Acknowledgement

   Over four billion people live in urban areas, and the United Nations forecast that two thirds of the global population will have their homes in cities by 2050. Cities are instrumental to modern societies, and increasingly they are becoming extremely complex social and technological ecosystems. Their governance is an already demanding task, but challenges faced by humanity in the twenty-first century such as climate change and inequality of wealth distribution put an additional pressure on cities. Municipal governments need to address the needs and requirements of a large number of stakeholders while simultaneously driving sustainable and social transformation to secure high standards of living for their citizens and attract investment from the private sector. Some cities have risen to the challenge by developing innovative ideas and approaches to local issues and have and proactively shaping their transformation towards more socially, environmentally and financially sustainable urban habitats.

   This report is a large, comprehensive study of 31 cities around the globe, including New York, Moscow, Seoul and London.  It reviews the effectiveness of the local innovation initiatives, service development and infrastructure projects that these cities have initiated and/or implemented. It highlights common trends, drivers and challenges, and it provides insights into how they inform and impact the development of smart cities. The report also contains case studies that document and share best practice as well as lessons learnt. 

   The valuable key findings summarised in the report swill support many municipalities to navigate a large number of options and choices, informing strategic planning for future cities.

   We are delighted to be involved in this  important study through our role in reviewing the Smart City Index Report. Professor Junghoon Lee and his research team have dedicated a significant amount of effort to identify, collect and analyse various sources of data to derive real insights from the current operations of many smart cities. This report provides crucial findings on potential future developments of urban areas that can contribute to the well-being of citizens.