scholarly journals The Vega Alta of Segura River (Southeast of Spain): A Wetland of International Importance

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (6) ◽  
pp. 3145
Author(s):  
Gustavo Ballesteros-Pelegrín ◽  
Daniel Ibarra-Marinas ◽  
Ramón García-Marín
Keyword(s):  
European Union ◽  
Cultural Values ◽  
Archaeological Sites ◽  
The European Union ◽  
Ramsar Convention ◽  
Stated Objective ◽  
Traditional Uses ◽  
International Importance ◽  
Wise Use Of Wetlands ◽  
Ecological Functioning

The Ramsar Convention is an intergovernmental treaty for the conservation and wise use of wetlands, which establishes nine criteria related to natural values and a cultural one that wetlands must meet to be included in the list of wetlands of international importance. We aim to evaluate if the wetlands of the Vega Alta of the Segura River (southeast of Spain) meet the requirements to fulfil this agreement. Thanks to meticulous fieldwork and a bibliographic review related to the stated objective, we collected information on the existing environmental and cultural values. The results show that this set of wetlands is home to 11 species of threatened vertebrates in Spain, two priority habitats in the European Union, as well as cultural values related to their origin, conservation, and ecological functioning. Likewise, in the area there are archaeological sites, traditional uses of water associated with the cultivation of rice, and religious manifestations. Effective wetland inventories and rigorous analyzes of their ecological and environmental characteristics, as well as their socioeconomic functions, need to be carried out in order to improve their management and protection. This wetland certainly meets three criteria to be included in the Ramsar Convention list of wetlands.

scholarly journals FACTORS FORMING EMPLOYEE MOTIVATION INFLUENCED BY REGIONAL AND AGE-RELATED DIFFERENCES

2019 ◽  
Vol 20 (4) ◽  
pp. 674-693 ◽  
Author(s):  
Miloš Hitka ◽  
Zoltán Rózsa ◽  
Marek Potkány ◽  
Lenka Ližbetinová
Keyword(s):  
European Union ◽  
Cultural Values ◽  
Employee Motivation ◽  
Sampling Unit ◽  
The European Union ◽  
Motivation Factors ◽  
Age Related ◽  
Eastern European Countries ◽  
Level Of Significance ◽  
Level Of Motivation

The aim of the paper is to define and quantify the differences in employee motivation depending upon the selected regions and the age of employees. The research was carried out in 2017. Sampling unit consisted of 7,594 respondents – employees from the selected eastern European countries, members of the European Union, mainly the Slovak and Czech Republic, as well as selected regions outside the European Union, Russia and China. Data gathered from the questionnaires were evaluated using descriptive statistics and tested by Tukey's HSD at the level of significance of 5%. The ANOVA Variance Analysis was used to compare each sampling unit in relation to the age and the country. Most of the differences in motivation factors were found in the countries of China and Russia. It can be due to different cultural values, especially because of the power gap and the preferred principle of seniority and collectivism in China. Differences in the level of motivation, i.e. motivation factors especially in relation to the age were observed in the analysed regions. Incentive plans for intercultural teams in order to enable employers to choose motivation factors effectively were designed following the conclusions presented in the paper. Fundamental patterns of cultural differences as well as age-related differences predicting motivational preferences can be taken into consideration when selecting the motivation factors.

Wetlands of International Importance (Ramsar Sites)

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tales Carvalho-Resende
Keyword(s):  
Surface Water ◽  
Ramsar Convention ◽  
International Convention ◽  
Wise Use ◽  
The World ◽  
International Importance ◽  
The City ◽  
Wise Use Of Wetlands

Ramsar Sites are wetlands considered to be of international importance. The international convention which forms the basis for their identification is commonly referred to as the "Ramsar Convention" after the city in Iran where the convention was signed in 1971. The Convention is an intergovernmental treaty that provides the framework for the conservation and wise use of wetlands and their resources. There are currently over 2,200 Ramsar Sites around the world. They cover over 2.1 million square kilometres, an area larger than Mexico. For more information, visit: www.ramsar.org Biodiversity Surface water

Rethinking Europe, Rethinking Regions

2021 ◽  
pp. 219-242
Author(s):  
Daniel C. Thomas
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
European Union ◽  
Cultural Values ◽  
Regional Integration ◽  
Physical Geography ◽  
Political Community ◽  
The European Union ◽  
Eu Membership ◽  
European Governance ◽  
The Future

The question of the limits of Europe as a political community has been one of the most persistent questions in European debates. This question cannot be answered with simple references to Europe’s physical geography, its cultural values and practices, the formal rules of the European Union, nor the commercial or security interests of its member states. This chapter offers concluding observations on the book’s findings and their implications. It first summarizes the book’s quantitative and qualitative findings regarding the evolution of EU membership norms since the late 1950s and their contribution to EU decision-making on the enlargement of the community during this period. It then considers the study’s general lessons for our understanding of regions and regional integration. And finally, it combines normative critique and historically-informed speculation in a discussion of salient issues in the future of European governance.

Introduction: European Social Policy and Society after Brexit: Neoliberalism, Populism, and Social Quality

2018 ◽  
Vol 18 (1) ◽  
pp. 87-91
Author(s):  
Steve Corbett ◽  
Alan Walker
Keyword(s):  
European Union ◽  
Social Policy ◽  
Cultural Values ◽  
European Society ◽  
The European Union ◽  
Political Consequences ◽  
Left Behind ◽  
European Social Policy ◽  
The Right ◽  
The Eu

The narrow referendum decision for British exit from the European Union (Brexit), and its explosive political consequences, has become a lens through which decades-long tensions in European society can be viewed. The result, which was expected to be a clear Remain victory, has been interpreted as various combinations of: the unleashing of xenophobic and racist anti-immigrant sentiment; a kick back against disinterested elites by ‘left behind’ people; the fermenting of nationalist populism by political and media actors; a clash of cultural values; a rejection of ‘market is all’ globalisation in favour of national borders; or as a reaction against austerity, inequality and insecurity (Corbett, 2016; Goodwin and Heath, 2016; Hobolt, 2016; Inglehart and Norris, 2016; Kaufmann, 2016; Pettifor, 2016; Room, 2016; Seidler, 2018; Taylor-Gooby, 2017). This British-made shock has parallels in and consequences for wider European society. In the Referendum, the EU became an emblematic representation of the distrusted, remote, technocratic elites, who are said to be responsible for an unbelievably large number of societal ills. Meanwhile across Europe there are varieties of Eurosceptic populism and distrust of elites on both the right and left (Ivaldi et al., 2017).

scholarly journals The Securitization of the European Migrant Crisis - Evidence From Bulgaria and Hungary (2015-2017)

2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (4) ◽  
pp. 78
Author(s):  
Tatiana P. Rizova
Keyword(s):  
European Union ◽  
World War Ii ◽  
Cultural Values ◽  
Media Coverage ◽  
Prime Minister ◽  
The European Union ◽  
Foreign Nationals ◽  
Security Concerns ◽  
The Government ◽  
The Impact

Conflicts in Afghanistan, Iraq, and Syria over the past fifteen years have produced the largest waves of displaced people and refugees since World War II. As European Union (EU) leaders braced for an influx of thousands of people fleeing from these conflicts, they faced pressures to revisit and modify legal rules that left countries in Southeastern Europe and the Mediterranean unable to cope with a crisis of unprecedented proportions in the twenty-first century. While the logistical challenges of this humanitarian disaster threatened to undermine Southeastern and Mediterranean states’ capacity, multiple terrorist attacks across Europe magnified the security concerns of EU leaders. This paper compares how two of the European Union’s newest member states – Bulgaria and Hungary – have tackled the migrant crisis and assesses the impact of security concerns on their refugee policies. Some of the responses of these countries’ governments were similar – both governments mandated the erection or extension of physical barriers to impede migrants’ entry on their countries’ territory. While the Bulgarian government took cues from the rhetoric and actions of key EU leaders such as Angela Merkel, the Hungarian government continuously antagonized EU leaders and declined to cooperate with their proposed multi-lateral strategies of handling the migrant crisis. Decisions taken by the two governments were, to some extent, dictated by security concerns. The rhetoric of the Hungarian government, however, contained stronger nationalist overtones than that of the Bulgarian government. Hungary’s Prime Minister Viktor Orbán and his right-wing government led an anti-migrant and anti-refugee campaign that sought to exclude foreign nationals due to the patent incompatibility of their cultural values with those of Hungary’s nationals. On the other hand, the rhetoric of Bulgaria’s Prime Minister – Boiko Borisov – was more dualistic and contradictory. His policy statements to the foreign press or at EU summits reflected the general sentiment of the top EU brass, whereas statements made to the Bulgarian media focused more specifically on security concerns and were far more critical of the foreign nationals attempting to enter Bulgaria’s territory. Moreover, the security-focused rhetoric and actions of the government became more strident immediately before and after the Bulgarian presidential elections of November 2016, which led to the resignation of Borisov’s cabinet. Political parties in Bulgaria, including Borisov’s GERB party have increasingly become critical of refugees living in Bulgaria’s admission centers. Borisov’s government even extradited a group of Afghan asylum seekers due to their involvement in a riot at one of the refugee admission centers. This study is based on a content analysis of statements made by Bulgarian and Hungarian government officials and media coverage in several Bulgarian and Hungarian news publications between 2015 and 2017.

scholarly journals Culture Clashes At Mehta Investment Group: A Case Study

2011 ◽  
Vol 4 (7) ◽  
pp. 53
Author(s):  
Kamlesh T. Mehta
Keyword(s):  
European Union ◽  
Cultural Values ◽  
Religious Beliefs ◽  
The European Union ◽  
Financial Investment ◽  
Diverse Workforce ◽  
Net Profit ◽  
Group A ◽  
Investment Firm

The case study is about a small multinational financial investment firm located in England with over $43 millions in net profit and employs over 500 people. Thirteen employees of the firm have complained about the display of a Swastika by co-workers in the workplace. The company is faced with the challenges associated with diverse workforce with different nationalities, cultural values, and religious beliefs, and legal complications in the European Union.

European Union as Environmental Governance System

2020 ◽  
pp. 400-416
Author(s):  
Bekir Parlak ◽  
Furkan Korkmaz
Keyword(s):  
European Union ◽  
International Cooperation ◽  
Environmental Governance ◽  
Environmental Problems ◽  
Environmental Action ◽  
The European Union ◽  
Governance System ◽  
Environmental Attitude ◽  
Global Power ◽  
International Importance

Nowadays, the environment has become a global phenomenon. The main reason for this is the environmental problems. Therefore, solving these problems requires international cooperation. Environmental governance implies that states, international institutions, supra-national institutions, and societies act together in the solution of environmental problems within the framework of international cooperation. The European Union is a global power and actor with many states. Therefore, it is an effective actor in the search for solutions to environmental problems. The European Union's environmental attitude and regulations have national, regional, and international importance. This chapter evaluates the importance of the European Union for environmental governance within the framework of environmental action programs. In this context, environmental action programs will be examined in terms of environmental governance regarding formal and informal reports.

scholarly journals MULTI-CULTURAL VALUES AND BORDERS

2009 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
pp. 26-38
Author(s):  
Basia Nikiforova
Keyword(s):  
European Union ◽  
Cultural Values ◽  
Religious Diversity ◽  
Personal Transformation ◽  
Racial Equality ◽  
The European Union ◽  
New Paradigm ◽  
Powerful Source ◽  
Individual Self ◽  
European Situation

The presumption of this paper is the view of multi‐culturalism as a concept grounded on an assumption, rather than data, and legitimized by proclamation, rather than legislation. Multi‐culturalism as a socio‐political construction is not only “a multi‐cultural and multi‐religious mosaic”, but it has its own values. The new borders inside the European Union (EU) are non‐territorial, which confirms the new paradigm about the weakening factor of territorial belonging as such. Nowadays, values become a more and more powerful source of demarcation. The aim of this article is to challenge the problem and its consequences for the identity and perception of values in the new European situation, in which borders are merely symbolic. Multi‐culturalism is the revalorization of ethnocentric tradition and the creation of post‐materialist values such as individual self‐expression, personal transformation, openness and solidarity to others, gender and racial equality, greater tolerance for an ethnic, cultural and religious diversity.

scholarly journals Ramsar Wetlands of International Importance–Improving Conservation Outcomes

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. T. Kingsford ◽  
G. Bino ◽  
C. M. Finlayson ◽  
D. Falster ◽  
J.A. Fitzsimons ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Western Europe ◽  
Ramsar Site ◽  
Ramsar Convention ◽  
Wise Use ◽  
Ecological Character ◽  
The World ◽  
International Importance ◽  
Site Network ◽  
Key Indicators ◽  
Wise Use Of Wetlands

The Ramsar Convention (or the Convention on Wetlands), signed in 1971, was one of the first international conservation agreements, promoting global wise use of wetlands. It has three primary objectives: national designation and management of wetlands of international importance; general wise use of wetlands; and international cooperation. We examined lessons learnt for improving wetland conservation after Ramsar’s nearly five decades of operation. The number of wetlands in the Ramsar Site Network has grown over time (2,391 Ramsar Sites, 2.5 million km2, as at 2020-06-09) but unevenly around the world, with decreasing rate of growth in recent decades. Ramsar Sites are concentrated in countries with a high Gross Domestic Product and human pressure (e.g., western Europe) but, in contrast, Ramsar Sites with the largest wetland extent are in central-west Africa and South America. We identified three key challenges for improving effectiveness of the Ramsar Site Network: increasing number of sites and wetland area, improved representation (functional, geographical and biological); and effective management and reporting. Increasing the number of sites and area in the Ramsar network could benefit from targets, implemented at national scales. Knowledge of representativeness is inadequate, requiring analyses of functional ecotypes, geographical and biological representativeness. Finally, most countries have inadequate management planning and reporting on the ecological character of their Ramsar Sites, requiring more focused attention on a vision and objectives, with regular reporting of key indicators to guide management. There are increasing opportunities to rigorously track ecological character, utilizing new tools and available indicators (e.g., remote sensing). It is critical that the world protect its wetlands, with an effective Ramsar Convention or the Convention on Wetlands at the core.

scholarly journals Geopolitical context of South East Europe and the security concept of the European Union

2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
pp. 54-67
Author(s):  
Slobodan Nešković ◽  
Lazar Šoškić
Keyword(s):  
European Union ◽  
Security Policy ◽  
The European Union ◽  
Southeast Europe ◽  
Security Strategy ◽  
Comprehensive Overview ◽  
South East Europe ◽  
International Importance ◽  
Foreign And Security Policy ◽  
Geopolitical Context

The authors discuss the complex issues of the geopolitical position of Southeast Europe and the application of the security concept of the European Union. Permanent anomalies are present in all spheres. The subject of the research is the geographical, political and security features of the countries of the observed area with the possibilities of implementing the concept of the Foreign and Security Policy of the European Union. The hypotheses are: The geopolitical context of Southeast Europe is the scene of constant interests of great powers and conflicts in the countries of the region, where the adopted concept of security of the European Union is applied. The area of Southeast Europe as a link between the West and the East is of great international importance. The countries of the region are burdened with numerous contradictions and centuries-old confrontations. The European Union is promoting an indigenous security policy project in the process of integrating countries and strengthening its own position in the region. The aim of the research is a comprehensive overview of the complex topic of the geopolitical position of the countries of Southeast Europe and the security strategy of the European Union in the context of resolving the manifested anomalies. Methods of analysis, synthesis and others will be applied. The achieved results have cognitive features, they refer to the explained important aspects of the geopolitics of the given space and the security initiatives of the EU, and they also mark the real segments of the social development of the countries. We conclude that Southeast Europe is a territory of essential geopolitical significance and interest of world hegemons. The European Union is also promoting the security strategy contained in official documents in that area.

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