The smartest cities in the world 2020 – Cities in Motion Index
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Thanks to advanced transportation services, environmental control and the widespread adoption of modern technologies, the smartest cities in the world are rapidly changing the way we think about urban life. And the annual index , prepared by the business school of the University of Navarra in Spain (IESE Business School), analyzes which cities in the world are the smartest.
• 174 cities of the world participated in the current rating, and we present you the top ten winners.
10. Hong Kong
IESE experts noted that this autonomous metropolis in China has a very high innovation index, almost 100% of its population has mobile phones, and the number of wireless access points is the largest in the world.
• Hong Kong also stands out for the number of social media users and the number of mobile phones per capita. The index also notes that as part of the development of the "smart city", Hong Kong is introducing a new system of electronic identifiers (e-ID). Such an electronic ID would make it easier for Hong Kongers to access various online services, and provide better protection for their personal data, since they will be protected by the government, and not by individual organizations.
• The implementation of this concept will put Hong Kong on a par with countries such as Denmark, Germany and Israel, whose citizens use electronic identification to pay taxes, open bank accounts and even vote for state leaders.
• Hong Kong showed the worst result in the "social cohesion" category, placing at 111 positions.
9. Singapore
Recognized for its efforts in technology, governance, international outreach and the environment, Singapore has been ranked by IESE as the 9th best smart city in the world.
• As part of its city smart program, the city has implemented a transportation system called One Monitoring. With its help, citizens can access traffic information received from surveillance cameras installed on roads and vehicles with GPS monitoring.
• In addition, Singapore has also implemented a parking search system that provides drivers with real-time parking availability information. In 2015, the city also introduced "smart bins" capable of compacting trash and notifying relevant authorities when there is no more room in the bin.
• There are problems with mobility and transport in the city (55th line in the corresponding category)
8. Amsterdam
According to the Cities in Motion Index, Amsterdam is one of the top five smartest cities in Western Europe. In particular, the Dutch capital was ranked as the 3rd best city for technology, the 6th best city for international cooperation, and the 13th best city for urban planning.
• The Amsterdam Smart City project has already shown its promise. Within its framework, the city is working on a number of projects aimed at reducing harmful emissions, saving energy and using technological advances to optimally transform the urban environment.
• For example, the Amsterdam authorities, in collaboration with local businesses and corporations, have tested the most sustainable solutions (energy-saving lighting, waste reduction, etc.) on the Utrechtsestraat, the city's main shopping street. As a result, energy consumption at the Utrechtsestraat was reduced by 10%.
• The “sore spot” of Amsterdam is the social cohesion of the inhabitants (50th position).
7. Berlin
The strengths of the German capital are mobility and transport (4th place), human capital (5th line) and international relations (9th position).
• But the areas that the Berlin authorities still need to work on are the economy (59th place) and the environment (42nd place).
6. Copenhagen
The Danish capital is especially good in terms of the environment, ranking second in this indicator, thanks to its low level of pollution.
• The experts also noted the good quality of city government. But according to such a criterion as urban planning, Copenhagen took 81st place.
5. Reykjavik
Reykjavik was the fifth smartest city. The Icelandic capital has been particularly praised for its eco-smart city initiatives.
• For example, Straetó, an Icelandic bus company, recently launched an app in Reykjavik. In it you can pay for a trip around the city, view information about stops and get real-time data about your trip. The app has been downloaded 85 times and encourages citizens to use buses more often.
• The city has also attempted to involve the public in its plans through Better Reykjavik, an online consultation forum where citizens can submit their ideas about the city's services and operations.
• Unlike most cities in the top ten, Reykjavik's worst performers are urban planning (125th) and economics (86th).
4. Tokyo
It is the smartest city in the Asia-Pacific region. As one of the world's most popular tourist destinations with high levels of productivity, the Japanese capital stands out in particular for the quality of its economy and human capital.
• Tokyo, which will host the Olympic Games in 2021 (originally in 2020, but postponed to next year due to the coronavirus), will introduce state-of-the-art security measures, including facial recognition technology, and the use of unmanned taxis to transport athletes and tourists with place to place.
• Tokyo's Achilles' heel is the low social cohesion of its citizens (rank 74).
3. Paris
The third place in the ranking is occupied by the French capital. The IESE Business School report noted the city's efforts in international cooperation and mobility and transportation.
• Paris is currently in the process of developing the Grand Paris Express, which will include 127 miles of fully automated metro lines and 68 new stations. By 2050, the city will also replace the entire fleet of 4500 RATP buses (the main public transport operator in the Paris region) with electric or natural gas vehicles.
• The weaknesses of Paris are social cohesion (74th) and environmental quality (48th in the ranking).
2. New York
Last year's 2020 Cities in Motion winner became the second most advanced smart city in the world.
• New York City has a population of 8,5 million and consumes 4,5 billion liters of water every day. As part of the smart city plan, the city's environmental protection department has deployed a large-scale automatic meter reading system to better monitor water consumption. At the same time, citizens have access to it, which gives them an idea of the daily consumption of water.
• The city also operates smart solar-powered Bigbelly trash cans that monitor trash levels and are equipped with a press.
• But in terms of social cohesion of the population, the Big Apple is one of the worst cities in the world (151st place).
1. London
The World's Best Smart City is the capital and most populous city in the United Kingdom, as well as the nerve center of Europe in areas such as the arts, commerce, education, entertainment, fashion, finance, media, research, tourism and transport.
• The IESE report highlighted London as the best city when it comes to human capital and international connectivity (airport traffic, number of hotels and restaurants), and one of the best metropolitan areas in terms of transport, economy, governance, technology and urban planning. .
• Its weaknesses are social cohesion (64th) and environment (35th).
The smartest city according to IESE Business School
Moscow entered the top ten smartest megacities in the world according to two indicators:
- The level of human capital development is 8th in the ranking. The Russian capital managed to bypass such competitors as Tokyo and Chicago. This category takes into account such indicators as the proportion of citizens with secondary and higher education, the number of museums, universities, art galleries, business schools included in the Financial Times rating, etc.
- Urban planning. In just one year, Moscow managed to rise from 22nd to 6th place in this category. The IESE experts took into account the number of city bike-sharing stations, the number of skyscrapers, and the average number of residents per household.
• Moscow also showed growth in other categories, such as environmental quality, social cohesion and international relations.
• Based on the totality of all indicators, the capital of Russia took 87th place in the ranking.
