About half of the world’s population now lives in cities. The United Nations has forecast that this figure will rise to 66% by 2050.

By 2030, the world is projected to have about 40 mega-cities with more than 10 million inhabitants.

In many cities now, there is already a shortage of housing. Public transport is straining to cope with growing passenger numbers and water and energy supplies are erratic.

Climate change is likely to worsen these problems, and issues such as water shortages are likely to drive even more people to live in towns and cities. As a result, dealing with urbanisation is one of the biggest environmental, economic and social challenges humans face.

Just to keep up with expected economic growth, the world will need to spend an average of $3.3 trillion each year on critical infrastructure such as rail, water, telecommunications and roads, until 2030, compared to $2.5 trillion now, according to a 2016 report by McKinsey.

Technology can help ease the strain of urbanisation – and reduce its carbon footprint.

For instance, the “Internet of Things” (web-connected sensors in everyday devices that can talk to each other) can be used in buildings to regulate temperature and forecast/control power demand in cities.

Experts believe that 3D printing could revolutionise the building industry by enabling wider use of efficient materials (better suited to extreme climates such as desert regions) and faster development times. (These and other developments will be discussed at the Energy Efficiency in Buildings Forum 2018 on 18 January, part of the Energy Efficiency Expo, ADSW 2018.)

Technology giant Siemens, which is an exhibitor at ADSW 2018, says that “neural networks” in its software can accurately predict air-pollution levels in major cities several days in advance. Such solutions could give municipal authorities and city residents the information needed to minimise pollution peaks before they happen, improving quality of life and reducing healthcare demand.

“Retrofitting” buildings to incorporate new or updated technologies can lead to significant savings on electricity and water bills, while reducing environmental impact. Advances in engineering, renewable energy and architectural design (e.g. “Building Information Modelling”) will also help make cities more sustainable.

These are just a few examples of how smart technologies are being incorporated into our cities to make them more efficient, cleaner and more user-friendly – ultimately enabling a better quality of life for residents.

The potential for smart technologies and systems is particularly high in dynamic, fast-growing and heavily urbanised regions such as the Middle East.

Masdar City in Abu Dhabi was a forerunner for smart city developments when it was launched more than 10 years ago, and its sustainable design principles and use of renewable energy have since been emulated around the world.

Dubai’s smart city initiative aims to make it the “smartest and happiest city on Earth”, and it is part of a campaign by the United Nations to use digital technology to promote smart cities.

Saudi Arabia also has strong smart city ambitions, and last month announced plans to build a $500 billion city and business zone that links Saudi to Jordan and Egypt. The 26,500-square kilometre zone, known as NEOM (short for “new future”) will get all its power from renewable energy. It will focus on industries such as energy and water, technology, bio-technology and entertainment.

While the potential benefits of smart cities are clear, a number of challenges need to be overcome to bring them to reality, from privacy to data fragmentation to the impact on energy systems. In order to address these, collaboration between governments, businesses and citizens will be essential.

Join the debate at Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week 2018.

The revival of China’s ancient Silk Road into the One Belt One Road (OBOR) strategy has sent a clear signal about the country’s ambitious approach to global issues and challenges.

First announced as the ‘Silk Road Economic Belt’ by President Jinping in September 2013, OBOR was initially meant to be a framework for greater cooperation between Central Asia and China's western provinces in order to ensure more balanced development within China. The policy has, however, evolved into a broader strategy for China's engagement with the world.

For more than three decades, China has been working to attract foreign investment and technology development from the west. This inward-looking approach has allowed China to grow its economy and give it the opportunity to become technology innovators, rather than replicators. With the new Silk Road strategy in place, China intends to export its new expertise in areas like infrastructure, renewable energy, finance and trade to new markets like Africa and the Middle East.

This outward-oriented strategy by China will create new trade and connectivity throughout Asia with road and maritime links to Africa, the Middle East and on towards Europe. The trillion-dollar initiative, which involves nearly 70 countries, is perhaps the foremost example of the global power shift towards Asia. Its implications are far-reaching and, encouragingly, they include the potential to fast-track clean energy adoption across Africa and Central Asia.

China has already stated its commitment to driving the global agenda to combat climate change. The OBOR initiative is a conduit to this which will present significant opportunities for China to build on its leadership in renewable energy and clean technologies.

The energy transformation across the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region alone is estimated to need more than USD $300 billion in investment over the next five years, according to APICORP Energy Research. Across the energy markets of sub-Saharan Africa, China has been establishing a strong position for some time and according to research by the International Energy Association, Chinese contractors will be responsible for 30% of all energy access projects in the region between 2010 and 2020, spurring industrialisation and economic development. With the OBOR initiative now underway, this is set to intensify.

The new Silk Road is also presenting important strategic partnership opportunities as China seeks to unlock entry into new markets. The UAE and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, for instance, offer vital logistics and trade gateways across the Middle East and into Africa, as well as opportunities to co-invest in regional economic development. Again this presents strong potential to catalyse renewable energy adoption.

The UAE, in particular, has established itself as a leader in the clean energy sector during the past decade. It is also a hub for partnership and collaboration thanks to platforms such as Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week, at which Chinese companies always have a significant presence. With strong momentum now behind the OBOR initiative, the potential for such partnerships to help spearhead the energy transformation is now more exciting than ever.

NEOM will be a similar size to Belgium and have more robots than humans. The recently proposed $500 billion sustainable city in north-west Saudi Arabia was announced by the Kingdom’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.

The 26,500-square kilometre zone, known as NEOM (short for “new future”) will be fully powered by renewable energy, and become the country’s hub for industry, technology and entertainment.

NEOM is part of Saudi Arabia’s 2030 vision to diversify its economy and transform its energy generation. As part of its plans, the country aims to generate around 9,500 megawatts of electricity using solar and wind in the next decade.

The first phase of NEOM is due to be finished by 2025, with the city expected to use the latest technology (“passenger drones”, free online education and robots to do repetitive and arduous tasks) and have the highest possible environmental standards (carbon-free homes).

The project will have a significant impact – attracting private sector investment, supporting skills development and job creation, and providing a platform to develop partnerships with its neighbouring countries.

NEOM is an exciting project for Saudi Arabia and an important one for the region as it continues to cement itself as a global hub for sustainability.

At Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week, we look forward to hosting a delegation from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to discuss renewable energy projects and strategies.