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Kabupaten Brebes merupakan salah satu wilayah yang terkena dampak pembangunan Tol Trans Jawa. Pembangunan infrastruktur jalan (jalan tol) mendorong terjadinya perubahan tata guna lahan dari satu peruntukan ke peruntukan lainnya. Diantara perubahan tersebut adalah adanya penyempitan lahan sawah karena terkonversi menjadi peruntukan lainnya. Tujuan penelitian ini adalah untuk menganalisis perubahan tata guna lahan dan luas lahan sawah di kabupaten Brebes sebagai pengaruh pembangunan jalan tol pada tiga titik tahun yaitu tahun 2011, 2016, dan 2019. Penelitian ini menggunakan Analisis Spasial (Overlay) ArcGIS 10.4, menggunakan data peta land use 2011 dari BPN, peta land use 2016 dari Dinas Pengelolaan Sumber Daya Air dan Penataan Ruang Kabupaten Brebes, dan peta land use 2019 hasil digitasi menggunakan Google Earth dan Sentinel. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan terjadinya perubahan tata guna lahan termasuk didalamnya terjadi konversi lahan sawah ke peruntukkan lainnya. Perubahan tata guna lahan pada rentang tahun 2011-2019 didominasi dengan pengurangan luas lahan sawah dan hutan. Luas lahan sawah di kabupaten Brebes pada tahun 2011 adalah 79.245,41 ha, sedangkan pada tahun 2016 menjadi 68.312,28 ha, atau mengalami konversi seluas 10.933,12 ha (13,80%) dan pada tahun 2019 menjadi 63.496,65 ha atau mengalami konversi seluas 4.815,64 ha (7,05%). Di sisi lain terjadi pula penambahan luas kawasan permukiman dan tegalan/ladang. Luas permukiman pada tahun 2011 yaitu 12.321,58 ha, pada 2016 menjadi 21.487,62 ha atau bertambah seluas 9.166,04 ha (74,39%), dan pada tahun 2019 menjadi 24.062,54 ha atau bertambah seluas 2.574,92 ha(28,09%). Luas tegalan pada 2011 yaitu 1.556,28 ha, pada 2016 menjadi 6.923,,42 ha atau bertambah seluas 5.367,14 ha (344,87%) dan pada tahun 2019 menjadi 10.977,37 ha atau bertambah seluas 4.053,95 ha (75,53%).

Kesenjangan dan ketidakmerataan pembangunan menjadi sebuah tantangan bagi daerah-daerah yang sedang berkembang sehingga menentukan pusat-pusat pelayaan menjadi hal yang sangat perlu dilakukan. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengetahui tingkat status perkembangan desa di Kabupaten Karawang, Provinsi Jawa Barat. Metode yang digunakan untuk menganalisis tingkat status perkembangan kawasan perdesaan adalah Skalogram dengan variabel aksesbilitas dan ketersediaan sarana dan prasaran pendidikan, kesehatan, ekonomi, dan lingkungan. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa pada hirarki I yang menyebar di 25 perdesaan yang menjadi pusat pertumbuhan dengan kelengkapan aksesbilitas dan jumlah jenis fasilitas memadai. Hirarki II yang menyebar di 83 perdesaan di berbagai kecamatan memiliki jumlah jenis fasilitas dan aksesbilitas yang cukup memadai, dan hirarki III dengan penyebaran di 201 perdesaan yang menjadi daerah terbelakang, dapat di artikan bahwa aksesbilitas yang sulit dan didukung oleh jumlah jenis fasilitas yang masih kurang memadai.

Makalah ini bertujuan untuk menganalisis pengaruh pendapatan asli daerah terhadap output untuk mengurangi disparitas daerah terhadap pembangunan ekonomi di Provinsi DIY. Analisis dalam makalah ini menggunakan model ekonometrik data panel yang menggambarkan pengaruh sumber pendapatan daerah terhadap output untuk mengurangi ketimpangan. Berdasarkan hasil penelitian, ditemui bahwa Dana Keistimewaan Yogyakarta belum memiliki pengaruh yang besar dalam mengatasi masalah ketimpangan pembangunan yang terjadi. Dana Keistimewaan Yogyakarta hanya berpengaruh signifikan terhadap belanja modal, dimana belanja modal sendiri memiliki pengaruh yang berbeda antara model kota dengan model kabupaten terhadap kinerja pembangunan.

This paper seeks to delve into the dynamic interplay between place and memory at the George Town UNESCO World Heritage Site, with a focus on how its physical monuments serve as vessels for collective memory and narrators of the city's history. This study engages with theoretical perspectives of memory and place to analyze commemorative processes and evaluates their role in maintaining cultural continuity and identity. The study conducted semi-structured interviews and distribute surveys among a carefully selected cross-section of George Town's populace, thus ensuring a representative narrative mosaic. The inquiry will include an assessment of the site and exploring its significance in the community's social fabric. The study recognizes the complexity of interpreting memories within ever-changing urban landscapes and addresses potential biases. Childhood memories, especially when structures remain, shape a person's image of a place. Their tales demonstrate their love for it. The length of a person's relationship with a place most affects their opinion. Long-term residents like it more. Place and memory are vital to commemorating George Town, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. This relationship must frequently be adapted to urban life. The city acknowledges memory interpretation, resolves prejudices about memorial traditions, and embraces inclusive narratives to preserve cultural memory for future generations. The outcomes will offer new insights into conservation strategies and enrich our understanding of historical urban environments.

Baubau City has the Buton Kraton Fortress, which is the largest fort in the world and an iconic tourist attraction in the city. Studies regarding tourists' bad experiences related to tourism at the Buton Kraton Fortress have not yet been explored. Bad experiences in cultural tourism activities can give rise to negative sentiments that influence visits to a destination. We used three approaches to explore this negative sentiment, namely interviews with five tourists who had come to enjoy the fort as well as a key person, autoethnography, and netnography. This study aims to explore negative sentiment in the Buton Kraton Fortress. The results show that negative sentiment by tourists, the local community, and online communities most often highlight the problems of waste, spatial and green planning, and city infrastructure. Talking about Buton Kraton Fortress cannot be limited to just the area surrounded by the fort structure but also the surrounding environment. It is very important to note that in planning and managing Buton Kraton Fortress, the approach used must be in line with history and culture itself. The aspects of authenticity, originality, uniqueness, variety, beauty, and integrity are the basis that must always be used because negative sentiment arises when these six aspects are not considered in the planning and management of the Buton Palace Fortress and its surrounding environment.

This research explores the application and potential of batik business actors in the implications of the circular economy (CE) model in Pekalongan, Indonesia. As a prominent cultural heritage, the batik industry is essential to the regional economy. However, conventional linear production and consumption practices have resulted in environmental challenges, resource depletion, and waste generation. By embracing CE principles that emphasize resource efficiency, waste reduction, and closed-loop systems, the batik industry in Pekalongan can develop sustainable and environmentally responsible practices. This study examines critical aspects of CE implementation, starting with community participation in the batik, drawing insights from successful CE implementation in other industries. The implementation of CE in other industries is the role of business actors in the business chain outside Kampong. This paper analyzes the potential benefits and challenges of implementing CE in the Pekalongan batik industry and the role of stakeholders in promoting circularity. By highlighting the feasibility of the CE model, the results of this research are that the level of community participation in implementing a CE has not been maximized with the potential remaining production output so that this aspect of the condition becomes a sustainable opportunity to encourage sustainable practices in the Pekalongan batik industry.

Penggunaan kendaraan pribadi semakin meningkat menyebabkan meningkatnya kemacetan. Rendahnya minat masyarakat dalam menggunakan BRT yang ditunjukkan dengan rendahnya load factor berdampak pada berhentinya pengoperasian BRT. Hal ini menjadikan adanya isu ketidakseimbangan antara supply dan demand transportasi. Dengan mengambil studi kasus di Kota Makassar, penelitian ini bertujuan untuk memodelkan pemilihan moda transportasi guna mengetahui potensi permintaan angkutan umum massal dalam mendukung kebijakan pengembangan angkutan umum massal. Penelitian ini menggunakan metode analisis discrete choice model dengan pendekatan disagregat dengan menggunakan data stated dan revaled preferences yang berasal dari 400 responden. Hasil analisis menunjukkan bahwa faktor yang berpengaruh terhadap pemilihan moda perjalanan berkaitan dengan karakteristik pelaku perjalanan, karakteristik perjalanan, karateristik fasilitas transportasi, persepsi terhadap moda, dan attitude. Probabilitas pemilihan angkutan umum lebih rendah (11%) dibandingkan kendaraan pribadi (52% untuk sepeda motor dan 24% untuk mobil). Lebih lanjut, analisis elastisitas menunjukkan bahwa BRT dan sepeda motor pribadi adalah moda transportasi yang paling sensitif terhadap perubahan terhadap perubahan biaya perjalanan. Guna dapat secara signifikan meningkatkan peluang permintaan terhadap BRT, tidak hanya diperlukan penurunan tarif BRT, namun juga biaya penggunaan kendaraan pribadi, terutama sepeda motor.

Abstract Based on limited theoretical applicability of metropolitan area concept under China’s circumstances and the planning practice in Greater Shanghai Metropolitan Area, this article proposes a Chinese understanding on the concept of “Metropolitan Area”, which extends its core connotation from a commuting area to a multi-functional area. It further proposes to utilize the preparation of spatial plans as means to promote high-quality development of metropolitan areas and to achieve coordinated regional development. Metropolitan area planning takes spatial planning as its basic attribute, and simultaneously embodies the contents of economic and social arrangements. It could become a binding contract based on consensus among member cities. In terms of technical innovations in planning practice, this article firstly suggests using a “problem-based, goal-targeted, action-driven, space-oriented and implementation-guided” approach to form a framework of “objective (indicator)-strategy-action-mechanism” to realize collaborative goals. Secondly, the spatial plan should focus on “bottom line factors” as well as “collaborative factors”, establishing a technical framework for regional spatial organization from multiple dimensions such as ecological pattern, city function, spatial structure, and conduction mechanism which drive transformations in regional governance modes.

Abstract The increase in urban population growth has contributed to the expansion of unplanned settlements, especially in developing countries. Triggered by the lack of government oversight, the expansion of these settlements is characterized by unique economic, social, physical, and functional attributes. This study aims at exploring the physical features of unplanned settlements in District 4th of Herat city, western Afghanistan. Employing a mixed-research method, we integrated spatial analysis using Geographic Information Systems (GIS) into detailed field observations to get a better understanding of the characteristics of the formation of these informal settlements. Our findings shed light on a number of key physical features including irregular street layouts, inadequate drainage systems, and substandard construction materials, irregular buildings in term of layout, number of floors, and building density. The features of unplanned urban morphology contribute to socio-economic loss and environmental degradation due to the absence of critical infrastructures including water infrastructures and the presence of unplanned streets in under-resourced unplanned settlements. In fact, the absence of government’s efforts in monitoring the development of unplanned settlements hinders the provision of essential services and infrastructures in the informal settlement communities. Our assertion is that the findings of this research will help policy makers in Afghanistan to reconsider their policies and decisions on urban development and growth, particularly in the poorer and under-served unplanned settlements in major cities in Afghanistan.

Abstract Urbanization is occurring at an unprecedented rate in developing countries like Ethiopia, especially with the rapid growth of industrialization. However, this urbanization and industrial development surge puts immense pressure on preparing and implementing city spatial plans. Urban spatial planning plays a crucial role in shaping the development of cities, aiming to create livable and sustainable urban development. The plan-making process and its subsequent implementation often encounter challenges that hinder the realization of planned objectives. Galan and Dukem, cities near Addis Ababa’s capital, have seen substantial industrial investment in recent decades. This article explores the challenges associated with urban spatial planning and industrial development while proposing alternative approaches. The paper relies on information gathered from primary and secondary sources, including expert surveys and key informants’ interviews. The research highlights that industrial developments have led to significant and uncontrolled changes in urban land use and urbanization in the study areas. Due to the lack of clear planning guidelines and institutional capacity, the study cities are experiencing haphazard development without effective urban spatial plans. Proximity to Addis Ababa has driven the urbanization process through increased investments. The article contends that effective management of urbanization and industrialization can create enjoyable living conditions and foster job growth. Macroeconomic policies, including industrial policies, should pay attention to spatial elements and prevent policy-making processes that are “space-blind”. This, however, requires clairvoyance and a high level of expertise, integrating inputs from advocacy planning and community participation to bridge gaps and ensure effective urban spatial plans and industrialization processes.

Abstract This paper comprehends the global research scenario about incorporating cultural components in contemporary urban planning practice. Various urban cultural elements have been analysed under the umbrella of ‘Urban Cultural Dynamics’ (UCD). This study aims to identify hot spots and explore influential sources through a bibliometric investigation of the evolutionary patterns of cultural dynamics in urban planning research. Data was collected from the Web of Science core collection (1965-2021). The data mining tools VOSviewer, Biblioshiny, KNIME, and WordStat were used to analyse hot topics, keywords, influential journals, core papers, top authors, and cooperation networks of countries and institutions. The Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) is employed in journal analysis. The analysis showed that publications on UCD increased exponentially between 2016 and 2022. Italy (32), China (26), and Spain (18) are the top countries in total publications. Technical universities of Dresden and Munich have the most significant influence on UCD's research, with 103 and 101 total citations, respectively. Landscape and Urban Planning, Journal of Cultural Heritage, and Tourism Geographies are the top three consistently influential journals. The top ten core papers were identified. The keywords and topic analysis charted out the evolution of multidisciplinary UCD research topics. The hotspot analysis revealed the significance of cultural dynamics in sustainable urban development. The results highlighted the need for intercontinental cooperation between developed countries and the third world. The future scope of research on UCD topics is discussed in the conclusion.

Abstract This article examines Ghana's land development and planning laws from a historical perspective. The methodology involves a documentary study of historical records to explore the evolution of these laws, spanning from the colonial period to the present. Through this approach it sheds light on significant milestones such as the 1988 local government changes, the land use decree's implementation by military juntas, and the identified deficiencies in the decree pertaining to physical planning. The expositions from this study show that Ghana has over the years adopted many land development and planning laws, that there is a visible demand for land among people and a desire by developers to use their land. The topic of planning is thus a significant area for stakeholders in Ghana. The study, therefore, recommends that, given the fact that land development and planning laws are here to stay, and that people are the primary drivers of social change, these laws should respect the culture and norms of the people, and should as well always incorporate active public engagement for stakeholders to feel a sense of ownership and belongingness in the entire process.

The present study investigates the interconnected dynamics among digitalisation, workplace skills and the industrial diversification process of regions. By underscoring the multifaceted nature of these relationships, it explores how digital skills influence the evolution of industries across diverse regions, shedding light on their spatial distribution and impact on regional development trajectories. Additionally, the paper emphasises the nuanced interplay between digital skills and the path-dependent factors, relatedness and complexity, addressing their collective impact on regional economic landscapes.

This paper investigates the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the functioning of the Regional Administrative Courts (TAR) in Italy. For this purpose, we constructed two databases covering the period from 2018 to 2021, gathering macroeconomic and microeconomic data from the TARs of the Italian regions (NUTS-2). Despite the brevity of the period, the availability of data allows us to perform a comprehensive analysis with econometric models for micro and macro data. Empirical findings suggest the existence of two-fold and simultaneous effects of COVID-19 on the efficiency of administrative courts: on one hand, the advent of COVID-19 has led to the reorganisation of courts and related-activities, prolonging the duration of administrative disputes. On the other hand, COVID-19 has introduced measures to limit face-to-face activities, such as holding hearings in person, and adopting information and communications technologies (ICTs) to prosecute judicial activities. This measure proved beneficial to the proper functioning of the Italian TARs by reducing the duration of administrative proceedings. Policy implications indicate that the digitalisation of administrative procedures, not only during COVID-19, is crucial for enhancing the promptness of the administrative disputes of the Italian TARs.

This paper analyses the regional economic impacts of COVID-19 in Ireland. The results show regional labour market impacts were related to pre-existing economic structures rather than infection rates. Drivers of the employment shock were found to be regional specialisms in tourism focused sectors. Cushions were provided by regional specialisms in agriculture, healthcare and the knowledge intensive service sectors. For more rural regions that appeared more resilient to the labour market shock, cushions were likely provided by employment in slower growth potential sectors. During the recovery phase, these cushions can become anchors contributing to regional divergence. Consequently, some regions less severely impacted by the pandemic shock may, in fact, face more difficult structural challenges in the longer term. The pandemic has thus exacerbated pre-existing structural issues that are likely related to the observed regional economic divergence and findings of regional development traps since the recovery from the previous recessionary period of the 2010s. The broad implication is that that the regional recovery from the pandemic will not be based purely on short term COVID-19 exposure. In general terms, regional policy should look beyond the initial pandemic shocks to the key underlying development issues. A central point here is that there are no quick transformational fixes rather long-term structural imbalances need to be met. The key policy challenge, in the Irish case, is to avoid the trend from the previous economic crisis of regional divergence during the recovery phase.

This paper explores the location determinants of coworking spaces (CSs) in the Chinese capital of Beijing, thus filling the gap in the literature about CS location in urban China. The study applies a count data model (CDM) to the data collected in 2022 to answer three research questions: (1) Where are CSs located and what are the location determinants? (2) How does Beijing’s urban structure affect CS location determinants? (3) What role do creative industry specialisation, variety, government facilities and incentives play in CS location? The findings reveal that CSs in Beijing – most of them promoted by public authorities – tend to cluster in the central city where there is a high diversity of knowledge-intensive and creative industries. The semi-polycentric urban structure of Beijing affects the location of CSs by creating localised activity hubs. Furthermore, the study finds evidence that creative industry specialisation and variety are crucial factors in CS location. In addition, government facilities and incentives play a key role in driving their locations.

Cities are the frontiers of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) adopted in the United Nations 2030 Agenda. Although quantitative methods have been applied to assess cities’ sustainability progress, knowledge gaps exist in the differences between inland and coastal cities’ performance and their internal variations against common standards. Using the Voronoi-based kaleidoscope diagram embedded in two circular plots, the article visualises the overall sustainability progress of China’s inland and coastal cities in economy, society, biosphere and partnership. By measuring overall progress with circular length and individual scores with kaleidoscope area size, triple inland-coastal gaps and trifold intracoastal inequalities were highlighted, as well as city types characterised by economy-society balance and land–sea relation. References for implementing sustainable development transformations for coastal cities were derived, along with the circular-kaleidoscope diagram’s potential for checking the pulse of cities’ performances in further uses and finishing the circle.

The study of agency has received increasing attention in recent years. The focus on change processes at the micro-level has brought new insights into the field of regional development. However, in debates about change and regional development, agents and leaders themselves have received far less attention than agency as a process. We provide an analytical model to show how political leaders and their leadership act as drivers of change through what we call actor properties (i.e., knowledge, networks and resources). We discuss how actor properties interact with the institutional context in which leaders operate and the various transitions from a political leader's legitimacy to the legacy of their political action. Empirical investigations of two peripheral regions in Italy and Norway illustrate how political leaders act as agents of change in geographical areas characterised by different socioeconomic and institutional contexts.

This research aimed to identify the principal factors predicting social welfare and inequality in the neighbourhoods of Madrid city. A comprehensive dataset representing various socioeconomic metrics of Madrid’s neighbourhoods is analysed utilising different linear regression models and the XGBoost machine learning algorithm. The findings indicate that demographic variables play a crucial role in shaping social welfare and inequality in Madrid's neighbourhoods, with the percentage of women, and the percentage of children under 14 years old and adults over 65 years old being the most important variables for predicting social welfare and inequality in the studied neighbourhoods. Contrary to expectations, the average net income per household does not emerge as a significant predictor. Policymakers and urban planners should consider these factors to ensure equitable development and welfare distribution. The low impact of average net income per household on social welfare and inequality observed in this study should be regarded with some caution, but our findings certainly underline the need for a deeper understanding of socioeconomic dynamics in urban settings.

Counterurban migration is known to be driven by lifestyle motivations, in which employment considerations are more of an enabling factor than a driver. In this paper, the self-reported motives, along with labour-market and lifestyle outcomes, of counterurban migration are investigated. The focus is on trade-offs between work-related and lifestyle-related amenities for different subgroups based on recent survey data in Sweden collected from families with children in 2018–2019 who left metropolitan regions. The key results indicate that, overall, counterurban movers are satisfied with their decision and the majority cite the importance of lifestyle amenities over work-related amenities. Our conclusion is that, besides voluntary trade-offs, counterurban migration does not necessarily pose a trade-off between labour-market and lifestyle-related amenities since, to a large extent, individuals reported better outcomes in both areas. This study makes two contributions. Firstly, the data considers self-reported outcomes, including labour-market outcomes beyond income and lifestyle outcomes. Secondly, we explore individual characteristics of counterurban migrants in relation to post-migration outcomes in different destinations.

Entrepreneurial ecosystem (EE) is a novel perspective to analyse the interplay between support systems and businesses in regions. Simultaneously, universities have been playing increasingly important roles in entrepreneurship, fostering economic growth both through the wider regional economy (RE) and their own university EEs (UEEs). Entrepreneurs in residence (EiRs), chosen by universities as exemplar entrepreneurs, therefore provide potentially important conduits between the regional economy, UEEs and entrepreneurs, leading us to explore how and why do EiRs and universities interact in relation to entrepreneurial ecosystems to enhance the regional economy? Our qualitative study of a UK university case, conducted in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic which severely impacted many businesses’ access to resources, gives a particular temporal context to this research. It identifies accessing resources, building legitimacy and undertaking bridging activities as the three highest-level dimensions characterising EiR–university interactions, which have relevance for both the UEE and regional economy more widely, offering a framework for future EiR programmes. This study contributes to the regional entrepreneurship and EE literature, by examining the role of regional universities as anchor tenants and catalysts of entrepreneurial growth and resilience within regions, and calls for further research into the evolution of EiR–university interactions in different institutional contexts.

This article explores the question of the integration ability of peripheral regions into innovation-led growth. While previous research has suggested that peripheral regions may be at a disadvantage, recent studies have argued that there may be potential benefits to their integration into the innovation process. This article offers a different approach for the examination of this controversy. First, it uses knowledge-based occupations as a measure of innovation activity (instead of types of activities such as startups, high-tech activities or services). Second, it considers innovation advance under two perspectives: demand (as measured by types of occupations installed in a region) and supply (as measured by types of occupations of the resident labour force). We use regression analysis to compare trends in the last two decades in Israel.Although findings indicate a process of adaptation of both periphery and centre to the innovation trend (in terms of increasing relative growth of high-level occupations), both in terms of supply and demand, steady gaps between the growth coefficients lead to a process of degradation of the periphery: lower increase of skills in the periphery and lower adaptation of demand to increasing skills. This results in a higher commuting rate (or migration) of skilled workers from the periphery, a substantial relative concentration of blue-collar occupations and an increasing supply of unskilled workers to the centre.The prevention or attenuation of such a process requires the consideration of policy measures regarding the prevailing ecosystem factors.

Based on two case studies in Germany, this study disentangles development traps by focusing on the role of narratives and imaginaries in peripheral regions. Drawing on 43 interviews and two focus groups, it shows how regions move towards development traps despite putative new opportunities through green transitions. The study highlights different narrative dimensions and how they serve as indicators for regional development trajectories. It expands the understanding of development traps and peripheral regions by showing how stories and imaginaries held by key actors materialise and become regional realities and calls for more place sensitivity.

When COVID-19 (coronavirus disease 2019) struck Spain, it caused a multidimensional crisis that sparked countless debates on its health, social and political implications. Drawing on the literature on multilevel crisis management and federalism, this paper focuses on the impact of the pandemic on the Spanish intergovernmental relations between 2020 and 2022. This research demonstrates that several intergovernmental coordination and cooperation mechanisms were activated or reactivated at the political and technical levels. This change improved joint decision-making and strengthened the system’s own capacity to cope with future crises. In particular, this article shows how and to what extent the health crisis broke down the existing logic of discretionary collaboration and increased coherence among regional governments by strengthening the role of central ministries. Three movements have been observed and measured consisting in a growing institutionalisation, coordination and cross-sectoral logic of action. Consequently, we conclude that intergovernmental relations in Spain have been strengthened by the pandemic under the leadership of central ministries. The Spanish intergovernmental system has demonstrated its capacity to adapt to external shocks and its learning ability.

Benchmarking has been deemed useful for the study of regional competitiveness and innovation and is quickly expanding. The aim of this work is the formulation and validation of a method to select the right regions to compare. The proposed method is of general application and can therefore be used by any region across the world wishing to benchmark against others in the field of competitiveness and innovation. This method is carried out in two successive stages. In the first stage, regions with higher innovation and competitiveness than the region under study are identified. In the second, a subset of regions with a resource base similar to the one under study is selected, which makes them suitable for the comparison. The method is validated by applying it to a European region. The results show the validity and robustness of the proposed method.

The primary purpose of this paper is to call for more research on the competencies needed to promote sustainable urban development. Our premise is that sustainable urban development does not occur without transcending differing interests and identifying novel ways to collaborate across organisational and institutional boundaries. Relatedly, sustainable urban development calls for mobilisation and pooling of scattered assets. Therefore, sustainable urban development calls for enhanced competencies that significantly differ from the traditional capabilities valued in public administration. This premise leads us to determine what competencies are needed to support sustainable urban development and to ask how fragmented capabilities can be pooled to serve the common purpose. Sustainable urban development necessitates transformative system change, dependent on diverse stakeholders, relying on many actors’ knowledge and capabilities instead of a few selected actors’ expertise. To achieve a systemic perspective, we need to be able to group the capabilities and competencies; otherwise. We propose a conceptual framework drawing on insights from public administration, management studies, organisation studies, and the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) that might allow us to move from individual capabilities to shared competencies and collective learning processes, thus adding analytical leverage to our efforts to strengthen the competencies embedded in systems but held by individuals. For analytical purposes, we adopt the concept of the competence set. It is geared toward identifying how different capabilities of many actors could be integrated at a systemic level so that a set would serve both the entire urban system and the actors embedded in it.

ABSTRACTThis article applies a modified perspective of inclusive growth in order to understand the diversity of communities within a remote and predominantly rural region of northern Europe. A transdisciplinary process co-constructed an enhanced and regionally appropriate framework of inclusive growth, which recognised the importance of evaluating the concept as multidimensional and affected by the uneven contexts of physical geography and connectivity, and social characteristics, which influence development potential and community resilience, and which extend the relevance of inclusive growth to rural places. Operationalisation of this framework was achieved at the local level through quantitative multivariate analysis, which identified underlying dimensions of inclusive growth ‘performance’ representing interactions of broad economic outcomes and variation in geographical and social contexts, and then clusters of locations with similar characteristics. The evidence of multidimensional and geographical inequalities from this analysis was evaluated using a spatial justice perspective, enhancing the applicability of an inclusive growth framing as a means of understanding the wellbeing economy and rural diversity. Conceptually, the regionally-sensitive understanding of inclusive growth performance builds on and develops existing broader framings of inclusive growth. To avoid leaving places behind, policies which seek to achieve inclusive growth should recognise and adapt to nuanced and localised inequalities.

ABSTRACTThis article examines how trust between the regional government and its citizens contributes to the embodiment of participatory policymaking at the provincial level and impacts regional development. Different from previous studies on trust, which focused primarily on quantitative approaches and thereby left the social-political context out, this study employs a qualitative approach to present more profound findings and contextual aspects that reflect actors’ trust. The context is the existence of a local political dynasty that dominates the political, bureaucratic and business arenas. It also captures a regional development paradox in which a province is persistently underprivileged among well-developed adjacent regions. Primary data collection involves in-depth interviews with selected business actors, academics, NGOs and high-, middle- and low-ranking government officials at the provincial level. The findings reveal a lack of trust between the regional government and citizens, which explains poor participation in policymaking hence sluggish regional development. Each actor seems to lack the necessary competence, integrity and benevolence to cooperate in regional policymaking. These findings also fill a theoretical gap left by previous studies on trust which have primarily focused on citizen trust in government. At the same time, this article also pays more attention to government trust in citizens, which remains understudied.

ABSTRACTNeighbourhood commercial centres (NCC) are dynamic hubs that provide essential goods, promote community bonds and drive economic growth. Despite numerous studies on shopping behaviour, there remains a notable gap in understanding how transportation and shopping centre-related factors collectively shape the attractiveness of the NCCs, especially in developing countries like India. This research aims to understand why some NCCs outperform others in terms of attractiveness. This study proposes the neighbourhood commercial centre attractiveness index (NCCAI), which is developed by collecting 455 samples from 13 NCCs with the help of a primary survey to understand how different factors influence the attractiveness of NCCs in the Indian planned city context. The study used principal component analysis (PCA) and identified five major components that significantly contribute to NCC’s attractiveness. Further, the weightage of the components was determined through two distinct approaches: one based on PCA results and the other utilising the analytic hierarchy process (AHP) with expert opinion data. Finally, the more reliable weights from these two methodologies were selected using analysis of covariance (ANCOVA). The NCCAI can help urban planners, store owners and retail managers, providing data-driven insights to enhance overall NCC attractiveness. The decomposable nature of NCCAI allows for component score breakdown, enabling planners and policymakers to allocate resources strategically.

ABSTRACTDuring the pandemic, our needs and expectations of our housing stock rapidly expanded to cope with demands of lockdowns, working from home and restricted access to other neighbourhoods. Empirical studies over the last few years indicate how concepts such as multifunctionality, responsiveness, social connectivity and localisation became critical. In many cases, the pandemic deepened existing housing-related inequities. Households already struggling with lower incomes found themselves contending with even more challenges: constrained spaces, inadequate heating and the noise of neighbours. Given the strong link between housing and health, there is an urgent need to understand the ability of our current housing stock to meet the demands of such ‘shocks’. Of particular importance is the concept of resilience in housing systems. Resilience has become ubiquitous in policy discourse but is underdeveloped and undertheorised. We thus use actor-network theory (ANT) concepts to develop a multi-level conceptualisation of resilience, arguing that ‘housing resilience’ unfolds on five levels: resilience within an individual dwelling, within housing supply, within the housing supply chain, between dwellings and communities and between dwellings and the natural environment. We then demonstrated the robustness of this conceptualisation by mobilising it as a lens for an analysis, starting with 11 state-level housing policies in Australia. We selected the ‘best practice’ housing policy with the most extensive reference to resilience. We then evidenced how our multi-level conceptualisation allows us to identify critical gaps even in this ‘exemplar’ housing policy, interrogate its structure and prioritise future action plans.

ABSTRACTCittaslow emerged as a response to globalisation's devastating effects, particularly to small cities’ local economies and the fast-paced and homogenised lifestyle in urban areas. Cittaslow has been promoting a local development approach based on a community's way of life. However, the present literature on Cittaslow mainly focuses on tourism and destination development. The concept of Cittaslow itself appears to have become a global brand for small cities. Considering this, the paper aims to extend current knowledge of Cittaslow. The main research goal of this paper is to examine the extent to which Cittaslow provides a sustainable urban development policy. For the investigation, qualitative research is structured using the requirement of excellence. Cittaslow policies are evaluated based on sustainable urban development. Two cities from different countries are selected to compare these policies in diverse planning contexts. Field studies and interviews were conducted in two small cities: Abbiategrasso, a neighbouring city of Milan and Seferihisar, located within the Izmir Metropolitan Region. The findings indicate that Cittaslow policies focus on sustainable development. However, there are various complex issues in the related official documents. In both cities, interviews indicate numerous initiatives to implement Cittaslow policies and improve their quality of life. Seferihisar encountered difficulties because of its recognition as a designated ‘slow city’ brand. Without a comprehensive planning strategy, Cittaslow cities may risk jeopardising their unique local way of life. The main focus is to provide recommendations for enhancing current Cittaslow policies.

ABSTRACTIn developing countries the most marginalised and disadvantaged people are in rural, remote and regional areas and social enterprises in these areas – rural social enterprises (RSEs) – have been identified as key development actors in this context. However, their impacts are rarely rigorously measured. Our study fills this gap by measuring an RSE’s social impact in a developing country. A smallholder farmers’ survey (n = 1021) is utilised in a propensity score-based method which allowed us to generate counterfactual and estimate outcomes between members and non-members of an RSE. This method was complemented by a stakeholder focus group discussion. Predictors of participation and social impacts of the RSE are identified besides an evaluation of its interventions. Results generate implications for social enterprise practitioners, supporters and policymakers interested in applying RSEs as local and regional development actors as well as researchers involved in social impact measurement.

ABSTRACTThe COVID-19 pandemic has brought about a significant impact on people's lives, both in terms of health and socioeconomic aspects. The pandemic has led to a shift in the work environment, with a massive increase in the number of people working from home due to movement restrictions. In this study, we analyse data from two waves (2019 and 2020) of the Swiss Labour Force Survey to investigate the prevalence of working from home in Switzerland before and during the pandemic. The study has two aims: to identify the characteristics of Swiss teleworkers during the pandemic and to determine if there is a gender gap in working from home. The findings reveal that highly educated workers with children in high-level occupations are more likely to telework. However, there is a gender gap in teleworking in some sectors, since part-time workers, who are mostly women (74 percent), are less likely to work from home than full-time workers.

ABSTRACTIn the period after the 2008 financial crisis, the European Union and Brazil experienced, respectively, periods of regional divergence and convergence. The research developed in these two territories brings new evidence on the importance of non-territorial policies, that worked as indirect regional policy, for these trajectories. In the case of the EU, (direct) regional policy was not strong enough to counteract more non-territorial policies that acted in favour of divergence. In the case of Brazil, the absence of a relevant direct regional policy did not prevent convergence, since the government adopted a set of non-territorial sectoral policies that functioned as indirect regional policy. This is particularly relevant in the current European context, where prolonged social and economic stagnation or decline in many regions has been the source of discontent that is expressed electorally.

ABSTRACTThe frequency and severity of major disruptions (e.g., disasters, epidemics/pandemics) are increasing, significantly impacting business survival in regional areas. Using the dynamic capabilities approach, this paper reports on the recovery pathways and resilience of Australian regional businesses during the recent COVID-19 pandemic. A case study approach is adopted to explore the capabilities through which regional businesses can plan for, recover from, and develop strategies for building resilience. Using the data from 18 semi-structured interviews with business owners operating in different industry sectors and a web-based forum with 10 key stakeholders in regional South Australia, a dynamic capabilities resilience framework is developed. Results suggest that the dynamic capabilities approach during crises can become integral to the long-term business recovery of regional Australian businesses. By revealing both the determinants of business survival and the constraints regional businesses face during major crises, the study contributes information that businesses, government and non-government agencies that support them can use to develop effective recovery pathways, which is central to the future sustainability of regional Australia.

ABSTRACTThis paper tests how the patterns of residential property values in the Australian state New South Wales changed during the COVID-19 pandemic. Between 2019 and 2021, property values became relatively high in medium-sized towns and cities, suggesting those locations became more attractive. In its capital and largest city Sydney, the premium on proximity to the central business district (CBD), where employment is heavily concentrated, decreased after 2019 and that decrease persisted beyond the end of pandemic measures. The premium in Sydney on proximity to the beach has increased, but on a trajectory consistent with an existing trend. The decreased premium on proximity to the CBD since 2019 appears to have initially been related to the value of access via public transport, but then also to the value of access by car. The findings suggest shifts in regional development and urban form that could have implications for how cities are planned and developed.

ABSTRACTBuilding on the literature underscoring the importance of lending relationships and the role of banks’ structural and organisational features in favouring firms’ access to credit, we investigate the effect of branch closures on firms’ birth rates in the Italian local credit markets in 2000–2020. Despite the potential relevance, the implications of de-branching activity have received modest attention from scholars thus far. By employing various measures of branch closures and econometric methodologies, we find that the de-branching process negatively affects the establishment of new firms, and this detrimental impact appears stronger as the closures involve older branches. The results also show that our main findings seem ascribable to the closures carried out by large/medium-sized banks. As a policy implication, our work suggests that – although driven by technological transformations and banks’ necessity to rationalise costs – authorities should consider the potential negative consequences that bank de-branching may entail for new business creation.

ABSTRACTAcademic discussions have frequently examined the interrelation between regional employment growth and firm locations. Two growth patterns emerge: employment growth induced through new firm locations or vice versa, where firms locate in areas experiencing employment supply growth. The specific causal relationship responsible for regional employment growth in Germany remains uncertain. In the German context, however, more research is needed to identify contributors to employment growth, as most existing studies rely on highly aggregated data or focus on specific case studies. This paper aims to approach this subject by using a uniquely matched dataset of firm locations and the individual employment of 480 multi-locational firms in the knowledge economy and comparing it to total employment in Germany. We assume that a change in knowledge-intensive firms’ employment may affect regional employment growth. The study uses longitudinal historical employment data at the functional urban area (FUA) level from 1999 to 2019, aggregated to knowledge-intensive high-tech and advanced producer services (APS) sectors. The analysis employs aggregated and individual Granger causality tests, evaluating the relationship between employment in knowledge-intensive sectors and overall employment change. Results are spatialised using GIS to provide evidence of where the Granger causalities occur at the FUA level in Germany. Findings indicate that, in general, knowledge-intensive employment growth Granger causes total employment growth in a few economically more active FUAs. In contrast, for a greater number of FUAs, total employment Granger causes knowledge-intensive employment.

ABSTRACTAgainst the backdrop of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed between the Welsh and Basque Governments in 2018, this article introduces a multiscalar and transdisciplinary social sciences action research framework that emerged from a workshop held in May 2023. The workshop engaged stakeholders from both sides and is part of the broader ongoing project. This project seeks to address the main research question, ‘How do small nations cooperate?’ through the exploration of transregional cooperation and mutual learning between Wales and the Basque Country. The structure of the article is as follows: First, it commences with an introduction defining ‘small nations’, presenting the main research question, articulating two related aims, outlining three primary methodological goals and providing a broad context for these two small nations within the framework of their MoU. Second, following a brief description of each small nation, the article concurrently develops the action research methodological framework while analysing findings stemming from workshop discussions between stakeholders of Wales and the Basque Country. They addressed three intertwined territorial scale challenges: Macro, examined through devolution and fiscal federalism perspectives; Meso, explored through social innovations in urban spaces in Cardiff (SPARK) and Bilbao (ASFabrik); and Micro, investigated through grassroots innovations. Finally, the article concludes with an action research and policy agenda. It suggests one operational research question per territorial scale as the conclusion of this article, offering a response to the main research question. The conclusion acknowledges limitations and outlines future research and policy pathways for this ongoing project.

ABSTRACTThe rapid surge in large-scale land acquisitions (LSLAs) has been triggered by the convergence of food, financial and environmental crises in the late 2000s. Since the 2008 commodity price spike, several Asian countries have become preferential targets for LSLAs carried out by foreign companies and governments. The rising interest in Asian farmlands and natural resources arose in a complex set of political transitions and socioeconomic dynamics that have shaped the whole continent in the last decades. This study relies on a dataset built on different data sources, from 2003 to 2021 for a total of 14,724 million hectares involved in LSLAs in Asia. The southeastern region is the most targeted one, with Indonesia and the Philippines as the principal host countries. The main investors are intraregional and, especially in private or stock-exchange listed companies, are from China and Malaysia, who intend to produce palm oil or rubber. Results partially confirm the initial hypothesis, showing that the endowment of land and water resources in host countries is positively related to the amount of land acquired. Findings also show that investors are looking for free market areas, with low trade barriers and low fiscal pressure, where the protection of workers’ rights is lower than that in their homeland.

ABSTRACTThis paper meshes 1.7 million housing transactions across three US states (Iowa, Minnesota and Texas) between 2015 and 2021 with data on broadband infrastructure to evaluate the impact of fibre broadband availability on home prices. This was a period of dramatic fibre growth in these states: prior to 2019, fibre was only available to roughly 24% of the houses sold but rose to 54% in later years. A traditional hedonic pricing model that includes a wide array of housing characteristics and census block group-level fixed effects estimates the fibre premium at around 1% in all three states for the full 2105–2021 period. The fibre premium was higher in the earlier part of this period, likely reflecting its novelty during that time. A more rigorous instrumental variable approach estimates the fibre premium at 2% in Minnesota and 9% in Texas. A conservative national estimate of the increase in housing value from deploying ubiquitous fibre is $36 billion.

ABSTRACTNumerous studies have revealed that high-speed railways (HSRs) can efficiently reduce transportation costs for firms and therefore bring more business capacities to firms in regions with HSR services. This paper aims to adopt the difference-in-difference (DID) and PSM (propensity score matching) DID methods to examine the HSR’s causal effects on business costs. The author finds that business costs are significantly reduced due to the operation of HSR lines. Besides, private firms and firms in the secondary and tertiary sectors would experience more reductions of business costs encouraged by the HSR than state-owned and agricultural firms. The placebo test and parallel trend test have proved the feasibility of this study. Finally, this paper provides policy suggestions that the construction of HSR lines needs to be encouraged in order to promote the higher efficiency of business operations for firms and more-balanced spatial business developments in China.

ABSTRACTLatin American nations are highly urbanised around a small number of megacities that account for the majority of these nations’ productivity and population. Scholars of urban planning and economics argue these cities may be overly large, leading to environmental, transportation and housing issues that depress growth and increase economic inequality. We use fine-grained satellite data from 1992–2018 to document urban concentration in Latin America. We argue political decentralisation creates incentives to distribute urban populations more evenly throughout the territory. Our results demonstrate a strong empirical relationship between political decentralisation and lower urban concentration. We link our findings to literature on economic geography, political institutions and urbanisation, with broader implications for the politics of economic growth.

Alongside efforts to reduce carbon emissions, energy production and use took on new urgency last year, when Europe and other countries faced harsh realities regarding electricity availability and affordability; therefore, solutions are needed to avoid the consequences of the existing gas monopoly because electricity prices are directly correlated with gas prices. One possible alternative to solving this problem is to purchase sustainable electricity from countries with high potential to produce and sell electricity from renewable sources, such as Morocco. A detailed examination of the current situation and the mentioned potential above is required to find new solutions that can have significant political consequences. Publicly available secondary information and scientific literature were investigated to reflect the current situation; statistical information was collected and analyzed to find out the cases of energy transfer from Morocco to other countries; expert investigation was carried out to identify the specifics of problems related to renewable energy production and transmission to Europe. Actual cases of electricity transmission have been or are currently happening only between neighbouring countries Spain and Algeria. The electricity transmission with Algeria is interrupted due to political disagreements. Three future electricity transmission connections are planned: a substantial long-distance project - "Xlinks" with the UK; second, with Portugal, and discussions are underway regarding Mauritania. Morocco can become an essential actor by exporting electricity to Europe, considering its proximity to Spain and huge potential for solar and wind energy that can fulfil the needs of all of Europe. However, it is essential to pay attention; not only Europe but African countries are on the list of those who want to purchase Moroccan electricity.

The concept of a circular economy (CE) is a sustainable development strategy aimed at minimising waste and maximising resource efficiency. This paper explores the transition towards a circular economy in Nigeria, providing an overview of the challenges, opportunities, and future perspectives. Nigeria is rich in natural resources and has significant economic potential. However, the country faces severe environmental, economic, and social challenges that could be met with a circular economy. Although Nigeria has abundant natural resources and great economic potential, it faces many significant environmental, economic, and social challenges that must be addressed to move to a circular economy as a viable solution. The methods used in research are based on a mixed-methods research approach; the study synthesises findings from a comprehensive literature review, case studies of Nigerian businesses adopting CE practices, and insights from a SWOT analysis conducted in consultation with experts. The conclusions of the SWOT analysis, enriched by discussions with experts, form the basis for a set of targeted recommendations. These recommendations are aimed at policymakers, business leaders, and practitioners, outlining strategic actions to overcome the identified barriers and harness the opportunities inherent in a circular economy. This paper contributes to the scholarly discourse on sustainability and serves as a practical guide for other developing countries navigating the transition to a circular economy. It underscores the urgency and feasibility of adopting circular economy principles in Nigeria, highlighting the path towards a more sustainable, efficient, and economically robust future. In the study, prospects for Nigeria to benefit from include increased resource efficiency, job creation, economic diversification, and environmental sustainability if the circular economy approach were applied.

Zimbabwe grapples with a significant brain drain as many educated individuals seek better opportunities abroad. Given the decreasing number of highly educated individuals who remain in the country, their prospects of career advancement and wealth generation are expected to increase. This research aimed to investigate the impact of education on the employment status and income of individuals who stay in Zimbabwe. Cross-sectional data from the World Values Survey was used to characterize Zimbabwean respondents in relation to their employment status and income. To provide a comparative context, the results were juxtaposed with data from Australia and the United Kingdom (UK), popular destinations for Zimbabwean immigrants. Educated individuals in Zimbabwe face higher unemployment rates (22%) than those in Australia (2%) and the UK (3%). Additionally, educated Zimbabweans are more frequently self-employed (25%) than educated individuals in Australia (7%) and the UK (8%). Moreover, educated Zimbabweans are less likely to categorize themselves as high earners (10%) than Australians (38%) and UK residents (19%) with similar educational backgrounds. The significant disparities in employment rates, self-employment prevalence and perceived high-earning status between educated individuals in Zimbabwe and those in Australia and the UK underscore the challenges faced by educated individuals within Zimbabwean society. This research underscores the need for more job opportunities and the limited wealth creation prospects of highly educated individuals in Zimbabwe. If economic inclusivity is not fostered for the educated workforce, the brain drain will persist since opportunities will remain scarce, even for those who stay in the country. Targeted interventions to address structural issues and to promote a more inclusive economic environment in Zimbabwe are deemed necessary.

When olive mill wastewater is given directly to nature without being treated, natural waters become coloured, aquatic life is adversely affected, surface and underground waters are polluted, bad odours occur, and soil quality deteriorates. For these reasons, waste water is not allowed to be poured into soil and water without being discharged. This problem has become a problem that needs to be solved for the Mediterranean countries. With this study, acid cracking and chemical treatability studies achieved the conversion of the physicochemical pretreatment process of olive black water to an automation system. With the applied processes, removal efficiencies of 85% for Chemical Oxygen Demand, 99% for suspended solids, 97% for oil grease and 92% for phenol were obtained. Since the mixing processes of the tanks in the chemical additions are long, the heating chamber in the acid cracking process is designed larger than the tanks. Thus, when there is a black water density in the system, the heating tank in this system can be used as a heating and resting tank in sudden densities in this system. This waste separation process includes producing raw materials, protecting natural resources, and increasing sustainability. In particular, separating the phenol material and making it usable have been essential gains.

Social innovation is one of the key drivers of the sustainable development agenda of the Republic of South Africa in the wake of the new global focus on sustainable development. Furthermore, it is within the agenda of sustainable development that community development, poverty alleviation and eradication and the improvement of the living standards of all South Africans can be realised in the current era of connectivity, advanced analytics, automation, and advanced-manufacturing technology that has been transforming global business for years. Through the extensive review of purposively selected written documents such as journal articles, books, book chapters and newspapers, the paper discusses the role that social innovation plays in pursuing and attaining sustainable development in and by South Africa within the context of the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR). Succinctly, the focus of this manuscript is to analyse the role that social innovation in a 4IR context can be the conduit for improving how the government intensifies social and community development. The article indicated that lack of critical skills, scarcity of resources, poor accountability, poor organisational culture, lack of integrity, and low equity and inclusion, among others, were identified as the challenges to social innovation in South Africa. To this effect, the paper showed that the Fourth Industrial Revolution in South Africa can be used to drive social innovation and address urgent socioeconomic issues. It can also promote inclusive growth and build a more sustainable and equitable future for all South Africans.

The Auditor-General of South Africa (AGSA) has a constitutional mandate as the country's Supreme Audit Institution (SAI), and it strengthens democracy by providing monitoring, accountability, and governance in the public sector through auditing, hence increasing public trust. The AGSA, throughout the years, has been auditing municipalities throughout South Africa and giving them audit outcomes with the hope that the financial management and reporting in the local government sphere will improve. Unfortunately, the local government sphere in South Africa has worsened over the years, even though the AGSA has provided them with reports that speculate what is working and what is not working within the sphere, especially regarding the issues of using state funds. This paper examines the root causes of poor audit outcomes and proposes strategies the local government can implement to improve their audit outcomes. This paper will use a qualitative approach to review current literature and MFMA reports from 2014 to 2021 from the AGSA to meet its objectives and answer the research problem. The authors agree that AGSA has done outstanding work as an oversight and accountability enabler in the Local Government sphere and that the recent material irregularity process, which was implemented as an enforcement tool to compel municipal managers to take action, is making progress towards ensuring that AGSA fulfils its constitutional mandate as the Supreme Audit Institution (SAI).

This study examines the state of Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) One, which is to eradicate poverty in Africa. This study was inspired by the reality that most African nations suffer from political unrest, tyranny, conflicts, and natural disasters caused by the climate, all of which harm socioeconomic development at both country-specific and regional levels. The study examines the extent of poverty in an African context from a holistic perspective before discussing trends and determining whether poverty has worsened or improved over time. The study also identifies barriers to SDG One implementation in the region. The study aims to investigate the different interventions needed to implement SDG One successfully. Finding answers to the guiding question involved adopting a qualitative desktop study and gathering data by analysing various secondary documents. The study aims to answer the following research questions: what causes poverty in African countries, and what interventions are required to achieve SDG One in the region? The study's framework was based on the human capabilities approach (HCA). The research examines the social, political, economic, and environmental variables that could impede the region's efforts to implement SDG One. The study discusses best practices and suggests interventions to improve the situation.