Why these Guidelines?
In light of urbanization trends and global threats of human-induced climate change, resource scarcity and ecological degradation, we need to transform and future-proof our cities.
Over the next 30 years, an additional 2.4 billion are likely to be added to the global urban population, meaning a shift from 54 percent of the population living in cities in 2015 to 66 percent in 2050.
A third of the current urban population is estimated to live in slums and informal settlements, often without access to proper housing and basic services.
Furthermore, all sectors associated with urbanization (transport, building construction and maintenance, housing, waste management, energy, etc.) are registering trends that raise sustainability issues, from human-induced climate change and resource scarcity to ecological degradation.
The 2018 report by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) warns that an unprecedented shift in energy and transport systems is needed to keep global temperatures from rising more than 1.5 degrees Celsius. This is particularly relevant for urban areas, where demand for resources is highest and drives production everywhere else in the world. An integrated approach to urban infrastructure will be key to stem the impact of issues related to unplanned urbanization and its consequent implications on resource use, biodiversity and the climate.
Integrated planning is a priority for cities, but most local governments are not equipped with the institutional and individual capacity to make it happen. Private sector companies have started to diversify their offer and stand ready for more integrated urban system solutions. Thus, it is one of the primary goals of the Integrated Guidelines to improve policymakers understanding of the linkages between urban planning and systems approaches.
The Guidelines broaden the scope of urban planning and design to incorporate four core objectives:
Making more efficient use of natural resources
Accelerating climate plans and targeting carbon-neutral cities by 2050
Protecting biodiversity and the natural environment
Making cities more resilient