Fenomeno metropolitano e controllo dei processi insediativi nell'area mediterranea

Among the vulnerable areas of the planet, the Mediterranean is one of the most critical due to the strong environmental pressure generated by urbanization, infrastructures and production activities that gravitate on its coasts. The management of metropolitan systems and territorial functions (residence, production, tourism, trade and exchange of goods) is a necessity and a challenge in technical and organizational terms that the Mediterranean countries must carry out with great determination. In this context, we have analyzed this territorial and environmental system to investigate two aspects: othe main characteristics of Mediterranean metropolitan systems, in relation to the sectors having the greatest impact on ecosystems and influence on the environmental pressure; othe strategies to drive Mediterranean urban systems towards environmentally sustainable development, taking into account urban policies that focus on the use of ICTs. The article outlines a framework of the risks to which the Mediterranean Basin is exposed due to human activities and it illustrates the strategies that can reverse the development trend towards a greater sustainability.