Rapid population growth and inadequate adherence to scientific and managerial principles in urban planning have intensified numerous challenges, pushing major Iranian cities toward instability. Tehran, as the capital and one of the most urbanized regions in the country, faces significant sustainability threats that require immediate attention. These challenges are not unique to Tehran but represent a broader issue faced by rapidly urbanizing cities worldwide, particularly in developing countries. Addressing such challenges is critical to fostering sustainable development on a global scale. While urban sustainability has been extensively studied, limited research has focused on the indicators of urban instability and their tangible impacts on sustainable urban planning. This study aims to bridge this gap by identifying and analyzing key factors contributing to urban instability across economic, environmental, and social dimensions, with Tehran serving as a representative case. The findings reveal that economic instability is driven by uncertainty in economic policies, fluctuating housing prices, non-standard housing conditions, income disparity, unemployment, and cost of living pressures. Environmental instability is exacerbated by climate change, urban heat islands, floods, transportation mismanagement, energy insecurity, pollution, and insufficient green infrastructure. Social instability arises from limited social interaction, unequal access to services, weak community participation, social harms, and diminished urban safety and welfare. By framing these local challenges within a global context, the study underscores the interconnectedness of these dimensions and highlights the necessity for integrated, evidence-based approaches that combine local insights with global best practices. The findings aim to contribute to the broader discourse on sustainable urban development by offering actionable insights and strategies that can be adapted and implemented in other rapidly urbanizing cities. This research serves as a guide for policymakers, urban planners, and stakeholders worldwide, emphasizing the importance of holistic and resilient urban strategies to address the multifaceted challenges of sustainability and instability.

During property renovations, sustainability is increasingly playing a crucial role in reducing environmental impacts, utilizing resources efficiently, and improving the quality of living environments. In our research, we examined the environmentally conscious thinking of potential clients for sustainable renovations, including their requirements for materials, which encompass enhancing energy efficiency, the importance of waste reduction, the significance of using alternative energy, and the application of eco-friendly, durable, and local materials. According to the results of our quantitative survey, respondents recognized the importance of sustainability considerations and expressed their commitment towards energy-efficient and eco-friendly solutions, although costs and payback periods continued to be decisive factors. We found that advocates of sustainable property renovations in our sample displayed environmentally conscious characteristics, and environmentally conscious consumers are willing to spend more for significant and long-term results. As part of our research, we conducted in-depth interviews with real estate agents and general contractors to understand sustainability considerations in the decision-making process of property renovations. The key lesson from the interviews was that buyers can be segmented into different groups, with those prioritizing environmental awareness being of significant importance. Based on the findings, sustainability is increasingly coming to the forefront in property renovations. Thus, our publication offers a detailed insight into market trends and practices.

The mining industry significantly impacts the three pillars of sustainable development: the economy, the environment, and society. Therefore, it is essential to incorporate sustainability principles into operational practices. Organizations can accomplish this through knowledge management activities and diverse knowledge resources. A study of 300 employees from two of the largest mining corporations in South Kalimantan, Indonesia, found that four out of five elements of knowledge management—green knowledge acquisition, green knowledge storage, green knowledge application, and green knowledge creation—have a direct impact on the sustainability of businesses. The calculation was determined using Structural Equation Modelling (SEM). However, the study also found that the influence of collectivist cultural norms inhibits the direct effect of green knowledge sharing on corporate sustainable development. The finding suggests that companies operating in collectivist cultures may need to take additional measures to encourage knowledge sharing, such as rewarding employees for sharing their expertise on green initiatives, supportive organizational culture, clear expectations, and opportunities for social interaction.

This research conducts a comparative urban analysis of two coastal cities with analogous tourism models situated in distinct geographical regions: Balneário Camboriú in Brazil and Benidorm in Spain. The study delves into two critical urban phenomena impacting the sustainability of tourist cities, utilising social network data to gather insights into economic and urban activities (Google Places) and spatio-temporal patterns of citizen presence (Twitter). The spatial analysis explores the municipal and, to a more detailed extent, the coastal strip extending 500 m inland from the coastline, spanning the entire length of each city to their municipal boundaries. The analysis uncovers both similarities and differences between the two destinations, offering insights that could inform future development strategies aimed at fostering sustainable urban environments in these well-established coastal tourist areas.

Increasing number of smart cities, the rise of technology and urban population engagement in urban management, and the scarcity of open data for evaluating sustainable urban development determines the necessity of developing new sustainability assessment approaches. This study uses passive crowdsourcing together with the adapted SULPiTER (Sustainable Urban Logistics Planning to Enhance Regional freight transport) methodology to assess the sustainable development of smart cities. The proposed methodology considers economic, environmental, social, transport, communication factors and residents’ satisfaction with the urban environment. The SULPiTER relies on experts in selection of relevant factors and determining their contribution to the value of a sustainability indicator. We propose an alternative approach based on automated data gathering and processing. To implement it, we build an information service around a formal knowledge base that accumulates alternative workflows for estimation of indicators and allows for automatic comparison of alternatives and aggregation of their results. A system architecture was proposed and implemented with the Astana Opinion Mining service as its part that can be adjusted to collect opinions in various impact areas. The findings hold value for early identification of problems, and increasing planning and policies efficiency in sustainable urban development.