GEMCC 653Sustainability Transitions in Cities

Sustainability is a multi-faceted and ever-changing collection of aspirations that weaves together environmental integrity, economic prosperity and social equity. The transition to more sustainable cities is both fraught with challenges, including the legacy of unsustainable infrastructure and deeply entrenched habits, but also exciting opportunities and potential for innovation. In this course, we explore the challenge of urban sustainability transitions through a systems lens, exploring the technologies, governance models, values, and behaviours that might trigger and accelerate the transition. We look around the world for compelling examples of sustainability transitions in practice, from Malmö to Melbourne, and apply the lessons we learn to the Canadian context.