Abstract

Countries, regions and cities are increasingly recognizing their vulnerability and their (in)ability to withstand and respond to crises induced by global concerns such as climate change, finance, energy and general resource scarcity, terrorism and civil unrest. At this moment of deep crisis of our socio-political, economic and environmental subsystems, we gradually move beyond the myth of unlimited growth for all and the dominant paradigm of attempting to control change while maintaining the status quo; hopefully in many cases, we start planning for alternative futures.