A renewed focus on urban sustainability and embracing nature in urban environments were central topics at the Ninth Annual International Urban Planning and Environment Association Symposium (UPE9) in Guangzhou City, China.

Nancey Green Leigh and Perry Yang, professors in Georgia Tech’s School of City and Regional Planning, led the review committee and the organizing committee of UPE9, which was hosted at Sun-Yat-Sen University.

Experts deliberated on rapid urbanization, the global recession and climate change, and outlined a guiding framework for research needs in these areas, including:

• Re-focusing on the impact of sustainable planning; and approaching challenges with a more specific, less broad matrix of social, economic and environmental sustainability issues.
• Embracing hybrid urban landscapes and using ecology to regenerate existing urban environments. Participants were encouraged to find patterns of successful human/nature co-habitation, rather than focusing on challenges of human/nature dualism.

“The School of City and Regional Planning at Georgia Tech and the International Urban Planning and Environment Association share a deep commitment to urban sustainability,” said Leigh. “Partnering and co-hosting with Sun Yat-Sen University was a wonderful opportunity, and we look forward to further collaborations with them.”

Six faculty and four doctoral students from Georgia Tech were present to deliver research and keynote presentations, and to exchange ideas.

About the School of City and Regional Planning at Georgia Tech

Georgia Tech’s School of City and Regional Planning is a global leader in the creation of sustainable cities and regions aiming for the highest levels of international learning and professional engagement. A research-led and highly interdisciplinary community of scholars, faculty includes four Fellows of the American Institute of Certified Planners, the editor of the Journal of the American Planning Association, and former chief operating officers of the Atlanta Regional Commission, the Georgia Regional Transportation Authority, and the Atlanta City Planning Department. Visit www.planning.gatech.edu for more information.

About the International Urban Planning and Environment Association

The International Urban Planning and Environment Association (UPE) leads international debate on urban sustainability and promotes collaboration between practitioners, and educators and universities. The annual symposium is hosted in a different region of the world each year, providing a forum for participants to compare and contrast sustainability challenges for cities across the globe.