The present global developments, especially the increasing number of
conflicts over land and the necessary adaptation of land use to climate
change but also increasing income and power gaps modify the role of land
use planning and increase its significance. It is no longer just a tool of few
village developers. Land use planning has become a central prerequisite
for any (spatial) development that aims at social, ecological and economic
sustainability. To meet this challenge, land use planning has had to extend
its contents and adapt its methods. First experiences are now available and
are documented in the following chapters.