Debating the urban dimension of territorial cohesion

The Territorial Cohesion goal was only included in the EU Treaty by 2009, with a view to promote a more balanced and harmonious European territory. One year earlier (2008), the European Commission (EC) published the ‘Green Paper on Territorial Cohesion—Turning territorial diversity into strength’. Neither one, nor the other, clearly defines the meaning of the Territorial Cohesion concept. The later, however, proposes three main policy responses towards more balanced and harmonious development: (i) Concentration: overcoming differences in density; (ii) Connecting territories: overcoming distance; and (iii) Cooperation: overcoming division. Although not explicitly, this document identifies several ‘urban questions’ to be dealt when promoting territorial cohesive policies: avoiding diseconomies of very large agglomerations and urban sprawl processes, combating urban decay and social exclusion, avoiding excessive concentrations of growth, promoting access to integrated transport systems and creating metropolitan bodies. In this light, this chapter proposes to debate the importance of the urban dimension to achieve the goal of territorial cohesion at several territorial levels.info:eu-repo/semantics/acceptedVersio

The Impact of Events and Investments on Development Potentials of the Coastal Metropolises in Statu Nascendi

The article describes mass events and programs of spatial transformation in the selected European costal metropolises in statu nascendi, as well as the impact of these activities on the development potentials of the metropolises. Coastal metropolitan areas, due to their unique conditions, are particularly predisposed to the organization of the sporting and cultural events related to the marine identity. As the analyses carried out in the article show, these cities also host other events, such as Football European Championships and the World Cups, and are often given the status of the European Capital of Culture. These events, although they are not determined by the coastal location, often use the attributes related to it. With the organization of sporting and cultural events, different types of spatial regeneration programs are often associated. They have impact on the residents’ life quality, but also indirectly increase the development potential of the metropolis. In the case of coastal metropolises, these programs usually include areas with specific marine functions as the old shipyard areas or port districts. Material cultural heritage associated with marine identity, particularly postindustrial legacy, and the genius loci of these areas, is the important determinant for the further development of the metropolis