The EMANES Annual Conference 2025, held at the iconic Recinte Modernista de Sant Pau in Barcelona, officially opened under the theme “Towards Regenerative Economies: Pathways for Inclusive, Sustainable and Resilient Development in Europe, the Mediterranean and Africa.” The scientific programme closely resonated with the objectives of the CROSS-REIS project, which was among the EU-funded initiatives supporting the conference. The conference brought together researchers, policymakers, and practitioners to explore how regenerative approaches can reshape economic systems and territorial development across interconnected regions.
Opening the conference, Prof. Rym Ayadi, President of the Euro-Mediterranean Economists Association (EMEA) and Director of EMANES, emphasized the need for new economic mindsets grounded in collaboration, creativity, and evidence-based policymaking. Welcome remarks were also delivered by Fay Selimi (EPLO) and Prof. Martin Lukac (Czech University of Life Sciences, Prague), both serving as co-chairs of the conference. Over three days, the programme featured 18 academic papers, keynote addresses, and policy sessions addressing regeneration through the lenses of territories, energy, ESG, technology, and governance.
Several contributions reflected CROSS-REIS research priorities, including regenerative territorial development, circular economy, biodiversity, and policy-relevant economic analysis. In particular, Dr. Carlo Sessa, member of the EMEA Executive Board and senior researcher, contributed to discussions on energy and resilience, aligning with CROSS-REIS work on systemic transitions and economic transformation.
CROSS-REIS–related research was also represented through academic papers presented by Sofija Sekulić (Faculty of Economics, University of Montenegro), whose work examined sustainability reporting and corporate governance within the evolving ESG landscape. In addition, Kejt Dhrami and Fiona Imami (CO-PLAN, Albania), members of the CROSS-REIS community, presented research on participatory ecosystem service accounting and navigating the just green transition in light of post-socialist legacies. Prof. Žarko Popović and Prof. Snežana Radukić participated as FEUN representatives.
The conference concluded with a high-level Policy Session on “Regeneration: From Theory to Application,” moderated by Prof. Ayadi, which brought together experts from environmental economics, political ecology, circular design, and community-led initiatives. The session reinforced a central message shared by CROSS-REIS: regeneration requires investing simultaneously in nature capital and human (brain) capital, and translating research insights into actionable, inclusive policy frameworks.
By participating in and supporting EMANES 2025, CROSS-REIS reaffirmed its commitment to advancing research excellence, interdisciplinary dialogue, and international cooperation in the transition toward regenerative economies and resilient territories.