Social-Ecological Urban Systems: Insights 2026

Social-Ecological Urban Systems are at the forefront of the global challenge of balancing human well-being with ecological integrity in an era of accelerating change Cities and urban regions are complex adaptive systems, formed through the dynamic interplay of social, ecological and technological elements. Understanding these interactions, and the feedback that emerges between human activities, ecosystem processes and environmental change, is essential for addressing urgent global issues such as climate adaptation and mitigation, biodiversity loss, environmental justice and sustainable development. In line with the mission of the Social-Ecological Urban Systems section, the aim of this Research Topic is to showcase key advances that deepen our understanding of urban systems as integrated social-ecological entities, while also highlighting innovative pathways towards resilience, sustainability and equitable transformation.We welcome submissions that address the following themes, amongst others:• Conceptual and theoretical innovations that deepen our systemic understanding of urban social-ecological dynamics.• Quantitative analyses and modelling of urban system states and trajectories, including scenario development, spatial analytics, and integrative socio-ecological metrics.• Climate change resilience and adaptation in urban contexts, including transformative governance and planning strategies.• The impacts of urbanisation on ecological processes, biodiversity, human health, ecosystem services and well-being.• Emerging methodological approaches that leverage big data, remote sensing, citizen science and participatory frameworks to elucidate social-ecological linkages.• Transdisciplinary insights that bridge science, policy and community engagement to create sustainable and equitable urban futures.Submissions should emphasise the interactions and feedback between the social and ecological components of urban systems and contribute to theoretical and practical advances in the field. The Social-Ecological Urban Systems section of Frontiers in Environmental Science welcomes Original Research articles, Review articles, Case Studies and Methodological contributions. Topic editors: Dagmar Haase Source: https://www.frontiersin.org/research-topics/78815/social-ecological-urban-systems-insights-2026