This study focuses on the empirical verification of the influence of rural specificity on energy poverty across European Union countries, in the period 2010–2020. The research aimed at specifying the role of the agricultural character of a country, as well as economic disparities between rural and urban areas, in inducing problems of energy affordability. Based on the literature consensus about the most important determinants of energy poverty, namely income, energy prices, energy productivity, quality of dwellings, and climate conditions, a standard model was constructed concerning the role of the rural character of an economy, with its traditional features such as agricultural employment, and indices of rural–urban divide, in terms of median income and material poverty. Models for panel data with fixed effects were estimated. The results indicate agricultural employment as a factor increasing the subjective energy poverty of households. However, the scale of rural settlement cannot be specified as a factor determining energy poverty, neither concerning energy consumption nor self-reported difficulties. This suggests that only the traditional agricultural character of rural areas negatively influences energy poverty. The processes of gentrification of rural areas observable in many EU countries changes the typical pattern of the identification of villagers with the most excluded group.

With growing attention being paid to the problems of sustainable development and just transition, energy poverty emerges as a focal issue to be addressed by the Common Policy. However, the dynamics of this phenomenon across the EU still appear to be insufficiently recognised. Therefore, this study deals with the problem of energy poverty convergence and aims to test it for the 27 EU countries over the period 2010–2022. Contrary to limited studies of energy poverty convergence that use a simple indicator, it uses aggregate measures based on consensual consequential indicators of energy poverty to verify the hypothesis of convergence. Absolute and conditional beta convergence are considered. Potential determinants of energy poverty are incorporated into a model of conditional convergence. The analysis confirms the existence of beta convergence of energy poverty in the EU, indicating the progressing socio-economic cohesion of the member states. The results, thus, deliver some arguments supporting an integrative approach to the energy policy of the EU. The research reveals that, among the factors influencing EP dynamics, an important role may be attributed to technological catch-up and income distribution across a society. Sustainable development should thus be supported with energy modernisation efforts of an inclusive character.

The main objective of this article is to define the current legal and economic framework for conducting activities in the field of carbon farming and the carbon certificate system in Poland. The research was conducted using desk research, and the legal acts in force in the EU and in Poland, as well as planned ones, were analyzed. The statistical data from Eurostat, the Farm Accountancy Data Network (FADN), Statistics Poland, and The Agency for Restructuring and Modernisation of Agriculture (ARMA) were analyzed. In the European Union, agriculture is responsible for 11% of all greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, while in Poland, where the vast majority of these emissions are related to animal production, it is responsible for 8.5%. To ensure sustainable growth, it is necessary to reduce GHG emissions from agriculture. Work is underway in the EU to prepare legal regulations specifying the principles of carbon farming and introducing carbon certificates. The shape of this system is not yet precise, disputes within the EU bodies are related to the system of financing carbon farming, and certification principles. The presented assumptions raise great doubts among scientists. However, a voluntary certification system is in operation and starting to be used by Polish farmers. In Poland, from 2023, carbon farming is directly linked to the Strategic Plan for the Common Agricultural Policy, where PLN 2.78 billion has been allocated for the “Carbon farming and nutrient management” eco-scheme, which constitutes 64% of the funds for financing eco-schemes. The carbon farming system requires further strengthening and development. The most important factor was considered to be increasing the involvement of farmers, through appropriate financial incentives and increasing their knowledge. Further research directions should focus on long-term economic aspects in addition to environmental and technical aspects.

The article presents the results of three studies conducted by the author concerning the preferences of retail outlet customers with regard to the days of the week on which they most frequently purchase general food and non-food merchandise. This issue has become relevant within the context of the enactment of the Act of 10 January 2018 on limiting trade on Sundays, holidays and certain other days. Previous customer shopping styles as regards weekly shopping schedules must have changed. The aim of the article is to identify consumers’ habits and their changes concerning the weekly shopping schedules before and after the Act implementation. The results are based on direct surveys conducted in 2014, 2016 and 2018 among customers in Podkarpackie Province. A descriptive analysis of the results is supported by the statistical test chi square usage. It may be concluded that both in relation to food and non-food merchandise, the implementation of the Act resulted in a decrease in the number of customers engaging in shopping on Sundays. In the case of food items, the shopping activity moved to Mondays and Tuesdays of the following week, the purpose being to resupply. No increase was identified in the number of customers purchasing food on Fridays or Saturdays preceding non-trading Sundays. The opposite was true for non-food merchandise, where non-trading Sundays resulted primarily in increased sales on Saturdays, with minor increases on Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays as well. The differences in weekly shopping schedules observed between every edition of the study also proved to be more significant than those identified in the individual respondent classification groups used for the purpose of the article.

Aim: This paper attempts to diagnose the economic situation of households in the Subcarpathian Voivodeship in the years 2014–2022, and to determine the importance of education as a differentiating factor. Methods: For this purpose, an analysis was conducted of the results of questionnaire studies conducted in five consecutive periods, which rendered it possible to compare the situation over time. The data are sufficient to present a general account of the economic situation, as well as its 8 different aspects. Variance analysis allowed for the statistical verification of the significance of education from the perspective of the economic situation of households. Results: The results obtained indicate that better education improves the economic situation of a household, although the differences disappear with general economic change. The research indicates that the least educated are exposed to the most socioeconomic risk, which manifests in difficulties in meeting their most basic subsistence needs. Simultaneously, the economic situation of those with the highest human capital is the most stable, which proves that higher education is a factor that improves the resilience of one’s living standards to external disruption. Conclusions: Generally, it is possible to conclude that education remains a factor in strengthening households’ economic security. The research is original in that it fills an empirical gap related to verifying the existence of differences in material living standards due to educational attainment by way of using dynamic comparisons to diagnose the situation in a peripheral region of Poland.