Page 15 - Reference framework for integrated management of an SSC - A U4SSC deliverable on city platforms

Executive Summary

The United for Smart Sustainable Cities (U4SSC) initiative is a global platform dedicated to
supporting cities in becoming smarter and more sustainable. The U4SSC is coordinated by the
International Telecommunication Union (ITU), the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe
(UNECE) and the United Nations Human Settlement Programme (UN-Habitat), with the support of
16 other UN bodies.

In recent years, Smart City initiatives have been based mainly on the application of information
and communication technologies in the urban environment, allowing a substantial improvement
in communication with citizens, better use of resources and a greater alignment of the services
provided with the real needs of the community.

However, these initiatives have been managed, in many cases, in isolation and from different
departments with the aim of automating internal processes or solving sectoral problems within their
sphere of responsibility. This sectoral and uncoordinated approach does not consider synergies
with other areas in the design of solutions, and can produce duplications, incompatibilities and
inefficiencies that have a significant impact on their sustainability in the medium- to long-term.

The implementation of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), especially SDG11,
represents a unique opportunity for the digital transformation of cities from a global perspective,
putting the citizen at the centre of its activity to improve the living conditions of residents, generate
economic growth and embrace sustainability. This approach poses a challenge to municipal officials
to identify what it means to be intelligent, what would be the different functions of the city, and what
would be the way to solve the present and future problems they face to implement this paradigm.

The urban reality is complex and depends on multiple cultural, economic, geographical, and political
factors. Not all approaches are equally relevant to a Smart and Sustainable City; for example, the
perception of a Smart City in Europe could be one that focuses on reducing emissions. In America,
advanced transport infrastructure may be a priority.

The only use of technology is insufficient to achieve this urban digital transformation if it is not
accompanied by unified management that aligns objectives, resources and provides cities with
a solid basis to incorporate elements that support the transition of their generally fragmented
operations towards integrated management, using data as the main asset for the improvement
of processes, internal efficiency, the conservation of the environment and to respond to citizens’
demand for quality services.

This document "Reference framework for an integrated management of a smart sustainable city"
is part of the results of the Thematic Group of City Platforms promoted by U4SSC and has been
1
designed as a complement to the reports published of this Thematic Group: "IT Solutions for
integrated cities management & Use Cases", "Smart Public Health Emergency Management" , "Smart

Reference framework for integrated management of an SSC | June 2023 1