The question "What is planning?" is easier to raise than to answer. With a slight exaggeration it could be said that there are as many definitions as there are planners. Still the question is relevant, not least due to the fact that the word "planning" sometimes is used in a context which gives rise to negative associations.

The challenge for planning lies in the fact that various interests and expectations for the future often hold contradiction and conflict. A professional approach, combining sensitivity and analytical and strategic skills, is required to handle the political, social, environmental and economic issues at stake.

In view of these underlying conflicts of interest, AESOP recognises three aspects which must be given priority in planning and planning education: knowledge, analytical and interactive methods, and ethics.

Knowledge relates to the subjects that are dealt with in planning, ie. urban and regional development, housing, social welfare, transportation and other types of infrastructure provision.

Analytical and interactive methods include the ability to make observations, define problems and apply suitable methods for analysing and solving the problems defined. The role of planning is ultimately to formulate plans that meet the economic, environmental, social and physical needs of society. The task is also to suggest strategies needed to implement these plans. This work must be carried out with recognition of conflicts in interest. Skills in conflict handling, negotiations and mediation are therefore of vital importance.

Ethics are an essential part of planning as suggested solutions should promote important values such as equity, social justice, efficiency and possibilities for the affected interest groups and the public to participate in the process preceding decision making.

Planning is an interdisciplinary activity. AESOP has members with different professional backgrounds, for example architecture, civil engineering, social sciences, land surveying and law. It also holds true that approaches to planning vary somewhat within Europe as well as in other parts of the world. These differences relate to culture, traditions, attitudes, political decisions and the economic situation in the countries. A key task for AESOP is to facilitate a dialogue among planners with different backgrounds and perspectives.

Challenges for the 21st century

Today we can see an increasing enthusiasm for planning. It is becoming more and more obvious that development within different fields of society are closely interrelated. In order to achieve efficient solutions, development of transportation systems, economic development and housing and services must be co-ordinated. Development through particular projects has proven to be problematic. A satisfying result can normally not be achieved without a more holistic approach and a strategy which recognises interrelations and total effects in a long term perspective. This in turn leads to the need for spatial co-ordination.

Yet another reason for the increased interest in planning lies in partial market failure. The 1980's proved that the market often cannot provide effective solutions to various needs of infrastructure and other common services. The shortcomings of the market are also reflected in demands for planning in order to establish a stable framework for decision making in urban and regional development.

Besides these arguments for planning we observe changes in society that require planning and the development of new approaches and methods. In the AESOP statement The State of Planning in Europe four key tendencies with respect to urban and regional change are identified. These changes call for rethinking and the development of planning. The challenge for planning and planners lies in the development of effective analytical tools and methods for addressing the issues in an effective way. The issues are:

the impact of both the globalising economy and the policies of the EU the search for ways of managing our economic and social activities which also can reach the objectives of: environmental sustainability the social consequences of high levels of unemployment, increasing social inequalities, and migration across Europe the search for ways of reducing public expenditure and developing less bureaucratic and more collaborative ways of undertaking the work of urban governance to promote continious professional development

How is Planning intended in Europe and by Aesop?

In the former communist countries in East Europe the word "planning" was used by the regimes as a means for fulfilling politically decided goals for development in various sectors of society.

In many of the Western countries, "planning" previously was seen as an activity whereby the state, in a centralised and insensitive manner provided housing, infrastructure, work places, culture and social services to the citizens in the country.

To AESOP the word "planning" has a different meaning. To us planning is a tool to promote and manage change with a spatial approach. It is also a tool for the preservation of the environment and our cultural heritage. The core of this task is to conduct planning activities in such a way that society benefits and that economic, environmental, social and other goals are met.