Rapid urbanisation in developing nations threatens to trigger a water and sanitation crisis in quickly expanding slums, a report has warned.

Charity WaterAid said chronic water shortages in many of the world's slums were being exacerbated by the arrival of millions of people each week.

Populations in developing nations are set to triple over the next 30 years.

The authors called on the international community to take urgent action to tackle the problem.

'Sanitation and water are inte more...

'For the first time in history, more than half the world’s population may be living in cities. Has the move from the country been a step up or a dead end for migrants to the great cities of the developing world—Delhi, Rio, Guangzhou, Istanbul, and many more?

The World Bank’s latest World Development Report, entitled “Reshaping Economic Geography”, presents new ideas about geography and economics and what they mean for policymakers and for people whose place of birth continues to inf more...

The additional financing aims to increase activities related to urban mobility and strengthening institutions.

SYDNEY (AFP) – The population of Sydney, Australia's biggest city, will expand dramatically over the next three decades, surging to almost six million people, figures released Monday showed.

The harbourside hub of New South Wales state, home to some 4.28 million residents in 2006, will experience a 40 percent increase in population to 5.98 million people by 2036, the state's planning minister, Kristina Keneally said.

The population of New South Wales, measured at 6.82 million in 2006, wi more...

Seoul, the capital of South Korea, is a typical mega city: vast, pulsating, noisy and full of exhaust fumes. This is the setting in which researchers from the German Fraunhofer Institute are developing new building concepts and IT solutions. which will save energy, cut pollution and make living in the city a more pleasant experience. Housing as far as the eye can see – Seoul is one of the world’s mega cities. South Korea’s capital city has undergone exponential growth over the past few dec more...

Research by Saffron Consultants. In a unique study, which ranks Europe’s largest cities based on a comparison of their assets and attractions against the strength of their brands, Paris emerges as Europe’s number one city brand, followed by London, Barcelona, Berlin and Amsterdam. The research also reveals that the French capital is the most asset-rich city in Europe, ahead of, again, London and followed by Munich, Barcelona and Amsterdam. Bradford, UK, is the lowest-ranked city in both cat more...

.City Mayors. By Andrew Stevens and Guy Burton. 6 October 2008: Sao Paulo’s mayoral race has gone to a second round between incumbent Gilberto Kassab and former mayor Marta Suplicy following a closely fought campaign. Elsewhere in the 5 October 2008 elections, the Workers’ Party (PT) hailed its “best performance yet” with a clutch of outright victories in state capitals, while in Rio the outside-ranked Green challenger has forced a run-off against the leading centrist candidate.

The S more...

The official acknowledgement of the safety coordinator job is on its way ! The European Commission has just selected a project on the creation of a European master in urban Safety under its Lifelong Learning Programme – Erasmus. The project proposal saw the light thanks to the valuable contribution of the Toulouse Institute of Political Sciences (France), who is also the applicant organization, the European Forum for Urban Safety, coordinator of the project, and The Open University of Cataloni more...

New York, 24 September 2008-Tropical forested countries are stepping up the fight to combat climate change via a pioneering new initiative called the UN-REDD Programme announced today. The Programme, to be carried out by three United Nations agencies, was unveiled by UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and the Prime Minister of Norway Jens Stoltenberg whose government is financing this initial phase in the amount of US$35 million.

Nine countries have already expressed formal interest in receivin more...

Nairobi, 3 October 2008– Germany today boosted its funding for the UN Environment Programme(UNEP) earmarking $18 million for the organization's work on clean energy and climate proofing vulnerable economies. The announcement was made today by German Federal Minister for the Environment Sigmar Gabriel during a meeting with United Nations Under-Secretary General and UNEP Executive Director Achim Steiner at the UNEP Headquarters in Nairobi. Here they exchanged their views on current issues surrou more...