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This book records the first success stories of a new form of financial intermediation, the hometown investment fund, that has become a national strategy in Japan, partly to meet the need to finance small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) after the devastating earthquake and tsunami in March 2011.The hometown investment fund has three main advantages. First, it contributes to financial market stability by lowering information asymmetry. Individual households and firms have direct access to information about the borrowing firms, mainly SMEs, that they lend to. Second, it is a stable source of risk capital. The fund is project driven. Firms and households decide to invest by getting to know the borrowers and their projects. In this way the fund distributes risk but not so that it renders risk intractable, which was the problem with the “originate and distribute” model. Third, it contributes to economic recovery by connecting firms and households with SMEs that are worthy of their support. It also creates employment opportunities, at the SMEs as well as for the pool of retirees from financial institutions who can help assess the projects.Introduction of the hometown investment fund has huge global implications. The world is seeking a method of financial intermediation that minimizes information asymmetry, distributes risk without making it opaque, and contributes to economic recovery. Funds similar to Japan's hometown investment fund can succeed in all three ways. After all, the majority of the world's businesses are SMEs. The first chapter explains the theory behind this method, and the following chapters relate success stories from Japan and other parts of Asia. This book should encourage policymakers, economists, lenders, and borrowers, especially in developing countries, to adopt this new form of financial intermediation, thus contributing to global economic stability.

Principles of Public Policy Practice was written with policy makers, concerned citizens, and students of public policy in mind. Striving to avoid technical language, the author introduces a new paradigm that starts from the commonality of human nature and the assumption that public policy should be impartial. Rather than playing the interests of one group versus those of another, he argues convincingly that public policy should aim at enhancing the ex ante welfare for everyone if everyone did not know the position or the identity one would assume. Using this conceptual device of the representative individual, the analysis readily leads to policy implications that are both reasonable and concrete in diverse areas ranging from health care, crime and punishment to macroeconomic and financial market stability. The book concludes with a chapter summarizing the various principles of public policy practice that will meet the challenges of the new millennium. These principles, certainly of interest to academics in social sciences who are studying public policy, political economy, international financial systems, and capital markets, should appeal equally to practitioners, including public policy makers, consultants, advisers, administrators, and public service trade unions.

This two-volume set CCIS 2264 and CCIS 2265 constitutes the refereed proceedings of the 6th International Conference on Blockchain and Trustworthy Systems, BlockSys 2024, held in Hangzhou, China, during July 12–14, 2024. The 34 full papers presented in these two volumes were carefully reviewed and selected from 74 submissions. The papers are organized in the following topical sections: Part I: Blockchain and Data Mining; Data Security and Anomaly Detection; Blockchain Performance Optimization. Part II: Frontier Technology Integration; Trustworthy System and Cryptocurrencies; Blockchain Applications.

This book constitutes the proceedings of the First International Conference on Innovation and Emerging Trends in Computing and Information Technologies, IETCIT 2024, held in Mohali, India, in March 1–2, 2024. The 44 full papers presented in these two volumes were carefully reviewed and selected from 417 submissions. The papers are organized in the following topical sections: Part I: machine learning and deep learning; pattern and speech recognition; internet of things (IoT). Part II: data science and data analytics; communication, network and security.

This book discusses agricultural diversification, nutritional security and environmental sustainability. It helps to address the multipronged challenges of nutritional security while preserving the dwindling natural resources in the current fluctuating climate conditions. Energy-intensive, conventional agricultural production systems accelerate environmental footprints, resource mining, biodiversity losses, and human health problems and reduce soil functionality. Diversified farming can potentially enhance yield, food security, and climate change buffering as it helps to achieve advanced food security by efficient resource use and profit maximization. This book covers the challenges faced during the adoption of diversified farming and opportunities to enhanced food production and minimize the environmental footprints. This book is useful for academicians, researchers, ecologists, environmentalists, students, capacity builders, and policymakers to have in-depth knowledge of this complex and diverse field. This book also helps in devising a road map for policy planning and advancement of existing knowledge for various stakeholders working in this field.

This volume constitutes the papers of several workshops which were held in conjunction with the 29th International Conference on Database Systems for Advanced Applications, held in Gifu, Japan, during July 2-5, 2024. The 26 full papers and 9 short papers included in this book were carefully reviewed and selected from 43 submissions. DASFAA 2024 presents the following four workshops: The 10th International Workshop on Big Data Management and Service (BDMS 2024) The 9th International Workshop on Big Data Quality Management (BDQM 2024) The DASFAA 2024 Workshop on Emerging Results in Data Science and Engineering (ERDSE 2024) The 8th International Workshop on Graph Data Management and Analysis (GDMA 2024)

This open access book focuses on the geopolitical competition in the South China Sea, an area with highly concentrated choke points in the Indo-Pacific, presenting ideas and recommendations to manage this competition and foster cooperation to maintain a peaceful and stable environment and promote sustainable governance of the South China Sea and of the Indo-Pacific in a broader sense. The increasingly complex geopolitics of the Indo-Pacific has made the South China Sea the epicenter of strategic competition between the great powers, with a rising China on the one hand and the United States, its allies, and partners on the other. In this strategic chessboard, the South China Sea is a test of resilience of the rules-based international order, such as versus grey zone operations, as well as disruptive technological developments in both traditional and non-traditional domains. The book incorporates foreign policy analysis methods to analyze and forecast key players'goals, intentions, and behaviors within the competitive strategic environment of the South China Sea. The success or failure of managing major power competition in the South China Sea, one of the hot spots of the Indo-Pacific region, will determine the future structure of international relations. In addition, as a dynamically developing region of the world, promoting collaborative ideas, particularly in areas related to conflict management is essential for maintaining a peaceful and stable environment, restoring economic growth, and progressing toward a sustainable future. This book is of interest to politicians, policy-makers, experts, scholars, researchers, and other readers who are interested in how regional issues can shape the global order.

This book provides the first comprehensive and systematic account of the multi-level governance system adopted by China in realizing the Dual-Carbon transition. This governance system encompasses the participation of the government, the market, industry and all sectors of society, and emphasizes coordination and cooperation between all levels of government between different sectors, and between domestic and international levels. The book finds that the government can play an important leadership and guidance role in the Dual-Carbon transition. By formulating and implementing relevant policies, regulations and planning, the government can promote the process of Dual-Carbon development. Second, the full utilization of market mechanisms also plays a key role. Through measures such as establishing a carbon market and promoting carbon pricing, the market mechanism promotes the innovation and application of low carbon technologies. In addition, the active participation of industry is an indispensable factor in realizing a Dual-Carbon transition. Industry and agriculture have contributed to Dual-Carbon development by promoting the efficient use of resources and the adoption of green production methods. Finally, raising public awareness and participation in environmental protection is also indispensable, and the process of Dual-Carbon transition is effectively promoted through publicity and education, social organizations and public participation. By addressing multiple themes, this book provides a comprehensive understanding and in-depth analysis of the Dual-Carbon transition, and offers scientific guidance and policy recommendations for China's sustainable development and the achievement of Dual-Carbon goals. At the same time, the significance of this book lies in the fact that it provides reference for other countries and regions, and makes a positive contribution to global climate governance. Parts of this book's translation from its Chinese original manuscript were completed with the assistance of artificial intelligence. The author subsequently revised the content.

This proceedings of 16th CHAOS2023 International Conference highlights recent developments in nonlinear, dynamical, and complex systems. The conference was intended to provide an essential forum for Scientists and Engineers to exchange ideas, methods, and techniques in the field of Nonlinear Dynamics, Chaos, Fractals, and their applications in General Science and Engineering Sciences. The principal aim of CHAOS2023 International Conference is to expand the development of the theories of the applied nonlinear field, the methods, empirical data, and computer techniques as well as the best theoretical achievements of chaotic theory. CHAOS2023 Conference provides a forum for bringing together the various groups working in the area of Nonlinear and Dynamical Systems, Chaotic theory, and Application to exchange views and report research findings. Chapter 22 and 23 are available open access under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License via link.springer.com.

This open access book is a groundbreaking exploration of systemic risk in modern financial systems. Through its theoretical and empirical investigations, it reveals the multidimensionality of systemic risk, the transmission channels of crises, and the interlinkages between physical, transition, and financial risks. It introduces cutting-edge methodologies, including prediction and optimization models based on complex networks, multilayer networks and eXplainable Artificial Intelligence (XAI) approaches, to forecast and measure systemic risk and financial crisis. It provides insight for academics, practitioners, policy and supervisory authorities, and bankers and financial market operators on understanding the links that determine the propagation of financial crises and the emergence of systemic risks. This book is essential for those wishing to better understand systemic risk and its implications.

This is an open access book. Sustainable development is so important that humanity must do its utmost to achieve these goals for the well-being of the present and future generations. WTO members have started to reform WTO rules since the WTO's Buenos Aires Ministerial Conference in 2017. The book describes a possible bright future for readers: WTO members can integrate the UN SDGs into WTO law (i.e., create sustainable trade rules) by establishing a sustainable development club and constitutionalising the WTO.

This book explores interdisciplinary technological advancements in smart cities. The book begins with a comprehensive study of smart cities, followed by their benefits and shortcomings. The authors show how, with the help of digital technology, cities are becoming more sustainable and efficient, leading to a better quality of life. The book includes a comprehensive review of literature, research works, and case studies, which are presented to demonstrate how various technologies can be integrated into smart cities. The book includes scenarios in smart agriculture, smart transportation, smart healthcare and more. This book also offers researchers, students, academicians, and professionals working in this field an extensive range of smart city applications.

'Blockchain's Transformative Potential of Financial Technology for Sustainable Futures'delves into the groundbreaking impact of blockchain technology on the financial sector, highlighting its potential to foster sustainable development. This comprehensive volume brings together a diverse array of experts who explore how blockchain can revolutionize financial technology (FinTech) by enhancing transparency, efficiency, and inclusivity. The book examines blockchain's role in promoting financial inclusion, providing secure and accessible financial services to underserved populations. By bridging gaps in the current financial system, blockchain empowers individuals and communities, driving economic growth and resilience. Additionally, it addresses the environmental benefits of blockchain, showcasing innovative solutions like decentralized energy markets and transparent supply chains that contribute to sustainability. Readers will gain insights into real-world applications of blockchain, supported by case studies and in-depth analyses. The book also navigates the complex regulatory and ethical landscape, offering guidance on harnessing blockchain's potential responsibly.'Blockchain's Transformative Potential of Financial Technology for Sustainable Futures'is an essential resource for professionals, researchers, and policymakers interested in the future of FinTech and sustainable development. It serves as a catalyst for further research, dialogue, and collaboration, inspiring a new era of financial innovation and sustainability.

This two-volume set CCIS 2309-2310 constitutes the refereed proceedings of the 11th International Conference on Future Data and Security Engineering. Big Data, Security and Privacy, Smart City and Industry 4.0 Applications, FDSE 2024, held in Binh Duong, Vietnam, during November 27–29, 2024. The 44 full papers, 12 short papers and 1 keynote paper were carefully reviewed and selected from 189 submissions. They were organized in topical sections as follows: advances in machine learning for big data analytics; security and privacy engineering; data analytics and healthcare systems; smart city and industry 4.0 applications; big data query processing and optimization; and short papers; security and data engineering.

The integration project of the European Union has not progressed much beyond its economic successes, and the original idea of a political union has drifted far away following the crises of the past decade. With Russia's aggression against Ukraine, a crisis has emerged that poses enormous internal and external challenges to Europe, requiring a reassessment of the geopolitical and economic conditions of the European Union. For the 2nd edition, the contents have been revised and updated accordingly. New are the two chapters on the Ukraine war and its influence on the European Union's efforts to address the energy crisis and climate change.

This book is a thorough exploration of the digital currency realm, designed for both newcomers and seasoned enthusiasts. The book offers an in-depth analysis of the multifaceted world of cryptocurrencies, covering technological, economic, regulatory, and social aspects. It provides a foundational understanding of cryptocurrencies, their origins, and how they differ from traditional currencies. The author illustrates the mechanics of blockchain technology, explaining how it ensures security, transparency, and decentralization in digital transactions. The book discusses the development of central bank digital currencies and their potential to transform the financial system. The author examines how governments are responding to the rise of private cryptocurrencies by developing their own digital currencies. Furthermore, the book explores the broader implications of digital currencies on society and the environment, including issues related to energy consumption, digital inclusion, and the potential for financial empowerment. This work is an essential resource for understanding the complex and dynamic world of cryptocurrencies, offering valuable insights for academics, professionals, and enthusiasts alike.

This book presents the proceedings of the 7th International Conference on Electrical, Control and Computer Engineering (InECCE 2023), held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, on 22 August 2023. The topics covered are sustainable energy, power electronics and drives and power engineering including distributed/renewable generation, power system optimization, artificial/computational intelligence, smart grid, power system protection and machine learning energy management and conservation. The book showcases some of the latest technologies and applications developed to solve local energy and power problems in order to ensure continuity, reliability and security of electricity for future generations. It also links topics covered the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) areas outlined by the United Nation for global sustainability. The book appeals to professionals, scientists and researchers with experience in industry. The book represents Volume 2 for this conference proceedings, which consist of a 2-volume book series

This book brings together selected papers from the The Vietnam-EU Economic and Trade Forum 2023 jointly organized by the VNU University of Economics and Business (UEB, Vietnam) and Krakow University of Economics (Poland). The book deals with the economic and political relationship between Asian and EU countries in the context of globalization, sustainable development, and climate change responses. This book covers a wide range of topics, such as Asian-EU economic-politic relation promotion, policies for environmental protection, green growth and climate change responses in Asian and EU countries, and education, culture, science and technology, and innovation cooperation between Asian and EU countries.

This book focuses on the frontier issues in climate finance and aims to develop a general framework to understand the financial pathways towards a successful energy transition. It builds upon the general descriptions of the current status and future challenges towards carbon neutral targets, and then bring forward a combination of theoretical and empirical analysis on the critical issues related to climate finance. Estimated by the International Energy Agency (IEA), trillions dollars of investment in energy sector are needed to achieve net-zero emission scenario. It provides a huge opportunity for our economies, meanwhile creates considerable challenges to the existing system. Both financing and investment in such an unprecedented scale cannot possibly be satisfied by the current financial architecture, which creates demands for restructuring in the financial sector, developing innovative financial instruments, building mechanisms to attract private investment, and establishing human resources to facilitate climate financing and investment. This area is essentially interdisciplinary, which requires a fundamental reconsideration of standard approaches. Aiming to satisfy the broad interests from both academia and policymakers, the contents of this book range from general discussions on critical issues to advanced statistical analyses on key topics. Authors hope to bring forward a general picture about climate finance and facilitate the demands for both academic research and policymaking. It should also provide a good guidance for graduate students interested in this subject. The main contents of this book are based on solid research outcomes but with clear policy relevance. The book combines finance theory and practices in both financial markets and energy sectors to reflect the complex nature of financing for energy transition. While the materials can provide useful knowledge to policymakers, the book can also inspire new research ideas in the relevant area.

In an era defined by technological breakthroughs such as AI, blockchain, and IoT, this book offers a fresh and practical approach to Business Model Innovation (BMI). It delves into how technological advancements drive new business models and enhance operational efficiency, providing actionable insights and real-world examples for business leaders, strategists, operations managers, entrepreneurs, and students in business and technology disciplines. Encouraging diverse research methods, including theoretical, empirical, and multimethod studies, it welcomes manuscripts with clear managerial or policy implications. Aimed at students, scholars, researchers, professionals, executives, government agencies, and policymakers, this book equips readers with tools to succeed in today's dynamic business environment and supports multidisciplinary research to advance innovation management practices.

The Commentary on the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (four volumes) is a major European project that aims to contribute to the development of ever closer conceptual and dogmatic standpoints with regard to the creation of “Europeanised research on Union law”. Following on from the Commentary on the Treaty on European Union, this book presents detailed explanations, article by article, of all the provisions of the TFEU, discussing the application of Union law in the national legal orders and its interpretation by the Court of Justice of the EU. The authors are academics and practitioners from all across Europe and different legal traditions, some from a constitutional law background, others experts in the field of international law and EU law. Reflecting the various approaches to European legal culture, this book promotes a system concept of European Union law toward more unity notwithstanding its rich diversity grounded in national traditions.

Financial markets play a critical role in climate finance as they are a major source of funding for many of the projects and initiatives aimed at addressing climate change. For instance, banks and investors can provide loans and capital to companies that are developing renewable energy projects, building energy-efficient infrastructure, or implementing climate-smart agricultural practices. Moreover, the importance of climate finance in financial markets goes beyond just funding environmental initiatives. Investors and financial institutions are increasingly factoring in climate risks and opportunities into their decision-making processes, including assessing the financial risks posed by climate change and the potential impact of new regulations and policies aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions.This book is a collection of recent developments in climate change and climate finance. As the global community seeks to address the impacts of climate change, financial institutions are being called upon to play a larger role in supporting the transition to a sustainable economy. This includes incorporating climate risks into investment decisions, developing new financial products that support climate-friendly investments, and promoting greater transparency and accountability in the financial sector. The book provides a comprehensive analysis of how climate change is impacting the global financial system and explores the potential solutions that can help address these challenges. The contributions aim to examine the complex interplay between climate change and finance, and the potential for innovative financial instruments and policies to support the transition to a low-carbon economy.

This book illustrates effective decision-making in complex socio-economic systems utilising system dynamics and agent-based simulation modelling approaches. It provides practical guidance on the application of conceptual and numerical modelling and simulation for analysing economic, strategic, regulatory, sociological and ethical questions from a complex systems perspective. Its theoretical, methodological and practical illustrations will enhance readers'understanding of the application of simulation modelling for effective systems management. By virtually experimenting with alternative management scenarios, it will help them improve decision-making and control mechanisms. The book explores practical examples from the fields of pharmaceuticals, healthcare, finance, sociology, education and culture from a strategic, regulatory and ethics perspective. As such, it offers a valuable resource for managers, both at for-profit corporations and non-profit organisations, public policymakers and regulators alike.

This handbook provides a comprehensive overview of Islamic ethical issues within a wide spectrum of philosophy of science topics, examining the development of the model of moral inclusiveness in economics, science and society from ontological, epistemological and analytical perspectives. This paradigm takes the view that ethics is systemically endogenous, and can be studied by the most rigorous scientific analysis pertaining to diverse issues and problems of ethicality in socio-scientific inquiry. This handbook takes a sweeping transdisciplinary approach that is deeply phenomenological, to the nature and logic of scientific inquiry of, and in, the Qur'an. Such an approach invokes the episteme of the unity of knowledge in the socio-scientific systemic sense. The volumes'respective sections focus on the nature, logic, and role that ethics plays in formulating new vistas of alternative epistemic futures in Islamic economics, finance, and the social sciences. The ideas presented are situated within the broader context of the post-modernist, post-pandemic, and the post-Covid-19 epoch, while being aimed at conceptualising a distinctive new outlook of transdisciplinary intellection in Islamic philosophy. The content is rigorously conceptual, qualitative, quantitative, and applied. Covering a diversity of subject areas from philosophy of science, to economics and in socio-scientific context within the realm of Islamic philosophy, this forms a key text for scholars in these respective arenas, led by pioneering scholarship in Islamic studies.

This book contains best selected research papers presented at ICTCS 2023: Eighth International Conference on Information and Communication Technology for Competitive Strategies. The conference will be held in Jaipur, India during 8 – 9 December 2023. The book covers state-of-the-art as well as emerging topics pertaining to ICT and effective strategies for its implementation for engineering and managerial applications. This book contains papers mainly focused on ICT for computation, algorithms and data analytics and IT security. The work is presented in five volumes.

​Green Hydrogen in Power Systems examines state-of-the-art applications and the latest developments in technology, protocols, implementation, and application of green hydrogen in power and energy systems. The first book to comprehensively analyze the opportunities and challenges in this field, it brings together global experts from different disciplines to provide a comprehensive study of the role of green hydrogen in power systems of the future and its important role in energy evolution and decarbonization efforts around the world. The book is a multidisciplinary reference for researchers and industry stakeholders who have focused on the field of hydrogen integration into the power and energy systems, as well as researchers and developers from different branches of engineering, energy, computer sciences, data, economic, and operation research fields.

This textbook provides a solid introduction to the theoretical and empirical aspects of environmental economics and their links to environmental policy. In this second edition, all chapters have been updated and restructured, and new sections have been added to reflect a greater focus on climate policy. Starting from the need to balance the social costs of pollution against the financial costs of emission abatement, the book discusses the major issues that arise in the context of environmental policy – such as the potential and limitations of monetary valuation of the environment (and in particular the contingent valuation method) and the design of environmental policy. With regard to the choice of environmental policy instruments, the book focuses on the price-based instruments preferred by economists, i.e., environmental taxes and emissions trading, discussing in detail not only their many advantages but also their drawbacks. The second edition especially focuses on green industrial policy as a complementary measure to price-based instruments, the distributional effects of environmental policies, and the resulting challenges for political feasibility. Moreover, the book deals extensively with international environmental problems, in particular climate protection, which is a global public good that will be underprovided when certain countries refuse to cooperate and contribute. Approaches to overcoming this underprovision are described in far more detail than in the first edition, both theoretically and empirically – in particular by assessing the functions of the many international environmental agreements in this field. Finally, a new chapter considers adaptation strategies, especially in the water sector, as an additional pillar of climate policy.

In the 21st century, the imperative for sustainable development has assumed a paramount role, echoing the pressing global concerns surrounding environmental degradation, social inequalities, and economic challenges. Within this context, Sub-Saharan Africa emerges as a region of particular significance, where the pursuit of sustainability holds immense promise and relevance. Despite being endowed with abundant natural resources and a vibrant entrepreneurial spirit, Sub-Saharan Africa grapples with enduring issues of poverty, inequality, and environmental harm. This book explores the innovative paradigms of sustainable finance and business within Sub-Saharan Africa, exploring how novel approaches can effectively tackle the region's most pressing challenges while simultaneously catalyzing economic growth and societal progress. The chapters presented here comprise a diverse array of cutting-edge financial strategies, circular economy initiatives, technological advancements, and business models that are revolutionizing sustainable development across the continent. Sub-Saharan Africa, characterized by its youthful demographic and rapidly expanding economies, is poised for transformation. Yet, it confronts formidable obstacles in the form of poverty, inequality, and environmental degradation. The United Nations'Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) offer a comprehensive framework to address these issues. However, realizing these objectives requires innovative solutions that can surmount the unique constraints of the region. Fortunately, Sub-Saharan Africa is a crucible of innovation, with a growing community of entrepreneurs, financiers, and decision-makers committed to sustainable development. Initiatives promoting circular economies are reducing waste and enhancing resource efficiency, while financial instruments like impact investing and green bonds are attracting new streams of funding. Simultaneously, technological breakthroughs such as mobile payment systems and renewable energy solutions are expanding access to essential services and driving economic expansion. Despite these encouraging advancements, Sub-Saharan Africa stands at a pivotal juncture in its journey towards sustainability. This book, with a focus on practical and scalable solutions, endeavors to showcase the most promising and successful models that can propel sustainable development across the region.

This book offers a comprehensive overview of the latest research, innovations, and practical applications in the field of sustainability, with a focus on construction materials and their use in building and civil engineering structures. As an outcome of the 2nd International Conference on Sustainability: Developments and Innovations (ICSDI 2024), the book presents a selection of peer-reviewed papers from prominent researchers and engineers around the world. The book covers a broad range of topics, including construction and resilient infrastructure, sustainable manufacturing, industrial ecology, renewable energy, future cities, sustainable built environment design, and policies, regulations, and economics for achieving sustainable development goals. This book will serve as an essential reference for graduate students, engineers, and scientists, as well as industry professionals working in the field of sustainability. The book aligns with the scope of book series scope which aims tocontribute to progress in the construction sciences, techniques, and industries through communication between research and practice. It is also a valuable resource for practitioners and policymakers who are interested in understanding the latest technological advancements and innovations in sustainability to solve real-world problems.

This book constitutes the refereed proceedings of the 25th International Conference on Principles and Practice of Multi-Agent Systems, PRIMA 2024, held in Kyoto, Japan, during November 18–24, 2024. The 23 full papers and 10 short papers presented in this volume were carefully reviewed and selected from 76 submissions. They are organized in the following topical sections: coordination and cooperation; market approaches; logics; learning; agent-based modelling and simulation; computational social choice.

More and more investors have integrated ESG criteria into their investment criteria, and an increasing number of banks are supplementing their lending guidelines with ESG aspects. With a lived ESG strategy and ESG communication, companies consequently become more attractive to investors and banks. This book aims to show entrepreneurs and managers how to develop a convincing ESG strategy and how to communicate it professionally.

This book gathers the proceedings of the 11th International Conference of Ar.Tec. (Scientific Society of Architectural Engineering), Colloqui.AT.e, which was held in Palermo, Italy, on June 12–15, 2024, and brought together scholars in the fields of construction and conservation history, building construction and performance, building design, and technologies. Digital transition and design of 4.0 buildings, digital twins for the management of historical building heritage, building-human-environment relationships, and mitigation of vulnerabilities for the preservation of the built environment are also explored. The contributions demonstrate that architectural engineering enables the construction of sustainable, resilient, adaptive, and high-performance buildings, and as such is instrumental in fighting against climate change.

This book examines the field of fintech and the impact of crime legislation on its development. Divided into four parts, it discusses: The background of fintech and its evolution. Financial implication of fintech on practitioners. Criminal opportunities of fintech. Global legal approaches to regulating and prevent criminal activity associated with fintech. Featuring a collection of case studies from around the world, this volume is ideal for students of financial crime or practitioners working in fintech.