Italian Cities in Transition: A Critical Assessment of Socio-Ecological Change

Urban areas stand at the heart of today’s socio-ecological crisis. They are major contributors to environmental degradation and social inequality, consuming the bulk of global energy, producing most greenhouse gas emissions, and concentrating the effects of unsustainable development. Yet cities are also emerging as key arenas for transformation, where new governance arrangements, economic models, everyday practices, and civic engagements can foster more sustainable and just futures.

This Research Topic investigates Italian cities' pivotal role in confronting intertwined ecological and social challenges. The expansion of global capitalism and market-driven logics has deepened inequalities across territories and populations. At the same time, the accelerating climate crisis has made the shift toward sustainable ways of living and governing more urgent than ever. Urban contexts, where degradation, exclusion, and innovation often intersect, offer fertile ground for rethinking the pathways of socio-ecological change.

In Italy, cities of all sizes, from large metropolitan centers to medium-sized towns and small urban municipalities, are addressing these challenges in diverse and often uneven ways. At the same time, they serve as laboratories of experimentation, where novel policies, civic initiatives, and collective imaginaries are being tested to advance sustainability and social justice.

This Research Topic calls for theoretical and empirical contributions that critically assess how Italian cities are navigating the socio-ecological transition. We particularly welcome work that engages with the complex interplay of actors, policies, and practices at micro (individual and household), meso (community and institutional), and macro (structural and policy) levels. Submissions should explore the tensions, contradictions, and possibilities emerging across different urban contexts as they respond to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), especially those related to sustainable cities and communities (SDG 11), climate action (SDG 13), reduced inequalities (SDG 10), and responsible consumption and production (SDG 12).

Submissions may include original research articles, reviews, policy analyses, and case studies that explore the role of governance strategies, public-private collaborations, and technological advancements in fostering sustainable urban development. All submissions must align with the theme of this Research Topic and adhere to the journal’s rigorous publication standards.

This Research Topic welcomes theoretical contributions, empirical analyses, and case studies that explore a range of themes related to urban sustainability in Italy, including:

• Novel forms of entrepreneurial and economic activities in transitioning cities
• Urban governance strategies for socio-ecological transitions
• Sustainable mobility, transport justice, and the transformation of public space
• Local food systems, food democracy, and urban food policies
• Civic engagement, grassroots innovation, and participatory planning practices
• Urban inequalities, socio-spatial marginality, and environmental justice
• The role of mid-sized cities and the “Italy-in-between” in shaping transition pathways
• Circular economy policies and visions for post-growth urban futures
• Changing lifestyles, consumption patterns, and ecological awareness
• Territorial disparities and the dynamics of internal and peripheral urban areas
• Comparative and historical perspectives on sustainability transitions in Italian cities

Keywords: Urbanization. Socio-ecological Crisis. Innovation. Climate Crisis. Climate Action.

Important note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.