Addressing the shared policy challenges of the Northern Sparsely Populated Areas

The purpose of this chapter is to provide recommendations about shared policy challenges facing the Northern Sparsely Populated Areas (NSPA) and how to more effectively address them through enhanced cross-border co-operation. It begins by setting out a framework for understanding the growth of low-density economies followed by a diagnosis of the growth performance of the NSPA regions and factors influencing economic growth, productivity and well-being. The second part identifies the common policy challenges facing NSPA regions which shape future opportunities for growth and development. The third part of the chapter discusses how to improve institutional arrangements to enhance a co-operative approach to addressing these challenges.