Short presentation of PURR Espon 2013 internal seminar, Liege Steinar Johansen Norwegian Institute for Urban and Regional Research (NIBR)

Purpose (aim) of project –PURR: Potenatials of Rural Regions –Priority 2 project Targeted Analysis based on User Demand Contents of project function of Stakeholders demand –Type 2 Action Knowledge Support to Experimental and Innovative Action –Aims of project To create and test new ways of exploring the territorial potentials of Stakeholder regions – and develop method (the Template) Combine (hard) information on European level with (soft and hard) local information Based extensively on dialogue with Stakeholders Can method be applied in other parts of Europe?

Five objectives –Benchmark Stakeholder regions in European context Applying a magnifying glass to the region – what does it look like? –Collect more info from Stakeholder regions Territorial assets, governance, policy integration –Develop innovative methodology for assessing territorial potential together with Stakeholders Inductive methodology – developed as we og Template or guidelines Test method by applying it to each Stakeholder region –Develop set of policy options for sustainable regional development in each Stakeholder region The definition of sustainable is currently being discussed. Might vary from region to region –Explain how to develop and apply method in other parts of Europe

Some interpretations –Rural policy is the responsibility for rural bodies (Bottom Up, not Top Down) Policy development: What can the rural bodies do? Financing of policies: Not a part of discussion –The Dialogue between Stakeholders and the TPG is essential and very important for the development of method(s) (the Template) –Espon data is essential for benchmarking regions as well as for methodology. Supplementary policy literature Academic literature will be reviewed to meet academic standards –Limited budget We cannot do more than we have already proposed Especially, there has to be limits to the use of extensive and expensive data collection

Project info flows Benchmark C1 Local info C2 Dialogue Use of Existing info Draft Template C3 Template C3 Dialogue and assessment Assessment of Rural potential C3 Policy Options C4 Rest of Europe C5 Dialogue

Work Packages WP1: Coordination and Project Management WP2.0: Methodology and Data WP2.1: Notodden WP2.4: Dumfries and Galloway WP2.3: Cambrian Mountains WP2.5: North Yorkshire WP2.2: Cesis WP2.6: Synthesis. Developing Methodology for European Regions WP3: Dissemination and Report

Outputs An Assessment of Territorial Potential in five stakeholder regions, including Policy Options (five reports) A Synthesis of these five reports A Template for assessing Territorial potential –Should it be easy to use by non-experts? –Can it also be applied on the European Scale? –Can it also be applied to more urban regions? A Database of relevant infomation Potentially, typologies of Rural Territories, based on their territorial potential Potentially, typologies of Policy Options for these regions A final report from the project Presentations etc.

Variables (from Edora) Demography Rural employment Rural business development Rural-urban interactions Access to services of general interest Role of cultural heritage in rural development Institutional capacity (including governance) Climate change ( Farm structural change and the role of agriculture in rural development (er dette egentlig viktig i regionen?)

Workshops in Stakeholder regions Discussion with Stakeholder representatives on –List of variables – benchmarking the region –A SWOT analysis identifying the main strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats in the region –What are the key regional structures that provide opportunities or constraints for regional development? –What are the key themes that should provide the focus when seeking to harness the potential of the region? –How does this regional potential translate in spatial or territorial terms in different parts of the region? –Which alternative regional futures can be identified and which is the most desirable? –What are the policy options, strategies and actions that will be required to achieve this regional future?

Some results from Notodden and Tinn 100 years of Manufacturing Industries –Hydro Power, cheap energy –Large manufacturing plants, one-sided structure 1980ies: the fall of traditional industry Future based on industrial cultural heritage –World heritage –Small units, risk reduction –Tourism and Industry –Regional centre for East Telemark –Plans have to be developed and made more concrete (land use and development plans) –Money/funds exist (limited), increased access to natonal means? –Networks have to be further developed, facilitated. –Incubator exists (and new is under development)