Particularly at risk are the very light and light
sandy soils with low capacity to retain water in
the soil profile. Limited access to water can be a
significant barrier for both food production and
the development of green technologies. Energy
crops are characterized by the diverse requirements of water and reaction to their satiation in
the soil environment (Ostrowski et al. 2009).
• The severity of stress factors affecting forest
environment and crops, particularly weather
anomalies and extreme phenomena (such as
heatwaves, prolonged droughts, floods, storms
and heavy showers), which occur in Poland
more and more frequently (Stuczyński et al.
2000; Kundzewicz and Matczak 2012;
Jaworski and Hilszczański 2013; Bojar et al.
2014). These can contribute, among others, to
greater severity of disease and the gradation of
plant pests, difficulties in the timely and
accurate execution of agrotechnical practices,
direct destruction of plants or the crop in their
ripening phase, acceleration of the processes
of soil erosion, significant limitations of
yielding, as well as infectious diseases and
forest fires.
• Increased use of physiologically acidic nitrogen fertilizers, which—especially in case of
insufficient doses of organic and natural fertilizers containing calcium—may contribute to
a further increase in soil acidification.
• The tendency for specialization of farms
towards the separation of crop production
from animal production, which might result in
the exclusion of the use of manure on farms
with no livestock with, at the same time, a
lack of carbon sequestering practices.
3.2 The Main Directions
of Development of Low
Carbon Economy
at the Local Level in Poland,
Based on Rural Resources
Having in view the conditions resulting from the
SWOT analysis, one should, foremost, aim to
exploit the full potential of agricultural areas and
forestry to achieve the desired reduction of GHG
emissions and increase carbon sequestration in
biomass and soil. This could involve adding
organic matter to the soil while reducing its
losses, optimization of storage systems, transport
and distribution of animal manure on the fields
and their proper management, extensive use of
agricultural and agro-food processing for the
purpose of development of renewable energy
(including the production of biogas and biofuels), and to significantly improve energy efficiency and increase the share of renewable
energy in plant production and husbandry (Wiśniewski and Kistowski 2018). However, as
emphasized by Bennetzen et al. (2016), agricultural GHG emissions can only be reduced to a
certain level and a simultaneous focus on other
parts of the food system is necessary to increase
food security whilst reducing emissions.
Amundson and Biardeau (2018) also pay attention to the political and economic barriers to the
implementation of soil carbon sequestration on a
global scale. Schlesinger and Amundson (2018)
suggest caution in ascribing large, potential climate change mitigation to enhanced soil management. They find that all increments to soil
organic matter are laudable, however the most
promising techniques, including applications of
biochar and enhanced silicate weathering, collectively are not likely to balance more than 5%
of annual emissions of CO 2 from fossil fuel
combustion.
Implementation of the above-mentioned
objectives requires the implementation of the
relevant principles of the functioning of a low
carbon economy and low carbon development
directions of rural areas, including in particular:
• The increased use of manure and organic
fertilizers by farmers (e.g., compost and green
manure plowing) and management of nonused organic waste from the agricultural
activity for the purpose of energy production.
As Case et al. (2017) point out, processing of
organic waste can improve its nutrient availability and content, and thereby increases the
agricultural value of the waste when used as
fertilisers, while contributing to a more bio156
P. Wiśniewski
sandy soils with low capacity to retain water in
the soil profile. Limited access to water can be a
significant barrier for both food production and
the development of green technologies. Energy
crops are characterized by the diverse requirements of water and reaction to their satiation in
the soil environment (Ostrowski et al. 2009).
• The severity of stress factors affecting forest
environment and crops, particularly weather
anomalies and extreme phenomena (such as
heatwaves, prolonged droughts, floods, storms
and heavy showers), which occur in Poland
more and more frequently (Stuczyński et al.
2000; Kundzewicz and Matczak 2012;
Jaworski and Hilszczański 2013; Bojar et al.
2014). These can contribute, among others, to
greater severity of disease and the gradation of
plant pests, difficulties in the timely and
accurate execution of agrotechnical practices,
direct destruction of plants or the crop in their
ripening phase, acceleration of the processes
of soil erosion, significant limitations of
yielding, as well as infectious diseases and
forest fires.
• Increased use of physiologically acidic nitrogen fertilizers, which—especially in case of
insufficient doses of organic and natural fertilizers containing calcium—may contribute to
a further increase in soil acidification.
• The tendency for specialization of farms
towards the separation of crop production
from animal production, which might result in
the exclusion of the use of manure on farms
with no livestock with, at the same time, a
lack of carbon sequestering practices.
3.2 The Main Directions
of Development of Low
Carbon Economy
at the Local Level in Poland,
Based on Rural Resources
Having in view the conditions resulting from the
SWOT analysis, one should, foremost, aim to
exploit the full potential of agricultural areas and
forestry to achieve the desired reduction of GHG
emissions and increase carbon sequestration in
biomass and soil. This could involve adding
organic matter to the soil while reducing its
losses, optimization of storage systems, transport
and distribution of animal manure on the fields
and their proper management, extensive use of
agricultural and agro-food processing for the
purpose of development of renewable energy
(including the production of biogas and biofuels), and to significantly improve energy efficiency and increase the share of renewable
energy in plant production and husbandry (Wiśniewski and Kistowski 2018). However, as
emphasized by Bennetzen et al. (2016), agricultural GHG emissions can only be reduced to a
certain level and a simultaneous focus on other
parts of the food system is necessary to increase
food security whilst reducing emissions.
Amundson and Biardeau (2018) also pay attention to the political and economic barriers to the
implementation of soil carbon sequestration on a
global scale. Schlesinger and Amundson (2018)
suggest caution in ascribing large, potential climate change mitigation to enhanced soil management. They find that all increments to soil
organic matter are laudable, however the most
promising techniques, including applications of
biochar and enhanced silicate weathering, collectively are not likely to balance more than 5%
of annual emissions of CO 2 from fossil fuel
combustion.
Implementation of the above-mentioned
objectives requires the implementation of the
relevant principles of the functioning of a low
carbon economy and low carbon development
directions of rural areas, including in particular:
• The increased use of manure and organic
fertilizers by farmers (e.g., compost and green
manure plowing) and management of nonused organic waste from the agricultural
activity for the purpose of energy production.
As Case et al. (2017) point out, processing of
organic waste can improve its nutrient availability and content, and thereby increases the
agricultural value of the waste when used as
fertilisers, while contributing to a more bio156
P. Wiśniewski