Planning, Sustainable Urbanisation and the Commonwealth

By 2050, an additional 2.5 billion people will be living in the world’s towns and cities, almost 50% of them in the 56 Commonwealth countries. To a significant extent, the future of the planet hangs on how cities and human settlements are managed. It is in our cities that the emissions creating climate catastrophe are stoked and where change can – and must – make a difference at scale. Food security, water, basic services, migration, shelter, jobs, environment: sustainable urbanisation is about changing direction to strive for a fairer and less environmentally damaging future.

This well-illustrated book by authors from around the Commonwealth tells how the Commonwealth Association of Planners across five decades has campaigned to make a difference. It also looks ahead, scoping the urgent, practical action that is now required.

Cliff Hague, OBE, has been President of CAP (2000–2006) and of the Royal Town Planning Institute (1996). He is Emeritus Professor in Planning and Spatial Development at Heriot-Watt University in Edinburgh. He has been Secretary General of CAP and Chair of Built Environment Forum Scotland.

Clive Harridge was President of the Royal Town Planning Institute in 2006. He served as the Secretary-General of CAP between 2010 and 2021 and is currently a Trustee and Honorary vice president. He is a former Director and Head of Planning, Transport and Design at the international consultancy Wood.

Bryce Julyan is a Fellow of the New Zealand Planning Institute and an Honorary Fellow of the Planning Institute of Australia. He leads the Planning and Engagement Practice at Beca, a New Zealand headquartered consultancy covering the Asia-Pacific region. Bryce has served on the CAP Executive Committee since 2014.

Ruiz Nik is a Council Member of the Malaysian Institute of Planners and is the Principal Director of Rekarancang, a Malaysian planning consultancy established since 1977. He has served as Malaysia’s representative on CAP since 2018.

Ian Tant is a planning practitioner and a former Senior Partner of UK-based consultancy Barton Willmore (subsequently part of Stantec). He was President of the Royal Town Planning Institute in 2019 and has been the UK’s vice president of CAP since 2020.