US: Government's Evolution from Full- to Self- to Synthetic-Service
Many years have passed since the Internet first became part of how government serves the people. There have been setbacks along the way, but digital government continues to deliver on its promise.
Homer Simpson spoke for a generation of legislators and the general public when, in a February 1998 episode, he observed, “Ohh, they have the Internet on computers now.” That vibe was very much part of the atmosphere as governments experimented with establishing a presence on the network of networks at the turn of the century.
The case for 15-minute cities
Hélène Chartier, director of urban planning and design, C40 Cities, explains why the approach can create greener, happier, healthier and more prosperous global cities.
SmartCitiesWorld (SCW): The concept of a 15-minute city is no longer new but how do you define it today?
Hélène Chartier (HC): Past urban models – especially those developed after WWII – increasingly promote sprawl, car-oriented planning and over-specialisation of city neighbourhoods. Residential areas are separated from business districts, commercial areas and industry, and all of them connected by transport infrastructure that was mainly designed for cars.
PH: Negros Occidental: Bacolod City launches digital payment scheme
Bacolod City, together with the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) and the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), launched on Tuesday, March 14, the Palengke-QR (Quick Response) Ph Plus for the use of digital payments in public markets and transportation hubs, at the Libertad Market here.
Bacolod is the first local government unit in the Western Visayas region and the seventh in the country to adopt the program.
Developing urgency: empowering smart building technology for a sustainable future
Network solutions will play a significant role in developing sustainable, future-proof buildings and cities. Currently, smart building technology sits at the confluence of two growing trends: the continual migration of populations into city centres, and the crisis of climate change motivating sustainable infrastructure choices. The climate crisis represents a threat to the future health of our planet. According to a 2021 report by the Climate Action Tracker group, the world is headed for 2.4°C warming by the end of the century, a trend which will continue to fuel more intense storms, heat waves, and droughts — driving instability at the foundations of human societies around the globe. Now is a critical time for sustainable practices to be implemented throughout our economic systems to reduce the impact of human activities on the planet.
ZA: Johannesburg: Smart city infrastructure deployed to enhance standard of living for citizens
The City of Johannesburg says it seeks to enhance the standard of living for each and every one of its citizens.
This will be done by deploying smart city infrastructure, such as CCTV cameras, interactive panic buttons, and electronic signage, to enhance road traffic enforcement, law and by-law enforcement, the detection, prevention, and investigation of crime, disaster mitigation, licensing-related services, and services relating to medical and fire emergencies.