Explore the vast range of titles available.

The Anthropocene is an uneven phenomenon. Accelerated shifts in the functioning of the Earth System are mainly driven by the production and consumption of wealthy economies. Social, environmental and health costs of such industrialization, however, bear on low‐income communities inhabiting severely degraded territories by polluting activities (i.e., sacrifice zones). How global, national and local socio‐economic and governance processes have interacted in perpetuating socio‐environmental inequalities in these territories has been rarely explored. Here, we develop an historical quantitative approach integrating a novel chemostratigraphic record, data on policy making, and socio‐economic trends to evaluate the feedback relationship between environmental injustice and Anthropocene in sacrifice zones. We specifically outline a case study for the Puchuncaví valley ‐one of the most emblematic sacrifice zones from Chile‐. We verify an ever‐growing burden of heavy metals and metalloids over the past five decades paced by the staggering expansion of local industrial activities, which has ultimately been spurred by national and transnational market forces. Local poverty levels have declined concomitantly, but this path toward social equality is marginal as costs of pollution have grown through time. Indeed, national and international pollution control actions appear insufficient in mitigating the cumulative impact brought by highly toxic elements. Thus, our sub‐decadal reconstruction for pollution trends over the past 136 years from a sediment record, emerges as a science‐based tool for informing the discussion on Anthropocene governance. Furthermore, it helps to advance in the assessment of environmental inequality in societal models that prioritize economic growth to the detriment of socio‐environmental security. Plain Language Summary Costs of the sustained industrialization growth typically bear on low‐income communities (i.e., sacrifice zones). In this work, we designed a case study for the Puchuncaví sacrifice zone (Chile) to understand how socio‐economic and policymaking processes interact in perpetuating environmental inequality in these territories. Specifically, we integrate data obtained from a new sediment archive for historical pollution, socio‐economic trends and environmental policies to evaluate the relationship between environmental injustice and Anthropocene. We observe an ever‐growing load of heavy metals and metalloids over the past five decades paced by the staggering growth of local industrial activities, which has ultimately been spurred by national and transnational industrial and economic demands. Poverty levels in local communities declined concomitantly, but such reduction in social inequality is marginal and deceiving as effects of pollution have grown through time. Pollution control actions appear insufficient in mitigating cumulative and emergent impacts of highly toxic elements. Thus, our 136‐year reconstruction of the local pollution trajectory serves as a science‐based tool for informing the discussion on governance in the Anthropocene. Particularly, it helps to advance in the assessment of environmental inequality in societal models that prioritize economic growth to the detriment of the ecosystem and social security. Key Points Geochemical data provide a science‐based tool to inform the discussion on Anthropocene governance in severely degraded territories In our case study, socio‐environmental inequalities are linked to economic and governance processes operating from local to global scales Policies embracing local environmental rehabilitation are required as a just transition is not granted under a decarbonization scenario

Background The economic recession starting in 2008 may be having negative effects on health. Purpose We aimed to identify and characterise changes in trends in 15 health indicators in Spain during the recession. Methods Joinpoint regression and average annual percent change (AAPC) were used to compare trends. Results Premature mortality rates from several causes of death, except from cancer, showed statistically significant downward trends during the recession, as did poor self-reported health. HIV incidence was stable. No indicator declined significantly more slowly during the recession than in the preceding 4-year period, and two declined significantly faster. Conclusion Health in Spain has continued to improve during the first four years of the economic recession at a rate equal to or higher than in previous years.

Recent work emphasizes a slowing of wage inequality growth over the last 15 years. This \"revisionist\" literature views the 1980s surge in wage inequality as an \"episodic\" event caused by institutional forces and argues that \"modest\" inequality growth in the 1990s is inconsistent with a key role for skill-biased technical change. This paper reconsiders this revisionist view, focusing on a marked change in the evolution of the US wage structure over the past 15 years and divergent trends in upper- and lower-tail wage inequality. This analysis offers unambiguous evidence that demand shifts are likely to be a key component of any cogent explanation for the changing US wage structure. Quantity and price changes covary positively throughout the earnings distribution both in the 1980s when the wage structure was spreading monotonically, and in the 1990s, when it was polarizing. The paper concludes that the changing distribution of job task demands, spurred directly by advancing information technology and indirectly by its impact on outsourcing, goes some distance toward interpreting the recent polarization of the wage structure.

A 'circular economy' would turn goods that are at the end of their service life into resources for others, closing loops in industrial ecosystems and minimizing waste (see 'Closing loops'). It would change economic logic because it replaces production with sufficiency: reuse what you can, recycle what cannot be reused, repair what is broken, remanufacture what cannot be repaired. A study of seven European nations found that a shift to a circular economy would reduce each nation's greenhouse-gas emissions by up to 70% and grow its workforce by about 4% - the ultimate low carbon economy (see go.nature.com/biecsc).

Economic vulnerability is an important indicator to measure regional coordination, health and stability. Despite the importance of vulnerabilities, this is the first study that presents 26 indicators selected from the dimensions of the domestic economic system, external economic system and financial system in the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) countries. A quantitative analysis is conducted to analyze the characteristics of spatial heterogeneity of vulnerability of the economic subsystems and the comprehensive economic system of the BRI countries and the main influencing factors of the comprehensive economic system vulnerability (CESV) are identified based on obstacle degree model. The results show that the CESV of the East Asia, South Asia and ASEAN countries are lower than that of the Middle Eastern Europe, Central Asia and West Asia countries. The CESV of the BRI countries are generally in the middle level and the average vulnerability index of highly vulnerable countries is twice as much as that of lowly vulnerable countries. In addition, in terms of the vulnerability of the three subsystems, the spatial distribution of vulnerability of the domestic economic system (DESV) and financial system (FSV) is basically consistent with the spatial distribution pattern of CESV, both of which are low in East Asia and South Asia and high in West Asia and Central Asia. While, the vulnerability of external economic system (EESV) shows a different spatial pattern, with vulnerability of West Asia, Central Asia and ASEAN higher than that of East Asia and South Asia. The main obstacle factors influencing the CESV of BRI countries include GDP growth rate, saving ratio, ratio of bank capital to assets, service industry level, industrialization level and loan rate. Therefore, the key way to maintain the stability and mitigate the vulnerability of the economic system of BRI countries is to focus on the macroeconomic development and operation, stimulate the economy and market vitality, promote the development of industries, especially the service and secondary industries, and optimize the economic structure, banking system and financial system.

Objective To assess the temporal trends in occupation specific all causes and cause specific mortality in Japan between 1980 and 2005.Design Longitudinal analysis of individual death certificates by last occupation before death. Data on population by age and occupation were derived from the population census.Setting Government records, Japan.Participants Men aged 30-59.Main outcome measures Age standardised mortality rate for all causes, all cancers, cerebrovascular disease, ischaemic heart disease, unintentional injuries, and suicide.Results Age standardised mortality rates for all causes and for the four leading causes of death (cancers, ischaemic heart disease, cerebrovascular disease, and unintentional injuries) steadily decreased from 1980 to 2005 among all occupations except for management and professional workers, for whom rates began to rise in the late 1990s (P<0.001). During the study period, the mortality rate was lowest in other occupations such as production/labour, clerical, and sales workers, although overall variability of the age standardised mortality rate across occupations widened. The rate for suicide rapidly increased since the late 1990s, with the greatest increase being among management and professional workers.Conclusions Occupational patterns in cause specific mortality changed dramatically in Japan during the period of its economic stagnation and resulted in the reversal of occupational patterns in mortality that have been well established in western countries. A significant negative effect on the health of management and professional workers rather than clerks and blue collar workers could be because of increased job demands and more stressful work environments and could have eliminated or even reversed the health inequality across occupations that had existed previously.

For 2011-13, US health spending is projected to grow at 4.0 percent, on average-slightly above the historically low growth rate of 3.8 percent in 2009. Preliminary data suggest that growth in consumers' use of health services remained slow in 2011, and this pattern is expected to continue this year and next. In 2014, health spending growth is expected to accelerate to 7.4 percent as the major coverage expansions from the Affordable Care Act begin. For 2011 through 2021, national health spending is projected to grow at an average rate of 5.7 percent annually, which would be 0.9 percentage point faster than the expected annual increase in the gross domestic product during this period. By 2021, federal, state, and local government health care spending is projected to be nearly 50 percent of national health expenditures, up from 46 percent in 2011, with federal spending accounting for about two-thirds of the total government share. Rising government spending on health care is expected to be driven by faster growth in Medicare enrollment, expanded Medicaid coverage, and the introduction of premium and cost-sharing subsidies for health insurance exchange plans. [PUBLICATION ABSTRACT]

The purpose of this study is to develop and propose measures to improve the budget forecasting system in Central Asia to enhance the accuracy, reliability, and adaptability of budget forecasts. The study involved a comprehensive analysis of data covering various aspects of budget forecasting in Central Asian countries. This analysis included the collection of extensive data, including statistical indicators, on budget forecasts, and factors influencing economic stability in the region. The research results underscored the importance of budget forecasting as a tool for strategic financial planning based on systemic analysis and the use of advanced technologies. The concept of budget forecasting was highlighted as a systematic analysis aimed at predicting the financial performance of an organization over a specific period, including assessing expected income and expenses considering various factors influencing the financial situation. The study also examined the key functions of budget forecasting, including financial resource planning, optimization, and financial stability control. Special attention was paid to analysing the impact of external factors, such as economic uncertainty, using statistical methods and scenario analysis. The study also emphasized the importance of modern technologies, including machine learning and big data analysis, in improving budget forecasting processes. Overall, the research findings present important insights for practical application and further research in the field of financial management and budget planning. The findings have the potential to be used in shaping policies and reforms aimed at sustainable development and efficient utilization of public finances in the region.

The country consumes the most resources in the world and produces the most waste — but it also has the most advanced solutions, say John A. Mathews and Hao Tan.

The recent recession had a profound effect on all sectors of the US economy, including health care. We examined how private hospitals fared through the recession and considered how changes in their financial health may affect their ability to respond to future industry challenges. We categorized 2,971 private short-term general medical or surgical hospitals (both nonprofit and for-profit) according to their prerecession financial health and safety-net status, and we examined their operational status changes and operating and total financial margins during 2006-11. We found that hospitals that were financially weak before the recession remained so during and after the recession. The total margins of nonprofit hospitals (both safety-net and other institutions) declined in 2008 but returned to their pre-recession levels by 2011. The recession did not create additional fiscal pressure on hospitals that were previously financially weak or in safety-net roles. However, both groups continue to have notable financial deficiencies that could limit their abilities to meet the growing demands on the industry.