The Role of Soils in Sustainability, Climate Change, and Ecosystem Services: Challenges and Opportunities

Ecologies, Год журнала: 2023, Номер 4(3), С. 552 - 567

Опубликована: Авг. 16, 2023

Soils are crucial life supporters and nutrient providers, their functionality impacted by nutritional balance, pH, organic matter content. These substrates help regulate water, support diverse organisms, play a critical role in carbon sequestration, especially the context of climate change. However, soils under threat from anthropogenic climatic pressures, warranting active resource management strategies. The European Union (EU) has acknowledged soil sustainability’s importance, encouraging eco-friendly agricultural practices enhanced storage. criticality is often overlooked when establishing global sustainable development goals. Counteracting degradation key battling desertification influenced factors like unsustainable agriculture, deforestation, poor irrigation. Innovative solutions circular economy approaches biomass utilization necessary to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Also, improving dietary habits reducing food waste can mitigate environmental impact consumption, with shift towards plant-based proteins being more sustainable. Addressing these challenges will contribute resilient future.

Язык: Английский

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Biodiversity conservation in the context of climate change: Facing challenges and management strategies

The Science of The Total Environment, Год журнала: 2024, Номер 937, С. 173377 - 173377

Опубликована: Май 23, 2024

Язык: Английский

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Emerging bio-capture strategies for greenhouse gas reduction: Navigating challenges towards carbon neutrality

The Science of The Total Environment, Год журнала: 2024, Номер 929, С. 172433 - 172433

Опубликована: Апрель 14, 2024

Язык: Английский

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Reviving Europe's rivers: Seven challenges in the implementation of the Nature Restoration Law to restore free‐flowing rivers

Wiley Interdisciplinary Reviews Water, Год журнала: 2024, Номер 11(3)

Опубликована: Янв. 30, 2024

Abstract The EU Nature Restoration Law represents an important opportunity for freshwater habitat restoration and, consequently, biodiversity protection. However, a number of challenges must be anticipated in its implementation, which may compromise success. Some aspects, particularly those relating to ecosystems, require more clarification. We use riverine ecosystems illustrate existing ambiguities the proposed legislation and potential consequences leaving these aspects open interpretation during implementation process. also discuss solutions problems could help ensure that law's objectives are met. argue river network structure connectivity dimensions, result into meta‐ecosystems, explicitly considered. For purpose, we ask clear definitions critical terms “free‐flowing rivers,” “barriers,” “reference areas.” In addition, recommend developing methods integrated assessment across networks. As key property this used prioritize actions increase length free‐flowing rivers. Adequate planning at larger spatial scales will benefit from meta‐ecosystem perspective accurate representation aquatic‐terrestrial linkages, significantly improve efficacy efforts. Furthermore, stakeholder citizen engagement offer opportunities local, national, European scales, should fostered inclusive decision‐making. conservation outlined here rivers, but they have implications other ecosystems. These considerations useful policymakers, conservationists, stakeholders involved related policy initiatives. This article is categorized under: Water Life > Stresses Pressures on Ecosystems Conservation, Management, Awareness Human Governance

Язык: Английский

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Modeling the Effects of Strict Protection of Forest Areas—Part of the Provisions of the EU Biodiversity Strategy 2030

Sustainability, Год журнала: 2025, Номер 17(2), С. 737 - 737

Опубликована: Янв. 18, 2025

The case study included approx. 0.5 million ha of forest areas in Poland that are managed by the Regional Directorate State Forests. objective was to assess impact four different scenarios restricting size available for commercial use. Based on criteria, each scenario set aside 10% total land area strict protection forested land, which is line with EU Biodiversity Strategy 2030. economic (volume reduced wood raw material) statistically estimated scenarios. It confirmed layout habitats essential specific limitations production. For optimal implementation provisions strategy, a balance selection social, economic, and natural elements must be considered. This protects primarily most valuable characterized highest level biodiversity, age diversity, dispersion within studied unit. presented results may support decision-making processes used maximize biodiversity while minimizing negative this environmental protection.

Язык: Английский

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European Green Deal — research directions. a systematic literature review

Economics and Environment, Год журнала: 2022, Номер 81(2), С. 8 - 38

Опубликована: Июль 9, 2022

The article provided a classification of scientific research relating to European Green Deal (EGD) issues assess their compatibility with areas identified in the EGD strategy document and identify emerging future directions. A systematic literature review was based on bibliometric analysis focused articles Scopus Web Science databases. aimed identify, integrate evaluate selected topic clearly defined criteria. Research query included (TITLE-ABS-KEY (“EU” OR europ*) AND TITLE-ABS-KEY (“green deal”) ) case TS = “green Science. In total, 641 publication records were qualified for analysis. allowed identifying eight thematic clusters linking them strategy. enabled identification international undertaken relation Deal. These cover variety topics from social sciences, engineering, agriculture, sciences natural sciences. Clusters included: Energy, circular economy, industry, building, mobility, food, biodiversity pollution.

Язык: Английский

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Unveiling the hidden economic toll of biological invasions in the European Union

Environmental Sciences Europe, Год журнала: 2023, Номер 35(1)

Опубликована: Июнь 8, 2023

Abstract Background Biological invasions threaten the functioning of ecosystems, biodiversity, and human well-being by degrading ecosystem services eliciting massive economic costs. The European Union has historically been a hub for cultural development global trade, thus, extensive opportunities introduction spread alien species. While reported costs biological to some member states have recently assessed, ongoing knowledge gaps in taxonomic spatio-temporal data suggest that these were considerably underestimated. Results We used latest available cost InvaCost (v4.1)—the most comprehensive database on invasions—to assess magnitude this underestimation within via projections current future invasion macroeconomic scaling temporal modelling approaches project information over taxa, space, time, thereby producing more complete estimate economy. identified only 259 out 13,331 (~ 1%) known invasive species Union. Using conservative subset highly reliable, observed, country-level entries from 49 (totalling US$4.7 billion; 2017 value), combined with establishment states, we projected unreported all states. Conclusions Our corrected observed was potentially 501% higher (US$28.0 billion) than currently recorded. estimates, also substantial increase costly (US$148.2 2040. urge reporting be improved clarify impacts greatest concern, concomitant coordinated international action prevent mitigate globally.

Язык: Английский

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An integrated process for planning, delivery, and stewardship of urban nature-based solutions: The Connecting Nature Framework

Nature-Based Solutions, Год журнала: 2023, Номер 3, С. 100060 - 100060

Опубликована: Март 30, 2023

Mainstreaming nature-based solutions in cities has grown scale and magnitude recent times but is still considered to be the main challenge for transitioning our their communities more climate resilient liveable: environmentally, economically, socially.Furthermore, taking next level, scaling them out all urban contexts achieve a greater impact, proving slow often conflicts with other initiatives such as energy generation, mobility transport initiatives, infilling combat sprawl.So, task neither easy nor straightforward; there are many barriers this novel transition, especially when it comes collaborative approaches implementing diverse within city authorities themselves.This paper reports on new process that systematically co-produced captured framework planning emerged during Connecting Nature project.The Framework three-stage, iterative involves seven key activity areas mainstreaming solutions: technical solutions, governance, financing business models, enterprises, co-production, reflexive monitoring, impact assessment.The tested applied designed address overcome implementation of via co-created, iterative, reflective approach.The guided by proposed already yielded promising results some project, though further usage its adoption needed explore potential different Global South.The concludes suggestions how may realised.

Язык: Английский

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The COVID-19 pandemic and the EU: From a sustainable energy transition to a green transition?

Energy Policy, Год журнала: 2023, Номер 175, С. 113453 - 113453

Опубликована: Фев. 7, 2023

The article examines the implications held by EU's response to COVID-19 pandemic for green transition as set European Green Deal. It distinguishes changes in: (a) use of policy instruments; (b) governance principles; and (c) prioritising goals expressed via conceptual framework orders change. assesses extent these well patterns regional variations among EU Member States, together with Commission's role in pushing preferential energy choices encouraging States' ambitions. analysis shows Energy Union was promoting climate targets' full integration into instruments (first order change) even before Still, crisis created strong financial leverage accelerate gave an opportunity close gap between less ambitious more countries. Many countries traditionally reliant on funds seized this opportunity, demonstrating changed principles (the second change). However, has had evolutionary impact, not a revolutionary one. While coherence remains high, is falling short fully integrating biodiversity (which would constitute paradigmatic, third-order change), despite being essential component transition.

Язык: Английский

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Does digital governance matter for environmental sustainability? The key challenges and opportunities under the prism of natural resource management

Resources Policy, Год журнала: 2024, Номер 91, С. 104812 - 104812

Опубликована: Март 6, 2024

Язык: Английский

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