Frank D'hondt: Sustainable planning requires qualified specialists

A key priority for the future development of urban planning remains strengthening professional human capacity.

Report informs that Frank D'hondt, representative of the International Society of City and Regional Planners (ISOCARP), said this at an event held as part of WUF13 in Baku.

According to him, the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) call for inclusive and sustainable urbanization in all countries by 2030, as well as strengthening capacity for planning and managing sustainable settlements.

"Although architects, engineers and specialists in all areas are brought together under one roof, we are not sufficient either in number or in qualifications to carry out this work. Therefore, the main challenge in sustainable planning for the future today is building better capacity. Planning skills should be more widely accessible both socially and spatially. Ultimately, urban and settlement specialists are key actors in ensuring that major cities are accessible, inclusive, sustainable and safe, supporting both decision-makers and civil society," he said.

According to him, UN-Habitat's new strategic plan for 2026–2029 was approved about a year ago, with housing, land and basic services for all at its core.

"This is the main message of today's discussion," he said.