This February prof.dr. Liesbet van Zoonen contributed to a new article published in Nature Cities. The article ‘Confronting the smart city governance challenge’ is a plea for a more holistic approach to smart-city governance.
Abstract
Governance inefficiencies threaten the potential of smart city projects to deliver equitable urban transformations. Current strategies often hinder implementation, and risk harmful technological effects on communities. Tackling this challenge demands urgent reforms to better integrate scientific insights into smarter governance practices. Recent studies reveal that the governance of smart city projects poses a challenge for many municipal governments worldwide. Although digital technologies offer considerable potential for urban innovation, the governance strategies used by many local governments often fail to provide effective citywide coordination and support for smart city initiatives. This inadequacy leaves local communities vulnerable to potentially harmful technological implementations and persistent inefficiencies, which underscores the need for a more robust research approach to guide local governments in addressing common smart city governance issues.
The article is accessible through the link below.
Mora, L., Gerli, P., Batty, M., Binet Royall, E., Carfi, N., Coenegrachts, K.-F., de Jong, M., Facchina, M., Janssen, M., Meijer, A., Pasi, G., Perrino, M., Raven, R., Sagar, A., Sancino, A., Santi, P., Sharp, D., Trencher, G., van Zoonen, L. ... Ziemer, G. (2025). Confronting the smart city governance challenge. Nature Cities. https://doi.org/10.1038/s44284-024-00168-9
