07 Global City Systems: How a ‘Global Systems Science’ can Help Cope with Urbanisation

European Forum Alpbach in cooperation with DG CONNECT European Commission Directorate General for Communications Networks, Content & Technology and HLRS – High Performance Computing Center Stuttgart
Although 80% of the world population will soon live in ever expanding cities, our understanding of how those cities work is still limited. The recent advent of real and virtual sensors in urban areas and data on behaviours of citizens via e.g. online media is a rich source on what cities do. Analysing them might lead a “Science of Cities” that studies cities as global systems. The breakout session will discuss how such a “Global Systems Science” of cities could help tackle urban challenges and design “smart(er) cities”. It will also discuss the role of social media to allow citizens to help design smart cities collectively.
From August 29 to 31, interactive virtual environments to support policy decisions regarding global challenges like urbanisation or climate change will be on display at the Congress Centre Alpbach. For more information, see the programmes of the Built Environment and Financial Market Symposia.