Page 21 - Reference framework for integrated management of an SSC - A U4SSC deliverable on city platforms

2 Current context of cities

Cities face particular challenges, depending on the geographic and demographic context;
their needs vary, and may be completely different from one another.

We focus this study on cities. We describe the services that must be provided and the
actors’ point of view.

We focus on the digital transformation strategy of cities, trying to focus on everyday needs
regardless of size and location.

The current situation, derived from the pandemic, has been a great challenge for all cities,
especially in developing countries. The technological needs, the standardisation, and the
use of the data are the challenges they face. We pose the following questions:

• Is a Smart City also a sustainable city?
• How can the SDGs contribute to the development of cities? or how can cities'
development be inspired by SDGs?

• How does SDG 11, Sustainable Cities and Communities, apply in the development of
cities?
• What guidance can we use to develop an SDG action plan?

• With which regulations must cities comply, and what standards must they meet to make
an innovative and sustainable city?

• How can the economy of data and data as a good practice in terms of transparency
improve the economic, business, and industrial fabric and, in turn, be a tool for
transparency in cities?

• Does the technology used affect the privacy of citizens? What have the general data
protection regulations and other analogous regulations meant for privacy and data
management?
• What are the main barriers to the implementation of an urban digital infrastructure?

Since it was first incorporated in the early 1990s, the “Smart City” concept has moved on from using
information technology to help address cities’ needs, including a focus on sustainability, along with
resilience, inclusion, and citizen engagement and participation.

This transition has occurred mainly due to the rise of new digital technologies such as Artificial
Intelligence, blockchain, cloud computing, and the Internet of Things. Smart embedded devices can
provide city managers with real-time spatial, economic and environmental data for improved and

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