CESARE'24

Circularity in smart cities

Not scheduled

20m

Speaker

Mennatullah Hendawy (Ain shams university and Impact Circles e.V. Berlin)

Description

In the contemporary world, digitalisation and technology have been transforming cities. Many technology companies have been collaborating with governments to construct smart cities that promise sustainability. However, sustainability challenges in cities keep rising. In this paper, we focus on and link these two trends: smart cities and sustainability, by focusing on the potentials and barriers to circularity in smart cities. Most of the discussion on circularity in smart cities focuses on techno-centric approaches and solutions. There is a broad literature on how the circular economy is impacted by the use of technology. These discussions are not yet connected directly with sustainability or smart cities. In this article, we build on the literature that links sustainability and urban quality of life in cities with circularity to investigate how far current smart city strategies address circularity and the circular economy. Using content analysis, the article addresses: What are the current discourses and narratives relating to circularity in smart city visions? How is circularity represented in smart cities startegies? Does this representation contribute to a better urban quality of life or do they (re-)produce or (re)inforce existing sustainability challenges? Broadly, we raise questions about the quality of sustainable living in smart cities.