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The study finds that high urban population growth is significantly associated with increased social unrest, but only in peri-urban areas (the urban outskirts). In contrast, population growth in primary urban cores is negatively associated with unrest. The researchers found no evidence that this relationship is driven by environmental push factors such as nearby droughts; in fact, droughts hitting urban areas directly were found to be negatively associated with unrest.

The authors contend that African urbanization is a demographic megatrend that reshapes politics in diverse, context-specific ways. They reject a uniform 'urban effect,' proposing instead that political changes—such as shifts in citizen preferences, elite incentives, and forms of mobilization—are the direct result of territorially-situated power struggles and the specific social relations produced within built environments. The paper examines six domains: citizen preferences, elite interests, political mobilization, gender roles, civil society, and contentious collective action, highlighting how these are mediated by the unique histories and physical characteristics of different urban places.

The study examines whether resource scarcity and inter-group inequalities drive political violence at a sub-national level in Indonesia. While population growth and horizontal inequality show little effect in isolation, their interaction significantly increases the risk of 'routine' violence. The authors find that in provinces with high population growth, greater inequality between religious groups elevates the risk of violence, suggesting that demographic pressure may amplify existing social segmentations.

The study finds that sub-national analysis provides stronger support for the resource scarcity-conflict nexus than global studies. Specifically, organized armed conflict is more likely in Indian states with scarce productive land and declining agricultural wages. Youth bulges are a consistent predictor of all three forms of political violence, with the risk of armed conflict increasing further in states with high male-to-female ratios. While linguistic fractionalization and Hindu relative growth are linked to armed conflict, and religious heterogeneity and non-Hindu majorities are linked to riots, the study finds little evidence that rural inequality or urban growth rates drive political violence.

The authors present Urban Social Disorder 3.0, a global event dataset covering 186 cities from 1960-2014, containing 13,324 events. The study finds that global urban social disorder increased after the early 2000s, driven largely by Asia, the Middle East, and Africa. Contrary to some previous research, the authors find a positive relationship between city population size and the frequency of lethal disorder events, while urban growth rates show no such association. The analysis also suggests that autocratic regimes may be more effective at suppressing lethal urban disorder than democratic ones.

The research examines the link between water scarcity and intrastate conflict, arguing that the relationship is not deterministic but is mediated by domestic political institutions. Using a simultaneous equations model for 98 countries (1981–2000), the authors find that while water scarcity does not directly increase the probability of conflict, it does negatively impact the likelihood of democratic institutions emerging. Crucially, the study finds that democratic regimes are more effective at mitigating the risk of conflict in water-scarce conditions. The authors suggest an 'ecological trap' where water scarcity promotes autocracy, which in turn fails to manage resources effectively, potentially leading to a cycle of scarcity, autocracy, and conflict.

The document outlines predictable trends and critical unknowns for the Southern African region, noting a decline in solar energy costs and increasing climate vulnerability, while questioning the pace of EV adoption, infrastructure availability, and the role of South Africa's auto-manufacturing protections.

The report assesses the integration of Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) in nine European countries, finding that while socio-cultural elements are prevalent, economic and environmental dimensions are underrepresented. It highlights a gap between high-level curricular goals and actual classroom materials, recommending a shift toward individual empowerment and systemic thinking.

The analysis finds that while major grassland goods and services are currently in good to fair condition, the overall capacity of these ecosystems to sustain them is declining due to cultivation, urbanization, and degradation.

The study analyzes the impact of urbanization on natural infrastructure in 10 major Indian cities from 2000 to 2015, finding significant increases in built-up areas and a corresponding loss of surface water and groundwater recharge potential. It advocates for an integrated urban blue-green approach to planning to mitigate risks like urban flooding and water scarcity.

African cities face increasing water insecurity driven by climate change and rapid urbanization, which current governance and financial models cannot address. The report argues for a transition to water-resilient systems through four strategic pathways: risk-informed land management, equitable access for vulnerable populations, institutional innovation, and aligned sectoral investments.

The World Resources Report (WRR) is being developed around seven working papers focusing on urban issues in the global south, specifically targeting the needs of the lower half of the income distribution to achieve economic prosperity, environmental sustainability, and social equity. The report's framing emphasizes preventing "unsustainable urban lock-in" and addressing the "urbanization of poverty." Key thematic areas include urban expansion, affordable shelter, urban energy services, regional water risk, and sustainable transportation, with a proposed "40:40:40 strategy" for transport mode split by 2040. The project involves a core team and lead authors conducting literature reviews and stakeholder engagement, with planned city-level case studies in Medellín, Surat, and a city in Africa.

The document outlines the challenges of modern urbanization, particularly in the global South, where rapid population growth coincides with low per capita resources. It argues that providing equitable access to core services—such as housing, water, sanitation, energy, and transportation—is essential to avoid cycles of poverty and environmental degradation and to unlock economic productivity.

The Zero Carbon Building Accelerator aims to decarbonize the global building stock by 2050, addressing the fact that building construction and operations account for nearly 40% of global energy-related CO2 emissions. The initiative employs a four-part strategy—outreach, dialogue, planning, and enabling—to help governments map decarbonization pathways and implement action plans. WRI intends to scale impact by engaging at least two jurisdictions per country and supporting three additional subnational governments globally through technical assistance and peer learning. Zero carbon buildings are defined as having net zero annual operational emissions and reduced life-cycle emissions, achieved through energy efficiency, electrification, and renewable energy sources.

The 2030 Joint Agenda for Urban Water Resilience in Africa is a strategic framework designed to address the converging challenges of rapid urbanization, water scarcity, and climate change in African cities. It proposes a 'whole of society' approach to move from fragmented initiatives toward a coordinated, continent-wide movement. The agenda is built on eight guiding principles—emphasizing social equity, African leadership, and systemic integration—and nine strategic priorities ranging from prioritizing vulnerable populations and strengthening governance to leveraging emerging technology and aligning finance.

The report investigates the May 2022 extreme rainfall event in Eastern Northeast Brazil, which caused 133 deaths and displaced over 25,000 people. Observational analysis indicates that 7-day and 15-day rainfall events of this magnitude are exceptionally rare in the current climate, with return periods of approximately 1-in-500 and 1-in-1000 years, respectively. While climate models exhibited systematic errors in precipitation magnitudes for this specific event, the authors conclude that human-caused climate change is at least partially responsible for increasing the likelihood and intensity of such rainfall. The study further highlights that structural vulnerabilities, including unplanned urbanisation in low-income neighbourhoods and an infrastructure deficit, significantly exacerbated the disaster's impact.

The report attributes the 2022 West African floods to a combination of anthropogenic climate change, which significantly increased the likelihood and intensity of rainfall in the Lake Chad and Lower Niger basins, and systemic vulnerabilities including poor water management, rapid unplanned urbanization, and socioeconomic instability. In the Lake Chad region, climate change made the seasonal rainfall event approximately 80 times more likely and 20% more intense. In the Lower Niger basin, the 7-day maximum rainfall event became about twice as likely and 5% more intense. The human toll was exacerbated by the release of the Lagdo Dam in Cameroon and the proximity of settlements to floodplains.