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Department of Geography, Tourism and Hotel Management, University of Novi Sad, 21000 Novi Sad, Serbia
Biotechnical Faculty, University of Montenegro, Mihaila Lalića 15, 81000, Podgorica, Montenegro
Department of Geography, Tourism and Hotel Management, University of Novi Sad, 21000 Novi Sad, Serbia
Department of Land Measurements and Exact Sciences, Faculty of Forestry and Cadastre, University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine, 400372 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
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Global Challenges and Local Solutions in Natural Resource Management: Insights from the GEA 2025 Conference

Abstract submission deadline
closed (31 December 2025)
Manuscript submission deadline
closed (31 March 2026)
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5460

Topic Information

Dear Colleagues,

This issue of MDPI Topics brings together a collection of scientific contributions presented at the GEA International Scientific Conference titled “Global Challenges and Local Solutions in Natural Resource Management: Insights from the GEA 2025 Conference”, held from 29 to 31 May 2025 in Podgorica, Montenegro. The GEA itself (Geo Eco-Eco Agro) serves as a multidisciplinary research platform, uniting researchers and professionals from the fields of Geosciences, Ecology, Economy, Agriculture, and Cultural Heritage Conservation, as well as from related disciplines concerned with sustainable development and environmental resilience.

In the face of accelerating climate change, demographic transitions, and growing pressures on natural systems, the conference emphasized the urgent need for integrated, cross-sectoral approaches to resource management and climate adaptation. Particular attention was given to the complex interrelations between the biosphere, hydrosphere, lithosphere, and atmosphere, and how their interconnected management is crucial for building sustainable, adaptive strategies.

Through a series of presentations, discussions, and policy-relevant exchanges, the GEA Conference underscored the importance of regional solutions grounded in local knowledge, supported by science-based innovation and international collaboration. The event also placed a strong emphasis on supporting young researchers, offering them a platform to present their findings, engage in interdisciplinary dialogue, and build professional networks across institutions and borders.

This MDPI Topics issue reflects the core themes of the conference, with contributions that address:

  • Natural Resource Management
  • Sustainable Development
  • Erosion modelling and soil conservation strategies
  • Hydrological and watershed planning under climate stress
  • Remote sensing and geoinformatics in natural resource monitoring 
  • Agricultural innovation and sustainable land use 
  • Cultural and geoheritage valorization as part of ecosystem resilience

A particular strength of this volume lies in its interdisciplinary scope, which mirrors the structure of the conference itself. By bringing together empirical research, conceptual frameworks, and case-based insights, the papers featured here contribute to a growing body of literature that bridges global environmental challenges with localized, actionable solutions.

As the scientific community continues to seek sustainable pathways for natural resource management, we hope that the findings and ideas presented in this MDPI Topics issue will inform both academic inquiry and practical implementation across diverse regions and disciplines.

We warmly thank all contributors, reviewers, and organizing partners who made the GEA 2025 Conference and this publication possible. We invite the readership of MDPI Topics to engage with these works and continue the dialogue on climate resilience, sustainability, and the responsible stewardship of our shared environment.

Dr. Tin Lukić
Dr. Velibor Spalevic
Prof. Dr. Slobodan B. Marković
Dr. Paul Sestraș
Topic Editors

Keywords

  • natural resource management
  • hydro-meteorological hazards
  • environmental geography
  • climate change adaptation
  • sustainable development
  • soil and water conservation
  • watershed management
  • remote sensing and gis
  • environmental resilience and dynamics
  • agroecology
  • geoheritage and cultural landscape conservation

Participating Journals

Journal Name Impact Factor CiteScore Launched Year First Decision (median) APC
Atmosphere
atmosphere 		2.3 4.9 2010 19.7 Days CHF 2400
Geosciences
geosciences 		2.1 5.1 2011 23.6 Days CHF 1800
Heritage
heritage 		1.9 3.7 2018 19.9 Days CHF 1800
Sustainability
sustainability 		3.3 7.7 2009 17.9 Days CHF 2400
Water
water 		3.0 6.0 2009 18.9 Days CHF 2600

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Published Papers (2 papers)

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40 pages, 47197 KB  
Article
Remote Sensing and GIS Assessment of Drought Dynamics in the Ukrina River Basin, Bosnia and Herzegovina
by Luka Sabljić, Davorin Bajić, Slobodan B. Marković, Dragutin Adžić, Velibor Spalevic, Paul Sestraș, Dragoslav Pavić and Tin Lukić
Atmosphere 2026, 17(2), 124; https://doi.org/10.3390/atmos17020124 - 24 Jan 2026
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Abstract
The subject of this research is the exploration of the potential of remote sensing and Geographic Information Systems (GIS) for basin-scale spatio-temporal monitoring of drought and its impacts in the Ukrina River Basin, Bosnia and Herzegovina (BH), during the last decade (2015–2024). The [...] Read more.
The subject of this research is the exploration of the potential of remote sensing and Geographic Information Systems (GIS) for basin-scale spatio-temporal monitoring of drought and its impacts in the Ukrina River Basin, Bosnia and Herzegovina (BH), during the last decade (2015–2024). The aim is to integrate meteorological, hydrological, agricultural, and socio-economic drought signals and to delineate areas of long-term drought exposure. Meteorological drought was evaluated using CHIRPS precipitation and the Standardized Precipitation Index (SPI) calculated at 1-, 3-, 6-, and 12- month accumulation scales using Gamma fitting and a fixed long term reference period; hydrological drought was examined using available water-level records complemented by the Standardized Water Level Index (SWLI) and supported by correspondence with standardized ERA5-Land runoff anomalies; agricultural drought was mapped using remote sensing indices—the Temperature Condition Index (TCI), Vegetation Condition Index (VCI), and Vegetation Health Index (VHI)—calculated from MODIS satellite data; and socio-economic effects were assessed using municipal crop-production statistics (2015–2019). The results indicate that drought conditions were most pronounced in 2015, 2017, 2021, and especially 2022, showing consistent agreement between precipitation deficits, hydrological responses, and vegetation stress, while 2016, 2018–2020, 2023, and 2024 were generally more favorable. As a key novelty, a persistent drought-prone zone was delineated by intersecting drought-affected areas across major episodes, providing a basin-scale identification of chronic drought hotspots for a river basin in BH. The persistent zone covers 40.02% of the basin and spans nine cities and municipalities, with >93% located in Prnjavor, Derventa, Stanari, and Teslić. Hotspots are concentrated mainly in lowlands below 400 m a.s.l., with a statistically significant concentration across lower elevation classes, indicating higher long-term exposure in the central and northern valley sectors, and land use overlay further highlights high relative exposure of productive land. Overall, the integrated remote sensing and GIS framework strengthens drought monitoring by providing spatially explicit and repeatable evidence to support targeted adaptation planning and drought-risk management. Full article
(This article belongs to the Topic Global Challenges and Local Solutions in Natural Resource Management: Insights from the GEA 2025 Conference)
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17 pages, 2720 KB  
Article
Studying Natural Radioactivity of Coals and Ash and Slag Waste as Potential Raw Materials for Quality Assessment and Extraction of Rare Earth Elements
by Yuriy Pak, Dmitriy Pak, Pyotr Kropachev, Vladimir Matonin, Diana Ibragimova, Anar Tebayeva, Pavel Timoshenko, Natalya Tsoy and Yelena Tseshkovskaya
Geosciences 2025, 15(11), 420; https://doi.org/10.3390/geosciences15110420 - 4 Nov 2025
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Abstract
A significant portion of coal mined in Kazakhstan is mainly used for fuel energy and metallurgy. Approximately 60% of electricity is generated by coal-fired power engineering. About 19 million tons of ash and slag waste (ASW) are annually sent to dumps. After coal [...] Read more.
A significant portion of coal mined in Kazakhstan is mainly used for fuel energy and metallurgy. Approximately 60% of electricity is generated by coal-fired power engineering. About 19 million tons of ash and slag waste (ASW) are annually sent to dumps. After coal combustion, in ASW not only are natural radioactive nuclides NRN (U238, Th232, K40) concentrated, but also rare and rare earth elements (REE). In this regard, ASW that essentially turns into quasi-technogenic deposits of NRN and REE, requires systemic measures for their utilization. The possibilities of extracting REE from coal power-industry waste are estimated based on the analysis of the concentration of REE (Ce, La, Nd, Sm, etc.), NRN (U238, Th232 and their decay products, K40) and the established significant correlations between rare earth and radioactive elements. The purpose of this paper is to study the natural radioactivity of coals and ash and slag waste as potential raw materials for assessing the quality and extracting rare earth metals. The stated purpose involves solving the following problems: studying the features of the NRN and REE distribution in coals and ash and slag waste; assessing the possibility of using ash and slag waste as a promising source of REE extraction based on nuclear radiometric studies; and studying the spectrometry of natural gamma radiation for assessing the quality of coals. Full article
(This article belongs to the Topic Global Challenges and Local Solutions in Natural Resource Management: Insights from the GEA 2025 Conference)
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