered learning. Implications for theory include strengthening the application of constructivist learning in digital environments, while practical recommendations focus on improving assessment design, institutional support, and feedback mechanisms. Policy adjustments should consider inclusive and equitable access to online assessments. Future research should further investigate the long-term impact of digital assessments on professional readiness. This study contributes to ongoing discussions on online education by offering a nuanced understanding of digital assessment challenges and opportunities in higher education.
The United Arab Emirates is the most involved country in the world in terms of developing community awareness of the value and importance of tolerance, and high-level human solidarity, enhancing it as a community culture, and informing it of a strong institutional framework, legal and legislative frameworks. The research aims to highlight the United Arabian Emirates government’s contribution to promote tolerance in society. The research fellow is descriptive analytic. The research concluded that the UAE government has succeeded to a large extent in establishing the concept of tolerance through its global role in developing the concept of tolerance. The research recommends the need to expand the application of the culture of tolerance in Arab and international societies and benefit from the experience of the United Arab Emirates in promoting the culture of tolerance.
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