Smart territories as a driver for the transition to sustainable regional development and green economy
Abstract
Relevance. Even though there is a general agreement regarding the importance of the transition to a green economy, this process still has a long way to go, which makes the research on the role of smart territories particularly relevant.
Research objective. The study aims to describe the opportunities and areas of digital transformation of territories with a focus on the transition to a green economy.
Data and methods. The research methods include content analysis, case study, mapping, and matrix analysis. The data sources were scientific articles presented in the Scopus database, materials from the Ministry of Finance and Economic Development, the Ministry of Mineral Resources, Green Technologies, and Energy Security, materials from the Central Bureau of Statistics of Botswana, the Botswana Energy Company.
Results. Using the case of Botswana, the study showed that the establishment of a smart territory is the core mechanism of a transition to a green economy. Smart territories help regional governments to reach the sustainable development goals by using cutting-edge digital technologies.
Conclusions. The article proposes a new approach to analyzing the transition to a green economy. This approach can also be applied to reconsider the composition and roles of the drivers of territorial development. The proposed methodology can be used to create a smart contour for the development of a given territory, taking into account the region’s industrial specialization, and to identify the most promising areas and "bottlenecks".
Keywords
Full Text:
PDFReferences
Amin, A. (1999) An Institutionalist Perspective on Regional Economic Development. International Journal of Urban and Regional Research, 23, 365–378. https://doi.org/10.1111/1468-2427.00201E
Appio, F.P., Lima, M., & Paroutis, S. (2019). Understanding smart cities: Innovation ecosystems, technological advancements, and societal challenges. Technological Forecasting and Social Change, 142, 1–14. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.techfore.2018.12.018
Barba-Sánchez, V., Arias-Antúnez, E., & Orozco-Barbosa, L. (2019). Smart cities as a source for entrepreneurial opportunities: Evidence for Spain. Technological Forecasting and Social Change, 148, 119713. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.techfore.2019.119713
Benyam, A., Soma, T., & Fraser, E. (2021). Digital agricultural technologies for food loss and waste prevention and reduction: Global trends, adoption opportunities and barriers. Journal of Cleaner Production, 323, 129099. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2021.129099
Chernova, O., Klimuk, V., & Lazdins, A. (2020). Four-link Spiral Model in the Concept of “Smart Specialization” Innovative Industrial Development. Rural Sustainability Research, 43(388), 52–59. https://doi.org/10.2478/plua-2020-0007
Chernova, O., Matveeva, L., Dorgushaova, A., Kuizheva, S., & Zarubin, V. (2015). Formation of a steady social and economic framework of the region. Journal of Applied Economic Sciences, 10(8), 1189–1198.
Chernova, O.A., Mitrofanova, I.V., Adamičková, I. & Kleitman, E.V. (2022) Digitalization of Agricultural Industry – the Vector of Strategic Development of Agro-industrial Regions in Russia, AGRIS on-line Papers in Economics and Informatics, 14(1), 45–58. https://doi.org/10.7160/aol.2022.140104
Clark, W. (2019). Chapter 9 – Smart Green Healthy Communities: Cases of Science Parks and Microcities. Editor(s): Woodrow W. Clark, Climate Preservation in Urban Communities Case Studies, Butterworth-Heinemann, 357–414. https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12-815920-0.00009-5
D’Amato, D., Korhonen, J. (2021). Integrating the green economy, circular economy and bioeconomy in a strategic sustainability framework. Ecological Economics, 188, 107143. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolecon.2021.107143
D’Angelo, G., Ferretti, S., & Ghini, V. (2017). Multi-level simulation of Internet of Things on smart territories. Simulation Modelling Practice and Theory, 73, 3–21. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.simpat.2016.10.008
De Noni, I., Ganzaroli, A., & Pilotti, L. (2021). Spawning exaptive opportunities in European regions: The missing link in the smart specialization framework. Research Policy, 50(6), 104265. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.respol.2021.104265
Fuente, G., Ortiz, M., & Velasco, P. (2021). The value of a firm’s engagement in ESG practices: Are we looking at the right side? Long Range Planning, 102143. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.lrp.2021.102143
Garcia-Ayllon, S., & Miralles, J.L. (2015). New Strategies to Improve Governance in Territorial Management: Evolving from “Smart Cities” to “Smart Territories”. Procedia Engineering, 118, 3–11. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.proeng.2015.08.396
Grillitsch, M., Asheim, B., & Trippl, M. (2018). Unrelated knowledge combinations: the unexplored potential for regional industrial path development. Cambridge Journal of Regions, Economy and Society, 11(2), 257–274. https://doi.org/10.1093/cjres/rsy012
Hoang, A., Pham, V., & Nguyen, X. (2021). Integrating renewable sources into energy system for smart city as a sagacious strategy towards clean and sustainable process. Journal of Cleaner Production, 305, 127161. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2021.127161
Hosan, S., Karmaker, S., Rahman, M., Chapman, A., & Saha, B. (2022). Dynamic links among the demographic dividend, digitalization, energy intensity and sustainable economic growth: Empirical evidence from emerging economies. Journal of Cleaner Production, 330, 129858. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2021.129858
Jiang, D., Zhu, W., Muthu, B., & Seetharam, T. (2021). Importance of implementing smart renewable energy system using heuristic neural decision support system. Sustainable Energy Technologies and Assessments, 45, 101185. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.seta.2021.101185
Kosolapova, N., Matveeva, L., Nikitaeva, A., & Molapisi, L. (2021). The rational use of water resources in the strategy of industry 4.0. Water resources management, 35(9), 3023–3041. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11269-021-02889-1
Kubrak, I.A. (2020). Ot realizatsii kontseptsii “umnyy gorod” k vnedreniyu kontseptsii “umnyy region” kak odnomu iz napravleniy sovershenstvovaniya regional’nogo upravleniya [From the implementation of the “smart city” concept to the implementation of the “smart region” concept as one of the directions for improving regional management], Vestnik rossiyskogo novogo universiteta. Seriya: chelovek i obshchestvo [Bulletin of the Russian New University. Series: Man and Society], 3, 57–64. https://doi.org/10.25586/RNU.V9276.20.03.P.057 (In Russ.)
Kummitha, R., & Crutzen, N. (2017). How do we understand smart cities? An evolutionary perspective. Cities, 67, 43–52. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cities.2017.04.010
Leone, V., Tedim, F., & Xanthopoulos, G. (2020). 11 – Fire Smart Territory as an innovative approach to wildfire risk reduction. Editor(s): Fantina Tedim, Vittorio Leone, Tara K. McGee, Extreme Wildfire Events and Disasters, Elsevier, 201–215. https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12-815721-3.00011-4
Leroux, E., & Pupion, P.-C. (2022). Smart territories and iot adoption by local authorities: a question of trust, efficiency, and relationship with the citizen-user-taxpayer. Technological Forecasting and Social Change, 174, 121195. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.techfore.2021.121195
Licastro, A., & Sergi, B. (2021). Drivers and barriers to a green economy. A review of selected balkan countries. Cleaner Engineering and Technology, 4, 100228. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.clet.2021.100228
Lyshchikova, J.V. (2021). Mekhanizmy institutsionalizatsii i implementatsii kontseptsii “umnyy region” v upravlenii ustoychivym prostranstvennym razvitiyem territoriy [Mechanisms of institutionalization and implementation of the concept of “Smart Region” in the management of sustainable spatial development of territories], Ekonomika. Informatika [Economics. Information technologies], 48(2), 229–243. https://doi.org/10.52575/2687-0932-2021-48-2-229-243 (In Russ.)
Matveeva, L., Nikitaeva, A., & Chernova, O. (2018). Informatsiya kak strategicheskiy resurs regional’nogo razvitiya: institutsional’no-tekhnologicheskiye aspekty [Information as a strategic resource for regional development: Institutional and technological aspects], Terra Economicus, 16(1), 134–145. https://doi.org/10.23683/2073-6606-2018-16-1-134-145 (In Russ.)
McCann, P., & Sheppard, S. (2003). The rise, fall and rise again of industrial location theory. Regional Studies, 37(6–7), 649–663. https://doi.org/10.1080/0034340032000108741
Mealy, P., & Teytelboym, A. (2020). Economic complexity and the green economy. Research Policy, 103948. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.respol.2020.103948
Molapici L. (2018). Restructuring of the electricity supply market, as a basic vector of electricity sector reform in developing countries: Botswana case study. Journal of Economic Regulation, 9(4), 72–81. https://doi.org/10.17835/2078-5429.2018.9.4.072-081
Mondejar, M., Avtar, R., Diaz, H., Dubey, R., Esteban, J., Gómez-Morales, A., Hallam, B., Mbungu, N., Okolo, C., Prasad, K., She, Q., & Garcia-Segura, S. (2021). Digitalization to achieve sustainable development goals: Steps towards a Smart Green Planet. Science of The Total Environment, 794, 148539. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.148539
Myslyakova, Yu.G., Shamova, E.A., & Neklyudova, N.P. (2021). Key steps to smart specialization development of Russian regions. R-economy, 7(2), 123–132. https://doi.org/10.15826/recon.2021.7.2.011
Navío-Marco, J., Rodrigo-Moya, B., & Gerli, P. (2020). The rising importance of the “Smart territory” concept: definition and implications. Land Use Policy, 99, 105003. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.landusepol.2020.105003
Oliveira, A., Beswick, R., & Yan, Y. (2021). A green hydrogen economy for a renewable energy society. Current Opinion in Chemical Engineering, 33, 100701. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.coche.2021.100701
Oliveira, G., Tan, K., Bruno, T. (2018). Lean and green approach: an evaluation tool for new product development focused on small and medium enterprises. International Journal of Production Economics, 205, 62–73. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijpe.2018.08.026
Pais, S., Aquilué, N., Campos, J., Sil, Â., Marcos, B., Martínez-Freiría, F., Domínguez, J., Brotons, L., Honrado, J., & Regos, A. (2020). Mountain farmland protection and fire-smart management jointly reduce fire hazard and enhance biodiversity and carbon sequestration. Ecosystem Services, 44, 101143. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecoser.2020.101143
Ramos, C. (2021). Chapter 9 – The Green Turn: Smart cities, the SDGs, and sustainability in the EU parties’ discourse. Editor(s): Anna Visvizi, Raquel Pérez del Hoyo, Smart Cities and the un SDGs, Elsevier, 125–140. https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-323-85151-0.00009-9
Scott, P A.J. (2006). Creative cities: conceptual issues and policy questions. Journal of Urban Affairs, 28(1), 1–17. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.0735-2166.2006.00256.x
Sutriadi, R. (2018). Defining smart city, smart region, smart village, and technopolis as an innovative concept in Indonesia’s urban and regional development themes to reach sustainability. IOP Conference Series: Earth and Environmental Science, 105–115. https://doi.org/10.1088/1755-1315/202/1/012047
Tebekin, A.V., & Egorova, A.A. (2019). Resheniye sotsial’nykh problem gorodov s pomoshch’yu tekhnologiy “umnyy gorod”: problemy i perspektivy [Solving social problems of cities with the help of “smart city” technologies: problems and prospects], Zhurnal sotsiologicheskikh issledovaniy [Journal of Sociological Research], 4(4), 32–46. (In Russ.)
Touriki, F., Benkhati, I., Kamble, S., Belhadi, A., & El Fezazi, S. (2021). An integrated smart, green, resilient, and lean manufacturing framework: A literature review and future research directions. Journal of Cleaner Production, 319, 128691. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2021.128691
Urdabayev, M.T., & Utkelbay, R.E. (2021). SWOT analysis of smart city projects in capital cities of Russia and Kazakhstan. R-economy, 7(4), 235–243. https://doi.org/10.15826/ recon.2021.7.4.021
Vanolo, A. (2015). The image of the creative city, eight years later: Turin, urban branding and the economic crisis taboo. Cities, 46, 1–7. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cities.2015.04.004
Veldhuizen, C. (2020). Smart Specialisation as a transition management framework: Driving sustainability-focused regional innovation policy? Research Policy, 49(6), 103982. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.respol.2020.103982
Wang, S., Tan, S., Yang, S., Lin, Q., & Zhang, L. (2019). Urban-biased land development policy and the urban-rural income gap: Evidence from Hubei Province, China. Land Use Policy, 87, 104066. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.landusepol.2019.104066
Xu, Q., Zhong, M., & Li, X. (2022). How does digitalization affect energy? International evidence. Energy Economics, 107, 105879, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eneco.2022.105879
DOI: https://doi.org/10.15826/recon.2022.8.2.010
Copyright (c) 2022 Anastasia Y. Nikitaeva, Olga A. Chernova, Lesego Molapisi
Сertificate of registration media Эл № ФС77-80764 от 28.04.2021
Online ISSN 2412-0731