City-systems: A new development strategy to promote a new economic paradigm

Abstract

City system is usually shaped by the prevailing development model. Since current development model is un-sustainable in the long term - because of the raw materials price volatility and furthermore because of its huge impacts on the environment, – it is clear that a new development model is needed. Thus, in this paper we analyze the role of city-systems in order to promote such new development paradigm, highlighting that its real implementation depends not only on legislative framework and technological improvements, but it is mainly a matter of values, a matter of culture. Finally we identified a possible evolution path which considers “western cities” (Europe, North-America, Japan and some selected in the Middle East) as key entrance point and the most fertile location for really starting a new development paradigm implementation.