Page 20 - A U4SSC deliverable - Guidelines on tools and mechanisms to finance Smart Sustainable Cities projects

The successful development of SSCs requires assessment and evaluation based on the internationally
agreed definition of an SSC, developed by the ITU and the UNECE:

A smart sustainable city (SSC) is an innovative city that uses ICTs and other means to improve
quality of life, efficiency of urban operation and services, and competitiveness, while ensuring
that it meets the needs of present and future generations with respect to economic, social,
environmental as well as cultural aspects. 2

The three dimensions of SSCs

Based on the definition, a set of international Key Performance Indicators for Smart Sustainable Cities
(KPIs for SSCs) to achieve the SDGs were developed by the ITU and the UNECE. A summary of
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the three dimensions of the KPIs for SSCs is provided in Box 2.

Box 2: Summary of the dimensions of SSCs in the KPIs for SSCs

DIMENSION DESCRIPTION

Economy ICT (including ICT infrastructure, water and sanitation, drainage,
electricity supply, transport, and the public sector)
Productivity (including innovation and employment)
Infrastructure (including water and sanitation, waste, electricity
supply, transport, and building and urban planning)
Environment Environment (including air quality, water and sanitation, waste,
environmental quality, and public spaces and nature)
Energy

Society and culture Education, health, and culture
Safety, housing, social inclusion, and food security

The KPIs enable the establishment of a baseline for just how sustainable and smart cities currently
are. They can also be used to measure progress over time, comparing performance with other
cities through analysis and sharing. The KPIs can therefore facilitate the sharing of best practices
and set standards for meeting SDGs at the city level.

2 U4SSC: Guidelines on tools and mechanisms to finance Smart Sustainable Cities projects