The axiological dimension of climate policy implemented by local government units has not yet been comprehensively addressed in legal literature, justifying the need for further research in this area. The aim of this article is to present the axiology of climate law and demonstrate its impact on the activities of local government units, with particular emphasis on the directions of changes in urban climate policy in the context of climate change-related challenges. The fundamental scientific issues are formulated in the form of two research questions: what is the axiology of climate law? Is it necessary to incorporate values stemming from climate law into the implementation of local tasks aimed at adapting to and mitigating climate change? To achieve the above research objectives, a dogmatic-legal approach was employed, involving an analysis of applicable national, EU, and international law, as well as doctrinal positions. The analysis confirms the validity of incorporating axiological values into the actions undertaken by local government units. The values constituting climate law should not be treated as a limitation on the autonomy of local government units, but rather as an instrument supporting the effective and coherent implementation of their climate protection tasks. Local government units, operating based on a specific system of normative values, should intensify their efforts to combat climate change, bearing in mind their obligation to protect the common good and ensure ecological security for current and future generations.

Under current law, investors may demand that entrepreneurs operating mining facilities reimburse them for reasonable and necessary expenses incurred to protect buildings from the harmful effects of such operations. The enforcement of such a claim requires the fulfillment of certain legal conditions, depending on the factual circumstances of the specific case. The study explains the legal basis and factual circumstances determining the outcome of a claim for reimbursement of the costs of protecting a building against anticipated damage caused by mining operations. The author analyzes the case law of common courts and the Supreme Court, and also takes into account the literature on the subject concerning both the current and historical legal status.

The article attempts to define the concept of ‘the scope of impact of the intended water use’. The author assumes that the lack of a legal definition of this concept and of criteria allowing verification of the scope of impact of the intended water use hinders the administrative proceedings on the issuance of a water permit and creates the possibility of manipulating the scope of impact in order to limit the rights of the parties to participate in the proceedings. The article is based on an analysis of the provisions of the Water Law Act relating to the administrative proceedings on the issuance of a water permit and water use, as well as the case law of the administrative courts and the literature on the subject. It concludes with de lege ferenda postulates aimed at improving the course of administrative proceedings and limiting the possibility of manipulating the scope of impact of the intended water use.

Soil is Europe’s largest terrestrial carbon reservoir, essential for climate neutrality, biodiversity, and food security. Yet, it remains the only major natural resource in the European Union without a binding legal framework. The EU Soil Strategy for 2030 and related Green Deal policies offer a vision for reversing soil degradation and boosting carbon sequestration, but legal and policy gaps persist at both EU and national levels. This article assesses the EU’s evolving framework, including the proposed Soil Health Law and the Carbon Removal Certification Framework. It also evaluates Slovakia’s national response, focusing on the 2025 amendment to the Agricultural Land Act and the failed proposal for a Climate Soil Fund. Despite these efforts, Slovakia lacks clear legal mandates, financial incentives, and coordinated policies to fully support soil-based climate action. The main contribution of this article lies in identifying how the absence of an integrated legal and financial framework in Slovakia undermines the practical implementation of soil carbon sequestration measures. The greatest challenge highlighted is the political and institutional inertia that prevents Slovakia from translating EU soil policy ambitions into enforceable national legislation and operational support for land managers. The article recommends adopting a comprehensive Soil Protection Act, establishing financial incentives for carbon farming, improving soil monitoring, and strengthening policy integration across sectors. These steps are vital for unlocking soil’s climate potential and aligning Slovakia with EU climate and biodiversity targets.

The development and use of technologies based on electromagnetic radiation is one of the key factors in economic development and the digital revolution. The legal regulation of the issue of installations emitting electromagnetic fields in the context of their impact on the environment in Poland dates back to the early 1980s and was not liberalised to a greater extent until the beginning of the current decade. In this article, the author presents the historical conditions and evolution of this regulation, as well as analyses the interpretation doubts that have existed in this respect over the years and the way in which they have been resolved in legislation and in the case law of administrative courts. In conclusion, he draws attention to the shortcomings of the historical regulation and approves of its current liberalisation.

The article addresses issues related to the analysis of legal regulations concerning the management of the increasing amount of electrical and electronic waste, including components of renewable energy installations such as photovoltaic panels and wind turbines, which constitute a rapidly growing waste stream in the European Union. A key focus of the article is the emphasis on the importance of Member States striving to achieve a zero-emission economic policy, energy efficiency, and a circular economy. The article provides a detailed discussion of the challenges associated with improving the recycling process of installations, particularly wind turbines and photovoltaic panels at the end of their operational life, from which only certain materials can be effectively recovered. The article highlights European Union and national regulations concerning the management of selected waste, including requirements for the collection and processing of used equipment, as well as the principles of producer responsibility for its disposal and processing.

Following Lynn White’s thesis that Western Christianity is the root cause of the ecological crisis, scholars have examined the impact of religion on environmental degradation and environmental protection. This article begins by analysing White’s argument and identifying one of the causes of the environmental crisis – distinct from White’s – namely, the gradual abandonment of religious values in Europe, starting with the ideas of Enlightenment philosophers. The article attempts to appreciate the contributions of various indigenous religions to environmental protection by discussing some environmental values embedded in some religions, especially indigenous religions. It examines some national and international legal instruments that seek to protect the right to religion as a means of protecting the environment, discusses the recent teachings of the Church on environmental protection, and gives a grounded approach to environmental protection through religion. It argues, using analytical and descriptive research methods, that since most Indigenous religions use natural entities as objects of religious worship, more attention and protection should be given to the right to religion as one of the approaches to environmental protection. Finally, the article examines the concepts of environmental personhood and the rights of nature, as well as their role in environmental conservation and preservation.