With most of the cities around the world facing major challenges from Covid 19 pandemic, 36 cities including four from India have now come together under the G20 Global Smart Cities Alliance for pioneering a road map for adopting new technologies. The World Economic Forum selected the cities 22 countries.
Bengaluru, Hyderabad Faridabad and Indore are among the cities chosen from India. These cities will adopt policies for privacy protection, accountability for cyber security, better broadband coverage, better accessibility to digital city services for disabled and elderly people and increased openness of city data.
As of now the cities need data and innovation to become more resilient, efficient and responsive The WEF noted that there was no global framework for the proper use of the technologies and data collected for protecting public interest. Internet of Things and Urban Transformation World Economic Forum, head Jeff Merritt said that the envisaged roadmap was not only about theoretical ideas and pipe dreams but was built on practical and real world policies. The governments are on the frontline of a major crisis and need to act quickly and decisively to curtail the pandemic and set course for their economic recovery, Merritt said.
Noting that technology was an essential tool in fighting the present crisis, the Internet Things and Urban Transformation Head pointed out that the governments cannot risk falling into the usual traps such as privacy and security. The G20 Global Smart Cities Alliance helps in this, Merritt said.
Japan’s Vice Minister for Science, Technology and Innovation Koichi Akaishi stated that the idea originated in his country. The Minister also hoped that more countries will join the initiate
List of cities
- Apeldoorn, Netherlands
- Barcelona, Spain
- Belfast, United Kingdom
- Bengaluru, India
- Bilbao, Spain
- Bogotá, Colombia
- Brasilia, Brazil
- Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Chattanooga. United States
- Cordoba, Argentina
- Daegu, South Korea .
- Dubai, United Arab Emirates
- eThekwini (Durban). South Africa
- Faridabad, India
- Gaziantep, Turkey
- Llamamatsu, Japan
- Ilyderabad, India
- Indore, India
- Istanbul, Turkey
- Kaga, Japan
- Kakogawa, Japan
- Kampala, Uganda
- Karlsruhe, Germany
- Leeds United Kingdom
- Lisbon, Portugal
- London, United Kingdom
- Maebashi, Japan
- Manila, Philippines
- Medellin, Colombia
- Melbourne, Australia
- Mexico City, Mexico
- Milan, Italy
- Moscow, Russia
- Newcastle, Australia
- San Jose, United States
- Toronto, Canada
