ABSTRACT
This chapter has some new substantive content in its various reflections and it provides a summary of selected findings from the contributory authors in this book. The discussions provide millennial reflections on sustainability, urban development, poverty and welfare, new theory on agglomeration economies and urban change, governance, housing, and the changing roles of major international organizations such as the World Bank and the UN Centre for Human Settlements (UNCHS). Some of this is done under the subheadings of the creation of knowledge and political economy. Sustainable urban development has a rapidly growing literature, but some significant gaps occur. Accordingly, this chapter also discusses research agendas. Some of the general themes provide contrasts, revealing the pessimistic and optimistic realities of sustainable development.
