Landscape as a Common Good

The statements pronounced by the European Landscape Convention have pointed out the collective dimension of landscape, namely the active role played by communities and the impact produced by landscape quality on life conditions. The opportunity of enjoying landscape represents almost a fundamental right, and the protection and valorisation of landscape goods acquires an interest higher than the individual and private one. This increasingly leads to the collocation of the term “landscape” with “common good”. What are the key concepts contained in the meaning of “common good”? What does landscape imply in order to be conceived as “common good”? The Convention, signed and ratified by countries with different civil and legal systems, does not intend to break up the systems in force, but aims at stressing above all the active role of the populations, as well as the task of the Governments to define general principles, strategies and orientations targeted towards the protection, management and planning of landscape. Consequently, it is very important to inform and sensitize the communities, and make them more responsible. In making decisions on long to medium term programmes, it is important to consider the possible integration of individual interest with collective interest, by working out targets which would follow not only the principles of sustainable development, but also those of ecologic protection, urban quality and natural risks safety. The question at hand implies making common perspectives prevail over individual interests.