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How do local actors coordinate to implement a successful biogas project?
Abstract
Anaerobic digestion has recently gained interest in contributing to territorial strategy regarding the deployment of the circular economy and energy transition. Most projects bring together multiple actors from a wide variety of backgrounds. The article analyzes the evolution of synergies and cooperative behaviors between local stakeholders over the period 2010–2020 in an anaerobic digestion cluster in France. The study draws on social network analysis and proximity theory, which have recently been used for analyzing regional innovation systems, local clusters, territorial governance, and rural development. We reveal that local stakeholders develop dense relational networks that vary and evolve throughout the project. Different groups exist and behave in a semi-autonomous manner. All the actors are located in close geographical proximity. Still, their links in terms of organized proximities are related to various types of relations, resulting from cognitive resemblances or common origins. This explains the persistence and resilience of local relationships and how they maintain a collaborative dynamic over time.
... In addition, issues of social and distributive justice come into play, raising debates about the fairness of the economic benefits generated by biomethane projects (Faulques et al., 2022;Bourdin and Chassy, 2023). Finally, issues in territorial dialogue and local governance may also explain problems of social acceptability (Bourdin et al., 2020b;Niang et al., 2022a, Niang et al., 2022b. ...
... Their perspective tends to value benefits on a wider scale (Wolsink, 2018). Project developers, on the other hand, focus mainly on the economic aspects, seeking to maximise the financial return on investment while minimising risks of opposition that could hinder project implementation (Niang et al., 2022a). ...
... Finally, the quality of territorial governance, characterised by the project developer's ability to engage in constructive dialogue with citizens and effectively integrate their contributions into decision-making and manage the project fairly, is crucial (Niang et al., 2022a). Governance that values the active participation of stakeholders and is committed to respecting and promoting common interests can significantly improve the social acceptability of biomethane projects, thus facilitating better integration within the territories concerned (Bourdin et al., 2020a). ...
This article examines the influence of the size of renewable energy projects on their social acceptability. To do so, it focuses on biomethane in France. Using a qualitative approach based on interviews and press analysis, we reveal that the perception of project size varies considerably according to territorial context and associated emotional impacts. The results show that even large projects can be socially acceptable if they are properly integrated with their objectives aligned with local expectations. The study highlights the tension between ambitions for large-scale biomethane development and local preferences for human-scale initiatives. The article proposes strategies for improving the social acceptability of biomethane projects, taking account of local specificities and promoting in-depth consultation with communities.
... These stakeholders collaborate and coordinate their efforts to implement CE initiatives adapted to their specific territorial contexts. Therefore, CE projects involve the development of local synergies between various local players and sectors of activity as well as the participation, or at least the acceptance, of local populations in which CE projects are to take place (Veyssière et al., 2021;Niang et al., 2022). ...
... They include natural resources, infrastructure, equipment and organic or inorganic waste that can be recycled or reused (Chembessi et al., 2022;Kirchherr et al., 2018). These may also be local natural resources, such as water, soil, minerals or biomass (Niang et al., 2022). Similarly, the recovery of local waste, whether organic or not, is a pillar of CE (Rathore & Sarmah, 2020;Bahers & Durand, 2021). ...
... Some studies have shown that local know-how and skills in resource management, recycling, repair and remanufacturing, among others, are essential for implementing CE (Lenglet & Peyrache-Gadeau, 2020;Chembessi et al., 2021a). Intangible resources also include local networks of citizens, businesses and organisations that can facilitate the implementation of CE by encouraging collaboration, the sharing of information and resources and the coordination of efforts (Christensen, 2021;Niang et al., 2022;Jambou et al., 2022), or at least facilitate its installation and avoid excessive sudden releases. These intangible resources are of great interest because they enable stakeholders to develop territorial innovations and produce essential local expertise conducive to the development of CE (Chembessi et al., 2021a;Veyssière et al., 2021). ...
This article explores the territorialisation of the circular economy (CE) and analyses how the geographical and organised proximities of stakeholders facilitate the mobilisation of local resources for CE projects. It focuses on two local CE initiatives in Quebec (Canada) and France, for which 70 semi-structured interviews were conducted. The results highlight the importance of tangible and intangible territorial resources and demonstrate that geographical and organised proximities are crucial to the success of these initiatives. The relational dynamic between local players, stimulated by a sense of belonging and shared values, encourages commitment to CE. Thus, our study showcases the territorialisation of CE and emphasises the conditions enabling such activities to take root locally. This study has significant political implications and suggests the crucial role that local authorities must play in the deployment of CE projects.
... Whether these land use conflicts concern disputes over traffic infrastructures, renewable energy facilities, mining operations, or environmental conservation areas, they are commonly accompanied by lengthy negotiations, protests, or litigations, which are often costly, both financially and emotionally (Yasmi et al., 2013;Davison et al., 2016;Fienitz and Siebert, 2022). Land use conflicts can significantly delay important projects and can be a barrier to sustainable development (Mann et al., 2018;Stepanova et al., 2020;Niang et al., 2022). ...
... Nurturing good relationships among actors, especially those based on trust, shared values and a common problem-understanding, seems particularly promising, as this proved sufficient to elicit willingness to cooperate in our study. Moreover, an extensive body of literature has already determined how this can be performed specifically in the land use realm (i.e., Frentz et al., 2000;Niang et al., 2022;Koch et al., 2023). ...
... Alternatively, willingness to cooperate can be combined with the presence of facilitators and addressing the conflict from the early stages to elicit collaborative outcomes (Path D). In particular, the role of facilitators such as dedicated actors or external mediators has been emphasized in the literature (i.e., Saarikoski et al., 2013;Davison et al., 2016;Niang et al., 2022), and they also proved relevant in our analysis. Thus, fostering the presence of actors who can fulfill the role of facilitators and providing land users with the means to engage professional mediators are further options for policy-makers and planners to promote collaborative dynamics. ...
While land use conflicts can present a tedious burden for land management processes, they also fulfill important functions for society, such as making different perspectives visible or driving innovation. As we cannot avoid all conflicts, we therefore need to learn how to address them in ways that diminish their negative impacts. However, a comprehensive understanding of the causes of different dynamics in land use conflicts is presently absent. The aim of this paper, then, is to explore the configurations of conditions that explain latent, collaborative, and escalated dynamics in land use conflicts. To achieve this, we adopt Qualitative Comparative Analysis (QCA) to evaluate 37 land use conflicts in the city of Cottbus and the surrounding Spree-Neiße administrative district in eastern Germany. We detect six causal pathways: two each that explain latent, collaborative, and escalated outcomes. Our findings particularly emphasize the explanatory relevance of actors’ possibilities to participate in conflicts and to influence conflict outcomes, of their willingness to cooperate, and of their resources. These results are a first step toward a theoretical explanation of different dynamics in land use conflicts; they are also of practical relevance, informing policy-makers, planners, and land users on how to foster collaborative outcomes.
... Quant aux travaux ciblant l'acceptabilité, ils ne peuvent faire l'économie de la diversité des profils et des trajectoires des acteurs parties prenantes à un projet de méthanisation agricole, en intégrant à la fois les mises en réseaux dans des systèmes d'innovation (régionaux, nationaux...) et la coexistence locale de différents groupes qui cohabitent de façon semi-autonome, avec des proximités géographiques et sociales participant de l'ancrage ou non d'une installation (Niang et al., 2022). À ce titre, pour être effective, la transition énergétique doit correspondre à « un ensemble de changements attendus dans les manières à la fois de produire, de consommer et de penser l'énergie » (Cacciari et al., 2014, p. 1), et ce triptyque vaut tout autant pour le changement socioenvironnemental. Cette nodalité est au coeur de notre questionnement : si les enjeux de la transition énergétique apparaissent au premier plan, tendanciellement au détriment de la transition écologique, comment penser ensemble ces deux plans plutôt que les découpler ? ...
... Quelle place des agriculteurs (« -moteurs ») [Pierre, 2015] et quels modes d'accompagnement dans les configurations d'acteurs : montage, financement, disponibilité de la biomasse, etc. ? La littérature met en évidence la place centrale des exploitants agricoles et des collectivités territoriales dans les systèmes d'acteurs locaux (Dobigny, 2015 ;Bourdin et al., 2019 ;Niang et al., 2022). Mais elle pointe aussi un encastrement dans les conditions de possibilité juridiquesou, à l'inverse, un manque de régulation (Lupp et al., 2014) et dans une complexité technique et de filière de plus en plus difficile à maîtriser pour l'agriculteur seulce que soulignait déjà en Allemagne Anke Bischoff (2012), voilà plus de dix ans. ...
Cet article éclaire le champ de recherche de la méthanisation agricole en interrogeant la tension qui ressort entre le répertoire de la transition énergétique et celui de la transition écologique lorsqu’on examine la territorialisation des acteurs et des processus, et non simplement la production d’énergie renouvelable. L’analyse repose sur une approche bibliométrique à partir des travaux publiés en français et en anglais – en mobilisant le logiciel libre IRaMuTeQ –, couplée à la lecture qualitative de ces articles. Loin de tout regard unique, la problématique sociétale de la méthanisation agricole s’analyse à la jonction des deux registres du projet – la territorialisation de l’enjeu se marque à la fois spatialement et par rapport à une pluralité d’acteurs en interaction – et de la production énergétique (qui s’appréhende en lien à une conformation d’opportunités et de contraintes sociales, économiques et réglementaires). Il apparaît que la méthanisation agricole est sous-étudiée en durabilité et nécessite une analyse relationnelle afin de rendre raison de la diversité des positionnements et des débats, à la fois en tant que filière d’énergie renouvelable et quant à ses impacts socioécologiques.
... Several studies have shown that CE can facilitate resource sharing, information exchange, and cooperation between companies. While this information is essential for the implementation of CE practices Niang et al., 2022;Tapia et al., 2022;Veyssière et al., 2022), these results have been known since the early 2000's in the context of the linear economy framework. More significant, however, is the finding that the development of CE initiatives at the local level induces a reduction in resource transport distances. ...
... To overcome these challenges, several authors have argued that it is necessary for public authorities to design effective territorial governance frameworks (Niang et al., 2022). Concretely, this involves investing in the development of local cooperative and collaborative relationships, for example, by creating formal or informal collaborative structures, establishing norms of trust and transparency, or working with intermediaries to facilitate exchanges. ...
This paper explores the role of evolutionary economic geography in enhancing understanding and implementation of the circular economy (CE). By incorporating spatial and territorial dimensions into CE research, this study emphasizes the significant influence of geographical factors on achieving economic and environmental objectives. The research highlights the importance of localizing CE practices and emphasizes the contributions of proximity theory and territorial governance in promoting collaborative networks that are crucial for CE success. Furthermore, the paper introduces the concept of Territorial Circular Ecosystems, which provides a framework for analyzing regional variations and the interplay between local actors, resources, and institutional support in the deployment of the CE. The findings offer fresh insights for policymakers and researchers, advocating for place-based policies to address CE challenges and optimize sustainability strategies.
... Comprehensive quantitative surveys remain absent. Third, the role of organised proximity remains largely unexplored (with the exception of Niang et al., 2022), despite its importance in the context of CE. A better understanding of the capacity of the firm to arrange collaborative activity and foster a shared set of knowledge, beliefs and representations (Torre, 2011(Torre, , 2014 is essential in this new economic model, which requires interactions between individuals and firms with different strategies, visions, conflicts and cooperation in the networks they have developed (Jambou et al., 2022). ...
... Organised proximity is a key facilitator of collaboration by developing a mental adherence to a common vision and sharing similar references (language, norms, beliefs) (Torre, 2014). Even if Niang et al. (2022) have provided preliminary evidence of the role of organised proximity in the context of implementing a successful biogas project, this issue remains largely unexplored. ...
... The applied circular principles according to the seven pillars of ADEME are presented in Figure 3. They show that most of the companies (25) are recycling biomass, followed by sustainable procurement (22), and industrial and territorial ecology projects (20). Ten initiatives are oriented toward sustainable consumption and nine toward eco-conception. ...
... Many enterprises collaborate with public partners, such as local municipalities, regional gov- ernments, development agencies and chambers of trade, ADEME (French Agency for the Environment and Ecological Transition), or even a tourism office (case 43). Other initiatives are based on private-private partnerships, either with big service companies for waste collection (cases 3, 32), large market-sector-oriented industrial partners (case 6 with an oil company, case 16 with an enterprise for animal feed, case 31 with the leather industry), or are composed of nearby smaller businesses, such as farms, restaurants, bakeries, breweries, hospitals, gardens or supermarkets (this concerns the cases focusing on food redistribution, compost or biogas, such as 1, 2, 5, 10,15,17,20). A smaller third group of partners involves research institutes (cases 4,21,22,27,42). ...
In recent years, the circular economy and the bioeconomy have increasingly been developed in France, driven by public policies. In this article, innovative circular bioeconomy business models in the French agrifood domain are studied concerning main drivers, business model elements, circular economy principles, enablers and barriers, and sustainability benefits. The study is based on an online review and analysis of 44 local, collaborative and small-scale initiatives. It appears that the strategies of the businesses are based on the seven circular economy pillars laid out by the French Agency for the Environment and Ecological Transition, mostly recycling, sustainable procurement, and industrial and territorial ecology. Geographical embeddedness and the relational proximity of actors are other crucial factors that play a role in the success of these business models, next to pro-environmental consumer trends and local public support. The outcomes further reveal that all three sustainability dimensions are integrally considered in France, with environmental and social dimensions slightly prominent above the economic one. The application of the game concept and its seven building blocks (time, playing fields, pieces, moves, players, rules, wins or loses) allows this study to demonstrate the essential elements of emerging business models within bioeconomy systems, their dynamic interrelations and the need for full policy attention.
... Therefore, governance studies based on major issues that will enable us to allocate and manage the roles of appropriate local actors are needed (Lange et al., 2018;Niang et al., 2022). Despite this, studies on renewable energy stakeholders have thus far focused only on the conflicts themselves, so governance for conflict management and alternative implementation has not been discussed much. ...
... Despite this, studies on renewable energy stakeholders have thus far focused only on the conflicts themselves, so governance for conflict management and alternative implementation has not been discussed much. In addition, even research on governance for REZs dealt with the limitations of the government-led top-down method (Ha and Kumar, 2021), the importance of communication between the government and the public (Lange et al., 2018), and the significance of the geographical proximity of intermediary organization in cooperative governance (Niang et al., 2022); but did not specify a direction of how to actually establish such governance. ...
Background and objective: As the use of renewable energy is expanding worldwide, conflicts are emerging in local communities due to environmental damage and competition for land use with existing industries, including agriculture and fishery. Accordingly, while many studies are trying to find alternatives to address such conflicts, studies on governance to implement these alternatives are insufficient. This study attempted to find options for the contentious field of renewable energy using text mining for each subject, and to suggest a direction for building governance to apply this in practice.Methods: Text mining for each subject was conducted targeting the Saemangeum floating photovoltaic power plants (FPVs) project, a large-scale renewable energy project in Korea.Results: As a result of the analysis, three clusters (stakeholder groups) were identified. First, local public officials complied with the government plan, as well as environmental activists from relatively remote areas. Second, local environmental activists and fishermen insisted on ecological conservation. Third, members of the public-private council (PPC) were concerned about industrial transformation. All groups shared a common perception that it was a renewable energy project that benefited the local ecological environment and people.Conclusion: Based on this, local public officials will play a role in cooperating and arranging improvements in renewable energy projects, fishermen and local environmentalists will play a role in developing ecological environment-based renewable energy plans, and the PPC will play a role in seeking a direction for coexistence with the fishery and revitalizing the region. It was also possible to set the direction of governance to implement a project effectively. As such, establishing governance that is tailored to the area where a renewable energy zone is developed can be a starting point for managing local conflicts and operating a project efficiently.
... However, harmonising the interests and actions of these different stakeholders is a major challenge (Niang et al., 2022b;Torre, 2023). Conflicts of interest can arise and hamper the effectiveness of local policies (Niang et al., 2022a). In line with the emphasis on the role of agency in collaborative governance, it is thus crucial to have an actor capable of facilitating the coordination of the system during all phases. ...
This paper explores how elected politicians' decisions impact place-based policies (PBPs) and the resulting consequences. It emphasises that understanding the political factors influencing PBPs offers insights into their effectiveness and potential pitfalls. The article draws upon the behavioural political economy theory, suggesting that political decisions often deviate from the purely rational due to cognitive biases and social influences. It examines the critical role of territorial intermediation, explores the potential discord between policy designs and ground realities, and investigates how broader political dynamics shape these trajectories. Additionally, the article probes the obstacles, including psychological, institutional and contextual factors, that may hinder policy implementation. In conclusion, the article proposes new avenues of research in regional, urban and planning studies that highlight the complexity of the political processes influencing these policies and calls for a multidimensional analysis of these processes.
... Previous studies have focused on the role of different actors in supporting the transition to the bioeconomy. The studies focused on different aspects of the transition with focus on networks around the wood-based bioeconomy [8,9], bioenergy [10][11][12] and bioplastic [13]. Alternatively, a few studies have focused on the role of a specific actor in the transition, such as primary producers [14] or large companies through their mergers & acquisitions activities [15]. ...
The transition to a circular bioeconomy requires innovation across many sectors, but social dynamics within a sector’s network may affect innovation potential. We investigate how network dynamics relate to the perceptions and adoption of bioeconomy innovation using a case study from the food processing sector. Our case study of the German coffee value chain represents a technologically advanced sector with a strong sustainability focus and potential for residue valorization, which is an important dimension of a sustainable circular bioeconomy. We identify three distinct views (pioneers, traditional and limited users) related to residue valorization, map linkages between actors using social network analysis, and highlight barriers to innovation. We collected data through an online survey and semi-structured interviews with key actors in the coffee roasting sector. Within the social network analysis, we find that public waste managers are closely linked to the most influential actors, state actors such as the customs and tax offices can quickly interact with others in the network and promote the spread of information (highest closeness centrality) and specific roasters play an important role as intermediaries for efficient communication (highest betweenness centrality). Finally, we identify four main barriers including the structure of the coffee network, inconsistencies in federal waste regulations, economies of scale, and visions of sustainability. To support a sustainable bioeconomy, we recommend that policy makers revise the primary regulatory frameworks for waste (e.g., German Recycling Act) to clarify how to classify food residues, their disposal structures and broaden their use streams.
... La grille d'analyse des proximités dispose d'une assise théorique solide et de nombreuses études de cas, faisant notamment appel à l'analyse de réseaux (Torre et al., 2019, Niang et al., 2022. En revanche, la logique de similitude n'a pas encore été abordée par la textométrie. ...
Cet article propose différentes métriques pour évaluer la proximité organisée. La textométrie est notamment utilisée pour explorer un corpus d'entretiens semi-directifs afin d’appréhender la logique de similitude qui relie les acteurs du secteur logistique en Région Occitanie. Actuellement, la coordination entre secteur logistique et territoire repose sur des institutions telles que le Cluster Tenlog. Cependant, la création seule de ces instances ne peut répondre aux défis du secteur logistique, étant donné que les acteurs ont peu d'objectifs collectifs. Ainsi, la construction d'un langage commun, de modes de travail et d'une confiance mutuelle joue un rôle central dans les processus de coordination. La gouvernance logistique en Région Occitanie, dynamique et transactionnelle, constitue donc un exemple pertinent pour tester la méthodologie proposée.
... The BSA will guide the whole policy process from the designing to the actual implementation of specific BE initiatives. It will formally and consistently arrange information including views and preferences of the stakeholders involved, which represent a key factor in the success of BE investments especially at the local/regional scale (Niang et al., 2022). The trade-off analysis of stakeholders' views and values will capture the social dimension of BE initiatives and anticipate unexpected effects on communities and groups. ...
... Such procedures can considerably reduce the human footprint, reduce the agricultural wastes, and boost the deployment of circular economy and energy transition. France accounts for 1,705 methanation centers adding €860 millions in 2019, and creating 10,300 jobs (Niang et al., 2022). Hence, the agricultural sector -particularly in France, considering its land, could be a promising sector not only to offset the environmental impacts but also in stabilizing the labor market as (Niang et al., 2023) have shown that employment with circular practices rose by + 2% compared to total employment. ...
Territories are at the forefront of efforts to curtail the trajectory of their environmental impacts and enhance their economic and ecological resilience. To expedite the process of curving the ecological footprint, France has launched the Ecological Transition Plan (ETP). However, environmental programs in France are orchestrated at the national and regional levels, which tends to diminish the heterogeneity of territorial dynamics. This underscores a disparity in scale that might potentially hinder the translation of the ETP's objectives (Top-Down) into feasible local initiatives (Bottom-Up), and vice versa. To bridge this gap, we suggest employing the Ecological Footprint as a monitoring framework, in conjunction with a spatially-nested approach. This combination aims to guarantee the precise conversion of objectives into impactful local actions. Results reveal that only 27% of French territories are encountering an ecological deficit, while the remaining 73% are classified as ecological reserves. The primary sectors contributing to this ecological overshoot are "road transport" (28.8%), followed by "industry" (21.4%), and "agriculture" (19.5%). We posit that this spatially-nested analysis can unravel territorial heterogeneities and facilitate the design of more nuanced and appropriately tailored ecological actions across different scales.
West Sumatra Province already has an energy development planning document, one of which is renewable energy development. Unfortunately, four years on, the policy’s realization has not followed existing plans. Thus, this study aims to analyze the challenges of policy capacity in developing renewable energy in West Sumatra Province. This research method is qualitative with a case study approach. Furthermore, data was collected from interviews with resource persons from various parties. The results show that low analytical capacity is the main factor affecting the formulation of evidence-based policies. Low operational capacity also hinders the effectiveness of renewable energy policy implementation. Political challenges, such as changing priorities and lack of commitment, also affect renewable energy development. Lack of transparency in policy formulation leads to public resistance to renewable energy development. The study concludes that it is crucial to strengthen policy capacity and engage actors from various sectors to achieve the goal of sustainable renewable energy development and contribute to climate change mitigation globally. This article can serve as a guide for policymakers and industry in achieving ambitious renewable energy goals in the future.
To date, few studies have analysed the geography of the circular economy, especially its contribution to economic activity on a sub-regional scale. In this context, our paper aims to analyse the evolution of employment and activities in the circular economy at the local level in France. For this purpose, we use a database on job creation and companies in the circular economy between 2008 and 2015 and we propose for the first time a study measuring the creation of jobs and companies in the CE. We show that the growth of employment in the circular economy is higher than the growth of total employment. Moreover, we highlight that the number of companies in the circular economy is mainly concentrated in metropolitan areas. We also point out the regional effect of the growth of the circular economy, indicating the territorial embeddedness of this type of activity. Based on this observation, we assume that regional public policies play a significant role in the deployment of a circular economy.
Despite the potential benefits of anaerobic digestion in the context of climate change and the need to move towards energy transition, there is a lot of resistance to biogas projects. Using a contingent valuation method, we test the extent to which the socio-economic characteristics of populations influence the environmental effort that people are willing to make for the deployment of biogas in a French region. Our results show that young people and people familiar with the biogas process are more inclined to develop biogas. We also highlight that the educational and location aspects should not be neglected in order to increase environmental effort and promote the adoption and development of biogas.
Cities and companies have great potential to reduce pressures on Earth system boundaries. Science-based target setting has emerged as a powerful vehicle, but its uptake is still limited. Moreover, cities and companies develop their targets separately even though many large cities and companies colocate. Focusing on the top emitting 200 cities and 500 companies, here we analyse the current state and potential of adopting science-based targets for climate. Of these key actors, 110 cities and 22 companies with science-based targets can eliminate up to 3.41 GtCO2eq of annual emissions. Further, we argue that if cities and companies keep abreast of ambitious target levels, then this reduction potential can increase up to 5.70 GtCO2eq with a factor of 1.7. We provide an illustrative roadmap with entry points and discuss the implications. Our findings elucidate a previously untapped potential for catalysing city-company collaborations to accelerate transformations for operating within Earth system boundaries.
Les démarches d’écologie industrielle et territoriale (EIT) représentent un potentiel d’action concret pour rendre nos modes de production et de consommation plus soutenables. Leur mise en œuvre reste compliquée en raison de coopérations interentreprises peu évidentes à initier. Plusieurs dispositifs méthodologiques, façonnés par un ensemble d’outils et de méthodes, ont été élaborés afin de faciliter ces coopérations, mais ils ont rarement eu l’effet escompté. Depuis peu sont expérimentés de nouveaux dispositifs méthodologiques s’appuyant sur une approche plus intuitive et des outils plus performants. Le travail présenté ici vise à déterminer, à travers trois cas d’étude, si ces nouveaux dispositifs facilitent l’émergence de relations interentreprises favorables à la mise en place de synergies. Pour chaque terrain, nous avons cherché à identifier les relations interentreprises et leur évolution dans le temps en mobilisant l’analyse des réseaux sociaux, et d’autre part, à comprendre les logiques sous-jacentes de ces interactions grâce au corpus de l’économie de la Proximité. Nos résultats montrent que les dispositifs méthodologiques étudiés facilitent l’identification de synergies et la mise en relation des entreprises. Cette dernière semble toutefois insuffisante pour amener les entreprises à coopérer et un accompagnement post atelier paraît indispensable. Nos résultats viennent également nuancer l’importance de la préexistence d’un socle de références commun entre les acteurs pour mener à bien une action collective dans les démarches d’EIT.
The circular economy is a new economic model that breaks with the linear model. It is more respectful of the environment and is often presented as an opportunity for sustainable development. From a literature review on this issue, the objective of our article is to focus on the territorial dimension of the circular economy. We present the main issues for future research on territorial innovations, territorial embeddedness, resources and sustainability of circularity.
Biogas is a process for producing renewable energy, which has recently gained interest in contributing to a territorial strategy for the deployment of the circular economy. The projects, which are collective in nature, bring together multiple actors or local stakeholders from a wide variety of backgrounds. The article proposes to analyze the territorial governance of this type of project by studying the relations of synergy and cooperation between stakeholders in the case study of the Syndicat Mixte du Point Fort (SMPF) of Cavigny (France). The results of the analysis of interaction and coordination networks show that local stakeholders develop dense relational networks that vary throughout the project. This high density is indicative of the importance of group cohesion in interactions, which is necessary to create a framework of trust and consultation that favors the success of territorial renewable energy projects. The measure of centrality of the interacting actors shows that the project leader (SMPF) plays the role of assembler and facilitator of the interaction networks facilitating the sharing of flows, knowledge, and collective learning.
In management literature, “ecosystems” are increasingly invoked for improvement of environmental sustainability and the circular economy (CE), but there is conceptual as well as empirical ambiguity regarding their role, composition, and nature. This chapter reviews existing ecosystem conceptualizations, distinguishes the main applications and implications of these constructs for the CE, and identifies empirical examples. We argue there are three categories of CE ecosystems each with a distinct analytical focus—the flow of material and energy, the flow of knowledge, and the flow of economic value. We position these three categories to existing ecosystem literature, propose a set of definitions for diverse CE ecosystem types, discuss the composition, agency, and outcomes of each CE ecosystem type, and provide a heuristic to assist scholars and practitioners. We also suggest implications of this typology for future research and practitioners’ efforts to improve environmental sustainability in our society. We believe that improved structured knowledge of CE ecosystems can guide practitioners, companies, and public actors (such as cities and municipalities) on organizing and reorganizing their activities, when pursuing environmental sustainability through collaboration in ecosystem settings.
Given the goal set by the French government to open 1000 biogas plants by 2020, we feel it is important to investigate the factors linked to the success or failure of anaerobic digestion projects, especially as the inherent challenges mean that there are barely 300 in operation today. We thus developed a conceptual framework to help us examine territorial energy transition projects, which we applied to an empirical analysis of the biogas production process. We conducted a quantitative study (logit model with 91 anaerobic digestion projects) and a qualitative study (49 semi-structured interviews and 455 articles from the regional daily press) to identify and understand the processes through which anaerobic digestion projects reach a successful outcome or, conversely, fail. Our findings indicate that projects may be abandoned or interrupted due to the presence of groups of protestors who are often apprehensive of such schemes and do not trust the project leaders. Lack of anticipation and early dialogue tends to exacerbate the ensuing challenges. Furthermore, social acceptance appears to be correlated with proximity to the biogas plants but not to the size of the digester. Finally, operating and/or investment subsidies appear to have a positive and significant effect on a project’s success. In this study, we highlight the need to introduce locally defined policies rather than one-size-fits-all policies in order to develop renewable energy projects in specific regions.
Notwithstanding the wide research on clusters and industrial districts, most of the preceding contributions tried to analyse and investigate past research and rarely tried to critique or propose any future trajectories of this stream of research. The aim of this special issue is to identify and discuss the main themes of research that populate the current scientific debate and highlight the emergent lines that may well set the future research agenda. In order to provide a scenario for better understanding the content of this special issue, in this work, we encouraged a mix of quantitative and qualitative approaches. In particular, to identify the most important themes of current and future research, we present a bibliometric analysis of the papers that were presented at the international workshop ‘Rethinking Clusters’, which took place in Florence in 2018, with more than 100 participants. This exercise together with a wider literature review permits us to propose a new research agenda on cluster research according to eight main themes. These range from cluster life cycles, through creativity, innovation, knowledge networks, cluster policy issues, internationalization, sustainability, finally to cluster variety and relatedness.
In this paper, we investigate the impact of large- and farm-scale biogas plants on the rural residential property values. We use data from 11,279 rural housing transactions in the period 2007–2015 and trace spatial effects of biogas plants on the local property market. Our results show that large biogas plants have a significant negative impact on rural residential property values while farm-scale biogas plants have a significant positive impact. The findings suggest that preferences for or against biogas plants cannot be explained by either a NIMBY or a PIMBY phenomenon and the paper explores potential reasons for the observed disparity in valuation of farm- and large-scale biogas plants. An economic impact assessment of the choice of facility type, based on a concrete case study, indicates that the impact on residential property values may tip the scale in favor of farm-scale biogas plants. Based on these results, policy implications for planning and expansion of biogas production are discussed.
In this paper, we seek to identify the dynamics of change and innovation at work in the agricultural sector of the Brazilian Amazon region, which operate in a context of environmental and technical pressure. We search for understanding how different innovative practices are implemented and how hybrid practices can develop through relationships between local actors who belong to different worlds. Our study focuses more specifically on dairy production in the Paragominas municipality, whose “green municipality” programme has led to an intensification of agricultural production and a significant reduction in deforestation, and where different forms of agriculture coexist. The dynamics of interaction are explored through an analysis of social networks, in which we examine, from empirical data, the structure of networks that facilitate interactions. Through an analysis of proximity relationships, we perform a detailed study of the spatial and non‐spatial determinants of these interactions. The paper first presents the study sites and analysis methods, then we provide a description of our results concerning innovation models, stakeholder networks and proximity relations.
Nowadays the greatest contribution to atmospheric pollution is due to carbonic dioxide (CO2) emissions resulting from industrial activities. Among the various technologies for the production of energies from renewable sources, the biomass combustion is the technology that better replaces the fossil fuels. Unfortunately, one of the limits to the spread of this technology in Europe and not only is the lack of social acceptability of the plants, in particular solid fuel biomass combustion. The “Nimby Syndrome” (Not In My Back Yard) is the strong opposition of the neighboring populations to their realization.
The most significant reason of non-acceptance by populations consists in atmospheric pollution. People are worried about the effects on human health of possible atmospheric pollution caused by the gaseous emissions of combustion plants. Consequently, the formation of citizen committees against plant installation is promoted. The objective of this work is to identify a methodology able to contrast the “Nimby Syndrome” in the case of biomass power plants. The main actions to promote the social acceptance of biomass power plants are:
• Verify upstream of the realization (design phase) the effective use of BAT (Best Available Technologies);
• Involve the citizen at all stages of plant design;
• Install stationary cameras (internet connected) that make images of raw material in the plant
available on-line 24 h/24.
• Realization of spatial and temporal high-resolution monitoring networks in order to verify the real
impact of emissions on air quality in neighboring areas and to give the monitoring data available
24/24h to all citizens.
About the last point, an innovative technology was used to carry out the air quality monitoring at high spatial and temporal resolution. These monitoring networks have to be installed before and after biomass plant realization. In this way, it is possible to have a comparison of atmospheric pollution before and after plant operation. The optimal arrangement of low cost monitoring station and data processing modes (also by using forecasting models) are described in this work. In this way, is possible to demonstrate the transparency about emission levels to citizens.
Using social network and proximity-based approaches, this paper analyses the effect of two territorial governance arrangements implemented in the Amazonian region in the framework of ‘The Territories of Citizenship’ programme, which aims to promote interaction and collaboration between the various actors of rural development. In the Amazon region, the great distances between actors made their interactions difficult. Our study reveals, however, that those distances are not insurmountable obstacles to collaboration. Indeed, the measures implemented in the framework of territorial policies promote communication between the different actors of the territories, thus allowing for the development and reinforcement of organized proximity.
In the three countries bordering the Upper Rhine (Germany, France, Switzerland), the biogas sector has received strong political support as part of national strategies to increase the share of renewable energies. Because of the decentralized nature of biogas production and its potential positive and negative impacts on local communities, acceptance by local residents is a necessary precondition for the successful construction and operation of biogas plants. The present paper investigates local acceptance based on a cross-national questionnaire study of 667 residents living near 11 biogas plants in the 3 national sub-regions of the Upper Rhine. Using descriptive methods in combination with multiple regression analysis, factors influencing local acceptance of biogas plants are investigated. Results show significant differences regarding both acceptance levels and influencing factors across the sub-regions. It is concluded that the political and cultural context in which renewable energy projects are embedded are important determinants for local acceptance. Based on the empirical results, recommendations are derived with respect to suitable strategies to positively influence local acceptance.
In order to demonstrate the role of Proximity in human and regional development; we use qualitative data of land use conflicts from a development related infrastructural project of Chotiari water reservoir in Pakistan. Our results mainly put accent over the involvement of stakeholders in the project, decision and the opposition to the wills of local population, leading to tensions and conflicts due to superposition of land use expectations on the project zone. Through this research we show main groups of actors, their links, and behaviours at multilevel governance, as well as causes and consequences of the project. We argue that how local population has united against their violated rights and started struggling to protect their social and natural resources, where these movements give value to Geographical Proximity in itself. The last part of the paper is devoted to an attempt to use proximities as a tool to understand the rationale of human development.
The notion of proximity is increasing in popularity in economic and geographic literature, and is now commonly used by scholars in regional science and spatial economics. Few academic
works, however, have explored the link between regional development and proximity relations. This comprehensive book redresses the balance with its assessment of the role of, and obstacles caused by, proximity relations in regional development processes.
The expert contributors illustrate that the value of integrating proximity into the regional
development analysis framework is due to its plasticity and ability to draw connections between spatial, economic and social dimensions. Possible changes for regional and territorial policies are also an outcome of this integration. These areas are addressed via four main paradigms:
• Proximity and regional development
• Spatial innovation processes
• Networks and proximity relations
• Place-based strategies and proximity relations.
Denmark has been one of the leading European Countries in using Biogas for Combined Heat and Power (CHP), since the 1980s. However, in the last two decades, the increase has been limited. A new energy policy aimed at increasing the profitability of biogas was introduced in the spring of 2012. The analysis here shows that the new agreement will improve the profitability of biogas plants and increase the biogas production although the political ambition of an increase from 4 PJ to 17 PJ by 2020 seems unlikely. The analysis shows that biogas plants can be profitable even if the input is a mix of manure and solid fractions/farm yard manure given the present level of support. The overall production costs are around €0.63 per m3 methane produced, but they can vary from 0.47‐0.78 per m4 methane produced3. The profit in the CASE 2012 analysis is €420,000 per year or 0.0.8 € per m3 methane. The analysis shows that the profit from upgrading biogas is only to be preferred if the sales price of heat or the amount sold are relatively low. The socioeconomic analyses show that the costs of biogas as a measure to reduce CO2 emissions are around €151 per tonne CO2 (€85‐266 per ton) and that using maize is an expensive way to reduce emissions of CO2. In an analysis comparing the Danish and German support system, it has been found that the German socioeconomic costs seem to be five times higher than the Danish, based on the same calculation method. In order to improve profitability and reduce the cost of reducing CO2 emissions, the input to the biogas plant has to be based more on farm yard manure and deep bedding, although the cost of using these inputs might be higher than was included in the analysis.
Social network analysis attracts increasing attention in economic geography. We claim social network analysis is a promising tool for empirically investigating the structure and evolution of inter-organizational interaction and knowledge flows within and across regions. However, the potential of the application of network methodology to regional issues is far from exhausted. The aim of our paper is twofold. The first objective is to shed light on the untapped potential of social network analysis techniques in economic geography: we set out some theoretical challenges concerning the static and dynamic analysis of networks in geography. Basically, we claim that network analysis has a huge potential to enrich the literature on clusters, regional innovation systems and knowledge spillovers. The second objective is to describe how these challenges can be met through the application of network analysis techniques, using primary (survey) and secondary (patent) data. We argue that the choice between these two types of data has strong implications for the type of research questions that can be dealt with in economic geography, such as the feasibility of dynamic network analysis.
The importance of geographical proximity for interaction and knowledge sharing has been discussed extensively in recent years.
There is increasing consensus that geographical proximity is just one out of many types of proximities that might be relevant.
We argue that proximity may be a crucial driver for agents to connect and exchange knowledge, but too much proximity between
agents on any of the dimensions might harm their innovative performance at the same time. In a study on knowledge networks
in the Dutch aviation industry, we test this so-called proximity paradox empirically. We found evidence that the proximity
paradox holds to a considerable degree. Our study clearly showed that cognitive, social, organizational and geographical proximity
were crucial for explaining the knowledge network of the Dutch aviation industry. However, we found strong evidence that too
much cognitive proximity lowered firms’ innovative performance, and organizational proximity did not have an effect.
Étudier les chaînes relationnelles à partir d’un matériau narratif : Les chaînes relationnelles sont une approche mal connue des réseaux sociaux, dont on classe habituellement les méthodes d’analyse selon la dichotomie réseaux personnels / réseaux complets. Plutôt que de cartographier les réseaux de façon statique, l’étude des chaînes relationnelles reconstitue les mobilisations concrètes de relations sociales dans des processus d’accès à des ressources ou de mise en relation de personnes. La méthode que nous présentons permet de reconstruire ces chaînes à partir d’un matériau narratif constitué sur la base d’entretiens croisés. Cette méthode est particulièrement adaptée à la saisie des phénomènes d’encastrement des activités économiques dans les réseaux sociaux. Nous la présentons dans cet article à partir de deux enquêtes, l’une sur les relations science-industrie et l’autre sur les créations d’entreprises.
This article introduces a new method for statistically comparing pairs of aggregate data series. Aggregate data series refers to a set of values, each of which is averaged or otherwise aggregated across respondents. The motivating problem is the comparison of aggregate proximity matrices, such as those obtained from pile sort exercises. The standard approach to this problem uses the nonparametric, permutation-based quadratic assignment program (QAP) technique. However, the null distribution that QAP is based on is inappropriate for comparing subsamples of a data set and may lead to misleading conclusions. The new method can yield different results than QAP, results more in line with researchers' intuition. Furthermore, the method can be applied to a variety of data types beyond those appropriate for QAP.
The aim of the present study is to assess the individual and collective agroecological changes of farmers located in the same drainage basin in Guadeloupe. Farmers of this basin were interviewed; sociogrammes were drawn up and correlated with the farm distribution in the study area. The network analysis combined with the spatial configuration analysis highlighted how the geographical area had an impact on interactions between farmers, and how the extent of the local dimension of these interactions governed some exchanges. We revealed also how alternative production orientations seemed to be introduced within the network so as to facilitate change while preserving some social structural stability. This indicates that new strategies should be introduced by providing farmers with technical training that stresses both technical and social efficiency.
The growing industrial metabolism is a major driver of global environmental change. We present an assessment of the global use of materials since the beginning of the 20th century based on the conceptual and methodological principles of material flow accounting (MFA). On the grounds of published statistical data, data compilations and estimation procedures for material flows not covered by international statistical sources, we compiled a quantitative estimate of annual global extraction of biomass, fossil energy carriers, metal ores, industrial minerals and construction minerals for the period 1900 to 2005. This period covers important phases of global industrialisation and economic growth. The paper analyses the observed changes in the overall size and composition of global material flows in relation to the global economy, population growth and primary energy consumption. We show that during the last century, global materials use increased 8-fold. Humanity currently uses almost 60 billion tons (Gt) of materials per year. In particular, the period after WWII was characterized by rapid physical growth, driven by both population and economic growth. Within this period there was a shift from the dominance of renewable biomass towards mineral materials. Materials use increased at a slower pace than the global economy, but faster than world population. As a consequence, material intensity (i.e. the amount of materials required per unit of GDP) declined, while materials use per capita doubled from 4.6 to 10.3 t/cap/yr. The main material groups show different trajectories. While biomass use hardly keeps up with population growth, the mineral fractions grow at a rapid pace. We show that increases in material productivity are mostly due to the slow growth of biomass use, while they are much less pronounced for the mineral fractions. So far there is no evidence that growth of global materials use is slowing down or might eventually decline and our results indicate that an increase in material productivity is a general feature of economic development.
The importance of geographical proximity for interaction and knowledge sharing has been discussed extensively in economic geography in recent years. There is increasing consensus that it is just one out of many types of proximities that might be relevant. We argue that proximity may be a crucial driver for agents to connect and exchange knowledge, but too much proximity between these agents on any of the dimensions might harm their innovative performance at the same time. In a study on knowledge networks in the Dutch aviation industry, we test this so-called proximity paradox empirically. We find evidence that the proximity paradox holds to some degree. Our study clearly shows that cognitive, social and geographical proximity are crucial for explaining the knowledge network of the Dutch aviation industry. But while it takes cognitive, social and geographical proximity to exchange knowledge, we found evidence that proximity lowers firms's innovative performance, but only in the cognitive dimension.
Torre A. and Rallet A. (2005) Proximity and localization, Regional Studies39, 47- 59. The objective of this paper is to pave the way for an analysis of the relations between proximity and localization of activities and people, two notions that are often mistaken for one another. Our method consists in exploiting the semantic wealth of the notion of proximity. We distinguish two types of proximity (geographical and organized) and propose a grid of analysis of the main models of geographic organization of activities by articulating both types of proximity. We then introduce the phenomenon of tension between geographical and organized proximity in order to discuss problems that are often underestimated in spatial economy. First, organized proximity offers powerful mechanisms of long-distance coordination that constitute the foundation of the increasing geographical development of socio-economic interactions. The confusion between information interactions and knowledge exchange, and the constraint of being located in proximity neglects the fact that the collective rules and representations do manage, and at a distance, an increasing part of these interactions. It is then shown that there is a disjunction between the need for geographical proximity and co-localization of actors by introducing professional mobility and temporary geographical proximity. We also emphasize the ability of big organizations to manage the presence in different areas of their units, whereas smaller ones are more constrained by fixed co-localizations, which are only needed for certain phases of their interactions. Finally, we raise the often neglected question of the negative effects of geographical proximity, which creates tensions between the actors who use limited support-goods and tends to damage the local relational network. However, these negative effects can be limited by integrating them within organizations or institutions, that is through a re-composed organized proximity enabling one to solve conflicts and launch processes of cooperation or negotiation within ad- hoc mechanisms. Torre A. et Rallet A. (2005) Proximite et localisation, Regional Studies39, 47-59. Cet article cherche a ouvrir la voie a une anlyase des rapports entre la proximite et la localisation des activites et de la population, deux notions qui sont souvent confondues. L'approche consiste a exploiter la richesse semantique de la notion de proximite. Dans un premier temps, on distingue deux types de proximite (geographique et organisee) et propose une grille qui permet une analyse des principaux modeles de l'organisation geographique des activites en articulant les deux types de proximite. Dans un deuxieme temps on introduit le phenomene de la tension entre la proximite ou geographique, ou organisee, afin de discuter des problemes qui sont souvent sousestimes dans l'economie geographique. En premier, la proximite organisee fournit de puissants mecanismes de coordination a longue distance qui constituent la base du developpement geographique croissant des interactions socioeconomiques. La confusion entre l'interaction d'information et l'echange de connaissance, et la contrainte d'etre situe a proximite ne fait aucune attention au fait que les reglementations et les representations collectives gerent, a distance, une proportion croissante de ces interactions. On demontre une disjonction entre le besoin de la proximite geographique et la localisation a proximite des agents, en introduisant la mobilite professionnelle et la proximite geographique temporaire. Il faut souligner aussi la capacite des grands etablissements a gerer la presence de leurs unites sur des zones differentes, alors que de plus petits etablissements se voient contraindre par des emplacements a proximite fixes dont ils n'ont besoin qu' a certaines etapes de leurs interactions. Pour finir, on remet en question les effets negatifs de la proximite geographique, souvent negliges, ce qui cree des tensions entre les agents qui emploient de facon limitee les services d'assistance technique, et a tendance a entraver le reseau relationnel local. Cependant, on peut minimiser ces effets negatifs-la tout en les inserant dans les organisations ou les institutions, par moyen d'une proximite organisee recomposee, ce qui permet la resolution des conflits et le lancement des processus de cooperation ou de negociation a partir des mecanismes improvises. Torre A. und Rallet A. (2005) Nahe und ortliche Begrenzung, Regional Studies39, 47-59. Dieser Aufsatz setzt sich zum Ziel, den Weg zu einerAnalyse der Beziehungen zwischen Nahe und ortlicher Begrenzung von Betatigungen und Menschen zu ebnen, als zwei Begriffen, die oft verwechselt werden. Die Methode stutzt sich auf die Ausnutzung der vielfaltigen semantischen Bedeutung des Begriffes 'Nahe'. 1. Es werden zwei Arten von Nahe unterschieden: geographische und organisatorische, und ein Analysennetz der Hauptmodelle geographischer Einteilung von Betatigungen durch klare Unterscheidung beider Arten Nahe vorgeschlagen. Dann wird das Phanomen der Spannung zwischen geographischer und organisatorischer Nahe eingefuhrt, um Probleme zu diskutieren, die in der Raumwirtschaft oft unterschatzt werden. 2. Zunachst bietet organisierte Nahe wirksame Mechanismen der Fernkoordination, welche die Grundlage der zunehmend geographischen Entwicklung sozialwirtschaftlicher Wechselwirkung darstellen. Die Verwechslung von Informationswechselwirkungen mit Austausch von Fachwissen, und die Beschrankung, in benachbarten Standorten zu sein, vernachlassigt die Tatsache, dass gemeinsame Regeln und Darstellungen selbst auf Entfernung einen stetig zunehmenden Teil dieser Wechselwirkungen bewaltigen. 3. Dann wird gezeigt, dass es eine Disjunktion zwischen dem Bedurfnis nach geographischer Nahe und gemeinsamer ortlicher Begrenzung der Spieler gibt, in dem professionelle Beweglichkeit und vorubergehende geographische Nahe eingefuhrt werden. Gleichzeitig wird die Fahigkeit grosser Organisationen betont, deren Vorkommen auf verschiedenen Gebieten ihrer Abteilungen handzuhaben, wahrend kleinere eher durch festgelegte, gemeinsame ortliche Begrenzungen eingeschrankt sind, die nur fur bestimmte Phasen ihrer Wechselwirkungen benotigt werden. 4. Abschliessend wird die oft vernachlassigte Frage nach den negativen Wirkungen geographischer Nahe aufgeworfen, die Spannungen zwischen den Spielern hervorruft, denen begrenzte Hilfsmittel zur Verfugung stehen, und dazu neigt, dem Netzwerk ortlicher Beziehungen zu schaden. Diese negativen Auswirkungen konnen jedoch durch deren Integration mit Organisationen oder Institutionen uberwunden werden, d.h. durch eine neu zusammengesetzte, organisierte Nahe, die es gestattet, Konflikte zu losen, und Wege der Zusammenarbeit oder Verhandlungen in ad-hoc Mechanismen zu beschreiten. Torre A. y Rallet A. (2005) Proximidad y localizacion, Regional Studies39, 47- 59. El objetivo de este articulo es determinar el contexto para un analisis de las relaciones entre la proximidad y la localizacion de actividades y personas, dos nociones que a menudo se confunden. Nuestro metodo consiste en explotar la riqueza semantica que existe en torno a la nocion de proximidad. Distinguimos dos tipos distintos de proximidad (geografica y organizacional), y proponemos un analisis de los principales modelos de organizacion geografica de actividades mediante la articulacion de ambos tipos de proximidad. A continuacion introducimos el fenomeno de tension en la proximidad geografica y la organizacional con el fin de examinar una serie de problemas que a menudo se ven sub-estimados en la economia espacial. En primer lugar, la proximidad organizacional ofrece poderosos mecanismos de coordinacion a larga distancia que constituyen el fundamento del creciente desarrollo geografico de las interacciones socio-economicas. La confusion entre interacciones de informacion e intercambio de conocimiento y el obstaculo que supone estar ubicado en proximidad deja de lado el hecho de que las reglas y las representaciones colectivas manipulan, y a distancia, una parte cada vez mayor de dichas interacciones. A continuacion mostramos que existe una disyuncion entre la necesidad de proximidad geografica y la colocalizacion de actores, mediante la introduccion de movilidad profesional y proximidad geografica temporal. Tambien destacamos la habilidad que tienen las grandes organizaciones para manejar la presencia de sus unidades en diferentes zonas, mientras que las mas pequenas se ven restringidas en mayor medida por colocalizaciones que se necesitan solamente para ciertas fases de sus interacciones. Por ultimo, planteamos una de las preguntas que a menudo se ha dejado de lado sobre los efectos negativos de la proximidad geografica, lo cual crea tensiones entre los actores que hacen uso de un numero limitado de bienes de apoyo, y tiende a perjudicar el network relacional local. No obstante, estos efectos negativos se pueden aminorar si se integran en las organizaciones o instituciones, es decir, mediante una proximidad organizacional recompuesta permitiendole a uno solucionar conflictos y lanzar procesos de cooperacion o negociacion dentro de mecanismos ad hoc.
One of the common tendencies of animal production activities in Europe and in developed countries in general is to intensify the animal production and to increase the size of the animal production units. High livestock density is always accompanied by production of a surplus of animal manure, representing a considerable pollution threat for the environment in these areas. Avoiding over-fertilization is not only important for environmental protection reasons but also for economical reasons. Intensive animal production areas need therefore suitable manure management, aiming to export and to redistribute the excess of nutrients from manure and to optimize their recycling. Anaerobic digestion of animal manure and slurries offers several benefits by improving their fertilizer qualities, reducing odors and pathogens and producing a renewable fuel - the biogas. The EU policies concerning renewable energy systems (RES) have set forward a fixed goal of supplying 20% of the European energy demands from RES by year 2020. A major part of the renewable energy will originate from European farming and forestry. At least 25% of all bioenergy in the future can originate from biogas, produced from wet organic materials such as: animal manure, whole crop silages, wet food and feed wastes, etc.
The use of the theoretical tools provided by proximity economics to address environmental questions, and the emergence of analyses revitalising the role of the spatial dimension in environmental problems, date from the late 1990s. This paper first aims to provide a review of the research conducted in this field and second to suggest some future research directions concerning the respective roles of geographical proximity and organised proximity in the production and management of environmental problems. First, it deals with the topic of 'geographical proximity and land-use conflicts', a topic that is currently the most researched in this field. This is followed by a discussion of the role of organised proximity in the regulation of environmental problems. The paper then explores the relation between the uncertainty associated with environmental issues and relations of organised proximity. Next it outlines a few possible research directions, focusing more particularly on the roles of geographical proximity as a mode of regulation of environmental problems, and on the possible role of organised proximity in their production. The concluding section draws an overview of the departures and extensions that have resulted from taking into account environmental issues in the paradigm of proximity economics.
This article presents the results of an ongoing research project on production and allocation of the biomass of agricultural origin (BAO), a key resource in ecological and energy transitions. The production and allocation of BAO are changing under the current development of the bioeconomy, which is the narrative promoted for intensifying the use of BAO, that we question through the lens of the scientific paradigm of bioeconomics. We developed a metabolic approach to agriculture, that we applied to the case study of northern Aube (France), an area specialized in intensive crop farming, undergoing rapid development of agricultural biogas production. Our results indicate that the ongoing changes influence BAO production and allocation at several scales (farm, small collective of farms, value chain, territorial). Development of the bioeconomy strongly influences the socioeconomic metabolism of the territory’s agriculture. Diversion of BAO flows due to biogas production are increasing structural imbalances and have some negative impacts on flows and ecological or economic funds strategic for sustainability, agronomic and economic balances of agricultural activities at multiple scales and as a whole. The changes described are especially disruptive since they strengthen competition and have blocking effects for the existing and potential agricultural metabolism.
Our purpose is to examine the link between circular economy (CE) and territorial development in the literature. Works on CE most often deal with its integration within firms’ strategies. The link between CE and the territorial development process (TDP) is more rarely studied. We define the TDP through the interaction between three key dimensions: coordination modalities between the stakeholders, institutional factors, and the resources generated in the process. Using a systematic literature review our aim is to understand, through the occurrences of those dimensions in the 265 papers selected, whether or not and how the issue of the TDP is addressed. Our first result is that a part of the literature on CE often focuses on one or two of the three key dimensions identified. The second result is to highlight several forms of interactions between the key dimensions, illustrating that CE can imply different types of TDPs.
The multiplication of local-based labelling systems in the forestry sector seems to echo a growing pressure from both globalization and sustainability expectations. Recent prospects in territorial economics invite us to consider not only the way specific resources are activated, but the terms of their valuation as well. We do this through the examination of six case studies in three French mountain ranges: the Alps, the Vosges and the Jura. We analyse the way institutionalized groups of actors shape and use value portfolios and highlight their role in implementing new types of circularities. We show that wood product labels are increasingly built upon territorial values, notably through the activation of various forms of proximities (spatial and relational). Although very recent, these initiatives attempt to legitimize themselves as ‘counter-norms', questioning the dominant production-distribution model.
Collective action within territorial organizations is complex. Initiatives often collapse from a lack of understanding of relational dynamics and logics of action. This article proposes a relational approach to study the collective action process within a producer association of a Localized Agrifood System (LAS). We conducted the research within the APROCAMPOS association, located in the Serrano cheese LAS, which involves producer families, extension agents, inspection veterinarians and secretaries of agriculture. We first conducted a social network analysis of advice seeking within the association, through sociometric interviews with the producer members. Second, an analysis of territorial proximity, conducted through semi-structured interviews with the association participants, was combined with the social network analysis. Results showed that extension agents are in a very central position in the advice network. They follow a classical top down model of knowledge diffusion. The president of the association plays a key brokerage role, essential for the network cohesion and information flow. Second, the analyses revealed a lack of trust and reciprocity among producers, leading to a low level of interaction and collective action, which can, however, be improved by the combination of geographical and organized proximities. In sum, the top-down model leads to low levels of initiative and participation among the producers in collective action. Local knowledge needs to be integrated in a more participatory governance frame to build common projects of cheese valorization. Nonetheless, institutional arrangements appear instrumental to define political orientation that favors cooperation and meets the quality of the Serrano cheese and promotes the development of the territory as a whole.
More than 50 countries and international organisations worldwide are currently working on strategies and policies to promote a transition to a bioeconomy. This economic system centres on a sustainable use of bio- and renewable resources to guarantee sustainability. Although many contributions have been made to the field of bioeconomy, most focus on a science perspective (e.g. chemistry, engineering, technology, biomedicine or biology). Despite the significant importance of social and economic issues for a bioeconomy transition, studies from a social science perspective are largely lacking. This paper presents a systematic review of academic contributions to the field of bioeconomy from a social science standpoint. The results reveal the need for an in-depth analysis of the challenges and opportunities that the bioeconomy faces in social and economic terms.
Biogas production may make an important contribution to multiple policy objectives, i.e. the transition to renewable energy, increased recycling of agricultural waste and reduction in greenhouse gas emission from agriculture. Despite the role of biogas in achieving these wider benefits, the engagement of stakeholders such as farmers has been low and the barriers to their participation in biogas production is not well understood. This study examines farmers’ willingness to participate in a unique, manure-based collective biogas investment based on a discrete choice experiment study of Danish farmers. Our results show that the majority of farmers, including farmers who never considered investing in biogas before and farmers that already participate in conventional biogas plants, are interested in a partnership-based biogas investment (PBI). A mixed logit model with flexible distribution shows that farmers’ participation in PBI is mainly motivated by a moderate number of partner farmers, short distance between the farm and the plant, contract options to sell biogas, an option to cancel the partnership, and free startup consultancy. Farmers are willing to accept a significant reduction in subsidy to acquire favorable aspects of the PBI. A second stage analysis of farmers’ intensity of participation also reveals that an increase in livestock units, involvement in off-farm activity, increase in farm size, and positive view towards investment enhance willingness to supply manure. Linking results from discrete choice and corner solution models, we estimate the average manure supply to a partnership-based biogas plant to be around 96,000 tons/year.
This work aims to present the most recent developments regarding territorial governance, placing particular emphasis on rural and periurban areas. The reader will find information on the processes of development of European regions, as well as on the behaviours and strategies adopted by the different actors who live in these territories and contribute to the latter's livelihood. The first part of the book analyses the structural changes in the modes of production that have affected these territories. The second part addresses the questions of methodology and of the structures of governance of local development in rural areas. The last section makes an assessment of the geographical indications as tools of governance of local agrifood chains. The book was written by economists, geographers, land use planners and specialists of the questions of governance and management of rural and periurban areas.
This volume provides new insights into the functioning of organizational, managerial and market societies. Multilevel analysis and social network analysis are described and the authors show how they can be combined in developing the theory, methods and empirical applications of the social sciences. This book maps out the development of multilevel reasoning and shows how it can explain behavior, through two different ways of contextualizing it. First, by identifying levels of influence on behavior and different aggregations of actors and behavior, and complex interactions between context and behavior. Second, by identifying different levels as truly different systems of agency: such levels of agency can be examined separately and jointly since the link between them is affiliation of members of one level to collective actors at the superior level. It is by combining these approaches that this work offers new insights. New case studies and datasets that explore new avenues of theorizing and new applications of methodology are presented. This book will be useful as a reference work for all social scientists, economists and historians who use network analyses and multilevel statistical analyses. Philosophers interested in the philosophy of science or epistemology will also find this book valuable.
In recent years, biogas production capacity has been greatly enlarged in Germany. Whereas negative effects of this development, for example in increased land lease prices, have been well documented, very few research studies exist on the positive effects of biogas production on the socio-economics of rural areas. This study of the German state of Lower Saxony provides such information. Using a system dynamics model, the effects of increased biogas production on employment and added value in rural areas are projected for three different scenarios and six regions in Lower Saxony. A further step determines the further potential for enlargement of biogas production and to what extent this potential development would improve the socio-economic position of the regions under analysis. The results show that considerable changes occur regarding the employment level. Additionally, in the majority of areas within the regions there is a significant potential for further development of biogas production, which would likewise be reflected in the effects of added value and employment opportunities. This study reveals a differentiated view on the regional economic effects of biogas production. It also provides valuable information for further considerations about the potential construction of additional biogas plants and enhanced possibilities to switch a region's energy supply towards renewable bio-based energies.
The present contribution addresses the results of a longitudinal study in a ‘bioenergy-region’ concerning the public acceptance of biomass plants and the corresponding influencing factors. Using a standardized questionnaire, 423 persons were polled between 2009 and 2011 on three points of measurement in four places in the bioenergy-region Altmark. One main result of the study is that the reported public acceptance remains constantly high over time; nevertheless it became evident that the respective influencing factors differ in their strength, whereas the perceived regional benefit shows a strong connection to the reported public acceptance of biomass plants at each point of measurement. Concluding the research results, the acceptance of biomass plants doesn't seem to be a fixed construct, but has to be seen in context of the respective experiences with plants on a local level over time.
In addition to the local population, key actors of the regional biomass sector were also interviewed (N = 26). The analyses show significant differences in the perception and evaluation of the current informational level between the population and the key actors. Furthermore, the key actors estimated the utilisation of biomass even more positively and expected a greater ‘signal function’ of the bioenergyregion-project compared to the population.
Industrial symbiosis (IS) is a collaborative environmental action whereby firms share or exchange by-products, materials, energy, or waste as a way to economically reduce aggregate environmental impact. Research in IS has flourished over the past two decades, and the time is ripe for a coherent review of organizational perspectives on the topic, particularly since the practice of IS is rife with difficulties often attributed to “social” factors. We review the organizational perspectives found in IS literature using a two-dimensional framework considering the antecedents, consequences, lubricants, and limiters of IS assessed through institutional, network/system, organizational, and individual levels of analysis. Our framework highlights what organizational perspectives have been adopted so far and also points to avenues of future scholarship of this unique phenomenon.
After the Swiss government's decision to decommission its five nuclear power plants by 2035, energy production from wind, biomass, biogas and photovoltaic is expected to increase significantly. Due to its many aspects of a direct democracy, high levels of public acceptance are necessary if a substantial increase in new renewable energy power plants is to be achieved in Switzerland. A survey of 502 citizens living near 19 biogas plants was conducted as the basis for using structural equation modeling to measure the effects of perceived benefits, perceived costs, trust towards the plant operator, perceived smell, information received and participation options on citizens' acceptance of "their" biogas plant. Results show that local acceptance towards existing biogas power plants is relatively high in Switzerland. Perceived benefits and costs as well as trust towards the plant operator are highly correlated and have a significant effect on local acceptance. While smell perception and information received had a significant effect on local acceptance as well, no such effect was found for participation options. Reasons for the non-impact of participation options on local acceptance are discussed, and pathways for future research are presented.
Promotion of bioenergy production is an important contemporary topic around the world. Vast amounts of research are allocated towards analysing and understanding bioenergy systems, which are by nature multi-faceted. Despite a focus on the deployment of multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM) methods for planning of bioenergy systems, only little research has addressed the location component of bioenergy facility planning. In this paper the authors develop a model for sustainable capacity expansion of the Danish biogas sector allowing for an identification and prioritization of suitable locations for biogas production. The model builds on a framework for spatial planning and decision making through the application of spatial multi-criteria evaluation (SMCE). The paper is structured around a case study including four Danish municipalities in order to demonstrate the power of the spatial multi-criteria evaluation model. The model allows a two level comparison of suitability, within municipalities as well as between municipalities. Criteria weights for generation of alternatives are obtained through an analytical hierarchy process (AHP) analysis, carried out among a group of Danish central governmental decision makers. We find that resource and production economic criteria are given highest priority followed by environmental and social criteria. In all four case study municipalities, the identified alternatives are compared through incorporating economic, environmental and social criteria. It is found that 4–6% of the municipal area is suitable for biogas facility location and among the best performing sustainable locations the potential of reducing overall production costs is 3% as compared with current biogas plants. The results of this paper can provide support to central governmental decision makers, regarding regional allocation of subsidies in the country. Likewise local decision makers can obtain important information for planning and decision support, allowing for a more inclusive and transparent planning procedure.
This article describes a new methodological framework to account for urban material flows
and stocks, using material flow accounting (MFA) as the underlying method. The proposed
model, urban metabolism analyst (UMAn), bridges seven major gaps in previous urban
metabolism studies: lack of a unified methodology; lack of material flows data at the urban
level; limited categorizations of material types; limited results about material flows as they
are related to economic activities; limited understanding of the origin and destination of
flows; lack of understanding about the dynamics of added stock; and lack of knowledge
about the magnitude of the flow of materials that are imported and then, to a great extent,
exported.
To explore and validate the UMAn model, a case study of the Lisbon Metropolitan Area
was used. An annual time series of material flows from 2003 to 2009 is disaggregated by
the model into 28 material types, 55 economic activity categories, and 18 municipalities.
Additionally, an annual projection of the obsolescence of materials for 2010–2050 was performed.
The results of the case study validate the proposed methodology, which broadens
the contribution of existing urban MFA studies and presents pioneering information in the
field of urban metabolism. In particular, the model associates material flows with economic
activities and their spatial location within the urban area.
’Think Globally, Act Locally’ was one of the most famous slogans of the 1970s environmental movement. Discourses about global climate change are now a vivid illustration of this new ‘global thinking’. Although there is a substantial amount of research about global environmental issues and policy initiatives, there is still a gap in understanding of how lay publics actually comprehend global climate change. Using qualitative research method, this study is a comparison of how lay publics in Frankfurt (Germany) and Manchester (UK) perceive these issues and the possible solutions. The study found strong similarities in lay public perceptions in both cities including that (1) awareness of global environmental issues is always contextualised in broader perspectives not exclusively ‘environmental’, (2) there is a shared and strong sense of global equity based on recognition of differences and (3) there is an ambivalence about the role of environmental ‘information’. Differences between lay public perceptions in Manchester and Frankfurt can be explained by specific features of national cultures.
The intuitive background for measures of structural centrality in social networks is reviewed and existing measures are evaluated in terms of their consistency with intuitions and their interpretability.Three distinct intuitive conceptions of centrality are uncovered and existing measures are refined to embody these conceptions. Three measures are developed for each concept, one absolute and one relative measure of the centrality of positions in a network, and one reflecting the degree of centralization of the entire network. The implications of these measures for the experimental study of small groups is examined.
This paper develops an integrated framework to evaluate land suitability for wind farm siting that combines multi-criteria analysis (MCA) with geographical information systems (GIS); an application of the proposed framework for the island of Lesvos, Greece, is further illustrated. A set of environmental, economic, social, and technical constraints, based on recent Greek legislation, identifies the potential sites for wind power installation. Furthermore, the area under consideration is evaluated by a variety of criteria, such as wind power potential, land cover type, electricity demand, visual impact, land value, and distance from the electricity grid. The pair-wise comparison method in the context of the analytic hierarchy process (AHP) is applied to estimate the criteria weights in order to establish their relative importance in site evaluation. The overall suitability of the study region for wind farm siting is appraised through the weighted summation rule. Results showed that only a very small percentage of the total area of Lesvos could be suitable for wind farm installation, although favourable wind potential exists in many more areas of the island.
Centralized biogas plants in Denmark codigest mainly manure, together with other organic waste such as industrial organic waste, source sorted household waste, and sewage sludge. Today 22 large-scale centralized biogas plants are in operation in Denmark, and in 2001 they treated approx 1.2 million tons of manure as well as approx 300,000 of organic industrial waste. Besides the centralized biogas plants there are a large number of smaller farm-scale plants. The long-term energy plan objective is a 10-fold increase of the 1998 level of biogas production by the year 2020. This will help to achieve a target of 12-14% of the national energy consumption being provided by renewable energy by the year 2005 and 33% by the year 2030. A major part of this increase is expected to come from new centralized biogas plants. The annual potential for biogas production from biomass resources available in Denmark is estimated to be approx 30 Peta Joule (PJ). Manure comprises about 80% of this potential. Special emphasis has been paid to establishing good sanitation and pathogen reduction of the digested material, to avoid risk of spreading pathogens when applying the digested manure as fertilizer to agricultural soils.
Combining social network approaches with social theories to improve understanding of resource governance
- Crona