SUME will provide an overview of the situation of urban growth at the European scale in WP 1 as well as at a more local scale of cities and neighbourhoods in WP 3. The research will use the background of a global perspective in which we will look at the different trends and drivers across Europe and include a number of case studies which are intended to provide a validation bed for the different research experiments being undertaken.

Looking at the European territory, the wide variety of urban growth patterns not only across European regions, but also across urban and metropolitan areas within the same region is evident. Despite all the recent demographic trends and migration flows, within an increasingly globalised world, Europe still maintains its own cultural identity. And yet, it is an identity made of diversities. Will it be possible to search for a European path to sustainable urban growth and rural enhancement in this context?

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Transforming urban planning policies and strategies towards sustainable metabolisms (WP 4)