Two Young Planning Professionals’ Workshops were held prior to the congress:

1. LOC-ISoCaRP Young Planning Professionals

Central Area Models to Integrate Metropolitan Area: Content, shape and strategies “Istanbul Central Area Case Study”

The central area of Istanbul has been loosing a balance between its functions and population. Since the 1990s some of the neighbourhoods within the central area have been witnessing a significant decrease in their night time population due to the ongoing transformation process from residential use to services. Some neighbourhoods on the other hand, have been deteriorated and occupied by low income migrants. Yet some of those previously deteriorated areas have been revitalised by the new elite and thus become gentrified. Meanwhile, as the pace of globalisation increases, the pressure on the central area from both national and international developers who attempt to build iconic projects (e.g. five star hotels, office buildings and port area re-development projects) increases.

From a planning point of view, the central area main issue in Istanbul is a two fold “integration versus disintegration” problem. On the one hand, within the central area, planners face a challenge of reaching a balance of fragmented city since the central area of Istanbul has become a patchwork of various disintegrated functions as a result of the abovementioned process. With respect to the relationship between the central area and the metropolis, however, most of those so-called iconic flagship projects are put on the agenda, with no regard, whatsoever, to neither the existing local plans and identities nor the on-going studies, which aim to produce a strategic plan for the metropolitan area. Thus, such initiatives, threaten the image and the functioning of the city.

The aim of the workshop is to get ideas on developing creative solutions to the problematic of the central area of Istanbul. By using appropriate tools, measures, norms and instruments, as well as various compensation devices, the participants are expected to contribute to building a strategy through a set of strategic ideas for having better integration and balance inside the central area and between the central area and its periphery.

To base the workshop there will be a briefing to all participants, with maps, metrics, text and presentation. 15 days before the workshop, all will receive an abstract of the briefing.

Who can apply? What are the criteria for participation? Applications closed, candidates invited.

Download the YPP Workshop Criteria.

---

2. VROM-ISoCaRP Young Planning Professionals

Climate Change in Delta Regions – Intensive Urbanisation in vulnerable Delta Regions

Congress participants are invited to attend a parallel session on 14 September in which the findings of this VROM workshop will be presented and discussed.

Programme

This YPP Workshop is held 3 days prior to the Congress in the Congress City.
It comprises of a group of maximum 10 Young Planning Professionals from around the World.

Sunday, 10 September
Arrival in Istanbul
Evening Welcome

Monday, 11 – Wednesday, 13 September
Workshop

Thursday, 14 September, Arrival Day Participants
Afternoon: Presentation of results of workshop (parallel session)

Friday, 15 September – Monday, 18 September
Main Congress
Participation in the YPPs Workshop makes participation in the main congress compulsory.

Tuesday, 19 September
Departure

Introduction

In regions all over the world people have learnt to cope with extreme climate events. Countries have developed infrastructure and legislation to protect people from floods and droughts. Protective measures differ widely between regions, countries and continents – and so do risks.
Present global climate change means that key climate and hydrological variables will change. We can no longer assume that the future climate can be predicted on the basis of past patterns. Climate change and sea level rise present major challenges to each of the world’s delta regions, which together harbour 70% of the world’s population and economic resources. We think that international science and policy communities should develop plans for improving the sustainability in these vital areas of our planet, using a ‘climate proofing’ approach.
Everywhere in the world urbanisation takes place in the great river deltas and coastal areas. Water comes from all sides, while urbanisation increases in the low, densely populated delta regions.
At the moment you can see the biggest growth of cities in these coastal and delta areas all over the world. Here you can find the most fertile land for agriculture and the most strategic locations for port development and industrialisation. Living on the waterfront is an attractive element in the new urban renaissance to counteract trends of idling and pauperising of cities and to attract a new stream of inhabitants, tourists, services and business to the cities. However water becomes more and more a real threat. We have to think seriously about the negative effects of the changes in our climate and the possible disastrous consequences for our future. We therefore have to anticipate these trends and to design a sustainable future for these densely populated areas and urbanisation of the waterfronts.
Under the influence of climate change the sea level rises and a large amount of rain causes rivers to flood more often and further outside their riverbanks. The negative effects are not only caused by the (growing rate of) sea level rise (because the seawater temperature warms up and expands), but also by (s)melting glacier ice. Otherwise a change in water use and water management on the different continents could be a reason. In addition, in many places on earth the sea level is rising and simultaneously land subsidence takes place. Besides this, in some parts of the world extremely dry periods alternate with very wet and extreme rainy periods, and other regions have to control heavy tornadoes.
The question is which consequences do these developments have for coastal and river management and to what extent a worldwide change is necessary in relation to climate change and sea level rise. Climate change as a global problem, with many aspects of national importance, has to be solved in the region, on a local (small) scale. At the intersection of climate and space important new questions and challenges emerge, dealing with risks and chances.

YPP Workshop

The main issue to be discussed in the workshop is how to overcome some of the above problems, and thus to think about how to manage these negative effects and to create a future sustainable design for vulnerable and densely populated delta regions in the world.
The central question is: how to deal with risks and opportunities for a strategic design of densely populated coastal areas and river deltas in a changing global world where climate change becomes more and more a real threat for people and animals living in those regions and the built-up areas.
By means of three cases (dealt within three groups) we will link the VROM Young Planning Professionals’ Workshop to the congress theme ‘Cities between integration and disintegration’. The cases are the following: Randstad Holland (The Netherlands) (rich area), Istanbul (Turkey) (rich and poor) and Bangladesh (poor area).
The threat of negative impacts of climate change is a different one in these three areas, and so is the time available to take some measures to deal with it or the way to manage those risks. At the same time this has an effect on the final results/ ultimate consequences (spatial, social, economic, regional-economic, organisational) of climate change on these urbanized areas as well as on the activities that (can) take place. It also affects the sustainable measures that have to be taken in order to better cope with changing circumstances by climate change in the future.

Questions of the workshop refer to:

• Risk management/ control: which are the threats for the three areas (on a regional scale) concerning climate change and how to cope with the risks (technically, organisationally, spatially, social-economically).
• Valuation of those things you have to protect (for instance in Bangladesh above all the people who live in that area, in Istanbul and Randstad Holland it especially concerns the city areas/ built-up areas/ built environment. In Randstad Holland the administrative centre is located in the risk area which has enormous effects also on the national scale. Thus the measures to take and the level of protection might be different in those different areas.
  This influences the way in which the area has to be designed or can be designed in a sustainable manner (further urbanisation of the waterfront or creation of more space for water at crucial locations, and for instance design of a different composition of city, landscape and water on the regional scale).
• Most effective and sustainable ways of protection of these areas: this has consequences for/ impacts on the quality of life, the regional-economic growth, spatial interventions, social questions etc.

It will be interesting to elaborate these considerations and choices at a higher level of abstraction. A future sustainable design of a vulnerable delta region could prevent much possible damage caused by climate change by treating the spatial claims and desired activities in these areas in an intelligent way.
At the intersection of climate and space important questions and challenges arise that treat both risks and chances. The problem case is broader than a mere spatial one, it is also a social and economic one, and solutions are not only technical, but also spatial, financial (for instance insurance and solidarity), organisational and they all have to do with knowledge. This is why this is a topic that unites different approaches and points of view and for sure can offer enough inspiration and ideas to people living in a region where they have to prepare (themselves) for the (disastrous) impacts on climate change.

What does the Dutch Ministry of VROM expect from the workshop participants?The NL Ministry of VROM expects candidates to bring enthusiasm to the task of dealing with the subject matter, and a willingness to devise strategies in a group of Young Planning Professionals from around the world. In preparing for the workshop itself, VROM requests that the chosen candidates invest in finding out what their country is doing in order to handle and counteract the negative effects of climate change in the urbanized and vulnerable delta regions and to search for opportunities to design these areas in a sustainable way.
Currently an interdepartmental project is running on this subject (Adaptation Space and Climate). Input from Young Planning Professionals with knowledge of and experience with spatial and climate issues would be helpful at this stage and may inspire us to think about new ways of handling the risks of climate change and sea level rise and the measures we have to take in the most urbanized part of The Netherlands in order to counteract the negative effects and to profit from the opportunities and challenges.

Homework after selection

After selection, the chosen YPPs will receive more in-depth information about the theme and the cases of the workshop which should be read in advance of the workshop. They have to prepare information on a similar case in their own country (text + photo/ sketch and they will have to prepare a short text (2 A4 + photo or sketch) about the project theme, which deals with the following questions:
·# Which are the measures taken or foreseen by your home country to adapt to the (negative) effects of climate change (a.o. sea level rise, temperature rise, extreme amounts of rain, hurricanes/ tornadoes and tsunamis, land subsidence) in urbanized, vulnerable (delta) regions?
# Do you think that these measures (taken and foreseen) are sufficient? Do they logically combine a spatial design with sufficient (spatial) quality? If not, which are your suggestions? (completion of measures and coherence design).
# And which are the opportunities these measures offer for a (future) sustainable design of the area you have chosen (in a broader context of the regional/ national perspective)?

Presentation Homework in YPPs Workshop

At the start of the workshop itself, each YPP will present his/her homework. On the basis of those presentations YPPs will draw up general conclusions on how to further proceed, and then turn their minds to the particular cases of the workshop. In small groups they will develop a strategy.

Final Results

The results of the Workshop will be published in a booklet, CD ROM or other format for the use of the Dutch research group in the Ministry of Housing, Spatial Planning and the Environment and for ISoCaRP. Directly after the congress each group has to prepare a hard copy (in Word) – their group report. The editing and layout is in the hands of ISoCaRP and VROM.
Presentation of Results to interested main congress participants: promoting/encouraging/seeking for communication/interaction with the Congress participants of the ISoCaRP Congress, VROM YPPs will hold a presentation of the results of their workshop in a special VROM parallel session for the Congress participants on 14 September 2006, early evening.

Who can apply? And what are the criteria for participation? See the YPP Workshop Criteria.