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As the global economy, society, and environment are undergoing profound changes and the realization of sustainable development has become the common aspiration of the international community, ecological civilization construction has become an increasingly important issue for China to formulate its long-term development strategies and promote modernization. This study analyzes the characterization of 655 established pilot zones of ecological civilization construction and 'clear waters and green mountains are as valuable as mountains of gold and silver' innovative practices from 2017 to 2022. The spatial distribution of ecological civilization areas in China follows a pattern where more regions are in the southeast than in the northwest (Hu Line). The focus of China's comprehensive ecological civilization construction has been towards the southwest in the first year and has subsequently shifted towards the northwest. The overall Gini coefficient decreased from 0.494 to 0.299, and regional ecological civilization disparities gradually narrowed. Currently, regional construction disparities between the eastern and western regions are a major obstacle to balanced development; therefore, promoting coordinated regional development is necessary. Various factors affecting the pattern of ecological civilization construction, including natural resources, economic development, social progress, policies, and culture, were identified. The availability of natural resources and economic development cause regional differences in construction levels. This research will help promote the coordinated development of Chinese ecological civilization, while the development experiences of different regions can also provide guidance for sustainable development in developing countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The time-varying kernel density estimation relies on two free parameters: the bandwidth and the discount factor. We propose to select these parameters so as to minimize a criterion consistent with the traditional requirements of the validation of a probability density forecast. These requirements are both the uniformity and the independence of the so-called probability integral transforms, which are the forecast time-varying cumulated distributions applied to the observations. We thus build a new numerical criterion incorporating both the uniformity and independence properties by the mean of an adapted Kolmogorov–Smirnov statistic. We apply this method to financial markets during the onset of the COVID-19 crisis. We determine the time-varying density of daily price returns of several stock indices and, using various divergence statistics, we are able to describe the chronology of the crisis as well as regional disparities. For instance, we observe a more limited impact of COVID-19 on financial markets in China, a strong impact in the US, and a slow recovery in Europe. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study we use a spatial dynamic general equilibrium model to analyse the macroeconomic impact of cohesion policy-like investments in nine net beneficiary member states of the European Union. We examine whether or not the objective of reducing regional disparities (equity) prevents the interventions from maximising their impact on national GDP impact (efficiency) by looking at GDP multipliers and interregional spillovers. We find that there may be an equity-efficiency trade-off depending on the characteristics of both the investments made and the targeted regional economies. Moreover, the analysis shows that the growth spillovers from more developed to less developed regions are limited. This implies that, in order to reduce regional disparities, investment must be made in the less developed regions of each country. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study investigates the causes of rising economic inequality among Indian states between 2000 and 2017. To identify the components of output growth that are driving rising regional inequality in the Solow Model framework, we first create state-level data on capital stock and labour force, which are not published in India's national accounts. While we find beta divergence in per capita state domestic product (SDP) between states, there is no evidence of beta divergence in capital stock accumulation. Therefore, differences in TFP growth, rather than capital stock accumulation, may be one of the factors contributing to India's rising regional inequality. Furthermore, a productivity index for Indian states was created using the physical and social infrastructure, health, education, digital connectivity, and energy access to help explain the differences in states' TFP. When common factor models were used to account for the high cross-sectional dependence between state growth rates, the influence of capital accumulation and productivity index on state growth was significantly reduced. Hence, the Indian economy's common growth factor emerges as a major driver of the SDPs, with higher per capita SDP states benefiting more from overall growth than the lower per capita SDP states, resulting in growing regional disparities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractObjectiveMethodsResultsConclusionDespite global declines in asthma mortality, regional variations and sex disparities persist. This study investigates asthma mortality trends in Spanish Autonomous Communities (ACs) from 1980 to 2022, analyzing data by sex.Data on asthma deaths and population were obtained from the National Institute of Statistics for the study period. Age-standardized mortality rates (ASMRs) were calculated, and joinpoint regression models were applied to identify trends.Overall, 44,728 asthma deaths occurred, with a steeper decline observed in men (−3.5% per year) compared to women (−0.7% per year). The female-to-male mortality ratio climbed from 0.7 in 1980 to 5.4 in 2016. Both sexes exhibited a significant decrease in ASMRs, with a more substantial decline in males (−6.3%).While all ACs showed a significant decrease in male ASMRs, female trends varied, with significant decreases in 13 ACs and stable trends elsewhere. Joinpoint analysis revealed diverse regional patterns for both sexes, with some ACs experiencing steady declines and others exhibiting periods of slower decline or even stabilization.This study identified concerning regional and sex disparities in Spanish ACs’ asthma mortality (1980–2022). While male rates declined significantly across all regions, female rates showed variation, with even increases in some ACs. Targeted interventions addressing these disparities and their underlying causes (healthcare access, management practices, etc.) are crucial. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The question of regional per-capita income convergence has been widely investigated theoretically and empirically. This study reviews the relevant literature and considers the possible significance of fiscal decentralisation in the convergence process. Alternative indicators of fiscal decentralization are examined within a SDM model which also takes into account possible spatial interdependencies between neighbouring regions. The modelling suggests that fiscal decentralization does appear to play a significant role in the convergence process in Vietnam. Income inequality remains a challenging issue for policymakers to resolve, and if regional disparities can be reduced in part through fiscal decentralization, this is a significant finding for policy formulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article, we examine whether regional gender inequality affects a household's decision to participate in stock market in China. Based on a nationwide micro data, our empirical results show that households in counties with greater gender inequality are less likely to hold risky assets. The results are robust to a number of variations in our empirical models. The negative effect of gender inequality on household stock market participation is stronger for households located in northern China. Moreover, we provide evidence suggestive of the role of the declined social interaction operating through gender inequality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We assess the macroeconomic impact of the European Union Cohesion Policy investments deployed during the 2014–20 programming period, with a particular focus on territorial cohesion and regional disparities. We use a spatial dynamic general equilibrium (RHOMOLO) to quantify the direct and indirect effects of the policy investments in the NUTS-2 regions of the European Union within a 20-year time frame. The results suggest that the impact of the policy is sizeable, especially in the less developed regions of the European Union. Accordingly, socio-economic disparities at the regional level are shown to decrease thanks to the policy intervention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Big mobility data (BMD) have shown many advantages in studying human mobility and evaluating the performance of transportation systems. However, the quality of BMD remains poorly understood. This study evaluates biases in BMD and develops mitigation methods. Using Google and Apple mobility data as examples, this study compares them with benchmark data from governmental agencies. Spatio-temporal discrepancies between BMD and benchmark are observed and their impacts on transportation applications are investigated, emphasizing the urgent need to address these biases to prevent misguided policymaking. This study further proposes and tests a bias mitigation method. It is shown that the mitigated BMD could generate valuable insights into large-scale public transit systems across 100+ US counties, revealing regional disparities of the recovery of transit systems from the COVID-19. This study underscores the importance of caution when using BMD in transportation research and presents effective mitigation strategies that would benefit practitioners. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article provides an in-depth analysis of the evolution and current state of industrial policies in the European Union (EU) from the 1980s to the present day. We specifically focus on the resurgence of interest in such policies from 2020. We argue that industrial policies in the EU during the second half of the 2020s and into the 2030s will differ significantly from previous decades, while acknowledging challenges in fully understanding their scope and implementation. In particular, it is argued that the lack of a meaningful EU fiscal capacity constitutes the biggest challenge for the design and implementation of effective industrial strategies, which risks exacerbating regional and national disparities in the dual transition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study evaluated the measurement invariance of a neuropsychological battery across rural and urban older adults from Costa Rica. Rural and urban older adults (N = 295) from the Epidemiology and Development of Alzheimer's Disease (EDAD) study in Costa Rica were assessed. The baseline factor model for the EDAD neuropsychological measures was identified with nine neuropsychological measures and three cognitive constructs: Verbal Memory, Spatial Reasoning, and Cognitive Flexibility. Measurement and structural invariance were established, and, then, group comparisons of the latent cognitive factors were conducted to explore regional disparities. The findings showed that most of the neuropsychological tests in EDAD can be directly compared across the groups, allowing for cognitive constructs comparisons. The rural sample showed a disadvantage in the Spatial Reasoning and Cognitive Flexibility abilities. When age and education were included in the models, differences between the regions disappeared. Having more years of education was associated with higher cognitive abilities, with a larger effect for the rural group. Norms for Costa Rican older adults should consider age and education adjustments. This study contributes to the growing area of measurement invariance in neuropsychological assessment as it highlights the importance of examining the comparability of assessment measures across different cultural groups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The promotion of R&D carries the risk that economically strong regions will benefit to a greater extent and that regional disparities will increase by focusing the economy on high technology. However, this is expected to depend on the specific sectoral and technological composition of R&D funding. R&D funding for a bio-based economy in Germany is particularly illustrative for a shift in funding focus from a narrow concept of biotechnology to a broader concept of bioeconomy. Along with this shift, an impact on the spatial distribution of R&D funding is assumed. Against the background of inclusive innovation policy, this study examines the potential of the bioeconomy for a reduction of regional disparities in public R&D funding. Based on a database containing publicly-funded R&D projects in Germany and further regional data, comparative regressions are conducted in order to identify spatial patterns. The results demonstrate distinct funding mechanisms in the different areas of the bioeconomy. The broadening of R&D funding for bio-based activities from the biotechnology vision towards bioresources and bioecology leads to a greater participation of rural and lagging regions which is expected to be the result of the inclusion of more traditional industries as recipients of R&D funding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Optimizing factor allocation structure and improving total factor efficiency is crucial for narrowing regional development disparities and promoting high-quality economic development. Therefore, this paper considers the multiple demands of high-quality economic development and incorporates the dual constraints of input structure optimization and non-decreasing environmental welfare into the research framework of total factor structure efficiency (TFSE). It establishes a progressive research path from total factor efficiencies to TFSE, conducts a dynamic measurement from total factor efficiencies to TFSE, and investigates their spatio-temporal evolution. The main conclusions are: China's TFSE exhibits a stable fluctuating trend with a decreasing regional distribution from the Southeast to the Northwest under the 'Hu Huanyong Line'. The total factor efficiencies exhibit a decreasing trend of 'clean energy – capital – environmental construction – labour - non-clean energy'. Significant spatial correlation effects exist for TFSE and total factor efficiencies in China, with a slight decline over time. TFSE exhibits significant conditional convergence, with a convergence speed of 2.03%. The convergence speeds of total factor efficiencies decrease in the following order: 'non-clean energy – environmental construction – labour - capital – clean energy'. Moreover, regional TFSE and total factor efficiencies exhibit club convergence with positive spatial spillover effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is a cyclical nature to the dilemmas confronting international donors willing to operate in Myanmar. Brief periods of relative openness led to rapid surges in development assistance, regularly interrupted by long phases of military rule and disengagement by donors. Amidst all this, many predicaments remain. This article engages with one of them: the inequality between regions. How have international donors reacted to the issue of domestic regional inequality? Recent studies suggest that official development assistance (ODA) does not target poor regions very well, but it is not always clear why this is the case. Myanmar's sudden, yet uneven and unequal liberalization from 2011 to 2021 catalyzed huge inflows of ODA, while it also confronted donors with new policy dilemmas. The article shows that aid providers struggle with the problem of rising regional inequality, especially for political reasons. Donor and recipient interests often do not align well on this issue. In the case of Myanmar, donors who press for regional inequality to sit prominently on the agenda might fare less successfully than those who address the issue indirectly. The article concludes that regional inequality and the politics of targeting deserve a more central role in the political economy of ODA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

What is the relationship between regional inequality and political discontent in Europe? This special issue addresses this question by studying the influence of the subnational context. Specifically, it examines the impact of unequal social conditions and economic growth on political discontent with national and international politics, as expressed in political behaviour, public opinion and policy preferences. This introduction outlines a research agenda that establishes the context of the special issue. It explains the key concepts of interest, summarises significant empirical trends, outlines explanatory models and discusses methodological challenges. In addition to establishing the research agenda that serves as the analytical framework, this introduction also presents the core findings of the special issue and discusses broader implications for future research and practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Climate change, health pandemics, structural decline, and more – the challenges of solving political problems are daunting, particularly when the political institutions addressing them are not trusted. This article tests the economic theory that residents of high-income regions are more likely to trust political institutions, given their positive experiences with services and opportunities, against the rival argument that predicts a negative effect of regional disadvantage within a country on political trust. Using European Values Study and World Values Survey (2017–2020) data, combined with socioeconomic data for 606 regions in 42 countries, this paper analyses samples of regions both in and outside the EU. The results suggest that people living in wealthy EU regions – both in absolute and relative terms – trust national government more and the EU less. In the global sample, the evidence is more variegated and corroborates economic theory only in democracies. The article sketches implications for regional inequality, political trust, and legitimacy research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article advances the literature on the spatial patterns of EU support by arguing that the relationship between regional inequality and EU trust is not linear. We posit that, to fully understand this relationship, we should systematically investigate three dimensions of regional inequality, i.e., regional wealth status, regional wealth growth, and regional wealth growth at different levels of wealth status. Using individual-level survey data for EU27 countries and the UK from 11 Eurobarometer waves (2015–2019), we show that a non-linear association exists whereby poor and rich European regions tend to trust the EU more compared to middle-income regions, and that within-region over-time growth is associated with higher levels of EU trust. We demonstrate that the association between growth and EU trust is more pronounced among poor and middle-income regions compared to rich regions. Our findings have implications about the nature of public Euroscepticism and the ways in which to address it. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Water, energy, and food (WEF) security has become a key area of research in sustainable development. Prompted by the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals, a large body of research highlights the inter-connectedness of WEF systems and the dangers of their siloed treatment. Simultaneously, more attention is being placed on the WEF security of remote populations in the Arctic, especially for areas like Alaska, where WEF insecurities are prevalent, yet obscured by national reporting. This research developed a WEF Nexus Security Index for the state of Alaska that can be used by policy-makers to consider plausible causes for regional inequalities and why some regions of Alaska, and not others are exposed to higher levels of WEF insecurity. Beyond the conceptual value of the index, an on-line Arctic WEF Nexus Security portal was developed that further enables policy-makers and community leaders to track changes in WEF security and monitor the effects stemming from future interventions, be they policy or technological in nature. By bridging nexus thinking and nexus doing, we hope to provide policy-makers with a novel and accessible tool for achieving WEF security in Alaska. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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This article analyses regional convergence and the diminishing regional disparities within the EU27 from 2000 to 2019. It assesses the impact of income fluctuations on regional inequality by employing secondary analysis of income per capita indicators across NUTS 3 level regions. The article provides a quantitative assessment of regional income inequality, encompassing the most prevalent instruments used in the analysis of inequality data. In particular, it determines EU regional disparities using constructed Theil, Gini and CV indices exposing a more comprehensive evaluation of regional disparities within the EU. It also examines the nexus between spatial effects on regional income inequality. The findings suggest that EU convergence persists at the NUTS 3 level, albeit at a decelerating pace. We also point to the role of clustering effects among neighbouring regions. Notably, the study highlights the diminishing role of regional clustering due to income inequality during the ongoing convergence process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article studies the evolution of per-capita income disparities and spatial dependence across 77 provinces of Thailand over the period 1995–2017. Results show that – on average – regional income disparities are decreasing over time and initially poor provinces are catching up with rich provinces, indicating the presence of sigma and beta convergence. However, when we study the evolution of disparities – beyond the average – we reject the hypothesis that all provinces would eventually converge to a common long-run equilibrium. The evolution of these disparities suggests the existence of three local equilibria or convergence clubs. Further analyses based on global and local indicators of spatial association reveal significant spatial dependence in the evolution of disparities and the location of the convergence clubs. This article concludes arguing that an excessive focus on global or average assessments can be incomplete, and that spatial dependence has played a significant role in the formation of local convergence clubs. Furthermore, as different clubs may need different policy treatments, there is no one-size-fits-all territorial policy for reducing regional disparities in Thailand. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on Learning Undefeated's mission to revolutionize Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) education for rural communities through the use of mobile STEM labs, addressing disparities in access to high-quality learning experiences. Topics include the challenges faced by rural students in accessing STEM education, the transformative impact of mobile STEM labs in leveling the playing field, and collaborative efforts to expand STEM education initiatives.

Using data for over four decades, we examine the ageing of Swedish municipalities and if there has been convergence or divergence across time and space, where we differentiate across the urban–rural hierarchy. As migration is claimed to be a moderating factor in the ageing of places, we assess how the share of immigrants relates to ageing patterns. Our findings show that the share of older individuals increases in more peripheral localities and that there has been convergence across municipalities. However, the share of foreign population is negatively related to the ageing profile of a place. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study delves into the multifaceted issue of inequality in Turkey, analyzing overall and regional disparities as well as wage and gender inequalities in the labor market. Through the lens of the Big Mac Index, we investigate purchasing power and discover a decrease in regional inequality between 2002 and 2020. However, our research findings indicate a widening income gap between capital owners or the working rich and workers, particularly evident after 2015. Moreover, the wage gap between male and female white-collar workers has widened since the 2018 currency crisis, while the gap between male and female blue-collar workers has shown improvement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We conduct an empirical study on regional inequality, one of the main factors of the principal contradiction in China, using the provincial data from 2011 to 2019, from a multidimensional perspective. Inequalities are measured based on an approach that improves the applicability of inequality measures in multidimensional case. From the results, we find a continuous downward trend in overall regional inequality, but the performance of regional inequality differs across dimensions. Among four dimensions, regional inequality in the dimension of economy has been increasing and is substantially higher than others, and the sharp drop of inequality in ecology has greatly contributed to the decline in overall regional inequality since 2014. For sub-dimensions, we find that regional inequality in sub-dimensions including economic performance, economic innovation, economic infrastructure, ecological governance, and housing is at a relatively high level and on the rise, which should be Chinese government's focus at the present stage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The goal of equity in education in England is damaged by regional disparities in outcomes and a marked social gradient in school exclusion. The most vulnerable groups are disproportionately represented in in-year transfers. Drawing on 24 interviews with school leaders and education decision-makers in a socioeconomically deprived area, this study examined institutional strategies to promote inclusion by reducing pupil mobility in an area-based initiative. The analysis highlights the interaction of administrative, professional and market logics, and the significance of the "middle tier" in mediating inter-local tensions. Further research is needed on "hidden" pupil moves and diverse forms of within-school segregation-reintegration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigates the regional disparity of financial inclusion (FI) and its determinants in Turkey from 2004 to 2020. To this end, we first construct an FI index using the principal component analysis. Then, based on the club convergence approach, we test the existence of convergence to show regional disparities in FI. Finally, we examine the main determinants of provincial disparity using ordered logit models. The convergence results strongly reject the full-panel convergence, indicating a regional disparity in FI. Furthermore, our analyses reveal that financial inclusion positively correlates with population, income, and income inequality, while unemployment hinders inclusion. Overall, our results imply that policies focusing on digital financial services, increasing financial literacy, and reducing unemployment should significantly diminish regional disparities and improve FI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite the benefits of school meals, their provision is often not universal, being it an on-demand, pay-for-service, with the risk of creating significant disparities in their accessibility across schools, regions and social groups. In this paper, we explore food school food policies in Italy from this perspective, analysing the unequal distribution of the service and reflecting upon the implications. Our findings reveal huge disparities that reflect and exacerbate wider social, economic, territorial, employment and gender inequalities. We argue that the current regulatory approach contributes to exacerbating those disparities, and present policy recommendations aimed at extending the service. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This editorial is intended to provide a brief overview of the evolution of a selection of European space economies and policies introduced to mitigate the devastating effects of at least five crises most have faced in the past decade or more. In a time of great fragility in economy, politics and society, concatenations of the five crises and more have challenged planners to come up with new solutions to long-standing urban and regional problems (otherwise 'opportunities'). The five crises focused on here are: Green Transition; Great Financial Crisis; Euro Crisis; Migration and Refugee Asylum Crisis; COVID-19 Crisis. Occasional papers in the Special Issue that follows refer to other crisis effects such as; Ukraine resistance to its war against the Russian invasion; the Israeli-Palestinian conflict of October 2023; Austerity policies and associated urban and regional disparities with inter-regional tensions; and the socio-economic effects of liberalization of Eastern Europe. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research on income inequality in developing economies has scarcely looked at the regional dimension. This is important, as progress in reducing income inequality at national level can only be partially successful if a country consists of very unequal regions alongside relatively equal ones. Using newly assembled Luxembourg Income Study data, we study the evolution of income inequality within Egyptian regions during 1999–2015. The analysis offers three findings. First, income inequality has generally increased. Second, regional differences in income inequality tended to decrease, but less unequal regions are converging to similar levels of inequality of more unequal regions. Third, there has been a decrease in the income share of the bottom 40% and an increase in the proportion of people living below 50% of median income. Hence, geographically diffused progress on the first two targets of SDG 10 depends on reversing these trends. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The economic disparity between southern and northern China has widened in the past decade. This article explores the roles of the north-south stretched backbone high-speed rails (HSRs) in the widened north-south economic gap in China. By constructing panel data of 283 cities between 2005 and 2016 and estimating the difference in GDP and per-capita GDP of northern and southern cities before and after the first north-south stretched HSR, we show that the north-south economic gap widened by about 8% as the opening of the Beijing-Shanghai HSR, the first north-south stretched HSR. Further channel analysis reveals that the north-south gaps in population, fixed asset investment, public expenditure, and the relative size of secondary industry to tertiary industry also widened. These results suggest that fast transportation improvement caused by long-distance backbone HSRs can contribute to accelerating the large-scale regional disparity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study explores Kenya's second President, Daniel Arap Moi's attempts to establish a sense of a shared national identity. Content analysis of books written about him, his speeches, and newspaper articles reveals how Moi used Nyayo philosophy, national holidays, the Father of the Nation narrative, currency notes and coins, and monuments to foster a Kenyan national identity. Despite efforts to forge a common national identity, the government frequently operated in a way that was at odds with what Moi said in his speeches. Whereas President Moi advocated for peace, love, and unity, his administration was largely characterised by clientelism, patronism, social and regional inequalities, and interethnic violence, among other social, economic and political evils. Because of the disconnect between what Moi claimed and what his administration actually did, his attempts to foster nationhood could alternatively be seen as a way for him to control the state, consolidate power, and legitimize his leadership. Therefore, during Moi's rule, national identity building lacked a strong collective consciousness, which would have enabled Kenyans to institutionalise a sense of belonging and attachment to the nation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We examine spatial and national inequality in Sub-Saharan African (SSA) countries using comparable Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS) data. Using living standard measures to calculate asset indices, we find that SSA has considerable within-country spatial and national contemporary asset inequalities, with large cross-country variations. We also use data from 27 SSA countries with comparable data from 1995 to 2018 to compare inequalities in access to basic services. In most countries, regional and national inequities in access to basic services have decreased over time. Our findings show that regional inequality is a significant component of national inequality, which has policy implications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We use a spatial general equilibrium model to assess the macroeconomic and distributional impact of the European Commission's Recovery and Resilience Facility (RRF). We employ two alternative regional distributions of investments: one based on the regional share of population only, and the other based on Cohesion Policy criteria. Our results suggest that the disbursement of RRF grants would lead to an increase in the European Union's gross domestic product (GDP) of approximately 0.85% in 2026, corresponding to a present value GDP multiplier of 1.22. The latter rises to 3.25 in the long run. Under the population criterion, GDP impacts are higher relative to the Cohesion criterion, at the detriment of territorial cohesion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article draws on a large occupational database of 2514 occupations required for 581 industries in 558 microregions and five macroregions in Brazil and shows that occupational relatedness is associated with regional occupational branching (entry of related and exit of unrelated occupations) in a developing country marked by enormous regional disparities. Three types of occupational relatedness were examined: local synergy-, complementarity- and similarity-relatedness densities. Local synergy- and complementarity-relatedness densities were most closely associated with regional branching, and were more relevant to preventing the decline of specializations than promoting the emergence of new ones. All types of relatedness were more closely associated with preventing the disappearance of occupations from the most backward regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper analyses the effect of fiscal redistribution on regional income inequality in South Africa using the spatial models. Yearly provincial-level data on different spending categories are considered for the period from 2014 to 2018. The study uses various spatial panel specifications to control for both spatial dependence and heterogeneity among provinces. When factor incomes and market prices are controlled for, empirical results indicate that local inequality spills over to neighbouring provinces. Particularly, a basic point increase in local income inequality contributes about 0.14 to 0.158-point increase in income inequality of neighbouring provinces. Furthermore, provincial spending allocation to social development grant and education spurs regional income inequality while expenses receipt on health, infrastructure, and conditional grants exhibit mitigating effects on provincial income inequality. These findings suggest that health, infrastructure, and conditional grants are key sectors to prioritize in the government's efforts to reduce income inequality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent decades, the rise of the service economy and the growing attractiveness of large cities have created new social inequalities within countries, which have been seen as a source of resentment for people living in the "places that don't matter". We study spatial inequalities in terms of subjective social status using a measure of the place in the social hierarchy that individuals believe they occupy in France (1999-2017) and Germany (1992-2021) on the basis of data from the International Social Survey Program. In France we find important and persistent inequalities between urban and rural areas, as well as between the capital region and all the other regions, partially mediated by income differences. However, the time trend does not show any consistent increase in the geographical differences in subjective status apart from a possible negative trend in rural areas from 2006 to 2010 and in rural places and the outskirts of large cities after 2013 compared to large cities. In Germany, our analysis shows weak differences in subjective social status between urban and rural areas, but large inequalities between the West and East. While this gap is still relevant today, it has partially decreased over the past decades. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using a regional evolutionary perspective and a cross-regional data panel for 278 European Union regions, this study investigates the relationship between regional digital development and labour market resilience. To address a fundamental concern of regional studies, it proposes an analytical framework that assesses digital disparities in the spatial context and provides a nuanced understanding of digital dimensions impacting labour market resilience. The primary labour market outcome, the employment rate, was evaluated to investigate the regional resilience in the Great Recession. A gradient boosting method was used to identify the digital predictors in different resilience stages and to articulate policy-relevant conclusions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article explores the regional disparities in water supply coverage in Pakistan in the context of intraregional development patterns. We applied the Gini index, Esteban and Ray index, and Moran's I to measure regional development patterns in terms of inequality, polarization, and spatial concentration and build an integrated framework combining them with other widely accepted factors to understand regional differences in water coverage quantitatively. Our results show that improved water (tap and pump water) is more widely supplied in Pakistan with lower inequality but higher spatial concentration than tap water supply coverage, although the patterns differ by urban–rural divisions and provinces. Western regions with smaller populations tend to have higher tap water coverage, and eastern regions with large populations are more covered by improved water. The regression models show various mechanisms of improved water and tap water coverage. Both are related to local economic conditions but tap water coverage is more related to local environmental conditions, and improved water is more related to local demographic conditions. Strong and dense population centers decrease improved water coverage but promote tap water coverage. Urban planners and policymakers should address polycentric regional development to fulfill various development targets and improve regional equity of drinking water coverage in terms of accessibility, availability, and quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Climate change, primarily caused by human activities, leads to persistent alterations in Earth's long-term weather patterns and temperatures, resulting in substantial regional climate disparities that significantly impact agricultural output. In the realm of sustainable citriculture, climate change poses a notable challenge by inducing abiotic stresses within citrus-producing regions. Projections suggest rising air temperatures by 2.2-5.1 °C, heightened instances of temperatures exceeding 30 °C during dry spells, freezing events, a reduction in rainfall by at least 4%, and amplified monsoonal precipitations. Such changes will inevitably affect citrus tree physiology and yield quality. The intricate connection between external climatic conditions and crucial physiological processes underscores the profound influence of climate change. Temperature fluctuations can disrupt leaf photosynthesis, stomatal conductance, flower and fruit development, fruit sugar production, coloration, abscission, carbohydrate accumulation, and ultimate fruit yield. This comprehensive review delves into the specific repercussions of climate change on citrus cultivation, focusing on variables like temperature variations, water availability, light intensity, atmospheric CO2 concentration, and salinity stress. Our exploration elucidates the adverse impact of these stressors on citrus crops, while highlighting innovative tactics and emerging technologies, including advanced monitoring systems, precision irrigation, automated climate regulation, molecular priming through biostimulants, shade netting, and particle film technologies. By mitigating the adverse effects of environmental stressors, these strategies empower citrus growers to navigate challenges like excessive solar radiation, temperature fluctuations, soil moisture management, erosion prevention, and enhanced soil quality. These combined efforts forge a path toward a more resilient citriculture capable of effectively countering the abiotic stresses stemming from climate change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The economic consequences of COVID-19 were severe with restricted economic activity generating a liquidity crisis for many firms. To address the systemic impact of this liquidity shock, governments around the world rapidly introduced a range of loan guarantee schemes. In the UK, more than 1 million businesses accessed these schemes. Using a novel, comprehensive dataset, this paper explores the regional distribution of access to these schemes and how this was mediated by regional differences in lending institution. Our results show that while the schemes were national and unaligned with regional policy, access favoured firms in poorer regions, and regional differences in lending institutions had a significant influence on the nature of lending. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The literature argues that tourism development decreases regional inequality. Brazil has one of the most unequal regional income distributions in the world. This research note aims to measure the economic impact of domestic tourism expenditure on regional inequality in Brazil. We use an inter-regional input–output model calibrated for the five macro-regions of Brazil. The main results indicate that the Northeast has felt the highest economic impact among Brazilian regions due to domestic tourism expenditure. Furthermore, domestic tourism has helped to reduce Brazilian regional inequality. Policymakers should improve the tourism sector in order to maximize this effect, especially in poor regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper analyses the impact of degree of urbanization on child material deprivation in Spain. Using the EU-SILC 2009 and 2014 special modules on material deprivation, we find that living in a city or town increases child material deprivation to a larger extent than household material deprivation and income. Differentiating by needs, the provision of children's basic needs does not respond to household material deprivation, income or degree of urbanization, whereas the provision of educational/leisure needs does. Our findings might be of help in designing more effective policies intended to alleviate the incidence of child material deprivation beyond income-related programmes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this article is to analyze the evolution of Brazilian regional economic inequalities in the long-run. The theoretical basis is the "spatially unbalanced growth," approach largely influenced by Albert Hirschman and Nicholas Kaldor's perspectives. I examine data from 1900 at the national level, analyzing GDP growth, investment rate, and manufacturing share. Using data on GDP at the subnational level (Brazilian regions and states), I calculated the Coefficients of Variation and Williamson from 1939 to 2010. Based on this movement, I propose an interpretation of the evolution of Brazilian regional economic inequalities that considers national economic dynamics, institutional and structural changes, as well as the role of regional policies. I concluded that the tendencies of increasing regional inequalities until 1970 and their subsequent decrease, as well as their recent propensity to stabilization, are related to a cumulative causation trajectory of these drivers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Urban shrinkage is becoming a worldwide issue. However, empirical investigation still lacks an understanding of the spatial extent of the factors that drive local population decline, a prevalent aspect of urban shrinkage. Empirical evidence on multilevel factors relating to population decline is particularly scarce. We investigated the influences by analyzing economic, social, physical, and policy conditions at the local and regional levels. Regional conditions, as well as local conditions, are also related to the decline of the local population. The effect goes beyond economic and demographic conditions; conditions such as the local infrastructure level and development policy also significantly influence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article examines New Zealand's historical, geographical, political, and economic-driven regional disparities and evaluates successive government policies aiming to address these inequities. By utilising the Māori proverb 'ka mua ka muri' for discourse analysis, we chronologically categorise regional development policies into three periods: pre-neoliberal reform, post-reform until 2017, and recent government investments in regions. Our study highlights recurring policy failures due to factors such as short-term political vision, and an emphasis on competitive over comparative advantages in resource allocation. To rectify past shortcomings, we propose a dual framework grounded in Universalism and Particularism, suggesting a national spatial strategy paired with tailored regional development policies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Following economic reforms, China has become one of the premiere destinations for foreign capital; however, the benefits of this spectacular growth are not evenly distributed. Since the beginning of the 2000s, the Chinese government has designed and implemented policies to encourage foreign investment in central and western provinces to help decrease the significant distributional differences in regional industrial value-added, with limited success. In contrast to previous literature, this paper uses Panel Least Squares method to analyze empirically the impact of industrial sector FDI on Chinese regional inequality in industrial value-added 2003–2013, using three Chinese regions. The lack of prerequisite institutional structure to aid in FDI absorption affects location choices. Despite government policies to support inland regional economic development, foreign firms still prefer to invest in coastal provinces, further illustrating the effects of regional clusters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work focuses on the role that interregional migration within a country can play in fostering intragenerational income mobility through its effect on households' participation in business venture. Unique panel data on Chinese households from 2015 to 2019 identifies migration experience and provides detailed information on income and entrepreneurial activities. Our key finding is that migration increases upward economic mobility within cohorts by enhancing opportunities of entrepreneurship, and this pattern is more salient in regions with more severe inequality. Consequently, migrant population in these areas enjoy greater chances when climbing income ladders, which may further alleviate regional income inequality in the long run. The estimation results remain robust when winsorising income, using sub-samples of follow-up households in repeated surveys and altering the scale of income mobility. The analysis in this article, coupled with literature on migration and entrepreneurship, provides a new perspective on how free migration matters in improving intragenerational mobility and longer-term income distribution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper evaluates the role of regional spillovers of knowledge in Brazilian municipalities. The main hypothesis here is that regional inequalities restrict the knowledge spillovers in developing economies. We use a random-effects spatial panel model with data for two years, 2010 and 2015. Estimations indicate that regional spillovers of knowledge are important for innovation in Brazilian municipalities. The local scientific structure and economic specialization are also relevant for municipal innovativeness. The findings herein also provide evidence suggesting that spillovers are spatially restricted and will tend to reinforce the long-term regional imbalances in the Brazilian innovation system in the foreseeable future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Fay–Herriot (FH) model is widely used in small area estimation (SAE) for aggregated level data, but in several applications presence of spatial effect between contiguous or neighboring region cannot be denied which is not handled by this model. Conditional Autoregressive and Simultaneous Autoregressive specifications do incorporate spatial associationship while taking into account the spatial correlation effects among areas. However, none of these approaches implement the idea of spatially varying covariates through spatially dependent fixed effect parameters. Such approach in statistics is known as spatial nonstationarity. This article introduces spatial nonstationary version of FH model considering hierarchical Bayesian paradigm and then deliberates estimation of small area means. The proposed SAE approach is evaluated through extensive simulation studies. The empirical results from simulation studies demonstrate the superiority of proposed spatial nonstationary SAE method over the nonspatial and stationary alternatives. The method is also applied to estimate paddy (green) crop yield at district level in the state of Uttar Pradesh in India using survey data from the improvement of crop statistics scheme and linked with Census data. A spatial map presents a quick view to the regional variations or disparity in district level yield estimates and are certainly helpful to the decision makers for identifying the regions and areas requiring more attention for designing targeted interventions and policy development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]