"Name any problem that concerns humanity and the city is the crucible where you will find it bubbling away," writes SFI Distinguished Professor Geoffrey West in a guest article about cities.
"But cities – and megacities in particular – whose emergence was recognized [in November] by the World Economic Forum’s Global Agenda Councils as one of the most significant trends for 2014, also represent our best hope for finding solutions to these enormous challenges since they are the cauldrons of innovation, ideas and wealth creation," West continues. "Thus, an urgent challenge of the 21st century is to understand cities, and by extension megacities – those urban areas with populations exceeding 15 million.
West describes SFI's work to develop a "Science of Cities" and calls for greater attention to the growth and diversity of urban centers.
Read West's article in CNN.com's CNNWorld blog (November 15, 2013)