As countries rapidly urbanize, settlements are expanding into hazardous flood zones. This study provides a global analysis of spatial urbanization patterns and the evolution of flood exposure between 1985 and 2015. Using high-resolution annual data, it shows that settlements across the world...

Cities in the developing world are rapidly expanding, boosting countries' economies, reducing poverty, and fueling global prosperity. But as more people, assets, and economic activity become concentrated in cities, and infrastructure struggles to keep up with rapid growth, the risk posed by...

The Urban Sustainability Framework (USF) is structured in two parts, along with annexes that explore the good practices of specific cities and organizations and the positive results of their initiatives. Part I: Understanding and Achieving Urban Sustainability lays out a process for,...

The role of the public sector in housing delivery in many developed economies evolved from government as builder in the post-War era in the 1950s when the government directly constructed and delivered housing to meet the daunting demand for housing, to government as enabler and regulator in the...

With African cities urbanizing rapidly, there is a growing appreciation that it is time to take a fresh look at the potential for the sites and services approach to meet urban development and housing needs in these rapidly growing urban areas. The report presents guiding principles on designing...