Sustainable Tropical Cities: A Scoping Review of Multidisciplinary Methods for Urban Planning

Abstract

Most studies of urban sustainability are characterised by traditional approaches focusing on environmental aspects. These studies often neglect the influence of issues such as governance, society, culture, and geography. Multidisciplinary contributions remain poorly understood in this field, although evidence suggests that regional, geographical and socio-cultural factors are essential in shaping sustainable urban planning. Following Arksey and O'Malley’s (2005) scoping approach to literature reviews, this article provides a mapping technique and a scoping review to show the extent and nature of applied methodologies in the field of urban sustainability. The paper finds that there is a global need for sustainable urban planning through innovative multidisciplinary approaches. The paper calls for an accelerated knowledge creation in the field of urban development based on climate-classifications, socio-economic information, and locational characteristics. It particularly notes the need for research in the Tropics where distinct socio-economic dynamics and climate conditions have specific impacts on sustainable urban planning.