Editorial: Sostenibilidad, energía y ciudad

Abstract

A large part of the world's population lives in urban areas, and the number of people living in cities is expected to reach 6 billion by 2050, which will place a high demand on resources, making a global energy transition necessary. This transition of urban areas will have to be comprehensive. It will involve not only a change in energy sources but also a change of habits to ensure sustainability for the development of future generations. At present, energy generation from fossil fuels continues to power cities; however, it is becoming increasingly clear that renewable energies are the path to a sustainable future, so it is necessary to promote energy autonomy in urban environments. On the other hand, the uncontrolled generation and disposal of urban waste is a problem that has been generated due to rapid urbanization and population growth; this lack of waste management planning makes cities unsustainable. Therefore, implementing the circular economy concept in urban areas is proposed to boost sustainability. It is also shown that cities and their regional environment face new social and environmental challenges that are inextricably linked to the economy. In this sense, Indoamerica Technological University organized the 2nd Congress on Sustainability, Energy, and City to promote the comprehensive sustainability of intermediate cities in the short, medium, and long term. Finally, we invite you to read the articles in this edition of the magazine Cienciamérica where some reflections and debates on the sustainable management of resources in intermediate cities are made.