Page 16 - Implementing ITU-T International Standards to Shape Smart Sustainable Cities: The Case of Singapore

Implementing ITU-T International Standards to Shape Smart Sustainable Cities –
The Case of Singapore

With the active support of ITU, the first year of the pilot project in Singapore has ended. The
results and key findings from the first year are presented in this case study. Based on these
findings, this case study is expected to enable ITU to encourage the adoption of sustainable
urban development plans by city administrators and assure other cities of similar smart city
trajectories through the implementation of concrete smart strategies.

2. Conceptualizing Singapore’s “smart” and “sustainable” progress

2.1. Singapore’s Smart Nation journey

Singapore’s commitment to the smart city goals is, in part, fuelled by the need to anticipate and
prepare for future megatrends. The country also faces more immediate challenges, including
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increasing population density and an aging population. To address these challenges, His
Excellency Mr Lee Hsien Loong, Prime Minister of Singapore, has reaffirmed the country’s
commitment to a sustainable future by stating:

“Our vision is for Singapore to be a Smart Nation – a nation where people live
meaningful and fulfilled lives, enabled seamlessly by technology, offering exciting
opportunities for all.”

In line with H.E Mr Lee Hsien Loong’s vision, in 2014, the Smart Nation Programme Office (SNPO)
was established under the Prime Minister’s Office, to coordinate the city-state’s plans to build a
Smart Nation. To further facilitate this transition, SNPO has identified key initiatives in five
domains that are expected to have a profound impact on the quality of life of citizens in
Singapore. ICTs are expected to play an integral role within these domains:
 Transport.
 Home and Environment.
 Business Productivity (known as the “Competitive Economy”).
 Health and Enabled Aging.
 Public Sector Services.
Government initiatives have been put in place to support ICT transformation in these domains.
Citizens and businesses are also being encouraged to co-create impactful solutions with the
government. At the same time, infrastructure, policies, and technologies were put in place to
encourage innovation. This is expected to create the space for experimentation on the smart
city front.

5 Singapore is the third most densely populated city in the world.

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Villiers, n.d.

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