Growing concerns over ecosystem degradation, climate change, loss in biodiversity, and rapid depletion of natural resources have urged societies of the developed countries all over the world to encounter the challenge of shifting from fossil-based to bio-based economies. With European Green Deal priorities on a transition to a climate-neutral economy with net-zero GHGs emissions by 2050, projected demand for biomass is 40–100% higher, relative to its supply. To provide an overview on the capacity of the European Union countries to satisfy its demand for biomass through the organic materials extracted directly from the domestic natural environment, the study aimed to assess the biomass self-sufficiency based on its domestic extraction-domestic consumption balance. Both the spatial and temporal variability of the self-sufficiency ratio are used to characterise the stability of capacity to satisfy our own needs for biomass in the EU economy as a whole, and at the level of individual member states. The findings indicate that the differences in biomass self-sufficiency ratios are quite high among the European Union member countries (i.e., in the range of 15% in Malta and 33% in Cyprus; up to 184% in Estonia and 224% in Latvia (on average in 2016–2018)). GMM analysis (EU-28, 2000–2018 period) is provided in this study to define the main statistically significant factors that have an impact on the biomass self-sufficiency ratio. This study contributes to the debate on the issues of biomass self-sufficiency in the context of ecological constraint and the EU’s Green Deal.
This paper examines the effect of foreign direct investment (FDI) on the growth-unemployment nexus. A review of previous contributions on Okun’s law uncovered which aspects of international relations are more prone to affect growth-unemployment nexus. It was found that inward FDI and outward FDI are most likely to affect this nexus. EU-28 panel data and interactive model with pooled OLS estimator were used to empirically test whether both inward and outward FDI moderates the relationship between growth and unemployment. The estimations showed that, as expected, FDI weakens the effect of growth on unemployment. Moreover, with an increase in FDI, the effect of growth on unemployment becomes less statistically significant.
This article describes a strategic concept for the Lithuanian bioeconomy that was developed as a deliverable of the Task 1.5 in the BIOEAST’sUP H2020 project. We aimed to create a conceptual basis for the preparation of a national bioeconomy strategy and/or action plan in order to initiate a deeper discussion about the strategically oriented development of a knowledge-based circular bioeconomy in Lithuania. Our strategic insights are focused on two niche energy sectors like biofuels and biogas. The results of the SWOT analysis reveal that, in Lithuania, a synthesis of the biofuels and biogas sectors' strategic directions is necessary to develop over-arching national bioeconomy-appropriate strategic actions, such as market intervention actions, research, innovation and education actions, as well as governance and policy actions.
This paper presents an analysis of the characteristics of the economic phenomenon of happiness and its aspects in the self-employed population in Lithuania. This mixed empirical study uses statistical data, correlational analyzes, and the X^2 criterion. The research data are collected using the methods of questionnaire survey, time diary, and semi-structured expert interview. The concept of happiness is defined based on the results of empirical analysis, which also demonstrate that in 2019 self-employed persons in Lithuania were happy and satisfied with their work and personal life. The research results also reveal that there is a statistically significant relationship between the employed population seeking to balance work and personal life and the level of happiness.
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