A new report The 2030 Agenda: Sustainable Urbanisation and the Research-Policy Interface – Issues for the G20, authored by Edgar Pieterse, Susan Parnell and Sylvia Croese of the African Centre for Cities has just been released. The report commissioned by German development agency Giz,  investigates the apparent absence of urbanisation on the G20 agenda, which belies its importance in the global policy arena.

The report sets out conceptual framework on what sustainable urbanisation actually entails, illuminating in particular the imperative of a paradigm shift on infrastructure and urban form that will secure a common, inclusive future given the population expansion.

It explores what exists within the G20 by way of research policy capacity on global urban issues, with a particular focus on the engagement group Think 20 (T20).  Examples of G20 affiliated urbanisation research capacity are also explored to illustrate modes of improving research-policy interfaces and  itpresents an overview of an ideal research-policy interface highlighting the importance of the replication of research-policy interfaces to advance sustainable urbanisation, the role of National Urban Platforms, urban policy deliberation and the role of think-tanks as strategic intermediaries.

The report concludes that the G20 can better utilise existing knowledge and generate new multi-stakeholder ‘urban’ research within and beyond its borders, but especially in rapidly urbanising regions to support, enhance and promote multi-stakeholder interaction and knowledge exchange.

Download the full report here.