Handbook

By 2050 more than two-thirds of the world’s population is projected to be living in urban areas. This rapid increase will take place mainly in developing countries, while cities in developed countries and regions are also expected to expand, presenting an unprecedented set of complex challenges. From increasing vulnerability to climate change impacts, including intensified storms and floods to the inability of urban infrastructure such as roads, public transport systems and energy supply to keep pace with rapid urbanisation, the liveability and economic prospects of many cities are significantly threatened. Reflecting the urgent need to address the challenges associated with an increasingly urban world, the United Nations incorporated a distinct urban-based global development goal in its 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 11 emphasises the need to “make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable”. This topic responds to this call by interrogating the tensions between the built urban environment with the needs and experiences of those who live, work and play in cities. Through the future-focused lenses of technology, urban design and planning, the topic further explores how cities may look and function as resilient, sustainable and liveable places for all.