With the right technology cities can lead the way in solving problems in energy , transportation , healthcare , education and natural disaster response while making their communities more inclusive , resilient and sustainable .
processes or those that enable stakeholders and investors to agree on key projects and funding options to address an urban solution .
d . Research and knowledge creation UN-Habitat has a strong track record of collecting data and understanding cities through the production of globally relevant reports such as the World Cities Report , which also reflect on the role of innovation in responding to urbanisation challenges .
G20 Global Smart Cities Alliance – G20
Established in June 2019 , the G20 Global Smart Cities Alliance on Technology Governance unites local and national Governments , private-sector partners and city residents around a shared set of principles for the responsible and ethical use of smart city technologies . The Alliance establishes and advances global policy norms to help accelerate best practices , mitigate potential risks , and foster greater openness and public trust . The World Economic Forum serves as the secretariat for the Alliance .
As the world urbanises , sustainable development and economic growth depend increasingly on the successful management of urban growth . With the right technology — and the know-how to govern it — cities can lead the way in solving problems in energy , transportation , healthcare , education and natural disaster response while making their communities more inclusive , resilient and sustainable . But progress depends on cities adopting the right set of policies to make sure that technology is used responsibly .
In 2020 , the Alliance assembled experts from around the world to collaborate on developing a Policy Roadmap for responsible , ethical smart cities . 36 ‘ Pioneer Cities ’ validated the roadmap in 2021 and many are implementing its policies .
Key findings of the Alliance are :
● Nearly all the cities surveyed — including those that are generally regarded as leading global cities — have critical policy gaps related to their governance of smart city technologies .
● Despite an unprecedented increase in global cybersecurity attacks , most cities have not designated a specific Government official as ultimately accountable for cybersecurity .
● While the majority of cities recognise the importance of protecting the privacy of their citizens , only 17 % of cities surveyed carry out privacy impact assessments before deploying new technologies .
● Less than half of the cities surveyed have processes in place to ensure that the technologies they procure are accessible to elderly residents or individuals with limited physical abilities .
● Open data policy is perhaps the only area in which most cities in the sample have achieved a level of basic implementation . Even here , only 15 % of the Pioneer Cities have integrated their open data portals with their wider city data infrastructure , which is a necessary step towards making a city “ open by default ”.
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