The analysis aims to identify spatial variations of socio-economic development in Poland at the local level and to determine their correlation with conditions resulting from the historical political divisions of today’s areas of the country. The research procedure helps to verify the hypothesis that spatial differentiation of socio-economic development in Poland is permanent and does not show significant changes during periods of economic growth and crisis. We can emphasize at the same time the persisting differences between cities and their functional areas on the one hand and rural areas on the other. The study applied an innovative procedure of determining the synthetic index. The procedure of classifying local units presented in the text was based on the original random forest method. The outcomes confirm that contemporary spatial diversification at the level of socio-economic development in Poland is still strongly conditioned by history, especially by the socio-economic consequences of the partition of Poland between the three superpowers (Russia, Prussia and Austria). This is evident in the synthetic presentation of the level of socio-economic development. However, in the case of certain socio-economic phenomena, the values of indicators describing them no longer directly relate in their diversity to historical borders, particularly the former partition borders.

This article attempts to identify the relationship between the persistent polarisation of political opinions and diverse levels of social and economic development. The coexistence of these phenomena may indicate a barrier to inclusive economic development, which connects with the United Nations Agenda for Sustainable Development. A research aim was to test two hypotheses: Hypothesis 1 (H1)—The increase in the spatial disparity of political support in Poland is persistent; and Hypothesis 2 (H2)—The spatial distribution of support for specific political options shows significant correlations with the distribution of social and economic growth. The study involves the following research methods implementation: desk research, intensity indicators and regression analysis. The results confirmed the persistence of spatial divisions in political support, whose distribution reflects to a large extent the diverse levels of social and economic development that exist. Two axes dividing Poland are identified, one between west and east and the other between urban and rural areas. The article connects with the international debate regarding “places that don’t matter” and the reasons behind the growing popularity of populist ideas in society.

The article aims to analyse the influence on socio-economic development of contemporary socio-economic changes, or – using terminology after John Naisbitt (1982) – main megatrends, primarily from the point of view of the situation and changes characterising the EU’s Member States. The specifics of these processes in the capitalist countries of Western Europe and in the former countries of so-called “people’s democracy” in East-Central Europe are the key element of this discussion. In the context of the spatial patterns identified, discussion centres around trends of: (1) transformation, (2) economic integration, (3) globalisation, and (4) postmodernisation. The first part presents a synthetic characterisation of megatrends distinguished, including as regards specific definitions and reasons for them to arise. The second, most important part of the work addresses the impacts of megatrends n socio-economic development and the specific nature of the process ongoing with the two spatial European patterns. The analysis conducted supports the contention that the megatrends described have played a key role in the shaping contemporary processes of socio-economic development. However, it is difficult to analyse the separate influences of each, given the way they interact in one bundle (external in relation to endogenous ocesses), permeating one another, and ensuring an influence exerted that is diversified both temporally and spatially. It is not easy to state that any specific social or economic changes result solely from one or other of the processes iscussed. Thus, the influence of these megatrends should be perceived synergically. More or less intensive processes of transformation are strengthened by economic integration and globalisation and give rise to a diversified range of postmodernisation changes. This perception is needed even more, as many researchers often consider these processes in a slightly different configuration (Dicken, 2015).

Zmiany klimatu są problemem globalnym, który wymaga podejmowania działań adaptacyjnych na poziomie lokalnym, dostosowanych do uwarunkowań i potrzeb danego obszaru. Przygotowując działania adaptacyjne, można skutecznie wykorzystywać kapitał terytorialny regionu, który w dużej mierze tworzą relacje pomiędzy kluczowymi aktorami pięcioelementowej helisy regionalnego środowiska innowacji. Niniejszy artykuł przedstawia wyniki studium przypadku, którego przedmiotem była Metropolia Poznań stanowiąca jeden z regionów pilotażowych, w których realizowano w okresie 2019–2022 międzynarodowy projekt TeRRIFICA (Territorial RRI Fostering Innovative Climate Actions). Jego celem było wspieranie odpowiedzialnych badań i innowacji (RRI) na rzecz wzmocnienia działań związanych ze zmianami klimatu, zwłaszcza poprzez zaangażowanie różnego rodzaju przedstawicieli lokalnej społeczności reprezentujących mieszkańców, naukę, władze lokalne, organizacje pozarządowe i przedsiębiorstwa. Pozwoliło to wskazać główne kategorie relacji, które budują lokalny kapitał terytorialny na rzecz adaptacji do zmian klimatu. Istotnym wątkiem poruszonym w artykule było również znaczenie uspołecznienia odpowiedzialnych badań i innowacji oraz procesu adaptacji do zmian klimatu przy wykorzystaniu innowacji społecznych.

Celem artykułu jest z jednej strony przedstawienie znaczenia funduszy strukturalnych i Funduszu Spójności dla rozwiązywania problemów środowiskowych miasta Poznania i jego rozwoju w latach 2004–2014, a z drugiej określenie, jak działania podejmowane w mieście, współfinansowane z budżetu UE, wpisywały się w realizację poszczególnych założeń środowiskowych Strategii Europa 2020. W artykule dokonano również analizy porównawczej największych miast Polski pod względem wartości pozyskanych funduszy unijnych w aspekcie ochrony środowiska. Celem tej analizy było ustalenie różnic wśród polskich metropolii dotyczących poziomu efektywności ubiegania się o unijne wsparcie ukierunkowane na poprawę jakości środowiska naturalnego.

The quality of public organisations, which is highly dependent on the institutional quality, is one of the fundamental factors determining policy effectiveness and socio-economic growth trajectories in a long-term perspective. The article provides an insight into the topic of the informal institutions characterising Polish public organisations by paying special attention to informal institutions referring to the awareness of the need for sustainability and an attitude towards Cohesion Policy implementation in the field of environmental protection. Therefore, the main research goal was to verify the following hypothesis: “The staff of Polish public organisations are characterised by the awareness of the need for sustainability and a positive attitude towards Cohesion Policy implementation in the field of environmental protection”. To this end, a direct research technique (e-questionnaire) involving representatives of organisations responsible for Cohesion Policy implementation and for natural environment protection was applied. This made it possible to gather unique data and to elaborate the structure indicators describing the beliefs of staff employed in public organisations. Overall, their positive attitude towards the directions and assumptions of Cohesion Policy in the field of environmental protection was proved. The examined groups of organisations were characterised by a similar way of thinking about Cohesion Policy funds