Demographic change in the Alps: adaptation strategies to spatial planning and regional development

• AS priority area: Competitiveness and Attractiveness
• Duration: 01/10/2009 - 30/11/2012
• Project webpage
• Project on the website of the Alpine Space Programme

• Lead partner: Munich University of Applied Sciences - Faculty of Tourism (DE) Contact person: Thomas Bausch, Tel.: +49 (0) 89 1265-2121, bausch[at]hm.eduh
• Regional Government of Salzburg, Department of Spatial Planning (AT) Contact person: Franz Dollinger, Tel.: +43 (0) 662 – 8042 - 4650, franz.dollinger[at]salzburg.gv.at
• WissenschaftsAgentur / University of Salzburg (AT) Contact person: Andreas Koch, Tel.: +43(0)662 8044-5246, andreas.koch[at]sbg.ac.at
• Lucerne University of applied sciences and arts - School of social work (CH) Contact person: Rike Stotten, Tel.: 0041 41 367 49 17, rike.stotten[at]hslu.ch
• Interface Institute of Political Studies (CH) Contact person: Daniel Matti, Tel.: 0041 41 226 04 18, matti[at]interface-politikstudien.ch
• Conference of the Cantons Luzern, Uri, Schwyz, Obwalden, Zug und Nidwalden (CH) Contact person: Yvonne Schärli, Tel.: 0041 41 228 57 94, madeleine.meier[at]lu.ch
• REGIO Allgäu e.V. (CH) Contact person: Birigit Wegner, Tel.: +49 (0)8321 612-342, brigit.wegner[at]lra-oa.bayern.de
• Office of the district Garmisch-Partenkirchen (CH) Contact person: Guido Kamp, Tel.: +49 8821 751 237, guido.kamp[at]lra-gap.de
• Aosta Valley Autonomous Region, Economic and social observatory (CH) Contact person: Dario Ceccarelli, Tel.: +39 0165 273617, d.ceccarelli[at]regione.vda.it
• National Union of Mountain Municipalities, Communities and Authorities - Piedmont Delegation (IT) Contact person: Emanuela Dutto, Tel.: +39 011 861 3713, uncem[at]provincia.torino.it
• Libera Università di Bolzano – Facoltà di Economia (IT) Contact person: Oswin Maurer, Tel.: +39 0471013160, oswin.maurer[at]unibz.it
• Urban Planning Institute of the Republic of Slovenia (SL) Contact person: Barbara Černič Mali, Tel.: +386 1 420 13 15, barbara.cernic[at]uirs.si]]
• Development agency of upper Gorenjska region (SL) Contact person: Stevo Ščavničar Mali, Tel.: +386 4 581 34 14, stevo.scavnicar[at]ragor.si]]

The needs of the population – elderly people, young people, tourists, immigrants and local people: DEMOCHANGE addresses the general needs of the changing population in Alpine areas; it also recognizes the reaction to changes within the population of certain areas with specific requirements. By involving stakeholders from local authorities, politicians, business and social institutions, the project aims at creating a governance process to develop adaptation strategies for local key issues. The project is based on regional sustainable development. DEMOCHANGE has the necessary impetus to face the issue of demographic change regarding spatial and local planning. The principal objectives of DEMOCHANGE are that of showing by “master” processes in different areas how to react to demographic changes and how to make use of such changes in a positive way.

• Coordination of sector policies to prevent exploitation of natural resources and single-sector economies
• Sensitive Alpine territory requires appropriate and diversified measures (consensus-oriented multi-stakeholder approach)
• Partnerships & trade-offs between inner- and outer-Alpine areas
• Ageing population requires adaptation and offers opportunities for Alpine areas

• migration
• territorial development
• urban-rural partnership
• peri-urban development

• Territorial cohesion through balanced social and economic development
• Balanced accessibility

Results of a project can be differentiated in outputs, outcomes and impacts of an intervention. Source:OECD Glossary of Key Terms in Evaluation and Results Based Management.

Results which are directly or indirectly suitable or applicable for practitioners / politicians and civil servants / administration:

• The pilot actions-database can be directly used by practitioners / politicians and civil servants / administration.
• The roadmaps are meant for further use in the whole Alpine Space: “To that end, this paper picks up on the results achieved through the development of various strategies in a number of model regions in order to make such findings available to the rest of the Alpine Space and with the hope that all Alpine regions will be able to reap the benefits of the experiences gained within the DEMOCHANGE framework. Also documented below are methodologies for the transnational development of spatial planning and regional development strategies that were tested by international experts during several workshops held in Italy, Austria, Germany, and Slovenia.” (Roadmap, p. 7)
• The Swottool is useful for municipalities and regions for a first analysis, but without experience not easily applicable.
• The Public Participation Manual and Materials are useful for practitioners and administrations to give some ideas, but unexperiences people would need support.

Which of the project results are usable for which aspect of SSD and which are the most relevant for practitioners / politicians and civil servants / administration?

• Most relevant for practitioners / politicians and civil servants / administration is the database of pilot actions.
• The roadmaps give background information about demography-related objectives in spatial planning and regional development.
• The SWOT-tool is suitable for all aspects of SSD as long as strength-weakness-opportunities and threats can be clearly identified.
• The Public Participation Manual and Materials are describing general methods applicable for all aspects of SSD which can be discussed in a broader public.
  

Are there results which need further steps to be useful for practitioners / politicians and civil servants / administration?

• Many outputs are only available in English which could be obstructive for practitioners / politicians and civil servants / administration. Translations into the different alpine languages could be helpful.
• A document “Analysis of demographic data: WP4 list of indicators & guidelines for data collection is named in “Output 4.5 - Work Package 4 DEMOGRAPHIC CHANGE IN THE ALPINE SPACE short regional reports with summary”, p. 8, but could not be found at the homepage.
• The database of pilot action is useful to give ideas for action, but to transfer them to other regions would need more information in some cases
  

Which kinds of stakeholders have been involved, how have their competences been used in the project and are there options for a better implementation?
Mainly local and regional policy makers (mayors of municipalities), administrations and public service providers were involved. In context with participation also the public had the opportunity to contribute.
Are the results (tool, method, indicator, recommendation) directly or indirectly addressing the strategic objectives for the Alpine Space?
The SWOT-tool, the pilot actions and especially the roadmaps contribute to the strategic objective “Balance and equity in access to services of general interest across the Alps”. The systematic SWOT analysis is suitable to detect the demographic challenges of the regions and can raise awareness for them.
What could be long-term outcomes of this project? If none, why low impact? Why high impact? What is needed to achieve outcomes in the long-run?
Some pilot regions started projects in the frame of Demochange, which are continued after the project ended. E.g. the pilot region Nidwalden started 4 activities which are pursued (Revitalize old knowledge; Future Living Facilities; On the spoor of culture and nature; Apprenticeship in trade and crafts) (Source: http://othmar-filliger.ch/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/IGWestStans_20131218_2.pdf)” Further long-term outcome could be higher awareness for the issues of demographic change and their implications in the pilot regions.

Unlike project outputs, outcomes and results cannot be described in a standardised way. Therefore, they are listed as free text:
Achievements that could be further implemented
The SWOTTOOL can be implemented in all Alpine regions to identify the challenges connected to demographic change. A translation of the pilot activities and the possibility to contact a person in case more information is needed would ease the implementation of pilot activities in other regions as well as free access to all documents named in the pilot activities database.
Remaining gaps
Besides the “Short regional report book with summary” for each of the ten pilot regions only for the three pilot regions in Austria and Germany more detailed versions of the analysis are available. The short regional reports are an output of the WP4, which was dedicated only to the analysis of demographic change. The further work in the pilot regions is not documented in form of reports, but only in the pilot action database. These descriptions are quite short and documents, which are connected to a pilot activity are just named, but not available (e.g.: pilot activity “More Mobility, local supply and social integration for elderly people”: a questionnaire is named, but not available: Ankündigung DT Seniorenerhebung Fragebogen.dox, Annuncio IT Seniorenerhebung Fragebogen.dox, Seniorenerhebung Fragebogen Version 9 DE.dox, Seniorenerhebung Fragebogen Version 9 IT.dox)
Emerging contradictions
none

• Demochange outputs on the official website of the project
• Demochange outputs on the website of the Alpine Space Programme

• Decline of services in remote areas
• SWOTTOOL
• Pilot action database