Acta Scientiarum Polonorum Administratio Locorum

Characteristics of the development of the architectural environment of Astana: an urban planning perspective

Sultan Chaly — 2025-03-27

Motives: The study was motivated by the architectural development of Astana, particularly in the context of socio-political changes following the relocation of Kazakhstan’s capital.

Aim: The aim of the study was to analyze the unique features of the development of the architectural environment of residential areas in Astana and the factors influencing its development. During the research, a comprehensive analysis of the influence of historical, social, political, cultural, and ethnic factors on the development and transformation of the architectural and planning ensemble of Astana was carried out.

Results: The study showed that the evolution of civilization leads to changes in the typology of buildings and structures, creating unique architectural objects using innovative constructive and artistic solutions, which, in turn, contribute to the development of innovative scientific and industrial complexes with a multifunctional structure focused on the sustainable development of the urban environment. Historical trends in the development of urban space using innovative buildings and methods of their creation included an analysis of the levels of development of such buildings and the identification of the main differences between them, and the specificity of creating buildings with an innovative approach, taking into account the sustainable development of the urban environment. Urban space was considered as a system of residential areas with innovative design, focused on information and activity needs.

Conclusions: The study identified the unique elements of the architectural environment, which are not only associated with the status of the capital, but also reflect strategic national development, being key elements in the development of a common urban identity. In addition, the study included an analysis of the relationship between architectural development and economic factors influencing the development of the urban environment, including examples of successful integration of innovative buildings into the economic life of the city and their contribution to strengthening its competitiveness on the world stage. The influence of environmental aspects on the architectural concept of Astana was revealed. The results of the study may help identify unique features and patterns, thus contributing to the development of effective strategies for managing urban infrastructure and creating a comfortable living environment.

Mobility-as-a-service as a direction for urban mobility: a systematic literature review

Beata Chmiel — 2025-03-27

Motives: Urban development is associated with the emergence of problems such as pollution, traffic congestion, and suburbanisation. Effective transportation and mobility policies can play an important role in mitigating these problems.

Aim: This article explores the issue of shaping urban mobility through Mobility-as-a-Service (MaaS). The key elements relevant to the implementation of MaaS by city authorities were identified based on a systematic literature review and the PRISMA methodology. Different approaches to defining MaaS and methods for measuring its effectiveness were examined in detail. Challenges and issues related to the implementation of the concept were also analysed.

Results: The results showed that the successful implementation of MaaS requires a high level of digitalisation and collaboration between the public and private sectors. The absence of these elements can hinder the implementation and development of MaaS. The present findings also highlighted that current research on MaaS neglects issues related to public participation in the implementation process, which may lead to lower user acceptance and reduced interest from private companies.

Selected aspects of spatial changes in land use due to suburbanisation – a case study in Poland

Żanna Gliwka — 2025-03-27

Motives: The reason for undertaking this study was the need to identify the extent of suburbanisation in Eastern Poland, observed in the municipalities located in the vicinity of Lublin – one of the largest cities in this region.

Aim: The aim of this study was to determine the changes in land use in the area of the municipalities of Głusk and Jastków in a selected period, and to compare them in terms of changes in land cover due to the suburbanisation process. The research was divided into the following stages: the acquisition of reliable data on the use of the study area in 2000 and 2018; the preparation of land cover data in graphical form; the verification of the information as to which municipality has undergone greater changes in relation to the suburbanisation process.

Results: The analysis showed that over recent years, progressive changes have taken place in the agricultural and rural landscape in both municipalities. The changes in land use in the study area are significant. Agricultural land is being replaced by newly created land intended for construction purposes. In addition, new, previously non-existent forms of land cover are emerging. New suburban housing estates, new houses and, often, new public spaces are being created.

Revitalization of urban spaces in Warsaw’s Kamionek housing estate through the art of murals – an example of a participatory design process

Ewa Kosiacka-Beck — 2025-03-27

Motives: The recovery of urban areas from crisis is a multi-stage process consisting of coordinated activities in the economic, spatial, and socio-cultural spheres, which has no chance of success without the contribution of shareholders. Therefore, revitalization processes are very strongly linked to participation and other inclusive activities. Art in urban space can be an example of an activity based on social capital, whose aesthetic function is often extended to include an educational aspect and a meaning-symbolic aspect, and which can become a semiotic code, a form of demonstrating values and taming space.

Aim:. The aim of this study was to show the power of the message of mural art applied to activate degraded parts of the city and revive the inhabitants’ bond with the place.

Results: The mural project carried out in the Kamionek housing estate in Praga was preceded by a process of spatial and landscape analysis and social research, which confirmed the effectiveness of the use of mural art in the revitalization of this particular urban space. The presentation of the process of creating the project with the participation of the local community can serve as an example for other cities.

Financial condition of regions in Poland: 2010 vs. 2019

Janina Kotlińska — 2025-03-27

Motives: To verify the hypothesis stating that the financial condition of Polish regions has deteriorated over the years due to the growing costs of performing the tasks entrusted to these entities.

Aim: To assess the financial condition of regions (voivodships) in Poland and its changes over two deliberately selected years. The study relied on measures constructed based on the values contained in the budgets of the voivodships, which reflect their revenue and expenditure potential, as well as their ability to meet the needs of members of the local government community. The years selected for comparison were 2010 (the year in which quantitative limits on liabilities were uniform for all local government units in Poland and, at the same time, the last year in which the financial data did not affect the value of the individual debt ratio [IWZ] of these units, calculated from 2014) and 2019 (the last year in which the data on local government finances in Poland were not disturbed by, in turn: the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, the introduction of changes to the tax system referred to as the Polish Deal, the increase in inflation, and the effects of the war in Ukraine).

Results: Polish regions differ considerably in their financial condition. The measures from the two information areas used in the study indicate that this status has changed in the analysed period. The nature of these changes is not uniform. The financial condition of the regions determined on the basis of indicators reflecting their income and expenditure potential has improved (especially in the regions located in the southern, western, and central parts of the country), while it has deteriorated when determined on the basis of indicators reflecting their ability to meet their needs (especially in the smaller regions located in eastern and southern Poland).

Land use changes in the border zone. A case study of the Polish-Belarusian border in the village of Milenkowce

Olga Matuk — 2025-03-27

Motives: The study was motivated by the changes in land use in the border village of Milenkowce in the period of 1975–2021, as recorded in the cadastre (Land and Buildings Register) and visualized on orthophotomaps. The territory of the northeastern border area and the problem of agricultural land abandonment have been addressed by only a few researchers to date.

Aim: The aim of this study was to perform a quantitative and qualitative analysis of land use changes as well as changes in the regulations on land use data acquisition and storage.

Results: The study demonstrated that the Land and Buildings Register (EGiB) regulations did not affect the land use groups and subgroups registered in the cadastral records. The changes in land use in the border village of Milenkowce were minor and mainly involved an increase in forest area at the expense of agricultural land. The spatial pattern of land use changes, measured by the Morans’I Global index, revealed no statistically significant clustering or dispersion.

Current issues of agricultural land transfer in the Republic of Kazakhstan

Olessya Mukhamediyarova — 2025-03-27

Motives: The relevance of the topic is due to the need to optimize the use of land resources and agricultural development in the country. Rapid changes in climatic conditions, demographic and economic factors require effective management of the land conversion process in order to increase the productivity and sustainability of agricultural systems.

Aim: The aim of this study was to analyse and assess the current state of the process of agricultural land transfer in the Republic of Kazakhstan, as well as to identify key problems and propose recommendations for their solution.

Results: The study revealed the following main results: a description of the current state of the process of agricultural land transfer in the Republic of Kazakhstan, identification of the main problems associated with this process, and the proposal of specific recommendations for solving these problems. The study demonstrated that land transfer in Kazakhstan affects not only landowners, but also the socio-economic sphere of the country.

Land degradation in Ukraine as a result of military operations

Iryna Novakovska — 2025-03-27

Motives: Ukraine, like many other countries worldwide, faces a serious problem of land degradation as a result of military operations. Military conflicts, such as those that have occurred in eastern Ukraine since 2014 and throughout the entire territory since 2022, have a significant impact on natural ecosystems and land resources, increasing the risk of environmental problems and health threats to the population. It is worth noting that military operations directly damage agricultural land through explosions, gunfire, and heavy machinery, resulting in destruction and pollution. In particular, this affects soil fertility and structure, which are essential for healthy agriculture and farming.

In addition, military operations often involve the use of chemicals that can have long-term negative effects on soil quality and water resources. Toxic substances, radiation, and other military remnants can remain active for decades, contaminating natural resources and harming the health of local populations. Restoring land after military action requires significant resources and time. Restoring ecological balance and rehabilitating soil and water ecosystems are complex tasks that require coordinated efforts at the national and international levels.

The article highlights the problem of Ukrainian land degradation in active conflict zones, manifested in intensified processes such as wind and water erosion. A proposal for possible land restoration measures was made.

Aim: The aim of the study was to identify and analyze the impact of armed conflict on the quality and condition of land resources in the country, and to find possible ways to restore land degraded as a result of military operations.

Results: When studying the environmental consequences of military conflicts, the authors of the article focused on analyzing soil contamination, destruction of infrastructure, and degradation of natural landscapes, including forests and agricultural lands. It was found that military actions pose significant environmental risks due to the use of weapons of mass destruction, artillery explosions, and chemical contamination, which can have long-term effects on human health and natural ecosystems.

The concentration of titanium in soil samples collected at the rupture site was 150 times higher than the background level. The maximum permissible levels of vanadium, lead, and cadmium in soil were exceeded. At the moment of the explosion, many compounds such as CO, CO2, H2O, NO, N2O, NO2, CH2O, HCN, N2, and a large number of toxic substances are formed. The primary mechanical impact on the soil is compaction, which damages the humus layer and has direct negative consequences, including disruption of the soil’s water balance and triggering of wind and water erosion.

Mine clearance activities also have a negative impact on the soil – typically, the humus horizon is destroyed, the physicochemical properties of soil are lost, and changes in its granulometric and aggregate state occur. This, in turn, affects the fertility and water retention capacity of soil.

Military actions affect the lithogenic foundation of soil due to the construction of technical structures, the laying of transportation routes, the creation of craters, and the intensive destruction of the surface layer of soil. Forest fires caused by artillery explosions and military equipment destroy hundreds of thousands of hectares of vegetation, valuable plant species, and have a negative impact on wildlife. Surface and groundwater are contaminated as a result of combat activities. An example of an anthropo-technogenic disaster is the blowing up of the Kakhovka reservoir dam by Russian forces. Military actions lead to the deterioration of economic and social living conditions in the country: during the years of the war, 84,979 tons of oil products were burned, and 294,242 tons of harmful substances were released into the atmosphere.

Land affected by the adverse effects of military operations can be restored and cleaned through reclamation. The choice of reclamation technology depends on the nature and degree of contamination, the intended use or purpose of the land to be restored, and the availability of effective and economically efficient technologies. It should be noted that the selection of land restoration methods involves a cumulative assessment of the level of damage, which includes determining the category of suitability for land use.

The research highlights the need to protect the environment from the effects of war and to implement strategies for the restoration of natural resources after the end of military conflicts. It is emphasized that the demining of agricultural lands is an extremely serious problem that Ukraine cannot solve on its own.

The potential to mitigate the effects of climate change on selected examples of housing estates in the city of Poznań

Karolina Olenia Szumigała — 2025-03-27

Motives: The article presents examples of settlements with various possibilities of mitigating the effects of climate change. The analyses (involving a case study) were presented for ten selected housing estates in Poznań in terms of compensating for the effects of climate change.

Aim: The aim of the study was to analyze the possibilities of health-promoting transformation of urban systems on selected examples of housing estates in Poznań. They were characterized in terms of important features that provided a basis for developing green growth indicators. The studied estates were then ranked using the linear ordering method.

Results: The results indicate that the examples of housing estates from the mid- and late twentieth century selected for the analysis have a much higher share of green areas and a much greater potential to mitigate the negative effects of climate change than contemporary housing estates. This hypothesis was partially verified by analyzing the possibilities of air filtration through the green wall system in one of the housing estates.

Climate change adaptation strategies for a tourism destination: a study of Kuakata beach

Mohammad Badruddoza Talukder — 2025-03-27

This study examined effective adaptation measures that can be implemented to reduce the impact of risk and ensure that the Kuakata Beach tourism industry can continue to thrive in the long term. This qualitative study provides a comprehensive review of existing literature, reports, and documents related to climate change impacts and tourism in coastal areas, with a focus on Kuakata Beach. A qualitative analysis was performed to analyze the content of literature reviews and secondary data sources to extract relevant information on adaptation strategies. Coastal protection strategies include seawall construction and beach nourishment, diversification of tourism offerings, resilient infrastructure development, community engagement, promotion of sustainable practices, early warning systems, policy formulation, partnerships, research, monitoring, and public awareness campaigns. By implementing these ideas in a coordinated manner, Kuakata Beach will strengthen its resilience to the environmental impacts of climate change while maintaining its vital tourism industry. The results of this study provide valuable insights that can be used by policymakers, stakeholders, and researchers dedicated to addressing the difficulties posed by climate change in coastal tourism destinations around the world.