United for Smart Sustainable Cities
In 2024, the United for Smart Sustainable Cities (U4SSC) initiative continued shaping global urban transformation, providing resources and expanding its expertise for cities worldwide on technological and policy innovation.
Powering People-Centred Smart Cities
The United for Smart Sustainable Cities (U4SSC) initiative is a global UN collaboration, coordinated by ITU, UNEP and UNECE, and supported by a network of key partners, including UN-Habitat, CBD, ECLAC, FAO, UNDESA, UNDP, UNECA, UNESCO, UNEP-FI, UNFCCC, UNIDO, UNOPS, UNU-EGOV, UN-Women, UNWTO, and WMO.
U4SSC serves as an international platform for exchanging knowledge and fostering partnerships to empower cities and communities in achieving the UN Sustainable Development Goals.
U4SSC in Numbers
In 2024, the U4SSC took concrete action in these fields:
33 e-Meetings
The U4SSC Management Team and experts held a series of e-meetings to exchange on and shape impactful U4SSC outputs.
3 Deliverables
We published 3 new publications on pressing urban transformation topics.
8th U4SSC Meeting
More than 150 people convened at our 8th U4SSC Meeting in Madrid in September, certainly a highlight of our year.
4 New Thematic Groups
Significantly expanding the U4SSC scope, these four new Thematic Groups serve as impactful exchange platforms for global urban development experts.
8th U4SSC Meeting
The eighth U4SSC meeting in Madrid this year solidified the initiative’s role as a global platform for driving digital transformation and fostering sustainable, resilient cities.
Thematic Groups
In 2024, U4SSC expanded its scope with the launch of four new thematic groups:
- Future Foresight for Cities: Helping cities plan for future challenges and emerging trends.
- Sustainable Digital Transformation in Building and Urban Energy: Promoting sustainability through innovative energy solutions and smart building practices.
- Social-Cultural Sustainability in People-Centred City Governance: Focusing on inclusive governance models that emphasize cultural and social sustainability.
- Digital Public Infrastructure for Cities: Enhancing the digital backbone of cities to drive sustainable development and improve urban services
New Published Deliverables
This year, U4SSC has also seen the publication of several important deliverables aimed at guiding cities in their smart, sustainable transformation. These reports provide actionable insights and frameworks that cities can adopt to enhance their governance, infrastructure, and digital services. Among the published deliverables:
Policy Benchmarks for Digital Transformation of People-Centred Cities: A guide for shaping inclusive and people-focused digital transformation strategies.
Data and API Requirements for Centralized Smart City Platforms: Technical guidelines for integrating centralized platforms to streamline data management.
Guiding Principles for Artificial Intelligence in Cities: A set of recommendations aimed at ensuring the ethical deployment of AI technologies in urban environments.
U4SSC Country Hubs
The U4SSC Country Hubs continue to play a pivotal role in supporting cities and national authorities as they implement smart city initiatives tailored to local needs. These hubs act as centers of expertise, sharing knowledge, resources, and best practices to accelerate the digital transformation of cities globally.
Management Team
U4SSC Chair
Okan Geray
Digital Dubai
U4SSC Vice-Chairs
Ramy Ahmed Fathy
Egypt
Giampiero Bambagioni
Italy
Wendy Goico Campagna
Dominican Republic
Paolo Gemma
Huawei
Emily Royall
San Antonio, USA
Tania Marcos
Spain