What's the issue?

Over the past two decades, “smart cities” have proliferated around the globe as a way to build more efficient and liveable urban environments. Initially, the concept of “smart cities” was largely supply-driven, with the private sector taking the lead in defining both the problem and the solution. The time has come to take stock of these experimentations! Are smart cities just a buzzword, or do they really deliver better opportunities and well-being for all residents?

What can the OECD offer?

Our work on smart cities and inclusive growth seeks to bridge efficiency and social inclusion to deliver better opportunities and better lives for all residents. 

The OECD's Programme on “Smart Cities and Inclusive Growth” aims to:

• redefine the concept of smart cities around the contribution of digital innovation to better lives for all people;
• measure how smart cities perform and ultimately deliver well-being outcomes for citizens; and
• guide local and national governments in their efforts to reshape city governance, business models and stakeholder engagement.

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About the OECD Roundtable on Smart Cities and Inclusive Growth

The OECD Roundtable on Smart Cities and Inclusive Growth gather various stakeholders to take stock of research and share policies, practices and knowledge on how to get smart city initiatives right. 

The 1^st Roundtable brought together key stakeholders from cities, regions, national governments, the private sector, civil society, academia, philanthropy and international organisations to:

• Learn from a common understanding of the concept of smart cities across the globe and raise awareness on the policy implications for inclusive growth;
• Share policies, practices and knowledge on how to get smart city initiatives right, and shape the way forward to upscale success stories and minimise pitfalls to avoid;
• Advance the data measurement agenda to co-produce an analytical and indicator framework to assess the smart cities’ performance and their contribution to inclusive growth;
• Understand opportunities and challenges related to the disruptions of digital innovation on city governance, data ownership and disclosure, private sector participation, and citizen engagement.

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