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] Fastest-Growing Region: Asia Pacific is poised to record the highest CAGR between 2026 and 2033, driven by booming e-commerce, rapid urbanization, expansion of modern retail, and government-led sustainability regulations reshaping packaging material choices. Persistence Market Research
• [New] European Central Bank Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030 initiatives have accelerated vertical construction across cities such as Riyadh and Jeddah, driving demand for both new elevator installations and lifecycle maintenance services. Shaping Tomorrow
• [New] India's infrastructure push under its National Infrastructure Pipeline and China's ongoing urbanization drive targeting a 70% urban population share by 2035 continue to translate into strong and sustained sand demand. Claight Corporation (Expert Market Research)
• [New] With more people living in cities and using different ways of travelling there will come a greater need to make better use of existing assets says Cummins, who predicts on-demand transport services, car sharing and use of apps will become more prevalent. ITS International
• [New] The City of Los Angeles will install automated speed safety systems at 125 locations to prevent illegal speeding and improve safety for all road users. Los Angeles Department of Transportation
• [New] The global building stock is expected to grow by the equivalent of adding an entire New York City to the world, every month, for 40 years. Green Money
• [New] The K-Smart City project will create a 330-hectare pilot district based on South Korean smart city technologies. The Astana Times
• [New] Saudi Arabia is set to record 35.8% CAGR through 2036 as outdoor worker protection and city heat planning expand. FactMr
• [New] India is likely to post 38.9% CAGR from 2026 to 2036 because dense cities need heat action plans and cool infrastructure. FactMr
• [New] The Asia Pacific region is expected to lead global growth in the snack sector for the next decade as rapid urbanization in China and India creates massive new consumer bases for convenience foods. Market Data Forecast
• [New] In 2026, Saudi Arabia will dedicate USD 100 billion to collaborative investment programs in AI, smart cities, and advanced digital infrastructure to facilitate autonomous systems integration initiatives. Precedence Research
• [New] Seattle's Building Emissions Performance Standard adds a city-level emissions requirement for existing buildings over 20,000 square feet, with targets beginning in 2031 and a net-zero emissions end point in 2050. Environment+Energy Leader
• [New] Asia-Pacific is projected to register the fastest growth during the forecast period, driven by rapid digitalization, a large technology-savvy population, expanding e-commerce ecosystems, and increasing investments in AI, IoT, and smart city initiatives. Market Data Forecast
• [New] By 2050, Dhaka (Bangladesh) and Jakarta (Indonesia) are projected to be the world's two largest cities, each with more than 50 million inhabitants following decades of rapid growth. United Nations Western Europe
• [New] Emerging economies across Asia-Pacific, particularly India, China, and Southeast Asian countries, are expected to witness substantial growth owing to rapid urbanization, increasing infrastructure investments, and supportive government initiatives. Spherical Insights
• [New] North America and Europe remain key revenue-generating regions due to strong cheese consumption and established snacking cultures, while Asia-Pacific is expected to witness significant growth owing to urbanization, rising disposable incomes, and changing food preferences. Spherical Insights
• [New] Asia-Pacific is expected to be the fastest-growing region due to rapid urbanization, population growth, and massive infrastructure development. Spherical Insights
• [New] Asia Pacific is expected to witness the fastest growth during the forecast period due to extensive smart city development initiatives, population expansion, and fast urbanization. Precedence Research
• 68% of the global population will live in urban areas by 2050, concentrating climate vulnerabilities in cities where heat islands, flooding, and infrastructure failures can affect millions. Persistence Market Research
• Fastest Growing Region: Asia Pacific is the fastest-growing region, forecast to expand at a 19.4% CAGR during 2026-2033, driven by large-scale urban resilience initiatives, smart city programs, high climate vulnerability, and multilateral development financing. Persistence Market Research
• The global smart city market's growth, projected to accelerate through 2030, underscores the increasing reliance on GPS for urban planning, public transit, and connected infrastructure. Knowledge Sourcing Intelligence

Last updated: 18 July 2026