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Alys Solly is a postdoctoral research fellow at the Politecnico di Torino, Italy, where she has specialized in the comparative analysis of spatial governance and planning systems. In particular, her research explores the multiple interrelations between spatial governance and planning systems, territorial development and quality of life.
Since the collapse of the communist regimes and the beginning of the transition period, territorial governance and spatial planning in the Western Balkans have often been marginalized within the academic and policy debates. Acknowledging this gap, this introductory chapter sets out the context for the book, presenting its aims and rationale and providing the basis upon which to unfold the discussion on territorial governance and spatial planning in the region. In doing so, it briefly delineates the transition from a centrally planned economic system to a market economy, paying particular attention to the institutional dimension. At the same time, it reflects upon the differential pace that has characterised the process of European integration in the different countries in question. Finally, it introduces the main challenges that have characterised the evolution of territorial governance in the region, as well as the potential role that territorial cooperation initiatives could play within it, before sketching out a roadmap that will guide the reader through the volume.
Erblin Berisha; Giancarlo Cotella; Alys Solly. Introduction: The Western Balkans Between Continuity and Change. Regional Research Frontiers - Vol. 2 2021, 1 -19.
AMA StyleErblin Berisha, Giancarlo Cotella, Alys Solly. Introduction: The Western Balkans Between Continuity and Change. Regional Research Frontiers - Vol. 2. 2021; ():1-19.
Chicago/Turabian StyleErblin Berisha; Giancarlo Cotella; Alys Solly. 2021. "Introduction: The Western Balkans Between Continuity and Change." Regional Research Frontiers - Vol. 2 , no. : 1-19.
As the various contributions included in the volume show, since the beginning of the 1990s, territorial development and governance in the Western Balkans have been subjected to drastic and tumultuous transformations. Drawing on the arguments developed by the different authors, this concluding chapter summarizes the main messages of the book and illustrates the key open questions that characterize the debate around territorial development and governance in the region, as well as the challenges that are to be faced in the years to come. The chapter concludes by identifying a number of future research perspectives, that could allow a better understanding of the regional context under scrutiny.
Erblin Berisha; Giancarlo Cotella; Alys Solly. Governing Territorial Development in the Western Balkans: Conclusive Remarks and Future Research Perspectives. Regional Research Frontiers - Vol. 2 2021, 357 -381.
AMA StyleErblin Berisha, Giancarlo Cotella, Alys Solly. Governing Territorial Development in the Western Balkans: Conclusive Remarks and Future Research Perspectives. Regional Research Frontiers - Vol. 2. 2021; ():357-381.
Chicago/Turabian StyleErblin Berisha; Giancarlo Cotella; Alys Solly. 2021. "Governing Territorial Development in the Western Balkans: Conclusive Remarks and Future Research Perspectives." Regional Research Frontiers - Vol. 2 , no. : 357-381.
This contribution sheds light on the potential influence of EU macro-regions on territorial governance and, more in general, on the EU integration processes. From a theoretical perspective, EU macro-regions are seen as a natural consequence of subregionalisation processes, which emerged in the EU after 1989. Building on a careful analysis of the existing literature and empirical evidence, the study reflects on the capability of EU macro-regions, and especially of the EUSAIR, to influence the way in which countries are involved within EU integration processes and must adapt towards new spatial governance configurations This contribution shows both the potentialities and the limitations of this experimental initiative in addressing common territorial challenges.
Alys Solly; Erblin Berisha. Towards the Territorialisation of EU Cohesion Policy? The Case of EUSAIR. Regional Research Frontiers - Vol. 2 2021, 333 -355.
AMA StyleAlys Solly, Erblin Berisha. Towards the Territorialisation of EU Cohesion Policy? The Case of EUSAIR. Regional Research Frontiers - Vol. 2. 2021; ():333-355.
Chicago/Turabian StyleAlys Solly; Erblin Berisha. 2021. "Towards the Territorialisation of EU Cohesion Policy? The Case of EUSAIR." Regional Research Frontiers - Vol. 2 , no. : 333-355.
The incremental recognition of the importance of land as a finite resource has led to the adoption and implementation of an increasing number of sustainable land use practices in European cities and regions. This paper reflects on these experiences, building on the evidence collected in the framework of the ESPON SUPER pan-European research project. In particular, the authors look at the project’s database, which includes 235 examples of sustainable urbanization interventions gathered from all around Europe. In doing so, they reflect on the outcomes of these interventions, focusing on both their scope and objectives and the types of instruments that were adopted in their implementation. The objective of this contribution is to critically analyze the rich set of practices collected throughout the project and to provide guidance for decision and policy makers aiming at promoting a more sustainable use of land. In this light, it suggests a number of recommendations and warnings, bearing in mind that no “right instruments” or “right targets” exist that could prove successful for all European cities and regions.
Alys Solly; Erblin Berisha; Giancarlo Cotella. Towards Sustainable Urbanization. Learning from What’s Out There. Land 2021, 10, 356 .
AMA StyleAlys Solly, Erblin Berisha, Giancarlo Cotella. Towards Sustainable Urbanization. Learning from What’s Out There. Land. 2021; 10 (4):356.
Chicago/Turabian StyleAlys Solly; Erblin Berisha; Giancarlo Cotella. 2021. "Towards Sustainable Urbanization. Learning from What’s Out There." Land 10, no. 4: 356.
Spatial planning has gone through significant shifts in recent years. Planners today face land use challenges, such as sprawl reduction and mixed use redevelopment, which must be reconciled with technological innovations and changing political and economic pressures. At the same time, their end goal is not just to support economic growth, but also to improve people’s health and social well-being in a place-based framework. Keeping in mind the debate on equity, participation and the achievement of sustainable well-being for all, this paper looks at these issues from both a theoretical point of view, as well as their practical implementation. It critically examines some aspects of spatial planning and territorial governance from Sweden and Switzerland, discussing their flaws and contradictions, as well as pointing out positive features. Overall, the paper suggests that current spatial planning philosophy should privilege an integrated holistic approach, avoiding policies that, in the name of increased speed and efficiency, might lead to partiality, randomness and fragmentation.
Alys Solly. Land use challenges, sustainability and the spatial planning balancing act: Insights from Sweden and Switzerland. European Planning Studies 2020, 29, 637 -653.
AMA StyleAlys Solly. Land use challenges, sustainability and the spatial planning balancing act: Insights from Sweden and Switzerland. European Planning Studies. 2020; 29 (4):637-653.
Chicago/Turabian StyleAlys Solly. 2020. "Land use challenges, sustainability and the spatial planning balancing act: Insights from Sweden and Switzerland." European Planning Studies 29, no. 4: 637-653.
Sustainable land use depends on both the socio-economic processes that trigger spatial development and the effectiveness of spatial governance tools that aim to regulate these processes. The ESPON Sustainable Urbanization and land-use Practices in European Regions (SUPER) research project aims to analyze the main land-use dynamics in Europe, looking at and comparing the interventions implemented in the various countries in order to promote sustainability. In particular, a sample of 227 interventions was chosen from a total of 39 European countries. This paper analyzes them on the basis of four different variables: (i) the scale at which the interventions are conceived; (ii) the type of territories subject to them; (iii) the type of interventions; (iv) the type of instruments behind these interventions. On this basis, it develops a number of considerations concerning the effectiveness of the interventions implemented in Europe to promote more sustainable use of land.
Alys Solly; Erblin Berisha; Giancarlo Cotella; Umberto Janin Rivolin. How Sustainable Are Land Use Tools? A Europe-Wide Typological Investigation. Sustainability 2020, 12, 1257 .
AMA StyleAlys Solly, Erblin Berisha, Giancarlo Cotella, Umberto Janin Rivolin. How Sustainable Are Land Use Tools? A Europe-Wide Typological Investigation. Sustainability. 2020; 12 (3):1257.
Chicago/Turabian StyleAlys Solly; Erblin Berisha; Giancarlo Cotella; Umberto Janin Rivolin. 2020. "How Sustainable Are Land Use Tools? A Europe-Wide Typological Investigation." Sustainability 12, no. 3: 1257.
Although the functions of spatial governance and planning systems are generalizable, 30 years of comparative studies, especially in Europe, have shown the heterogeneity characterising these ‘institutional technologies’. This contribution builds on the materials of the recently concluded ESPON COMPASS research project to propose a European typology on the capacity of public authorities to control spatial development, a crucial aspect for the life of entire cities, regions and countries. Based on the opinions expressed by respective national experts, the systems of 39 countries (28 EU and 11 non-EU) are compared in relation to the mechanisms to allocate land use and spatial development rights as well as to the prevalence of the state vs. the market in guiding the development decisions. As a result, the European systems are placed on an X-Y diagram, which makes it possible to cluster them in consistent types that raise new comparative observations and general findings. In summary, the capacity for public control of spatial development looks variegated in Europe, although limited overall. Even if the power relations between state and market established in each institutional context are certainly influential, the models adopted for allocating spatial development rights also play a role in determining the observed trends.
Erblin Berisha; Giancarlo Cotella; Umberto Janin Rivolin; Alys Solly. Spatial governance and planning systems in the public control of spatial development: a European typology. European Planning Studies 2020, 29, 181 -200.
AMA StyleErblin Berisha, Giancarlo Cotella, Umberto Janin Rivolin, Alys Solly. Spatial governance and planning systems in the public control of spatial development: a European typology. European Planning Studies. 2020; 29 (1):181-200.
Chicago/Turabian StyleErblin Berisha; Giancarlo Cotella; Umberto Janin Rivolin; Alys Solly. 2020. "Spatial governance and planning systems in the public control of spatial development: a European typology." European Planning Studies 29, no. 1: 181-200.
Currently, inequality levels are on the rise although the spatial dimension of social, economic and environmental justice is also gaining prominence. At the same time, progressive institutional changes are underway in many cities and regions. This paper looks at these paradigm shifts through the lenses of sustainable well-being and of spatial justice. It also reflects on the concepts of territorial disparity and scarcity of resources, as well as on the challenges of assessing spatial justice. Finally, the paper discusses the role of spatial planning in tackling these issues, in the light of current approaches to sustainable development such as the circular economy.
Alys Solly. Territorial inequality and spatial justice. How level is the sustainable development playing field? Europa XXI 2020, 39, 25 -43.
AMA StyleAlys Solly. Territorial inequality and spatial justice. How level is the sustainable development playing field? Europa XXI. 2020; 39 ():25-43.
Chicago/Turabian StyleAlys Solly. 2020. "Territorial inequality and spatial justice. How level is the sustainable development playing field?" Europa XXI 39, no. : 25-43.
This paper, prepared in conjunction with the European Union’s Open Days 2015, examines current Cohesion Policy in terms of its place-based logic, a key aspect of the new Smart Specialisation strategy platform. After discussing changing notions of urbanization and governance, which seem to be shifting Cohesion Policy towards a more performance-oriented analysis of its outcomes, the paper focuses on the question of identifying an appropriate set of indicators and measuring framework. It suggests that measurements of Cohesion Policy performance should analyse the outcomes and indicators, as well as the European and national data sources and statistics, through the lens of effectiveness and well-being.
Alys Solly. Place-based innovation in Cohesion Policy: meeting and measuring the challenges. Regional Studies, Regional Science 2016, 3, 193 -198.
AMA StyleAlys Solly. Place-based innovation in Cohesion Policy: meeting and measuring the challenges. Regional Studies, Regional Science. 2016; 3 (1):193-198.
Chicago/Turabian StyleAlys Solly. 2016. "Place-based innovation in Cohesion Policy: meeting and measuring the challenges." Regional Studies, Regional Science 3, no. 1: 193-198.