ABSTRACT

Urbanization is a defining characteristic of the 21st century; today, more than 50% of the world’s population lives in cities (World Urbanization Prospectus, 2014), which is a remarkable transformation from how humanity lived only a couple of generations ago. The quest for urban sustainability is based on the premise that the benefits of this migration to the city can be harnessed to create a more just society that functions within the world’s natural limits, while also finding ways to address and ameliorate the challenges that urbanization has simultaneously introduced. Achieving this vision for urban sustainability is a complex task that will likely require a major social and political transformation, ushering in new levels of infrastructure investments for energy efficiency, affordable housing, and transit expansion; innovative policies that shift major parts of the economy to incorporate sustainable practices; and, among other things, the development of a dynamic and collaborative workforce that can manage complexity. Together, these shifts will require a deeper understanding of how our cities operate; their level of resilience in the face of disaster; the impacts and opportunities they create; the role

that technology can play in ushering about new efficiencies; and, how to create a more equitable society in which all can participate and prosper (Policy Link, 2014).