The INSPIRE Conference 2011 will take place from 27th June to 1st July 2011 in Edinburgh, Scotland. The theme of this year's edition is "INSPIREd by 2020 - Contributing to smart, sustainable and inclusive growth"

In 2010, the European Union renewed its commitment to 'knowledge-based' sustainable development by putting forward three mutually reinforcing priorities in the Europe 2020 Strategy¹:

• Smart growth: developing an economy based on knowledge and innovation;
• Sustainable growth: promoting a more resource efficient, greener and more competitive economy;
• Inclusive growth: fostering a high-employment economy delivering social and territorial cohesion.

This edition of the INSPIRE Conference offers an opportunity to explore INSPIRE's contribution to Europe's 2020 strategic goals and to root it's further implementation and development in the EU 2020 follow-up programmes.

• INSPIRE for Sustainable Growth calls for ideas and demonstrations of INSPIRE's contribution to resource efficiency and greenhouse gas reductions. For protecting the environment and preventing biodiversity loss. For strengthening the resilience to climate risks, and disaster prevention and response capacities.
• INSPIRE for Smart Growth explores INSPIRE's contribution to Europe's Digital Agenda and more in particular it's role in eGovernment and the development of eEnvironment services.
• INSPIRE for Inclusive Growth - opens new avenues for INSPIRE in the context of New Skills for New Jobs. It calls for an exploration on the kind of jobs and the potential for job creation related to INSPIRE. What skills and competences are needed? What kind of education and training is needed? What kind of INSPIRE applications can help people integrate in the communities where they live?

¹ Europe 2020, A European Strategy for smart, sustainable and inclusive growth, 03.03.2010 COM(2010)