Bridging soil and land targets to reality on the ground

Abstract

The ‘No Net Land Take by 2050’ (NNLT) goal stands as a cornerstone of the European Union’s comprehensive strategy to safeguard its soils and aims to balance land development with the restoration of degraded land. Implementation, however, varies widely among member states, revealing a persistent gap between policy and practice. In Italy, regional autonomy in land use planning has generated heterogeneous approaches, with Lombardy, Veneto, and Campania experiencing significant land consumption despite reduction laws. Belgian regions like Flanders and Wallonia provide useful comparisons, each adopting ambitious net-zero land take targets through strategies such as Betonstop/Bouwshift and Stop Béton. Challenges include outdated zoning, oversupply of buildable land, and complex compensation systems. While Italy possesses modern planning tools, downzoning faces legal risks. Both Belgium and Italy highlight the importance of combining regulatory measures, spatial planning innovations, and political courage to effectively curb land artificialisation, protect agricultural land, and meet NNLT targets.