Have you noticed cities are turning into these mega cool spots full of techy stuff, artsy vibes, and bustling businesses? Cities are changing big time, with tech playing a huge part and people wanting a greener life. The European Union (EU) is seeing this and throwing money at projects to make our cities smarter and more eco-friendly. Thanks to the EU, we're seeing new, creative ways to use city spaces that are shaking up the whole living, working, and chilling scene. So, buckle up! Let's dive into the world of smart cities and see what the EU's up to.

 

EU's Green Thumb

The EU is pretty clear on this: our future's looking bright if we can make our cities green. Considering 75% of EU folks live in cities, it's no surprise they're pushing the whole green-city thing. You can even see their green goals laid out in their rules and plans.

Speaking of tech and cities, ever heard of smart cities? It's like a city that’s taken a tech pill. They use tech (especially ICT) to make life for everyone better, drive economic growth, and, importantly, be kind to our planet. The EU is all in, helping cities get smarter by improving stuff like energy use, transport, and local services – all while ensuring our personal info stays safe.

 

How the EU's Money is Making Cities Smarter

EU’s cash injections are crucial in making these techy cities a reality. They're gathering cities, businesses, researchers, and other big players to dream up and put into action these smart city ideas.

A super cool example is the Smart Cities Marketplace. It's a blend of two older platforms – the EIP-SCC Marketplace and the SCIS. Sounds fancy, right? But its mission is simple: make life better for everyone, put European cities and businesses on top, and hit those green energy and climate goals. They've got this nifty "Explore-Shape-Deal Matchmaking" thing going on to help everyone learn, create, and make smart city ideas come to life.

 

Some Awesome EU Projects That Are Making Cities Brighter

Through the years, the EU has thrown cash at loads of projects that are changing the city game. From easier ways to get around, digital overhauls, energy-saving stuff, to services that put us, the people, first – they're on it. Let's quickly dive into some of them:

 

Business Planet: Amsterdam Goes AI for Cool City Living

So, Amsterdam? Not just about cute canals and artsy vibes anymore. It's turning techie with smart city stuff! They're using Artificial Intelligence (AI) and other cool tech to make city life better and handle the tourist rush. 

Check out this EU-backed project called Public Eye by a local company, TAPP. They’ve got these cameras using AI to see how big and where crowds are. It's like getting a live heat map of people! Super useful for city folks making decisions.

 

Gazing into the Tech Crystal Ball: What's Next for Smart Cities?

A bunch of experts recently sat down to predict how our cities and transport will turn smart by 2030. They've got some wild ideas on what might change soon.

Thanks to EU money, this study is a goldmine for those city-planning nerds and tech-heads, giving them the 411 on what to expect and plan for.

 

Which European Cities are Winning at the Smart Game?

Another cool EU project looked at how 35 big European cities did on the sustainability front from 2015-2020. They used this super fancy DFSBM-DEA model (yeah, mouthful, right?) to see how these cities did on green goals.

Spoiler: Dublin, Oslo, Zurich, and (again!) Amsterdam are totally killing it. Other cities, take notes!

 

What's the EU Cooking Up Next?

With the world becoming all interconnected and green, the EU's gonna keep pouring money into projects that help cities smarten up. Think AI, green moves, and stuff that makes life better for everyone in the city.

The EU's all in on this. They're not just dreaming of future cities but also hoping to make the world greener.

 

Final Thoughts

If we're gonna have a green future, it's gotta start with our cities. With so much going on in the world – more people in cities, climate weirdness, and tech changing EVERYTHING – the EU's push for smarter cities is seriously a light at the end of the tunnel.

These funded projects? They're the bridge between cool tech and green moves, turning our cities into future-ready hubs. And honestly? This is just the beginning. The EU's influence on our future cityscape is just gonna keep growing.