None of the eight millennium development goals address urban planning, yet the way cities are structured has an impact on housing, industry, health, safety, food security, access to basic services and the ability to adapt to climate change. It therefore makes sense to include urban planning in every development goal.
The approach should be to upgrade existing infrastructure and settlements through urban renewal. Traditional urban planning principles still apply, but we need a whole new logic to respond to the scale of urbanisation, because planning should be dynamic. The planning needs of past years are different from the needs of today. Urban planners should look beyond the traditional model to help build a better environment.
Olufemi Oyedele in Abuja, Nigeria
