The Strategic Research Agenda for Integrated Spatial Planning, Land Use and Land Management in Europe.

AUTHOR(S):

TITLE

The Strategic Research Agenda for Integrated Spatial Planning, Land Use and Land Management in Europe

PDF FULL-TEXT HTML

ABSTRACT

The soil-water nexus has a key role to play as Europe transitions to a low carbon, resource efficient economy. But water resources are under pressure, soil is being lost, while new energy nexus supports clean, smart opportunities worldwide. For us to benefit from the nexus for generations to come, knowledge needs to be created, transferred and put into practice. The way we steward soil resources, manage our land and plan our land use activities is central to ensuring Europe’s transition to a sustainable future for its citizens and its global partners. Research and knowledge dissemination are fundamental to securing soils and land for next generations, for competitive economies and healthy landscapes. Clever use of the services provided by the soil-water system provides solutions for meeting societal needs and for overcoming societal challenges. In order to create a new strategic research agenda (SRA) on soil, land-use and land management in Europe, it was collected relevant information on research demands, based on a bottom up approach in 17 European countries collecting information from more than 500 European stakeholders. This investigation revealed the research needs that should be included in the European SRA. According to key stakeholders the societal challenges facing Europe increasingly require research and innovation which integrates different approaches from across research disciplines. These often increase the impact and usefulness of the research for businesses and society. It was highlighted the need to improve the dissemination procedure and was suggested enlarged stakeholder’s involvement in research projects. The dissemination of projects should include indicators to access the social impacts, policy implications and applicability demonstrations. Strategic partnerships between universities and enterprises were recommend. Clear and accessible cost-benefits analysis, to increase the added value of research was emphasized. Recommendations for funders, researchers, end-users and citizens are included in the last chapter of this paper reporting about the EU project INSPIRATION executed as a Coordination and Support Action (CSA).

KEYWORDS

Strategic research agenda, stakeholders, soil, land, land management, land use, global change

REFERENCES

[1] Sal, A.G. and García, A.G. A comprehensive assessment of multifunctional agricultural land-use systems in Spain using a multi-dimensional evaluative model. Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment, 120 (1), pp. 82-91, 2007.

[2] Grainger, A. The role of science in implementing international environmental agreements: The case of desertification. Land Degradation and Development, 20 (4), pp. 410–430, 2009.

[3] Thomas, R.J, Akhtar-Schuster, M., Stringer, L.C., Marques, M.J., Escadafal, R., Abraham, E., Enne, G. Fertile ground? Options for a science-policy platform for land. Environmental Science & Policy, 16, pp. 122–135, 2012.

[4] Escadafal, R., Marques, M. J., Stringer, L. C., and Akhtar-Schuster, M. Opening the door to policy relevant, interdisciplinary research on land degradation and development. Land Degradation and Development, 26, pp. 409–412, 2015.

[5] Loures, L. Panagopoulos, T., Burley, J. 2010. Postindustrial land transformation: from theory to practice and vice-versa. In Panagopoulos, T., Noronha, T., Beltrao, J. (eds) Advances in Urban Rehabilitation and Sustainability, Faro, Portugal, pp: 153-158.

[6] Reed, M.S. Stakeholder participation for environmental management: a literature review. Biological Conservation, 141, pp. 2417-2431, 2008.

[7] Fazey, I., Bunse, L., Msika, J., Pinke, M., Preedy, K., Evely, A.C., Lambert, E., Hastings, E., Morris, S., Reed, M.S. Evaluating knowledge exchange in interdisciplinary and multi-stakeholder research. Global Environmental Change, 25, pp. 204-220, 2014.

[8] Dilling, L. and Lemos, M.C. Creating usable science: Opportunities and constraints for climate knowledge use and their implications for science policy. Global Environmental Change, 21 (2), pp. 680-689, 2011.

[9] Fazey, I., Evely, A.C., Reed, M.R., Stringer, L.C., Kruijsen, J.H.J., White, P.C.L., Newsham, A., Jin, L., Cortazzi, M., Phillipson, J., Blackstock, K.L., Entwistle, N., Sheate, W.R., Armstrong, F., Blackmore, C., Fazey, J.A., Ingram, J., Gregson, J., Lowe, P., Morton, S., Trevitt, C. Knowledge exchange: a review and research agenda for environmental management. Environmental Conservation, 40, pp. 19–36, 2013.

[10] Nathanail C.P., Boekhold A.E. 2017. The Europeans’ Strategic Research Agenda for Integrated Spatial Planning, Land Use and Soil-Sediment-Water Management. Deliverable D4.3 of the HORIZON 2020 project INSPIRATION. EC Grant agreement no: 642372, UBA: Dessau-Roßlau, Germany.

[11] Maring, L., Ferber, U., Dictor, M.C., Starzewska-Sikorska, A., Klusáček, P., Panagopoulos, T., Bal, N., Tabasso, M., Cotič, B., Nathanail, P., Garcia, G., Pütz, M., Finka, M., Zechmeister-Boltenstern, S., Dumitru, M., Rehunen, A., Brils, J. Memorandum of Understanding on how the National Focal Points should execute their tasks. Deliverable D2.2 of the HORIZON 2020 project INSPIRATION, UBA: Dessau-Roßlau, Germany, 2015.

[12] Bartke, S., Grimski, D., Brils, J., Makeschin, F., Nathanail, P., Darmendrail, D. Deliverable D1.1 of the HORIZON 2020 project INSPIRATION, UBA: Dessau-Roßlau, Germany, 2015.

[13] INSPIRATION (Integrated Spatial PlannIng, land use and soil management Research Action) www.inspiration-h2020.eu, accessed May, 2017.

[14] Brils, J., Maring, L., Darmendrail, D., Dictor, M.C., Guerin, V., Coussy, S., Finka, M., Bal, N., Menger, P., Rehunnen, A., Zeyer, J., Schröter-Schlaack, C., Villeneuve, J., Gorgon, J., Bartke, S. Deliverable D2.3 of the project INSPIRATION, UBA: Dessau-Roßlau, Germany, 2015.

[15] Panagopoulos, T., Ferreira, V., Antunes, D., Lackóová, L. 2017. Seeking a new strategic research agenda on soil, land-use and land management in Europe. WIT Transactions on Ecology and The Environment, 210, 347-357, doi: https://doi.org/10.2495/SDP160291

[16] Panagopoulos, T., Duque, J.A.G., Bostenaru Dan, M. Urban planning with respect to environmental quality and human well-being. Environmental Pollution, 208, pp. 137-144, 2016.

Cite this paper

Thomas Panagopoulos, Dulce Antunes. (2017) The Strategic Research Agenda for Integrated Spatial Planning, Land Use and Land Management in Europe. International Journal of Environmental Science, 2, 223-230