The urgency of adapting urban areas to the increasing impacts of climate change has prompted the scientific community to seek new approaches in partnership with public entities and civil society organizations. In Malaysia, Penang Island has developed a nature-based urban climate adaptation program (PNBCAP) seeking to increase urban resilience, reduce urban heat and flooding, strengthening social resilience, and build institutional capacity. The project includes a strong knowledge transfer component focused on encouraging other cities in the country to develop and implement adaptation policies, projects, and initiatives. This research develops a model adopting the most efficient processes to accelerate the transfer of knowledge to promote urban adaptation based on the PNBCAP. The methodology is developed based on a review of literature focused on innovation systems and change theories. The integration of success strategies in adaptation contributes to informing the creation of solutions around the alliance of local, state, and national government agencies, scientific institutions, and civil society organizations, in a new framework designated the Malaysian Adaptation Sharing Hub (MASH). MASH is structured in 3-steps and will function as an accelerator for the implementation of urban climate adaptation policies, with the target of creating 2 new adaptation-related policies to be adopted annually by each city member, based on knowledge gathered in the PNBCAP. It is concluded that, to speed up urban adaptation, it is necessary to reinforce and promote the sharing of knowledge resulting from or associated with pilot projects.

More and more urban studies researchers and students are using images. This choice often stems from the need to illustrate, analyse and understand territories and urban phenomena. This contribution seeks to demonstrate, on the basis of examples drawn from scientific productions in Greater Lomé, how the photographic approach makes it possible to apprehend the urban phenomenon. Three forms of image use can be identified in the documents consulted. On the one hand, images are a source of data to support information received through observation. On the other hand, photography is a technique for collecting metadata which, when triangulated with several sources, enables a query to be answered. Finally, the diachronic and chronological analysis of images of a social reality enables us to detect the visible and the invisible in order to take a critical look at the social world and the dynamics of social relationships.

This research article examines the relationship between the level of social welfare expenditure and economic growth rates, based on unbalanced panel data from 38 OECD countries covering the period from 1985 to 2022. Four hypotheses are formulated regarding the impact of social expenditure on economic growth rates. Through multiple iterations of regression model building, employing various combinations of dependent and independent variables, and conducting tests for stationarity and causality, compelling empirical evidence was obtained on the negative influence of social welfare spending on economic growth rates. The study takes into account both government and non-governmental expenditures on social welfare, a novelty in this field. This approach allows for a detailed examination of the effects of different components on economic growth and provides a more comprehensive understanding of the relationships. The findings indicate that countries with high levels of social welfare spending experience a slowdown in economic growth rates. This is associated with increasing demands on social security systems, their growing inclusivity, and the escalating required levels of financing, which are increasingly covered by debt sources. The research highlights the need to strike a balance between social expenditures and economic growth rates and proposes a set of measures to ensure economic growth outpaces the indexing of social expenditures. The abstract underscores the relevance of the study in light of the widespread recognition of the necessity to combat inequality, poverty, and destitution, and calls on OECD countries’ governments to pay increased attention to social policy in order to achieve sustainable and balanced economic growth.

This study aims to analyse the impact of Brexit on London’s housing market, exploring socio-economic and regional disparities. By examining property transaction data from 2012 to 2022, the research seeks to understand how Brexit has influenced real housing prices across different boroughs of London. The methodology involves aggregating transaction data from the Her Majesty (HM) Price Paid database and normalizing prices using the Consumer Price Index (CPI) to obtain real price variations. These data were segmented into three distinct periods: pre-Brexit (2012–2016), post-plebiscite Brexit (2016–2019), and post-implementation Brexit (2020–2022). Spatial analysis was conducted using the software Quantum Geographic Information System (QGIS), transforming point data (postcodes) into polygonal data (wards) for better visualization and comparison. The findings reveal significant socio-economic impacts, with traditionally affluent areas such as Westminster, Kensington, and Chelsea experiencing notable declines in real housing prices. Conversely, certain outer boroughs like Newham and Barnet showed resilience, with positive real price variations despite decreased sales. This geographical disparity underscores the uneven distribution of Brexit’s economic consequences, highlighting the critical role of localized economic policies and development projects in mitigating adverse effects. The results confirm existing literature on the polarization and regional inequalities exacerbated by Brexit while providing new insights into the complex interplay of local and global factors affecting housing markets. The findings emphasize the need for targeted policy interventions to address the diverse challenges posed by Brexit, ensuring both affluent and disadvantaged areas receive adequate support. This research is crucial for informing public policy, urban planning, and housing market strategies in a post-Brexit context, promoting equitable and sustainable development across London.

China is currently at a critical juncture in implementing the rural revitalization strategy, with urbanization and tourism development as crucial components. This study investigates 41 counties (cities) in the Wuling Mountain area of central China, constructing an evaluation system for the coordinated development of these two sectors. The coupling coordination degree is calculated using a combination weighting method and the coupling coordination degree model. Spatio-temporal evolution characteristics are analyzed through spatial autocorrelation, while the geographic detector explores the driving factors of spatial variation. The findings reveal a significant increase in coupling coordination between urbanization and tourism, transitioning towards a coordinated phase. Spatially, urbanization and tourism exhibit positive correlations, with high-value clusters in the southeast and northwest and low-value clusters in the south. The geographical detector identifies industrial factors as the most critical drivers of spatial variation. This study offers novel insights into the dynamics of urbanization and tourism, contributing to the broader literature by providing practical implications for regional planning and sustainable development. The results are relevant to the Wuling Mountain area and serve as a reference for similar regions globally. However, the study has certain limitations, such as regional specificity and data availability, which should be considered in the context of this research.

In recent decades, the redevelopment of waterfronts in global cities has become a focal point for large-scale real estate investments, often driven by neoliberal policies. These projects, characterized by the increasing involvement of state agencies, aim to transform obsolete industrial areas into lucrative spaces for tourism, commerce, and luxury living. This article scrutinizes the intricate dynamics of state-led waterfront re-development, through the lens of Istanbul’s Galataport project. It analyzes the multifaceted dimensions of the transformation process, shedding light on the historical backdrop, socio-political underpinnings, and economic imperatives that have shaped the development of Galataport from 2002 to 2022. Through a comprehensive analysis of primary sources, including governmental reports, policy documents, and scholarly literature, the article accentuates the pivotal role of the state and state actors in orchestrating the transformation of Istanbul’s urban landscape. Furthermore, it examines the implications of the Galataport project on urban governance and socio-cultural and spatial dynamics. It concludes that the central government pursued a speculative entrepreneurial approach in the Galataport project, clearing various legal obstacles while neglecting public interest. This case study takes the first step towards a comprehensive critical re-evaluation of the recent urban development/governance model to contribute to a nuanced understanding of contemporary urban/waterfront development paradigms in Türkiye and similar geographies.