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The novel coronavirus has spread exponentially across the globe impacting many aspects of life and it continues to do so at an alarming pace. There are several concerns that stem from this pandemic such as when a vaccine will become available and the impact that it will have on human life. While the paramount concern is, without doubt, to conserve and protect life, there are other implications that should be acknowledged of which this paper is directed toward; the economy and financial markets. This paper will take a two-pronged approach focusing on the effects of the economy and financial markets; and looking to the future. Therefore, the focus of this paper is to illustrate the effects on the economy and financial markets during the beginning and heightened stage of the pandemic, including an up-to-date account, in three large economies, namely the UK, US and Japan. This will be followed by an observation of what the future holds taking into account financial stimulus packages, financial markets and the potential for financial crises. Data, literature and commentary from Governments, global organisations and other key entities will be included.

A thesis submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements of the University of Wolverhampton for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy ; In 1974 the Committee on Banking Regulations and Supervisory Practices was created and supported by the Bank for International Settlements. It was envisaged that a forum should be created so that regular interaction and co-operation could be achieved by member countries to improve financial stability and to enhance the quality of banking supervision. The aim of this research is to examine the risks and shortcomings posed by Basel III; specifically capital ratios, credit rating agencies and value-at-risk. These are based on the author's initial research that indicated these to be the most problematic. The research also aims to provide recommendations in order to improve Basel III. Additionally, the research includes Basel I and II to illustrate the developments, problems and milestones to create a wider appreciation of this area. The title of this research is tackled extensively in Chapters 4 and 5 where the risks and shortcomings are considered in the former and recommendations are put forward in the latter. This consists of changes that are taking place or have been suggested. It is argued that there is still much work to do, but there has been significant improvement(s). The main contribution to knowledge and understanding the field in the form of originality is found throughout the research in its treatment of the subject matter and can also be viewed substantially in Chapter 5. The recommendations can be summarised below. Capital Ratios 1. A longer implementation period for liquidity coverage ratio and high quality liquid assets. 2. A longer implementation period for high quality liquid assets in a European context. 3. High quality liquid assets need re-categorisation. 4. The creation of a dedicated liquidity risk management team. Credit Rating Agencies 1. International Organisation of Securities Commissions model and more enforceability through regulators and governments. 2. Tighter regulation through the Basel regulations. 3. The creation of a public credit rating agency. 4. Uniformity on whether agencies offer opinions or advice and more accountability through the Basel regulations. Value-at-Risk 1. Research and investment to improve credit value adjustment value-at-risk. 2. The use of all three conventional approaches - Analytical Variance/Covariance, Historical, and Monte Carlo. 3. Penalising those who manipulate value-at-risk to turn products/positions from high risk to low risk.

Limited research has examined the demands of backward locomotion at various speeds using common load monitoring metrics in team sport athletes. Consequently, this study compared the external and internal loads between backward and forward locomotion during intermittent exercise in team sport athletes. Semi-professional, male rugby league players (n = 29) completed the same exercise protocol on two occasions in backward and forward directions. On each occasion, participants performed separate 20 m trials at self-selected walking, jogging, running, and sprinting speeds and then completed a 15 min modified Loughborough intermittent shuttle test (mLIST). Common external and internal load metrics were gathered across testing. Faster speeds (p < 0.001) were attained at all speeds during forward locomotion in the 20 m trials. Non-significant differences in accumulated PlayerLoadTM were found between directions across the mLIST; however, higher relative (per min) PlayerLoadTM (p < 0.001) was apparent during backward locomotion when walking and during forward locomotion when sprinting during the mLIST. RPE and mean heart rate were higher (p < 0.001) during backward locomotion across the mLIST. These data highlight the unique loading patterns experienced during backward locomotion and suggest practitioners should consider the discernment in loading imposed between backward and forward locomotion when measuring athlete demands using common metrics.

Due to socioeconomic differences, the accuracy and extent of reporting on the occurrence of native species differs among countries, which can impact the performance of species distribution models. We assessed the importance of geographical biases in occurrence data on model performance using Hydrilla verticillata as a case study. We used Maxent to predict potential North American distribution of the aquatic invasive macrophyte based upon training data from its native range. We produced a model using all available native range occurrence data, then explored the change in model performance produced by omitting subsets of training data based on political boundaries. We also compared those results with models trained on data from which a random sample of occurrence data was omitted from across the native range. Although most models accurately predicted the occurrence of H. verticillata in North America (AUC > 0.7600), data omissions influenced model predictions. Omitting data based on political boundaries resulted in larger shifts in model accuracy than omitting randomly selected occurrence data. For well-documented species like H. verticillata, missing records from single countries or ecoregions may minimally influence model predictions, but for species with fewer documented occurrences or poorly understood ranges, geographic biases could misguide predictions. Regardless of focal species, we recommend that future species distribution modeling efforts begin with a reflection on potential spatial biases of available occurrence data. Improved biodiversity surveillance and reporting will provide benefit not only in invaded ranges but also within under-reported and unexplored native ranges.

Future scenarios provide challenging, plausible and relevant stories about how the future could unfold. Urban Futures (UF) research has identified a substantial set (>450) of seemingly disparate scenarios published over the period 1997–2011 and within this research, a sub-set of >160 scenarios has been identified (and categorized) based on their narratives according to the structure first proposed by the Global Scenario Group (GSG) in 1997; three world types (Business as Usual, Barbarization, and Great Transitions) and six scenarios, two for each world type (Policy Reform—PR, Market Forces—MF, Breakdown—B, Fortress World—FW, Eco-Communalism—EC and New Sustainability Paradigm—NSP). It is suggested that four of these scenario archetypes (MF, PR, NSP and FW) are sufficiently distinct to facilitate active stakeholder engagement in futures thinking. Moreover they are accompanied by a well-established, internally consistent set of narratives that provide a deeper understanding of the key fundamental drivers (e.g., STEEP—Social, Technological, Economic, Environmental and Political) that could bring about realistic world changes through a push or a pull effect. This is testament to the original concept of the GSG scenarios and their development and refinement over a 16 year period.