Priorities for tackling shrinkage in European cities

This chapter draws together the main arguments made in this volume under four themes. These are related to surplus infrastructure and land, temporary uses, fostering the social economy and the co-production of services and inclusive governance processes. The implications for policy and practice are then explored, pointing to the importance of current policy instruments, such as CLLD and knowledge exchange networks such as URBACT, as having the potential to provide support for cities struggling with decline. The chapter concludes with a call for a stronger focus on non-growth models in teaching and research to equip future leaders of European cities to deal more effectively with ongoing decline and shrinkage.