New forms of land grabbing due to the bioeconomy. The case of Brazil

The present study discusses new forms of land grabbing related to biofuel production in the light of bioeconomic development. With a specific focus on Brazil, this article debates whether biofuel production is associated with (i) an expansion of agricultural land use-regarded as a process of unsustainable crop intensification or (ii) an increase in crop yield, driven by technical innovation with stable land use-intended as a form of sustainable intensification. We conclude that, in the case of Brazil, the current bioeconomy cannot be assumed to be environmentally sustainable. Starting from Brazil's experience, the (apparent and latent) relationship between bioeconomy and land grabbing requires a refined investigation in both wealthier and emerging economies, with the aim of proposing effective strategies to achieve truly sustainable development in the primary sector

Unraveling population trends in Italy (1921–2021) with spatial econometrics

Testing density-dependence and path-dependence in long-term population dynamics under differentiated local contexts contributes to delineate the changing role of socioeconomic forces at the base of regional disparities. Despite a millenary settlement history, such issue has been rarely investigated in Europe, and especially in highly divided countries such as those in the Mediterranean region. Using econometric modeling to manage spatial heterogeneity, our study verifies the role of selected drivers of population growth at ten times between 1921 and 2021 in more than 8000 Italian municipalities verifying density-dependent and path-dependent dynamics. Results of global and quantile (spatial) regressions highlight a differential impact of density and (lagged) population growth on demographic dynamics along the urban cycle in Italy. Being weakly significant in the inter-war period (1921-1951), econometric models totalized a high goodness-of-fit in correspondence with compact urbanization (1951-1981). Model's fit declined in the following decades (1981-2021) reflecting suburbanization and counter-urbanization. Density-dependence and path-dependence were found significant and, respectively, positive or negative, with compact urbanization, and much less intense with suburbanization and counter-urbanization. A spatial econometric investigation of density-dependent and path-dependent mechanisms of population dynamics provided an original explanation of metropolitan cycles, delineating the evolution of socioeconomic (local) systems along the urban-rural gradient

Working in (Slow) Progress: Socio-Environmental and Economic Dynamics in the Forestry Sector and the Contribution to Sustainable Development in Europe

Forest ecosystems are increasingly subject to disturbances, such as extreme (climate) events, fires and pathological outbreaks, which exert significant (and still poorly quantified) economic impacts, despite their intrinsic resilience. How forest management addresses these challenges will have profound effects on human health, environmental diversity, (ecological and economic) productivity and the ability of forest ecosystems to recovery from exogenous shocks. Assuming forests as ensuring ecosystem services that are vital to society and human well-being, in addition to providing wood material, a better knowledge of forest ecosystems appears a key requirement to delineate a developmental strategy that guarantees environmental protection objectives and achievement of climate and energy targets. In the context of Sustainable Development Goals of the United Nations 2030 Agenda, the information available on forest management practices in Europe still seems not completely suitable to provide a comprehensive overview of ecosystem conditions, their economic value, and their biodiversity. Based on a literature review, the present contribution focuses on recent dynamics of the forestry sector in Europe, delineating the inherent complexity in the environmental-economic nexus. Additionally, the extensive use of a key natural resource such as wood exerts social implications for local districts adapting to ecological change-from climate warming to landscape transformations. In line with earlier studies, our paper confirms the role of the technical-economic dimension of forestry in sustainable development paths of districts and regions, affecting together (i) short-term economic dynamics, (ii) the growth prospects of the sector, (iii) the organization of the supply chain, (iv) the interconnections between companies, and (v) investment strategies at large. One of the major issues is the low reliability of official statistics to provide a coherent picture of the actual status of forest resources. At the same time, forestry practices are pivotal in maintaining habitats and species while increasing the timber production that remains (too) sustainable. This is the policy direction constantly given by the European Commission to stimulate over time public bodies and private (in whose hands is about 60% of European forests) to start virtuous paths in the circular economy with considerable repercussions in terms of additional jobs, recycled materials, mt of CO2 equivalent avoided, and increase in community added value. In this context, forestry should assure a more 'holistic' contribution to sustainable development paths at various spatial scales. This means concentrating on both economic and environmental targets based on the identification of significant (ecological-economic) dimensions that may delineate future lines of investigation and policy intervention, while increasing between member countries and regional authorities

Insights into the ‘ecological economics’ of land degradation: A multi-scale analysis with implications for regional development policy and local mitigation measures

This study examines the intrinsic relationship between land degradation and the accumulation of wealth at various planning scales in Italy, a desertification hotspot in Southern Europe. Local development was scrutinized at four planning scales (administrative regions, provinces, economic districts, and municipalities) to verify if land sensitivity to degradation increases over time more rapidly in economically advanced contexts. Land sensitivity to degradation increased between the early 1990s and the early 2010s contrary to the level of income per-capita based on linear, squared, cubic, and fourth-grade polynomial specifications. Spatially implicit and explicit statistical approaches indicate linear models are the best fit at all planning scales. The income-land degradation relationship was negative, showing the role of both centralized and decentralized planning scales, and suggesting that developmental policies may have less impact on land degradation in specific territorial contexts. More suited local models displayed a negative socio-economic development impact in more affected Southern districts. Checking for spatial heterogeneity, multi-scale regressions provided insights into complex ecological-economic processes whilst also evaluating the impact of regional development at different planning levels contributing to design scalable mitigation policies against desertification

Revisiting the environmental kuznets curve: The spatial interaction between economy and territory

6sireservedA complex interplay of socio-ecological drivers of change exists at the different spatiotemporal scales affecting environmental degradation. This is a key issue worldwide and needs to be understood to develop efficient management solutions. One of the most applied theories in the regional analysis is the U-shaped relationship between environmental degradation and the level of income in a given economic system or Environmental Kuznets Curve (EKC). Specifically, the EKC hypothesis underlines the (potentially positive) role of formal responses to environmental degradation grounded on government policies that are usually more ambitious in wealthier economic systems. However, there is a lack of knowledge on the role of space in EKC, arguing that spatial variability in the environment-income relationship may indicate additional targets for integrated socio-environmental policies. We hypothesize that a spatially differentiated response to environmental degradation could better adapt to differentiated local contexts. Therefore, to achieve this goal, we present a multi-scale investigation of degradation processes at the local level, providing a refined knowledge of the environment-economy linkages considering more traditional, cross-country and cross-region exercises. Our results demonstrated that-together with temporal, sectoral, and institutional aspects-space and, consequently, the related analysis' spatial scales, are significant dimensions in ecological economics, whose investigation requires improvements in data collection and dedicated statistical approaches.mixedMosconi E.M.; Colantoni A.; Gambella F.; Cudlinova E.; Salvati L.; Rodrigo-Comino J.Mosconi, E. M.; Colantoni, A.; Gambella, F.; Cudlinova, E.; Salvati, L.; Rodrigo-Comino, J

Regional development, settlement models, and urban change

Settlement models and urban growth are strictly interconnected issues. The present contribution scrutinizes the intimate relationship between these two dimensions of regional development, considering the implications of sustainable land management and suggesting a logical framework to understand the long-term evolution of economic systems and human settlements in Mediterranean Europe. Spatial planning combined with multifaceted policy dimensions characterizing Mediterranean regions (e.g., social, economic, demographic, cultural, financial and institutional issues) is a relevant approach to urban sustainability. Permanent assessment of these factors allows for the implementation of different development scenarios, thus contributing to systemic and multi-scale strategies of metropolitan growth. The pursuit of comprehensive urban policies achieving an integrated management of human landscapes is finally discussed in the present context of urban crisis in Southern Europe