SMART CITY EXPO

A Loom With a View – Weaving the digital future of communities, cities and regions is the 2023 motto that links the themes of Major Cities of Europe. Our goal is to explore and discuss the impact of digitization and climate transition in local public administration. It will be the occasion to listen to the Tuscany association of cities ANCI Toscana, the Flemish association V-ICT-OR, The city of Prato, the city of Florence and Smart Dublin.

Modern city planners must foster inclusive governance while promoting social inclusion. This session invites you to explore innovative approaches and tools designed to empower citizens, bridge divides, and create more equitable and participatory societies.

Our startups will delve into the intersection of governance and living inclusion, highlighting cutting-edge technologies, policies, and community-driven initiatives. We will discuss how technology can serve as a catalyst for change, providing tools that enhance transparency, citizen engagement, and collaboration in decision-making processes.

We urgently need to find solutions to decarbonise our urban environments but the pace of innovation and implementation is too slow to meet the scale of the challenge. How do we supercharge this process to accelerate the change? Claire will suggest solutions based on her experience with governments, NGOs and global businesses.

How can innovative land-sea planning secure a sustainable and resilient future for Kenya's coastline? In partnership with the European Union, the Kenyan government is driving a blue economy agenda, focusing on activities like data centers, marine conservation, and land-sea planning guidelines. This initiative prioritizes employment, ecosystem protection, and inclusivity, offering a replicable model for Kenya's counties and beyond.

How can cities harness data for change? Urban centers are embracing data-driven transformation, using tools like Big Data, Analytics, and Digital Twins to reshape planning, connectivity, and management. A robust technical foundation can guide decision-makers with accurate, real-time information to meet the user's needs and create intelligent and efficient ecosystems. However, maintaining transparency and privacy remains a challenge.

The Smart City Hub that we recently launched in Rwanda and its role in driving forward citizen or user-centric smart cities initiatives to achieve impact.

This panel will discuss uses of data for planning in cities and informal settlements, in different contexts, with examples from the real operational experience of cities. Cities worldwide are striving to organize urban processes more efficiently and sustainably through the digital collection, processing, and analysis of data and urban governance has become increasingly dependent on flows of data, information, and the knowledge derived from them.

Urban centers are leading the path to secure a more sustainable future through innovative policies, renewable energy adoption, and sustainable urban planning. Despite their efforts, the path towards reducing emissions and building resilient, eco-friendly communities is demanding, requiring the concerted efforts of all city stakeholders. How are cities navigating these challenges to take a stand against the climate emergency?

This discussion examines the transformative impact that implementing smart infrastructure has on community resilience. Examine how such systems enhance the capacity of communities to withstand, adapt to, and recover from adverse events. By examining various smart city applications from around the globe, will focus on the critical importance of ensuring inclusive and equitable access to the benefits of smart cities, thereby protecting and empowering all community members, especially during times of crisis.

Water management has become a central topic of the urban agenda. Efficient and sustainable policies are vital for citizen well-being and the planet, prompting local governments to take proactive measures, transforming urban resilience using innovative approaches. Yet, rising global freshwater demand remains a significant challenge. Can cities adapt quickly enough to their fast-growing population and the management of a dwindling resource?

The Internet of Things (IoT) is transforming cities, offering immense potential to address emerging urban challenges. Metropolises are leveraging IoT to optimize public services and infrastructure, from resource management to public safety and building efficiency. However, as cities embrace IoT's interconnectedness, data privacy and security concerns have surfaced. Can governments ensure the integration of IoT technologies while safeguarding citizen privacy?

Panel Description: Reimagining Smart Cities - Boosting Innocities and Scaling Startup Ecosystems Join us as we embark on a visionary exploration of Smart Cities, redefining the concept of Innocities and their boundless potential to catalyze the growth of startup and business ecosystems. This visionary model envisions a holistic urban system where the private sector/corporates (focusing on key verticals), the public sector (institutions, platforms, and associations), the knowledge sector (universities and educational partners), and engaged citizens converge, synergizing their efforts towards social and sustainable impact. Key Panel Highlights: 1. The Model: Unpacking Strategies and Objectives of an Innovation District · Delve into the intricacies of Innovation Districts, exploring their strategies, objectives, and transformative potential. 2. Urban Planning: Crafting Sustainable and Creative Cities · Explore innovative urban planning approaches that foster sustainability, creativity, and inclusivity in our cities. 3. Hall 1 | Plaza: Innovation

Energy communities have a pivotal role in energy transition and they are growing around the EU but they often struggle to take-off. The COMANAGE project aims to tackle and counteract the main governance and management barriers faced by citizen-led and public-participated energy communities’ projects by creating a sustainable governance framework and new resources for public authorities

Circular practices, enhancing resource efficiency, reusability, and waste reduction, are gaining momentum. With the implementation of recycling, effective waste management, and efficient water usage, urban centers are trying to adapt to the challenges brought by the climate emergency. How can these strategies be comprehensive enough to ensure thriving cities while prioritizing sustainability, innovation, and collaborative efforts across sectors?

Brief summary: Cities rely on data collection to measure several parameters. But collecting data without any meaningful action doesn’t lead to smartness. A data-driven smart city offers benefits to its citizens and creates safe, resilient, and sustainable urban environments thanks to data-driven strategies and decisions. Join our talk to hear from MinebeaMitsumi Group about their full-scale solutions to tackle several urban challenges and enable smart cities to make data-driven decisions.

Beyond the warm sunshine and tasty food, Portugal is turning into a Smart country. We explore the pragmatic implementation of Smart Cities in Portugal and provide insights into how these strategies are driving progress in areas such as mobility, waste management, and sustainability, within Portuguese cities. In this cruise, we engage in a thoughtful discussion about the practical aspects of Smart Cities and their impact on our communities.

Join this UK Government hosted session to explore how UK entrepreneurs are leveraging data to bridge gaps, enhance accessibility, and empower communities. Gain insights, practical guidance, and ethical considerations for creating inclusive societies through data-driven strategies.Speakers: Mark Martin, UK Black Tech; Priya Guliani, EarthID; Tanuvi Ethunandan, Data Dupoly; Alejandro Quinto, Yeme Tech; Karen Burns, Fyma; Sam Chapman, The Floow.

Living Labs serve as essential innovation platforms bridging the gap between technology and people. In this keynote session, 4P(People-Public-Private Partnership) based Living LAB that leverages urban data will be introduced with citizen empowerment practices. The outcomes of data-driven Living LAB with some critical success factors how urban data can foster Living LAB Practices.

Our world is in urgent need of more sustainable solutions, to create better lives for our citizens and a better planet. Amsterdam Smart City has 14 years of experience in enabling societal transitions through multi-stakeholder collaboration and open innovation, which will be shared in this keynote talk.

Data-driven urban policies and decision-making are revolutionizing cities. With the transformative potential of data analytics, integration, and management, cities can optimize services, enhance urban planning, and improve resource management. Embracing open data initiatives can foster transparency and public engagement in urban governance. How can data management be implemented efficiently and ethically to create significant value for cities?

Cities are embarking on a journey of digital transformation, integrating innovative technologies to create smarter, more connected, and responsive urban environments. Advanced Digital Services provide a diverse range of solutions, from data-driven decision-making to responsive infrastructure management. Can urban leaders harness the power of technology while bridging the digital divide, ensuring data privacy, and fostering responsible innovation?

How can cities thrive in uncertain times? From embracing emerging technologies to reimagining infrastructure and fostering global collaboration, urban centers keep exploring innovative strategies to stay ahead of the unprecedented challenges they are facing. At the heart of it all: innovative and resourceful governance.

Climate and nature data's significance in innovative projects for emissions reduction, urban nature conservation and financial opportunities. Urgent action is needed to combat climate change and biodiversity loss. Greater transparency is crucial for cities, businesses and financial institutions to assess risks and opportunities. Access to knowledge and analytics helps stakeholders promote climate resilience and a nature-positive economy.

The EUIPO will explain how to better understand the EU initiatives they are implementing to provide financial support and guidance to EU businesses. Owning IP rights, such as trademarks, designs or patents, is crucial for any company to be protected in a global market. In this session we will tell you how to protect your innovation and how to use the funds available for EU SMEs on IP to avoid potential challenges you might face.

This panel will seek to discuss the importance of cyber security in connected places - or smart cities - and provide an overview of the UK Government's programme of work to support the cyber resilience of these projects, focusing on the Alpha Secure Connected Places Playbook, and the Connected Places Cyber Security Principles. There will be perspectives from central government, from the National Cyber Security Centre, and from a UK Local Authority.

Local and regional governments are key implementers of public policy, endowed with important place-based knowledge. They are pivotal for the successful delivery of Europe’s green transition. Good coordination across and between tiers of government and an enabling environment are important prerequisites to achieve our 2030 Agenda ambitions. Join us for this conversation on the role of Europe’s local and regional leaders to unleash opportunities for sustainable green transition that leaves no place and no-one behind.

This session will introduce the concept of the EDIC instrument (European Digital Infrastructure Consortium) and its relevance for member states, regions, and cities’ policy development. We will hear the projects’ viewpoint, illustrated with examples, on how the EDIC can help amplify and replicate their achievements and how it can aid future projects.

NASA Langley is actively developing and piloting technologies to enable smart cities and connected communities, including through the airspace above them. We are implementing a smart horizontal infrastructure as well, where sensing and data fusion will enable efficient and effective operations. We are compelled to develop, implement, and pilot these technologies because they will be necessary for future human exploration of deep space, including Smart Outposts that will enable sustained lunar presence and human exploration of Mars. We are also generating significant scientific data to better understand our home planet, Earth, and that data is available to enable smart cities.

Global cities are increasingly embarking on the journey of smarter decision-making. The transformative power of big data, data analytics and predictive modelling is helping cities navigate the path to informed choices in the era of abundant data. How are data-driven insights across industries, governance and society already impacting urban decision making? How are cities that innovatively harnessing their data staying ahead of future challenges?

Before investing in innovative and scalable ventures, it's essential for investors to understand how to assess and measure the sustainability impact of their investments. This round table session will delve into the key metrics and methods for evaluating the environmental, social, and governance (ESG) performance of investments related to smart cities and sustainability.

Cities have the power to drive change in the fight against the climate crisis. Tackling interconnected urban challenges, including the energy transition or food insecurity, calls for comprehensive solutions. Through curbing emissions, leading scalable projects, and fostering collaboration, cities can enact effective climate action. However, the question remains: which strategies will yield time and cost-effective results in achieving these crucial objectives?

How can urban centers fortify the future of our interconnected world? In the face of ever-increasing cyber threats, cities are taking decisive action to enhance readiness, responsiveness, and resilience. Through the implementation of secure-by-design principles, cybersecurity awareness, and enhanced collaboration, governance strategies are shaping the fortification of digital ecosystems. Empowering cities means safeguarding our digital future.

Einsmer has developed a two-way communication system between citizens and local administrations since 2013. The application includes versions for smartphones (Android, iOS) and desktop. It promotes cooperation between citizens, security forces, and local administration. With 17 municipalities in Barcelona, Einsmer has created an ecosystem of networked cities with over 130,000 users and 3,500 infrastructures.

The problems cities and regions can be solved by cutting-edge technologies. PhDs, and people with scientific and engineering knowledge are more actively starting companies. There is a large need for long term investment from the public sector but more importantly the private sector. The panel will discuss what needs to happen to be able to grow the number of investments in the industries related to smart cities, regions and infrastructure.

Today, cities are transforming new services digitally, to build urban resilience and deliver more inclusive, efficient, and effective programs. Join the Resilient Cities Network, Visa, and city leaders to explore the opportunity and best practices for city digital transformation in areas such as urban mobility, small business enablement, citizen aid programs, and planning insights from data.

How can smart technology solutions help cities achieve their low-carbon ambitions? A range of smart technologies is increasingly available to cities, including big data, Internet of Things, digital twins, and others. However, cities might struggle to identify, prioritize, and finance smart technologies that can help reduce their carbon emissions in different sectors. The session aims to better understand the low-carbon smart city finance and tools.

The roundtable will showcase city representatives sharing unique urban development case studies, emphasizing how digital innovation fosters growth, enhances sustainability, and improves residents' quality of life. Engage in dynamic discussions to explore the intersection of urban development and digital intelligence, learning from these cities' experiences in shaping the future. Join us for a collaborative exploration of the potential of digital intelligence in revolutionizing urban operations and evolution.

The roundtable will showcase representatives from prominent technology companies as they shed light on digital technology's transformative role in shaping future urban landscapes. Our esteemed guests will discuss how digital technology empowers the creation of dynamic urban scenarios, redefining the possibilities for our cities. Join this exciting conversation to gain insights into the digital solutions revolutionizing urban environments, making them smarter and more adaptable than ever before.

EDIC will constitute the key instrument when developing MCP in the context of Local Digital Twins

The UPC is a leading technical university in training, research and technology transfer. With the aim of contributing to the transition to inclusive, high-quality liveable and low-impact cities, the UPC is working on developing projects and solutions in energy and environment, mobility, governance and economy, urban environment, living and inclusion, infrastructure and building, safety and security, and blue economy.

How do you drive the development of a circular economy when building a city? Digitalisation must be a key tool to meet this challenge. Giving materials an identity allows them to retain their value at the end of a building's life cycle. The creation of digital processes is the only solution to store and make available the vast amount of information required, from the material level to the urban scale. 

Technological developments are advancing increasingly faster, and there is a growing public power inability to generate the necessary regulatory frameworks and lead a model of public tech development for democracy. Can we imagine new models based on free open-source software and communities, that put democratic issues and the rights of citizens at its core? This roundtable will address these issues from different European experiences that are making bold bets on public code.

Sandboxes, urban labs, smart offices, or controlled test environments are presented as spaces where new technologies, services and innovative business models can be tested. While Spain is articulating legal frameworks for their implementation on a state level, local entities are positioned strategically due to their proximity to citizens and the ownership of public spaces and infrastructures. This session will share the success stories of sandboxes being implemented in Santander, Alcoi, Madrid, Barcelona and Valencia.

Commemorating the 30th anniversary of sister city relations between Barcelona and Kobe and highlighting our bilateral collaboration in promoting innovation and sustainable urban development. The joint Digital Twins presentation will demonstrate how supercomputers can model and promote real solutions to urban issues working in collaboration with Barcelona Supercomputing Center and RIKEN Center for Computational Science (Japan). Barcelona will present the 15-minute city initiatives for public services for their implementation in Kobe, and Kobe will demonstrate the simulation analysis of traffic in the city and its application in Barcelona

More than 100 years ago electricity and the lightbulb were cutting edge innovations that transformed the right-of-way and fundamentally changed how people felt in public spaces at night. Today we have many different technologies that are helping to make our cities safer, but do they make people feel safer? How we can move from just “smart” to “thoughtful” in our approach to technology and create public spaces that are again reassuring.

Learn more about:

• The regenerative city: How can we heal our cities to face the challenges of climate change?

• Artificial intelligence for the city: How Paris 2024 Olympics could be a showcase for the future of smart cities?

• Attracting investments: How to attract foreign investors to support sustainable urban development?

#FrenchFab #ChooseFrance

This session will present the Territorios de Paz program. This initiative works with with the peace making network of local women that works in violence and addictions prevention. Based on a comprehensive approach that promotes resilience, social cohesion and peace building, as well as through the transformation of public space and citizen participation, this project is advancing territorial peace.

Climate action in cities is essential for achieving ambitious net-zero emissions goals. The urban population is expected to grow significantly resulting in massive growth in demand for urban energy infrastructure while answering new ways of living. As many cities are operating on tight budgets, and the investments required are massive, cities must rethink their infrastructures and associated business models with the support of strategic partners like ENGIE to enable low carbon energy transition.

Join us for a discussion on the impact of sustainable airports within the smart city context. We’ll briefly touch on compelling use cases highlighting the airport industry’s approach to experience design, green technology, adaptation, and resiliency in providing essential, sustainable, and safe services to passengers and employees. We will also discuss how these services have become increasingly important as climate change is resulting in more adverse weather events, which already impact flights and, therefore, passenger delays, discomfort, and airport infrastructure.

Unleashing the potential of inclusive and safe public spaces is crucial for vibrant cities. Join us as we delve into citizen engagement, new technologies, and innovative design while tackling the challenges of enhancing public safety. How can local governments involve citizens in creating safer cities? Can we shape a future where public spaces empower communities by prioritizing people in the planning process?

Using AI technology to design flourishing cities requires proactive planning, informed by the foreseeable benefits and harms of each decision. This is possible when planners clearly understand AI “under the hood”, including how AI systems are developed, and the values at play throughout the development process. Towards this goal, this talk explains the basics of ethics and machine learning, and how these can be leveraged to build inclusive and equitable cities of tomorrow.

Can urban expansion align with global sustainability goals? Cities are transforming their energy models to face the challenge of reducing their carbon footprint while accommodating continuous growth. From Smart Grids to clean hydrogen, innovative solutions are paving the way to a greener future. Yet, the journey to secure a steady and reliable power supply while driving the clean energy revolution forward comes with its share of challenges.

How can emerging technologies drive positive change in cities? Innovations in technology like IoT, AI, and smart infrastructure promise to revolutionize cities, elevating sustainability, connectivity, and overall living standards. To harness this transformative potential, it is important to explore the digitalization’s impact on urban life, its advantages and its challenges. Are cities ready for this digital future?

Zero-carbon urban projects must become the norm. Cities and the private sector must collaborate to achieve this urgent goal to create better with lower emissions and better quality of life. Building on the experiences of cities and actors involved in Reinventing Cities global initiative, we will explore tools for sustainable urban regeneration, looking at public-private collaborations, common challenges and exemplary zero carbon urban projects.

Across urban sectors, Amazon Web Services (AWS) Cloud is leveraged to build innovative solutions to make cities more livable, sustainable, and resilient. Hear about how government organizations are using the power of AWS to drive further innovation, move faster, increase security, and keep costs low to accelerate their digital transformations and deliver mission-critical outcomes.

Investment in pre-seed and seed phases of Deeptech startups are the interest of this session. An investor, a system connector and an startup will share their interests and how they evaluate mobility solutions and key words that allow to succeed in the match of investment.

In this talk, we present a data-driven smart city in which the well-being of citizens in urban areas is realized in Japan. These smart cities are providing various digital services for well-being such as welfare, healthcare, safety, disaster alleviation, education support, mobility, and carbon-free activity support. These services are supported by modern digital infrastructure for smart cities such as urban OSs, data-sharing platforms, 5G/beyond 5G communication platforms, and AI platforms.

The panel discussion will provide a platform for thought-provoking discussions and knowledge sharing among innovation experts, urban practitioners and city representatives. By exploring state-of-the-art innovations, identifying gaps, and showcasing successful examples from cities and regions around the world, participants will be inspired to drive climate resilience through innovative solutions. The discussion will underline the critical role of innovation in accelerating climate resilience efforts in cities.

The Barcelona Declaration is the outcome of the European Summit of Mayors jointly organised by the City of Barcelona and Eurocities. It aims at strengthening cities participation in EU policymaking and European democracy. It is a call to improve the institutional relationship between cities, Member States, the European Commission and the European Parliament. The declaration will be presented to the Spanish Presidency of the European Union.

The Climate Neutral and Smart Cities Mission aims for 100 cities to become climate neutral by 2030, inspiring all other cities to follow suit by 2050. As Mission Cities progress on their pathways to becoming climate neutral and engage in ambitious Climate City Contract processes, this session will explore how cities can leverage being part of the Mission to dramatically accelerate climate action in a smart way, taking advantage of tech and digital opportunities to move forward.

In this session different public entities will present their demands formulated within a process of Innovation Procurement. They will present their projects that will end up in a call for tenders to buy a solution that does not yet exist on the market, that is why they are public innovation procurements. If you are a solution provider, you are interested in this session to know about these opportunities.

Amidst digital transformation, Urban Digital Twins rise as potent tools for proactive urban solutions. These virtual replicas offer a holistic view of the city’s functioning, empowering informed decision-making. Despite its potential in optimizing operations, ensuring sustainability, and fostering participation, concerns for data privacy and inclusivity loom. Can cities navigate this virtual realm while building people-centric urban environments?

Join us for an enlightening session where forward-thinking startups will take the stage to pitch their transformative data-driven solutions that are revolutionizing decision-making processes across various sectors. In today's rapidly evolving landscape, the ability to harness and analyze data effectively is paramount. These startups are at the forefront, leveraging data to enhance enabling technologies and fortify safety and security measures.

In the 21st Century, the convergence of technology and urban development is reshaping societies globally, making smart cities crucial for a sustainable future. The integration of generative AI into urban solutions is becoming a cornerstone of global smart city initiatives. Saudi Arabia has emerged as one of the front-runners, driving innovative projects utilizing IoT, digital twins, and other emerging technologies to redefine urban design prioritizing human well-being, and leveraging technology to enhance various aspects of urban living.

Urban spaces must ensure equal access to opportunities and resources, but systemic inequalities marginalize vulnerable populations, depriving them of core services. An intersectional approach is crucial to address issues as social exclusion, gender inequality or the digital divide. How can leaders and stakeholders address the diverse needs of communities as the first step towards inclusive, equitable, and sustainable cities for all?

More than ever, cities are embracing the unstoppable evolution of emerging technologies. AI, IoT, smart infrastructure, data-driven design and advanced digital services are all converging to shape the cities of tomorrow. How is technology effectively unleashing opportunities for creating innovative urban ecosystems in the digital age? How can decision-makers envision an urban future where technology empowers thriving cities?

How do cities balance innovation, resilience, climate action, and well-being in the energy transition? The climate crisis permeates every aspect of urban life, making holistic solutions vital for healthier, climate-neutral cities. Delving into the strategies cities are adopting and understanding their potential can be the fist step towards driving successful energy transitions and creating the urban landscapes of the future.

Smart city is the inescapable and inevitable challenge for global cities, having endless potential for our future world. As such, Seoul, who is the leading smart city & the winner of WSCA 2022 with the theme of Going Together with the Vulnerable, guarantees 5 digital rights for citizens, and Seoul Digital Foundation is carrying out missions as the control tower of the city in the digital big bang. Please find out the background of the city’s winning attractive point of WSCA 2022.

Tools and policies implemented by cities to promote equality and citizen participation on critical urban challenges.

OASC will showcase four inspiring projects, funded by the EU, with and for cities and local communities. Processes and tangible results of these projects will make clear what the challenges and opportunities are for cities and local communities to make the digital transition happen.

Explore the synergy of physical and digital infrastructure for Connected and Autonomous Vehicles (CAVs). Discover how smart roads, 5G, and cybersecurity are shaping the future of mobility. Uncover challenges, solutions, and real-world examples in this essential session.

How are urban Chief Information Officers spearheading tech revolutions? Cities' CIOs are at the forefront of urban innovation, shaping digital projects and policies to create smarter, more connected cities. This session, will explore how their strategies and initiatives are transforming city living. What challenges and opportunities lie ahead for urban innovation and connectivity?

This session will showcase two delegation heads from Brazil, and Jordan through a moderated dialogue on their smart city journey so far and ambitions going forward.

How do we think about space when there is no limit to it? Is it the metaverse truly limitless or will it carry the invisible constraints of the physical world?

In this keynote, we will delve into different philosophies around the metaverse, its use cases and possibilities for re-imagining urban spaces as a combination of physical and digital at the intersection of the 'reality gradient', as well as exploring the myriad of potential downsides.

How can urban technological innovation maintain a citizen-centered approach? As tools like AI grow in use in the public sector, understanding its strengths and challenges becomes vital. Challenges of legislation, technology, community, and ethics shape the urban innovation landscape. Amid emerging applications, ensuring tech benefits citizen well-being, regional vitality, and sustainability is paramount.

The rapid advancements in Artificial Intelligence (AI) are revolutionizing the urban environment. While AI holds immense promise in smart city planning and management, concerns about biases, ethics, job displacement, and privacy arise. Can city leaders effectively leverage AI while addressing its ethical implications? Can AI implementation in the urban landscape overcome these challenges and pave the way for a more intelligent and inclusive future?

Past urban models are no longer fit for purpose. They promote sprawl, pollute the air, as well as generate long commute, fragmentation and loss of social cohesion. It is urgent to makes our cities more sustainable and desirable, to ensure proximity to amenities and services in every neighbourhood, and to create public spaces that act as the “living room of city", a place where people meet, socialize as well as safely walk and cycle. This session brings global mayors and leaders that turn this vision into reality.

How can we unleash the full potential of data to improve policymaking at local and regional level and take better-informed decisions? How can we work together across borders and levels of governance? What is the role of local digital twins in achieving this?

In Living-in.EU, we bring together cities, regions, and member states to discuss the way forward. We look into the European Digital Infrastructure Consortium on Networked Local Digital Twins Towards CitiVerse, its potential, and also of a wider range of joint actions.

Join this panel, organized by the IDB's Cities Lab, where we will detail how cities can incorporate Big Data processing and the application of Artificial Intelligence to face complex urban planning challenges. We will present the highlights' of the Open Urban Planning Toolbox, a collection of open source applications to facilitate urban planning tasks such as automatically mapping informal settlements or simulating future urban growth.

Resourceful governance empowers global cities to drive progress. Internationalization strategies, circular economy models, and innovative financing schemes are shaping vibrant urban hubs that retain talent, foster prosperity, and embrace innovation. Amidst all this progress, how can city leaders ensure that they maintain a people-centred approach?

In a world grappling with escalating emissions, cities are spearheading climate goals into action. From discourse to implementation, reducing carbon footprints, fostering resilient communities, exploring alternative energy pathways, and implementing innovative strategies is at the core of city planning. How are urban centres becoming powerful catalysts in driving the required change to attain a sustainable future for all?

The new report Managing Smart City Governance – A playbook for Local and Regional Governments provides evidence-based guidance for local leaders and municipal administrations involved in smart city projects. For each component of the governance framework developed in the Global Review – Strategy, Collaboration, Technology – it identifies a set of practical recommendations, supported by examples from cities around the world. The recommendations presented are intended to help cities to develop more effective, inclusive and sustainable governance practices for urban digital transformation.

City planning relies on how to future-proof a city and implement or improve vital deployments. LoRaWAN is an IoT technology allowing cities to collect data telling them what is happening in a city, and provides solutions to address, improve, and solve issues. Panelists will provide examples of how LoRaWAN is key to affordable and scalable solutions to reduce costs, improve livability, support sustainable planning, and improve business outcomes.

Cities have a strategic advantage for improving quality of life. They contribute 70%+ of global CO2 emissions, house 75% of EU residents, and drive economic activity, knowledge, innovation, and technology. Despite facing barriers, cities lead in climate action. This session focuses on overcoming obstacles and establishing a European movement for sustainable urban solutions. It discusses cross-cutting approaches making climate neutrality irresistible for all stakeholders and unlocking benefits and accessibility.

What is a CRO and what do they do? How can resilience be institutionalised at smaller scales scales? How can resilience institutionalisation leverage and build on indigenous knowledge? Through the representation from indigenous communities, cities and territories, this session will showcase experiences first-hand while regional and international organisations will offer a global perspective.

Join us for an insightful discussion where we'll delve into the future of public safety, climate, and transformation in our rapidly evolving urban landscapes. Titled "Building Our Future Cities Together," this session will highlight the transformative power of technology, from cutting-edge AI solutions to intelligent infrastructure. Don't miss this unique opportunity to engage in discussions about the future and our approach to humanizing its purpose for smarter results.

The session will present the WB Global Smart City Partnership Program Engagement Guidance Note* and IFC’s smart city toolkit experiences in cities. The session aims to provide a few examples of engagement opportunities and resources within the WBG to build a Smart City Dialogue. The 45-minute session will include a short presentation and an interactive Q&A with the audience.

In the pursuit of building smarter, more sustainable cities, collaboration is the key to success. In order to bridge the gap between innovation, research, and implementation, we showcase different approaches and tools of digital technology through a global collaboration between diverse partners as governments, institutes and citizenry that are committed to transforming cities through digital solutions.

NASA's technology commercialization efforts have yielded significant advancements that can revolutionize numerous sectors, including smart cities. This breakout session aims to bring together experts, thought leaders, and policymakers to explore the potential of NASA's technology commercialization in enhancing governance practices within smart cities.

Smart cities utilize Big Data solutions to enhance urban living. By analyzing vast amounts of data from sources like Health, The Urban Property Tax, Tax Intelligence, Tourism and enhance Public Safety. Evidence-based solutions must be the heart of a smart city, Therefore, we will present a set of solutions based on big data.

The Digital Rights Governance Project has been developed simultaneously in Europe and Latin American cities to support local governments to safeguard human rights in digital environments. The projects aimed at increasing local capacities to lead people-centred digital transformation strategies and tools. This panel will bring together representatives from the participant cities to share insights and learnings from local implementation.

Step into the exhilarating world of Urban Shark Tank, where bold innovators from companies dive into the depths of creative pitches of use cases to captivate a panel of cities committed to climate-smart solutions. Witness the fusion of entrepreneurship, creativity, and sustainability as groundbreaking companies pitch their visionary ideas, vying for the support and collaboration of forward-thinking urban leaders in cities.

In a world facing pressing ecological challenges, visionary startups are leading the change, presenting their pioneering solutions to drive sustainable change in the realms of energy and the environment. Join us for a session that celebrates innovation, sustainability, and the pursuit of a greener, more eco-conscious future. Be inspired by the groundbreaking solutions presented by these startups, as they pave the way for a more harmonious relationship between humanity and the planet.

Our age will be defined by the climate emergency. But contrary to the doomist narrative that’s taken hold, the world has already begun deploying the solutions needed to deal with it. On a journey across five continents, Akshat Rathi will discuss his new book Climate Capitalism, and how it tracks the unlikely heroes driving the fight against climate change.

How are communities reshaping urban landscapes? Cities are adopting collaborative governance models, such as participatory budgeting and co-creation initiatives, to enhance citizen engagement. This involvement in policymaking and city-building holds transformative potential, essential for creating inclusive, sustainable, and responsive urban environments.

This session will discuss the role of Positive Energy Districts (PEDs) as a component for achieving climate neutrality and how to replicate this concept. A specific focus will be given to broader functions of PEDs such as social innovation.

Urban centers are leading the way in embracing the circular economy, an approach that emphasizes resource efficiency and waste repurposing. By redesigning, reducing, reusing, and recycling, cities can achieve a balance between economic growth and sustainability. But how can circular practices be seamlessly integrated into the urban fabric? What strategies can cities adopt to minimize consumption while maximizing resource utilization?

The Kyiv Digital app has played a crucial role in transforming the city into a hub for pioneering advancements and became a digital platform that makes governance more inclusive, transparent, and focused on the needs of citizens. We demonstrate resilience and digital inclusion under any challenges and show how a city app can become an essential tool with critical information. This is a control panel for a smart city and a powerful example of the potential of e-democracy tools in the unpredictable age of digital technology.

In a time characterized by rapid technological advancements and interconnected global challenges, reshaping urban governance has never been more pressing. As the epicentres economic activity and growth, innovative governance has a pivotal role to play in effecting positive change, enhancing transparency, and accountability. What successful strategies are being used by decision-makers to foster collaborative, future-oriented cities?