1. Baltic Sea - & Nordic and Northern Peripheries Region Dense web of co- operative relationships and interlocking institutions with various memberships, scopes of activity, loci of power, resources and agendas. Also trade and migration

2. Main territorial dynamics The north-south divide: climate conditions, settlement pattern, transport infrastructure. The east-west divide: administrative borders, socio- economic development aspects, transport infrastructure. The urban-rural divide: challenges for the regional cohesion. –partly striking differences bw the metropolitan areas and hinterlands (ageing, outward migration, infrastructure). –Differences and diversity in the physical urban structures across the Region (land use, polycentricity) Internal and external cross-border linkages vary: focus

3. Region of People VASAB LTP: Territorial development perspective 2030: Policy sectors, where the transnational cooperation in spatial planning provides a substantial added value. 1.Promoting urban networking and urban-rural cooperation: development centres, cross-border clusters, regional variations 2.Improving internal and external accessibility: transnational connections, enhancement of cross-border links 3.maritime spatial planning and management: both territorial waters and EEZ

4. Region of resources? Existing and potential oil & gas reserves and mining sites in the Arctic

5. Region of resources? Marine potentials of the Arctic: - Minerals - Oil and gas - Transport - Tourism

6. Trends of the Region 1.Varying labour force replacement potential 2.Small economies 1.Investments 2.Private – Public relations 3.Natural resources: untouched nature, renewable energy, oil and minerals 1.the poor status of the Baltic Sea environment 4.Well-educated population and considerable R&D capacity 5.Climate change impacts 6.Peripheral geographical location, Poor accessibility/physical proximity 1.vs. Potential maritime transport services (Russia, far East), ICT 7.Large disparities 8.Transnational Co-operation; but lack of political commitment 9.New position in the global system?