SUSTAINABLE URBAN TRANSFORMATION THROUGH ECO-CITY DEVELOPMENT: THEORETICAL FOUNDATIONS AND COMPARATIVE PRACTICAL PERSPECTIVES

Abstract

Rapid urbanization, climate change and increasing pressure on urban resources have strengthened the need for integrated models of sustainable urban development. The article examines the eco-city as a multidimensional framework combining environmental protection, economic viability, social inclusion and digital governance. On the basis of a comparative narrative review, the study systematizes the theoretical foundations of eco-city development and summarizes international practices from Masdar, Reykjavik, Melbourne, Singapore, Amsterdam, Copenhagen, Utrecht, Helsinki, Barcelona, Bilbao, Pittsburgh and Boston. The results show that eco-city practice depends on renewable energy, low-emission mobility, resource-efficient infrastructure, smart monitoring, circular economy instruments and participatory urban governance. The article argues that eco-cities should be treated not as fixed models but as adaptive socio-ecological and technological systems whose effectiveness depends on institutional coordination, long-term investment and context-sensitive planning.