Dutch Approach to Territorial Impact Assessment: Quick Scan and National Impact Analysis

1. Territorial impact assessment Dutch approach: quick scan and national impact analysis 2 July 2010, Brussels Renske van Tol

2. Contents • Context: dossier teams • Quick scan: territorial impacts • PBL Territorial Impact Assessment strategy • Case 1: Territorial cohesion • Case 2: Energy package

3. Context: dossier teams • Dossier team, representatives from: • Ministry of Housing, Spatial Planning and Environment: • Policy expert(s) • Legal expert • International affairs • Permanent representation • Other ministries involved (?) • Local government (?) • Start during pre-publication if possible • Start document: • Preliminary Dutch position • Strategy • Research questions based on Quick scan

4. Quick scan: territorial impacts • 5 questions, does the proposal affect: • National regulations w.r.t. spatial planning or sectoral regulations with a strong spatial planning component? • National, regional or local policy, e.g. Land use plans • Planning and/or implementation of large-scale regional development projects, conditions for (public-private) co-operation? • Conditions for land use plans, design and management of spatial units? • Specific physical use of land areas, large water bodies or urban environments?

5. PBL Territorial Impact Assessment strategy • Survey the situation. Determine: • Policy phase • Significance • Knowledge requirements • Possible impacts: • Extent of impacts (magnitude, irreversibility, urgency) • Relevance for the spatial structure • Relevance for spatial policy and objectives

6. PBL Territorial Impact Assessment strategy • 2. Analyse problem and context: • What problem does the proposal address? • What are the driving forces behind the problem? • Are there alternative (policy) solutions? • 3. Identify alternative policy options • 4. Estimate national impacts • Which actors are affected? • Changes in legal / administrative framework? • Activities affected? • Geographical area affected (+ extent) • Do actors experience advantage or disadvantage?

7. Case 1: TIA of Territorial cohesion • Policy phase: Green Paper • Significance: undisputed • 5 different interpretations: • Socio-economic convergence • Economic competitiveness • Rural perspective • Spatial planning • Policy coordination • Knowledge requirements and possible impacts analysed per interpretation • Conclusion: territorial impacts limited, but many changes and potential benefits • Use results to choose interpretation

8. Case 2: TIA of national energy package • Goals: • 30% reduction CO2-emissions in 2020 • 20% renewable energy in 2020 • 2% energy saving per year from 2011-2020 • Measures: • Urban environment • Wind generation • Transport (cars) • Biomass • CCS

9. National energy package • Policy phase: national implementation • Significance: Undisputed • Measures: also undisputed • Impact assessment less relevant for decision-making process (what measures to take) • Analysis of spatial planning measures to facilitate energy policy: spatial planning as an energy measure • Conclusion: spatial planning can be an important instrument to achieve energy goals

10. Contribution of spatial planning • Energy criterion in building permits • Structural visions taking into account development of cities, windmill parks etc. • Adjusted traffic flows • Priority treatment for clean transport modalities (free parking, fast lanes) • Energy distribution networks • Cleverly combining sources and users/storage in space • Combine biomass cultivation with marginal land use (recreation etc)

11. Conclusion • Need to pay attention to spatial effects of policy measures • National impacts • Possibilities to increase coherence • Possibilities for flexibility: keeping the goals firmly in mind • Also be aware of opportunities!

12. Thank you for your attention