The range and intensity of desertification have risen and according to the IPCC now cover 46.2 percent of the worldwide geographical surface (0.8 percent) and are home to 3 billion people. This predicament coincides with unprecedented population expansion and urbanisation, with cities consuming 78 percent of global energy and producing more than 60 percent of greenhouse gas emissions, according to UN Habitat. The investigation of this panel is framed by the search for ecologically responsible urban and architectural development in environmentally challenged drylands  and other climate zones. This panel is complemented by featurettes of sustainable material advances presented by scientists and artists. The perspectives of practitioners, academics, and policymakers are explored further via the lens of inclusive urban development and equity in the design, planning, and maintenance of a true climate response to expanding urbanisation and it's accompanied eco-footprint.