Smart Sustainable City planning and design are vital to implementation of the New Urban Agenda’s vision of a sustainable future. Smart urbanism merges information and communication technologies; energy, resource and infrastructure technologies into networks that create sustainable, resilient, regenerative, urban-rural ecosystems with vibrant communities, thriving economies and biodiverse environments. ISOCARP organised the World Urban Forum “Smart Sustainable Cities” networking event to focus on concrete examples of implementing the New Urban Agenda. Panelists included: ICLEI Deputy Director Soumya Chaturvedula, Royal Town Planning Institute Chief Executive Trudi Elliott, ISOCARP Vice Presidents Malgorzata Hanzl and Daniele Vettorato, Malaysian Institute of Planners Honorary Secretary Datin Khalid, Canadian Institute of Planners President Eleanor Mohammed, International Federation for Housing and Planning Strategic Director Morten Nielsen, UN-Habitat Strategic Planner Javier Torner, International Union of Architects President Thomas Vonier, and ISOCARP President Ric Stephens, moderator.
In addition to presentations by the panelists, ISOCARP Vice President for Publications Malgorzata Hanzl conducted an informal survey of attendees as part of the networking initiative. More than 90 participants were engaged in this event, and they may also be part of a report to be published in ISOCARP’s Review 14. The Review article will merge multiple perspectives on smart sustainable cities with the ISOCARP White Paper currently in preparation by the Scientific Committee under direction of Chair Benjamin Scheerbarth. This effort also coincides with UN-Habitat’s current work on smart cities which we hope to assist with later this year.
