• Bulgaria’s regional policy: Analysing paradigm shifts and dynamics of territorial inequalities

  Dokov Hristo (Sciendo, 2024-09-01)

  Domestic regional policies are increasingly expected to tackle significant spatial disparities, promote territorial justice, and ensure equal opportunities, thereby supporting various aspects of sustainability. This article focuses on the case of Bulgaria, serving a dual purpose: it outlines the emergence and evolution of contemporary regional policy in the country and measures the extent and dynamics of socio-economic inequalities at different territorial levels. The conceptualization of a comprehensive regional policy framework following the socialist era was largely driven by top-down Europeanization impulses, which catalysed political debates on the transformed roles of the regions and the necessity for effective decentralisation. However, despite years of domestic regional policy implementation, socio-economic inequalities in Bulgaria remain substantial, with certain peripheral regions notably trailing behind. The comprehensive assessments conducted in this study include primarily descriptive statistics, regression and correlation analyses, time series analyses, and classification/categorization of territorial units. They indicate significant spatial heterogeneity and the prevalence of pronounced ‘centre-periphery’ patterns, which pose a serious threat to the long-term sustainable development of the country.
• Impact of green finance and environmental tax on sustainable development: Evidence from Vietnam

  Le Tran Ha Trang; Nguyen Thi Dieu Chi; Cao Thi Y Nhi; Dang Thi Thuy Hong (Sciendo, 2024-09-01)

  The worldwide need for environmental preservation and robust economic development has garnered significant interest from scholars and politicians. This study examines the influence of green finance and environmental protection tax on Vietnam’s financial sustainability and the transition towards a green economyas an emerging economy. The study obtained data from the Central Bank of Vietnam and World Bank Indicators covering 2012 to 2022. The authors used the Ordinary Least Squares approach to examine the associations between the variables. The analysis and examination of the data used Stata 19 software. The findings show a favourable correlation between green finance and environmental tax on sustainable development goalswith all control variables. These results have prompted authorities to focus on green finance and environmental issues in the progress towards the country’s green economy and sustainable development.
• Beach and dune deposits on the Mediterranean coast of Andalusia (Spain) in the light of morphoscopic analysis of quartz grains

  Dulias Renata (Sciendo, 2024-09-01)

  This work aimed to investigate the abrasion of quartz grains from beach and dune deposits on the Mediterranean coast of Andalusia. Five sites were established on the coasts of Malaga and Almeria provinces: Genoveses, Monsul, Carraca, Malagueta, and Artola. Grain size and mineral composition were determined for 15 samples taken from beaches (6) and dunes (9). Quartz abrasion was established using the morphoscopic method. Investigated deposits, with two exceptions, are primarily medium-grained and moderate sorting. The share of quartz is relatively small – in aeolian sands, it is on average 38.3% and is higher than in beach sands (average 26.4%). The average proportion of fresh and angular NU grains is significantly higher in aeolian sands (58.9%) than beach sands (43.4%), indicating morphoselection’s important role during wind transport. In beach sands, there are, on average, 32.4% of grains with aeolian abrasion (RM and EM/RM), which is twice as much as in dune sands (15.5%). The multiple predominances of EM/RM grains over RM grains indicate a relatively short aeolian activity.
• Collapse of underground galleries in gold-panning mines: Perception of stakeholders in the Doko Sub-Prefecture, Siguiri Prefecture, Republic of Guinea

  Diallo Moussa; Konaté Ahmed Amara; Sidibé Diaka (Sciendo, 2024-09-01)

  Artisanal gold mining is recognized as a long-standing activity in the Siguiri prefecture in general and the Doko sub-prefecture in particular. Despite its significant contribution to community development, it has disastrous consequences for both the environment and the lives of gold miners. The collapse of underground galleries as a result of gold panning is a phenomenon that plunges families into mourning in gold panning areas in Africa. Unlike other land movements, despite their dangerous nature, there has been almost no scientific interest in limiting the consequences of collapsing underground galleries in goldmines. Working to mitigate their effects is more than a necessity for those involved in gold panning.This study aims to understand the perceptions of those involved in gold panning regarding the conditions of occurrence and the main causes of underground gallery collapses, to formulate recommendations to the authorities and gold miners to minimize the risk of these accidents occurring and their impact. The methodology used was based on semi-structured and structured interviews. The results of this survey show that the human factor is certainly the main cause of accidents (collapse of underground galleries), but the design of structures without taking into account the study of the geomechanical properties of the ground, the weakness of the safety measures put in place, and the lack of involvement of the country’s authorities are not negligible factors. This study identified the causes and consequences of these accidents, as well as the responsibilities of those involved.
• Comparing the process of converting land use purposes between socio-economic regions in Vietnam from 2007 to 2020

  Tuan Nguyen Tran (Sciendo, 2024-09-01)

  Reporting land use changes over time is important for evaluating land resource management. This study applied GIS technology to determine land use fluctuations for the entire mainland territory in Vietnam. In particular, the research focused on two main issues: (1) spatial fluctuations of some main land groups in Vietnam, and(2) the rate of land use change in socio-economic regions in the two periods 2007–2016 and 2016–2020. Research results showed that the Forests land group showed a growth of over 14% and spatial fluctuations took place in all regions, except for two regions with little change in this land group: Red River Delta (RRD) and Mekong River Delta (MRD). Meanwhile, crops decreased by over 16% from 2007–2020 and appeared heavily in the Northern Midlands and Mountains (NMR), North Central and Central Coast regions (NCR), and Central Highlands region (CHR). Urban land group increased by 3% during 2007–2020. The speed of land use conversion also showed different results between economic regions and inthe two research periods. The results showed that the recent research period witnessed a higher rate of land use conversion in the regions compared to the period 2007–2016. In particular, the NMR region showed that the conversion rate was the largest in both stages.
• Multifaceted contribution of environmental pollution, race and income to health inequities in Texas

  Vasnetsov Catherine; Vasnetsov Victor; Pramoda Meghna; Pramoda Siona (Sciendo, 2024-09-01)

  Prior studies found links between ethnic background, socioeconomic status, and proximity to toxic environmental contaminants harmful to human health. However, there is no consensus among environmental economists on whether ethnicity or economics are the primary causes of health inequity under the influence of environmental hazard exposure. This paper explores this research question in Texas, the second largest US state, and the most diverse demographically, using a comprehensive framework with twelve main factors as key determinants for environmental-related health outcomes. The matrix of associations among factors of environmental pollution, economic class, race/ethnicity, and state of health is very complicated by multiple inter-correlations among components. To differentiate the relative importance of various factors, twelve statistically large population cohorts were compared, based on four racial/ethnic groups, each with three different levels of poverty. This novel approach allows for more meaningful comparisons, by normalizing groups for ethnicity and prevalence of poverty, two of the most influential socioeconomic factors. Compared to majority-White communities, majority-Hispanic and -Black communities were found to be more disproportionally negatively impacted by environmental pollution and socioeconomic challenges. This resulted in worse health outcomes: higher prevalence of chronic diseases and a shortened life span. The prevalence of poverty appears to play a dominant role in health outcomes across all racial/ethnic groups. Consistent with prior research, the Hispanic community has shown a strong positive correlation with the prevalence of diabetes, while the Black community has a high prevalence of asthma.
• Post-fire dynamics of recolonization by Cistus plants in the Aleppo pine and Cork oak forests in Bejaia region, central north Algeria

  Benzina Imene; Bekdouche Farid; Bachir Abdelkrim Si (Sciendo, 2024-06-01)

  In August 2021, very intense fires swept through various forested areas in northern Algeria, particularly in Kabylia. The population dynamics of Cistus salviifolius and Cistus monspeliensis were studied along a post-fire successional gradient during the first nine months (September 2021 – May 2022), in two forest communities: the Cork oak (Quercus suber) and the Aleppo pine (Pinus halepensis) forests in the coastal zone of Bejaia province. The Cistus spp. germinations were counted monthly in each forest on 10 plots of 1 m2, evenly distributed along 2 transects of 45 m each. The results showed that the majority of germinations occur in December with 207.5 ± 24.2 seedlings in the Cork oak forest and 171.3 ± 18.0 seedlings in the Aleppo pine forest. Student's t-test does not reveal significant differences for December between the two communities. During the first months following the fire (September and October 2021), germinations were almost absent. The monthly rainfall in September 2021 was estimated at 16.25 mm, an insufficient amount for effective germination. Late germination results in an extension of its period, showed a high rate in January 2022 with 42.2 ± 2.1 and 11.5 ± 0.8 seedlings, respectively, in the Cork oak forest and the pine forest. Beyond January, germination was practically nonexistent in both communities. Therefore, the majority of the seed germination was concentrated in November, December, and January with a unimodal germination pattern.
• Community engagement in waste reduction: A critical component for Gunung Sewu Geopark conservation, Yogyakarta, Indonesia

  Masjhoer Jussac Maulana; Vitrianto Primantoro Nur (Sciendo, 2024-06-01)

  The key to achieving an effective and sustainable geopark waste management system is fostering community participation. This research about the Gunung Sewu Geopark, Yogyakarta, Indonesia, examines the phases and levels of community participation in waste reduction. The study involved surveying 1,757 respondents aged 18 and above using door-to-door questionnaires, which were analysed using the conditional probability method to determine participation stages and levels. The results indicate that community participation in waste reduction activities, such as composting and recycling is inadequate, with only 21.12% of respondents participating in the decision-making stage, 1.99% participating in the implementation stage, and 0.68% finding waste reduction activities valuable. Rural community participation level scores were 0.68 and categorised as very low. The incomplete stages of participation and low levels of participation are significant challenges for implementing sustainable waste management and maintaining conservation principles in Gunung Sewu Geopark. Further research could be conducted to determine the driving factors that most influence rural community participation so that geopark policymakers can develop strategies to increase participation more effectively and to targets.
• The dynamics of the taxonomic composition of the alien fraction of the urban flora in the Kyiv urban area, Ukraine

  Koniakin Serhii M.; Burda Raisa I.; Budzhak Vasyl V. (Sciendo, 2024-06-01)

  This article presents the results of an investigation into the recent taxonomic composition of the alien fraction of the urban flora in the Kyiv urban area (KUA). Its main dynamic tendencies over the last 20 years have been highlighted, along with the most probable phytoinvasive threats. The obtained linear regression equation allowed forecasting for the growth in the abundance of alien plant species against the background of the enlargement of the Kyiv urban area (r=0.53) and its human population numbers (r=0.87). The alien fraction of the urban flora of the KUA contains 717 taxa of vascular plants (668 species, 41 subspecies, 6 varieties, 1 form and 1 nothoform). In the past 20 years, the number of species of the urban flora of the KUA has increased by at least 166 alien taxa, some of which are representatives of new genera, families, and orders for our flora. This enrichment of the taxonomic structure of the alien fraction in the urban flora of the KUA has caused changes in the ratio of life forms, ecotypes, invasiveness of species, and other features. We specified probable invasive threats, conditioned by the formation of the group of new woody species, hydrophytes capable of rapidly accumulating their phytomass, some genera complexes involving alien and local species, which are inclined to hybridization.
• Bicycle critical mass events 30 years on – are they an urban mobility movement or a bicycle festival?

  Kwiatkowski Michał Adam (Sciendo, 2024-06-01)

  The issue of inequality in the use of urban transport space is particularly important in today’s car-saturated cities. Increasing the convenience, safety and respect for the rights of vulnerable road users, including in particular pedestrians and cyclists, is emerging as a particular challenge. Grassroots initiatives of city residents, who become cycling advocates and cycling activists, are confronting this problem. Among various forms of activism there is also the organisation of ‘critical masses’, which were originally intended to remind us about the rights of this group of road users through a simultaneous passage of multiple cyclists through the streets of the city. From the late 20th century to the present day, such events have undergone change. The aim of this study was to investigate how today’s critical masses differ from their 1990s prototypes. The research analysed bike critical masses organised in Poland, a country with an underdeveloped cycling culture and low cycling modal share. At one such event, a survey was also conducted to determine why participants chose to attend. The study confirmed that contemporary bicycle critical masses are recreational events promoting cycling.
• The dynamics of financial development, environmental degradation, economic growth and population health in the Economic Community of West African States

  Prempeh Kwadwo Boateng; Frimpong Joseph Magnus; Yeboah Samuel Asuamah (Sciendo, 2024-06-01)

  By exploring the nexus between financial development and population health in the ECOWAS region we contribute to the debate on population health and also examine the direction of causality between population health and its determinants. We utilised a panel dataset of 11 ECOWAS nations from 1990-2019. The study used the augmented mean group (AMG) estimator to examine the long-run associations among the chosen variables. The empirical results indicate that financial development and economic growth are positive drivers of population health. The analysis also demonstrates that lower population health is associated with increased environmental degradation (CO2 emissions) in the ECOWAS region. However, regarding the country-specific analysis, the impact of the determinants of population health varied per country. The empirical estimates of the Dumitrescu Hurlin panel causality tests reveal a bidirectional causality between population health and its determinants. The empirical outcomes offer new insights for policymakers by means of financial development, environmental degradation, and income as economic tools to promote population health by guiding finance, growth, and environmental policies.
• Selected legal instruments for air protection against low emissions in Poland

  Gałka Pamela (Sciendo, 2024-06-01)

  A fundamental problem during the heating season is the above-normal concentrations of pollutants, especially particulate matter, which are often exceeded. Currently, the main source of air pollution in Poland is low emissions, which consists of from the inefficient burning of fossil fuels in single-family homes and road transportation. This article discusses the permissible particulate matter standards and identifies the anti-smog resolution as a legal instrument to reduce low emissions. For the purpose of this research, field measurements of particulate matter of various fractions were carried out using the specialist equipment of the University Laboratories for Atmosphere Control of the University of Silesia in Katowice. Field measurements were carried out in early 2023 using the Overhead Mobile Laboratory and the Field Mobile Laboratory in selected districts of Katowice. When conducting the study, attention was paid to the type of development, which determines the specifics of heating and the proximity of roads, which are a source of traffic pollution. Due to the high variability of atmospheric conditions and other components, such as current traffic, the data should be treated as indicative. The results of the study depend primarily on the conditions found and reflect the situation at a particular place and time. The occurrence of low emissions was confirmed by the results of the study, which showed very high concentrations of particulate matter in the southern districts of Katowice, where single-family old buildings predominate and building heating is unsuitable. An impact of automobile traffic on air quality was found.
• A spatial analysis of one of the regional logistics clusters in central Poland using GIS

  Jażdżewska Iwona; Żerek Karolina (Sciendo, 2024-06-01)

  Logistics services are a consequence of increasingly rapid economic development and globalisation. More and more facilities with adequate transport accessibility are being created for the storage of goods, which form logistics clusters. They emerged later in Central and Eastern Europe than in the United States and Western Europe. Investment in Poland's first logistics parks can be linked to the political and economic transformation in 1989, Poland's accession to the European Union in 2004, the development of motorways, and Poland's integration into the global economy. In the second decade of the 21st century, there are more than a dozen places in Poland that can be called logistics clusters. The purpose of this research was to geographically analyse a selected regional cluster located in Lodz voivodeship, as well as its links to the transport network of Poland and Europe. Geostatistical and GIS methods were used for spatial analysis. It was shown that its spatial distribution is strongly related to the A1 highway, the intersection of the A1 and A2 highways and the voivodeship city of Lodz. The characteristics of the geographic environment give reason to suggest that it has great development potential and is worthy of further observation and comparative studies.
• Exploring the impact of weather patterns on exceptional flooding events in the Nekor watershed, NE Morocco

  Mashoudi Ayoub Al; Akallouch Adil; Ziani Mouloud; Mousaoui Mhamed El (Sciendo, 2024-03-01)

  This study investigates the recurring floods within the Nekor Basin of NE Morocco, a phenomenon dating back to 1944. A multitude of factors has contributed to these recurrent floods, which profoundly affect the northern region encompassing the Nekor Plain. The research primarily investigates the influence of specific weather conditions on the surge of water levels in “Wadi Nekor” and the ensuing consequences when the valley veers from its primary course. The research findings strongly indicate that a significant portion of these flood events can be attributed to “Cut-Off Low” (COL) and atmospheric rivers (ARs), frequently aligning with mean sea level pressure (MSLP) systems located over, or in proximity to, the Moroccan region. This study employs a systematic classification and arrangement methodology for both upper and lower atmospheric levels in analyzing pertinent cases.
• Agricultural land use in Vietnam in the context of urbanization: status and policy implications

  Huyen Phan Thi Thanh; Giang Pham Quy (Sciendo, 2024-03-01)

  This article generalizes the urbanization process and its impact on agricultural land use in Vietnam. The high rate of urbanization has led to a great demand for purchasing agricultural products, especially high-quality ones, and as a result, this affects agricultural development. On one hand, it offers new chances to expand the domestic market and to encourage exports. On the other hand, the conversion of agricultural land into non-agricultural land under accelerated urbanization leads to a large area of arable land being abandoned or polluted, consequently affecting food security and sustainable development. Therefore, to meet the people’s food needs in the context of urbanization, it is necessary to have proper solutions to improve the efficiency of agricultural land use, such as: implementing land laws aimed at developing agricultural production in the direction of large-scale, concentrated commodities; executing land-use planning, performing agricultural production planning towards specialized cultivation with a stable term to ensure profitable investment; boosting the restructuring of the agricultural sector; developing collective and cooperative economics in agriculture; having policies to support, forecast, and search for markets for consumption and the processing of agricultural products; creating a transparent land-use rights market.
• Risk analysis for groundwater in the area of the municipal waste landfill in Sosnowiec, South Poland

  Bareła Natalia; Dąbrowska Dominika (Sciendo, 2024-03-01)

  Risk assessment for groundwater allows for preventive activities in the field of environmental monitoring. The risk assessment for groundwater in the area of the municipal waste landfill in Sosnowiec was carried out using the Nemerov Index (NPI) and the Enrichment Index (EF), as well as a SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats) analysis and a risk matrix. It was performed on the basis of the database from 2014-2019 for ten piezometers belonging to the landfill’s observation network. In the case of the risk matrix, 20 risks were identified regarding climatic conditions, landfill infrastructure and employees. The SWOT analysis considered the strengths and weaknesses of the facility as well as opportunities related to technological development and threats related primarily to the location of the facility within the landscape. The risk assessment indices were calculated for the following parameters: electrolytic conductivity, Na, Mg, K, Ca, Mn, Fe, TOC, HCO3, Cl, SO4, and NH4. The highest values of the NPI index exceeded 3,500 (in a single measurement), while for the EF index the values reached almost 500. These prove the impact of this facility on the quality of groundwater. However, hydrochemical background value and the value of the immobile parameter are also important. This article uses limit values for the first class of groundwater quality. The results of above mentioned methods indicate a medium risk to groundwater, and the opportunities and strengths of the facility outweigh the negative aspects of the plant’s operation. Further research should include the identification of additional risk factors and the likely response to risk.
• Environmental risks in agrophytocoenoses under the influence of segetal phytobiota

  Lishchuk Alla М.; Parfenyk Alla I.; Karachinska Nadiya V.; Topchii Natalia M. (Sciendo, 2024-03-01)

  In this article the influence of abiotic factors on agrophytocoenoses is considered, these are: moisture supply, rising air temperature, increasing carbon dioxide concentration, and the probability of environmental risks in particular. The degree of ecological risk has been established. Environmental risks due to the influence of climate change on agrophytocoenoses have been identified and substantiated and are: the spread of adventive and invasive plant species; loss of competitiveness of agrophytocoenosis crops relative to segetal phytobiota; increase in the number of species and distribution areas of segetal phytobiota; change in the sown area, productivity and quality of the harvest of agricultural crops; acquisition of tolerance of segetal phytobiota of agrocoenoses to herbicides and deterioration of their effectiveness under agroclimatic fluctuations. All of the above-mentioned environmental risks, which are associated with aggravation of the phytosanitary condition of crops inevitably, lead to a loss of the productivity of agrocoenoses. They lead to a decrease in the quality of the obtained plant and agricultural products as well. Along with the loss of productivity of the weedy agrocoenosis, there are environmental risks caused by the increased need for the use of plant protection products to ensure the control of the phytosanitary state of the agrocoenosis. Ensuring the reduction of environmental risks and enhancing the ecological safety of agrocoenoses is timely environmental monitoring, considering appropriate agronomic, protective, and preventive measures. These measures increase the adaptive capacity of agrocoenoses. r atmospheric levels in analyzing pertinent cases.
• The sustainable supply of raw materials and an innovative method of testing metallurgical coal blends

  Dreger Marcin; Celary Piotr; Więcek Katarzyna; Kocela-Jagiełko Aneta (Sciendo, 2024-03-01)

  Coke production is a strategic branch of the Polish, European and global economy. Economic growth is linked to the demand for high steel products, which is also connected to higher coke production. A sustainable supply of raw materials – like metallurgical coal – requires balanced, cost effective and environmentally friendly mining, to provide the best quality of coal and coke. There are various types of steelmaking coals mined in Poland (in the Upper Silesia Coal Basin), thus laboratory tests on extracted coals need to be undertaken in order to create safe mixtures of coals (coal blends) which will be processed in the blast furnace. With this mind a new tool – the safety calculation model – has been developed and implemented by the CLP-B Laboratory. This new approach taken by the laboratory is a multi-component analysis which assesses the possible risk associated with the transformation of coal blends during the coking process in the furnace. The new calculation model allows for the sustainable management of raw materials such as coking (steelmaking) coals – to produce the best quality of coke in safe conditions. In the new proposed formula, the parameters identified as critical ones for assessing the safety of the furnace feed, are moisture, ash and sulphur content, volatile matter, pressure expansion, dilatation, shrinkage, volume, CRI and CSR.
• Land use and land cover change in East Java from 2015 to 2021: Use optical imagery and Google Earth engine

  Mandala Marga; Indarto Indarto; Rodhi Nova Nevila; Saputra Akhmad Andi; Hakim Farid Lukman (Sciendo, 2024-03-01)

  This study analysed the changes in land use and land cover (LULC) in East Java Province by comparing two LULC maps interpreted from optical imagery. The images captured from 2015 to 2017 were selected to represent the initial LULC maps. Then, the images collected from 2020 to 2021 were considered the recent LULC maps. The input imagery was prepared using the Google Earth engine (GEE). The Random Forest algorithm was used for classification. In this study, eight significant LULC classes were categorised, i.e., built-up area (BU), heterogeneous-agricultural land (HAL), bare soil (BS), paddy field (PF), open water (OW), vegetation (VG), shrubland (SH), and wetland (WL). Next, the training samples were interpreted from Google Earth Pro. Then, the GEE satellite base map and the ground control points (GCPs) were collected. The collected GCPs were split into 70% training and 30% validation data. The results showed that significant LULC Change was more marked in the most urbanised areas (in and around the big cities), followed by LULC change in and around medium towns and rural areas. Four classes experienced an area increase, i.e., BU (+30.23%), HAL (+30.77%), BS (+24.52%), and PF (+14.36%). As a consequence, the other four classes compensated for the increase, i.e., OW (−32.79%), VG (−25.72%), SH (−6.59%), and WL (−25.53%). Regional development from 2015 to 2021 has increased built-up areas. Conversely, the development has reduced OW, VG, SH, and WL. The LULC changes have significantly changed the natural landscape to a human-dominated one.
• Religiosity and climate change: An eco-religious approach

  Agusalim Lestari; Karim Muhamad (Sciendo, 2024-03-01)

  An eco-religious approach is one that combines religious beliefs with ecological awareness, thus giving rise to responsibility for the natural environment, such as the threat of a climate crisis due to climate change, as part of the understanding of religion itself. This approach is not universally accepted because views on climate change, and the role of humans in addressing it, can vary among different religions and religious traditions. This research explores the relationship between religiosity and climate change, with a focus on the concept of an eco-religious approach. The aim was to understand how religiosity can influence climate change using the ecological footprint as a proxy. The cross-country robust regression analysis method was employed to address this objective. Robustness and sensitivity model checks were also performed, resulting in reliable regression analysis that can be generalized to various situations. The results of the study suggest that increased religiosity is associated with a decrease in per person ecological footprint. This research suggests a transformation of religious values towards a more inclusive eco-religious perspective, encompassing bio-centric and eco-centric ethics, and not just anthropocentric views. Collaboration between religious and non-religious communities is key in addressing climate change. Religious institutions are also identified as essential agents in mobilizing environmental movements, participating in international forums, and incorporating climate change issues into educational curricula. This research supports the potential of religiosity as a positive catalyst in global efforts to preserve environmental sustainability and address the holistic challenges of climate change.

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