How Smart Tech Builds Resilience And Protects Vulnerable Communities – Forbes

Report on Smart City Frameworks and Sustainable Development Goals

Introduction: Urbanization and the Imperative for Sustainable Development

Urban centers are at the forefront of global challenges, including climate change, digital transformation, and population growth. The Smart City Expo World Congress 2025 highlighted the immediate necessity for cities to adopt intelligent frameworks to address these pressures. This report analyzes the role of smart city development in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), with a particular focus on building resilience in climate-vulnerable regions. The transition from conceptual smart cities to practical implementation is critical for advancing SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities) and SDG 13 (Climate Action).

Climate Vulnerability and the Urgency for SDG-Aligned Action

Small Island Developing States (SIDS), such as those in the Caribbean, face disproportionate impacts from climate change despite contributing minimally to global emissions. This reality underscores the need for targeted climate action and resilient infrastructure.

• Disproportionate Impact: As noted by the IPCC, island nations face severe threats from stronger hurricanes and rising sea levels, directly challenging progress on SDG 13.
• Case Study: Hurricane Melissa in Jamaica: The catastrophic flooding and widespread infrastructure failure caused by Hurricane Melissa serve as a stark example of climate vulnerability. The event highlighted critical gaps in disaster preparedness and response, impacting safety, health, and economic stability.
• Global Partnership Imperative: The disparity between low emissions and high climate impact calls for international cooperation and financial mechanisms, such as a dedicated climate fund, aligning with SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals).

A Five-Pillar Framework for Resilient and Sustainable Cities

Urban resilience can be structured around five foundational pillars, each directly contributing to specific Sustainable Development Goals. This framework provides a roadmap for disaster preparedness, recovery, and long-term sustainability.

1. Smart Governance for Inclusive and Accountable Institutions (SDG 16)

   Effective governance is the bedrock of a resilient city. By integrating technology, cities can foster transparency and participation, which are central tenets of SDG 16 (Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions).

   • Implementation of transparent digital services and open data platforms.
   • Establishment of real-time emergency communication systems for coordinated disaster response.
   • Use of predictive analytics for flood and disaster modeling to enhance preparedness.

2. A Smart Economy for Sustainable Growth and Resilience (SDG 8 & SDG 9)

   An adaptive economy is crucial for withstanding and recovering from shocks. Investing in innovation and sustainable economic models supports SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth) and SDG 9 (Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure).

   • Investment in disaster preparedness yields significant returns, with reports indicating savings of up to $7 in recovery costs for every $1 invested.
   • Development of green financing, digital trade, and circular-economy strategies to accelerate post-disaster recovery.
   • Fostering innovation ecosystems to create adaptive and resilient local economies.

3. Smart Mobility and Infrastructure (SDG 9 & SDG 11)

   Resilient infrastructure is fundamental to a city’s operational capacity, particularly during and after climate events. Modernizing transport and utilities is a core target of SDG 9 and SDG 11.

   • Utilization of digital twins to model evacuation routes and simulate hurricane impacts on infrastructure.
   • Deployment of flood-resistant utilities and sensor-enabled infrastructure for dynamic response.
   • Ensuring transportation arteries remain functional to provide access to critical resources like food and healthcare post-disaster.

4. Smart Environment and Sustainability (SDG 7, SDG 11, SDG 13)

   Cities are central to global environmental challenges, consuming the majority of the world’s energy and producing most of its carbon emissions. Smart environmental systems are therefore essential for achieving SDG 7 (Affordable and Clean Energy), SDG 11, and SDG 13.

   • Energy Resilience: The failure of Jamaica’s power grid after Hurricane Melissa, where 70% of customers lost power due to vulnerable overhead lines, highlights the need for robust energy systems. The slow restoration of power critically impacted health facilities, water supply, and telecommunications.
   • Technological Solutions: Smart technologies offer viable solutions, including LiDAR mapping for vegetation management, AI-driven grid analysis to identify weak points, and the deployment of renewable microgrids with battery storage to ensure continuity for critical services, directly supporting SDG 7.
   • Early-Warning Systems: Urban flood sensors and predictive analytics strengthen national early-warning capabilities, a key component of climate adaptation under SDG 13.

5. Smart People and Quality of Life (SDG 11)

   The ultimate goal of a smart city is to enhance the well-being of its residents. A human-centric approach is fundamental to the vision of SDG 11, which aims to make cities inclusive, safe, and sustainable for all.

   • Focus on human-centric metrics such as digital literacy, equitable access to services, public safety, and community trust.
   • Prioritizing cleaner air, safer streets, affordable housing, and accessible public services.
   • Ensuring that technological advancements are inclusive and improve the daily lives of all citizens, valuing people above data.

Conclusion: The Path Forward for Sustainable Urban Futures

The insights from the Smart City Expo underscore that smart city initiatives are not merely technological exercises but are critical strategies for survival, dignity, and sustainability. For cities on the frontlines of climate change, integrating the five-pillar framework is essential for withstanding climate shocks and advancing the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. The future of urban development depends on the successful fusion of innovation, engineering, and human-centered design to build resilient, equitable, and sustainable communities for all.

Analysis of Sustainable Development Goals in the Article

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

1. SDG 7: Affordable and Clean Energy
2. SDG 9: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure
3. SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities
4. SDG 13: Climate Action

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

SDG 7: Affordable and Clean Energy

• Target 7.b: “By 2030, expand infrastructure and upgrade technology for supplying modern and sustainable energy services for all in developing countries, in particular least developed countries, small island developing States and landlocked developing countries, in accordance with their respective programmes of support.”
  
  Explanation: The article extensively details the failure of Jamaica’s power grid after Hurricane Melissa, highlighting “aging utility poles,” “overhead distribution lines,” and the fact that “500,000 customers, roughly 70 percent of the national grid lost power.” It then proposes solutions like “renewable microgrids with battery storage” as essential for small island states, directly aligning with the need to expand and upgrade energy infrastructure with modern, sustainable technology.

SDG 9: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure

• Target 9.1: “Develop quality, reliable, sustainable and resilient infrastructure, including regional and transborder infrastructure, to support economic development and human well-being, with a focus on affordable and equitable access for all.”
  
  Explanation: The article’s core theme is the need for resilient infrastructure. It describes how Hurricane Melissa caused “widespread infrastructure failure,” including washing out “major transportation arteries” and bringing down the power grid. The call to “rebuilding smarter, not just stronger” and the discussion on “flood-resistant utilities, and sensor-enabled infrastructure” directly address the development of resilient and sustainable infrastructure.

SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities

• Target 11.5: “By 2030, significantly reduce the number of deaths and the number of people affected and substantially decrease the direct economic losses relative to global gross domestic product caused by disasters, including water-related disasters, with a focus on protecting the poor and people in vulnerable situations.”
  
  Explanation: The article uses the devastation of Hurricane Melissa in Jamaica as a prime example of a climate disaster affecting a city and its people. It mentions the disruption to critical services and the economic argument that “for every USD $1 invested in disaster preparedness, countries save up to $7 in recovery costs,” which directly relates to reducing the number of people affected and the economic losses from disasters.
• Target 11.b: “By 2020, substantially increase the number of cities and human settlements adopting and implementing integrated policies and plans towards inclusion, resource efficiency, mitigation and adaptation to climate change, resilience to disasters, and develop and implement, in line with the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030, holistic disaster risk management at all levels.”
  
  Explanation: The entire concept of “smart cities” as presented in the article—encompassing governance, economy, mobility, environment, and people—is a framework for implementing integrated policies for resilience. The article advocates for “integrated disaster dashboards, predictive flood analytics and coordinated emergency response,” which are components of holistic disaster risk management.

SDG 13: Climate Action

• Target 13.1: “Strengthen resilience and adaptive capacity to climate-related hazards and natural disasters in all countries.”
  
  Explanation: This is a central theme of the article. It explicitly states that cities are on the “frontlines of climate change” and that small island states face “disproportionately severe impacts, including stronger hurricanes, and rising sea levels.” The entire discussion on leveraging smart city technology for disaster preparedness, recovery, and future resilience is about strengthening adaptive capacity to climate-related hazards.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

Indicators for SDG 11 (Target 11.5) and SDG 9 (Target 9.1)

• Damage to critical infrastructure: The article provides specific statistics that can be used as indicators of infrastructure resilience.
  • Percentage of the national power grid affected: “more than 500,000 customers, roughly 70 percent of the national grid lost power.”
  • Rate of restoration for critical services after a disaster: The article notes that 16 days after the storm, “electricity had been restored to only 67 percent of customers,” “81 percent of major health facilities were back online,” “telecommunications sites were restored at 56 percent for Digicel and 49 percent for Flow,” and the “National Water Commission reached 58 percent restoration.” These figures serve as direct measures of recovery and resilience.
• Number of people affected by disasters: The article mentions that “500,000 customers” lost power, which is a direct indicator of the population affected by infrastructure failure during a disaster.

Indicators for SDG 13 (Target 13.1)

• Adoption of disaster risk reduction strategies: The article implies the need for these strategies by highlighting their absence. The call for “integrated disaster dashboards, predictive flood analytics,” “urban flood sensors, river-level monitors and predictive analytics” can be seen as indicators of a country’s adoption of national and local disaster risk reduction strategies.

Indicators for SDG 11 (Target 11.b)

• Investment in disaster preparedness: The article mentions a key economic metric: “for every USD $1 invested in disaster preparedness, countries save up to $7 in recovery costs.” The amount of money invested in preparedness can serve as an indicator of a city’s commitment to implementing disaster resilience plans.

4. SDGs, Targets, and Indicators Table

Source: forbes.com