Galina Churkina
How do cities shape the planet, and how can we shape cities for a sustainable future? This book explores how urbanization drives global environmental change and how cities function as dynamic ecosystems within the Earth system. Connecting urban ecology, Earth system science and socio-environmental thinking, it provides the knowledge and perspective to understand cities not just as challenges but as critical spaces for innovation and change. From air and water systems to energy flows, biodiversity, and climate impacts, it offers clear frameworks, real-world case studies, and tools for analyzing urban ecosystems and their impacts across scales. Written in accessible language, the book is for both physical and social scientists working in urban ecology, urban planning and sustainability. It will equip advanced students, researchers and professionals with the knowledge and tools to reimagine cities as critical hubs of resilience and sustainable innovation.