This article aims to assess the conditions and prospects for biomass utilization in the Visegrad Group (V4) countries. Additionally, the relationship between biomass energy production and greenhouse gas emissions was examined. A key component of the analysis involved identifying potential directions for the development of biomass utilization in the pursuit of the sustainable development of agricultural enterprises. In relation to these research objectives, a hypothesis was formulated regarding the causal relationship between biomass energy consumption and economic growth, the abundance of natural resources, and income in reference to the European Union economies. Both static and dynamic panel studies were applied. The conducted research revealed the complex nature of the conditions influencing biomass utilization. The study period covered the years 2004–2022. A negative correlation was found between the use of biomass and greenhouse gas emissions. At the same time, factors favoring biomass utilization included economic growth, the level of natural resource consumption per capita, and government policies aimed at increasing the share of renewable resources in the economy.

The growing environmental challenges and the urgent need for an accelerated energy transition have intensified the European Union’s efforts to expand the use of renewable energy sources and reduce dependence on fossil fuels. This study estimates the impact of selected socioeconomic, political, and technological factors on the share of renewable energy in gross final energy consumption. This issue is of key relevance for EU energy and climate policy, particularly in the context of the ongoing transformation processes in Central and Eastern European (CEE) Member States. The analysis covers eleven CEE countries—Poland, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Croatia, and Slovenia—over the years 2004–2023. Using panel data models in both static (fixed effects) and dynamic specifications, the study identifies the determinants of renewable energy development and captures inertia effects. The results reveal strong links between energy security and renewable energy deployment, where the pursuit of greater self-sufficiency often slows the expansion of renewable energy. Countries with high greenhouse gas emissions also show limited incentives to accelerate renewable energy integration. Based on the findings, this study proposes policy recommendations aimed at enhancing energy efficiency, strengthening energy security, and supporting the long-term sustainable growth of renewable energy in the region.

The growing interest of consumers in organic products necessitates a different perspective on customer loyalty, particularly regarding the factors that determine it. The aim of this article is to identify the factors influencing consumer behavior in terms of their loyalty to organic products. The research procedure utilized literature on the subject to gather information on existing studies, data from Eurostat, FIBL, and IFOAM databases, as well as data collected by IJHARS, showing the state of development of the organic market from 2004 to 2022. Additionally, it presents the results of research conducted among consumers of organic food products from the Lubuskie Voivodeship. The selection of respondents was random, using the stratified sampling method according to age range. The conducted research shows that customer loyalty results from positive experiences with organic food products and points of sale, which correlates with high trust. These customers are inclined to recommend both the products and the points of sale of organic food. The presented research fills a gap in the existing literature. Firstly, it identifies and assesses the factors influencing the level of loyalty in the purchasing decisions of consumers in the organic products market. Secondly, it indicates the desired directions for actions taken by producers and suppliers of food products to skillfully shape relationships with customers based on trust and loyalty, allowing for better adjustment of the offer to the needs and expectations of consumers in the organic food market.

Risk is an inherent part of our lives and every action we take. It accompanies us in various areas of our lives. Each of us encounters risk in everyday life by undertaking and performing specific activities or actions. Risk is not always perceived by us; there are situations when we do not notice it in our actions. The main objective of this article is to identify and assess the factors influencing the level of risk in consumer purchasing decisions in the organic products market. Additionally, it aims to indicate the desired directions of actions taken by producers and suppliers of organic food to reduce the risk associated with the purchasing process perceived by consumers. The research process took into account existing scientific achievements and the survey method, chosen due to the subject and nature of the research. The survey was addressed to consumers from the Lubuskie Voivodeship and was anonymous. The conducted research shows that the greatest risk perceived by consumers is in the case of online purchases, and the way to reduce this risk is through buyer loyalty to the place of purchase. The empirical research also provides grounds to assume that there is a relationship between individual types of risk. The research shows that respondents are most afraid of safety and social risk, and the least afraid of the risk of losing too much time. Consumers who want to reduce the risk use their own experiences or positive opinions about the product. The results provide valuable information for producers and suppliers of organic food who want to build lasting relationships with consumers based on trust and loyalty. The higher the trust, the greater the customer loyalty, and the lower the perceived risk.

The article presents the state and prospects of winemaking in Poland, with particular emphasis on the Lubusz Voivodeship. The aim of the study was to identify the most important conditions favoring the development of winemaking in the Lubusz region, based on a list of strengths, weaknesses and an assessment of market opportunities and threats, as well as the most important implications for the further development of Lubusz winemaking. In addition, a diagnosis of the state of winemaking in Poland was presented, broken down into individual voivodeships in terms of the number of wine producers.

The main aim of the study is to identify the most important conditions favoring the development of the Lubusz wine market, with particular emphasis on examining the involvement of young buyers (Millennium generation) in the purchase of Lubusz wines and the impact of factors determining their behavior, including situational ones related to the purchase and consumption of wine, as a generation in an increasingly more responsible for expanding the market. In addition, determining the demographic and economic profile of consumers consuming regional Lubusz wines, as well as proposing practical solutions for building a competitive advantage by the wine industry and wine sellers based on factors shaping the purchase of regional Lubusz wines. In the research procedure, the authors used literature analysis and survey research conducted among young consumers from the Lubusz Voivodeship. The research shows that the purchase of wine is associated with young consumers' perception of it as supporting the Lubusz region in its development. However, the purchase determinants include taste, quality, bouquet, and positive information about the wine. In turn, the main reasons for not making purchases are not drinking alcohol and too high a price.

This paper presents the most important directions of contemporary changes taking place and their conditions on the solar energy market in the Visegrad Group countries. The aim of the article was to identify the factors influencing the development of solar energy in the V4 and assess their impact over the period of 2010–2018. In addition, presents changes in the photovoltaic market. The development of this field of energy is to, on the one hand, ensure the right amount of energy, and, minimize the negative impact on the natural environment, on the other. Such an approach is particularly important energy security and counteracting climate change contributing to significant economic losses. The development of solar energy systems is uneven, particularly in countries with similar economic and social conditions. The dynamic panel model using the generalized method of moments was applied. The changes occurring in this market showed a high variability of dependencies and the necessity of continuous monitoring of the transformations and effects of the policy pursued. The study points to the importance of economic conditions, in particular subsidies for investors, economic growth and the development of renewable energy sources in stimulating the development of solar energy. It showed the sense of ensuring a stable path of economic growth. The role of subsidies, often used in this market, is ambiguous and their effects are spread over time and show different directions of impact in particular time intervals. The article allows for a better understanding of the conditions for the development of photovoltaic investments, so that in the future photovoltaics can become a global source of energy. The results provide valuable information for shaping policies aimed at increasing the use of renewable energy sources. The research showed the great significance importance for the implementation of the development in accordance with the microeconomic model.

Recently, tourism, including enotourism, has become an important factor in socio-economic development. It seems to be a promising area of action in terms of benefits not only for the city and its inhabitants, but also for global society. For the development of wine tourism, it is particularly important to observe consumer behavior, which changes due to changes in the environment. The main goal of this study is to assess the impact of wine tourism on the behavior of young consumers. The article contains the results of a survey conducted among respondents in the Lubuskie Voivodeship. The obtained results indicate that the majority of young consumers know and willingly visit Lubuskie vineyards, and they obtain information about them mainly from vineyard operators, wine sellers, family, friends and from their own experience. However, the main reasons for visiting vineyards included: participation in wine-related events and festivals, purchasing wine, as well as visiting vineyards and following thematic routes. Based on the research conducted, it was found that wine tourism undoubtedly helps improve the socio-economic situation. Building the region’s identity and image through wine tourism as a tool for the region’s development brings tangible benefits leading to its recognition and competitiveness. The results of this study provide valuable information for local authorities in shaping regional policy aimed at expanding wine tourism, in terms of assessing the existing potential of vineyards and further possibilities of their development.

The aim of this study is to identify the correlation between the amount of greenhouse gas emissions, added value from agriculture and economic growth in the Visegrad Group countries. Four countries of Central Europe were studied the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland and Slovakia in 2008–2019. Due to the objectives of the article, it was decided to use the panel model. The temporal scope of the research covers the years 2008–2019, i.e., two economic periods: 2008–2014 (a downward trend, including agriculture), and 2015–2019 (an upward trend). Greenhouse gas emissions are positively correlated with value added from agriculture and economic growth. The increase in the level of these variables stimulates of the amount of greenhouse gas emissions in the countries of the Visegrad Group. The analysis of the eco-efficiency of greenhouse gas emissions in agriculture, in relation to the gross added value produced, shows that the country with the least pollution of this value was Hungary, followed by Slovakia. The Czech Republic was third, and Poland was the last. The results of the research can be treated as a premise for a strategy for the development of agriculture, limiting the negative effects of its industrial development for more sustainable development.

The aim of this article is to indicate the rationale for the development of the bioeconomy in selected EU countries depending on their overall level of economic development. The research was based on four highly developed countries, i.e., Germany, France, Finland and Denmark, and four medium-developed countries, i.e., Poland, Hungary, Czech Republic, and Slovakia for the period 2001–2018. Renewable energy consumption, biomass and agricultural production were analysed as determinants of the bioeconomy development. The question was also answered whether differences in terms of measures determining the level of bioeconomy development between countries with different levels of economic development during the studied period are decreasing or increasing, using sigma (σ)-convergence coefficients. It is shown that the development of the bioeconomy of the studied countries is related to their level of economic development. In the middle economically developed countries, real opportunities for the development of the bioeconomy are noted, through a high share of agriculture in national income; and in highly developed countries—high spending on research and development and the growth of eco-innovation, which contributes to maintaining a development advantage between these groups of countries.

Purpose: The main aim of this study was to show different approaches to sustainable consumption and attitudes toward food waste and environmental pollution. The main goal formulated in this way is associated with specific objectives, which include identifying factors determining consumer behaviour on the organic food market, as well as to indicate the approach to the issue of food waste and the problem of environmental pollution. Design/Methodology/Approach: The article is based on theoretical considerations, which were supported by the results of own research, presenting tendencies and phenomena in the consumer behaviour of contemporary consumers characteristic of sustainable consumption. Surveys were used in the studies to demonstrate the determinants of this phenomenon. An empirical study using the survey method was conducted were carried out on consumers of the Lubuskie Voivodeship from May to September 2017. Findings: The conducted research shows that more than half of the respondents declared behavior in the sphere of consumption in accordance with eco-consumption. The study also found that more than half of women and men perceive the problem of food waste in their household. Among the activities to promote sustainable consumption, the most common were the use of reusable bags, waste segregation, and buying products that are produced in an environmentally friendly way. Economic factors affecting internal demand as well as environmental and institutional conditions turned out to be the key ones. Practical Implications: The presented considerations are of great importance for practice. They constitute an indicator which conditions the influence on the increase of consumption of food products. There is important for food producers. Originality/Value: The paper presents the attitudes of consumers towards ecological products, environmental and social issues and identifies consumer pro-ecological behaviors that translate into the state of the natural environment and affect the level of consumption sustainability.

The article deals with the problem of spatial diversity of selected organic crops in Poland. The purpose of this study was to verify the hypothesis of convergence in the development of organic farming in Poland by voivodship. The research was based on cross-sectional data covering 16 voivodships of Poland and concerned the years from 2006 to 2018. The research was conducted on the theoretical and empirical level. In the theoretical part, the current research related to the issues discussed was presented. The empirical measurement was made using statistical analysis methods, i.e. sigma (sigma) convergence analysis and the Czekanowski average difference method. The study assumed that we deal with various development paths resulting from the diversified allocation of resources, including in particular land resources and disproportions in long-term production structures. The conducted analyses revealed the unevenness of the organic farming development process in Poland by individual voivodships. In economic practice, this would mean using various instruments to support the development of agriculture and rural areas in a regional perspective.

The development of the organic food market has resulted from, among others, an increasing consumer awareness of healthy eating, caring for their loved ones, as well as the spread of information on exceedances regarding the level of pesticides in food, standards of dioxins in meat and many other toxic chemicals. Noteworthy is also the increasing availability of organic food. An increasing number of stores have in their range of products food from organic farming, which in effect affects the increase in demand for this type of food. Consumer behaviour regarding organic products is determined not only by increasing ecological awareness, but depends on many factors, among which economic factors play an important role. Understanding the conditions of purchasing ecoproducts is crucial in the development of the organic food market. The aim of this study is, fi rstly, to identify the factors determining consumer behaviour on the market of organic products, with particular emphasis on economic factors. Secondly, establishing the relationship between the level of average monthly income per person and the number of people in the household. Undoubtedly, higher prices of organic products compared to their conventional counterparts and low income of consumers limit their purchase. The article contains the results of a survey carried out among respondents in the Lubuskie Voivodeship. The results of the study show that the higher willingness to pay results not only from the perceived quality of products, taste values, product composition, lifestyle, or fragrance values, but also from care for the natural environment and the health of both themselves and their relatives.

In the literature on the subject, there are many theories trying to explain the mechanism of consumer behavior on the market. Due to the scale of considerations, micro- and macroeconomic theories deserve attention. Understanding the conditions for purchasing food products is of key importance in the development of the organic food market. The main factors determining the choice of food can be distinguished: demographic, economic, socio-cultural, psychological, as well as those related to food. The aim of this study is to identify the factors shaping the decision-making process in the organic food market. An important role in the process of purchasing organic food is attributed to demographic factors, lifestyles or related to the product itself. The latter refer to the appearance, taste, smell, availability, etc. The article contains the results of the survey conducted among respondents in the Lubuskie Voivodeship. They indicate that it is important to take into account in the consumer's perception not only the factors determining the purchase of food conditioning preferences, conduct and choices, but also the overall mechanisms affecting the behavior of the consumer.

W artykule przedstawiono poziom i strukturę spożycia żywności w Polsce oraz w poszczególnych województwach, ze szczególnym uwzględnieniem województwa lubuskiego. Ponadto ukazano przyczyny zmian spożycia żywności. Głównym celem opracowania było dokonanie oceny tendencji w spożyciu żywności w województwie lubuskim na tle zmian wzorca wyżywienia w Polsce. Z przeprowadzonych wśród mieszkańców województwa lubuskiego badań wynika, że większość respondentów dokonywała zakupów żywności biorąc pod uwagę czynniki ekonomiczne. Natomiast wśród najczęściej spożywanych przez nich produktów znalazły się na pierwszym miejscu produkty piekarniczo-cukiernicze, na drugim produkty pochodzenia zwierzęcego, tj. mięso i wędliny, mleko i jego przetwory zaś uplasowały się odpowiednio na trzecim i czwartym miejscu. Spożycie warzyw wskazywało dwóch na trzech badanych. Dla ankietowanych bezpieczeństwo żywności miało największe znaczenie przy kupowaniu żywności.

Research background: The article has addressed the issue of sustainable consumption, which is becoming increasingly important on account of the adverse social and environmental consequences caused by the development and growth of societies. Sustainable consumption encourages to make rational choices and take responsibility for one's choices. Consumers take a number of decisions every day that affect not only them, but also cause externalities. There are many studies that indicate that consumers when buying goods and services are driven by environmental and ethical considerations.Purpose of the article: Changes occurring in the environment affect consumer behavior, leading to multiplicity of attitudes and changes in consumption trends. The article has shown consumer behavior in line with the concept of sustainable development against the background of trends in consumption in Poland.Methods: The basis for the discussion in the article will be: literature studies, available empirical studies, and our own results of the survey among respondents in Lubuskie voi-vodeship. Surveys using questionnaires were directed at 541 respondents. The number of correctly completed questionnaires was 500, and the figures contained in them were subjected to further analysis.Findings & Value added: Respondents in their purchasing choices are not guided by the influence of the consumption on the natural environment. However, in their behaviors we can notice some environmental measures, which stem from different reasons, depending on the socio-economic conditions.