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Ecological modernisation evokes circular patterns and processes. It places the city and the university in a symbiotic relationship. The University's Third Mission acquires a particular relevance in this perspective. It must therefore be strengthened above all on a cultural and civic level. A concrete possibility, proposed here, appears to be connected to the role and mission of emeritus professors. They can in particular contribute in the direction of enhancing and operationalising the "transformative potential of the city for the common good", complementing the already existing institutional academic initiatives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: Local governments are fundamental for achieving the ecological transition of our societies/cities. Also COVID-19 has shown that many of the barriers and bottlenecks in implementing public top-down initiatives are not technical (financial, economic, administrative, etc.) but cultural. They generate a lack of consensus with the risks of reducing the effectiveness of public interventions and investments. OBJECTIVE: The paper proposes the profile of a "circular governance" (i.e. that assumes the model of the circular economy) that is also "human centered", capable of reducing inequalities, enhancing the processes of real participation in the construction of a desirable future for cities, through its capacity to regenerate material and no-material components/values. This perspective intersects with the cultural/educational dimension to which the new governance should devote much greater attention. CONCLUSION: A critical test is the transformation of abandoned urban spaces into attractive places for activities, investments and people. These disused spaces, which have often become repulsive waste deposits, are especially abundant in port cities. They are most often included in areas of particularly high landscape and cultural value. The paper suggests the elaboration of prototypes of "circular heritage symbiotic ecosystems" that are able to respect some general conditions (or principles). Suitable and effective assessment tools must be available to public, private and social actors to verify the proposal consistency and then to build new win-win-win partnerships. But it is also necessary to strengthen the educational perspective in the activities of the new governance, because preferences, values and needs should not be considered as already "given", but should be constructed, thus nourishing the critical spirit of citizens so that they can creatively combine private interests and common good, thus becoming "artist of citizenship/civic engagement". [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The built environment sector is one of the main sources of greenhouse gas emissions and resource depletion that contributes to the climate change crisis. The European Commission, in the "Green New Deal", highlights that the sustainable regeneration/requalification of existing buildings plays a fundamental role to maximize the objective of decarbonization and resource conservation for 2050. The aim of this study was to understand how historic buildings' energy retrofit projects can contribute to achieve this goal. In this study, we made a life cycle assessment to evaluate an energy retrofit project of Villa Vannucchi, an historic building located in San Giorgio a Cremano (Naples). The results of this application showed that the use of hemp material, for walls' thermal insulation, significantly reduces the percentage of environmental impacts in the entire material life cycle (compared with traditional materials). This was because the plant removes a significant percentage of CO2 already from the atmosphere when it is growing. In conclusion, the assessment of different design scenarios that promote the use of innovative technologies and materials can be of high utility to designers to compare and choose efficient solutions for the sustainable/circular renovation of historic buildings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The fifth chapter of the Enciclical All Brothers on the need for "better politics" offers the cue for some reflections on its re-generation. Today politics is facing with the ecological modernization of society, which is the greatest transformation ever imagined in history. But there is a context of growing mistrust: for example, between young people and governments, between citizens and public institutions. Here we propose the experimentation of a local government that takes as its entry point the valorization of public spaces, starting with those with cultural values, to promote collaborative processes between citizens and institutions based on self-organization. The adoption of the circular economy model, based on cooperation, contributes, especially if supported by the "culture of evaluation of results", to re-generate inclusion and trust. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Climate change is a consequence of our difficulty to manage the currently conflicts and contradictions. It is configured as a process that makes human life on Earth increasingly uninhabitable, making the relationship between the Earth's ecosystem and humanity increasingly difficult. A fundamental cause of the climate change is the way in which economic wealth is produced and distributed. The current economy produces also ecological and social poverty. The adaptive reuse of cultural assets is proposed in the general framework of the Green New Deal of European Union, assuming the circular economy model for re-integrating economy into ecology. The aim of the paper is to identify how to transform a died heritage site into a living system, to be managed as a complex adaptive system, discussing the ways in which adaptive reuse can be implemented as the entry point for implementing the circular city. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Byline: Luigi Fusco Girard Industrial-commercial and tourist ports areas are spaces of difference, rich in potential opportunities but also in contradictions and conflicts. The conservation of their particular landscape is very important for the city/region development, founded on a new metabolism. Port areas will become new spaces where creativity can be practised. Creative and resilient solutions are to be identified at a strategic, planning, design and management level to implement sustainability. Architecture can play a specific role, improving landscape quality and thus producing new values. The paper discusses how and under what conditions port areas can become an opportunity for the whole city development. Effective evaluation processes are suggested at the level of strategic, implementation and management planning to be able to combine tangible (hard) and intangible (soft) values.

Byline: Fabiana Forte, Luigi Fusco Girard In the global competition among worldwide cities, the aesthetic dimension has assumed a relevant role, becoming a development factor, as demonstrated by several experiences. With reference to some recent examples of 'new architectural assets' that combine creativity, innovation and aesthetic, the authors apply the notion of the 'complex social value' proposed for the historical/cultural heritage (Fusco Girard and Nijkamp, 1997) in the evaluation of the beauty of new urban design projects, whose fruition, from an ordinary experience, becomes a particular experience which integrates the 'use value' with the research of immaterial components (symbols, meanings, originality, etc.). The evaluation of the complex value of beauty that characterises some new architectural assets, integrating tangibles and intangibles aspects, helps in revitalisation of urban spaces projects, promoting also creative capacity.

Byline: Luigi Fusco Girard Sustainable urban development consists of the intentional construction of a dynamic balance between the different logics of the private, public, social (or civil) and natural economic systems, through new organizational rules. These are the institutions. For a co-evolution of the four systems, they should not only ensure the conservation of natural and man-made capital, but also produce human and social capital. The production of social capital is the crucial issue for the sustainable development of cities without this form of capital, any strategy of institutional techno-modernisation (either decentralised or centralised) is bound to fail.

Each city is a living organism with its own dynamics. Cities, as complex dynamic and adaptive systems, are able of self-organization/self-management. There are many causes of the decline of cities today (poverty, unemployment, etc.) that interdepend on the others in continuous retroactive processes. The general proposal of this paper refers to a key word: "regeneration" as revitalization of the activities in the perspective of the circular economy/city. The aim is to explore how an urban circular economy can be implemented through a cultural landscape-based approach, analysing the case study of Matera (Italy) and assuming the interdependence between a specific landscape and the circular economy/city models. The aim is to understand how to transform a millennial experience of underdevelopment into a dynamic development perspective. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tourism is the third largest socio-economic activity in the EU and thus it can be considered an engine for development, producing many positive impacts, from trade sector to employment. At the same time, it can produce many negative impacts because it is configured according to the model of linear economy. A deep analysis of impacts produced by tourism sector and its great potential in contributing to the achievement of SDGs are presented. The aim of this paper is to identify a tourism development/management model able to produce multidimensional benefits and, simultaneously, reduce (environmental, social and economic) costs. In this perspective, the circular economy is proposed as a model able to contribute to make tourism more sustainable. This model necessarily requires appropriate evaluation tools, indicators and knowledge. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Identify homogeneous areas for metropolitan cities in order to activate a new governance based on territorial synergistic and symbiotic conditions, thus increasing multidimensional territorial productive processes through spatial planning. Methodology/Approach: The adopted methodology aimed at structuring a Spatial Decision Support System (SDSS) through three main phases: 1) Selection of criteria and indicators; 2) Statistical implementation procedures; 3) Multicriteria evaluation. Findings: Experimentation of a useful procedure for supporting the elaboration of strategic metropolitan plans oriented to development strategies for achieving a comprehensive territorial productivity. The obtained results can support the selection of territorial opportunities able to integrate complementary local resources and to activate synergies and symbiosis among them, combining tangible and intangible components. Research Limitation/implication: The research is the first step of a more general study that will be improved with the availability of more data, especially with reference to the industrial and economic processes. Originality/Value of paper: Proposal of an approach based on a complete integration between Geographic Information System, Multivariate Analysis and Multi-Criteria Evaluation in order to improve the governance of metropolitan cities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The aim of this paper is to provide an overview and critical outlook of current evaluation tools for the implementation of the UNESCO Historic Urban Landscape (HUL) approach, focusing on the need of multidimensional / multistakeholder evaluation and impact assessment to turn heritage / landscape into a driver of sustainable development. Methodology/Approach: We analyse the definition of Historic Urban Landscape comparing the thoretical mandate to current tools / practices. Based on literature review and critical analysis of recent experiences, we identify indicators categories and evaluation methods that can be applied for a reacher cost-benefit analysis. Findings: Indicators and evaluation methods for multidmensional impact assessment of conservation / regeneration are not applied in HUL recent initiatives and guidelines. Evaluation tools can be developed and tested to inform decision-making processes and to turn the cultural value of heritage / landscape into a resource able to attract investments. A framework for HUL impact assessment can be structured including wellbeing indicators and stakeholders analysis. Research Limitation/implication: New hybrid tools are proposed, providing a possible toolkit for evaluation. However, it needs further testing and implementation. Originality/Value of paper: This paper contributes to bridging the gap between the theoretical approach of the Historic Urban Landscape and its operative practice. The HUL approach has been generally acquired in the theoretical research, but its implementation is still sporadic, and unframed into urban regeneration policies. Evaluation tools are not incorporated in the HUL practices. This paper aims to advance the existing knowledge on evaluation tools to make operational the HUL approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This position paper critically analyses the process to implement the UNESCO Recommendation on the Historic Urban Landscape (2011), exploring evaluation tools, innovative business / management models and financing tools for the conservation and regeneration of Historic Urban Landscape (HUL), to make it operational in the perspective of a circular economy model of sustainable development for city / territory system regeneration. Through evaluation tools, it is possible to pass from general principles to operational practices; to produce empirical evidence of the economic, social and environmental benefits of HUL integrated conservation and regeneration. The challenge of generating a symbiosis between conservation and transformation issues requires adequate evaluation methods, business, management and financing tools, engaging civil society and local stakeholders, capturing both HUL tangible and intangible values to turn the historic urban landscape into a driver of sustainable growth. The analysis carried out in this paper shows that through the suggested tools it is possible to make operational the UNESCO Recommendations, transforming conflicts into opportunities, producing economic attractiveness and strengthen social awareness and cohesion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The concept of human smart landscape introduces a perspective of research where the landscape identifies a complex system of relationships among the various smart dimensions (smart economy, smart mobility, smart environment, smart people, smart living, smart governance) and different interpretative approaches, overcoming the consideration of territory as a physical–geometrical reality at the service of economic aspects. The paper, starting from the evolution of the landscape's concept, focuses on the management of its complexity in the transformation processes included in the dynamic context of the landscape's cultural values and in the development strategies designed to support and strengthen these values. A multidimensional methodological framework, oriented to the evaluation and valorisation of landscape complex values, has been structured and tested in the National Park of Cilento, Vallo di Diano and Alburni (Italy). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this time of great transformations (increasing urbanization, climate change, biodiversity loss, growing disparities etc) we are searching a new development model, able to better satisfy the needs of all people. The “revised” traditional city model, (that is linked to a specific territory, to localism, to recognize the local identities that make the differences with their specific Heritage, based on circular/closed processes and robust relationships between city and territory; on face-to-face relationships (and not only to digital/virtual ones) attentive to the valorization of local tangible and intangible resources,exploiting differences in order to make sites more attractive to localization of talents, investments, specialized skills, that is to increase productivity), assumes the centrality of concrete relationships between the city and the territory, between inhabitants and nature. This perspective moving towards a new urban paradigm has been implemented in some small-size cities (slowcities). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An introduction is presented which explores various reports published within the issue on topics including waterfront areas, creative development of cities and sustainable development.

Multidimensional evaluation processes are considered as fundamental tools in managing the transition to the ecocity, toward a new ecological, urban and economic base, founded on synergies among three interdependent circuits of value creation: industrial economy, heritage economy and civil economy. The proposed approach can be a theoretical reference for next methodological and operative applications related to the port-city system, as example where the main contemporary contradictions/paradoxes come into being, and also the most suitable site where to reduce conflicts and transform them into synergies among creativity, resilience and sustainability for a human sustainable city. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Starting from the concept of ‘territory’ and from the definition of ‘integrated assessment’, the paper defines the operational dimensions of spatial integrated assessment (ISA), applying it to the territorial context of San Marco dei Cavoti (a rural village in Southern Italy). In particular, the paper proposes an integration between analytic hierarchy process (AHP) and geographic information system (GIS) for the strategies definition of planning choices, recognizing the relevant role of the environmental aspects in the decision-making process and alternatives selection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Focuses on issues related to sustainable urban development. Assessment of the institutional dimension of sustainable development; Identification of crucial issues for the sustainable development of cities.

A new movement in urban environmental policy, the circular economy (CE), aims to change how Europeans consume and produce materials and energy. Cities are taking up the CE challenge. This research inquires whether the infant CE programs in European cities include cultural heritage and adaptive reuse of cultural heritage (ARCH) buildings. ARCH buildings exemplify the central principal of the CE, which is a temporally long service life with multiple uses for several generations of users. In addition, culture and cultural heritage buildings are established drivers of socioeconomic development, urban landscape, and identity. Hypothetically, cultural heritage and adaptive reuse of cultural heritage (ARCH) buildings should be prominently included in European cities' CE programs, particularly those cities that are highly ranked on the 2019 European Cultural and Creative Cities Monitor (Monitor). To test this hypothesis, this study creates a novel dataset that profiles the existing circular city plans of 190 European cities included in the Monitor's ranking. Contrary to the hypothesis, just seven percent of cities in the dataset include cultural heritage. European cities are missing an opportunity to achieve their CE goals and preserve their unique identities as embodied in the built environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The shift towards the new paradigm, that is, the "ecological and humanistic" paradigm, introduced by the United Nations in the Agenda 2030, and the current period of health emergency due to COVID-19 place the human dimension at the centre of the development strategies for our cities. The humanistic dimension, in particular, is related to human wellbeing, health and living conditions. The health and wellbeing of citizens depend on factors and actions that go beyond the health sector. In particular, here, the attention is focused on the negative impacts produced by pollution and climate change, issues that concern (and that are closely related to) most urban agglomerations in the world. The pandemic due to COVID-19 has highlighted the close relationship existing among social, natural and economic systems. Each system is interdependent on the other. Thus, the pandemic has boosted the necessity to accelerate efforts to address climate change. Therefore, in this framework, new urban development models are required. The circular economy model is proposed as a model able to reduce the negative impacts of urban transformations. The attention is then focused on implementation tools for improving decision-making processes and, in particular, on the evaluation tools for assessing the multidimensional impacts of urbanisation on human health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]