Page 3 - A Year of Impact - Advancing sustainable digital transformation with ITU standards in 2024

Introduction

The Year of Impact 2024 report highlights the pivotal milestones, initiatives, and global impact of the ITU
Telecommunication Standardization Sector (ITU-T) in advancing digital transformation, smart sustainable
cities, virtual worlds, and metaverse, all while aligning with the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

The World Telecommunication Standardization Assembly (WTSA-24), held from 15 to 24 October 2024 in
New Delhi, India, set strategic priorities for standards and capacity development with new resolutions on
topics including metaverse, artificial intelligence (AI), sustainable digital transformation, and digital public
infrastructure.

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The 5 Global Standards Symposium (GSS-24) also brought together over 2600 international experts to
discuss the evolving role of standards in charting the next digital wave and driving innovation in emerging
technologies like AI and the metaverse. This event built on the momentum of the UN Virtual Worlds Day,
a groundbreaking event that explored the future of immersive technologies and their potential to
accelerate progress toward the SDGs. This event, held in collaboration with another 17 UN entities,
fostered dialogue among key stakeholders on the responsible development of virtual worlds, with the aim
of ensuring that they remain inclusive, accessible, and sustainable.

Additionally, ITU’s launch of the Global Initiative on Virtual Worlds – Discovering the Citiverse in
collaboration with UNICC and Digital Dubai has introduced an innovative UN platform to support cities
around the world in seamlessly integrating virtual and real-world urban environments. This initiative aims
to foster open, interoperable, and innovative virtual spaces that are safe, reliable, and accessible for
individuals, businesses, and public services alike.

Among the significant achievements this year, ITU-T Study Group 20 (SG20) “Internet of Things (IoT),
digital twins, and smart sustainable cities & communities” continued its important work in developing
international standards to advance IoT frameworks, enhance interoperability, and foster secure, human-
centred digital solutions for smart cities and communities.

Further progress came with the conclusion of focus groups on metaverse and AI and IoT for digital
agriculture, groups that delivered expert guidance on innovative solutions merging physical and digital
worlds to enhance sustainable development. The launch of new thematic groups under the United for
Smart Sustainable Cities (U4SSC) initiative and cities’ ongoing participation in the U4SSC Key Performance
Indicator programme underscore our commitment to supporting smart city transformations worldwide.

Looking ahead, ITU remains committed to driving collaboration with international organizations,
governments, and industry leaders to ensure that technology serves as a powerful tool for achieving
sustainability, resilience, and digital inclusion. Explore this report to see how we are shaping people-
centred smart cities globally.