Sustainable Green Cities

Dear Colleagues,

Sustainable green cities are urban areas designed to minimize environmental impact while enhancing the quality of life for residents. These cities incorporate various principles and practices aimed at promoting sustainability, resilience, and ecological balance. Creating sustainable green cities is essential for addressing the challenges of urbanization, climate change, and resource depletion. Through collaboration among governments, businesses, and community members, these cities can thrive both ecologically and socially, paving the way for a more sustainable future. Below are key features and concepts associated with sustainable green cities: 

• Green Infrastructure: Incorporation of parks, green roofs, urban forests, and gardens. These features help manage stormwater, improve air quality, and provide recreational spaces;

• Sustainable Transportation: Emphasis on public transport systems, bike lanes, and pedestrian-friendly designs. This reduces reliance on cars, lowers emissions, and promotes healthier lifestyles;

• Energy Efficiency: Use of renewable energy sources such as solar, wind, and geothermal energy. Implementation of energy-efficient buildings through better insulation, LED lighting, and smart technologies;

• Waste Management and Circular Economy: Initiatives for reducing, reusing, and recycling materials. Implementing composting programs and promoting sustainable consumption to minimize landfill waste;

• Water Management: Strategies for water conservation, including rainwater harvesting and greywater recycling. Use of permeable surfaces to enhance groundwater recharge;

• Biodiversity and Habitat Preservation: Protecting existing ecosystems and creating habitats for wildlife within urban environments. Restoration of native plant species and establishment of wildlife corridors;

• Community Engagement: Involving residents in decision-making processes, promoting local food systems, and fostering community cohesion through localized initiatives and programs;

• Smart Technology: Integration of smart city technologies, such as IoT devices, to optimize resource management, enhance energy efficiency, and improve urban planning;

This Special Issue invites original research and review articles that address the complex interplay between sustainable green cities and urban societies. The focus is on identifying adaptive strategies to mitigate the adverse effects of extreme events and their cascading hazards on human activities and lives. This collection highlights the role of sustainable, future-oriented, and digital city concepts in enhancing adaptive capacities and mitigating the impacts of urbanization, climate change, and resource depletion. It also explores how cities worldwide can adapt to and thrive amidst these complex impacts and related climate and social drivers. This global perspective offers valuable insights into diverse urban contexts, fostering knowledge exchange and collaboration across different regions. 

Prof. Dr. Hasim Altan
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.

• green cities
• smart technology
• circular economy
• sustainable transportation
• sustainability
• smart city