Book excerpt: The 8th International Conference on Sustainable Development and Planning is part of a series of biennial conferences on the topic of sustainable regional development which began in Greece in 2003. The papers included in these proceedings report on the latest advances from scientists specialising in the range of subjects included within sustainable development and planning. Planners, environmentalists, architects, engineers, policy makers and economists have to work together in order to ensure that planning and development can meet our present needs without compromising the ability of future generations. The use of modern technologies in planning gives us new potential to monitor and prevent environmental degradation. Problems related to development and planning, which affect both rural and urban areas, are present in all regions of the world and accelerated urbanisation has resulted in both the deterioration of the environment and quality of life. Urban development can also intensify problems faced by rural areas such as forests, mountain regions and coastal areas, which urgently require solutions in order to avoid irreversible damage. The papers in the book cover the following topics: City planning; Regional planning; Rural developments; Sustainability and the built environment; Sustainability indicators; Policies and planning; Environmental planning and management; Energy resources; Cultural heritage; Quality of life; Community planning and resilience; Sustainable solutions in emerging countries; Sustainable tourism; Learning from nature; Transportation Social and political issues and Community planning.