Rising greenhouse gas emissions have led to extreme weather events, which have become increasingly frequent in recent years. These have serious consequences for people's lives and the global economy. In 2023, the European Union was the fourth largest emitter of greenhouse gases in the world. It is against this background that the Union is proposing a European Green Deal, aiming for climate neutrality, resource efficiency and economic competitiveness by 2050. This paper studies the impact of the European LIFE program which is one of the funding mechanisms of the Green Deal on the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, focusing on the case study of Romania and Spain. The main aim is to determine whether LIFE funding contributes significantly to emission reductions by using econometric modeling to analyze various factors influencing emissions in the two selected countries, taking into account their socio-economic differences. The results of such a comparison between an economically developed country in Western Europe and an emerging economy in Eastern Europe may provide valuable insights into the impact of the EU's efforts to transition to a green economy, as well as the factors that continue to influence emissions in these distinct economies.

Do the monetary costs expected to be saved by businesses through simplification initiatives outweigh the possibly detrimental costs for environmental regulation? The shifting of the Commission's priorities is reflected in the policy overlap of the omnibus package on sustainability and the comprehensive sustainability regulation framework outlined in the European Green Deal. The current focus lies in boosting competitiveness, which tends to sideline climate action.

ABSTRACT Protecting soil is crucial for the green transition, but over 60% of soils in the EU are unhealthy. The present article provides an overview and analysis of EU soil policy and legislation, following the adoption of the European Green Deal (EGD), to evaluate whether any progress has been made towards a more effective and comprehensive framework for soil protection. With regard to policy, the article investigates to what extent soil protection is integrated within the EGD strategies, the soil‐relevant objectives that have been established and their level of achievement. At the legislative level, an inventory has been prepared, which includes 48 pieces of legislation and 79 provisions that are relevant to soil protection. Legislative provisions have been classified according to the soil threats addressed, the types of measures set, their degree of stringency and whether they are aimed at preventing or remediating soil degradation. Results are compared with previous research on EU‐soil legislation to outline significant post‐EGD changes and trends. Quantitative research is complemented by a qualitative analysis of the most innovative pieces of soil‐related legislation. The article concludes that, although soils are increasingly recognised as a critical component of environmental policy, the link between policy objectives and the development of legislation is weak. The legislative framework is still highly fragmented and mainly aimed at preventing a few soil threats. New legislation tries to combine the use of binding measures with granting flexibility to the Member States in the implementation process, while market‐based instruments and financial enablers are rarely applied.

ABSTRACT The EU's Green Deal, a comprehensive policy package for sustainability transition in Europe, was launched in 2019 with the ambition to demonstrate global environmental leadership. It has been successful in establishing new EU environmental policy instruments, with a strong focus on sustainable land use and conservation, such as the EU Nature Restoration Law or the EU Deforestation Regulation. Recently, however, the Green Deal has lost political traction, and its sustainable land use and conservation‐oriented policy instruments are under pressure or have already been cut back. In this paper, we undertake a multidisciplinary assessment of the Green Deal, presenting four theoretical perspectives (policy analysis, international relations, political economy/macroeconomics, and political ecology). These perspectives provide a so far missing comprehensive analysis of the strategic situation of EU land use and conservation policy, rooted in complementary explanations for the emergence, evolution, and faltering of the Green Deal. We move on to present two pathways for future EU land use and conservation policy—one assuming a continuation of currently visible patterns of deterioration in environmental ambitions; the other arguing for the possibility of reinvigorating the policy as what may be labeled as a new, Social Green Deal.

Evaluating Industry 5.0 Adoption: Insights on Industrial IoT and Sustainability in Italian Manufacturing

Data Interoperability in European Product Conformity Management for Circular Supply Chains: Digital Twins and a Legal Knowledge & Data Model for linking law making and product manufacturing

Abstract This paper explores sustainable integration solutions for biomethane production and injection into Latvia’s natural gas network, addressing the increasing importance of renewable energy in achieving energy independence and climate neutrality. The research investigates Latvia’s biomethane potential, current infrastructure limitations, and feasible integration pathways, drawing comparisons with leading European practices. A multicriteria methodology combining technical, environmental, and economic analyses is employed to evaluate biogas upgrading technologies, grid connection strategies, and regional implementation scenarios. The study identifies membrane separation as a highly efficient biogas upgrading method and highlights centralized biomethane injection points as an optimal integration model, particularly suited for Latvia’s geographically dispersed biogas production sites. Results suggest that biomethane could replace up to 50 % of Latvia’s current natural gas consumption, provided that adequate policy support and infrastructure investment are in place. The study concludes with recommendations to strengthen regulatory frameworks, modernize gas infrastructure, and promote regional cooperation to support a scalable and sustainable transition to biomethane. These findings offer a strategic roadmap for Latvia’s energy sector, aligned with the European Green Deal and national climate targets.

Abstract Ports are essential to global trade, yet their high volume of ship traffic significantly contributes to greenhouse gas emissions, necessitating urgent strategies for climate neutrality. This study focuses on medium-sized ports where climate neutrality has not yet become a priority and explores how they can achieve this through a systems thinking approach and sustainable development practices, referencing leading ports like Rotterdam and Hamburg. Using a combination of systems thinking, comparative case studies, and qualitative analysis, the study examines various decarbonization scenarios for port infrastructure. Causal loop diagrams (CLDs) are utilized to map the interactions among environmental, economic, and operational factors affecting port sustainability. Three scenarios – baseline, moderate transition, and ambitious transition – are developed and evaluated based on greenhouse gas emissions reduction, energy efficiency, infrastructure investment, alignment with the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDG), and resilience enhancement. The findings demonstrate that port operations are influenced by reinforcing and balancing feedback loops, where economic growth and customer satisfaction may face challenges from regulatory pressures and climate-related operational costs. The study highlights essential areas for improvement in achieving climate neutrality in medium-sized ports. Key decarbonization techniques identified include electrification, alternative fuels, renewable energy integration, and enhancements to existing infrastructure like automated mooring systems and onshore power supply. Ultimately, the research provides insights into developing a decarbonization strategy for small and medium-sized ports, fostering sustainable development aligned with the UN SDGs and the European Green Deal.

ABSTRACT Motivation Wetland restoration is expected to play an important role in helping Europe achieve its climate and biodiversity targets as stated in the European Green Deal. Restored wetlands sequester atmospheric carbon and provide habitat for a wide range of plant and animal species. To design effective, evidence‐based restoration targets and guide future projects, it is critical to understand the impacts of wetland restoration on a diverse range of ecosystem functions. Existing knowledge, however, is scattered across empirical studies assessing restoration outcomes on a limited set of indicators, in specific settings and single locations. This fragmentation limits our ability to assess the effectiveness of wetland restoration across different indicators and contexts. To address this gap, we present a comprehensive dataset on the effects of wetland restoration across Europe. The dataset compiles 2534 entries representing changes in carbon stocks, greenhouse gases (GHG) fluxes, and biodiversity indicators across different wetland types, pre‐restoration land use and restoration strategies. The database allows comparisons between restored and both degraded and pristine sites. Main Types of Variables The database contains data on carbon stock, GHG fluxes and biodiversity indicators in restored and control wetlands, with standard error, sampling methodology, wetland type, location, climate, restored site area, water table depth, soil characteristics, pre‐restoration land use, time since restoration started, and restoration strategy. Spatial Location and Grain Europe. Time Period and Grain Original data were published between 2000 and 2024. Restoration age ranges from a few months to 139 years. Major Indicators and Level of Measurement Carbon stocks, GHG fluxes and biodiversity indicators in restored wetlands and two controls: degraded and pristine sites. Software Format The dataset is available at https://doi.org/10.17026/LS/H5MFEH as a .xlsx file and as a .shp file, with a metadata file.

Assessing the Potential of the Digital Product Passport in the Regulated Biomedical Sector

Rising concerns over urban air pollution and the inefficiencies of industrial and transport systems have intensified the need for integrated technological and policy solutions in densely populated European economies.This study examines the environmental effects of clean transportation, innovation, and governance in the European E5 nations (France, Germany, Italy, Poland, and the United Kingdom) from 1996 to 2023.Using the Method of Moments Quantile Regression (MMQR), supported by Feasible Generalized Least Squares (FGLS) and Fixed Effects (FE) models, environmental degradation is measured through PM. concentrations.The results show that industrial growth consistently aggravates pollution, whereas environmental innovations and governance quality significantly reduce it.Moreover, governance moderates the adverse environmental impacts of transport emissions, indicating that stronger institutions enhance the effectiveness of technological advances.The study contributes by integrating governance, innovation interactions within a quantile framework, revealing heterogeneous effects across pollution levels, an aspect often neglected in prior research.The findings provide evidence-based insights for policymakers, emphasizing the synergistic role of technological progress and institutional strength in achieving sustainable environmental outcomes and supporting the European Green Deal and the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Greenhouse gas emissions from the energy sector are the main driver of global warming, which has led to an increase in the average surface temperature of the Earth by more than 1 °C above pre-industrial levels. Responding to the urgent need for energy transition, the countries of the European Union have set themselves the goal of achieving climate neutrality by 2050. The main objective of this article is to comprehensively assess the progress of decarbonization in the 27 European Union countries between 2004 and 2024, using an advanced multi-criteria model. The study used the quantitative Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) method to construct a multidimensional decision-making model. Eight energy technologies were evaluated through the prism of 13 criteria grouped into three pillars of sustainable development: economic (including technical), environmental, and social. Based on the weights of each criterion, estimated by a group of experts, a synthetic decarbonization index (DI) was calculated for each technology. In the next stage, a cumulative decarbonization index (CDI) was formulated for each country, reflecting the structure of its energy mix. The analysis revealed a fundamental divergence between conventional and zero-emission technologies. Renewable sources and nuclear energy have the highest positive impact on decarbonization (highest DI): hydropower (27.5), nuclear (20.7), wind (20.3). The lowest, unfavorable values of the index are characteristic of fossil fuels: oil (3.6), coal (3.9), and gas (4.8). The average cumulative decarbonization index (CDI) for the EU-27 rose from 14.0 in 2004 to 26.4 in 2024, demonstrating the effectiveness of the EU’s common policy. The leaders of the transition are countries with diversified, green mixes, such as Luxembourg (CDI = 40.4), Lithuania (CDI = 39.6), Portugal (38.5), Austria (36.9), and Spain (33.6). Despite starting from the lowest level in 2004 (CDI = 5.2), Poland recorded one of the most dynamic increases in 2024 (CDI = 17.7), mainly due to a reduction in the share of coal from 93% to 53.5%. The analysis confirms the effectiveness of the EU’s common climate and energy policy and demonstrates the usefulness of the methodology presented for a comprehensive assessment of the decarbonization process. The results indicate the need to further increase the share of zero-emission energy sources in the energy mix in order to achieve the objectives of the European Green Deal. The varying pace of transformation among Member States requires an individualized approach and support for countries with a historical dependence on fossil fuels.

Climate change-related disinformation is omnipresent. The Czech Republic is an EU member state where chain emails are heavily used for it. However, the understanding of their motivation, mechanisms, and targets is limited. Given the current developments, it is critical to fill this gap by employing current data and conducting a national case study. The Czech Elves, an informal civic movement fighting against disinformation, maintain a public database, Eldariel, which contains and categorizes disinformation emails, including 50 Czech chain emails about the EU’s commitment to the environment and climate change sent between January and May 2025. Additionally, seven recipients of these chain emails were located and interviewed. Hence, a Czech case study is built on a reciprocal snowball triangular mechanism to address four research questions based on subject headings, assigned tags, and the content of these emails, as well as their perception by their recipients, to examine how climate change information is manipulated. Consequently, this article engages with a pioneering, holistic, and systematic ten-step analysis of these chain emails and their perception, addressing how they attract attention (RQ1), where and in what context (RQ2), what they challenge (RQ3), and why they do so (RQ4). The juxtaposition of findings regarding these four research questions reveals how climate change information, particularly regarding the European Green Deal, is leveraged within the EU to support disinformation campaigns, both related to and unrelated to environmental protection. This calls for further longitudinal studies encompassing the jurisdictions of other EU member states.

The European Green Deal (EGD) represents a pivotal European Union strategy to achieve climate neutrality by 2050, shaping policy at all levels of governance. This article investigates the EGD’s influence on urban architectural and planning policies in Paris, London, and Amsterdam since 2020. Through a qualitative comparative case study, it assesses the extent of policy convergence under this supranational framework and examines how divergent institutional contexts mediate implementation. The analysis finds a strong convergence in strategic goals―such as decarbonizing buildings, promoting sustainable mobility, and expanding green infrastructure―across all three cities. However, significant divergence persists in their implementation pathways, which are shaped by distinct governance models: Paris’s centralized approach, London’s negotiated multi-level system, and Amsterdam’s consensus-oriented model. While the EGD acts as a converging force, local institutional path dependencies give rise to a “variegated Europeanization,” where shared ambitions are pursued through locally tailored strategies.

The article substantiates the directions for improving Ukrainian environmental legislation aimed at ensuring environmental sustainability and forest restoration, based on an analysis of European experience in legal regulation in this area. Restoration of Ukrainian forests, in particular those that have suffered as a result of the armed aggression of the Russian Federation, and ensuring their environmental sustainability is a matter of guaranteeing the environmental security not only of Ukraine, but also of the entire European continent. Given Ukraine’s European integration aspirations, in the process of preparing projects and strategies for restoring the environment of Ukraine, in particular forests, on the principles of sustainable development, it is worth proceeding from the strategies that are being developed and implemented in the EU. Comprehensive measures aimed at ensuring environmental sustainability and forest restoration in the EU are provided for by the EU Forest Strategy for the period up to 2030, which was adopted in July 2021 and defines a vision and specific actions to improve the quantity and quality of EU forests, as well as strengthen their protection, restoration and sustainability. This strategy is one of the key initiatives of the European Green Deal and is also based on the EU Biodiversity Strategy to 2030. It has been established that European experience in ensuring environmental sustainability and forest restoration includes integrated forest management, sustainable reforestation and the creation of protected areas, which combines economic, social and environmental objectives. Integrated forest planning includes the development and implementation of comprehensive forest plans that take into account environmental, social and economic aspects, as well as the balanced use of forest resources for logging, tourism and recreation. Sustainable reforestation is provided by reforestation programs with an emphasis on planting local, climate-resistant tree species. Sustainable reforestation also involves the use of biological methods of pest and disease control, the creation of forest plantations that promote biodiversity, and the application of modern technologies to reduce the impact of logging on the environment. Sustainable forest use is ensured by forest certification, which is a tool for stimulating sustainable management that guarantees environmental, social and economic responsibility. The creation of protected areas includes the creation and expansion of a network of protected areas, which are key to preserving biodiversity, implementing measures to prevent and combat forest fires, and using forests as natural filters to protect against erosion and preserve water quality.

Aim. To conduct a comprehensive analysis of the role of peas in the formation of the grain balance, to determine its agrotechnical, economic and agroecological significance, as well as key areas for increasing crop production in Ukraine. Methods. Comparative statistical, analytical, comprehensive assessment methods. Results. An analysis of the role of peas in the grain balance of Ukraine, its agroecological and agrotechnical significance, production dynamics in recent years, as well as the main prospects for increasing its production in the context of implementing the provisions of the European Green Deal and solving the problem of providing the population with vegetable protein in connection with the growing demand for it in the world. The main patterns of the formation of factors that determine the growth of interest of commodity producers in pea culture are established, a number of functions that determine its importance and significance are revealed, the determining directions of increasing grain production, through the prism of improving varietal policy, intensification of cultivation technology, high-quality functioning of post-harvest infrastructure, popularizing it as a food product in view of existing trends in healthy eating, as well as possible problems and risks of development. Conclusions. Pea culture has significant development potential in Ukraine: favorable soil and climatic conditions, modern world demand, the possibility of creating added value. Its production can become a strategic link in agrarian diversification, contribute to the ecological stability of agriculture and increase foreign exchange earnings from exports. At the same time, success will depend on the ability to overcome a number of challenges - climatic, logistical, market and institutional. If scientists, producers, processors, and the state can coordinate their efforts, pea production can become an important component of Ukraine’s agricultural strategy, increasing agricultural producers’ profits, strengthening their export position, and contributing to the sustainable development of agriculture.

The article examines the theoretical and methodological foundations of public management and administration in the context of the emergence of the circular economy as an innovative model of sustainable development. It substantiates that the circular economy is not merely an environmental or technological concept but a complex socio-ecological and economic paradigm integrating economic efficiency, environmental safety, and social responsibility. The study determines that implementing the principles of circularity requires transforming the public management system – shifting from linear and fragmented regulatory models to dynamic, integrated, and network-based structures focused on co-creation, openness, and strategic partnership.The scientific approaches of Ukrainian and foreign researchers (R. Naboka, V. Kuzyom, K. Nestorov, A. Murray, P. Rosa, T. Dantas, among others) to identifying the prerequisites, driving forces, and barriers to the transition toward closed-loop economic systems are analyzed. The paper summarizes international experiences in implementing circular economy policies in China, Germany, and the Netherlands, reflecting three fundamental regulatory models: framework-based, sectoral, and recommendatory.It is demonstrated that the effectiveness of state policy in this field depends on the synergy of legislative instruments, economic incentives, institutional coordination, and stakeholder engagement. For Ukraine, the development of a circular economy represents a strategic vector for implementing the European Green Deal – aimed at industrial modernization, enhancing energy efficiency, and integrating into the European sustainable development space.The concept of “circular public governance” is proposed as a systemic form of collective intelligence grounded in the principles of interaction, synergy, and adaptability. Its key components are identified as: the establishment of unified standards and regulatory frameworks, the development of strategic partnerships in public procurement, and the introduction of adaptive and participatory community governance.The results of this study can be used to improve public policy, develop a national circular economy strategy, and build an effective system of public administration focused on achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

The article examines the integration potential of small and medium-sized enterprises in the Eastern Partnership countries in the context of the European Green Deal. Using a mixed-method approach and drawing on EU4Business data, the study identifies spatial differences in the structure and effectiveness of SME support across three key areas: access to finance, competence development, and the institutional environment. The analysis highlights country-specific patterns in the use of SME development instruments that shape the green transition in Ukraine, Georgia, Moldova, Armenia, and Azerbaijan. Based on these findings, the paper proposes a conceptual model for strengthening SME integration potential, built around five interconnected components: integration readiness and environmental compliance; financial accessibility; competence and innovation development; the institutional integration framework; and monitoring and evaluation. The study shows that this model aligns with the core directions of EU SME support programs. It outlines a systemic approach to enhancing business resilience in the Eastern Partnership region, facilitating gradual convergence with the EU internal market and adaptation to the requirements of the green transition.

The aim of this study was to provide a comprehensive analysis of the theoretical and methodological foundations for assessing the investment attractiveness and identifying the risks associated with the implementation of innovative circular economy business models. The article examined the essence of circular business models, their key characteristics, operational mechanisms, and their potential to enhance enterprise competitiveness within the context of global economic, environmental, and technological transformations, including the energy transition and the implementation of the European Green Deal initiatives.A systematic analysis of the main barriers and threats limiting investments in the implementation of circular business models was conducted, including technological, financial, regulatory, and market risks. The results of an analytical comparison were synthesized to identify key directions for evaluating investment attractiveness and potential obstacles to the adoption of innovative circular business models. A conceptual multi-level approach to assessing investment attractiveness was proposed, integrating financial, environmental, and innovation criteria. The application of this approach allowed a comprehensive evaluation of potential benefits and the identification of strategic priorities for investors and enterprises in implementing circular business models. To reveal structural imbalances in circular economy financing and identify barriers to innovative business models, a comprehensive study of the risk sector was carried out.The results indicated that systematic risk management and the removal of key barriers facilitated the acceleration of circular model implementation, enhanced enterprise competitiveness and resilience, and supported the achievement of sustainable development goals. The integration of financial, environmental, and innovation criteria increased the efficiency of investments in circular business models and contributed to their successful practical implementation.It was determined that innovative circular business models possessed significant investment potential but required well-grounded strategic management, careful risk assessment, strengthened regulatory support, and the development of technological infrastructure. Only through a balanced approach could their effective implementation be achieved, transforming them into a stable mechanism for sustainable economic growth.The study also developed directions for adapting circular business models to the specifics of the Ukrainian market, taking into account financial, technological, and institutional factors, and provided recommendations on digitalization, partnerships, and incentives to accelerate the circular transformation of Ukrainian enterprises.

Background: European aviation research and innovation (R&I) plays a central role in achieving the Flightpath 2050 vision and the European Green Deal objectives for climate-neutral transport. Aims: This paper analyses the evolution, concentration, and collaboration dynamics of aviation-related R&I under FP7 (2007-2013), Horizon 2020 (2014-2020), and Horizon Europe (2021-2027). Methods: Using harmonized datasets of nearly 80 thousand EU-funded projects derived from the European Commission’s CORDIS databases, the study applies descriptive statistics and network analysis to examine funding patterns and organizational participation. Sample: The aviation subset comprises approximately 1,500 projects and more than 4,000 organisations across 30 European and associated countries. Results: The findings reveal persistent cumulative-advantage effects, with major industrial actors such as Airbus, Safran, and Rolls-Royce dominating coordination roles and EC contributions, while Horizon Europe increasingly emphasizes sustainability and digitalization through the Clean Aviation Joint Undertaking. Conclusions: European aviation R&I exhibits a polycentric governance structure balancing EU-level coordination with national and industrial co-funding. Implications: The results inform future mission-oriented policy design by highlighting the need to balance excellence with inclusiveness, ensuring equitable participation while advancing Europe’s transition toward climate-neutral aviation.