ET2050 - Territorial Scenarios and Visions for Europe
Thematic scope
Policymakers in the field of territorial development and cohesion are in need of a future oriented and integrated vision on the development of the European territory. Therefore the ESPON Programme started a territorial vision-building process following a participatory process and involving relevant stakeholders at European, national and regional level. This vision has a strategic character that allows giving direction to the policy debate on territorial development. The project is expected to support and deliver input to the territorial vision-building process by updating, extending and refining the scenario work of ESPON.
To guide and deliver input to this vision-building process, three relevant axes are important:
- Sharing a number of stories for understanding territorial cohesion and the main policy objectives for the European territories, its regions and cities;
- Supporting European regions and cities in contributing to the targets of the Europe 2020 Strategy leading to a polycentric, diverse and sustainable Europe;
- Enlarging and further detailing the four key challenges identified as particularly relevant for European regions in the Regions 2020 Study and to integrate prospects for the regions and cities in a long-term European territorial framework.
Please read more about the main research areas and main results envisaged on the next page.
Lead Partner
Mcrit, Ltd, Spain
Detailed information on the contracted project team can be found under Transnational Project Groups.
Sounding Board
Patrick Salez, France
Peter Schön, Germany
Budget: € 1 199 969,94
Project’s lifetime: June 2011 – March 2015
Delivery of Reports
Inception report: 31 December 2011
Interim Report 1: 31 May 2012
Interim Report 2: 30 April 2013
Draft Final Report: 28 February 2014
Final Report: 30 June 2014
Publishing
Reports will be published once they are approved by the ESPON Monitoring Committee
More information
Please contact the Project Experts at the ESPON Coordination Unit:
Marjan VAN HERWIJNEN, e-mail: marjan.vanherwijnen@espon.eu
Main research areas
The project answers the following key research questions:
- What is the current state of the European territorial structure?
- What will be the future state of the European territorial structure (horizon 2030 and 2050) based on the hypothesis that development trends and policies remain stable?
- What can be feasible future states of the European territorial structure (horizon 2050) in three territorially extreme scenarios?
- What is the room of manoeuvre to politically steer (the development of) the future state of the European territorial structure and what is the range in which a realistic territorial vision for the year 2050 can be formulated?
- What could be sensible midterm targets (2030) in order to steer territorial development into the direction of the desired long-term vision? And what policy actions and interventions are required to meet these midterm targets?
- What is the robustness of the results for major changes in the assumptions?
Main results envisaged
The project enhances the scientific platform of ESPON with data, indicators, tools, typologies, and maps. Moreover it provides the following at strategic moments during the project:
- Written contribution for the elaboration of at least 6 leaflets/brochures to inform policy makers on the assumptions, the methodology and the results of the project (focusing the baseline scenario, the three prospective scenario, the territorial vision and the overall results of the project);
- Text and maps for the elaboration of one Territorial Observation dedicated to the project;
- Slideshows explaining the assumptions, the methodology and the results of the project (one for each intermediate, draft and final delivery);
- A selection of 3-5 maps at each intermediate, draft and final delivery suitable for the communication of project progress and results at the different stages on the ESPON website, but as well suitable to be used for creation of posters, postcards, and exhibition materials, etc.
- Input (text, maps, images) for the creation of a specific section of the ESPON 2013 Website dedicated to the project.
