Environmental degradation, climate change, and resource scarcity have emerged as critical global challenges, posing significant threats to economic stability, public welfare, and sustainable development. These complex issues require not only technological innovation and policy reform but also a deep understanding of the economic mechanisms that drive environmental outcomes.

In response, this Collection focuses on how economies can effectively address these threats through data-driven research, advanced modeling, and strategic policy design. The issue brings together studies that apply econometric and statistical methods—such as time series analysis, panel regression, spatial econometrics, and simulation-based models like Integrated Assessment Models (IAMs) and Computable General Equilibrium (CGE) models—to assess environmental policies and measure their economic impacts. These analytical tools are used to quantify trade-offs, predict long-term outcomes, and guide decision-making under uncertainty. By bridging economics, environmental science, and public policy, this collection deepens the empirical and theoretical understanding needed to design effective responses. It strengthens the foundation for achieving environmental sustainability alongside economic resilience.

Food goes far beyond nutrition. It reflects sociocultural identities and territorial heritage, consumption dynamics, economic development, public policies, sustainability concerns, food production, distribution and consumption. Understanding food production and food products, practices and strategies offers key insights into both historical traditions and contemporary lifestyles. Around the world, food and drink serve as powerful symbols of identity and attract interest through diverse value chains, economic interests and cultural expressions. On the other hand, traditional and local food systems contribute to cultural heritage, biodiversity conservation and sustainability matters from environmental, sociocultural and economic concerns.

The Collection "Food, societies and sustainability: Contemporary concerns around local food production and consumption" explores how food is locally produced, promoted and protected through public and private initiatives, food-based experiences, media platforms, and sustainable dietary and productive practices. It encourages contributions that examine how food concerns are shaped in contemporary societies, how globalization is affecting local food cultures, emphasizing the role of food as both tangible and intangible cultural heritage. Food preferences, food stereotypes, and attitudes towards food sustainability, analysed through the lenses of generational gaps and gender differences are also welcomed. This Collection seeks original research and case studies using both qualitative and quantitative methods.

Keywords: Food Systems, Food culture, Food Production, Locality, Heritage, Tourism, Gastronomy, Agricultural Biodiversity, Livestock Biodiversity, Food Sustainability, Regenerative Tourism.

This Collection supports and amplifies research related to SDG 2, SDG 3, SDG 4, SDG 5, SDG 10, SDG 12, and SDG 17.