Assessing the state of urban science in contemporary global policy debates

IUSSP Session at INED’s weekly seminar (Les lundis de l’Ined), on 20 March 2023 - Assessing the state of urban science in contemporary global policy debates

- Speaker: Sue Parnell, Professor of Human Geography at the University of Bristol and Emeritus Professor University of Cape Town.
- Discussant : Trudy Harpham, Emeritus Professor of Urban Development and Policy, London South Bank University.

Robust translational urban science, creating solutions to complex problems like gender inequality, climate resilience or disease prevention, is the foundation of effective global governance. Mid cycle in the 2030 Development agenda provides an opportunity to reflect on progress made and challenges posed by thinking about cities at the global level. Efforts to position the urban question in multi lateral platforms like the G7/G20 and the global health and climate agendas highlight the challenges for the ‘sector’ that must draw on desperate, often incommensurate, scientific traditions and make use of multiple science policy platforms. Given the centrality of cities in the 2030 vision of sustainable development the fragmented global urban science-policy interface needs urgent attention.