Topic 2 Necessity of Integrated Urban Planning

Integrated urban planning is a modern planning approach that is closely linked to the need to create sustainable and resilient settlements.

A wide range of stakeholders, planners and experts are being mobilized to develop comprehensive solutions, providing strong support for urban development projects.

Sectoral cooperation plays a key role in integrated planning for healthier, more active and inclusive urban communities. 

Integrated urban planning must respond to the local situation in order to address different urban issues simultaneously and in a coherent way.

Urban planners need to have an understanding of the perspectives and needs of different communities and groups of people, so the participation of these groups in the planning process is needed. Participatory planning processes with multiple stakeholder groups as well as policy coordination are key to sustainable development and the harmonization of society, economy and ecology. Through integrated urban planning, planners and decision makers can ensure that their work contributes to communities that are inclusive, active and sustainable for all current and future generations.  

To what does it lead if a city doesn’t adopt an integrated approach in regards with urban planning?

  • Waste (food, carbon, materials, pollution)
  • Soaring inequality
  • Roads to nowhere, oversized infrastructures
  • Fragmentation, lack of coordination
  • Urban sprawl
  • Costly mistakes

«Making nature part of the urban living environment improves people’s quality of life and helps the economy and society to prosper»

Chantal Van Ham,

EU Programme Manager Nature Based Solutions,

IUCN Brussels