Geneva, Switzerland, (Note: New date to be decided in 2017)
Introduction
The world is experiencing an unprecedented transition from predominantly rural to chiefly urban living. In 1950, 33% of the world’s population lived in cities; today, the proportion has already exceeded 50% and is set to increase to 66% by 2050, adding 2.5 billion people to the global urban population.
Cities are increasingly encountering complex urban problems resulting from accelerated migration, unprecedented demographic change, extreme weather events, economic booms and busts, and shifting lifestyle and consumer preferences. These trends challenge the way cities deliver urban infrastructure and services, yet the convergence of the digital and physical dimensions offers cities solutions. As a result, cities are adopting new business models and availing of smart technological solutions to transform and move to new virtual and networked solutions to enhance their livability, sustainability, efficiency, productivity and delivery of urban infrastructure and services.
Keeping in mind the importance of adopting new business models and the use of smart technological solutions, the International Telecommunication Union, the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) and the World Economic Forum are organizing a High Level Forum on “Inspiring Smart Cities and Urban Services”.
Objectives
This high level forum will focus on discussing how city utilities, transport and the built and natural environment are and will continue to be affected by the adoption of new business models and smart technological solutions.
This high level forum will be held as part of the efforts conducted by the United for Smart Sustainable Cities (U4SSC) initiative.
Target audience
This high level forum will convene key public and private sector stakeholders in the city value chain: national and city government, leaders of industry, academia and civil society.
