Planning

Urban planning provides the framework for sustainable city transformation. It aligns land use, infrastructure, housing, mobility, and environmental systems through integrated, data-driven strategies. Embedding climate resilience, biodiversity, and inclusivity into planning ensures that urban growth reduces emissions, protects ecosystems, and delivers equitable access to opportunities for all residents.

 

Urban planning provides the structure for sustainable development. It aligns land use, infrastructure, and environmental systems to ensure cities grow efficiently and equitably. Integrated planning brings together multiple sectors—transport, housing, energy, and nature—to reduce emissions, enhance resilience, and deliver opportunities for all. Strategic planning helps cities anticipate change and shape a sustainable future rather than react to it.

 

Explore more resources in the GPSC Knowledge Products, featuring case studies, toolkits, and technical guidance from cities around the world. Use the filters and categories to navigate by theme or topic and find content tailored to your city’s priorities.

Related content
View all
Planning

Ending Global Sprawl: Urban Standards for Sustainable and Resilient Development

The health and wellbeing of humankind will depend on the kind of cities we build in the next two generations. They will provide the scaffolding for our social, economic and environmental future. In
Knowledge Product

Learn more
Planning

Melaka: Pathway to Urban Sustainability

Melaka State in Malaysia has strong sustainability aspirations and is an important member of the Global Platform for Sustainable Cities (GPSC). To inform the next update to Melaka’s State Structure
Knowledge Product

Learn more
Planning

Flooding in East Africa: The impacts on and implications for cities in East Africa, with a case study of Dar es Salaam

This report is aimed primarily at policymakers in emerging megacities, where the population is set to reach more than 3 million by 2050, but also at practitioners and other interested parties. The
Knowledge Product

Learn more