Urban Compactivity Models: Screening City Trends for the Urgency of Social and Environmental Sustainability

Abstract

Urban compactivity models are increasing around the globe, and sustainability has become the new buzzword. In recent decades, the focus of ecological responsibility has been shifted to the world’s cities, as they are the source of excessive consumption, major waste production, social inequalities, and global imbalances of economic wealth. This literature review is a contribution to the exploration of compactivity models that urgently aim at more sustainable forms of urban land-use, habitation, and transportation and considers: (i) compact cities; (ii) the 15-minute city; (iii) eco-villages/urban villages; (iv) transit oriented development; and (v) transit-corridor-livability. In the second section, we will address the debate on the need for governing authorities and the interdependence between micro-, meso- and macro dynamics for the implementation of transformational plans on a longue-durée. The work will be concluded with the presentation of a set of questions for exploring the need for a priority shift in political decision-making, the role of leadership articulation, and socio-economic inequity under the umbrella of environmental public anthropology.

Advancing ESG and SDGs Goal 11: Enhanced YOLOv7-Based UAV Detection for Sustainable Transportation in Cities and Communities

“…This issue is gaining more and more social attention, as environmental, social, governance (ESG) [5,6] assessments of companies' data and indicators are being given greater importance. Among the elements discussed, the significance of the "Environment" aligns closely with the United Nations' 2030 Agenda for sustainable development, with its 17 sustainable development goals (SDGs) [7][8][9][10][11], which concentrate on fostering "Sustainable Cities and Communities". One key aspiration within this overarching aim is to establish an accessible, affordable, and secure transportation system that can cater to the needs of all individuals by 2030, while simultaneously enhancing road safety measures.…”

Towards a Better Understanding of Compact Cities

“…Several studies associate the "compact city" with adjacent terms like "smart growth", "New Urbanism", and "Transit-Oriented Development", which are U.S. responses to urban sprawl and car-based movement. Some studies posit that these concepts are partially overlapping (Kain et al 2020;Lin 2018;Lobner et al 2021;Rode 2018;Stevenson and Gleeson 2018). In other instances, the terms are used interchangeably (Conticelli 2020;Gren et al 2019;Korur 2020).…”