Ninth
UNECE Conference on Urban and Regional Research
"Sustainable and Liveable Cities"
9 - 12 June 2002, Leeds, United
Kingdom
Since
1968 the UNECE Committee on Human Settlements
is organizing in regular intervals conferences
on urban and regional research. These conferences
bring together researchers, planners and policy
makers to discuss the current issues in the development
of cities and to determine the scope, character
and directions of research. The conferences assist
policy makers in their decision-making task and
at the same time contribute to a better understanding
of future research requirements in this area.
The
Ninth Conference on Urban and Regional Research
took place in Leeds (United Kingdom) from 10 to
12 June 2002 at the invitation of the Government
of the United Kingdom. Pictures
Representatives of the following
countries took part in the Conference: Armenia,
Austria, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, France,
Hungary, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Republic
of Moldova, Romania, Russian Federation, Slovakia,
Spain, Sweden, Tajikistan, the former Yugoslav
Republic of Macedonia, United Kingdom, and Yugoslavia.
The following non-governmental organizations
were also represented: International Society of
City and Regional Planners (ISOCARP) and World
Fire Statistics Centre.
As a basis for discussion three discussion
papers were prepared by the rapporteurs as well as
a Summary Paper which can be accessed through the
following links:
Discussion
papers:
-
Urban society and economy: achieving
social equity through effective planning
policies and tools. HBP/SEM.53/4
Prepared by Mr David FELL (United Kingdom)
and Mr Vladimir K. STORCHEVUS (Russian Federation)
English
French
Russian
-
Improving urban performance:
urban structure and ecosystems. HBP/SEM.53/5
Prepared by Ms Ileana BUDISTEANU (Romania) and
Ms Anne SKOVBRO (Denmark) English
French
Russian
-
Governance and urban organization:
integrated decision-making. HBP/SEM.53/6
Prepared by Ms Anne QUERRIEN (France) and Mr
Ingemar ELANDER (Sweden) English
French
Russian
The conference was preceded by a
technical visit to the cities of Leeds and Bradford
on 9 June. The participants had an opportunity
to become acquainted with the challenges and the
approaches to urban development in these cities.
Both cities provide ample illustration of the
potential to create sustainable and liveable cities
and to resolve the related problems. Despite economic
growth, unemployment persists and some parts of
the city areas are among the most deprived in
the United Kingdom. The study tour looked at economic
redevelopment in central Leeds and at new sustainable
public transport links to the city centre. The
tour included examples of the re-use of the historical
fabric in both Leeds and Bradford to create vital,
dynamic and novel mixed-use development, and contrasted
19th century model industrial developments with
21st century equivalents.