On the road to urban sustainability: identifying major barriers to urban sustainability in Iran

The pursuit of urban sustainability in developing countries is frequently impeded by substantial structural and developmental challenges, rendering it an elusive goal. This study aims to recognize and tackle the barriers that impede the realization of urban sustainability in Iran. Through the utilization of the Grounded Theory (GT) foundation database and a two-round Delphi survey, the study revealed that four major themes serve as the principal barriers to urban sustainability in Iran. These four are the developmental barrier, knowledge barrier, planning system barrier, and institutional barrier. Among the barriers, the results revealed that the planning system barrier is a significant challenge to urban sustainability in Iran. The barrier is shaped by a rentier political economy, a centralized and top-down structure, a strong reliance on central government policies, a notable gap between knowledge and practice in urban planning, and inconsistencies between national and local policies. These factors collectively contribute to the detrimental impact of the planning system barrier on the achievement of urban sustainability in Iranian cities. Our study underscores the necessity of reforming regarding the identified barriers, particularly the planning system to embrace collaborative approaches, incorporating constructive measures to attain urban good governance and integrated urban management. This is particularly crucial in regions characterized by a centralized planning and governing system to promote urban sustainability.