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Although developing countries have established scores of new protected areas over the past three decades, they often amount to little more than “paper parks” that are chronically short of the financial, human, and technical resources needed for effective management. It is not clear whether and how severely under-resourced parks affect deforestation. In principle, they could either stem it by, for example, creating an expectation of future enforcement, or they could spur it by, for example, creating open access regimes. We examine the effect of Mexico's natural protected areas (NPAs) on deforestation from 1993 to 2000, a period when forest clearing was rampant and the vast majority of protected areas had negligible resources or management. We use high-resolution satellite data to measure deforestation and (covariate and propensity score) matching to control for NPAs’ nonrandom siting and for spillovers. Our broad finding is that Mexico's paper parks had heterogeneous effects both inside and outside their borders. More specifically, at the national-level, we cannot reject the null hypothesis that NPAs had zero average effect on clearing inside their borders, nor can we reject a similar hypothesis for spillover clearing outside their borders. However, we can detect statistically and economically significant inside- and outside-NPA effects for certain geographic regions. Moreover, these effects have different signs depending on the region. Finally, we find that NPAs with certain characteristics were more effective at stemming deforestation inside their borders, namely, those that were large, new, mixed use, and relatively well-funded. Taken together, these results suggest that paper parks have the potential to either reduce or exacerbate tropical deforestation and highlight the need for further research on the conditions that lead to each outcome. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper describes the monitoring and evaluation of three improved cookstove dissemination projects implemented between 2004 and 2006 by non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in India and Mexico. The projects assessed stove performance using lab-based water boiling tests (WBTs), which yield a number of performance indicators including time to boil water, specific fuel consumption, and energy efficiency when the stove is operated at both high and low power output. They also conducted field-based kitchen performance tests (KPTs), which yield daily per capita fuel consumption in real cooking conditions. In addition, one NGO utilized a controlled cooking test, which combined elements of lab- and field-based tests. In all cases, improved cookstoves (ICSs) were compared to local traditional cookstoves (TCSs). The results of the WBTs were mixed. Although the improved stoves generally showed some improvement in efficiency for the low-power simmering phases, the stoves were less efficient than traditional stoves in high-power water-boiling phases. The results from the KPTs were much less ambiguous. Three ICS models were tested for fuel consumption during real household use. All ICSs showed statistically significant reductions (p < 0.05) in average daily per capita fuel use ranging from 19 to 67%. We also explore the correlations between the outcomes in lab-based tests and field-based tests in order to understand the relationships between the two assessment methods. Only fuel consumption in the low-power phase of the WBT showed a strong correlation with fuel consumption in the field (r2 = 0.83, p = 0.01). We discuss the implications of this association as well as the other outcomes and present some policy recommendations for monitoring and evaluation of large-scale stove interventions. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Villaseñor and Olóriz (2019) present a comprehensive review of latest Jurassic to earliest Cretaceous ammonites from Mexico, which previously were ascribed to the genus Kossmatia , and provides evidence that these fossils should be referred to other genera. However, descriptions of two new genera provided by Villaseñor and Olóriz (Burckhardtieia and Aguilerites) are lacking indication of their type species that make these genera unavailable following to ICZN articles 13.3 and 67.4.1. Discussed paper also includes figures of the new species Burckhardtieia westermanni , which is lacking formal description, although illustrated by few figures and its holotype is clearly indicated. The genus Burckhardtieia Villasenor and Oloriz can be considered as a junior synonym of the genus Fierrites Cantu Chapa. The latter genus is suggested to be invalid by Villaseñor and Olóriz (2019), but without strong background in support of this statement. Here the author is follow the proposal by Enay (2009) and consider the genus Fierrites as a correct name, which can be used for all American " Kossmatia ". Discussed article is also lacking detailed biostratigraphic data concerning the range of the Burckhardtieia , although clear indication of its range (and ranges of species included in this taxon) seems to be necessary. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Considering that public debt is a priority for policymakers in Mexico, the aim of this paper is to examine the convergence or divergence in debt per capita and main drivers of debt in the 32 Mexican states in the period 2006–2021. The results support significant spatial correlation of debt/cap across states. Cross‐section and spatial dynamic regressions are used to analyse absolute and conditional beta‐convergence in debt per capita, and the divergence assumption is documented. The panel data models based on the method‐of‐moments quantile models and pooled mean group estimators indicate that poverty is the main determinant of debt, whereas foreign direct investment is insufficient to support the reduction in debt in the long run. These results provide evidence for a set of policy recommendations to ensure a sustainable debt path in Mexico. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite global uncertainties, Mexico has become the largest supplier to the United States, emphasizing its growing role in cultivating resilient supply chains. Nearshoring practices from Mexico and Canada to the U.S. present new production opportunities. Increasingly, U.S. consumers place a premium on sustainable consumption, so blue hydrogen plants must be sourced responsibly. This paper firstly goes beyond economic motivations, aiming to formulate a multi-stage methodology for assessing suppliers of municipal solid waste for blue hydrogen plants, marking a pioneering effort in catering to the environmentally conscious preferences of U.S. consumers. The purpose of this work is to examine a case study of Blue Hydrogen production in Nuevo Leon, emphasizing the importance of developing responsible sourcing criteria for waste suppliers to limited blue hydrogen plants. The developed hybrid approach integrates various methodologies, including Critical Systems Heuristics (CSH), fuzzy rough sets, hierarchical fuzzy rough analysis, Fuzzy rough WASPAS, TOPSIS, and Best-Worst Method (BWM), providing a comprehensive framework for decision-making under uncertainty. Key findings include the identification of water conservation (E2) and job creation (S2) as the top environmental and social criteria, respectively. Supplier WC2 was identified as the top-performing waste collector, achieving a final score of 4.77. This structured methodology prioritizes product categories for hydrogen consumption, considering sustainability criteria and U.S. consumer preferences, thereby offering valuable insights for businesses navigating this evolving landscape. • Multi-stage method assesses waste suppliers for blue hydrogen. • Pioneer in catering to environmentally conscious U.S. consumers. • Case study on responsible sourcing in Nuevo Leon's hydrogen production. • Hybrid approach integrates various methodologies for decision-making. • Prioritizes hydrogen consumption based on sustainability and U.S. preferences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Payments for hydrological services (PHS) apply an incentive-based approach to achieve conservation and socioeconomic goals. PHS policies are most successful when they are designed and implemented with participation from diverse stakeholders and respond to local needs and conditions. Role-play simulations (RPS) engage stakeholders from different organizations and decision-making roles in policy deliberations and innovations. This paper explores how a science-based RPS encourages participation from diverse actors to inform PHS policy innovation in Veracruz, Mexico. We present results from two RPS workshops which engaged 69 stakeholders in negotiations on the future design of a hypothetical PHS program. Our RPS integrated qualitative and quantitative information from operating PHS programs to inform a hypothetical, but realistic, decision-making scenario. This paper analyzes data collected from surveys of workshop participants, audio recordings of workshop discussions, and post-workshop, in-depth interviews. We found the RPS fostered collaborative decision-making by engaging participants in constructive conversations about PHS program design options to effectively contribute to forest conservation and socioeconomic well-being, including incentivizing environmentally friendly farm practices and complementing cash payment with in-kind transactions. We also found the collaborative method of RPS challenged the exclusive role of technical expertise in decision-making by eliciting ideas for improvement of PHS programs and fostering understanding and empathy towards others and their interests, particularly for small landowners who do not typically participate in decision-making. We conclude that a science-based RPS can be a valuable tool for encouraging multi-stakeholder participation in policy design that reflects local environmental and socio-economic values and needs. • Role-play simulation (RPS) is a method to engage stakeholders in policy deliberations and innovation. • RPS promotes critical thinking about the design and approach of PHS policy. • RPS can potentially inform PHS policies. • RPS negotiations can contribute to mutual understanding between different stakeholders. • RPS negotiations can be a valuable tool for encouraging multi-stakeholder participation in generating policy options. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The exploitation of limited energy resources can generate socio-economic inequalities calling for a combination of justice with the socio-technical study of modern energy systems to advance its understanding and remediation. Within this context, this paper uses energy justice and econophysics as theoretical and methodological frameworks to discuss issues of energy poverty in Mexico. The results emerging from this research illustrate that, according to data from 2014, around 61 % of Mexican households suffered from energy poverty due to issues of accessibility or affordability of modern energy services and fuels (with 11.54 % of households facing both types of energy poverty). This paper provides a novel approach that combines advanced quantitative methods based on econophysics, with conceptual frameworks from social sciences like energy justice to discuss issues of energy poverty in Mexico. Furthermore, this research performs an approximation to energy consumption in Mexican households based on monetary expenditure, the heat value of fuels and unit prices during 2014. These methods contribute to the understanding and characterisation of household energy needs and energy consumption in Mexico, reducing the existing gap in the academic literature on the analysis and critical thinking of energy poverty in Global South contexts (specifically in Latin America). • Energy poverty in Mexico is analysed based on metrics of affordability and accessibility. • 38.84% of Mexican households suffered energy poverty by accessibility, 34% to affordability, and 11.54% suffered both. • Econophysics and energy justice are demonstrated as valuable methodological and conceptual tools to examine energy poverty. • This study demonstrates the need to consider transport as a core energy service for future energy poverty studies. • Although quantitative methods are crucial to understanding energy poverty, complementary qualitative studies are needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Population-level monitoring of children's development informs research and policy. • Caregiver-reported household surveys, such as the ECDI2030, can play this role. • Results from two national samples support the use of the ECDI2030 for monitoring. • Findings also suggest more research is needed on social and emotional development. • Recommendations are made for ensuring the quality of data from caregiver surveys. Population-level monitoring of early childhood development (ECD) can inform research and guide national policy. One approach to population-level monitoring is through the design of surveys that (a) are feasible and cost-effective to implement at scale, (b) yield well-validated summaries of children's holistic development, and (c) can ideally support comparisons across national and cultural contexts. The Early Childhood Development Index 2030 (ECDI2030) is a caregiver-reported household survey designed to achieve these goals for children aged 24-59 months. This paper describes how the ECDI2030 was developed and provides initial results on its reliability, concurrent validity, and gender equity in nationally representative samples from Mexico (N = 1641) and Palestine (N = 1099). Overall, the results support the use of the ECDI2030 for population-level monitoring, but also suggest that the conceptualization of social-emotional development warrants further attention from researchers. Recommendations are made about statistical analyses that can be undertaken to ensure the quality of data collected from ECD assessments in international settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we study the problem of multi-institutional regionalization of primary health care units. The problem consists of deciding where to place new facilities, capacity expansions for existing facilities, and demand allocation in a multi-institutional system to minimize the total travel distance from demand points to health care units. It is known that traditional exact methods as branch-and-bound are limited to solving small- to medium-size instances of the problem. Given that real world-instances can be large, in this paper we propose an iterated greedy algorithm with variable neighborhood descent search for handling large-scale instances. Within this solution framework, several methods are developed. A greedy constructive method and two deconstruction strategies are developed. Another interesting component is the exact optimization of a demand allocation subproblem that is obtained when the location of facilities is previously fixed. An empirical assessment using real-world data from the State of Mexico's Public Health Care System is carried out. The results demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed metaheuristic in handling large-scale instances. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Electricity is fundamental for supporting economic development in emerging economies. Power generation from clean energy sources may help to meet societal needs such as increasing electricity demand while complying with contemporary global challenges (e.g. climate change). This paper aims at qualitatively describing the development of clean energy technologies in Mexico by using a multi-perspective analytical framework. By integrating a meta-theoretical framework for national energy transitions and core concepts from policy mixes for sustainability transitions literature, a series of stylised facts are developed to qualitatively describe the evolution of clean energy technologies in Mexico from 1879 to 2021. Interactive governance theory is used as an analytical framework to synthesise these storylines by highlighting the role and interactions among technologies, actors, and policy instruments in governance processes. The case study revealed that the ever-growing electricity demand in Mexico have called for exploring different available energy sources and technologies over time. Diminishing oil and gas domestic reserves, increasing concerns around environmental issues, and worldwide agreements on greenhouse gas emission reductions have been the main drivers for clean energy and energy efficiency development in Mexico. However, different barriers to a clean energy transition in Mexico have been identified and discussed in this study: (1) access to a vast oil and gas resources in the past reinforced the position of fossil-fuel incumbent regimes, displacing clean energy technological niches; (2) lack of investment in clean energy research, development, and innovation; (3) policy paradigms have shifted based on (dynamic) societal needs and socio-political interests in favour of fossil fuel power generation. To overcome these barriers and allow a transition towards a clean energy electricity system in Mexico, multiple policy instruments have been identified and discussed. • The paper describes the evolution of clean energy technologies in Mexico. • A multi-perspective analytical framework is used to create micro-logics. • The interactive governance approach is used to synthesise these micro-logics. • Barriers and drivers for a clean energy transition in Mexico are discussed. • Energy policy mixes towards a clean energy transition are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cave carbonate minerals are an important terrestrial paleoclimate archive. A few studies have explored the potential for applying carbonate clumped isotope thermometry to speleothems as a tool for constraining past temperatures. To date, most papers utilizing this method have focused on mass-47 clumped isotope values (Δ 47) at a single location and reported that cave carbonate minerals rarely achieve isotopic equilibrium, with kinetic isotope effects (KIEs) attributed to CO 2 degassing. More recently, studies have shown that mass-47 and mass-48 CO 2 from acid digested carbonate minerals (Δ 47 and Δ 48) can be used together to assess equilibrium and probe KIEs. Here, we examined 44 natural and synthetic modern cave carbonate mineral samples from 13 localities with varying environmental conditions (ventilation, water level, pCO 2 , temperature) for (dis)equilibrium using Δ 47 -Δ 48 values, in concert with traditional stable carbon (δ13C) and oxygen (δ18O) isotope ratios. Data showed that 19 of 44 samples exhibited Δ 47 -Δ 48 values indistinguishable from isotopic equilibrium, and 18 (95 %) of these samples yield Δ 47 -predicted temperatures within error of measured modern temperatures. Conversely, 25 samples exhibited isotopic disequilibria, 13 of which yield erroneous temperature estimates. Within some speleothem samples, we find Δ 47 -Δ 48 values consistent with CO 2 degassing effects, however, the majority of samples with KIEs are consistent with other processes being dominant. We hypothesize that these values reflect isotopic buffering effects on clumped isotopes that can be considerable and cannot be overlooked. Using a Raleigh Distillation Model, we examined carbon and oxygen isotope exchange trajectories and their relationships with dual clumped isotope disequilibria. Carbon isotope exchange is associated with depletion of both Δ 47 and Δ 48 relative to equilibrium, while oxygen isotope exchange is associated with enrichment of both Δ 47 and Δ 48 relative to equilibrium. Cave rafts collected from proximate locations in Mexico exhibit the largest average departures from equilibrium ( Δ Δ 47 ¯ = −0.032 ± 0.007, Δ Δ 48 ¯ = −0.104 ± 0.035, where ΔΔ i is the measured value – the equilibrium value). This study shows how the Δ 47 -Δ 48 dual carbonate clumped isotope framework can be applied to a variety of tcave carbonate mineral samples, enabling identification of isotopic equilibria and therefore quantitative application of clumped isotope thermometry for paleoclimate reconstruction, or alternatively, constraining the mechanisms of kinetic effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Case study on smallholder agrobiodiversity and drug crops in Oaxaca, Mexico. • Drug and food crops complement each other until a threshold of violence is crossed. • Crop specialization tends to favor violence-driven abandonment of agriculture. • Crop/livelihood diversification reduces peasants' exposure and sensitivity to violence. • Organized, militarized, and diversified peasants mitigate violent agrarian change. Drawing on political-ecological vulnerability theory, this paper analyzes the impact of illegal-drug cultivation and its related violence on smallholder agrobiodiversity in the state of Oaxaca, Mexico. Oaxaca is a global agrobiodiversity hotspot where cannabis and opium poppy have been widely cultivated for decades. The study is based on 76 structured/semi-structured interviews with imprisoned farmers, harvest gatherers, and former soldiers in four state prisons. Results show that illegal-drug crops and native-food crops complement each other until a threshold of violence is crossed, which leads to the abandonment of agriculture due to murder, imprisonment, and out-migration. The specialization of smallholder agriculture in illegal-drug crops tends to favor crossing the threshold of violence. In most municipalities in this study, however, rather a diversification process took place in which illegal-drug crops were incorporated to food production systems, reducing both the exposure and the sensitivity of smallholders to structural and direct violence. Other adaptation strategies involved local organization and militarization of smallholders for collective-risk management and territorial control. Ultimately, by comparing five vulnerability scenarios, this paper argues that the combination of peasant organization, militarization, and crop/livelihood diversification in Oaxaca mitigates the violent agrarian change associated with this illegal economy, while conserving agrobiodiversity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A future decarbonized global energy sector could require up to $110 trillion in new investment. With so much funding at stake, it is likely that low-carbon energy systems will attract and perpetuate corruption. This paper aims at providing an overview of private-sector stakeholders in the renewable-energy realm and examines possibilities and instances of corruption at the interface between private climate interventions and international development. In this paper, corruption risks and instances facing wind energy (including a mix of offshore and onshore designs) and solar photovoltaic panels (in off-grid configurations) are investigated. Based on original expert interviews and document analysis, we explore corruption risks in two national contexts (Mexico and Kenya) before offering a suite of recommendations and solutions to address corruption, and a conclusion with suggestions for future research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper is an attempt to examine the long-run and short-run relationship between inflation, exchange rate, and renewable energy use in Mexico during the period 1990–2019 by employing ARDL bounds test approach. The results of the study show that in the long-run there is a bidirectional causality between inflation and exchange rate. Renewable energy use in Mexico also impacts both inflation and exchange rate but exchange rate and inflation do not impact renewable energy in the long-run. The short-run ARDL model results provides that an increase in renewable energy use in Mexico has the impact of encouraging exchange rate appreciation. The results of this paper shows that renewable energy does not only reduce carbon-dioxide emissions which causes global warming, rather it encourages exchange rate appreciation in Mexico. Therefore, renewable energy use should be encouraged since it will cause currency appreciation of nations as well as leading to zero carbon in the future, a goal by the United Nations. High inflation in Mexico is also found to cause currency depreciation and vice versa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Data and perceptions suggest the US-Mexico borderlands have seen both environmental improvements and degradation since NAFTA. • Environmental infrastructure and public participation improvements can be attributed to NAFTA's environmental institutions. • A loss of regional water is associated with NAFTA's encouragement of mining and export agriculture in northern Mexico. • Confounding factors such as global trade and immigration politics complicate attribution of overall environmental changes to NAFTA. • Missing environmental data complicates analysis. Twenty-five years after the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) came into force, what impact has it had on the US-Mexico border environment? This paper asks what lessons NAFTA offers to contemporary debates about trade and environmental governance through analysis of time series data and expert perceptions on the environment of the US-Mexico borderlands. In the early 1990s, scholars and activists argued that NAFTA would have mostly negative impacts on the US-Mexico border, creating water scarcity and increasing air, land and water pollution; degrading ecosystems; and causing health problems. The debate over NAFTA was part of the larger discussion on the environmental impacts of trade and globalization. In response to these concerns, several governance institutions were created to monitor the environment (the Commission for Environmental Cooperation) and to certify and fund improvements to environmental infrastructure along the US-Mexico border (the Border Environment Cooperation Commission and North American Development Bank). NAFTA was recently replaced with a new trade deal (the USMCA). In this paper we review trends in environmental conditions over the past 25 years, mostly on the Mexican side of the border where greater impacts were anticipated, through datasets, institutional reports and scholarly literature. We also present and discuss the results of semi-structured interviews and surveys with 49 experts (researchers, activists, government personnel, and other border institutional actors) to understand the varied legacy of NAFTA on the border environment at 25 years. Although missing data and challenges in attribution complicated our analysis, we found both positive and negative trends in environmental indicators and the literature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we estimate the technical efficiency of Mexican states using stochastic production frontier models. The empirical section uses panel data over the period 1988-2008. A distinctive feature of the paper is the use of socioeconomic and location data in order to control for the heterogeneity of the states. We find that crime rate negatively affects the efficiency of the states and that its effect is only significant after a certain level. Our results also show that education and productive specialization shift the production frontier upwards. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Water, energy and food (WEF) are experiencing significant stress due to an increase in their demand and scarcity, and this situation will worsen in the coming years. For this reason, this paper proposes a WEF nexus index, which consists of 6 indicators of availability and accessibility to measure water, energy and food security. The proposed methodology, based on indicators and a scoring system, allows decision-makers to evaluate the nexus security and implement actions to achieve the sustainability of the three resources by 2050. Models based on deep learning are developed for the projection of the production and consumption of resources for the case study of Mexico. The Long Short-Term Memory and Gated Recurrent Unit networks are considered. Projections for 2050 resulted in water consumption of 121,679 hm3, electricity generation of 772,486 GWh and electricity consumption of 932,764 GWh, while food production will reach 351,802,080 tons. This represents an increase of 51.7% in water consumption, 180.33% in electricity generation, 254.54% in electricity demand and 103.05% in food production, compared to 2010. The WEF nexus index has an upward trend because the accessibility of water and energy will increase by 2050, but their availability will decrease; the opposite is the case in the food sector, where availability will increase and access will decrease. [Display omitted] • Deep learning models were developed for water, energy and food resource forecasting. • An index was developed with 6 indicators of resource availability and accessibility. • A case study from Mexico was addressed. • The predicted data were used in the WEF nexus security assessment towards 2050. • Water and energy availability decrease, while accessibility increases by 2050. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Fractional calculus is a fast growing field in mathematics, science and engineering. • This is a bibliographic analysis of 351 articles that use Atangana-Baleanu operators • Articles grow by 80.25% yearly from all countries, especially developing countries. • This shows the influence of this rapidly growing field of applied mathematics. Fractional calculus is a branch of mathematical analysis that studies the several different possibilities of defining real number powers or complex number powers of the differentiation and integration operators. Recently, Atangana and Baleanu proposed operators based on generalized Mittag-Leffler functions to solve fractional integrals and derivatives. These contributions have set off an explosion of new research in fractional calculus, and this paper present a comprehensive bibliometric analysis of the peer-reviewed papers inspired by Atangana and Baleanu. In total, 351 papers in the Scopus database have used Atangana-Baleanu operators and this number is growing at 80.25% each year since 2016. These papers were written by 343 authors, predominantly from Mexico, Saudi Arabia and India. Although these data show that Atangana-Baleanu operators support global and fast growing scientific research, the field is dominated statistically by a few productive individuals. I present citation network of the most prolific authors and show collaboration and citation networks. Finally, I present a thematic analysis of the papers applying Atanagana-Baleanu operators and show how research forms clusters based on: analytical solutions, numerical simulations or applications in science and engineering. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper discusses the opportunities and challenges of public space management (PSM) in the Mexican context by analysing the perspectives of different governance actors. Issues in the PSM literature include ineffective political decisions, prevalence of the private sector, lack of coordination between government institutions, and a need for more effective social participation. While most PSM studies focus on European cities, empirical PSM knowledge in the Latin American context is scarce. To address this gap, this research elucidates the Mexican context by investigating and adapting a PSM framework in Mexico City and Puebla. The case study research is based on qualitative document research and interview analysis from four groups of governance actors: government officials, academics, NGOs, and architecture/urban planning firms. We found multiple PSM challenges: uncoordinated efforts in the maintenance of public space, lack of and polarisation of investment, and privatisation of public space. At the intra-governmental level, the research identified a lack of coordination between government institutions, increasing reliance on the private sector, and limited opportunities for residents to participate in PSM processes. The paper highlights missing links between existing governance actors involved in PSM and wider residents, in the pursuit of the ambitious role of achieving public space quality. • Public Space Management theory contrasts with the reality in the Mexican context. • Governments rely on the private sector for the development of public spaces. • Limited opportunities for local residents to participate in Public Space Management processes • Awareness is needed among governance actors on the management of public spaces. • Lack of transparency in publicly available data affects how public spaces are managed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Upper Paleozoic rocks crop out in the central part of Sonora, northwestern Mexico. The Sierra La Flojera, located southeast of Hermosillo City, is an isolated hill with a north-south orientation whose age remains controversial due to the scarcity of well-preserved fossils. However, previous information points out the occurrence of rocks from the Pennsylvanian-Permian and the Upper Triassic (Carnian). This paper focuses on the Permian rocks and describes a stratigraphic succession mainly composed of sandstone, conglomerate, limestone, and fossiliferous limestone with abundant fusulinids, and bryozoan, brachiopod, gastropod, and crinoid remains deposited on a shallow marine shelf. The Permian (early Leonardian) age was determined based on the occurrence of the fusulinids Paraskinnerella sp., Skinnerella sp., and Chalaroschwagerina sp., and Paraschwagerina sp. (reworked), which were associated with crinoid-isolated columnar plates of Preptopremnum cf. laeve. The fossil record studied points out that the Sierra La Flojera section was deposited during the early Leonardian and is coeval with other localities of Sonora, Chihuahua, and Coahuila (Mexico), and California and Texas (USA). • Permian stratigraphy from Sierra La Flojera, central Sonora, is described by first time. • These rocks were deposited on a shallow marine shelf. • Biota is composed of Paraskinnerella, Skinnerella, Chalaroschwagerina , and Paraschwagerina. • The Sierra La Flojera section was deposited during the early Leonardian. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper studies spatial violence diffusion when criminal organizations specializing in one illegal activity (e.g., drug trafficking) are attacked by security forces. Our theoretical framework suggests that violence diffusion will be linked to criminal diversification. Using the Mexican War on Drugs, we find evidence supporting this prediction. We document that the Mexican War on Drugs induced drug trafficking organizations to begin stealing hydrocarbon products from the Mexican oil pipeline network. In turn, this portfolio reallocation of illegal activities caused violence to escalate in oil pipeline network locations holding little strategic value for drug trafficking. Furthermore, within the pipeline network, branches located further away from the government's eye were more susceptible to the establishment of criminal monopolies and thus experienced greater upticks in violence than other branches. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Intermediary organizations play a key role in the Knowledge Exchange Processes (KEP) between scientists and decision-makers. There is a need to better understand KEP carried out by intermediary organizations in megadiverse and developing countries, the roles played by their staff, and the researchers involved. Factors that catalyst or hinder KEP over long periods are not very clear also. In this paper, we analyze the KEP that has occurred in the last three decades between researchers from the Biology Institute of the National Autonomous University of Mexico and the National Commission for Knowledge and Use of Biodiversity. Through document analysis and interviews, our main findings show that KEP comprises seven stages: (a) formation of a working group, (b) establishment of information quality standards, (c) internal review, (d) external review, (e) final review of the tools to support decision-making, (f) publication and diffusion, and (g) update. The roles performed by intermediary staff include areas specialized in the financing, compiling, translating, and disseminating the tools to support decision-making on biodiversity conservation. The roles of researchers include generation of primary data, synthesis of information, and generation of technical-scientific opinions. Catalysts and obstacles to KEP occur at the individual and institutional levels. These results can serve as a basis for the development and strengthening of intermediary organizations that support decision-making on issues related to the long-term maintenance and use of biodiversity, as well as the development of strategies that help to make visible the key role that basic science research play in the KEP. • Intermediaries promote the development of institutional memory about KEP. • Researchers require specific skills and attitudes to engage in KEP. • KEP involves multiple individual and institutional obstacles and catalysts. • We identify seven general stages of KEP to design decision-making tools. • We include a set of recommendations to improve the KEP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper estimates electricity consumption and subsidies for each of the Mexican households surveyed in the ENCEVI and the ENIGH in 2018. Using information from the Mexican Utility Federal Electricity Commission (CFE, Comisión Federal de Electricidad), we expand these two datasets into a comprehensive source of electricity consumption for 100,000 households representative of all of Mexico. Our estimates show that large consumers receive large subsidies, with the top 20 % of the highest consuming households receiving 50 % of the subsidies. We also find that electricity consumption is determined by socio-economic status. In the extremely hot region, families in the highest income decile consume 57 %–66 % more than those in the lowest. For this reason, Mexicans in the highest income brackets benefit the most from subsidies; the average subsidy per household for those in the two highest income brackets is almost twice the average subsidy for those in the lowest bracket. • A comprehensive dataset with estimates of electricity consumption and subsidies in the Mexican residential sector was created • The residential electricity consumption in Mexico varies significantly by climatic region, socioeconomic status, and season. • Without subsidies, the electricity burden of households in the lowest income deciles would increase approximately 2.2 times. • Almost forty cents of every dollar spent on electricity subsidies is allocated to households with the highest income quintile. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Uses GPS data for measuring travel time reliability. • Measures travel time reliability from a freight fluidity perspective. • Delivers insights to public and private decision makers. Travel time reliability is one of the most important assets when it comes to designing and assessing freight fluidity of transportation systems. Guaranteeing reliable delivery times is, according to different international studies, a strategic competitive advantage. Nonetheless, emerging countries such as Mexico, do not currently count with specific indicators to measure travel time reliability from a freight fluidity approach. As such, there is no clear measurement of the impact and propagation of the variability of transit times throughout the supply chains. Since road transportation is the main mean of transportation in emerging countries, the aim of this paper is to present the analysis carried out to measure the travel time reliability thanks to different methodologies based on freight data collection using GPS (Global Positioning System), as a key element to assess freight fluidity in freight transportation corridors. The analysis measured items such as: (i) percentiles of travel time; (ii) planning time index; (iii) buffer time index; (iv) skew and range of travel. Different probability distributions were analysed and the distribution of travel time data was determined through statistical hypothesis test. The conclusion was that distributions with upper tails longer than usual fit better to the collected data. Evidences of mixture distributions in the travel time data were also found. Finally, the paper also presents useful conclusions to develop future research as well as to improve practices for decision makers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• This paper analyzes how the Monterrey Metropolitan Area (MMA), Mexico's third most populous urban area, has built up resilience to flash floods over time. • For metropolises like Monterrey that contribute significantly to their national economy, increasing their urban resilience to floods clearly is a matter of national interest. • The case of the MMA illustrates that increasing urban resilience is an achievable goal; moreover, the process is comprehensible although its complex nature precludes simple explanations. • Beyond the five basic questions of resilience for whom, what, when, where and why lie three major ones, which are often not dealt with in the literature or in practice: how, at what cost and who finances. • Knowledge co-production reveals its own complexities and dependence on local social capital and the wider national governance architecture. In 2010, flash floods triggered by Hurricane Alex caused fifteen fatalities in the Monterrey Metropolitan Area (MMA). In contrast, an estimated 225 people died in the 1988 Hurricane Gilbert disaster and reputedly, over 5,000 in the historical flood of 1909. The magnitude of hurricane-related impacts thus appears to be decreasing, indicating higher resilience to this hazard. This paper analyses the process of building resilience to flash floods in the MMA over the last several decades. Knowledge co-production plays a significant role in that process, particularly through the Nuevo Leon State Reconstruction Council, the multi-institutional, public-private-civil group of stakeholders established to guide and coordinate reconstruction efforts following the Hurricane Alex disaster. Findings reveal a complex, protracted and incremental resilience building process, conditioned by the nature of the hazard (infrequent but liable to cause significant damages) and contingent upon the city's socioeconomic and institutional local context. This local context is embedded in a highly fragmented national water governance architecture that lacks inter-institutional co-ordination and has limited the city's adaptive responses. Despite definite gains in building resilience, the city faces challenges notably in terms of the conservation and continuing development of knowledge co-produced in the aftermath of disasters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract This paper explores the socio-economic conditions that produce the lack of affordable housing in cities along the U.S.-Mexico border and describes various efforts to tackle this issue. Specifically, the paper evaluates publicly funded initiatives such as Casas Urbi and Homex, privately funded projects, as well as community based initiatives such as the work of the non-profit organization Fundación Esperanza de Mexico in the city of Tijuana. The paper interrogates the use of self-build construction systems, volunteer support, community empowerment, ecological programs, and affordable financing as a framework for future affordable housing developments in the area. Highlights • In border cities manufacturing plants attract workers in need of affordable housing. • Private self-build and large-scale public projects have not been successful. • Community participation strategies have shown to be successful at small scales. • Esperanza de Mexico is building high-quality affordable housing in Tijuana. • This represents a new and promising strategy for affordable housing in Mexico. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract In the Southeastern region of Mexico, fisheries are complex encompassing several fleets that target multiple species with the use of multiple gears. Despite this complexity, they have traditionally been assessed and managed using a single-species approach. Here it is contended that disentangling fishing operations of mixed fisheries (MF) could improve knowledge, that can help generate sound advice for the management of these fisheries. The aim of this paper was to understand the dynamics of fishing operations of the MF that involves participation of three fleets throughout the use of the métier's approach. It was assumed here that differences in catch composition among fleets exist, despite they have access to the same resources, and it will be reflected in the métiers. By segmenting the fleet and disentangling the fishers' operations, discrete units can be identified and analyzed, improving understanding of these fisheries. Segmentation of the fleet resulted in 16 métiers, which showed differences in catch rates, quasi-rent rates, and species composition. To analyze differences, linear mixed models and a dissimilarity-based test for homogeneity of multivariate dispersions analysis were undertaken. Three performance groups of métiers were observed: a) métiers oriented towards low diversity of species focusing mainly on high-value species and involving low trip costs; b) métiers comprising few valuable species but high diversity in species composition; and c) a combination of both types. Based on the results, a management framework that accounts for the identified segments is proposed and adaptations in the assessment and management of these fisheries are advised. Highlights • Differences in catch rates, economic performance, and catch composition were observed in the identified groups of métiers. • Differences among métiers were analyzed using LMM and dissimilarity-based test for homogeneity of multivariate dispersion. • The paper contributes to understanding fishing strategies and fishing operations of mixed fisheries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper evaluates the performance of creative industries in 56 Mexican metropolitan areas over the period 1998−2013. Derived from Florida's 3T theory, determinants of inefficiency are examined by focusing on metropolitan area‐related variables. The analysis yields several interesting findings. First, there is a marked heterogeneity in performance, especially within the arts creative sector. Second, there is relatively little robust evidence that inefficiency can be reduced by increments in public investment (technology), "creative students" (talent) or cultural opportunity (tolerance). Thereby the role of local governments developing and implementing differentiated policy strategies could contribute to increase the efficiency of the creative sector. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • Collaboration barriers are analysed as constraints to effective climate adaptation. • The paper presents a mixed-method approach based on Social Network Analysis. • The method is tested in a fragile coastal socio-ecosystem is Southern Mexico. • The method reveals the complex socio-institutional interplay driving adaptation outcomes. Abstract Collaboration barriers have been reported among the most frequent institutional constraints to adaptation. Yet, the growing literature on the topic has been largely descriptive and little attention has been placed on how to transform barriers into enablers for action. By taking a fragile socio-ecological lagoon system in Southern Mexico as a case study, the paper applies a social network analytical approach to: i) reveal the actual web of connections tying stakeholders through local governance arrangements; ii) identify shortcomings in multi-actor collaboration networks; and iii) propose ways to tackle them so that the full potential of adaptation can be exploited. The paper employs a mixed-method approach combining both a quantitative and qualitative Social Network Analysis (SNA). The quantitative SNA is used to assess the quality and strength of relationships among formal public organisations working on climate adaptation and disaster risk reduction in the site. The qualitative SNA is employed to both assess linking ties between formal organizations and local coastal communities potentially targeted with adaptation interventions, and bonding ties connecting community members. The approach proves to be useful to map the relational architecture of the system of interest and to reveal network characteristics that are important for collective action including: network fragmentation in subgroups; density of relations; centralization around a few actors. The actual topology of the network, as revealed, can then be compared with what is required for achieving societally desired adaptation outcomes and for identifying agents that can promote change. The paper acknowledges that a social analytical approach might be limited in unveiling the interests and motives behind actors' participation in the network, and that the latter ultimately determine actors' contribution in defining and enacting a joint solution for a common problem. However, the mixed-methods approach presented in this paper allows for gaining first insights on the way a mismatch between formal and informal institutions might drive socio-ecological systems towards inadequate adaptation outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a novel approach to the strategic planning of the supply chain for lime cultivation. The uncertainty associated with lime production due to factors such as transportation, crime, and water availability, among others, represents different challenges. To address these challenges, the authors propose the use of machine learning tools coupled with deterministic optimization to obtain optimal solutions for the supply chain for future years. This paper highlights the use of justice schemes to ensure an equitable distribution of lime production between farmers and learning machines to quantify the insecurity impact on lime production in Michoacan. The problem can be solved using a Mixed-Integer Linear Programming (MILP) model that focuses on maximizing economic benefits, minimizing the use of irrigation water in crops, and minimizing Carbon Dioxide Equivalent (CO 2eq) emissions within the supply chain. The results demonstrate that the proposed approach can effectively address the challenges facing the lime production supply chain, resulting in an optimized and equitable lime production and distribution between farmers using the Social Welfare Justice scheme. Scenario A presents a utopian viewpoint with maximum benefits and minimum CO 2eq generated emissions, corresponding to $ 4.08 × 109 and 1.94 × 106 tons of CO 2eq , respectively. This paper contributes to the growing body of literature on the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in supply chain management, specifically in the optimization of supply chain processes. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The preparation and functionalization of activated carbons from different biomass of Mexico and their application in the adsorption of heavy metal ions is reported in this paper. Jacaranda seeds, guava seeds, grape pomace and sugarcane bagasse were utilized as lignocellulosic precursors to obtain activated carbons via the chemical activation of biomass and its pyrolysis. The best conditions to prepare the activated carbons were identified with ZnCl 2 , NaOH, HNO 3 and H 3 PO 4 as activating agents. A systematic analysis of the biomass chemical activation and thermochemical transformation via pyrolysis was performed to maximize the Hg2+, Zn2+ and Pb2+ adsorption properties of activated carbons. These adsorbents showed maximum adsorption capacities from 0.014 to 0.84 mmol/g at 25–40 °C where the best adsorbent was obtained from the Jacaranda fruit activated with 0.5 M ZnCl 2 for 2 h and pyrolyzed at 800 h for 4 h. This adsorbent was effective for the Hg2+ removal in single, binary and ternary systems thus suggesting its potential application for industrial wastewater treatment where several heavy metal ions could be present. The removal of these heavy metal ions with all tested activated carbons was endothermic where the oxygenated functional groups were involved in the adsorption mechanism. Isotherm data modeling with statistical physics indicated that Hg2+ and Pb2+ adsorption was mono-ionic, while the Zn2+ adsorption was multi-ionic. Antagonistic adsorption of these heavy metal ions occurred in multi-metallic solutions where Hg2+ affected significantly Zn2+ and Pb2+ removal. Regeneration of the best activated carbon was feasible with HNO 3. These results contribute to valorize alternative agricultural and biomass wastes to satisfy the demand of activated carbons for water cleaning in Mexico applying a circular economy approach to reduce the production costs and to minimize the solid waste generation. [Display omitted] • Activated carbons were synthetized from different biomass wastes from Mexico. • Heavy metal adsorption properties were maximized via biomass chemical activation. • Multi-metallic adsorption and regeneration of the best activated carbon were studied. • Biomass valorization contributes to satisfy the activated carbon demand for water cleaning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper evaluates the effectiveness of social policy to alleviate poverty in Mexico; where poverty is persistent, social programs are numerous and complex to monitor. Our analysis uses MEXMOD tax-benefit microsimulation. We simulate four scenarios that grant direct money transfers to individuals in multidimensional poverty, elderly people, families with children under 15 years old, and a universal basic income. The more generous and broader the coverage is, the costlier the policies. The first-best policy is the universal basic income, which can eradicate extreme poverty at the cost of 10.61 % of the gross domestic product. The least effective policy transfers only to older people. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract We compare the geomorphology and soil of two ancient Maya wetland agricultural complexes in modern day Belize. This paper focuses on 3000 years of soil geomorphology and paleoecological change to determine the chronology of wetland formation and human use in this region. We also characterize Maya manipulation of the environment over time, especially considering times of ecological or climactic change in the late Holocene. This paper adds to our ongoing research in northwestern Belize, specifically within two recently explored wetland agricultural systems, Neuendorf and Sierra de Agua. Although they are 40 km from one another and in different watersheds, they have similar water chemistry and comparable soil, as well as comparable ancient Maya agricultural field and canal stratigraphy. The Neuendorf wetland fields and associated Maya house mounds and platforms are 1.5 km northeast of the well-studied Chan Cahal residential group/wetland agricultural fields. This ancient Maya settlement zone sits on a small limestone escarpment, about 7–24 m above sea level on the Belizean coastal plain. New trenches and vibracores from this wetland complex support our previous models of wetland formation and human use from the Late Preclassic to the end of the Classic. The Sierra de Agua wetland fields, 40 km to the southwest, are associated with a Maya urban center of the same name. This complex is part of the Irish Creek Wetlands within the New River watershed. In this system, the water table rose around 3000 years before present, which resulted in a different type of field building and agricultural modification, similar to the chinampas models of central Mexico. This new and ongoing research contributes new pollen records, soils and geoarchaeology to the growing regional picture of wetland use and change throughout Maya history. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Postharvest losses along food supply chains have far reaching consequences for the environment and affect the social and economic conditions of food supply chain participants, especially of those in developing countries. This paper explores the structural inefficiencies that lead to postharvest losses and analyses how innovative collaboration could lead to more sustainable food supply chains (FSCs) by reducing those inefficiencies. Innovative collaboration is defined as the improvement or creation of inter-organizational relationships through which FSC participants can exchange information, align incentives, engage in effective partnerships and improve their use of technology. This research distinguishes two research questions: First, how do FSC participants interact and which structural inefficiencies leading to postharvest losses can be identified in global food supply chains? And second, what are the main drivers and barriers of FSC participants to engage in innovative collaboration to reduce postharvest losses within global food supply chains? Two case studies explore the supply chain of avocados, especially due to their high susceptibility to postharvest losses, and focus on avocados from Mexico and Colombia imported into the Netherlands. Data was collected through semi-structured interviews with avocado importers, producers/exporters, packers and growers' associations, governmental organizations, and knowledge institutions. Informal interviews were held with producers and suppliers of other agricultural products traded globally. Using the software NVIVO, the collected data from interviews, documents and literature was structured allowing patterns and categories in the data to be discerned. The contribution of this paper is a typology of structural inefficiencies in global food supply chains, which provides insight into the social drivers of postharvest losses. Three categories of structural inefficiencies leading (directly or indirectly) to postharvest losses were identified: (1) corporate inefficiencies, (2) cognitive and affective inefficiencies, and (3) tangible inefficiencies. Effective partnerships were found to be the backbone of innovative collaboration, and the largest contributor to the reduction of postharvest losses, functioning as catalysts of trust, communication, cooperation and innovation, in addition to contributing to reduce structural inefficiencies along food supply chains. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract This paper explores mothers' experiences of masculinity in the context of child obesity in Mexico. The paper draws on face to face interviews with 10 medical staff working at the child obesity clinic at Federico Gómez Children's Hospital in Mexico City and on interviews with 16 mothers and 1 grandmother of children diagnosed with obesity and morbid obesity. Through an analysis of medical discourses and practices the paper identifies a tendency to underestimate the extent to which fathers are involved in shaping the family diet and other health related practices. The paper argues that mothers' experiences of masculinity reflect ways of resisting the increased blame placed on them. Through their voices, mothers expose silenced family dynamics of food and other health-related habits and patterns. The invisibility of fathers in medical and academic discourse works to feed mother blaming and misleads medical practices and policies designed to address child obesity in Mexico. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper estimates the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on new entry, enrollment, and graduation outcomes at universities in Mexico, which, prior to the pandemic, had an average enrollment of 1583 students. Using administrative data on all universities in Mexico and a difference-in-differences methodology, the results show that the pandemic had a negative effect on new entry (16 %), enrollment (2.5 %), and graduation (22 %). We explore heterogenous effects by funding source (public vs private), elite university status (top 20 vs non-top 20), delivery format (synchronous or in-person vs asynchronous), gender, and ten areas of study. The results show that: (1) the decline in graduation was mainly driven by public universities, (2) top 20 universities increased their new entry relative to their non-top 20 counterparts, (3) in-person programs did not display lower impacts than asynchronous ones, except for graduation rates, (4) men and women were equally impacted in terms of graduation, and (5) when considering academic areas of study, education-related majors suffered the highest decrease in new entry (25 %), and science-related majors observed the highest decrease in graduation (38 %). • We estimate the COVID-19 pandemic's impact on university new entry, enrollment, and graduation outcomes in Mexico. • The largest effect of the pandemic was on graduation, followed by new entry. Enrollment experienced only a small decrease. • The pandemic's effect on new entry, enrollment, and graduation outcomes was larger on men. • The pandemic resulted in a narrowing of the gender gap in STEM-related majors regarding new entry and enrollment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Ethnocentrism involves multiple dimensions, and it is founded on social identity. • Identity comes from belonging, and both imply the development of ethnocentric attitudes. • Our scale development process included two countries from beginning to end, providing a more adaptable scale. • The multilevel food ethnocentrism scale demonstrates strong internal consistency and measurement invariance, ensuring the scale's reliability across diverse cultural contexts. • Explores the nomological validity of MFE by examining its associations with key constructs. • MFE construct, expanding ethnocentrism to different group levels, particularly focusing on food choices. In this paper, we develop the Multilevel Food Ethnocentrism (MFE) construct, broadening the ethnocentrism concept to include different group levels while at the same time concentrating on ethnocentrism with regard to food choices. This approach is grounded in Social Identity and Self-categorization theories. We develop a scale measuring multilevel food ethnocentrism, following the steps outlined previously in the marketing and consumer psychology literature.. In the first stage, we generated items and analyzed them by an exploratory factor analysis (EFA) with data from Denmark and Mexico. In the second phase of our study, we refined the scale and validated it through various tests The scale exhibits strong internal consistency and measurement invariance, indicating its stability and applicability across diverse cultural contexts. Furthermore, the study explores the nomological validity of MFE, revealing its associations with constructs such as Consumer Ethnocentrism, collectivism, local and global identity, locavorism, ethnic identity, and patriotism. The findings provide insights into the relationships between food ethnocentrism and related constructs, shedding light on the factors influencing consumers' preferences for local foods. Our findings exhibited consistency between the two countries examined. Particularly noteworthy was the impact of our city/local dimension on preferences for local food products. The MFE instrument provides a precise means of gauging consumer ethnocentric attitudes toward food products and their origins. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The use of hydrogen is increasing in many countries due to potential decarbonization and sustainable energy transition projects. Hydrogen is shown to be a versatile transition alternative in different applications, with an increasing trend towards clean alternatives with better performance improving the existing processes. This paper reviews (i) the international panorama of hydrogen production, (ii) the main alternatives for hydrogen production in Mexico, and (iii) the applications of hydrogen in various areas. The challenges and opportunities for the coming years to include and introduce the use of hydrogen in new and existing processes in Mexico are also analyzed. A great variety of alternatives to procedure hydrogen both in Mexico and on the international scenes are analyzed, contemplating different production mechanisms. Many of them are found to require further studies to make them profitable for industrial applications. Some challenges and opportunities are also analyzed, showing the importance of synchronizing the public-private partnership agenda on hydrogen production, and to provide the most favorable conditions for investment attraction and development. This review shows that Mexico has the opportunity to make a decisive incursion into hydrogen production. [Display omitted] • Hydrogen has great potential for reducing greenhouse gas emissions. • Partly due to its geography, Mexico can employ diverse methods to produce hydrogen. • Mexico's geographic location creates a large potential market for hydrogen. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• β-convergence in energy consumption per capita across Mexican states is studied. • Financial crisis and energy reform pre—and post—periods are examined. • Aftermath periods of both the crisis and reform vanish the convergence patterns. • Both absolute and conditional β-convergence in per capita energy consumption exist. • OLS and spatially dynamic models are used to control for spatial correlation. • Higher catch-up faced by least developed economies is found through spatial models. • There is evidence in favor of a curve of efficient energy development (CEED). This paper examines the convergence of energy consumption per capita (ECPC) in the 32 Mexican states from 2002 to 2017. Regardless of the recent Global Financial Crisis and Mexican Energy Reform, we first find evidence of a positive, increasing, and statistically significant spatial correlation of ECPC across states. Using cross-section and spatial dynamic econometric models, we document absolute and conditional β -convergence in ECPC during the pre-crisis, pre-Energy Reform, post-Energy Reform, and the whole study period. We report stable and larger convergence rates in spatial dynamic models, close to 20%, versus 3% without spatial effects. These figures suggest between-states relationships are crucial in Mexico. We also find an inverted U-shape relationship between ECPC and GDP per capita. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Technological Innovation System successfully used for developing country context to evaluate the resilience of the two renewable energy technologies amid changing political context. • Mexico's renewable energy technology innovation system reveals weakening impacts from a shift in government policies. • Solar PV and geothermal technology innovation systems show resilience towards barriers set forth by changing government policies. This paper evaluates the impact of changes in Mexican energy policies on the Mexican innovation systems ability to support renewable energy technologies, through a comparative case study on geothermal and solar photovoltaic technologies. The study examines the effectiveness of government policy in each case by exploring how changes in policy have affected the development of their respective innovation systems. The analysis is facilitated by a technology innovation system framework. The main source of data is primary data from an online survey of 61 experienced energy experts in Mexico in 2019, complemented with desktop research. Results suggest that changes in government priorities have a strong influence on the development of these two technologies. The development of these technologies in Mexico is determined by their innovation systems resilience and adaptability to the changing policy landscape. Policy instruments that encourage knowledge formation serve as critical for the continued development of renewable energy technologies in Mexico. This study contributes to the literature on innovation systems in Mexico, on comparing two renewable energy technologies, and on developing countries policy and innovation contexts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Inorganic urban solid waste (IUSW) is a serious problem in developing countries, and IUSW in the street that does not have adequate final disposal is responsible for serious environmental effects. The aim of this work was to determine the dynamics of the generation of IUSW in the streets of two neighborhoods of different socioeconomic strata in Mexico City during 5 weeks in 2006. The amount of IUSW was recorded every day from 9:00 to 12:00h, separated, classified, and registered. It was found that plastic (50%) and paper (44.5%) wastes were found most frequently, whereas, textiles (0.4%) and glass (0.5%) wastes were present less frequently in all samples. The IUSWs without commercial brands were more abundant. Branded plastic wrappers of PepsiCo and Bimbo, as well as polyethylene terephthalate (PET) containers of Coca Cola, registered the highest values, while Gatorade, Barrilitos, and Peñafiel registered the lowest. The neighborhood with a higher income and more vegetation on sidewalks or in jardinières, which are used to hide solid waste, had more IUSW than the neighborhood with lower income, where IUSW was thrown out directly into the street. The knowledge of the real generation and composition of IUSW will contribute to the prevention of its negative environmental and social impacts, as well as guarantee the efficiency of its sustainable management. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

This virtual special issue presents a collection of papers examining how asymmetries of knowledge and epistemic stance-taking influence turn design in communities in Australia, Tanzania, Mexico and Ecuador. In all cases the communities in focus are ones where it can be assumed that among adult members at least, there is a significant amount of overlapping shared knowledge – what we call 'small communities'. This issue thus presents a new contribution to a longstanding focus in pragmatics research on how conversational participants take into account not only what they know and what they assume others to know, but also what knowledge they have the rights and responsibility to talk about in designing the production of turns of talk. • Territories of knowledge are evident even when joint epistemic access is assumed. • Person reference practices support an 'epistemics of social relations'. • Young children are competent managers of territories of knowledge. • Epistemic stances can be expressed through forms of referring expressions. • Epistemic stances can be expressed through forms of responding actions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mexico's fiscal response to the pandemic has been modest compared to its peers, reflecting the authorities' desire to not issue new debt for spending. This approach, however, resulted in a more severe recession in 2020 and a weaker economic recovery, notwithstanding spillovers from the United States. Balancing the need for stronger near-term fiscal support for the people and the recovery against medium-term discipline, this paper lays out an alternative strategy. We show that credibly announcing a pro-growth and inclusive medium-term fiscal reform upfront—including increased tax capacity, higher public investment and strengthened social safety nets—would open space for larger short-term support and close medium-term fiscal gaps. Model simulations suggest that this package would boost output, limit lasting economic damage from the pandemic, and put debt trajectory on a declining path in the medium term as tax reforms pay off and risk premia decline. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Air pollution is among the most pressing environmental issues worldwide. Unfortunately, an effective reduction in air pollution remains elusive, and so does the incorporation of scientific evidence into air quality policies. This paper takes seven Mexican cities as study cases to document barriers and opportunities to incorporate scientific evidence into air quality policies. Supported by the Grounded Theory approach, we conduct and analyze interviews to decision-makers, researchers, and representatives of non-governmental organizations involved in programs aiming to improve air quality in Mexico. Findings from this study illustrate differences across cities in the technical capacity to produce evidence, and document barriers shared to incorporate evidence into air quality management – including institutional capacity, interest groups, legal frameworks, and limited knowledge transfer. Opportunities that increase integration of evidence into air quality policies include follow-up programs, guaranteed research funding, contextualizing the topics to be investigated as a public problem, and assigning a crucial role to research so that formal and informal links among decision-makers and scientists are formed and strengthened. • Effective incorporation of evidence in air quality management is still a challenge. • Analysis of the stakeholder's perspective, barriers, and enablers to increase the role of evidence was carried out. • Deficiencies in institutional capacity, limited regulatory framework, particular values, and interests are crucial barriers. • Participatory monitoring, meeting places, follow-up programs, and research networks are enablers to increase evidence use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Quantifying incident solar radiation on a surface is a complex task that requires the knowledge of geometric, geographical, astronomical, physical and meteorological characteristics of the location. The aim of this paper is to analyze the attenuation processes of the solar radiation and to review the scientific works in this field, specifically the analytical models for solar irradiance calculation, as well as to establish an alternative method to compute the magnitude of the overall atmospheric transmittance. Analytical models have been developed since 1940 and they have been improving in precision and complexity. Up until now, the Bird & Hulstrom model is the most complete and accurate of them all. The main disadvantage of this model is that a great number of equations and parameters such as temperature, sunshine hours, humidity, etc. are required. In this paper, a very fast and accurate new method is developed to quantify solar irradiances at any site. The analysis shows that the parameters required are only the type of climate, altitude and state of the atmosphere. This method also allows to quantify the influence of the turbidity degree in both direct and diffuse irradiances. That information is essential to select which solar technologies are suitable in each place. As an application, the new method has been implemented and characterized in Mexico. Solar energy is an abundant resource in Mexico, and there are some studies about the solar energy potential in that country, but the influence of physical and meteorological factors on the solar radiation have not been related. In this study, the meteorological information of 74 weather stations located in different climates of the country were used to determine the parameters required. The results have been validated with experimental data available for different locations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper illustrates how InSAR alone can be used to delineate potential ground fractures related to aquifer system compaction. An InSAR-derived ground fracturing map of the Toluca Valley, Mexico, is produced and validated through a field campaign. The results are of great interest to support sustainable urbanization and show that InSAR processing of open-access Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) data from the Sentinel-1 satellites can lead to reliable and cost-effective products directly usable by cities to help decision-making. The Toluca Valley Aquifer (TVA) sustains the water needs of two million inhabitants living within the valley, a growing industry, an intensively irrigated agricultural area, and 38% of the water needs of the megalopolis of Mexico City, located 40 km east of the valley. Ensuring water sustainability, infrastructure integrity, along with supporting the important economic and demographic growth of the region, is a major challenge for water managers and urban developers. This paper presents a long-term analysis of ground fracturing by interpreting 13 years of InSAR-derived ground displacement measurements. Small Baseline Subset (SBAS) and Persistent Scatterer Interferometry (PSI) techniques are applied over three SAR datasets totalling 93 acquisitions from Envisat, Radarsat-2, and Sentinel-1A satellites and covering the period from 2003 to 2016. From 2003 to 2016, groundwater level declines of up to 1.6 m/yr, land subsidence up to 77 mm/yr, and major infrastructure damages are observed. Groundwater level data show highly variable seasonal responses according to their connectivity to recharge areas. However, the trend of groundwater levels consistently range from −0.5 to −1.5 m/yr regardless of the well location and depth. By analysing the horizontal gradients of vertical land subsidence, we provide a potential ground fracture map to assist in future urban development planning in the Toluca Valley. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper is a thorough description of the repo market in Mexico, a funding market of significant importance for Mexican commercial banks, brokerage houses, and development banks, and which, unlike the repo markets in Europe and the U.S., is an OTC market with no central counterparty or tri-partite repos. In this paper, we describe the counterparties which are involved in repo transactions, as well as distribution by collateral type, and provide some further metrics on the trading volume and other informative statistics on haircuts and rates. Given that Banco de México possesses information on individual repo transactions from 1998, we also study the evolution of this market, paying particular attention to the financial crisis that started in 2007. This is one of a few descriptive papers on this market due to the extremely detailed and granular data base on repo transactions in Mexico. The main contribution of this paper is to document and describe the structure of a market for which there exists a long history of individual repo transactions and which is of great importance from the perspective of the funding structure of banks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explores the gendered norms regulating access, use and management of poleo Satureja macrostema (Benth.) Briq., a multi-purpose Non Timber Forest Product used as ornament, food or medicine in western and central Mexico. Research was conducted in San Miguel Mixtepec, a Zapotec community of Oaxaca's Central Valleys. Drawing on the literature on governance, forests and gender rights, the paper aims at answering the following questions: who gets to make poleo access, use and management rules? How does gender ideology shape these rules? Whose knowledge (men's, women's, both) takes precedence in poleo decision-making? What is the relationship between these rules and governance efficiency? Results show that poleo harvesting practices are regulated by male-dominated institutions that do not grant rights to women. Female plant uses remain unaccounted for, in spite of the fact that they are more varied than men's. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Geographic Information Science (GIScience) technology has been used to document, investigate, and predict patterns that may be of utility in both forensic academic research and applied practice. In examining spatial and temporal trends of the mass disaster that is occurring along the U.S.-Mexico border, other researchers have highlighted predictive patterns for search and recovery efforts as well as water station placement. The purpose of this paper is to use previously collected spatial data of migrant deaths from Arizona to address issues of data uncertainty and data accuracy that affect our understanding of this phenomenon, including local and federal policies that impact the U.S.-Mexico border. The main objective of our study was to explore how the locations of migrant deaths have varied over time. Our results confirm patterns such as a lack of relationship between Border Patrol apprehensions and migrant deaths, as well as highlight new patterns such as the increased positional accuracy of migrant deaths recorded closer to the border. This paper highlights the importance of using positionally accurate data to detect spatio-temporal trends in forensic investigations of mass disasters: without qualitative and quantitative information concerning the accuracy of the data collected, the reliability of the results obtained remains questionable. We conclude by providing a set of guidelines for standardizing the collection and documentation of migrant remains at the U.S.-Mexico border. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]