The challenges facing us in urban growth and development are varied. Poor decisions can have far-reaching consequences. It is critical to get policy development and investment in these areas right.
Economics cuts through this complexity, by applying economic principles, methodologies and tools (including microeconomics and behavioral economics) to analyse urban challenges and opportunities. Our urban economics team assists decision makers to:
Analyse commercial and community value from investment in urban projects
For example, analysing and quantifying the costs and benefits from investment in grey, human and blue-green infrastructure to improve liveability & health outcomes
Understand the impact of behaviour and incentives
This could include understanding the behavioural impacts of interventions aimed at improving environmental outcomes
Evaluate the impacts of policy, regulation, infrastructure investment pricing and funding
For example, understanding who benefits and who should pay for investment in urban canopy and other green infrastructure
Understanding how economic value can be created through resilient decision-making
This might be investigating the value from flexible and adaptative investment and pricing pathways that can respond to uncertainties such as drought, long-term climate & population growth
Learn more at our page on Urban Growth and Development, or visit our In Focus sections on Liveability and Resilience.
