Global Scans · Cities · Weekly Summary

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WHAT'S NEXT?: Smart cities are the talk of the town right now and so they should be to cope when over 60% of us will live in cities by 2030. E-bikes, Driverless- connected vehicles, buildings that talk to each other will help but many cities are susceptible to climate change and pandemics. Explore the issues faced by cities and the new ideas that will change the way urban dwellers live in the 21st century.

• [New] By 2050 the number of megacities will grow to 37, with Dhaka becoming the world's most populous city, at an estimated 51.1 million residents. Federal Statistical Office
• [New] Atlantic City could experience up to 178 flood days annually by 2050. Yahoo News
• [New] Cities adopting MaaS could see a 20% reduction in transportation-related carbon emissions by 2030, thereby improving air quality. Avenga
• [New] By 2050, rising sea levels will threaten over 800 billion people in 570 cities around the world, and rising average summer temperatures of over 95 F (35 C) will threaten 1.2 billion people. The Dirt
• [New] Cities could benefit enormously from AI-enabled, real-time Air Quality Decision Support Systems (AQ-DSS) that integrate industrial, vehicular, agricultural, biomass, meteorological and satellite data to enable predictive governance rather than reactive firefighting. Hindustan Times
• [New] Two-thirds of global population growth by 2050 will take place in cities and will be concentrated in seven countries: India, Nigeria, Pakistan, Democratic Republic of Congo, Egypt, Bangladesh, and Ethiopia. The Joint Research Centre: EU Science Hub
• [New] Cities that invest in green infrastructure, cultural preservation, and accessible travel experiences will be better positioned to thrive in the coming years. Travel And Tour World
• [New] Expected commercially around 2028, 6G will deliver immersive, cloud-based AI-enabled communications across smart cities, autonomous vehicles, and industrial IoT systems. aipix.ai
• [New] Under Saudi Vision 2030, Riyadh is building new infrastructure with AI integration as a core design principle - leapfrogging the slower, incremental upgrades typical in older, denser cities. Context
• [New] Many American cities and counties have been experimenting with a novel concept: Giving financially vulnerable residents free money every month without expecting anything in return. Business Insider
• [New] Autonomous Vehicle Expansion: Waymo plans to grow from 5 cities to 20 cities by 2027, representing 400% expansion in under three years. Futurist Speaker on AI Leadership, Future of Work, Futu
• [New] Adoption of driverless vehicles in major cities could result in a reduction of up to 34% of the total carbon emissions from transportation by 2050. The Conversation
• [New] In the U.S., Alphabet-owned Waymo operates more than 2,500 vehicles and is expanding rapidly from major cities in California to Texas and Florida, with plans to enter London in 2026, following its first overseas venture in Tokyo. CNBC
• [New] Tier-II and Tier-III cities, projected to contribute 45% of India's GDP by 2030, present scalable opportunities for early investment in utilities before unplanned expansion occurs. Prop News Time
• [New] Starting in fall 2026, high school students in Alexandria could ride DASH buses for free under a new plan by city and school staff. FOX 5 DC
• [New] When Beijing and Shanghai are 90 minutes apart, or Los Angeles to San Francisco is just 43 minutes, the boundaries between cities will dissolve, giving rise to seamless mega-regions. International Defense Security & Technology
• [New] China's Sponge Cities, which incorporate permeable surfaces and green spaces that capture, filter, and store water, reducing flood risks and promoting water reuse, are an excellent example of how Green Cities can improve climate resilience. Future Cities - Africa Green Building Summit 2025
• [New] The number of people living in the world's cities is expected to increase by half (from 4.5bn to 6.7bn) by 2050. Future Cities - Africa Green Building Summit 2025
• [New] As cities push for greener transportation, expect to see more people swapping cars for e-bikes in 2025. Velosock Bike Covers
• [New] Expect widespread disruption to local transportation as well - metro lines, buses, and trams in cities such as Lisbon and Porto will run greatly reduced services, if at all. The Traveler
• [New] Singapore has been ranked 6th in Resonance Consultancy's World's Best Cities List for 2026, standing out among 270 global cities across 34 indicators. BestCities Global Alliance

Last updated: 13 December 2025