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Elsevier

Books in Geography planning and development

This collection examines spatial relationships, urbanization, and sustainable development. Supporting geographers, planners, and policymakers, it features geographic information systems (GIS), environmental impact assessments, and policy frameworks. These resources foster effective land use, resilience, and equitable growth in diverse contexts.

  • Digital Twins for Sustainable Cities

    Bridging Technology and Urban Environmental Management
    • 1st Edition
    • Dat Tien Doan + 4 more
    • English
    Digital Twins for Sustainable Cities: Bridging Technology and Urban Environmental Management brings together multidisciplinary perspectives on the role of Digital Twin technology in supporting sustainable, resilient, and data-driven urban development. It examines applications across buildings, infrastructure, mobility, logistics, circular construction, housing, and urban governance, while addressing the technical, institutional, governance, and social conditions shaping implementation.Begin... with the conceptual and theoretical foundations of Digital Twins, the book progresses from building-level models to integrated urban systems. Its chapters address adaptive reuse, climate and flood resilience, water infrastructure optimization, freight and mobility management, circular economy and lifecycle management, design for deconstruction, resident-centered building operations, and housing policy. They also examine integration with BIM, GIS, IoT, artificial intelligence, sensing technologies, and decision-support systems.Combining conceptual frameworks, literature reviews, methodological applications, case studies, and context-based illustrations, the book considers interoperability, data governance, institutional coordination, community participation, social equity, and implementation challenges. It provides a forward-looking resource for urban planners, built-environment professionals, environmental managers, policymakers, researchers, and technology specialists working towards more sustainable and resilient cities.

  • Policy and Investment Pathways to Net-Zero

    Trend Scenarios and Analysis
    • 1st Edition
    • Ashutosh Samadhiya + 2 more
    • English
    Policy and Investment Pathways to Net-Zero: Trend Scenarios and Analysis addresses the critical interdisciplinary research area of climate policy and sustainable finance. It meets the urgent need for a comprehensive resource that synthesizes how public policies and financial systems co-evolve to operationalize net-zero targets globally, including perspectives from both developed and developing economies. It provides actionable knowledge bridging regulatory frameworks, investment flows, and business strategies in the net-zero transition.The book’s content is organized into five sections covering foundational climate science and policy evolution, national and economic strategies, financing mechanisms, risk and resilience, and innovation with equity considerations. Detailed chapters include comparative analyses of national net-zero plans, climate finance models, ESG investment trends, and global institutional roles. Case studies illustrate practical applications across sectors and regions, while future-oriented chapters explore emerging technologies and just transition frameworks.Policy and Investment Pathways to Net-Zero benefits professionals, policymakers, academics, and graduate students by providing essential insights into the dynamic interplay of climate policy, finance, and sustainable innovation. It equips readers with theoretical foundations, empirical data, and practical tools to inform strategic decision-making and contribute effectively to global low-carbon transitions. This reference is vital for those engaged in environmental governance, sustainable finance, and climate strategy development worldwide.

  • Communities at the Frontier

    Rethinking Government through Community‑led and Empowerment‑based Development
    • 1st Edition
    • Chané de Bruyn + 1 more
    • English
    Communities at the Frontier: Rethinking Government through Community‑led and Empowerment‑based Development is a pioneering reference that challenges conventional state-centric paradigms by highlighting the rising role of grassroots actors in sustainable local and regional development. Through interdisciplinary analysis and comparative case studies from regions such as Sub-Saharan Africa, Latin America, and Europe, it examines governance transformations in contexts marked by inequality, climate vulnerability, and institutional fragility.Organized into five thematic parts, the book covers foundational theories of community empowerment, governance challenges in fragile states, social inclusion and identity, environmental sustainability and climate resilience, and a forward-looking governance framework for the 21st century. Chapters provide rich empirical evidence, including case studies such as South African municipal innovation and the rise of citizen collectives in the Netherlands. Contributors also explore the roles of the twin transition, arts, culture, and environmental stewardship in fostering resilient and inclusive communities.This reference is essential for scholars and postgraduate students in political economy, development studies, sustainability, and regional studies seeking integrative theoretical and empirical resources. It also supports policy practitioners in NGOs, municipalities, and international organizations by offering evidence-based strategies for community empowerment.

  • Decarbonizing Urban Infrastructure for Climate-Resilient Cities

    • 1st Edition
    • Azzam Abu-Rayash
    • English
    Decarbonizing Urban Infrastructure for Climate-Resilient Cities delivers actionable strategies to meet the urgent decarbonization challenge head-on. Cities are the engines of global prosperity and the epicenters of the climate crisis. Accounting for over 70% of the world’s CO₂ emissions, urban centers face an urgent mandate: decarbonize infrastructure rapidly while building resilience to escalating climate disruptions. Drawing from cutting-edge municipal projects, this book bridges the gap between ambition and execution, offering a blueprint for slashing emissions by 40–60% through integrated energy systems, policy innovation, and smart technologies. From combined heat and power (CHP) networks and waste heat recovery to renewable energy integration and digitalized infrastructure management, the book translates technical concepts into scalable solutions. Real-world case studies such as district heating projects reducing emissions by 30% and cost-saving energy retrofits highlight what works, while chapters on governance, financing, and metrics equip leaders to turn plans into progress. For urban policymakers, engineers, and planners, this is more than a guide; it’s a roadmap to transform cities into zero-carbon hubs of resilience, equity, and innovation. By combining technical rigor with governance strategies and financial models, this book empowers cities to move from pledges to progress. It is a vital resource for professionals tasked with delivering on climate resilience and a call to action for cities to lead the zero-carbon transition.

  • Technological Inclusion and Climate Innovation

    Comparative Pathways for Just and Equitable Transitions Across Global Societies
    • 1st Edition
    • Samuel Chukwujindu Nwokolo + 3 more
    • English
    Technological Inclusion and Climate Innovation: Comparative Pathways for Just and Equitable Transitions Across Global Societies offers a groundbreaking, equity-focused roadmap that redefines climate innovation by integrating sociotechnical inclusion, institutional foresight and comparative global metrics. The sections cover global disparities in climate exposure and the technological capacity, social equity, governance, cultural interfaces, national strategies, geopolitics, smart cities, circular economies, digital climate governance, innovation ecosystems, climate education and future scenarios. Novel indices, such as the Inclusion–Readiness Nexus (IRN), Innovation Gradient Index (IGI) and Synergistic Transition Potential (STP), are introduced to assess and compare climate-tech inclusion. The work also presents strategic foresight models and policy roadmaps for equitable climate technology deployment aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals.This reference is invaluable to interdisciplinary scholars, policymakers, strategists and practitioners engaged in sustainability, technology, governance and equity. It equips readers with analytical tools, comparative frameworks and actionable insights to foster inclusive, resilient and just climate innovation systems globally.

  • Community Engagement in Planning Practice

    Participatory Techniques and Methods for Inclusive Planning
    • 1st Edition
    • Ivis García
    • English
    Community Engagement in Planning Practice: Participatory Techniques and Methods for Inclusive Planning prepares planning students and professionals to design and facilitate effective, inclusive community engagement processes. This reference combines theoretical foundations with practical applications, integrating asset-based community development, IAP2-certified techniques, and Liberating Structures exercises. It addresses contemporary challenges such as digital engagement, trauma-informed planning, anti-racist facilitation, and climate justice, providing diverse case studies and step-by-step guides aligned with professional planning competencies. The content is organized into four sections covering foundational concepts, methods and techniques, specialized approaches, and evaluation, which can align seamlessly with a 12-week course. Chapters address topics from stakeholder analysis and communication strategies to advisory groups, technology use, and continuous improvement. Each chapter features equity considerations, exercises, and professional practice applications, making it ideal for graduate-level urban planning courses and professional development.This reference benefits graduate students in urban planning, mid-career practitioners preparing for AICP certification, public administration students, community development professionals, urban designers, and international planning educators. Its comprehensive, equity-focused approach equips readers with the skills and knowledge to navigate complex participatory environments and advance inclusive planning practice globally.

  • Urban Sustainability at the Margins

    Borderlands, Peripheries, and Resilient Design Practices
    • 1st Edition
    • Rui Alexandre Castanho + 1 more
    • English
    Urban Sustainability at the Margins: Borderlands, Peripheries, and Resilient Design Practices explores how cities can be shaped through innovative, climate-responsive, and people-centered planning approaches. The book brings together theory, practice, and real-world case studies to offer a comprehensive view of sustainable urban development. From eco-design principles and resilient infrastructure to policy frameworks and smart city integration, it serves as a forward-thinking guide for creating cities that are both livable and future-proof.As urban areas rapidly grow, there is a critical need for new planning paradigms that prioritize sustainability, inclusivity, and resilience. Bringing together perspectives from thought leaders around the world, this book provides an updated, interdisciplinary resource that reflects the urgent challenges of urbanization in the context of climate change, environmental degradation, and social inequality. The chapters are organized clearly into four logical sections: foundational concepts, policy and governance, thematic strategies, and global case studies, providing a coherent progression from theory to practice.Urban Sustainability at the Margins helps readers understand how to design and implement sustainable solutions in real-world contexts. It bridges the gap between academic insight and professional application, making it a valuable tool for both study and practice.

  • Handbook of Regenerative Urbanism

    Climate-Positive Pathways for Smart Cities
    • 1st Edition
    • Abdulaziz I. Almulhim + 4 more
    • English
    Handbook of Regenerative Urbanism: Climate-Positive Pathways for Smart Cities explores how digital innovations like AI, IoT, and digital twins can transform urban development to achieve net-positive environmental outcomes. This volume bridges the gap between ecological restoration principles and advanced smart city technologies, providing a comprehensive framework to design, implement, and scale climate-positive urban systems. Through global case studies from the Global North and South, it demonstrates how data-driven tools and nature-based solutions can restore ecosystems, enhance resilience, and deliver measurable benefits.The book is organized into five sections covering foundational concepts, practical regenerative strategies, core smart technologies, governance and policy integration, and detailed case studies. Topics include digital modeling of urban ecosystems, AI-optimized mobility, smart water and waste management, digital twins for planning, AI-enabled governance, and blockchain for transparent resource management. Each chapter offers actionable methodologies and insights into applying technology for climate-positive urban transformation.This reference is ideal for urban planners, architects, environmental designers, policymakers, and sustainability professionals engaged in smart city and climate-positive development. It also serves researchers and postgraduate students in urban studies, environmental science, engineering, and smart technologies. Technology developers, data scientists, and innovation managers working on AI, IoT, and digital twins will find valuable guidance, as will municipal officials and international development agencies seeking scalable strategies for the twin digital and green transitions.

  • Open Innovation and Circular Economy

    Mechanisms and Pathways to Sustainable Development
    • 1st Edition
    • Xin Zhao + 2 more
    • English
    Open Innovation and Circular Economy: Mechanisms and Pathways to Sustainable Development presents a rigorous and timely exploration of the dynamic relationship between open innovation and circular economy as engines of sustainable development. Drawing on empirical studies and spatial econometric models, it reveals spatial differentiation in circular economy efficiency and quantifies how institutional factors modulate the impact of innovation.The volume integrates comparative case studies from China, the United States, and other countries to construct a practical policy toolbox to address regional disparities and promote sustainable urban transformation. The book is organized into three parts covering foundational theories and conceptual frameworks; measurement, methodologies, and empirical analysis; and global perspectives with case studies and policy implications. Detailed chapters cover topics such as spatial clustering, econometric modeling, industrial structure upgrading mechanisms, spatial spillovers, and international comparative studies, culminating in a comprehensive transformation roadmap for policymakers and practitioners. This reference benefits academic researchers, policy makers, government agencies, and industry practitioners engaged in innovation economics, urban sustainability, and circular economy.It equips scholars and students with interdisciplinary methodologies and data analysis tools, supports policymakers with evidence-based governance strategies, and guides industries in overcoming institutional and technological barriers, fostering economic and ecological prosperity amid global sustainability challenges.

  • Tech-Powered Sustainability

    Revolutionizing Green Public Services
    • 1st Edition
    • Maria José Sousa + 3 more
    • English
    Tech-Powered Sustainability: Revolutionizing Green Public Services explores how technology can transform the public sector by integrating sustainability and innovation. it begins with innovations in public administration and green services, discussing topics like the integration of green innovation and the efficiency of digital solutions. The second part focuses on tech-powered public services, exploring human machine collaboration, blockchain, AI, and cybersecurity. The third part presents real-world case studies from various countries, showcasing sustainable technological innovations in public services. Finally, the book examines management systems and discusses how to evaluate green public policies, offering future scenarios for sustainable governance.A must-read for professors, students, public managers, policymakers, researchers, and technology specialists, this book equips its audience with the knowledge and strategies necessary to implement effective digital governance. With insights into overcoming challenges and enhancing public service quality, readers will be positioned at the forefront of sustainable innovation in the public sector.

  • Local Development and Sustainability

    Territorial Dynamics Between Economy and Ecology
    • 1st Edition
    • Luca Salvati + 1 more
    • English
    Local Development and Sustainability: Territorial Dynamics Between Economy and Ecology advances a novel synthesis of local development by integrating diverse disciplinary perspectives including applied economics, regional science, sociology, demography, ecology, and planning. This edited volume examines the relationships between social inequalities, demographic change, territorial disparities, and environmental challenges in advanced economies, with empirical evidence spanning Europe, the Middle East, and global contexts. The book uniquely links local development with sustainability, wellbeing, and quality of life, emphasizing the kaleidoscopic and unpredictable nature of territorial transformations.The book is organized into four thematic sections covering geo-economic and territorial issues, socio-demographic implications, socio-environmental perspectives, and planning and governance. Topics include urban expansion, landscape valorization, spatial demography, wildfire behavior, land degradation, administrative reforms, and resilience plans. Each chapter is authored by respected scholars from various countries, offering case studies, visual data, and comprehensive analyses that highlight applied approaches and policy implications.This reference benefits academics, researchers, and students in economics, geography, sociology, demography, socio-environmental science, and planning. It also serves practitioners such as planners, architects, and policymakers interested in sustainable local development and territorial governance. The book supports teaching at B.A., M.Sc., and Ph.D. levels, providing an accessible yet advanced resource for understanding complex socio-ecological systems and their sustainable management.

  • Assembling Smart Cyber-Physical Systems

    Heterogeneous, Diffuse and Green Technological Infrastructures for Cities and Industries
    • 1st Edition
    • Zakaria Benomar + 3 more
    • English
    Assembling Smart Cyber-Physical Systems: Heterogeneous, Diffuse and Green Technological Infrastructures for Cities and Industries offers a comprehensive approach on how to design, implement, and use Cyber Physical Systems (CPSs)-computing systems with a strong interaction between the physical environment (equipped with sensors and actuators) and the cyber realm (the Cloud). Through a carefully structured methodological approach to systems design, readers will learn how the infrastructure continuum represents our environment, where we can move from edge computing to the Cloud, going through fog resources to set up an entire framework for services deployment and application in smart cities and industries.As dealing with complex systems has become increasingly difficult, CPSs are increasingly critical to cope with integrating software, which people are used to, with hardware, which is distributed among different domains. This book shows how to deal with such systems where there is no distinction among the different parts: computing, storage, networking, and IoT all contribute to setting up the modern processing environments, thus it is mandatory to keep them simultaneously under control.

  • Managing Disaster Induced Displacement in the Global South

    • 1st Edition
    • Shray Pathak + 2 more
    • English
    Managing Disaster Induced Displacement in the Global South provides a crucial examination of the rising challenge of displacement caused by natural disasters—a consequence increasingly felt in the world's most vulnerable regions. This timely volume delves into the complex interplay of climate change, environmental degradation, and socio-economic factors that drive displacement, offering a comprehensive look at how communities, governments, and international organizations can respond effectively. Drawing on an array of case studies from across the Global South, the book presents innovative strategies and policies that have been employed to manage the risks and realities of displacement.The book explores themes of resilience, adaptation, and the often-overlooked human rights issues that arise during such crises. It highlights the complexity of the issue by examining the multifaceted causes and consequences of disaster-induced displacement, shedding light on the interconnected roles of climate change, environmental degradation, and socio-economic vulnerabilities. It brings knowledge together in a single resource, compiling recent research, case studies, and best practices from various contexts within the Global South to provide a comprehensive guide that can inform policy, practice, and research. Through detailed analysis and presentation of innovative solutions and policy frameworks that have shown promise, the book guides policymakers, community leaders, and international organizations toward adopting more holistic and proactive approaches to managing displacement.Written by leading experts in disaster management, human rights, and environmental policy, this book is an indispensable resource for policymakers, scholars, and activists seeking informed and practical paths forward in the face of one of the most pressing global challenges of our time.

  • Global Risks and Energy System Resilience

    • 1st Edition
    • Jun Zhao + 2 more
    • English
    Global Risks and Energy System Resilience examines the intricate interplay between various global risks and the resilience of energy systems. This comprehensive reference delves into the complex geopolitical, economic, and financial factors that shape energy security today, offering a structured framework for understanding and addressing challenges. It covers crucial topics such as the evolution of energy system resilience, the development of an evaluation framework, and the quantification of the impacts of geopolitical, financial, and economic risks. Researchers, policymakers, and industry professionals in energy strategy and policy evaluation, energy system resilience optimization, and risk avoidance policies will find this book invaluable.This book follows the logical framework of “indicator measurement-impact assessment-scenario prediction.” It first analyzes the current situation and provides an overview of global risks and the energy system resilience, then measures the levels of different types of global risks and energy system resilience, and then analyzes the spatio-temporal evolution law. Second, the theoretical transmission mechanism of different kinds of risks on energy system resilience is analyzed through literature and theoretical review. Next, the actual impacts of different kinds of risks on energy system resilience are assessed by corresponding econometric models. Finally, the influencing factors affecting the resilience of energy systems under a digital background are identified to predict the future development of energy system resilience.

  • Models and Measures for Sustainable City Logistics

    Behavioral Choice Processes
    • 1st Edition
    • Francesco Russo + 1 more
    • English
    Models and Measures for Sustainable City Logistics: Behavioral Choice Processes offers a thorough understanding of urban goods movements, focusing on stakeholders’ behavior. It outlines the role of modeling behaviors in determining urban goods movements, mapping the behavioral process of end consumers and retailers. It provides new methods of urban freight transport simulation, considering the challenges of sustainable development goals, and uses the most recent modeling approaches for designing and planning city logistics scenarios. It also outlines the relationships between measures and the main components of sustainable development. This book guides readers in implementing the most effective city logistics measures and actions through the estimation of impacts and system performances. It first specifies end-consumers’ behaviors, then formalizes retailers’ behaviors. Subsequently, decision-maker patterns and the goods quantities are analyzed. It presents problems whose solutions allow planners to identify various types of urban freight vehicles and subsequent road network flows. It also gives the overall structure of the model system and the specification of each single model. It presents some models calibrated in different real cases, highlighting their transferability to other contexts. It reviews the role of information and communication technologies (ICTs). It presents energy efficiency according to the Sustainable Development Goals of Agenda 2030, evidencing the different roles of the transshipment nodes. Furthermore, it introduces Implementable measures and examines the relationships between measures and the main components of Sustainable Development of Agenda 2030. Transportation technicians (urban transport planners, urban traffic managers and company f leet managers), postgraduate students, and researchers alike will find this to be a valuable resource to understand how to incorporate user behavior into urban freight transport and logistics planning and modeling, ultimately helping them optimize processes and promote sustainability.

  • Encyclopedia of Ecology

    • 3rd Edition
    • Brian D. Fath
    • English
    Encyclopedia of Ecology, Third Edition, Four Volume Set - with over 300 chapters - once again provides a comprehensive reference work covering the current ideas and practices in ecology.Ecology is the ideal field for studying complex, adaptive, and self-organizing systems and by observing and understanding ecosystems, it provides valuable insights into creating sustainable systems. This knowledge is essential for addressing challenges in areas such as land management, environmental policy development, urban metabolism, industrial symbiosis, the global commons, and renewable energy.Ecology traditionally focused on measuring species abundance and distribution through field observations to establish a baseline understanding of nature. More recently, it emphasizes the relationships within populations, among species, and with their environment—networks of life central to this encyclopedia. Understanding these ecological connections is key to sustainability science and human-nature interactions. Current research spans biodiversity loss, soil conservation, sustainable agriculture, emerging diseases, eco-mimicry, and climate change. Ecological education and environmental literacy are increasingly integrated into curricula.Written and edited by an international team of experts and with special focus on interdisciplinary work in socio-ecological systems, this 3rd edition again links theory with application, and helps allow students needing entry-level summaries of specific ecology topics to create connections and find relevant, more in-depth resources in this exciting field.

  • Smart Cities: A System-of-Systems Perspective

    Engineering, Analytics, and Innovations for Sustainable Urban Development
    • 1st Edition
    • Iman Rahimi + 3 more
    • English
    Smart Cities: A System-of-Systems Perspective explores System-of-Systems Engineering (SoSE) in smart cities. Sections address how analytics and innovative technologies can transform urban environments, equipping readers with the knowledge to optimize city operations, enhance public services, and promote sustainable urban growth. The book begins with the foundational concepts of SoSE and key principles of smart cities, exploring emergent behavior and interoperability. It then examines the integration of SoSE within urban infrastructure, highlighting the roles of IoT, AI, and machine learning. Subsequent sections focus on core technologies and analytical tools, including data analytics, predictive modeling, and decision support systems.Readers will also discover innovative solutions to pressing urban challenges, such as sustainability, cybersecurity, and governance, alongside detailed case studies showcasing successful smart city initiatives from around the globe. This book is invaluable for academics and researchers in urban studies, engineering, analytics, IoT, and AI, as well as data scientists and analytics professionals working with urban datasets. Graduate and postgraduate students in engineering, analytics, computer science, or urban studies will also find it a crucial resource.

  • The Next Frontiers of Quantum Generative Intelligence for Smarter Eco-Cities

    Transforming Environmental Sustainability Through Augmented Deep Generative and Foundation Models
    • 1st Edition
    • Simon Elias Bibri
    • English
    The Next Frontiers of Quantum Generative Intelligence for Smarter Eco-Cities: Transforming Environmental Sustainability Through Augmented Deep Generative and Foundation Models presents groundbreaking advances in the convergence of quantum computing, artificial intelligence, deep generative models, foundation models, and urban and environmental systems to transform sustainable urban development practices. The book offers conceptual frameworks, theoretical insights, evidence syntheses, applied innovations, operational models, empirical case studies, and real-world use cases that showcase how various forms of quantum-enhanced intelligence can advance the analysis, simulation, prediction, and optimization of energy systems, transportation networks, mobility flows, water and waste systems, biodiversity and ecosystems, air quality dynamics, and carbon capture processes while strengthening climate resilience in smarter eco-cities.Detailed chapters examine deep generative models, hybrid and mixed architectures, urban and environmental foundation models, hybrid quantum-classical architectures, quantum generative adversarial networks, quantum variational autoencoders, quantum diffusion models, and quantum transformer-based models, providing readers with foundational knowledge, applied methodologies, and practical solutions. The book bridges theoretical advances with deployment strategies, encompassing policy guidance and system constraints to support evidence-based decision-making in urban ecological sustainability contexts.This seminal resource benefits urban planners, city managers, environmental scientists, policymakers, technology experts, academics, and graduate students by equipping them with innovative tools and frameworks to design, operate, manage, and plan smarter eco-cities. It serves researchers and practitioners at the intersection of quantum AI, quantum generative AI, and urban-environmental systems, fostering interdisciplinary collaboration to address the urgent challenges of ecological degradation, resource depletion, and climate change.

  • Community Trees and Forests

    Improving Environmental and Human Well-Being
    • 1st Edition
    • David J. Nowak
    • English
    Improving Environmental and Human Health with Community Trees and Forests provides the latest and most comprehensive information on community forests globally, how these trees improve human health and well-being, the value of community trees, and what local land managers, from the lot to regional scale, could do to improve the benefits provided by community trees. It offers a complete understanding of the benefits and costs associated with trees in cities and how these benefits occur. This book facilitates the creation of sustainable community forests that provide optimal benefits to individuals and society.It takes a systems approach, focusing on the forest population rather than the individual tree, and providing information on the best tree species and designs to produce optimal effects. The book is divided into three major sections: The Basics, Urban Forest Benefits, and Improving the Urban Environment with Trees. It covers how cities affect our local environment, the monetary value of trees, and specific steps that land managers should follow to manage and improve their local tree and forest population. This comprehensive resource is valuable for city forest and park managers, policy makers, regional managers, and non-profit groups.

  • Uneven Urban and Regional Growth

    Global Urbanization, Regional Economies and Local Dynamics
    • 1st Edition
    • Luca Salvati
    • English
    Uneven Urban and Regional Growth: Global Urbanization, Regional Economies and Local Dynamics examines the links between economic growth, metropolitan development, and environmental sustainability in advanced economies. Focusing on urban areas as hubs of innovation and social change, the book explores how social and environmental factors intersect with economic processes. It advocates for new governance strategies that promote sustainable growth through inclusive policies and integrated urban tools. Drawing on regional economics, it offers a comparative analysis of settlement patterns and spatial planning, emphasizing multilevel governance to address social inequalities and contemporary urban challenges effectively.Structur... in three sections, the book begins with a global-to-regional perspective on urbanization and economic dynamics, featuring analyses of uneven economic growth, urban-rural dynamics, and urbanization trends supported by global statistics and case studies from the United States, Iran, and Italy. The second section delves into socio-demographic drivers of urbanization at the regional and district levels, including population dynamics, family patterns, migration, and environmental health indicators in Mediterranean contexts. The final section focuses on local planning and territorial factors influencing urbanization, addressing topics such as landscape quality, labor markets, sustainable regional development, port infrastructure economics, and gendered urban spaces. Richly illustrated with photographs, graphs, maps, and case studies, the book integrates interdisciplinary perspectives from applied economics, geography, sociology, demography, planning, and socio-environmental sciences.

  • Rethinking Rural

    Data-Driven Approaches for Sustainable Development
    • 1st Edition
    • Luca Salvati
    • English
    Rethinking Rural: Data-Driven Approaches for Sustainable Development offers a comprehensive, interdisciplinary exploration of sustainable rural development through a quantitative lens. Drawing on official statistics, spatial analysis, and refined indicators, this edited volume brings together leading scholars from ecology, economics, and planning to rethink the environmental-econom... nexus shaping rural territories. With a focus on Europe and the Mediterranean, but applicable globally, the book emphasizes continuous, spatially explicit monitoring of socioecological and socioeconomic complexities to inform effective, place-specific policies that enhance sustainability and resilience.Structure... in three parts, the book first presents integrated perspectives on rural system evolution, including climate change impacts, land use, and socioeconomic drivers across diverse contexts such as Mediterranean landscapes and Colombia’s deforestation. The second part details traditional and advanced tools for monitoring rural environments, from territorial indicators to wildfire and habitat assessment. The final section addresses planning and policy challenges, evaluating natural disaster management, resilience strategies, environmental degradation costs, and socio-demographic influences on tourism insurance.

  • Spatial Analysis for Complex Territorial Systems

    Geo-information Technologies and European Official Statistics
    • 1st Edition
    • Luca Salvati
    • English
    Spatial Analysis for Complex Territorial Systems: Geo-information Technologies and European Official Statistics offers a multidisciplinary exploration of spatial analysis, geo-information technologies, and official statistics, focusing on their applications in environmental, economic, and planning challenges in Europe and the Mediterranean. Comprising 16 insightful chapters authored by leading scholars from Southern and Eastern Europe, Ireland, and the United States, the book delves into the complexities of socio-ecological monitoring through data integration and refined statistical indicators. Key topics include climate monitoring, land degradation, settlement patterns, and disaster resilience, providing a comprehensive understanding of local contexts and policy implications.The book begins with contributions from a traditional ecological, agronomic, and environmental vision, then continues with a set of studies with stricter socio-demographic and economic focus. It then discusses how other quantitative approaches (e.g., based on big data and primary surveys) may clarify the role of policies and planning, addressing sustainable development goals in the ‘kaleidoscopic’ European landscapes. Conclusions confirm the urgent need of integrating the vast potential of geo-information techniques, together with spatial analysis and official statistics, into more flexible sustainable development strategies that reflect local conditions and spatially explicit background contexts.

  • Future Smart Cities

    A Blueprint for Inclusive and Sustainable Living
    • 1st Edition
    • Uday Chatterjee + 1 more
    • English
    Future Smart Cities: A Blueprint for Inclusive and Sustainable Living provides a guide to the intricate process of urban development in the 21st century. As an extensive manual for those involved in urban planning, policy-making, technology, and community leadership, it provides a clear blueprint for constructing cities that are intelligent and fair, ecologically conscious, and economically sustainable.Examinin... the convergence of technology, sustainability, and social fairness from an interdisciplinary perspective, it offers valuable insights into the transformative capabilities of smart city programs. The content explores fundamental concepts such as digital innovation, data-driven decision-making, inclusive governance, and sustainable design. These principles are shown through the analysis of real-world case studies and the presentation of best practices. The book aims to inspire practical approaches for urban development that prioritize the well-being of all people, minimize environmental impact, and promote resilience in the face of global crises by highlighting the significance of inclusion and sustainability.Futur... Smart Cities: A Blueprint for Inclusive and Sustainable Living provides readers with the necessary knowledge, resources, and motivation to contribute to a future in which cities flourish as dynamic, inclusive, and environmentally-frie... centers of innovation and potential.

  • Integrated Planning for Sustainable Resilient Regions

    • 1st Edition
    • Rui Alexandre Castanho
    • English
    Integrated Planning for Sustainable Resilient Regions explores the dynamic relationship between sustainable development and effective regional planning. With a focus on harmonizing the diverse elements of social equity, economic prosperity, and environmental conservation, this book offers a deep dive into the interplay among human activities, natural systems, and the landscapes they inhabit. Considering both theoretical foundations and real-world case studies, this book equips readers with the tools to navigate the complex challenges of our rapidly changing world. It examines how sustainable development goals can seamlessly integrate into regional planning initiatives, offering a roadmap for fostering resilient communities and landscapes.Through sustainability transitions, territorial dynamics, and community engagement techniques, this book offers fresh perspectives on urban planning, environmental science, and regional studies. This book resonates with a diverse audience, seeking to drive positive change through strategic and sustainable regional planning. From community engagement techniques to innovative policy frameworks, readers will find actionable guidance to transform theoretical concepts into practical and impactful development projects. By providing an essential bridge between theory and implementation, this book inspires meaningful conversations and actions that will shape the future of our regions, cities, and landscapes sustainably and harmoniously.From governments crafting policies that balance progress and environmental stewardship to architects and developers designing eco-conscious spaces, researchers, professionals, and students alike will find valuable information and practical tools to critically analyze the complex interactions among human activities, natural systems, and regional landscapes, fostering a holistic understanding of sustainable development within diverse regions.

  • The Sustainability Handbook, Volume 2

    The Body of Knowledge around Radical Sustainability Innovation
    • 1st Edition
    • Mark Von Rosing
    • English
    The Sustainability Handbook: The Body of Knowledge around Substantial Sustainability Innovation, Volume Two provides a comprehensive and holistic understanding of sustainability, bridging the gap between academic theory and business practices. Global climate change poses enormous environmental challenges, and societies across the world must adapt and innovate to further the goals of sustainability. The private sector must find new ways of doing business to align practices with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) adopted by the international community. Using a conceptually structured framework throughout, the book examines the latest academic research to summarize what environmental, social, and economic sustainability means in different contexts.Using numerous specific case studies and insights from industry leaders, the book shows how to strategically integrate sustainability into the organization, with extensive focus on policies, incentives, measures, operations, production, consumption, and lifecycle management. For researchers, students, and businesspeople at all levels and sectors, this handbook is an essential reference of the latest sustainability tools and methodologies required to adapt and innovate towards sustainability.

  • Digital Twins for Smart Metabolic Circular Cities

    Innovations in Planning and Climate Resilience
    • 1st Edition
    • Simon Elias Bibri + 2 more
    • English
    Digital Twins for Smart Metabolic Circular Cities: Innovations in Planning and Climate Resilience explores the advanced convergence of smart city technologies, digital twin applications, smart urban metabolism, and circular economy principles. This comprehensive resource offers insights into sustainable urban practices and innovative approaches to address the multifaceted challenges posed by rapid urbanization, environmental degradation, and climate change. In a rapidly changing world, this book provides a detailed understanding of how digital twin technologies and smart urban metabolism frameworks can be applied to foster sustainable urban development. This holistic perspective bridges urban planning, environmental sustainability, and the transformative potential of digital twins.The book equips readers with practical insights and solutions to navigate contemporary urban development complexities. It is an invaluable resource for urban planners, environmental scientists, policymakers, and technology experts interested in sustainable practices. Through real-world applications, foundational theory, and forward-thinking strategies, it empowers readers with the knowledge to address pressing environmental and infrastructural challenges associated with the future of smart cities.

  • Smart Nation

    Redefining Nations for Global Sustainability
    • 1st Edition
    • Abdullah Alfaiz
    • English
    As digitalization continues to transform the world, nations and governments are mobilizing to adopt “smart” strategies for governance and citizen engagement, both locally and globally. Providing sought-after, interdisciplinary knowledge on the next frontier in the evolution of smart concepts, Smart Nation: Redefining Nations for Global Sustainability illustrates how comprehensive adoption and purposeful application of digital, interoperable instruments and ecosystems can shape integrated governance, leading to more efficient and equitable administrative efforts while fostering collaborative strategies that achieve sustainable outcomes across national boundaries.This comprehensive reference resource offers not only the latest research in this innovative context but also reviews successful international cases, providing practical insights into the revolutionary trajectories of these countries as they address complex challenges across social, economic, and environmental spheres, ultimately enhancing living standards.Authored by an expert with decades of experience in both academia and professional practice, this volume caters to a diverse audience across disciplines, offering a detailed development blueprint that supports ongoing innovation for the collective benefit of our planet.

  • Developing China's Green Trade

    Comprehensive Evaluation, Impacts, and Advancement Trajectories
    • 1st Edition
    • Kangyin Dong + 1 more
    • English
    Developing China's Green Trade: Comprehensive Evaluation, Impacts, and Advancement Trajectories gives an extensive exploration of the intricate dynamics of green trade and its consequences. The book establishes a comprehensive indexing system for China's green trade and calculates a green trade composite index. Sourcing data from the Chinese Customs import and export trade database, the National Bureau of Statistics of China, the Ministry of Ecology and Environment, and more, the book employs a range of econometric methods to empirically evaluate the economic, environmental, and social impacts of green trade. It also investigates advancement approaches through environmental regulation, technological innovation, financial inclusion, an more.The book primarily follows a framework of "measuring trade promotion paths." It begins by assessing the provincial green trade index in China after reviewing the concept and current state of green trade. Subsequently, it evaluates the potential impacts of green trade, considering its effects on the economy, environment, and society. Finally, it delves into a "five-pronged approach" of green trade advancement strategies, covering aspects of regulation, technology, finance, energy, and economy.

  • Digital Twins for Smart Cities and Villages

    • 1st Edition
    • Sailesh Iyer + 3 more
    • English
    Digital Twins for Smart Cities and Villages provides a holistic view of digital twin technology and how it can be deployed to develop smart cities and smart villages. Smart manufacturing, smart healthcare, smart education, smart agriculture, smart rural solutions, and related methodologies using digital twins are discussed, including challenges in deployment, their solutions and future roadmaps. This knowledge, enriched by a variety of case studies presented in the book, may empower readers with new capabilities for new research as well as new tasks and strategies for practical implementation and real-world problem solving.The book is thoughtfully structured, starting from the background of digital twin concepts and basic know-how to serve the needs of those new to the subject. It continues with implementation to facilitate and improve management in several urban contexts, infrastructures, and more. Global case study assessments further provide a deep characterization of the state-of-the-art in digital twin in urban and rural contexts.

  • Technological Pathways for Africa's Net-Zero Economy

    Technology Solutions to Unlock Africa’s Sustainable Future
    • 1st Edition
    • Samuel Chukwujindu Nwokolo + 3 more
    • English
    Technological Pathways for Africa's Net-Zero Economy: Technology Solutions to Unlock Africa’s Sustainable Future explores the potential of African countries to transition towards a net-zero economy. It highlights sustainable development challenges and opportunities Africa faces and provides insights on technological pathways toward this goal. The book emphasizes the importance of harnessing renewable energy resources, promoting green innovation, and building resilient infrastructure for a sustainable future. It calls for strong policy frameworks and international collaboration to support African countries in their transition. The book outlines seven scenarios supporting Africa's technological paths to a net-zero economy: leapfrogging, hybridization, adaptation, decentralization, sustainable development, promotion, and finance.These scenarios aim to adopt innovative technologies and strategies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Investing in education and capacity-building programs is crucial for African countries to effectively implement sustainable energy solutions, so the book also highlights the role of education and awareness in fostering a culture of sustainability among African communities and empowering them to actively participate in climate action initiatives.

  • Smart City Assessment

    A Novel Framework for Development and Evaluation of Smart Cities
    • 1st Edition
    • Azzam Abu-Rayash
    • English
    Smart City Assessment: A Novel Framework for Development and Evaluation of Smart Cities outlines a new assessment model for smart cities, including energy, environmental, and economic factors. It introduces a new paradigm to the understanding of smart cities by defining it using eight main domains, each domain using four specific performance indicators. This book defines a smart city as one with a smart environment, smart economy, smart society, smart culture, smart governance, smart energy, smart infrastructure, smart transportation, and one that is resilient to pandemics and global emergencies.This book begins by outlining these basic elements of a smart city, from sustainability to transportation networks. It then proposes a framework for evaluation, before analyzing both technological and socioeconomic factors in more detail. Central to the reader’s understanding are the wide range of detailed case studies based on real-world cities, analyzing their smart-ness and demonstrating the application of a Smart City Index ranking based on the assessment criteria. The application of this novel and comprehensive methodology is applied on 20 cities worldwide and trends, relationships between indicators and domains are assessed to better understand the dynamic connections in this composite network of indicators. Providing the theoretical background as well as the practical assessment tools necessary, this book offers a timely discussion of the criteria and development for smart, sustainable urban living.

  • Scaling the Smart City

    The Design and Ethics of Urban Technology
    • 1st Edition
    • Nicole Gardner
    • English
    Scaling the Smart City engages with the smart city as a problem of scale. It disentangles the smart city from its corporate and technocratic stronghold by presenting an accessible design framework that productively aligns philosophical thinking on technology with foundational technical understandings of urban technology and smart system design.The knowledge and know-how to design and create urban technologies and smart cities are steadily moving from a niche field to a core industry competency. This book outlines a cross-scalar design framework, developed to teach smart city design to designers and engineers. It unpacks smart city initiatives and demystifies physical computing system design concepts, while complementing and mediating between critical social theory perspectives of the smart city and technically comprehensive case studies. The book’s analysis of real-world case examples and design prototypes demonstrates how design thinking and practice can better engage with the ethical implications of creating urban technologies and smart systems for society. It uses a clear, accessible, and instructive style of writing that synthesizes relevant scholarship and concepts to develop the reader’s foundational understanding of the contemporary smart city paradigm.This book is an invaluable resource for readers in the established fields and professions of design, architecture, urban design, and city planning, as well as the emerging fields of urban technology and urban interaction design.

  • Landscape Evolution of Continental-Scale River Systems

    A Case Study of North America’s Pre-Pleistocene Bell River Basin
    • 1st Edition
    • Volume 24
    • James W. Sears
    • English
    Landscape Evolution of Continental-Scale River Systems: A Case Study of North America's Pre-Pleistocene Bell River Basin provides a detailed case study and complete analysis of this continental-scale North American paleo-river system. The book uses detrital zircon provenance data to link incision of the Grand Canyon to deposition of its erosional products in a giant drowned delta in the Labrador Sea, in the context of sedimentary source-to-sink processes and Plio-Pleistocene continental drainage changes. The case study describes the tectonic changes in this continental-scale paleo-river system, with global implications, and contrasts this system to other continental-scale river systems around the world.This book is a valuable reference for postgraduate students, academics and researchers in the fields of geology, fluvial geomorphology and other geosciences. Readers will be able to use this detailed case study to better understand the implications for how active tectonics of headwaters regions influence delta deposition in continental-scale river systems around the world.

  • The Metaverse and Smart Cities

    Urban Environments in the Age of Digital Connectivity
    • 1st Edition
    • Zaheer Allam + 1 more
    • English
    The Metaverse and Smart Cities: Urban Environments in the Age of Digital Connectivity explores the intersection between the rapidly growing metaverse and the future of cities. The metaverse is a virtual world that is increasingly gaining attention as a new frontier for human interaction and commerce. At the same time, cities are undergoing significant transformation as they face challenges such as population growth, urbanization, and environmental degradation. Urban planners and city administrators will find valuable insights on how the metaverse can be integrated into the planning and development of smart, sustainable, and future cities.The book begins with an introduction to the concepts and technology of the metaverse as well as its history. It then sheds light on the current and future challenges and opportunities that the metaverse presents to cities and the quality of life of urban dwellers. It delves into the ways in which the metaverse can change cities, both in terms of their physical and virtual environments, and the impact it can have on the lives of those who live in them. It brings together the latest research and perspectives from experts in the fields of virtual reality, urban planning, and sustainability, to provide a comprehensive and up-to-date picture of this rapidly evolving field.

  • Digitally Disrupted Space

    Proximity and New Development Opportunities for Regions and Cities
    • 1st Edition
    • Anastasia Panori
    • English
    Digitally Disrupted Space: Proximity and New Development Opportunities for Regions and Cities develops an analytical framework of the key structural elements in relation to the digital space and its impact on existing spatial interactions at a regional and urban level. The book puts forth the argument that the digital space is a new form of space acting complementary to existing spatial structures and creating novel interactions between and/or within them. It explores how digital space enhances connected intelligence by combining knowledge-intensive activities, cooperation between organizational and institutional actors, and smart environments of knowledge creation and diffusion.Academics and researchers will find insights into how cities and regions can adopt this new developmental paradigm; how to organize connected intelligence within regional and urban environments; and how to sustain productivity, resilience and inclusion through the use of digital space. Digital transformation managers in the public sector and entrepreneurs in private organizations can leverage the opportunities offered from this transition process, not only by identifying actions and strategies for boosting their productivity, but also for making them more resilient during socio-economic, environmental and health crises.

  • Urban Risk Management in China

    Principles, Methods and Practices
    • 1st Edition
    • Jianping Sun
    • English
    Urban Risk Management in China: Principles, Methods and Practices discusses the management of urban risk, the practical application of risk prevention, and the practice of control in the industry. Urban risk management is an emerging and interdisciplinary research field, and this book meets the urgent need to identify, analyze, and summarize urban risks and management difficulties that are experienced worldwide, especially in metropolitan cities. With rapid and large-scale urbanization, China's urban management experience in facing a series of comprehensive challenges provides a helpful way forward for urban planners around the world.This book clarifies the concept of urban risk, which includes urban land use, housing, infrastructure construction, economic and social development, and environmental protection, with an aim of analyzing the obstacles to urban risk management, forming a cognitive framework, organizing the practice of urban risk management, and finally forming a workable urban risk management system.

  • The Renewable Energy-Water-Environment Nexus

    Fundamentals, Technology, and Policy
    • 1st Edition
    • Shahryar Jafarinejad + 1 more
    • English
    The Renewable Energy-Water-Environ... Nexus: Fundamentals, Technology, and Policy explores the connections between renewable energy, water, and the environment, along with their integration in the context of awareness, technologies, challenges, opportunities, and solutions. The book introduces different renewable energy technologies, including the importance of their development, use for a sustainable future, and their interrelationships. In-depth chapters then examine specific sub-relationships, focusing on renewable energy and water, renewable energy and the environment, and water and the environment. Available methods and tools for analyzing the renewable energy-water-environ... nexus, including life cycle assessment of renewable energy systems are also covered. The last section of the book highlights key technologies and opportunities in the nexus, considering areas such as innovative cooling systems for thermoelectric plants to reduce or eliminate the use of water for cooling, reduction of water use in biofuels production, sea waves for desalination, grid management, energy storage systems, and hydrogen technologies, examining the integration of renewable energy, water, and environment-related policies, and discussing the application of artificial intelligence and nanotechnology techniques.

  • Smart Urban Mobility

    Transport Planning in the Age of Big Data and Digital Twins
    • 1st Edition
    • Ivana Cavar Semanjski
    • English
    Smart Urban Mobility: Transport Planning in the Age of Big Data and Digital Twins explores the data-driven paradigm shift in urban mobility planning and examines how well-established practices and strong data analytics efforts can be better aligned to fit transport planning practices and "smart" mobility management needs. The book provides a comprehensive survey of the major big data and technology resources derived from smart cities research which are collectively poised to transform urban mobility. Chapters highlight the important aspects of each data source affecting applicability, along with the outcomes of smart mobility measures and campaigns.Transport planners, urban policymakers, public administrators, city managers, data scientists, and consulting companies managing smart city interventions and data-driven urban transformation projects will gain a better understanding of this up-and-coming research from this book’s detailed overview and numerous practical examples and best practices for operational deployment.

  • Blockchain in a Volatile-Uncertain-Complex-Ambiguous World

    • 1st Edition
    • Kaliyan Mathiyazhagan + 3 more
    • English
    Blockchain in a Volatile-Uncertain-C... World examines the role blockchain brings in supply chain management. The book explores the theoretical foundations and empirical frameworks for using Blockchain for the logistical transportation of goods and examines how blockchain applications, barriers and opportunities of numerous technologies, describing how each converge into feasible integration. Covering policymaking and regulatory issues from a research perspective, this book is a key reference for supply chain management scholars, students and practitioners.

  • Urban Climate Adaptation and Mitigation

    • 1st Edition
    • Ayyoob Sharifi + 1 more
    • English
    Uniquely focused on the contributions smart cities can make to climate change resilience, Urban Climate Adaptation and Mitigation offers evidence-based scientific solutions for improving cities’ abilities to prepare for, recover from, and adapt to global climate-related events. Beginning with the observation of global environmental change, this book explores what sustainable smart projects are, how they are adopted and evaluated, and how they can address climate change challenges. It brings together a wide variety of disciplines such as planning, transportation, and waste management to address issues related to climate change adaptation and mitigation in cities.In general, many social science researchers lack cohesive, broad-based literature knowledge; Urban Climate Adaptation and Mitigation bridges this gap and informs different types of stakeholders on how they can enhance their preparation abilities to enable real-time responses and actions. Therefore, it is a valuable reference for researchers, professors, graduate students, city planners, and policy makers. Application-focused throughout, this book explores the complexities of urban systems and subsystems to support researchers, planners, and decision makers in their efforts toward developing more climate-resilient smart cities.

  • Global Urban Heat Island Mitigation

    • 1st Edition
    • Ansar Khan + 4 more
    • English
    Global Urban Heat Island Mitigation provides a comprehensive picture of global UHI micro-thermal interaction in different built environments. The book explains physical principles and how to moderate undesirable consequences of swift and haphazard urban development to create more sustainable and resilient cities. Sections provide extensive discussion on numerous UHI mitigation technologies and their effectiveness in cities around the globe. In addition, the book proposes novel UHI mitigation technologies and strategies while also assessing the effectiveness and suitability of UHI mitigation interventions in various climates and urban forms.

  • Collective Intelligence for Smart Cities

    • 1st Edition
    • Chun HO WU + 4 more
    • English
    Collective Intelligence for Smart Cities begins with an overview of the fundamental issues and concepts of smart cities. Surveying the current state-of-the-art research in the field, the book delves deeply into key smart city developments such as health and well-being, transportation, safety, energy, environment and sustainability. In addition, the book focuses on the role of IoT cloud computing and big data, specifically in smart city development. Users will find a unique, overarching perspective that ties together these concepts based on collective intelligence, a concept for quantifying mass activity familiar to many social science and life science researchers.Sections explore how group decision-making emerges from the consensus of the collective, collaborative and competitive activities of many individuals, along with future perspectives.

  • Pandemic Risk, Response, and Resilience

    COVID-19 Responses in Cities Around the World
    • 1st Edition
    • Indrajit Pal + 1 more
    • English
    Pandemic Risk, Response, and Resilience: COVID-19 Responses in Cities Around the World examines the pandemic’s global impacts on public health, economies, society and labor. The book shows how COVID-19 intensified natural and anthropogenic hazards and destroyed years of communities, governments and the work of development organizations and their investments. It focuses on how disaster resilience is central to achieving the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals in a post-COVID-19 era. Sections cover current governance practices, with special attention given to Asia’s more successful responses. It shows how the various sectors across that society were most impacted by COVID-19, including tourism and food systems. This book is an essential reference for researchers and practitioners who need to understand response, preparedness and future pathways for pandemic resilience.

  • Artificial Intelligence in Urban Planning and Design

    Technologies, Implementation, and Impacts
    • 1st Edition
    • Imdat As + 2 more
    • English
    Artificial Intelligence in Urban Planning and Design: Technologies, Implementation, and Impacts is the most comprehensive resource available on the state of Artificial Intelligence (AI) as it relates to smart city planning and urban design. The book explains nascent applications of AI technologies in urban design and city planning, providing a thorough overview of AI-based solutions. It offers a framework for discussion of theoretical foundations of AI, AI applications in the urban design, AI-based research and information systems, and AI-based generative design systems. The concept of AI generates unprecedented city planning solutions without defined rules in advance, a development raising important questions issues for urban design and city planning. This book articulates current theoretical and practical methods, offering critical views on tools and techniques and suggests future directions for the meaningful use of AI technology.

  • Sustainable Energy Transition for Cities

    • 1st Edition
    • Miguel Amado + 1 more
    • English
    Sustainable Energy Transition for Cities brings together empirical and applied research in both urban planning and sustainable energy, offering coherent and innovative best practices for urban energy transition planning. Using a multidisciplinary framework, the book views cities as an integrated system composed of components such as neighborhoods and districts within an overall net-zero energy balance. Intended for academics, practitioners and policymakers interested in sustainable energy transition, the book offers insights and best practices to promote the transition to a low carbon urban society.

  • Smart Cities Policies and Financing

    Approaches and Solutions
    • 1st Edition
    • John Vacca
    • English
    Smart Cities Policies and Financing: Approaches and Solutions is the definitive professional reference for harnessing the full potential of policy making and financial planning in smart cities. It covers the effective tools for capturing the dynamic relations between people, policies, financing, and environments, and where they are most often useful and effective for all relevant stakeholders. The book examines the key role of science, technology, and innovation (STI) - especially in information and communications technologies - in the design, development, and management of smart cities policies and financing. It identifies the problems and offers practical solutions in implementation of smart infrastructure policies and financing. Smart Cities Policies and Financing is also about how the implementation of smart infrastructure projects (related to the challenges of the lack of financing and the application of suitable policies) underlines the key roles of science, technology and innovation (STI) communities in addressing these challenges and provides key policies and financing that will help guide the design and development of smart cities.

  • Measuring Sustainable Development Goals Performance

    • 1st Edition
    • Sten Thore + 1 more
    • English
    Measuring Sustainable Development Goals Performance provides a quantitative and analytical framework for evaluating social, economic, and environmental policies aiming at the UN sustainable development goals (SDGs). Continuing their earlier work on multidimensional analysis, the authors demonstrate how nations can be ranked in terms of their performance in meeting a given set of SDGs, providing numerical calculation of SDGs deficit. Their calculations show that even before the arrival of the COVID-19 virus, there existed in several large Western nations undetected pockets of SDG deficits, such as in the care for the elderly, personal safety, and hygiene. Extending the calculations to cover COVID-19 data for 2020, it turns out that the same deficit nations also suffered excess death rates caused by the virus.This book offers a balanced and holistic paradigm for evaluating progress of the SDGs, assisting the convergence of national and international efforts toward economic development, social progress, and environmental protection.

  • Implementing Data-Driven Strategies in Smart Cities

    A Roadmap for Urban Transformation
    • 1st Edition
    • Didier Grimaldi + 1 more
    • English
    Implementing Data-Driven Strategies in Smart Cities is a guidebook and roadmap for practitioners seeking to operationalize data-driven urban interventions. The book opens by exploring the revolution that big data, data science, and the Internet of Things are making feasible for the city. It explores alternate topologies, typologies, and approaches to operationalize data science in cities, drawn from global examples including top-down, bottom-up, greenfield, brownfield, issue-based, and data-driven. It channels and expands on the classic data science model for data-driven urban interventions – data capture, data quality, cleansing and curation, data analysis, visualization and modeling, and data governance, privacy, and confidentiality. Throughout, illustrative case studies demonstrate successes realized in such diverse cities as Barcelona, Cologne, Manila, Miami, New York, Nancy, Nice, São Paulo, Seoul, Singapore, Stockholm, and Zurich. Given the heavy emphasis on global case studies, this work is particularly suitable for any urban manager, policymaker, or practitioner responsible for delivering technological services for the public sector from sectors as diverse as energy, transportation, pollution, and waste management.

  • Blockchain for Smart Cities

    • 1st Edition
    • Saravanan Krishnan + 4 more
    • English
    Focusing on different tools, platforms, and techniques, Blockchain and the Smart City: Infrastructure and Implementation uses case studies from around the world to examine blockchain deployment in diverse smart city applications. The book begins by examining the fundamental theories and concepts of blockchain. It looks at key smart cities’ domains such as banking, insurance, healthcare, and supply chain management. It examines Using case studies for each domain, the book looks at payment mechanisms, fog/edge computing, green computing, and algorithms and consensus mechanisms for smart cities implementation. It looks at tools such as Hyperledger, Etherium, Corda, IBM Blockchain, Hydrachain, as well as policies and regulatory standards, applications, solutions, and methodologies. While exploring future blockchain ecosystems for smart and sustainable city life, the book concludes with the research challenges and opportunities academics, researchers, and companies in implementing blockchain applications.

  • Cross-Border Resource Management

    • 4th Edition
    • Rongxing Guo
    • English
    Cross-Border Resource Management, Fourth Edition addresses theoretical and analytical issues relating to cross-border resource management, particularly in a changing world. The book holistically explores issues where two entities share a border, such as sovereign countries, dependent states and others, where each seeks to maximize their political and economic interests regardless of impacts on the environment. This new edition has been completely revised to reflect current issues, with new cases and videos in every chapter and expanded coverage of natural disasters, climate change and modeling.Serving as a single resource to explore the many facets of managing and utilizing natural resources when they extend across defined borders, this new edition provides environmental managers and researchers in environmental management and policy with practical solutions for cross-border cooperation in the exploitation and utilization of natural and environmental resources.

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