CONTEMPORARY GEOGRAPHICAL ISSUES IN SOUTHERN LIMBURG

POPULATION DECLINE

Ageing population Today 15% is over 65 years In 2030 it will be over 28% Excess of deaths over births Increase in single-parent households and households of just one person Many older dependents- there will be 25% less workers in 2035; less tax income.

Out-migration Stage 5 of the demographic transition

POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS ENCOURAGING MORE IMMIGRATION GIVING MORE FLEXIBLE WORK PERMITS TO BELGIANS & GERMANS PROVIDING ECONOMIC STIMULUS TO ENCOURAGE GROWTH AND IN-MIGRATION NATIONAL POLICIES TO ENCOURAGE BIRTHS

ECONOMIC DISLOCATION AND CHANGES

Collapse of coal mining industry and other heavy industries ENCI – limits to quarrying and eventual closure of site More unemployment (11%) Changes from secondary to tertiary sector Many people on disability (19%) Income is lowest in all of Limburg

PROBLEMS OF GLOBALIZATION

DSM – certain sectors being sold off (SABIC) NEDCAR – FORD take-over KNP – taken over by SAPPI This can lead to possibilities of unemployment, production changes, plants moving overseas.

OPPORTUNITIES OF GLOBALIZATION

VODAFONE – telecommunications industry which allows Maastricht to become one of the European centers Boston Scientific and Medtronics which allows southern Limburg to become a place of medical research Internationalization of University of Maastricht Intention of United World Colleges to set up a Maastricht campus

INCREASED URBANIZATION AND DEVELOPMENT

Increased traffic on A2 motorway due to new A73 motorway Increase in truck traffic due to bypassing of Germany because of truck fees A2 Maastricht – tunnel development Maastricht airport – building extra east-west runway leading to more noise pollution Debate: economy or the environment?

AIR POLLUTION

Due to high urban density and geographical conditions= high degree of air pollution. Maas Valley region- keeps pollutants in= quarrying industries from Liege to Maastricht and other industries. This leads to many soldid particles in the air and as a result one of the most polluted regions of the Netherlands. Sittard-Geleen – west mining region has a high concentration of pollutants due to DSM Heerlen-Parkstad – East mining region gets a lot of pollution from the German Ruhr area In the summer with easterly air flow and a high pressure system the region gets high ozone concentrations.

DRUGS!

Clash of liberal/tolerant Dutch policies on soft drug use and coffee shops. These become selling points for the surrounding countries of Belgium and Germany which have more repressive policies. Southern Limburg has many ‘drug tourists’ from Belgium, Germany and France Attraction point for hard drug dealers which increases crime and other problems in the area.

POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS Spread of coffee shops near the border areas; development of ‘weed boulevards’ However, this has led to strong opposition from Belgium and neighboring villages

TOURISM

Development of tourist centers Maastricht (historic and cultural) Heuvelland (nature) Eastern Mining region (human-made attractions= Mondo Verde, Industrion, Gaia park, Snow World)

BUT WHAT IS TOO MUCH? Traffic pressures on Heuvelland = possible solution is to limit car traffic and to close off certain routes; however this could also lead to pressure to other routes Future of Maastricht= is it living beyond its means; example of Harrods casino coming to Maastricht

CORE-PERIPHERY ISSUES

Southern Limburg’s dilemma Southern Limburg will always remain on the Dutch periphery The future: should it forge greater links with the neighboring international regions and develop more clearly a Euroregion?

This is not so easy: There are conflicting national policies and conflicting regional interests. They do not always coincide Euroregion competition: example: Wallonia- development of Liege airport example: Aachen- new international school