20 September 2023
An analytical report drawn up jointly for the Eastern Economic
Forum 2023 by the Roscongress Foundation, Lomonosov Moscow State University and
the Moscow Urban Forum details issues regarding the development of cities in
BRICS countries. The study looked at ten cities, divided into two groups for comparison
purposes: developed cities (Moscow, Delhi, Sao Paulo, Beijing, Johannesburg) and
up-and-coming cities (Vladivostok, Kolkata, Salvador, Chongqing, Cape Town). The
organizer of the EEF is the Roscongress Foundation.
The comparison of the cities was
broken down into three sections and corresponding areas for development:
●
Economic development;
●
Transport development;
●
Quality of life.
Each section
highlighted defining characteristics and key case studies of urban development.
The socio-economic development of
cities determines their growth potential and identifies promising areas for
development. The study looked at the size and structure of the population, gross
metropolitan product, the scope and structure of city budgets, promising areas
for investment activity and the main features of employment rates. The most
sought-after areas of economic growth for the developed cities are industry,
electronics and the ICT sector. Investments in up-and-coming cities are mainly
focused on the tertiary sector of the economy, and are actively raised for
individual municipal urban development projects.
Transport development policies focus
on the creation of an effective transport framework, taking into account
existing urban development, growing population density and prospects for the
region’s economic development. One of the key problems for the developed cities
is high levels of traffic. The leader in terms of the congestion of the road
transport network is Delhi (India), with high levels of congestion also
observed in Moscow (Russia) and Sao Paulo (Brazil). Effective measures proposed
to reduce congestion include the optimization of parking spaces, improvements
to traffic laws and the construction of new transport highways. Increasing the
availability of public transport reduces congestion, increases mobility and
reduces air pollution. The Indian cities (Delhi and Kolkata) have the most
affordable public transport, although this affects the quality of the service. The
development of public transport systems also improves transport safety in
cities. The lowest number of accidents and the lowest rate of fatalities on the
roads can be seen in Sao Paulo (Brazil) and Vladivostok (Russia).
The quality and comfort of the
living environment determine how competitive cities are. The study looked at
four important aspects of the quality of urban life – housing, education, health and the environment. In
addition to an analysis of statistical figures, the researchers carried out
their own calculations, allowing them to take a deeper dive into the aspects
under consideration. For the cities concerned, this was the first time the
following indicators had been calculated: share of built-up areas, accessibility
of education and healthcare facilities, urban heat islands and the NDVI index,
calculated using satellite images.
“Ensuring effective cooperation
depends on an objective assessment of the condition of all urban systems. To
work together in the urban development sphere, current data has to be collected
and processed using a common methodology. The statistical and spatial data of
our countries and cities are aggregated and stored differently, which can make
the analysis and implementation of new urban policies significantly more
difficult. Creating a unified approach towards data collection and processing
for all BRICS countries and cities could contribute to productive partnerships
in the urban studies field,” the analytical report notes.
The 8th Eastern Economic
Forum was held on 10–13 September on the Far Eastern Federal University’s
campus in Vladivostok.
18 January 2024
Bahrain Joins Framework Declaration on Conservation of Gyrfalcons
The Kingdom of Bahrain has become the seventh country to join the Declaration of Intent for the Conservation of the Gyrfalcon Population. The document was adopted by Russia, China, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Mongolia, and the UAE as part the Falcon Day International Forum, which was first held in Vladivostok during the 8th Eastern Economic Forum. The event was managed by the Roscongress Foundation.
27 February 2024
Russia and Bahrain Look to Intensify Cultural and Humanitarian Cooperation
Advisor to the Russian President Anton Kobyakov held a meeting in Moscow with Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Kingdom of Bahrain to the Russian Federation Ahmed Al-Saati, during which the two officials discussed a wide range of issues concerning economic, cultural, and humanitarian cooperation between the two countries and reached a number of agreements.
11 April 2024
2nd Falcon Day International Forum Dates Announced
The Organizing Committee of the 2nd Falcon Day International Forum met in Moscow under the leadership of Deputy Prime Minister of the Russian Federation Viktoria Abramchenko. The meeting was attended by representatives of the federal executive authorities and regional heads of the Russian Federation.
