Mapping Smart Cities in the EU
5. SMART CITIES AND EUROPE 2020 KEY FINDINGS The objectives of the Smart City initiatives are generally aligned with those of city innovation and development strategies and the overarching Europe 2020 targets. This is not surprising; the problems are widely recognised and agenda-setting at both city and European level consciously strives for openness and wide participation. The characteristics of Smart City initiatives also reflect the actual situation of the city or country. This alignment can take three forms, corresponding to three different motives for pursuing Smart City strategies. Inclusion of characteristics recognised as Smart City hallmarks (e.g. environment and innovative use of ICTs) may be motivated by a desire to attract businesses to the city or to participate in European-funded Smart City projects. Inclusion of characteristics associated with areas where the city or country is particularly weak is appropriate where critical mass, economies of scale and scope, and the Smart City political halo effect can be used to tackle collectively issues that have (as shown by weak performance) resisted solution through ‘normal’ channels. Inclusion of characteristics that correspond to areas of particular local strength (e.g. environmental characteristics among Smart Cities in Nordic Member States) provides a fruitful platform for Smart City coalition-building. The ‘cost of failure’ is modest and the risk of failure reduced by starting from solid and effective technologies and working arrangements. Such initiatives stimulate knowledge-sharing with other domains – a city with strengths in one area might develop them as a ‘Smart City solution’ to exchange with another city whose strengths match the problems faced by the first city. The match among different objective levels (Europe 2020, Smart City strategies and specific Smart City initiatives) is only approximate, indicating that Europe 2020 serves to stimulate and harmonise local action, but that other factors give each Smart City a unique flavour. These include the severity of different local problems; the strategic drive behind the inclusion of different characteristics discussed above; variations in city and project size; the specific strengths, weaknesses and motivations of local stakeholders; and cultural norms favouring or inhibiting effective partnerships among government, business and civil society stakeholders. There appears to be a clear difference among cities that: pursue a mix of characteristics through many holistic initiatives; use a differentiated portfolio of specialised initiatives; support only a few holistic (multi-objective) initiatives; and implement a small number of initiatives tightly focused on the most salient characteristics. This suggests that Smart City initiatives are viewed both as instrumental means of tackling specific problems and as a way to build a community of interest or overarching awareness of the potential of such joint initiatives to provide a platform for continued progress that adapts to changing circumstances. Most initiatives aim to contribute towards smart, sustainable and inclusive growth. Environmental issues and green solutions appear to be the principal concern; nearly 50% of sampled initiatives address environmental problems
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