ABSTRACT
This chapter presents a set of methodological proposals for the assessment of environmental quality in terms of the main pollution types – air, noise, water and soil – and a model of sectoral environmental zoning, to be integrated in the preparation of municipal land use plans. Regional and urban planning and environmental protection policies have been tracking parallel courses for a long time, converging to a common goal – improving the human environment. Environmental legislation and management aims at reducing pollution as much as possible, through the use of Best Available Technical Means – source-oriented measures. It also seeks to assure public health, human well-being and the conservation of natural systems and values, therefore requiring natural resources management controls – effect-oriented measures. Environmental sectoral zoning seems to be an applicable solution to the integration of environmental quality concerns in the preparation of land use plans.
