Everything depends on structure, which is almost impossible to change, as all streets are public property, most of the rest is private and at high cost.

As an example, American cities , as opposed to Europe, have almost none public squares, those vital ingredient in all aspects. Cities should buy private corner land, to turn into piazzas of all sorts.

Any system can be deconstructed into four attributes they are, people, process, technology and information. Pearson and Bruce Schneier explain these attributes as change determinant factors of a system. As a system’s resilience can be defined in terms of its ability to adapt to a change, I believe that people, process, technology and information of a system shall explain its resilience to a change.

And, regarding environmental equity and ecosystem services, I believe the perception of ecosystem as a service is not right. I would recommend you to read about GARN, Global Alliance for Rights of Nature and the tragedy of eco-commons.

Useless omlications

For cities to be resilient and adaptive, they most have well structured governance system that will provide platforms for all stakeholders to be in the planning and management process. This will create confidence, equity and ownership in handling city issues by all urban stakeholders to achieve sustainability.

Try not to complicate. Try to simplify.

Environmental equity is a social problem majorly in urban societies. It is more than just an environmental science. As every citizen has the right to a healthy environment, urban governing bodies need to develop regulations that control the environmental impact (resource consumption from maintaining the micro climate to other comforts) by the affordable group of the society which leave the unaffordable group face the degraded environment along with urban renewal programs. At the same time, it is not just about mitigating the environmental degradation.

When we have almost impossible tasks to achieve our targets, we search for possible means to address our issues

I am sorry. nothing to do with planning. This is just running a place with very little possibilities' and conditions that change every few years.

Hey Stephen Poon

Good questions.

My understanding of resilience, sustainable rural development and smart cities:

Article Managing Rather Than Avoiding “Difficulties” in Building Lan...

Article China: A New Trajectory Prioritizing Rural Rather Than Urban...

Article Understanding China’s largest sustainability experiment: Atm...

You have to start with a good urban plan' if you want a good town. Otherwise its a waste of time. Rural planning is not "planning". Its suburbia time and time again' a waste of human intelligence and creativity' like a big isolated camp.

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/351066261_Developing_a_Holistic_Green_Urban_Meter_An_Analytical_Study_of_Global_Assessment_Tools_for_Urban_Sustainability