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Autonomia finansowa małych miast w Polsce
The main aim of the study was to assess the level, dynamics of changes and diversification of the financial autonomy of small towns with the status of urban communes in Poland in 2011 and 2020. Two basic indicators used in the assessment of the studied phenomenon were used: the level of own income per capita, as well as and their share in the own income of the surveyed entities. The subjective scope of the research included small towns (less than 20 thousand inhabitants) with the status of urban communes (116 entities in 2020). Empirical research was carried out on the basis of secondary data from the Central Statistical Office. The empirical research conducted was aimed at answering the following research questions: is the distance between small towns and larger urban centers in terms of the level of financial autonomy high and increasing over the years, does the lowest level of financial autonomy distinguish small cities from the Eastern Macroregion, what are the most important determinants of the level of financial autonomy of small towns. The conducted research has shown that small towns are characterized by the lowest level of financial autonomy, but also the highest diversity in this respect. However, disproportions in the level of financial autonomy of small towns in relation to urban communes in general are relatively small and have decreased in the analyzed period. The highest level of the studied phenomenon is observed in small towns from the Northern and Southern Macroregions, and the lowest in the Eastern Macroregion. Disproportions in the financial autonomy of small towns in the Eastern Macroregion in relation to, among others, to small towns in Poland in general, however, decreased. However, the financial autonomy of these entities is still the result of local entrepreneurship, conditions for the development of tourism and location benefits.
Does the Level of Living Conditions of the Population Depend on the Place of Residence? – Rural and Urban Perspective of European Union Countries
Do regions with high CO2 emissions actively invest in energy transition? – examples of local investments in Poland
Investments in Renewable Energy in Rural Communes: An Analysis of Regional Disparities in Poland
Although energy transformation is a widely discussed topic, there is a dearth of research on the role of rural communes in implementing that concept in Poland, a country where rural areas account for more than 90% of the total landmass. Most research projects are focused on larger local government units, such as cities, whereas rural communes’ role in the development of local energy policies and impact on the development of renewable energy sources (RESs) is often disregarded. Therefore, this study extends the existing literature resources with a view to bridging that gap by assessing rural communes’ investment activity in the context of the Polish energy transformation, with particular emphasis on regional differences in RES investments financed with Union funds. Therefore, the main purpose of this study is to assess the contribution of rural communes to the Polish energy transformation process, with a particular focus on regional differences in renewable energy investments financed with European Union funds in the successive seven-year financial perspectives 2007–2013 and 2014–2020. The study aimed to answer the following key research questions: how does the level of rural communes’ investment activities related to renewable energy development compare to that of other commune types? What are the regional differences in rural communes’ investment activities related to renewable energy? What are the main factors affecting rural communes’ investment activity in regions most involved in the development of renewable energies? The study relies on data from the Ministry of Development Funds and Regional Policy and from the Local Data Bank of the Central Statistical Office. The dataset was processed with the use of descriptive statistics methods and Ward’s method with a view to identifying regional patterns and conditions for the development of renewable energy investments. This study focuses on the investment activities of rural communes in Poland related to RESs financed with European Union funds. The empirical research results highlight rural municipalities’ crucial role in developing RES, emphasizing their high investment activity and significant regional differences. Municipalities from the eastern Polish provinces of Lublin and Podlasie have successfully secured EU funds for RES development. They have implemented numerous projects, primarily related to solar energy.
Are most polluted regions most active in energy transition processes? A case study of polish regions acquiring EU funds for local investments in renewable energy sources
The primary aim of this study was to assess the investment activity of basic local government units in the development of renewable energy sources co-financed by EU funds depending on CO2 emissions and other socio-economic conditions in terms of regions of Poland in the years 2007–2020. Empirical studies aimed at the verification of the research hypothesis that “the greatest investment activity in local projects co-financed from EU funds related to the development of renewable energy sources is observed for local government units in regions with highest CO2 emissions”. Empirical studies were conducted based on data from the Ministry of Investment and Economic Development in Poland, the Local Data Bank, and the National Centre for Emissions Management. Thus, the conducted analyses provide both cognitive and applicatory values for the establishment of an appropriate energy transition policy in individual regions of Poland, which may be implemented by local government authorities within the current financial framework. Data concerning CO2 emissions at the regional level were estimated by applying the original disaggregation method as modified by the authors, which made it possible to fill the research gap resulting from the lack of data on emissions at the regional level. In order to show the regional diversification in investment activity of local government units in terms of renewable energy sources, its multi-faceted analysis was conducted by applying the Ward method. Clusters of regions with similar investment activity of local government units were described based on characteristics included in the typological classification (so-called active characteristics) and selected indexes showing CO2 emission levels, as well as selected socio-economic indexes (so-called passive characteristics). Based on the empirical studies, the research hypothesis presented in this paper was negatively verified. Considering both multiannual financial frameworks, the EU financial support for the development of renewable energy sources was used primarily by local government units of a predominantly agricultural character, and less advanced in terms of their development but exhibiting conditions conducive to renewable energy development.
Low-Carbon Rural Areas: How Are Polish Municipalities Financing the Green Future?
The main aim of the research was to assess Polish rural municipalities’ investment activity connected with the development of a low-carbon economy, supported with EU funds in the 2007–2013 and 2014–2020 financial frameworks. The empirical study was based on data from Poland’s Ministry of Development Funds and Regional Policy, Ministry of Finance, and Statistics Poland, analysed through basic descriptive statistics and a logistic model to identify key factors influencing investment activity. The study showed that the greatest number of agreements on funding were, in fact, signed by rural municipalities in the period under analysis. The predominant measures undertaken during this time were the promotion of renewable energy sources and the improvement in energy efficiency. In the earlier financial framework, low-carbon economy projects in rural areas were more often implemented by municipalities with developing demographic potential, including those characterised by a higher level of enterprise development. In the subsequent financial framework, human capital turned out to be of key importance for the investment activity of rural municipalities. Experience gained from 2007–2013 positively influenced fund absorption in 2014–2020, improving project value, number, and support. The study confirmed that rural municipalities play a vital role in advancing a low-carbon economy, as local actions are key to achieving sustainable development and reducing greenhouse gas emissions.