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This paper presents a detailed comparative analysis of the three types of eLearning (synchronous, asynchronous and hybrid) and the traditional onsite learning. The analysis considers the opinions of both teachers (the three of us) and students. We have surveyed our students twice. First time, at the end of the winter semester (end of January) - right before the Covid-19 outbreak in Europe. Then we did it again at the end of the summer semester (end of May) that coincides with the end of the first peak of the first pandemic wave in Europe. Since the first survey evaluates mostly students’ attitude, the second one evaluates their real-life experience. Young people nowadays belong to the so called digital generation, so we expected that students are actually happier with eLearning rather than the traditional onsite learning. But surprisingly their opinion about pros and cons of eLearning closely resembles ours. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In March 2020, the French President called to war against the COVID‐19 which was followed by the launch of a military operation called Operation Resilience. This use of martial rhetoric initiated an effective mobilisation consisting in logistical assistance to the health sector. While armies are increasingly used to deal with environmental disasters, aside from their traditional role, this paper postulates that the geography of the French and international military engagement can be used to analyse both the institutional strategy of crisis management and the message governments send to their population. Military involvement differs in terms of missions given and of the amount of troops mobilised. It first questions the use of the military in the name of national resilience in the political discourse and the way it displays a symbolic message to the population, before analysing the role of armies in the crisis through the spatiality of their interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Will the COVID-19 pandemic interrupt the recent European urbanization trends – and if so – what is the magnitude of this sudden shock, and how deaths, births, and net migration contribute to this disruption? Until now, most discussions on the topic have circled either around the anecdotal evidence of city center decline, or contrarian speculations about residential inertia and the forthcoming business-as-usual. Bringing clarity to the uncertainty and confusion surrounding COVID-19, this paper seeks to detect overarching patterns in and the magnitude of its sudden shock to long-term urban trajectories, understood as a reversal of the pre-pandemic population development trend, across European cities in the early 2020s. It reveals that during the first year of COVID-19, population growth in European cities significantly slowed down to −0.3 % per annum, with 28 % of all European cities having experienced a U-turn from population growth to loss. Out-migration was the main driver of such rapid urban shrinkage, while excess mortality associated with COVID-19 has also contributed to population loss in several European city-regions; some, especially, smaller cities suffered from a significant drop in birth rates. Based on the factorial, hierarchical, and temporal dimensions of the COVID-19 crisis, the paper provides a plausible forecast about the future of Europe's post-coronavirus city. • Analyses sudden COVID-19-shock to long-term urban trajectories for European cities • For the first time detection of overarching patterns in and the magnitude of this shock • Population growth in European cities significantly slowed down in 2020. • 28 % of all cities experienced a U-turn in population trends from growth to loss. • Share of shrinking cities post-COVID-19 has reached 63 %. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents the findings of a Europe-wide survey that investigates the impact of COVID-19 on Healthcare Clowning Organisations and encourages the healthcare community to reflect on the role of medical clowning within the healthcare system. Online survey. The survey was conducted in June 2020. Forty organisations from 21 countries across Europe responded through a mix of closed and open-ended answers. During the pandemic, 36 out of 39 of the surveyed organisations (with one non-response) had to postpone or cancel their artistic activities. As the crisis continued, 34 out of 40 of them managed to adapt their in-person activities, but the impact of virtual and distanced interactions with the beneficiaries was generally perceived as lower than that of in-person activities. In open responses, many Healthcare Clowning Organisations criticised the exclusion of medical clowns from healthcare institutions in times when the need for psychosocial support was particularly acute. The healthcare sector should reconsider the important role the medical clowns play within healthcare settings, and allow for more inclusive and flexible safety regulations that take into consideration the holistic well-being of vulnerable groups, especially children, the elderly, and medical staff. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current pandemic is sustained in dichotomies and distancing, as most of us awkwardly have recently experienced. Moreover, COVID-19 has definitely put the spotlight on social inequalities that are underpinning our society and it has highlighted the escalation of the state surveillance capability and new forms of oppression too. The discrimination ingrained in our societies, built on a historically defined regime of racialized oppression and structural disadvantage of racialized citizens and migrants, was produced well before the coronavirus, but it is now casting a different shade, reinforcing forms of exclusions, highlighting the pandemic as a political issue. Hence, this paper addresses a range of political perspectives of the lived experiences in and through social space with examples of narratives in language which capture the everyday political experiences of the pandemic within Europe. The kind of language used and its profound effect on the growing discourse regarding COVID-19 is the main focus in this paper. I here explore the intertwining of language and politics during the pandemic and bring out the countervailing narratives that seem to be in constant tension. I then ask where this takes us, not only in terms of scholarship and expansion of knowledge, but also with a pragmatic edge to it, trying to figure out how is it possible for us to achieve some sort of cognitive shift in our approach in order to learn from this challenge and from this new perspective. Methodologically, as well as looking at existing data, references to attitudes in general are made. A theoretical discussion on migration and language, and the kind of intersection between them, is offered, from the point of view of critical theory, before pointing to the metaphors used, the implications they allow, and how all these fit together, in the form of a concluding discussion. Metaphor or not, the power of language in its ramifications of articulations about the pandemic and the idea of distance underlines COVID-19 as a deeply political issue. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines the risk transmissions across the green economy indices of three major regions which include US, Europe and Asia. The econometric analyses are conducted using DCC-GARCH and TVP-VAR connectedness approach to evaluate potential spillover effects within the context of oil and gold. Results indicate that green economy indices of US-Europe exhibit the greatest time-varying correlations among the three pairs during much of 2010–2022 consistent with that of the general equity market. However, co-movements during the COVID-19 pandemic period seem to display a change in pattern for green economy indices. The strength of the co-movements between the US and Europe displayed a declining trend, while that between US and Asia was strengthened, suggesting greater interdependence between these two markets. TVP-VAR connectedness analysis revealed that US and Europe dominate the transmission of the shocks across the years in the green economy, similar to that of the equity markets. However, during the pandemic a pronounced shift occurred in green economies when considering the risk transmissions within the context of commodities: oil and gold. While Asian green economy index was persistently a receiver of risk transmission from oil unlike the other two regions, since pandemic, oil displayed an asymmetric effect and has become the net transmitter of risk in negative returns of the green economies of US and Europe. This may reflect the diversion in environmental policies of the two regions in the recent past, and point to the dominance of energy sector in the green economy. These findings have substantial implications for the development of green economy policies and from an investment perspective. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines the risk transmissions across the green economy indices of three major regions which include US, Europe and Asia. The econometric analyses are conducted using DCC-GARCH and TVP-VAR connectedness approach to evaluate potential spillover effects within the context of oil and gold. Results indicate that green economy indices of US-Europe exhibit the greatest time-varying correlations among the three pairs during much of 2010–2022 consistent with that of the general equity market. However, co-movements during the COVID-19 pandemic period seem to display a change in pattern for green economy indices. The strength of the co-movements between the US and Europe displayed a declining trend, while that between US and Asia was strengthened, suggesting greater interdependence between these two markets. TVP-VAR connectedness analysis revealed that US and Europe dominate the transmission of the shocks across the years in the green economy, similar to that of the equity markets. However, during the pandemic a pronounced shift occurred in green economies when considering the risk transmissions within the context of commodities: oil and gold. While Asian green economy index was persistently a receiver of risk transmission from oil unlike the other two regions, since pandemic, oil displayed an asymmetric effect and has become the net transmitter of risk in negative returns of the green economies of US and Europe. This may reflect the diversion in environmental policies of the two regions in the recent past, and point to the dominance of energy sector in the green economy. These findings have substantial implications for the development of green economy policies and from an investment perspective. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There a lot of review papers addressing specific COVID-19 research sectors, then devoted to specialists. This review provides an in-depth summary of the available information about SARS-CoV-2 and the corresponding disease (also known as COVID-19), with a multi-disciplinary approach. After the paper introduction, the first section treats the virological characteristics of SARS-CoV-2, the medical implications of the infection, and the human susceptivity. Great attention is devoted to the factor affecting the infection routes, distinguishing among the possible human-to-human, environmental-to-human, and pollution-to-human transmission mechanisms. The second section is devoted to reporting the impact of SARS-CoV-2 not only on the healthcare systems but also on the economy and society. The third section is devoted to non-pharmaceutical behaviours against COVID-19. In this context, this review section presents an analysis of the European second wave allowing not only to focalize the importance of some restrictions, but also the relevance of social acceptance of some measures. The data reassumed in this work are very useful for interdisciplinary researchers that work in a team to find the basic available information about all the aspects connected with this pandemic (from virus diffusion mechanism to health information, from economic and social impacts to measures to reduce the pandemic spread), with great attention to social acceptance of restriction measures and of vaccines (that currently results to be insufficient to achieve community immunity). Then, this review paper highlights the fundamental role of the trans-multi-disciplinary research that is devoted not only to understand the basics of the pandemic to propose solutions but has also the commitment to find strategies to increase population resilience. For this aim, the authors strongly suggest the establishment of an international health-care trans-multi-disciplinary workforce devoted to investigate, mitigate, and control also future viral events. [Display omitted] • COVID-19 is a highly transmissible disease that has spread all over the globe. • The interdisciplinary research strategy in pandemic has a basic role. • Some concerns due to the reported transmission mechanisms must be better investigated. • The social acceptance of vaccine and restriction measures must be improved. • A health-care multidisciplinary workforce for pandemic study should be established. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The energy sector provides fuel for much of everyday life, particularly economically and socially. Fighting against the COVID-19 pandemic, a well-functioning and resilient energy sector is vital for maintaining the operation of critical infrastructures, including, most importantly, the health sector, and timely economic recovery. Notwithstanding its importance in everyday life and crises, the energy sector itself is currently in a complex and far-reaching transformation to combat climate change whilst supporting the transition to a low-carbon economy and society, mainly through the development of variable renewable energy sources (RES) such as wind and solar photovoltaics. This paper highlights the need for energy resilience as countries face the triple challenge of the COVID-19 health crisis, the consequent economic crisis, and the climate crisis. Focusing on Europe, it is advanced here that with the ability to balance fluctuating electricity generation and demand, flexibility allows the energy sector to utilise low-carbon RES reliably, ensuring a more resilient and sustainable energy future. This paper derives five urgent policy recommendations for Europe that address possible impacts of COVID-19 on the economic and societal prerequisites for flexibility in energy systems. • Considers the COVID-19 pandemic as an instigator for change. • Highlights the importance of flexibility for resilient energy systems. • Derives five policy recommendations concerning flexibility in energy systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Environmental change created worldwide interest in investing in renewable energy. Less reliance on fossil fuels would have a substantial influence on investors for alternative energy, especially renewable energy. The literature has concentrated on empirical studies of herding behaviour in finance, but not in renewable energy. This paper fills the gap by investigating herding in renewable energy, using daily closing prices in renewable and fossil fuel energy stock returns in the USA, Europe, and Asia, for March 24, 2000–May 29, 2020, which covers the Global Financial Crisis (GFC) (2007–2009), the coronavirus crises of SARS (2003). And the ongoing COVID-19 (2019–2020) pandemic. The paper shows that: (1) for low extreme oil returns, investors are more likely to display herding in the stock market; (2) for SARS and COVID-19, herding is more likely during extremely high oil returns after the GFC; and (3) herding is more likely during periods of extremely low oil returns during the coronavirus crises. These results suggest that after the GFC, investors are more sensitive to asset losses, so they will be more likely to display herding in the stock market. However, during SARS and COVID-19, investors panic so they may unwisely sell their assets. There are strong cross-sector herding spillover effects from US fossil fuel energy to renewable energy, especially before the GFC, while the US fossil fuel energy market has a significant influence on the Europe and Asia renewable energy returns during COVID-19. During SARS, which was not a pandemic, US fossil fuels only had an impact on US renewable energy returns. • Environmental change has led to investing in renewable energy as an alternative to fossil fuels. • The literature has concentrated on herding behaviour in finance, but not in renewable energy, so this paper investigates herding in renewable energy for the USA, Europe, and Asia, for the period March 24, 2000–May 29, 2020 that covers the GFC, SARS, and COVID-19. • For (1) low extreme oil returns, herding is more likely in the stock market; (2) SARS and COVID-19, herding is more likely during extremely high oil returns after the GFC; and (3) extremely low oil returns during SARS and COVID-19, herding is more likely. • After the GFC, investors are more likely to display herding in the stock market but, during SARS and COVID-19, investors may unwisely sell their assets. • There are strong cross-sector herding spillover effects from US fossil fuel energy to renewable energy, especially before the GFC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The recent COVID-19 pandemic affected various aspects of life. Several studies established the consequences of pandemic lockdown on air quality using satellite remote sensing. However, such studies have limitations, including low spatial resolution or incomplete spatial coverage. Therefore, in this paper, we propose a machine learning-based scheme to solve the pre-mentioned limitations by training an optimized space-time extra trees model for each year of the study period. The results have shown that our trained models reach a prediction accuracy up to 95% when predicting the missing values in the MODIS MCD19A2 Aerosol Optical Depth (AOD) product. The outcome of the mentioned scheme was a geo-harmonized atmospheric dataset for aerosol optical depth at 550 nm with 1 km spatial resolution and full coverage over Europe. As an application, we used the proposed machine learning based prediction approach in AOD levels analysis. We compared the mean AOD levels between the lockdown period from March to June in 2020 and the mean AOD values of the same period for the past 5 years. We found that AOD levels dropped over most European countries in 2020 but increased in several eastern and western countries. The Netherlands had the most significant average decrease in AOD levels (19%), while Spain had the highest average increase (10%). Moreover, we analyzed the relationship between the relative percentage difference of AOD and four meteorological variables. We found a positive correlation between AOD and relative humidity and a negative correlation between AOD and wind speed. The value of the proposed prediction scheme is further emphasized by taking into consideration that the reconstructed dataset can be used for future air quality studies concerning Europe. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aging of human populations, including those in Europe, is an indisputable fact. The challenge for the future is not simply prolonging human life at any cost or by any means but rather extending self-sufficiency and quality of life. Even in the most advanced societies, the eternal questions remain. Who will take care of the older generations? Will adult children's own circumstances be sufficient to support family members as they age? For a range of complex reasons, including socioeconomic conditions, adult children are often unable or unwilling to assume responsibility for the care of older family members. For this reason, it is imperative that aging adults maintain their independence and self-care for as long as possible. Movement is an important part of self-sufficiency. Moreover, movement has been shown to improve patients' clinical status. At a time when the coronavirus pandemic is disrupting the world, older people are among the most vulnerable. Our paper explores current knowledge and offers insights into the significant benefits of movement for the elderly, including improved immunity. We discuss the biochemical processes of aging and the counteractive effects of exercise and endogenous substances, such as vitamin D. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Resilience is the ability to deal with shocks and stresses, including the unknown and previously unimaginable, such as the Covid-19 crisis. This paper assesses (i) how different farming systems were exposed to the crisis, (ii) which resilience capacities were revealed and (iii) how resilience was enabled or constrained by the farming systems' social and institutional environment. The 11 farming systems included have been analysed since 2017. This allows a comparison of pre-Covid-19 findings and the Covid-19 crisis. Pre-Covid findings are from the SURE-Farm systematic sustainability and resilience assessment. For Covid-19 a special data collection was carried out during the early stage of lockdowns. Our case studies found limited impact of Covid-19 on the production and delivery of food and other agricultural products. This was due to either little exposure or the agile activation of robustness capacities of the farming systems in combination with an enabling institutional environment. Revealed capacities were mainly based on already existing connectedness among farmers and more broadly in value chains. Across cases, the experience of the crisis triggered reflexivity about the operation of the farming systems. Recurring topics were the need for shorter chains, more fairness towards farmers, and less dependence on migrant workers. However, actors in the farming systems and the enabling environment generally focused on the immediate issues and gave little real consideration to long-term implications and challenges. Hence, adaptive or transformative capacities were much less on display than coping capacities. The comparison with pre-Covid findings mostly showed similarities. If challenges, such as shortage of labour, already loomed before, they persisted during the crisis. Furthermore, the eminent role of resilience attributes was confirmed. In cases with high connectedness and diversity we found that these system characteristics contributed significantly to dealing with the crisis. Also the focus on coping capacities was already visible before the crisis. We are not sure yet whether the focus on short-term robustness just reflects the higher visibility and urgency of shocks compared to slow processes that undermine or threaten important system functions, or whether they betray an imbalance in resilience capacities at the expense of adaptability and transformability. Our analysis indicates that if transformations are required, e.g. to respond to concerns about transnational value chains and future pandemics from zoonosis, the transformative capacity of many farming systems needs to be actively enhanced through an enabling environment. [Display omitted] • Comparison of pre-Covid-19 findings and Covid-19 crisis • All systems displayed adequate agility to activate coping capacities. • The crisis triggered reflexivity about the operation of the farming systems. • Transformative capacities were not observed. • The systematic resilience assessment revealed system vulnerabilities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The COVID-19 pandemic is having a strong influence in all areas of society, like wealth, economy, travel, lifestyle habits, and, amongst many others, financial and energy markets. The influence in standard energies, like crude oil, and renewable energies markets has been twofold: from one side, the predictability of volatility has strongly decreased; secondly, the linkages of the price time series have been modified. In this paper, by using DCC-GARCH and Price Leadership Share methodology, we can investigate the changes in the influences between standard energies and renewable energies markets by analyzing one-minute time series of West Texas Intermediate crude oil futures contract (WTI), the Brent crude oil futures contract (BRENT), the STOXX Europe 600 oil & gas index (SXEV), and the European renewable energy index (ERIX). Our results confirm volatility spillover between the time series. However, when assessing the accuracy of the predictability of the DCC-GARCH model, the results show that the model fails its prediction in the period of higher instability. Besides, we found that price leadership has been strongly influenced by the virus spreading stages. These results have been obtained by dividing the period between September 2019 and January 2021 into 6 subperiods according to the pandemic stages. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In light of the advancing energy transition and an increasing amount of intermittent renewable energy to be integrated, flexibility from distributed energy resources will be key. In this paper, the Italian UVAM (Unità Virtuali Abilitate Miste, i.e., virtually aggregated mixed units) project, one of the biggest pilots in Europe to serve this purpose, is critically reviewed and mapped after two years of operation. The pilot is analyzed on a global level as well as the individual participant level. Based on the extensive analysis of actual market data, different strategies of participating companies to obtain capacity in accordance with the pilot project's design are identified. Furthermore, the specific bidding strategies of individual participating units on the balancing market are outlined. Alongside this, the overall pilot project's market integration, in terms of offered and accepted bids, is depicted. The thorough data analysis, therefore, serves as an input and fundamental building block for future electricity market modeling. Comprehending specific data from the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, provides insights for future high renewable-energy scenarios. Based on the analysis findings, valuable deliverables are devised for both policy-makers and decision-makers who aim to leverage the flexibility potential of distributed resources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigates the impacts of COVID-19 safer-at-home polices on collisions and pollution. We find that statewide safer-at-home policies lead to a 20% reduction in vehicular collisions and that the effect is entirely driven by less severe collisions. For pollution, we find particulate matter concentration levels approximately 1.5 μ g/m3 lower during the period of a safer-at-home order, representing a 25% reduction. We document a similar reduction in air pollution following the implementation of similar policies in Europe. We calculate that as of the end of June 2020, the benefits from avoided car collisions in the U.S. were approximately $16 billion while the benefits from reduced air pollution could be as high as $13 billion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

When COVID-19 pandemic spread in Europe, governments imposed unprecedented confinement measures with mostly unknown repercussions on contemporary societies. In some cases, a considerable drop in energy consumption was observed, anticipating a scenario of sizable low-cost energy generation, from renewable sources, expected only for years later. In this paper, the impact of governmental restrictions on electrical load, generation and transmission was investigated in 16 European countries. Using the indices provided by the Oxford COVID-19 Government Response Tracker, precise restriction types were found to correlate with the load drop. Then the European grid was analysed to assess how the load drop was balanced by the change in generation and transmission patterns. The same restriction period from 2020 was compared to previous years, accounting for yearly variability with ad hoc statistical technique. As a result, generation was found to be heavily impacted in most countries with significant load drop. Overall, generation from nuclear, and fossil coal and gas sources was reduced, in favour of renewables and, in some countries, fossil gas. Moreover, intermittent renewables generation increased in most countries without indicating an exceptional amount of curtailments. Finally, the European grid helped balance those changes with an increase in both energy exports and imports, with some net exporting countries becoming net importers, notably Germany, and vice versa. Together, these findings show the far reaching implications of the COVID-19 crisis, and contribute to the understanding and planning of higher renewables share scenarios, which will become more prevalent in the battle against climate change. • During COVID-19 spread, energy load dropped significantly in most European countries. • Only some restrictions strongly correlate with load drop. • Generation mix and exchange changed in most countries. • The biggest decrease in generation was from nuclear, fossil coal and oil. • Intermittent renewable generation continued to increase also in 2020. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• It is shown the correlation between confinement measures and the spread of COVID-19. • Confinement measures explain a large part of the mobility patterns observed. • The reduction of mobility correlates with R t during the outset of the epidemic. • Mobility indicators can inform epidemiological and economic models. • The indicator harmonises the mobility data for European countries in time and space. This work presents a mobility indicator derived from fully anonymised and aggregated mobile positioning data. Even though the indicator does not provide information about the behaviour of individuals, it captures valuable insights into the mobility patterns of the population in the EU and it is expected to inform responses against the COVID-19 pandemic. Spatio-temporal harmonisation is carried out so that the indicator can provide mobility estimates comparable across European countries. The indicators are provided at a high spatial granularity (up to NUTS3). As an application, the indicator is used to study the impact of COVID-19 confinement measure on mobility in Europe. It is found that a large proportion of the change in mobility patterns can be explained by these measures. The paper also presents a comparative analysis between mobility and the infection reproduction number R t over time. These findings will support policymakers in formulating the best data-driven approaches for coming out of confinement, mapping the socio-economic effects of the lockdown measures and building future scenarios in case of new outbreaks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]