​Rapid urbanization is one of the defining challenges of the twenty-first century, with far-reaching economic, environmental, and social implications. While cities are engines of economic growth, they also concentrate pollution, waste-management challenges, and exposure to natural hazards. At the same time, population movements driven by conflict, economic shocks, or climate change intensify urban pressures by increasing demand for essential services and reshaping patterns of spatial and social segregation. The objective of this axis is to deepen our understanding of these dynamics in order to inform the development of resilient and inclusive cities.

 

Satellite data are indispensable for analyzing urbanization processes and population movements. High-resolution imagery enables the mapping of urban expansion, the analysis of land-use change, and the planning of sustainable urban development. Moreover, Earth-observation satellites from programs such as Copernicus Programme provide critical information on infrastructure, natural-hazard exposure in urban areas, and forced migration by mapping refugee camps and tracking population flows.