Sustainable Urban Planning Strategies for Addressing Climate Change

Dear Colleagues,

Cities are now home to more than 55% of the global population, and the proportion could reach 68% by 2050. They are not only hubs of innovation and economic development, generating about 80% of the global GDP, but are also becoming increasingly complex, comprising interconnected land-uses, services, infrastructures and an extensive network of actors. However, while covering less than 3% of the earth’s landmass, cities consume more than 70% of globally generated energy and are responsible for at least 75% of total global greenhouse gas emissions. Cities are, thus, increasingly appreciating their contributions to climate change and are attempting to build capacities and resilience to reduce their negative impact on the environment and transform them into more sustainable communities. Because of their central role in combating climate change and fostering sustainability, several cities have begun implementing sustainable urban planning schemes focusing on the built environment, urban form and structure, infrastructure, transportation, and urban greening. Yet, few studies have investigated the extent of the accomplishments and obstacles to implementing the strategies. This Special Issue aims to assess the extent of implementing the schemes, their successes and challenges encountered, and the lessons to be learned. The Special Issue can inform urban planning policies and practices that can help mainstream climate change adaptation and mitigation into land use planning within cities.

Sustainable Development Goal 13 underscores the urgency of combating climate change at local, national, and international levels. Climate change is among the most pressing global challenges threatening human settlements and quality of life. It is caused principally by anthropogenic emissions of greenhouse gases, leading to extreme weather-related events, such as heatwaves, changes in rainfall patterns, floods, and droughts, with acute, pervasive, and irreparable impacts on humanity and the environment. The highest contributor to climate change is cities, which consume over 70% of global energy, contribute more than 75% of global emissions of greenhouse gases, plus the large concentration of people, land uses, infrastructures, services, consumption, and waste. Climate change impacts, such as health problems, loss of livelihoods, biodiversity, and ecosystem services, and increasing inequalities are also felt more in cities. This is because more than half of humanity lives in cities where these impacts interact intensely with social and economic factors and often exacerbate existing environmental challenges, poverty, and exclusion. Urgent mitigating and adapting actions are, therefore, needed in cities to respond to the challenges. Cities can reduce climate change risks and impacts by integrating climate change mitigation and adaptation with land-use planning and urban governance and in synergy with overall socioeconomic and physical development objectives. Sustainable and integrated urban planning strategies focusing on the built environment, urban form and structure, infrastructure, transportation, and urban greening can help decrease susceptibility and exposure to climate change and increase resilience, human welfare, and environmental quality. Carefully selecting, planning, implementing, and monitoring effective strategies with synergy with urban development actors such as the citizens, the public and private sectors, and community-based organizations are vital to success.

This Special Issue seeks to showcase a range of innovative urban planning schemes that are climate-oriented and geared toward achieving transformative urbanization and sustainable cities. It will feature emerging urban planning initiatives, innovative systems and tools, opportunities, and challenges for addressing climate change impacts. Scholars, researchers, and postgraduate students are invited to contribute to this Special Issue and present original research focusing on effective, long-term, integrated strategies and approaches for climate change mitigation and adaptation within the built environment from both the global North and South. Contributions on promising concepts, urban physical and socioeconomic transformation for climate resilience, policy-oriented, practice-based analyses, case studies, and analytical assessment of existing schemes for addressing climate change impacts in urban areas, and so on, are welcome. Examples of topics include the following and other related themes:

• Land use planning and urban design principles and schemes for reducing energy use in cities.
• Sustainable urban form and structure for mitigating and adapting to climate change.
• Urban regenerative and brownfield development to reverse climate change.
• Tools for evaluating the potentials of urban planning schemes in addressing climate change.
• Building the capacity of local planning agencies to cope with climate change impacts.
• Green mobility and transportation schemes for reducing carbon emissions.
• Strategies for water efficiency and conservation, including wastewater reuse.
• The contributions of urban green infrastructure to carbon capture and sequestration and reducing urban heat island effects.
• Urban governance transformative changes including issues related to equity and environmental justice.

Prof. Dr. Ismaila Rimi Abubakar
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

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• sustainable urban planning
• sustainable cities
• climate change
• urban resilience
• mitigation strategies
• adaptive urban systems
• urban environment
• urban governance
• mixed land uses, compact cities
• green infrastructure
• low-carbon transportation