Introductory Chapter: Sustainable Development and Regional Planning Strategies

1. Introduction

1.1 Sustainable development challenges

Regional planning entails formulating and enforcing strategies for a region’s economic and social growth; it is typically a subset of a larger national plan. As a type of official engagement in the economy, regional planning aims to reduce glaring inequalities and social tensions in certain areas (depression, stagnation of certain regions, excessive concentration of production and population in other areas, regional unemployment, etc.) [1]. In most parts of the world, strategic regional planning is seen as a novel approach to enhance the effectiveness of public administration of regional development. Within these shifts, strategic planning became increasingly important, primarily due to the expansion of the environmental complex and the planning for sustainable growth, but also because of the requirement for increased safety in both markets and states [2]. The exhaustion of the previous state policy of regional development of the country, which was based on the ideas of reducing differences and equalizing the levels of social and economic development of the regions, is the critical factor that determines the need to improve and increase the efficiency of public administration in this area. This factor enhances and increases public administration’s efficiency in this area. The notions of sustainable development and regional planning are relatively recent, having emerged in the latter decades of the second millennium. There is consensus that a holistic and integrated approach to economic, social, and environmental processes is necessary for sustainable development, which is why the World Commission on Environment and Development established the idea. Sustainable development emerged from the United Nations Organization on the Human Environment’s 1972 Stockholm Conference. Through science diplomacy, this endeavor examines Sweden’s participation in the UN in 1967 and 1968, culminating in the landmark UN Conference on the Human Environment in 1972 [3]. In the 60s of the previous centuries, certain industrialized nations of the EU, the USA, Canada, Japan, and other countries began successfully implementing a technique known as regional development [4]. This policy came into existence not because of the imposition of funds, as is currently the case in the case of EU candidate states, but rather because, throughout history, the regions have evolved and developed in different ways and at different rates; this is why we are currently witnessing a very heterogeneous landscape in terms of their respective levels of development [5, 6]. Once counties select the most viable and sustainable economic growth pattern, as indicated in Figure 1, regional planning plans offer the framework around which policies and choices should be made.

Figure 1.

The bases of strategic regional planning in the modern city.

The issue of utilizing strategic planning to achieve environmentally responsible growth in the region is considered. It has been demonstrated that the outcome of any program intended to ensure socioeconomic security ought to be predicated on the overarching principle of making the transition to sustainable development; conversely, restructuring the economy necessitates enhancing the function of state regulation of the method of achieving sustainable socioeconomic development as a system of strategic planning. European policymakers have prioritized sustainability since the 1992 United Nations Conference on Environment and Development in Rio de Janeiro, where Agenda 21 was ratified [7]. In September 2015, during the Paris Climate Summit, the 193 member nations of the United Nations accepted the new 2030 Agenda, which includes the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Despite this, international cooperation is still needed 5 years forward to fulfill all these promises. New European regulations aim to facilitate this transition from a linear to a circular economic model, and local public and private actors are urged to strive toward these ends. In recent years, the European Union has used the SDGs as part of its Cohesion Policy, which aims to achieve economic, social, and territorial development by reducing regional disparities.

1.2 Regional planning in the context of sustainability

The regional planning and sustainable development plan, also known as the regional planning and development plan (SRADDT), was formerly known as the regional planning and development plan (SRADT) [8]. This document details the fundamental and medium-term guidelines of the sustainable development of a restricted territory as well as its development principles. It is an instructive illustration of the local implementation of sustainable development ideas as they have been developed since the 1980s, most notably by the Brundtland report. European policymakers have prioritized sustainability since the 1992 United Nations Conference on Environment and Development in Rio de Janeiro, where Agenda 21 was ratified. In September 2015, during the Paris Climate Summit, the 193 member nations of the United Nations accepted the new 2030 Agenda, which includes the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) [9]. Despite this, 5 years forward, international cooperation is still needed to fulfill all these promises. New European regulations aim to facilitate this transition from a linear to a circular economic model, and local public and private actors are urged to strive toward these ends. In recent years, the European Union has used the SDGs as part of its Cohesion Policy, which aims to achieve economic, social, and territorial development by reducing regional disparities [8]. Despite taking place against the backdrop of a disagreement between the North, the affluent countries, and the South, the Third Globe countries, this was the first time the governments of the world had examined the pollution problems.

When developing areas’ socioeconomic development strategies, current methodologies for producing successful decisions based on strategic planning are utilized to facilitate this process, the information foundation upon which strategic planning is based indicates socioeconomic growth that may be sustained over time. The current climate demands a greater emphasis on sustainable development analysis than ever before. This is due to the increased influence of external and internal variables that contribute to economic instability in the area. Because the quality of the analysis of the sustainable development of regions (considering the factors of the external and internal environment and their assessment) determines the adequacy of the strategic priorities formed during planning, the problem discussed in the article is relevant [10, 11]. The future of humanity depends on progress, and the precision of the definition and the pace with which these concepts are practically implemented are crucial for our generations, even if there is a lag of many decades between their inception and deepening. Many people think a worldwide effort must be made to achieve sustainable development. However, targeted, more realistic methods with higher success rates are required due to the challenges involved. Consequently, current practices regarding the largely positive evolution of fields like ecological agriculture, ecological tourism, demonstrate the viability of a new type of approach at the sectoral level, which can and even must, in our opinion, become a natural perspective on development in the world [12]. The following figure illustrates the connection between the selected fields: Natural resources, discussed in the other guides, are “incorporated” into strategic planning via its territorial administrative component, which is another way of saying that planning for sustainable development “incorporates” natural resources. The sustainable utilization of these resources necessitates planning a sectoral strategy (Figure 2).

Figure 2.

The planning interaction and components.

1.3 Regional spatial planning

Adapting to a new, today’s regional spatial planning is a waste of time. Given that the area’s topography is the most significant resource in the region, we need to determine why we should nurture them and how we should do so. In addition, the utilization of a variety of conceptual frameworks helps to bolster an ecological perspective and foster the development of anticipated results, most notably ecosystem services and GI. Co-creation of new solutions for public and private green spaces is encouraged via the development of relevant competencies and the use of collaborative working methodologies. However, institutional circumstances such as legal frameworks and landownership may affect the planning process and make it more difficult to improve social and ecological aspects. These institutional conditions impact the planning process [13]. The phenomena responsible for land degradation discussed in the literature on strategic spatial planning are the primary focus of this study. A secondary emphasis is placed on the processes that describe the function of strategic spatial planning in preventing land degradation [14]. Spatial planning has always been a source of contention. It is considered useless, causing chaos and ruin to the landscape, bureaucratic, reliant on painfully slow procedures, even fostering corruption, and so on. It should be noted, however, that nearly all complaints and repair activities involve so-called—local planning, that is, at the commune level [15, 16]. Neither theory nor practice successfully integrated regional and local planning. There was no political will to address the issue.

2. The interaction of regional sustainability planning

The importance of maintaining conditions that are conducive to long-term life is something that must be considered. Unfortunately, the present trend is to implement regulations that prioritize economic benefits over environmental ones, social advantages over environmental ones, or ecological benefits over economic ones [17]. These tendencies are counterproductive, and it will be necessary for societies to find a middle ground in their future growth that considers the interconnectedness of economic, social, and environmental progress. From this vantage point, the previous several decades have been “helpful” in defining new conceptions of global evolution that give rise to optimism for society’s sustainable growth and progress. The core of the new is currently found in ideas such as sustainable development and regional development. Most nations’ rural and urban areas are transforming, necessitating institutional responses from the relevant authorities. Many governments worldwide have adopted a regional approach to planning, which has aided in reducing spatial inequities in social, physical, and economic development [18]. Plans at the regional level attempt to address issues on a national scale by considering economic, environmental, and spatial objectives. One of the keys to making the necessary shift is doing an integrated critical analysis and developing meaningful links. The political-administrative control structures hardly correlate with the functional interrelationships and requirements of densely inhabited regions, making metropolitan regions challenging for politics, planning, and land-use management. The divergence of administrative borders of areas and their subspaces from their practical settings is one of the primary obstacles [19]. Regional planning focuses on the area’s regional policy instead of municipal planning, where land use plans are already developed. Local, regional, and national objectives and criteria are established. When urbanization begins to have a widespread impact, regional plans become obligatory to prevent the waste and underutilization of resources that may otherwise follow from such an occurrence.

Numerous institutions and academics have come to various conclusions about what constitutes effective urban planning and development from the point of view of environmentally responsible regional planning. They have put out several city concepts over time, including garden, ecological, green, and livable cities. Consequently, the growth process incorporates variable degrees of theory and practice [20]. The World Health Organization (WHO, 1992) argued that sustainable urban development should be based on limiting resource usage and that the urban economy should grow in a productive, stable, and creative manner. This proposition was made from a theoretical point of view. Oren Yiftachel and David Hedgcock (1993) proposed that sustainable regional planning should aim for a city that has significantly advanced human interaction, information dissemination, and culture in terms of society. This society is characterized by vitality, stability, and fairness and is free of crime [21]. According to Nijkamp (1994), cities should give full play to their potential, pursue a certain amount of high-quality economic, social, population, and technical output, maintain their stability, and consolidate their status and role in the urban system for a long time. These goals should be accomplished while maintaining their strength [22].

3. Sustainability of urban and regional planning challenges and opportunities

3.1 15-minute city (FMC)

Many academics, urban and regional planners, and policymakers support the benefits of adopting the 15-Minute City (FMC) in major cities worldwide. However, despite the attention generated by the concept and various forms of chrono-urbanism, only a few studies have examined cities from the FMC perspective. This is even though the idea has generated considerable interest. The 15-minute city (FMC) model is a relatively new method of thinking about urban planning and policy-oriented on the city’s human size and experience. It is used for urban development and planning. The central idea behind it is that cities ought to be planned so that residents can fulfill all of their day-to-day requirements work, home, food, health, education, culture, sports, and leisure—within a 15-minute walk or cycling distance from where they live [23]. This is the central idea behind it. To this end, it gives prominence to the neighborhood as the essential element of spatial and functional organization. It argues that cities should be organized into areas within which any need should be satisfied within a 15-minute walk or bike ride away. This is accomplished by giving prominence to the neighborhood as the essential spatial and functional organization element. The urban ambiguous planning strategy also hurts the attainment of the 15-Minute City (FMC), a crucial community unit that applies planning and design principles to ensure the safety, sustainability, resilience, and inclusiveness required by the objective of Sustainable Cities and Communities [24].

3.2 Affordable social equity-promoting activities

The environmental, economic, and social concerns reintroduced in the European Union Agendas are again the subject of intense debate. Social housing (SH) policies and initiatives are crucial to urban revitalization [25]. These interventions blend architectural, urban, and environmental excellence with sustainability requirements [26]. Affordable housing, community development, and easy access to services and facilities are just a few examples of the kind of social equity-promoting activities that are common in sustainable regional planning. This is crucial because it ensures that people of all socioeconomic backgrounds can participate and reap the benefits of the region’s progress [27, 28].

3.3 Intelligence in urban and regional planning

Today, research needs to concentrate on urban growth management as a strategy for creating sustainable communities. This will allow for the creation of new communities that provide higher living standards while also addressing the challenges that exist within the existing urban mass [29]. This can be accomplished by developing new policies limiting and controlling urban growth. Intelligent urbanism is a concept in urban space planning that seeks solutions to various challenges associated with urban development. It is founded on 10 principles, which are as follows: compatibility with nature, harmony with tradition, appropriate technology, friendliness, the efficiency of infrastructure, human scale, opportunity system, regional integration, balanced movement, and institutional integrity [30].

3.4 Land-use challenges

The process of increasing the amount of land that is used in urban areas is commonly referred to as urbanization. The conventional definition of urbanization considers “land-use change,” which refers to the transition from dispersed “exploitation” of a resource to more concentrated land-use practices. Utilizing land-use planning as a compass to direct growth is essential to sustainable regional planning. Creating a vision for the region, determining which regions should experience growth and which should be preserved, and then formulating laws and regulations to direct development in those areas are all part of this process. Plans for land use may, for instance, identify specific areas as ideal for commercial or industrial development while conserving other locations for agricultural or natural usage. Programs may also designate certain areas as suitable for both types of development. This strategy can assist in guaranteeing that growth is concentrated in areas of the region where it will have the least negative influence on the surrounding environment and where it will have the most potential to benefit both the local economy and the people who live there.

3.5 Transportation and mobility in sustainable regional planning

The infrastructure of transportation has a significant influence on the process of sustainable development: to determine various consequences caused by transportation infrastructure and to illustrate developing patterns and difficulties [31]. For many decades, transportation has been an essential link between many facets of life around the globe. In most cases, the state of the natural environment, society’s welfare, and the economy’s advancement rely upon the state of the world’s transportation networks. Therefore, transport systems that are generally safe, clean, sustainable, and egalitarian are beneficial to the economic development of countries, particularly in cities and other metropolitan centers. Nevertheless, a significant body of research demonstrates that the transportation systems used in most cities and urban regions must be more sustainable. Moreover, there are a few of these transportation systems that are seen to pose a risk to the environmental, social, and economic elements of future generations. According to this point of view, it is necessary to involve various regional, national, and worldwide stakeholders to change such transportation patterns [32]. Encouraging environmentally responsible modes of transportation is another essential component of environmentally responsible regional planning. This may involve the development of public transit networks, the creation of bicycle lanes and pedestrian walkways, and using traffic-calming measures to alleviate congestion and enhance air quality. These programs can lessen reliance on fossil fuels, cut down on levels of air pollution, and encourage citizens to lead more physically active and health-conscious lives. Consequently, mobility refers to a person’s capacity to move about on their own or with the assistance of vehicles. The mode and means of transportation that someone chooses are determined, in part, by his requirements or preferences and physical and financial capabilities. Mobility as a service is a relatively new revolutionary transportation idea projected to bring about substantial shifts in how transportation is now practiced. However, there is a need for greater clarity surrounding the notion; it is still being defined what the essential qualities of mobility as a service are and how they may be addressed at this time [33]. Unquestionably, having a car opens up new doors of possibility for the individual driving it. Despite this, the continually expanding number of vehicles causes the road network to become overloaded, damages its state, endangers the lives of people and the environment, and leads to a rise in noise and harmful emissions. In addition, the stress it produces in society and the time it wastes make the work of urban emergency response agencies more difficult (ambulance, fire, emergency, and other units). Experts from all over the world agree that the personal automobile era is drawing to a close. Yet, the creation of a new generation of mobility is one of the most challenging issues of our time. The emergence of the new term “sustainable mobility” is inextricably linked with sustainable development, which connotes social progress, economic growth, environmental conservation, and concern for future generations. The term “sustainable development” was coined by the United Nations in 1987. About 30 years ago, urbanists in Western Europe first proposed the concept of environmentally responsible transportation. At this time, it was institutionalized at the legislative level and became a vital component of the state policy of many nations around the globe. The potential for equality of opportunity and the constitutional guarantee that every individual has the freedom to travel freely are at the heart of sustainable mobility. The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development (Agenda 2030) was approved in 2015 at the UN World Summit with the involvement of 193 nations, including the Republic of Belarus. This document specified 17 sustainable development goals (SDGs), which became humanity’s primary guidelines [34].

3.6 Harmony with the natural environment

Humanity’s destruction of the natural world has reached a tipping point, and now every living thing on Earth must begin training its consciousness toward a more sustainable way of existence. To live sustainably means to provide for the needs of the present without jeopardizing the ability of future generations to do the same. Unfortunately, only a few of our actions have been centered on how those objectives may be met, with no thought given to the consequences to the natural world. The government should begin with urban and regional planning. Still, the environmental catastrophe we have produced compels us to reassess our strategy for growth [35]. Forests encompass almost one-third of the Earth’s land surface, play an essential part in the global carbon cycle, and are home to much of the world’s terrestrial biodiversity. Forests also provide various other ecosystem services, such as nutrient cycling and soil formation, provisioning services such as food, timber, and medicinal plants, and regulating services such as erosion control, flood mitigation, water and air purification, pollination, and pest and disease control [36, 37]. Sustainable regional planning frequently includes policies for protecting natural resources, including wetland and forest ecosystems and the habitats of various animal species. These solutions may involve the establishment of conservation easements, protected areas, and other safeguards to shield these resources from the effects of development and different types of deterioration [38]. To achieve harmony with nature and environmental sustainability, it is necessary to reduce the negative impact of action on the local ecosystem, boost energy efficiency, and reduce the use of finite resources. However, researchers, politicians, residents, and others all find managing materials waste difficult to solve [39, 40]. In addition, it draws attention to the distinction between the usage of resources and the exploitation of such resources.

3.7 Maintain an equilibrium with the past

The foundations of this approach are the protection of historical monuments and careful attention to the distinctive cultural and social iconography of the areas, including its signs and symbols. Before establishing the legal framework for protecting historical monuments, and religious and cultural heritage, it is essential to define the extent of this protection by identifying the same parts of this legacy. The range of possible elements—both tangible and intangible—that the notion of architectural, religious, and cultural heritage might encompass is rather extensive; this may include complexes of buildings, sites of archeological or historical significance, ancient works of art, ethnographic itemizes, and so on [41]. It is necessary to plan and build to preserve the cultural heritage and the historical urban fabric by the established building techniques and style, pursuing goals to link the old and the new cultural values. This can be accomplished by planning and building by the established building techniques and style [42]. As a result of the fact that the architectural environment of a city is a subject information carrier that is created by architects and transmitted to the consumer by a one-of-a-kind system of signs of urban architecture, the preservation of the historic environment is a conscious measure that arises from the principle of cultural and historical continuity.

3.8 Appropriate technology implementation

The most significant challenge to sustainable development is how to sustainably and fairly feed the world’s growing population. Projects to encourage the dissemination of technology and information among communities to support sustainable development have been initiated by the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), along with other government initiatives and NGOs [43]. A global problem, especially in developing nations lacking recycling availability and waste management infrastructure, is combating the environmental disaster generated by improper waste management. This crisis has been caused by improper disposal of trash. Slow pyrolysis, which converts municipal garbage into fuel used in cooking, is one strategy that communities might implement to address this situation [44]. Appropriate technology uses locally available materials and energy resources whose tools and processes are maintained and operationally controlled by the local population. Additionally, the right technology must be compatible with local, cultural, and economic conditions (i.e., the economy’s human, material, and cultural resources). Therefore, technology is considered “appropriate” only if it is consistent with the preexisting norms and institutions of the community in which it is implemented. This is the only criterion that determines whether technology is suitable. The essential concept of the “right technology” is employing building materials, construction techniques, and project management suited to the location’s requirements. Establishing a strong connection between the available resources and the many technologies that can solve environmental problems is vital. Every ecological crisis has the potential to be solved by a diverse range of technologies [45].

A modern city’s infrastructure includes the fundamental information technologies, organizational structures, and associated services and facilities required for a business or industry to operate in a smart city. Implementing new technological tools within a modern city’s infrastructure is known as “smart city infrastructure.” A particular urban infrastructure can be connected to the infrastructures of other cities and nations, creating what may be referred to as regional, national, or even global infrastructures in the process [46]. In the business world, one may refer to industrial or corporate digital infrastructures [47, 48].

3.9 Friendliness and space attractiveness

The realm of place creation that encompasses urban planning and design defines the term “attractiveness” by the issues they face [49]. The difficulties faced by society, the possibilities presented by the community, and the experiences gained through daily life all contribute to the conception of beauty held by the local populace. The production of beauty is influenced in part by day-to-day experiences and in part by the assimilation of the knowledge regarding the location and the community through the consumption of media reporting and government papers about urban planning. The cityscape needs to be designed in such a way that it encourages people to communicate with one another and strikes up conversations with their neighbors. This is something that can be accomplished using urban design and public areas. The advocates of intelligent urbanism assert that a dynamic, interactive society that enables its members to connect and meet may be crafted with the assistance of design and can be realized via its implementation [50]. The use of the concept necessitates the production of the following categories of space.

4. Socioeconomic and managerial interaction in regional planning

Planning for sustainable regional development typically also involves activities to encourage the growth of sustainable economies [51]. This might entail fostering the expansion of industries reliant on renewable energy sources, advancing environmentally friendly technology, and promoting sustainable tourism. In addition, sustainable regional planning typically involves the promotion of sustainable agriculture. This may include the preservation of farmland as well as the encouragement of organic and sustainable agricultural techniques. The ability of regional and local authorities to implement the goals in their respective contexts is critical to the success of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which must be incorporated into action plans and planning tools [52]. This will require involvement, collaboration, and development work across sectors and authority levels, as well as the development of guidelines for how this can be accomplished. Coordinating efforts between various fields and industries is essential for environmentally responsible regional planning. This indicates that the planning efforts should involve a wide variety of stakeholders, including officials from the government, representatives from the private sector, members of the community, and specialists in transportation, housing, environmental protection, and economic development. Sustainable regional planning can guarantee that all voices are heard and that choices are made with a wide range of issues in mind by bringing together a variety of viewpoints and putting them into dialog with one another [53]. There is a pressing need to solve the challenge of transitioning to sustainable economic growth so that developing nations can catch up to and master the VI technology mode. Developing natural resources, maintaining ecological balance, improving the economy’s territorial structure, and guaranteeing population employment are all a key to effective regional economic strategy. In addition, new, effective methods of influencing the economy are essential if regions are to realize their potential for modern socioeconomic development. This is especially true of program-targeted forecasting, which enables expert-level solutions to the strategic problems facing specific regions’ development within a unified state policy on the area.

• Challenges in a rural district

The ecological, demographic, economic, historical, and cultural potential of the world’s rural regions is enormous. Rural areas make up the majority of the world’s landmass. Their state is a significant factor in determining the dynamic growth of the country’s economy and enhancing the standard of living for people worldwide [54]. There, for many decades, the primary method of developing rural areas, regardless of their agricultural potential, was reduced to a narrow-sectoral agrarian approach. This approach was distinguished by maintaining the “functional purity” of the countryside and preventing the development of other industries other than agriculture.

5. Conclusion

A complete method of developing and managing a region’s physical, economic, and social growth is known as sustainable regional planning. Sustainable regional planning may assist in building dynamic, livable, and resilient communities for current and future generations by balancing economic growth and development with the conservation of natural resources, the promotion of social fairness, and mitigating adverse environmental consequences. The world as we know it right now is at a defining moment, one at which we must look ahead to the future and identify those investments that may provide people with a better living and a better lot while also being suited to the new situation caused by the epidemic, in a world where Sustainable Regional Development must meet the difficulties of the twenty-first century, from post-pandemic recovery to the digital and green transition. One thing we can learn from this crisis is the extent to which the international community stands behind and helps to develop certain areas, as well as the businesses and industries located therein. So that the site maintains its vitality in terms of economy, jobs, public transit, health infrastructure, and education, public authorities must carefully plan and prioritize future investments. In the years ahead, novel initiatives that promote a carbon-neutral economy and prioritize the needs of residents will be the primary engines of regional growth. However, future investments cannot be put to good use unless local public bodies strengthen their administrative competence and engage regional and local actors and residents in a genuinely democratic partnership. Encouraging resilient community development is a crucial component of environmentally responsible regional planning. This includes planning and developing communities that can resist and recover from crises, including economic downturns, natural catastrophes, and other disruptions. For example, this might involve supporting economic diversification to decrease the impact of economic downturns, developing buildings and infrastructure to be more robust to harsh weather, and providing green spaces that can function as natural buffers against floods.

It is essential to be aware that sustainable regional planning is an ongoing process that has to be routinely examined and modified to take into account changes in the region, such as increases in population, shifts in land use, and the introduction of new technologies. Setting up monitoring and evaluation mechanisms and including stakeholders in the planning process are viable options for accomplishing this goal. A complete and holistic strategy for planning and managing a region’s physical, economic, and social growth is what we mean when discussing sustainable regional planning. It seeks to strike a balance between economic expansion and development on the one hand and the preservation of natural resources, the advancement of social fairness, and the mitigation of adverse effects on the environment on the other hand. It is a continuous process that should be frequently examined and updated. It involves the integration of many sectors and disciplines, the use of data and technology, the promotion of resilient communities, and sustainable economic growth.