What are popular themes among planners concerned with sustainability?

The correct choice highlights the foundational concepts that embody the principles of sustainable planning. New Urbanism emphasizes creating walkable neighborhoods with a mix of residential, commercial, and recreational spaces, promoting community interaction and reducing reliance on automobiles. Smart growth focuses on efficient land use that protects the environment and enhances the quality of life, encouraging compact, transit-oriented development. Urban sustainability involves practices that ensure urban areas can grow without depleting resources or harming ecological systems, fostering resilience against climate change and other environmental challenges.

These themes collectively represent a holistic approach to planning that prioritizes not just the environmental impact but also social equity and economic viability. They are central to contemporary planning discourse as planners seek to develop strategies that enhance urban life while protecting natural habitats and resources for future generations.

In contrast, options like urban renewal and landscape architecture, community engagement and advocacy planning, and commercial development, while important to different realms of planning, do not encapsulate the comprehensive sustainability-focused agenda represented by the chosen answer.