Wanted: a Transdisciplinary Knowledge Domain for Urban Health.

Area of Science:

• Environmental Health
• Urban Studies
• Data Science

Background:

• Increasing urbanization generates vast data on global changes, but a disconnect exists between data access and comprehension.
• This gap hinders effective action on critical issues like urban health, despite advancements in data processing.
• Predictive modeling, while valuable, often relies on unverified assumptions and is data-intensive.

Discussion:

• Effective use of urban data necessitates a transdisciplinary approach, integrating academic research with non-academic stakeholders.
• Knowledge creation is shifting from disciplinary silos to collective action by diverse societal actors.
• Complexity science highlights the need to embrace uncertainty and rethink human agency in addressing urban challenges.

Key Insights:

• A new knowledge domain is needed, fostering convergence between researchers and urban stakeholders.
• Understanding urban health requires more than just data; it demands contextualized, integrated knowledge.
• Societal stakeholders are increasingly co-producing knowledge to tackle habitat, livelihood, and health challenges.

Outlook:

• Future research must focus on creating frameworks for synthesizing diverse knowledge for urban health.
• Developing methods to translate complex data into actionable insights is crucial for sustainable urban development.
• Embracing complexity and uncertainty is key to navigating future global changes and their impact on urban populations.