O desenvolvimento das cidades sustentáveis: As soluções do Pacto Ecológico Europeu no Novo Bauhaus

Abstract

This dissertation aims to answer to what extent, and through what mechanisms, the New European Bauhaus (NEB), articulated with the European Green Deal and the European Climate Law, contributes to the operationalization of UN SDG 11 – Sustainable Cities and Communities, in the European Union, as well as what are the legal-institutional and socio-spatial limits that emerge from this strategy, especially in Portugal, considering this country's engagement in the NEB. To this end, an analysis is made of the consolidation of sustainable development through local initiatives, which, when supported by international cooperation and sustainable investments, create a solid foundation for global progress. Within this paradigm, the dissertation will demonstrate that sustainable cities can be made viable by creative initiatives, such as those developed in the "New Bauhaus," fostered by the European Union, as a cross-cutting method capable of implementing solutions to improve people's lives and achieve climate neutrality. Thus, the hypothesis is that the NEB increases the local implementation capacity of SDG 11 by functioning as a cross-cutting instrument that encompasses culture, participation, and innovation, but its effectiveness depends on (i) normative coherence with the binding legal framework, considering the European Climate Law and other acts, (ii) financing design through the NEB Facility, and (iii) safeguards against regressive effects, such as green gentrification and exclusion, given that significant environmental improvements, unaccompanied by social policies, lead to an increase in land value, potentially displacing original residents with lower incomes. In this context, through an analysis focused on Portugal, the study examines the tensions between ecological progress and the risks of social exclusion or green gentrification. Therefore, it seeks to understand whether the NEB initiative manages to balance the ecological transition with the necessary socio-spatial justice in the European context. The methodological strategy adopted in this research is of a mixed and transdisciplinary nature, fundamentally structured on the tripod of legal-dogmatic analysis, documentary research, and case study. The research focuses on the acts and competences of the European Union, examining official communications, regulations, proposals, and reports. This step is fundamental, since the choice to focus on the European Union is justified by its robust supranational structure, as well as its capacity to convert rhetoric into binding legal obligations. For the collection of data relating to the implementation of the New Bauhaus, primary sources are consulted, such as the program's Official Portal on the European Commission website and funding platforms such as the NEB Facility. A specific analytical matrix was developed to connect the different levels of the research, establishing direct links between the values of the NEB, the goals of SDG 11, EU instruments, as well as the resulting social outcomes or risks. Finally, the methodology includes a practical in-depth study focused on Portugal, considering that the selection of this Member State is not based on its economic or population weight, but rather on its surprising dynamism in implementing the NEB (National Employment Strategy). In this way, the applied methodology seeks to go beyond mere theoretical description, aiming to demonstrate how local initiatives, supported by international cooperation, can generate a cascading effect of concrete transformation.