Hi Alexis,

That is an interesting approach. It would be a way of the almost inevitable focus on everlasting growth and all problems that stem from that growth. Although I haven't come accross any literature on sufficiency there is of course ample literarture on responses to decline, crisis, and boom/bust cycles that offer some insights on how sufficient could look like in particular situations. One angle on the topic could be to see perspectives on sufficiency as imaginaries that could be explored and institutionalized in a society and therewith acts as goal dependencies that shape planning policies and practices. 

Hi Raoul,

Thanks a lot for your hints. I will keep on thinking on the possibilities you point out.

Best,

Attached herein.

Der Stephen,

Thanks a lot for sharing the publications with me!!

Best,

Alexis

Dear Alexis,

I don't know if I understand completely your approach to the relation between “Sufficiency & Spatial Planning”, but from the perspective of “Urban and Spatial Planning and possible adaptations in Spatial Planning and urban design”, to avoid, or at least counteract, phenomena like the urban heat island, our research group, CPSV, Centre of land Policy and Valuations (http://www.upc.edu/cpsv) and our director Dr. Josep Roca Cladera, have participated in the project CLIM-CAP, Competences for sustainable city development: Qualification scheme for Climate Adaptation in Construction, Architecture and Planning (http://www.climcap.eu/en) in the framework of the Call 2011 of the Leonardo Multilateral project for Development of Innovation | Education, Audiovisual and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA), Lifelong Learning Programme (Ref. 540313-LLP-1-2013-1-DE-LEONARDO-LMP)

In addition, we are currently working on an I+D+i project from our National Research Agency MINECO and FEDER; Urban-CLIMPLAN, The urban heat island: effects on climate change and modelling towards strategies of territorial and urban planning. Application to the Metropolitan Region of Barcelona (http://www-cpsv.upc.es/Urban-CLIMPLAN). The aim of this last one is to study the climatic, geographic, territorial and urban factors that determine the urban heat island of the metropolitan system of Barcelona in order to assist decision making in planning and urban management to mitigate the adverse effects of climate change.

In this context I think that could be interesting talk regarding the possibility to integrate Spatial Planning and Urban design adaptation measures, form the point of view of Climate Change, as one topic related to your question and problematic and of course discuss possible future collaborations.

You can find the project too on https://www.researchgate.net/project/Urban-CLIMPLAN-The-urban-heat-island-effects-on-climate-change-and-modeling-strategies-for-spatial-and-urban-planning

The Researchgate profile of Dr. Roca is https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Josep_Roca3

Best regards.

Rolando.

Hola Rolando:

Actually, my idea was slightly different: namely, to observe whether the approaches within spatial planning incorporate the idea of "sufficiency" in order to assume and to plan the forced changes our societies are going to face (because of the global environmental and energy crisis). But, indeed, CC adaptation is a good example of new practices within spatial & urban planning. We could further explore the linkages between top-down adaptation (e.g. measures to mitigate heat island effect in urban regions) and bottom-up initiatives related to sustainability and resilience (e.g. Transition Towns*) and how Spatial Planning can integrate both approaches in its practices.

(I still write in English so that other interested colleagues who don't read Spanish or Catalan can participate)

Best

Alexis

* For furhter information: https://transitionnetwork.org/