A regenerative sustainability framework: examining regenerative sustainability principles, practices, and potential for urban sustainability transformations

Transforming cities towards sustainable futures is urgent. However, dominant piecemeal and technocratic approaches to advancing sustainability in cities are insufficient for addressing the scale and complexity of urban sustainability transformations required. The emerging paradigm of “regenerative sustainability” holds promise for disrupting business-as-usual practices, including the systems and structures that perpetuate unsustainable pathways in cities. As interest in regenerative sustainability grows, there is a pressing need for greater conceptual clarity, as well as a deeper understanding of its principles and implications for urban transformation. This review examines how “regenerative sustainability” is defined, discussed, and applied in the literature. A systematic approach to locate relevant literature and thematic analysis identified principles and practices that underscore regenerative sustainability. The principles emphasise that regenerative sustainability is underscored by holistic and integrated worldviews (Principle 1); emerges through dynamic processes (Principle 2); is situated and place-based (Principle 3);and ultimately enhances collective flourishing for all life (Principle4). Key practices associated with regenerative sustainability include systems, futures, circular, relational and participatory, and nature-based approaches. Drawing on these findings the paper proposes a novel “Regenerative Sustainability Framework” and offers the following definition: Regenerative sustainability is underscored by holistic worldviews and emerges through collaborative, context sensitive processes that support the ongoing capacity for all human and non-human life to flourish, now and in the future. Discussion explores the potential regenerative sustainability offers for urban sustainability transformations and identifies opportunities to strengthen research, policy, and practice, including a more explicit focus on equity and justice.