New Publication: Catalonia a Green Future, New Territoriality: Fertile Cities, Creative Fields

A “twentist” reflection between globalization and sustainability. This publication contains the presentations, conclusions and supplementary material from Catalunya Futur Verd, the second cycle of strategic conferences that the Ministry of Territory and Sustainability organised a few years ago. The first one, GlobalCat, addressed the territorial conditions for the internationalisation of Catalonia and its economy.
On this particular occasion, the reason for the conferences was to try to determine the foundations for the new economic growth of the country, this being understood as indivisible from the sustainable development of the region and the wellbeing of the citizens of Catalonia, regardless of whether they live in an urban or rural setting.
The impoverishment of rural areas of Catalonia by aesthetically inconsequential urban developments of arguable purpose are the result of old-fashioned models of regional development.
The time has come to achieve a new relationship between urban and rural settings, with the realisation that indiscriminate urban development must never encroach upon the rural environment in an attempt to replicate metropolitan patterns that are completely alien to this kind of setting.

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Espon study Towards a Territorial Reference Framework for Europe, 2019

Client: ESPON EGTC

Partners: Spatial Foresight (LU),European Policy Centre (BE)

The purpose of this ESPON Applied Research Activity is to respond to the policy demand and produce, through a substantial pan-European stakeholder dialogue, a Territorial Reference Framework for Europe to inform, catalyse and animate the upcoming policy debate on a Territorial Agenda post-2020. The Territorial Reference Framework shall be articulated through the two primary objectives of this Applied Research Activity, as follows:

  • Produce a long-term territorial development perspective for Europe in order to assist in informing and shaping the territorial dimension of post-2020 EU strategic policies and longer term cohesion goals; and,
  • Provide workable and realistic mid-term policy proposals for the integrated governance of Territorial Agenda post-2020, and strategic investment programmes in Europe’s territories, regions and cities, as a means towards the advancement of the long-term territorial development perspective.

 

ESPON study ET2050 – Territorial Scenarios and Visions for Europe, 2014

Client: European Commission, ESPON 2013 Programme

Partners: Tersyn, Igeat ULB, RKK – MTA, POLIMI, International Organization for Migration- IOM, S&W, RIKS, Warsaw School of Economics, NORDREGIO, University of Thessaly, ISINNOVA, Fundación Ersilia

ESPON ET2050 aims at supporting policy makers in formulating a long-term integrated and coherent vision for the (smart, sustainable and inclusive) development of the EU territory and their Neighbour Regions. This aim is twofold: content-wise, a product, namely a vision for the European Territory, has to be developed; and process-wise, those who will elaborate this product, namely policy makers, have to be supported by sound scientific knowledge.  Through a participatory process open to policy makers, academic experts and social and economic stakeholders, ET2050 develops alternative territorial scenarios for Europe to support a consensus EU Territorial Vision, as well as having future real images, creative and viable. Supporting a common understanding and a perspective of a Europe “ideal” in 2050, to enable policy makers to be better prepared for the future.

Designing the new sustainable development strategy of the Paraná State Coast, in Brazil, 2019

Client: Secretary of State for Planning and General Coordination – SEPL, The World Bank

Partners: Barcelona Brasil Group – Consortium leader, Quanta, Hídria

The objective of the Plan is to develop guidelines and strategic actions for the sustainable development of the Paraná Coast, respecting the peculiarities of each municipality and the environmental fragility of the region, protecting the natural, historical and cultural heritage, and guaranteeing the protagonism of local actors in the process of preparation and implementation of the Plan for the Sustainable Development of the Littoral of the State of Paraná.