Chapter 1 identifies the background to humanity’s major planetary crisis, casting it as an age of growing pressures, particularly in low- and middle-income countries. The core argument is introduced. Shoddy infrastructure, insufficient public space, and non-inclusive development processes undermine the potential of urban built environments to help residential communities build social capital and cohesion that strengthen their collective abilities. Global warming and climate change mean that urban built environments should be planned, designed and developed to influence residents’ pro-community behaviours and psychological responses: acts and states-of-mind that strengthen social capital and cohesion and benefit communities in routine life and during environmental adversities. Such social strengths and resources build social sustainability. A similar range contributes to communities’ collective ability to develop adaptive capacity to cope with, and adapt to climate change, and exhibit resilience.

The focus is on three types of structures: housing, public spaces and transport stops. The chapter describes how with careful incorporation of social elements into urban development, structures can influence pro-community behaviours and psychological responses. The book’s structure is introduced, and its approach: blue sky thinking about design approaches, decisions and processes with a theoretical framework, qualitative case studies from 14 countries in the global south and north, and policy recommendations.