Recording: The value of interregional cooperation for Portuguese regions
On 19 October 2021, the Interreg Europe Policy Learning Platform together with the Region of Alentejo, ACDIPE and IrRaDIARE co-hosted a webinar on ‘Tackling green policy challenges : the value of interregional cooperation for Portuguese regions’.
The event was part of the ‘Policy Learning Platform on the road’ initiative and brought together 71 participants including high-level regional representatives from the Portuguese regions Alentejo, Algarve, Centro, Lisbon, Norte and the Energy Agency of Azores.
The webinar was an excellent opportunity to understand the main green challenges that Portuguese regions are facing, to learn about the future opportunities of the Interreg Europe programme and how Portuguese regions can benefit from interregional cooperation already now and in the future. The event agenda is available here.
Recording
Webinar agenda overview
Navigate to the discussion topics of interest in the webinar agenda overview below.
Moderation and concept by Astrid Severin, Thematic Expert of environment and resource efficiency.
00:05:48 Keynote speech by Dr. Carmen Carvalheira, Vice-President of the Alentejo Region
00:14:33 Presentation by Magdalini Anagnostou, from Interreg Europe on the funding opportunities under the new programme
00:26:55 Q&A What does that mean if there will be less focus on structural funds? What is the true impact on the development or the call for applications?
Panel discussion: The green policy challenges of Portuguese regions
00:30:08 Q&A Where do you think you would see the most added value in peer learning from other regions?
00:33:07 Q&A What are your green challenges?
00:33:17 Introduction to the region of Algarve's green challenges by Elsa Cordeiro, Vice-President and Maria de Lurdes Carvalho, Director of Regional Development Services
00:39:09 Introduction to the Norte region's green challenges by Célia Ramos, Vice-President
00:43:32 Introduction to the Centro region's green challenges by Alexandra Rodrigues, Director of Regional Development Services
00:47:06 Introduction to Lisbon's green challenges Tiago Cruz, Head of Head of Innovation, Competitiveness and Cooperation Division
00:49:53 Introduction to the green priorities of the Azores Government by Catarina Sousa, Regional Directorate for Energy
How Portuguese regions can tap into the Policy Learning Platform and benefit from interregional cooperation
00:56:31 Presentation by Marcos Nogueira, Head of the Alentejo Region Representation Office at the EU on becoming greener and more resource efficient thanks to Interreg Europe
01:06:32 Presentation by Elena Ferrario and Astrid Severin on the Interreg Europe Policy Learning Platform as a source of inspiration
01:23:53 Presentation by Susana Lopes, International Business Unit, LIPOR Greater Porto Region on the benefits of Interreg Europe Peer Reviews
Key learnings
- Interreg Europe is the only Interreg programme allowing all regions in Europe to cooperate with each other. Portugal is present in 26% of the 258 approved Interreg Europe projects. Of these 68 projects, 15 are focusing on low carbon economy and 16 projects on environment and resource efficiency. By mid-October 2021, Portuguese project partners reported on 22 policy changes and had mobilised 262 million Euros thanks to the results achieved in Interreg Europe projects.
- For the upcoming programming period, the motto is 'no revolution but evolution': the programme objective is still to improve regional and local development policies, with one cross cutting priority dedicated to capacity building. Therefore, the programme will cover all topics related to regional development policies, while keeping a focus on innovation and environment policies (80% of programme funding to smart and green priorities)
- Before the new Interreg Europe calls are launched next year, through the Interreg Europe Policy Learning Platform opportunities for interregional policy learning and cooperation are already available now with no need to apply for funding. Specific, individual services such as matchmaking sessions and peer-reviews are readily available to policy makers to address their green policy challenges with hand-picked peers
- In a lively panel debate, Portuguese regional representatives outlined the main green policy challenges that their regions are facing. Despite regional differences and a rich geographical diversity ranging from coastal and mountain regions to urban agglomerations, similar green challenges have been highlighted: water scarcity, natural hazards such as fires, sustainable forestry and farming, biodiversity, circular economy and waste management, sustainable tourism, resource efficiency in industry, green public procurement as well as the energy transition and sustainable transport.