Page 2 - The 9th Green Standards Week

CALL TO ACTION

The 9 Green Standards Week
th
‘Connecting Smart Sustainable Cities with the Sustainable Development Goals’

1-4 October 2019, Valencia, Spain

Smart sustainable cities utilise a wide variety of information and communication technologies (ICTs) to address the
growing environmental and socio-economic pressure exerted by human and naturally induced factors. ICTs are the
catalyst that enables the communication function of the Internet of Things (IoTs) and other data-driven applications,
including digital platforms, wireless sensor networks, intelligent systems, Big Data analytics, and other applications.
It is through the use of ICTs and the participation of citizens that smart sustainable cities are able to fuel innovation,
solve local problems, and drive efficiency in an inclusive and sustainable manner. By tackling the persistent digital
divide, the benefits of smart sustainable cities will reach everyone, everywhere.

Smart sustainable cities hold great potential in accelerating progress towards the achievement of the Sustainable
Development Goals (SDGs). By harnessing the potential of ICTs, buildings in smart sustainable cities consume less
energy and generate less waste. Traffic congestion is reduced through optimised routes for public transportation
and parking spaces. Energy consumption and the supply of other basic utilities are optimised based on real-
time information. Financial and social services are made more accessible to many citizens. Citizen participation in
decision-making processes is enhanced through open data, crowdsourcing and digital portals. Many cities such
as Valencia have already taken steps to develop clear pathways to becoming a smart sustainable city, and have
enjoyed great successes.
The 9th Green Standards Week (GSW) dedicated to the theme ‘Connecting Smart Sustainable Cities with the
Sustainable Development Goals’ was held from 1–4 October 2019 in Valencia, Spain. Participants in the GSW
discussed the opportunities and challenges that smart sustainable cities bring and acknowledged that the transition
to smart sustainable cities is the cornerstone for achieving the SDGs.

In particular, smart sustainable cities can contribute to the
achievement of the following SDGs: SDG 7 ‘Affordable and
Clean Energy’; SDG 8 ‘Decent Work and Economic Growth’;
SDG 9 ‘Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure’; SDG 11
‘Sustainable Cities and Communities’; SDG 12 ‘Responsible
Consumption and Production’ and SDG 13 ‘Take urgent action to
combat climate change and its impacts’.

However, important challenges will still need to be overcome
before the vision of smart sustainable cities is fully realised.
International standards will be instrumental in disseminating best
practices and generating the key consensus that would address
these challenges and build a more sustainable future for all,
with open and interoperable ICT and IoT technologies. Efforts
are required to build digital skills, capacity and inclusion
in order to ensure that everyone, especially marginalized
groups, are included in the smart sustainable cities vision.