Long Term Perspective of BSR: accessibility and regional development potentials

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Long Term Perspective of BSRaccessibility and
regional development potentials

• Talis Linkaits
• Head of VASAB Secretariat
• Balticness
• 9 May 2008, Vilnius

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VISION AND STRATEGIES AROUND THE BALTIC SEA

VASAB is a network of 11 countries on the
ministerial level for spatial planning and
monitoring of spatial development, fostering
common discussion and establishing forum to
create spatial framework for cooperation within
the Baltic Sea Region
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VISION AND STRATEGIES AROUND THE BALTIC SEA

• Permanent co-operation since 1992 to develop
  common spatial vision of the Baltic Sea Region
• Covers all countries bordering the Baltic Sea,
  plus Belarus
• Old EU members (DK, SE, FIN, DE)
• New EU members (PL, LT, LV, EE)
• Non-EU members (RUS, BY, NO)
• RU and DE regions
• Since 1994 ministers are supported by permanent
  Committee on Spatial Development (CSD) and
  Secretariat
• Since 2007 Secretariat located in Riga
• Latvian chairmanship July 2007 June 2008

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Tallinn 1994 Vision and Strategies around the
Baltic Sea 2010
I. Pearls Urban network of international
importance II. Strings Effective and
sustainable links between cities III.
Patches Areas supporting dynamism and quality of
life IV. System Comprehensive spatial planning
in function
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VASAB 2010 Spatial Development Action
Programme
Wismar 2001
1. Co-operation of urban regions on key issues
of sustainable development 2. Strategic spatial
development zones important for transnational
integration
within the BSR 3. Transnational transport links
important for cross-BSR and cross-Europe
integration 4. Diversification and
strengthening of rural areas 5. Development of
transnational green networks including cultural
landscapes 6. Integrated development of coastal
zones and islands
It supported via Baltica, via Hanseatica and Rail
Baltic
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Main Task Long Term Perspective for the Region

Encouragement to update the
vision of long-term territorial
development of the Region together with the
relevant regional stakeholders Decision to
prepare a long-term perspective for the spatial
development of the Baltic Sea Region (LTP) under
active participation of the regional authorities
and in a dialogue with relevant pan-Baltic
organizations
Council of the Baltic Sea States - Communiqué
June 2005
6th Conference of Ministers responsible for
Spatial Planning and Development in the BSR
- Gdansk Declaration of September 2005
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Seminar in Pärnu on 25-26 April
2006 WG1 - Urban and
urban-rural networking WG2 -
Accessibility and transnational development
zones WG3 - Sea use planning and
ICZM

LONG TERM PERSPECTIVE
The work on the LTP started
Prioritized key three themes LTP Working
Groups
Involvement of BSR Stakeholders
Conference in Warsaw on 6-7 November 2006 RU
Stakeholder conference in St.Petersburg on 18-19
October 2007 Conference in Riga on 23 April 2008
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ANALYSIS PERFORMED BY LTP WG 2

• - Screening of the national long term transport
  strategies
• Analysis of accessibility and regional
  development potentials
• in the Baltic Sea Region
• BSR Internal accessibility
• European accessibility
• Access to global networks BSR in the world
• Energy
• Accessibility to ICT networks
• Screening of the relevant INTERREG projects

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LONG TERM PERSPECTIVE

? Climate change ? Change of the BSR from a
peripheral location to a strategic one and
taking advantage of this location ?
Humanization of globalization ? Diversification
of energy sources ? Intensive and incoherent use
of the Baltic Sea ? Depopulation of rural areas
? Unexpected transport growth and urban sprawl
? Explosive growth of underground and underwater
New challenges
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Core/periphery location

• BSR peripheral
• Lower population
• potential
• Remote geographical
• position

Is it an obstacle for development in the BSR?
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BSR and the world

• BSR has strong connections to the most important
  global players

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BSR and Europe

• How is the BSR integrated
• with the rest of Europe?
• Role of
• air connections
• Potential role of
• rail connections

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BSR and Europe

• How is the BSR integrated
• with the rest of Europe?
• Role of
• air connections
• Potential role of
• rail network

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Regional integration

• Road networks
• Fragmented motorway
• and highway network
• Dense but uneven
• secondary road network

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EU potential integration zones
Are all BSR zones sufficiently connected?
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Towards a Long Term Perspectivefor the BSR

• Integration of the accessibility issues at
  different scales
• Importance of air and ferry connections for
  internal and global integration
• Adaptation of regional accessibility strategies
  to the territorial structure
• Management of the increase of future mobility
  needs (more infrastructure? Better use of
  existing?)

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LONG TERM PERSPECTIVE
Proposed draft VISION 2030
The Baltic Sea Region is a sustainable,
integrated, well-functioning and safe part of
Europe with the Baltic Sea as a common asset,
which we all cherish The Baltic Sea Region is
well-connected internally as well as with the
rest of Europe and the world, creating benefits
from global partnerships and sound development of
its surrounding neighbors The Baltic Sea Region
is a model of efficient cooperation between
creative, well-educated inhabitants, strong
regions and institutions benefiting from human
capital, natural and cultural diversity and
ensuring life quality in urban and rural areas
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For further information visit www.vasab.org
VASAB Secretariat in Riga Elizabetes str.19,
Riga, LV-1010, Latvia Tel [phone], Fax
371 67350626 E-mail info_at_vasab.org