The European Union’s permanent structured cooperation mechanism

The EU’S PERMANENT STRUCTURED COOP ERATION (PESCO) [Article 42(6) and 46 of the Treaty on European Union] is a mechanism that seeks to provide a formal (albeit flexible) institutional framework for willing EU Member States that meet certain military operational and capability criteria (identified in Protocol 10 of the TEU) to establish a closer cooperation in the field of security and defence through ad hoc projects. Scholars like Sven Biscop have been advocating a practical implementation of PESCO since the Lisbon Treaty was signed about a decade ago. The idea of a common European defence is not new: it was first proposed in the form of a European Defence Community which failed to come to fruition in 1952. Ever since, this idea has become somewhat of a taboo, not least because of the emergence of NATO and the European project’s association with the idea of ‘civilian power’. The European project’s 70-year-old lingering ambition culminated in the launch of PESCO (which was still deemed impossible at the time of the launch of the EU Global Strategy in 2016), as it was embraced by the Council through the adoption of an implementation roadmap in March 2018, in association with oth er structures and initiatives such as the European Defence Fund and the Europ

The legitimacy of the common security and defence policy of the European Union: a critical discourse analysis of the EU's normative justification as a crisis management actor

Legitimacy is mostly how institutions and polities ensure compliance / endorsement in the absence of coercion. Looking at the European Union’s actorness in crisis management, since the creation of the CFSP and of the ESDP in the 1990s until the 2016 Global Strategy, we analyse how it seeks to legitimate its identity and actions by justifying them normatively through discourse. We highlight the importance of normative justification in ensuring actorness legitimacy, as not a lot of attention is paid to the EU's discursive ability to convince other actors in the international system of its appropriateness to engage in external action, especially when strong normative components are involved. The area of crisis management is marked by its emergency and crisis nature and deployment on a case-by-case basis, unlike most external policies, so the EU’s normative justification narratives focus on its own potential role, identity, and value-added, rather than on countries that might receive this help. Thus, we focus on how the EU convinces others and itself (including the governments and wider public in its Member States) to validate and endorse it, rather than on the receiving end of the policy. We use critical discourse analysis (CDA) embedded in post-structuralism due to their focus on deconstruction and critique of asymmetric power relations, their effort to "denaturalise" meta-narratives that shape the social world, and due to the importance of language and discourse for the legitimation of organised power relations. The identified narratives reveal an asymmetry between the EU and its interlocutors: the EU assumes that others want to emulate its standards, brands itself as an ideal model, and places itself at a superior level. Thus, by attempting to make others "normal" and "adequate" by organising and modernising them according to the standards that the EU considers ideal or universal, the EU assumes a "civilising" attitude that goes beyond crisis management.Legitimidade é o principal meio para instituições e entidades políticas garantirem validação na ausência de coerção. Focando a ‘actorness’ da União Europeia na área de gestão de crises, desde a criação da PESC e da PESD nos anos 90 até à Estratégia Global de 2016, analisamos o modo como procura legitimar a sua identidade e acções, justificando-as normativamente através do discurso. Enfatizamos a importância da justificação normativa na garantia de legitimidade da ‘actorness’, já que pouca atenção é prestada à capacidade discursiva da UE na procura de convencer outros actores no sistema internacional da sua adequação para desenvolver uma acção externa, especialmente quando esta envolve fortes componentes normativas. A gestão de crises caracteriza-se por uma natureza de emergência e crise, e é desenvolvida e implementada caso a caso, contrariamente à maioria das políticas externas, portanto as narrativas de justificação normativa da UE focam-se no seu próprio potencial papel, identidade, e valor acrescentado, e não nos eventuais países receptores. Portanto, centramo-nos em como a UE convence outros e a si mesma (incluindo governos e público dos Estados Membros) a validar e sancioná-la, em detrimento da recepção desta política. Recorremos à análise crítica do discurso orientada pelo pós-estruturalismo, dado o enfoque desta abordagem na desconstrução e crítica de relações assimétricas de poder, o seu esforço de "desnaturalização" de meta-narrativas que moldam o mundo social, e a importância da linguagem e do discurso para a legitimação de relações de poder organizadas. As narrativas identificadas revelam uma assimetria entre a UE e os seus interlocutores: a UE assume que os outros querem emular os seus padrões, marca-se como modelo ideal, e coloca-se num patamar superior. Ao procurar fazer os outros ‘normais’ e "adequados", organizando e modernizando-os de acordo com os padrões que a UE considera ideais e universais, a UE assume uma atitude "civilizadora" que ultrapassa a gestão de crises

Melhoria da disponibilidade de uma linha de produção através da metodologia TPM

O presente projeto foi desenvolvido na Renault Cacia e teve como objetivo a melhoria da disponibilidade de uma linha de produção crítica através da metodologia TPM e apoiada por ferramentas do Lean Maintenance. Para tal, foi realizada uma análise à situação inicial da linha onde foram identificados os principais problemas. Em resposta aos problemas encontrados foi desenvolvido e implementado um plano de ações: utilização da ferramenta dos 5 porquês de modo a encontrar a causa raiz do número elevado de avarias num dos equipamentos da linha, a revisão do Plano de Manutenção Autónoma (PMA), a reorganização dos armários dos óleos e das peças de desgaste com a utilização dos 5S e da gestão visual, a animação do desempenho e do progresso da manutenção, assim como o desenvolvimento de um programa de formação para o aumento de competências dos operadores. Os resultados destas ações foram positivos uma vez que a linha ficou mais organizada, os operadores começaram a perceber que são fundamentais para o sucesso da linha de produção, o valor do MTBF aumentou, o valor do MTTR diminuiu e, consequentemente, a disponibilidade aumentou.This project was developed at Renault Cacia and it had the objective of improving the availability of a critical production line through TPM methodology and Lean Maintenance tools. For this reason, an analysis was made of the initial state of the line in which the main problems were identified. In response to the problems found an action plan was developed and implemented, in which was proposed the use of the 5 whys tool in order to find the root cause of the high number of faults in one of the line equipment, the revision of the Autonomous Maintenance Plan, the reorganization of the oil and machine parts cabinets with 5S and visual management, creation of a maintenance support dashboard and development of a training program to increase operator skills. The results of these actions ended to be quite positive. The line became more organized, operators began to realize that they are a key for the success of the production line, the value of MTBF increased, MTTR value decreased and thus, consequently, the availability increased.Mestrado em Engenharia e Gestão Industria

Aplicação de programas educativos: o caso de estudo do lobo-ibérico (Canis lupus signatus, 1907)

Tese de mestrado. Biologia (Biologia da Conservação). Universidade de Lisboa, Faculdade de Ciências, 2015Um dos métodos para conhecer melhor a dimensão humana da gestão da vida selvagem é a avaliação das atitudes públicas, pois o sucesso desta gestão depende de uma boa análise de atitudes (positivas ou negativas) dos vários grupos de interesse em relação às espécies selvagens e às opções de gestão das mesmas, da capacidade de chegar a um consenso e de ganhar a aceitação do público na decisão final. A maioria dos planos de gestão de grandes carnívoros tende a ser mais político-social do que biológica, uma vez que a falta de informação correcta parece estar na origem das atitudes negativas. Tendo em conta a situação do lobo-ibérico (Canis lupus signatus Cabrera, 1907) em Portugal, principalmente a sul do rio Douro, onde a silvo-pastorícia é uma das actividades de maior peso económico e a predação do lobo sobre animais domésticos e consequentes perdas constituem a principal causa de conflito com o Homem, parece óbvio que a estratégia de conservação desta espécie se baseie na informação, sensibilização e motivação da população. Com o objectivo de analisar o nível de conhecimento e as atitudes dos alunos para com o lobo e a sua conservação, foi realizado um inquérito antes e depois de duas actividades pedagógicas, as palestras sobre a ecologia desta espécie e o Wolf Kit. O presente estudo foi realizado na Guarda, direccionado ao público escolar de dois concelhos da área de ocorrência do lobo (Sabugal e Figueira de Castelo Rodrigo). No total foram realizados 340 inquéritos do 6º ao 12º ano. Não foi possível distinguir qual a acção mais eficaz na transmissão de informação, no entanto os níveis de conhecimento dos alunos aumentaram depois da realização das actividades. Foi possível apurar que as atitudes dos estudantes variavam de neutras a positivas e que em alguns casos houve um aumento de atitudes positivas após a realização das acções de sensibilização. Verificou-se também que o nível de conhecimento e as atitudes do público escolar estão correlacionados e que ambos são influenciados por factores sociodemográficos. Apesar da maioria dos alunos nunca ter avistado um lobo, o interesse geral sobre a espécie e a sua conservação foi elevado. A gestão do lobo-ibérico depara-se com muitos tipos de conflito, contudo, o envolvimento do público em programas de sensibilização, como os desenvolvidos neste estudo, poderá vir a aumentar a tolerância a esta espécie. Este processo poderá tornar-se mais fácil se os programas forem incorporados em actividades curriculares das temáticas ambientais leccionadas nas escolas portuguesas.One of the methods to better understand the human dimensions of wildlife management is the assessment of public attitudes, for the success of this management depends on good analysis of attitudes (positive or negative) of the various interest groups regarding wildlife management options, and to achieve public acceptance in the final decision. Most of the large carnivores’ management issues tend to be more socio-political rather than biological, because the lack of correct information seems to be the cause of negative attitudes. Considering the situation of the Iberian wolf (Canis lupus signatus Cabrera, 1907) in Portugal, especially in the south region of the Douro river, where the livestock raising is one of the most economically powerful activities and the negative effect of wolf predation on domestic animals are the main cause of conflict, it seems obvious that this species conservation strategy should be based on good information, awareness and motivation of the population. This study was conducted in Guarda and addressed to the students of two public schools in the wolf area (Sabugal and Figueira de Castelo Rodrigo). The survey assessed the knowledge levels and the students’ attitudes before and after two educational activities, the Wolf Kit and lectures on the wolf biology and ecology. A total of 340 surveys were collected from 6th to 12th grade. There were no differences between the effectiveness of the two educational activities, but the students' knowledge levels increased after the implementation of the activities. Students’ attitudes ranged from neutral to positive scores and in some cases there was an increase in positive attitudes after conducting the educational programs. It was also possible to conclude that the knowledge levels and the students’ attitudes are correlated and both are influenced by socio-demographic factors. Although most students have never seen a wolf (in the wild or captive), the general interest in knowing more about the wolf and its conservation issues was high. The management of the Iberian wolf faces various types of conflict, however, the public involvement in awareness programs, such as those developed in this study, may increase the tolerance for this species. This process can become easier if the program

Fenton processes for AOX removal from a kraft pulp bleaching industrial wastewater: optimisation of operating conditions and cost assessment

AOX emissions to water are a key environmental aspect in the pulp and paper industry being limited by EU Ecolabel criteria. In this work, response surface methodology was used to optimise Fenton and photo-Fenton processes for AOX removal from a kraft pulp mill bleaching wastewater. Focus on the specific stream where AOX is higher reduces the wastewater volume to treat and the associated costs. Moreover, there is a need to assess the effect of treatment in parameters other than AOX, such as BOD5, COD and colour content, which were also quantified in this work. Operational costs were determined for both processes, including chemical consumption and energy input (in the case of photo-Fenton process). The photo-Fenton process exhibited better performance than the classic Fenton process, achieving 90 % AOX removal against 80 % for the Fenton process, higher colour content removal and enhanced wastewater’s biodegradability (BOD5/COD ratio). Moreover, photo-Fenton process showed lower operational costs for maximum AOX removal: 46.5 € m−3 wastewater treated or 0.45 € g−1 AOX removed, against 70.0 € m−3 wastewater treated or 0.78 € g−1 AOX removed by the Fenton process.publishe

AOX removal from pulp and paper wastewater by Fenton and photo-Fenton processes: a real case-study

D0 bleaching wastewater from E. globulus Kraft pulping industry was treated by Fenton and photo-Fenton processes. The aim was to optimise the operational conditions for adsorbable organic halides (AOX) removal, namely oxidant concentration, [H2O2], catalyst concentration, [Fe2+], and treatment time, using the central composite experimental design (CCED) tool. Temperature and pH were set at 60 ºC and 2, respectively, which are similar to the natural values of the D0 bleaching wastewater. Both processes showed potential to remove AOX from D0 with 177 - 178 mM H2O2 and 10 min reaction time. Maximum AOX removal was 85 % for the Fenton process with 8.5 mM Fe2+, and 95 % for the photo-Fenton process with 2.0 mM Fe2+ and UV irradiance 142 W.m- 2. For both methods, the only statistically significant variable (p=0.05) was the concentration of oxidant, [H2O2].publishe

O mecanismo europeu de apoio à paz no reforço da União Europeia como ator securitário

Num contexto global volátil, a União Europeia tem procurado reforçar as suas capacidades de forma a promover a prevenção de conflitos, a consolidação de paz e o reforço da segurança internacional. Contudo, muito embora disponha atualmente de mecanismos para a gestão de crises e prevenção de conflitos, estes não se têm mostrado suficientes ou inteiramente eficazes. O Mecanismo Europeu de Apoio à Paz (MEAP) surge enquanto tentativa de consolidar o papel da UE como ator securitário global, por via do financiamento direto de operações militares. Este artigo analisa a sua criação e o papel que se prevê que venha a desempenhar no contexto da PCSD, proporcionando o necessário enquadramento no âmbito de experiências similares anteriores. Apesar dos desafios impostos pela sua criação, o MEAP representa um forte compromisso da UE com a consolidação da paz e reforço da segurança a nível global.In a volatile global context, the EU has sought to strengthen its capabilities in order to promote conflict prevention, peace building, and the strengthening of international security. However, although the EU has some mechanisms at its disposal for crisis management and conflict prevention, they have not been sufficient. The European Peace Facility (EPF) emerges as an attempt to consolidate the EU’s role as a global security actor and to strengthen the CFSP, mainly at the military level. This article analyses the EPF’s creation as well as its envisaged role in the context of the CSDP, while framinging it in light of similar previous experiences. Despite the challenges raised by its creation, the EPF represents a strong EU commitment to the consolidation of peace and the strengthening of security at a global level.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

The virtual museological installation and its contribution to the process of building the identity of the adolescent

This communication refers to a pedagogical experience that consisted in the creation, development and public presentation of a project called Virtual Museological Installation which resulted in a school exhibition. The project focused on the competencies of a practical school subject -- Computer Aid Design and the students' creativity. It had the intention of providing the students the identity affirmation pathinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

The Combat against COVID-19 in Portugal: How State Measures and Data Availability Reinforce Some Organizational Values and Contribute to the Sustainability of the National Health System

Countries are facing a pandemic crisis in the context of a new disease from the coronavirus family, referred to as COVID-19. This article aims to present the main facts related to the fight against the pandemic from the perspective of the Portuguese governance, aiming to contribute to the knowledge of crisis management by political leaders as well as the performance of public entities. The present research was conducted through a quantitative approach, using data publicly provided by the Portuguese Directorate General of Health. An explanatory and descriptive study is presented about the current panorama, and yet to be shared good practices of crisis management and the relevance of organizational values in crisis management and crisis coordination are also discussed. Based on the lessons from Portugal, the authors suggest the relevance of organizational values and stakeholders’ coordination as key factors in crisis situations, such as the current one.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Effects of intermittent fasting on regulation of metabolic homeostasis: a systematic review and meta-analysis in health and metabolic-related disorders

Intermittent fasting (IF) is an emerging dietetic intervention that has been associated with improved metabolic parameters. Nowadays, the most common IF protocols are Alternate-Day Fasting (ADF) and Time-Restricted Fasting (TRF), but in this review and meta-analysis we have also considered Religious Fasting (RF), which is similar to TRF but against the circadian rhythm. The available studies usually include the analysis of a single specific IF protocol on different metabolic outcomes. Herein, we decided to go further and to conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis on the advantages of different IF protocols for metabolic homeostasis in individuals with different metabolic status, such as with obesity, diabetes mellitus type 2 (T2D) and metabolic syndrome (MetS). Systematic searches (PubMed, Scopus, Trip Database, Web of Knowledge and Embase, published before June 2022) of original articles in peer-review scientific journals focusing on IF and body composition outcomes were performed. Sixty-four reports met the eligibility criteria for the qualitative analysis and forty-seven for the quantitative analysis. Herein, we showed that ADF protocols promoted the major beneficial effects in the improvement of dysregulated metabolic conditions in comparison with TRF and RF protocols. Furthermore, obese and MetS individuals are the most benefited with the introduction of these interventions, through the improvement of adiposity, lipid homeostasis and blood pressure. For T2D individuals, IF impact was more limited, but associated with their major metabolic dysfunctions—insulin homeostasis. Importantly, through the integrated analysis of distinct metabolic-related diseases, we showed that IF seems to differently impact metabolic homeostasis depending on an individual’s basal health status and type of metabolic disease.This work has been funded by National funds, through the Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT)—project UIDB/50026/2020 and UIDP/50026/2020