Professor Vanesa Castan Broto

Faculty of Social Sciences

Professor of Climate Urbanism

A profile picture of Vanesa Castàn Broto
Profile picture of A profile picture of Vanesa Castàn Broto
v.castanbroto@sheffield.ac.uk
+44 114 222 7942
The Wave

Full contact details

Professor Vanesa Castan Broto
Faculty of Social Sciences
The Wave
2 Whitham Road
Sheffield
S10 2AH
Profile

Vanesa joined the Urban Institute in September 2017, following her appointment as a Professorial Fellow in the Faculty of Social Sciences. Her research has been funded by the British Academy, Leverhulme Trust, ESRC, EPSRC and the Institution of Civil Engineers.

In 2016 she received the Philip Leverhulme Prize for contributions to Geography. In 2013 she received a United Nations Award for Lighthouse Activities that contribute to fight climate change with a focus on the urban poor.

Research interests

Vanesa’s research focuses on the governance of global environmental change in the urbanization age. She focuses on three interrelated themes: 1) the governance of climate change in urban areas; 2) urbanization and the dynamics of energy transitions; and 3) barriers to the implementation of climate change action.

The first strand of her research focuses on who governs climate change in urban areas and how. For example, she has mapped her contributions to the field in the 2017 article “Urban Governance and the Politics of Climate Change†(in World Development) in relation to both normative and critical strands of thinking about urban governance for climate change. Vanesa has also made direct contributions to international policy, for example, as a lead chapter author for .

The second strand of her research focuses on the dynamics of energy transition. Following her engagement with urban infrastructure as a means to understand climate change policy, she is developing a feminist neo-materialist perspective on the governance of energy transitions. Vanesa has imagined the concept of urban energy landscapes as spatial arrangements of cultural practices and artefacts that reflect the coevolution of socio-economic, technological, and ecological systems. This conception challenges broadly accepted notions of energy landscapes as the product of public perceptions of energy developments. A recent paper on “Energy landscapes and urban trajectories towards sustainability†(in Energy Policy) provides an overview of her work in this area.

The third area of her research focuses on developing practical ways to activate urban transformations and deliver climate action in practice. An example of this work is her . At the moment, Vanesa is engaged in a series of activities with local partners in Mozambique to rethink sustainable energy access in urban areas. An overview of her efforts to rethink sustainable energy access in an urbanization context is presented in a recent collective paper “Universal access to sustainable energy in urban areas†(in Nature Energy).

Publications

Books

  • (2025) CO-PRODUCTION OF KNOWLEDGE IN ACTION Emancipatory Strategies for Urban.
  • Castan Broto V & Westman L (2019) . London: Zed Books.
  • Castán Broto V (2019) . Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
  • Broto VC & Westman L (2019) . Zed Books Ltd.
  • Castán Broto V, Ensor J, Boyd E, Allen C, Seventine C & Augusto Macucule D (2015) . UCL Press.
  • Bulkeley HA, Broto VC & Edwards GAS (2014) An Urban Politics of Climate Change: Experimentation and the Governing of Socio-Technical Transitions. Abingdon: Routledge.

Journal articles

  • Castán Broto V, Gebreslassie MG & To LS (2025) . Environmental Research: Infrastructure and Sustainability, 5(4), 040201-040201.
  • Huang P, Castán Broto V & Westman L (2025) . Technology Analysis & Strategic Management.
  • Ruiz de Gopegui M, Olazabal M, Castán Broto V & McPhearson T (2025) . Urban Climate, 62.
  • Vallecha H, Gebreslassie M, Filli F, Hara C, Gogoda C, Assefa A, To LS, Kirshner J & Castán Broto V (2025) . Environmental Research: Infrastructure and Sustainability, 5(1).
  • Castán Broto V & Marvin S (2024) . Environment and Planning C: Politics and Space.
  • Huang P, Broto VC & Westman L (2024) . Environmental Innovation and Societal Transitions, 53.
  • Ruiz de Gopegui Aramburu M, Olazabal M & Broto VC (2024) . Journal of City Climate Policy and Economy, 2(3), 271-315.
  • Gebreslassie MG, Bekele G, Bahta ST, Mebrahtu AH, Assefa A, Nurhussien FF, Habtu D, Lake A, Broto VC & Mulugetta Y (2024) . Energy Research & Social Science, 117.
  • Castán Broto V, Olazabal M & Ziervogel G (2024) . Buildings and Cities, 5(1), 199-214.
  • McLaren DP, Anderson C, Barry J, Castán Broto V, de Cheveigné S, Chilvers J, Crowther A, Hupé J-M, Kalaugher L, Labussiere O , Rothery TL et al (2024) . Frontiers in Education, 9.
  • Dias SM, Castán Broto V, Cypriano B, Ogando AC & Gonçalves J (2024) . Environment and Urbanization, 36(1), 93-111.
  • Perry B, Castán Broto V, Patel Z & Sitas R (2024) . Planning Theory, 23(4), 423-445.
  • Castán Broto V, Westman L & Huang P (2023) . Buildings and Cities, 4(1), 973-989.
  • Dodds K, Taylor Z, Akbari A, Broto VC, Detterbeck K, Inverardi-Ferri C, Lee KO, Mamadouh V, Ramutsindela M & Woon CY (2023) . Territory, Politics, Governance, 11(8), 1519-1536.
  • Lobo J, Aggarwal RM, Alberti M, Allen-Dumas M, Bettencourt LMA, Boone C, Brelsford C, Broto VC, Eakin H, Bagchi-Sen S , Meerow S et al (2023) . npj Urban Sustainability, 3(1).
  • Delgado G, Castán Broto V & Mukesi T (2023) . Urban Planning, 8(2).
  • Westman L, Castán Broto V & Huang P (2023) . Global Environmental Politics, 23(2), 102-124.
  • Castán Broto V, Westman L & Huang P (2023) . Journal of Planning Literature, 38(3), 380-394.
  • Castán Broto V & Robin E (2023) . Landscape Research, 48(2), 165-173.
  • Späth P, Castán Broto V, Bawakyillenuo S & Pregernig M (2022) . Energy, Sustainability and Society, 12(1).
  • Simone A & Castán Broto V (2022) . City, 26(5-6), 771-790.
  • Olazabal M & Castán Broto V (2022) . Buildings & Cities, 3(1), 570-588.
  • Castan Broto V (2022) . Raumforschung und Raumordnung | Spatial Research and Planning, 80(4), 502-504.
  • Gebreslassie MG, Cuvilas C, Zalengera C, To LS, Baptista I, Robin E, Bekele G, Howe L, Shenga C, Macucule DA , Kirshner J et al (2022) . Energy, Sustainability and Society, 12(1).
  • Castán Broto V, Robin E & Whitehead T (2022) . Landscape Research, 48(2), 255-269.
  • Dodds K, Broto VC, Detterbeck K, Jones M, Mamadouh V, Ramutsindela M, Varsanyi M, Wachsmuth D & Woon CY (2022) . Territory, Politics, Governance, 10(2), 145-158.
  • Ruszczyk HA, Castán Broto V & McFarlane C (2022) . Geoforum, 131, 105-115.
  • Westman L & Castán Broto V (2022) . Antipode, 54(4), 1320-1343.
  • Westman L, Patterson J, Macrorie R, Orr CJ, Ashcraft CM, Castán Broto V, Dolan D, Gupta M, van der Heijden J, Hickmann T , Hobbins R et al (2022) . Ambio, 51, 1402-1415.
  • Waterton E, Broto VC, Fairclough G, Jones K & Watt LA (2022) . Landscape Research, 47(1), 1-9.
  • Castan Broto V (2022) . Journal of Urban Technology, 29(1), 87-93.
  • Castán Broto V, Ortiz C, Lipietz B, Osuteye E, Johnson C, Kombe W, Mtwangi-Limbumba T, Cazanave Macías J, Desmaison B, Hadny A , Kisembo T et al (2022) . Current Research in Environmental Sustainability, 4, 100179-100179.
  • Castán Broto V, Westman L & Huang P (2021) . Journal of the British Academy, 9s9(S9), 205-218.
  • Huang P, Westman L & Castán Broto V (2021) . Environmental Innovation and Societal Transitions, 41, 99-101.
  • Castán Broto V (2021) . The AAG Review of Books, 9(4), 1-3.
  • Broto VC (2021) . Environment and Urbanization, 33(2), 310-329.
  • Olazabal M, Chu E, Castán Broto V & Patterson J (2021) . One Earth, 4(6), 828-838.
  • Huang P, Westman L & Castán Broto V (2021) . Transactions of the Institute of British Geographers, 46(4), 900-916.
  • Ruiz-Campillo X, Castán Broto V & Westman L (2021) . Politics and Governance, 9(2), 17-28.
  • Davies AR, Castan Broto V & Hügel S (2021) . Politics and Governance, 9(2), 1-7.
  • Westman L & Castán Broto V (2021) . Local Environment, 26(5), 536-541.
  • Ghosh E, Friend R, Anderson KF, Castán Broto V, Tuniz J, Markkanen S, Vaughan L & Rusca M (2021) . One Earth, 4(2), 161-164.
  • Castán Broto V, Sudhira HS & Unnikrishnan H (2021) . International Journal of Urban and Regional Research, 45(4), 696-715.
  • Pihl E, Alfredsson E, Bengtsson M, Bowen KJ, Cástan Broto V, Chou KT, Cleugh H, Ebi K, Edwards CM, Fisher E , Friedlingstein P et al (2021) . Global Sustainability, 4.
  • Unnikrishnan H, B. M, Nagendra H & Castán Broto V (2021) . Urban Geography, 42(3), 263-288.
  • Castán Broto V & Robin E (2020) . Urban Geography, 42(6), 715-720.
  • Broto VC (2020) . Territory, Politics, Governance, 8(5), 599-603.
  • Huang P, Castán Broto V & Westman LK (2020) . Environmental Policy and Governance, 30(6), 306-318.
  • Castán Broto V, Mah D, Zhang F, Huang P, Lo K & Westman L (2020) . Urban Transformations, 2(1).
  • Castán Broto V & Westman LK (2020) . Wiley Interdisciplinary Reviews: Climate Change, 11(4).
  • Castán Broto V, Arthur MDFSR & Guibrunet L (2020) . Energy Research & Social Science, 65, 101478-101478.
  • Castán Broto V (2020) . Urban Studies, 57(11), 2371-2379.
  • Castán Broto V & Sanzana Calvet M (2020) . Journal of Political Ecology, 27(1), 279-299.
  • Castán Broto V (2020) . Territory, Politics, Governance, 8(2), 241-258.
  • Sawas A, Castán Broto V, Anwar NH & Rehman A (2020) . Community Development Journal, 55(1), 83-101.
  • Lo K & Castán Broto V (2019) . Global Environmental Change, 59.
  • Castán Broto V & Sudhira HS (2019) . Urban Studies, 56(11), 2261-2279.
  • Castán Broto V, Trencher G, Iwaszuk E & Westman L (2019) . Ambio: A Journal of the Human Environment, 48(5), 449-462.
  • Westman LK, Castán Broto V & Huang P (2019) . Political Geography, 70, 14-23.
  • Westman LK & Castán Broto V (2019) . Environment and Planning C: Politics and Space, 37(2), 277-297.
  • Castán Broto V, Baptista I, Kirshner J, Smith S & Neves Alves S (2018) . Applied Energy, 228, 645-655.
  • Castán Broto V & Neves Alves S (2018) . Environment and Urbanization, 30(2), 367-386.
  • Huang P & Castán Broto V (2018) . Environmental Innovation and Societal Transitions, 28, 35-45.
  • Mulugetta Y & Castán Broto V (2018) . Current Opinion in Environmental Sustainability, 30, 82-88.
  • Westman L & Castan Broto V (2018) . Global Environmental Change, 50, 212-221.
  • Huang P, Broto VC, Liu Y & Ma H (2018) . Journal of Cleaner Production, 180, 222-231.
  • Lopez-Navarro MA, Tortosa-Edo V & Castan-Broto V (2018) . Journal of Cleaner Production, 186, 22-33.
  • Castán Broto V & Baker L (2018) . Energy Research and Social Science, 36, 1-10.
  • Huang P, Castán Broto V & Liu Y (2018) . Energy Research and Social Science, 36, 156-164.
  • Castán Broto V (2018) . Climate Policy, 18(2), 170-183.
  • Guibrunet L, Sanzana Calvet M & Castán Broto V (2017) . Geoforum, 85, 353-367.
  • Castán Broto V & Westman L (2017) . Local Environment, 22(5), 635-650.
  • Castán Broto V (2017) . World Development, 93, 1-15.
  • Trencher G, Castán Broto V, Takagi T, Sprigings Z, Nishida Y & Yarime M (2016) . Environmental Science & Policy, 66, 353-365.
  • Castán Broto V & Dewberry E (2016) . Journal of Cleaner Production, 112, 3018-3027.
  • Castán Broto V (2016) . Journal of Environmental Policy & Planning, 18(5), 712-729.
  • Castan Broto V (2015) . Environment and Planning D: Society and Space, 33(3), 460-476.
  • Walsh CL, Glendinning S, Castán-Broto V, Dewberry E & Powell M (2015) . Futures, 67, 1-10.
  • Broto VC (2015) . ENVIRONMENT AND PLANNING D-SOCIETY & SPACE, 33(3), 460-476.
  • Boyd E, Ensor J, Broto VC & Juhola S (2014) . Global Environmental Change, 26, 140-151.
  • Castán Broto V, Glendinning S, Dewberry E, Walsh C & Powell M (2014) . Technological Forecasting and Social Change, 84, 186-196.
  • Powell M, Glendinning S, Castán Broto V, Dewberry E & Walsh C (2014) . Anthropology in Action, 21(2).
  • Bulkeley H, Castán Broto V & Maassen A (2014) . Urban Studies, 51(7), 1471-1486.
  • Bulkeley H & Castán Broto V (2014) . Contemporary Social Science, 9(4), 393-414.
  • Bulkeley H, Carmin J, Castán Broto V, Edwards GAS & Fuller S (2013) . Global Environmental Change, 23(5), 914-925.
  • Castán Broto V, Oballa B & Junior P (2013) . Local Environment, 18(6), 678-704.
  • Castán Broto V & Bulkeley H (2013) . Global Environmental Change, 23(1), 92-102.
  • Bulkeley H & Castán Broto V (2013) . Transactions of the Institute of British Geographers, 38(3), 361-375.
  • Castán Broto V (2012) . Local Environment, 17(8), 879-895.
  • Castán Broto V, Gislason M & Ehlers M-H (2009) . Environmental Science & Policy, 12(7), 922-933.
  • Doick KJ, Sellers G, Castan-Broto V & Silverthorne T (2009) . Urban Forestry & Urban Greening, 8(3), 163-178.
  • Castán Broto V (2009) . Sociology, 43(3), 573-579.
  • Castán Broto V, Carter C & Elghali L (2009) . Environmental Politics, 18(2), 279-286.
  • Castán Broto V, Osuteye E, Ortiz C, Lipietz B, Johnson C & Kombe W () . Ensayo: Revista de arquitectura, urbanismo y territorio(3), 165-185.
  • Romero-Lankao P, Rosner N, Brandtner C, Rea C, Mejia-Montero A, Pilo F, Dokshin F, Castan-Broto V, Burch S & Schnur S () . Nature Energy, 8(11), 1192-1198.
  • Castán Broto V & Kirshner J () . Nature Energy, 5(6), 419-421.
  • Fuso Nerini F, Tomei J, To LS, Bisaga I, Parikh P, Black M, Borrion A, Spataru C, Castán Broto V, Anandarajah G , Milligan B et al () . Nature Energy, 3(1), 10-15.
  • Castán Broto V, Salazar D & Adams K () . People, Place and Policy Online, 8(3), 192-207.

Book chapters

  • Qviström M, Luka N, Butler A, Castán Broto V, Doughty K, Garlick B, Hine A, Kirby M, Palang H, Scott A & Thompson-Fawcett M (2025) , A Research Agenda for Landscape Studies of Planning (pp. 179-186). Edward Elgar Publishing
  • Broto VC (2025) , A Research Agenda for Landscape Studies of Planning (pp. 45-58). Edward Elgar Publishing
  • Castan Broto V (2024) In Peake L, Datta A & Adeniyi-Ogunyankin G (Ed.), Handbook on Gender and Cities (pp. 226-236). Edward Elgar Publishing
  • Castán Broto V (2024) , Community Energy and Sustainable Energy Transitions (pp. 1-21). Springer Nature Switzerland
  • Castán Broto V (2024) , Community Energy and Sustainable Energy Transitions (pp. 71-93). Springer Nature Switzerland
  • Castán Broto V (2023) In Armiero M, Turhan E & de Rosa SP (Ed.), Urban Movements and Climate Change: Loss, Damage and Radical Adaptation (pp. 35-50). Amsterdam University Press
  • Ortiz C, Padan Y, Desmaison B, Mbabazi J, Rendell J, Castán Broto V, Isolo Mukwaya P & Kisembo T (2023) , The Routledge Handbook of Urban Design Research Methods (pp. 191-202). Routledge
  • Dodman D, Hayward B, Pellling M, Castan Broto V, Chow W, Chu E, Dawson R, Khirfan L, McPhearson T, Prakash A , Zheng Y et al (2023) In Pörtner H-O, Roberts DC, Tignor M, Poloczanska ES, Mintenbeck K, Alegría A, Craig M, Langsdorf S, Löschke S, Möller V , Okem A et al (Ed.), Climate Change 2022 – Impacts, Adaptation and Vulnerability: Working Group II Contribution to the Sixth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (pp. 907-1040). Cambridge University Press
  • Castán Broto V & Robin E (2023) , Handbook on Energy Justice (pp. 253-268). Edward Elgar Publishing
  • Castan Broto V, Westman L, Huang P & Robin E (2023) Just sustainabilities in a changing climate In Rice JL, Long J & Levenda A (Ed.), Urban Climate Justice: Theory, Praxis, Resistance (pp. 29-45). University of Georgia Press
  • Castán Broto V, Westman L & Ruiz Campillo X (2022) , Oxford Research Encyclopedia of Climate Science Oxford University Press
  • Castán Broto V (2021) In Lancione M & MacFarlane C (Ed.), Global Urbanism: Knowledge, Power and the City (pp. 219-226). Routledge
  • Rigon A & Castán Broto V (2021) , Inclusive Urban Development in the Global South (pp. 1-14). Routledge
  • Robin E & Castán Broto V (2021) , Inclusive Urban Development in the Global South (pp. 182-197). Routledge
  • Westman L & Castán Broto V (2020) , Climate Urbanism (pp. 83-95). Springer International Publishing
  • Castán Broto V, Robin E & While A (2020) , Climate Urbanism (pp. 1-11). Springer International Publishing
  • Robin E, Westman L & Castán Broto V (2020) , Climate Urbanism (pp. 15-30). Springer International Publishing
  • Castán Broto V, Robin E & While A (2020) , Climate Urbanism (pp. 243-252). Springer International Publishing
  • Levy C, Allen A, Castán Broto V & Westman L (2017) , Sustainable Cities in Asia (pp. 7-22). Routledge
  • Castán Broto V & Bulkeley H (2017) , Sustainable Cities (pp. 101-126). Apple Academic Press
  • Salazar D, Castán Broto V & Adams K (2017) , Environmental Justice and Urban Resilience in the Global South (pp. 259-276). Palgrave Macmillan US
  • (2015) , The Anthropology of Postindustrialism (pp. 15-35). Routledge

Preprints

  • Huang P, Castán Broto V & Westman L () .