Bridging governance and sustainability in the Global South: NGO-led urban transition pathways in Mashhad, Iran

Urban areas in the Global South face growing challenges of centralized governance, rapid urbanization and environmental degradation, which demand more inclusive and sustainable planning approaches. This article investigates how civil society organizations, particularly professionally oriented NGOs, can influence urban governance and contribute to sustainability-oriented transitions. The study examines the case of CharTabaqeh, a non-governmental organization in Mashhad, Iran, that contested the construction of the Southern Beltway and played an important role in the policy process that ultimately contributed to the project's transformation into the Mountain Park. Drawing on document analysis and observation, the research adopts a qualitative case study approach. The findings reveal that CharTabaqeh acted as a transition intermediary by creating participatory spaces, mobilizing citizens, and connecting community concerns with formal decision-making processes. The organization also promoted a shift toward more sustainable and resilient urban development by advocating for the preservation of ecological assets and the development of public green space in place of a car-oriented infrastructure project. Moreover, the NGO's strategic use of digital platforms during the COVID-19 pandemic facilitated civic mobilization, strengthened coalitions and amplified advocacy efforts at local and national scales. These results demonstrate that NGOs can act as catalysts of sustainable urban transitions by bridging community interests with policy processes, reframing development trajectories and leveraging digital technologies within centralized governance contexts.