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Environmental protection in Germany and the specific role of spatial planning - An introduction
Major German Contributions in the Field of Environmental Protection
- Effective Forest protection in the high mountains (Alps) for protection
against floods, avalanches, erosion and landslides introduced and effective
since medieval times
- Establishment of river co-operatives, independent from the environmental
administration, with the task to manage river flow and water quality, and an
organisational model still relevant after hundred years
- Development of the "classic" treatment technology spearheaded by the River
Co-operatives
- Development of the most dense but extremely cheap water quality monitoring
system (mainly based on bio-monitoring; 5.000 monitoring stations are controlled
by one single person)
- Development of modern planning tools for spatial environmental planning for
urban as well as rural planning: successfully incorporating environment into
spatial planning, using spatial planning to protect environment as well as to
use environment to strengthen spatial planning
- Development of Landscape Planning as the ecological spatial planning system
to restore and maintain the ecological balance of all rural lands which are
predominantly under agricultural use
- Development of a comprehensive system of regionalised air quality management
focussing on "hot spots"
- Effective rehabilitation or restoration of water quality of large lakes
(Bavarian lakes)
- A "feudal" based hunting legislation with the effect that even in densely
populated Germany large game (deer, boar etc.) is still abound
Spatial Environmental Planning in Germany
A typical German has a
certain understanding of the terms "planning" and "plan". For him it usually
means spatial planning and a plan is normally thought of as a map which depicts
spatial objectives or directives. This is understandable considering the
predominantly federal history of Germany (see above). A system of comprehensive
central planning (programme planning) at national or State level has never
existed not even under the Hitler regime. Top-down planning experience is
limited in Germany to few technical tasks. The national authority is limited to
the traffic including national highways, waterways and air traffic regulations.
For a planning scientist the main feature of spatial planning in Germany
consists of its perception primarily as conflict co-ordination theatre.
Consequently, spatial planning is also called co-ordinative planning (in
contrast to sector planning). The role of planning is not to ensure co-ordinated
implementation of plans. Implementation -as far as spatial plans are concerned -
is neither the purpose not the end of a plan. The plan itself is a platform
wherein the demands for land from different social groups has been co-ordinated
, balanced and finally agreed in a form of a sound integrated concept which is
accepted within the society. In other words, the spatial plan represents the
social consensus how the land should be used. Therefore the plan is finally
politically approved by the responsible assembly (a municipal master plan is
approved by the town parliament; the regional plan by the Regional Assembly and
the State development plan by the State parliament). The role and function of a
plan is to serve as guidance for development. A good plan has to offer
sufficient development alternatives (sites) for all possible development options
that may arise within the next 10 - 20 years. Such concept is identical with the
strategic plan concept within the Indian spatial planning system as proposed for
the new planning legislation.
Spatial planning i.e. planning the use of
lands has its longest tradition at the municipal level. The municipal right to
plan has been existing and exercised for some 200 years. Municipal planning is
uniformly executed in Germany, guided by a federal law (building code).
Practically the entire area of Germany - belonging to some 15.000 municipalities
- is covered by municipal master plans. Normally larger municipalities prepare
their own master plans. A master plan depicts existing and proposed land uses
for a period of 10 - 20 years to come. Important the clause that the municipal
area is subdivides into "coloured" and "white" areas. The former are those where
human settlements development exists or will be developed. The "white" areas are
the predominantly rural areas, designated to remain rural. In such areas only
agricultural related and infrastructure development is permitted. This powerful
instrument of "white" areas allows effective control of urban sprawl. Actual
development has to be based on the master plan and is detailed in individual
lay-out plans. As elsewhere at this planning step the final lay-out of
buildings, roads etc. are fixed.
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