The Fourth industrial Revolution is on the agenda. Its watchword is agility. The World Economic Forum estimates a steep rise of the global population residing in cities to 68% by 2050. The challenge for city administrators is to quickly adapt to changing needs in all urban infrastructures and processes by enhancing participation and stakeholder involvement.
“The Fourth Industrial Revolution will unleash creativity with limitless potential. City administrators need to prepare by adapting the physical, digital and environmental elements of their cities to better respond to their citizens’ dynamic and constantly evolving needs”.
Key issues addressed by the WEF’s report are best practice guidelines in various sectors: agile buildings, land, energy, mobility, IT, security, education as well as agile governance.
The report reflects how to adapt the current infrastructure to new needs and uses without outsized investment or long planning processes, by optimizing current services through digital technologies and thus sustain environmental considerations such as energy efficiency, transition to renewable energies and health issues. Case studies from cities all over the world show how given cities are dealing with these challenges and which approaches, networks and expertise have already been used.
Learn more on how to harness the opportunities and best prepare for the Fourth Industrial Revolution