Page 32 - U4SSC Blockchain for smart sustainable cities

The characteristics of the urban environment often do not provide enough space for the generation
of renewable energy, supply of potable water, agricultural exploitation for the production of food,
extraction of raw materials for industry, and adequate green space for a healthy environment.

Such resources are normally sourced and generated in rural areas, which maintain strong ties with
urban centres, guaranteeing a constant supply that allows for their survival. Cities, in order to be
sustainable, need to cultivate deeper connections with rural settlements. This means that sustainable
cities depend on having concrete links with sustainable rural communities. Therefore, the application
of smart solutions in rural areas to solve inherent social, environmental and economic challenges is
of equal importance. This interdependence has been recognized in Goal 11A of SDG11, which aims to
“support positive economic, social and environmental links between urban, peri-urban and rural areas
by strengthening national and regional development planning”.

Some researchers have questioned whether the goals of being smart and sustainable are compatible,
pointing out that many smart initiatives make additional infrastructure and energy demands that might
work in opposition to the core sustainability goals. These criticisms are worth bearing in mind while
assessing the value of smart interventions for cities and communities. Thorough strategic thinking that
takes into consideration a vision of sustainability will allow sustainable benefits to be derived from the
implementation of technologies which, in turn, are expected to solve urban problems and improve
the quality of life.

3.3 Smart city and community challenges

Several challenges have been identified for those cities and communities wanting to become smarter.
Some of these challenges are at a high-level, and have to do with how people perceive cities and their
place in them. Others are more practical concerns linked to how to make smart initiatives work.

High-level challenges

The first challenge of smart cities is to develop a shared understanding of what “smart” means for
each city. There will be competing ideas of what matters in the city, which challenges to address first
and which goals to pursue. As long as different stakeholders are aiming for different goals, they will
work against each other and waste resources in the process. For this reason, mechanisms to build
understanding and consensus are an integral part of becoming smart. It is important to note that
this overall process given these impediments can be difficult and time consuming to manage in an
efficient manner.

Becoming a smart city or community requires a long-term perspective since complex or costly changes,
adjustments and investments may be necessary to put in place the infrastructure and regulatory
frameworks needed to underpin smart systems. When city employees, businesses and residents have
to make changes to their routines, it can be difficult if they are focused on the short term. Politicians
too, are inclined to look for results that will fall within their terms of office, which can make it even more
difficult to gain support for initiatives with longer-term benefits. Additionally, the automation of certain
processes within the urban ecosystem also brings about the fear of phasing out certain occupations.

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