Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Digital Tools For Climate Action: A Strategic Review Of Education, Policy And Finance, Janeeta Awan

COP30

The global community faces an urgent and escalating climate crisis, and a critical barrier to effective action is the widespread disparity between expert and public understanding of climate change. This report presents a structured literature review on the pivotal role of digital tools— online platforms, mobile applications, and AI-driven systems—in democratizing climate knowledge and training at scale. The analysis confirms that digital solutions offer a powerful, multimodal toolkit for learning, from structured online courses to gamified mobile apps that drive behavioral change. Case studies in agriculture and K-12 education demonstrate tangible benefits, such as improved resource efficiency and enhanced youth …

Chambers Of Change: Students’ Unions As Civic Accelerators Of Ace, Bassem Helal

COP30

The transformative potential to incorporate students’ unions as an institutional gateway for the implementation of Action for Climate Empowerment (ACE) in higher education systems is discussed in this paper. Working on the outlines of the Glasgow Work Programme and prominent ACE frameworks as a basis of support, it asserts that student governments are structurally aligned with ACE goals, providing them procedural legitimacy, direct access to young people, and the capacity to put all six ACE pillars into practice: education, training, public awareness, public participation, access to information, and international cooperation. The study applies case studies from the University of Florida, …

Capacity Building And Action For Climate Empowerment (Ace): A Technical Review, Salman Almudawib

COP30

Capacity Building and Action for Climate Empowerment (ACE) is a core pillar for climate change mitigation through people’s participation, education, and empowerment (UNFCCC, n.d.; Action for Climate Empowerment, 2025). This article describes technological and digital resources that support ACE, particularly in the COP30 environment. It also identifies inventive methods and the stumbling blocks alongside the best digital instruments that facilitate local-level empowerment, targeting innovation centers, AI education, indigenous knowledge systems, and the integration of policies (IFLA, 2025; Mbuvha et al., 2024). One of the key anticipated outcomes is the Baku-to-Belém Roadmap, aimed at mobilizing $1.3 trillion annually for climate action …

Advancing Gender-Responsive Climate Adaptation: A South-South Indigenous Knowledge Exchange Platform Proposal Between Brazil And Egypt, Kimberlly Xavier

COP30

Indigenous and rural women in the Global South play a crucial role in climate resilience through traditional knowledge in food systems and natural resource management. Despite their importance, climate policies in Brazil and Egypt have yet to effectively embed their leadership and Indigenous knowledge, weakening adaptation efforts. This paper highlights systemic barriers in both countries and showcases successful women-led practices like Brazil’s Quebradeiras de Coco Babaçu and Egypt’s ancestral irrigation systems led by rural and Bedouin women. To address these challenges, this paper proposes the establishment of the South-South Indigenous Knowledge Platform (SS-IKP) under the UNFCCC framework, alongside broader recommendations …

Learning Platforms: A Future In Environmental Education Or A Motionless Present?, Nazareno Calvo

COP30

In a global context marked by the climate crisis, environmental education and training have taken a different path, adapting to current technologies. It is in these circumstances that learning platforms (from now on LP’s) emerge, changing the way we learn and perform around climate change. This type of web app can provide remote knowledge, and has taken on a growing role the last few years. However, despite their potential, challenges remain, such as inequality in digital access, poor variety of languages and cultural adaptation, a lack of media outreach, and the absence of assessments of their real impact on communities …

Cop 30 Simulation Invisible Emissions, Visible Suffering: Conflict, Climate, And The Gst Gap, Mostafa Labib

COP30

The Global Stocktake (GST) at COP30 faces a critical risk of producing an incomplete climate assessment because it excludes emissions generated from wars and destruction as well as displacement within Fragile and Conflict-Affected States (FCAS). The 39 FCAS states which have the smallest responsibility for global warming emit large amounts of conflict-related greenhouse gases that match the annual emissions of small nations although these emissions are missing from Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) and GST reports. The missing data in global climate accounting creates an inaccurate picture which unfairly penalizes FCAS for their uncontrollable circumstances while undermining climate justice. Climate change …

Engaging And Utlilising Smes In Global Stocktake And Climate Action A Policy Paper, Alice Nelson

COP30

The first GST concluded that the current rate of climate action, the terms of the Paris Agreement will not be achieved and will only remain achievable with a significant increase in action (UNFCCC, 2023). Yet despite this, policy pertaining to the GHG emissions and climate action of SMEs remains limited therefore leading to their underutilisation with GST follow up actions. Furthermore, SME are particularly vulnerable to climate hazard related costs, which present significant risk to global economic stability due to their contribution to global GDP and crucial role in supply chains. This paper identifies that low SME engagement in climate …

Unlocking Private Stakeholders Engagement In The Gst Follow Up Roadmap, Salsabil Nasry

COP30

SIMULATION

Executive Summary

. Situation Analysis:

Progress toward the 1.5C target is limited by weak private sector inclusion. Despite their crucial role in climate finance, private actors face restricted access and fragmented engagement in GST follow up. Their contributions are often excluded from UNFCCC. The Belem Action Agenda calls for clear mechanisms to enable structured public private collaboration.

. Problem Significance:

1. Economic Significance: Governments alone can't close the implementation gap. Private sector drives sustainable investment and lowers costs. 2. Political Significance: Continuity despite political changes. Inclusiveness and shared responsibility. 3.Social Significance: Enhancing community engagement and local Ownership. Advancing social …

Theme 7: Global Stocktake & Cop30 Implementation Agenda, Karam Abuodeh

COP30

The first Global Stocktake (GST) at COP28 showed what many feared: current national plans are not enough to keep warming near 1.5C. The GST is an accurate, urgent diagnosis, but a diagnosis without a delivery plan will not change outcomes. This paper recommends that COP30 adopt a practical Globally Determined Contribution (GDC) as a shared benchmark and gives concrete ways to link that benchmark to national planning, measurement, and finance. Three pillars are essential: (1) an operational GDC with transparent allocation rules and a UNFCCC-hosted technical panel to publish annual syntheses; (2) mandatory, time-bound integration of GST findings into NDCs, …

Global Urban Green Space Initiative For Climate Capacity Building: A Policy Blueprint For Youth, Collaboration, And Climate Action, Finley Moore

COP30

This is a policy paper recommending the implementation of a Global Urban Green Space Initiative for Climate Capacity Building (GUGSI-CCB). Following the success of the UK’s National Education Nature Parks (NENP) this paper explores how the policy could be transferred to the international stage by using the UNs Race to Zero education campaign. It highlights the policy being a method of collaboration between the north and south which national governments have failed at in recent years. The policy paper focuses on the importance of decreasing youth anxiety towards climate change, the benefit of a global database on climate change, and …

Climate Transparency Pact (Ctp) For Post-Gst Accountability A Policy Framework For Strengthening Global Climate Governance Through Transparency, Incentives, And Behavioral Insights, Sandy Elnenay

COP30

The Climate Transparency Pact (CTP) is an actionable proposal to bridge the credibility gap in the Paris Agreement's Global Stocktake (GST). While the Enhanced Transparency Framework (ETF) sets a reporting structure, it remains largely voluntary and lacks strong compliance measures. The result is clear: despite successive COP negotiations, global temperature projections remain at 2.5-2.9C above pre-industrial levels (UNEP, 2023), threatening ecosystems, economies, and human security. Drawing upon Dr. Robert Cialdini's six principles of persuasion, the CTP is built not only as a legal instrument but also as a behavioral framework: Authority: Embedding the CTP under UNFCCC's Subsidiary Body for Implementation …

Ai – Driven Climate Modeling For Local Adaptation, Saif Ismail

COP30

Literature review below explores how artificial intelligence (AI) is revolutionizing climate adaptation at regional scales worldwide. As the impact of climate worsens and becomes variable, conventional region-scale models will be limited to being unsuitable in providing credible, place-based projections required by affected groups (IPCC, 2023). Emergent AI technology innovation such as physics-based machine learning to artificial data generation systems for low-resourced areas is the answer to potential remedies (Google AI, 2024). It cites two of the best leaders in today's time: Rotterdam's flood alert system from sensor networks (Deltares, 2023), and Los Angeles' city and satellite heat map project (Nature …

Bridging The Gap: Reforming International Adaptation Finance Through Global North-South Collaboration, Matthew Gill

COP30

Adaptation finance remains the underfunded pillar of climate action. Despite repeated commitments, including the COP 26 pledge to double adaptation finance by 2025, current international mechanisms are failing to reach the most vulnerable. This paper examines how the Global North can work more equitably and effectively with Global South partners to transform adaptation finance into a system that is just, accessible, and impact driven. It identifies three major obstacles: imbalance in funding flows, top-down governance of finance institutions, and the lack of localised, inclusive implementation. Drawing on Global North initiatives such as the International Climate Finance (ICF) programme, the Taskforce …

Adaptation: Strengthening Resilience Through National Adaptation Plans, M. Great Samuel Mokli-Amuzu

COP30

With the aim to bring into effect and localize the Sharm El-Sheikh Adaptation Agenda (SAA) and the Global Goal on Adaptation (GGA), this policy research paper looks at three interrelated adaptation axes: increasing finance and capacity, investing in people, and building urban resilience. This study identifies institutional, financial, and governance mechanisms that can provide equitable and effective climate adaptation through comparative case studies of Egypt and Kenya, two African countries with different but complementary adaptation pathways. With a focus on two primary themes— localizing the SAA and operationalizing the GGA—it evaluates adaptation finance flows, community-based health and education systems, and …

Strengthening Climate Resilience Through National Adaptation Plans And Nature-Based Solutions: A Developing Country Perspective, Seif Heikal

COP30

Climate adaptation is a critical and urgent priority for developing countries, which face disproportionate risks from escalating climate impacts. As COP30 takes place under Brazil’s presidency, adaptation is brought up as a fundamental negotiation theme, emphasizing the operationalization of the Global Goal on Adaptation (GGA), the scaling of National Adaptation Plans (NAPs), and the implementation of the Sharm El-Sheikh Adaptation Agenda (SAA). This policy paper explores the persistent gaps in adaptation finance, governance, and implementation that hinder effective resilience building. It highlights the strategic potential of nature-based solutions (NbS) to deliver cost-effective, sustainable adaptation while promoting societal integration. Finally, the …

From Policy To Power: How Denmark’S And Morocco’S Energy Successes Can Shape South Africa’S 2030 Transition, Yelyzaveta Umarova

COP30

Tripling global renewable energy capacity and doubling energy efficiency by 2030 are now global priorities. These targets were formalised in the COP28 Global Renewables and Energy Efficiency Pledge (European Commission, 2023, para. 2) and will be central to COP30 implementation discussions in Brazil in November 2025. Despite committing to ambitious emission reduction targets in its updated Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) by 2030, the country’s current pace of energy transition is insufficient to meet the 1.5 °C goal (Climate Action Tracker, 2025). Various barriers, including Eskom’s debt and inconsistent policy implementation, have slowed progress (OECD, 2025). The International Energy Agency (IEA) …

Silicon Sands & Swahili Shores: Coastal Climate Adaptation In Lusail City And Stone Town, Jana Ahmed Kamel

COP30

With 10% of the world’s population living in low-level coastal areas that are highly prone to erosion, they are in the midst of the climate conversation (McGranahan et al., 2007). Coastal cities in the Middle East, Africa, and South Asia (MEASA) are increasingly exposed to climate-induced risks such as rising sea levels, extreme heat, and climate disasters. This paper examines two very contrasting pathways of adaptation. The first being Lusail City in Qatar, which is Qatar’s second largest city, built with the purpose of becoming a smart sustainability hub incorporating advanced engineering and digital infrastructure. Throughout the paper we slowly …

Adaptation Driven By Crisis: Leveraging Flood Risks And Policy Learning To Transform Netherlands’ Water Management Systems, Aleesha Mae Pasion Fortin

COP30

Current scientific research rings the warning bell: almost half of the human population experiences severe water scarcity at least half of each year, with climate-driven changes intensifying droughts, floods, and groundwater depletion. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) determines that water risks will rise rapidly with every degree of global warming (Caretta et al., 2022). The Global Commission on Adaptation argues that adaptation inaction can have astronomical economic and human expenses, while investment in water adaptation can produce high benefit-cost ratios and trillions in global net benefits (Global Commission on Adaptation, 2019). Article 7.1 of the Paris Agreement frames …

Advancing Ace Through South-South Technology Transfer. The Role Of Brics And G77 In Democratizing Climate Empowerment, Hamza Qaisar

COP30

The necessity to prioritise Action for Climate Empowerment (ACE) and capacity building underscores the need for transformative and inclusive strategies to prepare for COP30 under Brazilian presidency. Of particular interest is the contribution of South-South technology cooperation, aptly illustrated by the BRICS and the G77, which together form a formidable alliance of developing nations sharing common developmental challenges and significant potential for innovation. This paper demonstrates how technology transfer and collaborative innovation among these coalitions can act as a strategic lever to operationalise the ACE agenda. Platforms led by BRICS and G77 can empower youth, Indigenous Peoples, and other marginalised …

Circular Carbon Markets For Renewable Energy Transitions: Integrating Circular Economy Models With Carbon Trading To Accelerate Just And Equitable Renewable Energy Deployment In Emerging Economies, Omaima Ahmed

COP30

In the wake of the Paris Agreement ratified by 195 UN Parties in 2015 the global community committed to limiting the average temperature rise to well below 2°C, with an aspirational threshold of 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels. Meeting this ambition requires transformative mitigation measures across all sectors, with the energy sector playing a decisive role given its substantial contribution to global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Renewable energy stands at the forefront of decarbonization efforts; however, its large-scale deployment in emerging economies remains constrained by financial limitations, technological dependencies, and socio-economic disparities. This policy paper introduces the Circular Carbon Markets for …

Women In Leadership: A Case Study In Kern County, Lovetta A. Sebbern

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This instrumental case study explored the experiences of female leaders within the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation’s Division of Adult Institutions (CDCR’s DAI), a traditionally male-dominated environment. The purpose of the study was to understand how these women navigated career-related challenges and contributed to organizational effectiveness. Albert Bandura’s self-efficacy theory guided the study, James Maddux’s concept of imaginal experiences, and the framework of instrumental rationality. The central research question focused on how female leaders overcame career obstacles, supported by three subquestions addressing interview responses, observational insights, and document analysis. The study was conducted in Kern County, California, and included …

The Impact Of Prohibition-Induced Entry-Barrier Restrictions On The Pace Of Defense Innovation And The Mediating Effects Of Turbulent Market Dynamics, Ché Uché Logan

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Since the U.S. Department of Defense implemented statutory prohibitions to mitigate risks in acquisition supply chains and to incorporate national security measures in the acquisition process, high entry barriers have emerged, raising concerns about a perceived decline in the pace of defense innovation. This study examined the impact of prohibition-induced entry barriers on the pace of innovation. It assessed the mediating influence of small business participation, market competition, supplier concentration, and supply chain risk. A concurrent mixed-methods approach was employed via 30 semi-structured interviews and 420 survey responses. The qualitative findings revealed industry experiences on how Section 889 of NDAA …

Working With Different Generations In The Post-Covid Remote Workplace: The Millennial Perspective, Rhys Morgan Alexander

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Generational theory proposes that generations are inherently different from one another based on the events that occur within their lifetimes at various developmental stages. These differences have been studied in many contexts, including within the work environment. As older generations continue to remain employed, and with the shift to remote work post-COVID 19, this topic remains an important concentration for developmental and organizational researchers. The differences between generations have been found to impact on job satisfaction and general work value priorities to varying degrees. Based on this, a literature review was conducted followed by a phenomenological, interview-based study to explore …

Qualitative Evaluation Of Eeg Neurofeedback For Anxiety In Adults, Leah M. Jones

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Anxiety is one of the most prevalent mental health disorders globally, yet many treatment options are inaccessible, ineffective for some, or lack long-term efficacy. One treatment for with substantial research support is neurofeedback, though it remains categorized as an experimental treatment and is underutilized in clinical practice. The qualitative phenomenological study explored the lived experiences of adults who received neurofeedback treatment for anxiety. The purpose was to understand participants’ perceptions of neurofeedback’s efficacy and the interactive effects of neurofeedback and psychotherapy. Data were collected from two Oregon clinics that offer Neurofeedback and from students at Liberty University. An open-ended survey …

Psychological Safety And Its Impact On Teacher And Staff Morale, Yvonne R. Crace

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Psychological safety is a concept that has been around since 1965. Psychological safety exists when employees feel safe to share their ideas and opinions without fear of retaliation, retribution, or belittlement. Studies on psychological safety have mainly focused on businesses and corporations and work team learning behaviors. In recent years, it has become evident that psychological safety is needed in additional types of industries, including all stages of education, from primary to graduate school. In education, teachers and staff often feel isolated and have concerns about voicing their opinions which creates relational stress and conflict, thus lowering staff morale. This …

A Study Of The Relationship Between The Stress Responses From Rehearsal Preparations For Music Ensemble Performance Evaluations And Performing Arts Adolescents’ Working Memory, Gregory Thomas Minter

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The organization of memory retrieval is vital to the association between stress responses and negative educational achievements. These stress responses offer an opportunity to study the harmful consequences of prolonged strain on the developing brain, which may impair emotional restraint, self-control, and cognitive development. However, little research considers the fundamental notions of how stress responses from rehearsals for music ensemble performance assessments impact adolescent working memory. This mixed-methods study explored how rehearsal-related stress in music ensemble settings may affect adolescents' working memory. Participants included high school students in grades nine through 12 who participated in performing arts band ensembles. The …

Exploring The Difference In Perceived Organizational Justice Between Remote And Traditional Workers And Relationships Between Perceived Organizational Justice And Job Satisfaction, Ryan Mabry

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Organizations struggle to achieve holistic job satisfaction, as remote workers often feel excluded and traditional workers frequently feel overworked. This quantitative study explored the perceived differences in organizational justice between remote and traditional workers. It also investigated the relationship between organizational justice and job satisfaction within both working environments. A sample size of 176 participants completed a 35-item Likert inventory covering demographics, working environment, job satisfaction, and organizational justice. An independent samples t-test was used to measure the differences in organizational justice between remote and traditional workers. A Pearson correlation examined the relationship between organizational justice and job satisfaction in …

Examining Perceived Leadership Effectiveness Among Secular And Christ-Centered Leaders, Koljonna S. Lewis

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Successful leadership has been studied extensively and several theories of effective leadership exist. Though there are many leadership theories that provide explanations for leader behaviors and outcomes, this study aimed to explore effective leadership that is Christ-centered and inspired by Christian faith. Research has shown that the success or failure of an organization is often dependent upon its leadership and the leader’s ability to be effective. This study proposed that the most effective leadership is reliant upon a relationship with God and an understanding of His Word. Therefore, this study examined how leaders who have Christ-centered or secular worldviews describe …

Observing The Dynamics: Black Labour And Cultural Taxation, Kay Coates

University Libraries: Faculty Presentations

Associatively, the Dynamic Social Impact theory (DSIT) can effectively demonstrate the convergence of labor, culture and service in connection with Black labor and cultural taxation within the productivity sector. One of the four patterns identified in DSIT indicates that minority groups within a larger culture can be found to be both isolated and vibrant. This isolation allows minority influence to persist. To such an extent that certain marginalized, underrepresented people in the productivity field often face underlying stressors that disproportionately affect their health and overall well-being. This lightning round presentation takes an appreciative enquiry perspective to promote the development of …

Police Killings In The Mountain West, 2013-2023, Isabelle G. Graham, Olivia K. Cheche, Caitlin J. Saladino, William E. Brown Jr.

Criminal Justice

This fact sheet presents data on police killings between 2013 and 2023 for the five Mountain West states of Arizona, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, and Utah. The Brookings Institution report, “The state of police reform: measuring progress in each state,” tracks the total number of killings by police and the number of killings by police per one million residents in all 50 U.S. states and the District of Columbia. This fact sheet reports data on the total number of people killed by police and the rate of police killings per capita for each Mountain West state.