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ITU and UNECE launch advocacy platform for smart sustainable cities
United Nations call for public policy to promote urban ICT innovation
Geneva, 26 May 2016 – ITU and UNECE have launched the
United for
Smart Sustainable Cities (U4SSC) global initiative to advocate for public
policy aimed at ensuring a catalytic role for information and communication
technologies (ICTs) in enabling the transition to smart sustainable cities. The
initiative will assist the response to Goal 11 of the United Nations Sustainable
Development Goals (SDGs): to “Make cities and human settlements inclusive,
safe, resilient and sustainable”.
The U4SSC global initiative, which is open to all United Nations agencies,
municipalities, industry, academia and other relevant stakeholders, will focus
on the integration of ICTs in urban operations and build on existing
international standards and key performance indicators (KPIs).
United Nations bodies, including UNIDO, ECLAC, FAO, UNFCCC, WMO, UN Women,
UNEP, UNEP-FI, WHO, WTO, UNCCD, UNU-IAS, UNDESA and UNECE, have expressed their
intention to join the Advisory Board of the U4SSC global initiative.
“ICTs have become central to innovation in almost every sphere of social and
economic activity, making collaboration essential in maximizing the contribution
of ICTs to sustainable development,” said ITU Secretary-General Houlin Zhao.
“The U4SSC global initiative will bring together stakeholders of the public
and private sectors to ensure a coherent, integrated application of ICTs within
smart sustainable cities,” said ITU Deputy Secretary-General Malcolm Johnson.
“We live in a connected world and we see new fascinating markets and products
where physical products and services and digital technologies merge and move
together,” said UNECE Executive Secretary Christian Friis Bach. “The digital
revolution can help us create intelligent transport, smart energy systems,
resource efficiency and transparent and open societies. It can help us create
sustainable development. However, to achieve this we need trust and
predictability, and we need common and neutral standards that can work across
borders and technologies.”
The U4SSC global initiative was launched at the
ITU-UNECE Forum on “Shaping smarter and more sustainable cities:
striving for sustainable development goals” in Rome, Italy, 18-19
May.
In opening the Forum, ITU Deputy Secretary-General Malcolm Johnson pointed
out: "Smart sustainable cities benefit from improved energy efficiency, reduced
environmental pollution, increased social inclusion, and offer businesses a
better return on investment, and people a happier and healthier environment in
which to live."
ITU and UNECE presented a set of key performance indicators (KPIs) they have
developed to measure the “smartness” and “sustainability” of cities, in line
with the Sustainable Development Goals. Dubai, Singapore, Manizales, Montevideo,
Buenos Aires, Valencia, Rimini and other selected cities have already agreed to
trial these KPIs.
The forum concluded with the
Rome Declaration, which presents a ten-point manifesto for
the transition to smart sustainable cities. The declaration promotes the use of
internationally agreed KPIs and technical standards in service of sustainable
development objectives in the urban context, and highlights the value of
inclusive e-governance models and peer-learning among city leaders.
For more information, please contact:
Sanjay Acharya
Chief, Media Relations and Public Information, ITU
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