Future-Proofing Places : Regional Policy for Insecure Times

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Downes, Ruth and Georgieva, Neli and Maguire, Rachel (2025) Future-Proofing Places : Regional Policy for Insecure Times. University of Strathclyde, Glasgow.

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Abstract

Regional policy across Europe is being shaped by an increasingly complex and unstable environment marked by interlocking megatrends, structural inequalities and governance challenges. Policymakers face the dual task of addressing long-terms structural shifts while responding to sudden crises and heightened security concerns. This report analyses the changing territorial impact of megatrends and drivers and discusses the policy implications of conceptual lenses to mapping inequality including development trap, lock-in and left behind places. In this context, the report then details concrete changes to policy across 30 European countries looking first at strategic and legislative frameworks before turning to trends in governance and finally regional policy incentives and measures.

ORCID iDs

Downes, Ruth, Georgieva, Neli ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5050-830X and Maguire, Rachel ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0009-7148-9978;
CORE (COnnecting REpositories)