Deindustrialization, suburbanization,

aging population and climate change

induced migration as causes of urban

decline in Portugal

Thomas Panagopoulos, Maria Guimaraes,

Ana Paula Barreira, Roxana Pana UNIVERSITY OF ALGARVE – PORTUGAL Este trabalho é financiado por Fundos FEDER através do Programa Operacional

Factores de Competitividade – COMPETE e por Fundos Nacionais através da FCT –

Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia no âmbito do projeto: EXPL/ATP-

EUR/0464/2013

Introduction

Shrinking cities are an increasing international phenomenon. Despite the growing

interest for the subject, how the population is affected by this phenomenon has not been

considered in policy-making.

Global cities act as magnets for population, resources, infrastructure and skills while

other cities and entire regions are facing population loss and economic downturn, are

suffering from low levels of entrepreneurship, innovation and intellectual engagement and

are presenting social problems as symptoms of a structural crisis.

The concept of shrinking cities has received a lot of

attention in the last few years in most developed countries.

According to Wiechmann 54% of the European cities lost

population in the period from 1996 to 2001.

According to the United Nations (2008) World Population

Prospects Database, Bulgaria, Poland, Germany, Portugal

and Italy will lose, respectively, 28, 16, 14, 7 and 5 per

cent of the population by 2050, compared with the 2010

figures.

Suburbanization, Deindustrialization, Demographic shrinkage (aging

population), Post-fordist transformations (post socialist

transformation). City cycle (Athens, Rome) Globalization

According to Van den Berg (1982) cities undergo through a cycle

with different stages such as: urbanization, suburbanization, de-urbanization and re-urbanization, that belong to a natural process, related with the city history, but are also related with the city economic position within a global market (Sassen, 2001).

Shrinking cities are also a product of globalization, with a global market, the number of industrial cities lessened due to a more competitive economy (Scott and Storper, 2003).

This research intends to understand the forces of attraction and repulsion

of the Portuguese declining cities and identify the policies preferred by

citizens residing in these cities, being thus an innovative aspect of this

research.

The central aim of this work is to point out viable urban regeneration

strategies to implement in some Portuguese cities identified as flagships for

each of the typologies that have led to the loss of population.

Four Portuguese cities that typify the main causes for the urban decline

are studied: an old mining town (city whose development was based on

a single industry), a satellite suburbanized city, a city with a rapid rate of

population aging and a city affected by climate change induced

migration.

The information supporting this research is obtained by applying a

questionnaire in four declining cities, implemented by phone on 1000

residents. Based on this questionnaire it will be possible to identify the

cities’ main forces of attraction and repulsion and consequently outline

the policies more suited to be realized in each specific case.

In the second half of the twentieth century, a widespread industrial crisis, led to the

decline of urban industrial areas, and the number of industrial cities lessened.

Unable to compete in a global market, traditional industrial areas, became obsolete

spaces, a “surplus” and stopped serving their production functions.

The former industrial landscape, now obsolete, needs redevelopment or expansion

and many times to be de-contaminated, these landscapes are called Brownfields.

Introduction

Introduction

The term "shrinking" is often considered a

death sentence for Small Towns

Urban shrinkage in the United States 2000-2004

based on US Census data

Lisbon is in the 10 cities with the highest relative loss of more than

1.75% annually.

Old industrialized cities (typical examples are Glasgow, St. Etienne, or

Gelsenkirchen) has led to shrinking, in some ways similar to those in

American metropolises like Detroit, Pittsburgh, and Cleveland.

The shrinking city syndrome is leaving planners and

city officials with, among other things, the

challenge of preserving and reusing buildings with

architectural and cultural interest.

A regenerated former mining settlement in Gelsenkirchen.

From 146 active mines in 1960 only 7 remain today

From 4.5 milion people only 2 milion

From 607.000 miners only 39.000 today

1992 1998 2003

Dessau Bauhaus

The multidisciplinary research, covering various knowledge areas

(landscape architecture, environment, economics and politics), will

provide answers to the complex problem of finding the most

appropriate strategies for each of the four shrinking cities selected

as case study of this research.

Green infrastructure strategies, transportation strategies, housing

renewal, brownfield rehabilitation, local economic development

strategies, city center commercial revitalization were addressed.

Strategies for adapting to climate change, biotic, aquatic and

climatic health of cities, and those concerned with the livelihood

strategies were discussed.

The resulting recommendations will be based on community

involvement, applying in practice the European guidelines to

approach the decision of the citizen, finding proposals that ensure

the sustainability of cities based on their unique characteristics and

spirit.

The proposed strategies are still subject to validation by stakeholders

from each of the cities, so as to be able to convert the main results

of this research into effective policy decisions to be implemented.