Global climate change and air pollution are critical environmental problems in the modern world. Therefore, the reduction of CO₂ emissions has long been a crucial challenge for individual countries. In this area, numerous technological, legal, and economic solutions are used. The purpose of this article is to examine the impact of public spending on the level of CO₂ emissions in Polish regions. The study uses the logarithmic mean Divisia index (LMDI) method, proposing a unique proprietary set of factors that influence the level of CO₂ emissions. The results of the study confirm that public expenditure contributes to reducing CO₂ emissions at the regional level, while environmental expenditure is counterproductive. This tendency is observed mainly in regions with a high level of socioeconomic development, higher energy consumption, and high carbon emissions. The failure of environmental spending to reduce carbon dioxide emissions in Polish regions is explained by the “green paradox” hypothesis.

Participatory Budget as One of the Instruments of the Concept of Public Governance on the Example of the City of Lublin

Purpose – The purpose of the article is to present the development of horizontal aid for environ-mental protection and objectives related to green energy in Poland in comparison with other EU countries in 2009-2017. The above category of state aid in Poland has been characterised in detail, considering its sources, forms, entities providing support as well as the main beneficiaries of aid. Research method – The article utilises the analysis of existing data on horizontal aid for environmental protection and energy objectives in Poland and European Union countries. Results – During the period 2014-2017, as part of horizontal aid in Poland, the majority of aid was granted for environmental protection and energy objectives (in 2014 it accounted for 45% of the total horizontal aid). In the European Union, by comparison, a gradual increase in the share of the abovementioned category of assistance in the total state aid granted in the analysed period is noticeable. The largest share of the studied category in total state aid was recorded in Sweden, Austria and Germany, while the largest increase in the share of this aid in total state aid was seen in Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Estonia and Romania. Originality /value / implications /recommendations - As a result of the strategies implemented in the EU states, the aid for environmental protection and energy objectives is currently one of the most important categories of horizontal aid. This article offers a multifaceted analysis of the above assistance in Poland and a detailed comparison of the level of this support in the EU countries.

Purpose-The aim of the article is to analyze the level of Poland's energy security in comparison with the other European Union countries. Research method-The study was based on an index analysis with the use of selected economic indicators of the level of energy security. Results-The highest level of energy security, taking into account selected indicators, occurs in countries such as Sweden, Finland, and Estonia, and the lowest in Malta, Belgium, and Luxembourg. As regards Poland, it is characterized by a high degree of import independence, which may indicate a high level of energy security. Poland has also a higher share of RES in final energy consumption than the EU average. However, when analyzing the energy intensity of the economy, it should be noted that Poland has one of the highest levels in this respect. Originality / value / implications / recommendations-The literature on the subject is dominated by descriptions and characteristics of various methods of assessing the state of energy security of the country (including quantitative methods). At the same time, there is a noticeable lack of analysis of the level of energy security in Poland with the use of economic indicators. The research undertaken in the article thus deepens the analyses carried out so far and will be the basis for further considerations on the economic aspect of Poland's energy security.

The aim of this study is to examine the factors influencing changes in the emission of gaseous pollutants in the voivodeships in Poland in the years 2014–2023. The work uses the logarithmic mean method of the Divisia index, also referred to as the LMDI (Logarithmic Mean Divisia Index). The research carried out showed that increase in expenditure from provincial funds for environmental protection and water management for atmospheric air and climate protection results in a reduction of gaseous pollutant emissions in a given voivodship.