Using E-government Services for the Environmental Planning of Polycentric Urban Regions

1. TED Workshop: e-Participation in Environmental Decision Making May 19 – 22, 2005 Helsinki and Conference Boat, Finland Using E-government Services for the Environmental Planning of Polycentric Urban Regions Elias A. Hadzilias IÉSEG School of Management - Université Catholique de Lille 3 rue de la Digue, 59800 Lille, FRANCE e.hadzilias@ieseg.fr

2. Presentation outline The Aegean Archipelago Polycentricity development E-Government Proposed organisation ® Elias A. Hadzilias 2005 2

3. The Aegean Archipelago (A.A.) • The Aegean Archipelago is a group of islands dispersed over an area of 800 km from north to south and 600 km from east to west. • Being the most extensive and significant insular complex in Europe, it forms both the eastern border of Greece and the southeastern frontier of the European Union with Asia. • The multitude of islands, islets and rocky islets comprising the Archipelago, are actually the tops of the Aigaiis Continent, extending between the Eurasian and African tectonic plates. ® Elias A. Hadzilias 2005 3

4. From the satellite… Source - http://geodynamics.gsfc.nasa.gov/aegean/ ® Elias A. Hadzilias 2005 4

5. …and a closer look ® Elias A. Hadzilias 2005 5

6. Some statistical data about A.A. • Population: 508.702 inhabitants (2001) • Regions: 2 • Prefectures: 5 • Communities: 12 • Municipalities: 90 • Counties: 14 ® Elias A. Hadzilias 2005 6

7. Environmental planning in A.A. • Environmental planning in 3 levels • Environmental planning councils (semi-independent) • 5 four-member councils • 5 three-member councils • Environmental planning units (Ministry of Aegean) • 5 major administrative centers (four-member units) • 8 minor administrative centers (two-member units) • Local administration • Municipalities • Counties ® Elias A. Hadzilias 2005 7

8. Issues in planning activities • Difficulty of communication and coordination • Administrative processes are highly dependent on physical documents (weberian bureaucracy) • There is a human resources management issue due to the small size of the administrative centers • Transportation among the islands is mostly supported by sea, which sometimes is problematic ® Elias A. Hadzilias 2005 8

9. Environmental planning councils Environmental planning units Source - http://www.ypai.gr/ ® Elias A. Hadzilias 2005 9

10. Pit Pit City City Village Village Small town Small town Polycentricity • Polycentric development offers an alternative to monocentric development in which one city or metropolitan region dominates all the others. • The centres are linked in networks and complement each other functionally. Through this process they generate a greater “critical mass” than by operating in isolation and so increase their overall competitiveness. ® Elias A. Hadzilias 2005 10

11. The concept of polycentricity • Multiple centers in one area • Ecumenopolis (Doxiades, 1972) • Urban field (Friedmann & Miller, 1965) Socio-spatial conflict zone for the articulation of multiple interests, identities and cultural differences. Networking between stakeholders in such an area is considered as a process by which relationships and contacts between people and organisations are established, nurtured and utilised for mutual benefit. ® Elias A. Hadzilias 2005 11

12. Patterns of polycentricity • Intraurban • Los Angeles, London, Paris • Interurban • Dutch Randstad, California, Kansai, Clydeforth (Edinburgh-Glasgow) ® Elias A. Hadzilias 2005 12

13. Using e-government services • Polycentric urban region development plan • Topological overlay and mapping of the islands • Aristotle University of Thessaloniki • Design of a database including environmental, statistical, topographical and administration information • Satellite pictures of islands and islets • Digital map index • Geological digital maps • Land use and land cover models • Connect the environmental planning administration units, councils and local authorities • SYZEFXIS Network Project • Reengineer the administration organisation ® Elias A. Hadzilias 2005 13

14. G2G Services • Greek public sector Intranetin the A.A. • higher data transfer rates combined with considerable lower cost • Conversion of public services telephony from standard to internal throughout the A.A. • telephone calls and facsimiles between public organisations through internal telephony ® Elias A. Hadzilias 2005 14

15. Advantages (1/2) • The reduction of communication's cost (approximately 50%) for the administration and improvement of data transfer rates and security. • The effective operation of public IT & T (information technology and telecommunications) systems through their functional interconnection and integration. • The utilisation of alternative information resources. • The avoidance of overlapping - repetitions in GIS databases and network installations. • The effective management of data transfer and the central and distributed support of telematic applications. ® Elias A. Hadzilias 2005 15

16. Advantages (2/2) • The development of compatibility requirements for the administration’s networking installations. • The fast and easy search of environmental information by the public servants and the stakeholders. • The improvement of citizen's service particularly in cases that require more than one ministry unit or council involvement with final aim the offer of "one-stop-shop" service. • The development of an effective public administration with a modern information and telecommunications infrastructure and the easier coordination of public processes through IT & T networking ® Elias A. Hadzilias 2005 16

17. Side IT applications • Electronic Document & Records Management • Flood Warning Information System • Spatial PlanningG2C System • Enable citizens and organisations to register planning applications and lodge supporting information electronically and use the internet to track the progress of an application throughout its life cycle, across all involved organisations, from registration to decision. • Special Waste Management System • Manage toxic and non-recyclable waste to protect the sea and to obtain synergies among the islands ® Elias A. Hadzilias 2005 17

18. Overcoming the 2D isolation • Barriers: • Geographical dispersion • Weberian organisation • Technology Administration Unit B Administration Unit A ® Elias A. Hadzilias 2005 18

19. Proposed organisation • Integrate the environmental planning councils and units in the Aegean Archipelago • Standardise and automate the administrative workflow • Unite the two existing ministry departments: the Northern Aegean and the Southern Aegean regions. Synergies are expected from this unification. • Develop the infrastructure for community-based environmental planning • Establish communication with the island of Creta ® Elias A. Hadzilias 2005 19

20. Supported processes • Strategic planning • Policy development and research • Statutory planning • Development assessment & control • Environmental & social impact assessment Sustainable development ® Elias A. Hadzilias 2005 20

21. Realising the polycentric urban region in Aegean Archipelago ® Elias A. Hadzilias 2005 21

22. Questions… ® Elias A. Hadzilias 2005 22