Month: February 2025

Thirsty for Trade: How Globalization Shapes Virtual Water Trade

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Abstract

We investigate the distributional implications of trade policy (import tariffs) for virtual water embodied in traded agricultural products. To do this, we undertake an econometric analysis and counterfactual simulation exercise using a structural gravity framework to quantify the impacts of (i) preferential tariff schemes and (ii) hypothetical global tariff liberalization for virtual water trade in 15 major primary agricultural commodities. We find that tariff preferences have been responsible for increased virtual water exports from developing water-scarce countries predominantly located in Africa and Asia. Conversely, tariff preferences are responsible for higher levels of virtual water imports by countries in the Americas, Europe, and the Middle East. However, we estimate that further trade liberalization would reverse this pattern and benefit many water-scarce countries in the Global South in securing their domestic water resources.

Digitalization and cross-border tax fraud: evidence from e-invoicing in Italy

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Abstract

The digitalization of transaction processes through tools such as electronic invoicing (e-invoicing) aims to improve tax compliance and reduce administrative costs. Another important aspect of digitalization is its potential to reduce tax fraud. We exploit the comprehensive introduction of e-invoicing in Italy in 2019 and examine the effect of increased domestic tax enforcement capabilities on cross-border value-added tax (VAT) fraud. As a proxy for this fraud, we make use of the discrepancy in trade data that are double-reported in both the importing and exporting country (trade data gap, TDG). We calculate the TDG for imports to Italy from all other EU countries at the most detailed product level. Our results suggest a significant decline in cross-border fraud in response to the introduction of mandatory e-invoicing, providing an important rationale for the application of this measure by other countries. Furthermore, we estimate that e-invoicing decreased the Italian VAT loss in 2019 by about € 2.2 billion to € 2.6 billion compared to 2018. In this context, we underpin the suitability of the TDG as an approach for the study of anti-fraud measures.

Contact metamorphism and dolomitization overprint on Cambrian carbonates from the Ossa-Morena Zone (SW Iberian Massif): implications to Sr-chronology of carbonate rocks

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Abstract

The Cambrian Series 2 Carbonate Formation from the Alter do Chão Elvas-Cumbres Mayores unit (Ossa-Morena Zone, SW Iberian Massif) is composed of regionally metamorphosed marbles and marlstones that underwent chlorite zone metamorphism and preserve the primaeval limestone 87Sr/86Sr ratios (0.7083–0.7088). These are consistent with the established Lower Cambrian seawater curve, and therefore used for age constraints in formations lacking fossil contents. The regional mineralogical and Sr-isotopic features of the carbonate rocks are frequently overprinted by the effects of contact metamorphism induced by magmatic bodies emplaced during rift-related and synorogenic events of the Palaeozoic, as well as by post-metamorphic dolomitization processes. The development of calc-silicate minerals due to contact metamorphism is common in the rocks of the Carbonate Formation and apparently results from the interaction of the protolith with fluids of different origin: (i) internally produced fluids released by conductive heating (observed in external contact aureoles) and (ii) external intrusion-expelled fluids that, besides leading to the appearance of distinctive assemblages, also promote an influx of strontium content (observed in roof pendants). Calc-silicate mineralogy varies substantially throughout the region, likely due to the heterogeneous distribution of silicate minerals of the protolith, progression of intrusion-driven fluids, and the irregular effect of thermal gradients. Results suggest that high-grade contact metamorphism (hornblende facies or higher) and dolomitization processes imposed on the Carbonate Formation significantly influence the isotopic signatures of the carbonates, providing limitations in applying Sr-isotopic chronology.

Graphical abstract

Mineralogy and Sr-isotope features of contact metamorphism and late dolomitization in the primary signature of the Cambrian Carbonate Formation (Ossa-Morena Zone)

Church Leaders Share and Implement Solution-Focused Health Strategies During the COVID-19 Pandemic in Rural Alabama

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Abstract

Bridging the healthcare access gap and addressing COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy among rural-dwelling Black American adults residing in the Deep South require involvement of faith-based leaders in the community. This study explored perceived barriers and resources to meeting community needs, including vaccination, during the COVID-19 pandemic as reported by 17 Black American church leaders in the rural West Alabama Black Belt geographic region in May 2022. The main themes that emerged included (1) attending to community impact of COVID-19 illness and death; (2) maximizing health literacy and diminishing vaccine hesitancy through engaging in preventive health practices and sharing public health information; (3) addressing challenges created or exacerbated by COVID-19, including reduction in in-person attendance (particularly among adolescents and young adults), limited access to and literacy with technology, and political perceptions influencing engagement in preventive health behaviors; (4) maximizing technological solutions to increase attendance in the church; and (5) engaging in solution-focused and innovative initiatives to meet the identified needs in the congregation and community. Church leaders in West Alabama rural areas facing economic, health, and technological disparities identified “silver linings” as well as challenges created or exacerbated during the pandemic. As the need for COVID-19 vaccination and booster vaccination continues, Black American church leaders play pivotal roles in meeting rural community needs.

Reinforcement Q-learning enabled energy-efficient service function chain provisioning in multi-domain networks

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Abstract

Network function virtualization (NFV) technology is an efficient way to address the increasing difficulty of provisioning and managing network services. However, NFV-related service function chaining (SFC) deployment in multi-domain networks remains challenging, and there is still room for performance improvement. This paper investigates many heuristic algorithms in the same field and proposes a new method for dynamic SFC deployment in a multi-domain network. In our study, we combine a heuristic algorithm with reinforcement learning and divide the complex problem into several parts. This algorithm efficiently gives the SFC deployment scheme in the multi-domain network with subdomain privacy protection requirements and considers the energy savings of the multi-domain networks. Compared with the existing approach, the proposed algorithm has superiorities in terms of deployment success ratio, deployment profit, time efficiency, and energy consumption.

BT-CNV: A distributed and decentralized solution for certificate notarization and verification for academia using public blockchain

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Abstract

In the past, blockchain technology has received much attention due to its unique properties and potential to transform various sectors, including education. As of today, the forgery of certificates is the most significant issue in the education sector, posing severe challenges for academic institutions, employers, and individuals seeking genuine qualifications. It proposes an Ethereum blockchain-based certificate notarization and verification framework to overcome the cited challenges. This work introduces the consensus mechanism for the education sector, known as EduCM, which will be based on the proof-of-authority (PoA) consensus model within the proposed BT-CNV framework. The work introduces a user registration approach, a certificate notarization approach, and a certificate verification approach within the proposed BT-CNV framework. These processes rely on combining decentralized storage using IPFS and the power of blockchain technology to guarantee security and integrity and provide verifiability for educational certificates. In this framework, the Elliptic Curve Digital Signature Algorithm is used for digitally signing and verifying peer-to-peer network transactions, the SHA-256 algorithm serves as the cryptographic hashing function, IPFS provides decentralized storage services, and EduCM is used to validate network transactions. In the Remix IDE, MetaMask wallet, and Sepolia test network, we implemented the BT-CNV framework. Experiments were conducted to evaluate BlockSim simulation toolkit performance measurements of throughput, latency, response time, and standard deviation metrics. The proposed BT-CNV framework realizes an average throughput of 319.36 TPS, a latency of 44.1 milliseconds, a response time of 85.5 milliseconds, and a standard deviation of 81.7 milliseconds. We make a security analysis of the BT-CNV framework, compare the features of the proposed EduCM with past proposals, and find that the new features offered by the proposed BT-CNV framework enhance the security capabilities. This work also highlights the positive impacts, implications, and societal contributions of this proposed BT-CNV framework on the broader community. This initiative will positively impact the issue of fraudulent credentials and certificate forgery.

Fengyun Radiation Services for Solar Energy Meteorology: Status and Perspective

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Abstract

Satellite remote sensing is essential for solar energy meteorology. The 14-channel Advanced Geostationary Radiation Imager of the Fengyun-4 series of satellites performs a full-disc scan over greater China every 15 min, providing high-granularity information that allows the retrieval of cloud properties, aerosol optical depth, and precipitable water vapor content, which can facilitate the acquisition of surface solar irradiance components through physical methods. Machine-learning methods have also shown potential in providing accurate end-to-end surface solar radiation retrievals. Albeit the physical principles of irradiance retrieval and machine-learning algorithms are fairly well known, the public service concerning disseminating the irradiance product to the energy and power industry still lacks robustness and consistency. In this perspective article, the status quo of Fengyun-4 irradiance products is first reviewed. Then, from the perspective of solar resource assessment and forecasting, three fundamental characteristics of the kind of irradiance products that are most serviceable to the solar energy sector are identified, namely, coverage, timeliness, and accessibility. Finally, an outlook on the new-generation Fengyun radiation service is put forward, and the prospective scientific and practical challenges are elaborated.

A Second Tutorial Review of the Solar Power Curve: Applications in Energy Meteorology

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Abstract

The fundamental scientific and engineering knowledge concerning the solar power curve, which maps solar irradiance and other auxiliary meteorological variables to photovoltaic output power, has been gathered and put forward in the preceding tutorial review. Despite the many pages of that review, it was incomplete in the sense that it did not elaborate on the applications of this very important tool of solar energy meteorology. Indeed, solar power curves are ubiquitously needed in a broad spectrum of solar forecasting and solar resource assessment tasks. Hence, this tutorial review should continue from where it left off and present examples concerning the usage of solar power curves. In a nutshell, this tutorial review, together with the preceding one, should elucidate how surface shortwave radiation data, be they ground-based, satellite-retrieved, or model-output, are bridged to various power system operations via solar power curves.

Border militarization affects people’s interactions with nature in Białowieża Forest

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Abstract

Border militarization can impede people’s interactions with nature in borderlands. We surveyed one border community to understand how local use of Białowieża Forest, one of Europe’s last primary forest complexes, is affected by militarization. Out of 100 returned surveys, most respondents had a negative view of enforced border security measures (closure of the border zone, construction of a border barrier, military activities). Many felt they were not adequately consulted about these policies. Respondents felt discouraged from visiting Białowieża Forest mainly due to the presence of uniformed services and worsened conditions of forest roads caused by heavy machinery and traffic. Newcomers reported negative impacts on their health and well-being, while people born in the region (locals) had mixed reactions. Although locals were more equivocal in opposing the border barrier than newcomers, both groups perceived the environmental costs of its construction as high and reported a sense of separation from neighboring Belarus.

Modelling monetary and non-monetary flows of recreational ecosystem services in Germany

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Abstract

While policy interest and research on recreational ecosystem services (RES) has increased substantially, insights into the actual flows of benefits to people have remained scarce, especially at levels beyond local communities. This paper aims to model RES Flows and Benefits for Germany in monetary and non-monetary terms. We use Germany as a case study due its diversity of landscapes and availability of relevant spatial and empirical data. We develop and apply an assessment approach that considers RES Demand and Supply based on user preferences. Our results show distinct demand–supply matches and mismatches, for example in southwest Germany, and highest flows near population centres. Monetary benefits are highest in counties with high RES Supply that are close to densely populated areas. Our results can usefully inform planning and decision-making, for example to improve and further justify destination management, landscape development, and investments in RES at local, regional, and national levels.