Global NEST Journal

In the Mediterranean region, fire is a natural factor, which contributes in the shaping of landscape and
the preservation of a high degree of biodiversity. However, often repeated burning has negative impacts
on the forested landscapes. When the processes of natural or artificial regeneration are efficient and
the fire frequency is sufficiently low to enable the recovery of vegetation, recovery time T can be used
as a tool for setting priorities for the preservation of ecological and social functions of the forested
landsapes. Using a simple linear approach, we argue that their situation can be considered as acceptable,
when the percentage of the yearly burned area in relation to the total forested area is much lower
than 100/T (for practical purposes just lower than 10/T). This empirical rule was applied to the Greek
forested landscapes. In the case of pine forests of Pinus halepensis and Pinus brutia, it was found that
the condition implied by the rule was not satisfied and, therefore, a reduction of the yearly burned areas
of these lowland conifer forests is necessary. However, as far as the other types of forests, as well as
macchia and phrygana are concerned, the condition is satisfied.

The concentrations of ten industrial metals (Pb, Cd, Ni, As, Cr, Zn, Fe, Cu, Al and Mn) in 20 samples of
rainwater collected at the station of Athens University Campus (AUC) during the cold period 1/10/97 -
31/3/98 were determined. In general, low concentrations were observed. The Spearman correlation coefficients
for different metals were calculated in order to reveal common sources. Principal Component
Analysis (PCA) was used to identify the factors that affect the presence of metals in rainwater.

Air pollution related problems, such as acidification, air quality and ground-level ozone, are recognized
as some of the important problems facing the people of the Czech Republic, whose health is damaged
by impacts of air pollutants. Also the impacts of these air pollutants on human health, forests and vegetation
are investigated. This paper presents evaluation of air pollution caused by sulfur dioxide, nitrogen
oxides, particulate matter and ozone, based on the readings of measuring site at Bílý Køíž for the
six-year period 1994-1999. The evaluation of the status of the ambient air pollution is based on air pollution
limit values as specified by the new European Directives. Concern has been expressed about the
possible effects of ozone, nitrogen oxides, sulfur dioxide and particulate matter exposures on forested
areas, materials and human health. The main objective of this study is to examine the evolution
observed in the concentrations of these air pollutants considered. The reduction is observed for winter
air pollutants as sulfur dioxide and particulate matter from 1996 to 1999. In contrary, the ozone concentrations
increase considerably for the same period.

Electricity generation is the single most important sector in which CO2 reductions are achievable, with
advanced generation technologies available and the existence of a centralised production structure, if
compared to the transport or the industrial sector. It is a market undergoing a radical change in Europe,
with competition rising as it is enforced by the deregulation of the markets, though to varying degrees on
a national level. At the same time it is a sector characterised by efforts to support green energy systems
and also by the increasing significance of international trade. It is therefore of interest to examine the
impact of the technological and economic changes on the CO2 emissions due to electricity generation, in
order to try to assess the feasibility of the emissions’ reduction policies as foreseen by a series of treaties
and protocols. The points discussed in this paper focus on the interference of the recent market developments,
the policies and economic tools applied in Europe and the state of the art conventional and
renewable generation technologies, with respect to their contribution to the aim of reducing emissions.