scholarly journals Local Communities’ Energy Literacy as a Way to Rural Resilience—An Insight from Inner Peripheries

Energies ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (9) ◽  
pp. 2575
Author(s):  
Justyna Chodkowska-Miszczuk ◽  
Maria Kola-Bezka ◽  
Agata Lewandowska ◽  
Stanislav Martinát
Keyword(s):  
Central Government ◽  
Current Knowledge ◽  
Residential Buildings ◽  
Renewable Energy Sources ◽  
Local Level ◽  
Energy Transition ◽  
Local Communities ◽  
Endogenous Development ◽  
The North ◽  
Energy Literacy

Energy transition is surely not only about the technological change, but it also has to necessarily reflect socio-cultural and environmental transformations on the local level. Hence, local communities’ energy literacy belongs to the crucial elements in designing successful energy transition and strengthening rural resilience. Energy literacy is a concept widely related to the multifaceted phenomenon of energy consumption, both in its individual and collective dimensions. Therefore, the aim of the present study is to analyse the level of energy literacy in rural conditions, considering its three key dimensions (awareness, attitude, and behaviour). Our reflective considerations about energy literacy build on the current knowledge that stress its importance for the reinforcement of rural resilience. The case study, Zławieś Wielka, in the north-central Poland, was selected where a social survey (N = 300) on the relation between energy literacy and rural resilience was conducted. By means of employing the cross-tabulations method for data analyses, our results signal that certain indications of the ecological awareness among the rural residents are being formed. Our findings clearly suggest that, on the one hand, the needs for more environmentally reasonable management with energy, including electricity and heat, come to the fore. On the other hand, various types of investments in improving the energy efficiency of residential buildings and utilising energy generation from renewable energy sources are observed. It seems that the surveyed community has a clear potential to become the vector for sustainable and just energy transition of the countryside. The essential conditions that urgently need to be implemented to ensure the viability of rural energy transition are the educational reinforcement within the community and more generous long-term institutional support from the central government, targeted on endogenous development and enhancing the local social capital.

Territorial Governance of EU Cross-Border Renewable Energy Cooperation: A Soluble or Turbulent Model in the Current Framework?

2021 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
pp. 79-97
Author(s):  
Melis Aras
Keyword(s):  
Renewable Energy ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Planning Process ◽  
Renewable Energy Sources ◽  
Local Level ◽  
Energy Transition ◽  
Clean Energy ◽  
Legal Framework ◽  
Development Planning ◽  
Cross Border

The energy transition in Europe requires not only the implementation of technological innovations to reduce carbon emissions but also the decentralised extension of these innovations throughout the continent, as demonstrated by the ‘Clean Energy for All Europeans’ package. However, decentralised energy generation, and specifically electricity generation, as it gives rise to new players and interactions, also requires a review of the energy planning process. In this sense, governance becomes the key concept for understanding the implementation of the energy transition in a territory. This is particularly visible in a cross-border setting, especially considering cross-border cooperation in the development of renewable energy sources (RES) provides the necessary elements to determine the criteria of local regulation between the different levels of governance. In light of the current legal framework in France, this paper presents the institutional framework of the multi-level governance of the RES development planning process. It concludes that it is quite conceivable for the rationales of governance at the local level (decentralisation) and the large-scale operation of a large interconnected network (Europeanisation) to coexist.

scholarly journals Energy Efficiency and GHG Emissions Mapping of Buildings for Decision-Making Processes against Climate Change at the Local Level

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (7) ◽  
pp. 2982 ◽  
Author(s):  
Edgar Lorenzo-Sáez ◽  
José-Vicente Oliver-Villanueva ◽  
Eloina Coll-Aliaga ◽  
Lenin-Guillermo Lemus-Zúñiga ◽  
Victoria Lerma-Arce ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Energy Efficiency ◽  
Spatial Resolution ◽  
Residential Buildings ◽  
Local Level ◽  
Ghg Emissions ◽  
Energy Transition ◽  
Primary Energy ◽  
Low Carbon ◽  
Low Carbon Economy

Buildings have become a key source of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions due to the consumption of primary energy, especially when used to achieve thermal comfort conditions. In addition, buildings play a key role for adapting societies to climate change by achieving more energy efficiency. Therefore, buildings have become a key sector to tackle climate change at the local level. However, public decision-makers do not have tools with enough spatial resolution to prioritise and focus the available resources and efforts in an efficient manner. The objective of the research is to develop an innovative methodology based on a geographic information system (GIS) for mapping primary energy consumption and GHG emissions in buildings in cities according to energy efficiency certificates. The developed methodology has been tested in a representative medium-sized city in Spain, obtaining an accurate analysis that shows 32,000 t of CO2 emissions due to primary energy consumption of 140 GWh in residential buildings with high spatial resolution at single building level. The obtained results demonstrate that the majority of residential buildings have low levels of energy efficiency and emit an average of 45 kg CO2/m2. Compared to the national average in Spain, this obtained value is on the average, while it is slightly better at the regional level. Furthermore, the results obtained demonstrate that the developed methodology is able to directly identify city districts with highest potential for improving energy efficiency and reducing GHG emissions. Additionally, a data model adapted to the INSPIRE regulation has been developed in order to ensure interoperability and European-wide application. All these results have allowed the local authorities to better define local strategies towards a low-carbon economy and energy transition. In conclusion, public decision-makers will be supported with an innovative and user-friendly GIS-based methodology to better define local strategies towards a low-carbon economy and energy transition in a more efficient and transparent way based on metrics of high spatial resolution and accuracy.

scholarly journals Marketing instruments for attracting investments in territorial communities

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
O. Fedorchak ◽  
H. Ishchenko
Keyword(s):  
Central Government ◽  
Local Level ◽  
Investment Strategy ◽  
Local Communities ◽  
Main Body ◽  
Investment Climate ◽  
Local Authorities ◽  
Investment Activity ◽  
Starting Point ◽  
The Government

Problem setting. Ukraine has significant regional imbalances in attracting investment. The most attractive for investors is Kyiv city, where almost 50% of foreign investments are accumulated. At the same time, other regions remain unattractive for investors. The unsatisfactory situation in the regions is a reflection of unfavorable investment climate and requires the use of new tools to attract investment. The use of marketing tools can stimulate the inflow of investment into small cities and communities. Given these, the issue of using marketing tools to attract investment in local communities remains unexplored and relevant.Recent research and publications analysis. An important contribution to the study of territory marketing and investment attraction was made by: S. Ankholt, V. Bondarenko, D. Vizghalov, M. Hovorukhina, N. Hrynchuk, K. Dinni, O. Ignatenko, F. Kotler, O. Osovets, A. Pankrukhin, S. Smerichevskyi, R. Fedorov, O. Fedorovych, D. Frolov, O. Khymych, and others.Highlighting previously unsettled parts of the general problem. An analysis of the literature on this issue has shown that domestic researches are quite narrowly specialized and most English-language works on this topic are written in the form of study of real situations and have non-scientific characters.The purpose of the article is to reveal the essence of marketing tools and justify the feasibility of their use to attract investment in local communities, and improve the investment climate in Ukraine.Paper main body. In recent years, Ukraine has taken significant steps to decentralize its power and resources. And although decentralization is a complicated reform, it is also one of the most successful reforms in Ukraine. This reform provides the transfer of powers and finances for their implementation from the central government to local authorities. The starting point of the reform is the thesis that local authorities are better oriented at local problems and can use funds more effectively to solve them.However, in the context of the economic crisis caused by the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic, the government is cutting transfers to support infrastructure and urban development in general. The local authorities in Ukraine suffer from an austerity policy pursued by the government. With this in mind, communities need to work to create a positive image of the area, to diversify sources of capital, and attract new investors.Taking into account the limited budgets and the specifics of activities at the local level, the minimum set of tools for attracting investment in local communities should include: development of investment strategy and program, brand formation of the territory, development of investment passport, formation of industry reviews, construction of investor’s roadmap, distribution of investment proposals, creation and updating of investment website, work in social networks, development of interactive investment map, press kit formation, preparation of multimedia presentations, participation in road-shows, investment seminars, conferences, forums and exhibitions, targeted search for new investors and formation of existing investors database.Conclusions of the research and prospects for further studies. The results of the study confirm that in the conditions of competition for investment funds, marketing tools for attracting investments come to the fore. Although the marketing of territories is a relatively young area of research, it can contribute to the successful promotion of local communities to attract investment and improve the image of the territory. The skillful use of marketing tools can help attract investment to local communities.In further research, we plan to study tax instruments to stimulate investment activity to improve the investment climate in Ukraine.

scholarly journals Urban Energy Transitions in Europe, towards Low-Socio-Environmental Impact Cities

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (21) ◽  
pp. 11641
Author(s):  
Olatz Azurza-Zubizarreta ◽  
Izaro Basurko-PerezdeArenaza ◽  
Eñaut Zelarain ◽  
Estitxu Villamor ◽  
Ortzi Akizu-Gardoki ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Fossil Fuels ◽  
Renewable Energy Sources ◽  
Local Level ◽  
Research Work ◽  
Energy Transition ◽  
Energy System ◽  
Radical Change ◽  
Data Availability ◽  
Energy Field ◽  
Key Factor

Achieving the ambitious targets set by Europe in its 2050 roadmap, moving away from fossil fuels towards renewable energy sources, while reducing carbon emissions, will require a radical change in Europe’s energy system. Much of the action that will enable this energy transition to be realised in a democratic way is at the local level. It is at this level that many of the decisions regarding the energy transition desired by European citizens will have to be taken. The methodology used in this study is based on data collection, literature review, data validation and analysis. A part of this analysis will also be taken by the mPower project as a diagnostic baseline. The first finding of this research work is that energy transition data availability at the local level is quite low. Second, the local authorities are experiencing difficulties in decarbonising their energy consumption. Finally, the factor with highest positive relationships with other energy transition variables is the number of people employed in the field of energy transition. The results suggest that in order to lead a participatory energy transition, the workforce specifically dedicated to energy transition is a key factor, clearly differentiating it from staff working on the general energy field.

scholarly journals Self-Governance and Development of Local Communities on the North Caucasus: the Case of Kabardino-Balkaria and Karachay-Cherkesia

2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 210-218
Author(s):  
Aslan M. Chechenov ◽  
Murat Z. Shogenov ◽  
Zarema A. Atabieva
Keyword(s):  
Local Government ◽  
Public Relations ◽  
Local Level ◽  
Field Studies ◽  
Local Communities ◽  
Rural Settlements ◽  
North Caucasus ◽  
Government Formation ◽  
Government Institutions ◽  
The North

The purpose of this work is to study the problem of local government formation and evaluate the effectiveness of local government strategies. Modern government institutions in the territory of the North Caucasus (based on the data from Kabardino-Balkaria and Karachay-Cherkessia) are analyzed as the studied material. The analysis of this paper was based on the results of field studies that were performed in 2014-2018 within the scope of the North Caucasian Complex Expedition from 2014 till 2018. Modern institutions of self-governance at the local level, the dynamics of transformation of state and public relations, as well as problems and prospects for improving local self-governance in the context of strategies for the development of rural settlements are identified.

scholarly journals Distribution and population structure of North Atlantic harbour seals (Phoca vitulina)

2010 ◽  
Vol 8 ◽  
pp. 15 ◽  
Author(s):  
Liselotte Andersen ◽  
Morton Tange Olsen
Keyword(s):  
Population Structure ◽  
North Atlantic ◽  
Current Knowledge ◽  
Local Level ◽  
Phoca Vitulina ◽  
Genetic Population ◽  
The North ◽  
Harbour Seals ◽  
The North Atlantic ◽  
Ecological Methods

A review of the known geographical distribution and current knowledge on the genetic population structure of harbour seals (Phoca vitulina) in the North Atlantic is presented. Based on a synthesis of the results fromfive different studies of neutral geneticmarkers (mtDNAand nuclear microsatellites, mainly) twelve genetically distinct populations were identified in the North Atlantic: USA/Canada, Iceland, west coast of Norway, Ireland-Scotland, English east coast, Channel area, Wadden Sea, Limfjord, Skagerrak, Kattegat, West Baltic, and East Baltic. Most of the studies addressed the population structure at the regional level, while only a few addressed the structuring at a local level, i.e. within countries. Due to the limited number of studies conducted, the identified population units were considered preliminary andmore detailed, local studieswould probably reveal structuring on a finer scale. The choice of genetic markers, their properties, resolution in time and applicability in population structure studies is shortly discussed and compared to ecological methods used to delineate populations.

Lecturas posibles sobre la construcción del actor económico

2017 ◽  
pp. 163
Author(s):  
Nicolás Gómez Núñez
Keyword(s):  
Economic Growth ◽  
Public Policies ◽  
Local Level ◽  
Endogenous Development ◽  
Economic Activities ◽  
The Public ◽  
Basic Ideas

En tres breves capítulos, el artículo pone a disposición las ideas básicas que cruzan la reflexión sobre las actividades económicas que las personas realizan en condiciones de pobreza, destacándose la preocupación sobre si estos desempeños pueden constituirse en alternativas de crecimiento económico a nivel local o si ellas son actores que inciden en las políticas públicas que organizan los supuestos del desarrollo.Palabras clave Actividades Económicas Autogestionadas / Autonomía / Capacitación / Desarrollo Endógeno.Abstract:In three brief chapters, the article displays the basic ideas that intersect the reflection on the economic activities that people perform in conditions of poverty, standing out the concern whether these performances can constitute in alternatives of economic growth at the local level or whether they are activities that affect the public policies which organize the theories of development.Key words Self-managed economic activities / Autonomy / Training / Endogenous Development

Halting Forest Encroachment in Terai: What Role for Community Forestry?

2019 ◽  
Vol 16 (1) ◽  
pp. 15-34
Author(s):  
Prabin Bhusal ◽  
Naya Sharma Paudel ◽  
Anukram Adhikary ◽  
Jisan Karki ◽  
Kamal Bhandari
Keyword(s):  
Forest Management ◽  
Collective Action ◽  
Environmental History ◽  
Adaptive Learning ◽  
Sustainable Management ◽  
Community Forestry ◽  
Local Level ◽  
Secondary Data ◽  
Local Communities ◽  
Local Livelihoods

This paper highlights the lessons of using adaptive learning in community forestry that effectively help to resolve forest based conflicts in Terai region of Nepal. The paper is based on a three-year action research carried out in Terai. Qualitative methods including participatory rural appraisal tools and documentation of engaged action and reflections were used. Methods and tools that largely fall under adaptive learning were deployed. The field data was complemented by review of secondary data and literature on environmental history of Terai. We found that policies on land and forest in Terai for the last fifty years have induced and aggravated conflicts over access and control between state and communities and also within diverse groups of local communities. These conflicts have had serious negative impacts on sustainable management of forests and on local people’s livelihoods, particularly resource poor and landless people. Centralised and bureaucratic approaches to control forest and encroachment have largely failed. Despite investing millions of Rupees in maintaining law and order in forestlands, the problem continues to worsen often at the cost of forests and local communities. We found that transferring management rights to local communities like landless and land poor in the form of community forestry (CF) has induced strong local level collective action in forest management and supported local livelihoods. Moreover, adding adaptive learning, as a methodological tool to improve governance and enhance local level collective action significantly improves the benefit of CF. It implies that a major rethinking is needed in the current policies that have often led to hostile relationships with the local inhabitants- particularly the illegal settlers. Instead, transferring forest rights to local communities and supporting them through technical aspects of forest management will strengthen local initiatives towards sustainable management of forests.

Concept of Power Decentralization in Political Science and Approaches to its Methodological Study

2017 ◽  
pp. 229-235
Author(s):  
Halyna Kuzub
Keyword(s):  
Political Science ◽  
Moral Education ◽  
Symbolic Interactionism ◽  
Western Europe ◽  
Central Government ◽  
Local Level ◽  
Perfect State ◽  
Political Ideas ◽  
The Usa ◽  
Structural Functionalism

The problem of power decentralization is up to date in a modern political science. We can trace its historical genesis first in European and further in the USA political ideas. Decentralization of power was considered along with the study of a perfect state system, civil society and local self-government. It is argued that the major part of successful process of power decentralization in the Western Europe was due to the idea nature for their political culture. The article attempts to retrace the history of the idea of power decentralization. As a background of the investigations of such thinkers as J. Bodin, J. Althusius, J. Locke, J.-J. Rousseau, C.-L. Montesquieu, R. Owen, C. Fourier, J. S.Mill, T. Jefferson, A. de Tocqueville and M. Dragomanov were thoroughly investigated. The paper also considers the modern definitions of power decentralization. Likewise the value of structural functionalism, symbolic interactionism and constructivism are argued in terms of further surveys of power decentralization. To conclude, the author opines that civil servants training, their theoretical teaching and moral education have to become the main objectives in perspective investigations. Furthermore, the success of power decentralization depends not only on devoting authority by central government, but also on capacity of its implementation by deputies on the local level. Keywords: Decentralization of power, deconcentration of power, administrative and political decentralization, classical and non-classical philosophy, structural functionalism, symbolic interactionism, construc-tivism

Incentives for the development of industrial parks (on the example of the border regions of Poland)

2020 ◽  
pp. 78-87
Author(s):  
Yaroslava Kalat
Keyword(s):  
Local Governments ◽  
Cost Minimization ◽  
Local Level ◽  
Business Environment ◽  
Local Communities ◽  
Financial Assistance ◽  
Industrial Park ◽  
Border Regions ◽  
Industrial Parks ◽  
Spatial Policy

In the search for efficient decisions directed at the stimulation of regional development and improvement of regions’ innovativeness and investment attractiveness, the EU regions have long ago started paying attention to local communities. In particular, Polish local governments are granted an opportunity to conduct an active spatial policy of investment attraction using various instruments. In this context, the industrial parks play an important role among the created institutes of the business environment, because they create advantages for local communities and businesses. In particular, they promote investment attraction, entrepreneurship activation, employment and jobs increase, material cost minimization, etc. At the same time, the development of entrepreneurship environment institutes requires support at national, regional, and local levels. The development will be almost impossible without the creation of proper legal, political, economic, and social conditions for their activity. The paper aims to define major stimuli of industrial park development based on the Polish experience, the economic structure of which is similar to the Ukrainian one. This will contribute to the development of the ways to boost industrial park development in Ukraine, especially in the border areas. For the matter, the author outlines the major instruments used by Polish local communities to boost investment and entrepreneurship activity in the framework of industrial park development. The scientific paper emphasizes the analysis of legislation on creation, functioning, and support of Polish industrial park development, and further perspectives of their activity. Special attention is paid to general characteristics of the condition of industrial parks located in Polish border regions. The advantages of each of them are determined and examples of their creation and development are given. The research resulted in the allocation of two groups of stimuli of industrial parks development which are the precondition, according to the author, of industrial parks becoming the instrument of investment attraction, economic boost of the territories, and entrepreneurship activity growth: the stimuli of development of industrial parks’ organizational structure (public financial assistance; information and advisory support; grans of European funds; international cooperation / partnership; independent spatial policy at the local level) and the stimuli of entrepreneurship development in industrial parks (infrastructure (physical and soft); public financial assistance; tax incentives; investment grants; financial loans).

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