Template-Type: ReDIF-Paper 1.0
Author-Name: Gianni Guastella
Author-X-Name-First: Gianni
Author-X-Name-Last: Guastella
Author-Email: giovanni.guastella@unicatt.it
Author-Workplace-Name: DISCE, Università Cattolica
Author-Name: Stefano Pareglio
Author-X-Name-First: Stefano
Author-X-Name-Last: Pareglio
Author-Email: stefano.pareglio@unicatt.it
Author-Workplace-Name: Dipartimento di Matematica e Fisica "Niccolò Tartaglia"
Title: URBAN SYSTEMS, URBANIZATION DYNAMICS AND LAND USE IN ITALY: EVIDENCE FROM A SPATIAL ANALYSIS
Abstract: Sustainability of agriculture is challenged by increasing sprawl in urban agglomerations. Under increasing agglomeration economies in large 
and even medium sized cities, more and more soil is being subtracted to agriculture, depriving agricultural activities of its main production factor. 
The extent to which the expanding urbanization threatens agricultural development depends on the urban spatial structure, however. In this work it 
is empirically investigated how the relationship between soil use and soil consumption is shaped by the compactness of a city. For the population 
of LAU1 main cities in an Italian region (Lombardy), compactness is measured as the density gradient and estimated using Central Business District 
models. It is found that more compact cities exhibit relatively lower-than-expected soil consumption in the period 1999-2007. Results suggest that 
agglomeration economies are not enemies of agricultural activities per se. Nonetheless, urbanization needs to be accompanied by urban fringe containment.
Length: 13 pages
Creation-Date: 2014-07
Publication-Status: Forthcoming in Current Urban Studies
File-URL: http://dipartimenti.unicatt.it/dises-wp_rossa_14_100.pdf   
File-Format: Application/pdf
File-Function: First version, 2014
Number: dises1400
Classification-JEL: Q15,R14,R23
Keywords: Land Use; Land Take, Central Business District, Spatial Size of Cities, Spatial Econometrics
Handle: RePEc:ctc:serie2:dises1400