The document discusses the importance of local and regional dynamics in implementing low carbon economy (LCE) strategies, emphasizing the need for transboundary cooperation and effective policy instruments. It highlights various local initiatives and the challenges of data gathering for measuring progress in carbon reduction efforts. Additionally, it underscores the potential for exchange, learning, and methodological development in cross-border areas to enhance LCE performance.

1. Prof. Dr. Hans Bruyninckx (Catholic University Leuven)
Brussels, May 2013
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2. 1. Transboundary cooperation and the low
carbon economy (LCE)
 Local and regional dynamics essential in LCE strategies
 Level at which LCE policies are concretised, implemented
and financed
 Cluster-approaches to industrial (eco-)innovation
 Often linked to local dynamics (e.g. carbon neutral urban or
regional development strategies)
 Local dynamics often have transboundary characteristics
 Economic clusters are often transboundary (e.g. harbor
regions; metropolitan networks; …)
 Often supported by policy instruments and strategies (e.g.
EU funding for transboundary development)
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3. 2. Local cases: never in ‘isolation’
 Framework: (sub)national and European policies on
 Industrial policy
 Eco-innovation
 GHG emissions reductions
 Related R&D policies
 New dynamics on local LCE
 Covenant of Mayors
 EU attention
 OECD attention
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4. 3. Euregion Scheldemond
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5. Bio-base technology as basis for
reconversion and green growth
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6. Industrial Profile
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Organisational Structure Bio Base Europe
- Port of Ghent
- Education opportunities: “close the critical
gap between scientific feasibility and
industrial application of new biobased
products and processes”
- Train employees for biobased green jobs
- City of Terneuzen
- Education, networking, technological innovation and
exhibiting
“Smart Links”: cooperation
among biobased companies

7. 4. Multi-level Policy Initiatives
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Belgium
Flemish
Region
Province of
Eastern-
Flanders
City of
Ghent
The
Netherlands
Province of
Zeeland
City of
Terneuzen
Surprisingly many efforts already
at the regional and local level
but…
considering the indicators of local
transition to a low-carbon economy:
- No cross-border cooperation yet
- No systematic measurement yet
-Yet need for indicators:
- How are we doing? Policy
performance
- Legitimacy ?

8. 5. Reflections on the use of local LC-indicators
A number of enduring problems of data-gathering
- ‘region’ does not coincide with any data gathering ‘institution’
- Transboundary characteristics complicate this
- Data availability; consistency; comparability; …
- Longitudinal nature of LCE/S transition
Result: hardly any of the indicators are used at this moment
Yet, … many indicator processes are running at the local level
- labor-, capacity-, time-intensive
- Little coherence, compatibility at the level of Belgium/Flanders
- Little structured ‘learning’
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9. 6. Emerging Policy Messages
 Challenges for data gathering remain strong
 Yet, … many indicator processes are running at the
local level
 Two steps approach: the core (eg: GHG emissions of the
region; Carbon intensity of the economy of the region; carbon
intensity of employment) and the complementary
adjusted local set
 Specific process approach for crossborder areas
 Opportunities for for exchange, learning,
methodological and policy development!
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10. 7. Role for RIOs (Benelux)
 LCE and Green Growth
 Relevance for specific region?
 Part of core political/policy attention?
 How to integrate in working program?
 Indicator development and use
 Specific competences in cross-border cooperation: how to
use this for indicator processes?
 Setting the stage for other cross-border areas of high
significance for LC-future
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