Bazyli Czyżewski, Jakub Staniszewski, Łukasz Kryszak
et al.
Gentrification occurs when capital flows into rural areas through various channels, changing land use. At the beginning of this process, the potential income capitalised in farmland prices becomes detached from the current net return, creating a rent gap. The rent gap in the context of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) can lead to different land use scenarios that affect the sustainable development of rural areas in a number of ways. In effect, farmers can: increase the efficiency of input use; dispose of low-productivity assets and allow new capital to flow in; accept inefficient input use in agriculture while becoming ‘bi-professional’. The main objective of this article is to answer the question of which of the above scenarios is the most likely, and to discuss their consequences for sustainable development. The results indicate that the rent gap induces farmers to reduce input-oriented efficiency in farming while retaining low-productivity assets.
The purpose of the paper is to systematise scientific research on waste management in order to identify key thematic clusters. A systematic literature review was applied based on bibliometric analysis of publications indexed in Web of Science from 1990 to 2022. Using appropriate filtering criteria, a total of 6,415 publications containing the phrase “waste management” in the title were selected for analysis. The analysis identified trends in publications, the most important publications, journals, countries, authors, collaboration networks in the thematic area and the main thematic research clusters. Through co-word analysis, five thematic research clusters in the field of waste management were identified. These include: (1) waste management methods across various industries, (2) circular economy approaches to closed-loop waste systems, (3) life cycle assessment as a prominent tool for evaluating municipal solid waste management, (4) optimization strategies for solid waste systems, and (5) hazardous and medical waste management, particularly in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. Moreover, we concluded a framework of existing literature revealed that research interest in waste management has increased over the years; the researchers tended to use more comprehensive methodologies or combined methods to conduct their works, they often used the Life Cycle Assessment; waste management is a key element of the circular economy, aiming to maximize the use of resources by extending the life of a product and the emergence of new sustainable business models driven by recycling. The contribution of this work is to extend current literature and serves as areference to scholars and practitioners for future research
and operation in the waste management field. The obtained data can support policymakers and researchers in planning future research activities and implementing sustainable development strategies in Europe.
Purpose: This article examines the ecological risks posed by pharmaceutical pollutants in freshwater resources and evaluates policy responses for mitigating their environmental impact. Methodology/Approach: The study synthesises recent empirical findings and regulatory reports, with emphasis on European freshwater monitoring data and ecotoxicological assessments. Findings: Pharmaceuticals such as antibiotics, NSAIDs, and hormones are consistently detected in surface waters at nanogram- to microgram-level concentrations, contributing to microbial community shifts, reproductive disruption in aquatic species, and the development of antimicrobial resistance. Existing regulatory frameworks address only a limited subset of compounds, resulting in persistent contamination even in regions with advanced wastewater treatment. Research Limitations/Implications: Data gaps remain regarding long-term synergistic effects and low-dose chronic exposure. Practical/Social Implications: Improved wastewater management and One Health-oriented governance could reduce ecological and public health risks. Originality/Value: The article highlights systemic regulatory shortcomings and identifies priority areas for sustainable freshwater policy reform.
The aim of this theoretical article is to organise and systematise knowledge about urban commons by translating the concept of commons into the realm of urban studies. The article demonstrates that urban commons constitute a complex relationship between shared urban resources and urban communities, and that the key process in understanding urban commons initiatives is the process of commoning. In this paper, an attempt is made to advance the conceptualisation of the urban commons in order to better understand pathways of governing shared urban resources.
The aim of this study was to identify the conditions for the development of the renewable energy market in Poland in comparison with other European Union countries, and to highlight the opportunities and obstacles for the development of this sector of the economy. The article is a literature review, but in order to assess the development of the renewable energy market in Poland compared to other European countries, EU countries were grouped according to the average share and percentage change of energy from renewable sources in gross final energy consumption in 2017-2022. None of the countries reached a high level for either variable over the analysed period. One third of the EU countries are still underdeveloped in terms of renewable energy use. Poland was classified as a developing country in this respect. The main conditions for this status were divided into economic, social, political, legal and administrative, environmental and technological. The main obstacles to the development of renewable energy sources are of an economic nature, while environmental conditions and technological development offer opportunities for development.
The main objective of this study is to verify the occurrence of the moon phases effect among market indexes listed on the stock exchanges of CEE countries in the years 2020-2024 (period of increased market uncertainty). Based on the daily quotations of selected indexes, daily logarithmic returns were calculated on new moon and full moon days. Regarding the Wilcoxon signed-rank W test statistic, a significantly higher than zero median value was indicated for the entire research sample recorded on the new moon day (especially in the case of the Polish WIG and the Romanian BET). Notably, no significantly different of returns were recorded on the full moon day. The conclusions drawn from this study may constitute information for financial market researchers and investors investing in global markets, who may formulate investment strategies based on the conclusions drawn from the study. It is worth emphasising that the presented studies constitute one of the first attempts to verify the effect of the moon phases in a time of increased volatility of prices of financial instruments occurring in global markets, which is the research gap of this study.
Barbara Pawłowska, Agnieszka Szmelter-Jarosz , Beata Chmiel
Urbanisation, defined as the process of increasing urban population and the development of cities, is a global phenomenon with diverse directions and scenarios across different world regions, including Europe. Currently, 50% of the world’s population lives in cities; by 2050, it will be nearly 68% (Multiple sources compiled by World Bank, 2024). In Europe, 80% of the population already resides in urban areas. However, urbanisation is a complex process with many recognised benefits stemming from well-developed urban areas, but also significant challenges and risks. As a result of contemporary transformations, a reverse phenomenon is being observed. In many regions, suburban areas are expanding, leading to urban sprawl into rural territories, often without adequate spatial planning and transport infrastructure. Increasing emphasis is placed on creating environmentally friendly, inclusive cities with efficient public transportation, green spaces, and sustainable construction. Assessing public transport user satisfaction is a key element in supporting efforts toward sustainable regional development. This article aims to examine the opinions of Tri-City (Gdansk, Sopot, Gdynia) residents regarding the functioning of public transport. Analysing passenger feedback allows for identifying the strengths and weaknesses of the urban transport system, which is essential for implementing effective strategies to improve service quality. Surveys with city users of the Tri-City Metropolitan Area provide valuable insights into the current state of urban transport and highlight areas requiring improvement.
Katarzyna Wójtowicz, Małgorzata Mazurek-Chwiejczak
This paper synthesises existing knowledge on vehicle taxation and examines its role in supporting the energy transition in the transport sectors of EU member states. To achieve this, a systematic literature review (SLR) was conducted using publications from the Scopus and Web of Science databases, covering 182 peer-reviewed articles published between 2014 and 2025. The review was complemented by a bibliometric analysis using VOSviewer. The study provides both theoretical insights and practical policy recommendations, of which a key contribution is identifying time-sensitive strategies: Fuel taxes remain the most effective tool for reducing emissions in the short term; however, as decarbonisation progresses and fuel tax revenues decline, distance-based taxation becomes increasingly important. In addition, the review emphasises the need for a comprehensive mix of instruments to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, including taxation, subsidies, regulatory measures and support for technological innovation. Promoting public awareness of the negative consequences of environmental degradation is also essential for the successful implementation of sustainable transport policies.
In Poland, the problem of odour emissions is mainly associated with the agricultural sector, industry and municipal management. Odours pose a serious environmental challenge, negatively affecting both the quality of human life and the state of the environment. The aim of this article was to review the literature on the possibility of eliminating odours, in terms of sustainable development. The article describes the characteristics of air quality in Poland, taking into account selected odour compounds emitted into the atmosphere, assesses odour nuisance, paying particular attention to the characteristics of pollutants from animal husbandry and the possibility of elimination using the biofiltration process, in addition, the impact of air pollutants on human health and the functioning of ecosystems is determined, basic regulations and the possibility of odour management are detailed. It should be noted that animal husbandry is a key source of odour emissions. Technologies (including biofiltration) that rely on microorganisms to biologically break down pollutants can effectively reduce malodourous compounds emitted into the air. In the absence of unified standards and regulations relating to odourant emissions, it is crucial to carry out activities aimed at establishing clear air quality regulations. It is essential to reduce the negative effects of odourant emissions based on sustainable solutions.
Justyna Barczyk-Ciuła , Mariusz Dacko, Anna Kozielec
et al.
The aim of this research was to identify the key factors determining the level of soil liming in Poland. Spatial analyses were conducted using data from the 2020 National Agricultural Census. The study presents regional variations in selected parameters that characterise agricultural production quality and structural features, including the market connections of farms. The Classification and Regression Trees (C&RT) method was employed to identify the factors that most significantly influence the intensity of liming in the examined districts. These factors include the share of permanent grasslands, labour inputs, the percentage of farms engaged in commercial production, farm size, and the level of mineral fertilisation (NPK). The results indicate that regions with larger farms and higher NPK fertilisation tend to apply more lime. In contrast, areas with a higher share of permanent grasslands and labour-intensive activities show lower levels of liming. These findings suggest that improving agricultural practices, particularly in regions with small farms and limited fertilisation, could enhance soil liming efforts and align them with the European Green Deal's goals for sustainable agriculture.
The aim of the study was to find out the awareness and readiness of Poznań residents to implement the Zero Waste (ZW) idea in the city. Residents' knowledge of the hazards of municipal waste generation and their familiarity with and degree of adherence to ZW principles were investigated. The research was carried out through a questionnaire survey. The article is a form of answering whether the inhabitants of a large city in Poland are ready to implement the ZW idea. The research presents the level of preparation (readiness) of the inhabitants of Poznań and the conditions enabling the implementation of ZW in the city. The results were statistically analysed. Conclusions indicate a significant readiness of the respondents to implement the ZW idea. A preliminary concept of reducing municipal waste by promoting ZW in the city was indicated. This is important because Poznań is currently rebuilding its municipal waste management.
Poultry meat consumption is a significant element in Poland's overall food consumption. Economic considerations mean that both nationally and globally, conventional intensive rearing dominates. Nevertheless, environmental and health aspects or the will to treat animals humanely make pro-environmental rearing systems increasingly common. The purpose of this article is an environmental analysis of an example farm engaged in intensive rearing of slaughtered poultry (so-called baseline production). For the analysed production, the following scenarios of changes were proposed: (a) conventional rearing based on the use of own fodder, and (b) organic rearing using free range and own organic fodder. An emergy approach was applied in this analysis. Comparison of different production systems using emergy analysis made it possible to show the scale of environmental resource commitment for baseline and scenario-based productions, and to determine the amount of renewable and non-renewable emergy consumed per unit of production. Through the use of selected emergy indicators, e.g.: Environmental Loading Ratio (ELR), Emergy Yield Ratio (EYR), the environmental impact for each case was determined. For the ecological system scenario, the need to change production parameters (stocking rate, maximum poultry house area, free range) was taken into account. The results of the emergy-based indicators showed that the baseline production places the greatest burden on the environment and is the least sustainable. The organic system is the opposite; however, due to production limitations and the lower production efficiency achieved, it may not be economically viable to orient a farm exclusively to the organic system. In an environmental assessment, the information obtained can provide valuable guidance to agricultural producers. They can help make informed decisions on natural resource management to achieve environmental security. The results are also important for political decision-makers in creating policies for more sustainable agricultural production. The results obtained are discussed, pointing out the importance of the analysis used mainly from an environmental point of view.
The aim of the research was to determine the need to increase the infrastructure for storing livestock manure in Poland in groups of farms divided on the basis of the number of animal herds. Using individual data from Statistics Poland and using the balance method, the maladjustment of the infrastructure to the new legal requirements regarding the storage of manure was estimated. It was determined that meeting the standards included in the new action program in force in the country under the Nitrates Directive will require the construction or expansion of manure plates with an area of 2,539.6 thousand m2, new tanks with a capacity of 3,437.2 thousand m3 and covering the existing ones with a capacity of 3,170.6 thousand m3. Total investment costs were estimated at PLN 5,907,913.40 thousand, i.e. approximately EUR 1.4 billion. The requirements in force for most entities since January 1, 2025, will bring far-reaching changes, leading to the concentration of animals in very large herds and deepening the regionalisation of production. Both positive and negative effects of this process on the natural environment were indicated.
Robert Grygo, Kevin Bujnarowski, Jolanta Anna Prusiel
This article compares the deflections of reinforced concrete beams with reinforcement degrees of ρ=1.02% and ρ=1.78%, made of lightweight aggregates, i.e. Certyd, LECA, and an innovative aggregate made of plastic waste. Two methods were used for the comparison experimental and computational. The computational part was performed using the finite element method (FEM) in ANSYS software. The adopted properties of lightweight concrete were sourced from the authors’ experimental research. A comparison of deflections based on the data obtained using both methods showed that, for reinforced concrete elements with a degree of reinforcement of ρ=1.02%, the smallest difference was obtained in the case of beams made of plastic waste concrete, while the highest difference was obtained for beams made of concrete with lightweight expanded clay aggregate. In the case of reinforced concrete elements with a degree of reinforcement ρ=1.78%, the lowest differences were obtained for beams made of lightweight aggregates, i.e. Certyd and LECA. For those beams that used plastic waste aggregate, the difference was 20%, compared to experimental tests.
Roman Novotny, Martin Rovňák, Lenka Stofejova
et al.
The aim of the paper was to evaluate and compare the views of respondents from eastern Slovakia on selected environmental issues from a generational perspective. The study used an online questionnaire survey to collect the data. Based on the results, it is clear that the severity of environmental problems is perceived differently by each generation and in general, Generation Y gave them the highest priority and generation of Boomers the lowest priority. Based on the performed statistical testing, we can confirm a statistically significant difference between individual generations of respondents in the question of the positive impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on the environment, but no statistically significant difference between individual generations of respondents and their attitude to whether they think that waste sorting and recycling reduces the amount of waste deposited in landfills or whether they think that waste sorting reduces the amount of waste deposited in landfills.
: Since transport is of great importance for sustainable socio-economic development, it is necessary to implement adaptive measures aimed at increasing the resistance of enterprises in the Transport-Forwarding-Logistics (TFL) sector to the negative effects of climate phenomena. The involvement of many entities and institutions at the national, regional, and local levels is necessary to
implement effective adaptative and preventive measures. An important role in the implementation of these activities was assigned to transport companies, which are the subject of the article. Based on a survey conducted among a purposefully selected group of enterprises from the TFL sector, an assessment of the awareness of the climate change effects and the need to undertake adaptative activities was made.
Ecosystem services (ES) concept has been popular among researchers in the last several years. In this paper, we assessed the development and trends in Polish ES research in the period 2010- 2016 using the content analysis of 84 scientific papers – the outcome of ECOSERV Symposia. We analysed such attributes as the type, dimension and scale of the study, ecosystems and ES investigated, the system used to name or classify ES, data used, as well as the considered policy and business questions. In addition, we compared the Polish studies with the European research in the database developed in the ESMERALDA project. The conducted study provides insight into the major achievements as well as challenges that the Polish ES research community will have to face. The findings may serve a discussion on how future directions of the research can be shaped in order to mainstream ES into environmental management.
The aim of the work was the economic valuation of the natural environment of ‘Góra Zamkowa’ in Olsztyn, which is part of the “Eagle’s Nest” Landscape Park in southern Poland. In the research, the travel cost method was used, which was based on the results of the survey. Primary sources were collected from 135 respondents selected randomly. Thanks to information from respondents, it was estimated that the economic valuation of environmental value of ‘Góra Zamkowa’ is approximately PLN 1.04 million.
Economic and ground rent is a base to considerations about how to create a model of sozological rent. Taking this topic is necessary to underline that taking care of the environment in few places or countries is not the only approach to base on. This defi nition of rent in global and strategic look must be a mission which should be put as the main purpose of every action. Obtaining the sozological rent is possible if functions of sozological actions and degradation of the environment have crossed the balance point. This kind of rent is multidimensional and can be contemplated on different levels of precision, but it is the easiest is to study individual examples like beekeeping and its effects. The main purpose of this article is the review of the literature on rent and defi nition of sozological rent and sozoeconomical rent, as a result of rational decision-making in the fi eld of nature conservation.