This module examines how the concept of sustainable development and the implications of climate change shape the principles and practice of spatial planning in urban contexts.
It begins by critically considering how our understanding of sustainability, including contemporary debates about climate change, peak oil and well-being, have reshaped thinking about planning approaches in recent years. It then explores what this means in practice across several dimensions of spatial planning, beginning with land use, urban form and transport issues. The module then goes on to consider social and economic aspects of sustainable development including debates about new localism, transition cities and master planning for sustainable futures, for example the Dubai 2040 Urban Master Plan.
Though case studies and projects, students will develop skills in devising creative planning approaches that embed sustainability principles in urban development, particularly in the context of sustainable urban development in the United Arab Emirates and post-carbon futures in a global comparative context.
By the end of the Module, students should be able to:
- operationalise a detailed understanding of the concepts of sustainable urban development in the planning context
- draw upon the latest research in order to critically demonstrate the relationships between human activity and its implications for the environment.
- explain the role of planning in facilitating physical, economic, social and environmental dimensions of sustainability in urban development and be able to offer creative solutions to socio-political challenges in this sphere.
- identify current best practice in sustainable urban development on a global comparative scale and to be able to apply this to a given case study location (for example, Dubai, India or China) .
- demonstrate the contrasting wishes of various stakeholders and diverse communities in relation to sustainable development and how these differences can be addressed