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News items, events, and resources are regularly added to this page.
Please return soon for the latest updates.
| 23/08/2010 | World Habitat Awards 2010
The Building and Social Housing Foundation is currently seeking entries for the World Habitat Awards 2010. Please note that Stage I entries must be received by 1st November 2010. Further details can be found on the World Habitat Awards website at
www.worldhabitatawards.org |
| 06/08/2010 | CAP Business Meeting 2010
A Draft Agenda for the business meeting in Montreal on 1 October 2010 has been prepared. Anyone wanting to see a copy can email Annette O'Donnell at annette.odonnell@rtpi.org.uk |
| 29/07/2010 | Commonwealth Professional Fellowships
The Commonwealth Scholarship Commission's Professional Fellowship Scheme is no longer accepting applications for the main round of Fellowhips in 2010. However, a supplementary round of Fellowships for 2010 for specific organisations is currently open and further information on this can be obtained by e-mailing professional.fellowships@cscuk.org.uk. The closing date is 17 September 2010 |
| 27/07/2010 | Launch of CAP Young Planners' Network: Competition
The Commonwealth Association of Planners is to launch a Young Planners' Network at its Biennial Business Meeting to be held in Montreal on 1 October 2010 ahead of the Canadian Institute of Planners Conference.
It is our intention to launch this network by holding a competition with the winning entrants attending the Montreal business meeting and conference. We gratefully acknowledge the Commonwealth Foundation funding that has been made available for this. The deadline for entries is Monday 16th August 2010. For further information email: annette.odonnell@rtpi.org.uk |
| 23/06/2010 | International Urban Public Transport Conference 2010
The Malaysian Institute of Planners (Sarawak and Sabah Chapter) is organising the conference 'International Urban Public Transport Conference 2010: A Platform for Change' 2-6 August at the Borneo Convention Centre, Kuching City, Sarawak, Malaysia. For more information visit
www.kuchingptc.com |
| 22/06/2010 | The State of the Cities
Why, and how, the Commonwealth must address the challenge of sustainable urbanisation.
Expert analysis: Sick Cities?
Professor Cliff Hague, in his paper warns of the risks of failing to address urbanisation.
| | 22/06/2010 | Port of Spain Civil Society Statement
The online version of the Port of Spain Civil Society Statement to the 2009 Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting is availalble here.
| | 22/06/2010 | 2010 World Health Day
Message from Commonwealth Secretary-General Kamalesh Sharma
| | 18/06/2010 | The EAROPH Golden Jubilee Congress
The Planning Institute of Australia, South Australian Division (PIA SA) is hosting the Golden Jubilee Congress, 'Cities and their Regions: Catalysts for Change' on behalf of EAROPH, the Eastern Region of Planning and Human Settlements October 31st - November 4th 2010 at Adelaide Convention Centre, Adelaide, South Australia. For more information visit
www.earoph2010.com.au |
| 23/03/2010 | Commonwealth Journal of Local Governance
A Special Edition of the Commonwealth Journal of Local Governance has been published and can be viewed at the link below.
The issue focuses on proceedings and outputs of the Commonwealth Local Government Conference, Bahamas May 2009. It features: Peer-reviewed research presented to the conference; Background and Working group papers; and Commentaries.
epress.lib.uts.edu.au |
| 28/01/2010 | Canadian Institute of Planners 2010 Conference
CIP 2010 Conference - Climate Change+Communities: A Call to Action
The CIP conference is being held in Montreal from October 2 – 5, 2010. The Call for Proposals is now available and e-mail submissions are being accepted for this exciting event. Professional and student planners are invited to submit proposals. Presentations are encouraged in either English or French. Simultaneous translation will be available at all sessions. Proposals are due Friday, January 29, 2010. For more information visit
www.planningforclimatechange.ca |
| 27/01/2010 | Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting
The Commonwealth Heads of Government formally recognised the importance of urban development in the Communiqué from their meeting in Trinidad and Tobago. Paragraph 74 of the Communiqué states:
74: Heads recognised that rapid urbanisation was posing a significant challenge in many Commonwealth countries, and that new and inclusive approaches to urban planning and management were central to achieving the MDGs. They acknowledged that leadership and a deeper understanding of the trends were required at all levels, together with the provision of effective financing for local infrastructure and services, to improve human security and achieve the Commonwealth goal of “demonstrated progress towards adequate shelter for all with secure tenure and access to essential services in every community by 2015”. They welcomed continued Commonwealth efforts to address these challenges.
The full Communiqué can be downloadedhere
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| 25/01/2010 | Discussion Paper: Gender in Planning and Urban Development
Commonwealth Secretariat Discussion Paper 7 December 2009
Download PDF
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| 16/12/2009 | CAP Regional meeting in Trinidad and Tobago
CAP held a very successful regional workshop in Port of Spain on 19-21 November. The meeting was hosted by the Trinidad and Tobago Society of Planners and supported by the Commonwealth Foundation and the Ministry of Housing, Planning and the Environment of Trinidad and Tobago. Over 100 attended including planners from Barbados, Canada, Jamaica, Grenada, British Virgin Isles, Martinique and Montserrat. UN-Habitat was represented also. Students and young planners took a prominent part. The event included two study tours. Mark Collins, the Director of the Commonwealth Foundation, was a keynote speaker and said “The Commonwealth Association of Planners and other groups of professionals engaged in urban development and regeneration have achieved a great deal and have an enormously important part to play. There is an urgent need to train more planners, and to modernise planning systems and practices that are all too often still embedded in colonial legacy, unsuited to today’s challenges”. His full speech can be accessed here. There will be a full report in the next issue of CAP News.
can be downloaded |
| 16/12/2009 | CAP’s work on the State of the Commonwealth Cities was summarised into a short document from ComHabitat that was published for the Commonwealth People’s Forum in Trinidad. The booklet is called ‘Partnering for a more equitable and sustainable future through Better Urban Development’ and can be downloaded here |
| 19/11/2009 | Join the UN-Habitat e-Debate on the Right to the City
This is the last of six global e-Debates on Taking Forward the Right to the City. These debates have been run by UN-Habitat since September as a platform for discussing The Right to the City at the World Urban Forum 5 in March 2010. The right to the city is a hotly contested concept, but it remains vague. Contributors from different continents are invited to share ideas and experiences of participatory or rights-based initiatives by city or national governments, communities or NGOs that strengthen the contract between citizens and governments - to promote social justice and sustainable, inclusive cities.
As planners what view do we have of The Right to the City? Does planning secure such rights - or through enforcement of controls on development restrict such rights? Whose right to the city is planning trying to secure?
The e-Debate aims to trigger international dialogue on policies and practices to take forward the right to the city. It builds on the three-year UN-Habitat / UNESCO project on the right to the city, and on key themes and messages from the five previous discussions, asking participants to contribute their thoughts on the way forward.
The e-Debate runs over 4 weeks from 23 November to 18 December:
Week 1: Why the right to the city?
Week 2: What is the right to the city?
Week 3: Whose right to the city?
Week 4: The way forward?
Please log on, register and join the debate
forum.unhabitat.org |
| 19/11/2009 | CAP Americas Regional Workshop
The Hon. Dr Emily Gaynor Dick-Forde, Minister of Planning, Housing and Environment for Trinidad and Tobago, today opens the CAP Americas Regional Workshop in Port of Spain. Other keynote speakers are Arnim Cozier (President of the Trinidad and Tobago Society of Planners); Christine Platt (President of CAP)and Mark Collins (Director of the Commonwealth Foundation). CAP acknowledges the support of the Commonwealth Foundation, of CAP's member institute, the TTSP, and of the Ministry in Trinidad and Tobago for making this workshop possible. Themes to be covered are partnerships, gender, risk reducation, economic development, climate change, coastal zone management and CAP's work on the State of the Commonwealth Cities. Reports will follow in the next issue of CAP News. |
| 19/11/2009 | Planning Africa 2010
The South African Planning Institute have announced that the 4th Planning Africa Conference will be held in Durban on 13-15 September 2010. CAP helped to establish the African Planning Association at the first Planning Africa meeting in 2002, and continues to support this endeavour to bring together the planners on a continent where the challenges of urbanisation require wide professional cooperation.
For further information email: sapi@precisionconferences.co.za
www.sapi.org.za |
| 19/11/2009 | Equity, Sustainability, Partnership
The theme of the 2009 Report by the Secretary-General of the Commonwealth, Kamalesh Sharma, is Equity, Sustainability, Partnership. The report says that in a Commonwealth where 60% of the citizens are under 30, it is important to give youth a voice. There is also reference to the need to build public service capacity and to strengthen public institutions.
Climate change is recognised as a key issue for the Commonwealth.
To see the full report go to
www.thecommonwealth.org |
| 17/11/2009 | Questions for the Secretary-General of the Commonwealth
You have a chance to ask the Secretary-General of the Commonwealth a question. People from around the Commonwealth are invited to email Kamalesh Sharma with their questions and suggestions (on anything Commonwealth related) in the run-up to Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Trinidad and Tobago next week. See link below.
He'll respond in person online (via email, Facebook<http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Commonwealth/83800097281> and Twitter<http://twitter.com/commonwealthsec> to as many emails as possible during the summit.
Here is your chance to ask him if he knows that the Commonwealth's slum population is growing by 10 million a year? Does he know how effective planning is needed to tackle climate change and its impacts? Will the Commonwealth governments work in partnership with their planning professionals to ensure that their planning systems are fit for purpose in the 21st century?
www.thecommonwealth.org |
| 11/11/2009 | CAP and World Town Planning Day
CAP was represented by its Secretary-General at two meetings in London on 10 November to celebrate World Town Planning Day and the launch of the UN-Habitat Global Report on Human Settlements which has planning as its central theme. Representatives of the planners in London from the CAP member institutes in New Zealand, Australia and Canada were also present. |
| 11/11/2009 | CAP Regional Meeting in West Africa
The Nigerian Institute of Town Planners hosted a CAP West Africa meeting in Lagos 3 - 4 November. Representatives of the CAP members in Ghana attended, as well as a representative of planners in Togo. The meeting agreed to form a West Africa Planners Association. A full communique from the meeting is available here. |
| 11/11/2009 | CAP NEWS Issue 21
The latest issue of CAP NEWS is now available on the website at
www.commonwealth-planners.org |
| 26/10/2009 | House of Commons International Development Committee
The House of Commons International Development Committee has criticised the UK Department for International Development (DFID) for downgrading its support for urban poverty at a time when more and more of the world's poor are living in urban slums and mega-cities are expanding rapidly. The Committee's Report published last week says that this has profound implications for the effectiveness of DFID's development assistance when slum upgrading is lagging behind the explosive growth of urban settlements.
Africa is the fastest urbanising region in the world and has the highest proportion of slum dwellers in its cities. Almost all population growth is expected to take place in urban areas and Africa has some of the world's largest and fastest-growing cities. The Report found that, despite the increased need for support to tackle urban poverty, DFID has reduced the visibility of its urban programmes and its in-house expertise on urban issues has become too fragmented.
The Chairman of the Committee, Rt Hon Malcolm Bruce MP, said:
The last 5 years have seen rapid urbanisation, almost all of which has happened in developing countries. In 2008 we reached the point where there are more people living in cities than in rural areas. We are not convinced that DFID is doing enough to help developing countries, and particularly African countries, to address the specific challenges of urban poverty, which include access to basic services such as housing, health, education, transport, employment and water and sanitation. There is a risk that, without more help, a number of cities will face a humanitarian crisis in the near future. DFID needs to refocus its attention on the urban poor.
This should include publishing a new urban poverty strategy document.
Rapid urbanisation has led to an increase in the number of slums. Many people living in slums work in the informal sector, have inadequate housing and lack security of tenure. They are also much more vulnerable to crime and violence. The Report recommends that upgrading slums and improving the lives of slum dwellers should be given much greater priority by donors and by African governments. Community-led initiatives, such as the Urban Poor Fund International and the Community-led Infrastructure Finance Facility, have been shown to be particularly effective in addressing urban poverty and deserve increased support from DFID. |
| 05/10/2009 | World Habitat Day 2009
PLANNING NEEDED AS COMMONWEALTH CITIES DOUBLE IN SIZE IN A GENERATION
By 2025, UN projections suggest that almost 1.2 billion people will be living in the Commonwealth's urban areas. Today the figure is about three-quarters of a billion. Every day it increases by 65,000. Cliff Hague, Secretary-General of the Commonwealth Association of Planners said that growth at this pace and scale poses fundamental challenges to governments at all levels and in all countries. "Urban spread is the common denominator that links the problems that have to be solved in the first half of this century. We need the economic dynamism of the burgeoning cities to be able to lift people out of poverty. We need the open and tolerant culture of cities to liberate people and stimulate innovation. But we also need cities to grow in smart ways, or they will destroy farmland and forests, drink dry the reservoirs, pollute the waterways, and impose unacceptable costs in energy use and carbon emissions" he said.
The UN Habitat Global Report on Human Settlements 2009, published today, emphasises the key role of urban planning in national and international responses to these challenges. However, few Commonwealth countries have sufficient professional planners with the right skills to make a difference. Mega-cities are developing without up-to-date plans to steer growth into sustainable directions. At the other extreme, there are small island states where there are no huge cities, but very high rates of urbanisation, and high vulnerability to climate shocks. The Maldives is a typical case, and literally can only call on a handful of professional planners in a situation where expertise in urban development and environmental management is sorely needed.
Thirty-two of the Commonwealth's 76 'million-plus cities' are expected to more than double in size between 2000 and 2025 with Abuja, Kampala, Dar es Salaam, Nairobi, Mombasa and Klang, all growing by more than 160%. In India, the Commonwealth's most populous country, the level of urbanisation remains quite low, about 30%: This will increase to over 55% in the next 40 years. Urban growth rates of 4% a year, such as are found in Kenya, Gambia, or the Solomon Islands, to cite just some examples, equate to almost a doubling in urban numbers by 2025.
"We have had 'anti-urban' policies, such as attempts to contain urban growth and resist new development. They fail business and they fail the urban poor. We have had 'non-plan' policies with utopian dreams of privatisation and unregulated market forces: these paved the way to the global financial crisis. It's time we adopted evidence-based pro-urban planning policies, that identify economic opportunities, unlock the potential of land but also recognise the need for equity and to manage carbon emissions" Hague added. "There is still time to make a difference, but each year that slips by makes it harder to rectify the diseconomies of urban growth, such as traffic congestion, car-dependent sprawl or slums lacking basic services. Planning – preventative urban medicine – is urgently needed. Strategic urban planning is essential. It can reduce uncertainty, facilitate efficient infrastructure provision, and provide transparency in the development process."
For further information contact:
Professor Cliff Hague, Secretary-General, Commonwealth Association of Planners.
Phone +44 (0) 131 447 5265 Mobile + 44 (0) 771 471 8900 Email C.B.Hague@sbe.hw.ac.uk |
| 28/09/2009 | Post of Professor/Reader in Urban Growth Management
Heriot-Watt University in Edinburgh has advertised for a Professor/Reader in Urban Growth Management. They are seeking to recruit an internationally recognised researcher in the management of sustainable urban growth to develop further an internationally recognised research activity in the analysis, planning and governance of processes of urbanisation, urban development and change in both rapidly urbanising and mature industrial contexts. Closing date is 9 October 2009. For further details visit
www.sbe.hw.ac.uk |
| 08/06/2009 | Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting
The theme of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in Port of Spain, Trinidad, in November will be 'Partnering for a more equitable and sustainable future'. This will also be the theme for the Commonwealth People's Forum that will meet in Port of Spain 22-26 November and feed findings into the CHOGM. There will be eight 'assemblies' at the CPF. CAP will work with its partners in Built Environment Professions in the Commonwealth as part of the Assembly on Environment and Climate Change, where the work that CAP has been leading on the State of the Commonwealth Cities is expected to be a key focus. Environment and Climate Change will be a key theme of the event, not least because of its significance in the Caribbean.
A draft communique for the Heads of Government is being built up through a series of national and regional meetings. As these are mainly attended by civil servants from Foreign Affairs Departments, urbanisation and planning is unlikely to be given the prominence it deserves, unless planners and related professionals are able to participate and make the points that:
- a 73% increase in the urban population is expected between 2000 and 2015;
- the Commonwealth is falling behind on its goal of making progress to adequate shelter for all with access to essential services in every community by 2015;
climate change is not just an environmental issue, rather an integrated, planning approach is needed;
- there can be no sustainable development without substainable urbanisation and no sustainable urbanisation without effective planning;
- we need a Commonwealth Cities Summit to focus actions of governments and civil society in partnership.
There will be a national consultation in Malta on 8 June; CPF preparatory workshops in Trinidad (in Fernando on 6 June, Chaguanas on 13 June, and Sangre Grande on 27 June). There is a Caribbean Regional Consultation in Grenada on 14-18 June. On July 4 there is a CPF workshop in Tobago. By the end of July there will have been further consultations in the Pacific region, Malaysia, South Africa, Canada and Tanzania. |
| 08/06/2009 | Built Environment Professions
Built environment professions in disaster risk reduction and recovery.
A 40-page brochure on the part that built environment professionals, including planners, can play in disaster risk reduction and recovery has just been published. It can be accessed on the RTPI website. The RTPI is a member of CAP and has worked closely with CAP on several activities.
The new report was edited by Tony Lloyd-Jones from the RTPI's International Development Network. Other members of that Network contributed profiles and sections of text. The primary purpose of this study is to tell humanitarian relief agencies (UNRWA, Oxfam, Red Cross etc) what the professions do in response to disaster. This is something that other CAP member institutes might make effective use of in their own countries. The foreword, by the Chief Executive of the Disasters Emergency Committee, Brendan Gormley, says:
'From risk reduction and preparation, through to the immediate aftermath and the subsequent recovery and recontruction phases of the disaster management cycle, the skills of architects, engineers, planners and surveyors can be harnessed. They can ensure that best use is made of finance, opportunities to build back better are seized, local people learn new skills and, crucially, that a legacy archive of lessons learned is developed.' |
| 08/06/2009 | Cities Under Threat from Rapid Urbanisation & Climate Change
Policy-makers and professionals in building industry were urged to club together to address crises at a forum in London organised by Built Environment Professionals in the Commonwealth (BEPIC). Full article is available on the Commonwealth Secretariat website at
www.thecommonwealth.org |
| 04/06/2009 | State of the Commonwealth Cities Study
The Interim Report of CAP's work on State of the Commonwealth Cities was presented to the Commonwealth Consultative Group on Human Settlements in Nairobi (see What's New 1/4/09). It can now be downloaded from
www.thecommonwealth.org |
| 04/06/2009 | Commpedia
Commpedia is a new 'Wikipedia' style website that focuses on Commonwealth organisations. There is no formal connection to Wikipedia but the concept is the same. The site allows material to be posted that can be amended, updated and commented by others. It is an initiative of Friends of the Commonwealth. Want to find out more - and check out CAP's entry? Go to
www.commpedia.org |
| 04/06/2009 | 8th International Conference on Urban Health (ICUH)
Theme: Meeting Urban Health Needs through Innovative Research, Policies and Interventions. The ICUH 2009 will be held at the Kenyatta International Conference Center (KICC), Nairobi, Kenya 18-23 October 2009. Further details at
www.icuh2009.org |
| 04/06/2009 | UNCRD - SIP Senior Policy Seminar
Senior Policy Seminar on Climate Change, Housing and Liveable Cities in Asia and Africa 25-27 June 2009 at Holiday Inn Atrium, Singapore.
www.sip.org.sg |
| 04/06/2009 | 10th International Congress of Asian Planning Schools
Future of Asian Cities 24 - 26 November 2009, India. For more information log on to
www.apsa2009.org |
| 04/06/2009 | Habitat Scroll of Honour Award: Call for Nominations
The United Nations Human Settlements Programme is currently accepting nominations to the most pretigious human settlements award in the world, the Habitat Scroll of Honour.
Launched in 1989, the Scroll acknowledges initiatives which have made outstanding contributions in various fields such as shelter provision, highlighting the plight of the homeless, leadership in post conflict reconstruction, and developing and improving the human settlements and the quality of urban life. This year, special focus will be given to achievements made by cities in dealing with major challenges of the 21st century especially those pertaining to environmental sustainability, equity, gender parity, pro-poor growth and participatory governance. These are the areas highlighted in this year's theme, Planning our urban future. Submission Deadline: 15 August 2009. Submit your nomination at
www.unhabitat.org |
| 14/05/2009 | Flag-Raising to Celebrate 60 Years of the Commonwealth
CAP was represented by Clive Harridge, Vice-President Europe, at the Flag-Raising Event in London to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the modern Commonwealth on 30 April. The event was opened by the Commonwealth Secretary-General Kamalesh Sharma, followed by a reading of the London Declaration and a performance of a specially commissioned piece of music composed by Paul Caroll and sung by South African singer Steven Leas. The main event was the raising of flags of all the Commonwealth member countries accompanied by drums and loud cheers as individual countries were announced. Each flag was carried by a young person in national costume. There will be a full report in the next issue of CAP News. |
| 11/05/2009 | Study Tour to Chennai
CAP has been invited by the Commonwealth Secretariat to submit nominations of young planners (under 30 years of age) from Asia and Africa for participation in a study tour to Chennai in India in July 2009. The tour aims 'to gain an understanding of development priorities in the Commonwealth on issues such as gender equality, HIV and AIDS, climate change and disability' and to help build a young cadre of professionals as future leaders of Commonwealth bodies. Nominations should include a CV and a one-paragraph personal statement and need to be emailed to reach the CAP office by 21 May. For further details email annette.odonnell@rtpi.org.uk
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| 14/04/2009 | Street Design Guidelines
The Abu Dhabi Planning Council is looking for reference manuals to develop standards and guidelines for street design. Asian manuals would be particularly welcome. If you want more information or can help, please email idn@rtpi.org.uk |
| 01/04/2009 | UN and Commonwealth plan to work together
UN and Commonwealth plan to work together on Commonwealth cities.
Work done for CAP on the state of Commonwealth cities was warmly welcomed by delegates to the Commonwealth Consultative group on Human Settlements meeting in Nairobi on Tuesday. Research by Will French and Lucy Natarajan from the Royal Town Planning Institute shows that the Commonwealth's urban population is expected to leap from 261M in 2000 to 451M in 2015, a staggering 73% increase.
UN Habitat Executive Director, Dr. Anna Tibaijuka, strongly supported this initiative. She said "There is a fundamental need to build the skills and systems of each Commonwealth city to respond to these challenges. This will require new tools, efforts in capacity building and innovative planning strategies."
She noted that the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Port of Spain, Trinidad in November this year will address issues related to the current financial crisis. She urged that the CHOGM should include the urban dimension of food scarcity, climate change and the financial crisis in cities.
CAP's work on the State of Commonwealth Cities is not expected to be completed until July. |
| 30/03/2009 | Work in partnership - or fail say Habitat Professionals
Today's global economic problems make it more necessary than ever that governments, professionals and community organisations work together to tackle the global challenge of urbanisation. This was the message sent out by a meeting of Habitat Professionals at a meeting at the UN complex at Gigiri this weekend.
The world is experiencing a surge of urban growth on a scale never seen before. Better management of this growth is fundamental to international attempts to grapple with CO2 emissions, the consequences of climate change, and threats to food security through loss or farmland. Derek Martin, from the International Federation for Housing and Planning, who chaired the meeting, said "Huge urban growth is inevitable, but the way we managed that growth is not. The skills of professionals matter more than ever – planners, architects, surveyors and engineers can make a difference. But they need to work together and as partners with governments, communities and UN-Habitat. The price of fragmentation is failure".
Mr. Martin urged governments at all levels to respect the role of professionals and experts in making and implementing urban policies. "Policy making needs to be informed by evidence, not assumptions," he said. However, he also stressed the need for a new kind of urban profession. "We need professionals who can share knowledge and skills not only with each other but with non-professionals. We need to become better listeners and better at reaching out to groups who cannot afford or have been ignored by professionals in the past. Active partnership with UN-Habitat can be an important catalyst here."
CAP played a prominent role in the meeting through the participation of its President, the Vice-President (East Africa) and the Secretary-General. |
| 30/03/2009 | Head of UN-Habitat Challenges Planners
Planners have an ethical obligation to grapple with the combined impacts of rapid urbanization, climate change and globalization, says the Executive Director of UN-Habitat. "The role of professionals is central to our quest for sustainable urbanisation and for sustainable development. UN-HABITAT stands ready to support and work with you in this endeavour" Dr. Anna Tibaijuka told a meeting of the Habitat Professionals Forum in Nairobi on Saturday.
CAP was represented at this meeting by Christine Platt (President), Bosire Ogero (Vice-President, East Africa) and Cliff Hague, the Secretary-General. Dr. Tibaijuka directly addressed planners: "Your design becomes part of the urban landscape for generations to come. And the users of what you design will either love you or hate you!" she told them.
She drew attention to the plight of the estimated one billion women, men and children who live in slums. Then she stressed the inter-connected nature of the problems we face: "the impact of rapid and chaotic urbanization on our environment, and the ability of our planet to sustain diversity of life as we know it. As human activity concentrates itself in cities, irreversible changes occur in our production and consumption patterns. With half of humanity living in cities, we must bear in mind that cities consume 75% of the world's energy and generate an equally significant proportion of the world's waste, including greenhouse gas emissions. As easily seen in satellite photographs from space, the ecological footprints of megacities is growing alarmingly".
Dr. Tibaijuka challenged "How as professionals can we harness the positive aspects of urbanization to promote social inclusion, smarter growth and thus contribute to our collective stability and prosperity? How can urbanization become the cornerstone of a new inclusive civilization? How can we help create vibrant and socially cohesive urban communities?" |
| 13/03/2009 | CAP calls for Expressions of Interest
CAP calls for Expressions of Interest for work on Planning Education in the Commonwealth. CAP anticipates commissioning a survey on planning education in the Commonwealth in the context of CAP's 're-inventing planning' agenda. Expressions of Interest ahead of a closed tendering process are invited by 20 March. Please contact the CAP Secretariat for more information or download forms for the expression of interest. |
| 13/03/2009 | UNCRD and SIP Senior Policy Seminar 2009
Senior Policy Seminar on Climate Change, Housing and Livable Cities in Asia and Africa organized by United Nations Centre for Regional Development and Singapore Institute of Planners. The Seminar is being held in Singapore 25 - 27 June 09. Further details can be found on the SIP website at
www.sip.org.sg |
| 13/03/2009 | World Habitat Awards 2009 - An Invitation to Enter
Currently in their twenty-fourth year, the World Habitat Awards recognise innovative and sustainable housing and habitat projects worldwide.
Two awards are given annually, one to a housing project from the North and one from the global South.
The competition is open to all individuals and organisations, including central and local governments, NGOs, community-based groups, research organisations and the private sector.
Details for entry can be found on the World Habitat Awards website at
www.worldhabitatawards.org |
| 13/03/2009 | Ecocity World Summit 2009
The theme of the Ecocity 2009 Conference is 'Global Environmental Balances'. The meeting will be held in Istanbul on 13-15 December. The event will focus on 'finding new approaches towards a new ecologically oriented world order for future generations. Besides underlining the importance of eco-thinking, ehtics, eco-politics and the methods to reach an ecological awareness, issues such as spatial planning policies and natural resource management, energy provision technologies, eco-architecture and design and environmentally friendly building materials will also be discussed by scientists, politicians and environment experts in the perspective of the third millennium'. For more information see
www.ecocity2009.com |
| 09/03/2009 | Commonwealth Day
The Secretary-General represented CAP at the annual Observance for Commonwealth Day at Westminster Abbey and then at the reception in Marlborough House. Her Majesty the Queen said at the Observance, 'The call that brought the Commonwealth together in 1949 remains the same today. Then we joined together in a collective spirit - built on lasting principles, wisdom, energy and creativity - to meet the great tasks of our times. As the Commonwealth celebrates its sixtieth birthday, its governments, communities, and we as individuals should welcome that achievement. Together we should continue to work hard to deal with today's challenges so that the young people of today's Commonwealth can realise their aspirations. In that way we can look to the future with confidence'. |
| 03/03/2009 | International Knowledge Center
Four international planning organisations have come together to form a new international knowledge center in The Hague, Netherlands. The International Federation for Housing and Planning, the International Society of City and Regional Planners, the International New Towns Association and Nicis International have signed a Letter of Intent to intensify cooperation between the four organisations, providing joint responses to the challenges to the urban community worldwide.
In signing this preliminary agreement, the four institutions intend to create in the City of The Hague, The Netherlands, an international knowledge centre on urban development.
Their announcement says 'These international organisations believe that contemporary challenges, issues and problems concerning urban settlements demand integrated solutions that would benefit from more effective international collaboration and knowledge transfer programmes'.
The initiative is supported by the City of the Hague and the Dutch Ministry of Housing, Planning and the Environment (VROM). |
| 26/02/2009 | Sustainable Urbanism: The financial bottom line
The Prince's Foundation for the Built Environment is holding a one-day seminar on 'Sustainable Urbanism: The financial bottom line' on 18 March in Poundbury, Dorchester, England. This event promises to give the audience the tools to deliver communities that are resilient even in these economic times.
The recent Prince's Foundation publication 'Valuing Sustainable Urbanism' signalled a new awareness of the financial benefits of residentially led mixed use settlements in the UK, over and above market values being attached to other standard forms of housing development. The report co-authored by the Prince's Foundation for the Built Environment from Savills Residential Research (with support from English Partnerships), persuasively argued that better planning increases market value.
CAP has a Memorandum of Co-operation with the PFBE.
For more information about the seminar go to
www.princes-foundation.org |
| 18/02/2009 | FNAU International Newsletter (16) February 2009
For a French perspective on the Fourth World Urban Forum see the latest International Newsletter of the FNAU. It contrasts the 'beautiful models' displaying plans for Chinese cities with the concerns highlighted on various other stands for the challenges of slums and urban poverty in the cities of the developing world. The Newsletter also carries information about a training project for planners in French speaking countries in West Africa. Read the Newsletter on this website at
www.commonwealth-planners.org |
| 18/02/2009 | 60 Years of Planning Education
The University of South Australia is celebrating the 60th Anniversary of the first formal planning education programme in Australia. To mark this event there is a major symposium on planning education at the University on 13 February. Two members of CAP's Women in Planning network are amongst the distinguished speakers - Professor Dory Reeves (University of Auckland) and Dr.Carolyn Whitzman (University of Melbourne). Other speakers are Professor Stephen Hamnett (University of S. Australia), Professor Andreas Faludi (Technical University of Delft), Professor Bruce Stiftel (Georgia Tech, USA), Trevor Budge (Chair of PIA's National Education Committee) and Associate Professor Lee Lik Meng from Malaysia. Last year the Planning Institute of Australia published a Discussion Paper that called for a review of accreditation procedures, enhanced relations between planning education and planning practice, and the establishment of a dedicated Planning Research Institute. The paper is available on the PIA website
www.planning.org.au |
| 10/02/2009 | Prince's Foundation for the Built Environment
Prince Charles has again highlighted the important part that good planning has to play in tackling the challenges of rapid urbanisation. It was a theme he aired in his video address to the World Urban Forum last November (see CAP News). Last week he told the annual conference of the Prince's Foundation for the Built Environment that 'Well-made places are fundamental to the ability to establish locally-inspired solutions to local issues - and, indeed, local solutions to global ones'. He noted how the consequences of poor planning and place-making are a degraded natural environment, dislocation and ugliness.
The Prince asked the delegates if the world could build developments that respected existing settlements, improved living standards and accommodated the expected flood of migrants to urban areas.
He said: 'I believe we can, and that the benefits of taking such an approach could deliver more durable gains than those delivered through the present brutal and insensitive process of globalisation that is shaping so many aspects of how we now live'.
The one-day conference, Globalisation From The Bottom Up, showcased schemes from across the globe which are sensitively developing or restoring historic or poor areas through active involvement of local residents. CAP has a memorandum of co-operation with the Prince's Foundation, and were represented at the event by the President, the Vice-President for Europe and the Secretary-General. For further details of the speech see
www.princeofwales.gov.uk |
| 10/02/2009 | CAP NEWS Issue 20
The latest issue of CAP NEWS is now available on the website at
www.commonwealth-planners.org |
| 21/01/2009 | Peter Oberlander
CAP was saddened to hear of the death of Peter Oberlander on 27 December 2008.
He was Canada's first Professor of Urban and Regional Planning and played a prominent role in the 1976 Habitat conference in Vancouver that did so much to put human settlements on the international agenda. Professor Oberlander was present at the 2006 World Urban Forum in Vancouver also, where his contributions were recognised by the Canadian Institute of Planners. He was 86. |
| 14/01/2009 | Strategic City: Planners for the 21st Century
A new book has been published which showcases CAP's global role in re-inventing planning. Strategic City: Planners for the 21st Century is edited by Nicolas Buchoud and published in France. It includes chapters by CAP President Christine Platt and CAP Secretary-General Cliff Hague, as well as by Buchoud himself and contributors from many different parts of the world. 'For most authors cities seem to be the outcome of factors external to their development, to such an extent that we have forgotten that it is possible to actually create, build and develop and change cities' says the editor. To get more information contact nbuchoud@yahoo.fr. The contents can be downloaded from
www.commonwealth-planners.org |
| 25/11/2008 | Commonwealth Journal of Local Governance
Contributions are invited for the third issue of the Commonwealth Journal of Local Governance which will be published in May 2009. The Journal focuses on two main themes:
Improving local governance
Local government as an agent of decentralised development
Please follow the link below to find more about the Journal, read the first issue and refer to author guidelines.
epress.lib.uts.edu.au |
| 20/11/2008 | Zhenjiang Communique
The meeting of the Global Planners Network in Zhenjiang ahead of the World Urban Forum agreed a communique. It commits the Network to:
Continue to champion and promote strategic, integrative, inclusive and pro-poor planning;
Concentrate on building capacity, opening up access to training and fostering education, research and a deeper understanding, as a sound basis for action;
Narrow the gap between the rate of urbanisation and our capacity to plan and manage settlements in an expeditious, affordable and harmonious way;
Broaden its reach, connect planners across the world and strengthen links with other professionals, politicians and civil society concerned with the future of human settlements;
Sustain and deepen its relationship with UN-HABITAT;
Forge partnerships with donor agencies and other bodies so that appropriate funding goes to well-planned projects, and plans are financially realistic and create economic opportunity; and
Share and disseminate lessons and good practices, including by holding another Global Planners Network Congress in 2010, returning to the WUF5 to report progress against the GPN Action Plan and scoping further actions collaboratively.
The full statement can be downloaded from
www.globalplannersnetwork.org |
| 17/11/2008 | How Cities are Changing
An article about the recent work of CAP has been published and can be accessed for free on-line. 'How cities are changing and the implications of those changes for urban planning' by CAP's Secretary-General, Cliff Hague, appears in the Bulletin of the Spanish Association of Geographers (Boletin de la A.G.E. No.46) It describes CAP's efforts to promote a 're-inventing planning' agenda. It can be found at
age.ieg.csic.es |
| 17/11/2008 | Self-assessments of capacity for planning: Key findings
Results from a major global study by CAP and the Royal Town Planning Institute of the capacity for planning are now available. The project was launched in March 2008 at the Planning Africa Conference in Johannesburg, by CAP Vice-President (Europe), Clive Harridge. The 'Self-Diagnostic Tool' is a questionnaire that allows planners to assess and reflect on the role and capacity of planning in their own country. It has been completed by 1268 planners from 117 countries, over 30 of them Commonwealth countries.
The analysis shows that too often the potential contribution that planning can make to critical challenges like reducing the rate of new slum formation, reducing vulnerability to natural disasters and fostering sustainable economic growth, is not being realised. Planning is fundamentally about integrating the economic, social and environmental aspects of places, yet it is common to find planners scattered in different departments, and for non-planning agencies to be able to over-ride plans and planning decisions. Too often there are too few planners and insufficient political support. Capacity building and skills development are widely recognised needs - but too rarely is there access to a holistic planning education that addresses local priorities.
CAP acknowledges the generous support of the Lincoln Institute of Land Policy (Cambridge, Mass.) and the RTPI Trust that made the project possible. CAP Secretary-General, Cliff Hague, said 'There has never been a study like this before. It provides a unique insight into the state of planning in and beyond the Commonwealth. It has built a virtual network of unprecedented breadth and potential. We will now seek to work with our partners such as the Commonwealth bodies, the Prince's Foundation for the Built Environment and UN-Habitat, and of course our member institutes, to see how we can translate these findings into action to fill the capacity gap that has been identified.' The summary of the findings can be downloaded from
www.rtpi.org.uk |
| 07/11/2008 | Sick Cities - The Price of Neglect
On World town Planning Day, 8 November, the Commonwealth Association of Planners (CAP) calls on governments across the Commonwealth to recall the fundamental reasons why cities need planning. Town planning democratises the development process and makes it transparent. Through planning legislation we assert the right of all citizens to decent living conditions. The essence of town planning is the idea that the rights of land owners to maximise their private interests should not override collective interests and long-term needs.
"Too often, land piracy by vested interests, corruption and political manipulation has been allowed to subvert planning. The ideology of de-regulation damaged planning as it has now damaged the banking system. Land and natural resources have been ripped off to build a sub-prime future" says CAP Secretary-General Cliff Hague.
The 2008 State of the World's Cities report by UN-Habitat shows just how sick and divided many cities now are after a prolonged period during which basic planning principles have been neglected or ignored. Professor Hague notes that the Commonwealth has some of the world's biggest slums. "Mumbai is probably the world's slum capital with 10-12 million squatters and tenement dwellers. Lagos is not far behind. Almost half of Karachi's people live in the Orangi slum. In a world where the planet takes 14 months to regenerate the resources we consume in a single year, the sprawl of car-dependent settlements in some of the Commonwealth's richer countries is literally costing us the earth – earth that is needed to grow food, nurture trees and provide natural habitats."
CAP highlights the potential of planning backed by effective regulation to contribute to a better future, because cities are massive consumers of energy, and buildings and transport are major sources of greenhouse gas emissions. The Commonwealth also can provide some outstanding examples of strategic planning, national parks, historic conservation and outreach and public involvement. However, "With the total urban population of the developing world now expected to grow from 2.3 billion in 2005 to 5.3 billion by 2050 we are going to need all the expertise of town planners and then some more" said Professor Hague. "Modern planning systems, properly funded and supported by governments are not a luxury – they are indispensable if we are to escape from the consequences of destructive and inequitable forms of urban development." |
| 06/11/2008 | Backing for Planning and Local Government at WUF
Mrs Anna Tibaijuka, Executive Director UN-HABITAT, told the plenary meeting of the World Urban Forum on Tuesday that urban planning was crucial at the policy level. 'For cities without slums, planning has to be firmly in the mainstream', she said. To avoid reactive measures such as slum upgrading, she said proper planning to prevent the formation of slums was the best way to proceed.
Another top UN official, Mr Abdoulie Janneh, Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations and Executive Secretary of the Economic Commission for Africa, stressed that strong urban agglomerations contribute to wealth because they are home to vital sectors for economic growth such as industry, commerce and finance. He said it was important to build harmony and equity in cities from the perspective of good urban governance so that barriers are broken down, and access to jobs, affordable housing and education can be promoted.
Mr Abdoulie Janneh emphasised the importance of good government at the local level. To ensure equity, local governments had to be based on the principles of popular participation, transparent and accountable structures, and viable institutional frameworks. Local leaders, he said, had to have the skills and the capacity to manage cities in partnership with community-based organizations, the private sector and other non-governmental bodies.
He cited some examples of programmes to fight social exclusion and induce economic achievement. They included several in Commonwealth countries: the Single Regeneration Budget and the New Deal for Communities programmes in the UK; in Cape Town, community participation in the city's Rebuilding and Development Programme; water delivery in Yaounde, and Local Agenda 21 Programmes in Uganda.
The Prime Minister of Kenya, the Hon. Raila Odinga, opened his remarks saying that slum upgrading and housing were matters of prime concern to his government. Decent, affordable housing was the responsibility of any government. Yet in Kenya it constituted what he called a monumental challenge. His own constituency, for example, he said covered both Karen, one of the wealthiest and most affluent suburbs of the capital Nairobi, and Kibera, an overcrowded slum, home to nearly three-quarters of a million people.
He quoted UN estimates showing urbanization to be growing more rapidly in Africa than any other continent. In the majority of cases rural migrants ended up in slums and conditions worse than those they had left behind. Thus anger, hunger and frustration built up. He explained how the Kenya government was working with UN-Habitat in a project set up in 2003 called the Kenya Slum Upgrading Programme. The programme being implemented in Nairobi, and the other major cities of Mombasa and Kisumu, he said, was aimed at helping the country attain the Millennium Development Goals, especially Target 11 on improving the lives of slum dwellers around the world. He described slums as places of disease and misery, dusty during the dry season, muddy during the rains and always stinking of human waste, and always a threat to health. This was why housing was not merely a matter of putting up homes, but ensuring that hospitals, schools and other facilities are also available along with water, sanitation, and electricity services. He said that there was resistance to slum upgrading because past upgrading projects had not benefited the urban poor, and had a tendency to benefit non-slum residents. However, he believed that governments owed their citizens decent housing. |
| 04/11/2008 | CAP President opens World Urban Forum Dialogue
CAP's President, Christine Platt was the opening speaker in the UN-Habitat World Urban Forum Dialogue 1 on 'Territorial balance in urban development'. She told the delegates, who include ministers, mayors, senior officials and NGOs, that there is compelling evidence that planners around the Commonwealth have responded to CAP's call at the 2006 WUF to reinvent planning. She said 'Responses from grass-roots planners have been heard in a series of events around the world over the past two years, including the Pacific Islands, Australia, the Caribbean, Canada, the Great Lakes area of East Africa and Cameroon'.
From these meetings, Mrs Platt discerned a number of key messages. These are:
- Governments need to grasp how spatial planning which is strategic, integrated and participatory can help.
- Governance issues, including insufficient funding, lack of political will and political instability are affecting the delivery of planning.
- There is a skills shortage in ALL regions of the world and in all areas of planning and planning decision making.
- We need cross boundary thinking if we are to effectively deal with the big issues such as climate change, deepening poverty, increasing slums and the food and energy crisis.
- Globalisation and its impact on new migrations, densities, heritage and changing sense of place cannot be ignored.
'We need to reinvent planning education and to support the 'Barefoot Planners' who are working hard to serve communities in rural areas and small island states, with few opportunities to access new knowledge and skills', said Mrs Platt. |
| 03/11/2008 | Effective planning critical in increasingly urban world
Strategic, integrated and participatory planning is needed to ensure wealth created by urbanisation is shared fairly - President Commonwealth Association of Planners. Read more on Commonwealth Secretariat website at
www.thecommonwealth.org |
| 03/11/2008 | The Prince's Foundation for the Built Environment
A celebration of HRH The Prince of Wales's influence on the built environment exhibition by The Foundation will be displayed at The National Building Museum, Washington DC, 13-23 November 2008.
www.nbm.org |
| 29/10/2008 | World Planners Congress and World Urban Forum
The second World Planners Congress will be in Zhenjiang this weekend. It follows from the first Congress that was held in Vancouver in June 2006. It is organised by the Global Planners Network (GPN). CAP is a supporter of the GPN, and will be involved in sessions in the congress. The Congress themes are Urbanization, Poverty, Climate Change and Hazards. Featured speakers include Dr. Anna Tibaijuka, the Director of UN-Habitat, and Mr Shi Heping, Party Secretary of Zhenjiang. It is expected that the Congress will agree a Communique to focus the development of the Network for the next 2 years and to provide the basis for a message from planners to the wider community of governments, professionals and NGOs at the World Urban Forum (WUF).
The WUF begins in Nanjing on Monday and runs until 6 November. CAP will have a prominent role. The theme of WUF is 'Harmonious Urbanization: The Challenge of Balanced Territorial Development'. There will be a video address to the opening session from HRH Prince Charles. Then CAP President, Christine Platt, will be the opening speaker in the first Dialogue which is on 'Territorial Balance in Urban Development'.
On Monday afternoon CAP's Women in Planning network will be a partner, along with the Nanjing Women's Federation in collaboration with UN-Habitat's Gender Unit, for the Women's Roundtable. Christine Platt will be one of the two Chairs for this important session. Professor Alison Todes from University of Witswaterstrand will present the findings of the study commissioned by CAP on gender and planning in the Commonwealth. Carolyn Whitzman from Australia will also represent CAP amongst the high level speakers on the Roundtable.
Also on Tuesday 4 November there will be a CAP Workshop on 'Planning post-Vancouver: Challenges and Responses'. This will aim to share practical experiences which demonstrate the degree to which the principles of Reinventing Planning are seen as relevant and are being followed. It will have an African theme and speakers will include Ashraf Adam, President of the South African Planning Institute and Waheed Kadiri, President of the Nigerian Institute of Town Planners.
The findings from the study undertaken by the Royal Town Planning Institute and CAP of the state of planning and planning capacity internationally will also be presented. Over 1250 planners from over 100 countries have completed this 'Self-Diagnostic Tool'. Funding for the project came from the Lincoln Foundation and the RTPI Trust. |
| 08/10/2008 | The 10th Asian Urbanization Conference
Call for papers for the 10th Asian Urbanization Conference 16-19 August 2009 Centre of Urban Studies and Urban Planning, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China. Deadline for submission of abstracts: 15 February 2009
www.hku.hk |
| 06/10/2008 | Cities on a knife edge say Commonwealth planners
The global financial crisis threatens to tip cities and local governments over an economic precipice, Commonwealth planners warned on World Habitat Day, 6 October. Dubious financial practices and the failure of our financial systems eventually filter down to affect everyday life through distorted housing markets, and diminished investment in urban development and infrastructure. Commonwealth countries were already facing a huge urban challenge before the events of recent weeks. In countries like Malawi, urban growth runs at around 5% a year but investment in adequate housing and essential services like water, sanitation and electricity lags far behind. Even rich countries like the UK and Canada are experiencing serious shortfalls in investment in affordable housing. The impact of the financial crisis on the resolution of these issues is potentially profound.
Christine Platt, President of the Commonwealth Association of Planners said, 'The theme for World Habitat Day is 'Harmonious Cities'. Adequate shelter and access to basic services are a critical stepping stone towards making that vision a reality. At a time when people all over the Commonwealth are worried about how the global financial crisis will hit them, it is important to remember that investment in basic urban services and adequate shelter is essential, equitable and will deliver not only an economic dividend but also a social one through reducing illness and mortality. No country, whether rich or poor, will be immune from the impacts of poverty which we can never afford to ignore even in these times of economic hardship'.
CAP, along with the Commonwealth Local Government Forum, and the bodies representing architects and surveyors in the Commonwealth, has led calls for a major review of the State of Commonwealth Cities. The Commonwealth adopted a goal in 2001 of 'demonstrated progress towards adequate shelter for all with secure tenure and access to essential services in every community by 2015'. However, half way along the track, there has been no systematic reporting on what is happening in Commonwealth cities, and no concerted mobilisation of urban policy makers and NGOs across the Commonwealth for action on human settlements. This is despite the scale and pace of urbanisation that this generation will create (currently only 28% of Indians live in cities), the urbanisation of poverty and the environmental significance of urban growth.
Mrs Platt said that urban change is central to at least two of the 8 Millennium Development Goals - 'eradicate extreme poverty and hunger' and 'ensure environmental sustainability'. Aid agencies have increasingly moved towards a system of block grant funding to governments. However, Mrs Platt argues that this macro-approach overlooks the fact that actions to create wealth and relieve poverty ultimately take place at a local level.
'We need analytical and comparative information on urban conditions and assessment and sharing of policies to make the current aid regime work. When the world begins to reconstruct its financial systems - as it will have to do once the immediate crisis is past - government and multi-lateral agencies will need to rediscover the basic importance of investing in urban public services and strengthening local governments. These are essential foundations for the successful functioning of our cities, without which the notion of Harmonious Cities will remain no more than an elusive concept.' |
| 06/10/2008 | Sustainability Conference, Mauritius
The Fifth International Conference on Environmental, Cultural, Economic and Social Sustainability will be held at the University of Technology, Mauritius 5-7 January 2009. Further information available at
www.SustainabilityConference.com |
| 08/09/2008 | Improving the Lives of Slum Dwellers: A Home in the City
'Slum upgrading is a remedial measure made necessary by the inaction of past governments and the failure to adopt or implement adequate or efficient national and urban policies. Planning can prevent slums from forming. Cities need to apply the principle of planning before development, focusing on the future needs of low-income populations. The pervasiveness of precarious and informal settlements demands a comprehensive approach that can be ensured only by citywide development strategies and participatory planning.' This view is put forward in a major new report, 'A home in the city', which is produced by the UN Millennium Project Task Force on Improving the Lives of Slum Dwellers. The full report can be downloaded here.
www.unmillenniumproject.org |
| 01/08/2008 | Built Environment Professions in the Commonwealth
CAP worked together with Commonwealth bodies representing Architects, Engineers and Surveyors to put on a special event in London on 29 July. The meeting was held at the offices of the Prince's Foundation for the Built Environment, and attracted a distinguished audience. Its theme was 'The future of cities and how to respond to the challenges which arise from climate change'. CAP's Vice-President for Europe, Clive Harridge, was one of the panel of speakers. He emphasised the importance of working with people and the scope for international professional assistance. He highlighted CAP's work on 're-inventing planning'. Other speakers were Hooper Brooks (Director of International Programmes at the Prince's Foundation for the Built Environment); Pablo Lazo (a leading architect and urban designer); Duncan Preston (Vice-President of the RICS); and Adrian Cooper (an architect and urban designer who works for Atkins Global). Professor Tony Ridley CBE, chaired a lively discussion at the end. Thanks are due to Clifford Dann MBE, (Convenor of Built Environment Professions in the Commonwealth (BEPIC) and Founder/Chairman of the Commonwealth Housing Trust) who played the leading role in organising the event. A full report is planned in the next issue of CAP News. |
| 25/07/2008 | World Habitat Day
This year, the global celebrations of World Habitat Day will be held in Luanda, Angola on 6 October 2008.
www.unhabitat.org |
| 24/07/2008 | International Federation for Housing and Planning
The IFHP 52nd World Congress will be held in San Juan, Puerto Rico 12-15 October 2008. The theme is: 'Housing, beyond its walls: Planning for an affordable and sustainable habitat'. Further information and registration available at
www.ifhp.org |
| 10/07/2008 | The Prince's Foundation and CAP
How can towns and cities be developed in a more sustainable way? The Prince's Foundation for the Built Environment signed an agreement with The Commonwealth Association of Planners on 9 July 2008 in London to work together to develop the skills and leadership needed across the Commonwealth to address this urgent question. Full Press Release available at
www.princes-foundation.org |
| 01/07/2008 | World Urban Forum 4 at Nanjing, China 3-6 Nov 2008
UN-Habitat are pleased to announce that the World Urban Forum will take place from 3 - 6 November 2008 in Nanjing, China. UN-Habitat and the host Government of China invite participants to register for WUF4 online at
www.unhabitat.org |
| 25/06/2008 | China - Post Earthquake Recovery and Reconstruction
UK Government officials have met the First Secretary at the Chinese Embassy and her team in London in response to a request for advice and assistance after the recent earthquake in Sichuan Province. The span of expertise and advice that they seek is wide: policy, immediate remediation, reconstruction, risk mitigation, design, economic regeneration, community leadership & self-help, to long-term community trauma management. They are interested in both professional and academic aspects. The Civil Contingencies Secretariat has undertaken to collate replies and make them available to the Chinese authorities on request. If you would like to be involved and are content for your details to be recorded, retained and given to the Chinese authorities, please email the CAP Secretariat to be given the Cabinet Office email address and format for replies. |
| 14/05/2008 | Global Planners Network Congress 2008
CALL FOR PAPERS The GPN Congress being held in Zhenjiang, China from 31 October to 2 November 2008 will highlight critical planning issues, organised around the conference themes of Urbanisation, Poverty, and Climate Change and Disasters. The congress immediately precedes the World Urban Forum which is scheduled to take place from 3 - 7 November 2008 in Nanjing. For more information, contact global@planning.org
www.globalplannersnetwork.org |
| 25/04/2008 | New Planning Capacity Tool
The Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI) and the Commonwealth Association of Planners (CAP), with the support of the Lincoln Institute, and the Global Planners Network (GPN), have developed a capacity assessment tool for all people involved in planning around the world to use.
The tool helps planning organisations to assess their skills-base, organisational capacity, leadership and working methods. It is hoped that by identifying any shortfalls which may exist organisations will be able to take steps to respond to the challenge of urban growth within their country.
We encourage you to complete the tool using the link below and to tell your colleagues around the world about it.
www.tinyurl.com |
| 23/04/2008 | Planning Africa 2008 Conference
CAP Presidents's Address |
| 13/03/2008 | Land use is critically important for sustainable development
Professor Mohan Munasinghe, Vice-Chairman of the UN's Inter-governmental Panel on Climate Change and co-winner of the 2007 Nobel Peace Prize, this week stressed the importance of land use. Prof. Munasinghe delivered a briefing on climate change to Commonwealth organisations. He stressed the need for integrated action to tackle climate change and move towards more sustainable forms of development.
'Land use really matters' he said. 'For example, through planned re-afforestation you can increase carbon absorption, reduce environmental hazards and create jobs and economic opportunities.'
Prof. Munasinghe argued that the Commonwealth can make major contributions to meeting the challenges of climage change. This is because the Commonwealth is able to foster South-South and also South to North transfers of knowledge. This is rare in a world where the main transfers are from North to South.
At the Commonwealth Day Observance, Prof. Munasinghe said 'Climate change threatens the development prospects of everyone on the planet - particularly billions of already destitute people. Conversely, current development trends (and greenhouse gas emissions) will worsen global warming. The poor need protection and the rich must adopt more sustainable consumption patterns. Selfless personal commitment, partnerships, united action and bold leadership are essential to make 'spaceship earth' a safer and happier place for our children. Despite the formidable challenges, I am optimistic. We can simultaneously solve the intertwined problems of climate and development. We know enough to start making development more sustainable today. Only the will is lacking - and that we must provide, together.' |
| 13/03/2008 | Commonwealth Commits to the Environment
As Head of the Commonwealth, Her Majesty the Queen, in her Commonwealth Day Message, called on governments, businesses, communities and individuals to defend the environment.
Her Majesty said 'The impact of pollution falls unequally: it is often those who pollute the least - notably the world's least-developed nations - who are closest to the razor's edge: most affected by the impact of climate change and least equipped to cope with it.
If we recognise the interests and needs of the people who are most affected, we can work with them to bring about lasting change. Happily, this approach has always been a strength of the Commonwealth, and awareness of environmental issues is now widespread, with a determination that future generations should enjoy clean air, sufficient fresh water and energy without risking damage to the planet.'
The Chairperson-in-Office of the Commonwealth, President Yoweri Museveni of the Republic of Uganda noted in particular the active role of ComHabitat in addressing 'ways to help the 1 in 6 Commonwealth citizens who live in slums'. CAP is represented on the Management Committee of ComHabitat.
|
| 31/01/2008 | European Research Programme
A new European research programme about regional development has just began. It includes three Commonwealth countries - the UK, Cyprus and Malta. ESPON is the European Observation Network on Territorial Development and Cohesion. Click on the link below to access its website. The programme is currently tendering 6 research studies. These are on:
Cities and urban agglomerations: their functionality and potentials for European competitiveness and cooperation.
Development opportunities in different types of rural areas.
Demographic and migratory flows affecting European regions and cities.
Climate change and territorial effects on regions and local economies.
Effects of rising energy prices on regional competitiveness.
Territorial Impact Assessment of policies.
There are also opportunities for groups of local authorities from at least 3 countries to propose, and then collaborate with, new projects that will be commissioned later. Researchers and practitioners are also needed for the 'Sounding Boards' that will monitor and advise on each study. The deadline for all applications is 22 March. For further information and assistance please contact research@rtpi.org.uk.
www.espon.eu |
| 29/01/2008 | Safer Cities
CAP as a partner of UN-Habitat's Safer Cities programme has been asked to publicise a post for a consultant to work on Urban Safety for the Poor in Asia and the Pacific.
'The consultant should be an expert on urban development, planning, law/law enforcement, and social development in the sub-region, have experience with analysis and policy assessment in the region. Exposure to recent debate on crime/violence globally or in the sub-region a definite asset. Experience in policy analysis and documentation of practices in the region a requirement. English, writing skills, analytical and synthesis are a must.'
If you are interested and have appropriate expertise please contact annette.odonnell@rtpi.org.uk for further information. The deadline for nominations is 6 February 2008. |
| 09/01/2008 | Urban Planner
The Turquoise Mountain, a non-profit, non-governmental organisation, under the joint presidency of HRH The Prince of Wales and HE President Karzai, is urgently seeking an urban planner to assist in the preparation of a detailed plan for the regeneration of the historic area of Murad Khane in central Kabul. The planner would report to the Turquoise Mountain CEO and Directors, and work alongside the architects and the engineers of the Kabul municipality and the Ministry of Urban Development to facilitate the planning process for Murad Khane, which is led by the Government of Afghanistan. Further details can be found on their website at
www.turquoisemountain.org |
| 18/12/2007 | State of the Cities
CAP's call for a State of the Commonwealth Cities report to be compiled and presented at the 2009 Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting was put to ministers at the 2007 meeting in Kampala last month. For details see link below.
The idea is supported by the other Commonwealth Built Environment professions - the architects, engineers and surveyors, and was also backed by other Civil Society Organisations.
www.thecommonwealth.org |
| 13/11/2007 | Francophone planners sign Vancouver Declaration
Six African planning associations and the French Society of Urbanists signed the Vancouver Declaration, and the six also signed the Durban Declaration.
The Vancouver Declaration was signed by planning organisations from 18 countries at the 2006 World Planners Congress in Vancouver. It commits the planning associations of the world 'to work together and with others to tackle the challenges of rapid urbanisation, the urbanisation of proverty and the hazards posed by climate change and natural disasters.'
The Durban Declaration was agreed at a meeting of African planners in 2002 and set up the African Planning Association 'to ensure that the promotion and co-ordination of planning in Africa receives attention at the highest level.'
The signatories were the representatives of Planning Associations in Togo, Benin, Ivory Coast, Algeria, Tunisia and Cameroon.
Cameroon has also applied to host a permanent secretary for World Town Planning Days for (Francophone) African Countries.
Ashraf Adam, President of the South African Planning Institute addressed the meeting in Yaounde and urged as many Francophone delegates as possible to attend the Planning Africa meeting in Johannesburg next April, which will also be CAP's biennial conference and business meeting. |
| 09/11/2007 | CAP Sends Message of Support
CAP sends message of support to the Ordre National des Urbanistes du Cameroun. In a message to the World Town Planning Day meeting organised in Yaounde by the Ordre National des Urbanistes du Cameroun and the Societe Francaise des Urbanistes, CAP Secreary-General Cliff Hague noted that there are now important debates about planning within Africa and internationally. Zimbabwe's urban 'clean-up' campaign in 2005 was strongly criticised by the Executive Director of UN Habitat. Some 700,000 people were casually categorised as part of the 'filth', and evicted as informal settlements were demolished. The process was undertaken using planning legislation (though there were significant failures to follow the letter of the law).
'The use of planning in this way has created a crisis for urbanists and planners. Is planning a relic from the colonial era that is used to oppress some of the poorest people on this planet? Or can it be something else?' he asked. He argues that the urbanisation of poverty in Africa means that planning needs to be pro-poor.
Hague said that he hoped the meeting in Cameroon can be the start of a dialogue between the Commonwealth Association of Planners and planners in the Francophone world, and that 'together we can make planning a more potent mechanism for tackling the 21st century challenges of urbanisation and development.' |
| 08/11/2007 | Current Urbanisation Is Not Sustainable Say Planners
The way that cities are growing is not sustainable, says the Commonwealth Association of Planners (CAP). The association calls on governments to fundamentally rethink policies and approaches to managing urbanisation before it is too late. 'We have ten, maybe fifteen years, to get on to a new track. After that the slum problem, environmental damage and urban insecurity will become so entrenched that they will dominate international relations for the rest of the century', says CAP President, Christine Platt, a planner who works in South Africa.
Today, 8 November, is World Town Planning Day. There are 65,000 more people living in cities in the Commonwealth than there were yesterday. There will be another 65,000 tomorrow, and tomorrow and tomorrow. Urban growth rates are between 3 and 6% a year in a third of Commonwealth countries. Around 327 million people in the Commonwealth are waking up today in a slum. Their numbers are increasing day by day. Their life expectancy is dramatically less than their compatriots who live in better conditions.
Because the poor live in the most hazardous locations they are disproportionately vulnerable to the local impacts of climate change. The problems are particularly acute in small island developing states where the growing threats from rising sea levels and extreme weather conditions are not matched by growing capacity to plan and manage settlements in sustainable and equitable ways.
'Urban growth is going to be huge in this generation. It will create great wealth that can lift people out of poverty. However, we have to get the cities right, and that needs smart planning', said Mrs. Platt, who recently visited India to see how they are handling the urban consequences of an economic boom. 'We need a quantum leap in management capacity: more trained people with better skills, and planning legislation that is fit for purpose in today's world. This is something that CAP is working on, together with our member institutes, our Commonwealth partners and also UN Habitat. Too often, even in rich countries, the approach of governments to urban development is one of curative medicine: clearance, infrastructure after the development has happened, too little too late in environmental protection. Planning means preventative medicine; it's about acting now so that our cities and rural areas are not allowed to degrade to the extent that recovery becomes a prohibitive cost. There are encouraging signs that some governments within the Commonwealth are realising that they need to re-invent planning.' |
| 25/09/2007 | New Book on Planning in Post-Apartheid South Africa
A book has been published on planning in South Africa. After the transition to democracy in 1994, planners sought to build a vision of integrated, equitable and sustainable cities, to replace the apartheid legacy of divided places. The book covers the experiences of planners, the barriers they met and the extent to which their aims were achieved.
The authors are Phil Harrison and Alison Todes (both University of Witwaterstrand) and Vanessa Watson (University of Cape Town). The book is published by Routledge in the RTPI Library Series. It costs £85 hardback or £29.99 paperback. It will be reviewed in an issue of CAP News next year. |
| 03/08/2007 | East African Planners Meet in Kampala 30-31 July 07
The East Africa Region of the Commonwealth Association of Planners held a well attended regional conference in Kampala, Uganda 30-31 July 2007. The theme of the conference that is linked to the 2007 CHOGM meeting was 'The Dawn of Effective Urban Planning in the Great Lakes Region: Skills, Capacity Building and an Agenda for Action'. The conference was officially opened by the Uganda Minister for Lands, Housing and Urban Development Hon Daniel Omara Atubo who emphasised the importance of Planning for achieving national and regional development. The conference was also addressed by the President of CAP Christine Platt, the CAP Regional Vice-President Bosire Ogero, a representative of the UN-Habitat Executive Director as well as the presidents of the Uganda Institute of Physical Planners, Town Planning Association of Tanzania and the Kenya Institute of Planners. Resolutions made at the conference will be taken to the CHOGM People's Forum later in 2007, and fed into the Global Planners Network and so on to WUF IV. A key outcome of the conference was the formation of the EAST AFRICA ASSOCIATION OF PLANNERS with branches in each of the East African community member states, and that will work closely with the East African community to promote new urban planning in the region. While addressing the official conference closing ceremony the Uganda Minister of State for Housing Hon Michael Werikhe commended planners in the region for forming the East Africa Association of Planners and challenged them to play a key role in promoting regional integration and the eventual realisation of the East African Federation. |
| 25/07/2007 | Making Places
For a stunning sequence of slides of Vancouver go to www.makingplaces.hu then click on Programme Information then Programme Presentations then open the Adobe Acrobat file of the presentation by Larry Beasley (former head of planning in Vancouver).
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| 28/06/2007 | Planning Needed to Avert Urban Catastrophe
The challenges of rapid urbanisation and the need for effective urban planning are highlighted in the new report from the UN Population Fund, 'State of World Population 2007: Unleashing the Potential of Urban Growth'. The report shows that the urban population of Africa and Asia is likely to double in a generation, mainly through natural increase. The need for planning is recognised, but as the Commonwealth Association of Planners has argued, this needs to be a new type of planning that is responsive to rapid change and meets the needs of the urban poor.
Launching the report at the UN in New York, Ann Erb Leoncavallo of the United Nations Population Fund stressed the need for planning that gives 'explicit consideration of the needs and rights of slum dwellers and the urban poor, as well for their participation. Providing minimally serviced land for the poor, with clean water, shelter and sanitation, would help meet present and future needs'.
Cliff Hague, Secretary-General of the Commonwealth Association of Planners, said that the Commonwealth has a crucial part to play if urbanisation is to be made more sustainable. 'Commonwealth countries such as Nigeria, Bangladesh and even small island states like Vanuatu, are experiencing very high rates of urbanisation, which will continue for a generation. Already the poor live in slums often in locations that are vulnerable to hazards like flooding and landslips. Effective planning is essential if the world is to avoid the urban catastrophe that is in the making.'
The Commonwealth Association of Planners is calling on governments to work in partnership and to invest in building the capacity of their planning systems. 'This means developing individuals and institutions that are able to work with civil society to anticipate and plan for the surge of urbanisation and the urbanisation of poverty that the Commonwealth is facing.' |
| 24/05/2007 | Urban World News
Global News on Urban Issues - updated throughout the Day. This is a free site that might be of interest to CAP members.
urban-strategic-intel.com |
| 01/05/2007 | Solomon Islands Tsunami
CAP's contacts in the Solomon Islands report that the International Foundation of Red Cross is starting a 12-month project to facilitate housing reconstruction using local timber for the structure and sego palm for roofing. Nails and wire will be distributed. One demonstration model will be built in each village, and then materials are left for villagers to build the remainder of the housing. Oxfam have a similar plan.
Other issues are: where will people relocate? There are concerns about environmental impacts, community participation and conflict sensitivity - mitigating tensions that may arise as a result of reconstruction of houses. A big planning issue for the villages at this stage is the number of land disputes which are starting to emerge, and the fact that most villages are rebuilding uphill, when all of their infrastructure is downhill. |
| 13/10/2006 | Natural Disasters: Reducing Risk, Recovering Faster
World Bank Creates New Facility to Protect Development Gains
The World Bank has created a new global facility, The Global Facility for Disaster Reduction and Recovery (GFDRR), designed to integrate disaster reduction strategies and sustainable recovery in development plans of countries believed to be at high risk for natural catastrophes.
web.worldbank.org |
| 25/07/2006 | Summary of Ministers' Discussions at WUF
Putting Human Settlements and Urban Poverty at the Heart of the Development Agenda. You can download the Chair's summary of the discussions from the ComHabitat website. To download the PDF, click on the link and it is the first item under documents in the left hand bar.
www.comhabitat.org |
| 21/04/2005 | The Tsunami Recovery Network
The Tsunami Recovery Network has launched a new independent website dedicated to exchanging information on tsunami recovery and reconstruction activities following the Asian tsunami disaster. The Network will lobby for the implementation of policies which respect the expressed needs of the communities directly affected, particularly the poor and most vulnerable. Further information is available at
www.tsunami-recovery.net |
| 07/03/2005 | A Commonwealth Perspective
The December issue of Habitat Debate is devoted to urban planning and contains an article by the CAP President, Professor Cliff Hague. You can read his article 'A Commonwealth Perspective' on-line at
www.unhabitat.org |
| 02/01/2005 | CAP's submission to the Commission for Africa
www.commonwealth-planners.org |
| 10/08/2004 | PLANNING IN ICELAND From the Settlement to Present Times
A recently published book by Trausti Valsson, Professor of Planning, University of Iceland. Preface by Professor Sir Peter Hall.
www.hi.is |
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