Case studies

In the case studies, the proposed research questions will be addressed in more detail. They will make it possible to relate the general results to the perception of local realities. The comparatively large number of case studies reflects a conviction that in-depth analyses of local and regional situations offer important keys to understanding the role of geographic specificities in Europe.

The case study areas are:

• For mountain areas: the Highlands and Islands (UK) and the Jura massif (France and Switzerland)
• For islands: the Outer Hebrides (UK) and Sicily (Italy)
• For sparsely populated areas: Tornedalen (Sweden and Finland) and Central Spain
• For Outermost Regions: the Canary Islands (Spain) and French Guyana (France)
• For border regions: the Czech-Polish-German border, the Luxembourg cross-border metropolitan area and the Geneva cross-border metropolitan area
• For coastal areas: the Celtic Sea (Ireland) and the Belgian coast
• For Inner Peripheries: Parkstad (the Netherlands) and the rural area in the heart of the metropolitan Saxony triangle (Germany).

Besides, five so-called "additional cases" have been proposed in the EU-12 and candidate countries. These "additional cases" are not complete case studies of a GEOSPECS area. Instead, the partners focus on a specific theme within the chosen areas. These are:

• For mountain areas: The Tatra region (Poland and Slovakia) with a focus on the impact of protected areas networking on biodiversity, as well as the West Stara Planina (Bulgaria and Serbia) with a focus on landscape and biodiversity as a resource for development
• Islands: Saaremaa in Estonia and Gozo in Malta, with a focus on current debates on the construction of a fixed link
• Sparsely populated areas: The sparsely populated coast along the Black Sea in Turkey, with a focus on climate change mitigation
• Border areas: The Polish-Ukrainian border, with a focus on regional identity related issues.

Case studies and "additional cases"