<abstract><title style='display:none'>Abstract</title>Nowadays climate change is amongst the most critical problems affecting the wellbeing of human beings. In Ethiopia, where the majority of the population rely on agriculture, climate change has adverse effects. In rural areas, low resilient capacity to shocks exacerbates the impacts of climate change such as production failure, which in turn enormously contributed to food insecurity. In view of this fact, this study assessed the perceptions and practices of climate change and related adaptation and mitigation strategies among farmers in the Konta Special District, Southern Ethiopia, by using a mixed research approach involving a concurrent method of data collection and analysis. Quantitative data for this study was generated from 296 randomly selected survey households; while, qualitative data was collected through focus group discussions, key informant interviews, and in-depth interviews. The findings of this study revealed that sample respondents recognized the occurrence climate change and its increasing adverse effects. Regarding its cause, a substantial proportion (46.8%) of the respondents perceived climate change as the wrath of God and a natural phenomenon rather than attributing it to human activities. Participants also acknowledged that anthropogenic factors such as deforestation are the major driving factors for climate change. The study found that farmers affirmatively perceive the feasibility of the majority of the strategies embraced in the Climate Resilient Green Economy initiative endorsed at national level. Understanding that climate change effects are less reversible, farmers were found to practice mitigation strategies such as afforestation, agroforestry and agricultural intensification more than adaptation strategies. Adaptation strategies such as fuel conservation technologies were perceived costly and complex given the economic capacity and skill of farmers. Hence, rural and agricultural development policies should initiate context sensitive adaptation and mitigation strategies to enhance the capability of smallholders to deal with the effects of climate change.</abstract>

Perceptions and practices of climate change adaptation and mitigation strategies among farmers in the Konta Special District, Ethiopia

<abstract><title style='display:none'>Abstract</title>Sustainable development has been highlighted widely in productive sectors such as the sugar industry with new paradigms and trends such restructuring of sugar mills in biorefineries and development of green chemical from byproducts, considering issues such as technology adoption towards sustainability, circular economy, climate change, value chain, sustainability assessment and decision making. Production of cane sugar is one of Mexico’s main agro-industries; it conveys numerous positive socio-economic impacts and presents opportunities for productive diversification and enhanced profitability and competiveness. The sugar industry faces sustainability challenges due to the management of natural resources like soil, water, fossil fuels and agrochemicals, as well as the impacts of its greenhouse gas emissions and socio-economic constraints. However, sustainability of cane and sugar production cannot be assessed due to a lack of methodological frameworks for integrating economic and environmental indicators. We propose an index for Mexico’s sugar agro-industry that facilitates the identification of those system components that impact sustainability. This index is based on a reduced number of indicators aggregated through a multi-criteria evaluation using the analytical hierarchy process (AHP). We apply this index to evaluate four sugar production systems in Mexico: producers of raw, refined, muscovado sugar and ethanol. Results show that systems with a high agro-industrial yield present better sustainability performance. This study is relevant because it provides quantitative information for decision makers towards a sustainable sugarcane agro-industry, based on the indicators used to build the sustainability index, to address actions as increase productive diversification by-products based, improve access to credit, irrigation, management practices and raw material quality reducing production costs, eliminate fossil fuel use in factories, make fertilizer application more efficient and reduce the area that is burned for manual harvest.</abstract>

Development of indicators for the sustainability of the sugar industry

<abstract>
<title style='display:none'>Abstract</title>
This article summarises the history of research into alien plants and plant communities in Slovakia (Central Europe). Earlier periods are reviewed briefly with reference to literature sources dealing with those periods more comprehensively. A milestone in the research was the publication of the Inventory of the alien flora of Slovakia in 2012 with a complete list of alien vascular plants. The last ten years are discussed more extensively in the article in four sections devoted to i) newly found alien plants, ii) distribution and habitat relations, iii) plant invasions, iv) citizen science based on the comprehensive excerption of literature sources. A list of 51 newly published alien taxa within the last ten years is also included with information on the year of their first occurrence in the wild in Slovakia.
</abstract>

Alien (invasive) vascular plants in Slovakia – a story of successful plant immigrants

<abstract><title style='display:none'>Abstract</title> Many plant and animal species are closely related to the aquatic environment. Small reservoirs are a place of the biodiversity concentration. Reservoirs are especially important for amphibian species as a place of feeding, shelter and wintering. Many anthropogenic factors has a significant impact on the natural values of water reservoirs (surroundings of the water reservoirs, the shore`s type, distance from roads and buildings, the role of the object and the chemical status). They can eliminate or change amphibian population. The effect of three such factors was determined for one of the cities in the Upper Silesian Agglomeration - Sosnowiec (91 km2). The paper presents an assessment of the impact of the type of surroundings, the percentage share of the open space around water reservoirs and the distance from roads and buildings on the number of amphibian species present in the reservoir. In the analysis were taken into account 20 reservoirs, in which amphibian species were found. This analysis indicates the influence urban factors on the number of amphibian species in water reservoirs based on positive correlations in the case of Spearman Rank correlation and the Fisher’s exact test. Results of these calculations highlight the negative impact of the anthropopressure (the changes in the environment) on the amphibian breeding places and the biodiversity.</abstract>

The impact of anthropogenic factors on the natural values of the water reservoirs in Sosnowiec (Poland)

<abstract><title style='display:none'>Abstract</title>The present investigation has been conducted to compare the level of environmental awareness among the University of Warsaw Bachelor students of selected fields of study, which are: economics, geography and environmental protection. Diagnostic survey method was used to collect data from 180 students. The research interviewees included 60 economics students (equivalent to 33.3% of all respondents), 56 geography students (31.1% of respondents) and 64 environmental science students (35.6% of respondents). The gender division was as follows: 119 females (66.1% of all respondents) and 61 males (33.9%) took part in the research. The survey consisted of two parts. The main part - “The study of environmental awareness” - referred to the dependent variable. Respondents were asked to provide answers to 21 questions. Twenty of them were closed-ended questions, while one was open-ended. The second part was demographics, which referred to independent variable – selected socio-demographic characteristics of respondents. The data were subjected to descriptive and chi-square analyses. Statistical analysis software STATA for Windows was used for statistical analysis. The significance level was set at 5%. The study showed that the field of study significantly affects the answers declared by students in 6 of 21 questions (number: 6, 8, 11, 12, 16 and 20). Gender significantly affects the answers declared by students in 2 questions (number: 2 and 10). It can therefore be assumed that field of study had much stronger influence on student’s level of environmental awareness than their gender.</abstract>

University Centre for Environmental Studies and Sustainable Development, University of Warsaw, Żwirki i Wigury Str. 93, 02-089 Warsaw, Poland

Department of Economic Sciences, University of Warsaw, Długa Str. 44/50, 00-241 Warsaw, Poland

Institute of Sociology, Cardinal Stefan Wyszynski University in Warsaw, Wóycickiego Str. 1/3, 01-938 Warsaw, Poland

A comparative study of environmental awareness among students pursuing Bachelor’s studies in selected academic fields at the University of Warsaw, Poland

<abstract>
<title style='display:none'>Abstract</title>
Due to an absence of domestic certified reference materials for coal on the Polish market, an attempt was made to manufacture a new and innovative product tailored to its needs. The chosen candidate material was hard coal acquired from Poland’s coal mines. A single reference material unit consisted of 50g of an analytical hard coal sample with a grain size below 0.2 mm. A manufacturing method was developed enabling production of matrix reference materials addressing the needs of the domestic solid fuel market, and was directed at research laboratories carrying out analyses of solid fuels for the energy and coking sectors. The adapted manufacturing scheme of a certified reference material for coal was presented with a description of the chosen critical steps of the process and discussion of the obtained results in terms of homogeneity, stability, characterisation of the reference material as well as assigned values to particular properties and their uncertainty budget. The results obtained during homogeneity, short-term and long-term stability assessments as well as reference material characterisation confirmed the feasibility of the investigated certified coal reference material manufacturing process. The obtained levels of relative expanded uncertainties of the measurements confirmed the feasibility of the manufactured certified reference material for establishing and maintaining metrological traceability of measurement results. The presented research establishes a base for planning out production of additional reference materials as well as providing the know-how for designing manufacturing schemes for reference materials for solid fuels, or waste related materials like fly ash, or furnace waste.
</abstract>

Certified reference material for coal in accordance with the PN-EN ISO 17034:2017-03 standard and ISO GUIDE 35:2017

<abstract>
<title style='display:none'>Abstract</title>
Risk assessment for groundwater allows for preventive activities in the field of environmental monitoring. The risk assessment for groundwater in the area of the municipal waste landfill in Sosnowiec was carried out using the Nemerov Index (NPI) and the Enrichment Index (EF), as well as a SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats) analysis and a risk matrix. It was performed on the basis of the database from 2014-2019 for ten piezometers belonging to the landfill’s observation network. In the case of the risk matrix, 20 risks were identified regarding climatic conditions, landfill infrastructure and employees. The SWOT analysis considered the strengths and weaknesses of the facility as well as opportunities related to technological development and threats related primarily to the location of the facility within the landscape. The risk assessment indices were calculated for the following parameters: electrolytic conductivity, Na, Mg, K, Ca, Mn, Fe, TOC, HCO3, Cl, SO4, and NH4. The highest values of the NPI index exceeded 3,500 (in a single measurement), while for the EF index the values reached almost 500. These prove the impact of this facility on the quality of groundwater. However, hydrochemical background value and the value of the immobile parameter are also important. This article uses limit values for the first class of groundwater quality. The results of above mentioned methods indicate a medium risk to groundwater, and the opportunities and strengths of the facility outweigh the negative aspects of the plant’s operation. Further research should include the identification of additional risk factors and the likely response to risk.
</abstract>

Risk analysis for groundwater in the area of the municipal waste landfill in Sosnowiec, South Poland

<abstract>
<title style='display:none'>Abstract</title>
An eco-religious approach is one that combines religious beliefs with ecological awareness, thus giving rise to responsibility for the natural environment, such as the threat of a climate crisis due to climate change, as part of the understanding of religion itself. This approach is not universally accepted because views on climate change, and the role of humans in addressing it, can vary among different religions and religious traditions. This research explores the relationship between religiosity and climate change, with a focus on the concept of an eco-religious approach. The aim was to understand how religiosity can influence climate change using the ecological footprint as a proxy. The cross-country robust regression analysis method was employed to address this objective. Robustness and sensitivity model checks were also performed, resulting in reliable regression analysis that can be generalized to various situations. The results of the study suggest that increased religiosity is associated with a decrease in per person ecological footprint. This research suggests a transformation of religious values towards a more inclusive eco-religious perspective, encompassing bio-centric and eco-centric ethics, and not just anthropocentric views. Collaboration between religious and non-religious communities is key in addressing climate change. Religious institutions are also identified as essential agents in mobilizing environmental movements, participating in international forums, and incorporating climate change issues into educational curricula. This research supports the potential of religiosity as a positive catalyst in global efforts to preserve environmental sustainability and address the holistic challenges of climate change.
</abstract>

Religiosity and climate change: An eco-religious approach

<abstract>
<title style='display:none'>Abstract</title>
This article generalizes the urbanization process and its impact on agricultural land use in Vietnam. The high rate of urbanization has led to a great demand for purchasing agricultural products, especially high-quality ones, and as a result, this affects agricultural development. On one hand, it offers new chances to expand the domestic market and to encourage exports. On the other hand, the conversion of agricultural land into non-agricultural land under accelerated urbanization leads to a large area of arable land being abandoned or polluted, consequently affecting food security and sustainable development. Therefore, to meet the people’s food needs in the context of urbanization, it is necessary to have proper solutions to improve the efficiency of agricultural land use, such as: implementing land laws aimed at developing agricultural production in the direction of large-scale, concentrated commodities; executing land-use planning, performing agricultural production planning towards specialized cultivation with a stable term to ensure profitable investment; boosting the restructuring of the agricultural sector; developing collective and cooperative economics in agriculture; having policies to support, forecast, and search for markets for consumption and the processing of agricultural products; creating a transparent land-use rights market.
</abstract>

Agricultural land use in Vietnam in the context of urbanization: status and policy implications

<abstract>
<title style='display:none'>Abstract</title>
In this article the influence of abiotic factors on agrophytocoenoses is considered, these are: moisture supply, rising air temperature, increasing carbon dioxide concentration, and the probability of environmental risks in particular. The degree of ecological risk has been established. Environmental risks due to the influence of climate change on agrophytocoenoses have been identified and substantiated and are: the spread of adventive and invasive plant species; loss of competitiveness of agrophytocoenosis crops relative to segetal phytobiota; increase in the number of species and distribution areas of segetal phytobiota; change in the sown area, productivity and quality of the harvest of agricultural crops; acquisition of tolerance of segetal phytobiota of agrocoenoses to herbicides and deterioration of their effectiveness under agroclimatic fluctuations. All of the above-mentioned environmental risks, which are associated with aggravation of the phytosanitary condition of crops inevitably, lead to a loss of the productivity of agrocoenoses. They lead to a decrease in the quality of the obtained plant and agricultural products as well. Along with the loss of productivity of the weedy agrocoenosis, there are environmental risks caused by the increased need for the use of plant protection products to ensure the control of the phytosanitary state of the agrocoenosis. Ensuring the reduction of environmental risks and enhancing the ecological safety of agrocoenoses is timely environmental monitoring, considering appropriate agronomic, protective, and preventive measures. These measures increase the adaptive capacity of agrocoenoses. r atmospheric levels in analyzing pertinent cases.
</abstract>

Environmental risks in agrophytocoenoses under the influence of segetal phytobiota

<abstract>
<title style='display:none'>Abstract</title>
Coke production is a strategic branch of the Polish, European and global economy. Economic growth is linked to the demand for high steel products, which is also connected to higher coke production. A sustainable supply of raw materials – like metallurgical coal – requires balanced, cost effective and environmentally friendly mining, to provide the best quality of coal and coke. There are various types of steelmaking coals mined in Poland (in the Upper Silesia Coal Basin), thus laboratory tests on extracted coals need to be undertaken in order to create safe mixtures of coals (coal blends) which will be processed in the blast furnace. With this mind a new tool – the safety calculation model – has been developed and implemented by the CLP-B Laboratory. This new approach taken by the laboratory is a multi-component analysis which assesses the possible risk associated with the transformation of coal blends during the coking process in the furnace. The new calculation model allows for the sustainable management of raw materials such as coking (steelmaking) coals – to produce the best quality of coke in safe conditions. In the new proposed formula, the parameters identified as critical ones for assessing the safety of the furnace feed, are moisture, ash and sulphur content, volatile matter, pressure expansion, dilatation, shrinkage, volume, CRI and CSR.
</abstract>

The sustainable supply of raw materials and an innovative method of testing metallurgical coal blends

<abstract>
<title style='display:none'>Abstract</title>
This study investigates the recurring floods within the Nekor Basin of NE Morocco, a phenomenon dating back to 1944. A multitude of factors has contributed to these recurrent floods, which profoundly affect the northern region encompassing the Nekor Plain. The research primarily investigates the influence of specific weather conditions on the surge of water levels in “Wadi Nekor” and the ensuing consequences when the valley veers from its primary course. The research findings strongly indicate that a significant portion of these flood events can be attributed to “Cut-Off Low” (COL) and atmospheric rivers (ARs), frequently aligning with mean sea level pressure (MSLP) systems located over, or in proximity to, the Moroccan region. This study employs a systematic classification and arrangement methodology for both upper and lower atmospheric levels in analyzing pertinent cases.
</abstract>

Exploring the impact of weather patterns on exceptional flooding events in the Nekor watershed, NE Morocco

<abstract><title style='display:none'>Abstract</title>The Environmental Kuznets Curve (EKC) hypothesis postulates an inverted U-shaped relationship between different pollutants and economic growth. In Ghana, as in many other developing countries, there exist scanty studies that confirm or otherwise the EKC hypothesis with regards to CO2 emissions as well as the factors that drive CO2 emissions. This work aims to bridge this knowledge gap by addressing these two major questions using data from 1970 to 2010 and the Auto Regressive Distributed Lag (ARDL) Bounds Testing approach. The results rather suggest a U-shaped relationship between per capita GDP and CO2 emissions per capita indicating the non-existence of the EKC hypothesis for CO2 in Ghana. This implies that further increase in per capita Gross Domestic Product (GDP) will only be associated with increase in CO2 emissions as the income per capita turning point of about $624 at constant 2000 prices occurred between 1996 and 1997. Furthermore, our results reveal energy consumption and trade openness are positive long run drivers of CO2 emissions. It is therefore recommended that the enhancement of trade liberalization policies should ensure the use of cleaner technologies and products while investment in cleaner energy alternatives could help reduce CO2 emissions. We also recommend the implementation of the Low Carbon Development Strategy which integrates development and climate change mitigation actions.</abstract>

Department of Economics, University of Ghana, P.O. Box LG 57, Legon-Accra,

Graduate School of Economics, Kobe University, 2-1 Rokkodai-chuo, Nada-ku, Kobe, Hyogo Prefecture,

An empirical examination of the Environmental Kuznets Curve hypothesis for carbon dioxide emissions in Ghana: an ARDL approach

<abstract><title style='display:none'>Abstract</title> Wood industries produce large volumes of residues which must be utilized, marketed or properly disposed of. Heaps of wood residues are common features in wood industries throughout the year. In Nigeria, this residue is generally regarded as waste and this has led to open burning practices, dumping in water bodies or dumping in an open area which constitutes environmental pollution. Sawmills in Nigeria generated over 1,000,000 m3 of wood waste in 2010 while about 5000 m3 of waste was generated in plywood mills. Nigeria generates about 1.8 million tons of sawdust annually and 5.2 million tons of wood wastes. The impact of improper disposal of waste wood on the environment affects both the aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems. Also burning of waste wood releases greenhouse gases into the atmosphere causing various health issues. Reuse/recycling of these wood residues in Nigeria will reduce the pressure on our ever decreasing forests, reduce environmental pollution, create wealth and employment. The literature available on this subject was reviewed and this article, therefore, focuses on the various methods of wood waste disposal and its utilization in Nigerian wood industries, the effects of wood waste on the environment as well as on human health and the benefits of proper wood waste management practices.</abstract>

Department of Forestry and Wood Technology, Federal University of Technology Akure, Ondo State, Nigeria

Department of Environmental Planning, Brandenburg University of Technology, Cottbus-Senftenberg, Germany

Sustainable wood waste management in Nigeria

<abstract><title style='display:none'>Abstract</title>China is the most populated country in the world, but has relatively little fertile land, and even less water. Maintaining the quality of its agricultural land is of paramount importance if China wants to feed its very large and growing population. Yet, China is one of the countries with the largest amount of polluted soil. This paper looks at the causes and distribution of soil pollution in China. It first looks at the amount of organic and inorganic soil pollutants and their geographic distribution. It then looks at the causes of soil pollution, making the distinction between agricultural activities, industrial activities, and urbanization. Pollution from agricultural activities stems primarily from the excessive amounts of pesticides and fertilizers used on farmland, and is mainly located in the south, where most of the food is produced. Pollution from industrial activities is due to airborne industrial pollutants that fall on to the land, and is mainly located in the west of the country, where most manufacturing activities take place. Pollution from urbanization is mainly due to the very large amount of solid, liquid and gaseous waste generated in a small area with insufficient treatment facilities, and exhaust fumes from vehicles, and is located around the largest cities, or roads. The result is that one fifth of China’s farmland is polluted, and an area the size of Taiwan is so polluted that farming should not be allowed there at all.</abstract>

Causes and distribution of soil pollution in China

<abstract><title style='display:none'>Abstract</title>The Katowice conurbation is an example of a typical old industrial region in Central and Eastern Europe, whose socioeconomic transformation, initiated after 1990, has led to spatial and functional changes. The aim of this article is to present the suburbanisation process in the Katowice conurbation based on demographic changes and an analysis of migration flow. This process has been taking place in the area since the 2000s and takes on the shape of a multi-centre development of newly created individual and developed housing zones (both in the core and in the suburban area of the conurbation). Since 1990, the cities of the Katowice conurbation have been undergoing a process of shrinking. This process is manifested in the decline in number of urban residents in the years 1991–2016, amounting to 366 thousand people. Moreover, the cities face numerous social, economic and spatial problems. Since 1995, simultaneous with the shrinking of the cities of the Katowice conurbation, there has been an increase in the number of inhabitants in its suburban areas (since 2004, the trend has continued to be positive). Population increases have also been recorded in some inner-city zones of the conurbation. The suburbanisation process in the outer zone of the conurbation includes, in particular, the communes located north and south of the cities constituting its core, including the communes of Ożarowice, Psary, Mierzęcice in the north and Mikołów, Orzesze, Wyry in the south-west. On the other hand, the areas of intense inner-city construction development, located in the areas of the Katowice conurbation core, which are attractive in terms of environment and transportation, are undergoing so-called, “internal suburbanisation”.</abstract>

The suburbanisation process in a depopulation context in the Katowice conurbation, Poland

<abstract><title style='display:none'>Abstract</title>In the presented research ERS1-2 and Envisat ASAR archive data were used for the periods 1993 – 2000 and 2003 – 2010. The radar images were acquired over Upper Silesia in southern Poland. DinSAR (Differential InSAR) and SBAS (Small Baseline Subset) methods were applied for the detection of the most subsided areas. The DinSAR images were layer stacked for an image using 26 interferometry pairs of ERS1-2 SAR and 16 pairs from Envisat ASAR images in an ascending-descending orbit combination. The stacking of these images showed the most subsided parts of these cities even under low coherent areas, but the results are less precise. In the Upper Silesian Coal Basin, intensive underground coal exploitation has resulted in several surface deformations under Bytom (~8-17 km2), Piekary Śląskie (~9-15 km2), Ruda Śląska (~32-42 km2) and Katowice (~20-23 km2) with 25-40 cm of subsidence (in general) in the studied time periods. The SBAS technique has also shown that coal mining caused subsidence in the cities of Bytom, Katowice, and Piekary Śląskie of 5-7 cm/yr. The presented SBAS method did not work for low coherent areas, e.g. dense forested areas. DInSAR data also pointed to several decreasingly less active mining areas, which relate to the mine closures in Bytom and Ruda Śląska, which is also verified by the time series analysis.</abstract>

Using radar interferometry and SBAS technique to detect surface subsidence relating to coal mining in Upper Silesia from 1993-2000 and 2003-2010

<abstract><title style='display:none'>Abstract</title>Problems of the social non-acceptance of the mining industry (particularly development projects) is relatively new, so more widely discussed for a relatively short time. In this paper, an extensive review of worldwide literature on this topic has been presented with special regard to the specificity of the European Union countries, where the NIMBY (Not In My Backyard) phenomenon is one of the key reasons for local community opposition. The problem is recognized mainly from the perspective of the mineral industry, but also from the point of view of government, NGOs or local communities. There are case studies, publications in the range of sustainable development, corporate social responsibility, geo-ethics, proposals for new analytical methods (for example multi-criteria and others) or effective solutions. The improvement in social acceptance for the mineral industry may be achieved by further development of technological, organizational and scientific methods which minimizes mining influences on the environment and society developing. Modern approach to social issues associated with mineral activity includes also strategies of bilateral communication, mediation/negotiation, cooperation between stakeholders to a larger extent then in the past. However, it is the continuous need of extensive, in-depth social debate on mineral development projects in the European Union, both in energetic and non-energetic branch.</abstract>

Problems of the social non-acceptance of mining projects with particular emphasis on the European Union – a literature review

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Environmental & Socio-economic Studies

The Journal of University of Silesia in Katowice

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 Environmental &amp; Socio-economic Studies is an international, peer-reviewed journal publishing original research papers, review articles and...