{"id":14979,"date":"2019-10-12T08:56:03","date_gmt":"2019-10-12T03:26:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.technologyforyou.org\/?p=14979"},"modified":"2019-10-12T08:56:03","modified_gmt":"2019-10-12T03:26:03","slug":"unprecedented-global-alliance-for-smart-city-technology-launched-to-counter-growing-tensions","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.technologyforyou.org\/unprecedented-global-alliance-for-smart-city-technology-launched-to-counter-growing-tensions\/","title":{"rendered":"Unprecedented Global Alliance for Smart City Technology Launched to Counter Growing Tensions"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"st__content-block st__content-block--list\">\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;\">World Economic Forum, in collaboration with the G20 presidency, will lead the global effort to advance the responsible and ethical use of smart city technologies.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;\">More than 200,000 cities and local governments, leading companies, start-ups, research institutions, and civil society organizations are represented by the Alliance.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;\">New global policy standards for privacy, security and sustainability of smart technologies to be rolled out in advance of 2020 G20 Summit in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia; First policy design workshops with city leaders to be held in November 2019 in conjunction with the Smart City Expo World Congress in Barcelona, Spain.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"st__content-block st__content-block--text\">\n<p><span style=\"font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;\"><b>Yokohama, Japan, 11 October 2019 :<\/b> <strong>Fifteen of the world\u2019s leading city networks and technology governance organizations announced today a new partnership to advance the responsible and ethical use of smart city technologies.<\/strong> The\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/www.globalsmartcitiesalliance.org\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">G20 Global Smart Cities Alliance on Technology Governance<\/a>\u00a0will create global norms and policy standards for the use of connected devices in public spaces. It is the largest and most ambitious undertaking to advance the responsible and ethical use of smart city technologies on a global level.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"st__content-block st__content-block--text\">\n<p><span style=\"font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;\">Smart city technologies can help decrease traffic congestion, combat crime, improve resilience during natural disasters and reduce greenhouse emissions. Without proper governance, these technologies pose significant risk, notably to privacy and security. To ensure data collected in public places is used safely and ethically, the Global Smart Cities Alliance will develop, pilot and collectively implement new global policy standards.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"st__content-block st__content-block--text\">\n<p><span style=\"font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;\">\u201cOur cities stand at a crossroads. Rapid urbanization \u2013 if not effectively managed \u2013 threatens to paralyse local economies and undermine recent advances in the quality of life,\u201d <strong>said\u00a0Jeff Merritt, Head of IoT, Robotics and Smart Cities at the World Economic Forum.<\/strong> \u201cSmart city technologies offer huge promise, but they can be a Pandora\u2019s box. Today\u2019s announcement is a critical first step to accelerate global best practices, mitigate risks, and foster greater openness and public trust regarding the collection of data in public spaces.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"st__content-block st__content-block--text\">\n<p><span style=\"font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;\">Established in June 2019 in conjunction with the G20 Summit in Osaka, Japan, the Alliance comprises fifteen of the world\u2019s leading city networks and technology governance organizations. The partners represent more than 200,000 cities and local governments, leading companies, start-ups, research institutions, and civil society organizations. The World Economic Forum serves as the secretariat.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"st__content-block st__content-block--text\">\n<p><span style=\"font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;\">\u201cThe advancement of smart cities and communities is critical to realizing Japan\u2019s vision for Society 5.0. It is also essential to addressing the world\u2019s most pressing challenges, including climate change and inclusive economic growth,\u201d <strong>said\u00a0Koichi Akaishi, Vice Minister for Science, Technology, and Innovation for the Cabinet Office of the Government of Japan.<\/strong> \u201cThe Government of Japan is proud to have championed this initiative as part of our G20 presidency. We hope that cities will pledge support for the Alliance and participate in its activities to cooperate and form shared global principles in the future.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"st__content-block st__content-block--text\">\n<p><span style=\"font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;\">The Global Smart Cities Alliance\u2019s founding set of institutional partners include: the presidents and host nations of the Group of 20 (G20) in 2019 and 2020; Japan and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia; <strong>the Smart City Mission of India; Cities for All;<\/strong> Cities Today Institute; Commonwealth Local Government Forum; Commonwealth Sustainable Cities Network; Connected Places Catapult; Digital Future Society; ICLEI \u2013 Local Governments for Sustainability; International Telecommunication Union; Open and Agile Smart Cities; Smart City Expo World Congress; United Cities and Local Governments; What Works Cities; World Economic Forum; and World Enabled.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"st__content-block st__content-block--text\">\n<p><span style=\"font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;\"><b>What leaders are saying about the Global Smart Cities Alliance<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"st__content-block st__content-block--text\">\n<p><span style=\"font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;\">\u201cInequality is no longer an option and needs to be addressed by all spheres of government to be at the centre of every tool we have,\u201d <strong>said\u00a0Em\u00edlia Saiz, Secretary General of United Cities and Local Governments (UCLG).<\/strong> \u201cWe want to bring the voices of all local governments, big and small, to this alliance. When quality of life and humanity are at stake, local governments are the first respondents. Count on UCLG to be critical and committed.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"st__content-block st__content-block--text\">\n<p><span style=\"font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;\">\u201cThe rapid growth and expansion of cities brings both enormous opportunities and significant challenges,\u201d <strong>said\u00a0Kunal Kumar, Joint Secretary and Director of India\u2019s Smart Cities Mission.<\/strong> \u201cIndia is at the forefront of this urban transformation and is committed to ensuring that our cities develop in a way that is smart and sustainable. The Smart Cities Mission looks forward to working together with city leaders around the world to share best practices and forge new policy standards for the responsible and ethical use of smart technologies in our cities.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"st__content-block st__content-block--text\">\n<p><span style=\"font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;\">\u201cAs urban populations grow, smart city technologies become more and more essential not only to improve the quality of life of citizens but also to simply keep our cities livable,\u201d <strong>said\u00a0Chizuru Suga, Head of the World Economic Forum Centre for the Fourth Industrial Revolution Japan.<\/strong> \u201cHowever, it would be difficult for cities to face the challenges of these technologies to balance economic development and innovation with the protection of the public, alone. We will commit to supporting these cities, through international cooperation and technology governance.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"st__content-block st__content-block--text\">\n<p><span style=\"font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;\">\u201cWe&#8217;ve seen how data and technology can radically transform how cities design and deliver services to residents,\u201d <strong>said <\/strong><\/span><strong>Simone Brody<\/strong><span style=\"font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;\"><strong>, Executive Director of What Works Cities.<\/strong> \u201cThey enable us to identify the most pressing needs that residents have and provide tailored solutions to address them. They are among the best tools we have to advance economic mobility, and we are excited to partner with the World Economic Forum to advance this effort.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"st__content-block st__content-block--text\">\n<p><span style=\"font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;\">\u201cThe G20 Global Smart Cities Alliance will be critical to minimize the risks and maximize the benefits of rapid urbanization,\u201d <strong>said\u00a0Victor Pineda, President of World Enabled and Co-Founder of Cities for All.<\/strong> \u201cCities for All and our partners will help ensure that the Alliance can develop new global norms related to access and inclusion. Networks like this can help ensure that we align and can reach the promise of the SDGs and the 2030 Agenda.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"st__content-block st__content-block--text\">\n<p><span style=\"font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;\">\u201cSmart City Expo World Congress is thrilled to join forces with the World Economic Forum and the G20 Global Smart Cities Alliance in this major challenge of advancing together towards a more sustainable and inclusive urban future,\u201d <strong>said\u00a0Ugo Valenti,\u00a0Director of Smart City Expo World Congress.<\/strong> \u201cAs the world\u2019s leading event for cities, we are committed to help accelerate and implement smart solutions that empower people and make cities a better place to live in.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"st__content-block st__content-block--text\">\n<p><span style=\"font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;\">\u201cI would like to extend my sincere congratulations on the establishment of the Global Smart Cities Alliance,\u201d <strong>said <\/strong><\/span><strong>Kizo Hisamoto<\/strong><span style=\"font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;\"><strong>, Mayor of Kobe, Japan.<\/strong> \u201cThe City of Kobe has been actively promoting smart city initiatives, including personal health records and autonomous vehicles, but in order to accelerate these efforts even further, last month we launched a new public-private collaboration project, called \u201cBe Smart KOBE\u201d. We believe that establishing standards for data utilization will stimulate the growth of smart cities, and we are looking forward to working together on solving global issues.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"st__content-block st__content-block--text\">\n<p><span style=\"font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;\">\u201cOpen and Agile Smart Cities is proud to be a founding partner of the G20 Global Smart Cities Alliance,\u201d <strong>said <\/strong><strong>Martin Brynskov<\/strong><strong>, Chair of Open and Agile Smart Cities, an international smart cities network.<\/strong> \u201cA global framework based on common, open, and minimal mechanisms is needed to de-risk investment and scale up smart city solutions that help tackle the challenges cities are facing in the 21st century \u2013 on the individual city\u2019s terms and conditions.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"st__content-block st__content-block--text\">\n<p><span style=\"font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;\">\u201cDigital Future Society is delighted to join this global alliance led by the World Economic Forum to ensure that cities drive our digital future toward a good common framework,\u201d <strong>said\u00a0Esteban Redolfi,\u00a0Director of Digital Future Society.<\/strong> \u201cFor years, cities have acted as testing grounds for massive technology deployments; now is the moment for cities to lead by sharing learnings and creating guidelines that reinforce a more conscious use of technology. We are committed to analysing, sharing and building on those cases where cities have developed a sustainable and effective path toward a more inclusive and equitable digital future.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"st__content-block st__content-block--text\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"st__content-block st__content-block--text\">\n<p><span style=\"font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;\">\u201cBuilding an inclusive society is a vital mission, and Eisai Co. is excited to partner with the World Economic Forum to achieve it,\u201d <strong>said <\/strong><strong>Keisuke Naito<\/strong><strong>, Chief Digital Officer of Eisai and Member of the Global Internet of Things Council.<\/strong> \u201cWe look forward to sharing knowledge and experience through the Global Smart City Alliance, which we believe will become an invaluable forum for enhancing the governance for the benefit of all, regardless of functional impairments or disabilities.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"st__content-block st__content-block--text\">\n<p><span style=\"font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;\">\u201cNEC is proud to celebrate today&#8217;s first step for the G20 Global Smart City Alliance. We are confident that this alliance will become an innovative platform for providing ever-increasing social value to all communities by means of cross-border, open collaboration of people and cities aiming for globally shared goals,\u201d said\u00a0<b>Nobuhiro Endo<\/b>, Board Chair of NEC Corporation. \u201cNEC is committed to social value creation in support of safety, security, efficiency and equality, and will continue to contribute to the promotion of globally agreeable technology governance in partnership with the World Economic Forum.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"st__content-block st__content-block--text\">\n<p><span style=\"font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;\">\u201cSalesforce believes that business is the greatest platform for change and is excited to work toward this goal in partnership with the World Economic Forum and the Centre for the Fourth Industrial Revolution,\u201d said\u00a0<b>Shinichi Koide<\/b>, Chairman and CEO Salesforce.com. \u201cDriving social change and sustainable growth is the core of smart city development and we are looking forward to seeing the G20 Global Smart Cities Alliance lead cities to a sustainable world by leveraging the advanced technologies of the Fourth Industrial Revolution.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"st__content-block st__content-block--text\">\n<p><span style=\"font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;\">\u201cWe believe smart cities are crucial to building a future-proof and people-centric society, and Hitachi is proud to work with the World Economic Forum to achieve it,\u201d said\u00a0<b>Norihiro Suzuki,\u00a0<\/b>Vice President and Executive Officer, Chief Technology Officer, and General Manager of the Research &amp; Development Group, Hitachi. \u201cWe look forward to contributing our knowledge and experience to the G20 Global Smart Cities Alliance.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>World Economic Forum, in collaboration with the G20 presidency, will lead the global effort to advance the responsible and ethical use of smart city technologies. More than 200,000 cities and local governments, leading companies, start-ups, research institutions, and civil society organizations are represented by the Alliance. New global policy standards for privacy, security and sustainability [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":14980,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[8487,8488],"class_list":{"0":"post-14979","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-technology","8":"tag-g20-global-smart-cities-alliance-on-technology-governance","9":"tag-global-alliance-for-smart-city-technology"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.technologyforyou.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14979","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.technologyforyou.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.technologyforyou.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.technologyforyou.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.technologyforyou.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=14979"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.technologyforyou.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14979\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.technologyforyou.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/14980"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.technologyforyou.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=14979"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.technologyforyou.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=14979"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.technologyforyou.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=14979"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}