{"id":4615,"date":"2025-12-09T11:56:04","date_gmt":"2025-12-09T09:56:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/crossborderitem.eu\/?p=4615"},"modified":"2025-12-09T11:56:05","modified_gmt":"2025-12-09T09:56:05","slug":"recap-closing-event-three-years-of-the-euregional-sustainability-center-esc","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/crossborderitem.eu\/en\/recap-closing-event-three-years-of-the-euregional-sustainability-center-esc\/","title":{"rendered":"Recap closing event: Three years of the Euregional Sustainability Center (ESC)"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Read the full news article here<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

The closing event on 27 November 2025 of the Euregional Sustainability Center (ESC) brought together partners, researchers, students, and regional stakeholders to reflect on achievements, challenges, and future opportunities in cross-border sustainability collaboration.<\/strong> The closing event showcased three years of meaningful cooperation within the ESC program. From circular manufacturing to healthy spaces, from renewable energy challenges to critical raw materials, the event highlighted both the progress made and the work still ahead.\u00a0With strong partnerships, ambitious regional leaders, and a commitment to practical action, the Euregion has laid a solid foundation for the next phase of cross-border sustainability innovation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The ESC Project: Four Work Packages
<\/strong>Funded through the Regio Deal, the ESC project launched in November 2023 and centered on four major work packages:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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  1. WP1 \u2013 Cross-Border Research<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n
  2. WP2 \u2013 Living Lab Healthy Spaces<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n
  3. WP3 \u2013 Living Lab Circular Manufacturing<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n
  4. WP4 \u2013 Activities & Outreach<\/strong>\u00a0including a bus tour, workshops, and online webinars.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n

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    Energy and resources: urgency at the border<\/strong>
    Martin Unfried\u2019s contribution showed that there are still very few cross-border energy projects, despite similar ambitions and challenges in the Netherlands and Germany. There are, however, several conflicts, for example regarding wind turbines near the border. In the Netherlands, grid congestion is a major issue, but laying a cable across the border to import electricity from Germany is not permitted under current legislation. For heat, this is allowed, which is why an Interreg project has been launched to explore a joint heating network in Kerkrade (NL) \/ Herzogenrath (DE).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Report published: Energy Transition in a Cross-Border Context \u2013 Mind the Gap<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    One part of the Regiodeal Project Euregional Sustainbility Center was to investigate what
    obstacles hinder the development of cross-border renewable energy projects. In cooperation
    with regional stakeholders the ultimate aim was to use the research results to stimulate
    practical cross-border projects.<\/p>\n\n\n