Smart-city trends in the environment of sustainability as support for decarbonization processes

Abstract

The smart-city concept refers to a city that uses information and communication technologies to increase the interactivity and efficiency of urban infrastructure and its components, as well as raising awareness among residents of, for example, such socially important issues as energy efficiency and decarbonization. The current priorities and strategic goals of cities and metropolitan areas include climate protection, the reduction of pollution caused by the use of means of transport and heat or energy sources. The development of technology and the evolving smart-city concept are in line with the more efficient use of resources, global demographic trends, and ongoing urbanization processes. This results from the evolving potential of cities that the new information and communication technologies (ICTs) have set in motion. A change in the way cities function is a part of the concept of sustainable development, which involves the thoughtful use of resources in such a way that they are sufficient to not only ensure the well-being of the present generation but to also meet the needs of the future. Particularly important is the principle of sustainable development, which involves the greatest possible synergy between people and the world around them. Therefore, the essence of the idea of sustainable development is the pursuit of the well-being of society while maintaining the integrity of the ecosystem. Studies carried out among inhabitants of cities show that according to their understanding of the smart-city concept, the technological element is as important as the fact that the city is resident-friendly, smartly managed, and well organized, and the entities needed are always in the right place and at the right time. The purpose of this study is to analyze the innovation potential of selected cities of a large metropolis in terms of the smart city concept and 4T capitals. The subject is related to the search by city authorities for new models and tools to shape sustainable development in order to improve their residents’ access to municipal services and amenities, as well as to increase their influence on the future of their cities in such difficult ongoing processes as decarbonization. The main objective of the study was to identify how the authorities of the selected cities incorporate smart-city and 4T-capital topics into local policies to achieve decarbonization goals. The study was based on surveys of residents and municipal employees and on an analysis of local documents and environmental data of pollutions.