Database of keys

What is a sustainable and just city?

In a sustainable and just city, the economic, political and social choices which created unsustainable and unjust structures are put under the microscope. Sustainable and just city-makers examine the roots of injustice and ecological unsustainability. They actively and openly address the tensions between justice and sustainability. They don’t focus on fixing symptoms. They look at marginalisation and inequality, overconsumption and pollution. They address these challenges through honest and, at times, uncomfortable conversations. They shape their behaviours through the lens of justice and take concrete action, for example on climate adaptation and mitigation.

The 17 keys

The 17 keys help city-makers in this endeavour. These are elements which have the potential to unlock sustainable and just cities. They synthesise the knowledge collected throughout the project. To make them more accessible, we clustered the 17 keys under 4 adjectives which perfectly describe sustainable just cities: honest, caring, regenerative and informed.

Click on a cluster to explore:

1. Honest
2. Caring
3. Regenerative
4. Informed

Check out the keys poster, below, and take a look at the handbook for sustainable and just cities! It contains the keys in a nice sharable format.

10 drivers of injustice in the context of urban sustainability