‘Urban Resilience’ as a New Policy Paradigm for Achieving Sustainability in Istanbul

Abstract

Cities face increasing challenges such as environmental degradation, biodiversity loss, natural hazards, climate change, social inequality, urban sprawl, and traffic congestion. These issues create vulnerable urban forms and communities unless resilience is embedded into planning processes. This paper argues that resilience is essential for achieving sustainability and that spatial planning must adapt to ecological uncertainty and complexity. It discusses how urban resilience theory can be integrated into sustainable planning practices and how it relates to urban sustainability. Istanbul, Turkey’s largest metropolitan area and cultural and economic hub, is used as a case study to illustrate the potential and challenges of adopting resilience as a guiding paradigm for sustainable urban development.