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Abstract:The present study illustrates a multidimensional analysis of an indicator of urban land use efficiency (per-capita built-up area, LUE) in mainland Attica, a Mediterranean urban region, along different expansion waves : compaction and densification in the 1960s, dispersed growth along the coasts and on Athens' fringe in the 1970s, fringe consolidation in the 1980s, moderate re-polarization and discontinuous expansion in the 1990s and sprawl in remote areas in the 2000s. The non-linear trend in LUE (a continuous increase up to the 1980s and a moderate decrease in 1990 and 2000 preceding the rise observed over the last decade) reflects Athens' expansion waves. A total of 23 indicators were collected by decade for each municipality of the study area with the aim of identifying the drivers of land use efficiency. In 1960, municipalities with low efficiency in the use of land were concentrated on both coastal areas and Athens' fringe, while in 2010, the lowest efficiency rate was observed in the most remote, rural areas. Typical urban functions (e.g., mixed land uses, multiple-use buildings, vertical profile) are the variables most associated with high efficiency in the use of land. Policies for sustainable land management should consider local and regional factors shaping land use efficiency promoting self-contained expansion and more tightly protecting rural and remote land from dispersed urbanization. LUE is a OPEN ACCESSSustainability 2015, 7 3360 promising indicator reflecting the increased complexity of growth patterns and may anticipate future urban trends.

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Land Degradation (LD) in socio-environmental systems negatively impacts sustainable\ud development paths. This study proposes a framework to LD evaluation based on indicators of\ud diversification in the spatial distribution of sensitive land. We hypothesize that conditions for\ud spatial heterogeneity in a composite index of land sensitivity are more frequently associated to\ud areas prone to LD than spatial homogeneity. Spatial heterogeneity is supposed to be associated\ud with degraded areas that may act as hotspots for future degradation processes. A diachronic\ud analysis (1960-2010) was carried out at the agricultural district scale in Italy to identify\ud environmental factors associated to spatial heterogeneity in the level of land sensitivity to\ud degradation based on the Environmentally Sensitive Area Index (ESAI). In 1960,\ud diversification in the level of land sensitivity measured through two common indexes of\ud entropy (Shannon's diversity and Pielou's evenness) increased significantly with the ESAI,\ud indicating a high level of land sensitivity to degradation. In 2010, surface area classified as\ud 'critical' to LD was the highest in districts with evident diversification in the spatial distribution\ud of ESAI values, confirming the hypothesis formulated above. Entropy indexes, based on\ud observed alignment with the concept of LD, constitute a valuable base to inform mitigation\ud strategies against desertification

The debate on causes and consequences of urban sprawl has not lead to a widely accepted interpretative framework so far. However, to formulate effective sustainable development policies, a comprehensive analysis of sprawl is becoming more and more urgent in Europe. Through an exploratory data analyses of the spatial distribution of 132 indicators (regarded as socioeconomic and environmental factors of urban sprawl) in 8100 Italian municipalities affected by different levels of settlement dispersion, this study discusses place-specific factors which depend on the socioeconomic context and lead to diverging models of sprawl throughout the country. The illustrated methodology produces an informative base possibly supporting urban containment and sustainable development policies in 'sprawling' regions.