Global Challenges Require "Smarter Cities"

Chief Executive Officer of IBM Samuel Palmisano believes that "smarter cities" are key to a sustainable future, and so are the focus of three upcoming summits hosted by IBM.

2 minute read

May 25, 2009, 1:00 PM PDT

By Michael Dudley


"[U]nprecedented urbanization is both an emblem of our economic and societal progress -- especially for the world's emerging nations -- and a huge strain on the planet's infrastructure. It's a challenge felt urgently by mayors, heads of economic development, school administrators, police chiefs and other civic leaders. The challenges these leaders face -- educating their young, keeping citizens safe and healthy, attracting and facilitating commerce and enabling the smooth flow of planes, trains, cars and pedestrians -- are only being compounded by the global downturn.

Thankfully, help is at hand, with intelligence being infused into the way cities work. It has tended to be been system-by-system so far, but it need not stop there. We now have the capacity to manage cities as the complex systems -- indeed, systems-of-systems -- that they are. And the current crisis in the world's economy offers an opportunity -- indeed, I believe, an imperative -- to do just that.

[T]hat's why IBM is convening a "smarter cities" summit this June in Berlin -- to be followed by similar gatherings in New York and Asia in the months ahead.

We've invited hundreds of leaders from the world's most innovative cities to share ideas and learn how we can make our cities smarter. The enthusiastic response we've received is very encouraging, and it reinforces my feeling that this moment presents us with a unique opportunity to achieve fundamental change through new kinds of collaborative innovation. Change is what the people of the world want. Cities are the arena in which to do so."

Friday, May 22, 2009 in Huffington Post

courses user

As someone new to the planning field, Planetizen has been the perfect host guiding me into planning and our complex modern challenges. Corey D, Transportation Planner

As someone new to the planning field, Planetizen has been the perfect host guiding me into planning and our complex modern challenges.

Corey D, Transportation Planner

Ready to give your planning career a boost?

View of dense apartment buildings on Seattle waterfront with high-rise buildings in background.

Seattle Legalizes Co-Living

A new state law requires all Washington cities to allow co-living facilities in areas zoned for multifamily housing.

December 1, 2024 - Smart Cities Dive

Times Square in New York City empty during the Covid-19 pandemic.

NYC Officials Announce Broadway Pedestrianization Project

Two blocks of the marquee street will become mostly car-free public spaces.

December 1, 2024 - StreetsBlog NYC

Broken, uneven sidewalk being damaged by large tree roots in Los Angeles, California.

The City of Broken Sidewalks

Can Los Angeles fix 4,000 miles of broken sidewalks before the city hosts the 2028 Olympic Games?

December 5, 2024 - Donald Shoup

Dense informal settlement on steep hillside in Brazil.

Housing as a Climate Resilience Strategy

Ensuring that housing, including in informal settlements, is safe and healthy for its residents is a key tool in the fight to build more sustainable and equitable communities in the face of climate migration.

2 hours ago - Time Magazine

Close-up of person on road bike riding on protected bike lane separated by concrete curb from street.

Southeast LA Road Safety Advocates Call for Improved Infrastructure

Streets in southeastern Los Angeles County have a severe lack of protected bike lanes and traffic safety measures, leading to high numbers of fatalities in a community where many residents depend on walking and biking for daily needs.

3 hours ago - LA Public Press

Close-up of Chevron gas station sign with logo and prices starting at $7.25.

USDOT: Low-Income Households Bear Highest Transportation Cost Burden

Transportation costs are the second-highest household expenditure behind housing for all income levels.

4 hours ago - Smart Cities Dive

Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools

This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.

Planning for Universal Design

Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.