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Title	Regenerative economics at the service of islands: Assessing the socio-economic metabolism of Samothraki in Greece
ID_Doc	53
Authors	Zisopoulos, FK; Noll, D; Singh, SJ; Schraven, D; de Jong, M; Fath, BD; Goerner, S; Webster, K; Fiscus, D; Ulanowicz, RE
Published	Journal Of Cleaner Production, 408,
Structure	Here are the sections of the article with a brief description of each section, along with two sentences each: 1. Introduction The article discusses the regenerative economics approach and its application to the socio-economic metabolism of small islands, such as Samothraki in Greece. It highlights the importance of analyzing the regenerative potential of socio-economic systems to support sustainable development and resilience. 2. Methods The article describes the methods used to analyze the socio-economic metabolism of Samothraki, including the construction of a Sankey diagram and the application of two network analysis methods: ascendency analysis and ecological network analysis. The authors also explain the data sources and the metrics used to quantify the regenerative potential of the island's socio-economic metabolism. 3. Results The article presents the results of the analysis, which include the evolution of the regenerative potential of Samothraki's socio-economic metabolism over the past 90 years. The results show that the island's robustness increased, but its robustness remained below the maximum value expected for a healthy natural ecosystem. 4. Discussion The article discusses the implications of the results, highlighting the importance of considering the local historical context and the need for a transdisciplinary approach to transition to a circular economy. It also emphasizes the importance of understanding the complex relationships between socio-economic systems and natural ecosystems. 5. Conclusions The article concludes that the study provides new insights into the regenerative potential of socio-economic systems and highlights the importance of considering the local historical context and the need for a transdisciplinary approach to support sustainable development and resilience. 6. References The article lists the references cited in the text, including academic papers, books, and reports. 7. Appendices The article includes two appendices: one containing the equations used in the analysis and another providing additional information on the meaning of network properties. 8. Table 1 The article presents Table 1, which summarizes the results of the analysis, including the evolution of the regenerative potential of Samothraki's socio-economic metabolism over the past 90 years. 9. Figure 1 The article presents Figure 1, which shows the network of Samothraki's socio-economic metabolism abstracted from the Sankey diagrams. 10. Figure 2 The article presents Figure 2, which shows the scenario analysis results, including the impact of different measures on the network properties of Samothraki's socio-economic metabolism. 11. Figure 3 The article presents Figure 3, which shows the evolution of the regenerative potential of Samothraki's socio-economic metabolism over the past 90 years. 12. Figure 4 The article presents Figure 4, which shows the comparison of the "window of vitality" and the "window of efficiency" concepts. 13. Figure 5 The article presents Figure 5, which shows the evolution of the regenerative potential of Samothraki's socio-economic metabolism over the past 90 years. 14. Figure 6 The article presents Figure 6, which shows the scenario analysis results. 15. Figure 7 The article presents Figure 7, which shows the comparison of the results of the analysis with the results of other studies. 16. Figure 8 The article presents Figure 8, which shows the network of Samothraki's socio-economic metabolism. 17. Figure 9 The article presents Figure 9, which shows the scenario analysis results. 18. Figure 10 The article presents Figure 10, which shows the comparison of the results of the analysis with the results of other studies. 19. Figure 11 The article presents Figure 11, which shows the scenario analysis results. 20. Figure 12 The article presents Figure 12, which shows the comparison of the results of the analysis with the results of other studies.
Summary	The article "Regenerative economics at the service of islands: Assessing the socio-economic metabolism of Samothraki in Greece" by Filippo K. Zisopoulos et al. explores the application of regenerative economics to small islands, such as Samothraki in Greece. The study assesses the socio-economic metabolism of Samothraki using flow-based and information-based ecological network analysis. The results show that the island has become very efficient in streamlining imported resources, but its value remains below what is typically observed for healthy natural ecosystems. The analysis highlights the importance of considering the local historical context and the need for a trans-disciplinary approach to transition from a linear to a circular economy. The study also explores the concept of regenerative economics, which aims to drive inclusive prosperity while addressing societal needs within planetary boundaries. The authors propose a framework for assessing the regenerative potential of socio-economic systems, including indicators such as ascendency, overhead, and capacity for development. The study shows that the implementation of measures such as reducing fossil fuels and limiting biomass extraction could improve the network properties of the island's metabolism. However, the results also suggest that a more interconnected and mutualistic socio-economic metabolism is needed to increase resilience and robustness. The study contributes to the development of regenerative economics and highlights the importance of considering the local context and the need for a trans-disciplinary approach to transition to a circular economy. The findings of the study have implications for policy-making and decision-making processes in small island economies. Please note that the summary is based on the provided article and may not be exhaustive or fully accurate without further information.
Scientific Methods	The article presents a research study on the socio-economic metabolism of Samothraki, a Greek island, using regenerative economics and ecological network analysis. The study aims to assess the regenerative potential of Samothraki's socio-economic system and evaluate the impact of alternative scenarios on its network properties. Research Methods Used: 1. Data Collection: The study uses a comprehensive mass-balance study of Samothraki's socio-economic metabolism, conducted by Noll et al. (2022), as the primary data source. 2. Ecological Network Analysis (ENA): The study applies ENA to quantify various indicators, including Finn's Cycling Index (FCI), average mutual information, and the capacity to develop, to capture five principles of regenerative economics. 3. Ascendency Analysis: The study also applies ascendency analysis to evaluate the regenerative potential of Samothraki's socio-economic system. 4. Scenario Analysis: The study presents three scenarios: (1) a reduced grazing rate, (2) the abolition of fossil fuels, and (3) a combination of circularity measures and waste hierarchy principles. 5. Comparative Analysis: The study compares the results of the three scenarios with the baseline data to assess the impact of each scenario on the network properties of Samothraki's socio-economic system. Key Indicators and Parameters: 1. Degree of Order (α): The degree of order represents the network efficiency and is calculated as the ratio of ordered to disordered connections. 2. Robustness (R): The robustness represents the system's ability to maintain its identity and not cross an undesirable threshold following adverse events. 3. Finn's Cycling Index (FCI): The FCI represents the internal flow activity and cycling of resources per unit input. 4. Capacity to Develop: The capacity to develop represents the maximum ascendency that can be achieved theoretically. 5. Number of Roles (n): The number of roles represents the number of socio-economic processes in the network. 6. Degree of Mutualism (M): The degree of mutualism represents the mutualistic relations between system components. Conclusion: The study highlights the importance of considering the regenerative potential of Samothraki's socio-economic system and the impact of alternative scenarios on its network properties. The results suggest that the island's socio-economic system is characterized by a high degree of order, but its robustness is limited due to its linear structure and dependency on external inputs. The scenarios presented in the study show that a combination of circularity measures and waste hierarchy principles can lead to a more interconnected and resilient socio-economic system.
Article contribution	The article "Regenerative economics at the service of islands: Assessing the socio-economic metabolism of Samothraki in Greece" presents an analysis of the socio-economic metabolism of the Greek island of Samothraki, with the aim of evaluating its regenerative potential and identifying opportunities for sustainable development. Contributions to Regenerative Economics: 1. Network analysis: The article employs network analysis techniques, such as ascendency analysis and ecological network analysis, to quantify the regenerative potential of Samothraki's socio-economic metabolism. This approach allows for the identification of key drivers of the island's socio-metabolic patterns and the evaluation of the effectiveness of different management strategies. 2. Island-as-an-organism analogy: The article draws on the economy-as-an-organism analogy to conceptualize the socio-economic metabolism of Samothraki as a complex system. This analogy enables the consideration of the island's metabolism as a whole, taking into account the interconnectedness of its various components. 3. Regenerative economics framework: The article applies the framework of regenerative economics, which focuses on the development of systems that are regenerative, resilient, and adaptable. This framework provides a comprehensive approach to evaluating the socio-economic metabolism of islands and identifying opportunities for sustainable development. 4. Case study: The article presents a case study of Samothraki, providing a detailed analysis of the island's socio-economic metabolism and identifying opportunities for sustainable development. This case study serves as a pilot study, demonstrating the potential of the network analysis approach and the regenerative economics framework for evaluating the socio-economic metabolism of islands. Key Findings: 1. Limited regenerative potential: The analysis reveals that Samothraki's socio-economic metabolism has a limited regenerative potential, with a low ability to generate internal flow activity and cycling of resources per unit input. 2. Linear structure: The island's metabolism is characterized by a linear structure, which limits its resilience and robustness. 3. Import dependence: Samothraki's economy is heavily dependent on imports, which exacerbates its vulnerability to external shocks and reduces its regenerative potential. 4. Opportunities for sustainable development: The analysis identifies opportunities for sustainable development, such as the adoption of circular economy practices, the promotion of local production and consumption, and the implementation of regenerative measures to enhance the island's resilience and robustness. Implications: 1. Regenerative economy: The article highlights the importance of developing regenerative economies, which prioritize the development of systems that are regenerative, resilient, and adaptable. 2. Circular economy: The analysis demonstrates the potential of circular economy practices for enhancing the regenerative potential of islands like Samothraki. 3. Sustainable development: The article emphasizes the need for sustainable development strategies that prioritize the protection of natural resources, the promotion of local production and consumption, and the implementation of regenerative measures to enhance the resilience and robustness of island economies. In conclusion, the article presents a comprehensive analysis of the socio-economic metabolism of Samothraki, highlighting the island's limited regenerative potential and identifying opportunities for sustainable development. The findings have implications for the development of regenerative economies, the promotion of circular economy practices, and the implementation of sustainable development strategies that prioritize the protection of natural resources and the promotion of local production and consumption.

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