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Transforming cities into sustainable cities requires moving beyond mono-disciplinary approaches and beyond the borders of the academic system. Accordingly, sustainable urban development necessitates inter- and transdisciplinary approaches, and this in turn entails the necessity to navigate the challenges of such collaboration. If projects pursue transformative aims, as is the case in real-world laboratories or other city lab approaches, these challenges are multiplied. The talk explores these challenges and advocates to respond to them by a professional and differentiated project management.

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Onshore wind farms are reaching the end of their operational or consent life and we need to consider how to plan for the future. This paper draws upon detailed empirical data from four case studies to understand the range and impact of changes that occur over the life of operational wind farms, including economic, policy, landscape and community changes and how these changes impact decisions regarding the future. In doing so it reveals the challenges of using time-limited planning consents without adequate consideration of the future and demonstrates the benefits of adopting a broader temporal approach in planning practice and research.

Copyright: © Fernando Gutiérrez

In response to COVID-19, the authorities of Mexico City restricted access to historic public spaces that usually receive many visitors, seeking to reduce COVID-19 transmissions. This talk discusses the effects of the closure of Alameda Central, a historic park in Mexico City’s historic centre. The implementation of policies severely affected some vulnerable groups who live or make their livelihoods in these places, to the extent that they resisted leaving or found alternative ways to return to the Alameda. The case ultimately shows the relative meaning of public space during the pandemic.