SPATIAL PLANNING Key Instrument for Development and Effective Governance

2. CHALLENGES AND GOALS FOR SPATIAL PLANNING
This chapter provides an overview of some key trends that pose important challenges for spatial
planning, focusing on some specific challenges for countries in transition. The chapter then sets out
some common requirements for spatial planning systems and overarching goals that should underlie
spatial planning methodologies.
2.1 Challenges for spatial planning
Four key challenges for human settlements are outlined in the UNECE Strategy for Sustainable
Quality of Life in Human Settlements in the Twenty-first Century (UNECE, 2000). These challenges
are globalization, sustainable development, European integration and market economy reforms, and
demographic change. All four pose important challenges to spatial planning and the development of
new spatial planning systems.
(i) Globalization
In recent years, a number of trends in globalization have profoundly changed the outlook for political,
economic and social development. These include:
• The increasingly widespread acceptance of democratic institutions and market-based economic
systems;
• The liberalization of trade and international capital flows;
• The growth in the number and influence of transnational corporations;
• Rapid technological innovations, in particular in information and communication technologies.
Such trends can profoundly affect the structure of communities. For example, they can contribute to
increasing internationalization of metropolitan regions in terms of capital and labour, changes in the
distribution of responsibilities between the public and the private sector, developing stronger roles for
major cities within a country, and lessen the polarization of social and economic standards within
cities. Globalization, reinforced by European integration, is intensifying competition among cities.
Large European cities are attracting labour resources and reorganizing economic and residential
activities. Technological change, particularly new information technologies, is favouring these cities
as centres of service, education, know-how and capital, as well as serving as gateways to international
markets.
(ii) Sustainable development
In the planning, building and management of human settlements, the concept of sustainable
development strengthens the need for:
• Appropriate building technologies and ecologically sound designs;
• Low energy consumption and promotion of renewable energy;
• Selective and efficient use of resources, recycling;
• Ecological principles to guide settlements development and land use;
• Public participation in the decision-making process.
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