Academic literature on the topic 'Principle-based ethics'

AbstractAny discussion of the ethics of AI needs to be based on a sound understanding of the concept of ethics. This chapter therefore provides a brief overview of some of the key approaches to ethics with a particular emphasis on virtue ethics and the idea of human flourishing. The chapter reviews the purposes for which AI can be used, as these have a bearing on an ethical evaluation. Three main purposes are distinguished: AI forefficiency, optimisation and profit maximisation, AI forsocial control and AI for human flourishing. Given the focus on human flourishing in this book, several theoretical positions are introduced that provide insights into different aspects and ways of promoting human flourishing. The chapter concludes with a discussion of the currently widespread principle-based approach to AI ethics.

AbstractThis paper aims to present and discuss how the teaching of visual identity and experience design in Communication Design education may be developed within a speculative design framework. By adopting this approach, students can experience the ethics of design practice and explore alternative design values, forms, and representations. They become familiar with design as a problem-seeking and problem-finding practice, which encourages the development of concepts, scenarios, and results without any predetermined function. Assuming an open approach to final results and learning more about a design field to be intended as an open context with blurred borders.They base the project’s development on the principle of learning by doing, which consists of thinkering, making mistakes and repeatedly trying to improve the results and acquiring competencies and skills. This method pushes the students to experiment with visual expressions and user experiences between two and three dimensions. They could range among many techniques and technologies, from analog to digital ones. Consequently, each design had to be theoretically discussed and physically verified by making prototypes.By defining a design process and discussing the implications of an anti-disciplinary approach, the aim is to inquire how such framing may destabilise conservative methods and consolidate new practices into Communication Design learning.

AbstractGender equality is an increasingly topical issue, but it has deep historical roots. The principle of gender equality found its legitimacy, even if limited to salary, in the 1957 Treaty of Rome, establishing the European Economic Community (EEC). This treaty, in Article 119, sanctioned the principle of equal pay between male and female workers. The EEC continued to protect women’s rights in the 1970s through equal opportunity policies. These policies referred, first, to the principle of equal treatment between men and women regarding education, access to work, professional promotion, and working conditions (Directive 75/117/EEC); second, to the principle of equal pay for male and female workers (Directive 76/207/EEC); and finally, enshrined the principle of equal treatment between men and women in matters of social security (Directive 79/7/EEC). Since the 1980s, several positive action programmes have been developed to support the role of women in European society. Between 1982 and 2000, four multiyear action programmes were implemented for equal opportunities. The first action programme (1982–1985) called on the Member States, through recommendations and resolutions by the Commission, to disseminate greater knowledge of the types of careers available to women, encourage the presence of women in decision-making areas, and take measures to reconcile family and working life. The second action programme (1986–1990) proposed interventions related to the employment of women in activities related to new technologies and interventions in favour of the equal distribution of professional, family, and social responsibilities (Sarcina, 2010). The third action programme (1991–1995) provided an improvement in the condition of women in society by raising public awareness of gender equality, the image of women in mass media, and the participation of women in the decision-making process at all levels in all areas of society. The fourth action programme (1996–2000) strengthened the existing regulatory framework and focused on the principle of gender mainstreaming, a strategy that involves bringing the gender dimension into all community policies, which requires all actors in the political process to adopt a gender perspective. The strategy of gender mainstreaming has several benefits: it places women and men at the heart of policies, involves both sexes in the policymaking process, leads to better governance, makes gender equality issues visible in mainstream society, and, finally, considers the diversity among women and men. Among the relevant interventions of the 1990s, it is necessary to recall the Treaty of Maastricht (1992) which guaranteed the protection of women in the Agreement on Social Policy signed by all Member States (except for Great Britain), and the Treaty of Amsterdam (1997), which formally recognised gender mainstreaming. The Treaty of Amsterdam includes gender equality among the objectives of the European Union (Article 2) and equal opportunity policies among the activities of the European Commission (Article 3). Article 13 introduces the principle of non-discrimination based on gender, race, ethnicity, religion, or handicaps. Finally, Article 141 amends Article 119 of the EEC on equal treatment between men and women in the workplace. The Charter of Fundamental Rights of the Nice Union of 2000 reaffirms the prohibition of ‘any discrimination based on any ground such as sex’ (Art. 21.1). The Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union also recognises, in Article 23, the principle of equality between women and men in all areas, including employment, work, and pay. Another important intervention of the 2000s is the Lisbon strategy, also known as the Lisbon Agenda or Lisbon Process. It is a reform programme approved in Lisbon by the heads of state and governments of the member countries of the EU. The goal of the Lisbon strategy was to make the EU the most competitive and dynamic knowledge-based economy by 2010. To achieve this goal, the strategy defines fields in which action is needed, including equal opportunities for female work. Another treaty that must be mentioned is that of Lisbon in 2009, thanks to which previous treaties, specifically the Treaty of Maastricht and the Treaty of Rome, were amended and brought together in a single document: the Treaty on European Union (TEU) and the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU). Thanks to the Lisbon Treaty, the Charter of Fundamental Rights has assumed a legally binding character (Article 6, paragraph 1 of the TEU) both for European institutions and for Member States when implementing EU law. The Treaty of Lisbon affirms the principle of equality between men and women several times in the text and places it among the values and objectives of the union (Articles 2 and 3 of the TEU). Furthermore, the Treaty, in Art. 8 of the TFEU, states that the Union’s actions are aimed at eliminating inequalities, as well as promoting equality between men and women, while Article 10 of the TFEU provides that the Union aims to ‘combat discrimination based on sex, racial or ethnic origin, religion or belief, disability, age, or sexual orientation’. Concerning the principle of gender equality in the workplace, the Treaty, in Article 153 of the TFEU, asserts that the Union pursues the objective of equality between men and women regarding labour market opportunities and treatment at work. On the other hand, Article 157 of the TFEU confirms the principle of equal pay for male and female workers ‘for equal work or work of equal value’. On these issues, through ordinary procedures, the European Parliament and the Council may adopt appropriate measures aimed at defending the principle of equal opportunities and equal treatment for men and women. The Lisbon Treaty also includes provisions relating to the fight against trafficking in human beings, particularly women and children (Article 79 of the TFEU), the problem of domestic violence against women (Article 8 of the TFEU), and the right to paid maternity leave (Article 33). Among the important documents concerning gender equality is the Roadmap (2006–2010). In 2006, the European Commission proposed the Roadmap for equality between women and men, in addition to the priorities on the agenda, the objectives, and tools necessary to achieve full gender equality. The Roadmap defines six priority areas, each of which is associated with a set of objectives and actions that makes it easier to achieve them. The priorities include equal economic independence for women and men, reconciliation of private and professional life, equal representation in the decision-making process, eradication of all forms of gender-based violence, elimination of stereotypes related to gender, and promotion of gender equality in external and development policies. The Commission took charge of the commitments included in the Roadmap, which were indirectly implemented by the Member States through the principle of subsidiarity and the competencies provided for in the Treaties (Gottardi, 2013). The 2006–2010 strategy of the European Commission is based on a dual approach: on the one hand, the integration of the gender dimension in all community policies and actions (gender mainstreaming), and on the other, the implementation of specific measures in favour of women aimed at eliminating inequalities. In 2006, the European Council approved the European Pact for Gender Equality which originated from the Roadmap. The European Pact for Gender Equality identified three macro areas of intervention: measures to close gender gaps and combat gender stereotypes in the labour market, measures to promote a better work–life balance for both women and men, and measures to strengthen governance through the integration of the gender perspective into all policies. In 2006, Directive 2006/54/EC of the European Parliament and Council regulated equal opportunities and equal treatment between male and female workers. Specifically, the Directive aims to implement the principle of equal treatment related to access to employment, professional training, and promotion; working conditions, including pay; and occupational social security approaches. On 21 September 2010, the European Commission adopted a new strategy to ensure equality between women and men (2010–2015). This new strategy is based on the experience of Roadmap (2006–2010) and resumes the priority areas identified by the Women’s Charter: equal economic independence, equal pay, equality in decision-making, the eradication of all forms of violence against women, and the promotion of gender equality and women’s empowerment beyond the union. The 2010–2015 Strategic Plan aims to improve the position of women in the labour market, but also in society, both within the EU and beyond its borders. The new strategy affirms the principle that gender equality is essential to supporting the economic growth and sustainable development of each country. In 2010, the validity of the Lisbon Strategy ended, the objectives of which were only partially achieved due to the economic crisis. To overcome this crisis, the Commission proposed a new strategy called Europe 2020, in March 2010. The main aim of this strategy is to ensure that the EU’s economic recovery is accompanied by a series of reforms that will increase growth and job creation by 2020. Specifically, Europe’s 2020 strategy must support smart, sustainable, and inclusive growth. To this end, the EU has established five goals to be achieved by 2020 and has articulated the different types of growth (smart, sustainable, and inclusive) in seven flagship initiatives. Among the latter, the initiative ‘an agenda for new skills and jobs’, in the context of inclusive growth, is the one most closely linked to gender policies and equal opportunities; in fact, it substantially aims to increase employment rates for women, young, and elderly people. The strategic plan for 2010–2015 was followed by a strategic commitment in favour of gender equality 2016–2019, which again emphasises the five priority areas defined by the previous plan. Strategic commitment, which contributes to the European Pact for Gender Equality (2011–2020), identifies the key actions necessary to achieve objectives for each priority area. In March 2020, the Commission presented a new strategic plan for equality between women and men for 2020–2025. This strategy defines a series of political objectives and key actions aimed at achieving a ‘union of equality’ by 2025. The main objectives are to put an end to gender-based violence and combat sexist stereotypes, ensure equal opportunities in the labour market and equal participation in all sectors of the economy and political life, solve the problem of the pay and pension gap, and achieve gender equality in decision-making and politics. From the summary of the regulatory framework presented, for the European Economic Community first, then for the European Community, and finally for the European Union, gender equality has always been a fundamental value. Interest in the issues of the condition of women and equal opportunities has grown over time and during the process of European integration, moving from a perspective aimed at improving the working conditions of women to a new dimension to improve the life of the woman as a person, trying to protect her not only professionally but also socially, and in general in all those areas in which gender inequality may occur. The approach is extensive and based on legislation, the integration of the gender dimension into all policies, and specific measures in favour of women. From the non-exhaustive list of the various legislative interventions, it is possible to note a continuous repetition of the same thematic priorities which highlights, on the one hand, the poor results achieved by the implementation of the policies, but, on the other hand, the Commission’s willingness to pursue the path initially taken. Among the achievements in the field of gender equality obtained by the EU, there is certainly an increase in the number of women in the labour market and the acquisition of better education and training. Despite progress, gender inequalities have persisted. Even though women surpass men in terms of educational attainment, gender gaps still exist in employment, entrepreneurship, and public life (OECD, 2017). For example, in the labour market, women continue to be overrepresented in the lowest-paid sectors and underrepresented in top positions (according to the data released in the main companies of the European Union, women represent only 8% of CEOs).

The article considers the theoretical prerequisites and foundations for the formation of the imperative of selfvalue of representatives of life in the context of modern environmental ethics. It is concluded that all subjects of life have intrinsic value, and the goal of the new ecological ethics is survival, the preservation of life in its various forms based on the recognition of their intrinsic value. The deontology of I. Kant, the ethics of intersubjectivity of J. Habermas, the principle of responsibility of G. Jonas, the concept of holistic ethics and the common world of all living beings of K.-M. Meyer-Abich are considered as theoretical foundations of self-value imperative.

The National Engineering School of Tarbes (ENIT) is a French engineering school with a curriculum from undergraduate to graduate studies for general engineers. Curriculum ends by an equivalent Master degree in sciences. ENIT students are particularly involved into mechanical, civil, industrial engineering, material science and design of integrated systems. From the first year of study, students tackle theoretical tools for engineers. Moreover, in a curriculum composed of several different disciplines, connections between scientific subjects may be difficult to weave. As a consequence, student activities for solving engineering problems were developed. The basic concept is to clearly illustrate how theoretical tools can be used in an activity linked to engineering and more generally to student life. In addition, future engineers must be acquainted and trained to ethic values, especially those used in team work. During team working, honesty and benevolence are important core values to be encouraged as a basis of trust that has been identified as one of the cornerstones for performing teams. Consequently, the principle of team working for students was adopted and humanities are associated into the project to manage ethical and professional standards. Thus, the chosen teaching activity is a project-based learning team work that addresses on the one hand application of integration and derivation to expression of needs of consumable supplies and notions around professional ethics on the other hands.

This paper will focus on the role of librarian professional deontology specifically the activity of a librarian, in the development and delivery of quality information products. University libraries create quality informational products to support the educational and research process, using successfully ICT. The institutional repositories contributes to the promotion of the results of scientific research, increasing the prestige of the educational institution in a national and international aspect, and provides access to published scientific production. At the same time, the development process of the repository in terms of technology and content requires librarians to have specific professional skills for archiving and indexing the received documents. In accordance with the Code of Ethics, the librarian implements and ensures compliance with the principle of continuous professional development, participating in training and improvement programs, professional meetings, scientific and cultural activities organized by libraries or other institutions. At the same time, the librarian’s professional deontology presupposes librarians’ self-training and their responsibility for their own training. The success of the university library activity oriented towards the needs of the users involves two conditions: access to quality information services and products, on the one hand, and well-trained and highly qualified librarians, who deepen and constantly update their specialized knowledge and skills, necessary for the exercise the functional attributions it has, on the other hand. Library professionals should earn status and reputation based on their professionalism and ethical behavior.

Abstract After the oil price crashes in 2014 & 2020 several M&A deals ended up in legal debates because operators cancelled major projects or infills wells that were booked in the "probable" reserves only. This document challenges the compatibility between the deterministic incremental reserve assessment method (PRMS2018, chapter 4.2.1.3), and the concept of split condition (PRMS2018 chapter 2.2.0.3), which is not allowed for reserves booking under PRMS. With a few examples, we explain why the incremental method may be misleading investors, if used wrongly. Policies, stock market requirements, or simply the understanding of reserves guidelines may differ from one company to another. Many filers and auditors are still keen on using the deterministic incremental approach. This method consists in "defining discrete parts or segments of the accumulation that reflect high, best, and low confidence regarding the estimates of recoverable quantities under the defined development plan". In principle, this should give similar result to the widely accepted scenario method (PRMS2018, chapter 4.2.1.3) but in reality, major discrepancies are observed. Some reserve evaluation may also become misleading for banks, investors, or even for good asset management. I many cases, the estimation of recoverable volumes is reasonable, but it does not match the company CAPEX requirements, affecting corporate cash flow as well as potential Reserves Based Lending (RBL) requirements. In another case, the 1P case will be robust, but the 2P may be grossly overestimated, affecting M&A or share price. "Reserves guidelines are principle based" this has recently become a very fashionable statement in the context of SEC bookings. Similar discussions will also occur when reviewing PRMS reports. However, different interpretations for keywords such as "Project", "Spit condition", or "FID" should not prevent the evaluator to provide a reliable reserves estimation to investor or company management. This document questions the threshold where ethics disappears, and a Madoff scheme may become legal.

Industries are struggling to deliver the information and insights required for top performance. They also need to invest in developing new knowledge to create a foundation of trusted data necessary for the cognitive business. However more change is coming, as we envisioned Society 5.0, new interaction models will be generated, enabling a move to connected industry ecosystems supported by value-driven architecture akin to the next generation of society-centric internet. Society 5.0 trends will cause a shift from the output-based business model focused on buy/sell/own for-profit interaction to the impact-based model. The new model will be a personalized and purpose-led service involving ecosystem participants from multiple industries and drive higher incomes for participants and additional business while decreasing the cost of acquiring customers. Trust and human centricity of that model will lead to advancements in :· Ethics, Impact & Purpose - open, trusted, peer-endorsed services and products.· Decentralization of Power - more loosely coupled ecosystems where ecosystem leaders release more power to participants to fuel the “network” effect.· Data Democratization - bring your data, data used for social and sustainable innovation.· Connected Cyber/Physical Society -the instrumentation of the physical world with IoT and Edge Computing.· New data sources and standards will combine existing data sets with new ones to set the foundation for contextual computing and highly adaptive cyber-physical systems for many industries· Resiliency by design - a guiding design principle that is not only a technology requirement but also a business imperative that will create opportunities for new entities like “Group Formed Networks” based on shared interests. In this paper, we focus on a solution tackling Society 5.0 problems based on a globally scalable platform that is trusted to preserve individuals’ and businesses’ privacy and confidentiality while using the data to create value alongside social and individual good—simply providing value while maintaining values. We will describe innovative architecture at both a societal and a technical level, resting on a logical framework in which several technology components interact to provide value to society. We address the industry dynamics of Society 5.0, tracking new business trends and drivers influencing social infrastructure, societal engagement, cohesion, and new value creation. We define the building blocks required to support a Society 5 ecosystem solution in the future, in alignment with new business models to promote economic development and solve social issues.

The Agile Worth-Oriented Systems Engineering (AWOSE) approach is a flexibly applicable methodology to identify and assess potential ethical issues with respect to a (socio-)technical system and systematically incorporate them in a corresponding agile development process. Originally, AWOSE used the model for the ethical evaluation of socio-technical arrangements (MEESTAR), which refers to ethical dimensions exclusively focused on the direct needs of human stakeholders, and fuzzily demanded to extend these with environment- and nature-related aspects. This part of the methodology was meant to merely safeguard against potential harm, whereas an independent set of “worth elements” describing the intended positive outcomes of the system’s usage was pursued as the primary goals of development. Both potential ethical issues and intended worth were then integrated into so-called Worth Maps and explicitly connected to associated system features and components. The Worth Maps then facilitated appropriate design decisions during agile development of the system.As a proposed advancement and tentative successor, AWOSE for Future (AWOSE 4F) strives to concretize the consideration of non-human life and emphasize its interdependence with human requirements based on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) defined by the United Nations.Previous research on sustainability in the context of software and other information and communication technology-based system development commonly distinguished between “green IT” or “software sustainability”, i.e., making technical systems themselves greener, and “green by IT” or “sustainability by software”, i.e., using technical systems as tools to encourage sustainable action. AWOSE 4F can potentially address both of these, depending on the placement of SDGs within Worth Maps. Using SDGs to extend or replace the "ethical dimensions" of MEESTAR should ensure that the system itself is made sufficiently sustainable, whereas establishing SDGs as “intended worth" would foster encouragement of sustainable actions or decisions through the system. In principle, AWOSE 4F could be used in the research and development of a broad range of different upcoming technical systems. Setting SDGs as intended worth appears especially promising for the creation of future cognitive assistance systems that shall help human users select and execute sustainable (micro) actions in daily life, as well as for making appropriate long-term strategic decisions.

Many organizations feel currently threatened by globalization. Grows uncertainty and market behaviour and there are some problems with effective use of resources; it came to the real competition. The current trend in the development of logistics says that wins only the fastest, cheapest and most efficient in terms of logistics productivity. Management structure of logistics processes is important for planning and management elements of the supply chain, because it is a systematic follow-up on the strategy of the company and its involvement in the supply chain; the masses are also linked to the competitiveness of enterprises. Equally important is the principle of modern management, knowledge and innovation. Under improving of the organization of logistics processes we can understand the necessity to improve the strategy, flexibility parameter setting while maintaining economic benefits and improvement of management, lifelong learning and innovation. Business environment requires new structural form as the supply chain to the path towards the ideal of perfect quality, reducing complexity, increasing speed and building strong competencies enabling swift reaction to changes in the environment. It also calls for a new style of management, based on the application of ethical principles and morals. On top of this effort is the customer, current and also potential. Worldwide leading industrial companies use in management logistical principles that offer a suitable alternative.

The aim of sustainable work is to create a living and working environment that encourages individuals to enter and remain in the workforce for an extended period. During times of crisis, sustainable work has become a key factor in supporting economic growth while simultaneously prioritizing workers' well-being. While emerging technologies have the potential to enhance productivity, they can also contribute to an "always-on" culture in the workplace and widen working time, which can adversely affect the work-life balance of remote employees. Assessing the legal framework for remote work in the EU and its suitability for ethical employment practices, it is essential to support the future viability of remote employees' professional lives. Although an increasing number of individuals are choosing to work remotely, and more companies are offering remote work options, there still are unresolved legal issues in EU regulations, such as the definition of working time in the context of remote work and the regulation of employees' right to disconnect. Additionally, EU member states have differing attitudes towards promoting remote work, which can create a risk to the protection of employees' rights and the principle of equality within the EU.The goal of the research is to provide a comprehensive analysis and identify legal obstacles to sustainable remote work in the EU, based on an examination of the legal framework in the EU and case law of the EU Court of Justice and to draw evidence-based conclusions about the legal preconditions of sustainable remote work in EU.The research employs thorough research methods including literature analysis, legislation analysis, case law analysis, and secondary data analysis. The author uses different legal research methods, such as analytical, comparative, deductive, and inductive to identify legal obstacles to sustainable remote work in EU regulations. The main findings indicate that, even though there are efforts at the EU level to promote remote workers' well-being and legal protection, specific tools in EU legislation are still required to achieve the objective of sustainable remote work in the EU. For instance, the right of employees to disconnect has been initiated, but no legally binding document has been created to execute this right uniformly across all EU member states. It is also determined that different levels of encouraging remote work exist in EU member states, resulting in various protections for remote employees. This results in a scenario where remote workers have no efficient legal protection, which can be a basis for human rights violations. The research also finds instances of successful remote work initiatives and good practices in the EU, highlighting the potential advantages of sustainable remote work.

Abstract Stringent emission norms worldwide have provided an impetus to explore alternative sustainable fuels that are carbon neutral. Hydrogen is touted as one of the potential fuels that aid decarbonization. Biomass, especially the ones that do not compete with the food needs are considered promising feedstock for hydrogen production by thermal conversion. In the current study, the performance of the macroalga Macrocystis pyrifera in the thermal conversion through pyrolysis as a potential biomass for hydrogen production was examined. The macroalga Macrocystis pyrifera is a giant brown seaweed commonly found in the Pacific Rim. It is characterized by its fast-growing ability and photosynthetic metabolism that generates carbon sources from atmospheric CO2. This alga is a potential biomass to be applied in bioenergy with carbon capture and storage (BECCS), which enables carbon-negative biofuels to avoid greenhouse emissions from biomass processing and use. Pyrolysis is a conventional method for the thermal conversion of biomass with low moisture into potential fuels. This process consists of decomposing the biomass into charcoal, light hydrocarbons, and non-condensable gases by the action of high temperatures (350-600°C) and the atmospheric pressure. The pyrolysis of the macroalga is applied to a process simulation in Aspen plus V12 with an optimization achieved by multiple sensitivity analyses. Additionally, to upgrade the hydrogen production from a carbon-neutral biofuel to BECCS, a carbon capture unit by physical absorption with dimethyl ethers of polyethylene glycol (DEPG) is included using a hierarchy user model of the software. The results showed a high sensitivity of the temperature. Additionally, a second reactor and a water gas shift unit were necessary to maximize the hydrogen production. The temperature profile showed a maximum production of hydrogen at 500°C with the following reduction of its yield at higher temperature values due to the enhanced carbon monoxide production. Additionally, a second reactor operating under the same conditions as a gasifier and a water gas shift unit based on the Le Chatelier principle successfully increased the hydrogen production by 50%. Finally, a hydrogen yield of 2.06% was reached. The study related to the thermal conversion of this alga is an opening to the study of the thermal conversion of biomass commonly found in desertic or semi-desertic climates such as halophytes or salicornia.

Nirex is the organisation responsible for long-term radioactive waste management in the UK. Our mission is to provide the UK with safe, environmentally sound and publicly acceptable options for the long-term management of radioactive materials. Nirex is therefore researching various options for the long-term management of radioactive wastes/materials in order to identify the relevant issues with regard to the feasibility of options, and the research, development and stakeholder dialogue necessary to address these issues. The UK policy for the long-term management of solid radioactive waste is currently undergoing review. In September 2001, the UK Government Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) and the Devolved Administrations for Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland launched a public consultation on ‘Managing Radioactive Waste Safely’ (MRWS) [1]. The aim of this consultation was to start a process that will ultimately lead to the implementation of a publicly acceptable radioactive waste management policy. The MRWS programme of action proposed by Government includes a “stakeholder” programme of public debate backed by research to examine the different radioactive waste management options, and to recommend the preferred option, or combination of options. The options of storage above ground and underground are expected to be among the options examined. In the UK, radioactive wastes are currently held in surface stores, at over 30 locations in the UK, pending a decision on their long-term management. These stores were originally designed to have lifetimes of up to 50 years, but due to uncertainty regarding the longer term management of such wastes, extending the life of stores to 100 years is now being considered. This paper describes a preliminary scoping study to identify the long-term issues associated with surface storage of intermediate-level radioactive waste (ILW), and certain low-level waste (LLW) indefinitely in the UK. These wastes contain radionuclides with half lives that can range up to a million years or more, it was therefore assumed, for the purposes of this scoping study, that wastes would need to be managed over a period of at least one million years. An indefinite surface storage concept will require institutional stability and encompasses the principle of guardianship. It is based on a rolling present where each generation is required to monitor and, as necessary, repackage the waste and refurbish/replace storage buildings over a period of at least one million years. Each generation will also need to decide whether to continue with surface storage or implement another long-term management option. The aims of the scoping study were to: i) Investigate the implications of indefinite surface storage of waste packages through consideration of the facility specification, design and assessment. This framework is common to all Nirex radioactive waste management option studies, and provides a common basis for comparison. ii) Identify the social and ethical issues related to indefinite storage, including the principles and values that some stakeholders believe are met by the surface storage option.

This electronic resource contains a critical summary of the problems of sovereign statehood and the responsibility of public authority in the light of an interdisciplinary systemic organic approach. The author reveals the essence and content of the categories “sovereign statehood” and “responsibility of public authority” as key factors of the state legal system for ensuring the life of the Russian Federation in the conditions of the emergence of a new world order. It is shown that the multi-valued category of “statehood” (statehood, stateness, nationhood, nationness) reflects the complexity of the concept, which characterizes the status and ability of the state to carry out its functions, and on the other hand, reflects the cultural-historical and spiritual-ideological unity of society, which is the deepest internal semantic content both preceding the state and completing its sociohistorical formation in the course of state development and historical transformations. Based on the systemic-organic approach and within the framework of the structure of the Aristotelian tetrad, the author reveals an integral model of the political and legal phenomenon of “statehood”, in which the final cause (ethion) is determined by “sovereign statehood”, which presupposes unity, integrity, actual autonomy, independence, independence and self-sufficiency states in making decisions that ensure the historical existence and development of the country. The work presents a theoretical understanding of social (public) solidarity as a legal construct and instrument of social harmony and integrity of the state-legal body of the Russian Federation. It is shown that public solidarity, as a constitutional and administrative-legal phenomenon in its positive and negative forms, creates the necessary basis for the implementation of the principle of mutual responsibility of the individual, society and state. An idea of the responsibilities of the state, its bodies and officials to the individual and society is given, the role and place of public legal responsibility of holders of power in the solidary social mechanism is outlined. In general, the results of interdisciplinary research are aimed at identifying key factors in social theory and practice that contribute to the acquisition of true independence and self-sufficiency of Russian statehood and the preservation of the civilizational foundations of a multinational Russian society. The manual will be useful to undergraduate and graduate students studying social and political sciences, and anyone interested in the theory and practice of government.