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The way forward clearly orients us towards the decarbonisation of energy systems. Sustainable energy systems ensure fewer burdens on the environment and consequently provide success when fighting climate change. Energy policy provides support in addressing the present energy challenges. Municipal policy has often been neglected, with greater emphasis being concentrated at the centralised level. In addition, another identified problem has been the insufficient quality of the municipal policy performance with lack of acknowledging various features within the municipality. Therefore, the presented paper focuses on the constitution of municipal energy policies that include all aspects of municipalities' energy systems and lead towards less environmentally burdened energy systems. The main objective is to enhance sustainable development within municipalities through constitution and integration of suitable municipal energy policies. The proposed paper presents an entirely inclusive process for a municipal energy policy's institutional, implementation and evaluation phases. Municipal energy policy has to enable maximum efficiency of energy systems by implementing customised targets and measures. This novel methodology for integrated municipal energy policy constitution and integration has, in fact, been applied within the Podlehnik municipality, representing one of the small municipalities in Slovenia. This work proposes an important step towards formalising a municipal energy policy constitution and integration process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Energy for society is an important element globally. Policy discussions in relation to climate change, suggest a transition from fossil-carbon-based systems to those based primarily upon renewable sources. The authors of this paper focused on a technical approach that can help to make that transition, namely pilot photovoltaic net metering installation for a business-residential entity in Slovenia, including its environmental perspectives. Results of the pilot photovoltaic net metering system installation revealed that the most cost effective solution is a photovoltaic installation with peak power of 6 kW, producing excess energy during the daytime. This has demonstrated that, with a proper planning, an optimum balance between energy production and consumption can be reached, and achieving a minimum price per kWh of the system. Regarding the environmental performance of the system, the results indicated that the most significant environmental impacts during its life cycle are related to global warming followed by human toxicity and terrestrial eco-toxicity. Photovoltaic net metering represents an option for producing and consuming cleaner energy, compared to conventional generation and usage, lowering the total price of the electrical energy (including fees and taxes) in comparison with the market purchases. This case study suggested that employing photovoltaic net metering in Slovenia is a reasonable option from the financial and environmental points of view, especially in the event of future increases of electricity price. Highlights • A new technical solution for PV net metering and its environmental performance. • PV net metering is an option of cleaner energy production and consumption. • Developed solution could be further utilized by the smart communities and cities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The paper discusses the environmental changes in the pile-dwelling period (5.7–3.2 ka) at the Ljubljansko barje (Slovenia) which were revealed during the study of settlement pattern and sedimentary analysis. The archaeological and radiocarbon data have demonstrated that the oldest pile-dwellings were located closer to the edge of the wetland, and the youngest were positioned closer to the central zone of the basin. The reason for the changes in the settlement pattern lies in the lake''s gradual regression: The pile-dwellers at the Ljubljansko barje built their villages on the edge of the relatively deeper water zone as it regressed. The sedimentary analyses have revealed basal shell-rich marls grading upward into clays with terrigenous input, suggesting a complex lacustrine environment evolving with time into a marshland. At the Resnikov prekop site, a depositional hiatus occurs from 7.4 to 2.2 ka, following which the basin filled with terrigenous sediment delivered by streams from the hilly surroundings. Across the Ljubljansko barje at Stare gmajne and Blatna Brezovica, presumably no depositional hiatus occurred, but the pile-dwellings were located in the marsh, not far from the edge of the deep water zone. Both analyses clearly demonstrate the interdependence between the gradual regression of the lake and settlement pattern during the period of pile-dwellings. These results fail to support some alternative hypotheses that the sites on the southeastern edge lined the dry land formed by river banks feeding the barje. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: In the context of a growing interest on cities as agents of change for low carbon futures, there is a question about the integration of climate change concerns into municipal sectoral policies, in particular, to what extent low carbon innovations can be incorporated into social housing policies. The paper presents a case study in Ljubljana (Slovenia), where the Municipal Housing Fund has implemented initiatives to advance low carbon innovation and to address energy vulnerabilities in the city. The analysis interrogates to what extent these experiments contribute to achieve a low carbon transition in Ljubljana and to what effect, through the application of a framework to understand how low carbon innovations are made, maintained and lived. The analysis suggests that whilst these experimental project enable the development of alternative visions of a low carbon urban future, they should be understood within the existing contradictions of the urban landscape in Ljubljana. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Lake Cerknica is an intermittent wetland with seasonal water level fluctuations. This paper discusses the possible changes of ecosystem services due to altered ecosystem functions caused by regional climate change. For this purpose, the lake''s water regime was analysed and biomass production of common reed (Phragmites australis), the prevailing species, was related to ambient temperatures and water level. The effect of the latter was also examined for reed transpiration rate and plant diversity. The results revealed a gradual loss of seasonality of floods and droughts. High water level in winter months and temperatures at the beginning as well as the end of vegetation period were found to have a significant influence on reed biomass. The plant diversity research in six subsequent years in three different aquatic habitats revealed trends of a decrease due to increased water depth during the vegetation period. The complexity of the system and consequently ecosystem services might also be affected due to changes of other processes, which revealed to be related to water level; namely transpiration rate, plant mycorrhizal colonisation and soil mineralisation. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: This paper investigates changes in the vegetation and hydrology at Ljubljansko barje (Slovenia) using a multi-proxy approach (pollen, diatoms, geochemical and stable isotope analysis). During the Lateglacial Ljubljansko barje was a deep, oligotrophic lake surrounded by open woodland comprised predominantly of Pinus and Betula which in the early Holocene, when the lake became shallower and mesotrophic (Fragilaria pinnata, δ 15N~3.3‰, δ 13C~−33.7‰, C/N~7.9), was replaced by broadleaved tree taxa (Tilia, Ulmus, Quercus, Corylus) and Picea. This was followed by the spread of Fagus and after ~9200 cal yr BP Abies and planktonic and oligotrophic diatom taxa (Aulacoseira italica, Gomphonema angustum) as well as an increased allochthonous influx (silt, SiO2, Al2O3). Between ca. 6750 and 6000 cal yr BP the diatom data suggest shallower and oligotrophic conditions, whereas the stable isotope record (increased δ 13C and decreased δ 15N) indicates terrestrial input. Changes in forest composition (increase of Quercus, Alnus, Corylus) and the spread of herb taxa were probably advanced by human impact on the environment. The beginning of organic sedimentation, dated to 6000 cal yr BP, was followed by an increase of Fagus and Abies and by eutrophication and peat growth at ~5200 cal yr BP. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Uncertainties related to the climate impact studies are reviewed on the case of onion thrips in Slovenia. Paper illustrates cumulative uncertainty introduced by future emission scenarios, general circulation models, downscaling procedures, weather generators and impact (degree-day) models as common tools in climate impact studies. The result of cumulative uncertainty is a wide range of expected warming in Slovenia in the 21st century. An expected increase of air temperature, relative to 1990, is between 1.5 and 7°C till the end of present century. Due to heterogeneity of the present climate conditions in Slovenia, quite uniform air temperature increase on the entire area will have different impact on the change of cumulative degree-days (DD) and related number of generations of onion thrips per year (N gen) in different regions. An example of Ljubljana and Bilje shows that larger increase of DD and related N gen is expected for regions with warmer climate. As a result, more damage will probably be caused in areas that are already strongly exposed to the problem of onion thrips. Harmfulness of the pest in the areas, where it is not a serious threat at present, will also increase. However, we have to be fully aware of a large amount of uncertainty related to studies of climate change impact while interpreting their results. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]