Global Scans · Urbanisation & Megacities · Weekly Summary

• [New] Electricity demand in the Middle East and North Africa has tripled since 2000, and it is set to increase by 50% by 2035, as rapid population growth, urbanization and industrial expansion drive up consumption. The National
• [New] The Asia-Pacific region is expected to witness rapid growth, propelled by rising disposable income, urbanization, and increasing demand from emerging economies such as China, India, and Japan. openpr
• [New] Global energy demand is expected to grow 23% by mid-century due to economic expansion, urbanization, and population growth. Modern Diplomacy
• [New] Over the next 2-4 years, Spain's embedded finance landscape is expected to mature rapidly, with B2B credit, embedded insurance, and smart city payments likely to become areas of concentrated growth and policy interest. Yahoo Finance
• [New] On a global scale, the growing population and rising urbanization rates are expected to continue fueling demand for snack foods, especially in emerging economies. Statista
• [New] Asia-Pacific leads with 36% share as AI-driven automation, sensor innovation, and sustainable smart city growth accelerate a 26.02% CAGR through 2032. The National Law Review
• [New] As urbanization continues-about 60% of the global population will live in metropolises by 2030-cities must provide critical services while facing population growth, aging infrastructure, and extreme weather caused by climate change. MIT Technology Review
• [New] Chinese state media recently reported China's official launch of its plan to provide processing resources across China, to link City Brains and other smart-city elements together in a mega computing project that will create regional data hubs. Unlimited Hangout
• [New] Dubai Municipality will present its Smart City Cleaning Operations Management System, a unified digital platform that manages waste collection and city cleaning operations. Dubai Municipality
• [New] Offering a unified view of the attack surface, it helps organizations detect attack paths, prioritise vulnerabilities, and eliminate exposures across IT, cloud, AI, and critical infrastructure-supporting secure digital transformation and smart city ambitions in the Middle East. TahawulTech.com
• [New] Asia Pacific is projected to grow fastest, fueled by urbanization, lifestyle changes, and expanding insurance provider networks. Market.us Media
• [New] Europe follows with growing adoption of robotic solutions in emergency management, while the Asia-Pacific region is expected to record the fastest growth, fueled by rising disaster frequency, urbanization, and government investments in robotics infrastructure. openpr
• [New] Governments and private sectors are investing heavily in smart city projects, with total spending expected to hit $2.5 trillion by 2035. PatentPC
• Primary energy demand will rise by 23% between now and 2050, driven largely by population growth, rapid urbanization, and expanding economies across Asia and Africa. Rolling Out
• The global challenges facing societies today, from climate change and urbanization to disaster response and supply chain disruptions, require faster, smarter, and more efficient decision-making. Highways Today
• Asia today is home to the world's fastest-growing economies, but also some of its starkest divides: rapid urbanization, a young population seeking job prospects, and rising vulnerability to climate shocks. The Rockefeller Foundation
• The demand worldwide is predominantly shaped by four main factors: fluctuations in petroleum prices, political instability or risk, population growth, and the ongoing trend of urbanization. Yahoo Finance
• As urbanization continues globally, developing creative approaches to maintain connectivity through and around human settlements will become increasingly important. NewsBreak
• Analysts stress that the next phase of India's urbanization will hinge on equitable and sustainable models. Urban Acres
• The experience of making Dubai a fully smart city proves that AI will transform city life. IT BUTLER
• For investors considering Itron, the core thesis centers on growing global demand for smart grid and smart city infrastructure, where Itron's shift to higher-margin software and recurring revenue streams could drive future earnings growth. Simply Wall St

Last updated: 02 November 2025