Maria Jesús Campión, Emilio Dominguez, Iratxe Legarra (p), Nuria Osés

Ana Ledesma Cuenca

In the recent years, a proliferation is observed in the design of sustainability indicators. The measurement of the three pillars of sustainability, that is, economic, social and environmental, is conducted through several approaches. For this reason, efforts towards measuring sustainability regionally are hindered by the excessive number of indicators that are currently being used at the country level. Given the limited resources for data collection and monitorization at the regional level, a proposal is made for reducing the number of indicators. An analysis is conducted for studying relationships and detecting redundancies across countries in Europe, that are expected to replicate at the regional level. As a result, a manageable indicator list is proposed so that regional resources can be directed in an efficient way.

The methodology to be followed includes the selection of the main sustainability indicators, an analysis of the information they reflect and the reduction of their dimensionality through a correlation analysis. Annual data for 36 European countries on the Adjusted Net Savings, Domestic Material Consumption, Ecological Footprint, Environmental Performance Index, Happy Planet Index, Human Development Index and Planetary Adjusted Human Development index are extracted from their corresponding sources. This analysis could serve as a contribution to tracking progress towards sustainability at the regional level.

Samanta Simonavice (p)

Iratxe Legarra Nuin

This research determines and measures factors affecting the consumption of organic products based on ecological awareness among older adolescents in Lithuania. Previous studies discuss factors were grouped into personal and functional factors according to their impact on the attitude of ecologically conscious older adolescents. Personal factors are explained as the user's personal experience, internal qualities, and personality traits. The study showed that consumers' positive attitude towards organic products is shaped by consumers' personal motivation and available ecological knowledge. Consumers' ecological knowledge is also considered to be one of the essential factors in shaping the positive attitude of ecologically conscious consumers towards organic products. As society faces ecological challenges and searches for solutions to the problem, environmental friendliness and ecologically conscious consumers are increasingly emphasized. Consumers are encouraged to change their attitude towards organic products and to change their purchasing behavior. However, it is noticeable that emphasizing ecological problems and increasing the assortment of organic products does not encourage consumers to change their consumption habits and purchasing behavior, therefore, in order to understand what motivates consumers to use organic products, researchers began to analyze the factors that determine the consumption of organic products. Based on recent literature review in this area, three main factors were identified for detailed analysis in this research, which includes ecological awareness, ecological concern, and social norms of older adolescence in Lithuania. Based on the literature review discussion, this research formulates the following objectives and hypotheses for empirical analysis. Using a survey research methodology, data were collected from adolescence across Lithuania and 421 samples were finalized for analysis upon data cleaning and validation. Data was analysed using SPSS software for descriptive analysis and hypothesis testing. Result reveal that both ecological awareness and ecological concerns of older adolescents in Lithuania are strong predictors of their intention to purchase organic products. The concept of ecologically conscious adolescents consists of the consumer's ecological awareness, whereby the consumer evaluates his/her needs, behaviour and its impact on the environment when purchasing products. Based on this finding it can be stated that there is an influence of the attitudes of ecologically conscious consumers on their intention to buy organic products.

Tomasz Herodowicz (p)

Samanta Simonavice

The paper is theoretical in nature and aims to present key assumptions of the Nature-based Solutions (NbS) concept and identify their links with the research scope of geography. One of the most popular definitions states that NbS are inspired and supported by nature. This means that they are cost-effective, provide simultaneously environmental, social and economic benefits, and help build resilience. Such solutions bring more and more diverse and natural features and processes into cities, landscapes and seascapes, through locally adapted, resource-efficient and systemic interventions. The idea of NbS became more widely used in the late 2010s to reframe policy debates on biodiversity conservation, climate change adaptation and mitigation strategies, and the sustainable use of natural resources. The NbS appears to be a new concept of key importance for shaping the interactions in the human-environment system in the age of global ecological crisis but there is still a need to better explain this term. NbS may be treated at the same time as one of the emerging research fields integrating two main branches of geography, physical and human, which both have the potential to identify environmental and social benefits provided by NbS and to determine the requirements for NbS resulting from the local context in which these solutions are implemented. It is also possible to find common ground between geography and NbS, reflected in numerous aspects, which, on the one hand, are part of geographical research interests and, on the other, are of crucial importance for the NbS concept. These aspects include, e.g., interactions in the human-environment system, sustainable development, climate change adaptation, the significance of a local context, public participation, political ecology, and land-use management. The paper presents the results of a review of scientific literature, reports and policy documents aimed at developing a set of criteria that should be met by NbS and at justifying the inclusion of NbS in the set of key research geography fields.

Ana Ledesma Cuenca (p), Blanca Simón-Fernández, Antonio Montañés

Tomasz Herodowicz

This study examines the dynamic relationship between premature mortality, economic growth, and air pollution in 25 OECD countries from 1990 to 2019, while controlling for gender differences and structural breaks. Key findings include a negative association between GDP per capita and premature mortality, highlighting the positive impact of economic development on health. Additionally, higher health spending is associated with better health outcomes, emphasizing the critical role of robust health financing in promoting public welfare. On an additional note, economic crises and austerity policies contribute to an increase in premature mortality, particularly among women. The study also reveals a concerning link between air pollution, specifically CO2 emissions and PM2.5 exposures, and premature mortality, underscoring the persistence of health problems despite efforts to achieve sustainable development. The detailed gender analysis underscores the necessity for public health policies capable of addressing the risks of pollution and premature mortality, recognizing gender disparities within these intricate dynamics.