TOWARDS A SUSTAINABLE AND JUST CITY REGION?

Looking at Berlin, London and Paris

Conference of the Regional Studies Association 29. November 2013, 9:30 – 17:00h

TU Berlin

Berlin is currently in the process of developing a new spatial development strategy – the Stadtentwicklungskonzept 2030 (StEK 2030). Other plans and policies to shape the growing metropolitan region are also well under way, such as the new housing strategy and a new strategy of how to deal with municipal real estate. Many of these policies have been influenced by civil society stakeholders who demand a more sustainable development of the city, both in terms of climate change and socially. Extensive public participation processes have been launched to come up with development strategies, which will be perceived as ‘just’ while at the same time supporting Berlin’s economic growth. The conference will discuss the proposed strategies and participatory approaches and whether they are as ‘just’ and ‘sustainable’ as promised. It will look at similar proposals in London and Paris and explore what these new approaches mean regarding current debates on governance, localism or sustainable urban development.