Circular Economy and Sustainability - Call for Papers for a Special Issue: Circular Bioeconomy tools and technologies to accelerate the green transition in the Mediterranean
The available natural resources are limited and the global challenges such as climate change and land and ecosystem degradation along with population growth force humanity to look for new ways of production and consumption that will respect planet’s ecological boundaries. It is therefore necessary to produce and consume food, products, and materials within healthy ecosystems through the sustainable bioeconomy. Linear economic models based on production-consumption-disposal schemes tend to be replaced by circular and resource-efficient economic models, which focus on the whole material cycle to promote reuse as well as to reduce waste and utilize resources as efficiently as possible. Circular economy aims at maintaining a balance between economic and environmental factors, while creating sustainable growth and new jobs. Bioeconomy covers all sectors and systems which are based on biological resources (animals, plants, microorganisms, and biomass, including organic waste), their functions and principles.
The new economic models must be circular and sustainable. As a result, industries will be revitalized, primary production systems will be updated, the environment will be better protected, and biodiversity will increase. The European Union has established the primary axes for the creation of an operational group and a road map, emphasizing the significance of renewable resources and biotechnologies in sustainable development and enticing the Regions and agencies to create innovations in the bioeconomy. These new sectors already account for 9% of all employment in the EU, presenting tremendous potential for growth and the ability to alter the economic landscape through synergies between businesses and organizations.
The Mediterranean region faces challenges with several issues, including an energy deficit, a declining agricultural sector, deteriorating water and soil quality, a rise in the risk of natural disasters brought on by climate change, coastal pollution, ineffective biowaste management, deteriorating ecosystems, a loss of biodiversity, etc. It is essential to a) strengthen research, technological development, and innovation; b) improve the competitiveness of the agricultural sector; c) support the transition to a low carbon economy; d) promote adaptation to climate change; e) increase environmental protection; and f) promote resource efficiency if they are to meet the contemporary challenges they face. Sustainable and Circular Bioeconomy can significantly aid in addressing the aforementioned needs.
The Waste Management Laboratory of the Department of the Environment of the University of the Aegean (Greece) is coordinating a project called "Center of Sustainable and Circular Bioeconomy" (https://bioeconomy.aegean.gr/ (this opens in a new tab)), which aims to support the insular regions of Aegean in the transition from a linear to a circular bioeconomy model. It is organized in the following four (4) distinctive project activities, which will lead to the development of innovative services and platforms in the regions of interest in the North and South Aegean:
1. BIOmass | Sustainable production and management of biomass
2. Nature4water | Sustainable water resources and soil management using nature-based solutions
3. REproduct | Recycling of materials and production of new products
4. Hotel Footprinting | Reduction of the environmental footprint in the tourism industry
The scope of this special issue is to collect papers from the above research areas and all the other scientific fields related to Circular Economy and Bioeconomy. Manuscripts should clearly demonstrate the contribution of the study to the green transition of the Mediterranean region.
The special issue will also include papers to be presented at the 18th International Conference on Environmental Science and Technology (CEST2023), which takes place in Athens from 30 August to 2 September 2023 (www.cest.gnest.org (this opens in a new tab)). It is organized by the Global Network Environmental Science and Technology (Global NEST) jointly with the University of the Aegean and the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens and scientifically supported by the Open University of Cyprus (Cyprus), the University of Salerno (Italy) and the University of Cincinnati (USA). It is under the auspices of the Region of Attica and the Municipality of Athens with the support of World Water Assessment Programme of UNESCO, the International Water Association (IWA) and the A.C. Laskaridis Charitable Foundation.
Circular Economy and Sustainability (CIES) is a hybrid journal. Authors can therefore choose to publish under the traditional publishing model (no charges apply), but the journal also provides the option to publish Open Access (in which case an article-processing charge applies, see here for more information, also on funding) (this opens in a new tab).
TIMELINE
June 1, 2023: submission portal opening
February 28, 2024: deadline for manuscript submission via the journal’s online system
GUEST EDITORS
Dr. Demetris-Francis Lekkas, Department of Environment, University of the Aegean, Greece
(dlekkas@aegean.gr)
Dr Eleftheria Klontza, Department of Environment, University of the Aegean, Greece
(eleftheria.klontza@aegean.gr)
HOW TO SUBMIT
Manuscripts should be original and written in English. The suggested length per research article is up to 10,000 words, excluding references. Submission requires that the manuscript has not been submitted for review or publication elsewhere and that it will not be submitted elsewhere while the review process is underway.
All papers will go through peer-review by at least two experts.
Papers should be submitted electronically via https://www.editorialmanager.com/cies/ (this opens in a new tab). Please indicate that this is a submission for the “Circular Bioeconomy - Mediterranean” special issue on the author checklist during the submission process.
Details and guidelines about the preparation of the manuscript can be obtained from the journal's webpage at https://www.springer.com/journal/43615/submission-guidelines (this opens in a new tab)