Page 66 - International Standards to Shape Smart Sustainable Cities: The Case of Moscow

Implementing ITU-T International Standards to shape Smart Sustainable Cities - The case of Moscow

5.3. Moscow’s performance: Environment dimension

This dimension examines the level of ICT integration in
supporting the city’s environmental sustainability and
energy efficiency. These KPIs also provide a baseline for
future comparisons.
Data collected for the U4SSC KPIs shows that Moscow
has a well-developed system that monitors air and
water quality. Moscow is also implementing ICT
programmes to better manage progress in this area.
Achieving the efficient use of resources via ICTs will be
key to Moscow’s long-term environmental
sustainability. Given the city’s size, energy utilization
does makeup a significant portion of the city’s
environmental footprint.

Green spaces and air quality

The analysis of Moscow’s environmental initiatives starts with its green efforts that have led to
the creation of 1 152.31 hectares of green areas in the city per 100 000 of its inhabitants. The
accessibility of green spaces is equally important as these lead to a higher quality of life for the
city’s inhabitants. However, the percentage of inhabitants with access to the city’s green areas,
i.e. those living within 300 metres of a publicly accessible green space, currently remains in
progress at 34.93 per cent.
Moscow’s air quality KPIs are typical for a city of its size and economic/industrial makeup
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indicating that improvements are possible. Moscow measures 17 μg / m and 27 μg / m
respectively on the air quality index (AQI) based on its reported values for particulate matter
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(PM2.5 and PM10). Nitrogen dioxide (NO2) is typically 33 μg / m and sulphur dioxide (SO2) and
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ozone (O3) are 3 μg / m and 28 μg / m respectively, on average.
Transportation alternatives
Moscow’s environmental sustainability benefits from the burgeoning shared economy in the
city, especially from the shared modes of transportation. There are now 34.4 shared bicycles
available and 88 shared vehicles per 100 000 of the city’s inhabitants.
However, the number of electric vehicles in Moscow remains low, currently amounting to only
0.05 per cent of all vehicles in Moscow. Raising awareness on the environmental impacts of
traditional transportation will also generate interest for plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEV)
and other electric vehicles (EV) and other low emission vehicles in the city.

Wastewater treatment and waste disposal

As regards disposal, 100 per cent of Moscow’s wastewater receives primary, secondary and
tertiary treatment. Figure 35 illustrates how Moscow’s solid waste is disposed of, and shows
that there is an opportunity to move more to a circular economy by increasing recycling rates.
A reduction in the open burning of waste would have the benefit of improving air quality.

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