Creative connectivity between research and policy-making to support implementation of urban sustainability

It has been widely acknowledged that urban areas play a vital role in creating a Europe that is both sustainable and competitive, providing high environmental and social quality while at the same time being a pioneer region for economic and scientific innovation and creativity. Local governments therefore need to have access to latest technology and techniques developed through research, and in turn, research has to respond to the needs of local governments. During the past decade, numerous research projects, many of which have been funded through EU programmes, have produced a wealth of tools and instruments with a focus on sustainability. However, the potential of this wealth is not fully used, as many of these tools are hardly known by their target group, and thus not employed. This paper subscribes to integration between research and practice as not just a worthwhile aspiration but as a possible way of effectively implementing local sustainability.