Fostering transitions in landscape policies: A multi-level perspective. (January 2022)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Barbanente, Angela; Grassini, Laura
• Is Part Of: Land use policy. Volume 112(2022)
• Publication Date: 2022-01
• Subjects: Transition -- Landscape policies -- Heritage -- Multi-level perspective -- Policy instrument mixes; Land use -- Periodicals; Land use -- Government policy -- Periodicals; Sol, Utilisation du -- Périodiques; Sol, Utilisation du -- Politique gouvernementale -- Périodiques; Electronic journals; 333.7305
• DOI: 10.1016/j.landusepol.2021.105869
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0264-8377

Abstract

Abstract: At the beginning of the new century, the European Landscape Convention (ELC) marked a paradigm shift in the conception of landscape, which now includes not only outstanding places but also everyday and even degraded landscapes as important to people's lives and identity. This requires competent authorities to define appropriate landscape policies to foster protection, management and planning of landscapes. A challenge is thus to find new approaches and tools to make the new concept translated into practice. This is particularly complex in countries like Italy, where landscape policies have been exclusively focused on protection through rigid zoning landscape plans. The case of the Apulia region, which is analysed in the paper, is of particular significance, as it started a radical process of transition in landscape policies few years after the approval of a very rigid regional landscape plan. The region was then the first one in Italy to approve, in 2015, a regional Territorial Landscape Plan (TLP) in line with the ELC. The paper analyses the transition pathway undertaken in the region. A particular attention is paid to the way innovative forms of landscape management and planning have been mobilized, supported and given long-term perspectives, while resistance to change have been lowered throughout the development and the implementation of the new TLP, thanks to a wide range of policy instrument mixes envisaged by the regional government. The Multi Level Perspective (MLP) is used for the analysis, due to its capacity to show the nested and bi-directional dynamics of change across multiple levels and the interactions between different sectors/actors. Highlights: ELC implementation requires deep innovation in landscape protection, management and planning The Apulia case study is helpful to show key challenges and barriers to ELC implementation Regional governments can play an important role for transitions in landscape policy and planning MLP can support the identification of innovation dynamics in landscape policies A wide range of policy instrument mixes are needed to foster transitions in landscape policies