Cities and urban regions are growing globally; over half of (54%) of the world’s population lived in urban areas in 2014. By 2050, 66 % of the global population is projected to be urban. Simultaneously our ways of working, dwelling and commuting are in transformation. From the environmental policy viewpoint, we have to find urban solutions for the most pressing global issues such as climate change, fossil fuel consumption, depletion of the farming land, loss of biodiversity, traffic arrangements, waste increase. In the local context, sustainable solutions for these issues are created together with the dwellers living and working in cities. In this research stream, we examine questions such as:
- What is the role of expertise and civic involvement in the making of future cities?
- What kind of contextual factors condition the social, economic and ecological transition in cities?
- What kind of political choices are made in urban land use planning practices and on what grounds?
- What are the drivers for increasing smart energy solutions, circular economy, complementary construction, urban farming, social inclusion, and resident driven processes in cities?