What “Is” Territorial Cohesion? What Does It “Do”?: Essentialist Versus Pragmatic Approaches to Using Concepts

Figures & data

Table 1. ESPON projects selected for analysis

Name of project	Project type	Programme
ESPON, 3.2 (TEQUILA)	TIA	2000–2006
Project 4.1.3	ETCI	2000–2006
TIP TAP	TIA	2007–2013: applied research
ARTS	TIA	2007–2013: applied research
EATIA	TIA	2007–2013: targeted analysis
KITCASP	ETCI	2007–2013: targeted analysis
INTERCO	ETCI	2007–2013: scientific platform
BSR-TeMo	ETCI	2007–2013: scientific platform

Table 2. Summary of eight ESPON TIA and ETCI projects

Project	Tool	Model	Essential components / definition	Method for definition
Project 3.2 – TEQUILA (ESPON, 2006a)	TIA	Tree	Territorial cohesion: (traits)	Traits identified through policy analysis
			• Territorial efficiency
			• Territorial quality
			• Territorial identity
Project 4.1.3 (ESPON, 2006b)	ETCI	Tree	Territorial cohesion: (traits)
			• Balanced distribution of population
			• Sustainable structures
			TC = polycentricity: (traits)	Traits identified through policy analysis.
			• Access to services
			• Avoiding negative externalities of excessive concentration of population, traffic, etc.
			• Avoiding excessive disparities in terms of income and wealth
			• A limited use of surfaces and environmental resources for human activities
TIP TAP—(ESPON, 2008)	TIA	Tree	Territorial cohesion: (traits)	Traits identified through policy analysis
			• Territorial efficiency
			• Territorial quality
			• Territorial identity
ARTS (ESPON, 2012a)	TIA	Tree	Vulnerability: (traits)	Traits identified through Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change
			• Exposure
			• Territorial sensitivity
			• Adaptive capacity
EATIA (ESPON, 2012b)	TIA	Tree	Territorial impact: (traits)  … any impact on a given geographically defined territory, whether on	Traits for territorial impact derived from ESPON's TEQUILA, ARTS and INTERCO projects
			• spatial usage,
			• governance, or
			• on wider economic,
			• social or
			• environmental aspects,
			which results from the introduction or transposition of an EU directive or policy’ (ESPON, 2012b, p. 60)
		Tree	Assessment of impact: “Territorial characteristics”. These could be on a case-by-case basis or standardized criteria. One example offered is drawn from Europe 2020 (EC, 2010):	Territorial characteristics used as criteria to assess impacts. Characteristics determined by stakeholders for individual assessments or at a pan-European scale
			• Employment
			• Investment in research and development
			• Greenhouse gas emissions
			• Renewable energy
			• Energy efficiency
			• Educational attainment
			• Poverty and social exclusion (ESPON, 2012b, p. 67)
KITCASP (ESPON, 2012c)	ETCI	Tree	Territorial cohesion: (themes)	Themes identified through workshops
			• Economic competitiveness and innovation
			• Balanced regional development and settlement-infrastructure alignment
			• Social cohesion and quality of life
			• Sustainable development and environmental quality
			• Territorial co-operation and governance
INTERCO (ESPON, 2010a, 2010b, 2011a, 2011b)	ETCI	Tree	Territorial cohesion: (themes)	Themes identified through policy analysis/drawing on TEQUILA and Project 4.1.3
			• Territorial structure
			• Connection
			• Competitiveness
			• Innovation
			• Inclusion
			• Quality of environment
			• Energy
			• Cooperation/governance
			Storyline Territorial cohesion: (storylines)	Five number storylines introduced in brief (drawn from other studies) expanded, adapted and merged through workshops
			• Smart growth in a competitive and polycentric Europe
			• Governance, coordination of policies and territorial impacts
			• Environmental dimension and sustainable development
			• Local development conditions and geographical specificities
			• Inclusive, balanced development and fair access to services
		Tree	Territorial cohesion: (objectives)	Objectives identified by merging tree and storyline models above
			• Strong local economies ensuring global competitiveness
			• Innovative territories
			• Fair access to services, markets and jobs
			• Inclusion and quality of life
			• Attractive regions of high ecological values and strong territorial capital
			• Integrated polycentric territorial development
ESPON BSR-TeMo (2012d)	ETCI	Tree	Balanced territorial development	Dimensions identified by merging a range of established definitions and Baltic Sea Region goals
			• Polycentricity
			• High quality of urban nodes
			• Regional clusters of competition and innovation Integrated development of functional areas
			• Territorial assets/territorial capital
			• Wise use of the sea space
			• Eco-resilience
			• Accessible infrastructure
			• Inter-modal, green transport renewable energy resources
			• Territorially oriented governance (ESPON, 2012d, pp. 12–13)

Figure 1. OECD tree model and storylines model used to define territorial cohesion.

Figure 2. The TEQUILA conceptual model for territorial cohesion.

Figure 3. INTERCO's consolidation of definitions to form one set of themes.

Figure 4. Marked-up extract of UK response according to tree model and storyline model.

Source: UK Government (2009), text reproduced with permission. © Crown copyright.

Table 3. Quotations from national governments showing how territorial cohesion is already operationalized in national policy frameworks

National government/institution	Reference
Hungary	Argues that “the interpretation of territorial cohesion as specified in the Green Paper is very close to the vision and system of objectives formulated in the National Concept for Regional Development (NCRD), a basic document in Hungarian territorial policy … ”
UK	“In the UK, the term ‘place based’ is often used instead of ‘territorial cohesion’ … .
	Key elements for delivering these place based policies in the UK include: (i) A sound evidence base; (i) Clear, spatially expressed, strategies; (iii) Flexible and strong Governance; (iv) Sustainable Policies … ”
Finland	“It is positive that the Green Paper recognises the role of regional structures with polycentric and urban areas in safeguarding vitality in rural regions. This is in line with Finland's national policy … In Finland's view, interaction between cities and rural areas can be viewed as a goal of territorial cohesion”

Table 4. Quotations from regional and local governments showing how territorial cohesion is already operationalized in regional or local policy frameworks

Regional/local governments	Reference
Mid-West Regional Authority, Ireland	The definition of territorial cohesion provided in the green paper “ … very much mirrors some of the language in the National Spatial Strategy … Ireland already has developed such approaches to some extent in the National Spatial Strategy which incorporates both inter-territorial and trans-national opportunities for cohesion”
Convention of Scottish Local Authorities, UK	The CSLA “ … has long being advocating strong, consistent Territorial Cohesion … ”
German Metropolitan Regions Initiative	“The European metropolitan regions are the cornerstones of Territorial Cohesion”
South-West of England, UK	“The Green Paper on Territorial Cohesion introduces three key concepts to underpin Territorial Cohesion … The South West supports these three concepts as they are in line with the South West Single Regional Strategy”
Randstad provinces, NL	The Randstad response sets out a number of initiatives that they argue capture the concept of territorial cohesion
Flemish Government, Belgium	“Territorial cohesion can only be successful if it is seen as an integrated cooperation process …
	With Flanders, this integrated approach is applied to the creation of Flemish Master Plans, the implementation of those plans …”
Welsh Assembly Government, UK	“‘One Wales’, the Government's progressive agenda for Wales, (is) consistent with the European Union's goals, as represented by broad Cohesion Policy and expressed and implemented according to the Treaties”
	They go on to suggest that territorial cohesion is captured in The Wales Spatial Plan
The Scottish Government, UK	“Our response to the Green Paper is fully consistent with the domestic policy objectives that have been established by the Scottish Government”
North West Regional European Partnership, UK	The NWREP suggests that the concept of territorial cohesion is captured in the Regional Strategy 2010
Powys County Council, UK	“As a Local Authority, the context of spatial planning and territorial cohesion provides the framework and the background for its activities …”

ESPON (2006a) ESPON Project 3.2: Spatial Scenarios and Orientations in Relation to the ESDP and Cohesion Policy, Final Report: October, ESPON.

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ESPON (2006b) ESPON Project 4.1.3: Feasibility Study on Monitoring Territorial Development Based on ESPON Key Indicators, Interim Report: July 2006, ESPON.

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ESPON (2008) TIP TAP: Territorial Impact Package for Transport and Agricultural Policies, Inception Report: September 24, ESPON.

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ESPON (2012a) ESPON ARTS Assessment of Regional and Territorial Sensitivity, Final Report: Version 30/07/2012.

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ESPON (2012b) EATIA: ESPON and Territorial Impact Assessment, Final Report: Version 29/06/2012.

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EC (2010) EUROPE 2020: A Strategy for Smart, Sustainable and Inclusive Growth, Luxembourg Office for Official Publications of the European Communities.

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ESPON (2012c) KITCASP: Key Indicators for Territorial Cohesion and Spatial Planning, Interim Report: Version 31/10/2012.

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ESPON (2010a) INTERCO: Indicators of Territorial Cohesion, Inception Report: Version August 27, 2010, ESPON.

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ESPON (2010b) INTERCO: Indicators of Territorial Cohesion, Note on the Selection of Territorial Cohesion Indicators: 7/6/2011, ESPON.

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ESPON (2011a) INTERCO: Indicators of Territorial Cohesion, (draft) Final Report: December 2011.

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ESPON (2011b) INTERCO: Indicators of Territorial Cohesion, (draft) Final Scientific Report, December 2011.

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ESPON (2012d) ESPON BSR-TeMo: Territorial Monitoring for the Baltic Sea Region, Interim Report: Version 30/11/2012, Interim Report Revision: 12/10/2012.

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