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Objective – to estimate the viability of Taxus baccata L. by complex of indices in Kryvyi Rih area and the possibilities of its use to green the industrial cities of Right-Bank Steppe. Material and methods. The investigation objects are the plantations of T. baccata in the territory of Kryvyi Rih city as well as in the arboretum of Kryvyi Rih Botanical Garden of the NAS of Ukraine. These plantations were created over 30 years ago. Investigation methods: visual, morphometric, physiologic and biochemical, statistic. Results. We ascertained that T. baccata occurs in Kryvyi Rih in the form of curtains or individual plants near administrative buildings, in parks or linear plantings along the highways at a distance of 5–10 m. In the arboretum of Kryvyi Rih Botanical Garden of the NAS of Ukraine, five decorative forms of this species grow successfully: ‘Aurea variegata’ (2 samples), ‘Dovastonii’ (2 s.), ‘Fastigiata’ (1 s.), ‘Globosa’ (2 s.), ‘Hibernica’ (3 s.). They were planted in 1980s. In 13 investigated city plantings, except of one, the form ‘Fastigiata’ occurs as bushes with 2–17 skeletal branches; the diameter of these branches near their bases is 3.39–11.6 cm. The height of the plants varies 1.3–5.0 m, crown diameter – 1.21–5.07 m. Crown needles are welldeveloped, and the proportion of the damaged needles is low. The annual growth rate was 22.2–38.5 cm, and the length, width and thickness of needles changed as follows: 21.3–29.4, 2.3–3.0 and 0.5–1.0 mm. The vital state of the vast majority of plants is good, as well as their decorativeness. The content of chlorophyll and carotenoids in needles of five forms of T. baccata from the arboretum of the Kryvyi Rih Botanical Garden in November varied within the limits: 1.48–2.83 and 0.54–0.92 mg/g of raw matter respectively, and in plants growing in the city: 1.69–2.81 and 0.61–0.89 mg/g of raw matter. The water content in needles was 52.2–60.8 %. Conclusions. T. baccata in the conditions of a large industrial city of the steppe zone of Ukraine is characterized by high viability and decorativeness. It needs to be used much more widely in landscaping of cities of the Right-Bank Dnieper area.

Subject of this article investigation is theoretical and methodological aspects of institutional support of international economic cooperation in the sphere of renewable energy. Objective of the article is to highlight the core and do research into the common factors and newest trends concerning institutional support of international economic cooperation in the sphere of renewable energy. Method. When in use for article preparation the following general scientific research methods were used: historical and logical methods are applied while investigating into international experience and analysis of international economic cooperation evolution in energy area; abstract and specific methods as well as methods of analysis and synthesis are used for justification of priorities, rules and goals of institutional support of international economic cooperation in the sphere of renewable energy and definition of international organizations role while their implementing. Causal (cause-and-effect) method of scientific research is employed to determine priorities and challenges regarding institutional support of international economic cooperation in the sphere of renewable energy development as an essential part of the sustainable development transition processes. Results. The development of renewable energy in XXI century has become a strategic priority of world energy market modernization, promotes the solution to the problem of global warming, reduces the risks of CO2 emissions as well as related risks of increase in climate refugees, world countries’ coastal areas flooding, so reduces a risk of famine and incidence of poverty among the Earth population. Institutional support of renewable energy development is provided by such international organizations as UN, UNDP, UNEP, URS, BASE, UNIDO, IRENA etc. UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), Kyoto Protocol (expired), Paris Agreement on Climate Change were adopted. According to UNDP forecasts, scenarios for the share of renewables in world supplies by 2050 in balance of fuels and electric power ranges widely from just 27 percent to 54 percent and will rank the leading positions among other sources of energy resources on the Earth. Among the priorities of international economic cooperation in the sphere of renewable energy there are the following: providing institutional support of renewable energy production growth, development and introduction of ‘green tariffs’, benefits and economic stimuli as well as principles of energy efficiency and energy-saving. Institutional support of energy infrastructure development, transportation and transit, conservation and rational use of renewable energy resources is of great importance. Range of results application. International economic affairs and world economy. Conclusions. Among the main priorities of institutional support of international economic cooperation in the sphere of renewable energy development the following ones should be mentioned: organization of international consultations on framework development in the sphere of renewable energy promoting and use; drawing-up the rules and principles of safety and rational energy consumption; promoting technology and knowledge transfer development in the sphere of renewable energy; establishment of regional R&D centers as well as centers of experience exchange in the sphere of renewable energy development; distribution of successful world experience in the sphere of renewable energy use; planning of financial provision of the program on renewable sources of energy use; compilation of statistical data in the sphere of renewable energy development; monitoring and adjustment of strategies on renewable energy development. Transition to global renewable energy use is an essential part of a process of sustainable development in the XXI century.

Results of many years of introduction research on Panicum virgatum L. (Poaceae) in M.M. Gryshko National Botanical Garden of the NAS of Ukraine are presented. The biomorphological characteristics, biochemical composition of the plant, crop yield of the above ground plant mass and seed are determined. The yield of valuable compounds and energy efficiency of the crop are identified. High-yield forms with assigned features of crop yield, sugar content of plant biomass, total energy yield and biofuel output per one square unit are created. We proved that in the condition of crop introduction almost all forms of Panicum virgatum undergo full cycle of plant development – from the seed to the seed during one growing season, starting from the first-year. A phase of a seed maturation in the early developed plant forms begins in the third decade of September, in late developed forms until the middle of October, some forms have their growing season until the beginning of winter frosting. The major morphological features of plants are dependent on the forms and crops variations and ripening phase. Total harvest of the above ground mass and general output of the plant up till the flowering phase increases, where at the end of growing season decreases. We showed that plant forms with retard development had a high yield of above-ground mass for 58.0–115.6 % greater than the early developed plants. Increment in the dry matter content of plants from tiller to seed ripening phase is demonstrated. However, the percentage of sugars, ascorbic acid, carotene, and lipids is diminished. During the same growing season we did not observe any correlation between lignin and fiber accumulation. Similar results were acquired for the heat capacity harvest of above ground mass. High-yield Panicum virgatum crop provide substantial output of the dry mass, ethanol, and energy throughout all development phases of the plant. Among studied plant samples the top productivity was supplied by Zoryane cultivar.

Objective – to reveal the direction of the shift in the timing of the beginning of flowering of tree species in the conditions of the dendropark under the influence of changes in climatic conditions in the period 2008–2017 vs 1960–1969 as well as to conduct a comparative analysis of different methods of selecting of temperature indexes during recalculating of positive temperatures into effective ones and to determine the effect of individual winterspring months on the phenodata of the onset of the flowering of the species. Material and methods. The subject of the researches – three groups of species of woody plants that differ in terms of flowering: with the beginning of flowering in March–April, May and June. To characterize the thermal regime of the periods studied were used the air temperature parameters of Prilukskoy meteorological station. Data processing was carried out using the computer program “Excel”. Observation of the phenological phases of development of woody plants in the period 2008–2017 were conducted as per method of L.S. Plotnikova (1972). The statistical data processing of these phenological observations was carried out according to the method of G.N. Zaitsev (1981) in the modification of V.I. Ivlev (2014). Results. The conducted researches established that over the past 10 years in Chernigov region the annual air temperature has changed towards warming: the average annual air temperature increased by 1.8 °C, in winter – by 2.7 °C, in spring – by 2.4 °C, in summer – by 1, 6 °C, in autumn – by 0.7 °C. The greatest warming was observed in March – by 3.9 °C. The increasing in air temperature leads to the movement of the beginning of flowering in the direction of acceleration, which in the dendropark conditions varies within 2–15 days. The optimal option for recalculation of positive temperatures into effective ones is the formation of the sum of effective temperatures by a smooth mathematical function. A close inverse correlation was found between the sums of the effective temperatures in some months and their combinations and the phenodata of the beginning of the flowering of tree species. Conclusions. An analysis of the results shows that the formation of the sum of the effective temperatures necessary for the blooming of the species occurs from the beginning of the year. The greatest influence is manifested in the month preceding the month of flowering of the species.

The dissertation is focused on the development of theoretical positions and scientific and methodological approaches towards the formation of a system of socioecological-economic indicators of the development of the Carpathians mountains areas in the context of ecological economics and environmental economics theories. The dissertation summarizes theoretical, methodological, empirical and practical results of scientific research of the applicant, her conclusions and proposals as to future socio-ecological-economic development of the Carpathians mountain areas. In the thesis, the definition of "forest-dependent community" is proposed and characterised with regards to the Carpathians conditions. The conceptual matrix model for determining the level of forest dependence has also been developed, taking into account the level of analysis (country, region, oblast, district, city / village, community, household, individual) and the type of forest dependence (from wood / wood products, non-wood forest products, tourism / recreation, from forest as a source of income / employment, forest ecosystem services for environment stabilization, cultural ecosystem services). Considering as the priority maintaining of forest ecosystem services, as key components for the socio-ecological and economic development of the Carpathian mountain region, and taking into account the current ecological-economic and socioeconomic challenges and opportunities in the studied region, we propose a system of indicators to assess its development. On this basis, and through our evaluation of the contribution of forest ecosystem services to the wellbeing of forest-dependent communities (using a mixedmethod approach), we arrive into the following indicators of the development of the Carpathians mountain region: – indicators, that imply opportunities/threats to sustainable flows of ecosystem services; – indicators that characterize the impact of (inefficient) forest management; – indicators that characterize fostering sustainability in the provision ecosystem services, in the context of decentralization; – indicators that characterize an increase of community responsibility in the field of forest governance; – indicators, characterizing authorities' ability in supporting effective management; – indicators that characterize cooperation and interaction between stakeholders (i.e. social innovations) for achieving sustainability; – indicators, demonstrating the availability/lack and simplicity/complexity of procedures for accessing / using of forest products; – indicators, characterizing accessibility to forest products by local 24 population; – indicators, characterizing the essential steps by communities in the Carpathian region to improve the forest management efficiency and forest resilience. The methodical approach for the analysis of socio-ecological-economic development of the Carpathian region is therefore advanced on the basis of the conceptualized system of indicators for the development evaluation. In the thesis, the concept of mountain forest's socio-ecological system is defined as a complex and integrated system, including the socio-economic (human) and ecological (biophysical – mountain forest ecosystems) sub-systems, which are in close connection and interaction with each other. The scientific and methodical approaches for enhancing decision support processes on the development of the Carpathian region are developed. They adapt and elaborate further an integration of the DPSIR method with the concept of ecosystem services. We propose credible ways towards increasing the role of communities in the decision-making process in the field of sustainable development of the region. A smart development of forest-dependent mountain territories and communities requires new and innovative strategies based on green growth and socio-ecological innovations. These would need to integrate scientific and local/traditional knowledge around the array of forest ecosystem goods and services, their management and use. Such strategies should enable an increasing of human well-being without destroying the sustainability of fragile mountain forest ecosystems. The practical significance of the results is in that the theoretical provisions of the thesis have been brought to the level of methodological developments and practical recommendations, which can be used by state and local authorities to improve the strategic planning and the development of settlements and communities in the Carpathian mountain region. Other stakeholders, including local communities, can also make use of the suggestions put forward in the thesis.