By Kristin Agnello, RPP, MCIP < Back Business as Un-Usual: Revisiting Planning Processes in the Wake of COVID-19 4 June 2020 By Kristin Agnello, RPP, MCIP While things are far from business as usual, planners around the world are beginning to think about what the world will look like in a post-pandemic future. The Canadian Institute of Planners (CIP) and the Provincial and Territorial Institutes and Associations (PTIAs) have been leading the way by facilitating discussions, sharing resources, and disseminating information in order to support planners across the country as they transition into this new reality. Nearly 2 months into the COVID-19 pandemic, the world is starting to tentatively reopen its doors. While things are far from business as usual, planners around the world are beginning to think about what the world will look like in a post-pandemic future. The Canadian Institute of Planners (CIP) and the Provincial and Territorial Institutes and Associations (PTIAs) have been leading the way by facilitating discussions, sharing resources, and disseminating information in order to support planners across the country as they transition into this new reality. The public health challenges that have resulted from COVID-19 are unprecedented and, throughout the last two months, the Canadian Federal and Provincial governments have emphasized that a coordinated and collaborative response will be essential if we are to effectively overcome the challenges posed by this pandemic. It is clear that the way we think about our cities will have to change in order to prioritize physical space, public health, and social well-being. But, in addition to considering how we will live, work, and play in our cities’ reimagined public spaces, planners are also facing more basic, practical decisions. Like most of Canada, my home province of British Columbia is under a Provincial State of Emergency, which limits the number of people permitted to gather in any one place at a given time. This has meant cancelling Council meetings, public hearings, and consultations, as well as preventing direct mail-outs to constituents. Realizing that delays in processing development applications, voting on bylaws, or moving forward with infrastructure projects will likely result in cancelled projects or increased costs - both of which could negatively impact the economic recovery of a municipality or region - local governments have had to identify new ways of meeting, allowing public input, and maintaining public process in the face of restricted physical contact. However, permitting modified engagement and public hearing processes at the municipal level has been largely dependent on a series of provincial legislative changes. In British Columbia, for example, the Emergency Program Act has enabled changes to provincial legislation that have permitted local governments to hold Council meetings and public hearings virtually, to allow written testimonies for public hearings, and, in some instances, to allow bylaws to be read and adopted in a single day [i] . But, while local governments are expected to find ways to virtually support public engagement and participation, they must also remain as inclusive and transparent throughout the decision-making process. Good online engagement will mean more than recording presentations and distributing surveys; there will need to be a consideration of access to resources, opportunities for interaction, and options for alternative means of participation. Moving toward virtual participation for public engagement presents new opportunities, but it also presents a number of new challenges. Planners must be aware that there may be a stigma against virtual consultation as a credible and legitimate process for public participation. Furthermore, virtual engagement challenges planners to ensure that citizens and committee members are engaged in an accessible and equitable way. Virtual engagement is increasingly being lauded as an opportunity to reach new audiences and allow citizens to engage in civic processes from the convenience of their own homes, however, we must also consider who may be excluded due to discomfort with technology, limited access to internet, or concerns about privacy, data collection, or information sharing. While approximately 91% of Canadian households have access to the internet in their homes, this figure drops to 71% for senior households [ii] . Furthermore, internet access and reliability varies substantially across the country, with remote or rural citizens less likely to have access to dependable, affordable service. Fast, reliable internet access will increasingly become a non-negotiable necessity for people as their home technology becomes the backbone for the local and global economy, the education system, and for participation in social and civic life. As the economy begins to reopen across Canada, planners working as consultants, public servants, and academics will continue to re-evaluate their business processes and work methodologies in order to ensure that the tools they are proposing remain credible, reliable, and feasible long after the immediate effects of COVID-19 are behind us. It is an opportunity to revisit our best practices for engagement, governance, and process to create tools that are not only adequate, but that breathe new life into community relationships now and in the future. Lately, I have been feeling a push to return to a new normal. It is clear to me that our chance to return to business as usual is also our chance to re-evaluate our processes for design, planning, consultation, and implementation in order to move forward toward a more sustainable, equitable future. The world will likely not return to normal, but maybe - just maybe - that isn’t a bad thing. [i] Province of British Columbia. (2020). COVID-19 Updates for Local Governments & Improvement Districts. https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/governments/local-governments/governance-powers/covid-19 [ii] Statistics Canada. (2019). Canadian Internet Use Survey. https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/daily-quotidien/191029/dq191029a-eng.htm Previous Back to Top Next

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18 September 2018 < Back CAP Awards for Outstanding Planning Achievement in the Commonwealth: Shortlist Announced! 18 September 2018 Following an excellent response to the call for entries to the inaugural CAP Awards for Outstanding Planning Achievement in the Commonwealth our three eminent Judges (Trudi Elliott CBE, Professor Barbara Norman and Emeritus Professor Cliff Hague OBE) have identified a short list of entries. Congratulations to the following entries which have made it to the Awards shortlist: In alphabetical order: Embedding Young People in Planning and Engagement Processes Key organisations: Cred Consulting, City of Parramatta Council. Location: Parramatta CBD, Western Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. Curio Bay Tumu Toka Infrastructure Collaboration Key organisations: Opus International Consultants Ltd, South Catlins Charitable Trust, Southland District Council, Department of Conservation. Location: Curio Bay, Southland, New Zealand Ghana 40-year Long Term National Development Plan Key organisations: Government of Ghana, Ghana Institute of Planners. Location: Ghana Innovative risk-based planning & engagement for Natural Hazards Key organisations: Bay of Plenty Regional Council, Enfocus, GNS Science & Integrity Professionals Limited. Location: Bay of Plenty Region, New Zealand Manurewa, Takanini and Papakura Integrated Area Plan Key organisations: Auckland Council. Location: Auckland, New Zealand. New Plymouth District Council - Building an E-Plan Key organisations: New Plymouth District Council, Isovist Ltd. Location: New Plymouth District, New Zealand. Risk Mapping and Planning for Urban Preparedness Key organisations: Beca International Consultants Limited. Location: Port Vila and Luganville, Vanuatu Te Tai Tokerau Papakāinga Toolkit Key organisations: Barker & Associates, in collaboration with Far North District Council, Kaipara District Council, Northland Regional Council and Whangarei District Council. Location: Northland, New Zealand. Click here to view shortlist on the CAP Good Practice Platform The Overall Winner of the Award and a number of Commendations will be announced at the Planning Africa Conference in Cape Town on 16 October 2018. Clive Harridge Secretary-General Embedding Young People in Planning and Engagement Processes Key organisations: Cred Consulting, City of Parramatta Council. Location: Parramatta CBD, Western Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. The City of Parramatta, located in Western Sydney, Australia, is experiencing significant growth and transformation through urban renewal. By 2036, young people (aged 12 to 24) will represent 16% of the population (64,000 people), while thousands of young people from diverse backgrounds visit the Parramatta CBD each day to work, study, and shop. The Needs of Young People in the Parramatta CBD study aimed to recognise the contribution of young people to the City, identify opportunities to make the CBD more welcoming for young people, and make recommendations to embed engagement with young people in Council’s planning activities. This resulted in the first youth led annual Parramatta Youth Forum which provides an ongoing mechanism to build community capacity in planning, engage with young people, and inform major planning and policy projects. Curio Bay Tumu Toka Infrastructure Collaboration Key organisations: Opus International Consultants Ltd, South Catlins Charitable Trust, Southland District Council, Department of Conservation. Location: Curio Bay, Southland, New Zealand. The Curio Bay Infrastructure Collaboration was a project focused on addressing visitor related environmental issues at Curio Bay in Southland, New Zealand. Curio Bay is a small coastal settlement and a popular tourist destination. Three parties (South Catlins Charitable Trust (SCCT), Southland District Council (SDC) and the Department of Conservation (DOC) came together to agree on a shared vision for the area. Each party through the collaboration identified an infrastructure project they wished to progress, aiming to provide a better experience for tourists to the area whilst addressing the environmental effects of high visitor numbers. SCCT proposed development of a Visitor Centre, SDC a wastewater treatment plant and DOC an amenity upgrade incorporating a new carpark and toilets. The project has achieved the aim of each organisation and improved overall amenity and visitor experiences while providing advanced protection and conservation of the natural and physical resources of Curio Bay. Ghana 40-year Long Term National Development Plan Key organisations: Government of Ghana, Ghana Institute of Planners Location: Ghana. In 2010, the government of Ghana set up a Constitutional Review Committee to review the national Constitution which has been in practice since 1992. The Committee teased out 44 items to engage the public in the discussion. In the end, 50% of the respondents requested for the preparation of a long-term national development plan which should be made binding on all successive governments. The government rejected it as it will 'have the effects of a command model of development planning and tie the hands of successive governments to the ideological interest and policies of a particular political party' . The Ghana Institute of Planners adopted an advocacy role by engaging the public through data collection, sensitization of its members, press briefings, stakeholder engagements, dialogue with key stakeholders to make our position known to the government. In the process other national bodies joined the 'crusade' and the government eventually adopted the concept and the plan is being prepared for implementation. Innovative risk-based planning & engagement for Natural Hazards Key organisations: Bay of Plenty Regional Council Location: Bay of Plenty Region, New Zealand. In 2012 the Bay of Plenty Regional Council (New Zealand) embarked on a process to change its Regional Policy Statement (RPS) to better manage risk through land use planning. The resulting 2016 operative RPS has risk-based natural hazards provisions that provide a regionally-consistent framework for managing the region’s natural hazards, including low likelihood and high consequence hazards, according to their risk (determined by both likelihood and consequence). This outcome, at the forefront of the nation’s risk approach to avoiding and mitigating natural hazards, was achieved through: formal governance direction and decision making, a collaborative project management process reflecting the complexity of the subject matter and the breadth to interests involved, and responsive policy formulation that took account of evolving national guidance, led innovative community engagement, and addressed the needs of stakeholders. Manurewa, Takanini and Papakura Integrated Area Plan Key organisations: Auckland Council. Location: Auckland, New Zealand. The Manurewa, Takanini and Papakura Integrated Area Plan, developed by Auckland Council, is a spatial plan that guides the long-term future of these areas. Its successful collaborative and innovative public engagement process, has demonstrated great innovation and planning practice in community consultation and public engagement. From start through to completion, Council set the challenge to carry out engagement that was easy to read, meaningful to the community, and would allow a diverse range of people to participate in the planning process. The result was creating a fluro-orange branded campaign with interactive engagement tools to create maximum visual impact. It was distinctive and created a common visual identity and engagement brand for the community and got people talking. The success of this approach is evident in the amount of feedback received and through the new relationships formed with the community, that truly represents the views of the people that live there. New Plymouth District Council - Building an E-Plan Key organisations: New Plymouth District Council, Isovist Ltd. Location: New Plymouth District, New Zealand. The New Plymouth E-plan is an on-line platform that provides a one stop shop for planning. E-planning will be a statutory requirement in New Zealand that councils will need to transition to over time. Being the first council with Isovist Ltd to produce a new GIS driven plan in a digital format we have created significant opportunities for others to benefit and leverage from so we can deliver more robust and consistent plans for our communities. The principles and innovations in this project are transferable to other planning systems not only in New Zealand but also in the Commonwealth. Risk Mapping and Planning for Urban Preparedness Key organisations: Beca International Consultants Limited. Location: Port Vila and Luganville, Vanuatu. The project assembled and interpreted a substantial body of existing data into risk maps fir the five natural hazards (flood, earthquake, wind, coastal inundation and tsunami) for the two main urban settlements of Vanuatu - Port Vila and Luganville. The maps categorised risks from natural hazards using a simplified "traffic light"approach. Future growth trends were examined as well as recent settlement patterns. A risk responsive management strategy was developed to address mapped hazard distributions including risk sensitive land use planning development controls (building code) and early warning system for evacuation planning. Community lead tsunami evacuation plans were developed and signage provided for evacuation routes. Evacuation drills have been undertaken. The project has provided the Government of Vanuatu planners and managers with evidence based, realistic but simplified hazard models and maps to allow risk responsive future planning. Te Tai Tokerau Papakāinga Toolkit Key organisations: Barker & Associates, in collaboration with Far North District Council, Kaipara District Council, Northland Regional Council and Whangarei District Council. Location: Northland, New Zealand. In mid-2017, four councils and a planning consultancy based in Northland, New Zealand began to work collaboratively on a guidance tool to assist Māori land owners to navigate the planning process to undertake papakāinga developments on their ancestral lands. The outcome of this collaboration was the Te Tai Tokerau Papakāinga Toolkit (‘the Toolkit’) and an associated summary brochure, which provide an accessible and informative medium to assist Māori land owners. The Toolkit simplifies the planning process into five identified steps with key contact details and associated questionnaires, checklists and diagrams. The document marries together traditional Māori concepts (tikanga) with the technical knowledge required to navigate the planning process. Communication is universal. The planning profession is often criticised for being overly wordy and long winded. The Toolkit shows that effective graphic design and simple communication techniques can be applied across the Commonwealth to effectively engage with stakeholders and communities. 2018-CAP-Awards_edited_edited.jpg 2018-CAP-Awards_edited_edited.jpg 1/1

14 August 2019 < Back The Planet in Intensive Care! 14 August 2019 CAP was represented by Neil Blackshaw (retired RTPI member and specialist in health and planning) at the launch of A “Manifesto to secure a healthy planet for all” at the Overseas League in London on 31st July. The Manifesto was developed by the InterAction Council a group of former heads of government that addresses some of the most difficult global challenges. The Manifesto to Secure a Healthy Planet for All – A Call for Emergency Action The launch was attended by representatives of the Governments of Papua New Guinea , Belize , Barbados, Sri Lanka, Germany, Denmark Ireland and Wales as well as many Commonwealth organisations, all of whom expressed strong support. The Manifesto draws on some of the most recent published research on climate change and biodiversity loss to argue that were the planet to be assessed as a patient it would be considered to be in a critical state, demanding of urgent and radical intervention. It effectively places an obligation on actors at all levels to work towards a healthy and sustainable environment. The basic premise is the need to align thinking and action on health and the environment. It builds on the work published in the Lancet since 2015 under the general title of Planetary Health. It also reflects the long-standing social determinants of health model and the WHO definition of health as ‘more than the absence of disease’. As such this initiative has great relevance for planning and and offers a valuable opportunity to build a common agenda with the health sector. It calls for the following broad actions. Security– A Critical Care Response for the Planet’s Health: with the declaration of a Climate and Environmental Crisis and the urgent establishment of an Emergency Response mechanism to ensure the rapid reversal of carbon emissions, the stabilisation of risks from runaway climate change and the protection of vulnerable populations. Recovery– Rehabilitation and Resilience: to enhance the recovery of the Planet’s Biodiversity and Eco-systems, creating healthy air, water, land and food systems, scaled up through Universal Health Systems for Planet, Place and People. A Flourishing Planet for All: combat denial and eco-anxiety bypromoting sustainable wellbeing by maximising multiple health and environmental benefits, including healthy eco-systems, and multi-sector, systems based urban planning and ‘One Health for One Planet Education’ approaches across the life-course, to create connected communities and cyclical economies, for a flourishing Planet for all. Guardianship for a Healthy Planet: every organisation and community to establish a ‘Guardian for the Planet’s Health’ responsible for:Planetary first aid, Emergency responses, Guardianship, Advocacy, Solutions, Unifying action and Sustaining a flourishing planet (PEGASUS); enabled by a Healthy Planet Index. Collaborative – Community and Health Professional Action: everyone can become a community ‘Guardian for the Planet’s Health’to: protect and strengthen resilience by greening communities; reduce consumption and waste, recycle and use clean energy and transport; walk, cycle and communicate digitally and shift to healthy, planet friendly foods. Community members, including health professionals can lead by example with quality services and promote healthy green communities with resilient families. Next steps Following on from the launch the Commonwealth Centre for Digital Health is establishing a hub to create a common resource to secure a healthy planet for all via a digital platform for Universal Health Systems for Planet, Place and People. This will be based at Southampton University, with a team of Commonwealth Digital Health Fellows. The Manifesto will be the subject of a side meeting at the forthcoming Climate Action Summit which is to be held in New York in September CAP Response CAP has endorsed the Manifesto in the above light. Speaking at the launch Neil Blackshaw outlined the work of CAO in influencing the sustainable development agenda He highlighted the critical importance of the process of urbanisation on health, climate change and the loss of biodiversity and the role of CAP in seeking to increase the capacity for planning throughout the Commonwealth. He also stressed the need for collaborative working with health organisations in meeting those challenges. It is hoped that there will be opportunities to collaborate with the Centre for Digital Health in both raising awareness of the urgency of the situation and developing capacity and strategies for meeting the challenge. In the long run it is hoped that the Manifesto will stimulate and facilitate closer working between health and planning organisations across the Commonwealth. Member organisations are thus urged to look for opportunities to pursue the actions outlined in the Manifesto on a collaborative basis. 2019_The_Planet_in_Intensive_Care.jpg 2019_The_Planet_in_Intensive_Care.jpg 1/1

Memorandums of Understanding 1 MoU between EAROPH (International) and EAROPH (Australia) and The Commonwealth Association of Planners (CAP) with New Zealand Planning Institute (NZPI) in Principle Read the MoU 2 MoU between The United Nations Human Settlement Programme (UN-Habitat) and The Association of Commonwealth Universities (ACU) and The Commonwealth Association of Architects (CAA) and The Commonwealth Association of Planners (CAP) and The Commonwealth Local Government Forum (CLGF) Read the MoU 3 MoU between The United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat) and The Commonwealth Lawyers Association (CLA) and The Commonwealth Association of Architects (CAA) and The Commonwealth Association of Planners (CAP) Read the MoU

05 October 2022 < Back Commonwealth Association of Planners East Africa Planning Network Formed to Address Challenges Cities Face 05 October 2022 The establishment of the East Africa Planning Network in June of 2022 will further the planning of sustainable, resilient cities and human settlements in East Africa. On June 23rd, 2022 a declaration to advance the planning profession in East Africa was signed in Kigali, Rwanda. The declaration establishes an East Africa Planning Network, an important step forward in recognising the essential contribution of planners to well-functioning and sustainable cities. It was signed by the Rwanda Urban Planning Institute, Uganda Institute of Physical Planners, Tanzania Institute of Town Planners, Kenya Institute of Planners, and Commonwealth Association of Planners. “With cities growing at a rapid rate across East Africa, there is an urgent need for shared knowledge, tools and skills among planners, so that cities and human settlements are inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable,” said Kelley Moore, Secretary General of the Commonwealth Association of Planners (CAP). “The coming together of the East Africa Network is an important beginning,” said Hon. Grace Tubwita, President of the Uganda Institute of Planners. “Our keeping together shall bring progress and working together shall ensure successful sustainable urban development in East Africa.”President of the Kenya Institute of Planners, Joakim Nyarangi, called the formation of the East Africa Network an idea whose time has come. “It brings with it the strength in Unity of Purpose to take required action to achieve sustainable urbanisation within our region and the larger Commonwealth.” The Rwanda Urban Planning Institute (RUPI), President, Vivien Munyaburanga, said: “Together we can tackle the challenges of urbanisation and the sustainable development of human settlements in Africa.” 221005-NEWS-ITEM-CAP-East-Africa-Network.jpg 221005-NEWS-ITEM-CAP-East-Africa-Network.jpg 1/1

07 July 2020 < Back Commonwealth Sustainable Urbanisation 07 July 2020 The Commonwealth Sustainable Urbanisation Programme was launched on 24 June by HRH The Prince of Wales. The Programme is a series of online free sessions which focus on engaging with the theme of sustainable urbanisation in the Commonwealth. With nearly 50% of the projected increase in the world’s urban population to 2050 forecast to be in the Commonwealth, there has never been a more important time for members of the Commonwealth to come together to tackle the challenges of climate change and rapid urbanisation; challenges which have now been compounded by the effects of the Coronavirus pandemic. The programme sets out to: Build on the momentum which has already been developed in response to the need for sustainable urbanisation in the Commonwealth. Inform and strengthen a call to action on sustainable urbanisation in the Commonwealth through exchange of ideas and good practice. In the face of the aftereffects of the COVID-19 pandemic, to advocate for the centrality of SDG 11 in reviewing the targets and achievements of the Sustainable Development Goals. Promote inter-disciplinary, cross-sector collaboration and engagement to address the challenges and unlock the opportunities presented by sustainable urbanisation across the Commonwealth. The programme is structured around the following key question: How can we collaborate more effectively to leverage the power of the Commonwealth to achieve sustainable urbanisation? The launch event is available as a recording online here . This online series will continue with weekly events through early September. The schedule of events and links to registration are here . 2020_Sustainable_Urbanisation_Programme.jpg 2020_Sustainable_Urbanisation_Programme.jpg 1/1

By Kristin Agnello, CAP Women in Planning Coordinator and CAP Vice-President, Canadian Institute of Planners < Back When Planners Design, We All Win 16 July, 2019 By Kristin Agnello, CAP Women in Planning Coordinator and CAP Vice-President, Canadian Institute of Planners “To inspire designers—too long the servants of producers—to better serve humanity as the ambassadors of the end-users: the citizens of the world.” ~Montreal Design Declaration, 2017 Nestled in the heart of the Cité du Design, the room is buzzing with debate, deliberation, and innovation. To my left sits a graphic designer and to my right, a social design researcher - both engaged in the debate about the future of design and what it means for society. Professionals, academics, government and privately-funded researchers, and nonprofit design organizations – representing a wide-variety of disciplines – are gathered at the Design Declaration Pre-Summit Meetings in Saint-Étienne to discuss the world’s most wicked problems and the role of design in solving them. Pressing and highly complex, wicked problems have multiple causal factors and high levels of disagreement about the nature of the problems – and the approach to addressing them. Flashback to October 2017, when delegates from 22 international organizations, representing over 500,000 creative professionals – met for the first time to discuss design as a driver of innovation, growth, development, and prosperity. This inaugural World Design Summit Meeting in Montréal concluded with the ratification of the unprecedented Montréal Design Declaration in the presence of three UN agencies. The Declaration proclaims the potential of design to achieve global economic, social, environmental and cultural objectives and marks the first time that the design community - across disciplines - began speaking with one voice. The Design Declaration Pre-Summit Meeting that took place in Saint-Étienne in April 2019 represents the first milestone on a path toward realizing the aspirational goals and vision outlined the Montréal Design Declaration. This meeting focused on the development and deliberation of three key projects that were identified as highest priority by the Declaration Signatories in a recent internal survey: design metrics; design research and education; and government design policy. Design Metrics Too often, planning and design discourse is bogged down with jargon, technical details, and industry-specific references. But, how we articulate design intent is critical to conveying the value of design to society. Conversations must begin early and include everyone in society, utilizing metrics that are relevant to designers and non-designers alike. By not adequately conveying the value of planning and design, non-designers may undervalue the role and potential of design for social transformation, and – perhaps more importantly – underestimate the social and economic costs of bad design. Design Research and Education Design thinking is increasingly being recognized in business, government, and beyond, as a core skill and a key indicator of success. The time has come to ensure that design education adequately equips professionals with the skills necessary to take on management and governance roles. There is currently a significant gap between academia and practice in the design disciplines and discussions are underway about how to address this gap through mentorship, co-operative work terms, and reimagined educational approaches. If creativity and innovation are to be valued, then we must prepare our students and professionals with the skills needed for them to be valuable. Government Design Policy If design is to be leveraged worldwide to improve the lives of everyone, everywhere, then perhaps it is time to reevaluate the policy directions that impact – and are impacted by – our government leaders, funding agencies, and agents of change. To create an international design policy – by designers for designers – that embraces intersectionality and drives social and spatial change could address specific challenges in design standards, nomenclature, evaluation, and education. However, to be effective, such a policy would require a powerful cohort of leaders who will champion the power and potential of design in all disciplines and discussions. The Design Declaration and the Future of Planning Reflecting upon the discussions that took place at both the World Design Summit Meeting in Montréal and the Design Declaration Pre-Summit Meeting in Saint-Etienne, there is great potential to leverage planning and design to confront social and economic inequities and address environmental concerns. It cannot be understated that the environmental and social emergencies that we are facing have prompted an urgency that has never before been articulated in our profession: we cannot build our way out of disaster once it has occurred. Planning needs to remain a forward thinking profession, driven by innovation, intersectional collaboration, and creative exploration. If the heart of design and invention is prototyping, perhaps there is an opportunity to approach planning – and through it, the wicked problems of the world – within a mindset of exploration, experimentation, and critical reflection. “Because everyone deserves to live in a well-designed world.” For more information about the Design Declaration Summits, please click here . Click here to read the Montreal Design Declaration Previous Back to Top Next

08 May 2017 < Back World Urban Forum 08 May 2017 The capital of Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, will host the Ninth session of the World Urban Forum (WUF9) in 2018. UN-Habitat, the United Nations Human Settlements Programme, as the convener of WUF, announced the decision on Monday 3 November as the culmination of a six months bidding process. United Nations Under-Secretary-General and UN-Habitat Executive Director, Dr. Joan Clos, has informed Minister of Urban Wellbeing, Housing and Local Government of Malaysia, Datuk Abdul Rahman Dahlan, of the decision during the Fifth Asia Pacific Ministerial Conference on Housing and Urban Development (APMCHUD) that is currently being held in Seoul, Republic of Korea, from 3 to 5 November 2014. After the bilateral meeting held with the Minister, Dr. Clos remarked that, in addition to its excellent bid, Kuala Lumpur was “bringing the WUF back to Asia. The continent has hosted the Forum once in 2008 in Nanjing, China, but it is where more than half of the world’s urban population lives,” he said. “This region has accounted for about 65 per cent of the demographic expansion of all urban areas across the world since the beginning of the 21st century.” Clos extended his congratulations to the city of Kuala Lumpur and the Government of Malaysia for its commitment towards sustainable urban development by hosting the Forum. “At the World Urban Forum, thousands of stakeholders meet every two years to share practices and knowledge on how cities are built, planned and managed”. WUF9 will be the first Forum to be held after the Post 2015 Development Agenda Process and the United Nations Conference on Housing and Sustainable Urban Development – Habitat III in 2016. The Habitat conference is a global legislative conference organized every 20 years to review and define the urban agenda and pave the way for UN-Habitat’s vision towards a new urban future. Click here for full details NEWS-ITEM-2018-World-Forum-2.jpg NEWS-ITEM-2018-World-Forum-2.jpg 1/1

31 May 2018 < Back Committee of the Whole - Meeting with Accredited Commonwealth Organisations 31 May 2018 The Committee of the Whole (COW) meeting of High Commissioners or other Senior representatives of all Commonwealth countries took place on 20 March 2018 at Marlborough House, London. The meeting included an opportunity for civil society organisations to present to COW issues which civil society wishes to promote to heads of Government. CAP, represented by Clive Harridge, worked with the Commonwealth Association of Architects (CAA) on behalf of all civil society organisations to prepare a paper for COW entitled “A More Sustainable Future”. CAP was most honoured to be given this responsibility. The paper was one of five papers presented by civil society to COW, the others being: A Fairer Future A More Prosperous Future A More Secure Future Partnerships in the Commonwealth The full civil society report including the section prepared by CAP and CAA is available here: Submission by Commonwealth Civil Society Organisations 2018-Committee-of-the-Whole.jpg 2018-Committee-of-the-Whole.jpg 1/1

CAP's Young Planners’ Network connects and mobilises planning students and young planners across the Commonwealth, bringing a youth perspective to the work of CAP. YOUNG PLANNERS YPtop The CAP Young Planners’ Network connects and mobilises planning students and young planners across the Commonwealth to help address the needs of young planners and youth more generally, and to contribute a youth perspective to the work of CAP. CAP is a co-founding member of the Commonwealth Youth for Sustainable Urbanisation Network. If you are a young planning student/professional (aged 15-35), you can be too! LEARN MORE . You are eligible to join CAP's Young Planners’ Network if you are a planning student or have less than 10 years post qualification experience. Go to: Aims and Objectives Priorities Thematic Topics Activities Connect with us Get in touch CAP Essay 2020 Winners AimsObjectives 2023 has been declared a year dedicated to youth-led action for sustainable and inclusive development. Learn more Aims and Objectives Inspire Young people are attracted to the Planning profession and the association. Improve Young planners are equipped to confidently meet the immediate needs and future demands of their communities and the global world. Influence The value and purpose of planning is recognised locally, nationally, globally across sectors and other Commonwealth Nations join the association. BACK TO TOP Priorities Connect Provide a platform for members to support each other, network, develop skills and capacity, exchange and share information/ideas, build professional knowledge and ethical practice. Campaign Raise the profile of planning profession and the importance of engaging young people and young planners from conception to delivery Collaborate Work together with other professionals, relevant national, Commonwealth and international governmental and nongovernmental organisations. Contribute Actively participate in improving the quality of life and well-being of communities BACK TO TOP Thematic Topics Planning and Public Health Climate Action and Biodiversity Gains New Urban Agenda and Implementation of Sustainable Development Goals Disaster management and Humanitarian Response The Planning System and children/Young People Urban Resilience Rapid Urbanisation Rural-Urban Migration Planning Education Planning Profession and Capacity Building Planning Profession and Young People Leave no one and no place behind – Improve the quality of life and experiences of all particularly young people. Professional and Career Development Support BACK TO TOP Activities Webinars Virtual Study Tours Training Events CPD Sessions Networking Sessions Mapathon Social events BACK TO TOP Connect with Us Let’s have a chat, share your stories, ideas and achievements to inspire others on our social media platforms: Twitter - @CAPYoungPlan Facebook Page - @YPCAP Facebook Group – CAP Young Planners Network Instagram – @capyoungplanners LinkedIn Page – www.linkedin.com/company/capyoungplannersnetwork LinkedIn Group – CAP Young Planners Network BACK TO TOP Get in touch Our activities are planned by the steering group and sub-groups who meet regularly to organise and discuss future activities. Sub-groups are run by volunteers and always looking for new members to join. We are interested in articles and papers you have written about Planning in your country or work and if you have an idea for events or would just like to get more involved in the network, email me at capyoungplannersnetwork@gmail.com . I look forward to hearing from you and sharing any ideas you have. BACK TO TOP Priorities ThematicTopics Activities Connect Olafiyin Taiwo CAP Young Planners Network Coordinator capyoungplannersnetwork@gmail.com Previous YP News 2020 CAP Young Planners Essay Competition Winner s CAP congratulates the winners of the 2020 Commonwealth Young Planners’ Network Essay Competition. The winners were announced in a special web-based event on World Town Planning Day, 8th November 2020, hosted by CAP President, Mrs Dyan Currie AM. In her remarks, the winner, Kloe Ng of Singapore Institute of Planners said “Thank you for this award. Whilst it has been a tumultuous year, Planners have undoubtedly risen to the challenge.” To read their essays, click on the winners names: 1st Place: Kloe Ng (Singapore) 2nd Place: Wendy Jo Misfud (Malta) 3rd Place: Olumuyiwa Ojelade (Nigeria) 4th Place: Olasunkanmi Habeeb Okunola (Nigeria) 5th Place: Maddi Marks (Australia) CAP Young Planners Essay Competition 2020 sought entries from Young Planners on the critical theme of “Post Covid Building Resilience: The Role of Planners in the Commonwealth”. Prizes of £100, £60 and £30 in vouchers to the 3 best entries. See the full details of the Call for Entries See the SHORTLIST for the CAP Young Planners Essay Competition 2020, announced on Oct 13, 2020 Faces of CAP Young Planners Network June 21, 2020 Moments that tell stories… At CAP Young Planners Network, we are currently working on new content and extending our reach to Young People and other Young Planners. But we need your help! ... Full details LatestYPNews

20 November 2018 < Back CAP Young Planners at CAP Business Meeting and Planning - Africa 2018 20 November 2018 Cape Town and CAP’s involvement in the Planning Africa Conference was excellent. The CAP Business Meeting was interesting with the WUF and Commonwealth Summit in the next two years there is a lot of room to be expanding the Young Planners agenda, our activities and promoting the SDGs further in the Commonwealth context. A key highlight was the launch of our Women in Planning Manifesto and the launch of our Young Planners Call for Practice , which aims to find ideas across the Commonwealth for engaging better with Young People . CAP was able to be a large part of the Planning Africa Conference, with a number of us speaking at a Plenary about Africa and the Commonwealth: The achievement of the New Urban Agenda, where we advocated for the localization of the SDGs, ensuring that they were seen positively and applied to local contexts. I was also proud to present the CAP Youth Manifesto to the Young Planners Colloquium trying to inspire Young Planners to move forward and change the status quo in the profession. It was also the inaugural CAP awards , which seen Bay of Plenty Regional Council, Enfocus, GNS Science & Integrity Professionals Limited in New Zealand win 1st prize for a project titled Innovative risk-based planning & engagement for Natural Hazards. It was very much a different experience to the discussions we have in the UK around Planning. I felt that the discussions at the Planning Africa Conference were very much progressive, focussed on governance, partnerships and tackling some of the problems that have been passed down through a colonial planning system. Planners were passionate and were acting as activists, fighting for more social justice, environmental sustainability whilst trying to be progressive about economic development throughout Africa. Government from local, regional to national, had a strong role to play in the future of South Africa and that was very much apparent from the plenary and the attendance at the Conference. It valued Local Government and seen the benefits that it can have in making positive change for the people of Africa. The issues still resonated to some level in the UK- housing, economic development and the need to deliver infrastructure across the Continent. Planners were felt to be empowered not only by their peers but by politician, NGOs and the wider built environment sector. They were told fight for a better system, one that represented Africa, and challenge politicians who do not listen to their views. Overall it was an experience I will not forget, one that allowed me to see different planning contexts, the practices that were taking place, the value others place on Governance/Government and how we could learn from other parts of the Commonwealth and apply them to our own context. Joanna Patton (Canadian Institute of Planners) and Wessel Strydom (South African Planning Institute) our CAP Essay winners also attended the CAP biennial Business Meeting and Planning Africa 2018 in Cape Town, South Africa 14-17 October 2018. They have both provided their thoughts on the conference, what they learnt and provided some excellent insights about the profession as a whole in the Commonwealth: A copy of their article is available here: Joanna Patton (Canadian Institute of Planners) Wessel Strydom (South African Planning Institute) For me it was a pleasure to meet both of these excellent town planners. We talked about each of our different planning regimes and talked about the importance of the Commonwealth in helping to deliver the SDGs. They both provided great insights into their planning careers in both South Africa and Canada and it was great to learn from them. I look forward to another 2 years of promoting Town Planning across the Commonwealth, and look forward to meeting more inspiring and enthusiastic Young Planners, like Joanna and Wessel, in the near future. Viral Desai CAP Young Planners Co-ordinator 2018_CAP_YPs_at_Business_Meeting.jpg 2018_CAP_YPs_at_Business_Meeting.jpg 1/1