Intertwinement of Spatial Planning and Water Management in European Regions -adapting to Climate Change-
Year: 2007
Type: book
Abstract: : Spatial planning and water policy in Europe have strong string interdependency on several territorial issues. This paper searches for the complementariness between them to explain that integration of water man-agement and territorial development can create opportunities for economic development but also reduces vulner-ability of regional development. This is illustrated against the backdrop of global climate change as one of the major challenges for territorial development. By proactively adapting to climate change, the economic develop-ment of the region can be safeguarded. Keywords : Spatial planning; Territorial cohesion; Adaptation strategies; Water Management; Climate Change 1 Introduction – climate change as a driving force for integrating spa-tial planning and water management in Europe Synergies between EU sectoral policies have been the profound objective at the backdrop of European Integra-tion. There are numerous complementarities and links between the Directorates-Generals (DGs) that are respon-sible for a specific task or policy area but integration of them has proven somewhat difficult. Nevertheless, the issue stands on the Commission’s political agenda, as the white book on European governance illuminates (CEC, 2001). Ideally, spatial planning policy in Europe amalgamates the objectives of sectoral policies, thereby antici-pating on the European model of society, giving impetus to the European Integration, and stimulates economic growth, creation of jobs, and enhances quality of life on a sustainable matter. Without a formal Community competence, spatial planning in Europe is not even a policy and does not have a procedural legislative frame-work to describe spatial policy. As a matter of fact, ‘…European spatial planning is a game in the margins of formal EU policies played by a small number of officials from the Commission and the Member States, as well as some modestly concerned ministers responsible for spatial planning…’(Waterhout, 2007, p37). An example of a sectoral policy which has strong legislative instruments is the EU water policy under the DG environment. Water policy has several directives of the ‘third wave’ (Grimeaud, 2004) such as the Water Framework Directive (WFD) (2000) and the recently approved directive on the assessment and management of Floods (FMD) (2007). In these directives coordination and cooperation between sectoral policies is advocated. This paper focuses on the relation and interdependency between spatial planning and water management with the most eminent ques-tion why there should be (further) integration between territorial development and water management in Europe. Why search for causal links between water management and spatial planning in European context? One of the main driving forces for integration can be found in the adaptation to the occurrence of natural hazards. Natural hazards have always threatened the environment and its ecosystems, but due to their resilience, they re-covered and adapted to their impacts (De Bruijn, 2004). The past decades vulnerability of the environment has increased when natural and technical hazards –hazards emanating from technical constructs– enforced by human activities did not only posed a threat to ecosystems but also to the anthropogenic structures and socio-economic processes (Schmidt-Thome, 2006). One of the most challenging natural disasters which effects social,- eco-
Authors: Robbert Biesbroek, W. van der Knaap
Institution: Wageningen University & Research
Language: English
Subfield: Geography, Planning and Development
Field: Social Sciences
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W26258175