The Flemish Department of Environment & Spatial Development (Departement Omgeving in Flemish) has the following tasks:
- creating a qualitative environment, in which resources and available land are used in a sustainable manner;
- developing an integrated environment policy (land use, environment, nature and energy) focussing on preparing and implementing policy, strengthening public support, enforcing regulations, and evaluating policy.
- Cooperating with cities, communities and provinces for local environment policy. Cities and communities are the people’s first contact points.
In the Vital Nodes project the Department brings in expertise on how spatial planning can be a solution to the environmental challenges faced by urban nodes in the TEN-T network.
The Department will be the link between the infrastructure and the environment and planning practitioners. Getting these parallel worlds to better understand and connect to each other will be its main task.