A data-driven approach for municipal waste management
Over 2 billion tons of garbage are produced globally every year and at least 33 percent of that – according to conservative estimates by the World Bank – is not disposed of in an environmentally safe manner. The problem directly challenges cities, as many local governments are responsible and accountable for waste collection and management.
In Europe, many cities are struggling to improve trash collection and make streets and districts cleaner. The call to increase waste recycling and promote the circular economy is also getting more intense. As for the European Green Deal’s sustainability goals, EU member countries committed to recycling at least 55 percent of municipal waste and 65 percent of total packaging waste by 2025. While some countries including Italy, Germany, Czechia, and Denmark are well on track to meet those goals, a recent assessment by the European Environment Agency highlighted that 18 member states out of 27 are at risk of missing one or both of them.
US: Smart Cities Connect 2023: How Environmental Factors Drive Municipal Investments
City officials describe how they developed smart city infrastructure initiatives in response to conditions on the ground.
Municipal officials gathered this week in National Harbor, Md., to share lessons learned from smart cities projects, and a panel on Thursday reflected on how the environment affected infrastructure planning.
IoT boom expected in South Africa
A digital revolution is under way in South Africa, and it is leaving an indelible mark on industry and enterprise. It is changing how we move people and products, how we create and use energy, how we interact with and care for each other. It is influencing how we build our cities, spend our money and manage our wellbeing. It is remodelling our thinking and how we solve problems, and it is pushing us towards a connected future.
Smart cybersecurity for a smarter nation
In this era of unprecedented technological innovation, the concept of a "smart nation" has emerged as a compelling vision for the future. It represents a paradigm shift where cutting-edge technologies, including the Internet of Things (IoT), artificial intelligence (AI), and big data analytics, are seamlessly integrated to transform the very fabric of society. These smart nations epitomise the convergence of technology and governance, aiming to elevate the quality of life for their citizens through enhanced urban living, optimised resource utilisation, and transformative public services.
However, the journey towards realising this vision is not without its challenges. The intricate and interconnected nature of these smart societies, while offering a multitude of benefits, also exposes them to a range of cyber threats. These threats pose a substantial risk to critical infrastructure, data privacy, and the integrity of the digital ecosystems that underpin these smart nations.
US: New York: Smart Cities Connect: Syracuse Focuses on Vision Zero and Digital Empowerment
The New York municipality’s recent smart city initiatives focus on quality of life for its residents.
In 2020, StateTech named Syracuse, N.Y., as a top Smart City to Watch. On Nov. 28, Syracuse Director of Strategic Initiatives Jennifer Tifft will participate in Smart Cities Connect 2023 on a panel, The National Standards Strategy for Critical and Emerging Technology and Implications for Smart Cities and Communities. The conference, hosted by the Gaylord National Hotel and Convention Center in National Harbor, Md., explores issues regarding the design and adoption of networks supporting the Internet of Things and related technologies.