Half the global population lives in urban areas today, and two-thirds is expected to live in cities by 2050. The need for quality information that addresses the complex challenges of urban communities is growing rapidly.
Making Communities More Sustainable
Island Press makes the experience and expertise of those working to build healthy, livable, and sustainable urban communities available to all. Knowing that climate change and urban population growth will shape our communities today and well into the future, we develop knowledge on how to design and implement plans that will not only address the challenges we can anticipate—such as more powerful storms, affordable housing needs, and sea-level rise—but also serve the community sustainably for generations to come.
Our Approach
Through a partnership with the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), we create online continuing education courses for USGBC members based on select Island Press books. As a result, we are delivering important ideas and solutions a network of 193,000 LEED professionals. View all the courses here.
Island Press also connects people with ideas through our Sustainability Knowledge Network (SKN). SKN brings fresh thinking directly to local stakeholders who need access to new ideas about reaching their sustainability goals. We match the needs of urban communities with Island Press experts who can apply their global knowledge to local challenges. Collaborating with local and regional partners, we organize small roundtables, in-depth discussions, workshops, and other activities. Visit our events page to see what’s coming up in your area.
Our new urban resilience initiative is identifying gaps in knowledge, discovering new thought leaders, and developing solutions-oriented information. We are identifying effective ways for cities to become more multimodal, green, healthy, sustainable, resilient to climate change, inclusive, and just. Click here to read more.
Notes from the Field
Dr. Jennifer Green wrote to us to say:
“I am currently in the throes of teaching a [University of Vermont] winter term course entitled “Careers in Sustainability.” Between The Guide to Greening Cities (thank you Julia, Sadhu and Steve – what a great textbook!), last year’s Grist articles, and The Guide to Greening Cities companion website’s videos and interviews, I’m having a wonderful time sharing your work and experience with the next generation of sustainability coordinators. Thank you for being such an inspiration.”
See our work on urban resilience highlighted in Bounce Forward, a strategy paper funded by The Kresge Foundation.