Heat stress amplified by climate change causes excessive reductions in labor capacity, work injuries, and socio-economic losses. Yet studies of corresponding impact assessments and adaptation developments are insufficient and incapable of effectively dealing with uncertain information. This gap is caused by the inability to resolve complex channels involving climate change, labor relations, and labor productivity. In this paper, an optimization-based productivity restoration modeling framework is developed to bridge the gap and support decision-makers in making informed adaptation plans. The framework integrates a multiple-climate-model ensemble, an empirical relationship between heat stress and labor capacity, and an inexact system costs model to investigate underlying uncertainties associated with climate and management systems. Optimal and reliable decision alternatives can be obtained by communicating uncertain information into the optimization processes and resolving multiple channels. Results show that the increased heat stress will lead to a potential reduction in labor productivity in China. By solving the objective function of the framework, total system costs to restore the reduction are estimated to be up to 248,700 million dollars under a Representative Concentration Pathway of 2.6 (RCP2.6) and 697,073 million dollars under RCP8.5 for standard employment, while less costs found for non-standard employment. However, non-standard employment tends to restore productivity reduction with the minimum system cost by implementing active measures rather than passive measures due to the low labor costs resulting from ambiguities among employment statuses. The situation could result in more heat-related work injuries because employers in non-standard employment can avoid the obligation of providing a safe working environment. Urgent actions are needed to uphold labor productivity with climate change, especially to ensure that employers from non-standard employment fulfill their statutory obligations.
Cultivating the thinking quality of high school students is one of the core tasks of high school English curriculum reform. This paper expounds the relationship between the cultivation of thinking quality and reading teaching, combined with the practice of online teaching, taking the Welcome to the unit & reading part of Unit 3 Back to the past in the module 3 of the Jiangsu Education Edition as an example, to discuss how to cultivate English reading in senior high school. Students' logical thinking and critical thinking ability demonstrate the feasibility of cultivating students' thinking quality in the process of high school English reading teaching.
Adult vocational training of higher education institutes has great potential to help workforce coping with uncertainties of the fast-changing Labor market in the era of Industrial Revolution 4.0. However, the lack of clarity regarding strategies for effectively establishing adult vocational training in higher education institutes may hinder progress. The aim of this study was to develop agreed strategies of adult vocational training for higher education institutes in Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, China. The 3-round Delphi method used semi-structured interviews and questionnaires to explore and reach an agreement on the future direction of the strategies. The semi-structured interview was used in the first round to explore the ideas in relation to such strategies. the questionnaires were used in the second and the third rounds to explore further and reach the consensus on expert opinions defined at interquartile range (IQR) ≤ 1. Besides that, Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) methods were used to calculate the weights of each consented statements. Through Delphi method, the comprehensive strategies have been articulated with the highlights of 1 vision, 6 goals and 40 actionable strategies. furthermore, the experts commonly highlighted that the vision of future adult vocational training shall prioritizes cultivating skilled professionals with industrial needs, offering everyone accessible opportunities for career development. Besides that, the result also showed that reskilling and upskilling and extending the leaners’ interpersonal networks have been ranked as the two most important goals for future adult vocational training in higher education institutes.
The global COVID-19 crisis has precipitated an economic downturn in many countries, subsequently raising concerns about the potential challenges faced by marginalized populations, such as refugees, in accessing essential healthcare, hygiene facilities, and critical health information and safety guidelines within the context of Jordan. Consequently, it is of paramount importance to investigate and evaluate the specific economic hurdles related to COVID-19 that refugees are encountering. This inquiry will serve as a valuable foundation for shaping public health interventions aimed at containing the virus’s spread and guiding policymakers on strategies to enhance the well-being of refugees in Jordan. This paper offers a comprehensive examination of Syrian refugees in Jordan, including an analysis of the policies implemented by Jordan concerning Syrian refugees in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. Moreover, the report assesses whether international assistance, both through bilateral and multilateral channels, can mitigate the impact of COVID-19 on Jordan’s capacity to continue hosting Syrian refugees. It also delves into the economic consequences of COVID-19, covering aspects such as poverty, education, the health sector budget, healthcare accessibility, essential needs, livelihoods, the labor market, and food security among Syrian refugees in Jordan.
Africa has been fighting against colonialism and Eurocentrism for a long time in an attempt to reverse the regime of oppression and socio-economic marginalization and exploitation, and take back control of its cultural identity and right to self-determination. This adventure requires the recognition and revitalisation of indigenous arts, culture, and law—all of which have been subjugated and ignored during colonial rule. Ironically, the situation has not improved much by the dominating presence of post-independent neo-colonial structures and perpetuated Eurocentric phenomenon that have been ingrained into the socio-cultural and economic fabrics of the African state. This research explores the critical need for integrating science on African indigenous arts, culture, and legal systems, as a way of globalizing as well as revitalizing these elements, towards the ultimate emancipation of the continent from the vestiges of colonialism and Eurocentricism. Relying on the postcolonial, and indigenous knowledge systems theoretical frameworks, the study engages the ethnographic, collaborative and interdisciplinary research approaches, subjecting data obtained to thematic analysis. Underscoring the profound interconnectedness of science, indigenous arts, and cultural heritage, the study argues that combining scientific methods with indigenous African epistemology provides a powerful framework for advancing Africa’s true independence from the protracted legacies of colonialism and Eurocentrism. The research concludes that a holistic integration of these elements therefore, is indispensable for fostering a decolonized and inclusive approach to knowledge production, self-determination and sustainable development, against the background of the rich insights and sustainable practices embedded within the African cultural traditions. Ultimately, the research recommends that embracing and integrating science on indigenous epistemologies can propel Africa towards an emancipated, truly independent, and culturally affirming future, transcending the enduring legacies of colonialism and Eurocentrism.
The urgency of urban health in Indonesia is very worrying because most of Indonesia’s population now lives in urban areas with minimal supporting infrastructure. That prompted this study to analyze the government’s response to the healthy city development plan in the new capital city. This study uses a qualitative approach that focuses on thematic analysis. It helps check official government documents related to healthy city development plans. The relevant documents that were found were in the form of regulations. This regulation is Law of the Republic of Indonesia Number 3 of 2022 concerning the National Capital (Ibu Kota Negara, IKN). This official document was coded by maximizing the analysis tool, namely NVivo 12 Plus. This study succeeded in mapping several bare references in the healthy city development plan for the new capital city by the Indonesian government. Some of these primary references include the healthy city model (World Health Organization, WHO), the healthy city strategy (Cardiff), and (Vancouver). All of these primary references aim to improve the quality of life of residents in cities through city development that focuses on health. However, there are several challenges that the Indonesian government may face in the future, including problems with air pollution, environmentally friendly transportation, and the provision of green public spaces, health facilities, universal health services, and other infrastructure. This all requires adequate capacity and budget plans, including ensuring transparency in budget management. This study also encourages collaboration between the government, the private sector, and civil society to support the development of healthy cities that run well and sustainably.
Copyright © by EnPress Publisher. All rights reserved.