Sustainable cities: problems of integrated interdisciplinary research

This paper explores the problem of integrated interdisciplinary research in the field of sustainable cities. The problematique of urban sustainability is studied in the historical and international context. Current research in the field is reviewed, and major gaps in interdisciplinary analysis are identified. The paper makes first steps towards the development of an innovative methodology for the analysis of interdisciplinary linkages among various sustainability dimensions in the urban context. The dimensions taken into consideration are: sustainable energy, sustainable transport, material flows and waste management, quality of life, health, psychology of interaction with the environment, green space, biodiversity, preservation of the natural and cultural heritage, landscape architecture, ecodesign and democratic participation. Two large European cities, London and St Petersburg, are analysed from the point of view of integrative policies and instruments applied in the field of sustainable urban development. The two cities are compared using a panel of sustainability indicators.