Building upon previous work of the International Resource Panel on Decoupling Natural Resource Use and Environmental Impacts from Economic Growth, this report examines the potential for decoupling at the city level. While ...

This note draws on the findings of the United Nations’ expert panel on natural resources – the International Resource Panel (IRP) – to highlight some key policy-relevant messages on how sustainable management of natural ...

The report presents the first assessment of the resources required at a global scale for the coming wave of urbanization. Using material flow analysis, the analysis of urban form and city organization, the assessment of ...

The case studies here presented demonstrate issues of concern and solutions for the sustainable management of natural resources across sectors, and the positive impacts policy and other interventions towards decoupling can ...

These cases were selected to showcase innovative and visionary approaches to sustainable infrastructure change across a broad range of contexts, and are intended to demonstrate the abundance of options available that could ...

We have a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to shift future urbanization on to a more environmentally sustainable and socially just path. The Weight of Cities suggests a new approach to focus on low-carbon, resource-efficient, ...

The International Resource Panel was established in 2007 to provide independent, scientific assessment on the sustainable use of natural resources and the impacts of resource use over the full life cycle.

Air pollution is a global killer and predominantly an urban one, responsible for about 7 million premature deaths worldwide each year. Air pollution by particulate matter (PM) in cities can be reduced through system-based ...

Global economic production is now concentrated in cities. Some 80% of global GDP is produced in cities on just 2% of the land surface, though cities depend on the flow of resources from near and far. Cities have been growing ...

The rapid growth of urbanization signals a significant demographic shift that will change the way people live and the way our human settlements function. New infrastructure and systems are needed to support the growing ...