THE POWER OF PEOPLE, PLACES & FIRMS
Reading Time: 4 minutesAcross the OECD, cities are engines of economic growth. They attract investment, create high‑value jobs and generate most of national wealth. Yet for millions of their residents, this prosperity remains out of reach. So, if growth alone is not enough, what actually helps more people benefit from and contribute to it?
Reading Time: 4 minutesDepuis des années, les villes investissent dans des capteurs intelligents, des tableaux de bord et des services numériques. Mais alors que les chocs se propagent en cascade à travers les systèmes d’eau, d’énergie, de transport et les systèmes sociaux, les villes intelligentes ne suffisent plus. Que faudra-t-il pour transformer les infrastructures intelligentes en une résilience réelle?
Reading Time: 3 minutesFor years, cities have invested in smart sensors, dashboards and digital services. But as shocks cascade across water, energy, transport and social systems, smart cities aren’t enough. What will it take to turn smart infrastructure into real resilience?
Reading Time: 4 minutesOn Saturday, 31 January 2026, a single cloud changed Maipú in less than an hour – 17 millimetres of rainfall in forty-five minutes, flooding streets and destroying homes. Images spread across social media. Many claimed they were fake. They were not. The storm devastated more than a thousand families. So how did Maipú use real-time data to reach those in need?
Reading Time: 4 minutesEl sábado 31 de enero de 2026, una sola nube transformó Maipú en menos de una hora – 17 milímetros de lluvia en cuarenta y cinco minutos, inundando calles y destruyendo viviendas. Las imágenes se difundieron por las redes sociales. Muchos afirmaron que eran falsas. No lo eran. La tormenta devastó a más de mil familias. ¿Cómo usó Maipú los datos en tiempo real para llegar a quienes lo necesitaban?
Reading Time: 4 minutesThe social economy is rarely part of conversations about competitiveness or economic resilience, yet it should be. Social economy organisations create jobs, deliver essential services and strengthen local economies across countries. But what does it take to build an environment that allows them to contribute fully?
Reading Time: 11 minutesImagine a world where rural and tropical regions aren’t struggling backwaters, but breeding ground for fresh ideas, new jobs and sustainable growth.
In this episode of our #FromtheGroundUp series, Betty-Ann Bryce (OECD) sits down with Ingo Plöger (CEAL), for a conversation to explore how tropical regions, with abundant natural resources, rich biodiversity and favourable climate, can become engines of sustainable growth, innovation and resilient rural development.
Reading Time: 4 minutesCities are pivotal in the shift toward a circular economy, demonstrating immense potential in resource efficiency and innovation. They are leading initiatives, reducing waste, creating jobs, and require national support to enhance their efforts and maximize circular solutions globally.