Urban Transformations Towards Sustainability

Dear Colleagues,

By the new millennium, we entered the urban age with more than 50% of the world’s population living in urban agglomerations. This value is expected to reach approximately 70% by 2050. Today, cities are already responsible for up to 80% of global energy consumption, as well as around 70% of global emissions. Due to this tremendous urbanization process, land-use patterns, resource use and livability, additionally provoked by demographic and climate change, are adjusting worldwide. Therefore, according to the New Urban Agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the UN urban transformations towards sustainability are inevitable. To foster these transformations a strong political commitment and new modes of governance are necessary. From the scientific point of view, a convincing conceptual backbone is needed accompanied by robust empirical data to provide solutions and support decision-making.

This Special Issue will portray a comprehensive approach of urban transformations towards sustainability including inter- and transdisciplinary research. Within this project we ask for results using a wide range of different and interlinked scientific methods from social- and natural sciences in addition to models. Scenarios are being implemented to assess different options for urban transformations that reflect efficient, livable and resilient cities. Building on this, indicators, instruments and test sites (e.g., urban living labs) to pursue sustainable development strategies are highly welcome, too. Experiences of exchange between scientists, urban stakeholders and decision makers from politics and industry shall illustrate the way to bridge the gap between academia and real-life environments. The goal of this special issue is to demonstrate outstanding research in order to provide different urban stakeholders with robust knowledge. This strongly includes context related hands-on solutions with addresses pressing questions impacting the daily life in cities (e.g., weather extremes, traffic collapse, affordable housing, migration streams, demographic change, environmental justice, urban health).

Prof. Dr. Sigrun Kabisch
Guest Editor

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