Smart Sustainable Cities

Smart sustainable cities represent a new paradigm that enable the decoupling of high quality of life and economic growth from resource consumption and environmental impact. In Northern Sweden the public sector, businesses, academia, and citizens are core contributors to the smart sustainable cities.

The creation of developing smart sustainable cities in Northern Sweden requires a cross-sectoral approach, which have established strategic collaborations between urban decision-makers, national and regional authorities, universities and research institutes, enterprises as well as citizens. Together these actors facilitate research and knowledge exchange between each other in the innovation system, to stimulate continuous learning, and to jointly overcome barriers to bring about sustainability transitions in cities.

Northern Sweden has high environmental targets, high environmental awareness, a strong innovation culture and engagement in a wide range of issues related to social sustainability. The region has several areas of strength in the terms of smart sustainable cites. Particularly strong areas are: Circular economy, Sustainable building, Artificial intelligence and digitalization for a smart sustainable society.