Environmental Quality, Health and Sustainability

Topic 1. Ecotoxicology and biodiversity.

The research in Ecotoxicology and biodiversity will be developed on three main topics: 1) chemicals and contaminated environment toxicity assessment, 2) living organisms’ response to climate change and climate extremes, 3) effects of environmental pollution on biodiversity and ecosystems.

The research in ecotoxicology addresses inorganic (mainly heavy metals) and organic chemicals (antimicrobials, petroleum products) and their mixtures acute and chronic toxicity to terrestrial and aquatic organisms. The focus in the nearest future will be on the ecotoxicity of emerging compounds and research will be conducted in cooperation with national and international partners. Changes in heavy metals and antimicrobials toxicity with ongoing climate change will be continued to study using innovative biochemical and molecular methods. At the same time ecotoxicity of contaminated soil and water will be investigated. For the abovementioned topics, international project applications are planned in the nearest future. New environmentally friendly, sustainable methods and techniques for the enhancement of bioremediation of contaminated soil will be further analysed and developed. The research in ecotoxicity will encompass the studies in the laboratory, greenhouse as well as field studies.

The second topic is related with the continuation of the research in the terrestrial organism response to climate change and climate extremes. The focus will be on plants, especially forage and industrial crops. The plant response to climate parameters will be assessed using physiological, biochemical and molecular methods. This topic also covers plant phenology and its interactions with climate change. Plant phenology – the annually recurring sequence of stages of plant development – is important for plant functioning and ecosystem services. Plant development is temperature-dependent, and the current rapid climate change has stimulated interest in understanding and modelling the response of plant phenology to warming climate trends and their consequences for ecosystems. It focuses on analysing long-term changes in the length of growing seasons associated with climate change and on predicting phenological changes.

The third research topic covers biodiversity research to assess threats to terrestrial and aquatic biota and ecosystems. Research is essential to understand the combined consequences of pollution, climate change and land-use change on biodiversity, stability of ecosystems and ecosystem services on local and national scales. Species diversity research also provides a basis for determining the impact of pollution and climate change on species distribution. Experimental research complements observational and biomonitoring studies to comprehensively assess the impact of environmental change on biota and ecosystems.

Topic 2. Environmental epidemiology.

Research on this topic focuses on environmental risk assessment, clinical measurements, and estimation of environmental exposure at the participant’s residence place, data bases creation and study of environmental exposure impact on human health in different environments. Research includes chemical pollutants measurements in drinking water, ambient air monitoring, analysis of spatial data related to environmental factors and their impact on human health, analysis of the short-term impact of changes in weather, space weather, and air pollution on the risk of acute unfavourable health events and on the health characteristics. Currently, sustainable development and reducing the health effects of harmful environmental factors are among the most important social challenges being addressed at the United Nations (UN) level. In order to ensure the sustainable development of countries, to reduce climate change and the negative impact of urbanization on the environment and human health, the UN 2030 Agenda for sustainable development is being implemented. The worldwide increase in environmental-related disease groups (obesity, hypertension, and diabetes, identified as metabolic syndrome markers) stresses studies’ need for the elucidation of early disease markers for disease prevention, potential contribution to social benefits, and practical value for public health and well-being. Research is aimed at investigating the quality of the living environment, SES, health behaviour impact on the mechanisms of environmental-related diseases, estimation of modifiable risk factors and proposing recommendations of nature-based personalized lifestyle modification for risk management, using a novel tool for the early identification of patients at risk for personalized disease prevention. These outcomes are in line with the objectives of the EU Strategy on the Life sciences & health, and National Preventive programs as a possibility to detect the disease early and get it cured. In collaboration with international partners, environmental epidemiological methods for determining the complex impact of environmental factors on human health at the individual level and quantitative risk assessment, determination of measures to improve the quality of life and reduce health risks using geographic information systems technologies are / will be developed. In addition, the relationship between exposome-complex hazards, and early-health-response disorders markers is / will be examined. For this topic, new EU-funded project applications are planned for the nearest future.

Topic 3. Sustainable development, consumption, and production

Research regarding this topic focuses on overall sustainability, particularly sustainable production and consumption trends and main factors, as well as circular and low carbon economy. Different aspects of sustainability in line with global sustainability goals (SDGs) and European Green Deal, including policy measures, will be analysed. Researchers mainly emphasizing the role of consumers to reduce  environmental problems as depletion of natural resource consumption, waste generation and climate change will be carried out. In regards to Paris Agreement the influence of consumers’ role towards achieving set targets will be analysed, taking into account recent health and geopolitical as war in Ukraine crises. Thus, the main determinants of climate-friendly, resources-saving and waste-sorting behaviours will be assessed. Different behavioural theories and statistical methods will be used to reveal pathways of consumers engagement, attitudes, and behaviour regarding reduction of environmental impact caused by consumption and production.