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Land Consumption and Land Take: Enhancing Conceptual Clarity for Evaluating Spatial Governance in the EU Context

Author

Listed:
  • Elisabeth Marquard

    (Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research—UFZ, Department of Economics, Permoserstraße 15, 04318 Leipzig, Germany)

  • Stephan Bartke

    (Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research—UFZ, Department of Economics, Permoserstraße 15, 04318 Leipzig, Germany)

  • Judith Gifreu i Font

    (Faculty of Law, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Bellaterra (Cerdanyola del Vallès), 08193 Barcelona, Spain)

  • Alois Humer

    (Department of Geography and Regional Research, University of Vienna, Universitaetsstrasse 7/5, 1010 Vienna, Austria)

  • Arend Jonkman

    (Department of Management in the Built Environment, Delft University of Technology, Julianalaan 134, 2628BL Delft, The Netherlands)

  • Evelin Jürgenson

    (Chair of Geomatics, Institute of Forestry and Rural Engineering, Estonian University of Life Sciences, Kreutzwaldi 5, 51014 Tartu, Estonia)

  • Naja Marot

    (Biotechnical Faculty, Department of Landscape Architecture, University of Ljubljana, Jamnikarjeva ulica 101, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia)

  • Lien Poelmans

    (VITO—Vlaamse Instelling voor Technologisch Onderzoek, Unit Ruimtelijke Milieuaspecten, Boeretang 200, 2400 Mol, Belgium)

  • Blaž Repe

    (Faculty of Arts, Geography Department, University of Ljubljana, Aškerčeva cesta 2, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia)

  • Robert Rybski

    (Faculty of Law and Administration, University of Warsaw, Krakowskie Przedmieście 26/28, 00927 Warsaw, Poland)

  • Christoph Schröter-Schlaack

    (Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research—UFZ, Department of Economics, Permoserstraße 15, 04318 Leipzig, Germany)

  • Jaroslava Sobocká

    (National Agricultural and Food Centre—Soil Science and Conservation Research Institute, Trenčianska 55, 821 09 Bratislava, Slovakia)

  • Michael Tophøj Sørensen

    (Technical Faculty of IT and Design, Department of Planning, Aalborg University, Rendsburggade 14, 9000 Aalborg, Denmark)

  • Eliška Vejchodská

    (Faculty of Social and Economic Studies, Institute for Economic and Environmental Policy, Department of Economics and Management, Jan Evangelista Purkyně University, Moskevská 54, 400 96 Ústí nad Labem, Czech Republic
    Faculty of Humanities, Department of Social and Cultural Ecology, Charles University, Pátkova 2137/5, 182 00 Prague 8, Czech Republic)

  • Athena Yiannakou

    (Faculty of Engineering, School of Spatial Planning and Development, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 54124 Thessaloniki, Greece)

  • Jana Bovet

    (Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research—UFZ, Department of Environmental and Planning Law, Permoserstraße 15, 04318 Leipzig, Germany)

Abstract

Rapid expansion of settlements and related infrastructures is a global trend that comes with severe environmental, economic, and social costs. Steering urbanization toward well-balanced compactness is thus acknowledged as an important strategic orientation in UN Sustainable Development Goal 11 (SDG-11) via the SDG-indicator “Ratio of land consumption rate to population growth rate.” The EU’s simultaneous commitment to being “a frontrunner in implementing […] the SDGs” and to striving for “no net land take until 2050” calls for relating the concepts of land consumption and land take to each other. Drawing on an EU-centred questionnaire study, a focus group and a literature review, we scrutinize definitions of land consumption and land take , seeking to show how they are interrelated, and questioning the comparability of respective indicators. We argue that conceptual clarifications and a bridging of the two notions are much needed, and that the precision required for definitions and applications is context-dependent. While approximate understandings may suffice for general communication and dissemination objectives, accurate and consistent interpretations of the discussed concepts seem indispensable for monitoring and reporting purposes. We propose ways of addressing existing ambiguities and suggest prioritizing the term land take in the EU context. Thereby, we aim to enhance conceptual clarity around land consumption and land take—a precondition for solidly informing respective policies and decisions.

Suggested Citation

  • Elisabeth Marquard & Stephan Bartke & Judith Gifreu i Font & Alois Humer & Arend Jonkman & Evelin Jürgenson & Naja Marot & Lien Poelmans & Blaž Repe & Robert Rybski & Christoph Schröter-Schlaack & Jar, 2020. "Land Consumption and Land Take: Enhancing Conceptual Clarity for Evaluating Spatial Governance in the EU Context," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(19), pages 1-21, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:12:y:2020:i:19:p:8269-:d:425006
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

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    3. Ming Ma & Yuge Liu & Bingyi Wang & Xinyu Yan & Haotian Li, 2023. "Spatial-Temporal Evolution and Driving Mechanism of Urban Land Use Efficiency Based on T-DEA Model: A Case Study of Anhui Province, China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(13), pages 1-21, June.
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    5. Jonkman, Arend & Meijer, Rick & Hartmann, Thomas, 2022. "Land for housing: Quantitative targets and qualitative ambitions in Dutch housing development," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 114(C).
    6. Jelena Živanović Miljković & Vesna Popović & Aleksandra Gajić, 2022. "Land Take Processes and Challenges for Urban Agriculture: A Spatial Analysis for Novi Sad, Serbia," Land, MDPI, vol. 11(6), pages 1-18, May.
    7. Marii Rasva & Evelin Jürgenson, 2022. "Europe’s Large-Scale Land Acquisitions and Bibliometric Analysis," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 12(6), pages 1-13, June.
    8. Eda Ustaoglu & Chris Jacobs-Crisioni, 2022. "What Drives Residential Land Expansion and Densification? An Analysis of Growing and Shrinking Regions," Land, MDPI, vol. 11(10), pages 1-27, September.
    9. Gösta F. M. Baganz & Daniela Baganz, 2023. "Compensating for Loss of Nature and Landscape in a Growing City—Berlin Case Study," Land, MDPI, vol. 12(3), pages 1-18, February.
    10. Marii Rasva & Evelin Jürgenson, 2022. "Agricultural Land Concentration in Estonia and Its Containment Possibilities," Land, MDPI, vol. 11(12), pages 1-15, December.
    11. Hubert Job & Constantin Meyer & Oriana Coronado & Simon Koblar & Peter Laner & Andrea Omizzolo & Guido Plassmann & Walter Riedler & Philipp Vesely & Arthur Schindelegger, 2022. "Open Spaces in the European Alps—GIS-Based Analysis and Implications for Spatial Planning from a Transnational Perspective," Land, MDPI, vol. 11(9), pages 1-21, September.
    12. Schatz, Eva-Maria & Bovet, Jana & Lieder, Sebastian & Schroeter-Schlaack, Christoph & Strunz, Sebastian & Marquard, Elisabeth, 2021. "Land take in environmental assessments: Recent advances and persisting challenges in selected EU countries," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 111(C).
    13. Francesco Botticini & Armands Auzins & Peter Lacoere & Odette Lewis & Michela Tiboni, 2022. "Land Take and Value Capture: Towards More Efficient Land Use," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(2), pages 1-28, January.
    14. Decoville, Antoine & Feltgen, Valérie, 2023. "Clarifying the EU objective of no net land take: A necessity to avoid the cure being worse than the disease," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 131(C).
    15. Hjalager, Anne-Mette & Staunstrup, Jan Kloster & Sørensen, Michael Tophøj & Steffansen, Rasmus Nedergård, 2022. "The densification of second home areas — sustainable practice or speculative land use?," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 118(C).
    16. Vermeiren, Karolien & Crols, Tomas & Uljee, Inge & De Nocker, Leo & Beckx, Carolien & Pisman, Ann & Broekx, Steven & Poelmans, Lien, 2022. "Modelling urban sprawl and assessing its costs in the planning process: A case study in Flanders, Belgium," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 113(C).
    17. Romano, Bernardino & Zullo, Francesco & Saganeiti, Lucia & Montaldi, Cristina, 2023. "Evaluation of cut-off values in the control of land take in Italy towards the SDGs 2030," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 130(C).
    18. Vlaďka Kirschner & Daniel Franke & Veronika Řezáčová & Tomáš Peltan, 2022. "Poorer Regions Consume More Undeveloped but Less High-Quality Land Than Wealthier Regions—A Case Study," Land, MDPI, vol. 12(1), pages 1-13, December.
    19. Anna Żemła-Siesicka & Urszula Myga-Piątek, 2021. "A Landscape Persistence Assessment of Częstochowa Upland: A Case Study of Ogrodzieniec, Poland," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(11), pages 1-17, June.

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