Smart Cities, Smart Governance and Sustainable Development

Dear Colleagues,

The rapid urbanization and increasing complexity of modern cities present significant challenges in managing urban infrastructure, resources, and services. The concept of smart cities emerges as a transformative approach to address these challenges by leveraging advanced technologies and innovative solutions. This special issue aims to explore the intersection of technological innovation, effective governance, and sustainable urban development.

Central to this special issue is the recognition that technology and innovation are pivotal in shaping the future of urban living. The integration of Internet of Things (IoT), artificial intelligence (AI), big data analytics, blockchain, and other emerging technologies into urban systems has the potential to revolutionize city operations, making them more efficient, sustainable, and responsive to the needs of their inhabitants. We seek contributions that not only showcase technological advancements but also critically examine their impact on governance structures, societal norms, and environmental sustainability.

By bringing together diverse perspectives and cutting-edge research, this special issue aims to foster a deeper understanding of the synergies between smart cities, smart governance, and sustainable development. We look forward to your valuable contributions that will help pave the way for smarter, more sustainable, and more inclusive urban futures.

We invite researchers, practitioners, and policymakers to contribute original research that introduces new methodologies and approaches to tackle the multifaceted challenges faced by smart cities. Contributions that demonstrate the application of cutting-edge technologies in creating smarter and more sustainable urban environments are particularly welcome. We encourage submissions that highlight novel frameworks, models, and best practices for smart governance, resource management, and citizen engagement. This special issue invites submissions that align with the following research areas:

• Aim to define novel methods and applications to approach the development and implementation of smart grids, smart buildings, and intelligent transportation systems.
• Aim to provide up-to-date state of the art of urban planning strategies that incorporate digital technology for sustainable growth and resilience.
• Aim to define frameworks for data-driven decision-making and policy formulation in the context of smart cities.
• Aim to provide up-to-date state of the art of e-governance and digital platforms for enhancing transparency and citizen participation.
• Aim to define regulatory and ethical considerations in smart city initiatives, ensuring compliance and public trust.
• Aim to provide up-to-date state of the art of platforms for citizen feedback and community engagement, fostering inclusivity and responsiveness.
• Aim to define novel methods and applications of big data analytics for positive urban management and predictive modeling.
• Aim to provide up-to-date state of the art of ensuring data privacy and cybersecurity in smart city applications.
• Aim to define interoperability and integration of various smart city systems to ensure seamless functionality and efficiency.
• Aim to provide real-world examples of successful smart city projects and initiatives, showcasing practical implementations and outcomes.
• Aim to provide lessons learned and best practices for scaling and replicating smart city solutions across different contexts.
• Aim to provide comparative studies of smart city implementations across different regions and contexts, highlighting diverse approaches and results.

Prof. Dr. Guangwei Hu
Prof. Dr. Nan Zhang
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Sustainability is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

• smart cities
• technological innovation
• urban development
• internet of things (IoT)
• artificial intelligence (AI)
• sustainable urban development
• smart governance
• data-driven decision making
• citizen engagement
• urban infrastructure