• SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals): Revitalize the global partnership for
sustainable development” (UN 2018b)
Although not all SDGs may be compatible with the mission and the visions of
Smart City planners, some SDGs might be more relevant for Smart Cities than
others. At first glance, SDG 11 which expressly addresses sustainable city development as envisioned by the basic concept for Smart Cities seems most relevant,
followed by SDGs 6,7,8, and 9. If and in how far Smart Cities may also facilitate
some of the other SDGs will be examined over the course of this chapter.
13.2.3 Image of Smart Cities
The perception of Smart Cities in the general public is divided. Idealists and promoters paint smart cities in the most beautiful colors, depicting them as innovative,
pleasant, ecologically clean, safe, and inclusive places (Kufel 2016; Kumar 2017).
They deem Smart Cities sustainable and energy-efficient, providing a high level of
comfort, great employment opportunities, and unique chances for democratic participation for the citizens living in them (Warren 2017; Kumar 2017; Schwab 2017).
Some even believe in the potential of Smart Cities to “save the world” due to energy
efficiency and a significant reduction in the number of road accidents by managing
city infrastructures with the help of “smart” technologies (Webb 2010; Kufel 2016).
In contrast, critics of Smart Cities paint them in rather dark colors, calling Smart
Cities a potential “hacker paradise” (Coleman 2015), “surveillance cities” (Mellor
2017), or even “Orwell’s Dystopic Nightmare” (Dykes and Melton 2013; Newman
2015), pointing to their virtually unlimited possibilities for “. . .controlling and
oppressing mankind in previously unimaginable ways. . .”, calling Smart Cities
“. . .a dumb and dangerous idea” (Newman 2015) – especially for those who
appreciate privacy and liberty (Newman 2015).
Some Smart City skeptics warn that - instead of being green, clean, smart,
sustainable, cleverly designed, well-engineered, fair, safe, healthy, resilient, and
affordable - Smart Cities will be characterized by “. . . the internet, the mobile
cloud, and a lot of weird paste-on gadgetry” (Sterling 2018) due to mayors trying
to raise capital. They cite today’s London and Rome as negative examples for
“. . .huge, sluggish beasts of cities that have outlived millennia of eager
reformers. . .” (Sterling 2018) with a fast-aging population and a collapsing infrastructure where “. . .climate disaster is taking the place of the past’s great urban fires,
wars, and epidemics. . .” (Sterling 2018).
Once others wonder whether Smart Cities represent “. . .a futuristic fluffy, Disneyesque paradise” (Express VPN Blog 2016) or “. . .an Orwellian nightmare of
torment and confinement. . .” (Express VPN Blog 2016). The coming sections of this
chapter might help to clarify this question.
13 The Role of Smart Cities for the Realization of. . .
213
sustainable development” (UN 2018b)
Although not all SDGs may be compatible with the mission and the visions of
Smart City planners, some SDGs might be more relevant for Smart Cities than
others. At first glance, SDG 11 which expressly addresses sustainable city development as envisioned by the basic concept for Smart Cities seems most relevant,
followed by SDGs 6,7,8, and 9. If and in how far Smart Cities may also facilitate
some of the other SDGs will be examined over the course of this chapter.
13.2.3 Image of Smart Cities
The perception of Smart Cities in the general public is divided. Idealists and promoters paint smart cities in the most beautiful colors, depicting them as innovative,
pleasant, ecologically clean, safe, and inclusive places (Kufel 2016; Kumar 2017).
They deem Smart Cities sustainable and energy-efficient, providing a high level of
comfort, great employment opportunities, and unique chances for democratic participation for the citizens living in them (Warren 2017; Kumar 2017; Schwab 2017).
Some even believe in the potential of Smart Cities to “save the world” due to energy
efficiency and a significant reduction in the number of road accidents by managing
city infrastructures with the help of “smart” technologies (Webb 2010; Kufel 2016).
In contrast, critics of Smart Cities paint them in rather dark colors, calling Smart
Cities a potential “hacker paradise” (Coleman 2015), “surveillance cities” (Mellor
2017), or even “Orwell’s Dystopic Nightmare” (Dykes and Melton 2013; Newman
2015), pointing to their virtually unlimited possibilities for “. . .controlling and
oppressing mankind in previously unimaginable ways. . .”, calling Smart Cities
“. . .a dumb and dangerous idea” (Newman 2015) – especially for those who
appreciate privacy and liberty (Newman 2015).
Some Smart City skeptics warn that - instead of being green, clean, smart,
sustainable, cleverly designed, well-engineered, fair, safe, healthy, resilient, and
affordable - Smart Cities will be characterized by “. . . the internet, the mobile
cloud, and a lot of weird paste-on gadgetry” (Sterling 2018) due to mayors trying
to raise capital. They cite today’s London and Rome as negative examples for
“. . .huge, sluggish beasts of cities that have outlived millennia of eager
reformers. . .” (Sterling 2018) with a fast-aging population and a collapsing infrastructure where “. . .climate disaster is taking the place of the past’s great urban fires,
wars, and epidemics. . .” (Sterling 2018).
Once others wonder whether Smart Cities represent “. . .a futuristic fluffy, Disneyesque paradise” (Express VPN Blog 2016) or “. . .an Orwellian nightmare of
torment and confinement. . .” (Express VPN Blog 2016). The coming sections of this
chapter might help to clarify this question.
13 The Role of Smart Cities for the Realization of. . .
213