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Objectives The issues of environmental protection, including stopping the degrading climate change, are currently a subject of particular interest of the scientific community, policymakers, practitioners, but also all people around the world. Banking institutions, as a giver of capital, play a special role in financing climate protection activities. On the other hand, they are particularly exposed to climate risk. The main purpose of the paper is climate risk exegesis and to analyze the degree of climate risk inclusion in the bank risk management process in the case of the Polish banking sector. The conducted empirical research verified the research hypothesis stating that the Polish banking sector is becoming more and more oriented towards the climate risk among the bank risk management systems. Material and methods The following research methods were used in the paper: survey questionnaire method, case study analysis, observation method and synthesis method. The research procedure included two stages of questionnaire research, followed by the analysis and evaluation of the obtained results. Results It has been shown that the Polish banking sector defines its climate goals and is increasingly sensitive to the climate risk management, including them in its risk management systems. It also assesses exposure to climate risk in terms of physical and transitional risk. Conclusions The research and results presented in this study are important in building political awareness as well as public, social and economic activities in the field of counteracting climate threats. However, banks’ awareness is very important for financing projects that reduce degrading impact on climate.

Over the past fifteen years, the concept of resilience has gained prominence in academia and practical management. Some even consider it the organizing principle of contemporary political life. Resilience is hailed as a solution to diverse issues, from international governance to climate change. Its popularity is intertwined with complexity epistemologies. However, within social sciences, concerns have arisen. Resilience's application to social systems requires a stronger theoretical underpinning, free from functionalist paradigms. There are reservations about its handling of conflicts, knowledge, and power dynamics. The concept implies adaptation to external events, potentially sidelining proactive interventions. Critics argue that resilience reinforces a neoliberal rationality, accentuating individual and community responsibility, and potentially diminishing social protection. It can function instrumentally, normalizing vulnerability and encouraging self-surveillance. This paper engages with these critiques, aiming to move beyond ideological criticism and embrace a pragmatic approach to advance resilience in social sciences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Cluster WASH (Water, Sanitation and Hygiene) is one of the cornerstones of humanitarian action, and a key element for the promotion of health worldwide. The recent years demonstrated the pressure on this humanitarian cluster, as a result of climate change. At the same time, it is also clear that WASH actions have a potential to foster health promotion, preparedness, and resilience among communities affected by humanitarian crisis related to climate hazards. This aspect is visible in both the existing literature of the major international organisations and NGOs networks acting in this field. It is also visible in the best practices promoted in two countries looked at in the paper: Bangladesh and the United States. This comparative analysis allows us to extract conclusions that may be replicable in other national or local contexts. It contributes to a better comprehension of the links between the humanitarian indicators and actions, and the imperative of a work with communities in order to improve even more the preparedness of the health impact of climate change.

This study provides an overview of the forests of Basilicata, Southern Italy, including their recent history, dominant forest types, current management, and vulnerability to climate change and wildfire. It outlines silvicultural and management proposals that can be implemented in the new forest plan that the Basilicata Region is about to adopt. The proposals are based on the principle of adaptive management to support forest functionality, biodiversity and ecosystem services. Silvicultural methods include continuous cover forestry, natural regeneration, species richness and functional diversity, structural diversification, imitation of natural disturbances, tree retention to increase biodiversity. The characteristics of the forest-wood supply chain have been analyzed, highlighting weaknesses and possible improvements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Environmental catastrophes, perpetuated by the unsustainable and unrestricted consumption of resources, are becoming increasingly apparent. Although elite practices often account for a disproportionate amount of resource usage, wealthy ways of life remain unchallenged while the non-elite continuously adapt to ecological crises. The cases of celebrity lawn-watering and golf course maintenance in drought-prone California represent the larger issue of elite practices that effectively oppose healthy change. These elite landscapes have become thoroughly ingrained in American culture, and dismantling their constructed necessity requires scepticism of information produced by those within dominant social orders. This paper will highlight the negative impacts of elite ecological practices while asserting that new ways of living, such as wild gardening and the repurposing of golf course land, should be embraced and empowered. Unnatural landscape aesthetics must be devalued to adapt to environmental changes, and to accomplish this feat, a cultural shift is crucial.