This journal has come a long way in the 30 years since the journal Computers and Urban Society first appeared in 1975, and subsequently evolved into the present title in 1980. Its mandate remains to focus on the development, application and enhancement of computer-based methodologies for understanding and improving environmental and urban systems. Looking back on the last 30 years, I think that it is honest to acknowledge that its contribution to understanding of the environment and urban systems has been mixed; yet the expert and clearly focused efforts of the current editorial team of Associate Editors 1 and Board members provides unambiguous evidence that it has now emerged as a leading international forum for significant research and policy applications. I believe that the journal is now firmly established as one of the top three journals in the area of geographic/geospatial information technology, which as many readers will be aware, was recently recognised by the United States Department of Labor as one of the fastest-growing, knowledge-based fields (Gewin, 2004).
These are exciting times. Yet there is still much to be done to develop the ideas, methods and techniques promulgated within the pages of this Journal into usable applications within the vast majority of public and private organizations. In looking forward to the next years, therefore, I would like to draw upon the discussion of Longley, Goodchild, Maguire, and Rhind (2005) in identifying a series of six 'grand challenges', which I think represent some of the greatest impediments to progress. The scale and pace of change in our understanding of environment and urban systems is without historical precedent: on the face of it, there seems good reason to anticipate that all of the grand challenges set out here might be overcome within the next five years.