Slovenia as the Natural Park of Europe? Territorial Impact Assessment in the Case of Natura 2000

The implementation of Natura 2000 is causing difficulties in the EU’s Member States, including Slovenia. In addition to the positive environmental it also results in the negative economic, social, and governance-administrative effects. To prevent similar quandaries in adopting and implementing EU policies, the project ESPON EATIA developed a participatory process for the territorial impact assessment. Testing the Habitat Directive has shown that in addition to the positive effects regarding the conservation of biodiversity, the directive represents a major obstacle for the economy and the delivery of investments. At the same time it represents the potential of the area for tourism and opportunity for the development of new industries. The regulation contributes to a better quality of life, but also extends the spatial planning procedures and conflicts between investors and the local community. This approach has proven to be an appropriate medium for the exchange of experiences of various stakeholders who are involved in either the preparation or the implementation of the rules and as the proper tool for the global assessment of the effects of selected EU regulation

Attachment of preschool children to cartoon characters

Diplomsko delo obravnava navezanost predšolskih otrok na risane junake. Pojem navezanosti je v splošnem predstavljen kot močna vez med otrokom in njegovimi starši, ki poteka v štirih različnih fazah. Te kažejo, kako so otroci pri določeni starosti na osebo navezani in kakšne znake kažejo, kadar se od nje ločijo. Naloga se osredotoča na risanke in risane junake ter na njihovo povezavo z navezanostjo. Osrednja tema raziskave je bila, kako so predšolski otroci navezani na risane junake in kako ti nanje vplivajo. Iz analize je razvidno, da so otroci od 2. do 6. leta najbolj navezani na tiste risane junake, ki nastopajo v oddajah, ki se trenutno predvajajo po televiziji. Razlik v spolu ni bilo, saj se gledanost obravnavanih risank ni ločevala glede na spol. Risani junaki otrokom predstavljajo namišljene prijatelje, s katerimi se pogovarjajo, jim zaupajo svoje skrivnosti in se ob njih tudi potolažijo, in pri otroku spodbudijo različna čustva. Risane junake velikokrat posnemajo, zato je pomembno, da starši izberejo risanke, ki jih spodbujajo k ustreznemu obnašanju in prispevajo k njihovemu razvoju.This thesis explores preschool children’s affinity towards cartoon characters. Affinity is generally presented as a strong bond between a child and its parents, which is split into four different phases. These phases portray how children attach themselves to someone at a certain age and what signs they display when they are separated from them. The thesis focusses on cartoons and cartoon characters and their connection to affinity. It examines how preschool children attach themselves to cartoon characters and how they are affected by them. The results have shown that children aged 2 to 6 show the most affinity towards cartoon characters, currently on television. There were no differences in gender, as the cartoons in question were not distinguished on gender. Cartoon characters act as imaginary friends with whom children talk to, entrust their secrets to and seek comfort with them and they spark different emotions within children. Children often imitate cartoon characters, so it is important for parent to pick cartoons, which encourage children to behave properly and benefit their development

Urban sustainability in Europe: what is driving cities' environmental changes?

The EEA's European Environment – State and Outlook 2020 Report (SOER 2020) emphasises that cities are key drivers of change when it comes to wider sustainability transitions across Europe. Cities are hubs of creativity, innovation and learning and have the capacity to effect systemic changes across a range of critical environmental issues (EEA, 2019). Cities concentrate people, jobs and economic activity, however, this also means that they are disproportionately impacted by social challenges such as segregation, poverty and inequality (EC, 2016). Vulnerabilities from climate change and other environmental stresses will also be felt most acutely in urban areas due to higher densities of people and infrastructure, and the dependence of cities on their hinterlands for food, water, energy and other resources (EEA, 2019). The EEA's in-depth analysis of drivers of change of relevance for Europe's environment and sustainability (EEA, 2020) emphasised that cities have a primary role in pushing forward societal change by harbouring the circulation of ideas and encouraging social and technological innovations, experiments and changes in values, lifestyles and approaches to governance. Cities are therefore both places where systemic challenges must be met, and places of opportunity to address these challenges. Of course, cities differ enormously in the challenges they face and the tools they have available to address these. Sharing concrete examples of the many different expressions of urban sustainability can help to inspire cities, irrespective of their context, to recognise that there is a transition pathway that is right for them. This report provides some initial ideas about how progress towards this goal can be accelerated by identifying common factors that can either enable or hinder urban sustainability transitions. Understanding the underlying factors that have allowed some European cities to address complex environmental challenges while simultaneously thriving economically and strengthening their social fabric has relevance far beyond the case of individual cities. Across the EU, the important role of cities as champions for environmental sustainability is being recognised, and yet there is not enough information about what actually allows some cities to engage in transformative change in this arena. Understanding the right enabling conditions and drivers of these changes is important, but so too is a clearer sense of the barriers that may be preventing some cities from reaching their sustainability potential or overcoming long-standing economic, institutional and cultural challenges that may be leading to sub-optimal environmental outcomes. This report also aims to provide important lessons about the way in which cities and national governments can foster more sustainable urban growth that protects environmental quality and creates thriving, low-carbon and climate‑resilient communities that promote economic vitality, health, wellbeing and social inclusion. This report is the first in a series of EEA outputs focusing on urban sustainability transitions

Urban sustainability in Europe: post-pandemic drivers of environmental transitions

It is becoming increasingly clear that the complex and interrelated challenges of climate change, environmental degradation and rising inequality will not be solved without a fundamental transformation of our societies. Many systemic environmental and social challenges are felt acutely in cities, and the COVID-19 pandemic showed the vulnerability of cities and the need for urban resilience

Urban sustainability in Europe: learning from nexus analysis

This report presents the detailed analysis of eight urban environmental sustainability nexus. These constitute examples to help understand the complexity of urban systems and explore how, in practice, using nexus analysis can help identifying existing challenges, potential trade-offs and co-benefits on actions to achieve urban sustainability objectives and opportunities to move towards better coordinated and integrated policy and action. Findings have been summarized in the main Urban Sustainability in Europe – Avenues for change report

Urban sustainability in Europe: avenues for change

This report is the EEA's flagship report on urban environmental sustainability. It sets out the EEA's conceptual framework for urban environmental sustainability and brings together recent analysis of urban nexuses and research to understand drivers of and barriers to urban environmental sustainability transitions.The European environment — state and outlook 2020 report emphasises that cities have a key role when it comes to wider sustainability transitions across Europe. Cities are hubs of creativity, innovation and learning and have the capacity to effect systemic changes across a range of critical environmental issues (EEA, 2019a). Cities concentrate people, jobs and economic activity. However, this also means that they are disproportionately affected by social challenges such as segregation, poverty and inequality. Vulnerabilities from climate change and other environmental stresses will also be felt most acutely in urban areas because of the higher densities of people and infrastructure and because of cities' dependence on their hinterlands for food, water, energy and other resources (EEA, 2019a). The EEA's in-depth analysis of drivers of change of relevance for Europe's environment and sustainability (EEA, 2020a) emphasised that cities have a primary role in pushing forward societal change by promoting the circulation of ideas and encouraging social and technological innovations, experiments and changes in values, lifestyles and approaches to governance. Cities are therefore both places where systemic challenges must be met and places of opportunity to address these challenges. Of course, cities differ enormously in the challenges they face and the tools they have available to address them. Sharing concrete examples of the many different expressions of urban sustainability can help to inspire city governments, irrespective of their context, to recognise that there is a transition pathway that is right for them