{"id":61498,"date":"2021-01-07T12:00:47","date_gmt":"2021-01-07T06:30:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.technologyforyou.org\/?p=61498"},"modified":"2021-01-07T12:00:47","modified_gmt":"2021-01-07T06:30:47","slug":"data-driven-cities-have-better-responses-to-covid-19","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.technologyforyou.org\/data-driven-cities-have-better-responses-to-covid-19\/","title":{"rendered":"Data-driven Cities Have Better Responses to COVID-19"},"content":{"rendered":"
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\u2022 Data-driven cities did better in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic partly due to smart infrastructure and data analysis, according to a new report by the World Economic Forum<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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\u2022 Evidence-based decision-making, including predictive modelling, were highlighted as important tools, but lengthy and complex procurement were key challenges<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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\u2022 With a focus on India, the report compares the strategies and tactics used by six cities, including Bengaluru, Surat and Pimpri Chinchwad, in containing the spread of COVID-19<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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As a second wave of COVID-19 causes further economic and social disruption worldwide, data-driven cities, powered by smart infrastructure and solutions, are using data analytics and predictive modelling to help shape their pandemic response to limit loss of life and minimize economic disruption.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Today, the World Economic Forum publishes a new report,\u00a0Technology and Data Governance in Smart Cities: On the Frontlines of India\u2019s Fight against COVID-19<\/i>,<\/strong> to share practical approaches that cities in India and around the globe have adopted in response to the pandemic.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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The report, produced in collaboration with the Government of India\u2019s Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) and Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu India LLP, also highlights the various technology and data governance challenges faced by three Indian cities, Bengaluru, Surat and Pimpri Chinchwad, as well as Tel Aviv, Lisbon and New York.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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With more than 460 million urban residents, cities in India have been on the frontline of the fight against COVID-19. The report\u2019s analysis suggests that significant investments in smart city technologies have helped enable a robust response to the pandemic. However, the report cautions, while these technologies can mitigate public health risks and reduce economic damage, they can also be misused.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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\u201cFor more than a decade, smart city technologies have promised to improve the resilience and responsiveness of cities. This year, that promise has been put to the test in India,\u201d said\u00a0Jeff Merritt, Head of Internet of Things and Urban Transformation, World Economic Forum.<\/strong> \u201cThe findings of this report underscore the critical role that data can play in helping cities manage and direct emergency operations during times of crisis. But data alone is not a panacea; realizing the potential of smart cities requires strong internal coordination, knowledge sharing and a foundation of good governance.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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The experience of India\u2019s cities and their global counterparts suggests that if cities are to institutionalize and strengthen the use of smart solutions, the following actions need to be prioritized:<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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