SOCIETY 5.0
A human-centered society that balances economic advancement with the resolution of social problems by a system that highly integrates cyberspace and physical space.
A Smart City uses data and technology to create efficiencies, improve sustainability, create economic development and enhance quality of life factors for people living and working the city.
SMART CITIES
A smart city is an urban area that uses different types of electronic Internet of things sensors to collect data and then use these data to manage assets and resources efficiently.
A Smart City uses data and technology to create efficiencies, improve sustainability, create economic development and enhance quality of life factors for people living and working the city. The notion of a “Smart city” is tied in the idea that it can bring cities into the 21st century make them future proof and provide a future looking façade that renders cities looking like they could be a super high tech set for Guardians of the Galaxy. In principle, a Smart City should be recognised as a way to increase the quality of life of the citizenship and improve sustainability using data and technology.
Development leading to quality of life must be viewed through the appropriate lens – development cannot be seen as a replica of Western development, as that may not be apt for the region or city. The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) give guidance and context on what addressing the world’s largest problems would look like; without prejudice or animosity. The beauty of the SDGs is that communities can chose which Goal to address as a priority; focusing attention with clear targets, allowing for different cities and regions to set their own frameworks to positively address the SDGs in a way that improves the quality of life within those cities and societies.
Society 5.0 is symbiotic with the Smart City concept; acknowledging that the citizens of the 21st century will be expected to use digital tools and data to creatively solve society's problems; human centred societies. Society 5.0 relies on innovation and creativity of people and technology to supply robust ‘solutions.’ Alas, development means different things to different people; not everyone may be ready for drone deliveries. But they might be, if it is coupled with a marked increase in the quality of life.
One significant caveat, especially when treading the development pathway, is not to fall into the Western European or Developed Country trap when envisioning what Society 5.0 should accomplish. The SDGs have given us the backbone of issues which must be address so that we have a planet for our children to inherent. How does Society 5.0 and its’ ‘value chain’ thesis make that happen? Especially, when one size does not fit all?
The vision of Society 5.0 and the SDGs can only be jointly realised if the actors work together flawlessly solving more than one problem at a time; sharing best practice from around the globe. The SDGs are not mutually exclusive; one Goal has knock-on effects to other Goals; creative minds can rise to the occasion by offering digital solutions that can solve a number of Goals simultaneously.
Society 5.0 relies on a nest of actors, technologies and facilitators to address the SDGs leading to sustainable development. Whereas, the SDGs only require that citizens provide sustainable, resilient and appropriate solutions; safeguarding a basic driver toward development. Innovative citizens are the key and a Smart City must tap into all of its resources to solve the objectives outlined by the SDGs.
What is the challenge to deliver and finance a seamless Society 5.0 at the city level, as well as successfully addressing the SDGs? There is a strong argument around access to reliable, fresh, comparable and high-quality data. In this age of innovative and disruptive technologies; data drives transformational change and scalable solutions. The SDGs proffers a consistent language to measure and monitor success of this change and the attainment of solutions. Quality data can inspire innovation to support and aid the drive toward quality of life; enabling future proofing and bespoke solutions for a city.
World Wide Generation (WWG) is a technology-based SDG solution provider. The WWG platform, G17Eco is open to all actors; a non-competitive space that encourages interactions, ideas facilitating the digital addressing of the SDGs at the local and international levels. The G17Eco platform recognises and supports the custom-made way that cities will engage the SDGs, from the incorporation of Internet of Things (IoT) and Artificial Intelligence (AI), given the data, to understanding and exploring solutions at a granular level, such as financial inclusion.
WWG was set up to accelerate the financing of the SDGs using innovative technology. Gone are the days when there is only one particular way to deploy an investment strategy to impact environmental and social issues. The potential richness of the data available via platforms such as G17Eco, based on a Distributed Ledger Technology (DLT) framework, can help the smart money chase everything from smart beta, to an enhanced alpha to impact gamma. The SDGs provide the comparable language for investors, cities, actors and facilitators. Society 5.0 and a Smart City can set out a unique structure robust, successful, resilient and transformational at the city level. The return on investment can be delivered, as well as, achievement of the SDGs and realisation of functional Smart Cities and Society 5.0.
Society 5.0 is symbiotic with the Smart City concept; acknowledging that the citizens of the 21st century will be expected to use digital tools and data to creatively solve society's problems; human centred societies.
G17Eco is the ideal enabler to ensure that clever financing of Society 5.0 and the SDGs is founded on better identification of upside and downside risk, based on richer, fresher, high quality and comparable data, leading to quality of life enrichment. Granular data is needed to make effective investment decisions to support sustainable societies and provide a return on investment. This return can only be attained by the use of innovative technology, such as G17Eco, effective cooperation between all stakeholders; business, governments, and civil society, stressed by Society 5.0 and Smart cities give clarity of those challenges facing us all, highlighted by the SDGs. Human centred societies require superior data to inspire clearer insight ensuring that the motto of the SDGs can be fulfilled: Leave No One Behind.
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