The Legal and Socio-Political Context of Urban Sustainability: Experiences from Greece

Abstract

The aim of this paper is to outline the main legal and socio-political aspects relating to urban sustainability in Greece. This research focuses on the state of play of urban sustainability, as well as on the challenges relating to its implementation, based on an interdisciplinary approach, addressing legal, socio-political, and technical issues. Within this framework, emphasis is placed on Greece, a country that suffered through a long and severe economic crisis, whereby socio-spatial effects harmed a wide range of social groups. In this context, the paper focuses on the normative, jurisprudential, and policy reforms that took place due to and during the economic crisis,with respect to urban planning and land use. Moreover, it sheds light on smart city technologies, which ought to serve people’s needs,especially those in vulnerable social groups,and it emphasises sustainable development, which at risk of being overstretched during an economic crisis. Finally, the paper also analyses the interrelation between urban sustainability and resilience, in the context of the natural disasters that affected Greece. By focusing our research on a southern European country that suffered through a long and painful socio-economic crisis, while also being prone to natural disasters, this research aspires to create a forum for dialogue with other countries facing similar legal and social challenges, and, hence, to engage in a comparative analysis that will help academics and policy makers take a step forward in the examination and implementation of urban sustainability, resilience, and smartness.

Keywords: urban sustainability, sustainable development law, human rights cities, urban planning,resilient cities, natural disasters

DOI: 10.7176/JLPG/95-09

Publication date:March 31^st 2020