This contribution aims to connect to the reflection on the relationship between sustainability and urban spaces. From a theoretical point of view, cities have been represented as autopoietic spaces that fully embody the criticalities and dynamics of the Anthropocene and, as a consequence, that possess endogenous energies for regeneration. In this sense, Covid-19 broke into history and catalyzed the reflections and strategies of urban regeneration. Having clarified these aspects, the contribution, through analysis of official documents and the bibliography, intends to critically focus on the impact that the EU Next Generation Plan has on the dynamics of urban regeneration and sustainability and to address, as a case study, the transformative dynamics of the city of Amsterdam, already initiated before the pandemic.

This special issue of AIMS Geosciences, "Conflicts and landscapes: toward a new Anthropocene?", sought to explore, from a geographical and transcalar perspective, how conflict affects the transformation of landscapes. Focusing on contemporary challenges and criticalities, through the many case studies collected, this special issue offers a critical and timely reading of the identified issue and stands as a first step in a reflection to be continued.