29/09/2023
Area Science Park at 2023 GeoAdriatico symposium discussing the future of sustainability
The meeting brought together European experts to focus on challenges for the local area, including planning, urban regeneration and technological innovation.
Innovazione - Smart cities
What will the cities of the future look like? Will they be built and/or adapted to sustainability requirements? How will we overcome the challenges of the ecological transition and carbon neutrality
These were some of the questions explored at the event “Living the future: a challenge for territories” organised in the context of the GeoAdriatico symposium and in collaboration with the LIFE IN-PLAN project, co-financed by the European Union.
Technical personnel, businesspeople and educators met at Area Science Park last June to discuss approaches to tackle the historic challenges facing Europe and beyond, to create sustainable and resilient cities for the future.
Speakers at the event, Khalid El-Metaal (UWC Adriatic), Anna Lindorfer (Urban Innovation Vienna), Daniela Luise (Coordinamento Agende 21 Locali Italiane), Francesco Mazza (MOOG inc), Sergio Nardini (East Adriatic Port System Authority), Susana Ruiz Fernandez (Municipality of Bilbao), Fabrizia Salvi (Area Science Park), Roberto Siagri (entrepreneur in the DeepTech industry) and Simona Tršinar (REGEA – Regional Energy and Climate Agency for North-West Croatia) presented interesting proposals from a variety of perspectives (construction to education and territorial planning to urban regeneration), converging on certain universal themes such as the importance of digitalisation and the involvement of citizens, and the role of cities in relaunching the territory in a logic of sustainability.
What will the cities of the future look like? How will they differ from those we know now? From environmental challenges to educational, technological, construction and social ones linked to the relationship with local citizens and stakeholders, there are many different aspects to consider when planning future scenarios for local development.
Content from the event and ideas that emerged during discussion have been gathered in the report “Living the future: a challenge for territories – 2023 GeoAdriatico symposium”. This provides an overview along with examples from various European cities, from Vienna to Zagreb and Padua to Bilbao, not forgetting the role of largescale logistical infrastructure for the development of local areas, as in the case of Trieste’s port.
The workshop identified two driving forces for the future: the digital transformation and circularity & sustainability.
Digitalisation, along with AI and robotics, could play a crucial role in shaping the future of our cities and beyond. Embracing this digital transformation, it is essential to rethink everything with a bottom-up approach. The future of cities and non-urban areas may be different from how we have previously imagined, with the digital transformation of areas outside cities into “smart lands”, not just urban areas becoming “smart cities”.
Furthermore, the city of the future should be a sustainable, inclusive, safe and lasting urban environment.
Through strategic planning and integrated sustainability, cities can take effective action to combat climate change and mitigate its impacts, implementing measures in various spheres, such as sustainable transport systems, incentives for energy-efficient buildings and infrastructure, support for compact urban development, promotion of green spaces and adaptation to changes in the climate.
Finally, contemporary urban life should welcome diversity as the nucleus of a vibrant urban centre. Education is key for the sustainable urban communities of the future to inform tomorrow’s citizens and create new areas of awareness. It will be necessary for citizens to have their say and understand the context in which they live.