There is a need to broaden discussions on sustainable mobility beyond the prevalent focus on electric cars, particularly considering the challenges faced by border regions and marginalized groups that rely on public and soft transport. This study aims to fill this gap by examining the intricate dynamics of cross-border mobility transitions in Belgium and the Netherlands, with a specific focus on activating stakeholders and facilitating sustainable mobility transitions through the application of meta-governance.

Utilising a multifaceted research methodology, including an extensive literature review, in-depth case studies of HSL-Zuid and IJzeren Rijn, stakeholder interviews, this research navigates the complex landscape of meta-governance in cross-border regions.

The study reveals three pivotal tensions that disrupt current decision-making processes for cross-border connections: (1) National and Regional Imbalance in Decision-Making, (2) Formal and Informal Routes to Decision-Making and Flexibility, (3) Conflicting Interests. These tensions intricately impact governance styles, creating challenges and inefficiencies.

To address the identified issues, the research proposes actionable recommendations. Emphasising the need to harmonise national-regional governance frameworks, work on nuanced approaches to formal and informal routes, considerate divergent national interests, and heightened awareness of governance style interplay. Moreover, the research also highlights that metagovernance is already ingrained in current practices. The key lies in raising awareness of its presence among stakeholders, enabling a more informed and seamless navigation of the cross-border governance landscape. Metagovernance’s true value lies in its ability to articulate and navigate through different governance styles, adapting to various challenges and opportunities. While it may not always represent a novel approach, it serves as a critical analytical tool for understanding the dynamics of governance in complex infrastructure projects.

There is a need to broaden discussions on sustainable mobility beyond electric cars and address the challenges faced by border regions and marginalised groups dependent on public and soft transport. This thesis explores how a transition strategy can support the creation a just and sustainable multi-modal network in a cross-border context. The provinces of Limburg and the mining district are used as a case study. Valuable insights are derived from comprehensive analyses, contributing to a holistic strategy for the region. Key findings emphasise the role of garden cities in shaping the strategy, connecting neighborhoods and promoting mobility alternatives. Improving public transport connections within the mining region is crucial for reducing car dependency and generating positive impacts. Collaboration among stakeholders is essential due to the lack of cross-border connections and administrative barriers. Repurposing the old mine infrastructure offers a transformative opportunity to establish a sustainable transport system. The envisioned future sees opportunities for the old mining infrastructure to act as a multi-modal transport backbone, integrated with multiple garden cities for enhanced connectivity and community. A pattern language approach guides the strategy-making process, tested through a workshop simulation. Policy recommendations stress cross-border collaboration, flexibility, co-creation, and data sharing. By following these recommendations, the region can achieve a just and sustainable multi-modal network, fostering regional integration, equal opportunities, and access to resources.

The large demand for homes in the province of Zuid-Holland, population growth and urbanisation result in a huge demand for raw materials to be used in the construction sector. The next 20 years many new buildings will have to be built to support current trends. Given the fact that 50 percent of all extracted non-renewable resources is accounted by the construction sector, a shift towards a bio-based circular system is necessary. In the province Zuid-Holland, one of the fastest growing urban areas within the Netherlands, there is a missing link between circular initiatives, knowledge and data. The question that comes up is; how can a symbiosis of stakeholders and resources contribute to a circular construction sector? An analysis of the current situation of stakeholders and flows of resources has been made and potential spatial conflicts were understood. Whereafter the analysis of trends and requirements to transition into a circular construction sector has been made. This results in a new understanding of the spatial structure of the province, focussing on the use of waterways as a backbone to support the transition. This will lead to circular neighbourhoods connected by the water. With Flux we try to reform the current construction sector into a circular one by the year of 2050, while taking into account social and spatial justice. The shift to this new structure, supported by the waterways, can facilitate a change to a circular construction sector. Besides this it will also give the Province a new identity and structural element for future improvements toward a circular economy, lifting the idea of circularity to a territorial level.