EurekAlert! News by Subject: Policy & Ethics

Policy & Ethics

Updates every hour. Last Updated: 19-Jun-2026 17:15 ET (19-Jun-2026 21:15 GMT/UTC)

16-Feb-2026

Barriers to mental health care leave many children behind, new data cautions

Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Institute
Peer-Reviewed Publication

A new study led by the Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Institute finds that mental health care gaps for U.S. children remain stark: one in five households reported a child needing treatment, yet nearly a quarter didn’t receive it, and many who did still struggled to access care.

Journal: JAMA Pediatrics

16-Feb-2026

Korea University, Stanford University, and IESGA launch Water Sustainability Index to combat ESG greenwashing

Cactus Communications
Peer-Reviewed Publication

A research team led by Professor William Mitch of Stanford University and Prof. Yong Sik Ok and Dr. Yoora Cho of Korea University, in collaboration with Prof. Jay Hyuk Rhee of Korea University Business School and the International ESG Association, has introduced a new framework to curb greenwashing in ESG reporting. Published in Nature Water, the study presents the Water Sustainability Index, a transparent, quantitative metric designed to strengthen corporate water accountability worldwide.

Journal: Nature Water

16-Feb-2026

Generative AI has seven distinct roles in combating misinformation

Uppsala University
Peer-Reviewed Publication

Generative AI, which can create and analyse text, images and other content on the basis of instructions, can be used to combat misinformation. However, it can also exacerbate the problem by producing convincing manipulations that are difficult to detect and can quickly be copied and disseminated on a wide scale. In a new study, researchers have defined seven distinct roles that AI can play in the information environment and analysed each role in terms of its strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and risks. For the seven roles, see fact box.

Journal: Behavioral Science & Policy

16-Feb-2026

Satellite images indicate that the Doñana Marshland will disappear within 60 years

University of Seville
Peer-Reviewed Publication

The Doñana National Park, considered one of Europe’s most valuable wetlands, is expected to lose its marshland in 61 years, according to calculations from a major water-resource monitoring study carried out by the University of Seville. The study has developed an innovative algorithm, based on machine learning, capable of detecting the presence of surface water with high precision using images from the Sentinel-2 satellite

Journal: Geographies

13-Feb-2026

AMS releases statement regarding the decision to rescind EPA’s 2009 Endangerment Finding

American Meteorological Society
Business Announcement

The American Meteorological Society (AMS) is deeply concerned by the repeal of EPA’s 2009 Endangerment Finding, which correctly concluded that greenhouse gas emissions harm health and well-being for current and future generations.

13-Feb-2026

Model more accurately maps the impact of frost on corn crops

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo
Peer-Reviewed Publication

Tool uses remote sensing to reduce uncertainties regarding agricultural losses, contributing to public policy.

Journal: Remote Sensing of Environment
Funder: Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo

12-Feb-2026

New research finds state-level abortion restrictions associated with increased maternal deaths

Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine
Peer-Reviewed Publication

The increased number of state-level abortion restrictions in the U.S. was associated with a parallel increase in maternal deaths between 2005 and 2023, according to new research presented today at the Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine (SMFM) 2026 Pregnancy Meeting™. Researchers found that states with five or more different abortion restrictions had higher rates of maternal deaths from any cause, cardiovascular disease, and violence than those states with fewer restrictions.

Journal: Pregnancy
Meeting: 2026 Pregnancy Meeting™