Shaping the urban age
Shaping the urban age
Honored to speak at Malaysia’s NPC 2023, I shared insights on empowering smart cities for sustainable development. Highlighting Brittany’s digital twin initiatives, I emphasized data’s pivotal role in urban planning. The event, a confluence of tradition and modernity, allowed me to expand my network and advocate for collaborative, data-driven, and community-empowered urban innovation, resonating with the SDGs and local needs.
My global consultancy is now strategically aligned with the emerging framework of sustainable urban development (SUD), focusing on integrated, place-based public policies, governance, and green digital solutions. After a decade in Asia, I’m targeting the Global South, particularly Southeast Asia, with Malaysia as the operational hub. This shift underscores the need for cooperation in capacity building, where Europe and the UK can share adaptable knowledge and best practices.
Returning to France from Asia, I had the enriching opportunity to attend the 3rd Roundtable on Smart Cities and Inclusive Growth in Paris. The discussions delved into how smart cities can catalyze the net-zero transition, among other topics. The term ‘smart city’ has evolved, intersecting various influences and interests, and is now synonymous with sustainability. It’s essential to underpin smart city initiatives with a robust strategy for sustainable urban development, integrating SDGs as guiding policies. This approach will enable developing countries to forge their path in SDG localisation, moving beyond a top-down methodology to one that empowers localities and ensures devolution of power, aligning with the global sustainability goals.