• Energy Research

Regional flood frequency analysis (RFFA) is a powerful method for interrogating hydrological series since it combines observational time series from several sites within a region to estimate risk-relevant statistical parameters with higher accuracy than from single-site series. Since RFFA extreme value estimates depend on the shape of the selected distribution of the data-generating stochastic process, there is need for a suitable goodness-of-distributional-fit measure in order to optimally utilize given data. Here we present a novel, least-squares-based measure to select the optimal fit from a set of five distributions, namely Generalized Extreme Value (GEV), Generalized Logistic, Gumbel, Log-Normal Type III and Log-Pearson Type III. The fit metric is applied to annual maximum discharge series from six hydrological stations along the Sava River in South-eastern Europe, spanning the years 1961 to 2020. Results reveal that (1) the Sava River basin can be assessed as hydrologically homogeneous and (2) the GEV distribution provides typically the best fit. We offer hydrological-meteorological insights into the differences among the six stations. For the period studied, almost all stations exhibit statistically insignificant trends, which renders the conclusions about flood risk as relevant for hydrological sciences and the design of regional flood protection infrastructure.

The Danube, the Sava and the Tisa rivers belong to the Black Sea river basin and they flow through many European countries, while in Serbia they flow through the Pannonian flatland. The water quality of these rivers, which is affected by complex anthropogenic activities and natural factors, is one of important factors that are taken into account in the evaluation of development sustainability of this region. Using the correlation analysis in this paper we tested the impact of air temperature as a natural factor on certain parameters indicating the water quality. A significant correlation was found between air temperature and total nitrogen oxides in the Danube of up to -0.744, namely of -0.740 on the Tisa and -0.299 on the Sava. A significant correlation was found in electrical conductivity - up to -0.793 on the Danube, -0.226 on the Tisa, and 0.380 on the Sava. Correlation links were found between air temperature and O2, BOD, as well as suspended matters saturation percentage, but their correlation values are significantly lower. Based on the results of the research it was concluded that air temperature had low effect on changes in water quality during the year and that anthropogenic impact was far more dominant.

This study examined the association between precipitation indices and atmospheric processes in Southeast Europe using ERA5 land data from 1961 to 2020. The Rx1day intensity index showed predominantly positive trends in heavy precipitation events, resulting in more intense precipitation over fewer days in various parts of Southeast Europe, particularly during autumn. These findings highlight the potential increase in extreme precipitation frequency and intensity due to ongoing climate change, leading to an elevated risk of flood events. Such insights provide valuable information for policymakers and stakeholders to adapt to the impacts of extreme precipitation events.

Climate change is a global crisis exacerbated by human activity and a matter of urgent concern. There is a significant knowledge gap among primary school students in Serbia, as the topic of climate change is barely covered in the curriculum. This study examines their awareness, knowledge and attitudes. Of the participants, 96.6% are aware of climate change, but their knowledge and attitudes vary considerably. Some 80.10% expect climate change to have a significant impact on humans through floods (90%), droughts and temperature increases (85% each). Further results show that schools are a key source of information (35.10%), followed by television (30.10%) and the internet (14.90%). In summary, this study highlights the need for comprehensive, multidisciplinary climate education to address different levels of awareness, encourage informed and proactive responses and engage young voices in discussions about climate change.