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105 Urban Planning Essay Topic Ideas & Examples

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Urban planning is an essential aspect of city development that aims to create sustainable, livable, and functional urban environments. It involves the design and management of the physical and social infrastructure of cities, towns, and communities. If you are studying urban planning or are interested in exploring this field, here are 105 essay topic ideas and examples to inspire your research and writing:

• The impact of urbanization on the environment
• The role of transportation in urban planning
• The importance of affordable housing in urban development
• Urban renewal and gentrification
• The influence of technology on urban planning
• The concept of smart cities
• The history of urban planning
• The relationship between urban planning and public health
• The role of public spaces in urban design
• The challenges of urban development in developing countries
• The impact of urban sprawl on communities
• The role of community participation in urban planning
• The principles of sustainable urban planning
• The benefits of mixed-use development in urban areas
• The impact of climate change on urban planning
• The concept of walkable cities
• The role of public transportation in reducing traffic congestion
• The importance of historic preservation in urban planning
• The impact of globalization on urban development
• The role of zoning laws in urban planning
• The benefits of green infrastructure in cities
• The challenges of urban planning in post-disaster reconstruction
• The role of urban design in promoting social equity
• The impact of urban planning on social cohesion
• The role of urban agriculture in sustainable cities
• The benefits of mixed-income housing in urban areas
• The impact of urban planning on economic development
• The concept of new urbanism
• The challenges of urban planning in mega-cities
• The role of urban planning in reducing crime
• The benefits of public art in urban spaces
• The impact of urban planning on mental health
• The role of urban design in promoting physical activity
• The challenges of affordable housing in high-cost cities
• The importance of universal design in urban planning
• The impact of transportation infrastructure on urban development
• The role of urban planning in disaster preparedness
• The benefits of mixed-use development in reducing car dependence
• The impact of urban planning on air quality
• The role of urban design in reducing noise pollution
• The challenges of urban planning in rapidly growing cities
• The importance of green spaces in urban areas
• The impact of urban planning on social segregation
• The role of urban design in promoting cultural diversity
• The benefits of pedestrian-friendly cities
• The impact of urban planning on water management
• The challenges of urban planning in informal settlements
• The role of urban design in promoting inclusivity
• The benefits of adaptive reuse in historic preservation
• The impact of urban planning on energy consumption
• The role of urban agriculture in food security
• The challenges of urban planning in coastal cities
• The importance of public art in placemaking
• The impact of urban planning on wildlife habitat
• The role of urban design in promoting social interaction
• The benefits of mixed-use development in reducing urban sprawl
• The impact of urban planning on biodiversity
• The role of urban planning in disaster recovery
• The challenges of urban planning in shrinking cities
• The importance of green building in sustainable cities
• The impact of urban planning on water quality
• The role of urban design in promoting community engagement
• The benefits of green roofs in urban areas
• The impact of urban planning on wildlife migration
• The challenges of urban planning in conflict-affected areas
• The importance of public transportation in reducing greenhouse gas emissions
• The role of urban design in promoting social justice
• The benefits of mixed-income housing in reducing poverty
• The impact of urban planning on cultural heritage preservation
• The role of urban planning in promoting disaster resilience
• The challenges of urban planning in rapidly urbanizing regions
• The importance of urban greenways in promoting biodiversity
• The impact of urban planning on soil quality
• The role of urban design in promoting sustainable tourism
• The benefits of transit-oriented development in reducing car dependence
• The impact of urban planning on water conservation
• The challenges of urban planning in post-industrial cities
• The importance of public art in urban regeneration
• The role of urban design in promoting sustainable transportation
• The benefits of green infrastructure in reducing urban heat islands
• The impact of urban planning on cultural diversity
• The challenges of urban planning in high-density cities
• The importance of public spaces in promoting social cohesion
• The role of urban design in promoting active transportation
• The benefits of mixed-use development in reducing urban blight
• The impact of urban planning on food access
• The challenges of urban planning in mountainous regions
• The importance of urban forests in promoting climate resilience
• The role of urban design in promoting gender equality
• The benefits of green roofs in reducing stormwater runoff
• The impact of urban planning on indigenous communities
• The challenges of urban planning in desert regions
• The importance of public art in promoting cultural identity
• The role of urban design in promoting sustainable agriculture
• The benefits of green infrastructure in reducing flooding
• The impact of urban planning on wildlife conservation
• The challenges of urban planning in riverfront cities
• The importance of public transportation in reducing air pollution
• The role of urban design in promoting social inclusion
• The benefits of mixed-income housing in reducing social inequality
• The impact of urban planning on public health
• The challenges of urban planning in island cities
• The importance of urban green spaces in promoting mental well-being
• The role of urban design in promoting community resilience
• The benefits of green infrastructure in reducing urban poverty

These essay topic ideas and examples cover a wide range of issues and concepts in urban planning, providing you with plenty of inspiration for your research and writing. Whether you are interested in environmental sustainability, social equity, economic development, or cultural preservation, there is a topic here for you to explore and analyze in depth. Happy writing!

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94 Urban Planning Essay Topic Ideas & Examples

🏆 best urban planning topic ideas & essay examples, 📌 most interesting urban planning topics to write about, 👍 good research topics about urban planning, ❓ urban planning research questions.

• Ethics of Data Misuse in Urban Planning Every member of the AICP is responsible to the people who give their data and are the actual consumers of the projects that the planners initiate.
• Governmental Relations in Urban Planning This verse highlights the importance of having a clear and meaningful vision for the future, which is reflected in the city’s approach to planning.
• Urban Planning Development and Theories For example, during the period of city creation in the 17th century in Europe, urban planning, the creation of architectural ensembles and public spaces, and the design of local facilities have long been actively used.
• The City Beautiful Movement and Urban Planning This quickly led to conflict with public interest and led to the formation of city planning commissions, intended to account for public input in city planning.
• Urban Planning and Zoning Categories The goal of zoning is to ensure that the different types of land use are separated and that the uses are compatible with one another. Zoning categories are very important because they regulate the use […]
• Development and Theories in Urban Planning Mainly, conceptual planning and the rational-comprehensive planning theories are frameworks builders should adopt to cater to diverse issues and fulfil their responsibility to the earth as stipulated in the bible.
• Urban Planning Code of Ethics Ethics can help planners foster an integral, moral, and trustworthy environment in the planning process and make socially acceptable approaches/ For instance, explaining to stakeholders existing and anticipated social problems that may occur in the […]
• The Impact of the Urban Planning Housing, neighborhoods, and real estate markets are primarily determined by urban planning, policies, and practices, the failures of which are the causes for the existing housing problems, but a healthy neighborhoods approach can be a […]
• Professional Urban Planning and Practices Reviewing the knowledge, skills, and components of the curriculum to ensure that they address the planning needs of the evolving world is a great example of an approach that focuses on the future of professional […]
• Internet, Architecture, and Urban Planning: William J. Mitchell’s “City of Bits” Professor William Mitchell, a professor of ‘Architecture and Media Arts and Science in the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’, has written the book called “City of Bits”, which deals with the relationship among internet, architecture and […]
• Michael Apted’s “Thunderheart”: Urban Planning His role was to investigate the circumstances that led to the murder of a Native American who was a follower of the American Indian Movement.
• Urban Planning Optimization and Homelessness Therefore, the urban planning should be revised regarding those private providers’ interests: the risk of failure for future city development would strongly increase in the areas of possible economic concern.
• Optimizing Urban Planning to Address Homelessness Researchers use sensitivity analysis to assess the contribution of single preference parameters to the uncertainty of the ranking of alternatives. In the same manner, authorities can create a database consisting of all the shelters for […]
• Internet of Things in a Work of an Urban Planning Specialist Due to the fact that urban planning ultimately targets the experiences of urban dwellers, the internet of things and is vital to consider for a city designer.
• Urban Planning: City Summary Grayslake, IL It is located to the north of Chicago’s downtown approximately 64km away, and the west of Lake Michigan approximately 23km away, and to the south of Wisconsin border approximately 24km away.
• Urban Planning and Redevelopment Urban planning is a discipline that explores aspects of the built and environment of communities and municipalities. The Harrapan civilizations, the Mesopotamia, Ur, and cities of the Indus valley in India are among the earliest […]
• Urban Planning: Transit-Oriented Development Lynch defines efficiency in terms of cost: the less costly the creation and the maintenance of a system is, the more efficient it can be considered.
• Gentrification: Urban Planning in Canada It is important to find a way of addressing the concerns that stakeholders have to eliminate the current controversies in the new approach to urban planning.
• Urban Planning: “The Great Good Place” by Ray Oldenburg The author wrote the book in 1999 in an attempt to show the significance of casual and open gathering places, which he referred to as “third places”.
• Urban Planning Issues in the “Boyz n the Hood” Film Boyz n the Hood reveals the problem of the suburbanization of the society and non-functional urban environment, which is typical of the areas similar to the one shown in the movie.
• Green Communities in Urban Planning Under such circumstances, much attention is paid to green communities as the most appropriate form of living in balance with nature one of the examples of such a green community in Copenhagen.
• Issues Affecting Urban Planning in “City of God” Film The author of the movie draws the reader’s attention to some of the factors that affect urban planning. Therefore, this call for a combined effort to see that each issues is addressed fully in order […]
• Urban Planning Issues About the Movie “City of God” This is where he also discovers corruption and collaboration in between the Kenyan government, the pharmaceutical corporation, and his fellow British colleagues. The main cause for lack of social mobility is limited of education.
• Urban Planning Issues About the Movie “Julie and Julia” Paris is portrayed as superior to the New York City and Julia’s recipes seem to influence the way the residents of Paris as well as the New Yorkers eat.
• “Gone Baby Gone” Movie: Urban Planning Issues The residents of the area are also suspicious that the police are not honest in their dealings and this makes it difficult for the two detectives to resolve Amanda’s abduction.
• Urban Planning Aspects: “Before Sunset” Urban planning is defined as the process of controlling the utilization of design and land of an urban development, with the aim of ensuring that communities and settlements in the urban areas are orderly developed.
• Canadian Urban Planning, Housing, and Women
• When Urban Planning Doctrine Meets Low Density Countryside
• Urban Planning, Modern and Postmodern Design
• Project and Urban Planning at the University of California
• European Urban Planning Systems: Diversity and Convergence
• Smart Methods for Environmental Externalities: Urban Planning, Environmental Health and Hygiene in the Netherlands
• Geographic Information System and Its Application in Urban Planning and Environment
• Environmental Management and Urban Planning Practices
• Urban Planning and Information and Communication Technology: Ideas and Facts
• Ecological Urban Planning and Design: A Systematic Literature Review
• The City Beautiful Movement: The Urban Planning Practices
• Urban Planning Management System in Los Angeles: An Overview
• Urban Planning and the Geographic Information System
• Kevin Lynch and His Contribution to the Urban Planning Theory
• Urban Planning: The History of Cycling Infrastructure
• Handbook for Gender-Inclusive Urban Planning and Design
• Biodiversity and Green Infrastructure in Urban Planning
• Women, Housing and Urban Planning in Canada
• Urban Planning Community and Economic Development
• Multitype Green-Space Modeling for Urban Planning Using GA and GIS
• Social Mix and the City: Challenging the Mixed Communities Consensus in Housing and Urban Planning Policies
• Urban Planning and Its Role of the Public
• Urban Planning Critical Issues on Urban Development
• Environmental Holism and the Biophilic Hypothesis in Urban Planning
• The Similarities and Differences in Urban Planning in Italy and The Netherlands
• Classifying and Valuing Ecosystem Services for Urban Planning
• Urban Planning and Development Theories of Paul Peterson
• How The Urban Planning and Development of Jane Jacobs
• Urban Planning and Railway Corridors: Resolving Regulatory Dysfunction in Australia
• Urban Heat Island Adaptation Through Urban Planning and Design: The Struggle of the City of Los Angeles
• Urban Planning and the Location of Environmental Amenities
• Urban Planning with the Aid of Factor Analysis Approach: The Case of Isfahan Municipality
• Urban Planning, Architecture, and the Contributions of Rome
• Washington, D.C.: The First Example of Urban Planning
• Urban Planning Policy for Realizing Public Objectives Through Private Development in Seoul
• Urban Planning for the New Buildings
• Scientific Reasoning and Methods in Urban Planning
• Risk, Uncertainty, and Spatial Distinction: A Study of Urban Planning in Stockholm
• Paris and London: Late 19th Century Urban Planning
• Overcrowding and Urban Planning in Victorian London
• What Does an Urban Planning Do?
• Why Urban Planning Is Important?
• What Does Urban Planning Focus On?
• What Are the Goals of Urban Planning?
• What Is Urban Planning in Simple Words?
• What Are the Types of Urban Planning?
• How Does Urban Planning Affect the Environment?
• Which City Has the Best Urban Planning?
• Is Urban Planning Similar to Civil Engineering?
• What Is the Difference Between Urban Design and Urban Planning?
• What Is an Example of Urban Planning?
• What Are the Factors of Urban Planning?
• How Can Urban Planning Be Improved?
• Which Software Is Used for Urban Planning?
• Is Urban Planning and Architecture Same?
• What Are the Challenges of Urban Planning?
• How Urban Planning Affects Economy?
• What Is the Most Important Issue in Urban Planning?
• How Does Urban Planning Affect Quality of Life?
• How Is Urban Planning Sustainable?
• What Influences Urban Planning?
• How Does Urban Planning Relate to Architecture?
• What Are the Reasons for Urban Planning Failure?
• What Is Level of Urban Planning?
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• Culture Topics
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Urban Planning Thesis/ Research Topic Suggestions (Part 1)

Introduction.

In the field of Planning, each student is required to undertake a research project (thesis) as per his/ her interest subjects relevant to the field in the final semester. It basically gives an opportunity to the students to put their learning of previous semesters together. It also gives an opportunity to synthesize the knowledge and skills acquired by applying it for strategy formulation for a live planning challenge.

Urban Planning

Cities and tourist movement have both historical and dynamic relationship. Urban places often act as major attractions and serve as gateways to or staging areas for tourism. Tourism is at the heart of many cities’ development projects. Tourism is a major driving force in the development and stimulator of a new urbanity in metropolises and cities.

Urban Finance

Environment planning.

Environmental issues arise and exist in almost all sectors where development is involved. Environmental Planning helps in making decisions about the natural environment, public health and the built environment.

Informal Sector

Slum/ informal settlements.

Existence of informal settlements in the urban areas is a challenging issue in urban planning. It is short-sighted and unsustainable to ignore the challenge of slums considering the large scale of slums and the number of people they house.

Housing and Real Estate

Inclusive planning, transport planning.

Transport Planning is required for the operation, provision and management of facilities and services for the modes of transport. It is the process of preparing policies, goals and spatial planning designs to prepare for the future needs.

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Urban Planning Dissertation Topics Ideas and Examples

Published by Owen Ingram at January 5th, 2023 , Revised On March 24, 2023

Urban planning is an essential tool in creating vibrant and healthy communities. It is the practice of balancing the needs of a society with limited resources to ensure equitable development and long-term sustainability. Urban planners work at all scales, from local communities to global initiatives, helping to shape cities, regions and even entire countries.

At its core, urban planning focuses on improving the quality of life through efficient use of land, transportation networks and public services such as education and healthcare facilities.

Planning can be a powerful tool in tackling social issues like poverty, inequality and environmental degradation by finding smart solutions that meet people’s needs while preserving natural resources.

This can include everything from designing walkable neighbourhoods that promote physical activity to creating green spaces that clean air pollutants out of the atmosphere.

Conducting research on urban planning topics is essential for students writing dissertations because it allows them to understand the field better while developing critical thinking skills.

Researching urban planning topics gives students insight into life within various cities and towns worldwide. Knowing how different areas have developed over time can help inform future decisions shaping our society.

Research projects give students hands-on experience conducting surveys and collecting data, which can then be used to formulate opinions about current issues facing cities and regions today.

How to Choose the Best Urban Planning Dissertation Topic

Choosing a dissertation topic for urban planning can be one of the most challenging and rewarding. It’s essential for students to take the time to carefully research and assess different topics, as this will form the basis for their entire dissertation project.

The following tips will help students choose a dissertation topic that connects with their interests while also contributing something new and exciting to urban planning literature.

• First, students must consider what topics they are passionate about within urban planning.
• Doing so may reveal potential research gaps or intersections, which could become their project’s focus.
• Identifying any specific industry trends or current debates in this area is also beneficial and could provide an impetus for conducting original research.

List of Urban Planning Dissertation Topics

• Chinese urban planning at fifty: an assessment of the planning theory literature
• Shifting approaches to planning theory: Global North and South
•  Disintegrated development at the rural-urban fringe: Re-connecting spatial planning theory and practice
• Computer-supported participation in urban planning from the viewpoint of “Communicative Planning Theory.”
• Jaqueline Tyrwhitt: a transnational life in urban planning and design
• A serious Digital game for urban planning: “B3—Design your marketplace!”
• The value of community informatics to participatory urban planning and design: a case study in Helsinki
• Urban planning and development in Tehran
• Application of system dynamics model as a decision-making tool in urban planning process toward stabilising carbon dioxide emissions from cities
• Property, politics, and urban planning: a history of Australian city planning, 1890-1990
• The making of urban America: a history of city planning in the United States
• Slope instability in static and dynamic conditions for urban planning: the ‘Oltre Po Pavese’case history (Regione Lombardia–Italy)
• The impact of sanitary reform upon American urban planning, 1840-1890
•  The capital of Europe: Architecture and urban planning for the European Union
• Settlement history and urban planning at Zincirli Höyük, southern Turkey
• Urban transportation planning in the United States: history, policy, and practice
• Beyond the colonial city: Re-evaluating the urban history of India, ca. 1920–1970
• Shadows of planning: on landscape/planning history and inherited landscape ambiguities at the urban fringe
• White cities, linguistic turns, and Disneylands: The new paradigms of urban history
• Analysis of problems in urban green space system planning in China
• Lagos (Nigeria) flooding and influence of urban planning
• Reusing organic solid waste in urban farming in African cities: A challenge for urban planners
• An assessment of public participation GIS and Web 2.0 technologies in urban planning practice in Canela, Brazil
• City of change and challenge: Urban planning and regeneration in Liverpool
• Urban planning in Russia: towards the market

What is the Importance of Choosing the Correct Urban Planning Research Topic

Urban planning is a very important topic for students to study, as it helps them understand the complexities of city life and its many related disciplines. When researching an urban planning dissertation topic, students should carefully consider their approach and the structure of their research project.

An excellent urban planning dissertation topic can help students better understand the issues, provide insight into potential solutions, and even develop new ideas for further investigation.

When selecting an urban planning dissertation topic, it is important for students to consider their interests in the subject matter. Choosing a topic that aligns with students’ interests will often result in more meaningful results and may lead to exciting discoveries.

Students should also be aware of current events or trends relevant to their chosen field, as these can provide invaluable insights into urban planning topics.

How Can ResearchProspect Help?

ResearchProspect writers can send several custom topic ideas to your email address. Once you have chosen a topic that suits your needs and interests, you can order for our dissertation outline service which will include a brief introduction to the topic, research questions , literature review , methodology , expected results , and conclusion . The dissertation outline will enable you to review the quality of our work before placing the order for our full dissertation writing service!

FAQ’s About Urban Planning Dissertation Ideas

When to choose the urban planning dissertation topic.

In terms of choosing a topic for the dissertation, students should take into account the time of their academic year. Having enough time for research is important. In case you do not have time to write your dissertation, visit our website and see our services .

How do I choose the most appropriate urban planning dissertation topic?

The best way to choose an appropriate topic is by doing research on various topics related to urban planning. Consider what research you want to do and how much time you have to write your dissertation.

Examining journals and publications that explore urban planning issues can give you ideas about potential topics for your dissertation. Additionally, attending conferences or seminars related to urban planning can provide insight into current research in this field.

Can I use these topics for my dissertation?

The topics listed here can be used for your dissertation. There are a variety of topics you can use depending on the type of research project you are doing.

Have other students used these topics already?

These dissertation topics may have already been used by other students. You can order unique dissertation topics on our website if you need topics that have never been used before.

Can ResearchProspect provide unique and customised urban planning dissertation topics?

Yes, ResearchProspect provide unique and customised Urban Planning dissertation topics.

Can you make a research proposal on my selected topic?

Yes, we can develop a research proposal for your chosen topic. On our website, you can order research proposal topics or learn more about our proposal writing services .

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Urban planning, design and management approaches to building urban resilience: a rapid review of the evidence

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• https://doi.org/10.1080/23748834.2024.2364491

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Urban planning, risk governance and resilience have become increasingly important pathways to promote and protect public health at the local level. While climate change, inadequately planned urbanization and environmental degradation have left many cities vulnerable to disasters; the COVID-19 pandemic further highlighted the links between health and urban environments, and the relevance of sustainable and resilient planning. As part of the Protecting environments and health by building urban resilience project led by the WHO European Centre for Environment and Health, we conducted a rapid review of the evidence on urban planning, design and management strategies for increasing preparedness and resilience at the local level. Drawing from six databases (2015–2021), we identified a total of 172 scientific articles. Specific local response strategies were identified for six hazard types and eight cross-cutting issues. Findings suggest that institutional innovation, improving early warning, or understanding risks and cascading effects, are important for all hazards, while urban greening and controlling urban sprawl have synergies and co-benefits across multiple hazard types. This compilation of evidence can support local administrations and communities in further integrating health protection considerations into mainstream urban planning and management and help prepare cities to increase hazard preparedness and become more resilient.

• Urban planning
• environment and health
• preparedness
• sustainable development
• evidence review

Climate change, rapid or inadequately planned urbanisation and environmental degradation have left many cities vulnerable to disasters. In addition, cities increasingly face local emergencies through industrial accidents and system failures, indicating the high degree of interdependencies, especially within large cities. Inadequate planning has thus been recognized as a relevant disaster risk factor, affecting urban hazards, exposure and level of vulnerability (UNDRR Citation 2017 ).

Disasters and local emergencies have a direct impact on population health, causing injuries, diseases, and mental and psychosocial outcomes. In addition, they may significantly affect the functionality of critical infrastructure, such as health-care facilities or water and energy supply, thereby further increasing existing health challenges due to lack of treatment and care services, with specific impacts for chronic and infectious diseases. Increasing local preparedness for health emergencies should therefore be considered a priority by national governments as well as local authorities (WHO Citation 2021 ). However, while the immediate impacts on health and well-being of disasters may be recognized, the academic literature about these impacts and the links between health, urban planning and disaster management has not been consolidated; evidence from the local level is especially lacking.

Cities need to understand what features and processes make them vulnerable to crises and environmental emergencies, and their associated health impacts. They also need to recognize the most effective actions to take to reduce risk, prepare and become resilient (WHO Citation 2020 ). Reflecting the global relevance of this challenge, various international commitments and agreements have highlighted the need to address disaster risk, emergency preparedness and resilience at urban scale. The Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030 (United Nations Citation 2015b ) stipulates four action priorities: understanding disaster risk, strengthening governance to manage it, investing in disaster reduction for resilience, and enhancing preparedness for better response – all priorities to protect lives, livelihods and health. Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 11 on sustainable cities and communities (United Nations Citation 2015c ) requires increased efforts by cities to adopt and implement policies on disaster resilience, and to establish disaster risk-management schemes. The Paris Agreement (United Nations Citation 2015a ) established – alongside its focus on climate change mitigation – the first universal, legally binding global commitment on climate change adaptation to strengthen resilience and reduce vulnerability. The New Urban Agenda (United Nations Citation 2017 ) also seeks to ensure healthy, resilient and sustainable cities through disaster risk reduction and management.

Much can be done at the city level by local authorities, planners and managers to translate these global agendas into local action, using urban planning and design to reduce risks and vulnerabilities and build resilience – ultimately resulting in the protection of health and well-being (WHO Citation 2022 ). While multilateral institutions have provided frameworks and guidelines to assist governments and decision-makers, there is a pressing need to localise global commitments through concrete strategies and actions. The scientific literature on this, however, is still limited. Recent reviews have focused on single hazard types or events (e.g. on flooding events (Bertilsson et al . Citation 2019 ); or related to the COVID-19 pandemic (Sharifi and Reza Khavarian-Garmsir Citation 2020 ), or focused on certain types of solutions (e.g. nature-based solutions (Bush and Doyon Citation 2019 ). One recent review addressed the (still understudied) relationship between urban form and urban resilience. From a more conceptual standpoint, literature on urban resilience has reflected on the concept itself (Sara et al . Citation 2016 ) and provided conceptual frameworks (Sharifi and Yamagata Citation 2014 ) and narratives on how to integrate ‘resilience thinking’ in policy (Béné et al . Citation 2018 ) and urban planning (Sharifi and Yoshiki Citation 2018 ).

Despite a growing interest in integrating ‘urban resilience’ in cities’ urban planning and policy, there is still a need for a broader, more holistic and multi faceted approach that includes both spatial/physical infrastructure and governance issues related to urban planning, design and management jointly; but at the same time that goes beyond narratives and theoretical frameworks or principles, by identifying concrete strategies and actions relevant to multiple hazard types. As part of the Protecting environments and health by building urban resilience project, Footnote 1 this review aims at identifying strategies in the literature to help cities bridge the gap between global agendas and local action, set priorities, and tackle the challenges of preparing for and preventing the likelihood and severity of impacts of local extreme events. Through a broad and inclusive approach, it deals with the multiple challenges around building urban resilience and aims to identify feasible interventions for improving preparedness and resilience at the local level through urban planning, design and management actions.

A rapid review of recent literature on urban planning, design, management and preparedness related to disasters was undertaken between June and November 2021 in order to answer the following question: What urban planning, design and management strategies and actions can cities implement to make them more resilient to hazards and emergencies, and also more sustainable and healthy?

The decision for conducting a rapid review was based on the broadness of the question and the fact that ‘urban resilience’ is a growing and still not consolidated topic. Conducting a rapid review was also influenced by the project’s time and resource constraints, as detailed in the limitations of the study (Section Limitations of the study).

The entire process of this rapid review was undertaken by a team of two researchers and followed the steps described in the Rapid Review Guidebook (Dobbins Citation 2017 ). However, a larger team of researchers and experts in epidemiology, environmental sciences and public health was involved in the definition of the question and the database search strategy, as well as in the final phases of identifying applicability and transferability and in the writing of the report. The report was then reviewed by experts in the area of disaster risk reduction to ensure a correct use of terminology and receive feedback on the most relevant and effective way to present the findings.

Inclusion criteria

Documents included were scholarly (peer-reviewed) journal articles for primary searches involving studies in humans. All types of study design were included: scoping reviews; systematic reviews; meta-analyses; and ecological, prospective, cross-sectional, case-control and intervention studies. For secondary searches (using Google Scholar), book chapters and/or conference papers were included if considered relevant. In addition to original research papers, the review also considered papers that reviewed and summarised original research. The papers were in English, although some in Spanish were included if considered relevant. Global literature was searched, but the selection was made for content applicable to the cities in the WHO European Region.

The review included general planning approaches, concepts and frameworks on how to prepare through urban design, planning and management. It was restricted to publications from the years 2015–2021 in order to reflect the most recent urban planning and management concepts and to limit the amount of material to be assessed within the available time. The year 2015 marks the adoption of various global agreements such as the Paris Agreement, the 2030 Agenda and associated Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). It was also the year of publication of key guidelines related to the topic of study, namely the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction and the Habitat III New Urban Agenda.

Search strategy

Table 1. keywords selected for the primary literature search..

The combination presented in Table 1 resulted in the most relevant titles within a manageable quantity of search results. Several other keyword combinations (including terms such as ‘health’, ‘well-being’, ‘mortality’ or ‘disease’ in the outcome category) were tested in preliminary searches, but these added a large number of papers specific to health (systems and impacts) rather than to city/urban events or to urban planning or preparedness. Other terms such as ‘exposure’, ‘vulnerability’, ‘risk’ and ‘transformation’ were excluded from the set due to the large number of nonspecific or irrelevant results obtained. The term ‘COVID*’ was also intentionally excluded from the primary search terms as it added a large number of unrelated articles.

Table 2. Primary search strategy databases.

After advanced searches in all databases selected for the primary search, an initial screening of papers was carried out based on the information available in the title and abstract, following the inclusion criteria. Discussion and agreement via consensus between two independent researchers resolved cases of doubt. Secondary searches on COVID-19 and specific case studies, using Google Scholar, were added to the final 172 papers included for full-text review. During the full text review, some additional references were found and included when considered relevant and fitting with the inclusion criteria.

Data extraction

Data extraction and critical appraisal was carried out by a team of two researchers. Extracted information included: title, author(s), year of publication, type of hazard focused on (if applicable), region/country/city referred to (if applicable), type of publication (study design), number and type of studies included (in the case of reviews), population studied, intervention(s) implemented/measured, and a summary of aims and results.

Figure 1. Literature search strategy and outcome.

Table 3. Results of the literature review by type of event.

No papers were found on cold extremes, food security, or on forest fires related to heatwaves.

In terms of geographical location, 79 articles (46%) were general or no location was indicated, while 93 (54%) were based on specific locations or case studies. Within the latter group, 44 articles referred to (or were based on) countries in the WHO European Regional, while 37 articles were from countries outside the WHO European Region (but were considered relevant and applicable to cities in the WHO European Region and therefore included in the review).

Results by hazard type

Table 4. summary of urban management and planning strategies by hazard type., results by cross-cutting issues.

Redundancies in terms of relevance of strategies and their applicability to more than one hazard type were detected through the analysis of the material by single hazard type. In addition to this, a significant number of the papers reviewed mentioned the importance of establishing multihazard thinking and methods, and of considering cascading effects (especially the most recent articles), even when the main focus of the paper was on one specific hazard.

Figure 2. An urban-scape with the eight cross-cutting elements identified in the review.

Climate-change mitigation and adaptation

Human-induced climate change is already affecting many weather extremes in every region across the globe (IPCC Citation 2021 ) and over 90% of cities worldwide are facing significant climate risks (CDP Worldwide Citation 2021 ). Recently, the focus of urban management and planning has broadened from mitigation (mainly of GHG emissions) to adaptation planning (Sara and Woodruff Citation 2020 ). A review of climate-change action plans in Europe found, however, that mitigation is still more extensively considered (Grafakos et al . Citation 2020 ). Another study showed that local governments tend only to have a mitigation, adaptation or joint plan in large cities (with over 500.000 inhabitants) – especially those in central and northern Europe (Reckien et al . Citation 2018 ); and city size and wealth are considered predictors of whether they will plan for climate change (Sara and Woodruff Citation 2020 ). More developed cities could also have greater knowledge capacity and resources (Patterson Citation 2021 ). Compared to megacities, medium-sized cities have received less attention in the context of climate risk management. However, growing medium-sized cities have an opportunity to integrate adaptation to climate change into their ongoing development process (Birkmann et al . Citation 2021 ).

Strategic adaptation actions can be carried out through environmental management, asset procurement and public finance mechanisms; cooperating with civil society organisations to improve equity, awareness and knowledge transfer; and engaging with the creative potential of residents through cross-sectoral tools and experimentation with different participatory processes (Chu et al . Citation 2017 ). These strategies, however, require institutional innovation and usually involve changes in underlying rules-in-use (Patterson and Huitema Citation 2019 ).

The literature reviewed also suggests that protection of the city can no longer be considered only a function of public organisations. Private and non-profit organisations, as well as households, have significant roles to play (Comfort Citation 2006 , Wamsler Citation 2016 ). Creating conditions that foster autonomous adaptation at the household level does, however, require a distributed risk governance system and city – citizen collaboration, where the citizen can play an important part in assessing and managing environmental risks to increase resilience (Göpfert et al . Citation 2019 ). Social mobilisation initiatives – from government-led planning processes to neighbourhood-scale grass roots initiatives – can also lower perceived barriers to sustainable climate solutions and motivate action through engagement, learning and hands-on involvement (Lin et al . Citation 2021 ). City-to-city learning is another pathway towards climate-change adaptation (for example, through city networks), and emphasising the importance of local policy development when facing the challenges of climate change (Goh Citation 2019 , Axelsson et al . Citation 2021 ).

A number of barriers, trade-offs and unforeseen consequences of climate-change adaptation actions are also identified. For instance, several studies agree that to face the effects of climate change, the sector-minded, single-issue approaches typical of municipalities organised according to territorial jurisdictions need to be overcome (Bowen and Ebi Citation 2015 , Chu et al . Citation 2017 , Göpfert et al . Citation 2019 , Grafakos et al . Citation 2020 , Sharifi Citation 2021 ). Instead, the cross-sectoral nature of both risks and related responses needs to be emphasised. For instance, green spaces, roads, parks, water systems, heat management and urban ecology are all important factors in rainfall management, but these issues often extend outside any one city government department (Axelsson et al . Citation 2021 ). In addition, the search for co-benefits, or ‘win – win’ solutions that connect adaptation goals with general development needs (such as environmental protection, poverty reduction and infrastructure and economic growth) can support the development of shared visions of the future for strategic urbanism interventions to be successful (Chu et al . Citation 2017 ).

Table 5. Summary of challenges and local responses related to climate-change mitigation and adaptation.

Risk perception, behaviour change and personal preparedness.

Personal preparedness may reduce the impacts of emergencies (Silva and Pedro Costa Citation 2018 ), while risk perception can be significantly positive in predicting attitude and behavioural intention to respond to certain issues (Zhu et al . Citation 2020 ). In this regard, local governments and organisations have a key role in spreading information concerning the harmful effects of certain risks.

Dominianni et al . ( Citation 2018 ) highlighted the need to increase power outage awareness (including power outage notification programmes) and preparedness among at-risk people. Born et al . ( Citation 2011 ) suggest that disaster preparedness could be enhanced with more robust disaster education for civilians and better communication between administrations and civilians, as well as other initiatives such as creation and maintenance of a database of pre-credentialed, pre-certified medical specialists. Improved insurance coverage at the household level is another key aspect identified in the literature, as it can help homeowners rebuild and recover at a faster pace. However, studies in the United States of America focusing on floods (Diana et al . Citation 2019 ) and hurricanes (Kousky Citation 2017 ) found that overall levels of insurance coverage are low; and while recent disaster experiences might increase net insurance purchases, this effect tends to fade away fairly quickly.

Table 6. Summary of challenges and local responses related to risk perception, behaviour change and personal preparedness.

Risk analysis and assessment tools.

Preventing and/or mitigating the effects of hazards strongly depends on the availability of reliable information and predictions (however much uncertainty remains), for which risk analysis and assessment tools are crucial and rapidly developing. This review found multiple proposals of approaches, methodologies and tools for risk analysis and assessment, most of which use GIS tools for mapping and visualisation. Some seek to assess the probability of multiple hazards taking place, mapping susceptibility to risks (Pourghasemi et al . Citation 2020 ) and, in some cases, reaching preliminary quantification of the potential effects on an urban environment (Almeida et al . Citation 2020 ).

Hazard-specific tools include a model to aid the design of fire risk mitigation strategies (Ferreira et al . Citation 2016 ) and a large-scale seismic vulnerability assessment method related to emergency planning – considering inaccessible urban areas, isolated people and possible evacuation routes (Anglade et al . Citation 2020 ). Specific to itineraries and evacuation routes, other methodologies address the difficulty of reaching affected areas because of obstructions on road infrastructure – mainly because of collapses (Francini et al . Citation 2018 ) – or disruption of the roadway network due to natural hazards, identifying critical links and vulnerabilities (Mera and Balijepalli Citation 2020 ). Several methodologies identified in the review address flood hazards in cities (Li et al . Citation 2016 , Kourgialas and Karatzas Citation 2017 ).

Table 7. Summary of challenges and local responses related to risk analysis and assessment tools.

Geographical location and exposure to hazards.

A city’s location often determines its exposure to certain types of hazards. The literature generally identifies cities in coastal and river floodplains as those most exposed to the effects of climate change and associated emergencies. Much less material was found on inland and dry cities, while none reported on landslides or vulnerable seismic areas.

Although, in terms of urban heat, coastal urban areas may benefit from cooler air due to seabreeze (Imran et al . Citation 2019 , Vahmani et al . Citation 2019 ), these areas are also becoming increasingly vulnerable to flooding events. In fact, population density in flood-prone coastal zones and megacities is expected to grow by 25% by 2050 (Huang-Lachmann and Lovett Citation 2016 ). Long, Cornut & Kolb ( Citation 2020 ) identified two main (and conceptually opposed) strategies for adapting to coastal risks: holding the coastal line through hard constructions such as seawalls or ripraps; and managed retreat of activities and populations to a part of the territory not exposed to hazards.

The ‘giving water more space’ approach is also clearly reflected in policy reframing in the (Kingdom of the) Netherlands since the 2000s (although it is a strategy that could be applicable to inland cities too). While Dutch tradition is premised on building dikes to withstand high river discharges, the expected extreme future weather events have led to new planning strategies of giving land back to the water – such as the Room for the river strategy in Rotterdam (Lu and Stead Citation 2013 ). These have further evolved into innovative adaptation plans such as the ‘water city’ or ‘floating city’ concept, where floating housing is favoured in order to meet the increasing demand for residential areas in the city (Huang-Lachmann and Lovett Citation 2016 ).

Although inland locations have received less attention in the literature, Cerra ( Citation 2016 ) identifies a number of site-planning and design practices for inland locations that possess climate-adaptive potential, including floodplain storage, low-impact developments, resilient planting designs, use of vegetation and shading, or multimodal mobility, among others.

Table 8. Summary of challenges and local responses related to cities’ geographical location.

Urban form/models.

The most specific references to the urban form in relation to vulnerability to disasters in the material analysed focus on the issue of density. For instance, from a mitigation perspective, a literature review (Sharifi Citation 2021 ) found many studies demonstrating that compact urban development featuring appropriate levels of density, coupled with land-use mix and improved accessibility and connectivity, contributes to mitigation through promoting active and public transportation, and reducing energy needs for cooling and heating of buildings. Other studies focusing on the UHI effect and its potential to exacerbate the effects of heatwaves (and lead to peak use of air-conditioning) could seem to differ, however (Xu et al . Citation 2019 ).

Compact urban development reduces demand for land, thereby enabling avoidance of risk-prone areas. Compactness also entails less infrastructure development than in the case of dispersed forms, allowing better maintenance in general. While this could also apply in terms of speed and efficiency for emergency teams dealing with high-density, mixed-use and well connected areas (Sharifi Citation 2021 ), other studies focusing on fire risk or impacts of earthquakes highlighted potential challenges specific to dense urban areas, such as difficulty accessing victims in high-rise buildings and blocking of emergency routes and narrow evacuation roads (Ferreira et al . Citation 2016 , Nasrollahi and Behnam Citation 2018 , Anglade et al . Citation 2020 ). This may be especially true in the case of older, more deteriorated urban areas, where premises are small and densely populated, and buildings are built with low-quality materials and/or have deteriorated over time (Soleimani and Poorzahedy Citation 2021 ).

From a flood-risk perspective, concentrated growth (and a commitment to managing urban sprawl and the rural environment) seems to fit nicely within land-use strategies for coastal and fluvial flooding protection (Axelsson et al . Citation 2021 ). And although temperature extremes (and the UHI effect) could provide an argument against dense urban living due to increased building density and the obstruction of wind corridors (Francesch-Huidobro et al . Citation 2017 ), proper design of air flows and wind paths -usually through low/medium-rise buildings and linear parks (Capolongo et al . Citation 2018 )- can favour the formation of cooling breezes (Gunawardena et al . Citation 2017 ). In fact, lower population densities in general do not necessarily solve the problem of excess heat, as much of the increased land usage in dispersed urban developments is likely to be greenfield land, such as greenbelts and other peripheral green areas (Larsen Citation 2015 , Gunawardena et al . Citation 2017 ).

Table 9. Summary of challenges and local responses related to urban form/models.

From a heat perspective, passive-cooling design strategies applied to buildings and their surroundings – such as increasing albedo through cool roofs and pavements, shading, orientation and natural ventilation – contribute to mitigation as well as to adaptation, providing cooling benefits and reducing cooling energy demand (Sharifi Citation 2021 ). Biophilic design also makes density more appealing, providing extra habitat opportunities when tall buildings are landscaped, and making urban environments more aesthetically appealing (Newman Citation 2020 ).

Retrofitting increases occupants’ capacity to cope with heatwaves (and be less dependent on air-conditioning) (Hatvani-Kovacs et al . Citation 2018 ), and in addition to structural property-level flood resilience measures (Depietri and McPhearson Citation 2017 ), outdoor strategies such as site selection, layout and design of parking lots, and surrounding landscape design (integrating climate-sensitive strategies) are relevant flood management strategies (Houghton and Castillo-Salgado Citation 2017 ).

From an earthquake and fire risk perspective, designing or retrofitting disaster-resistant buildings should be included in the city design process, considering both potential earthquake damage and its effect on fire resistance (Anglade et al . Citation 2020 ). This is especially important in old city centres, where fire risk tends to increase (Ferreira et al . Citation 2016 ).

Table 10. Summary of challenges and local responses related to buildings.

Transportation.

Few articles selected for this review focused on transportation planning and its role in making cities more resilient to emergencies or disasters. The transportation network was often referred to in the literature as a critical infrastructure that may be affected by several types of hazards (Garschagen and Sandholz Citation 2018 , Hatvani-Kovacs et al . Citation 2018 , Diana et al . Citation 2019 ). It was also addressed in terms of street width and routes in case of earthquakes or fires, highlighting the vulnerability of older urban centres; and several articles provided tools to identify the most efficient links and itineraries in case of emergency (Nasrollahi and Behnam Citation 2018 , Armaghan and Yaghoobi Pazani Citation 2019 ).

Public transportation infrastructure is generally considered relatively robust against adverse events and more effective for disaster absorption than private vehicle use, as it can facilitate better emergency access and quicker and easier evacuation (Sharifi Citation 2021 ). Houghton and Castillo-Salgado ( Citation 2017 ), in a literature review on resilience to urban flooding, highlighted the link between flooding vulnerability and access to transportation to evacuate exposed/at-risk areas before, during and after flooding events. Promotion of transit-oriented development is also mentioned in the literature as a means to reduce traffic congestion, pollution, and other unwanted outcomes of the extensive automobile use in large metropolitan areas (such as low-income city periphery developments) (Newman Citation 2020 , Soleimani and Poorzahedy Citation 2021 ).

Table 11. Summary of challenges and local responses related to transportation.

Green infrastructure and nature-based solutions.

Nature-based solutions (NBSs) are being increasingly implemented in urban planning to deliver multiple health benefits and reduce climate risks (Andersson et al . Citation 2017 ; EEA Citation 2021 ). Environmentally, NBSs may build urban resilience through heat mitigation, rainfall retention and runoff reduction, wind shielding and sustenance of ecosystem health via biodiversity conservation (Faivre et al . Citation 2017 , Mabon Citation 2019 , Axelsson et al . Citation 2021 ). For instance, wetlands contribute to water purification and flood attenuation, while urban forests and street trees can provide refuge from heat and ameliorate the worst impacts of coastal and surface flooding (Frantzeskaki et al . Citation 2019 ). NBSs (and urban greening strategies in general) can help boost biodiversity in urban areas; for example, by de-paving unnecessary paved areas, or using green roofs to provide predator-free micro-habitats for birds (Rastandeh and Jarchow Citation 2020 ). Open green spaces can also serve as safe evacuation shelters in the event of an earthquake (Xu et al . Citation 2019 ).

At the building scale, biophilic architecture strategies such as green walls, green roofs and green balconies can help reduce the temperature in and around the buildings and promote carbon sequestration within the fabric of the city (Newman Citation 2020 ), as well as potentially improve air quality and reduce noise pollution (though these benefits were not well addressed in the literature). At the landscape scale, green infrastructure encompasses various land uses including forests, woodlands, moorlands, agricultural land and urban green spaces such as parks, rivers and lakes. It is also capable of being scaled from individual projects to landscape initiatives, giving it great flexibility in the policy framework (Axelsson et al . Citation 2021 ).

From a disaster risk reduction perspective, there is strong evidence that coastal ecosystems reduce wave energy and can also reduce inland flooding depths during storm surge events by providing resistance to the flow of water (Moore et al . Citation 2016 , Narayan et al . Citation 2017 ). Interestingly, NBSs have also shown potential for improved resilience and social cohesion in post-disaster settings, through actions such as tree planting, establishing or improving parks and open spaces (Furuta and Shimatani Citation 2018 , Mabon Citation 2019 ). Urban agriculture also offers an opportunity for social interaction, in addition to adaptation and mitigation co-benefits such as reducing the need for energy-intensive food transportation, improving soil carbon sequestration capacity through promoting sustainable agriculture, improving microclimatic conditions and facilitating transition towards low-carbon, plant-based and healthy diets (Gondhalekar and Ramsauer Citation 2017 , Sharifi Citation 2021 ).

From a thermal-sensitive strategy perspective, increasing the proportion of green spaces and higher albedo materials in urban areas has the potential to mitigate the UHI effect in cities (Maggiotto et al . Citation 2021 ). A cool surface material conducts less heat into its interior, stores less heat in its volume, and either reflects or (in the case of permeable materials) has a high level of embodied moisture to be evaporated or infiltrated into the soil (Hatvani-Kovacs et al . Citation 2018 ). For instance, green roofs and cool roofs are effective design strategies to decrease the temperature in urban environments (and thus mitigate the UHI effect) because of the substantial area covered by rooftops within cities (Imran et al . Citation 2019 , Vahmani et al . Citation 2019 ). Green walls provide shading on otherwise exposed surfaces and are able to protect the building wall from overheating, lowering both indoor air and ambient air temperatures. These effects can increase thermal comfort for citizens and reduce the energy demand for cooling. However, local climate (along with season and orientation) should be considered in order to integrate the most suitable structure and plant species to avoid increase in heating needs (Imran et al . Citation 2019 ) or wind speed reduction and ventilation impediments (Koch et al . Citation 2020 ). Many NBSs also entail increased water demand, which may be problematic in dry cities experiencing water scarcity (Frumkin et al . Citation 2020 ). The resilience of urban vegetation must therefore be planned under alternative future climate-change scenarios to ensure that the benefits can continue to be delivered (Lin et al . Citation 2021 ).

Very few studies explored the effects of combined strategies. One study using a multistrategies model suggested that combinations of four thermal-sensitive strategies (tree planting, grass planting, albedo reduction of building walls and albedo reduction of sidewalks) can provide synergistic benefits (Koch et al . Citation 2020 ). A study of two neighbourhoods in Toronto, Canada, during extreme heat events found that, according to a predicted energy budget model, ‘cooling’ design strategies (addition of deciduous trees, maximising shading of the parking lot, increasing albedo in pavements by replacing darker asphalt with lighter concrete and replacement of roofing material with either green roof or light coloured material with high albedo) could significantly reduce the energy overload on people (Graham et al . Citation 2017 ).

Table 12. Summary of challenges and local responses related to green infrastructure and NBSs.

This review, by identifying concrete urban planning, design and management interventions for improving preparedness and resilience, contributes to consolidating the knowledge on urban resilience and informs localisation efforts. The following subsections discuss (i) the relevance of the findings to seek synergies and co-benefits among strategies and actions; (ii) the importance of adopting an all-hazards multi-risk approach (versus single-hazard approaches); (iii) the links between the findings and international reports, agreements and agendas; and (iv) the limitations of the study.

Seeking synergies and co-benefits

Many cities are confronted with multiple hazards – sometimes with concurring, compounding or cascading effects. Footnote 3 Possible silos do not take into account win – wins (such as collecting rainwater both for stormwater management and to mitigate dry periods) or consider maladaptive consequences (such as a solution like wetlands, which reduce flood risk but can also be habitats of vector-borne diseases). This poses the challenge of moving from a hazard-by-hazard approach to an all-hazards and multirisk approach in prevention, planning and development.

Much of the literature found for this review focused on particular hazards (approximately 60%, in addition to 30% focused solely on climate change-related hazards). The presence of such a high volume of hazard-specific articles might have been influenced by the search method, as some of the search terms selected referred to specific hazards – for instance, fire, flood, storm, earthquake, heatwave, power outage and pandemic – but literature investigating a single hazard type is common (especially case studies and lessons learned from past disaster experience, which was a topic of particular interest). Nevertheless, a significant number of the papers reviewed (especially the most recent) mentioned the importance of establishing multihazard thinking and methods (Feng and Xiang-Yang Citation 2018 , Pourghasemi et al . Citation 2020 , Butsch et al . Citation 2023 ), and of considering cascading effects, even if the main focus of the paper was on a specific hazard (Tang et al . Citation 2019 , Nishant et al . Citation 2020 , Almeida et al . Citation 2020 ).

Analysis of the findings reveals how multiple strategies are important for all hazards, while others have synergies and co-benefits across several hazard types. For instance, the hazard-specific findings showed redundancies especially in those strategies/actions related to governance (e.g. institutional innovation, breaking down silos) and communication (e.g. transparency and public participation). Interestingly, in addition to nature-based solutions (e.g. Raymond et al . Citation 2017 , Schubert et al . Citation 2017 , Mabon Citation 2019 , Monteiro and Carlos Ferreira Citation 2020 ), actions related to transportation planning, such as identifying the most critical links and efficient itineraries and promoting public transportation infrastructure (including cycling lanes) was also found to have synergies and co-benefits across several hazard types (Houghton and Castillo-Salgado Citation 2017 , Di Ludovico and Rizzi Citation 2019 , Francini et al . Citation 2018 , Garschagen and Sandholz Citation 2018 , Nasrollahi and Behnam Citation 2018 , Armaghan and Yaghoobi Pazani Citation 2019 , Mera and Balijepalli Citation 2020 , Soleimani and Poorzahedy Citation 2021 ).

Table 13. Summary of issues, challenges and strategies for improving resilience, with links to urban management and planning dimensions, and relevance for hazards.

Towards an all-hazards, multirisk approach.

Health should be thought of not just as an outcome, but also as an essential input into the process of building resilience (UN-Habitat and WHO Citation 2020 ); and local actors are in the best position to activate such change through urban planning, design and management strategies. This rapid review examines a wide array of strategies to respond to the challenges raised by different types of hazards. It identifies synergies and co-benefits of these strategies across multiple hazard types, and draws links to urban management and planning dimensions such as institutional capacity, community involvement, mobility, built infrastructure, or plans and regulations.

Findings show that multiple local-level strategies are important for all hazards. Examples of these are institutional innovation, improving early warning systems, raising awareness and understanding risks and cascading effects. Other strategies show synergies and co-benefits across multiple hazard types, as in the case of promoting compact urban models and controlling urban sprawl, or by protecting and promoting an equitable distribution of green infrastructure and NBSs. Thus, individual and sectoral urban planning solutions are probably not the best method to achieve healthier and more resilient cities. Urban strategies (even hazard-specific ones) must be integrated to enable structural or systemic transformation, based on an all-hazards and multirisk approach (United Nations Citation 2015b ), ensuring that unforeseen consequences are minimised and that the benefits derived are multidimensional.

Most strategies and actions identified in this review are particularly relevant or aimed at public local government action (for example, in the case of institutional innovation, communication, transparency, or transportation planning). However, many other strategies identified call for involvement from the private sector, NGOs, the research community, or citizens in general. In fact, the literature review highlighted the significant role that private organisations and households play in successful implementation of resilience actions – particularly in the case of climate change-related projects (Huang-Lachmann and Lovett Citation 2016 , Klein et al . Citation 2018 , Hatvani-Kovacs et al . Citation 2018 , Soleimani and Poorzahedy Citation 2021 , Axelsson et al . Citation 2021 ).

Relationship of review findings to international reports, agreements and agendas

Few papers (19%) included in the review contained references to international framework documents such as the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030 (United Nations Citation 2015b ), the SDGs (United Nations Citation 2015c ) or the Paris Agreement (United Nations Citation 2015a ). International reports (e.g. (ICLEI Citation 2019 )) highlight the importance of local action, and note that implementation of global goals should be adapted to the specificities and needs of each individual urban space and its communities. This can be overwhelming for cities, which often operate within limited capacities and resources.

Implementation barriers that came up in the literature review mainly focused on climate-change adaptation, noting the difficulty of managing hazards of a cross-sectoral nature with a sector-minded, single-issue approach (hence the need for institutional innovation and improved cross-sectoral and cross-level collaboration), and the lack of defined roles and responsibilities at the local level (Bowen and Ebi Citation 2015 , Chu et al . Citation 2017 , Göpfert et al . Citation 2019 , Grafakos et al . Citation 2020 , Sharifi Citation 2021 ). The literature reviewed also touched on the difficulty of collecting and accessing locally-relevant disaggregated data to inform decision-making processes and better target vulnerable groups (Allam and Jones Citation 2020 , Birkmann et al . Citation 2021 ). This suggests that national-level blanket approaches will not be effective, nor will they achieve the desired outcomes without risk assessment at the local level based on relevant hazard exposure, vulnerabilities and capacity information (ICLEI Citation 2019 , UNDRR Citation 2019 ).

Significant advancements are needed at the city level to build urban resilience to multiple hazards, and at the same time create healthier and more sustainable urban environments, in line with global agendas such as those referenced here. The compilation of strategies and actions derived from this study could contribute to these efforts; for instance, to reducing the gap or lag that remains between climate-change planning and implementation in Europe, particularly in smaller cities and towns (European Environment Agency Citation 2020 , UNEPDU Citation 2021 ).

Limitations of the study

This study has several limitations that should be noted. Overall, being a rapid review that addresses a broad question with a short timeline for evidence synthesis, it is intended to provide a general overview of available strategies and actions to build resilience through urban planning, design and management. It therefore constitutes a first piece of work aimed at consolidating knowledge and informing localisation efforts, that more detailed reviews could build on in order to, for example, assess the effectiveness of each strategy through quantification of health outcomes.

The focus of the review is on cities, as most population lives in urban settings, and infrastructure connections and overall density make resilience and preparedness issues more relevant due to cascading effects and dependency on basic supply systems. This does not necessarily exclude smaller or more rural municipalities, however some strategies and actions, as well as challenges and barriers identified in the literature, could be considered particularly relevant and applicable to larger cities. In addition to this, limiting the eligibility criteria to content applicable to the cities in the WHO European Region could have invisibilized other potentially relevant approaches, particularly from the Global South.

In terms of hazard types covered in the review, no papers were found on cold extremes, food security, or on forest fires related to heatwaves. The lack of identified papers on forest fires may be related with the fact that these fires tend to be located outside cities. Thus, although they threaten cities, they may not be a priority issue for urban planning. In the case of cold extremes or food security, the scarcity of results might be more related to the final selection of keywords for the searches.

Cities can contribute a lot to health protection and wellbeing through urban resilience strategies and action. This is reflected by recent resilience guides and frameworks (WHO Citation 2021 , Citation 2022 ), which highlight the key role of cities and local authorities in preventing, preparing for, and responding to environment and health emergencies.

This compilation of evidence is aligned with such global efforts in an aim to support local administrations and communities in further integrating health protection considerations into mainstream urban planning and management, and preparedness and response to hazards; particularly through multihazard thinking and methods. By learning about a wide array of strategies, identifying synergies and co-benefits among them, and controlling for dis-benefits or unwanted consequences, resilient planning and preparedness for emergencies and disasters can also make for better and healthier cities in general.

The authors affiliated with the World Health Organization (WHO) are alone responsible for the views expressed in this publication and they do not necessarily represent the decisions or policies of the WHO.

Urban planning is concerned with the social, economic, and environmental consequences of delineating spatial boundaries and influencing spatial distributions of resources. It encompasses the preparation of plans for and the regulation and management of towns, cities, and metropolitan regions, and attempts to organise socio-spatial relations across different scales of government and governance. In this work, ‘urban planning’ includes urban management aspects (such as city maintenance, governance and intersectoral coordination), as well as urban and infrastructure design and planning.

In addition, the following terminology is used in relation to disaster risk reduction, as defined by the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction Footnote 4 :

Disaster risk reduction is aimed at preventing new and reducing existing disaster risk and managing residual risk, all of which contribute to strengthening resilience and therefore to the achievement of sustainable development.

Hazard is a process, phenomenon or human activity that may cause loss of life, injury or other health impacts, property damage, social and economic disruption or environmental degradation. Hazards may be natural, anthropogenic or socionatural in origin. Natural hazards are predominantly associated with natural processes and phenomena. Anthropogenic hazards, or human-induced hazards, are induced entirely or predominantly by human activities and choices. Several hazards are socionatural, in that they are associated with a combination of natural and anthropogenic factors, including environmental degradation and climate change.

Mitigation is the lessening or minimising of the adverse impacts of a hazardous event.

Preparedness is the knowledge and capacities developed by governments, response and recovery organisations, communities and individuals to effectively anticipate, respond to and recover from the impacts of likely, imminent or current disasters. Preparedness is based on a sound analysis of disaster risks and good linkages with early warning systems, and includes such activities as contingency planning, the stockpiling of equipment and supplies, the development of arrangements for coordination, evacuation and public information, and associated training and field exercises.

Resilience is the ability of a system, community or society exposed to hazards to resist, absorb, accommodate, adapt to, transform and recover from the effects of a hazard in a timely and efficient manner, including through the preservation and restoration of its essential basic structures and functions through risk management.

Vulnerability reflects the conditions determined by physical, social, economic and environmental factors or processes which increase the susceptibility of an individual, a community, assets or systems to the impacts of hazards.

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Notes on contributors

Sinaia netanyahu.

Sinaia Netanyahu (Programme Manager/PhD) and Matthias Braubach (Technical Officer/MSc) both work in the Environment and Health Impact Assessment Programme at the WHO European Centre for Environment and Health (WHO Regional Office for Europe). One work area of the programme is the assessment of health impacts of environmental risks in urban environments, and the integration of environmental health considerations in urban planning. Recent work has focused on urban strategies towards improved preparedness and resilience in relation to health impacts from environmental disasters and extreme events.

The Urban Planning, Environment and Health (UPEH) Initiative at the Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal) aims to apply rigorous scientific evidence, tools and indicators to promote sustainable and healthy urban development. Mark Nieuwenhuijsen (Initiative Director), Carolyn Daher (Initiative Coordinator), Carlota Sáenz de Tejada (Postdoctoral Researcher), and Laura Hidalgo (Research Assistant), collaborate within the UPEH Initiative to inform urban design and planning decisions and provide the data needed to evaluate interventions, with a focus on the relationship between population health, urban and transport planning and environmental exposures.

1. The Protecting environments and health by building urban resilience project was led by the European Centre for Environment and Health of the WHO Regional Office for Europe. The project supports local authorities and decision-makers in building urban resilience, and findings were presented in three reports. This paper summarises the work carried out for the first project report, entitled Urban planning, design and management approaches to building resilience – an evidence review . Further information on the project can be found here: https://www.who.int/europe/activities/protecting-environments-and-health-by-building-urban-resilience .

2. The tables presented for this have been produced by authors as a structured overview of challenges and responses identified in the literature reviewed for each cross-cutting issue.

3. Annex 2 of the second project report, entitled Urban planning for health – experiences of building resilience in 12 cities (available here: https://www.who.int/europe/publications/i/item/WHO-10665-355762 .) presents a list of cities in the WHO European Region with selected emergency events, indicating how emergencies are a relevant urban challenge across the WHO European Region.

4. UNDRR ( Citation 2021 ). Understanding disaster risk: terminology [website]. Geneva: United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction ( https://www.preventionweb.net/drr-glossary/terminology , accessed 7 March 2024).

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• Articles , Special Edition Articles , Urban theory

Best Topics for Research in Urban Design and Planning

• May 27, 2022
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• Designers , Laptops , Laptops for Architects , Softwares , Urban design

Research in urban and regional planning has grown tremendously in the recent decade. T his section contains the best and most relevant topics related to research in Urban design and regional planning.

Areas of Study

Mediated city.

This theme builds on work done by Kevin Lynch in the early years of the program and focuses on how form and meaning are perceived and communicated in the current city. At issue are the effects of advanced information technology on contemporary culture, as well as the increasing importance of narrative on the form and design of cities. Our work around this theme seeks to understand how urban experience is shaped by the preservation of culture, history and memory, by the development of new kinds of “mediated” places and activities in the public realm. We are also interested in the tools and technologies by which changes in urban form and landscape can be visualized and understood.

Urban Transformation

This theme is concerned with the future of cities and regions of the 20th century. Industrial land, infrastructure, warehouses, housing, ports and waterfronts, rail-lines and depots, mines and oil fields, are among an inventory of abandonment, all seeking temporary and permanent re-use. Our inquiries around this theme hope to clarify new design approaches to urban and regional transformation, involving elements such as education, ecology, retrofitting and cultural development as well as new forms of housing and transportation.

Urban Performance

The quality of urban life and work is currently being challenged and shaped by many forces such as demographic patterns (aging and disability, for example), international economics (globalization and the demise of distance), and environmental pressures (sustainability, resource conservation, energy). Our inquiries around this theme ask how cities can be reshaped in the face of these forces; how design and construction standards affect livability and energy consumption; what role citizens should play in determining urban quality in a contemporary democracy; and how one understands the form of the vast, poor urban areas of the world and the enormous discrepancy between them and places of wealth.

Design Paradigms

With the re-evaluation/repudiation of modernism as the dominant perspective on design, this theme takes to task the development of design paradigms appropriate to contemporary urban circumstances both in the United States and other parts of the globe. Our inquiries around this theme center on the making of good public places, the expression of private and public environments in the city, the aesthetics of popular demand, the reshaping of the form of low-density cities and public housing, and the role that design can play in the changing peripheries of cities.

Managing and financing urban infrastructure

As cities expand and incomes increase, finding innovative solutions for sustainable mobility becomes increasingly important. This specialisation seeks to provide hands-on knowledge and expertise on how local governments can most efficiently manage, finance and operate municipal infrastructure to deliver desired levels of service.

This specialisation is connected to IHS’ Green City work field in which providing resilient, energy efficient and smart infrastructure play a prominent role in helping cities to become more sustainable and green. The primary focus is on developing countries and countries in transition.

Urban housing, equity and social Justice

Housing should be understood as ‘more than houses’. Researchers active within this strand of research strive to link housing issues with the livelihoods strategies of the urban poor. In addition, livelihood assets are analysed in view of their vulnerability and institutional context.

This translates into the importance of looking at the housing problem from a holistic standpoint. Physical, political, social, economic and environmental issues interrelate with each other. The objective is to produce urban environments that should ultimately reduce poverty, and increase quality of life. Both housing and social policies, strategies and instruments need to be designed with a clear understanding of these aspects if they are ever to efficiently address the problem of urbanisation of poverty.

Urban Environment, sustainability and climate Change

Cities all over the world experience severe environmental and climate change related problems. This research theme addresses new approaches for urban environment and climate change management.

UECC is one of IHS’ largest research teams that works towards understanding the impact and use of urban environmental policies and instruments including urban climate change adaptation and mitigation strategies.

Urban strategies and planning

Around the world, urban professionals increasingly face challenges such as accelerated urbanisation, an increase in informal housing, and climate change. In order to deal with these challenges urban planning has moved away from comprehensive master plans to more flexible strategic plans. Contemporary strategic planning integrates more social and economic considerations into the physical and spatial dimensions of planning.

Researcher within this specialisation seeks to offer creative and innovative solutions to better understand the needs of different social and economic interests within urban planning management. Different from the classical study of urban planning, this strand focusses on the combination of urban planning policies, city development strategies and public-private partnerships.

Urban competitiveness and resilience

Cities cannot be understood as autonomous entities. There are affected by complex processes on the local, regional and global scale. Given the increasing dependency of cities on global economic networks, it is crucial to find the balance between social wellbeing, local economic development and global strategies that can ensure resilience to socioeconomic shocks and fluctuations.

This research theme investigates how globalisation processes, local economic development, and urban conditions can enable cities to successfully compete or collaborate with other cities on various scales. This is done by analysing and comparing urban networks, economic geography, foreign direct investments and local economic development as well as city marketing and branding.

Urban Conservation

Urban conservation is concerned with those parts of the built environment that are of architectural or historic significance. This includes buildings (individually or in groups), localities (streets, blocks, environments or precincts), special gardens or landscapes, and other structures.

Researchers, advocates and policymakers have proposed urban conservation as an emerging, integrative discipline that can contribute to sustainable cities by delivering co-benefits to human and non-human components of biodiversity

Research Topics:

Spatial planning.

• Growth Effects of Urban-Rural and Intra-Regional Linkages on Non-Metropolitan Counties and Communities
• Spatial Distribution of Best Management Practices for Stormwater Management
• The application of computer-based information systems to urban planning and public policy making
• How are the urban poor involved in the design and implementation of neighbourhood development programmes?
• What is the impact of neighbourhood development programmes on the local initiatives and livelihoods of the urban poor?
• Urbanization As An Important Determinant In Spatial Organization
• Effects Of Rural-Urban Migration On Public Utilities 
• Assessing The Spatial Distribution And Locational Impact Of Petrol Service Stations 
• Appraisal Of The Urban Management Challenge Of Informal Land Delivery

Urban Housing

• Relationships and Support: A Qualitative Study of Homeless Families 
• Comparative analysis of rent differential in selected residential areas 
• The Role Of Co-Operative Societies Towards Development Of Rural Communities  
• Cluster Planning and Cluster Strategy in Regional Economic Development Organizations
• The Broader Social Network of Community Planning: A Diagnostic Tool for Communities to Assess Their Planning Capacity
• Sustainable Urban Housing Development through Planning Mechanism
• Migration Patterns and Its Impact On Urbanization And Urban Housing
• Housing transformation, rent gap and gentrification
• Impact Of Slum On Value Of Residential Properties
• Social housing in low and middle-income countries (incl. public housing, government-built housing, subsidized housing programmes, low-income housing, affordable housing)
• Infrastructural Development, Real Estate Agency Rebranding And Review Of National Housing Policy
• The Impact Of Industrialization On Rural Development
• The Role Of Private Partnership In Housing Finance, Delivery And Maintenance 

Urban Public Spaces

• Multifunctional public open spaces for sustainable cities
• Immigrations in the public space: understanding urban cultural landscapes
• Urban Public Space as Social Interaction Space
• Modeling, analyzing, and visualizing human space appropriation
• Smart engagement for smart cities: Design patterns for digitally augmented, situated community engagement
• Evaluating publicness of public spaces
• Informal public places and its transforming patterns in the city
• Urban public realm : a spatial manifest of culture
• City planning strategies for women’s safety in public spaces

Urban Transportation

• The implementation of an integrated transportation planning model with GIS and expert systems for interactive transportation planning 
• Increasing freight transport efficiency using intermodal transport.
• Epidemic and mobility. A New Paradigm for mobility plans after the Covid-19 crisis
• Alternatives Selection for Sustainable Transportation System.
• Sustainable management of public transportation system
• Environmental impacts of everyday mobility
• Environmental assessment of public bus transportation systems
• Minimization of Fuel Consumption in City Bus Transportation
• Proposed framework for sustainability screening of urban transport projects in developing countries
• Effects of speed management and roadway parameters on traffic flow along arterials
• Sustainability and business management in transportation companies
• Factors that contribute to unsafe behavior and leads to an unsustainable urban transport
• Safety and security of women and girls in public transport
• Inclusive public transportation for differently abled people 
• Challenges in provision of universally accessible tansport facilities
• Assessment Of Urban Bus Service
• Analysis Of Intra Urban Traffic Problems In Rivers State
• Urban Futures: Transportation in an Era of Fuel Shortages

Environmental Issues

• Sustainable and green energy
• Impact Of Environmental Planning On Rural Development
• An Assessment Of Cross Ventilation In Public Buildings
• Flood Generating Structures In Kubwa Urban Landscape
• Assessment Of Impact Of Urbanization 
• Causes Of Excess Flood
• Impact Of Environmental Problems
• Consequences Of Incompatible Land Uses On The Environment
• The role of urban spatial structure in reducing VMT and GHG emissions 
• Impact of climate change on the ecological state of earth natural resources.
• Impact of climate change on agricultural activities across the globe.
• Solutions to the current climate change crisis.
• Future implications of climate change with the current trends
• Urban governance arrangements for climate change adaptation

Heritage Conservation

• The Urban Conservation Approach
• The Role of Public-Private Partnerships and the Third Sector in Conserving Heritage Buildings, Sites, and Historic Urban Areas
• Urban Conservation and Regeneration
• Managing change in the historical city
• A framework for adapting urban forests to climate change
• Equity in Heritage Conservation
• The Role of Traditional Neighborhood Centers in Procreating Sense of Place in the Modern Cities
• Heritage place inventory: A tool for establishing the significance of places
• Building Conservation and Urban Regeneration
• Historic Preservation as Urban Regeneration 
• The creative response to ruins following the conservation principle
• Historic Cinemas Conservation: The Difficulty of Re-Development Proposals
• A Study of Heritage Authenticity in the Context of Heritage Tourism
• Historic Cinemas Conservation
• Revitalisation of urban areas with heritage value – towards a heritage precinct conservation and improvement plan
• Repair techniques for conservation of heritage structures
• Planning urban heritage through stakeholder participation 
• Rethinking adaptive reuse
• Heritage conservation and cultural continuity
• Landscape management of a heritage site
• Landscape management and conservation of biodiversity 
• Industrial heritage 

GIS, Space syntax and Bigdata

• Geospatial data for energy, environmental science, climate change, and geology-related research
• Geospatial data and maps for research on humanitarian topics. Includes data on armed conflict, agriculture & food security, refugees, and links to multidisciplinary humanitarian data repositories.
• Crowd Simulation – Mastering the collective dynamics of interacting objects in urban phenomena at the scale of individual households, people, and units of real estate and at time scales approaching “real-time”
• City Engine – Assessing feasibility and plan implementation using Esri’s City Engine improving urban planning, architecture, and overall design
• Integration of GIS and BIM – Operating a facility with BIM (building information modeling) because of its ability to analyze information and integrate data from different systems. 
• Urban Model Development Feasibility – Evaluating multiple land use scenarios; testing and refining transportation plans; producing small-area concept plans, and modeling complex regional issues with Envision Tomorrow
•  Building Footprints – Crowd-sourcing digital mapping
• Land Use Policy – Reproducing individual behavior with agent-based modeling to simulate their behaviors and outcomes having a direct impact on the surrounding landscape.
• Space Syntax Models – Gaining a better understanding of human behavior and connectivity through a graphic representation of space configuration in urban structures
• Future Development Patterns – Locating future growth and evaluating scenarios such as loss of prime agricultural land.
• Land Use – Generating polygons and classification with the multi-resolution segmentation algorithm
• Homeless Shelters – Analyzing urban inequalities and homelessness to allocate homeless shelters appropriately.
• Web-Based GIS for Collaborative Planning and Public Participation: An Application to The Strategic Planning
• Web Based Geo-Information Services for Land Use Planning.
• Water Balance of a Catchment: A Remote Sensing and GIS Approach.
• Visualizing The Application of GIS in Transformation Towards a Sustainable Development and A Low Carbon Society.
• Using GIS to Study Lusters of Urban Crime and Safety in Transport Nodes.
• Using GIS for Developing Sustainable Urban Growth.
• Use of GIS in City Planning Development Enforcement and EIA
• Use of GIS as A Tool to Improvement of Solid Waste Management 
• Urban Land Use Land Cover Classification Performance of Machine Learning (ML) Algorithms and Change Detection.

Other Topics related to other urban design and planning:

• Managing urban infrastructure and building projects
• Water, Sanitation and The Modern City
• From Mosques and Coffeehouses to Squares and Cafes: The Production and Transformation of Political Public Spaces and Social Life
• Contested Politics and the Production of Urban Space 
• Foreign Investments and City Making
• Urban Development and Quality of Life of the Elderly
• Moving towards disaster: examining the changing patterns of social vulnerability in a multi-hazard urban environment
• Sustainable drink water sanitation
• What type of initiatives do the urban poor (low-income families, slum dwellers) take, individually or collectively, to improve the liveability of their settlement?
• The relationship between different urban designs and environmental impacts
• Multi-level and multi-actor governance
• Climate change and environmental decision making and finance
• How are cities planned?
• What visions does urban planning follow and whose vision is it?
• What are the underlying features of urban development and what is the role of self-organisation?
• How do micro-interventions (such as placemaking and streetscaping) connect with planning and implementation on the municipal and national levels?
• What factors determines a city’s global competitiveness?
• What urban characteristics are attract foreign direct investments?
• How to develop more resilient cities with healthy relationships between local, regional and global interests?
• Which economic sectors should be promoted in order to boost sustainable local economic development and social wellbeing?
• How does global economic unevenness affect economic inequality in African countries and cities?
• Evaluation Of Cost Recovery For Water Supply
• An Assessment Of Tourism Potentials
• Analysis Of The Effects Of Socio-Economic Characteristics On Tourism Habits Among Residents
• Analysis Of The Patronage Characteristics Of Tourism Destinations
• Analysis Of Women’S Participation And Incorporation In Waste Picking And Solid Waste Management
• Appraisal Of Tourism Habits Of Academic Staff
• Assessment Of Residents’Attitudes Towards Recreation 
• Appraisal Of Sanitary Facilities In Public Areas
• Agricultural Information Sources And The Production Capacity Of Cassava Farmers In Akwa Ibom North West Senatorial District
• Self-Help Programmes And Rural Development In Ibiono Ibom Local Government Area
• Tenement Housing And Induced Domestic Conflict
• Waste Generation And Management Strategies
• Impact Of Public Pit Toilet System And Its Associated Problems
• Problems And Prospects Of Land Registration 
• Causes Of Construction Project Failures And Abandonment
• The Impact of Urban Relocation: A Follow-Up Study

What other topics should be added in the list?—Leave a comment below.

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Home > School, College, or Department > CUPA > USP > Dissertations and Theses

Urban Studies and Planning Dissertations and Theses

Theses/dissertations from 2024 2024.

Embodied Urban Political Ecology of Oil: Social Reproduction in Oil ‎Geographies Case Study: Ahwaz, Khuzestan, Iran , Maryam Amiri (Dissertation)

Three Essays on Communicative Planning: From the Perspective of East Asians , Minji Cho (Dissertation)

Participatory Democracy: The Potential for Civic Transformation Understanding Participants' Learning in the Milwaukie Citizens Jury , Amanda Grace Hudson (Dissertation)

An Analysis of Citizen Participation in Spatial Plan Preparation, Case Study of Gaborone City, Botswana , Bongani Tshidiso Ikaneng (Thesis)

The Central Role of Perceived Safety in Connecting Crash Risk Factors and Walking Behavior , Kyu Ri Kim (Dissertation)

The Effects of Physical Accessibility and Subjective Accessibility on Grocery Shopping Behaviors in Oakland, California , Huijun Tan (Dissertation)

Theses/Dissertations from 2023 2023

E Hui me ke Kaiāulu: To Connect with the Community , Heather Kayleen Bartlett (Thesis)

The Affective Discourses of Eviction: Right to Counsel in New York City , Hadley Savana Bates (Thesis)

A Just Futures Framework: Insurgent Roller-Skating in Portland, Oregon , Célia Camile Beauchamp (Thesis)

Factors Affecting Community Rating System Participation in the National Flood Insurance Program: A Case Study of Texas , Ryan David Eddings (Dissertation)

LEED Buildings and Green Gentrification: Portland as a Case Study , Jordan Macintosh (Thesis)

Wasted Space , Ryan Martyn (Thesis)

The Use and Influence of Health Indicators in Municipal Transportation Plans , Kelly Christine Rodgers (Dissertation)

Uncovering the Nuance and Complexity of Gentrification in Asian Immigrant Communities: A Case Study of Koreatown, Los Angeles , Seyoung Sung (Dissertation)

Defining Dementia-Friendly Communities From the Perspective of Those Affected , Iris Alexandra Wernher (Dissertation)

Theses/Dissertations from 2022 2022

Heat, Wildfire and Energy Demand: An Examination of Residential Buildings and Community Equity , Chrissi Argyro Antonopoulos (Dissertation)

The Connections Between Innovation, Culture, and Expertise in Water Infrastructure Organizations , Alice Brawley-Chesworth (Dissertation)

The New Shiny Penny? Regenerative Agriculture Beliefs and Practices Among Portland's Urban Agriculturalists , Melia Ann Chase (Thesis)

Fortunate People in a Fortunate Land: Dwelling and Residential Alienation in Santa Monica's Rent-Controlled Housing , Lauren E.M. Everett (Dissertation)

In Favor of Bringing Game Theory into Urban Studies and Planning Curriculum: Reintroducing an Underused Method for the Next Generation of Urban Scholars , Brian McDonald Gardner (Thesis)

Transportation Mode Choice Behavior in the Era of Autonomous Vehicles: The Application of Discrete Choice Modeling and Machine Learning , Sangwan Lee (Dissertation)

An Analysis of the Strengths and Weaknesses of the Tulsa Remote Program, As an Effective Economic Development Strategy , Kristen J. Padilla (Thesis)

Geographies of Urban Unsafety: Homeless Women, Mental Maps, and Isolation , Jan Radle Roberson (Dissertation)

The Impact of New Light Rail Service on Employment Growth in Portland, Oregon , Lahar Santra (Thesis)

Examining Emergency Citizen Response to the COVID-19 Pandemic: Emergent Groups Addressing Food Insecurity in Portland, Oregon , Aliza Ruth Tuttle (Thesis)

Theses/Dissertations from 2021 2021

Nature-Based Solutions in Environmental Planning: Ecosystem-Based Adaptations, Green Infrastructures, and Ecosystem Services to Promote Diversity in Urban Landscapes , Lorena Alves Carvalho Nascimento (Dissertation)

Gas Stations and the Wealth Divide: Analyzing Spatial Correlations Between Wealth and Fuel Branding , Jean-Carl Ende (Thesis)

'There are No Bathrooms Available!': How Older Adults Experiencing Houselessness Manage their Daily Activities , Ellis Jourdan Hews (Thesis)

The Mode Less Traveled: Exploring Bicyclist Identity in Portland, OR , Christopher Johnson (Thesis)

The Soniferous Experience of Public Space: A Soundscape Approach , Kenya DuBois Williams (Dissertation)

Short-term and Long-term Effects of New Light Rail Transit Service on Transit Ridership and Traffic Congestion at Two Geographical Levels , Huajie Yang (Dissertation)

Theses/Dissertations from 2020 2020

Waste Management in the Global South: an Inquiry on the Patterns of Plastic and Waste Material Flows in Colombo, Sri Lanka , Katie Ann Conlon (Dissertation)

Unpacking the Process and Outcomes of Ethical Markets: a Focus on Certified B Corporations , Renée Bogin Curtis (Dissertation)

The Persistence of Indigenous Markets in Mexico's 'Supermarket Revolution' , Diana Christina Denham (Dissertation)

The Electronic Hardware Music Subculture in Portland, Oregon , James Andrew Hickey (Thesis)

"I Should Have Moved Somewhere Else": the Impacts of Gentrification on Transportation and Social Support for Black Working-Poor Families in Portland, Oregon , Steven Anthony Howland (Dissertation)

The Impacts of the Bicycle Network on Bicycling Activity: a Longitudinal Multi-City Approach , Wei Shi (Dissertation)

Theses/Dissertations from 2019 2019

"Poverty Wages Are Not Fresh, Local, or Sustainable": Building Worker Power by Organizing Around (Re)production in Portland's "Sustainable" Food Industry , Amy Katherine Rose Coplen (Dissertation)

Manufacturing in Place: Industrial Preservation in the US , Jamaal William Green (Dissertation)

Can Churches Change a Neighborhood? A Census Tract, Multilevel Analysis of Churches and Neighborhood Change , David E. Kresta (Dissertation)

An Examination of Non-waged Labor and Local Food Movement Growth in the Southern Appalachians , Amy Kathryn Marion (Thesis)

Making Imaginaries: Identity, Value, and Place in the Maker Movement in Detroit and Portland , Stephen Joseph Marotta (Dissertation)

Recognizing and Addressing Risk Ambiguity in Sea Level Rise Adaptation Planning: a Case Study of Miami-Dade County, Florida , Mary Ann Rozance (Dissertation)

The Impact of Implementing Different Cordon Size Designs on Land Use Patterns in Portland, OR , Asia Spilotros (Dissertation)

Gentrification and Student Achievement: a Quantitative Analysis of Student Performance on Standardized Tests in Portland's Gentrifying Neighborhoods , Justin Joseph Ward (Thesis)

Theses/Dissertations from 2018 2018

Environmental Justice in Natural Disaster Mitigation Policy and Planning: a Case Study of Flood Risk Management in Johnson Creek, Portland, Oregon , Seong Yun Cho (Dissertation)

Our Town: Articulating Place Meanings and Attachments in St. Johns Using Resident-Employed Photography , Lauren Elizabeth Morrow Everett (Thesis)

Millennial Perceptions on Homeownership and Financial Planning Decisions , Margaret Ann Greenfield (Thesis)

Utilitarian Skateboarding: Insight into an Emergent Mode of Mobility , Michael Joseph Harpool (Thesis)

Consciousness Against Commodifcation: the Potential for a Radical Housing Movement in the Cully Neighborhood , Cameron Hart Herrington (Thesis)

News Work: the Impact of Corporate Newsroom Culture on News Workers & Community Reporting , Carey Lynne Higgins-Dobney (Dissertation)

Recent Advances in Activity-Based Travel Demand Models for Greater Flexibility , Kihong Kim (Dissertation)

An Analysis of the BizX Commercial Trade Exchange: the Attitudes and Motivations Behind Its Use , Ján André Montoya (Thesis)

Between a Rock and a Hot Place: Economic Development and Climate Change Adaptation in Vietnam , Khanh Katherine Pham (Thesis)

Neighborhood Economic Impacts of Contemporary Art Centers , Steve Van Eck (Closed Thesis)

Urban Geocomputation: Two Studies on Urban Form and its Role in Altering Climate , Jackson Lee Voelkel (Thesis)

Theses/Dissertations from 2017 2017

Explaining Unequal Transportation Outcomes in a Gentrifying City: the Example of Portland, Oregon , Eugenio Arriaga Cordero (Dissertation)

Identifying Clusters of Non-Farm Activity within Exclusive Farm Use Zones in the Northern Willamette Valley , Nicholas Chun (Thesis)

Drivers' Attitudes and Behaviors Toward Bicyclists: Intermodal Interactions and Implications for Road Safety , Tara Beth Goddard (Dissertation)

Grassroots Resistance in the Sustainable City: Portland Harbor Superfund Site Contamination, Cleanup, and Collective Action , Erin Katherine Goodling (Dissertation)

Responsible Pet Ownership: Dog Parks and Demographic Change in Portland, Oregon , Matthew Harris (Thesis)

The Tension between Technocratic and Social Values in Environmental Decision-making: An'Yang Stream Restoration in South Korea , Chang-Yu Hong (Dissertation)

Regulating Pavement Dwellers: the Politics of the Visibly Poor in Public Space , Lauren Marie Larin (Dissertation)

Making Software, Making Regions: Labor Market Dualization, Segmentation, and Feminization in Austin, Portland and Seattle , Dillon Mahmoudi (Dissertation)

Knowing Nature in the City: Comparative Analysis of Knowledge Systems Challenges Along the 'Eco-Techno' Spectrum of Green Infrastructure in Portland & Baltimore , Annie Marissa Matsler (Dissertation)

Assessing the Impact of Land Use and Travel on Carbon Dioxide Emissions in Portland, Oregon , Zakari Mumuni (Thesis)

Trade-offs: the Production of Sustainability in Households , Kirstin Marie Elizabeth Munro (Dissertation)

Theses/Dissertations from 2016 2016

The Kazaks of Istanbul: A Case of Social Cohesion, Economic Breakdown and the Search for a Moral Economy , Daniel Marc Auger (Thesis)

Citizen-led Urban Agriculture and the Politics of Spatial Reappropriation in Montreal, Quebec , Claire Emmanuelle Bach (Thesis)

Travel Mode Choice Framework Incorporating Realistic Bike and Walk Routes , Joseph Broach (Dissertation)

Cyclist Path Choices Through Shared Space Intersections in England , Allison Boyce Duncan (Dissertation)

Star Academics: Do They Garner Increasing Returns? , James Jeffrey Kline (Dissertation)

Configuring the Urban Smart Grid: Transitions, Experimentation, and Governance , Anthony Michael Levenda (Dissertation)

The Effects of Frequency of Social Interaction, Social Cohesion, Age, and the Built Environment on Walking , Gretchen Allison Luhr (Dissertation)

The Village Market: New Columbia Goes Shopping for Food Justice , Jane Therese Waddell (Dissertation)

Theses/Dissertations from 2015 2015

Developing Key Sustainability Competencies through Real-World Learning Experiences: Evaluating Community Environmental Services , Erin Lorene Anderson (Thesis)

Beyond Fruit: Examining Community in a Community Orchard , Emily Jane Becker (Thesis)

Challenges, Experiences, and Future Directions of Senior Centers Serving the Portland Metropolitan Area , Melissa Lynn Cannon (Dissertation)

Building Social Sustainability from the Ground Up: The Contested Social Dimension of Sustainability in Neighborhood-Scale Urban Regeneration in Portland, Copenhagen, and Nagoya , Jacklyn Nicole Kohon (Dissertation)

The Effects of Urban Containment Policies on Commuting Patterns , Sung Moon Kwon (Dissertation)

Energy Efficiency and Conservation Attitudes: An Exploration of a Landscape of Choices , Mersiha Spahic McClaren (Dissertation)

The Impact of Communication Impairments on the Social Relationships of Older Adults , Andrew Demetrius Palmer (Dissertation)

The Scales and Shapes of Queer Women's Geographies: Mapping Private, Public and Cyber Spaces in Portland, OR , Paola Renata Saldaña (Thesis)

Caring for the Land, Serving People: Creating a Multicultural Forest Service in the Civil Rights Era , Donna Lynn Sinclair (Dissertation)

Theses/Dissertations from 2014 2014

Determinants of Recent Mover Non-work Travel Mode Choice , Arlie Steven Adkins (Dissertation)

Changing the Face of the Earth: The Morrison-­Knudsen Corporation as Partner to the U.S. Federal Government , Christopher S. Blanchard (Dissertation)

Participation, Information, Values, and Community Interests Within Health Impact Assessments , Nicole Iroz-Elardo (Dissertation)

The Objective vs. the Perceived Environment: What Matters for Active Travel , Liang Ma (Dissertation)

Implications of Local and Regional Food Systems: Toward a New Food Economy in Portland, Oregon , Michael Mercer Mertens (Dissertation)

Spirituality and Religion in Women's Leadership for Sustainable Development in Crisis Conditions: The Case of Burma , Phyusin Myo Kyaw Myint (Dissertation)

Street Level Food Networks: Understanding Ethnic Food Cart Supply Chains in Eastern Portland, OR , Alexander G. Novie (Thesis)

Theses/Dissertations from 2013 2013

Diffusion of Energy Efficient Technology in Commercial Buildings: An Analysis of the Commercial Building Partnerships Program , Chrissi Argyro Antonopoulos (Thesis)

Faulty Measurements and Shaky Tools: An Exploration into Hazus and the Seismic Vulnerabilities of Portland, OR , Brittany Ann Brannon (Thesis)

Sustainable, Affordable Housing for Older Adults: A Case Study of Factors that Affect Development in Portland, Oregon , Alan Kenneth DeLaTorre (Dissertation)

The Historical, Political, Social, and Individual Factors That Have Influenced the Development of Aging and Disability Resource Centers and Options Counseling , Sheryl DeJoy Elliott (Thesis)

Neighborhood Identity and Sustainability: A Comparison Study of Two Neighborhoods in Portland, Oregon , Zachary Lawrence Hathaway (Thesis)

Neighborhood Commercial Corridor Change: Portland, Oregon 1990-2010 , Kelly Ann Howsley-Glover (Dissertation)

Public Space and Urban Life: A Spatial Ethnography of a Portland Plaza , Katrina Leigh Johnston (Thesis)

Green Mind Gray Yard: Micro Scale Assessment of Ecosystem Services , Erin Jolene Kirkpatrick (Thesis)

The Impacts of Urban Renewal: The Residents' Experiences in Qianmen, Beijing, China , Yongxia Kou (Dissertation)

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New Ideas in Urban Research: Research Questions and Findings from Penn IUR’s Emerging Scholars

Artistic rendering of a city skyline by Dee Ashley via Flicker Creative Commons.

Penn IUR is invested in supporting and encouraging a new generation of urban scholars who are identifying and pursuing key questions related to urbanization. For this month’s issue of  Urban Link , we interviewed some of our most recent PhDs to get a feel for the issues that they consider important or that they are currently pursuing in their research. 

• Benchmarking Economic Development and Environmental Protection for Rural Agricultural Communities | Catherine Brinkley
• Redefining Food Deserts | Ben Chrisinger
• Place-Based Initiatives and Neighborhood Revitalization: Who Benefits and Who Loses from University Initiatives in Neighborhoods? | Meagan Ehlenz
• Proximal Greening:  A Distinct Form and Possible Norm for 21st Century Urban Design : | Theodore Eisenman
• Costal Green Infrastructure and Resilience Projects (Plus, a Grassroots Political Organizing Project) | Billy Fleming
• Housing Affordability in Canadian Metropolitan Areas | Albert Han
• Consequences and Geographic Factors of Police Transport for Traumatically Injured Patients | Sara Jacoby
• Distributed Stormwater Management Techniques in Cities and Urban Regions | Theodore Lim
• Can US Metropolitan Areas Use Large Commercial Airports as Tools to Bolster Regional Economic Growth? | Simon Mosbah
• Philanthropy, Partnership and Innovation: 21st Century Urban Revitalization in US Legacy Cities | Mary Rocco
• Using Spatial Analytics to Transform How Governments Provide Services, Minimize Waste and Increase Transparency | Ken Steif
• Historically Marginalized Populations In Airport-adjacent Communities | Amber Woodburn
• Does the Option to Extract Home Equity Affect House Prices? | Albert Alex Zevelev

Benchmarking Economic Development and Environmental Protection for Rural Agricultural Communities

Catherine Brinkley, Assistant Professor, Department of Human Ecology, University of California, Davis

With a seed grant recently awarded from the Global Affairs program at UC Davis, I am now embarking on a study of the land-use and property value impacts of District Heating in Sweden. 

Sweden has shifted its energy supply from 75% oil import in the 1970s to over 30% biofuel, supplying rural economic development opportunities largely through forest management while reducing GHG emissions by 60%(Brinkley, 2014; IPCC Sweden 2014). The United Nations estimates that transition to DH systems, combined with energy efficiency measures, could result in a 30–50 per cent reduction in primary energy consumption, thereby reducing carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions by 58 per cent in the energy sector by 2050 and allowing global temperature rises to stay within 2–3 degrees Celsius (UNEP, 2013).

Instead of every home and office operating an individual boiler, nearly 90% of apartment buildings and 20% of single-family homes in Sweden receive hot water and heat from district heating networks (DiLucia and Ericsson, 2014). Heat is produced by a central boiler and distributed through underground insulated pipes to heat exchangers at the point of use for both hot water and ambient heat (Bouffaron and Koch, 2014). Boilers can be coupled to geothermal, biomass incineration, waste heat from industry or heat storage during times of peak production. In light of this, my upcoming research will seek to answer the question: How has Sweden’s transition to DH systems affected land use and property values?

Redefining Food Deserts

Ben Chrisinger, Postdoctoral Research Fellow, School of Medicine, Stanford University

Following early research linking food access to health outcomes, millions of community development dollars were spent building supermarkets in poor neighborhoods. Despite food access projects across the US [1] , and major pre/post evaluations in New York, Philly, and Pittsburgh, we have yet to find direct health benefits from opening supermarkets in food deserts. In light of disappointing results, at least in terms of diet and obesity, some food access funders and advocates have eased off the access-health rhetoric.

However, these evaluations mostly offered high-level epidemiological views of health: nobody was asking food desert residents about their thoughts and experiences. If new stores didn’t change diets or weight, why not?

To try and understand the value of a new supermarket, I interviewed dozens of shoppers in a North Philly store that had been developed in a food desert. I found that the store made shopping a little bit easier for low-income Philadelphians, and provided a higher-quality environment where customers felt respected and safe. In short: they got to shop like most Americans regularly do.

My findings made me believe that our food desert definition is wrong. More than anything, food deserts force individuals and families with limited means to settle for less. I believe that these stores can present a space where “upstream” health behavior changes can happen. [2] If we redefine food deserts as an experience - rather than a geography - we may start to identify better interventions.

Place-Based Initiatives and Neighborhood Revitalization: Who Benefits and Who Loses from University Initiatives in Neighborhoods?

Meagan Ehlenz,  Senior Sustainability Scholar, Julie Ann Wrigley Global Institute of Sustainability, Assistant Professor, School of Geographical Sciences and Urban Planning, Arizona State University

My research examines universities pursuing neighborhood revitalization, focusing on the ways institutions have used place-based initiatives to engage with their surrounding communities. In recent work, I use a survey of university administrators to understand what university anchors do in the realm of neighborhood investment and, subsequently, study how neighborhoods with university revitalization initiatives have changed over time.

Three findings emerge from this current work. First, survey results suggest that universities typically emphasize attraction strategies, focusing on catalytic developments that meet university consumer demand (e.g. apartments, retail, dining, entertainment). Collectively, this imparts a vibrant, “college town” brand onto the neighborhood. In addition, it is common for universities to invest in value-added programs, including public safety, public amenities, and partnerships with K-12 schools. This marks a shift from 20 years ago, as universities now recognize neighborhoods as an asset instead of a liability.

Second, across these 19 cities, neighborhoods with university revitalization investment show statistically-significant differences in market indicators relative to other tracts within the same county, including increases in median home values and rents, and decreases in vacancy rate. Importantly, these home value observations hold across all cities in the sample, regardless of market strength, institutions, and revitalization style.

Third, despite growth in the real estate market, these university initiatives have not substantially changed the socioeconomic indicators for target neighborhoods. The trends suggest moderate growth in student-sensitive categories, such as educational attainment and poverty rate, in ways that augment existing conditions, rather than substantially changing trajectories. Amenity rich university neighborhoods are supporting changes that attract students and shift away from the commuter campus model. Also, new development is attracting middle- and upper-class professionals and families who can afford more expensive homeownership choices.

Universities now recognize neighborhoods should be an asset. But collectively, these observations point to a key unresolved question for university revitalization initiatives: who benefits from university initiatives in neighborhoods? And, perhaps more importantly, who does not These represent the future questions needed to refine our understanding of the field.

Proximal Greening: A Distinct Form and Possible Norm for 21st Century Urban Design

Theodore Eisenman, Assistant Professor in the Department of Landscape Architecture and Regional Planning, University of Massachusetts, Amherst

My principal research addresses the historical, scientific, cultural, and design bases of urban greening, which I define as the introduction or conservation of outdoor vegetation in cities. As noted in “ Greening Cities in an Urbanizing Age: The Human Health Bases in the Nineteenth and Early Twenty-first Centuries ,” published in the fall 2016 issue of Change Over Time , this scholarly interest is rooted in an observation that cities have entered a historically significant period in the enduring aspiration to integrate nature with city.

Unlike the large destination parks of the 19th century, contemporary greening of roofs, facades, bridges, vacant lots, traffic islands, street sides, railways, and waterways is integrated into the very fabric of cities. Additionally, three decades of research now substantiates stress and related psychological outcomes as, perhaps, the most reliable health benefit of urban greenery. This nexus of practice and research points to proximal greening as a distinct form, and possible norm, for 21st century urban design. It also supports the call for “nature at the doorstep” three decades ago by esteemed environmental psychologist Rachel Kaplan at the University of Michigan, predicated on repeated, short-term exposures to greenery that may provide cumulative benefits through “micro-restorative opportunities.”

A proximal greening norm also aligns with the Nature Pyramid, a four-tiered hierarchy of nature contact scale and exposure proposed by Tim Beatley and Tanya Denckla-Cobb at the University of Virginia. Here, neighborhood greenery provides “the bulk of our nature diet” through daily encounters. The Nature Pyramid also provides a compelling framework to bridge urban greening practice with scholarly research, which has identified a need to better link health outcomes more directly to types of green spaces, while accounting for both quantity and quality of green spaces. 

Costal Green Infrastructure and Resilience Projects (Plus, a Grassroots Political Organizing Project)

Billy Fleming, PhD

For much of 2017, I have been engaged with two major projects. One, my dissertation, is ending. The other, a public, grassroots organizing project known as  Indivisible , is just beginning.

At the core of my dissertation, at least two key findings stand out. One takeaway is that the U.S. Army Corps (USACE) of Engineers is unable—or unwilling—to invest in coastal green infrastructure at a scale that’s commensurate with the problem of sea level rise. The likeliest outcome of this failure is that the U.S. will continue to build large, monolithic forms of grey infrastructure along the coast—a process that we know will induce new, greenfield development in flood-prone areas at the base of levees and surge barriers that we won’t be able to maintain. Without reforming the ways in which the USACE evaluates and invests in coastal infrastructure, it’s difficult to imagine a Corps-led process that bolsters the resilience of American cities—and that’s particularly important given the singular role that the Corps plays in shaping our coastline.

The other lesson from my dissertation is that, at least amongst landscape architects and designers, the recent push to build “resilience projects” like the ones generated through Rebuild by Design has left us a bit over our skis. By that I mean that many of these projects have developed without the kind of evidence base that’s needed—and available—to support their claims. There are things a reinforced dune can do, for instance, that an oyster reef cannot. It’s incumbent upon designers to better integrate the science of resilience within the practice of coastal design—we may only get one shot at it getting right.

Housing Affordability in Canadian Metropolitan Areas

Albert Han, Postdoctoral Research Fellow in Metropolitan Growth and Change, University of Calgary

I am conducting research on urban sprawl and growth management policies in Canadian metropolitan areas and am currently analyzing development patterns of 11 major Canadian Metropolitan Areas between 1990 and 2010 in association with housing affordability. The research questions I seek to answer are “Did suburban sprawl decline as the result of densification of inner city in major Canadian Metropolitan Areas (CMA) in the 2000s compared to the 1990s? If so, how did housing affordability change along with the trend?”

I am hypothesizing that if a metro area successfully managed to promote infill and compact developments in the 2000s, I expect to find significant increase in density in “Inner City” areas. Densification may influence housing affordability What I hope to find from my study is whether housing affordability remains a key factor in attracting people to suburbs in Canadian metros and thus how affordability and density interact.

Consequences and Geographic Factors of Police Transport for Traumatically Injured Patients

Sara Jacoby, Postdoctoral Fellow, Penn Injury Science Center, University of Pennsylvania

Through ethnographic fieldwork with traumatically injured patients in Philadelphia, I recognized the profound impact of first responders on the way that patients interpret their injury and injury care. Pre-hospital police transport (PPT), known colloquially as ‘scoop and run,’ is authorized in select US cities, including Philadelphia, to reduce transport time and alleviate strain on emergency medical systems (EMS). This policy has been enacted specifically for victims of penetrating injuries like gunshot and stab wounds. It was codified on the basis of research that demonstrated comparable survival rates between patients who were transported by police and those transported by EMS providers.

In my recent work, I have collaborated with researchers at the Penn Injury Science Center in a mixed geospatial-qualitative study to investigate the broader consequences of PPT and its impact on different Philadelphia neighborhoods over the past decade. We identified several patient factors associated with the likelihood of PPT which included being male, black, and Hispanic and being injured at night, by a firearm, and outdoors. After controlling for these factors and the geographic distribution of police and EMS stations, crime rates, and relative economic disadvantage, we found that residents of specific Philadelphia neighborhoods were more likely to experience PPT than others. In qualitative analysis, the speed of transport was identified as PPT’s primary benefit by patients, police, and trauma care clinicians. Patients, however, perceived pain and being unsecured in a police vehicle as major drawbacks. Trauma clinicians found the unpredictability of police drop-offs challenging. And police described fears about blood exposure and limited knowledge of first response best practices. This ongoing work is demonstrating that while PPT has the potential to improve survival, cities implementing this practice should evaluate geographic equity in access to services and multifaceted impacts on patients, police, and the trauma care system at large.

Distributed Stormwater Management Techniques in Cities and Urban Regions

Theodore Lim, Global Environmental Data Scientist at Monsanto

Unlike the centralized pipes and treatment plants of traditional drainage infrastructure systems, distributed stormwater management techniques try to restore “near natural” site hydrology, close to where rain falls. These techniques are often collectively referred to as “green infrastructure.” The green infrastructure approach acknowledges that improvements to development practices and infrastructure planning can increase urban livability with less economic burden than re-constructing traditional drainage infrastructure.

My research explores the physical function and implementation of distributed stormwater management practices in cities and urban regions. Through a statistical analysis of stream flows in over 100 urban watersheds, I show that site planning needs to consider the integrity of native soil and vegetation, and not merely focus on limiting imperviousness. Second, I build a high resolution, surface-subsurface hydrologic laboratory of a Washington DC test site to show the dependence of networks of distributed infrastructure effectiveness on spatial configuration. Lastly, I studied one of the largest voluntary green infrastructure programs in the US, to show that social networks are an important factor in explaining adoption of green infrastructure within cities.

My work has shown how natural land conservation should be prioritized over practices that claim to allow development to match “near-natural” hydrologic conditions. However, within existing development, the spatial configuration of green infrastructure facilities is not expected to have a detectable effect on the network’s hydrological response. This finding frees planners from the burden of “optimal” location of individual green infrastructure projects, and allows them to focus on other placement based on other benefits of green infrastructure to communities. Lastly, planners can leverage the role of social networks to adapt the urban landscape to both increased urbanization and climate change-related challenges of water resource management in cities.

Can US Metropolitan Areas Use Large Commercial Airports as Tools to Bolster Regional Economic Growth?

Simon Mosbah, Consultant, Transit and Rail Project Development and Finance, WSP USA

My dissertation,  “Airports, Airport Expansions and Employment at Local and Regional Scale,” investigates how transportation infrastructure supports city and regional economic development strategies. Airport expansions are major endeavors of U.S. metropolitan areas engaged in global competition. Exploring airport expansions’ political economy and the zones surrounding airports, coined “airport zones”, sheds light on whether these projects support economic development locally and regionally.

Findings from three case studies of recent airport expansions in Denver, Minneapolis-St. Paul and Cincinnati-Northern Kentucky contributed to answer two questions: (1) How do decision-makers of airport expansions perceive the impacts of the airport in the economy, and integrate this conceptualization in their decisions? and (2) To what extent do airport-related employment growth and airport-oriented development occur in areas closer to the airport, and through which mechanisms in terms of airport expansions and plans?

With respect to expected results from airport expansions, interviewees made no direct links between airport expansion and air service enhancement and employment growth. However, the different members of the “airport growth coalitions” focus on the role the airport and air service play to attract or retain Fortune 500 headquarters and regional headquarters of foreign companies. This finding is somewhat contradicted by the fact that interviews also suggest that changes in air service only have limited impacts on metro areas’ abilities to retain and attract companies’ headquarters.

Regarding airport zone development, coalition building and land assembly seem to matter most in order to build the basic infrastructure necessary to foster development in the airport zone and attract developers. For instance, in Denver, a mayoral administration successfully renegotiated with surrounding jurisdictions an agreement preventing local development on airport property and on land that was annexed for building the new airport.

The literature review of this dissertation was published in the Journal of Planning Literature ( http://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/0885412216653100 ) under the title “Can US Metropolitan Areas Use Large Commercial Airports as Tools to Bolster Regional Economic Growth?”

Philanthropy, Partnership and Innovation: 21st Century Urban Revitalization in US Legacy Cities

Mary Rocco, PhD, Postdoctoral Researcher, Penn Institute of Urban Research (IUR)

The future of American cities depends increasingly on philanthropy. Older industrial cities, also referred to as Legacy Cities, continue to grapple with the long-term effects of physical and economic decline and high poverty rates. In the face of constrained public and private resources and limited leadership, how does revitalization occur? This question of who influences urban revitalization in declining cities as they attempt to recover matter more than ever. Philanthropic foundations challenge traditional assumptions about who catalyzes and leads urban revitalization. They do this in the cities where they work through investments in physical upgrading, community and economic development and in capacity building.

An analysis of grantmaking in 50 Legacy Cities between 2003-2012 found that philanthropic expenditure totaled $6.3 billion and surpassed federal sources such as community development block grants (CDBG) monies. While a small number of foundations engage in place-based activities, local foundations not only support local and regional regeneration but leverage funds from multiple sources to supplement and enhance revitalization planning and implementation. In-depth case studies revealed foundations amplified their role in efforts to revitalize in Legacy Cities through three models of philanthropy- traditional, collaborative and directive. Through traditional grantmaking, foundations solicit applications and fund projects based advanced by city agencies and local non-governmental organizations. In other cases, foundations collaborate widely with other funders, city agencies, non-governmental organizations and developers on a variety of project based and long-term investments. Increasingly, some foundations take a directive approach to conceive, plan and implement projects with the goal of revitalization. These findings suggest that philanthropic foundations amplified their roles in Legacy Cities beyond traditional grantmaking to contribute to and, in some cases, lead revitalization efforts

Using Spatial Analytics to Transform How Governments Provide Services, Minimize Waste and Increase Transparency

Ken Steif, MUSA Program Director and Lecturer, School of Design, University of Pennsylvania and Founder, Urban Spatial

Historically Marginalized Populations In Airport-adjacent Communities

Amber Woodburn, Assistant Professor, City and Regional Planning Section, Knowlton School, Center for Aviation Studies, The Ohio State University

As the busiest airport hubs have grown in size since the rise of the Jet Age, city planners have seen airport infrastructure transform into locally unwanted land uses while simultaneously spurring a new economic land use: the airport-centric activity center. Motivated by this airport transformation, my recent research takes a closer look at airport-adjacent communities (AACs) and asks “How has the population of historically marginalized groups living near airports changed with the rise of the Jet Age?”

The main findings are threefold. First, disadvantaged groups often constituted larger proportions in communities near the less dominant hubs (<250,000 operations per year), but only later in the jet age after most hubs were established. Thus, it seems unlikely that a lack of community power (as related to race, ethnicity, nationality, or socioeconomic status) was a driving force in the rise of the busiest hub airports.

Second, in evaluating the push–pull effect (or ‘come to the nuisance’ effect), the percentage of white persons frequently decreased far more near airports than in their respective metropolitan regions. Thus, there is evidence to suspect that the market has played a role in reshaping the demographics of AACs, often in a way that drastically increased the presence of historically marginalized groups.

Third, airport-adjacent residents frequently had less favorable socioeconomic outcomes when compared with their respective regions. Even if airports are functioning as strong activity centers, the economic benefits for local residents are not substantial enough to keep pace with the average socioeconomic performance of the metropolitan region.

Further research can explore “Good Neighbor” policies that (1) distribute the economic benefits of airport-centric development to airport-adjacent residents and (2) anticipate and remedy the challenges of further airport expansion into AACs with increasing proportions of historically marginalized groups.

Woodburn, A. (2017). Investigating neighborhood change in airport-adjacent communities in multiairport regions from 1970 to 2010. Transportation Research Record: Journal of the Transportation Research Board, 2626, 1-8. https://doi.org/10.3141/2626-01

Does the Option to Extract Home Equity Affect House Prices?

Albert Alex Zevelev, Assistant Professor of Real Estate, Zicklin School of Business, Baruch College

Real Estate can be pledged as collateral for a loan at the time of purchase and after purchase via a home equity loan. My recent paper “Does Collateral Value Affect Asset Prices?” asks whether the ability to pledge an asset as collateral after purchase affects its price. Economic theory predicts the answer is yes: if households are credit constrained, they should prefer to own assets which facilitate their future ability to borrow.

The challenge to answering the question is to disentangle collateral value from other factors that affect house prices. The paper exploits law changes in Texas where home equity loans were illegal before 1998. The empirical strategy is to compare house prices in Texas zip codes to border zip codes before and after the law using a difference-in-differences estimator. The identifying assumption is parallel trends: that the law change was uncorrelated with other variables that affect Texas house prices. Research has linked this law change to the Tax Reform Act of 1986, a circuit court ruling in 1994 and growing Republican control in Texas. This assumption can be defended as these factors are not clearly linked to Texas house prices.

The impact of the law change on house prices was PHD: Positive, Heterogeneous and Direct. The law increased Texas house prices 3.5-5%. Pre-trends are parallel and the rise in prices was gradual. House prices rose more in inelastic locations, consistent with theory. Prices rose more in zip-codes with higher pre-law house prices, income and employment. This indicates that wealthier households value the option to extract home equity more strongly. Finally, variables related to house prices such as rent and income were unaffected by the laws. This indicates the rise in prices was due to demand for the option to extract equity.

References:

Zevelev, Albert A. “Does Collateral Value Affect Asset Prices? Evidence from a Natural Experiment in Texas.”  (2017).

https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=2815609

[1] i Chrisinger, B. (2016). Taking Stock of New Supermarkets in Food Deserts: Patterns in Development, Financing, and Health Promotion. San Francisco: Community Development Investment Center, Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco. Working Paper 2016-04. http://www.frbsf.org/community-development/publications/working-papers/ 2016/august/new-supermarkets-in-food-deserts-development-financing-health-promotion/

[2] ii Chrisinger, B. (2016). A Mixed-Method Assessment of a New Supermarket in a Food Desert: Contributions to Everyday Life and Health. Journal of Urban Health, 93(3):425-437. DOI: 10.1007/s11524-016-0055-8. PMID: 27197735. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27197735

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Urban design and planning.

Image: Bogue Plan Map - Rapid Transit & Boulevards Author: Virgil G. Bogue License: Public Domain Date: 11/1911

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Urban and Transit Planning

Towards Liveable Communities: Urban places and Design Spaces

• Conference proceedings
• © 2022
• Latest edition
• Francesco Alberti   ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0642-0455 0 ,
• Mourad Amer 1 ,
• Yasser Mahgoub 2 ,
• Paola Gallo 3 ,
• Adriana Galderisi 4 ,
• Eric Strauss 5

Department of Architecture (DiDA), University of Florence, Florence, Italy

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International Experts for Research Enrichment and Knowledge Exchange (IEREK), Alexandria, Egypt

Faculty of architecture, galala university, suez, egypt, department of architecture and industrial design, università degli studi della campania luigi vanvitelli, aversa, italy, urban and regional planning, school of planning, design and construction, michigan state university, east lansing, usa.

• Incorporates a wealth of research on growing challenges in urban planning and architectural design around the world
• Maximizes reader insights to achieve economic prosperity through the improvement of the quality of life
• Challenges the reader to offer solutions that mitigate environmental pollution and non-sustainable use of resources

Part of the book series: Advances in Science, Technology & Innovation (ASTI)

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Sustainable Precincts: Transforming Australian Cities One Neighbourhood at a Time

Social Dynamics and Sustainable Urban Design

Urban Design in the Age of Climate Change: Paradigms and Directions

• Sustainable Development
• Sustainable Urban Design
• Cultural Heritage
• Urban Culture
• Public Transportation
• City's Image and Preservation
• Natural Resources Management
• Urban Spaces
• Landscape Architecture

Table of contents (25 papers)

Front matter, past and future: city’s image and preservation, the comparison between waterfront space renewal: taking shantang business street and san antonio river as examples.

• Jierui Wang

Past and Future: The Urban Landscape and the Virtuous Management of Resource Flows for a Sustainable Environment

• Elvira Nicolini, Antonella Mamì

Territorial Identity and Sustainable Tourism; Resurrection of a Ghost Town: The Vernacular Town of Zriba Oliya as a Case Study

• Nadya Bachouch

Toward an Inclusive City-System and User’s-Oriented Interventions: Udine (IT), A Case Study

• Mickeal Milocco Borlini, Giovanni Tubaro

Transformative Actions in the Boston Harbor: Lessons Learned from Past Projects Toward a Resilient and Sustainable Urban Future

• Dalia Munenzon, Yair Titelboim

Evaluation of Mitigation Strategies of the Urban Heat Island Effect in Mediterranean Area. The Case Study of Largo Annigoni in Florence (Italy)

• Rosa Romano, Paola Gallo, Alessandra Donato

Linear Cities as an Alternative for the Sustainable Transition of Urban Areas in Harmony with Natural Environment Principles

• Anna Zaręba, Alicja Krzemińska, Edward Truch, Magdalena Modelska, Francisco Javier Grijalva, Noriegae Rogelio Monrealf

City Planning: Urbanization and Development

Analysis of quality public space—case study: campus 2 state islamic university of alauddin makassar.

• Sriany Ersina

Understanding the Role of Slums as ‘Poverty Traps’ or ‘Springboards’: A Case Comparison of India and Latin America

• Debakshi Mitra

Changes in Urban Planning and Recommendation for Future Planning in Ho Chi Minh City

• Pham Ngoc Quynh Giao, Pham Phi Phuong, Petr Stanicky

The Impact of Public Participation on Implementing Landscape Urbanism Projects

• Ebtesam Mohamed Ahmed Elgizawy, Ali Khaled Ahmed Elewa

Defining Sustainable Involuntary Resettlement Policies for Project-Affected Women Through Qualitative Review—A Case of Mumbai, India

• Kanchan Sen Sharma, V. Jothiprakash

A Critical Review of the Villes Sans Bidonvilles Programme in Morocco: Lessons to Be Learned Towards Inclusive Urban Growth

• Maria Rita Gisotti, Elena Tarsi

In-Between Spaces in the Expanding City: Their Role in Designing New Urban Centralities

• Iacopo Zetti, Maddalena Rossi

Sustainable Regenerative Strategies for the Inner Areas: An Example of “Civic Design” in Marradi (Tuscany)

• Francesco Alberti, Sabine Di Silvio, Ilaria Massini, Sara Naldoni, Simone Scortecci

The Use of Semi-public Spaces as Urban Space and Evaluation in Terms of Urban Space Quality

• Melike Orhan

Rethinking Residential Neighborhood in Dhaka, Bangladesh: Jane Jacobs’s Urban Design Principles for Improving Livability

• Nazmun Akter Pia

Editors and Affiliations

Francesco Alberti, Paola Gallo

Mourad Amer

Yasser Mahgoub

Adriana Galderisi

Eric Strauss

About the editors

Francesco Alberti is Associate Professor of Urban Planning and Design at the Department of Architecture of the University of Florence, where he is currently in charge of the Laboratory of Urban Planning and Design at the 5-year Master's Degree Course in Architecture, and of the course “Smart City Planning” for the postgraduate programme “ABITA” (Bioecological Architecture and Technological Innovation for the Environment). In the same Department, he is the scientific coordinator of the research unit "SUP&R" (Sustainable Urban Projects & Research) and of the related university spin-off "Urban LIFE” (Urban Liveability & Innovation for Everyone).

As a member of the Italian National Institute of Urban Planning (INU - Istituto Nazionale di Urbanistica) he joined the National Committees “Networks, Infrastructure and Innovation Policies” (2014-2016), “Urban Accessibility for Everyone” (2016-), and “Mobility, Infrastructure, and logistics” (2019-). Since 2016 he is the President of theRegional division of INU in Tuscany.

His scientific interests in the fields of spatial planning and urban design refer to an approach aimed at giving cultural coherence and operational continuity between the dimensions of research and education on the themes of the city and the territory, with a special focus on two main areas: 

- the relationship between urban planning, design, and management in the perspective of sustainability; 

- the interpretation of mobility systems as "public spaces", playing a major role in structuring contemporary territories.

On these topics, he has written many essays, articles, and books, joined national and international conferences, lectured in postgraduate programmes and master courses for professionals and public administrators, provided expert help in participatory processes, coordinated seminars, and conducted research on behalf of public institutions and private enterprises. 

Yasser Mahgoub is an architect, academic and scholar and received his Doctorate in Architecture degree from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, USA, in 1990. He held several academic positions at Ain Shams University, United Arab Emirates University, Kuwait University and Qatar University, and practiced as a professional architect and consultant in Egypt, United Arab Emirates, Kuwait and Qatar. He teaches design studios, research methods, environment and behavior, creativity and innovation, professional practice, graduation/senior projects and graduate courses. His research interests include social and cultural aspects of architecture, sustainable architecture, architectural education and the impact of globalization on architecture. He published several refereed research papers in internationally refereed journal and book chapters and attended and presented papers in several international and regional conferences. Served as a scientific referee for many scientific conferences and journals, he was a member of the Agha Khan for Architecture Award reviewers for the 2010 cycle.

Paola Gallo is an architect, academic and scholar in Architectural Technology at the University of Florence in Italy. With more than 20 years of experience in the field of built environment and sustainable governance, she works on energy efficiency in architecture, especially in refurbishment field and is specialized also in industrial ecologically equipped areas planning. Since 2007, she is Scientific Secretary and Member of the University Research Center ABITA (Bioecological Architecture and Technological Innovation for the Environment) set up between the Universities of Florence, Rome, Naples, Milan, Turin, Reggio Calabria, Genoa. Starting from 2018, she is a director of European Master Course “ABITA – Sustainable design and technologies for built environment ” at the University of Florence. Professor Paola Gallo gained experience in scientific peer-reviewed publishing as author in the field of Technology of Architecture and has attended and presented papers in severalinternational and national conferences. She has also served as a scientific referee for many scientific conferences and journals and is assistant editor in a reputable journal edited on emerging scientific topics related to promoting technology of architecture for the sustainable development.

Adriana Galderisi, Architect, graduated cum laude in Architecture in 1989. Ph.D. in Urban and Regional Planning in 2000. She is Associate Professor at the Department of Architecture and Industrial Design of the University of Campania Luigi Vanvitel. She was one of the founding members of the thematic group "Resilience and Risks Mitigation Strategies (RRMS)" within the AESOP (Association of European Schools of Planning) in 2007 and she is currently part of the Coordinating Board. She has carried out research on issues related to sustainability of urban environment, vulnerability and resilience of urban systems in the face of environmental risks, also in the context of several national and European projects. She also authored more than 100 essays in books and scientific journals. In 2018, she edited the book A. Galderisi, A. Colucci (2018), Smart, Resilient and Transition Cities Emerging Approaches and Tools for A Climate-Sensitive Urban Development. Elsevier Publisher.

Eric Strauss is a land use lawyer, urban and regional planner and an academic who has taught in both fields. He has held faculty positions in the following fields: agriculture; architecture and urban design; environmental studies; geography; law; public administration; public affairs; and urban and regional planning. Dr. Strauss began his career working on a Governor’s staff in Wisconsin. He then joined the University of Kansas where he was the chair of the Graduate Program in Urban Planning. His research areas included such topics as energy conservation, growth management and adequate public facilities. In 2001, he moved to Michigan State University where he was Director of the Urban and Regional Planning Program.  He has taught at Universities in Ireland, Germany, Romania, South Korea and Turkey. Dr. Strauss was Fulbright Specialist in the Municipality of Panama City, Panama, focusing on urban planning and transportation issues. He scheduled to be a Fulbright Scholar in the Spring of 2021 in the Faculty of Public Administration at Babes-Bolyai University in Romania. He has published in a variety of academic and professional publications. He recently co-authored a textbook on land use law. His research has been funded by federal, state and local governments as well as private organizations.

Bibliographic Information

Book Title : Urban and Transit Planning

Book Subtitle : Towards Liveable Communities: Urban places and Design Spaces

Editors : Francesco Alberti, Mourad Amer, Yasser Mahgoub, Paola Gallo, Adriana Galderisi, Eric Strauss

Series Title : Advances in Science, Technology & Innovation

DOI : https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-97046-8

Publisher : Springer Cham

eBook Packages : Earth and Environmental Science , Earth and Environmental Science (R0)

Copyright Information : The Editor(s) (if applicable) and The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2022

Hardcover ISBN : 978-3-030-97045-1 Published: 18 June 2022

Softcover ISBN : 978-3-030-97048-2 Published: 19 June 2023

eBook ISBN : 978-3-030-97046-8 Published: 17 June 2022

Series ISSN : 2522-8714

Series E-ISSN : 2522-8722

Edition Number : 2

Number of Pages : XII, 330

Number of Illustrations : 49 b/w illustrations, 210 illustrations in colour

Topics : Landscape Architecture , Cultural Heritage , Sustainable Development , Environment, general

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Urban Studies Research Guide: Urban Studies Related Topics

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​These are some related concepts and keywords to Urban Studies. Try using them in the Library Catalog or your favorite Urban Studies Database

• Mapping the City
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• The Resilient City
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Related Topics in Urban Studies

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Environmental Studies Thesis Topics

300 Environmental Studies Thesis Topics and Ideas

Environmental studies is a broad and interdisciplinary field that addresses some of the most pressing issues facing our planet today. From climate change and biodiversity loss to water resource management and environmental policy, the range of topics is vast and ever-evolving. To assist students in finding the perfect topic for their thesis, we have compiled a comprehensive list of 300 environmental studies thesis topics, divided into 10 key categories. These topics reflect current issues, explore recent trends, and anticipate future directions in environmental studies. Whether you are interested in sustainability, green technology, or environmental justice, this list provides diverse options to inspire your academic journey.

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Get 10% off with 24start discount code, 1. climate change and global warming thesis topics.

• The role of carbon pricing in reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
• Investigating the impact of climate change on global agricultural productivity.
• Exploring climate adaptation strategies for coastal cities.
• The effects of rising sea levels on small island nations: A case study.
• Examining the role of reforestation in carbon sequestration.
• The impact of extreme weather events on infrastructure resilience.
• Climate change and food security: Challenges and solutions.
• The role of international agreements in mitigating climate change.
• Exploring the potential of carbon capture and storage (CCS) technologies.
• Investigating the relationship between climate change and biodiversity loss.
• The role of renewable energy in combating global warming.
• Assessing the impact of climate change on freshwater availability.
• Exploring the social and economic impacts of climate-induced migration.
• The effectiveness of climate policies in reducing global emissions.
• Investigating the impact of deforestation on the global carbon cycle.
• The role of environmental education in climate change awareness.
• Exploring the link between climate change and the spread of infectious diseases.
• The impact of climate change on marine ecosystems: A case study of coral reefs.
• Climate change and its impact on global economic systems.
• The role of green infrastructure in urban climate adaptation.
• Investigating the contribution of livestock farming to greenhouse gas emissions.
• The future of electric vehicles in reducing carbon footprints.
• Climate change-induced natural disasters: Risk assessment and management strategies.
• The role of climate modeling in predicting future environmental changes.
• Exploring the effectiveness of climate-smart agriculture.
• Investigating climate change denial and its impact on environmental policies.
• The role of renewable energy policies in addressing climate change.
• The impact of climate change on indigenous communities and their traditional knowledge.
• Climate change communication strategies: Raising public awareness.
• Exploring the role of technology in mitigating the effects of climate change.

2. Biodiversity and Conservation Thesis Topics

• The impact of habitat loss on endangered species populations.
• Investigating the role of protected areas in preserving biodiversity.
• Exploring the effectiveness of wildlife corridors in promoting species migration.
• The role of biodiversity hotspots in global conservation efforts.
• Investigating the impact of invasive species on local ecosystems.
• The role of community-based conservation in protecting endangered species.
• Exploring the potential of genetic diversity in species conservation.
• Investigating the impact of climate change on species distribution.
• The role of zoos and botanical gardens in biodiversity conservation.
• Exploring the effects of habitat fragmentation on wildlife populations.
• The impact of deforestation on tropical biodiversity.
• Investigating marine biodiversity loss due to overfishing.
• The role of environmental policies in protecting biodiversity.
• Exploring the use of technology in monitoring endangered species.
• The impact of urbanization on local wildlife populations.
• Investigating the role of indigenous knowledge in conservation efforts.
• Exploring the relationship between biodiversity and ecosystem services.
• The impact of poaching on wildlife conservation efforts.
• Investigating the role of ecological restoration in biodiversity recovery.
• The impact of plastic pollution on marine biodiversity.
• The role of rewilding in restoring ecosystems and wildlife populations.
• Investigating the effectiveness of conservation education programs.
• Exploring the potential of citizen science in biodiversity monitoring.
• The role of international agreements in biodiversity protection.
• Investigating the impact of agricultural expansion on biodiversity.
• The role of climate refugia in conserving biodiversity under climate change.
• Exploring the effectiveness of species reintroduction programs.
• Investigating the role of biodiversity offsets in mitigating development impacts.
• The impact of coral bleaching on marine biodiversity.
• Exploring the role of sustainable tourism in biodiversity conservation.

3. Environmental Policy and Governance Thesis Topics

• Investigating the role of international environmental agreements in addressing global issues.
• The effectiveness of environmental impact assessments in policy development.
• Exploring the role of environmental NGOs in shaping policy decisions.
• The impact of environmental regulations on corporate sustainability practices.
• Investigating the role of public participation in environmental decision-making.
• The effectiveness of the Paris Agreement in reducing global carbon emissions.
• Exploring the challenges of enforcing environmental laws in developing countries.
• Investigating the role of indigenous rights in environmental governance.
• The impact of environmental policies on sustainable development in urban areas.
• Exploring the effectiveness of carbon trading schemes in reducing emissions.
• The role of environmental justice in shaping policy decisions.
• Investigating the role of local governments in promoting sustainable practices.
• The impact of environmental regulations on economic development.
• Exploring the role of corporate environmental responsibility in policy development.
• Investigating the role of green political movements in shaping environmental policies.
• The impact of environmental policies on the global energy transition.
• Exploring the effectiveness of ecosystem-based management in policy development.
• The role of international organizations in promoting environmental governance.
• Investigating the impact of environmental litigation on policy enforcement.
• Exploring the challenges of implementing climate policies in developing countries.
• The role of environmental education in shaping public policy.
• Investigating the impact of trade policies on environmental sustainability.
• The effectiveness of protected area policies in conserving biodiversity.
• Exploring the role of environmental diplomacy in resolving global environmental conflicts.
• The impact of environmental governance on the management of natural resources.
• Investigating the role of environmental policies in addressing water scarcity.
• Exploring the effectiveness of sustainable urban planning policies.
• The role of multilateral environmental agreements in global sustainability efforts.
• Investigating the role of corporate lobbying in shaping environmental policies.
• Exploring the impact of environmental regulations on industrial pollution.

4. Sustainable Development Thesis Topics

• Exploring the role of sustainable agriculture in achieving food security.
• Investigating the impact of sustainable urban planning on environmental sustainability.
• The role of green buildings in promoting energy efficiency and sustainability.
• Exploring the challenges of achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
• Investigating the role of corporate sustainability strategies in promoting sustainable development.
• The impact of sustainable transportation on reducing urban air pollution.
• Exploring the role of renewable energy in achieving sustainable development.
• Investigating the potential of circular economy models for sustainable resource management.
• The role of education in promoting sustainable development practices.
• Exploring the relationship between economic growth and environmental sustainability.
• Investigating the role of sustainable tourism in promoting environmental conservation.
• The impact of sustainable consumption on reducing global resource depletion.
• Exploring the role of sustainable development in addressing climate change.
• Investigating the challenges of implementing sustainable business practices.
• The role of public-private partnerships in promoting sustainable development.
• Exploring the potential of eco-friendly technologies in achieving sustainability.
• Investigating the role of local communities in promoting sustainable development.
• The impact of sustainable supply chains on global business practices.
• Exploring the role of green infrastructure in urban sustainability.
• Investigating the role of gender equality in promoting sustainable development.
• The role of sustainable finance in promoting environmental sustainability.
• Exploring the impact of sustainable development on global poverty reduction.
• Investigating the role of corporate social responsibility (CSR) in sustainable development.
• The impact of environmental education on promoting sustainable lifestyles.
• Exploring the role of innovation in achieving sustainable development goals.
• Investigating the challenges of balancing economic development with environmental conservation.
• The role of indigenous knowledge in promoting sustainable resource management.
• Exploring the impact of population growth on sustainable development efforts.
• Investigating the role of climate resilience in promoting sustainable development.
• The role of policy frameworks in achieving sustainable development goals.

5. Renewable Energy and Green Technology Thesis Topics

• Investigating the potential of solar energy in reducing global carbon emissions.
• Exploring advancements in wind energy technology for sustainable power generation.
• The role of green technology in promoting energy efficiency in urban areas.
• Investigating the feasibility of offshore wind farms for large-scale renewable energy production.
• Exploring the future of hydrogen fuel cells as a renewable energy source.
• Investigating energy storage solutions for intermittent renewable energy sources.
• The role of renewable energy in achieving energy security in developing countries.
• Exploring advancements in bioenergy and its potential for sustainable development.
• Investigating the integration of renewable energy systems into existing power grids.
• The role of government policies in promoting renewable energy adoption.
• Exploring the environmental impact of large-scale hydropower projects.
• Investigating the role of geothermal energy in reducing dependency on fossil fuels.
• The potential of tidal and wave energy as alternative renewable energy sources.
• Exploring advancements in energy-efficient building technologies.
• Investigating the impact of renewable energy on rural electrification.
• The role of smart grids in facilitating the transition to renewable energy.
• Exploring the future of solar photovoltaics in achieving global energy goals.
• Investigating renewable energy solutions for off-grid communities.
• The impact of wind farm noise on surrounding communities: Mitigation strategies.
• Exploring advancements in green technology for sustainable transportation.
• Investigating renewable energy policies in the European Union and their impact on energy consumption.
• The role of renewable energy in reducing greenhouse gas emissions from transportation.
• Exploring the potential of waste-to-energy technologies for sustainable waste management.
• Investigating the environmental impact of biomass energy production.
• The role of public-private partnerships in promoting green technology innovations.
• Exploring the economic feasibility of renewable energy projects in developing countries.
• Investigating the impact of climate change on renewable energy potential.
• Exploring advancements in solar-powered desalination technologies for water-scarce regions.
• Investigating the role of electric vehicles in reducing urban air pollution.
• Exploring the potential of smart cities to promote energy efficiency and sustainability.

6. Water Resources and Management Thesis Topics

• Investigating sustainable water management strategies for urban areas.
• Exploring the impact of climate change on global freshwater availability.
• The role of water conservation technologies in reducing agricultural water use.
• Investigating the effectiveness of integrated water resource management (IWRM) approaches.
• Exploring advancements in desalination technologies for water-scarce regions.
• Investigating the role of water recycling in addressing global water scarcity.
• The impact of industrial water use on freshwater ecosystems.
• Exploring sustainable groundwater management techniques for agricultural regions.
• Investigating the role of wetlands in maintaining water quality and biodiversity.
• The impact of urbanization on stormwater management and water quality.
• Investigating the role of transboundary water agreements in promoting sustainable water management.
• Exploring the potential of rainwater harvesting systems for water conservation.
• Investigating the impact of pollution on freshwater ecosystems: Case studies.
• The role of water pricing policies in promoting sustainable water use.
• Investigating sustainable irrigation practices for improving water efficiency in agriculture.
• Exploring the role of green infrastructure in managing urban stormwater.
• Investigating the effects of climate change on water availability in arid regions.
• The role of community-based water management in rural development.
• Exploring the impact of water scarcity on food security in developing countries.
• Investigating the role of technology in improving water-use efficiency.
• The impact of dam construction on river ecosystems: A case study analysis.
• Investigating the role of policy in promoting sustainable water resource management.
• Exploring advancements in wastewater treatment technologies for water reuse.
• Investigating the impact of agricultural runoff on freshwater pollution.
• The role of remote sensing in monitoring water resources in developing regions.
• Exploring the future of sustainable urban water management in smart cities.
• Investigating the role of international cooperation in addressing global water crises.
• The impact of deforestation on watershed management and water quality.
• Exploring advancements in nanotechnology for water purification.
• Investigating the role of climate resilience in water resource management strategies.

7. Pollution and Environmental Health Thesis Topics

• Investigating the impact of air pollution on public health in urban areas.
• Exploring the effectiveness of policies aimed at reducing industrial pollution.
• Investigating the effects of plastic pollution on marine ecosystems.
• The role of environmental regulations in controlling hazardous waste disposal.
• Exploring advancements in air quality monitoring technologies for urban areas.
• Investigating the impact of water pollution on human health: A case study analysis.
• The role of international agreements in addressing global pollution issues.
• Investigating the environmental impact of electronic waste disposal.
• Exploring the relationship between soil pollution and agricultural productivity.
• Investigating the role of public awareness campaigns in reducing plastic waste.
• The impact of agricultural pesticides on freshwater ecosystems.
• Exploring sustainable waste management practices for reducing landfill pollution.
• Investigating the role of green chemistry in reducing industrial pollution.
• Exploring the potential of biodegradable plastics in reducing plastic waste.
• The impact of urban air pollution on respiratory diseases: A case study analysis.
• Investigating the role of legislation in controlling pollution from the transportation sector.
• The effectiveness of carbon capture and storage (CCS) technologies in reducing air pollution.
• Exploring advancements in soil remediation techniques for contaminated land.
• Investigating the impact of light pollution on nocturnal wildlife.
• The role of environmental policies in reducing water pollution from agricultural runoff.
• Investigating the potential of phytoremediation for cleaning up contaminated soil.
• Exploring the effects of microplastics on aquatic ecosystems and human health.
• Investigating sustainable alternatives to single-use plastics in reducing waste.
• The impact of industrial pollution on biodiversity in developing countries.
• Exploring advancements in pollution control technologies for heavy industries.
• Investigating the role of corporate social responsibility in reducing industrial pollution.
• The effectiveness of public transportation systems in reducing urban air pollution.
• Exploring the role of environmental justice in addressing pollution-related health disparities.
• Investigating the effects of noise pollution on wildlife behavior.
• The impact of pollution on coral reefs: A case study analysis of mitigation strategies.

8. Environmental Economics Thesis Topics

• Investigating the role of carbon pricing in promoting sustainable development.
• Exploring the economic impact of climate change on coastal regions.
• The role of green taxes in reducing environmental degradation.
• Investigating the potential of ecosystem services in shaping economic policies.
• Exploring the cost-benefit analysis of renewable energy investments.
• Investigating the economic implications of biodiversity loss.
• The role of environmental policies in promoting economic sustainability.
• Exploring the relationship between economic growth and environmental degradation.
• Investigating the role of eco-labeling in promoting sustainable consumption.
• The impact of environmental regulations on industrial competitiveness.
• Exploring the economic potential of circular economy models.
• Investigating the role of public-private partnerships in financing environmental initiatives.
• The role of sustainable finance in promoting green investments.
• Investigating the impact of environmental policies on job creation in the renewable energy sector.
• Exploring the economic feasibility of large-scale reforestation projects.
• Investigating the role of green bonds in financing sustainable infrastructure projects.
• The economic impact of water scarcity on agricultural production.
• Exploring the potential of carbon credits in reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
• Investigating the role of international trade in promoting environmental sustainability.
• The economic benefits of ecosystem restoration projects: A case study analysis.
• Exploring the role of environmental economics in shaping climate policy.
• Investigating the impact of energy efficiency measures on economic growth.
• The role of environmental taxes in promoting resource conservation.
• Exploring the economic challenges of transitioning to a low-carbon economy.
• Investigating the role of environmental subsidies in promoting green technology development.
• The impact of environmental policies on the global supply chain.
• Exploring the potential of nature-based solutions in reducing economic losses from natural disasters.
• Investigating the economic benefits of biodiversity conservation for local communities.
• The role of environmental policies in promoting sustainable tourism.
• Exploring the economic implications of climate change adaptation strategies.

9. Ecosystems and Ecological Restoration Thesis Topics

• Investigating the role of ecosystem restoration in mitigating the effects of climate change.
• Exploring the potential of rewilding as a tool for ecological restoration.
• Investigating the impact of deforestation on ecosystem services in tropical forests.
• The role of wetlands restoration in improving biodiversity and water quality.
• Exploring the effectiveness of ecological restoration projects in urban areas.
• Investigating the role of fire management in restoring fire-adapted ecosystems.
• The impact of coral reef restoration on marine biodiversity and ecosystem services.
• Exploring the potential of agroforestry systems for ecosystem restoration.
• Investigating the role of native species reintroduction in restoring ecosystems.
• The role of ecological restoration in mitigating soil erosion and desertification.
• Exploring advancements in technology for monitoring ecosystem restoration projects.
• Investigating the role of community involvement in successful ecological restoration efforts.
• The impact of invasive species removal on ecosystem recovery.
• Exploring the role of ecological corridors in restoring fragmented ecosystems.
• Investigating the potential of grassland restoration in carbon sequestration efforts.
• The role of ecological restoration in improving the resilience of ecosystems to climate change.
• Exploring the effectiveness of marine protected areas in restoring coastal ecosystems.
• Investigating the impact of mining activities on ecosystem services and restoration efforts.
• The role of ecological restoration in restoring degraded agricultural lands.
• Exploring advancements in soil restoration techniques for sustainable agriculture.
• Investigating the role of ecological restoration in promoting biodiversity in arid regions.
• The impact of urbanization on ecosystem services: A case study of restoration efforts.
• Exploring the role of ecological restoration in mitigating flood risks.
• Investigating the long-term success of large-scale ecosystem restoration projects.
• The role of ecological restoration in protecting endangered species and habitats.
• Exploring the potential of mangrove restoration for coastal protection and biodiversity.
• Investigating the role of ecological restoration in improving ecosystem resilience to natural disasters.
• The impact of agricultural expansion on ecosystem services: A case study of restoration efforts.
• Exploring advancements in remote sensing for monitoring ecological restoration.
• Investigating the role of environmental policy in supporting ecological restoration efforts.

10. Environmental Education and Awareness Thesis Topics

• Investigating the role of environmental education in promoting sustainable behaviors.
• Exploring the effectiveness of environmental education programs in schools.
• The impact of public awareness campaigns on environmental conservation efforts.
• Investigating the role of social media in raising environmental awareness.
• The role of environmental education in promoting climate change awareness.
• Exploring the potential of environmental education for community-based conservation.
• Investigating the effectiveness of environmental education in promoting recycling behaviors.
• The role of eco-friendly school programs in shaping environmental attitudes.
• Exploring advancements in environmental education tools and technologies.
• Investigating the role of environmental awareness campaigns in reducing plastic waste.
• The impact of environmental education on public perceptions of renewable energy.
• Exploring the role of youth engagement in environmental awareness initiatives.
• Investigating the effectiveness of environmental education in promoting water conservation.
• The role of environmental storytelling in raising awareness about biodiversity loss.
• Exploring the potential of gamification in environmental education programs.
• Investigating the impact of environmental education on corporate sustainability practices.
• The role of environmental education in promoting sustainable food choices.
• Exploring advancements in virtual reality tools for environmental education.
• Investigating the role of environmental education in reducing deforestation.
• The impact of outdoor education programs on environmental awareness.
• Exploring the role of art in raising environmental awareness and promoting conservation.
• Investigating the role of environmental education in supporting environmental justice initiatives.
• The role of environmental documentaries in raising public awareness about climate change.
• Exploring the effectiveness of environmental education programs for indigenous communities.
• Investigating the potential of citizen science in promoting environmental awareness.
• The impact of climate change education on youth environmental activism.
• Exploring the role of environmental education in promoting sustainable travel and tourism.
• Investigating the role of community outreach programs in raising environmental awareness.
• The role of environmental education in addressing environmental health issues.
• Exploring the future of environmental education in a digital age.

This comprehensive list of 300 environmental studies thesis topics spans diverse areas, from climate change and biodiversity to renewable energy and environmental policy. Whether your research interest lies in tackling pollution, improving water resource management, or promoting environmental education, these topics provide the foundation for meaningful academic inquiry. By selecting a thesis topic that reflects current challenges, recent trends, and future opportunities, you will contribute to advancing environmental solutions and sustainability.

The Range of Environmental Studies Thesis Topics

Environmental studies is an interdisciplinary field that draws from a wide range of disciplines such as biology, ecology, geography, economics, and policy to address the critical environmental challenges facing our planet. As environmental issues become more pressing, students pursuing environmental studies have the opportunity to contribute to finding solutions through their thesis research. The range of thesis topics in environmental studies is broad, covering areas like climate change, biodiversity, renewable energy, and environmental policy. This article explores the different dimensions of environmental studies and the diverse range of thesis topics students can explore, focusing on current issues, recent trends, and future directions in the field.

Current Issues in Environmental Studies

Environmental studies today is shaped by some of the most urgent global issues, from climate change to pollution, deforestation, and biodiversity loss. Addressing these problems requires immediate action, and many students choose to focus their thesis on topics that address these pressing concerns.

• Climate Change and Its Global Impact Climate change is one of the most critical challenges facing humanity. Rising temperatures, extreme weather events, and sea-level rise threaten ecosystems, human health, and economies worldwide. Thesis topics related to climate change might explore carbon reduction strategies, the impact of climate change on vulnerable populations, or the role of renewable energy in mitigating global warming. Students may also examine the role of international policies, such as the Paris Agreement, in reducing global carbon emissions or investigate the effects of climate change on specific ecosystems like coral reefs or polar regions.
• Pollution and Environmental Health Pollution, in its many forms, continues to pose significant risks to environmental and human health. From plastic pollution in oceans to industrial waste and air pollution in urban areas, this issue affects all life forms. Thesis topics in this area can explore the impact of plastic pollution on marine biodiversity, advancements in pollution control technologies, or the effects of air pollution on public health. Students might also investigate the role of legislation and policy in managing and reducing pollution, particularly in heavily industrialized areas, or examine the global problem of electronic waste disposal.
• Biodiversity Loss and Conservation The loss of biodiversity is another urgent issue, with habitat destruction, overexploitation, and climate change driving many species toward extinction. Conservation efforts are crucial in protecting endangered species and preserving ecosystems. Thesis topics might focus on habitat restoration, the effectiveness of protected areas, or the role of community-based conservation in biodiversity preservation. Students could also explore the impact of invasive species on local ecosystems or the effectiveness of conservation policies and strategies in preventing species decline.

Recent Trends in Environmental Studies

As environmental studies evolves, new trends are emerging that reflect the changing priorities and technological advancements in the field. These trends are shaping the direction of research and creating new opportunities for innovative solutions.

• Sustainable Development and Circular Economies The shift toward sustainable development and the concept of a circular economy is gaining traction as businesses and governments strive to balance economic growth with environmental sustainability. This trend focuses on reducing waste, reusing resources, and creating sustainable production and consumption patterns. Thesis topics in this area could include investigating the role of circular economies in reducing industrial waste, exploring sustainable agriculture practices, or assessing the impact of sustainable tourism on local ecosystems. Students might also research how policies can support sustainable urban planning, green building technologies, or eco-friendly business models.
• Renewable Energy and Green Technologies With the global push toward decarbonization, renewable energy and green technology are at the forefront of environmental studies. The increasing adoption of solar, wind, and bioenergy technologies presents opportunities for research into their environmental and economic impacts. Thesis topics could focus on advancements in energy storage technologies, the integration of renewable energy into national grids, or the role of electric vehicles in reducing urban air pollution. Exploring the potential of emerging technologies like hydrogen fuel cells or smart grids for efficient energy use could also form the basis for compelling research.
• Environmental Justice and Equity Environmental justice is a growing area of focus within environmental studies, addressing the disproportionate impact of environmental degradation on marginalized communities. This trend highlights the need for equitable solutions that protect vulnerable populations from the effects of climate change, pollution, and resource depletion. Thesis topics could explore the intersection of environmental policy and social justice, the impact of pollution on low-income communities, or strategies for achieving environmental equity in urban development. Students may also investigate how indigenous knowledge and practices contribute to sustainable resource management.

Future Directions in Environmental Studies

Looking ahead, environmental studies will continue to evolve as new challenges and opportunities arise. Students looking to make a lasting impact should consider thesis topics that anticipate future environmental needs and focus on innovative solutions.

• Climate Adaptation and Resilience As the effects of climate change become more pronounced, the focus is shifting from mitigation to adaptation. Communities, especially in vulnerable regions, are increasingly looking for ways to adapt to changing environmental conditions. Thesis topics in this area might explore climate adaptation strategies for coastal cities, innovations in climate-resilient infrastructure, or the role of policy in supporting climate adaptation efforts. Students could also research the development of early warning systems for natural disasters or the integration of climate adaptation measures into urban planning.
• Green Infrastructure and Smart Cities The concept of smart cities, which leverages technology to improve the efficiency of urban systems while reducing environmental impact, is gaining momentum. Green infrastructure—such as urban parks, green roofs, and sustainable drainage systems—plays a critical role in these cities, helping manage stormwater, reduce urban heat, and improve air quality. Thesis topics could explore the integration of green infrastructure into smart city planning, the role of technology in promoting urban sustainability, or the economic and environmental benefits of nature-based solutions in cities.
• Biodiversity and Ecosystem Restoration As ecosystems continue to degrade, efforts to restore biodiversity and ecosystem services are becoming increasingly important. Ecological restoration—through rewilding, afforestation, and wetland restoration—provides a way to reverse the damage caused by human activity. Thesis topics could include the effectiveness of rewilding in restoring biodiversity, the role of community involvement in successful restoration projects, or the impact of large-scale ecosystem restoration efforts on carbon sequestration. Research could also focus on the use of technology in monitoring restoration progress and long-term success.

Environmental studies offers a wide range of thesis topics that address both the challenges and opportunities facing our planet today. From the urgent issues of climate change and biodiversity loss to the emerging trends of sustainable development and environmental justice, students have the chance to contribute valuable research that can drive real-world solutions. As the field continues to evolve, future-focused research on climate adaptation, green infrastructure, and ecosystem restoration will play a vital role in ensuring a sustainable future for generations to come. By choosing a thesis topic that aligns with your interests and global needs, you can make a meaningful impact in the field of environmental studies.

iResearchNet’s Thesis Writing Services

At iResearchNet, we understand that writing a high-quality thesis in environmental studies can be both challenging and time-consuming. Selecting the right topic, conducting in-depth research, and adhering to strict academic formatting guidelines requires time, effort, and expertise. That’s why we offer specialized thesis writing services tailored to meet the needs of students pursuing degrees in environmental studies. With the support of our professional team of degree-holding writers, we ensure that your thesis is not only well-researched but also perfectly aligned with academic standards.

Whether you are focused on climate change, biodiversity, environmental policy, or renewable energy, our custom writing services can help you develop a thesis that stands out. Here’s how our services are designed to make your academic journey easier and more successful:

• Expert Degree-Holding Writers: At iResearchNet, we work with a team of expert writers who hold advanced degrees in environmental studies, ecology, sustainability, and related fields. Our writers have the knowledge and academic background to handle complex topics, ensuring that your thesis is backed by credible research and presented with professional insight. With their subject-specific expertise, our writers can craft well-rounded, high-quality theses on any environmental studies topic.
• Custom Written Works: We pride ourselves on delivering custom-written works that are specifically tailored to meet your requirements. Every thesis we produce is created from scratch, based on your chosen topic, research questions, and academic guidelines. We never reuse or resell papers, so you can rest assured that your work is original and uniquely yours. Whether you need assistance with the entire thesis or just specific sections, we customize our services to fit your needs.
• In-Depth Research: A strong thesis is built on solid research, and at iResearchNet, we ensure that every paper is thoroughly researched using reputable academic sources. Our writers have access to scholarly databases, journals, and environmental reports, allowing them to incorporate the latest data and studies into your thesis. Whether you’re working on climate adaptation strategies or the role of renewable energy in sustainable development, we’ll ensure your thesis is grounded in credible evidence and sound analysis.
• Custom Formatting: Academic formatting can be tricky, but it’s an essential part of a well-written thesis. Our team is experienced in all major citation styles, including APA, MLA, Chicago/Turabian, and Harvard. No matter which format your institution requires, we will ensure that your thesis adheres to the correct citation guidelines, ensuring that every reference and citation is formatted correctly.
• Top Quality: We are committed to delivering only the highest quality work. Each thesis goes through a rigorous quality control process that includes thorough proofreading, editing, and academic integrity checks. We ensure that your thesis is clear, concise, well-structured, and free from any errors, meeting the highest academic standards.
• Customized Solutions: Our services are designed to be flexible to accommodate the specific needs of every student. Whether you need help with topic selection, literature review, methodology development, or data analysis, we offer customized solutions to support you at any stage of your thesis writing process. You control the level of assistance you receive, and we tailor our services to ensure that your thesis meets your expectations.
• Flexible Pricing: We understand that students often have tight budgets, which is why we offer flexible pricing options to suit different financial situations. You can choose the level of service that fits your budget, without compromising on quality. Our transparent pricing ensures that there are no hidden costs, and you only pay for the services you need.
• Timely Delivery: Meeting your deadline is our priority. We understand the importance of submitting your thesis on time, and we guarantee that your work will be delivered by the agreed-upon deadline. With our timely delivery, you’ll have enough time to review your thesis and make any necessary revisions before submission.
• 24/7 Support: Our support team is available 24/7 to assist you with any questions or concerns. Whether you need help placing an order, tracking the progress of your thesis, or communicating with your writer, our friendly and knowledgeable support staff is always here to help. You can reach us via live chat, email, or phone at any time.
• Absolute Privacy: We take your privacy seriously. All personal information, order details, and communications are kept strictly confidential. We ensure that your thesis and personal data are protected and never shared with third parties. You can trust us to handle your project with the utmost discretion and professionalism.
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At iResearchNet, we are dedicated to helping students excel in their academic pursuits. Our expert writers, customized solutions, and commitment to quality make us the perfect partner for writing your environmental studies thesis. From selecting the right topic to conducting thorough research and ensuring proper formatting, we are here to support you every step of the way.

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Writing a thesis in environmental studies requires time, dedication, and expert knowledge. With so many pressing environmental issues, from climate change to biodiversity loss, it’s crucial to choose a thesis topic that not only interests you but also contributes to meaningful solutions. At iResearchNet, we offer custom thesis writing services that will help you tackle even the most complex topics with confidence.

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Don’t wait any longer—buy your custom thesis paper on environmental studies today! Let iResearchNet guide you toward academic excellence and help you make a real difference in the field of environmental studies. Your success is just a click away!

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Step 2:Literature Review

Review articles give you an overview of your topic on the current state of the research. Review Articles explain:

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Step 3: Research Design & Methods

What is research design how is it different from research method.

Research design is how you will answer your question. It's a plan to answer your research question.  A research method is your strategy used to implement that plan. These ideas are closely related but research design ensures you will answer your research question more effectively.

Which research method should I choose ?

It depends on your research and the data you are trying to collect. Common research methods used are:

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Step 4: Findings/Discussion

The step is where you discuss your research in an objective, factual way. You are communicating factual information about your topic based on the evidence you found in articles, books, and media backed by data you have collected. Use the active voice as much as possible (e.g., achieved, improved, report, etc.)

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Brownfield Passports: Getting to Yes for urban development Blog Charles Russell Speechlys Blog

On 22 September, the Government released a Planning Reform Working Paper on so-called “Brownfield Passports” (see here ). The idea is that in urban areas / brownfield sites, the default position should be to allow certain “acceptable” types of development to come forward. The paper suggests a number of methods as to how a “brownfield passport” could be used to ensure the answer to whether development should be permitted on brownfield sites is “yes”, thereby reducing delays which can be caused by the existing planning system.

In summary, the proposals are as follows:

• Principle of development: The Working Paper considers whether national policy could be strengthened such that development on brownfield land is acceptable unless specified exclusions (e.g. flood risk) apply.
• Densification: The Working Paper identifies that compared to other European cities, cities in the UK have been developed at low densities. It suggests that national policy could specify expectations for types of development for specific locations – such as a minimum of 4 storey buildings fronting principal streets / specific density ranges. Alternatively, expectations could be set through local plans.
• Design Codes: The Working Paper suggests that design guides and codes could be used to provide clarity on the types of development viewed as acceptable for a given area. Such codes could be deployed at national or local level and allow for faster decision making.
• Area-wide permissions: Local Development Orders (LDOs) could be used to a greater extent than currently. LDOs are not new: local authorities already have the power to grant LDOs which authorise specific types of development within the area specified by the order, without the need for a developer to apply for planning permission.

The Working Paper then welcomes views on the various proposals.

Developers will likely welcome the Government’s attempts to reduce the delays caused by the current planning system. However, the effectiveness of some of the proposals above may be hampered by local authorities’ appetite for development and resourcing. In addition, the costs of brownfield development can affect the viability of schemes, and local authorities may need to be flexible on section 106 obligations including on affordable housing. While the Government is looking for a “straightforward ‘yes’” to urban development, achieving that through planning reform may prove far more complicated than it might wish.

the government wants to consider whether there are opportunities to go further still in terms of providing faster and more certain routes to permission for urban brownfield land, and in particular whether we could introduce a ‘brownfield passport’ to ensure that the default answer to brownfield development is “yes” https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/planning-reform-working-paper-brownfield-passport/brownfield-passport-making-the-most-of-urban-land

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