A Multi-Scalar Analysis of European Cities

Enrico Giovannetti () and Francesco Pagliacci ()

Department of Economics from University of Modena and Reggio E., Faculty of Economics "Marco Biagi"

Abstract: Medium-sized European cities are facing serious problems in terms of the exploitation of local resources (land, water, air). In this article, we observe existing links between sustainable development and cities’ economic and structural features. We adopt a multi-scalar perspective, since the theme of sustainable development involves both urban areas and the wider regions surrounding them. First, we identify clusters of urban areas that are homogenous in structural terms and we then compare these results at different territorial scales. When the sustainable development of the clusters is observed, a clear ‘geography of resource exploitation’ emerges, consistent with both urban economic and environmental indicators. Then, as a possible response to these problems, we suggest a typical tool adopted by planners: that is, polycentrism. Rather than considering it as a simple morphological feature of European urban systems, we look upon it as a possible mode for the governance of networks of medium-sized cities. In the last section of the paper, we analyse the economic and structural drivers that explain potential for polycentric integration

Keywords: polycentrism; medium-sized cities; sustainable development; cluster analysis (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: C38 Q01 R10 R58 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Pages: pages 25
Date: 2010-12
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-env, nep-eur, nep-geo and nep-ure
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:mod:depeco:0641

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