The task of developing sustainable, inclusive, and egalitarian human settlements is one of our time's defining priorities, especially in the Global South. As cities continue to absorb tremendous population expansion (Mashamaite) and climate constraints intensify (Mathonsi et al.), the importance of this effort becomes increasingly obvious. However, this difficulty goes beyond the technical aspects of urban planning and building (Ntakana et al.). It necessitates a profound rethinking of how we construct, administer, and live in our cities—one that prioritizes fairness (Shongwe et al.), participation (Mvuyana), and human dignity together with environmental care. This calls for the centering of human settlements development in the broader picture of the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

This first Research Topic on the dynamics of sustainable, inclusive, and equitable human settlements brings together articles that address a wide range of issues. Human ills such as poverty, homelessness, inequitable resource access, and the importance of governments around the world moving beyond housing provision to comprehensive and innovative ways of achieving sustainable human settlements in accordance with SDG 11 (Hinostroza-Martinez et al.).

Informal settlement upgrading, especially in the developing countries, is an important theme of this Research Topic, and key considerations that shape how informal settlements are upgraded form a meaningful contribution to the discourse and practice. The shift from neglect and exclusion of informal housing typologies to upgrading and regularization has gained prominence in different parts of the globe with the need for managing migration pressures that exacerbate the plight of the poor to access adequate human settlements. The access to relevant funding options for housing proves to be a hindrance for many low-income households to secure decent housing (Mgidlana et al.). Affordability of housing loans from banks remains out of reach for many poor households, and the need for governments and other developmental partners in the developing world to invest in a sustainable funding model to turn around this reality is great.

This volume also argues that successful, inclusive and sustainable human settlements require the agency of social actors (Rasoulzadeh Aghdam et al.) in the design and implementation of interventions. The importance of revisiting planning approaches and adopting the imperatives of transformation and decolonization (Buttner et al.) as a means of developing settlements that are people-owned (Qumbisa et al.), contextually relevant and enhance their aspirations.

The employment of technology to enhance sustainable human settlements is emboldened with the utilization of tools and approaches such as the Dignified Design Assessment Tool (Brisson et al.). Despite the difficulties of designing and developing sustainable housing that encourages healing and thriving, Dignified Design has become a popular and empirically backed method, particularly in the low-cost housing sector. Dignified Design is a methodology that promotes the health and wellbeing of permanent supportive housing (PSH) end users, acknowledging that modern living is stressful and that the built environment may play an important role in supporting psychological and somatic regulation.

The growing climate-induced disasters such as floods have necessitated the need not only to address contributors to the problem such as greenhouse gas (Mashamaite) emissions but also to address the designing and enhancement of human settlements to be climate resilient. Advances in technology present a big opportunity to help communities to adapt to climate-friendly economic activities (Rasoulzadeh Aghdam et al.). These editorial underscores the need to balance the pursuit of economic growth with sustainability concerns.

It can be drawn from the different contributions to this subject that a shift to sustainable, inclusive, and equitable human settlements is neither easy nor certain. Nonetheless, the scientific data, empirical case studies, and the lived experiences of communities around the world are increasingly illuminating new paths ahead. There is a collective responsibility for scholars, policymakers, practitioners, and community members to commit to these transitions with urgency, humility, and a firm commitment to justice. In doing so, we uphold not only our present commitments but also the rights and aspirations of future generations.