Monday, July 13, 2009

[EQ] Ensuring quality of life in Europe's cities and towns

Ensuring quality of life in Europe's cities and towns
Tackling the environmental challenges driven by European and global change

European Environment Agency,  Copenhagen,  EEA Report No 5/2009

Available online PDF [110p.] at:
http://www.eea.europa.eu/publications/quality-of-life-in-Europes-cities-and-towns/at_download/file

“……The report defines a vision for progress towards a more sustainable, well-designed urban future, and in doing so inevitably raises many questions:

• why call for a new urbanity at a time when Europeans' living standards, notwithstanding the current global economic downturn,
  have on average and over decades progressively risen?

• why call for a new urbanity when it is evident that urban governance measures have improved living conditions?

• why call for a new urbanity to be delivered by our political leaders, the construction sector and ordinary citizens,
  when the vast majority of urban areas have benefited from this new prosperity?

The simple answer to these apparent paradoxes is evident in the many concerns expressed by the vast majority of policy-makers, professionals and civil

society. They point out that the current urban model delivers higher living standards and prosperity but fails to deliver 'quality of life'.

 

Unsurprisingly, the complex interaction between the many determinants of quality of life means that efforts to promote one element can have unexpected impacts elsewhere. However, understanding these apparent paradoxes is vital to realising the vision of a vibrant urban future in which economic, social and environmental

aspirations can be delivered concurrently ….”

 

Content:

 

Preface

1 Quality of life in European cities and towns

1.1 Quality of life — the urban crossroads of all policies

1.2 Quality of life — visions or preferences?

1.3 Health, environment and social equity: basic quality of life indicators

1.4 Cities and towns determine Europe's quality of life

1.5 EU and urban policies interaction

2 Quality of life and drivers of change

2.1 Demographic changes

2.2 Consumption and urban lifestyles

2.3 Urbanisation

2.4 Air pollution and noise

2.5 Climate change

2.6 Cohesion policy

3 Towards integrated urban management

3.1 EU and cities partnership

3.2 Integration gaps

3.3 Barriers

3.4 Integrated urban management defined

3.5 Steps towards implementation

4 Summary and conclusions

References

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