The chapter on cities is one of the strongest in a well-crafted textbook.

This chapter by well-regarded sustainability scholar John Blewitt presents a concise overview of global challenges related to urbanization.

The authors draw from New Urbanist principles to argue a case for higher density, mixed use development oriented towards public transport. The book promotes this model of urban form as a means of overcoming the declining economic and social quality of suburban living, particularly in the United States. The book describes the design elements of transit oriented development, the case for such development, and includes a series of case studies, drawing connections between transport and land use policy and practice.

This influential book outlines the growth of automobile use in Melbourne, Australia, and the conflicts between proponents and opponents of road construction. The author traces the development of freeways in the city, the resulting increased reliance on motor transport, and the political decision making that led governments to favour freeway construction and car use over public transport improvements.

In this book, the author returns to a favourite topic: trends in global urbanisation. He examines the scale of global urbanisation, reasons for urban growth and the new challenges for urban governance. He places cities in the context of global and regional trends, showing that emerging city-regions are becoming autonomous quasi city-states. The book also examines possible future trends and factors which might help make new cities function effectively as living spaces.

This book brings together contributions from a range of international experts on the new spatial order that has emerged in cities, and the impacts of globalisation on cities. The influence of global capital on city size, type and methods of organisation is a major theme which is illustrated in a series of case studies. Authors use spatial analysis to examine the social portioning of cities with a focus on topics such as governance arrangements, race, ethnicity and culture.

This book examines trends in American urbanisation and proposes that suburban development will no longer meet the emerging needs of Americans. The author shows that in the 20 years to 2007, the US population increased by 60 million, increasing the area of urban land by 66 per cent, and yet 65 million more Americans will have to be accommodated in cities by 2030, consuming another 40 million acres. The author points to some opinion polls which suggest that young Americans no longer want a car-dependent suburban nation, preferring to live in mixed use, low rise medium density housing linked by mass transit, on reconstructed decayed inner urban areas, commercial and former industrial sites.

This book examines European planning systems ‒ their similarities and differences ‒ and present a series of case studies on the application of these systems to major European cities. The authors point to a trend towards deregulation, national competition and government facilitation of private sector decision making.

This book manages to describe and analyse Australian urban and regional planning practice, and its relationships with governance and planning legislation. It includes an analysis of major issues affecting Australian cities and concentrates on the themes of sustainability and social equity.

www.bettercities.net

This is a website dedicated to providing news and information about efforts to implement compact and mixed-use urban development. It provides access to blogs, articles and information which are updated daily.

www.urbanicity.org

Since being established in 2001, New Zealand-based Urbanicity has been a leading provider of online information about urban issues. The website provides access to four databases set up and maintained by Urbanicity.

www.neptis.org

Neptis Foundation is a private, Canada-based foundation which aims to provide information and resources for urban planning policy makers. As well as providing access to relevant publications, the Neptis website provides access to Neptis Geoweb, an interactive maps tool which facilitates analysis of selected urban and rural landscapes.

www.thenatureofcities.com

The Nature of Cities describes itself as a virtual magazine for people interested in cities and ecosystems. It provides access to ‘roundtable’ discussions that include contributors from across the world.

www.situatedecologies.net

Situated Ecologies aims to provide a platform for international research on the ecological impacts of urbanisation. The website provides access to people, projects, relevant publications and regularly updated news and information.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GzLWk0mORiQ

Duration: 7:55

This 2011 video focuses on problems associated with urban sprawl in USA, with a particular focus on negative environmental and human health consequences.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vQEaGyESK6c

Duration: 2:47

Dr Brendan Williams from University College, Dublin, looks at the problems of urban sprawl and examples of inner-urban renewal in Dublin.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tLjhSon0Ltw

Duration: 10:10

Made in 2014, this video focuses on the Brazilian city of Curitiba which has been highly regarded for decades for its extensive public transport system. The video focuses on the architect, planner, governor and mayor who was largely responsible for major ecodesign initiatives in Curitiba: ‘the city is not the problem, it is the solution’, he says.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VJbfQj0sNIg

Duration: 11:14

Made in 2012, this video focuses on transformations in the old port city of Hamburg which made it Europe’s leading ‘green city’ in 2011.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pvAqzO4ANr4

This is a well-made 2010 video on the consequences of new forms of urban expansion in India. It calls for greater attention to the peri-urban interface, especially in countries with many marginalised, poor communities.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SExDPEi8ogM

Duration: 4:13

This is a video produced by the Financial Times on rapid urbanisation in China.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R9b1WwsSrNQ

Duration: 2:14

A Canadian TV broadcast from 2013 exploring the paradox that China is both the world’s biggest producer and consumer of coal and the biggest producer of renewable energy technologies.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mWGwsA1V2r4

Duration: 8:33

This powerful video shows the disastrous consequences for a vibrant New York neighbourhood of ill-conceived 1950s ‘urban renewal’ policies. It shows what can happen when urban planners lose sight of how communities work.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lid9ELzzT8Y

Duration: 18:21

Danish architect and urban designer Jan Gehl ‒ who played a critical role in reducing car dependency in Copenhagen ‒ delivers an entertaining talk about changing traditions and mindsets in urban planning.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b_DTnOzYTR4

Duration: 4:16

Something positive for a change: an animated presentation on clever ideas for making much more efficient and better use of the water that flows through urban environments.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uSjurs4ZnlM

Duration: 1:20:21

This is a 2009 lecture by Chicago-based eco-architect Douglas Farr on the possibilities and pitfalls for sustainable urban design.