The Role of Urban Planning in China's Sustainable Urban Development

Sustainable development focuses on economic efficiency,social equity,ecological environment,as well as institutional arrangement for achieving those three objectives.How can urban planning help to achieve sustainable cities under the market economy? Urban planning as an institution can reduce transaction costs in the game of competitive land development,thereby enhancing urban economies. Land use planning can probably incorporate ecological technologies(such as clean energy and green buildings) and develop eco-cities.However,urban planning does not have an effective mechanism to deal with social inequality positively.Smart growth and compact city should be the two paradigms for China's urban sustainability that urban planning can make a significant contribution.