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Challenges to social, economic, and environmental sustainability are global in scale, yet sustainable development policies must be implemented locally. There has been a tendency for sustainable urbanism projects to engage in the conspicuous sustainability of spatially bounded and highly visible sustainability achievements, rather than spatially expansive, long-term achievements. China's complex system of multilevel governance encourages policy experimentation, but it is also frequently productive of entrepreneurial urbanism and intercity competition. This paper analyses spatial planning documents concerning Hengqin (Zhuhai Municipality, Guangdong Province), an island adjacent to Macao SAR, to show how the ambitions for a new-build district's contributions to sustainable development have become more spatially expansive and ambitious over time. This has occurred alongside changes in project leadership (from city, to provincial, to central government leadership) as well as a deepening awareness of the Greater Bay Area as a region for crossborder policymaking. The paper argues that crossborder perspectives are vital for genuine sustainable development but face certain obstacles in relation to the sites at which policy decisions are made. • Policymakers often prefer conspicuous sustainability to long-term achievements. • Innovative urban entrepreneurialism is common in China's multilevel governance. • Hengqin's spatial planning initially prioritised immediate, localised results. • Centralised leadership and regional awareness can raise sustainability ambitions. • Crossborder perspectives better reflect sustainable development needs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explores the Lifestyle for Environment (LiFE) initiative, a pioneering approach initiated by India to propel sustainable urban development through targeted behavioural change. Positioned at the nexus of individual action and urban sustainability, LiFE underscores the potential of integrating lifestyle adjustments into the broader urban planning and policy-making framework. By examining the initiative's evolution from a grassroots movement to a key element of government policy, this paper highlights its innovative strategies aimed at promoting eco-friendly living and its significant impact on urban environments. Through case studies and an analysis of the initiative's alignment with global sustainability goals, we reveal how LiFE complements existing urban agendas by focusing on the micro-level actions of individuals and communities. This paper contributes to the discourse on sustainable urbanization by showcasing the critical role of behavioural change in achieving urban sustainability goals, thereby offering insights into the formulation of more holistic and effective urban policies. Significantly the paper articulates how LiFE's principles, through enhancing global policies and harnessing the power of technological advancements within the Smart Cities agenda, herald a new paradigm in urban sustainability efforts. • The LiFE initiative emphasizes individual behavioral changes over infrastructural reforms to promote urban sustainability. • The concept originated as a grassroots movement in India and has evolved into a significant element of governmental policy on environmental sustainability. • Case studies, such as the eco-village of Piplantri, demonstrate how individual and community actions can significantly contribute to sustainability goals. • LiFE strategically complements Sustainable Development Goal 11 (SDG 11) and the New Urban Agenda by focusing on micro-level actions that bridge the gap between policy intentions and tangible outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The renewal of old communities (OCR) is a crucial component of China's urban renewal strategy. However, the huge funding gap, coupled with the unwillingness of enterprises to participate, has impeded the sustainable development of OCR in China. This issue has become a major practical challenge for the government. This study employed the modified theory of planned behavior (M-TPB) to examine enterprise behavior, focusing on how internal capabilities and external conditions influence their participation. Data was collected from 261 questionnaire surveys, and structured equation modeling was used to analyze the data. Further in-depth interviews were conducted to explain and validate the results from the SEM. The findings illustrate that: (1) the M-TPB offers a more detailed and nuanced explanation of the mechanisms influencing participation behavior; (2) the attitude towards participation is an important factor in shaping the intention to participate; (3) there is a significant negative correlation between perceived behavioral control, which is based on external conditions, and the participation intention; and (4) different types of enterprises show differences in attitude and perceived behavioral control. These findings provide new insights and perspectives on the OCR dilemma in China, highlighting some important practical implications for fostering various forms of enterprise participation in OCR projects. • This paper analyzes enterprises' participation in OCR from a new perspective - the behavioral intention of managers. • The modified theory of planned behavior can better explain the influence mechanism. • Government should focus on improving the enterprises' attitude and the effectiveness of external conditions. • Propose strategies to promote participation for different types of enterprises. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Addressing the global urgency for improved sustainable cities and communities, as per the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 11, requires innovative and disruptive approaches, which also include applying artificial intelligence (AI). While AI holds significant potential to address complex socio-economic and environmental challenges in cities, a comprehensive analysis of its applications and implications, particularly in urban contexts, is required to address the research gap in understanding how AI can be effectively deployed to meet the challenges. This paper reports on a study that evaluates how AI may facilitate achieving SDG 11. This assessment includes an expert-driven literature review, drawing insights from authoritative sources. In addition, a set of case studies illustrate practical applications of AI to improve urban sustainability. The combination of these approaches led to findings that underscore the pivotal role of AI in optimizing energy use, streamlining waste management, enhancing traffic flow, and contributing to environmental sustainability. However, according to the findings, AI implementation needs oversight to ensure it is ethical, inclusive, and privacy-respecting as an effective tool to aid decision-making. By fostering collaboration among planners, policymakers, and AI experts, the full potential of AI may be unlocked to shape sustainable urban environments and realize SDG 11. • Artificial Intelligence may assist in implementing sustainable development. • Cities and communities can become more sustainable with the use of AI. • There is a research gap on using AI to promote sustainable cities. • Some AI technologies may be used in urban contexts. • Various social, and environmental issues and obstacles need to be overcome. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The urgent decline of global progress towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in the post-COVID-19 era necessitates immediate action in the field of smart cities. This paper proposes a new framework to assess the performance of global smart cities, emphasizing the vitality and potential of sustainability-oriented smartness for global smart cities, as well as the role of benchmarking cities on a global scale. The framework centered around the principles of "humanity-technology-sustainability" tackles critical challenges related to feasibility, interoperability, and flexibility in smart city assessments. By integrating academic perceptions with quantitative performance results, the proposed framework aims to facilitate the advancement of sustainable smart city through urban comparisons and the expansion of global visions within the smart city ecosystem in a post-pandemic future. In each of the past three years, twenty globally renowned cities for smart city development are assessed under this framework and published on UNPAN (United Nations Public Administration Network) website. These assessments aim to draw the attention of more cities to the factors that contribute to advancing smart cities under the new world development goals, to identify benchmark cities across different dimensions, and to assist decision-makers in prioritizing future smart city development initiatives. • SDGs call for urgent responses in the field of smart cities in the Post-pandemic era • The multivocal in sustainability makes the goal of sustainable smart city ambiguous • Bridge the gap between sustainability vision and sustainability goal in smart city • The new smart city assessment framework based on "humanity-technology-sustainability" • 20 global metropolia as smart city benchmarks are assessed under the framework [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents an in-depth city profile analyzing Martil—an emerging coastal satellite urban center in northern Morocco. Situated within a rapidly urbanizing context, Martil exemplifies organic satellite city dynamics in the Global South. The analysis tracks Martil's demographic, spatial, economic, social, environmental, and planning transformations since the 1970s. Accelerated rural-urban migration fueled unstructured peripheral expansion, straining infrastructure and producing socioeconomic disparities. Unregulated construction encroached on floodplains and coastal habitats, increasing climate risks and environmental degradation. Recent urban development plans aim to balance growth priorities with sustainability concerns through zoning, partnerships, and critical projects. However, persisting governance gaps between ambitions and on-ground outcomes continue to hinder equitable development and ecological resilience. The study situates Martil locally and comparatively, underscoring mismatches between prevailing models and satellites' distinct realities. Satellite urbanism's complexities validate calls for fundamental paradigm shifts prioritizing social welfare, climate adaptation, economic diversity, and participatory planning essential for sustainable urban development. This multi-dimensional analysis of a rapidly evolving coastal satellite city on the Mediterranean contributes an original perspective to urban studies scholarship while offering integrated recommendations for practitioners and policymakers. • Rapid coastal satellite urbanization trends unpacked through Martil city case profile • Population influx and unstructured peripheral expansion fuel socioeconomic and ecological pressures • Environmental hazards and groundwater risks analyzed vis-à-vis uncontrolled construction • Intent and implementation gaps in balancing urban growth with sustainability surface • Comparative insights on coastal satellites inform adaptive planning and policy pathways [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An understanding of how modern Open Data Ecosystems (ODEs) work is critical in the context of current trends towards sustainability and smartness, while is seen to be an asset to support urban governance and development, in coordinating actions, and fostering civic engagement. This paper aims to establish such understanding by analyzing the contextual patterns, platforms, and components shaping sustainable ODEs by employing platform theory. This study explores and compares characteristics, similarities, differences, and best approaches in 19 cities across 8 countries. In this study we (1) identify 50 patterns that influence and shape sustainable ODEs and their platforms, i.e., Open Data Platform Ecosystems (ODPEs); (2) explore the relationships between platforms and other ODPEs components by developing a respective model, and identifying internal platforms and other components; (3) empirically validate the conceptual findings of five types of ODPEs presented in the literature, redefining them from the conceptual to real-life implementation of the respective components in sample cities; (4) considering the experience gained during the study with respect to the ODPEs and external pressures and environments that shape or influence them, we define 12 recommendations for policy planning and urban governance of more sustainable ODEs. • Identifies 50 patterns that influence and shape sustainable ODEs in smart cities • Defines the Open Data Platform Ecosystem (ODPE) and its components and relationships • Empirically validates the conceptual findings of five types of smart city ODPEs • Defines 12 recommendations for urban development of more sustainable ODEs [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The debate on the role of urban agriculture in the sustainable city discourse remains unresolved in the conventional literature. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to review relevant literature to clarify the role of urban agriculture in sustainable cities. The search for literature was guided by themes such as: a) urban agricultural practices, b) indicators for the measurement of sustainable cities, c) economic, social and environmental benefits of urban agriculture, and d) negative effects of urban agriculture on the city. The results from a synthesis of the literature indicate that urban agriculture supports the economic, social and environmental sustainability of cities. However, if the discussion gives credence to only the economic dimension of sustainability, then urban agriculture loses the debate. This is because the economic benefits of prime city land that is used used for non-agricultural purposes (such as commercial or industrial) is profound. However, the social and environmental functions of responsible urban agriculture, particularly in reducing the rift between urbanisation and nature, may be difficult to quantify. These social and environmental functions underscore the importance of urban agriculture in the city landscape. The paper concludes by arguing that focussing on only economic sustainability in the urban agriculture-sustainable city discourse is a travesty of the idea of sustainable development. The paper presents practical steps that can be taken to preserve agriculture in cities towards their sustainability. • The role of urban agriculture in the sustainable city discourse is unresolved. • The paper aims to clarify this through a review of literature across the globe. • The paper's conceptual framework is based on the tripartite view of sustainable development. • The roles are profound if the discussion focusses on the tripartite dimension of sustainable development. • The paper outlines measures that can ensure the sustenance of urban agriculture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper is focused on sustainability assessment for some of the most prominent global megacities: London, New York, Hong Kong, Los Angeles, Sao Paolo, Rio de Janeiro, Paris, Berlin, Moscow, Beijing, Singapore, Shanghai, Sydney and Tokyo. The alternative city rankings are compared and linkages between different sustainability and smart city dimensions are explored. The paper applied ELECTRE III multi-criteria decision aid tool to a panel of twenty indicators. The proposed approach allowed considering performance under four different policy priorities: environmental, economic, social and smart, changing the focus of the sustainability assessment. The results have shown that Singapore dominates the sustainability rankings under environmental policy priorities. Tokyo leads under economic and social priorities, and London and Tokyo – under smart city priorities. The worst performing cities were Shanghai, Los Angeles and Rio de Janeiro. The paper examines the innovative sustainability strategy and new governance structures that led Singapore to become the most sustainable city under environmental priorities and offers recommendations for the lower-ranking cities of Shanghai, Los Angeles and Rio de Janeiro. The assessment could be a valuable tool for policy makers and investors, and could help identify linkages between different sustainability dimensions, highlighting best practices as well as strategic opportunities in cities with sustainability potential. • The article reviews analytical methods for urban sustainability assessment; • The interdisciplinary linkages among various sustainability dimensions are traced among 140+ cities with a special emphasis on megacities; • The multicriteria sustainability assessment is conducted for 14 global megacities under environmental, economic, social and smart priorities [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

History matters. Yet, explanations about the contemporary dynamics around informal settlements in global South cities are often divorced from their historical antecedents. We argue that a retrospective approach is important in analyzing and understanding the current dynamics around informal settlements. Applying the historical institutionalism approach and the concepts of critical junctures and path dependency, this paper develops an institutionalist approach to exploring the messy and complex dynamics of urban informal settlements in Abuja, Nigeria. Using interviews, focus group discussions, document analysis, and participant observations, we identify four key critical junctures: the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) ACT of 1976; the Land Use ACT of 1978, the 1979 master plan of Abuja, and the attempted demolition of Mpape in 2012 and the resulting 5-year court case that ended in 2017. These critical junctures have created path dependencies that explain the contemporary state of the urban informal settlements in Abuja, particularly in relation to land rights and tenure (in)security. This study shows how inconsistencies in the formulation of policies and their implementation in the planning of cities are a result of historically embedded problems. Insights into such historical legacies are the first step to a comprehensive understanding and future planning of urban informal settlements. • History matters. Contemporary cities are shaped by legacies of the past as well as current governance circumstances. • The use of critical junctures and path dependency frameworks provides meaningful insights into the informalisation processes of informal settlements. • Informal settlements in Abuja are the result of the path-dependent actions of the state and non-state actors. • Insights into historical legacies are important for sustainable future planning and regularisation of urban informal settlements. • Future studies on urban informal settlements need to account for the historical antecedents and path-dependencies in their governance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study explores the impact of political uncertainty on sustainable urban development by examining carbon emission trading systems (ETS) in four major markets in China (Beijing, Shanghai, Guangdong, and Hubei) from 2014 to 2022. As an alternative to carbon taxes, carbon ETS markets have become increasingly popular due to their success in reducing greenhouse gas emissions. However, their effectiveness is often hindered by political instability and uncertainty. Utilising logistic regression and AR(1)-GARCH estimations, we identify a negative relationship between political uncertainty and carbon trading volume. Our study also reveals significant variations in the responses of these markets to political uncertainty. The paper contributes to the understanding of how ETS markets operate in a complex and constantly changing political environment. We suggest that policymakers need to consider the impact of political uncertainty on carbon trading when designing and implementing urban policies that promote sustainable development. Additionally, our research contributes to the development of urban policies that can be effectively implemented in both developed and developing regions. • Local government official turnovers are used as the measurement of political uncertainty. • Daily transaction data from four carbon ETS markets (Beijing, Shanghai, Hubei and Guangdong) in China • Considered the probability and proportion of zero transaction day • Logistic regression and AR(1)-GARCH estimations • A negative relationship between political uncertainty and carbon transaction volume [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Cities are increasingly turning towards specialized technologies to address issues related to society, ecology, morphology and many others. The emerging concept of Smart Cities highly encourages this prospect by promoting the incorporation of sensors and Big Data through the Internet of Things (IoT). This surge of data brings new possibilities in the design and management of cities just as much as economic prospects. While Big Data processing through Artificial Intelligence (AI) can greatly contribute to the urban fabric, sustainability and liveability dimensions however must not be overlooked in favour of technological ones. This paper reviews the urban potential of AI and proposes a new framework binding AI technology and cities while ensuring the integration of key dimensions of Culture, Metabolism and Governance; which are known to be primordial in the successful integration of Smart Cities for the compliance to the Sustainable Development Goal 11 and the New Urban Agenda. This paper is aimed towards Policy Makers, Data Scientists and Engineers who are looking at enhancing the integration of Artificial Intelligence and Big Data in Smart Cities with an aim to increase the liveability of the urban fabric while boosting economic growth and opportunities. Highlights • Smart Cities are gaining popularity and the Internet of Things (IoT) is leading to the generation of massive amounts of Data. • Big Data can be better managed through Artificial Intelligence processes and render faster and more intelligent systems • Technology must however not be the sole focus of Smart Cities as we may lose in human dimensions • Technology must support liveability dimensions to ensure Resilience, Safety and Sustainability as prescribed by the SDG 11. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, makerspaces and FabLabs have proliferated in urban settings. Such venues provide shared workspace, (digital fabrication) tools, and knowledge, lowering the barriers for citizens to engage in DIY (Do It Yourself), and the design and building of artefacts. In recent years, scholars have hailed the return of small-scale manufacturing, independent craft production and making practices to cities. This shift is by some seen as pre-figuring a more progressive and inclusive discourse on urban development, one that is attentive to local communities' productive needs and opportunities, and that moves us away from the hitherto dominant consumption-centred paradigm of the creative city (Carr & Gibson, 2016; Grodach, 2017; Grodach et al., 2017). Drawing on empirical data collected in Turin in 2021, the paper investigates how and under what conditions community-led spaces centred on making may hold potential as sites of urban vitalism, reconfiguring production and consumption in more democratic, inclusive and sustainable ways. The findings consider a number of emerging tensions, relating to questions of regulating open access, managing community participation, and negotiating project-based versus changing habitual practices. • The paper considers the potential and limitations for sustainability transitions in open community-based spaces of making • It offers insights into how these spaces effect positive societal impacts through making • The paper considers a number of emerging tensions, relating to questions of open access regulation, community participation management, and project-based negotiation versus habitual practices change [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this paper is to analyze at what extent the connectivity of small localities is a determinant of their demography. Specifically, we pay attention to three factors: the evolution of the population; the distance, measured both in kilometres and travel time, to the province capital, the usual city where the largest set of services is available; and finally, the coverage of different kinds of broadband services (from ADSL or 3.5 G to the fastest ones FTTH) in rural areas. An econometric model was estimated where the dependent variable captures the increase of inhabitants along 2017–2020 of the 5955 Spanish municipalities with a population between 101 and 10,000 inhabitants (73.3 % of all municipalities). The results point out to the following facts: digital connectivity of small localities is a determinant of their demography, whatever the technology used, but physical distance remains being a significant factor on the population growth (both if it is measured of physical distance or travelling time) to explain the population growth of each locality. • Digital connectivity of small localities is a determinant of their demography. • Internet connections are a new communication channel to promote/deter depopulation in rural areas. • Internet access is positively correlated with population growth in small/medium populations. • The distance to the provincial capital continues to be a factor that slows down population growth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper discusses three uses of modal split indicators, and illustrates how it evolved from a technical, intermediate step in transport analysis, over a measure of transport system efficiency to a symbolic urban sustainable mobility indicator. A framework which includes 11 factors is presented and applied to the different uses of the modal split indicator. Besides the comparison of the three main uses of modal split in research and practice, this contribution focuses on a citizen science project (Straatvinken) in the region of Flanders, Belgium. In this project thousands of citizens carry out traffic counts. While the project was initially set up to monitor modal split targets in the urban area of Antwerp, the emphasis shifted towards street liveability. This is visible in the fact that the citizen science project added a narrative-based liveability survey to capture experiences with and evaluations of the liveability at street level. The case illustrates that citizen science is, besides a tool to address data gaps, also an approach to increase the validity of indicators. The reason is that citizen science, which seems to be underexplored in transport studies, differs in what gets measured, how it is measured and why. This approach has proven to provide a fine-grained, integrated assessment of street-level changes in the composition and intensity of the traffic and their effects on the perceived liveability. We argue that it strengthens and complements traditional modal split measurements at the regional or urban level, which typically rely on the modelling of individual mobility behaviour based on household travel surveys. Traditional approaches allow observing broad trends in mobility choices at the regional level, but they do not provide insights in how those individual choices translate into effects at street level. Although often initiated out of certain sustainability concerns, existing modal split models do not reveal how an observed modal shift at the regional level affects the perceived liveability or sustainability at street level. • A framework is presented to compare different uses of modal split indicators. • Modal split is regularly used as an urban sustainability indicator. • Citizen science deserves more attention in transport research and policy. • The validity of modal split indicators is not clear. • The concept of liveable streets corresponds well with citizen concerns. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Achieving the sustainability of land use (SLU) is of significance in the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). However, limited research has been conducted on the integrating SDGs into land use assessment. This paper constructs a SLU evaluation framework oriented to SDGs to investigate the spatial-temporal characteristics of SLU during 2000–2020 and its driving factors, taking 192 counties in Yangtze River Delta urban agglomeration (YRD), China as a case. Results show that the SLU level in YRD demonstrates an overall decrease trend of fluctuations, along with obvious regional differences. The spatial pattern of the SLU level in YRD is high in the northern region and low in the southern region, but this gap is gradually narrowing. The spatial distribution of SLU has positive agglomeration characteristics, manifested as H H and L-L types. Furthermore, SLU depends more on the combination of natural and socioeconomic factors. Industrial structure, fiscal deficit, urbanization level, vegetation coverage and precipitation characteristics can promote the SLU, while the economic development level, government intervention and population density have a negative impact on SLU. • Propose a new evaluation framework for sustainability of land use integrating 2030SDGs. • Reveal the spatio-temporal dynamic of sustainability of land use. • Analyze the spatial agglomeration of sustainability of land use. • Identify the factors that affect the spatio-temporal dynamic over time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Assigning labels to cities that evoke desirable features has become increasingly popular in recent years with city administrators promoting various notions of the desired city. This article examines the various labels used to classify cities and identifies the key characteristics that each label tends to highlight. It is contended that as proponents of variously labelled cities pursue certain aspects of sustainability, their focus may be too narrow to cover the broad spectrum of sustainability. A literature review of various notions of desirable cities promoted under various labels suggests that cities of the future would need to be dynamic and intelligent in every aspect of social, economic and environmental sustainability. Therefore, it is important that all aspects of sustainability are considered in envisioning the desired future in which to conceptualize the cities of the future. It can be assumed from the past trends of urbanization that future cities will continue to uphold and build upon common goals and values of existing cities such as promoting pleasant urban form, community engagement, economic opportunities, and technological advancement and cultural diversity. This paper reports on a systematic critical review of literature of twelve popular notions/labels of desirable cities as apparent from a scan of citation indices of peer reviewed articles. It identifies the level of consideration of various aspects of sustainability in the central focus of proponents of each notion. It then maps out the concern for sustainability along ten dimensions of sustainability. The findings of the study demonstrate that not all notions/labels of desired cities consider sufficient breadth of the sustainability spectrum. Similarly, in cumulative terms, the various notions of desirable cities amount to different levels of consideration for various aspects of sustainability. The paper concludes by pointing out the need to ensure that the overall focus of scholars dealing with the built environment at any given time provides a balanced regard to all aspects of sustainability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Geoinformation and Communication Technology (GeoICT) is being increasingly adopted to foster urban sustainability and smart cities. Despite the burgeoning utilization of GeoICT, the development of frameworks of components and guidelines is still at the infancy. This is due to the fact that GeoICT implementations are guided by contextual factors and there is no one size fits all approach. This paper focuses on the topic of leveraging GeoICT for smart sustainable cities by examining the Saudi Arabian experience using information from the literature, government websites, official documents, newspaper articles and personal interviews. This study reviews the definitions, typologies, and frameworks of implementing GeoICT and smart cities. It highlights case studies of smart city development in Saudi Arabia. A comparison of the Saudi case studies with frameworks and practices found in the literature is presented. This paper concludes with policy implications for Saudi Arabia and lessons for GeoICT and smart city development. It is concluded that local context has an influence on the implementation of smart cities, ICT infrastructure is necessary but not sufficient for developing smart cities and blending top-down with bottom-up approaches is essential. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Changing consumer trends, waves of retail decentralisation, and various socio-economic and environmental shocks have exacerbated the well-recognised challenges of retail-dominant English high streets in recent years. The decline and 'death' of the high street has been the subject of many policy responses aiming at transforming high streets as viable multifunctional hubs and local community anchors. However, this vision implies a narrative change of high street viability beyond established economic and property-oriented interpretations, which is presently unclear in conceptual and operational terms. This paper identifies the conceptual ambiguities and tensions evident in English policy and reframes high street viability at the confluence of other 'loose concepts' (sustainability, resilience, adaptability, liveability). Through a scoping review, this paper synthesises studies discussing these interrelated concepts, and presents their development since the influential URBED Vital and Viable Town Centres report. We argue that the factors contributing to the interrelated concepts form a joint effort towards achieving high street viability, but can also be distinguished by temporal variations and areas of concentration. • A renewed interest in high street viability necessitates a reframing of the concept • We address the conceptual and operational ambiguity of high street viability in English policies over the past 30 years • We illustrate the confluence of viability in relation to sustainability, resilience, liveability and adaptability • High street viability is a dynamic concept that corresponds to the long-term, changing challenges and needs of communities [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study explores the potential impact of smart urban technologies used in smart city projects on three dimensions of urban sustainability (economic, environmental and social). Although the literature notes that smart urban technologies and their capabilities are potential saviours when it comes to urban and sustainability challenges in cities, there is a lack of studies exploring the impact of smart urban technologies on urban sustainability. Thus, we address this literature gap by conducting structural topic modelling on smart city projects retrieved from the Smart Territory call for projects. In these projects, city managers' report extensively on how smart urban technologies can support urban sustainability. Our results show nine groups of smart urban technologies that will support at least two urban sustainability dimensions. Smart mobility systems can support all three dimensions of urban sustainability. Technology benefits will be realised by smart urban technology capabilities and through the involvement of the city's community in the use of technology. • City managers may adopt smart urban technologies to achieve urban sustainability goals. • The results link different urban sustainability impacts to different smart urban technologies. • This paper provides a list of smart urban technologies that will support at least two urban sustainability dimensions. • Results provide a basis to measure smart urban technologies' impacts through different sustainability indicators. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The implementation of Sustainable Drainage Systems (SuDS) is believed to have the potential to bring about extensive change in stormwater management. This includes change in the crucial but still relatively little researched institutional context (prevailing mindset, etc.) shaping practice. This paper contributes to the further understanding of the institutional context surrounding SuDS deployment. Stakeholder knowledge, mindset, and power (both perceived and exercised) are explored, embracing divergences between district types (districts with SuDS and districts without SuDS), stakeholder groups (residents and various professionals), and two European socio-ecological contexts (Austria and Southern France). Results show increasing support for SuDS implementation and ambitious approaches to stormwater management, although the latter in particular rarely has any effect in practice. A sharp dichotomy persists between residents and professionals in terms of knowledge and exercised power. Daily experience with SuDS rarely has any influence on residents' knowledge and mindset, regardless of their demographic, social and geographical characteristics. Stakeholders appear motivated but tend to feel incapable of contributing to change. Information campaigns and the provision of empowerment tools to those individuals who feel motivated, but unaware of their capabilities, need to be developed in order to enable further change. • The knowledge, mindset, and actions of stakeholders as to stormwater are explored. • There is increasing support for Sustainable Drainage Systems (SuDS) implementation. • Daily experience with SuDS has little impact on residents' knowledge and mindset. • Stakeholders appear motivated but tend to feel incapable to contribute to change. • Information campaigns and empowerment tools are needed to enable further change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Densification is the key intervention strategy proposed in the urban sustainability planning literature. Nevertheless, the blueprint for action is still vague, and especially so in small cities. Is, for example, the premise for and reward of densification relatively transferable between city scales? In addition, does difference in centre structures and distribution of facilities in small cities have an implication for active travel? By focusing on three Norwegian small cities, this paper addresses how built environment and attitudes influence active travel behaviour in small cities with different centre structures. Using descriptive statistics, ANOVA test and negative binomial regression on survey data, the paper finds that attitude towards active travel as well as accessibility significantly influence walk/bike trip frequency. Moreover, variation in small-city centre structure has an important implication for active travel but the effect varies between facility types. • Theoretical premise on the causal mechanism between urban form and travel behaviour in small city context is laid out. • City-scale built environment factors are strong predictors of average accessibility by active modes in small cities. • Attitude towards active modes strongly contributes to the propensity for active travel when alternative modes are available. • Distribution of facilities that optimizes active travel in a small city differs by facility categories. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper focuses on the research pathway related to the drafting of a strategic Agri-Food Plan of Rome. The paper highlights the theoretical background and investigates the strategic vision and actions, as well as the role played by the Covid-19 Pandemic by changing priorities. The merging between two strands of study is identified: urban food strategies and sustainability in the debate on post Covid-19 food planning studies and the analysis of local agri-food systems for economic development. This work shows that in the case of urban and metropolitan areas around the Mediterranean, agriculture, the cultural dimension of food, logistics, research and innovation, and tourism marketing can be included within a single planning and policy tool. In the case of Rome, the place-based approach allowed us to consider the specificities of social and spatial contexts with interactions of market drivers with public institutions. This approach may constitute a promising path of research for the future of sustainable planning, particularly in Mediterranean cities. The results have interesting policy implications that should be more explicitly considered in addressing urban agendas, and in particular, the role of food to promote local development by integrating economic, social, and environmental and spatial values at a regional scale. • The sustainability of urban food system is a relevant issue in post Covid-19 Recovery • The agri-food systems of Southern Europe are more specialized and regionalized than those of Northern Europe • Food and agriculture shaping spatial, socioeconomic and environmental dynamics is crucial in Mediterranean cities • The case of Rome suggests that spatial planning and local development in Mediterranean cities play a crucial role in the urban agenda for the ecological transition [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper focuses on transformation in sustainable urban governance by examining the prospect of fostering sustainable development through top-down urban governance. It takes a case study of urban development in Saudi Arabia, which had been administered through a centralized framework devoid of the environmental assessment of policies and plans. Urban planning documents made limited references to the environment. Consequently, Saudi cities have been ranked low on environmental sustainability. However, recently, due to the political imperative of addressing the problems, low oil prices, and the Arab Spring, there has been a remarkable transformation in urban governance. The planning of some of the major cities has been decentralized and some policies implemented to curb unsustainable development. This article reviews these changes to investigate how top-down approaches might still be relevant in promoting sustainable development. It concludes that there is a need to implement a framework of legislation and administrative procedures integrated with strategic environmental assessment (SEA) to ensure proper sustainable institutionalised urban governance. The findings could serve as lessons for those operating under similar political contexts especially in developing countries. • Examines the prospect of fostering sustainable development through top-down urban governance • Examines urban governance in Saudi Arabia as a case study • Highlights the transformation in sustainable urban governance in Saudi Arabia • Top-down approach is relevant in promoting sustainable urban governance in some contexts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cities have started adapting to uncertain climate drivers such as temperature and sea level rise, and some cities are also transitioning towards concepts such as Water Sensitivity. In adaptation planning, flexibility is considered as an important characteristic to respond to changing circumstances. This paper develops a novel approach to identify where flexibility can best be embedded in urban flood risk management systems. The identification of a flexible water sensitive adaptation response is based on change propagation; i.e. the response's ability to minimise negative or maximise positive impacts in urban systems . The Flexible adaptation planning process (WSCapp), comprising change propagation – especially how positive and negative impacts propagate in an urban environment, can be used by those concerned with urban planning and urban adaptation to identify “ where ” the flexible adaptation responses can be implemented. WSCapp can be used to decide the type of adaptation response such as changes to streetscape, place making or architectural forms that can best contribute towards the objectives of a water sensitive city. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Centralized infrastructure systems are ineffective infrastructure solutions for a diverse range of contexts, yet they comprise a substantial portion of current and planned infrastructure systems in municipalities throughout the world. The synthesis of a multidisciplinary, two phase review of existing literature on potentially higher performing infrastructure solutions is presented in this paper. In the first phase, the potential economic and ecological advantages of semi-decentralized and decentralized infrastructure systems are explored. The results of the first phase of the study indicated that innovative infrastructure solutions, particularly hybrid infrastructure, can have substantial economic and ecological performance benefits. Hybrid infrastructure is defined in this paper as infrastructure systems that are integrated within buildings and landscapes that also provide non-infrastructure uses. In order to be considered hybrid infrastructure, the infrastructure system(s) must provide a greater quantity of infrastructure services than the quantity of services that are required by the individual building or landscape, and their occupants. Through an analysis of the results of the second phase of the review, the potential ecological, social and economic benefits of hybrid infrastructure are explored, some of which would otherwise be unattainable. The potential effectiveness of several hybrid infrastructure performance assessment methods is also discussed. The results of this discussion have substantial implications for building performance assessment methods and metrics. In particular, refocusing building performance goals and assessment methods to the urban scale can be more effective than current building performance goals and assessment methods. In addition, the results suggest that improving the ecological integrity of ecosystems through building and landscape design can also benefit the economic and social performance of buildings, landscapes, and local communities. Thus, this paper contributes to deepening the understanding of the maximum ecological performance potential of buildings and landscapes. This is accomplished by investigating potentially effective ways buildings and landscapes can contribute to the development of sustainable cities and regions, in ways that improve the ecological integrity of local natural ecosystems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigates the emerging importance of food and Urban Agriculture in the city of Rotterdam. In particular these themes are the focus of two policy documents recently launched by the municipality: the Sustainability Program and the strategic agenda Food and the City . In the process of rebranding the city for middle and upper class residents and creative workers, these strategies directly contribute to the marketing of Rotterdam as the most “sustainable world harbor city”. By way of discourse analysis, we analyze policy documents to highlight the tensions between the advertised social and economic benefits of these operations. Food and Urban Agriculture emerges as being framed to target the needs of the low-income multicultural population, and at the same time of the upper and creative class . The paper concludes that municipal experiments on food can be used strategically to foster competition and city-branding; as such these can ultimately be considered a form of creative city politics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sustainable urban logistics is imperative to meet urban sustainability goals. In the European context, the European Union (EU) set an ambitious target in 2011 of essentially CO 2 -free urban logistics by 2030. However, it is unclear how effectively such EU targets for urban logistics have shaped national- and urban-level policymaking. This paper investigates whether there is evidence of localization of these supranational goals for urban logistics at the national and local levels. Drawing on the 'steering effects' framework, we seek such effects across four dimensions—institutional, discursive, relational and resources. Empirically, we conduct a thematic analysis of transport-related documents across three governance levels—the EU, the national level of Norway and the local level comprising four Norwegian cities. Our findings show that the EU's urban logistics goals are reflected in changing policy behaviour at the national and local levels over time. Yet this is more evident in some areas than in others: the discursive effect is most evident at both the national and local levels, whereas the institutional effects at both these levels remain fragmented and weak. Therefore, the EU's goalsetting does matter, but we have yet to see strong effects beyond the discursive. • Sustainable urban logistics is embedded within a multi-level governance. • Thematic Analysis adapted to unpack the effects of EU's goals across time. • Localization seen in target setting, multi-stakeholder approach, and climate budgets • Discursive effects of EU goals strongly observed while other effects are weak. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The impact of technology on tourist cities and destinations has led to the emergence of renewed management approaches that seek to adapt the planning processes to new challenges and opportunities derived from the smart scenario. The smart city and smart tourist destination approaches are aimed at improving efficiency in management, the quality of life of the residents and the tourist experiences. However, little is known about how these ideas are being translated into real policies and whether they are having a real impact. The objective of this paper is to understand how the smart approach is being deployed in the planning processes of Spanish tourist cities and destinations, and its implications in terms of the governance, sustainability and data-driven public management. The planning instruments that guide the smart strategies of different Spanish cities are identified and analysed. This is complemented with a questionnaire administered among managers of the smart city and smart destination initiatives. The findings reveal the diversity of smart initiatives, their benefits and limitations. The results contribute to generating a necessary debate on the implications of the smart discourse for urban and tourism planning and enrich the international debate around this approach. • Contrasts the theoretical and international smart discourse with practical application in Spanish cities • Critically analyses smart city and smart destination plans, identifying categories • Surveys smart city and destination managers to unveil their perception of impacts • Contributes to overcome the insufficient consideration of tourism within the analysis and development of smart cities • Identifies implications for global urban and tourism planning of the uneven development of the smart approach [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of the paper is to clarify the relationship between sustainability-oriented innovations (SOI) and smart city development based on the systematic review of existing literature in the field. As an outcome of the review process, 159 articles were carefully selected for the in-depth analysis of the inter-linked concepts of smart city and sustainability-oriented innovations. The results show a growing trend of research papers in this field, especially in the last five years. The findings show the significance of a systemic multi-dimensional view of innovations for the smart sustainable development of cities. We have identified four main perspectives through which the scholars discourse the SOI dimensions in the smart city context: technology perspective, organizational perspective, social innovation perspective with citizen engagement, as well as system-level changes with innovation ecosystems. Second, we have recognized various focused themes under each main perspective. The various types of innovations also have impacts on different components of smart cities. Although the technological innovation perspectives dominate, and governance aspects are also paid attention to in recent studies, the increasing amount of research outputs also report on the developments of other components and perspectives, such as new human-centric approaches like citizen engagement. • Growing trend in papers connecting sustainability innovations and smart cities • Four main perspectives of innovation dimensions in smart cities recognized • Technological and governance perspectives dominate in earlier research. • Recent increase in research of human-centric approaches and citizen engagement [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Auckland’s first spatial plan (locally known as the Auckland Plan) is the principal document providing strategic direction for the city’s development over the next 30 years. The Auckland Plan aspires to radically transform transport in Auckland, from a car-dominant system into an integrated public transport network, by proposing a series of expensive infrastructure projects, including rail tunnels under the CBD, rail extension to the airport, and an additional harbour crossing. This paper critically assesses the transport strategies proposed by the Plan from a broad spectrum of sustainability perspectives. In drawing on the events leading to the 2009 Auckland local government reform, the Plan making process and the content of the Plan, this paper shows that the Plan’s transport strategy suffers a range of drawbacks, including limited political support, a rushed consultation process and lack of a robust framework for funding public transport projects. These problems raise questions about the Plan’s capacity to drive a ‘transformational shift’ in Auckland’s transport landscape and ultimately contribute to the vision of making Auckland the world’s most liveable city. This paper concludes by recommending Auckland Council adopts a more proactive approach to transport planning focusing on better civic engagement, more strategic mechanisms to incentivize public transport and to overcome institutional inertia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Improved sustainability of cities requires equitably distributed and ecologically safe, if not restorative, infrastructure systems, as well as reduced reliance on resources from beyond urban boundaries. To shape infrastructure systems in a sustainable and equitable manner, knowledge about the sources and demands of the resources they convey is necessary, as well as the technologies which ensure their efficient use and safe return to the environment. This paper undertakes a basic urban metabolism assessment to examine resource consumption in the City of Cape Town. It examines the type and quantity of resources which fuel the city and its people, in order to highlight prospects for the sustainability of Cape Town. Key findings from resource profiles of Cape Town show that annual energy and water consumption, which are feared to be approaching system limits, have actually shown decline in consumption since 2007 and 2011 respectively. The key intervention to reduce energy consumption and resultant carbon emissions lies in reducing low-occupancy private car usage, while the key limitations to reducing raw water abstraction through wastewater reuse is the limited ability to store and redistribute it. Comparing maps of resource access to maps of material stocks shows that while the city periphery experiences low resource access, resource stocks are potentially quite dense. The spatial location of resource stock, flow and consumption represents a useful tool for detailed urban planning and service delivery, and is a gap in need of researching. Although flows of food are difficult to track, estimates suggest that 11.6% of the food processed in Cape Town is grown within municipal boundaries and interventions for keeping nutrients in the system should be explored. Examining the flow of people between suburbs over time shows that migration dynamics are entrenching poverty in already high poverty suburbs, as people with economic means are more likely to move to better serviced suburbs than invest in their current ones. This presents a need for the city to invest in these underserviced areas, so as to retain personal investment. Key recommendations for urban and resource planning are the integrated analysis of resource nexuses using system dynamics modelling, as well as integrating departments within the municipality, to enable more holistic intervention strategies. To aid this, research into a baseline examination of differential spatial and temporal flows of resources at suburb level is currently underway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Citizen engagement is heralded as essential for food democracy and equality, yet the implementation of inclusive citizen engagement mechanisms in urban food systems governance has lagged behind. This paper aims to further the agenda of citizen engagement in the transformation towards healthy and sustainable urban food systems by offering a conceptual reflection on urban living labs (ULLs) as a methodological platform. Over the past decades, ULLs have become increasingly popular to actively engage citizens in methodological testbeds for innovations within real-world settings. The paper proposes that ULLs as a tool for inclusive citizen engagement can be utilized in two ways: (i) the ULL as the daily life of which citizens are the experts, aimed at uncovering the unreflexive agency of a highly diverse population in co-shaping the food system and (ii) the ULL as a break with daily life aimed at facilitating reflexive agency in (re)shaping food futures. We argue that both ULL approaches have the potential to facilitate inclusive citizen engagement in different ways by strengthening the breadth and the depth of citizen engagement respectively. The paper concludes by proposing a sequential implementation of the two types of ULL, paying attention to spatial configurations and the short-termed nature of ULLs. • Food system transformations require more inclusive citizen engagement. • Urban Living Labs provide a methodological platform to harness citizen agency. • We distinguish two types of living labs: (1) daily life; (2) a break with daily life. • Focus on (1) inclusiveness and unreflexive agency; (2) reflexive future engagement • Combining two types can advance more inclusive urban food system transformations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Smart cities are expected to address global challenges and increase the quality of life. However, due to the overemphasis on physical and technological aspects, social rights and democratic values have often been neglected in smart city projects. In this paper, we introduce the concept of 'societal smart city' and discuss how and why it should be prioritized in the post-pandemic era. We argue that a societal smart city is a city that integrates social rights and democratic values with technological innovations. Six major dimensions of a societal smart city are: social sustainability, citizen-centeredness, e-democracy, social justice, participatory governance, and cultural resilience. We encourage urban planners and policymakers to pay attention to these dimensions and caution against physical and technological determinism. • This study aims to introduce the concept of the societal smart city. • Social rights and democratic values have often been neglected in smart cities. • A societal smart city is a city that integrates social rights and democratic values with technological innovations. • We argue that societal smart city should be prioritized in the post-pandemic era. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Protecting water tower cities benefits human life, global ecosystems, and the development of agriculture and industry. Hainan Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, a typical water tower city, is an important water conservation area on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. This paper outlines the history of Hainan and demonstrates how different policies influence the development of its environment, economy, and society. To date, Hainan has made full use of climate and natural resources and cultural advantages to establish a model of sustainability in which economic, social, and cultural development dimensions have interactive relationships. The Hainan model can be described as a development path, which can be generalized to a universal version, the water tower cities model, that can be applied to other water tower cities, including "pan-third pole" areas worldwide. The model encourages water tower cities to deeply tap into the unique advantages of urban geographical and cultural development as the driving force of urban economic, social and environmental dimensions. Thus, high altitude, river resources, and other unique characteristics have mutual effects, which will underpin the movement of the water tower city toward more sustainable development. • Hainan Prefecture, water source of high-altitude mountains, is a water tower city. • How Hainan Prefecture achieves sustainable development is examined. • Transforming urban characteristics to endogenous power can enhance sustainability. • Urban sustainability relies on mutual supports from various industries. • An urban sustainability model for water tower cities is proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The temporary use of vacant spaces has become integrated into formal urban development practices. This paper seeks to explore the catalytic power of temporary urbanism for sustainable urban development by focusing on the tension between temporary and permanent and the dynamics through which temporary urbanism becomes catalytic. The case study focuses on a six-year experimental period of the Hiedanranta brownfield until the city started to build the area for a new residential district in Tampere, Finland. Rich details of temporary urbanism were achieved through interviews with 27 city developers and experimental participants. The analysis revealed three tracks of catalytic mechanisms of temporary urbanism emerging from the persistent tension between temporary and permanent. By demonstrating the origins of catalytic power, this research contributes to academic and practical interests to find productive relationships between temporary urbanism, planning and sustainability governance in cities. • Addresses the catalytic power of temporary urbanism through binary thinking • Outlines the multidimensional dynamics of temporary urbanism • Challenges the dominance of permanent over temporary and highlights the need for dynamic tensions [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sustainability is a concept characterized by its longevity: it remains, after several decades, a popular concept within public organizations, as well as public discourse more generally. In this paper, we trace various translations of sustainability in urban planning documents of three mid-sized cities in Northwest Europe. Emphasizing the importance of a longitudinal approach to assess the uses and definitions of sustainability, we examine translations of the concept across plans through an analytical framework that considers the hierarchical, sequential and integrative linkages between different urban policy documents to understand how local uses of the concept change or remain similar over time. The examination of change and continuity in the translations of sustainability offers insights into how the different manifestations of the concept are influenced by policies external to the city administrations, as well as by imitations of internal, previous policies. This study adds to previous research on contents of plans in relation to how descriptions of concepts take form in a web of interrelated planning and policy documents over time. This paper does so by showing how sustainability as a concept remains on the agenda by being translated into different times and settings, constantly reused with other ideas, and thereby made continuously relevant. • Sustainability stays relevant through translations in interlinked urban documents. • Sustainability absorbs emerging notions such as density through translation. • A longitudinal analysis suggests sustainability survives per elasticity of meaning. • Analysis of hierarchical, sequential and integrative linkages of documents proposed [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Indicator systems help organizations worldwide to understand their progress toward sustainability. But few systems include measures of the built environment, the primary area of agency for local planners seeking to contribute to sustainability. This paper uses the U.S. as a case study to explore the challenges of, and prospects for, filling that gap. Its main questions are: 1) Can a scan of existing built environment indicators yield a catalog of high-quality indicators that measure sustainability comprehensively? and 2) What gaps and challenges arise and how can they be overcome? The study triangulates answers through a review of sustainability literature, a scan of existing indicators, and consultation with panels of indicator experts. Results suggest that U.S. built-environment indicators do not robustly track local progress toward sustainability, confirm deficiencies in the equity dimension, and provide recommendations that allow communities in the U.S. and internationally to more successfully track their local progress toward sustainability goals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The role of cultural heritage conservation has proven beneficial for the development of cities and communities. However, a lack of systematic assessment methodologies for adequate consideration of the gap between sustainable urban development and the conservation of cultural heritage, has been long noted by academia. This paper contributes to bridge this knowledge gap, by discussing the state of the practice from the urban perspective on the integration of cultural heritage as mean for sustainable development (SD). With a mixed-methodology, 19 reports on urban development, management and competitiveness were analyzed. The research identified three levels of inclusion: (1) at the strategic level; (2) at the operational level; (3) at the monitoring level. From the urban development perspective, two main approaches to heritage were identified: as cultural capital and as an urban phenomena requiring tailored urban management. Current links to the sustainability pillars and correlations of cultural heritage with wider urban factors are discussed. Conclusions highlight that a more thorough conceptualization and clearer correlation between cultural heritage management with wider urban phenomena is yet to be developed. Therefore, more efficient tools and more appropriate methodologies to correlate cultural heritage protection as an urban resource are still lacking. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cities worldwide are challenged by a high complexity of acute and chronic problems, including challenges related to economic development, social polarisation and segregation as well as climate change and ecological degradation. While all of these problems are complex in themselves, they are also interrelated. Addressing them in a meaningful way requires governance systems with systemic capacities to deal with complexity. In order to create resilience in urban systems, cities need to be able to learn, adapt and transform across sectors and levels. One definition of urban resilience is the capacity of individuals, communities, institutions, businesses, and systems within a city to survive, adapt, and grow regardless of the kinds of chronic stress and acute shocks they experience. This is the definition the Rockefeller Foundation adopts in its mission to promote the well-being of humanity throughout the world by facilitating the building of resilience in cities worldwide through its 100 Resilient Cities Programme, launched in 2013. Rotterdam is one of the first cities to participate in this programme. The city has been a front-runner in preparing for climate change and striving for urban sustainability. This paper assesses the concept of urban resilience, introduces the Rockefeller Foundation's effort in building city resilience worldwide and illustrates this with the Rotterdam case. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Intelligenter Method is based on the innovative idea of collaborations discovery in urban systems. The Intelligenter Method shows that what makes an urban project, masterplan, policy, or regulation smart is not its sophisticated architecture and master planning, nor complexity and legal engineering in a technological environment, but rather qualitative and quantitative collaborations that urban subsystems being studied can establish with related subsystems and stakeholders. Furthermore, this safeguards sustainability while promoting urban development and improving resilience. This Method is also applicable to intelligenter urban planning and city projects. This first part of the methodology is published in a separate paper in this Cities issue with the title “The Intelligenter Method (I) for making ‘smarter’ city projects and plans”. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Throughout the late 20th and early 21st Centuries, culture has gained increasing importance in strategies designed to deal with new trajectories of urban areas. Post-industrial cities seek to revive former industrial, contaminated and waterfront sites and their city centers, as they are aiming to establish themselves in the new arena of the global market place. This paper looks at the relationships between investments in cultural resources/activities and urban regeneration processes, and in this respect, how culture can be considered a determinant to the accumulation of human and social capital. It examines the transformation of the Saint Michel district located in metropolitan Montreal. The Saint Michel area is experiencing a radical change in its social, economic and environmental profile due to its transition from the industrial-led development model to the post-industrial model in which investments in cultural and creative activities/industries – particularly the headquarters of Cirque du Soleil and TOHU – La Cité des Arts du Cirque – are supplying new opportunities for the local area in a metropolitan dimension. What impacts does such clustering have on the social and human capital of the vast majority of the populations that live within this area? Based on a theoretical review and empirical investigation, the paper presents some clarification of the role of cultural investment in the definition of an emerging sustainable social scheme within the community to promote the development of local social and human capital. We know that cultural habits do not change quickly, and our research shows that organizations need to be proactive and seek very actively the participation of the local community if they want to see changes. Our case study highlights the fact that it is important to invest actively in mobilization, local information and promotion and to do so with the cooperation of local community organizations to attain some form of bonding with the local population, have the positive effects expected in terms of involvement in the community and act as a lever for local socio-economic development. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The aim of this paper is to present an overarching theoretical perspective on the paradox of inequalities and the paradigm shift in mobilities by reflecting on the challenges and opportunities in urban areas faced by the COVID-19 measures. The question of blurring boundaries between the human and the technological aspects and the ways in which they alter the form of communication and action is tackled reflecting on the digital divide and socio-spatial inequalities. In order to connect theory and practice, implications from different cases are provided for shedding light on the expected impacts and scenarios for the changing patterns of mobility and accessibility. The results indicate hybridization of the on-site and online forms of mobilities, as well as new approaches to make culture and leisure more inclusive and accessible. Promoting local integration, emerging forms of local tourism such as staycations, using digital tools to foster co-creation, co-curation, and audience engagement, developing new models of business and consumption reflect the changing patterns of mobility and accessibility. There are avenues for further research that revolve around the questions of inequalities, over-consumption, sociality and sustainability. • COVID-19 accelerated the plans for eco-friendly and sustainable transportation. • More leisure activities have been provided for the local urban communities. • Cultural tourism (im)mobility is mainly promoted by virtual tours. • Digitalization had a major impact on accessing content and learning opportunities. • The lack of equipment and/or knowledge prevent access. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cities worldwide have declared aspirations to become "10, 15, or 20-minute cities." This goal is often part of a strategy to reduce emissions and achieve sustainable and healthy urban design by encouraging walking and cycling. The 10, 15, or 20-minute city or neighbourhood — which, for generality, we refer to as the x-minute city — is a type of design aimed at reducing car dependence by enabling urban residents to walk or cycle to essential amenities within x minutes from their home. Due to the benefits which include sustainability, health, and social cohesion, the concept has been promoted by the international C40 Cities as part of their post-pandemic Green and Just Recovery Agenda. However, missing from the current rhetoric around these "cities of proximity" is clear guidance on evaluating progress towards this goal. In this paper, we contrast measurement approaches and discuss important considerations for planners adopting the x -minute city goal. To do this, we measure the proximity of the 500 largest cities in the USA and 43 urban areas of New Zealand. We also present an interactive tool to visualise and explore proximity within the urban areas. • Compare approaches to measure the 10, 15, 20-minute (aka. x-minute) city • Critical examination of the concept of an x-minute city • Assess 543 urban areas across the USA and New Zealand • Present an interactive visualisation of the x-minute city in NZ urban areas • Instead of setting arbitrary targets, seek to minimise X by improving accessibility [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Mexico City has long been known as one of the world’s largest mega-cities. Although, the city’s growth rates have slowed since the 1980s, this process is not manifested evenly in spatial terms. Peripheral municipalities continue to grow at higher rates, including those municipalities in the southern part of the Federal District that contain its remaining conservation land. This growth is largely, but not exclusively, driven by the ongoing search for housing among lower-income households in the form of irregular settlement. Over time, this incremental pattern of settlement expansion has fragmented conservation land and impaired its ecological functioning. Given their role in land use planning with the reintroduction of elected local governments in the Federal District in 1997, this situation has placed municipalities quite literally at the “frontlines” of this planning and sustainability challenge. This paper examines the approach for managing land use regularization processes related to irregular settlement in conservation land adopted by the municipality of Xochimilco in its 2005 urban development plan, with reference to the experience of a specific case study community. Based on a series of interviews with residents and planning officials, the paper documents the highly-negotiated nature of “normative” planning that focuses on mitigating the impact of settlement in the conservation zone rather than stopping it completely. Given the enormous social pressures to access land for housing, the paper concludes that realistic efforts to preserve the remaining conservation land must involve a more comprehensive approach that better integrates environmental and social equity issues within and among municipal and upper-levels of government. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: This paper shows the results of a study carried out on the central area of Irbid, Jordan in order to assess the effect of the modern urbanization process on the degradation and loss of the city’s heritage. This type of work comes as a result of the need to study the interaction between modern and heritage landscapes, which are in a direct physical contact with each other, and thus to address the problems facing sustainable development. This paper investigates a number of urban planning concerns that include: assessment of heritage/modern landscape compatibility, heritage building degradation, urban land use change and its role in the fragmentation and lack of connectivity between historic sites, visual pollution and the effectiveness of the existing urban system infrastructure. For each problem, a complete scientific analysis supported by a detailed mapping system is performed, resulting in recommendations for the necessary engineering solutions. Spatial analysis through GIS, e.g. 3D modeling, focuses on evaluating the current condition of the urban system near the heritage landscape. The paper presents important findings, such as identifying the impact of urban and infrastructural expansion, detected from historical aerial images at different epochs, on the historic center of Irbid. The study emphasizes the urgent need to solve the current problems related to the urban system, to achieve the vision of sustainability, which includes solving traffic problems for improving system accessibility, and reevaluating the policies and regulations to achieve a balanced interaction between the heritage and modern landscapes within the city. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The influx of people of different sociocultural and ethnic background affects the composition of the city in ways that go beyond the conventional disaggregation by age, sex and income. The paper examines (i) the nature and patterns of residential segregation of ethnic minorities, (ii) the factors and processes underlying the locational choice of ethnic minorities, and (iii) the knowledge or perception on dimensions and effects of ethnic residential segregation on sustainable city development. This paper uses two migrant communities – Aboabo and Asawase – in Kumasi, Ghana's fastest growing city as case studies. The study adopts household surveys, focus group discussions, secondary data and agency interviews to achieve the objectives of the research. Findings of the paper generally show that even in highly dense populated and multi-ethnic neighbourhoods, some levels of clustering are possible for several reasons. The existence of migrant communities has both positive and adverse implications on environmental, social and economic sustainability of the city. There is however no urban planning or management regime in place to harness the potentials of such neighbourhoods for sustainable city development. • Diverse ethnic groups in the city exhibit distinct spatial clustering patterns. • There are levels of clustering even in highly dense populated and multi-ethnic neighbourhoods. • Neighbourhoods of ethnic minorities impact on the sustainability of cities. • Integrating local perceptions of ethnic minorities into urban planning support sustainable development efforts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The immense growth of cities, especially in developing countries, is resulting in the urbanization of both poverty and environmental degradation to a greater degree than ever before. This paper examines the processes of growth and degradation in the Greater Cairo Metropolitan Region (GCMR), currently the world’s tenth largest mega-city. It reviews the region’s growth and selected environmental issues as well as impacts of current efforts on managing the region. The assertion of this paper is that current management policies and bodies lack a comprehensive view of urban governance for the region, which does not bode well for the future environmental and economic sustainability of the region. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Urban development has always been related to water systems throughout history. Suzhou is a city with a proud past that is mostly built out of Chinese ingenuity in making water management a development factor. Its parallel pattern of land and water not only gave rise to the first water city model that displays the unique features of the south of Yangtze River Delta, but is also an active reflection of the planning and management of ancient Chinese cities when dealing with natural, urban development and human activities. The paper tells Suzhou's story about the interaction of water and city from urban morphology and urban governance perspectives. Through re-mapping, it will go into the distinguished periods to explore how the specific urban features (distinguished in natural and artificial waterways) have influenced urban development. Along with the prosperity of the water-cities, massive urban construction and environmental issues are enormous challenges in human process. In the rapid urbanization today, how to balance the historical city conservation and sustainable development? Learning from successful historical experiences, the paper sets the scene for more resilient approaches, to integrate and renovate resources for future developments, enhancing the adaptability and sustainability of cities in response to development-conservation challenges. • The city and water: in space and time • Construction of the 'water and city' research framework • The feature of water management and urban development in Suzhou • The urban governance in Suzhou • Learning from historical experiences for future sustainable development [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Academic researchers and international organisations have highlighted the need for a more extensive analysis of public finance in small and medium-sized local governments, in view of the high levels of borrowing observed, often aggravated by rural depopulation. The purpose of this paper is to identify financial risks by population size of local governments, to design sustainability policies for public services in small and medium municipalities. We consider the situation of 6456 Spanish municipalities during the period 2009–2018 and find that certain demographic and socioeconomic factors influence the probability of loan default, in municipalities of all sizes. In smaller ones, the variables with most impact in this respect are socioeconomic, while among the demographic variables, female immigration and generational turnover are the most significant. In larger municipalities, the influence is more balanced between demographic and socioeconomic variables. Our results concludes that policies to reduce unemployment and the rate of generational turnover, as means of enhancing the financial viability of public services, should differ between small and large municipalities, especially as concerns employment promotion in the construction sector for persons aged 25–44 years. These employment promotion policies should pay special attention to female immigration, which is a risk factor for municipal default. • Policies that mitigate the default risk in local governments depend on population size. • We findings reveal valuable new information for the design of policies aimed to combat depopulation. • Socioeconomic variables have a greater influence on the default risk in municipalities with less than 5,000 inhabitants. • In the municipalities with a population of 20,000 to 50,000 inhabitants, the most influential variables are demographic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]