The Century of Cities

In our fifth episode, we're joined by Dr Sameh Wahba, Regional Director for Sustainable Development in Europe and Central Asia at The World Bank. Sameh highlights the powerful intersections of planning, financing, and governance, shedding light on the essential role that mayors and city institutions play in advancing sustainable growth. He explores critical topics  like  urbanization, the spatial...

Bruce Katz, an urban policy expert, author, and founder of New Localism Associates, joins episode 4 of The Century of Cities. He takes us on a journey from the deindustrialization era, which began in the 1980s, to the current rise in populism, emphasizing that decades of offshoring and weakened industrial foundations have led to today's polarized politics. Bruce discusses the new industrial geogra...

The Century of Cities welcomes Aziza Akhmouch, Head of Cities, Urban Policies, and Sustainable Development at the OECD. Aziza shares her vision for 2080, where interconnected urban hubs seamlessly blend rural and urban boundaries through smart infrastructure and AI. She discusses the rise of eco-cities powered by clean energy and underscores the critical need for inclusive urban policies to combat...

Renowned urbanist and author of   The Rise of the Creative Class, Richard Florida, joins   The Century of Cities   to discuss the evolution of our cities from the industrial era to today's creative economy.  From the resurgence of Rust Belt cities to the pioneering inclusivity efforts in Tulsa, Richard shares his candid take on America's social and political divides, the rise of Meta Cities, and t...

In this episode, we are joined by Anacláudia Rossbach , the newly appointed Executive Director of the United Nations Human Settlements Programme at UN-Habitat. She discusses her vision for the future of cities free from slums and better prepared to handle climate impacts, where every resident has safe housing and access to essential resources.  Anacláudia shares her "seven C's" for sustainable urb...