Urban Development and Sustainability: Integrating Planning, Policy, and Practice
A special issue of Sustainability (ISSN 2071-1050). This special issue belongs to the section "Sustainable Urban and Rural Development".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 27 March 2027 | Viewed by 438
Special Issue Editors
Interests: sustainable urban ecosystems; ecosystem services; blue–green infrastructure (BGI); nature-based solutions (NBS); application of UAVs in urban monitoring; circular economy; end-of-life vehicles (ENVs); waste utilization and composting; urban metabolism; ecological engineering; renewable energy sources (RES); environmental education and policy
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Interests: urban soils and their functions in city environments; soil restoration and remediation in urban and post-industrial areas; revitalization of degraded urban landscapes; microbiological activity and biodiversity of urban soils; soil–water–plant interactions in urban ecosystems; climate adaptation in urban areas
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
Rapid global urbanization presents a critical opportunity to bridge the gap between theoretical urban planning and actionable policy. This Special Issue aims to provide a multidisciplinary platform for exploring how modern cities can transition toward resilience, inclusivity, and environmental stewardship by integrating spatial design with robust governance frameworks.
The focus of this Special Issue is to address 21st-century urban complexities through an integrated approach. While the existing literature often treats urban technology, ecology, and policy in isolation, this Special Issue supplements the field by fostering a dialogue on their synergy. It specifically contributes to sustainability by quantifying environmental impacts and monitoring urban transitions through advanced tools.
Topics of interest include, but are not limited to, the following:
- Blue–green infrastructure (BGI): enhancing urban resilience through integrated water management and strategic vegetation planning.
- Advanced monitoring technologies: utilizing UAVs, high-resolution satellite imagery, and GIS for urban heat island mapping, land-use analysis, and infrastructure monitoring.
- Urban agriculture and food systems: the role of community gardens, vertical farming, and rooftop cultivation in enhancing urban self-sufficiency and social cohesion.
- Urban soil management and health: soil quality assessment, remediation of contaminated sites, and the role of urban soils in carbon sequestration and ecosystem services.
- Innovative urban governance, participatory planning models, and the "15-minute city" concept.
- The role of "Smart City" technologies in enhancing urban livability and resource efficiency.
- Climate change mitigation and adaptation strategies and urban nature-based solutions (NBS).
- Sustainable transportation systems and the transition to low-carbon mobility.
- Social equity, affordable housing, and the regeneration of urban spaces, brownfield, and post-industrial sites.
- Circular economy principles applied to urban infrastructure and waste management.
- Post-pandemic urbanism: rethinking density, public health, and biophilic design in city planning.
We invite original research, reviews, and case studies that offer measurable solutions for sustainable urban development.
Dr. Mateusz Jakubiak
Dr. Katarzyna Sroka
Guest Editors
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 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.
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
- sustainable urban development
- blue–green infrastructure (BGI) and nature-based solutions (NBS)
- remote sensing and UAV monitoring
- urban agriculture and food security
- circular economy and waste management
- climate change resilience and adaptation
- smart cities and renewable energy (RES)
- urban soil and ecological engineering
- public policy and sustainable governance
- urban regeneration and social inclusion
Benefits of Publishing in a Special Issue
- Ease of navigation: Grouping papers by topic helps scholars navigate broad scope journals more efficiently.
- Greater discoverability: Special Issues support the reach and impact of scientific research. Articles in Special Issues are more discoverable and cited more frequently.
- Expansion of research network: Special Issues facilitate connections among authors, fostering scientific collaborations.
- External promotion: Articles in Special Issues are often promoted through the journal's social media, increasing their visibility.
- Reprint: MDPI Books provides the opportunity to republish successful Special Issues in book format, both online and in print.
Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.
