No. 1 (2025): Southern transitions. Facing climate change and ecological degradation in the Global South
Saggi

Supply chain resilience and just transitions in the Global South.

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  • Irina Di Ruocco
Irina Di Ruocco
Department of Economics, Mathematics and Statistics, University of Trieste
DOI: https://doi.org/10.36253/contest-16052

Published 2025-07-16

Keywords

  • sustainability transitions,
  • emerging economies,
  • environmental justice ,
  • circular economy ,
  • climate change

How to Cite

Di Ruocco, I. (2025). Supply chain resilience and just transitions in the Global South. Contesti. Città, Territori, Progetti, (1), 70–85. https://doi.org/10.36253/contest-16052

Copyright (c) 2025 Irina Di Ruocco

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.

Abstract

This study analyses one of the different dimensions of climate and ecological risk in the Global South, namely that of supply chains in these regions. The resilience of this economic-territorial tool is analysed through the lens of just transitions, reframing supply chains as socio-ecological systems. This perspective aligns with emerging interdisciplinary approaches while offering an original focus on territorial justice, informal economies, and participatory governance in urban logistics systems. The article innovatively proposes the integration of logistics and social resilience, and examines how decarbonisation, circular economy strategies and participatory governance shape sustainable supply chain transformations, highlighting the risk of reinforcing economic dependencies through sustainability policies centred on the global North that neglect local realities. Extending the discourse from urban planning and social justice to logistics, the research positions supply chains as critical elements of planetary justice. Through a comparative analysis of urban regions in the Global South, the study identifies best practices and obstacles to the sustainable adaptation of supply chains. The findings highlight the importance of participatory governance, regional supply networks and inclusive circular economy models to prevent new forms of economic subordination. By supporting place-based and justice-oriented approaches, this research contributes to strengthening spatial justice transferred to the logistics context, highlighting the central role of supply chains in promoting equitable and resilient ecological transitions for weaker countries.

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