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Overall interest in marine geoengineering (MGE) techniques and in their potential to mitigate the effects of climate change, as well as the multiple interests driving urgency for deployment, have intensified. This article considers the scientific, measured, transparent, and robust approach taken by the joint-meetings of the Governing Bodies of the 1972 London Convention and the 1996 London Protocol and the regulatory framework they are developing in response, with a particular focus on the regulation and guidelines for legitimate scientific research for MGE activities. It unpacks key attributes of the research assessment framework, particularly its acknowledging and accounting for scientific gaps and uncertainties, as well as its informed application of the precautionary approach. This is especially relevant in the context of rapidly growing interest in MGE as a means of climate mitigation.

Pain in the joints has been a common and serious health issue for a long time. In Unani medicine, both inflammatory and non-inflammatory joint problems are grouped under the term "Waja‘al-Mafāṣil," which means joint pain. Osteoarthritis, based on its symptoms, is very similar to a condition in Unani medicine called Waja‘al-Mafāṣil Balghamī. One of the most common types of osteoarthritis is Knee Osteoarthritis (KOA), which is known in Unani medicine as Waja‘al Rukba. This chronic and painful condition is usually treated with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), but these drugs can have many side effects. In contrast, the Unani system of medicine uses a more comprehensive approach to manage osteoarthritis. Waja‘al Rukba is managed with Istefragh (evacuation) followed by Tadeel Mizaj (rejuvenation), Taqwiyat (strengthened) and Taskeen (pain is relieved). Istefragh is achieved using specific Unani herbal treatments, like Munzij-Mushil Therapy followed by Tadeel Mizaj using various techniques, including Ḥijāma (cupping), Dalk (massage), Ta‘līq al-‘Alaq (leech therapy), Ḥammām (Turkish Bath), Takmeed (fomentation), Naṭūl (irrigation), Qay‘ (vomiting), and Ḥuqna (enema). Taskeen and Taqwiyat are achieved using either medications or these modalities. This overview focuses on Waja‘al Rukba and its Regimenal management. Keywords Ilājbi’lTadbīr, Osteoarthritis, Unani, Waja ‘al Rukba, Waja‘al Mafāṣil

Um den globalen Klimawandel zu bremsen, seine Auswirkungen abzumildern und eine nach-haltige Zukunft für junge und zukünftige Generationen zu gestalten, sind internationale Koor-dination sowie umfassende nationale Umsetzungspläne für Klimamaßnahmen unerlässlich. Vor diesem Hintergrund hat das Bundesministerium für Klimaschutz, Umwelt, Energie, Mobi-lität, Innovation und Technologie (BMK) nach Einbindung der relevanten anderen österreichi-schen Bundesministerien Ende Juni 2023 den Entwurf eines integrierten nationalen Energie- und Klimaplans (NEKP) für Österreich (Periode 2021-2030) vorgelegt. Dieser Entwurf stand im Sommer 2023 zur Kommentierung offen, um eine breite Beteiligung von öffentlichen und privaten Institutionen und Personen sicherzustellen. In order to slow down global climate change, mitigate its effects and shape a sustainable future for young and future generations, international coordination and comprehensive national implementation plans for climate measures are essential. Against this background, the Federal Ministry for Climate Protection, Environment, Energy, Mobility, Innovation and Technology (BMK), after involving the relevant other Austrian federal ministries, presented the draft of an integrated national energy and climate plan (NEKP) for Austria at the end of June 2023 ( Period 2021-2030). This draft was open for comment in summer 2023 to ensure broad participation from public and private institutions and individuals.

Pluridisciplinarity and interdisciplinarity at the heart of the INRAE and Ifremer collective scientific assessment on the effects of plant protection products on biodiversity and ecosystem services. A collective scientific assessment on the effects of plant protection products on biodiversity and ecosystem services conducted jointly by INRAE and Ifremer within the framework of the Écophyto 2+ programme mobilised a multidisciplinary panel of 46 French-speaking scientific experts for two years. This work, based on the analysis of more than 4 000 scientific articles, showed that plant protection products contaminate all environments, especially agricultural areas, that they are responsible, through direct and indirect effects, for the decline of certain taxonomic groups such as terrestrial and aquatic invertebrates and birds, and that the combination of different levers can reduce this contamination and the associated effects. It identifies several gaps of knowledge related to the occurrence and effects of metabolites as well as effects on marine and overseas biodiversity. This assessment highlights the value of multidisciplinary approaches to address complex issues such as the effects of plant protection products. It also highlights the role of concepts such as ecosystem services or the regulation of the marketing of chemical substances in facilitating the rapprochement between environmental sciences and human and social sciences., Une expertise scientifique collective menée conjointement par INRAE et l’Ifremer dans le cadre du plan Écophyto 2þa mobilisé, pendant 2 ans, un panel pluridisciplinaire francophone de 46 experts scientifiques. Ce travail, basé sur l’analyse de plus de 4 000 références bibliographiques, a mis en évidence que les produits phytopharmaceutiques contaminent tous les milieux, majoritairement les zones agricoles, qu’ils sont responsables, par des effets directs et indirects, du déclin de certains groupes taxonomiques tels que les invertébrés terrestres et aquatiques et les oiseaux, et que la combinaison de différents leviers peut réduire cette contamination et les effets associés. La robustesse des conclusions de cette étude justifie l’intérêt d’approches combinant des disciplines variées dans le domaine des sciences de l’environnement mais aussi des sciences humaines et sociales

Preservation of biodiversity and ecosystem services is critical for sustainable development and human well-being. However, an unprecedented erosion of biodiversity is observed and the use of plant protection products (PPP) has been identified as one of its main causes. In this context, at the request of the French Ministries responsible for the Environment, for Agriculture and for Research, a panel of 46 scientific experts ran a nearly 2-year-long (2020–2022) collective scientific assessment (CSA) of international scientific knowledge relating to the impacts of PPP on biodiversity and ecosystem services. The scope of this CSA covered the terrestrial, atmospheric, freshwater, and marine environments (with the exception of groundwater) in their continuity from the site of PPP application to the ocean, in France and French overseas territories, based on international knowledge produced on or transposable to this type of context (climate, PPP used, biodiversity present, etc.). Here, we provide a brief summary of the CSA’s main conclusions, which were drawn from about 4500 international publications. Our analysis finds that PPP contaminate all environmental matrices, including biota, and cause direct and indirect ecotoxicological effects that unequivocally contribute to the decline of certain biological groups and alter certain ecosystem functions and services. Levers for action to limit PPP-driven pollution and effects on environmental compartments include local measures from plot to landscape scales and regulatory improvements. However, there are still significant gaps in knowledge regarding environmental contamination by PPPs and its effect on biodiversity and ecosystem functions and services. Perspectives and research needs are proposed to address these gaps.

The EU strategy for sustainable and circular textiles envisages “a circular textiles ecosystem that has sufficient capacities for innovative fibre-to-fibre recycling, while the incineration and landfilling of textiles is reduced to the minimum”. The general objective of this study is to summarise the techno-scientific knowledge base of different recycling, recovery and disposal options for waste textiles. First, it is indicated that post-consumer textile waste is the largest waste fraction, and that annually more than 8 million tonnes used and waste textiles are incinerated or landfilled, a much higher share than re-use, preparing for re-use and recycling together. Textile waste recycling is limited and currently dominated by transforming apparel and home textiles into cleaning rags and insulation materials, but closed-loop recycling facilities are emerging in the EU, particularly for post-industrial textile waste. Second, the life cycle assessment and cost analysis indicated that re-use and preparing for re-use are the most cost-effective options and have the best environmental performance. Whereas recycling is associated to greater costs than incineration and landfilling, it commonly brings supplementary environmental savings. Third, economic and non-economic barriers to recycling, particularly closed-loop recycling were identified. The information provided in this report may contribute to informing policy design and implementation on textile waste management.

In 2013, the California Legislature passed Senate Bill 4 (SB 4), setting the framework for regulation of well stimulation technologies in California, including hydraulic fracturing. SB 4 also requires the California Natural Resources Agency to conduct an independent scientific study of well stimulation technologies in California. SB 4 stipulates that the independent study assess current and potential future well stimulation practices, including the likelihood that these technologies could enable extensive new petroleum production in the state; evaluate the impacts of well stimulation technologies and the gaps in data that preclude this understanding; identify potential risks associated with current practices; and identify alternative practices that might limit these risks. (See Box 1.1-1 for a short history of oil and gas production in California.) This scientific assessment addresses well stimulation used in oil and gas production both on land and offshore in California. This study is issued in three volumes. Volume I, issued in January 2015, describes how well stimulation technologies work, how and where operators deploy these technologies for oil and gas production in California, and where they might enable production in the future. Volume II, the present volume, discusses how well stimulation could affect water, atmosphere, seismic activity, wildlife and vegetation, and human health. Volume II reviews available data, and identifies knowledge gaps and alternative practices that could avoid or mitigate these possible impacts. Volume III, also issued in July 2015, presents case studies that assess environmental issues and qualitative risks for specific geographic regions. A final Summary Report summarizes key findings, conclusions and recommendations of all three volumes. Well stimulation enhances oil and gas production by making the reservoir rocks more permeable, thus allowing more oil or gas to flow to the well. The reports discuss three types of well stimulatio