The Nordic-Baltic Space project is a macro-regional analysis that aims to coordinate regional policies and processes with the city-regions across the Space in order to manage growth and the city-region structures in a coordinated way, working together, to strengthen spatial planning solutions for the overall benefit of the wider macro-region.
The project is under the auspices of METREX, the Network of European Metropolitan Regions and Areas, with the aim of interpreting the ESPON’s ET2050 European Territorial Vision in practice. This will be achieved through polycentric clusters and corridors and to make a transnational development perspective for the area and joint framework for action.
The transnational development perspective aims to use spatial planning as the means to guide future development in our cities and regions in the Nordic Baltic Space. It involves cooperation at the macro-region level and gain a wider understanding of the main driving forces behind change.
The challenge is to build a network of city-regions working together across the Space that complements the EU’s vision of a sustainable and cohesive European Territory 2050. The lead partners of the report are the City of Helsinki, the Helsinki-Uusimaa Regional Council together with Region Stockholm. The participating city-regions include Gothenburg, Oslo, and Riga, with Tallinn as an observer.
The Nordic-Baltic Space supports the EU’s Territorial and Urban Agendas through greater cooperation between the city-regions to move towards being polycentric in structure by implementing a joint vision and framework for the future.
By working together, the Nordic-Baltic Space Outcomes aim to improve functional cooperation across the Space and the city-regions in the project have agreed a joint scenario, a joint vision, a joint set of intentions and a series of strategic maps. The ‘Next Steps’ sets out how the transnational development perspective Outcomes can disseminate its findings, promote initiatives at the relevant levels of the EU and coordinate strategies across the Space to improve economic, social and spatial cohesion for its cities and regions.
