Using the fourth space to help cities cope with Covid-19

At SmartCitiesWorld’s inaugural advisory board meeting, Jeff Risom, chief innovation officer at Gehl Architects, explored how the public realm might be managed in the post-pandemic era.

SmartCitiesWorld City Profile – Sunderland

Find out how Sunderland is repositioning itself as a leading smart city – using digital infrastructure and low-carbon innovation to build a resilient, future-focused economy in the latest SmartCitiesWorld City Profile.

SmartCitiesWorld City Profile – Dublin

Find out how Dublin is innovating to improve experiences and services for its communities in the latest SmartCitiesWorld City Profile, including digital twin projects, traffic reduction, and economic growth.

Podcasts

Opinions

22 - 26 June 2026: Find out more

Latest City Profile

SmartCitiesWorld City Profile – Sunderland

Smart Cities Reports

Find out how Sunderland is repositioning itself as a leading smart city – using digital infrastructure and low-carbon innovation to build a resilient, future-focused economy in the latest SmartCitiesWorld City Profile.

Latest Trend Report

Trend Report: Planning and operating thriving cities – innovation for smarter urban living

Trend Series

Download our latest report to uncover how artificial intelligence is being used to support cities in how they plan and operate city services to ensure they are vibrant, sustainable and economically thriving modern spaces.

Latest Webinar

Trend Report Panel Discussion (21 May): Operating smarter: using digital twins and AI to reshape urban infrastructure management

Webinars

Discover how AI-powered digital twins are transforming urban infrastructure and how these innovations can improve efficiency, resilience, and sustainability.

Latest Podcast

Cities Thriving on Lighting, Episode 2 – Simplicity by design in smart lighting

Podcasts

Discover the technology and considerations behind how cities can turn existing streetlight networks into secure, interoperable, and future‑proof infrastructure in the second episode of Cities Thriving on Lighting.

Latest Urban Exchange Podcast

Urban Exchange Podcast Episode 32 – Flood and energy resilience in Quezon City

Urban Exchange Podcast

Tune in for the latest Urban Exchange where we get a first-hand account of city resilience measures from Quezon City following unexpected extreme rainfall.

BECOME A MEMBER

Build your own Industry Resource Library
Gain access to all SmartCitiesWorld content
Make the most of Industry Webinar Events

Register Login

Most Popular

UK city to transform phoneboxes into art installations

Smart AI-based cameras to transform traffic management by 2025

LA breaks ground on community-focused project

Global business hub in China will act as a “sponge city”

Melbourne transforms city from “grey to green”

SmartCitiesWorld Newsletters (Daily/Weekly)

Our editorial newsletter pulls together our latest news items into one email, direct to your inbox. We also feature our latest city interviews, Special Reports and Guest Opinions.

Home | Energy & Environment | Climate action

Climate action

The latest news on climate change concerning smart city projects across the world.

Mutirão programme fast-tracks climate action in Brazilian cities

Climate action25 Mar 2026

First cohort of cities and states will receive support from C40 Cities and the Global Covenant of Mayors to deliver implementation-ready climate initiatives by 2027.

Plan outlines how Sacramento could adapt to extreme weather

Plan outlines how Sacramento could adapt to extreme weather

Climate action22 Jan 2026

SacAdapt is a joint effort between the City and SRTD to prepare roads, bicycle facilities, sidewalks, bus stops and light rail infrastructure for climate impacts.

Boston to build first hotel under new Net Zero Carbon Zoning

Boston to build first hotel under new Net Zero Carbon Zoning

Climate action19 Jan 2026

One of five projects to be approved under the initiative, the building will improve the public realm with landscaping, street trees and pedestrian connections.

UK hospitals work with Vital Energi to decarbonise

UK hospitals work with Vital Energi to decarbonise

Climate action22 Dec 2025

South Tees Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust is working with the sustainable energy infrastructure company to install air source heat pumps at two sites.

Vision for climate-resilient park unveiled for New York

Vision for climate-resilient park unveiled for New York

Climate action12 Jun 2025

Paseo Park reimagines streets for people, tackling climate change and pilots solutions to ease the conflict between pedestrians, mopeds and micromobility.

Countdown to Cities Climate Action Summit 2025

Countdown to Cities Climate Action Summit 2025

Climate action22 May 2025

SmartCitiesWorld’s third Summit takes place on 24-25 June. Here’s a taste of what you can expect and how you can register to be part of this seminal event.

C40 and UN Habitat launch Urban Planning Accelerator

C40 and UN Habitat launch Urban Planning Accelerator

Climate action20 Feb 2025

The accelerator will provide cities with the tools, expertise and strategies to reshape urban development and create safer and more liveable neighbourhoods.

How to decarbonise the building sector

Climate action04 Feb 2025

Latest report by the Energy Transitions Commission global coalition aims to provide a complete picture of the industry’s emissions and energy usage.

Melbourne transforms city from “grey to green”

Melbourne transforms city from “grey to green”

Parks and green space10 May 2024

The Australian city’s draft budget puts forward proposals to further green the city, including nine new parks and open spaces and expansion of its tree canopy.

How Melbourne is realising its ambitious climate action plan

How Melbourne is realising its ambitious climate action plan

Climate action30 Mar 2023

Having declared a climate and biodiversity emergency in 2019, Lord Mayor Sally Capp believes the city is on the doorstep of achieving some of its bold aims.

Most Popular

ST Engineering to provide smart city platform for Lusail City

The company will build and operate a smart city platform with citywide network connectivity for the Qatar city using advanced AI and data-driven technologies.

Huawei seals smart city deal with Barcelona

They will collaborate on projects relating to 5G, smart city applications and digital transformation.

Solar city goes live

Trina Solar’s PV modules have begun operations in the 10MW Sustainable City in Dubai, which aims to use only clean energy sources

AI used to monitor and optimise Swedish road infrastructure

Computer vision and machine learning specialist, Univrses, will work with the Swedish Transport Administration to digitise and manage roadside infrastructure.

What is ‘Smart City’ and why do we need them?

Smart city is the framework based on Information and Communication technologies that enable the development of sustainable practices to address the urbanisation challenges. Leveraging the technology is one of the foremost pillars of ‘smart cities’ in order to increase efficiencies and improve the quality of resident’s life and the city’s services.

SmartCitiesWorld Newsletters (Daily/Weekly)

Our editorial newsletter pulls together our latest news items into one email, direct to your inbox. We also feature our latest city interviews, Special Reports and Guest Opinions.

Latest City Profile

SmartCitiesWorld City Profile – Sunderland

Smart Cities Reports

Find out how Sunderland is repositioning itself as a leading smart city – using digital infrastructure and low-carbon innovation to build a resilient, future-focused economy in the latest SmartCitiesWorld City Profile.

Latest Trend Report

Trend Report: Planning and operating thriving cities – innovation for smarter urban living

Trend Series

Download our latest report to uncover how artificial intelligence is being used to support cities in how they plan and operate city services to ensure they are vibrant, sustainable and economically thriving modern spaces.

Latest Webinar

Trend Report Panel Discussion (21 May): Operating smarter: using digital twins and AI to reshape urban infrastructure management

Webinars

Discover how AI-powered digital twins are transforming urban infrastructure and how these innovations can improve efficiency, resilience, and sustainability.

Latest Podcast

Cities Thriving on Lighting, Episode 2 – Simplicity by design in smart lighting

Podcasts

Discover the technology and considerations behind how cities can turn existing streetlight networks into secure, interoperable, and future‑proof infrastructure in the second episode of Cities Thriving on Lighting.

Latest Urban Exchange Podcast

Urban Exchange Podcast Episode 32 – Flood and energy resilience in Quezon City

Urban Exchange Podcast

Tune in for the latest Urban Exchange where we get a first-hand account of city resilience measures from Quezon City following unexpected extreme rainfall.

BECOME A MEMBER

Build your own Industry Resource Library
Gain access to all SmartCitiesWorld content
Make the most of Industry Webinar Events

Register Login

Most Popular

UK city to transform phoneboxes into art installations

Smart AI-based cameras to transform traffic management by 2025

LA breaks ground on community-focused project

Global business hub in China will act as a “sponge city”

Melbourne transforms city from “grey to green”

SmartCitiesWorld Newsletters (Daily/Weekly)

Our editorial newsletter pulls together our latest news items into one email, direct to your inbox. We also feature our latest city interviews, Special Reports and Guest Opinions.

Special Reports

Using the fourth space to help cities cope with Covid-19

Using the fourth space to help cities cope with Covid-19

City Profiles

Smart Cities Reports

SmartCitiesWorld City Profile – Sunderland

Find out how Sunderland is repositioning itself as a leading smart city – using digital infrastructure and low-carbon innovation to build a resilient, future-focused economy in the latest SmartCitiesWorld City Profile.

Smart Cities Reports

SmartCitiesWorld City Profile – Dublin

Find out how Dublin is innovating to improve experiences and services for its communities in the latest SmartCitiesWorld City Profile, including digital twin projects, traffic reduction, and economic growth.

Smart Cities Reports

SmartCitiesWorld City Profile 2024 – City of Madrid

Discover how the city of Madrid is innovating to become a smarter, more sustainable city that’s able to deliver improved services to residents and visitors alike.

Research

Cities Climate Action Summit 2024: lessons and takeaways

Cities Climate Action Summit 2024: lessons and takeaways

With Cities Climate Action Summit 2024 at a close, look back at some of the key actions and considerations for cities including actionable insights to accelerate climate action, emphasising the development of policies, the deployment of cutting edge technologies and the methods of financing projects in climate action across energy, mobility and the built environment.