News

Archive of 2013

Living well, within the limits of our planet

Jan 10, 2013

The PURPLE network welcomes the European Commission's proposals on The EU Environment Action Programme until 2020 which were published in November 2012 and which state:

'The Union is densely populated, and over 70 % of citizens live in urban and peri-urban areas and face specific environment and climate-related challenges.'

'. ..by 2020, 80 % of the EU population is likely to live in urban and peri-urban areas. Quality of life will be directly influenced by the state of the urban environment. The environmental impacts of cities also spread well beyond their physical limits, as they rely heavily on peri-urban and rural regions to meet demand for food, energy, space and resources, and to accommodate waste.'

The PURPLE network has long stressed the importance of peri-urban agriculture and food production in contributing to Europe's food security and in providing opportunities for local procurement and short food chains for urban populations.  Furthermore, the multi-functional nature of peri-urban land use ensures that a range of vital and life-enhancing services are provided for city dwellers.

How can our growing peri-urban areas meet the future challenges of the EU?
PURPLE is working to raise awareness of the potential of such areas to enhance the quality of life for Europe's citizens, and of the need for more integrated policy development that takes account of the complex environmental challenges.