Page 138 - Shaping smarter and more sustainable cities - Striving for sustainable development goals

1 Introduction

Modern cities have experienced unprecedented socio‐economic
growth and environmental crises since the latter half of the 20th “It is a truth universally
century and the beginning of the 21st century. In 2014, there were 28 acknowledged that a
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mega cities, home to 453 million people. With 54% of the world’s (smart) city in
population living in urban areas, cities are confronted with possession of a good
contemporary problems, ranging from rapid urbanization, rising ICT infrastructure must
pollution levels and an ever increasing rural to urban migration, all of also be sustainable”
which have exerted pressure on an ageing city infrastructure.
Projections indicate that the percentage of the global population living in cities is expected to rise
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to 66% by 2050. Globally, cities also account for 75‐80% of a country’s GDP and are considered the
main engines of global economic growth. On the flip side, cities also produce 50% of the global
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waste along with 60% of the global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.
As a result, there is increasing pressure on existing natural resources such as water, land and fossil
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fuels. Additionally, there are growing concerns regarding existing transportation infrastructure,
provision of adequate healthcare, access to education and overall safety for the growing population
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of urban residents.

2 Smart sustainable cities: the urban future we want!

In light of the above facts, urban planners are faced with daunting questions as to whether to
promote cities as drivers of economic growth or pay heed to issues such as increasing population,
resource overuse and dependence in cities. Understanding this dilemma, ITU’s Focus Group on
Smart Sustainable Cities (FG‐SSC) set the path for cities to become smart and sustainable. Smart
Sustainable Cities (SSC) is a concept developed by the FG‐SSC which intends to leverage the potential
of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in urban governance systems to create cities
which are not only economically and socially advanced but are also designed to achieve
environmental sustainability.

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1 World Habitat Day: Voice from Slums. UN‐Habitat
2 World Habitat Day: Voice from Slums. UN‐Habitat
3 How can Cities decouple economic growth from resource use and its environmental impacts and find a
balance between social, environmental and economic goals?. United Nations Environment Programme
4 Cities and Buildings. United Nations Environment Programme
5 Cities and Climate Change Mitigation: UN‐Habitat
6 Smarter Cities and Their Innovation Challenges
7 Evolution Roadmaps for Smart Cities: Determining Viable Paths

128 ITU‐T's Technical Reports and Specifications