The environmental Kuznets curve (EKC) hypothesis posits an inverted U-shaped relationship between economic growth and environmental degradation. However, there is no consensus regarding the EKC hypothesis among countries and regions of different income groups. This study revisits the EKC hypothesis by employing cross-correlation analysis to explore the income–CO₂ emissions relationship across 158 countries and 44 regions from 1990 to 2020. The empirical method utilizes a dynamic cross-correlation coefficient (CCC) approach, allowing for the assessment of lead-lag dynamics between income and CO₂ emissions over time. By categorizing nations into the World Bank’s income classifications, we found a heterogeneous EKC pattern highlighting distinct environmental–economic dynamics across different income groups. The findings indicate that high-income countries show a decoupling of economic growth from CO₂ emissions; whereas, low-income countries still exhibit a positive correlation between both variables. This underscores the necessity for tailored policy interventions that promote carbon neutrality, while considering each country’s unique development stage. Our research contributes to the ongoing issue of sustainable economic development by providing empirical evidence of the different pathways nations follow in balancing growth with environmental preservation.

The relationship between education and societal development is unquestionable. Education contributes to achieving both societies’ and individuals’ social and economic goals. Quality education is recognized as one of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which, jointly with other behaviors and attitudes, could impact the development of societies in other fields like health and well-being, cultural preservation, environmental sustainability, and even peace and stability—all of them also listed as SDGs. However, the capacity, or not, to reach higher levels of compliance with quality in education (SDG 4) varies from country to country, according to the 2023 Sustainable Development Report results. Thus, the present study aims to identify the sufficient conditions for achieving higher levels of quality education (SDG 4) globally and to analyze how these conditions vary across different world regions. Applying a fuzzy set qualitative comparative analysis and using data from the 2023 Sustainable Development Report, we focus our analysis on four SDG 4 indicators—early education, primary education, lower secondary education, and literacy rate—across 117 countries, in order to assess the conditions for attaining higher levels of quality education. The results reveal there are specific and identifiable conditions that are sufficient for achieving higher levels of quality education on a global scale, with significant regional variations. These insights contribute to understanding the complex dynamics of educational quality and could be used as guidance for policymakers and educators aiming to improve educational outcomes worldwide.

The environmental Kuznets curve (EKC) hypothesis posits an inverted U-shaped relationship between economic growth and environmental degradation. However, there is no consensus regarding the EKC hypothesis among countries and regions of different income groups. In this study, we analyze the EKC hypothesis for 158 countries and 44 regions from 1990 to 2020, categorizing them into different income groups based on the World Bank's income classification (low, lower-middle, upper-middle, and high-income countries). Our findings reveal mixed patterns in the EKC across different income levels, highlighting the heterogeneous relationship between economic growth and carbon emissions and showing differentiated patterns among different income levels. While a rise in income for high-income countries should be reflected in a shift toward fewer carbon emissions, for lower-income countries, growth is still associated with rising emissions. This underscores the urgent need for policy interventions that decouple economic development from environmental degradation. A balanced approach to economic growth, which prioritizes carbon neutrality across all stages of development, by tailoring environmental and economic strategies to address CO2 emissions effectively, should be adopted, recognizing the different developmental stages and income levels of countries and regions.

Ethics has emerged as a central dimension of the teaching profession, although it is not always explicitly addressed in initial teacher training study plans. In this context, a quantitative study was conducted to examine, from a comparative perspective, the perceptions of undergraduate students in Elementary Education from two Portuguese higher education institutions regarding the treatment of the ethical dimension in their course study plans. Data was collected from 141 students using a questionnaire survey. The objectives were: (i) to determine whether the Elementary Education degree study plan adequately addresses ethical issues; (ii) to assess whether ethics should be taught as an integral part of the study plan; (iii) to gather possible suggestions and ways to improve the ethical approach in the Elementary Education degree. The results indicate that, while participants believe the study plan adequately addresses ethical issues, they also feel that ethics should be an integral component of the Elementary Education degree. Additionally, they suggested other ways to enhance the ethical approach in initial teacher training.

This study was conducted in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic and, more specifically, within the research project ‘Teaching and Learning in Times of COVID-19: Teachers’ and Students' Perceptions in Cross-border Regions'. This study—conducted in Portugal—intended to diagnose the perceptions of basic education teachers and students regarding distance learning (D@L), considering a wide range of variables. This study was developed based on a multi-perspective approach, and data were collected via questionnaire surveys with open- and close-ended questions. In this study, we only intend to understand teachers' perceptions and, more specifically, issues pertaining to teaching professionalism. The results reflect teachers' perceptions of the transformations and challenges of D@L, the affirmation and recognition, and the ethical and deontological issues associated with the teaching profession following the educational changes imposed by the pandemic. More concretely, they suggest that D@L was accompanied by transformations or challenges that led to the reconfiguration of teaching and learning processes and contributed to the professional development of the study participants. However, the response trends differed because D@L has enabled the affirmation and social recognition of the teaching profession and raises ethical and deontological questions regarding the participants' professionalism.