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Last changed: 13/07/2010
The German Federal Government supports research and model projects designed to help reduce land-take for human settlement and transport infrastructure to 30 hectares per day by 2020. While land-take was still at 120 hectares per day in 1993 to increase to 131 hectares per day by 2000, it has been falling since then. In 2008, it reached its lowest level so far with 95 hectares per day.
Demographic change could cause a deterioration of real estate values in many regions of Germany and thus lead to considerable losses of fortune. ”We have to liberate us from the burden of unnecessary infrastructure and buildings and ”weatherise” what is worthy of preservation” said Prof. Dr. Andreas Troge, UBA president at the time, and was calling upon the governments at federal, Länder and municipal levels to counteract the impact of demographic changes now with a view to mitigation.
Area dedicated to settlement and transport grew by 113 hectares per day in the 4-year period 2004-2007, according to the Federal Statistical Office. This is almost the same value as in the period 2003-2006. Other values also saw little change. A significant reduction can be expected no earlier than next year, when huge statistical artefacts from the Land Saxony-Anhalt in the category of recreational area will start to gradually disappear from the 4-year statistics.
Current building, housing and settlement practices are harming the environment more than is necessary. Our buildings and dwellings consume too much energy, devour more space than necessary, and we are not very efficient in using building materials. This has got to change. An UBA brochure on sustainable building and housing shows how.
The Federal Regional Planning Act (ROG) requires spatial planning objectives and principles to be defined for, inter alia, protection of the marine environment in the German Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ). Environmental requirements for spatial planning in the EEZ have been formulated in an interim research report commissioned by UBA, and the Agency has given its opinion on the draft Spatial Plan for the German EEZ (as at 13.06.08).
In 2008, every person in Germany used on average 564 square metres of land for housing, working, mobility and recreation. Land used for human settlements and transport is growing by 113 hectares per day. A background paper describes the resulting undesirable impacts on the environment and economic and social problems and shows what decision-makers and every individual citizen must do to stop the trend of urban sprawl.
In 2008, excessive land use for human settlement and infrastructural purposes (presently 113 hectares per day) was once again one of the most critical environmental problems in Germany today. Reducing land consumption and achieving cooperation between farmers and conservationists are the subjects of this position paper, which contains a number of fundamental demands.
In Germany, area dedicated to settlement and transport continues to grow. One reason for this is that greenfield construction is particularly cost-effective for those involved. Yet, it also means high infrastructure costs to be borne by the public. The study suggests measures designed to make the costs of site development more visible and remove wrong incentives and to thus reduce land-take and the cost to the public.
In 2008, 113 hectares of land were consumed daily for new developments in Germany, whether for homes, roads or commercial space. That is equivalent to 160 football pitches. A flyer by the UBA explains why this is a problem and gives hints on how to reduce land-take.
Since 2003 Germany’s population has been decreasing, with considerable regional variation. Forecasts predict that this trend will continue in the long term. A project commissioned by the Federal Environment Agency has analysed the impact this demographic change has on settlements and infrastructures and 2007 devised adaptation strategies for a sustainable future.
Upon suggestion of the Federal Minister for Environment, the Federal Cabinet resolved a national strategy for integrated coastal region management (IKZM) on 22 March 2006. IKZM aims to link the various uses and protection interests in coastal areas on both the maritime and shore sides and to detect development possibilities, conflict potential and solutions early on.
When it comes to noise, urban planners are constantly confronted with a conflict between the requirements of the housing market and those of business. Commercial developments and infrastructure for the transport of goods generate noise, disturbing the peace of adjacent residential areas. A project on ”practice-oriented noise management in spatial planning and urban development – PULS” looks into the problem and presents solutions.
UBA sees the need for fundamental reform of the economic framework conditions that encourage land use for settlement and transport. Land-take has remained at a consistently high level for years and is increasingly becoming a financial and social risk for the Federation and for German towns and municipalities.