The aim of this article was to assess the efficiency of the utilization of public funds for climate neutrality. It was concluded that the data gathered in public statistics are not adapted to current challenges and hinder the direct measurement of climate policy objective implementation progress. Due to that, an innovative approach to public intervention efficiency analysis was proposed for the sake of decreasing CO₂ emission in 27 European Union (EU) countries, based on Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) method and soft modeling. Statistical data are derived from the Eurostat database and pertain to the years 2005–2019. It was demonstrated that activity efficiency of the particular EU countries on climate neutrality varied and that together with the increase in public funds spent on environmental protection, the growth of effects in the field of reaching climate neutrality objectives was not observed. The greatest positive impact on achieving climate neutrality objectives was revealed for activities connected with building renewable sources of energy (RES) and there was no correlation detected for expenditures connected with transport infrastructure, which means that public funds used for their construction did not influence climate neutrality. It was established that, in the analyzed period, the decisions on allocating public funds were not taken on the basis of the expected amount of reduction in relation to the volume of outlays. In order to track the reasons for detected inefficiency, 52 projects were analyzed within the case study, which covered 3738 investments in the replacement of heating sources in one region of Poland. It was revealed that the efficiency of those investments varies; however, due to the full availability of data of the acquired results and outlays devoted to them, a synthetic index of efficiency measurement was established that presents the amount of CO₂ reduction for EUR 1. When comparing the analyses carried out on macro and micro scales, it was observed that on the scale of the EU, there is a lack of uniform measurements or benchmarks of projects in the field of CO₂ emissions reduction. Meanwhile, from the whole EU’s perspective, it should be reasonable to undertake projects with the highest economic efficiency, irrespective of political and geographical aspects. The results obtained should be utilized by decision-makers to elaborate reference methodologies and good practices in order to successfully implement climate objectives and especially the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD). What should be established are universal, on the EU scale, measurements and rules for gathering and counting data as well as benchmarks for the particular project types.

This monograph presents a comprehensive analysis and forecast of labor demand in the Podlaskie Voivodeship through to 2030. Its main objective is to capture the key dynamics affecting the regional labour market and to identify factors driving workforce demand in the context of ongoing demographic, technological, and economic transformations. The publication was developed by a team from the University of Lomza and is the outcome of a project co-financed by Poland’s National Recovery and Resilience Plan. The authors adopt a broad analytical perspective, combining labor market theory with an assessment of contemporary socio-economic trends such as population ageing, automation, ICT development, digitalization, and the growing impact of artificial intelligence. The monograph also examines the influence of public policies – both national and European – on employment structures, with particular focus on the European Green Deal, digital transformation, and innovation support.

Purpose | The article aims to provide a critical analysis of the impact of non-repayable support instruments on the development of innovative capacity in small and medium-sized enterprises opte significance of which is examined not only in terms of direct outcomes for beneficiaries but also in the broader context of shaping the regional innovation ecosystem. The paper seeks to capture how public subsidies compensate for market failures, stimulate both incremental and breakthrough innovations, and support adjustment processes aligned with the European policy priorities, including smart specialisations and the European Green Deal. Research method | The study applies quantitative and qualitative analysis of project documentation, including the structure of beneficiaries, types of innovations, scale of funding, as well as barriers and the expected results identified by applicants and evaluators. Results | The research confirms that the programme functions as a catalyst of innovation processes in a peripheral region, enabling SMEs to undertake capital- and risk-intensive stages of R&D. The predominance of incremental product innovations is consistent with theoretical assumptions regarding SME innovativeness, while the growing presence of eco-innovations, digitalisation projects, and intellectual property protection indicates the gradual maturation of innovative capabilities. The programme’s design, strongly linked to regional smart specialisations, ensured coherence with regional innovation policy and broader European transformation trends. Originality / value / implications / recommendations | The originality of the article lies in its empirical verification of the effectiveness of grants in a region characterised by a weak innovation ecosystem. The findings highlight the significance of business support institutions as key actors within the innovation system and indicate the need to complement current instruments with mechanisms tailored to medium-sized enterprises and with measures that enhance SMEs’ organisational and competence-building capacities.