Szerző: Lakócai Csaba

In: Journal of Contemporary Central and Eastern Europe, 1–16.

DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1080/25739638.2025.2507607

Absztrakt

Literature finds convergence between Western and Eastern Europe in terms of formal macro-economic and social indicators since the end of the last century. Yet, the East-West difference in Europe is still significant. In parallel with the European convergence process, the social preferences have been changing since the turn of the millennium, moving beyond the 20^th century paradigm of economic growth. The changing concept of development is reflected in the increasing concerns about the social and environmental conditions, which have led to the multiplication of alternative development indicator sets. In accordance with this paradigm shift, the paper aims to analyse the wellbeing and environmental performance of four Central and Eastern European countries, collectively referred to as the Visegrad countries, namely the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland and Slovakia, from the second half of the 2000s until the end of the 2010s. It also analyses the pre-pandemic social conditions at the NUTS2 regional level. The findings indicate that, in order to enhance the quality of life, the Visegrad countries should prioritize the social and environmental dimensions of development, rather than solely focusing on economic growth.

A Lakócai, Cs.: Wellbeing and environmental performance of the Visegrad countries at the beginning of the 21st century bejegyzés először VGI-én jelent meg.

Competing Approaches to Pollination (E)valuation as an Ecosystem Service in an Urban Context

Author: Annamária Ferenczi

In: HUN-REN CERS, Institute of World Economics, Working Paper Nr. 282 (2025) April 2025

Abstract

Research on the interaction between human well-being and biodiversity is becoming increasingly important in the spotlight of climate change. Despite its complexity, it is being explored by many disciplines, ranging from biologists through psychologists to economists. This working paper focuses on the economic valuation of pollination as an ecosystem service, with a particular focus on urban environments. The aim of this paper is to examine the intersection of pollination and two economic subdisciplines (environmental and ecological economics) through two separate literature reviews using advanced research strings. The two research questions are: (1) How has pollination been assessed by environmental and ecological economics? (2) How has pollination been addressed in urban planning literature between 2014-2024? Findings on the (1) question indicate that while theoretical distinctions between (e)valuation approaches are clear in principle, they do not always appear so in practice. Many studies focus on ‘classical’ environmental economic monetary valuation, particularly in agricultural contexts. However, the mixed-method approach is also prevalent, blending elements from ecological and environmental economics. The (2) question revealed that research in urban contexts has primarily focused on pollinator support and habitat creation.

A Ferenczi, A.: Competing Approaches to Pollination (E)valuation as an Ecosystem Service in an Urban Context bejegyzés először VGI-én jelent meg.