We\u27re One For Uncle Sam

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Fixing the Climate with Experimentalist Governance? How?

Official climate data tell us with a very low degree of uncertainty that global temperatures for the months of September and October 2023 represent the highest anomaly ever recorded. The challenge before us, of large and timely phasing out of greenhouse gas emissions is enormous in scale and complexity. There appear to be no ready and fast solutions but there is a need for profound technological changes in several different production sectors. Finally, these solutions must be adopted quickly and promptly to reduce the magnitude of irreversible changes to the planet’s climate. The good news, the most reputable studies tell us, is that the technical knowledge available to us allows us to have real solutions. In the latest International Energy Agency report, World Energy Outlook 2023 released just a few days ago, institute director Fatih Birol writes in the preface that ‘[t]oday, solar power, wind power, efficiency and electric cars are all well established and readily available. We have at our disposal the lasting solutions to today’s energy dilemmas.’ We can thus truly aspire to have the opportunity to be the first generation to have transformed their lifestyles into fully sustainable modes. On October 26, 2023, the Law department of Roma Tre University hosted a special event within the ‘Inequality in Rome Seminar Series’, hosting Prof. Charles Sabel of Columbia University School of Law to discuss his new volume Fixing the Climate: Strategies for an Uncertain World, co-authored with Prof. David Victor of the University of California San Diego. This special event was organized in collaboration with the Forum Disuguaglianze and Diversità, an Italian organization that brings together researchers and civil society members to design and advocate for public policies that aim at reducing the levels of inequality in the country. Sabel and Victor’s book proposes an innovative method that can work in the context of radical and pervasive uncertainty about the solutions to be undertaken to make the energy and ecological transition more affordable. How? The core of the book lies in the model of global governance of climate change that it promotes. The overall premise is clear – no response to climate change will succeed without international cooperation (p. 153).The problem is what type of cooperation international law should embrace. The answer is, according to the authors, ‘experimentalist governance’ (hereinafter EG), a system that goes beyond the Paris Agreement (2015). They argue that such Agreement has failed to achieve its goals. The book instead puts forward the model of governance endorsed by the 1987 Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer – a history of success, as the Authors rightly maintain (see pp. 4 to 7 and Ch 2). The book forcefully suggests that we need to reward those who innovate and destabilize the status quo and penalize those who do not want to change through experimental and concrete processes of collaboration between business, between State, business, and citizens, and between States. The states should set ambitious standards and broad goals that are able to incentivize economic agents to act. Moreover, those who set standards interact with those who must solve problems on the ground and implement solutions, following an iterative process of mutual correction of the roadmap and concrete goals to achieve. Such solutions aim at complementing classical marketbased approaches. Indeed, the experimentalist governance approach operates in a decentralized manner, coordinating myriads of individuals, institutions, and economic agents just as happens in markets but not by means of prices, but by setting standards that are continually revised by accumulating new information, if necessary, through deliberative and discussion processes. A form of deliberation that uses doubt, disagreement, and a peer review process to advance the technological frontier even in an environment of profound uncertainty. In this article, we propose the main issues and questions that were raised during the seminar by the panelists Prof. Barbara Annicchiarico, Prof. Roberto Baratta, Prof. Tommaso di Marcello, as well as from the coordinator Prof. Salvatore Morelli. Prof. Charles Sabel provides his responses in turn

International Labor Standards, Soft Regulation, and National Government Roles

[Excerpt] In this article, we briefly describe the different approaches to the regulation of international labor standards, and then argue for a new role for national governments based on soft rather than hard regulation approaches. We argue that this new role shows potential for significantly enhancing progress in international labor standards, since it enables governments to articulate a position without having to deal with the enforcement issues that hard regulation mandates. We justify this new role for governments based on the increasing use of soft regulation in the international arena. Of course, this approach is not without its own problems, but given that existing approaches have all provided imperfect solutions to the problem of improving labor standards globally, re-visiting the role of national governments is in our view, highly important

Beyond greenspace: an ecological study of population general health and indicators of natural environment type and quality.

This is a freely-available open access publication. Please cite the published version which is available via the DOI link in this record.BACKGROUND: Many studies suggest that exposure to natural environments ('greenspace') enhances human health and wellbeing. Benefits potentially arise via several mechanisms including stress reduction, opportunity and motivation for physical activity, and reduced air pollution exposure. However, the evidence is mixed and sometimes inconclusive. One explanation may be that "greenspace" is typically treated as a homogenous environment type. However, recent research has revealed that different types and qualities of natural environments may influence health and wellbeing to different extents. METHODS: This ecological study explores this issue further using data on land cover type, bird species richness, water quality and protected or designated status to create small-area environmental indicators across Great Britain. Associations between these indicators and age/sex standardised prevalence of both good and bad health from the 2011 Census were assessed using linear regression models. Models were adjusted for indicators of socio-economic deprivation and rurality, and also investigated effect modification by these contextual characteristics. RESULTS: Positive associations were observed between good health prevalence and the density of the greenspace types, "broadleaf woodland", "arable and horticulture", "improved grassland", "saltwater" and "coastal", after adjusting for potential confounders. Inverse associations with bad health prevalence were observed for the same greenspace types, with the exception of "saltwater". Land cover diversity and density of protected/designated areas were also associated with good and bad health in the predicted manner. Bird species richness (an indicator of local biodiversity) was only associated with good health prevalence. Surface water quality, an indicator of general local environmental condition, was associated with good and bad health prevalence contrary to the manner expected, with poorer water quality associated with better population health. Effect modification by income deprivation and urban/rural status was observed for several of the indicators. CONCLUSIONS: The findings indicate that the type, quality and context of 'greenspace' should be considered in the assessment of relationships between greenspace and human health and wellbeing. Opportunities exist to further integrate approaches from ecosystem services and public health perspectives to maximise opportunities to inform policies for health and environmental improvement and protection.Economic and Social Research CouncilEuropean Regional Development Fund Programme 2007 to 2013 and European Social Fund Convergence Programme for Cornwall and the Isles of Scill

Moebius strip enterprises and expertise in the creative industries: new challenges for lifelong learning?

The paper argues that the emergence of a new mode of production – co-configuration is generating new modes of expertise that EU policies for lifelong learning are not designed to support professionals to develop. It maintains that this change can be seen most clearly when we analyse Small and Medium Size (SMEs) enterprises in the creative industries. Drawing on concepts from Political Economy - ‘Moebius strip enterprise/expertise’ and Cultural Historical Activity Theory - project-object’ and the ‘space of reasons’, the paper highlights conceptually and through a case study of an SME in the creative industries what is distinctive about the new modes of expertise, before moving on to reconceptualise expertise and learning and to consider the implications of this reconceptualisation for EU policies for lifelong learning. The paper concludes that the new challenge for LLL is to support the development of new forms expertise that are difficult to credentialise, yet, are central to the wider European goal of realising a knowledge economy

The question of EU legitimacy in the Social OMC peer review process

This paper examines the structural kand relational factors that affect perceptions of legitimacy in the EU's Social Open Method of Coordination, particularly in its peer review process. Using multi-level governance as its analytical framework, the paper uses network analysis to examine the actor networks and relations within the peer review process over time, and links this with different conceptions of input and throughput legitimacy, and the findings show that the peer reviews do not significantly feed into either input or throughput legitimacy. While input legitimacy is improved somewhat by the inclusion of additional actors in the policy process, these actors do not have a clear role to play and the peer reviews remain driven by traditional actors. In terms of throughput, the process does positively address issues of transparency, procedure and information provision, there is no clear path for translating these processes into an increase in perceptions of legitimacy

First-line high-dose therapy and autologous blood stem cell transplantation in patients with primary central nervous system non-Hodgkin lymphomas-a single-centre experience in 61 patients

Primary central nervous system non-Hodgkin lymphomas (PCNS-NHLs) are extranodal B-cell lymphomas with poor prognosis. The role of high-dose therapy (HDT) followed by autologous blood stem cell transplantation (ASCT) as first-line therapy is still not clear. We retrospectively collected long-term follow up data of 61 consecutive patients with PCNS-NHL at the University Hospital Düsseldorf from January 2004 to December 2016. Thirty-six patients were treated with conventional chemoimmunotherapy (cCIT) only (CT-group). Seventeen patients received an induction cCIT followed by HDT and ASCT. In the CT-group, the overall response rate (ORR) was 61% (CR 47%, PR 14%), and there were 8% treatment-related deaths (TRD). Progression-free survival (PFS) was 31.8 months, and overall survival (OS) was 57.3 months. In the HDT-group, the ORR was 88% (59% CR, 29% PR), and there were 6% TRD. Median PFS and OS were not reached at 5 years. The 5-year PFS and OS were 64.7%. After a median follow up of 71 months, 10 patients (59%) were still alive in CR/PR following HDT and ASCT, one patient was treated for progressive disease (PD), and 7 had died (41%, 6 PD, 1 TRD). All patients achieving CR prior to HDT achieved durable CR. In the CT-group, 8 patients (22%) were alive in CR/PR after a median follow-up of 100 months. Twenty-eight patients died (78%, 24 PD, 2 TRD, 2 deaths in remission). In the univariate analysis, the HDT-group patients had significantly better PFS (not reached vs 31.8 months, p = 0.004) and OS (not reached vs 57.3 months, p = 0.021). The multivariate analysis showed HDT was not predictive for survival. Treatment with HDT + ASCT is feasible and offers the chance for long-term survival with low treatment-related mortality in younger patients. In this analysis, ORR, PFS and OS were better with HDT than with conventional cCIT alone. This result was not confirmed in the multivariate analysis, and further studies need to be done to examine the role of HDT in PCNSL

Analysing intermediary organisations and their influence on upgrading in emerging agricultural clusters

This paper analyses intermediary organisations in developing economy agricultural clusters. The paper critically engages with a growing narrative in studies of intermediaries that have stressed the ownership structure of intermediaries as a key driver for enabling knowledge transfer, inter-firm learning and upgrading of small producers in clusters. Two case studies of Latin American clusters are presented and discussed. The study suggests that in addition to ownership structure, cluster governance and the embeddedness of intermediaries in clusters are critical factors that need to be taken into account in understanding the influence of intermediaries in the upgrading of small producers in clusters

Internet Use and Anxiety in People with Melanoma and Nonmelanoma Skin Cancer

Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/87178/1/j.1524-4725.2011.02124.x.pd

What is a sentinel node? Re-evaluating the 10% rule for sentinel lymph node biopsy in melanoma

Introduction Many surgeons use the “10% rule” to define whether a lymph node is a sentinel node (SLN) when staging malignant melanoma. However, this increases the number of SLN removed and the time and cost of the procedure. We examined the impact of raising this threshold on the accuracy of the procedure. Methods We reviewed the records of 561 patients with melanoma (624 basins) who underwent SLN with technetium Tc99 labeled sulfur colloid using a definition of a SLN as 10% of that of the node with the highest counts per minute (CPM). Results Of the 624 basins, 154 (25%) were positive for metastases. An average of 1.9 nodes per basin were removed (range 1–6). Metastases were found in the hottest node in 137 cases (89% of positive basins, 97% of basins overall). Increasing the threshold above 10% decreased the number of nodes excised and the costs involved, but incrementally raised the number of false negative cases above baseline (a 4% increase for a “20% rule,” 5% for a “30% rule,” 6% for a “40% rule,” and 7% for a “50% rule”). Taking only the hottest node would raise the false negative rate by 11%. Conclusions Although using thresholds higher than 10% for the definition of a SLN will minimize the extent of surgery and decrease the costs associated with the procedure, it will compromise the accuracy of the procedure and is not recommended. J. Surg. Oncol. 2007;95:623–628. © 2007 Wiley-Liss, Inc.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/56055/1/20729_ftp.pd