Description
The consequences of urban expansion go beyond environmental issues: human interests are also affected. Land for new construction is no longer available for agriculture, which can cause conflicts with farmers. Furthermore, settlement expansion entails high infrastructure costs for the development of new neighbourhoods. Soil sealing accelerates water runoff, increasing the risk of flooding. Finally, uncontrolled urban sprawl and inefficient land use can, in some cases, lead to increased distances between settlements and population centres.
To address these challenges, the EU has set the goal of achieving 'zero net land take' by 2050. This initiative encourages Member States to minimise further soil sealing and urban sprawl, aiming for zero net land take by mid-century. In practice, this means that urban development should be limited to already urbanised areas to prevent further soil consumption. Achieving this goal is crucial for sustainable spatial development, ensuring the preservation of biodiversity, landscapes and agricultural land.
The key lies in shared learning through a series of thematic workshops. The first of these addresses the question: "When is land considered 'occupied' and when does it represent valuable natural space?".
The aim of the project is to integrate the knowledge gained through a mutual learning process into national spatial planning processes. Ultimately, each participant should strive to adapt existing spatial planning documents and instruments to enable planning that protects the ecosystem functions of land and restores biodiversity and species diversity.