Climate is changing and mitigation of the corresponding impacts requires assessment of vulnerability and adaptation building. This issue is particularly important in Middle East and North Africa (MENA), which is recognized as one of the most water scarce regions of the world and vulnerable to climate change. Therefore, the objective of this study was an assessment of the different sectors’ vulnerability as well as the overall vulnerability of the MENA countries to climate change. The Notre Dame-Global Adaptation Index (ND-GAIN) was used to investigate climate change vulnerability. Cluster analysis revealed the very high, high, medium and low levels of vulnerability for the MENA countries by distinguishing their extent of exposure, sensitivity and adaptive capacity. Further results indicated that the MENA countries have an acceptable status of infrastructure and habitat, tolerable health and ecosystem statuses, and inappropriate water and food conditions. Water shortage is also a serious problem in this region, to the extent that it is often assumed that water shortage is the root cause of all other types of vulnerability in MENA. However, the obtained results do not support this assumption. These findings provide insight about the adaptation challenges that should be faced and the choices that should be made in response to climate change, in MENA.

Today, various solutions have been proposed to improve the economic situation of villages and deprived areas, among which tourism is known as the best solution for those areas with the necessary potentials for tourism development. On other hand, the COVID-19 pandemic had significant effects on human life worldwide. The prevalence of COVID-19 has caused a lot of damage to different sectors of the global economy, but without a doubt, the rural tourism industry should be considered among the economic activities that have suffered the most from this virus. In this study, with the aim of investigating these effects on the rural tourism industry, it has been analyzed and compared in three important economic, social and environmental dimensions before and after the outbreak of the COVID-19. This quantitative study was used survey method. The statistical population of the study consisted of local stakeholders of rural tourism and experts of the relevant organizations in Natanz county of Iran. The results of confirmatory factor analysis indicate that the constructs used in the model have appropriate and acceptable fit. The results of the study also, showed that the prevalence of COVID-19 has adverse consequences including reducing the desirable economic and social effects of tourism mentioned among both groups of experts and rural stakeholders. from rural tourism stakeholders' opinion, environmental variables of the tourism areas before and after the COVID-19 was different, and in the absence of tourists in this area, the destructive environmental effects have strongly decreased.

Background: Widespread production and use of transgenic products across the world in recent decade has led to different reactions and point of views. Iran is also one of the consumers of these products. However, there has been an ever-increasing controversy between supporters and opponents of the use of these products in Iran and no constructive agreement has been attained on this issue. Accordingly, the main goal of present study was to determine the challenges and opportunities of transgenic agricultural products in biotechnology and plant breeding specialists’ point of view. Methodology: Delphi technique was used to achieve this goal. The statistical population was Iranian specialists in plant breeding, biotechnology, and genetic modification. The snowball sampling approach was employed to select the samples. Results: In general, 16 concepts in the dimension of opportunities and 25 concepts in the dimension of the challenges were identified. Analyzing the agreement rates showed that the panel of experts agree most on 14 concepts out of 16 concepts identified for opportunities. In the dimension of challenges for transgenic products, only 17 concepts received acceptable agreement scores (over 80%). Conclusion: In general, categorizing the concepts of transgenic products’ opportunities led to identification of two main aspects namely “food security” and “biosafety”. Challenges were also categorized into four strata of structural, educational, cognitive, and informational challenges. In addition, it should be mentioned that the lack of familiarity with methods, goals, and results of genetic engineering and gene transferring methods in transgenic plants is the most important aspect of people’s concern. Although it is not possible to get full knowledge about genetic engineering and genetic manipulation methods for all those who are the consumers of transgenic products, their awareness and recognition about the goals and positive/negative effects of the use of these products can be increased using specific strategies. For instance, one of the strategies is to focus and invest on mass media that which provides high availability, vast coverage, and low-cost. Accordingly, mass media (such as radio and television) can act as the best educational and informational tools for development and application of transgenic plants.

Food has always been the focus of much discussion due to its value and importance in human life. Policymakers use the idea of food literacy as a solution to population and environmental health and food security. Two objectives were considered in this research: investigating food literacy construct validity and reliability and also analyzing five dimension that reflect food literacy scale. The present research is a survey and the statistical population is rural households in Dashti County of Bushehr province. The number of statistical populations was determined by Cochran's formula 232 households. They were selected by stratified multi-stage random sampling method. Based on the results and fitness indicators, it was determined that the research factor analysis model based on the five dimensions of food literacy (social, economic, health, skills, environmental and welfare of farm animals) has suitable and acceptable measures (RMSEA = 0.065). Evidence from this study has shown that creating an effective link to promoting the indigenous and local foods and food production process is effective in promoting food diversity, food literacy and food security in rural communities. There is little research that considers food literacy indicators empirically, based on the proposed model, the selected constructs of the research had examined food literacy indices in rural communities. The results of cluster analysis showed that most studied groups classified in the average level in terms of food literacy and had the highest average in the social index of food literacy. The results of this study can help to perception and further professionalize and exploit opportunities to promote food literacy and provide guidance for planners and other stakeholders working in food security and sustainable development.

Introduction: Food and nutrition are the most vital needs of human society and its provision lies in the category of food security. The concept of food security is very broad and is determined by the interaction of a range of biological, economic, social, agricultural, and physical factors. The purpose of this study is to investigate the social factors affecting food security among rural households.Methods: This is quantitative research conducted by survey method. The statistical population included 384 rural households in Shiraz County that were selected by stratified random sampling. Data analysis was performed using SPSS and LISREL software.Results and discussion: Results indicated that the values of combined reliability calculated for all three variables studied were >0.7, which implies that research tools have good reliability and validity. The results of structural analysis of social capital and social health variables with food security using confirmatory factor analysis techniques and structural equations showed social capital variable affects food security directly and social health variable has an indirect effect. According to the value of fitness indicators obtained; it was found that the structural equation model of the research variables had a suitable and acceptable fit and the general structure of the research was approved. Hence, the components used in the research were able to estimate food security. Accordingly, by improving the level of social capital and social health, promotion of food security in communities, would be expected.

Psychologically unsustainability stems from the disconnection of humans from the natural environment. Signs of this disconnection have led to the creation of variables generally called “Nature Connectedness” (NC) to measure this relationship. This study is a type of quantitative research, and the method used was a survey. It aimed to investigate the construct validity and reliability of the Nature Relatedness (NR) scale, determine the factors and items constructing, and the variables influencing the NR scale in the Persian context. The NR scale is one of the most used measures in this field and is measured with three factors: Self, Perspective, and Experience. The subjects consisted of 296 students who studied at Shiraz University, School of Agriculture. Based on the construct validity and reliability analysis, the factors and items making up the NR scale were declared valid and reliable (Cronbach’s alpha = 0.86, RMSEA = 0.05). Thus, in this study we deliver one scale for NR which according to validity and reliability indices is appropriate and could be used in future research. SMC values of the observed variables resulting from structural equation modeling showed considerable values. Overall, regression analysis could explain nearly fifty percent in changes of the NR scale through two variables of mindfulness and pro-environmental behaviors. The findings of this research can provide theoretical and practical implications for developing the NR construct. Our findings encourage policies that pay more attention to environmental plans and urban design that promote NC among communities.