- Prof Tadeusz Marszal, University of Lodz
During the last decade of the 20th century vast changes took place in the eastern part of Europe as a result of the collapse of the communist regime which had determined the functioning of the economy and society in many countries of this region. The new situation, in particular the empowerment of local government, privatisation and communalisation processes and introduction of market mechanisms brought major changes also in the sphere of urban development, including the perception of issues relating to urban sustainability. Integration of post-communist countries into the European Union was an important factor affecting the situation. All these developments created a set of new conditions, some of which were condusive to the implementation of sustainable urban development principles, while others had a negative impact in this sphere.
The positive effects include a more flexible and less formal approach to planning, increased environmental awareness, building the sense of responsibility of local communities for the surrounding space, accountability for environmental consequences of decisions, democratisation of planning processes, changes in the structure of the economy (decline of inefficient and environmentally harmful industry in many cities and development of the services sector), and new opportunities for financing urban development (especially pro-ecological projects) from EU aid funds.
The negative factors include incompetence of many local authorities, absence of mechanisms for cooperation between local governments, uncontrolled metropolisation processes and lack of consistent spatial planning regulations.
Polish cities (as well as cities in other countries of this region) were relatively quick to make progress in the field of nature protection and transport infrastructure, i.e. the areas where EU financial aid was directed in the first place. As a result of massive investment in the construction of drainage systems, sewage treatment plants, waste management and air pollution control, the most urgent problems that were facing local governments and local communities a decade ago have largely been solved. Major issues which still need to be addressed include among others sustainable growth of metropolitan areas and revitalisation of degraded urban areas.
The efforts oriented towards development of sustainable urban areas in the European post-communist countries are largely guided by the EU documents, the Lisbon Strategy and the Leipzig Charter on Sustainable European Cities. The latter document recommends preparation of integrated urban development programmes which should:
• Identify the strengths and weaknesses of cities based upon an analysis of the current situation,
• Define consistent development objectives for the urban area and develop a vision for the city,
• Coordinate the different plans and policies, and ensure that the planned investments will help to promote a well-balanced development of the urban area,
• Coordinate and spatially focus the use of funds by public and private sector players,
• Be coordinated at local and city-regional level and involve citizens and other partners who can contribute to shaping the future environmental quality of each area.
These general guidelines provide a frame of reference for evaluation of urban planning and development policy currently pursued in post-communist countries, with a particular focus on Poland.
BIO:
Tadeusz Marszal works at the Department of the Built Environment and Spatial Policy, University of Łódź;. Since 1991 he has been head of the Department of the Built Environment and Spatial Policy, and since 1995 he has been head of the European Research Centre for Local Development and Spatial Policy at the University.
He has a M.Sc. in economics (foreign trade economics) from the University of Lodz; Ph.D. in geography (economic geography); ‘habilitation’(qualification for professorship)in geography (economic geography).
Since 1990 he has been the Polish representative and member of the Council of Representatives of the Association of European Schools of Planning [1994-1996 - vice-president of the Association of European Schools of Planning]; since 1993 has been a member of the Committee for the Country’s Spatial Development of the Polish Academy of Sciences [since 2003 head of the Working Group for Urban and Metropolitan Areas of the Committee]; since 1993 is a member of the Polish Town Planners Association; since 1994 is editor of the journal ‘European Spatial Research and Policy’; since 2001 - editor of ‘Biuletyn Szadkowski’ (series on local development).
He has visited a number of international universities for a long period of time including the University of Lyon III in France (scholarship of French government, 1981); Oxford University (Jesus College) in the United Kingdom (1990); University of Poitiers in France (visiting professor, 1995/1996); Technical University of Berlin in Germany (1997); Ecole Nationale des Travaux Publics de l’Etat in Vaulx-en Velin in Lyon, France (1997).
He is an author or editor of books and author of more than one hundred articles (in Polish, English & French) on economic geography, local and regional development, planning and environmental policy (published in Poland, France, Spain, the Netherlands, Norway, Israel, India & the USA). Expert studies on: development of industry in Lodz agglomeration (1992), waste management in Lodz (1997), analysis of spatial development (proposed changes to municipal boundaries) of the town of Szadek (2002) and Skierniewice (2005), functions of the metropolitan area of Lodz (2005), etc.