The Federal Office for Building and Regional Planning

Top News 02 September 2022 Ideas for the sustainable development of the Baltic Sea Region

The Summer School 2022 of the international spatial planning network VASAB took place at the University of Greifswald between 22 and 26 August under the title – ‘Sustainable Futures in the Baltic Sea Region’.

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Together, 20 students and young professionals developed project ideas for the sustainable development of the Baltic Sea Region in the areas of climate change, mobility, energy, environment, and demographic change and social cohesion. The event was jointly hosted by The Federal Ministry of Housing, Urban Development and Construction (BMWSB) and the Federal Institute for Research on Building, Urban Affairs and Spatial Development (BBSR) together with the VASAB Secretariat and the University of Greifswald.

The participants came from Germany, Finland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Sweden, Denmark and Norway. During lectures and excursions, they learned more about the challenges of cross-border spatial planning in the Baltic Sea Region, innovative approaches in spatial planning and the practical implementation of sustainability targets. They were advised and supported by researchers and professionals from the BMWSB and BBSR.

The young planners developed their ideas in five interdisciplinary teams. The ideas ranged from new uses of opencast mining areas for renewable energies; the promotion of green roofs, to approaches for more inclusivity in urban neighbourhoods, and solutions for better networking of stakeholders with regard to environmentally compatible agriculture in the Baltic Sea Region. The jury were particularly impressed by the project ‘Splashing Benefits of Rail Baltica’. It outlines a way to better connect rural regions along the new Rail Baltica railway line, currently under construction. The outstanding team will present the results of their work at a high-level conference of the Baltic littoral countries in Spring 2023.

The authorities responsible for spatial planning and development in the Baltic Sea littoral countries cooperate in the network VASAB - VISION AND STRATEGIES AROUND THE BALTIC SEA, with the aim of jointly shaping spatial development in the region. Germany currently holds the chair of the VASAB.

The results of the Summer School will shortly be available on the VASAB website:

https://vasab.org/young-planners/

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