Résumé
Paul Chatterton is Professor of Urban Futures at the University of Leeds and one of the UK's leading voices on post-carbon cities, community-led housing, and grassroots climate action. Over more than three decades he has worked at the boundary between academic research and real-world change, producing knowledge through action and returning it to the communities who need it most.
His books Unlocking Sustainable Cities (Pluto Press, 2019) and How to Save the City (Agenda, 2023) offer accessible guides for the transformations we urgently need, and have been widely adopted by practitioners, activists, and policymakers across the UK and beyond.
Paul has worked with communities, local authorities, national governments, and international organisations to develop actionable pathways towards zero-carbon, socially just urban futures. He believes that another world is not only possible; it is necessary.
Research
Paul's research centres on post-carbon urban transitions, community-led housing, co-production, and the political economy of sustainable cities. He has led major funded programmes including Climate Action Leeds, a city-wide climate mobilisation project backed by UKRI, and the Leeds Co-Production Lab, which developed alternatives to neoliberal urban governance. His earlier work pioneered the concept of autonomous geographies and post-capitalist urban commons. His publications span Nature Sustainability, Progress in Human Geography, Transactions of the Institute of British Geographers, Antipode, and many others. He has supervised over 20 PhD students and holds visiting positions at institutions across Europe.
Career Timeline
Research Career Begins
Began doctoral research exploring urban politics, social movements and the possibilities of post-capitalist city-making — laying the foundation for three decades of activist scholarship.
University of Leeds
Joined the School of Geography at the University of Leeds, where he would go on to become Professor of Urban Futures and one of the UK's leading urban researchers.
Autonomous Geographies
Pioneered the concept of autonomous geographies and post-capitalist urban commons, influencing a generation of radical geographers and urban scholars worldwide.
LILAC Co-Housing Opens
Co-founded LILAC (Low Impact Living Affordable Community) in Leeds: the UK's first affordable ecological co-housing project, using innovative straw-bale construction and a Mutual Home Ownership Society model.
Leeds Community Homes
Co-founded Leeds Community Homes, a community land trust working to create permanently affordable housing and challenge the extractive housing market.
Unlocking Sustainable Cities
Published with Pluto Press — a manifesto for real change that became widely adopted by practitioners, activists, and policymakers across the UK and beyond.
Climate Action Leeds
Led the UKRI-backed Climate Action Leeds city-wide mobilisation, engaging 8,700+ people around a shared zero-carbon goal and producing the Leeds Doughnut Economics Portrait.
Leeds Co-Production Lab
Directed the Leeds Co-Production Lab, developing alternatives to neoliberal urban governance through deep community partnership and participatory action research.
How to Save the City
Published with Agenda — a guide for emergency action bringing three decades of research into a handbook for communities, campaigners and local governments.
Degrowth and Decoloniality
Current research explores doughnut economics, degrowth and decoloniality, published in Local Environment and leading international journals. Continuing to supervise the next generation of activist-scholars.
Community & Activism
Paul is as committed to activism as to scholarship. He co-founded LILAC (Low Impact Living Affordable Community), the UK's first affordable ecological co-housing project in Leeds, which pioneered the Mutual Home Ownership Society model. He co-founded Leeds Community Homes, a community land trust, and is Chair of Kirkstall Valley Development Trust. Through Climate Action Leeds he helped mobilise over 8,700 people around a shared goal of zero carbon by the 2030s and produced the Leeds Doughnut Economics Portrait. He is also a co-founder of the Remaking Places Interdisciplinary Research Network.
Academic Profiles
Let's Work Together
Interested in research collaboration, media appearances, or community engagement? Get in touch.
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