Report: Kumasi, Cape Town, Columbus, Paris Among Bloomberg’s ‘Champion Cities’ In The World

COVID-19 has changed daily life for people around the world and required that cities do more with fewer resources than ever before. Yet, even in the face of a public-health crisis, social unrest, massive budget shortfalls, and mounting climate disasters, mayors are taking bold steps to tackle their cities’ most pressing challenges.
 
The 2021 Global Mayors Challenge is the farthest-reaching, most ambitious to date. 631 cities from around the world submitted applications earlier this year and, from those, a committee of global experts has selected the 50 most innovative urban solutions to emerge in the wake of COVID-19 to advance in the competition.
 
Of these 50 cities, 15 will win $1 million each—to help them implement their breakthrough ideas and, ultimately, to spread their ideas to other cities around the world.
 
 Kumasi, Ghana
 
Climate & Environment
 
Many Kumasi households don't have toilets, and residents must resort to poorly maintained public toilets or open defecation. The city will train unemployed youth in new sanitation technologies to produce affordable bio-digesters and container-based toilets for local households.
 
Kumasi’s idea is unique because of its potential for broad impact: providing jobs that will produce hygienic, dignified, and affordable replacements for household toilets for the 71 per cent of residents who currently go without.