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A practical handbook for SDG 11 and 15
The Urban Agenda partnerships on the circular economy and on the sustainable use of land and nature-based solutions decided to work together because the reuse of abandoned or underused buildings and spaces emerged as a relevant topic for both partnerships. For this reason, we agreed to make joint efforts to develop a shared handbook merging the different perspectives, from national, through regional and FUA (functional urban area), to local level. The topic “urban regeneration and reuse of buildings” presented in this handbook covers SDG (Sustainable Development Goal) 11 (Sustainable cities and communities) and SDG 15 (Life on land) concerning land saving.
The book is intended to serve as a stimulus and an incentive for strategic planning at the urban level, especially carried out by public authorities, but also supported by the regional and national levels. With a wide review and analysis of good practices of urban reuse offered by the handbook, cities and regions and nations may learn about the different solutions that can be adopted, taking into account their specific urban features. The approach could be bottom-up or, vice versa, top-down, adopting different models of governance for the management of specific situations. Moreover, involving the media in communication and, in particular, in telling the story of the regeneration process of unused spaces and buildings is the first step in making citizens an active part of change. Informing citizens on the decisionmaking process is crucial to sensitise them and to promote reuse and regeneration as keystones for urban development. Thanks to ESPON projects and knowledge, we could include and take into account all the recommendations and findings regarding this topic.