PROGRESS

PROGRESS project ended on July 2023. This website will no longer being updated but serves as a most relevant repository of all project outcomes for future reference. Of special value are the project library and the database of good practices. Congratulations to all the partners involved in the PROGRESS project! Your collaboration and contributions have made a significant impact on improving regional policies on ecosystemic services. This collaborative experience has been crucial for fostering positive change. Thank you for your dedication and efforts. I hope we’ll keep our fruitful collaboration in the future! Marina Lauri, ANCI Toscana
You may want to look at this news on the presentations of the final conference took place on March 23, 2023, in Barcelona, Catalonia (Spain). And the accompaining news on the panels that took place.
As PROGRESS reaches its culmination, we would like to reflect on the remarkable progress made in regional development and knowledge exchange throughout Europe. Let's delve into its achievements and acknowledge the lasting impact it has had on participating regions:

• Enhancing Regional Progress: 
  The Interreg Europe project has served as a catalyst in promoting regional progress and cohesion across Europe. By facilitating the exchange of knowledge, best practices, and experiences among diverse regions, the initiative has supported sustainable development and driven economic growth with a strong emphasis on sustainability. With its focus spanning various thematic areas, the project has successfully addressed pressing challenges, unlocking the potential within regions and paving the way for a brighter future.
•  Sharing Knowledge and Best Practices: 
  Central to the success of the Interreg Europe project has been its emphasis on knowledge sharing and the dissemination of best practices. By providing a platform for policymakers, practitioners, and experts to collaborate, the project has empowered local stakeholders to implement effective policies and initiatives. This exchange of expertise has resulted in tangible and sustainable changes at the regional level. By showcasing successful case studies, the project has inspired and encouraged the adoption of proven strategies, amplifying their impact beyond the project's scope. 
• Promoting Cross-Regional Cooperation: 
  Another notable achievement of the Interreg Europe project has been its ability to foster cross-regional cooperation. By transcending geographical boundaries, the initiative has facilitated collaboration and the exchange of ideas, resources, and experiences. Through this collaborative approach, participating regions have gained deeper insights into shared challenges and opportunities, enabling them to work collectively towards common goals. The project's efforts have laid a strong foundation for future partnerships, ensuring ongoing growth and harmonization across diverse European regions. 

Finally, let us celebrate the transformative impact that Interreg Europe has made in regional development and knowledge exchange. By sharing knowledge, implementing best practices, and promoting cross-regional cooperation, the project leaves behind a lasting legacy. As we bid farewell, let us carry forward the valuable lessons learned and the networks established, ensuring the continuation of positive change and collaboration in the years ahead.  Interreg PROGRESS, July 2023

PROGRESS is here to make progress! The aim of the project is to initiate a process of policy change towards the conservation of biodiversity and the maintenance of nature’s capacity to deliver the goods and services that we all need. The policy instruments tackled by the project are the ERDF OPs at regional or national level and other strategies dealing with the protection and valuing biodiversity and ecosystem services. The approach proposed by the project is firmly based on policy learning and capacity building of the partner organizations and relevant stakeholders of the concerned policy subsystems, as it stimulates a collective multidimensional and dynamic exchange of experience. The objectives of PROGRESS:

• Promote the measurement of the costs and benefits of ecosystem services derived from land use.
• Support the horizontal integration of the ecosystem concerns into the sectoral policies and plans .
• Explore innovative financial and marketing mechanisms for payment for ecosystem services.  
• Improve landscape governance for economic and environmental sustainability.