Fossil fuels, which are widely used in Poland, have negative environmental and health consequences. Photovoltaics, used especially by households, contribute to a reduction in CO2 emissions and indirectly reduce the problem of smog. However, the high cost of photovoltaic installations forces the use of economic incentives, such as direct subsidies to the installation, under the “My Electricity” program (hereinafter referred to as the program). The development of photovoltaics is hindered by the ineffective functioning of transmission grids. In the current edition of the “My Electricity” program, the main emphasis was placed on the use of electricity at the place of generation through the use of energy storage facilities and the transition to a new billing system, so-called net billing. The program indirectly contributes to the growing popularity of heat pumps as an installation that uses electricity generated on-site. Significant changes in the program inspired the authors of the study to plan and conduct nationwide research; they assessed investment plans for energy storage and heat pumps by potential individual investors, i.e., owners of single-family houses. Based on the results obtained, the authors of the article concluded that the new version of the “My Electricity” program will almost exclusively affect the energy storage market. This impact will stimulate the development and application of this technology. In the case of the heat pump market, the current demand will remain at the same level. The program will contribute to achieving the assumed goals, especially energy consumption at the place of production and reducing so-called low emissions. The program will not affect the demand for heat pumps.

The impact of climate change on the economy and environment humans live in has increased, leading to a relatively quick intensification of the effort to reduce the environmental footprint of the civilisation. The push to establish a sustainable energy economy has become one of the primary challenges today. A sustainable energy economy should ensure energy security, reduce energy poverty, and contribute to lower greenhouse gas emissions. Poland is facing considerable challenges relevant to the objectives of EU policy, particularly the Fit for 55 package, which cannot be achieved without renewable energy sources. The most popular renewable energy source in Poland is solar energy. Apart from its obvious advantages, the use of distributed photovoltaic generation (including microgeneration) entails the need for transmission grid upgrades. The paper's objective was to assess the RES potential of Poland through an analysis of the steps the state took and the progress of its targets. The empirical part focuses on the assessment of the use of the solar energy potential (in photovoltaic microgeneration) in cities with district rights in Silesian Voivodeship, Poland, from 2014 to 2020. The study employs selected cartographic representation, comparative analysis, in-depth case study, and spatial analysis methods. The calculations involved data from Tauron Dystrybucja SA on the number of microgeneration systems in the cities, Database of Topographic Objects, Local Data Bank of the Central Statistical Office of Poland and Eurostat.

Climate change and human activity are the main threats to rural areas and surrounding cities. The effects of climate change are mainly an increasing temperature, but also the intensity and frequency of extreme events. Climate change and its consequences are a growing problem. One of the ways to mitigate climate change, improve the quality of the natural environment and meet international obligations is sustainable energy management and the use of renewable energy sources (the RES). The aim of the study was to evaluate the energy economy, in particular the use of the RES in the Żywiec district in 2015–2020. In the rural areas of the Żywiec district, the preferred RES are solar energy (for all communities), energy from biomass and biogas from agricultural biogas plants. It has been assumed that the increase in the use of renewable energy (in this case PV installations) in the areas in question was mainly caused by the economic incentives. After the initial period (2015–2018) of lack of interest, there was a significant increase in the number of RES installations installed. PV installations prevailed. After the analysis, it seems that the increase in interest and installation of PV installations was mainly due to attractive, local subsidy programs, which significantly improved operational efficiency and shortened the payback time on investments in photovoltaic micro-installations. The adopted hypothesis was confirmed.

One of most common natural catastrophes in Poland are undoubtedly floods. Climatic change contributes to more and more often and violent occurrences of the maximum flow in rivers, which increases flood damage. Inadequate land management and the unjustified belief in the effectiveness of technical flood control measures can also contribute to flood damage. The development of water management (including flood protection) should be carried out in a sustainable way by integrating social, environmental, and economic objectives. In flood protection, those measures that are least invasive to the natural environment should be used first; in particular, non-technical flood protection methods (e.g., flood risk assessment and management, and the proper definition and management of flood plains). One of the bases for the sustainable development of water management is the preparation of models that can help us calculate the likelihood of maximum flow and to identify areas that are at risk of flooding. On this basis, the proper spatial policy and prevention of flood effects will be possible. This article presents the probabilistic analysis carried out on the flood risk dynamics for a selected area of the Odra River basin. The authors based their risk dynamic assessment on the results from the distributions of the maximum values for a selected hydrological characteristic – the flow rate. Based on the daily flow data from the years of 1994–2013 collected at a hydrological station on the Odra River in Malczyce, the 30-day flow maxima were set individually for four 5-year periods. Then, a probabilistic model of the maximum flow was developed based on these peaks for each 5-year period. The resulting models were used to estimate flood risks and for analyzing the dynamics for the studied area.

Rozwój centrów handlowych wpływa w różny sposób na obszary zewnętrzne dużych miast. Efektem mogą być zmiany ekonomiczne, rynku pracy, zachowania konsumentów, komunikacyjne oraz zagospodarowania przestrzennego. Negatywnym następstwem może być zanik podstaw funkcjonowania podmiotów gospodarczych w małych miastach, pełniących funkcje usługowe wobec otaczających obszarów wiejskich, natomiast pozytywnym spadek cen i polepszenie jakości oferowanych usług. Celem pracy jest ocena oddziaływania centrów handlowych na przedsiębiorców działających w małych miastach i na obszarach wiejskich, położonych w subregionie południowym województwa śląskiego, w strefie wpływu miasta Bielska-Białej. Na podstawie przeprowadzonych w 2012 roku badań ankietowych z przedsiębiorcami w wybranych gminach subregionu bielsko-bialskiego określono ekonomiczny wpływ centrów handlowych. Centra handlowe stanowią bezpośrednią konkurencję dla niewielkiej liczby ankietowanych przedsiębiorców, bo tylko 7% ogółu. Utrata klientów została zrekompensowana dzięki dodatkowym zleceniom. Najbardziej doceniane są zwłaszcza nowe przyjazne formy robienia zakupów. Podsumowując, centra handlowe stanowią konkurencję dla przedsiębiorców, ale także przyczyniają się do poprawy jakości i konkurencyjności świadczonych usług.

Jednym z elementów zrównoważonego rozwoju miast jest ład środowiskowo-przestrzenny. Składają się na niego różne aspekty, takie jak np.: ekologizacja planowania przestrzennego oraz ochrona przed powodziami (w ramach ochrony wód), które powinny być ze sobą powiązane. Planowanie przestrzenne winno uwzględniać ograniczenia środowiskowe, w szczególności ograniczenia w intensywnym zagospodarowaniu terenów zalewowych. Istotne jest dążenie do pogodzenia ze sobą tych sprzecznych często interesów, jakimi są presja na zagospodarowanie terenów zagrożonych wystąpieniem powodzi z wprowadzeniem na takich terenach ograniczeń np. w zabudowie. W artykule przybliżono ideę zrównoważonego rozwoju, ryzyko powodzi i sposoby zapobiegania szkodom powodziowym oraz przeprowadzono analizę miejscowych dokumentów planistycznych w mieście Strumień pod kątem wyznaczenia i zagospodarowania (ograniczeń w wykorzystaniu) stref zagrożonych zalaniem. Dokonano oceny polityki przestrzennej w mieście Strumień.

Seria: Zeszyty Naukowe Wydzialowe Uniwersytetu Ekonomicznego w Katowicach. Studia Ekonomiczne ; 92