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] 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
• [New] 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
• [New] 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
• [New] Police officers from all 11 US host cities have undergone specialized counter-drone training covering drone identification, detection equipment, coordinated response procedures, and techniques for protecting spectators while minimizing disruptions. DroneDJ
• [New] Fastest Growing Region: Asia Pacific is expected to achieve a 9.5% CAGR to 2033, driven by intensifying monsoons, rapid urbanization in flood-prone zones, and government programs strengthening disaster resilience across China, India, Japan, and Southeast Asia. Persistence Market Research
• [New] With urban populations projected to reach 6.7Bn by 2050, according to the United Nations, cities face increasing traffic congestion, necessitating advanced traffic management systems. Persistence Market Research
• [New] The International Transport Forum demonstrates that in a theoretical urban ecosystem where all private transport is replaced by shared autonomous mobility on demand, the total number of vehicles on city streets could drop significantly. Market Data Forecast
• [New] Over the next 25 years, one billion people will move into cities, roughly the equivalent of adding one New York City every two months. Tech Explorist
• [New] Projects like smart cities & Atal Mission for Rejuvenation & Urban Transformation is expected to lead a surge in the demand for cement. Shaping Tomorrow
• [New] Asia Pacific offers large-scale growth opportunities due to rapid urbanization, transport modernization, and extensive public infrastructure programs. ReAnIn
• [New] Some data centers that are currently under construction will use more energy than large cities. CNet
• [New] The rate of urbanization in South-East Asia will increase from 48% in 2015 to 65% by 2050 and there is mounting pressure on governments to find solutions to challenge and improve their efficiency in the distribution of public services. Shaping Tomorrow
• [New] Asia Pacific is expected to witness 15.2% CAGR during the forecast period, due to rapid urbanization, population expansion, and infrastructure development. Polaris
• [New] The New York City MSA recorded actual growth 1.4 percentage points below its predicted level, corresponding to an income shortfall of approximately $3.5 billion. Office of the New York City Comptroller Mark Levine
• [New] Developers in the GCC are becoming increasingly interested in adopting the information and communication technology (ICT) infrastructure and master planning that will aid the development of modern smart cities. eyeofriyadh.com
• [New] In the Middle East, stakeholders are paying significant attention to the growing smart city industry and it is expected that new city sub-developments will incorporate elements of smart infrastructure. eyeofriyadh.com
• [New] Asian smart city startups will generate $50 billion in global revenue by 2026. Outsource Accelerator
• The new initiative, set to launch in a U.S. city in 2027, marks a significant evolution of Mobileye's strategy, combining its industry-leading autonomous driving capabilities with fleet operations, rider services, and mobility management into a single vertically integrated offering. Mobileye
• Fast-Growing Service Type: Micro mobility services is the fast-growing segment, expanding at 21% CAGR through 2032, driven by demand for last-mile connectivity, expanding e-scooter fleets, and dedicated urban cycling infrastructure across U.S. and Canadian cities. Persistence Market Research
• As AI-driven journey planning, unified ticketing systems, shared electric fleets, and smart city projects continue to expand, MaaS is emerging as a cost-effective and sustainable alternative to traditional transportation models, creating significant growth opportunities through 2035. Precedence Research
• ISW continues to assess that Putin is employing massive strike packages against Kiev City in an effort to break Ukraine's will to fight as well as to disguise his weakness, particularly his inability to secure Russian territory, including Russia's capital, from Ukraine's deep strikes. X (formerly Twitter)

Last updated: 04 July 2026