La Contribution du Modele Europeen de Ville Durable au Developpement: Une Approche par les Capacites

Conscious of the deterioration of the urban environment, and anxious to promote sustainable development, concerned European actors, such as municipalities, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), and companies, developed a new sustainable town model. Application of this model would lead to compact towns that favour functional mixing, are respectful of ecosystems and urban heritage, and are managed by socially responsible municipalities. These sustainable towns would contribute to extension of numerous freedoms that both constitute, and are instrumental for, development, thanks to a healthier environment and better access to urban services. Though inequalities between town-dwellers would be reduced, constraints imposed by the sustainable town model may at times limit traditional freedoms. These constraints should be accepted freely by urban actors within the framework of a participative democracy.