At the Eurasia E-conference, Norbert Csizmadia, President of the PADME, led a panel discussion on the future of smart cities, urbanization and digitalisation processes.
Urban areas are responsible for 74 percent of carbon emissions. Today, 55 percent of the world’s population live in cities, which are about 4.38 billion people. By 2050, their number will reach 6.68 billion, or two-thirds of the world’s population.
75 percent of natural resources are used by people living in cities. In addition, the growth of megacities is constantly expanding. While their number was 10 in 1990, by 2018 it had grown to 33. According to current forecasts, by 2030 there could already be 43 megacities on earth with at least 10 million people living in them.
The future of cities after the epidemic
Jung Hoon Le, chairman of the Seoul Smart City Committee and a professor at Yonsei University, said the epidemic has led to an increase in the value of individual forms of travel within cities, which will also affect the car manufactures’ business models. Working from home creates new demands, which can bring about significant changes in the construction industry. Moreover, the role of supply and security networks will become more prominent in the future.
Bruno Lanvin, president of the Smart City Observatory, pointed out that smart cities are more resilient to the negative effects of the epidemic. According to Lanvin, great emphasis should be placed on smart solutions as the number of people living in big cities is growing rapidly.
Li Jin, vice president of the Fudan University, said big cities need to provide greater protection against epidemics.
A city is made smart by connecting infrastructure and using different software in a coordinated way. Programs to support the smart city should cover health, urban administration, education, utilities, passenger and freight transport, the social care system, and the real estate market.
Jin also mentioned that Shanghai proved to be one of the most effectively defending smart cities against the epidemic.
A system used by a smart city can effectively identify infectious individuals, thereby limiting the spread of the epidemic. It also successfully identifies those with whom that person has been in contact with. The biggest disadvantage of the above solutions is that they can violate the privacy of individuals.
Leena Ilmola-Sheppard, a senior researcher at the International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis, said the monitoring, surveillance systems and other technological solutions used by smart cities help a lot, but they don’t solve the epidemic. The growing complexity of urban systems also posed risks, she added.
Smart Cities and Sustainability
Leena Ilmola-Sheppard pointed out the need to improve resource efficiency and this should be reflected in smaller decisions. This will make it possible to change consumer behavior more effectively and to a greater extent.
According to Leena Ilmola-Sheppard, if a good solution has already been developed in a smart city, it is worth using it elsewhere, even if regional needs are different.
Li Jin pointed out that it is imperative to consider cultural differences when applying smart solutions.
