The main objective of the article is to evaluate the investment activity of large cities in Poland in the area of developing a low-carbon economy in 2014–2020, co-financed by European Union funds. This article poses several research questions, namely: Do large cities with environmental problems actively obtain EU funding to develop a low-carbon economy? What are the main socio-economic and environmental determinants of the level of the EU funding absorption among large cities in the research area? The empirical research was conducted on the basis of the data from the Ministry of Investment and Economic Development in Poland, which is responsible for the implementation of cohesion policy funds and from the Local Data Bank of Statistics Poland. Under the 2014–2020 perspective, 223 such projects have been implemented for a total of PLN 21 billion (EUR 4.74 billion). The projects focused on: transportation, electricity, gaseous fuels, steam, hot water and air for air conditioning systems, and environmental and climate change activities. In terms of both the number and the value of EU funds spent, great variation has been observed. Analysis of the correlation relationships showed a highly positive correlation between selected indicators of investment activity in the field of low-carbon economy co-financed by EU funds (especially taking into account the value of investments per area) and socio-economic indicators of Polish metropolises. Metropolises with high demographic, economic, and financial potential have proven to be more effective beneficiaries. Interestingly, no correlation was found between investment activity in the low-carbon economy and the level of environment pollution in large cities. This means that, unfortunately, pro-environmental activities depend on the state of finances of the cities, and not necessarily on the actual needs, even taking into account the fact that the EU covers a large proportion of the costs.

The main purpose of this paper was to identify the resource conditions for the competitiveness of the agricultural sector in the European Union (EU), Japan, Canada, Vietnam, and Mercosur countries. The study proved that these countries demonstrate a strong competitive potential. The largest labor...

The purpose of this study was to assess the competitive position of the Turkish agri-food sector in trade with the European Union. The study focused on agri-food products arranged as per the Harmonized Commodity Description and Coding System (HS1-24), and relied on data collected in two years, 2010 and2022, retrieved from UNCTAD and Eurostat resources. The authors used the Widodo product mapping scheme to arrange the products. The results provide grounds for concluding that Turkey and the EU witnessed growth in bilateral agri-food trade. Between 2010 and2022, the exports from Turkey to the EU increased by89% whereas imports went up by84%. In the years covered by the study, Turkey had the greatest comparative advantage and the highest degree of export specialization in the following product groups: preparations of vegetables, fruit and nuts (HS20), fish and crustaceans (HS03), vegetables (HS08) and edible fruit and nuts (HS07). Conversely, Turkey showed no comparative advantages in (and was a net importer of): cocoa and cocoa preparations (HS18), cereals (HS10) and meat and edible meat offal (HS02). The mix of products traded can be viewed as rational and consistent with the classical theory of trade. Turkey’s comparative advantages provided a source of a beneficial specialization. In turn, imported products were those in which Turkey is not self-sufficient.

Celem artykułu było zaprezentowanie świadomości konsumentów z zakresu terroryzmu żywnościowego jako nowego zagrożenia w przemyśle spożywczym. Terroryzm żywnościowy to nowe zjawisko, które w XXI wieku stanowi wyzwanie dla przemysłu spożywczego. Polega na celowym skażeniu żywności przy wykorzystaniu substancji biologicznych, chemicznych i fizycznych. Na każdym etapie produkcji żywności może dojść do intencjonalnego skażenia żywności. Do zrealizowania celu zastosowano badania ankietowe, które zostały przeprowadzone z wykorzystaniem portalu internetowego. W badaniach wzięło udział 120 respondentów z Wielkopolski. Na podstawie literatury przedmiotu oraz przeprowadzonych badań ankietowych stwierdzono, iż konsumenci nie są w pełni świadomi, że żywność może być celem ataku terrorystów. Według badanych osób, terroryzm żywnościowy ma charakter globalny i może wystąpić na każdym etapie łańcucha żywnościowego. Z racji, że terroryzm żywnościowy jest zjawiskiem nowym w gospodarce, metody wykorzystywane przez terrorystów oraz potencjalne skutki zagrożenia nie są do końca znane.

The main purpose of this paper was to identify the resource conditions for the competitiveness of the agricultural sector in the European Union (EU), Japan, Canada, Vietnam, and Mercosur countries. The study proved that these countries demonstrate a strong competitive potential. The largest labor resources are found in the Vietnamese agriculture, even though it has witnessed an outflow of 40% of its workforce over the recent years. The EU exhibits high levels of gross fixed capital formation in the agricultural sector. Conversely, the Vietnamese agriculture recorded the fastest growth in capital expenditure. Canada and Mercosur countries have a considerable area of agricultural land and a concentrated agrarian structure, and thus can benefit from economies of scale which, in turn, determine their global competitiveness. It is the opposite in Japan and Vietnam, with over 90% of farms having an area up to 5 ha.