Macau has spent the past decade developing its smart city initiatives to enhance urban services, sustainability, and digital infrastructure. Yet, without international certification or recognition, the true impact remains unclear, and experts caution that progress has yet to translate into measurable results.
A city can proclaim itself a ‘smart city’, but the truth is that until it is recognised as such by its peers or accrediting bodies, it may be little more than marketing.
Conversely, a city can improve many of its sustainability indicators, thereby offering better living conditions to its inhabitants, yet it makes little sense to call it a ‘smart city’ if this is done solely by those responsible.
Several entities not only define the concepts but also monitor, audit, and certify cities that wish to be considered ‘smart’.
The UN-Habitat (United Nations Human Settlements Programme) is the leading global authority among international oversight bodies. It manages the Global Urban Monitoring Framework (UMF), which helps cities measure progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
The WCCD (World City Data Council) is also fundamental, as it coordinates the ISO 37120 certification — the first international standard for sustainable urban data. In other words, if a city claims to be sustainable, the “gold standard” proof is holding this ISO certification.
In addition to these two entities, city networks engage in self-regulation and cooperation, such as C40 Cities (focused on the climate crisis and bringing together the world’s largest metropolises) and ICLEI (Local Governments for Sustainability), a global network of more than 2,500 local governments promoting low-carbon, resilient, and circular urban development.
Benchmark indices and rankings, such as the Arcadis Sustainable Cities Index and the IESE Cities in Motion Index, also provide reference points for assessing performance.
Regional integration shapes environmental and economic goals
According to sources consulted by Macau Business, Macau does not currently hold ISO 37120 certification and is absent from some major international reports. Entities such as Gallup do not conduct annual surveys in the territory, meaning that any analysis of sustainability (or “happiness”, as discussed in the previous edition of Macau Business) must rely on estimates based on economic and health indicators, such as GDP and life expectancy.
Among the sources consulted, there is a perception that the UN “ignores” Macau in these global measurements.
However, the Macau Government, through the DSPA (Environmental Protection Services Bureau), conducts local monitoring through studies such as the Survey on the Population’s Level of Knowledge Regarding Environmental Protection, which assesses residents’ satisfaction in areas such as air quality and light pollution.
Macau is also not included in the two mentioned city networks (C40 and ICLEI), perhaps because its sustainability strategy is now closely linked to the planning of the Greater Bay Area. It appears that this regional integration functions as the main mechanism for monitoring and aligning environmental and economic goals for the territory.
USJ first in Macau to adopt recognised framework for campus sustainability
The University of Saint Joseph (USJ) initiated the ARC sustainability performance assessment in February, “becoming the first institution in Macau to adopt this internationally recognised framework to evaluate and improve campus operational performance.”
ARC Skoru is a global digital performance platform developed by Green Business Certification Inc. (GBCI), in collaboration with the U.S. Green Building Council, the organisation behind the LEED rating system. “Unlike traditional certification tools focused on design intent, ARC measures real, operational performance using verified data across five key areas: energy, water, waste, transportation, and human experience,” USJ explained.
“The process establishes clear performance benchmarks, enables transparent monitoring, and supports informed decision-making for continuous improvement in line with international sustainability standards,” USJ added. ARC translates operational data into a performance score, “providing a clear and comparable overview of sustainability performance over time.”
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Autor(en)/Author(s): João Paulo Meneses
Dieser Artikel ist neu veröffentlicht von / This article is republished from: Macau Business, 15.04.2026
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