ABOUT US

UrbanEmerge was founded in 2017 to help cities, regions and organisations  tackle social, economic and environmental challenges through practical and sustainable solutions, delivering nearly 100 projects to a wide range of clients. 

 

Three guiding principles define our work and our vision of sustainable development:

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Inclusive | access + good governance + agency

In a world of deepening inequality and fractured trust, decisions are still too often made without the people and ecosystems most affected by them.

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We see inclusion as starting from everyday realities: whose needs are considered when strategies are written, when services are designed and when infrastructure is planned. 

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We believe that integrating diverse perspectives – across gender, ethnicity, age,

disability, income and geography – uncovers a broader range of risks and opportunities, improves strategic direction and develops products and services that work in practice rather than on paper.

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Inclusive planning and governance help maximise positive impacts, minimise

unintended harms and build shared ownership of change.

 

Ecological | climate + ecology + waste

Environmental debates have rightly focused on climate change, but a truly sustainable future also depends on the health of soils, forests, oceans and the ecosystems that sustain life - a system that is both resilient and regenerative is

key.

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We envision a world where we regenerate, rather than deplete natural systems – using regenerative agriculture and nature‑based solutions to better protect our rivers, coasts and urban green space.

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This means understanding how decisions on energy, industry, food, buildings and transport affect ecosystems over time, not just in the next budget cycle.

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As ecological thinking is embedded into economic and social choices, it underpins greater resilience, food and water security and the wellbeing of current and future generations.

 

Circular | design + process + behaviour

Linear “take–make–waste” models are driving resource scarcity, pollution and rising costs for businesses, cities and households. Circular economies instead keep materials and value in use for as long as possible, through better design, reuse, repair, recycling and new service‑based business models.

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We focus on circularity as a practical design approach – rethinking products, processes, supply chains and behaviours so that economic activity regenerates our planet rather than depleting its resources.

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With a circular economy mindset and the right tools and approach, governments, investors and companies can cut emissions and waste, create

new jobs and markets, and build more resilient

local and regional economies.