Sustainability transitions in existing cities

My submission focuses primarily on a sustainability transition for Australia’s existing cities – in particular its capitals – which continue to be the principal focus for accommodating population growth. A forecast doubling of capital city populations by mid 21st century requires greater focus on urban infill and on how Australian cities can be retrofitted in a manner that is regenerative: enhancing liveability while shrinking ecological, carbon and urban footprints. It draws on Transitions research that I have led over the past 25 years as a Chief Research Scientist at CSIRO (until 2007) and then Research Professor in Sustainable Urbanism at Swinburne University (while connected with all six national urban research networks: CRC for Low Carbon Living, CRC for Spatial Information, CRC for Water Sensitive Cities, AHURI, AURIN and Sustainable Built Environment National Research Centre).