Forum on “Smart sustainable cities: a rising priority for decision-makers”

The International Telecommunication Union (ITU) is organizing a forum on “Smart sustainable cities: a rising priority for decision-makers” on 3 March 2015. The forum will be preceded by the fifth meeting of the Focus Group on Smart Water Management (FG SWM) on 2 March 2015 and it will be followed by the seventh meeting of the Focus Group on Smart Sustainable Cities (FG SSC) on 4-6 March 2015.
The events will be kindly hosted by Symantec in the Executive Briefing Centre of Green Park, Reading, United Kingdom.

More: itu.int/en/ITU-T/Workshops-and-Seminars/Pages/201503/forum-ssc.aspx

Cities are an important driver of growth and development in the global economy, representing more than 55% of the global gross domestic product (GDP). Whether it be for commerce, investment, production, jobs, education, better health, social services, enhanced cultural and political participation and much more, cities are hubs of opportunities and allow for more efficient access to services and infrastructure.

By 2050, it is expected that urban areas will home approximately 70% of the world population and that there will be more than 40 megacities, each with a population of at least 10 million. Furthermore, cities are expected to drive nearly 66% of the global economic growth by 2025.

However, this unprecedented and rapid urban growth creates daunting challenges for municipalities, such as additional environmental pressures and growing demand for services, and impacts their ability to effectively manage their citizens’ quality of life. Also, mismanaged urbanization is likely to have deleterious social and environmental repercussions, as well as significant economic costs.

This forum will demonstrate how the strategic application of Information and Communications Technologies (ICTs) can help cities become smarter and more sustainable, by providing digital solutions that enhance the environment, improve quality of life and enable energy efficiency achievements. This forum will also leverage the role of policies and standards in the fostering of smart sustainable cities worldwide.

Draft programme: itu.int/en/ITU-T/Workshops-and-Seminars/Pages/201503/Programme.aspx

Contact
Cristina Bueti: greenstandard@itu.int