2020 has not been an easy time for cities, as COVID-19 has shut down the tourism and business travel that many rely on, with office workers operating from homes, and the various lockdown measures in place prompting many to look afresh at the small flats that are the standard form of abode in many a city.

The Smart City Index from the Institute for Management Development (IMD) attempts to delve into how we feel about our cities and their evolution, with the impact these changes are having on our lives a particular focus.

The index attempts to distinguish itself from other analyses of smart cities by focusing less on the technologies being implemented and more on the impact these technologies are having on our lives.  In total, the researchers quizzed around 13,000 people from 109 cities on areas such as mobility, health and safety, opportunities, governance, and activities.

Pressing concerns

The concerns highlighted the various issues uncovered by the pandemic.  For instance, Londoners worried about air pollution in the city, and the availability of health services and affordable housing.  It scored better for access to cultural activities, although of course, many of these were shut during the lockdown, and it remains to be seen what impact the prolonged closure will have on service levels in the coming years.  The authors suggest that these issues may be further exacerbated by Brexit.

“The issue of Brexit is likely to become a matter of concern to citizens in the coming years,” they reveal. “While the EU is steadily moving towards sustainability, the UK may fall behind in some of the issues that matter most to Brits – including crucial matters like air quality.”

Another noticeable trend from the data was the growing significance of second cities.  For many years, the agglomeration effect has seen capital cities hoover up people and resources, but the research suggests that secondary cities are regaining their luster.

For instance, in the UK, cities like Manchester, Birmingham, and Newcastle rose considerably compared to last year, which the authors believe is ostensibly good news for the overall health of the UK.  They cite the work done by Birmingham, who launched a smart city program at the start of the year.

“It is important to develop cities beyond capitals as a strong signal of the country’s development,” the researchers say.  “Countries are no longer economic units and it is mayors and local authorities who increasingly have the power to improve the wellbeing of citizens by implementing technology.”

For some time, smart cities have struggled to prove their worth, but the researchers believe that COVID-19 may provide the exhibition advocates have been waiting for.  They argue that there is a clear link between the ability of cities to deploy technology with their capacity to deal with the crisis.

“Though we can’t affirm that smart cities are the solution, we have seen that technology does help,” they say.

Whether the crisis provides the burning platform that finally lights the fire under smart cities will remain to be seen.  With the Index being produced each year, it will be interesting to see the progress that is made next year.