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Ballast Water Management (BWM) is a complex process in which decision-making must be based on proven scientific evidence. For example, data is needed to make decisions on the granting of exemptions from BWM, to support an early warning system to inform seafarers about where ballasting should not be conducted due to the presence of harmful organisms, to control and eradicate invasive species and to measure the effectiveness of the BWM Convention in reducing the rate of new species introductions. To support different BWM tools, the data should be diverse and multifaceted, ranging from taxonomy and biological traits of introduced species to the limits of their ecological tolerance, vectors of introduction, history of invasions and actual geographic distribution, their impact on human health, economy and environment. Here we present examples of how existing databases can be used to provide the information needed for the implementation of the BWM Convention in general. Particular attention is paid to AquaNIS, an information system on aquatic non-indigenous and cryptogenic species that stores a wealth of data and is equipped with several useful tools aiding decision-making processes.

Greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions are rising from the transportation sector, which is responsible for global climate change because this sector still runs on fossil fuels. However, electric vehicles (EVs) have gained significant attention due to their potential to reduce GHG emissions. Many countries are investing in the development of electric vehicle technologies and infrastructure to support their widespread adoption. The research being conducted globally aims to improve battery technology and fuel cell (FC) technology, increase vehicle range, and enhance charging infrastructure to make electric vehicles more practical and accessible to a larger population. This study presents different EV technology achievements with various mitigation methods based on a recent publication. The chapter begins with an overview of EV technology and energy consumption methods, followed by a detailed discussion of current and future battery charging technology. This concept involves the integration of electric vehicles with the city infrastructure, allowing for seamless charging and integration with other smart systems. Additionally, the next generation of EVs is expected to have longer battery life and faster charging capabilities, making them even more convenient for users. Wireless power transfer is also expected to eliminate the need for physical charging stations, further enhancing the user experience and expanding the reach of EVs in a smart city environment. Overall, the future of electric vehicles looks promising, with advancements in technology and smart city integration paving the way for a more sustainable and efficient transportation system. This proposed topic is very wide and informative. As a result, the study highlights the significance of new technology and the need for research to contribute to the future development of electric vehicles worldwide. In conclusion, the study resolved that a better reception of EV energy usage and storage would reduce CO2 emissions.

This chapter explores the crucial role of ethical approaches to gender communication in public authorities in Ukraine. Gender equality and ethical aspects of communication have become central in shaping governance practices in the country. The research aims to provide an overview of ethical considerations surrounding gender communication and its implications in various level of public administration. The research methodology employs a mixed approach, encompassing a comprehensive literature review, empirical analysis, and sociological surveys within public authorities. The results reveal challenges and opportunities in implementing ethical practices of gender communication and the gradual reduction of the gender gap in Ukraine, with rates significantly lower compared to European countries. By applying ethical approaches, public administration can enhance their effectiveness, transparency, and responsiveness to diverse population needs. Sociological methods have identified gender barriers and challenges in communications, contributing to the development of approaches aimed at eliminating such inequalities. The study underscores the importance of developing ethical practices of gender communication in Ukrainian public authorities as a means to promote social equality and inclusivity. The obtained results indicate that applying ethical approaches to gender communication is crucial for enhancing the efficiency, accountability, and sensitivity to various societal needs in public administration. Emphasis is placed on the significance of developing ethical practices of gender communication in Ukrainian public authorities, contributing to the creation of a more just and inclusive society.

This chapter presents insights from inquiry- based learning (IBL) cases in schools within the context of the international project ‘Teachers & Researchers Networking for Inquiry- based Learning.’ The action research involved collaboration between teachers and researchers to design and implement project- based learning using the IBL approach. The 18 IBL projects created by the students demonstrated that IBL in the context of STEAM education is an effective method to tackle sustainability issues. Project- based learning (PJBL) enables students to explore real- world challenges and develop problem- solving skills. By designing learning projects that address sustainability challenges, students gain a deeper understanding of the subject matter while contributing to a more sustainable future. The researchers presented potential sustainable changes in schools, including the learning process design, educational content, and the roles of teachers and students. Practical recommendations summarizing the researchers’ experience are provided as insights for further IBL and PJBL implementation.

This chapter analyses the features, specifics, and challenges of a longitudinal youth study in Lithuania after the political, economic, and social system transformation of the 1990s. The authors discuss the study's methodological framework, which draws on qualitative empirical material—life history interviews and mixed methods data that captures retrospective stories of the past that include the period of youth when the socialisation of different birth cohorts took place in different periods of history. This analysis is based on life history interviews, collected within the framework of the implemented projects aimed at the twentieth century generations in Lithuania. The chapter reveals research designs that seek to understand the interplay between time, age, gender, geographic location, historical period, individual agency, and adaptive and structural factors to analyse young people’s experiences of social change related to socialisation and integration.

This chapter is the result of research into ethical changes in the penitentiary systems of Poland and Lithuania. The authors made a comparative analysis of the changes that have taken place in the last 30 years in these two countries. Specific questions that the Authors tried to answer during their research were: how did the penitentiary systems of Poland and Lithuania change over the last 30 years? What legal and organizational issues did it tackle (from the viewpoint of ethical aspects)? How were the changes in the penitentiary systems of Poland and Lithuania evaluated by the international community? However, the overarching question was: to what extent is the change in penitentiary systems profound and to what extent is it just a facade? To what extent are the penitentiary systems of these states Westernized and to what extent still post-Soviet in nature?

In this chapter we analyse how transition from Soviet past to Post-Socialist present create the preconditions for the context of ethical relationships to history and memory in Lithuania. All communication of context-related memories is restricted in terms of ethics by a phenomenon of the quotation of meanings (Derrida). Ethical problems are encountered when distinguishing between appropriate and inappropriate sources of quotations, deciding on what is worthwhile mentioning/remembering and what should be silenced/forgotten. We reveal the process of normalization of Soviet experiences in personal narratives through a case study of Soviet holidays. We have identified some principles of research interview for more objective understanding of controversial historical experiences. For interviewees it was important to feel solidarity (in terms of shared Soviet past experience) with the interviewer, because these time periods have been very differently interpreted in the public sphere. Interviewers with Soviet-period experiences managed to bypass time-restricted language code (codes for topics ‘commonly known to them’). Attempts to involve younger interviewers unfamiliar with those codes made the content and course of the interviews more difficult. One more important ethical aspect for this kind of research, requiring additional measures to ensure a person’s anonymity, is the size and population of the country.

Arms trade is one of the important, early and widely developed forms of economic connection between producers of different countries from ancient times to the era of modern globalisation. The international arms trade has gone through a rather long, evolutionary path of development, from one-time commercial deals to large-scale cooperation within the framework of industrial cooperation, the result of which is the formation and activity of modern transnational military companies. The formation of international trade is connected with the process of the world market, which begins in the last period of the 15th century and reaches its development in the 19th century, when the capitalist mode of production took its perfect form. However, the arms trade originates from the ancient period and the emergence of commodity-monetary relations. Despite the comprehensiveness of international law and local legal frameworks, there are political-ethical questions regarding the global arms trade. The twenty-first century is the era of digital and artificial intelligence. Arms production was also adapted to the mentioned basic conditions. These kinds of technologies play a positive role in global order and regional deterrence, but also pave the way for terrorist organisations and their affiliated countries. The article discusses the ethical aspects, forms and challenges of the global arms trade. The examples of Israel and Ukraine are given as a comparative analysis. The article draws on international legal documents, papers and other academic resources.

The aim of this chapter is to answer the research question: How and to what extent do sustainability provisions influence port security in the Baltic countries? Few studies have considered Baltic ports, which represent the economies of small countries, and the modern paradigms for the development of such economies contain a dynamic, ever-changing experience, consolidated knowledge and primary material for further research and explanatory schemes. The research finds that stricter requirements for sustainability (which can also be seen as a motivational tool) lead to a growing demand for security. More sustainable use of the Baltic ports would lead to increased port security in the economic, social and environmental contexts alike. Therefore, knowledge and practice of sustainability is necessary to develop so-called economic security. Ports need to cooperate with local higher education institutions and integrate educational programmes for and about sustainability into their strategies.

Non-governmental organizations (NGOs) play a crucial role in advancing progress towards Sustainable Development Goals, by addressing a myriad of global issues such as pollution, deforestation, soil erosion, declining water levels, depletion of national resources, poverty eradication, and health challenges. The chapter explores the pivotal question: How does sustainable development impact the operations of non-governmental organizations? This chapter aims to identify existing studies that delve into the intersection of sustainable development and NGOs while selecting virtuous examples/models from international NGOs in effectively implementing SDGs. The chapter presents an analysis of best practices employed by NGOs towards sustainability issues aiming to provide future directions. Our findings reveal that NGOs actively develop and operate community-based groups to improve and maintain infrastructure, foster entrepreneurship, support startups and innovation work and involve in a diverse array of activities contributing to sustainable development.

The imagotypes of Lithuanians and Poles began to form in Belarusian culture relatively recently - at the turn of the XIX-XX centuries, i.e. not earlier than the period of formation of the modern Belarusian nation. The features of ethnic stereotypes recorded in the forms of traditional rural folklore do not always correlate with the qualities assigned to them in modem culture. Presumably, the actual Belarusian imagotypes of the Lithuanian and the Pole are created by the author’s literature of the first half of the twentieth century. The main factors that influenced their formation as components of the national imagomythology of Belarusians are: The heritage of the multilingual literature of Belarus of the 19th century; the narratives of the Belarusian national revival; imperial Russian narratives, especially in terms of their anti-Catholic, anti-Polish and anti-Western components; the closely related narratives of the Soviet propaganda of the 20s-30s with their pronounced anti-Polish colouring and cultivation of the rhetoric of hatred; the late Soviet discourse, within the framework of which a wary attitude towards the Baltic peoples, although not openly articulated, was implied. The categories “Polish national character” and “Lithuanian national character” are components of the imaginary discourse of the Belarusian ethnic imagomythoi- ogy, within the framework of which they primarily serve in one way or another for self-description of Belarusians as a nation in comparison with other nations. The artistic images they produce are fictions, the fruit of writers’ fantasy, initially lying outside the paradigm of correctness/incorrectness. Like other national literatures, Belarusian literature not only fixes stereotypes in the artistic form and retranslates them, but also creates and modifies them.