Green paper

European Union

Description

Environment policy and protection of the environment
Environmental research

Sujets

• Urban area
• Sciences et techniques

Informations

• Publié par: EUROPEAN-UNION
• Nombre de lectures: 67
• Langue: English
• Poids de l'ouvrage: 3 Mo

Extrait

COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES
GREEN PAPER
ON THE
URBAN
ENVIRONMENT
EUR 1 2902 EN GREEN PAPER
ON THE URBAN ENVIRONMENT
Communication from the Commission
to the Council and Parliament
SUMMARY
The Green Paper on the urban environ­
ment analyses the environmental prob­
lems facing Europe's towns and cities,
discusses their origins and proposes a
number of possible policy directions for
the future.
This document is being published to
generate a wider discussion on this issue
prior to the development of further
Community interventions for the impro­
vement of the urban environment. (/
GREEN PAPER
ON THE
URBAN
ENVIRONMENT
-s PAtt. EUWP. D
Ν. C./COM
CL COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES
GREEN PAPER
ON THE
URBAN
ENVIRONMENT
Commission of the European Communities
Rue de la Loi 200
B-1049 Brussels PARL. FliROP. Biblioth.
N.C./ COM 35"SSS
Directorate-General
CL 1990 Environment, Nuclear Safety and Civil Protection EUR 12902 EN
/Ύ^ γ ζ 6 of Published by the
COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES
Di rectorate-Genera I
Environment, Nuclear Safety and Civil Protection
L-2920 Luxembourg
LEGAL NOTICE
Neither the Commission of the European Communities nor any
person acting on behalf of the Commission is responsible for the
use which might be made of the following information.
This publication is also available in the following languages:
ISBN 92-826-1656-8 ES
DA ISBN 92-826-1657-6
DE ISBN 92-826-1658-4
GR ISBN 92-826-1659-2
FR ISBN 92-826-1661-4
IT ISBN 92-826-1662-2
NL ISBN 92-826-1663-0
PT ISBN 92-826-1664-9
Cataloguing data car be found at the end of this publication.
Office for Official Publications of the European Communities
Luxembourg, 1 990
EUR 12902: ISBN 92-826-1660-6 Cat. number: CD-NA-12902-EN-C
EUR 13145: ISBN 92-826-1809-9.: CD-NB-13145-EN-C
© ECSC-EEC-EAEC, Brussels · Luxembourg, 1990
Printed in Belgium PREFACE
A characteristic feature of Europe is its dense net­ response to the resolution tabled in December
work of cities, with their wealth of history and tra­ 1988 by a Member of the European Parliament,
dition and their extensive range of activities and Mr Ken Collins, urging that the problems facing
businesses. In fact, the vast majority of its popu­ the urban environment be studied in greater
lation lives in cities. However, because they are so detail.
highly developed and because of all the people and
Hence, the Green Paper is a preliminary document activities which are packed into them, these cities
which contains a number of pointers, but does not constitute a major source of pollution. For this rea­
constitute a working tool. Using the information it son, action to improve the environmental condi­
contains and after further consultation with the in­tions in cities will have a significant impact on the
stitutions of the Community, the Member States environment in general, and in particular should
and specialists and experts, the next task is to de­help to combat the greenhouse effect and acid
vise various operational measures. rain.
Clearly, urban problems are first and foremost a The Green Paper is in two parts. The first part ana­
matter for the local and national authorities. lyses the problems facing cities and their causes.
Nevertheless, there is scope for Community action The aim is not to examine the details of each sector
to help identify common problems and encourage but rather to consider all the complex aspects of
the sharing of experiences as a means of arriving urban problems in general terms. The second part
at the most appropriate solutions, while at the looks at possible courses of Community action.
same time respecting the principle of subsidiar­
This is thus the first stage in a process which could ity.
lead the cities of Europe to share experiences and
This Green Paper is the result of extensive consul­ exchange ideas. It should mean that urban prob­
tation involving representatives from a large num­ lems figure more and more prominently in Com­
ber of European cities, who have been invited to munity policies.
take part in various national conferences.
Carlo RIPA DI MEANA,
The aim has been to devise ways of identifying the
Member of the Commission
difficulties facing our cities in order to find proper
with special responsibility
solutions to real problems. This is thus a practical for the environment
5 Carlo Ripa di Meana would like to thank the following for their work on
the Green Paper:
Sandro Giulianelli, architect and member of his Cabinet, for general
coordination;
Nicholas Hanley, town planning expert, and René Schoonbrodt,
sociologist, Directorate­General XI, for their valuable assistance;
Wolfgang Hager and Marc Gierst, graphic artist, for their advice;
Romolo Cappi, member of his Cabinet, and Anne­Marie Ballaux,
DG XI, for their excellent work.
He would also like to thank all the members of the Commission inter­
departmental working party for the information they have provided and
all the experts who have attended international conferences and pro­
duced the material used in the drafting of the Green Paper.
Thanks are also due to the following people for writing the studies and
reports — contained in the publication 'Experts' contributions' — which
summarize the conferences preparing the Green Paper:
Bernardo Secchi, Marcel Smets, Hilde Heynen, André Loeckx,
Renato Cecilia, Η.E. Williams, Luca Beltrami Gadola, Vincenzo
Calò, Vera Squarcialupi, Luigi Crimi. CONTENTS
PREFACE 5
INTRODUCTION 11
CHAPTER ONE
THE FUTURE OF THE URBAN ENVIRONMENT
1. CITY AND URBANIZATION8
1.1. The spread of urbanization9
1.2. The city as a project
1.3. The essence of a European approach 20
1.4. The role of cities
1.5. Creativity 2
2. THE URBAN ENVIRONMENT3
2.1. The complexity of the urban environment4
2.2. Urban pollution
2.3. The built-up environment 35
2.4. Nature in the city
3. THE ROOT CAUSES OF URBAN DEGRADATION 40
3.1. Functionalism 4
3.2. Production and organization of work2
3.3. Distribution and consumption
3.4. Hotels, restaurants and housing
3.5. Tourism4
3.6. Communications and mobility
CHAPTER TWO
TOWARDS A COMMUNITY STRATEGY FOR THE URBAN ENVIRONMENT
1. TARGETS FOR URBAN ENVIRONMENTAL IMPROVEMENT 48
2. CONSTRAINTS ON EFFECTIVEL MANAGEMENT 50
3. GUIDING PRINCIPLES FOR URBAN ENVIRONMENTAL IMPROVEMENT .... 53