The fourth wave of climate urbanism: a research agenda for urban climate justice amid right-wing populism
Abstract Right-wing populist backlashes are emerging against climate actions in Global North cities. Simultaneously, discontent grows over socially disconnected climate agendas, further enabling populist support. These intertwined dynamics create a complex socio-political backlash that undermines urban climate measures and broader demands for climate justice. We argue that we are entering a fourth wave of research on climate urbanism that calls for an inward reflection on injustices and an outward engagement with backlash.
Authors
- Neelakshi Joshi (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8947-1893)
- Mahir Yazar (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8863-6024)
- Fayola Jacobs
Institutions
- University of Minnesota (US)
- Leibniz Institute of Ecological Urban and Regional Development (DE)
- University of Bergen (NO)
Publication Details
- Journal
- npj Urban Sustainability
- Published
- 2026-04-16
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1038/s42949-026-00385-2
- Primary Topic
- Climate Change Communication and Perception
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 0.00
Funders
- Leibniz-Gemeinschaft