Global Scans · Cities · Weekly Summary

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] The next chapter of urbanization will be defined not by ever-larger megacities, but by the rapid spread of smaller cities across the globe. Atlas of Global Development
• [New] Cities are the engine of global economic growth and offer greater economic opportunities, diversity in jobs, and more extensive infrastructure than rural areas. Atlas of Global Development
• [New] Global urbanization continues to accelerate with urban populations projected to reach 68% of the world's population by 2050, creating unprecedented demands on public transportation infrastructure and necessitating efficient automated ticketing solutions. Persistence Market Research
• [New] UAE / Saudi Arabia: Demand is projected to grow steadily, supported by smart city investments, mega events, and infrastructure expansion. FactMr
• [New] Just 79,000 new homes are projected for completion across capital cities in 2026, representing a 26% decrease from 2024 levels due to elevated construction costs, persistent labour shortages, and lengthy planning approval delays. openpr
• [New] Proven capability in Texas could expedite deployments in planned cities such as Phoenix, Miami, Orlando, Tampa, and Las Vegas during the first half of 2026. TESLARATI
• [New] In Mexico City, a boutique hotel will reinterpret the city hotel concept with bold design, a courtyard pool and a rooftop cocktail bar that draws the creative community. Stay Experience
• [New] Just as broadcasting platforms battle for viewers' attention, cities are fighting for visitors, investors, and global opportunities. cities-to-be
• [New] Under plausible warming scenarios by mid to late century, many German cities could see the number of extreme heat days more than double. The Traveler
• [New] As urban population density and traffic congestion in Taiwan major cities continue to intensify, the demand for congestion-bypassing urban air mobility solutions will grow proportionally with the severity of the surface transportation problem eVTOL addresses. Mobility Foresights
• [New] Government urban air mobility development programs, designated UAM corridor investments, and smart city infrastructure initiatives in Taiwan are providing institutional investment that de-risks private sector eVTOL ecosystem development. Mobility Foresights
• [New] Uber and Nvidia announced plans to launch L4 software-driven robotaxis across 28 cities by 2028. TIKR.com
• [New] Large City Suburban markets are projected to post 0.7% demand growth in 2026, up from 0.3% in 2025. / USA StayFi
• [New] North America's current high rate of urbanization (83.6%) is expected to rise even further. Science Publishing Group
• [New] By 2050 the number of megacities will grow to 37, with Dhaka becoming the world's most populous city, at an estimated 52.1 million residents. Federal Statistical Office
• [New] A European Innovation Council session on innovative procurement will illustrate how pre-commercial and innovation procurement can help cities test, adopt and deploy European solutions more rapidly. Regional and Urban policy
• [New] New York City will be prepared to send out notifications in 14 different languages to its 1.5 million public warning subscribers, as well as international visitors on the Everbridge app and WhatsApp channels. Yahoo Sports
• [New] Most American cities could resemble Phoenix in that way in under a decade. WCIV
• [New] Driven by rapid urbanization, ASEAN could face up to 120 days per year with temperatures above 35 °C by 2050, posing significant risks to human health, energy security, economic productivity, and climate resilience. ASEAN Centre for Energy (ACE)
• [New] Asia-Pacific will remain the engine of global infrastructure activity, accounting for more than half of total investment through 2050, propelled by urbanization, industrial expansion and rapid build out of power and digital networks. PwC

Last updated: 09 May 2026