- Regional planning for climate proofing cities    click here to open paper content1199 kb
by    Zaman, Jan | janzaman@yahoo.com   click here to send an email to the auther(s) of this paper
Short Outline
Qualitatively mapping the spatial aspects of 1)vulnerability, 2)preserving biodiversity, and 3)minimising C-emissions in Flanders, this paper attempts to detect spatial weaknesses and high potential areas for dealing with climate change.
Abstract
Urban-regional relations and regional spatial patterns are essential in order to assess correctly the contribution of separate low carbon projects in cities to mitigating climate change. Low carbon policy should be complemented with the appropriate adaptation strategies on an urban and regional scale to be effective. We need an integrated long term policy for the spatial development of low carbon, climate proof cities within their surrounding region.
From this starting point this paper explores the possible implementation of 'low carbon climate proof cities' in Flanders (northern Belgium without Brussels). The urban structure of Flanders consists of a conglomerate of small and medium-sized cities, urban sprawl and dispersed settlements, situated between Paris, Randstad Holland and Rhine-Rhur region.
Reckognizing the lack of many necessary data and statistics for a reliable prediction of the effects of climate change, we attempt to map the spatial aspects of (1) the vulnerability of Flanders to climate change, (2) the specific impact of climate change on biodiversity, and (3) the spatial potential to minimise Ceq-emissions for the Flanders region.
These qualitative approximations, put together in a long-term time frame, should enable us to detect possible spatial weaknesses, and specific high potential areas for dealing with climate change issues. In a short creative step the paper takes up the challenge to redefine the contribution of cities to a low carbon, climate proof society.
Keywords
regional planning, Flanders, small cities, adaptation, mitigation,
Case Study presented on the ISOCARP Congress 2009: Low Carbon Cities
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