Professor Eleanor Morris, a distinguished academic and town planning consultant, was a leading figure in the discussions on the need for sustainable planning which treats equally the economic, social and environmental aspects for the Commonwealth countries. As Director of the Commonwealth Human Ecology Council and Chairman of its Executive Committee, she attended Commonwealth Heads of Government meetings across the Commonwealth, the United Nations General Assembly, the UN Commission on Sustainable Development and UN Habitat meetings. This book emphasises the environmental aspects of planning, which the Commonwealth countries have been loath to address, and explains CHECs long-term effort to persuade Commonwealth countries to focus on environmental as well as sustainable planning. It describes for the first time the long and distinguished history of CHEC and the difficulties and conflicts which hinder the Commonwealth from performing as well as it could, particularly in relation to environmental planning.

Professor Eleanor Morris Arch Sci CL Harvard, Phd is an academic, town planning consultant and past Chairman Royal Town Planning Institute Scotland. She was Director of the Commonwealth Human Ecology Council and Chairman of its Executive Committee. She has published 250 articles and three textbooks on architecture, urban planning and design.