Anneloes van Noordt is currently working at the Department of Environment and Spatial Development in Flanders. She is a researcher on the topic of Environment and Climate. She is mainly interested in the mutual relationship between climate and energy transition on the one hand and spatial development on the other. Therefore, she is involved in several research projects on this topic. Furthermore, she represents Flanders at the ESPON MC committee and is involved in the Driving Urban Transitions Partnership and the EU City Mission.

Dr Sander van den Burg is a senior researcher of Blue Economy at Wageningen Economic Research (WEcR). Sander studied Environmental Sciences and obtained a PhD at the Environmental Policy Group, Wageningen University. He started at Wageningen Economic Research in 2011. Since 2011, Sander has worked as project leader and program manager in marine research projects, studying how the sustainable use of seas and oceans can contribute to the achievement of SDG 2 and SDG 4. Examples of such projects are SEAMARK (Horizon Europe), GENIALG (H2020), MARIBE (H2020-CSA) and projects commissioned by CINEA/DG MARE. In his projects, various methods are applied, including but not restricted to Cost Benefit Analysis, Value Chain Analysis, Impact Assessment, Life Cycle Assessment, Multi-criteria Analysis and participatory design. These projects are carried out for various clients, ranging from the national government and the European Commission to private enterprise and charity funds. Sander is an experienced senior researcher used to work in multi-disciplinary teams. He regularly published his work in scientific and non-scientific journals.

Lynn Wesenbeek has been one of the leading figures of Flemish Television over the past 25 years. She started as a very young host of live entertainment shows on the commercial television channel VTM. She later became a news anchor and journalist at VTM and the business channel Kanaal-Z. She also took a seat on the board of directors at VRT, the public broadcaster. 
Today, Lynn is an international moderator. Making complex subjects accessible is what she is aiming for.

Dr. Ulla Higdem is a full professor of planning at the Inland Norway University of Applied Sciences (INN), the Inland School of Business – Faculty of Economics and Social Science. She is heading the research group “Shrinking Societies”. She is also affiliated with the Centre of Public Innovation (CPI, and connected to the PhD- program of Innovation in Services- Public and Private at INN. She also teaches at the Master of Public Administration – at the public innovation – specialization and the planning course.
Her research interests include new and changing forms of directing, governance, and planning, as well as innovative networks, innovative and realistic planning, and policy development in non-metropolitan and rural areas.  Besides publishing in academic journals, she is in dialogue with the field of practice, also being an action researcher and an active communicator of her research. 

Ongoing projects are REDINN: Regional dynamics and innovation capabilities in non-metropolitan contexts and RURALPLAN, Innovative planning in shrinking societies.  More on Innovative planning in the book Innovation in Public Planning, edited by Aksel Hagen and Ulla Higdem, 2020. 

Philippe Estèbe, a renowned French geographer and urbanist, has made significant contributions to addressing European urban and regional issues. As a professor at the University of Toulouse and a key figure at the Sciences Po Paris, he has focused much of his research on metropolitan governance, social inequalities, and territorial fragmentation across Europe.
One of his notable contributions is his analysis of the socio-spatial dynamics within cities, particularly concerning marginalised and left behind territories. His work often explores the complex interplay between urban planning policies and social equity, advocating for more inclusive and cohesive urban development strategies. For instance, his studies on the governance of metropolitan areas emphasize the need for integrated approaches to manage urban growth and address social disparities.
Additionally, he has played a crucial role in European territorial policies discourse through his leadership at the Higher Education Institute for European Development and Spatial Planning (IHEDATE, Paris), influencing policy-making processes and fostering better understanding of territorial development challenges across Europe.
His work is widely recognised for providing critical insights into how territorial policies can be designed to enhance social cohesion and spatial justice, particularly in the context of European integration and regional disparities.
His latest publications insist on the importance of integrated land use planning to address urban sprawl, environmental sustainability, and social inequalities. They address the impact of the most recent legislation related to no-net land take in France and Europe.

Benoit Nadler: Civil engineer – Ecole Nationale des Ponts et Chaussées – Institut d’études politiques
Senior civil servant – French Ministry of public works
20 years experience in DG REGIO: policy functions and geographical units (Romania, Hungary and Poland)
Currently deputy head of the policy development and economic analysis unit

Stefano Palmieri has been a member of the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) since 2009 and has been the President of its Section for Economic and Monetary Union and Economic and Social Cohesion for five years. He also served as President of the EESC's Europe 2020 Steering Committee. 
He is a member of the International and European Department at the Italian trade union Confederazione Generale Italiana del Lavoro (CGIL). He served as head of the CGIL's Europe office in Brussels (2009-2010). Previously he held several positions including Coordinator of research in "Local development and industrial policy" at Istituto di Ricerche Economiche e Sociali (IRES); member of the Trade Union Advisory Committee (TUAC) to the OECD, of the Steering Committee of the Institute de la Protection Sociale Europeenne (IPSE), of the ICFTU/ITS/TUAC Committee for International Co-operation on Workers Capital, of the Macroeconomic Group of the Social Dialogue Committee of the European Trade Union Confederation at the European Commission; researcher at the Italian National Council for Economy and Labor (CNEL) and expert on the Science of Finance and Financial Law at the University of Rome "Tor Vergata".
Education
He graduated in economics and commerce at La Sapienza University in Rome
 

A lawyer by training, Mr. Leroy began his career at the General Secretariat of the Public Service of Wallonia in 2017. He then left the public service for 2 years to become a trainee lawyer in a law firm specializing in land use planning and urban planning law. 

Following the tragic floods that eastern Wallonia experienced in July 2021, he joined the Special Commission for Reconstruction, the unit created by the Walloon Government to manage this crisis with unprecedented consequences one of which is the artificialization of land and urban sprawl. 

Finally, to continue the work started by this Commission, he joined the office of the Minister of Regional Planning at the end of 2022. In this context, he participates in the work relating to the new Territorial Development Plan. 

Dr. Romina D’ Ascanio is an architect and urban planner, and postdoctoral researcher and teaching assistant in the department of architecture of the Roma Tre University (Rome, Italy). She holds a Ph.D. in Urban and Landscape Planning (2020), a Post-Graduate Specialization in Local Development and Management in Natural and Protected Areas (2016) and a Master Degree in Architecture (2014). 
Her interests mainly refer to urban and landscape planning, environmental policies and collaborative governance, with a particular focus on green infrastructure approach.
Romina is an expert in euro planning, she works within COST Action, Erasmus +, Interreg and Life projects. She is also member of the group which developed the ESPON report “No net land take – policies and practices in European regions”.
She is secretary of the Italian Urban Planning Institute for the Lazio branch and member of the Board of the Biennial of Public Space.
The results of her work were presented in national and international papers, congress and seminars.
 

Marjan van Herwijnen is working as a research and policy manager at the ESPON EGTC. She is mathematician by profession and obtained her PhD in regional economics at the VU university in Amsterdam. In her thesis ‘Spatial Decision Support for Environmental Management’ she focused on transforming and using multi-criteria methods for spatial information. As a research and policy manager she is responsible for setting-up and managing studies that have a territorial focus and deliver data, maps and territorial analyses to policymakers and stakeholders at EU, national, regional or local level. At the moment, her main interests are climate neutral territories, the energy transition, circular economy, sustainable urbanization and of course no net land take. 

Pr. Xavier Desjardins is a full professor at the Sorbonne in Paris and a member of Médiations, a research centre specialising in geography and regional planning. He is an expert advisor for many urban projects and development strategies within the Cooperative Acadie. 

His research focuses on local governance, ecological transition and the concepts and tools of urban and regional planning. He recently published La Révolution obligée. Comment réussir la transformation écologique sans dépendre de la Chine et des Etats-Unis (with David Djaiz, Allary Editions, 2024, in Dutch in september 2024 De verplichte revolutie. Hoe kan Europa verduurzamen? Uitgeverij Pluim) and with Philippe Estèbe " Forgotten territories in Europe : lessons from Italy, Poland and Spain. ", Transactions of the Association of European Schools of Planning, 2022

Peter has expertise in no net land take policies (NNLT) and instruments of land policy. His book on NNLT policies was published in 2023 (Limits to land take/ Van groei naar grens, in Dutch). He has published several articles and reports on the implementation of the Flemish NNLT, including the policy report of the Taskforce Bouwshift commissioned by the regional minister in 2021. At HOGENT, he coordinates a research group that explores the research domain of limiting land consumption, and at KULeuven, Peter teaches policy implementation at the Department of Architecture. 

Jean-Marie Halleux is a full professor at the University of Liege. His research interests are in the relationships between geography, urban economy and spatial planning. He has been involved in several European research programs (Interreg, COST, PUCA, JPI Urban Europe, OECD), where he has developed expertise in the international comparison of land policies and planning systems. His comparative research focused on planning culture, soft densification, land sobriety (no net land take), land value capture and the impact of industrial land on economic development.

At the University of Liege, he is chair of Lepur. This research centre associates and federates laboratories of the University of Liege active in the field of spatial planning. Lepur is at the centre of a network representing about 60 professors and researchers.

Since 2014, Jean-Marie Halleux is Secretary of the International Board of APERAU (Association pour la Promotion de l’Enseignement et de la Recherche en Aménagement et Urbanisme). APERAU aims to contribute to the development of planning education in French-speaking countries.

His implication in APERAU has helped him in the creation of two new teaching cursus at the University of Liege:
- a generic Master of urban planning and territorial development
- the RePIC Master program, an Erasmus Mundus Joint Master program developed by eight universities and dedicated to the topic “Redesigning the Post-Industrial City.” 

Radu Necsuliu has been working in the Ministry of Development, Public Works and Administration of Romania since 2007. In the ministry, he coordinates the unit for territorial analyses and database and he has been part of the National Authority of ESPON programme for more than fifteen years. Since 2007, he holds a Ph.D. in Geography.
He has been in charge of the Territorial Observatory, a GIS platform used to analyse data in territorial profile and to quantify the territorial impact of public funded programs. He has also been part of the team that drafted the main national territorial and urban planning documents.
 

Sara Giovannini is working for the city network Energy Cities since 2018. She coordinates the communication team and leads the advocacy activities for local ownership or renewables. She also coordinates Energy Cities' Hub on community energy and has co-authored different publications on this topic. Before, she worked in communication for the European Commission, first in the Directorate General for the Environment, then in the Joint Research Centre. 

Achille Hannoset works in DG ENER's unit for Consumers, Local Initiatives and Just Transition as a policy officer. Achille is part of the consumer team, following up on the implementation of consumer empowerment-related measures and initiatives in EU energy policy. He is responsible for policies and initiatives related to active customers, energy sharing, energy communities, data interoperability and management and citizen engagement. 

Viktorija Dobravec is a project officer at the Interreg Central Europe programme, responsible to monitor and consult projects during their implementation with a primary focus on projects dealing with renewable energy and energy efficiency. She also monitors several projects in the field of circular economy and green innovation and coordinates implementation of transnational study on energy policy and governance. Previously she worked as a researcher at the University of Zagreb in the field of energy sustainability with an emphasis on smart energy systems design. She has experience in modelling and analysis of energy efficiency measures on the local and regional level through her work at the regional energy agency of Styria (Austria). She has an extensive experience in acquisition and implementation of projects from various EU funded programmes such as H2020 and Interreg. 

Josh Roberts currently serves as Senior Policy Advisor of REScoop.eu (EuropeanFederation of Citizen Energy Cooperatives), whichrepresentsaround 2,250 energycommunitiesthatwork on renewableenergy, energyefficiency, and other innovative clean energy technologies. He ledREScoop.eu'sadvocacy efforts on Europeanlegislationthatacknowledges and supports energycommunities as new marketactors in the energy transition. 

Josh participated in the coordination of the Energy Community Repository set up under the European Commission. He has significant experience explaining the transposition implementation of energy community policy and legislation to national decision-makers. 

A qualifiedlawyersince 2010, Josh has been activelyinvolved in the Europeanenergy policy debatesince 2012, focusing on issues related to the internalenergymarket, renewables and otherdistributedenergyresources, infrastructure, and community/citizen participation. 

Guillaume Corrradino is the Director of Euromontana, the European Association of Mountain Areas. Euromontana is a multi-actor network of mountain stakeholders from across Europe that promotes sustainable development and quality of life in the mountains.

Michel Dachelet, trained as a civil engineer and architect, began his career as a freelance urban planner. He was deputy chief of staff to the Minister for Spatial Planning from 2009 to 2014 and is currently the Head of the Spatial Planning and Urban Department of the Public Service of Wallonia.

In this capacity he led the reform of the Territorial Development Plan (referred as the “Schéma de développement du territoire” or SDT) adopted in 2024, setting the Walloon NNLT strategy for 2050 and initiated the land-use planning in response to the floods of 2021.

Michel Dachelet teaches urban planning in Brussels at the “Institut supérieur d'urbanisme et de rénovation urbaine” (ISURU).

Yuki Esser is the Head of Operations at DMEC. In her content work, she specializes in innovation, ecology, nature-inclusive designs, stakeholder management, and market exploration. Over the past three years, Yuki has successfully led numerous stakeholder engagement campaigns, collaborating with fisheries, tourism, sports, aquaculture, and coastal communities throughout the Netherlands.

Yuki is actively involved in projects focused on the multi-use of Offshore Renewable Energy. Notably, DMEC is leading the EU-SCORES project, which explores the benefits of continuous energy production using complementary energy sources such as wind, sun, and waves, within minimal space. Additionally, DMEC is coordinating the Nautical SUNRISE project, aiming to facilitate research and development of the world's largest offshore floating solar power plant, paving the way for large-scale deployment and commercialization of these systems, both as standalone solutions and integrated into offshore wind farms.

Before joining DMEC, Yuki worked as a data and stakeholder management analyst for Schiphol Group. She holds a master's degree in Bioinformatics & Systems Biology with a focus on Marine Biology and a bachelor's degree in Psychobiology, both from the University of Amsterdam. Her strong analytical skills enable her to effectively integrate quantitative data analysis with qualitative insights.

Anna Laura Palazzo is a full professor of urban design at the Rome Tre University of Rome and coordinator of the Ph.D. program “Architecture City Landscape.” She is also a visiting professor at the universities of Ecole Normale Supérieure de Lyon (2009), Northeastern University of Boston (2012), San Diego State University (2013; 2017), and Université de Liège (2014).

Professor Palazzo serves on the editorial boards of “UrbanisticaTre,” “Urbanistica,” and “EcoWebTown” and as co-editor of the Carocci book series “Environment and Global Challenges.”

She is the author of more than 200 contributions among which several books, peer-reviewed articles, and international research reports in Italy and abroad, dealing with heritage and landscape planning, protection and management, urban regeneration, local development, sustainability issues under a regional perspective. 

In 2022, the book Orizzonti dell’America urbana, Scenari politiche progetti, RomaTrE-Press, has been awarded the prize Letteratura urbanistica by the National Institute of Urban Planning.
 

László Gere graduated as a geographer. From 2009, he worked several years in public administration at Hungarian ministerial background institutes dealing with national-level territorial development and territorial policy issues. During this period, he was involved in the activities of European transnational cooperation networks (EUKN, URBACT, ESPON, Central Europe etc.). From 2015, he worked 6 years for a Hungarian think tank dealing with analysis of international relations and geopolitics. In 2021, László returned to public administration, first dealing with urban development issues in Hungary (smart cities), then as a member of the ministerial department dealing with transnational territorial cooperation coordination. 

Anna Hellings has been with the Federal Institute for Research on Building, Urban Affairs, and Spatial Development (BBSR) since 2019, working in the European Spatial and Urban Development division. Her work focuses on European spatial monitoring, particularly land use changes and she serves also as the ESPON Contact Point. Anna holds a Master’s degree in Geography from the University of Bonn and is currently pursuing her Ph.D. at BBSR in collaboration with Ruhr University Bochum. Her doctoral research focuses on urban heat development in European cities, considering the impacts of urbanization and land use changes. Anna is proficient in the modeling of large datasets and remote sensing.“

Wiktor Szydarowski is the Director of the ESPON EGTC based in Luxembourg and responsible for the planning and effective delivery of activities under the EU-financed ESPON Programme.

Wiktor joined ESPON EGTC in September 2020 after several lead positions in public administration and consultancy in Poland and Sweden. He holds a PhD degree in Geography and Regional Planning from the University of Gdansk.

He is a certified EU expert in multimodal transport, European territorial cooperation, macroregional and sea-basin strategies, and relations between levels of governments in the design and implementation of development policies
 

Odd Godal is working for the Department for Regional Development at the Ministry of Local Government and Regional Development of Norway. He is also ESPON Monitoring Committee Member for Norway. 

He has extensive experience with territorial cooperation at the national, macro-regional and European level. 

Dr Jan-Philipp Kramer is a Director & Partner at Prognos AG and leads the Brussels office in the heart of the European District with more than 14 years of experience. His work encompasses a wide range of solutions, primarily focusing on European funding policy, strategy development, and the evaluation of funding programmes. He has a particular expertise in European Structural and Investment Funds, innovation promotion, and financial instruments. Dr. Kramer's consulting extends to key economic development transformations, including digital and circular economies. His clients range from the European Commission, including DG REGIO, DG RTD, and JRC, to European associations, the European Parliament, and national and regional ministries in Germany and beyond. 

At Prognos, Dr Kramer's specialisation in Cohesion Policy, Smart Specialisation, and public funding programme evaluation is evident. He leads Prognos' teams for the Secretariats of the Harnessing Talent Platform and the European Cluster Collaboration Platform. His leadership in the ex-post evaluation of Cohesion Policy support to RTD, large enterprises, and studies on Cohesion Policy's delivery systems, as well as the harmonisation with other EU funding instruments, highlights his comprehensive understanding of Cohesion Policy. 

Dr Kramer's role extends to working with several Managing Authorities across Europe, where he leads the evaluation of programmes such as the ERDF Programme of North-Rhine Westphalia and has been involved in programme development and ex-ante evaluations in regions like Bavaria, Schleswig-Holstein, and Groningen (NL). His experience in EU-wide empirical research studies and strategy development related to Cohesion Policy gives him unique insights into the strengths and challenges of EU regional development. His proficiency in German and English enables effective communication in diverse international settings, solidifying his position as a key thought leader in European regional development policy.

Sarah De Boeck, an accomplished expert at IDEA Consult's "Real Estate and Territorial Development" department, brings over 15 years of proficiency in economic and territorial development. In 2020, she earned her interdisciplinary doctorate from Vrije Universiteit Brussel, receiving the esteemed Mercator Orteliusprize for her outstanding contributions.

With a Master of Arts in Theatre Science from the Universiteit van Amsterdam, Sarah has navigated diverse roles, including director of the Territorial Knowledge department at perspective.brussels. Her current research focuses on No Net Land Take, emphasising the critical importance of safeguarding land as a precious resource in our human ecosystem. Notably, in this research, Sarah pays attention to the diverse actors involved and explores strategies for mobilising people to move towards the necessary transition.

Sarah's commitment extends beyond academia; she served as the regional manager of a socio-cultural non-profit organisation, guiding entities through complex intercultural partnerships. As a member of the Foundational Economy Collective, she challenges mainstream economic ideas. Sarah De Boeck's multifaceted background underscores her dedication to advancing urban planning, economic geography, and territorial development while actively contributing to the environmental conservation dialogue. 

Loïc Géronnez is a sociologist and economist with fifteen years of expertise in territorial development and the impact of technological innovations on regional economies. He led a network evaluating public policies under the INTERREG France Wallonia Flanders funds for six years before transitioning to strategic consulting for various institutions, including the Brussels government, on urban renewal and territorial development. 

Since 2016, Loïc has been at IDEA Consult, where he directs projects on territorial development and public policy evaluation. He has made significant contributions to territorial development strategies for regions such as Val de Sambre and Brest Métropole and has managed major urban renovation initiatives. His work has included developing strategies to enhance public housing and urbanism policies, showcasing his deep commitment to improving urban living conditions through thoughtful policy and strategic advisory.

Bavo Peeters obtained master's degrees in applied economics and cultural studies, and a post-graduate in accountancy and finance. After working as a policy coordinator and international policy officer for the Flemish government, he has been employed since 2017 as a policy officer in the soil team of the Directorate-General for Environment of the European Commission, where he currently deals with the implementation of the EU Soil Strategy and the negotiations on the proposal for the Soil Monitoring Law.