The context of Venice is so unique that even in this first sentence a mistake is already being made. In fact, Venice should never be considered separate from its Lagoon and islands, which together once formed an interdependent ecological, social, and economic system, vital to the city’s survival. They still do, but the way this system functions has changed profoundly. Historically, the Lagoon provided essential resources, including livelihoods, and hosted critical public functions. This close relationship fostered stewardship of the territory, which resulted in the Lagoon being cared for and maintained as a vital resource.
However, modernity has profoundly altered this dynamic. The progressive loss of functions in the Lagoon and islands has undermined the central role they once played in sustaining the city and are therefore no longer seen as valuable. As a result, they are often neglected by both communities and institutions. The most problematic consequence of this lack of consideration is that it facilitates the spread of destructive practices, leading to processes of environmental degradation and socio-cultural erosion. A territory deprived of its historical, economic, and social roles becomes increasingly vulnerable to dynamics of exploitation and abandonment.
If this trajectory is not reversed, Venice, its Lagoon and its islands risk undergoing a definitive transformation: an emptied place, devoid of identity and life, increasingly losing its active population and facing irreversible ecological decline.
In the past, active human presence, through traditional Lagoon-based livelihoods and functions, provided a natural form of protection. Today, a different approach is needed.
This research explores how recognizing the Venice Lagoon as a subject of rights can open new paths for its protection. Through an interdisciplinary and spatially grounded approach, it investigates how a rights of nature framework can inform new legal imaginaries and spatial strategies, reactivating social and productive practices that contribute to a more livable and resilient future for Venice and its Lagoon.

Cities are responsible for a great amount of CO2 emissions related to transportation (CBS). However, the greatest amount of CO2 is caused by private transport and is mainly associated with peri-urban (the peri-urban area is a common place to live for the natural environment and also near accessibility to city facilities) and rural areas due to the lack of public transport, proximities to Services of General Interest (SGI) and access to jobs. This problem is especially evident in the cross-border regions.
When zooming in on North-West Europe, more specific issues around transport, mobility and battling CO2 arise. The European railway network, which spreads across national borders, is a patchwork filled with gaps around those national borders. Considering that a large share of the European Union’s territory consists of border regions and includes more than one-third of the EU’s population, this fact is rather alarming (European Mobility Atlas, 2021). The spatial vision and strategy presented in this report will focus on the challenge of carbon emissions caused by the transport and mobility sector with a focus on cross-border and last-mile connectivity of peri-urban areas.
The region of Maas-Rijn is used as a case study. This project explores how the region can become a place where what is not in your direct vicinity, is still within reach in the next 30 years. In saying this, the project is not only referring to physical proximity to amenities, services and (infra)structures but also to the possibility of accessing job opportunities, education, social networks, communities and other intangible resources.
Based on our analysis, the relevant trends and values are identified for a region covering three different scales: Local scale within national borders, Cross-border scale, and Multi-nation/ European scale. Key findings emphasize the role of enhancement of short-distance transport trips, the reduction of motorized vehicle use of any kind by promoting development aimed at close proximity to physical and intangible resources and promoting the use of active/ non-motorized modes of transport of any kind. More medium and long-distance/ not daily movements will be replaced by the use of sustainable alternatives, such as EVs, optimized public transport networks and smart sharing systems.