2022 | Article of the year

Finisterra congratulates the winners of the 2022 Best Article Award.

The winners were selected by vote of a Committee appointed for this purpose. Manuscripts published in Finisterra are evaluated based on clarity of writing and content, organisation, figures, contribution to knowledge, etc.

On 19 October 2023, following the Finisterra Annual Conference with Jean-Paul Rodrigue, the President of the Jury, Patricia Abrantes, announced the winners of the 2022 Article of the Year Award and two Honourable Mentions.

The Finisterra Article of the Year Award, recognising the best article published in the journal in 2022, was awarded to:

Pedro Franco, Eduarda Marques da Costa. REGIONAL DISPARITIES IN HEALTH SERVICES PROVISION IN THE EUROPEAN UNION. WHEN TERRITORY MATTERS. Finisterra – Revista Portuguesa de Geografia, LVII(120), 45–71. https://doi.org/10.18055/Finis26994

Services of general interest (SGI) contribute to the European Union’s objectives, being fundamental to territorial cohesion and convergence, with a preeminent role in rural and peripheral territories. Hence, disparities in access to these services lead to critical regional disparities, impairing cohesion. It is in economically harsh times that SGI become essential, especially in more rural or peripheral regions, and health services are among the most impactful SGI, representing the Welfare State. Therefore, an assessment of regional health services must be developed in relation to the performance of Welfare State Regimes. This article is developed within this framework, with the objectives of understanding how national and local expenditures in health relate to Welfare State Regimes and how these expenses impact territorial cohesion through differentiated regional health service provision and population health status. The work was conducted in two phases: one focused on assessing total and health-related expenditures by national and local governments, discussed within the framework of different Welfare Regimes; another that analysed regional health service provision and population health status, in relation to regional socio-economic characteristics. Indicators were retrieved from Eurostat. The results confirm that service provision and health status vary among Welfare Regimes and territorial typologies. Urban regions performed better than rural ones, with the Welfare Regime influencing this outcome. The study concludes that regional health disparities are a major concern for territorial cohesion.

Two Honourable Mentions were also awarded to the following articles:

João Pedro Ferreira, Catarina Isidoro, Frederico Moura e Sá, José Carlos Mota. THE ECONOMIC VALUE OF THE BICYCLE AT THE LOCAL SCALE: ESTIMATING POTENTIAL ENVIRONMENTAL, ENERGY AND HEALTH IMPACTS IN PORTUGAL. Finisterra – Revista Portuguesa de Geografia, LVII(119), 87–107. https://doi.org/10.18055/Finis25261

Research on sustainable urban mobility has increasingly highlighted the value of bicycles and their economic, social, and environmental benefits. However, despite widespread agreement on these advantages, the paradigm shift needed to affirm the bicycle as a regular mode of transport still faces challenges, especially in contexts where its use remains low. In Portugal, according to the 2011 Census, only 0.5% of the population uses the bicycle for daily urban travel. Within this context, the BOOST project developed a Roadmap for Beginner Cities, which includes an estimate of the bicycle’s potential economic value at a local scale. Results show that a 2% increase in bicycle modal share over ten years across Portuguese municipalities could lead to annual cost reductions of over €1.1 million in CO₂ emissions, nearly €25 million in fuel consumption, and €500,000 in air quality. Regarding health, reduced mortality from physical activity and decreased air pollution may represent a potential economic benefit exceeding €140 million over ten years. This supports the conclusion that more sustainable mobility patterns, with greater prominence for cycling, could have substantial economic impacts, particularly in health, energy, and environmental sectors.

Margarida Fontes, Mariana Aguiar, Nuno Bento. SECTORAL AND TERRITORIAL EFFECTS OF EARLY-STAGE EXPERIMENTATION IN ENERGY INNOVATIONS: LESSONS FROM 20 YEARS OF MARINE RENEWABLE TECHNOLOGIES IN PORTUGAL. Finisterra – Revista Portuguesa de Geografia, LVII(121), 21–43. https://doi.org/10.18055/Finis27796

Climate urgency and recent challenges such as pandemics and wars highlight the need to accelerate the sustainable transition, particularly through the development and implementation of new renewable energy technologies. This acceleration depends critically on the capacity to mobilise existing territorial resources and competencies. The transition to commercial phases brings major challenges that can be addressed through the capabilities acquired during early experimentation phases, the effects of which remain underexplored. Portugal has a long-standing experience in developing marine renewable energy technologies – such as wave energy and floating offshore wind power. A longitudinal analysis supported by a database of involved actors aims to determine whether initial development efforts helped mobilise national industry and generate sectoral and regional clusters capable of supporting future developments. Findings highlight the role of pilot and demonstration projects in engaging relevant sectoral firms, although attracting local businesses remains limited. Networks of firms are spread across the territory, particularly in metropolitan areas. These findings may inform strategies to accelerate the diffusion of such technologies and contribute to industrial transformation.

 

The Jury for the 2023 Best Article Award was composed of:

Patrícia Abrantes (CEG, IGOT, ULisboa, Portugal) (Chair)
Ana Louro (CEG, IGOT, ULisboa, Portugal)
João Cabral (Faculty of Architecture, ULisboa, Portugal)
José Carlos Teixeira (University of British Columbia, Canada)
Maria Helena Esteves (CEG, IGOT, ULisboa, Portugal)
Raquel Melo (CEG, IGOT, ULisboa, Portugal)
Sérgio Oliveira (CEG, IGOT, ULisboa, Portugal)