The high productivity, diversity and social-economic importance of coastal systems and their components present a very complex scheme that requires a detailed knowledge of the characteristics of the environment and socialeconomic factors. This has been designated as high priority in the Municipality of Los Cabos, Mexico, where inadequate development plans, caused by a very high rate of economic and population growth (9% per year), have turned it into an extremely vulnerable area with high pressure from the irregular growth of tourists facilities. The purpose of this study was, precisely, to develop a model of ecological ordinance or land use planning in general for the region. This model could integrate other processes of environmental planning that are currently in operation at municipal level, such as those for regional and marine planning in the Gulf of California. A characterization of all environmental, social and economic components of the municipality was carried out. Eighty one environmental units, or micro regions, were identified and mapped out using a scale of 1:50 000 on the basis of sub river basins, physiography and vegetation, integrated with all the data bases available in a Geographic Information System (GIS) of the whole Municipality. A diagnosis and prospective analysis of different scenarios were also developed, using fragility, pressure and vulnerability indicators. Finally, it was realized that the Los Cabos region needs to change its economic development approach, proposing a general model of ecological ordinance with specific actions and criteria of land use for each microregion.

Manila is a primate city with national and international significance. Unlike any other city in the Philippines, Manila has the mandate of serving not just its local constituents, but also a clientele of national and even global scale. Recognizing that the localization of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) at sub-national levels is a key element in meeting the targets by 2030, it is important to look at how cities have been confronting local challenges relating to the development goals. Focusing on SDGs 3, 4 and 11, this city profile shows that Manila has performed reasonably well against key national and regional benchmarks on health, education and urban sustainability. However, as the city continues to lag behind many of its regional counterparts, key reforms must be undertaken in the areas of local policymaking, targeting of resources, scale of public participation and engagement of national government agencies. Heading into the first four years of the SDGs, the aim of this profile is to recognize and contextualize Manila’s existing urban conditions, best practices and pressing challenges—which would all have a significant implication on how Manila stands to attain SDGs 3, 4 and 11.

This article, using a combination of quantitative and qualitative approaches, illustrates that Batangas City for the period 1990–2015 was leaning towards a sprawling development. Areas where considerable sprawling has occurred were further investigated in relation to land value. The study also revealed that there is a moderate positive relationship between sprawl and land values in the city, which meant that land values have increased in areas where considerable sprawling has occurred.

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