Planning policies and instruments for sustainability and resilience in mediterranean contexts the case of egypt

Climate Change is one of the main factors challenging the sustainability and resilience of urban and rural contexts. It is responsible for many hazards threatening the variety of landscapes and the need to face these risks is of increased interest for researchers, local authorities and policy makers. Particularly spatial planning policies and instruments are able to mitigate such risks or change the physical assets of cities so to adapt to them, consequently generating modification in urban and rural landscapes. This paper presents the first results of a review of urban policies and planning instruments designed and issued at different administrative levels in Egypt, a country chosen within the Mediterranean region for the vulnerability and exposure of its socio-ecological systems (high density cities, particular morphological assets). Findings are then discussed with reference to the actions undertaken by national governments to increase the resilience and sustainability of urban landscapes and the level of integration of adaptation concepts in single planning frameworks.