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The transition to sustainable pathways of economic development depends on the clear understanding of the sustainability principles, but it also needs ability to evaluate critically conventional professional practices and rethink them into sustainable one. However, the previous years of struggling for economic transformations have showed a serious issue - lack of action competence when it comes to the implementation of the sustainable solutions. The design thinking is a core of professional competency and high performance, but it must also incorporate skills to act and perform according to the plan. It is especially important for projects embedding sustainable solutions, which are often seen as a complicated and not profitable activity, demanding considerable investments. Moreover, this kind of perception is often demonstrated by all stakeholders - developers, businessmen and authorities. Thus, we believe that action competence must be a fundamental element of design thinking development in students. The most suitable platform for this is project-based learning, which should include a block of feasibility assessment and implementation planning. The paper presents the description of training methods and approaches for building the bridge between design thinking and action competence, based on the project-based courses delivered in Liepaja University and National Aviation University. The methodology of the research included three rounds of experiments, involving student works rating, student self-assessment and peer-review, which undergo analysis as well. The results of the work offer recommendations on the improvement of project design skills and action competence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to ensure economic development and respect of the principle of sustainability, the European Union has introduced a number of innovations in the legal framework and thus provided a large amount of money to modernize the economy. The benefits brought by the new economic model (circular economy) are reflected in the reduction of harmful effects on the environment, increased resource productivity, job creation, reduced dependence on raw material imports, increased competitiveness of the economy and encouraging sustainable economic development. The aim of the paper is to analyse and introduce the circular economy concept and to propose measures, steps and methods to simplify the introduction of the concept into the economy. The paper is structured in such a way that after the introduction follows a call to recent literature. Then it proceeds with performance analysis of the circular economy implication in the countries of the European Union. Subsequently, the authors present the proposals of measures that could be used to implement the circular economy together with a short conclusion at the end. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

So far, a number of studies emphasized the role of the educational variable. Back in 1990, Romer promoted the idea that educated workforce has the potential to generate and implement new technologies and to stimulate growth. Higher education has become an imperative of the development of a global society. It is a society that bases its development on the rapid changes and progress that entails constant evolution of information and communication technology. This society has become a society of knowledge with the jobs that are increasingly becoming knowledge intensive and ensuring sustainable development of a society. The purpose of this paper is to give a detailed review of previous studies related to the so-called 'education led growth hypothesis' and review the existing empirical evidence to support the fact that education is one of most important determinant of economic growth of a country. The paper contributes to existing research in a manner that at one place summarizes previous empirical evidence on 'education led growth hypothesis' but also provides recommendations for future research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Green economy, green growth and sustainable development are currently very often used terms. There are many international organizations intensively involved in the field of green growth and sustainable development. Green growth, according to the OECD, is a way how to support economic growth and development, while protecting natural resources, so that we could continue to use the natural resources and environmental services, on which our prosperity depends. One of its aims, especially in developed countries, is green economy building and ensuring social and economic sustainable development. However, it is not always clear how to build a green economy or achieve social and economic activities in the sense of sustainable development. The European Union is a cluster of relatively homogeneous countries, based on similar social and economic development. Ensuring green growth and sustainable development should be a common, coordinated and targeted activity of all European Union countries. The main aim of the paper is to evaluate green growth and sustainable development in the European Union countries using the selected indicators of green growth and selected indicators of sustainable development, including assessment of interregional disparities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Environmental Citizenship is a key factor in EU's growth strategy (Europe 2020) and its vision for Sustainable Development and Green and Circular economy. Significant behavior change amongst both individuals and organizations is required in order to meet Europe's sustainability objectives and climate change targets. At a general level, policies aimed at changing behavior have tended to rely on two aspects: the introduction of fiscal measures and statutory legislation or market-based measures. Unfortunately, relatively less attention has been given to ecological education and the possibilities for promoting pro-environmental behavior. Environmental Citizenship is not clearly defined and framed in relation to other concepts such as environmental behavior, environmental attitudes, environmental literacy, environmental education, environmental knowledge, awareness and sustainability, the environmental citizenship domain being very complex. Education plays here an important role being a fundamental instrument that contributes to behavioral changes within the society, which is ultimately translated into environmental citizenship. This paper will approach several formal and non-formal education factors that affect environmental citizenship in Romanian education sector. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper addresses the main strategic benchmarks of the urban water supply and sanitation systems. The authors have studied the results of the biggest Russian urban water supply companies operation for the last three year period. The indicators that were considered: financial profits, investments, losses of water, the structure of costs etcetera. The results were compared with world level parameters. Many companies have really effective investment programs. This activity is related with, on one hand, the forthcoming strengthening of environmental legislation starting in 2020 and, on the other hand, financial support instruments of government. In addition, key directions of development of water economy were analyzed. The socioeconomic development strategy of Russian Federation identifies the need to strengthen the role of private companies. That is why difficulties and pressures of some enterprises were revealed. Furthermore, the water supply industry in Russia is characterized by the modification of institutional administration system. In conclusion, the prospects of the water supply companies according to the improving legislation and state and regional policy in this field are presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The development strategy in tourism industry requires a complexity of processes which claim the combination of the economical, social and environmental factors, concreted in medium and long term progress of the tourism society. Generally, sustainable development follows the performance on three levels - economic, by increasing the development degree and resources development, ecologically through recycling and avoiding environmental and social degradation by increasing the number of jobs, re-launching the traditional professions. The paper highlights a study conducted in the Romanian hotel environment regarding the top management's opinion of introducing in the infrastructure optimization strategies elements leading to tourist accommodation structures with "Nearly 0 energy consumption". The identified methods by which a hotel operator can reduce energy consumption are diverse, innovative and possible to be implemented in stages. The results of the study can constitute a fundamental approach for the purpose and objectives of a consultancy project that can support the goal of hoteliers in Romania, supporting the reduction of energy operating costs, the introduction of renewable energy sources, and stimulating the behavioral schema of staff and customers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper is devoted to a comprehensive study of the impact of rent received from energy resources on the economies of individual countries as a factor for the development of a balanced energy dialogue with the countries of the European Union. The research methodology consists of a three-stage sequential algorithm. The first stage is to calculate the absolute and relative profitability of extraction of energy resources. The second stage of the algorithm consists in clustering countries in terms of the level of dependence of the economy on rent from energy resources. The third stage of the algorithm is to determine the relationship between the degree of risk and the profitability of energy resources. The analysis made it possible to identify the inverse relationship between the level of extraction of energy resources and the level of economic development. As a rule, in countries with a low diversified economy, a larger amount of rent from energy resources is generated. It is established that a higher level of energy resources in the country does not affect the formation of a higher amount of rent. It has been proven that the greatest revenue per ton of production is observed in countries that are not among leaders in technological development of the economy and extraction. Thus, the level of reserves is not a key factor in the formation of rent. Moreover the global trend of the dependence of the economy on rent from energy resources has the cyclical nature and in recent years this dependence has been steadily decreasing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The industrial revolution, dynamic economic growth and population growth in the world mainly affect to an increase in demand for electricity. The energy sector is responsible for 2/3 of the world's greenhouse gas emissions. The European Union is leading the global action against the climate change, both by planning international actions aimed at reducing global warming to the level of 2°C, as well as through its own commitment to very significant greenhouse gas emissions reduction. The decarbonisation of the electricity sector and the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions adopted by the European Union in the climate policy 2050 affect the economic competitiveness of member states in comparison of the other countries where there are no emission limits. The aims of this article are: analysis of the energy mix diversity and the level of greenhouse gas emissions of the European Union Member States according to total CO2eqv and t/capita, analysis of the energy intensity of the Polish economy in relation to other European Union countries. This article identifies Poland as a country for which the adopted EU energy policy will have a significant impact on economic development. The paper presents the impact of energy consumption on the economy and its structure of energy production both in terms of efficiency of sources, their general condition as well as fuels used in energy processes on the scale of carbon leakage phenomenon. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The EU has set out its vision for Europe's social market economy in the Europe 2020 strategy, which aims at confronting our structural weaknesses through progress in smart specialization. In line with the Guide to Research and Innovation Strategies for Smart Specialization, this paper aims to identify key directions of sustainable innovative development of Russian resource regions and determine their readiness for smart specialization. Relying on clustering methodological approaches, this study has revealed: 1) economically developed resource regions, ready for smart specialization by attracting private sector investment; 2) resource regions ready for smart specialization using only public-private partnership, 3) enclave resource regions that initially require significant government support to enhance their investment attractiveness for private sector participation. The use of public-private partnerships and other forms of state support is a priority task at the initial stage, while regions with weak economic structure should receive support from the state until they become attractive to active private capital investing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The dynamics of economic development in Timiş County is due to an accumulation of macroeconomic factors where the variation of administrative units and population plays an important role. These two important components, highlights developmental trajectories that can be influenced by formulate territorial policies to meet the actual needs. The paper will trace the evolution, over a 5 years period of (2009-2014) of administratively territorial units and the budgets allocated to education, health, culture, and environment, to observe trends of sustainable development. At a country level, we are at a crossroads, by requiring redistribution of powers and resources between public administration at central and local levels to reform the system of territorial organization and redefining the framework of sustainable development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The sustainable development is a concept of great importance today, defined by several dimensions, such as referring to the fulfillment of human interests, the environment created aimed at matching the natural man, but by the social. The definition and its practical implementation must take into account more factors and the specific principles. From the economic perspective, economic policy must integrate the ecological principles that ensure its successful development to be sustainable in the long term. This paper presents the case of economic and ecological approach in territorial that is about developing the South-Muntenia Region of Romania. With a total surface of 34,453 km² (14.54% of the total area of Romania), the South-Muntenia Region [3] consists of seven counties (Argeş, Călăraşi, Dâmboviţa, Giurgiu, Ialomiţa, Prahova and Teleorman). The relief of the Region 3 South-Muntenia is characterized by variety, the difference in level is over 2400m allocated in proportion, stepped down from north to south of the Făgăraş and Bucegi mountains and ridges to the Danube Valley, which leads to the types of mountain, hill and plain climate. Like all developing regions of our country, in the South-Muntenia Region also are made efforts to attain the sustainable development objectives. The situation of the region is studied through analysis of the economic indicators and environmental development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years we observe a significant growth in transport performance in passenger and freight transport. Generally speaking, traffic must meet high the requirements for the quality and speed of transport. The quality of transport infrastructure is closely related with the growth of living standards and economic development of the country. The objective of transport policy in our country, as well as in other countries around the world, is ensuring the sustainable development of mobility. Slovakia as a member of European Union respects and fulfils its recommendation in area of road safety, decreasing of emission and energy intensity. Therefore there is a need to implement such a measure, whit which is possible to reach the required goals. In a field of road administration is a need to search and implement new environmental acceptable materials and technologies, to develop of such transport modes, to ensure the transportation needs at particular quality and without negative effects on the environment and climate changes. The paper focuses on environmental efficiency related to the performance of transport and the impact on the environment - emissions of air pollutants and greenhouse gasses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The natural environment is a very important element of sustainable development. High nature value is a factor that often contributes to conflict between users of space. In the process of social and economic development, efforts should be made to prevent the degradation of the natural environment. This paper characterizes the potential of the natural environment in line with the principles of sustainability in North-Eastern Poland covering the Region of Warmia and Mazury and the Region of Podlasie. The analyzed regions are characterized by a high degree of naturalness, diverse relief, an abundance of lakes, extensive forests and rich flora and fauna. With the exception of one constituent municipality, North-Eastern Poland is part of the area referred to as the Green Lungs of Poland, which covers the most attractive natural sites in the country. The ecosystems in North-Eastern Poland are recognized for their uniqueness not only in Poland, but also across Europe, and the Białowieża Forest has been designated a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve. The main source of information for this analysis was the data supplied by the Central Statistical Office in Poland. The aim of this study was to identify areas with the most valuable natural sites and to propose directions towards sustainable development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

EU countries are largely heterogeneous group. Heterogeneity is given by historical development, as well as geographic localization, or cultural and social specifics. Main aim of EU is to realize social and environmentally sustainable economic development. One of the tools to achieve that state is effort to increase energy efficiency of economies. In this paper we identify degree of similarity of EU countries in implementing the processes of improving the energy efficiency balance, using the selected indicators of energy efficiency and economic development. Using the historical data we also analyse changes in the development and in the structure of similarity of EU countries [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Today's economic society, modern and advanced, is the result of significant progresses on the technical, economic and social scale. The object of study of present paper is to realize an analysis related to price paid for this type of described evolution, from point of view of environmental factors which are the base of economic development. More, we propose to analyze if the present way of development is in accord with the principles and requirements of a sustainable economy and, especially, if the administration of environmental factors is efficient and sustainable. The reason for this choice is that we observed, from another analyses realized until now, that the indicators of sustainable development are not at desired level. Thus, based on documentation and research methods which use the statistical data, international reports and progress report on sustainability from European level, we intend to demonstrate that in order to realize a state specific for sustainability is need to use more efficient and rationally all development factors, starting from environment at which we will complete with human factors. In addition we will complete with a most debated problem, that of protection of natural resources because their depletion is seen often as a major source of social unrest and economic conflicts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]