Cognitive Sustainability

A study of the evolution of the city's public policies from the perspective of the mobility of residents in priority neighbourhoods

Jean Coronas — Tue, 22 Sep 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Mobility inequalities in French priority neighbourhoods, or Quartiers Prioritaires de la Politique de la Ville (QPVs), have historically been addressed through transport infrastructure and urban regeneration policies. However, these approaches do not explain the mobility difficulties experienced by residents, which also stem from social, economic and educational inequalities. This paper examines how French public policies addressing mobility in priority neighbourhoods have evolved from an infrastructure-centred approach towards a broader conception of inclusive mobility. It asks to what extent this shift reflects a transformation in the understanding of mobility inequalities. The article combines a historical and policy analysis of urban and transport legislation with a review of academic literature and institutional reports (INSEE, CEREMA, ANRU, ANCT, SYTRAL). It also includes a thematic analysis of French press coverage of priority neighbourhoods using Europresse to identify changes in public debate over time. The analysis shows that mobility remained largely secondary within successive urban policies, which primarily focused on housing renewal, social mix and urban regeneration. Since the 2000s, and particularly following the 2019 Mobility Orientation Act (LOM), public action has progressively incorporated the notion of inclusive mobility through personalised support measures such as mobility advice, social driving schools, cycling schools and community-based initiatives. These innovations recognise that access to transport alone is insufficient without developing residents' mobility capabilities. The paper argues that mobility policies are gradually shifting from an infrastructure-based model towards a capability-oriented approach, although investment in personalised mobility support remains marginal compared with expenditure on transport infrastructure.

Design, sizing, and feasibility analysis of a hybrid renewable generation system for the self-sufficiency of an off-grid house

Jesus Palacios Molto — Sat, 26 Sep 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Rural isolation from national electricity grids represents a persistent infrastructure challenge in Mediterranean mountainous regions, where isolated dwellings have traditionally depended on generators with prohibitive environmental and economic costs. This study proposes a modular engineering framework for the design and sizing of hybrid off-grid renewable generation systems, applied as a case study to a residential property in El Pla de La Llacuna (Villalonga, Valencia, Spain). The methodology develops a decoupled catalogue of four independent energy modules – solar photovoltaic (PV), micro-wind, geothermal, and electrochemical storage – each governed by strict technical boundary conditions that filter site suitability. The framework was applied through a multi-step process: resource characterisation using the PVGIS-SARAH3 database and hyper-local AVAMET meteorological data; load profile construction via a bottom-up appliance inventory; and iterative system sizing validated through computational simulation. Three energy supply scenarios were simulated and benchmarked against a 100% fossil-fuel baseline. The results demonstrate that a hybrid solar-wind configuration comprising 8 photovoltaic panels (4.28 kWp), 6 LiFePO4 batteries (28.8 kWh), and a 10 kW Vertical Axis Wind Turbine (VAWT) constitutes the optimal solution for this site, achieving total annual energy self-sufficiency with a capital expenditure of €12,328, a net present value (NPV) of €337,406, a return on investment (ROI – return on investment) of 34.07, and a payback period of 0.323 years. Geothermal exploitation was rejected due to geological and logistical constraints, while continuous wind generation was discarded as a primary source due to insufficient mean velocities, though transient gusts up to 73.4 km/h were successfully harvested as a winter supplementary resource.

Sustainability comparison of petrol and electric small boats on Lake Balaton: A life cycle and total cost analysis

Balázs Ákos Nagy, Máté Zöldy — Sat, 26 Sep 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Because Lake Balaton is shallow and ecologically fragile, the regulation of small-boat traffic on the lake currently rests mainly on propulsion type: recreational use of internal-combustion-powered small boats is effectively prohibited. In contrast, purely electric-powered boats may operate freely. This study examines the environmental and economic differences between petrol and electric-powered small boats over their full life cycle, and considers what these differences imply for further developing the regulatory framework. The analysis draws on data from one specific petrol-powered and one electric small-boat model. The life cycle assessment (LCA) compares CO₂ emissions across the manufacturing, operational, and end-of-life (EoL) phases over 15-year and 20-year horizons, while the total cost of ownership (TCO) analysis compares investment, operating, mooring, and maintenance costs over the same horizons. Results: manufacturing emissions for the electric boat are nearly five times those of the petrol boat, but this disadvantage is offset by lower operating emissions within roughly 5.7 years; over 15 years, the electric boat’s total emissions are about half those of the petrol boat. The economic picture runs in the opposite direction: owing to its higher purchase price and the cost of battery replacement, the electric boat’s total cost exceeds the petrol boat’s over both examined time horizons. Since environmental and economic considerations do not align, sustainable boating cannot be reduced to a single criterion and instead calls for deliberate, multi-criteria evaluation. Regulation would benefit from accounting not only for propulsion type but also for the actual environmental burden a boat generates (speed, power, intensity of use).

Is the electric car really greener and cheaper? A coupled life cycle and total cost of ownership analysis of a petrol and an electric Volkswagen Golf in the Hungarian context

Botond Zima, Ádám Pál-Jakab, Endre Zima, Máté Zöldy — Sat, 26 Sep 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Electric cars are increasingly popular on the assumption that they have a low environmental impact. Yet, battery production is an exceptionally polluting process, and their higher purchase price calls into question their economic competitiveness. Hence, the electric car is not a perfect alternative to internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles; it requires context-specific investigation. This study couples a Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) and a Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) analysis of two near-identical vehicles. A petrol Volkswagen Golf 1.5 TSi and an electric e-Golf (both 2019), plus a solar-charged variant of the latter, from production to 200,000 km, using a transparent, openly shared model parameterised for Hungary. The Golf’s production emissions are 44% of the e-Golf’s, but over 200,000 km, the Golf emits 103% more CO₂-equivalent than the grid-charged e-Golf and 222% more than the solar-charged one, reaching environmental break-even after approximately 38,000 and 30,000 km. Economically, the Golf is 10% and 28% more expensive to own, with financial break-even occurring after approximately 62,000 and 66,000 km, respectively. Only 16.7% of the money spent on petrol, against 70.4% for electricity, is converted into useful motion. Mass adoption of electric cars is thus an environmentally optimal direction, maximised by renewable charging, but it leaves open questions about public revenue sustainability that deserve further investigation.

Health economics: a global review and prospection

Theodor-Gabriel Damian — Mon, 28 Sep 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Health systems are increasingly affected by the convergence of public-health, economic, demographic, technological, and environmental pressures, including non-communicable diseases that account for more than 70% of global deaths and antimicrobial resistance, which is projected to cause 10 million annual deaths by 2050, with economic losses comparable to the 2008 financial crisis. This article aims to review health economics as a framework for understanding and improving the allocation of scarce healthcare resources, with emphasis on efficiency, equity, sustainability, and global health-system resilience. Using a narrative global review and prospective policy analysis, the paper synthesizes evidence from international organizations, academic literature, policy reports, and comparative case studies of different healthcare financing models and national systems. The review identifies major theoretical foundations of health economics, including supply and demand, opportunity cost, cost-effectiveness analysis, market failure, information asymmetry, externalities, and the role of government intervention. It also highlights global disparities in healthcare expenditure, universal health coverage, workforce capacity, disease burden, and emergency preparedness. The findings suggest that sustainable health-system reform requires stronger global health governance, equitable financing, expanded universal health coverage, health-workforce investment, improved pharmaceutical access, and responsible integration of digital health and artificial intelligence. The article contributes by connecting health economics with sustainable policy design and by outlining practical directions for more efficient, equitable, and resilient healthcare systems.

Sustainability challenges of Hungarian lakeside destinations – Lake Balaton and Lake Velence

Andras Tenk — Tue, 29 Sep 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Lakeside settlements are among the tourist destinations most exposed to climate change and anthropogenic pressure. In landlocked Hungary, Lake Balaton and Lake Velence are key destinations, and in the summer of 2026 both saw a marked decline in visitor traffic. This paper examines how climate change, anthropogenic pressure and economic factors jointly affect the sustainability of the two destinations, and outlines regulatory directions for adapting their tourism. The study draws on recent scientific literature, statistics, the results of an earlier visitor survey and expert statements reported in the press. The findings show that rising water temperatures, more frequent heatwaves and droughts, falling water levels and deteriorating ecological status directly threaten the natural basis of bathing-based tourism, with Lake Velence being the most vulnerable. These effects are compounded by the overdevelopment of the shoreline and the degrading quality of reed beds. Demand is further weakened by economic factors such as the strong forint (HUF) and the growing attractiveness of foreign destinations. A fall of around 20% in hospitality turnover on the southern shore of Lake Balaton and in attendance at the main beach in Siófok, together with a 5.2% decrease in foreign guests at Lake Balaton, illustrates the problem. The paper concludes that preserving the tourist appeal of Hungarian lakes requires sustainable lake management, with special emphasis on the protection of shoreline habitats and restrictions on construction. Furthermore, the tourism offer should be diversified and regulations should facilitate the sustainable development of lakeside tourist destinations.