Regenerative Cities: Towards a New Urban Purpose

The COVID-19 pandemic has changed our cities in ways that will have a lasting impact. With remote work and autonomous transport reducing the need for proximity to jobs, what will keep people living in cities?

Urban liveability declined by as much as 70%, as a result of the pandemic. As global liveability continues its recovery from the pandemic, COVID-19 has exposed the necessity for more responsiveness to the needs of the future.

Liveability may become the primary measurement of a city's ability to attract and retain residents, and urban mobility solutions, smart city ecosystems, and digitalization of health may be key factors in making cities more liveable. However, sustainability with its focus on incremental improvements may not be an ambitious enough goal. Instead, we may need to shift our focus to regeneration, from doing less harm to doing good.

With 70% of the world population expected to live in cities by 2050, the global challenges of the 21st century will become urban challenges, which will require a more strategic approach to urban governance. The role of international city networks will be vital in charting a common course and solving global challenges.

How will urban governance respond to big tech moving into the city and setting up smart city ecosystems centred around sensor technology, the Internet of Things (IoT), and artificial intelligence?