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] By 2050, nearly 70% of the world's population will live in cities, creating unprecedented energy demands in areas where space comes at a premium. 8MSolar
• [New] The next decade will see stronger adoption of AI, IoT, cloud computing, and smart city programs. Blog - InvestinAsia
• [New] By 2045, mass adoption of unmanned vehicles and the development of smart city infrastructure are expected. RSW
• [New] Asia Pacific is expected to register the highest growth over the next decade due to rapid urbanization, expanding infrastructure, and government-backed smart city projects. EIN Presswire
• [New] Urbanization and Smart City Initiatives: By 2030, 68% of the global population will reside in urban areas, intensifying pressure on cities to adopt data-driven solutions. Ainvest
• [New] New AI data centers, which are essential if we are to maintain an edge over Chinese competitors, will require double the amount of energy than the entire city of Philadelphia, and there will not be enough electricity to power them. PJ Media
• [New] As cities face mounting climate threats, housing instability, and global demographic shifts, livability has become a key indicator of how well urban environments can withstand and adapt to complex challenges. Urban Design Lab
• [New] Mexico City will soon be the most monitored metropolis in the Americas, with an expanding surveillance camera system raising both security hopes and privacy concerns. Mexico News Daily
• Future smart cities will switch their focus from the optimization of individual systems to the creation of effective network systems. KPMG
• Winnipeg will be the first Canadian city with 60-foot battery-electric buses in its fleet. City of Winnipeg
• By 2050, cities will be almost entirely carbon-neutral, powered by renewable energy sources like solar, wind, and hydropower. Earth
• From smarter cities and precision agriculture to enhanced security and autonomous systems, the potential for GeoAI to transform the world is limitless. Arizton Advisory & Intelligence
• With an estimated economic growth of 7.5% in 2024-25 and 9.5% in 2025-26, J & K can redesign its urban landscape through initiatives such as the Srinagar Smart City Mission and metro projects in Jammu and Srinagar. Brighter Kashmir
• Manila, Bangkok, Singapore, and Jakarta are among Southeast Asia's most climate-vulnerable cities, with critical infrastructure facing high exposure to multiple climate hazards. Fortune
• Recent modelling from Zurich Resilience Solutions found that six major cities in Southeast Asia-Singapore, Bangkok, Ho Chi Minh City, Jakarta, Kuala Lumpur, and Manila-all face at least a high risk of extreme precipitation, heatwaves, and rising sea levels through the 2040s. Fortune
• Southeast Asia as a whole faces an escalating climate risk, due its densely populated cities, frequent heavy rain, and insufficient infrastructure. Fortune
• The success of New York City's program, which led to significant reductions in traffic and improved bus travel times, could encourage more U.S. cities to try it. Planetizen
• By 2025, industries like autonomous driving, smart cities, and disaster management will rely heavily on edge computing combined with GeoAI. Arizton Advisory & Intelligence

Last updated: 30 August 2025