CORDIS Archive

European City Visions - Defining Research Needs

Executive Summary

The European City Visions workshop met in February 2001 to highlight the European perspective on the city and its cultural heritage. Participants included city experts, city administrators and EU officials. The workshop was proposed by the External Advisory Group (EAG) in order to exchange visions as to the future development of cities over the next 20-50 years, and to take into account longer term trends within current research priorities. The workshop took a holistic approach, assessing the social, economic, cultural and environmental factors that determine quality of life. Participants discussed new tools for urban governance and assessed how the various stakeholders in cities (citizens, planners, architects, urban managers, businesses, community groups and policy makers) could work most effectively together towards sustainability. In addition the workshop discussed possible roles for the new European Research Area.

1. Key challenges & trends

The sustainability of European cities is currently threatened by the following:

social change, loss of cultural identity and heritage, insecurity and criminality, changing employment patterns, deteriorating infrastructure and built environment, urban sprawl, traffic nuisance, bad air quality and noise, and poor water and waste management.

The workshop looked at these issues in turn in relation to current trends such as the emergence of New Information & Communications Technologies (NICTs), the ageing population, immigration and globalisation.

1.1 Social change

NICTs may significantly change lifestyles and work patterns, and affect the way that inhabitants interact with city services and with each other. Citizens will gain more autonomy and increased social contacts, but the overall quality of social contacts may decrease. The cost of new technologies and inequalities of access to IT skills may increase problems of social exclusion.

The ageing of the European population is also likely to produce social change. Increasing numbers of elderly people may become dependent on a smaller economically active group within the population. In addition, current trends towards increased mobility and the disintegration of the extended family may mean that this dependency falls upon society rather than individual families.

1.2 Changing employment patterns

Changing employment patterns are requiring people to become highly flexible in the labour market. Employees (especially women) are increasingly likely to juggle work, family and leisure commitments, and to be working on temporary contracts. The impact of the e-economy on employment is likely to be spectacular, with for example the on-going process of de-tertialisation caused by e-shopping and e-banking.

1.3 Cultural Identity & heritage

European countries have in the past been relatively open to immigration, which has led to increased multiculturalism and diversity within cities. Current policy makers need to balance positive support for this process with measures to ensure that a sense of shared local identity persists despite cultural change. The 'artificial staging' of culture for tourism, festivals and public events may actually undermine cultural identity if it is understood to occur for economic gain;

The constant process of destruction/construction that accompanies economic growth and an increasing uniformity within the built environment are threatening to undermine cultural diversity of cities. The effect of environmental loads and increased tourism needs to be better assessed and managed. Cultural heritage needs to be protected and integrated into the living city, to enhance cultural identity of the citizens and secure the economic and employment benefits of sustainable cultural tourism.

1.4 Insecurity and criminality

Insecurity and criminality in European cities are significant problems that can be related to both economic deprivation and to the inadequate management and use of urban space. The effective planning of multi-functional, well-populated and well-staffed public spaces will be important to increasing public security and trust across European cities.

1.5 Deteriorating infrastructure and built environment

Huge investment is needed to maintain the built environment in an optimal functional and aesthetic state across Europe. The cost-effective renovation of estate housing is a major challenge, especially in Eastern Europe. Individuals need to be encouraged to develop and retain a responsibility for their surroundings;

New construction and urban design will need to take account of the function and space demands of the changing economy. The potential impact of NICTs on space is not expected to be significant. Increased demands for leisure and health services (particularly in relation to the ageing population) will have an impact. It will also be important for urban planners to ensure the continuity of public space and prevent its fragmentation through transport or other building requirements. The quality of the physical urban environment, and especially of the public space, is an important factor for the social, cultural and emotional development of citizens.

1.6 Urban sprawl

There is still a significant transfer of populations between city centres and suburban areas due to rural exodus and the re-population and gentrification of inner city locations. Social attitudes towards high-density living and the importance of the countryside have divided opinion across Europe as to the possibilities for managing urban sprawl. In the mean time, a more polycentric Europe is emerging where a network of smaller-size cities surround larger cities;

1.7 Traffic nuisance and urban management of pollution and waste

Urban centres face an increasing mobility demand, which is mainly reflected in increased car use. Urban transport is responsible for high levels of congestion, air and noise pollution in European cities. Mobility demands are likely to grow in the future due to increasing leisure trips, and the rise in long-distance contacts through NICTs.

Greater environmental awareness and more sustainable practices within cities may relieve current pressure on waste and water management infrastructures.

2. The Need for New Governance Approaches

2.1 New tools of governance will be necessary to achieve sustainability in the longer term. These will need to incorporate short-term flexibility with longer term urban visioning, and ensure greater citizen participation in the planning process.

2.2 Most European cities are still operating unsustainable management practices. Cities within the accession countries are facing particular challenges due to reduced public budgets and the persistence of older industrial areas within city-regions.

2.3 Different European cities will require different approaches to become sustainable, according to their local context. This makes the transfer of good practice difficult. The development of the European Research Area will assist most effectively through the transfer of 'methodologies for developing locally sustainable practice' rather than the practices themselves. Innovative practices have always to be defined with respect to the local conditions where they are generated, including a transparent and comprehensive assessment of their costs and benefits. A key factor in this process will be the encouragement of positive interfaces between researchers, local decision-makers and citizens.

2.4 There needs to be a better understanding of the respective roles of regional planning, local management and the market in urban issues.

2.5 The social and psychological motivations behind urban interaction need to be given more importance. Ultimately, such behavioural research is key, as the sustainability of European cities will depend on the motivations and actions of European citizens.

Any comments to the workshop report might be sent to david.miles@ec.europa.eu.

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