Opening  Alan Mabin, Head of School of Architecture and Planning

UN-Habitat Report

presentations by the following organisations:

City of Johannesburg –

SA Cities Network –

Global City Region Observatory

School of Architecture and Planning, Wits

Wednesday 21 October 2009

14h00 – 16h00

Dorothy Susskind Auditorium, John Moffat Building (teas and savories will be available)

 Open Invitation

Planning Sustainable Cities: Global Report on Human Settlements 2009. Current urban planning systems are not equipped to deal with the major urban challenges of the 21st century, including effects of climate change, resource depletion and economic instability, plus continued rapid urbanization with its negative consequences such as poverty, slums and urban informality. These planning systems have also, to a large extent, failed to meaningfully involve and accommodate the ways of life of communities and other stakeholders in the planning of urban areas, thus contributing to the problems of spatial marginalization and exclusion. It is clear that urban planning needs to be reconsidered and revitalized for a sustainable urban future. Planning Sustainable Cities: Global Report on Human Settlements 2009 reviews the major challenges currently facing cities and towns all over the world, the emergence and spread of modern urban planning and the effectiveness of current approaches. More importantly, it identifies innovative urban planning approaches and practices that are more responsive to current and future challenges of urbanization. The Global Report on Human Settlements is the most authoritative and up-to-date global assessment of human settlements conditions and trends. It is an essential reference for researchers, academics, public authorities and civil society organizations all over the world. Preceding issues of the report have addressed such topics as Cities in a Globalizing World, The Challenge of Slums, Financing Urban Shelter and Enhancing Urban Safety and Security.