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The increasing impacts of climate change have necessitated a comprehensive reassessment of large infrastructure projects, particularly highways, to ensure their resilience and sustainability. The article focuses on the analysis of climate change vulnerability, mitigation measures, and adaptation strategies within the context of a major highway project in Romania. With climate change accelerating, highways in Romania are becoming increasingly vulnerable to extreme weather events, shifting precipitation patterns, temperature fluctuations, and related environmental changes. The paper highlights key findings from vulnerability assessments, emphasizing the project's exposure to climate-induced risks and its implications for the highway's infrastructure. Mitigating the impact of climate change is a fundamental objective for this highway project. The article discusses mitigation efforts, which include minimizing greenhouse gas emissions during construction and operation phases, incorporating sustainable construction materials, and adopting energy-efficient technologies and practices. These measures align with Romania's commitment to reducing its carbon footprint. Also, the paper outlines adaptation measures, such as engineering design solutions to withstand extreme weather events, the integration of flexible design elements, and the establishment of climate monitoring and early warning systems to mitigate disruptions. In conclusion, the article underscores the urgency of integrating climate change vulnerability assessments, mitigation measures, and adaptation strategies into the planning and construction of highways in Romania. By adopting a comprehensive approach that addresses climate-related challenges, this highway project aims to contribute to a sustainable, resilient, and environmentally conscious transportation network for the country. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Climate change, marked by rising temperatures, poses significant health risks to indoorbound individuals. This paper stresses the need for proactive public health measures, especially for vulnerable groups like the elderly and economically disadvantaged who lack access to air conditioning. As heatwaves worsen, traditional solutions, like energyintensive air conditioning, are problematic due to increased energy use, greenhouse gas emissions, and cost issues. Instead, this paper proposes an affordable solution: electric fans, natural ventilation, and window shadings to combat heat stress indoors. The study examines the effectiveness of electric fans, window shading, and natural ventilation in mitigating extreme heat's impact. Findings show a notable reduction in heat exposure, even in worst-case scenarios, with electric fans reducing heat strain hours. The methodology employs EnergyPlus and Design Builder software for a comprehensive numerical simulation of a sample building representative of the ones constructed between 1961 and 1975 located in Trieste, Italy. The simulations employ historical weather data, extreme conditions, and future projections to enhance the analysis's depth and relevance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Arid and semi-arid regions, including Cyprus, are increasingly experiencing severe weather events due to climate change. These events, characterized by prolonged droughts and flash floods, pose significant challenges to the environment, economy, and societal well-being. This paper aims to analyze the challenges of Flood Risk Management (FRM) in dry areas, focusing on Cyprus as a case study. It reviews historical data on temperature and rainfall patterns, flood types, and severity to propose effective, nature-based mitigation measures. The study examines temperature and rainfall trends over the last 30 years in Cyprus, categorizes floods since 1859 based on severity, and identifies prevalent flood types. The investigation reveals a decrease in annual rainfall and an increase in average temperatures in Cyprus, leading to heightened flood risks. The study categorizes floods into fluvial, pluvial, flash, and coastal types, with pluvial floods being the most common due to urbanization. The paper underscores the role of community and individual participation in adopting nature-based solutions such as permeable materials, rain gardens, tree planting, and roof gardens. Addressing flood risks in Cyprus requires a combined effort of government initiatives and community engagement. The adoption of sustainable, eco-friendly practices can significantly mitigate the adverse effects of climate change on flood hazards. This holistic approach is imperative for enhancing resilience against future climate-related challenges in Cyprus and similar arid regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The areas occupied by permanent grasslands constitute one of the most important ecosystems of the Earth, occupying almost half of it. The use of land covered by grasslands and climate changes are the main stressors of grass communities and implicitly of grassland ecosystems. Its multifunctionality (food source for ruminants, insect habitat, means of soil and water conservation, as well as outdoor activities, etc.) is gradually affected, thus diminishing the mentioned functions. The purpose of this paper is to analyze the evolution of some indices characterizing permanent grasslands over a three-year period 2020-2023. Observations were made for three years on two permanent grasslands located in the vicinity of Hitia? and Căpăt (belonging to the same UAT Racovi'a). The monitored indices were the agronomic ones, namely the pastoral value (PV), the grazing capacity (GC), as well as the ecological ones (the Shannon-Weaver and Simpson indices). For each analyzed permanent grassland, three analysis points were taken and the resulting data represent the average. The analysis methods were the linear one to study the vegetation and the indices, and correlation analysis was used for the statistics. Thus, it may be concluded that there are differences from one year to the next in the structure of the vegetation and in grassland communities. This aspect is also reflected in the agricultural fodder potential of the studied grasslands. The results of this study enable starting points for urgent measures to improve these permanent grasslands. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this paper is to analyse the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM), as a significant step forward in the testing of good practices in environmental taxation. The main objective of this mechanism is in fact to shift the focus from the mere obtaining of tax revenues towards the achievement of climate objectives. The European Commission has introduced this tool aware of its leading role in the environmental field, aiming to influence the decisions of third countries in the fight against the global climate emergency. However, the CBAM raises concerns about its potential use as a tool for European market protectionism, creating tensions with the world's main economic players. Despite the critical issues, the CBAM proposal could accelerate the convergence of legal systems and foster scientific evidence regarding the relationship between global warming and greenhouse gas emissions, in addressing global environmental challenges. In a world where global emergencies require global responses, CBAM can therefore become an important tool to prevent the circumvention of law enforcement mechanisms and penalize non-virtuous behavior. In this context, environmental taxation, now supported in many countries by direct constitutional coverage, can play a strategic role in the implementation of international commitments, promoting an ecological transition with an eye to sustainable development and the effective allocation of resources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The second half of the twentieth and the beginning of the twenty-first century are marked by two processes that pose a serious threat to the sustainable development of the world in the near future. These are the population explosion in certain parts of the world and climate change. At the beginning of the second millennium the world population was only 300 million, today it exceeds 8 billion and by the middle of this century it will reach 10 billion. At the same time, throughout human history, people have lived and worked in an identical way, now for the first time we have industry, transport, industrial animal husbandry that seriously pollute the natural environment, the consequences of it are unpredictable and they are bound to affect people. And this is already occurring, with increasingly acute drinking water shortages catalysing existing ethno-religious conflicts and generating new ones. The ones we have analyzed in this paper are along the Nile and in the Middle East along the Tigris, Euphrates and Jordan rivers. Already more than half of African countries are in water stress, and nearly a third in water disaster, including one, Uganda, which according to UN projections is expected to have a population growth between 2000 and 2050 of 302%! And when we talk about climate change and water conflicts, we need to act immediately so that tomorrow is not too late!. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The impact of climate change is felt by people all over the world, but this change is more pronounced in Europe. In Slovakia, which is in Central Europe, we feel these changes in all areas of the economy, but most significantly in agriculture. We experience extremely high temperatures more and more often, and frequent periods of drought alternate with extreme intensity of precipitation. The aim of this paper is to compare these changes in temperature and precipitation with a reference period - the sixty-year climate normal (1961-2020). Based on data from 81 meteorological stations, maps of temperature and precipitation deviations from the climatic norm were created by interpolation for selected decades (1961-1970, 1991-2000 and 2011-2020) in the growing season (April - October). By overlaying the map outputs of temperature and precipitation, new attributes were created that comprehensively evaluate locations in Slovakia. The results show that in the 1960s the summer months were normal in terms of precipitation and subnormal in temperature, in the 1990s the areas were mostly normal in temperature and in April especially above normal in terms of precipitation. On the contrary, the last decade is characterized by above-normal temperatures throughout the entire period and belownormal precipitation at the beginning of the growing season and above-normal precipitation in the autumn months. With this contribution, we can help farmers visualize the development of temperatures and precipitation, and thus they will be able to better adapt to the development of climate change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Green development is a kind of development that considers two factors· social and environmental impacts of development. Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) are tools that can be used in monitoring of the impacts of climate change. They can demonstrate the effects of climate change and they can contribute to the proper management of urban green via their role as decision-making tools. Urban areas have an important role in urban ecosystems through multifunctional role of trees, such as the reduction of extreme temperatures. A digital database was constructed in the framework of the project LIFE Climate Value of Urban Trees-LIFE18 GIC/IT/001217. This database provides data and significant information about green areas, from four mediumsized cities, and is a key tool in urban green management as it takes into account the assessment of urban green. This online database can be used by both· experts and citizens. Aim of this paper is to describe the digital database (lifeclivut.treedb.eu). Web database app was created to be used as a user-friendly tool for experts such as environmentalists, foresters, urban planners with main aim supporting urban green areas. Foresters and environmentalists can use this web app for proper management and design as in this app exist data about the urban trees (tree height, breast diameter, position, tree health). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Climate change brings a number of risks. Increasing numbers of weather fluctuations, floods, extreme heat and droughts have potential to endanger people's lives, health and property. The paper presents modern technologies and possible use in the field of hydrology connected to disaster management. Main attention is paid to the use of innovative technologies for the needs of protecting and prevent population from hydrological risks. Currently, the trend of introducing new technologies is clear, due to adapting to the challenges of today's digital age, thanks to their versatile usability and intelligent technological solutions. Tools for monitoring, analysing and evaluating extraordinary events caused by climate change are a basic prerequisite for their management and successful management. It primarily involves use of various sensors and radars for data collection, geographic information systems that enable spatial analysis and visualization, but also information systems and application software for creating models and simulations. Thanks to progress in development in the field of information technology, today it is also possible to use the Internet of Things, artificial intelligence or a DT to make predictions and create models. The mentioned tools represent an effective means of managing risks, planning and the necessary response of the responsible entities in the area of population and environmental protection, but also in the adoption of adaptation measures against the manifestations of climate change. It is important to minimize risks and damages to society and the ecosystem, always looking for innovative solutions in improvement that would contribute to environmental sustainability and progress, which is also the intention of this contribution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lake Brates is located near Galati city, in the south-eastern part of Romania being one of the largest lakes in the country. Unfortunately, water quality has greatly decreased in recent years, both due to human actions and to climate change. The present paper aims at establishing the quality of the water in Lake Brates as resulted from the calculation of the water quality index (WQI) by the weighted arithmetic method. In order to calculate this index, several sampling campaigns were carried out in various points of the lake, followed by the measurement of relevant parameters: pH, conductivity, salinity, oxygen demand (DO), chemical oxygen demand (COD), biochemical oxygen consumption at 5 days (CBO5), NO2-, NO3-, N total, Cl-, SO42-, PPO43-, heavy metals (As3+, Cr3+, Cu2+, Ni2+, Zn2+). Both the individual variation of the monitored physicochemical parameters and the variation of the WQI were tracked. Moreover, a correlation of the WQI with the climatic conditions in the region (rainfall and thermal regime) was established. The determinations were made by applying the standardized methods in force in - situ and ex-situ and by using the following equipment: the UV-Vis-NIR Spectrophotometer, Thermo Scientific Vanquish Flex UHPLC system coupled with the Mass Spectrometer, Thermo Scientific Trace GC coupled with the Quadrupole Mass Spectrometer, the Total Reflection X-Ray Fluorescence (TXRF) Spectrometer and a portable multiparameter. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this paper is to study the effects and risks of climate change in Romania. The research methodology used is based on the analysis and synthesis of information from the climate change literature. The main research method used in the paper is content analysis. The authors of the paper find that climate change is already having many negative consequences on health, environmental and economic issues in Romania, affecting all regions. The importance of publishing this study is to increase and improve the content of the literature in the field. The authors' analysis found that, in general, the effects of climate change jeopardise economic development prospects, increase the risks of famine and thus potentiate conflict and forced displacement, and deepen existing vulnerabilities, socio-economic inequalities and gender discrimination. In recent decades, countries around the world, including Romania, have focused their efforts both on mitigating the impact of climate change through measures to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and on increasing their capacity to adapt to the effects of climate change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Research Institute for Brown Coal j. s. c. (VÚHU) has been involved in the research project of the EU Research Fund of Coal and Steel - The impact of extreme weather events on mining operations for four years. The project is focused on assessing the impact of climate change on mining activities in major European coal basins. Other participants are scientific teams from Poland, Great Britain, Spain, Germany and Greece. This is the last year of the project solving, so this paper summarizes the results of the solution for the Czech Republic. The first part of the paper summarizes the knowledge of the historical development of the climate, including significant climatic disasters. Attempts to reconstruct the paleoclimate in the Tertiary based on the evaluation of preserved geological phenomena are also briefly evaluated here. The next part of the paper evaluates the development of temperature and precipitation in the wider area of the Most Basin, including the forecast for the future and the impact of climate change on mining and reclamation. Therefore, the greatest attention is paid to the proposed adaptation strategies. All laboratory analyses carried out as part of this research were carried out by VÚHU testing laboratories accredited by CIA according to CSN EN 150-IEC 17025 on the basis of internal methodological procedures based on relevant standards. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper is in the context of studies on the variability of atmospheric factors that highlight the fluctuations associated with climate changes. The acquisition of data for the concentration of NO, NO2 and NOx was collected from the national air quality monitoring system which includes 158 monitoring stations. the monitored national area was divided into 8 study areas to facilitate the calculations. In this paper we present the significant results for the Southeast of Romania for a period of 5 years - between 2017 and 2020. Distribution maps and results obtained by applying statistical tests demonstrated the existence of significant spatial and temporal variability. The study is of particular importance. In recent years, climate change in many countries around the world has been associated with food insecurity, especially in developing countries, especially in the current context. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The knowledge-based bioeconomy has been prioritized through European Union (EU) research and innovation policies. In December 2017, the government approved the Latvian Bioeconomy Strategy 2030, which set the horizontal strategic goal of achieving "research excellence in traditional bioeconomy industries and efficient transfer of knowledge". Therefore, the aim of the present research is to examine one of the submeasures "promoting research excellence and efficient knowledge transfer within traditional bioeconomy industries" for the implementation of the strategic goal of the Latvian Bioeconomy Strategy 2030 regarding "Knowledge and Innovations" in Latvia. The research found that the development of research on the bioeconomy depends on the overall situation in research and development (R&D) in the country. In 2021 in Latvia, total expenditure on scientific research was low, only 0.71% of GDP, of which 64% was EU funds and private funding. The national Smart Specialization Strategy (RIS3) defines five main fields to be developed in Latvia, and one of them is a knowledgeintensive bioeconomy. In 2018, 1600 scientists worked in this field, which was 23% of the total number of scientists engaged in RIS3 fields. The amount of R&D funding attracted to the bioeconomy field in 2014-2018 was only EUR 27 mln. or 14% of total funding for RIS3 fields, which indicated the insufficient ability of bioeconomy scientists to attract funding and their lower labour productivity. Nine main research institutions employed 89% of the total personnel engaged in the bioeconomy field, who were the authors of 98% of WoS-indexed research papers published in 2014-2018. In the future, the most important research priorities for the bioeconomy field are going to be mitigation of negative climate change impacts, as well as food and energy security. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sustainability reporting landscape is evolving rapidly due to the expanding legislation worldwide. The new Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive is challenging European companies to restructure their business models and processes and to enhance their corporate reporting. Considering the increasing number of reporting requirements, this paper aims at providing critical analysis of the current employers' demand on sustainability competences needed for setting up the relevant reporting processes. The empirical research encompasses a review of published job offers related to the finance function in the organization to outline and summarize the specific requirements for sustainability knowledge and capabilities. The main findings of the performed analysis reveal that the new sustainability reporting regulations, their widened scope, and upcoming application deadline have impacted the accounting professionals, who should further develop their skill set to meet the emerging sustainability requirements of the employers. The latter have already started to recruit applicants with the needed expertise in the field of sustainability, environment, society and government goals and climate changes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The main goal of the analysis presented in the paper is to contribute to a clearer understanding of climate changes in Bulgaria, assessing the long-term changes in annual characteristics of surface temperature and precipitation in the period 1961-2020 and providing climate projections to the end of the 21st century. During the last decades of the 20th century, a tendency towards warming occurred in Bulgaria. Since the 1990s, only four years have had negative temperature anomalies compared to the reference period 1961-1990. Changes in the precipitation regime are also apparent, with increasing frequency of days with both torrential rainfall and dry, hot weather. The analysis of future climate is focused on the projected changes under the four RCP climate change scenarios for selected ETCCDI climate indices, computed on a yearly basis: absolute maximum temperature (TXx), absolute minimum temperature (TNn), the maximum number of consecutive frost days (CFD), the maximum number of consecutive summer days (CSU), precipitation sum (RR), number of heavy precipitation days (RR10mm) and maximum number of consecutive dry days (CDD). The projected significant warming is manifested in the spatial patterns and temporal evolution of all considered temperature indicators. Despite the predicted decreasing precipitation trend, especially in Southeast Bulgaria, the changes are statistically significant only for scenario RCP8.5. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As the world adopts the technological era, the adverse effects of climate change have been experienced by the increasing population, which has led to a rise in energy demand. Heavy industries depend on dirty fossil fuels that release GHG emissions into the atmosphere. This paper aims to review the integration of a nuclear-renewable hybrid energy system (NRHES) to produce green hydrogen in decarbonizing hard-to-abate industries in the ASEAN region. In this study, the two main hydrogen production methods were identified, including thermochemical and electrolytic processes. The available renewable energy sources in ASEAN countries, such as solar, hydropower, biomass, geothermal, and wind, were also determined to evaluate the possible routes for coupling with nuclear power. Thus, considering the zero-emissions and baseload electricity from nuclear energy, integrating this with renewables in the region can accommodate their intermittent characteristics and supply the minimum electricity demand. This article suggests that as the region is rich in agriculture, nuclear-biomass is the most viable combination of energy sources to overcome different global issues. Furthermore, the prospects of hydrogen and its potential for industrial applications--mainly in transportation, manufacturing, chemical plants, and refineries--were presented in this analysis. This review determined the economic, technical, and societal impacts and policy frameworks of implementing NRHES for green hydrogen production to examine the possible challenges faced by Southeast Asia. Therefore, these challenges and gaps enable further exploration of the integration of NRHES to produce hydrogen as an alternative energy source. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The western area of Romania, like the entire country, due to its geographical position - in the temperate zone, is exposed to a wide range of risk weather and climate phenomena with the potential to occur throughout the year. The purpose of this work is to identify some indicators that most correctly express the extreme nature of the manifestations of some meteorological parameters and their characterization over a four-year period. The paper analyzes the main meteorological parameters from the profile stations in the western part of the country, respectively from Timis and Arad counties, in order to have an overview of the weather-climate characteristics for the studied period. The more detailed analysis of certain phenomena was done to capture exceptions, special extreme situations or more significant meteorological elements. The location of Romania in a certain context of action of the main baric centers imprints the temperate character of the climate. The location of the analyzed territory in the western part of the country and the configuration of the relief nuance this character, imprinting sub-Mediterranean characteristics in the southern part of Timis county. The risk aspects provided by the weather stations in the two studied counties, in the interval of four years, highlight the specific climatic changes that occur in certain intervals. Knowing the weather-climate characteristics of the region is important for all areas of human activity and life, all extreme phenomena being grafted onto the main background of the aforementioned weather-climate characteristics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The climate changes represent an important problem in today's society. Our study refers to the West Region of Romania, formed by the counties of Arad, Timis, Caras-Severin, Hunedoara, and it shows that there are significant differences regarding the climate changes between these counties. In our paper, we analyze the evolution of annual, respectively seasonal precipitations, and of the minimal, maximal and medium air temperatures in the considered region in the time frame 1991-2021. The statistical analysis of data shows an increase of the medium annual air temperatures, the observed changes being more pronounced in summer and winter. Beside the increase tendency of the air temperature in winter, one could observe also that the time of heat waves has become significantly longer in the West of Romania, such that the number of hot days is larger. An increase of the maximum length of the periods without precipitation has been observed over the last decades in the west during summer, as well as monthly anomalies of temperatures and precipitations. Annual estimates of the Climate Altering Land Cover Index are presented for the analyzed period and we observe that there is a positive correlation between these indices and the mean air temperature. In conditions of the climate changes, the mean summer precipitations will reduce in the coming decades, which will affect the management of water resources and the agriculture, which leads to the necessity of adjustment to the climate changes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The global warming and climate change caused by the anthropogenic activities is expected to increase. To address these issues, one key solution is the utilization of renewable materials such as biomass. Biochar, made from biomass materials is seen as a potential option to replace the fossil fuel-based reductants. Pyrolysis is the most common way of producing biochar. However, the physicochemical properties of biochar are significantly influenced by virgin biomass characteristics and the pyrolysis condition such as the temperature, heating rate, residence time. This paper investigates the impact of pyrolysis residence time on the biochar quality produced from raw palm nutshells. In this study, all the experiments were performed at 800 °C, while the time from 30, 40, 45, 50 and 60 mins and the particle size of the raw material varied from 5, 8, 12, 15 to 19mm. A correlation between the fixed carbon content and pore size was established. The different biochar produced were further characterized using proximate analysis and SEM-EDS to evaluate the fixed carbon content and study the changes in the biochar microstructure and pore size of each biochar produced. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current weather patterns, in the form of more frequent occurrences of hydrological extremes, are increasingly being felt in the Czech Republic. In this context, the paper focuses on the issue of the current management of the landscape, which loses its quality due to these adverse climatic conditions and the influence of man. The aim is to compare selected physical properties and obtained soil moisture data for different uses and cultivation. For sample collections, a site in the Czech Republic in the South Moravian Region in the district of Hodonin in the cadastral territory of Šardice was selected, where land improvements took place in the form of agroforestry systems. Broken and intact samples were taken from sampling sites (a grassy belt with trees and arable land), which were subsequently subjected to the necessary experiments in the laboratory. The data obtained were then evaluated on the basis of individual criteria and compared with each other. Furthermore, humidity and temperature are continuously measured using TOMST moisture sensors, these data are subsequently processed in the form of graphs. The results showed that the way the land is used and cultivated has an impact on the characteristics (quality) of the soil. So, we can influence them both negatively and positively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The tornado phenomenon is getting to more attention in recent years due its unexpected occurrence in the areas where it was traditionally extremely rare. The European strongest tornado since 2001 appeared in Southern Morava region, Czech Republic, June 24th 2021. The paper deals with the incidence of tornadoes, the ways of prediction and measurement as well as the protection advices. The believed life cycle and possibilities of the monitoring, forecasting with the current satellite system as well as their limits were introduced together with the important role of storm hunters as both the volunteers and professionals with effort to get more knowledge about this very timebounded phenomena. Both supercellar and non-supercellar. The positive effect of the global climate changes on the tornado occurrence was not proven for the tornados appears also in the cold areas and the phenomena was described in past centuries in the two largest cities of Czech Republic as well in London, 1091. Information introduced in the paper belongs to the risk identification phase of the emergency risk assessment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper deals with the monetization assessment of the environmental impacts of current systems of flat roofs. Monetization techniques are commonly used for evaluation of the negative environmental impact. Environmental impact can be defined as a change in the environment, whether favourable or unfavourable, which is wholly or partly due to human activity. Very often, environmental impacts are characterized by climate change such as global warming, acidification, eutrophication, ozone depletion, etc. With regard to the different units of the individual parameters of environmental impacts, it is very difficult to make a comprehensive assessment of the environmental impact. The goal of the paper is the case study of the economic evaluation of the environmental impacts of the building’s structures. The monetization process is represented on the assessments of current systems for flat roofs. The roofs act an essential view of the sustainability of the urban area. Roof structures influence economic, environmental and social impacts in the context of the urban area. Environmental impacts and its monetization are assessed throughout the life cycle of a building element or structure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT This paper aims to explore the efficiency of energy consumption on farms of different economic sizes in Latvia. Burning fossil fuels to satisfy a continuously growing demand for energy created by the industry, transport and households has been a cause of concern for several decades. It has been widely acknowledged as one of the major reasons for a massive increase in greenhouse gas emissions, a dramatic rise of global temperature and ongoing climate changes. Since farms use energy not only directly by operating machinery and equipment but also indirectly by utilizing energy-intensive fertilizers, pesticides and other chemicals, nowadays, the agricultural sector meets a serious challenge of devising and employing sustainable methods of production to enhance the efficiency of consumed energy. Although this topic has been high on the agenda for researchers, policy-makers, national, international, governmental and non-governmental organizations, little attention has been paid to a comparative analysis of the efficiency of energy consumption across various farms in Latvia. This paper attempts to fill this gap in the literature by examining the consumption of energy per hectare of the utilised agricultural area and per livestock unit over the years since Latvia’s accession to the EU in 2004. The paper adopted a mixed-method approach by integrating and interpreting the results of quantitative and qualitative data analysis. A statistical analysis was based on data obtained from SUDAT - a national component of the EU Farm Accountancy Data Network (FADN) in Latvia. Research shows that the efficiency of energy consumption significantly differs between farms of various economic sizes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper analyzes the changes of trends in temperature and precipitation in the Azov sea basin. The nature of this territory has undergone major changes. It is an important agricultural and industrial area. The paper considers changes in temperature and precipitation at stations located mainly in the steppe zone. Maximum, minimum, mean air temperature and precipitation trends on a seasonal and annual time scale are evaluated from data recorded at twelve weather stations in the basin of Azov sea during the period 1966–2015. Since the 70s of the twentieth century, there has been a monotonous increase in air temperature. The warmest years not only for Russia, but also for the Northern hemisphere and the globe as a whole were 2007, 2002, 2005 and 2004. Analysis of maximum air temperature values showed that the warmest years in the basin were 2010, 2007, and 2015. The minimum temperatures were recorded in 1987, 1976, 1992-1993 years. Over the past 15-20 years there have been significant changes in climate features. Annual and season changes are analyzed. It is established a steady warming trend. An increase in annual temperatures by 0.4-2.8 °C, January - by 2.6-3.1 °C and July - by 0.7- 2.1 °C. The study of air temperature by season showed that winter become warmer by 1.1 - 5.8 °C. The precipitation trend is less noticeable. In the winter and autumn periods there is an increase in the amount of precipitation. In the spring the amount of precipitation increases for all the stations under. In summer precipitation changes complicatedly. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, the whole world has been looking for the most suitable solution to deal with global warming and other environmental consequences caused mainly by anthropogenic activities. One of the potential problematic phenomena at present is urbanization, which subsequently has an impact on the enlargement of urban or suburban areas at the expense of green areas. Vertical vegetation systems are part of the blue-green sustainable infrastructure and have become increasingly popular in recent years. With the right design, the vegetation facades cool the building in the summer, warm it up in the winter and support the favorable microclimate in their immediate surroundings. Green facades can retain water at the point of impact and retain it in the substrate itself. The plants then gradually begin to regain and evaporate the water, which cools not only the building envelope but also its surroundings (they prevent the urban heat island effect). Vertical gardens with vegetation capture airborne dust, act as an acoustic absorber, and oxidize their surroundings. In addition, they protect the structure and insulation of the building, thus significantly extending the life of the facade itself. The paper aims at the characteristics of individual types of vertical green systems and the creation of a basic framework of multicriteria analysis for selecting the ideal system for a given object/construction. The multi-criteria comparative analysis evaluates the acquisition costs (investments), biodiversity, landscaping rate, landscaping intensity, maintenance requirements, improvement of the thermal comfort of the building, shape variability, and the durability of the vertical green system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Declared knowledge about climate change and related meteorological anomalies have a direct or indirect influence on the current evolution of relief, soils, hydrological regime, vegetation, and from animals to ecosystems. Changes are occurring in the conditions of the high mountain landscape, which we understand as part of natural evolution, but it is evident that their genesis has both global and local causes. The valley systems of the northeastern part of the High Tatras exhibit several processes that indicate changing climate conditions, especially in the context of their frequency and randomness of occurrence. Over the last twenty years, several manifestations of abrupt processes have occurred in the High Tatras that can be considered a result of a changing climate. In particular, these have been water-gravity processes associated with intense rainfall, practically from the Montane to the Alpine vegetation stage. Flood activity in the valleys, both on the northern and the southern sides of the mountains, is also linked to precipitation anomalies. Avalanches and, indirectly, landslides and destruction of the soil-vegetation cover are associated with the effects of sudden snowmelt. The effects of windstorms, particularly on the destruction of forest cover, which in turn triggers the development of slope-gravity processes, constitute a relatively separate chapter. The aim of this paper is to show the connection between these difficult to predict processes and the current climate evolution in the conditions of the highest mountain range of the Western Carpathians. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigated changes in carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) concentrations in the three components of the forest ecosystem (leaves, bark and soil) along an altitudinal gradient in the temperate forests of Romania. The properties and processes within the forest ecosystem are influenced by altitude. The leaves, litter and soil are important in the good development of the ecosystem and in the cycle of the elements. Plants extract the nutrients necessary for life and growth from the soil in which they carry out their entire activity. With the help of litter, the soil is supplied with nutrients useful for plants. The soil can be influenced by pH, being a physical factor, and in the forests of Romania it decreases with altitude, becoming acidic. In this paper, studies were performed to investigate the chemical components in the soil-water-plant chain, which highlights the importance of stoichiometric variation of nutrients in plant organs and their relationships with other components of the forest ecosystem. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, maritime transport in the Black Sea area, especially along the maritime transport routes that cross this area, has seen a considerable increase compared to previous years. However, navigation takes place not only in ports in Romania, Turkey, Georgia, Russia, Ukraine, and Bulgaria but also outside the Black Sea via Turkish straits, connecting with international routes. Maritime transport consists of two main components: passenger transport and freight transport, both components being directly affected by the evolution of the climatic condition. Therefore, in this paper, a study was conducted on the wave climate using data extracted from ERA5 database, a new generation reanalysis for global climate and weather in recent decades. Also, in this study, a comparison was made between the wave conditions for the period 2001-2020 and future projections. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Best Available Techniques (BAT) concept first emerged in the 1960s. It primarily serves as a tool for preventing industrial pollution and setting conditions for Integrated Environmental Permits for larger industrial installations. BAT include technological, technical and managerial solutions aimed to prevent or control pollution and provide for high resource and energy efficiency (EE) of production processes and minimisation of waste. Lessons learnt by various countries prove that the BAT concept has potential for a much wider application, going beyond pollution prevention and control. This paper considers opportunities opened up by BAT with respect to achieving several of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG). These opportunities form a ‘BAT flower’, petals of which are discussed in the paper. Internationally, the BAT concept is becoming an effective environmental policy instrument, and is gradually strengthening its position in the development of industrial policy. Stringent BAT requirements do not jeopardise industrial development and economic growth, but help harmonising progress towards SDG 8: Sustainable Economic Growth. Smart application of BAT requires reduction of pollution and enhanced EE. This also provides for the reduction of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions though regulatory instruments for climate change mitigation and industrial pollution often are separate, both at the national and international levels. BAT-based programmes for EE enhancement and GHG emissions reduction function in the European Union (EU), the United States (US) and Canada, making BAT a powerful instrument for energy and climate policies used to achieve SDG 13: Climate Action. Circular economy entails gradually decoupling economic activity from the consumption of finite resources, and designing waste out of the system. BAT require minimisation of waste in all technological processes and provides advice for replacing raw materials by waste in many industrial sectors (metallurgy, construction materials industry, energy generation, etc.). Thereby BAT contribute towards achieving SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production; in particular, through the reduction of releases of chemicals, BAT support target 12.4. Important results have been achieved within green chemistry due to the application of techniques reducing or eliminating the use or generation of hazardous substances in the design, manufacture and application of chemical products. Increasingly, countries apply green chemistry principles to identify BAT. Chemical products are used in all sectors of the economy; and are crucial for both industrial and rural development, protection of terrestrial ecosystems and prevention of soil degradation. Implementation of BAT is required by international and regional conventions, such as the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants, the Convention on Long-Range Transboundary Air Pollution, the Minamata Convention of Mercury and the Convention for the Protection of the Marine Environment of the North-East Atlantic. This helps promote SDG 17: Global Partnership for Sustainable Development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Drought represents a significant threat not only for the Czech Republic but also for the whole world. This threat is mainly influenced by climate change. Climate change increases air temperature. This article focuses on drought in the Czech Republic. The Czech Republic has experienced significant differences in temperatures in recent years. In particular, a change in the temperatures of the seasons can be observed and almost the disappearance of some seasons. Winter has significant fluctuations in shock and temperature changes. On the contrary, after the winter, the summer changes quickly, which is extremely warm. Temperatures can be recorded at higher peaks than usual. Thanks to the low rainfall intensity and too high summer temperatures, there is a loss of groundwater. The Czech Republic is suffering from drought, and some villages have to be outsourced. It is a significant phenomenon that is not unusual. In the past, the Czech Republic has encountered periods of drought since Mesopotamia. The aim of this paper is to introduce drought as a significant threat to the Czech Republic. First, the history of drought in the Czech Republic will be presented. Secondly, the paper will focus on the impact of climate change on current threats not only in the Czech Republic. Finally, the current wave of drought in the Czech Republic will be presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Brown Coal Research Institute j. s. c. is realising the long term research and survey in the field of restoration problems and it is realising the long term research of climate changes in the Czech Republic including impacts to mining operations during research programme of the European Union TEXMIN solving too. The input of expected temperature increasing and precipitation decreasing is favourable for mining operation from point of view of overburden and mining cuts stability, safety of mining and mining costs. The different situation is the field of reclamation works. The input of expected climatic change is very unfavourable in this case. The main reasons are primarily high level of the loss of seedlings during forest reclamation because of hot and dry periods and the necessity of very expensive, radical change of technical and biological reclamation methodology. The first results of this research are presented in this paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of mathematical modeling of runoff flow in sewer networks is to assess the hydraulic capacity and monitor their behavior in different conditions to predict the future state. Models of sewer networks are part of the design process. Their advantage is the possibility of simulating the future state of the network and the precipitation and runoff process in the context of climate change. With the help of simulations, it is possible to anticipate future conditions in the river basin and thus effectively design new networks. The presented paper focuses on using the MIKE URBAN model to assess of the sewer network of the city of Trnava, which lies in western Slovakia. The city's sewer network is obsolete and requires the reconstruction of certain sections. Problem sections of the network were identified using modeling. Reduced block rain with a return period of once in 2 years was used to simulate the storm event. The dry weather flow was simulated as a cyclic boundary condition corresponding to the water consumption unevenness curve. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Karezes represent a sustainable water supply since their discharge is regulated by the natural groundwater renewal in the mountains and on upslope surfaces in the valleys. Although most karezes have become inactive due to lowered groundwater levels, they can still be used together with other accessible information sources to initially and remotely interpret basin geohydrology and the groundwater resources when they were constructed (and today if still active). This is mainly done by using karezes to map the depth and slope of the groundwater table. Also, spatial and temporal changes in the water supply from karezes can indicate changing climatic and anthropogenic influences on groundwater resources. The aim of this paper is to present an approach that combines the “karez archive” of hydrogeological information with other, assessable information sources, such as topographic and climatic databases. Endemic knowledge is stressed as an importance and practical verification of the assessment, as well as a crucial component of the applications toward sustainable water management. The basin- specific conditions interpreted are most important in regions with poor data control for modeling basin hydrology. The characterization and combination of information sources is exemplified using karezes NW of Kandahar, Afghanistan. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Danube-Black Sea Channel, inaugurated in 1984, although it has a dark history, is also of significant importance at European level, being the third longest navigable channel in the world, after the Suez Channel and the Panama Channel and connects the North Sea to the Black Sea through the Rhine-Main-Danube Channel, shortening the route of goods transport from Australia to Central Europe by 400 kilometers. The channel has a total length of 95.6 km and consists of two branches, a main one having 64.4 km long and a northern branch (named Poarta Albă-Midia Năvodari Channel) with a length of 31.2 km. At the ends of the canal there are two locks that allow the level to be adjusted from fresh water to salt water, but only under the supervision of the Waterway Administration. In this paper, a study of navigation and restrictions along the Danube-Black Channel was conducted. A short presentation of the history of the channel is presented. Also, a statistical analysis on the traffic of goods and the types of goods transported in the last ten years was performed. The main ports and the main locks along the canal have been identified, but also how they are affected by heavy traffic and climate change. The evolution of the goods traffic for the period 2000-2020 was investigated, regarding the capacity of the transport ships, and as a total number of goods transported annually. For each category, the incoming goods and the outgoing goods were identified. Finally, a brief presentation of the dangerous areas and of the measures taken in this direction was made. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many studies confirm a shift to warmer climate in South East Europe. In Bulgaria, warming trends have been registered since the end of the last century, and different scenarios show increased air temperatures in the future. In the face of climate change, it is a challenge to assess its effect on water resources. The aim of the paper is to evaluate the possible impact of climate change on the discharge of two springs from the Lovech Tarnovo karst basin. This study uses the monthly water balance method to compare the future regime with the baseline regime for two karst springs. For calculations, the software WaterbalANce is applied, which is based on the Thornthwaite–Mather method. The monthly time series of temperature and precipitation for simulations are used from the meteostations neighbor to the springs (stations Pleven for Krushuna and Veliko Tarnovo for Musina). For the purposes of this study, monthly water balance calculations are performed for the baseline scenario S00 (1976–2000) and a set of future climate development scenarios Snn. The first index refers to absolute change of temperature, and the second – to relative change of precipitation. The scenarios S10 and S20 mean change only of temperature, +1.5°C and +3.5°C respectively. The S11 and S21 scenarios assume a 10% decrease in precipitation in addition to the corresponding temperature changes. The input data for any scenario other than the baseline scenario are obtained by corresponding changes in the time series of temperature and precipitation. The results of the water balance calculations show the negative impact of the increased temperature (flow reduction for the Musina spring by 13% and 25%, respectively, only for temperature change, +1.5°C and +3.5°C, respectively). An additional 10% reduction in precipitation will lead to a 33% and 44% drop in average discharge, respectively. Similar results are obtained for the flow rate of the Krushuna spring. Overall, these results show the serious negative impact of future climate change on the discharge of the studied springs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sewerage networks form an integral part of urban infrastructure. It is necessary to reconsider the outdated concept of sewer networks and rainwater management in cities that do not meet sustainable development ideas. The new understanding of rainwater management needs to be adapted to the new environmental conditions caused by climate change. The occurrence of pluvial floods has recently become an increasingly common phenomenon. The reasons are outdated sewer networks, rapid urbanization, an increase in impervious areas, and changes in the characteristics of rainfall events caused by climate change. The aim of the paper is to examine the conditions of pluvial floods in urban areas. With the help of literature research, the leading causes and primary conditions of urban floods were summarized. More than 40 scientific publications in this area were studied during the research. The results of the investigated studies demonstrate the need to change the design concept of urban sewer networks. The usual method of wastewater management in cities was based on the concept of the fastest drainage of water from an urbanized area. This concept ensures the prevention of endangering human lives and property, limiting traffic and the negative impact of these waters on surface and groundwater quality. At present, high demands are placed on the protection of the urban environment. Many sewer networks were designed in the last century based on the conditions of the time. Due to the new conditions resulting from climate change, it is necessary to re-evaluate the functionality and capacity of individual networks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Our planet experienced many intervals of climate deterioration due to terrestrial causes, such as intensified volcanism and a very active tectonic regime or extraterrestrial causes. The later includes major meteorite impacts and change in the exosphere, mostly linked to the modification of sunlight amount leading to glaciations. The most sensitive organisms to climate changes are the marine planktonic ones, especially the coccoliths and dinoflagellates. This paper describes modification in the marine planktonic world during three specific intervals: (1) K/T boundary, when the meteorite impact led to the acidification of ocean surface waters and the disappearance of over 80 % of marine planktonic taxa; (2) Oligocene cooling and instauration of permanent North Pole ice cap, along with the separation of the Tethys Ocean in the Mediterranean and Paratethyan Sea; the later occupied large areas in the Central and Eastern Europe; (3) The reconnection of the Black Sea with Mediterranean during Holocene times. These events are accompanied by shift of calcareous nannoplankton assemblages, including blooms of Braarudosphaera bigelowii, along with calcareous dinoflagellate taxa of Thoracosphaera. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper presents the results of petromagnetic studies of Lake Sabakty (South Ural, Russia) and their paleoclimatic interpretation. Lakes are an element of modern and ancient landscape. The climatic conditions, environmental features, hydrological and hydrochemical regime are the main factors to determine the features of sedimentation in lakes. It is shown that magnetic parameters can be used for paleoclimatic reconstructions. Particularly informative is the division into para-, ferro-, superparamagnetic magnetic components. This makes it possible to better determine the conditions of sedimentation and climate at this time (input of material into the sedimentation basin, changes in bioproductivity). Comparison of the data with the Blitt-Sernandez climate scheme made it possible to distinguish climatic zones and confirm that the changes in the paramagnetic component follow this sequence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Water crises have become more and more frequent in recent years. In fact, the ongoing climate changes have led very often to periods of drought, which, together with the increasing of groundwater exploitation, leads to a depletion of thess resources, which are fundamental for human life. Most of the most important springs, in the world, are located in karst areas. Specifically, for a large part of the Mediterranean region, karst springs play an essential role in water supply systems. The quantitative analysis of karst aquifers is therefore of primary importance, in order to undertake a sustainable management of groundwater resources. Monitoring the karst spring discharge during the entire hydrological year is recommended. When measurements are not possible, spring discharge estimation, should be done. In this study, authors monitored the Capodacqua di Spigno Spring from January 2018 to September 2020. They have measured the surplus discharges in the river near the spring, using a current-meter. It was thus possible to reconstruct the flow rate delivered by the spring for the entire monitoring period. The most important value to be considered, in groundwater management, is the minimum discharge that the spring supplies during the year. In this paper, an existing forecasting method, that uses the Standard Precipitation Index (SPI), for the estimation of the minimum annual spring discharge, in the Capodacqua di Spigno Spring, was applied. The forecasting method using the SPI does not give any indication on the timing of the minimum flow rate. Using the recession curves, it was possible to estimate when the expected minimum will occur. The estimated minimum flow rates were compared with the measurements carried out and with the real flow rates supplied by the spring. In conclusion, it has been demonstrated how important is to associate discharge estimation methods with its monitoring. The comparative analysis in fact leads to a better knowledge of the spring drought phenomenon. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The incidence of extreme rainfall has increased in recent decades. This negative impact of climate change also calls attention to when dealing with the recovery and reconstruction of sewer networks. Slovak cities have built a combined sewer network, which in the event of heavy rainfall, is not able to fulfill their primary function. The pipes are not able to carry the large volume of mixed wastewater, and network overload occurs. This paper focuses on the assessment of individual collectors of the sewerage network of the city of Trnava. The appraisal of the sewerage network will use a high - intensity rain and two different return periods (once every 10 years and once every 20 years). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The permanent and irreversible effects of changes in the face of the Earth that modern architecture should respond to, are discernible. What distinguishes the ideology of sustainable architecture is highlighting the meaning of the relationship between man and the environment. Due to their activity, people have not only a visible impact on the nature of the landscape, but also on climate change, disturbances in the functioning of flora and fauna, and even deterioration of the health of the population. Ecological, economic and social aspects are now equivalent in importance to the functionality and aesthetics of objects. The aim of the research work is to present the problem of sustainable architecture and outline the possibilities of using sustainable design as a method of work aimed at protecting natural resources through the use of renewable energy sources and improving the comfort of life, understood as a human well-being and the quality of use of the building. The overriding aim of the present paper is to draw attention to the conditions concerning the specific location of the building, both environmental and cultural referring to regional and social traditions. Particular attention was paid to the subject of pro-ecological innovation of the project in which the author of this paper sees the future of architecture. It concerns the use of raw materials and materials in a new and environmentally neutral manner as well as the application of regional priorities. The principles of balanced architecture methodology have been described and implemented on the example of the design process of a model object: an educational building in the Marszewo Forest Botanical Garden in Gdynia, Poland, which has the author of this paper as one of its creators. The paper poses a question of how we should nowadays discuss the role of architecture in human life with reference to creating a friendly environment, respecting nature and its properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The proposed paper presents the situation of the Teba-Timisat hydroameliorative arrangement located in the western part of Romania. Teba-Timisat hydroameliorative arrangement was realized in 1962 and the completion of the land improvement works in this arrangement was executed between 1985 and 1987. Since the execution, a series of rehabilitation works have been carried out, due to changes in agricultural practices in the area affected by climate change. This research assesses the state of the art as well as its functional characteristics, taking into account the possibility of accessing budget funds for the rehabilitation of technologically degraded or degraded components, based on sustainable development and environmental protection. Farmers need to get a better crop yield, but also the current legal framework, make this subject a topical subject. The purpose of the paper is to synthesize the design works and to identify the critical points in which intervention is required, from public or private funds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The proposed paper presents the situation of the Aranca hydroameliorative arrangement located in the western part of Romania. The Aranca hydroameliorative arrangement was realized in 1965 and the completion of the land improvement works in this arrangement were realized between the years 1974-1977. Since the execution, a series of rehabilitation works have been carried out due to changes in agricultural practices in the area affected by climate change. This research assesses the state of the art as well as its functional characteristics, taking into account the possibility of accessing budget funds for the rehabilitation of technologically degraded or degraded components, considering the sustainable development and environmental protection. Farmers need to get a better crop yield, but also the current legal framework, make this subject an actual subject. The purpose of the paper is to synthesize the design works and to identify the critical points in which intervention is required, from public or private funds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

World is changing rapidly. We are facing new reality and challenges. New global and complex solutions are needed to adapt to future reality. Tasks about landscape are coming to the forward more and more. It is necessary to speak about role of landscape in our life. Many points of view need to take into account when we want to speak about landscape and changes which are waiting for us in next decades. Question for researchers is how to obtain the best data for the best suggestions and recommendations for policy makers. We have to think about ecology, environment, spatial planning, land use changes, climate changes, agricultural practice and many more when we want to find answers. We need to have wide range of monitoring and measurements to collect data about various indicators. We have to monitor soil properties, meteorological conditions and soil water regime, especially. These parameters often influence another spheres of landscape, mainly agriculture. This paper deals with landscape, practical side of landscape indicators monitoring. Integrated system of monitoring of the main fields of nature is shown in this paper at case study of the Nitra river catchment. We focused on soil properties, soil water regime and meteorology parameters monitoring. The whole system of collecting, processing, analyzing and interpreting of collected data is introduced in this paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The geographic origin of pollution is disconnected from its scale or place of occurrence, and some environmental problems could have impact easily on the entire planet. Currently it is noticeable a continuous agravation of pollution and a change in the basics of ecological problems. Local pollution is replaced by global issues such as climate change or biodiversity loss. The paper attempted to reveal the direction of policy measures that target sustainability within a global context. The paper makes an incursion in the field of policy measures aimed to correct the environmental relations of the contemporary society and assess the anticipative and the strategies of integration by referring to level of greening occuring throughout the economy and the social behavior. Therefore, many environmentally harmfull processes continued and still are continuing to date making the policy agenda more and more crowded and reliefing the urgency of action, which is one of the main concerns today. Meanwhile, in the economy there are symptoms of "greening", although confusion is still a significant issue among companies that attempt to change beneath the pressure of legal, financial, and information strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Climate change is a global problem with serious social, economic and distributional effects on the environment. It is one of the main current challenges for humanity. Changing climate conditions in the long term, as well as short-term fluctuations and non-standard variation of temperature characteristics, have a significant impact on the behavior of pavement structure. Since the end of the 19th century, average temperatures have risen to 0.6 °C. The article describes the results of measurements and evaluations of non-standard climatic situations occurring in the territory of Slovakia and the assessment of their impacts on road pavement structure. For the design of pavements structures in the calculations, we consider the deformation of materials for equivalent temperatures derived from actual measured temperatures. The most important characteristics of the asphalt pavement temperature are considered to be the average annual temperature of the asphalt layer, the average daily temperature, and their average values in each of the seasons. The strain and stresses in concrete slabs are important/significant temperature gradients - the temperature difference at the top and bottom surfaces. The requirement from practice was to re-evaluate the behavior of pavement structures with respect to changes in the effects of the temperature regime by measuring temperatures with an analysis of their behavior. In the paper are examples of calculations and impact of standard and changing weather conditions on the dimensions of the structures and pavements lifetime. Some pavement structural design problems and solutions with respect to their temperature regime and climatic change conditions are described in sections dealing with asphalt pavements and pavements with cement concrete slabs [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Russian Arctic regions are most sensitive to global climate change. Their unique and fragile ecosystems are very dependent on freshwater. Beyond temperature rise, climate change is accompanied by shifts in precipitation and wind conditions, thereby causing floods, droughts, and altered mixing regimes, all having a serious impact on the abiotic and biotic structure. This work is relevant for better understanding of the biota of the Russian Arctic. Cladocerans are very promising for studying climate change risks owing to their inherently predictive nature. They form a rich functional group of zooplankton in ecosystem modeling and are distributed all over the world. However, the difficulty is that they are characterized by a very confusing taxonomy. In this paper, we considered the possible effects of large-scale climatic fluctuations on the dynamics of cladoceran community in the studied region. The aim of the study was to analyze of the subfossil cladoceran community of Lake Arkto-Pimberto in the Pechora River delta (in the northeast of European Russia). A total of 16 taxa were registered in the subfossil cladoceran community of the lake. Most of the identified taxa belong to the Chydoridae family. The representatives of the Bosminidae family were less frequent. Bosmina longispina was the dominant species. The subdominants were represented by Chydorus cf. sphaericus. Lake Arkto-Pimberto is inhabited mostly by northern and littoral species. The Shannon–Wiener diversity index varied between 0.86 and 1.85. According to the Pantle–Buck saprobity index, the lake is mesosaprobic. Significant changes in the composition of cladoceran communities were observed over time, thereby reflecting the environmental and climate changes in the region [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In current times of increasing weather extremes and climate change, there is a request for cheap and also high-quality agricultural products. It is important to fertilize soils and improve their physical and chemical properties to increase an agricultural production. To improve soil properties are used various organic materials, and biochar is one of them. Biochar, a product of thermal degradation of biomass, helps to improve the hydro-physical properties of the soil. It is produced from biomass by pyrolysis process, what means thermochemical decomposition of organic material at temperatures from 300° C to 1000° C with reduced access of oxygen. The interest of researchers began to focus on applications of burned organic waste into soil in the 80's of the 20th century. They were inspired by Amazon area where the soils called Terra Preta were made by massive input of wood burnt (similar to biochar). These soils have a high content of organic material and retain a higher production potential than the surrounding soils. In this paper, we deal with soil moisture changes in silt loam soil at plots with applied biochar in amount of 20 t.ha-1 and at plots without biochar during vegetation period in 2019. The cultivated crop was maize (Zea mays). Soil moisture was measured by 5TM sensors in 5 minutes interval. Our results confirmed the conclusions of a number of scientific studies that soil moisture was higher at plots with biochar than at plots without biochar application during monitoring period. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Currently, information technologies used for emergency management are a set of separate local processes that have a narrowly specialized focus. Often they are not integrated into a single management system and do not have information interaction. Integration of information technologies into a single management system will create a single information environment that combines the resources of various systems for the purpose of operational processing of information about emergencies and response coordination. The paper presents integrated information technology designed to solve a wide range of managerial tasks in emergencies. Integrated information technology is a combination of methods and software and hardware with developed processes of information interaction between them, ensuring the collection, storage, processing, analysis and transmission of information to reduce the complexity of the processes of preparation and use of information resources from various sources, to increase their reliability and efficiency. The main areas of work of the integrated information technology are: identification of possible sources of emergencies and their impact on the environment; implementation of regular observations and prediction of climatic changes (solar radiation, light conditions, temperature, humidity, precipitation, wind, atmospheric pressure); zoning of territories according to the presence of potentially dangerous geological, hydrogeological and meteorological phenomena and processes, as well as the risk of emergencies associated with them; forecasting and assessing the socio-economic consequences of emergencies, determining the forecast of the need for forces, facilities, material and financial resources; development of strategic and tactical action plans to protect the environment and localize the zone of influence of harmful and dangerous factors arising during emergencies; development of management decisions for the implementation of strategic and tactical action plans. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]