Cities are responsible for 75% of global energy consumption and 80% of all greenhouse gas emissions – mostly burnt up in heating or cooling buildings, and things like lighting the streets.

Just 10 simple steps can reduce energy consumption in many cities by at least 30%, using technologies that are proven.

Most of these green tech innovations pay for themselves.

Future of Insurance: Asia Insurance Review article following the 7th Swiss Re Asia Forum recently in Singapore. Summary of key insurance trends and macro-issues for Re-Insurance and Insurance industry. Managing new risks, preparing for Wild Cards - 2010.

Focus on the whole experience, sense of magic, theatre.  Get the menu right - most restaurants need to start over again.

Make sure your restaurant looks good from the street and smells good as people enter.  Make it an event to remember.

Train your waiters how to look.  Pay attention to the little things.  Create a virtual restaurant online.

300 million will move from rural areas to cities by 2020 in China alone.

A further 400 million people will migrate to cities across Africa in the same period.

We will soon have 100 megacities, each with more than 15 million inhabitants.