“If urban areas are where Covid-19 impacts have been the most severe, it also means that interventions in cities and towns can have the biggest impact." Those were the words of Sameh Wahba, global director for the World Bank, urban, disaster risk management, resilience and land global practice, in 2021 – one year post the pandemic.
He added: “Cities are vulnerable to climate shocks and produce an outsized share of carbon emissions. But that also means they are the key to climate sustainability and where green investments will have the biggest outcomes."
In the coming years the World Bank has said it will support recovery efforts around the globe, by helping governments tackle issues of equity, the future of work, greening cities, land governance and disaster risk management in a sustainable, resilient and inclusive manner.
All these considerations mean there are opportunities and threats ahead as cities, both in developed and emerging markets try to address climate, technological and social challenges.
This report, which is worth 30 hours of CPD, will explore how cities are becoming more efficient, and will identify technological trends.
