In renowned journal Nature, Timon McPhearson (associate professor of urban ecology at The New School in New York) and colleagues stress the significance of urban research. The marginal role of researchers in the United Nations Habitat III conference causes McPhearson and his peers to state that "urban research is disparate, marginalized and ill-prepared to interact effectively with global policy".
The authors advocate a five-step plan to further develop the field and impact of urban research:
Form a global urban scientific body, spread knowledge and institutions globally, boost funding for urban research, support transdisciplinary research and synthesis and improve access to science-policy arenas.
The article is concluded with the statement that "[i]t is imperative to scale up urban research and foster a scientific leadership to direct and critique global urban policymaking."
The full article is available on Nature's website.