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The irreversible transition towards urban living entails complex challenges and vulnerabilities for citizens, civic authorities, and the management of global commons. Many cities remain beset by political, infrastructural, social, or economic fragility, with crisis arguably becoming an increasingly present condition of urban life. While acknowledging the intense vulnerabilities that cities can face, this article contends that innovative, flexible, and often ground-breaking policies, practices, and activities designed to manage and overcome fragility can emerge in cities beset by crisis. We argue that a deeper understanding of such practices and the knowledge emerging from contexts of urban crisis may offer important insights to support urban resilience and sustainable development. We outline a simple conceptual representation of the interrelationships between urban crisis and knowledge production, situate this in the context of literature on resilience, sustainability, and crisis, and present illustrative examples of real-world practices. In discussing these perspectives, we reflect on how we may better value, use, and exchange knowledge and practice in order to address current and future urban challenges. This research was funded by the Research Council of Norway, grant number 259906. The APC was funded by SINTEF, Trondheim, Norway.

Climate change-induced events amplify existing social, political, economic, infrastructural and environmental concerns in many Global South cities, and perhaps no city is more vulnerable than Bangladesh’s capital of Dhaka. Climate-induced rural-urban migration is a profound concern, and Dhaka’s political leaders have embraced technology-based innovation as a solution pathway. This article explores the societal impact of Dhaka’s innovation environment strategies for climate change adaptation and mitigation. Employing a case study qualitative methodology, our three findings expand knowledge about innovation-urban climate mitigation as understood by Dhaka-based entrepreneurs: First, the most effective innovations were not the most technologically advanced, but those with the highest degree of participant ownership. Second, gaps between recipient, corporate and governmental understandings of effective mitigation and adaptation harmed projects, and were driven by different definitions of risk and competing understandings of vulnerability. Third, even the most technical climate adaptation measures were inherently political in their application. We discuss how to better position urban climate innovation infrastructures in Bangladesh and beyond, including developing a better recognition of innovation lifecycles for urban climate adaptation and widening our definitions of ‘innovation’ to better incorporate more effective and inclusive climate adaptation solutions.

Climate change-induced events amplify existing social, political, economic, infrastructural and environmental concerns in many Global South cities, and perhaps no city is more vulnerable than Bangladesh’s capital of Dhaka. Climate-induced rural-urban migration is a profound concern, and Dhaka’s political leaders have embraced technology-based innovation as a solution pathway. This article explores the societal impact of Dhaka’s innovation environment strategies for climate change adaptation and mitigation. Employing a case study qualitative methodology, our three findings challenge existing assumptions about innovation-urban climate mitigation relationships: First, the most effective innovations were not the most technologically advanced, but those with the highest degree of participant ownership. Second, gaps between recipient, corporate and governmental understandings of effective mitigation and adaptation harmed projects, and were driven by different definitions of risk and competing understandings of vulnerability. Third, even the most technical climate adaptation measures were inherently political in their application. We discuss how to better position urban climate innovation infrastructures in Bangladesh and beyond, including developing a better recognition of how political factors influence innovation lifecycles for urban climate mitigation and widening our definitions of ‘innovation’ to better incorporate more effective and inclusive climate adaptation solutions.

A major demographic shift to city lifestyles and growing urbanization present both opportunities and challenges. Resource scarcity, climate change and urban growth rank among the greatest challenges, together with our more complex and multifaceted society. Even in highly developed and urbanized countries such as Norway, it is important to grasp the challenges of the future today to ensure sustainable urban growth and liveable cities for future generations. This report highlights some of the main challenges facing Norwegian cities. These are likely to demand increased attention now and in the years ahead. Through dialogue and discussions with stakeholders, the report discusses questions related to urban development, energy, governance and participation in Norwegian cities over the next three decades, as well as ways of tackling them. Exploring flexibility as a starting point for engaging with rapid and unpredictable change has been at the heart of these dialogues. By discussing how flexibility can develop in a variety of areas such as urban development, energy, governance and co-determination, we can make connections between these areas and reflect on the significance of looking at these issues and themes from different cities in an integrated context

Et stort demografisk skifte til urbane levesett og den økende urbaniseringen gir både muligheter og utfordringer. Blant de største utfordringene kan vi nevne ressursknapphet klimaendringer og byvekst, sammen med mer komplekse og sammensatte samfunn. Selv i høyt utviklede og urbaniserte land som Norge er det viktig å ta tak i framtidens utfordringer i dag for å sikre en bærekraftig byutvikling og levelige byer for senere generasjoner. Denne rapporten peker på noen av hovedutfordringene for norske byer. Disse vil trolig vil kreve økt oppmerksomhet nå og i de kommende årene. Gjennom samtaler og diskusjoner med berørte parter belyser rapporten spørsmål knyttet til byutvikling, energi, styresett og deltakelse i norske byer de neste tre tiårene, samt hvordan man kan angripe disse. Å utforske fleksibilitet som utgangspunkt for å takle hurtig og uforutsigbar endring har stått sentralt i samtalene. Ved å diskutere hvordan fleksibilitet kan arte seg på forskjellige områder som byutvikling, energi, styresett og medvirkning, kan vi trekke opp forbindelser mellom disse områdene.

Et stort demografisk skifte til urbane levesett og den økende urbaniseringen gir både muligheter og utfordringer. Blant de største utfordringene kan vi nevne ressursknapphet klimaendringer og byvekst, sammen med mer komplekse og sammensatte samfunn. Selv i høyt utviklede og urbaniserte land som Norge er det viktig å ta tak i framtidens utfordringer i dag for å sikre en bærekraftig byutvikling og levelige byer for senere generasjoner. Denne rapporten peker på noen av hovedutfordringene for norske byer. Disse til trolig vil kreve økt oppmerksomhet nå og i de kommende årene. Gjennom samtaler og diskusjoner med berørte parter belyser rapporten spørsmål knyttet til byutvikling, energi, styresett og deltakelse i norske byer de neste tre tiårene, samt hvordan man kan angripe disse. Å utforske fleksibilitet som utgangspunkt for å takle hurtig og uforutsigbar endring har stått sentralt i samtalene. Ved å diskutere hvordan fleksibilitet kan arte seg på forskjellige områder som byutvikling, energi, styresett og medvirkning, kan vi trekke opp forbindelser mellom disse områdene.