Empowering Smart Cities Through Community-centred Public Private Partnerships and Innovations

Cities are at the heart of the biggest challenges facing humanity - from the cost-of-living crisis to the COVID-19 pandemic, to climate change to inequality and social injustice. Local governments around the world are facing increased expectations to support the transition to a more just and sustainable society and are under pressure to do more with fewer resources. Rapid urbanization is creating significant pressure on cities to expand and improve housing and infrastructure, and improve social equity, health and quality of life, all while fostering a robust economy that can provide good jobs for all. Nonetheless, cities are also our best hope for the future and remain at the heart of economic growth, innovation and job creation.

Tackling multifaceted issues like climate change, digitalization and innovation, economic revitalization and social inclusion cannot be led by cities acting on their own. Cities must work with different actors in the community - researchers, private sector, community leaders, households and even national governments - to drive and deliver on this agenda. This book explores how cities and local stakeholders can come together to share knowledge and expertise, bring their diverse perspectives and co-create solutions to complex urban challenges.

Empowering Smart Cities through Community-Centred Public Private Partnerships and Innovations presents eight case studies from around the world that demonstrate unique forms of collaboration between local governments, businesses, start-ups, academia, and citizens. A Community-Centred Public Private Partnership or CP3 is defined as an alliance of diverse stakeholders that responds to complex urban challenges like digital transformation and climate change, empowers the locality, shares risk and responsibility among partners, and leverages resources to work towards the vision for a public good.

The book is intended for local government authorities, researchers, business leaders, policy-makers and urban professionals who are passionate about working locally and collaboratively to shape more sustainable, resilient, innovative and inclusive cities.

Debra Lam is the founding executive director of the Partnership for Inclusive Innovation, a regional public private partnership committed to investing in innovative solutions for shared economic prosperity. She continues to lead smart communities and urban innovation work at the Georgia Institute of Technology. Previously, she served as Pittsburgh's inaugural chief of innovation and performance where she oversaw all technology, sustainability, performance and innovation functions of city government. Before that, she was management consultant at a global engineering and design firm, Arup. She has received various awards, including being named one of the top 100 most influential people in digital government by Apolitcal and 40 under 40 for Georgia and Atlanta. She has worked and lived in the United Kingdom, China, Taiwan and Hong Kong. A graduate of Georgetown University and the University of California, Berkeley, Debra serves on the boards of the Community Foundation of Greater Atlanta and Public Policy and International Affairs Program.

Andrea Fernández serves as managing director at C40 Cities Climate Leadership Group, a global network of cities united in action to confront the climate crisis. Over the last decade at C40, she has led efforts to help cities develop evidence-based climate action plans and access finance, research, knowledge and partnerships to accelerate their implementation. Andrea previously worked as a management consultant at Arup for 11 years, leading high-profile engagements related to sustainability and climate change in the built environment, with a focus on finance, policy, governance and delivery strategies. Andrea also worked in the World Bank's Private Sector Development Department for five years, where she supported investment appraisals and provided technical assistance for public enterprise reform and infrastructure projects. Andrea is currently chair of the board of trustees of Create Foundation and serves on the Urban SDG Finance Commission chaired by Jeffrey Sachs and the Mayor of Paris Anne Hidalgo and Mayor of Rio Eduardo Paes. She holds an MBA with a finance specialisation from Duke University's Fuqua School of Business.