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The number of published scientific paper grows rapidly each year, totaling more than 2.9 million annually. New methodologies and systems have been developed to analyze scientific production and performance indicators from large quantities of data available from the scientific databases, such as Web of Science or Scopus. In this paper, we analyzed the international scientific production and co-authorship patterns for the most productive authors from Serbia based on the obtained Web of Science dataset in the period 2006–2013. We performed bibliometric and scientometric analyses together with statistical and collaboration network analysis, to reveal the causes of extraordinary publishing performance of some authors. For such authors, we found significant inequality in distribution of papers over journals and countries of co-authors, using Gini coefficient and Lorenz curves. Most of the papers belong to multidisciplinary, interdisciplinary, and the field of applied sciences. We have discovered three specific collaboration patterns that lead to high productivity in international collaboration. First pattern corresponds to mega-authorship papers with hundreds of co-authors gathered in specific research groups. The other two collaboration patterns were found in mathematics and multidisciplinary science, mainly application of graph theory and computational methods in physical chemistry. The former pattern results in a star-shaped collaboration network with mostly individual collaborators. The latter pattern includes multiple actors with high betweenness centrality measure and identified brokerage roles. The results are compared with the later period 2014–2023, where high scientific production has been observed in some other fields, such as biology and food science and technology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper presents a specific method of environmental impact assessment applied in Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) for the National Emission Reduction Plan (NERP) in the Republic of Serbia, based on air quality. The specificity of the approach is in the application of a semiquantitative method of multicriteria evaluation based on air dispersion modeling and the integration of SEA goals, indicators and criteria for assessing the impact of the NERP on the quality of air and other environmental elements in this method. When predicting changes in air quality for the planning horizon to 2028, the physical, geographical and climatic characteristics of the area were taken into account, as well as technical measures to reduce SO2 emissions, since this was the dominant pollutant from the Serbian coal-fired power plants studied by the NERP. Air pollution modeling was carried out using the AERMOD software package based on the data collected, and the quantitative results obtained were used in a multicriteria evaluation as part of the SEA. The results of the research indicated the importance of applying this approach in order to significantly increase objectivity in the SEA process, since it is an important element of decision making at the strategic level. In addition, a comparative presentation of the modeling results before and after application of the NERP was an important part of the SEA process, and it provided a clear insight into expected changes in the air quality. This is a key argument for making appropriate policy decisions on spatial, energy, environmental and socio-economic development in the Republic of Serbia, which, like other developing countries, is sluggishly following global trends in energy transition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The main goal of the paper is to review the existing state and propose a model solution for the introduction of the waste-to-energy concept in the Republic of Serbia and Bosnia and Herzegovina, as these Balkan countries are a source of high pollution due to the inefficient use of fossil fuels and the operation of coal-fired power plants. Besides, these countries have very low level of waste management, which results in the uncontrolled disposal of a large amount of waste which consists of plastic and microplastic materials which are difficult to decompose in natural ecosystems. Methods: Considering the type and objectives of the study, a mixed research method was chosen as a combination of exploratory research, descriptive research, explanatory research, and modeling. Results: The main result of the research shows the unfavorable situation in the field of waste management in the Republic of Serbia, as well as in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Both countries have adopted adequate strategies and plans, but waste management is not implemented accordingly, Nevertheless, numerous problems create considerable opportunities for improvement, especially regarding the potential for energy production from waste, which is an important approach to implementing the circular economy model. The study showed that the situation is particularly unfavorable in rural areas. Hence, the research proposes (a) a novel model for waste-to-energy governance and (b) a novel model for waste-to-energy management in rural areas. The research was done, and models were developed based on the examples of the Republic of Serbia, and Bosnia and Herzegovina. However, the results can be used in countries with a similar level of waste management and with a larger share of rural areas. Conclusions: The paper emphasizes the importance of a holistic and systemic approach to waste management, with emphasis on using waste-to-energy concept as particularly applicable in the transition to circular economy. This study proposes a model for the integration of waste management (with emphasis on plastic and microplastic) and energy efficiency, presenting a model of approach that can be used in countries that are at the beginning of introducing a circular economy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Nature-based solutions (NBS) in urban areas offer an opportunity to improve environmental conditions and to reduce CO2 emissions towards establishing climate-neutral cities in the next few decades. Furthermore, the implementation of NBSs—vertical or horizontal green infrastructures on public facilities—could in particular improve both climate, including outdoor thermal conditions on a micro-scale (especially during the summer season) and the energy demand of buildings as well as save heating energy during the winter period. Results: On both selected buildings, extensive green roofs were implemented as an NBS intervention. The analysed data were obtained using the monitoring systems (from 2019 to 2022) installed on two public buildings in Novi Sad (Republic of Serbia) and Osijek (Republic of Croatia), with a focus on climate/bioclimate characteristics and thermal transmission capacities. Four automatic weather stations (AWS) were used for microclimate monitoring, along with the heat flow meter (HFM) method, to measure the alterations in the thermal transmittance (U value) of a flat concrete roof before and after energy refurbishment and the installation of a green roof. The outcomes of this study show that the air temperatures (Ta) and globe temperatures (Tg) near the green roof are lower by 0–3 °C for Ta and by 0–16.5 °C for Tg than the values captured by the AWSs at other locations. An even more interesting fact is that the green roof has a constant cooling potential during tropical nights, and based upon this research, the cooling value is around 2 °C for Tg (the Ta value is not distinct). The thermal transmittance results show that more savings can be achieved by applying a green roof with an 8 cm thick substrate: U values decreased by 50–69%, as measured by two different heat flux sensors. Conclusions: Nature-based solutions, such as the implementation of an extensive green roof, have positive effects on diverse aspects of urban environments and building energy savings, which are particularly evident in extreme seasons, both summer and winter. Applying the proposed monitoring and assessment system could help local communities in their efforts to reduce carbon-based emissions. This paper provides a good example of the implementation of NBSs on a local- and a micro-scale. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, an artificial intelligence (AI) system is created in order to overcome difficulties in extracting information about electrical generator stator condition from data generated during offline electrical testing. The proposed AI system will enable classification of generators and that way expose urgency for any service activity. The logic used in expert decision-making is implemented in a fuzzy expert system and tested on a database of 82 generators in Serbia's power plants. This way an objective tool is made to overcome deficiency in sharp, discrete criteria or lack of criteria in international standards. Analysis and fuzzy system rule base will be based on conclusions from official reports about each generator condition and valid international standards and recommendations. The presented methodology is used for condition-based management (CBM) and risk-based management (RBM) of generators. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The subject of this article is to analyze the users' attitude towards new, 5G-enabled smart living services before their commercial launch. The goal is to offer a framework for the analysis and evaluation of influential factors in the early adoption of 5G residential services. Additionally, the paper examines how mobile operators can leverage their existing infrastructure and services to boost the acceptance of both 5G as a technology and the provided smart-living services. To ascertain the potential impact that mobile operators can have on the adoption of such services, loyalty programs were taken into account as a separate factor in the acceptance study. The study was conducted in Serbia in the form of a survey. The analysis of the results yielded some notable conclusions such as trust in technology playing the leading role in influencing the behavior intention, while loyalty programs showed that they can influence attitudes towards individual smart living services. The presented results can be used to shape any future implementation of 5G-based services in Serbia, or any other country whose 5G infrastructure and services for the residential customer segment are yet to be established. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study aims to present reliable information about thermal conditions and their impacts on visitors to ski travel destinations. Mountain tourism areas are specific since high altitudes affect the ambient weather conditions which can affect different types of human activities. In this paper, the thermal comfort and its changes in Kopaonik Mountain, the most popular ski resort in Serbia over the last 30 years, have been evaluated. Information about thermal comfort is presented by using the Universal Thermal Climate Index (UTCI), physiologically equivalent temperature (PET), and modified physiologically equivalent temperature (mPET) in 3-h resolution for the period 1991–2020. The results indicate prevailing cold stress all year round. Days with moderate, strong, and very strong heat stress were not recorded. Strong and extreme cold stress prevailed during winter, while slight and moderate cold stress prevailed during summer. Transitional seasons were very cold, but autumn was more comfortable than spring. The occurrence of days with neutral and slightly warm/cool conditions is concentrated in the summer months. However, summer is not used enough for tourism because the choice of tourists to stay at Kopaonik is not primarily based on favorable bioclimatic conditions, but on resources for winter tourism. With global warming, the annual number of thermally favorable days has been increasing, while the number of days with extreme and strong cold stress is decreasing. Continuing this trend can significantly influence tourism in the future, and therefore, new strategies in ski resorts will be required to adapt to the changing climate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: This paper is related to the current stage of development in the Western Balkans. Despite becoming growing instruments to finance sustainable green development, debt swaps and social or sustainability bonds are relative novelties in this region. At the same time, the development needs are huge, especially in the light of the COVID-19 aftermath. Results: The review of both historic financial instruments, such as the debt for nature swaps, and more recent ones, such as sustainability bonds in its variations, highlight the potential for use in developing countries. The relatively recent case from Montenegro and the recent issuance of the green bond in Serbia showcase the possibilities. The focus of this paper is an analysis of the public debt position of Western Balkan countries. The growing level of public debt over the past decade points to a lack of adequate interventions and a relatively imminent need for fiscal consolidation. The research suggests that environmental, social, governance/sustainability-linked bonds and debt-for-climate swap investments as innovative financial instruments that hold promise in leveraging additional finance to support the sustainability goals of the six countries of the Western Balkans. This influx of capital would be particularly advantageous, given their needs relative to EU accession and their economic and structural challenges. The recommendations for policymakers are derived based on the history and features of green bonds as well as debt-for-nature swaps and their diverse underlying mechanisms which are adaptable to the respective countries. Conclusions: The related countries would benefit from exploring more innovative approaches to finance sustainable societies. In close cooperation with the EU and taking the European Green Deal into consideration, it is recommended that the six countries of the Western Balkans design financing mechanisms that will bring increased transparency to the different policies and more accountability for their implementation. Applying the recommended modality may help keep the problem of the public debt at bay, while additional funds may support implementation of structural reforms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper proposes a new model for optimal similar days selection and its use in short-term load forecasting based on artificial neural network. Proposed day similarity metric model is based on the multi-filtering process and introduces a few novelties: (1) introduction of pre-history of similar days in a selection process; (2) extension of forecasting factors: load inertia, daylight duration and load profiles; (3) open model with possibility to add additional contribution factors; (4) particle swarm optimization is applied for calculation of the impact of different contributing factors. This approach results in optimal similar days selection even in a case where it is not obvious in advance which factors are the most relevant. Finally, the artificial neural network is used as a basic procedure for the short-term load forecast. The proposed model has been tested in the transmission system utility in Serbia, and the results are presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

National parks are areas of an exceptional importance in preserving natural and anthropogenic values and also attractive tourist destinations. The paper analyzes water quality and population' perceptions in the NP Djerdap, as an important and massively visited tourist destination in Serbia. In the first section of the paper, the pollution level of the Danube River (NP Djerdap) was analyzed using the water pollution index (WPI). In order to calculate the WPI, 18 physical, chemical and biological parameters from three stations on the Danube, collected between 2007 and 2016, were taken into account. The results show significant water pollution, as well as the prevalence of organic pollution. In the second section of the paper, the attitudes of local inhabitants and national parks visitors related to environmental pollution were analyzed. The results revealed certain differences between populations' perception of pollution and the actual water quality calculated based on the WPI. The respondents believed that tourism did not make significant damage to the environment and that it had no impact on the utilization of hydrographic resources and on economic activities related to nature. It was observed that younger and more educated groups of visitors had a more critical attitude about the impact of tourism on the environment than the older and less educated population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is well known that hot spots limit the ampacities of underground power cables. There are many commonly applied methods to control the thermal environment in hot spots of underground power cables. However, applications of cool pavements for this specific purpose would be a novelty in the field of power cable engineering. This paper considers the use of different cool pavements in combination with thermally stable bedding and/or pure quartz sand for mitigating or eliminating the thermal effect of an actual hot spot on the ampacities of a 110 kV cable line and a group of four 35 kV three-core cables installed in Belgrade, the Republic of Serbia. In the hot spot, the 110 kV cable line is installed in parallel with the group of 35 kV cables and crosses a district heating pipeline. All distances between these underground installations are lower than the recommended ones, and the 110 kV and 35 kV cables are laid at depths greater than required. The mutual thermal effects between the underground installations in the hot spot are simulated using FEM-based models for different environmental conditions. An experimental background is also provided. In comparison with the corresponding base cases, it has been found that the ampacities of the 110 kV cable line and group of 35 kV cables can be increased up to 25.1% and 60.9% in summer, and up to 62.8% and 170% in winter, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper aims to improve the methodology and results accuracy of MEDALUS model for assessing land degradation sensitivity through the application of different data detail levels and by introducing the application of Ellenberg indices in metrics related to vegetation drought sensitivity assessment. For that purpose, the MEDALUS model was applied at 2 levels of detail. Level I (municipality level) implied the use of available large-scale databases and level II (watershed) contains more detailed information about vegetation used in the calculation of the VQI and MQI factors (Fig. S6). The comparison was made using data based on CORINE Land Cover (2012) and forest inventory data, complemented with object-based classification. Results showed that data based on forest inventory data with the application of Ellenberg's indices and object-based classification have one class more, critical (C1 and C2) and that the percentage distribution of classes is different in both quantitative (area size of class sensitivity) and qualitative (aggregation and dispersion of sensitivity classes). The use of data from Forest Management Plans and the application of Ellenberg's indices affect the quality of the results and find its application in the model, especially if these results are used for monitoring and land area management on fine scales. Remote sensed data images (Sentinel-2B) were introduced into the methodology as a very important environmental monitoring tool and model results validation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper documents the change of temperature indices for the growing season (April–September) and dormancy (October–March) in Serbia based on observations from 26 meteorological stations. The mean, maximum, and minimum daily temperatures, as well as eight extreme temperature indices, were examined. A trend analysis revealed uneven changes in the growing season and dormant temperatures during the observation period divided into two parts (1961–1980 and 1981–2010) according to the results of the sequential Mann–Kendall test for detecting change points in time series. The dormant temperature changes were quite uniform during the entire examined period, while the growing season temperature displayed a complex pattern of change. In the sub-period 1961–1980, all examined temperature indices exhibited a cooling tendency during the growing season and a warming tendency during dormancy. A larger decreasing trend was detected in the growing season maximum temperature (a nationally averaged rate − 1.10 °C per decade) and related indices than in the growing season minimum temperature (a nationally averaged rate − 0.37 °C per decade) and related indices. In the same sub-period, the dormant maximum and minimum temperatures increased at the same rate of 0.49 °C per decade on average for all stations. During the sub-period 1981–2010, a warming tendency was detected both in the growing season and dormant temperature indices with similar magnitudes of the change (minimum and maximum temperatures increased on average from 0.48 to 0.56 °C per decade). Examination of the relationship between the temperature indices and large-scale circulation patterns revealed that only the East Atlantic pattern displayed significant association with trends of examined indices, but only during the growing season in the sub-period 1981–2010. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we have analyzed the time series of daily values for three meteorological elements, two continuous and a discontinuous one, i.e., the maximum and minimum air temperature and the precipitation. The analysis was done based on the observations from seven stations in Serbia from the period 1951-2010. The main aim of this paper was to quantify the complexity of the annual values for the mentioned time series and to calculate the rate of its change. For that purpose, we have used the sample entropy and the Kolmogorov complexity as the measures which can indicate the variability and irregularity of a given time series. Results obtained show that the maximum temperature has increasing trends in the given period which points out a warming, ranged in the interval 1-2 °C. The increasing temperature indicates the higher internal energy of the atmosphere, changing the weather patterns, manifested in the time series. The Kolmogorov complexity of the maximum temperature time series has statistically significant increasing trends, while the sample entropy has increasing but statistically insignificant trend. The trends of complexity measures for the minimum temperature depend on the location. Both complexity measures for the precipitation time series have decreasing trends. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Republic of Serbia must make significant efforts to promote and exploit renewable energy sources and increase energy efficiency in all energy sectors to ensure energy security and economic competitiveness, reduce the negative impact on the environment from energy production and use, and contribute to global efforts to reduce greenhouse gases. Within the paper several issues of integration of recently realized CHP plant are introduced and discussed. Firstly, the legal and energy policy issues in the Republic of Serbia regarding connecting CHP to the grid are presented. The challenges and technical solutions for CHP connection to the grid, as well as power quality issues and the role of the CHP plant during the restoration of power supply during the maintenance of the substation and unplanned loss of high voltage supply, are presented and discussed. Finally, the impact of prospective massive integration of CHP on the energy balance and CO2 emission reduction in the province of Vojvodina in Serbia is investigated and discussed. Since it is the first CHP plant realized in Serbia, it is crucial that experience be shared to all potential stakeholders in the future energy efficiency projects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hydro-meteorological risks are a growing issue for societies, economies and environments around the world. An effective, sustainable response to such risks and their future uncertainty requires a paradigm shift in our research and practical efforts. In this respect, Nature-Based Solutions (NBSs) offer the potential to achieve a more effective and flexible response to hydro-meteorological risks while also enhancing human well-being and biodiversity. The present paper describes a new methodology that incorporates stakeholders' preferences into a multi-criteria analysis framework, as part of a tool for selecting risk mitigation measures. The methodology has been applied to Tamnava river basin in Serbia and Nangang river basin in Taiwan within the EC-funded RECONECT project. The results highlight the importance of involving stakeholders in the early stages of projects in order to achieve successful implementation of NBSs. The methodology can assist decision-makers in formulating desirable benefits and co-benefits and can enable a systematic and transparent NBSs planning process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we described generation and performances of feedforward neural network models that could be used for a day ahead predictions of the daily maximum 1-h ozone concentration (1hO3) and 8-h average ozone concentration (8hO3) at one traffic and one background station in the urban area of Novi Sad, Serbia. The six meteorological variables for the day preceding the forecast and forecast day, ozone concentrations in the day preceding the forecast, the number of the day of the year, and the number of the weekday for which ozone prediction was performed were utilized as inputs. The three-layer perceptron neural network models with the best performance were chosen by testing with different numbers of neurons in the hidden layer and different activation functions. The mean bias error, mean absolute error, root mean squared error, correlation coefficient, and index of agreement or Willmott's Index for the validation data for 1hO3 forecasting were 0.005 μg m−3, 12.149 μg m−3, 15.926 μg m−3, 0.988, and 0.950, respectively, for the traffic station (Dnevnik), and − 0.565 μg m−3, 10.101 μg m−3, 12.962 μg m−3, 0.911, and 0.953, respectively, for the background station (Liman). For 8hO3 forecasting, statistical indicators were − 1.126 μg m−3, 10.614 μg m−3, 12.962 μg m−3, 0.910, and 0.948 respectively for the station Dnevnik and − 0.001 μg m−3, 8.574 μg m−3, 10.741 μg m−3, 0.936, and 0.966, respectively, for the station Liman. According to the Kolmogorov–Smirnov test, there is no significant difference between measured and predicted data. Models showed a good performance in forecasting days with the high values over a certain threshold. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we analyzed the influence of future climate change on wind energy potential in the Republic of Serbia. We used climate projections from two regional climate models: the coupled regional climate model Eta Belgrade University-Princeton Ocean Model (EBU-POM) and the Nonhydrostatic Multiscale Model on the B grid (NMMB). First, the daily wind speed at 10 m above ground that was simulated with both models was verified against observed data at 13 meteorological stations in the reference period, 1971–2000. Then, the wind speed at 10 m above ground was bias corrected and extrapolated to 70 m above ground, and the wind energy density was calculated at the same height. Next, the wind speed and wind density energy in a future period, 2071–2100, were calculated and compared with the reference period. Based on the analyzed results, the annual wind speed from the EBU-POM model underestimates the observed values at all stations, while the annual wind speed from NMMB model overestimates the observed values at all stations. In comparison with the reference period, the annual wind speed in the future will decrease in Serbia. These changes are small but statistically significant. On the other hand, analyses for different seasons revealed that seasonal changes in wind speed will be in the range of ± 5% relative to the reference period. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents the development and implementation of a monitoring procedure on the Palic-Ludas lake system in the north of the Republic of Serbia. After evaluating the system's current monitoring approach, additional measurements were conducted for both hydraulic and water quality parameters. The considered area is a complex system that incorporates lakes, hydraulic structures, and a channel, with a waste water treatment plant on its upstream, and a nature protection area on its downstream end, making its monitoring and management an interesting challenge. The available data was used to analyze both spacial and temporal changes of water quality parameters throughout the area. Conclusions were made regarding the onset of anoxia and the possible release of nutrients from sediment in some parts of the lake system. Using the available data and the Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment Water Quality Index (CCME WQI) method, it was determined that the current status of the lakes is between poor and marginal. This result certainly adds to the importance of enhancing the current monitoring approach. Consequently, the authors proposed the implementation of a monitoring system, so that the gathered information would be useful for decision makers. The CCME WQI method proved to be a beneficial way to describe and monitor the overall state of this complex lake system; therefore, future data gathering activity should be conceived in a way to facilitate this method of computing the water quality index. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During the construction of the unbound pavement layers of Corridors X and XI in Serbia, a problem was detected regarding the evaluation of cleanliness of the available materials. The European standard for the sand equivalent from 1999 to 2015 had significant changes related to the test procedure. A mass correction has been taken into account. It consists of replacing a part of the fines with rinsed material (0.063/2 mm) when the percentage of fines exceeds 10% in a tested fraction. Thus, the test sample usually yields high values of the sand equivalent, which often exceeds the limits of 50% and 60%. From the standpoint of the technical specifications, aggregates are considered clean, while using other methods like methylene blue or a plasticity index, the presence of clay particles above the limits can be confirmed. This paper presents the results of research on 63 laboratory-prepared test samples of limestone aggregate with small quantities of the smectite group of clay minerals, where the fines content in the unbound aggregate, 0/31.5 mm, gradually increased up to 20%. It was found that the sand equivalent values are continuously decreasing from 84 to 14% in the fraction 0/2 mm and from 87 to 18% in the 0/4 mm fraction, with increasing of the methylene blue value of the all-in aggregate (MBA) from 0.4 to 4.5 g/kg. Correlations of different methods and fractions, as well as with the content of fines were found. There are no correlations with SE10 because of grouping the test data around one point. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Monthly, seasonal and annual sums of precipitation in Serbia were analysed in this paper for the period 1961-2010. Latitude, longitude and altitude of 421 precipitation stations and terrain features in their close environment (slope and aspect of terrain within a radius of 10 km around the station) were used to develop a regression model on which spatial distribution of precipitation was calculated. The spatial distribution of annual, June (maximum values for almost all of the stations) and February (minimum values for almost all of the stations) precipitation is presented. Annual precipitation amounts ranged from 500 to 600 mm to over 1100 mm. June precipitation ranged from 60 to 140 mm and February precipitation from 30 to 100 mm. The validation results expressed as root mean square error (RMSE) for monthly sums ranged from 3.9 mm in October (7.5% of the average precipitation for this month) to 6.2 mm in April (10.4%). For seasonal sums, RMSE ranged from 10.4 mm during autumn (6.1% of the average precipitation for this season) to 20.5 mm during winter (13.4%). On the annual scale, RMSE was 68 mm (9.5% of the average amount of precipitation). We further analysed precipitation trends using Sen's estimation, while the Mann-Kendall test was used for testing the statistical significance of the trends. For most parts of Serbia, the mean annual precipitation trends fell between −5 and +5 and +5 and +15 mm/decade. June precipitation trends were mainly between −8 and +8 mm/decade. February precipitation trends generally ranged from −3 to +3 mm/decade. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Development finance is vital for low- and middle-income countries to enhance their sustainability agendas, as it provides essential funding necessary to close domestic financing gaps, including in the energy sector. Coal is still a vital power source for the energy sectors in the Western Balkans (i.e., Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia, and Serbia). The energy sector is a critical component in the five countries' pursuit to decarbonize (i.e., follow the net zero pathways) due to its central role as a primary contributor to greenhouse gas emissions and a critical enabler of sustainability transition. This article presents a mapping exercise of development finance for five Western Balkan countries' energy sectors. The study conducted a scoping literature review and detailed analysis of the five countries' energy sector-related development finance flows from 2008 to 2020. This aimed to provide insights into the development finance flows for renewable and non-renewable energy sources in five Western Balkan countries. Results: The scoping literature review indicated a significant gap in knowledge about the effects and effectiveness of development finance in the Western Balkans. Data analysis identified US$3.2 billion in energy development finance in the examined countries. The disbursement ratios were above the global average of 63%. Serbia received the highest proportion of the total funding, while Montenegro obtained the highest funding per capita. The data analysis did not establish a connection between adopting the Paris Agreement in 2016 and increasing development finance flows for renewable energy projects. Around one-third of the disbursed development finance was invested in projects for energy supply using non-renewable sources. Official Development Aid loans represented 37% (US$1.2 billion) of the total funding, contributing to the increase in indebtedness in the five countries. European-based bilateral and multilateral development finance providers were the most important actors in the five examined countries. Conclusions: The amount of the disbursed development finance was insufficient to cover a significant percentage of the needs of the surveyed countries. Although carbon-intensive energy infrastructure received considerable funding, the total amount of disbursed energy development finance ranged between 0.15 and 0.62% of the average gross domestic product for the analyzed countries during the study period. Based on the research findings, we recommend that development finance providers and recipient countries pay greater attention to planning for strategic funding disbursement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper focuses on the development and application of a technique for filling the daily erythemal UV dose data gaps and the reconstruction of the past daily erythemal UV doses in Novi Sad, Serbia. The technique implies developing the empirical equation for estimation of daily erythemal UV doses by means of relative daily sunshine duration under all sky conditions. A good agreement was found between modeled and measured values of erythemal UV doses. This technique was used for filling the short gaps in the erythemal UV dose measurement series (2003-2009) as well as for the reconstruction of the past time-series values (1981-2002). Statistically significant positive erythemal UV dose trend of 6.9 J m per year was found during the period 1981-2009. In relation to the reference period 1981-1989, an increase in the erythemal UV dose of 6.92 % is visible in the period 1990-1999 and the increase of 9.67 % can be seen in the period 2000-2009. The strongest increase in erythemal UV doses has been found for winter and spring seasons. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The precipitation-based indices such as the standardized precipitation index (SPI), the standardized anomaly index (SAI), the rainfall anomaly index (RAI), the percent of normal precipitation (PNP), the China Z index (CZI), and the modified China Z index (MCZI) were compared using monthly precipitation data from 28 synoptic stations in Serbia for the period 1946–2019. The MCZI and CZI showed the lowest similarity to the SPI index that was selected as a reference drought index. According to the findings of the present study, the RAI index was proposed as an index that has the most similar performance to the SPI index. Based on the spatial distribution of the RAI values for the year 2000, the whole region except the western part of Serbia can be classified as extremely dry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Processed meat products are a staple part of the typical European diet. Product packaging can include a considerable amount of information and, with other intrinsic and extrinsic attributes, substantially influence consumers' preferences and purchasing decisions. This study investigates 14 product attributes of processed meat products using a cross-country analysis. Based on an online survey conducted in Hungary (n = 410), Italy (n = 268), and Serbia (n = 402), an object-case best–worst scaling approach was applied. Results reveal both international and country-specific characteristics of preferences. Best-Worst scores reveal that taste and best-before date are among the most significant considerations in all three countries, while brand is among the attributes considered least important. Comparisons indicate significant differences according to country and socioeconomic characteristics. The study provides managerial implications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The world is increasingly developing towards complex and chaotic behaviour. Enterprises are challenged to establish flexible but trustworthy structures of doing business within global instability. We need to educate our students today for coping with such chaotic patterns in their professional future. As an example, the student-run Europe-wide organisation ESTIEM is offering the 2-week Summer Academy (SAC) to develop the communication skills corresponding. It also means among other aims to strengthen mutual trust through interaction of the students. In 2011, one of the SAC took place in Serbia. About 15 students attended it from all over Europe. In the paper, three of these students report on their experiences as a set of suggestions of how to develop further engineering and economics teaching towards international trust and stability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The environmental noise level represents one of the key factors of life quality in urban areas of modern cities. A continuous monitoring of the noise levels and the analysis of results have become a necessity when we discuss a possible recovery of those areas with high levels of noise pollution, and particularly, those zones which were designed for specific activities, e.g., areas around hospitals and schools. The city of Nis, Serbia, owing to the permanent long-term noise monitoring, possesses a database containing figures related to the noise levels at relevant locations in the city, which can serve as a basis for an analysis of the change of conditions, their tendencies in the future, and recognizing factors which influence the danger of noise pollution. The paper involves an analysis of the environmental noise level collected during the previous years. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this paper is to highlight and discuss advantages and constraints of different methods applied within the field of children's thinking studies, through the test of the repeated question hypothesis validity, using the conservation of liquid task. In our perspective, the Piagetian interview is an ecologically valid context for externalization and modification of children's thinking. We used an experimental procedure organized in standard and modified tasks, involving primary school children in Serbia. The results of quantitative and qualitative analyses show that the repeated question is not the unique cause of children's misleading in demonstrating to understand conservation. Other dimensions explain why children change their answers when they are tested by the two tasks we used, which offers an insight into the influence of research procedures on children's answers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper reports a loess-paleosol sequence located in the Danube River basin, Serbia, which formed at least since the latest part of the early Pleistocene, and before the paleomagnetic B/M boundary. Various magnetic parameters of the Serbian V-L-V-S loess-paleosol sequence have been measured and analyzed in the Titel Loess Plateau. These parameters show a very similar magnetic behavior compared with that of the Chinese loess. There is a general positive relationship between magnetic susceptibility ( χ) and pedogenesis. The main contributors to χ are the magnetic grains of SP (superparamagnetic) and SD (single domain) magnetic domains, while MD (multi domain) contributes only a small percentage. The difference in χ between loess and paleosol mainly is caused by pedogenesis. The very fine magnetic minerals increase gradually with increasing soil development (from loess to soil), and they lead to higher χ. The thermomagnetic curves show thatmagnetic minerals in the loess layers are magnetite and maghemite, both providing a major contribution to χ. In contrast the paleosol layers mainly are composed of magnetite, with almost no or a very small amount of maghemite, as implied by a reversible thermomagnetic behavior. This indicates that pedogenic conditions during V-S and V-S strong soil development have resulted in maghemite that is no longer stable, and has been resolved or converted to other stable phase minerals. This likely indicates that soil moisture during V-S and V-S development exceeded a critical condition of maghemite stability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article features some people and places which are significant in the history of analytical chemistry in Serbia. Chemistry and related subjects pharmacy and clinical analysis developed in a more formal manner following the Turkish occupation in 1830. Chemistry was taught in military academies in the country for defence purposes. Marko Leko is being credited for solving the structure of ammonium and closely related salts.

In the domain of environmental protection, multi-criteria evaluation is used in cases where multiple alternatives, on the bases of multiple parameters, need to be evaluated. Depending on the particular goal of investigation, various approaches have been developed and applied. This various multi-criteria approaches differ in parameter weighting method, in data normalization method as well as in the method for assessment of alternatives. According to the applied multi-criteria methodology, the result, i.e., the rank of alternatives may differ to some extent. In this context, parameter weighting bears special significance in multi-criteria evaluation, while the choice of method is crucial for final result. The specificity of parameter weighting process in environment protection is directly related to pronounced interdisciplinary character of this area, as well as the large number of influential parameters. With this in mind, this paper presents an approach to multi-criteria evaluation which-through integration of three specific methods for parameter weighting-allows more flexible and multi-purpose application. Based on the established concept, a software application was developed. Besides automated parameter weighting, it also provides graphical interpretation of results. The developed approach and software have been verified on the case study related to evaluation of environmental loadings at six locations in the city of Novi Sad. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents the results of a multivariate morphometric study of leaf anatomical characters in different populations of Sesleria rigida sensu lato in Serbia. Morphometric analyses were performed on cross-sections of 521 tiller leaves collected from 21 populations of S. rigida. Principal component analysis and canonical discriminant analysis were used to identify the structure of variability and to determine which variables discriminate between the groups. The UPGMA (unweighted pair-group average linkage) clustering analyses based on leaf anatomical characters and habitat climatic characteristics were employed to explore whether the observed anatomical differences are a result of adaptive responses. Regression analysis (linear regression) was performed to identify the level of correlation between leaf anatomical characters and basic orographic, geological, and bioclimatic habitat characteristics. DIVA-GIS software was used to extract 19 bioclimatic parameters from the WorldClim set of global climate layers. Our detailed analyses have shown that the studied populations are anatomically very well differentiated into the serpentine populations from western Serbia and carbonate populations from eastern Serbia. The regression analysis has shown that the geological substrate (serpentinites vs. carbonates) represents the most significant abiotic factor that is correlated with the anatomical differentiation of the populations in the studied area. Besides the geological substrate, bioclimatic parameters such as precipitation and habitat humidity are also highly correlated with the leaf anatomical characters, which was not the case with temperature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Precipitation is a very variable climatic element. It is highly variable, both spatially and temporally at different scales (interannual and intra-annual). The search for cyclicity in the climatic record can resolve some of the complexities of the atmospheric system. This paper takes the example of the Belgrade precipitation series (1889-2000) to illustrate how trend and spectral analysis can provide information on climate variability as expressed through this particular variable.The annual, seasonal and monthly precipitation series of the Belgrade-Observatory station were analyzed by means of the Mann-Kendall test and the spectral analysis. The power spectra were calculated using the autocorrelation spectral analysis, the maximum entropy spectral analysis and the multitaper method.The influence of large-scale phenomena such as the El-Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO) and the North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) on the Belgrade precipitation series was investigated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper presents results of investigating development of the hydrophilic flora and its qualitative composition in two Serbian reservoirs. They show that differences in shoreline indentation and muddiness, water depth, and degree of human influence on these two reservoirs have dictated differences in the number of species of the hydrophilic flora in them. Analysis of that flora indicated the presence of 64 plant species in the Gruza Reservoir, and 30 in the Grosnica Reservoir. Comparison of our results with those of the earlier investigations for both reservoirs is given in this paper, too. Values of the Sørenson similarity index indicated greater similarity between the two times of analysis for the Grosnica Reservoir. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper reports the results of a study using lichens as biomonitors to investigate the environmental distribution of depleted uranium (DU) at selected Kosovo sites as a consequence of the use of DU ordnance during the conflict of 1999. The results suggested that the use of DU ammunitions did not cause a diffuse environmental contamination in such a way to have caused a detectable U enrichment in lichens. Also isotopic235U/238U measurements did not indicate the presence of DU particles in lichens, except for some samples at a heavily shelled site, which resulted contaminated by DU. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The essay surveys various attempts of Serbian intellectual and political elites to define Serbian national goals in relation to a socialist Yugoslavia. I suggest that even though rhetorical devices and policies applied throughout the entire socialist period have appeared to be the same (e.g., that all Serbs should live in one state), different contexts in each of the subperiods of socialist Serbia and Yugoslavia yielded entirely different results (e.g., in favor of Yugoslavia, or in favor of a Greater Serbia). In the paper, I identify four distinct, yet interrelated, Serbian national discourses: conservative–socialist, socialist–reformist, national–liberal, and xenophobic nationalist. They are evaluated in relation to official Yugoslavism in the early 1960s and Serbian reformist policy of civic nationalism in the late 1960s to early 1970s, debates over the 1974 Constitution, and, finally, Serbian intellectual and political responses to the Yugoslav political crisis in the late 1980s to early 1990s. These moments have been chosen because of their particular relevance for understanding the mutations of Serbian national discourse in the former Yugoslavia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The impact of institutional environments on sustainability is well documented in the international business literature. However, how multiple and occasionally conflicting institutional logics shape sustainability as it is practiced by individuals across countries remains undertheorized. Our study contributes to this line of research by examining how multiple institutional logics inform the comprehension of sustainability practices in two high-hazard organizations in the Republic of Serbia and Canada. In doing so, our findings explicate three multi-level mechanisms – pulling down (1st level), relating (2nd level), and aligning (2nd level) – through which individuals in these organizations across two countries construct a localized understanding of sustainability. In both countries, individuals pull down elements of the state and organizational logics to construct meso-level logics they use to comprehend sustainability practices, albeit differently. In Serbia, due to the conflict between the current state logic and dominant high-hazard organizational logic, individuals pull down elements of the high-hazard organizational logic and the enduring legacy state logic to construct a community logic and align sustainability practices with it. In Canada, the state logic complements the high-hazard organizational logic, resulting in individuals pulling down elements of both logics to construct the professional logic and aligning their practice with it. In both countries, due to the dominance of the high-hazard organizational logic, individuals relate their practices to the well-being of others. Based on our comparative case analysis, we create a general model and a country-specific model depicting how individuals embed multiple institutional logics into their sustainability practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Increased temperature risk in cities threatens the health and well-being of urban population and is fueled by climate change and intensive urbanization. Consequently, further steps must be taken for assessing temperature conditions in cities and their association with public health, in order to improve public health prevention at local or regional level. This study contributes to solving the problems by analyzing the connection between extreme temperatures and the tendencies of all-cause hospital admissions. The analyses used (a) 1-h air temperature data, and (b) daily data of all-cause hospital admissions. The datasets include the summer period (June, July, August) for the years 2016 and 2017. We tested the effects of two temperature indices, day-to-day change in maximum temperature — Tmax,c and daily temperature range — Tr, with all-cause hospital admission subgroups, such as all-cause cases — Ha, hospital admissions in the population below 65 — Ha<65, and hospital admissions in the population aged 65 and over — Ha≥65. The results show the highest values of Ha when Tmax,c is between 6 and 10 °C. Therefore, more intensive hospital admissions can be expected when Tmax increases from day-to-day (positive values of Tmax,c), and it is more visible for Ha and Ha<65 (1 °C = 1% increase in hospital admissions). Also, Tr values between 10 °C and 14 °C cause an increase in the number of hospital admissions, and it is more noticeable for Ha≥65. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article presents the in-depth analysis of the disciplinary landscape of ethnology and anthropology in Serbia within the institutional contexts of humanities and social sciences. Focusing on the Department of Ethnology and Anthropology at the Faculty of Philosophy, University of Belgrade, it provides insights into the main subdisciplines, fields, and themes of research since 2006, a time when significant publishing activity was invigorated and the Bologna Process reforms were implemented in Serbian universities. Using a theoretical approach to knowledge production as a complex mosaic of complementary research, rather than a hierarchy of different quality works, the article tracks the dynamics of disciplinary (re)orientations in the Department over the past 16 years. This is accompanied by a methodological approach whereby the author does not assume the role of an epistemic arbiter who selects and labels representative work, but instead invites members of the studied Department to exercise the selection processes by filling out a survey that the author composed and distributed. The article is based on information collected through the survey, the Department documentation, as well as the author's own interpretation of the published works. Related subdisciplines are grouped in larger wholes and presented in counter-alphabetical order of the names given to them. Finally, the concluding part discusses the innovative and dynamic developments of the Department's faculty research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article sets to present the historical and current developments in ethnology and anthropology of Serbia. The first part is devoted to the historical overview which portrays the development of the discipline from the late 19th to the early 21st century. It ends with an explanation of the use of the concept "ethnology" and "anthropology" in present-day naming of the discipline. In the second part, the most important institutions, professional societies, and anthropological journals are presented. The third part is devoted to the advancements of the University of Belgrade Department of Ethnology and Anthropology, focusing on the period since 2006, when the implementation of the Bologna Process reforms started in Serbian universities and when the significant publishing activity was invigorated. This part presents major projects, conferences and publishing activities, as well as the course curricula implemented in the 2014–2022 period by the Department at the undergraduate, master's and doctoral levels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: One of the most significant human qualities is the ability to develop, implement, and flexibly maintain planned behaviour in order to achieve one's goals. Self-regulation has become a relatively well-researched area in the field of psychology and pedagogy. However, empirically valid and reliable instrument is still missing across European context. The primary goal of this research was to analyze the psychometric properties of the Czech version of the Self-Regulation Questionnaire (SRQ-CZ) among adult learners from Poland, Serbia, Slovakia, and the Czech Republic. Objective: The aim of the present study was to examine the factor structure and psychometric properties of the SRQ-CZ validated in the Czech educational context in a multi-cultural sample. Methods: A total of 1711 adult learners from European countries including Poland, Serbia, Slovakia, and the Czech Republic completed the SRQ-CZ. The first step to reviewing the validity of the SRQ-CZ included testing face validity. Furthermore, exploratory factor analysis (EFA) was performed on half the sample and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) on the other half. Measurement invariance was conducted across gender, age, and country followed by the evaluation of the reliability of the final instrument. Results: EFA showed that a three-factor structure best fit the data. The originally proposed Impulse Control and Self-Direction are merged into one distinct factor, while Decision Making and Goal Orientation comprise the other two. Goodness-of-fit statistics yielded from CFA showed a good fit for the model, introducing a reliable and measurement invariant instrument. Conclusion: The present study used a diverse multi-cultural sample to explore the factorial structure and psychometric properties of the SRQ-CZ. A three-factor model was obtained as the result of the exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses. Further analysis aiming at measurement invariance, comparing the sample according to gender, age, and country, led to satisfactory results. The only exception was a lack of model fit in the case of Serbia. Although further psychometric evaluation of the SRQ-CZ is still needed, the presented results constitute significant findings, confirming instrument validity and utility as a measure of generalized self-regulation capacity across adult learners in European educational context. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of the study is to show the anomalies of air pressure registered at meteorological stations in Serbia during the passage of shock waves on January 15 and 16, 2022, as a result of the Hunga Tonga–Hunga Ha'apai volcano eruption. Based on the assumption that the atmosphere of our planet behaves like a fluid, such and many other disturbances can be detected in any part of the Earth. Calculations have shown that the great circle distance from Belgrade (the capital of Serbia) to Hunga Tonga is 16,952 km. It was further determined that during the passage of the shock waves of such a distant phenomenon in the Pacific, air pressure anomalies, which were not related to the existing synoptic situation (the synoptic situation was stable, the weather was completely clear), had occurred in Serbia. The first stronger eruption occurred at 04:00 UTC on January 15. After the first stronger eruption, the research showed that two main shock waves had been distinguished in Serbia: the first one was registered around 19:00 UTC on January 15, and the second one was registered around 00:00 UTC on January 16. In both cases, in the next 2–3 h (19–22 UTC and 00–02 UTC), barographs at meteorological stations in Serbia recorded a pronounced oscillation of air pressure in a synoptically stable atmosphere. Also, the first shock wave return was noticed on January 17, around 08:00 UTC. Based on the distance and time registration of the shock wave in the form of air pressure anomaly at selected meteorological stations in Serbia, the speed of the shock wave was mathematically determined to be approximately 1,130 km h–1, which is close to the speed of sound. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Obedska Bara Special Nature Reserve is one of the oldest protected areas in the world, also enlisted as an Important Bird Area, Ramsar and UNESCO world heritage site. False indigo bush (Amorpha fruticosa L.) represents an invasive alien species which is significantly deteriorating the biodiversity of the Obedska Bara Special Nature Reserve in Serbia. Mapping of A. fruticosa, using an unmanned aerial vehicle and GIS tools, showed that in meadows, pastures, ponds and wetland areas, A. fruticosa covered 85 ha or 11% of the area. However, coverage was uneven, and the most overgrown areas were some meadows (up to 35%), while flooded areas and areas where human impact is significant, as on pastures, were not so affected (1–3%). The most susceptible parts were forest edges. Active management practices, such as cattle grazing and topsoil tarping, and occasional moving, gave positive effects in A. fruticosa, but also other invasive terrestrial plant species spreading control in the reserve. This has also been confirmed by the UAV survey and mapping, which has proven to be an effective method for A. fruticosa monitoring over large areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study reports the contents and sources of Cu, Hg, Cr, Ni, Co, Zn, Pb, Cd, As, and B pollution in soil samples from Srem in the province of Vojvodina (Republic of Serbia). They are collected in the vicinity of local industrial facilities. The main objective of this study is evaluating the impact of the industrial facilities on the eventual contamination of soils used mostly for agricultural manufacturing. This paper describes the implementation of the combination of methods to estimate the ecological status and determine potential ecological risk. This study applies sequential extraction, pollution indices, comparison with the guidelines, and statistical analysis. Other soil parameters, such as organic matter content, pH, and clay content were measured to evaluate their influence on the trace element content. The investigated soil samples exhibited the raised contents of Ni, Hg, and Cu. Elevated contents of toxic elements observed in localities accommodated within an impact zone affected by industrial complexes, indicating a correlation between the contamination of surrounding soil and potential impact on plants. The most mobile elements are Hg, Cd, and B, while Cr is the least mobile and potential least bioavailable. The results indicate Cr and Ni content increase marking the presence of bedrock, notably in the area of underlying ultramafic rocks and the surface zones influenced by diluvial-proluvial and alluvial processes. The second source of Cr and Ni in the soils of Srem is industrial activities such as leather, cement industry, as well as the metal processing factory. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, various spatial modelling techniques were applied to analyse changes in soil cover and their impact on soil erosion in the Oplenac wine-producing area in Serbia in the past (1985 and 2013) and in the future (with predictions for 2041). The Integrated Valuation of Ecosystem Services and Trade-offs Sediment Delivery Ratio (InVEST SDR) model and the Modules for Land Use Change Evaluation (MOLUSCE) model, integrated with methods of remote sensing, were successfully applied and were shown to be valid tools for predicting the impact of Land Use Land Cover (LULC) changes when estimating soil loss. The results revealed that the greatest impact of land use changes between 1985 and 2013 was on a reduction in areas under vineyards and an extension of meadow and pasturelands as an individual and social response to economic conditions during the research period. The forecast for 2041 reflected the trends observed in the previous period, with the greatest changes witnessing an increase in urban areas and a decrease in areas of arable land. It was also found that the effect of LULC changes on spatio-temporal patterns in the Oplenac wine-producing area did not have a major impact on soil loss, meaning this area, with its good agro-climatic characteristics, is suitable for the intensification of agricultural production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We studied activity concentrations of radionuclides in the Kopački Rit Nature Park using mosses as bioindicators. This area of intact nature is at the tripoint of Croatia, Hungary, and Serbia, being located basically at the centre of the middle Danube River basin. Therefore, it can be easily affected by airborne pollution from various locations in the Middle Europe and beyond. The goal of our research was to assess whether the Park could serve as a location where any new radioactive contamination could be sensitively detected, which implied a necessity for low activity concentrations at the present time. Our gamma-ray spectrometry revealed the presence of only one anthropogenic gamma emitter, that is, 137Cs. Its activity concentration in the mosses ranged from 0.7 to 13.1 Bq kg−1, being low indeed. Another radionuclide in our focus was 210Pb. Generally, its elevated concentrations may signify ecologically undesirable human activities that involve naturally occurring radioactive matter. The activity concentration of 210Pb in the mosses was in the range from 183 to 690 Bq kg−1. This did not depart from the results of other similar studies and was again low enough for a detection of possible excess amounts of this radionuclide in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, air temperature and precipitation seasonality and their correlation with large-scale atmospheric circulations over the Sava River Basin (SRB), i.e., over the areas of Slovenia, Croatia, and Serbia, are analyzed. We used daily air temperature and precipitation measurements from 12 meteorological stations for the period from 1981 to 2010. In addition, mean (Ta), maximum (Tmax), and minimum (Tmin) daily temperatures and daily precipitation (P) were included in the analysis. Temperature values were correlated with atmospheric circulation patterns (ACPs), i.e., daily indices Arctic Oscillation (AO), North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO), and Mediterranean Oscillation (MO) for the same study period. The daily air temperature and precipitation data were obtained from European Climate Assessment & Dataset (ECA&D). The results generally show increasing trends in air temperatures, mainly during the spring and summer seasons, but also non-significant trends for precipitation. Moreover, the correlation results show no or weak influence of ACPs on seasonal air temperatures and precipitation, but the dominant effects differ by ACP type as well as at different seasonal levels. Among the selected ACPs, MO proved to be the most significant for the Sava River Basin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Transformation of the heating sector is recognized as being essential for ensuring reliable and affordable energy services provided with reduced consumption of energy sources and diminished impact on the environment and less import dependency. The possibility of utilizing energy sources that otherwise would be wasted needs to be considered and treated as a big advantage of district heating systems. Despite many advantages, sewage wastewater heat is still a mostly unused resource at the global level and a totally unused energy source in Serbia, while data about the potential of this energy source are lacking. This research proposes a methodology for the determination of the technical potential of waste heat from wastewater treatment facilities for use in district heating systems by heat pump application. Data from existing wastewater treatment facilities are used for providing data for replication in cities without wastewater treatment plants but with district heating systems. An estimation of the recoverable heat energy potential of wastewater is used for evaluation of some effects that could be obtained through its full utilization for heat production in the existing district heating systems. Three groups of indicators are selected for analysis focusing on district heating systems' energy performance (primary energy factor, specific heat consumption per degree day and heating area), the security of energy supply (import dependency, Shannon–Wiener diversification index, the share of renewables) and environmental impact (carbon dioxide emission coefficient). Values of the selected indicators are determined for the current state of district heating systems and for the possible future state that could be achieved after full utilization of sewage wastewater potential. The proposed methodology is applied to Serbia, as a case study. It has been shown that all analyzed indicators for the projected future would have more preferable values compared to the values that correspond to the current state of the district heating systems. The use of this renewable energy source should provide primary energy savings of 5% per year, reduction of carbon dioxide emission of 6.5% per year, reduction of import dependency of DH systems of 9.8% and improved diversification of energy sources of 21%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, the influence of the East Atlantic Oscillation (EAO) on the climate indices based on the daily minimum temperature at eight stations in Serbia was examined. The following climate indices were analyzed: frost days (FD), cold nights (TN10p), warm nights (TN90p), minimum value of daily minimum temperature (TNn), tropical nights (TR), and cold spell duration indice (CSDI). Analysis of correlation between the East Atlantic Index (EAI) and the geopotential at 500 hPa, as well as between the EAI and climate indices was realized for all seasons and months during the period 1950-2009. Two characteristic situations for the extreme positive and negative values of the EAI were analyzed. Seasonal and monthly trend analyses of climate indices were performed. Decreases of FD and TN10p and increases of TN90p and TR were observed. It was found that the negative correlation prevailed between the EAI and TN10p/FD, and positive one between the EAI and TN90p/TR for all seasons and months. The highest correlation was observed between the EAI and TN90p in February. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]