COP26: 10 guiding principles to be reflected in the final agreement

Ahead of COP26, SmartCitiesWorld has written an open letter to international political leaders consisting of 10 major guiding principles that we believe should be reflected in any final agreement at the conference in Glasgow in November. Here, we break down those principles, addressing the challenges within each and the importance of cities receiving full backing from central governments as they look to a greener future.

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.

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.

Podcasts

Opinions

Rebuilding green: Analysing the Biden infrastructure plan

John Fitzgerald, Project Director, Linesight, explains why major reskilling, outreach work by government and the right messaging will be key to realising benefits.

22-26 June 2026: Find out more

Latest City Profile

SmartCitiesWorld City Profile – Dublin

Smart Cities Reports

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.

Latest Trend Report

Trend Report 2025: 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

OnDemand Panel Discussion (20 Jan): Digital twins and AI as the intelligent operating layer for cities

Webinars

Join us for insights from real-world case studies on the use of digital twins and AI as the present and future of urban management.

Latest Podcast

How cities can own their data and their future with sovereign AI

Podcasts

Tune into the SmartCitiesWorld podcast to understand the world of sovereign AI for cities, featuring PNY Technologies’ Youssef Nadiri as our expert guest.

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

Boston to build first hotel under new Net Zero Carbon Zoning

Tallinn master plan focuses on human-centred environment

Vancouver approves zoning updates for Villages initiative

Edinburgh introduces hybrid solar lighting to parks

Brownfield regeneration is crucial to solving Europe housing crisis

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 | Urban Space | Planning and redevelopment

Planning and redevelopment

The latest planning and redevelopment on smart city projects and initiatives across the world.

Brownfield regeneration is crucial to solving Europe housing crisis

Brownfield regeneration is crucial to solving Europe housing crisis

Planning and redevelopment22 Jan 2026

Europe must take advantage of brownfield development’s potential to address affordable housing needs and reduce carbon emissions, a new report reveals.

Vancouver approves zoning updates for Villages initiative

Vancouver approves zoning updates for Villages initiative

Planning and redevelopment20 Jan 2026

Villages form part of the Rupert and Renfrew Station Area Plan and are centred on existing retail clusters that will transform into vibrant neighbourhoods.

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.

Tallinn master plan focuses on human-centred environment

Tallinn master plan focuses on human-centred environment

Planning and redevelopment16 Jan 2026

Estonian capital’s 2026 budget and master plan aims to create a high-quality living environment with everyday services conveniently accessible to residents.

Glasgow to trial people-first zone in city centre

Glasgow to trial people-first zone in city centre

Pedestrianisation06 Jan 2026

Work begins in February on a redesigned, fully accessible, step‑free junction where Queen Street meets Ingram Street with priority given to pedestrians.

SmartCitiesWorld’s top news stories of 2025

SmartCitiesWorld’s top news stories of 2025

News31 Dec 2025

Which cities, trends and technologies made the smart cities headlines over the past 12 months? SmartCitiesWorld brings you its 10 top stories of 2025.

Madrid to deploy AI for smarter management of parks and green spaces from 2026

Madrid to deploy AI for smarter management of parks and green spaces from 2026

AI and Machine Learning28 Nov 2025

A three-year programme will modernise inspection planning, optimise maintenance workflows and enhance environmental monitoring across Madrid’s urban green infrastructure.

Detroit breaks ground on solar neighbourhoods

Detroit breaks ground on solar neighbourhoods

Solar power19 Nov 2025

Ten neighbourhoods vied for the opportunity to transform blighted vacant land into landscaped solar arrays with the first to be activated in mid-2026.

World Cities Day to focus on people-centred smart cities

World Cities Day to focus on people-centred smart cities

News22 Oct 2025

The Global Observance of World Cities Day on 31 October will take place in Bogotá, Colombia, while Shanghai will host the 2025 SDG Cities Global Conference.

The Ellinikon smart city in Greece nears final stages

The Ellinikon smart city in Greece nears final stages

Planning and redevelopment15 Oct 2025

The Ellinikon, which is being developed on former site of Athens’ international airport, is expected to contribute approximately 2.5 per cent of Greece’s GDP.

Most Popular

Sidewalk Labs shuts down Toronto smart city project

Google affiliate blames coronavirus and economic uncertainty for closing controversial and delayed smart city project

Saudi Arabia calls for global smart tourism index

Saudi Tourism Authority and Skift have outlined a joint blueprint for the index, which aims to guide future tourism innovation, resiliency and sustainability.

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.

Global panel of industry experts with decades of achievements join SmartCitiesWorld's Advisory Board

The new Editorial Advisory Board will reflect on the changing needs of cities and the physical and digital solutions available

AI tools for city management launched at Bloomberg CityLab

City AI Connect will be a single destination for local government leaders to ideate, develop, and test new uses for generative AI with peers across cities.

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.

Guest Opinions

Think Tank: Building Circular Cities

In the latest of our opinion pieces from members of our Advisory Board, we explore how we break away from the linear ...

Watch: Cloudera and IBM Storage discuss how cities can unlock the true value of their dataSponsored by Cloudera & IBM

SCW talks to Cloudera and IBM Storage on the power of big data and machine learning

The art of the city: how creators may save urban business districts

Artists could reinvigorate cities whose commercial districts have been left moribund by Covid-19, writes WhereiPark’s ...

Why World Metropolitan Day is a time to rethink the future of the city

World Metropolitan Day is more than "just another international day", writes Oscar Chamat, Research and Policy Officer ...

Latest City Profile

SmartCitiesWorld City Profile – Dublin

Smart Cities Reports

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.

Latest Trend Report

Trend Report 2025: 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

OnDemand Panel Discussion (20 Jan): Digital twins and AI as the intelligent operating layer for cities

Webinars

Join us for insights from real-world case studies on the use of digital twins and AI as the present and future of urban management.

Latest Podcast

How cities can own their data and their future with sovereign AI

Podcasts

Tune into the SmartCitiesWorld podcast to understand the world of sovereign AI for cities, featuring PNY Technologies’ Youssef Nadiri as our expert guest.

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

Boston to build first hotel under new Net Zero Carbon Zoning

Tallinn master plan focuses on human-centred environment

Vancouver approves zoning updates for Villages initiative

Edinburgh introduces hybrid solar lighting to parks

Brownfield regeneration is crucial to solving Europe housing crisis

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

COP26: 10 guiding principles to be reflected in the final agreement

COP26: 10 guiding principles to be reflected in the final agreement

City Profiles

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.

Smart Cities Reports

SmartCitiesWorld City Profile – San Diego

Delve into this City Profile which focuses on how the City of San Diego is innovating through policy and technology to best serve its communities. Find out how it splits the city’s challenges and matches them to solutions that demonstrate exactly how technology, policy and investment come together to overcome both every-day and long-term issues.

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.