Periodic Report Summary - SHRINK SMART (Governance of shrinkage within a European context)
According to its work description, the aim of the SHRINK SMART project was to study the role of policies and governance systems in different types of shrinking urban regions. It was based on comparative case studies from seven urban regions throughout Europe with a focus on disadvantaged urban regions in eastern and southern Europe that provided a basis for analysing different trajectories of shrinkage, understanding main challenges for urban planning and elaborating alternatives for urban governance. Firstly, the impact of shrinkage for urban and regional development that were caused by population losses was identified focussing on different fields; the main challenges were elaborated in a comparative perspective. Secondly, the relation between local institutional structures and modes of decision making on the one hand and the challenges of shrinkage on the other was analysed. Here, the focus was on strategies and instruments, on the relation of public and private actors and on institutional frameworks and cross-scale interactions. As a result, different trajectories of shrinkage processes within Europe were defined and a set of policy recommendations for different constellations of shrinking cities was developed. Furthermore, with the aim of providing practicable knowledge for decision makers, SHRINK SMART was engaged in extensive dissemination activities and developed a set of tools and policy recommendations.
This reporting period covered the first 18 months of SHRINK SMART. The associated report summarised the most important research activities. It followed the project work structure in distinct, yet interrelated, work packages. The potential impact of the various findings was analysed in the core part of the report.
Information on SHRINK SMART could also be obtained at http://www.shrinksmart.ufz.de.
This reporting period covered the first 18 months of SHRINK SMART. The associated report summarised the most important research activities. It followed the project work structure in distinct, yet interrelated, work packages. The potential impact of the various findings was analysed in the core part of the report.
Information on SHRINK SMART could also be obtained at http://www.shrinksmart.ufz.de.