Prof. Artur Ochojski (p), Prof. Tomasz Ingram, PhD Marcin Baron

In the current era of global instability - characterized by climate change, energy crises, and the socio-economic repercussions of post-pandemic recovery - territorial development processes are undergoing a fundamental transformation. A growing body of research underscores the importance of bottom-up initiatives in driving socio-economic transitions towards green and sustainable societies. Across diverse application areas and geographies, researchers point to the potential, challenges, and mechanisms through which community-led and grassroots actions contribute to systemic transformation. These initiatives are no longer viewed as peripheral but as central mechanisms for systemic change, operating as laboratories of experimentation and bridges between citizens and institutions. The concept of "Just Transition" necessitates that these processes do not leave marginalized groups behind, making the study of community-led collective action particularly urgent, especially since marginalized communities are frequently absent from the discussion on just transition initiatives (Clement et al., 2025).
The choice of this topic is justified by the need to explore how local agency can be mobilized in "uncertain and challenging times". While international and national policies provide the framework, it is the local initiatives that translate these goals into lived realities. Understanding the success factors of these initiatives is crucial for policymakers and practitioners aiming to foster territorial resilience. This study specifically delves into the preconditions for successful project implementation in marginalized communities across Europe, where traditional institutional capital may be weak, but social capital remains a potential catalyst for change. By exploring how non-professional, voluntary-based community collaboration groups utilize external funding for self-created initiatives, this research addresses a significant gap in our understanding of effective project management within ad hoc bodies aiming to deliver societal benefits.

Dr. Lisa Sella (p), Prof. Francesca Silvia Rota, Elena Ragazzi

In the context of climate change, ecosystem restoration practices increasingly require a socio-ecological systems (SES) perspective that frames ecological interventions within their social, economic, and cultural contexts (Maniraho et al., 2023). Land-use patterns, governance structures, and community practices, make restoration outcomes highly dependent on socio-cultural dimensions. By fostering stakeholder engagement, co-creation of knowledge, and inclusive governance, SES approaches enhance resilience, ensures long-term sustainability, and aligns restoration efforts with climate adaptation and mitigation goals (Aronson et al., 2020; Suding et al., 2015).
This contribution builds on the ongoing experience of three European projects (MONALISA, PRESINMED, RESTORE4Cs), adopting SES perspectives and methodologies to target ecosystem restoration (drylands and semi-arid landscapes, Mediterranean high‑mountain wet grasslands and snowbed ecosystems, coastal wetlands) in different European and Mediterranean regions. Across these diverse settings, transdisciplinary co-creation processes integrate multiple social science methodologies (multi-criteria analysis, social acceptability assessment, semi-structured interviews, online surveys) to actively engage local stakeholders (from farmers and land managers to NGOs and local authorities) in the joint design and implementation of restoration strategies. This approach facilitates the integration of ecological processes with social, economic, and cultural factors, supporting adaptive solutions that are both locally relevant and socially accepted.
The innovative contribution of this study lies in operationalizing the SES approach across diverse ecosystems through a transdisciplinary framework. By combining ecological restoration with participatory methodologies and embedding social learning spaces into real-world projects, it demonstrates how restoration can move beyond technical solutions to become adaptive, inclusive, and governance-oriented.

Mr Julien Le-Van-Suu (p), Prof André Torre (p)

In this communication, we introduces and applies a novel methodological framework to empirically assess organised proximity (the non-spatial closeness among actors) in a geographically dispersed logistics cluster, and a rapidly evolving system located in the Occitania Region (South-west of France). In 2018 and 2022, the initial cluster was reformed and expanded; the new cluster now includes various actors who are often located several hundred kilometres away. The question that arises is the legitimacy of the participants' belonging to the same system and the homogeneity of the cluster. Does the TENLOG cluster make sense, or is it mainly artificial, due to the weakness of geographical proximity relations? Does the establishment of remote relations between the players lead not only to the loss of geographical proximity but also to the loss of valuable links and interfaces?
To address this question, we analyse the close relations at stake within the TENLOG cluster to determine whether the actors continue to work together and share the same values.
We use two qualitative and quantitative methods, textometry and social network analysis (SNA), to assess the level of organised proximities among the participants, even when they are located at significant distances :
• Textometry (using IRaMuTeQ software), to capture the logic of similarity through discourse analysis, including Reinert’s lexical world classification, Labbé’s intertextual distances, revealing how actors share or diverge in representations, values, and professional registers.
• Social Network Analysis (SNA, using Gephi software), to capture the logic of belonging, measuring closeness centrality, modularity (Louvain algorithm), and relational density, to identify key actors, gatekeepers, and network cohesion.
This mixed-method design allows us to distinguish between actors whose views are similar but who are relationally far, and vice versa, a nuance difficult to catch in studies. We demonstrate that, despite spatial fragmentation, TENLOG maintains strong organised proximities through shared discourse and dense relational networks, particularly among facilitators and public actors.
Our findings challenge the assumption that geographical proximity is a prerequisite for cluster vitality : despite physical distance, organised proximities persist and that the challenges of "clustering at a distance" are not as significant as initially thought, allowing us to remain optimistic about its development. We offer a replicable toolkit for researchers and policymakers to assess the building of clusters and networks, especially those operating across regions.
This methodological contribution opens new pathways for studying organised proximity, relevant for researches on distributed innovation, remote collaboration, and territorial governance.