Introduction

The profound impact of human activity on terrestrial ecosystems over the past centuries has prompted a re-evaluation of the traditional criteria for classifying geological time. The concept of the Anthropocene as a new planetary era has gained increasing traction in academic and extra-academic circles, offering a framework for understanding the transformative effect of human action on the Earth, and challenging the traditional distinction between natural history and human history. Although there is a lack of consensus regarding the stratigraphic validity of the term and its hypothetical starting point, with the International Union of Geological Sciences voting in 2024 against including the Anthropocene in the Earth’s official geological timeline, the global process of urbanisation has undoubtedly played a pivotal role in a discernible dynamic of global transformation. The United Nations predicts that by 2050 almost 70% of the world’s population will reside in urban areas. Yet there is no end in sight to the growth of cities. This is a fact that deserves more than mere statistical attention. As Robert E. Park (1967), one of the founding fathers of urban sociology, observed a century ago, in making cities man has remade himself. Our life chances and choices are increasingly shaped by urban conditions. Having normative references for them is as important as having scientific data and technical tools. Despite the recent emphasis in modern territorial studies on the relativisation of the conventional urban/rural divide, the socio-political gap between cities and the countryside has re-emerged with particular force in many Western societies. This is evidenced by the rise of populist movements which seek to address perceived neglect and abandonment of rural areas, the unbalanced distribution of the costs associated with the “green transition”, and the defense of more traditional social values. It is therefore imperative that greater attention be paid to the conditions of justice in urban areas than has hitherto been the case. This is because they not only affect the opportunities of city dwellers, but also reflect the complex interactions of urban environments with the living conditions in other areas.