Page 35 - U4SSC Blockchain for smart sustainable cities

Figure 5: Smart sustainable city and community framework (UNU-EGOV)

It is important to note that smartness is not an on-or-off state, where a city is either smart or not.
Rather, smartness is a continuum along which cities and communities will find themselves positioned
due to their history, geography, resources and initiatives. The task of cities is not to reach some ideal
state in which they will earn the title “smart”, but rather to improve and move along the continuum to
a state of increasing “smartness” based on where they started their journey from. Taking this approach
means that smart initiatives can be applied in large and small communities, depending on their stage
of transformation to a smart ecosystem.

Cities and communities are, and will most likely continue to be, central drivers of economic growth
and sustainable development. However, to sustain and enhance this role, cities face many challenges
in trying to provide good-quality living experiences, economic stability and long-term sustainability. In
response to these needs and challenges, a promising solution is to incorporate technology to a greater
degree in the management and operation of cities and communities. The deployment of integrated
information and communication technologies for the management of cities and communities, and in
aspects of life and trade, in ways that support the human experience and protect the natural resources
of the planet for future generations, is the ultimate vision of “smartness” and sustainability.

U4SSC: Blockchain for smart sustainable cities 25