Session Description
Approximately 55% of the global population lives in urban areas, a figure projected to rise to 68% by 2050, a level already surpassed by many countries worldwide. This concentration of people has created increasingly complex challenges for urban planning and decision-making cycles.
Urban sustainability aims to ensure quality of life, social equity, and economic viability while respecting the limits of natural systems. Transitioning to this model requires integrated planning, technological innovation, and citizen engagement. In this context, labels such as sustainable, smart, resilient, and green cities reflect complementary and balanced approaches to urban development.
How can cross-cutting and emerging agendas, such as decarbonization, nature-based solutions, circular economy, active mobility, zero waste, smart grids, renewable energy, climate change adaptation and collaborative governance, be integrated into the urban planning and Impact Assessment (IA)?
Traditional IA tools remain relevant, but do they need to step out of their comfort zone? How must they evolve to remain fit for purpose? How has the IAIA community contributed to the development and application of impact assessment for policies, plans, and projects affecting urban systems? Are we effectively supporting urban sustainability transitions through the application and advancement of existing impact assessment tools?
Session Summary
This focuses on the role of IA tools for policies, plans, and projects in the transition to urban sustainability. Can traditional IA address urban sustainability challenges? How has IA contributed to integrating decision-making for urban sustainability transitions towards sustainable, smart, resilient, and inclusive cities?
Additional Information
Therefore, this session aims to bring together experts from practice and research in the two fields of IA and urban sustainability, and their connections, to contribute to each other and achieve mutual progress in and for their respective communities.
The session's topic is quite new and innovative; see e.g., Xue et al. (2026): “Short and long-term IA of urban low-carbon … policies … ” or Iungman et al. (2023): “Cooling cities through urban green infrastructure: …. cities” or Seyedashrafi et al. (2017): “...IA to urban development..
Session Chair
Amarilis Gallardo
Universidade de São Paulo
Brazil
Session Co-chair
Evandro Moretto
Universidade de São Paulo
Brazil