Reshaping Rural Communities and Spatial Planning in Ukraine

Ukraine faces a number of challenges including rapid deterioration of the environment. Shift to the sustainable development requires a radical change in governance and legislation. It is obvious the lack of strategic documents, which would define the approaches to integration of certain objectives into sectoral policies. It is strongly related to the system of spatial planning, which should be improved according to European standards, including those concerning environmental protection. This publication reveals approaches to “greening” of the planning process on the basis of German methodology of landscape planning. This methodology was adapted in Ukraine in the framework of joint projects. Particular attention has been given to rural development under decentralisation process. Efficient ways towards the improvement of spatial planning and development have been considered on the case of Ukrainian local community.