Comparative analysis reveals the cities emerging as leaders of smart urban development
The Norwegian capital scores almost full marks for Clean Energy. Bergen ranks second, scoring particularly well for the overall Standard of Living. St. Petersburg, Russia, ranks 100th, with relatively high scores for Digitalisation.
EasyPark has released the Smart City Index 2019, uncovering the cities emerging as pioneers of smart urban development. The study aims to highlight the cities implementing digital solutions to respond to rapid urbanization and improve the overall quality of life of their citizens.
The study analyzed 500 cities worldwide for a total of 24 factors, and then ranked the top 100. Findings take transport and mobility, sustainability, governance, innovative economy, digitalization, cybersecurity, living standard, and expert perception into account. The full results of the study, along with the methodology, are available on their website.
Further findings worldwide:
- Amsterdam, Netherlands, ranks third, scoring consistently well across all categories with the exception of Clean Energy. Ranked by this factor alone, Amsterdam drops to 106th place.
- Copenhagen, Denmark, ranks fourth, down from first place in 2017. The Danish capital scores poorly for E-charge spots, a new factor in this year’s index.
- Barcelona, Spain, scores full marks for Smart Parking. The city has installed sensor systems that help guide drivers to parking spots, greatly reducing traffic congestion.
- London, United Kingdom, has dropped significantly in the ranking from 2017 to 2019. Paris, France, ranks higher than London, with plenty of car-sharing services.
- Stockholm ranks fifth place and highest for Sweden, scoring full marks for Expert Perception and well for Clean Energy. Stockholm is home is a vast number of tech firms pioneering renewable energy.
- Boston in ninth place is the only city in the United States to secure a place in the top 10 thanks to strong investment in infrastructure. Washington ranks 2nd for the US and in 16th place overall.
- Tokyo, Japan, ranks first on the Index for E-Charge Spots. Japan now boasts more electric charging stations than petrol stations.
