Shifting Risk into Productivity: Inclusive and Regenerative Approaches Within Compromised Contexts in Peri-Urban Areas
Authors: Garzilli Francesca , Vingelli Federica , Vittiglio Valentina 
Published: February 2022

Recent international—UN-Habitat and European Environment Agency—and Italian reports have pointed out that urbanization is incessantly expanding at the expense of biodiversity and of rural lands. The radical growth of land consumption and change of land-use contribute to the increase of territorial risks and vulnerability. In particular, such phenomena are more visible within the peri-urban interface, considered as hybrid and malleable areas straddling between city and countryside realities. Even in the absence of a univocal definition, peri-urban is understood as a space where urban expansion occurs. Moreover, it emerges that such space also lacks local governance. Such uncertainty of form, identity and regulation catches the attention of a new urban agenda, which considers the peri-urban the most suitable place where to enact social, ecological and economic challenging changes. In this light, this paper aims to underline how peri-urban areas, although ecologically, socially and weak from a legislation point of view, constitute challenging territories to enact regenerative design and practices. In particular, new policies in sustainable agriculture are considered as potential solutions for the rapid soil consumption in Europe. Therefore, Campania region has been taken as our case study, because the region has a long history of agricultural practices and currently, it is closely linked to risk dynamics. It also represents an emblematic example for its innate exposure to natural hazards (related to its geological nature and geographical location), and for the ongoing man-made risks as causes of ecological and territorial damages. Moreover, land consumption in the region reached a record level in 2019, with 10% of agricultural land lost in a year (corresponding to 140,033 hectares). More than 70% of the consumed lands coincided with areas already exposed to natural hazards, both seismic and hydrogeological (Munafò, 2020). This paper assesses the results of an experimental application developed as part of the REPAiR (This research has been conducted within the framework of the European Horizon 2020 funded research “REPAiR: REsource Management in Peri-urban AReas: Going Beyond Urban Metabolism” [http://h2020repair.eu/]. This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No. 688920. This article reflects only the author’s view. The Commission is not responsible for any use that may be made of the information it contains). Horizon 2020 European research project. We argue that the project results underline the relationship between the peri-urban interface and the soil regeneration through eco-innovative solutions. This has allowed us to link the spatial condition of the peri-urban with the production of waste and its subsequent recycle. This paper aims to further explore the research field experimented during REPAiR, expanding the materials available on the peri-urban and adding information with respect to the risk to which these places are linked.