Search Results (173)

This article addresses the storage of carbon dioxide [CO₂] in underground geological formations. It presents the results of a preliminary assessment of the feasibility of sequestering CO₂ in Cambrian aquifer units located within the Polish Exclusive Economic Zone of the Baltic Sea. The northern segment of a structure within the Rozewie tectonic block was selected as the research and test site. The aim was to determine the sequestration capacity and select optimal locations for injection wells, taking into account storage safety. The results and conclusions are based on numerical simulations of CO₂ injection and plume migration within a brine-filled structure using Petromod software v. 2024. A geological model of the site was developed representing the spatial distribution of petrophysical parameters (porosity and permeability) of the reservoir and sealing horizons. Fault zones were also mapped and parameterised in order to evaluate the structural integrity and identify potential migration barriers for the injected gas. An initial assessment assumed the possibility of injecting 100 Mt of CO₂ into the analyzed structure over a 30-year period using ten wells. However, simulation results based on the current state of geological characterization demonstrated that injection performance may vary considerably between individual wells. Wells situated within zones of highest reservoir capacity were estimated to sustain injection rates of 6–7 Mt of CO₂ over 30 years, implying that a greater number of injection wells would be required to accommodate the target storage amount. Fault seal capacity was evaluated using an algorithm based on the Shale Gouge Ratio (SGR) criterion, which enabled the assessment of fault permeability and revealed potential risks of CO₂ leakage. Numerical simulations further facilitated the estimation of the reservoir’s storage potential and the optimization of injection well placement, considering both injection efficiency and the risk associated with CO₂ migration and leakage. Full article

The taiga shrew (Sorex isodon), a boreal forest species widely distributed across northern Eurasia, had not previously been recorded in the Baltic states. We report the first occurrence of S. isodon in Lithuania, which extends the species range westward into the Baltic region. The specimen, which was initially misidentified as Sorex araneus, was collected in 2023 near Vilnius during non-systematic snap-trapping. A detailed examination of tail, cranial, and dental characteristics confirmed the identification as S. isodon. The individual was a non-adult male, weighing 5.8 g, and was trapped in a wet mixed forest influenced by beaver activity. This suggests that the microhabitat conditions are similar to those reported in Belarus and Ukraine. This finding extends the western boundary of S. isodon distribution by approximately 200–630 km. This study underscores the potential underreporting of this species in the Baltic region and highlights the importance of revisiting existing skull collections, conducting targeted trapping, and performing genetic analyses. Verifying additional records will clarify the habitat preferences and conservation relevance of S. isodon at the western edge of its range. Full article

This article presents the results of research on the potential development of offshore wind energy in Poland. Wind energy generated in offshore farms is intended to be the second pillar (alongside nuclear power) of Poland’s energy transition, creating the foundation for a zero-emission energy system. The authors constructed a neural network that allowed them to forecast the development of the installed offshore energy capacity for Poland by 2030. For this purpose, the factors that have the greatest impact on the development of wind energy in Poland were identified. This knowledge will facilitate the development of state policy consistent with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the European Green Deal. Since Poland currently does not have installed offshore wind energy capacity, Germany was used as a benchmark to train the model. The research results fill the identified gap: to date, forecasts of offshore development in Poland based on a model trained on German data have not been presented in the literature. The research results show that by 2030, Poland can achieve the goals set by the United Nations, the European Union, and the Polish Energy Policy 2040 (PEP2040). The PEP2040 assumes that Poland should have 5.9 GW of energy installed in offshore wind farms in the Baltic Sea by 2030. The forecast indicates that this will be approximately 5.3 GW, with the difference between these values remaining within the model’s margin of error. Full article

This study introduces the SESG (Security, Environmental, Social, Governance) framework as a necessary evolution of traditional ESG, aimed at enhancing societal and corporate resilience in the face of hybrid threats, war, and climate crises. By integrating a security dimension, SESG responds to the growing inadequacy of classical ESG models in high-risk environments, particularly for countries like Ukraine. The research combines theoretical analysis with empirical data, including a nationwide survey of Ukrainian professionals across business, government, and civil society sectors. The findings reveal overwhelming support—over 90%—for incorporating security into ESG, especially in sectors such as IT, energy, and logistics. The article proposes a matrix of qualitative and quantitative indicators to assess SESG performance and highlights business-led contributions to national defense. The results demonstrate that security is not just a governmental concern but a key factor in corporate responsibility, investor trust, and sustainable development. The study concludes that SESG offers both a scientific reframing of resilience and a practical tool for policy and strategy, particularly under conditions of geopolitical and environmental instability. It urges cross-sector collaboration, standardization, and awareness building to embed SESG as a core principle in global sustainability agendas. Full article

Global food systems have faced multiple shocks that threaten the implementation of their main functions. This article analyzes the most recent studies and aims to develop a socioeconomic resilience assessment dashboard for agriculture as a component of the food system and estimate the resilience of the Baltic states in 2013 and 2023. The selected years allow us to compare resilience before and after the most recent agricultural market crisis. The resilience assessment dashboard includes leading and lagging indicators and uses the distance to a reference measure normalization method to compare resilience indicators in individual countries with the EU average. Leading indicators, focusing on the ability of the system to implement changes, distinguish the Estonian case and suggest that structural patterns of this country could empower different actions to increase resilience compared to other Baltic states. Lagging indicators, focusing on the key functions of the system, suggest that the Baltic states have improved their nutritional security; however, this research identifies a high concentration of ex-EU imports for the fats and oils group, the animal products group, except for the CN03 category, and the vegetable products group, with the exception of the CN08 and CN09 categories, as an important resilience challenge of national food security. The results imply the importance of policy actions aiming at the further development of national trade networks and the diversification of import markets. Farm economic viability indicators, except for debt ratio, evidence annual instability and unfavorable resilience compared to the EU average, while, in Latvia and Lithuania, agriculture remains an important employer and contributes to the resilience of national economies. The analyzed leading indicators suggest that the Baltic states could prioritize different agricultural policy actions and budget allocation addressing national farm viability and agricultural employment challenges. Full article

Obtaining electricity from water wave energy using energy converters has a long history, but there are still relatively few commercial devices in the world compared to other solutions using renewable energy. The probable reasons for this state of affairs are operating costs, the cost of minimizing navigation risk for ships, and the geographical and hydro-meteorological specificity of various sea areas, resulting in the use of different, difficult-to-unify solutions. It can be concluded based on a literature analysis that there are no similar commercial solutions in Poland. This article presents the characteristics of waves in the South Baltic Sea near the Polish coast. Calculations of the output power were carried out for a selected type of wave energy converter (point absorber—PA) with different design parameters stimulated by wave energy with variable amplitude and period. These calculations for three characteristic cases are related to a feasibility study of the placement of power point absorbers in the water area around the port of Łeba in Poland. Finally, a short analysis of the results is presented. The obtained calculation results under Polish EEZ conditions are promising because we obtained above 304 KW of energy for 17% of the wave time per year, which seems to be good for local applications. Full article

River spring and flash floods are highly dependent on variations in meteorological conditions. In the Baltic States, substantial changes in air temperature and precipitation have been observed between the two most recent climate normal periods (1961–1990 and 1991–2020). Therefore, changes in the magnitude of spring and flash floods across different hydrological regions between these periods were analyzed to better understand shifting hydrological patterns. Daily flow data from 1961 to 2020 were obtained from 68 water gauging stations on 55 rivers. The Pettitt and Mann–Kendall tests, as well as Sen’s slope estimator, were applied to analyze the time series of flood maximum discharges. The most pronounced negative trends in spring and flash floods were observed in Lithuanian rivers, with the magnitude of these trends gradually weakening toward Latvia and Estonia. The maximum flood heights (h_MAX) generally declined during 1961–2020, particularly in Lithuania and western Latvia. Spring flood data showed the most significant decrease, particularly during 1991–2020, when h_MAX declined on average by 0.14 mm/year in Lithuania and 0.05 mm/year in Latvia. Flash floods exhibited smaller declines, also concentrated in 1991–2020. In the major rivers (Nemunas, Neris, and Daugava), peak discharges of both floods declined consistently throughout the study period. Full article

Digital wallets (DWs) have experienced significant growth in recent years. Still, at the same time, there are substantial differences in the level of adoption of these financial technologies between EU Member States. This research investigates the key factors affecting the intention to use DWs by analyzing previous research and applying an extended Technology Acceptance Model. In total, 418 respondents from the Baltic states participated in the online survey in 2024. Using partial least squares–structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM), the analysis revealed that the factors studied, such as perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use, social influence, facilitating conditions, and perceived trust, significantly influenced users’ intent to use DWs for financial services. Perceived trust emerged as the strongest predictor, and social influence moderated perceived ease of use and facilitated conditions that impacted users’ intent to adopt DWs. This study provides important insights into the factors that shape users’ intentions to use DWs and the interactions between these factors. In addition, the extension of the TAM strengthened the theoretical framework for the study of DW adoption. Full article

This article considers various aspects of the functioning of electric power systems (EPSs) with a high proportion of available renewable energy sources (RES). In the absence of sufficient sources of basic generation in the EPS, new ways to eliminate possible consumer load jumps in the form of power reserves will be required. Based on the studies carried out in the Baltic States’ energy systems, it follows that the best way to ensure stable and safe operation of power plants in these conditions is to use energy storage devices, namely, a battery energy storage system (BESS). The BESS battery system will be able to provide reserves in a more economical way than most power plants that use organic fuels. A model for the distribution of production capabilities of an electric power producer with specified energy characteristics in market conditions is proposed. The practical implementation of the model makes it possible to obtain the initial data for creating characteristics of price proposals in the formation of a market for power reserves. The implementation of the model is illustrated for a concrete example. Full article

Soil sealing and land take are increasingly recognised as critical environmental and land use planning challenges across Europe. Although these issues have received limited attention in Baltic policymaking and the academic literature to date, available data indicate ongoing land consumption despite population decline. This study aims to analyse soil sealing patterns in Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania between 2018 and 2021 using CLC+ Backbone data, linking them to demographic shifts and local planning frameworks. Results reveal that soil sealing increased in nearly all municipalities across the Baltic states, regardless of population trends. The analysis highlights that shrinking municipalities, constrained by limited resources and declining populations, are structurally disadvantaged in terms of land use efficiency, particularly when measured by sealed area per capita. Moreover, this study discusses emerging policy tensions, including the narrowing conceptual gap between land take and soil sealing in the proposed EU Soil Monitoring and Resilience Directive, as well as the risk of overlooking broader land artificialisation. The findings underscore the need for context-sensitive, multi-scalar approaches to land use monitoring and governance, particularly in sparsely populated and demographically imbalanced regions, such as the Baltic states. Full article

This study provides an up-to-date assessment of the environmental status in the area of the S/s Stuttgart wreck in the southern Baltic Sea, focusing on macrozoobenthos, sediment chemistry, and contamination in Mytilus trossulus soft tissues. Comparative analyses from 2016 and 2023 revealed increased species richness and distinct benthic assemblages, shaped primarily by depth and distance from the wreck. Among macrozoobenthos, there dominated opportunistic species, characterized by a high degree of resistance to the unfavorable state of the environment, suggesting adaptation to local conditions. Elevated concentrations of heavy metals were detected in sediments, with maximum values of Cd—0.85 mg·kg⁻¹, Cu—34 mg·kg⁻¹, Zn—119 mg·kg⁻¹, and Ni—32.3 mg·kg⁻¹. However, no significant correlations between sediment contamination and macrozoobenthos composition were found. In Mytilus trossulus, contaminant levels were mostly within regulatory limits; however, mercury concentrations reached 0.069 mg·kg⁻¹ wet weight near the wreck and 0.493 mg·kg⁻¹ at the reference station, both exceeding the threshold defined in national legislation (0.02 mg·kg⁻¹) (Journal of Laws of 2021, item 568). Condition indices for Macoma balthica were lower in the wreck area, suggesting sublethal stress. Ecotoxicological tests showed no acute toxicity in most sediment samples, emphasizing the complexity of pollutant effects. The data presented here not only enrich the existing literature on marine pollution but also contribute to the development of more effective environmental protection strategies for marine ecosystems under international protection. Full article

As global challenges escalate—economic shocks, environmental issues, and evolving work expectations—the four-day workweek (4DWW) is gaining traction as a sustainable and viable alternative. This study investigates the transition from a traditional 5-day workweek to a 4DWW in the context of private companies in the Baltic States, supplemented by the insights from informal interviews with 17 representatives across Latvia, Lithuania, and Estonia and an in-depth case study of a Latvian wholesale company. Employing a mixed-methods approach, the research integrates document analysis, structured interviews, and quantitative assessment of key performance indicators over an 8-year period. The findings elucidate the phased transition process, detailing the multifaceted challenges encountered at individual, operational, and strategic levels. The study evaluates the impact of the 4DWW on organizational productivity, employee well-being, and environmental outcomes. Results indicate that, while the 4DWW can sustain or enhance operational efficiency and substantially improve work-life balance and stress reduction, these benefits are not uniformly observed across all economic sectors. This paper not only advances the literature on workweek restructuring by clarifying the algorithm for transitioning to a 4DWW but also underscores its potential as a sustainable business practice. The results offer valuable decision-making insights for private companies considering similar transitions, while also highlighting the need for context-specific strategies and policy support—including relevant legislative frameworks in the Baltic region—to ensure successful implementation. Full article

The increasing availability of satellite data and advances in machine learning (ML) have significantly enhanced land use image classification for environmental monitoring. However, the primary challenge in land use classification using satellite imagery lies in the presence of cloud cover, variations in data resolution, and seasonal changes, which impact classification accuracy and reliability. This paper aims to improve the assessment of land cover changes by proposing a hybrid ML, cloud interpolation, and vegetation indices-based approach. The proposed approach was implemented by using a random forest (RF) classifier, combined with cloud interpolation and vegetation indices, to classify land use Sentinel-2 satellite imagery in the Baltic States. The experimental results demonstrate that the proposed approach achieves an accuracy rate above 90%, effectively demonstrating its capacity to distinguish between various land use types. We believe that this study and its results will inspire researchers and practitioners to further work towards land use classification by applying ML algorithms and offer valuable insights for future classification tasks involving noise digitalization and research. Full article

Water is critical for the sustenance of life and pH is an important parameter in monitoring its quality. Solid-state pH sensors provide a worthy alternative to glass-based electrodes due to many advantages such as low cost, longer shelf life, simpler manufacturing, easier operation, miniaturization, and integration into electronic systems. Cobalt oxides are relatively cheaper and more abundantly available than ruthenium oxide. This work aims to reduce the environmental impact of screen-printed pH sensors by mixing Co₃O₄ and RuO₂ in five molar proportions (30%, 40%, 50%, 60%, and 70%) and investigating the influence of oxide proportions on the pH-sensing properties of the resulting composition using potentiometric characterization, scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, surface profilometry, and electron dispersive spectroscopy. Although all the developed compositions showed super- or near-Nernstian sensitivity with good linearity, the sensors based on 50 mol% Co₃O₄-50 mol% RuO₂ were the best due to superior sensitivity, selectivity, and stability. Fabricated sensors were applied in real-life environmental, municipal, and commercial water samples, including those from various depths in the Baltic Sea, and were found to be accurate in comparison to a glass electrode. Full article

The FuelEU Maritime Regulation, part of the European Union’s (EU’s) Fit for 55 initiative, aims to achieve significant reductions in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions within the maritime sector. This study assesses the feasibility of alternative fuels for the Estonian pilot fleet using a Well-to-Wake (WtW) life cycle assessment (LCA) methodology. Operational data from 18 vessels, sourced from the Estonian State Fleet’s records, were analyzed, including technical specifications, fuel consumption patterns, and operational scenarios. The study focused on marine diesel oil (MDO), biomethane, hydrogen, biodiesel, ammonia, and hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO), each presenting distinct trade-offs. Biomethane achieved a 59% GHG emissions reduction but required a volumetric storage capacity up to 353% higher compared to MDO. Biodiesel reduced GHG emissions by 41.2%, offering moderate compatibility with existing systems while requiring up to 23% larger storage volumes. HVO demonstrated a 43.6% emissions reduction with seamless integration into existing marine engines. Ammonia showed strong potential for long-term decarbonization, but its adoption is hindered by low energy density and complex storage requirements. This research underscores the importance of a holistic evaluation of alternative fuels, taking into account technical, economic, and environmental factors specific to regional and operational contexts. The findings offer a quantitative basis for policymakers and maritime stakeholders to develop effective decarbonization strategies for the Baltic Sea region. Full article