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The UK has a new Prime Minister: Andy Burnham, the former mayor of Manchester. Last year, he went as far as saying that he would like to see the UK rejoin the European Union in his lifetime. Since then, he has scaled back his ambitions: Burnham acknowledged a few weeks ago, that this was not the right time to reopen the debate over possible EU membership.What should Europeans expect from Prime Minister Andy Burnham?

In some of Europe's most popular destinations, excessive noise has become so common that residents are now demanding what they call a "right to peace and quiet."How do we keep our cities vibrant without making them unbearable for the people who live there?Production: By Europod in co-production with the Sphera Network.This episode is based on an article written by Alexandra Lelito for Krytyka Polityczna and is co-written with Hélène Pillon from Médianes.--Additional sound at the beginning: Joseph SARDIN

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.  

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.”

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.”Follow us on:LinkedIn• Instagram

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.

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.

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.

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.