Welcome

2026 World Town Planning Day Online Conference

November 6, 2026
8:00AM - 5:00PM CST

Great Communities are Built on Planning: Together We Deliver, Together We Thrive, Together We Sustain

The APA and its International Division, along with our Global Planners Network partners at the Canadian Institute of Planners, announce the 77th World Town Planning Day FREE online conference to be held all day Nov. 6th from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM CST.

Power of Place: Understanding Overburdened Communities Through Mapping

November 6, 2026
12:00PM - 1:00PM CST

CM 1.5

virtual (Zoom)

Understanding communities is vital to planning. State tools mapping cumulative environmental burden and social vulnerabilities can help planners. This session brings together four speakers from different states, representing California, Pennsylvania, Minnesota and Michigan, to discuss the background and utility of their state environmental justice mapping and screening tools in the context of planning. Planners can use these tools to better understand communities in which they work and the cumulative burdens on community members. These tools can help them meet their planning goals of serving the public interest through equitable outreach and community engagement. Speakers will discuss the context of the various state tools in the legal framework of their states as well as the processes that led to the creation of the tools. This session will feature interactive elements to engage the audience including a poll to evaluate audience understanding of and background in Environmental Justice, as well as communities in their jurisdictions that are typically hard to reach and engage.