Sustainable Rural Development

In 2023, a Special Issue titled "Sustainable Rural Development: Strategies, Good Practices and Opportunities: Second Edition" was launched, in which 26 papers were published. It is a continuation of a previous Special Issue also published in Land in 2021, which included 16 papers with the same thematic structure. Inhabitants of rural areas are emigrating to urban areas due to the labour and service opportunities offered by the latter. This is causing a demographic decline in rural areas, with depopulation trends, high rates of ageing, masculinisation, and low demographic growth. Rural areas are classified as "spaces in crisis". The papers in both Special Issues show different public and private strategies that are being pursued to achieve sustainable rural development in areas in decline. These contributions show case studies from different disciplines and territories; contributions from economic science, geography, anthropology, agricultural science, and tourism; and show both successful cases and the obstacles or difficulties that many of them face in trying to achieve their objectives. All of these strategies are intended to achieve economic and social development that is respectful of the environment and ultimately reduces demographic regression in rural areas. The different studies offer contributions from scientific, holistic, and multidisciplinary knowledge in the decision making processes in public policy and planning strategies.