Global Alliance For Smart City Technology Launched To Counter Growing Tensions
Fifteen of the world’s leading city networks and technology governance organizations announced today a new partnership to advance the responsible and ethical use of smart city technologies.
The G20 Global Smart Cities Alliance on Technology Governance will 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.
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.
“Our cities stand at a crossroads. Rapid urbanization – if not effectively managed – threatens to paralyse local economies and undermine recent advances in the quality of life,” said Jeff Merritt, Head of IoT, Robotics and Smart Cities at the World Economic Forum. “Smart city technologies offer huge promise, but they can be a Pandora’s box. Today’s 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.”
Established in June 2019 in conjunction with the G20 Summit in Osaka, Japan, the Alliance comprises fifteen of the world’s 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.
“The advancement of smart cities and communities is critical to realizing Japan’s vision for Society 5.0. It is also essential to addressing the world’s most pressing challenges, including climate change and inclusive economic growth,” said Koichi Akaishi, Vice Minister for Science, Technology, and Innovation for the Cabinet Office of the Government of Japan. “The 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.”
Working together with municipal, regional and national governments, private-sector partners and city residents, the Global Smart Cities Alliance has committed to co-design and roll out a first-of-its-kind global policy framework on smart city technologies in advance of the 2020 G20 Summit in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. It is currently accepting nominations from cities and private entities, interested in piloting and contributing to global policy standards. The first policy design workshops with city leaders will be held in November 2019 in conjunction with the Smart City Expo World Congress in Barcelona, Spain.
The Global Smart Cities Alliance’s 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; the Smart City Mission of India; Cities for All; Cities Today Institute; Commonwealth Local Government Forum; Commonwealth Sustainable Cities Network; Connected Places Catapult; Digital Future Society; ICLEI – 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.