Mitigation of climate change requires a decrease in greenhouse gas emissions. It motivates an increase in renewable electricity generation. Farmers can develop renewable energy and increase their profitability by allocating agricultural land to PV power plants. This transition from crop production to electricity generation needs ecological and economic assessment from alternative land utilization. The novelty of this study is an integrated assessment that links economic and environmental (carbon dioxide emissions) indicators. They were calculated for crop production and solar power generation in a semi-arid zone. The results showed that gross income (crop production) ranges from USD 508/ha to USD 1389/ha. PV plants can generate up to 794 MWh/ha. Their market cost is EUR 82,000, and their production costs are less than wholesale prices in Ukrainian. The profitability index of a PV project ranges from 1.26 (a discount range is 10%) to 3.24 (a discount rate is 0). The sensitivity analysis was carried out for six variables. For each chosen variable, we found its switching value. It was revealed that the most sensitive variable is a feed-in tariff. Operational expenses and investment costs are the most sensitive variables. Carbon dioxide footprints range from 500 to 3200 kgCO2/ha (depending on the crop). A 618 kW PV plant causes a release of carbon dioxide in the range of 5.2–11.4 gCO2/kWh. The calculated carbon dioxide payback period varies from 5 to 10 months.

Streszczenie: Bieżąca polityka regionalna ma za zadanie kształtować spójność terytorialną, a jedną z jej koncepcji jest funkcjonowanie miejskich obszarów funkcjonalnych. Spójność terytorialna rozumiana jest różnorako. W niniejszym opracowaniu rozpatrywano ją jako: rozwój endogeniczny i policentryczny, wyrównywanie dysproporcji w poziomie rozwoju społeczno-gospodarczego, tworzenie powiązań sieciowych oraz zapewnienie dostępności do usług (głównie wiedzy i infrastruktury). Celem badań jest określenie związku między istotą i praktyką miejskich obszarów funkcjonalnych a kształtowaniem tak pojmowanej spójno-ści terytorialnej. Badania przeprowadzono w układzie regionalnym, na podstawie miejskich obszarów funkcjonalnych południowo-zachodniej części Polski. Jako źródła informacji wykorzystano dokumenty programowe dla badanych obszarów funkcjonalnych, województw i jednostek lokalnych tworzących badane obszary funkcjonalne, a także informacje statystyczne. W pracy prezentowane są wyniki badań przeprowadzonych metodami jakościowymi oraz ilościowymi. Badania wskazują, że działania podejmowane w ramach miejskich obszarów funkcjonalnych nie oddziałują na wyrównywanie dysproporcji w poziomie rozwoju społeczno-gospodarczego oraz dostępie do usług. Spójność terytorialna może być kształtowana przez stymulowanie procesów dyfuzji z obszarów funkcjonalnych i/lub tworzenie sieci ich powiązań. Miejskie obszary funkcjonalne wpisują się w polaryzacyjno-dyfuzyjny model rozwoju regionalnego i aby można było poprawić ich oddziaływanie na spójność terytorialną, wymagane jest ukierunkowanie działań na tworzenie warunków do rozprzestrzeniania się procesów rozwojowych.Słowa kluczowe: spójność terytorialna, miejskie obszary funkcjonalne, zintegrowane inwestycje terytorialne, południowo-zachodnia Polska, region. Summary:The main task of the current regional policy is to shape territorial cohesion, and functioning of functional urban areas (FUA) is one of its concepts. The territorial cohesion is understood in all sorts of ways. In this paper it is treated as: endogenous and polycentral development, levelling disproportion in the level of the social-economic development, creating network connections and ensuring the availability of services (mainly knowledge and infrastructure). The main aim of research is to determine the connection between the essence

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Abstract The article discusses the practical aspect of implementation of the idea of sustainable development in the EU Cohesion Policy in the 2014-2020 programming period in Poland. The objective of the study is to determine the relations between the idea of sustainable development and instruments of its implementation, and the identification of the scope of influence of Cohesion Policy tools on sustainable development of functional urban areas (FUA). The paper presents the author’s set of sustainable development indicators (SDI) and relevant analyses of their implementation in the financial and spatial aspect in 26 FUAs. Detailed analyses covered one of the new instruments of territorial development, namely Integrated Territorial Investments (ITI). The paper provides evidence which proves that the dominant sphere in the financial and spatial support is the modernisation of transport and energy engineering infrastructure, with potentially multiple effects, as well as the development of a structurally diverse labour market. The least support is provided to the strengthening of integrated management. The tested approach is applicable in reference to other functional areas in the EU. It can contribute to the determination of the extent to which the implementation of the Cohesion Policy supports sustainable development of cities and their functional areas. The application of SDI contributed to the understanding of the process in reality.

The purpose of this article is to assess the quality of life of the residents of a degraded satellite area of a city. It is considered in the context of urban development policy – as the result of decisions and as a challenge for long-term development. The research was based on a case study, which is the district of Opole referred to as Metalchem. It is characterized by an isolated location in the city structure as well as economic transformations. The study was based primarily on an analysis of source materials and results of a survey. The results show that the assessment of the quality of life is inconsistent. The living conditions are good, but satisfactory fulfilment of social needs is lacking. The residents of the studied area feel that their quality of life is lower than that of other residents of the city. This situation is the result of three main factors: insufficient access to public services, an ingrained negative image of the quarter, and a lack of coherence and continuity of the policy regarding this area. Research shows that the quality of life of the residents of degraded and satellite districts depends on the management and investments in the area, on the area’s perceived status within the city, but primarily on a consistent implementation of spatial and economic policies. Ensuring cohesion and integration between the satellite districts and the city center as well as other districts is also important.