Coherent Digital

Cities around the world are grappling with urgent issues that transcend national boundaries—rapid urbanization, escalating climate change, pervasive inequality, and other challenges.

City reports show how municipalities are tackling problems. But lack of discoverability and impermanence make these the hardest policy documents to find and cite.

World Cities finds and preserves these critical publications.

At a glance

1.6M

Number of reports, and the database is continually growing.

160+

More than 160 cities around the world, with special care to the Global South.

Lilongwe, South Africa, Racial Equity Plan

Both current and historical

The documents are current—Enabling African Cities for Transformative Energy Access (2024); Hong Kong Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing Risk Assessment Report (2022)—and the database is growing with weekly updates.

The project also reaches back to capture historical policy, such as Volume Three Truth and Reconciliation Commission of South Africa Report (October 1998).

Special attention to the Global South

World Cities takes special care to capture content from the Global South, for example—Mogadishu: City Scoping Study (2021); The State of Food Insecurity in Blantyre City Malawi (2021); Ho Chi Minh City Context Report (2021).

Preserving at-risk information

World Cities preserves the content by making copies. If a website disappears, or if an item is removed, users will access the Coherent backup copy, which has a permanent identifier. The link-rot problem is solved, citing is reliable, and careful curation and indexing make the content easy to search.

Broad topical coverage

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.