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A key determinant and outcome of successful environmental education is ‘pro-environmental behavior’, i.e., behavior that involves conscious action to mitigate adverse environmental impacts at personal or community level, e.g., reducing resource consumption and waste generation, avoiding toxic substances, and organizing community awareness initiatives. However, some theorists have sought to move away from rationalist models of behavioral modification, towards holistic pedagogical initiatives that seek to develop action competence. In light of the global push towards achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), emerging evidence suggests that education initiatives should foster action competence so students may be equipped to contribute to sustainable development as part of their education. The UNESCO Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) Roadmap 2030 has also identified key priority areas to strengthen ESD in formal curricula. This article reports two informal environmental education initiatives for promoting action competence and pro-environmental behaviors in school-aged children. The authors recommend that formal education settings (e.g., schools) should incorporate self-directed, free-choice project-based learning to augment environmental education programs and promote students’ action competence for contribution to attainment of SDGs. To this end, we propose a Free-Choice Project-based Learning for Action Competence in Sustainable Development (ACiSD) Curriculum, comprising six implementation dimensions, namely: (1) project duration and teaming arrangements, (2) topic selection, (3) student support, (4) teacher support, (5) learning environments, and (6) digital access and equity. For each implementation dimension, we recommend action steps to help educators implement this curriculum in their own educational settings, with the aid of an illustrative worked example.

Neuroimaging studies have demonstrated gray matter (GM) volume abnormalities in substance users. While the majority of substance users are polysubstance users, very little is known about the relation between GM volume abnormalities and polysubstance use.In this study we assessed the relation between GM volume, and the use of alcohol, tobacco, cocaine and cannabis as well as the total number of substances used, in a sample of 169 males: 15 non-substance users, 89 moderate drinkers, 27 moderate drinkers who also smoke tobacco, 13 moderate drinkers who also smoke tobacco and use cocaine, 10 heavy drinkers who smoke tobacco and use cocaine and 15 heavy drinkers who smoke tobacco, cannabis and use cocaine.Regression analyses showed that there was a negative relation between the number of substances used and volume of the dorsal medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) and the ventral mPFC. Without controlling for the use of other substances, the volume of the dorsal mPFC was negatively associated with the use of alcohol, tobacco, and cocaine. After controlling for the use of other substances, a negative relation was found between tobacco and cocaine and volume of the thalami and ventrolateral PFC, respectively.These findings indicate that mPFC alterations may not be substance-specific, but rather related to the number of substances used, whereas, thalamic and ventrolateral PFC pathology is specifically associated with tobacco and cocaine use, respectively. These findings are important, as the differential alterations in GM volume may underlie different cognitive deficits associated with substance use disorders.

Background: The Skills for Life Adjustment and Resilience (SOLAR) programme is a brief, scalable, psychosocial skill-building programme designed to reduce distress and adjustment difficulties following disaster. Objectives: We tested the feasibility, acceptability, efficacy and safety of a culturally adapted version of SOLAR in two remote, cyclone-affected communities in the Pacific Island nation of Tuvalu. Method: This pilot adopted a quasi-experimental, control design involving 99 participants. SOLAR was administered to the treatment group (n = 49) by local, non-specialist facilitators (i.e. ‘Coaches’) in a massed, group format across 5 consecutive days. The control group (n = 50) had access to Usual Care (UC). We compared group differences (post-intervention vs. post-control) with psychological distress being the primary outcome. We also examined whether changes were maintained at 6-month follow-up. Results: Large, statistically significant group differences in psychological distress were observed after controlling for baseline scores in favour of the SOLAR group. Mean group outcomes were consistently lower at 6-month follow-up than at baseline. SOLAR was found to be acceptable and safe, and programme feedback from participants and Coaches was overwhelmingly positive. Conclusions: Findings contribute to emerging evidence that SOLAR is a flexible, culturally adaptable and scalable intervention that can support individual recovery and adjustment in the aftermath of disaster. RCTs to strengthen evidence of SOLAR’s efficacy are warranted. We report findings from the first control trial of SOLAR, a post-trauma, psychosocial intervention.SOLAR proved feasible, acceptable, safe, and effective relative to Usual Care when delivered using task-sharing to residents of the Small Island Developing State of Tuvalu. We report findings from the first control trial of SOLAR, a post-trauma, psychosocial intervention. SOLAR proved feasible, acceptable, safe, and effective relative to Usual Care when delivered using task-sharing to residents of the Small Island Developing State of Tuvalu.

AbstractDengue is a mosquito-borne viral infection that has spread throughout the tropical world over the past 60 years and now affects over half the world’s population. The geographical range of dengue is expected to further expand due to ongoing global phenomena including climate change and urbanization. We applied statistical mapping techniques to the most extensive database of case locations to date to predict global environmental suitability for the virus as of 2015. We then made use of climate, population and socioeconomic projections for the years 2020, 2050 and 2080 to project future changes in virus suitability and human population at risk. This study is the first to consider the spread of Aedes mosquito vectors to project dengue suitability. Our projections provide a key missing piece of evidence for the changing global threat of vector-borne disease and will help decision-makers worldwide to better prepare for and respond to future changes in dengue risk.

Since 2015 there has been a surge of international agendas to address a range of global challenges: climate change (Paris Agreement), sustainable development (Agenda 2030), disaster risk reduction (Sendai Framework) and sustainable urban transformation (New Urban Agenda). Health is relevant to all of these agendas. Policymakers must now translate these global agendas into national level policies to implement the agreed goals in a coherent manner. However, approaches to synergise health activities within and across these agendas are needed, in order to achieve better coherence and maximise national level implementation. This research evaluated the framing of human health within these agendas. A content analysis of the agendas was conducted. Findings indicate (i) the importance of increased awareness of health systems strengthening as a helpful framework to guide the integration of health issues across the agendas, (ii) only two health themes had synergies across the agendas, (iii) the lack of a governance mechanism to support the integration of these four agendas to enable national (and sub-national) governments to more feasibly implement their ambitions, and (iv) the vital component of health leadership. Finally, planetary health is a relevant and timely concept that can support the urgent shift to a healthy planet and people.

Epidemic thunderstorm asthma (ETSA) is due to a complex interaction of environmental and individual susceptibility factors, with outbreaks reported globally over the last four decades. Australia has been particularly susceptible with nearly half of episodes reported internationally, culminating in the catastrophic Melbourne 2016 event.Reported ETSA episodes are reviewed for common environmental and meteorological risk factors. Allergen aerobiology interaction with thunderstorm activity and rapid weather condition changes is examined. Assessment of the clinical and immunological data highlights risk factors for ETSA presentation, hospital admission, and intensive care admission. Risk factors associated with ETSA deaths are evaluated. Public health strategies, as well as pharmacological and immunological management approaches to reduce individual susceptibility and prevent ETSA are discussed.Improved understanding of the specific meteorological factors predisposing to the greatest risk of ETSA to improve forecasting is required. Better monitoring of aeroallergen levels in areas of greatest geographic risk, with further research into allergen aerobiology underpinning mechanisms of allergen exposure is needed. The role of climate change in increasing the risk of ETSA outbreaks requires further research. Public awareness and education are required to reduce exposure, and to improve uptake of pharmacological and immunological risk reduction and preventive strategies.

The complexities behind the mechanisms associated with virus-host-vector interactions of vector-transmitted viruses, and their consequences for disease development need to be understood to reduce virus spread and disease severity. Climate has a substantial effect on viruses, vectors, host plants and their interactions. Increased atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) is predicted to impact the interactions between them. This study, conducted under ambient and elevated CO2 (550μmolmol-1), in the Australian Grains Free Air Carbon Enrichment facility reports on natural yellow dwarf virus incidence on wheat (including Barley/Cereal yellow dwarf viruses (B/CYDV)). A range of wheat cultivars was tested using tissue blot immunoassay to determine the incidence of four yellow dwarf virus species from 2013 to 2016. In 2013, 2014 and 2016, virus incidence was high, reaching upwards of 50%, while in 2015 it was relatively low, with a maximum incidence of 3%. Across all years and most cultivars, BYDV-PAV was the most prevalent virus species. In the years with high virus incidence, a majority plots with the elevated levels of CO2 (eCO2) were associated with increased levels of virus relative to the plots with ambient CO2. In 2013, 2014 and 2016 the recorded mean percent virus incidence was higher under elevated CO2 when compared to ambient CO2 by 33%, 14% and 34%, respectively. The mechanism behind increased yellow dwarf virus incidence under elevated CO2 is not well understood. Potential factors involved in the higher virus incidence under elevated CO2 conditions are discussed.