Oct 1, 2025
Mariana Mazzucato
and Rainer Kattel
Cities are where tomorrow’s opportunities will be seized and where today’s crises, from climate change to inequality, hit hardest. Strengthening city governments is therefore a strategic imperative that requires significant investment, sustained coordination, and continuous learning.
LONDON – After years of underinvestment, governments around the world are struggling to keep pace with growing demands. The consequences are now widely evident, as underfunded and unprepared public agencies falter whenever crises strike. The problem is not “slimming” government down, but rather rendering it more capable, strategic, outcomes-oriented, and a good partner in solving the greatest problems of our time: providing adequate housing for all, strengthening climate resilience, and ensuring that technology makes our lives better, not just a few “bros” richer.
