There is a need for a mature reflection on the evolution of urban development and how to harness technology to provide better services, empower people and build a better future for all.
This was the key message presented by keynote speakers at the Smart City World Congress in Barcelona this week.
According to Gerardo Pisarello, deputy mayor of economy and labour, digital city and international relations for Barcelona, cities' administrations are now more than ever responsible for the well-being of the planet.
"We are aware that the challenges are huge - from economic reconstruction to social integration, from climate change to affordable housing. Of course, there is a risk of most metropolitan areas getting wrapped up in a vicious circle of social and environmental distress. Digitalisation or the second revolution is bringing plenty of opportunities to counter this."
Pisarello said entrepreneurs, creative people and the most advanced thinkers and new tools like virtual reality can help cities develop new industries with the capacity to generate and manage large quantities of data to improve public policies.
The second revolution will be won by leaders who not only use technology to improve lives but stand up for human values like democracy and freedom of equality, he added.
"No technology, no matter how smart, can compensate for political and moral regression. When you abandon fighting for things like climate change, poverty or illiteracy - sensors, models and algorithms become useless."
The priority for leaders should then be about using technology for human integration and improving citizens' lives, said Pisarello.
"This is the aim of Barcelona's digital plan - to ensure citizens, businesses and academia work together to serve the people and maximise the social impact of technology."
Similarly, Khandker Mosharraf Hossain, minister for local government, rural development and co-operatives for Bangladesh, said smart cities allow city officials to interact directly with the broad community and cities and improve infrastructure.
He pointed out that today, more than 54% of the world's population lives in urban areas, a proportion that is expected to increase to 66% by 2050, and cities occupy 2% of the world's surface, consume 27% of the total generated energy and are responsible for 80% of the green house effects.
Bangadelesh is one of the countries seeing rapid urbanisation, said Mosharraf Hossain. The country's capital city Dhaka is one of the most densely populated cities, with more than 20 000 people living per square kilometre, he added.
The urban population in Bangladesh was only 40 million in 2011 and is expected to reach 120 million by 2050. It is now evident urban development as it stands will not be sustainable and inclusive in the near future, he added. Therefore, managing urban areas with effective policies, technology and ensuring social justice has become imperative in the 21st century, said Mosharraf Hossain.
"A smart city should not only optimise the quality of urban life but also contribute to improving governance indicators like accountability, transparency effectiveness, enforcement of law, control of production and so on."
Meanwhile, Gila Gamliel, minister for social equality of Israel, said digital transformation is one of the greatest revolutions society has seen since the industrial revolution.
"It used to be that geographic distance was an excuse for inequality, but in today's digital world, geography has become irrelevant. The digital transformation our society is undergoing gives us the tools to give all citizens equal opportunities. I strongly believe digital technologies are the central key to reducing social gaps in society."
However, governments need to ensure smart cities are protected from cyber crime, said Gamliel. Like conventional terror attacks, cyber warfare does not only seriously disrupt a country's economy but can cause physical harm to ordinary civilians, she added.
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