Peter Madden, CEO of Future Cities Catapult – the Government supported UK centre of excellence in urban innovation – is warning that UK cities are vulnerable to cyber-attacks, flooding, robots and far-right politicians.
Setting out his thoughts for urban innovation in 2017 in a HuffPost blog, in the context of ‘black swans’ - improbable but not impossible events – he asked whether 2017 could be the year when torrential rain causes billions of pounds of flood damage in the centre of a major city.
He also questioned if 2017 could be the year a major cyber-attack cripples the infrastructure and functioning of a leading UK city, or the year a populist far-right politician becomes mayor of a combined authority. This could even the year displaced workers take direct action against automation by destroying robots.
The Future Cities CEO went on to suggest that tackling inequality will be a greater focus for cities – a theme already identified in the elections of Sadiq Khan in London and Marvin Reese in Bristol.
Suspecting that financial constraints will bite hard in 2017 as local authorities adjust to further tightening, Peter Madden is questioning how cities will pay to get stuff done. Highlighting how pioneering cities are experimenting in how to decrease costs, earn money and attract investment, he has drawn attention to initiatives in Wolverhampton, Cheshire East and Aberdeen that demonstrate municipal entrepreneurialism.
Albion Water, the first NAV (New Appointment & Variation) to have been established in1999 and now under the ownership of SDS Water Group, has appointed Andy Holland as its new Director of Business Development.
UK water companies are invited to join an upcoming webinar which will explore how the sector can take indirect potable reuse (IPR) from concept to full-scale operational reality.
James Sumsion, CEO of predictive water intelligence specialists Kohtari, says the water sector needs to take a giant leap forward, so that it can anticipate and act upon water quality issues - rather than merely react.
Ray Moulds, Sales Director at Flood Control International, takes a look at how automated sliding floodgates are supporting secondary containment at water and sewerage company sites.
Hear how Scottish Water has completed its £235 million Ayrshire Glasgow Resilience Project - customers across Greater Glasgow, Ayrshire and East Renfrewshire will now benefit from a more secure and resilient water supply.
Hear how United Utilities is accelerating its investment to reduce spills from storm overflows across the Northwest.
Find out more about the remarkable career opportunities on offer at WSP - scroll down to watch the inspirational video.