Urban planning and degrowth: a missing dialogue

Abstract

The paper aims at discussing the reciprocity of developing a dialogue between urban planning and degrowth by arguing for two interactive processes: 'spatialising degrowth' and 'degrowing planning'. Degrowth literature has not yet fully recognised the potentiality of urban/urban regional spatial development and planning in facilitating and driving the degrowth transformation for local and regional sustainability and justice. The possibility of urban planning to facilitate a downscaling of the economy, save the environment and secure distributive justice is predicated on the causal relationships between space and societal conditions. Therefore, planning has the potentiality of providing spatial instruments in a degrowth transformation. On the other hand, the mainstream growthoriented planning paradigm is facing internal and external imperatives for transformation. Degrowth values and principles provide inspiration for urban planning to rethink its role and function in urban and societal development, specifically on three fronts: ideology, substantive values and utopianism. The paper further discusses the dilemmas and advantages of planners, being situated in the complex political and institutional landscape, in taking proactive transformative practices.

In quest of implementing degrowth in local urban planning policies

“…Early articles about the spatial implications of degrowth point out how planning institutions could support a degrowth transition if they were oriented towards sustainable resource use, democracy, or fostering autonomy (Wächter 2013). Xue (2014, 137;2021) discusses how planners can work as degrowth activists and practitioners by focusing on environmental protection and social sustainability. To do that, the body of research on sustainable urban development can be useful, as it helps to understand the relation between spatial mechanisms, social justice, and environmental sustainability.…”

“…To do that, the body of research on sustainable urban development can be useful, as it helps to understand the relation between spatial mechanisms, social justice, and environmental sustainability. At the same time, planners need to be more critical towards current non-sustainable urban development practices (Xue 2014(Xue , 2021. However, so far it has been difficult to find more concrete ways for urban planning practice to enable and foster a degrowth transition (Xue 2021;Xue 2014;Wächter 2013).…”

“…At the same time, planners need to be more critical towards current non-sustainable urban development practices (Xue 2014(Xue , 2021. However, so far it has been difficult to find more concrete ways for urban planning practice to enable and foster a degrowth transition (Xue 2021;Xue 2014;Wächter 2013). Xue (2021) argues that filling the gap between degrowth and urban planning requires two interactive processes: "spatialising degrowth" and "degrowing planning".…”

“…However, so far it has been difficult to find more concrete ways for urban planning practice to enable and foster a degrowth transition (Xue 2021;Xue 2014;Wächter 2013). Xue (2021) argues that filling the gap between degrowth and urban planning requires two interactive processes: "spatialising degrowth" and "degrowing planning". Spatialising degrowth attempts to raise planning's potentials as a supportive institution for degrowth transformation within the degrowth debate, while degrowing planning looks for inspiration in degrowth values to reshape urban planning.…”

Urban Planning Policies to the Renewal of Riverfront Areas: The Lisbon Metropolis Case

“…It is, however, quite common to experience planning reforms every now and then, in part motivated by new political orientations or by the revival of political ideologies and orthodoxies [12,13]. In this regard, multifaceted critics of a rising neoliberal and growth-oriented planning paradigm have emerged over the past years and have raised alternative responses in view of more transformative urban planning visions [14]. In a different prism, since the mid-twentieth century, certain city planners were faced with an emerging mass tourism phenomenon, which required novel urban planning approaches to tackle its effects on dwellers as well as on the urban economy [15].…”