Africa’s cities must think beyond traditional competitiveness indicators and prioritise climate action, sustainable energy and the green economy for future success, a new competitive city tracker revealed.
The City Competitiveness Redefined Tracker, from global sustainable development consultancy Arup, shows cities must think beyond traditional indicators like economic performance and transport infrastructure to continue to attract investment. Authors of the report warn that cities need to focus far more on issues like climate action and demographic shifts to be successful in the future.
Cairo, Harare, Lagos, and Nairobi were rated as ‘emerging cities’ – the lowest in the tracker. But analysis revealed all the cities have strong potential for future competitiveness with the right action.
Tackling a high flood risk in Cairo and taking advantage of solar energy potential in Harare were among the recommendations to help African cities reach their future potential. Leveraging Nairobi’s assets to capture new opportunities in the green economy and building on Lagos’ strong start on climate action planning could also help boost potential success.
The tracker shows which urban centres are best placed for long term success. It measures 63 cities against 37 future success indicators – with around a quarter focused on climate action. These indicators span four key assessment areas for city competitiveness: investor attractiveness, assets and infrastructure, liveability and loveability, and urban management and governance.
Vicky Evans, Director of Cities Planning Design at Arup UK, India, Middle East and Africa, said: “Africa’s cities have clear potential to be among the best performers of the future if they think beyond traditional economic and infrastructure indicators.
“Climate shocks and the green transition mean cities face different challenges and opportunities to those they have seen in the past. Africa’s must build resilience into every aspect of planning and operations – from changing climates to energy and water security – to help boost attractiveness to investors and citizens.”
Paris, Vancouver, and Singapore are among those rated as best placed to be leaders of the future with a ‘best in class’ rating. Other cities around the world were rated as ‘aspiring’, ‘contender’, or ‘leader’ based on preparedness for long-term success.
The analysis up-ends some traditional assumptions about globally competitive cities and reveals how tomorrow’s leaders could be quite different from successful cities today. Lima is a leader for investor attractiveness, showing potential to challenge traditional powerhouse cities, with Peru rising as a regional leader in green finance. Cities like Seoul, Melbourne, and Buenos Aires are championing climate action and resilience, and are also front runners for investor attractiveness.
The tracker demonstrates how cities are already under siege from climate change. The World Bank estimates the number of people vulnerable to floods has risen to 1.8 billion.[i] And it has been estimated that the number of cities exposed to extreme temperatures – 35°C and above – will triple by 2050[ii].
The report authors advise that there is a growing relationship between cities with strong climate resilience and mitigation plans, and their potential to attract and retain investment, business, and talent. And failure to manage climate risks can be detrimental to a city’s global competitiveness.
Mark Watts, Executive Director at C40 Cities, said: “This new tracker shows how boosting resilience is a win-win for cities and their residents. This tracker goes beyond just telling them what they are already doing well and shows the direction they need to take to remain attractive to investors.”
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