GUIDELINES FOR THE SUSTAINABLE URBAN DEVELOPMENT OF VENICE

COMUNE DI VENEZIA

INDEX INTRODUCTION The Liveable Cities programme Liveability and Sustainability Urban sustainability and European Community Sustainability and Venice A further impetus: Venice Guidelines for Sustainable Urban Development VENICE GUIDELINES FOR SUSTAINABLE URBAN DEVELOPMENT The supra-municipal dimension Adoption of a long-term strategy Re-definition of the citizenship concept Participation and partnership Towards a new model of economic development Improvement of environmental quality Safeguard of natural resources and the lagoon Green areas Water management Waste management Air quality protection Reduction of acoustic, light and electromagnetic pollution Improvement of performance in the energy field Fair access to social and welfare services Sustainable mobility and urban accessibility Sustainable renewal of built environment

INTRODUCTION The Liveable Cities programme The Liveable Cities programme is co-financed by the European Commission within the Community framework for co-operation to promote sustainable urban development. It brings together cities and research partners that have a wealth of experience in sustainability issues and are willing to exchange knowledge and better integrate environmental themes into all public policies. The primary objective of the project is to encourage and sustain cities in their efforts to improve the quality of life in urban areas while developing sustainable urban management plans. This objective is achieved through: the development of a set of guidelines a Model Plan grounded on practical and challenging situations the organization of thematic workshops where experiences are shared and cooperation among cities is strengthened.1 Liveability and Sustainability The programme proposes a glossary addressed to the participants aimed at clarifying the issues under discussion. According to the Liveable Cities programme: LIVEABILITY is a highly integrated concept and includes economic, social and spatial elements, as well as environmental aspects. Liveability explicitly relates to the specific local effects of human activity people experience on a daily basis. It also usually refers to a perceptive dimension in that it is influenced by the experiences and feelings people have in certain circumstances. For this reason, liveability calls for the involvement of people in deciding what it actually means in different situations. It also relates to the quality of life concept. Liveable areas provide ample opportunity to experience a good quality of life, while less liveable areas make this ambition harder to achieve. In this, liveability can be considered as the framework of conditions necessary for people to have a good quality of life. Moreover, the liveability concept provides us with ample opportunity to relate the environment the starting point of our project to other aspects of urban governance. Therefore, it perfectly fits with the Liveable Cities programme.2 The essence of the SUSTAINABILITY concept is to add a temporal dimension to the liveability concept. It typically refers to the importance to strike a balance between economic, social and environmental aspects. In this framework, sustainability is often used to highlight the spatial distribution of some processes. Local, regional and national processes often affect on another. The
1 2

www.liveablecities.org Liveable cities glossary

focal point of our programme is to make and keep cities attractive and healthy places to live in. Therefore, although urban processes can produce large scale effects, we will focus on the contribution they can give in keeping our cities attractive and healthy.3 Urban sustainability and European Community On 11th February 2006, the final version of the Communication of the Commission to the Council and the European Parliament on Thematic Strategy on the Urban Environment was released. This means that the E.U. acknowledges that urban areas play an important role in delivering the objectives of the European Union for Sustainable Development Strategy. In urban areas, in fact, the environmental, economic and social dimensions meet most strongly. Precisely in cities numerous environmental problems concentrate. However cities are also the economic drivers, the centre of business and investments.4 The measures offered by this Strategy aim to contribute to a better implementation of existing community environment legislation and policies at the local level, by supporting and encouraging local authorities to adopt a more integrated approach to urban management.5 Sustainability and Venice Venice has expressed its will to be a sustainable city by signing up to the Aalborg commitments 6, which aim at supporting the current local efforts for sustainability.7 The most relevant step towards sustainability in Venice, was the creation and approval of the Venice Strategic Plan8, on 16th January 2006. The Plan represents the citys greatest effort ever made to implement a more integrated approach to urban management and to address the future social, economic and physical development of the Venice Municipality. It includes both public and private initiatives. The 2004-2014 Venice Strategic Plan is composed of three Structural Conditions that are the basis for seven Strategic Lines. The Structural Conditions are the following: 1) City of inhabitants: plural, incisive and sustainable, 2) Physical and functional structure of the contemporary city, 3) Metropolitan city. The Strategic lines are the following: 1) International city; 2) City of culture;
3 4

Liveable cities glossary Communication of the Commission to the Council and the European Parliament on Thematic Strategy on Urban Environment 5 Communication of the Commission to the Council and the European Parliament on Thematic Strategy on Urban Environment 6 www.aalborgplus10.dk 7 Introduction of Aalborg commitments 8 www.comune.venezia.it/pianostrategico/

3) City of waters; 4) City of tourism; 5) City of higher education, research and innovation; 6) City of top logistics; 7) City of material production and services. Since its drafting phase, the Strategic Plan regarded sustainability as a fundamental issue for political choices. The general objective of the Venice Strategic Plan is to create in a near and assessable future a city characterized by the high quality of life of its inhabitants, with regards to personal relations, the working and cultural dimensions, as well as by the high quality of its physical and environmental structures.9 It has to be highlighted that the Strategic Plan follows the direction proposed by the Communication of the Commission to the Council and the European Parliament on Thematic Strategy on the Urban Environment that suggests a more integrated approach to urban management. The Plan is grounded on an overall review of the Municipalitys main plans and initiatives and was outlined with the participation of 200 stakeholders. The Strategic Plan, therefore, provides an integrated approach between existing and new policies. The following is a list of implemented, approved or planned Initiatives and Plans that have played an important role in the construction of the integrated approach embodied by the Strategic Plan. Such a process reveals the efforts towards sustainability made by Venice in the past few years. LA21 The main issues of the Venice Local Agenda 21 are the following: 1. Sustainable tourism; 2. Urban quality; 3. Environment and production. SMART Plan 200710 Fourteen objectives to improve urban sustainability on the short term:

1. The Social Environmental Report

2. Agreement Protocols with the private sector in the field of energy consumption and lifestyle changes 3. Involvement of local community in the decision-making processes 4. Integrated structure for performance assessment with reference to sustainability 5. Analysis of connections between air quality and health 6. Emas registration 7. Awareness raising on the saving and conservation of water resources
9 10

Venice Strategic Plan, Counselors introductory speech http://www.ambiente.venezia.it/strumenti_gestione_ambientale/Piano%20d%27Azione%20SMART.pdf

8. Increase separated waste collection in city centre 9. Reduce consumption and reorient lifestyles

10. The Strategic Plan: a coherent document with a strategic vision

11. Study on energy consumption in local administrations public buildings 12. Reduce the citys impact on global warming 13. Mainland mobility 14. Tourists environmental education Energy Plan11 A national law prescribes an Energy Plan for the municipalities with over 50,000 citizens. Its aim is to develop an energy system where renewable energy sources and energy saving are priority instruments addressed to an improved environment safeguard. The Plan also includes 25 action cards" describing initiatives to undertake in order to achieve this goal. Municipality Action Plan to improve air quality12 It considers the main polluting sources such as industrial areas, car traffic, energy production and air quality, with a particular focus on those polluting agents currently causing great concern, such as PM10 and Nox.The detailed analysis, carried out at district level, is the starting point of this part of the project. It outlines: - 6 emergency measures for crisis situations; - 32 structural measures aimed at making emergency measures less frequent in the years to come. Examples are mobility reorganization, energy saving, reduction of polluting emissions. Risk of relevant accident plan The risk of relevant accident plan classifies a part of the municipality territory into risk areas labelled with the Greek letters from to according to their distance from dangerous industrial plants. The letter indicates the maximum risk level. The Plan also establishes the purpose of use allowed in each area. Noise classification plan13

11

http://www.ambiente.venezia.it/energia.asp?sub=progetti&prog=pec http://www.ambiente.venezia.it/energia.asp?sub=progetti&prog=pec04 12 http://www.ambiente.venezia.it/aria/PianoAria_PartePrima_1.pdf http://www.ambiente.venezia.it/aria/PianoAria_PartePrima_2.pdf http://www.ambiente.venezia.it/aria/PianoAria_PartePrima_3.pdf http://www.ambiente.venezia.it/aria/PianoAria_ParteSeconda.pdf 13 http://172.24.10.118/website/rumore/viewer.htm

The entire territory of the municipality is classified into noise areas, ranging from Class I to Class VI. Class I corresponds to most protected areas, while Class VI corresponds to the areas where highest noise levels are allowed. Master Plan to reclaim Porto Margheras polluted areas14 Porto Marghera is among the largest Italian industrial sites (2,200 hectares). The area hosts industrial plants (first and second industrial area), canals and water basins, the commercial port, roads, railways, services and buffer zones. The Master Plan coordinates the soil decontamination measures. Municipality Regulation for installation and operation of mobile telephone base stations.15 The Municipality Regulation for Installation and operation of mobile phone base stations aims to protect the citizens from electromagnetic pollution. Moreover, consistently with what established by the regulation, the Municipality Plan on installation of mobile phones base stations is soon to be approved. MASTER PLAN AATO Venice Lagoon16 In compliance with the Italian legislation, the management of water supply and wastewater disposal is entrusted to the AATO, the Authority of Optimal Territorial Ambit. The plan contains the safeguard programme and the planning of use and distribution of water resources to the current and future generations. The parks of Mestre17 The San Giuliano and Bissuola Parks occupy a total surface of 733 hectares that includes woodlands, meadows, paved surfaces, canals, sandbanks and lagoon. Their integrated management is entrusted to a local body, Istituzione Parchi di Mestre, responsible for the maintenance of natural areas, recreational, sports and business activities. The management objective is to connect, at physical and structural level, the urban and territorial functions of those areas. The Mestres Wood18 The initiative to create a wood in the northern mainland area covering a total surface of 1,400 hectares - dates back to the '80s and develops thanks to the commitment of various environmental
14 15

http://www.ambiente.venezia.it/suolo.asp?sub=progetti&type=masterplan (a short summary) http://www.comune.venezia.it/elettrosmog/Regolamento%20Antenne%20finale%2030.01.06.pdf 16 http://www.atolagunadivenezia.it/pdf/Piano_d_Ambito_approvato.pdf http://www.atolagunadivenezia.it/PdA_cartografia.htm 17 http://www.parchidimestre.it/ 18 http://www.comune.venezia.it/boscodimestre/

movements and the citizenship. The technical rules of the General Town Plan for the construction of this large wood around the city include environmental rules and rules awarding urban incentives to those citizens who join the project. The Mestres Wood is promoted and managed by an ad hoc Institute. General Urban Traffic Plan of Mestre and Marghera19 The General Urban Traffic Plan of Mestre and Marghera contemplates a review of regular congestion spots, the classification of roads, the definition of pedestrian areas, restricted access zones, cycling lanes and bus lanes, as well as the reorganization of parking areas and tariffs policies. General Town Plan20 The General Town Plan - which in compliance with the Regional Law 11/2004 is soon to be replaced with the Spatial Planning Scheme (PAT) and the Interventions Plans (PI) disciplines the entire territory of the Municipality from the territorial development perspective. Among other things, it establishes an increase of green areas in the mainland. The San Giuliano Park and the Mestres Wood are two examples. Moreover, the part dedicated to the Lagoon establishes the naturalistic restoration of some minor islands and regulates the use of waters of the lagoon. A further impetus: Venice Guidelines for Sustainable Urban Development

The numerous ongoing plans and initiatives contributing to Venice sustainability together with the great effort to deliver a more integrated approach to urban management as laid out by the Strategic Plan, were examined above.
Our effort aims at combining the principles of the above mentioned plans and create a further incentive through the drafting of the Venice guidelines for sustainable urban development. The drafting of all future thematic and sector plans of the city will be inspired by these guidelines. The latter, in turn, will be our Sustainable Urban Management Plan.

19 20

http://www.comune.venezia.it/put/2003/scarica.asp http://www.comune.venezia.it/urbanistica/

VENICE GUIDELINES FOR SUSTAINABLE URBAN DEVELOPMENT The supra-municipal dimension The principles of Sustainable Development need an implementational context that rarely matches the one marked by traditional administrative boundaries. Hence, the Municipality is not the optimal dimension from which to tackle all problems. Problem The city of Venice is located in a physical and spatial context whose characteristics call for a new approach to problems solution, aimed at finding and implementing sound solutions over the long term. The lagoon, the historical centre, the islands and mainland are the various interconnected elements of a single integrated system. These parts are also very strongly linked - at social, economic and environmental level - with the surrounding areas, not belonging to the complex system. Guiding Venice towards a sustainable urban development process, implies tackling new issues and problems that involve not only the surrounding municipalities, but also the Province of Venice as well as the Veneto Region. This means that the traditional municipality administrative boundaries are obsolete and can no longer define the adequate frame within which to implement the principles of Sustainable Development.21 Solution Because of its role, Venice produces actions with wide territorial consequences. The city should therefore consider this aspect and play a pivotal role in the coordination of the entire areas policies. It is only through an adequate coordination that each single action can acquire a significant meaning and importance, thus making a step forward in the process leading to the sustainability of the Venetian system.22 Proposals Cities and institutions at different levels, are now urged to operate transversally, in cooperation with all the involved subjects. Therefore, local territorial policies must be integrated with those of a broader area. This can be achieved in the following ways: cooperation among the various competent institutions, informal meetings among the sectors technical representatives, in charge of planning. Moreover, it is necessary to invest on training, since through the acquisition of skills, people will be able to deliver their tasks at a metropolitan level.

21

Comune di Venezia, Piano Strategico, p. 39-43, ottobre 2004 (Municipality of Venice, Strategic Plan, pp. 39-43, October 2004 ) 22 Provincia di Venezia, Convegno PTCP: costruire insieme le scelte, 27 Gennaio 2006, pp. 2, 3, 6 (Provice of Venice, Conference on Territorial Plan of Coordination, pp. 2, 3, 6, January 27, 2006)

Adoption of a strategic approach A project can be defined as sustainable when it is developed and implemented through a strategic approach to be assessed on the effects produced by its action on the medium and long term. Problem The traditional approach does not foster cooperation and collaboration among various actors of the local system. Rather, it tends to bring benefit and focus on short-term results, which are more visible and usable. Solution Only a strategic approach entails a sustainable result. It coordinates the long-term objectives and the action of various subjects. The Strategic Plan was recently adopted. It represents a unitary planning process aimed at generating decisions and actions needed to achieve the new idea of Venice, that is the future vision of the city, shared by main actors of the citys social and economic sectors.23 The strategy has a mainly economic connotation, however, each strategy contained in the document and the connected concrete actions must comply with the following three guiding principles:

social plurality, civil solidarity, environmental sustainability.24

The main actions embedded in the general strategy are:25 the definition of strategic thematic guidelines, the elaboration of programmes and specific projects, the investment in people, to build skills and knowledge.

Proposals The long-term strategic approach was acknowledged as the only feasible instrument able to identify and generate the actions required to overcome the current development model26. For the city of Venice, it will be implemented through: the actions outlined in the Strategic Plan, the improved elaboration of a monitoring and evaluating system 27 addressed to the efficiency of the public administrations policies, with the end of creating a feedback process that allows if necessary - for adjustments in the definition of policies and actions during their own implementation.28

23

Comune di Venezia, DAgostino R., Presentazione al Piano Strategico,ottobre 2004 (Municipality of Venice, DAgostino R., Foreword to the Strategic Plan, October 2004) 24 Ibidem 25 Comune di Venezia, Piano Strategico, pp.119, 120, ottobre 2004 (Municipality of Venice, Strategic Plan, pp. 119120, October 2004) 26 This was also restated in the Sixth Environment Action Programme, Environment 2010: Our Future, Our Choice that became legally binding with the Decision of European Council and Parliament on July 21st 2002. 27 AA.VV., Monitoring and Evaluating, in Interact Guide, pp.77-79, in http://www.interact-network.org

Re-definition of the citizenship concept A sustainable city is available for everyone to benefit from it in sustainable ways. Problem A city that aims at defining itself sustainable, must consider the importance of being open from a social point of view. The city is an open system that exchanges matter and energy with the surrounding environment. Similarly, when defining policies, it would be a mistake to consider as addressee only the population actually living in the city. The people who use the city, in fact, what we could label as city users, are the residents and the different classes of people, each one with its specific needs. Therefore when elaborating any action programme every class of city users and not only the residents class must be born in mind. Solution The city of Venice has worked out its own definition of daily population interacting: formal permanent population: residents, including those born in the city and those who have moved to the city, legal immigrants, absent residents informal permanent population: informal residents, permanent students, ghosts residents, illegal immigrants, population with changing residence: occasional residents, temporary residents, commuting students, commuting workers, tourists, people transiting, non-resident street traders, nomads, people of no fixed abode. It is therefore necessary to re-define the concept of citizenship30 and acknowledge rights and duties to all the multiple components related to the city. The new concept will allow a deeper understanding of the city users needs as well as of the opportunities and the advantages they can bring to the city. The policies that foster the citys sustainable development, must therefore address not only 271,000 formal residents31, but also about 430,000 people who make up the daily population. Solution
29

which embraces all

classes of population using the Venetian territory, by living, working, using the services and

28

Comune di Venezia, Documento Piano Strategico n. 26, Elementi per un Sistema di Monitoraggio Sintesi, aprile 2004 (Municipality of Venice, Strategic Plan Document n. 26, Elements for a Monitoring System Sinthesis, April 2004)
29

The concept of daily population (popolazione quotidiana) is analyzed in the Strategic Plan Document n.9, Popolazione quotidiana e comunit: il caso di Venezia, (Daily population and community: the case of Venice) January 2003 30 Municipality of Venice, Strategic Plan, pp.39-43, October 2004
31

Strategic Plan Document n.9, Popolazione quotidiana e comunit: il caso di Venezia, (Daily population and community: the case of Venice) January 2003

This series of information need to be analyzed in quantitative and qualitative terms to start a monitoring process on the characteristics of the daily population over the years, and to single out the structures that may become necessary reference points, as well as groups of interlocutors or associations. Participation and partnership Making Venice sustainable also means guaranteeing all social components and all local actors the opportunity to actively participate, express their opinions, contribute, when possible, to a shared future development, according to their own skills and needs. Problem Those responsible for planning must seek for the best solutions oriented to urban sustainability. This means that such a complex system as the urban one, can be understood and managed only in the context of governance, where each person plays his/her own role in a responsible manner. Consequently, a sustainable project can only be developed with the involvement of stakeholders and citizens. The three reason are as follows: citizens and stakeholders are a privileged source of knowledge, the resolution of conflicts is easier at the beginning of the process, rather than when decisions have been made, every one has his/her own responsibility and is able to play his/her specific role in society.32

Consistently with a top-down approach, the participation process in Italy is usually promoted by the public administration. Only a small number of initiatives are fostered by single citizens. A few years ago, the city of Venice launched a number of initiatives to overcome the typical Italian situation where public involvement is poor. However aware of the fact that involvement cannot be forced. Solution The need to improve both the quantity and the quality of citizens participation is a significant goal that passes through: the promotion of environmental and knowledge policies and sustainable behaviour among the citizens, the involvement of a large part of those stakeholders playing a crucial role in the economic sector, with a view to increase the value of cooperation between the public administration and the private sector33.

32

With reference to the importance of participation in decision-making, an interesting and in-depth analysis is provided for by the article by E. Laniado, F.Cellina, Comunicazione/Informazione in Materia Ambientale: Metodi e Strumenti a Supporto dei Processi Partecipativi, in Valutazione Ambientale n7, Communication/Information in the Environmental Field: Methods and Instruments Supporting Participative Processes, in Environmental Evaluation n7 January-June 2005, pp.33-38, EdicomEdizioni 33 Municipality of Venice, Strategic Plan, pp. 36

the involvement of all organizations and structures whose objectives are the support of specific citizens' classes (for example the elderly, women, immigrants,) and the promotion of dialogue with traditional institutions.34

The main future goal is to foster inclusion and participation in the decision-making process. All citizens and public institutions must be aware of its importance and consequently work for an increased exchange of information and knowledge. To facilitate this process, it will be needed a greater use of:

specific projects leading to tangible results, since participants need to feel they are addressing tangible objectives35, specific structures allowing for a dialogue with the citizens in order to make decisionprocesses and laws transparent36,

environmental education activities aimed at promoting both responsibility and the actual monitoring and assessment systems able to evaluate the effects of implemented

relevant role of each citizen in achieving sustainability.37 policies and to make the necessary adjustments whenever poor or inadequate efficiency and effectiveness are recorded. The highest involvement possible and the participation of citizens and stakeholders in the planning and decision making processes are among the key elements of capital importance in the path towards sustainability.

34
35

Municipality of Venice, Strategic Plan,, pp.97-99, October 2004

The Municipality of Venice promoted two significant projects: CambieReSti? e CambieReSti? Energia 300x70, whose official website is http://www.cambieresti.net 36 The Municipality of Venice has set up an Environmental Information Counter that is a reference aimed at facilitating the understanding of the procedures and rules imposed by law on citizens, entrepreneurs, professionals, in the field of territorial safety and environmental protection http://www.ambiente.venezia.it/ambientario 37 The StilInfo counter was set up for the citizens seeking information on how to make concrete choices for a more sustainable and fair lifestyle. In addition, the ad hoc Office for Environmental Education, http://www.ambiente.venezia.it/ambientario was set up

Towards a new model of economic development Politicians must govern economic development: problems have to be confronted as new opportunities. Problem It is well known that the economic sector has strong repercussions on sustainable urban development issues, from both an environmental and social perspective. This does not mean that sustainability only imposes restrictions to the traditional development model, on the contrary, it offers new economic opportunities. Sustainability requires a radical cultural change in the way of thinking and acting.38 At present, the city of Venice is faced with a fragile economic situation and is not sufficiently prepared to produce values and resources to maintain and boost opportunities. Similarly, it is not able to overcome those restrictions and situations that are hindering local development.39 Solution In order to get over the current development model and aim at the achievement of urban sustainability, it is necessary to shift in the direction of an economy that is: competitive, renewed, able to break away from primary industry and able to foster the setting up of qualified activities in the services sector. Proposals As far as planning is concerned, the reorganization of the citys economic bases is the most transversal principle. In that, it involves the 3 structural conditions and 7 strategic lines of the Strategic Plan. The reorganization can only be achieved by pursuing three general principles: 1. the complexity of the system must be kept. Diversity and complexity are not restrictions, rather they supply stability and strength to the system, 2. difficulties are new opportunities for development. It is only when faced with the solution to new problems that we have the opportunity to re-think and review traditional solutions and methods, 3. resources (environmental, economic, social and cultural ones) must be created and not used. Only the production of new resources guarantees a long-term development. shared, through the instruments of company social responsibility too,

38

On the opportunities and advantages that sustainability can offer to economic development, see: Istituto di Ricerche Ambiente Italia (edited by), Ambiente Italia 2005, Edizioni Ambiente, Milano, 2005 39 Municipality of Venice, DAgostino R., Foreword to the Strategic Plan ,October 2004

Improvement of environmental quality In order to improve the quality of environment, the use of resources must be ruled by the principles of efficiency and sufficiency. Problem The concept of sustainability forces human beings to change their traditional approach towards environmental problems and start a new process aimed at finding new and sounder solutions. The process requires to single out the main elements responsible for breaking environmental stability and to then identify the actions needed to restore the balance. All solutions must comply with the following principles: efficiency: the use of resources and energy must aim at achieving the best results while minimising waste and discards production; sufficiency: human beings must restrict the consumption of energy and resources of their activities. Proposals The achievement of better environmental performances poses a great challenge for Venice. The whole city and its lagoon, in fact, represent a unique, extremely complex ecosystem that cannot be parted in separate and isolated elements. The peculiar environment has led to the identification of crucial actions aimed at guaranteeing the environmental quality of the Venetian system. Moreover, a series of plans to guide this improvement process has been prepared. We shall refer to them and highlight their most relevant purposes in each field of action. 1. Safeguard of the Lagoon Problem The Lagoon of Venice is one of the largest and most important marine ecosystems of the whole Mediterranean area. It is a humid area with an enormous biological heritage as well as a complex and fragile system that needs attention and protection. During the last 30 years, the Lagoon has been the subject of a number of actions aimed at its safeguard. The most relevant concerns the proposal to create the Natural Park of the Northern Lagoon and aims at guaranteeing a consistent and sustainable management of natural public property located in this area. This action is grounded on the concept for which the parks should not be considered as uncontaminated natural areas, but rather as a sort of laboratory for sustainability in and for the territory. This is especially important for the Lagoon of Venice, since it is an environment where human presence and its activities have always played a key role in keeping its fundamental processes and components alive.40
40

Municipality of Venice, Piano della Laguna (Plan of the Lagoon) Municipality of Venice, Variante al PRG per la Laguna e le Isole Minori Relazione per la Valutazione dIncidenza Ambientale ai Sensi della Direttiva Habitat (Variation to the General Town Planning for the Lagoon and Minor Islands Report for the Evaluation of Environmental Impact in compliance with Habitat Directive) Guerzoni S.,TagliapietraD. (edited by), Atlante della Laguna, Venezia tra Terra e Mare Estratto, (Atlas of the Lagoon, Venice between Land and Sea Excerpt) Marsilio, in http://www.ambiente.venezia.it/osservatorio/Estratto_atlante.pdf

Proposals The first step towards the Lagoon safeguard was to consider it as an integral part of the socioeconomic and territorial system of the city, introducing it among the urban instruments. On a medium to long term perspective, the goal is as follows: to improve the environmental management strategy of the entire lagoon area.

2. Green areas Problem These kind of areas contribute to provide a natural network necessary to the inhabitants health and wellbeing. Free areas in the mainland provide an opportunity to increase the number of green areas. Some islands of the Lagoon can only serve a naturalistic purpose. Permitting the public use of large areas until now barred or abandoned to deterioration takes up the additional meaning of reappropriation of the territory by citizens. Natural environment restoration may also be understood as the creation of long depleted resources, as a sign that the damages suffered by the territory are not irreversible. Hence, with a certain effort, the trend of consumption to the benefit of the few can be reversed towards an improved situation to the benefit of all.41 Proposals The Municipality is fostering a series of crucial initiatives that will create new resources: The Bissuola and San Giulianos parks on the mainland The Mestres Wood and the net of Forts Environmental restoration in minor islands.

3. Water management Problem Water is the most important resource for both human beings and the natural environment. Its management represent a crucial action aimed at the preservation or in some specific situations restoration of environmental stability. This is especially important for the Lagoon of Venice, where water is the capital natural element, whose management is entrusted to the Autorit dAmbito (i.e. Special Local Authority) of the Lagoon of Venice. This is a specific authority responsible for the coordination of all actions in the field for 20 Municipalities of the Venice Province and 5 Municipalities of the Treviso Province, included in the drainage basin of the lagoon.42
Municipality of Venice, Parco naturale della Laguna Nord, (Natural Park of the Northern Lagoon) in Speciale Ambiente Venezia, Venice Environment Special Issue Notiziario Speciale dellAssessorato allAmbiente, Special Newsletter of Local Authority for Environment, March 2004 41 Municipality of Venice, Strategic Plan, p. 42 42 Italian Law L.36/94 entrusted to the AATO (Authorities of Optimal Territorial Ambit) the task of drawing the Master Plan. This is a strategic document aimed at guiding the entire decision-making activity of the Authority in order to organize, implement and govern the integrated water service. The Plan drafted by the AATO Laguna di Venzia is available at http://www.atolagunadivenezia.it

Proposals Clearly, in order to ensure water preservation and to guarantee its quality, a sustainable and shared43 water saving strategy is necessary. This was implemented through the Local Agenda 21, which is the basis for the future management strategy, and which will be implemented through: restoration and reclamation actions, studies and researches to qualitatively and quantitatively improve the monitoring activities on the whole territory, environmental education initiatives to foster the value of water as a limited resource and a public property,

introduction of strategic environmental assessment in order to verify the match between the plan and the sustainable development objectives. 44

4. Waste management Problem The city of Venice is made up of different parts with different physical characteristics. This means that waste separated collection on the entire territory of the municipality is a demanding challenge that requires high resources in terms of funds and personnel. To tackle the problem of waste management it was decided to focus on environmental education activities. It is believed, in fact, that a sensible reduction in waste production represents the most cost-effective method to improve environmental performance in this field.45 Proposals The main actions46 outlined in the field are: to spread the separated collection model introduced in the mainland and in two areas of the historic centre to the entire municipal area, to maximise separated collection services through the use of new technologies, more funds and a more rational organization, to increase the use and to improve the operation of the Fusina integrated Centre for waste disposal and management. to promote a development model aimed at the reduction of waste production.

5. Air quality protection

43 44

http://www.atolagunadivenezia.it , AATO Laguna di Venezia, June, 7th 2006 AATO Laguna di Venezia, Master Plan, pp.8-11, in http://www.atolagunadiveneziait Municipality of Venice, Strategic Plan, pp.61-64, October 2003 45 Municipality of Venice, Cacciari P., Rifiuti Zero, (Zero Waste) in Ambiente Venezia, Special Newsletter of Environmental Local Council of the Municipality of Venice, September 2004 46 http://www.ambiente.venezia.it/rifiuti, http://www.vestaspa.net

Problem The findings of monitoring activities show that PM10 - thin dusts - have a great share of responsibility for air pollution in Venice, as they typically have in big cities. To tackle the issue effectively, different coordinated actions must be enforced in each sector that is a source of air pollution, such as for example, traffic, heating and industrial plants. Studies and researches have shown that industrial plants are the main source of air pollution. Their management, however, falls within the Province of Venice, not the Municipality.47 Proposals The high quality of monitoring and assessment of air quality activities are an important starting point for further studies and researches aimed at elaborating solutions that may be implemented by both the Municipality and the Province of Venice. It is also important to try and ensure an adequate communication among the different authorities responsible for the protection of air quality. It is well known that the correct approach to complex issues, such as the environmental ones, is one where actions and interventions are coordinated and integrated. The following concrete actions48 for the improvement of air quality were fostered: a widespread promotion of public transport, the promotion of new technologies for heating facilities and transports, starting from projects in the public sector, the drafting of studies and projects for a taxation system imposed on less environmentalfriendly vehicles. 6. Reduction of acoustic, light and electromagnetic pollution Problem The Lagoon suffers from both air and water pollution. In addition, it is confronted with electromagnetic radiations as well as light and acoustic pollution, which characterize urban and metropolitan areas. Thanks to the control of polluting sources and to strict compliance with legislation grounded on an accurate territorial knowledge49 - it is possible to claim that the Venetian area presents only a few critical situations with regards to the above mentioned types of pollution.
47

ARPAV, Municipality of Venice, dr.ssa M.Rosa, dr.ssa S.Pistolato, Qualit dellAria nel Comune di Venezia Rapporto Annuale 2004, (Air Quality in the Venice Municipality Annual Report) April 2005 48 Municipality of Venice, D.C. Environment and Territorial Safety, PM10: Scenari per una Soluzione (PM10: scenarios for a Solution) 49 Municipality of Venice, D.C. Environment and Territorial Safety, dott.P.Barbieri (edited by), Classificazione Acustica del Territorio Comunale Relazione, (Acoustic Classification of the Territory Report) November 2002 Municipality of Venice, Resolution n.6 of City Council 30, January2006, Regolamento Comunale per lInstallazione e lEsercizio degli Impianti per la Telefonia Mobile (Municipality Regulation for Installation and Operation of Mobile Phones Base Stations) Municipality of Venice, Environmen Council, ARPAV (edited by), Rapporto Annuale CEM 2005 (CEM Annual Report 2005)

However, this does not entail us to invest less resources in these tasks in the future. It is imperative to be forward looking so as to spot in advance all potential problems. Proposals The general goal in this field is to improve the already implemented strategys results. The future steps will be: to devise action plans and programmes that are able to combine the needs of the economic and production sectors with those of individual citizens, to promote environmental education initiatives to ensure strong communication between the administration and the citizens, to integrate and coordinate all actions, ensuring an adequate cooperation level among the institutions, to start a careful evaluation and monitoring process for the assessment of developments occurring during policies implementation. 7. Improvement of performance in the energy field Problem All cities are faced with the challenge posed by the energy issue, since urban areas need great energy supplies for their development and operation. Usually this represents a heavy cost. The city of Venice ought to achieve more sustainable management and energy consumption, since any improvement in energy performance equals an important step forward towards sustainability. Proposals The city of Venice already counts on two significant instruments aimed at a sustainable energy management, namely the Municipal Energy Plan (PEC) and the Venice Energy Agency (AGIRE)50. A general analysis of the situation clearly shows that considerable progress towards sustainability will be achieved through:

a reduction of energy consumption and its more rational management, which will be implemented via projects and actions in the public sector51, the development of renewable energies technologies, with the involvement of both the manufacturing industries which can invest in research and projects and the individual citizens,

environmental education activities so as to extend to the population more sustainable lifestyles.52

50 51

http://www.agire.it, AGIRE, Venice Agency for Agency Municipality of Venice, Municipality Energy Plan, 2003 52 See Cambieresti?300x70 project

Fair access to social and welfare services A project is sustainable when it maximizes the quality of life Problem The rational organization of public services and the adoption of suitable territorial policies are needed not only to attain greater efficiency in the use of resources, but also to ensure greater wellbeing. People should in fact live in cities characterized by a high quality of social services and a high degree of security and wellbeing. Solutions The resources and the situation of the Venetian system require a functional and consistent organization in order to foster social, economic and cultural development. It is important that people can truly consider Venice as an attractive and safe city that offers to all citizens the opportunities provided by similar cities of the Veneto region.53 Moreover, the city of Venice must grant special attention to the issues of heath and safety, related to the question of the risk of relevant accident, arising from the presence of dangerous production plants activities located in the Porto Marghera area.54 Proposals Citizens have the right to live in a safe and healthy city, before anything else. In addition to this, the city has to guarantee a high degree of wellbeing. This can be attained through: the location and strategic management of services, structures and resources for the social sphere, the promotion and adoption of new technologies allowing to live a simpler and more complete life. A sustainable city allows the citizens to live in an urban environment planned on peoples needs. Only by considering people as the starting point of all planning policies, will the city be able to ensure a high quality of life.

53

Municipality of venice, Strategic Plan Document n.43, La Qualit della Vita in Provincia di Venezia Analisi Comparata del Posizionamento delle Province Venete, (The Quality of Life in the Province of Venice Compared Analysis on the Veneto Provinces Score) pp.6-9, December 2005 54 Benatelli N., Parte da Venezia la Frontiera della Giustizia Ambientale, (The Frontier of Environmental Justice Starts fromVenice) in Venezia Ambiente e Mobilit, Newslettre of Councils for Environmetn and Mobility of the Venice Municipality, pp.31-34

Sustainable mobility and urban accessibility A sustainable city facilitates urban accessibility, mobility and the quality of the city environment Problem The improvement of mobility and accessibility is a great challenge for metropolitan areas. Nonetheless it brings a series of advantages. From a social viewpoint, people are able to move more freely and improve their relations. From an economic perspective, it facilitates the movement of goods and production. Finally, from an environmental point of view, a rational and consistent movement demands less energy and use the latter in a more efficient way. The trend of settlements in the area of Venice and its surroundings makes it difficult to transform traditional mobility in a more sustainable one. Rather, this tends to increase the demand of private transportation. Moreover, Venice is faced with infrastructural, functional as well as organizational restrictions leading to a general disadvantaged condition. Difficulties exist in accessibility to the city, in the connections among the various parts of the city, and between the city and its various metropolitan urban centres. Solution Venice must became a modern integrated city, bridging lagoon and mainland 55 with a sustainable strategy for the mobility system, so as to establish new and better connections with the global, metropolitan and spatial levels. This challenge must be translated into an efficient logistic and intermodal development for goods and into an efficient accessibility of urban spaces.56 Proposals Sustainable mobility implies the use of new eco-friendly technologies and the rationalization of the system with the end to ensure efficiency while keeping at the same time a high quality of services. This will be achieved through: boosting the potential of all type of transportation, the renewal of public transports thanks to the use of eco-friendly fuels and new technologies57,

the creation of the Regional Metropolitan Railway System (at a metropolitan level) that will allow better connections between Venice and other cities as well as an improved connection system within the entire municipal territory58, the promotion of public transport and bicycles use, the coordination of all activities of the logistic sector.59

55 56

Municipality of Venice, Generale Urban Traffick Plan of Mestre and Marghera Final report, p.9 Municipality of Venice, Strategic Plan, p.76, October 2004 57 Municipality of Venice, Venezia Ambiente e Mobilit, (Venice Environment and Mobility) Newsletter of Councils for Environment and Mobility of the Venice Municipality, p.6 58 Ibid, pp.25-26 59 Ibid, pp.17-26

Quality of the built environment The higher the quality of environment built, the more sustainable the city. Problem The space built should represent a pleasant environment to live in. The quality of urban life should not be affected by the differences existing between parts of the city. The citizens have the right to choose where they want to live and have the right to live in a city with a high urban quality. On grounds of these claims, it is easy to understand that the physical conditions of the city of Venice may hinder the planning process oriented to the achievement of the sustainability goals. Solution Venice must became a city able to attract people to live in it. Each one of its part will have to be accessible, well integrated in the mobility system, safe and agreeable. The prejudices on the different municipal areas will have to be replaced by a new vision of a new city characterized by the high quality feature. Proposals Crucial actions are to be implemented in order to make the different parts of the city more homogeneous and agreeable. They are the following60: to promoteinterventions aimed at the restoration , transformation and urban development, inspired by the principles of bio-architecture, starting from the public administrations buildings,

to exploit all the opportunities linked to the renovation of existing buildings or to the transformation of dismissed areas, 61 to stimulate cooperation with universities, professional and handicrafts centres, and businesses.

60 61

Municipality of Venice, Strategic Plan, p. 97, October 2004 Municipality of Venice, D.C. Territorial Development and Mobility, Variante Parziale al PRG per Regolamentare lUrbanizzazione delle Aree di Danno Soggette a Rischio di Incidente Rilevante (RIR), Elaborato B:Relazione Illustrativa (Partial Variation to the General Town Planning to Discipline areas prone to the Risk of Relevant Accident, Essay B: Illustration Report

We thank the participants in the Progetto commissioni of the Strategic Plan: your contributions gave great impetus to the outlining of the Guidelines. We thank the following experts who accepted to be interviewed on the issues of their competence: Fabrizio D'Oria and Claudio Tomaello, Municipality of Venice, for mobile telephony Arianna Zancanaro, Municipality of Venice, for air quality Francesco Penzo, Municipality of Venice for land reclamations outside Porto Marghera and the abandoned waste Riccardo Venturi, Municipality of Venice, for waste collection Cristiana Scarpa, Municipality of Venice, for Smart Plan and environment city council Federica Boscolo, Atolaguna, for water supply Your help was remarkably important for the identification of environmental issues.