Geneva has implemented several initiatives aimed at promoting sustainable urban development and improving the quality of life for its residents. Despite the concept of Smart Cities did not emerge until several decades later, and it was not until the 2000s that the term became widely used, Geneva already started to move in the direction that later become a standard for cities development.
The Smart City concept is still evolving, and there is not yet a commonly accepted worldwide definition. Still, it is pretty clear that Smart Cities leverage information and communication technologies to enhance service levels, citizen well-being, sustainability, and economic development. Expanding the Smart City concept is improving the existing infrastructures, increasing the digitalization and integration of facilities and services, giving access to public information and public and tourist service guides, expanding the use of collaboration tools and automated service management platforms, increases the safety of citizens and transportation, making cities more attractive for stakeholders, and living up to citizens’ expectations for job opportunities.
The city of Geneva can be classified into category smart cities where fiber-optic backbones were installed in the city and enabled the interconnection of households and local enterprises to ultra-high-speed networks. There is a full range of wired and wireless broadband services. Geneva MAN was a pilot project that was envisioned in 1998 and installed in Geneva city in 2003. It interconnected with 100MBps a small urban area, it was free-of-charge and offered VoIP and TV services. However, only 50 percent of the end-users agreed to connect to this network, although the legal framework obliged SIG not to charge citizens, but only businesses. On the other hand, locally founded enterprises expressed their interest in this network, they connected their facilities and a business-broadband sub-network has been successfully installed.
Some of the key projects include:
- The Geneva Tramway: This project involved the construction of a modern tramway system that runs on clean energy and serves the city and its suburbs. The tramway provides an efficient, affordable, and environmentally friendly mode of transportation that has helped to reduce traffic congestion and air pollution.
- The Geneva Green Guide: This project is a comprehensive guide that provides information and advice on sustainable living in Geneva. It covers topics such as energy efficiency, waste reduction, sustainable food, and public transport, among others.
- The Geneva 2030 Agenda: This project is a long-term strategy aimed at promoting sustainable development in Geneva. It includes a series of goals and targets related to sustainability, such as reducing greenhouse gas emissions, promoting sustainable transport, and protecting biodiversity.
- The Geneva International Airport Sustainability Plan: This project is a comprehensive plan aimed at reducing the environmental impact of the Geneva International Airport. It includes measures to reduce carbon emissions, promote sustainable transport, and improve energy efficiency.
Key Activities: Wired and Wireless Broadband Services, Public Information, and public service guides, Tourist Guides, Job Opportunities