Public goods, common pool resources and the city

The city is an experiment in multi-cellularity, relying for its success upon the creation and sharing of public goods and common pool resources.  Urban planning has to address the multiple objectives of a wide variety of individuals and the groups they form, achieving robust sustainability through partnerships that are widely viewed as rewarding initiative while maintaining equity.  New theory is needed to understand how to develop local cooperation, and then to scale up as cities grow, to achieve the collective good.  Relevant issues to be discussed will include insurance, pro-sociality, discounting, and collective decision-making.