Volume 1 of the FCC Feasibility Report presents an overview of the physics case, experimental programme, and detector concepts for the Future Circular Collider (FCC). This volume outlines how FCC would address some of the most profound open questions in particle physics, from precision studies of the Higgs and EW bosons and of the top quark, to the exploration of physics beyond the Standard Model. The report reviews the experimental opportunities offered by the staged implementation of FCC, beginning with an electron-positron collider (FCC-ee), operating at several centre-of-mass energies, followed by a hadron collider (FCC-hh). Benchmark examples are given of the expected physics performance, in terms of precision and sensitivity to new phenomena, of each collider stage. Detector requirements and conceptual designs for FCC-ee experiments are discussed, as are the specific demands that the physics programme imposes on the accelerator in the domains of the calibration of the collision energy, and the interface region between the accelerator and the detector. The report also highlights advances in detector, software and computing technologies, as well as the theoretical tools/reconstruction techniques that will enable the precision measurements and discovery potential of the FCC experimental programme. The content and structure of this report are guided by the scope and priorities defined in the mandate of the FCC Feasibility Study. It is therefore not intended to serve as an exhaustive review of the full physics potential of FCC. Several topics, already covered in earlier reports such as the FCC CDR, are not reiterated here or are addressed only briefly, in alignment with the study’s focus. This volume reflects the outcome of a global collaborative effort involving hundreds of scientists and institutions, aided by a dedicated community-building coordination, and provides a targeted assessment of the scientific opportunities and experimental foundations of the FCC programme.

Circular economy has the potential to contribute significantly to sustainable development. Despite its popularity, implementation in Europe is still low. Through more stringent sustainability reporting, the circular economy should be increasingly implemented by companies, which is currently pursued by the EU through two new legal acts. Therefore, we need a more integrated understanding of existing practices of corporate sustainability reporting to identify weak points and possibilities for further improvement. This article aims to (i) investigate whether companies in the agri-food sector have reported on the circular economy so far, (ii) to what extent future legal obligations are already being met, and (iii) if the two new EU legal acts hold significance for the promotion of circular economy through corporate reporting. To assess the current reporting practices, a qualitative content analysis and a mapping approach of 20 selected sustainability reports from key players in the agri-food sector have been conducted. Additionally, seven semi-structured expert interviews were carried out to review the future role of the legal acts. Results show that reporting in the agri-food sector on circular economy has increased considerably as of 2016, but it is still lacking in terms of the two new legal acts. Although the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) can be seen as a good basis for reporting, there is a large number of new obligations, which means that companies should start preparing at an early stage. This is especially true for those agri-food companies that have not yet been subjected to any reporting obligations. Experts have agreed with this view, considering the legal acts as an important vehicle for promoting the concept. However, they also recognize the weaknesses, such as the existing scope for interpretation, which still need to be addressed before the final publication of the standard and the technical criteria. Future research should analyze the final commitments of the reports (including for small and medium-sized companies), compare them with established reporting standards, seek expert opinions on them, and quantitatively examine sustainability reports in this and other industries.

The threat of zoonoses (i.e., human infectious diseases transmitted from animals) because of industrial animal farming may be receiving less attention in society due to the putative wildlife origin of COVID-19. To identify societal responses to COVID-19 that do address or affect the risk of future zoonoses associated with industrial animal farming, the literature was screened for measures, actions, proposals and attitudes following the guidelines of a scoping review. Forty-one articles with relevant information published between 1 January 2020 and 30 April 2021 were identified directly or indirectly via bibliographies from 138 records retrieved via Google Scholar. Analysis of relevant content revealed ten fields of policy action amongst which biosecurity and change in dietary habits were the dominant topics. Further searches for relevant records within each field of policy action retrieved another eight articles. Identified responses were furthermore classified and evaluated according to groups of societal actors, implying different modes of regulation and governance. Based on the results, a suggested policy strategy is presented for moving away from food production in factory farms and supporting sustainable farming, involving the introduction of a tax on the demand side and subsidies for the development and production of alternative meat.

The consumption of meat substitutes has significantly grown over the last decade. To understand the extent to which plant-based meat alternatives can already substitute conventional meat in terms of price and nutritional value, detailed knowledge of current market offerings is essential. We conducted an analysis of 38 plant-based minced products and 36 plant-based sausage products in Austrian supermarkets. The data were obtained using standardized observation in Austrian supermarkets reflecting 90% of the current market, expanded further through secondary data, and analyzed the generated dataset using mean value comparison. To provide a broader perspective on the trends in these markets, we incorporate results from a comparative study conducted in Australia. Our results obtained through t-tests revealed that there is no statistically significant difference in the protein content of plant-based meat substitutes and conventional meat (at the 95% confidence interval), underscoring the potential of meat substitutes as an alternative source of protein. Offering comparable protein content but with significantly lower caloric intake (at the 1% significance level), plant-based substitutes may contribute to reducing obesity in industrialized countries. The findings also reveal that plant-based products continue to be priced significantly higher than conventional meat (at the 1% significance level). We found substantial differences in ingredients and other nutritional values of plant-based products between Austria and Australia, although the main protein sources are the same in both countries, with peas being included in 60 out of 74 and soy in 27 out of 74 Austrian products. Our article concludes with a discussion of the implications for scholars and policymakers and identifies new avenues for future research.

Zusammenfassung: Das Umweltbewusstsein ist grundsätzlich von Schwankungen betroffen, welche vor allem dann auftreten, wenn andere gesellschaftliche Ereignisse in den Vordergrund treten. Diese Arbeit untersucht, inwiefern sich das Umweltbewusstsein von in Österreich lebenden Personen im Alter zwischen 20 und 30 Jahren im Vergleich zum Zeitraum direkt vor der Covid-19-Krise verändert hat. Die Beantwortung dieser Fragestellung stützt sich, neben einer Literaturrecherche, auf eine quantitative Befragung (n = 210) bezüglich der affektiven und kognitiven Komponente des Umweltbewusstseins. Die Ergebnisse zeigen eine geringe Zunahme der affektiven/kognitiven Komponente. Diese korreliert mit einigen soziodemografischen Merkmalen, nicht aber mit der Betroffenheit durch die Covid-19-Krise. Die langfristige Entwicklung des Umweltbewusstseins kann aufgrund der Dynamik und dem Andauern der Covid-19-Krise noch nicht abschließend beurteilt werden. Dies bedingt zukünftiges Forschungspotenzial.

Circular business models (CBMs) integrate ecological sustainability and resource efficiency into core business strategies, but their success depends on consumers' intention to use. Grounded in expectancy–value theory, this study investigates how product‐related factors ( perceived usefulness, convenience, value for money, and performance risk ) and individual consumer characteristics ( environmental concern, familiarity with circular economy, and willingness to purchase used products ) shape consumers' intention to use. Using survey data from 2049 participants across six countries and applying fuzzy‐set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA) and necessary condition analysis (NCA), we identify six equifinal configurations that lead to high intention to use. The configurations form two groups: (1) function first , prioritizing perceived usefulness, and (2) holistic value , emphasizing perceived convenience and value for money, especially among environmentally concerned consumers. Conversely, low intention to use is met through three circular disconnect configurations due to low perceived usefulness, convenience, and value for money. NCA reveals that high intention to use requires minimum thresholds of willingness to buy used products and environmental concern. These findings highlight the causal complexity and diversity of consumer decision‐making, offering actionable insights for designing circular offerings that align with varied consumer motivations.