Latest news with #populationGrowth
Daily Mail
13-07-2025
- Daily Mail
EXCLUSIVE Stunning red state suburb explodes as thousands flock there for the perfect life
Just north of Houston, a sleepy commuter town has gradually been growing, with stunning neighborhoods proliferating amid ancient green forest land. Comprising a sprawling network of pretty villages, The Woodlands expanded by almost nine percent between 2020 and 2025 to a population of 124,500 people.
Yahoo
07-07-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
Texas flooding death toll rises
The floods in central Texas are among the deadliest in the US for over a century. At least 81 people, including dozens of children, are dead and more than 40 still missing, with a huge search-and-rescue operation underway. As the state grapples with the tragedy, it is also confronting the reality of extreme weather events that are becoming ever more frequent. Insurance premiums are up — they rose 19% last year and 21% in 2023, The Washington Post reported recently — and many Texas homes are now uninsurable. The problem is particularly acute as the state has seen huge population growth in recent years, especially in popular metro areas such as Houston and Austin, partly thanks to its low housing costs.
Irish Times
03-07-2025
- Politics
- Irish Times
The Irish Times view on Ireland's rising population: a landmark moment
The island of Ireland, marked by exodus and population decline for most of the last 200 years, now finds itself in an era of demographic renewal. For the first time since the Famine, the population of the island exceeds seven million. This is a landmark moment, not just in statistical terms but in historical resonance. It signals a new chapter in the island's story, one that brings both promise and pressing challenges. According to a joint analysis by the Central Statistics Office and the Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency, the population of the island grew by 26 per cent between 2002 and 2022. That growth has been uneven: the Republic's population surged by 31 per cent, while Northern Ireland's grew by a more modest 13 per cent. The Republic now stands at just over 5.1 million people, the North at 1.9 million. These differences reveal diverging social, economic, and migratory trends. In the Republic, immigration has played a transformative role. Northern Ireland has seen slower growth, with a markedly older demographic profile. Racial and ethnic diversity has also grown more markedly south of the Border. These demographic shifts, while bringing new vibrancy and diversity, also demand inclusive policy planning, especially in education, housing and public services. Nowhere is the impact of this growth felt more acutely than in housing. In the Republic, over two million permanent dwellings exist but more than 240,000 are officially listed as unoccupied, a figure long disputed and still in need of closer scrutiny. Meanwhile, fewer than one in 10 homes are provided by local authorities or voluntary housing bodies, far below the North's 15 per cent. READ MORE The story has a spatial dimension, with some areas – Fingal in north Dublin, Castlereagh in Co Down – experiencing rapid growth while parts of Donegal and north Antrim stagnate. Managing these imbalances requires all-island strategies. The challenges ahead in housing, transport, healthcare, education, integration and sustainability cannot be resolved in silos. Too often, the island's two jurisdictions have approached common problems in parallel, sometimes at cross-purposes. The pressures of demographic expansion demand deeper co-ordination. Infrastructure, in particular, cries out for harmonisation. From the Derry-Donegal corridor to cross-border public transport, digital connectivity and energy networks, the case for North-South alignment is pragmatic, not political. Effective planning rooted in shared data and shared goals is the best defence against fragmentation and waste. Ireland has turned a demographic corner, returning to a population last seen before the trauma of the 1840s. The opportunity is clear; so too is the responsibility to meet the moment together.
Irish Times
03-07-2025
- Business
- Irish Times
Housing target should be revised up to 60,000 homes per year, Dublin Chamber says
A national target of 60,000 new homes per year should be set, with half of these delivered in the Greater Dublin Area to align with increased population growth and pent-up demand in the region, Dublin Chamber has urged the Government. The proposal is contained within the business lobby's pre-budget submission. Just 30,330 homes were completed during 2024, while the programme for government pledges to deliver more than 300,000 by the end of 2030. This year's target is 41,000. 'Dublin does not have sufficient housing and infrastructure to meet its current needs, and the future outlook is bleak,' Dublin Chamber said. The group also called on Minister for Finance Paschal Donohoe to increase the standard rate income tax band by a minimum of €2,100 for single earners and €4,200 for married couples. READ MORE It said this adjustment would help 'redress the lack of indexation in recent years and ensure that workers are not penalised for modest income growth that simply keeps pace with inflation'. It also called for capital gains tax on disposals of investments in unquoted, actively trading Irish companies to be cut from 33 per cent to 20 per cent. 'This measure would directly incentivise entrepreneurial risk-taking,' it said. 'It would also more effectively appeal to gain-seeking investors than existing measures such as the Employment and Investment Incentive Scheme (EIIS).' The group was also critical of the supports available to small businesses. It said Dublin's start-up ecosystem 'is faltering', and that early-stage funding has 'declined sharply' since peaks in 2021. 'Instead of attracting entrepreneurs and founders, the current system often deters them, weighed down by misaligned and bureaucratic supports,' it said. Furthermore, it called Ireland's non-residential stamp duty rate of 7.5 per cent a 'significant barrier' to commercial development across offices, logistics, and retail. 'In an already high-cost market, this rate adds a substantial upfront cost, undermines project viability, and deters both domestic and international investment,' it said. It recommended a return to the pre-2017 rate of 2 per cent to 'unlock stalled development, ease supply constraints, and support wider economic growth'. The group said businesses are 'increasingly dissatisfied and frustrated' by the lack of delivery of infrastructure by the Government. 'Many do not believe that the investments proposed under the Programme for Government will happen, given past delays,' it said. On water, it said Dublin faces a 'major crisis', and that the provision of water and wastewater in the Greater Dublin Area is 'wholly inadequate and in need of urgent review'. 'The risk of a water shortage due to necessary maintenance and remedial work is high and rising,' it said. 'The lack of water and wastewater is a direct limiting factor on the delivery of affordable accommodation across the Greater Dublin Area. 'Currently, Uisce Éireann has no mandate or increased funding to support the supply of new housing developments. This must change and Government must put in place a multiannual budget for the utility to ensure new housing developments are connected.' At present, the Greater Dublin Area is 'excessively reliant' on a single water source, with 85 per cent coming from the Liffey. The group said the Eastern and Midlands Water Supply Project is 'urgently required' to meet the needs of half of Ireland's population. 'This must be accompanied by the Greater Dublin Drainage Scheme (GDDS), as the need for wastewater facilities has risen in line with the growing population,' it said. 'The need for adequate wastewater facilities and the building of the GDDS cannot be overstated. If this facility is not built, this will have a detrimental effect on the provision of housing.'
The National
01-07-2025
- Business
- The National
How Abu Dhabi's population surge could change the emirate
The surge in Abu Dhabi's population shows it is a global contender as a destination when people are deciding to move for life or work, experts have told The National. It will mean even more demand for the emirate's rising property sector, increase opportunities for extra public transport and underline its status as a haven. And as Abu Dhabi has invested considerably in bringing world-class schools and universities to the emirate, the focus could now shift to vocational and trade schools along with affordable schools and colleges. The National on Tuesday spoke to experts in several fields to assess the affect of the population crossing the four million mark for the first time, as revealed by data from the Statistics Centre in Abu Dhabi. Abu Dhabi City and the immediate surrounding area represents 2,823,340 of the 4,135,985 total and it marks a remarkable transformation for a capital that was just a stone fort and barasti huts a few decades ago. It follows sustained efforts over the past few years by authorities to attract more people with efforts such as liberalised visa rules, new cultural, residential and leisure developments and massive investment in education along with major efforts to make the city more liveable with cycle lanes and parks along with already high safety levels and tax-free salaries. A property boom Mario Volpi, head of brokerage at Novvi Properties, said 'any increase is excellent news for the housing market'. The market is already surging in Abu Dhabi. For example, Aldar Properties generated more than Dh3.5 billion ($953 million) in sales from Fahid Beach Residences and The Beach House, the island's first residential developments released last month. Mr Volpi said many companies no longer offer accommodation or housing allowances as Abu Dhabi and Dubai are not seen as hardship postings any more because people are 'flocking here' and there is no need to entice them. He pointed to the fact many rent here and then save to buy an investment property. 'That is a trend,' he said. 'Population fuels all of that and, in addition to global investors, people still see the UAE as a safe haven to invest despite all that has happened recently,' he said. Mr Volpi said the emirate has not been shouting from the rooftops but quietly getting on with work. 'The population increase will make people stand up and look at Abu Dhabi as a real contender for people to move to, live and work.' Educating the new residents Some of Abu Dhabi's schools are among the best in the world, while its universities continue to soar in international rankings. The UAE's Khalifa University of Science and Technology rose 25 places to 177th globally in the QS World University Rankings 2026 that were published last month. New school projects have also been announced such as King's College School Wimbledon at Fahid Island in 2028. The renowned Harrow School is also set to launch campuses in both Abu Dhabi and Dubai under a partnership with UAE education provider Taaleem. Dr Senthil Nathan, managing director and co-founder of the Edu Alliance consultancy, said as the population surges, the diversity of learners, learning needs, training needs and career aptitudes will also increase. 'Abu Dhabi emirate has invested considerably in bringing in world-class K-12 [primary and secondary] institutions and universities to the emirate in the past two decades,' he said. 'Now the focus may need to be on encouraging other types of educational institutions (access institutions, vocational/trade schools, special needs and affordable schools and colleges.' At least 54.7 per cent of gross domestic product in Abu Dhabi comes from the non-oil sector, statistics show and Dr Nathan said as diversification from oil continues, it is important to 'promote and invite' specialised institutions that cater to graduating skilled professionals for thriving sectors in hospitality, tourism, real estate, health care, eSports and more. He also said affordable schools could be developed through public private partnerships and this model could also be applied to help provide education support from those who are at an advanced level to individuals who need more support. 'Such support [PPP] is essential to attract a world-class talent pool to develop Abu Dhabi into an emerging technology centre of the world.' Transporting a rising population Residents of Abu Dhabi are eagerly awaiting the launch of the Etihad Rail passenger service, due to start in 2026. The location of the stations has yet to be revealed but the operator said it plans to link them with existing transport networks. A high-speed link to Dubai has also been announced but a launch date has not been revealed. Transport bosses have also made huge improvements to public transport such as bolstering the bus network, introduced tram-like electric buses and testing air taxis. 'As Abu Dhabi surpasses four million residents, the city will need to focus on augmenting its connected, seamless and sustainable transport ecosystem for local residents and workers,' said Martin Tillman, transport expert and founder of TMP Consult. 'From the planned introduction of passenger services on Etihad Rail to new mobility modes like … autonomous taxis and the current trials of automated rapid transit [tram-like buses], Abu Dhabi has a unique opportunity to grow sustainable and innovative transit services that provide connectivity for moving large amounts of people around the city with less reliance on private cars.' Mr Tillman said initiatives such as 'transit-orientated development' – ensuring people, buildings and public spaces are brought together – and 'mobility as a service' – combining services such as trains, buses, e-scooters, car sharing in one platform or app – were important. He pointed to Reem Island and Al Maryah Island as examples of transit-orientated developments while Etihad Rail has said its platform would integrate tickets, journey planning and more. 'Alignment between land use, housing and mobility policy is important,' he said. 'So that public transport and active modes such as walking and cycling become the default in this world-class liveable city.'
