Analysis of the regional efficiency of european funds in Spain from the perspective of renewable energy production: The regional dimension

During the 2010–2020 period, the European Union (EU) launched a growth strategy based on three fundamental pillars: Smart growth, sustainable growth, and inclusive growth. Aiming to finance the projects related to these growth pillars, the EU used mainly the Rural Development Funds, the Structural Funds, those derived from the R&D Framework Program, the Trans-European Networks, and the European Investment Bank. This research aimed to determine whether the Spanish regions maintain homogeneous efficiency levels by using these resources to improve the levels of environmental quality related to renewable energies. A methodology that is frequently used by researchers in efficiency analyses was chosen, the Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA). The main findings revealed that the efficiency in the use of renewable energies is very uneven among the Spanish regions and these differences are maintained throughout the period analyzed. These results highlighted the need of changes regarding the proposed criteria for allocating European resources to finance the projects presented by each Spanish regio

A data envelopment analysis of the impact of European funds on environmental indicators

The European Union (EU) has launched two regional investment programs of European Funds (FE) in the last decade. One covers the period of 2007 to 2013, and the second from 2014 to 2020. Among the goals contained in FE regulations is that of achieving sustainable growth through the conversion of fossil energy production systems to renewable energy. This research has had a goal to determine whether the countries of the Eurozone maintain homogeneous levels of efficiency in the use of these resources to improve the levels of environmental quality related to the use of this type of energy. The adopted research method for efficiency analyses was Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA). Findings revealed that the efficiency in the use of renewable energies is very uneven among the analyzed countries and that these differences are maintained throughout the analyzed period. These results suggest that the criteria for the distribution of the funds should be modified. The current distribution is mainly based on the per capita income of the countries and/or regions. In this way, compliance with the European Green Pact approved in September 2020 would be guaranteed

Efficiency Analysis of Graduate Alumni Insertion into the Labor Market as a Sustainable Development Goal

The assumption that greater education levels of a given population leads to better employability levels thanks to higher education institutions (HEI) is widely known. However, most of the research related to HEI is focused on the determination of efficiency levels from an eminently academic perspective. The objective of this research is to carry out a comparative analysis of the efficiency degree of Latin American universities in terms of labor insertion for their graduate alumni, in order to evaluate the Sustainable Development Goal 8 related to decent work and economic growth. The data enveloping analysis (DEA) methodology was implemented. Main results showed different levels of labor efficiency among the studied institutions that were classified into eight groups of universities. Likewise, it was noted that Latin American university students showed employment levels above those of workers with lower levels of education and training

A Data Envelopment Analysis of the Impact of European Funds on Environmental Indicators

The European Union (EU) has launched two regional investment programs of European Funds (FE) in the last decade. One covers the period of 2007 to 2013, and the second from 2014 to 2020. Among the goals contained in FE regulations is that of achieving sustainable growth through the conversion of fossil energy production systems to renewable energy. This research has had a goal to determine whether the countries of the Eurozone maintain homogeneous levels of efficiency in the use of these resources to improve the levels of environmental quality related to the use of this type of energy. The adopted research method for efficiency analyses was Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA). Findings revealed that the efficiency in the use of renewable energies is very uneven among the analyzed countries and that these differences are maintained throughout the analyzed period. These results suggest that the criteria for the distribution of the funds should be modified. The current distribution is mainly based on the per capita income of the countries and/or regions. In this way, compliance with the European Green Pact approved in September 2020 would be guaranteed

Evaluation of the Effects on Regional Production and Employment in Spain of the Renewable Energy Plan 2011–2020

The Renewable Energy Plan for the period 2011–2020 established as a general goal to ensure that renewable sources represent at least 20% of final energy consumption in 2020, together with a minimum contribution of 10% from renewable energy sources in transportation for that year. Then, the goal of this research is to evaluate the effects of the regional production of clean energy, identifying the employment generated in the renewable sector. The adopted methodology was the shift-share analysis, frequently used by researchers to analyze territorial differences. Main results showed important differences, at regional level, in the production of this type of energy. Likewise, we used constant shift and constant share methodology to make a forecast on the evolution of the sector from the data of last published years. Pending the approval of the new Renewable Energy Plan for the period 2021–2030, the results obtained in this research allow the identification of the regions that showed a favorable evolution to the energy change and identifies the projects that generate employment and production in the sector

Territorial Analysis of the European Rural Development Funds (ERDF) as a Driving Factor of Ecological Agricultural Production

The Europe 2030 project identified the need to create a growth model that is based on a dynamic balance between economic, social, and environmental dimensions. This involves, among other objectives, redirecting the resources that are allocated to the Common Agricultural Plan (CAP) toward more ecological agriculture and livestock. In recent decades, two packages of the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD) approved funds for projects related to agriculture. This study carried out a regional evaluation of the effects on production and employment that were generated in the Spanish organic farming sector. For this, a methodology that is frequently used by researchers to analyze territorial differences was used, namely, the shift-share analysis. The main results showed important differences at the regional level in the production of crops. Likewise, constant shift and constant share analyses were used to forecast the evolution of the sector from the recent data. Pending the approval of the new EAFRD 2021-2030, the results obtained in this research allowed for the identification of the regions that showed a favorable evolution to change the agricultural model and to identify the projects that generated employment and ecological production in the sector

Analysis of Regional Efficiency in the Use of the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund (FEMP) in the Eurozone Countries

The European Union (EU) launched the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP) in the 1970s. Currently, a large part of the CFP has been financed with the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund (FEMP). This research aims to determine whether there is a high degree of homogeneity in the levels of efficiency achieved by the fishing projects financed by European Funds for the period 2014 to 2020. The Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) methodology was adopted. The main results showed that there is a high degree of heterogeneity in the level of efficiency achieved by European countries during the analyzed period. Moreover, despite the fact that regional efficiency has been increasing during the years under study, territorial disparities persist over time. This research provides a contribution for policymakers targeting better use of the FEMP funds for the upcoming funding package 2021–202

Fuel use and cookstove preferences in the SAVA region

Madagascar’s population relies almost exclusively on solid biomass, i.e., firewood and charcoal, for subsistence. The ongoing extraction of such natural resources is unsustainable, threatening endemic biodiversity with extinction, and jeopardizing the long-term livelihoods of local populations. Improved, or fuel-efficient, cookstove programs have been implemented in Madagascar for more than a decade to mitigate deforestation. The Duke Lemur Center-SAVA Conservation (DLC-SAVA) and other NGOs have subsidized “rocket” fuel-efficient ADES-brand stoves in the SAVA region as part of ongoing conservation activities. To re-assess our DLC-SAVA subsidy program, we conducted surveys in 15 communes in the SAVA region to document fuel use, cookstove preferences, and the potential impact of ADES-brand stoves. We show that: (i) firewood was used more frequently than charcoal in more remote villages; (ii) metal tripods were the most frequently used cooking structure despite their low fuel efficiency; (iii) ADES-brand stoves were rarely owned and oftentimes underused; and (iv) “cooking time” and “fuel efficiency” were the most commonly preferred stove features given by respondents using firewood-fueled and charcoal-fueled cookstoves respectively. The low incidence of ADES stoves in our sample calls for a larger-scale program to increase their availability and accessibility to the region, a more comprehensive training/advertising strategy, and more effective logistical planning to distribute and sell the stoves across larger regions far from urbanized centers. Moreover, NGOs could assist in providing training on fuel-efficient stove design to experienced individuals who are already producing and distributing stoves locally, as a way to support sustainability while promoting and leveraging local knowledge. We conclude that because a large portion of the population is using metal tripods on a regular basis, introducing any type of “fuel-efficient” stove at a large scale, is expected to make a difference in biomass consumption, in addition to reducing the burden imposed on biomass collectors and carriers. RésuméLa population de Madagascar dépend presque exclusivement d’une biomasse solide, c’est-à-dire du bois de chauffage ou du charbon de bois, pour sa subsistance. Le niveau actuel de l’exploitation des ressources naturelles n’est pas pérenne et menaçe d'extinction la biodiversité endémique en mettant en péril les moyens de subsistance à long terme des habitants. Des programmes destinés à la promotion de foyers améliorés ou économes en énergie ont été mis en œuvre à Madagascar pendant plus de dix ans pour atténuer la déforestation. Le Duke Lemur Center-SAVA Conservation (DLC-SAVA) et d'autres ONG ont subventionné des foyers améliorés d’une grande efficacité énergétique de la marque ADES dans la région SAVA dans le cadre des activités de conservation en cours. Pour ré-évaluer le programme de subvention DLC-SAVA, des enquêtes ont été menées dans 15 communes de la région SAVA afin de documenter l'utilisation de combustible, les préférences en matière de foyers et l'impact potentiel des foyers de la marque ADES. Les résultats obtenus ont permis de montrer que (i) le bois de chauffage est plus fréquemment utilisé que le charbon de bois dans les villages les plus reculés ; (ii) les trépieds métalliques sont la structure de cuisson la plus utilisée malgré son faible rendement énergétique ; (iii) les foyers améliorés de la marque ADES ont été trouvés en petit nombre et souvent sous-utilisés ; et (iv) le temps de cuisson et l'efficacité énergétique étaient les deux choix les plus souvent mentionnés par les répondants utilisant respectivement des fourneaux à bois et à charbon de bois. La faible incidence des foyers ADES dans notre échantillon montre qu’un programme à plus grande échelle doit être déployé et devra être élaboré sur une stratégie de formation et de sensibilisation plus complète avec une meilleure planification logistique pour la distribution et la vente de foyers améliorés dans l’ensemble de la région, y compris dans les zones éloignées des centres urbains. Les ONG pourraient participer à une formation spécifique des personnes qui ont déjà une expérience dans la production et la distribution de foyers au niveau local pour qu’elles acquièrent les compétences en matière de conception de foyers améliorés à haute efficacité énergétique, afin de favoriser la durabilité tout en profitant des connaissances locales. Comme une grande partie de la population utilise régulièrement des trépieds en métal, l'introduction de tout type de réchaud « économe en combustible » à grande échelle devrait faire une différence dans la consommation de la biomasse, en plus de réduire les coûts liés à la récolte et au transport

Analysis of the Regional Efficiency of European Funds in Spain from the Perspective of Renewable Energy Production: The Regional Dimension

During the 2010-2020 period, the European Union (EU) launched a growth strategy based on three fundamental pillars: smart growth, sustainable growth, and inclusive growth. Aiming to finance the projects related to these growth pillars, the EU used mainly the Rural Development Funds, the Structural Funds, those derived from the R&D Framework Program, the Trans-European Networks, and the European Investment Bank. This research aimed to determine whether the Spanish regions maintain homogeneous efficiency levels by using these resources to improve the levels of environmental quality related to renewable energies. A methodology that is frequently used by researchers in efficiency analyses was chosen, the Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA). The main findings revealed that the efficiency in the use of renewable energies is very uneven among the Spanish regions and these differences are maintained throughout the period analyzed. These results highlighted the need of changes regarding the proposed criteria for allocating European resources to finance the projects presented by each Spanish region

Eicosanoids in the Innate Immune Response: TLR and Non-TLR Routes

The variable array of pattern receptor expression in different cells of the innate immune system explains the induction of distinct patterns of arachidonic acid (AA) metabolism. Peptidoglycan and mannan were strong stimuli in neutrophils, whereas the fungal extract zymosan was the most potent stimulus in monocyte-derived dendritic cells since it induced the production of PGE2, PGD2, and several cytokines including a robust IL-10 response. Zymosan activated κB-binding activity, but inhibition of NF-κB was associated with enhanced IL-10 production. In contrast, treatments acting on CREB (CRE binding protein), including PGE2, showed a direct correlation between CREB activation and IL-10 production. Therefore, in dendritic cells zymosan induces il10 transcription by a CRE-dependent mechanism that involves autocrine secretion of PGE2, thus unraveling a functional cooperation between eicosanoid production and cytokine production