METREX meets Scandria: Quality of Life in Metropolitan Regions
METREX, as a Network of European Metropolitan Regions and Areas, provides a platform for the exchange of knowledge, experience and expertise on metropolitan affairs, and joint action on issues of common interest. Some 50 metropolitan regions and areas are in the Network. METREX contributes the metropolitan dimension to policies, programmes and projects on a European scale. The Network is a partner of European institutions, the research community, governmental organisations and other networks.
www.eurometrex.org
Scandria: Chances and Challenges of the Baltic Adriatic Development Corridor
19 partners from five countries Sweden, Denmark, Norway, Finland, and Germany cooperate in the Scandria Baltic Sea Region Programme 2007-2013 project to improve transport functions in the Northern part of the important Scandinavian-Adriatic axis. Their main goals are: improving accessibility, greening transport and motivating economic interests. For activities within the project period (9/2009 – 8/2012), a budget of €3.8 million is planned. Lead Partner is the Joint State Planning Department Berlin-Brandenburg.
www.scandriaproject.eu
Metrex: Quality of Life in Metropolitan Regions
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Scandria: Chances and Challenges of the Baltic Adriatic Development Corridor
Themed „Metropolitan Futures – Living, Learning, Creating, Moving“, about 500 experts coming from whole Europe met from 15th until 17th September to discuss current developments and challenges of sustainable policy on urban and transport development. This conference took place under the patronage of Klaus Wowereit, governing mayor of Berlin, and Matthias Platzeck, minister-president of the federal state of Brandenburg.
The capital region of Berlin-Brandenburg hosted this conference together with the network of European metropolitan regions METREX and the transnational project Scandinavian-Adriatic Development Corridor SCANDRIA. Ms Junge-Reyer, Berlin senator for urban development, and Mr Vogelsänger, Minister of Infrastructure and Agriculture of the federal state of Brandenburg, opened up this conference.
Ingeborg Junge-Reyer stressed: “We must think in a cross-functional manner and, in particular; we do have to exchange our ideas and experience with others at regular intervals. In this respect, the conference Metropolitan Futures offers a perfect framework. Sustainable policy on urban development supports lively and attractive cities having a high quality of life. Affordable mobility and offers strengthening social cohesion are therefore of utmost importance.”
Jörg Vogelsänger underlined: “For example, the development within the Baltic-Adriatic- Development Corridor will provide the logistic sector - with currently nearly 180,000 jobs in the capital region – with some considerable growth spurt. At all levels of qualification, technological and management innovations will directly create new jobs in a “Green Corridor”. Any cooperation between urban and rural areas shall be considerably improved by enhanced internal development of the economic regions.”
High level speakers from politics, economy and science delivered speeches and had lively discussions with the participants. Charles Landry, a British urban scientist and author, spoke about the future of metropolises and regions. During the conference, the two networks METREX and SCANDRIA presented their activities and shaped the future programme by integrating international specialists and topical results of research. The network SCANDRIA presented a joint declaration to be submitted to the European Commission.
