With growing importance of the global economy, one of the basic natural resources − intensity of land use − is also increasing, which often is the cause of land degradation processes. The causes and manifestations of brownfields are diverse, and their elimination is the first prerequisite for the sustainable use of land resources and development of each region. Improvement, maximal and efficient engagement in economic activity of brownfields is one of the key challenges for sustainable resource use that makes significant contribution to regional development. The reuse of brownfields has significant impact on sustainable development as it meets all three of its objectives: improving the economy, improving social cohesion and the environment. The aim of the article is on the basis of special literature examples to examine issues of sustainable development, evaluation and restoration of brownfields, transformation of brownfields into recreational areas, as well as further use of brownfields in cities and rural areas.

Land degradation is one of the most pressing problems ensuring sustainable use of land. In order to provide a clear understanding of land degradation and its risks, as well as to implement unified measures for prevention of land degradation in Latvia, the Land Management Law came into force in 2015. It individually defines the concepts of land and soil degradation, thus separating them from each other, as well as clarifying the term “degraded territory”. However, despite these solutions in the regulatory framework of the land degradation, till now criteria for identifying land degradation have not been developed and approved, therefore their determination is very subjective and not comparable between municipalities and at the state level. The aim of the article is to develop and approbate degradation criteria for assessing land degradation in particular territory. In the article, based on the author's previous studies on the classification of land degradation, characterised one type of land degradation – the abandoned agricultural and forestry activity territory, as well as proposed subdivision of criteria classification into three levels – low, medium and high. As result of the study, it was concluded that the classification of degraded territories into three degradation levels is justified for the purpose of more objective identification and evaluation of land degradation.

The issues of environmental protection, prevention of degradation and reclamation of damaged land are currently very significant and relevant. As damaged land has been observed the land where low productivity and low economic potential have arisen and natural productivity of ecosystems is changed due to human-caused activities. The nature and extent of the violation depends on the type, depth and duration of anthropogenic impact, on adopted system of work organization and the conditions of the environment. Black soil dominates in the soil cover in Samara region; therefore there has been developed agricultural production. However there are located large oilfields and gas fields, which are under active exploitation and reduction of vegetation, dumping technological sites, laying trenches for pipelines, etc. have been noticed, which leads to formation of technogenic soils, damaged land cover, loss of soil fertility and land use type change. There special restoration measure − reclamation should be putted into practice on the territory of all categories of land, but especially on agricultural land. The aim of the article is to study the situation with damaged agricultural land in Samara region of Russia and to develop scientifically based proposals for regeneration of its fertility after reclamation measures. The problems of pollution of agricultural land in the region have been investigated, main sources and types of pollution have been analysed, as well as legal, methodological and environmental protection documents on land reclamation have been studied. The peculiarities of reclamation of land on federal, municipal and property level have been considered. The article presents measures for reclamation of the land on the example of natural monopolies in the territory of the Samara region.

The issue of brownfields and their analysis in Slovakia have not been given such emphasis over the last decade as in the neighbouring EU countries, such as in Austria or in the Czech Republic. The situation is completely different in Bratislava and also in the rest of Slovakia and the development of this type of area is almost unrealized. A frequent argument is problematic ownership relationships to the unused, degraded land. However, the real problem is the higher financial costs associated with brownfields regeneration. Despite this fact, brownfields can be considered as an area with relatively large development potential within the urbanized area and one form of hidden reserves of both, local and national economy. Among the indisputable benefits of using brownfields, we can include reduction of the extensive land use of agricultural land for rural area. In the long run, Bratislava is preparing a search study of neglected and unused land within the capital. It is due to be completed in the course of 2018, and will be an important basis for a new territorial plan and the development of Bratislava. In the following article, we analyse brownfield land in Bratislava. The already realized brownfield projects are also mentioned, while we are trying to point out their main advantages and disadvantages.