Find uplifting stories about heroes, innovations, and solutions
104 results for "urban development"
Ethiopia just unveiled a national plan to transform urban transportation with electric vehicles, charging stations, and green public transit by 2030. The ambitious strategy tackles pollution and climate change while reimagining how millions navigate their cities.
Nigeria's largest city is tackling its housing crisis head-on with 23 new estates completed since 2019 and ambitious plans to add thousands more affordable homes. Lagos is also introducing monthly rent payments to help low-income families access housing more easily.
Australia's Gold Coast is transforming an old depot into a world-first creative arts precinct expected to generate $130 million annually and create 1,000 jobs. Oscar-winning director Baz Luhrmann and his wife Catherine Martin will lead the creative vision for the four-hectare hub dedicated to film, gaming, and tech.
Leaders from Colombia, Mexico, and Ecuador are pioneering new housing models that blend public support with private investment to build climate-smart cities. Their approach could reshape how cities worldwide tackle affordable housing.
India's capital just approved a massive $120 million plan to upgrade its water and sewage systems, targeting one of the country's most polluted rivers. Millions of residents will soon enjoy cleaner water and more reliable supply.
International visitors say Ethiopia's capital has become unrecognizable after years of green development and modern infrastructure projects. Diplomats returning after a decade say the city's parks, bike lanes, and tree-planting campaigns are setting an example for Africa.
Cape Town just approved plans to transform a downtown parking lot into affordable housing that could create 3,500 jobs and attract $80 million in private investment. The city is proving that smart land use can solve housing shortages while building economic opportunity.
America's busiest train station is getting a complete makeover with soaring new entrances, expanded tracks, and beautiful classical design. Construction begins by late 2027 after a year of rapid progress.
%2Ffile%2Fattachments%2Forphans%2FImage13_807280.jpg)
After a decade of waiting through bureaucratic delays, Johannesburg's beloved Keyes Art Mile is expanding with new galleries, green spaces, and cultural venues. The 36-property development will transform how people gather and move through the city's creative heart.
Liberia's capital is getting a major sanitation makeover with new regulations and a community-powered waste collection system launching in 2026. The city is partnering with local enterprises to transform how 1.5 million residents handle trash and protect their environment.
Billions lack adequate housing, but new UN research reveals what's working. From Brazil's upgraded favelas to Thailand's community-led projects, countries are solving housing crises without displacing residents.
Saudi Arabia has lifted homeownership from 47% to 66% while providing modern housing for over one million households through its Vision 2030 urban development program. The nation is also launching 19 large-scale design initiatives that blend technology with cultural preservation.
Sweden is teaching Azerbaijan how to build cities with wood instead of concrete, showcasing massive timber projects ahead of the UN's World Urban Forum in Baku. With 70% forest cover and over a century of reforestation laws, Sweden's low-carbon construction expertise could reshape urban development across the Caspian region.
Nearly 9,000 residents in Addis Ababa will soon have cleaner water and new green spaces thanks to a two-year project restoring polluted tributaries. The partnership brings sustainable infrastructure to one of Africa's fastest-growing capitals.
Sweden's capital is rebuilding an entire neighborhood around music studios, schools, and performance spaces. The bold bet on culture as economic engine is already paying off with billions in annual revenue.
A groundbreaking study of 2,475 major cities reveals that 80% have cracked the code: growing their economies while cutting fossil fuel pollution. Satellite data shows nearly 2,000 cities worldwide are proving prosperity and clean air can go hand in hand.
Japan's cities are getting a colorful makeover as street art sheds its vandalism stigma. Organizations in Tokyo and Osaka are now connecting mural artists with legal spaces to transform buildings into vibrant canvases.
Mumbai is about to cut travel time across the city with a brand new elevated flyover connecting its western and eastern suburbs for the first time. The 1.2 kilometer bridge opens this month as the first piece of a game-changing transportation project.
Australia's federal government just committed an extra $3.8 billion to Melbourne's massive Suburban Rail Loop, bringing the total federal investment to $6 billion. The 26-kilometer underground rail line will transform how millions travel across the city by 2035.
Ghana is restarting construction on two major urban markets that were 58% and 82% complete before financial challenges paused work in 2024. Once finished, the projects will provide modern, safe trading spaces for thousands of small businesses.
Showing 20 of 104