The UCLG Community of Practice on Digital Cities, chaired by the City of Bilbao, has produced four editions of the "Smart Cities Study" to date (2012, 2017, 2019 and 2021) in which more than 70 cities from all over the world have collaborated.

As a continuation of the work carried out, UCLG now wants to develop the fifth edition, "Smart Cities Study 2023", which will focus on analysing cities as innovation-driven that contribute to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals. The study tries to identify innovative initiatives and projects promoted at the local level to achieve the SDGs and is structured around 6 thematic key points:

1. Smart Economies
2. New Mobility
3. Environment
4. Digital Citizenship
5. Quality of Life
6. Smart Governance

On 10 May 2023, a focus group was held with two groups (one in English and the other in Spanish) with the participation of more than 30 local government representatives from all over the world. In total, 89 good practices were identified, 39 in the English group and 32 in the Spanish group, not counting the projects from Bilbao, which participated in both groups. More than 83% of the participants are from Europe and Latin America.

The main thematic axes in which the good practices are being carried out are Smart Economy and Environment. SDG 9 and SDG 11 have been linked to more than 40 good practices, while SDG 1 has been linked to only one and SDG 14 has not been linked to any. This suggests that Smart Cities focus on more technological and innovation aspects, rather than on specific core issues. Common barriers to the development of these projects in both groups are lack of resources, time and knowledge. In the English group, they point to digitalisation as a determining factor in driving innovation, while in the Spanish group they point to alliances and associativity.

Your participation is strongly appreciated. Therefore, please find attached form in which you can provide information on initiatives, projects and/or good practices carried out in your city around the thematic axes (Smart Economy, New Mobility, Environment, Quality of Life, Digital Citizenship and Smart Governance). It is of great interest for UCLG to have this information to consolidate the Smart Cities Study 2023 that will be published at the end of this year.

You can fill in the form from today until 16 June, with information on initiatives, projects and/or good practices that you are developing at local level, in order to incorporate more detailed information on the activity carried out in your city in the Smart Cities Study 2023: "Cities as innovation-driven ecosystems contributing to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals".

You can contribute up to 3 initiatives, using a separate sheet for each of them. UCLG also asks you to send 5 high quality photos of your city together with the information.

Thank you.

Best regards,