ABSTRACT
Cities and towns are facing a wide range of very significant economic, social and environmental challenges. Climate change and the effects of the GFC have increased the severity of these challenges. The issues which require appropriate responses include: debt (sovereign, public and personal); unemployment, underemployment and precarious employment; aging populations; increasing diversity, migration and the refugee crisis; environmental problems, such as pollution and waste; climate change (e.g. GHG emissions, energy poverty and security, flooding and drought). Sustainable urban communities are more important than ever as a means of addressing some of these problems, and housing and urban planning can play important roles in contributing to their development. However, in many cases there are inadequate resources and/or political will to address them and ensure the welfare of present and future generations as well as the natural environment.
