Speaker
Description
In an era marked by an escalating planetary crisis, the need to rethink spatial planning as a transformative action becomes ever more pressing. Addressing the interconnected challenges of climate change, environmental degradation, and socio-spatial inequalities requires a paradigm shift that moves beyond conventional approaches, embracing adaptive frameworks capable of fostering resilience and sustainability. Cities and regions, as both epicenters of climate impacts and laboratories for innovative solutions, offer fertile ground for the development of new methodologies. This paper proposes the “+ Methodology”, an innovative framework designed to integrate vertical and horizontal dimensions of planning to create adaptive strategies and actionable solutions. The name "+ Methodology" reflects its conceptual foundation: the vertical axis represents the analysis of multi-level policy and institutional frameworks, while the horizontal axis encompasses the operational and thematic dimensions of territorial analysis and strategic planning. This dual structure facilitates a systemic understanding of territorial vulnerabilities, ensuring that local actions align seamlessly with broader strategic goals while remaining responsive to the specific needs of each context.
The vertical approach focuses on a comprehensive examination of multi-level policies and planning frameworks, tracing their evolution from international directives to regional and local implementations. It highlights how overarching initiatives, such as the European Green Deal, provide foundational guidance for territorial priorities, encompassing themes such as decarbonization, biodiversity restoration, sustainable mobility, and the promotion of circular economies. This dimension establishes a reference framework that not only prioritizes key objectives but also ensures coherence across scales, thus laying the groundwork for targeted territorial analyses.
In parallel, the horizontal approach operationalizes the insights derived from the vertical dimension through a structured methodology comprising three key phases: analysis, diagnosis, and visioning. The process begins with an in-depth examination of the territorial context, which includes a detailed assessment of climate risks and local vulnerabilities. Building upon this diagnostic phase, a shared vision of a sustainable and resilient future is articulated, capturing the aspirations of the territory under consideration. This vision is subsequently translated into macro-objectives and actionable goals, guiding the formulation of tailored strategies designed to address specific challenges while enhancing overall territorial resilience. The horizontal approach thus ensures that solutions are not only practical and implementable but also deeply rooted in the unique characteristics of the territory.
The proposed methodology was applied to the Delta del Po, a fragile Mediterranean delta system characterized by its significant ecological value and socio-economic complexity. This region faces numerous climate-related challenges, including sea-level rise, saline intrusion, coastal erosion, and biodiversity loss. By integrating vertical policy priorities with horizontal territorial insights, the study facilitated the development of adaptive strategies to address immediate risks while fostering long-term resilience. Additionally, the case study demonstrates how locally derived solutions can inform and refine higher-level planning frameworks, creating a feedback loop that strengthens governance across multiple scales.
This research underscores the transformative potential of the proposed methodology in addressing climate change through spatial planning. By uniting policy analysis with operational planning, it provides a replicable framework capable of guiding vulnerable territories toward sustainability and resilience. The dual focus on strategic coherence and contextual sensitivity ensures that the approach is both adaptable and scalable, making it applicable to a wide array of complex territorial settings.
| Keywords | Spatial planning, territorial resilience; climate adaptation; methodological framework; multi-level governance |
|---|---|
| Best Congress Paper Award | Yes |
