This episode focuses on the concept of shrinking smart, a term which refers to strategies and approaches that are used by cities experiencing population decline to manage and adapt to their changing circumstances effectively.
To unpack this complex topic, we are joined by an expert in the field, Dr. Bozhidar Ivanov, an urban researcher and research project manager at Erasmus University Rotterdam. Bozhidar has dedicated his PhD to the topic, researching policy and planning alternatives to address urban shrinkage and population decline through cross-national comparative studies of approaches from Spain, Germany and the Netherlands.
Instead of trying to reverse population loss, this strategy emphasises adapting to it by optimising resources, infrastructure and services to fit the smaller population. How can we turn population decline and its associated challenges into opportunities? Can cities be ‘successful’ without a focus on growth?

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