Towards a credible, relevant and legitimate implementation framework for the EU no net land take objective

The European Union’s objective of halting the net artificialisation of land by 2050, known as the ‘No Net Land Take’ (NNLT) objective, represents a paradigm shift in terms of spatial planning. However, the ambition of this objective contrasts with the absence of a clear, coherent, multi-scalar and legally anchored framework. This article draws on the concepts of credibility, relevance and legitimacy used in the science-policy interface debate to show the need for region-specific strategies. To this end, two original indicators are presented. The first presents the rate of soil sealing within artificial areas, and shows the potential for internal densification, which varies from 27 to 90% at the NUTS 3 level. This indicator is compared with projected demographic growth up to 2050, illustrating the diverse challenges faced across Europe.