LEGAL MEASURES FOR SUSTAINABLE URBAN DEVELOPMENT AND FAVOURING THE CIRCULAR ECONOMY

Abstract

In the context of the global climate crisis, integrating the principles of sustainability into urban development is essential in order to boost the circular transition. The European Union has taken significant steps in this field by setting 2050 as the threshold for achieving zero land consumption and promoting renovation of the built environment as a priority policy for energy efficiency. This article analyses the implications of a general urban land optimisation mandate and its adaptation to our legal system. It concludes that, despite recent developments in the field, there is still room in our system to delimit urban property and boost land recycling through more ambitious structural policies.