Tag Archive for: sustainability

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1264 | 883 | Are smart and sustainable cities key factors for RECs?? | Daniele Mezzapelle

Climate change is probably the greatest threat humanity is facing in the 21st century. Moreover, the Covid pandemic worsened the already dramatic situation. Thus, a changing approach to urban dimension – in terms of wellness, health or development – appears to be required. The paper debates that this changing involves synergistic measures to cope climate change while promoting a more conscious use of resources, especially those of the Renewable Energy Communities (RECs), based on the idea that economic growth “as usual” cannot take place at the expense of others fundamental principles such as social justice, intergenerational equity, and environmental protection. Adopting a geographical and scalar approach, the proposed interpretation focuses on the role and potential of cities in articulating a new framework for interpreting reality in view of the need to embark on a more sustainable development path, defining resilient strategies that allow not only to anticipate future shocks – as pandemic is – to prepare the system to absorb them but to adapt or transform itself as appropriate. The Smart City, conceived not as an idealistic and crystallised model of the city but as an ongoing territorial process built on policies specifically designed for the urban dimension, proves to be a valid interpretative tool to frame urban dimension in consideration of issues such as sustainability, resilience and health. A city acts intelligently, i.e. smartly, by virtue of its ability to identify stimuli and existing problems in order to respond appropriately on the basis of available resources and achieve ever higher performance in terms of economic, social, and environmental sustainability, perfectly embodying the concept of transformative resilience. In this role, the potential of cities could lie in their ability to deliver a holistic approach that brings together different paradigms to reshape the current trends on a local scale, adopting synergistic and integrated measures?

Daniele Mezzapelle
University for Foreigners of Siena

 
ID Abstract: 883

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1236 | 950 | Food consumption taking in focus main problems of beginning of 21th century from geographical point of view | Péter Simonyi, Brigitta Zsótér, Sándor Illés

Consumption patterns of today’s man living in developed countries cause not only one of global problems. Part of it food consumption is one of three essential needs to live. Overconsumption is general phenomena and it causes serious health problems (serious deceases) but not only in those countries. In many of third world countries malnutrition and inadequate nutrition are common for hundred millions. UN dealing with global problems set up Sustainable Development (SD) Goals (SDGs) that have put in practice from 2016. There are crucial questions as which are criteria of sustainability. What is connection between healthy and that kind of food consumption that fit sustainable development. To know the present state, Hungary food consumption is outlined. Interested question is what changes are and expected in the future taking into account ageing, climate change, migration. Key point is in the future how man can solve humanity’s food supply and nutrition problems. Approach and methods of geography can help in some problems that need to be researched and answered. Sciences, so geography can give support for possible solution, can outline future spatial pattern.

Péter Simonyi, Brigitta Zsótér, Sándor Illés
Hungary

 
ID Abstract: 950

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1234 | | Sustainability as key problem our days – some approach of geographers | Péter Simonyi (1)

Chairman  Peter SimonyiSustainability, sustainable development (SD) entered to be in focus nearly all over the World. After about fifty years not only scientists but politicians, decision makers and most of important players in economy put into account sustainability on own way. However approaches of them differ from each other. The question what is the aspect and approach of geography and what could be it’s task?  Main points can be in this field:⦁    what geography means by sustainable development, sustainability ⦁    what spatial and temporal processes can be detected in this connection in the past period ⦁    how the last few years can be evaluated in order to implement the SD⦁    what examples show the possibilities of implementation⦁    what connections can be discovered between some global problems (globalization, migration, etc.) and SD⦁    what kind of patterns do the social (for example, human behavior, education, upbringing) processes show⦁    what obstacles can/are there to the implementation of SD ⦁    what could be the consequences of the successful realization of the SD both spatially and in the economy and society  The research and discussion of all these questions can contribute to actual help in the implementation of actions responsible for future generations. Presentations;  it needs to be in english language

Péter Simonyi (1)
(1) Hungary

 
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1222 | | Waste studies and spatial impacts | Juergens Ulrich (1)

Garbage and waste studies attract only niche attention in spatial research, economic, social or urban geography. Despite the growing interest in sustainability studies and the related goals to reduce, reuse and/or recycle products of all origins in a successful circular economy, spatial criteria as explanatory measures of waste generation, waste origin, waste governance or waste behavior have no major relevance in the established waste sciences. This results in starting points for geographical perspectives that can cover the spatial meta- to the case study micro-level, both natural and social science methods and findings.
The following themes can be derived:
(a) Different experiences on waste fractions such as scrap metal, electrical goods, building materials or food from sources of origin such as agriculture, mining, industry, retail and private households; identification of waste chains that can mean disposal on one actor side and after-use potentials on the other actor side.
b) Identification and operation of regions and labor markets specializing in waste recovery and recycling (“waste districts”; e.g. plastic waste, electronic waste, ship scrapping).
c) Structure of globally operating waste management providers – what strategic power do they have in competing for waste management goods on a national or international level?
d) Behavioral patterns of private households for waste disposal in spatial comparison – why does waste separation work in some regions, cities or districts and not in others? What are the dangers to municipalities from illegal waste dumping (health, groundwater)? What are the answers to these questions?
e) Waste governance in national and supranational comparison: How does the discourse on waste fractions (e.g. on the topic of food waste) develop via relevant actor groups and (digital) information channels? Are there global solutions at all or only regionalized and “adapted” solutions?
f) What are the social dependencies on waste? Who lives off “waste” as an economic or social good (e.g., in terms of food bank system experiences).
Diverse theoretical and methodological approaches from economics (new economic geography), sociology or psychology (behavior studies) etc. are therefore conceivable in order to not only highlight the relevance of waste studies via regionalized case studies, but also to grasp the limits to the transferability of waste “solutions” on a regional and global scale. Language: EnglishSession type: presentations

Juergens Ulrich (1)
(1) University of Kiel, Department of Geography, Ludewig-Meyn-St 8, 24118 Kiel, Germany

 
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1202 | 617 | Predictive Apocalyptic Future Scenarios of the Environmental Ecological Crisis: Towards Mitigating Territorial Approaches | Giuliana Quattrone

After the catastrophic predictions of the Club of Rome, the environmental question has emerged in all its evidence, linked to which there is also the realisation that if the trend of usurping environmental resources is not reversed, many traces of the past will risk disappearing. The environmental issue approached by the various international documents (up to Agenda 2030) warns us to change course and operate in the sense of ‘ecological conversion’; in this framework, man must operate a reconciliation with himself and the environment in which he lives in a relationship of respect and protection of the territory. In fact, the entire territory, for the history that has formed it, for its landscape and cultural values, for the collective memory that animates it, for its very recognisability, is to be considered in the first instance an environmental asset to be protected. In this sense, the reclamation of contaminated sites, the integrated management of waste, and the protection of ecosystems are just some of the important issues that Italy must approach with focused policies, not only to ensure an adequate level of quality of life, but also to guarantee legality and safety, even before economic development, and at the same time to express the ability to design a compatible future._x000D_
Starting from these considerations, the paper retraces the main stages of the environmental issue, focusing on situations where the presence of fragile territories requires an urgent rethinking of planning and land management practices. In these territories, it is essential to reflect on the transformations of the man/territory relationship, which in many cases has resulted in irreversible environmental damage and the consequent disappearance of resources, envisaging possible scenarios planning approaches and sustainable solutions.

Giuliana Quattrone
National Research Council of Italy (CNR)

 
ID Abstract: 617

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1186 | 823 | Green ports in Italy: cases compared | Viviana D’Aponte

In the international maritime transport market, the growth of port systems increasingly depends on the degree of specialisation achieved through the adoption of automated handling, storage and infrastructural connection processes with the territorial hinterland. However, at the same time, competitiveness cannot develop independently of the assessment of the degree of sustainability of the port infrastructure, with significant consequences on the environmental level and on the digitization of processes. Consequently, port systems must be organized to offer innovative solutions and services based on the use of new technologies for environmental and energy management, in order to guarantee positive impacts on the urban context in which they exist. From the point of view of environmental sustainability, underlying these considerations, the contribution intends to analyze the case study of the port of Naples in the light of the most recent initiatives prepared by the MISE for the creation of an integrated system of cold ironing in the context of Italian ports attributable to the TEN-T networks. In particular, the theme of the contribution that the investment plan of the Grimaldi shipping company makes in this direction is addressed, with respect to which the Neapolitan terminal performs a priority function for roll-on/roll-off traffic and passengers in the Mediterranean area.

Viviana D’Aponte
Università di Napoli Parthenope

 
ID Abstract: 823

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1185 | | The Valuable Future of Tourism in the European Regions | Csilla Petyko (1); Márton Magyar (2)

Since the modern era, with the advent of mass tourism, Europe has clearly played a dominant role in the development of international tourism. The region is characterised by its diversity in geographical, socio-cultural and economic terms. It is therefore no coincidence that for decades, more than half of international tourists have preferred the region. In many European regions, tourism has been a driving force for development, but the covid epidemic has shaken the whole tourism industry. Overnight, trips were cancelled, guests and visitors were lost, and operators went from a prosperous business to a crisis. The struggle for survival began, but after the initial shock, the reflection also began. Thinking about how to solve the problems encountered in the earlier development phase, about what and how to adapt in order to avoid negative impacts. As the pandemic eased, people were on the move again and Europe had not lost its appeal. There are visible signs that tourism is coming back to life. However, there are many ways to relaunch, to recover, to save value, and it is a very exciting task for researchers today to follow where and what solutions are being found. All this while facing new difficulties for both operators and tourists, brought about by the energy crisis.
How do tourism developers in capital cities and rural municipalities or regions think? What can the diverse providers of culture, creative industries and recreation contribute to the development of tourism in new methods and in new ways?
What are the tourism enterprises in the region, from micro-enterprises to affiliates of large international chains, planning? How are they adapting to change, i.e. how is resilience reflected in their operations? Do the principles of sustainability and corporate social responsibility apply to development concepts? Do tourism service providers apply accessibility criteria and, with it, equal opportunities criteria in terms of hospitality and employment?
Of course, many more questions could be raised in this area. We welcome all researchers and PhD students who are looking for answers to these questions. presentationsthe session needs to be in English

Csilla Petyko (1); Márton Magyar (2)
(1) Budapest Business School, Faculty of Commerce, Hospitality and Tourism, Tourism Department, (2) Eotvos Lorand University, Faculty of Education and Psychology, Institute of Heath Promotion and Sciences

 
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1179 | | Active aging and eco-smart cities | Luisa Carbone (1); Daniela La Foresta (2); Tony Urbani (3)

The session aims to investigate three areas which, especially after the COVID-19 pandemic, have influenced the so-called “active ageing”, representing an important opportunity to understand the different forms of green sociality and to set up a sustainable technological urban culture oriented towards cohesion and inclusion.
In the Western European countries three-quarters of the elderly population live in cities, consequently the urban context emerges as one of the most important territorial areas, in which green resilience is a challenge to face.
This challenge requires the achievement of a balance between social and technological innovation, as well as the participation of the most fragile and vulnerable citizens through awareness-boosting activities of the urban info-scape.
In other words, the three factors of accessibility, safety, and livability of the urban environment, referring to the elderly, condition the sustainability of our cities.
The widespread awareness of environmental problems, the growing attention to the landscape transformations and the desire for naturalness are the basis of the topics of the session, which aims to rethink the management of urban spaces and their usability in terms of adaptation and mitigation of climate change and environmental crises.

Luisa Carbone (1); Daniela La Foresta (2); Tony Urbani (3)
(1) University of Tuscia, (2) University of Naples Federico II, (3) University of Tuscia

 
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1164 | | Rethinking tourism mobility for a better future | Gabor Michalko (1); Anna Irimias (2); Barbara Staniscia (3); Josefina Domínguez-Mujica (4)

The 21st century has caused fundamental changes in the development of tourism. Low-cost flights have democratised air travel, and cheap fares have made air travel accessible to a wider number of people and social groups than before. Digitalisation has accelerated the inclusion of people in tourism in the field of booking, service evaluation, and experience sharing. The sharing economy has reduced the privilege of the hotel industry and created a new experience of “living like a local”. Up to the beginning of the ‘20s, tourism growth seemed unstoppable, with 1.5 billion international tourist arrivals recorded in 2019, exceeding the UNWTO’s earlier forecast. Many European tourist destinations suffered from the phenomenon of overtourism, with anti-tourist movements in many places. In fact, the period of total tourism has dawned, when tourist demand has spread both horizontally and vertically across the globe, governments and local authorities consider tourism as the future of economic development, devote their resources to tourism development and try to involve the widest possible groups of society in tourism mobility. However, the Covid19 pandemic changed everything in the blink of an eye, with restrictions and overtourism becoming undertourism, with international demand falling by 74% by 2020, and is not expected to reach record levels in 2022.
Today, tourism has reached another turning point. The “silence” of the Covid19 pandemic and of the political-turbulent post-pandemic has created an opportunity to rethink sustainability. At the same time, the reduction of tourism mobility has helped preserving natural and cultural heritages, which is a phenomenon also conditioned by the social and economic crisis. The Russo-Ukrainian war at the periphery of Europe and the related energy crisis and inflation are prompting researchers to formulate alternatives around the future of tourism. This new reality must be based on lessons from the past and on present trends, which will be useful to articulate a better future in a broad sense. Therefore, we are looking for answers to the question of how tourism can improve the quality of life, avoid negative environmental processes, and prevent crises. We invite researchers to contribute to this perspective with papers focusing on the balance between the socio-economic and environmental sustainability of tourism for a better future. This session will be organised by IGU Commission on Global Change and Human Mobility (Globility)

Gabor Michalko (1); Anna Irimias (2); Barbara Staniscia (3); Josefina Domínguez-Mujica (4)
(1) CSFK Geographical Institute, Hungary, (2) Corvinus University of Budapest, Hungary, (3) Sapienza University of Rome, Italy, (4) University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Spain

 
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