Today we are publishing three new Policy Briefs that aim to support national, regional and local authorities to improve their planning and support them in the implementation of the European Green Deal, the Territorial Agenda 2030 and the New Leipzig Charter. So, how can we make the current urbanisation practices more efficient and sustainable? 

In our ESPON Policy Brief: Sustainable Urbanisation we explain how the guide and intervention database developed by the ESPON Sustainable Urbanisation and Land-Use Practices in European Regions (SUPER) project can promote sustainable urbanisation in Europe, based on the examples of Croatia and Lithuania. You can also find, in the same policy brief, a short introduction to urbanisation in European regions and cities.

Dealing with urbanisation it is important to remember that cities have not been just places to live or trade: They are also a place of production and recent policy concepts emphasise the importance of industry for regional development. The New Leipzig Charter for example recognises the importance of productive city, as it ensures a sound financial base for sustainable urban development. Our ESPON Policy Brief: Productive cities and metros documents how industry serves as a catalyst for research and innovation for local economic systems, as a major driver of productivity and wage growth, and ensures resilience in various crises.

To be able to implement the recommendations of the above policy briefs describe we need strong spatial planning tools to provide an effective combination of different funding resources and policies. Particularly important is to ensure that the territorial impact of cohesion policy funding is positively combined with other sectoral policies to provide added value. Our ESPON Policy Brief: Cross-fertilisation of cohesion policy and spatial planning proposes seven practical steps that could guide and accelerate the achievement of a more territorially sensitive and efficient cohesion policy. This can be also used as a checklist for reflection on current practices and the design of initiatives according to local conditions and practices.