A new report from France shows how to deploy urban planning agencies in the pursuit of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals adopted by 193 countries in 193 nations in 2015.
David Hatch shares news of the "Guide to Create and Urban Planning Agency" [pdf], designed to assist in the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) framework that went into effect last year after adoption by the United Nations in 2015. The guide is the work of the French Development Agency (AFD) and the French Network of Urban Planning Agencies (FNAU).
"A central theme is that urban planning bodies are tools that emphasize shared knowledge and multi-stakeholder input," according to Hatch. "They are well-equipped to tackle a wide range of issues, including climate change, the transition to renewable energy, innovative forms of governance and inclusive development models."
Hatch samples some of the case studies described in the report, with examples from around the world in places as varied as South Korea, Egypt, Brazil, India, France, and South Africa.
Read the full story: Need to create an urban planning agency? Here’s how — and why.
Delivering Clean Water to the Many in Need
Examining the immense scale of the challenge in delivering clean drinking water to everyone in the world.
Will Planners Lead the New Urban Agenda?
The United Nation’s New Urban Agenda has created a playbook for planning advocates. It opens possibilities for building inclusive, integrated urban planning in countries where planning has been top-down and limited in scope.
Smart Transport Policies for Global Sustainable Development Goals
Transport policy reforms help achieve many Sustainable Development Goals, including poverty reduction; access to healthcare, education, employment, and clean water; gender equality; better settlements; energy conservation; and emission reductions.
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
Eastern Nebraska is running out of electricity
Data centers and electrification are straining eastern Nebraska’s grid, throttling economic development.
Move over, LA: St. Louis gears up for Olympics, invests millions in downtown redevelopment
The Missouri city will host the 2028 Olympic soccer group stage and knockout matches.
Dallas releases zoning code overhaul to officials
The drafted overhaul is over 400 pages long.
NYC renovations for dangerous, ‘mercilessly crammed’ street delayed until 2027
Construction was supposed to begin this fall.
San Diego’s Midway Rising project gets greenlight from city council
The project looks to become the largest affordable housing development in California's history.
FREE Course: Walkable City 1: Why Walkability?
After describing his path towards focusing on walkability as the essence of good planning, Jeff Speck marches through his five principal reasons for making more walkable places.
Reinventing Malls: Planning Alchemy—Turning Gray Fields Into Gold
The course focuses on the opportunities and imperatives that shape reinvention of mall sites.
City of Rosemead
Rutgers University, Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy
One Hundred Miles
University of Michigan School for Environment and Sustainability (SEAS)
Hunter College, City University of New York (CUNY)
The Architects Foundation
City of Cambridge
The Pocatello Development Authority
The Urban Renewal Agency of the City of Pocatello