254
13 On this subject, a first assessment can be made of the planning measures adopted in the
USA: “The first generation of state and local climate change plans reflects increasing consciousness of this, and these plans have begun to take important steps, such as measuring
emissions. But much stronger action is needed. Instead of pursuing slow, incremental policy changes, governments at all levels must adopt a backcasting approach, setting goals for
both mitigation and adaptation based on the best available scientific knowledge, and working backward from these targets to develop plans and programs capable of achieving them.
The initiatives would then be regularly reviewed and revised to ensure progress at an appropriate rate” (Wheeler S.M. (2008), “State and Municipal Climate Change Plans. the first
generation”, Journal of the American Planning Association, vol. 74/4, pp. 481–496).
14 Soil Thematic Strategy (COM(2006) 231); and on the measures to be adopted to mitigate
the phenomenon: European Commission (2011), Report on best practices for limiting soil
sealing and mitigating its effects, Technical Report, 2011-050, Apr., available at: http://ec.
europa.eu/environment/soil/pdf/sealing/Soil%20sealing%20-%20Final%20Report.pdf.
8.1.1 Measures and Tools for Sprawl Containment
The European Union has long been committed to the promotion of a culture
of sustainability which over the past two decades has helped to increase attention towards environmental issues and is now a leader with respect to the
major environmental issues, from combating climate change
13 to the protection of biodiversity.
As for land and its protection – with special reference to the land use – the
measures proposed by the EU collide again with the constraints stemming
from the fact that land planning is a matter for the competence of the individual Member States. But other policies that affect to a greater or lesser
degree, the land transformation processes and the issue of non-sustainable
consumption and soil sealing, are the focus for a number of European
Institutions (European Commission, European Environment Agency, and
Eurostat), who initiated monitoring programs, research and awareness,
although we continue to wait for a specific directive on land that is difficult to
achieve.
As previously mentioned, planning is one of the strategic tools identified
by the EU for a new enhancement of the city and the control of urban growth
to take place in a sustainability manner, because sustainability means a transdisciplinary perspective on phenomena that requires different approaches,
opinions and observations, which planning can combine and intersect in order
so as to develop effective solutions. For this reason: «The majority of the EU
Member States have established the principle of sustainable development in
their key spatial planning regulations, referring to economic use of land
resources and avoidance of unnecessary urban sprawl. However, the existence
of relevant regulations does not give any insight on the effectiveness of
implemented measures».
14 In addition, the actions taken by several European
(continued)
F. Musco et al.
13 On this subject, a first assessment can be made of the planning measures adopted in the
USA: “The first generation of state and local climate change plans reflects increasing consciousness of this, and these plans have begun to take important steps, such as measuring
emissions. But much stronger action is needed. Instead of pursuing slow, incremental policy changes, governments at all levels must adopt a backcasting approach, setting goals for
both mitigation and adaptation based on the best available scientific knowledge, and working backward from these targets to develop plans and programs capable of achieving them.
The initiatives would then be regularly reviewed and revised to ensure progress at an appropriate rate” (Wheeler S.M. (2008), “State and Municipal Climate Change Plans. the first
generation”, Journal of the American Planning Association, vol. 74/4, pp. 481–496).
14 Soil Thematic Strategy (COM(2006) 231); and on the measures to be adopted to mitigate
the phenomenon: European Commission (2011), Report on best practices for limiting soil
sealing and mitigating its effects, Technical Report, 2011-050, Apr., available at: http://ec.
europa.eu/environment/soil/pdf/sealing/Soil%20sealing%20-%20Final%20Report.pdf.
8.1.1 Measures and Tools for Sprawl Containment
The European Union has long been committed to the promotion of a culture
of sustainability which over the past two decades has helped to increase attention towards environmental issues and is now a leader with respect to the
major environmental issues, from combating climate change
13 to the protection of biodiversity.
As for land and its protection – with special reference to the land use – the
measures proposed by the EU collide again with the constraints stemming
from the fact that land planning is a matter for the competence of the individual Member States. But other policies that affect to a greater or lesser
degree, the land transformation processes and the issue of non-sustainable
consumption and soil sealing, are the focus for a number of European
Institutions (European Commission, European Environment Agency, and
Eurostat), who initiated monitoring programs, research and awareness,
although we continue to wait for a specific directive on land that is difficult to
achieve.
As previously mentioned, planning is one of the strategic tools identified
by the EU for a new enhancement of the city and the control of urban growth
to take place in a sustainability manner, because sustainability means a transdisciplinary perspective on phenomena that requires different approaches,
opinions and observations, which planning can combine and intersect in order
so as to develop effective solutions. For this reason: «The majority of the EU
Member States have established the principle of sustainable development in
their key spatial planning regulations, referring to economic use of land
resources and avoidance of unnecessary urban sprawl. However, the existence
of relevant regulations does not give any insight on the effectiveness of
implemented measures».
14 In addition, the actions taken by several European
(continued)
F. Musco et al.