Managing our urban future: the role of remote sensing and geographic information systems

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Why is it important?

Urban growth is inevitable over the next two decades. The bulk of this growth will take place in less developed countries. This presents a formidable challenge for urban planers and managers. With this in mind this paper considers some of the ways urban planners can respond to this challenge. The discussion is divided into four sections. The first of these considers the nature of the tasks involved. The second examines the potential of remote sensing and geographic information systems to assist in these tasks in general terms. The third section presents some of the findings of three case studies carried out in the Division of Urban Planning and Management at ITC which give some insights as to how these tools can be used to respond to this challenge while the final section sets out a vision of sustainable urban development and its implementation at the local level.