Search

Coastal lagoons are recognized as specific and complex water bodies vulnerable to climate change. The focus of this study was the Curonian Lagoon, the largest freshwater lagoon in the Baltic Sea and the whole of Europe. The changes in the hydrometeorological parameters of the lagoon over six decades were evaluated using two periods of climatological standard normal: the most recent 30-year period, i.e., 1991–2020, and the period of 1961–1990. Before statistical analysis, data were checked for homogeneity, and breakpoints were determined by Pettitt and Buishand tests. The Mann–Kendall test was used to determine trends in the data series. The analysis revealed substantial changes in the hydrometeorological parameters of the lagoon during two climate normal periods. An exceptionally high rise in air temperature was detected. A considerable increase was identified in the lagoon water temperature and water level data series. The duration of permanent ice cover on the lagoon declined, as did the ice thickness, whereas the ice breakup advanced. A downward trend in wind speed data was detected, while the change in precipitation had a positive direction. Air and water temperatures were highly correlated with the Arctic Oscillation (AO) index and the water level with the Scandinavia pattern (SCAND). Keywords: climate change; standard climate normal; hydrometeorological parameters; atmospheric circulation indices; Curonian Lagoon.

The improvement in energy efficiency (EE) and increasing consumption of renewable energy sources (RES) in manufacturing play an important role in pursuing sustainable development in the Baltic States and contribute to the transition to a low-carbon economy. This paper presents the results of a detailed analysis of the channel through which EE, along with structural activity changes, passes energy intensity and total energy savings and in combination with other key drivers results in reductions in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in manufacturing in Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania during the period 2010-2020, taking into account the role of transformations in the energy and climate framework of the European Union (EU). The Fisher Ideal Index, the Kaya identity, the Logarithmic Mean Divisia Index (LMDI), and comparative analysis methods are used. The results of the impact analysis of key drivers on energy intensity showed different contributions towards improvements in EE and structural activity changes to changes in energy intensity in manufacturing, which decreased by 53.1% in Estonia, by 30.5% in Lithuania, and by 16.5% in Latvia. The dominant role of EE improvements on total energy savings is identified. The results of the GHG decomposition analysis showed that because of improvements in energy intensity, reductions in the share of fossil fuels, and increases in labour productivity, number of employees, and emissions intensity, the GHG emissions decreased by 35.5% in Estonia, 40.4% in Latvia, and 8.1% in Lithuania. The results confirm the need for new policies and the implementation of relevant commitments to save energy and increase the contribution of RES in all three countries. Keywords: Baltic States; value added; energy intensity; GHG emissions; decomposition analysis.

The increasingly severe effects of climate change have resulted in a shift in countries’ approach to climate policy. From an initial focus on mitigation efforts, adaptation to climate change is now given equal importance. Adaptation policies in individual countries provide for different sets of instruments owing to different natural conditions and climate change impacts and their resulting problems as well as different approaches related to the sociopolitical characteristics of the country. In the paper, we identify and classify adaptation policy instruments and then look for the differences and similarities in the adaptation instrument mixes included in the national adaptation strategic documents of selected European countries. We focused on Western European (WE) and Central and Eastern European (CEE) countries, as the latter are underrepresented in studies on adaptation policies. Based on text-mining methods, i.e., categorisation of policy instruments using a set of criteria and clustering, we looked for similarities and differences between the adaptation instrument mixes in the chosen European countries. We found similarities between the two CEE countries studied Poland and Lithuania. These countries are also different from WE countries in this regard. The results indicate that CEE countries have a sectoral rather than systemic approach to adaptation policy, and instruments from the management sphere are less prominent. Keywords: climate change adaptation; adaptation policy; adaptation instruments.

The challenges posed by climate change have increasingly been recognized over the few past decades. This article synthesizes current research on broad themes such as climate change, reducing CO2 emissions, increasing the production of electric cars, etc. Our literature review revealed that much of the research on these topics has focused on the growth rate of motorization, greenhouse gas emissions and technology for the reduction of pollution. However, more recently, scientists have turned their attention to greenhouse gas emissions due to the release of pollutants. Therefore, the authors analyzed the total greenhouse gas emissions per EU country in 2019 and ranked Lithuania among the 28 EU countries. The primary directions for reducing carbon dioxide emissions by driving electric cars are described. A hypothesis is considered, i.e., that investments by transport companies in technological development are related to pollution reduction in Lithuania. The development of new technologies by transport companies has a huge impact on reducing pollution; therefore, it is important to apply more new technologies in future. The paper describes research on Lithuanian transportation enterprises to examine the interactions between the investments by and technological growth of a transportation company. Based on expert assessments and calculations, the relative importance of the components of the transport company’s primary investment measures to minimize pollution are determined. Keywords: motorization rate; climate change; greenhouse gases; technological development; electric cars; transport companies.

The aim of this article was to assess the efficiency of the utilization of public funds for climate neutrality. It was concluded that the data gathered in public statistics are not adapted to current challenges and hinder the direct measurement of climate policy objective implementation progress. Due to that, an innovative approach to public intervention efficiency analysis was proposed for the sake of decreasing CO2 emission in 27 European Union (EU) countries, based on Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) method and soft modeling. Statistical data are derived from the Eurostat database and pertain to the years 2005-2019. It was demonstrated that activity efficiency of the particular EU countries on climate neutrality varied and that together with the increase in public funds spent on environmental protection, the growth of effects in the field of reaching climate neutrality objectives was not observed. The greatest positive impact on achieving climate neutrality objectives was revealed for activities connected with building renewable sources of energy (RES) and there was no correlation detected for expenditures connected with transport infrastructure, which means that public funds used for their construction did not influence climate neutrality. It was established that, in the analyzed period, the decisions on allocating public funds were not taken on the basis of the expected amount of reduction in relation to the volume of outlays. In order to track the reasons for detected inefficiency, 52 projects were analyzed within the case study, which covered 3738 investments in the replacement of heating sources in one region of Poland. It was revealed that the efficiency of those investments varies; however, due to the full availability of data of the acquired results and outlays devoted to them, a synthetic index of efficiency measurement was established that presents the amount of CO2 reduction for EUR 1. When comparing the analyses carried out on macro and micro scales, it was observed that on the scale of the EU, there is a lack of uniform measurements or benchmarks of projects in the field of CO2 emissions reduction. Meanwhile, from the whole EU’s perspective, it should be reasonable to undertake projects with the highest economic efficiency, irrespective of political and geographical aspects. The results obtained should be utilized by decision-makers to elaborate reference methodologies and good practices in order to successfully implement climate objectives and especially the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD). What should be established are universal, on the EU scale, measurements and rules for gathering and counting data as well as benchmarks for the particular project types. Keywords: energy efficiency; renewable sources of energy; climate neutrality; public spending; soft modeling; data envelopment analysis (DEA).

The European Commission introduced a package of measures to accelerate the shift to low-carbon energy transition in Europe. In 2014, EU member states agreed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by at least 40% by 2030 compared to 1990 levels. The binding greenhouse gas emission targets for Member States from 2021 to 2030 for the transport, buildings, agriculture, waste, and land-use and forestry sectors were established. EU Member States should decide on their own how to meet the agreed upon 2030 target and implement climate-change-mitigation measures. All EU MSs have committed to prepare national energy and climate plans based on regulation on the governance of the energy union and climate action (EU)2018/1999, agreed as part of the Clean Energy for All Europeans package approved in 2019. The national plans outline how the EU Member States intend to implement the GHG reduction target by increasing their in energy efficiency, use of renewables, greenhouse-gas-emission reductions, interconnections, and research and innovation. This paper analyzes the energy and climate plans of the Baltic States and systematizes the main climate-changemitigation policies in the energy sector targeting the household sector. The background of energy and climate planning is provided from a theoretical point of view, encompassing regional, local, and national energy and climate plans. The diffusion levels of renewables in the Baltic States were determined and the energy-climatic-friendly policies followed, by them, they were identified. Keywords: climate change mitigation; plans; renewables; households; policies and measures.

In respect to CO2 emissions, the post-Soviet states are a scientifically interesting object of research, as each of the countries has developed via different paths since reclaiming independence from the Soviet Union. Given that each country has a different approach to the use of fossil resources, it is essential to assess their input to global carbon footprint individually. Such assessment then allows to find certain actions in the development of legislation and to apply focused techniques to reduce carbon emissions. The aim of this study was to evaluate the fossil CO2 emissions produced in the Baltic States from 1991 onward, describing challenges relating to sustainability and socio-economic, scientific, and integrated approaches to sustainable development, including clean and efficient use of energy, and thus addressing climate challenges. This paper reports on data on CO2 emissions in the Baltic States. The results show that the transition of the Baltic States from the specificities of the Soviet Union’s economy to an economy integrated into global markets has led to a significant reduction in CO2 emissions. However, the development and implementation of national policies for sustainable development are still crucial for mitigation of the climate crisis. Further actions must include the implementation and monitoring of policies for sustainable development, changing of the consumption and production patterns, education and awareness of sustainability, and adaptation to global climate change, while also addressing sustainability challenges. Keywords: climate change; CO2 emissions; net zero emissions; sustainability; sustainable energy; Baltic States.

Economic development and rising welfare lead to higher demand for energy services, which can limit or even negate the results of costly energy efficiency (EE) upgrades. At present, some consumption patterns in Central and Eastern European countries are more sustainable compared to the European Union (EU) average but are rapidly approaching it. Energy sufficiency (ES) leading to an absolute reduction in energy demand will be essential for achieving net zero climate goals, as it will contribute to reducing energy use and the significant investment needs associated with the electrification of the energy system. Various regulatory solutions can be deployed in pursuit of ES targets, but little information is available on the possible impacts on energy use and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, especially at the national level. This paper focuses on the residential building sector of two Central and Eastern European countries: Lithuania and Hungary. It attempts to quantify the potential energy demand reduction, associated GHG savings and the resulting change in the energy mix from limiting the per capita heated floor area using scenario analysis with the MESSAGE and HU-TIMES energy system models. The findings suggest that final energy demand could be reduced by 3.6% in Lithuania and 0.9% in Hungary. This would lead to a change in the energy production mix resulting in lower GHG emissions and savings on new energy generation capacity. The results of the research are indicative, as no costs were assigned to ES measures and the calculations were based on assumed levels of ES indicators. However, they suggest that it is worth identifying the consumption segments with ES potential, as a combination of the relevant measures can largely contribute to the achievement of net zero emissions. Keywords: sustainability; behaviour change; climate change mitigation; energy sufficiency; households.

The penetration of renewable energy is one of the main challenges for sustainable energy development. Local governments across the European Union commit to development and implementation of the Sustainable Energy (and Climate) Action Plan. This paper focuses on the case of Lithuania a Central and Eastern European country. Almost one-third of Lithuanian municipalities have joined the Covenant of Mayors and prepared the plans that include SWOT analysis. However, there is a lack of information on how those plans contribute to climate change mitigation and sustainable energy development. This study identifies the links between key policy financial instruments, increasing energy efficiency. The Strategic Action Plans aimed at reducing GHG emissions and energy consumption in Lithuanian municipalities are analyzed. The challenges in promoting the renewable energy generation in Lithuanian rural regions are discussed. Moreover, the importance of strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats identified is elicited at the local level. The study uses a combination of methods, such as expert surveys and SWOT analysis, that complements the tools used for regional energy climate planning and allows for overarching analysis. The expert survey shows that priority is given for renovation of buildings and modernization of energy infrastructure, making them more sustainable and more energy efficient. The results also show that, in the case of Lithuania (and possibly elsewhere in the post-Soviet countries), conditions and opportunities should be created beforehand to increase energy efficiency. Once this is achieved, the policies should focus on energy transition by switching to sustainable energy resources. Keywords: sustainable energy development; financial instruments; SWOT; energy efficiency; local level.