Abstract
The following chapter summarises the key findings of the preceding chapters, embedding them into a discussion of general infrastructure policy. The resulting central question is how the burden of infrastructure adaptation associated with demographic change can be allocated. Inevitably, normative principles associated with regional infrastructures become the focal points, mainly culminating in the discussion on the equality of opportunity of welfare and the practice of regional redistribution policy. In this context, the implications for infrastructure planning and for sustainable development are discussed. Finally, the results, which are analysed with a focus on Germany, are reconsidered in terms of their relevance for other countries.
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- 1.
The deviation of requirements from normative principles will be discussed in the following section.
- 2.
- 3.
The generalised welfare function is based on the conception of circumstances. Individuals decide on the basis of circumstances. For some circumstances, individuals are held responsible, for others they are not. Differences in individual well-being resulting from circumstances for which individuals are held responsible should not be compensated and vice versa. The classification of circumstances is the responsibility parameter. With increasing fineness of the classification (partition), the room for personal responsibility disappears.
- 4.
Basic Law for the Federal Republic of Germany, http://https://www.btg-bestellservice.de/pdf/80201000.pdf, Published by: German Bundestag, Public Relations Division, Berlin April 2010.
- 5.
Ministry of Finance Mecklenburg-Vorpommern (May, 2010) http://www.regierung-mv.de/cms2/Regierungsportal_prod/Regierungsportal/de/fm/Themen/Finanzverfassung/Laenderfinanzausgleich/index.jsp
- 6.
Legal ordinance of general conditions for a network connection and utilisation of electricity supply in low voltage (Niederspannungsanschlussverordnung – NAV) 2006.
- 7.
Contract between the urban administration Schorndorf as the responsible body for the municipal utility and the municipal utility Schorndorf (May, 2010 http://www.schorndorf.de/ceasy/modules/ebs/main.php5?view=publish&item=statute&id=65)
- 8.
Extracts from municipal code of North-Rhine Westphalia for municipal companies: (http://www9.im.nrw.de/imshop/shopdocs/kommunalrecht_nrw.pdf May, 2010)
- 9.
Cross-subsidies of municipal utilities are not prohibited, nevertheless Matschke (2005) declares: “… The EU puts consequently the continuation of cross-subsidization of municipal public utilities and municipal transport services into question because a public subsidization of the public transport is from the point of view of the EG-contract (Art. 73, 87, 234 EGV) regarded as competition distorting aid.”
- 10.
BVerfG, 2 BvF 2/98 of 11.11.1999, Paragraph (321), http://www.bverfg.de/entscheidungen/fs19991111_2bvf000298.html
- 11.
In the debate on ecological sustainability, it has been argued that “we do not have to worry so much about how an expanding pie is divided, but a constant or shrinking pie presents real problems” (Costanza, 1989). Therefore, an increase in real GDP per capita ameliorates the conflict over income distribution.
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Kuckshinrichs, W., Kronenberg, T., Geske, J. (2011). Policy Implications: The Regional Perspective and Beyond. In: Kronenberg, T., Kuckshinrichs, W. (eds) Demography and Infrastructure. Environment & Policy, vol 51. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-0458-9_12
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