Coherent Digital

Major cities are larger than some countries. City governments are addressing urgent societal issues that transcend regional boundaries—homelessness, urbanization, climate change, income inequality, and transport.

But lack of discoverability and impermanence make these the hardest policy documents to find and cite.

World Cities and Local Governments finds, indexes, and preserves these critical publications.

At a glance

4.1 M

Included are nearly 4.1 million publications, with more added daily.

4,600+

More than 4,600 organizations from 3,600 urban governments are covered.

Both current and historical

The database remains current, growing with continual updates. Thousands of new reports are added each year.

The project also reaches back to capture historical policy, such as the 1988 Volume Three Truth and Reconciliation Commission of South Africa Report and the 1926 report from the Tulsa chief of police in the year following the Tulsa Race Riot.

Special attention to the Global South

World Cities and Local Governments takes special care to capture content from the Global South, for example—Digital Nigeria Post the Pandemic (2024); Cases of Mpox in South Africa (2024); Mogadishu: City Scoping Study (2021); and Ho Chi Minh City Context Report (2021).

Representation includes countries in Africa, Asia, Oceania, Latin America—all countries identified as members of the Global South.

Preserving at-risk information

City reports tend to disappear, making them difficult to cite. Coherent makes a copy of each item and assigns a permanent COI (Content Object Identifier)—so the link-rot problem is solved, and citing is reliable. If a website disappears or an item is removed, users will access the Coherent backup copy. If you’d like to recommend a city for coverage, please get in touch with our editor (below).

Exclusive digital archive

World Cities and Local Governments offers a preservation archive of 3.7 million select reports, for optional purchase of perpetual rights including data-mining permission.

Animal control and welfare
Architecture
Climate and environment
Diversity, equity, inclusion
Education and youth
Emergency, fire and safety
Energy and utilities
Immigration
Statistics and data
Status of women
Terrorism
Transportation

Leisure and tourism
Libraries
Local history
Mental health
Police, crime and incarceration
Public health and epidemiology
Small business and economics
Sports, arts and culture
Urban planning
Water resources and sewerage
Zoos, parks, forestry, and urban agriculture

Sample reports

A 2015 report published by Sport Singapore detailing their core purpose to transform the nation through meaningful sporting experiences.

Rome’s plans to deal with climate change, migration, aging population, tourist pressure, and social inequality.

A 2020 report on waste management in Uganda.

A 2023 report published by the London Wood Burning Project to raise awareness and understanding of the impact of domestic solid fuel burning.

A 2015 report published by the City of Vancouver documenting residents' concerns about housing conditions, lack of sanitation, and high rates of nutrition-related illnesses.