Rural Economy and Sustainable Community Development
A special issue of Sustainability (ISSN 2071-1050). This special issue belongs to the section "Sustainable Urban and Rural Development".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 16 May 2025 | Viewed by 2953
Special Issue Editors
Interests: sustainable finance; macroeconomic development; rural development; economic performance; entrepreneurship; innovation
Interests: rural development; european policies; sustainable entrepreneurship
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
Under the pressure of climate change, the reckless use of natural resources, and widespread pollution, especially from pesticides and other plant protection chemicals, rural communities are revising their attitudes to the existing model of production and consumption.They are considering their future in a local economy based on sustainable development.At the same time, policies accompanied by specific financial tools are implemented in the direction of sustainable rural development.These policies do not always have the expected result since the particularities of local communities have not been holistically studied concerning the factors that lead to sustainable development.
Rural communities are particularly vulnerable to climate impacts and socioeconomic threats in the framework of a linear economy, and the transition to circular economy systems is therefore imperative.
This Special Issue aims to reveal alternative ways to support the rural economy through sustainable development. To highlight the dynamics of local rural communities in economic, social, and environmental sustainability, it is addressed to decision makers for sustainable rural development at international, European, national, regional, and local levels. It is also aimed at academics, researchers, students, and entrepreneurs who have invested in the countryside, or intend to invest.
We invite papers that examine the different dimensions of the rural economy through sustainable community development. In particular, research works on the following areas are welcomed:
- Challenges of sustainable development in the rural economy.
- The socioeconomic policies in the countryside and their impact on sustainable community development.
- The economic, social, and environmental development of rural communities.
- The role of entrepreneurship in sustainable rural community development.
- Integrating environmental, economic, and social objectives into sustainable rural community development.
- Agritourism and sustainable community development.
- The role of the circular economy in sustainable rural community development.
- The green and digital transitions of the countryside and their importance in sustainable development.
- The impact of the energy transition of lignite regions on local rural communities.
- The rural economy and the diversification of rural income.
- Innovation and sustainable rural development.
- Sustainable corporate governance in rural businesses.
- The role of family businesses and SMEs in sustainable rural development.
- The importance of climate-neutral and smart small towns.
- Green and digital transformation of European rural areas and small cities.
Prof. Dr. Ilias A. Makris
Dr. Apostolopoulos Sotirios
Dr. Vasileios Giannopoulos
Guest Editors
Manuscript Submission Information
Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.
Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Sustainability is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.
Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.
Keywords
- rural development
- rural entrepreneurship and innovation
- sustainable community development
- energy efficiency
- rural tourism
- cyclical economy
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