Romeo-Victor Ionescu (p), Monica-Laura Zlati, Valentin-Marian Antohi, Costinela Fortea

Fabien Nadou

In the current geo-political context marked by multiple economic crises and the war in Ukraine, the energy issue is becoming vital for the European economy and society. The whole approach in this research was carried out in accordance with the main official documents in the field, namely ”A policy framework for climate and energy in the period from 2020 to 2030” and ”Energy Roadmap 2050”. The main objective of this scientific approach is to identify vulnerabilities related to the primary energy production, imports and exports, gross available energy and final energy consumption pathway in EU27. For this purpose, a statistical database was established on representative indicators such as: primary energy production; imports and exports; gross available energy; final energy consumption; non-energy consumption; energy dependency and energy intensity. The used analysis methods consist of meta-analysis, statistical and econometric analysis and modelling using dedicated software. The analysis points out great disparities regarding the analysed indicators between the Member States. These disparities are not the same with economic disparities between the same Member States. Some states have comparative advantages regarding their own energetic resources. There are disparities regarding the energy dependency, as well. The paper proposes a new model for quantifying risk factors in the European energy system and a grouping of the 27 Member States into energy clusters. Based on the analysis carried out, proposals for public policies at EU27 level and on the resulting clusters are presented.

Francesca Rubiconto (p), Solmaria Halleck Vega (p), Eveline S. van Leeuwen

Romeo-Victor Ionescu

Problem statement: Metropolitan food systems are primarily responsible for pollution, resource depletion and biodiversity degradation. However, they are also an important source of income and employment. A sustainable transition of metropolitan food systems should contain their environmental impact while supporting income and employment. Due to the length and complexity of supply chains, any change in food consumption patterns within a metropolitan region can produce environmental and socioeconomic effects in other sectors, regions and countries. Research question/aim: This paper aims at providing a scientifically sound tool for better understanding complex food system dynamics and supporting policy making for transitioning towards more sustainable metropolitan food systems (MFS). Theoretical approach: The theoretical approach builds on three main pillars. 1. From global to local. Larger and higher-income urban centres contribute disproportionately to emissions and control activities that are crucial for reducing the food carbon footprint. Furthermore, they mobilise many citizens and resources. 2. From processes to actors. Both metropolitan governments and households can drive a change in food supply chains and production patterns in many regions. Their preferences and choices should be attributed a central role. 3. Direct and indirect effects. Any change in private consumption patterns and public procurement policies causes substitution effects between products of different types and origin. To evaluate the actual sustainability of these choices, the environmental and socioeconomic impact produced along these different supply chains must be considered. Methodological approach: The methodological approach proposed is coherent with the three conceptual pillars above. First, the construction of a multiscale model to represent the interactions between a metropolitan region and the rest of the world. Second, the calibration and simulation of the model on world input-output tables and regional statistics to account for local preferences and their environmental and socioeconomic effects. Third, the simulation of alternative scenarios like a change in public procurement policies and a change in consumer preferences to investigate the existence of potential trade-offs between environmental and socioeconomic goals at the regional and global level. Conclusions: The approach proposed identifies the existence of potential implicit trade-offs between local and global, environmental and socio-economic effects that occur along different food supply chains. These complex and multilevel trade-offs require the adoption of a systemic perspective and the use of modelling and simulation techniques which attribute a central role to demand and preferences.

Carmen Sillero (p)

Francesca Rubiconto

Recent literature on shaping socio-technical transitions and Multi-Level Perspective turned considerable attention to the role of policy mixes in shaping socio-technical systems towards sustainability (Kanger, Sovacool, and Noorkõiv 2020; Rosenbloom 2017). However, the identification of the role of the territorial level and multilevel dimension on policy intervention have remained relatively neglected topics. (Geels 2014; Kanger et al. 2020; Pickard and Pasqualino 2022)
Under this approach, our work explores the territorial dimension of the transitions to sustainability in the strategic industrial ecosystems identified by the European Industrial Strategy (European Commission 2021a). Our research analyzes the case of the European Aerospace and Defence industrial ecosystem (A&D) conducting a Systematic Literature Review on the territorial dimension of the policy intervention for the transition to the sustainability in this ecosystem.

Fabien Nadou (p), Camille Brou, Nathalie Gaussier

Carmen Sillero

Public environmental policies are now based on a number of regulatory, fiscal and financial mechanisms that have evolved and diversified to meet the challenges of economic and territorial development, ecological and energy transition. This is why, in order to support the territories particularly impacted by the EET, various mechanisms have been put in place to enable economic and institutional actors to achieve the EET goals, and to avoid creating or increasing spatial disparities or inequalities in regional development. In some territories strongly impacted by EET issues, such as industrial territories, which are highly carbon-intensive and emit greenhouse gases, we observe that the circular economy (CE), and more precisely industrial and territorial ecology (ITE), are often part of the tools to meet these EET issues.
By promoting the development of the circular economy and industrial and territorial ecology, we can ask ourselves to what extent these new mechanisms contribute to changing the links between companies and territories and how they impact territorial economic development?
We make a comparative analysis of two mechanisms will allow us to study the way in which these tools integrate the circular economy and modify the links between communities and companies, and the economic development of the Seine axis territory: 1/« Fund for a Just Transition» is a financial instrument set up by Europe. 2nd is called “Low Carbon Industrial Zone”, for projects set up by the French agency for the environment and ecological transition. The field of study chosen is the Seine axis because this territory, which is highly industrial, is particularly impacted by EET issues.
We development of a multi-criteria analysis grid (funds allocated, project governance, expected objectives, themes - decarbonation, land, regulations, innovation -, management of the schemes, etc.) and conduct of interviews with industrialists benefiting from the schemes studied will help to understand how these schemes are changing the links between local authorities, companies located in the area and project leaders.
We show that each of the schemes responds to specific needs and different objectives: i) real complementarity between the different financial, fiscal, and regulatory support instruments; ii) illustrate the growing place of the circular economy in the development strategies of territories, but also in the internal strategies of companies. CE, and more specifically ITE, is helping to change the links between the economic and institutional actors. This proximity has an impact, both economically and spatially, on the development of territories.