With studies on interrelated complex problems, this issue of our journal covers a range of important topics. Firstly, we explore a (socioeconomic) recovery in post-war Ukraine, oriented around the social quality theory. It is the first time that a national Academy of Sciences, supported by its Government, has examined the significance of the social quality approach for immediate recovery plans. Secondly, we look at the societal significance of informal economics in the African city of Kumasi in Ghana during the COVID-19 pandemic. Thirdly, we examine how the characteristics of urban environments in megacities can impact the spread of pandemics, using Wuhan in China as an example. The fourth article discusses the challenges in reducing CO2 emissions, as discussed at COP26, and how scientific approaches can obscure the societal patterns and processes that play a role in these issues. Finally, the fifth article looks at three ecological crises from a natural scientific perspective and calls for new scientific approaches to address them.
Overall, these articles tackle important issues concerning the global community. However, the editorial highlights that traditional scientific and political approaches have limitations in addressing complex problems. Factors such as the influence of multinational companies and the fragmented nature of scientific approaches (especially within human sciences) contribute to limited success in finding solutions. The editorial suggests that using the social quality theory and approach can offer new perspectives and contribute to finding solutions. Recent declarations by natural scientists also support these arguments.
You can find the full issue here.