Steel Cities in Europe. Local development and risk

governance. A multiple case study

Mara Maretti, Alfredo Agustoni, Adele Bianco

Dep. of Legal and Social SciencesUniversity of Chieti-Pescara

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San Francisco

Section on Environment and Technology Paper Session. Urban Areas and Global Sustainability

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OUTLINE

INTRODUCTION TO THE RESEARCH METHODOLOGY THE FRAMEWORK OF SUSTAINABILITY OPEN CONCLUSIONS

RESEARCH GOALS

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to understand how sustainability and urban issues are addressed in the cases of steel farm crisis. Multiple Case Study (Yin 2001)

Taranto Bilbao Florange Essen. Italy Spain France Germany

RESEARCH GOAL

METHODOLOGY

CASES

METHODOLOGY 1

1.Start point Taranto case (Italy)

Ethnographic approach

2. Multiple case study to compare the

different cases

3. Comparative frame

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  Case 1TarantoITALY

Case 2 FlorangeFRANCE

Case 3 EssenGERMANY

Case 3 BilbaoSPAIN

Historical development of the plant

     

Geographical position      

Analysis of the economic and labor local system

     

Environmental and health situation and data

     

Crisis management      

Involved actors: local, regional and national public institutions, social civil organizations, ecological movements, judiciary

     

Was there any conflict?      

What was the core of the conflict (environment, heath, employment)

     

Keywords in media narrative      

Scenario of sustainability      

METHODOLOGY 2SELECTION CRITERIA

1. different national context

2. high reduction or stop of production

3. big plants with a high level of steel production

DATA SOURCES

1. documents as academic and newspaper articles

2. information emerging from social network discussions

3. qualitative interviews to key actors

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In this contribution we are able to show the first results

of this working progress research

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EssenFlorang

e

Bilbao

Taranto

THE FRAMEWORK OF SUSTAINABILITY

ECONOMIC

ENVIRONMENTAL

SOCIAL

CULTURAL (Hawkes 2001; 2004)

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It’s very hard to speak about sustainability in cities with a high level of steel production

ECONOMICSteel industry crisis in Europea. increasing prices of raw materialsb. the crisis of building and construction industry and car

sector (40% of steel production)c. overproduction at a global scale which causes a decrease in price

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ENVIRONMENTALEnvironmental impacts: the strongest obstacle to improve sustainable development in steel cities.

These impacts (local and global level) concern: inputs (energy and iron, the "raw materials") outputs in terms of pollution (dioxine, CO2 etc.

emissions)

The environmental impact in public opinion in our cases:1. a core of the urban and national conflict (Taranto)2. rhetorical meaning to promote alternative strategy (Bilbao, Essen, Florange) 3. delocalization of production (Essen)

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Social and culturalEcosystem with its equilibria between local knowledge and practices "human capital"

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LOCAL LABOUR SYSTEM

Loss of jobs UnemploymentIdentity crisis

STOP OF PRODUCTION

scenarios oriented to the promotion new technologies rather than promoting/accepting alternative development paths

Open conclusionsDEEP IMPACT OF THIS KIND OF INDUSTRY

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Environmental waste

No alternative for sustainable scenarios in a bottom up direction

Psychological and cultural dependence

Economical dependence Poor resilient local societies