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About the podcastThe EuroPCom podcast series on public communication is produced by the European Committee of the Regions (CoR) in close cooperation with the EuroPCom partners.Host Evi Kiorri, Journalist | Multimedia Producer | Podcaster GuestMarkku Markkula is the President of the Helsinki Region and a member of the European Committee of the Regions  In this episode We have all heard that data is the new oil – a still untapped, immensely valuable asset. Today, in the 21st century, we are witnessing a rise in digital economy, with data becoming more valuable than ever. Technological advancements and utilisation of big data are rapidly transforming businesses and industries. But what about the impact of big data on the public sector? Where does data come into play when it comes to creating more efficient and effective policies? How can governments use data to implement better policies that increase citizens' well being? And, most importantly, how can we make sure that these new processes are happening on citizens' terms? These are the questions that we will explore in this episode with our guest, Markku Markkula, president of the Helsinki Region and member of the European Committee of the Regions.   Hosted by Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

The depopulation of rural areas has different causes and different consequences from country to country, so every region needs to find its own solution. Let's see how the problem is being approached in two regions from the South of Europe. With: Angela Gimeno Martinez, Bioterreta; Stefania Crotta, Director of the Department for Environment, Energy and Territory of the Piedmont Region and Enda Stenson, member of the European Committee of the Regions.    Hosted by Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

Today, the international mobility of researchers and highly educated employees is crucial to both academic and industrial research. Let's dive into how the Belgian region of Wallonia and the Finnish city of Tampere are attracting talents from abroad into their research facilities. With: Pierre Demoitie, Research department of the Wallonian public administration and responsible for the programme BeWaRe; Raisa Suominen, Facilitator in the Hidden Gems Initiative and Emil Boc, member of the European Committee of the Regions.   Hosted by Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

Building an inclusive society means creating a society where everyone feels safe and welcome. In many cities in Europe, it seems like education is key. While the Central and Regional Library in Berlin aims to engage in inclusion towards the LGBT community, Poland has welcomed the Living Library events which helped open people's eyes on discriminitation and prejudice. With: Deborah Wallers, librarian and Queer programme Manager, and Tim Leik, Programme Manager, both at the Central and Regional Library in Berlin; Eliza Gaust, Project Coordinator at the Marek Edelman Dialogue Center in Lodz; Marieke Schouten, member of the European Committee of the Regions Hosted by Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

Integration has been an ongoing challeng in Europe, especially for the Youth. From taking action on the Football pitch in Dublin, to supporting young migrants in Spain to integrate in society, local initiatives focus on promoting social inclusion for a better future. With: Azeez Yusuff, Youth Leader and Head Coach for SARI (Sport Against Racism Ireland); Alejandra Vela, Punt de Referencia and Antje Grotheer, member of the European Committee of the Regions.   Hosted by Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

With increase on energy costs and environmental threats, there is no space for waste. The German municipality of Meldorf and the Finnish town of Yli-li focus on sustainable ways to produce heat. From innovative heat storage solutions, to replacing oil heating, both regions focus on the same goal. With: Peter Bielenberg, Consulting Engineer for EnergieManufaktur; Ville Marjeta and Mikko Mäkelä, district heating project in Yli-li; Rafał  Trzaskowski, member of the European Committee of the Regions. Hosted by Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

Preparing the Europe of Tomorrow. With a focus on its the role in the Green Transition, the EU aims at becoming a leader in the Hydrogen market. The Northern Netherlands and French Region of Occitania are focusing on the development of Hydrogen valleys. Both regions received significant grants to perform research on the entire Hydrogen value chain. With: Henning Twickler, Energy Advisor for the Province of Drenthe; Raphaëlle Vienot, in charge of the Occitania's Hydrogen Plan; Jakub Piotr Chełstowski,  member of the European Committee of the Regions. Hosted by Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

This year is the first time you will be able to vote in the European elections and you wonder, what does Europe do for all of us? Listen to the answer from Vasco Alves Cordeiro, President of the European Committee of the Regions, in this episode.   Hosted by Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

Cars and other road vehicles account for almost 3/4 of carbon emissions from transport – and around 15% of total global CO2 emissions. With such impact on pollution and climate change, how to make cars greener in a sustainable way for all? Listen to the answer from Sven Schulze, member of the European Committee of the Regions, in this episode.   Hosted by Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

The economy related to oceans, seas and coasts provides 4.5 million direct jobs: if compared to a national economy, it would be the 7th largest in the world. How to make these economic sectors flourish in a sustainable way, while protecting the oceans? Listen to the answer from Bronius Markauskas, member of the European Committee of the Regions, in this episode.  Hosted by Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

Climate change: what can our regions & cities do? Listen to the answer from Alison Gilliland, member of the European Committee of the Regions, in this episode.  Hosted by Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

How can Europe help us to make sustainable choices? Listen to the answer from Dan Boyle, member of the European Committee of the Regions, in this episode.  Hosted by Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

How to keep young people interested in culture? Listen to the answer from Hegedűs Barbara, member of the European Committee of the Regions, in this episode.  Hosted by Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

What solutions to tackle school dropout? Listen to the answer from Anne Rudisuhli, member of the European Committee of the Regions, in this episode.  Hosted by Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

Cities are responsible for the majority of the CO2 emmissions. But they also have a great potential for adaptation and transformation towards a green urban environment. What can be done at the local level to achieve this? What changes can we as citizens make to foster this transition? Listen to the answer from Niina Ratilainen, member of the European Committee of the Regions, in this episode. Hosted by Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

Due to climate change and the war in Ukraine, many Europeans are worried about food security. What is EU doing to safeguard the food security and reinforce the resilience of the food system? Listen to the answer from the member of the European Committee of the Regions Piotr Całbecki, rapporteur for the opinion on this topic (https://cor.europa.eu/en/our-work/Pages/OpinionTimeline.aspx?opId=CDR-2101-2022) , in this episode. Hosted by Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

Close to one-third of EU citizens live and work in Europe's border regions. They often encounter peculiar challenges, whether it is finding a job, accessing healthcare, everyday commuting etc. In this episode, member of the European Committee of the Regions Pavel Branda, rapporteur for the opinion on cross-border public services in Europe, explains what EU is doing to improve cross-border public services that would address the real needs of the citizens living in border regions   Hosted by Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

Learn what EU is doing to fight bogus self-employment and improve the working conditions in platform work in this episode with Yonnec Polet, member of the European Committee of the Regions and rapporteur for the opinion on this topic. Hosted by Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

In this episode Kate Feeney, member of the European Committee of the Regions and teh rapporteur for the opinion on the LGBTIQ equality strategy 2020-2025 (https://cor.europa.eu/en/our-work/Pages/OpinionTimeline.aspx?opId=CDR-5861-2020) , explains what EU is doing to foster the inclusion of the LGBTIQ+ persons in the society and ensure they can enjoy equal rights. Hosted by Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

Small urban areas face particular challenges, such as lack of financial resources, deserted urban centers, more spending for basic health services. What can be done at the EU level to improve the situation of small urban areas? Listen to the answer of Kieran Mc Carthy, member of the European Committee of the Regions and rapporteur on teh opinion (https://cor.europa.eu/en/our-work/Pages/OpinionTimeline.aspx?opId=CDR-136-2022)  on small urban areas in green and digital transitions, in this episode.   Hosted by Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

We have a talk with Carlien Scheele is the Director of the European Institute for Gender Equality (EIGE) and Tanya Hristova chair of the European Committee of the Regions' Commission for Social Policy, Education, Employment, Research and Culture, on the importance of gender sensitive parliaments. Women’s political participation is a fundamental basis for gender equality. Yet less than a third of all parliamentarians in the EU are women. Parliaments that are not fully representative of their populations are less likely to consider the needs and experiences of people of different genders (but also different ages, (dis)abilities, ethnicities, religions, and socio-economic backgrounds, among other factors) in their law-making, oversight, and representative roles. Creating more gender-sensitive parliaments is key to represent the interests of its population, in all its diversity. A gender-sensitive parliament is one that embeds gender considerations into its culture, infrastructure, practices, procedures, engagement, information, and outputs. Although in recent years there has been some progress in removing formal barriers to women’s participation in politics, as well as attempts by the EU to implement gender quotas and raise awareness of this issue, women remain underrepresented at all levels of decision-making. On average, women occupy less than a third of seats in the national parliaments of the EU. Therefore, women’s representation and involvement in political settings should be an essential aspect of democratic decision-making processes. Moreover, research shows that the active inclusion of women into political decision-making has many consistent positive effects on society as a whole that contribute to the improvement of citizens’ lives. Follow us on: https://cor.europa.eu/en/engage/Pages/gender-balance.aspx And check the EIGE toolkit to understand how gender-sensitive your parliament (EU, National, Regional, Local) is: https://eige.europa.eu/gender-mainstreaming/toolkits/gender-sensitive-parliaments?back=