#Policy

This is the 9th episode of a series 25 building blocks to create better streets, neighbourhoods, and cities. Casualties in traffic are main threats to the quality of the living environment. ‘Vision zero’ might change this.
Any human activity that annually causes 1.35 million deaths worldwide, more than 20 million serious injuries, damage of $1,600 billion and is a major cause of global warming would be banned immediately. Except for the use of the car. This post describes how changes in road design will improve safety.

The more public transport, the safer the traffic

Researchers from various universities in the US, Australia and Europe have studied the relationship between road pattern, other infrastructure features and road safety or its lack. They compared the road pattern in nearly 1,700 cities around the world with data on the number of accidents, injuries, and fatalities. Lead researcher Jason Thompsonconcluded: <em>It is quite clear that places with more public transport, especially rail, have fewer accidents</em>. Therefore, on roads too public transport must prioritized.

The growing risk of pedestrians and cyclists

Most accidents occur in developing and emerging countries. Road deaths in developed countries are declining. In the US from 55,000 in 1970 to 40,000 in 2017. The main reason is that cars always better protect their passengers. This decrease in fatalities does not apply to collisions between cars and pedestrians and cyclists, many of which are children. Their numbers are increasing significantly, in the US more than in any other developed country. In this country, the number of bicycle lanes has increased, but adjustments to the layout of the rest of the roads and to the speed of motorized traffic have lagged, exposing cyclists to the proximity of speeding or parking cars. SUVs appear to be 'killers'and their number is growing rapidly.

Safe cycling routes

In many American cities, paint is the primary material for the construction of bike lanes. Due to the proximity of car traffic, this type of cycle routes contributes to the increasing number of road deaths rather than increasing safety. The Canadian city of Vancouver, which doubled the number of bicycle lanes in five years to 11.9% of all downtown streets, has the ambition to upgrade 100% of its cycling infrastructure to an AAA level, which means safe and comfortable for all ages and abilities. Cycle paths must technically safe: at least 3 meters wide for two-way traffic; separated from other traffic, which would otherwise have to reduce speed to less than 30 km/h).  In addition, users also need to feel safe.

Street design

Vision Zero Cities such as Oslo and Helsinki are committed to reducing road fatalities to zero over the next ten years. They are successful already now: There were no fatalities in either city in 2019. These and other cities use the Vision Zero Street Design Standard, a guide to planning, designing, and building streets that save lives.
Accidents are often the result of fast driving but are facilized by roads that allow and encourage fast driving. Therefore, a Vision Zero design meets three conditions:
• Discouraging speed through design.
• Stimulating walking, cycling and use of public transport.
• Ensure accessibility for all, regardless of age and physical ability (AAA).
The image above shows a street that meets these requirements. Here is an explanation of the numbers: (1) accessible sidewalks, (2) opportunity to rest, (3) protected cycle routes, (4) single lane roads, (5) lanes between road halves, (6) wide sidewalks, (7) public transport facilities, (8) protected pedestrian crossings, (9) loading and unloading bays, (10) adaptive traffic lights.

Enforcement

Strict rules regarding speed limits require compliance and law enforcement and neither are obvious. The Netherlands is a forerunner with respect to the infrastructure for bikes and pedestrians, but with respect to enforcement the country is negligent: on average, a driver of a passenger car is fined once every 20,000 kilometers for a speeding offense (2017 data). In addition, drivers use apps that warn of approaching speed traps. Given the risks of speeding and the frequency with which it happens, this remissing law enforcement approach is unacceptable.
Follow the link below to find an overview of all articles.

Werk jij aan één of meerdere initiatieven of ondernemingen die bijdragen aan een Amsterdam met voor iedereen een eerlijke, sociale basis maar binnen veilige ecologische grenzen. Dat noemen wij een 'Donut Pionier': iemand die de Donut Economie in regio Amsterdam een stapje dichterbij brengt.

Om deze transitie naar een circulaire economie te versnellen willen we het belang en de impact laten zien van initiatieven, belangrijke drempels wegnemen en zoeken naar praktische oplossingen om initiatieven te laten groeien. Daarvoor hebben we jouw kennis en ervaring nodig.

Hieronder leggen we meer uit over dit onderzoek, de resultaten, wat je hieraan hebt en de tijdlijn. Wil je meteen de vragenlijst invullen? Deze vind je hier:

[https://forms.office.com/e/ittiJyHtmw](https://forms.office.com/e/ittiJyHtmw "https://forms.office.com/e/ittiJyHtmw") De deadline hiervoor is 4 september.

Dit onderzoek
Je bent bij het werken aan jouw initiatief of onderneming vast uitdagingen tegengekomen. Denk daarbij bijvoorbeeld aan regelgeving die niet lijkt aan te sluiten bij je initiatief. Maar ook aan andere drempels die groei van jouw initiatief in de weg staan zoals ruimte, financiering, mensen, middelen, capaciteit, kennis of vooroordelen. Misschien heb je ook geleerd over oplossingen die daarbij werkten, of juist niet. Ten slotte zijn we nieuwsgierig naar de impact die je maakt. Deze vragen staan centraal in dit onderzoek. We richten ons op de succesvolle initiatieven, maar ook op die initiatieven die de drempels en problemen niet hebben kunnen overwinnen en uiteindelijk niet succesvol waren. Van beide valt veel te leren.

De resultaten
Op basis van dit onderzoek kunnen we de grootste uitdagingen agenderen en de beste oplossingen ontwikkelen of delen. Daarvoor analyseren we de reacties op deze vragen in september, met een aantal experts. We delen relevante inzichten met andere Donut Pioniers, maar vertalen het ook door naar beleidsmakers, het onderwijs en de arbeidsmarkt. Daarvoor werken we samen met onder meer de gemeente Amsterdam, Kennisland, Olympia, de HvA en de UvA. Ook werken we aan een Europees vervolg van dit onderzoek waarin verschillende steden worden vergeleken, om lessen te delen en samen te werken aan oplossingen.

What’s in it for you?
We realiseren ons dat je tijd beperkt is. Daarom proberen we je zoveel mogelijk terug te geven.
- De uitdagingen en oplossingen van andere pioniers delen we, met hun goedkeuring, ook met jou. Hopelijk helpt dit je om je doelen te halen.
- Je verhaal kan als voorbeeld worden opgenomen in publicaties in het kader van de 750 verjaardag van Amsterdam, of het internationale onderzoek. Dit ter lering en inspiratie voor iedereen die een stap wil zetten in het maken van positieve impact.
- We agenderen belangrijke concrete drempels bij de relevante partijen zoals de gemeente en werken met hen aan gerichte oplossingen. En daar betrekken we jou bij, als je interesse hebt.

Het vinden van de belangrijkste uitdagingen is één. Het belangrijkste is dat we hiervoor gerichte oplossingen ontwikkelen en de transitie naar een circulaire economie kunnen versnellen.  

De tijdlijn
- 4 september - Deadline voor de vragenlijst. 
- Eind september - We analyseren de resultaten in een workshop, oa. met Donut Pioniers. In de vragenlijst kun je je hiervoor opgeven.
- 13 november - We presenteren de resultaten op de Donut Dag.

Het invullen van deze vragenlijst kost 15 a 20 minuten. Het zou geweldig zijn als je hier wat tijd voor vrij wilt maken. 

De vragenlijst vind je hier: [https://forms.office.com/e/ittiJyHtmw](https://forms.office.com/e/ittiJyHtmw "https://forms.office.com/e/ittiJyHtmw")

Alvast heel erg bedankt voor je tijd.

Met vriendelijke groet,
Namens het Leren & Integreren team
Rosa Tibosch

This article is part of the series 25 building blocks to create better streets, neighbourhoods, and cities. Read how design, starting from street-level view contributes to the quality of the urban environment.

Plinths express the nature of activities inside

The visual quality, design and decoration of the plinth, the 'ground floor' of a building, contributes significantly to the quality of the streetscape and to the (commercial) success of the activities that take place at plinth level. This also applies, for example, if the activities of a workshop can be observed through the windows. Blank walls speed up visitors' pace, unless this wall has attractive art. Vacancy is disastrous.
A plinth displays the destination of a building or a part of it (photo bottom left). Fashion stores and suppliers of delicacies depend on its ability to attract buyers. There is nothing against allowing the plinth to expand slightly onto the street - think of beautiful displays of fresh vegetables - if a sufficiently wide barrier-free pedestrian route is maintained.
The total length of streets that must generate customers and visitors must not be too long in order to keeps vacancy to a minimum. This may mean that still profitable shops in streets where the number of vacancies is increasing must consider moving if revitalization of the street is infeasible. The space left behind can best be revamped into space for housing or offices to prevent further dilapidation.

Plinths of non-commercial destinations

The need for an attractive plinth also applies to non-commercial spaces. This may concern information centers, libraries, day care centers for children or the elderly, places where music groups rehearse, etcetera. Co-housing and co-working centers might also concentrate several activities in a semi-public print. In an apartment building, you might like to see an attractive portal through the glass, with stairs and elevators and a sitting area.

Residential plinths

Houses in the more central parts of the city can also have an attractive plinth. In practice, this happens often by placing plants and creating a seat on the sidewalk. The so-called Delft plinths are narrow, sometimes slightly raised additional sidewalks for plants, a bench, or stalling bicycles (photo bottom middle). The worst is if the plinth of a private house is mainly the garage door.

The aesthetics of the plinth

In many pre-war high streets, the plinth was designed as an integral part of the building. In the ‘60s and ‘70s, many retailers modernized their businesses and demolished entire ground floors. The walls of the upper floor, sometimes of several buildings at the same time, rested on a heavy steel beam and the new plinth was mainly made of glass (photo top left). Often a door to reach the upper floors is missing, complicating the premises’ residential function. Initially, these new fronts increased the attractivity of the ground floor. However, the effect on the streetscape has turned out to be negative. In Heerlen, artist and 'would be' urban planner Michel Huisman (the man behind the Maankwartier) is busy restoring old shopfronts together with volunteers and with the support of the municipality (photos top right). In Amsterdam, shopfronts are also being restored to their original appearance (photo bottom right).

Plinths policy

The sky is the limit for improving plinths, as can be seen in the book Street-Level Architecture, The Past, Present and Future of Interactive Frontages by Conrad Kicker and the *Superplinten Handbook</em> , commissioned by the municipality of Amsterdam.
In 2020, a plinth policy was introduced in the Strijp-S district in Eindhoven from a social-economic background. 20% of the available plinths is destined for starters, pioneers and 'placemakers'.  Continuous coordination with the target group is important here. In The Hague, 100 former inner-city shops have now been transformed into workplaces for young and creative companies. Differentiating rents is part of the plinth policy too.
 
Follow the link below to find an overview of all articles.

Hello Amsterdam Smart City Community,
 
I would like to extend an invitation to the kick-off key-notes of the MIT Summer Workshop on the 28th of August.
 
Between 10:00 to 11:30, there will be an open lecture by the MIT Center for Real Estate Director, Siqi Zheng, and the Scientific Director of AMS Institute, Eveline van Leeuwen, on the topic of Decarbonization and the Social Cost of Climate Change.
 
Eveline will dive into “The (im)possibility of a fair transition towards carbon neutral cities” and Siqi will talk about “Cities, buildings, and climate change: mitigation and adaptation”.
 
If you are interested, please email tvenver@mit.edu so we make sure we have enough seats. The event will take place at the AMS Institute, in the Amsterdam lecture room on the 1st floor, and you are welcome to walk in from 9:45 am onwards.
 
For reference, the abstract of Siqi and Eveline is attached below.
Siqi Zheng is the STL Champion Professor of Urban and Real Estate Sustainability at the Center for Real Estate of the Department of Urban Studies and Planning at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). She is the faculty director of the MIT Center for Real Estate. She established MIT Sustainable Urbanization Lab in 2019, and MIT China Future City Lab in 2017. Prof. Zheng was the former President of the Asian Real Estate Society (2018- 2019) and is on the Board of the American Real Estate and Urban Economics Association (AREUEA). She is the Co-Editor of the Journal of Regional Science, and Environmental and Resource Economics.
 
Eveline van Leeuwen is an expert in urban economics, is Scientific Director at Amsterdam Institute for Advanced Metropolitan Solutions (AMS Institute). In addition to her role at AMS Institute, Eveline is Chair of Urban Economics at Wageningen University & Research. Furthermore, she is Vice President of the European Regional Science Association (ERSA), a member of the OECD Expert Advisory Committee on Rural Innovation and a member of the International Advisory Board (IAB) of the Amsterdam Economic Board. In various other committees she advices both national and regional policymakers.

The Digital Government Act (Wet Digitale Overheid) aims to improve digital government services while ensuring citizens' privacy. An important part of this law is safe and secure logging in to the government using new electronic identification methods (eIDs) such as Yivi (formerly IRMA). The municipality of Amsterdam recently started a pilot with Yivi. Amsterdam residents can now log in to “Mijn Amsterdam” to track the status of complaints about public area’s. But how do you get this innovation, which really requires a different way of thinking, implemented?

Using the Change Curve to categorise barriers

At the Transition day (June 2023), Mike Alders (municipality of Amsterdam) invited the Amsterdam Smart City network to help identify the barriers and possible interventions, and explore opportunities for regional cooperation. Led by Coen Smit from Royal HaskoningDHV, the participants identified barriers in implementing this new technology from an organisational and civil society perspective. After that, the participants placed these barriers on a Change Curve, a powerful model used to understand the stages of personal transition and organization stage. Using the Change Curve, we wanted to give Mike some concrete guidance on where to focus his interventions on within the organisation. The barriers were categorised in four phases:

1. Awareness: associated with anxiety and denial;
2. Desire: associated with emotion and fear;
3. Knowledge & ability: associated with acceptance, realisation and energy;
4. Reinforcement: associated with growth.

Insights and next steps

In the case of digital identity and the implementation of eID’s, such as Yivi, it appears that most of the barriers are related to the first phase of awareness. Think of: little knowledge about digital identity and current privacy risks, and a lack of trust in a new technology. Communication is crucial to overcome barriers in the awareness. To the user, but also internally to employees and the management. Directors often also know too little about the topic of digital identity.

By looking at the different phases in the change process, we have become aware of the obstacles and thought about possible solutions. But we are still a long way from full implementation and acceptance of this new innovation. For that, we need different perspectives from business, governments and knowledge institutions. This way, we can start creating more awareness about digital transformations and identity in general, which will most likely lead to wishes for more privacy-friendly and easier way of identifying online. Besides focusing on creating more awareness about our digital identity, another possible next step is to organise a more in-depth session (deepdive) with all governmental organisations in the Amsterdam Smart City network.

Do you have any tips or questions in relation to Mike’s project about Digital Identity and electronic Identification? Please get in touch with me through sophie@amsterdamsmartcity.com or leave a comment below.

In large and diverse public organizations like the Gemeente Haarlemmermeer, communication can sometimes be hindered by silos. Different departments or teams in the organization may work independently leading to a lack of information sharing and coordination. With so many channels and platforms available, it can be difficult to filter out the information that is relevant and important to employees. This can lead to information overload and make it difficult for employees to stay updated on important updates.

Thus, the trainee team from the Digital Transformation Traineeship Programme at Digital Society School embarked on a challenge on how Gemeente Haarlemmermeer can be facilitated to become a smarter, more connected, transparent and digitally inclusive organisation.

Read more about the project on the website of Digital Society School!

Ben je bezig met opgaven in het fysieke of sociale domein? En geïnteresseerd in hoe digitalisering hieraan een bijdrage kan leveren? Of wil je juist in gesprek over de ethische kant van data en slimme steden?
Mis dit festival voor de slimme stad dan niet! Op 14 september geven we een vervolg aan de succesvolle Nederlands-Vlaamse samenwerking tijdens de Trots op projectendag in het bruisende Chassé Theater in Breda.
Meld je nu al aan als deelnemer
Wat kun je verwachten?
– Samenwerking met Vlaanderen: Verken de nauwe samenwerking tussen Nederland en Vlaanderen op het gebied van slimme steden. Ontdek gedeelde uitdagingen, innovatieve oplossingen en kansen voor grensoverschrijdende (Europese) samenwerking.
– Praktische workshops: Leer van de besten in het vak en ontdek hoe je de nieuwste technologieën kunt toepassen in de praktijk. Verken concrete voorbeelden, zoals het succesverhaal van Hazeldonk in Breda of leer hoe je een digital twin kunt inzetten om slimme steden te ontwikkelen.
– Ontdek inspirerende projecten: Laat je inspireren door de meest innovatieve projecten die momenteel in slimme steden plaatsvinden. Van duurzame mobiliteit tot veiligheid door drones of digitale balans, ontdek hoe deze projecten het leven van stadsbewoners verbeteren.
– Netwerkmogelijkheden: Maak kennis met gelijkgestemde professionals, beleidsmakers en experts op het gebied van slimme steden. Bouw waardevolle relaties op, deel ervaringen en creëer nieuwe kansen voor samenwerking
Dat doen we samen met Bredata, onze gastvrouw voor deze prachtige dag. We leren vanuit Breda over Nederland en Vlaanderen en vanuit Nederland en Vlaanderen over Breda. Want we werken ook samen met onze Vlaamse vakgenoten en voor Vlaanderen en Nederland samen. In totaal wonen hier 24 miljoen mensen in een van de dichtsbebouwde delen van de wereld. De opgaven in het fysiek en sociaal domein in het gebied zijn vergelijkbaar, de oplossingsroutes zijn soms op een inspirerende manier verschillend. De manier waarop digitalisering wordt ingezet ook. En dat biedt kansen om van elkaar te leren en samen te werken.
Die kansen zijn er omdat we buurlanden zijn, maar ook omdat we allebei zijn van de EU en daar zowel inhoudelijk als zakelijk kansen liggen die we kunnen benutten. Bijvoorbeeld door samen te werken in Europese projecten. Dat doen we in Breda, de stad die gelegen op de grens van Nederland en Vlaanderen, de bruggenbouwer kan zijn tussen deze twee markten.
Laat deze kans niet liggen om deel te nemen aan dit inspirerende evenement waar Nederland en Vlaanderen samenkomen. We kijken ernaar uit je te verwelkomen op de Trots op projectendag!
Bekijk hier het volledige programma met deelsessies (wijzigingen voorbehouden)
9.00 uur – Inloop
10.00 uur – Welkom op de Top Dag
10.15 uur – Workshops – ronde 1
11.00 uur – Workshops – ronde 2
11.45 uur – Pauze
12.00 uur – Workshops – ronde 3
13.00 uur – Netwerklunch
14.00 uur – Workshops – ronde 4
14.45 uur –  ‘De lieve slimme stad’, over hoe ethiek basis moet zijn het slimme Breda – Lezing door wethouder Daan Quaars.
15.30 uur – Cabaretier Jan Jaap van der Wal over de slimme stad in Nederland en Vlaanderen
16.00 uur – Netwerkborrel
Deelsessies
In elke deelsessieronde is de keuze uit vier zalen met elk kun eigen thema en workshops. Die binnenkort bekend worden gemaakt. Thema’s zijn:
🟢 Groen (over biodiversiteit, luchtkwaliteit, circulariteit en energie)
🚩 Grenzeloos (over Europese samenwerking, ecosystemen, de expo in Barcelona en ethiek)
❤  Gastvrij (over inwonerparticipatie, druktemanagement, mobiliteitsvernieuwing en toegankelijkheid)
🌟 Showcase Hazeldonk (over onder veel meer drones, digital twins en verkeerssensoren)
👀 Gezien (over hoe je inzicht krijgt)
Bekijk hier het volledige programma met deelsessies (wijzigingen voorbehouden)
 
Meld je aan als deelnemer

In my previous post (in Dutch) I summarized the main conclusions of the IPCC's Final Report: The probability that the world will have warmed by more than three degrees by 2100 is much greater than that we hold it at 1 1/2 degrees Celsius. In this post I will discuss the consequences of this for the world, whether there is still a way out and what the consequences are for Dutch policy.

Hoe slim is de ideale leefomgeving wat jou betreft, nu en in de toekomst? Wat betekent dat voor o.a. je strategie, diensten en technologie?
Vanuit phbm voegen we graag een gereedschap toe aan jouw Toolbox voor Smart City-vraagstukken. Eén waarbij we het voorstellings- en inlevingsvermogen activeren en welzijn centraal staat: het BewustwordingsModel. Dit model maakt de positie en wensen van jou en de ander expliciet en voorkomt dat er ruis ontstaat over het niveau van ‘slimheid’ in de leefomgeving. Door de toelichting van de passende organisatie, samenwerking, strategie e.d. bij de niveaus ontstaat een scherp beeld van wat het gekozen niveau betekent voor het individu, de organisatie of zelfs de samenleving als geheel. Eén van de centrale vragen bij het model is: hoe ‘smart’ wil je zijn en waar zit de optimale balans tussen mens en technologie?

Eerste gepubliceerde versie is tot stand gekomen samen met partners in de City Deal (‘Een slimme stad, zo doe je dat’). Het laat op vijf niveaus zien in welke mate een organisatie of bedrijf slim is. Eén van de doelen hiervan is om te bepalen of opdrachtgever en opdrachtnemer dezelfde taal spreken. Vanuit phbm zijn we doorgegaan op het model en hebben onder andere ethiek en mobiliteit als pijlers toegevoegd.

Het model is openbaar inzichtelijk, phbm begeleidt graag in het proces om samenwerkingspartners gezamenlijk bewuster te maken op welk niveau ze staan (gebruikmakend van het model) en met welke ontwikkelingen je rekening kan houden in het vraagstuk wat op tafel ligt (op vlak van organisatie, diensten of ethiek bijvoorbeeld).

Without a doubt, our lives are becoming increasingly dependent on new technologies. However, we are also becoming increasingly aware that not everyone benefits equally from the opportunities and possibilities of digitization. Technology is often developed for the masses, leaving more vulnerable groups behind. Through the European-funded CommuniCity project, the municipality of Amsterdam aims to support the development of digital solutions for all by connecting tech organisations to the needs of vulnerable communities. The project will develop a citizen-centred co-creation and co-learning process supporting the cities of Amsterdam, Helsinki, and Porto in launching 100 tech pilots addressing the needs of their communities.

Besides the open call for tech-for-good pilots, the municipality of Amsterdam is also looking for a more structural process for matching the needs of citizens to solutions of tech providers. During this work session, Neeltje Pavicic (municipality of Amsterdam) invited the Amsterdam Smart City network to explore current bottlenecks and potential solutions and next steps.

Process & questions

Neeltje introduced the project using two examples of technology developed specifically for marginalised communities: the Be My Eyes app connects people needing sighted support with volunteers giving virtual assistance through a live video call, and the FLOo Robot supports parents with mild intellectual disabilities by stimulating the interaction between parents and the child.

The diversity of the Amsterdam Smart City network was reflected in the CommuniCity worksession, with participants from governments, businesses and knowledge institutions. Neeltje was curious to the perspectives of the public and private sector, which is why the group was separated based on this criteria. First, the participants identified the bottlenecks: what problems do we face when developing tech solutions for and with marginalised communities? After that, we looked at the potential solutions and the next steps.

Bottlenecks for developing tech for vulnerable communities

The group with companies agreed that technology itself can do a lot, but that it is often difficult to know what is already developed in terms of tech-for-good. Going from a pilot or concept to a concrete realization is often difficult due to the stakeholder landscape and siloed institutions. One of the main bottlenecks is that there is no clear incentive for commercial parties to focus on vulnerable groups. Another bottleneck is that we need to focus on awareness; technology often targets the masses and not marginalized groups who need to be better involved in the design of solutions.

In the group with public organisations, participants discussed that the needs of marginalised communities should be very clear. We should stay away from formulating these needs for people. Therefore, it’s important that civic society organisations identify issues and needs with the target groups, and collaborate with tech-parties that can deliver solutions. Another bottleneck is that there is not enough capital from public partners. There are already many pilots, but scaling up is often difficult.. Therefore solutions should have a business, or a value-case.

Potential next steps

What could be the next steps? The participants indicated that there are already a lot of tech-driven projects and initiatives developed to support vulnerable groups. A key challenge is that these initiatives are fragmented and remain small-scale because there is insufficient sharing and learning between them. A better overview of what is already happening is needed to avoid re-inviting the wheel. There are already several platforms to share these types of initiatives but they do not seem to meet the needs in terms of making visible tested solutions with most potential for upscaling. Participants also suggested hosting knowledge sessions to present examples and lessons-learned from tech-for-good solutions, and train developers to make technology accessible from the start. Legislation can also play a role: by law, technology must meet accessibility requirements and such laws can be extended to protect vulnerable groups. Participants agreed that public authorities and commercial parties should engage in more conversation about this topic.

In response to the worksession, Neeltje mentioned that she gained interesting insights from different angles. She was happy that so many participants showed interest in this topic and decided to join the session. In the coming weeks, Neeltje will organise a few follow-up sessions with different stakeholders. Do you have any input for her? You can contact me via sophie@amsterdamsmartcity.com, and I'll connect you to Neeltje.

Public administrators, public tech developers, and public service providers face the same challenge: How to develop and use technology in accordance with public values like openness, fairness, and inclusivity? The question is urgent as we continue to rely upon proprietary technology that is developed within a surveillance capitalist context and is incompatible with the goals and missions of our democratic institutions. This problem has been a driving force behind the development of the public stack, a conceptual model developed by Waag through ACROSS and other projects, which roots technical development in public values.

The idea behind the public stack is simple: There are unseen layers behind the technology we use, including hardware, software, design processes, and business models. All of these layers affect the relationship between people and technology – as consumers, subjects, or (as the public stack model advocates) citizens and human beings in a democratic society. The public stack challenges developers, funders, and other stakeholders to develop technology based on shared public values by utilising participatory design processes and open technology. The goal is to position people and the planet as democratic agents; and as more equal stakeholders in deciding how technology is developed and implemented.

ACROSS is a Horizon2020 European project that develops open source resources to protect digital identity and personal data across European borders. In this context, Waag is developing the public stack model into a service design approach – a resource to help others reflect upon and improve the extent to which their own ‘stack’ is reflective of public values. In late 2022, Waag developed a method using the public stack as a lens to prompt reflection amongst developers. A more extensive public stack reflection process is now underway in ACROSS; resources to guide other developers through this same process will be made available later in 2023.

The public stack is a useful model for anyone involved in technology, whether as a developer, funder, active, or even passive user. In the case of ACROSS, its adoption helped project partners to implement decentralised privacy-by-design technology based on values like privacy and user control. The model lends itself to be applied just as well in other use cases:

• Municipalities can use the public stack to maintain democratic approaches to technology development and adoption in cities.
• Developers of both public and private tech can use the public stack to reflect on which values are embedded in their technology.
• Researchers can use the public stack as a way to ethically assess technology.
• Policymakers can use the public stack as a way to understand, communicate, and shape the context in which technology development and implementation occurs.

Are you interested in using the public stack in your own project, initiative, or development process? We’d love to hear about it. Let us know more by emailing us at publicstack@waag.org.

The aim of the three-day Data Spaces Symposium is to bring together relevant data sharing initiatives and endeavors. The event is hosted by the Center of Excellence for Data Sharing and Cloud (TNO), International Data Spaces Association, the Basic Data Infrastructure network and the Data Spaces Support Centre.

During the event you can get involved in aligning the diverse landscape of data space initiatives, learn from successfully running data space projects, and discover the business benefits of sovereign data sharing.

Find out more and register by March 17 via: https://internationaldataspaces.org/data-spaces-symposium/

Hier brengen we de Donuteconomie in praktijk in onze wijk Slotervaart. Volgende week woensdagmiddag worstelen we op de Buurtdonutdag met de vragen en oplossingen voor:

- Welke welvaart willen en kunnen we vergroten in en vanuit onze buurt?
- Hoe kunnen we beter sparen en waarin kunnen we investeren?
- Hoe laten we het geld langer lokaal circuleren?
- Hoe zorgen we voor een structurele transvestering naar onze lokale maatschappelijke sector?

Technological and innovative developments are moving faster than ever before. As a government, you want and need to keep up with these developments. At the same time, the use of digitalisation and data often leads to undesired results, increasing the distance between citizens/entrepreneurs and the government.

The municipality of Haarlemmermeer is shifting her focus from 'the system is central, people have to become more digitally savvy to 'people are central, our systems have to become human-centric’. The underlying question is: how do you really put people at the centre of digitalisation and the design of digital systems?

Do you want to know more or contribute to this challenge? Contact me via sophie@amsterdamsmartcity.com or let me know via the comments below.

Project’s current phase

Jeroen Brink and Christine Groothuis from the municipality of Haarlemmermeer introduced this challenge to the Amsterdam Smart City network on the 7th of November, 2022. During a co-creation session, we discussed that there are two main elements of this complex challenge that we would like to focus on. On the one hand, we’re talking about a radical and fundamental shift. A different way of thinking within governmental institutions. This shift requires a more philosophical and substantive conversation about how we would like our digital public space and systems to look like. But on the other hand, we want to think big but also start small. Therefore, the municipality of Haarlemmermeer would like to embrace a real-life case to bring human-centred digital systems to life.

On the 1st of December, we organised a follow-up session with Amsterdam Smart City partners. During this session, Max Kortlander (Waag) presented the Public Stack. This project puts the public value at the centre to create open, democratic and sustainable digital public spaces. Following this introduction, we did a futures-thinking exercise led by Sacha van Tongeren (Kennisland), to think about how we want the digital public space to look like in the future. And additionally, we used empathy maps to synthesize our collective knowledge about our audience, which brought us closer to a common understanding of who they are.

In the last 20 weeks, our digital transformation design trainees from all over the world learned, experimented, and prototyped to envision what the future holds for us to pursue a more just and sustainable society. The topics vary from Hybrid Democracy, Digital Twin, Design across Cultures, to EdTech for Social Change.

✨RSVP here (online or in person)
Feel free to invite your network and whoever might be interested! 
  
🎯Digital Society School is an empathetic learning community where you get to connect with experts and like-minded people who are striving to create a better future in education, sustainability, design, and more.

For more information on our current projects, visit our website.
https://digitalsocietyschool.org/

We cannot wait to welcome you for co-creating and rethinking our values to make a positive social impact!

We are excited to invite you to join us for our next virtual ‘Metaverse & The City’ roundtable conversation on 24 January 2023 from 16.00 - 17.00 CET.

This specific session will focus on co-creating a ‘Metaverse & The City’ Manifesto: a continuous document that outlines the values, principles, and goals that should guide the development and use of the metaverse in our cities. The metaverse has the potential to transform how we live, work, and play, and we believe that it will have a significant impact on urban life in the coming years. It’s essential to have a shared vision for its future. 

We are currently assembling a panel of speakers who will share their insights and lead the discussion, and we hope that you will bring your own perspective and ideas to the table as well.

The roundtable takes 1 hour. It will be held via Zoom and is open to all interested participants. To RSVP and receive the link to join the call, please RSVP by mid-January 2023.

Like to share your ideas and suggestions already leading up to the roundtable, please let us know. We look forward to hearing from you and building a manifesto that reflects the diverse perspectives and aspirations of the metaverse community and beyond.

We hope you can join us for what promises to be an inspiring and insightful session.

This roundtable is the result of close collaboration with our knowledge partners: New York University, Cornell Tech, and The Hague School of Applied Sciences.

Over the past 2.5 years, the 100 Intelligent Cities Challenge (ICC) of the European Commission’s DG GROW (Directorate General for Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs) brought together 136 cities in a peer network aimed at transitioning to the green economy.
 
The main beneficiaries of the program were the 80 core cities that received policy advice and project implementation support.  Additionally, all ICC participants engaged in collective learning and knowledge exchange during a series of “City Labs”.
 
The Role of Amsterdam Metropolitan Region (MRA)
The MRA, represented by Amsterdam Economic Board and Amsterdam Smart City program participated in the ICC as one of sixteen mentors, sharing experiences and best practices throughout the ICC journey. Thirteen experts and stakeholders from MRA contributed to sixteen knowledge-sharing sessions on topics such as local green deals, multi-stakeholder governance, up-skilling & re-skilling, smart mobility, circular economy, and citizen-led initiatives.  Amsterdam Smart City and Amsterdam Economic Board also shared knowledge and advice in bilateral meetings with several ICC core cities and participated in the ICC Advisory Board.
 
Closing Conference
The closing conference of the first phase of the ICC took place in Barcelona during the Smart City Expo World Congress on November 15-16. The conference brought together 40 European mayors, vice-mayors, political representatives, and city leaders. Marja Ruigrok, vice-mayor of the city of Haarlemmermeer, shared MRA’s experience and approach on multi-stakeholder collaboration and several Green Deals initiated by Amsterdam Economic Board. The development of Local Green Deals has become a cornerstone of the ICC which supported 42 cities in designing Green Deals through the development of a Green Deals Blueprint, and tailored support.
 
Looking Forward to Phase 2 of ICC
In Barcelona, the European Commission confirmed that the second phase of the ICC initiative will start in 2023. Phase 2 will focus on strengthening the existing network of cities and improving the ICC methodology for city-to-city learning, collaboration, and capacity building. Phase 2 also aims to ensure and improve complementarity between the ICC and other EU initiatives, particularly the 100 Climate Neutral and Smart Cities Mission.
 
For more information about the first phase of the ICC, visit:
• ICC Website: https://www.intelligentcitieschallenge.eu/
• ICC Project on ASC platform: https://amsterdamsmartcity.com/updates/project/the-100-intelligent-cities-challenge

De stad hangt vol met sensoren zoals camera’s, geluidsmeters en verkeertellers. De gemeente Amsterdam gebruikt deze sensoren om de stad veilig, schoon en leefbaar te houden. Daarbij is de privacy van haar inwoners heel belangrijk. Daarom werkt de gemeente aan duidelijke richtlijnen over de inzet van sensoren. Om dat goed te doen, vragen we de mening van bewoners over dit onderwerp.
 
We nodigen u van harte uit mee te denken. Daarvoor organiseren we bijeenkomsten. Daar kunt u in gesprek met de gemeente en met mede-Amsterdammers over sensoren op straat. We vragen u om ideeën, om ons te laten weten wat u belangrijk vindt. En welke rol u van de gemeente verwacht. Uw ideeën gebruiken we om ons beleid beter te maken. En om te checken of we aandacht geven aan de juiste zaken. We zorgen voor een goede open sfeer. En we verzorgen hapjes en drankjes.
 
Details 
Dinsdag 8 december 
16:00 - 18:00 uur

Aanmelden via:
https://www.amsterdam.nl/formulieren/innovatie/afwegingen-rond-sensoren-borrel/

Deze activiteit maakt deel uit van de week rond digitale rechten (5-11 dec):

Amsterdam is een van de steden die actief werk maakt van de digitale rechten van haar inwoners als de Coronacrisis toeslaat. In een wereld die ongekend anders is, blijkt dat het vechten voor digitale rechten nog even zo van belang blijkt als voorheen. Misschien wel urgenter.  
De film start om 19u45 en duurt tot 20u15. Na de film gaan we met elkaar en de hoofdpersonen uit de film in gesprek. Voor wie wil, is er van 21 tot 23u een borrel.

Aanmelden via https://www.amsterdam.nl/formulieren/innovatie/film-gesprek-corona-digitale-rechten-8/

Deze filmvertoning maakt deel uit van de week rond digitale rechten (5-11 december) in Amsterdam:

Please join us on 10 November from 4:00-5:00 pm to hear more about how AMdEX is moving forward in facilitating a safe and controlled way to share your sensitive data with others.

Programme

• Welcome
• AMdEX Game – a sneak preview – AMS-IX
• How does AMdEX help you with exchanging sensitive data?
  Showcases on sharing sensor data – Dexes
  eFLINT: machine readable and enforceable rules – UvA
  AMdEX making datacommons work – Waag
• Q&A and panel discussion
  At the end of the programme, you’re invited to enjoy a drink and meet the other participants. Join us by registering here.