08 December 2015 < Back CAP Achieves Success at CHOGM 08 December 2015 CAP has achieved a great success in securing recognition of the importance of planning and the UNs Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) held in Malta in November 2015. For the first time ever CAP participated in the main Commonwealth People’s Forum (CPF) programme, and also for the first time our CHOGM representations have been appended to the main CHOGM communiqué. Our key messages about the importance of planning in helping address the huge challenges being faced in the Commonwealth and the key role that planners can have in the implementation of the SDGs have been strongly reflected in the various outcome documents. CAP has been working for a long time to ensure that the role of planning was acknowledged by Heads of Government and others at CHOGM. The ‘Latest News’ section of CAPs web site identifies some of the preparatory work that was undertaken including representing civil society in promoting the need for Commonwealth governments to act on the SDGs. CAP was represented at CHOGM by President Dyan Currie and Secretary-General Clive Harridge who attended a variety of events including the CPF, the Commonwealth Business Forum and the CHOGM meeting of Foreign Ministers. Meetings were also held with the Malta Chamber of Planners. Commonwealth Peoples Forum The overall theme of the CPF was ‘What makes societies Resilient?’ CAP had the privilege of participating in one of the key sessions at the CPF where Dyan Currie gave a presentation on Planning for Resilient Urbanisation. This is first time that CAP has been directly involved in the main CPF programme. This session was chaired by Vijay Krishnarayan the Director of the Commonwealth Foundation and included contributions from Lucy Slack of the Commonwealth Local Government Forum and a Nigerian architect Kunle Adeyemi. In a parallel fringe event organised by the Commonwealth Human Ecology Council, Clive Harridge gave a presentation on planning for biodiversity and food security. CAPs involvement in the CPF and our key messages around the need for effective planning are directly reflected in the CPF communique entitled “Malta Declaration on Governance for Resilience”. The Declaration includes the following section which picks up on much of what was in Dyan Currie’s presentation: “Planning for Resilient Urbanisation 22. Urbanisation is a leading global trend with long term impacts. We welcome SDG 11 which calls for cities and human settlements which are inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable; and which call for processes that enhance people’s participation. Many Commonwealth cities are home to extreme deprivation and environmental degradation. Globally one billion people live in slums, with nearly 70 percent of the world’s capital cities located near water. This together with climate change and risks posed by flooding represents an enormous and growing risk for cities and urban development. Population growth rates, aging population, growing urban unemployment, changes in patterns of human settlements, food security and transport and access to infrastructure are all significant issues of relevance in planning for resilient urbanisation. 23. Achieving resilient urbanisation and planning for sustainable human settlements requires inclusive people’s participation. An ultimate goal in planning for resilient urbanisation is to work with governments and communities to ensure informed decisions are made in a democratic process. Resilient urban planning necessitates working across a range of technical professions; helping governments look at and understand risk; and helping communities by understanding their needs during planning. 24. Planning for resilience is not a neutral technocratic process, but an inclusive one, bringing all stakeholders to the table. New relationship structures need to be built to allow for partnerships between Local Government, women, youth, communities, and the private sector. Also, national/local government coordination needs to be strengthened. Consensus and buy-in can help Local Governments to leverage national government and private funding for continued services and to avoid misappropriation of public spaces and resources. Good practices such as the example of the floating school platform project in Nigeria illustrates the opportunities to plan for resilient urbanisation, highlighting innovation, and the use of adaptive technology.” There are numerous other references in the Declaration which are directly relevant to planning and the work of CAP, including sections on climate resilience in small states, education for sustainable development, food challenges and health. The full communique is available here . Commonwealth Business Forum CAP attended the Business Forum at the invitation of the organisers – the Commonwealth Enterprise and Investment Council. Some 1200 business leaders attended the event under the theme of “Adding Global Value – Creating a more Prosperous Commonwealth”. In CAPs earlier submission to CHOGM we had identified the highly significant role of the private sector in helping secure the successful delivery of the SDGs. The Business Forum discussed a “Commonwealth Vision for Sustainable Growth” and acknowledged the importance of the business community in helping achieve the SDGs over the next 15 years. Clive Harridge spoke up for planning in a plenary discussion focussed on Smart Cities, and in the Business Forum’s closing session HRH Prince Charles spoke about the huge challenges posed by rapid urbanisation and the need to “design cities around people not cars”. Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting Commonwealth Heads of Government agreed a Communiqué which took into account prior representations submitted by civil society (including from CAP) as well as the separate communiqués from the parallel fora including the CPF and the Business Forum. The Heads’ communiqué gives specific attention to sustainable development and the SDGs: “15. Heads welcomed the adoption of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, an historic outcome which has the ability to transform the world. They recognised that implementation of this Agenda would lead to the eradication of poverty in all its dimensions and ensure no one is left behind. Heads committed to support its implementation by 2030. They reaffirmed their commitment to work together to create an enabling environment to implement the 2030 Agenda in the spirit of global partnership and solidarity.” Elsewhere in the Communiqué, Heads recognised: the need for good governance, the specific challenges faced by small states, the urgency of tackling climate change, the vital role that young people play, the need for gender equality and the importance of public health. These are all areas in which CAP is working. In addition Heads of Government gave recognition to the role of civil society in the Commonwealth and specifically to accredited organisations which include CAP: “44. Heads welcomed the continued active participation and support of the eighty accredited organisations. Heads recognised that each had a valuable role in promoting Commonwealth values and principles; providing innovative thinking, advocacy and practical support for Commonwealth citizens; and raising the profile and impact of the Commonwealth as a whole. Heads noted the thoughtful submissions prepared collectively by accredited organisations, as annexed. 45. Heads underscored the need for greater collaboration among accredited organisations … They also encouraged cooperation with the United Nations, particularly its Specialised Agencies, as well as with relevant regional intergovernmental organisations given that they have complementary capacities, so as to promote synergies and significantly contribute to enhanced outcomes within and across the Commonwealth.” The full CHOGM communique is available here . It is excellent to see the work undertaken by CAP and other accredited civil society organisations so warmly recognised by Commonwealth Heads of Government. The submission which CAP made to Government Heads and presented in advance of CHOGM to the Committee of the Whole (composed of High Commissioners and Heads of Mission of all Commonwealth Countries) was annexed to the communiqué – a first for CAP. See the ‘Latest News’ section on CAPs web site for further information on CAPs submission prior to CHOGM. Malta Chamber of Planners Alongside the formal CHOGM events, Dyan Currie and Clive Harridge met with representatives of the Malta Chamber of Planners. The planning profession in Malta is facing many challenges and discussions were held on how CAP could provide a supportive role and help promote the value of planning in the country. Conclusions CHOGM takes place every 2 years and provides an excellent opportunity for CAP to engage with Government leaders as well as other civil society organisations and Commonwealth bodies. The various outcome communiqués provide a framework and agenda for action over subsequent years which is why it is so important for CAP to fully engage with the events and promote the crucial role and value of planning. CAPs preparations for CHOGM began at the end of 2014 and we have achieved great success. For the first time ever CAP participated in the main CPF programme and also for the first time our CHOGM representations have been appended to the main CHOGM communiqué. Our key messages about the importance of planning in helping address the huge challenges being faced in the Commonwealth and the key role that planners can have in the implementation of the SDGs have been strongly reflected in the various outcome documents. CAP is now working on how best to build on this success and secure effective follow up. Clive Harridge CAP Secretary General NEWS-ITEM-CHOGM-Malta-2015.png NEWS-ITEM-CHOGM-Malta-2015.png 1/1

By Kelley Moore, MA, RPP, FCIP < Back Adjusting Our Sails: Reflections on the SDGs from HLPF 2026 30 August 2026 By Kelley Moore, MA, RPP, FCIP I arrived in New York for the 2026 High-Level Political Forum (HLPF) carrying a question I wasn't entirely sure I would be able to answer. Against a backdrop of geopolitical uncertainty, economic pressures, accelerating climate impacts and uneven progress toward the Sustainable Development Goals, I wanted to listen carefully to the language being used by governments and institutions. Not simply to what was being affirmed formally, but to what might be changing underneath it. Would I hear subtle indications of retreat? I didn't expect countries to abandon the commitments they had made. My question was whether the scale of the obstacles was beginning to alter our expectations. Were ambitions becoming more qualified? Were we beginning to accommodate the possibility of doing less? As 2030 approached, were there signs that the difficulty of the journey was beginning to change the destination? Over the days that followed, I listened for it. I didn't hear it. What I heard instead was something more nuanced — and, I think, more important. There was considerable realism about how difficult the road ahead has become. There was acknowledgement that progress has been uneven and that not every Goal may be achieved by 2030. But I did not hear that reality being used as an argument for lowering ambition. I heard urgency. The message repeated in different ways throughout the week was that this is the time to accelerate implementation: to remove bottlenecks, strengthen partnerships, localize action and turn commitments into outcomes. One phrase stayed with me: the remaining years cannot become another “reporting cycle.” They need to become an “action cycle.” Another called on us to “remove bottlenecks, not ambitions.” Those statements captured much of what I was hearing. Early in HLPF, one speaker asked us to imagine looking back at this moment from the future. What would we see? Would this be the point at which we recognized the trajectory we were on and made the decisions necessary to change it? That image stayed with me throughout the week. Perhaps because I think of trajectory less as a straight line than as a course. When sailing, a relatively small change in heading made at the right moment can determine an entirely different place of arrival. But changing course requires first being honest about where you are, the conditions around you and where your present heading will take you. There was little attempt at HLPF to disguise those conditions. Progress toward the SDGs is insufficient. Climate impacts are intensifying. Inequality persists. Housing and infrastructure pressures are growing. Conflict and displacement are affecting millions of people. Financial and institutional capacity is constrained in many places. The current trajectory is not taking us where we need to go. But that is different from accepting the trajectory as inevitable. The question is what we change now. Not someday. Now. The Sustainable Development Goals were never intended simply as a set of global aspirations. They were intended to change outcomes. Increasingly, the challenge is translating that ambition into decisions about how we use land, where and how we build, how we invest in infrastructure, how people move, where housing is provided, how communities prepare for climate impacts, how natural systems are protected and restored, and how the benefits and burdens of development are shared. For planners, this should sound familiar. Implementation is where our profession lives. It is also where systems meet one another. Housing cannot be separated from transportation. Infrastructure cannot be separated from land use. Climate resilience cannot be separated from how and where communities grow. Economic opportunity, health, inclusion, heritage and biodiversity all have spatial dimensions. We often describe the answer as integration. Increasingly, I wonder whether what is required is something more. Synthesis. Integration can bring different systems, disciplines and perspectives together. Synthesis asks what new understanding and new possibilities emerge when we bring knowledge together in ways that change how we understand the problem itself. That requires partnership, but genuine partnership asks more of us than assembling different perspectives around the same table. It asks us to layer knowledge, authority, experience and capacity — to learn from what becomes visible when one way of understanding a challenge encounters another. I saw a powerful example of this during a roundtable on urban resilience. Dr. Wafa Al-Daly, a planner from Yemen whose understanding of recovery is informed by lived experience, spoke about what it means to rebuild communities affected by disaster and conflict. Her message was simple: we cannot focus only on rebuilding buildings. We have to rebuild people. Dr. Wafa Al-Daly speaking on reconstruction, return and belonging during an HLPF 2026 side event on urban resilience. There is an important synthesis in that understanding. If we think about recovery primarily through the physical systems that have been damaged, rebuilding can become an exercise in reconstructing what was lost. But layer onto that the lived experience of people — displacement, trauma, disrupted relationships, lost livelihoods and the meaning attached to home and community — and our understanding of what needs to be rebuilt changes. The knowledge does not simply sit alongside what we already knew. It changes what we see. I have thought about that often since. Our work can easily become a conversation about systems, frameworks, indicators, targets, infrastructure and physical development. All are necessary. But none is the reason we do the work. People are. And even that is not quite enough. Human life does not exist apart from the natural world. The water we drink, the air we breathe, the food we grow, the ecosystems that regulate climate and support biodiversity — our lives depend upon a much larger web of life. Perhaps this requires synthesis too: not people on one side and nature on the other, requiring us to find a balance between competing interests, but a deeper understanding that they are inseparable. When we understand that relationship differently, it changes what sustainable development asks of us. It is about life — and how we care for that which life depends upon. What became visible over those days in New York was the extraordinary volume of work already underway — across countries, cities, international institutions, professions, civil society and communities — to advance sustainable development and, particularly from where I was sitting, SDG 11. This gave me clarity. There is more happening than I had fully appreciated before I arrived. More partnerships. More tools. More knowledge being exchanged. More attention to implementation and localization. More people working, in different places and in different ways, on pieces of the same enormous challenge. And still, it is not enough. That is not a contradiction. It may be one of the most important things I brought home from HLPF. Around the world, people and institutions are working to change our trajectory. We are learning as we go, adjusting our course as conditions change, refining what we do as evidence tells us what is working and what is not. Sometimes that means doing more. Sometimes it means doing something differently. And sometimes it means connecting knowledge, experience or action in ways we have not connected them before — allowing a new understanding to change what we thought the problem, or the solution, was. That is part of the value of the SDG framework. It gives us a shared destination and a way to see how our individual efforts relate to something larger. It creates opportunities to learn across places, sectors and disciplines and to recognize connections that might otherwise remain unseen. The image from those opening days of HLPF continues to stay with me: imagine ourselves in the future, looking back at this moment. Perhaps we will see this not as the moment when we discovered we were on the wrong course, but as one of the moments when we understood more clearly the adjustments still required. The sails are already up. We are moving. We are making adjustments individually and together. The work underway matters enormously. But our present trajectory tells us that further adjustment is needed. That is the significance of this moment. We have the commitment. We have an extraordinary and growing body of work to build upon. And through the SDGs, we have both a shared destination and a framework for learning from one another, making new connections and continually refining our collective course. The progress already achieved matters. Since 2015, nearly one billion more people have gained access to safely managed drinking water and 1.2 billion to safely managed sanitation ( Sustainable Development Goal Report 2026 - Goal 6 ). And as Annalena Baerbock, President of the United Nations General Assembly, reminded us at HLPF, achieving even 80 per cent of the goal to end hunger would improve the lives of half a billion people. Aki Temiseva, President and CEO of the United Nations Association in Canada, offered another reminder: “It always seems impossible until it’s done.” Those messages stayed with me because they put the distance still to travel into perspective. Every bit of progress matters. Every action that moves us closer to the Sustainable Development Goals makes a difference, even when we fall short of where we intended to be. And those individual actions become cumulatively more powerful when they are connected to the efforts of others. The task now is to use all of it — what we know, what we are learning, what is already working, and what we have not yet connected — to take us somewhere better. There are strong headwinds. We know that. But we are not sailing alone. Across countries and communities, institutions and professions, people are working toward the shared destination set out in the Sustainable Development Goals. We can learn from one another, adjust as evidence tells us we must, and discover new possibilities by bringing together knowledge and experience in ways we have not before. That may be what I heard most clearly at HLPF. The obstacles were real and openly acknowledged. But I did not hear them being used as a reason to retreat from the destination. I heard people asking what more could be done, what could be done differently, and what might become possible if we worked differently together. The headwinds may be strong, but so is the collective effort moving us forward. As the international community now turns toward the United Nations General Assembly High-level Week ( General Assembly High-level Week 2026 ), I will be listening again. Not simply for renewed commitments to the Sustainable Development Goals, but for how we intend to act on them — what we will do differently, what new connections we will make, and how we will strengthen the collective effort needed to change our trajectory. Previous Back to Top Next

03 January 2018 < Back CAP speaks at UNs COP23 Climate Change Conference and helps launch “Planners for Climate Action” 03 January 2018 CAP was an active participant in the United Nations COP23 Climate Change conference held in Bonn from 30 October – 17 November 2017. In particular, CAP participated in the launch of the Planners for Climate Action initiative as part of the COP23 Human Settlements day on the 11 November. Speaking at the launch CAPs Secretary- General, Clive Harridge said: “Climate change is of huge significance to Commonwealth nations many of which are highly vulnerable to climate change impacts and extreme weather events. Urban and regional planners have a critical role in helping secure a more sustainable and resilient future for all. It is a privilege to be part of this important global initiative bringing together planners from around the world.” The context for the launch of the initiative was provided by two round table sessions – one focussed in the role of planning professionals and the other on planning education. The planning professionals session was led by a small group of panellists as follows: Shipra Narang Suri – UN Habitat Didier Vancutsem – International Society of City and Regional Planners (ISOCARP) Jeff Soule – American Planning Association Shi Nan - Urban Planning Society of China (participated by video link) Clive Harridge - Commonwealth Association of Planners The official launch of Planners for Climate Action was by Dr Joan Clos, UN Habitat Executive Director and Said Mouline Director General of AMEE (Moroccan Agency for Energy Efficiency). In launching the initiative Dr Clos spoke about the urgent need for effective planning as one of the key tools to help mitigate the causes of climate change and to make cities more climate resilient. Cities’ contribution to total greenhouse gas emissions is estimated at between 37 per cent an 49 per cent globally – a significant portion of total emissions. At the same time, the global population is expected to be 70 per cent urban by 2050 and the majority of urban growth is taking place in medium and small human settlements. Despite the significant challenges that they present, it is increasingly evident that well-planned cities can reduce congestion, pollution and provide energy efficiency, leading to reduced emissions. The Paris Agreement, the Sustainable Development Goals and the New Urban Agenda all acknowledge the role that cities have to play in combating climate change. Under the Marrakesh Partnership for Global Climate Action, Human Settlements Day at COP23 promoted the invaluable role of non-state actors in global action towards curbing and mitigating climate change while also emphasizing the nexus between these two key issues. Urban and regional planners have a key role to play in reducing greenhouse gas emissions and building climate resilience. The Planners for Climate Action initiative aims to bring global, regional and national associations of planning professionals and planning educators together to ensure that their expertise is incorporated into discussion and action. Among other activities Planners for Climate Action will: Advocate for strengthened and accelerated urban and regional planning Help to monitor implementation of relevant targets Map and share knowledge Jointly develop guidance and knowledge products Provide substantive input to ongoing relevant initiatives Further actions to implement and promote the initiative will take place at World Urban Forum 9 to be held on Kuala Lumpur in February 2018. Further information For further information about CAPs contribution to COP23 and Planners for Climate Action please contact Clive Harridge A press release announcing Planners for Climate Action can be found here 2018-NEWS-CAP-speaks-at-UNs-COP23-Climate-Change-Conference.jpg 2018-NEWS-CAP-speaks-at-UNs-COP23-Climate-Change-Conference.jpg 1/1

02 December 2020 < Back New President Elected at CAP’s 2020 Business Meeting 02 December 2020 The 2020 Business Meeting of CAP was held from 23rd – 25th November and the first order of business was to announce the result of the election of the new President of CAP. The new President, elected by the CAP membership is Eleanor Mohammed of Canada. Eleanor is well known to many in CAP, having served for six years until the summer of 2020 as President of the Canadian Institute of Planners (CIP/ICU). She has worked alongside the serving President, Dyan Currie at Habitat III and two World Urban Forums (in 2016, 2018 and 2020), as well as at numerous international events, and on the Global Planners Network. Eleanor is CAP’s first Canadian President. Congratulations to Eleanor! The Business Meeting, like the election, was conducted online this year, owing to the Covid-19 pandemic and travel restrictions. Chaired by the serving President, Dyan Currie, the meeting was held over two sessions totalling 5½ hours and included representatives from New Zealand, Australia, Malaysia, Sri Lanka, India, Malta, the United Kingdom, Ghana, Barbados and Canada. The business covered a wide range of topics, reviewing activities over the two years since the previous meeting in South Africa and setting the course for the Association over the coming two years. The meeting heard reports from the President, Secretary-General (Clive Harridge), its Patron (Trudi Elliott), the Young Planners Network (Olafiyin Taiwo), and the Women in Planning Network (Kristin Agnello). Reports were also received from the New Zealand Planning Institute, the Malaysian Institute of Planners, the Planning Institute of Australia, the Institute of Town Planners Sri Lanka, the Institute of Town Planners, India, the Malta Chamber of Planners, the Royal Town Planning Institute, the Barbados Town Planning Society and the Canadian Institute of Planners.Several important areas of work were necessarily delegated to the Executive Committee under the leadership of the new President, including finalising the budget for the coming years, updating the CAP Strategy and reviewing the subscription rates for 2022. In the meantime, a draft budget was approved for guidance purposes and it was agreed to hold subscriptions unchanged for 2021.Clive Harridge notified the meeting of his intention to step down as Secretary-General after being in post for 10 years but was happy to continue in role until a replacement is appointed by the Executive Committee. Clive will then continue involvement in CAP in a variety of ways going forward. The meeting took time to celebrate Dyan’s Presidency since 2014, acknowledging the range and scale of achievements under her leadership. She was presented with (real) flowers from CAP – via her husband, Kevin – and a booklet (virtually – hard copy to be posted on) with greetings and celebratory comments from friends and colleagues around the world. Secretary-General, Clive Harridge, read out a few of the many wonderful comments, including from the RTPI President, Sue Manns, and UN Habitat Executive Director and Under-Secretary-General Ms Maimunah Modh. Mohammed, amongst others.Dyan herself presented a number of photographs recalling the people she has met in her time in office around the globe (in places like Fiji, Malaysia, India, Malta, the UK, Africa and North and South America) and her notable introductions to Her Majesty The Queen, HRH Prince Charles and many dignitaries across the Commonwealth.As ever with Dyan, the meeting was hard-working but filled with laughter and, at the end, a few tears. She will be missed as President – but will continue as a special envoy leading work on the Sustainable Cities Initiative (into the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Rwanda in 2021) and was unanimously appointed as an Honorary Vice President for CAP.And so CAP moves into a new era under the leadership of our new President, Eleanor Mohammed. Welcome Eleanor! CAP-President-Eleanor-Mohammed.jpg CAP_Business_Meeting.jpg CAP-Dyan-Currie.jpg CAP-President-Eleanor-Mohammed.jpg 1/3

BLOG The CAP Blog offers insight and examination of issues relevant to planning in the commonwealth. Click here for guidance on writing and submitting a blog post. Adjusting Our Sails: Reflections on the SDGs from HLPF 2026 30 August 2026 By Kelley Moore, MA, RPP, FCIP Read More Recovering the Future : A Framework for Transformative Recovery from Disaster 24 June 2026 By Kelley Moore, MA, RPP, FCIP Read More CAP Reflects for WUF 13 26 May 2026 By Kelley Moore, MA, RPP, FCIP Read More 2024: An Extraordinary CAP Year 19 December, 2024 By Jua Cilliers, CAP President Read More Richard C Gill - An Outstanding Planning Professional in Barbados, the Caribbean, and the Commonwealth 6 June 2024 By Lionel Nurse Read More CAP Elections 2023 25 October 2023 (Updated 14 November 2023) By Kathryn Austin Read More Planning, Sustainable Urbanisation, and The Commonwealth: Read the Book on CAP's Achievements and Why It Matters 09 June 2023 By Cliff Hague Read More Equal Access to Digital Technology Crucial for Gender Equality 07 March 2023 By Jenna Dutton, Frances Ifeoma Ukonze, and Alka Bharat Read More What Does Securing Consultative Status for UN Economic & Social Council (ECOSOC) Mean for CAP, Planning, and Planners? 05 October 2022 By Trudi Elliot, CBE MRTPI Patron CAP Read More How Planners Contributed to the Birmingham Commonwealth Games 05 October 2022 By Becky Farr, Birmingham City Council Read More Towards Planetary Health - Revisiting the Social Determinants of Health Model June 2021 By Neil Blackshaw Read More CAP Awards and Young Planners Essay Competition 28 July 2020 By Trudi Elliot CBE, CAP Patron Read More The Impact of Coronavirus on a Small Island Developing State - Fiji 29 June 2020 By Karin Taylor Read More Women and Planning During COVID-19 5 June 2020 By Jenna Dutton, Member of the CAP Women in Planning Network Read More Business as Un-Usual: Revisiting Planning Processes in the Wake of COVID-19 4 June 2020 By Kristin Agnello, RPP, MCIP Read More Planning in the UK with COVID-19 20 April, 2020 By Ian Tant, CAP Vice-President Read More 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 Read More Engender: Developing a Commonwealth Women in Planning Manifesto 15 March, 2019 By Kristin Agnello, RPP, MCIP, Director, Plassurban Read More Commonwealth Association of Planners Celebrates Planning Success 18 December 2018 By Peter Geraghty, Head of Planning and Transport at Southend-on-Sea Borough Council, FRTPI Read More

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

By Lionel Nurse < Back Richard C Gill - An Outstanding Planning Professional in Barbados, the Caribbean, and the Commonwealth 6 June 2024 By Lionel Nurse Barbados Town Planning Society recently made Richard Gill an Honorary Member in recognition of his outstanding contribution to urban and spatial planning in Barbados from its beginnings in the 1950s right up to the present day. Richard has made major contributions to the development of the island through his work in both the public and private sectors, helped establish and develop BTPS, and was involved in the original formation of the Commonwealth Association of Planners. The following appreciation of Richard is by Lionel Nurse, a long-time professional colleague and friend, former Chief Town Planner in Barbados, and author of the 2021 book, Fifty Years of Physical Planning in Barbados: 1968 – 2018 (available from Amazon). I met Richard after becoming a member of the planning office back in 1976. By that time, he had done his stint as a government planner and moved on to set up what is undoubtedly the most impressive and enduring planning firm in Barbados. Richard has made a massive and significant contribution to the practice of physical planning on the island in all the elements of planning practice. Much of his work was in development control as the planning consultant to some of the largest development projects and firms on the island. Although we were on opposite ends of the process, I valued having him as a professional to interact with and often he acted as a buffer against hard-nosed developers and landowners who saw the planning office as getting in the way or blocking their proposed developments. He had to carefully balance the equation between advocacy for his clients and his professional judgement as a planner. When thinking of Richard I always think of the term “probity“, the quality of being honest and behaving correctly. This, incidentally, is the term used by the RTPI in its professional code and its practice advice on ethics and professional standards. He and I had many long, interesting discussions on applications, conditions attached to permissions, planning theory and practice, and even my requiring too much planning gain from some developments long before the concept of planning obligations was formally put into our legislation. Our modern planners would not have experienced this, but it was not an easy transition from persons being able to do whatever they wanted to with their land to accepting an agency which decided on these matters. In the first planning case which went to court before Chief Justice Stoby, the case of Kitty Feldman at Navy Gardens v Peter Stevens, the judge made it quite clear that a sea change had occurred with the introduction of the new planning system and persons were no longer at liberty to deal with the use and development of their land as they pleased but had to seek permission first from the Chief Town Planner or the Governor in Executive Committee (pre-Independence). Richard was among that group of early planners who had to bring the whole island along with them in understanding the importance of this change. Richard was also deeply involved with and interested in development planning and plan preparation. Indeed, after the days of United Nations assistance in the preparation of Physical Development Plans (PDPs) came to an end, and we had to do them from our own resources, Richard was one of the consultants working for government on the preparation of these plans. In this regard you will see his name in the Physical Development Plan of 2003 (Approved 2013) and the 2017 PDP (Approved in 2023). In addition, he prepared jointly with Colin Jones of Robertson Ward Associates, the Speightstown Development Plan, and the Oistins Development Plan. Richard also prepared for government the New Orleans Development Plan. I also remember him working as part of the team on the Barbados Surface Transportation Study. On the administrative side, he served periods as a member and sometimes chairman of the Planning Advisory Committee, the organ created in the earlier legislation to advise the Minister on policy matters and specific applications. Richard also functioned as a panellist, hearing appeals against decisions made by the planning office and making recommendations to the Minister who then made the final decision. While I am not sure of the extent of his work outside of Barbados, Richard did appeals in other islands, including Bermuda, where he was an “independent visiting inspector” for a ten-year period. Richard was one of the first professional planners in Barbados and certainly the longest practicing one. In those early days planning was new and many people did not appreciate or care for planning and it was the planners such as Richard who had to explain and teach persons about this new thing impacting their lives. He shared that burden with Peter Stevens, Leonard St Hill, Peter Shepherd, Luther Bourne, Colin Jones, Derek Baker, Douglas Gill, Margarita Omotoso, and I would go as far down as The Reverend Alan Jones and Alloysius Blackett. Richard played a pivotal role in the development of the planning profession in Barbados and held all the key positions within the Planning Society for long periods of time. I well remember the evolution of the society and its outreach to related professions and the general public, the monthly in-house meetings of the professional planners group, and eventually the accreditation of professionals by the Society. He also generously allowed his office to become the home of the Planning Society. He was one of the first planners on the island who connected the local planning society with The Commonwealth Association of Planners, so taking the local Society into the wider context of regional and Commonwealth planning professionals. This function tonight and the honour to Richard is thoroughly deserved and I applaud Richard for his contribution and the Planning Society for so recognizing his sterling work. Previous Back to Top Next

GOOD PRACTICE PLATFORM The CAP Good Practice Platform showcases planning work from across the Commonwealth through a series of interactive maps. This material includes projects shortlisted for the CAP Awards as well as essays from Young Planners. The platform was developed in association with the SAPER project at the University of Birmingham.

By Kristin Agnello, RPP, MCIP, Director, Plassurban < Back Engender: Developing a Commonwealth Women in Planning Manifesto 15 March, 2019 By Kristin Agnello, RPP, MCIP, Director, Plassurban In 2018, the Commonwealth Association of Planners reformed the Commonwealth Women in Planning Network to explore issues of gender in the built environment. The first initiative of this Network was to develop a Manifesto . As International Development Week wraps up across Canada, professionals across the nation have been examining what it means to work together for gender equality. As planners, we are aware of how the design of a space can influence the social behaviours of a population, but we are only beginning to understand the extent which the tools we use, and the infrastructure we create, encode a specific set of values. This year - 2019 - has been dubbed the “year of the woman.” From the “Me Too” movement to “Girls on Boards,” women’s roles and experiences are being re-evaluated, renegotiated, and reimagined. Perhaps, then, it is also time to re-examine the values that have long been embedded in the infrastructure of our societies – the policies, budgets, roads, buildings, and public spaces. Do these values represent citizens of all genders? Are these the values we aspire to as planners, as professionals, and as people? In 2015, world leaders unanimously adopted the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, a global development strategy that identifies 17 Sustainable Development Goals – more commonly referred to as the “SDGs” – to create a more liveable, equitable world by 2030. More ambitious than the preceding Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), the SDGs form a universal call to action, identifying quantitative, interconnected goals and targets that reflect the social, economic, and environmental dimensions of global sustainable development. In response to the creation of the Sustainable Development Goals, planners around the world have begun to re-examine what makes an equitable and sustainable city. Gender, class, and ability are often identified as three of the key categories that underlie social and spatial difference within our shared community spaces. As such, planners must acknowledge the role of gender as a considerable factor in understanding access to, and opportunities resulting from, participating in city or community life. In 2018, the Commonwealth Association of Planners reformed the Commonwealth Women in Planning Network to explore issues of gender in the built environment. The first initiative of this Network was to develop a Manifesto , which would outline the impact and importance of considering the needs of women living and working in the built environment. The Commonwealth Women in Planning Manifesto represents the world’s first international planning commitment to considering and advancing gender equality through the built environment and its professions. Created in collaboration with over 35 women from 11 countries, the Manifesto addresses several of the Sustainable Development Goals, including Gender Equality (SDG 5), Sustainable Cities and Communities (SDG 11) and Partnerships for the Goals (SDG 17). It serves as a call to action for planning professionals and a united voice for women living and working in the built environment across the Commonwealth. By endorsing the Commonwealth Women in Planning Manifesto, the Commonwealth Association of Planners has affirmed its commitment to join the international community in supporting and developing a safe, sustainable, equitable, and prosperous planet with no one - and no place - left behind. The development of a Manifesto is eye-opening, humbling and, at times, deeply personal. The opportunities and barriers presented by policy and development - and the ability to predict these impacts – is highly variable from person to person, and country to country. Still, the commonalities between lived experiences across the Commonwealth – from feelings of safety or insecurity in public spaces, to a woman’s ability to access professional opportunities - are striking. But, perhaps most striking was the camaraderie that was instrumental in making this unprecedented project a reality. Participants were honest with their opinions and generous with their experiences, and they were met, not with scrutiny or criticism, but with honest inquisitiveness and a desire to learn individually and support collectively. In short, the process of developing a Manifesto mirrored the process of developing a city; allies over activism. Now, the Commonwealth Women in Planning Network faces the challenge of putting its words into action. Just as gender underlies social and spatial differences, geographical, political, and professional contexts influence gender-based impacts and understanding. But, the seeds of understanding have already been planted. At its heart, the Commonwealth Women in Planning Manifesto is about empathy and solidarity. It is about respecting the lived experiences of those around you, and especially of those who are different from you. Really, it’s about being aware of the space you occupy in the world, how it relates to the experiences and opportunities of those around you - and sharing this awareness with others. Author’s Note: The Commonwealth Women in Planning Manifesto was fully endorsed by the Commonwealth Association of Planners on October 14, 2018 at their Biennial Business Meeting in Cape Town, South Africa. This Manifesto has garnered the attention and support of numerous organizations, including UN-Habitat, Women in Cities International, Women Transforming Cities, and Women in Planning (UK). To date, the Manifesto has been further endorsed by the Canadian Institute of Planners and the Royal Town Planning Institute. Previous Back to Top Next

09 November 2020 < Back Canada sweeps the board in CAP Awards, 2020 09 November 2020 The winners of the 2020 CAP Awards for Outstanding Planning Achievement in the Commonwealth were announced in a special web-based event on World Town Planning Day, 8th November 2020, hosted by CAP President, Mrs Dyan Currie AM. Winners and Commendations Watch the Awards Webinar 1/0

2022 CAP Planning Awards AND THE WINNERS ARE ... Planning for the Climate Emergency Award WINNER Creating Happier and Greener Communities in Nanumba North Municipality (Ghana) The judges also commended: The Revision of Functional Master Plan and Detailed Area Plan to make the Rajshahi Metropolitan Development Plan (RMDP) Disaster Risk Sensitive (Bangladesh) Planning for Cities & Human Settlements/Plan Making Award WINNER The City of Ekurhuleni Growth Management Strategy (South Africa) The judges also commended: Activities to Enhance Behaviour Change on Sanitation and Form Hygiene Environment in Urban Slums (Khulna City, Bangladesh) Planning for Equitable and Inclusive Cities and Human Settlements WINNER Glasgow Children & Young Peoples Climate Charter (Scotland) Planning for Conservation of the Built & Natural Environment and Cultural Heritage WINNER Milford Opportunities Masterplan (New Zealand) 2022 AWARD SHORTLIST Planning for the climate emergency Chair: Professor Barbara Norman Creating Happier and Greener Communities in Nanumba North Municipality Ghana Participants: Joshua Mumuni, Senior Development Planning Officer in the Local Government Service, Ghana; the Ghana Institute of Planners and the Nanumba North Municipal Assembly This project aims to embed a commitment to environmental sustainability and tackle climate change within the Nanumba North Disaster Preparedness Action Plan. Implementation is key to the activities, including afforestation, agro-forestry and enforcement of building regulations that are designed to reduce the incidence of rainstorms and flooding in communities of the Nanumba North Municipal Assembly. Disaster Preparedness Action Planning has been mainstreamed in the District Medium-Term Development Plans. These activities have been implemented and have created happier and greener communities in Nanumba North Municipality. As part of sustainability of the activities in the Disaster Preparedness Plan, opinion leaders and farmers have been educated on the need to adopt resilient farming practices such as agro-forestry. Revision of Functional Master Plan and Detailed Area Plan to make the Rajshahi Metropolitan Development Plan (RMDP) Disaster Risk Sensitive, Rajshahi, Bangladesh Participants: Rajshahi Development Authority, Asian Disaster Preparedness Center and Data Experts (Pvt) Limited, Rajshahi Development Authority, Asian Disaster Preparedness Centre, Data Experts (Pvt) Limited, Troyee Associates This project aims to reduce the impact of specific hazards (drought, flood, earthquake, fire). Disaster risk reduction measures were mainstreamed into the project, Revision of Functional Master Plan and Detailed Area Plan to make Rajshahi Metropolitan Development Plan (RMDP) Disaster Risk Sensitive, by revisioning the Functional Master Plan and Detailed Area Plan of RMDP 2004-2024. The goal is to reduce the vulnerability of people and infrastructure by identifying appropriate (safe or low-risk) locations for settlement and construction and by defining and applying adequate building standards during plan implementation. Numerous surveys and studies conducted inside the project area presented a precise picture of land use, demography, urbanization, drainage, urban economy, socio-economic conditions, environmental conditions, social and municipal services, transportation, recreation, heritage and tourism, and most importantly, disaster risks. The strategies and recommendations recommended by the sector experts help to achieve the project goals and objectives. Rajshahi Ghana Shortlist Planning for cities and human settlements / Plan making in the Commonwealth Chair: Viral Desai Activities to Enhance Behaviour Change on Sanitation and Form Hygiene Environment in Urban Slums Khulna City of Bangladesh Participants: Community Re-Construction Centre (CRC) and Japan Association of Drainage and Environment (JADE) This project addresses three Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs): good health and well-being (Goal-3); clean water and sanitation (Goal-6); and sustainable cities and communities (Goal-11). The results and experiences of the project activity are titled “Activities to Enhance Behaviour Change on Sanitation and Form Hygiene Environment in Urban Slums at Khulna City of Bangladesh” with funding from Japan Fund for Global Environment (JFGE) grant of Environmental Restoration and Conservation Agency (ERCA). The City of Ekurhuleni Growth Management Strategy, South Africa Participants : City of Ekurhuleni and BC Gildenhuys & Associates The City of Ekurhuleni's Growth Management Strategy (GMS) was developed in response to a rapidly changing environment. High rates of urbanisation, growing unemployment and a struggling economy, compounded by the impact of COVID-19, have meant that the City Council has had to rethink its spatial planning approach to achieve its long-term development goals. The Growth Management Strategy used new and innovative spatial analysis techniques, underpinned by technology and driven by a strong data and evidence-based methodology. The GMS encapsulates the principles of accountable, responsive, and responsible governance by setting objectives and fact-based guidelines to measure city development performance, formulating an appropriate response to change, and promoting a more sustainable and resilient city form. The strategy's formulation was driven by the view that if we cannot quantify, we cannot measure, and if we cannot measure, we cannot manage. Barbados Physical Development Plan Amendment Participants : Urban Strategies Inc. Barbados is a Small Island Developing State (SIDS) and member of the Commonwealth located in the Eastern Caribbean. It has an area of approximately 430 square kilometres and a population of approximately 287,000. With only a single level of government, planning matters across the island are guided by the Physical Development Plan (PDP), which addresses everything from strategic development policies to land use policies to place-specific community plans. The PDP (2022) integrates sustainability policies that address social, environmental, and economic resiliency relating to human settlement at the national and community scales. Khulna South Africa Planning for equitable and inclusive cities and human settlements Chair: Professor Carole Archer Glasgow Children & Young Peoples Climate Charter Glasgow, Scotland UK Participants: Glasgow City Council The Glasgow Children and Young People’s Climate Charter is an intergenerational declaration and promise, setting out a plan of how the city, and the city’s children, will tackle the climate crisis together. Alexandra Park Revitalization Plan, Toronto, Canada Participants: Urban Strategies Inc. (Cyndi Rottenberg-Walker - CIP), N. Barry Lyon Consultants, Public Interest, BA Group, URS Corp., Levitt-Goodman Architects, Jon Harstone, Halsall Associates, Architects Alliance, DTAH, Novus Environmental, BA Group, GHD, exp, The Atkinson Housing Cooperative Inc. The Revitalization Plan for Alexandra Park creates a new mixed-use, mixed-income neighbourhood for an 18-acre, 1970’s-era social housing complex in Downtown Toronto. Its Toronto Community Housing Corporation (TCHC) tenants, most of whom are first-generation Canadians who identify as visible minorities, were deeply involved in developing the plan. This plan improves accessibility to amenities and community services, provides economic development opportunities, enhances community safety, and offers a greener, more sustainable community. When construction is complete, the site will contain approximately 400 replacement TCHC units, 400 refurbished TCHC units and 1,800 new market units in a mix of apartments, condominiums and townhouses. The plan ensures that there is no displacement of tenants from the community either during construction or afterwards, and that all existing TCHC units will continue to be rented on a rent-geared-to-income basis. Glasgow Planning for the conservation of the built and natural environment and cultural heritage Chair: Jihad Bitar Milford Opportunities Masterplan Milford Sound-Piopiotahi, New Zealand Participants: Boffa Miskell: Jane Rennie (NZPI), Tim Church (NZILA), Yvonne Pfluger (RMLA) and others; Stantec: Russell Halliday, Darren Davis, Andrew Craig, Tom Young The Milford Sound Piopiotahi Masterplan (MOP Masterplan) sets a strategy for land use, transport and infrastructure, ecological conservation, natural hazard management, cultural experience and the operation of tourism within Piopiotahi Milford Sound, Milford Road, Te Anau basin and the surrounding area. The MOP Masterplan distils 16 distinct workstreams to develop an integrated programme of investment, governance and operational change that will optimise tourism and economic development for the region and enhance and protect the distinctive character of place in Milford Sound Piopiotahi. The MOP Masterplan is a holistic effort to dramatically improve a place all New Zealanders hold dear and enables the benefits of Aotearoa New Zealand’s prize attraction to be shared more fully throughout the wider Southland Region. It offers insights and solutions that are applicable for all communities that rely on tourism. Milford