Reframing European territorial cohesion towards capabilities-oriented perspectives for just and sustainable transitions

Abstract

Taking a critical perspective to spatial narratives, the present article points towards the continuance of regional imbalances under growth-oriented development goals. In contrast, empirical studies on European territorial cohesion policy have demonstrated the significance of relational components for successful regional processes. However, though the local context is increasingly gaining relevance, European policies seem to still equate regional development with economic performance, taking a result-oriented perspective. This has not changed under present green growth strategies. Identifying the need for European policy reframing for spatially just and sustainable transitions, the article assesses the potential of stronger capabilities-oriented approaches to development. Looking into the goalsetting of European territorial and environmental policy strategies, as the leading visions to just and sustainable transitions, the research builds on a qualitative content analysis of selected strategic documents and stakeholder statements, involved in Central European cross-border cooperation. The applied framing analysis demonstrates, that over the past and present funding period, the strategies continue to frame sustainable territorial development dominantly either along distributive or competition-related categories. The interviews then mirror this rhetoric, framing sustainability under regional competition aspects, such as technological innovation, or aspects concerned with culture and nature conservation, serving local tourism matters. Concluding that shifting objectives towards more learning, capabilities and cooperation-supporting goals have the potential to better serve spatially just and sustainable regional dynamics, it calls for a stronger process orientation of European territorial policies for actual sustainability transitions.