global problems
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Abstract How to fight global problems with local tools? When only firms know what externality-producing activities can be relocated, policies shape the location distribution of firm types with different social values. We find that, because of this selection effect, the optimal local policies confront firms’ mobility with elevated corrective externality prices, in contrast with the common remedies for the relocation risk. Our mechanism incentivizes also moving firms to limit the externality, and it influences strategically the distribution of moving firms that comply with policies elsewhere. The magnitude of these effects is illustrated by a quantification for the key sectors in the EU emissions trading system.

Water pollution is one of the key global problems which require immediate attention. Worldwide, it is predicted that more than 50% of countries will encounter water scarcities by 2025 which will increase to 75% by 2075. Each year more than 5 million people die due to water-borne diseases. The threat due to pollution by industries, exponential population growth, urbanization, by pathogenic microorganisms from human and animal waste, etc. The rise in water pollution and its subsequent effects on human health and environment is a matter of great concern. The water pollutants ought to be removed to improve water quality for human use. Nanoparticles or zero dimensional materials have been extensively studied since long, whereas one dimensional material (nanorods, nanotubes, nanowires, or nanofibers) have recently grabbed a lot of interest from global researchers. Nanofibers having large aspect ratio are grabbing incredible attention owing to dependency of physical property on directionality having high porosity and surface area as compared to normal fibers.

The primary aim of this article is to analyze the life events and strategies of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ to reveal conflict resolution (CR) forms that may offer solutions to contemporary global problems and challenges faced by contemporary human societies. This study also aspires to contribute to world peace and interfaith harmony by discussing the ideal personality of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, who is stereotypically quoted in the west. The main characteristics of a successful leader and examples from the life of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, are included. It is evident from the given literature that he greatly respected for other religions, cultures, and ideas; even in case of disagreement, he showed tolerance and took great care to handle the situation. In this study, the existing literature is examined and a qualitative exploration is carried out in order to formulate a better understanding of the dynamics of the teachings of the Prophet ﷺ, with regard to peace and conflict resolution. In the end it reveals that the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, employed all his energies and divine assistance to resolve the conflicting issues through negotiations and peacefully.  He showed an appreciation of the dignity of all living beings irrespective of their gender, race, or societal status. The article covers the teachings of the Prophet ﷺ and analyzes the historical events of the life of the Prophet Muhammad. Some of the questions addressed in this research are: how can this knowledge be used to solve difficulties that the Muslims are witnessing after 9/11? What is status of the Qur'an and the Hadith related to peace and conflict? And above all, how does Islam handle conflict resolution?  

The need for environmental protection is based on the assumption that environmental degradation harms humans and hinders economic development. However, the real resolution of the contradiction between the economy and nature in the field of environmental protection causes certain difficulties, as evidenced by the growing threat to environmental safety in the world. We invite readers to discuss the materials of our analysis and a general assessment of the global problems of our time and possible ways for the further development of mankind. The author grouped them in a number of areas: the essence and classification of the main problems of our time; the origins of the global problems of our time; possible consequences of a nuclear war; theories of "Global crises" and "Cornucopia"; the concepts of "Sustainable Development", "Golden Billion", "10 Golden Billions"; the problem of the relationship between the social and the biological in man. Based on the results of the discussion, we hope to determine the role of the state, man and society as a whole, their level of interaction in developing solutions for the preservation of the environment and humanity as a species at the present stage of its development.

The sustainability of existence and the high destructive potential of corruption determined its place among the global problems that the humanity faces. One of the unique characteristics of corruption is its ability to adapt to the changing factors of the external environment, including the preventive measures. At the same time, continuous reproduction and development of various forms of corruption predetermines the necessity for improving ways of preventing it. Delays or insufficient effectiveness of counteracting publicly dangerous forms of corruption may jeopardize the system-forming elements of the society and the state, may result in their destruction. The complex nature of the phenomenon of corruption requires a search for new fundamental approaches in counteracting it. From the standpoint of history, the Russian Federation developed the legal and organizational basis of counteracting corruption in the shortest time possible. At the same time, the analysis of how this system functions makes it possible to conclude that it is at the limit of its possible extension. The existing situation is partially explained by the fact that, in view of the urgency of problems to be solved, the practice of building the state model of corruption counteraction was always ahead of scientific findings, which led to inevitable intrasystem contradictions. To reach a whole new level in the development of anti-corruption work, it is necessary to find fundamentally new approaches which would make it possible to unite a substantial body of available interdisciplinary knowledge within one guiding idea and present an optimal theoretical model. Modern Russian research is actively studying specific features of corruption and corruption crimes as well as ways of preventing them. At the same time, there have not yet been any fundamental research of the criminological aspects of anti-corruption activities from the standpoint of ensuring national security. One of the prospective directions of such research is the development of the theoretical basis of anti-corruption security as an inter-branch direction of research. Taking into account that crimes of corruption inflict the greatest damage on public relations, it should be noted that the research of anti-corruption criminological security has a considerable scientific potential. Primary cognition of poly-aspect manifestations of anti-corruption criminological security as well as its systemic-structural characteristics will allow to estimate the prospects of the presented direction of research.

Those who believe in the simplistic trust model between politics and science unintentionally (or intentionally) omit the fact that there exists something called cultural value systems and norms, which govern the formation, growth and demise of a group. These elements are so critical that by setting them aside, we risk entering total disagreements whenever difficult problems arise. One such serious problem is the climate crisis and the need for building the eleventh cultural value as proposed by Vuong [7]. And this value will complement the progressive value system suggested by Harrison [8]. It is safe to say that besides hard-core sciences, resolving global problems posing existential threats to humankind will certainly require us to deploy our best weapons, and many must come from the social sciences and humanities [9]. Therefore, the future solution to global change problems will have to show us its social heart.

Welcome to the special double issue of IASSIST Quarterly 2021 (IQ vol. 45(3-4) 2021).  IASSIST is an acronym. You may think that the word is the contraction of the two words 'I assist'. In my mind, you are right! Whether the word IASSIST or the long explanation of seven words came first is the problem of the chicken and the egg. However, it is undisputed that when it is spelled out, the first I in IASSIST is for International. That has been so from its founding in 1974. Having IASSIST members in USA, Canada, and some (west) European countries was for a long time what we myopic westerners considered to be international. It is with great pleasure that IASSIST Quarterly now presents a double issue from a regional workshop in Africa. Even in 2021, it is only a small number of IASSIST's members who are from regions not part of the western world. However, having a special issue from the African region is an important contribution to making IASSIST truly international. The phrase 'think globally, act locally' is a good framing of the compressed word 'glocal'. This special issue was compiled by guest editors Winny Nekesa Akullo and Robert Stalone Buwule, and they were also behind the Africa Regional Workshop that took place at Makerere University (Kampala, Uganda) on January 11 to 13, 2021. Winny Nekesa Akullo works as Head, Library and Documentation Centre at Public Procurement and Disposal of Public Assets Authority in Uganda, and is the IASSIST Africa Regional Secretary. Robert Stalone Buwule is Senior Assistant Librarian at Kyambogo University, also in Uganda. The themes of the workshop addressed a world issue: 'Data Literacy as a catalyst for achieving Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)'. Thus, global problems were addressed from a local viewpoint. Great thanks to Winny and Robert for their lead in the arrangement of the workshop and extra thanks to them for collecting, editing, and making the papers of the regional workshop available to us all, and for making the regional international and the local global. Enjoy the reading! Karsten Boye Rasmussen - December 2021  

The world is in a state of crisis [...]

Disinformation and the proliferation of fake news are global problems that affect the stability of democracies throughout the world. The capacity of distorted information to interfere in election processes or in political agendas has led different actors to create verification initiatives, which operate in partnership with the mass media. Recently, during the 2020 health crisis, false information has proved to have damaging power not only at the levels of politics or communication, but also at a health level. Therefore, the social need to access reliable and quality information, as well as verified information aimed at eradicating hoaxes, becomes evident. This paper focuses on the European context, analyzing the relationship between active verifiers and television stations that are members of the CIRCOM Network, considering their strategies and verification programs. Using a qualitative methodology an exploratory study has been carried out, mapping initiatives and stations by assessing their contribution of verified information to society.

The essence and significance of strategic analysis in the process of determining the strategic direction of enterprise development are considered. Approaches to the implementation of strategic analysis of the external environment are studied, the tools and methods of its implementation are determined. It is established that the main methods of assessing the impact of environmental factors are PEST-analysis and SWOT analysis. The purpose of PEST-analysis is to determine the impact of political, legal, economic, socio-cultural, and technological aspects of the environment, which allows identifying environmental factors that most affect the activities of business structures, as well as to predict favorable or threatening dynamics of their impact. Given the globalization of society, deepening and exacerbation of global problems, it is proposed to supplement the matrix of PEST-analysis of macro-environmental factors with the block "Global Problems" which covers economic, energy, demographic, social, environmental, and other spheres of human existence to change the factors of the external environment form the corresponding changes in the internal environment. The PEST-analysis itself allows for the development of the factors of the new middle, as it infuses the most into the scope of the household structures, and also transfers it to the more friendly and threatens the dynamism with the inflow of the cich factors. Protest, then, it means, that the globalization of the suspension and the diagnosis of global problems of the people is fueled by the correlation of the efficiency of all social and economic systems. Therefore, it is important to add the PEST-analysis matrix with the “Global Problems / Global Problems” block, which inject me into the singing world, and start the development of all officials of the new middle middle class, right into the middle of the earth.