Paris, the sustainable smart city
Problems facing smart cities, including data collection and privacy
French Regional Expert Ban Ki-An (Managing Director, Impulse Partners)
Innovation Leading Paris
The Paris Olympics, which heated up the world last summer, have come to an end. There was much talk and much trouble, but Paris, which hosted the Summer Olympics for the first time in 100 years, showed a refreshing appearance in many ways. The opening ceremony, which was held with the Seine River as the backdrop for the first time in Olympic history, was groundbreaking, and various games were held in symbolic buildings and historic sites scattered throughout Paris and its suburbs. It was an attempt that only Paris could make, and the entire city became a stage for the festival, showing the world what the Olympics are. It was also a competition that opened new horizons in terms of diversity, inclusiveness, gender equality, and the environment.
Paris has been trying to lead innovation not only in the Olympics but also in the smart city sector. The smart city is a concept that emerged in the 1990s, and it aims to solve the problems that cities face by adapting rapidly developing information and communication technologies. Although Paris has been late to the digital transformation compared to other international cities, it is actively introducing and experimenting with various elements that make up a smart city. This is not the first time in history that Paris has led urban development or innovation. The modernization of Paris under the leadership of Baron Haussmann in the late 19th century has become a model for many cities. Although many people overlook it, Paris was also the first place in the world to introduce shared bicycles and cars, namely Vélib' and Autolib'.
21century The city Need to solve doing Problems
Not only Paris, but cities around the world in the 21st century have many problems to solve. Urbanization is still in progress worldwide, and as the population gathers in cities, the crises that cities have to deal with are also increasing. A representative example is climate change. The temperature of the entire Earth is rising due to the greenhouse effect, and the heat experienced in cities where the urban heat island phenomenon occurs is even more serious. As air quality issues due to fine dust are also becoming a problem, we are checking related figures every day. Cities are not completely free from natural disasters. On the contrary, when floods, droughts, or earthquakes occur, the vulnerability of cities is clearly revealed.
Over the past few years, concerns about the health and safety of citizens have also increased as a result of the COVID-19 situation. With so many people crowded into small spaces, public hygiene has become an important topic once again. There is also deep concern about how the city can contribute to the healthy lives of its citizens. Paris, which has experienced terrorist attacks, is also sensitive to the important task of ensuring the safety of citizens from terrorist attacks. In addition, social and economic issues such as polarization, increasing social inequality, and unemployment cannot be overlooked. We must warmly embrace the dropouts and marginalized groups that arise in the process of fierce competition and manage them so that social tensions do not arise. It is also important to provide housing where citizens can live at affordable prices, and we are increasingly hearing about overtourism.
Despite the increasingly serious risks, or rather, to solve such problems, we must create cities that are economically, environmentally, and socially sustainable. Cities around the world are paying attention to the new possibilities presented by digital transformation and innovation, represented by the development of information and communication technology, and recently, the Internet of Things, big data, and artificial intelligence, and are seeking answers to the problems faced by 21st century cities through the construction of smart cities. According to IDATE DigiWorld, a French think tank research institute, over 2024 billion dollars, or 100 trillion won, will be invested in smart cities worldwide in 900 alone.
Smart cities have various problems to solve. The total amount of energy consumed in cities must be reduced, and the proportion of renewable energy in energy production must be increased. The energy consumed by buildings is enormous, so much innovation and effort is still required. Carbon dioxide emissions, which cause the greenhouse effect, must be reduced, and measures to reduce greenhouse gases emitted when people move or move objects are considered. For example, cities that are good for walking are being created, and bicycle-only roads are being expanded. Through these efforts, not only can greenhouse gas emissions be reduced, but also fine dust can be limited, improving air quality. In addition, water resource utilization must be improved to effectively use increasingly scarce water resources and protect citizens from natural disasters. Waste generation must be minimized, and waste that is inevitably generated must be recycled as much as possible. Smart cities provide solutions to increase green space in desolate cities, and also include consideration for ecosystem diversity. Open data can be used to experiment with participatory democracy, and consideration and inclusion for the disadvantaged must not be forgotten.
continue possible smart city Paris
Paris aims to solve the problems that cities face in the 21st century and create new milestones by combining the concept of a smart city with sustainability. The detailed blueprint can be found in the report “Paris: A Sustainable Smart City” published by the City of Paris. The first important block in the journey to make Paris a sustainable smart city is the “open city.” It aims to use collective intelligence to think together about the problems of modern cities and find solutions. Citizens are always at the center of all these thoughts. It is also increasing opportunities for citizens to participate in planning and executing the city budget. Research and innovation are other important axes of the “open city.” Paris is an educational city where many students and researchers are based, and the city of Paris intends to continue supporting educational and research institutions. It is also making efforts to activate the startup and innovation ecosystem and is actively attracting overseas startups.
Paris aims to realize a 'connected city' and maximize the benefits of digital transformation. First, it is necessary to expand IT infrastructure. By 2025, all Parisians will be able to access high-speed Internet networks, both wired (fiber optic) and wireless (5G). As sensors become more widespread, the use of the Internet of Things is increasing, and data centers that can process and store massive amounts of data are essential. The city of Paris will open public data to citizens and businesses in the form of open data and encourage cooperation between public institutions and private companies. It is necessary to create and foster new talents needed in the fields of big data and artificial intelligence. In addition, digital education for the general public will be strengthened to prevent information gaps and marginalization due to digital illiteracy.
The most original part of the vision of the city of Paris is that it includes a block called 'Sustainable City' in the smart city. It uses the advantages of information and communication technology but is wary of technological supremacy. It aims to present holistic solutions to environmental, economic and social problems, thereby dramatically improving the quality of life that each citizen feels in their daily lives. It aims to achieve carbon neutrality at the city level, and to this end, it is improving the energy efficiency of existing and new buildings. It plans to continuously increase the proportion of renewable energy using solar and geothermal energy. Greenhouse gas emissions will be further limited. It will extend the number of cycle lanes and expand the number of electric vehicle charging stations, improve the supply of public transportation and increase the use of alternative means of transportation. It will expand green space and encourage agricultural activities within the city. There are countless other examples, and through these policies, the city of Paris is ultimately finding sustainable solutions to the problems that the city faces in energy, transport, logistics, water resources and waste.
Criticism and View
There are concerns about Paris's evolution into a smart city. There is a risk that personal information will be leaked as it collects and processes large amounts of data, and some citizens are concerned about invasion of privacy. There is a need to ensure the accuracy of data, and rules regarding data ownership must be made clear. In addition, energy consumption in cities connected by information and communication technology is increasing exponentially, and there is a need to minimize the impact on the environment. In this context, interest is growing in sustainable low-tech rather than high-tech that consumes a lot of energy. We need to think about how Paris, which is moving toward a smart city, can help other French people, not just Parisians. If the model is applicable only to the special situation of Paris, other French people will feel alienated. Likewise, we need to have a warm gaze toward those who are left behind in the information society.
Paris is trying to create a sustainable smart city and show the world a new model once again. Korea, which is also trying to build a smart city, should pay attention and watch. And cooperation between public institutions and private companies is increasing, so Korean companies developing smart city-related technologies and solutions should look for joint research or business opportunities in Paris.
※ Please be informed that this manuscript contains information written by an external expert and does not represent the official opinion of KOTRA.