green transition

Serbia, like nearly every other nation in the world, is putting into practice a green transition strategy to create a low-carbon economy founded on sustainability objectives. As a result, a system is established that will grow and develop based on protecting the environment while honoring the social and economic facets of business. Coordination between the public and private sectors must be established in order to meet the specified objectives. This paper aims to assess the major performance indicators in the green transition using Serbia as an example. Specifically, we will look at the green growth index, the shift to using more green energy, and the issuance of green financial instruments. These three metrics were selected to demonstrate Serbia's advancement toward sustainable development and the green transition, both of which are critical to the deployment of adaption strategies and the mitigation of climate change's effects. In terms of methodology, the Sarkodie et al. (2023) analysis indicates that the generalized least squares attributed-standardized-weighted index serves as the foundation for the computation of the summary index, which in turn forms the basis of the green growth index. The Ministry of Finance's Public Debt Administration provided data for emissions of green instruments, while the Electric Power Company of Serbia provided data for the analysis of the energy transition. According to the analysis, Serbia has made significant progress in terms of the green transition indicators examined. However, more work needs to be done to achieve the goals of sustainable development to boost domestic and international competitiveness through the use of entrepreneurship, knowledge, and innovative solutions.

Und die Kommunen leistendas zeigt dieser Monitorbericht, den das Deutsche Institut für Urbanistik (Difu) im Auftrag der Bertelsmann Stiftung erstellt hateinen nicht unerheblichen Beitrag zum Klimaschutz und zur Klimafolgenanpassung. Die Kommunalbefragung des Difu zeigt: Die Kommunen sind ein entscheidender Hebel, um bei diesem für uns alle existenziellen Thema etwas zu bewirken. "Klima" ist Chefsache und wird zunehmend als Querschnittsaufgabe angegangen. Die deutschen Kommunen engagieren sich seit langem für den Klimaschutz und setzen viele Maßnahmen vor Ort um. Das zeigen nicht zuletzt auch rund 16.650 Projekte in mehr als 3.650 Kommunen, die seit 2008 über die Nationale Klimaschutzinitiative gefördert worden sind. Für die Kommunen ist dabei ein Dreiklang zwischen ambitionierten Klimaschutzzeilen, aber auch wirtschaftlicher und sozialer Verträglichkeit von zentraler Bedeutung. Auch die faire Lastenteilung zwischen ländlichen Räumen, die maßgebliche Standorte bei der Erzeugung erneuerbarer Energien sind, und den verdichteten Räumen ist für Städte, Landkreise und Gemeinden insgesamt von Bedeutung. Mittlerweile geben 87 Prozent der Kommunen an, über ein Klimaschutzkonzept zu verfügen, in 82 Prozent aller befragten Kommunen gibt es in den Stellenplänen ausgewiesenes Personal für Klimaschutz -14 Prozent mehr als im Jahr 2016. Hinzu kommt: 80 Prozent der befragten Kommunen gaben an, bereits eine kommunale Treibhausgas-Bilanz erstellt zu habendabei ist der Anteil in den Städten mit mehr als 100.000 Einwohner:innen mit 93 Prozent noch einmal höher als im Durchschnitt aller Kommunen. Und die erstellten Bilanzen zeigen Wirkung: 80 Prozent der Kommunen, die ihre Treibhausgas-Bilanz fortschreiben, gaben an, dass ihre Emissionen über alle Emittentengruppen hinweg über die Jahre gesunken sind. Ermutigende Befragungsergebnisse also. Die repräsentative Bevölkerungsbefragung, die KANTAR im Auftrag der Bertelsmann Stiftung für diese Studie durchgeführt hat, macht deutlich, dass die Bürger:innen sich einen noch höheren Stellenwert des Themas in ihrer Kommune wünschen. Ein Drittel der befragten Bürger:innen nannte den Wunsch nach anderen und neuen Verkehrsangeboten und -konzepten für den eigenen Wohnort.

Η "Πράσινη Μετάβαση" είναι -τελικά- η μετάβαση σε μια "Πράσινη Εποχή" και η πρόκληση που βρίσκεται στο επίκεντρό της είναι να διασφαλιστεί ότι τα οφέλη και οι ευκαιρίες που συνεπάγεται είναι διαθέσιμα σε όλους, όσο το δυνατόν πιο γρήγορα και δίκαια.

The report aims to analyse the role of industrial relations in the energy transition in Italy. The purpose is to provide a socio-economic analysis of the industry and an overview of the transition's impacts at the socio-territorial level. The reference framework is that of the Just Transition, which allows us to observe how the negative effects of the Transition can be balanced, guaranteeing the creation of 'decent jobs' and better development conditions for the territories. The research made use of data and literature analysis and interviews with selected experts such as business organisations, trade unions, associations, institutions and scholars. The sector is being called upon to progressively abandon fossil fuels in favour of renewable sources, in a historical and geopolitical framework troubled by the effects of the pandemic crisis and ongoing wars. Moreover, the changing geography of production and technological innovation will have significant impacts not only on the world of work, but
also on local development. Industrial relations, which are already oriented towards a participatory and anticipatory model, are called upon to manage a transition that has several dimensions, from the reorganisation of work in a decentralised manner, to protection from new risks related to safety in the workplace, to the management of the environment-labour conflict. In this complexity, the union finds itself working on several fronts, from bargaining for job protection to social and territorial bargaining for sustainable development.

În Strategia industrială a UE din martie 2020, actualizată în mai 2021, se evidențiază trei motoare ale transformării industriei comunitare: tranziția ecologică, tranziția digitală și competitivitatea pe scena internațională. Pe fondul sporirii dependențelor strategice care afectează interesele de bază ale UE, în special în ceea ce privește sănătatea, securitatea și siguranța, precum și accesul la materii prime și tehnologii esențiale, Comisia Europeană evidențiază nevoia de consolidare a autonomiei strategice deschise a UE, prin acorduri cu parteneri internaționali cu vederi similare și alianțe industriale în domenii strategice. Pornind de la analiza rolului politicilor industriale dintr-o perspectivă istorică, prezentul articol rezumă obiectivele cheie ale noii Strategii industriale, punând accentul pe transformările, oportunitățile și riscurile actuale pentru industria "verde".

Europe has played the role of a green hegemon on the global arena for several decades. By exploring its green transition in the electricity industry, the article discusses whether Europe is on track with regard to delivering sustainable development in a core sector at home. The article finds that the greening of European electricity industry has been highly dynamic and can best be represented in terms of competing modernities; where carbon, nuclear, renewables and demand side management challenge each other in the race for sustainable energy solutions. The article describes Greening European electricity industry as a complex institutional game which resembles a relay race where various factors have driven innovation at different stages. Change may be initially have been politically driven, while the baton is later taken by markets, technology or civic mobilization. The article shows how strong greening policies

The aim of this article is to discuss the results of qualitative research concerning the inclusion of stakeholders in social dialogue conducted as part of the transition process of a mining region. The subject of social dialogue is the joint shaping of professional relations, working conditions, wages, social benefits as well as other matters of socioeconomic policy that are in the area of interest of various stakeholders. Dialogue plays a particularly important role in the transition process of a coal region and in the departure from traditional branches of industry. Design/methodology/approach: The qualitative study in the was carried out in 2022 and 2023 as part of the Regional Observatory of the Transformation Process project (ROPT). It composed of 8 focus group interviews and 5 individual in-depth interviews in eight subregions of the Silesian Voivodeship. Findings: Social dialogue is a mechanism for reconciling opposing interests in socioeconomic relations. This papers findings share information about the quality and course of this process as a crucial for the effective involvement of stakeholders. Originality/value: The new and the value of the paper is regarding social dialogue efficiency to prepare people for the changes that arise from the transition process.

I believe that if you show people problems and provide solutions, you will stimulate them to take action. Bill Gates Purpose: in the cognitive space, the article focuses on cybersecurity as one of the top priorities of the European Commission and a cornerstone of a digital and connected Europe. The increase in cyberattacks during the coronavirus crisis has shown how important it is to protect hospitals, research centers and other infrastructure. Decisive action is needed in this area to future-proof the EU's economy and society. Therefore, cybersecurity is a key element to ensure the safe and effective implementation of the European Green Deal plan. Methodology: the theses presented in the article were verified using the following methods: literature review, critical analysis of literature, analysis and comparison of documents and an example of good practices. Result: the results of analyzes and research clearly revealed that cyberattacks do not stop at state borders, therefore it is necessary to strengthen cooperation between EU Member States, exchange information on threats and develop common standards and best practices in the field of cybersecurity. This allows for effective protection against attacks and minimization of risk to critical infrastructure related to the European Green Deal. Originality: in the perspective described in the article, important and significant challenges arise in the field of protecting critical infrastructure against cyber threats. One of them is the transformation of underground workings of hard coal mines into facilities critical for national cybersecurity. The theses presented in the article were verified using the following methods: literature review, critical analysis of literature, analysis and comparison of documents and examples of good practices.

Η μετάβαση σε μια κλιματικά ουδέτερη οικονομία έως το 2050
προϋποθέτει κατάλληλο φορολογικό σύστημα για την προώθησή
της και ικανά δημόσια έσοδα για τη χρηματοδότησή της. Η υπό
εξέλιξη αναθεώρηση των υφιστάμενων συστημάτων φορολόγησης
της ενέργειας και τιμολόγησης του άνθρακα στην Ευρωπαϊκή
Ένωση, συμπεριλαμβανομένου του συστήματος εμπορίας εκπομπών,
κυριαρχούν στη συζήτηση σχετικά με την άντληση περισσότερων
δημοσίων εσόδων. Όμως, η μέχρι τώρα πορεία των περιβαλλοντικών
φόρων στην Ευρώπη παρουσιάζει επιτυχίες και αποτυχίες, η
μεταρρύθμιση της φορολογίας της ενέργειας φαίνεται δύσκολη
υπόθεση και η φορολόγηση του πλούτου αναδεικνύεται ως
προϋπόθεση για τη δίκαιη πράσινη μετάβαση. Το σίγουρο είναι ότι
η φορολογία μπορεί να αποτελέσει πηγή χρηματοδότησης για την
πράσινη μετάβαση εάν και εφόσον είναι δίκαιη.

The hegemonic understanding of the green transition will require a massive surge in mineral extraction. We contend that this entails wider, radical shifts in 21 st century financialised capitalism. While there has been increasing critical interest in the role of finance capital in development, the links between finance, extraction, and the green transition have been largely overlooked. We fill this gap by arguing that the green transition, understood as a transformation of global capitalism, is marked by new rounds of appropriation, exploitation, and extraction, (re)producing dependencies for resource-rich Global South countries. These emergent geographies of the green transition are best evaluated through what we call the "finance-extraction-transitions nexus". The nexus highlights the interplay between finance capital, mineral extraction, and the material, socioeconomic , and environmental implications of the green transition. This provides new ways to theoretically, conceptually, and methodologically engage with resource extraction and the green transition in the age of financialised capitalism. Resumen: La comprensi on hegem onica de la transici on verde requerir a un aumento masivo de la extracci on de minerales. Argumentamos que esto implica cambios m as amplios y radicales en el capitalismo financiarizado del siglo XXI. Si bien en la literatura cr ıtica ha habido un creciente inter es en el papel del capital financiero en el desarrollo, sostenemos que los v ınculos entre las finanzas, la extracci on y la transici on verde se ha estado omitido. Este articulo llena ese vac ıo en la literatura critica argumentando que la transici on verde, entendida como una transformaci on del capitalismo global, est a marcada por nuevas rondas de apropiaci on, explotaci on y extracci on, as ı (re)produciendo dependencias para los pa ıses del Sur Global ricos en recursos. Estas geograf ıas emergentes de la transici on verde se pueden evaluar a trav es de lo que llamamos el "nexo finanzas-extracci on-transiciones". El nexo destaca la interacci on entre el capital financiero, la extracci on de minerales y las implicaciones materiales, socioecon omicas y ambientales de la transici on verde. Esto proporciona nuevas formas de abordar te orica, conceptual y metodol ogicamente la extracci on de recursos y la transici on verde en la era del capitalismo financiarizado.

In this article we draw upon early lessons from the 2020 Covid-19 crisis and discuss how these may relate to a future research agenda in environmental economics. In particular, we describe how the events surrounding the Covid-19 crisis may inform environmental research related to globalization and cooperation, the green transition, pricing carbon externalities, as well as the role of uncertainty and timing of policy inventions. We also discuss the implications for future empirical research in this area.

This volume comprises contributions from an ensemble of thinkers who problematise, and attempt to answer, the pressing questions that matter. What are the power dynamics between a State and its citizens in this age of the digital? How do we protect our children in their always-online world, while preserving their agency and rights? If the current Western-led mechanisms of international aid are failing to meet the needs, how do we ensure that assistance truly reaches the grassroots? What transformations do our food systems require so they can be fit for the zero-hunger goal? As we move to the green frontiers, how will women lead the change? And how does the global financial system become just that—global?

The move to a sustainable future requires that we all learn to live, work and engage with our planet differently. Teacher education has been recognised as one of the most significant catalysts for bringing innovation and sustainability into education and thus supporting learners to contribute to the green transition. This theoretical paper seeks to provide an understanding of the need for, and challenge of, mainstreaming Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) and describes the critical role of teacher education in advancing sustainable development. Drawing on findings of a literature review and case study collection commissioned by the European Commission, the authors identify key challenges and lessons learned to enhance teachers' professional learning in ESD. Future practice is identified to support efforts in this area and help teachers and teacher educators, including mathematics educators, to build competences that better allow them to connect their work and expertise with the sustainability imperative.

Κατά την περίοδο που προηγήθηκε της ρωσικής εισβολής στην Ουκρανία έλαβε χώρα μια αλλαγή παραδείγματος στο ενεργειακό «τρίλημμα» της ΕΕ -  δηλαδή στην ανάγκη η ενέργεια να παράγεται και να διατίθεται με ασφαλή, οικονομικά προσιτό και περιβαλλοντικά βιώσιμο τρόπο -, με την αειφορία να αναδεικνύε-ται ως ο κορυφαίος στρατηγικός στόχος της Ένωσης. Ο πόλεμος στην Ουκρανία επανάφερε στο προσκήνιο τον στόχο της ασφάλειας του εφοδιασμού και ώθησε την ΕΕ να αναζητήσει ένα διαφορετικό μείγμα πολιτικών προκειμένου να πετύχει ταυτόχρονα τους στόχους της πράσινης μετάβασης και της απεξάρτησης από το ρωσικό αέριο. Το παρόν άρθρο μελετά την εξέλιξη των Ευρωπαϊκών πολιτι-κών για την ενέργεια και το κλίμα κατά την τελευταία δεκαπενταετία κι επιχειρεί μια συνολική αποτίμηση των επιλογών της Ένωσης και των μελών της ως προς τις τρεις διαστάσεις του ενεργειακού τριλήμματος.

Purpose: in the cognitive space, the article focuses on cybersecurity as one of the top priorities of the European Commission and a cornerstone of a digital and connected Europe. The increase in cyberattacks during the coronavirus crisis has shown how important it is to protect hospitals, research centers and other infrastructure. Decisive action is needed in this area to future-proof the EU's economy and society. Therefore, cybersecurity is a key element to ensure the safe and effective implementation of the European Green Deal plan.
Methodology: the theses presented in the article were verified using the following methods: literature review, critical analysis of literature, analysis and comparison of documents and an example of good practices.
Result: the results of analyzes and research clearly revealed that cyberattacks do not stop at state borders, therefore it is necessary to strengthen cooperation between EU Member States, exchange information on threats and develop common standards and best practices in the field of cybersecurity. This allows for effective protection against attacks and minimization of risk to critical infrastructure related to the European Green Deal.
Originality: in the perspective described in the article, important and significant challenges arise in the field of protecting critical infrastructure against cyber threats. One of them is the transformation of underground workings of hard coal mines into facilities critical for national cybersecurity. The theses presented in the article were verified using the following methods: literature review, critical analysis of literature, analysis and comparison of documents and examples of good practices.

The aim of this article is to discuss the results of qualitative research concerning the inclusion of stakeholders in social dialogue conducted as part of the transition process of a mining region. The subject of social dialogue is the joint shaping of professional relations, working conditions, wages, social benefits as well as other matters of socioeconomic policy that are in the area of interest of various stakeholders. Dialogue plays a particularly important role in the transition process of a coal region and in the departure from traditional branches of industry. Design/methodology/approach: The qualitative study in the was carried out in 2022 and 2023 as part of the Regional Observatory of the Transformation Process project (ROPT). It composed of 8 focus group interviews and 5 individual in-depth interviews in eight subregions of the Silesian Voivodeship. Findings: Social dialogue is a mechanism for reconciling opposing interests in socioeconomic relations. This papers findings share information about the quality and course of this process as a crucial for the effective involvement of stakeholders. Originality/value: The new and the value of the paper is regarding social dialogue efficiency to prepare people for the changes that arise from the transition process.

Notions of co-creation and co-production have recently gained importance within several governance areas, suggesting new relations between public authorities and citizens. However, whereas the overall principles of co-creation are relatively well established, the ways in which these principles are realized (or not) in specific fields of practices remain to be studied. This does not at least apply to initiatives towards green transition and climate change mitigation, to which this article is devoted. The current article presents a case study of a 3-year long green transition project, based on a co-operation between four municipalities or municipality associated actors in Denmark and Sweden. The case provides an opportunity to study how ideas and principles of co-creation as a general policy paradigm are domesticated when they meet the local experiences of a municipality initiated green transition project. To put the study of domestication at work in a discourse approach, the notions ...

Objectives:
In the area of the fastest growing fields of ICT technology which determine the successive stages of progress in the field of online electronic banking, it is necessary to disseminate standards for conducting financial operations carried out in the so-called cloud as well as using the large data sets located in the so-called Big Data platforms.

Material and methods:
For the purposes of this article, research has been carried out on the broad issue of Big Data Analytics applications in the context of social, normative, economic, environmental, climate aspects. A questionnaire survey was conducted. The method of analysis of literature sources concerning the subject of the article was applied.

Results:
Currently emerging trends in the development of technology based on Big Data dataset platforms usually allow to perform multidimensional calculations and reported results of analyzes in real time. The analyzes conducted on huge data sets allow for comprehensive, multi-aspect risk assessments at the level of the whole entity. During the SARS-CoV-2 (Covid-19) coronavirus pandemic, there was an increase in the importance of analytics based on Big Data Analytics. During the pandemic, there was also an increase in the digitisation and internetisation of business processes. This also resulted in an increase in the scale of cybercrime development.

Conclusions:
The technological revolution currently taking place, defined as Industry 4.0, is motivated by the development of the following factors: Big Data database technologies, cloud computing, machine learning, Internet of Things, artificial intelligence, Business Intelligence and other technologies of advanced data processing Data Mining. On the basis of the development new technological solutions, in recent years there has been a dynamic development of Big Data Analytics.

The aim of the paper is to present Serbia's accomplishments in the areas of sustainable development and green transition. The sustainable development goals are now a global call to action to eradicate poverty and safeguard the environment while enabling people to live prosperous lives. The goal of Serbia's "green transition" is to move away from fossil fuels and toward renewable energy sources while upholding the values of equity and sustainability. The green transition can support economic development, environmental preservation, social fairness, and human health. These two processes are connected and should work together to help the world become climate-neutral. In the first part of the paper we will discuss the Republic of Serbia's legal framework and accomplishments in the areas of green transition and sustainable development. The final section of the work is devoted to the proposals of future courses of action that might be carried out in the ensuing time. Serbia has so far demonstrated a readiness to respect the principles of sustainable development while making a concerted effort to make the transition to a green economy. This strategy highlights the significance of these processes and the Republic of Serbia's responsible approach to accomplishing these objectives.

The 2022 United States Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) is a significant and welcome climate law. It also includes trade-distortive subsidies, including local-content re- quirements prohibited under World Trade Organisation rules – the first time the US has done this and a blow to the international trading system that could trigger pro- tectionism in other countries. The expected IRA green subsidies are of similar size to those available in the European Union, except in renewable energy produc- tion, where EU subsidies remain larger. However, there are important qualitative differences. In this article, we conduct a quantitative and qualitative comparison of the IRA with its preexisting European counterparts. We identify three main differences: European subsidies are less discriminatory, more focused on innovation rather than deployment and more fragmented than the IRA. Some IRA subsidies discriminate against foreign produc- ers while EU subsidies do not. IRA clean-tech subsidies are simpler, longer-term and less fragmented, and they focus mainly on mass deployment of green technologies rather than innovation. We then examine the proposed EU reaction to IRA, the Net Zero Industry Act and dis- cuss how it should be improved by the EU co-legislators (the European Parliament and the EU Council) so as to become a useful building block towards a more compre- hensive EU green industrial policy.

The 2022 United States Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) is a significant and welcome climate law. It also includes trade-distortive subsidies, including local-content requirements prohibited under World Trade Organisation rules-the first time the US has done this and a blow to the international trading system that could trigger protectionism in other countries. The expected IRA green subsidies are of similar size to those available in the European Union, except in renewable energy production, where EU subsidies remain far larger. However, there are important qualitative differences. Some IRA subsidies discriminate against foreign producers while EU subsidies do not. IRA clean-tech subsidies are simpler and less fragmented, and they focus mainly on mass deployment of green technologies rather than innovation.

Cities, public authorities, and private organizations respond to climate change with various green policies and strategies to enhance community resilience. However, these community-level transition processes are complex and require deliberate and collective planning. Under this context, the purpose of this study is to understand the energy actions taken at the local level, as well as to analyze the differences between the neighborhoods’ green energy transitions in terms of their socio-economic aspects, using a big data perspective. The paper is addressing the following question: what was the role that the pandemic played in accelerating or slowing Boston’s green investments, and to what extent do different racial and socioeconomic groups invest in green technologies during this period? The study aims to answer these research questions using the City of Boston as a case study to reveal different neighborhoods’ paths in achieving the transformation of city ecosystems towards green neu...

Background: The Next Generation EU (NGEU) is the primary financial instrument of the European Union’s post-COVID recovery policy. In particular, this major stimulus package is being used as an opportunity to accelerate the process of decarbonisation and reinforce climate policies. The article analyses Spain’s recovery  plan  and  assess  its  potential  contribution  to  the  EU’s  environmental  and  sustainability  goals.  Method: the study is drawn on a combination of academic literature, legal instruments and EU institutions and Spanish Government documents. The approach is mainly analytical. Results: NGEU funds provide Spain with the opportunity to undertake profound changes to construct a more resilient economic model. The green transition is the main axis of the Spanish recovery plan, with almost 40 % of resources allocated to this process. Investments and reforms aimed at the ecological transition are currently being implemented in  Spain  at  a  rapid  pace,  in  line  with  the  EU’s  goals  and  policies.  Conclusions:  The  new  challenges  generated by the war in Ukraine will require Spain to deploy additional efforts not initially covered by the recovery  plan.  In  particular,  the  deployment  of  renewable  energy  and  improvement  of  circular  economy  policies will be crucial to accelerate the green transition. / Contexto:  Next  Generation  EU  (NGEU)  constituye  el  principal  instrumento  financiero  de  la  política  de  recuperación post-COVID de la Unión Europea (UE). Este amplio marco de estímulo está proporcionando una  oportunidad  para  acelerar  el  proceso  de  descarbonización  y  reforzar  la  política  climática.  El  artículo analiza el plan de recuperación de España, valorando su potencial contribución a los objetivos medioambientales y de sostenibilidad de la UE. Metodología: el estudio se basa en la literatura académica, en instrumentos jurídicos, así como en documentos institucionales de la UE y del Gobierno español. El enfoque es principalmente analítico. Resultados: Los fondos NGEU brindan a España la oportunidad de emprender  cambios  profundos  para  construir  un  modelo  económico  más  resiliente.  La  transición  verde  es el eje principal del plan español de recuperación, con casi el 40 % de los recursos destinados a este proceso. Las inversiones y reformas dirigidas a la transición ecológica se están realizando en España a un ritmo rápido, en línea con los objetivos y políticas de la UE. Conclusiones: Los nuevos retos generados por la guerra en Ucrania exigen a España esfuerzos adicionales no cubiertos inicialmente por el plan de recuperación. En particular, el despliegue de energías renovables y la mejora de las políticas de economía circular serán cruciales para acelerar la transición verde.

Cities, public authorities, and private organizations respond to climate change with various green policies and strategies to enhance community resilience. However, these community-level transition processes are complex and require deliberate and collective planning. Under this context, the purpose of this study is to understand the energy actions taken at the local level, as well as to analyze the differences between the neighborhoods’ green energy transitions in terms of their socio-economic aspects, using a big data perspective. The paper is addressing the following question: what was the role that the pandemic played in accelerating or slowing Boston’s green investments, and to what extent do different racial and socioeconomic groups invest in green technologies during this period? The study aims to answer these research questions using the City of Boston as a case study to reveal different neighborhoods’ paths in achieving the transformation of city ecosystems towards green neu...

Cities, public authorities, and private organizations respond to climate change with various green policies and strategies to enhance community resilience. However, these community-level transition processes are complex and require deliberate and collective planning. Under this context, the purpose of this study is to understand the energy actions taken at the local level, as well as to analyze the differences between the neighborhoods’ green energy transitions in terms of their socio-economic aspects, using a big data perspective. The paper is addressing the following question: what was the role that the pandemic played in accelerating or slowing Boston’s green investments, and to what extent do different racial and socioeconomic groups invest in green technologies during this period? The study aims to answer these research questions using the City of Boston as a case study to reveal different neighborhoods’ paths in achieving the transformation of city ecosystems towards green neu...

This paper focuses on tracking a spatial shift in global capitalism that has taken place most dramatically in the last thirty years, and the ecological consequences of this shift. The paper demonstrates empirically that this shift has two key characteristics: one, a relative decline in economic power of the developed capitalist economies (mainly in the West), together with the concomitant rise of emerging economies in the East in the world capitalist economy; and two, the movement of the geographical centre of capitalist development away from economies with relatively small populations to economies with massive populations. Inequality persists globally between high-income developed/Western economies and countries in the East with relatively low per capita incomes, but the gap is narrowing swiftly. This narrowing gap is most evident in some of the key emerging capitalist economies in the BRICS region. The combination of rising average per capita income in the emerging/BRICS economies and their high populations has unprecedented ecological consequences in terms of consumption of natural resources and generation of waste. The limits placed on global ecological damage which were evident during the earlier phase of capitalist development, confined as it was to sparsely-populated regions of the world, are no longer holding. A stage in global history has reached where any further development of capitalism could create conditions of barbaric ecological collapse. The paradigm shift from ecologically-damaging capitalism to a new model of socialism compatible with nature (ecological socialism) has become a historic necessity. This new model of socialism stands in opposition to the old Soviet style of socialism which was environmentally as destructive as capitalism. An alternative capitalist paradigm (green capitalism) is not feasible given the inherent conflict between nature and the imperative to maximise profits. The paper concludes by outlining a few key aspects of the path of eco-socialist transition.

De novo domestication is a novel trend in plant genetics, where traits of wild or semi-wild species are changed by the use of modern precision breeding techniques so that they conform to modern cultivation. Out of more than 300,000 wild plant species, only a few were fully domesticated by humans in prehistory. Moreover, out of these few domesticated species, less than 10 species dominate world agricultural production by more than 80% today. Much of this limited diversity of crop exploitation by modern humans was defined early in prehistory at the emergence of sedentary agro-pastoral cultures that limited the number of crops evolving a favorable domestication syndrome. However, modern plant genetics have revealed the roadmaps of genetic changes that led to these domestication traits. Based on such observations, plant scientists are now taking steps towards using modern breeding technologies to explore the potential of de novo domestication of plant species that were neglected in the ...

Der Umbau des Europäischen Wirtschaftsraums, basierend auf einer grünen Energiewende und sozial-ökologischen Modernisierung der Industrie, birgt enorme Herausforderungen. Vor diesem Hintergrund ist die EU-Taxonomie-Verordnung ein zentraler Begriff, der sowohl auf opera­tiver als auch auf strategischer Ebene für kommunale Unternehmen relevant ist.­ Grundsätzlich zielt die EU-Taxonomie auf gemeinsame „Spielregeln“ ab, beginnend bei Normierungskriterien über die Steigerung der Transparenz bis hin zum Lenkungseffekt von privatem Kapital in nachhaltige ­Investitionen und „grüne“ Projekte.

Dieser kurze Beitrag analysiert die Auswirkungen für Unternehmen der Daseinsvorsorge (öffentliche, kommunale und gemeinwirtschaftliche Akteure).

Claimer: Das ist kein wissenschaftliches Paper, sondern ein öffentliches Kommentar über aktuelle Entwicklungen am Finanzmarkt und EU-Legislativprozesse im Themengebiet Sustainable Finance

Cities, public authorities, and private organizations respond to climate change with various green policies and strategies to enhance community resilience. However, these community-level transition processes are complex and require deliberate and collective planning. Under this context, the purpose of this study is to understand the energy actions taken at the local level, as well as to analyze the differences between the neighborhoods’ green energy transitions in terms of their socio-economic aspects, using a big data perspective. The paper is addressing the following question: what was the role that the pandemic played in accelerating or slowing Boston’s green investments, and to what extent do different racial and socioeconomic groups invest in green technologies during this period? The study aims to answer these research questions using the City of Boston as a case study to reveal different neighborhoods’ paths in achieving the transformation of city ecosystems towards green neu...

In this paper we explore how post-petroleum security is continually shaped by both the micropolitical practices of everyday life as well as the changing geopolitics of energy landscapes. We focus in particular on the two-decade long struggle over access to hydrocarbon deposits outside the Lofoten, Vesterålen and Senja archipelago groups (LoVeSe), and show how local security perspectives permeate both national and international debates concerning the future of oil and the global climate challenge. These developments, we argue, are taking place in a paradoxical conjunction with Norwegian political establishment who along with the oil and gas industry insist on continued petroleum dependency as the only viable future. We further investigate how particular controlling measures have determined past, present and future narratives, and assess how alternative ideas that include multiple possible trajectories have found their way into national and global debates despite these efforts. The argument permeating this paper states that while oil remains a security concern to both proponents and opponents to oil development in the Arctic, the extent to which this situation is seen as a threat or a security provider varies greatly.

De novo domestication is a novel trend in plant genetics, where traits of wild or semi-wild species are changed by the use of modern precision breeding techniques so that they conform to modern cultivation. Out of more than 300,000 wild plant species, only a few were fully domesticated by humans in prehistory. Moreover, out of these few domesticated species, less than 10 species dominate world agricultural production by more than 80% today. Much of this limited diversity of crop exploitation by modern humans was defined early in prehistory at the emergence of sedentary agro-pastoral cultures that limited the number of crops evolving a favorable domestication syndrome. However, modern plant genetics have revealed the roadmaps of genetic changes that led to these domestication traits. Based on such observations, plant scientists are now taking steps towards using modern breeding technologies to explore the potential of de novo domestication of plant species that were neglected in the past. We suggest here that in this process of de novo domestication, the study of Late Paleolithic/Late Archaic and Early Neolithic/Early Formative exploration of wild plants and identification of neglected species can help identify the barriers towards domestication. Modern breeding technologies may then assist us to break these barriers in order to perform de novo domestication to increase the crop species diversity of modern agriculture.

As the European Union (EU) moves towards a greener and circular economy, exporting countries face new policies and requirements to enter the EU market, including the textiles sector where the bloc imports a significant share of its needs. Many low-and middle-income countries in the 'Global South' prioritise the development of their textiles industry and depend on foreign markets, including the EU, as they embark on the path to export-led industrialisation. Consequently, they will increasingly need to accommodate higher environmental and social requirements to respond to changing trends in the consumer market. In this paper, we look at the case of Kenya to examine the implications of upcoming EU policies for its textiles exports in light of its industrialisation priority. To a large extent, opportunities for environmental upgrading depend on existing capabilities. This means that current bottlenecks to the development of the conventional textiles sector, beyond apparels, will also have an impact on the prospects for circular textiles in the country. Nevertheless, opportunities exist - under circular design and waste management, including recycling, circular production processes, and transparency and traceability. In addition, we point out two pathways for upgrading - the first includes process upgrading within the current configuration of the global value chain while the second includes product upgrading through independent firm strategies to strengthen competitiveness and functional upgrading through vertical integration. This in turn requires a proactive strategy in a more bottom-up way to enable greater domestic value capture and promote traceability and transparency, through a dedicated industrial policy.

In this paper we explore how post-petroleum security is continually shaped by both the micropolitical practices of everyday life as well as the changing geopolitics of energy landscapes. We focus in particular on the two-decade long struggle over access to hydrocarbon deposits outside the Lofoten, Vesterålen and Senja archipelago groups (LoVeSe), and show how local security perspectives permeate both national and international debates concerning the future of oil and the global climate challenge. These developments, we argue, are taking place in a paradoxical conjunction with Norwegian political establishment who along with the oil and gas industry insist on continued petroleum dependency as the only viable future. We further investigate how particular controlling measures have determined past, present and future narratives, and assess how alternative ideas that include multiple possible trajectories have found their way into national and global debates despite these efforts. The argument permeating this paper states that while oil remains a security concern to both proponents and opponents to oil development in the Arctic, the extent to which this situation is seen as a threat or a security provider varies greatly.

Starting with a discussion of the contradictory trends shaping the global economy in the 2020s, this essay focuses on three technology-intensive sectors: defense, pharmaceuticals, and energy. In the defense sector, the Russian-Ukraine war and the tensions in East Asia ended a long period of slow growth with a ´call to arms´ and rearmament across OECD. The challenge of the Western industries now is to accelerate output and capacity in a broad range of subsectors and support the safe supply of weapons and spare parts to the Ukrainian army. Thus, RUW is also a battle between different skills in management, logistics, leadership, and training systems, which offers a rich arena for future research in these fields. In the pharmaceutical sector, the Covid-19 outbreak initiated another call to arms, and the industry was quick to respond by rapidly delivering new, effective vaccines. This coincided with a breakthrough for new approaches to cancer treatment, with a potential for major public health benefits, if the industry can handle the side effects and policymakers design cost-effective delivery systems with wide coverage. Again, this calls for focused research in the fields of management, innovation studies, and economics. The third sector discussed in this essay, electricity production, was caught in a perfect storm by the outbreak of the new war. However, the net effect seems to be a major increase in investments in renewables. This creates new challenges regarding, for example, system stability, combinations of flexible and nuclear-based power sources, and the cost-effective diffusion of renewables to emerging economies, thus another arena for important future research.

The speed of the COVID-19 outbreak forced decision-makers to implement emergency plans to mitigate the impact of the pandemic on their business. This research is conducted to study the role of organizational learning (OL) practices in construction organizations’ resilience during the COVID-19 pandemic. The strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats (SWOT) analysis was implemented together with the results of semi-structured interviews that were conducted immediately before the pandemic to learn how OL would help construction organizations survive during crises similar to the pandemic and create potential opportunities after the crisis that could contribute to ensure long-term sustainability. The results show that OL practices can assist construction organizations in surviving the threats of the pandemic and creating opportunities. The defined opportunities were distributed on three interrelated dimensions: management awareness, investing in information, communication technolo...

The lack of defined land uses in most parts of Greece (80%) has led to multiple environmental problems and phenomena of informal (arbitrary) construction with secondary side effects, such as a lack of basic technical and environmental infrastructure, unfair competition among private investors, the strengthening of climate change (increase in the number of urban diffusion) and the decline of natural and cultural resources. The Greek urban policy, over the last 100 years, has not succeeded in limiting these problems and for that reason the new Law 4759/2020 is expected to promote the development of a more efficient spatial planning system reform implemented through the Local Urban Plans (LUPs) and the Special Urban Plans (SUPs) that are funded by the Recovery and Resilience Facility (RRF). These programs will contribute to the preservation of cultural heritage and to the development of productive activities at both local and national levels, especially on the sectors of renewable energy sources, the circular economy, and the construction of “green” materials, digital applications and products etc. LUPs and SUPs are related to the holistic reform of the national urban policy and the relevant planning system that horizontally affects a wide range of policy areas such as: environmental protection and adaptation to climate change (for natural ecosystems and biodiversity; agriculture; forestry; fisheries; water resources; coastal zones), built environment and development, protection of historic sites and buildings, allocation of the public infrastructure, allocation of investments etc. The General Secretariat of Spatial Planning and Urban Environment Ministry of Environment and Energy has the main responsibility for the implementation procedures of all the proposed actions that will start in 2022 and will end in 2026. This paper focuses on the analysis of the current urban policy reform in Greece and the reasons that this reform is considered an immediate necessity in the current Greek urban legislative framework and the expected outcomes of LUPs and SUPs, which are examined in the literature for the first time, contributing to research on the present EU planning systems.

This paper explores the directions of adaptation for socioeconomic organizations in the current global crisis and restructuring. We carry out an integrative and critical review, presenting the main questions—and possible directions of response—concerning how the post-COVID-19 era, the fourth industrial revolution, and new globalization seem to affect contemporary labor relations. We focus on the different levels of their manifestation (macro, meso, and micro levels), emphasizing worsening inequality trends in the work environment and the resulting organizational readaptation that seems to be required nowadays. The restructured labor markets can benefit from the diffusion of institutional innovations based on integrated social partnership schemes at the macro–meso–micro levels. We emphasize organizational adaptation at the microlevel, as the innovation and change management mechanisms it enables, presupposes, and harnesses are imperative for exiting any crisis.