Cooperation beyond the state: constraints on linking regional emissions trading systems

"Recently many regions worldwide have implemented emissions trading systems (ETSs) to cap greenhouse gas emissions. These initiatives may hold the potential of providing a new bottom-up architecture for international climate policy. Cooperation or 'linkage' between regional emissions trading systems would improve their efficiency. Yet, linking has been realized only on very few occasions. This article deals with the question why linking of ETSs, especially between the EU and California, is still lagging behind. It seeks to go beyond common approaches and focuses on political difficulties that arise for regions that do not have the status and the mandate of a nation state." (author's abstract

Forbruk av energidrikk blant studenter

Bakgrunn: Bryggeri- og drikkevareforeningens egne tall viser en dobling i omsetningen av energidrikk (heretter omtalt som ED) de siste fem årene. 55.5 millioner liter ED ble solgt i 2020 og reklame for produktene lover deg blant annet en kvikkere kropp, økt konsentrasjon og bedre prestasjon på trening. Samtidig rapporterer om innleggelser av unge med koffeinoverdoser og forbrukerombudet har uttrykt bekymring over høyt forbruk av energidrikk blant ungdom. Målet med denne bacheloroppgaven var å undersøke bruken av ED blant studenter, årsaken til bruken og hvilke effekter/bivirkninger det var vanlig å oppleve. Problemstilling: Hvor utbredt er bruken av ED blant studenter i høyere utdanning i Norge og er det forskjeller i bruksmønster mellom kjønn og studieretning? Hvorfor bruker studenter ED, og hvilken opplevd effekt gir bruken? Hvilke bivirkninger gir forbruket av ED? Metode: For å belyse problemstillingene i oppgaven ble det benyttet en kvantitativ tverrsnittsundersøkelse med en spørreundersøkelse i SurveyMonkey. Utvalget var et bekvemmelighetsutvalg bestående av studenter i høyere utdanning ved ulike studieretninger ved Høyskolen Kristiania, samt studenter i forfatternes nære relasjoner. Undersøkelsen varte i perioden 26.1.21 til 26.2.21. 179 respondenter svarte på undersøkelsen, hvorav 30 ble fjernet på grunn av ufullstendig rapportering eller dobbel respons på kontrollspørsmål. Det endelige utvalget besto av 38 menn og 111 kvinner i aldersgruppen 20 til 30+. Resultater: Både menn og kvinner velger oftest ED uten sukker enn med sukker eller begge typer. Nesten halvparten av kvinnene drikker ikke ED. Studenter ved helsefag velger i større grad bare ED uten sukker. Menn drikker oftere 6 eller flere enheter ED i uken enn hva kvinner gjør. Kvinner drikker i større grad mindre enn 1 enhet i uken. Størst andel av studentene på helsefag drikker mindre enn 1 enhet i uken og kreative fag 1-2 enheter i uken. Flest menn startet å drikke ED i 11-15 års alderen og flest kvinner startet i 11-19 års alderen. Flertall av studentene ved helsefag startet å drikke ED i 11-15 års alderen og kreative fag var debutalder fordelt likt mellom 11-15 og 16-19 års alderen. Størst andel av mennene oppga koffein, smak og kos som begrunnelse for inntak av ED. Flertall av kvinnene oppga koffein som begrunnelse. Både for helsefag og kreative ga koffein som begrunnelse for inntak. Menn og kvinner oppga mer energi og våkenhet som de mest opplevde effektene av ED konsum. Skjelving var den bivirkningen begge kjønn i størst grad opplevde. Det var ingen forskjell i opplevde effekter og bivirkninger fra ED mellom studieretningene og kjønn. Konklusjon: ED-konsum er utbredt blant studenter i høyere utdanning, 66% av utvalget drikker ED. Man ser markant forskjell i bruksmønsteret mellom kjønn; det er vanligere blant menn å drikke 6 enheter eller mer i uken. Studenter innen helsefag foretrekker sukkerfrie ED-varianter, mens studenter i kreative fag foretrekker sukkerholdig ED. Studentene bruker ED for koffein-effekten og for smakens skyld. Opplevde effekter blant studentene fra ED er bedret prestasjon, større oppmerksomhet og mer energi. Et forbruk av ED kan gi bivirkningene skjelving, hjertebank, dårligere søvn, uroligheter og hodepine. Disse kjønns- og studieforskjellene er usikre grunnet utvalgets sammensetning, og bør undersøkes videre med ny forskning. Konklusjon: ED-konsum er utbredt blant studenter i høyere utdanning, 66% av utvalget drikker ED. Man ser markant forskjell i bruksmønsteret mellom kjønn; det er vanligere blant menn å drikke 6 enheter eller mer i uken. Studenter innen helsefag foretrekker sukkerfrie ED-varianter, mens studenter i kreative fag foretrekker sukkerholdig ED. Studentene bruker ED for koffein-effekten og for smakens skyld. Opplevde effekter blant studentene fra ED er bedret prestasjon, større oppmerksomhet og mer energi. Et forbruk av ED kan gi bivirkningene skjelving, hjertebank, dårligere søvn, uroligheter og hodepine. Disse kjønns- og studieforskjellene er usikre grunnet utvalgets sammensetning, og bør undersøkes videre med ny forskning

Intestinal B-cells license metabolic T-cell activation in NASH microbiota/antigen-independently and contribute to fibrosis by IgA-FcR signalling

BACKGROUND & AIMS The progression of nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) to fibrosis and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is aggravated by auto-aggressive T cells. The gut-liver axis contributes to NASH, but the mechanisms involved and the consequences for NASH-induced fibrosis and liver cancer remain unknown. We investigated the role of gastrointestinal B cells in the development of NASH, fibrosis and NASH-induced HCC. METHODS C57BL/6J wild-type (WT), B cell-deficient and different immunoglobulin-deficient or transgenic mice were fed distinct NASH diets (for example, choline-deficient high-fat diet, CD-HFD) or chow diet for 6 or 12 months, whereafter NASH, fibrosis, and NASH-induced HCC were assessed and analysed. Specific pathogen-free/germ-free WT and μMT mice (containing B cells only in the gastrointestinal tract) were fed a CD-HFD, and treated with an anti-CD20 antibody, whereafter NASH and fibrosis were assessed. Tissue biopsy samples from patients with NAFL, NASH and cirrhosis were analysed to correlate the secretion of immunoglobulins to clinicopathological features. Flow cytometry, immunohistochemistry and scRNA-Seq analysis were performed in liver and gastrointestinal tissue for immune cells in mice and humans. RESULTS Activated intestinal B cells were increased in mouse and human NASH samples and licensed metabolic T-cell activation to induce NASH independently of antigen-specificity and gut microbiota. Genetic or therapeutic depletion of systemic or gastrointestinal B cells prevented or reverted NASH and liver fibrosis. IgA secretion was necessary for fibrosis induction by activating CD11b+CCR2+F4/80+CD11c-FCGR1+ hepatic myeloid cells through an IgA-FcR signalling axis. Similarly, patients with NASH had increased numbers of activated intestinal B-cells and showed a positive correlation between IgA levels and activated FcRγ+ hepatic myeloid cells as well extent of liver fibrosis. CONCLUSIONS Intestinal B cells and the IgA-FcR signalling axis represent potential therapeutic targets for treating NASH. IMPACT AND IMPLICATIONS Nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) is a chronic inflammatory condition on the rise and can lead to hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), the 3rd most common cause of cancer-related death worldwide. Currently, there is no effective treatment for this progressive disease that correlates with a marked risk of HCC mortality and carries a substantial healthcare burden. To date, among all the solid tumours, especially in HCC, the incidence and mortality rates are almost the same, making it crucial to find curative treatments for chronic diseases, such as NASH, which highly predispose to tumorigenesis. We have previously shown that NASH is an auto-aggressive condition aggravated, amongst others, by T cells. Therefore, we hypothesized that B cells might have a role in disease induction and progression. Our present work highlights that B cells have a dual role in NASH pathogenesis, being implicated in the activation of auto-aggressive T cells and the development of fibrosis via activation of monocyte-derived macrophages by secreted immunoglobulins (e.g., IgA). Furthermore, we could show that the absence of B cells prevented HCC development. B-cell intrinsic signalling pathways, secreted immunoglobulins, and interactions of B cells with other immune cells are potential targets in combinatorial NASH therapies against inflammation and fibrosis

Preparing the playing field: climate club governance of the G20, Climate and Clean Air Coalition, and Under2 Coalition

International climate policy is increasingly shaped by alternative forms of governance. Coalitions of national, subnational, and/or non-state actors have the potential to address the global challenge of climate change beyond the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) process. While initially such “clubs” spurred hope that they could be an option to achieve climate action more effectively than the UNFCCC, more recently, their role has been seen as preparing and orchestrating climate policy. In spite of its conceptual proliferation, literature on climate clubs stops short in examining practical evidence and conducting analyses beyond categorization and labelling of climate clubs. This article aims at contributing to filling this gap with a comparative perspective on three specific governance initiatives that act on different governance levels: the G20, the Climate and Clean Air Coalition (CCAC), and the Under2 Coalition. What contribution do these club-like initiatives make to global climate governance and how does it relate to existing structures such as the Paris Agreement and the UNFCCC process? Our paper applies central aspects of clubs research, namely, membership, public goods, and the provision of additional benefits as an analytical framework to examine the three cases. We find that these club initiatives, though highly diverse in their origin and membership, make a similar contribution to international climate governance. Their largest contribution lies in preparing emissions reductions through raising awareness, orchestrating different actors and actions, and establishing a large cooperation network. They complement the UNFCCC and especially the Paris Agreement.Institute for Advanced Sustainability Studies e.V. (IASS) (5377

Beyond CO2 equivalence: The impacts of methane on climate, ecosystems, and health

In this article we review the physical and chemical properties of methane (CH4) relevant to impacts on climate, ecosystems, and air pollution, and examine the extent to which this is reflected in climate and air pollution governance. Although CH4 is governed under the UNFCCC climate regime, its treatment there is limited to the ways in which it acts as a “CO2 equivalent” climate forcer on a 100-year time frame. The UNFCCC framework neglects the impacts that CH4 has on near-term climate, as well its impacts on human health and ecosystems, which are primarily mediated by methane’s role as a precursor to tropospheric ozone. Frameworks for air quality governance generally address tropospheric ozone as a pollutant, but do not regulate CH4 itself. Methane’s climate and air quality impacts, together with its alarming rise in atmospheric concentrations in recent years, make it clear that mitigation of CH4 emissions needs to be accelerated globally. We examine challenges and opportunities for further progress on CH4 mitigation within the international governance landscapes for climate change and air pollution

Preparing the playing field: climate club governance of the G20, Climate and Clean Air Coalition, and Under2 Coalition

International climate policy is increasingly shaped by alternative forms of governance. Coalitions of national, subnational, and/or non-state actors have the potential to address the global challenge of climate change beyond the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) process. While initially such “clubs” spurred hope that they could be an option to achieve climate action more effectively than the UNFCCC, more recently, their role has been seen as preparing and orchestrating climate policy. In spite of its conceptual proliferation, literature on climate clubs stops short in examining practical evidence and conducting analyses beyond categorization and labelling of climate clubs. This article aims at contributing to filling this gap with a comparative perspective on three specific governance initiatives that act on different governance levels: the G20, the Climate and Clean Air Coalition (CCAC), and the Under2 Coalition. What contribution do these club-like initiatives make to global climate governance and how does it relate to existing structures such as the Paris Agreement and the UNFCCC process? Our paper applies central aspects of clubs research, namely, membership, public goods, and the provision of additional benefits as an analytical framework to examine the three cases. We find that these club initiatives, though highly diverse in their origin and membership, make a similar contribution to international climate governance. Their largest contribution lies in preparing emissions reductions through raising awareness, orchestrating different actors and actions, and establishing a large cooperation network. They complement the UNFCCC and especially the Paris Agreement

Learning by Doing: Co-Benefits Drive National Plans for Climate and Air Quality Governance

What drives countries to realize more integrated policymaking? The co-benefits concept highlights the win–win situations that can arise if one policy measure addresses two or more policy goals, e.g., air quality and health benefits resulting from a climate policy. Scholars have suggested that decision makers, if confronted with the evidence of co-benefits, would update their beliefs and adopt stronger or more ambitious climate policies. In other words, a learning process takes place. This paper looks at the policy processes in two countries, Mexico and Nigeria, as part of the Supporting National Action and Planning (SNAP) initiative under the Climate and Clean Air Coalition (CCAC). The SNAP initiative supports governments with policymaking and implementation for a reduction in short-lived climate pollutants (SLCPs). This paper seeks to reveal how learning processes and their outcomes are influenced by co-benefits as a specific type of information. Looking at an example of how the co-benefits concept is applied in political practice offers valuable insights into how learning is part of the policymaking process and can shape its outcomes, such as national (climate) action plans

One Atmosphere: Integrating Air Pollution and Climate Policy and Governance

Few challenges pose a greater threat to a healthy planet and people than air pollution and climate change. Over the past three decades, research has demonstrated that integrated solutions to air pollution and climate change can yield co-benefits that support cost-effective, coherent policies. However, research on co-benefits has yet to generate policy responses consistent with this promise. This paper argues that realizing this potential requires more rigorous research on how governance affects the opportunities and incentives to align the interests of government agencies, scientists, and other stakeholders at multiple levels. The article proposes a “One Atmosphere approach” consisting of three building blocks to strengthen that alignment: (1) continually incorporating and strategically timing the introduction of integrated visions; (2) reforming governance arrangements to encourage interagency collaboration and multi-stakeholder cooperation; and (3) supporting integrated visions and institutional cooperation with standardized metrics and assessment methods. This article is also the introduction to the Special Issue ‘One Atmosphere: Integrating Air Pollution and Climate Policy and Governance’, aimed at fostering the multidisciplinary dialogue needed for more integrated air pollution and climate change policies

Longitudinal strain by speckle tracking echocardiography in constrictive pericarditis

SCOPUS: no.jinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishe