Prof. Robert Ugochukwu Onyeneke (p), Mrs Chinenye Onyeneke

Achieving environmental sustainability remains a major challenge for Nigeria amid rising energy demand, weak institutional effectiveness, and limited progress in climate-related technologies. Motivated by Nigeria’s continued dependence on fossil fuels and its low adaptive capacity to climate change, this study investigates how technological progress, climate adaptation, energy consumption, and institutional quality jointly influence environmental sustainability, measured by ecological footprint. Using annual time-series data from 1996 to 2022 and applying the autoregressive distributed lag (ARDL) approach, the study estimates both short- and long-run relationships among the variables. The results reveal that trade in low-carbon technology products, renewable energy consumption, and climate adaptation significantly reduce Nigeria’s ecological footprint, thereby enhancing environmental sustainability. In contrast, fossil fuel consumption, economic growth, institutional quality, and medium- and high-tech exports increase ecological footprint, indicating heightened environmental pressure. These findings suggest that current growth and institutional frameworks in Nigeria are not sufficiently aligned with environmental protection goals. The study highlights the need for policies that accelerate the transition from fossil fuels to renewable energy, strengthen climate adaptation capacity, and promote environmentally efficient technological progress. Strengthening institutional accountability and aligning industrial and trade policies with low-carbon objectives are critical for reducing environmental degradation and advancing sustainable development in Nigeria.

Dr. Yihan Wang (p), Prof. Sébastien Bourdin, Dr. Emmanuelle Faure

This study explores how territorial governance antecedents affect the business model dynamics of innovation intermediaries as brokers, facilitators, mediators, orchestrators, and innovators in the regional innovation ecosystem. Specifically, we explore how territorial governance antecedents - captured here through (1) geographical location and (2) organizational logic grounded in similarity and belonging - shape changes in innovation intermediaries’ (1) value proposition, (2) value architecture, and (3) value capture, as intermediaries that enact brokerage, facilitation, mediation, orchestration, and innovation roles. For this purpose, we conduct a qualitative analysis of the determinants of the shifting business model change in two types of public innovation intermediaries (PIIs) in Normandy (France): nationally funded pôles de compétitivés (pôles) and regionally supported filières d’excellence (filières). Based on interviews, we aggregated four themes to bridge these subjects, including (1) Determination of geographical location; (2) Offset effect of organizational logic; (3) Presence and connection of influential stakeholders; (4) Diversification of financial sourcing. These themes show that proximities matter, but they matter through governance coalitions and role enactment: intermediaries adjust “what they offer,” “how they deliver,” and “how they sustain it financially” as territorial conditions and coalition composition evolve. We find that geographical proximity among members substantially affects the value proposition of innovation intermediaries. However, organizational logic based on similarity and belonging prevails as a more decisive factor in orchestrating large-scale cross-border collaboration networks. The social connection between innovation intermediaries and locally presented influential stakeholders plays a distinct role in value proposition and value architecture. At the same time, diversifying financial souring with alternative funders buffers the risk of reduced public financing and re-location of influential stakeholders in value capture of leading innovation projects.

Ms Ece Turna (p), Prof. Dr. Tüzin Baycan (p)

The twin transition, referring to the simultaneous green and digital transformation, has become a central policy priority shaping contemporary urban and regional development pathways. While these transitions are widely promoted as drivers of sustainability, innovation, and competitiveness, they also risk generating new forms of socio-economic and spatial inequality across and within countries. Addressing these tensions is crucial in a transition era characterized by global uncertainty and uneven regional development.
This study investigates the relationship between twin transition dynamics and inequalities through a cross-country comparative framework, with particular attention to Türkiye’s relative position. The research is guided by three core questions: (i) To what extent do green and digital transitions influence cross-country inequalities? (ii) How do pre-existing structural inequalities shape national performance in the twin transition? and (iii) How does Türkiye perform compared to other countries in terms of twin transition-related inequality patterns?
To address these questions, the study develops an original composite Twin Transition Inequality Index, integrating indicators that capture both digital and green transition outcomes and the distributional inequalities embedded within these processes. The index is constructed using internationally comparable indicators drawn from OECD, World Bank, EU, UN, and related datasets, and is analyzed through quantitative methods supported by SPSS.
Methodologically, the research adopts a dual-direction analytical framework. It examines both the impact of twin transition dynamics on inequality and the constraining effects of inequality on countries’ twin transition capacities. This approach contributes to regional science debates by linking global transformation processes with persistent territorial disparities.
By situating Türkiye within a comparative international perspective, the study highlights the uneven geographies of twin transitions and identifies critical structural challenges shaping national and regional development trajectories. The findings provide policy-relevant insights for designing more inclusive, balanced, and territorially sensitive green and digital transition strategies. In doing so, the paper contributes to discussions on how countries respond to global twin transition processes.