The smart city paradigm, a focus of local governments for over a decade, aims at harmonizing urban growth with sustainability and enhancing citizens' quality of life. This paradigm, evolving since the early 2000s, has shifted from a technology-centric to a more citizen-centric approach, emphasizing sustainable and eco-friendly practices and inclusive governance. With ongoing urbanization, cities face increasing demands for resources, necessitating new governance models. The smart city concept has evolved to address these challenges, initially emphasizing technology's role in optimizing urban systems, later shifting towards citizen engagement and sustainability. However, climate change, exacerbated by urbanization since the Industrial Revolution, poses new challenges to this paradigm. Cities are now pivotal in promoting decarbonization and energy transition. This special issue, originating from the 2022 Bozen conference, explores smart cities in a climate-neutral scenario, focusing on urban sustainability. It includes seven contributions discussing smart city challenges and adaptations for policymakers in decarbonization and environmental sustainability. The issue examines various aspects, from technology and governance to social justice and energy transition, and emphasizes the importance of interdisciplinary approaches in creating sustainable urban environments. It concludes with insights on the complexity of smart cities, the role of local governance, data ownership, and climate management, highlighting the need for interdisciplinary research and innovation in developing resilient cities.

The text delves into the sociological aspect of social distance, defining it as a subjective perception that significantly influences human relationships. It outlines how social distance is not merely about the physical space between individuals but also encompasses the degree of intimacy and confidence shaped by cultural, gender, and personal preferences. The sociological journey of this concept traces back to the works of Park and Burgess, who built upon the ideas of Tarde and Simmel, showcasing its prevalence in examining the nuances of human relationality. Social distance is portrayed as a critical factor in urban settings, such as neighborhoods, where it can dictate the strength and duration of relationships beyond familial ties.

In addressing these multifaceted implications of social distance, the text advocates for an integrated approach to mitigate inequalities and foster social cohesion. It emphasizes the need for collaborative efforts across sectors and levels of governance to address structural barriers and promote equality.