scholarly journals Organising regions: spatial planning and territorial governance practices in two Swedish regions

Europa XXI ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 35 ◽  
pp. 21-36 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lukas Smas ◽  
Johannes Lidmo

In some European countries, sub-national regions are important geographical arenas for spatial planning. However, in Sweden, statutory regional planning is rather limited and the regional level is often described as having a weak position in the spatial planning system. In this article, we investigate territorial governance practices in two Swedish regions, with a focus on their interaction with the EU and the national level, and with the local level, as well as how these regions function as organisations and arenas for coordination of different policy fields. The study is based on semi-structured expert interviews and document analysis. The results show that spatial planning is practised both through statutory planning and soft planning approaches, and that these practices in different ways coordinate sectoral policies i.e. transport infrastructure and regional development. Both cases also illustrate difficulties not only of external coordination between different institutions and policy fields but also internally within organisations. It is also highlighted that spatial planning at the regional level focuses on coordinating actors and policy fields but that spatial planning is also an instrument to implement regional policies. In conclusion, it is argued that the organisation and territorial governance practices within a given institutional arrangement and the perception of spatial planning are crucial in determining how regions might function as multi-level coordination actors and policy arenas within spatial planning.

Spatium ◽  
2011 ◽  
pp. 1-8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nada Lazarevic-Bajec

Climate change adaptation policies integration process adds a new dimension to spatial planning. National planning systems need to be reviewed for their capability to incorporate new procedures and implementation tools with a view to upgrading general efficacy of public response to climate change. The Spatial Plan of the Republic of Serbia (SPRS) adopted in October 2010 devotes special attention to issues of climate change, mitigation and particularly adaptation. This paper argues that regional level of governance is key to considering climate change vulnerability and setting a framework for specific actions on the local level. In the absence of the regional level, great responsibility is on the national planning level to lay out detailed guidelines and regulations as a guidance for spatial planning practice. What problems may be expected in the SPRS implementation with respect to climate change adaptation? How the adaptation policies adopted in the plan will be integrated into subordinate plans, regional and local? What limitations will the overall system face in policy harmonization? Although this brief paper cannot answer all of these questions, it will try to explain them and indicate the necessary transformations to the planning system to be discussed in the coming period.


Politics ◽  
2005 ◽  
Vol 25 (3) ◽  
pp. 175-190 ◽  
Author(s):  
Claudia Major

The article aims to explore the utility of Europeanisation as a concept to grasp the interactions between national and European levels. The article illustrates how the EU impacts on the national level of policy, polity and the politics of Member States and assesses how the role of nation states within the European political system has changed as a result. First, the existing definitions of Europeanisation are critically assessed, contextualised and delimited. Initially developed for communitised policy areas in the first pillar, Europeanisation is defined as an interactive, ongoing and mutually constitutive process of ‘Europeanising’ and ‘Europeanised’ countries, linking national and European levels. Defining Europeanisation as ‘domestic change’, the article then discusses mechanisms, objects and forms, as well as the criteria and conditions of change. The article subsequently seeks to clarify the validity of the Europeanisation concept in capturing the increasing interwovenness of national and European spheres in intergovernmental policy fields situated in the second pillar of the EU, that is, foreign and security policy. Inherent methodological challenges, mainly due to the deficient delimitation of Europeanisation and the intergovernmental character of this policy field are discussed as well as the particularities of its applicability in this unique policy area.


2019 ◽  
pp. 0739456X1984456
Author(s):  
Milica Maksić

The basic objective of this paper is to research the capacity of local-level governance in Serbia to transform spatial planning practices. The analysis was performed on the case study of the City of Niš, where besides the presence of formal planning instruments, new informal governance practices have emerged. The governance of spatial development was analyzed in relation to three ideal governance models: hierarchy, market, and network, and four planning models: the comprehensive planning model, the negotiative planning model, the neoliberal model, and the collaborative model. The strengths and weaknesses of the institutional and planning framework are defined, and recommendations for improvement are given.


2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Yunzhu Ji ◽  
Zhenhong Gu ◽  
Ronald Wennersten ◽  
Tong Zhang ◽  
Yixing Duan

PurposeThe purpose of this paper we present a case study where the Swedish planning support system Citylab is applied to a Chinese case in Changzhou's Tianning District.Design/methodology/approachChina's planning system is a vertical system based on policy development on the national level, policies which are to be implemented on local level. There is a gap between the ambitious central policies and the implementations on local levels. China is now exporting its planning model to other developing countries which makes it urgent to show examples of other strategies including more horizontal planning involving the public. The planning system in Sweden is based on a much more horizontal process. Therefore, the authors try to learn from Sweden's vertical planning system in the urban development environment of China.FindingsA key message for policy makers in China is that systems like Citylab can play an important role in developing practical and scalable examples of more sustainable city districts. The paper concludes that a barrier for local sustainability planning in China is still lack of effective communication between local actors including the public.Originality/valueThe authors exemplified Changzhou Tianning District's practical exploration, thus proving the adapted Citylab method's practical operability. Based on the common problems faced by eco-city development in developing countries, the method framework of Citylab is applicable to other developing countries, with strong room for deduction and development.


2019 ◽  
Vol 28 (3) ◽  
pp. 583-603 ◽  
Author(s):  
Evangelos Asprogerakas ◽  
Vasiliki Zachari

Author(s):  
Marieke Verschuuren ◽  
Henk B M Hilderink ◽  
Robert A A Vonk

Abstract Background The use of foresight studies is common in some policy fields, but not in public health. Interest in such studies is growing. This paper gives a general overview of the Dutch Public Health Foresight Study (PHFS) 2018, providing insight into what performing a broad scenario exercise in the field of public health entails and its societal impacts. Methods The aim of the PHFS-2018 was: (a) to show how public health and healthcare in the Netherlands will develop over the next 25 years if we pursue our current course and detect ‘new’ developments; (b) to give options for dealing with the major future societal challenges. Part a was addressed by means of a quantitative business-as-usual scenario exercise complemented with qualitative thematic studies, and part b by elaborating courses of action for three key challenges, based on stakeholder consultation. Typical aspects of the PHFS methods are a multidisciplinary, participatory and conceptual approach and using a broad definition of health. Results The PHFS-2018 is the basis for the upcoming National Health Policy Memorandum and the Trend Scenario is the baseline for the National Prevention Agreement. Unexpectedly, the findings about increasing mental pressure in young people received most attention. There still is room for expanding use of the study to its full potential. Conclusions Long-term thinking could be stimulated by using back casting techniques and stronger involvement of policy-makers in the elaboration of options for action. Lessons learned from developing intersectoral policy at the local level could be applied at the national level.


2017 ◽  
pp. 99-140 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dragan Nonic ◽  
Mirjana Stanisic ◽  
Jelena Nedeljkovic ◽  
Nenad Rankovic

Climate change mitigation is the responsibility of many institutions and organizations in Serbia at different levels of governance, and therefore, it is necessary for them to cooperate with each other and with other stakeholders. The aim of the paper is to determine the existence of cooperation in climate change mitigation in forestry and nature protection at different levels of governance in Serbia. Primary data were collected in the period November 2016 - March 2017. Thirty-four interviews were conducted with representatives of institutions and organizations in forestry and nature protection at the national, regional and local level of governance, dealing with issues related to climate change mitigation. Three questionnaires were used (for each level separately), composed of five question groups. Various forms of cooperation have been established at different levels of governance, through exchange of information and education, machinery and equipment exchange, financial cooperation, etc. However, there is no systemically organized reporting process between institutions on climate change issues at the national level, nor at the regional level. At the local level, there is a partially established system of cooperation between the national level and local self-government, but it is not exclusively related to the issue of climate change mitigation.


2014 ◽  
Vol 49 ◽  
pp. 123-141
Author(s):  
Daniel Rauhut ◽  
Svante Lingärde

When the issue of welfare is addressed in Sweden analysis is usually focused on the national level, in a smaller number of cases on the local level, but rarely on the regional level. Studies on poverty are no exception. The aim of this paper is to analyse child poverty in Sweden, from a regional perspective, in 1990 and 2010. A multivariate cross-section OLS regression model is used to estimate regional factors causing child poverty. Regional macro data is used. The findings indicate that old industrial regions experience greater child poverty. The statistical analysis shows that when the share of foreign-born individuals increases in the regional population, so does the regional share of children living on social assistance. Higher incomes lower the regional share of children living on social assistance.


2014 ◽  
Vol 94 (3) ◽  
pp. 1-24
Author(s):  
Branka Tosic ◽  
Zora Zivanovic

The goal of this paper is to explain the origin and development of strategic spatial planning, to show complex features and highlight the differences and/or advantages over traditional, physical spatial planning. Strategic spatial planning is seen as one of approaches in legally defined planning documents, and throughout the display of properties of sectoral national strategies, as well as issues of strategic planning at the local level in Serbia. The strategic approach is clearly recognized at the national and sub-national level of spatial planning in European countries and in our country. It has been confirmed by the goals outlined in documents of the European Union and Serbia that promote the grounds of territorial cohesion and strategic integrated planning, emphasizing cooperation and the principles of sustainable spatial development.


2020 ◽  
Vol 31 ◽  
pp. 105-118
Author(s):  
Małgorzata STRZYŻ ◽  
Maria ŚMIGIELSKA

Today, spatial planning is playing a more and more significant role in forming spatial development at the local level (municipality, town/city). It is closely connected with numerous documents underlying the implementation of the sustainable policy in the sphere of local development. The article presents an analysis of relevant planning documents at the national level, especially, at the level of the Podlaskie, Świętokrzyskie and Opolskie Voivodeships (provinces). Based on the analysis of spatial functioning in the range of small cities (towns) located in two provinces in the so-called Poland B (Eastern Poland) and one province in the so-called Poland A, the initial recognition of the impact of small urban centres on theregional development was made at different levels. The current economic system rooted in the premises of the innovative development of regions requires conducting detailed studies in the field of investigating its internal structure and external dependencies. As a complex, dynamic mechanism, generating an increase in the quality of life corresponding to the human resources, it also requires an appropriate management remaining in harmony with modern, strategic and spatial economy. The article selectively determines the problems appearing in the economic system of a region and indicates the need to solve the most essential development problems, e.g. those arising due to the obligatory introduction of social and economic scientific descriptions as the fundamental documents for the needs of creating sustainable development of the small-town landscape.  


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