ARCS 8.0 : 8th-10th February ’24
School of Human Settlements, XIM University is organizing “Annual Research on Cities Summit (ARCS) 8.0 :International Conference on Future of Sustainable Urbanism in the Global South” from 8 – 10 February 2024
The 8th Annual Research on Cities Summit focuses on experiences, initiatives and insights into urban sustainability efforts in the cities of the Global South. SDG 11 – developing sustainable cities and communities – clearly flags the importance of greening cities in achieving global sustainability. Moreover, sustainability transitions are most urgent in cities of the global South, which are likely to take the brunt of the physical, economic and social consequences of climate change. Over 60 percent of the areas projected to be urban by 2050 are in these parts of the world; 30 of the existing 40 megacities are in the South, and more are set to emerge in the next decade. Urban areas in the South are thus pivotal in the efforts toward global sustainability; greening urbanism in the Global South will be crucial in addressing the broader sustainability challenge.
Policies, strategies, and technologies for sustainability transitions in the global South are frequently shaped by the experiences and expertise of the global North, mediated through vectors like consultants, development organizations, or knowledge networks. This one-way transfer overlooks the varied implications when these practices intersect with the distinctive realities of Southern urbanism. Global strategies for sustainability, such as compact cities, green spaces, renewable materials, green transportation, circular economies, or blue-green planning, may encounter unique challenges in Southern contexts, given the pressing issues like poverty eradication, affordable housing, access to basic amenities, and governance capacity.
On the other hand, local values, practices, and perspectives that shape the understanding and vision of sustainability in Southern contexts are frequently marginalized in global epistemic networks and policy discourses. This dynamic illuminates the need to focus on local ideas, perspectives, and initiatives in these contexts to pay attention to how Southern cities respond to sustainability challenges. It also prompts inquiry into how global sustainability discourses are adapted or innovated locally and the emerging outcomes. Acknowledging the unique challenges these cities face and the innovative solutions they develop in response, including a potential resurgence of traditional sustainable practices, is vital. This Conference therefore seeks to elicit work that documents, explores, and critically examines sustainability efforts in Southern contexts.