GIobaI competition, sustainabe development and civil society :three major challenges for contemporary urban governance and their reflection In local development practices In Prague

The first part of this article investigates city competition, sustainable development and civil society as three major challenges to urban planning and policy-making in the age of globalisation. The complexity of these challenges requires new modes of urban planning and policy-making based on the use of plurality of approaches and tools. The general discussion serves as a background for the assessment of contemporary urban planning in Prague. The second part briefly outlines the institutional framework for urban and regional planning and policy in the Czech Republic and overviews the most important planning documents, which influence, regulate and govern local development in Prague and its metropolitan region. The strengths and weaknesses of contemporary urban planning in Prague are assessed from the perspective of city competition, sustainable development and civil society challenges658