Smart Cities and Infrastructure issues paper by UNCTAD

During the 18th annual session of the United Nations Commission on Science and Technology for Development (CSTD), Smart Cities and Infrastructure, was selected as one of the priority themes for the 2015-16 period. The objective of this paper, prepared by the UNCTAD secretariat, is to illustrate the key role of STI, including ICT, in the development of a smart city and its infrastructure.
The paper provides (1) an understanding of what a ‘˜Smart City’ is, (2) what constitutes its infrastructure, (3) what the key challenges in the context of a ‘˜Smart City’ , especially in developing countries are and (4) the role of science, technology and innovation (STI) in addressing these challenges.

Smart Cities and Infrastructure paper structure

This paper follows the following structure:

• Chapter 2 provides an overview of urbanization in the context of Smart Cities including a recap on global urbanization trends and the case for smart cities.
• Chapter 3 describes Smart City Infrastructure in the context of sustainable development including Smart Buildings, Transportation, Utilities (Energy, Water, and Waste), Healthcare and ICT. This chapter concludes by underlining the need for an integrated approach towards smart city infrastructure.
• Chapter 4 focuses on presenting some key challenges confronted while implementing Smart City projects and explains how science, technology and innovation (STI) can be a powerful tool in addressing these challenges, with plentiful case studies from across the world. This chapter also provides some key principles that need to be kept in mind while developing smart city infrastructure.
  This discussed key challenges include: (1) Adaptation of Smart City Concepts to Local conditions (2) Skills Gap (3) Financial Constraints (4) Applying Suitable Governance Models and (5) Making Smart City Applications Inclusive. The Science, Technology and Innovation (STI) community plays a key role in overcoming these challenges. Therefore, for each of the challenges, this chapter outlines some policy instruments driven by STI that could help to address these challenges, along with case – study examples of success stories.
• Chapter 5 provides a list of questions for discussions revolving around the central themes of the paper.

You may download the paper from here
In this link you will find the Introduction of the Secretary General’s Report, Ms. Dong Wu Chief, Science and Technology Section UNCTAD United Nations Commission on Science and Technology for Development during the 19^th Annual Session on 9 – 13 May 2016.