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OnDemand Panel discussion: Using AI to create value in cities for communities and workforce

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Join SmartCitiesWorld and Sand Technologies for our latest webinar, focusing on how Thames Water are integrating advanced digital twin technology and AI to revolutionise water management.

A clean and efficient future: energy in focus at Cities Climate Action Summit 2024

Discover how this year’s Cities Climate Action Summit puts the spotlight on the switch to clean and renewable energy, and the importance of energy-efficiency.

SusHi Tech Tokyo 2024: experience ‘Tokyo 2050’ todaySponsored by The SusHi Tech Tokyo 2024 Showcase Program Executive Committee

Discover innovative concepts to solve urban issues through SusHi Tech Tokyo’s programme focused on leveraging diverse ideas, digital know-how and cutting-edge technologies.

SmartCitiesWorld City Profile 2024 – City of Madrid

Discover how the city of Madrid is innovating to become a smarter, more sustainable city that’s able to deliver improved services to residents and visitors alike.

SmartCitiesWorld City Profile –Shenzhen

SmartCitiesWorld City Profiles explore the city of Shenzhen, designated as China’s first special economic zone and a role model of urban modernisation. Find out more about Shenzhen’s smart city strategy in this 16-page report.

Podcasts

Urban Exchange Podcast Episode 23 - Identifying urban solutions at the intersection of climate, health, and equity

Tune into the latest Urban Exchange podcast, where guests from the city of Buenos Aires City Government and Yale University discuss the links between climate, health and inequity.

Urban Exchange Podcast Episode 22 - Digital solutions shaping the urban landscape

The latest Urban Exchange takes us inside the world of digital financial innovation and how it supports urban resilience, with experts from Cape Town and StateUp.

Opinions

The built environment’s Scope 3 emissions conundrum

Without serious consideration for Scope 3 emissions, we will be unable to reach global net zero goals and improve the quality of life of building occupants, says Mahesh Ramanujam, CEO of Global Network for Zero.

Cities Climate Action Summit 2024 – meet the exhibitor: Latitudo 40

Latitudo 40 sits at the convergence of satellite imagery analysis and AI and will demonstrate the vital role satellite data has to play in helping cities tackle the challenges of climate change.

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Smart Cities News

Cop29: Resilient cities and tourism climate action declarations

Climate action21 Nov 2024

Over 160 stakeholders, including countries and cities, have endorsed the Cop29 Multisectoral Actions Pathways Declaration for Resilient and Healthy Cities.

Nokia to lead European lighthouse project on 6G sustainability

4G and 5G06 Nov 2024

European lighthouse project will evaluate and explore sustainable 6G technologies, methods and use cases touching on environmental, economic and societal needs.

Dubai joins SDG Cities Global Initiative

Sustainable development goals21 Oct 2024

Dubai is implementing a set of plans and strategies, including the Dubai Urban Plan 2040, which takes a human-centred approach to sustainable urban development.

Which cities are the most sustainable destinations?

News18 Oct 2024

Global Destination Sustainability Index evaluates sustainability across key areas, including destination management and environmental and social performance.

IBM and UNDP launch AI models to analyse complex energy issues

Batteries and renewables18 Sep 2024

Models are freely available through UNDP’s GeoHub dashboards, helping users access data and insights to interpret clean energy challenges and opportunities.

Lake Ontario cooling system expanded to serve more buildings

Water30 Aug 2024

Enwave claims the expansion has effectively increased its cooling capacity by 60 per cent, with the capability of providing service to an additional 40 buildings.

Mitsubishi joins Berlin airport smart city project

Planning and redevelopment21 May 2024

Berlin TXL project was launched in 2021 to create a smart city on the five-square-kilometre site of the former Berlin Tegel Airport, which closed in 2020.

Madinah: a jewel committed to the challenges of the future

Sustainable development goals25 Apr 2024

With inclusion, diversity and technology central to the smart city vision, María J Martínez reports on how the ‘Enlightened City’ has obtained the UN-Habitat Gold Recognition in the SDG Cities Programme.

Three signs of a collective commitment to tackle climate change

Editor's Blog22 Apr 2024

How strategic leadership, innovative partnerships and data-driven initiatives are contributing to the global commitment to take action against climate change.

UNDP partners to guide private equity climate investment

Climate action18 Apr 2024

United Nations Development Programme is working with Fullerton Fund Management to develop a Sustainability Management Framework, based on SDG Impact Standards.

IBM commits up to $45m for urban climate adaptation

Climate action07 Mar 2024

IBM will increase investment in its Sustainability Accelerator by 50 per cent, committing up to $45m in cash and in-kind donations over the next five years.

Finnish cities explore re-use potential of artificial grass

Sustainable development goals29 Feb 2024

Helsinki and five other cities will gather experiences on the reuse of artificial grass and survey recycling solutions available in Finland and Europe.

Neom launches sustainable food company

Sustainable development goals11 Dec 2023

Topian aims to redefine food production, distribution, and consumption through food solutions across five vertical pillars, including climate-proof agriculture.

OnDemand Panel Debate (11 Dec): Going behind the scenes of Dallas’ smart city initiatives

Webinars10 Dec 2023

SmartCitiesWorld gets up close and personal with the City of Dallas and its innovative smart city strategies. Panellist from City of Dallas, National League of Cities and Ubicquia. Watch OnDemand

City climate projects need $65bn worth of funding

Climate action05 Dec 2023

The high costs of projects, coupled with constraints on municipal budgets, mean a rapid acceleration of support is needed to meet the Paris Agreement goals.

WEF uses metaverse to address climate tipping points

Climate action18 Sep 2023

The Polar Tipping Points Hub offers an immersive experience that allows collaborators to visualise the ramifications of polar warming on earth’s systems.

Why now is a pivotal moment for urban climate action

Climate action18 Sep 2023

Mark Watts, executive director, C40 Cities and Claus Mathisen, CEO, Urban Partners, explain why the 15-minute city concept represents a major opportunity to transform the world’s cities for the better

Bezos commits $400m to green spaces in US communities

Parks and green space21 Jul 2023

The Bezos Earth Fund’s Greening America’s Cities initiative aims to enhance underserved urban US communities with more parks, trees and community gardens.

Which city is most conducive to eco-business?

Air quality18 Jul 2023

Fifty cities were analysed across a variety of metrics, including their sustainability ranking, pollution score, air quality and number of B corporations.

Can innovation bring us closer to water-smart cities?

Water13 Jul 2023

Marc Hannis, principal of the Innovation Fund at the UK water services regulator, Ofwat, highlights the urgent need for smart tech in the sector to future-proof cities.

Built environment must collaborate on climate action

Climate action11 Jul 2023

IStructE urges architects, engineers and designers to create the built environment in a different way and use new material more sparingly and prioritise reuse.

Call to action ahead of G7 urban development meeting

Policymaking06 Jul 2023

Ahead of the G7 Sustainable Urban Development Ministers’ meeting in Japan, WEF has issued a six-point call-to-action to accelerate sustainable urban development.

Generative AI tool bids to make climate data open to all

AI and Machine Learning04 Jul 2023

OpenESG claims ChatESG integrates business-specific logic and data from SMEs, public companies and partnerships to deliver rapid, verified responses to queries.

Why energy efficiency is the low-hanging fruit of climate action

Climate action21 Jun 2023

Alice Steenland, chief strategy and sustainability officer of Signify, explains why energy-efficiency programmes should be at the top of everyone’s agenda today

Govtech accelerator announces top 100 resiliency solutions

Climate action13 Jun 2023

Resilience challenge has curated what it describes as a collection of highly promising solutions to future-proof cities, protect residents, and promote equity.

Singapore pledges $10m to align digital capability with UN SDGs

Sustainable development goals09 Jun 2023

It made the pledge to the ITU Partner2Connect Digital Coalition, which was set up to foster meaningful connectivity and digital transformation globally.

Concordia awarded £123m to help decarbonise communities

Climate action02 May 2023

Grant supports the Electrifying Society: Towards Decarbonised Resilient Communities programme, which aims to build a sustainable future for Canada and the world.

UK waste management company upcycles its fleet to electric

Electric vehicles02 May 2023

Biffa will work with Lunaz to transition its existing diesel refuse trucks to clean-air electric powertrains through upcycling and electrification technology.

Canadian university creates climate action blueprint for cities

Climate action17 Apr 2023

Concordia’s Plan/Net-Zerø initiative involves transforming its campuses into living labs and a hub to model green energy solutions to cities around the world.

Innovators pledge $11bn to solve global water challenges

Water23 Mar 2023

Xylem, Veolia, XPV, Hydraloop, and Hansgrohe will be joined by several nonprofits to pledge their collective commitment to invest in innovative water solutions.

Singapore achieves global destination sustainability award

Sustainable development goals01 Mar 2023

Efforts align with the Singapore Green Plan 2030 that charts city-state targets over the next 10 years and positions it to achieve net zero emissions by 2050.

State of Berlin to issue sustainability bonds to fund projects

Economic Development26 Jan 2023

A total of 36 projects will reportedly benefit from the sustainability bond, corresponding with UN sustainability goals, including climate protection.

WEF launches Centre for Trustworthy Technology in Austin

AI and Machine Learning19 Jan 2023

Announced at Davos, the centre will promote responsible production and use of technologies such as AI, machine learning, blockchain, VR and quantum computing.

Helsinki provides fresh update on sustainability work

Sustainable development goals28 Dec 2022

Helsinki’s own sustainability efforts are being shaped and evaluated via the UN’s sustainable development goals, as the city looks to lead in sustainable growth and development.

Cities offered free solution to reduce plastic waste

Smart waste15 Dec 2022

Leading Cities is inviting local governments and private organisations to apply for a free plastic waste recycling pilot that will also reduce waste collection costs.

Urban Exchange Podcast Episode 9 - Susan Aitken, Glasgow City Leader - Progress at COP27 and climate finance

Urban Exchange Podcast13 Dec 2022

Preview: The latest episode of the Urban Exchange Podcast sees Lauren Sorkin, Resilient Cities Network, chat with Susan Aitken, Glasgow City Leader to talk COP27 and climate finance.

Open source tech recognised for boosting sustainability

Smart waste12 Dec 2022

The annual Call for Code challenge invited innovators across the globe to help accelerate sustainability and combat climate change with open source-powered technology.

Saudi Arabia calls for global smart tourism index

Resilience01 Dec 2022

Saudi Tourism Authority and Skift have outlined a joint blueprint for the index, which aims to guide future tourism innovation, resiliency and sustainability.

Urban Exchange Podcast Episode 8 - Making cities green, resilient and inclusive in a changing climate

Urban Exchange Podcast30 Nov 2022

Preview: The latest episode of the Urban Exchange brings together the principal authors of the World Bank’s latest extensive report on urban climate to discuss the 10 key findings.

Toronto issues green bond for transformative climate action

Climate action29 Nov 2022

Proceeds will be used to fund approved Toronto Transportation Services and Waterfront revitalisation capital projects that address the impact of climate change.

Council launched to help decarbonise built environment

Commercial buildings03 Nov 2022

New council will bring together stakeholders across the built environment value chain, from industry leaders to scale-ups, to stimulate investment, deployment, and scaling of new materials and technologies.

Urb unveils designs for smart, self-sufficient African city

Planning and redevelopment26 Oct 2022

The Parks, a 1,700 hectare sustainable city in the eastern region of South Africa, aims to produce 100 per cent of its energy, water and food on site to become a self-sufficient destination.

The world’s best city climate action projects named

Climate action20 Oct 2022

The 10 winning projects and cities of the 2022 C40 Cities Bloomberg Philanthropies Awards were announced at the C40 World Mayors Summit in Buenos Aires.

Peachtree Corners awarded for smart city leadership

4G and 5G19 Oct 2022

Peachtree Corners and its Curiosity Lab have been recognised as one of the most advanced smart city environments in the world, serving as a model for the US.

Green oasis opens in Sydney neighbourhood

Parks and green space18 Oct 2022

The Drying Green in Green Square will become a backyard for the many people living in nearby apartments and features a folding origami-like lawn and a tiered wetland water feature that collects and filters stormwater.

WEF and UN Habitat partner to unlock investment for cities

Economic Development14 Oct 2022

Global Partnership for Local Investment aims to increase the prosperity of 100 cities by 2030 and will curate successful models of public-private collaboration that can be scaled globally.

Louisiana works with energy companies to decarbonise industry

Climate action13 Oct 2022

The US state’s decarbonisation collaboration puts forward a potential business prototype for industrial-scale carbon capture and sequestration projects.

Plug-in helps South African shoppers fight climate change

Retailers15 Sep 2022

Curbon uses data from around the world to estimate the emissions of customers’ carts at checkout and empowers shoppers to neutralise the carbon footprint of their purchases in real-time.

Global smart city resiliency challenge unveils finalists

Resilience14 Sep 2022

Common city challenges tackled by the finalists in this year’s QBE AcceliCITY Resilience Challenge span areas such as digital infrastructure and comms tech, public transportation, renewable energy and fresh food shortage.

WEF issues a roadmap for building future-ready cities

Resilience05 Sep 2022

Four reports on city financing models, technology adoption, urban inclusion, and climate preparedness, explain why cities should eradicate siloed thinking and take a systems approach to deliver urban transformation projects.

Data-driven partnership established to tackle climate change

Analytics23 Aug 2022

Sustainability-as-a-service platform company Olive Gaea is partnering with Sapio Analytics to support government organisations across the Menati region to tackle climate change.

LoRaWan deployed for drought alerts in New Zealand

Sustainable development goals19 Aug 2022

The drought early warning system comprises a rainwater tank and rain monitors to analyse water consumption and rain forecasts in remote New Zealand and South Pacific Island communities.

Helsinki updates carbon-neutral plan to accelerate impact

Climate action16 Aug 2022

The city set a goal of being carbon-neutral by 2030 and although significant emission reductions have been made following the implementation of the Carbon-neutral Helsinki programme, progress is too slow to meet the target.

Planet Smart City teams with Tree-Nation to offset CO2 emissions

Climate action08 Aug 2022

Reinforcing Planet’s commitment to improving the communities where it operates, its partnership with Tree-Nation will initially see 1,260 trees planted in Brazil, India and the UK.

Grants totalling $25m available for climate-friendly cooling

News19 Jul 2022

The Ikea Foundation is working with the Clean Cooling Collaborative to help advance solutions for reducing global cooling-related emissions over the next four years.

Global study links sustainability practices with performance

News13 Jul 2022

Research carried out by digital transformation specialist Genpact also reveals that artificial intelligence and data and analytics are key to achieving climate goals.

Cleantech carbon tracker backed by Google and Microsoft

News11 Jul 2022

FlexiDao’s blockchain-based software platform enables governments and organisations to certify and trace their electricity and its true carbon content, every hour of every day.

How air quality and weather data help cities boost resilienceSponsored by Vaisala

Air quality01 Jul 2022

Cities around the world are trying to improve air quality, which in turn can help to mitigate the impacts of climate change. Sue Weekes explains the vital role played by compact air quality sensors and how using them in tandem with weather stations and other smart city devices can maximise their value.

Urgent climate action needed by cities to address floods and drought

Climate action23 Jun 2022

A study from the C40 Cities global network quantifies the dire impact of climate-driven drought and flooding on the world’s largest cities in the next three decades.

California’s 100 per cent renewable microgrid goes into service

Batteries and renewables10 Jun 2022

The multi-customer solar-plus-storage system aims to provide energy resilience for Humboldt County and serve as a blueprint for other clean microgrids.

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