Social-ecological transformation in cities in Asia

The report advocates for 'social-ecological transformation' in Asian cities—defined as the simultaneous pursuit of social justice and ecological protection—to meet global climate targets. It emphasizes the need for inclusive decision-making and structural shifts in the built environment, transport, and public participation sectors to move beyond short-term projects toward long-term sustainability.

• The report defines 'social-ecological transformation' as societal processes of change that address social and ecological issues simultaneously rather than in opposition, and asserts that these transformations are necessary to achieve global climate and development targets in Asian cities.
• Social-ecological transformation in urban settings requires the active participation of citizens who are typically excluded from decision-making, specifically youth, women, girls, and slum dwellers.
• The report identifies three critical sectors for driving social-ecological transformation: transport, public participation, and the built environment. Within the built environment, priorities include integrating energy efficiency into new construction, providing affordable and secure housing with climate adaptation for informal settlements, and implementing nature-based solutions instead of relying only on concrete infrastructure.

APA

Stockholm Environment Institute (2020). Social-ecological transformation in cities in Asia. https://www.sei.org/publications/social-ecological-transformation-in-cities-in-asia/

Chicago

Stockholm Environment Institute. Social-ecological transformation in cities in Asia. 2020. https://www.sei.org/publications/social-ecological-transformation-in-cities-in-asia/.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Stockholm Environment Institute |title=Social-ecological transformation in cities in Asia |date=3 December 2020 |url=https://www.sei.org/publications/social-ecological-transformation-in-cities-in-asia/ |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{stockholmenvironmentinstitute2020socialecological, author = {{Stockholm Environment Institute}}, title = {{Social-ecological transformation in cities in Asia}}, institution = {Stockholm Environment Institute}, year = {2020}, month = dec, url = {https://www.sei.org/publications/social-ecological-transformation-in-cities-in-asia/}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }