Session 1 - Montefiore

the societal cost of asthma has been estimated at
3 billion euro/year. Although current legislation
restricts the emission of harmful substances, certain
extreme events facilitated by climatic conditions,
or even accidents, are of concern given the large
number of people potentially exposed to these
threats. Moreover, the impact of air pollution is
becoming a global problem as a consequence of
long-distance transportation of bio-accumulative
substances.
The level of air pollution exposure in the densely
developed centres of cities may often be at
higher levels than the suburbs due to the greater
concentrations and slower movement of traffic.
However, the noise produced by all vehicles, and
the rapid growth in transport, particularly air and
road transport, is more ubiquitous and has resulted
in well over 120 million people throughout the
EU being exposed to noise levels affecting their
well-being.
Sprawl related growth of urban transport and
greenhouse gas emissions have major implications
for global warming and climate change, with the
expectation of increasingly severe weather events in
the coming years and increased incidences of river
and coastal flooding. The risks from the continued
development of these areas in the context of a
changing climate is evident in the recent major
floods in Europe that have affected large urban
populations. The floods in central Europe in August
2002 caused 112 casualties and over 400 000 people
were evacuated from their homes. These expected
transformations pose major challenges for urban
planning that are clearly focussed on the growth of
urban sprawl along the coastal fringes throughout
Europe, as well as development of sprawling
extensions across greenfield sites in the river valleys
and lowlands of Europe.
The more general permanent flooding of the coastal
regions of Europe due to rising sea levels and
climate change is particularly worrying considering
the concentration of urban populations along the
coasts and the importance of these areas for tourism.
The countries of Europe most vulnerable to coastal
flooding include the Netherlands and Belgium,
where more than 85 % of the coast is under 5 m
elevation. Other countries at risk include Germany
and Romania where 50 % of the coastline is below
5 m, Poland (30 %) and Denmark (22 %), as well
as France, the United Kingdom and Estonia where
lowlands cover 10–15 % of the country.
Overall, 9 % of all European coastal zones lie below
5 m elevation. Even with conservative estimates of
The impacts of urban sprawl
predictions for sea level rise, a substantial part of the
population of Europe living in the coastal regions
are highly vulnerable to sea level rise and flooding.
It is clear that this is not a specific issue generated
by urban sprawl, however, the management of these
risks and planning for adaptation will be made more
complicated if urban sprawl is not controlled.
Furthermore, the majority of coastal lowlands have
ageing defense systems and considerable resources
are needed to maintain and improve these systems
in order to provide the capacity to withstand the
predicted rise in sea levels. In addition and just as
important is the fundamental need for new visions
for urban and regional planning policy that respond
to these challenges. These visions must recognise
that continued sprawl in the coastal regions of
Europe is fundamentally unsustainable.
Finally, a further emerging issue is worth reporting:
urban areas and their hinterlands are becoming
increasingly vulnerable to geo-problems controlled
by geological processes. The total cost of these
problems to society ranges from major hazards
(such as volcanic eruptions, earthquakes, floods,
land subsidence, landslides) to minor hazards
(such as local swelling or shrinking of clays in
foundations). Reworking and removal of the soil
surface by construction can unbalance watersheds
and landscapes, contributing to the loss of biological
diversity, ecosystem integrity and productivity, as
well as to land degradation and erosion.
4.2 Socio-economic impacts
From a social perspective urban sprawl generates
greater segregation of residential development
according to income, as mentioned in Chapter 3.
Consequently, it can exacerbate urban social and
economic divisions. The socio-economic character
of suburban and peripheral areas is typified by
middle and upper income families with children,
who have the necessary mobility and lifestyle to
enable them to function effectively in these localities.
However, the suburban experience for other groups,
including the young and old, who lack mobility and
resources can be very different and can reduce social
interaction. Furthermore, large segments of urban
society are excluded from living in such areas.
Social polarisation associated with urban sprawl is
in some cities so apparent that the concept of the
'divided' or 'dual' city has been applied to describe
the divisions between the inner city core and the
suburban outskirts. In the inner city, poor quality
neighbourhoods often house a mix of unemployed
Urban sprawl in Europe 35