Urban Matters Matter
The environment, spatial and geographical shifts, and climate all have a tremendous impact on the development of megacities, as well as small and midsize cities in remote locations and rural areas. Energy, electricity, water, and modern technology are key for leading counties and cities to attract citizens. In addition, local, regional, and city governments are undergoing unprecedented transformation. And let’s not forget the increasing importance of climate change and scientific assessments of living conditions in areas experiencing population growth.
How modern and state-of-the-art technology support these developments
Recently, SAP Value Insight conducted an analysis of citizens‘ perspectives on their cities and towns. The study uncovered that availability of a secure, attractive, and well-equipped living environment is the top priority for all citizens, whether they have young families or are members of the growing population of senior citizens. Financial security and a stable climate are close behind. Everyone has the right to access these living conditions – and the technology industry should make every effort to help ensure these services are available to as many people as possible.
But, since not everything is similarly important – where do we start???
I believe that transparency is a key to the development in urban matters. Why? Not all relevant stakeholders have the information – such as energy consumption, water use and storage, and network capacities – that can help them respond to ever-evolving operations and growth within seconds. And it is this need that makes dedicated IT systems with high-end functions and features indispensable. In addition, the growing importance of the Internet of Things and the resulting evaluation of sensors in every part of citizens’ lives requires stable, reliable IT platforms that enable data gathering, evaluation, and presentation of results at the speed of light. For example, parking systems with networked teller machines make parking in city centers easier and efficient.
Risk management and constant evaluation of other issues through internal and external security or transparent administrative functions within cities are areas of interest for today’s cities and counties. Even in small cities and towns, these aspects of modern living have become increasingly important as they vie for the attention of citizens and provision desired services for their inhabitants.
For example, flooding is becoming a serious issue for inhabitants and the local administrations of some towns and cities. This simple fact underpins the necessity of modern systems to support local disasters and related implications of insurance and other financial services. In this area, the risk of man-made disasters for any community – cities of all sizes and towns – profit from modern information technology.
The European Commission is also delving into this topic more deeply. Resolving the issues faced by small and midsize cities and towns depend on localization and geographical and situational facts. According to Mr. Johannes Hahn, Member of the European Commission, “Cities are places where both problems emerge and solutions are found. They are fertile ground for science and technology, for culture and innovation, for individual and collective creativity, and for mitigating the impact of climate change. However, cities are also places where problems such as unemployment, segregation, and poverty are concentrated.”
To solve these important issues, government bodies must find a way to provide citizens and administrators with a system platform that supports fast data access and processing. Explore the solutions designed specifically for urban matters to fulfill these requirements and provide mobile access.
Take a look at how these government organizations are using this technology:
- European Southern Observatory (ESO) is revolutionizing operations, helping scientists complete research up to 10 times faster.
- The city of Boston is engaging directly with its citizens and improving its services.
- Significant investments in flooding preparedness are helping Hamburg Port Authority HPA
- Regione Autonoma Sardegna is helping to ensure compliance with new accounting regulations.
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