Innovative Pathways to Sustainable Urban Development and the Green Economy
A special issue of Sustainability (ISSN 2071-1050). This special issue belongs to the section "Development Goals towards Sustainability".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 11 March 2026 | Viewed by 26
Special Issue Editor
Interests: sustainability; climate change; circular economy; operations research; sustainable operations; disruptive digital technology; operations management; sustainable energy transition
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
Rapid urbanization poses challenges to creating sustainable, resilient, and inclusive cities. The transition towards sustainable urban development and green economy is an urgent need that promises the simultaneous attainment of environmental, social, and economic objectives. Sustainable urban development and green economy are interconnected concepts aimed at promoting environmentally responsible, socially inclusive, and economically viable urban growth. Sustainable urban development focusses on efficiently utilizing resources, adopting renewable energy and building resilient infrastructure thereby reducing pollution, fostering community engagement, and improving the life of residents. Green economy complements this approach by promoting investments in environmentally sustainable economic activities like renewable energy, green technologies, and sustainable industries that generate economic growth while minimizing environmental impacts. Together, these frameworks support urban environments that are ecologically sound, socially equitable, and economically sustainable, thereby offering more resilient cities for current and future inhabitants.
This Special Issue aims to explore cutting-edge research, practical approaches, and policy frameworks that advance sustainable urban development coupled with a transition to a green economy. It seeks to highlight innovative strategies and solutions through interdisciplinary perspectives that address the complexities of creating inclusive and environmentally responsible urban environments with the aim of achieving long-term sustainability goals. Contributions will help shape the future of sustainable urbanization and provide actionable insights for policymakers, urban planners, researchers, and practitioners committed to fostering greener, more resilient urban environments.
Focus Areas:
- Urban planning and design for sustainability;
- Green infrastructure and eco-districts;
- Renewable energy and smart city technologies;
- Policy frameworks and governance for sustainable urban and economic development;
- Digital innovations and smart city solutions;
- Community engagement and social inclusion in sustainability initiatives;
- Green financing, impact investing, and economic mechanisms;
- Regional and case-specific examples of successful transitions.
Dr. Ernesto D. R. Santibanez-Gonzalez
Guest Editor
Manuscript Submission Information
Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.
Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Sustainability is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.
Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.
Keywords
- urban development
- green economy
- sustainability
- urban planning
- green infrastructure
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