Sustainable Urban and Rural Development
A section of Sustainability (ISSN 2071-1050).
Section Information
Sustainable urban and rural development is about improving the quality of life in a locality, including ecological, cultural, political, institutional, social and economic components without leaving any burden—e.g., the result of a reduced natural capital and an excessive local debt—on future generations. In other words, prosperity and environmental sustainability of cities and towns are inextricably linked; therefore, human settlements can only maintain their prosperity when environmental and social objectives are fully integrated with economic goals.
Thematically, sustainable urban and rural development includes:
- Sustainable development in the urban context;
- Sustainable development in the regional and rural context;
- Planning for sustainable urban and rural futures;
- Impacts of human activities on natural systems;
- Ecological and urban and regional planning;
- Sustainable urban and rural infrastructure;
- Sustainable transportation systems;
- Sustainable communities;
- Climate change adaptation and mitigation;
- Ecosystem sustainability assessment;
- Ecological and urban indicators;
- Sustainable urban and rural technologies;
- Smart cities and communities.
Accordingly, this section is open for the following types of manuscripts covering the whole breadth of sustainable urban and rural development issues and concerns:
- research articles;
- conceptual articles;
- review articles;
- case studies;
- commentaries
In particular, contributions from early career researchers are welcome and propositions for Special Issues on a single, particular theme in the field of social ecology and sustainability.
Keywords
sustainable cities; sustainable towns; sustainable urban development; sustainable rural development; sustainable and resilient infrastructure; sustainable transport system; sustainability assessment; sustainability indicators and frameworks; climate change; water sensitive urban design; smart cities; smart communities; eco-cities; eco-villages; land use planning; environmental planning; sustainable urban design; land use and development control; green infrastructure; green roofs; green walls; urban heat island; sustainable architecture; sustainable buildings; sustainable urbanism; urban farming and agriculture; sustainable tourism; sustainable communities.
Editorial Board
Topical Advisory Panel
Special Issues
Following special issues within this section are currently open for submissions:
- Digital Twinning of Energy and Thermal Systems for Urban Sustainability (Deadline: 30 November 2024)
- Renovation of Buildings and Revitalization of Urban and Rural Areas towards Sustainability (Deadline: 1 December 2024)
- Resource Recovery and Management for Sustainable Urban Development (Deadline: 1 December 2024)
- Urban Green Space and Sustainable Forest Management (Deadline: 3 December 2024)
- Sustainable Rural Development and Agricultural Economic Transformation (Deadline: 5 December 2024)
- Present and Future Perspectives of Landscape and Urban Horticulture as Urban Regeneration Practices (Deadline: 15 December 2024)
- Immigrants, Social Integration and Sustainable Rural Development (Deadline: 15 December 2024)
- Diversification of Urban and Peri-Urban Horticulture for Future Sustainability (Deadline: 17 December 2024)
- Circular Economy and Circular City for Sustainable Development (Deadline: 20 December 2024)
- Sustainable Urban Planning and Regional Development (Deadline: 31 December 2024)
- Digital Transformation of Agriculture and Rural Areas-Second Volume (Deadline: 31 December 2024)
- Sustainable Transformation of Urban and Region: Design, Planning and Governance (Deadline: 31 December 2024)
- Digital Transition of African Cities in the Era of Sustainable Development Goals (Deadline: 31 December 2024)
- Sustainable Smart Cities and Societies Using Emerging Technologies (Deadline: 31 December 2024)
- Smart Cities for Sustainable Development (Deadline: 31 December 2024)
- Rethinking Urban Water Infrastructure – Sustainable Approach to Urban Drainage Systems (Deadline: 31 December 2024)
- Sustainable Urbanization (Deadline: 31 December 2024)
- Sustainable Transport and Land Use for a Sustainable Future (Deadline: 31 December 2024)
- Environmental and Social Sustainability in Rural Development (Deadline: 31 December 2024)
- Climate Resilience and Sustainable Urban Development (Deadline: 31 December 2024)
- Integrating AI into Sustainable Land Use/Land Cover Studies (Deadline: 1 January 2025)
- Urbanization and Environmental Sustainability—2nd Edition (Deadline: 6 January 2025)
- Urban Social Space and Sustainable Development (Deadline: 10 January 2025)
- New Indicators for Noise Management of Sustainable Urban Environments (Deadline: 10 January 2025)
- Advances in Application of Geographic Information Science for SDG 11 "Sustainable Cities and Communities" (Deadline: 10 January 2025)
- Well-Being and Urban Green Spaces: Advantages for Sustainable Cities (Deadline: 13 January 2025)
- Urban Pavement Design and Road Sustainability (Deadline: 15 January 2025)
- Territorial Management and Urban Regeneration: Challenges and Opportunities for Sustainability (Deadline: 20 January 2025)
- Climate Change and Sustainability: Health Risks and Policies to Address Them—Special Focus on Urban Settings (Deadline: 31 January 2025)
- Urban Resilience and Sustainability—Assessment Tools (Deadline: 31 January 2025)
- Smart Cities and Smart Villages and the Global Digital Transformation: Strategy and Community Engagement—2nd Edition (Deadline: 31 January 2025)
- Urban Green Areas: Benefits, Design and Management Strategies (Deadline: 31 January 2025)
- Spatial Analysis for the Sustainable City (Deadline: 5 February 2025)
- Urban Planning and Sustainable Land Use—2nd Edition (Deadline: 10 February 2025)
- Sustainable Design and Planning for Urban Space (Deadline: 11 February 2025)
- Sustainable Rural Resiliencies Challenges, Resistances and Pathways (Deadline: 11 February 2025)
- Environmental Planning and Governance for Sustainable Cities (Deadline: 18 February 2025)
- Co-creating the Future of Cities with Games: New Technologies and Methods for Sustainable and Smart City Planning (Deadline: 28 February 2025)
- Economic Geography, Regional Development and Climate Policy in the AI and Innovation Era (Deadline: 28 February 2025)
- Community Engaged Nature-Based Solutions for Stewardship and Water Security (Deadline: 1 March 2025)
- Perspectives and Challenges in Sustainable Management of Urban Coastal Areas (Deadline: 1 March 2025)
- Sustainable Rural Development Practices and Results: Learnings and Results from Policies and Initiatives—2nd Edition (Deadline: 13 March 2025)
- Sustainable and Smart City: Planning for Resilience (Deadline: 25 March 2025)
- Approaching Sustainable Development: Innovative (Policy) Governance in Fostering Local Sustainability (Deadline: 25 March 2025)
- Smart Cities for Sustainable Development: Innovations in Spatial Planning and Environmental Management (Deadline: 25 March 2025)
- Sustainable Urban Development and Carbon Emission Efficiency (Deadline: 31 March 2025)
- Sustainable Cities: Smart Resilience against Natural Hazards (Deadline: 31 March 2025)
- Architecture, Cities, and Sustainable Development Goals (Deadline: 31 March 2025)
- Urban Equality and Sustainability Studies (Deadline: 31 March 2025)
- Sustainability, Strategic Management, Smart Governance and Smart Cities: 2nd Edition (Deadline: 31 March 2025)
- Sustainable Cities: Urban Form, Spatial Structure and Ecological Integration (Deadline: 10 April 2025)
- Sustainable Development of Regions and Cities: Improvements in Planning and the Inhabitants’ Quality of Life (Deadline: 15 April 2025)
- Sustainable Land Management: Urban Planning and Land Use (Deadline: 16 April 2025)
- Urban Vulnerability and Resilience (Deadline: 23 April 2025)
- Sustainable Urban and Rural Land Planning and Utilization (Deadline: 30 April 2025)
- Sustaining Growth: Balancing Economic, Social, and Environmental Concerns in Rural and Agricultural Development (Deadline: 30 April 2025)
- Modeling Application and Sustainable Management of Urban Growth and Land Use (Deadline: 30 April 2025)
- Urban Land Use and Urban Sustainability (Deadline: 30 April 2025)
- Impacts of Land Use and Land Cover on Regional Sustainable Development (Deadline: 30 April 2025)
- Public Policies and Sustainable Urban Planning in the Metropolises of Southern Europe (Deadline: 30 April 2025)
- Patterns and Drivers of Urban Greenspace and Plant Diversity (Deadline: 30 April 2025)
- Advancing Sustainable Cities and Urban Regions Development: New Challenges and Prospects (Deadline: 30 April 2025)
- Measurement Systems, Models, Tools, and Innovative Techniques for Sustainable Urban Planning and Regeneration (Deadline: 7 May 2025)
- Rural Economy and Sustainable Community Development (Deadline: 16 May 2025)
- Smart Infrastructure Management and Sustainable Urban Development (Deadline: 20 May 2025)
- Towards a Better Future for Urban Acoustics Environments: Insights into Noise Pollution and Mitigation Measures (Deadline: 28 May 2025)
- Climate-Responsive Architecture and Urban Form: Adapting Buildings and Infrastructures to Environmental Challenges (Deadline: 31 May 2025)
- Artificial Intelligence and Mobile Technologies for Sustainable Development of Smart Regions (Deadline: 31 May 2025)
- Sustainable Urban Development Prospective for Smart Cities (Deadline: 31 May 2025)
- Challenges and Future Trends of Sustainable Urban Development and Transition (Deadline: 31 May 2025)
- Sustainable Urban Planning: Management and Uses of Water from a Historical Perspective (Deadline: 31 May 2025)
- Sustainable Urban Planning Models and Effective Management Tools in Resilient Low-Carbon Cities: Issues, Methods and Innovations (Deadline: 31 May 2025)
- Benefits of Green Infrastructures on Air Quality in Urban Spaces (Deadline: 31 May 2025)
- Innovation and Sustainability in Urban Planning and Governance (Deadline: 31 May 2025)
- Urban Vulnerability, Risk Production and Disaster Prevention: Towards More Inclusive and Sustainable Cities (Deadline: 31 May 2025)
- Sustainable Rural Development Projects: Diversity and Opportunities from Principles of Responsible Investment in Agriculture and Food Systems (Deadline: 1 June 2025)
- The Application of Green Technology in the Modern Construction (Deadline: 13 June 2025)
- Sustainable Development for Urban Built Environment (Deadline: 30 June 2025)
- Sustainable Design and Assessment of Heritage Structures and Urban Areas (Deadline: 30 June 2025)
- Addressing Climate Change Impacts through an Ecosystem-Based Approach for More Resilient Cities and Regions: Trends, Challenges, and Innovations (Deadline: 30 June 2025)
- Sustainable Local Development: AI and Digital Innovations in Urban Smart Cities (Deadline: 30 June 2025)
- Urban and Regional Development Issues and Strategies: The Application of New Generation Information Technology (Deadline: 7 July 2025)
- Sustainable Urban Planning and Design in the Context of Climate Change (Deadline: 18 July 2025)
- Low-Energy and Low-Emission Travel and Transport (Deadline: 15 August 2025)
- Social Interaction Across Urban Spaces—Contexts, Structures and Sustainability (Deadline: 31 August 2025)
- Geographical Information Technology and Urban Sustainable Development (Deadline: 31 August 2025)
- Innovation, Entrepreneurship and Agricultural Development in Sustainable Rural Development (Deadline: 31 August 2025)
- Recent Trends in the Application of Urban Intelligence to Sustainable Smart Cities (Deadline: 1 September 2025)
- Sustainable Urbanism: Definition, Assessment, and Agenda for Future Research: 2nd Edition (Deadline: 1 September 2025)
- Sustainability in Urban Development and Land Use (Deadline: 30 September 2025)
- Digital Technologies Promote Innovation and Sustainable Development of Smart Cities (Deadline: 30 September 2025)
- Digital Twins in Regional Spatial Planning and Sustainable Urban Development (Deadline: 22 October 2025)
- Monitoring and Control of Air Pollution for Sustainability (Deadline: 30 October 2025)
- A Systems Approach to Urban Greenspace System and Climate Change (Deadline: 31 October 2025)
- Sustainable Green Cities (Deadline: 31 October 2025)
- Optimizing the Water-Energy Nexus for Future-Ready Cities: Pathways to Sustainability (Deadline: 1 November 2025)
- Enhancing Urban Resilience: The Social Consequences of Climate Change and Adaptation Policies in the Cities of the Global South and Global North Cities (Deadline: 19 November 2025)
- Smart Cities with Innovative Solutions in Sustainable Urban Future (Deadline: 30 November 2025)
- The Driving Force behind Sustainable Green Development & Technology Innovation (Deadline: 31 December 2025)
Topical Collections
Following topical collections within this section are currently open for submissions:
- Adaptive Cities: Urban Planning and Design Contribution for Achieving Climate Resilient Cities
- Culture and Development in Small and Medium-Sized Cities
- Indicators, Assessment Tools, and Rating Systems for Mainstreaming Sustainability in Urban Planning and Development
- Sustainability Challenges for Medium-Size Urban Systems (Closed)
- Sustainable Built Environment
- Sustainable Household Behaviors: Consumption and Mobility
- Sustainable Smart Cities and Villages
- Sustaining Rural Innovation: Reflexivity, Diversity and Co-creation (Closed)
- Towards More Walkable and Liveable Cities: Perceptions, Attitudes, Methods, Technologies and Policies
- Urban Energy Management and Sustainable Transportation (Closed)
- Urban Green Infrastructure for Climate-Proof and Healthy Cities
- Urban Planning and Built Environment (Closed)
- Urban Water Consumption and Sustainability (Closed)
