Space observation
Spatial observation is a prerequisite and basis for spatial planning. As an ongoing spatial observation, it is therefore carried out systematically, regularly and as comprehensively as possible at all administrative levels of the federally constituted Federal Republic of Germany : in the federal government , the federal states and municipalities . In federal systems, on the one hand, the political independence of the spatial administrative units and socio-cultural diversity should be preserved and, on the other hand, economic, political, military integration and equality of living conditions should be promoted. Accordingly, spatial planning is entrusted with a wide variety of cross-sectional tasks. As a result, spatial observation must focus on all spatially significant areas of life. You informed about
- Structure and movements of the population ,
- Economy and labor market ,
- Housing supply and infrastructure facilities,
- natural resources and their pressures.
The ongoing spatial observation determines and analyzes the regional living conditions and their changes with the help of so-called indicators from the data of the official statistics . These are "indicators" for the regional living conditions to be assessed in a further step.
Spatial reference system
The ongoing room observation requires the establishment of a spatial reference . The choice of the spatial reference system is crucial. The results for the respective spatial units are the basis for how the funds available for regional structural policy (e.g. economic development , transport development, agricultural structure improvement, etc.) are distributed across the individual parts of the national territory or a municipality. Important tools for spatial observation are therefore geographical information systems and statistical information systems , with the help of which indicators are created and visualized.
Institutional anchoring
At the federal level, the Spatial Planning Act of the Federal Republic of Germany defines the overarching goals and principles of spatial planning. It is thus also groundbreaking for ongoing federal spatial observation, which is a standard task at the Federal Institute for Building, Urban and Spatial Research (BBSR). The BBSR publishes the regional planning report , in which the nationwide spatial developments and spatially significant plans and measures are described, and the indicators and maps for spatial development ( INKAR ) are published annually . One of the primary goals of spatial planning and spatial planning policy is to reduce regional inequalities and thus create the conditions for creating equal living conditions in all regions of Germany.
The spatial reference system of the ongoing spatial observation of the federal government is therefore based u. a. according to the criterion that roughly the same requirements for the accessibility of centers are made in all parts of the federal territory . Spatial observation units are then, depending on the problem / issue, federal states , spatial planning regions , districts and municipalities / associations of municipalities or city regions and metropolitan regions , growth or shrinking regions , etc. In addition, sustainability is a particularly prominent guiding principle for spatial development in Germany. Since the indicators to be included in a spatial information system must be regularly available for all spatial units, the catalogs of characteristics for spatial observation often lack information that is important for assessing spatial development.
The state planning requires detailed knowledge of current spatial structures and trends for targeted a planning and space-related action. Early and comprehensive information on all spatially relevant policy areas is necessary. At the state level, ongoing spatial monitoring is usually carried out by (statistical) state offices.
At the municipal level, the statistical offices , often in cooperation with the planning offices, regularly collect spatially relevant data, also for the small-scale units, e.g. B. of the city districts . The basis here is the spatial reference system of municipal statistics . The big cities regularly publish statistical reports with updated analyzes. An exchange about the results of the spatial observation at this level takes place e.g. B. in the Association of German City Statisticians (VDSt), in the KOSIS Association or the German Association of Cities and Municipalities (DStGB).