Risk and Fairness as Planning Factors: Consolidating the Shared Area of Investigation between Planning Theory, Risk Theory and Ethical Inquiry

Abstract

This paper explores the intersection of risk theory, planning theory, and ethical inquiry in addressing the siting of technological risks within urban areas. Building on Beck’s theory of risk, Rawlsian distributive justice, and its application to planning theory by Moroni, the paper argues that equitable distribution of technological risks should become an explicit objective of spatial planning practice. The discussion is illustrated by the case of CO₂ underground disposal siting in the Netherlands, highlighting key aspects of the decision-making process. The paper concludes by outlining future research trajectories necessary to ground this theoretical framework in empirical evidence.