Spatial Analysis and Spatial Planning for Sustainability in Urban Areas

This Reprint explores recent advances in spatial analysis, spatial planning, and urban resilience for sustainability in contemporary cities, with a particular focus on ecosystem services, ecological networks, public health, and innovative urban design strategies. The presented contributions examine how urban areas can address the environmental, social, and territorial challenges generated by rapid urbanization, climate change, and increasing development pressures through data-driven and interdisciplinary approaches. The Reprint includes research on urban expansion and thermal environment dynamics, ecological network optimization, urban amenity mapping, sustainable reconstruction after natural disasters, and resilient public spaces. Several studies investigate the role of spatial modelling, geospatial data, machine learning, simulation techniques, and big-data analytics in supporting decision-making processes and improving urban liveability. Other contributions analyse the relationships between land use, ecosystem services, biodiversity, mobility, public health, and urban development, highlighting the importance of integrated planning frameworks for sustainable urban transformation. Through international case studies, methodological innovations, and policy-oriented perspectives, this Reprint provides researchers, planners, and decision makers with updated knowledge and practical tools for understanding, governing, and managing complex urban systems in the transition towards more resilient, liveable, and sustainable cities.