Coherent Digital

Cities worldwide are addressing urgent issues that transcend regional boundaries—rapid urbanization, climate change, income inequality, and other challenges.

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.

Broad relevance for a range of urban studies

City reports have relevance for the field of urban studies in its broadest scope. The materials support research and teaching in issues of race and religion, health, sustainability and the environment, gender, the arts, sports, education, and other areas.

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

Preserving at-risk information

City reports are at risk of disappearing, 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.

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.

Both current and historical

The database remains current, growing with continual updates. More than 67,000 items were published in 2024, such as reports from a range of cities addressing housing issues, from Canada and the US to Australia.

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.

Research tools

Easily find and cite documents from around the world.

Stay updated in real time—select to “follow” issues, people, or specific searches, and you’ll receive a personalized alert when new reports are added.

Save and organize your findings with custom lists—for yourself or to publish for other users.

Isolate tables and download the data for analysis.

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.