Europe

River dredging in progress
Water management - and ensuring an adequate supply for everyone - is one of the biggest challenges being faced by the UK. In a move by the Environment Agency, internal drainage boards could be given a bigger role in making that happen, helping to reducing flood risks to farmland and local villages in the process. This helps meet SDG 6, Clean Water and Sanitation.
The First 100 Years is a ground-breaking history project charting the journey of women in law since 1919. The project’s vision is to ensure a strong and equal future for all women in the legal profession through a deep understanding of the past combined with a celebration of today. It therefore supports SDG 5 with a focus on target 5 concerned with women in leadership positions. This video interview with Lady Hale, the first female President of the Supreme Court, gives a personal account of her being the ‘first’ many times over and the role of women in the legal profession.
In the past 50 years, significant progress in women's equality has been made worldwide. Western countries, particularly European countries, have implemented initiatives to attain a more gender-balanced workforce with the introduction of family friendly policies, by trying to narrow the gender pay gap and by promoting women's career progression. In academia, however, fewer women reach top leadership positions than those in the political arena. These findings suggest that academia needs to carefully evaluate why these new policies have not been very effective.
New HIV diagnoses among people aged 50 years or older in the EU & EEA
Background The HIV burden is increasing in older adults in the European Union (EU) and European Economic Area (EEA). We investigated factors associated with HIV diagnosis in older adults in the 31 EU/EEA countries during a 12 year period. Methods In this analysis of surveillance data, we compared data from older people (aged ≥50 years) with those from younger people (aged 15–49 years). We extracted new HIV diagnoses reported to the European Surveillance System between Jan 1, 2004, and Dec 31, 2015, and stratified them by age, sex, migration status, transmission route, and CD4 cell count.
The Government's scheme for individuals to apply for tribunal fees refunds has been rolled out to all applicants, after a "successful opening phase of the scheme". This reduces inequalities between richer and poorer employees and between richer companies and poorer employees contributing to SDG 10.
Multiple nutrient deficiencies related to severe soil fertility depletion have emerged as the major constraint to the sustainability of agriculture on a global scale. Use of biochar and biochar-compost mixtures from different alternative organic sources have been proposed as an option for improving soil fertility, restoring degraded land, and mitigating the emissions of greenhouse gasses associated with agriculture.
Directly relating to SDG 16 (Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions), this policy brief looks at how the changing nature of organized crime and corruption may impact state fragility, inequality and conflict in the coming decades.
Elsevier,

Personality and Individual Differences, Volume 116, 1 October 2017, Pages 372-378.

This article develops a theoretical framework to develop current understandings of evolutionary origins of same-sex attraction within women. This research may therefore help drive forward SDG 10 (reduced inequalities).
Focussing on SDGs 16 (Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions) and 17 (Partnerships for the Goals), this research report explores how organized crime and corruption will impact governance in 2050 and what states can – and should – do about it now.
A new criminal corporate offence of failing to prevent facilitation of tax evasion comes into effect on 30 September 2017 in the UK. This development supports SDG 8 Decent work and economic growth and SDG 16 Peace, justice and strong institutions.

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