Kai Böhme

Good planning needs foresight. How can foresight mindsets and practices be incorporated into urban planning? This was the topic of yesterday's roundtable on future foresight and scenario planning at #WPC61 in Riyadh #ISOCARP. I had the pleasure to participate with Bronwyn Williams and Sunil Dubey.

Big Bets for Bigger Impact: Towards a More Strategic and Risk-Taking… From pilot projects to big bets: how a more strategic and risk-taking Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) could turn Europe’s budget into an engine of transformation.

Europe enters the next round of #MFF negotiations with a familiar dilemma: adjustments to an increasingly overstretched system, or a strategic leap towards transformative investment? Kaisa Lähteenmaki-Smith and I explore this tension through a forward-looking scenario 👉 steady.page/en/spatialfo...

Scenarios for Europe’s Eastern Border: Navigating uncertainty in a… The EU's north-eastern border is facing insecurity and transformation. Three scenarios explore how resilience, cooperation and a shared vision could influence its future.

How can security and cohesion reinforce each other? Jean Claude Zeimet and I explore scenarios for EU’s north-eastern border regions: steady.page/en/spatialfo....
They were developed within @esponprogramme.bsky.social CHANEBO to stimulate reflection on strategic choices & territorial consequences.

Small projects, big choices: Making Interreg’s micro-cooperation… What role do small projects play in European territorial cooperation? The appeal lies in the type of collaboration they enable. That is why we should see more of them.

Small-scale projects are meant to bring territorial cooperation closer to citizens. Our latest blog post takes a look 👉 steady.page/en/spatialfo...

It explores how Small-Scale Projects (SSPs) and Small Project Funds (SPFs) can becoming drivers of inclusion, trust and cross-border engagement.

Important Projects of Common European Interest In the proposed EU budget for 2028–34, the term 'Important Projects of Common European Interest' (IPCEIs) appears at various points: A good reason to take a closer look.

'Important Projects of Common European Interest' (IPCEIs) offer collaborative leap into strategic risk, designed to build EU capacity. Although they are cross-border, they hardly feature in debates about territorial cohesion. Read our new blog post steady.page/en/spatialfo...

Revisiting place-based policymaking Persistent regional gaps call for smarter policies: a case for strengthening place-based and anticipatory policymaking - also in the debate about EU funds after 2027.

As Europe debates the shape of post-2027 policies, one question looms large: how can we reconcile competitiveness with cohesion in an age of transition? Time to revisit place-based policymaking! Read our new blog post 👉 steady.page/en/spatialfo...

Anticiaptory governance – navigating uncertain futures How can Europe govern emerging tech and transformative disruptions before it’s too late? Anticipatory governance offers tools for bold, ethical & place-sensitive action.

Emerging technologies and geopolitical shocks are reshaping Europe’s territorial futures. Yet our governance systems remain stubbornly reactive. It is time to shift to anticipatory governance. Read our blog post 👉 steady.page/en/spatialfo...

The blog post is inspired by a publication by @vtt.fi

Interreg Alpine Space Pioneering Circular Economy Transition Interreg Alpine Space has a strong portfolio of circular economy projects that show how regional cooperation can translate vision into action and what can be learnt.

How can Europe move to circular economy? Experience of the Interreg Alpine Space Programme illustrates how circularity can be scaled through cooperation, innovation, and local action. 👉 Read the new blog post steady.page/en/spatialfo...

Harnessing Nature: The rise of bio-solutions in Europe How differ bio-solutions from the bioeconomy, ecosystem services, or nature-based solutions? How can they transform nature into a driving force for sustainable growth?

Bio-solutions are moving from the lab to Europe’s regions. Advances in technology mean that biology and technology can be combined to create green industrial solutions, or bio-solutions. More in the new blog post: steady.page/en/spatialfo...

How to make NRP Plans a success The MMF 2028-34 proposal pushes NRP plans. These could transform EU funding or sideline cohesion. Robust partnerships, territorial logic and a long-term vision are vital.

The EU post-2027 budget proposes a radical shift: National and Regional Partnership (NRP) Plans. The idea: strategic integration & simplified funding. At what cost? What is needed to make them work for cohesion?
Read our new blog post steady.page/en/spatialfo...

Shifting perspectives for the future of cohesion policy.
Getting ready for today’s roleplay on possible future cohesion policy. While everyone is waiting for the Commission’s proposal on the post-2027 EU budget and cohesion priorities, to spark fresh thinking and challenge established assumptions.

Four provocative ideas for a radical rethink of cohesion policy Let's take a step back from political feasibility & institutional constraints to explore what a radically different cohesion policy might look like: 4 provocative ideas.

In a few weeks, the European Commission will present its proposals for the future of Cohesion Policy. But before the official documents ground us in reality, why not allow ourselves to think completely outside the box? steady.page/en/spatialfo...

Schengen at 40: Celebrating freedoms, confronting fractures The 40th anniversary provides an opportunity for celebration. It is also a call to action to defend the vision of a Europe without borders.

As we celebrate the 40th anniversary of the #Schengen Agreement, we must ask ourselves: can Europe uphold one of its greatest achievements, or are we witnessing the quiet erosion of a shared dream? Read more in my latest blog post steady.page/en/spatialfo...

Quo vadis, EU? The EU is at a crossroads. Is it just a market, or is it a community that works together to share values? It needs a shared vision about what it should do and why.

Is the EU becoming a patchwork of cherry-pickers, or can it still offer a shared vision for its citizens? Our latest blog post reflects on two distinct paths the EU may now be heading toward 👉 steadyhq.com/en/spatialfo...

#EU #FutureOfEurope #EuropeanUnion #Cohesion #EuropeQuoVadis

Connecting the dots for a greener future: Trans-regional circularity… The concept of trans-regional circularity is emerging. These hubs could facilitate the transition from fragmented efforts to systemic and scalable circular solutions.

In our latest blog post, we explore the powerful yet under-the-radar concept of trans-regional circularity hubs 👉 steadyhq.com/en/spatialfo...
The goal? A greener, more resilient Europe – built on cooperation, not competition. Why do we need hubs that go beyond national borders?

Europe, a union of skills: Tackling Europe's talent trap Skills shortage is a pressing structural challenges in the EU. A Union of Skills could be a game changer for individuals and regions seeking to escape the talent trap.

🔍 Europe’s Talent Challenge: is a Union of Skills the answer?
How can Europe ensure that everyone and every place has a future?
Read 👉https://steadyhq.com/en/spatialforesight/posts/28230d42-66fd-4c78-ba1d-678946cbab1d
The Union of Skills, and its implications for regional development and cohesion.

🇪🇺 Happy Europe Day! 🎉
As we do every year, we fly the flag at our house on 9 May to celebrate peace, unity and solidarity in Europe.
On this day in 1950, Robert Schuman presented his declaration, which laid the foundation for the EU.
#EuropeDay #EU #UnityInDiversity #Cohesion #Solidarity #09May

Forks in the road to cohesion policy post-2027 Cohesion policy faces a pivotal moment as discussions on the next EU budget unfold. Several bifurcation points could shape its evolution or transformation beyond 2027.

What does the future hold for EU cohesion policy after 2027? As debates on the next EU budget begin, several bifurcation points could radically reshape how the EU supports its regions 👉 steadyhq.com/en/spatialfo...

Mapping justice in the green transition How fair is the green transition? The European Fair Transition Observatory could be a step towards a more evidence-based and territorially sensitive green transition.

🌍 Is the green transition fair for all? As EU races towards climate neutrality, not all regions and workers are starting from the same line. That’s where the 🇪🇺 European Fair Transition Observatory may come in.
Read more in our latest blog post 👉 steadyhq.com/en/spatialfo...

Today, I had the pleasure of address the joint DGTC & DGUM meeting in Warsaw #Poland25eu , and present my ideas on why to join forces to strengthen the territorial #cohesion dimension in the European Semester. It draws on steadyhq.com/en/spatialfo...
@esponprogramme.bsky.social #TerritorialAgenda

Mapping justice in the green transition How fair is the green transition? The European Fair Transition Observatory could be a step towards a more evidence-based and territorially sensitive green transition.

How fair is the green transition in spatial, social and sectoral terms? There is talk about a European Fair Transition Observatory. The blog post discusses whether it can help a more evidence-based and territorially sensitive green transition. steadyhq.com/en/spatialfo...

Future proof? Not without territory! Territorial scenarios can help us move from being informed to being able to change the future through our actions. They link possible futures and territorial realities.

How can territorial hashtag#scenarios help us move from being informed to being able to change the future through our actions? A blog post by Maria Toptsidou steadyhq.com/en/spatialfo...

Criteria for a future-wise Cohesion Policy To make an effective contribution to Europe's future, cohesion policy must clearly demonstrate how it delivers benefits for all. It must meet 5 criteria or objectives.

#Cohesion is important for the future of Europe. EU policies should reflect this. Read our latest blog post on criteria for a future-wise cohesion policy 👉 steadyhq.com/en/spatialfo...

Gleich in den Kalender eintragen: Europa braucht Dich.
Am Sonntag, 6. April, 14:00 Uhr:
#PulseofEurope #EuropaDemo in Frankfurt a. M., Darmstadt, Marburg, Karlsruhe, Baden-Baden, Göttingen, Hildesheim, Kassel, Köln, Aachen, Kiel, Würzburg, Goslar, …
#LastExitEurope

pulseofeurope.eu/blog/projekt...

It would be nice to have Schengen for at least another 30 years and not have it undermined by new border control regimes. The other day I waited 45 minutes at the border crossing from Luxembourg to Germany. And it was right next to Schengen.

Es wäre schön, wenn wir Schengen noch mindestens 30 Jahre lang hätten und es nicht durch neue Grenzkontrollregelungen untergraben würde. Neulich habe ich 45 Minuten am Grenzübergang von Luxemburg nach Deutschland gewartet. Und der war direkt neben Schengen.

It would be nice to have Schengen for at least another 30 years and not have it undermined by new border control regimes. The other day I waited 45 minutes at the border crossing from Luxembourg to Germany. And it was right next to Schengen.

It would be nice to have Schengen for at least another 30 years and not have it undermined by new border control regimes. The other day I waited 45 minutes at the border crossing from Luxembourg to Germany. And it was right next to Schengen.

It would be nice to have Schengen for at least another 30 years and not have it undermined by new border control regimes. The other day I waited 45 minutes at the border crossing from Luxembourg to Germany. And it was right next to Schengen.

Should the European Semester include territorial cohesion? Integrating territorial cohesion into the European Semester could improve policy coordination & address regional disparities more effectively. This idea is controversial.

Should the European Semester address territorial cohesion? steadyhq.com/en/spatialfo...
Integrating territorial #cohesion into the #EuropeanSemester could improve policy coordination & address regional disparities, some ideas based on a #TerritorialAgenda review for @esponprogramme.bsky.social