Humans not completely agreeing to the urban development ideas and planning practices infiltrated by humans. (planner, solutions)

[mplanmma]

When we talk about Development goals and agendas agreed upon and introduced by the International Development Forums. Millennium Development Goals (MDG's) and Sustainable Development Goals (SDG's) are the two thoughtfully and responsibly carved sets of development goals introduced and agreed upon by the UN Member Counties. Millennium Development Goals (MDG's) was a human centered approach. All the goals carved out in MDG, were mainly focusing on safeguarding different social, economic and safety aspects of people. However, Sustainable Development Goals (SDG's) on the other hand is more of an inclusive approach. Along with the human centered development goals, it also talks about protecting the planet.
As per UN, the process of selecting 17 standalone Sustainable Development Goals, was inclusive, participatory, took a bottom up approach and incorporated feedback from the people across the globe. If we study these 17 standalone goals we can see goal No. 12, 13, 14 and 15, clearly standing out among all, because these are not conventional human centric development goals. It doesn’t merely encircle around the social, economic and recreational needs of humans. On the other hand, these aforesaid goals talk about and are also dedicated towards the planned efforts for protecting every life form on earth and to preserve natural resources irrespective of the economic, ecological and social importance from a human centric paradigm or idea of the development.
The process of carving out these goals entails that, humans has voiced against the conventional planning practice exercised by humans after post industrialization era in approx. last two decades. The very fundamental idea of planning and development once introduced and exercised by humans for about two decades is now questioned and challenged by humans only. People have gradually started voting to deviate from the prevailing idea of economy and physical infrastructure infested, human centered notion of development. They have advocated for the development to be more inclusive, naturally balanced, verdant, sustainable and resilient for present as well as the future generations of humans as well as other life forms.
Ironically goal No. 11, 12, 13, 14 and 15 partly encapsulate the need for introducing policy driven effective solutions for the mitigation and adaption measures, to protect the life form on earth, basically from a disastrous effects imposed by humans through human centric and human led actions taken in approximately past 2 decades of post industrialization era.
The history of a human settlement is thousands of years long. But, the recent challenges imposed by the planned actions taken by human in last two decades, is really dark and disastrous. It is not new to us that, how we humans have infested the earth in Past two decades with our deliberate so called economic and spatial planning knowledge and practices. We all are very well aware about the fact that, the effects of our aforementioned deliberate actions are very much irreversible. Our idea of development has caused great imbalance in natural systems. Due to which, natural habitat, existence and survival of many species, other than human, is greatly and badly affected by the human led planned actions.
Still, in conjunction with the social, economic and recreational needs of the humans, it is quite difficult to strike a balance between safeguarding at least the vital needs of the life form other than humans essentially for providing, protecting or retaining proper living environment that they rightfully deserve. The present issues/challenges imposed by the past and prevailing planning practice are quite serious and very much irreversible
The word planning has gained so much importance lately essentially because we are the brain and think tanks to deliver effective and desired sustainable solutions. But the responsibility is huge The fundamental questions we planners need to ask is that what is the unanimously agreed upon definition of the development for us humans? What is its significance? What end result do we want after all deliberate and planned actions?
We may observe over the course of time, varying perceptions of researchers, policy makers, planners, decision makers and practitioners along with the changing needs of humans and the said need based priorities. These variables if prevailed in same manner, they may prove to be a great hindrance and a risk factor while formulating effective future development policies as well as carving policy driven development solutions. There are greater chances that we may derail, de-route from the correct planning path and may not achieve the desired solutions or in worst case we may create more serious irreversible issues that, we may not be able to mitigate or adapt to. All these existing and likely mutable attributes must be evaluated and carefully weighed at an inception stage only without any further delay. Our vision and inception should make more sense, so the allied policies and statutory provisions can be effective and promise desired result too. Let us make it essential for us planners to take put more effort on envisioning better tomorrow. Let us make it more participatory, more inclusive and introduce approach of providing alternative solutions for every possible development project. This will help us evaluating more variables, giving them proper weightages, understand the end result for every alternative solution and to choose optimum and most desired solution after the consultation with maximum stake holders possible. Let us take planning more seriously and judicially, let us introduce the idea of inclusiveness. Where inclusiveness is not limited to the human race, gender, age and ethnicity. It also embodies other life form and essential resources and give equitable weightage to their needs, existence and survival.

I am intending to make planning practice more participatory and for that we all must do some brain storming and discuss all possible vision and reason to ensure more sustainable and resilient development that we can deliver in true sense.