Deindustrialization, suburbanization,
aging population and climate change
induced migration as causes of urban
decline in Portugal
Thomas Panagopoulos, Maria Guimaraes,
Ana Paula Barreira, Roxana Pana UNIVERSITY OF ALGARVE – PORTUGAL Este trabalho é financiado por Fundos FEDER através do Programa Operacional
Factores de Competitividade – COMPETE e por Fundos Nacionais através da FCT –
Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia no âmbito do projeto: EXPL/ATP-
EUR/0464/2013
Introduction
Shrinking cities are an increasing international phenomenon. Despite the growing
interest for the subject, how the population is affected by this phenomenon has not been
considered in policy-making.
Global cities act as magnets for population, resources, infrastructure and skills while
other cities and entire regions are facing population loss and economic downturn, are
suffering from low levels of entrepreneurship, innovation and intellectual engagement and
are presenting social problems as symptoms of a structural crisis.
The concept of shrinking cities has received a lot of
attention in the last few years in most developed countries.
According to Wiechmann 54% of the European cities lost
population in the period from 1996 to 2001.
According to the United Nations (2008) World Population
Prospects Database, Bulgaria, Poland, Germany, Portugal
and Italy will lose, respectively, 28, 16, 14, 7 and 5 per
cent of the population by 2050, compared with the 2010
figures.
Suburbanization, Deindustrialization, Demographic shrinkage (aging
population), Post-fordist transformations (post socialist
transformation). City cycle (Athens, Rome) Globalization
According to Van den Berg (1982) cities undergo through a cycle
with different stages such as: urbanization, suburbanization, de-urbanization and re-urbanization, that belong to a natural process, related with the city history, but are also related with the city economic position within a global market (Sassen, 2001).
Shrinking cities are also a product of globalization, with a global market, the number of industrial cities lessened due to a more competitive economy (Scott and Storper, 2003).
This research intends to understand the forces of attraction and repulsion
of the Portuguese declining cities and identify the policies preferred by
citizens residing in these cities, being thus an innovative aspect of this
research.
The central aim of this work is to point out viable urban regeneration
strategies to implement in some Portuguese cities identified as flagships for
each of the typologies that have led to the loss of population.
Four Portuguese cities that typify the main causes for the urban decline
are studied: an old mining town (city whose development was based on
a single industry), a satellite suburbanized city, a city with a rapid rate of
population aging and a city affected by climate change induced
migration.
The information supporting this research is obtained by applying a
questionnaire in four declining cities, implemented by phone on 1000
residents. Based on this questionnaire it will be possible to identify the
cities’ main forces of attraction and repulsion and consequently outline
the policies more suited to be realized in each specific case.
In the second half of the twentieth century, a widespread industrial crisis, led to the
decline of urban industrial areas, and the number of industrial cities lessened.
Unable to compete in a global market, traditional industrial areas, became obsolete
spaces, a “surplus” and stopped serving their production functions.
The former industrial landscape, now obsolete, needs redevelopment or expansion
and many times to be de-contaminated, these landscapes are called Brownfields.
Introduction
Introduction
The term "shrinking" is often considered a
death sentence for Small Towns
Urban shrinkage in the United States 2000-2004
based on US Census data
Lisbon is in the 10 cities with the highest relative loss of more than
1.75% annually.
Old industrialized cities (typical examples are Glasgow, St. Etienne, or
Gelsenkirchen) has led to shrinking, in some ways similar to those in
American metropolises like Detroit, Pittsburgh, and Cleveland.
The shrinking city syndrome is leaving planners and
city officials with, among other things, the
challenge of preserving and reusing buildings with
architectural and cultural interest.
A regenerated former mining settlement in Gelsenkirchen.
From 146 active mines in 1960 only 7 remain today
From 4.5 milion people only 2 milion
From 607.000 miners only 39.000 today
1992 1998 2003
Dessau Bauhaus
The multidisciplinary research, covering various knowledge areas
(landscape architecture, environment, economics and politics), will
provide answers to the complex problem of finding the most
appropriate strategies for each of the four shrinking cities selected
as case study of this research.
Green infrastructure strategies, transportation strategies, housing
renewal, brownfield rehabilitation, local economic development
strategies, city center commercial revitalization were addressed.
Strategies for adapting to climate change, biotic, aquatic and
climatic health of cities, and those concerned with the livelihood
strategies were discussed.
The resulting recommendations will be based on community
involvement, applying in practice the European guidelines to
approach the decision of the citizen, finding proposals that ensure
the sustainability of cities based on their unique characteristics and
spirit.
The proposed strategies are still subject to validation by stakeholders
from each of the cities, so as to be able to convert the main results
of this research into effective policy decisions to be implemented.
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