Global Scans · Cities · Weekly Summary

• [New] Israel is under growing international pressure to agree on a ceasefire, including from its top ally and arms supplier, the United States, and faces mounting calls to refrain from a threatened offensive against the teeming southern Gaza city of Rafah. EWN
• [New] In the European Union, BEVs reached a 43% sales share among city buses in 2023, demonstrating clear progress towards the proposed target of 100% of city bus sales being zero emissions vehicles (ZEVs) by 2035. IEA
• [New] With climate change making smog and bushfires more common, it's likely more people will die from air pollution in coming years - especially in densely populated cities. CodeBlue
• [New] The Kenya Urban Roads Authority partially closed four roads that were heavily affected and warned of flooding on two others. CNN
• [New] Many stakeholders, including health care providers and the World Health Organization's Age-Friendly Cities Project, endorse ageing in place as a tactic to improve older adults' quality of life and decrease healthcare costs. Public Health Studies
• [New] The City of New Orleans was recently awarded $398,500 from the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Compost and Food Waste Reduction Program to increase the capacity of local composting organizations that will make it more accessible for residents. NOLA.gov
• [New] Many cities and areas worldwide are developing strategies for managing the risks of climate change and sea-level rise. ScienceDaily
• [New] Middle East and Africa: The Middle East and Africa region offer opportunities for manned eVTOL crafts to provide transportation solutions in rapidly growing urban centers like Dubai, Riyadh, and Nairobi. MarkWide Research
• [New] The world and industry that Calgary is positioned to be a leader in managing climate change and is a city where industry can invest, confidently set up shop and transition to net-zero by 2050. https://www.calgary.ca
• [New] Within the next five years, autonomous drones will handle 30% of urban deliveries, reducing delivery times and costs dramatically. Times of India
• [New] In 2021, the City of Seattle released the ambitious Transportation Electrification Blueprint to significantly reduce emissions by 2030 and move Seattle's transportation sector toward a clean, equitable future. SDOT Blog
• [New] Cities such as Baltimore, Boston, Los Angeles, Minneapolis, New York City, and Phoenix are expected to be both warmer and cloudier in response to climate change, which will significantly decrease the electrical output of rooftop solar. Futurity
• [New] Kharkiv is the second largest city in Ukraine, and its wartime experiences epitomize the risk of the use of explosive weapons to urban cultural heritage. Human Rights Watch
• [New] Demographic evolution: China, India, the Middle East, and Africa are and will continue to be centers of population growth and urbanization. Passle
• [New] Hong Kong is poised to create unstoppable momentum towards an autonomous future and unlock its tremendous potential as a leading smart city in the world. Astri - Hong Kong Applied Science and Technology Resear
• [New] Russia's persistent strikes on Ukrainian cities and infrastructure have raised concerns about the potential for widespread environmental disasters and the repercussions for global food security. Trendy Digests
• [New] Hyderabad will be the fourth fastest growing city in the world by GDP growth rate between 2019-35. BizzBuzz
• [New] The top 10 fastest growing cities in the world by GDP growth rate in between 2019-35 will be in India. BizzBuzz
• [New] Birmingham City Council has seen expected costs on its SAP-to-Oracle migration mushroom from £20 million to £130 million, while Surrey County Council saw its migration from SAP to Unit4 delayed, accrue additional costs, and ultimately cause disruption to pay. The Register
• [New] Satellites have allowed scientists to meticulously measure the rate of sinking across Mexico City, mapping where subsidence has the potential to damage railways. Wired
• [New] The Urban Wastewater Treatment Directive, agreed by the co-legislators in March 2024, will see the pharmaceutical and cosmetics industries pay for at least 80% of the costs linked to their own waste. Euronews.com

Last updated: 28 April 2024