European Green Deal Research Articles

The Importance of Information Flow Relevant to Sustainable Forestry and the European Green Deal: The Case of Poland

The aim of the conducted research was to develop a classification of relevant/sustainable information by indicating the links between relevant information and the various functions of forests, and to obtain information on the value of specific sustainable forestry information for users of reporting information. The specific objectives include indicating the weight of information regarding sustainable development contained in the 2030 Forestry Strategy. The research was carried out using the example of the State Forests of Poland in correlation with the actions and initiatives of the European Green Deal, identifying the enduring functions of sustainable forestry, and attempting to relate them to the relevant information disclosed in mandatory reporting. The research problem was formulated as the question: which information disclosed in reporting, including statistical data, is considered by information users to be the most useful? The study was implemented through the development of survey questionnaires aimed at examining the information needs of information users. The study employed the triangulation method, in particular: a literature analysis and critique, a logical analysis and construction, and the snowball sampling method. Triangulation ensures the reliability of the research approach as well as the acquisition of comprehensive and contextual knowledge about the given phenomenon. The results of the empirical research indicated which pieces of information disclosed in the reporting on the activities of the State Forests are particularly useful for internal stakeholders and which do not necessarily provide value and therefore may be omitted in reporting. The study presented in the article constitutes the first empirical study of its kind in Poland, conducted in the context of understanding and defining relevant information from the perspective of sustainable forestry. The study illustrates individual behaviors in the context of the information currently disclosed in correlation with their usefulness.

Not in my backyard? Prospects, problems and perceptions of lithium extraction in Austria

BackgroundThe European Green Deal has rekindled interest in the mining of critical raw materials within Europe’s borders. The Weinebene lithium deposit, near Wolfsberg (Austria), deemed uneconomic as late as the 2000s, has attracted interest from developers because of the widespread demand for the metal for battery technology and in the electro-mobility sector. Based on a multi-scalar analysis, the main objective of this study is to investigate local citizens’ and politicians’ perceptions of potential environmental and socio-economic impacts of the Wolfsberg project. We deploy an interdisciplinary political geology approach that assesses its geological feasibility, social acceptability and the associated power relations, in the light of European debates around so-called ‘green extractivism’.ResultsThe exploitation of the lithium deposit seems to be promising from a geological point of view: the Weinebene hard rock, vein-type spodumene deposit was assessed at 12.9 Mt grading 1% Li2O, and the planned mine could provide 10,500 tpa LiOH/year for a period of 20 years, which would be around 4.5% of global production in 2021. However, the main results of the study show that conflicts are emerging around local environmental impacts, for example, the increase of traffic. Such environmental impacts resulting in greater CO2 emissions contradict decarbonisation objectives and ecological transitions. Local youth and politicians have highlighted the possibility of local mineral production, job creation and economic development. Nevertheless, politicians have criticized the company’s communication policy.ConclusionsThe geological analysis suggests adequate lithium resources. Otherwise, the Wolfsberg project is undermined by the lack of an open public dialogue on its future. Local residents and politicians are barely involved in the planning and permitting stages. The company European Lithium is confident of starting extraction soon, but in reality this is still uncertain. More widely, our results point towards the need for a strong degrowth strategy to generally reduce mineral consumption in Europe while also stopping destructive mining projects in the Global South. Local public perceptions have to be taken more into account when it comes to the future of lithium extraction in Europe’s ‘backyard’. Mechanisms need to be developed to fully integrate local residents into decision making processes.

Was there a notion of ‘enough’ in the European Green Deal? Sufficiency in the European Union’s sustainability discourse

Purpose This study aims to discuss the role that sufficiency, as a measure of “enoughness”, played in the European Union’s (EU) sustainability-focused discourse embodied in the European Green Deal (EGD) agenda, its 2019–2024 flagship socio-ecological transformation programme aimed at net-zero emissions by 2050 and protecting its “natural capital”. Design/methodology/approach This study uses discourse analysis to examine how sufficiency is represented across major strategic policy initiatives emerging from the EGD during the period 2019–2024. Findings This study finds that, despite the discursive window of opportunity provided by the EGD, notions of sufficiency remain weak and underspecified at the EU level, essentially taking the form of informational tools to spur citizens’ sustainable behaviour. Practical implications This study reveals that a discourse that merely provides a window of opportunity for but does not mandate sufficiency-oriented policies is insufficient to counter the long-standing bias of EU sustainability-oriented discourse towards technological solutions aimed at efficiency gains. Social implications This study argues that by omitting what are ultimately low-hanging fruit related to avoiding consumption, the EU risks not attaining self-set climate and environmental aims. It also makes proposals on how to address this omission in EU sustainability policymaking. Originality/value This study represents the first attempt at analysing the role of sufficiency in EU-level policy initiatives. The puzzling finding that sufficiency-oriented tools remain underused despite the EGD’s vow to comprehensively address “this generation’s defining task” of climate and environmental challenges requires further academic and normative scrutiny.

Analysis of the Life Cycle and Circular Economy Strategies for Batteries Adopted by the Main Electric Vehicle Manufacturers

In response to escalating environmental concerns and the imperative for a transition to a more sustainable economy, the European Union enacted a new regulation on the electric battery market in July 2023. This regulation integrates the principles of the circular economy, as outlined in the European Green Deal, addressing all phases of the battery life cycle, including the mining of raw materials, product design, production processes, reuse, and recycling. In light of this development, the principal manufacturers of electric vehicles (EVs) and hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs) have undertaken various circular economy (CE) and life cycle (LC) strategies. Their objective is to align their operations with these new regulatory requirements and enhance their sustainability credentials. The global automotive industry, encompassing thousands of entities with an annual turnover exceeding USD 3 trillion, is a significant economic sector. Within this industry, it is estimated that more than 50 manufacturers are involved in the production of EVs, ranging from established automakers to emerging startups. This study applies content analysis to obtain qualitative and quantitative information from data disclosed by companies and organizations, with a specific focus on entities that currently feature EVs or HEVs. The methodology involves examining publicly available reports and corporate disclosures to assess industry trends and regulatory compliance. For this purpose, the analysis selected the 10 largest EV manufacturers in the world, based on sales reports provided by the manufacturers themselves and their respective market shares, as reported by automotive news portals and blogs. The evaluation of their actions was derived from the annual sustainability reports of these companies, with the aim of identifying the practices already implemented and their anticipated contributions to extending battery life and minimizing environmental impact.

Assessing the alignment of EU and member states external energy strategies with the European green deal: 2019–2024

Abstract With the launch of the European Green Deal in 2019, the von der Leyen Commission put forward a clear sustainable energy strategy, which includes an external dimension. However, Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 put pressure on the alignment of EU and member states’ external energy security strategies with the European Green Deal. In this Paper, we focus on the external energy strategy of the EU, Germany and Italy towards two fossil fuel exporting countries in the Southern Neighbourhood: Egypt and Algeria. We find that, although a higher degree of alignment was found just after the invasion of Ukraine between the EU and Germany while remaining equal with Italy, there was a lower degree of alignment with the European Green Deal.

The Rise of Green Finance: Sustainable Investment Trends in the 21st Century

Green finance has emerged as a transformative force in the global financial landscape, aligning investment strategies with environmental sustainability and climate resilience. This paper explores the evolution, key drivers, and future prospects of green finance in the 21st century. The increasing urgency of climate change mitigation, coupled with growing regulatory frameworks such as the Paris Agreement and the European Green Deal, has propelled sustainable finance to the forefront of investment decision-making. Financial instruments, including green bonds, sustainability-linked loans, and ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) investment strategies, are playing a critical role in mobilizing capital towards environmentally responsible projects. The study highlights the rising influence of institutional investors, corporations, and government policies in shaping the green finance ecosystem. It examines the integration of technological innovations such as artificial intelligence and blockchain in enhancing transparency, efficiency, and accountability in sustainable investments. Furthermore, the paper discusses the challenges hindering the widespread adoption of green finance, including greenwashing concerns, the need for standardized reporting frameworks, and the balance between profitability and sustainability. Drawing insights from global case studies, this review underscores the significance of green finance in achieving long-term economic stability while fostering environmental stewardship. It also explores the role of financial institutions in promoting green initiatives through impact investing and climate-conscious lending practices. The findings suggest that despite existing barriers, the momentum of green finance is expected to grow, driven by policy advancements, investor awareness, and technological progress. Ultimately, this paper contributes to the discourse on sustainable finance by offering a comprehensive analysis of emerging trends and their implications for the global financial ecosystem.

THE EUROPEAN GREEN DEAL: ARE GREEN ALTERNATIVES RELIABLE?

The European Green Deal embodies an audacious and all-encompassing vision for the European Union to tackle urgent environmental issues, counteract climate change, and foster sustainable growth. Renewable energy sources, including wind, solar, and hydropower, have become increasingly prominent. Renewable energy sources have exceeded the use of solid fossil fuels in their contribution to the overall energy supply in recent years. The European Union must devise a strategy to eliminate its most significant sources of pollution. This paper seeks to tackle the persistent energy issue by guaranteeing a smooth and effective transition to clean and efficient energy sources. The process entails expanding the range of energy sources, enhancing the grid infrastructure, and advocating for energy efficiency. In the last paragraph, it will be examined a potential course of action for executing the European Green Deal. Some of present suggestions include allocating funds towards renewable energy, enhancing the efficiency of public transit, and investing in education.

Sustainable airline company selection using SWARA Weighted VIKOR and COPRAS methods

Global climate crisis necessitates all countries to swiftly and agilely conduct their economic activities in accordance with green sensitivity and sustainability principles. The aviation sector, one of the industries most affected by socio-economic and socio-cultural changes worldwide, cannot avoid this trend. Consequently, significant studies exist in the literature on the effects of the global climate crisis and sustainability efforts in the aviation sector. This study aims to measure the approaches of the world's leading international air cargo companies to the 2030 and 2050 European Green Deal targets. Among the criteria weighted using the SWARA method are 'carbon dioxide emissions,' 'energy consumption,' 'employment,' and 'water consumption.' The results indicate that the most critical criterion for airline sustainability is reducing CO2 emissions, followed by reducing energy consumption. Water consumption reduction ranks third, and employment ranks last in terms of importance. The study examines air cargo companies ranked in the top 10 globally by revenue and ranks them using the VIKOR and COPRAS methods. According to data from 2021, Korean Air, Turkish Airlines, and Cathay Pacific emerge as the top performers in sustainability among air cargo companies, while Cargolux and UPS lag behind others in their sustainability efforts when evaluated using VIKOR and COPRAS methods.

Sustainability conditions of Polish agriculture in the context of the use of plant protection products, as compared to other European Union countries. Economic aspects

Sustainable agriculture is a management system based on the use of agricultural practices that contribute to maintaining the natural environment in good condition. It allows for the rational use of its resources, and minimizing losses for society while maintaining profitability of agricultural production. An important feature of a sustainable agricultural system is the moderate use of industrial agricultural production products, including plant protection products, which in practice should be closely matched to the type and strength of the threat occurring in agricultural crops. The cost of plant protection products per 1 ha of crops is an important indicator of the intensity of agricultural production, which as a result of growing competitive pressure, is still increasing, especially in areas with favorable natural conditions for its development. In this context, it is therefore important to emphasize the strong current aim and readiness of the European Union (EU) to restrict the use of plant protection products in agriculture. This is referred to as the “farm to fork” strategy, which is an important element of the European Green Deal. Currently, the European Commission (EC) is taking a number of legislative steps to reduce the overall use of plant protection products. However, the question arises whether and to what extent Polish agriculture can participate in the ambitious EU goal to reduce them. To try to answer this question, an assessment was made of the amounts and structure of the consumption of chemical plant protection products in Poland, and compared to other EU countries. It was also important to compare the costs of plant protection products per 1 ha of crops on farms in Poland, with similar farms in other European Union countries, while taking into consideration the diverse natural farming conditions in which they operate.

The Ukrainian actualization of justice in global climate policy

The article examines the concept of climate justice as a key element of effective climate policy in Europe in the fight against global warming and the actualization of this issue in Ukraine as a result of Russian military aggression. The role of international law in regulating the human impact on the climate system and ensuring environmental justice is highlighted. The efforts of the European Union to implement the Paris Agreement in order to prevent an in global average annual temperature on the planet by more than 2 degrees from the pre-industrial level by 2100 are analyzed, in particular with regard to the implementation of the European Green Deal and the package of legislative initiatives «Fit for 55», which were joined by all EU members, proclaiming an ambitious goal to turn Europe into the first climate-neutral continent by 2050 and reduce emissions by 55% by 2030. The development of European policies for the transition to a carbon-free economy is aimed at integrating climate related commitments into various sectors of the economy, which historically coincided with the war on the eastern borders of EU. The author puts attention to the lack of a mechanism for reimbursement of significant volumes of greenhouse gas emissions caused as a result of armed conflicts, which is a significant gap in the modern methodology of concepts for achieving the normatively enshrined long-term goal of the EU to achieve climate neutrality by 2050 in accordance with the European Climate Law. Particular attention is paid to the situation in Ukraine, where the issue of climate justice is being actualized in connection with the consequences of the Russian aggression, which has caused large-scale environmental crimes. Attention is paid to the challenges associated with environmental racism, war environmental crimes, and ways to improve legal mechanisms to ensure climate justice at the international level are proposed. The author emphasizes the need for effective implementation and synchronization of EU environmental and climate legislation in the legal system of Ukraine, which should become an important prerequisite for the «green» and sustainable post-war recovery of the country.

The Revision of EU Greenwashing Laws: A New Framework of Analysis

Abstract Greenwashing cases holding businesses to account for false or misleading eco-claims are an increasingly visible component of the business and human rights landscape globally. In the European Union (EU), the Unfair Commercial Practices Directive is the centrepiece of regulation for business-to-consumer claims. Within the European Green Deal initiative, the EU is revising this framework, first with the Directive to ‘Empower Consumers for the Green Transition,’ and second the pending proposal for a ‘Green Claims Directive,’ introducing detailed requirements on the substantiation and communication of ‘green claims’ to consumers. If fully adopted, this fundamental reform will impose greater restraints on the discretion of any authority charged with the assessment of green claims and provide more uniform criteria across the EU, resulting in more accurate environmental claims and greater clarity for consumers and businesses alike.

Evaluation of Hyperloop Technology Project Maturity Through System Dynamics: Modelling and Simulation

This paper introduces eight stock-and-flow models to assess project maturity in the Hyperloop technology domain, based on multivariate technical, social, and financial criteria. Four scenarios are simulated: rapid decline, gradual decline, rapid growth, and sustainable growth. An interactive dashboard has been developed to visualise the simulation results and provide public access to the models. The primary users of these models are project decision-makers and industry analysts. The core research methodology utilised is system dynamics modelling, which captures the challenging dynamics of multi-loop systems inherent in Hyperloop transportation projects. The results demonstrate the models' effectiveness in providing real-time insights into how various factors interact and affect project performance. The proposed models facilitate real-time evaluation of project maturity and offer a conceptual framework for analysing context-specific factors critical to successful project implementation. This research supports the European Green Deal and Digital Transformation 2030 strategies by contributing to the development of strategies for Hyperloop technology advancement – an EU Commission priority for Tourism and Sustainable Transportation, as set by the European Commission President on 18 September 2024.

Roadmap for the Ukrainian hydrogen strategy, the course for implementation in Europe

To date, in support of the European Green Deal’s ambition to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050, the European Commission presented the EU Hydrogen Strategy in July 2020, looking at how hydrogen can support the decarbonisation of the economy and promote EU industrial leadership in this sector. Hydrogen as a clean energy fuel prioritises the deployment of renewable energy components needed for sectors such as transport and industry, and sets clear targets for the EU for the installation of electrolysers or pure hydrogen production. Moreover, this policy aims to rapidly reduce dependence on Russian fossil fuels.The authors propose to implement a pre-delta strategy for the safe use of water resources to produce process water for green hydrogen production and to safely discharge retentate into marine aquatic areas. This will provide a good basis for the sustainable use of water resources without impacting on climate change. The integrity of Europe’s river basins and ecosystems, including water balance and water chemistry, will be fully ensured.Using the example of safe use of water resources in the deltas of European river systems, we can obtain a significant amount of green hydrogen, as demonstrated by the calculations presented in the article.

Forest Height and Volume Mapping in Northern Spain with Multi-Source Earth Observation Data: Method and Data Comparison

Accurate forest monitoring is critical for achieving the objectives of the European Green Deal. While national forest inventories provide consistent information on the state of forests, their temporal frequency is inadequate for monitoring fast-growing species with 15-year rotations when inventories are conducted every 10 years. However, Earth observation (EO) satellite systems can be used to address this challenge. Remote sensing satellites enable the continuous acquisition of land cover data with high temporal frequency (annually or shorter), at a spatial resolution of 10-30 m per pixel. This study focused on northern Spain, a highly productive forest region. This study aimed to improve models for predicting forest variables in forest plantations in northern Spain by integrating optical (Sentinel-2) and imaging radar (Sentinel-1, ALOS-2 PALSAR-2 and TanDEM-X) datasets supported by climatic and terrain variables. Five popular machine learning algorithms were compared, namely kNN, LightGBM, Random Forest, MLR, and XGBoost. The study findings show an improvement in R2 from 0.24 when only Sentinel-2 data are used with MultiLinear Regression to 0.49 when XGboost is used with multi-source EO data. It can be concluded that the combination of multi-source datasets, regardless of the model used, significantly enhances model performance, with TanDEM-X data standing out for their remarkable ability to provide valuable radar information on forest height and volume, particularly in a complex terrain such as northern Spain.

Sustainable Transport Between Reality and Legislative Provisions—The Source for the Climate Neutrality of the European Union

Environmental protection and climate change are the most debated issues, both in economic research and in EU legislative regulations. This work is also focused on these issues and aims to analyze the evolution of GHG emissions from transport, the main contributor to total emissions. The novelty of this research aligns with the EU climate policy established within the European Green Deal’s “Fit for 55” package, aiming for a 55% reduction in net greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 (compared to 1990 levels), and the broader objective of climate neutrality by 2050 as outlined in the European Climate Law. The study’s originality lies in the selection of variables that can influence the reduction of emissions and the anticipation of future developments using the Prophet model, for the period 2024–2050. The estimates obtained allowed the construction of clusters to identify EU member states that will record reductions in GHG emissions in the analyzed period and will be able to represent models for other economies. The results obtained are beneficial for decision-makers at European and national levels and highlight the need for urgent action to reduce emissions and limit the negative effects of climate change.

Europe in the Postgrowth Era: Towards a Sustainable Welfare Deal

AbstractEurope is confronted with a multiple crisis while coming to grips with its colonial legacy. Given the lack of empirical evidence for sufficient absolute decoupling of gross domestic product (GDP) growth from environmental resource use to stay within planetary limits and meet the Paris climate goals, this article argues that it is unavoidable for the European Union (EU) to enter the postgrowth era and outlines the contours of a ‘sustainable welfare deal’. It first reviews critical issues of the European Green Deal and related EU initiatives. With focus on degrowth and sustainable welfare, the article subsequently zooms in on approaches that substitute GDP growth as overall policy target with environmental and social goals, operationalized as planetary boundaries and social floors. It also introduces relevant current debates within the growth‐critical academic community: complexity and democratic planning, decoupling economic growth and welfare, and the roles of economic elites and democratic governance in social‐ecological transformations. The discussion sketches and encourages further debate on a ‘sustainable welfare deal’ as meaningful response to the social‐ecological crisis and how it could be integrated in European policy making.

The Current Development and Outlook for the Use of Low Environmental Impact Diesel Fuels/Additives

The article explores the advancements and future prospects of using low-environmental-impact diesel fuels and additives to mitigate the environmental effects of internal combustion engines. It emphasizes the challenges posed by rising CO2 levels and the need to transition away from fossil fuels in line with global initiatives like the Paris Agreement and the European Green Deal. Key sectors, including heavy-duty transport and industrial processes such as steel and cement production, are highlighted for their significant carbon footprints and decarbonization challenges. The study underscores the potential of alternative oxygenated diesel fuels (AODF), such as poly(oxy­methylene) dimethyl ethers (OMEn), as promising solutions due to their high energy density, reduced particulate emissions, and compatibility with existing infrastructure. Research into biofuels, Fischer-Tropsch processes, and waste pyrolysis is reviewed, highlighting innovative pathways for sustainable fuel production. The article also discusses the economic and technical hurdles to widespread adoption, including the need for cost-effective production processes, supportive policies, and robust physicochemical data for fuel optimization. It concludes by emphasizing the importance of coordinated efforts among researchers, industries, and governments to achieve a sustainable, carbon-neutral future in the transport and energy sectors. English translation of the full text is available in the on-line version.

GOVERNMENT MECHANISMS FOR IMPLEMENTING EUROPEAN INTEGRATION OF THE AGRICULTURAL SECTOR OF UKRAINE

The article substantiates that the agricultural sector in Ukraine is a key element of the economy, which has significant potential for development and growth. The purpose of the article is to determine government mechanisms for sectoral European integration of the agricultural sector of Ukraine in the context of sustainable development for the formation of strategic directions of the industry. The methodological basis of the research is made up of general scientific and special methods of understanding economic phenomena and mechanisms of public administration in modern world and national economies (methods of analysis and synthesis, systematization and generalization, comparative analysis, etc.). Based on a comparative analysis of the production of individual agricultural products in Ukraine and the EU, it is proven that compared to the European experience, agriculture in Ukraine is less diversified. It was determined that one of the forms of implementing the European integration strategy in Ukraine is sectoral integration, which involves deepening cooperation between the EU and Ukraine in areas of government activity for the development of integration processes and gaining full membership in the EU. The results of the work of the Ukrainian government on the adaptation of national legislation to the EU regulatory framework (general and in areas of implementation of the Association Agreement) is investigated. Initiatives related to the greening of legislation within the framework of the Association Agreement have been identified (European Green Deal, European Hydrogen Strategy, Concept of Ukraine's “green” energy transition by 2050). Based on a study of the instruments for implementing the European integration of the agricultural sector in Ukraine and government support programs for the agricultural sector, the key tasks of the government have been identified for the implementation of government mechanisms for sectoral European integration of the agricultural sector of Ukraine, which will improve the productivity of the agricultural sector, increase the export of agricultural products, and also promote ecological production.

Biogenic CO2 Emissions in the EU Biofuel and Bioenergy Sector: Mapping Sources, Regional Trends, and Pathways for Capture and Utilisation

The European biofuel and bioenergy industry faces increasing challenges in achieving sustainable energy production while meeting carbon neutrality targets. This study provides a detailed analysis of biogenic emissions from biofuel and bioenergy production, with a focus on key sectors such as biogas, biomethane, bioethanol, syngas, biomass combustion, and biomass pyrolysis. Over 18,000 facilities were examined, including their feedstocks, production processes, and associated greenhouse gas emissions. The results highlight forestry residues as the predominant feedstock and expose significant disparities in infrastructure and technology adoption across EU Member States. While countries like Sweden and Germany lead in emissions management and carbon capture through bioenergy production with carbon capture and storage systems (BECCS), other regions face deficiencies in bioenergy infrastructure. The findings underscore the potential of BECCS and similar carbon management technologies to achieve negative emissions and support the European Green Deal’s climate neutrality goals. This work serves as a resource for policymakers, industry leaders, and researchers, fostering informed strategies for the sustainable advancement of the biofuels sector.

Ferry Electrification Energy Demand and Particle Swarm Optimization Charging Scheduling Model Parameters Analysis

Maritime transportation significantly contributes to air pollution, especially in coastal cities. Air pollution represents the greatest health risk related to the environment in the European Union. Therefore, the European Commission published the European Green Deal, which introduces the rule of zero-emission requirements for ships at berths with the mandatory use of power supply from shore or alternative technologies without emissions. The electrification of ferries has proven to be a key approach in reducing the negative impact on the environment; hence, it is necessary to provide adequate infrastructure for charging electric ferries. To determine the energy needs of the shore connection, a daily energy profile of the ferry fleet was created. Due to the sailing schedule, daily energy needs may be non-periodic. By optimizing the charging process, a reduction in peak charging power can be achieved. The charging process was optimized using particle swarm optimization. To improve the function goal, the parameters of the model were analyzed and optimized. It was found that the correct selection of population size and inertia weight factor can significantly enhance the optimization effect. The proposed model can be applied to other ports of interest, considering the specifics of the exploitation of the fleet of ships.