Societies

This article advances EcoTechnoPolitics as a transformational conceptual and policy recommendation framework for hybridizing digital–green twin transitions under conditions of planetary polycrises. It responds to growing concerns that dominant policy approaches by supranational institutions—including the EU, UN, OECD, World Bank Group, WEF, and G20—remain institutionally siloed, technologically reductionist, and insufficiently attentive to ecological constraints. Moving beyond the prevailing digital–green twin transitions paradigm, the article coins EcoTechnoPolitics around three hypotheses: the need for planetary thinking grounded in (i) anticipatory governance, (ii) hybridization, and (iii) a transformational agenda beyond cosmetic digital–green alignment. The research question asks how EcoTechnoPolitics can enable planetary thinking beyond digital–green twin transitions under ecological and technological constraints. Methodologically, the study triangulates (i) an interdisciplinary literature review with (ii) a place-based analysis of two socially cohesive city-regions—the Basque Country and Portland (Oregon)—and (iii) a macro-level policy analysis of supranational digital and green governance frameworks. The results show that, despite planetary rhetoric around sustainability and digitalization, prevailing policy architectures largely externalize ecological costs and consolidate technological power. Building on this analysis, the discussion formulates transformational policy recommendations. The conclusion argues that governing planetary-scale ecotechnopolitical systems requires embedding ecological responsibility within technological governance.

The choice to age in a familiar home environment within the community without relying on residential services can prolong independence, provided care services are customised to the specific needs of the household. However, this model of care provision frequently conceals the hidden costs for women who are often the spousal carer. The navigation of care needs of a spouse when aged 65+ often contains challenges linked to accessing quality community care and respite. These challenges are further compounded by the impact of personal health realities that come with ageing. To explore the support needs of older adults choosing to remain in their own homes, qualitative semi-structured interviews took place with 26 individuals aged 65 and above. This article concentrates on a specific subset of the research using constructivist grounded theory to examine the caregiving realities of six women and one man. A significant finding was that these predominantly female carers often felt unsupported, fatigued, and time-poor, largely attributable to the scale of care needed. Formal care support was particularly valued when it prioritised relationships over task-oriented care. A key recommendation to enable couples to remain living at home and avoid residential care is that more support for spousal (informal) carers is required.

Work-related stress is one of the most important health problems arising from the interaction between workers and the psychosocial conditions of their work environment. One of its most common physical consequences is musculoskeletal pain, especially in the back and neck. This study analyzes the effectiveness of an intervention program combining Global Postural Re-Education and Virtual Reality techniques to improve psychosocial working conditions and overall mental health. A quasi-experimental design was implemented with four independent groups: virtual reality alone, postural re-education with a hammock-type device, a combination of virtual reality and postural re-education, and rest break with music (placebo). The CarMen-Q questionnaire was used to assess psychosocial work factors, while the GHQ-28 was administered to evaluate general mental health. Forty-four participants completed ten intervention sessions over two consecutive weeks. The results showed a significant overall improvement in perceived work conditions and mental health after participation. The combined VR + RPG condition produced the greatest reduction in emotional demands and performance pressure, whereas the simple rest condition yielded the greatest improvement in psychological well-being. These findings suggest that brief interventions integrating physical and cognitive relaxation components can effectively reduce work-related stress and promote occupational well-being.