Call for papers

Background: De Montfort University (DMU) launched its new Research and Innovation Institutes on 31^st March 2025. The Institute for Sustainable Futures brings together researchers from engineering, architecture, materials science, social sciences and physics to deal with global challenges to sustainability, with a special emphasis on Sustainable Cities and Communities (SDG 11) for which DMU has been designated as the Chair of SDG Hub by the UN.

The Institute has identified two flagship areas of research – Building for a greener future for all and Engineering for a resilient future. In line with its strategy for strengthening research partnerships and collaboration, the Institute is organising a two-day conference in September 2025 in Leicester on   greener and resilient cities and communities.

We are living in a vulnerable, uncertain and complex world. The climate emergency requires urgent attention to decarbonisation, but in the post-COVID economic environment and against the backdrop of the continuing conflicts and geopolitical uncertainties around the world, the focus has shifted to resilient systems. A sustainable future now requires mitigating economic and climate crises while building community resilience. Cities, as the engine of economic prosperity, need urgent, ambitious actions for the transition to a secure, liveable and sustainable future for all.

The purpose of the conference is to

1. Ponder over the emerging vulnerabilities of cities and communities arising from complex interactions and influences of geopolitics, climate change, economic order and social conditions.  
2. share local, regional and global strategies, best practices and plans for building resilience against these issues;
3. Explore opportunities for collaboration, networking and co-creation of proposals for future work.

Key themes

We are inviting original, unpublished and novel papers in the following thematic areas:

1. Resilient urban infrastructure, communication and network systems: Urban infrastructure (buildings, transport networks, and utility infrastructure such as energy, water, sewerage and communication) is facing threats from the climate change, security concerns and even economic and social uncertainties. How exposed are the urban infrastructure to natural and man-made vulnerabilities? How well-prepared is the urban infrastructure system to face such challenges? What are transferable practices and lessons that cities can share? How is infrastructure resilience managed and governed? How willing are the users to pay for a more resilient system? How can infrastructure resilience interact with resilience of communities? 
2. Resilient, livable and sustainable cities and communities: Wellbeing of residents of cities and in communities is of paramount importance for sustainable development.  How exposed are communities and cities to economic shocks arising from geopolitical or natural stresses? What approaches do cities use to plan and manage vulnerabilities? Are these inclusive and equitable?  How are communities affected as a consequence? How do they turn around? What experience and best practices can be shared? How cities could improve resilience as a co-benefit of decarbonisation process? Are there resilience roadmaps for cities? How are they making process towards resilient cities by 2030?

Papers are expected to focus on one of the above themes and can present theoretical, empirical and policy-oriented perspectives. Case studies, comparative analysis, tools and frameworks are also welcome.

All papers would be included in an open access conference proceeding to be published at the time of the conference. High quality submissions will be considered for developing one or more special issues of the following journals.

1. Global Decarbonization: https://www.globaldecarbonisation.com/
2. Research and Reviews in Sustainability: https://sustainability-journal.com/
3. Green Technology & Innovation: https://accscience.com/journal/GTI

Authors of selected papers will be invited to expand and develop their papers following the journal quality and presentation requirements. Journals have their own review and editorial processes, which will have to be adhered to,

Important dates:

1. Abstract submission deadline: Please send a structured abstract by 15^th June (5pm UK time) via conference website. The abstract should include the following: purpose, methodology, main findings and recommendations and should not exceed  300 words.
2. Notification of acceptance of the abstract: 30^th June 2025.
3. Submission of full papers: 15th August (5pm UK time) – Full papers with a word limit of 3000 words (counting all words between introduction and conclusion, including those in tables and footnotes) would be required by this date. The submission should be camera ready and free of any errors.
4. Acceptance of full papers: Notifications will be sent by 31^st August 2025.
5. Conference event: 4^th and 5^th September (to be confirmed)

Contact information: For any queries, please contact Prof. Subhes Bhattacharyya, Director of the Institute for Sustainable Futures at Subhes.bhattacharyya@dmu.ac.uk.