KITCASP - Key Indicators for Territorial Cohesion and Spatial Planning
Theme
Identification of the most suitable core set of key indicators of significant practical use to policy-makers and practitioners at national and sub-national levels in the preparation of territorial development strategies.
Thematic scope
The KITCASP project will explore the use of territorial data in developing and monitoring national spatial strategies and other territorial development policies in Scotland, Ireland, Latvia, Iceland and the Basque Country, Spain. It will examine the extent to which ESPON data has informed the strategies examined and develop guidelines on the use of indicators and ESPON data in territorial policy development at the national level. A particular emphasis is placed on identifying a core set of key indicators for territorial cohesion, economic competitiveness and sustainable development to inform spatial planning at the national level, drawing on ESPON research and datasets available in the partner countries. The project will also consider how the capacity for spatial analysis can be strengthened and harmonised at the national level, how national analytical experience and expertise can help to inform and take forward the EU Territorial Agenda, and the implications for future ESPON research.
Please read more about the main areas of analysis and main results envisaged.
Stakeholders
- Scottish Government Directorate for the Built Environment (Lead Stakeholder).
- Spatial Policy Unit, Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, Ireland
- State Regional Development Agency, Analyses and Research Coordination Division & International Projects and Communication Division, Latvia
- Icelandic National Planning Agency, Iceland
- Department of the Environment, Regional Planning, Agriculture and Fishing, Basque Government – Spain
Main stakeholder interests
The following questions shall be addressed:
- What are good practices in the use of data to inform territorial policy development?
- How can the stakeholders make better use of ESPON data in developing their spatial policies?
- What data is needed for developing reliable key indicators?
- What are the key indicators for measuring territorial cohesion, economic competitiveness and sustainable development?
- How can indicators for different countries be compared?
- How can the key indicators most effectively inform spatial policy?
- To what extent are these indicators GIS-based and would this enhance their comparability and relevance?
- How can the key indicators be regularly updated and how is this to be managed?
The added value of the project will consist of:
- Guidelines on the use of indicators and ESPON data in territorial policy development at the national level;
- A Core set of key indicators of territorial cohesion, economic competitiveness and sustainable development to inform spatial planning at the national level, drawing on ESPON research and datasets available in the case studies;
- Demonstrating how national analytical experience and expertise can help to inform and take forward the EU Territorial Agenda and the implications for future ESPON research.
Lead Partner
National Institute for Regional and Spatial Analysis (NIRSA), National University of Ireland Maynooth, Ireland.
Detailed information on the contracted project team can be found under Transnational Project Groups
Budget: € 359,921.00
Project’s lifetime: February 2012 – July 2013
Delivery of Reports
Inception Report: 6 June 2012
Interim Report: 31 October 2012
Draft Final Report: 30 April 2013
Final Report: 31 July 2013
Publishing
Reports will be published once they are approved by the ESPON Monitoring Committee
More information
Please contact the Project Expert at the ESPON Coordination Unit:
Peter BILLING, e-mail: [email protected]
Main areas of analysis
The key innovation and overarching aim of the ESPON KITCASP project is the identification of the most suitable core set of key indicators of significant practical use to policy-makers and practitioners at national and sub-national levels in the preparation of territorial development strategies. The analysis will have the following key elements:
- Review the current use of spatial data by government and public agencies in the case study nations and identify any gaps, uncertainties or limitations in the data available;
- Examination of the extent to which ESPON data has informed national spatial planning strategies and territorial development policy in each case;
- Development of guidelines on the use of indicators and ESPON data in territorial policy development at the national level;
- Identification of a core set of key indicators of territorial cohesion, economic competitiveness and sustainable development to inform spatial planning at the national level, drawing on ESPON research and datasets available in the case studies;
- Considerations on how the capacity for spatial analysis can be strengthened and harmonised at the national level; and
- Examination of how national analytical experience and expertise can help to inform and take forward the EU Territorial Agenda and the implications for future ESPON research.
Main results envisaged
The envisaged results of the targeted analysis are the following:
- An assessment of key territorial development challenges and territorial policy objectives in each national context.
- A documentary analysis of the key territorial policy objectives at the national level and an overview of their application across sectoral policy areas.
- A review of current use of spatial data and indicators at national level including assessment of current ESPON influence.
- The identification of a core set of indicators for territorial cohesion, economic competitiveness and sustainable development in line with national understandings and policy objectives.
