TOP 10 SMART CITIES AROUND THE WORLD
The word ‘ smart ’ has been bandied around to promote various consumer products like smart phones , smart TVs and smart homes . Invariably , the word is associated with the use of technology to make things “ smart ”. When it comes to smart cities , Governments around the world have been using many technological tools to tackle urban development challenges . In recent times , there is added pressure to combat climate change and grow sustainably .
Internet connectivity , extensive data collection and creative mobile apps have brought immense changes to urban development and the delivery of public services . However , much depends on capital investment and Government-supported “ smart ” initiatives . For city dwellers , the value in smart cities lies in efficient public transport , affordable housing , a healthy environment , plus good citizen engagement .
Notwithstanding , technological applications have their downside . There are privacy and safety issues related to the widespread use of CCTVs , sensors and data collection that underpin many smart cities .
Still , over the years , innovative Governments around the world have spearheaded their journey in developing smart cities . So strong is the movement that there is now close monitoring of how cities fare and compare with one another in annually published indexes . For instance , the 2021 Smart City Index ( SCI ), carried out by the Institute for Management Development ( IMD ) and the Singapore University of Technology and Design ( SUTD ), ranks 118 cities based on their citizens ’ perceptions of how technology can improve their lives as well as economic and social data from the UN Human Development Index ( HDI ).
The 2021 SCI revealed that many cities in Western Europe have done well . Three cities in Switzerland made it into the top 10 . Singapore
Top 10 Smart Cities 2021
Rank City
Change in rank from 2020
1 Singapore — 2 Zurich , Switzerland �1 3 Oslo , Norway �2 4 Taipei , Taiwan �4 5 Lausanne , Switzerland New Entry 6 Helsinki , Finland �4 7 Copenhagen , Denmark �1 8 Geneva , Switzerland �1 9 Auckland , New Zealand �5 10 Bilbao , Spain �14
Sources : Institute for Management Development , Singapore University of Technology and Design .
and Zurich take the top two positions . We look at the highlights of some smart developments in the top 10 cities in descending order , namely Singapore , Zurich , Oslo , Taipei , Lausanne , Helsinki , Copenhagen , Geneva , Auckland and Bilbao .
SINGAPORE
Since launching its Smart Nation initiative in 2014 , Singapore has introduced a wide range of smart technologies to improve urban living standards . Contactless payment technology has been widely adopted to direct movement and payments for those who use public transport . In utilities , water usage data is readily accessible so residents can manage their consumption and bills . The city uses drones to identify possible dengue hotspots and manage any outbreak .
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