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In this paper we address the question of whether academic educational planning programmes are prepared to provide future planning professionals with the essential expertise to promote the transformation towards carbon-free cities and regions. Drawing upon interviews with master’s programme directors and involved academic teachers from European schools of planning, we argue that in view of transformative planning there is a need for adjustments in terms of knowledge areas and methodological skills. Our results also suggest reconsideration of normative and ethical aspects of planning as well as the attributed roles of planners and planning educators., Funding Agencies|Formas; Swedish research council for sustainable development [2021-00050], Formas Plants Dnr 2021-00050

This insightful book provides a comprehensive and comparative account of the current state and trajectories of spatial planning in 32 European countries. The book also explains how European governments are reforming spatial planning to meet new challenges, and how the European Union and its Cohesion Policy have shaped change through the Europeanisation of territorial governance.

In many European countries, regional planning is an established institutional framework. In recent years we have observed a resurgent research interest in regional planning with a specific focus on governance and institutional design and on the strategic and practical relevance of regional planning in pursuing sustainable development. However, in Sweden, regional planning traditionally has a weak position in practice as well as in research. Yet over the past 15 years, we have seen an increasing political interest in experimenting with different forms and formats of regional planning. In this paper, we explore the emerging logics of non-statutory regional planning, which the majority of Swedish regions have chosen. Drawing upon a qualitative research design we identify, compare and discuss three different logics and their inherent rationales, practices, challenges and prospects. Our analysis shows that our three case regions can do very little non-statutory regional planning unless they are part of properly working multi-level networks, and have well-established regional informal arenas for interaction and political backing. More specifically, we point at a number of tensions caused by the large degree of freedom to design non-statutory regional planning, which foster conflicts, confusion and insecurity.

Spatial planning instruments are fundamental for the operation of spatial planning systems. In the ESPON COMPASS project over 250 spatial planning instruments at different policy levels in 32 European countries were identified. In this chapter we compare and review these planning instruments that are used to mediate competition over the use of land, to allocate rights of development, to regulate change and to promote preferred spatial and urban form. The comparative analysis highlights that there are various types of spatial planning instruments at different policy levels many of which have multiple characteristics, that is, they are expected to have multiple functions in relation to spatial development and territorial governance practices. However, there is a significant consistency in how planning systems are hierarchically structured around spatial planning instruments and how these systems are based on rational ideals. Furthermore, the results indicates that there is a clear direction towards more strategic forms of spatial planning, also among statuary planning instruments. In conclusion, our survey reveals that spatial planning instruments are expected to serve as multi-purpose tools that simultaneously provide strategic frameworks and regulate spatial development whilst they have become less visionary.

The Territorial Agenda 2030, adopted in December 2020, introduces a new policy frame: that of ‘A Just Europe’. This intergovernmental policy document is intended to guide territorial cohesion policy and strategic spatial planning in and across the EU member states. But what does the adjective ‘just’ mean and to what extent can it become operational? Drawing on text analysis and expert interviews, the paper investigates the rationales and expectations underpinning this policy frame. It firstly contextualizes the policy frame of ‘a Just Europe’ within the policy and academic debates on spatial justice and territorial cohesion, and positions the Territorial Agenda 2030 against the backdrop of its forerunners. The analysis demonstrates that instead of guiding measures, the Territorial Agenda 2030, like its forerunners, essentially has a diagnostic and to some extent also a motivational function to mobilize policy actions. We do however identify and discuss three rather novel conditions which, unlike those of its forerunners, may revitalize the European spatial planning discourse. This contribution demonstrates that spatial justice is an inspiring notion to critically reflect on the current and future character and potentials of European spatial planning in general and territorial cohesion policy in particular.

There are over 30,000 discovered Near Earth Objects (NEO) orbiting the Sun. As humanity strives to learn more about our Solar System, asteroids are a key component to that research. Previously, we have sent probes to investigate various asteroids such as the OSIRIS-REx and DART missions, but if we want to learn more about their origins and potentially mine their resources, the next step is to make reaching asteroids more accessible by bringing them closer to us. Our research will focus on whether it is possible, feasible, and efficient to move one or more of these NEOs from a heliocentric orbit to a more accessible and useful cislunar orbit using a method known as weak stability boundary (WSB) trajectories. This method could vastly reduce the energy requirement for capturing asteroids by leveraging the perturbation of the Sun over long periods of time. This would, consequently, lower the propellant needed to move these asteroids using other more conventional trajectories and could simplify and reduce the cost of a future asteroid redirect mission and asteroid resource utilization. We are narrowing down asteroid candidates by looking at the asteroids‘ physical characteristics, the orbital characteristics of the asteroids‘ heliocentric orbits, and the characteristics of their close encounters with Earth. We are using particle swarm optimization as well as a qualitative analysis of the WSB in the Circular Restricted Three Body Problem. analysis of the WSB in the Circular Restricted Three Body Problem.

The concept of spatial justice encompasses a number of diverse theoretical, political and normative issues. It sheds light on the way resources are allocated across different types of territories and how spatial patterns influence, enhance or confine people’s opportunities. As such, the concept of spatial justice prompts a rethink of many of the substantial challenges of urban and regional development, which explains its topicality amongst policymakers and academics alike.The ARL International Summer School 2022 has thus invited doctoral students and other early career researchers to Stockholm University to debate conceptual, methodological and empirical aspects under the theme ‘Exploring spatial justice in times of disruptions’. The articles in this special issue underscore the importance of the quest to understand this multifaceted concept from different perspectives.

Previous research has shown that the comprehensive-integrative planning model seems to be expedient for modernising planning systems, specifically regarding the relation between spatial planning and sectoral policies. However, contemporary, and particularly comparable studies are non-existent. Based on empirical findings from a European research project our comparative analysis explores whether spatial planning in nine countries conforms to key features of this idealised planning model. Our analysis reveals discrepancies regarding how spatial planning is positioned in relation to sectoral policies across the various countries. We argue that this planning model appears rather to be in a state of dissolution than of consolidation.

This chapter discusses findings stemming from more than twenty case studies which analysed how spatial justice is achieved in practice across Europe. We identify and discuss generic types of promoters and inhibitors that became evident across these local and regional case studies and set these in context with the achieved outcomes. More specifically, we distil the factors that enhance or limit local abilities to articulate needs and realise concrete outcomes as well as local capacities for exploiting the opportunities given by the action and the eventually induced policy changes across places and time. Drawing upon a further analysis of five cases, we then test the hypothesis in how far ‘appropriate and fair’ procedures and mechanisms to ensure participation and accountability are key for a fair (or better) distribution of resources and opportunities. In conclusion, we discuss from a European perspective policy failures, lessons and prospects in approaching spatial justice in practice.