Everywhere in Europe, various territories are facing growing challenges to maintain access to basic services or general interest services. We are talking about care, mobility, education… The ageing population, coupled with skills gaps and territorial inequalities, is putting pressure on a lot of regions.

Which are the most vulnerable territories? How to guarantee equal access to these services across the EU? And what role does the EU have to play?

To answer those questions, we receive Solène Molard, head of social affairs at Eurocities.

This episode was broadcast by Euradio on July 9. It was produced by Europod, in cooperation with ESPON, a European Union-funded program that links research and policy.  

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The European Union is one of the world’s most developed regions; yet deep territorial inequalities persist. According to Eurostat, GDP per capita can vary threefold within the same member state, with capital regions often earning twice as much as the rest of the country.

In this episode of Europe Talks Back, produced with ESPON, Léa Marchal explores why many small and medium-sized cities are losing ground — and whether this trend can be reversed.

Joined by Andrés Rodríguez-Pose, Professor at the London School of Economics and Chair of the High-Level Group on the Future of EU Cohesion Policy, the discussion looks at demographic decline, policy blind spots, and the limits of current cohesion funding.

Are these cities doomed to fall behind - or can smarter investment and stronger local institutions help them thrive again?

Join us on our journey through the events that shape the European continent and the European Union.

A podcast by Europod, in cooperation with ESPON, an EU-funded programme that bridges research with policies

“This podcast series is cofunded by ESPON. However, the opinions and views expressed are solely those of the authors. ESPON can't be held responsible for them.”

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of Europe Talks Back, we take a close look at working conditions across the EU. Are they evolving homogeneously? What are the obstacles to fair working conditions?

To answer these questions, we welcome Agnes Parent-Thirion, Senior Research Manager at Eurofound.

Production by Europod, in cooperation with ESPON, an EU-funded programme that bridges research and policy.

“This podcast series is cofunded by ESPON. However, the opinions and views expressed are solely those of the authors. ESPON can't be held responsible for them.”

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After five episodes focusing on Santorini, I now take a step back and take a look at overtourism on a European scale.

Dr. Antonio Paolo Russo shares his expertise on the problem, telling us that there is still a long way to go before effective policies are put into place at the European level.

So, could we do anything to solve the problem, as European citizens who love to travel? I invited my friends Lea & Melissa to share their points of view.

A podcast by Maëlle Julou for Sphera, available on the European podcast platform Europod and all listening platforms.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, we talk about responsibility. Who should act to save Santorini? What are politicians doing? Who even cares?

When activists are doing most of the work voluntarily and without much resources, when municipalities are blocked by national governments, when investors are still building hotels in protected areas and individuals think saving Santorini is a lost battle, the island is certainly in need of a strong and collective movement to guarantee its sustainability.

A podcast by Maëlle Julou for Sphera, available on the European podcast platform EuroPod and all listening platforms.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What happened to authenticity? When people start comparing some areas of Santorini with Disneyland, it is not a good sign.

This episode is about the impact that overtourism has on the local culture of Santorini. 

Locals highlight how important is to share with tourists the true richness of the island, for them to learn about its culture, its past, its traditions, its arts and crafts, its music, its essence. We also learn about the damage tourism has on the social fabric of Santorini, and how locals try to keep a sense of belonging to the island.

A podcast for the Sphera project, available on the European podcast platform EuroPod and all listening platforms.

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What’s the actual impact of over-tourism on the environment of Santorini? 

In this episode, activists, politicians and locals sound the alarm on the disaster created with the progressive loss of natural land and the pollution of its waters. The endless growth of Santorini is stretching the island’s capacity and resources far beyond their limits. 

A podcast by Maëlle Julou for Sphera, available on the European podcast platform EuroPod, and all listening platforms.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

“Everyone will get something from her, but no one will love her.” As tourist arrivals keep growing and attain dramatic numbers, the quality of life on the island is negatively impacted. How do inhabitants deal with the presence of tourists on a daily basis? Is there even a choice, now that the tourism industry is what feeds the whole island?

A podcast by Maëlle Julou for Sphera, available on the european podcast platform EuroPod, and all listening platforms.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

How did Santorini get here? How did this once small and quiet island become the host of millions of tourists every year?

Sharing their archives and memories, locals tell us about the rapid transformation that Santorini experiences, and how the focus on tourists might have become a bit excessive.

A podcast by Maëlle Julou for Sphera, available on the European podcast platform EuroPod, and all listening platforms.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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Hypertourismos is a documentary podcast series created by Maëlle Julou that explores overtourism on the Greek island of Santorini and across Europe. It features local voices discussing how massive crowds affect the environment, local life, and the economy.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.