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All countries in Europe have road fuel taxes and these account for roughly half of the net fuel price. We compare current road fuel taxes and corrective taxes, estimated on the basis of negative externalities from road transport for 22 European countries, taking into account the effect of fuel taxation on fuel efficiency. We focus on cars running on diesel or petrol and commercial vehicles running on diesel. If fuel taxes were intended to internalize all road transport externalities, then a number of countries could be considered to be on the right path already in what respects petrol taxation. Diesel, on the other hand, seems to be under-taxed in all 22 countries. Petrol tax increases would be in order in some countries and diesel tax increases would be in order in all 22 countries, at least as a bridge until fine-tuned policies, such as widespread peak congestion pricing or pay-as-you-drive insurance can be put in place.

The security of energy supply has again become a similarly hot topic as it was during the oil crises in the 1970s, not least due to the recent historical oil price peaks. In this paper, we analyze the energy security situation of the G7 countries using a statistical risk indicator and empirical energy data for the years 1978 through 2007. We find that Germany's energy supply risk has risen substantially since the oil price crises of the 1970s, whereas France has managed to reduce its risk dramatically, most notably through the deployment of nuclear power plants. As a result of the legally stipulated nuclear phase-out, Germany's supply risk can be expected to rise further and to approach the level of Italy. Due to its resource poverty, Italy has by far the highest energy supply risk among G7 countries.

Le consortium du programme de recherche sur la recherche appliquée en matière d'assainissement et d'hygiène pour l'équité (SHARE) est un programme financé par le ministère britannique du développement international (DFID) qui vise à contribuer à la réalisation de l'accès universel à un assainissement et à une hygiène efficaces, durables et équitables dans le monde entier. La composante de développement des capacités est un pilier important de ce programme et différentes stratégies ont été conçues et mises en œuvre au cours des différentes phases de SHARE. Ce document décrit et réfléchit aux stratégies de renforcement des capacités de ce grand consortium de recherche multinational, en identifiant les leçons apprises et en proposant des recommandations pour les futurs programmes de recherche en santé mondiale. Dans la première phase, la stratégie s'est concentrée sur le renforcement de la capacité des individus et des institutions des pays à revenu faible et intermédiaire à mener leurs propres recherches. SHARE a soutenu six doctorants et 25 étudiants en MSc, et a organisé un large éventail d'événements de formation pour différentes parties prenantes. SHARE a examiné toutes les propositions soumises par les chercheurs dans le cadre de plusieurs cycles de financement et a proposé un examen par les pairs externe pour tous les rapports produits dans le cadre des plateformes de recherche du partenaire. Dans la deuxième phase, l'objectif était de soutenir le développement des capacités d'un plus petit nombre d'institutions de recherche africaines afin de progresser vers leur durabilité indépendante, en mettant davantage l'accent sur les scientifiques en début et en milieu de carrière au sein de ces institutions. Dans chaque institution, un chercheur a été soutenu et un plan spécifique de développement des capacités a été élaboré conjointement. Les stratégies qui ont été couronnées de succès étaient l'apprentissage par la pratique (soutien aux institutions et aux étudiants de troisième cycle sur la recherche en assainissement et en hygiène), l'octroi de bourses pour nommer des scientifiques en milieu de carrière afin de soutenir le développement personnel et institutionnel, et le soutien de plans de renforcement des capacités sur mesure. Les principaux enseignements tirés ont été que les programmes de renforcement des capacités de recherche doivent être pilotés par des initiatives locales adaptées avec le soutien de partenaires. Nous recommandons que les futurs programmes visant à renforcer les capacités de recherche envisagent des stratégies ciblées pour les individus en début, en milieu et en fin de carrière et soient sensibles aux autres opérations institutionnelles pour soutenir à la fois les capacités de recherche et de gestion. El consorcio del Programa de Investigación de Investigación Aplicada de Saneamiento e Higiene para la Equidad (SHARE) es un programa financiado por el Departamento de Desarrollo Internacional del Reino Unido (DFID) que tiene como objetivo contribuir a lograr el acceso universal a un saneamiento e higiene efectivos, sostenibles y equitativos en todo el mundo. El componente de desarrollo de capacidades es un pilar importante para este programa y se diseñaron e implementaron diferentes estrategias durante las diversas fases de SHARE. Este documento describe y reflexiona sobre las estrategias de desarrollo de capacidades de este gran consorcio de investigación multinacional, identificando las lecciones aprendidas y proponiendo recomendaciones para futuros programas mundiales de investigación en salud. En la primera fase, la estrategia se centró en aumentar la capacidad de las personas e instituciones de los países de ingresos bajos y medios para realizar sus propias investigaciones. SHARE apoyó a seis estudiantes de doctorado y 25 estudiantes de maestría, y organizó una amplia gama de eventos de capacitación para diferentes partes interesadas. SHARE revisó por pares todas las propuestas que los investigadores presentaron a través de varias rondas de financiación y ofreció una revisión externa por pares para todos los informes producidos en las plataformas de investigación del socio. En la segunda fase, el objetivo era apoyar el desarrollo de capacidades de un número menor de instituciones de investigación africanas para avanzar hacia su sostenibilidad independiente, con un mayor enfoque en los científicos de carrera temprana y media dentro de estas instituciones. En cada institución, se apoyó a un becario de investigación y se desarrolló conjuntamente un plan específico de desarrollo de capacidades. Las estrategias que tuvieron éxito fueron aprender haciendo (apoyando a instituciones y estudiantes de posgrado en investigación de saneamiento e higiene), proporcionando becas para nombrar científicos a mitad de carrera para apoyar el desarrollo personal e institucional, y apoyando planes de desarrollo de capacidades personalizados. Las principales lecciones aprendidas fueron que los programas de creación de capacidad de investigación deben ser impulsados por iniciativas locales adaptadas con el apoyo de los socios. Recomendamos que los futuros programas que busquen fortalecer la capacidad de investigación consideren estrategias específicas para las personas en las etapas iniciales, intermedias y posteriores de la carrera y que sean sensibles a otras operaciones institucionales para apoyar tanto las capacidades de investigación como de gestión. The Sanitation and Hygiene Applied Research for Equity (SHARE) Research Programme consortium is a programme funded by the United Kingdom Department for International Development (DFID) that aims to contribute to achieving universal access to effective, sustainable, and equitable sanitation and hygiene worldwide. The capacity development component is an important pillar for this programme and different strategies were designed and implemented during the various phases of SHARE. This paper describes and reflects on the capacity-building strategies of this large multi-country research consortium, identifying lessons learnt and proposing recommendations for future global health research programmes. In the first phase, the strategy focused on increasing the capacity of individuals and institutions from low- and middle-income countries in conducting their own research. SHARE supported six PhD students and 25 MSc students, and organised a wide range of training events for different stakeholders. SHARE peer-reviewed all proposals that researchers submitted through several rounds of funding and offered external peer-review for all the reports produced under the partner's research platforms. In the second phase, the aim was to support capacity development of a smaller number of African research institutions to move towards their independent sustainability, with a stronger focus on early and mid-career scientists within these institutions. In each institution, a Research Fellow was supported and a specific capacity development plan was jointly developed. Strategies that yielded success were learning by doing (supporting institutions and postgraduate students on sanitation and hygiene research), providing fellowships to appoint mid-career scientists to support personal and institutional development, and supporting tailored capacity-building plans. The key lessons learnt were that research capacity-building programmes need to be driven by local initiatives tailored with support from partners. We recommend that future programmes seeking to strengthen research capacity should consider targeted strategies for individuals at early, middle and later career stages and should be sensitive to other institutional operations to support both the research and management capacities. اتحاد برنامج أبحاث البحوث التطبيقية في مجال الصرف الصحي والنظافة الصحية من أجل الإنصاف (SHARE) هو برنامج تموله وزارة التنمية الدولية في المملكة المتحدة (DFID) يهدف إلى المساهمة في تحقيق الوصول الشامل إلى الصرف الصحي والنظافة الصحية الفعالة والمستدامة والمنصفة في جميع أنحاء العالم. يعد عنصر تنمية القدرات ركيزة مهمة لهذا البرنامج وتم تصميم وتنفيذ استراتيجيات مختلفة خلال المراحل المختلفة للمشاركة. تصف هذه الورقة وتعكس استراتيجيات بناء القدرات لهذا الاتحاد البحثي الكبير متعدد البلدان، وتحديد الدروس المستفادة واقتراح توصيات لبرامج البحوث الصحية العالمية المستقبلية. في المرحلة الأولى، ركزت الاستراتيجية على زيادة قدرة الأفراد والمؤسسات من البلدان المنخفضة والمتوسطة الدخل على إجراء أبحاثهم الخاصة. دعمت SHARE ستة طلاب دكتوراه و 25 طالب ماجستير، ونظمت مجموعة واسعة من الأحداث التدريبية لمختلف أصحاب المصلحة. شارك جميع المقترحات التي قدمها الباحثون من خلال عدة جولات من التمويل واستعرضها الأقران وقدموا مراجعة خارجية لجميع التقارير التي تم إنتاجها في إطار منصات البحث الخاصة بالشريك. في المرحلة الثانية، كان الهدف هو دعم تنمية قدرات عدد أقل من المؤسسات البحثية الأفريقية للتحرك نحو استدامتها المستقلة، مع التركيز بشكل أكبر على العلماء الأوائل والمتوسطين داخل هذه المؤسسات. في كل مؤسسة، تم دعم زميل باحث وتم وضع خطة محددة لتنمية القدرات بشكل مشترك. كانت الاستراتيجيات التي حققت النجاح هي التعلم بالممارسة (دعم المؤسسات وطلاب الدراسات العليا في أبحاث الصرف الصحي والنظافة)، وتقديم زمالات لتعيين علماء في منتصف حياتهم المهنية لدعم التنمية الشخصية والمؤسسية، ودعم خطط بناء القدرات المصممة خصيصًا. كانت الدروس الرئيسية المستفادة هي أن برامج بناء القدرات البحثية يجب أن تكون مدفوعة بمبادرات محلية مصممة بدعم من الشركاء. نوصي بأن تنظر البرامج المستقبلية التي تسعى إلى تعزيز القدرة البحثية في الاستراتيجيات المستهدفة للأفراد في المراحل المهنية المبكرة والمتوسطة واللاحقة وأن تكون حساسة للعمليات المؤسسية الأخرى لدعم كل من القدرات البحثية والإدارية.

Environmental degradation caused by various human activities has been a subject of attention over the globe. There is a concern on how to maintain a clean environment and at the same time achieve optimum production of food and non-food products amidst global energy demand. To this end, this study examines the impact of agricultural development, energy use, and economic growth on CO2 emissions in the emerging seven countries that comprises China, India, Brazil, Mexico, Russia, Indonesia, and Turkey for the annual time frequency from 1990 to 2016. The study uses a battery of econometrics techniques for soundness of analysis the consist of pooled mean group autoregressive distributed lag methodology, dynamic ordinary least squares, and fully modified ordinary least squares as estimation techniques alongside Dumitrescu and Hurlin causality test for the direction of causality analysis. Empirical results revealed that value-added agriculture and economic growth are drivers of CO2 emission in the E7 countries, and the rise in renewable energy causes a reduction in CO2 emissions, while in the short run, economic growth has a positive impact on emissions in the focus countries. Causality analysis shows that there is a feedback causality between economic growth and emissions, between value-added agriculture and energy usage, between emission and value-added agriculture, and between economic growth and agricultural development. Furthermore, energy use does not cause emissions directly; it causes economic growth and value-added agriculture which causes emissions. This position aligns with the advocacy of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal (UN-SDG) Targets 7 and 13 of clean energy access and mitigation of climate changes issues.

Under current trends, 60% of India's population (>10% of people on Earth) will experience severe food deficiencies by 2050. Increased production is urgently needed, but high costs and volatile prices are driving farmers into debt. Zero budget natural farming (ZBNF) is a grassroots movement that aims to improve farm viability by reducing costs. In Andhra Pradesh alone, 523,000 farmers have converted 13% of productive agricultural area to ZBNF. However, sustainability of ZBNF is questioned because external nutrient inputs are limited, which could cause a crash in food production. Here, we show that ZBNF is likely to reduce soil degradation and could provide yield benefits for low-input farmers. Nitrogen fixation, either by free-living nitrogen fixers in soil or symbiotic nitrogen fixers in legumes, is likely to provide the major portion of nitrogen available to crops. However, even with maximum potential nitrogen fixation and release, only 52-80% of the national average nitrogen applied as fertilizer is expected to be supplied. Therefore, in higher-input systems, yield penalties are likely. Since biological fixation from the atmosphere is possible only with nitrogen, ZBNF could limit the supply of other nutrients. Further research is needed in higher-input systems to ensure that mass conversion to ZBNF does not limit India's capacity to feed itself.

Urbanization is commonly described as the process of population flow from rural to urban areas. As the largest developing country, China has experienced an unprecedentedly fast and large urbanization process since 1980s, which will continue for the coming future. The immense scale of the process has brought multidimensional benefits across all sectors in the country, yet also consumed a vast amount of resources and caused various types of environmental problems. The conflict between limited resources and an unstoppable urbanization process has become a pressing issue, which presents the urgent need for efficiency pursuance in the process of urbanization in order to ensure sustainable urban development. It is considered that the improvement of urbanization efficiency in large developing countries such as China has great implications for global sustainability. There is little existing study conducted to understand what efficiency achieved in the current fast urban development era in China. This study investigates the urbanization efficiency and its changes in the contemporary China. A set of input-output indicators are employed for analyzing the efficiency, in which both desirable and undesirable outputs are considered. The Super-efficiency Slack-based Measure (SBM) model and DEA-based Malmquist Production Index (MPI) are adopted collectively for conducting data analysis. The research is conducted at provincial level in China and the data collected for analysis are from 30 provinces for the period of 2006–2015. The results from this study show that the overall urbanization efficiency in China during the surveyed period is low, although certain improvement has been achieved. The difference between good and poor performers is considerable. In general, those provinces with better social and economic background have better urbanization efficiency performance. East China is much better than the rest of China, whilst Southwest region has the poorest performance.