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This paper examines how objectives of the European Union in the field of climate change affect the legal regulation of products and what impacts they also have on some connected issues. The current ecodesign legal regulation is based on the Ecodesign Directive and the particular requirements on products are then set in regulations following the Ecodesign Directive. The paper primarily focuses on the changes in ecodesign product regulation brought by the new Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation proposal. The issue of the proposed legal regulation connected with environmental claims is also addressed in the text as it is an important complement to the sustainable products legal regulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of the article is to draw attention to one of the current trends in climate litigation, in which the solution of a human rights issue becomes the essence of the dispute. This trend is known as the "human rights turn", whereby the failure to fulfil or adequately fulfil national or international climate commitments is linked directly to the violation of fundamental human rights. The paper notes the impact of this trend on the interpretation of some fundamental human rights (in particular the right to life, the right to respect for private and family life and the right to a clean, healthy and sustainable environment). It draws attention to the need to strike a balance between protecting the rights of present and future generations. The application of the principle of intergenerational solidarity and the principle of proportionality is a primary factor in addressing this issue. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Pravnik is the property of Czech Academy of Sciences, Institute of State & Law and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Th e paper deals with growth and prosperity of 25 provenances of grand fi r from Washington, Oregon, Idaho and Montana (USA), and from Vancouver (British Columbia, Canada) tested in the international provenance research trial No. 212 – Drahenice (Czech Republic; N49° 31‘ 10‘‘, E13° 57‘ 20‘‘, 570 m a.s.l., acidic beech site). Biometric measurements took place at the age of 41 years; qualitative features were visually assessed according to the IUFRO methodology. Th e best overall assessment of both production and quality shows provenance 12041 – Oyster Bay (BC). Other provenances with high growing stocks, i.e. 12005 – Bear Mountain (WA), 12038 – Clearwater (ID), 12043 – Sproat Lake (BC) and 12044 – Kaye Road (BC) showed some qualitative shortcomings (lower vitality, worse stem shape or thicker branches). Th e worst both in production and quality were provenances 12020 – Crescent Creek (OR) and 12011 – Clear Lake (WA). Th e results confi rm the suitability of the current setting of the rules for the transfer of reproductive material from North America to the Czech Republic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Zpravoday Hnede Uhli is the property of Brown Coal Research Institute, j.s.c. and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Considering the changing climatic conditions, the Czech and Slovakian vegetation has been vertically divided into Forest Vegetation Zones (FVZs) units. Each FVZ is represented by a specific tree species, i.e., the oaks (Quercus sp.), European beech (Fagus sylvatica L.), silver fir (Abies alba Mill.), Norway spruce (Picea abies (L.) H. Karst.) and dwarf pine (Pinus mugo Turra). The FVZ concept has been applied in the Czechoslovakian forestry classification practice since the 1950s. Due to the broad time span of the studied topic, this article is divided into five chapters regarding the evolution of the FVZ concept. Its currently applied form was established primarily in the 1970s on the grounds of data gathered during two decades of forest typology research. An FVZ unit has become an upper unit of the Czech Forest Ecosystem Classification since its legislative codification in the Forest Act (289/1995) in 1995. To this day, however, the FVZ concept has not been reassessed by advanced, multi-dimensional statistical methods. This paper aims to describe key moments of the development of this concept and provide a perspective on its limitations, also in connection with current trends in ecological research. This review aims to provide a better understanding of the forest vegetation-environment relationship in the Czech Republic in relation to climate change, indirect anthropogenic environmental impact, and prediction of forest and landscape ecosystems response [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The European Green Deal includes in its scope a review of the Non-Financial Reporting Directive. A proposal of the new version of non-financial reporting - sustainability reporting - was presented by the European Commission in April 2021. The new version of non-financial reporting is to strongly emphasize the matters of environmental sustainability issues, mainly the issue of climate change. This paper describes the major changes that are included in the new proposal, while an analysis of the current legal framework is also provided. The new proposal is also examined among a wider context of measures aiming to mitigate climate change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper reports the recent expansion of the Marbled Fritillary (Brenthis daphne) in Moravia, the Czech Republic. The species is recently expanding from already well populated Bílé Karpaty Mts. to the North along and through valleys of Beskydy Mts.; across the Jablunkovský průsmyk Pass (Moravskoslezské Beskydy Mts.) from Slovakia to the Northwest (first records from 2022); in Central Moravia to the West along Bečva and Morava rivers (recorded closely to Přerov city in 2022); and finally along the Czech Republic-Austria borders to the West (recently recorded from Pavlovské vrchy Hills. in 2021). The expansion is probably supported by synergistic effect of several factors: a) ruderalisation and overgrowing of marginal habitats; b) increased clear-cuts in spruce plantations due to bark beetle outbreaks; and c) increased temperatures caused by climate change. We predict that the expansion will continue to other regions of Moravia in prevailing westerly and northwesterly directions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines the relationship between climate movements and states in climate governance, suggesting that movements may improve their political output by adopting a sovereignty-based, democratic framing of their agenda. The ambivalent attitude of climate movements and Green Deal supporters concerning the desired role of states is reconstructed. Moreover, a multidisciplinary review of the literature supporting a “return of the state” in climate politics is offered. Drawing on the critical literature on neoliberal environmentalism and the role of states within globalization, as well as considering issues such as equality, accountability, and scale of the transition process, this paper advocates for a non-nationalistic, democratic understanding of sovereignty as crucial for an efficient and fair green transition. It particularly emphasizes the need to revive the distinction between public interest and private gain and provide a bridge between subaltern agendas and climate movements’ goals in order to successfully envision a post-neoliberal climate governance model.

The Czech Republic is among the countries in Europe with a relatively more sceptical view of climate change, especially when it comes to opinions about human responsibility for climate change and the need for individual measures to mitigate its impacts. This article focuses on a relatively less noticed aspect of climate-sceptic opinions in the presentation of this issue in the Czech media, namely doubts about the scientific knowledge on climate change expressed by scientists themselves. It is based on two basic observations. First, scientists and experts play a key role in the presentation of climate change. Second, highlighting the inconsistency of scientific reasoning and the uncertainty of science is one of the basic strategies of the climate-sceptic movement. The aim of this paper is to analyse the media coverage of two important Czech experts on climate change – Václav Cílek and Jan Pretel – and to determine whether they communicate the scientific uncertainty on this subject. The analysis shows a considerable number of doubts of various kinds in the articles of both of the two experts, which may have to do with the Czech public’s circumspect attitude towards climate change and the slow change in their view of it. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

How can one freely act contrary to one's better judgement about what is right? Since antiquity, this question has attracted attention of many ethicists and theorists of action as the "problem of akrasia". On a traditional and still influential view akrasia happens when some irrational tendencies, emotions and desires override the rational part of one's soul and cause them to act in a way which contradicts their rational beliefs about what is good and desirable. In this paper, we aim to show that the view of akrasia as a matter of practical irrationality doesn't provide an adequate tool for understanding the complex nature of akrasia, since it obstructs an insight into the rational and social dimension of akrasia. We will argue that akrasia, far from being only an individual phenomenon, concerns also the action of broader social and political entities. We will introduce the notion of socio-political akrasia and demonstrate the seriousness of this phenomenon by analysing the case of (in)action of contemporary governments in the context of the climate crisis. Finally, we will conclude by offering a perspective on how to prevent socio-political akrasia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Science experts play important role in spreading the science-related knowledge that can improve societal outcomes by guiding policy in transformative way. Experts communication and its influence on policy decision-makers is particularly important topic when it comes to problems of climate change. This paper explore how European citizens perceive the role of experts and policy makers in science communication in climate change topic. It is based on the international research analysing European citizen’s perception of science communication to better understanding of how beliefs, perceptions and knowledge of science-related issues originate among EU citizens and to enquire their proposals for enhancing the quality of science communication. The findings of this paper come from studies performed within a European project entitled CONCISE which was carried out in five European countries (Portugal, Spain, Italy, Slovakia, Poland) based on qualitative research method – public consultation. The purpose of this paper is to review the existing structural obstacles that experts and policymakers, currently face when attempting to communicate the climate change successfully and to present the main findings from public consultation about the main proposals for experts and policy makers in communicating theclimate change to public.

Copyright of Urbanismus a Uzemni Rozvoj is the property of Institute for Spatial Development and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

This paper presents non-native (NN) coniferous and deciduous tree species growth and vitality assessment on experimental research plots established in 1980, 1982 and 1985 in the Danube Lowland over an extended time period. For NN coniferous tree species, Douglas fir, grand fir and eastern white pine reached significantly higher values of diameter at breast height (dbh) and height (H) than Austrian pine. For NN deciduous tree species markedly higher values of H and dbh for black walnut compared to sweet chestnut and red oak were recorded. Damage observed in larger extent on examined NN tree species stands included illegal removal of top of stem for grand fir and presence of necrosis on trunks of sweet chestnut. Comparison of NN coniferous and deciduous tree species growth with native reference tree species showed that NN Douglas fir, grand fir, eastern white pine, red oak and black walnut were capable to achieve similar or even higher values of assessed parameters than native reference tree species. The results suggest, that cultivation of NN coniferous, including Douglas fir, eastern white pine, as well as NN deciduous tree species, including red oak and black walnut in Danube Lowland could contribute to diversification and stabilisation of wood production potential of local forest formations.

Copyright of Journal of Forestry Society of Croatia / Sumarski List Hrvatskoga Sumarskoga Drustva is the property of Forestry Society of Croatia and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The aim of this paper is to examine the importance and application of risk management strategies among Dalmatian grape and wine producers who are faced with climate change. For research purposes, a questionnaire was used on a convenient sample of Dalmatian grape growers and wine producers (N=89). Descriptive statistics, t-test for independent sample, and one-way analysis of variance were used for the data analysis. The importance of risk management strategies was assessed on a five-point Likert scale, and results show that the most important strategies are change-the-harvest-date and irrigation strategies, while cessation of agricultural production is not an option for most producers. The level of education and agricultural area under vineyards had no influence on the importance of the strategies, while gender, age groups of respondents, and type of production had an influence on the importance of several risk management strategies.

Th e growth response of trees to changing climate plays a key role in the effi cient management of forest ecosystems. Th e case study analyses long-term growth trends and reactions of conifer tree species (Norway spruce, silver fi r, Scots pine) on climate characteristics in mixed selection forest of the Volovské vrchy Mts. in eastern Slovakia. Th e collection of data for the analysis of stand structure was carried out in 2016 on a series of 41 circular sample plots (size 500 m2). From the selected trees in diff erent vertical layers of forest stand we collected totally 152 cores. Sampled cores were processed with standard dendrochronological methods. Based on the data acquired from the tree cores, silver fi r was confi rmed as the tree species with the best growth during the last three decades. As the only one tree species, fi r showed a positive trend of diameter growth in this period. Regarding the infl uence of climate change, the most endangered tree species was Norway spruce. Its diameter growth was limited mainly by higher summer temperatures of current and previous year and by drought. According to the acquired results we assume that silver fi r can be one of the tree species, which will replace Norway spruce in many localities. Nevertheless, questionable is how the fi r will react on the gradual increase of climate extremes and the growing competitive pressure of European beech. Regarding the diff erences between stand layers, the results confi rmed a lower sensitivity of middle layer trees to the impact of drought in comparison with the upper layer trees. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of the author is to show the issue of sustainability in a broad scope and so to help in an orientation of interested persons in this urgent topic. He starts with the presentation of theoretical aspects of sustainability including the relevant definitions and problems. Maybe the value added could be also in a historical look at sustainability. Then the global actions regarding the sustainability are specified with the concentration on the Paris Agreement and further UN projects. On this basis it follows the characteristics of the global actions in the insurance industry. The key part of this article forms the review of the significant action plans, projects, communications and legal acts of the EU with the clear orientation on the insurance industry. It is not naturally omitted the position of the European insurance industry on the sustainable development and the EU policy which includes the sustainability into the regulation of this industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]