Anamarija Farkaš

Urban marketplaces are increasingly recognised in European policy debates as multifunctional public spaces that extend beyond their traditional economic role. Across the European Union, emerging trends point to a shift towards market models that integrate social interaction, cultural activities, tourism, sustainable food production and place-based urban development, thereby contributing to more inclusive and liveable cities. However, the extent to which such transformations align with local actors’ perspectives and existing governance arrangements remains underexplored, particularly in Central European contexts. This paper evaluates the transformative potential of urban marketplaces as multifunctional public spaces from the perspective of key stakeholders in the City of Zagreb. The study adopts a mixed-methods approach, combining a desk analysis of European policy and practice trends with empirical research conducted at the local level. Data were collected through surveys of marketplace users (citizens) and vendors (tenants), complemented by focus groups with other relevant local actors. This approach provides insights into everyday practices, perceived barriers, governance challenges, and future expectations related to marketplace development. The findings reveal a strong alignment between stakeholder perspectives and European policy trends promoting people-centred and multifunctional marketplaces, while also identifying tensions with existing management and governance frameworks. Citizens emphasise the cultural, social, and tourism value of marketplace interactions, whereas vendors and governance actors highlight infrastructure needs and the importance of more participatory governance arrangements. The paper argues that stakeholder-based evaluation of transformative potential is essential for advancing inclusive, resilient, and sustainable urban regeneration through urban marketplaces.

This book demonstrates that a holistic approach to the bioeconomy is essential if it is to achieve its full potential in driving economic growth while simultaneously providing ecological, social and technological benefits. Definitions of the ‘bioeconomy’ vary but in general it incorporates the ways in which societies manage and distribute their primary or secondary biological resources for further use in everyday life (e.g. food, materials, and energy). The classical sectors related to the bioeconomy have therefore been agriculture, forestry and aquaculture, now extended to include bioenergy, biofuels, biochemicals, and other processing and service industries. There are also related new concepts such us the blue economy, the green economy, and the circular economy. This book integrates these definitions, sectoral analyses and new concepts into a fully rounded study of the bioeconomy. It is argued that the key aims in the coming years have to be the harmonization of public policies between different sectors, regulation of legislative framework for the bioeconomy, and clear communication of these issues. In particular, the book argues that a strengthening of the monitoring and evaluation of the impacts of the bioeconomy on society is an essential starting point. For this to be effective, appropriate indicators need to be established and defined for the monitoring of the effects of these resilient policies related to bioeconomy and their impact on local and regional development and quality of life. This book will be essential reading for anyone interested in the bioeconomy including students and scholars of ecological economics, environmental economics, sustainability, innovation, and regional development.

The European Union has been promoting the concept of bioeconomy since the early 2000s. Other countries, including industrialised (US) and developing ones, have also published bioeconomy policies and strategies in the first two decades of the twenty-first century. The definition of bioeconomy includes both biotechnological innovations and the perspective of replacing resources, i.e., fossil fuels with biological resources. The bioeconomy is based on research and innovation in the biological sciences to create economic activity and public benefit. The bioeconomy is all around us; new pharmaceuticals and diagnostics that improve human health, higher-yield crops, novel biofuels that reduce oil dependence, and bio-based chemical by-products. The chemical industry plays a fundamental role in sustaining the global economy and supports innovative technologies and scientific advances in novel materials, less toxic products, renewable energy sources, environmental protection, energy-efficient industrial processes, and renewable raw materials. Green chemistry aims to create chemical products that eliminate the use of substances that produce hazardous effects in humans or the environment. In this respect, technological innovation is rapidly developing, providing the most environmentally friendly solutions for the sustainable development of future science and technology. Moreover, it offers improved cost-efficiency of technological processes with a reduced environmental load. Innovations are applied to produce life-saving pharmaceuticals, environmentally friendly agrochemicals, new enzymes for biocatalytic chemical processes, innovative renewable energy sources, achieve energy efficiency in chemical reactions, and create innovative materials while minimising environmental impacts.