THE POWER OF PEOPLE, PLACES & FIRMS
Reading Time: 4 minutesLatin America’s rural communities produce much of the food, energy and minerals the world depends on. Yet for many rural residents, the promise of lasting prosperity often remains out of reach – because despite this wealth, insecure and informal work is widespread, undermining livelihoods, services, and long-term opportunity. But with the right tools and trust in place, rural regions can move from informality to inclusion.
Reading Time: < 1 minute先進国の多くでは、国内の地域格差が拡大している現実が、全国平均の統計値の裏に隠れてしまっている。大都市圏が急速に成長する一方で、多くの中小都市や地方部はその歩みに追いつけずにいる。わたしたちCIPFAとバーミンガム大学City-REDI （City-Region Economic Development Institute：都市地域経済開発研究所）による最新の英日共同研究（日本語版報告書）は、この課題に真正面から取り組み、イギリスの「第二の都市」バーミンガム（およびウェスト・
Reading Time: 5 minutesAu cours des quinze dernières années, la population vivant dans les zones urbaines de l’Union européenne a augmenté de près de 12 millions de personnes. Dans un contexte d’urbanisation, une telle tendance n’a rien de surprenant. Mais sous la surface se cache une réalité plus complexe : toutes les villes ne profitent pas de cette croissance. Concrétiser le droit de rester suppose des politiques qui rééquilibrent la prospérité.
Reading Time: 3 minutesPowerful forces are reshaping the world of work. Ageing populations, the transition to green energy, rapid digitalisation, and uneven connectivity are already redrawing the economic landscape. AI tools promise a way out – automating routine tasks, optimising schedules, even predicting maintenance needs before breakdowns. But for local leaders, a dilemma looms: will AI ease labour shortages or put people out of work – and their region?
Reading Time: 4 minutesOver the past 15 years, Europe’s cities have grown by nearly 12 million people. Yet while Europe’s large cities have expanded by around 6.5%, smaller cities have shrunk by 1.7%. Western cities have been generally growing, while many in Eastern Europe are losing residents. This uneven growth raises an important question – what does it mean to have the Right to Stay in Europe’s shrinking cities?
Reading Time: 4 minutesBig metros power ahead while many towns and smaller regions struggle to keep up. A recent UK-Japan study, looks squarely at this problem through two ‘second city’ regions – Birmingham/the West Midlands and Osaka/Kansai – and distils a practical playbook that local leaders can use now. The argument is simple: finds durable institutions, functional regional geographies, flexible finance, and open learning loops are the levers that turn strategy into outcomes.
Reading Time: 4 minutesPortugal shows that the green transition in textiles is both a climate imperative and a business opportunity to reshape production, secure jobs, and meet global demand for sustainable fashion. With SMEs at the core, progress must come from the bottom up, backed by coherent top-down policies. As the fashion cycle accelerates, so too does its environmental footprint – and the need to change our approach.
Reading Time: 3 minutesIn OECD countries, around 1 in 8 young people fall between the two and become “NEETs” – those neither working, studying, nor receiving training. In Latin America, it is 1 in 4 young people. But NEETs are not just a problem. They represent an opportunity – a vast pool of talent, full of skills and enthusiasm. With the right support, they can become a powerful and positive force for change.