Green Infrastructure and integrated planning: towards a broader and

Transcription

Green Infrastructure and integrated planning: towards a broader and
20 years of Habitats Directive: European Wildlife’s Best Hope ?
Antwerp, 12-13 December 2012
Green Infrastructure and integrated planning:
towards a broader and integrated conservation strategy ?
Prof. Charles-Hubert Born (SERES, UCL)
I.
The problem: biodiversity, ES and land use
changes
II.
The response: the Green Infrastructure (GI)
strategy
III.
The challenge: planning GI and integration into
LUP
Conclusion
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Overview
Since XIXth century, radical changes in land uses 
fragmentation, degradation of habitats, eutrophication, IAS,...
Ex: Dyle river basin:
1760
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2000
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I. The problem: biodiversity, ecosystem
services and land use changes
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•
Reduces habitats availability and connectivity
•
Impacts the functioning of ecosystems and ES flows
•
Affects the adaptation capacity of human communities and
ecosystems to climate change
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 3 environmental consequences
1.
The concept of GI and its purposes
Combination of 2 approaches:
-
Multi-purposes green areas networks in urban and periruban
areas (‘greenbelts’,… < USA)  anthropocentric approach
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Ecological network and corridors  ecocentric approach
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II. The response: towards a Green
Infrastructure (GI) strategy
EU Commission:

« Green infrastructure is a strategically planned and
delivered network of high quality green spaces and other
environmental features in urban and rural areas, designed
and managed as a multifunctional resource capable of
delivering a wide range of benefits and services. Green
Infrastructure includes natural and semi-natural areas,
features and green spaces in rural and (peri-)urban,
terrestrial, freshwater, coastal and marine areas, protected
and not protected areas » (EUC, 2011)
 Shift in biodiversity conservation motivations: from ecocentric
approach to anthropocentric approach ?
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

Surfaces (mountain ranges, cultural landscapes, nature
reserves,…)

Point and linear landscape features (hedges, ponds, stone
walls,… ; ecoducts, green roofs, stormwater basin,...)

At all spatial scales (continental-national-regional-local-plot)

Dynamic in space and time

Removal of obstacles (fish ladder,…)
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2. Physical components of GI
(natural, semi-natural, artificial)
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Source: EU Commission
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Example: flood retention area
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International law: biodiversity and connectivity related
conventions and derivated law (CBD, CMS,…); UNCCC;
Landscape Convention; wetland and international
watercourse related conventions…
-
EU law:
Policy
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Biodiversity Strategy 2020 (Target 2; Action 6.b; 7)
Env Council conclusions 6/2011
EP resolution 2010
Future: green paper + strategy on GI
Legislation
Connectivity : BHD(6.2 and 12, 3,10 HD); WFD; ELD ?
ES : ELD ; WFD
Contribution to GI: WFD, MSFD, ambient air quality…
Integration in sectoral policies: EIA, SEA, cross compliance,…
Funding: Cohesion policy, LIFE+, CAP,…
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3. Legal and policy framework for GI at international and
EU level
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Ecological networks initiatives (NL, RFl,…)
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River, wetlands and floodplains restoration (space for river)
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4. Specific GI planning initiatives at national level
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Multipurposes GI ?
Ex: Trame verte et bleue (FR) (Ardenne DPt)
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Ex: Trame verte et bleue (FR) (Ile de France)
1.
The GI planning phase

Need for a common strategic and spatial vision of GI,
supported by stakeholders ; many challenges:
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Scientific foundations ? (connectivity, ecosyst. health,…)
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Spatial scope: 20 % ? 50 %? All open space ?
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Specific or non specific planning tools ? Are maps always
necessary ?
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III. The challenge: GI planning and
integration into land use planning
Which ES economic valuation/mapping methods ?
-
Multi-purposes tool: how to balance tradeoffs? Will
biodiversity get priority ?
-
Need to deal with complexity, lack of data and scientific
uncertainty
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Need for participatory, ‘(top down +) bottom up’ approach
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Importance of integration
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LUP is multi-purposes policy
 biodiversity and ES only one of many interests to conciliate
within limited space
 need for tradeoffs between strong and weak land functions
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LUP often covers the whole territory
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2. Integration of GI into land use planning
-
LUP sets conditions and controls for most important
physical land use changes through:
Strategic plans (indicative)
Land use plans (statutory)
Planning permissions (individual decisions)
Large potential for GI implementation:

•
•
•
•
•
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support to PA network
preservation of open space outside PA
removing existing barriers to connectivity
planning for ecosystem-based solutions
protection of landscape features
“smart growth” concept,…
 BUT : large discretionary power left to planning authorities 
double edged weapon
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How to perform integration ?

3 integration models

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
Internal integration (LUP  GI)
External integration (spatial environmental planning  GI 
LUP)
Global integration (fusion of environmental and LUP instruments)
(integrated planning  GI)
2 levels of integration:
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

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Procedural integration: ecological information flow through
decision process
Substantial integration: ecological normative standards
How to support integration ?
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participative governance
capacity building
land policy
tax and rebates
control and sanctions
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Legal challenges to integration into LUP ?
A)
Need to recognize GI and adaptation to CC as primary
objectives for LUP
B)
Need to improve mainstreaming of relevant ecological
information into decision-process: need for:
clear and spatially explicit GI strategy (information base)
cooperation mechanisms and/or bodies
Improved information procedure
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SEA/EIA: need for quality assessment by independant
bodies; technical guidance on biodiversity and ES; review
obligation for existing plans; etc. …
Consultations: need for biodiversity and ES
expert consultation
…
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
Need for substantial normative standards (comp. CO in
N2000 ? EO in WFD ?) to frame discretionary power:
No impact on GI « integrity »
Substitution principle (alternative solutions assessment)
No net loss and ecological compensation
towards a « GI Test » on the model of Art. 6.3HD ?
Ex: « watertoets » « natuurtoets », « eingriffregelung », …
D)
Need for innovative participative governance (PE too reactive)
and local authorities involvement
E)
Need for supportive land policy and tax/rebates policy
Ex: (FR) taxe d’aménagement (TA) (Loi n° 2010-1658) (includes the
former « taxe départementale pour les espaces naturels sensibles »,
TDENS)
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C)
GI is a new concept in EU Env policy; combines biodiversity and ES
approaches
Could bring a sustainable response to major cause in biodiversity
erosion and ES depletion : land use change in a CC context
Many existing instruments may contribute to its planning and
implementation
Many legal challenges ; in respect of GI integration into LUP, there
are at least 3:
Deliver a common strategic and spatial vision of GI through a
participative planning process
-
Adapt procedures and governance to improve GI integration
into LUP
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Provide for substantive standards including substitution
principle and no net loss
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Conclusions
At EU level:
Urgent need for:
EU common strategy on GI
Guidance on connectivity; on ES valuation and mapping
and its use in SEA/EIA procedures
Research and exchange of experiences (USA ?)
Increased pressure on MS to implement connectivity
conservation (esp. under art. 6.2 HD)
In medium term, need for:
a transversal instrument : integrated environnmental
planning directive ?
substantial standards: GI test and no net loss policy
 Towards a global biodiversity and ES framework directive ?
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Conclusions
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Thank you for your attention