NUTS2 Level Research Articles

Expenditures on innovation activities of firms in Poland at the NUTS-2 level (covid and post-covid perspectives)

Expenditures on innovation activities of firms in Poland at the NUTS-2 level (covid and post-covid perspectives)

Odrednice unutarnjih migracija u Hrvatskoj

Migration has had a great impact on Croatia, especially after it joined the EU. Thus, several studies have focused on international migration compared to regional migration which is under investigation. This study sheds some light on the determinants of internal migration at the NUTS3 level in Croatia in the 2000-2019 period relying on a fixed effects panel estimation. The results show that regional migration in Croatia is in line with the stylized facts on migration. The living standard and (labour) productivity measures, along with employment and wages are the main economic drivers of migration inflows and outflows. However, regions with substantial tourism activity attract inflows and disincentivize outflows of people, while regions with a high share of agriculture, forestry, and fisheries in the value-added decrease internal migration inflows. Moreover, environmental protection results also being a significant determinant of regional migration.

Tourism Indicators and Their Differentiated Impact on Sustainable Tourism Development

Sustainable tourism is a challenge for current and future generations in an effort to develop it in the spirit of maintaining a balance between its basic pillars: economic, social and environmental. The presented contribution aims to identify the differences of significant social, economic, and environmental indicators with the tourism indicator. The analysis was carried out at the level of NUTS 1 - the Slovak Republic and at the level of NUTS 3 - Prešov self-governing region. In the first phase of the research, 6 significant indicators were identified at the level of the Slovak Republic and at the level of the Prešov self-governing region 5 significant indicators with tourism indicators. Comparison of significant indicators was carried out using torque characteristics of shape, position, variability and through a set of tests - Mann Whitney test, Levene test, and Kolmogorov-Smirnov test. The differences between the indicators at the national and regional level were shown to be significant every time, regardless of whether the indicator was identified as significant, primarily in relation to the number of overnight stays at the national or regional level. The documented results point to the heterogeneity of the quality, and also the quantity of social, economic, and environmental indicators with the tourism indicator at the national and regional levels. It can be concluded that the sustainable development of tourism at different levels is conditioned by different indicators. This fact should be considered by the state economic policymakers and other tourism industry entities.

Regional Differentiation of Selected States of the Eastern Wing of the EU at the NUTS 2 Level in Relation to Rural Regions

This article analyzes the current topic of regional disparities in the EU member states. The aim of the present study is to assess the regional disparities in the selected countries, as well as to identify the dynamics of the existing disparities in regional averages at the level of NUTS 2 statistical administrative units. The framework of the text is narrowed down to a regional analysis of seven selected countries of the EU's eastern wing (Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia). The text also highlights the position of rural areas and their role in the regional balance of the countries. The methodological approach is grounded mainly in the analysis of the development of disparities based on the analysis of empirical statistical data for the period 2001 to 2021, as well as on the assessment of the main features and trends of regional differentiation. To test convergence, the results of the coefficient of variation of GDP per capita in PPP were compared. The research showed the existence of significant differences in the economic development of the regions and different convergence tendencies. According to the results obtained, the countries studied were divided into three groups. Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Romania and Slovakia recorded the fastest pace of internal balance, with the Czech Republic and Bulgaria showing the smallest regional differences at NUTS 2 level. The second group of countries is represented by Poland and Slovenia, which have seen minimal changes in internal differentiation, while both countries are the least internally diversified in the group of seven countries examined. Hungary was the only country with an increase in regional disparities in the period under review, while Slovakia was one of the countries with the largest internal differences between regions. There is scope for future research to continue to monitor the evolution of convergence, including the impact of recent trends.

Assessment of Tourism in Hungary Between 2004-2022 in the Light of Regional Differences

The objective of the study is to present the tourism performance of Hungary within the European Union between 2004 and 2022. In addition to national trends, the analysis also focuses on the regional NUTS2 level. In European terms, Hungary is characterised by a medium tourism performance, but tourism is still the dominant industry at the level of the national economy in terms of its contribution to GDP. The research highlights regional differences in socio-economic indicators and their correlation with economic determination and tourism performance. Indeed, the over-domination of Budapest can be identified in most socio-economic indicators. The consequence of the capital's 'hydrocephalus' is that Hungary's peripheral regions have developed serious economic challenges. Reducing regional disparities in these areas is key to promoting economic catching-up and avoiding social tensions, in particular depopulation. The indicators presented in the study show a significant decline in the years after 2008 and in 2020-21 compared to previous years. This is attributable to the global economic crisis and the coronavirus pandemic, which have had a significant impact on the overall economic and tourism performance of our country.

Emissions of pesticides in the European Union: a new regional-level dataset

We present a European Union (EU)-wide dataset of estimated quantities of active substances of plant protection product applied on crops (also called “emissions”). Our estimates are derived from data reported by eight EU countries and extrapolated to encompass all EU regions using regression models. These models consider both climate and agricultural land use data. This allows us to spatially represent pesticide use at NUTS Level 3 of the European statistical mapping units, and within various agricultural land cover classes in each region. We compare our estimates with aggregated data provided by EUROSTAT and with independent, detailed data for the United Kingdom, highlighting an error typically within one order of magnitude. Our estimates can provide insights into the distribution and patterns of pesticide use in the EU around the year 2015. The estimate is most reliable for Western and Southern Europe. Outside these regions, data scarcity makes extrapolation more uncertain, potentially limiting the ability to accurate depict regional variations in pesticide use.

Mapping and modelling the main determinants of Migration Flows at the NUTS2 Level in European Union using Spatial Data Analysis Techniques

Abstract Spatial data analysis approaches have grown in popularity in recent years as there has been an increased interest in studying migration at the regional level. We employed in our analysis the Nomenclature of Territorial Units for Statistics (NUTS) level, which offers a more thorough view of migratory patterns inside a nation as well as among EU countries.Using spatial data analytic tools, this research aims to investigate the key determinants of international migration at the NUTS2 level. Using data from the Eurostat database, we undertake an extensive analysis of migration movements in a sample of European Union countries. We apply spatial econometric models to examine the relationship between crude rate migration and other relevant variables as independent variables. Although the available data at the NUTS2 level of regional ranking are limited, we believe that we included the most comprehensive set of relevant variables in our analysis.Our study contributes to the existing literature on migration determinants by highlighting the importance of spatial analysis techniques in understanding migration factors at the NUTS2 level.

Eat, visit, love. World heritage list and geographical indications: Joint acknowledgement and consistency as drivers of tourism attractiveness in Italy

This paper investigates the influence of accreditations on tourism demand, namely, World Heritage List (WHL) designations and Geographical Indications (GIs). The analysis examines Italian data at the NUTS3 level spanning from 1999 to 2019. Contribution of the study is two-fold. Firstly, by utilizing a Difference-in-Differences model in conjunction with Propensity Score Matching (PSM-DiD), the study evaluates the impact of jointly recognizing both accreditations as a binary treatment (yes/no). Secondly, by employing Generalised Propensity Score Matching (GPSM) for continuous treatment, the study gauges how the impact of the two accreditations is contingent on the number of recognitions (consistency). These impact assessments concern both domestic and international tourists. Conclusions highlight the positive effects, encompassing tourism arrivals, overnight stays, and tourist expenditures, associated with both the combined recognition (PSM-DiD) and the consistency of accreditation (GPSM). These findings support the implementation of place-based policies promoting diverse local assets, notably cultural heritage and agri-food excellence.

Recycling rate performance and socioeconomic determinants: Evidence from aggregate and regional data across European Union countries

The recycling rates for the EU Member States deviate significantly from the targets set by Directive (2018)/851 for attaining the target of 55% by 2025 (European union, 2018). The aim of the study is to investigate the short- and long-term relationship between macroeconomic variables and the recycling rates performance at both national and regional level. Within this context, four sets of variables are examined, namely sociodemographic, economic and institutional factors. For the purpose of the analysis, the available data acquired from 28 EU countries during the period between 2000 and 2020, as well as from 38 EU regions during 2000–2018 and a panel data approach using OLS, Fixed Effects, Random Effects, FMOLS, and ECM techniques is implemented. Findings robustly indicate that factors such as economic performance, institutional quality, and higher educational attainment significantly contribute to the EU circular economy. Results imply that changes in agricultural intensification and population density significantly affect recycling levels. A particularly significant finding that contributes to the existing literature is the higher speed of adjustment, as indicated by the lagged ECT, at the NUTS-1 level compared to the NUTS-2 level. Thus, recycling policy outcomes, implemented policies, and interventions adjust more rapidly towards their equilibrium state, resulting in immediate impacts and faster changes at NUTS-1 level. On the contrary, it takes more time for these policy outcomes to materialize at the regional scale. Policymakers should prioritize reducing income disparities, improving transparency, investing in education, and promoting sustainable agriculture and waste management infrastructure to support the circular economy.

The European regions in the global value chains: New results with new data

AbstractThis article contains the methodology and main results related to the update and extension of the widest interregional input–output tables for the entire EU27, UK and the European Free Trade Association (EFTA) countries. This work continues the outstanding effort developed in the past years regarding the estimation and analysis of different multiregional input–output (MRIO) databases at the country level (world input–output database, EXIOBASE, ICIO, FIGARO, etc.) and the MRIO tables developed for the European Union (EU) at the NUTS2 level. The main contribution consists of updating and extending the current EUREGIO collection to obtain a EUREGIO table for 2017, which will be referred (NUTS‐2 Rev.2016) for all the EU27 + UK + EFTA countries and will be embedded in the new FIGARO multicountry 2017. Such effort was developed in the context of the ESPON‐IRIE project. This article summarises the methodology used and compares the results obtained with the ones of the main benchmarks, providing an analysis of the national and regional participation in the global value chains (GVCs). The main results suggest that, on average, 65% of value added is embodied in the goods and services sold to the same NUTS‐2 region, 16% is embodied in the ones sold to regions in the same country and the remaining 20% is exported (to other countries). Exploring the heterogeneity within these figures can also be seen that the variety is higher across regions than across sectors. Our analysis suggests that, to a large extent, the heterogeneous participation of EU27 + UK + EFTA regions in the GVCs is explained by their sectoral structure more than by the regional idiosyncratic characteristics. Such results open the floor for the correct design of industrial policies, embedded in the smart specialisation paradigm.

Life Satisfaction during the Second Lockdown of the COVID-19 Pandemic in Germany: The Effects of Local Restrictions and Respondents’ Perceptions about the Pandemic

This study examines the consequences of the pandemic on subjective well-being. First, we investigate to what extent regional and temporal differences in COVID-19 restrictions can explain individuals’ life satisfaction in Germany. Second, we examine to what extent “subjective” evaluations of the pandemic are related to life satisfaction. Third, we examine whether these relationships vary with gender, parenthood, and partnership status, or whether relationships changed regarding specific sub-populations (i.e., mothers, fathers, childless women/ men). Merging representative survey data from the German Family Demography Panel Study (FReDA) and contextual data on COVID-19 restrictions (i.e., the stringency index), we analyze a sample of 32,258 individuals living in Germany in their regional settings on the NUTS-3 level during the “second lockdown” in spring 2021. Furthermore, we use the FReDA field period between April and June 2021 to assess temporal variations in COVID-19 restrictions and their association with life satisfaction. To answer our research questions, we compare aggregated means and use variance decomposition and multivariate regression models. Our results show strong regional and temporal differences in COVID-19 restrictions, but neither temporal nor regional differences in “subjective” perceived pandemic burden or in life satisfaction at the aggregated level. At the individual level, we find substantive negative associations between perceived pandemic burden and life satisfaction, which are particularly strong among mothers. Our study shows that individuals’ negative perceptions of the pandemic are an important correlate to life satisfaction, whereas regional differences or temporal changes in COVID-19 restrictions appear to be irrelevant for the period under investigation.

Exploring Urban–Rural Paradox: Does Going Rural Mean Higher Life Satisfaction?

A stylised fact in regional and urban studies of life satisfaction in developed countries is that people living in cities report being less satisfied than those in rural areas. Building upon the theoretical framework of Sen’s capability approach, along with research on life satisfaction and amenities, this paper examines the role of amenity availability and accessibility, as well as social relations, in shaping life satisfaction. Using data from the 2013–2018 household survey conducted by the National Institute of Statistics (ISTAT) in Italian regions at the NUTS2 level, this study explores the role of availability and accessibility of amenities and social relations on urban–rural life satisfaction. Results suggest that the likelihood of having higher life satisfaction is associated with living in wealthier rural places where higher-ranked cities exert accessibility and positive externalities in line with the borrowed size concept by Alonso (Daedalus 102(4):191–206, 1973).

Enflasyon Büyümenin Tetikleyicisi Mi Yoksa Ekonomik Yavaşlığın Habercisi Mi? Türkiye’nin 26 Alt-Bölgesi Üzerine Dinamik Eşik Modeli Analizi

This study aims to explain the effects of regional inflation thresholds on regional economic growth in 26 sub-regions (NUTS-2 level) in the Turkish economy by using dynamic threshold model analysis for the period 2004-2020. The findings of the analysis show that increases in regional inflation rates affect regional growth positively until reaching the threshold value, but negatively after exceeding the threshold value in 20 of 26 sub-regions. This result is in parallel with the findings frequently questioned in the literature in recent years and points out the phenomenon that is composed of the synthesis of the monetarist and the structural views. Besides, analysis findings showing that steady-state income convergence process is valid in 25 sub-regions reflect that increases in regional population ratios have statistically insignificant effects on regional economic growth. In addition, it has been observed that employment increases accelerate the growth processes of relatively developed regions, while statistically insignificant effects have been detected in underdeveloped regions. A similar result shows itself in terms of foreign trade data, and it is seen that the effect of foreign trade on regional growth is quite limited. When the results are evaluated as a whole, it can be mentioned that the distinction between developed and underdeveloped regions in the Turkish economy is sharp and that macroeconomic indicators affect the economic growth of the regions according to their development level.

A new typology of climate change risk for European cities and regions: Principles and applications

This paper aims to contribute to the analysis of climate change risk through the development of a new spatially-explicit typology of climate risk for European cities and regions. In doing so, it offers a direct response to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) call to advance awareness of climate change risks at sub-national levels through the integration of hazard, exposure and vulnerability domains into a composite risk classification that covers the whole of Europe. K-means clustering was applied to 49 variables at NUTS3 level where the final classification resulted in an upper-tier of eight ‘classes’, which were subsequently partitioned to derive a lower-tier of 31 ‘sub-classes’. A three-stage analysis of the eight-fold class configuration was then undertaken focusing on the distribution of climate risk classes, raising significant issues to inform climate change adaptation planning policy, practice and research. The analysis revealed an uneven distribution of climate change risk across the 33 countries covered by the typology, reinforcing the IPCC message that adapting and building resilience to climate change risk is not a ‘one-size-fits-all’ exercise. In the second stage, the analysis focused on determining whether there was a difference in the climate change risk facing different settlement types in Europe. The analysis revealed the extent of variation in the climate change risk characteristics of Europe’s urban and rural areas, revealing the potential for peri-urban areas to fall between climate change risk agendas or priorities when compared to urban–rural contexts. The final component of our analysis considered the extent to which climate change risk classes exhibit patterns of spatial clustering. Here we found that climate change risk exhibits evidence of spatial clustering but the extent of the clustering varies between different classes as the relationship between contiguous NUTS3 regions changes. This finding has notable implications for transboundary adaptation planning where discontinuities in political buy-in, competition, resourcing and awareness of risk could serve to undermine the coherence and adequacy of policy responses at a time when greater cooperation and alignment is needed.

Lung cancer mortality and soil content of arsenic and cadmium: an ecological study in 26 EU countries

Abstract Background Environmental risk factors, such as exposure to air pollution, are linked with lung cancer. However, potential health impacts of exposure to carcinogenic pollutants in soil are less defined. In this ecological study, we evaluated at a regional scale potential associations between lung cancer mortality and the soil content of two carcinogens: arsenic and cadmium. Methods Data on deaths from lung cancer were from EUROSTAT. Soil content of arsenic and cadmium were from the Land use/cover area frame (LUCAS) 2009 survey. Analysis covered 26 EU countries and 21,035 sampling points. Three socioeconomic indicators and seven lung cancer risk factors were included. Data were linked at the NUTS2 level (n = 219) and analysed by negative binomial regression. Results After inclusion of significant predictors, the ratio of lung cancer mortality rates in the population resident in the regions within the highest quantile of arsenic concentration in soil, compared to the rest of the dataset, was 1.062 for females (95% CI 1.024 - 1.101) and 1.037 for males (95% CI 1.020 - 1.074). In the regions within the highest quantile of cadmium in soil, compared to the lower quantiles, the ratio of the mortality rates was 1.062 for females (95% CI 1.019 - 1.101) and 1.075 for males (95% CI 1.033 - 1.117). When data were stratified by land cover, significant (p < 0.05) positive associations in males were only shown for cadmium sampled from agricultural land (cropland and grassland) but not from the non-agricultural land. Conclusions Higher rates of lung cancer mortality were reported in regions with high concentration of arsenic or cadmium in soil, relative to regions with lower concentration. Due to the ecological design, this study cannot prove causality but is in agreement with other reports linking exposure to arsenic or cadmium and lung cancer. This warrants future investigations at a finer geographical scale, focused on regions with high soil levels of arsenic and cadmium. Key messages • Higher lung cancer mortality rates were reported in regions with high concentration of arsenic or cadmium in soil, relative to regions with their lower concentration. • There was an association between cadmium in soil and lung cancer mortality in males for the subset of sampling points from the agricultural land but not for the non-agricultural land.

Impact of COVID-19 on tourism demand in European regions - An analysis of the factors affecting loss in number of guest nights

The outbreak of COVID-19 in 2020 had a major impact on the European tourism sector, with substantial variations recorded between regions. To build a more resilient tourism ecosystem, a deeper knowledge of the factors underscoring tourism demand loss is necessary. However, research is still limited to country-specific case studies. In this paper, we investigate COVID-19's impact on tourism demand in EU-27 and EFTA countries at the NUTS2 level during the pandemic's first year. Through a fractional response model we find (1) higher losses of tourism demand in urban destinations and in destinations highly dependent on foreign tourism, (2) lower losses in domestic destinations, in proximity, or that have natural assets. Recommendations to build a more resilient tourism ecosystem are outlined.

A GIS-based method for assessing the economics of utility-scale photovoltaic systems

Solar photovoltaic capacities have experienced remarkable gains worldwide. The accelerated deployment of photovoltaic (PV) systems has emphasized the need for methods and tools that can assist in planning and investment decisions of utility-scale photovoltaic systems to ensure a sustainable energy transition. This study bridges the gap between research and current solar PV project evaluation practices by proposing a geographic information system (GIS)-based approach for analyzing land eligibility and performing techno-economic assessments of utility-scale photovoltaic systems. To tackle the issue of country-specific cost elements, the model incorporates a levelized cost of electricity (LCOE) breakdown often used by governmental and intergovernmental organizations. The proposed GIS-based model can assist in mapping the distribution of eligible land for utility-scale solar systems while considering exclusion constraints, estimating PV capacity and generation potentials, as well as determining the average LCOE of utility-scale solar photovoltaic systems at a spatial resolution of 100 m. The GIS-based approach is demonstrated through the case study of Poland. The model estimates that 3.61% of the total area of Poland is suitable for the installation of utility-scale solar PV systems. Implementing PV installations in these areas would result in solar capacities ranging from 394.64 to 563.77 GW. Furthermore, the findings of the case study indicate that the LCOE would range from €0.043/kWh to €0.049/kWh, with a national average of €0.045/kWh. The proposed approach can be utilized to develop national and regional strategies focused on large-scale PV installations, facilitating the attainment of renewable energy goals. The study fills a significant gap in the literature as it provides a GIS-based tool for planning the sustainable development of utility-scale PV systems at the regional scale. In addition, it is the first to comprehensively assess the capacity and generation potential of utility-scale solar photovoltaics in Poland at the NUTS-2 level.

Electromobility Prospects in Greece by 2030: A Regional Perspective on Strategic Policy Analysis

Electromobility represents a strong option for reducing carbon emissions in the road transport sector. This study presents a methodology and a simulation tool that project the evolution of the market share of electric vehicles (EVs) in the new car market. The analysis adopts a stylized regional resolution, which accounts for attributes on the NUTS-2 level, such as the population density, GDP/capita, education levels, and current EV charger distribution, to simulate the uptake of BEVs in different regions. The methodology applies discrete choice modelling techniques, considering tangible and intangible factors, including purchasing and operation costs, an estimated cost for range anxiety and public charging, and a market maturity index. The analysis is based on four different scenarios, referring to the updated Greek National Energy Climate Plan. The results reveal that regions with a higher average income, GDP/capita, and population density show a higher uptake of EVs. Overall, the tool implements a method of simulating the market evolution of EVs up to 2030 in reference to regional parameters and, hence, highlights the regions that require the most attention in order to achieve national targets. The results can inform policymakers in developing tailored strategies and financial support to accelerate the adoption of BEVs, particularly in regions where their uptake prospects are lower.

Does regional decline trigger discontent? Unravelling regional development in the Netherlands

ABSTRACT A new geography of regional decline is signalled as a prominent source of discontent. This study considers regional divides in the Netherlands, and examines what trajectories can be detected in regional development and how these relate to recent regional discontent. Based on quantitative analyses of longitudinal data at the NUTS-3 level, we found a persistence of social and economic inequalities over the last decade(s). Our main result is that evidence for economic decline at the regional scale is limited, and unlikely to account for regional discontent in the Netherlands. Pathways of regional divergence and decline were mostly found in demographic change. Anti-establishment attitudes across Dutch regions were strongly associated with lower income, lower population change and ageing.

Population-level benefits of increasing influenza vaccination uptake among Italian older adults: results from a granular panel model.

The impact of seasonal influenza vaccination (SIV) on mortality is still controversial; some studies have claimed that increasing vaccination coverage rates is beneficial, while others have found no significant association. This study aimed to construct a granular longitudinal dataset of local VCRs and assess their effect on pneumonia- and influenza-related (P&I) mortality among Italian adults aged ≥ 65 years. NUTS-3 (nomenclature of territorial units for statistics) level data on SIV coverage were collected via a survey of local data holders. Fixed- and random-effects panel regression modeling, when adjusted for potential confounders, was performed to assess the association between local SIV coverage rates and P&I mortality in older adults. A total of 1,144 local VCRs from 2003 to 2019 were ascertained. In the fully adjusted fixed-effects model, each 1% increase in vaccination coverage was associated (P < 0.001) with a 0.6% (95% CI: 0.3-0.9%) average over-time decrease in P&I mortality. With an annual average of 9,293 P&I deaths in Italy, this model suggested that 56 deaths could have been avoided each year by increasing SIV coverage by 1%. The random-effects model produced similar results. The base-case results were robust in a sensitivity analysis. Over the last two decades, Italian jurisdictions with higher SIV uptake had, on average, fewer P&I deaths among older adults. Local policy-makers should implement effective strategies to increase SIV coverage in the Italian senior population.