A first insight about spatial dimension of COVID-19: analysis at municipality level.

BACKGROUND: This paper is about spatial patterns of by corona virus disease-2019 (COVID-19). METHODS: Using data for the first 21 weeks from municipalities in Catalonia, we analyse whether reported positive cases appear randomly or following some kind of spatial dependence. Global and local measures of spatial autocorrelation are used. RESULTS: There are some clusters alongside Catalan municipalities that change over time. CONCLUSIONS: Use of spatial analysis techniques is suggested to identify spatial disease patterns and to provide spatially disaggregated public health policy recommendations.

Do local characteristics act in a similar way for the first two waves of COVID-19? Analysis at intraurban level in Barcelona.

BACKGROUND: This paper concerns the spatial determinants of the first two waves of COVID-19 at the neighbourhood level. METHODS: Using data for the first and second waves of COVID-19 at the neighbourhood level in Barcelona, we analyse whether local characteristics acted in the same way during the two waves and identify typologies of areas depending on such determinants. Univariate and bivariate local Moran's I and count data models are used. RESULTS: Some structural effects at the neighbourhood level consistently either boost (e.g. population density) or reduce (e.g. income) COVID-19 cases. Other effects differ between the two waves (i.e. age composition, schools and transport infrastructures). CONCLUSIONS: Since certain characteristics influenced the virus diffusion in opposite ways between the two pandemic waves, territorial heterogeneity alone is insufficient to explain COVID-19 outbreaks-individual behaviour also needs to be factored in. Consequently, both econometric and spatial analysis techniques are recommended for tracking the spatiotemporal spread of this disease and for monitoring the effectiveness of policy measures across heterogeneous neighbourhoods.

Location attributes explaining the entry of firms in creative industries: evidence from France.

This paper focuses on creative industries and the role played by the existing spatial distribution and agglomeration economies of these activities in relation to their entry decisions. We rely on employment and firm-level data in the creative industries (provided by INSEE) and compare the location of new establishments in the creative and non-creative industries between 2009 and 2013 in French departments (NUTS 3 regions). We use count data models and spatial econometrics to show that location determinants are rather similar in creative and non-creative industries and that specialisation in creative industries positively influences the entry of all other industries. The French case provides new insights to understand the geographical patterns of creative industries.

Policies for supporting the regional circular economy and sustainability.

The Circular Economy and Sustainability are among the greatest challenges faced by policymakers, producers, and consumers. Circular Economy processes demand less from the environment since they can minimize waste generation and, hence, can be powerful tools to combat the negative effects of climate change. Additionally, following subsidiarity principles, public policies supporting the Circular Economy should be designed at the lowest levels of public administrations-this provides huge opportunities for regional governments to design, implement and monitor these policies. This editorial of the special issue explores and discusses implications for those policies before introducing the five papers published in the special issue dedicated to policies for regional economy and sustainability. While some of the papers attempt to conceptualize sustainable development through a microeconomic perspective, others have a clear macroeconomic empirical focus. In consequence, this special issue provides a rich body of work for further Circularity and Sustainability nexus studies.