Regional spatial planning for implementing the European Green Deal: a new method of assessment applied to the metropolitan area of Florence

ABSTRACT The European Green Deal (EGD) is the most ambitious current challenge for regions and cities of the EU member states. While the role of regional spatial planning in addressing sustainable development and climate change mitigation has been widely investigated, an analysis of its ability to drive the green transition is still missing. The authors propose a new method to analyse how current regional plans meet EGD challenges and apply it to the case of the metropolitan area of Florence. The analysis reveals that, although plans cover EGD issues, there is still a need for more integrated tools and greater effective governance.