Abstract
The objective of this thesis is to analyze the implementation of the notion of sustainable development in urban areas and the relevance of its application in urban planning. On the basis of a comparative observation of two case studies, Nimes (France) and Sherbrook (Quebec, Canada), the research analyses how the local actors appropriate the concept of sustainable development, its integration in the process of urban planning, and its translation in sustainable urban project. Even if the national and international guidelines and regulations developed in recent years, purse the integration of the notion of sustainable development into urban planning, its appropriation and translation into concrete operational projects at the local level is still limited.This research shows that the adoption of the concept of sustainable development by local actors is largely provoked by the injunction of the international protocols, national laws and regulations. This process implies the local adoption of a new set of procedures, engineering, resources and expertise. Yet the strategies that are developed at national level are often incompatible with the local realities. Therefore, the thesis questions the ability of the concept of sustainable development to achieve the expected goals and its relevance as a major concept in urban development.